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Come As You Are!

C.A.Y.A. Smokehouse Grill celebrates first anniversary.

W

hat has become one of the
on the menu but available is
more popular and growing
pate fois gras.
restaurant concepts in the
Jeff's wonderful culinary
country is successfully celebrating its first
ability allows the making of
anniversary.
his own acclaimed bourbon
When it opened last year, much wonder- barbecue and blueberry
ment was regarding the name of C.A.Y.A.
barbecue sauces, which are
Smokehouse Grill, a name suggested and
widely used at the restaurant.
used by Rachel Mandell, co-owner with
Smoked items at C.A.Y.A.
Partner/Executive Chef Jeff Rose ... and
are cooked for 10-12 hours,
looked upon by others with strange "What using hickory, oak, maple,
does that mean?" questions.
apple and cherry woods
However, time settles many things ...
... This process ensures all
and especially when people recall or learn
meats are cooked through
the excellent dining track record, which
and naturally tender ... The variety of
in itself speaks volumes for the culinary
woods used produces a dark outer layer
expertise of Chef Rose at C.A.Y.A. (come
"bark" that caramelizes outside of the
as you are) on South Commerce Road at
meat ... All its meats come from farms
Pontiac Trail in Wolverine Lake.
within 100 miles.
Beginning as a dishwasher in New
Best-sellers are the barbecued brisket
Jersey and returning to Michigan to attend and ribs, smoked turkey, pulled pork and
Michigan State University, working his way chicken wings ... The modern menu that
through college by cooking for the MSU
was designed by Chef Rose centers around
president at his home ... Then came sous
house-smoked beef and pork along with
chef at Sweet Lorraine's Cafe in Southfield,
fresh seafood, steaks, chops and bistro
sous chef at Tribute, Farmington Hills,
entrees.
chef de cuisine at Iridescence in Detroit's
C.A.Y.A. Smokehouse Grill is open
Motor City Casino, executive chef at Big
Tuesdays-Sundays for dinner from 4:30
Rock Chophouse in Birmingham, open-
p.m. ... It also has weekend brunches on
ing chef at Roast in Detroit and Toast in
both Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m.
Birmingham.
Seating is for 85 with 14 bar
Since its opening, Chef
stools and three cocktail tables
Rose and his creative kitchen
with eight seats ... An outdoor
staff have prepared more
screened patio seats another
than 50,000 pounds of
70-80 people.
brisket, over 19,000 pounds
This is the former site of
of ribs, more than 9,000
Nifty Norman's, owned by
pounds of turkey, over 1,500
Norm and Bonnie Page, and
pounds of salmon, about
when sold, became just Nifty's
1,000 pounds of trout, etc.
C.A.Y.A. Smokehouse Grill
Even potato pancakes ...
honors its first anniversary
and the highly-ordered kale
Partner/Exec utive Chef with much commendation
salad that includes apples,
and loads of dining approval.
Jeff Rose
DANDY DINING DEAL ...
candied pecans and radishes
in creamy cider vinaigrette,
Eggplant Parmesan ... Stuffed
plus smoked chicken wings and weekly
with grilled fresh asparagus and delicious
specials not on the menu ... And also not
vegetables ... Topped with basil tomato

T
DETROI

sauce and with or without sprin-
kled feta cheese ... Complete
dinner or lunch ... Includes
rice, peas and string beans and
Greek breadbasket ... $7.95 ...
One week only, Thursday, Sept.
18, through Wednesday, Sept.
24 ... No coupons ... Uptown
Parthenon, Orchard Lake Road
at Lone Pine (Kroger Shopping
Center) West Bloomfield.
MANY CONSIDER the
morning and afternoon expect-
ed wait, especially on the week-
end, worth it because of the anticipated
experience ... One of the reasons is the
wide variety of interesting items available.
Another is the service ... As crowded as
it may be, Toast, on Pierce in Birmingham,
takes much pride in waitpersons like
Kathi Miesik ... and with good reason
... Her pleasant smile and efficient ways
are attributes she should know about and
insisted upon 11 years ago when Kathi was
co-owner of the former Justin & Jordan
restaurant on Washington and Fourth in
Royal Oak that later became the former
Press Box restaurant ... It was at Justin &
Jordan that waiter Bob Kimoto made me a
Caesar salad so close to that by originator
Cesare Cardini at his Caesar's restaurant in
Tijuana, Mexico.
Kathi is the likeable blond waitress at
breakfast and lunch and sometimes dinner
at the former location of Banana Republic ...
Toast took over the site about six years ago.
In the Justin & Jordan restaurant foyer
hung a large caricature of her son and
daughter, then 7-year-old Justin and 3-year-
old Jordan ... Justin was among those who
waited to have breakfast on this Sunday
morning ... as an 18-year-old young man.
OUT ABOUT SCENE ... To Mon Jin
Lau, 15 Mile and Stevenson, Troy, for its
delicious Australian lamb chops in a pea-
nut sauce ... An always enjoyable evening
of wonderful food and service, includ-

-

RESTAURANT
WEEK

ing Mia Fawkes, the tall, stately Korean
beauty waitperson with the glimmering
smile and pearl-white teeth, celebrating
her 22nd year at Mon Jin Lau ... Bryan
Chin, co-owner with brother, Brandon
and dad Marshall Chin, going from table
to table showing off his 2-month-old son,
Beckham, being carried in Bryan's arms ...
Congenial General Manager Zorin Milcic
table-hopping with smiling hellos of greet-
ing and assistance.
THIRD RESTAURANT by Tony and
Frank Shushtari (Alfoccino and Loccino),
is scheduled to open the end of October
... Their new Wixom Station will be at the
former site of Volare that moved across the
street on Pontiac Trail, between Wixom
Road and Beck Road, Wixom.
REUNION DEPT. ... Mumford High
School's 60th shindig is set for Saturday,
Oct. 18, at Birmingham Country Club,
Saxon Drive, Birmingham ... For contact
info, call Jim Weitzman at (248) 736-7464.
OLDIE BUT GOODIE ... A husband
was in big trouble when he forgot his wed-
ding anniversary.
"Tomorrow:' his wife angrily told him,
"there had better be something in our
driveway that goes from zero to 200 in two
seconds flat!"
The next morning, the wife looked out-
side and saw a small package in the drive-
way. She brought it inside, opened it, and
found a brand new bathroom scale.
Funeral services for her husband have
been set for Sunday.
CONGRATS ... To Morton Plotnick on
his birthday ... To Karrie Slominsky on
her birthday ... To Robin "Meemers" Wine
on her birthday ... To Iris Goldstrom on
her 80th birthday ... To Hannah Raskin on
her 25th birthday ... To Gail Zimmerman
on her birthday ... To Arthur and Gina
Horwitz on their 36th anniversary.

❑

Danny's email address is
dannyraskingsbcglobalmet.

Presented By

SHINOLA

DETROIT

With valued support from:

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September 18 • 2014

JN