Arts & Entertainment
THE BEST OF EVERYTHING
Tapas And Tango
New dance room and its food are hot, hot, hot!
I
t quite possibly could be the only one of its kind
in the country ... There are likes of it in New York,
Las Vegas and other regions, but none that anyone
knows of that combines such a complete combination of
fun.
The new Tu-Can Tango that recently opened on
Haggerty, north of Maple Road, West Bloomfield, is just
about everything people would want in the way of a
fun evening ... A huge array of delicious hot and cold
Spanish tapas, about 30 of them, priced where guys and
gals can select enough to make a complete meal ... mar-
tini lounge, wine bar, live professional Latin dance show
nightly, disc jockey and open dancing.
Those tapas just aren't the same as their namesakes
in other languages: Chinese dim sum, Turkish maze or
French hors d'oeuvres ... The ones served at Tu-Can
Tango are with much imagination in an endless parade of
ultra-tastiness.
Unbelievable selections that boggle the culinary imagi-
nation ... Customers order them much like they do at
a Japanese sushi bar or Chinese dim sum restaurant ...
Selections are made by checking numbers for waitpersons
like cute, efficient and personable Kristin Norris, who
brings the bevy in patient order for relaxed dining of the
beautifully presented tapas.
Guests in Spain traditionally linger for hours in an
atmosphere that encourages friendly interaction ... But at
the new Tu-Can Tango, there is so much more to capture
their attention.
Unlike the previous tenants at this locale (Club Deco
and Jamaica Joe), there is no cover charge for the interest-
ing, fun evening ... Yes, eating tapas is a lot of fun, too ...
especially with the superior taste of so much variety.
With the tapas comes dancing every evening and the
nightly floor show ... Request music, as well as his own
selections, are played by a disc jockey in his own studio-
like room overlooking the large dance floor.
Seating is among tables, settees, wine and martini bars,
etc. ... with six-days-a-week hours ... Monday-Thursday
as the kitchen when it comes to dining cleanli-
evenings, 6-11 (kitchen), Friday and Saturday,
ness ... That is why it is so essential for owners
6-12 (kitchen), and dancing until 2 a.m.
to have their employees make regular inspec-
Latin music wafts from the d.j. along with
tions ... When Pat Archer owned Excalibur
standards and jazz to provide danceable
in Southfield years ago, on the inside of each
music ... The floor show of Latin-American
door was a check list with things to be done at
dancing is at 10 p.m. for about 20 minutes ...
all times ... and initialed by his employees ...
Wednesday evenings is when hot salsa danc-
Danny Raskin
Too bad so many other restaurateurs aren't as
ers wearing Carmen Miranda-like costumes
Senior Columnist particular.
put on a fast-paced, entertaining show ...
MAIL DEPT. ... "We can never forget
Friday and Saturday evenings are big nights
when the Sugar Tree shopping center in West
as well.
Bloomfield and surrounding stores had a power failure.
Tu-Can Tango is owned by Ramzi Naber, who also has
My friends and I had planned a birthday lunch at the
the fine dining Italian Epicure on Grand River in Novi,
Golden Phoenix Chinese restaurant. I arrived earlier and
so is no stranger to good food ... This he certainly has
did not see their lights and thought it wasn't open. Several
in some of the best tapas folks have had anywhere ...
women sat in cars outside so I decided to try the door
Little dishes that are eagerly savored with an unhurried
and found it open. The owners, Shaw and Helen Ng, came
approach.
over and said they have a generator in the kitchen and we
There are few better combinations than the excellent
could have a hot lunch. Helen brought out hot soup for
tapas assortment imbued with an evening of fun enter-
all and assured us that everything would be as usual." ...
tainment as presented by Tu-Can Tango.
Lynn Rich.
OPENING OF THE NEW Kruse & Muer Wilshire in
CONGRATS ... To Sara Kay on her birthday ... To
Troy is something that owner Bill Kruse has looked at for
Jared Kohlenberg on his 12th birthday, celebrated with
quite a while ... He has always yearned of also being in
table for five at Angelo's Greek Bistro ... To Suzan and
this sector of the area.
Paul Weinstock on their 13th anniversary ... To Henry
THE CHANGEOVER to upscale family dining at the
and Wendy Abrams on their 21st anniversary ... To Ray
hard-to-believe low prices has been so successful that
Moe Leon, owner of Moe's on 10, gives folks another route and Louise Abrams on their third anniversary.
WONDER WHERE They Are Dept. ... Ricky Dee
to enjoy the same menu.
His former Leon's in Wixom, where Moe spends most of Drapkin, who sang songs like "Femina," "Lady In Love"
and "You're Nobody Til Somebody Loves You" around
his time now, has been changed to Moe's on Wixom, with
town and suddenly left the nitery scene.
the same outstanding home-style quality food and eye-
HE LOVES his food and is considered quite knowl-
opening soft prices ... It's on South Wixom Road, between
edgeable with the goodness it presents ... But give plastic
Pontiac Trail and 1-96, across from the Ford plant, about
surgeon Marshall Shapiro a whole head of cabbage and
15 or less minutes from most Northwest sectors.
THE HIGHLY POPULAR Sunday Brunch by Ginopolis' before the day is over it will be gone ... He eats the raw
cabbage as is, core and all, without any dressing or condi-
on the Grill, 12 Mile and Middlebelt, Farmington Hills,
ment.
is back after a 17-year layoff ... It begins again Sunday,
April 2, 11-2.
Danny's e-mail address is dannyraskin@sbcglobal.net .
RESTAURANT RESTROOMS are almost as important
❑
M
ecit'scover
keywords at Shatigri ,La.
"Integrity and freshness
Shangri-La has turned cu szAity into regul visits."
— Danny R kin,
&Ash. News
famous for our...
Dover Sole, Sauteed Perch,
Medallions of Beef, Pancho Burger.
Reservations Recommended
Private Party Room Available
DINNER MONDAY-SATURDAY
LUNCH MONDAY-FRIDAY
1 50 West Congress Detroit
313-965-4970
§Main Floor Penobscot Building
68
March 30 • 2006
autos e64-
• •
the
kdaucus
aucus
* C
• Club
•
A petroit institution Since 195 2