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E R D . W E S T B L O O M F I E L D , M I 4 8 3 2 2 W W W . P R I M E 2 9 S T E A K H O U S C H E E R S T O T H E PA S T T O A S T T O T H E F U T U R E D I N N E R R E S E R V AT I O N S A V A I L A B L E 4 : 0 0 P M - 6 : 3 0 P M / / 8 : 3 0 P M - 1 1 : 0 0 P M * E x e c u t i v e C h e f H o w a r d B a r n e s w i l l f e a t u r e a l i m i t e d d i n n e r m e n u a l o n g w i t h N Y E s p e c i a l s L I V E E N T E R TA I N M E N T F R O M V O C A L I S T J O A N N E R O A C H & L I V E P I A N O 9 P M - 1 A M C O M P L I M E N TA R Y C H A M PA G N E T O A S T ( S ) AT M I D N I G H T C A L L F O R R E S E R V AT I O N S 2 4 8 . 7 3 7. 7 4 6 3 2059850 H aving a good head chef is almost always a restaurant's offering of assured satisfaction … When a restaurant offers two very good cuisine artists, there is cause for many customer smiles. And when one is a certified executive chef and the other, although without the coveted title is ultra-competent, the pres- ence is of great note. Much pride in culinary expertise is a big reason why Diamond Jim Brady's Bistro is admirably celebrating its fifth anniversary with its new name at the new Novi Town Center location on Crescent Boulevard off Novi Road and I-96. Owner and certified executive chef Mary Brady and managing partner/ executive chef Sharon Juergens have much in common … Sharon was Mary's student when she taught in Livonia at the Schoolcraft College Culinary Arts program … Sharon had formerly been at Streetside Seafood, Emily's and Rattlesnake Club before going to work for Mary and her late husband, Tom Brady. Seating at Diamond Jim Brady's Bistro is 56 in the indoor dining room, 25 and 36 on two heated patios and 12 at the bar … Hours of operation are Monday through Thursday, lunch, 11-4, dinner, 4-10; Friday and Saturday, lunch, 11-4, din- ner 4-11; Sunday, brunch 11-4, dinner 4-9. Diamond Jim Brady's Bistro has all the allure one would expect with a relaxing feeling of a local bar … The food prepared by Mary and Sharon may be called casual and trendy in an atmosphere where customers enjoy potato- crusted whitefish, crispy flat bread with Chevre cheese and prosciutto, a large pot of spicy mussels or Diamond Jim Brady's famous big DJ Burger, etc. … Handcrafted cocktails, Michigan draft beer and an affordable wine list round out the bistro experience. Among bestsellers by Mary and Sharon and their kitchen staff are pan-roasted Scottish salmon over sauteed fingerling potatoes and Steak Diane, a 6-ounce filet mignon with mushroom and shallot brandy demi- glace over buttermilk potatoes and grilled asparagus … Customers are thrilled to return for the warm hospitality and daily chalkboard dining features like giant lamb meatballs or the vegetarian sweet potato burrito … Special requests include a small plant-based menu and large gluten-free menu… Dietary restrictions are carefully adhered to. Many might remember back in 1954 when ladies had to wear skirts and be escorted by gentlemen … Today, Diamond Jim Brady's Bistro serves more than 50,000 customers a year … and casual dress is in the majority. The Diamond Jim Brady name has been desired with much love and respect for the past 60 years … and it is to the credit of Mary Brady and Sharon Juergens that the wonderful time- honored Diamond Jim name has been car- ried on with revered esteem. THERE IS SOMETHING special about a restaurant like Cafe Cortina on 10 Mile Road, Farmington Hills … Yet if you ask people what it is, they can- not pinpoint just a single rea- son … There are so many. The soft elegance that this time-honored Italian restau- rant possesses is with few equals … Its excellent food, service and all-around ambi- ence give elegance to Cafe Cortina's grace. Yet it is sometimes forgotten about when occasions arise to dine and enjoy an evening of graceful attendance … There are few like Cafe Cortina … and its roman- tic settings … in the noted dream that one day became a reality for Rina and her late husband, Adriano, and their son Adrian … A restaurant that Rina calls "Northern Italian with a Southern accent." DINING DEAL … Beef Brisket … $7.95 … Includes soup or salad, vegetable, potato and bread basket … 10 days only, Thursday, Dec. 15, through Saturday, Dec. 24 … No coupons … Siegel's Deli, 15 Mile, just west of Haggerty, Commerce Township. QUESTION & ANSWER DEPT … "I have to lose weight and am on a self-given health diet but have a big problem. I love to eat more than anything else. Where do you recommend?" … Ernestine Rubin. (Looks like a year ago Dr. Joel Kahn may have opened what you might want. He is a cardiac doctor who owns the GreenSpace Cafe on W. Nine Mile Road, just west of Woodward, Ferndale. Too bad a place like the former Mei Ling in West Bloomfield by body builders Tom and Megan Lin is rare. It served hard-to-believe vegetarian "meat" dishes made from soy protein and wheat gluten that tasted like the real thing, sesame chicken, steak burgers, etc.) FALSE RUMORS ARE dangerous and should be stamped out as quickly as possible … Regarding rumors that West Bloomfield's Orchard Lake Mall would be closed for the building of condomini- ums, Cholada Chan, owner of Shangri-La Chinese Restaurant, laughs and says, "I have been here 22 years and intend to stay for a long time more!" … About junk like the closed Kroger space also to be used, for- mer site owner Jim Hiller says, "Kroger has control of its lease for at least another two years" … Art Fung, owner with wife, Ava, of Golden Phoenix Chinese restaurant in Sugar Tree Plaza, also laughs at hearing that all the center's leases will not be renewed … About Kroger opening a supermarket at the former site of Kmart on Orchard Lake Road, Jim Hiller says, "I know that Kroger is not going to build at the old Kmart site. The Goldberg family owns it, and there were a few preliminary discussions with Kroger but no real interest." OLDIE BUT GOODIE … Four older Jewish ladies were talking about their families … "My son," says Mrs. Levi, "is a physicist and heads up a department at the university." Her friends nodded approvingly. "My son," says Mrs. Greenberg, "is a doctor and is chief of surgery at Mt. Sinai hospital." "You must be so proud," her friends said. "My son," says Mrs. Goldblatt, "is head of a law firm and president of the bar asso- ciation." Again, nods all around. "My son," says Mrs. Cohen, "is a rabbi." "A rabbi?!" they exclaim. "What kind of career is that for a Jewish boy?" CONGRATS … To Dr. Glen Gardner on his birthday … To Robert Canvasser on his 92nd birthday … To Dennis Silber on his birthday. (Due to early deadlines for the JNs of Dec. 22, 29 and Jan. 5, please send in your Congrats as soon as possible.) * Danny's email address is dannyraskin@sbcglobal.net. Diamond Double Dual dining pleasure continues at Novi's Diamond Jim Brady's Bistro. Chefs Sharon Juergens and Mary Brady 58 December 15 • 2016 Danny Raskin Senior Columnist arts & life t h e b e s t o f e v e r y t h i n g