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Howdy, Neighbor!

Troy's Neighborhood Grill succeeds through efforts of husband-wife team.

W

ith the restaurant business
a.m.-8 p.m.; Sunday, breakfast
seemingly on the upswing,
and lunch; 7 a.m.-3 p.m.
another small dining opera-
Traditional breakfasts plus
tion has weathered the economic storm to
items like Neighborhood
celebrate its first anniversary with hopeful
Breakfast Wrap with eggs, green
fingers crossed.
peppers, onions, spinach, toma-
It is just a little spot, only about 35 to 40
toes, cheddar, on lavash, or egg
seats, but it's the realization of a hope by
white wrap with feta, served with
Rod and Reema Hnait to someday own
fresh fruit or veggie burritos,
their own restaurant.
etc. ... Lunch selections include
And opening close to home was the
eight salads, 15 sandwiches with
reason why they named their restaurant
potato salad and pickle ... and
the Neighborhood Grill. Its location on
dinners on Friday and Saturday
Rochester Road between Big Beaver and
only.
Wattles in Troy's Century Plaza allows the
Nothing pretentious or overly garish
couple to give the restaurant their continu-
... Just a down-to-earth restaurant with
ous personal attention ... another good
the look of cleanliness that always says so
man-and-wife-working-together asset.
much for a dining spot along with whole-
Many will know Rod from his days as a
some house-made goodness that brings
chef at Alia's on 11 Mile and Greenfield in
people back.
Southfield, Golden Basket
VEGETARIAN
on Woodward in Royal Oak
CHICKEN soup with
and Sophia's in Troy ... He
carrots, noodles and
is a former graduate of the
matzah balls without
Oakland Community College
using chicken? ... Sure
culinary program and
sounds like booby hatch
worked at the New Yorker
talk ... I've heard of
Hotel in Manhattan.
sweet and sour veg-
The expenses in run-
etarian chicken like
ning your own restaurant
the former Mei Ling in
were much more than he
Commerce Township
and Reema expected ...
used to make with tofu,
Insurance, lights, inventory, a Rod and R eema Hnait
but no tofu here and it
dollar here and there, etc., so
tastes just like the real
the first year was a struggling one but, still,
thing.
second fiddle to their vision.
The unlikely chicken soup without use of
Neighborhood Grill is the kind of hus-
chicken is the new health kick item of Ron
band-and-wife restaurant that is enjoyed
Asmar at Vineyards, Northwestern, between
so much ... Home-cooked food from fresh
Middlebelt and 14 Mile, with tasting assis-
ingredients along with conscientious atten-
tance by no less an authority than Shirlee
tion to the satisfaction of its customers
Bloom.
with much pride in the food preparation
Ron studied to become a medical doctor
and presentation.
back home in Iraq and coming to Metro
It is open seven days, Monday-Thursday,
Detroit in 1968 attended medical school
breakfast and lunch 8 a.m.-2 p.m.; Friday-
until the chemistry love bug took over ...
Saturday, breakfast, lunch and dinner 8
He likes to devote much of his talents to

health-conscious food con-
parking lots are on both the south and
coctions with no or low salt
north sides of the freestanding building:'
and sugar, no MSG, etc.
QUESTION & ANSWER DEPT. ...
But chicken soup without
"I always thought that a delicatessen was
using chicken ... Quite unbe-
considered a Jewish restaurant? Now I am
lievable!
told that it is not. Is this true?" ... Marlene
DANDY DINING DEAL
Hendricks Rubin
... 10 to 12-ounce whitefish
[Yes, delicatessen is a German word for
... Includes soup or salad,
having a lot of good things to eat ... A
vegetable and choice of potato Jewish delicatessen is just one of many cul-
or rice ... $7.95 Thursday,
tures that have delis.]
March 8, through Thursday,
HELLO FROM Mickey Bakst, general
March 15 ... George's Honey
manager and maitre d' of the four-star
Tree, Northwestern Hwy. West Bloomfield.
Charleston Grill in South Carolina ... The
ANOTHER TRY comes for Gateway Deli, former localite restaurant top dog is work-
opened again in Harvard Row on 11 Mile
ing with the Charleston County School
and Lahser, Southfield ... Owner is Nicola
District and its local technical college in
"Nico" Donaj in the new 7 a.m.-9 p.m.
creating a program to educate high school
operation.
guys and gals without charge in hospitality
READER MINI REVIEW ... By
and food and beverage at restaurants ...
Norman Prady ... "For those who remem-
Program credits will go toward technical
ber the great Woodward Avenue restaurants, school attendance.
Vinsetta Grill on Woodward just north of
REUNION DEPT. ... Guys and gals who
Catalpa, Royal Oak, might be as close as you attended Detroit's Vandenberg Elementary
can now get to the aromas, tastes, variety
School and teachers from 1950-1968
and just-cooked wonderfulness of restau-
are planning a big togetherness shindig
rants like Adrian Cotter's, Club Berkley and
Saturday, Aug. 25, at the Vandenberg school,
the elegant Northwood Inn.
now the Jalen Rose Leadership Academy,
"Build-your-own burgers are funda-
Trojan Avenue, Detroit ... For more info,
mental here on a wide-ranging menu that
contact Howard Green, (424) 298-8216, or
includes spareribs, chicken, seafood and
howardgreenl@me.com.
steaks (up to the 6-ounce filet mignon
CONGRATS ... To twins Edith Friedman
stuffed with mushrooms duxelles, wrapped
and Gabriella Heller on their birthdays ...
in bacon, chargrilled and topped with
To Maury Bloch on his 85th birthday ...
Chablis mushrooms at $24.99).
To Loraine Meyer on her 90th birthday ...
"There's also a stunning assortment of
To Danny Weintraub on his 78th birthday
appetizers, salads and side dishes. If your
... To Dorothy Braiker on her birthday
goal is food to die for, start with the home-
... To Yelena Rozin on her birthday ... To
style baked potato soup topped with ched-
Sidney Sorkin on his 85th birthday ... To
dar cheese, bacon bits and green onions,
Myron Gruskin on his 81st birthday ...
$4.99, and then go for the beef ribs, rarely
To Frank Ellias on his 69th birthday ... To
found elsewhere in orders of three, four or
Fred Garfinkel on his 78th birthday ... To
seven bones, $13.49-$21.99.
Matthew Raskin on his 25th birthday.
"Vinsetta Grill is open Monday-Thursday,
.11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday,
Danny's email address
11-a.m.-11 p.m.; Sunday, noon-9 p.m. Its
is dannyraskin@sbcglobal.net.

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March 8 • 2012

32418 Northwestern Hwy.
between Middlebelt & 14 Mile

248.855-9463

ww wJewishCatering.com

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