THE BEST OF EVERYTH NG

Midtown Shangri-La

A destination restaurant across from the Hilberry Theatre.

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his many years as owner of the
OTPOURRI
fine Wong's Eatery in Windsor
It was once touted by some as
and years at local dining spots.
one of the best eateries around
The Shangri-La restaurant
... But the high praise was actually for
operations here have gotten a
another restaurant with a similar sound-
glowing reputation for their
ing name ... Twingo's was the small
excellent food, especially the
Detroit French bistro and Tapawingo in
large selections of dim sum for
Ellsworth, Mich., was the excellent nation-
which people come from all
ally known dining great.
over Michigan in fine comple-
Neither is around anymore ... Seven
ment to their highly received
months ago, the former Twingo's site on
the Wayne State University campus, Forest Chinese, sushi and Thai food
that even the former award-
and Cass, Detroit, was taken over and
winning Tapawingo would have
opened as a three-pronged dining delight
been proud to serve.
for students, attendees of the Hilberry
DANDY DINING DEAL Dept. ... Eight-
Theatre across the street
ounce, chopped, low-fat Piedmontese
and other folks who
steak with Bordelaise sauce ... Complete
have gotten wind of this
up-and-coming destina- dinner including soup or salad, potato or
vegetable, and, before dinner, those deli-
tion restaurant find.
cious marinated navy beans and garlic
The new Midtown
toast ... $12.95 on Tuesdays, Wednesdays,
Shangri-La, owned by
Thursdays and Sundays at Pepino's, Walled
Asian dining queen
Lake Drive and Pontiac Trail, Walled Lake.
Cholada "Nancy" Chan
Cholada Chan
A light menu is also expected to soon be
is another offshoot of
featured at Pepino's and, weather permit-
her Shangri-La in Orchard Mall, West
Bloomfield ... The other is recently opened ting, its outdoor patio will open in May.
THERE IS NO TRUTH to the talk that
Shangri-La Garden, Farmington Hills.
Le Chef has closed permanently, according
Although all three serve Chinese,
to Ed Bitar, co-owner with mother Milaki
including dim sum, Japanese and Thai
food, each has its own menu specialties ... and dad Fernand of the newly opened
Midtown Shangri-La, open six days a week Lebanese restaurant off Northwestern
Highway, Farmington Hills ... Although
for lunch and dinner, Monday through
business has been temporarily suspended
Thursday, 11-9; Friday and Saturday, 11-
and the doors are not open now, Ed says
10, seats about 100 on two floors, plus a
that Le Chef will reopen in mid-May with
sushi bar with five stools and an outside
a new menu, and the featuring of rarely
patio for another 28 ... On the bar's other
found authentic dishes for its home-
side are seven stools in anticipation of a
cooked meals ... Also, says Ed, renova-
soon-to-come liquor license.
tions include an expanded dining room
Its two managers, Raymond Wong and
Joey Chan, Cholada's son, are much experi- capacity that will seat 100 inside and 35
on the outside patio.
enced ... Folks remember Raymond from

QUESTION & ANSWER
Dept. ... "Wasn't Pegasus
Greek restaurant located in
the Fisher Building before
opening in Greektown? I
remember going there and
enjoying its food:' ... Ernest
Mellman.
[No, Ernest, the Pegasus you
went to opened in the 1980s
and was named Pegasus in
the Fisher in Detroit's New
Center ... Although the food
was also Greek and American,
with moderate prices familiar to longtime
Pegasus Taverna patrons in Greektown, its
atmosphere was totally new and quite dif-
ferent ... If you recall, the interior design
at the Fisher Pegasus had an art deco style
with ornate brass, glass and marble fit-
tings that looked like they might have been
designed into the original Fisher Building
plans by architectural firm Albert Kahn ...
But it was an offshoot of the fine Pegasus
Taverna with its rustic Old World decor
owned by Jim Papas in Greektown, Detroit.
GOOD SERVER DEPT.... Mirela Rumija
at George's Honey Tree, Northwestern
Highway, West Bloomfield ... A smiling
lassie with much customer satisfaction a
huge part of her gracious efficiency.
WITH SUSHI continuing to gain much
popularity, another step could be more
mothers making it at home and their
youngsters saying, "Sushi, again?" ...
Chinese all-you-can-eat and sit-down,
later Korean restaurants followed the
Japanese with preparing its homeland
dish ... then came sushi in supermarkets
... and now, Creole and Cajun with sushi
being featured at Fishbone's in Southfield,
Detroit and St. Clair Shores.

SECOND RESTAURANT with the Grand
Tavern name by George Lukaj is expected
to open in Rochester Hills the first week in
May ... It will be on M-59 and Adams Road,
and joins his three other dining operations,
George's Honey Tree in West Bloomfield,
Village Palace in Orchard Lake Village and
Grand Tavern in Farmington Hills.
REMEMBERING WHEN Dept. ... "I
was 12 years old when my father, Henry
Abrams, and his partner Tommy Zientek,
opened their Star Recreation on Linwood
near Blaine in 1938. On the window was
a gold Star of David with the lettering of
"Recreation" beneath it. The head rabbi
from nearby Blaine shule [synagogue]
told my dad and Tom that the Star of
David couldn't be used on a pool hall
window, so they changed it with the
word Star spelled out" ... Ray Abrams,
Snookers Pool & Pub.
[A remembrance that I have of Star
Recreation, other than playing pool, was
a time when stores were used as "por-
table places" for High Holiday services ...
Someone forgot to remove the awning and
around it were the words, "Come in and
enjoy billiards".]
LINDY'S MENU DEPT. ... Waiter: "We
have everything on the menu today, sir"
... Jack E. Leonard: "So I notice. Now give
me a clean one
CONGRATS ... To Jim Gottfurcht on
his 70th birthday ... To Al Rohan on his
80th birthday ... To Beverly Mitz on her
75th birthday ... To Howard and Alissa
Goldberg on their 30th anniversary ...
To Lewis and Gloria Cooke on their 50th
anniversary. El

Danny's e-mail address is

dannyraskin@sbcglobal.net.

Carved Prime Rib & Honey Ham
• Made to Order Omelets Station
• Salad Station with Shrimp & Lox
• Chef's Specially Chosen Entrée Station
worsoostoso
• Breakfast Station
Chef Leanne's Fabulous Sweet Table

stilt
14 GILL

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Adults $29.95 Children $15.95
Under 5 years — Our Guests

NOTE; Adults at Coach insignia are $34.95

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April 29 • 2010

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