Arts & Entertainment
THE BEST OF EVERYTHING
Early-Day Gourmet
Café Rendezvous impresses its guests, on and off the menu.
I
t has been almost four years and
yet many people still don't know
about the restaurant ... However,
and thankfully so, many also do ... Café
Rendezvous, Orchard Lake Road, north of
13 Mile, Farmington Hills, is the sort of
small place that makes a big impact after
visiting.
At least four restaurants have preceded
Café Rendezvous at the site, but none with
the silent quaintness of its offerings ...
Owners Leonid (Leo) Stoddard and Yakov
Fleyser are both accomplished innova-
tive chefs whose cuisine styling and low
prices are becoming legend ... Before
Café Rendezvous, the location also housed
Acropolis, Andy's, Uptown, Gary's, and
probably others ... Seating is only about
58 and hours are just until 3 p.m., seven
days a week ... Monday-Friday from 6:30
a.m.; Saturday from 7 a.m., Sunday from
8 a.m.
This sounds more like another of those
good little breakfast-and-lunch spots, and
it is, but with menu items folks certainly
won't find at too many breakfast-and-
lunch places ... Some people are even
known to go there before 3 and have a
pre-dinner snack or very, very early light
supper ... Sure there's the usual breakfast-
and-lunch fare, all the scrambled- and
omelet-style eggs, pancakes, French toast,
sandwiches, salads, etc.
But the large amount of daily specials
are mind-boggling creations like jumbo
lump crab or lobster tail scrambled eggs,
shrimp omelet, lobster omelet, pancakes
with bananas and walnuts, or with choco-
late chips or strawberries, etc. ... And
the almost 20 sandwiches served with
potato chips, French fries or
tures and new policies."
a substitute include soft-shell
IF YOU HAVE a favorite
crab, wild mushroom and steak,
pizza recipe, send it along
three-cheese (Gouda, Swiss and
with your phone number to
Havarti) on rye that also comes
Todd Stern, owner of Small
with cream of tomato and basil
Plates, Royal Oak and Detroit
soup for $7, bison burger, etc.
... His "Perfect Pizza" contest
... And those who want a side
will be at the Royal Oak loca-
of shrimp can have that, too ...
tion on S. Main Street, with
Danny Raskin
Entrees like crab cakes may not
Senior Columnist eight recipes selected by a
be on the menu but are always
group of local personalities
available ... Crab Benedict
... Their creators will be
poached eggs is a popular item on the
invited to make their pizza, with the win-
daily Café Rendezvous bill of fare.
ner having his or her pizza and name on
Yes, there's bagels, cream cheese, lox,
the Small Plates, Royal Oak, menu ... The
premises-made soups like vegetable black recipes can be emailed to
bean, etc., plenty of salads, almost 10 of
smallplatescontest@gmail.com or
them, both meat and no-meat burgers,
dropped off at the restaurant through July
(meat burgers are with certified Angus
28 ... Judging is set for Friday, Aug. 1, 2 to
beef) ... But the adventuresome many
4 p.m.
times opt for creations of Leo and Yakov
MAIL DEPT. ... "I recently went
that are making Café Rendezvous a culi-
to Cannella Patisserie & Creperie on
nary giant which after four years is rapidly Hamilton Row in Birmingham and got
getting out of the sleeper class.
the feel of being in a truly French café. It
THOSE WHO maintain that they saw
has breads, pastries, sandwiches, desserts
or were told of Giorgio's having filed for
and about 15 of the most delicious crepes
bankruptcy should be aware that it does
I have ever eaten. They are made with
not pertain to the presently operated
goat cheese, chicken, mushrooms, shrimp,
restaurant, "The New Giorgio's Gourmet
wine, tuna, salami and other great-tasting
Diner;' on Orchard Lake Road, Sugar Tree,
fillings. Executive chef and owner Matt
West Bloomfield ... The one that filed for
Knio was at the Ritz-Carlton and studied
bankruptcy is the former corporation run
in France. You can also enjoy the French
by the restaurant's past operator, George
café experience by dining and lounging on
Golematis, who owns the previous name
Cannella's outdoor patio." ... Jason Shain.
... "The New Giorgio's Gourmet Diner is
RUMOR DEPT. ... It is talk only, so
open, alive and well:' says Bob Bisgeier, its
please consider it as such, that the for-
present head honcho, "and doing business
mer Big Boy location on Orchard Lake
as usual. We are not closing, nor do we
Road and 15 Mile, West Bloomfield, may
have any plans to do so. Everything is fine become another P.F. Chang's.
with our new entity, new items, new fea-
RECENT CLOSING of T.G.I. Friday's on
CS, PARTIES, MO AND REUNIONS
Northwestern Highway, Farmington Hills,
came as a sudden surprise ... It always
looked busy, but evidently not enough for
the chain biggies.
WHEN IT OPENS in early 2009, the
Plum Market taking over the former
Farmer Jack in Old Orchard Shopping
Center, Orchard Lake and 15 Mile, West
Bloomfield, will be the Jonna family's
third one ... Others are in Bloomfield
Commons, West Maple Township; and
Maple Village, North Maple, Ann Arbor
... A fourth Plum Market by the Jonnas is
slated for Royal Oak.
SIGN ON THE door of Noor Market
that in 2006 took over the former
Angelo's Bistro location owned by Angelo
Georgizas, at Sugar Tree, West Bloomfield,
says that it is closed for remodeling.
HOUSEHOLD HINT Dept. ... From
Bea Gill, who tells how to peel onions
without tearing and adds that she isn't
kidding ... "Take a quarter slice of white
bread and put it between your teeth to let
it stick out of the mouth a little and keep
your mouth slightly open. Now you can
chop onions without getting tears or burn-
ing your eyes" ... (Bea should have also
said to make sure that nobody is around
to take your picture looking very silly).
CONGRATS ... To Linda Kunin on her
birthday ... To David and Lisa Lapides
Sawicki on their 10th anniversary ... To
Robert and Gayle Meyers on their fourth
anniversary. ❑
Danny's e-mail address is
dannyraskin@sbcglobahnet
KOSHER DINNER FOR Twoj
FREE VIENNA OR KOSHER HOT DOGS WITH PURCHASE OF SAME
KOSHER CHICKEN
DINNER FOR TWO
FREE
SANDERS HOT FUDGE ICE CREAM BAR
WITH ANY PARTY OF 100 PEOPLE OR MORE
INCLUDES; SANDERS HOT FUDGE, ICE CREAM CONES AND HOT
FUDGE BROWNIES Exp 8131108
WE GRILL ON SITE
VINEYARDS
$17
o
INCLUDES; EMPIRE KOSHER CHICKEN.
CHOKE OF 2 SIDES, CHALLAH ROLL
AND JELLO Exp 8/31/08
g
32418 Northwestern Hwy.
between Middlebelt & 14 Mile • 248.855-9463
ORDER ONLINE www.VineyardDeli.com
July 10 • 2008
B17