1982_04 Hye Sharzhoom Newspaper April 1982

              April 1982
Hye Sharzhoom
Page 13
ARMENIAN
RESTAURANT REVIEW
by
Tom Kev
Recently Dr. Kouymjian's Armenian
Studies 10 class. Introduction to Armenian Studies, conducted a survey of luncheons served at lour Armenian restaurants in Fresno. These luncheons were
held on a scries of Fridays, each following
a course lecture presented by Dr. Kouymjian. The survey,was* limited to The Peach
Tree. Armenian Cuisine. Stanley's, and
Sassoon's.
The students participated on a volunteer basis, using a printed checklist to
evaluate each restaurant. The mean results
arc graphed below..for convenience, on a
scale of 10, with 10 as perfect, 9-superior.
8-very good. 7-good. 6-fair. 5-averagc.
4-poor.
The Peach Tree
Ventura and Peach
251-0034
The Peach Tree is reasonably priced
and offers generous portions. The restaurant is large and open and very comfortable. All dishes at this restaurant were
good, but the Shish Kebab was exceptionally superior. The specially selected
lamb meat, marinated and seasoned to
perfection, is by far the best in town. The
Peach Tree receives an overall rating of 8,
"very good."
Armenian Cuisine
Bullard at Palm
435-4892
Armenian Cuisine appears slightly overpriced. It is the smallest of the four restaurants and offers a very personal atmosphere, although it is not entirely authentic.
The Shish Kebab here was sliced, min
imizing the amount ol meat of the sandwich. The meat was also covered with
tomato sauce, which connotes more of an
Italian cuisine. This stuff is. however, very
tasty, and is highly recommended, even
though it's not authentically Armenian.
The pilaf was exceptional, both wheat and
rice were delicious.
Stanley's on Shaw
Shaw at Cedar
i>22-3771
Stanley's, the largest ol the four restaurants, complete with cocktail lounge and
banquet facilities, scored favorably in
most categories. With it's church-like
atmosphere. Stanley's is very comfortable
and is best suited for that afternoon business luncheon. Also offered is one of the
finer take-out and deli sections among the
lour restaurants. Overall. Stanley's is rated
a 7. "good." y.
Sassoon's Restaurant
Cedar at Shields
224-0577
Unquestionably, the superior of the
four restaurants. The attitude in general,
at Sassoon's. is very personal and pleasant. Sassoon's offers a greater selection
of foods. Armenian specialties, steaks,
and seafoods, all of which are served with
complimentary lavash and home-made
tourshi. All dishes at Sassoon's were found
to be excellent, warranting a conservative
rating of 9, "superior."
The class would like to thank the management of the four restaurants for each in
turn graciously receiving us and allowing
us to feel at home. Each of the four restaurants are of the highest caliber, and not a
bad meal was found at any of them.
Peach
Tree
Armenian
Cuisine
Stanley's
on Shaw
Sassoon's
Restaurant
Atmosphere
Soups and Salads
Pilafs
Breads
Main Course
Libations
Service ,
Portions
Overall Rating
7
7
6'/2
m
8
6
VA
9
5
5
7
5'/2
6'/2
6'/2
6
7
6
6
4'/2
6
7
7
6
7
8
6
7
8
V/i
8
9
7
VA
9'/?
8
BOOKS
by Dickran Kouymjian
Books, periodicals, pamphlets, tapes,
records for review or exchange should he
sent to the Armenian Studies Program.
California State l!niversit\\ Fresno, CA
93740.
Vahc Oshagan. The English Influence
on West Armenian Literature in the Nineteenth Century. The Alex Manoogian
Lectures on Modern Armenian Literature. Vol. 1, Cleveland State University
(Cleveland. 1982). 53 pp. Available
through Program in Linguistics, Cleveland State University. Cleveland. Ohio
44115. $4.40 postage included.
For some years Professor Vah£ Oshagan has been collecting material on the
influence of English literature on Armenian letters in the nineteenth century. Already in the early I970's he presented a
preliminary lecture on it to the British
Council in Beirut. The subject grew out of
his interest with the early Armenian school
of translations, especially the Smyrna
movement. In a sense it is the curious
counterpoise, until now neglected, to the
overpowering influence of French letters
on Armenian intellectuals in the nineteenth century.
