42 Friday, March 18, 1983
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
'rt
Danny Rasiun's
We Have. A Hunch...
rThe Best of Everything
You're Gonna Love Our Brunch!
A LEGEND CON-
TINUES on in traditional
style . . . with Old World
grace that has made it one of
the Midwest's finest north-
ern Italian dining spots.
This is Lelli's Inn on
Woodward, just north of
Grand Blvd. . . . a restau-
rant of consistency since
1939 . . . where dining ex-
perience . . . and that it is
... never goes by without
lingering remembrance.
Nerio Lelli, who first
opened this restaurant, was
about as round as a ping
pong ball and twice as
bouncy . . . full of buoyant
good humor and optimism
- —
Sensational marinated salads...steaming soup...bagels and all the
fixins' (like lots & lotsa lox)... bountiful breakfast favoritei, including
blintzes and eggs...hot entrees to delight lunch lovers...delectable
desserts...the seemingly never-ending selection speaks for itself!
The Michigan Inn's Sunday Brunch. Sumptuous. Satisfying. Savor it
this Sunday.
ADULTS $9.95 - SENIOR CITIZENS $7.95
CHILDREN UNDER 12 $4.95
11:30 a.m. to 3•30 p.m.
Reservations Suggested — Call 559-6500
Special group arrangements available
/de . /r--
-.//w
16400 J.L. Hudson Drive • Southfield, MI 48075
GOLDEN BOWL
Restaurant
22106TaIDGE AT 9 MILE In A & P Shopping Center
DINE IN & CARRY-OUT
398-5502 or 398-5503
dining room, carry-out and trays
the
• breakfast • lunch • dinner
• after-theater • kiddie menu
open tuesdays thru sundays
10 a.m. to 11 p.m.
deli
Lincoln shopping center, 101/2 mi. & greenfield, oak park
SZECHUAN, MANDARIN, CANTONESE & AMERICAN CUISINE
968-0022
3020 GRAND RIVER Free Parking TE 3- 0700
Private Banquet Rooms for wedding parties.
Serving the World's Finest Steaks, Chops and
HOUSE Sea Foods for more than 50 years. All Beef aged
in our cellars.
CARL'S
CHOP
CHINA CITY
Owned L Operated
OPEN 1 DAYS-61.-Thors. 11-10, Fri. L Sat. 11-11, Sun. & Holidays 1 p.m. to 10 p.m.
• Banquet Facilities
Specializing in
Aft -
H vm, Daily KOW
Cantonese Foosl
INN
11 to 10:30, Sat. 11 to 12 Mid., Sun. 12 to 10:30
Open
Carry Out Service
13715 W. 9 MILE ROAD, OAK PARK
KING LIM'S GARDEN
Mon.-Thurs. 11 to 10:30
Fri. 11 to 11. Sat. 11 to 12
Sun. 12 noon to 10
968-3040
3350 Auburn Rd.
852 - 8280
'IP
Exotic 'Cocktails
..•■•■■
EXPRESSLY FOR YOUR DINING
COMBINATION PLATE
ALMOND
BONELESS CHICKEN
WITH WON TON SOUP, EGG ROLL ) $350
at
the
SERVED ANYTIME
7 DAYS
411111111,
A Tradition
Since 1934
21 ining and (focLicti4
Fred Bayne at the organ nightly
1128 E. Nine Mile Road (1 1/2 Mile East of 1-75)
Recammended by AAA & Mobile Guides
NEW KING
LIM'S
FLOWN IN FRESH I
SPECIAL
ine
OPEN .7 DAYS
A WEEK
Carry - Out Service
. Catering To Parties Available
354-9077
Va. Toxfm., 44 Ng&
Free Parking
547-4603
261% GREENFIELD, LINCOLN CENTER, OAK PARK
COMPLETE CARRY - OUT
FRIED RICE & TEA
PLUS OTHER SPECIALS FROM $2.50 to $3.85
Your Chef: FRANK ENG
Mandarin. Szechuan & Cantonese Food
By May
Stephen Tam Ho.
