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Hail To The Chinese!

Detroit has long been beneficiary of great Chinese cuisine and hospitality.

A

unique element in the
Thankfully, there is a
restaurant business
Chinese restaurant like
is the fact that many
Shangri-La in the Orchard
Chinese restaurants are open
Mall, West Bloomfield, whose
when other eateries are closed
dim sum is considered among
… This is so important to those
the finest selection and quality
people whose lifestyles, health
anywhere.
requirements, etc., are such that
Chinese cooking presently
a Chinese restaurant is consid-
in places like Golden Phoenix,
Danny Raskin
ered a much-desired necessity.
New Mandarin Garden, Hong
Senior Columnist
Yet, the Chinese restaurant
Hua, Taste of China, Mon Jin
has never received the acclaim
Lau, Shangri-La and many
that it so deserves … Why? Because, no
wonderful restaurants emphasize the natu-
doubt, in years and years of presence,
ral flavors of its ingredients … Many with
they have been taken so much for granted
basic methods of preparation like steaming
… Many times by the Jewish diners who
and quick stir-frying, etc. … Spots like Hong
frequent them … causing some people to
Hua that also concentrate on Peking Duck,
jocularly wonder, “Where did the Jewish
among many Mandarin dishes.
people eat before there were Chinese res-
Chinese restaurants being open on holi-
taurants!?”
days enjoy a high priority … And are so
In the local areas, years ago, Chinese stal- very much appreciated.
warts like Forbidden City, Golden Dragon,
REMEMBERING … When former Beth
Chung’s, Atlantic Gardens, King Fong,
Achim student Keith Supien was executive
Lotus Gardens and so many more were
chef at the posh, upscale Van Dyke Place,
considered indispensable.
Van Dyke off Jefferson, Detroit, and used
Chinese meals have always appealed to
to honor all Passover request orders …
the senses of taste, smell, sight and touch
Keith was given much acclaim for his many
… Many of its cooks are inventive and give
presentations … Herring with wine sauce
folks the kind of food they want with added ground with onions, eggs, salt, pepper, dill,
palate enjoyment and health aspects that
parsley, vegetable oil and matzah meal …
are so pleasing.
shmaltz herring croquettes, chatzilim (egg-
That Chinese restaurants are very
plant caviar), baked whitefish crusted with
important to good living is without ques-
matzah and pistachios, chicken soup with
tion … and taking them for granted can be
stuffed matzah balls, apricot chicken with
expected.
walnuts, grilled salmon, etc. … were also
But sometimes, like everything else, there big favorites among the Jewish customers
is also one major weak spot in our region
… and others as well.
… the rarity of dim sum accessibility, with
QUESTION & ANSWER DEPT. …
its endless variety of small steamed dump-
“Years ago as a youngster, I was told that
lings, puffs, rolls, cakes, etc. … Different
Zeman’s Bakery had something to do with
shapes and sizes … Inexpensive (or should
Passover. Do you recall what it was?” …
be) and great conversation pieces, too,
Sherman Goodson.
accompanied by, perhaps, many little cups
(Can’t think of anything … unless a
of steaming tea.
grownup was making a pun because Zeman

Cherutainu, the Season of Our Freedom, is
another name for Passover.)
READER MINI REVIEW … from Susan
Sherbow … “Lowcountry Bistro at 49 S.
Market St., Charleston, S.C., where my
husband, Mark, I and our daughter Alex,
recently enjoyed a wonderful brunch.
“We all started with crab cakes in creamy
and well-spiced remoulade sauce. The cake
was hearty due to it being mostly crab meat
without a lot of needless filler. Mark thor-
oughly enjoyed his frogmore stew, a mild
fish broth made with corn, shrimp, smoked
sausage and fingerling potatoes, a fine com-
bination.
“Alex had breakfast sliders, two flakey
biscuits filled with sausage patties and eggs.
They were served with potato salad with
pickle juice that gave it a nice distinctive
flavor.
“I had a French toast casserole that was
cake-like with honey crisp apples covered
in a sweet cream sauce. Our side dish was
creamy parmesan and chive grits.
“It was an enjoyable meal and highly rec-
ommended when visiting Charleston and
wanting a taste of the South.”
NUMEROUS GOOD RESTAURANTS
prove their mettle in many ways … Among
them are the constant changes and innova-
tions that tend to provide continual fresh-
ness of appearances, food, etc.
Along with proven goodness of cuisine
and service, these changes are among
the reasons these establishments have
remained in business for so many years.
Most restaurant owners who take for
granted that fine food and service is all that
are needed are many times wrong in their
thinking that this is only what the public
wants.
Big reasons why so many eateries enjoy
continued success in business are also
because of periodical refreshening of menu,

decor, etc. … Laziness and “old hat” think-
ing are not what many people want.
Attention by newspapers and other
media sometimes acknowledge changes in
restaurants, but often neglect the all-impor-
tant longevity, too, of restaurants.
These factors are why prominent res-
taurateurs of yesteryears like Sam Boesky,
Les Gruber, Ben Kasle, Carl Rosenfeld, Jim
Constand, Al Green and many, many more
… along with numerous today could always
smell success … They also believed in and
reveled in continued freshness, longevity,
etc. … and it showed.
I have always enjoyed writing about a
deserving restaurant’s anniversary … There
usually seems to be something new and
fresh to write about them as they age …
And years of staying in business usually
tells of so much goodness.
OLDIE BUT GOODIE DEPT. … A
Jewish man took his Passover lunch to eat
in the park. He sat on a bench and began
eating. Since he did not eat leavened bread
during the eight-day holiday, he was eating
matzah, flat unleavened bread that has doz-
ens of perforations.
A little while later, a blind man came by
and sat down next to him. Feeling neigh-
borly, the Jewish man passed a sheet of
matzah to the blind man. The blind man
handled the matzah for a few minutes,
looked puzzled, and finally exclaimed,
“Who wrote this junk!?”
CONGRATS … To Ed Radner on his
birthday … To Keri Guten Cohen on her
birthday … To Ronald Steinberg on his
77th birthday … To Pet Nosan on her birth-
day … To Rachel Kapen on her birthday …
To Dr. Mischa Sachs on his 90th birthday.
WISHING EVERYONE a healthy and
happy Passover!

*

Danny’s email address is dannyraskin@sbcglobal.net.

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48 April 21 • 2016

