,17
Michigan's finest upscale,
yet casual American bistro
Savor the taste that is the
talk of the town
t,104RW''
The Best Of Everything
•
Some famous names in Detroit's restaurant history.
"Oakland Grill gets wows for
class act." — Observer es? Eccentrk
-*4.,..Ndtk%41ftSt
"Our meal at Oakland Grill was
exceptional and it left talking
about our food all weekend long."
—.Oakland Press
DECK
NOW
OPEN!
r
I 4 p.m. - 7 p.m.
Early Bird
Special!
TUES.. WED.. THURS. & SUN.
50% Off
Buy One Entree At Regular
Price Get Second Entree
Equal or Lesser Value
HALF THE PRICE
• Dine In Only • With Coupon
• One Coupon Per Couple
• Not Valid With Other Offers
L Expires 8/31/98
JN
SERVING LUNCH & DINNER
TUESDAY - SUNDAY
32832 Woodward Royal Oak
►
(Just soufh of 14 Mile Rd.)
8/7
1998
71'
(248) 549-7700
92 Detroit Jewish News
OOHING BACK TO YES-
TERYEARS ...
The wonderful tradition
that was Berman's Chop
House on Times Square continued to
live on ... from its original owner
Harry Berman ... to Sam Davis and
Ben Gottlieb ... to Ben Kasle ... Very
few changes were made when Ben
took over ... only some decor and
where advised by the Wayne County
Board of Health, for replacement and
repairs.
A glassed-in butcher case was
removed upon advice of the Board of
Health ... Through the years, Berman's
built a national reputation on steaks
and chops which were about 85 per-
cent of its business.
There were many interesting things
about Berman's ... It had two coolers
filled with about 10,000 pounds of
aging U.S. No. 1 prime beef ... Valued
in the many thousands of dollars,
these great sides of beef were cut into
strip sirloins and tenderloins after 14
to 18 days.
Berman's steaks came in six sizes
... A big and .a regular sirloin, a big
and a regular tenderloin, a club
steak and a ground sirloin steak (the
real thing).
Its lamb chops averaged three ribs
each ... And also featured were thick
cuts of roast prime rib, trout, white-
fish and frog legs.
The cottage
fries were partic-
ularly good ...
So much so in
fact that people
Al Rosenberg:
From beef buffet
to kosher.
still talk about their' to this day.
originated in Paris and named after
The kitchen was another point of
the famous Italian music composer
interest ... Seeing seven men in the
and conductor Giacchino Rossini,
tiny, open kitchen was a lesson in effi-
who lived the last 40 years of his life
ciency watching them work ... They
in France.
hardly had room to turn
When Hugo's cloed at
around, but seemed to get
the Park Shelton and later
everything done right.
reopened on. 12 Mile and
THE ALWAYS beautiful
Northwestern (present site
and intimate Menjo's on W.
of Excalibur), it heralded a
McNichols, between Hamilton
long-awaited return of this
and Third, was closed two
Italian-French restaurant, so
years and reopened with the
called because of a cooking
changeover from a boy-meets-
style with so many dishes
girl spot to a smart supper
made with wine. -
club.
People also gathered
D ANNY
AGED 'N RARE in the
there on Thursday evenings
RA SKIN
Harlan House on West Grand
for the popular Pasta and
Local Columnist
Boulevard was one of the few
Pagliacci Night with Bernie
places that could make you a
Katz at the piano, a tenor,
truly good Caesar salad ... It was cre-
two female vocalists and Hugo as
ated.by a waiter on a rolling table
bass-baritone.
before you with the proper ingredients
He used to be at Tam O'Shanter
that are so important for a true one.
Country Club as assistant catering
AL ROSENBERG'S Albert of
manager, social director, maitre d', etc.
Birmingham Beef Buffet, out Wood-
OWNER OF the Healthy Jones
ward, ranked with the tops as a buffet
restaurant on Northwestern Highway,
operation ... But Al's catering ability
Joan Wittenberg, also had a radio
was not ignored ... He continued to
show ... It was "Hotline To Health"
do a big job in the catering field
on WCAR and emanated from her
which, of course, was his first and real
and hubby Dr. Donald Wittenberg's
love, and always ranked Al among the
popular dining spot.
finest caterers in the Midwest ... After
FOLKS REMEMBERED Ruby
Al returned to kosher catering in 1967
Miller as a handball enthusiast and
at Congregation B'nai David, and
former haberdashery boss at Hot
moved to Adat Shalom Synagogue in
Sam's in downtown Detroit ... So
1972, there were few like him any-
when he became the new owner of
where ... The operation he founded is
Edjo's Palmer House on Woodward,
still at Adat Shalom, today run by his
they learned something new ... Own-
son Jeffrey, and Al's wife, Sarah, both
ership was something he always want-
carrying on Al's wonderful kosher
ed ... Ruby's customers were also
catering tradition.
happy to note that Rose Steinberg was
WHILE HUGO'S was in the Park
the new bookkeeper at Edjo's ... She
Shelton Hotel on Woodward and
was a stalwart at the old Club Alamo
Kirby, it was considered one of
on Liverriois and always a very well-
Detroit's better restaurants and widely
liked personality.
noted as a French-Italian dining spot
THE LOBSTER featured at the
... French people visiting here used
Clam Shop on East Grand Boulevard
to tell owner Arelio "Hugo" Ugo-
was a pound and a quarter ... and the
line that his escargots de bourgoyne
$9.50 dinner included soup, salad,
were among the finest in the
shrimp cocktail, coffee, tea, milk or
world ... Only Hugo knew the
Vichy water.
secret recipe, but if you wanted
MAMA ZELDA'S on Southfield
to know bad enough, he'd
was an all-you-can-eat pizza and
whisper it to you ... at least
spaghetti spot ... with a mezuzah on
most of it.
its door ... owned by Ira Levy, a men's
His tournedos of beef and
pants representative, and friend Fred
veal Rossini were cooked in
Waterstone, an insurance gent ... who
brandy, a recipe that was
decided to go into the restaurant busi-
410