THE BEST OF EVERYTHING

What A Year!

Highlights (and a few lowlights) of the past 12 months.

S

OME 2008 LOOKBACKS ...
JANUARY ... Cafe Cortina
Ristorante, Farmington Hills,
celebrates 31st anniversary as one of
America's finest Italian restaurants ...
Camelia's Mexican Grill's first anniver-
sary, Farmington Hills, brings touches
of authenticity ... George Golematis no
longer operating Giorgios Gourmet Diner,
West Bloomfield.
FEBRUARY ... George's Honey Tree has
third anniversary after successful move
from Farmington Hills to West Bloomfield
... Radio legend Dick Purtan to be grand
marshal for Sixth Annual Walk of Fame
by Auxiliary for Jewish Home and Aging
Services ... Bacco Saletta private dining
facility opens next to Bacco Restaurant,
Southfield ... Italia Fresca opens where
others failed in Orchard Lake.
MARCH ... Buddy's Pizza, Farmington
Hills, gets new, modern outdoor psychedelic
look ... Loving Spoonful, Farmington Hills,
closes ... Caucus Club, Detroit, celebrates
46th anniversary ... Forte, Birmingham,
serves breakfast for first time.
APRIL ... Opus One, Detroit, in 31st
anniversary with musical theme name
... Grape Leaves, Southfield, meets high
approval for its Lebanese food ... Rabbi
Daniel Syme welcomes kid brother David
Syme, living in Houston and Ireland, in
concert at Temple Beth El, Bloomfield
Township ...
MAY ... Pepino's celebrates 24th year
in Walled Lake ... Upscale MacKinnon's
Restaurant, Northville, closes after 27
years ... Sixth annual Walk of Ages
breaks all records ... Bob Bisgeier takes
over everyday operational leadership of
the New Giorgio's Gourmet Diner, West
Bloomfield ... Zoe's Pancake House, West
Bloomfield, meets huge acceptance.

JUNE ... Eighth
Anniversary for Hong Hua,
Farmington Hills, continues
gourmet Chinese fine dining
reputation ... Gary Tringali,
former New York Pizzeria
and Deli, Farmington Hills,
opens his latest venture, Troy
Merchandise Mart Flea Market
in Troy ... Former Detroiter
82-year-old Ruth Lax, finally
gets her first hole-in-one
in Boynton Beach, Fla. ... Vineyards,
Farmington Hills, gives free gas vouch-
ers to sandwich buyers ... Uptown
Grille to open at former location of Dan
Lublin's Ryan's Tavern and Elephant Bar,
Commerce Township.
JULY . . . Farmington Hills location of
Antonio's Cucino Italiana applauded on
seventh anniversary ... Cafe Rendezvous,
Farmington Hills, is big success after fol-
lowing four other restaurants ... T.G.I.
Friday's closing in Farmington Hills comes
as a sudden surprise ... Many sad faces
as Chef's Cuisine, White Lake, closes ...
Lazy Lizard Mexican restaurant closes in
Novi ... Cafe Kabob, Southfield, brings
new self-service concept ... Patio din-
ing comes to Ginopolis's on the Grill,
Farmington Hills ... Pi Restaurant &
Lounge, Southfield, serves breakfast for
first time ... Giorgio's of Oak Park chang-
es name to Eddie's ... Marvin Yagoda
and his Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical
Museum, Farmington Hills, is featured on
cable TV's History Channel ... Gene Woo
throws in towel and closes Hoa Hoa (for-
mer Hoa Kow) in Novi after 55 years.
AUGUST ... Golden Phoenix, West
Bloomfield, continues Chinese dining
success, with sixth anniversary by own-
ers Shaw and Helen Ng ... New Johnny

Pomodoro's takes over former
Strawberry Hill and Nino
Salvaggio Market, Farmington
Hills ... PGA Championship
at Oakland Hills utilizes
talents of alterations expert
and celebrity tailor Dino
Mitropoulos, Birmingham,
and catering know-how of
Bonnie Fishman and her
Bonnie's Kitchen & Catering
restaurant, Bloomfield
Township ... Former screen star Maureen
O'Hara celebrates her 88th birthday with
private piano concert at the Ireland home
of David and Suzanne Syme.
SEPTEMBER ... Pepino's, Walled Lake,
closes temporarily ... Upscale Tribute,
Farmington Hills, reduces all 10 entree
prices.
OCTOBER ... Five-year anniversary of
Tony's Embers, Orchard Lake, is feted.
NOVEMBER ... It's anniversary num-
ber nine for Sposita's, West Bloomfield ...
Pepino's reopens with original leadership
... Steve's Deli by local owners opens in
Chicago ... Record crowd attends Variety's
Lights, Camera, Auction ... No more
kosher hot dogs at Costco and Sam's as
Sara Lee closes kosher meat operation.
DECEMBER ... Rojo's Mexican Bistro
by Joe Vicari opens in Novi ... La Bistecca,
Livonia, has 10th anniversary ... Pepino's
opens Sundays for first time ... Sunday
Brunch comes to George's Honey Tree,
West Bloomfield ... Moe's On 10 cel-
ebrates fifth anniversary.
MAIL DEPT. ... "We were with Detroit
friends in Florida and talking about res-
taurants in Detroit where we would go
many years ago, the '40s, '50s, '60s, etc.
I am speaking of those on McNichols,
Livernois, Jefferson and Woodward. You

mentioned a few of our favorites in a
recent column but there are many whose
names we cannot remember. Where did
George Scotti play the piano? Who made
the great turtle soup? Who had the sleep-
ing Mexican in front of the building?" ...
Joan Jacobs Stein
I'm sure others also remember those
wonderful restaurants ... George Scottie
alternated with "Saucy Sylvia" Stoun at
the Town Pump on Cass, owned by Cass
and Louie Warsaw ... That terrific turtle
soup was at a few places, like Club Berkley
and Northwood Inn on Woodward, and
Topinka's on Grand Blvd. and on W. Seven
Mile ... There were a couple of places on
Jefferson, too ... I can't recall that sleeping
Mexican ... There were so many good eat-
ing places there years back it would take
an entire newspaper to tell about them.
TIPS FOR RESTAURATEURS Dept. ...
When lowering prices, most diners won't
be upset if you serve an 8-ounce piece of
meat rather than 10-ounce, as example,
just so long as your menu doesn't promise
10 ounces.
REMEMBER WHEN ... There was no
shortage of places for folks to wind up an
evening with coffee and socializing? ...
Darbys was the first choice of many, along
with Robin Hood's, Sutton & Clemens,
Billy's, Tyner's Checker Barbecue, etc.
CONGRATS ... To Lou Popper on his
84th birthday ... To Seymour Brode on
his 80th birthday ... To Rachel Goldfine
on her 95th birthday ... To Blanche
Chudler on her 67th birthday ... To Jackie
Sikora on her 60th birthday ... To Eleanor
Hack on her birthday ... To Zelda Bean on
her 90th birthday. L

Danny's e-mail address is

dannyraskin@sbcglobal.net .

201 S Old Woodward Avenue • Birmingham MI 48009
248.594.7300 • www.forterestaurant.com

jiN

January 29 • 2009

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