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A Toast To 2012 •• •
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Looking back at the year in restaurant dining.
A
s we approach another year,
we note so many restuarants
with a resurgence of attendance
en route to normalcy, plus those dining
establishments that celebrated openings
and those all-important "We're still here!"
anniversaries and other important notes.
JANUARY ... Sposita's Italian Ristorante,
West Bloomfield, began the year celebrat-
ing its 12th anniversary with a much-
wanted aura of consistency ... Health guru
Jim Berk's Mini Review on Willson's Pub
'n Grill, Commerce Township, told of a
relatively unknown favorite in healthy eat-
ing ... Star Deli, Southfield, celebrated its
33rd anniversary as one of America's best
small carryout delicatessens ... Beans &
Cornbread, Southfield, puts its cornbread
muffins in Hiller's and Plum markets.
FEBRUARY ... Matt Prentice returns by
announcing the reopening soon of Morel's in
Farmington Hills ... Siegel's Deli, Commerce
Township, recognized as the only Jewish
mom-and-pop delicatessen left locally...
Beans & Cornbread celebrates 14th anniver-
sary by winning award as one of America's
Best Soul Food restaurants ... New London
Chop House opens in the same Detroit
locale as its same-name predecessors.
MARCH ... O'Mara's, Berkley, celebrates
18th birthday by opening daily for breakfast
for first time ... Recently opened Diamond
Jim Brady's Bistro & Bar in its new Novi
location is by Chef Mary Brady and new
partner, Chef Susan Juergens ... Morel's,
Farmington Hills, has grand reopening
with 100 percent proceeds to Variety-the
Children's Charity ... Northwestern Highway
between 12 and 14 Mile roads becoming a
well-populated dining strip again ... Zoran
Smolcic, with his tableside prowess, is new
general manager at Mon Jin Lau, Troy.
APRIL ... 60th anniversary of Hunter
House, Birmingham, honored with TV Food
MILI1
Network and Wall Street Journal
accolades among best hamburg-
ers in America ... Word is true
that former 7 Restaurant site,
West Bloomfield, will become
Prime 29 Steakhouse ... Moe's
On Ten, Novi, lauded for its
meatloaf made on premises ...
Former 40-year chef in Iraq, plus
vice chairman of Association of
Restaurants in Baghdad, opens
Marhaba in Farmington Hills.
MAY ... New Joe Muer
Seafood, recently opened in Renaissance
Center, Detroit, by Joe Vicari, Andiamo head,
drawing big crowds ... Second anniversary
of Le Chef Bistro, Farmington Hills, enjoys
rating among Michigan's finest on-premises-
cooking Lebanese restaurants ... Cuisine,
Detroit, recognized for its French-styled
dishes ... New Thai restaurant, Bangkok
Cuisine, opens in West Bloomfield.
JUNE ... Breakfast an even bigger hit with
destinations like Early Bird, Keego Harbor;
Breakfast Club, Commerce Township;
Sunrise Cafe, Farmington Hills; Zoe's, West
Bloomfield; and many more ... Recently
opened Duo Restaurant and Lounge,
Southfield, unrecognizable from former
Irving's Delicatessen and Shanghai Chinese
restaurant ... Antonio's Cucina Italiana,
Farmington Hills, celebrates its 11th anni-
versary as one of the Roman Village family
restaurants, which originally opened in 1964.
JULY ... Prime 29 Steakhouse opens to
huge crowds in former site of 7 Restaurant,
West Bloomfield ...Recently opened Hyde
Park Steakhouse, Birmingham, already look-
ing like a new "id place ... Closing of Opus
One, Detroit, only temporary ... George's
Honey Tree, West Bloomfield, avoids further
confusion by changing its name to Georges
Restaurant ... Ristorante de Maria, West
Bloomfield, reopens... Another Big Rock
Chophouse enterprise to become
Griffin Claw Brewing Company,
Birmingham, as ribbon-cutting
is followed with a huge party at
Big Rock's next-door Reserve
Banquet Center ... Sleeper is
unveiled with note of Friday and
Saturday dancing at Clawson
Steak House, Clawson ... Also
quietly known is that Golden
Phoenix Chinese restaurant,
West Bloomfield, serves liquor
...Detroit Prime opens in former
site of RJ's American Grill, Farmington Hills
... Root, White Lake, acclaimed for smoked
fish with creme fraiche.
