T H E
E
F
N G
Decades Of Dining Pleasure
A tip of the hat to restaurants succeeding for 20-plus years.
P
OTPOURRI ...
Introducing the 20-Plus Dept.
... Dedicated to those restaurants
that have reached the 20-year and over
existence plateau.
It is said that in economic times like
these if a restaurant lives to celebrate
another anniversary, it must be doing
something right.
During its 61 years, Mario's, Detroit,
Second Blvd. between Willis and Canfield,
has gone through such periods and con-
tinuously kept itself afloat by giving value
with its standing reputation as a top-notch
Italian restaurant ... Since opening back
in 1948, it has not missed a beat in prepa-
ration and presentation of fine Italian
cuisine ... Many will attest that Mario's
Detroit has gotten even better throughout
the years ... Certainly a most commend-
able endorsement.
Whenever it is spoken about, the
only thing known is that Roma Cafe is
Michigan's oldest Italian restaurant ...
About its age, nobody really knows ... In
1880 the building that now houses Roma
Cafe, Riopelle and Erskine, Detroit, was a
combination restaurant, grocery store and
home ... The only bit of knowledge, to
my recollection, is that Morris, Paul and
Otto Sossi opened it 75 years ago in 1934,
using the same previous Roma name ...
The Italian menu items have always been
choice, with some dishes from when first
opened still available with very few, if any,
changes.
Its 24th anniversary may have passed
quietly this past June, but the longevity
reputation of Crumpets in Troy's Somerset
Inn, W. Big Beaver, does not go unno-
ticed by its league of loyal followers ...
Crumpets is much more than just another
hotel restaurant ... it is the kind of sleeper
destination eatery that people
look for, with its varied selec-
tion of well-prepared and pre-
sented dishes.
More 20-year restaurant
stalwarts to come in future
columns.
ADD ANOTHER new eatery
to the family-operated res-
taurant mini chain of George
Lukaj, owner of George's
Honey Tree, West Bloomfield,
and co-owner of Village Palace, Orchard
Lake Village, with son Robert and John
Sinishtaj ... Now comes the Grand Tavern,
opened recently on Drake Road, just north
of Grand River, Farmington Hills ... The
165-seat sports-themed tavern, plus 18
bar stools and outdoor patio is owned by
George, nephew Mario Lukaj and George's
son Anton Lukaj ... General Manager
Michael Lukaj is also George's nephew ...
Located in a freestanding building former-
ly housing an Applebee's, Grand Tavern
mainly features bar food (seven burgers,
10 salads, 13 sandwiches, etc.) plus nine
specialty dinners, 10-oz. rib-eye, $14.99;
10-oz. grilled sirloin, $12.99; grilled salm-
on, $11.99, etc ... Steaks and salmon also
include soup or salad, vegetable, choice of
potato and hot rolls.
MAIL DEPT.... "I made a bris for my
grandson, Seth Hittleman, and on recom-
mendation of friends contacted 855 Deli.
The owner Lazar [Israilov] helped me with
the food selection and was a pleasure to
work with. We had over 100 people cel-
ebrate with us and everyone raved about
how delicious and plentiful the food was.
The presentation was beautifulit made our
special day wonderful" ... Charyl Apple.
THE NAME AND menu may have
changed drastically, along with the theme
and decor, but not the gent
who'll continue to prepare
vittles at the previously named
Larco's Chophouse, now newly
titled Big Beaver Tavern, East
Big Beaver, Troy ... Chef Peter
Larco, grandson of the former
co-partner of Larco's Inn on
McNichols in Detroit years
back Pete Larco, remains as its
executive chef, continuing to
follow in the footsteps of his
grandfather in the preparation of what-
ever Italian food may be served along with
hamburgers, nachos and other tavern fare.
DID YOU KNOW? DEPT. ... That
Jim Papas, owner of Greektown Detroit's
Pegasus Restaurant, also had a delicates-
sen in 1975 on Cadillac and Bates, Detroit,
named the Pickle Barrel, same as that
owned years back in Southfield by Al
Winkler and Sy Ginsberg?
QUESTION & ANSWER DEPT. ...
"Please settle a bet I have with Shel Landau.
He says that Denny McLain worked at
Jacques restaurant, I said it was boxer Leon
Spinks. Who is correct?" ... Iz Sommers
[No bet, Iz, you both are right ... Detroit
Tiger 30-game winner Denny McLain
played the organ at the same time that
Leon Spinks, former heavyweight champi-
on of the world, was its host and bartender
at the Jacques owned by Jim Thompson on
Telegraph in Bingham Farms.]
A QUALITY SOURCE for current infor-
mation via computer on Israel and the
Middle East, written in English, is making
its co-founder's mother and grandmother
extremely proud family members.
Former localite Brian Blondy's mother,
Linda Glass, residing in West Bloomfield
with husband, Herb Glass, returned from
Israel with grandmother Jean Morrison
after visiting the 28-year-old Brian who
six years ago had made aliyah ... He and
two partners are authors of a Web site that
is creating many positive raves among
a fast-growing legend of followers ... It
is a very thorough and informative Web
site in which Brian, living in Tel Aviv, and
his friends review 93 newspapers daily in
gathering news.
He is a graduate of West Bloomfield
High and of the Interdisciplinary Center
(IDC) in Herzliya with a degree in "ter-
rorism, counter-terrorism and global risk
management" ... www.olivetreenews.com
makes it quite simple to learn all sides of
an issue.
GOOD EMPLOYEE DEPT. ... Highly
respected with over 20 years of health-
promoting assistance for three prominent
heart specialists is Andy Papaleo, whose
expertise as a nuclear medicine technolo-
gist is so much appreciated by the doctors
and their patients ... Dr. Mel Rubenfire,
now at University of Michigan Hospital
in Ann Arbor, when at the Hechtman
Medical Building in Bingham Farms; and
Dr. Steve Widlansky, retired, and presently
Alan Silverman, both of Cardiovascular
Specialists in Farmington Hills.
CONGRATS ... To Harvey Bloom on his
79th birthday ... To Jordyn Waterstone on
her 18th birthday ... To Lannie Katzman
on his 71st birthday ... To Euni Michelson
on her 75th birthday ... To Judee Hencken
on her 65th birthday ... To Mary Must on
her 90th birthday ... To Dennis "Denny"
and Sheri Lisagor on their 40th anniver-
sary ... To Harvey and Karen Bloom on
their 33rd anniversary.
❑
Danny's e-mail address is
dannyraskin@sbcglobal.net .
12 4 4(441
1,444,6
201 S Old Woodward Avenue • Birmingham MI 48009
248.594.7300 • www.forterestaurant.com
1518790
July 30 s 2009
B11