40. LISTENING POST Fine Catering for all occasions I BEST OF EVERYTHING This Site Has Grown From Corned Beef To Four-Star DANNY RASKIN One of Metropolitan Detroit's Most Beautiful and Exciting Restaurants Local Columnist 0 Wonderfully Prepared Catering in Your Home, Office or at Our Restaurant Fine Dining and Live Entertainment Tuesday thru Saturday NEW ENGLAND LOBSTER FEAST Monday thru Thursday 28875 FRANKLIN RD. at Northwestern Hwy. & 12 Mile Southfield 358-3355 Jane's Place Casual Dining at Popular Prices in an Intimate Cafe Setting 25861 LAHSER AT CIVIC CENTER DRIVE • SOUTHFIELD MON.-THURS. H a.m.-8 p.m. FRI. & SAT. II a.m.-9 p.m., Closed Sun. 354-3640 • Evening Specials • Lunch Specials ENJOY LUNCH OR DINNER IN OUR BEAUTIFUL OUTDOOR PATIO GARDEN [ COMPLETE DINNERS $5 . 95 Starting At IF YOU'RE NOT RECYCLING YOU'RE THROWING IT ALL AWAY. o F1120 EDF Please write the Environmental Defense Fund at: 257 Park Ave. South, NY, NY 10010 for a free brochure. • E3TM Like Pizza Was Meant Carry - Out and To Be Free Delivery Voted Tops By Michigan Living Readers Y O UR 10% OFF ORDER with mention of this ad WATCH FOR THE OPENING OF OUR NEW BIRMINGHAM STORE, 1885 S. Woodward, Just N. of 14 FARMINGTON HILLS WEST BLOOMFIELD 28845 Orchard Lake Road Near Marmel's, Bet. 13 & 14 4177 Orchard Lake Road at Pontiac Trail 553-2880 855-6633 FRIDAY AUGUST 21 1992 ne corned beef on rye" had once been a call- out as Jack Meyers stood at the open counter covered with stainless steel, barking the order given him by the waitperson in a system that never did work or was ever used again anywhere else. Jack, Al Hacker and Bernie Glieberman closed the doors of their Rascal House on the property still owned today by Jack Peltz, where so many people at the time it was be- ing built thought he was mov- ing his House of Foods from Schaefer and Seven Mile. Following in the Rascal House footsteps over 20 years ago, July 31, 1972, to be ex- act, was a restaurant that would become one, of the finest in Michigan . . . the many awards-winning Golden Mushroom on 10 Mile just west of Southfield Road. When Reid Ashton opened the Golden Mushroom, there was little thought of it one day becoming such a very high-ranking restaurant, although he did have futuristic visions of owning such an establishment. Back in 1972 at Golden Mushroom, you could have lunch for $1.95 . . . soup of the day and healthy goodies from a sumptuous salad bar .. . The Lettuce Bin, as the varie- ty of vegetables was called, could also be gotten at no ex- tra charge with all menu en- trees and sandwiches. Golden Mushroom was the first place in the area to have a salad bar, discontinued in 1984 to utilize the space for wine storage . . . Its vast wine inventory today is well over 9,000 bottles. Where did the name come from? . . . Reid was in another restaurant and they served golden mushroom soup .. . He wanted a name that re- flected quality and good food . . . Golden Door didn't ring, but Golden Mushroom did .. . Mushrooms, Reid felt, were always in . . . standing for everything from fun to French cuisine. He had no intentions of replacing landmarks then like the London Chop House among others . . . far from it . . . but Reid did have a goal of attaining a good, thriving business, not an ego exten- sion . . . At the time, he felt the region was in a big need of another fine, successful restaurant . . . and this is where his background came in. Reid had majored in hotel and restaurant management at Michigan State, graduating in 1961 . . . After a stint in the army, he work- ed for a small hotel chain with five properties but large in catering at airports, Mar- riott . . . During Reid's East Lansing college days, he toil- ed in restaurants as a waiter, hoping one day to own his own place. When the opportunity came, finding the right site was of prime importance .. . Reid's real estate experience, too, came in handy. And he needed a good chef . . . The first one was a woman, Martha Cattaruzz, former sous chef for Chuck Muer under Chef Duglass (Doug Grech) at Hotel Pont- chartrain . . . She was with Reid until 1977. Seating for 166 is still the same, but those imitation leather-covered booths have been replaced with elegant cloth covering . . . The original plastic table tops are now damask linen, inexpen- sive dishes are today Villery and Boch fine china, the stainless flatware is now sterling silver and the Libbey glassware is 24 percent lead crystal. But one thing hasn't chang- ed at Golden Mushroom .. . Its warm atmosphere . . . The fine restaurant with its rough sawn cedar has retained a relaxed, comfortable feeling while attaining more elegance. Golden Mushroom has a lot of character, in both its restaurant and employees, of which today there are 105 in- cluding 23 in the kitchen alone. Mary Self started 14 years ago in 1978 and is still work- ing lunches as a much-in- demand waitress . . . When Miro Adamik migrated here from Czechoslovakia in 1980 he could speak very little English but waited on tables . . . Today, Miro knows a lot more English and is an even- ing waiter stalwart. Probably one of the most important additions to the Golden Mushroom team was that of Milos Cihelka . . . He came on board in 1977 as ex- ecutive chef and Reid later of- fered him stock in the corn- pany .. . It wasn't until 1985 that Milos decided to accept Reid's offer and invest in the Golden Mushroom. The list of proteges who have worked under Chef Milos at the London Chop House and Golden Mushroom reads like a chef's Who's Who . . . Two of them are still at Golden Mushroom . . . Steven Allen, its excellent executive chef, and Paul Yousoufian, now general manager and also its day manager with Greg Tierney. Throughout the years, Golden Mushroom has tried to provide the best cuisine possible at what it deems fair prices . . . And a big attribute is the fact that this -is not a restaurant sitting on its laurels, although it very well could with so glamorous a reputation . . . Regardless of What area, Golden Mushroom continually strives for im- provement . . . Much can be said for this admirable trait. Its work on the U.S. Culinary Olympic team is of national note . . . Chef Milos, who became a master chef in Golden Mushroom was the first place in the area to have a salad bar. 1988, is presently the squad's cookery adviser . . . and Reid a prime fund-raiser for the team's appearance in Frankfort, Germany. The Golden Mushroom's brushed stucco-like walls, rose-colored tablecloths, rose- colored napkins, oversized floral patterned plates and ex- cellent cuisine are accented by beautiful presentation from its tuxedoed waitpersons . . . The dark wood ambiance of dividers with mushrooms carved in each wide slat, elegant lighting, rose-colored lamp shades, beige chairs with rose print seats, etc. Ron Robb was originally a bartender when the Hotel Pontchartrain opened . . . then going to the former DB's at Hyatt Regency in Dear- born . .. Today, working even- ings, he is one of the very fine waitstaff personnel . . . ex- tremely efficient, cordial and polite . . . Back in the '80s, Ron's parents, Norman and Larry Robb, used to own the Opera House Restaurant on E. Warren. Buspersons like Ben Purser also do much to make a place . . . His winning smile and pleasant personality are