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Brunchin' On Woodward
The Hudson Cafe provides culinary class on the Avenue.
T
wo lifelong friends made their
stuffed French toast with
career marks in the restaurant
spiced Michigan peaches.
business ... however not ever
Its signature dishes are big
together ... One for 15 years and the other
sellers ... The red velvet pan-
for 20 years, but they were never able to
cakes and Voo-Doo Benedict
find a dining vehicle where both could
... along with Very Berry
work jointly in varied capacities.
stuffed French toast and corned
Downtown Detroit had weathered a
beef hash.
fierce economic period and was in need of
The Hudson Cafe is open
a place where many of its workforce, resi-
seven days ... Monday-
dents and shoppers could go for breakfast/
Thursday, 8 a.m.-3 p.m.;
brunch ... at affordable prices for overly
Friday-Sunday, till 4 p.m....
ample portions.
Seating capacity at the restau-
The seed of an idea had been planted,
rant is 103.
and the Hudson Cafe on Woodward, across
Breakfast/brunch innovative ideas by
from the former J.L. Hudson store, at Lofts Tom and Stavros are many ... includ-
of Merchants Row, was born in September
ing concoctions seldom, if ever, heard of
2011.
and certainly coming from imaginative
Executive Chef/co-owner Tom Teknos,
minds ... For the brunch crowd and some
who operates the restaurant seven days a
breakfast folks, there are sandwiches like
week, morning to close, is a graduate of
turkey and other burgers, club, quesadilla,
the prestigious French Culinary Institute
portabella, etc. ... Salads, too, along with
in New York and after graduation worked
healthy selections at all times.
in Michelin-starred restaurants.
And if Mom or Dad has the kids
Co-owner Stavros Adamopoulos,
Downtown, whether to visit or to take
who five years ago opened Zoe's House
shopping, there is a section of the menu
of Pancakes with Leo
for young folks 12
Stassinopoulos in West
and under.
Bloomfield, also helps eve-
It is always so nice
nings at the family's Hercules
that the day comes
Restaurant in Farmington Hills.
when close friends
The opportunity for Tom
from childhood get
and Stavros to finally work
together as equal
together had come after signing
partners in a business
a 10-year lease with Schostak
venture ... In this
Brothers in the building man-
case, it is doubly so
Executive chef/co-owner Tom
aged by Dan Gilbert's Bedrock
because fate deemed
Teknos an d co-owner Stavros
Management team.
that both would go
Adamopou los.
This is, in many ways, a dif-
the dining route.
READER MINI
ferent kind of upscale breakfast/
"I
brunch restaurant ... Along with the usual
REVIEW ... By Armen Darakjian
eggs, toast and other dishes, innovations play recently went with friends to one of my
a huge role ... Having a French Culinary
new favorite eateries. Bucci Ristorante on
Institute graduate as its executive chef/co-
Mack Avenue in Grosse Pointe Woods is a
owner is indeed a large factor in this birth.
great interpretation of classic Italian food.
You won't find red velvet pancakes or
It has a 12- or 14-person counter where
graham cracker-crusted French toast on
we sat on comfortable stools and watched
many other menus ... Or mascarpone-
cooks create our dishes and those of others.
"I started with a beautiful
grilled seafood salad called
Seafood Calabrese with perfect
combination balance of olive
oil, homemade lemon vinai-
grette and a touch of capers.
The Artichoke Tosca in a
golden brown egg batter was
delicious. I enjoyed a lamb
filet cooked to perfection.
"One of our guests had filet
mignon cooked to his order
that was as big as its delight-
ful taste. Another enjoyed a
Chicken Belle in which Bucci adds marsala
sauce and couples it with dried cherries
and walnuts.
