ALL'S FARE
Yossi Benjamin
with his son,
Dean, 9
COMING HOME
Yossi's provides authentic flavors from Israel.
BY ANNABEL COHEN
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANGIE BAAN
new restaurant in town goes by a single name, Yossi's. Serving
Israeli cuisine, it opened in October with little fanfare. Yet
Yossi's already has its regulars — people who come in three
times a week and more. They are Israeli expatriates hungry for flavors
they remember and those who simply like the food and atmosphere.
The restaurant is unassuming. It's not a fancy place. An Israeli flag that
once hung in the Knesset helps give it character. A wall gallery of Israeli
scenes is planned. Look around and you begin to recognize faces. It's like
a club where you know all the members. It's common to hear inter-table
communication. Fun.
There are no bagels served here. No corned beef, either. There are
very few of the "traditional" foods that have come to symbolize
American Jewry. This is everyday food in Israel.
In fact, it was the lack of Israeli cuisine in the area that compelled
owner Yossi Benjamin, a Haifa native, to open Yossi's.
"When we arrived in Detroit in the summer of 2001 from Holland
[his wife Lisette is Dutch], I was shocked that a Jewish community of
100,000 didn't have a place they could call home ... only delis," he said.
The reality of Israeli food is that if borders were absent, there would be
difficulty differentiating between the cuisine of Lebanon, Israel, Egypt
and others. Where there are distinguishing factors, they are often the
result of immigrant influences.
We ordered our drinks — the fresh homemade lemonade ($2.95) was
delightfully tart. The appetizers — falafel, eggplant with tomato sauce,
Israeli salad, hummus with ful (fava beans) — were fresh and delicious.
Though not homemade, the pita was fresh, doughy and warm. Our soups
— mushroom and crushed lentil — were just right; hot and flavorful.
Other appetizers include hummus and matbucha, a Moroccan salad of
roasted tomatoes and bell peppers.
For dinner, we chose chicken shwarma with baba ganouche and a mixed
plate that included grilled kibbe, more chicken shwarma and baby chicken
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(thighs). Both were hot and delectable. We ordered couscous with vegeta-
bles and soup, which was very good. The "soup" was used as a sauce.
Another interesting choice is shakshuka — eggs cooked in tomatoes and
bell peppers.
To end the meal, we ordered something called "Sweet Dreams of
Amsterdam," a large, very sweet, plate-sized pancake with bananas, apples
or both, baked or fried in. Served with whipped cream, this dessert alone
is worth coming for.
While eating at Yossi's, I had a great feeling of something I can only
describe as belonging. As I expressed this feeling to my co-diners, a wait-
ress (as if on cue) walked by and I read Yossi's slogan on the back of her
shirt: "Coming here is like corning home."
The overall experience was very good — we will all go back. Lunch
prices start at $8.95. Dinner entrees begin at $11.95.
Yossi said his menu is a work in progress. "It's not the final menu," he said.
"It's a small menu with 50 or 60 items for people to taste and get to know."
Next summer, he expects the bill of fare — like the restaurant itself —
to grow. He's hoping to seat 220 and offer outdoor dining.
Located in Robin's Nest Plaza north of Orchard Lake Road at the end
of Northwestern Highway, the 60-seat Yossi's is the latest of a series of
eateries to occupy this strip mall in the last several years.
Where others have failed, perhaps Yossi's will triumph. Some will say
these restaurants were geographically challenged. Not Yossi. He believes
their collective closure has nothing to do with location.
"If you have a good product and you know how to sell it — if you
Lisette Benjamin lights the Chanukah menorah with Larry Hirsch of West Bloomfield and sons Jared, 12,
and Aaron, 6, and Jeremy Benjamin, 6, and brother Dean.
believe in what you're doing — nothing bad can happen," he said.
Officially, the restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day,
though Yossi says that he'll stay open later if there are people still eating.
"If there's food to be served, I'm there," he said."
Yes, there are other places in town to buy kebabs, shwarma and falafel.
But Yossi says his fare is different because of his blend of spices and what
he calls, "first quality and tender meat."
And, as Yossi explains, "Everybody's welcome. I wanted to send a mes-
sage to the community: you come, you can enjoy better food, hear you
own language and you won't feel like a stranger."
❑
Yossi's: 7325 Orchard Lake Road • West Bloomfield • (248) 626-0160
7 days: 11 a.m.-9 p.m.