OF E
H
Viva Rojo!
Authentic touches spell success for Rojo Mexican Bistro.
A
chain within a chain may be in
the future for Joe Vitale, who
bucks the soft economy by open-
ing an upscale Mexican restaurant.
Owner and CEO of the 11 Andiamo and
Mesquite Grill restaurants in his Andiamo
Restaurant Group, Joe has made his latest
venture Rojo Mexican Bistro in Fountain
Walk, 12 Mile west of Novi Road, Novi.
Working co-partner with Joe, Dan
Linnen, is also co-owner of their Andiamo
Novi, and Executive Chef Luis Garza
was formerly kitchen head at Andiamo
Dearborn.
A huge feature that has been bringing
folks in by droves is something seldom if
ever presently seen ... certainly not in this
area ... It is guacamole prepared tableside
by Chef Luis or one of the trained servers
... Usually the guacamole presented at
Mexican restaurants is prepared before-
hand ... This is quite different, readied
directly from the avocado along with
onion, cilantro, fresh squeezed lime, salt,
pepper and jalapeno ... The customer
has an option of dressing it up with goat
cheese, pine nuts, shrimp or lobster ...
The ingredients are then mixed together
with the deftness of a Caesar salad table-
side presentation.
The former site of Bamboo Club, directly
on the corner across from the parking lot
and a few doors from the Emagine Theatre,
has been totally transformed ... It now pres-
ents a striking look of elegance with choice
decor appointments ... Here is one example
where ethnic authenticity does not have to
rely on faking it to look the part.
What customers are getting at Rojo
Mexican Bistro is food with salient
touches of true authenticity in its prepa-
ration ... Rare items like the
Huitlacoche mushrooms, con-
sidered a delicacy in Mexico, are
used at Rojo sensationally in
its Quesadillas De Huitlacoche,
a large tortilla stuffed with a
three-cheese blend and topped
with sour cream, guacamole and
salsa ... The many Quesadilla
lovers may want to try the one
with lobster and three-cheese
blend ... Big authentic Mexican
winners, too, are the Lobster
Fajita, a one-and-a-half pound lobster
sauteed in lemon garlic butter and Chili
Rellano, roasted very mild poblano pepper,
a favorite in Mexico, filled with a three-
cheese blend and choice of chicken, beef
or grilled veggies, topped with a roasted
tomato sauce.
Ordered with gusto, too, is the Camarones
Rellanos, breaded shrimp stuffed with cheese
and topped with a lobster cream sauce on
the popular poblano pepper.
Seating at Rojo Mexican Bistro is 188
plus another 22 stools in a separate
bar directly off the main dining room
... In that bar is what is believed to be
Michigan's largest selection of tequila
with availability of 110 selections ... And
popular Margaritas made with fresh-
squeezed juices and agave nectar ... The
Mexican beer choices are not restricted to
Corono or Corono light, but also labels like
Modelo, Negra Modelo, Tecate, Pacifica,
Dos Equis Lager and Dos Equis Amber.
It is a seven-day-a-week operation, open
Monday through Wednesday, 11 a.m.-
10 p.m.; Thursday, 11-11; Friday, 11-12;
Saturday and Sunday 12-12.
The freshness and dining customiza-
tion give Chef Garza an
opportunity to show his love
for Mexican authenticity ...
After 15 years' experience as
a chef, he is now doing what
Luis has secretly wanted to
someday accomplish.
Who knows? ... Rojo
Mexican Bistro may some day
be the first of a highly regard-
ed Mexican dining chain that
concentrates on the authentic-
ity others may lack.
HAPPY DAYS of yesteryears are back
again for deli lovers ... Feb. 5 through
Feb. 15, with 10 days of low pricing on full
4-ounce corned beef, pastrami or turkey
sandwiches on Jewish rye or Kaiser roll
and kosher dill pickle, for $3.95, dine in or
carry-out, at Vineyard's Deli Basket, inside
Vineyard Marketplace on Northwestern,
between Middlebelt and 14 Mile,
Farmington Hills.
AMONG THE FEW restaurants years
ago, other than Chinese dining spots, that
served breaded veal cutlets with tomato
sauce was the Brass Rail on Adams,
Detroit, when owned by Bill Boesky and
son Ivan Boesky ... Theirs was with either
tomato sauce or fried egg ... Today, at
Golden Phoenix, Orchard Lake Road, West
Bloomfield, breaded veal cutlets are with
both tomato sauce and brown gravy.
DINNERS FOR TWO persons at
Commerce Grille, Union Lake Road,
Commerce Lake, are $39.95 through
February, including a bottle of white or
red wine ... Rainbow trout, prime rib and
entrees that also include chicken and fish.
RECENT SHUTDOWN of Ron's Bagel
Deli on W. 14 Mile, Commerce Township,
s i i 5E641Dgii ,
brings to a close another chapter for Ron
Forman, but may soon re-open an addi-
tional period for one of Metro Detroit's
best-known "old timer" delicatessen men
with a winning track record.
SOME DINING SPOTS that serve
hamburger as chopped sirloin should take
a page out of the former Berman's Chop
House book ... It used to set aside the odd
pieces cut off sirloin steaks, put them in a
grinder and serve the real thing, authentic
sirloin patties.
MAIL DEPT. ... "I finally tied the pro-
verbial knot. Life here in South Charleston
is absolutely great. The Charleston Grill is
doing incredible. We changed the format
and made it more casual and relaxed while
maintaining the same quality of food. We
were serious French before and now we've
lightened it up and made it more play-
ful." — Mickey Bakst, former head maitre
d' and general manager at Tribute and
Tap awingo restaurants.
CONGRATS To Marilyn Stein on
her 70th birthday ... To Gale Gross on
her birthday ... To Kathy Hack on her
birthday ... To Scott Lachman on his 24th
birthday ... To David Baril on his 52th
birthday ... To Sameer Eid on his 73rd
birthday ... To Judie Moss on her birthday
... To Sue Garfinkel on her birthday ...
To Jeff Malin on his 50th birthday ... To
Norm LePage on his 68th birthday ... To
Bonnie LePage on her 65th birthday ...
To Tamara Friedman on her 61st birthday
... To Jay and Marion Grant on their 66th
anniversary.
...
Danny's e-mail address is
dannyraskin@sbcglobal.net.
FREE
FOR 4
Chicken
Noodle
Sou
Corned beef, Turkey or Pastrami
• 1 lb Cole slaw or potato salad
• 1 lb Double bakes Jewish Rye
• Kosher old and new dill pickles
• Russian dressing
(Pick up only after 3:00 p.m. daily)
-
with every Deli sandwich
from our sandwich board
menu
(pick up or dine in thru Feb 281
DELI • CAFE • CATERING
32418 Northwestern Hwy. • between Middlebelt & 14 Mile • 248.855 9463 •
.
ORDER ONLINE
www.VineyardDeli.com
February 5 2009
C9