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And Then Came Three!

Unique menu choices among many features as Shangri-La fetes 19th anniversary.

W

hat began as a small Thai
with chili sauce, braised duck
restaurant has today, 19 years
with taro root, braised chicken
later, become one of the fin-
with scallions in a hot pot, tofu
est and most esteemed Hong Kong-style
with Chinese mushrooms and
Cantonese restaurants in Michigan.
peapods, and so many more.
The late Archie Silk, owner of the
Best sellers listed on the
Orchard Mall on 15 Mile and Orchard
menu include live lobster
Lake Road, West Bloomfield, was at
Cantonese with green onions
Cholada Chan's former Mai Thai restau-
and ginger, served over pan-
rant across the street and happened to
fried or juicy soft noodles,
mention that the Rikshaw Inn in his mall
Peking duck, walnut shrimp,
had closed.
live crab, live fish (in season),
A bright light shone, and Cholada
etc.
suddenly could think of nothing but the
Among the favorite features in West
opportunity she had longed for ... To
Bloomfield are the combination dinners
move to larger quarters and serve what she that are served evenings ... dine-in only
believed to be the epitome of Cantonese
... Monday through Thursday, 4-9 p.m.
dining that would also include a full menu
... 23 favorite selections that include
of dim sum when there was nowhere in
soup, egg roll and fried or white rice ...
the area to enjoy these wonderful little,
$10.95.
filled dumplings and other
Four years ago, the original
goodies ... At the time,
Shangri-La West Bloomfield
Cholada's sons, Tom and
became a small chain of
Joe, among others, needed
three restaurants ... Now
to travel to Windsor's Wah
Shangri-La Midtown on Cass,
Court and Wong's Eatery to
Detroit, is a huge favorite
enjoy dim sum.
of the area and Shangri-La
When dim sum was first
Garden on Middlebelt and
offered at the then-new
12 Mile, Farmington Hills,
Shangri-La, it was served
serves outstanding Thai,
only at lunch ... However,
Chinese and Japanese food.
the demand became so large Cholada Chan
Shangri-La West Bloomfield
that the delicious dumplings
serves its fine fare seven days a
were then served every day
week in three rooms with total
and evening ... Originally there were only
seating for about 240 people ... including
about 40 selections of dim sum offered ...
a 100-seat banquet room that is also used
Today the number has grown to more than for overflow attendance.
80 ... and Shangri-La is Michigan's largest
West Bloomfield hours are Monday-
restaurant server of dim sum.
Friday, 11 a.m.-2 a.m.; Saturday and
Sunday, 10 a.m.-2 a.m.
Although dim sum is a huge feature,
The authenticity of Hong Kong
it is second to the bevy of Hong Kong
Cantonese goodies at Shangri-La, with its
Cantonese dining at Shangri-La is well-
many dishes not seen elsewhere in this
noted among numerous aficionados whose
region ... Excellently prepared items like
enthusiasm has resulted in its winning
crabs steamed with Chinese wine, oysters
numerous awards during a highly success-
baked with Chinese wine, scallops sauteed
ful 19-year existence.

"As a corporate event planner of 23 years, what a surprise to say
that everything I asked for
- - was
,_ done correctly... Your staff wa a
ilk
_ TRUkpleasure to work with."
0 4• i ire, 130-111itzvah,
Oct, 2012
.._

. ,
d

. •

TIME WAS WHEN large
neighborhood Greek restau-
rants with full service and
complete authentic menus
were quite scarce.
Greek restaurant feasting
has always been a huge favor-
ite ... with numerous folks
still flocking to Greektown,
Detroit, for their favorite
Grecian cuisine.
The usual smaller Greek
restaurants had regular visita-
tions in the Northwest sector but the true
lovers of this ethnic food always seemed to
wind up in Greektown.
Then the day arrived when one of those
visitors told a Greektown restaurant owner
that if he ever came to the Northwest, to
call him and he would like to become his
partner ... That time came when Tommy
Peristeris, owner of Old Parthenon in
Greektown, called Rick Rogow and said he
was opening in West Bloomfield ... It was
the beginning of Big Daddy's Parthenon,
which became a huge success.
The original Big Daddy's is gone ...
Peristeris is helping his daughter, Elena,
and son-in-law, Andy, operate their Big
Tommy's Parthenon in Novi ... John
Kaounas has New Big Daddy's in Livonia ...
Uptown Parthenon serves Greek-style offer-
ings in West Bloomfield ... and two more
large Greek restaurants are making waves
about opening in the Northwest.
THE ONLY FAT in the low-fat pizza
by Buddy's Pizza, says Wes Pikula, vice
president of operations, is the very small
light oil coating on the pizza dough ...
By the way, that familiar-looking fellow
walking around at the Buddy's Pizza on
Northwestern Highway, Farmington Hills,
is Manager Robert Nall, formerly at Beau
Jack's on 15 Mile and Telegraph ... 30 years
at Beau Jack's and out of retirement to join
the Buddy's team.

QUESTION & ANSWER DEPT.... "Do
you remember the name of that place on
Woodward that was known for its delicious
frog legs that we used to get there? Do you
know of any place now that has frog legs
like them? ... Lois Erdler
[You must be thinking about Club
Berkley that was owned by Frank and Freda
Bedient. Those tiny frog legs that they had
were wonderful and far superior to the
many times overly battered drumstick vari-
eties served at some restaurants ... Pepino's
in Walled Lake is among the places that
serves good ones.]
MAKING ROUNDS ... To Dolce Vita,
Woodward, Detroit, for roasted boneless
duck ... To Luigi's Trattoria, Farmington
Road, Farmington, for creamy garlic soup
... To Samurai Steak House, Haggerty, West
Bloomfield, for hibachi selections ... To
Rochester Chop House, Main, Rochester, for
jumbo lump crab cakes.
OLDIE BUT GOODIE DEPT. ... An
elderly man goes to a brothel and tells the
madam that he would like a beautiful, young
lady for the night. The madam gives him a
quick look-over and is rather puzzled. So she
asks him, "How old are you?" He asks why
and replies, "I'm 98 years old today:'
"Ninety-eight!" the madam exclaims.
"Don't you realize you've had it?"
"Oh:' he says. "In that case, how much do
I owe you?"
CONGRATS ... To Newton Berlin on his
birthday ... To Avery Warnick on his birth-
day ... To Marilyn Warnick on her birthday
... To Carolyn Nosanchuk on her birthday
... To Bonnie Nosanchuk on her birthday
... To Harvey Gold on his 77th birthday ...
To Kim Lifton on her birthday ... To Estelle
Seltzer on her birthday ... To Joe Smiler on
his birthday ... To Bernie and Muriel Moray
on their 52th anniversary ... To David and
Hedy Blatt on their 46th anniversary.

❑

Danny's email is dannyraskin®sbcglobal.net .

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July 11 • 2013