Arts & Entertainment
BEST OF EVERYTHING
Sister Act
Greektown's elegant Mosaic restaurant does Dad proud.
T
here are few things more reward-
ing for a parent than to see off-
spring grow into adulthood and
choose to follow their lead in the achieve-
ment of life's success.
Following in a parent's footsteps by self-
choice brings ultimate joy ... And so it is
with two sisters who solely operate Mosaic
restaurant on the corner of Monroe and
Beaubien in Detroit's Greektown.
Athina and Maria Papas have done dad,
Jim Papas proud ... The dining, hotel,
etc. tycoon (Pegasus, Atheneum, etc.) is
seeing his daughters grab the brass rings
of restaurant success in efforts that bring
him much happiness ... A third sister, law
school grad Stella, Athina's twin, takes the
bar examination this month and helps out
at the restaurant.
This is the two sisters' restaurant ...
Their fight ... Make no bones about it ...
With daddy's only involvement being to
shout parental advice ... Taking it is their
business, and being a couple of gals with
astute heads on their shoulders, it would
be hard to see otherwise.
July 23 will be Mosaic Restaurant's first
anniversary ... but being chic wasn't the
original intent ... The first thought was
for an upscale sports bar with sandwiches,
pizza and high-end items.
Instead, it opened as one of Michigan's
loveliest dining delights with fine food
selections prepared and presented with
tasteful elegance.
Executive Chef Mark Kelly's food items
span numerous cultures in the Mosaic
international theme ... South American,
Asian, Greek, Italian, French, American, etc.
Signature dishes like Kasu Chilean sea
bass in a sake-lee marinade, coconut and
almond rice cake; JP's specialty lamb chops
named after Jim Papas, marinated with
olive and lemon seasoning; and Mosaic
steak gratinee, a 14-ounce New York strip
encrusted in asiago cheese, basil, garlic and
wine sauce; are big-seller standouts.
Seating at striking Mosaic is 150, plus
another 20 at a well-appointed bar area
which, on Friday and Saturday evenings,
also has a disc-jockey spinning popular
tunes ... Restaurant hours are Monday-
Thursday, 11 a.m.-midnight; Friday, 11
a.m.-2 a.m., Saturday, 4-2, Sunday brunch,
11:30-3, dinner, 4-10.
Mosaic does its own butchering of
meat and fish in the 1,200-square-foot
downstairs kitchen area with three walk-in
refrigerators and huge walk-in freezer ...
Two more kitchens are upstairs in 2,000
additional square feet.
Not on the menu but a prominent order
are the excellent soft shell crabs prepared
by Mark ... Also the Three Sisters Trio that
can easily be consumed by three people
... eight-ounce lobster tail (Maria), three
sea scallops (Athina) and eight-ounce filet
(Stella).
Their mother, Vicki, is among those
instrumental in the beautiful Mosaic decor
... Brothers Gregory and Sofocles are also
twins, with Gregory, a student at University
of Michigan, Dearborn, selecting the name.
Soups made at Mosaic are unique
standouts ... like the roasted tomato and
asparagus bisque with pesto, and elegant
Side-by-Side tomato and asparagus with
their own sectors of the bowl and no sepa-
ration.
The sisters are not without experience
in the restaurant business ... Athina was
a hostess at Pegasus and Maria managed
Fishbones in Greektown, where Stella was
a barmaid.
No, the sports bar idea was never forgot- hereabouts (Scotch and Sirloin, Aged and
Rare, Al Green's Celebrity Room) recently
ten ... Today, next door to Mosaic, is the
appeared at New York's Lincoln Center over
upscale and originally dreamed of theme
July 4, with her J.C. Heard Orchestra direct-
... their 80-seater Pappy's Sports Bar &
ed by former localite, trumpet
Grille.
man Walt Szymanski ... Jo will
The family oriented together-
be rotating this summer, joining
ness of the Papas family over-
other guest artists appearing at
flows with beauty ... as does
New York's Tavern on the Green
the charm of the all-around
with the restaurant's All Star
successful Mosaic restaurant.
Orchestra ... The fine Central
THERE IS NEVER a fear
Park spot can be called for her
of being at a charitable event
exact dates, at (516) 782-9635.
without much.worth if she
NOT A BAD DEAL, 60
is also in attendance either
Danny Raskin
percent off all cheese pizzas at
as a guest or participant ...
Senior C olumnist any of the nine Buddy's spots
Seeing most likeable Diana
(additional toppings at regular
Lewis, WXYZ-TV newscaster,
price), will be both dine-in and carry-out
at the recent black-tie Aviators' Ball at
... Four days only, July 17-20, 3-6 p.m., cel-
Ritz-Carlton, Dearborn, was enough for •
ebrating its 60th anniversary.
the more than 450 guests who attended
CONGRATS ... To Helen Glass on her
and consider her one of this locale's most
birthday ... To Harvey Gold in Huntington
trusted media personalities.
Beach, Calif., on his 70th birthday ... To
It was the second annual such event by
Sean Goldman on his birthday ...To Susan
southeastern Michigan McDonald's opera-
Dubin on her 60th birthday ... To Avery
tors who are seeing their affair turn into
and Marilyn Warnick on their same-day
one of this region's top standout charitable
birthdays.
happenings.
GET WELL WISHES ... To Seymour
Raising money to help fund the Ronald
Burg, recuperating at Evergreen Health
McDonald Houses in Detroit and Ann
& Living Center in Southfield after back
Arbor is reason enough to be there ... The
surgery.
event is first-class from start to finish ...
IT'S BEEN QUITE a ride for him
and having someone like very gracious
... 49 years of many memories, as Bruce
Diana as its mistress of ceremonies lent
Lyons finally calls it quits ... Time to retire
even more credence to the truly wonder-
and spend more time with wife, Marlene,
ful cause of providing a "Home away from
as Bruce, who began as a 19-year-old teller
home" for families of ill children undergo-
for Manufacturer's Bank years ago, leaves
ing serious treatment at nearby hospitals.
as vice-president of its successor back
TO THOSE FOLKS who continually
then, Comerica Bank. E
write asking where legendary songstress
and pianist Jo Thompson is these days,
Danny's e-mail address is
she is still a very busy gal ... The former
dannyraskin@sbcglobal.net .
star of yesteryear's golden days at niteries
Our homemade is really made from scratch!
jennis
Monday-Saturday
Lunch Specials
RESTAURANT
1 whole sandwich & soup or french fries
Quality casual dining
for the entire family
11:00 am - 3:01 c li Fan
2 choices aily!
1186 Maple Rd. • Walled Lake
After 2:00 pm daily
248-669-8240
15% OFF
Total Bill
Maple Rd.
0
(
• Mon-Sat 7-9
• Sun 8-3
• Children's menu
• Carryout
$3.95
"69,~ irVedeitCe
creltike"
Hours:
Monday-Saturday 9:30-6:00
Closed Sunday
265 S. Old Woodward
Not good with any other offer or special
exp 8/7/06
1133970
248-642-2555
July 13 • 2006
45