The Michigan Classic Ballet
Presents
`Homemade' Is The Real Thing
At The American Inn
DANNY RASKIN LOCAL COLUMNIST
The NuterAciter
with the Michisari Classic Stimphorni Orchestra
Saturday Dec. 4 - 7:30 p.m.
Sunday Dec. 5 - 3:00 p.m.
Reserved Seating
Adults '15, Children '12
West Bloomfield High School Auditorium
for Ticket Information or to charge by phone
Call (313)661-4349
Cce::Ca3
One of metropolitan Detroit's Most
Beautiful and Exciting Restaurants
Wonderfully Prepared Catering
in Your Home, Office or at Our Restaurant
Fine Dining and Live Entertainment
7 Nights A Week
S UZI & DAN WARREN
Tuesday Thu Saturday
GEORGE "STARDUST" GREEN Mondays
28875 Franklin Rd. at Northwestern & 12 mile
Southfield
358-3355
ROAST CHICKEN $545
DINNER
CHOICE OF SOUP OR SALAD
I
DELI and RESTAURANT
SHIVA DINNERS & PARTY TRAYS...Free Deilivery
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner ... Mon.-Fri. 7a.m.-8 p.m., Sat. 7 a.m.-3 p.m.
352-4940
1754 W. 11 MILE AT LAHSER n HARVARD ROW Fax: 352-9393
T
here is much to be said
about good neighborhood
family dining. It is a
valued commodity that
never lacks from customer ap-
preciation.
Things to look for in a good
neighborhood family restaurant
are important . . . Just because
the meals are cheap or it is
located around the corner
shouldn't make it a priority.
Neighborhood family restau-
rants are the likeliest types of
which to be wary.
Too many places serve food
at low prices but substitute in
such away that if the Truth In
Menu people ever came around,
their doors would be shut .. .
There is no alternative for good,
wholesome food with able ser-
vice and low prices.
Also, many are on a health
department borderline that
barely allows them to remain
open . . . Too bad customers
don't visit the kitchens . . . Next
time you dine out, ask to see the
kitchen . . . If the owner or man-
ager won't show it to you, using
some kind ()flame excuse, don't
go back.
One of the better neighbor-
hood family restaurants around
is American Inn on Middlebelt,
between Five and Six Mile .. .
Its cleanliness has the Wayne
County Health Department
continually giving scores in the
90s . . . The food is wholesome,
service far above par, prices
family-budgeted low . . . and it
has a children's menu.
When Angelis Anastasiou
and partner Chris Kanis took
over the locale in 1992, they
completely gutted the former
pub and built from scratch.
An important asset is its
homemade food . . . There are a
number of restaurants who
claim "homemade" but in real-
ity doctor up foodstuffs taken
from cans.
Homemade is a truthful and
prime ingredient at American
Inn, which also bakes its own
breads, pies, etc. . . . Almost
everything it serves is made on
the premises.
Seating is for 140 at tables
and 25 booths.
Angelis and wife Susan also
own Dimitri's of Farmington on
Grand River and one or the oth-
er is at American Inn during
the day, along with two man-
agers . . . Chris runs the family
restaurant ship evenings.
Susan is responsible, too, for
much of the decor at American
in . . . mirrors all around, brass
Chris Kanis and Angelis Anastasiou
railings, etched glass in a cozy,
comfortable and intimate sur-
rounding with quiet, pleasant
motif that promotes relaxation.
Biggest seller is the Chicago-
style chicken pie with its own
homemade recipe . . . chunks of
white breast of chicken, sauteed
onions, whipped-but-thick
bechamel sauce mixed with
parmesan cheese, eggs and
flour . . . All are blended to-
gether and wrapped in phyllo
dough, baked and served with
chicken gravy . . . A full dinner
is $6.95, and over 400 orders are
served weekly.
Also high on the ladder are
the lamb shank dinners with
350 sold each week at $6.95 .. .
10 varieties of chicken dishes
are $6.95 . . . and almost 400 or-
ders of whitefish (10 ounces,
$8.95) are consumed weekly.
Service is as you would want
it . . . with knowledgeable wait-
persons whose dining room ex-
periences are large . . . Sandy
Duyme used to be at Angel's
Hour Glass years back . . . and
has been at American Inn since
its opening . . . Mary Holcomb
has also been there from the be-
ginning . . . Both work evenings
and are great with children as
well as adults.
Family dining at American
Inn has always been the main
forte for Marcie Purves, Bar-
bara Oetzel and Pattie Srobel,
hostesses and head waitress
. . . all of whom were at Ameri-
can Inn when it first opened its
doors.
Executive Chef Otto Zigouris
and his main kitchen helpers
worked the stoves when Amer-
ican Inn greeted its first cus-
tomer, June 15, 1992, cooking
Greek, Italian and American
specialties from appetizers to
dinners.
Joanne Connors, American
Inn bookkeeper and girl Friday,
is also a since-opening-day stal-
wart.
American Inn is big on fam-
ily dining but has never been
open for breakfast . . . This will
change in December when fam-
ily-style breakfasts will be fea-
tured for the first time . . . Its
Sunday Family Feast, 12 noon
to 10 p.m., has already become
a favorite.
Although open only a year-
and-a-half, American Inn has
already achieved its purpose
. . . to be a good family restau-
rant . . . From the moment a
waitperson comes with those
warm, homemade rolls to the
time of leaving, customers will
have spent a pleasant and dean
dining experience.
NOW IT'S COMPLETE
. With the recent reunion by
Bus 18 of this past April's Mir-
acle Mission to Israel, all 33
guided vehicles are finally ac-
counted for.
It was at the home of Sally
and Richard Krugel, attended
by a good turnout of 21 Mission
vets . . . Folks showed pictures
of the trip and reminisced of the
good times they enjoyed.
Laurie Shapiro asked the re-
union-ites of their fondest re-
membrances . . . Rosie Schlussel
passed out candy again .. .
Mark Schlussel couldn't make
it to Israel but came from a
Sinai Hospital board meeting
to be at the reunion . . . Joel
Shapiro told people they'll never
get food in Israel like his Steam-
ers Seafood & Grill ... Sally and
Richard were gracious hosts.