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Scrumptious Comfort
Enjoy "comfort food" from an all-star restaurateur at Local Kitchen and Bar.
T
here will always be good chefs
who attempt to own a restaurant
... Many, however, eventually
prove that they know food preparation
much better than they do running a din-
ing business.
Some make the transition grade, but
most mainly go back to what they know
best ... food and other kitchen training.
Among those with the twofold ability of
being exceptionally skilled in the kitchen
and also quite adept at restaurant owner-
ship is a restaurateur celebrating the first
anniversary of his latest establishment.
Rick Halberg's excellent reputation as
an innovative chef whose fine imagina-
tive dining is well noted goes back to his
days after graduating from the prestigious
Culinary Institute of America in Hyde
Park, N.Y. ... Then, around 1970, at the
health food Aquarian Farmery in Tuscon,
Ariz., back to his native
Detroit as executive chef at
Tweeney's in Birmingham
and then partnering in
R.I.K.s Total Cuisine in
Bloomfield Township and
R.I.K.s the Restaurant in
West Bloomfield.
His former upscale
Emily's restaurant in
Northville was an elegant
operation ... where it
became very obvious that
Rick's amazing ability as
Rick Heiberg
an inventive chef again
went much beyond the
kitchen ... Like his latest foray into the
dining field with partner Brian Siegel
(owner of Joe Dumars Fieldhouse and Star
Trax partner) ... The Local Kitchen and
Bar restaurant is located on West Nine
Mile, west of Woodward, at the corner of
Planavon in Ferndale (previous site of Via
Nove).
Local Kitchen is a result of Rick's feeling
that it was the right time to get away from
fine dining ... Somewhat of a
complete reversal from Rick's
previous very good and fine
dining experiences ... He's
now introduced casual comfort
food on a higher scale, where
the signature dishes and best-
sellers are items like mac &
cheese, fried green tomatoes,
burgers, smoked brisket, etc.
Even two of his favorite
dishes are on the menu ...
premises-made meatloaf and
chicken cutlets.
Also available at Local Kitchen are din-
ing delights somewhat similar to those
that so many wish they could find ...
like premises-made turkey meatloaf with
challah, baked mac & cheese with four
cheeses, burgers on challah buns, potpies,
stews, short-rib hash, etc ...
More specialties are
presented daily.
Gaining much popular-
ity is the interesting and
most novel Chef's Table in
the restaurant's kitchen,
where there is no set
menus for those reserving
this feature ... The guests
make it up themselves
... and numerous dishes
requested are sometimes
ones that were available
at the former Emily's ...
The customer calls Rick
and together they plan a
menu that works for all concerned ... It is
a set menu for the entire group from one
to eight people, including an appropriate
wine, beer or spirit ... Cost is a minimum
$100 per person plus tax and tip.
Local Kitchen and Bar is open seven
days a week ... Lunch Monday-Friday,
11-3; brunch Saturday and Sunday, 9-3;
dinner all seven days from 5 p.m. ...
Seating in the main dining room is 100,
with another eight stools at its
bar.
Emily's-style dishes are avail-
able for special events in the
upstairs event center and those
who book Local's Chef's Table.
A visit to Local Kitchen
and Bar is the kind of dining
adventure that so many folks
have wanted for a long time ...
The fresh approach to comfort
selections for dining good-
ness is the thrill of many ... as
evidenced by its successful acceptance as
Local Kitchen celebrates its first anniver-
sary.
WHAT A NICE gesture ... Changing
the name of his Joe Vicari's Andiamo Novi
on Grand River to Joe & Aldo's Italian
Tavern in honor of Joe's late corporate
executive chef, Aldo Ottoviani ... Joe hired
him when Aldo closed his Aldo's Italian
Restaurant on Kelly Road after 50 years
and went into retirement.
JOINING THE SURGE of new restau-
rant openings, expected the latter part of
October in Royal Oak will be Bistro 82,
with classically inspired French cuisine
... On the second floor will be Sabrage, a
champagne ultra-lounge.
READER MINI REVIEW ... by Sandy
Hermanoff ... "Among the many restau-
rants that Michael and I visited while
spending time this summer in Charlevoix,
some always stand out for their wonderful
elements in casual dining.
"Terry's has a wonderful menu that
incorporates preparations of whitefish,
perch and walleye in numerous ways. On
our Charlevoix visits, we have had them
prepared in every style and have made
every one of them a favorite of ours. Many
times, either Michael or I will have crab,
pasta, duck, lamb, chicken or veal and
have yet to be disappointed.
"Next door, owner Terry Left owns
the Villager, which we also found to be
wonderful with items that we thoroughly
enjoyed, like succulent ribs, breaded
whitefish and flavorful burgers with any
toppings people wish. The side of sweet
potato fries was great, and the delicious
goldbrick sundaes are like the ones we
used to love in Downtown Detroit"
A BEST BET OF THE WEEK ... Ninth
annual Grub Crawl by West Bloomfield
Chamber of Commerce and W.B. Rotary
Club ... Thursday, Oct. 3, 6-9 p.m. for
food, fun and togetherness.
The $40 price includes T-shirt "ticket"
for generous food samplings at 13 res-
taurants along Orchard Lake Road ...
Shangri-La, Outback Steakhouse, Huerto,
Zoe's, Mezza, etc. ... Everybody then
meets at Champps for raffle and prizes
... Teri Weingarden is chair and Lee
Jaffke, co-chair ... For more info, call W.B.
Chamber of Commerce Executive Director
Suzanne Levine, (248) 626-3636.
REUNION DEPT. ... 60-year shindig of
Mumford High School is Saturday, Oct. 5,
at Birmingham Country Club, 7:30 p.m. ...
$75 per person ... Contact Judie Koploy,
(248) 626-6333 or email jkoploy@comcast.
net.
OLDIE BUT GOODIE DEPT. ... Sitting
around relaxing in the steam room, one of
the gents says, "Morris, your 50th anniver-
sary is next week, and I remember your
25th when you took your wife to Israel.
What are you doing for your 50th?"
"I'm picking her up:' says Morris, "and
bringing her back:'
CONGRATS ... To Morton "Mort"
Plotnick on his birthday ... To Linda
Novak on her birthday ... To Denise Dunn
on her birthday ... To Neil Rubin on his
birthday ... To Dora Rowe on her birth-
day ... To Jack Posar on his 90th birthday
... To Bruce Milen on his birthday ... To
William "Billy" and Georgann Wolf on
their 50th anniversary.
❑
Danny's email is dannyraskin@sbcglobal.net.
10% OFF the entire food portion
When you book your holiday event between September 26th and November 21st of 2013
andiamoitalia. om
42705 GRAND RIVER AVENUE, NOVI , MI 48375
CONTACT FLORINA BOYLE, DIRECTOR OF CATERING AND EVENTS 248-348-3838
Discount does not apply to events already booked or events other than holiday celebration.
Offer not valid with any other discounts, promotions or coupons.
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September 26 • 2013
JN