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Arts & Entertainment
THE BEST OF EVERY T ING
Slice 0' Pizza, Slice OF Life
Jews and Italians bring family know-how to Rossini's restaurant.
T
wo slices of Detroit Jewish and
Italian culinary history bring
together four friends as partners
in a togetherness restaurant venture.
All four companions actively own
and operate the new Rossini's Italian
Cuisine, Haggerty just north of 15 Mile
in the Bloomfield Avenue Shops II, West
Bloomfield ... Jeremy and Beth Kahn and
Michael and Lisa Jepko.
Beth is the granddaughter of the late
Julius Pollack, former Michigan dis-
tributor for Vienna Products and previ-
ous owner of Vienna-Wilno Products
here before bossing Vienna Wholesale,
now run by Beth's uncle, Marty Cook ...
Another uncle of hers, Ben Teitel, owned
Mendelson's in South Haven and was a
prominent local philanthropist.
Michael is the stepson of the late Al
Valente, former owner of Ristorante di
Maria, La Luna Grancaffe in Birmingham,
etc.
Al never did let go of his great pizza
recipe, after moving his Maria's Pizzeria
from across the street and continuing to
serve pizza at Ristorante di Maria ... The
same recipe is still being used by Michael
at Rossini's ... At La Luna, the pizza was
brought on a large plate atop an oversized
can filled with red peppers ... That is also
how it is served at Rossini's ... "We make
so many pizzas:' remarks Michael, "that
whenever I need red peppers, I have to
come into the dining room for them:'
All of Al's recipes, many brought over
from Italy and passed down from genera-
tions, are the basis for food prepared at
Rossini's ... Michael is in the kitchen as
executive chef, with assistance by Brad
Tyler who worked with him for many years.
When needed, both Beth and
dish of shrimp, chicken, fresh
Lisa serve tables plus assum-
Italian herbs, spinach and
ing other chores ... Lisa also
heavy on the garlic, $14.95.
makes most desserts, including
All dinners include soup
tiramisu from the recipe of
or salad and pasta (the latter
Al's wife, Joyce Valente ... The
not with pasta dishes) and
peanut butter pie is by Jeremy's
bread basket.
mother, Rhoda Kahn.
Rossini's seats 50 and is
When Michael and Lisa
open Monday-Thursday, 11-
Danny Raskin
closed their Villa Maria on
10;Friday and Saturday, 11-
Senior
Columnist
Haggerty and 15 Mile, West
11;Sunday, 11-9.
Bloomfield, intending to
An Italian restaurant using
reopen on Commerce and Green Lake,
time-honored recipes is priceless ...
Orchard Lake, Jeremy contacted him about Informal ones like Rossini's are the neigh-
their going into the restaurant business
borhood types that gain much popularity
together ... Not only are they partners in
with its premises-prepared made-to-order
the West Bloomfield Rossini's but also the
food, low prices and menu variety and
second Rossini's to be on Commerce and
flexibility ... As example, the four veal
Green Lake.
dishes served at Rossini's are plus whatev-
Rossini's in West Bloomfield is already
er other veal desire a customer may have.
receiving plaudits for casual presentations
The restaurant togetherness of these four
and such good food that many are liken-
friends brings a closeness that seems to
ing it with the former Ristorante di Maria
ooze onto the customers as well ... A fam-
... The fare is all premises-made from
ily owned and operated Italian neighbor-
fine Al Valente recipes, right on down to
hood restaurant is of much value ... And
the garlic soup originally made by Joyce.
having a special kids menu sector also adds
Excellent dishes like the popular spie-
to its wide reception as a family restaurant.
dini appetizer (layers of bread and mozza-
Rossini's is another one of those fine
rella dipped in egg wash and sauteed with
Italian dining traditions that continues
lemon, butter and chopped olives, $5.95).
with growing customer acceptance and
Among items available but not found
satisfaction.
on the menu is the fine Veal Maria, medal-
NOBODY WANTED to go home ...
lion of veal, shrimp, cream sauce, chopped Jumping Ginopolis on the Grill, 12 Mile
scallions, bread crumbs, $15.25.
and Middlebelt, Farmington Hills, took
In high demand is poached Salmon a
another huge step toward becoming a
la Rossini, sauteed with white wine and
favorite jazz spot like those of yester-
served over pasta, $11.25.
years ... The jazz gigs by Shuffle Play
Whitefish filet is topped with seasoned
are every Friday and Saturday evening in
Italian bread crumbs and baked or can be
the Ginopolis Lounge, where other jazz
gotten broiled, $10.25 ... Not on the menu musicians come to sit in with the riffing
is a much-requested Penne From Heaven
quartet ... On this Saturday evening, with
MOTHER'S DAY BRUNCH
10am 3prn
10 Food Stations Of Our Fabulous
PER PERSON
Food & Desserts $1495 Children
5 & under Free!
leader Don Swindell on vocals and horns
and cute Belleville High principal Sheila
Brown on drums and vocals, the group
was joined by a couple of swinging clari-
net stylists and former Stan Kenton drum-
mer, Jerry McKenzie ... Folks in atten-
dance stomped their feet and rapped their
knuckles in rhythmic tempo as Shuffle
Play and its guests provided the kind of
concert that gives true jazz its good name.
MAIL DEPT. ... "Where is the place
you wrote about that is serving fried clams
like Howard Johnson's had. I worked for
Burroughs Corp on Grand River and we
used to lunch there once or twice a week
and the best food was their fried clams."
... Barry Notarius
(All-you-can-eat is at Giorgio's Gourmet
Diner in West Bloomfield, every Tuesday
evening.)
THIS YEAR'S Walk of Ages by Jewish
Home & Aging Services Auxiliary, Sunday,
May 6, 10 a.m., at the Eugene and Marcia
Applebaum Jewish Community Campus,
15 Mile and Drake, West Bloomfield, will
have bagels, cream cheese and trail mix
after the walk, plus the selling of box
lunches that'll include a "big, fat, juicy"
kosher hot dog, potato chips, cookie and
lemonade at $5 per box.
CONGRATS ... To Dr. Harold Roland
on his 89th birthday ... To David Sachs
on his 56th birthday ... To Steve Richter
on his 39th birthday ... To Debbie Ball
on her birthday ... To Lizzette and Yossi
Benyamin on their 13th anniversary ...
To Bob and Elayne Mangen on their 45th
anniversary. 7_
Danny's e-mail address is
dannyraskin@sbcglobal.net.
BLOOM'S DAIRY &
FISH TRAYS to go
Free Seven-Layer & Coffee Cake
with Every Mother's Day Tray
*Please Order Early*
Free Complimentary Brunch For The Mothers 80 & Over
Good For Dinner With The Family
DELI
CAFE • CATERING
FREE CHOCOLATE
STRAWBERRY ROSE FOR
EVERY MOTHER!
.41
32418 Northwestern Hwy. • between Middlebelt & 14 Mile •
248.855-9463 • www. ewishCatering.com
May 3 2007
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