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Back ... To The Future!
Popular Pepino’s beats the fire to celebrate its 32nd anniversary.
T
here can never be enough words
A&P store and Town Pump
Lewiston and Henry Abrams
to describe the tragic feeling that
Tavern in Walled Lake … Joe
individually texted me about
comes when a fire shatters lives with had it so much easier when
the former Larco’s in Sylvan
utter devastation.
just a fry cook at the Detroit
Lake. We looked at it the next
The anguish continues with memories of
Athletic Club or cooking at the
day and knew we had found the
the disaster … If there is any consolation,
old Book-Cadillac Hotel, Ye Olde
right place for the new Pepino’s.”
it is that the fire at Pepino’s in Walled Lake
Wayne Club, etc., before becom-
Theirs were among hundreds
happened when nobody was there … It did, ing executive chef at the Ford
of text, Facebook, emails and
however, mark what so many feared might
Penthouse World Headquarters
voice messages from people that
be the end of the much-loved Pepino’s …
for its VIPs … And on weekends Danny Raskin
made Kathy and Carol smile
That the wonderful restaurant Helma and
cooking at the Ford House for
…
“We’re hungry!”, “I miss my
Senior Columnist
Joseph Bernardi had shed sweat and tears to the late Henry Ford II and wife,
rainbow trout!” “I want my
open had seen its final days.
Christina, and Lee Iacocca and
bean salad!” … etc., etc., etc. …
But incredibly, on the occasion of its 32nd his late wife, Mary.
So many that gave even more determination
anniversary, