>> the best of everything

Musical Rose

At 80, local lounge legend Billy Rose still going strong.

p

OTPOURRI
Celebrating his 80th birthday
recently in Las Vegas brought back
memories to Billy Rose, one of this area's
better known musical names, playing
guitar and singing years back with Wayne
Newton at the Fremont Hotel ... But not
more than the recollections Billy has of
playing here with his group at Grecian
Gardens in Greektown, London Chop
House, Wonder Bar, Giovanni's, Cliff Bell's,
Vargo's 1940 Chop House, Excalibur, etc.
At Giovanni's, where celebs regularly
visited when appearing here, Billy remem-
bers Anthony Quinn taking him to United
Sound Studios to record Billy doing some
of Quinn's favorite songs for the film
greats' own personal use.
Billy's trip to Las Vegas was
to celebrate with his sons
who all played at one time or
another with Billy's musical
aggregations ... Gary, now a
dealer at Luxor ... Tony, a Las
Vegas repairman for musi-
cal string instruments ...
and Chris, in the sports book
department at the Hard Rock.
Also there are his cousin,
Billy Rose
Kevin DeCosta and Kevin's
son David DeCosta who
impersonates Frank Sinatra with the "Rat
Pack" impressionists at the Sahara ...
Gary, Tony, Chris and Kevin get together
on occasions to play weddings in Las Vegas.
The Billy Rose Trio is currently
on Friday and Saturday evenings at
Leonardo's on Merriman Road by
Metropolitan Airport, Romulus.
READER MINI REVIEW ... "A gem of
a restaurant that recently opened, Sylvan
Lake Grill, Orchard Lake Road, Sylvan
Lake, is providing wonderful dining
experiences for me and my wife, Debbie,

among many others. We have
been there to dinner at least
five times since it recently
opened. No matter what we
order from its diverse mega-
menu, the food always comes
to the table hot and delicious.
"At our last visit, Debbie's
Shish Kabob, made with filet,
was excellent, and my roast
chicken was superb. The por-
tions were more than adequate
in size, with always enough
leftover for take-home.
"The amazing thing is how reasonable
the prices are. Dinner is topped off with
the best rice pudding I've had in ages.
Another wonderful thing about this eatery
is the friendly owners it has, Chef Luke
and his wife, Mary Shkrele,
and their partner, Fran Zefi,
who always come around
to make sure their guests
are happy. It is not expected
that a restaurant serving
American, Mediterranean,
Mexican, Italian and a
variety of seafood would
do everything so well. But
Sylvan Lake Grill does.
"As we were leaving one
evening, we ran into a law
colleague, Stuart Goldstein, and he con-
firmed our feelings. He too had been back
several times and brought another couple
with him. Although there have been sev-
eral other restaurants in this location pre-
viously, I think this one is going to make it
big time." ... Al Holtz
Choice of
DANDY DINING DEAL
eight traditional Italian chicken favorites
(Picanti, Marsala, Siciliana, Parmesan,
Palomino, etc.) ... Dinner includes soup
or salad and potato and vegetable ... $9.95
... One week only, Thursday, April 28

...

HAPPY HOUR

MONDAY-FRIDAY 3-7 RM.
$5 SIGNATURE MARTINIS
$5 SIGNATURE WINES
$5 SIGNATURE APPETIZERS

BAR ONLY

through Thursday, May 5 ...
D'Pauli's, Sugar Tree, Orchard
Lake Road, West Bloomfield.
BIG WAY TO celebrate
its sixth anniversary is by
George's Honey Tree since
moving to its present location
on Northwestern Hwy, West
Bloomfield ... Free dessert
(choice of four, carrot cake,
cheesecake, brownie or ice
cream), dine in only all day on
Friday, April 29, for custom-
ers having lunch or dinner ...
George's is an independent restaurant and
not connected with any of the other Honey
Trees.
THE WORDS devoted efficiency seem
to fit her ... And four owner/operators at
Stage Delicatessen on Orchard Lake Road,
West Bloomfield, have found General
Manager Chris Teasel a very valuable
asset ... Jack and Harriet Goldberg, Sheila
Goldberg and Steve Goldberg.
Chris will celebrate her 26th year this June
at Stage, Stage & Co. and back to the name
Stage ... Following stints as a server at
Francesco's in Dearborn and for Al Balooly
at Topinka's Country House in Detroit, Chris
began as a Stage waitperson and worked up
to her present post as the kind of devoted
general manager who bosses and employees
like ... One that chips in and helps when the
needs present themselves ... Waitpersons
especially love this type of general manager
... knowing, too, that she or he is a former
server like themselves.
WHEN IT RE-OPENS hopefully around
the middle of August, Diamond Jim
Brady's Bistro will continue to have much
of the look that owner/certified executive
chef Mary Brady has followed from the
original Diamond Jim Brady's that opened
years ago on Seven Mile, Detroit ... Even
that antique store look, the street signs

with the familiar names and the same bar,
refinished once more.
Diamond Jim Brady's Bistro will be in
Novi's Clock Tower again but in another
location ... With Mary will be Chef
Sharon Juergens, the same gal who was
a student in her class when Mary was an
instructor in Schoolcraft College's fine
Culinary Arts program prior to becoming
Mary's sous chef for six years at Diamond
Jim.
"Sharon and I love the same food:' says
Mary. "Give us both a piece of fish, and
we'll come up with different presentations
... But they will both be simple, flavorful,
well-rounded and complete with beautiful,
proper garnishes. Not fussy"
THE SOON-COMING of Texas de Brazil,
slated to open the latter part of May in
Detroit's Compuware Building, will bring
another most-welcomed restaurant opening
in this region to go with Joe Muer's Seafood,
the iffy about London Chop House, Tria
at the Henry (formerly Ritz Carlton) and
rumors of others coming to the suburbs.
QUESTION &
ANSWER DEPT. ...
"Do you know if Joel
Surnow, producer of
the new cable show
The Kennedys is from
Detroit? I am told that
he is:' ... Gertrude
Joel Surnow
Bester
[Yes, Joel is from
here and was also producer of Emmy win-
ner 24.]
CONGRATS ... To Edward Pieczenik on
his 60th birthday ... To Vickie Piraino on
her birthday ... To Andrew Blinder on his
60th birthday ... To Jim Gottfurcht on his
71st birthday ... To Goldie Greer on her
88th birthday.

Danny's email is dannyraskin®sbcglobal.net.

Seated Wine & Tapas Event

SOUTH OF THE EQUATOR GEMS

TUESDAY, MAY 24 1 7-9PM

$40

per person —
plus tax & gratuity

For reservations call 248-865-9300

BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP

6676 TELEGRAPH RD
BLOOMFIELD TWP., MI
248-865-9300

BLOOMFIELD

TOWNSHIP

April 28 a 2011

47