THE BEST OF EVERYTHING
Happy Anniversary!
Shangri-La has lived up to its name for 10 happy years.
order ... She is courteous, personable and effi-
t had two strikes against it when opening in
cient Wai Lee Yu, pronounced "Why" not "Way,"
December 1995 ... following the closing of a
and a server at Shangri-La since it opened.
Chinese-American restaurant that had
ABOUT WORD THAT a Cheesecake Factory
gained immense popularity at that locale.
restaurant may open in Birmingham or else-
But the condolences many folks thought
where hereabouts, Howard Gordon, senior vice
should go to the newcomer that opened there in
president for business development and market-
what was looked upon as certain death quickly
ing, denies it ... "Michigan is a wonderful mar-
.
turned into great praise.
ket," says Howard, "and I hope we find a location
Here it is; celebrating its 10th anniversary, and.
in the near future. At thisspointwe do not have
Shangri-La in Orchard Mall, Orchard Lake Road
Danny Raskin
any site planned in Michigan."
at Maple, West Bloomfield, instead seems to
Senior Columnist
But, he adds, "As with any place, until we have
keep on getting even stronger with its constant
a
signed
lease we do not speak about it." ...
changes and additions.
Strange
that
Cheesecake Factory is all over the
When it opened, there was no such thing
country
but
not
in
the
local
area where founders Evelyn
served as Peking duck ... A year later, it was on the menu,
and Oscar Overton started the company.
and today is among Shangri-La's more popular dishes ...
WHEN HE OPENS his Stan's Deli soon on Woodward
The excellent lobster Cantonese favorite with scallions was
south of 14 Mile, Royal Oak, Stan Snitz will bring back a lot
different, too ... Today, Shangri-La is one of the few
of yesteryear memories with a sandwich many folks still
Chinese restaurants that serve it cut up, mixed atop noo-
remember and love ... It's just the plain ol' Bar-Le4)uc,
dles that are saturated with a special Shangri-La sauce
but so delicious made with just cream cheese and grape or
goodness.
strawberry jelly.
Owner Cholada "Nancy" Chan estimates that Shangri-La
A COOKIE BIG enough for up to three people, some-
has gone through well over 30,000 pounds of lobster since
times four? ... Might be the first time a normal retail cook-
opening.
.
ie has such sharing prowess ... But cookie gal Jill
It is interesting to note that many dishes seen at other ,
Margolick's son Andrew has other ideas, like heating one in
Chinese restaurants may have originated in the Shangri-La
the microwave, dressing it up with vanilla ice cream and
kitchen and are served elsewhere under another name.
eating the concoction all by himself.
Only three years ago, it added a couple more items that
The huge, delicious, 1-pound Ms. Jill's. Cookies are now
are very seldom seen elsewhere ... Steamed fresh shrimp
being baked at Dakota Bread on West Bloomfield's
wrapped in lotus leaves, and steamed tofu shrimp and
Boardwalk, where owners Tom and Jennifer Wilson have
scallops wrapped in lotus leaves ... Both of which received
Jill's recipes under lock and the cookies on sale ... A call to
sudden praise.
.
Jill at (248) 661-5429 also gets them.
Since opening, Shangri-La has gone through almost
The baskets of Ms. Jill's Cookies, by the way, make an
three-quarters of a million pounds of Chinese vegetables,
excellent
gift.
over 200,000 pounds of shrimp, about one-half million
If
you
intend
stopping by Dakota Bread for coffee and a
pounds of rice, etc.
Ms.
Jill's
Cookie,
have someone along unless folks back at
It is a seven-day-a-week lunch and dinner restaurant,
•
the office want you to bring them only whatever wasn't
Monday-Friday, 11 to 2 a.m.; Saturday and Sunday,.10-2
devoured.
a.m.... Dim sum is served twice daily,,Monday-Friday, 11
FEW SHOW BIZ personalities have appeared live before
a.m. to 3. p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.;
more people than Wayne Newton, well over 30 million ...
evenings all seven days, 10 p.m. to 2 a.m.
About the dim sum, when Shangri-La was born 10 years Mr. Las Vegas will be here at Crystal Gardens in Southgate,
Friday, Dec. 16.
ago, it had around 40 or 45 items ... Today the choices are
CONGRATS ... To Jeffrey Weiser on his birthday ... To
over 70 ... with the sold count almost hitting the 9 million
Letty Terman on her 100th birthday, celebrated Dec. 10 at a
-
pieces mark.
party in Pompano Beach, Fla.... (Letty is the wife of the
The previous tenant at the Orchard Mall site, Rikshaw,
late Abe Terman, my boss while selling Sunday papers on
was a Chinese-American restaurant owned by Joe Cohen
12th Street years ago.)
and David Lum that centered much on Western dishes, like
Belatedly to Ray Abrams, former Oak Park councilman
Caesar salad, along with its Chinese fare ... Many folks
and Snooker's Pool boss, on his 80th birthday.
expected this when they first visited Shangri-Lacand were
DON'T CALL HIM Mike, even though his name is •
somewhat surprised to learn that it was a Hong Kong-
Michael ... As a camper years ago at Camp Michigama,
Cantonese restaurant instead ... And even more surprised
owned by brothers Herman and Mickey Fishman, he was
to discover that it didn't serve chop suey or egg foo yung
known as Mikey, which subsequently gave way to Mickey,
either ... "They'll never make it without those basics," said
the name that podiatrist doc and food and restaurant con-
some folks, who have since eaten their original words ...
noisseur Dr. Michael Salter is known by today. El
and are today Shangri-La regulars.
By the way, that's not "Why you?" some people ask when
one of the Shangri-La waitpersons comes over to take their Danny's e-mail address is dannyraskin@sbcglobal.net .
I
, NORTH. FACE.
PATAGONIA
ARCTERWc.
MOOSEJAW
AUNT SALLY, UNCLE JIM,
RODNEY; AND LUCY ARE SO
FUN. GOING TO LIONS'
GAMES, THANKSGIVING,
PLAYING BOGGLE ON
SUNDAYS AND AUNTY'S
BOTOX. I'M SO GLAD WE'VE
BECOME SO CLOSE EVEN
THOUGH OUR GRANDMAS
DON'T GET ALONG. WILL
E ENTIRE MILLER FAMILY
PLEASE COME UP AND
uoirr CANDLE NUMBER 9,
THE CANDLE OF
COMMUNITY?
Mooses
1:10(P -,f
GROSSE POINIT.
313- WI -9999
244-?0.3-7777
(IN
FAS I 1ANSING
IffiGlit. JUR
'248 375-
ANN ARBOR
734-769-1590
i nT
December 8 • 2005
57
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