Arts & Entertainment

THE BEST OF EVERYTHING

Kebabs And A Lot More

With eight styles of skewered delights, Athenian has something for everyone.

I is one of those kinds of mom-and-
pop family restaurants that many
folks would like to have in the vicin-
ity of their homes ... Something to eat for
everyone, at prices all can afford.
Louie Ginopolis (no relation to Johnny
or Peter Ginopolis), owner of Athenian
Shish-KaBob, is looking at sites here-
abouts to locate a second place just like
the one he has on the corner of E. Nine
Mile and Harper in St. Clair Shores.
It is celebrating its eighth anniversary
as another of those little family dining
jewels that is not known only by people
who haven't been there yet ... A very
clean 70-seat restaurant, all booths except
for a four-stool counter, serving mostly
premises-made food at prices not to be
believed ... The freestanding building in
which Athenian Shish-KaBob is located,
was originally a Red Barn restaurant back
in 1964, but opened by Dimitri "Jimmy"
Seros, in 1982, after he closed Dimitri's
of Southfield on Southfield and 10 Mile
... and in November 1999, taken over by
Louie and Eleni Ginopolis ... Louie does
the on-premises cooking and Eleni is
cashier and hostess ... One of -their two
daughters, Vicki, is a popular young bus
girl and waitress for Mom and Dad.
In the eight years that Athenian Shish-
KaBob has been open, it has seen well
over a million-and-a quarter people come
through its doors to dine in ... and about
300,000 carryout orders go out ... It is
a seven-day-a-week operation, Monday-
Saturday, 6:30 a.m.- 10 p.m.; Sunday,
6:30-9.
Sure, Athenian Shish-KaBob has many
of the Greek specialties you would expect,

but also American dishes like
etc., in warm pita bread,
the complete dinner 10-ounce
$4.25 ... Sure a plain hot
New York strip steak, $11.95;
dog sandwich, but at only
baked or broiled one-half
$1.95, or a hot dog and thick
chicken, $7.95; veal cutlet, $7.95;
chili Coney with onions,
chopped sirloin steak, $7.95;
$2.25 ... Seven salads, too,
premises-made moussaka,
and 12 appetizers and side
$7.95, etc., including soup or
orders along with premises-
salad or coleslaw, fresh vegetable,
made soup.
potato or rice pilaf and choice of
Where on the northwest
Danny Raskin
dessert (Jell-0, ice cream or rice
Senior Columnist side will it open? ... Those
pudding).
who know about Athenian
There are eight styles of shish
Shish-KaBob ... and the
kebab from which to choose, at prices
many who are hearing about it have just
from $6.45 to $8.45, served on pita bread
two questions to ask ... Where and how
with salad and fries or rice pilaf ... plus
soon?
a double shrimp kebab, $11.95, all served
HOPEFULLY IT IS coming back ...
on pita bread with salad and fries or rice
The music and dancing that so many
pilaf ... The shish kebab specialties are
people are clamoring for ... This Saturday,
so popular that in the eight years since
Jan. 26, 7 p.m.-midnight, there'll be din-
opening, Athenian Shish-KaBob can claim ing-dancing to a live band at Bentley's on
almost a half-million orders of them ...
Drake, just south of Walnut Lake Road in
As you might expect from a family dining
the Drake-Summit Plaza ... Dinner and
restaurant, the menu also has sections for
dancing or after-theater terpsi fun.
children and senior citizens.
JAZZ NOTES ... The excellent Jerry
This is not your usual type of mom-
McKenzie Trio at Nikola's, Telegraph just
and-pop little Coney Island style of res-
north of 10 Mile, Southfield, is usually
taurant ... The variety of offered food
doing its gig there the first, third and
seems endless, and not only takes in Greek fourth Thursday of each month ... But
and American cuisine, but also Italian
with January having an extra Thursday,
specialties like chicken parmesan, chicken
it'll be there, Jan. 24 and 31, 7-10 p.m.
Siciliano and veal parmesan, all $6.95,
... The trio includes leader McKenzie,
including soup and salad or coleslaw ...
former drummer with the Stan Kenton
There are even other cultures represented, big band, and Matt Michaels, local jazz
with stuffed peppers and stuffed cab-
icon, and noted piano star of local jazz
bage, both $6.45; barbecue ribs, $7.95;
stars over 40 years, plus backing greats
lamb shank, $6.45, etc. ... Even a touch of like Barbra Streisand, Joe Williams, etc. ...
Mexican with its coney taco loose ham-
Matt was last year's winner of the SEMJA
burger with chopped onions, shredded
(Southeastern Michigan Jazz Association)
lettuce, American cheese, diced tomatoes,
award for jazz contributions ... And on

bass, popular Dan Jordan.
Jazz series by Seldom Blues, 400
Renaissance Bldg., Detroit, will have
recording artist, jazz guitarist Peter White,
Sunday Jan. 27, 5 p.m. ... Dinner perfor-
mance with four-course meal is $80; 8
p.m. concert without meal, $30.
RUMOR DEPT. ... More reason to
forget about the junk you've heard about
Caucus Club closing is owner Mary
Belloni signing a new lease agreement
with the Penobscot Building ... The
Northern Group owners of the P.B. have
great visions for the City of Detroit, and
places like Caucus Club is one of the rea-
sons.
MAKING ROUNDS ... To Fiddler,
Orchard Lake Road, West Bloomfield, for
stuffed cabbage ... To Forte, South Old
Woodward, Birmingham, for roasted hali-
but with sauteed portabello mushrooms
... To Moro's, Allen Road, Allen Park, for
veal Olympic flambe with brandy and
Madeira wine ... To Caucus Club, Detroit,
for Dover sole.
REUNION DEPT. ... Berkley High's
class of 1973 shindig is set for Saturday,
Aug. 23, 7 p.m., at the Radisson Bloomfield
Hills (former Kingsley Inn) ... $65 per
person ... For more info, call Jan (Keegan)
Hagland, graduating class vice-president,
(248) 399-3264.
CONGRATS ... To Herb Lux on his
80th birthday ... To Ellen and Herb Lux
on their 50th anniversary ... To Marilyn
Rubin on her 70th birthday ... To Rachel
Goldfine on her 90th birthday.

❑

Danny's e-mail address is
dannyraskin@sbcglobaLnet.

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January 24 • 2008

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