MAINSTREETS
Mazel Toy!
DANNY
You are one in a million!
Happy Anniversary on 66 years of dining well in Detroit.
Happy Birthday.
Love,
Fonda, Brittani & Ellery Schwartz and Roz & Karen Droz
IlivirFirrirtrirrirr4PIPPIOvirnrrirliftroirrirrdP
Congratulations
Danny
On Dining in Detroit.
Happy and Healthy Birthday!
Ida & Mark Nemzin
Mazel Toy!
DANNY
and
Best Wishes
Jeffrey L. Rosenberg
of A & J Kosher Catering
located inside Adat Shalom Synagogue
With its contemporary flair and snappy content and
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For advertising information call
248-351-5107
B8
October 23 • 2008
main
STREETS
ON THE COVER
DANNY FROM PAGE B6
Park, things were not going well.
Prentice was 20, already a profes-
sional cook for six years, but facing
difficulties. His father had terminal
cancer. Matt dropped out of the
Culinary Institute of America after
one year because he couldn't afford
to go back and his family needed
him.
America was facing another reces-
sion "and I bought this dumpy deli
on Greenfield Road." Prentice was
working around the clock, seven
days a week, to turn the place
around.
"The place looked like hell;' he
recalls, "and I did everything I could
to get people to come in," including
cooking dishes like beef Wellington
— at a deli. "But I was leaving with
less money at the end of every week
ing restaurants, writing about what's
new for his column, and offering the
owners advice.
"I like to help these guys.:' Raskin
says of the restaurant owners. "I'll
give them advice as long as they'll
listen." He's never been one to write
critical reviews. If he comes across
a situation with the food or the help
that he doesn't like, he prefers to tell
the owner and return_ another time
to review the place.
He worries about the economy
and doesn't want to hurt a busi-
ness or its employees. But he thinks
good restaurateurs won't be affected.
"There have been bad times in the
past;' he says. "They always separate
the good from the bad.
"The experienced owners know
to not cut quality and to keep the
prices down. The ones
who are looking for a
quick buck, they don't
know how to ride out the
storm.
"Those that know their
business, they're a good
breed." The owners have
to pay their bills and stay
level-headed, he advises.
"Customers know
when cuts are being
made [at a restaurant]
and they won't go back.
– Matt Prentice People are looking for
price, but they want
quality with that price."
than what I started with."
When Raskin talks to the owners,
Finally, the late Sid and the late
he does it in private. Freda, his third
Marilyn Frumkin, regular custom-
wife who he married 34 years ago,
ers at the deli, contacted their friend doesn't come along, nor son Scott
Danny Raskin. The next week,
when he's in town.
Raskin devoted the bulk of his Best
Raskin defends the go-it-alone
of Everything to the wonderful food
practice: "[The owners and res-
at the struggling little deli, and the
taurant staff] won't tell me their
rest is history.
troubles if there is someone with
"Now we had a new problem;'
me," he says. "And I've been doing
Prentice says. "The Friday the article this so long now that they trust me.
came out in the Jewish News, we had They know they won't be reading it
people lined up out the door. We cut
in the paper:'
up vegetables for the people waiting
But his family is very important
in line — that's something we still
to him. He insists on taking Freda to
do for customers at Deli Unique [in
restaurants, but not when he's mak-
West Bloomfield].
ing work calls. And he visits Scott,
"Danny's column introduced peo-
a computer CEO, daughter-in-law
ple to me. I did things and the busi-
Bonnie, and grandchildren Hannah
ness took off. If Danny hadn't put
and Matthew, both now in college,
me on the map, I would have gone
several times a year on the West
down ... He introduced me to the
Coast.
Jewish community and that commu-
Raskin is happy that he's still able
nity has embraced me, and I them."
to drive and continue what he loves.
Raskin no longer works on the
"Besides," he laughs, "you get on the
advertising staff of the Jewish News,
highway and you get better gas mile-
but he continues to drive around the age."
area four or five days a week, visit-
"He introduced me
to the Jewish
community and
that community
has embraced me,
and I them."
❑