Old Woodward & Maple

T hink

of a great neighborhood
I for strolling, shopping, sup-
ping, and seeing and being seen.
Most likely you're sights are set
on downtown Birmingham,
where the main drag and its side
streets pulse to rhythm not seen
in years.

DINING

From hot dogs to haute cuisine,
appetites spanning the gastronom-
ic spectrum won't hunger for
choices.
Locals and visitors alike depend
on Leo's Coney Island (154 S. Old
Woodward, 248-540-8780), Olga's
(138 S. Old Woodward, 248-647-
2760) or Greek Islands (221
Hamilton Row, 248-646-1222) to
get them fed and out the door in
time to catch a movie across the
street. For an absolutely guiltless
pleasure, nothing beats the thick,
frothy and low-fat Orange Cream
Cooler (5 grams of fat) at Olga's.
The chic-and-be-seen-crowd do
just that: stand cheek-to-jowl at
the lively, sometimes raucous bar
at 220 (220 Merrill, 248-645-2150),
before adjourning to its spirited,
art deco-inspired dining room,
while a similar scene plays out at
the cozy Streetside Seafood (273
Pierce, 248-645-9123). Other stops
on the evening circuit include
Blue Martini (201 Hamilton Row,
248-258-3005), The Corner Bar
(100 Townsend Street, 248-594-
6272), and Edison's (downstairs
from 220).
Although technically a suburb,
Birmingham's best restaurateurs
move to a decidedly big-city beat
at Forte (201 S. Old Woodward,
248-594-7300), City Cellar (201
Hamilton Row, 248-642-2489),
Mitchell's Fish Market (117
Willits Street, 248-646-3663) and
its companion Cameron's Steak
House (115 Willits Street, 248-723-

1700), both on the ground floor of
the handsome, deluxe Willits con-
dominiums.
The Rugby Grill, inside the bou-
tique Townsend Hotel (100
Townsend Street, 248-642-5999), is
where power brokers begin and end
their days, while mid-day, it's the
provenance of the ladies who lunch.
Ethnically speaking, Birmingham
gives foodies of all stripes a wealth
of choices, from sushi and other
Japanese specialties at Tokyo Sushi
(225 East Maple, 248-258-6501), to
toothsome Italian fare at the quin-
tessential neighborhood joint,
Salvatore Scallopini (505 North
Old Woodward, 248-644-8977) and
sublime, thin-crust pizza from
Brooklyn (111 Henrietta, 248-258-
6690).
The flavors of the Middle East
can be explored at Pita Café (239
North Old Woodward, 248-645-
6999), Elie's (263 Pierce, 248-647-
2420) and the white-table cloth

Phoenicia (588 South Old
Woodward, 248-644-3122).
And for dessert, nothing com-
pares to the fresh baked pastries
from Charlie's Patisserie (126
South Old Woodward, 248-723-
2126) and Canella Patisserie and
Creperie (300 Hamilton Row, 248-
203-9704), or handmade choco-
lates from Kilwin's (162 North Old
Woodward, 248-646-5940) and
newcomer Chocolat (261 Merrill,
248-203-7990).

SHOPPING

Whether window-shopping or
power shopping, Birmingham's
tidy business district is in a class
by itself.
Serious fashionistas look to
Maple Road for an unrivaled selec-
tion of women's boutiques, includ-
ing Linda Dresner (299 West
Maple, 248-642-4999), 110
Couture (110 South Old

Woodward, 248-203-0110), Miss
Kate (335 East Maple, 248646-
1695) and Tender (271 West
Maple, 248-258-0212) for
European and American designer
clothing and accessories.
Designer-specific stores include
Nicole Miller (268 West Maple,
248-433-0393.
For something a little more
casual or offbeat, peruse the racks
at Anthropologie (214 West
Maple, 248-593-5653) and one of
Birmingham's iconic shops,
Caruso Caruso (166 West Maple,
248-645-5151), especially for great
denim and Ts.
Of course, you need some inter-
esting accessories, like those from
Imelda's Closet (123 West Maple,
248-203-1222) and Oliver's Trendz
(128 West Maple, 248-646-2257),
plus Optik Birmingham (245
West Maple, 248-646-6699) for a

Birmingham on page 16

MainStreetS • October 20, 2005 • 15