"For something sweet, we chose the
creme brulee with thin, hardened sugar on
top that didn't get stuck in the teeth, and
the creme underneath had to be one of the
best I've ever had — silky and smoothly
blended with an excellent taste:'
ANOTHER CHANGE IN SCENERY
is made by Arthur Dubin, prior chef at
the two former D'Pauli's, both previously
in West Bloomfield's Sugar Tree Plaza,
and the carryout at Harvard Row Kosher
Meats, also in Sugar Tree ... He is now at
the new R Family Dining, on the site of
closed Sero's, Northwestern, Southfield.
STILL HUGE FAVORITES at Vineyards
on Northwestern, Farmington Hills, is the
double-barreled eat-in and carryout dishes
by Shirlee Bloom (Jewish style) and Artie
Oliverio (Italian variety).
FRANK SINATRA loved it at the for-
mer Gino's restaurant whenever in New
York, and his big favorite, Rigatoni a la
Gino, is now on the menu at Steven Lelli's
Inn, 12 Mile, Farmington Hills ... It was
given to co-owner Mark Zarkin on a visit
to the Big Apple.
GOOD WAITRESS DEPT. ... Elizabeth
Tulloch at Joe Vicari's Andiamo Italian
Steakhouse, 15 Mile and Telegraph,
Bloomfield Township ... Smiling, efficient
and graciously cordial are Beth's satisfying
efforts at pleasing her appreciative guests.
QUESTION & ANSWER DEPT. ...
remember back when there was talk that
Darbys restaurant was going to open again.
Didn't it almost happen?" ... Sidney Cohen
[There were many rumors that it would.
Sam Boesky and stepson Bernie Kerner
at one time did seriously consider taking
over the former Town and Country Club
that became Hamilton Place, but that was
as far as it went until they decided to buy
the Stanley Steamer bath house in Oak
Park and call it Darbys Stanley Steamer.]
MAKING ROUNDS ... To Uptown
Grill, West Maple, Commerce Township,
for rib-eye steak ... To Moe's on Ten, 10
Mile, Novi, for premises-made stuffed
roasted chicken ... To Cafe Cortina, 10
Mile, Farmington Hills, for made-in-
house gnocci ... To Star Deli, 12 Mile,
Southfield, for house-cooked corned
beef take-out ... To O'Brien's, Opdyke,
Auburn Hills, for steamed clam bucket ...
To Golden Phoenix, Orchard Lake Road,
West Bloomfield, for chicken mushroom
chow mein ... To Gallery, Telegraph,
Bloomfield Township, for house-made
chicken pot pie.
OLDIE BUT GOODIE DEPT. ... A
blind guy, wearing dark glasses, a trench
coat and using a walking cane, goes into
a video store with his German shepherd
seeing-eye dog ... The blind guy proceeds
to walk around for a few minutes, then
picks up his dog by the tail and swirls him
around in circles above his head.
The clerk notices this alarming sight
and says, "Hey! What the heck are you
doing?" ... The blind guy answers, "Just
looking around:'
CONGRATS ... To Taylor Chimoff on
her 21st birthday ... To Estelle Robinson
on her birthday ... To Alan Borsen on
his birthday ... To Frank and Sonia
Shaenboen on their 65th anniversary.
❑
Danny's email address is
dannyraskingsbcglobalmet.
"New Big Daddy's in Livonia has them coming back for more" - Danny Raskin •
Jan 17th, 2013
G
Come on in for our
OO before
6 special
Burger, Fries, Domestic
Draft Beer 2pm-6pm
7 days a week
Happy Hour Specials.
Premium Draft Beer - $3.00
Wine - $4.00
Mixed Drinks - $4.00
Cosmo's & Martini's - $5.00
Sun — Thurs 11am to 10pm • Fri — Sat 11am to 11pm
Includes Dining-in, Carry-out
and Catering.
NEW BIG DADDY'S
AMERICAN GREEK CUISINE
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19333 Victor Parkway • Livonia, MI (between 7 & 8 Mile next to Embassy Suites) 734-744-5555
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July 4 • 2013