THE BEST OF EVERYTHING Mind Games What I bet others were thinking at the MGM Grand rollout. y ou sometimes wonder what is going through the minds of res- taurant owners who get together amid the splendor of a new opening. They came to the black-tie unwrapping of the new MGM Grand Detroit and, of course, spent most of their time in the ele- gant restaurants at the ultra-lavish casino. Marty Wilk, owner of the former Excalibur restaurant in Southfield, now selling meat for Fairway Packing, was probably imagining all the innovative ways MGM Chefs Wolfgang Puck and Michael Mina will prepare Fairway prod- ucts ... Marshall Chin and son Brian Chin looked about and probably wondered what it had that their Mon Jin Lau in Troy didn't, besides more than 3,000 employees and thousands of people every night. Tom Schoenith of the Roostertail in Detroit no doubt said to himself that it was sure gorgeous, but "Hey, did they ever see the spray from boats that crossed our place on the Detroit River?" ... Jim Kokus, bossman at Opus One in Detroit, maybe said, "Yeah, but our restaurant has done it without any gambling" ... Joe Vicari, head honcho of the Andiamo Restaurant Group, might have wondered about buying a res- taurant in Las Vegas. Mike Abrams, Mr. Joe's co-owner in Southfield, could have thought about his selling burgers, too, but for only $3 after 6 p.m. on Wednesdays, including fries ... Luciano Del Signore, Bacco's top man, probably said to himself, "I've got outside seating" ... Jim Sage, former owner of Alia's and Sageo's in Southfield, and now Sago's in Clinton Township, might have said to himself, "Sure great looking, but I 1993 when he opened the present MGM Grand Hotel and Theme Park in Las Vegas with its eight theme restaurants, four showrooms, untold amount of food and beverage locations, a dozen major rides and attractions, four theaters and one of the Las Vegas Strips' biggest buffets. Come to think of it, many might wonder whether or not MGM Grand Detroit will someday follow with one of those bounti- ful buffets that Beldon Katleman, owner of the El Rancho Vegas, started years ago to keep hotel customers after its second show, much before Bugsy Siegel and the mob's Flamingo turned the town around ... He had a Midnight Chuck Wagon buffet that people loved. But Katleman would have shook his head in disbelief if he could know that his little idea has become one of the big attractions in Las Vegas, with places like Excalibur Hotel having a dining room that serves around 15,000 people daily, most of it at the buffet tables ... When it comes to the buffet, MGM Grand in Las Vegas is sure no slouch either. CORRECTION ... David Andrew Macdonald, with the Soap Opera Weekend Workship, is in the cast of The Guiding Light, not an assistant director. RICKLES POSTPONED ... Due to an untimely injury, Don Rickles' show Friday- Saturday, Oct. 19-20, at Andiamo Celebrity Showroom in Warren has been postponed. CONGRATS ... To Julie Abrams on her birthday ... To Tony Abrams on his 27th birthday ... To Julie and Mike Abrams on their 10th anniversary. with its unbelievable bevy of have window seats for my cus- hors d'oeuvres that boggled tomers" ... Louis Nakashian of the most vivid imagina- Louie's Coney Island, Trenton, tion ... No shrimp cocktail, could have muttered, "Yeah, but though, and in Las Vegas do they sell Coneys?" years back, huge mountains However, little doubt that all of shrimp were sort of syn- were somewhat jealous of the onymous with lavish grand beauty and brilliance that now openings ... But I guess surrounds Executive Chef Don Danny Raskin chefs like Wolfgang Puck and Yamauchi, formerly of Tribute Senior Columnist Michael Mina are past the in Farmington Hills, at Michael shrimp cocktail feature stage. Mina's Bourbon Steak and A lot of memories were brought back SaltWater restaurants, and Zoran Smolcic, to me of attending the two grand open- previously of Zinc in West Bloomfield, ings in Las Vegas at the original MGM assistant general manager at SaltWater Eric Voight, former pastry chef at Tribute, Grand and the present MGM Grand there ... Detroit's MGM Grand opening had its is also at MGM Grand Detroit, but not tumblers, walkers on stilts, gal dancing to make pastries ... He is one of Don's in a cage, guys trying to make out with cooks. Most of the restaurateurs naturally vis- the pretty cocktail lassies, dancers wear- ited the kitchens and saw things that gave ing smiles, etc. ... In Las Vegas, Paris had its gendarmes with billy clubs held high them ideas along with outstanding fea- while chasing hobos, Venetian gondoliers tures that stayed on their minds all night. Even non-restaurant owners like Florine running after brides and grooms who didn't pay, camels in Luxor's lobby walk- Mark must have wondered how she could improve her Weight Watchers menu, or Dan ing majestically, Flamingo with its talking birds, etc. ... MGM Grand Detroit certainly Orman might have looked about and said that the Freed's of Windsor that he and Ari tried, but comparing its opening with that Freed own also has its own kind of fashion of Las Vegas hotels would be unfair. Sure wish I would have seen the rooms show of men's and women's clothing. at the new MGM Grand Detroit ... Back Jon Trasky, Tribute general manager, in 1973, MGM Grand in Las Vegas (now may have said that Tribute has toothpicks in match cover packages ... Barry Sanders Bally's), was billed as the largest hotel in the world, and featured fantasy rooms like agreed that the splendid food would be the Hollywood Suite with elevated round great, but might have wondered if celeb- rity chefs Puck and Mina can play football. beds, satin sheets and mirrors on the ceiling, while carrying out the Hollywood All will concur, though, that the more theme throughout, with large black-and- than 2,000 invitees catered to on opening night by the new MGM Grand Detroit, was white pictures of MGM's stars in its stable slightly reminiscent of a Las Vegas opening ... Kirk Kerkorian really outdid himself in Danny's e-mail is dannyraskin@sbcglobal.net . ************* * *************************************** STAR DELI IS ONE OF THE BEST CARRY OUT ONLY RESTAURANTS IN AMERICA! Hours: Mon-Sat 7-9:30 Sun 7-8 * Potato Latkes * Handcut Lox * Our Regular Tuna & Fat- Free Tuna Can't Be Beat! * Vegetarian Chopped Liver * Homemade Potato Salad & Coleslaw COMPARE OUR LOW PRICES WITH ANY DELICATESSEN IN TOWN! MEAT TRAY $6.99=0, SALAD TRAY . 50 person SALAD TRAY W/ LOX & CREAM CHEESE $10. 50per person SIMS TRAYS CAN'T BE BEAT FOR QUALITY & PRICE! ON STAR'S BEAUTIFUL 5- $ FE ALREADY LOW-PRICED MEAT OR DAIRY TRAYS WITH THIS COUPON • Expires 11/15/07 • One Per Person • Not Good Holidays • 10 Person Minimum *I* * DELIVERY AVAILABLE x DAIRY TRAY 4 4.99=son 24555 W. 12 MILE ROAD Just west of Telegraph Road • Southfield .4( 41N X 44[ <441 ( 2484)35207377 * **** * **** * *************************** * **** * **** * **** iN October 18 • 2007 27C