AUGUST ... The three Andiamo Italian
restaurants in Bloomfield Hills, Warren and
Livonia, changed to Andiamo Streakhouses,
show off individual interior decors ...66th
anniversary of Buddy's Pizza reveals
astounding statistic of pizzas made and
sold extending almost halfway around the
world ... Executive chef at new Prime 29
Steakhouse, West Bloomfield, is excellent
Hai Ying, formerly of Motor City Casino's
Iridescence ... Hong Hua, Farmington Hills,
gives its four owners 12th anniversary gift
with restaurant interior alterations ... 36th
anniversary of Beau Jack's, Bloomfield Hills,
follows years of Westerner Beef Buffet on the
same site by present owner Gary Cochran
and his late dad, Jack Cochran.
SEPTEMBER ... New name of Mosaic
restaurant, Detroit, when changed to a
Greek operation, to be Santorini Estiatorio
by the Jim and Vicki Papas family ... Brian
Henson, executive chef at Norm LePage's Big
Rock Chophouse, Birmingham, is named
Executive Chef of the Year by the American
Culinary Federation's Michigan de Cuisine
Alfoccino, Farmington Hills, reaches
26th year with its bottled salad dressing and
sauces now shipped around the country.
Exquisite Catering
Impeccable Service
CORPORATE EVENTS
BAR & BAT MITZVAHS
CEREMONIES & RECEPTIONS
TRAY CATERING/SHIVA TRAYS
SHOWERS & REHEARSAL DINNERS
Banquets
EPIC
Birthdays
CATERIN
le*
Weddings
OCTOBER ... Detroit Cheesecake Bistro,
Detroit, opens with 10 flavors of cheesecake
along with regular fare ... La Dolce Vita,
Detroit, lauded for its lake perch in white
wine sauce ... and Jeremy, Keego Harbor,
for its beef tenderloin ... Le Chef Lebanese
dining, Farmington Hills, to take additional
space to accommodate folks hearing about
its wonderful food ... Both Boneyard and
Brass Pointe, Farmington Hills, answering
requests by now serving barbecued beef ribs
... Prime 29 Steakhouse holds official public
opening and ribbon-cutting event more than
two months after opening. ... Following
its 60th anniversary, the wonderful Caucus
Club, Detroit, is forced to close after the
Penobscot Building is sold to a Toronto firm.
NOVEMBER ... Highly acclaimed
Detroit Seafood Market, Detroit, celebrates
its second anniversary with huge plaudits
from attendees and personalities appearing
here ... 23rd Stone Crab season by O'Brien's
Crabhouse, Auburn Hills, brings multitude
of seafood lovers ... Newly opened Oakland
Art Novelty Company, Ferndale, a no-food
and no-art operation, just drinks ... Shangri-
La in West Bloomfield and Farmington Hills
now including complete dinners at one price
... Joe Muer Seafood, Detroit, celebrates first
anniversary with sushi bar and raw bar dif-
ferences from the original Gratiot location.
DECEMBER ... Mon Jin Lau's 43rd anni-
versary, Troy, named among the nation's
finest Nu Asian restaurants ... On 36th
birthday, Cafe Cortina, Farmington Hills,
is again named one of Amerids top Italian
restaurants ... New Big Daddy's Greek res-
taurant, Livonia, a six-month favorite ...
Cafe Rendezvous re-opens in former Yossi's
spot, West Bloomfield ... Franklin Grill and
Tavern, Franklin, is a big dining choice.
Wishes galore for a happy New Year. LJ
Danny's email is dannyraskin@sbcglobatnet.
Showers
Bar/Bat Mitzvahs
Reunions Anniversaries
WE CATER AT MOST SYNAGOGUES,
TEMPLES, HOTELS AND THE HALLS OF YOUR
CH ICE
Etc.
ON-SITE & OFF-PREMISE CATERING
Phone
Fax
CHOLOV YISROEL KOSHER
Jewish Community Center
54
(248) 432-5654
(248) 785-0123
Email niilkhoney@theepicureangroup.com
www.theepicureangroup.com/kosher
December 27 • 2012
DI
A DIVISION OF
MILK & HONEY
GLATT KOSHER
Adat Shalom Synagogue
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Approved by Council
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