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.