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The Best Of Everything

Amer has engineered a restaurant sensation.

months for their money.
The Birmingham site is where
The Flint restaurant was closed in
Amer's mother, Hian, works ... She
1982 ... But not before his 1990
taught his cooks whatever they know
he University of Michigan's
opening of Amer's Mediterranean Del- about Middle Eastern food ... Amer's
Michigan Daily says it has
icatessen on Church Street in Ann
dad, Emil, is a host with Maurice in
Ann Arbor's best lunch and
Arbor, seating 50 ... Then
Birmingham.
best sandwich ...The Ann
came another one on State
Emil and Hian came
Arbor News gives it a "best desserts"
Street seating 130 ... and
from Israel to Flint for a
ranking.
another in 1994 at the Michi-
wedding in 1971 with their
And the accolades go on for a
gan Union, seating 65, which
five children ... and the
group of restaurants that got started
was closed in 1998 and moved
family never went back ...
because someone lost his job.
to Main Street, seating 70.
Hian's parents lived in Flint
The story of Amer's Mediterranean
In 1994, Amer opened in
and talked Emil and her
Delicatessen began in 1988 when
Birmingham on Maple,
into staying ... This is the
Amer Bathish, after three months, was
between Southfield and Wood-
land of opportunity, they
ward.
among those at General Motors whose
said
... And it certainly has
D ANNY
services were no longer needed.
All have the same chalk-
turned
out to be for Amer.
RA SKIN
He had graduated from the Univer-
board with 115 sandwiches, 40
In Ann Arbor, Amer's
Local Columnist
sity of Michigan in 1987 as an electri-
salads, both regular and fat-
delicatessens are open 7
cal engineer ... and had no restaurant
free, homemade pastries
a.m. to midnight, 364 days
background ... Only the common
(tortes, cheesecakes, wedding cakes,
a year, closed only on Christmas ... In
sense that is so necessary in the dining
muffins, brownies, cookies).
Birmingham, it is open 11 a.m. to 9
game.
Pastries are made daily for the
p.m., 363 days, closed Thanksgiving
This and a drive of keen ambition
restaurants by two pastry chefs at his
and Christmas.
has catapulted Amer's from one little
bake shop in the State Street locale.
All breads are presently bought
operation into four of greater stature.
The three Ann Arbor locations are
from Star Bakery in Oak Park, which
No longer a GM
delivers them to
employee, the twist
Ann Arbor and
of fate leaned
Birmingham ...
toward his entering
However, by
the restaurant busi-
December Amer
ness ... After being
expects to bake his
laid off, he jour-
own ... He wants to
neyed out West
create different
and went to coffee
kinds of bread and
houses but couldn't
have an old-fash-
get a sandwich ...
ioned bread counter
This gave him the
at each of his loca-
idea of a coffee
tions.
house delicatessen
In a week, Amer's
in Flint selling
goes through 2,000
sandwiches, cap-
pounds of smoked
puccino and
turkey ... 1,400
espresso.
pounds of corned
His parents were
beef ... 1,400
dead set against it
pounds of white
... Their son, a
albacore tuna ... In
Amer Bathish made it happen.
graduate electrical
Birmingham, fat-
engineer opening a
free tuna is also
all counter service ... In October, the
coffee shop delicatessen? ... Unheard
sold.
of, they said.
Birmingham locale, co-owned with
Amer's makes its own falafel,
Maurice Green, will have both
Even the banks wouldn't loan Amer
going through 600 pounds a week ...
counter and table service ... And at
money ... They all told him it would
Also the humus, tabouli, baba ghan-
that time will also serve dinners in
be a failing proposition ... But what
noush, fattoush, stuffed grape leaves
what is expected to be a full-service,
they didn't bank on was his ambition
and raw and flat kibbee.
and determination.
true New York-style delicatessen.
Also its own soups, of which there
Salads are made daily at the State
Amer literally borrowed from con-
are three or four different ones daily,
Street restaurant for Ann Arbor only
tractors who obviously had enough
with chicken soup the biggest seller ...
... Birmingham makes its own.
confidence in him to wait eight
In Birmingham, there is also matzah

DANNY RASKIN
Local Columnist

T

MON - WED
11:30 a.m. -11:00 p.m.

THURS - SAT
11:30 a.m. -1:00 an.

(248) 549.7700

•

32832 WOODWARD

( Just South of 14 Mile)

•

ROYAL OAK

9/18

1998

1322 Detroit Jewish News