c CELEBRITY
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Arts &Entertainment
The Best Of Everything
All In The Famil
Senate Coney Island is still top dog after 66 years.
FIGHT NIGHT — PRO BOXING
Tickets include a six-course gourmet dinner
"Andiamo Style" featuring filet mignon and
a- premium open bar.
TONY DANZA
One of America's most popular performers. A star
of television (Taxi, Who's the Boss, Family Law),
stage (The Iceman Cometh), and movies (Angels
in the Outfield) Danza wows audiences and critics
with his song and dance stage show.
ELVIS TO THE MAX
25 Years ago Elvis left the building. Now he returns,
or so you will think, to play for you at Andiamo. It's
Elvis to the Max with Max Pellicano, his Las Vegas
Dancers and special guest comedian Paul Locrichio.
Come sing along with all of your favorite Elvis hits.
HOWIE MANDEL
A star everywhere you look: television, film
and the stage, comedian Howie Mandel has
been entertaining audiences for years. Come
laugh the night away with Howie, one of today's
most successful comedians.
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Tickets Et Information
(586) 268-3200
andiamoitalia.com
%TN
1/24
2003
86
East 14 Mile Road. West of Van Dyke.
Warren, Michigan
628790
The turnover of diners at Senate
Coney Islands is so large that one of
their main ingredients ... freshness ...
is easily maintained ... The french fries
are peeled and cut by hand ... and
fried in 100 percent vegetable oil ...
Animal fat is a no-no ... (3,000
pounds of potatoes are used daily at
the three Senate restaurants.)
Seating in Livonia is for 350 in the
two rooms ... one with booths and
tables, neon tubing, tall windows,
eight counter seats ... another with lav-
ish lavender booths, teal booths, red
neon, etc. ... Taylor seating is 220 ...
and in Dearborn it's 250. .
George's first customer in Livonia
used to eat about 10 Coney Island hot
dogs from the day he came to Senate
... until his passing away recently ... at
age 103.
Chopped vegetables among the large
menu items is a Senate specialty today ...
When it opened 66 years ago ... the only
chopped vegetable was probably the
onion used for coneys ... A big request is
for the vegetarian sandwich on pita.
The Greek salad at Senate (1,000 a
day) is far from sparse ... with lettuce,
tomato, green pepper, beets, olives,
onion, cucumber, feta cheese, etc. ...
topped by George's excellent dressing
that makes quite a difference.
Hot dogs with a tangy meat sauce
were originally served at New
York's Coney Island
Amusement Park in the early
1900s ... And only that was
served ... Today, the Coney
Island hot dog has evolved
into just another item in the
restaurants that bear its name.
Senate Coney Islands are
among the better ones ... with
an unblemished history of 66
years that gives it much
respected and highly deserved
elite standing.
ne of the oldest
show in a fine display of food
names still active in
goodness and innovations ...
the restaurant busi-
plus a lot of knowledge.
ness ... and remain-
Andy's spinach pie isn't just
ing in the family ... is cele-
a slice or triangle, but 1 1/4-
brating its 66th anniversary ...
pounders of sheer delicacy
going stronger than ever.
and choice taste.
When Senate Coney Island
Rice pudding is among the
was opened in 1937 by his
best
... creamy but not overly
DA NNY
uncle and aunt ... George and
so,
with
raisins ... Around
RA SKIN
Khristina Hinaris ... with chef
1,000 dishes are served daily.
Local Columnist
sons Bill and Jim, it sold
After George came to
about 200 hot dogs a day ...
America in 1969, he worked
10 cents for Coney Island dogs ... and
as a busboy for Ken Nicholson at
a nickel for coffee ... Their little 80-
Topinka's on Grand Boulevard in the
seater was on Michigan and Livernois
evening ... and at The original Senate
in Detroit.
Coney Island during the day, cooking
Today, nephew George Dimopoulos
for his aunt and Bill ... Uncle George
has three Senate Coney Island restau-
had passed on.
rants ... Ecorse Road in Taylor, 1972;
The three restaurants are open the
Greenfield Road in Dearborn, 1991;
same hours all seven days ... 4 a.m.-11
and the flagship on Plymouth Road,
p.m. ... 120 employees serve the
between Farmington and Stark, in
untold thousands of customers daily at
Livonia ... They go through about
the flagship Livonia locale ... The
30,000 doggies a week ... Livonia
other two Senate's employ 65 each.
alone does 15,000.
Sixty-six years for a name still
active is a long time in any busi-
ness ... In the restaurant game it
is almost unheard of ...
•
Especially when another family
generation takes over.
George's operations have
vaulted him to the top in vol-
ume for a small chain • of only
three ... 7500 dozen eggs on a
Saturday and the same on
Sunday ... with breakfast served
to about 18,000 in the two days
... On Monday through Friday,
14,000 breakfasts are sold.
NOW THAT ANOTHER
Some 3,000 lunches daily,
part of its continual endeavors
15,000 dinners per week ...
Senate Coney Island owner George Dimopoulos with his to make it a full-scale restau-
1,000 Greek salads and 15 gal-
rant has been completed,
executive chef Andrew Zervas.
lons of George's own Greek
Tringale's New York Pizzeria
dressing ... each day.
& Delicatessen on West 12
George's family members
Mile, east of Orchard Lake
spend most of their time at the
Road, has made sure it will be another
Livonia's very clean open kitchen
successful one.
Livonia Senate Coney Island ... some-
with its gleaming stainless steel and
The morning breakfasts that have
times going to the other restaurants as
four stoves, is there for all to see ... It
recently
become another element at
well ... Wife Kathy takes cash among
is not, however, the main kitchen ...
Tringale's ... seven days a week from 6
her chores; sons Steven, 30, and
This is in another section of the
a.m. ... have three among the top deli-
Nicko, 27, are in the kitchen.
Senate Shopping Center owned by
catessen men in the state rotating to
Executive Chef Andrew Zervas,
George at the site of his Livonia
make the morning goodies.
head chef for all the Senate Coney
restaurant ... It is also very clean, with
David Johnson, 15 years at Stage
Island operations, used to own Lenny's
two freezers and four walk-in refrigera-
Delicatessen with the late Jack
Deli and Greek Restaurant on
tors ... used for the often-overflowing
Goldberg and his family ... Chuck
Orchard Lake, now Andy's Cafe ... His attendance ... but primarily to service
Aglouny, former manager at Plaza Deli
33 years in the restaurant business
large parties.