 OCTOBER 17 • 2019 | 53

M

enu items drawn 
on a blackboard 
got me anticipating 
the new deli coming to West 
Bloomfield.
With Val’
s Delicatessen, 
immigrant Val Uzilov is 
climbing the next rung of 
his American 
dream ladder. 
This time, he 
has a business 
partner in 
Carey Gerchak. 
Members of 
both families 
fill out the team 
that will oper-
ate what Carey 
called a “
casual, New York-
style deli.” The location is 
Crosswinds Mall, on Orchard 
Lake Road at Lone Pine.
Chef Val worked 25 years 
previously at Steve’
s Deli in 
Bloomfield Township, becom-
ing famous for his chicken 
soup. Brimming with noodles, 
white chicken and carrots, 
Chef Val’
s soup has won nine 
trophies in the professional 
category of Congregation Shir 
Shalom’
s annual Chicken Soup 
Cook-off in West Bloomfield. 
Born in Azerbaijan, in the 
former Soviet Union, Val 
continues a family tradition of 
chefs with their own restau-
rants.
At age 13, he began working 
in Uncle Lazar Uzilov’
s “big 
restaurant in Russia.” After 
this uncle moved to West 
Bloomfield, he sponsored 
Val and family to join him in 
1993. 
“He came for a better life, 
bigger opportunities,” said 
Val’
s daughter, Shifra Uzilov. 
At first, Chef Val assisted 
his uncle at Orchard Family 
Restaurant, now Greek Islands 
Coney Restaurant, in West 

Bloomfield. Two 
more uncles, both 
local, have owned 
restaurants.
Val’
s 
Delicatessen will 
have a scratch 
kitchen. Breakfast 
will be big with a 
separate menu and 
items throughout 
the day. 
On weekends, 
“we’
ll feature spe-
cial things Val’
s 
going to cook, 
so there’
s always 
something differ-
ent,” Carey said. 
The website and a 
chalkboard will list 
specials. 
Hot and cold display cases 
will contain carryout entrees. 
Among the rotating choices 
will be more Chef Val spe-
cialties: stuffed cabbage, short 
ribs, lamb chops, chicken pot 
pie, gefilte fish, and chicken 
baked with cranberry, apricot 
or lemon. 
Besides daily 
soups, regular 
choices will 
include beef bar-
ley, mushroom 
barley, chicken 
noodle, chicken 
rice, matzah ball 
and kreplach.
Dinners consist of entrée, 
soup or salad and two sides, 
such as vegetables, potatoes 
and rice. Prices should be 
affordable for middle-class 
diners. 
Chef Val will cater Jewish 
and non-Jewish holidays and 
events. 
“Customers with big carry-
out orders can pull up in front 
or around the back for easy 
access,” Carey said.

At the new deli, Toma Uzeli 
will again serve as her hus-
band’
s sous chef, son Erik will 
do back inventory, prep and 
cleanup, and Shifra will be a 
server and co-manager with 
pastry chef Alexis Gerchak. 
The crew delivering through-
out Metro Detroit are Erik, 
Carey’
s husband, Richard, and 
Alexis’
 boy-
friend, Alan, 
who is design-
ing the website.
“We’
ll all be 
doing a little 
bit of every-
thing,” said 
Carey, who 
met Chef Val at Steve’
s Deli. 
She will continue teaching at 
nearby Doherty Elementary, 
where Shifra’
s two children 
attend.
The 3,000-square-foot 
space still being put together 
features an open kitchen and 
a grab-and-go case. Black and 
white were chosen for a sim-
ple, elegant look. 
Val’
s Deli opens the end of 
October. Hours will be from 8 
a.m.-9 p.m. daily. 

Nosh

dining around the D

Val’s 
Delicatessen

4301 Orchard Lake Road, 

West Bloomfield

(248) 973-8037

Business partners Val Uzilov and Carey Gerchak

BY ESTHER ALLWEISS INGBER

I

t turns out that even if 
you can’
t make the trip 
to Ireland, it’
s possible to 
experience true Irish hospital-
ity right here in Michigan.
Sullivan’
s Public House, 
known for its farm-to-table 
menu and dedication to Irish 
food, beer, whisky and tradi-
tion, just earned the highest 
honor possible. It has topped 
the list of the world’
s best 
Irish Pubs — located outside 
of Ireland. IrishCentral.com 
shared the news recently, 
which followed a poll of more 
than 5 million readers.
“What makes an Irish pub 
so special?” the article on 
IrishCentral.com reads. “No 
matter where you are in the 
world the Irish pub is like an 
unofficial embassy, a bastion 
for Irish people abroad and a 
haven for those who love the 
Irish, their food, drink and 
culture … Our poll in search 
of the best Irish pub outside 
of Ireland had a clear winner 
with entrants from all over 
the world. And the winner is 
… Sullivan’
s Public House, in 
Oxford, Michigan.”
Husband and wife Jerry 
and Jamie Cremin opened 
Sullivan’
s Public House 
five years ago with a strong 
emphasis on hospitality.
Sullivan’
s Public House is 
ocated at 23 N. Washington 
St. in downtown Oxford. Visit 
sullivanspublichouse.com for 
more information. 

Esther 
Allweiss 
Ingber 
Contributing 
Writer

JERRY CREMIN/SULLIVAN’
S PUBLIC HOUSE

Val’s 
Delicatessen

Sullivan’
s Public House 
Named “Best Irish Pub”

