THE BEST OF EVERYTHING

The Chop Was Tops

Author misses her former Congress Street hangout.

p

otpourri ...
dream dinner started with the
Sheryll Bellman,
Doc Green salad followed by
author of America's
their most succulent butterflied
Great Delis: Recipes and
shrimp with a tangy Pancho
Traditions from Coast to
sauce. I can still taste their
Coast and her latest, Through
special twice-baked potato,
the Shopping Glass: A
creamed spinach and, for the
Century of New York
finale, a knockout Gold Brick
Christmas Windows, consid-
sundae with coffee ice cream.
ered a part of New York history
Another favorite was the very
Danny Raskin
and now on its bookshelves all
Senior Columnist affordable Chateaubriand for
year, writes ...
two that came with a huge
"Writing about a restaurant
array of vegetables and crispy
that is still in operation can be easy, but to
roasted potatoes for only $20.
recollect one that has been closed for years
"In the 1960s, the Mel Ball Trio played
is a challenge. However, this was not just
and we danced and people dressed up. I
any restaurant. It was the famed London
remember the caricatures along the perim-
Chop House, and my memories are as
eter of the room, drawn by Hy Vogel of the
vivid today as they were when I first dined
celebrities that had dined there since the
there in 1966.
restaurant's opening in 1938. And then
"Dark and clubby with a legendary
there was the coveted Booth Number One,
reputation, you entered a different world
held exclusively for celebrities and politi-
when you walked down the stairs of the
cians, but on my birthday one year, I also
Murphy Building on Congress Street in
sat there. The folks at 'the Chop' (as insid-
downtown Detroit. For someone who had
ers called it) were famous for giving gifts
traveled widely and eaten well, the food,
to its loyal customers and I, too, received a
the experience and the atmosphere there
set of green fondue plates that I still have
was unequaled.
to this day.
"It began with the cavernous entrance
"But whether or not you were in on that
that portended great things to come. If you private clubiness or you just went for the
had a fur coat (no PETA then), they would
food and the music, you were in for the
lock it up for you in the owner's office. And
experience of your life! Often the best of
if you were a regular, Jose, the bartender,
restaurants cannot withstand changing
would remember your favorite drink (mine demographics, but it was grand while it
was fresh lemonade) and have it ready for
lasted, and there may never again be any-
you. The breadbasket (I always judge a
thing like it."
restaurant on its bread) contained matzah
(Former Detroiter Sheryll Bellman lived
and unsalted butter, and it wasn't even
in downtown Detroit when she first moved
Passover.
here in 1966 after graduating from college
"The menus were printed daily, but my
to work at Parke Davis as a microbiolo-

FREE

gist ... and recalls being one of those who
frequented "the Chop" two and three times
a week and enjoying many wonderful
memories there ... Her next book, tenta-
tively titled, The Kitchens of Little Italy,
will have a history of each of the Little Italy
communities in the United States, the old-
est and most famous Italian restaurants in
each community, legacy and recipes.)
IF YOU WANT to know what Pei
Wei Asian Diner, scheduled to open in
September or a fall-thereabouts date this
year on Orchard Lake Road and 14 Mile,
Farmington Hills, is like ... Michigan's
first one recently opened a few days ago, at
Lakeside Circle in Sterling Heights.
Pei Wei (pronounced Pay Way) is owned
and operated by P.F. Chang's and features
dining in and takeout ... Eating-in folks
order at the counter, and the food is served
lickety-split to the table ... Carryouts can
be called in and picked up at Pei Wei Take
Away.
Potbelly Sandwich Works, another res-
taurant at the same locale (former Wing
Hong and Pier One), already has its sign up
and is slated to open in February.
NEW ORLEANS FRENCH-style
Creole cooking will be the dining theme at
the next restaurant being opened by Frank
Taylor ... Date for his new dining biggie,
La Musique, at the Hotel St. Regis, Grand
Blvd. near Second, is early summer of this
year ... It'll have seating for 80 in the res-
taurant and another 50 at the bar.
ANNUAL KOSHER interna-
tional buffets by Jeff Rosenberg and
his Farmington Hills Kosher Catering
at Adat Shalom Synagogue, Middlebelt
between Northwestern and 13 Mile, begins

Wednesday, Feb. 7 ... First one will be a
dairy Cucina Italiana Buffet, $14 adults, $7
young folks 12 and under ... Wednesday,
Feb. 14, will be an all-you-can-eat Chinese
Buffet, $15 adults, $8 young guys and gals
... Free hors d'oeuvres 5-6, dinner 6-8.
ONE OF THE DOCTORS where she
works, Phillip Goldmeier, M.D., has a last
full name almost like the first and last one
of Israel's former Prime Minister Golda
Meier ... But Karen Tong, very person-
able, efficient and gracious practice man-
ager (office manager) at Digestive Health
Associates in the Providence Medical
Building, Farmington Hills, has a promi-
nent local name in her own right.
Karen's uncle, Wing Hong, has Wing
Hong Express in Commerce Township,
and another uncle, the late Stanley Hong,
founded Stanley's Mania on Canfield
and Cass in 1940, and opened a second
Stanley's Mania on Grand Blvd. in 1971 ...
Her two sisters operate Chinese restaurants
as well ... Winnie Tse has New Wing Hing
in Northville, and Katherine Lee operates
the Golden Wheel in Madison Heights.
But Digestive Health Associates doctors,
patients and staff, are sure mighty glad that
Karen chose the medical field instead of
following her restaurant ancestry.
CONGRATS ... To Rachel Goldfine
on her birthday ... To Mindi Resnick on
her birthday ... To Brandon Myrick on his
birthday ... To Esther and Nathan Katz on
their 65th anniversary ... To Wayne Lusky
on his 50th birthday. I

Danny's e-mail address is

dannyraskin@sbcglobal.net.

Superbowl Cookies & Double Fudge Brownies Tray

with any tray order for 10 or more people.

Express Lunch Specialmileady in 3 Minutes!
$ 799 • 1/2 Sandwich

I
I

• Choice of Potato Salad or Coleslaw
Monday-Friday • 11-2 pm • Choice of Soup

BMWs Beet Jewish Deli

248.855.9463

January 25 • 2007

55