Arts Entertainment The Best Of Everything Our Good Buddy Its been a saucy 20 years for Buddy's Pizza in Farmington Hills. he year was 1982 ... hint of Southwest seasoning March 2 the date ... ... It is served with a side of and it was a cold sour cream. one ... with six Even a widely favorite inches of snow and a snow- BBQ Chicken specialty pizza storm that swirled the chill ... marinated grilled chicken from bone to bone. with homemade barecue But it didn't keep too many sauce, red onions and away from the opening ... as Wisconsin brick cheese. DANNY bundled-up crowds huddled Buddy's in Farmington RASKIN lined up ... even though it Hills, though is much more Local Columnist was a Monday. than a pizza stop ... It is a Buddy's Pizza had finally full-fledged restaurant with come to the Northwest sector of met- some of the best homemade soups ropolitan Detroit ... opening its doors you'll have anywhere ... The mine- on Northwestern Highway off strone soup is highly noted ... Middlebelt in Farmington Hills. Customers love its robust, fresh taste The 20-year anniversary of this and chunky goodness ... to the tune of respected local chain is a memorable over 120,000 gallons in the 20 years. one ... but not because of the weather Also made from scratch by Chef ... rather so due to the strides it con- Laverne Hatchett, 19 years with tinued to make throughout those two Buddy's, soups like corn chowder, decades. potato leek, cream of mushroom, clam Its tasty crunchy crust and healthier chowder, etc. characteristics are among salient rea- Carol Jasinski, one of the best wait- . sons why Buddy's square pizzas year- ress-hostess-barmaid-etc. gals around is after-year are award-winning pies ... a 17-year stalwart at Buddy's of Not adding oil or sugar to its dough is Farmington Hills ... and among this unusual in pizza crust making ... and locale's most popular lassies. few others have a lactose-free veggie Since that March day in 1982, it is cheese (with no saturated fat) ... Also estimated that more than 10 million pizza with no-fat cheese, too. people have been served at Buddy's in In the over 20 years, Buddy's Pizza Farmington Hills ... going through in Farmington Hills, has gone through over two million heads of lettuce, over 2,800,000 pounds of cheese ... over 200,000 gallons of sauce ... over 90 million pieces of pepperoni ... and well over three million pizzas. These are all not just regular square pizzas, by the way ... Better most should be called "innovative pizzas." Like ... the Margherita Pizza covered with Wisconsin brick cheese, topped with diced tomatoes and roasted garlic, lightly dusted with Asiago cheese and sprinkled with basil and oregano with Buddy's new zesty tomato basil sauce. One of Buddy's most popular pizzas is the Greek Pizza ... with the award-win- ning dough covered with feta cheese, braised spinach, roasted garlic, red onion, diced tomatoes and a hint of dill. Chicken Fajita, Steak Fajita and BBQ Chicken pizzas are favorites, too ... The fajita pizzas are covered with cheddar and Wisconsin brick cheese topped with choice of steak or chick- en, chunky picante sauce, roasted pep- pers and onions, diced tomatoes and a Robert Jacobs and Wesley Pikula at the helm of Buddy's. T EA 'OPEN BA •6-COURSE ITALIAN D •CHANPAGNE TOAST •PIZIA at I &nit •PARTY FAVORS *EN !WENT Pi BAND s95 • ITALIA Ceiebi'ity Shoivroolit IF 7096 East Fdurteen mile Road 11/29 2002 92 {Between Mound &Vat) Dyke) (586) 268 "3200,,, 10.0410 • 0110 0 4114i . almost 90,000 gallons of highly touted house dressing ... over 200,000 burg- ers and about as many chicken sand- wiches ... around 58,000 gallons of pasta meat sauce, 50,000 gallons of marinade sauce, etc. Seating at Buddy's in Farmington Hills is among the local chain's largest ... with 225, including the back room and its main dining room ... Another 75 are in the well-appointed bar where folks enjoy the many menu selections to go with their beer or harder spirits. It is open seven days ... Monday- Thursday, 11-10; Friday, 11-11; Saturday, noon-i 1; Sunday, noon-10. It was at the Buddy's Pizza of Farmington Hills where seeds of the present Michigan Jewish Sports Hall of Fame were planted ... by Buddy's founder, the late Billy Jacobs, and Alvin Foon and others who helped crystallize Alvin's dream. Owner Robert Jacobs, who is founder Billy's son, and vice president of operations Wesley Pikula, who has been with Buddy's Pizza 27 years, are credited with innovations that seem uncanny but very much appreciated by the tasting public. One of the easiest things in the restaurant business is to own a stay-as- you-are mentality ... With Robert and Wesley, the opposite is much more true. Their way of thinking is that Buddy's food can always be made bet- ter ... You won't find too many in the restaurant business today who think this way. It is a wonderful trait shared by many in former years ... much to the satisfaction of returning customers.