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Heart & Soul

Beans & Cornbread celebrates 19 years of soul food excellence.

N

ineteen years ago, a new restau-
food restaurant in Michigan by
rities appearing in town like
rant opened on Northwestern
various publications.
Lawrence Fishburne, Thomas
Highway that had folks wonder-
It isn’t a large restaurant,
“Hitman” Hearns, John Amos,
ing why so many cars were parked there.
only about 70 seats in the
Queen Latifah, Steve Harvey
It wasn’t long before they found out
main dining room, 24 in a
and so many more, plus local
… discovering dining goodness that did
lounge area, 12 stools at its
personalities … It was a big
its own talking in vaulting it into one of
next-door sidebar and 50 in
favorite of the late Whitney
America’s finest soul food restaurants.
Red Velvet for small ban-
Houston who starred in the
The impact that the new Beans &
quets … Beans & Cornbread’s
movie Sparkle that also featured
Cornbread made at its location on
former nearby Southern
B & C’s food.
Danny Raskin
Northwestern between 12 Mile and Inkster Nosh closed in 2014 and was
Homemade cornbread and
Senior Columnist
in the Sunset Strip, Southfield, soon
replaced with its Too Go for
luscious big favorite sweet pota-
reached the ears of others in Michigan
carryouts.
to muffins are without equal …
areas … who, after trying it, suddenly
Best sellers are still fried chicken, salmon Its open kitchen tells a quick story of much
made it a must-go-to destination.
croquettes, baby back ribs and blackened
sanitation … Touching of food without rub-
People learned to come early for lunch
catfish … But off the menu are many orders ber gloves is a no-no.
seating … Dinner was by
for Swamp Thing (catfish on
Special emphasis is placed on health,
crowded reservations only
a bed of rice, smothered in
using only canola oil and careful use of salt,
… They were witnessing a
gumbo, topped with collard
etc., in its food preparations … Healthy
dining phenomenon with
greens and crowned with
selections include grilled fish, salads and
soul food dishes that highly
two Cajun grilled shrimp),
vegetable items that also take in a vegetar-
satisfied numerous eyes
which no other soul food
ian Sloppy Joe … All vegetables are flavored
and stomachs … To many,
restaurant can offer, or
with smoked turkey … If in house, veggies
they had never tasted
Angry Lobster (lobster tail
without smoking may be requested.
soul food as presented by
smothered in a gumbo over
Very important is the fact that no trans-
Patrick Coleman, former
rice), or specials that bring
fat, lard or salt pork, many times known to
dining room manager at
so much satisfaction … Its
be used in traditional soul food, is in the
Forte, Birmingham, and
homemade Mama’s Meatloaf cuisine at Beans & Cornbread
general manager at the
is superb and those salmon
As music softly plays the tunes of Ella
Patrick Coleman
onetime Sebastian’s in
croquettes, appetizer or
Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn, etc., customers
Troy, both of which he also
entree, sauteed and drizzled
enjoy the very casual Beans & Cornbread
assisted in opening.
with a roasted red pepper
atmosphere and must feel so proud to have
This is no ordinary soul food restaurant butter are wonderful … as is the New York
in their midst what is judged as joining the
… It is culinary soul at its very best …
strip steak topped with grilled mushrooms
nation’s list of top award-winning soul food
Healthy and great tasting.
and caramelized onions, Louisiana gumbo
restaurants.
Now into the 19th year since its phenom- salmon, roasted chicken, tempura lobster
IT’S ABOUT TIME … that the Michigan
enal beginning, Beans & Cornbread is still
tails, etc., amid numerous luscious dishes
Restaurant Association has finally rec-
going strong with upscale soul food presen- that spell high achievement with every bite. ognized Vera Day Rizer as Restaurant
tations that have pleased many taste buds
Each week, Beans & Cornbread goes
Manager of the Year … She has been
… After running two other high end-dining through more than 2,000 pounds of catfish, the “right hand” everything to general
operations, it was only natural that Patrick
more than 2,300 pounds of chicken, 800 or
manager for Norm and Bonnie LePage at
would want the finest in a casual fine-din-
more pounds of ribs, over 700 pounds of
their Big Rock Chophouse on Eton Street,
ing soul food restaurant … And, so, Beans
salmon, 1,200 pounds of collard greens, etc. Birmingham, since it opened … Vera
& Cornbread has been named the best soul
Beans & Cornbread is a regular for celeb- started with them in 1984 as a bartender

with a Sandwich Purchase

*Excludes
Hard Salami

1.00 OFF

$

10% OFF ALL WINES

Free Wine
Tasting

Every Thursday
5pm – 7pm

50 May 12 • 2016

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

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Salami and Hot Dogs
Natural Casing and Skinless

7.99 lb*

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3pm – 7pm

VIENNA SAUSAGE PRODUCTS

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at their Eton Steet Station, Big Rock’s pre-
vious name … When Norm and Bonnie
went to run Birmingham’s Townsend Hotel,
they took Vera with them to help, and she
became its food and beverage director …
Vera returned with them to open Big Rock
as its GM … She is terrific!
QUESTION & ANSWER DEPT …
“I was taken to a place in Oak Park that
seemed familiar when my mom and dad
took me years ago as a little girl. What
was it before Eddie’s Gourmet?” … Gloria
Birnbaum
(I don’t know how long your “years ago”
was, Gloria, but it could have been one of
three. After Spiro’s Coney Island, George
Golematis, former dining maître d’ at
the Benchmark restaurant in Southfield,
changed it into a gourmet diner and called
it Giorgio’s. He then opened another loca-
tion and sold his popular eatery to a cousin
who called it Peter’s K. By the way, the pres-
ent owner Eddie Hanna used to work for
George as a cook. If you remember the year,
perhaps Eddie could help you.)
OLDIE BUT GOODIE … Moshe and
Abe were partners in a very successful
clothing factory. It had been in operation
for many years, and there wasn’t much they
didn’t know about the shmatta business.
One day, Moshe decided to take a trip to
Rome. As Abe had many Catholic friends,
he surprised Moshe by getting him an
audience with none other than the pope.
On Moshe’s first day back at work after his
Rome trip, Abe asked him, “So Moshe, what
kind of a man is the pope?”
Moshe replied, “I would say a 44 regular.”
CONGRATS… To David Sachs on his
65th birthday … To Michael Hermanoff on
his birthday.

SHAWARMA SANDWICHES

32418 Northwestern Hwy., Farmington Hills

Now Featuring -
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Mon-Thurs 10am-10pm, Fri-Sat 10am-12mid,
Sun 11am-8pm
All specials expire 6/15/16

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248-862-5747

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