Arts & Entertainment
THE BEST OF EVERYTHING
The Redcoats Are Here!
Redcoat Tavern's new West Bloomfield venue joins popular Royal Oak locale.
I is closing came as a surprise ... but
along with it was news that the restau-
rant would reopen as the burger bistro
many had anticipated in the first place.
Five years ago, brother owners Mark
and Matt Brown opened the former Zinc
Brasserie & Wine Bar that always seemed
to look closed from outside, instead of fol-
lowing their other highly successful dining
pattern.
Now reopened as Redcoat Tavern
West Bloomfield, on Orchard Lake Road
between 14 and 15 Mile, it has certainly
been given a big greeting in the short time
since newly named and concept-changed.
Corporate Chef Michael Trombley,
kitchen head at the former Zinc, and 011ie
Williams, executive chef at Redcoat Tavern
Royal Oak, do double-duty between both
restaurants in putting out the fine Redcoat
fare that has received so many awards
... Also, still in West Bloomfield, are the
very knowledgeable general manager of
both locales, Juan Garcia, and the highly
regarded manager, Keith Walsh.
And as an added note of familiarity dur-
ing the day on weekdays, folks are greeted
by smiling hostess Kay Koelzer, who many
will remember from her 10 years as server,
hostess and dining room manager for
Pat Archer and Marty Wilk at the former
Excalibur restaurant in Southfield.
Same menu as at the Redcoat Tavern
Royal Oak, with more than 24 variations
of the original half-pound Redcoat ham-
burger, $6.95; traditional English prime
rib dinner with oven-brown potatoes and
Yorkshire pudding, petite size $15; large,
$19 (available only after 5 p.m.); filet,
shepherd's pie, spareribs, Reuben, etc.
Redcoat Tavern West Bloomfield is open
seven days ... Monday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-
yk
62 September 24 • 2009
2 a.m., kitchen closed 1:30
a.m.; Sunday, noon-10.
Matt and Mark still maintain
their insistence on serving
wine at reasonable prices.
Dessert lovers will drool at
the premises-made yurnmies
like the ice cream burger of
chocolate chip cookie bun with
vanilla ice cream and hot fudge;
hot fudge cream puff, raspberry-
pecan bread pudding with white
chocolate sauce, etc.
Dinner features other than on the menu
are also available daily, including perch,
whitefish, lamb shank, pot roast, etc., in
the 135-seat dining room, which hasn't
been changed from its dark mahogany
walls, and the bar-lounge of 25 seats and
copper-topped bar counter.
There's no doubt that we are in a poor
economic condition, but you certainly
wouldn't know it by the packed receptions
Redcoat Tavern received in the first days
of opening in West Bloomfield ... One of
Michigan's top hamburger, food and drink
operations coming to the West Bloomfield
area is proving to be a much-welcomed
dining addition.
THEY'VE BEEN friends for a long time,
but Joe Vicari never thought he would
be playing an integral role in Art Van
Elslander's huge and lavish 50th anniver-
sary of his Art Van Furniture chain ... Joe's
Andiamo Restaurant Group will cater the
event, 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 1, when more
than 1,000 are expected to attend at the
store on 14 Mile in Warren between Mound
and Van Dyke, near Joe's Andiamo Italia.
Some of Art's favorite Andiamo dishes
at the Art Van shindig will include roast
tenderloin and braised halibut ... They'll
201 S Old Woodward Avenue • Birmingham Ml 48009
248.594.7300 • www.forterestaurant.com
be gobbled up with lobster
tail corn dogs, buffalo sliders,
bison flank steak and Muscovy
duck breasts along with some
luscious desserts and open bar
... Music will be by Simone
Vitale and his 14-piece orches-
tra, who play many Andiamo
events for Joe ... 100 percent
of the ticket sales will go to
the Hermelin Brain Tumor
Center and the Neuroscience
Institute, both at the Detroit-
based Henry Ford Health System.
GOOD SERVER DEPT.... Samantha
"Sam" Monforton at Sposita's Italian
Ristorante, Farmington Hills, with the
smile you like to see on a waitperson along
with efficiency, pleasing personality and
customer consideration.
IT'S ALWAYS A biggie shindig and
expected to again be another fun evening
... The fifth annual black tie Ronald
McDonald House Gala, formerly known as
the Aviators' Ball, is 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept.
26, at the Detroit Institute of Arts ... Gary
Granader, McDonald owner-operator, was
honorary chairman last year, and broth-
ers Howard and Steve Tapper's Diamonds
& Fine Jewelry will again be among the
sponsors of the fine event put on by
the Southeastern Michigan McDonald's
Operator Association ... None better than
WXYZ-TV's Diana Lewis as mistress of
ceremonies again ... Strolling dinner, silent
and live auctions, entertainment, casino
afterglow party and evening surprises ...
$250 per-person tickets are on online at
rmhgala.com or by calling (734) 316 - 2511
... The Ronald McDonald Houses of Ann
Arbor and Detroit are a "home away from
home" for almost 1,600 families with chil-
dren undergoing medical care.
THE 1969 GRADUATING class from
Southfield High was not only the largest
ever by the school, but also the last time
Southfield had only one high school ...
Southfield-Lathrup High opened the fol-
lowing year.
More than 1,000 of the 1,150 grads have
already been contacted for the big 40th
reunion 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10, at the
Diamond Center in Novi's Rock Financial
Showplace on Grand River ... For more
info and tickets, call Sharon (Orechkin)
Horowitz, (248) 956-4442, or Sheryl(Joyce)
Voyles, (248)746-8610 ... Sharon's e-mail
is cher830@aol.com .
WITH AN ARTICLE appearing in its
highly-read Bizarre Magazine, England now
further extends the roll of countries outside
of the United States that have heard about
Marvin Yagoda ... "Marvin's Marvelous
Mechanical Museum in Farmington,
Michigan, USA is simply fantastic!" writes
author, TV host and Great Britain's noted
Jewish magician, Simon Drake, sent here
to see for himself the popular magic, vin-
tage posters, astounding exhibits, video
games, rides, etc. at the popular emporium
on Orchard Lake Road, just south of 14
Mile, that is in the World Almanac's listing
of America's Most Unusual Museums ...
During Drake's two-day stay here, Marvin's
Marvelous Mechanical Museum, consid-
ered by so many as a bar mitzvah reception
natural, was number three of 10 bizarre
meetings he visited in the U.S.
CONGRATS ... To Tom Hoffman on his
60th birthday ... To Manny and Bernice
Litwin on their 66th Anniversary. II
Danny's e-mail address is
dannyraskin@sbcglobahnet.