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2014

ANUARY ... Big seller at upscale
Jeremy restaurant in Keego Harbor
is the hamburger sandwich by
former Tribute and Culinary Institute of
America chef ... The Root Restaurant & Bar
making large waves on second anniversary
in White Lake ... Best Downtown Chef in
Las Vegas goes to Joe Parrino at Joe Vicari's
Steakhouse in the new "D" Hotel ... Heavy
kudos for the meatloaf at Local Kitchen
and Bar in Ferndale ... Crowd celebrates
New Year's Eve both indoors and outdoors
at Steven Lelli's Inn, Farmington Hills ...
Crumpets in Troy honors 28th year with chef
of 12 gold medals won in world competitions
.... Crave in Dearborn not a Japanese restau-
rant but biggie sellers are sushi and sake.
FEBRUARY ... New president at
University of Michigan is Mark Schlissel,
closely named with local community stal-
wart Mark Schlussel ... Both are attorneys
... Maya Kuchersky knows plenty about
food but a lot more about skin at her Maya's
Skincare Center in West Bloomfield ...
People remember Wai "Johnny" Chong,
owner of Taste of China, Farmington Hills,
from Great Wall ... Word comes that for-
mer Deli Unique, West Bloomfield, will be
under new ownership as Pickles & Rye Deli
... Word, too, that Beau Jack's, Bloomfield
Township, will be sold on its 36th birthday
... Ron Asmar says his Vineyards closing
is only temporary ... People still asking if
Caucus Club will open again ... Baseball Hall
of Fame manager Tony La Russa named to
receive the 2014 Hank Greenberg award in
June ... Ray Hanson takes over as dining
room manager at Bacco,
Southfield.
MARCH ... The
late Sammy and
Ann Woolf's great-

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January 1 • 2015

grandson Sam Woolf, is one of
13 finalists on TV's American
Idol ... Buddy's, celebrating its
68th anniversary, is named one
of five best pizza operations in
America ... Tai Sassoon brings
his Israel dream concept of a
food truck, Pita Post, to America
serving Israeli food ... Fox Grill
in Bloomfield Hills is bought by
Bill Roberts ... First anniversary
of Bella Piatti, Birmingham, by
owners Liz and Nino Cutraro
honors its huge success ... Beau Jack's
becomes just Beau's and is set to open after
major construction by new owners.
APRIL ... Georges Restaurant celebrates
10th anniversary at site in West Bloomfield
... Barbecued beef ribs touted at Brass
Pointe and Boneyard, both in Farmington
Hills ... Shirlee Bloom moves permanently
to Prime 10 kosher restaurant in Southfield
... Townsend Hotel and Rugby Grille,
Birmingham, fete 26th anniversaries with
much acclaim ... Aaron Belen, grandson
of Morris "Morrie" Fenkell, opens Bistro
82 in Royal Oak ... Latest pride of Big
Rock Chophouse, Birmingham, is receiv-
ing American Culinary Achievement of
Excellence Award ... 50th anniversary is
honored by Roman Village Cucina Italiana in
Dearborn.
MAY ... Little Daddy's chain big on
Hebrew National kosher hot dogs to go with
Greek specialties like Opa Burger ... Jeremy
Restaurant, Keego Harbor, to close for new
restaurant and concept... C.A.Y.A. (Come As
You Are) Smokehouse Grill, Wolverine Lake,
fetes first Seasoned Chef's Dinner Series
... Another award for excellent local Chef
Hai Ling ... Marvin's Mechanical Museum,
Farmington Hills, places second in TV's
History Channel's Modern Marvels of the
World . . . Moro's Dining, Allen Park, again
chosen among best all-around restaurant
operations ... Joe Muer Seafood, Detroit,
enters third year in Renaissance Center, with
original traditional menu plus raw bar and
sushi bar ... Wednesday night deal continues
at Mr. Joe's, Southfield, of half-pound ham-
burger and French fries, $3.95.
JUNE ... Harvey Barnett and sister
Annette getting much notice with their Mt.
Chalet in Royal Oak ... Noah Dorfman's
Torino restaurant, Ferndale, is Detroit Free
Press Restaurant of the Year ... Maya's
Skincare Center in West Bloomfield cel-
ebrates its 27th anniversary ... 24th Annual
Hank Greenberg Golf Invitational another
huge success ... Steven Lelli's in Farmington
Hills completes its wonder reality of an

