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A Crew Of ‘Seasoned’ Chefs
All-star lineup begins its gourmet dining series at C.A.Y.A. Smokehouse Grill.
T
ake six good friends, all highly
WORK WILL SOON be
chunky bits of tomato that were
esteemed local chefs, blend them
completed on what will be a
not overpowered by the fentogether in one mixture and you
long-lasting new look at Steven
nel. The smokiness of the soup
have the makings of a fine, seven-course
Lelli’s Inn on the Green, 12
made a great dipping partner
dinner in a dining-out togetherness.
Mile, between Halsted and
for the cheese sandwich.”
The 87-diner capacity was sold out in
Haggerty, Farmington Hills.
MAIL DEPT. … “My husa snap for the “Seasoned Chefs Dinner
When finished, the transforband, Al Sinco, and I went to
Series,” which recently had its first of four
mation will be from a lovely
Las Vegas with Shirley and
in what has already brought much interest. outdoor veranda outside the
Robbie Stone and are still rav“All the chefs have been friends for
dining room into an all-yearing about the meal we had at
Danny Raskin
years,” says Chef Jeff Rose. “We talked
round terrace … A permanent
Senior Columnist Spago. I had braised beef gouabout doing a dinner with our peers. Our
steel-beamed roof will keep out
lash, and Al had the meatloaf
mentors and the younger chefs also do
the sun during warm and hot
in wine sauce. Shirley ordered
dinners. We wanted a group of us who
weather, and only the sides will be open.
salmon that was smoked with caviar, and
are established and professional to have
In cold or inclement weather, heavyRobbie still raves about his Lamb Chorizo.
a great meal with a special focus on the
paneled canvas with tall windows and
The food really made our trip. Have you
food.
heating system will cover the sides.
ever been there? Has it been there long?”
“The dinner thought got started at Chef
The newly styled balcony will be for
… Lillian Sinco.
Don Yamuchi’s going-away party at Green
both restaurant dining and private affairs
(I was present when Chef Wolfgang
Dot Stables in Detroit. We talked about
… The outdoor look and dining room,
Puck opened it at Caesar’s Palace in 1992.
who we wanted to cook with, and since
seating around 300, have already received
I don’t remember what I had but can recall
I have a bigger venue, I spearheaded the
bookings for weddings, rehearsal dinners,
that it was terrific. Puck had opened his
dinner.”
bar and bat mitzvahs, etc.
first restaurant in Beverly Hills, Calif., in
And so began the first dinner recently
READER MINI REVIEW … from
1982, which is still a heavy choice, espeat Jeff ’s C.A.Y.A (Come As You Are)
Susan Sherbow … “My husband, Mark, my cially with the movie set.)
Smokehouse Grill, Commerce Road and
father-in-law, Bud Sherbow, and I went
SHE IS USED to getting awards for
Pontiac Trail, Wolverine Lake, featuring an to Republica restaurant on Coolidge in
her cooking ability, but this is one of
all-star gastronomic lineup and their inter- Berkley and were impressed. Mark had the those that is mainly cherished because
esting presentations … Eric
barbecued ribs doused in Mitch’s
of the wonderful work its money raised
Voigt, Big Rock Chophouse,
Tavern’s original sweet and smoky represents … It was the second year that
Birmingham … Chris
barbeque sauce. They were tender excellent Chef Hai Ling at Prime 29, West
Johnson, the Meeting
and delicious, he said.
Bloomfield, has won the annual Girl Scout
House, Rochester … Jay
“Bud had fish and chips. He
Cookie Gala recently held in Detroit …
Gundy, Cork Restaurant,
said that it was a flavorful piece
Chef Ling took top honors in both the desPleasant Ridge … Benjamin
of cod in a crunchy coating and
sert and appetizer challenges against some
Meyer, Iridescence at Motor
served with a tangy and unique
of Metropolitan Detroit’s top restaurants,
City Casino Hotel, Detroit
pickle-flavored tartar sauce. He
bakeries and culinary schools.
… Alan Merhar, Evans
said that his slaw was also a surANOTHER GOOD example that
Street Station, Tecumseh … Chef Jeff Rose
prising combination, apple, blue
regardless of the difficulty getting to it, a
and Rose.
cheese and celery. He also had
restaurant where the food, price and serPaired wines and
the special fries that are sprinkled vice are what people look for will be found
excellent descriptions of each were by
with feta, oregano and lemon that pro… With tearing down of an existing buildMichael Korn, co-owner of Woodberry
duced a very interesting taste.
ing and erecting of a hotel nearby, and
Wines, Troy … Participating chefs made
“I had the toasted cheese and soup
closure of access off Orchard Lake Road,
delicious hors d’oeuvres, which were
combo. My favorite part of the grilled
Georges Family Restaurant, Northwestern
passed by smiling employees prior to
cheese sandwich was the asiago bread it was Highway, West Bloomfield, was recently
dinner.
made with. The tomato fennel soup had
overly packed with crowds waiting patient-
62
May 8 • 2014
ly for a table or booth in the more than
200 capacity eatery … on a Wednesday
evening.
IT TURNS OUT that Marvin Yagoda’s
Marvin’s Mechanical Museum on Orchard
Lake Road, Farmington Hills, placing
second in the recent cable TV’s History
Channel’s Modern Marvels selection as the
world’s most famous exhibits was beat out
only by those of world-renowned electrical
genius, physicist, etc., Nikola Tesla, who
passed away in 1943 … His high-voltage
power inventions included the History
Channel winner of one that could make
large buildings shake like an earthquake,
among other widely noted inventions.
No wonder so many people visit to see
the thrills at “Marvelous Marvin’s” local
museum … Placing second only to the former Thomas Edison employee who went
out on his own and became an unbelievable electrical inventor himself is quite a
feat!
REUNION DEPT. … 1974 Oak Park
High’s 40th shindig is set for Saturday
evening, July 26, at the Troy Marriot …
Contact Larry Maloff, (248) 514-2584, or
email him at [email protected].
OLDIE BUT GOODIE DEPT. …
85-year-old Bessie burst into the retirement home recreation room holding her
clenched fist in the air and announcing,
“Anyone who can guess what’s in my hand
can go with me to the movie tonight and
hold my hand.”
An elderly gentleman in the rear shouts
out, “An elephant!”
Bessie thinks a moment and says, “Close
enough!”
CONGRATS … To Harriet Wasserman
on her 90th birthday … To David “Dave”
Sachs on his 63rd birthday … To Shirlee
Bloom on her birthday … To Arthur “Art”
Dubin on his birthday … To Julie Edgar
on her birthday. ■
Danny’s email is [email protected].