Arts & Entertainment

Test Of Time
1
411

Pewter
j-udaica
by Giora
captures
the spirit
of love.

The Best Of Everything

Musashi Japanese restaurant has set the standard for two decades.

70,000 pounds of Norwegian
apanese cuisine has
salmon and over 625,000
come a long, long
pounds of rice.
way since its begin-
Separating Musashi from
ning, but although Japanese
others is a strict concentration
history is older than 10,000
on cuisine authenticity ... with
years, it has just been in the
many food items seldom seen
last 300 to 400 years that
in other Japanese restaurants
some of the more enjoyable
... and preparations that bring
dishes and delicacies were
much satisfaction to veterans
created.
DAN NY
of Japanese dining.
And there was even a time
RAS KIN
Numerous sections, four
not that long ago when folks
Sen for
rooms with seating for 142,
in Metropolitan Detroit did-
Colum nist
are each designed in the tran-
n't exactly go out of their
quil Asian-style influence by
way for Japanese food ...
true Japanese architects and designers ...
Much of the reason was fear, since the
A well-appointed sushi bar has 10 seats
idea of raw fish or even cooked fish
at which to dine after watching the tal-
served with rice and seaweed didn't
ented chefs work their artistry.
sound very appealing.
The sake list at Musashi is probably
Musashi, celebrating its 20th anniver-
one of the largest selections to be found
sary in Southfield's Town Center 2000
anywhere in this region ... Also a hefty
Building (formerly Prudential Town
choice of Japanese beers.
Center), was one of the first Japanese
It is open seven days a week ...
restaurants to truly educate people with-
Monday-Friday, 11:30-10; Saturday, 5-
in its thriving locale ... Because of people
10; Sunday, 5-9.
like Koji Watanabe and wife, Kyoko,
For folks who are not necessarily raw-
who opened their restaurant in 1985,
fish eaters, the
Japanese food has
menu is plentiful
seemingly
with tasty dishes
become dietary
like crispy tempura
standards for
selections of shrimp
many.
and vegetables,
Dishes like
shabu-shabu (thin-
ikura (salmon
sliced prime sirloin
roe) and tender
and vegetables), hot
slices of barbe-
and cold noodle
cued eel over rice
dishes and so many
are devoured now
cooked styles of
with much zest at
other varied
Musashi, where
Japanese cuisine.
children accom-
More than two
pany parents,
decades and
choose their own
counting have
Koji and Kyoko Watanabe
selections and
proven Musashi's
enjoy slurping
high ranking as a
bowls of hot ramen noodles with savory
Japanese dining favorite.
shrimp tempura.
ADDING TO THE usual delays
In the 20 years since Musashi opened,
that arise, changes have become much
numerous imitators in southeastern
more than expected ... so another
Michigan have tried to emulate it ... But
delay in Sea Grille's opening at the for-
like Watanabe says, the difference is in
mer Big Daddy's spot in West
high quality and freshness, neither of
Bloomfield ... However, it looks like
which he maintains he would ever devi-
the seafood restaurant might be ready
ate from ... People who have visited
by the second or third week in August.
mediocre Japanese restaurants soon find
Revamping of the next-door banquet
this difference after going to Musashi.
area will be started when the dining sec-
Its kitchen has been a busy one ...
tor is finished ... and probably take
going through 110,000 pounds of tuna,
about a month or so for completion.
A LOT OF guys and gals were young-
Danny Raskin's e-mail address is
sters
back when he was entertaining
dannyraskin@sbcglobal.net.

them in the late 1950s and into the
1960s ... but will remember Johnny
Ginger from his popular kid's show over
WXYZ-TV, Channel 7, "The Curtain
Time Theater."
Johnny Ginger (Jerry Gale) does his
singing impressions and comedic talents
every Friday and Saturday evenings at
Ginopolis' on the Grille, 12 Mile and
Middlebelt ... and the more folks have
found out he is there, the more they are
coming to see him.
NOW IN THE PROCESS, while
remaining open, of greatly enlarging and
beautifying its location on Northwestern
Highway in Farmington Hills, Tamara
Spa, owned by Tamara and Eugene
Freedman, is one of the very few big
names in its industry still active.
Pioneers like Kitty Wagner, Mira
Linder, Bloomies, Cappelli's and others
have gone out of business after many
years.
Tamara's, recendy featured in the
national Oprah magazine as the
"Midwest's Best Day Spa," is celebrating
25 years and going even stronger as
attested by the huge remodeling and
expanding of its operation.
MAIL DEPT. ... "Having eaten at
the Jules Verne restaurant in the Eiffel
Tower in Paris, Le Louis in the Hotel de
Paris in Morocco and several other fine
hotels and restaurants around the world,
I always return to one place for Caesar
salad, Francesco's in Oakland, Calif. It is
located near the Hilton Hotel on the
north side of the Oakland Airport.
"The salad is prepared tableside with
fresh romaine, fresh grated parmesan,
handmade garlic croutons, Dijon mus-
tard, Worcestershire sauce, fresh ground
pepper and two fresh eggs whipped to a
frenzy with a fork in a garlic-rubbed
bowl. To complete the masterpiece, four
filleted whole anchovies are strategically
placed on top. Now that's a Caesar
salad!" ... David Sonne, Fanfare Media,
California.
QUESTION & ANSWER DEPT
... Q. "While growing up, I used to
love to read 'Iffy the Dopester' years
ago in the Free Press sports section. Do
you happen to know who 'Iffy the
Dopester' was back then?" ... Samuel
Kenman, St. Petersburg, Fla.
A. (I think it was Malcolm Bingay.
To be sure, next time I run into Ernie
Harwell, perhaps he'll know. Or
maybe George Cantor or Irwin "Mr.
Baseball" Cohen.)

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