YOUR HOSTS:
TOMMY PERISTERIS AND RICK ROGOW

chophouse ... but targeted to an all-
ages crowd, not the typical older
audience usually associated with
chophouses ... Norm wanted to
"keep a good thing going" in the
transition from Eton Street to Big
Rock ... and assembled an all-star
team ... like Lewis Weidemann, for-
mer excellent maitre d' at the
Townsend Hotel's fine Rugby Room,
who runs the upstairs Got Rocks
club-like setting for Norm ... and
general manager Vera Rizer, with her
strong knowledge of food and wines.
Few things are left from the origi-
nal Eton Street restaurant ... The
handmade mahagony bar is still there
... So are the two-foot-thick walls.
Vera Rizer is a very versatile person
... an important right hand to Norm
... She started with him in 1984 as a
bartender for him and Bonnie at the
Eton Street restaurant ... When
Norm and Bonnie went to run the
Townsend Hotel, they took Vera
with them to help ... and she become
food and beverage director ... In
1996, Vera returned to open Big
Rock as its general manager.
Always looking for new things to
do ... she even attended a cigar-
rolling school to complement her
wide knowledge of food, wine and
other important facets in the restau-
rant • business.
For years, Norm ate very little beef
... Today, it is not unusual for him to
have buffalo or another beef once or
twice a week ... Fitness expert Peter
Nielson told Norm that he hadn't
eaten beef for 22 years ... After . sign-
ing with Ted Turner to do a national
fitness show, Nielsen figured he'd at
least have to try buffalo, since Turner
raises buffalo ... Now Nielson stops
in at Big Rock for buffalo on a regu-
lar. basis.
Buffalo is a big seller on Big Rock's
menu ... with over 5,000 pounds a
year being sold ... The buffalo New
York strip at Big Rock is a delicious
12-ounce choice piece of low-fat
meat ... And its 8-ounce chopped
buffalo sirloin sandwich on a sesame
bun is also a popular favorite.
Among the 25,000 pounds of fish
served yearly at Big Rock are
favorites of many people like pota-
to-encrusted or broiled whitefish and
potato-wrapped salmon ... Its house
specialty best seller is the bone-in
filet mignon, a 14-ounce juicy ten-
derloin with a taste that makes•a
strong statement of being among the
best around.
Each year since Big Rock opened,
there has been a significant increase

THURSD4

COMPLETE CARRY-OUT SERVICE ALSO AVAILABLE

OUR BEAUTIFUL BANQUET ROOMS ACCOMMODATING UP TO
250 PEOPLE ARE AT YOUR DISPOSAL FOR ALL OCCASIONS.

• Weddings • Showers • Bar/Bat Mitzvahs,
• Anniversaries • Reunions • Birthdays • Banquets
• Theme Parties • Baby Namings
• Etc. • Etc. • Etc.

& other Greek Specialties

6199 ORCHARD LAKE RD. (North `'of Maple) WEST B I

(248) 737-8600

CDs MI

AIN

6/22

2001

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