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Michigan's finest upscale,
yet casual American bistro
Savor the taste that is the
talk of the town

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Working together improves communication among restaurants.

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"Oakland Grill gets wows for
class act." — Observer & Eccentric

"Our meal at Oakland Grill was
exceptional and it left us talking
about our food all weekend long."

— Oakland Press

Complimentary
hors d'oeuvres

in the lounge every Thursday evening

HOURS:

Mon-Thug

11:30 a.m. - 10.00 p.m.
fri
11:30 a.m. - 11:00 p.m
Sat
5:00 p.m.-11:00 a.m.

Available
forprivafe
engagements

Saturday afternoons & Sundays

32832 Woodward Royal Oak

(Just South of 14 Mile Rd.)

3/6
1998

100

The Best Of Everything

(248) 549-7700

DANNY RASKIN
Local Columnist

Iff uch enthusiasm has
been generated by the
good news about Oak-
land County Health
Division and restaurateurs in this sec-
tor of Michigan having gotten togeth-
er in an important common cause
with formation of the Food Focus
Group.
It is definitely a giant step in
togetherness for the furtherance of
healthier dining as well as better com-
munications between these two
groups.
"This is a great idea. We finally get
a chance to voice our opinions," says
Johnny Ginopolis of Ginopolis' On
The Grill, Farmington Hills.
"It gives a better understanding of
what we need' from them and what
they need from us," remarks Norm
LePage of Big Rock Chop & Brew,
Birmingham. "Food-borne illnesses
are a problem that is increasing across
the country. One of the reasons we're
coming together is to help alleviate
them."
According to Bill Carlson of the
Oakland County Health Division, the
Food Focus Group was formed to
open up the lines of communication
between Oakland County restaurants
and the health department. "Also,"
he says, "to understand and discuss
each other's concerns and prob-
lems in regards to food safety and
restaurant inspection."
Back about 30 years ago, I recall
something like this group being
attempted in the city of Detroit ... At
that time, the Wayne County Health
Department and some restaurateurs
got together in what was to be a meet-
ing of the minds.
But it didn't last past the first
meeting, which wound up being
nothing more than a shouting
match with everybody seemingly
trying to out-yell each other.
What was white to one side was
black to the other and vice versa.
I feel very positive about this one,
though ... Thankfully, we can all be
reasonably assured that shouting will
not be the case with the Food Focus
Group that has been formed among

Oakland County Health Division and
Layne of Marx Layne will talk on
restaurateurs that met in January and
ways to handle crisis communications
will meet again March 21 at Big Rock
with the media and consumers as they
Chop & Brew, 245 Eton Street in
relate to food handling.
Birmingham.
Interested restaurateurs are urged to
Because of a greater public
call Bill Carlson at the Oak-
awareness, there has been an
land County Health Divi-
increase in media coverage
sion for more info on the
about health concerns across
Food Focus Group, (248)
the nation that can affect any
424-7188.
restaurant.
ANOTHER NOTCH in
Talk is that awards may be
the belt of Joe Vicari's grow-
given to restaurant operations
ing empire of Andiamo
based on low incidents of criti-
restaurants ... No. 5, the
cal violations, development of
former America's Pizza Cafe
management and employee
in Rochester that he pur-
DANNY
training, etc.
chased
from Mike Ilitch,
RASKIN
Restaurants like Stage &
will become Andiamo of
Local Columnist
Co., West Bloomfield, also
Rochester around May.

would be commended for pre-
sent efforts above and beyond the
norm.
And who knows, maybe that wish`
I've had for so many years may now
become a reality ... That restaurants
receive two separate inspection scores
... One on health violations ... The
other on repair violations ... If this
happens, a lot of sensationalist media
personages will have to look elsewhere
for their ridiculous "evaluations."
At the March 31 meeting of the
Food Focus
Group,
Michael

NO TRIP TO Atlanta,
Ga., would be complete without a
visit to Dick & Harry's on Holcomb
Bridge Road in Roswell ... This time I
had a wonderful barbecued salmon
and one of the persons at our table
got so hooked on the low-fat, low-
cholesterol emu that he wasn't out the
door two minutes before saying he
was going back for more in a couple
of days.
Note to Barry Solomon ... Hope
that Cheesecake Factory restaurant in
Buckhead comes to this sector ... On
the menu is a platter of your beloved
small slider sandwiches ....The burgers
aren't greasy like the ones you love
from Greene's, Bates, White Tower,
etc., but good enough, we're told, to
have you close your eyes in ecstasy ....
Maybe you've already had them at one
of the locations in California where
Linda, your celebrity photographer
wife, spends so much time ... There
are oodles of Cheesecake Factory
restaurants around the country as
well.
Not only does Greenwood's on
Green Street in Roswell serve good
home cooking, but owner Bill Green-
wood takes his goodness a step further
with help to nearby Temple Kehillat
Chaim ... Like donating entire din-
ners, etc. ... When the temple's Rabbi
Harvey Winokur married his Donnie
last year, Bill gave a donation in their
honor.
Same-sounding name is at an
Alpharetta restaurant and one in Fern-
dale here ... They spell it a lot differ-