The Best Of Everything
Tasty Tradition
Detroit's Roma Cafe serves up distinctive Italian treats.
B., LTV 406, APO AE 09311" ...
line cook when he came on
Remember, folks, DO NOT USE HIS
board over 30 years ago ...
Now, as head of the kitchen, RANK!
Michael is the son of Hedi Bednarz,
he has seen numerous inno-
now married to Bob Bednarz, and of
in the food served.
vations
1855.
Edmund Morgan ... and nephew of
Roma is open six days
What is known is that around
1
1
-
Karen and Harry Indig.
weekly,
Monday-Friday,
1880, it was a combination
IT NO LONGER serves lunch, but
and
Saturday,
10:30,
Friday
restaurant, grocery store and
Sposita's
Italian Ristorante on 14 Mile
11-midnight
...
with
home ... with the same name
DANNY
in
West
Bloomfield,
which recently
Monday
evening
also
featur-
used today.
RASKIN
reopened
after
being
closed for repairs,
an
Italian
buffet
that
ing
In 1934, Morris, Paul and
Senior Columnist
has
new
restaurant
hours
... Monday-
includes
veal
parmigiana,
Otto Sossi opened the doors as
Thursday,
4-10;
Friday
and
Saturday,
chicken,
Italian
sausage,
new owners of Rorria Cafe on
4-11;
Sunday,
4-9.
antipasto
table
with
all
the
good
stuff
Riopelle and Erskine ... to Detroit afi-
EXPECTED OR RATHER hopeful
from which folks can make their own
cionados of Italian food.
opening
of Orleans at the former site of
antipasto
salad,
pastas
with
Roma's
During prohibition, Roma was
On
the Lake, Orchard Lake Road
Jake's
noted
thick
meat
sauce,
cannolis,
etc.,
equally noted for its spaghetti and casu-
and
Pontiac
Trail, is planned for March
$15.
al disregard of the Volstead Act.
... It will be
Among
its
big
sellers
is
the
It is said that big-time politicos of
an
upscale
evening
Veal
Gourmet
dinner
that era enjoyed the famous Roma hos-
steaks,
for
two
served
daily
...
salad,
pitality, but to keep their consciences
seafood, etc.
pasta, four varieties of veal, plat-
clear, had the place raided when they
restaurant
ter
of
assorted
vegetables,
coffee,
returned to city hall.
with
a New
etc.,
$30
per
person.
One of the fascinations of Roma
Orleans
Much
can
be
said
about
being
Cafe is its location ... It is a real chal-
flair.
Detroit's oldest Italian restau-
lenge to the wayfaring diner to find it
NO
rant
...
and
has
...
But
it
is
note-
after dark, even after many years of
WONDER
worthy
to
observe
that
Roma
patronage.
Cholada
seems to get better with age ...
At one time, people would just say,
Chan is
Some
of
the
items
have
been
"The corner of Riopelle and Erskine at
smiling
even
there
since
day
one
and
changed
the northeast corner of the Eastern
more
these
little
...
But
for
the
most
part,
Market, across from the new fire sta-
days ... One
the menu items seem to have an Janet Belcoure
tion."
of
her pet
even
more
distinctive
taste
than
Roma Cafe seats about 150 in two
dishes
and
in
years
gone
by.
rooms separated by a bar area ... where
among
Cholada's
best-sellers
at
Shangri-
Dining
at
Roma
Cafe
has
always
the carved wooden bar is the same one
La in West Bloornfield's Orchard Mall
been a treat.
brought from a tavern on Michigan
on Orchard Lake Road, is lobster
MAIL
DEPT.
...
From
Sgt.
Michael
Avenue around 114 years ago ... Much
Morgan
...
"It
is
a
windy
morning
in
Cantonese ... cut up and mixed with
of the old decor flavor is still retained ...
scallions
and ginger.
Afghanistan.
Soldiers
from
half
a
dozen
Beneath the carpeting is the original
Word
on
the Internet is that lobster
nations
weave
about
barely
withstand-
terrazzo tiled floor ... Its Old World
is
not
only
delectable
... but also low in
ing
the
punishing
gales.