24535 W. 12 MILE RD. AT TELEGRAPH
• Private Dining Room • Businessmen's Luncheons
MON.-THURS. 11 a.m.-10:30 p.m.
FRI. & SAT. 11 a.m.- 12 mid.
SUN. 12 noon-10:30 p.m.
E
(313) 541-2132
ENGLISH DOVER. SOLE
KINGSLEY INN 642 0100
-
KOW KOW INN
OPEN 1 21: 1 2 : 4 5 aa:mm.
NN. -SAT.
Famous Chop Suey . Cantonese Food • Steaks • Chops • 'Sea Food
CARRY OUT SERVICE
EASY PARKING
322 W. McNICHOLS. Bet. Woodward & Second
868-7550
UNCLE JOHN'S
=IKE
10001 TELEGRAPH, S. of Plymouth
1360 S. WOODWARD, B'HAM
644-2727
Serving Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
538-0440
OPEN 7 DAYS 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.n.
FUNGI LIM'S
Banquet Facilities Available
SZECHUAN, MANDARIN, CANTONESE & AMERICAN
411111M11‘,
MON.-THURS. 11-11, FRI. & SAT. 11-12 Mid. SUN. 12-10
T
CARRY OUT • CATERING
tg It 41
-
8410 W. NINE MILE, W. of Livernois 544-1021
THE GOLD COIN
CHINESE-AMERICAN CUISINE
24480 W. 10 MILE (IN TEL-EX PLAZA)
333-7848
West of Telegraph
FIRARPYL-SUET
NOW SERVING COCKTAILS
p.m.
SOUTHFIELD
18213 W. 10 MILE RDA SOUTHFIELD RD.
FARMINGTON
3 31455
1455 W. 14 RILE RD. & ORCHARD LAKE RD.
JAPANESE STEAK HOUSE
851-8600
569-5527
Mon.-Fri., 11 to 10:30
Saturday 11 to 1.
•
Sunday 12 to 10
Banquet Facilities Available
M-Th. Lun. 11:30-2:30, Din: 5:30-10
Fri. & Sat. Dinner til 12 Mid.
Sun. 12-9
CANTONESE
Sun. 11:30-4, Fri. & Sat. Din. 4 to 2 a.m.
851-7400
- Mon.-Thurs. 11 to 11 p.m., • Fri. & Sat. 11 to 12 Mid. • Sun 1 to 9:30
E ,GrEiNT WALE
SERVING YOUR FAVORITE EXOTICii,
DRINKS & CHOICE COCKTAILS 7,
PRIVATE DINING ROOM
I •
BANQUETS • PARTIES • BUSINESS MEETINGS,
'St
Businessmen's Luncheons • Carry outs • Catering
35135 Grand River, Farmington
(Drakeshire Shopping Center)
14, 4 +4
t7,,
44 1.9.*
6t , 44*':4t,t. , it ty.
4 .a.i
1st
j■
Your host . . . HENRY LUM
151
476-9181
v4^1
gp•
1E1
kle ife...)*
t ore
1
referring to himself in
the third person as "the doc-
tor."
Signor Lelli would tell
you half-seriously, half-
kiddingly, that his was
the best restaurant in De-
troit and he was the best
chef ... The "doctor"
business came from the
fact that Nerio was an
original or inventive chef
and, rightly so, consid-
ered himself a true doctor
of culinary arts.
At that time, Lelli's was
located in a building which
probably could be described
as horribly wonderful or
wonderfully horrible .. .
Anyway they don't make
'em that way anymore.
The place we knew had
walls stipled green with a
ceiling quite low and the
place a maze of arches, little
alcoves and tiny rooms .. .
But, by golly, Lelli's has .a
lot more charm and atmos-
phere than most newer,
more modern places.
This original restaurant
is the room we sat in once
again on a recent visit to
Lelli's Inn . . . now run by
wife Irene, son Mike and
first cousin Ernie Col-
angelo.
