OCTOBER 22 • 2020 | 45
L
ooking back to the
future … The wonderful
Wonder Bar, and that it
certainly was, on Washington
Boulevard …
enjoyed a beauti-
ful reputation as
one of Detroit’
s
most cosmopol-
itan restaurants
… considered a
direct heir of one
of the city’
s most
elegant “
clubs” in the 1920s.
Sammy Sofferin, affable
proprietor of the Wonder
Bar, parlayed a cigar stand,
an apartment house and the
old Powatan Club into the
very successful Washington
Boulevard supper club.
In addition to an excellent
menu, the Wonder Bar fea-
tured a delightful cocktail bar,
dancing on an intimate floor to
the music of the orchestra and
a glittering clientele.
In keeping with his belief
that “
good soups and sauces
are the hallmark of a good
restaurant,” Sofferin’
s Wonder
Bar listed black bean soup on
its daily luncheon menu and
turtle soup spiked with brandy
on the dinner menu.
Other specialties of the
house included shrimps a la
Powatan, which consisted of
bread shaped into a pyramid
to which were attached fried
shrimp, chicken livers, ancho-
vies and scallops. Around the
base were frog legs.
Sammy insisted that prime
rib was another key to run-
ning a successful restaurant …
The Wonder Bar was the first
restaurant in Detroit to intro-
duce the boneless strip sirloin,
known as the New York, and
this entrée continued as one of
its biggest sellers.
Sammy was the first to admit
that the success of the Wonder
Bar was in a great measure, due
to his wife.
In fact, the business was
pretty much a family affair…
In addition to Sammy and
Margaret, sons Sammy Jr., Lee
and Don were also employed
there.
Margaret’
s role was tradition-
ally that of a taster… All food
had to pass her inspection.
Many will always remember
the very fine Sammy Sofferin’
s
Wonder Bar for the many
athletes who loved its famed
Powatan Salad … But mostly,
other than loving it, Hank
Greenberg hitting his league-
high home runs for the Tigers
at old Navin Field … After the
game, Greenberg was almost
sure to be at the Wonder Bar
for his regular steak dinner.
THERE IS NO STOPPING
him … Now Joe Vicari will
open three more restaurants in
this area the end of the year …
remodeling and taking them
over in Birmingham, Grosse
Pointe and Shelby Township …
He’
ll also open a couple more
in Las Vegas, where Joe already
has two, and Nashville … The
future begins?
OLDIE BUT GOODIE
… (Still another version of a
favorite) … A Reform rabbi,
direct from the golf tee, was so
compulsive a golfer that once,
on a very sacred high Jewish
holiday, he left the house early
and went for a quick nine holes
by himself.
An angel, who happened to
be looking on, immediately
notified his superiors that a
grievous sin was being com-
mitted on Earth.
On the sixth hole, God
caused a mighty wind to take
the ball from the tee to the cup
for a hole in one … The angel
was shocked! “Look, Lord,”
he said, “you call this punish-
ment?”
“Sure,” said God with a
smile. “Who can he tell?”
CONGRATS … To David
Wechsler on his birthday.
Danny’s email address is
dannyraskin2132@gmail.com.
RASKIN
THE BEST OF EVERYTHING
Danny Raskin
Senior Columnist
Who
Remembers
Sammy’s
Wonder Bar?
Wonder Bar
memorabilia
WIKIPEDIA
EBAY
Hank Greenberg would
go to the Wonder Bar
after a Tigers’ game.
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