r CELEBRITY SHOWROOM E N T S 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