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California Dining

[ easy_
ways

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at jewisn.co

West Coast restaurants and delis
offer memories of Detroit.

taken to the Magic Castle in Hollywood, for brunch
any former localites who have shifted
and magic galore, at the private club for magicians
their residences to California find much
known the world over ... Our member host, Bonnie's
to enjoy ... as also do visitors to the coast,
brother,
Robert Buck, also took us on another visit to
like my spending various times with son Scott, his
the
former
home of film great Wallace Berry, being
wife, Bonnie, and their family
lived
in
and
restored by Robert at a healthy dollar
Among the reasons in no small Way is the diversi-
tune
...
Berry
had great parties there ... and the origi-
fication of restaurant choices ... with memories like •
nal
walls
and
floors
are filled with memories to fill
Nate 'n Al in Beverly Hills, where West Bloomfield
volumes
of
starry
escapades
there.
residents Ron and Linda Sherr were taken by their .
Dan
Tana's
in
West
Hollywood,
is a Little Italy
daughter Robin David, publicity head at 20th
Danny Raskin
hangout
of
celebrities
who
enjoy
the
darkness and
Century Fox, and independent producer son-in-law
Senior C olumnist privacy ...At Boa in Santa Monica, men wearing ties
Danny David ... Or a touch of back home for many
and stilts and gals dressed to the hilt love the simple
who go to a Peppino's in California.
but
good menu of steaks and seafood ... Ex-Detroiter
Or former hereabouters Donna and Len Bassin driving and
Larry
Dictor
swears
by One Pico, among Santa Monica's best
listening to their grandson, Matt Bassin, son of past West
restaurants
for
food
like oysters with caviar and.lemongrass
Bloomfielders-Craig and Randee Bassin, doing his sportscasting
cream
and
house-cured
salmon with corn cakes.
on 1290 AM radio in Santa Barbara ... Or former back-home
When
in
California,
Linda
and Barry Solomon enjoy the fash-
folks Gail Shapiro and Dennis Maynard touting Savannah
ionable
upscale
Ivy
in
Los
Angeles,
where Linda sees so many of
Chophouse in Laguna Niguel, and Water's on the Lake in Irvine.
her
film
friends
while
working
around
the Hollywood scene as a
Scott and Bonnie knew we'd get a kick out of the original
photographer
of
the
stars
...
Norma
Weitz
Zager left here as a
Peppino's in Lake Forest even though it is spelled with a double
comedy
personality
and
is
now
circuit
editor
at the Jewish
"p" and nowhere like the Pepino's in Walled Lake with the all-
Journal of Greater Los Angeles ... She also raises money to pur-
chase fire engines for Israel ... and loves dinner at Koi in Los
Angeles for its wonderful sushi and Asian dishes ... Wolfgang
Puck's Spago's in Beverly Hills is her lunchtime favorite ..."His
chicken stuffed with goat cheese and Wolfgang's parsnips puree
are incredible says Norma. But I have still never found ribs out
here that can compare to Checker Bar-Bar-B-Q on Livernois [in
Detroit]!'
"For breakfast, I like Nate 'n Al," says Jackie Kallen."It's a great
little deli and makes the best matzah brei ever. For lunch, I like
Caffe Roma in Beverly Hills, a terrific little outside cafe that gets
a very interesting crowd. Sylvester Stallone eats there. The gover-
nor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, dines at Caffe Roma at least once a
Clockwise from top left:
week (when he isn't at his and wife, Maria Shriver's own Shatzi
Steven Spielberg
On Main in Santa_Monica), and a lot of the older singers and
Gov. Schwarzenegger
comics are also regulars: Jack Carter, Norm Crosby, Shecky
Kirk Douglas
Greene, Al Martino, Jerry Vale, Frankie Valli and others. Young
Hollywood goes there, too. Benicio Del Toro, Mischa Barton, etc.
For dinner, I love the Saddle Ranch Chop House in West
Hollywood, a western-themed barbecue place with a mechani-
cal bull and a lot of fun. Delicious ribs and huge portions:'
About the delis in California, it's a tossup as to which has the
best
matzah ball soup and all-around delicatessen fare ...
around goodness that makes it one of Michigan's top dollar-for-
between
Nate 'n Al, Barney Greengrass in Beverly Hills or
dollar restaurant buys ... The veal pizzaiola and shrimp parme-
Canter's
in Los Angeles ... But not too far behind are Jerry's in
san at Peppino's in Lake Forest were good choices but no but-
West
Hollywood,
Junior's in Los Angeles, Art's in Studio City and
terfly shrimp and ingredients to make my own sauce like at the
Greenblatt's
in
West
Hollywood. Sam Boris, Eddie Wolfe and Joe
local Pepino's ... Bonnie took us to Bagels & Brew in Mission
and
Kathie
Cornell
say
there are no delis like the ones back
Viejo for an introduction to Flagels, large interesting flat bagels
home
years
ago
in
Detroit,
but make Solley's in Sherman Oaks
which are oddly not in the Detroit sector yet ... They're delicious
their
top
choice.
toasted and with cream cheese.
The Milky Way owned in Los Angeles by Leah Adler, Steven
Of course, no visit to California would -be the same without
Spielberg's
mother, is a meat-only kosher favorite of stars like
going to Nate 'n Al, even though my corned beef and eggs Weres
regular
customer
Kirk Douglas ... And Spielberg comes for his
far from the ones that Nate Mendelson and Art Reimer used to
favorite dish, fried smelts.
make for me at Boesky's on 12th Street in Detroit years ago ...
A lot of wonderful restaurants in the part of California that
with full slices of lean corned beef, not shavings from a sand-
we
were in, but for barrister Jeff Metzger, he'll take his own
wich board ... Ruby's Auto Diner in Laguna Beach with Scott
cooking
... and that of his wife, Lisa's, too. E
and his highly personable secretary, Coraly Rodriquez, couldn't
be cleaner ... The younger star set love their Italian restaurant
Danny's e-mail address is dannyraskin@sbcglobal.net .
Dolce hot spot in West Hollywood ... And what a thrill to be

M

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December 29 2005

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