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A Work Of Art

For 40 years, Gallery Restaurant has served up masterpieces.

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t recently celebrated its 30th anniver-
chicken burgers or pita parme-
sary, but the true story actually began
sans, and many of the favorite
10 years earlier when it opened at
dishes at the Gallery are pre-
another locale.
pared differently than at other
This was in 1973, when the very popular restaurants ... The chicken pot-
Gallery Restaurant originally opened on
pie, meatloaf, salmon patties,
10 Mile Road in Southfield ... and, after
veal parmesan, corned beef and
a decade, opened for another 30 years
cabbage, kosher hot dogs, etc.,
at its present location in the Bloomfield
carry their own identity.
Plaza on Telegraph and Maple, Bloomfield
Even the items that are not
Township.
on the Gallery's regular menu
The changes have been constant as
... Simple dishes like canta-
owner Stefanos Becharas continues to add
loupe with chicken, tuna or
many friends to his long list of regular
cottage cheese ... or cottage cheese with
customers that comprises judges, lawyers,
fruit or lettuce, tomato, cucumber in pita
civic leaders, doctors, humanitarians,
bread, plus numerous other combinations
etc. ... The wholesome breakfast, lunch
are available and can be prepared per cus-
and dinner menus have reached almost
tomer request.
250 dishes ... and the framed artwork
The Gallery Restaurant is a seven-day-a-
and artifacts that fill the Gallery walls
week operation, open Monday-Saturday, 7
from end to end would make many an art
a.m.-9:30 p.m., and Sunday, 8 a.m.-9 p.m.
exhibitor jealous.
Seating in the dining room is
Back in 1973, the amount of
124 plus another 24 outside the
restaurant in Bloomfield Plaza's
menu items was far from the
number it is today, but some are
indoor hallway-like area.
so popular that they have never
"Over the past four decades:'
changed except to get even bet-
says Stefanos, "my wife, Irene,
ter ... Like the freshly made
and I, with our employees,
tuna salad, which is still among
have gotten to know and love
the absolute favorite items
the families that we serve. In
served ... also fresh-broiled
today's ever-changing society,
whitefish ... along with salmon
we
are proud to say that we are
Stefanos Becharas
and orange roughy ... chicken
something consistent:'
potpie, Mediterranean chicken
That the Gallery is a family
burgers, fresh salmon patties, etc. ... At
restaurant is without question ... There is
breakfast, few places are known to serve
something to eat for everybody ... Noted
a better Belgian waffle or corned beef or
personalities among the customer base
turkey hash.
are regularly seen with or without their
A conservative estimate is that in 40
families.
years, almost 10 million people have
Having an impeccable reputation as the
eaten at the Gallery ... consuming almost
Gallery has gotten throughout its 40 years
is most admirable ... Never varying from
200,000 gallons of soup (including its
40-year signature mushroom barley),
wholesome presentations except to get
almost 600,000 pounds of tuna, more
better is a commendable trait in the res-
than 250,000 pounds of fresh fish, about
taurant business ... Stefanos Becharas and
300,000 pounds of fresh hamburger, etc.
the Gallery are held in high esteem ... The
Few restaurants have Mediterranean
respect he has gotten through the years

If

GIRLS NIGHT OUT

For Groups of 10-20
BOGO Entrees I $5 Martinis 150% off Wine Bottles
Reservations Required

