Oakland Universit 's
MEADOW•BROOK
T HE A T R E
A Professional Theatre
The Glass Menagerie
by Tennessee Williams
March 16- April 9
A special 50th
anniversary
production of an
American classic
•
DANNY RASKIN LOCAL COLUMNIST
T
"A magnificent play"
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-New York Times
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FOR TICKET
INFORMATION CALL
MEADOW BROOK
THEATRE
(810) 377-3300
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Presented with the
generous support of
T/1:K2/AsrEP
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(810) 645-6666
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HUDSON'S, HARMONY HOUSE
& BLOCKBUSTER MUSIC
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BuddysBar-,13.Que;
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Coming in April ...
TOP BLUES BAND
Saturday Nights 9 - ?
HAPPY HOUR MON.-SAT. 3-6 PM
RESTAURANT & BAR
Dine In • Carry Out • Catering
WEST BLOOMFIELD
6676 Orchard Lake Road At West Bloomfield Plaza (North Side) South Of Maple
(810)851-4250 • Fax 851-7871
ettrica 4
Italian Restaurant
Lunch ■ Dinner ■ Cocktails
Banquets ■ Open Sundays
680-0066
645 E. Big Beaver Road, 'Troy
COCKTAILS
STEAKS, SEAFOOD,
DAILY SPECIALS!
ENTERTAINMENT
TRY OUR
SUNDAY BRUNCH
10:30-2:30
2555 W. 12
MILE AT COOLIDGE
WEDNESDAY - IRISH NIGHT
THURSDAY - NEW WORLD
RENAISSANCE BAND
FRIDAY & SATURDAY
BILLY ROSE QUARTET
(810)
Restaurant, Like Area,
Has Seen A Transformation
399-6750
he old building was falling
apart ... and dangerous
with ceiling wood that had
become bowed ... The only
air conditioning came from open
doors and fans.
But the reputation that has fol-
lowed Mitch's on Cass-Elizabeth
Lake Road in Waterford is such
that makes this dining institu-
tion a legend revered by three
generations.
Back about 43 years ago, the
former Dave's Tavern soon be-
came Mitch's Tavern & Grocery,
owned by Ella and George
Mitchell, who began serving
Greek salads, pizza, ribs, some
other items and Ella's rice pud-
ding.
In 1965, both the tavern and
grocery operations were made
into one restaurant, with Ella
and George turning it over to
their sons, Tony and Bill, who
transformed Mitch's into a 165-
seat dining spot ... Minor alter-
ations were made at the old
building, but as the years went
by, the structure continued to de-
teriorate so badly that something
had to be done in a much bigger
way.
In 1980, a new building of dark
wood, brick walls by booths,
stained glass, etc., was erected at
the site, fronted now by a large
parking lot.
The food menu that had ex-
panded remained the same until
two years ago when emphasis
was placed more on fresh fish and
a gourmet-like variety of dish-
es.
During a week now, 150
pounds of whitefish is served; 70
pounds of salmon; many pounds
of cod and other seafood items,
like crabcakes, $14.95.
But baby-back ribs is still the
best seller at Mitch's, with over
600 pounds gone through each
week ... Dinners for two are still
there with half slab of ribs and
half lemon herb baked chicken or
a full slab of ribs with Greek sal-
ad and choice of potato or
spaghetti, $19.95.
Some 300 pounds of pasta
weekly make it a second choice
... with whitefish the largest fa-
vorite among Mitch's fresh fish-
es.
Now solely owned and operat-
ed by Tony Mitchell, his wife Jo
Ann does office chores and works
on parties with Executive Chef
Josef Foreman.
One of the pictures on a wall
at Mitch's, painted by local artist
Harold Cohn, a former Les and
Sam Gruber friend, looks like it
could be one of the tuxedoed wait-
ers at their former London Chop
House coming out of the kitchen
with tray held high.
The old Mitch's building was a
knotty pine restaurant where
people waited outside to get in
and rarely minded it ... Being
there seemed something special
to them ... Seating today is for
325 among dark woods, bricked
interior areas, stained glass, etc.,
in a more modern yet still com-
fortable surrounding of intima-
cy.
the breadsticks are made at
Mitch's.
With him, too, came smoked
chicken calzone, beef and mush-
room calzone, regular stromboli
and vegetarian stromboli ... Oth-
er features now at Mitch's include
hot walnut loaf, shaved walnuts,
brown rice, basil and emmenthal
cheese wrapped in Napa cabbage,
accented with twin sauces of
tomato coulis and lemon pepper
cream, $12.95; and a vegetarian
sandwich he calls a PBT (porto-
Tony Mitchell points to the original Mitch's.
It is open seven days, Monday Bello, basil and tomato), with
to Thursday, 11 a.m, to 10 p.m; smoky grilled portobello mush-
Friday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Sat- rooms, also known as vegetarian
urday, 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. and Sun- prime rib, on sourdough bread,
day, noon to 11 p.m. ... Only the served with a fresh fruit salad,
dinner menu is available on Sat- $6.95.
urday and Sunday.
Few places anywhere have the
The difference in food prepa- walnut loaf, or voodoo stew, a
ration and presentation can be dark Jamaican soup swimming
attributed to the addition of Chef with clams, crabmeat, shrimp
Josef Foreman, whose extensive and scallops, $7.25 ... Italian
background included being exec- wedding soup with breast of
utive chef at De Ja Vu, north of chicken, miniature Italian meat
Columbus, Ohio; executive chef balls, fresh vegetables and orzo
at Gerardi's in Muirfield, Ohio; pasta is $4.95 ... Soups of the day
chef and pastry chef at the Wa- at Mitch's are $2.50.
tergate Hotel in Washington,
Customers enjoy the potato
D.C.; and executive pastry chef crusted whitefish with shaved
at Oakland Hills Country Club redskin potatoes, served on a bed
... Josef also had his own pastry of mandolin vegetables, $13.95;
business in Columbus ... Work- and fricassee of scallops with its
ing as a baker for his grandfather sauteed scallops, leeks and red
outside of Columbus taught Josef bell peppers accented by cham-
many things and is a main rea- pagne sauce and served in a phyl-
son why he is so proficient with lo basket, $15.95.
desserts ... He also makes his
The menu is a very imagina-
own sourdough bread and tive one ... hardly the kind you
spinach tomato bread ... Even would expect from Mitch's ...