(BEST OF EVERYTHING

WE HAVE
THE LOWEST PRICES
ANYWHERE OF
TOP QUALITY CARRY-OUT DELI

YOU CAN TELL THE DIFFERENCE
WITH OUR HOMEMADE GOODNESS!

5
OFF, ■ :*
II ON OUR BEAUTIFUL !*

$

I ALREADY -LOW-PRICED :*
I MEAT OR DAIRY TRAYS

I

■

With This Coupon

*

• Not Good On Holidays
• io Person Minimum

WE MAKE ALL OUR FOOD
ON OUR OWN PREMISES!

• HOMEMADE COLE SLAW
• HOMEMADE POTATO SALAD
• HOMEMADE CHICKEN SALAD
• HOMEMADE TUNA SALAD
• HOMEMADE EGG SALAD

STAR DELI

24555 W. 12 MILE, Just West of Telegraph, Southfield

352-7377

Let Us Cater
Your Next Affair

WINTER COUPON SPECIAL

$10" OFF

ALL DINNER ENTREES FOR 2

With This Coupon

Banquets and Private Rooms Accommodating
20-100...at no extra cost, including music

OPEN 7 DAYS. MON.-FRI. LUNCH 11:30-2:30, DINNER SUN.-THURS. 410, FRI. & SAT. 411

Since 1973

THE
ORIGINAL

tY

19220 Grand River Ave.

CARD
READING
SAT.
EVES.

IN ROSEDALE PARK

533-2910i

CUSTOM CATERING

A'0

• Weddings
• Bar & Bat Mitzvahs
• Showers
• All Receptions,
• Open Houses Wedding, etc.

TRAY CATERING FOR ALL OCCASIONS
CALL ABOUT OUR
TRADITIONAL
PASSOVER MENU

CARRY OUT & DELIVERY AVAILABLE

76

FRIDAY, MARCH 9, 1990

737-5190

32839 Northwestern Hwy.
Tiffany Plaza
Bet. 14 Mile Rd.
iddlebelt Rd.
FarmingHills
on

Restaurant With A Family Feel
Serves Up Great Food And Music

DANNY RASKIN

Local Columnist

ne big happy family
makes up what is
probably the most un-
sung neighborhood restau-
rant anywhere.
When Excalibur opened its
doors in February 1978 on
Franklin Road and North-
western Highway just south
of 12 Mile, the late Pat Archer
vowed a sort of togetherness
pact among employees that
would exude to the customers
. . . It might take awhile, Pat
asserted, but eventually there
would be a happening of his
fervent want.
Pat has passed on, but the
unity at Excalibur is being
maintained by owner/chef
Marty Wilk and a highly
competent staff of employees.
Another whim of Pat's was
to serve the finest food at
prices that wouldn't be con-
sidered out of line for value
received . . . This, too, Marty
and the others have made cer-
tain has not changed.
These are only some of the
reasons Excalibur has retain-
ed a solid reputation for its
multifaceted operation . . . A
good number say it is better
today than ever.
When originally opened,
Excalibur had a center
gazebo off to the side and a
piano bar for entertainment
. . . These are gone . . . July 4
weekend of 1978 saw a dance
floor put in . . . with The Lov-
ing Cup featuring wonderful
songstress Marlene Hill and
hubby Danny Jordan as the
opener for dancing . . . They
are now Excalibur regulars
and play through March,
followed by Marty Kalleo and
The Gypsys.
Excalibur still serves soup,
salad and choice of starch
(potato, rice, etc.) with dinner
. . . The excellent food, coupl-
ed with superb service and
music for both listening and
dancing, make Excalibur a
place for total enjoyment.
Marty came to Excalibur as
executive chef in August
1978, six months after it
opened.
Today, as the sole owner of
Excalibur, he is carving
another niche in the fine
reputation of this popular
spot so much taken for
granted.
Seating is for 100 in booths
and tables amid a pretty
restaurant/nitery setting that
gives you the feeling of being
in an elegant New York spot
. . . Then again, much of New

York wishes it had something
like Excalibur.
Under the lacing above that
looks like clouds billowed
with sparkling stars,
customers are enveloped in
an intimate and cozy at-
mosphere . . . Etched glass
with neon lighting shooting
up separates the bar area and
restaurant/nitery territory
. . . Fresh flowers on all tables
and booths are changed dai-
ly . . . Those on the bar are
replaced twice a week . . .
Etched glass with colored
lighting also separates the
four circular plush-back
booths.
There are three more lux-
urious round booths in front,
numbers 51, 52 and 53, which
have become status symbols
as customers vie for the seats
. . . These booths are usually
reserved four to five weeks in
advance . . . and a lot of folks
who sit in them feel like
celebrities or VIPs . . . Of
course there are those too
who just like these booths
because they look out onto
almost the entire Excalibur
richness of design and give a
clear view of the dance floor
and band.

The rose-colored table-
cloths, rose-toned napkins, lit-
tle lambs on tables and
booths, mirrored ceiling above
the dance floor, large tree-
growing pots as you enter
from the street via an en-
trance canopy, paintings and
photographs, back wall with
its accordian-mirrored
elegance and glass walls with
painted murals, add to the
finery of Excalibur's
atmosphere.
An original Leroy Neiman
picture of Frank Sinatra
hangs at the back of Ex-
calibur's stage . . . It is one of
only 300 made . . . and sign-
ed by Sinatra and Neiman.
Even romance has blossom-
ed among the wait personnel
. . . Matthew Walheim, who
started as a busboy when Ex-
calibur opened and has been
a waiter four years married
barmaid Vicki Nell . . . She is
now a waitress, Vicki
Walheim.
Employees at Excalibur
like their togetherness roles
. . . It gives them an unmat-
ched feeling of wanting to do
so much more in their chosen
work.
Fran Ober has been Ex-
calibur's bookeeper seven
years . . . and a lass behind
the scenes who does so much
in cementing community
relations . . . Night Chef

Vince Bulone has been mak-
ing favorites for 10 years at
Excalibur . . . Day Sous Chef
David Verry came on board
the same time as Executive
Chef Marty Wilk . . .
Bartender-trickster of the
large personality, John
Cetrone, came within the first
year, left for about a year, and
returned to stay with some
new tricks.
They don't come much bet-
ter than Victor Dazbaz, Ex-
calibur's general manager,
who has been there about two
years . . . Madonna Gonzaga
opened the Excalibur bar and
is still there . . . She left for a
year after marrying John
Gonzaga, former National
Football League lineman,
missed her "family" at Ex-
calibur and returned to mind
the bar days and evenings .. .
John Golematis started as a

Excalibur has
retained a solid
reputation for its
multifaceted
operation ... A
good number say it
is better today
than ever.

busboy eight years ago and
has been a waiter two years.
Yael Goldbaum, evening
hostess, and Anita Jamian,
day hostess, came to Ex-
calibur about 10 months ago
. . . both so sweet, pleasant
and personable.
Our waitress, Linda Miras,
a six-year vet at Excalibur, is
among those types you hope
is your server . . . so very cor-
dial, utterly efficient and
neat.
Many people are under the
wrong impression about
prices at Excalibur . . . Since
so much is included rather
than going a la carte, it is one
of Metropolitan Detroit's bet-
ter values . . . and especially
so with music to dance by,
superb service, excellent food
and a look of class.
Although the sole owner
now, having bought out his
partners, Marty Wilk still
will not give up the kitchen
. . . He's in it every day, and at
eveningtime wears a business
suit to greet people he might
have cooked for in the
afternoon.
His wife, Karen, is now the
"official interior designer" at
Excalibur . . . She was in-
strumental in redoing much