!LISTENING POST
I BEST OF EVERYTHING I
ne of Metropolitan Detroit's
Most Beautiful and Exciting
Restaurants
\7°
Will Be Open
Thanksgiving Day
3 p.m.-10 p.m.
Nov. 28, 1991
Serving Our Regular Menu
And Also Featuring
Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner
Make Your Reservations Now
Ask About Our Catering Facilities
For Your Next Occasion
Dancing 'fliesday Thru Saturday
28875 FRANKLIN RD at Northwestern Hwy & 12 Mile
358-3355
Southfield
THE CITY'S BEST
KOSHER DAIRY TRAY
• Lox • Sable • Chubs • Tuna Salad
• American & Cream Cheeses • Tomatoes
• Onions • Cucumbers • Olives
• Bagels • Kaiser & Onion Rolls
• Hard-Boiled Eggs or Egg Salad
• Cottage Cheese with Pineapple
Cherry Torte Cake
I FREE DELIVERY
10 Person Minimum
GOLDEN
BAGEL
$9 2 5
per person
CAFE
KATON
Oak Park
547-3581
23055 Coolidge
Under Supervision Of The
,ouncil of Orthodox 111313.1s
Superb Northern Italian Cuisine
Mon.-Fri. 11-11, Sat. 4-12 mid., Sun. 2-11
Valet Parking
BANQUET FACILITIES
4222 Second Blvd.
Bet. Willis & Canfield
83 3-942 5
RESERVATIONS
TAKEN
FOR
MOTHER'S
DAY
Nationally Known
For Serving 4-H Blue Ribbon
Steaks and Chops. Excellent
Seafood and Liquors.
ALL BEEF AGED IN OUR OWN COOLERS
Serving Daily From 11:30 a.m. — Sunday From 2 p.m.
3026 Grand River • Valet Parking • 833-0700
76
Tableside Flaming Of The Filet
Is Back In Inexpensive Vogue
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 1991
DANNY RASKIN
Local Columnist
A
number of years ago,
Martha Raye was
seated at the Pump
Room in Chicago when a
waiter came by with a flam-
ing tray . . . Her astounded
companion asked, "What was
that?" and Martha replied,
"Probably one of his custo-
mers who didn't leave a tip."
This was in the days when
public food-flaming at
tableside with black tie was a
gourmet novelty and hadn't
yet reached the heights of
popularity . . . When it did,
flambe'ing suddenly sky-
rocketed as people had
pockets that not only jingled
but crackled with fresh
folding dough and credit
cards were whipped out in
wild abandon . . . Prices
soared for the flaming dishes
and customers didn't care
how much they cost.
The flames died down as
people started watching their
budget and slowly began
flickering.
A place like Boodles,
southeast corner of 11 Mile
and 1-75, has, through
reasonable pricing, revived
what might have become a
lost art . . . Its tableside cook-
ing during dinner within
price range is the secret let
out of a big success . . . done
because the owners them-
selves do the flambe'ing of
specialty dishes .. . . Bruno
Ferguson and Tim Kowalec
with well-stocked rolling
carts prepare the • select
choices at dinner and
although it is not a Greek
restaurant their waitstaff
also prepares flaming
Saganaki Opa!
This is just one of the
Boodles' assets . . . Another is
the time element getting
there . . . only 10 minutes
from 12 Mile and Nor-
thwestern Hwy. via the oh-so-
wonderful 1-696 that links
east and west in a flash .. .
Boodles saying "Where East
Meets West," is just that and
people are flocking in droves
to this popular spot that seats
only 95 on two levels in a
seven-day operation that in-
cludes Sunday brunch.
The well-trained waitper-
sons are another big plus .. .
very big . . . as they present
menus and serve and remove
from the proper sides without
the dreadful no no of reaching
across the table.
And for those wishing other
than a flaming dish, there's
chef Peter Lieber in the kit-
chen, former Golden Mush-
room stalwart under master
chef/co-owner Milos Cihelka,
and with owner Keith Famie
of Les Auteurs at the former
Raphael's in Sheraton-Oaks
Hotel some years back.