as a restaurateur, friend and
humanitarian is certainly to be
admired.
WHAT MAY TURN out
to be another major dining
and catering coupe by owner
Ron Asmar and general
manager son Tony Asmar at
the Vineyards Marketplace,
Northwestern Highway
between Middlebelt and 14
Mile, Farmington Hills, is the
recent addition of prominent
chef Artie Oliverio.
While Shirlee Bloom heads the Jewish-
style Bloom's Kitchen, Artie will make his
noted gourmet Italian food adaptations.
Dining in, carryout and catering have
become huge features at Vineyards ...
Now with Oliverio on the dining team,
key togetherness, like with Shirlee, will
certainly bring back many memories of
glorious partaking of food.
As former owner/chef of Oliverio's
Maria's, Oliverio's Chop House, Oliverio's
Mona Lisa, etc., Artie provided choice
dining visits ... Now, at Vineyards, he will
have the same dishes for small or large
gourmet Italian events as well as five items
daily for dine-in and carryout, includ-
ing his 30-year stuffed rollatini favorite,
stuffed clams, stuffed mushrooms, chicken
marsala, veal chop calabrese, steak braci-
ole, etc. ... Many of the wonderful food
concoctions that Artie brought back years
ago from New York are being featured.
I CAN COUNT numerous Greek res-
taurants where, in my opinion, many of
the chefs received passing grades ... Most
of those who didn't were not Greek ...
Almost all of them who had a Greek chef
enjoyed a distinct advantage ... They knew
the taste of authentic Greek cooking.
But of all those, there were some who
shone above the rest ... Among them was
Demetrios "Jimmy" Papatriantafyllou
who recently joined the kitchen as execu-

REDISCOVER

the all new

O

0

PURCHASE OF
$20 OR MORE

r.
Only valid atr
'Only. May not
be combine
ime of order. Mile
Grazie Dollars ant Cos
inconjunction with thi
Void where prohibited. Tax and gratuity excluded. No cash value

tive chef at New Big Daddy's on Victor
Parkway, just off the 1-275 Expressway
between Seven and Eight Mile roads,
Livonia.
Since there is no such thing as absolute
perfection in any cooking or restaurant
operation, next best is someone like
Jimmy, whose near-exactness of authentic-
ity and innovations at New Hellas, Cypress
Taverna, etc., in Greektown Detroit, were
priceless.
VEGETARIANS TAKE NOTE ...
Delicious Italian minestrone soup, usu-
ally made with a chicken base stock, is a
standard in many Italian restaurants ...
Now many diners are finding it among
the better places with a 100-percent no-
meat base as is served at Steven Lelli's
Inn on the Green, Clubhouse Drive off
12 Mile, between Halsted and Haggerty,
Farmington Hills.
GOOD SERVER DEPT. ... Maria Gjokaj
at Joe Vicari's Andiamo Italian Steakhouse
on 14 Mile, Warren, so smiling, efficient and
gracious in her customer-pleasing ways.
OLDIE BUT GOODIE DEPT. ... The
matchmaker corners the poor student
with, "Have I got a girl for you!"
"I'm not interested:' says the student.
"But she's very beautiful, is very rich and
comes from a very noble family:'
"It all sounds great to me:' says the stu-
dent, "but why would a girl like that want
to marry me? She'd have to be crazy:'
"Well:' replied the matchmaker, "you
can't have everything in life!"
CONGRATS ... To William "Willie"
Stone on his 89th birthday ... To Terry
Zangas on his birthday ... To Albert "Al"
Holtz on his birthday ... To Lori Weinstein
on her birthday ... To Jason Raznick on
his birthday ... To Sheldon (Shel) Green
on his 70th birthday ... To Steve Fishman
on his birthday ... To Sharon Eaton on her
birthday.

❑

Danny's email is dannyraskin@sbcglobal.net .

HAPPY HOUR

Monday-Friday 3pm-7pm/ All Day Thursday
$5 Martinis/ $5 House Wines/$5 Small Plates
Live Music Thursday thru Saturday

$25

I

•

PURCHASE OF
$50 OR MORE

'

1

NOVI ITALIAN BISTRO

42705 Grand River Ave. Novi, MI 48375

248-348-3838

Only valid at Novi locationsil
not
be combined with another offer o
ime ottfder. Mile
Grazie Dollars and Costco Gift Cards may no
e eemed in conjunction with t
Void where prohibited. Tax and gratuity excluded. No cash value

March 14 • 2013

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