Arts & Entertainment THE BEST OF EVERYTHING Garden Party A pair of popular Asian restaurateurs join forces in new venture. p OTPOURRI Two highly regarded names in Asian dining here have merged their excellent talents in taking over Gourmet Garden at 12 Mile and Middlebelt, Farmington Hills. Cholada Chan, owner of Shangri-La, and Koji Watanabe, owner of the former Musachi Japanese restaurant in Town Center, Southfield. The formerly named Gourmet Garden, is now Shangri-La Garden, owned by Cholada with assistance by Koji, her new general manager, and Lynn Harphanich, Cholada's hostess and right-hand gal at Shangri-La in the Orchard Mall, 15 Mile and Orchard Lake, West Bloomfield Cholada's third restaurant, Midtown Shangri-La, is on Cass and Forest, Detroit. The newly titled Shangri-La Garden also has two former Musachi chefs behind its 10-stool sushi bar at the former Gourmet Garden ... Sushi is available throughout the entire 210-seat restaurant. Along with Chinese and of course Koji's excellent Japanese food, the authentic Thai fare is as Cholada remembers while grow- ing up in her native Thailand ... Each of her three restaurants have different menus. MAIL DEPT. ... "My wife, Risa, and I recently had a wonderful dining experience at RJ's American Grille on Northwestern Highway in Farmington Hills. Risa had mushroom asiago soup and broiled whitefish. The soup had a nice mix of mushroom and asiago cheese. The whitefish was a nice size tailpiece. It reminded us of the size portions restau- rants used to serve. Along with it, she had a generous portion of rosemary mashed potatoes, a big helping of Angela Israilov, along with their Country Club brings a higher potential steamed broccoli along with juicy roasted chicken, short for more cash to help fight cancer ... The crinkle cut carrots. ribs, etc., from recipes handed usual number of golfers is around 144 ... "I had a greens salad along down by her mother and This year, even with the economy down, with honey mustard dressing. grandmother in Russia ... This more than 200 are expected. My main portion was steak personal at-home touch seems The North and Green Monster South marsala. It was the perfect to bring out a lighter distinc- courses at Oakland Hills not only allow for mix of sauce, portabella tively-added taste of goodness. larger participation but the vast oppor- mushrooms and red peppers. QUESTION & ANSWER tunity for so many to realize a dream ... DEPT. ... "You wrote in your The steak portion was very playing on one of American's great pri- Danny Raskin generous. I had the same column that Dan Gilbert, vate golf courses, the home of U.S. Open Senior Columnist owner of Quicken Loans and sides as my wife. Everything winners Ben Hogan, Gene Littler, Arnold we had was very tasty. Risa the Cleveland Cavaliers basket- Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, etc., and PGA win- and I agreed that it was one ball team, was the son of Sam ners Gary Player, David Graham, etc., plus of the best restaurant meals we have ever Gilbert who used to own Saksey's Lounge, hobnobbing with legendary sports figures. had. In addition, the service was excep- which I remember closed because of a fire. Let's face it Along with their fresh tional. The menu provides a wide range How old is Dan Gilbert, and didn't Sam ideas and innovative ways of doing things, of foods, at reasonable prices, to satisfy have another son?" ... Ernest Golderman. wasn't raising more money for charity everyone. We will return there many [Dan was 48 years old this among the main reasons that times ... Brian Wolf. past Jan. 17, and his father, the David and Hedy Blatt were LAMB RIBS ARE becoming a very late Sam Gilbert, was partner both brought on board as hotly-wanted food item ... Especially at with Irving Sachs in Saksey's executive Director and direc- Boneyard on Orchard Lake Road, south on Woodward, Detroit. Sam's tor of communications and of 14 Mile, Farmington Hills ... The big other son, Gary Gilbert, is a events? ... These they are spurt in sales has it climbing upward co-owner of the Cleveland doing in a big way ... hitting to the restaurant's best-seller list ... Cavaliers, a movie producer in home runs for Hank. Whatever Boneyard is doing to their racks Los Angeles and chairman of CONGRATS ... To Jason of little lamb ribs obviously hasn't been Quicken Loans ... He and Dan Fantich on his 32nd birth- discovered yet by other dining operations founded Rock Financial, now day ... To Ruth Slasor on ... Its succulent lamb ribs come barbe- Quicken Loans, in 1985. The her birthday ... To Robert Dan Gilbe rt cued without being basted ... But also try fire at Saksey's was in 1971, so Russman on his 84th birthday Dan would have been 9 years old at the ... To Paula Weiser on her birthday ... To putting on some of Boneyard's barbecue sauce at the table to see if you like them time. It reopened again after being closed Susan Klau on her birthday ... To Maxine Burnstein on her birthday ... To Brenda that way too. six months.] YES, THOSE stuffed peppers and cab- NAMES OF THE game may be golf Strausz on her birthday ... To Dorothy and fun, but charity dollars take a front- Braiker on her birthday ... To David bages served at Siegel's Deli, Maple, west of Haggerty, Commerce Township, can be row seat for the annual Hank Greenberg Rogovein on his 58th birthday. Memorial Golf Invitational, Monday, June gotten filled with either beef or turkey ... 21 ... Changing venues, from successful Danny's e-mail address is Both are made fresh daily by the mom- dannyraskin@sbcglobal.net. and-pop owners themselves, Boris and years at Tam-O-Shanter to Oakland Hills Bloom's Passover Dinner & Ala Carte Order Now!!! 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