Entertainment goes on six
days a week . . Friday and
Saturday has Mel Thompson
at the piano flicking a Gersh-
win medley or "Our Love Is
Here To Stay" or "Smoke
Gets In Your Eyes" or "Hava
Nagila" and 'HI Were A Rich
Man" . . . Then Mel goes into
some Duke Ellington with his
"Don't Get Around Much
Anymore" and perhaps other
musicians will join him, like
the guitarist while we were
there who strummed away
with Mel on "Sunnyside Of
The Street," "It Had To
Be You" and the beautiful,
sultry strains of "Mizerlou"
. . . Sunday and Monday, 5:30
p.m. to 10 p.m. has Jerome
Israel . . . Tuesday through
Thursday is Joe Amijo on the
88.
Boodles is an intimate place
. . . A casual, free-standing
building that opened in 1985
and has taken off with much
popularity.
So nice to have a waitperson
who isn't lazy . . . Linda
LaPorte is the kind you enjoy
having serve your meal .. .
walking around to each per-
son at the table (there were
three of us) and politely and
efficiently serving the even-
ing fare.
Those rolling carts used by
Bruno and Tim have double
burners on them, allowing
each to make two flaming
dishes at the same time .. .
This is certainly a tremen-
dous asset since a person'S
meal doesn't need to cool off
while another one is being
prepared . . . Their artistry is
a sight to behold.
"I'll take one of each," kids
a customer as the pastry cart
is rolled by with the goodies
made by Boodles pastry chef
Yvette Dean . . . Don't fill up
on those rolls made at
Boodles . . . there's plenty of
food yet to come.
The revival of what might
have become a lost art is the
result, strangely so, of today's
economics . . . Tableside cook-
ing, once thought of only as
preparation for the well-
heeled, is now accessible for
all to enjoy . . . thanks to
Bruno Ferguson and Tim
Kowalec at Boodles . . . the
east side sleeper that has
never been allowed to doze off.
CONGRATS . . . to Bonnie
Brenner . . . on her 50th bir-
thday . . . She is the wife of
Dr. Sheldon Brenner, chief of
staff at Children's Hospital.
THE MODERNISTIC in-
terior gives a feeling that this
is not your ordinary kind of
Chinese restaurant . . . but
the design by brothers
Howard and Ron Ellman is
one of refreshment.
Recent grand opening of
Golden Phoenix at Sugar
Tree on Orchard Lake Road,
south of Maple, projected a
look that combines modern
with Chinese authenticity.
Golden Phoenix is owned by
Wendy Yee with brother Paul
and his wife Cecilia, plus
Wendy and Paul's mother,
Kwai Lan, who runs the
larger-than-previous kitchen
. . . They moved here from
Telegraph and Maple where
Golden Phoenix opened in
Reasonable
pricing at Boodles
is reviving a lost
art.
1972 . . . Sugar Tree affords
them much more parking
than before to accommodate
the present 110 seating.
It had formerly been the
locale of two operations, a
bakery and retail clothing
operation . . . Now in the
heart of West Bloomfield,
Golden Phoenix brings a solid
reputation of approval.
The lavender neon, modern
hanging lamps, recessed
lighting and frosted plastic
divider inserts in wood
frames between the booths,
gray ceiling with light
lavender cast from the neon
tubing, mirrors on all the
booth walls are among the
modern decor amenities
merged with an embroidered
Golden Phoenix brought here
from Hong Kong by Wendy
Yee who serves as dining
room boss . . . There is a huge
painted wall mural of people
going to a party in China, pic-
tures from Toronto on the
walls depicting various
scenes, etc. .. These coupled
with lavender tablecloths and
white napkins give Golden
Phoenix a delightful look .. .
Nothing except perhaps a
couple of little things were
brought over from the former
Golden Phoenix location .. .