arts & entertainment >> the best of everything

A Crew Of 'Seasoned' Chefs

All-star lineup begins its gourmet dining series at C.A.Y.A. Smokehouse Grill.

T

ake six good friends, all highly
WORK WILL SOON be
esteemed local chefs, blend them
completed on what will be a
together in one mixture and you
long-lasting new look at Steven
have the makings of a fine, seven-course
Lelli's Inn on the Green, 12
dinner in a dining-out togetherness.
Mile, between Halsted and
The 87-diner capacity was sold out in
Haggerty, Farmington Hills.
a snap for the "Seasoned Chefs Dinner
When finished, the transfor-
Series:' which recently had its first of four
mation will be from a lovely
in what has already brought much interest. outdoor veranda outside the
"All the chefs have been friends for
dining room into an all-year-
years:' says Chef Jeff Rose. "We talked
round terrace ... A permanent
about doing a dinner with our peers. Our
steel-beamed roof will keep out
mentors and the younger chefs also do
the sun during warm and hot
dinners. We wanted a group of us who
weather, and only the sides will be open.
are established and professional to have
In cold or inclement weather, heavy-
a great meal with a special focus on the
paneled canvas with tall windows and
food.
heating system will cover the sides.
"The dinner thought got started at Chef
The newly styled balcony will be for
Don Yamuchi's going-away party at Green
both restaurant dining and private affairs
Dot Stables in Detroit. We talked about
... The outdoor look and dining room,
who we wanted to cook with, and since
seating around 300, have already received
I have a bigger venue, I spearheaded the
bookings for weddings, rehearsal dinners,
dinner."
bar and bat mitzvahs, etc.
And so began the first dinner recently
READER MINI REVIEW ... from
at Jeff's C.A.Y.A (Come As You Are)
Susan Sherbow ... "My husband, Mark, my
Smokehouse Grill, Commerce Road and
father-in-law, Bud Sherbow, and I went
Pontiac Trail, Wolverine Lake, featuring an to Republica restaurant on Coolidge in
all-star gastronomic lineup and their inter- Berkley and were impressed. Mark had the
esting presentations ... Eric
barbecued ribs doused in Mitch's
Voigt, Big Rock Chophouse,
Tavern's original sweet and smoky
Birmingham ... Chris
barbeque sauce. They were tender
Johnson, the Meeting
and delicious, he said.
House, Rochester ... Jay
"Bud had fish and chips. He
Gundy, Cork Restaurant,
said that it was a flavorful piece
Pleasant Ridge ... Benjamin
of cod in a crunchy coating and
Meyer, Iridescence at Motor
served with a tangy and unique
City Casino Hotel, Detroit
pickle-flavored tartar sauce. He
... Alan Merhar, Evans
said that his slaw was also a sur-
Street Station, Tecumseh ... Chef Jeff Rose
prising combination, apple, blue
and Rose.
cheese and celery. He also had
Paired wines and
the special fries that are sprinkled
excellent descriptions of each were by
with feta, oregano and lemon that pro-
Michael Korn, co-owner of Woodberry
duced a very interesting taste.
Wines, Troy ... Participating chefs made
"I had the toasted cheese and soup
delicious hors d'oeuvres, which were
combo. My favorite part of the grilled
passed by smiling employees prior to
cheese sandwich was the asiago bread it was
dinner.
made with. The tomato fennel soup had

PRIME 29

chunky bits of tomato that were
not overpowered by the fen-
nel. The smokiness of the soup
made a great dipping partner
for the cheese sandwich:"
MAIL DEPT. ... "My hus-
band, Al Sinco, and I went to
Las Vegas with Shirley and
Robbie Stone and are still rav-
ing about the meal we had at
Spago. I had braised beef gou-
lash, and Al had the meatloaf
in wine sauce. Shirley ordered
salmon that was smoked with caviar, and
Robbie still raves about his Lamb Chorizo.
The food really made our trip. Have you
ever been there? Has it been there long?"

... Lillian Sinco.
(I was present when Chef Wolfgang
Puck opened it at Caesar's Palace in 1992.
I don't remember what I had but can recall
that it was terrific. Puck had opened his
first restaurant in Beverly Hills, Calif., in
1982, which is still a heavy choice, espe-
cially with the movie set.)
SHE IS USED to getting awards for
her cooking ability, but this is one of
those that is mainly cherished because
of the wonderful work its money raised
represents ... It was the second year that
excellent Chef Hai Ling at Prime 29, West
Bloomfield, has won the annual Girl Scout
Cookie Gala recently held in Detroit ...
Chef Ling took top honors in both the des-
sert and appetizer challenges against some
of Metropolitan Detroit's top restaurants,
bakeries and culinary schools.
ANOTHER GOOD example that
regardless of the difficulty getting to it, a
restaurant where the food, price and ser-
vice are what people look for will be found
... With tearing down of an existing build-
ing and erecting of a hotel nearby, and
closure of access off Orchard Lake Road,
Georges Family Restaurant, Northwestern
Highway, West Bloomfield, was recently
overly packed with crowds waiting patient-

ly for a table or booth in the more than
200 capacity eatery ... on a Wednesday
evening.
IT TURNS OUT that Marvin Yagoda's
Marvin's Mechanical Museum on Orchard
Lake Road, Farmington Hills, placing
second in the recent cable TV's History
Channel's Modern Marvels selection as the
world's most famous exhibits was beat out
only by those of world-renowned electrical
genius, physicist, etc., Nikola Tesla, who
passed away in 1943 ... His high-voltage
power inventions included the History
Channel winner of one that could make
large buildings shake like an earthquake,
among other widely noted inventions.
No wonder so many people visit to see
the thrills at "Marvelous Marvin's" local
museum ... Placing second only to the for-
mer Thomas Edison employee who went
out on his own and became an unbeliev-
able electrical inventor himself is quite a
feat!
REUNION DEPT. ... 1974 Oak Park
High's 40th shindig is set for Saturday
evening, July 26, at the Troy Marriot
Contact Larry Maloff, (248) 514-2584, or
email him at LZM2001@aol.com .
OLDIE BUT GOODIE DEPT....
85-year-old Bessie burst into the retire-
ment home recreation room holding her
clenched fist in the air and announcing,
"Anyone who can guess what's in my hand
can go with me to the movie tonight and
hold my handy'
An elderly gentleman in the rear shouts
out, "An elephant!"
Bessie thinks a moment and says, "Close
enough!"
CONGRATS ... To Harriet Wasserman
on her 90th birthday ... To David "Dave"
Sachs on his 63rd birthday ... To Shirlee
Bloom on her birthday ... To Arthur "Art"
Dubin on his birthday ... To Julie Edgar
on her birthday.

❑

Danny's email is dannyraskingsbcglobalmet.

&came 'Now 9 4

ou,tottere

STEAKS • SEAFOOD • COCKTAILS

ENJOY OUR MOTHER'S DAY BRUNCH
OR DINNER MENU ON MAY 11

We are opening early at 1 1:00 am on this special day.

OpenTable

1111

62

May 8 • 2014

FOR RESERVATIONS I 248.73.PRIME (77463) I prime29steakhouse.com
6545 ORCHARD LAKE RD. WEST BLOOMFIELD, MI 48322