vt...v
,
,
The Best Of Everything
A Good Sport
The new Press Box in Royal Oak is not just another sports bar.
lower-end dining like a plain
food for which Scott has been
ou've heard about the fellow
hamburger is winning much
known to serve ... but at prices
who didn't like his waiter so
approval.
30-50 percent lower than previ-
bought the place and fired
Sports figures themselves are
ously.
the guy.
regulars ... since discovering
Robert Kimoto, whose fine
Well, here's a case where another gent
that such a place exists ... It's a
tableside cooking is a standout,
couldn't find a place to watch his
way
for them to mingle in
is still there ... flaming dishes to
favorite game or sporting event so
GOOD EMPLOYEE COUPLE ...
their own kind of environment
much delight ... His tableside-
turned the restaurant he owned into an
Server
Doreen Gonzalez and hubby,
where talk is about their
made Caesar salad is now just
DANNY
upper-class sports bar ... mainly so his
Miguel
Gonzalez ... at Sposita's Italian
favorite topics.
$8.95 ... His noted tableside-
RASKIN
sports desires could be satisfied as he
Ristorante,
on 14 Mile in West
Tickets to Detroit Tiger,
made dishes like Robert's own
Local Columnist Detroit Lions, etc. games are
chose.
Bloomfield
... Doreen is a very efficient
Shrimp Maitre d' is $8.95 and
The amazing collection of high-tech
and
cordial
server
... and Miguel is after-
given
regularly
during
promo-
scallops in lobster cream sauce
equipment now allows him to get what-
noon
chef,
making
those delicious pasta
tions at the Press Box restaurant.
is $7.95 ... Three desserts, Bananas
ever games or sports events he wants ...
sauces,
minestrone
soup and so much
The lounge upstairs that once was the
Foster, Chocolate and Peanut Butter
from almost anywhere in the world.
more.
Justin & Jordyn Loft is now called the
Flambe and Cherries Jubilee are all
It's also an excuse to fill time on his
NEW RESTAURANT slated to open
"Press Box Lounge" ... with a full service
flamed tableside and each $8.95.
hands ... and have an all-day place
in
October, will be owned by Phil Bahri
bar
...
used
for
more
seating,
holding
On all tables now are lazy Susans filled
instead of one that rang the cash register
and
George Naser, partners in the
and
private
events.
with catsup, mustard, chili sauce, etc. ...
only about five hours a day ... just five •
Online
Cafe at Detroit Metropolitan
Tell
me
of
another
sports
bar
with
a
for Scott's continuing of an unwritten
days a week.
Airport
... It'll be a 20-seater, Blazer's
Captain Crunch Berry chicken tenders
tradition of excellent hamburgers served
The former Justin & Jordyn spot, that
Bar-B-Q
in Farmington Hills.
sandwich encrusted with the cereal and
at sports bars ... eight-ouncers are $7.95,
once was considered among the dining
FOR
THE
PAST 10 YEARS, his
garnished with crunch berries ... and at
and the huge 12-ounce VIP hamburger
dreams of many, has now fulfilled
popular
smile
and wanted kosher offer-
the same time serving tenderloin salads,
is $9.95.
another vision of owner Scott Rubin.
ings
have
been
big favorites at commu-
Chicken
Marsala
or
Seafood
Provencal,
All entrees now also include soup,
His new Press Box sports bar restau-
nity
events.
shrimp
scampi
or
filet
mignon.
salad, garlic mashed potatoes or waffle
rant ... at the former J & J locale on the
Now comes a second venture by
Not too many sports bars even have
fries and vegetable.
corner of Lafayette and Fourth, next to
Cappuccino
Man Elliot Lewkow ... with
tablecloths or linen napkins ...
Twelve-ounce prime rib, $14.95 (15
the Royal Oak Theatre, is now the
the
recent
opening
of his Cappuccino
Tablecloths at the Press Box are black
oz. $19.95); half slab of ribs, $11.95
sports bar he had often envisioned hav-
Man
Cafe
in
the
lobby
of the Jewish
and napkins are purple linen.
