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Fusion With Fire!

Mon Jin Lau adds tableside showmanship to its Asian-fusion delights.

S

eems as though every time I pay a
visit to Mon Jin Lau on the corner
of 15 Mile and Stephenson, Troy,
a new experience crops up ... This time, it
was with General Manager Zoran Smolcic
displaying the onetime popular tableside
dining prowess he has been noted for
since the days of Lelli's Inn on Woodward,
Detroit.
So much so that Zoran is now making
it a festive feature at the wonderful Mon
Jin Lau dining emporium ... At least a
day's notice is needed with requests for
his tableside dandies ... Like Caesar salad
(the real thing), flaming Shrimp Saigon or
Bananas Foster or Cherries Jubilee, etc.
Zoran's popularity carries over from
eight years at Lelli's, nine years at Rugby
Grille in Birmingham, four years at Zinc
in West Bloomfield and, before coming to
Mon Jin Lau, a successful stint managing
Saltwater at MGM Grand Detroit.
Reason for the one-day notice for his
tableside goodies is because Zoran is
from the old school of this great feature
... demanding only the absolute freshest
ingredients for his excellent presentation.
Mon Jin Lau is more than just an ordi-
nary Asian restaurant ... It is a true din-

General Manager Zoran Smolcic

ing adventure ... with many
items that may sound familiar
but prepared with one-of-a-
kind togetherness ... Like my
elegant seaweed salad with
lobster shavings and a touch
of vinegar ... Or the delicious
eggplant, ginger and garlic
appetizer with thin-sliced
eggplant amid pesto, pine nuts
and Vietnamese rice noodles.
You won't find too many
places that serve its rack of
lamb chops grilled, rolled in a
peanut butter sauce and then grilled again
... Or my Thai sea bass in banana leaf,
oven-roasted and accompanied with Asian
vegetables and a Thai basil lemongrass
sauce.
Not to forget the excellent waitperson,
Asian herself, lovely Mia Fawks, with the
beautiful smile and gracious ways of pre-
sentation.
A Mon Jin Lau culinary experience is
always a delight.
DOWNTOWN DETROIT restaurants,
among others, seeing comeback signs is
good news, and dining spots like Caucus
Club on Congress continue to lead the
parade as it soon quietly celebrates its
60th anniversary ... Owner Mary Belloni
has the big favorite still rolling along with
delightfully great dishes.
DANDY DINING DEAL ... Fresh
salmon, 8 ounces, includes soup or salad,
potato and vegetable, $6.95, one week only,
Thursday, July 12 through Thursday, July
19 ... Siegel's Deli, 15 Mile Road, just west
of Haggerty, Commerce Township.
QUESTION & ANSWER DEPT. ... "My
wife, Sarah, and I are going to Las Vegas
soon. Can you recommend some good
delicatessens there?" ... Sam Gouda
[I have found that some of the better
Jewish delicatessens are at hotels on the
Strip, Sam ... Canter's in Treasure Island,
Carnegie in Mirage, Backstage in Luxor,
Greenberg's in New York, New York and

PRIME 29

STEAKS • SEAFOOD • COCKTAILS

Thursday I July 26, 2012

Reservations are Required
Online Reservations starting on July18 at
prirne29steakhouse.com or call 248.73.PRIME (77463)

Stage Deli in MGM Grand, etc.
... Chances are that one where
you and your wife are staying
may suffice for a short stay or
you might want to check oth-
ers on the Strip ... I haven't
found any that come close to
Detroit, New York or Chicago.]
GOOD SLEEPER items
receiving much note at
D'Pauli's in Sugar Tree Plaza,
Orchard Lake Road, north of
15 Mile, are the seafood salad
and perch dishes ... Both are
deliciously tasteful winners and priced
right.
READER MINI REVIEW ... From Bob
Golding ... "My wife, Leslie, and I recently
went to a third side-by-side restaurant
next to the popular Fiamma and Compari
restaurants on Main Street in downtown
Plymouth called the Sardine Room.
"It is primarily a seafood restaurant
but also features other interesting items.
A sumptuous raw bar from which we
had several varieties of freshly shucked
East and West Coast oysters floating in
their own juices greets your entry into the
Sardine Room.
"From our booth with Bill Dunbar and
Cynthia Douglas, Leslie and I could look
into the open kitchen and watch the chefs
prepare their wonderful dishes. Bill and
Cynthia had the grilled Portuguese sar-
dines blended with brown butter, capers
and goat cheese and fresh red snapper
grilled in tacos with a tequila lime cream.
"We shared the ceviche with branzino,
clams, plum and cucumber and compared
its unique flavor with the Caribbean vari-
ety Taylor Bay scallops served in the shell.
Our Loch Duart salmon with fresh-made
dill spaetzle was incredible, and the oyster
stew bold and flavorful. The Sardine Room
food brought back memories of dining
delights Leslie and I enjoyed in Europe."
GOOD MANAGER DEPT. ... General
Manager Leonard Rumija at Antonio's

Cucina Italiana, 12 Mile and Halsted,
Farmington Hills ... Attentive, personable
and conscious of customer satisfaction.
MAIL DEPT. ... "My husband and I
were recently in the 11 Mile/Lahser area
and having heard that Gateway Deli was
open again, decided to have lunch there.
Our full bowl of delicious hot pea and
bean soup, half a sandwich and a real
kosher pickle were delicious. The place
was clean, the waitress delightful and the
price a bargain." ... Diane Pomish
OLDIE BUT STILL GOODIE DEPT. ...
Two Jewish gents are sitting in a kosher
restaurant when a Chinese waiter comes
up and in fluent Yiddish asks them if
everything is OK or can he get them any-
thing ... The fellows are dumfounded,
with one asking the owner, an old friend
of theirs, also fluent in Yiddish, "Where did
your waiter learn such fabulous Yiddish?"
... The owner looks around and leans
over so no one will hear and says, "Shh. He
thinks we're teaching him English."
REUNION DEPT.... 1957 class mem-
bers of Bagley School will meet at the
school with present students and read
books to some prior to the alumni hav-
ing lunch at Langan's on Northwestern
Highway, Farmington Hills, Wednesday,
July 18 ... For more info, call Gary Alpert,
(248) 356-8655 ... 45th for Southfield
High class of 1967 will be a casual get-
together, Saturday, Aug. 11, 7:30 p.m. at Mr.
Joe's, 12 Mile, Southfield ... Call Ronna
Katzman, (248) 788-1562, or email
ronnasue49@gmalcom.
CONGRATS ... To Avery and Marilyn
Warnick on their same-day birthdays
... To Sonny "Saul" Modiano on his 60th
birthday ... To David Waxer on his 61st
birthday ... To Estelle Seltzer on her
birthday ... To Meyer and Charlotte Arbit
on their 55th anniversary ... To David and
Hedy Blatt on their 45th anniversary. ❑

Danny's email address is

dannyraskin@sbcglobal.net.

PRIME 2l is proud to support the Jewish Community Center of Metropolitan Detroit

E3/111111

THE CENTER

PRE-OPENING VIP DINNER BENEFIT

"Community Involvement Never Tasted So Good!"

50% of proceeds from our menu will be used to provide scholarships for children of JCC summer day camps,
which includes an award-winning program for children and teens with special needs.
Do not miss this opportunity to help support your community and enjoy Metro Detroit's only Contemporary Steakhouse!

248.73.PRIME I 6545 Orchard Lake Rd. I West Bloomfield, MI 48322

(At SE corner of Maple & Orchard Lake) I www.prime29steakhouse.com

1769720

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July 12 • 2012