arts & life >> the best of everything

Twice As Nice!

Wasabi Japanese restaurant boasts both sushi and hibachi delights.

T

hey were sometimes called two-
headed Japanese restaurants and
have continuously been achieving
a most popular method of dining for many
years ... However, never before have they
been as popular as today ... Some call it an
"Asian fusion" of two styles of Japanese din-
ing.
The popularity of Teppanyaki iron table
and sushi dining under one roof where cus-
tomers may enjoy either or both has gained
popularity because of the convenience of
diners who want a choice of their favorites.
The concept has been around for many
years but never considered a major way to
enjoy Japanese cuisine ... That is, until more
recently.
The more prominent exponents of this
Asian dining style view it as an opportu-
nity, for example, of customers taking their
sushi to a Teppanyaki iron table where fly-
ing knives give a show business feel ... and
enjoying both at the same time.
Such a Japanese restaurant is Wasabi
Japanese Sushi, Hibachi Steak & Bar on
Grand River, Novi, where three eateries
formerly occupied the location ... Country
Appeteaser, Italian Appeteaser and Mezza
Mediterannean.
Wasabi has found much success with this

Jim Huang and Jenny Wu

EPIC

dining fashion because it brings
out a revelation that people
wanting one or both cuisines can
be accommodated without the
need for some in their party to
go elsewhere ... Wasabi custom-
ers enjoy the knowledge that
they can enjoy either or both
without it considered an imposi-
tion or inconvenience to the din-
ing establishment.
Getting your sushi at the sushi
bar and, if desired, taking it to
a Teppanyaki table to also partake of steak,
chicken, shrimp, tuna, lobster or whatever,
has gained much popularity ... It is not
uncommon in this type of dining arrange-
ment to see people enjoying Beef Negimaki
or Tempura Starter or Sashimi Napoleon
together with the above items.
Wasabi is open Monday-Thursday for
lunch, 11 a.m. 2:30 p.m., dinner 4:30-9:30
p.m.; Friday for lunch, 11 a.m. 2:30 p.m.,
dinner 4:30-10 p.m.; Saturday, noon-10:30
p.m.; Sunday, noon-9:30 p.m. ... Total seat-
ing is for around 350, including the sushi bar,
12 hibachi tables and two outdoor patios.
Double-headed Japanese dining, as some
people call it, goes a long way toward satis-
faction ... Enjoying either or both options at
the same time ... This is not by any means
new, but now with much more acceptance
than ever before ... Even still, many Japanese
restaurants do not encourage this fashion
of dining ... Wasabi does, as offered by
husband-and-wife owners, Jim Huang and
Jenny Wu.
DANDY DINING DEAL ... Grilled
Chicken Greek Salad ... Regular $10.49
... large favorite ... $5.95 one week only,
Thursday, Aug. 20, through Wednesday,
Aug. 26 ... No coupons ... $1 extra for soup
with grilled chicken salad ... Georges Family
Restaurant, Northwestern Highway, West
Bloomfield.
IF SHE LOOKS familiar, you'd be correct
... Marie Olson, has been a server at Mr. Joe's

-

-

on 12 Mile, Southfield, about
35 years, starting when former
owner Joe Machiorlatti opened
his revamped new building
around 1980 ... Marie is the
kind of server you enjoy having
... so knowledgeable in her very
competent and fast ways ... She
gives present owners Michael
Abrams and Dave Priehs and
their customers many smiles of
serving satisfaction.
By the way, that large burger
and French fries $4.95 deal is still on at Mr.
Joe's every Wednesday from 4 p.m. to clos-
ing.
LOOKING BACK DEPT. ... If you
liked the old Normandie owned by Henry
Warshaw on West Grand Boulevard, then
you sure enjoyed the newer Normandie
owned by Henry on Second Avenue, just
south of the Boulevard that much better
... if only because the famous hamburgers
seemed to taste even more delicious in the
tonier surroundings.
The indoor ambiance remained just the
same, with the constant influx of colorful
General Motors and advertising folks, com-
mercial artists and groups stopping en route
to and from the Fisher Theatre, as well as
actors and actresses from its current plays,
whose signed pictures shone down from the
Normandie walls.
There was rarely entertainment at the
Normandie ... but the piano still stayed there
and when used, it was by the likes of Richard
Rodgers, Steve Allen or Cole Porter when
taking impromptu turns for their friends.
THERE ARE SO MANY wonderful
deeds and programs for deserving children
... Wishes are that all could be acknowl-
edged ... Among those that stand out
every summer is one that began in 1987
when young Erica Zuckerman, the hearing-
impaired daughter of Dr. Steven and Beverly
Zuckerman, asked their friends Allan and
Pauline Linden if they would take her for a

ride on their boat.
"Can I bring my friends, too?" asked Erica
... "Sure said Al, "how many are there?" ...
"About 300:' she replied ... All were from the
Bloomfield Hills Scamp summer day camp
that she attended.
And so was born the Scamp Flotilla, a
totally voluntary yearly project by Walnut
Lake resident boaters, with blind, deaf,
wheelchair-bound, etc., youngsters given
rides on pontoons and other crafts like their
"Love Bote"(Boat) owned by Gerry and Lynn
Amster, who even brought along a sign lan-
guage expert for the deaf kids ...
Forty-two letters of thanks were sent by
"Admiral Al" Linden to Walnut Lake boat-
ers Sandy and Karen Linden, Dr. Jim and
Dr. Rita Heinsimer, Barry and Betsy Sawyer,
Bob and Val Murray, Morris and son Adam
Margulies, the Amsters and others, plus the
"ground volunteers" ... all who so graciously
give their time and every year enjoy an extra
special reason to sleep so well at night ...
wearing great big smiles.
OLDIE BUT GOODIE DEPT. ... A Jewish
town had a shortage of men for wedding
purposes, so they had to import men from
other towns.
One day, a groom-to-be arrived on a train,
and two prospective mothers-in-law were
waiting for him, each claiming ownership of
the would-be groom.
A rabbi was called to solve the problem.
After a few minutes of thought, he said,
"If this is the situation, you both want the
groom, we'll cut him in half and give each of
you half of him"
To this replied one woman, "If that's the
case, give him to the other woman:'
"Do that:' said the rabbi. "The one willing
to cut him in half is the real mother-in-law."
CONGRATS ... To Allan "Geli" Gelfond
on his birthday ... To Lonny and Gail
Zimmerman on their 43rd anniversary.

❑

Danny's email address is

dannyraskin@sbcglobal.net.

" "40

Get The Jewish News For Only $4811

"'V IC

KOSHER

MILKCIONEY

Feature your business with OyWhataDeal
to acquire quality and eager new customers
via risk-free and highly-targeted marketing.

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

By running an offer with OyWhataDeal, your promotion will be e-mailed to thousands
of loyal subscribers who will read about your offer, visit your website, share your business
with their friends and follow you on social networks like Twitter and Facebook.

t. 248.432.5509 iE

EpicKosher.com
0 Kosher®TheEpicureanGroup.com

2020300

64

August 20 • 2015