JAPANESE DINING
AT ITS FINEST!

HAKATA
JARVIESE RudriuntAirr

OPEN 7 DAYS • LUNCH & DINNER
featuring

AUTHENTIC JAPANESE CUISINE

AS YOU LIKE IT!

• Elegant Atmosphere • Gracious Warmth
• Reasonable Prices

* Sushi Bar * Private Japanese Rooms
* Cocktails Including 30 Different Kinds of Sake

Lunch: Mon.-Fri. 11:30-2 p.m.
Dinner: Mon.-Sat. 5:30-10:30 p.m.
Sunday 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

32443 NORTHWESTERN HWY.
Between Middlebelt & 14 Mile

737-7220
Fax: 737-7223

CHARLIP

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OPEN UNTIL MIDNIGHT
LUNCH MON - FRI
DINNER TUES - SAT

OUR GREAT NEW MENU SPECIALS!

MONDAY . . . . CHOPPED SIRLOIN
$7.95
TUESDAY . . . WHITE FISH SICILIAN
$7 95
WEDNESDAY . CHICKEN PARMESIAN OR SHORT RIBS
$7.95
THURSDAY . . . VEAL MARSALA, PICCATA, PARMESAN OR TOSCA
$8.95
FRIDAY
WHITE FISH (Broiled or Duratee) or STUFFED CABBAGE
$7.95
ALL ABOVE INCLUDES COMPLETE DINNER
SOUP OR SALAD, POTATO,
VEGETABLE, DESSERT AND BREAD BASKET

r SATURDAY FILET MIGNON-1
14 1

I ONLY
L SPECIAL

Open
Mon.-Sat.
7 a.m. -
8 p.m.
Closed
Sundays

WITH ZIP SAUCE

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Includes: Soup or Salad, Pot.••••'•
Veg. & Bread Basket
Jj

SHIVA
DINNERS
and
BEAUTIFUL
PARTY
TRAYS
•
Free
Delivery

DELI AND GOURMET RESTAURANT

21754 W. 11 MILE RD. • HARVARD ROW • 352-4940 FAX: 352-9393

From Pine lake To Crooks Road,
A Dining Tradition Has Continued

when was a time in the 1970s
when folks loved their drive
out to Pine Lake and the big
Cape Cod-like edifice that
was once the popular Rotunda
Country Inn.
The atmosphere was wonder-
ful and the seafood delightful,
within a small menu that was
graciously presented.
This was the Charley's Crab,
with its pine-paneled dining
room, that opened May 25, 1970
... and was destroyed by fire in
early spring of 1975.
Today, Charley's Crab still
lives on ... This past Sept. 15, it
celebrated 20 years at the Troy
location to which it relocated, on
Crooks west of I-75, in 1976.
The eye-pleasing decor consists
of four levels, all open to each
other, with the handsome main
dining room being the restored
living room of the famous
Macauley mansion. in Grosse
Pointe.
Just to view the burnished
wood paneling is worth a visit ...
But the food as prepared by chef
Gary Tottis, under the supervi-
sion of excellent Chuck Muer cor-
porate executive chef Jim Blake,
has been recognized by many.
Also there are numerous relics
from the Wanderer, the last
square-rigged sailing whaler to
operate out of New England.
All that was left when the first
Charley's Crab burned down on
Pine Lake was a huge iron an-
chor that now hangs above the
present piano bar.
Chuck Muer and his stalwarts
then took the player pianos and
anchor, bought a sizable chunk
of the Glancy mansion (former
Macauley mansion built in 1929)
that was under the wrecker's
ball, and built the current
Charley's Crab.
Outside of the magnificent
mansion cum dining room,
Charley's Crab is a marine mu-
seum with pictures, artifacts and
busty figureheads hung on all
sides between fishnets, ship's
lamps and binnacles.
How well I remember the orig-
inal Charley's Crab, with its great
Charley's Chowder and signature
entree of Charley's Bucket ... Its
Down East Feast was a standout.
The anniversary of General
Manager Bob Jones is also being
feted ... Bob came to Charley's
Crab 10 years ago, on May 14,
1987, and has been a rock of
Gibraltar in the wonderful Chuck
Muer tradition.
Seafood dining is Bob's spe-
cialty ... Before coming here he
was at Hogates on the Potomac

River, a choice seafood restaurant bet ... and even the logo-shaped
in Washington, D.C.
chocolates that are presented
Under Bob's leadership, to- with the check ... The bread is
day's Charley's Crab is a fine din- baked daily ... and fish is smoked
ing operation with excellent plate on the premises.
presentations and hearty ac-
There are regular menu
companiments.
changes, but most of the items
It is open seven days a week ... are so popular they continue on.
Monday through Friday lunch,
You'll always see about eight
11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.; din-
or nine fresh fish dinners
ner Monday through
... A raw oyster bar ... 11
Thursday, 4 p.m. to 10
wonderful appetizers ...
p.m.; Friday, 4 p.m. to
A couple of caviars
11 p.m.; Saturday, 5
Seven salads ... Four
p.m. to 11 p.m.; Sunday
steaks, rack of lamb,
dinner, 2 p.m. to 9 p.m.
roasted breast of chick-
- The main dining
en, veal chop, etc.
room's decor includes DANNY RASKIN
Maryland crabcakes
white linen tablecloths
LOC AL
are a big entree seller,
over a table liner of bro-
and Charley's Crab is
COLUM NIST
cade print in a cranber-
among the few restau-
ry color, pink linen napkins, rants that know how to make
high-backed chairs, rich wood good bouillabaisse ... a seafood
paneling, fireplace and an elegant stew with fish, crab and shellfish,
softness.
including a 1/4-pound live Maine
Yes, the Charley's Bucket is lobster.
still there ... with its 1 1/4- pound
Regular entertainers are Silas
Maine lobster, dungeness crab, Walker on the piano Sunday and
shellfish, redskin potatoes and Monday, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. ... and
fresh corn-on-the cob.
the wonderful Bob Seeley ... a
And the original Charley's Charley's Crab stalwart with his
Chowder, its Mediterranean- fine jazz, stride and boogie, Tues-

Bob Jones: Ten years at Charley's Crab.

style fish gumbo, is regularly day through Saturday, 7 p.m. to
joined by Boston clam chowder 11 p.m.
and lobster and rock shrimp
Bob Seeley started part time
bisque.
at the Pine Lake locale ... went to
The present menu at Charley's Troy and through the years be-
Crab is so much larger, with a came a full-time standout.
high diversity of excellent dish-
Charley's Crab in Troy is one
es, and much more interesting of the longest-standing fine din-
than the Pine Lake one which so ing restaurants in this area ...
many folks used to rave about.
and a tribute to good seafood en-
Everything, except things that joyment.
swim, walk or grow, is made from
SIX YEARS AGO, Oak Park
scratch at Charley's Crab ... in- Senior Center's Vintage Players
cluding desserts, ice cream, sor- started a drama group with only