arts & entertainment >> the best of everything

A Tradition Ends

New owners, new name as Beau Jack's bows out.

p

OTPOURRI

The smoke again turns out to
be fire ... It's a definite fact that
Beau Jack's has been sold ... "Jim Bellinson
and Zack Sklar gave me an offer I couldn't
refuse!" says Gary Cochran, Beau Jack's
owner.
"But most importantly:' Gary says, "I
wanted them to have it because they are
great operators who will keep Beau's alive
with a $500,000 remodel and retain all the
popular items. And the employees and I
will still be involved for as long as I want!
"They want me to hang out, watch the
food and talk with customers just like I
do now. They are creating some killer new
items for the menu, also:' Gary says.
Construction is expected to begin
around April 1, with the restaurant being
renamed Beau's.
Thus ends what had become a family
dining tradition that began in 1976 after
10 years as the cafeteria-style Westerner
Beef Buffet, co-owned by Gary and his
father, Jack Cochran, which was closed
down and became Beau Jack's.
Many will remember the country-
club atmosphere where so many knew
each other and enjoyed the camaraderie
between customers and friends in the fam-
ily type of operation.
Beau Jack's was
noted for its cleanli-
ness, with health
department scores
always in the high 90s
... Because of this, its
kitchen was visited
many times by cus-
tomers.
Zack Sklar
It was big, too,
on healthy dishes ... And had been the
first restaurant in Michigan to begin the
Creative Cuisine program sponsored by
the American Heart Association.
The ownership of Beau Jack's was
family-oriented ... Gary's sister and Jack's
daughter, Bonnie, had been general man-

ager of the Townsend Hotel
in Birmingham ... and her
husband, Norm LePage, owner
today of Big Rock Chophouse
in Birmingham, had at that
time owned all the Norm's and
Norman's restaurants and a
couple of Salvatore Scaloppini
eatery operations.
The English Tudor
facade building on Maple
and Telegraph, Bloomfield
Township, housed one big
happy family ... and it is cer-
tainly hoped that Zack Sklar, Jim Bellinson
and Executive Chef Josh Humphrey,
managing partner of their Peas & Carrots
Hospitality Co., will continue the fine din-
ing tradition and customer relationship
presented by the late Jack Cochran and son
Gary.
Hopefully, too, that they will continue
serving that wonderful coleslaw from
the secret recipe given to Jack by Frank
Sinatra's great friend, Jilly Rizzo, owner
of Jilly's in Florida ... And the delicious
onion loaf recipe Jack received from Tom
Norris, owner of Bobby Rubino's, also in
Florida.
RIBBON CUTTING opening of its
adjoining Elm Room
banquet facility was
celebrated along with
the recent introduction
of Birmingham's new
restaurant, The Bird &
The Bread ... The hors
d'oeuvres by Chef Jim
Leonardo and his staff
plus choice beverages
were a taste of what peo-
ple can expect at the new dining spot with
its simple, but elegant southern European
touches.
DANDY DINING DEAL ... 10th
Anniversary Super Special ... by Siegel's
Deli, Maple Road, just west of Haggerty,
Commerce Township ... Turkey Salisbury

-

Steak ... $4.95 ... including
soup or salad, potatoes and
vegetable ... 10 days only,
Thursday, March 17, through
Saturday, April 5.
QUESTION & ANSWER
DEPT. ... "Do you remember
who owned Jake's on the Lake
restaurant? I remember going
there and having delicious sea-
food. Ed, my husband, says he
thinks it was Jimmy Schmidt
but isn't sure:' ... Sally Remer
[Ed is almost correct, Sally.
Jimmy previously had Buster's Bay at the
same location on Orchard Lake Road and
Pontiac Trail, with Mike and Marion Hitch,
that closed and became Jake's ... Owners
of Jake's on the Lake were the Hitches,
along with Jim Kokus and Ed Mandziara of
the then-Opus One restaurant in Detroit.]
IT HAS BEEN AT the same locale
almost 57 years and is still remembered by
many folks who have either moved from
the area or are local and nearby residents
Sila Italian Dining and Pizza, once rev-
erently known simply as Sila Pizzeria, 12
Mile, east of Greenfield, Berkley, continues
to serve homestyle goodies to numerous
permanent customers who say that the
pizzas, antipasto, spaghetti, lasagna, etc.,
seem to have gotten even better.
HER TRADITIONAL Passover orders
will not miss a beat this year ... Shirlee
Bloom has teamed with Meyer Cohen at
his Prime 10 operation, Greenfield and 10
Mile, Southfield, to again bring her choice
holiday goodies ... Call her at (248) 227-
8707.
TO THOSE WHO HAVE asked, Matt
Prentice is presently working as a consul-
tant for the world's largest food service
company.
NOT A BAD DEAL ... One chance
in only 200 of winning ... That's what
the winner gets in the charity raffle by
Michigan Jewish Sports Foundation ...
A trip for two to the 2015 Masters Golf

Tournament in Augusta, Ga. ... Includes
lodging, meals, open bar, sushi, programs,
massages, etc. ... everything but trans-
portation ... Drawing of $100 tickets will
be at the Hank Greenberg Memorial Golf
Invitational, Monday, June 9, at Franklin
Hills Country Club, Farmington Hills ...
Call MJSF Executive Director David Blatt
at (248) 592-9323 ... or email him at
dblatt@michiganjewishsports.org .
THAT DOUBLE TAKE you might have
done recently was computer whiz Jeremy
Glogower driving around in a convertible
with the top down in the sub-freezing
weather we've been having ... Guess
getting 48 miles per gallon is worth the
strange things it probably makes people do
in a car.
OLDIE BUT GOODIE DEPT. ... Sam
was ready to tee off this gorgeous Sunday
morning and looked up to the sky and
said, "Please, God, tell me there is a golf
course in Heaven:'
The skies open up and a deep voice said,
"Sam, I have some good news and some
bad news:'
"So what's the good news?" asked Sam.
"Sam, we have the most magnificent
golf course in Heaven. Plush, green fair-
ways. Greens as smooth as silk. Never a
rainy day:'
Sam replies, "That's fantastic! What
could possibly be so bad?"
"You tee off tomorrow morning at 9 a.m."
CONGRATS ... To Sidney "Sid" Neuman
on his birthday ... To Rhoda Perlin on her
80th birthday ... To Marvin Slof on his
86th birthday .... To Allen "Al" Simkin on
his 40th birthday ... To Sandy Hermanoff
on her birthday ... To Lana Abidor on her
birthday... To William "Bill" Keller on
his 84th birthday ... (Correction, to Dave
Dombey on his 90th birthday, not 99th)
... To Alvin "Al" and Marilyn Frommer on
their 53rd anniversary.

❑

Danny's email address is
dannyraskin@sbcglobal.net.

NOT YOUR ORDINARY

STEAKHOUSE

Enjoy The Culinary Flavors of PRIME2I

STEAKS • SEAFOOD • COCKTAILS

Oa Ikte Song, Mem
116 amp& Twist

Ask Us About Our Rewards Program Today!!

60

March 27 • 2014

For Reservations I 248.73 PRIME (77463) I prime29steakhouse com I 6545 Orchard Lake Rd. West Bloomfield, MI 48322