New owner revamps Milan restaurant
MILAN -- Bobby Steers of Milan is proud of the innovations he’s made at the former Sidetrack restaurant at 422 Wabash in Milan.
Located next to the Wabash and Ann Arbor railroad crossings, the new Bobby’s Kitchen has been practically reborn with a coat of fresh paint inside, booths, fresh new artwork and a coat rack.
Steers usually peers out at the scene from behind the grill, where he cooks up the usual eggs, sandwiches and salads, along with his new contributions to Milan’s culinary choices—Greek, Italian and homestyle American dishes.
Sometimes his wife, Marsha, takes a turn at the grill.
Steers, 58, is proud that the restaurant is filling up with customers under his command. Some of them followed him from his previous restaurant, Kozy Korner in Dundee, which he owned for five years.
Steers points out that he has enough waitresses for the customers at “Bobby’s Kitchen.” How did he attract the wait staff?
“The waitresses found me. They saw I was busy. Some worked for me before. I’m pretty fortunate,” Steers said. “I don’t care if I’m over-staffed. Waitresses are worth it.”
Steers says he operated another restaurant in Monroe called Bobby’s Kitchen and he’s noticed some of his old customers from Monroe are showing up at his new place in Milan.
Steers points to his training as a chef at Schoolcraft in his early 20’s, but credits his grandparents from Sicily for his love of cooking.
The specials at his new Milan restaurant are not just Italian, though. He fixes stuffed cabbage, meatloaf, liver and onions and even catfish (with a dry rub, not battered).
Although Steers has operated his previous restaurants in Monroe and Dundee, he now has a much shorter commute. He lives just a few houses north of Bobby’s Kitchen. So he doesn’t have to drive to work anymore.
Steers has fixed up the interior with fresh paint and the artwork, but the beautiful, stately old bar still stands. The bar reminds old-timers of the days when the restaurant was a beloved bar called the “Old Shack.”
This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: New owner revamps Milan restaurant
