f demoommomminiiipmmimmalmumi , THE BEST OF E\, A 'Steak' In The Future Many a successful restaurateur survived hard economic times. p OTPOURRI Many restaurateurs of yester- years didn't overly panic during economic conditions that confronted them ... They just pulled in their horns and battled back as best they could ... With the help of suppliers, new menu prices were lowered, customers were given incen- tives, etc. ... All to achieve two things ... Remain afloat and pay the bills. They might have been through it before and knew that it would not last ... That such conditions get resolved and so pre- pared themselves mentally not to desert a sinking boat but to plug holes as best they could in somehow keeping it afloat ... Many restaurant men and women of today are like this, too, and will survive because of it. - Les Gruber lived through soft eco- nomic conditions and its setbacks with his Den of 40 Thieves that preceded the London Chop House owned by Les, brother Sam and brother-in-law Joe Woolf, that went on to world renown ... Harry Berman kept on punching before being able to sell Berman's Chop House to Ben Davis and Sam Gottlieb and they to Ben Kasle. Sam Boesky lived through tough times with his Boesky's Delicatessen on Hastings and Farnsworth, then Hazelwood and 12th, continuing forward to eventually open the wonderful Darbys .-.. Charlie Costello almost lost his shirt with the Wedgewood Room but pulled out of it and went on to success with the name changed to Charlie Costello's Supper Club. Carl Rosenfeld sold his tire business to concentrate on his Grand River Chop House and was ready to cash in his chips but pulled his reins, held on, and ultimately moved across the street as the Carl's Chop House that went on to great heights ... Jim Cockels suffered plenty quietly with his little beanery called Russell's until able to have it grow from a side street parlor to the fine Russell's Steak House ... Sammy Lieberman weathered the economic ups and downs at his Blaine and Avalon Restaurants to become operator of the Raleigh House, the largest catering facility in the United States, along with three restaurants within it, House of Lords, Giraffe and Piccadilly ... And the list goes on. MAIL DEPT. ... "Am I to understand that Sara Lee Corporation is closing all the kosher facilities that supply kosher deli products? Does that mean these products will no longer be available to the consum- er? Is this (sadly) the end of kosher deli as we have known it?" ... Gloria Flanders. "Thanks for updating the info on Costco and Sam's regarding their no longer hav- ing kosher hot dogs and the notice from Sara Lee of its going out of the making of Best, Sinai, Shofer and Wilno. So where are we going to get our kosher salami, etc.? This will turn us into vegetarians? Who will supply these kosher products, espe- cially since the Sara Lee people blew it?" ... Bernice and Manny Litvin Dear Gloria, Bernice and Manny ... Yours are among numerous e-mails sent my way following the column item about Sara Lee closing its kosher hot dog and meat processing facility ... Yes, Sara Lee is going out of the kosher meat business and will "discontinue processing and distributing products made under all its kosher meat brands, including Best's Kosher, Sinai Kosher, Shofar and Wilno", according to a release it sent out ... So far as I know, when the stores or their suppliers or distribu- tors that carry their kosher products, run out of Best's, Sinai, Shofar and Wilno, they will not be provided again by Sara Lee ... However, this is very far from being the end of kosher deli products ... Hebrew National, Empire Kosher, etc., are still at most super markets here, and I can assume that others will follow ... The kosher hot dog and deli products fields are much too big to be discontinued ... Who knows, we may now see companies like International, Abeles & Heymann, etc., come into this market. IF FOLKS WANT to skip dinner at Townsend Hotel's Rugby Grille in Birmingham (6 p.m., four-courses, $90 per person, or 9 p.m., five-courses, $160 per person) there is no charge to party and dance New Year's Eve to the Royce and Jenn Band 10 p.m.-1:30 a.m. ... Just pay for your drinks ... The Royce "The Voice" Javan and songstress Jennifer Christiansen five-piece group will be in the room con- nected to Rugby Grille. CHEF'S DEPT. ... Another gourmet chef well-versed in Jewish traditional cooking is Executive Chef Keith Supien, presently heading the gourmet sector at Fresh Foods in Grosse Pointe ... While he was executive chef at the former Van Dyke Place on Jefferson, Keith concocted a L'Chaim menu that went over big from chicken soup to chatzilim (eggplant and caviar) to blintzes stuffed with corned beef, shmaltz herring croquettes, apricot chicken, beef brisket and much more. When it closed, he moved over to Van Dyke Place's sister restaurant, the Whitney, and included innovations on his Jewish cooking ... Like Madeira wine in Keith's chicken matzah ball soup and the matzah balls stuffed with chicken mousse ... Even a Reuben Soup made from a corned beef sandwich and chicken stuffed with angel hair pasta and dried fruits ... Folks would sure love to have him back in this area. THE FASHION SEEMS to be drinking champagne dry? ... This is labeled Brut ... But did you know that extra dry curi- ously means not too dry in flavor? SEEING SIGNS ... By Lois Kanner ... at a Florida bistro, underneath a plastic shrunken head ... "That sure was a dry martini!" MAKING ROUNDS ... To Spanga's, Woodward, Royal Oak, for a Kosher Coney Island ... To O'Brien's, Opdyke, Auburn Hills, for steamed clam bucket. ERRATA, TYPO, ETC. Dept. ... Correct phone number for Andi's Candies is (248) 705-1551. CONGRATS ... To Rudy Simon on his 80th birthday ... To Madelon Seligman on her birthday ... To Nancie Becker on her birthday ... To Harvey Markzon on his 60th birthday ...... To Dr. Thom Millman on his 65th birthday. L Danny's e-mail address is dannyraskin@sbcglobal.net . Day specials! • 0. e1.1.EBRATE . „N ew Years Eve 1 and New lean 4c Hors d'oeuvres Party Trait Holiday Deli Meat Tray •Deli Meat Tray •Hot Swedish meat balls •Old fashioned Potato Salad & Coleslaw • Cut-up vegetable Crudités variety with spinach dip FREE Includes: New Year's Eve Choice of (4) meats: Deli Basket Lean Corned Beef, Breast of Turkey, Rare Roast Beef, Ham, Turkey Pastrami, kosher Salami...Choice of (2) Cheeses: Swiss & American, Muenster...Old & New Kosher Dill Pickles, Sweet Pickles, Hot Peppers, Red Pimentos, Tomatos, Russian Dressing, Mustard, TOTAL Mayo, and Double Baked Jewish Rye. Serves 10 214. with any of these orders!!! 311 32418 Northwestern Hwy. • between Middlebelt & 14 Mile • 248.855-9463 • ORDER Please mac your order bey SatUrday - includes: 27h5 'Coconut Chicken Fingers with Honey Oriental sauce 'Shrimp egg roll with plum sauce 'Swedish meatballs •Miniature Roll-up sandwiches •Hummus & Taboull with Pita bread 'Cheese assortment with crackers , •Cut-up vegetable Crudities variety . 4' TOTAL Serves 10 with spinach dip ONuNEwww.VineyardDeli.com ** S0 DELI • CAFE • CATERING December 25 • 2008 B17