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Bogart's is much more than a theme restaurant.
nline at
oo many theme restau-
rants these days tend to
get cutesy and neglect
the prime requisites of a good
dining establishment ...
Namely the food and service.
So it is a welcomed revela-
tion to have one open in our
midst that not only gives you
Danny Raskin
the theme entertainment, but
Senior Columnist
does so without neglecting its
food and service aspects.
The new Bogart's that recently opened on West
Maple, just east of Farmington Road, West Bloomfield,
is a breath of fresh air.
Its touch of Hollywood is therned almost entirely
around the late Humphrey Bogart, and his wife,
Lauren Bacall ... Well-appointed remembrances
throughout the restaurant are tastefully placed with-
out the overbearing theme attempts of which so many
are guilty.
The outside of the free-standing building that for-
merly housed E.G. Nick's somehow looks more impos-
ing ... and its interior has been almost completely gut-
ted and changed ... There's now a wide-open look in
the main dining room, with its white walls, white fire-
place, mahogany and wrought-iron stylings, white
linen tablecloths, burgundy linen napkins, etc.
- Its new owners, structural engineer Dean Mechael
and internist wife Dr. Ban Mechael, have completely
revamped the menu, with the complement of good
choices from which to select ... Two large screens in
the main dining room, plus smaller monitors, show
old movies (Bogart and Bacall in Casablanca, of
course) ... The bar-lounge area and private room for
up to 60 people, too.
Among the big-selling features that have gained
much popularity are small, easy-to-handle lamb ribs
... tender and tasty ...Also the highly ordered standby
of 14-ounce whitefish prepared and served on a
wooden plank with surrounding Duchess potatoes.
Seating in the main dining room is about 110 ...
The lower level of the bar-lounge sector seats 40; its
upper bar part has 12 stools and a couple of two-top
tables ... Two private rooms also seat 12 and eight peo-
ple.
Bogart's is casual fine dining with a feel of relaxed
informality ... In the works by Dean and Ban is an
even further touch on the Tinseltown theme ... An
outer area of the restaurant will have a simulated
Hollywood Walk of Fame, with names within the stars
being of local personages.
Ban is a former Oak Park High and Wayne State
University graduate ... She was in Chicago when Dean
was introduced to her by Chaldean friends from back
home ... Their immediate togetherness "hit"was when
learning that they both were from the same village,
Telkafe, Baghdad ... Love took over from then on.
While vacationing in Cancun, they visited a Bogart's
restaurant, and since Ban is a huge admirer or 1930s
and 1940s films, the theme here in West Bloomfield is
in•honor of her ... It is also Dean's return to the restau-
rant business ... Before coming to America 11 years
ago, he and a brother had the 120-seat, fine-dining
Marhaba restaurant in Baghdad.
This Bogart's is quite different from what they saw
in Cancun ... Their's is independently owned, not part
of a chain.
It is open seven days ... Lunch and dinner Monday,
11-9; Tuesday thru Thursday, 11-11; Friday, 11-12 ...
Dinner only Saturday, 3-12; and Sunday, 3-9 ... Live
piano entertainment is both in the main dining room
and bar-lounge, the latter also with happy hours 5 to 7
and 9 to 11.
Time that goes by dining here at Bogart's is well
spent.
AFTER MORE THAN 30 years, the Maria's name
is no more for the fine Italian restaurant that opened
in 1975 on Walnut Lake Road and Inkster, West
Bloomfield ... It is now called Oliverio's, even though
the awning still says Maria's ... Partnership split and
sole ownership purchase is by Artie Oliverio, the chef
whose recipes made it a big favorite when he took
over the kitchen in 1983.
TARGET DATE for opening of Ron's Bagel Deli by
Ron Forman, 14 Mile and M-5 in the Novi-Commerce
area, is around Dec. 5, depending on inspection okays
... If not then, mid-December for sure ... Behind the
counter will be Tony Brooks, who was with Ron at his
former Bread Basket Deli in Oak Park's Lincoln
Center.
CONGRATS ... To Barbara and Al Goldberg on their
40th anniversary ... and to Barbara on her birthday.
MUCH HAS HAPPENED since optometrists Drs.
Max Gottesman and Mickey Weishaus took over
Roland Optics from Dr. Harold Roland at Applegate
Square, Northwestern Highway and Inkster, Southfield
...Now celebrating its 20th anniversary, Roland has
expanded twice at the locale while growing into one of
Michigan's most respected retail optical firms ... with
knowledge and smiles a continued part of the staff's
personal warmth.
And it is today an even more family-oriented busi-
ness ... Dr. Max and Beverly Gottesman's son, Lorne,
and Dr. Mickey and Katie Weishaus' son, Randy, both
graduated optometry school in 1999, and are on the
Roland team ... Katie manages the office and daughter
Lonnee Cohen is a part-timer.
But one thing has not changed ... A member of the
Harold Roland family is still there ... Marcie Lebow, his
daughter, stayed on after Roland Optics switched
hands, and continues to take care of the multitude of
patients who ask for her. ri
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Danny's e-mail address is dannyraskin@sbcglobal.net.
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jiq
December 1 . 2005