Michigan's finest upscale,
yet casual American bistro
Savoi- the taste that is the
talk of the town

The Best Of Everything

rkkil

t, •

"Oakland Grill gets wows for
erver & Eccentric
class

Tuesday through Thursday evenings and
complimentary fray-passed Sushi in the
lounge every Thursday evening

Hours:

Mon-Wed

11:30 a.m. - 12:00 midnight

Thur-Fri
11:30 a.m. - 2:00 a.m.

Sat.

5:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m.

Please join us for happy hour,
Monday thru Friday, 4-7 p.m.

Domestic beers

$2.00

Imported beers

$2.50

Well drinks

$3.00

Available for private
engagements Saturday
afternoons and
Sundays.

32832 Woodward Royal Oak

(lust South of 14 Mile Rd.)

1/16
1998

108

He can tickle more keys than we knew!

„

(248) 549-7700

And I made the mistake of asking
service we had in Naples was con-
hey've been in Naples, Fla.,
for vegetable soup ... Our server
ducive to relaxed reminiscing ...
only two years, but if any-
waved his hands and said, "No, no,
Frankie recalled his days with Sammy
one suggested that Frankie
only for two!" (Hey, he spoke
Woolf, Hal Gordon and so many oth-
and Rose Potestio return
English!)
ers ... Plus the time he and other local
back to the Detroit area they would
A manager noticed our problem and
orchestra leaders formed one group
look at their beautiful surroundings
said
the vegetable soup could be served
and played for my son Scott's bar
amid so much sunshine and just
to
one
... The server waved his hands
mitzvah at the Raleigh House.
smile.
and probably would have quit if he
After thoughts of long-ago we went
Everyone knew him here as Frankie
knew the right words to say in English.
back to Frankie and Rose's home
Paul, the squeezebox artist whose
Sure makes us appreciate the
where Frankie did something I never
uncanny ways of making a party were
Chinese restaurants in the metro
knew about ... He sat down and
always so very well received, whether
Detroit area even more.
played songs on the piano like it was
it was doing a solo on his accordion
Just about everybody in Florida
something he has been doing all his
and singing or backed by a group.
likes
to go to Mel's Diner ... There are
life ... Rose says he even goes out on
Frankie still plays those keys with
four
of
them ... Two in Ft. Meyers,
piano jobs every so often.
the usual dexterity at festive events ...
one in Sarasota and in Naples ... All
Imagine that! ... One of our town's
mostly country clubs and banquets.
are family-run and you could tell its
best accordionists was also a fine piano
At a recent Bonita Bay
American fare was homemade, from
player!
Country Club Italian Night, a
soup to meatloaf to rice pudding, etc.
Seeing Detroiters was far
lassie asked if he knew any
... But the thing we went back for was
and few between in Naples
Jewish tunes ... This was like
something
not a lot of restaurants
4 - 10
... In fact, I didn't see any
asking a chef if he knew how to
have
these
days
...
Good
ol'
fresh-
until we had dinner at
cook ... The young gal and her
roasted turkey cut directly off the bird.
Nonna Maria Italian restau-
table were thrilled when he
- It's no wonder that WEVU televi-
rant on Imperial Golf
played a sher ... and then broke
sion's Mystery Diner in Florida gives it
Course Road.
into "Shalom Aleichem," "Tzena
a rating of excellence.
That's when we bumped
Tzena," "Hava Nagela," and
Mancini and Moishe'in Naples says
into Joan and Lloyd
"Bei Mir Bist Du Shaynn."
it
is
an Italian-Jewish restaurant, but
ANNY
D
Adelson and Annette and
Frankie probably played more
this
can throw a lot of people off ... It
RA SKIN
Dave Horowitz ... snow-
bar mitzvahs and Jewish wed-
is
a
good
New York deli that cooks its ,
birding
in
Naples
for
the
Local
dings than any other accordion-
own corned beef, pastrami, turkey and. -
winter months.
Co lumnist
ist in the metro Detroit region
brisket ... and serves French toast
Nonna Maria serves
... And his repertoire is huge.
made with challah.
both southern and northern
Also in Naples is Frankie and Rose's
Yes, it sells meatballs ... but also
Italian dishes ... Just about all its food
son, Frank Potestio Jr., who played
plenty
of potato knishes, potato pan-
is cooked to order and it has some
accordion here for eight years under
cakes,
stuffed
cabbage, smoked fish,
menu items seldom seen at too many
the name of Frankie Paul Jr. ... He is a
lox
...
and
spinach
pie.
places.
successful commercial real estate
The worst thing about ser-
developer and with wife Linda and
vice in a Chinese restaurant is
their children live in a sumptuous
the server not speaking English
Naples home not far from mom and
and you not able to speak
dad.
Chinese.
Also in Naples is Frankie and Rose's
This is what we encoun-
daughter, Roseanne Potestio.
tered at the China Pavilion on
For Rose, it's like "being back
Tamiami Trail in Naples.
home" ... She was born in Naples ...
Too bad, because this is
Naples, Italy, that is.
considered among the better
While recently in Naples, Fla.,
Chinese restaurants in south-
Frieda and I had lunch with Frankie
west Florida.
and Rose at Cloyd's Steak & Lobster
I'm sure its not because they
House in Naples' Venetian Village ...
do things so different than
It is owned by the Pate family, respon-
other Oriental spots ... Like
sible for opening the first charcoal pit
beverages being brought with
steak house over 50 years ago on Cape
your soup, and egg rolls with
Cod.
your meal ... Also, chow mein
Sitting by the large windows and
being served without chow
enjoying the beautiful view of the
mein noodles ... They are
water and some of the best food and
Frankie Paul with his more well-known keys.
available on request.

T