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Eighth Time A Charm

Italia Fresca debuts at Orchard Lake-Pontiac Trail corner.

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OTPOURRI
"I love the challenge to show
why mine will be one of those
succeeding there;' says owner-execu-
tive chef Sam Sharkas ... His new Italia
Fresca Italian restaurant, scheduled to
open Thursday, Feb. 28, is the eighth
restaurant to occupy the location on
Orchard Lake Road and Pontiac Trail,
Orchard Lake Village ... The others
were Meating Place, Treats, Roadhouse,
Buster's Bay, Jake's on the Lake, Taez and
Chef Theodore.
Many will remember Sam as the con-
scientious 17-year-old busboy who Sila's
Pizzeria owners Mike and Al Bashara
promoted to prep cook at their Berkley
spot ... Or as a cook with Mike and
Mark Larco at Larco Brothers carryout
in Southfield, or for Joe Vicari at his
Andiamo group, as line cook, sous chef
and executive chef.
Italia Fresca's scheduled quiet opening
tonight (Feb. 28), 5 p.m., is dinner only
... But as of Friday, it should be open 7
days for lunch and dinner ... Monday-
Thursday, 11-10; Friday and Saturday,
11-11; Sunday, noon-9 ... Private grand
opening by invitation only will be 6:30
p.m. Monday, March 10.
RUMOR DEPT. ... "Absolutely no
truth!" says Bonnie Fishman. "That is a
terrible rumor spreading in the Jewish
community that I am moving or going
out of business! We love our location and
are doing just fine!" ... Bonnie's Kitchen,
with the premises-made soups and good-
ies, is on Telegraph and Maple, Bloomfield
Township.
IT MAY NOT BE a Greek restaurant
or even look like one, but Mosaic, corner

of Monroe and Beaubien in
Greektown, at night has one of
the best-liked and top noted
gents that Greektown has
known as one of its managers
... He's Yianni Papaioannou,
who was Pegasus manager
for Jim Papas since 1981 ...
Together with Mosaic's day
manager, Mike Caine, they make
a dynamic duo.
Also at Mosaic now is
Executive Chef James Leonardo, who
used to put out those terrific dishes at
the former City Cellar in Birmingham
... Chef James opened City Cellar and
was recently at Nomi's in Northville ...
He is bent on making menu changes to
match his talents, with many of the great
preparations James used to prepare, like
his own Wild Striped Bass Tartar with
white chocolate chili and caviar; tuna
sashimi atop arancini (little oranges),
and roasted pheasant with white truffles
and celery root puree.
LARGE DEMAND has Vineyards,
Northwestern between Middlebelt and
14 Mile in Farmington Hills, extending
its one-cent per large matzah balls by
Shirlee Bloom deal through March ...
They are limit two with each quart of
Shirlee's regular or frozen chicken soup
... Vineyards went through about 1,000
in the recent week.
A NEW YORK delicatessen doesn't
have to be a Jewish deli to be authentic
... There are loads of fine delicates-
sens there that are not Jewish delis ...
Numerous ones in New York City like
German, Italian, etc., operations are
sometimes also known as European

delicatessens ... In
Northville, a delicatessen
recently opened on Main
Street, and its menu imme-
diately dispelled any notion
that it might be a Jewish
delicatessen ... "New York-
style sandwiches" is the
claim of Empire Deli, with
Jewish rye, corned beef,
pastrami, etc. ... But also
pulled pork, prosciutto,
Italian sausage, etc.
It may not be an authentic New York deli
as noted if referring to places there like
Carnegie or Katz's ... But Frank Sinatra
would have liked the sandwich named
after him of sopressata, Capicola, pepper-
oni, hard salami and fresh mozzarella with
sun-dried tomatoes on a crispy or soft
hoagie ... Managing Partner-Executive
Chef John Colombani, is a graduate of
the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde
Park, N.Y., and a former 17-year restau-
rant owner and operator ... Empire Deli
is open seven days, Monday through
Saturday, 10:30-8; Sunday, 10:30-6.
MAIL DEPT. ... "I am playing jazz
bass somewhere different each night. As
you well know, there is no more music biz
as we knew it nowadays in America. All
those clubs we played at no longer have
music six nights a week with the same
group. Also, the generations there now
don't have any idea of what real jazz is
and may never have heard of the times
we play." ... Dan Pliskow, former big band
bass player, whose late dad, attorney Julius
Pliskow, years back was a very highly
respected and active member of the Detroit
Jewish community.

MAKING ROUNDS ... To Big Rock
Chop House, S. Eton, south of Maple,
Birmingham, for short ribs ... To Jeremy,
Cass Lake Road, Keego Harbor, for pan-
roasted salmon.
ESTIMATES BY local restaurant own-
ers is that about 30 40 percent of their
Jewish customers are away for the winter
in Florida, Arizona or other warm parts
... Many restaurateurs say this is among
the worse winters they have experienced,
but probably want to forget those more
terrible weather years they might have
experienced in yester days ... Most of the
good ones always seem to weather the
storms, though, as bad as they are.
THERE'LL BE A new look in Applegate
Square, Northwestern and Inkster,
Southfield, next year ... Plans are for a
Hampton Inn Hotel to be build on the far
side, where Hershal Gross' Clippers Unisex
Hair Salon is located ... Clippers will
move on the mall's south side, where a res-
taurant is planned to open in the former
Slade's spot.
LUCKY THAT somebody finally put
a note there telling what those luscious-
looking "chocolate candies" were recently
at Tamara's Spa, Northwestern Hwy.,
Farmington Hills ... Sure saved a lot of
gals from frothing at the mouth ... They
were pieces of soap made at Tamara's for
Valentine Day ... great for the skin, but
not the tummy inside.
CONGRATS ... To Paula Weiser on
her birthday ... To Seymour Manello on
his 71st birthday ... To Mel and Sybil
Markowitz on their 50th anniversary. 111

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e-mail infoDanny's e-mail address is
dannyraskin@sbcglobaLnet.

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