'

3

omeone in the kitchen is thinking.
Trying new things — chargrilled
N.Y. strip steak on a bed of
carmelized onions and roasted
peppers, grilled_fresh. (They mean it.)
Salmon with corn salsa!"

Noun 'bETRoiT

The Best Of Everything

small place is making
a name for itself"
DANNY 'R a3K17

-

Sneaky patrons are keeping this restaurant to themselves.

Angle Rd

Worl MopS.

14 Mile Rd

Pemioc Trail

"11:d

W.., Rd

•

Walled lok• Dr

WHERE cam FRIEJ1D5
GET SERVED coal) FOOD

1050 Benstein Road, Walled Lake, MI

248-669-2122

Open for Lunch & Dinner

CONEY

1•

RESTRORANT

10% Senior Citizens Discount

50% OFF

BUY ONE LUNCH OR DINNER
RECEIVE 50% OFF YOUR
SECOND LUNCH OR DINNER
OF EQUAL OR GREATER VALUE.

L

Not good with any other offer. Dine in only.
Expires 12/31/98

(248) 424-8882

15600 West 10 Mile Road
Southfield

Don't
Be A Drip!

Get Your
Faucet Fixed!

Check out the Plumbers in
our Marketplace
Home and Service
Guide.

11/20
1998
AA

I

t's been there since 1985, but the
people who go there make sure
not too many others know about
the restaurant.
In fact, it could possibly be South-
field's best-kept secret insofar as restau-
rants are concerned.
And to make matters even more in
favor of those folks who don't want too
many to know about it, the restaurant
is inside a health club.
Sneakers Restaurant is one of those
dining jewels one hears about but
almost never frequents because of the
incorrect thinking that it is strictly for
members of Franklin Racquet Club on
Northwestern Highway, between 12
Mile and Inkster.
Nothing could be further from the
truth ... Sneakers is open to everyone ...
lunch or dinner ... and better than ever
... with an excellent team that has
brought finer dining at low prices for
all to enjoy.
Responsible for the new menu and
extraordinary fine dishes are Franklin's
food and beverage director and Sneak-
ers manager Paul David ... and Execu-
tive Chef Chris Sokolowski, whose
food repertoire has catapulted the
restaurant into a higher echelon of din-
ing delights.
You won't find items like these at
too many restaurants ... Let alone one
inside a recreational facility ... It's little
wonder that people want to keep
knowledge hidden about it being open
to the public.
Chris chargrills citrus marinated
Florida swordfish steak, a center cut
marinated in fresh ginger, orange, lime,
garlic, soy and apple cider ($10.95) ...
Braised beef short ribs jardiniere is a
full pound served with a julienne of
root vegetables and topped with a
brown sauce ($9.95) ... Potato-encrust-
ed Lake Superior seasoned whitefish
filet is topped with crispy Idaho baked
potatoes ($9.50).
Tempura almond chicken breast
sliced on a bed of shredded lettuce
($8.25); angel hair tossed with garlic
olive oil ($7.95); a linguini that
includes chunks of marinated chicken,
roasted red peppers, onion, garlic and
capers in a lemon-wine sauce ($8:50).
Chris comes from Edgewood Coun-
try Club, Franklin Hills Country Club

general manager, what he likes best ...
and Rattlesnake Club under Jimmy
Terry still hasn't found anything not to
Schmidt ... His award-winning ice carv-
his liking ... But if he has to pick one
ings have brought him much note in
favorite, it probably would be the
various communal competitions.
chicken Caesar.
Sneakers originally opened as The
Children are not forgotten at Sneak-
Celery in 1976, a health place operated
ers ... Youngsters 12 and
by Florine Mark, head of
under have their own separate
Weight Watchers locally;
menu, with all nine items at
Dolores Brode, wife of Franklin
$3.95 each, including a drink
bossman Seymour Brode; and
and frozen yogurt.
Dr. Sonya Freedman, TV per-
The soups made by Chris
sonality ... It then became Cen-
are among the better one
ter Court Bar & Coffee Shop
like the clam chowder,
with only 10 tables ... until
smoked
corn and chicken
Sneakers in 1985 ... now with
chowder ... black bean,
seating for 115, plus 17 stools
tomato bisque, minestrone,
DAN NY
at the bar.
smoked turkey & wild
RAS KIN
Paul David became manager
11 years ago and can take much Local Columnist mushroom, French onion,
old-fashioned chicken, chick-
credit in its steady ascent to the
en tortellini, turkey chili, etc.
high rank of today as a public
There's
nothing like confidence
restaurant with gastronomic authority.
when
having
meatloaf ... And the one
No. 1 sellers may be the egg white
prepared homemade at Sneakers heads
omelets and salads, but heavy favorites
the class in freshness and taste ... Also
are the poached salmon, broiled or
the homemade beef or turkey
baked whitefish, Oriental stir fries,
stroganoff and beef or turkey a la king.
Thai chicken with peanut sauce, egg-
A banquet room seats 100 and can
plant parmesan, etc.
also be used for cocktails and hors
The homemade pot pie, vegetable
d'oeuvres for adults,
along with the restau-
rant ... The entire
health facility building
is also used for affairs,
with dancing in the
foyers and food sta-
tions all around ... It is
a high favorite for var-
ied occasion events,
but hardly beatable for
bar mitzvah theme
parties which have
become bigtime
events at Franklin
Racquet Club.
Franklin has been
open since 1969 ...
Rick Brode, Chris Sokolowski and Paul David at Sneakers.
and today is one of
the top 10 health
clubs in America ... plus being one of
strudel and beef short ribs are in their
the nation's largest multi-purpose
own class.
health venues.
Rick Brode, president of Franklin
Sneakers at Franklin Racquet Club
Racquet Club, loves the salads and
may
be a sleeper, but it sure is waking
chicken fajitas ... Wife Beverly is stuck
up a lot of people who thought they
on Chris' Cajun jambalaya ... Rick also
had to be Franklin members to dine
often takes home the chicken quesadil-
there ... and are happily finding out
las which Beverly enjoys so much ...
otherwise.
Don't ask Terry Marchand, Franklin's