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Matt's Still Cookin'

Prentice says catering, synagogue gigs and Morels are on his menu.

'though the main reason given
for Matt Prentice and the restau-
rant group named after him to
have parted ways were disagreements or
whatever, there is little doubt he'll get back
into the restaurant business.
It's been in Matt's blood since when
he trained to be a chef at the prestigious
Culinary Institute of America in Hyde
Park, N.Y. ... and few know more about
food than him.
"I am definitely continuing to do the
catering at Temple Israel and Adat Shalom
Synagogue," says Matt, who catered
Passover dinner for about 550 people at
Temple Israel this past Saturday evening
... Also numerous outside catering and
off-premise events ... Matt told me, too,
that he will open Morels on Northwestern
Highway in Farmington Hills as planned
on Monday, May 7, and Flat Iron Grill at
another date.
After working for Dick Lichtman at
Northgate Delicatessen on Greenfield and
10 Mile, Oak Park, in 1980, Matt took over
and put his workaholic 80 hours a week
to more work by ingeniously combining
his Culinary Institute learning of gourmet
dining with traditional Jewish delicates-

Matt Prentice

sen fare ... He dumped his
last $200 in the cash register,
helped behind the counter and
renamed it Deli Unique with
the likes of tournedos of beef,
champagne chicken, filet of
sole Marguery, poached chick-
en mernier, veal Oscar, veal and
crab champagne, London broil,
steak Diane, beef Wellington,
roast duck with cherry sauce,
veal sauteed with pears, duck
a l'orange and other intriguing
dishes.
Put these together with cabbage flan-
ken, stuffed breast of chicken, lox, corned
beef, chicken livers, blintzes, gefilte fish,
short ribs, sweet and sour stuffed cabbage,
chicken soup, etc., and he certainly did
have a unique deli!
Matt is one of the few good chefs whose
abilities include both the kitchen and add-
ing machine ... I recall eating in his origi-
nal little Deli Unique and being so amazed
that I couldn't wait to write about having
French cuisine in a Jewish delicatessen ...
and at low prices ... He wanted volume
and sure got it!
RESCHEDULED DATE of the private
charity opening of Morels restaurant
for Variety, the Children's Charity, will be
Saturday, May 5 ... Two days before it's
opening to the general public on May 7.
WITH NEW OWNERS at DePauli's, on
Orchard Lake Road north of 15 Mile in West
Bloomfield's Sugar Tree Plaza, it certainly
qualifies now as a bona fide family-operated
restaurant ... Owner Tony Grabanica is
accompanied at the eatery by wife, Pat, host-
ess and all-around helper in the kitchen
when needed to assist Chef Arthur Dubin
... son Arbnor works on the open grill ...
and daughter Blerina is a waitress.
The popular dining spot is considering a
name change but will continue the previous
successful menu items, including huge sell-
ing whitefish and ruby red trout, plus inno-

vations and signature dishes
like a delicious seafood pasta,
garnered by the family in 12
years at their former Garden
City location.
READER MINI REVIEW
... By Mort Meisner "I
never cease to be amazed
at the wonderful food at
Compari's on Main Street in
Plymouth.
"On a recent visit there, one
of our party had the lightly
breaded and pan-sauteed sliced calamari
steak that is so much better than most of
the deep-fried versions served at other
restaurants. Another in our party enjoyed
the lobster ravioli stuffed with a healthy
amount of lobster and cheese.
"I went for the outstanding penne arra-
biata. It was one of nine pasta dishes from
which to choose, along with one that I
definitely will have again on our next visit
to Compari's, the Pasta Compari. It comes
with Italian sausage, green pepper and
onions in a thick meat sauce.
"Dinner entrees are reasonably priced.
Another guest had the veal cherry, a fan-
tastic and unique dish with dried cherries,
mushrooms and chopped walnuts in a
bleu cheese sherry wine sauce. For dessert,
the bread pudding they make is among
the best I have ever had:'
GOOD WAITER DEPT. ... Accolades
again for Jeff Lin at Hong Hua, Orchard
Lake Road north of 12 Mile, Farmington
Hills, whose presence is often requested
... Jeff's smiling and efficient presenta-
tion of Hong Hua's excellent food is one of
the reasons why it has maintained a lofty
standing in Asian dining.
THERE IS NOTHING wrong with hav-
ing a dishwasher help when a restaurant's
kitchen gets overloaded with orders ... In
fact, many fine chefs today were once dish-
washers themselves ... But too many do
not know about wearing plastic gloves or

•Open Mother's Day for Brunch

OretS

is Back!

46

from 10am til 3pm and Dinner

from 5pm until 10pm.

Reservations are mandatory.

Call (248)254-3840.

Danny's email is dannyraskin@sbcglobal.net .

•Matt's Mother's Day

Marketplace Brunch with Carved

Prime Rib and Apple Grilled Turkey

Station, Lox and Salad Station, Omelet Bar,

Michigan Entree Station, Shrimp Display,

Breakfast Station and Sweet Table

Opening on May 7th

Private Events and Reservations
now being accepted.

32729 Northwestern Highway
Farmington Hills

Catering Director - Matt Prentice
at (248)254-3840

April 12 • 2012

that just having them on is not a thorough
answer to cleanliness ... It is only so when
the gloves are changed after wiping hands
on dirty aprons or when soiled or torn.
THE EVENING after Hermanoff Public
Relations received the 2011-12 Best of
Show Gold Award at the 25th annual
International Mercury Awards Competition
in New York for its "I'm A Believer" cam-
paign by their client, the city of Detroit,
Sandy and Michael Hermanoff of Bingham
Farms were still believer-minded while
coming out of New York's Monkey Bar.
They ran into someone she thought
looked familiar and asked if he was from
Detroit ... "I love Detroit:' said NBC late
night talk show host Jimmy Fallon ...
They began chatting about him hopefully
coming to Detroit to help raise scholar-
ships for the Believer Campaign that sends
kids to college ... and are waiting for
Fallon to check his availability dates.
Judging included 1,000 entries from 21
countries ... Only one Gold Award winner
was chosen per country ... Truly a great
honor to highly touted creative folks in the
public relations industry.
REUNION DEPT. ... West Bloomfield
High class of 1982's 30th shindig is set
as a three-day happening ... Its biggie is
Saturday, July 21, 9 p.m.-2 a.m., aboard
the Detroit River's Princess Riverboat ...
Friday, July 20, will be hang-out time at the
Lodge in Keego Harbor, and Sunday, July 22,
picnicking at Comerica Park ... Contact ex-
grad Sarah Perry, (773) 525-8201 or email
her at sarahperryus@yahoo.com .
CONGRATS ... To Jay Grant on his 90th
birthday ... To Michael Abels on his 70th
birthday ... To Paul Forman on his 70th
birthday ... To Mona Light on her 64th
birthday ... To Warren Silverman on his
birthday ... To John Politzer on his birth-
day ... To Lisa Clayton on her birthday ...
To Betty Ellias on her birthday. ❑

S35.95 Adult, $15.95 for Children 12-6

5 and under are complimentary.

