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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