FOOD

FOODIE

The Maple
Theater & Kitchen _

By Esther Allweiss Ingber

atrons of the Maple Theater in
Bloomfield Township no longer
need to eat somewhere else
before or after their film.
Jon Goldstein has got them cov-
ered. A casual but nutritious res-
taurant opened this summer inside
the upscale movie theater he owns
with his wife, Lauren, and business
partner, Ruth Daniels. The change has
prompted an expanded name for the
venue: the Maple Theater & Kitchen.
Goldstein, an avid film buff, is also
a partner in several Emagine Enter-
tainment movie theaters, as well as
the lush Riviera Cinema in Farming-
ton Hills. Running the Maple Theater
is more personal. He rescued his local
art-house movie theater, on Maple
just west of Telegraph, after closure
by the former owner, LandmarkThe-
atre Group. In February 2012, Gold-
stein's group of investors in Cloud
Nine Theater Partners began leasing
the space in Bloomfield Plaza.
"I knew this was a good corner. The

real estate is valuable;' said Goldstein,
a District of Columbia native with a
master's in business administration
from University of Michigan. Daniels'
resume includes 12 years as execu-
tive vice president at Emagine.
The new Maple Theater, sporting
distinctive swaths of bright green
faux"moss" on outside walls, opened
in November 2012. The theater is
improved in every way after exten-
sive renovations. Transforming the
formerly boring decor was Ron Rea
of the Ron & Roman architecture and
design firm.
The theater's outer space was
expanded and reconfigured into
different areas. There's a walk-up
counter for ordering beverages from
Great Lakes Coffee Roasting Compa-
ny, sandwiches and other light menu
items. A cooler stocked with "grab-
and-go" meals is being installed. The
sunlit seating area displays a collec-
tion of vintage movie cameras.
I remember standing in the cold
to buy movie tickets at the Maple
Theater. The new ticketing operation,
including reserved seats for certain

showings, is at the refreshment
counter. Here, an overhead series of
vintage-looking, black-and-white
drawings subtly direct guests to dif-
ferent treats. Popcorn is popped in
butter or different oils. Poppin'Olive,
a blend of extra-virgin olive oil, is the
best-tasting and healthiest choice.
The Maple books many Oscar-cali-
ber films. Another attraction is Secret
Cinema, Goldstein's Thursday night
at 7:30 film series. Unnamed classics
are featured the first and third weeks;
"Audience Choice" is on the second.
More fun is the pub trivia game
Quizzo in the bar area on Wednesday
nights.
Craft and domestic beers, liquor
and wine are available at the full-ser-
vice bar. Directly across from it is the
restaurant, backed by framed movie
posters.
The operation's tiny kitchen turns
out food made with love;' as Gold-
stein put it, under the direction of
Chef Andy BeGole.
Goldstein's personality is all over
the abbreviated Kitchen menu,
reflecting his preference for natural,
tasty food. Chinese Chicken Salad,
which he enjoyed "every day" while
living in Los Angeles, includes pasta
and nuts —"carbohydrates to add
fullness"— along with house-made
rotisserie chicken.

Among nine menu appetizers, try
the popular Ripper Dog —"frizzled
kosher dog covered in chopslaw and
warm cream mustard."
Sy Ginsberg-brand meat upgrades
some of the sandwiches. The gour-
met grilled cheese I had on sour-
dough bread was delicious, with four
cheeses, lemon pesto and tomatoes.
Burgers arrive on brioche buns.
Center-cut and dry-aged beef com-
prise the Center Cut Burger, while the
Veggie Burger combines faro, chick
peas, black beans, golden bulger,
black beans and brown rice.
I chose the Turkey Burger, very
moist, and added "Duck" Fries. Duck
oil, lower in saturated fat, makes fried
potatoes completely scrumptious.
Soups and more salads round out the
bill of fare.
Goldstein said the Maple's Kitchen
is a dining destination even with-
out seeing a film:"We hope this can
become a cozy corner place in the
neighborhood."

THE MAPLE THEATER
& KITCHEN
4135 W. Maple Road
Bloomfield Township, MI 48301
(248) 750-1030
www.themapletheater.com
$$1/2 out of $$$$

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95

YEARS

1920 - 2015

RED THREAD I September 2015 49