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Fine Tuning

Fiddler celebrates eighth anniversary with cozier ambiance.

T

he sign outside says
"International Dining':
but it might have more to
do with the origins of some food
it serves.
Like mushroom barley soup
being Lithuanian, or stuffed cab-
bage a Polish dish, or fattoush
from Israel, etc.
Basically, though, it is for certain
a true authentic Russian restau-
rant with smatterings of global
menu offerings.
Fiddler Restaurant on Orchard
Lake Road south of Maple, on
the north side of West Bloomfield
Plaza, is celebrating its eighth anni-
versary with a new appearance
that presents an even cozier look
than before ... Two hallways now,
an improvement to keep out cold
winds, addition of a full bar with
10 stools, etched glass, television,
etc., and colorful indirect lighting
in the restaurant area, along with
warm painted colors, etc.
But food is still king and queen
at Fiddler, now operated by Gary
and Fay Zolot with Natan Sologub
their knowledgeable general man-
ager ... All are Russian-born ...
Executive Chef Vitale Lobanov,
from Odessa, is the ex-owner of
Russian Bear, formerly on Orchard
Lake Road in West Bloomfield.
Seating in the restaurant at
Fiddler is about 60, ... It's seven-
day hours are now 11 a.m.-mid-
night ... Lunch and dinner, 11
a.m.-9 p.m., and the addition of a
new late-hour menu serving appe-

and dinner presents
tizers, salads, desserts,
many favorites, and
finger food, etc., 9-12.
with
lunch again
Biggest sellers at
being
served after
Fiddler during its eight
a
temporary
"vaca-
years are the blintzes,
tion':
the
choices
40,000 orders with cheese
have been increased
and 30,000 with meat,
with the addition of
followed by chicken
delicatessen favor-
cutlets, 45,000 entrees,
Danny
Raskin
ites, omelets, burg-
stuffed cabbage, 27,000
Senior
Columnist
ers, salads, blintzes,
orders, veal Rasputin,
bagel
and lox, etc.,
19,000 entrees.
plus smaller portions of dinner
During the period since open-
entrees.
ing, almost 400,000 people
Friday, Saturday and Sunday
have passed through the doors
specials,
three each day, go over big
of Fiddler, whose tradition
...
Like
prime
rib steak, $15.95;
established by the late Michael
tilapia fillet, $12.95; chicken
Kuchersky, of having a truly
shnitzel, $13.95; swordfish steak,
authentic Russian restaurant is
$13.95; garlic roasted chicken,
carried on.
$11.95, etc. ... All include soup or
Another item one would not
salad, potatoes and breadbasket.
expect to find at a Russian restau-
No change in regular menu
rant is the originally French juli-
prices as Fiddler strives to main-
enne chicken breast entree served
tain its reputation for authenticity
at the Fiddler, with sliced mush-
and wholesome goodness.
rooms and onions and baked in
A second room at Fiddler seat-
mozzarella cheese ... If the French
can use the word "bistro" then why ing 100 with dance floor and stage
not tit-for-tat? ... Bistro is actually has become an ideal site for affairs
usually necessitating the area size.
a Russian word meaning quick
Traditional Russian food, among
that was adopted by the French to
its international fare, so very much
use for quick service restaurant
assimilated with Jewish-style cui-
or cafe.
Gary says that Chef Vitale makes' sine, puts Fiddler Restaurant in a
rare and highly welcomed class of
his chicken cutlets and potato
its own.
latkes like those made by his
UPSCALE TRIBUTE res-
grandmother back in the Ukraine
taurant has finally given in to
... Wife Fay also lauds Vitale with
constant requests, and is featur-
words of "Just like home!" for his
ing lunch for the first time ...
stuffed cabbage.
Trial period is Mondays through
The Fiddler menu for lunch

FREE

,

Fridays, 11:30-2, during December
... If it goes over, who knows,
lunch could be a regular thing ...
The excellent three-course meal
for $20 (regular cost would be
much more) is a choice of eight
fine entrees, soup or salad and
refillable lemonade, ice or hot
tea or coffee ... Tribute is on 12
Mile, west of Orchard Lake Road,
Farmington Hills ... Reservations
are recommended, (248) 848-9393.
COUPLE OF interesting
dishes are gaining popularity at
Shangri-La Chinese restaurant in
Orchard Mall, Orchard Lake Road
and Maple, West Bloomfield ...
Golden Mushroom, with chicken
or beef, bean thread noodles
and oyster sauce, mixed together
somewhat like a stew ... and Lily
Bulb, with chicken or beef, mush-
rooms, thin lemon slices, carrots
and slivered lily bulb that when
whole looks like an onion, but is
much milder.
PEOPLE ARE probably get-
ting sick and tired of the constant
rumors swirling around that
Cheesecake Factory may open
hereabouts, so maybe this can
temporarily put them to rest ...
According to Howard Gordon,
senior vice-president of business
development and marketing, it is
still looking for a location here,
and about the company open-
ing at 12-Oaks in Novi, he says,
"This is nothing I know about:"
Regarding any other location here-
abouts,"Not yet': Gordon says.

MORE PROOF THAT
delicatessens are again coming
into their own as favorite dining
spots for many is the possibly
soon-to-arrive deli show on TV's
Food Network ... Sheryll Bellman,
former Detroiter and author of
America's Great Deli's: Recipes and
Traditions (Borders, Barnes &
Noble, etc.), may be the host.
READER MINI REVIEW
... "The Gourmet Garden Chinese
Cuisine on 12 Mile and Middlebelt,
Farmington Hills, is a big favorite
of mine and others. Its large selec-
tion, good service and tasty food
make every visit an enjoyable one."
... Caleb Simon.
MAIL DEPT. ... "Why has
Buddy's Pizza stopped serving
broccoli.soup? So many of us love
it" ... Susan Richards.
"While visiting my mother,
Blanche Duke, before she was
released from the West Bloomfield
Nursing Home, another visitor
during dinner wanted to get up
and sing while a man was playing
piano. No one let her. They evident-
ly had heard her sing before, and
didn't want to become more sick
than they were:" ... Paula Duke.
CONGRATS ... To Blanche
Tuchman on her birthday ... To
Jeffrey Weiser on his birthday ...
To Madelon Seligman on her 65th
birthday ... To Irene Lusky on her
75th birthday.

Danny's e-mail address is

dannyrasking@sbcglobal.net.

O LATKES
AMOTUS POOdTATN
BLOOM
W ThFA

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December 7 2006

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