BEST OF EVERYTHING OF SOUTHFIELD r- FREE DINNER Detroit's 1940 Chop House Has Cause For A Big Party WITH PURCHASE OF DINNER OF EQUAL OR GREATER VALUE INo Carry Out I GOOD 7 DAYS A WEEK I Limit 10 Persons' (NO DINNER WITH COUPON CAN INCLUDE SEA BASS, LAMB CHOPS OR STEAKS) 1. 15% PER PERSON • LIMIT 10 PEOPLE WITH COUPON • EXCLUDES HOLIDAYS DANNY RASKIN Tip Added to Entire Bill • Does Not Include Tax or Liquor • Expires 5-31-901 Local Columnist FABULOUS SUNDAY BRUNCH $7 50 W PER PERSON • LIMIT 10 PEOPLE L WITH COUPON • EXCLUDES HOLIDAYS • Expires 5-31-90i 25060 SOUTHFIELD RD (1 Block North of 10 Mile) 557-8910 24366 GRAND RIVER —1 7 Mile eiT 3 BLOCKS WEST 6 Mile OF TELEGRAPH 537-1450 araiiitatati &RA 1 I FREE BANQUET ROOM AVAILABLE Mexican or American Cuisine rtitifeiNTATIPIIIIPTiffitt FOR TWO YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO DOWNTOWN FOR AUTHENTIC MEXICAN FOOD! INCLUDES: STEAK FAJITA, 2 TACOS, CHEESE ENdli WE COOK ONLY I CHILADA, EL PADRE BURRITO, TOSTADA, 1 WITH 100% GUACAMOLE DIP, RICE AND BEANS. VEGETABLE OIL • Dine In Only • One Coupon Per Visit with coupon • Ex ires Arril 30, 1940 IN INCLUDING OUR BEANS $9.95 Serving Hours: Mon.-Thurs. 11 a.m.-11 p.m., Fri. 11 a.m.-12 Mid. Sat. 2 p.m..12 Mid., Sun. 4 p.m -11 p.m. ■ I I 31646 Northwestern Hwy., West of Middlebelt, Farmington Hills 855-4600 $ 2 00 OFF ANY LARGE PIZZA I or LARGE ANTIPASTO or LARGE GREEK SALAD I • Coupon Must Be Presented When Ordering • Not Good With Any Other Discounts or Coupons • Expires 5-3-90 JN 0 OFF ON YOUR NEXT TRAY MEAT OR DAIRY HAVING A PARTY? LET US CATER TO YOUR NEEDS • Minimum 8 Persons • 1 Coupon Per Customer • Expires 5-31-90 29145 Northwestern Hwy. at 12 Mile Rd. L Franklin Shopping Center 78 I FRIDAY, APRIL 27, 1990 356.2310 hen a restaurant keeps getting bet- ter, it undoubtedly means that the owner is tak- ing good care of his house. 1940 Chop House at 1940 E. Jefferson is celebrating its fifth anniversary in down- town Detroit . . . and doing it in a big way . . . Don Vargo is never asleep on the job .. . that's why he is considered among the top promotional and marketing restaurateurs in the business. Besides his food and service, Don always has ways of bring- ing customers, old and new, to the 1940 Chop House. This time, in celebration of number five, his special an- niversary menu has been down priced and items end in 40 cents . . . food, classes of wine and liquor at both lunch and dinner. Also, at each time, if a par- ty buys a bottle of one of his champagnes, Dom Perignon ($99) or the others listed, it in- cludes a free dinner or two free lunches . . . Two bottles is two free dinners or four free lunches. People the world over come to 1940 Chop House . . . Out- of-staters marvel at the prices Don gets for his quality of food and amount served .. . Many ask why he doesn't come to Chicago, New York or wherever. They also love the com- plimentary transportation he started five years ago, send- ing limos to pick up and take back people staying in the downtown area. Don doesn't miss a trick when it comes to customer satifaction . . . There is no cheating on food or liquor .. . Top whiskeys are in the well, not off-brands . . . And when ordering, say a 12-ounce steak, that's exactly what is served . . . all edible food .. . no bone . . . All fish is center cut, boned and skinned. 