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The Best Of Everything

• CELEBRATE
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Those Were The Days
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QWITH US!
Beef was king at Detroit's long-lost restaurants.
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Dine & Dance
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ENJOY A xy.
WONDERFUL

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GOURMET
DINNER

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•Party Favors
• Fun Surprises

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MAKE
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MICKEY
ROONEY

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frAiik lg.

-elebrity Showroom

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East Fourteen Mile Road 5

12/14
2001

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BLOOMFIELD HILLS

Szechuan Gourmet, 395 I

Telegraph Road, Bloomfield

And His Big Band

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1 71'

11, (Between Mound &Van Dyke) glip
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(810) 268-3200 of
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t was a one-time humble sin-
orchestra, and a glittering clientele.
gle-store, 24-hour chili and
In keeping with his belief that
barbecue parlor ... that
"good soups and sauces are the hall-
became a busy downtown
mark of a good restaurant," Sammy
Detroit restaurant ... with excellent
Sofferin's Wonder Bar listed black
steaks, chops, fish, fowl and roasts.
bean soup on its daily luncheon
But one thing did not change
menu and turtle soup spiked with
from the old place ... That
brandy on the dinner
was the justly famous spare
menu.
ribs at Russell's Steak House
Other specialties of the
on Times Square and Grand
house included shrimps a
River ... In fact, it was the
la Powatan, which consist-
many orders of Russell's
ed of bread shaped into a
spare ribs that helped trans-
pyramid ... with attached
form the old place into a
fried shrimp, chicken liv-
steak house.
ers, anchovies and scallops
Russell's sat 125 ... and
... Around the base were
DAN NY
was the place where sports
frog legs.
RAS KIN
figures of the time like
Sammy insisted that
Local Columnist prime beef was another key
Hank Greenberg, Rudy
York, Bobby Layne, Goose
to running a successful
Goslin, etc. always hung out ...
restaurant ... The Wonder Bar was
And Joe DiMaggio once called
the first restaurant in Detroit to
Russell's steak the best he'd had
introduce the boneless strip sirloin,
anywhere.
known as the New York cut, and
I can still picture its delicious fare
this entree is still a big seller today.
on one visit ... creamy marinated
He was the first to admit that the
herring, excellent creamed mush-
success of the Wonder Bar was in
room and onion soup, lamb chops,
great measure due to his wife,
garlic toast, side order of ribs for a
Margaret ... In fact, the business
companion, and cottage fried pota-
was pretty much of a family role ...
toes ... And on another, pieces of
Plus Sammy and Margaret, sons
the porterhouse and filet mignon
Sammy Jr., Lee and Don were use-
steaks that sure made me under-
fully employed there, while their
stand DiMaggio's raving.
daughter, Sue, was still in school ...
FROM CALIFORNIA, former
Margaret's role was that of taster ...
Detroiter Marianne Levy asks why
Everything on the large menu had
I've never told about her "absolute
to pass her critical inspection.
favorite" place of days gone by ...
AMONG THE MANY charming
the Wonder Bar.
places that opened in the metropol-
Its been quite a while since I
itan Detroit area was the Hunter's
wrote about the Wonder Bar ...
Whip ... It could be found in an
which was certainly one of Detroit's
old building on the aged Hunter
most cosmopolitan restaurants ...
estate on Franklin between 12 and
The Wonder Bar on Washington
13 Mile.
Blvd., near Grand River, came by
The building had been construct-
its air of energized enthusiasm hon-
ed in 1823 as the main house on
estly as the direct heir to one of the
the Hunter estate which even in
city's most elegant "clubs" of the
those days was known as the
`20s.
Hunter's Whip.
Sammy Sofferin, sociable propri-
The old beams which formed the
etor of the Wonder Bar, parlayed a
ceiling were all hand-painted in
cigar stand, an apartment house
early American designs ... the
and the old Powatan Club into his
atmosphere was clearly set by every
very successful supper club.
appointment down to the lovely
In addition to an excellent menu,
Italian water goblets and hand-
the Wonder Bar featured a delight-
painted English china placed on the
ful cocktail bar, dancing on an inti-
handsome tables.
mate floor to the music of the
While you were waiting for your

Township, (248) 988-9333. Much

pride is taken in the extensive menu

offered by this carry-out-only

restaurant. All items from appetiz-

ers to soups to beef to poultry, lo

and chow mein, sweet & sour dish-

es, noodles, combination plates, etc.

are listed for fresh carry-out.

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 consistent

restaurant with exclusive Thai spe-

cialties among the authentic serv-

ings.

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.

Vineyards Cafe & Catering, 32418

Northwestern Hwy., Farmington Hills,

(248) 855-9463.This is a many-faceted

type of operation. Nibbles and Nuts

at the Vineyards, and traditional Jewish

dishes prepared by Shirlee Bloom,

using only kosher products in her

separate kitchen, makes it much more

than just a cafe and catering setup.

DINING GUIDE on page 94

