New Royal Oak eatery, Jim Brady’s Detroit, pays homage to original

Executive Chef Dave Ogren, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, heads up the busy kitchen, which stays open until midnight, and crafts a menu of dishes that range from a classic shrimp cocktail to black sesame crusted tuna to smoked chicken mac & cheese.

Entrees include "black sesame crusted tuna" served with a mango chili sauce, roasted cauliflower puree, marinated cucumber and red onion.

A mug of the eatery's fondly-remembered Irish Coffee nestles near its Charlie Brown burger, which comes with Swiss and bacon, and was named for regular customer Chuck "Charlie Brown" Walton who would visit the restaurant in the 1960s. The hand-patted burgers are made with Black Angus beef chuck cooked on a flattop grill and served on sesame seed buns just like the old days.

Opened by Tom Brady and business partner Darin Dingman in December, the new restaurant pays homage to Tom’s grandfather Jim, the man who founded the original, with several photos of him and memorabilia from the old place on display throughout.

“Ochos-Tochos” piles chipotle chicken, melted cheese sauce, jalapenos, pico and cilantro sour cream atop crispy tater tots.

With its colorful contemporary décor, Jim Brady’s Detroit seats 180 in a variety of rooms, this one featuring lampposts with attached street signs reading Woodward, Seven Mile, Greenfield, Main, Cass and Peterboro, inspired by the New York street signs at the original restaurant. Brady and company has purchased the old Chung’s building on Cass and Peterboro with plans to open another satellite in the future.

Main Street Mac & Cheese mixes cavatappi pasta, smoked chicken, peas, asparagus and tomatoes with cheese sauce. It is topped with a Ritz cracker and cheddar crust.

A glass case in one of the dining rooms displays dishes, menus, mugs, napkins and other ephemera from the original Diamond Jim Brady’s restaurant.

The "7 Mile Caesar" is made from the restaurant's original 1954 recipe and is topped with Parmesan crisps.

Colleen Taylor serves lunch to Larry, left, and Gail Goldman, of Huntington Woods, during the couple's weekly Thursday lunch date. Larry remembers going to the original Jim Brady's and noted it was a place known for burgers, steaks, and power players. "You know deals were going down," he said.

Cross section of “The Little Tony,” a Pittsburgh-style sandwich of salami, Ham, Capicola, Provolone, French fries and coleslaw, ordered from “The Great American Sandwich” section of the menu.

Liz DiTrapani walks through the ladies room; its pink tile and pay phone are a throwback to the original restaurant's look.