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Coney Clarity

Spangas will serve a kosher-sourced Coney Island on request.

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OTPOURRI
MAIL DEPT. ... "We were in
Spangas (Woodward, Royal Oak)
the night after you wrote about it having
kosher hamburgers. I ordered and received
what I thought was a kosher hamburger.
We were thrilled that there was a place
to get some kosher meat and so told our
family and friends. We went back to get
another delicious kosher burger as did
our friends. The waitress never heard of
serving anything but a kosher hot dog. You
clearly wrote about it being kosher meat,
not just all beef." ... Judy Rubin, Executive
Director, Tri-Community Coalition.
Sorry for the misunderstanding, Judy,
but the article did not intend to imply that
Spangas had kosher hamburger sand-
wiches, which, by the way, it does serve
when requested ... The kosher hamburger
meat that I mentioned is, when asked for,
on the Coney Islands .... "Big popularity
continues to be the hot dogs and Coneys,
with customers given the choice of kosher
dogs and kosher hamburger meat prod-
ucts or all beef or mixed meat ingredients
... along with ground hamburger selec-
tions that include ground turkey!' (Nov. 20,
2008).
GIGI'S KORNER ... "While barking
around, I came across something my
predecessor, Coco Raskin, wrote about
10 years ago. It was a New York Times
item about New York restaurants having
things like water and biscuits for us dogs.
One place, Time Cafe, even served steaks.
Others like Cafe Giardinetto in Murray Hill
had dog menus with minced turkey breast,
chopped beef and an antipasto platter.
"Verbena on Irving Place regulars

included a fox terrier, French
on Commerce Road in
bulldog and a Jack Russell, who
Commerce Township, but as
dined on hamburger steak,
far as I know is closed ... It
rare. At the New York Spa on
served British dishes, and
West 18th, the Fido Cafe served
the name Bubble & Squeak
espresso bar fare and dog
probably came from the tra-
snacks and printed out dog-
ditional English corned beef
appropriate dishes on the menu.
and cabbage ... When sim-
Busboys filled water bowls
mering,
a bubble and squeak
Danny Raskin
as regularly as water glasses.
sound
is
created ... As the
Senior Columnist
The Times noted that we dogs
vegetables bubble, the corned
remember places where we've
beef squeaks.
been spoiled. 'In New York, it said, 'more
ODD AS IT MAY be with many restau-
than one dog has led its owner to dinner:" rants closed, it is still difficult for numerous
GOOD DEAL DEPT. ... No coupon is
restaurant owners to find good waitpersons
needed for the Sunday through Tuesday
... So please be tolerant of the bosses who
offer by Pi Restaurant, Northwestern at
are trying to bear up under this tremen-
Franklin, Southfield ... Free lunch or din-
dous handicap ... He or she is many times
ner entree, equal or lesser value, with pur- blamed for a waitperson's incompetence,
chase of another ... Folks must mention
and that is definitely not fair.
the special to receive it.
NOW HE HAS come up with still
GOOD WAITRESS DEPT. ... Rita
another big-time recession deal, getting to
Lulanaj at Boneyard, Orchard Lake Road,
be like a working idea-machine for pro-
Farmington Hills ... Lovely smile, gra-
motion of helping in his own way.
cious, fast and very efficient ... All great
This time, Ron Asmar, owner of
reasons why folks ask to sit at her station.
Vineyards on Northwestern Farmington
SOME PEOPLE shy away from Chinese
Hills, has something for folks who show a
restaurants because their thinking is that
$50 or more receipt of that week from any
all such restaurants use monosodium
metropolitan store or restaurant ... He's
glutamate or too much salt ... Very
giving them 50 percent off any meal, sand-
untrue ... Places like Golden Phoenix,
wich, salad or menu item at Vineyards ...
for example, on Orchard Lake Road, West
It's on through March and if it goes over,
Bloomfield, uses no MSG, and when
he'll extend the offer.
requested, little or no salt.
This comes on the heels of his 50 per-
QUESTION & ANSWER DEPT. ...
cent tender on any prepared food items,
"Some friends told us about a restaurant
dine-in or carryout, lunch or dinner ... as
called Bubble & Squeak. What kind of a
many times as wanted, up to $1,000, until
restaurant is it? That's an odd name." ...
April 1, 2009, when showing a receipt
Alan and Rita Sornoff.
from purchase or lease of a GM, Chrysler
Bubble & Squeak restaurant was
or Ford ... 25 cents for large coffee ... and

free party favors and brownies with New
Year's Eve carryouts.
"I CAN'T PROMISE them success as
writers, but I guarantee that the pizzas are
excellent, and there aren't any anchovies:'
says Norm Prady, longtime writer for
local and national publications and book
author ... His kitchen table was the site
in Berkley where Norm and other writ-
ers gathered six years ago to hear more
about his literary teachings ... Also a
former Berkley and Troy schools writ-
ing teacher, Norm had set up the Oxford
Writer's Group, with its six-week Tuesday
evening programs, where his students,
some employed as writers, hope to bet-
ter their style and skills ... They get his
suggestions for improvement and digest
two kinds of pizza, antipasto salad and
Greek Salad delivered by Two Guys From
Italy, N. Campbell, Royal Oak ... Interested
folks can call Norm at (248) 542-6242
... Norm's novel, Isabella, will be pub-
lished this coming spring by Aberdeen
Publishing Co.
CONGRATS TO ... To Shirley Lloyd
on her birthday ... To Helen Lang on her
birthday ... To Scott Gittleman on his
50th birthday ... To Murray Gittleman on
his 80th birthday ... To Larry Zager on
his 40th birthday ... To Clara Dubin on
her 91st birthday ... To Shelley Goldman
on her birthday ... To Mert and Helen
Robbins on their 50th anniversary ...
To Sam and Carole Sobel on their 50th
Anniversary ... To Michael and Dennie
Abels on their 30th anniversary. O

Danny's e-mail address is

dannyraskin@sbcglobal.net.

WARIV11 UP WINTER SPECIALS

of one pound of turkey, corned beef or pastrami
Deli Deal for up to 4 •. • Choice
1 Pound of Potato salad or coleslaw

$015 •

Cup of our
I Famous chicken soup

includes

• 1 LB of double baked Rye
• New and old kosher dill pickles
• Russian dressing

Expires Jan 15, 2009

I With purchase of any
full Deli sandwich

Expires Jan 15, 2009

11111 MN NM MINI MIMI MI

a

32418 Northwestern Hwy. • between Middlebelt & 14 Mile • 248.855-9463 •

ORDER ONLINE

www.VineyardDeli.com

January 8 • 2009 C15