 MAY 21 • 2020 | 45

A 

second year in the 
restaurant business is 
considered to be the 
hardest for many new dining 
enterprises … Original impres-
sions have a lot 
to do with it but, 
in the long run, 
what many may 
consider as flaws 
are mostly cor-
rected.
The lucky ones 
are those whose 
restaurant experiences would 
allow them to either correct 
negligible blemishes or none 
at all.
Among them is the temporar-

ily closed Empire Kitchen and 
Cocktails, corner of Woodward 
and Erskine in Downtown 
Detroit, whose boyhood owner 
friends will hopefully soon cel-
ebrate a better-than-expected 
second anniversary.
Owners Mike Abrams and 
Brian Adelman have yet to find 
any serious flaw, and when the 
current coronavirus crisis is 
over can look forward to enjoy-
ing their second year of success 
… Perhaps previous successful 
experiences with ownership 
of Five Guys, Mr. Joes, etc. has 
much to do with it … along 
with that of its fine executive 
chef, Aaron Lowen.
Their outdoor patios during 
the summer months may still 
see some days of high success 
as they probably present dining 
features like big-sellers dry-rub 
chicken wings, pizzas, burgers, 
branzino, etc.
Highly accepted entrees of 
mushroom pasta, lamb chops, 
shrimp pasta and cauliflower 
fried rice have gone over big 
along with salmon, chicken 

scallops, steak, including New 
York Strip, aNd six styles of 
pizza, regular or available with 
gluten-free crust … Past experi-
ence with beer on draft and bot-
tle or wine by the glass or bottle 
have gone over in a large way.
The 30-foot bar, when avail-
able, ordinarily serves a large 
variety of specialty cocktails, 
wine and beer … Much good-
ness at the table when the 
health problem has past is again 
expected with Empire in full 
swing.
DJ entertainment may also be 
available on Friday and Saturday 
nights, if allowed. Seating capac-
ity, when available, at Empire is 
200 … with a large bar seating 
20 … a Happy Hours segment is 
on Saturdays, 11 a.m-1 p.m.
That the new Empire Kitchen 
and Cocktails has enjoyed a suc-
cessful first year is indicative of 
its further acceptance to come 
with many additional visits after 
the dreaded crisis has passed.
REARVIEW MIRROR …
The House of Hunan took over 
the site of two former delica-

tessens, Point After Deli and 
Nosherie Deli … When asked 
why he didn’
t open a Jewish 
Chinese delicatessen, owner 
Joe Chue replied, “Did you 
ever taste an egg roll made with 
chopped liver?”
OLDIE BUT GOODIE … A 
funeral service is being held at 
the synagogue for a man who 
had just passed away … At the 
end of the service, the pallbear-
ers are carrying the casket out, 
when they accidently bump 
into a wall, jarring the casket … 
They hear a faint moan, open 
the casket and find that the man 
is actually alive … He lives for 
10 more years and then passes 
away … A ceremony is again 
held at the same synagogue and, 
at the end, the pallbearers are 
again carrying the casket … As 
they are walking out, the wife 
cries, “Watch out for the wall!” 
CONGRATS … To Linda 
Nudell on her birthday … To 
Michael Layne on his birthday. 

Email dannyraskin2132@gmail.com.

Danny Raskin
Senior Columnist

VIA EMPIRE KITCHEN FACEBOOK

Mike Abrams, Aaron Lowen 
and Brian Adelman

the best of everything
Raskin

COURTESY OF EMPIRE KITCHEN

An Empire 
State of Mind

Looking forward to the return
of Empire Kitchen and Cocktails 
once the crisis is over.

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