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A Delicious Choice!

El Barzon serves scrumptious delights of Italy and Mexico.

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OTPOURRI
Another restaurant that has
escaped "sleeper" status, drawing
repeat customers who appreciate its origi-
nality, is also one of the few restaurants
that is a "double-edged sword" dining
operation.
This eatery with one side Italian and
the other Mexican and separate menus for
each culture is El Barzon, Junction south
of Michigan Avenue, Detroit.
Its owners, Norberto Garita and wife,
Silvia, work together
in preparing and
satisfying the wants
of people who love
the food of both eth-
nicities Noberto
is noted for his eight
years as sous chef
at Southfield's for-
mer Il Posto Italian
Ristorante ... And
Silvia's Mexican
dishes are mainly the traditional dishes
from their home back in Puebla, Mexico
... like the guacamole with its full blend of
thickness.
Customers select from either the Italian
or Mexican menus or blend their dishes
in a fusion that makes for a tasty dining
experience in what is among the best of
two culinary worlds.
BEING BREEDERS and racers of thor-
oughbred horses for years, it was right
up their alley for George and Chrissy
Kutlenios to appreciate the recent 141st
running of the Kentucky Derby ... That
day at their Holly Hotel in Holly included
a five-course Derby dinner with plenty of
mint juleps and Kentucky bourbon tea.
THE SIXTH AND LAST in its first
series of gourmet and wine dinners in
the Seasoned Chef's Dinner Series was
another successful endeavor by this high-
ly talented group of kitchen wonders.
About 44 people attended the final

one of the present progres-
sion at the beautiful Reserve
banquet hall, next to Big Rock
Chophouse on South Eton in
Birmingham ... The second
series of dinner and wine
gourmet banquets is set to
begin this July at owner/chef
Jeff Rose's CAYA (Come As You
Are) Smokehouse in Wolverine
Lake.
ANOTHER BLACK ROCK
restau-
rant, owned by
Larry Morganroth,
is expected to soon
open in Clinton
Township, seating
450 ... Back about
five years ago, he
and wife, Janette,
fell in love with the
cooking-on-stone
craze while vaca-
tioning in Aruba and opened a restaurant
here in Hartland, Mich., featuring it ...
He is the son of former localites Shila and
Mickey Morganroth.
READER MINI REVIEW ... by Susan
Sherbow ... "Mark and I recently visited
Bistro 82 on Washington Avenue in Royal
Oak. Our first courses were goat cheese
salad and French onion soup dumplings.
The salad plate was dotted with a sweet
raisin puree, topped with greens and
accompanied by goat cheese rounds rolled
in nuts and sauteed with a lemon vinai-
grette.
"The French onion soup dumplings were
served in a mussel dish with six compart-
ments that held a baguette soaked in beefy
onion soup and covered with gruyere
cheese melted until it developed a crispy
crust. It was like eating the toppings usually
served on onion soup without the soup.
"Mark enjoyed his scallops. They were
grilled to a nice brown and were soft and

moist inside. The scallops rest-
ed on a bed of parsnip puree
that was creamy with a slight
licorice flavor. Carrots and
Brussels sprouts were served
on the side. Mark ordered
the totally decadent potatoes
boulangere. Yukon gold pota-
toes sliced paper thin, mixed
with caramelized onions and a
gruyere cheese gratin.
"My medium grilled Wagyu
hanger steak was nicely pink
inside and very tender. It was topped with
herb butter and a garlic aioli. The fries
were somewhat crispy and sprinkled with
parmesan.
"I ordered yogurt panna cotta, which
had the slight tang of Greek yogurt as well
as its density. It was topped alternately
with a blueberry compote and an orange
segment."
NEWLY SELECTED restaurant man-
ager of the year by Michigan Restaurant
Association at its Champions Award Dinner
in Grand Rapids, Lea Schofield, is head
person at Bill Robert's Bill's (former Fox &
Hounds) on Woodward, Bloomfield Hills.
She is high among his pride and joys
... and may be recognized from formerly
being manager at Bill's Cafe ML on Maple
and Lahser in Bloomfield Township ... As
a restaurant owner, it is extremely reas-
suring to know that your GM is going to
handle situations in the same manner that
you would" Bill says.
"Lea can deftly take care of food and/
or service problems. She is able to work
with our staff on their personal issues. She
can book/work an off-premise party with
ease. And, best of all, she does this all
while treating our dining guests as though
they were in their own home. She is just a
pleasure to work with and a terrific repre-
sentative of our business."
HUNTINGTON WOODS localite
Mark Schostak was named to Michigan

Restaurant Association's board of direc-
tors ... He is executive chairman of TEAM
Schostak Restaurants, owners and opera-
tors of 156 eateries in Michigan (Burger
King, Applebee's, Del Taco).
QUESTION & ANSWER DEPT....
"Why don't we have a kosher Coney Island
restaurant like other cities? Have the same
things but only kosher. I know so many
people who are kosher and would love to
be customers of a kosher Coney Island
restaurant. They like them a lot but can't
have them unless they go out of town." ...

Herman and Miriam Safir.
[We had a good one in Southfield
about 15 years ago called Classic Coney
Island, and it did a good business for
both Jewish persons and non-Jews ... It
was price-competitive with non-kosher
places, if my recollection is correct. I
recall that customers used to come to a
counter, give their order and get drinks to
take to tables and booths ... Then their
number was called ... It had a big selec-
tion and served much more than just
typical Coney Island fare ... Today, at that
same New Orleans Mall at 10 Mile and
Greenfield, you'll find a relatively new
kosher restaurant, Prime 10.]
OLDIE BUT GOODIE DEPT. ... A man
was driving his car when all of a sudden
a rooster ran out in front of him. He tried
to miss it but unfortunately ran over the
rooster and killed it. He decided that he
would go tell the farmer, so he got out of
his car and walked across the road to the
farm. The man knocked and the farmer
came to the door. "I'm afraid I've killed
your rooster, please let me replace him:'
"Suit yourself" says the farmer. "The
hens are out in the back"
CONGRATS ... To Dr. Donald Gale on
his 80th birthday ... To Jon Isenberg on
his 59th birthday.

❑

Danny's email address is

dannyraskin@sbcglobal.net.

Great for Graduation Parties!

KOSHER

MILKCIONEY

EXQUISITE CATERING & IMPECCABLE SERVICE

tray and shiva catering, showers and weddings, Bar and Bat Mitzvahs,

corporate and private dinners, on-site as well as off-premise catering

.. 248.432.5509 iE EpicKosher.corn

Cupcake
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with
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248.626.9110

On the Boardwalk • 6879 Orchard Lake Rd. • West Bloomfield
www.dakotabread.com

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May 14 • 2015