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Family Ties

Highland House kinfolk bring a bevy of dining goodness.

T

he blood of an 11-year-old young-
those that people would go gaga
ster flowed with rapid pace in
over at the former Mitch's ...
anticipation of someday becoming
The same cheese mix of moz-
a man and going into the restaurant busi-
zarella and muenster that make
ness.
them different from others.
Elia Nicholas watched intently from the
And, of course, who can
kitchen where he washed dishes and, in
forget those delicious lamb ribs
front, helped older busboys as grandparents that Elia and Tony used to serve
Ella and George Mitchell, owners of Mitch's
at E.G. Nick's? ... Plus these, he
Tavern that once stood so proudly off Cass
now also has barbecue beef ribs
Lake Road in Keego Harbor, worked so hard ... Another big favorite on the
... He stayed on until 18 years old, hoping
Highland House menu are the
someday to open his own restaurant that
lemon pepper wings that are
would be just like theirs.
marinated, lightly seasoned and
If popularity means anything, the dream
cooked to a golden brown.
of having a restaurant like theirs came in
Also that very wonderful Greek salad
almost a like theme 38 years later, when he
with imported Feta cheese and Elia's noted
and cousin Gene Ryeson opened Highland
special dressing customers enjoyed at
House restaurant in 1976
Mitch's ... Also a wonder-
on East Highland Road,
fully delicious Village
Highland, Mich.
Salad with white beans ...
Its first menu offered 30
To many, there are none
items ... Today, there are
better anywhere with the
more than 50 suggestions,
same excellent and deli-
including the famous
cious hot bread sticks that
planked whitefish so huge
are made and hand-rolled
in the northern sector of
at Highland House.
Michigan ... and served
Each week, Highland
exactly as it was at E.G.
House goes through 2,000
Nick's, which Elia owned
pounds of St. Louis cut
with cousin Tony Belli in
Gene Ryeson and Elia Nicholas barbecued ribs, over 200
West Bloomfield.
pounds of whitefish, more
The wonderful whitefish
than 120 cases of lettuce
is broiled and brought on a maple plank
(30 heads per case), etc.
that retains the heat with colorful and
When Highland House restaurant
swirled Duchesse potatoes and a medley
opened, space was large enough for parties
of cooked fresh vegetables ... It is certainly
and events with seating for 250 ... Today
more proof of people eating with their eyes
there is seating for 300 ... Daily hours are
... the presentation making so much for
Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Friday
vivid and tasty delight.
and Saturday, 11-11; Sunday, noon-9 p.m.
Another big seller at Highland House are
When he was 18 years old and still work-
the St. Louis barbecue ribs, which Elia origi- ing at Mitch's, grandmother Ella Mitchell
nally cooked on a Joseph Cheifer & Sons
gave Elia an ultimatum of going to school or
barbecue machine before switching to dry
to continue working ... He chose the restau-
rub basting after marinating in Highland
rant game and opened Highland House with
House's own special seasoning.
his late brother, Tom Nichols, and cousins
Elia's selection of pizzas are the same as
Gene and and the late Steve Ryeson.

Highland House became so
well-noted that people like Joey
Nederlander would often bring
in entertainers following their
performances at his Fisher
Theatre and Pine Knob venues.
It is evident that the great
wonders of former Mitch's
Tavern have stayed with Elia
... and rubbed off greatly into
a wonderful Highland House
dining operation.
QUESTION & ANSWER
DEPT.... "We traveled all the
way to Trenton and discovered that Uncle
Harry's is closed and was not even a delica-
tessen. What happened? ... Sara Glazor
(I don't know much about this restau-
rant, but the one you're looking for is Uncle
Harry's Deli on Greater Mack in St. Clair
Shores ... It is owned by Rick Meltzer,
nephew of the late Harry Meltzer, and has a
full line of Jewish delicatessen standby food,
including kosher hot dogs, kosher knock-
wurst and kosher pickles.)
MANY FOLKS KEEP ASKING what
Matt Prentice is doing ... He is on his own
and opened Matt's Bagel Deli on 14 Mile
and Mound, Warren, Monday through
Saturday, 5 a.m.-2 p.m., and 8 a.m.-noon
on Sunday ... Matt also caters trays and
full-service events, the largest being for 600
people ... The lawsuit that bars him from
his own operation in Wayne or Oakland
counties lasts until March 2017.
Matt also still does some consulting work
and tells of recently assisting an interna-
tional company in winning a $1 billion food
service contract.
BIG DATE FOR chocolate lovers is
Tuesday, March 10... That's when Sandy
Benson and her American Bulk Food in the
West Bloomfield Plaza, Orchard Lake Road
between 14 and 15 Mile, West Bloomfield,
will display its huge and complete bevy of
sugar-free chocolate yummies, available by
the piece or pound.

HAVE INSURANCE

They will join other present American
Bulk Food sugar-free items like chocolate-
covered almonds, chocolate bridge mix,
chocolate peanuts, chocolate malt balls,
muffins, etc. ... including all-natural choco-
late bars sweetened with Stevia ... 75 to 120
calories.
If you don't see what you want in sugar-
free items, tell Sandy and she'll try getting
it for you.
IT'S HERE AGAIN ... and anticipated
every year ... This is the ninth year for
the annual JCC Michigan-Florida Reunion
Dinner and Golf Classic by the local Jewish
Community Center ... Date is Tuesday,
March 17, at the Indian Spring Country
Club in Boynton Beach, Fla.
The 2015 event is in memory of
Leonard Baron ... and honors Steven
and Linda Weiss and Elliott and Denise
Parr... Proceeds assist the JCC summer
day camps, Irving and Sara Pitt Child
Development Center and youngsters with
special needs.
For more info, contact Mort Plotnick, for-
mer local JCC executive director, (248) 210-
8489 or Geta Richman, (561) 272-5917.
OLDIE BUT GOODIE Dept. ... Jake says
to his doctor, "Doctor, my wife needs an
appendix operation:'
"But I took out your wife's appendix only
a year ago. I've never heard of a second
appendix?" says the doctor.
"Maybe doctor:' says Jake, "but have you
ever heard of a second wife?"
CONGRATS ... To Maurice Bloch on his
88th birthday ... To Matthew (Matt) Raskin
on his 28th birthday ... To Frank Ellias on
his 72nd birthday ... To Dr. Maurice Reizen
on his 96th birthday ... To Albert "Al" Holtz
on his birthday ... To Marsha Rofel on her
birthday ... To David "Dave" Rogovein on
his birthday ... To Sandy Hermanoff on her
birthday.

❑

Danny's email address is
dannyraskin@sbcglobal.net.

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