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Cutting-Edge Sushi

Small Japanese restaurant takes innovative menu to larger location.

T

hey had been married only seven
ture changes to popular selec-
DANDY DINING DEALS ...
years when opening their first
tions and making all his own
Chanukah specials ... Three
restaurant together ... And it was sauces ... All in all, today there
lamb chops, three homemade
not without a future wish.
are more than 150 choices
potato latkes (pancakes), plus
Money was short for Dong and Lee
instead of fewer than 100.
a cup of soup and bread basket
Chang, with the little Japanese restaurant
One of Dong's creations,
... $6.95 ... one week only,
seating only 25 plus a sushi bar with five
Sushi Samurai Crunch Roll,
Thursday, Dec. 22 through Dec.
stools ... all they could afford.
goes over big ... Crushed
29 ... No coupons ... Also
Hard work together with customer loy-
rice on top, crab salad on the
same dates for 12 lamb chops,
alty enabled them in March of this year to
bottom and baked together
12 homemade potato latkes
Danny Raskin
move their sushi restaurant three doors
... Also among his favorites
(pancakes),
plus 1 cup of soup
Senior Columnist
away ... The new, brighter and pleasant
is the Shrimp and Ome Rice
per person and bread basket
decor presents a location that today seats
(Japanese-style fried rice,
... $26.95 ... No coupons ...
52 plus a better-stocked sushi bar with
shrimp, onions, carrots and scallions with
Both available dine-in or carry-out, Siegel's
eight stools.
egg and sauce on top) ... and Dong's
Delicatessen, 15 Mile Road, just west of
Their wish 10 years ago was for the
mushroom stuffed with tuna and cream
Haggerty Road, Commerce Township.
eventual opening of a larger Japanese
cheese ... The Atlantic Roll of crab salad
READER MINI REVIEW ... By
restaurant ... And so, on Orchard Lake
and deep-fried shrimp topped with tuna,
Dennis Silber ... "A Turkish restaurant
Road, in the Esso Square strip shopping
avocado, fish eggs and sauces ... S & T
here in Boca Raton? Yes, and its off-the-
mall south of Pontiac Trail,
Roll of tuna and avocado
beaten-path location should certainly
Orchard Lake Township,
surrounded by salmon,
be a surprise for those looking for great
Sushi Samurai is celebrat-
lemon, scallions and ses-
Mediterranean dining. Efes Bistro Fish
ing its 10th anniversary
ame seeds on top ... and and Grill House, billed as "Authentic
since opening at its former,
the rare Snow Cone Roll
Turkish Cuisine" is unique, cozy and a very
smaller location.
of crab meat, avocado,
pleasant surprise.
Dong is the executive
cream cheese and fish
"When planning to eat at Efes, one
chef/owner and Lee general
eggs topped with peanut
should allow an extra 20 minutes, prob-
manager/owner ... Their
sauce and eel sauce.
ably just enough time to find it. It's located
sister-in-law, head waitress
Five years ago,
at 8903 Glades Road, but that's really a
Young Chang, is married to
although in a smaller
misnomer because that address is a large
Lee and Don g Chang
Dong's brother.
location, Sushi Samurai
shopping mall, and Efes is kind of hid-
Both were already hus-
received a Class C license
den inside one of the back streets of the
band and wife when working at New Seoul that enabled it to serve liquor, wine and
mall. And you'd think that such a location
Garden, Southfield, he as chef and she as
beer ... The larger space has enabled
would be empty of customers. Wrong!
a waitress ... But they had known each
Dong and Lee to now achieve another
Apparently word has gotten out because
other from restaurants each worked at in
need ... the addition of a bigger and more all of the tables and booths in this quaint
New York's Manhattan.
diverse stock.
bistro were filled. Small wonder why. The
It is a prominent fact that in the restau-
Sushi Samurai, with seven-day hours
food is really good.
rant business, whether it be Japanese or
Monday-Saturday, 11:30-10 and Sunday,
"Sakina, the proprietor/manager, wait-
otherwise, the ability of its head chef can
4:30-9, has quietly pleased many cus-
ress/sometimes cook and goodwill ambas-
many times make a major difference in
tomers who knew that one day the little
sador, greets you at the front door, seats you
the eatery's success.
Japanese restaurant would be situated
and carefully explains the lengthy menu.
Dong and his mother were partners in
in larger quarters ... The wait has been
Apparently, Sakina's skill at multi-tasking
the New York restaurant, where he devel-
longer than expected but the many
is why there are very few staff members.
oped a reputation for an innovative ability
improvements and larger selections have
Naturally, because of this, the service is not
that has resulted in an uncanny ability to
now enabled Sushi Samurai on its 10th
too swift, but it is worth the wait.
create Japanese sushi dishes not seen at
anniversary to enjoy what has turned into
Our group began with appetizers of
other restaurants as well as giving signa-
a greater success.
zucchini pancakes (Mucver), spinach pie

(Ispanakli Borek) and babaganush (egg-
plant), each plentiful and tasty followed by
red lentil soup (Mercimek Corbasi). Other
entrees listed consist of seafood, meat,
vegetarian and sauteed dishes and Turkish
pizza. Shepherd salad is fresh and color-
ful. We also enjoyed lamb kabobs, chicken
saute and a falafel platter. And with each
dish comes a choice of rice or bulgar. For
a unique ethnic experience, comfortable
atmosphere and good food, remember
Efes Bistro in Boca Raton."
QUESTION & ANSWER DEPT. ... "I
recently had a very upsetting happening
occur. I was out and about around lunch-
time and headed over to one of my favorite
lunch spots, Spangas on Woodward in Royal
Oak. The place was closed. Are the owners
gone for good? I looked online and found
another place in Livonia by the same name.
Any connection?" ... Burton Schwartz.
[You are one of many that are upset,
Burton ... But Tommy Drosis and wife,
Margarita, are looking to open again
at another small place ... The Spangas
Coney Island on Newburgh between Six
Mile and Mallory Drive, Livonia, is owned
by two of their three sons.]
GOOD SERVER DEPT. ... Feng "Jeff" Lin
at Hong Hua, Orchard Lake Road, just north
of 12 Mile, Farmington Hills ... Always a
true smile and personable while giving his
customers pleasingly fast efficiency.
CONGRATS ... To Abram Shain on
his 89th birthday ... To Lois Kahn on
her 22nd birthday ... To William "Bill"
Nosanchuk on his 87th birthday ... To
Boris Shain on his 63rd birthday ... To
Maya Brodsky on her birthday ... To Dee
Lewin on her 60th birthday ... To Natalie
Canvasser on her 90th birthday ... To
Thom Millman on his birthday ... To
Charles Canvasser on his birthday ... To
Harold "Hutch" and Ethel Bobroff on their
68th anniversary ... To Manuel and Eva
Rott on their 65th anniversary.

Danny's email is dannyraskin@sbcglobaLnet.

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AN DIAMO BLOOMFIELD

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34

December 22 2011

6676 Telegraph

Bloomfield. MI 48301

248-865-9300