Arts & Entertainment

BEST OF EVEN `THING

24th For Zingerman's

Ann Arbor institution marks a happy milestone.

T

he probability of a restaurant's
dishwasher and general manager
becoming close enough associ-
ates to nurture an idea and someday open
their own restaurant is quite remote.
Yet this is what the two new friends
eventually worked at and made so suc-
cessful that it became one of wide note.
The restaurant where dishwasher Ari
Weinzweig and general manager Paul
Saginaw toiled, the former Maude's on
Fourth Street, Ann Arbor, owned by
Mainstreet Ventures, was quite the meet-
ing place to be seen, and a far cry from
what the two friends would eventually
open.
After Ari gave his leaving notice, he and
Paul got together and decided to open a
restaurant that served the type of food
both grew up eating but couldn't be found
in Ann Arbor ... Ari had been bar mitz-
vah at Congregation Ner Tamid in Chicago
and Paul at Congregation Beth Aaron in
Detroit.
And so was born, March 15, 1982, in a
little house on Detroit Street in Ann Arbor,
Zingerman's Delicatessen, which this year
is celebrating the 24th anniversary of what
has achieved highly regarded national
prominence.
Where did the name "Zingerman's"
come from? ... Since neither of their last
names seemed too conducive to being the
title for their new enterprise, they chose
Greenberg's Delicatessen, naming it after
the Hannah Greenberg they both knew
... Their green neon front window sign
and local newspaper announced the soon
opening of Greenberg's Delicatessen ...
But that didn't last too long after discover-
ing that a Greenberg's Delicatessen had

in Ann Arbor 24 years ago,
already been registered by a
ceased to be a problem any-
Greenberg gentleman who ada-
more. ... What the two friends
mantly refused to let them use
have
achieved as they celebrate
his name.
Zingerman's
24th anniversary
Thus came Zingerman's
is
much
more
... also opening
because it sounded Jewish and
other
companies
(bakehouse,
would be easy to find in alpha-
catering,
roadhouse,
creamery,
betical listings and the yellow
mail
order,
etc.)
in
a
truly deserv-
pages.
ing
result
of
hard
work
and
Seating at Zingerman's
Danny Raskin
ambitious
initiative.
Delicatessen is around 100,
Senior Columnist
IT MAY BE CLOSED for
plus 50 more in a heated out-
renovations, but Frank Taylor, co-owner of
side tent that provides year-round service
Sweet Georgia Brown, Detroit's fashionable
... The 300-square-foot kitchen is still the
dining spot, expects it to reopen sometime
same size, but the delicatessen employee
in June with decor ideas that he says will
count has grown from four, including Ari
have folks doing double-takes again ... In
and Paul, to around 120.
the meantime, guys and gals can dine at
Don't even begin to think about how •
one of Frank's other restaurants, includ-
many sandwiches have been made at
ing Seldom Blues in the GM Renaissance
Zingerman's in its 24 years ... The num-
Center.
ber is that huge ... But conservative esti-
IN BRINGING BACK their popu-
mates would number corned beef at about
lar. Sunday brunch, brothers Johnny and
2,000 pounds a week for 24 years, and
Peter Ginopolis are making a statement
around 500 pounds of pastrami weekly
That their Ginopolis' On the Grill, 12
... From day one, all have been bought
Mile and Middlebelt, Farmington Hills, is
from one purveyor, United Meats, whose
again a good, true, family restaurant ...
co-owner, Sy Ginsburg, used to come and
The Sunday brunch, 11-2, with almost
help at Zingerman's, cutting the beef dur-
25 no-limit items for all members of the
ing busy lunch times.
clan, $18.95 adults; children 10 and under,
Zingerman's Delicatessen is open seven
$8.95; 3 or below, free.
days a week, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
GOOD DEAL DEPT. ... Low-fat,
Ari and Paul have been asked why
8-10-ounce, fine-tasting tilapia fish din-
they haven't also opened a Zingerman's
ner, baked, sauteed, lightly breaded or
Delicatessen elsewhere, outside of Ann
steamed, with soup, egg roll, ice cream,
Arbor ... But it was always within their
coffee or tea and cookies, $10.95, at Hoa
original outlook to stay local.
Hoa Inn, Novi Road, just south of 12 Mile.
Those wonderful, traditional Jewish
READER'S CRITIQUE ... "My
dishes that Ari Weizweig and Paul Saginaw
father-in-law, the late State Senator Joe
enjoyed in their formative years at home
Forbes, would have loved a great diner
... chicken soup, kugel, latkes, chopped
we ate at in Keego Harbor. The owner,
liver, etc. ... and they could never get

SUMMER SPECIALS

Tony, is an excellent cook and his food is
outstanding. The sliders, fries and malts
are among the best in Oakland County. My
wife, Rita, and I encourage people to try
the best-kept secret among people who do
not know about Rocket Eddy's, on Orchard
Lake Road, just past Elizabeth Lake Road,
Keego Harbor' ... Howard Golding, Oak
Park.
IF YOU DIDN'T know better, it
might have been easy to imagine that
time had stood still ... The years have
been very good to Diana Craig, broker
with Keller Williams Realty, Farmington
Hills, who still has the looks of a youthful
Raquel Welch.
CONGRATS ... To Rick Lustig on
his 55th birthday, celebrated with table
for five at Sposita's ... To Larry Korwise
on his 60th birthday, celebrated with
table for four at Sposita's ... To Allen
Schwartz, "The Singing Window Washer"
and jokester, on his 74th birthday ... To
Seymour Burg on his birthday ... To Suzie
Smith on her birthday ... To Madolyn
Rosenthal on her 98th birthday.
REUNION DEPT. ... 40th biggie by
Southfield High class of 1966, is Saturday,
Sept. 16, at the Atrium, 2000 Town Center,
Southfield ... Call Mark Cooperman, (248)
553-3312, or cooperma@sbcglobal.net .
GET WELL WISHES ... To Blanche
Duke.
MAIL DEPT. ... "Read your column
and always look forward to your descrip-
tion of new places for me to try as I am
alone and get tired of my own cooking."
... Lloyd Caplan. 0

Danny's e-mail address is

dannyraskin@sbcglobal.net .

•

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