(full slab $16.95); the very popular
ing.
Community
Center's
Health
Club on
This
is
a
sports
bar
and
then
some
in
Mardi Gras Platter of four bones of ribs,
It's not the kind of sports bar your
West
Maple
in
West
Bloomfield.
the
truest
word
for
everyone
...
male
and
chicken breast and barbecued shrimp,
grandfather or his granddaddy may have
Elliot's full coffeehouse menu includes
female ... where people can go without
$18.95; 14-ounce rib-eye steak, $19.95;
visited ... where drunken brawls might
cappuccinos,
lattes, fruit smoothies, pro-
shame or fear of unwanted activity ...
12-ounce filet-cut top sirloin, $14.95;
have been commonplace, or people
tein
drinks,
frozen
blended frappes ...
Scott Rubin's new sports bar restaurant
New York strip, $19.95, etc.
swore like troupers or weaved unsteadily
plus
a
new
line
of
liquid
teas from
concept that opened this past July,
One of the most popular dishes on
on a sawdust-covered floor.
might be his best one yet.
the Press Box menu is a Chicken
But it is the only sports bar in
IT EVEN HAS A new
Mascarpone, breast sauteed with shal-
Michigan with 22 42-inch HDTV plas-
restaurant
within ... with the_
lots, prosciutto, pine nuts and mascar-
ma TV screens and three huge HDTV
former
Center
Court giving
pone cheese, $13.95.
plasma screens ... plus a high-tech sound
way to Tringale's at Franklin.
Whitefish prepared any of three ways,
and viewing system ... and five satellite
Recent grand re-opening
grilled, blackened or lemon caper beurre
dishes on the roof.
of the previously-named
blanc, $18.95, is also among the top
Scott traveled the United States and
Franklin Fitness & Racquet
wanted.
saw various sports bar concepts ... In
Club ... now called Franklin
The decor is sports Chemed without
Miami Beach's South Beach, a restaurant
Athletic
Club ... on
the framed posters and pictures, uniform
with the plasma HDTV screens that
Northwestern Highway in
shirts, banners, etc ... Two large, neon
only showed movies ... but with no
Southfield ... was the unveil-
scoreboards are from the Wayne State
sound ... The only thing he took from
ing of a multi-million dollar
University's basketball gym ... as is a
this was the idea of movies ... that he
renovation.
hanging basketball net.
shows on special movie night evenings.
Owner of the new
Because of the five satellite dishes,
HIE
Since most of the professional games
Tringale's at Franklin is the
games from almost anywhere are
are on Sundays, Scott's Press Box restau-
same Gary Tringale who also
beamed into the Press Box ... Some peo-
rant is now a seven-day-a-week restau-
has the Tringale's New York
ple even make arrangements with Scott
rant ... serving lunch and dinner 11
Pizza & Deli restaurant on
to open in the morning so they can
a.m.-2 a.m. everyday ... with the full
12 Mile east of Orchard
watch soccer being played in another
kitchen always open to at least 1 a.m.
Lake Road in Farmington
country.
An upper-scale sports bar with regular
Scott Rubin visited sports bars all over the country to
Hills.
The combination of a sports bar with
sports bar prices ... and the same quality
get
ideas for the Press Box.
There
is
much
similarity
finer and middle-of-the-road dining and
y
10,
9/19
2003
94
in fare between Gary's two places ...
except that Tringale's of Franklin has
almost 10 salads, including the chopped
tuna salad with chopped vegetables and
no mayo that his father, Domenic,
brought with him from Boston ... Gary's
grandfather served it in the early 1920s
at his restaurant there.
There are also a lot of chicken dishes
not seen at the Farmington Hills restau-
rant ... but still the stuffed pizzas, cal-
zones, strombolis, homemade soups, del-
icatessen, pastas, etc.
Gary and wife Joanni, expect to do a
lot of banquets at Franklin, too.