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Slimming Prices

Tribute and Forte trim tabs to cater to times.

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OTPOURRI

Few restaurant operations
today can boast having a double-
barreled someone like him running their
actions ... Dave Dewey now has his mind
always going in two directions, but with
the same end result Getting, satisfying,
keeping customers and lowering prices
at both Tribute Restaurant, 12 Mile, west
of Orchard Lake Road, Farmington Hills,
and Forte Restaurant, Old Woodward,
Birmingham.
Being steeped in the excellent Chuck
Muer way of running restaurants, Dave
is a big believer in dining contentment
instead of so-so attitudes, and in the need
for lower prices when necessary without
changing quality or portions ... In these
temporary economic conditions, this lat-
ter kind of attitude especially is so very
necessary for excellent public relations
between the restaurants and their custom-
ers ... Dave was with Muer 17 years from
1978, coming up through the ranks as
dishwasher, waiter, etc., to a highly regard-
ed regional manager.
At the prestigious high-end Tribute,
Dave has kept its dining reputation
as is but made much more affordable,
something very welcomed by so many
who have never been there because they
might have thought that Tribute was too
expense ... Between him and its fine
Executive Chef Richard Travis, they have
done wonders ... Like reducing all its 10
entrees from the $36 to $60 price range to
$25-$38 ... and retaining the very popular .
$20 complete lunches Tuesdays through
Fridays, 11-2, with two courses including
entree selection and soup or salad.
At upscale Forte, Dave and excellent
Executive Chef Don Yamauchi, formerly

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of Tribute and MGM Detroit,
have not only lowered prices,
but also fine-tuned the menu to
include more affordable items
like the three-pound Firecracker
Chicken for Two with the whole
bird marinated 24 hours in cin-
namon, sea salt and garlic, and
the dinner including Wasabi
mashed potatoes, cucumber
slaw and dipping sauces ...
$29 for two ... And there might
even be enough chick for a couple of the
kids.
By the way, there is no more $6 parking
in front of Forte ... Back of the nearby
Birmingham Theater, the first two hours
are free ... In back of Forte, it's a dollar an
hour.
FIRST TIME restaurant appearances
this year at the Lights, Camera, Auction!
strolling dinner of Variety-the Children's
Charity will include the new Ocean Prime
in Troy and Wolfgang Puck Grille at MGM
Grand Casino, Detroit ... They'll join the
25 or so dining spots who'll be featured
with their goodies in the 6 p.m. pick
and choose food-fest that accompanies
a mystery sneak movie preview ... It's
Tuesday, Oct. 28, at Emagine Theater in
Novi's Fountain Walk on 12 Mile ... Judy
Solomon and Mike Bressler are co-chairs
for the evening, which also includes good
things to get at a silent auction.
NEW MEMBER of the team at
Vineyards Market Place on Northwestern
Hwy., Farmington Hills ... Rob Striks, is
a master of trades ... He has a bachelor's
degree in public relations and journalism
from Wayne State University in Detroit,
but is also an accomplished chef, with
certification from the American Culinary

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Federation ... Rob's the guy
responsible for those indi-
vidual Chocolate Volcano
delish little cakes in plastic
containers that folks are rav-
ing about ... dark chocolate
pastry with dark chocolate
mousse filling or white cake
with raspberry mousse fill-
ing.
Rob remembers Chef Remy
Berdy, under who he appren-
ticed back in the 1980s at the Michigan
Inn, when nouvelle cuisine was the rage
... He recalls Remy shocking people by
creating broccoli and apple soup and cau-
liflower and pear soup ... until they tasted
them and couldn't get over their spectacu-
lar goodness ... Rob also worked with
Remy at the London Chop House and Tam
O'Shanter Country Club and with Keith
Famie at Raphael's in Novi's Sheraton-
Oaks Hotel.
At Vineyards, Rob is a self-confessed
"Vineyards Enthusiast" doing marketing
and baking for its diverse deli and catering
departments, with recollections of making
omelets at age of five, a complete Passover
seder at 11 and becoming a certified chef
at 23 ... With his experience, few better
than a chef to promote food ... And also a
marketer who can talk to business owners
on their level and about their challenges
... Also someone who makes some truly
yummy Chocolate Volcanos.
GOOD WAITER & WAITRESS com-
bination ... Timothy Bailey, 21 years and
Tammy Chavez, 30 years, at Ristorante
Cafe Cortina, 10 Mile east of Orchard Lake
Road, Farmington Hills ... Both seasoned
and professional with huge assets in mak-
ing customer comfort a top preference in

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their excellent service abilities.
I CAN'T SAY it enough times ... that
present economic conditions in the restau-
rant business is only a temporary thing ...
Always has been ... Name of the game is
staying afloat ... Smart restaurant owners,
particularly of neighborhood dining spots
whose bosses are feeling the present eco- •
nomic pinch, know how to come up with
ways to keep some dough coming in ...
Bills cannot be paid without customers,
this fact must be recognized and treated
with dining deals for the many price-con-
scious guests who are going to restaurants
that give them the best price without sac-
rificing quality.
IT HAS GOTTEN BIGGER than ever,
and an important call is out for volun-
teers at next year's Walk of Ages, set for
Sunday morning, May 17, at the Jewish
Community Center, West Bloomfield, by
Jewish Home and Aging Services ... Call
Judy Dunn, (248) 661-2969.
HE PROBABLY wishes he could be
bowling every year on his parents' anni-
versary ... West Bloomfield-ite Robert
Essick's first 300 game came recently on
the 60th anniversary of former localites,
now Californians Sam and Dorothy Essick
... Robert's perfect score came while
kegling in an American Legion league at
Country Lanes in Farmington Hills.
CONGRATS ... To Jerry Malin on his
70th birthday ... To Rochelle Elson on
her 60th birthday ... To Jeanette Epstein
on her birthday ... To Monroe Title on
his 90th birthday ... To Zina and Michael
Kramer on their 40th anniversary. Li

Danny's e-mail address is
dannyraskin@sbcglobal.net.

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Deli Dinner
o r Two

(CARRY N -OUT)
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Deli Dinners Include Your Choice o f Any:
I. Two Sandwiches from
• Homemade Chicken

Our Sandwich Board Menu

with Overstuffed Corned Beef,
I Roasted Turkey Breast, Pastrami,
Wilno Salami, Roast Beef or Tuna
▪ mom
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32418 Northwestern Hwy.

Noodle Soup
• Potato Salad or
Cole Slaw
• Jell-O

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between Middlebelt & 14 Mile

248.855-9463

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Order online: vvvvvv.VineyardDeli.com
Weekday Dinner Hours 4.7 pm
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INN

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October 16 • 2008

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