One-Year Anniversary Tribute
To Quality And Reputation

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KITCHEN OPEN UNTIL MIDNIGHT FRI & SAT
LUNCH MON - FRI
DINNER TUES - SAT

*

STAR HAS EVERYTHING*
FOR ALL YOUR
PARTIES & GET-TOGETHERS;

EVERYBODY KNOWS WE HAVE
THE BEST HOMEMADE TUNA IN TOWN
REGULAR OR FAT-FREE
WE CUT OUR LOX BY HAND
YOU'LL LOVE OUR HOMEMADE GOODNESS!
WE ARE PROUD TO BE
ONE OF AMERICA'S BEST CARRY-OUT DELIS!

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OUR TRAYS CAN'T
BE BEAT
FOR QUALITY & PRICE!

Meat Trays $5.65 per person

Dairy Tray $10.25 per person

$

1

OFF

Wit T is oupon
• Expires 12-31-97
• Not Good Holidays
DELIVERY
• One Per Customer
• 10 Person Minimum
AVAILABLE

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4555 W. 12 MIL0EuxldWest of Telegrap h

352-7377

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t had its first anniversary a cou-
When it opened to much fari-
ple of days ago.
fare, the few who said it could be
In the year since opening, done have been proven right ...
April 23, 1996, Tribute on 12 Insofar as the others are con-
Mile Road, west of Orchard Lake cerned, "Boy," says Mickey, "were
Road, has become a na-
they wrong!"
tional standout in fine din-
In one year, over
ing.
25,000 customers have
Yet the man responsi-
passed through the
ble for putting it all to-
doors of Tribute ... It
gether is far from satisfied.
has received an over-
In fact, Mickey Bakst,
whelming public and
maitred', coordinator, etc.,
corporate response.
at Tribute, says it has a DANNY RASKIN
Tribute is owned by
ways to go before even be-
the Wisne family, who
LOCAL
ing considered a great
also own Too Chez in
COLUMNIST
restaurant.
Novi and Forte in
But as the days and weeks Birmingham ... Peter Loren is cor-
pass, Tribute is getting more and porate chef for the three restau-
more into the league with top- rants.
notchers like Daniel's in New
Seating is for 88 people in the
York, Les Panisses in New York's five-day-a-week, dinner only op-
St. Regis Hotel, Charlie
Trotter's in Chicago, Man-
sion on Turtle Creek in
Dallas, Le Bec-Fin in
Philadelphia, etc.
People are starting to
talk about Tribute in the
same breath as these very
fine, world-noted restau-
rants, but Mickey and his
executive chef, Takashi
Yagihashi, still do not feel
they are close to them.
These fine-dining es-
tablishments are what
Mickey and Takashi ob-
serve themselves as striv-
ing to emulate ... and are
hopefully coming closer to
with each passing day.
However, many others
differ ... Calls come in from
New York, San Francisco,
Dallas, Miami ... all over
the country ... with people
making reservations.
John F. Kennedy Jr.
heard about Tribute and
its reputation and quickly
Above:
made a reservation ... Business-
Mickey Bakst of Tribute.
people like designer Ralph Lau-
ren and so many others, coming
Right:
here from the world over, have
Executive chef Takashi
been calling for a table.
Yagihashi.
Almost everybody in the
restaurant industry said that a
place like Tribute couldn't work eration ... Tuesdays
in the metropolitan Detroit area through Saturdays, 5:30
.. It was too costly, they said ... p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
and the Detroit sector wasn't so-
Mickey came here
phisticated enough.
from Ellsworth, Michi-
Well, not only is it succeeding, gan's Tapawingo; Exec-
but so far very much above ex- utive Chef Takashi
pectations.
Yagihashi is from the
Mickey and Takashi had orig- Ambria in Chicago; Pas-
inally hoped to do about 50 din- try Chef Tanya Fallon
ners a night on weekdays and are from the Ritz-Carlton
already almost doubling that Hotel in Chicago; Gener-
amount ... Fridays and Saturdays al Manager Andrea
are sold out at least four weeks Fairbanks from the
in advance.
Whitney in Detroit.

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Sous Chef Ann Spillman is
from the Trio Restaurant in
Chicago; Sous Chef Tim Voss is
from the Park Avenue Cafe in
Chicago; and Kim Gayton, assis-
tant dining room manager, is
from The Whitney ... Excellent
servers, like Ray Riker, formerly
of the Lark, Michael Henning
from Opus One, and Lisa Quin-
tana from The Whitney rightful-
ly take great pride in bringing
Takashi's beautiful plate presen-
tation of elegant food by him and
the 16 in Tribute's large almost
4,000-square-foot kitchen.
You could call the fare con-
temporary French cuisine with
Asian influence.
Nothing is made in advance ...
not even the sauces.
The interior is a blend of con-
temporary and classical themes
with rich velvet booths, 30-foot-
high cathedral ceilings, beauti-
fully enclosed garden for cocktails
and appetizers, an art deco
lounge, arched wine vaults hous-
ing a collection of over 500 wines,
all custom-designed metal work
by local craftsmen ... chandeliers,
railings, door handles, fixtures,
etc.
Fine linen napkins are off-
white and tablecloths an elegant
white linen. ... Base plates are
custom designed and napkin
rings are made of quartz,
amethyst and gold coil ... Swiss
glassware and French silverware
make up the very exquisite table
setting.
Champagne and caviar