 JULY 30 • 2020 | 45

the best of everything
Raskin

Remembering 
the Mushroom 
Cellar

D

ining in the cellar of a 
restaurant has a cer-
tain charm … and the 
Mushroom Cellar of the noted 
Golden Mushroom was in a class 
its very own.
Under the pres-
tigious Golden 
Mushroom, with 
its own entrance off 
10 Mile, Southfield, 
Mushroom Cellar 
was much more 
than just a down-
stairs to go to … and certainly 
upheld the high standards its 
upstairs grownup had earned.
Going down the Golden 
Mushroom stairs where walls 
were decorated by GM honors 

and awards, Mushroom Cellar 
was like a private club, although 
open to the public … It had been 
a banquet area until the spring 
of 1973, a year after opening 
of the Golden Mushroom … It 
became very popular after being 
converted into a cocktail lounge 
with banquet chairs and a stand-
up bar.
The bar was a story in itself … 
where regular customers were 
recognized with bronze plaques 
… Owner Reid Ashton came up 
with the idea of remembering 
retiring customers, among oth-
ers.
The clubby New York-ish 
Mushroom Cellar wasn’
t just 
another downstairs operation … 
It was comfortable, intimate and 
casual … Guests came in wearing 
anything from jeans and casual 
dresses to suits and sat amid 
high-backed padded booths.
There was all kinds of pizza 
and sandwiches … but also din-
ner courses of grilled chicken, 
rock shrimp, fettucine, broiled 
scrod, etc. … Also, lobster 

bisque, Golden Mushroom 
soup, etc. … And appetizers of 
house smoked salmon, escargots, 
oysters, salads and desserts and 
more.
There was its own wine list, 
and a bundle of single malt 
scotches, one of Michigan’
s larg-
est collection … Lunch from 
its own menu satisfied many 
… with a little bit of Golden 
Mushroom favorites.
Mushroom Cellar at Golden 
Mushroom had many well-
groomed faces … and the nec-
essary ingredients to stand on its 
own, but chose to be just a cozy, 
intimate bit with all the ingredi-
ents to stand on its own two feet 
as an excellent neighborhood 
spot to go to for a most inviting 
casual good time well spent. 
WHEN TALK COMES turns 
to executive chefs, few restau-
rants can be classed with those 
many times heading the kitch-
ens at Detroit and its suburban 
restaurants … Aldo Ottaviani, 
Milos Cihelka, Leopold Schaeli 
and others … They may have the 

higher educations, but their own 
out-of-the ordinary presentations 
are numerously of another world 
… Metro Detroit can and are 
mighty proud of them … They 
and many local chefs, although 
not masters, are also always look-
ing for ways of improvement.
OLDIE BUT GOODIE … Two 
young boys walked into a phar-
macy one day, picked out a box 
of Tampax and proceeded to the 
checkout counter … 
The man at the counter asked 
the older boy, “Son, how old are 
you?” 
“Eight,
” the boy replied, “but 
these are for my brother. He’
s 
four. We saw on television that if 
you use these you would be able 
to swim and ride a bike. He can’
t 
do either one!” 
CONGRATS … To Ray 
Horenstein on his birthday … 
To Joe Horenstein on his birth-
day. 

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

Danny Raskin
Senior Columnist

LEFT TO RIGHT: Executive Chefs Aldo Ottaviani, Milos Cihelka and Leopold Schaeli

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