In presenting his subject Oshagan first
describes the intellectual renaissance literature especially as it was most intensely
felt in Constantinople. The volume contrasts broad analysis of periods and styles
with specific writers like Mamourian,
Shishmanian. Medzarentzand Vorperian,
the Mekhitarists movement with special
emphasis on Lord Byron and the impact
of Shakespeare on Armenian writing are
also placed in perspective. In the interesting and speculative "Afterward," Oshagan
not only discusses current movements in
the diaspora, but unequivocally feels that
Armenian literature today is developing
in the United States in two directions, in
English and Armenian. Appendices at the
end afford a list of Armenian intellectuals
favoring English language culture and a
chronology of major English language
books translated into Armenian from
1870 to 1913. This book, written in Osha-
gan's usual provoking style, is a handsome
addition to the few solid studies in modern
Armenian literature available in English.
Professor John Greppin is to be congratulated once again for having the imagination to inaugurate these lectures and publish them in an attractive, yet modestly
priced, edition.
Anoush, An Opera by Armen Tigran-
ian Based on a Poem by Hovhannes
Toumanian, English version by Gerald E.
Papasian, produced by Wayne State University Press for the Michigan Opera
Theatre (Detroit, 1981), 57 pages. $3.00.
This handsomely prepared booklet presents the entire working liberetto of the
1908 opera by Tigranian as used for the
historic American premiere by the Michigan Opera Theatre last fall. The Opera's
general director, David DiChicra, has
provided an interesting preface to the
script and Mr. Papasian presents the
background of the opera's composition.
C. Max Jacob. Les Allies sont en
Armenie, with a new preface by Krikor
Beledian, reprint (Paris, 1976), 20 pages.
I his passionate poetic plea for Armenia
by the famous French symbolist poet and
painter was originally published in 1916.
Max Jacob, a Jew converted to Roman
Catholicism, suffered a fate similar to his
Armenian friends in a Nazi concentration
camp in 1944. The beautifully printed
book was sent to the program by French
Armenian painter. Dikran Daderian, and
can be secured through him at 22 rue du
Dragon. 75006 Paris.
Zaven Messerlian. "The Premeditated
Nature of the Genocide Perpetrated on
the   Armenians."  Hask   Armenological
Yearbook, new series. Vol. 1 (Antelias,
. 1980), pp. 135-170. offprint in English.
This thorough overview of the 1915
Genocide is complete with maps and
illustrations and documented with footnotes throughout. Mr. Messerlian. Principal of the Armenian Evangelical High
School in Beirut, has given us one more of
his important monographs in a series of
books and articles dealing with modern
Armenian political history. The first volume in the revived Hask yearbooks was
reviewed in the last issue of Hye
Sharzhoom.
Hagop Terjimanian, editor. The First
Holocaust, The Genocide against the
Armenian Nation (Pasadena, 1982), 104
pages, available through Siran Editions,
P.O. Box 40097, Pasadena, CA 91104.
$6.00 postage included.
This much advertised book is a collection of quotations from various sources
on the massacres of 1915-1923. The book
is liberally illustrated with photos from
various periods. The volume is a slightly
updated version of a booklet prepared by
the National Committee of Lebanon in
1975 for the commemoration of the 60th
Anniversary of the Genocide under the
title The Truth about the Massacres and
Deportation of the Armenian Population
of the Ottoman Empire, 1915-1922, originally edited by Terjimanian under the
name Hagop A. Tarkmanian. The source
of each citation and passage is carefully
given. Present day commentaries are
also included.
•••••••••••••••a
Aram Tolegian, Armenian Poetry Old
and New, a Bilingual Anthology, Wayne
State University Press (Detroit, 1979), 379
pages. $18.95.
This handsomely produced anthology
fills a gap in the recent series of English
books on Armenian poetry. It not only
includes a survey of Armenian poetic
output from the fifth to the twentieth
century, but also on facing pages,;
the original Armenian texts. Professor
Tolegian compiled and translated the
entire volume. A most useful introduction
traces the history of this literary form in
the Armenian tradition. The book also
has photographs of the writers providing
a closer sense of just who many of the
Armenian poetical greats were. Tolegian
is already well known in this domain by
his translation of Hovhannes Toumart-
ian's Sasountzi Davit', included in the
present volume. The works of some sixty
poets are presented, from Sahag Bartev of
the fifth century to the recently deceased
Barouyr Sevak. Almost all the medieval
troubadours/ashougs are included, as
well as the traditional greats, Naregatsi
and Sayat Nova. The English translations
are themselves poetically rendered, whether from the ancient grabar, the rhymed
verse of later times, and contemporary
blank verse.
See Books, p. 15
Photo: Garv Kazaniian