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CELEBRITY
SHOWROOM
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The Best Of Everything
The `In' Country Inn
Ernesto's quaint 150-year-old Plymouth farmhouse
is an Italian dining destination.
GLADYS KNIGHT
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member, living
Motown legend Gladys Knight performs all her
Grammy winning hits including "Midnight Train
to Georgia - and "Neither One of Us (Wants to
be the Fist to Say Goodbye'. Come see Gladys
Knight in a rare Detroit appearance.
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.
LEE GREENWOOD
Grammy Winner and one of country music's
brightest stars. Lee Greenwood captivates
audiences with a variety of musical styles
from movies themes to his patriotic_anthem
"God Bless the USA".
CHOOSE ANDIAMO FOR YOUR
BAR/BAT MITZVAH, WEDDING,
ENGAGEMENT PARTY, REHEARSAL
DINNER OR ANY SPECIAL OCCASION.
wmw
)
3/28
2003
82
andiamoitalia.com
East 14 Mile Road. West of Van Dyke.
Warren, Michigan
barbecue restaurant on Griswold and
State, opened by her grandfather
Louie Bricolas in 1914 ... and owned
by his sons George, Steve and Alex's
father, Zois.
Uncle George Bricolas as one of
original Sero's, taught AlexSandra the
restaurant business ... Her ways of
charm, graciousness and warm outgo-
ing friendliness made AlexSandra an
excellent floor person ... Also when
she had the Greek restaurant,
AlexSandra's Opa in Livonia.
Ernesto's has its own pastry chef for
the making of delicious four-layer
chocolate torte with chambord; wild-
berry shortcake with sweet Marsala;
Toscanella torta with orange mousse,
custard-filled cream puffs and biscotti
covered in chocolate with an orange
liqueur sauce.
Many items prepared by Chef Brad
are not on the daily menu, but served
with regularity ... like wild mushroom
spring rolls with peppered goat cheese
and balsamic syrup or sauteed lake
perch with a sauce of scallions and
tomatoes in horseradish cream ... rack
of lamb with a shiraz and dijon demi-
glace, etc.
Ernesto's has been a favorite of many
since it changed names from Hillside
in 1986 ... and is still a.remembered
destination for good dining in a most
comfortable environment.
continues to serve heavily
he walls could tell
requested food preparations
many stories of first
of many years that are sel-
dates, togetherness
dom seen anywhere ... Like
rings over a glass of
Chef Bradley's excellent
wine, business deals that
Tournedos Sienna, sauteed
made a difference, etc ... in a
medallions of beef tenderloin
long history of making
with
roasted red peppers, chi-
changes in many lives.
anti wine sauce, scallions and
Since it opened in 1934,
DANNY
demi-glace topped with sliv-
many enjoyed the fireside
RASKIN
ers of parmesan cheese.
tables or a view of the city of
Local Columnist
Or the late Chef Ernie
Plymouth from the Walden
DeMichelle's fine Vitello
Room at the former Hillside
Boursin which, to my knowledge, has
Country Inn.
yet
to be presented elsewhere ... veal
The Hillside's atmosphere was
medallions filled with triple-cream
enhanced by large collections of
boursin cheese and sun-dried tomatoes
authentic 18th century antiques,
sauteed with demi-glace and served
primitive oil paintings and a rare
with asparagus and portabello mush-
assemblage of old clocks.
Its informal atmosphere, the friendly rooms.
Ernesto's is open Monday-Thursday,
attitude and reminders of bounteous
4-10, Friday and Saturday, 4-11;
old inns of early America continue its
Sunday, 12-9.
presence today as Ernesto's on
Two Gypsy strollers, smiling John
Plymouth Road, just west of Haggerty
Giovanni on violin and Bobby Kallao
in Plymouth.
on guitar, have been at Ernesto's 12
This is the flagship restaurant of
years
... and do their bit Wednesdays
owners Demos Panos and Pauline
GOOD WAITRESS DEPT. ...
and Saturdays.
Skinner, whose nine dining operations
,
Catherine
Yu, at Shangri-La
Its banquet manager is someone
in its Ann Arbor Food and
Restaurant
since
opening
in
West
almost everyone seems to know ... the
Entertainment Inc. are scattered about
Bloomfield's Orchard Mall ... very effi-
very personal and popular AlexSandra
Michigan ... Their Zydeco in Ann
cient, fast, always smiling and a many-
Sakellaris,
who
handles
the
eight
large
Arbor is a big favorite for its fine
times asked-for server.
and
small
banquet
rooms.
Cajun Creole Southern cuisine.
LEAD ROLE OF Dorothy in
Many will remember her when she
The chef at Ernesto's, Bradley Durr,
Wizard
of Oz at Ferndale High School
is a good one ... apprenticing years ago worked at the original 24-hour Sero's
under Peter Loren now corporate chef
for the Wisne family's Epoch
Restaurants (Tribute, Forte, etc.) at
Opus One in Detroit.
Brad was at the Tournament Players
Club in Las Vegas ... and formerly
food and beverage director and execu-
tive chef at the Crown Plaza Hotel in
Ann Arbor.
The one-time farmhouse of about--
150 years that later became the
Hillside Roadhouse restaurant was
well known for its quaint surround-
ings, warm atmosphere and good
wholesome food.
Its old dark wood roof beams have
since been covered with ceiling tile,
but the cozy charm is still there within
its 249-seating ... main dining room
(100), Walden Room (75), piano bar
lounge (50) and bar (24) ... There are
cozy fireplaces everywhere and its rus-
tic look of yesteryear is still apparent.
Ernesto's as an Italian country inn
AlexSandra Sakellaris, Chef Bradley Durr, Pauline Skinner, Demos Panos.
T