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DANNY RASKIN LOCAL COLUMNIST

Avenue Diner...Where People Go To Eat Se Meet

Avenue Diner, one of America's most beautiful restaurants,
presents an all-new menu with Executive Chef Kirk Robin-
son and Sous Chef Michael Dunn. The new innovative
menu ranges from cutting-edge cuisine to comfort foods.
Fresh fish and specials are presented daily with a savory
twist.

Avenue Diner wines are an eclectic mix of California,
French and Australian bottles picked for their outstanding
values. Sans Snob relatives the spirit of the list and blends
complex with inexpensive offerings.

ENTERTAINMENT-DANCING

Wed. & Sat. Evenings

Featuring

DAVID BALL
KEVIN CROSBY

Thurs. & Fri. Evenings
"Back To Back"
GWEN FOX
GREG DOKES

EXCITING AMERICAN CUISINE

• PRIVATE PARTIES • CATERING • SHOWERS • BAR MITZVAHS

FREE LIMOUSINE
SERVICE FOR LUNCH

RESERVATION
(810) 549-2000

Complimentary
Valet
Service

4616 Woodward,
Royal Oak

(5 Mile Radius)

Daniel's Is A Touch
Of New York In Royal Oak

Just South of 14 Mile

Your Host: David Lachman

MITCH'S II

BANQUET ROOMS AVAILABLE
FOR ANY OCCASION

From 100 to 400

Creative Ideas For Your Favorite
Bar Mitzvah, Etc. Theme Parties
And Everything From
Fresh Fruit Bars To Elaborate Sweet Tables
At Reasonable Prices

Complete Personalized Service By Georgiann Mitchell

For More Information, Please Call Juanita

810-666-4440

6685 Highland Road, Across From Oaldand•Pontiac Airport • Pontiac, Mich.

fit weren't that the place was front and curio cabinet both hold-
so elegant, from food to service ing glasses.
to decor, the feeling of being in
It is open Monday through Fri-
a Greenwich Village restau- day for lunch, 11 a.m. to 2:30
rant would take a main hold.
p.m., and dinner Sunday through
However, even with the grace Thursday, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., and
of this dining operation, one can't Friday and Saturday, 5 p.m. to
help but get the feeling of being 11 p.m.
in that New York sector, with its
Number one seller is Daniel's
choice European dining spots.
tournedos of beef Madagascar,
Daniel's restaurant on Sixth topped with artichoke hearts and
Street in Royal Oak, between a green peppercorn sauce, $18.95
Washington and Main, opened
Cioppino, a combination of
Nov. 17, 1993, and became an im- salmon, whitefish and shrimp,
mediate sensation ... From 300 sauteed with a slightly zesty clam
dinners a week after opening, it tomato basil wine sauce and
today does over 1,200 weekly ... served in a potato nest, $18.75, is
and in 1994 was named
restaurant of the year by
more than one publica-
tion.
The recent first an-
niversary of Daniel's
provided the biggest re-
ward a restaurant can
receive ... that of seeing
customers return ... The
former site of Benno's
cannot ask for much
more.
One of the owners,
Dan Kozak, also has an
antique gallery in Royal
Oak ... and many of the
fine antiqued pieces at
Daniel's are his ... in-
cluding all the paintings
from Dan's collection, 90
percent of them being
original oils 80 or 90
years old and over, in-
cluding one about 200
years old.
Partners Richard Spehar, Dan Kozak and Joe Maniac'.
Another
owner,
Richard Spehar, had
been a waiter four years at Sweet the biggest seafood choice ... An-
Lorraine's Cafe and left to be in other large favorite is Daniel's
the restaurant business himself sauteed Pacific salmon with a
... A third partner, Joe Maniaci, green herb sauce, $18.95 ... It is
comes weekends and whenever served about 300 or 400 times a
week.
needed to help out.
Sauteed lake perch, with shit-
When Dan was looking to open
a restaurant on this side of town, take mushrooms in a honey Di-
he wanted to concentrate on the jon glaze, $19.95, is high on the
food and kitchen ... and this is list, too, almost the same amount
where Richard and Joe came in as salmon being sold weekly ...
... Richard still handles the front, Broiled white fish is served plain
Dan stays in the kitchen and Joe or with a mild tomato basil sauce,
does his weekend stints.
$15.95 ... Mushroom blintzes are
It has always been a warm, in- a delicious concoction of wild and
timate place ... something that domestic mushrooms, sauteed
Benno was noted for, and so Dan with onions, leeks and garlic and
Kozak, owner/chef of Royal Ea- served in fresh crepes accompa-
gle, and prior to that, Under The nied by horse radish sour cream,
Eagle in Hamtramck, didn't need $14.95.
Other entrees include pastas,
to look any further ... he had
chicken, duck, veal, beef, etc., all
folind what he wanted.
Daniel's seats 175 with a bar artfully presented with tasteful
area as you enter of six stools and delight.
The elegance of Daniel's
six high-top tables... It is open
seven days ... This sector is a restaurant is striking with white
guest's first glimpse of antiques tablecloths, white linen napkins
that are everywhere ... a break- and beige skirting made by Dan,

I

Richard and Joe ... Above the
large-windowed Florentine
Room's dark green walls, sculp-
tured decorative plaster was
spray-painted gold and stands
out in quiet distinction ... The
windowless Viennese Room is of
red painted walls with its floor
centered by diagonal black and
white tiles that are surrounded
by carpeting ... Under the white
tablecloths are long black table
skirtings made by Dan, Richard
and Joe ... An antique hutch in
this room holds China cups and
saucers and glasses, while in a
corner stands an antique lamp

with multi-colored shade.
One of the big things that sets
Daniel's apart from other restau-
rants is its flexibility ... Sauces
made by Dan Kozak may go with
certain dishes, but any can be
substituted with another if de-
sired ... This is because so many
are thste favorites and customers
go ga-ga over them.
Dan likes to make everything
himself, the pastries, soups, etc.,
and sings Polish opera while
cooking ... thinking nothing of
working 90 to 100 hours a week.
The beauty of Daniel's decor
includes chandeliers in the Flo-
rentine room and lobby that are
each over 100 years old.
Its recently opened Martini
Room, on Thursday, Friday and
Saturday, is the present Floren-
tine Room ... Tablecloths are tak-
en off on these evenings and
replaced with short black cover-
ings ... There is jazz each of the
three nights, but different styles
nightly ... Only hors d' oeuvres

