raskin
the best of everything
Opa!
Uptown Parthenon’s
Greek cuisine is the
real deal.
Danny Raskin
Senior Columnist
ABOVE: Polyvios Panagopoulos and
Tony Hadjisofroniou
What constitutes a good Greek
restaurant? … As in many eth-
nic eateries, there are numer-
ous versions … However, the
authenticity claim is sadly over-
played, and so many times erro-
neously given to dining spots of
that culture.
Thankfully, use of the time
honored “authentic” word is
many times recognized, though
in most cases only by people of
that ethnicity.
That is why a Greek restaurant
like Uptown Parthenon, Orchard
Lake Road, just north of Lone
Pine in the Crosswinds Mall, is
highly revered by aficionados of
true Greek cuisine.
It all starts at 5 a.m. when
chefs Tasos Dalanas and Lula
Nili come to prepare much of
the succulent dishes served at
Uptown Parthenon ... The all-
Greek Old-World preparations
by Greek persons are a most
welcomed sight … The two sets
of Greek brothers, Polyvios and
Dimitris Panagopoulos and
Leo and John Stasinopoulos,
General Manager Tony
Hadjisofroniou, servers like
Ted Stavropoulos, etc. all came
together to bring much Greek
dining authenticity by Greeks
who know the difference.
No tenderizing, no artificial
coloring, cooking the Greek
way as only they can do with
their own dining favorites …
Lamb fricassee is served only by
Uptown Parthenon, same with
the Northern Greek specialty
of tomato sauce atop ground
N OT T I N G H I L L
of W EST B LOOMFIELD
beef mixed with cumin … Or the
popular family-style Parthenon
Special of two baby lamb chops,
shish kabob, spinach cheese pie,
moussaka, stuffed grape leaves,
rice and vegetables.
And you’ll rarely find veal tas
kebab such as this, simmered in
a tomato wine sauce, or the ten-
der marinated charbroiled steak
or chicken sizzling in a skillet
with onions, green peppers,
tomatoes, fresh mushrooms, etc.
Much has been written about
the fantastic double-bone good-
ness of Uptown Parthenon’s deli-
cious lamb chops … with a tasty
consistency like very few others.
Greektown Detroit may not
be the same as in years gone
by, but Polyvios and Dimitri
Panagopoulos, who also own
Greektown’s New Parthenon,
and Leo and John Stasinopoulos,
owners of Leo’s Coney Island,
can revel in the fact that Uptown
Parthenon has what is consid-
ered by many to be among the
best outside of it.
When Tony Hadjisofroniou
sold his half-ownership in
Greektown’s Cyprus Taverna to
help launch the new Uptown
Parthenon as its general manag-
er, destiny followed, making his
joining in like the tune of a very
loud and clear flaming Opa!
OPENING CHEF at the new
Chef ’s Table on the former
site of Tribute restaurant, 12
Mile, Southfield, is a familiar
face and favorite of many …
Executive Chef Travis Waynick
is the same fine gent who previ-
ously toiled as head chef at Joe
Vicari’s Andiamo Bloomfield on
Telegraph and the Matt Prentice
Restaurant Group … Travis takes
over the previous kitchen of
Takashi Yagahashi while Mickey
Bakst was its general manager.
FOLKS TO CALL for the 11th
annual JCC Michigan-Florida
Reunion dinner, Golf Classic and
Games, Tuesday, March 14, are
Mort Plotnick, (248) 210-8489, or
Geta Richman, (561) 272-5917.
WHAT A SHAME the way
some servers are blamed for sup-
posed faults when it might actu-
ally be that of an inexperienced
restaurant owner or manager
… Many servers are put on the
floor without being shown what
to do … or are given someone
else’s manual and expected to
learn that way … Reading a
manual takes time that a first-
time waitperson does not have
or cannot understand … Why
not just give them a list of do’s
and don’ts to provide them with
somewhat of an inkling on wait-
ing with a smile? … If the neo-
phyte owner or manager does
not know what those do’s and
don’ts are, they should bury their
egos and allow experienced serv-
ers to assist them.
OLDIE BUT GOODIE … The
man who has finally made it in
business treats himself to a new
Lamborghini … After buying the
car, he feels guilty so goes to his
Orthodox rabbi and asks for a
mezuzah for the Lamborghini.
“You want a mezuzah for
what?” the rabbi asks.
“It’s a sports car.”
“What kind of sports car?”
asks the rabbi.
“Italian.”
“What? That’s blasphemy!” the
rabbi shouts. “You want a mezu-
zah for a non-Jewish sports car?
Go to the Conservatives!”
The man is disappointed, but
goes to the Conservative rabbi
and asks for a mezuzah. “You
want a mezuzah for what?” asks
the rabbi.
“For an Italian car.”
“What? That’s blasphemy!” the
rabbi shouts. “Go to the Reform!”
Again, the man feels guilty and
disappointed, but goes to the
Reform rabbi.
“Rabbi,” he asks. “I’d like a
mezuzah for my Lamborghini.”
“You have a Lamborghini?”
asks the rabbi.
“You know what it is?” asks
the man.
“Of course, it’s a fantastic
Italian sports car. What’s a
mezuzah?”
TYPO, ERRATA, ETC. … With
thanks from Jerry Light for mak-
ing him five years younger at 83
… Congrats should have been on
his 88th birthday.
CONGRATS ... To Rhonda
Ginsberg on her birthday … To
Jackie Headapohl on her birth-
day … To David Syme on his
birthday … To Barry and Kathy
Nosanchuk on their 28th anni-
versary. •
Danny’s email address is
dannyraskin@sbcglobal.net.
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February 16 • 2017
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