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The Best Of Everything

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Celebrity Showroom

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Brings You Its
Great 2001
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• JOAN RIVERS
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• 4( February 9 & 10

Going To
The Matt

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For 20 years, we've savored Matt Prentice's
unique delis, cafe's and bistros.

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DANNY RASKIN
Local Columnist

SMOTHERS
BROTHERS

March 9

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THE -1'
LETTERMEN
April 27 & 28

ITALIA

Celebrity Showroom

2/9
2001

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excellent delicatessen food, wonderful
service, a lot of congeniality ... and his
mother, Margaret Prentice's luscious
eing a great chef doesn't nec-
sour cream coffeecake that he used to
essarily equate to also being
give customers having dinner ... people
a good businessper-
came in droves to see this
son ... This has
hard-working young man ...
been proven time and again by
taste his food ... and watch in
chefs who go into business.
awe as Matt's family helped
Some of them are successful
pitch in ... Wife Lisa, ran the
... but many fail because the
floor ... Brothers Glenn, Greg
kitchen and business worlds
and Andrew waited tables and
are as far apart as you can get.
did other chores ... Sister
Excellent chefs like Matthew
Megan was a hostess ... all
Prentice are among the suc-
part-time while still going to
D ANNY
cessful operators ... So much
school ... and, of course,
RA SKIN
so that today his full time is
Margaret.
Local Columnist
spent in the business end ...
Margaret's sour cream cof-
making his Unique Restaurant
feecake was a huge favorite ...
Corporation the successful gndeavor
She used to make about 300 a week in
that it is.
her own little 200 square foot Royal
All wasn't milk and honey for Matt
Oak kitchen ... and brought them daily
(but it will be when Mart opens his
to that first restaurant owned by Matt.
Milk & Honey kosher restaurant this
Today, Margaret still works part-time
year at the Jewish Community Center
in her son's Unique Restaurant
in West Bloomfield) ... He
had to leave the Culinary
Institute of America in Hyde
Park, N.Y., when only 20
years old to return home and
go to work.
Matt took over the former
Northgate Delicatessen,
owned by Dick Lichtman, in
1980 on Greenfield and 10
Mile Road in Oak Park ... and
renamed it Deli Unique ... He
put his last $200 in the cash
register worked behind the
counter, and besides the regu-
lar delicatessen fare, prepared
dishes unheard of in the deli
trade ... at hard-to-believe
prices for these dishes ... It cer-
tainly was unique seeing peo-
ple in a delicatessen eating the
likes of duck l'orange, beef
Wellington, etc. ... Workaholic
Matt toiled endless hours and
scraped where necessary to
make ends meet.
Between those gourmet
Matt Prentice helping out at Plaza Deli.
dishes, generous portions of

• 7096 East Fourteen Mile Road

(Between Mound &Van Dyke)

• (810) 268-3200

frp,

127E1
—V1

AUBURN HILLS

Lelli's of Auburn Hills, 885 Opdyke
Road,Auburn Hills, (248) 373-4110.The
second of Lelli's traditionally fine Italian
ristorantes is located across from the
Pontiac Silverdome. Besides elegant sur-
roundings, it features the same excel-
lent food served by the Lelli family
since 1939. Reservations are accepted
for any evening except Saturday.

BLOOMFIELD HILLS

Steve's Deli, 6646 Telegraph Road,

Bloomfield Hills, (248) 932-0800.
Award-winning chicken soup is fea-
tured.Also serving corned beef, fresh
roasted turkey, sandwiches, salads and
traditional dishes. Party trays and
catering too at this NewYork-style
deli. Carnegie Deli cheesecake and
Steve's Brownies are among the
desserts.

FARMINGTON HILLS

Bangkok Sala, 27903 Orchard
Lake Rd., Farmington Hills, (248)

553-4220. Noted for making its
own traditional Thai cookies and
own style of fried rice, it is a consis
tent restaurant with exclusive Thai
specialties among the authentic
servings.

Brasse Pointe, 24234 Orchard
Lake Road, Farmington Hills, (248)
476-1377. Noted for its broasted

and barbecued chicken, plus. St. Louis
ribs. Open seven days.Wine list by
the glass, carafe or bottle. Private
banquet room. Also Mexican and
seafood specialties in a family dining
atmosphere. Homemade chili, cote
slaw, shrimp cooktail sauce, pinto
beans and bleu cheese.

Desert Sands, 29222 Orchard Lake

Road; Farmington Hills, (248) 855-
1 122. Middle-Eastern dining is fea-
tured by Hassan Bazzi, former maitre
d' at the Original Sheik in downtown
Detroit. Daily specials at lunch and
dinner. Full menu carryout with cater-
ing available. Complete liquor service.

Hong Hua, 27925 Orchard Lake

Rd., Farmington Hills, (248) 489-
2280.True Hong Kong autenticity is
in the dishes not seen anywhere
else.A bit more expensive than
other Chinese restaurants, but a lot
of value that makes the price differ-
ence worth it with exciting prepara-
tions of rare dishes and many not
seen elsewhere.

DLNING GUIDE

on page 82

