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Deli Like The Old Days

Siegel's Deli is a local meeting place, with ample portions and reasonable prices.

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OTPOURRI

A successful local delicatessen
brings to mind pleasant memories
of the past ... The delis on 12th Street,
Linwood and Dexter, etc., that were so
much appreciated.
Those were mostly family-owned ... a
number of them mom-and-pop establish-
ments ... and they are still talked about
with much reverence.
Siegel's Deli on 15 Mile, west of Haggerty,
Commerce Township, in numerous ways
answers the desires of many customers ...
Not least is a place for running into people
you've rarely seen in years and for enjoying
home-cooked fare with tasty satisfaction,
smiling service, large portions and low
prices ... Quite a desirable combination.
Days and evenings at Siegel's stir fond
memories, especially at breakfast and lunch
on Saturday and Sunday mornings ... with
frequent hellos so reminiscent of homecom-
ing and reunion times.
Like the delis of days gone by, ambience is
welcomed but not a need ... Customers are
seldom interested in the looks of a restaurant
other than all-important cleanliness ... This,
along with food and affordability, has always
been key to successful dining endeavors.
These traits fill the bill for a delicatessen
such as Siegel's, whose specials are always
welcomed, and many are a throwback to
favorites of days gone by.
Lox pricing has gone up and up, but the
smoked salmon platters remain within

Boris and Angela Israilov

reason at Siegel's ... A delicious
offering when accompanied with
the likes of overly ample slices of
lox, onions, cucumbers, toma-
toes, hard-boiled egg halves,
bagel or toasted rye and cream
cheese ... Also, perhaps, together
with scrambled eggs and sauteed
onions, it is priced well within
the affordable range.
Sandwiches of corned beef,
pastrami, etc., continue to have
eye-popping size ... And its
homemade chicken soup including its own
noodles, matzah balls or kreplach is much
like those of yesteryears, with little or no
salt and a shaker on the table for those who
want it.
Siegel's Deli owners Boris and Angela
Israilov, who in 1992 came to this country
from Russia, present appreciative people with
numerous reasons not to mind waiting for
a booth or table because diners know what
goodness is in store for them.
EIGHT YEARS AGO, he weighed 303
pounds when a server with the opening of
Zoe's House of Pancakes in Orchard Mall,
Orchard Lake Road, north of 15 Mile, West
Bloomfield, in June of 2008.
Not due to any of the highly touted
breakfast and lunch items at Zoe's,
owned by Stavros Adamopoulos and Leo
Stassinopoulos, but because excellent server
Richard Carodonna decided to exercise a
stringent self-controlled regimen that today
has him weighing more than 100 pounds less
... And it shows.
All Rick's former excess baggage that
went bye-bye due to his disciplined self-
maintained program included the joy of
being able to eat much of what he wanted in
moderation.
Celebrating its eighth anniversary, Zoe's,
open daily 8 a.m.-3 p.m., now includes a
larger menu with items that seldom ever
appear on the bill-of-fare of other such din-
ing operations ... Luscious dishes on the

new menu like graham cracker
and banana cream French toast,
chocolate crepe with strawberry
mascarpone, white chocolate
chip banana caramel pancakes,
oatmeal with peanut butter, fries
with grilled onions and Russian
dressing, etc.
Stavros couldn't be more
thrilled and is hoping to
open another unit perhaps in
Rochester with longtime friend
Tom Technos, his partner in
their fine Detroit breakfast eatery, Hudson
Cafe of Merchants Row, across from the
former J.L. Hudson department store site on
Woodward.
One of Zoe's House of Pancakes' ace serv-
ers looks and feels better than ever before
... and the new menu additions are much
reason for the smiles of both Richard and
Stavros.
DANDY DINING DEAL ... Chicken
Parmesan ... Includes soup or salad,
potatoes and vegetable or spaghetti and
breadbasket ... $8.95 ... Seven days only,
Thursday, June 25, through Wednesday,
July 1 ... No coupons or other specials ...
Georges Restaurant, Northwestern Highway,
West Bloomfield.
CLOSING OF Torino restaurant on
E. Nine Mile, Ferndale, owned by Noah
Dorfman, might be another example of a
fine dining operation being named a 2014
"Restaurant of the Year" perhaps before
having a chance to solve whatever problems
may be prevalent ... In so many instances,
countless people come but too many might
rarely go back because the eatery wasn't quite
ready yet to properly serve more crowds than
expected.
Torino, for example, opened only two
years ago, May 2013, and in the first year
received this acclaim ... And then this
year was given the same honor by a second
publication.
This is not fair to any new dining opera-

tion ... Continue to patronize new restau-
rants for sure, but do so with fairness by real-
izing that they may not be fully ready yet for
total acceptance ... In other words, be kind
... Accept their shortcomings knowing that
they will be improved upon.
I've been writing about restaurants for
many years and have very rarely found one
without some sort of fault in its early stages
... Don't say a restaurant shouldn't open until
it is perfect ... There is hardly ever a restau-
rant flawless when opening ... And many
times faults can only be corrected when
open.
In Torino's case, one of its problems,
according to its head chef Garrett Lipar, was
"We underestimated the demand for what
we do, and we grew too quickly"
Being named "Restaurant of the Year"
sounds good and is many times deserving,
but given before a restaurant's readiness also
might present a heavy strain.
Again I say, be fair ... Give all restaurants
a chance.
REUNION DEPT. ... 55th by Mumford
High 1960 Class shindig is Sunday, Aug. 2,
11:30 a.m., at Tam-O-Shanter Country Club,
West Bloomfield ... Contact Rose (Meckler)
Schlussel, (248) 355-2270, or roonbell@
comcast.net.
OLDIE BUT GOODIE DEPT. ... Abe
calls his rabbi and says, "I know tonight is
Kol Nidre, but tonight the Tigers start the
playoffs. Rabbi, I'm a lifelong Tigers fan. I've
got to watch the Tigers game on TV"
"Abe", says the rabbi, "that's what DVRs
are for"
Abe is surprised. "You mean I can tape Kol
Nidre?"
CONGRATS ...To Carolyn Nosanchuk on
her birthday ... To David "MJSF" Blatt on his
birthday ... To Ed Rapoport on his birthday
... To Rosanne Liner on her birthday.

❑

Danny's email address is

dannyraskin®sbcglobaLnet.

GATEWAY DELI & CATERING

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GATEWAY

21754 W. 11 Mile Rd., Southfield, MI 48076
In Harvard Row

12

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www.TheGatewayDeli.com
Hours: Mon. - Sat. 7am - 8pm. Closed Sundays

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Senior Menu
Now Offered!

Breakfast and
Dinner Only

BREAKFAST • LUNCH • DINNER

EXQUISITE CATERING & IMPECCABLE SERVICE

tray and shiva catering, showers and weddings, Bar and Bat Mitzvahs,

corporate and private dinners, on-site as well as off-premise catering

L 248.432.5509 iE

EpicKoshercom

20% OFF'

ENTIRE BILL

•

FREE

DESSERT RICE PUDDING

with every regular priced Dinner Entrée
With coupon.
Not valid with any other offers.
Expires 7/8/15. Dine in only.

With coupon.
Not valid with any other offers.
Expires 7/8/15. Dine on or carry-out.

-J

_ yr (commercial only) • Full Service Cat...g Available

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June 25 • 2015

2013810