But some did ... like the late James
Beard, one of America's top dining-
out authors, who once said, "Our
best U.S. restaurant cities are New
York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and
Detroit."
TV personality and world traveler,
international gourmet George Pierrot,
dined in more than 110 countries
and island groups, including every
large U.S. city, and agreed, pointing
particularly to Detroit's generous sup-
ply of ethnic eateries.
Detroit was not perfect ... At one
time, it needed more places overlook-
ing the Detroit River, perhaps one
straddling an expressway, many more
which stayed open Sundays ... But it
improved yearly, with more good
ones opening than closing.
What memories for many ... The
nightly moonlights, sailing Lake St.
Clair, the excursion boats to
Tashmoo, Bob-Lo, Put-In-Bay ... and
always a foaming Vernor's Ginger Ale,
embellished with a dollop of ice
cream.
Such restaurants! ... The Seafood
Grotto on Grand River, with a huge
sea turtle swimming in the window ...
The prohibition days when many a
bottle of gin was smuggled from
Windsor inside a lady's girdle ... and
bon vivants relished the thrill of
peepholes, passwords and blind pigs.
Glaser's, Schweizer's, Luigi's, Pierre's
French restaurant on East Jefferson,
where Pierre used to say it took him
two days to make his onion soup ...
those ambrosial steaks at Ritz on the
Railroad, near the Packard plant ...
And Les Gruber's Den of Forty
Thieves on John R.
A big favorite was the Taverna
Hungarica in Delray, on West End
just off Jefferson ... The Taverna, in a
remodeled store, was far from luxury
... but smiling, continental Eugene
Kerekes, the splitting image of
Adolph Menjou, and his gypsy
orchestra made it an unforgettable
port of call.
Berman's Chop House on Times
Square, where knowing would-be
gourmet Detroiters went for meat,
fresh seafood in large quantities, and
minimum of atmosphere or fanfare ...
plus the house specialty of crispy cot-
tage fried potatoes.
Jim's Garage on West Larned, the
former concrete garage that was
always filled with drivers and pedes-
trians seeking tasty fuel, along with
atmosphere pleasant to car buffs of
the 1960s Mustang era ... Waitresses
wore white mechanic jackets and the
dinner menu featured old car ads.

Cadena's on Michigan Avenue,
where its owner Rosella Cadena
always wore native Mexican garb and
baked authentic Mexican pastries
every day but Friday ... Nobody ever
found out why not Fridays.
Caucus Club, run by Les and Sam
Gruber, who also owned across the
street London Chop House with Al
Wolfe ... where tycoons, sophisticates
and tourists mixed to enjoy its varied
a la carte menu and only advertised
"feminine vocalist" in its back room
... instead of Barbra Streisand.
The Coach House on Grand River,
with its English pub decor that served
one of the best hamburgers in
Detroit.
The King's Table on East Congress,
where King Arthur would have been
at home in the cool, dim blue interi-
or with beamed ceilings, leaded
stained-glass windows and waitresses
complete with British accents serving
lunch only.
Eastman's Gaslight on Grand River,
with brick walls, fine nude portraits,
heavy beams, leather chairs, a New
York strip sirloin that was flamed at
the table with sauteed fresh mush-
rooms, sherry and cognac.
Grecian Gardens on Monroe, with
dozens of autographed pictures show-
ing that visiting celebrities enjoyed
one of Greektown's best places amid
Hellenic murals, marble statues, etc
... No alcoholic beverages served,
legally that is.
The Grog Shop in Washington
Boulevard's Stouffer's, where waitress-
es in staid Stouffer's starched white
uniforms were replaced with lusty,
busty Grog Shop girls in brief brown
vinyl hot skirts, and yellow silk blous-
es with revealing necklines.
Hellas Cafe on Monroe, another
Greektown favorite, where every
Sunday afternoon especially, was the
usually expected long line to get in.
London Chop House in the
Murphy Building on Congress, con-
sidered Detroit's best and most
expensive restaurant ... continually
listed among America's top 10 with
its excellent cuisine and the Midwest's
finest French vintage wine cellar ...
Celebrities, gourmets, jet-setters
dined here when in town ... Located
in the basement, dark wood-paneled
upper walls were covered with
celebrities' caricatures by Hy Vogel ...
set off by red-checked tablecloths ...
Service was unpredictable if you were
not known, superb if you were.
And it served matzah brei both
lunch and dinner ... traditional and
delicious. ❑

Birmingham

154 S. Woodward Ave.

Bloomfield Twp.

Genoa Twp.

4380 E. Grand River

Independence Twp.

6535 Telegraph Rd.
(Corner of Maple (15 Mi. Rd.)

6325 Sashabaw

Brighton

Laurel Park Mall
(37622 6 Mile Rd.)

8280 Movie Rd.

Canton

Livonia

Livonia

Royal Oak

Lyon Twp.

Royal Oak

26540 Ford Rd.
(The Heights Plaza)

Milford

Southfield

Detroit

Novi

1735 Canton Center Rd.

Commerce

4895 Cerro! Lake Rd.

(Carrol Lake and Commerce Rd.)

Dearborn Heights

28511 Schoolcraft
(At Middlebelt)

13 Mile and Woodward
(Woodward at 13 Mile Rd.)

30422 Milford Rd.
(Milford at Grand River)

110 S. Main
(11 Mile and Main)

15647 W. 9 Mile
at Greenfield Rd.

525 N. Main

Comerica Park Stadium

Farmington Hills

37580 W.12. Mile Rd.
(Halstead Village)

Farmington Hills

30985 Orchard Lake Rd.
(between 13 & 14 Me Rd.)

47830 Grand River Ave.
(Grand River & Beck Rd.)

30422 Milford Rd. near 1 - 96

Plymouth

Taylor

New Hudson

15131 Sheldon Rd.
(Sheldon at 5 Mile Rd.)

9845 Telegraph Rd.

West Bloomfield

4763 Haggerty Rd.
(Pontiac Trail & Haggerty Rd.)

Pontiac

3999 Center Point Parkway

Catering available at all locations I Coupons available at all locations

Look for More Locations to Come

www.leosconeyisland.com

Receive

$100 Off

Total Bill
Over $10

Not valid on Breakfast Specials.
Not valid with any other offers.
With coupon. Expires 5/31/05

Receive
Receive
$200 off

10NOff

Total
Bill

Total Bill
Over $20

Not valid on Breakfast Specials.
Not valid with any other offers.
With coupon. Expires 5/31/05

Not valid on Breakfast Specials.
Not valid with any other offers.
With coupon. Expires 5/31/05

Parthenon has become a

u rban institution. KW ucombin

food, good service and good prices.

askin—July, '04

IVATE DINING ROOM
FULL BAR
FU VSERVICE CATERING

r

a-1 00

( 1 *

I Receive

10NOff

Total
Food Bill

Not valid on Breakfast Specials.
Not valid with any other offers.
With coupon. Expires 5/31/05

THE ORIGINAL

RESTAURANT

4301 ORCHARD LAKE ROAD
WEST BLOOAAFIELP I CROSSWINDS PLAZA

4/21

248-538-6000

2005

87

