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Smile And Say, 'Cheese'
Cheesecake Factory restaurant opens at Novi's Twelve Oaks.
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yummy formula.
Among the fare enjoyed
by me and Alethea Rowe,
Cheesecake Factory's fine
senior director, public rela-
tions and brand manage-
ment, were menu items that
have made it a huge favorite
... Like its most popular
dish, Chicken Madiera
(sauteed breast topped
with fresh asparagus and
melted mozzarella cheese
and covered with fresh mushroom sauce),
avocado eggrolls (the avocado filling is
made by Cheesecake Factory), beets with
goat cheese and pecans, and other goodies
plus, of course, Linda's Fudge Cake with
its layers of rich chocolate cake and fudge
frosting.
Seating of 225 at Twelve Oaks may be
smaller, but the new 8,430-square-foot size
is more compact and less crowded-looking
... It will probably be the prototype of
other Cheesecake Factory restaurants to
come ... As will be the striking decor of
new hand-painted murals above the open
kitchen instead of on the ceiling.
Location of the Cheesecake Factory
is the former Tin Fish restaurant site
between Nordstrom's and Lord & Taylor.
WINNER OF THE recent second annu-
al Detroit Burger Brawl 2013 by Fairway
Packing at Eastern Market was
Nor
4 comfort food regular One-Eyed
Betty's, Ferndale ... Second place
went to upscale Rattlesnake Club,
Detroit ... Dual honors were
given to ... Local Kitchen & Bar,
Ferndale, and Firekeepers Casino,
Battle Creek, for presentation;
Townhouse, Birmingham, and
Red Crown, Grosse Pointe, for
flavor; Green Dot Stables, Detroit,
and O'Connor's Public House,
Founder and CEO David Overton at the front desk Rochester, for creativity.
of the new Cheesecake Factory at Twelve Oaks in
More than 2,000 people, nearly
Novi.
triple last year's attendance,
OTPOURRI
Pre-opening ceremonies and
lunch at Twelve Oaks Mall, Novi,
prior to Cheesecake Factory's recently
opened first venture into the Metropolitan
Detroit area, brought many recognized
waitperson faces from other dining ven-
tures here.
Even, too, from places like the Jewish
News, where Laurel Schwartz worked 15
years ago ... Gals like Adrienne McDonald
from Cafe Rendezvous in West Bloomfield,
Shari Huiy from McCormick & Schmick's
in Troy, amid numerous other smiling
waitperson faces.
Founder and CEO David Overton's
childhood friends from elementary
and high school here dining with him
at Cheesecake Factory during its mock
training meals included Dr. Allen Kash,
to whom David's mom, Evelyn Overton,
used to pay 50 cents to deliver her cheese-
cakes; Mark Carney, David Silver and Bob
Anderson, three of the young men who
attended James Vernor Elementary School
with David, etc.
Sephardic Jew Linda Candioty, vice
president, guest experience, worked with
David and sister Renee's parents, Oscar
and Evelyn Overton, in the bakery back
in 1976 when in North Hollywood, help-
ing create recipes ... The luscious Linda's
Fudge Cake at Cheesecake Factory is her
donated $10 each to dine on all-
you-can-eat burgers (in excess
of 5,000 pounds supplied by
Fairway, including all the meat
blends used to make them) and
side dishes by participants ...
Proceeds went to Gleaners Food
Bank of Southeastern Michigan.
READER MINI REVIEW ...
by Dennis Silber ... "Among the
favorite restaurants of Debbie
and mine in Boca Raton for
brunch and dinner is Saquella
Cafe on Via De Palmas, a wonderful place
to eat and watch from their beautiful patio.
"Brunch is worth the wait. We usually go
there with a few other couples so we can
share Saquella's Tuscan omelet topped with
brie and caramelized onions on fresh-baked
brioche, egg white florentine omelet with
spinach and feta cheese, accompanied by
delicious seven-grain bread. Also its thick
and tasty Belgian waffles and a choice of
berries, chocolate chips and whipped cream.
"We also love the homemade organic
Swiss Muesli and wide variety of sand-
wiches such as rustic goat cheese baguette,
chicken Waldorf and homemade toasted
garlic bread with fresh roast beef.
"We try to get there at least once every
couple of weeks. Their salads, Raspberry
Vin Gorgonzola and Citrus Avocado, are
specialties that we enjoy. We thoroughly
enjoy the chicken on panini-pressed
seven-grain ciabetta bread and Caribbean
mahi mahi with mango cilantro salsa
and pistachio-crusted cod. Also Saquella's
Asian stir fry and shrimp risotto. Its
homemade desserts, too:'
QUESTION & ANSWER DEPT.... "Why
is it called Happy Hour when it is always
more than an hour?" ... Roberta Sanweis.
[It originally lasted only an hour and the
term was never changed ... Actually cor-
rect name of the popular segment might
be Happy Hours or Happy Time.]
WHAT A GREAT WAY to celebrate his
Clippers Barber Shop anniversary, thought
Hershal Gross ... 24 years at Applegate
Square on Northwestern Highway and
Inkster, Southfield, from where he had
moved to after five years at another loca-
tion on Northwestern.
He is a very dedicated and avid golfer,
so was thrilled at the prospect of having
his first hole-in-one in 35 years of playing
the green on the date that his shop opened
at Applegate.
It was a tremendous drive off the open-
ing tee on the 185-yard fourth hole at
White Lake Golf Course ... The hefty shot
was straight as an arrow toward a golfing
bull's-eye but, alas, hit the marker still
standing defiantly in the hole, with the
doomed ball falling just a few feet away
from Hershel's almost-dream celebration.
REUNION DEPT. ... Correction ...
Name of leader lady with Ralph Woronoff
at the recent 1953 Central High reunion is
Debbie (Michaels) Iwrey.
OLDIE BUT GOODIE DEPT. ... Israel's
economy was in bad shape with inflation
getting higher. So, the Knesset held a spe-
cial session to come up with a solution.
After several hours of talk without prog-
ress, one member stands up and says, "Quiet,
everyone. I've got the solution to all our prob-
lems. We'll declare war on the United States:'
Everyone starts shouting at once,
"You're nuts! That's crazy!"
"Hear me out!" he says. "We declare war.
We lose. The United States does what she
always does when she defeats a country.
She rebuilds everything, our highways,
airports, shipping ports, schools, hospitals,
factories, and loans us money and sends
us food aid. Our problems would be over:'
"Sure says another minister, "that's if
we lose. But what if we win?"
CONGRATS ... To Daryl Sklar on his
61st birthday ... To Jackie Bernhardt on
her 90th birthday ... To Dr. Morton Lazar
on his 100th birthday ... To Sander and
Barbara Papo on their 55th anniversary.
❑
Danny's email is dannyraskin@sbcglobal.net.
Wishing our Customers Health;Happiness and prosperity 1
• Full Bar!
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• Catering & Carry-Out
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August 29 • 2013
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OPEN 7 DAYS
A WEEK
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• New Comedy Club coming
Sept. 26th in our lower level
every Thurs., Fri. and Sat.
BEST Lamb Chops, Period!
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• Sat. & Sun. Brunch $10.99 adults
Serving
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40380 Grand River • Novi • 248-615-2102 • Bigtommys.com
Between Haggerty & Meadowbrook on the north side
1860900