Walls aren't stipled green
. . . they're a yellowish
cream color . . . The tiny
chianti bottles with colored
lights strung around are
still there . . . plus the same
very-intimate atmosphere
that seats 125 in booths, ta-
bles and alcoves . . . A fire
about 10 years ago brought
mainly smoke damage . .
and those pictures on Lelli's
walls were among the first
things carried out . . . its
famous "Man In The Boat"
among others.
The original Lelli's
area in which we sat is so
romantic and nostalgic
... Even the soft strains
of a strolling violin .. .
Tuesdays through
Saturdays . . . on Mon-
days, Lelli's is only open
for lunch.
As time went by so did
Lelli's becoshe enlarged .. .
It now takes up almost an
entire block . . . including
the former Arminio's Villa
Venice . . . in three rooms
seating 400 . . . Banquets
can now be held for all fes-
tivities holding up to 200
people with dancing at-Ar-
minio Beltramelo's old
place.
There's now also a wait-.
ing room downstairs that
seats 32 persons, at tables
for free appetizers as
cocktail waitresses bring
their drinks.
However, no matter how
large it has gotten, Lelli's
continues to retain the per-
sonal touch and intimacy so
many people want when
dining . . . There are a lot of
restaurants today . . . but
few match the charm of Lel-
li's.
Our waiter, Ken Wrob-
leski, is the oldest waiter
in service at Lelli's . . . 13
years ... courteous, effi-
cient, smiling . . . and a
class person all the way.
Another fine waiter, per-
sonable Bob Taylor, at Lel-
li's five years, is remem-
bered also by many from the
former Scotch 'n Sirloin.
Ken brought us delicious
garlic bread, appetizer plate
with shrimps Lelli frog
legs Lelli and srab leg .. .
Then the famOuLl
Lelli's mineslb one soup
without so much as even a
tinge of tomato flavoring or
color . . . Its antipasto with
shrimp, cheese, sausage and
peppers is one of the very
few we know of at an Italian
restaurant that also in-
cludes sliced beets . . . But
then again, it wouldn't be
Lelli's if it wasn't different.
The Italian sausage with
hot peppers is a treat .. .
and those Tortellinis (mini-
ature ravioli) formed like a
bow are outstanding . .
Lelli's makes its own noo-
dles, the pasta and sausage
are homemade . . . even ice
cream . . . plus many other
items.
My entree is one that
must be asked for ...
since it isn't on the large
menu ... and is simply
called "Special Veal
Combination Plate" . . .
slices of Veal Piccante
with tiny artichokes,
Veal Del and Veal Tosca
. .. interlaced with two
rows of au gratin
potatoes . . . all veal is the
best (Delft Blue Provimi).
For dessert, who could re-
sist the homemade zuppa
inglese or ice cream?
There are many notable
dishes on the large, very
selective menu at Lelli's .. .
Still there are those great
filet mignons . . . and, of
course the thing that made
Lelli's famous . . . Nerio's
family steak for four .. .
This mammoth porter-
house is broiled and then
sliced at your table .. .
served with palmina and
vegetables.
But one could go on and
on listing the outstanding
dishes from Lelli's varied
Menu . . . even wild game
. . . The thing that has al-
ways made Lelli's a noted
restaurant is its food . . .
The menu is loaded with
house specials . . . many are
Lelli's own . . . and every-
thing is prepared to order
. . . Just about all its items
are good . . . some of it sim-
ply better than others . . . A
great favorite is the cannel-
loni, an Italian dish that
elevates pasta from the
mundane to the superb.
Yet, as famous as it has
been throughout the
years, a lot of young
people of today still don't
know about Lelli's
These are the people in
for a real treat ... along
with the regular Lelli's
swearbys ... The
younger generation who
, never knew the Lelli's of
yesteryears really missed
something ... But to the
credit of Irene, Mike and
Ernie, its great tradition
has been maintained .
There are even those who
(Continued on Page 43)
,
Scanned image of the page. Keyboard directions: use + to zoom in, - to zoom out, arrow keys to pan inside the viewer.
March 18, 1983 - Image 42
- Resource type:
- Text
- Publication:
- The Detroit Jewish News, 1983-03-18
Disclaimer: Computer generated plain text may have errors. Read more about this.