the chaldean PALATE New
the chaldean PALATE New spots draw crowds BY CRYSTAL KASSAB JABIRO Rice Bowl: Asian food from a Chaldean owner If you work in the New Center area in Detroit, take a break from the everyday pizza place or coney island and check out the Rice Bowl Asian Kitchen. It’s located on the second floor in the New Center One building near the Henry Ford Hospital. Like most Chinese restaurants, it’s very casual; when you walk in you can grab any table you want, but you have to go up to the register to order by number. My sister-in-law Lisa and I are both on a lifestyle change, but it’s not every day we eat Asian. We thought the food was pretty good. I had a #50, #37 and #70. The Chicken Lo Mein was tasty, but the Wonton Soup a little too salty. Lisa’s halforder of General Tso’s Chicken (#24) was really good, as was the Chicken Fried Rice that came with it. There’s another Rice Bowl in the College Park Commons and a new one in Zubin Antia and Anthony Marougi man the bar. Bar Louie: Where everybody will know your name The newest hot spot to hit the Fountain Walk in Novi is Bar Louie, a Chicago-based franchise. It’s all the rage on this side of town, and just one great big party. We heard that our friend Anthony Marougi and his buddy Zubin Antia were opening it, so my husband Mark and I went to check it out one Saturday night with a couple of friends. Boy, was that place packed! The lights were low, the music was blasting and everyone who was not eating was walking around and mingling. It was kind of like Cheers but bigger and trendier – and not everyone knows your name yet since it just opened. I like that kind of social atmosphere, and there were all different kinds of people there. The décor is a contemporary blend of dark brown wood with mini aqua tiling on the walls. Directly in the center of the action is the spacious bar outlined with numerous plasma TVs, and 40 beers on tap. I opted for the Dirty CEO, a vodka and olive juice martini with three blue cheese-stuffed olives. It was strong, so I only had one. (When they’re watered down, you have to have three or four, but not at this place.) The menu is fairly comparable to other bar and grills, but they do have some unique items. We ordered the Hummus, Tabbouli, and Tzatziki Platter for an appetizer. The tabbouli is not your traditional green parsley salad — there was more burghul than parsley, yet we were intrigued by its kick we couldn’t quite figure out. We loved it. We used pita bread for the hummus and sliced cucumbers for the tzatziki, which were both delicious. Mark got a Louie Burger that came with grilled onions, provolone and a spicy giardiniera sauce — which is like a pickled relish — and fries. He killed it. I chose the Flat Iron Steak with steamed broccoli and mashed potatoes. I thought the steak could have used more salt, but then again, Bar Louie had been open only a week and like all new businesses, you have to give it a chance. Nonetheless, I was pleased with my selection. The chocolate cake we had for dessert was a massive slice at least eight inches long and six inches thick with a pool of raspberry sauce. It was divine. As the night progressed, more and more people were filling in. It was a fun crowd of people in their late 20s to early 40s. Let’s keep it that way; I’m sick of seeing my old students at the bar. Don’t ever say there’s nothing to do. You can eat at Bar Louie after seeing a late-movie at Emagine Theater, before you go to MBargo or even on a boring Tuesday night. They are open from 11 a.m. and serve food until 2 a.m. It’s family-friendly for lunch and dinner, but get a babysitter if you want to come after 10. That’s when the party starts. Bar Louie, (248) 662-1100 The newest Rice Bowl in the Millender Center the Millender Center, which is the chain’s flagship. I would have gone there if I was in the area. Owner Paul Kado and his partner Freddy Liu invested 0,000 in upgrades there, and it even has a museum. The interesting thing about the Rice Bowl is there is no fusion of Middle Eastern influences at all, like those found at Shanghai Kabob or Sweet & Sour Tikka. Just because a Chaldean guy owns it doesn’t mean he has to stick to his roots. Rice Bowl Asian Kitchen, (313) 871-7000 44 CHALDEAN NEWS SEPTEMBER 2008
SEPTEMBER 2008 CHALDEAN NEWS 45
