SEPTEMBER 2008

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 $400,000 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