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Greenfield north of 10
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LADIES' NITS
EVERY THURSDAY
WITH NORMA. JEAN BELL
AND THE ALL-STARS
B O U
from 9 p.m.
DRINK
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NORMA JEAN BELL
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SUN. 9 p.m.
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22061 Woodward, Between 8 & 9
3984940
Enjoy An Evening Of
OPERA THEATRE
SUN., MAY 19, 6 p.m.
Live Performances Of Arias From
Your Favorite Operas, The Italian Classics
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• 7-COURSE ITALIAN DINNER
$2 5
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31735 Plymouth Road
3 Blocks West of Merriman • Livonia
70
FRIDAY, MAY 17, 1991
DANNY RASKIN
Local Columnist
Lemon-Parsley Butter
Soup Dujour
Rice Pilaf
Fresh Vegetable
Bread Basket
Chocolate Mousse Torte
O
This Restaurant Is Worth Finding
In A Corner Of Shopping Center
REMEMBER . . .
EVERY WEDNESDAY
IS OPERA NIGHT
t's hardly where one
would look for a restau-
rant . . . hidden in a cor-
ner at the extreme end of a
shopping center . . . But the
fact that people will find
something good wherever it is
certainly holds true for Le
Metro in Applegate Square
on Northwestern Highway.
Celebrating its second an-
niversary this July, Le
Metro's decor is quite dif-
ferent than it was when open-
ing back on July 22, 1989 .. .
The third remodeling phase,
a recent one, has given it a
much more intimate surroun-
ding of casual elegance.
Gone is the wide open "tea
room" look . . . There are even
a couple of booths now adding
to the 66-seater soft intimacy,
plus a three-seat bar and two
stand-up island tables behind
free-standing partitions that
list food and wine specials.
Gone, also, are the "too
high" prices at Le Metro.
People now like to doodle on
the brown paper covering
white linen tablecloths dur-
ing lunch . . . and the warmer
look is accented by Le Metro's
ceiling now painted a deep
black . . . Funny how colors
can make such a difference
. . . like the light celadon
walls and drapes, light green
window sills and black
shades.
Le Metro's good looks of to-
day are a far cry from when
it first opened on the site of
the former Bernardi's at
highly-popular, award-
winning Applegate Square.
But like the man or woman
said, looks aren't everything
. . . The inner workings of Le
Metro are good . . . very good
. . . Chef-owner Tim Winter-
field is among the tops in
culinary expertise . . . and his
new general manager brings
with him a restaurant fami-
ly background of high repute.
GM Chris Ashton is the son
of Reid Ashton, co-owner of
the Golden Mushroom, where
Chris began learning the res-
taurant business since it
opened in 1977 . . . He was its
temporary dishwasher while
in grade school, then busboy
during high school days and
a waiter when not attending
classes at University of
Michigan.
Unlike many other sons of
restaurateurs, Le Metro's
general manager didn't come
out of school and into the
restaurant business . . . He
sought adventure and became
a gold miner in Happycamp,
Calif. . . . Chris didn't strike
gold, but he had a lot of fun
before discovering that the
blood flowing in his veins had
restaurant thickness . . . and
so back to Golden Mushroom
in charge of cold items under
Master Chef Milos Cihelka,
plus assisting its sous and
line chefs.
And as good as an owner-
chef like Tim is or a general
manager such as Chris, with-
out proper personnel the
restaurant game is very much
a struggle.
Waiter Bob Lawry, a good
one, "came with the place" so
to speak . . . Robert was a Ber-
nardi's favorite and is a Le
Le. Metro
remodeling has
given the
restaurant an
intimate feeling.
Metro stalwart . . . personable
and with a lot of server know-
how for much customer
satisfaction.
Becky Medus has also been
at Le Metro since it opened,
weaving her pleasant, effi-
cient and smiling ways after
coming here from Chicago .. .
Cameron De Marco, evening
waiter, and Tim Smith, lunch
and dinner waiter, have both
been at Le Metro from the
beginning . . . Night bar-
tender Ray Dominguez has
been there two years after a
long London Chop House stay
of over 15 years.
It's a much different Le
Metro today . . . No more
noise factor to continually
contend with . . . Even the
hostess stand is gone . . . and
in its stead is a desk . . . The
staidness has departed and
informality is comfortably set
in for people dressed or
casual.
Window drapes fall loosely
around the "new look" af-
fected by a complete change
except for the carpeting,
tables and chairs.
While so many other res-
taurants either fall by the
wayside or just stand still
with too much dependence on
what is very well an insecure
reputation, Le Metro has
again taken a giant step .. .
in the right direction.
SASHA ATE more than
anybody . . . and she didn't
even have to go to the buffet
table.
It was during the pre-glow
for about 200 people by
Michigan Cancer Foundation
at Dave and Doreen Herme-
lin's home that their dog
got around more than anyone
. . . and never in the way.
If Sasha could talk, she pro-
bably would have asked folks
what was on the table . . . and
would they get her some of
the good stuff . . . As it was,
Sasha had to eat whatever
the folks gave her, and it was
plenty.
Give Millie Pastor an "A"
for her efforts in trying to get
Sasha to do tricks for food .. .
think this dog is a dummy?
. . . There were plenty of
others to go to without having
to work for her snacks .. .
Sasha paid no attention to
Millie's request and was still
given some goodies from her
dish.
While Sasha was making
the rounds, Iry Dworkin stood
near the Hermelin bar telling
funny stories as wife Olga
socialized . . . Susan Winton-
Feinberg never looked pret-
tier with her Cleopatra-type
hairdo . . . "You'll never be
broke" said Norman Allan
after being shown the dollar
bill he gave me a number of
years ago with his picture on
it . . . Spencer and Myrna Par-
trich, Marty and Cis
Kellman, John Bloom (of
course), Ira and Brenda Jaffe,
Doug and Sydell Schubot,
Mira Linder and hubby Ar-
thur Victor, Fred and Kathy
Yaffe, Marcia and Gene Ap-
plebaum, Sidney and Maddie
Forbes, Dave and Gloria
Leader, and so many more
Watching the Pistons-Atlanta
Hawks game (imagine part-
owner and super fan Dave
staying home to entertain his
MCF guests rather than be-
ing there).
No speeches, just good all-
around conviviality . . . Sasha
loves people . . . and that
there always is at the home of
Dave and Doreen Hermelin
. . . Here's one dog who will
never go hungry.
This was Thursday evening
. . . and two nights later was
the Michigan Cancer Founda-
tion biggie . . . with about
1,200 at the Westin Hotel for
MCF's "Celebration To Life"
ninth annual black tie dinner,
always a plush affair of
abounding class.
Good thing nobody hol-
lered, "Is there a doctor in the
house?" . . . especially during
Burt Bacharach's perfor-
mance . . . Wouldn't have
been able to see the excellent