1940 Chop House decor hasn't changed since it open- ed . . . remaining one of the prettiest restaurant-niteries around . . . The gray tones are intermingled with blacks and pinks to make a very delightful scene of casual comfort . . . Lavender neon tubing is all about, atop the mirrored poles, blue padded booths with etched frosted glass dividers, frosted glass blocks, blue padded chairs, etched frosted glass mural, etc. In the entrance are photos of celebrity visitors to 1940 Chop House and around the back walls are well-appointed modernistic pictures and covers from Vogue magazine (1916, 25 cents, 1925, 35 cents, etc). It's a showplace where show people and dignitaries like to go . . . Don is the perfect host among his other attributes . . . making certain every customer is well satisfied .. . This is the difference in the know-how of a good restaurateur. He has been at it 25 years . . . still doing everything to- day . . . being on top of things (a great attribute!), watching the door, buying the food, do- ing the party bookings, etc. . . . Don is what you would call a very good operator .. . There is nothing he won't do to make people happy . . . so down-to-earth with customers . . . and pulling out all stops to get people into his place because Don knows they'll be back. Seating for dinner at 1940 Chop House is 150 downstairs . . . Upstairs, where folks can "rent a nightclub" (bring their own band or d.j., own decorations, etc.), has its separate complete kitchen, dance floor and seating for 200. Waitpersons are all in tux- edos and some of the help have been with Don since he had Don Vargo's on Six Mile Road in Livonia . . . Kim Quinn, waitress since 1974 . . . Linda Militello since 1970, was his manager for six years in Livonia and is now day manager . . . Betty Pacet- ti, night manager, ran Don's other place in Plymouth in 1981, the Plymouth Rock Saloon. Such wonderful music by the Billy Rose Quartet .. . Billy on guitar, Billy "Flying Fingers" Marr at the piano, Rudy Golde on bass and Chris Rose doing drums . . . They also vocalize on four-part harmony. You don't find this kind of music around anymore at too many places . . . soft rhythmic songs folks can relate to. The Billy Rose Quartet is there Monday through Satur- day evenings . . . On Sunday night is the Nancy Wood Trio . . . and Jerry Robinson is at the padded chair piano bar Mondays through Fridays, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Billy Rose and his group were also with Don at his Six Mile Road Don Vargo's locale . . . and continue in a popularity that puts the four gents among the leaders in local musical enjoyment. The lavender neon con- tinues on an inside sign over 1940 Chop House's open kit- chen with its logo glowing against the stainless steel background . . . About the kitchen, Don refuses to have anyone there who doesn't take pride in his or her work . . . He rightfully feels it is a marked reflection of his fight to stay at the top. Don knows the competition today is keener than ever before . . . and his sharp People the world over come to 1940 Chop House .. . Out-of-staters marvel at the prices Don gets for his quality of food and amount served. awareness is highly apparent . . . He is a good operator and merchandiser . . . one of the best . . . with a very astute cognizance that a satisfied customer is his A-1 commodity. Our waitress, Val Jakubus, produced whatever desired ef- fects one would expect from good service . . . and her per- sonable ways evoked much satisfaction. On our pink tablecloth where blue napkins are flowered in water glasses, Val brought a basket of rolls bak- ed by 1940 Chop House with a delicious garlic butter. My entree of char-grilled Norwegian salmon atop the silver placemat wasn't only a huge portion, but tender and very tasty . . . As Don says, no skin or bones, and to use any sort of sauce would have been a crime . . . This was Norwegian salmon prepared at its finest. Plain to see why so many people come to the 1940 Chop House . . . and why Don receives constant amounts of party referrals. It's also fast and easy to get to off the freeway . . . The lighted valet parking beckons many visitors. 1940 Chop House may not