Arts & Entertainment
THr: BEST OF ,- VFRYTH1NG
A High Note In Dining
Opus One's got a jazzy menu and a symphony of flavors.
T
ime was when downtown Detroit
was teeming with fine places to
dine ... London Chop House,
Wonder Bar, Pontchartrain Wine Cellars,
Mayfield Chop House, Berman's, Statler
Terrace Room, Book Casino, Russell's
Steak House and the list goes on and on
... But few except perhaps London Chop
House could compare food-wise to today's
Opus One on East Larned, Detroit.
Although downtown Detroit has long
since been considered somewhat of a
gastronomical desert when it comes to
fine dining, Opus One stands out as one
of Metropolitan Detroit's better eloquent
cuisine feast presenters ... Little more can
be said about a restaurant that has won
just about every dining award around and
continues to gather them.
Following opening of its doors back in
1987, word about the excellent food served
spread so rapidly that visitations for the
first time began coming briskly, followed
by regular "must" attendances.
Owner Jim Kokus had opened Opus
One after being general manager and
owner with dad Gus Kokus, at their
Chambertin Restaurant in the Holiday Inn
on 6 Mile, Livonia ... Five years later, in
1992, Jim and his Opus One were in the
original group of DiRoNa (Distinguished
Restaurants of North America) awards
given.
Its 30th anniversary was celebrated this
past September and is now into number
31 ... During this time span, Opus One
has seen over 11/2 million people come
through the doors on East Lamed, with
over 150,000 pounds of rack of lamb sold,
200,000 pounds of shrimp, including its
famous Shrimp Helene, etc. ...
The Shrimp Helene at Opus
One is a classic appetizer in a
crisp phyllo dough pastry with
a beautiful Bearnaise sauce ...
Another acclaimed dish among
those not on the menus of other
restaurants, is the char-grilled
Cowboy Steak, a 20-ounce
Certified Angus rib-eye with a
coffee-accented spice rub.
Since Opus One's general
theme is musical, it is only natural that
its menu creations should be named with
rhythmic styling as well, like hot pre-
ludes, cold preludes, overtures, Opus One
Orchestrations, Opus One Finale, etc. ...
Even its fine executive chef Tim Ginsky is
a high note talent as well, being at Opus
One since its 1987 opening, preparing
outstanding sauces and soups, like an out-
standing corn clam chowder that continu-
ally is ranked among this area's finest soup
presentations ... Also at Opus One since
the beginning, is its fine general manager
Chip Fater, whose dining knowledge and
customer devotion are well-noted.
Although there is no jazz at Opus One,
it has a Jazz Improvisational menu where
customers may create their own entree
and embellish upon it in whatever way
they wish ... geared to a person's indi-
vidual taste and preference.
Seating at Opus One is 160 in the main
dining room and 50 in a casual, comfort-
able lounge with 18 stools ... It is open
Monday and Saturday for dinner only, 5-9;
Tuesday through Friday, 11:30-11.
The same great garlic sauce that Gus
Kokus used to serve at the Chambertin
is put on the Opus Romaine
Salad with fresh parmesan
cheese, tomato and house-
seasoned croutons ... There
aren't too many places that
serve Opus One's excellent
grilled and chilled Chilean
Sea Bass salad with kalamata
olives and feta cheese ...
Or one of its most ordered
servings, the sauteed whole
Dover Sole a la Meuniere
deboned at the table.
The name Opus One is not for the
famed wine owned by Robert Mondavi
and Baron Phillipe de Rothschild, of which
Detroit's Opus One restaurant has sold
more bottles, over 4,000, than any other
American restaurant, but because of its
musical theme.
What was at one time an old taxi garage
in downtown Detroit is today among the
Motor City's premier fine dining restau-
rants ... A dream of Jim Kokus that dated
back to the 1970s, became a reality in
1987 and today might be better than ever.
THE EVENT IS NOT until June 9,
at Ritz-Carlton Dearborn, Flavors of
Michigan by American Liver Foundation,
but I had to let you know now because it
is slated to again be a very quick sellout
... and the $200 tickets go on sale this
Saturday, April 5 ... Only 24 tables of 10,
with each having its own private chef cre-
ating elegant menus that also include wine
pairings per course ... The 24 excellent
chefs make up a culinary hall of fame list-
ing ... Call chairgal Suzanne Gilson, (248)
615-5768.
PRE-PESACH GLATT Kosher Kafe
by caterer Jeffrey Rosenberg is set
for Friday, April 18, 7:30 p.m., at Adat
Shalom Synagogue, Middlebelt between
Northwestern Highway and 13 Mile,
Farmington Hills ... Dinner buffet is $20
adults, $10 children 3-13, under 3 free ...
For more info call Jeff at (248) 626-5702.
HE'S ONE OF the finest ivory ticklers
around, and hearing recording artist
David Syme at the piano is always a huge
plus ... No charge to also see him is a big
bonus as David appears this Sunday, April
6, 3 p.m., in the Helen L. DeRoy Sanctuary
of Temple Beth El, Telegraph at 14 Mile,
Bloomfield Township ... It's open to the
public with David hitting the keys on
standards, popular and classics, includ-
ing of course, his great Gershwin and jazz
rhythms ... For free tickets, call (248)
865-0617.
LOCALE HAS BEEN changed for the
jazz concert benefiting awareness and
education of ovarian cancer Sunday,
May 18, 3 p.m. ... It'll be at Temple
Israel, Walnut Lake Road at Drake, West
Bloomfield, instead of Hammell Music ...
For more info call Elaine Greenberg, (248)
661-6344.
CONGRATS ... To Leslie Mangus
on her 51st birthday ... To Roma
Gottesman on her 60th birthday ... To
Shelley Forman on her birthday ... To
Jeff Kaminsky on his 31st birthday ... To
Sandor Pepo on his 70th birthday ... To
Mandy and Joel Fisher on their 40th anni-
versary ... To Ray and Lucille Abrams on
their fifth anniversary. Li
Danny's e-mail address is
dannyraskin@sbcglobal.net .
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April 3 2003
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