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Prepared With Pride

Marhaba in Farmington Hills brings authentic Mediterranean dining.

A

s a head chef for 40 years back
fet with 24 items from which
in Iraq and vice chairman of
to choose, $10 per person
the Association of Restaurants
... Every Saturday, 9 p.m.-
and Hotels in Baghdad, he learned a most
midnight, a live Iraqi show
important thing ... No matter how many
highlights a singer, keyboard
items are on a restaurant's menu, the more and drums.
salient ones are those that a customer
Delicious nourishing food is
returns to order again.
served on cloth linens and plays
But of all the learning from experience,
a major role with cleanliness that
Adnan Asmar recalls two things in partic-
gives Marhaba double billing as
ular when it came to Mediterranean din-
a choice selection in authentic
ing ... making it deliciously simple and a
Mediterranean dining.
clean environment ... Few places present
MANY TIMES AMID the
them better than a restaurant where the
supposed inaccuracies and
Middle Eastern family who own it take
misunderstandings that might come from
pride and joy in their fare's preparation
petty bickering, good realities appear.
and presentation.
This is why I decided to take a look-see
Marhaba Family Dining & Bar on
for myself and find out more goings-on
Orchard Lake Road south of 13 Mile,
about Morels ... Press releases are a valu-
Farmington Hills, fulfills
able accommodation and
these highly honored ideals.
very essential for a purpose,
The menu includes
but must be one-sided ...
numerous Middle Eastern
In the case of Morels, words
favorites with a Family
from two factions would
Maza Tray of hummus, baba
demand a personal look-see
ganoush, tabouli, falafel,
... Readers deserve this.
grape leaves and fatoush
It is definitely on the way
among the choice dining
to opening to the general
delights ... And vegetarians
public Monday, May 7, on
enjoy his chill fry of tender
Northwestern Highway
potato pieces with onion,
just south of 14 Mile,
Adnan Asm ar
green peppers and tomatoes.
Farmington Hills.
Asmar does his own
I saw the almost-complet-
butchering and is quite proficient at buy-
ed makings of a very striking restaurant
ing and stuffing whole lambs (kuzi) with
facility that in round numbers will seat
rice, almonds and select spices.
approximately 250 for dining including
People love his very tender grilled quails 28 in a wine room, 20 in a private board-
(three quails $20) and Adrian's lentil soup
room plus 80 on two outdoor Herb Garden
that draws raves.
Patios ... Also a private party and meeting
Seating is for 120 plus 30 on an outside
room for another 120 ... People entering
patio facing Orchard Lake Road and a
Morels will be greeted by a 6-foot wood-like
small bar inside that seats another six.
morel mushroom of which there will be six
... Restaurant hours include Mondays-
strewn about the room, as well as beautiful
Saturdays 11 a.m.-midnight and Sundays,
large murals.
1-7 p.m., the latter featuring an open buf-
The completely finished remodeling

touches will see elegant car-
peting covering the entire res-
taurant except the foyer and
bar area, the latter seating 44
at 16 stools and seven high-
top tables ... The huge veri-
table seas of stainless steel
kitchens, with state-of-the-art
stoves and ovens.
Entrances to the restau-
rant are from three areas,
Northwestern Highway,
Orchard Lake Road and to
and from Home Depot and
Sam's Club ... Parking is for 300 vehicles.
Reservations are already being taken
both for Matt Prentice's sumptuous
Mother's Day Brunch on May 13 ... and
the May 7 grand opening.
My walk-through of the anxiously
awaited upscale Morel's gave me an insight
into what is looking to be among this
region's most beautiful and well-thought
out-restaurants.
100 PERCENT of the $100 per person
for the charity pre-opening of rejuve-
nated Morels, at the rescheduled date of
Saturday, May 5, will be given to Variety,
the Children's Charity ... Four-course din-
ner will be choice of menu, plus wine pair-
ings ... For reservations, call the Variety
office at (248) 258-5511, or email Variety@
Variety5detroit.com ... Event chairperson
is Judith Tappero.
READER MINI REVIEW ... From
Jerry Silecchia ... "We recently were walk-
ing in Birmingham and visited the Frank
Street Bakery and Deli. It was reminiscent
of a quaint northern Michigan eatery that
my wife, Doreen, and I had been to. We
enjoyed the fresh food and taste. I had
stacked lean roast beef and caramelized
onion panini on an 8-inch ciabatta roll
with Swiss cheese. Doreen had the caprese
panini with tomato, basil and mozzarella.

"Adriarme Baranowski loved her turkey
BLT panini and exclaimed, `I was going to
order just the half portion but I'm sure glad
that I didn't' ... The desserts are wonderful. I
couldn't resist the warm apple pie a la mode
with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream
while the girls settled on brownies. We will
definitely return, and one of us will sure have
chocolate-covered Oreos for dessert:'
WHEN HE IS installed as Bailli of
Michigan's Chaine des Rotisseurs, Sunday,
April 29, at Franklin Hills Country Club,
Bob Golding will join the names of many
prominent persons who have held this
post... It was founded in Paris and is the
world's oldest and largest food and wine
society ... Bob takes over for outgoing
bailli Dr. Robert Levine.
MAIL DEPT.... "We live in Delray
Beach, Fla., during the winter and friends
took us for lunch at Efes Bistro Fish &
Grill. I remember that Dennis Silber told
about he and his wife visiting Efes Turkish
restaurant. It was delightful. Reservations
for dinner are a must" ... Leslie Rogers.
ONE OF THE finest executive chefs seen
in this area, Remy Berdy, is now retired, but
certainly hasn't lost his fine culinary touch
... I never knew that with those wonder-
ful gourmet dishes he used to make at
Michigan Inn's upscale Benchmark restau-
rant and the Sheraton-Oaks also included
delicious Jewish dishes like gefilte fish,
chopped liver, etc. ... The ones he sent over
are among the best I have eaten.
CONGRATS ... To Patti Wasserman
on her birthday ... To Frank Grawi on his
70th birthday ... To Warren Tessler on his
75th birthday ... To Morton Genser on
his 75th birthday ... To Mel and Marlene
Miller on their 50th anniversary ... To
Karin Indig on her 57th birthday ... To
Keri Guten Cohen on her birthday. ❑

Danny's email is dannyraskin@sbcglobal.net.

RESERVATIONS AVAILABLE FOR

liwOmFIELD TOWNSHIP

Mother's Day Brunch - 10:30am - 2pm
Mother's Day Dinner Buffet - 3pm - 6pm

Brunch & Dinner Buffet Served in the Lower Level

ANDIAMO BLOOMFIELD

Served in the Restaurant

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

Seating is limited, for reservations call 248-865-9300

andiamoitalia.com

Regular Dinner Menu 12pm 6pm

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