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Breakfast At Hudson's
Downtown cafe is a popular hangout for brunch and lunch.
T
he memory of a former Downtown
Detroit icon lives on for many
as they look across the street on
Woodward Avenue and see the area that
once housed J.L. Hudson ... It was second
only to Macy's in New York as the world's
largest department store ... and so recogniz-
able with the huge American flag draped
over its mammoth front.
Those remembering can't help but have
fond recollections while at the present
Hudson Cafe, though not affiliated with the
former department store, as it celebrates
its third anniversary in Lofts of Merchants
Row on Woodward.
Yes, that same Hudson Cafe so many peo-
ple said was ahead of its time with the econ-
omy still wavering overhead ... But because
of a steady perseverance by its co-owners,
Executive Chef Tom Teknos and brothers
Stavros and Francesco Adamapoulos, it has
soundly defeated whatever skepticism or
doubt may have been apparent.
Past experience was not a problem ...
Tom formerly owned Senate Coney Island
on 14 Mile and Haggerty, and Stavros and
Francesco in the Hercules Family Dining
operation ... Stavros also co-owns and
operates Zoe's House of Pancakes in West
Bloomfield and Francesco operates their
newest joint venture, the Jagged Fork in
Grosse Pointe.
Their Hudson Cafe has perhaps beaten
the question mark and successfully greets
numerous people daily for breakfast, brunch
and lunch ... Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-3 p.m.;
Saturday and Sunday, 8 a.m.-4
p.m. ... with seating for 90 in
the pleasant dining room ...
And in its lovely Barista Cafe
lounge, where customers sit on
couches and chairs in a fireplace
setting while enjoying espressos,
cappuccinos, specialty coffee
drinks, both hot and cold, fresh
squeezed orange juice, etc.
This is no ordinary breakfast,
brunch and lunch restaurant ...
The usual everyday sometimes
boring items are there ... But also top sell-
ers like chorizo (Mexican sausage), cheddar
and ranchero sauce, cheesy grits, its origi-
nal Hudson Salad with smoked ham and
turkey, grilled focaccia bread, Very Berry
Stuffed French Toast stuffed with banana
cream cheese, topped with fresh berries and
berry compote and lightly dusted with pow-
dered sugar, etc.
Also gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian
options ... along with dining items not seen
on another menu ... Red velvet pancakes
drizzled with cream cheese and dusted with
cocoa powder, made-on-the-premises corn
cakes, etc., and features of the day that are
created for customers to try.
It has become a regular breakfast, brunch
and lunch get-together spot for Detroit
Mayor Mike Duggan, Police Chief James
Craig, council members, judges, lawyers,
politicians, folks working in Downtown
Detroit, etc. ... along with Detroit Lions, Red
Wings, Tigers ... and Jeff Goldblum, Floyd
Mayweather, Mike Epps, etc., when here.
The three Hudson Cafe co-owners cel-
ebrate their third anniversary with much
pride ... Beating the "ifs" in a big way and
greeting so many who originally thought
only of giving it a try and now regularly
come back for more.
ONE OF THE MOST wrongly used
words in the restaurant business is "authen-
tic" ... And when an eatery comes along
with the true food of that culture it is to be
Francesco Adamopoulos, Tom Teknos
and Stavros Adamopoulos
revered ... Especially when that
authenticity is otherwise very
seldom seen.
The jury is out but expected
back with a positive assur-
ance of its existence at Pars
Restaurant, Orchard Lake
Road, between 13 and 14 Mile,
Farmington Hills ... A recent
visit revealed an extreme
closeness to its legitimacy
in Persian/Iranian culinary
style ... Some other types of
Middle-Eastern food on the menu are no
doubt available for convenience.
True Persian food is wonderful ... and
finding it is certainly a rarity ... The Persian
culture, with its aged existence, prides itself
on elegant, extremely healthy dining with
much goodness.
It is to the credit of Pars owners and
management that they are slowly taking
their time to get everything down pat before
tooting their own horn (although that time
is ever so close) ... They are sticklers for
Persian food authenticity and no doubt will
not be satisfied until it is 100 percent.
Thankfully, that dedication to absolute
authenticity in Persian Iranian food, not just
99 percent, is in our region.
Pars, by the way, has no affiliation what-
soever with Pars eateries that may be in
other cities.
MANY HAVE ASKED when Max
Pellicano will be appearing in this area again
with his fantastic Elvis Presley imperson-
ation ... He was a huge hit at Joe Vicari's
Andiamo Novi about four years ago, and
recently at the Windsor Casino.
Max will do his great "Elvis" show with
Las Vegas dancers at Andiamo Celebrity
Showroom, next door to Andiamo Italia,
14 Mile, between Mound and Van Dyke,
Warren ... Saturday, Jan. 24, 8 p.m.
Take a tip and call now for tickets ...
He is always an early sellout performer,
considered one of the nation's finest Elvis
impressionists.
IT HAD OPENED recently and
waited to have its ceremonial grand
opening ... New name, new location and
same owner/operators ... Previous own-
ers of former excellent Le Chef Lebanese
restaurant in Farmington Hills whooped
it up as Mandaloun Bistro at the former
Shiraz eatery on Telegraph and 121/2 Mile,
Bingham Farms ... It was an appetizer and
pastry display ... everything unbelievably
made solely by wonderful Malaka Bitar
... Husband-butcher, etc. Fernand and
General Manager-daughter Melissa looked
on admiringly to complete the same family
trio from the former Le Chef.
OLDIE BUT GOODIE ... Three men,
a German, an Italian and a Jew, are travel-
ing in the Amazon and are captured by
savages.
The tribe's head asks the German, "What
do you want on your back for your whip-
ping?"
The German says, "I'll take
So they put oil on his back, and a large
savage whips him 10 times. When he is
finished, the German has huge welts on his
back and can hardly move.
The savages haul the German away and
ask the Italian what he wants on his back
"I will take nothing:' says the Italian, as he
stands there straight and takes his 10 lash-
ings without a single flinch.
"What will you take on your back?" The
savages ask the Jew.
"I'll take the Italian!" says the Jew.
CONGRATS ... To Paul Rappaport on
his 90th birthday ... To Maya Brodsky on her
birthday ... To William "Bill" Nosanchuk on
his birthday ... To David "Dave" Roberts on
his birthday ... To Paula Duke on her birth-
day ... To Dennis Silber on his 75th birthday
... To Frank and Charlotte Gobel on their
50th anniversary.
❑
Danny's email address is
dannyraskin@sbcglobalmet.
COME CELEBRATE THE NEW YEAR WITH ALL YOUR FRIENDS AT BIG TOMMY'S PARTHENON!
12 ri
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PACKAGES OF FUN AND ACTION400005E411014!
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Dinner & Show
Package
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(live comedy)
Includes dinner Buffet
$50 per person
A
Belly\DalAer
& Special Sliow
Plated Metal
PLUS — DJ and Dancing!
$65 per person'
Both Dinner Packages include Complimentary Champagne toast
New Years Eve — Open Seating & Menu
at midnight and Party ∎Favors!
Until 8:30 Only!
/ /
40380 Grand River • Novi • 248.615.2102 Between Haggerty & 1149a dowbrook onr 1,north side • Bigtommys.com
46
December 25 • 2014
1969930