 JUNE 18 • 2020 | 45

Let’
s never forget the eateries that 
put Detroit dining on the map.

the best of everything
Raskin

I

f you’
ve ever been told by an 
out-of-towner that Detroit 
and its suburbs were gastro-
nomic deserts, don’
t believe it 
... When it came to restaurants, 
this eatery would 
usually be up there 
among the world 
dining leaders.
The original 
London Chop 
House in Detroit’
s 
Murphy Building 
on Congress, when 
owned by brothers Les and Sam 
Gruber and Al Woolf, was a huge 

favorite ... The original London 
Chop House of yesteryears, as 
example, was the epitome of ele-
gance that many times was talked 
about in gastronomic circles.
Hy Vogel’
s caricatures of visit-
ing celebrities lined upper por-
tions of the ceiling ... and were 
elegant darlings that had many 
returning for additional presenc-
es ... Its national reputation was 
enhanced by the appearances 
of executive chefs like Jimmy 
Schmidt or Milos Cihelka work-
ing the kitchen at the original 
London Chef House... It also 
may have earned its high stand-
ing when Chef Caesar Cardini 
in Tijuana, Mexico, selected the 
London Chop House to introduce 
his top-ranked Caesar Salad. 
Without much doubt, the orig-
inal London Chop House was 
probably was one of America’
s 
better restaurants. 
WE HAVE BEEN asked many 
times why restaurants of yester-
years are talked about when they 
are no longer in existence ... The 

reasoning is to always let people 
... especially the younger guys and 
gals ... know that Detroit and its 
suburbs were never slouch locales 
when it came to fine dining or 
just plain eateries ... but also for 
various other reasons.
Like Hello Dolly, where 
Stewie Siegel was among the first 
restaurant owners here to put 
telephones on every table ... Or 
Stewie’
s partner at their Alamo 
Lounge, Max Spigelman, who was 
totally blind, but manned the cash 
register and took cash ... Many 
restaurants were hangouts, too, 
but served as important places in 
the hearts of those who attended 
... Like Sam and Ella Ederman 
meeting at Jack’
s Lounge and 
becoming husband and wife ... 
Lou and Sol Germain, introduced 
at the Great Dane, and becoming 
husband and wife ... Or going 
to Ruth and Harry Levenberg’
s 
Andersen Gardens just to take 
home her chili ... or Frank 
Sinatra eating barbecue ribs from 
owners Pat Archer and Marty 

Wilk at Excalibur, who also sent 
them to his hotel room. 
OLDIE BUT GOODIE ... Abe 
is out walking when a luxury car 
pulls up to him with his friend 
Yitzhak at the wheel.
“Where did you get such a nice 
car?” asks Abe.
“My new wife, Sarah, gave it to 
me,
” says Yitzhak.
“Mazel tov!” says Abe, “I knew 
Sarah was in love with you, but to 
give you such a car?” 
“Well,
” says Yitzhak, “even I 
thought it was strange. We were 
out driving when she suddenly 
drove into a small hidden area. 
She got out of the car, took off her 
clothes and said, ‘
Yitzhak, now 
that we are married, take whatev-
er you want.
’
 So I took the car.
”
“You are one smart cookie,
” 
says Abe. “Her clothes would 
never have fit you!”
CONGRATS ... To Suretta 
Binder on her birthday. 

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

Danny Raskin
Senior Columnist

Hy Vogel caricatures that used to hang in the London Chop House.

COURTESY OF POTTER AUCTIONS

London Chop House

The Motor City’s 
Culinary Legacy

“Same Location Over 80 Y
ears”
 

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