The
labored
charm continues to seep through the
fat,
cholesterol
and
calories
... In fact, it
communications
between
the
armed
over a century aged walls.
and
says,
lobster
is
one
of
the
healthiest
forces
and
the
local
Afghans
only
occa-
In 1967, Hector Sossi, nephew of
leanest
proteins
available
...
with
less
fat
sionally
interrupted
by
the
slap
of
low-
Morris Sossi, took over ownership ...
than
beef
or
even
light-meat
chicken.
slung
rifle
barrels.
It
is
a
harsh
reminder
His apprenticeship was served as a
YES, THAT WAS Simone Vitale on
that you are not safe.
Roma Cafe busboy around 63 years
his
knees day before Valentine's Day ...
"There
is
no
real
guarantee
any
of
us
ago.
in
front
of Vineyards on Northwestern
will
see
home
anytime
soon.
The
occa-
While dad now spends about six
Highway
in Farmington Hills ... But
sional
care
package
is
always
a
great
months a year in Florida, Roma is very
not
to
propose
... He did a quick slip
boost
to
morale.
Things
to
pass
the
capably operated by his daughter, Janet
on
the
ground
before
going in to play
time
and
make
us
forget
about
home
Belcoure.
guitar
and
sing
with
the
Simone Vitale
for
a
while.
DVDs,
board
games,
Many of the employees at Roma can
Band
Trio.
healthy
snacks,
any
sort
of
fun
stuff.
remember back to days of yesteryear
Occasion was Vineyards' pre-
We have tons of toothbrushes and play-
with fond recollections ... Servers like
Valentine's
day shindig ... with gals get-
ing
cards.
Robert Spadoni, 33 years, and John
ting
a
chocolate
rose ... and those with
"Mr.
Raskin,
it
is
very
important
for
Georgas, 28 years.
birthdays
on
Feb.
14 given bouquets.
security
reasons
that
our
rank
is
not
Chef Mike Saeed was a Roma Cafe
FORMER BOSSMAN Raymond
used in the address. Morgan, Michael
N
.
J14
2/27
2004
48
o one knows what it
was before, but only
that the building has
been there since
Wong is no longer at the WO.W
restaurant (Wong's On Woodward) in
Royal Oak ... having sold out his inter-
est to Loan Giant folks ... Raymond is
back at Mon Jin Lau in Troy.
LEADS IN THE musical Oliver
through Feb. 28, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. at
the Abbot Middle School in West
Bloomfield include students Rachel
LoPatin, Esther Rubyan, Jackson
Sherman and Haley Stern.
LAST TIME I saw him, he was
wearing a necktie for the first and only
time in all the years we've known each
other.
Recently bumping into Mike Kallen
brought much yesteryear conversation
... and he still didn't wear a necktie ...
Mike's JK Construction Co. is named
after his first wife, Jackie Kallen, with
whom he was married 30 years and has
remained on good terms ... Their two
sons, Brad and Bryan, both work here
for Mike.
Jackie lives in Los Angeles ... The pic-
ture, Against the Ropes with Meg Ryan
portraying Jackie, opened last week at
local theaters.
CHILI COOKOFF by Temple
Emanu-El Brotherhood, Sunday, Feb.
29, is in memory of Kevin Sofferin, an
Army cook who had graduated from
Temple's high school.
WILL BE INTERESTING to see
who wins the Detroit News Readers
Choice for "Best Kosher Deli in
Michigan" ... Far as I know, there are
no kosher delis ... Another News cate-
gory is "Best Deli," of which there are
many.
KORN KORNER ... A man suffered
a serious heart attack and had open-
heart bypass surgery. He awakened
from the surgery to find himself in the
care of nuns at a Catholic hospital..
As he was recovering, a nun asked
him questions regarding how he was
going to pay for his treatment. She
asked if he had health insurance.
He replied, in a raspy voice, "No
health insurance."
The nun asked if he had money in
the bank. He replied, "No money in
the bank."
The nun asked, "Do you have a rela-
tive who could help you?"
He said, "I only have a spinster sister
who is a nun."
The nun became agitated and
announced loudly, "Nuns are not spin-
sters! Nuns are married to God."
The patient replied, "Send the bill to
my brother-in-law." ❑
Danny Raskin's e-mail address is
dannyraskin@sbcglobal.net