Thano's Lamplighter - Hearty Servings; Informal Atmosphere

Thano’s Lamplighter

Hearty servings; informal atmosphere

ruth bayard smith
Cheap eats

Yes, that signed photograph of Ted Koppel hanging on the wall by the cashier is real. So was the autographed picture of Paul Newman that was recently stolen. Both men have been patrons of Thano’s Lamplighter as have other visiting dignitaries.

If there were an “ABC Nightline” program devoted to why Koppel ate at Thano’s, he might mention the cheap prices (though it’s hard to believe money was an object in his case) or he might allude to the fun of hanging out with Michigan athletes — particularly basketball players. Perhaps he enjoyed the menu selections of Greek, Italian, and American dishes. Most likely, he got special treatment from owner Thano Masters himself (and a handpicked member of the waitstaff).

Thano’s is a cheap hangout with lots of food choices. But most of us aren’t in the Ted Koppel or Paul Newman star league. We’ve had adequate meals here, but nothing to leave an autographed photo about. In fairness, owner Masters — who’s often on the premises — is friendly to all patrons. Not so the waitresses who often seem frazzled and annoyed.

Best bet at Thano’s is to ask friends what they’ve enjoyed here. And to be assertive about where you want to be seated, as the restaurant can get extremely smoky and noisy.

The same menu is served all day (though just what constitutes the day here is a matter of confusion for some staff. We got several different responses to our questions on the restaurant’s hours). Breakfasts include omelettes, eggs, French toast, and pancakes.

A half-dozen appetizers are featured including flaming Greek cheese and chicken wings and nachos with or without ground beef. We particularly liked the zucchini parmigiano, a dish of lightly fried zucchini with mozzarella cheese and marinara sauce.

The salad menu includes ethnic choices such as Greek salad with feta cheese, olives, assorted vegetables and Greek dressing and a taco salad (where did that come from?) with ground beef, cheese, olives, and sour cream. And it features all-American tuna salad with hard boiled eggs, cottage cheese, cheese and julienne salad with ham and cheese on greens. We were quite disappointed with the Lamplighter’s Antipasto salad, which was very heavy on the lettuce and light on the mozzarella, salami, and pepperoni.

Sandwich choices also run the gamut from lamb and beef gyros to burgers and from BLTs to Reubens. One odd inclusion for a restaurant in a town so geared to its athletic teams: The grilled cheese sandwich is described in only one way; it’s (former basketball coach) Bill Frieder’s favorite. At $2.35, it’s one of the cheapest items-on the menu.

The Lamplighter prides itself on its pasta including the lasagna primavera, a vegetarian dish with spinach, eggplant, cheeses, and assorted vegetables and a specialty of the house, carbonara fettuccine, a creamy pasta with bacon, ham, and egg. We found it important to read the menu very carefully here, as some of the more traditional offerings such as chicken marsala and veal parmigiano are hidden in the pasta section simply because they include a side dish of spaghetti. Other Greek specialities — mousaka, pastitsio, and souvlaki — are featured and fully explained.

Thano’s claims to serve the best pizza in town, and, in fact, it’s pretty good. It’s also the most expensive item on the menu. A full tray of Sicilian (deep dish with pepperoni, onions and sesame seeds) costs $10.50, of primavera (spinach, olives, zucchini, mushrooms, onions, tomatoes, and peppers), $12.95, and of Grecian (deep dish with mozzarella, feta cheese, topped with gyros, Greek olives, onions, tomatoes, and spinach), $13.95. Half trays are $7.50, $8.95, and $9.95 respectively. But though the prices may be a bit high, remember, these pizzas are huge enough to feed the basketball team. All other items cost less than $7.

Thano’s Lamplighter
421 E. Liberty St., 665-7003
  Hours: Mon.-Thur. 10 a.m.-midnight; Fri. & Sat. 10 a.m.-l a.m.; Sun. 4 p.m.-lO p.m. (During the school year restaurant stays open an hour later each night.) Take-out available. Plastic: All major credit cards. Liquor: Full Bar. Wheelchair Access: A tight squeeze.