MAINSTREETS

Southfield & Oak Park

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F

lashy and fresh-faced they're not.
These are, after all, the places
where we first flirted with the
idea of suburban living half a century ago.
But Southfield and Oak Park maintain a
leafy, familiar charm that's hard to rep-
licate in newer burgs popping up in this
far-flung region we call home.
And if you look closely, you'll also find
a polyglot of enterprises — and people
— adding a colorful zing around every
corner.
Further, with such thoroughfares as
Telegraph, Southfield, Evergreen, Lahser
and Greenfield, plus Northwestern and
mile roads Nine through 13 crisscrossing
these ZIP codes and adjacent cities, few
cities rival the number of main streets
found here.

DINING
Proudly anchoring the northeast quadrant
of Southfield it calls home is the eclectic
Sweet Lorraine's (29101 Greenfield, 248-
559-5985), where the husband-and-wife
team of Lorraine Platman and Garry
Sussman preside over this very smart,
very sassy dining spot. And despite its
entrance being in the rear, the windowed
front expanse of the two-floor restaurant,
mere feet from the traffic cruising by, lets
diners and drivers enjoy the company of
one another, if only for a few moments.
About a mile to the south, the intersec-
tion of Greenfield and Lincoln is a nosh-
er's delight, what with Jerusalem Pizza
(26025 Greenfield, 248-552-0088) tossing
some pretty terrific kosher, all-vegetarian
pies, while the vest-pocket sized Pita Café
(25282 Greenfield, 248-968-2225) appeals
to those who can never get enough baba
ganoush, kabobs or fresh-squeezed carrot
juice.
So, too, is a corner of 13 Mile and
Southfield. Here you'll find Brady's
Tavern (31231 Southfield, 248-642-6422),
home to its behemoth of a burger, the
half-pound "Famous One and award-
winning chili; Tavern on 13 (17600 W. 13
Mile, 248-647-7747), dishing up specialty
salads, hearty sandwiches and daily fresh
seafood specials; and the always popu-
lar, usually crowded Beverly Hills Grill
(31471 Southfield, 248-642-2355), where
breakfast, lunch and dinner are, thank-
fully, served seven days a week.
While many of their contemporaries are
nothing more than memories — Boesky's,
the Pickle Barrel, the original Stage & Co.

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October 23 2008

— the Bread Basket (26052 Greenfield,
248-968-0022), take-out only Star Deli
(24555 W. 12 Mile, 248-352-7377), plus
the always humming Plaza Deli (29145
Northwestern, 248-356-2310) still serve
stick-to-your-ribs soups, sandwiches piled
to great heights with juicy smoked meats,
and where ordering "lite" means dressing
on the side.
Finally, if you insist on breaking bread
around your own dining room table, at
least let someone else deal with the dirty
pans and make a quick pass through the
peanut- and nut-free Bake Station (30760
Southfield, 248-723-9000) or Zeman's
New York Kosher Bakery (25258
Greenfield, 248-967-3905).
Further west, the stretch of
Northwestern Highway beginning at 12
Mile can satisfy any taste and budget,
from omelets to Osso Buco, and from
white-paper-bag carryout to white table-
cloth dining. The deliciously authentic
and elegant Il Posto Ristorante (29110
Franklin, 248-827-8070), and perfectly
appointed Bacco (29410 Northwestern
Hwy., 248-356-6600) seduce natty din-
ers with their incomparable Italian fare,
superb wines and top-notch service.

main

STREETS

Equally impressive in terms of food and
service is the dimly lit, clubby Morton's,
the Steakhouse (1 Town Square, 248-
6006) for huge portions of perfectly aged
beef prepared with precision. Indeed, din-
ing here is an event.
When the occasion calls for something a
little more upbeat, nothing beats the jazzy
Fishbone's Rhythm Kitchen Café (29244
Northwestern, 248-351-2925) where the
scene and cuisine get a jolt of real Mardi
Gras flavor.
Other must-stops on a dining tour
of the neighborhood include Shiraz
(30100 Telegraph, 248-645-5289), where
the steaks are USDA prime, the seafood
influenced with the flavors of Asia and
the wine list nothing short of perfection;
and the landmark Meriwether's (25485
Telegraph, 248-358-1310), designed in
the style of an old English country inn
— complete with lookout tower — and
still serving its famous Teacup Bread with
honey-cinnamon butter, fresh fish, pasta
and sandwiches.

SHOPPING
Shopping for kosher foods and all man-
ner of Judaica begins and ends here in the

shadow of 1-696. It's where, among oth-
ers, you'll find One Stop Kosher Market
(25155 Greenfield, 248-569-5000) and
specialty shops like Borenstein's Book
and Music Store (25242 Greenfield, 248-
967-3920) and Spitzers Hebrew Book
and Gift Center (21790 W. 11 Mile, 248-
356-6080) for books, music and gifts, each
store carrying on a multi-generation trade.
Also having a long run, in the retail
lifecycle anyway, is a branch of the iconic
Henry the Hatter (15616 W. 10 Mile, 248-
557-7770), to where well-dressed gents of
all ages, and more than a few turned-out
gals, return time and again for hats, caps
and most any type of chapeaux imagin-
able.
The area is also home to two retail
anomalies— the independent book-
store in the form of Book Beat (26010
Greenfield, 248-968-1190), and the locally
owned music store, Street Corner Music
(17620 W. 13 Mile, 248-644-4777).
Book Beat is hardly the kind of place to
run in quickly for something to read on
the plane. In fact, it can be at times both
daunting (watch your step!) and other-

SOUTHFIELD ON PAGE B32