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Dim Surri Total

At lunchtime or late night, Shangri-La's tiny treats are an ample indulgence.

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OTPOURRI
It took many centuries to gain
culinary recognition, and only
in the past 20 or 30 years has dim sum
gotten the food preparation respect that it
is enjoying today ... Dim Sum's popular-
ity as a Chinese appetizer or "small eats"
offering has continually grown until more
and more people are happily experiencing
its many tastes.
Probably one of the finest wide variety
presenters in this region is Shangri-La,
in the Orchard Mall, Orchard Lake Road,
north of 15 Mile, West Bloomfield ... It is
served at Shangri-La both day and night
... Monday through Friday, 11 a.m.- 3
p.m. and 10 p.m. to 2 a.m.; Saturday and
Sunday, 10 p.m.-3 a.m.
The regular wonderful Hong Kong-style
dishes at Shangri-La are available as well.
Dim Sum selections are prepared many
ways, mostly either steamed or deep-fried,
and are considered best when ordered in a
group with everyone sampling the good-
ies ... However, single or more diners also
find much enjoyment in the extremely
tantalizing choices along with personal
favorites they may have for tasty fulfill-
ment.
A restaurant with servers who are
trained to educate customers when
needed about its food such as dim sum is
worth much ... Shangri-La is great at this.
THE NEW Pei Wei Asian Diner opening
up in August on 14 Mile and Orchard Lake
Road, Farmington Hills, will seat about 70
people ... Orders will be from a counter,
after which folks take a seat and their food
is brought to them ... The menu will fea-
ture classic Asian dishes from China, Japan,

evening becomes a very
Korea, Vietnam and Thailand ...
unpleasant experience.
Pei Wei also uses Mandarin-style
My dining companions
woks to cook food that is like
often feel the same way
that at its parent company, P.F.
because the high noise level
Chang's, but at a much lower cost.
impedes, or, in some cases,
SHE GETS A summer vaca-
entirely precludes normal
tion, also ... In fact, Sheila
conversation.
Brown gets two of them ... From
"I've been told some res-
being principal at Belleville High
Danny Raskin
taurant owners intentionally
and playing drums and singing
Senior Columnist
design the interiors of their
with the Don Swindell Shuffle
restaurants to create a high
Play Quartette ... It's time out
noise level. One can recognize that this is
for the group's weekly Friday and Saturday
often done by deliberate design by exam-
gigs at Ginopolis' on the Grille, 12 Mile
and Middlebelt, Farmington Hills ... They ining the restaurant interior and seeing no
use of sound-absorbing materials. Others
return mid-September.
have televisions blaring or mediocre musi-
READERS MOVING BACK to this
cians playing highly amplified music. I've
locale tell of highly satisfying Malaysian
been told that these owners believe many
dining experiences and are thrilled to
diners are uninterested in conversing
learn that there is such a restaurant in
with their table mates and are uncomfort-
the northwest area that serves this style
able eating in silence ... Michael Kasky,
of food ... Blue Ginger at Old Orchard,
Grosse Pointe.
on the southeast corner of 15 Mile and
AS A HOME improvement wiz, Avery
Orchard Lake Road, across from the
Warnick was responsible for miles of sid-
Orchard Mall, West Bloomfield, will cel-
ebrate its third anniversary this November ing on homes ... Same for the late Marty
... It also serves Japanese and Vietnamese Blanck, whose siding expertise was also
well-noted ... After many years in the mod-
fare.
ernization game, Avery is now with Wallside
RUMOR IS TRUE that Detroit Bagel
Windows, founded by Marty in 1944 ...
Factory will return to Orchard Lake Road
... It will open around Labor Day near the It's huge window manufacturing and sell-
ing business is being operated by Stuart,
former Blockbuster site, south of 15 Mile,
Sanford and Fred Blanck, the sons of Marty
West Bloomfield.
and his wife, Sweet Lorraine ... Avery is
MAIL DEPT. ... "We enjoy your
manager of Wallside's factory showroom
column and use it as a basis for dining
near 1-94 and Ecorse Road, Taylor.
out choices. I've noticed that you don't
REUNION DEPT. ... 1947 Central
mention noise volumes when reviewing
High grads' "Day in the Park" biggie 60th
upscale restaurants. I find that while I
shindig by its January and June classes, is
enjoy the food in a number of restau-
Sunday, Aug. 19, noon to 4 p.m., at West
rants, the noise level is so loud that the

Bloomfield City Park, Drake between
Maple and 14 Mile ... Family and friends
fun with much togetherness memories is
on tap ... Contact Jack "Jake" Ginsberg,
(248) 842-1738; Paul Davidson, (248)
851-2355; or Elliot Perlman, (248) 355-
4110.
DRUMS ARE BEATING again for
Frank Faudem to be considered posthu-
mously for induction into the Michigan
Jewish Sports Hall of Fame ... A recent
letter with attachments to the MJSHF
selection committee tells of his accom-
plishments as a baseball player with
contract offers from the St. Louis Browns
and Cleveland Indians, but preferring to
play in the minor leagues for Frankie's
hometown Detroit Tigers' farm system,
which he did before being called to serve
his country ... Frankie was killed by a
sniper in World War II ... His baseball
accomplishments are certainly worthy of
consideration and should not be ignored.
ERRATA, TYPO, ETC. Dept ... In a
recent column item about the fine Flavors
of Michigan event by American Liver
Foundation, Michigan Chapter, Chef David
Viviano was mentioned as executive chef
at the Grill restaurant of Ritz-Carlton,
Dearborn ... It should have been that
honorary chef of the evening Erle Webber
is executive chef at the Grill.
CONGRATS ... To Lauren Kunin on
her birthday ... To Billy and Shirley
Felsenfeld on their 55th anniversary ...
To Mitchell and Rose Kent on their 64th
anniversary.

Danny's e-mail address is

dannyraskin@sbcglobal.net.

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