all-year dining emporium both
inside and outside the veranda.
JULY ... Chef/owner Paul
Grosz of Cuisine restaurant adds
another dining feather as co-part-
ner with John Kelly in The Stand
Bistro in Birmingham ... O'Brien's
Crabhouse celebrates its 24th
anniversary with seafood hardly
seen elsewhere ... Douglas and
Barbara Bloom are grand mar-
shals for Walk of Ages ... After 20
years, Steve Sollish finally gets a
hole-in-one ... Star Deli's 39th anniversary is
as one of America's top little Jewish carryout
only, no-table eateies.
AUGUST ... Shangri-La West Bloomfield
is acclaimed one of the Midwest's finest dim
sum restaurants ... News that Hogan's restau-
rant, Bloomfield Hills, may not be moved for
new site of Walgreen Pharmacy ... New 5th
Tavern at former Mountain Jack's location in
Bloomfield Township is greeted warmly after
opening ... Kosher lox at Dunkin Donuts,
Oak Park, goes along with cream cheese,
bagels, etc. ... Pepino's in Walled Lake still
featured as a big standout restaurant on its
30th year,
SEPTEMBER ... Fireworks light up sky
at 10th annual Food, Fun & Fireworks by
Temple Shir Shalom ... Head Chef Peter
Chan is also co-partner at award-winning
Hong Hua Hong Kong-style restaurant,
Farmington Hills ... Hunter House follows
62 years with opening of a second location
in Ann Arbor ... Another successful Grub
Crawl in West Bloomfield is 10th annual ...
First anniversary by Chef/owner Jeff Rose's
C.A.Y.A. Smokehouse Grill, Wolverine Lake,
is bigger success than expected and even
serves potato pancakes ... Australian lamb
chops in a peanut sauce featured at Mon
Jin Lau restaurant, Troy ... Beau's opens at
former Beau Jack's restaurant, Bloomfield
Township, with indoor signs that say, "It's so
loud in here!! Sorry, we're working on our
noise" ... New dining series at Local Kitchen
and Bar, Ferndale, features a new state every
week and a new region every four weeks ...
Barrister Jeffrey Sherbow finally gets a hole in
one at Boyne Highland golf course.
OCTOBER ... Back to being kosher
again, Shirlee Bloom at the new Prime 10,
Southfield, is greeted with many open arms
for the holidays ... Food change to fusion-
style with dishes from other countries is
made at New Mandarin Garden, Farmington
Hills ... Golden Phoenix, West Bloomfield,
is sold as new owners take over with retire-
ment of former proprietors ... People are
shocked at the huge selections at American

Bulk Food, West Bloomfield, including
sugar-free and low-fat goodies ... Rochester
Chop House and attached Kabin Kruser
restaurants celebrate 23rd anniversary in
Rochester, among Michigan's top eateries ...
New president at Knollwood Country Club is
Robert Nathan, taking over gavel from Larry
Sobotsky ... "Lights, Camera, Auction" by
Variety, the Children's Charity, is another big
success ... A second Crave restaurant is set to
open in Ferndale ... First annual Greek Night
by Uptown Parthenon, West Bloomfield,
brings many requests for more ... Another
Buddy's Pizza opens at Novi's Fountain Walk.
NOVEMBER ...Beans & Cornbread
fetes 17th anniversary in Southfield as one
of America's top soul food restaurants ...
Former Le Chef Lebanese restaurant reopens
as Mandaloun Bistro, Bingham Farms ...
Nancy Gurwin Productions' former youthful
performers, now Broadway stars, are fea-
tured at B'nai B'rith concert for Great Lakes
Region scholarship program giving financial
assistance ... Huerto Mexican Restaurant &
Tequila Bar, West Bloomfield, honors first
anniversary ... Sposita's Italian Ristorante
holds 15th anniversary with big cheers from
customers.
DECEMBER ... Smoke Street Bar-B-Q
in Milford reaches first year ... Sweet
Lorraine's Fabulous Mac n' Cheez! to open
first out-of-state franchise in Chicago ... If
he makes the team, new relief pitcher Josh
Zeid would be third Jewish member of the
present Detroit Tigers ... Food prices by the
Alfoccino owners at their Loccino's on its
sixth anniversary in Troy are a lot lower than
the former Palm eatery on that site ... New
Executive Chef Mike Osinski, at Andiamo in
Bloomfield Township, a Joe Vicari stalwart,
with him more than 10 years ... Excessive
noise at Beau's, Bloomfield Township, less-
ened with addition of acoustical ceiling tiles
... The Scintas at Andiamo Showroom,
Warren, one of very few acts appearing three
dates at the same place in the same year ...
Yardbird Smoked Meats takes over former
site of Jeremy's in Keego Harbor ... Baseball
Hall of Famer second baseman Joe Morgan
named to receive 2015 Hank Greenberg
Achievement Award ... More anniversary fet-
ing by Roman Village, Hudson Cafe, Steven
Lelli's, Uptown Parthenon, Whitney, Hunter
House, Highland House, etc. etc. ...Pars in
West Bloomfield becoming a favorite for
Persian food.
So great to see so many restaurants cel-
ebrating their anniversaries ... Good times
are on their way back, folks ... Healthy and
Happy New Year!

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