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Asian Excellence
Danny Raskin
Senior Columnist
Hong Hua doesn’t
disappoint.
When thinking about authen-
tic Chinese food in the United
States, the Asian dining pendu-
lum usually swings to regions of
San Francisco, Los Angeles, New
York, Chicago, etc.
However, other areas of the
country may rightly boast of
their Oriental presentations …
In Michigan, there is little doubt
that Hong Hua on Orchard
Lake Road, just north of 12 Mile,
Farmington Hills, might easily
hold a dining candle to many.
Several of its outstanding
Hong Kong cuisine items are
rarely seen elsewhere, with much
of the credit going to Head Chef
Peter Chan, who is also one of
Hong Hua’s four partners …
Peter, Danny Yu, Gary Yau and
Shetwai Seto founded Hong Hua
with one thought in mind …
The presentation of authentic
Cantonese and Szechuan items
that would satisfy the most dis-
cerning palates … Like a flaming
Danny Yu, Peter Chan, Gary Yau and Shetwai Seto
whole pickerel, flambeed table-
side with a sweet and sour glaze
or Szechuan Sauce accented by
a hint of rum … Or the Jade and
Coral dish of broccoli topped
with a cream of crab sauce …
Hong Hua is also widely known
for its young duckling prepared
in two fashions … crispy honey-
glazed skin with Chinese crepes,
scallions and Hoi-Sen sauce …
and boneless breast fried with
Chinese vegetables.
Its King of the Sea is a big win-
ner of lobster chunks, scallops,
grouper and macadamia nuts in
a delicately flavored garlic sauce
… There is much about Hong
Hua’s selections that seems to fill
one with a heavy dose of authen-
ticity to satisfy the most discern-
ing Asian tastes … Even normal
standbys like Hong Hua’s mixed
seafood with tofu in hot pot is
prepared with a different twist.
Many of Peter’s excellent prep-
arations, although not on the
menu, are available with requests
for him to prepare.
Hours are Monday-Thursday,
11-10:30, Friday-Saturday, 11-12;
Sunday, 12-12.
AS THE DETROIT Jewish
News approaches its 75th anni-
versary, REARVIEW MIRROR
remembrances of numerous
yesteryears’ restaurants, happen-
ings, etc. will be recalled … Too
many to remember but count-
less seldom forgotten … Like
when the young lady was slightly
ignored while singing in the back
room of Detroit’s Caucus Club,
and Barbra Streisand went on
to appear on the national TV
show of Jack Parr and to film-
dom greatness … Or when the
connotation of Detroit being a
gastronomic desert was quickly
dispelled when James Beard
named it among cities having the
nation’s better restaurants.
MAIL DEPT … From Gary
Cochran, former owner of Beau
Jack’s … “I was getting bored after
three years and signing a non-
compete clause with Zack Sklar
and Jim Bellinson, new owners of
Beau’s, and wanted to stay in the
food industry. Most important
was doing something where I
could again be among my former
customers at Beau Jack’s. So I
started the first of this year as a
consultant chef of the catering
department at my friends Dan
and Julie Sonenberg’s Pomodoro
Market on Middlebelt and 15
Mile. I’m just doing about five
hours a day, three to four days
a week. Carl Hakim, former
chef/owner of Market Basket in
Franklin, closed his store and
heads this department. It’s like
old home week for both Carl
and me with all the Johnny
Pomodoro customers we bump
into.”
AMONG THE MANY presti-
gious accolades the late Mike
Ilitch received, his numerous
coveted ones included the Alvin
Foon Humanitarian Award in
1989 from the Michigan Jewish
Sports Foundation.
MAKING ROUNDS … To Bella
Piatti, Birmingham, for whole
grilled fish … To Feng Taste,
Farmington Hills, for Dynamite
sushi.
OLDIE BUT GOODIE …
Standing on the seashore, a
Jewish lady watches her grand-
son playing in the water.
She is thunderstruck when
a huge wave crashes over him.
After it recedes, the boy is no
longer there.
Screaming, she raises her
hands to the sky and cries, “Lord,
how could you? Have I not been
a wonderful mother and grand-
mother? Have I not scrimped
and saved so I could work tire-
lessly for the Temple and con-
tribute to B’nai Brith? Have I not
always turned my other cheek
and loved my neighbors, have I
not …”
A deep voice from the sky
interrupts, “Enough already, give
me a break!”
Immediately another wave
appears and crashes on the
beach. When it recedes, the boy
is standing there, smiling, splash-
ing around as if nothing ever
happened.
The deep voice continues, “I
have returned your grandson.
Are you satisfied?”
“He had a hat,” says the grand-
mother
CONGRATS … To Daniel
Weintraub on his birthday … To
Marsha Rofel on her birthday. •
Danny’s email address is
dannyraskin@sbcglobal.net.
1300610
jn
March 2 • 2017
57