THE BEST OF EVERYTHING
This Salmon's Got Soul
Beans & Cornbread elevates Southern cooking to an art form.
N
ow in its 12th year as Beans &
Cornbread on Northwestern
Highway, between 12 Mile and
Inkster, in Southfield's Sunset Strip, stand-
out acceptance continues to be proven in
the Southern difference at this well-diver-
sified kind of soul food restaurant ... Few
places, for example, can boast of salmon
croquettes like those served at Beans &
Cornbread ... Many others use cornbread,
cereal or bread crumbs for filling, but
none is used at what many term a gour-
met soul food restaurant but without the
elevated charges.
When it opened in 1997, there was
some apprehension about how successful
a Southern cooking restaurant would be
in Oakland County because of the cul-
tural mixture that many thought would
be necessary for its existence ... This has
since proven to be of no concern as people
began considering it another wonderful
neighborhood ethnic dining addition ...
Even folks who travel to Southern areas
return here and immediately head for
Beans & Cornbread, asking for various
dishes they enjoyed at places visited ...
As illustration Paul and Lisa Jacobs who
visited in the South, savored the shrimp
and grits they had at the Lady & Sons
restaurant in Savannah, Ga., and returned
here with big eyes and smacking lips for
the same dish.
When Patrick Coleman became sole
owner of Beans & Cornbread in 1999, it
was to continue the dream he had while
helping open Forte in Birmingham for the
Wisne Family, and before that Big Fish in
Dearborn for Chuck Muer ... To own an
upscale Southern cooking restaurant with-
out the higher prices.
His continuance of this image has not
only brought added menu items,
but also the takeover of a next-
door storage and prep facility to
further his vision ... The space
is now its Sidebar with a cop-
per top counter bar, 12 stools
and more seating at four table-
tops ... Also added has been a
Sunday Soulful Brunch Buffet
for all-you-can-eat goodness,
$9.95 adults and $6.95 eight
and under ...One of its latest
features is the Twilight Dinner Special that
has gone over big Monday through Friday,
4-7 ... Complete meal with choice of five
entrees (fried chicken, meatloaf, salmon
croquettes, rib tips, macaroni and cheese),
two side dishes and dessert, $8.99 ...
Glass of wine is just $3 extra.
Since opening, almost 600,000 people
have visited Beans & Cornbread, devour-
ing more than 35,000 pounds of salmon
croquettes, around 45,000 pounds of meat-
loaf, almost 60,000 pounds of chicken ...
Bestsellers include its home-fried chicken,
barbecue-style baby back ribs, macaroni
and cheese and those luscious "I could eat
a million" sweet potato muffins ... One
would be hard-pressed to find salmon
croquettes with portabello mushrooms or
Harlem Burritos on other soul food menus.
Three years ago, among the varied
dishes Patrick has brought in is barbecued
beef ribs ... It has gone over so heavily as
a highly wanted menu item on Friday and
Saturday evenings that orders many times
near the selling out point ... To prevent
any waitperson having to say they are sold
out, he keeps extra beef ribs hidden for
such happening.
There is jazz every Thursday and Friday
night, 7-10, usually with a keyboard and
vocalist ... This is big in
New York and Chicago spots
with their small half-sized
bar intimacy ... Beans &
Cornbread is open Monday-
Thursday, 11-9; Friday, 11-10;
Saturday, noon-10; Sunday
noon-9, with seating for 76 in
the dining room.
Beans & Cornbread
became a winner almost
immediately upon opening,
and in its 12-year existence has enjoyed
much customer-pleasing come back
momentum.
EXPECTED TO REOPEN again,
Maria's in West Bloomfield will not have
Chef Artie Oliverio to head its kitchen ...
He has his own place again, the former
La Luna Grille, and calls it Oliverio's on
Benstein Italian Bistro, Benstein Road,
north of West Maple Road, Commerce ...
Open for lunch Monday-Friday, 11-10 and
dinner, Saturday, 5 to 9, most complete
dinners are priced between $14 and $22,
including soup or salad and pasta.
DURING HIS playing days as defensive
linebacker at Central Michigan in Mount
Pleasant, Joe Vicari also enjoyed watch-
ing basketball and its lovely cheerleaders
... Today, his wife, Rosalie, makes sure
that Joe's attention is only on her and his
Andiamo Restaurant Group ... She says
he can still look at them all he wants ...
on the HDTV Joe will have for the basket-
ball games when he takes over the former
Asian Village site on Beaubien Place, next
to the Renaissance Center, Detroit, for his
Andiamo Championship Club during the
NCAA Championship days ... April 3, 4,
5, noon-2 a.m., and April 6, 3 p.m.-2 a.m.
... Free admission and live entertain-
ment with nightly drink specials and bar
menu ... Across the street on the Detroit
Riverfront, folks can also enjoy the Big
Dance no charge concert series with its
noted recording artists.
REOPENING OF Forte on Old
Woodward, Birmingham, is with more
booths, interior decor changes, new outside
signage and Executive Chef Don Yamauchi
adding inventive items to the menu.
MORE NEWS FROM the Shirlee
Bloom food-tasting kitchen at Vineyards,
Northwestern Hwy., Farmington Hills, with
another something different for Passover ...
Delicious low-fat mandelbrot with chocolate
chips, cherries, cranberries and walnuts.
NEWLY-NAMED W.J. and Lillian
Kemler Walk of Ages by Auxiliary for the
Jewish Home &Aging Services is set for
Sunday, May 19, 9 a.m. registration and
10 a.m. walk at the Eugene and Marcia
Applebaum Jewish Community Campus,
West Bloomfield, 15 Mile and Drake ...
This year's grand marshal is Ann Newman
... I'll again be GM emeritus and Mandell
"Bill" Berman honorary chairman ... New
fun thing will be a train for the youngsters
to ride ... For team and individual pricing
and other info, call Judy Dunn, auxiliary
coordinator, (248) 661-2969.
NO TRUTH TO the rumor about its
closing, says Bonnie Fishman, owner
of Bonnie's Kitchen, Telegraph and 15
Mile, Bloomfield Hills ... "We are taking
Passover and orders well beyond and have
many parties booked into the future."
CONGRATS ... To Roslyn Katzman on
her 80th birthday ... To Bonnie Glass on
her birthday.
Danny's e-mail address is
dannyraskin@sbcglobal.net .
PASSOVER DINNER 8/ ALA CARTE
LAST CALL ORDER NOW!
Complete Dinners; 10 person minimum
FREE Seder Plate
FREE Passover Matzo
•
•
•
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HERB ROASTED CHICKEN
CHICKEN BREAST STUFFED
KISKA STUFFED CHICKEN
LEAN ROAST BEEF BRISKET
•
Complete dinners includes Beef Chopped Liver, Roasted Potatoes Anna or Potatoes Kugel,
Chicken Matzo Ball Soup, Carrot Tzimmos, FREE Seder plate & FREE Passover matzo
•
•
with complete Dinner
orders
DELICIOUS PASSOVER BAGELS
PASSOVER CAKES, DESSERTS, CHOCOLATES
PASSOVER GIFT BASKETS & TRAYS DELIVERED
COMPLETE DINNERS & AL LA CARTE - AVAILABLE ON ONLINE
4
32418 Northwestern Hwy.
between Midcilebelt & 14 Mile
loom's
248.855-9463
www.JewishCatering.com
April 2 • 2009
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