 JANUARY 16 • 2020 | 53

Station Square is now 
Grand Tavern Troy.

the best of everything
Raskin

New Name, 
Same Menu

A

fter purchasing the 
large former Papa Vino 
site, it was easy to find 
a name for the magnificent 
restaurant and property on 
Coolidge and 
Maple in Troy … 
Being in front of 
Amtrak’
s small 
Troy Transit 
Train Station, 
the large beau-
tiful eatery was 
originally titled 
Station Square. 
 However, this name was 
short-lived, and the fine 
restaurant has been renamed 
Grand Tavern Troy, in accom-
paniment with its sister din-
ing edifice, Grand Tavern 

Rochester, in the five-restau-
rant chain … Both menus are 
also the same now as well.
Along with this change 
comes the recent acquisition 
in August of Executive Chef 
Robert Mazola to head the 
Grand Tavern Troy kitchen 
direct from more than five 
years at Knollwood Country 
Club … and, before that, 
Capitol Grill, where his Italian 
and American dishes plus 
many others are now drawing 
wide acceptance.
New menu features include 
a 14-ounce gorgonzola ribeye 
steak, Scottish salmon, sea 
scallops, black n’
 bleu burger, 
etc., along with numerous 
standbys.
No other changes … and the 
Saturday and Sunday brunches 
are better than ever.
MAIL DEPT. … From Matt 
Prentice … who returned to 
the restaurant scene at Three 
Cats in Clawson, between 14 
Mile and Crooks, after five 
years away from eateries … “I 
am seeing tons of old faces like 
Dr. Lenny Hutton and his wife, 

among many, who were among 
the first to join me. Favorite 
foods at Three Cats so far are 
Seared Salmon on Butternut 
Squash Risotto with Apple 
Cider Glace and Mustard 
Thyme Butter, Chicken with 
Braised Fennel, Goat Cheese 
Butter Sauce and Tomato-Basil 
Salad. Among the most popu-
lar seems to be George’
s Bank 
Diver Scallops with Candied 
Shiitakes and Pea Pods sautéed 
with Sesame-Almond Sambal.”
THROUGH THE YEARS, 
many restaurants have been 
challenged by a lack of good 
employees … The waiter or 
waitress who gives poor ser-
vice or comes to a man and 
woman and as example might 
also ask, “What are you guys 
having?” etc., are true ways 
for customers not to return 
… regardless of how good the 
food might be … Thankfully, 
former Detroiters like Dennis 
and Debbie Silber found theirs 
to be very good at Maria’
s 
Osteria in Boca Raton. 
OLDIE BUT GOODIE … 
Fellow takes a seat at the del-
icatessen lunch counter and 

orders a corned beef sandwich 
… “Corned beef sandwich is 
not on the menu, but I can give 
you a sandwich with corned 
beef in it, like our Midnight 
Special,” said the guy.
“What’
s a Midnight Special,” 
asks the man. 
“
A triple decker with corned 
beef, tongue, bologna, toma-
to, lettuce, onion, pickle and 
mayonnaise, on toasted raisin 
bread,” says the deli gent.
“Could you just put some 
corned beef between two 
pieces of rye bread?” asks the 
customer. 
“Sure,” he says. He turns to 
his sandwich man, sings out, 
“One Midnight Special. Make 
it one deck, hold the tongue, 
bologna, tomato, lettuce, 
onion, pickle and mayonnaise 
and make the raisin bread 
untoasted!”
CONGRATS … To Suzie 
Radner on her birthday … To 
Udi Kapen on his birthday … 
To Ed and Suzie Radner on 
their anniversary. 

Danny’
s email address is 
dannyraskin2132@gmail.com.

Danny Raskin
Senior Columnist

VIA GRAND TAVERN TROY FACEBOOK 

TROY

Reservations at www.thewhitney.com
 (313) 832-5700

2020
T
HE
 
WHI
T
NE
Y

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