, • s

Our thanks to the

West Bloomfield. He would love to
hear from his friends.
"The Chop House wait staff was a
closely-knit family, some of whom
were there from the very beginning.
When I was working at the Chop
House, George Seille had been there
for 38 years. After the Chop House
closed, George moved on to the
Excalibur and is currently working at
Big Daddy's Parthenon.
"Then there was sommelier
Madeline Triffon, who left the Chop
House to work at Jimmy Schmidt's
Rattlesnake Club and is currently
executive sommelier for Matt
Prentice's Unique Restaurant
Corporation.
"I recently ran into a number of
other long-time Chop House employ-
ees. Sal and Fred are working at the
Capital Grille; Farok and Maria at the
Rattlesnake; Maritza at Morton's;
Dave Neault is food and beverage
director of the Detroit Athletic Club;
and Linda Houlihan also works at the
DAC as restaurant manager.
"Lester Gruber, co-owner of the
Chop House, ran a tight ship. So tight
that one evening he mistook a cus-
tomer, who was adjusting his tie while
in the men's room, for a - waiter. Lester
immediately fired the customer.
"'During the years that you worked
there, did it ever get boring?' asked
Lauren.
"Very rarely," I answered. "The
clientele was so diverse and interesting
that I learned more about people
while working at the Chop House
than at any other time.
"The conversation during breaks
and after work was always compelling
and very stimulating. But there was
much more. From a musician's per-
spective, I was able to learn a great
deal about a person's psyche by
observing them from a different van-
tage.
"'What do you mean from a differ-
ent vantage?' asked Lauren.
"Literally and figuratively from the
stage," I replied. "Actually, everyone
at the Chop House was on stage. All
of the colorful characters came out of
the•woodwork. Think about this.. .
being a musician is the only profession
that allows its members full license to
enter the private domain of the clients
and customers for whom they per-
form. The irony is, the customers
become the performers; especially in a
club or restaurant setting.
"I have made many lifelong friend-
ships during my years at the London
Chop House. Many of the major
events where my band, Colours, cur-

food critics and the

area's most discerning

palates for the kind

remarks and kudos

you have bestowed

upon us since

our remodel.

"America's TableTop Award" — Gourmet Magazine

"Being - a top seafood dining spot for so many years, as well as one of the prettiest, has not gone
unnoticed by the customers." — Danny Raskin, Jewish News

"Charley's Crab has been given a half-million dollar face-lift, the menu has been overhauled and is
truly re-born as what it started out to be: a first-class seafood restaurant."
Ric Bohy, Hour Magazine

"Memorable is the waitstaff. Charley's Crab has in its employ some of the friendliest most

informed staff I have encountered."
—Beverly Hatcher, Daily Tribune

"The grilled yellowfin tuna demands attention. Topped with fig marmelade, foie gras and pinot
noir sauce and served over roasted garlic mashed potatoes and Swiss chard, it exemplifies the

restaurant's new direction."
—Jennifer Etter. The Observer & Eccentric

eitfirrff tritildiff 0 1Witeki

from 11a.m. to 2p.m.

Monday thru Friday
11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

a-In
O thru
Thursday

11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Friday
4:00 p.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Saturday
5:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Sunday
4:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

SO*

Aid
Mond thru Friday
4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Saturday
5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Sunday
4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.

chaRteq's erzab

• k.

,

<

7

IN

3/31

2000

95