THE BEST OF EVERYTHING
Good Things In Store
Uptown Grille in Commerce puts fine food first.
T
he new dining kid on the block
opened this past July 21st ... and
has proven to be much more than
just another restaurant with a concept.
When Uptown Grille, 15 Mile Road, just
west of Haggerty, Commerce Township,
originally revealed its intended idea, word
on the street was, "Well, here we go again"
... others had tried it and came out in last
place.
But Uptown Grille owners, Ryan
Adam, Joe Hibbert, chef, and Brandon
Richardson, general manager, were smart
... They didn't put their eggs all in the
concept basket ... The gents made it
secondary, with the restaurant first ...
A novelty wears away, a good restaurant
doesn't, and in cases such as this sensible
reasoning has paid off.
As a result, the store-in-front thought
used by others down through the years
has at Uptown Grille become only what
it was intended to be ... more than just a
cute look-see ... Different to be sure, but
serving a purpose instead of something
just to look at ... Kids love it ... There's T-
shirts to pick from, candy to buy, a video
game to play for all the family to enjoy
while waiting, etc. ... And Mom and Dad
can browse or buy from the large wine
display, beers, art, coffee, tea, etc.
Uptown Grille has already proven itself
to be a good family-oriented restaurant
with two dining rooms for lunch and din-
ner, plus a large separate bar-lounge area
with televisions galore, lots of fun, much
banter, etc. ... The two dining rooms seat
101 and 70, respectively, and the Stage 30
Lounge has 35 stools at a large 70-foot bar
plus table seating for 100 ... Also available
is a 65-person special occasions
etc., plus Lake Superior
party room and a VIP room for
whitefish, salmon and sea
16.
bass among the sea and
In the smaller, 70-seating
ocean varieties.
dining room, an addition was
Uptown Grille has only
once part of the original Ryan's
been open a short while, but
Tavern site owned by Dan
hasn't taken long to make a
Lublin and son Ben ... Plus its
point ... "Come try us:' say
historical feature, the room has
Ryan, Joe and Brandon ...
ceiling light fixtures with bulbs
"We'll be thrilled when wel-
Danny Raskin
inserted in 40 empty wine bot-
Senior Columnist coming you back again."
tles whose insides Joe says were
THE LINGERING open-
all imbibed by him and Ryan.
ing date question of one
In addition, Uptown Grille might have
restaurant with more stumbling-block set-
hit upon something of which few, if any,
back holes than a target-practice banner
other places can boast ... Others may
has evolved into, not one, but two upcom-
tout their wine cellars, but Ryan, Joe and
ing dining operations by the same owner
Brandon take huge pride in their beer cel-
on nearby locales.
lar with service of about 30 bottle labels
Two sisters, but of different nationali-
and around 36 on draft from metal bar-
ties, sects and styles ... and as apart as
rels.
can be gotten ... that's how the area that
It is a seven-day-a-week operation, with
formerly based Macaroni Grill and Chili's
the kitchen open Mon., Tues., Wed. and
Bar & Grill restaurants is shaping up on
Sunday until 11 ... and Thurs., Fri. and
Northwestern Highway, Farmington Hills.
Sat. until 1:30 a.m. to accommodate the
The former Macaroni Grill site will
after-theater crowd ... Dancing is to live
become the scheduled Mykonos Greek
entertainment on Thursday and Saturday
Taverna, with traditional and upscale
evenings, and a d.j. on Friday nights.
Greek dishes ... And the one-time Chili's
The kids, other than having their own
locale will be R.J's American Grill, seating
menu selections, and adults, too, are
224 and serving American comfort food
not forgotten with eight burgers and 10
for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
choices of pizzas ... along with 10 more
Both properties are owned by developer
sandwiches and 12 salads ... But neither
Robert Asmar, with Tony Hadjisofroniou
are those folks looking for more to stick
his director of operations for the two
to their ribs ... Choice appetizers like a
restaurants, and Nicko Moraitis, R.J.'s
tenderloin calamari dish or crab-stuffed
American Grill executive chef.
mushrooms among 18 ... along with
Mykonos has had target date changes
Uptown Grille's signature 20-ounce bone-
that had to be altered because of contin-
in ribeye steak is a New York cut stuffed
ued permit holdups ... But according to
with blue crab, king and queen cut filets,
Asmar, the new one is expected to be April
1 of this year ... And R.J.'s American Grill
is slated to open around the latter part of
February.
The best part is that they are each past
continually proposed opening stages and
can now boast looks of eventual reality
both inside and out.
GOOD DEAL DEPT. ... At Sea Grille,
Orchard Lake Road, north of 15 Mile,
West Bloomfield, 4:30-6 p.m., Tuesday
thru Sunday ... 10 hot entrees on its new
Value Dinner Menu ... Four at $11.95
(fish & chips, chicken piccata, linguine
with clam sauce, chicken pasta); four at
$12.95 (whitefish pomodoro, coconut
shrimp, frog legs, shrimp pesto pasta);
two at $13.95 (wood-grilled apple cider
salmon, beef brisket) ... All include salad,
vegetable, potato or rice.
EGG FOO YOUNG with egg whites
instead of the yolk is available on request
at Golden Phoenix, Orchard Lake Road,
West Bloomfield ... Owners Shaw and
Helen Ng are able to provide this because
their Egg Foo Young is prepared to order
and not pre-made ... It is slightly darker
than the traditional golden brown color-
ing, but has the same great taste ... No
wonder cholesterol watchers and health
buffs are smiling.
CONGRATS ... To Zanetta Moser on
her 59th birthday ... To Joe Sposita on
his 75th birthday ... To Jerry Light on his
80th birthday ... To Abram Weberman on
his 84th birthday ... To Lou and Evelyn
Grant on their 59th anniversary.
Danny's e-mail address is
dannyraskin@sbcglobal.net .
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January 22 • 2009
B9