& En ertainme
E BEST OF EVERYTHI
The Verdict Is In
Bravo! Cucina Italiana pleases the court.
p
OTPOURRI ...
Here comes the
judge with another
fine decision ... It's a culinary
pick on what Oakland County
Probate Judge Barry Ivl. Grant
and wife, Lisa, consider among
Metro Detroit's better neighbor-
hood restaurants ... Bravo!
Cucina Italiana in the Village of
Rochester Hills, on Adams Road
... It's part of a Cleveland-based
Midwestern chain but one that
seems more like a favorite inde-
pendent ... Judge Grant and Lisa
are joined by many others, as
attested on a very rainy but still
crowded Monday evening (usu-
ally a bad dining night in itself),
that didn't keep people away
from a good meal at a reasonable
price.
The thought by numerous
persons about large chains hav-
ing overly stereotyped food plus
full access to a central provi-
sions commissary located else-
where, from which the victuals
are many times sent, are ques-
tionable at this Bravo! ... Fresh
food like an excellently prepared
salmon, low price tags, efficient
and personal service, on-the-
premises-made bread, dipping
Pomodora mixture on tables,
beautiful setting with high
ceiling, soft lighting, Roman
columns, brown wood appoint-
ments, large open kitchen, etc.,
make up a lot of reasons why
the 240-seat Bravo! in Rochester
Hills has so many that concur
with Judge and Lisa Grant in
their wise dining judgment.
DOUBLE SHOCKER
comes with recent closing of
Tutto Bene in Farmington Hills,
and closing, Sept. 19, of Emily's
in Northville ... both by owner
Rick Halberg.
TALK HAS IT THAT
P.F. Chang's China Bistro is corn-
ing to the West Bloomfield sec-
tor ... Location is said to be in
the 14 Mile and Orchard Lake
Road area, and would be the
chain's third in Metro Detroit
... The others are at Troy's
Somerset Collection South and
on Haggerty in Northville.
NOT A BAD deal ... that
Forte Restaurant bus ride on
the Forte Tigers Express to
and from Comerica Park this
Sunday, Sept. 17, to see the
local nine play the Baltimore
Orioles ... Thirty people will
have lower deck reserved seats,
after the game dinner (appe-
tizer of lobster tots or calamari
and entree choices of Forte
burger, salmon Caesar salad or
pizza, plus refillable soft drink
or iced tea) ... $75 ... Tickets
are at Forte, S. Old Woodward,
Birmingham, or call (248) 594-
7300.
A BIG DIFFERENCE
with Yossi Benyamin doing
his own cooking now at Yossi's
Israeli Cuisine, northwest side
of Robin's Nest, Orchard Lake
Road, north of 14 Mile; West
Bloomfield ... Jim Hiller, for
one, is so impressed with Yossi's
food that he would like him to
make some available for sale at
Hiller's Markets.
.54ettee vedemexv
Jewish
Cuisine
WHERE HIS
PREVIOUS loca-
tion seemed some-
what of a "food wil-
derness" on 12 Mile
between Greenfield
and Southfield, many
of Urology Dr. Scott
Sircus' office gals
must feel like they
have hit a lunch
lottery ... At his
new offices in the
Beaumont Medical Building
on Orchard Lake Road, West
Bloomfield, there are allout 15
restaurants between 14 and 15
Mile and around six or more just
north of 15.
WHEN VARIETY, the
Children's Charity, has its yearly
event, "Lights, Camera, Auction,"
Tuesday, Oct. 17, it will bring
back memories for a lot of
attendees ... The first one, back
in 1989 at Northland Theater,
had a special "surprise" preview
of a -soon-to-come-out movie
that hit the box-office jackpot
with Look Who's Talking.
At that time, 17 restaurants
participated by giving strolling
dinners ... The take for Variety
was about $55,000 including a
silent auction ... This year, at
the Emagine Theater in Novi,
there'll be over 20 restaurants
... If folks had known about
that movie, Northland Theater
wouldn't have been big enough.
Restaurant guys and gals
again graciously supply all food
and serving personnel without
charge ... something unsung
and deserving of acco-
lades galore.
Doors open 6 p.m.
with a new movie at
7:45 ... $50 per per-
son regular tickets,
and $100 patron ducts
... Call Jean Bugeaud
at Variety, (248) 258-
5511 ... Co-chairs
this year are Judith
Solomon and Michael
Bressler.
MINI REVIEW ... "My
friend, Roberta Lash, my moth-
er, Millie Brodie, and I recently
had dinner at the Novi Souvlaki
on Novi Road and 12 Mile. The
food was delicious, our server
was wonderful and the prices
are incredibly cheap." Caryn
Jaeger.
TRIVIA DEPT. ...
According to the U.S. Postal
Service, what local community-
ite is the only person to have
officiated at the unveiling of two
postal stamps?
Big hint, he is a former state
boxing commissioner (1981-
1992), and past president of the
Michigan Jewish Sports Hall of
Fame (2002-2005).
Sure, it's Stuart Kirschenbaum
... On July 22, 1993, he unveiled
the 29-cent stamp honoring Joe
Louis in a boxing ring set up at
Joe Louis Arena ... On July 16,
2006, at Comerica Park, Stuart
unveiled the 39-cent stamp hon-
oring Hank Greenberg.
MAIL DEPT.... "In answer
to your recent letter from Jackie
Kallen, here is .an excerpt from
a letter that Rabbi David Baron
sent to his congregation. After
hearing from so many congre-
gants, I have decided to postpone
my invitation to Mel Gibson. He
will not deliver a public apol-
ogy at the Yom Kippur service
this year for his remarks. I have
invited him to apologize at a
future date as his alcohol and
anti-Semitic rehabilitation pro-
gresses:" ... Roz Radner Fink,
sister-in-law of Rabbi Baron, sis-
ter of the late Ellen Radner Baron
and former baby sitter for Jackie
Kaplan Kallen.
CONGRATS ... To Jeffrey
Himelson on his birthday ...
To Mitchell Wagner on his
23rd birthday ... To Sybil
Ankerman of Las Vegas, on her
80th birthday ... To Dorothy
Glick on her birthday ... To
manicurist Marlies Leonard
and stylist Terry Shovan of
Clipper's Barber Shop, on their
same day birthdays ... To Irvin
Forman on his 100th birthday
... To Bernard and Roz Tucker
on their 57th anniversary
... To Adelyn "Addy" and Jon
Greenberg on their 60th anni-
versary ... To Evelyn Shepherd
on her 85th birthday ... To
Harriet Mellin on her birthday,
celebrated with table for 10
at House of Ing ... To Sy and
Sandie Resnick on their 45th
anniversary ... To Sy Resnick on
his 68th birthday. Ell
Danny's e-mail address is
dannyraskin@sbcglobal.com
Now taking orders for Rosh Hashanah
We use only the finest and
A la Carte & Full Dinners • freshest
Kosher products in our
Holiday Trays
Shipped Nationwide
NibblesandNuts.coto
32418 Northwestern Hwy.
Farmington Hills, MI
248 855-9463
preparation and cooking.
• Holiday wines available.
See Ida Nemzine.
• Carryout and catering online
www.VineyardDeli.com
September 14 • 2006
65