May 9 • 2019 57
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Danny Raskin
Senior Columnist
raskin
the best of everything
Empire State of Mind
A
long with the resurgence of new
restaurant openings in Downtown
Detroit bringing much joy, may
also be some cause for alarm … Closings
may come, in and outers, too … But all
said, the current presence of new restau-
rants is welcomed.
Toots Shore of New York dining fame used
to say that a good restaurant might start when
customers smile after lifting their forks and
having the first bite.
He had something there.
This is where a restaurant such as the new
Empire Kitchen and Cocktails on Woodward,
corner of Erskine, two blocks north of Little
Caesars Arena, Detroit, shines so high …
Owned by friends Michael Abrams, Brian
Adelman and Dave Pittaway, with working
partner/chef Aaron Lowen, it presents some-
thing so many other like operations might
sadly fail to offer … Its very own cooking
styles with big features on simplicity, too …an
important factor today for success.
Chef Lowen, trained at the prestigious
Culinary Institute of America at Hyde Park,
New York and was former director of oper-
ations and events for Cutting Edge cuisine,
is noted for having his own casual American
fare along with an approach that also brings
out numerous Italian and other influences in
many food preparations.
The diversified style of Empire’
s menu
selections has brought many return visits …
with choices from prime steak, Empire burg-
er, turkey burger, dry-rub wings, pan-seared
salmon, scallops, grilled lamb chops, pizzas,
seafood pasta, even corned beef hash, 14-oz.
New York strip, spicy chicken, corn-on-the
cob, etc.
A new 2019 menu also includes sea-
sonal items, Brisket French Dip, citrus
salad, artichoke pizza, sausage orecchiette,
smoked whitefish dip, salted caramel
cookie skillet, etc.
Friends since boyhood, Mike Abrams
should know the goodness of its burgers, also
being owner of Mr. Joe’
s in Southfield … and
Brian Adelman, who’
s name many remem-
ber from the family once owning Adelman’
s
Department Store in Windsor … Mike and
Brian own the 30 Five Guys Burger and Fries
spots in Michigan and two in Illinois as well.
Empire Kitchen and Cocktails makes its
own monkey bread, spice cake, brownies,
bread sticks, etc.
Closed Mondays … Open Tuesday 4-10,
Wednesday and Thursday 4-12, Friday, 4-1,
Saturday, 11-1, Sunday, 10-10 … Saturday
and Sunday brunch from menus, 11-3, fol-
lowed by dinner menu … Complete seating is
135 plus 20 stools at its well-stocked bar.
Empire Kitchen and cocktails is the casual
but interesting and good American bistro that
so many people look for when visiting Detroit
… or living and working in its Downtown
area … along with the many who come from
the suburbs.
Relaxed dining with simplicity as evi-
denced by Empire Kitchen is highly wel-
comed.
PRE-BROADWAY SHOW of Bob
Anderson and his amazing impression of
Frank Sinatra in “Frank The Man. The
Music,
” presented by Joe Vicari and his
Andiamo and Joe Muer Seafood restau-
rants … Saturday, June 15, 8 p.m. at the Fox
Theatre … will also include Johnny Trudell
and his 31-piece orchestra … Bob’
s uncanny
impression will include many top-drawer
Sinatra favorite songs he did not do last year
at the much smaller Detroit Opera House …
It hits Broadway with Bob doing his Sinatra
show this fall … Like Tony Bennett says,
“Frank would have loved this show!” … You
will, too.
OLDIE BUT GOODIE … Isaac is out
shopping when he sees a sign in a window
saying, “Jacob’
s Custom-Made Clothing.
” …
He isn’
t sure whether to go in because it looks
so expensive. But Jacob, the owner, sees him
hesitating and quickly invites him in.
“What are you looking for?” he asks.
“
A suit for my grandson’
s bar mitzvah,”
says Isaac.
“Good,
” said Jacob, “you’
ve come to the
right place. When we make a suit here, you’
ll
be surprised at how we go about it. First, dig-
ital cameras take pictures of every muscle and
we download the pictures to a special com-
puter to build up your image. Then we cul-
tivate sheep in Australia to get the very best
cloth. For the silk lining, we contact Japan for
their silkworms, and we ask Japanese deep
sea divers to get the pearl buttons. When do
you need it?”
“This week,
” says Isaac.
“You’
ll have it!”
CONGRATS … To David Sachs on his
birthday … To Eleanor Pearl on her
birthday. ■
Danny’
s email address is
dannyraskin2132@gmail.com.
Detroit’
s Empire
Kitchen and
Cocktails offers
relaxed dining.
Michael Abrams, Aaron Lowen and
Brian Adelman
COURTESY OF EMPIRE KITCHEN AND COCKTAILS
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