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Brownie's Is Back!

Legendary waterfront restaurant is revived by Andiamo Group.

A

Andiamo Lakefront restaurant,
lthough the location is different,
again brings a combination of
the legendary name revital-
good food and relaxed casual
izes many memories for guys
atmosphere that once merged
and gals who still recall the wonderful
to make the former Brownie's a
days when Brownie's, and then renamed
Brownie's on the Lake, was a favorite place favorite place to go ... Dishes
of yesteryears with innova-
to go on Lake St. Clair.
tions, along with newly-intro-
The Brownie's on the Lake title, brought
duced items, are featured like
back by Joe Vicari, head of the Andiamo
Brownie's noted New England
Restaurant Group, is today at the former
clam chowder, the Brownie
Jack's Waterfront, located just a short
Burger, but without the bacon,
distance away from where Joe Engel, bet-
a more embellished Reuben,
ter known as "Brownie and his wife,
fish and chips,
Maria, were dining hosts
lobster mac-and-cheese, etc.
... Their Brownie's
... Highly wanted items today
lakefront restaurant was
also include cedar-planked
within Henry Wagner's
whitefish, chili-glazed Atlantic
Jefferson Beach Marina
salmon, flounder stuffed with
on Jefferson, between
crabmeat, French onion soup,
Nine and 10 Mile, St. Clair
etc.
Shores, after the original
Indoor seating at Brownie's
Brownie's, previously
on the Lake is 240 and 75
opened in 1953 at the
at an outdoor patio ...
nearby Miller Marina, had Restaurateur Joe Vicari
Kitchen hours are Monday-
burned to the ground and
Thursday, 11-11; Friday and
was rebuilt by them.
Saturday, 11-midnight; Sunday, 10-10 ...
Many won't easily forget Brownie and
Entertainment is Tuesday through Sunday,
Maria's executive chef, Margaret Brown,
and the bar is open until 2 a.m.
who sure had a way with food, especially
High windows from top to bottom now
lobsters and juicy chunks of beef, plus that
replace the onetime former Owens cruiser
wonderful relish Maggie used to whip up
that jutted out in recognition that folks
of northern baked sweet-and-sour beans
had reached the former Jack's Waterfront
and onions with a luscious dressing.
... But the beautiful 42-foot Chris-Craft
When the Engels looked to retire in
1970, Henry's son, Al Wagner took over ... cruiser on the far wall as you walk in still
remains.
Unlike Brownie and Maria, Al knew noth-
The name Brownie's was once synony-
ing about the restaurant business and was
mous
with good time relaxing ... and the
lucky to eventually have Marvin Chaben
Vicari
touch has brought it back again.
as his general manager ... Ars executive
TWO
EVENINGS BEFORE the main
chef, Sam Giordano, made the delicious
Dream
Cruise
event on Aug. 20, one of the
cheesecake, and with his kitchen staff, pre-
hottest
spots
along
Woodward, little Hunter
pared featured fish like pickerel, whitefish,
House
Hamburgers,
north of 15 Mile,
swordfish marinated in a spicy tequila,
Birmingham,
was
showing
its bigness as a
pasta, steaks, prime rib, etc. ... plus the
major
non-automotive
attraction.
very popular roadhouse-style frog legs.
As small as the Hunter House is, that's
Today's Brownie's on the Lake, owned
how
big the Dream Cruise annual happen-
by Joe Vicari with his managing partner
ing
was
outside the little 900-square-foot
brother John, who also runs their nearby

HAPPY flOUR

MONDAY-FR1DAY 3-7 P.M.
$5 SIGNATURE MARTINIS
$5 SIGNATURE WINES
$5 SIGNATURE APPETIZERS

BAR ONLY

BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP

50 September 1 • 2011

8 ... George's Honey Tree, Northwestern
restaurant ... Hunter House
Highway north of 14 Mile, West Bloomfield.
owners Susan Cobb and
THEIR RESTAURANT voted one of
retired dad Al Papazian were
happy seeing people have such America's four best soul-food restau-
a good time — but concerned rants, Beans & Cornbread, Northwestern
Highway, Southfield, owner Patrick
that the projected number of
40,000 hamburger patties pre- Coleman and wife, Debra, walked the blue
carpet with Grammy Award artist Kern, at
pared wouldn't be enough.
the
recent 2011 Ford Hootie Awards finals
Although the little 30-seater
at
Mandalay
Bay, Las Vegas ... Winner
eatery with its two high-top
was
Croaker
Spot
in Richmond, Va.
tables closes during Dream
MAIL
DEPT.
...
"We have something
Cruise week, three tents are
here
in
Boca
Raton,
Fla., that might be a
put up ... One with a differ-
thing of the future. It's called the Living
ent orchestra daily and large
Room that combines a restaurant and
enough (30x60) to also have oodles of
tables and chairs for folks to sit and munch theater in an unusual concept with sets of
seats in each of four individual theaters
on the delicious Hunter House burgers,
where tables are also built in between each
fries, kosher dogs, etc. ... Another for V.I.P.
sitting, alongside its canopied mobile diner set. Food is served on china and glassware
from a menu in the 60-seat lobby cafe or
making and serving hamburgers and one
at your seat in the movie.
more for a third grill and fryers ... Onions
"The food is from a simple nosh to a
were sliced fresh every day outside.
full meal, including salads, soups, tapas,
Many people driving by appreciated
paninis, sliders, pastas, beer and wine, and
barrister Mark Grant selling Hunter
desserts, all served in both the lobby or at
House hamburgers to them, assisted by
your seat. Hot meals, too.
wife, Florine ... Friend Randy Marcuson
"Four of us had sliders that were as
visiting from New York helping out Susan
large as full-size burgers
and Al ... Frank and
and chicken kabobs on a
Betty Ellias waving from
bed of pasta. Sure wish we
their 2001 sunset orange
had that when Debbie and
metallic Pontiac Firehawk
I lived back in the Detroit
... Sanford Blanck sur-
area." ... Dennis Silber
rounded by pedestrians
CONGRATS ... To
... Morris Margulies for-
Martin Zide on his birthday
getting how many double
... To Nancy Zide on her
sliders he had eaten ... etc.
birthday ... To Paul Chosid
Hunter House
on his birthday ... To
Hamburgers may have
Hunter Hous e's Susan Cobb
Esther Benson on her 95th
been closed but not to the and dad, Al P apazian
birthday ... To Seymour
employees who worked
Deitch on his 86th birthday
their butts off in and out-
... To Ann Pettinger on her 60th birthday
side ... Susan and Al couldn't have been
... To Alan Harris on his 60th birthday ...
more proud of them.
To Florence Blau on her 89th birthday ...
DANDY DINING DEAL ... Salmon
To Fran Ball on her birthday ... To Sol and
Bruschetta ... dinner or lunch, includes
Bess Lipson on their 70th anniversary. II
soup or salad, mashed potato or rice
and vegetable ... $7.95 one week only,
Danny's email is dannyraskin@sbcglobaLnet.
Thursday, Sept. 1, though Thursday, Sept.

SEATED WINE & TAPAS EVENT

TOURING ITALY: VIA GLASS & PLATE

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11 7-9PM

For reservations call 248-865-9300

6676 Telegraph RD
Bloomfield Twp., MI
248-865-9300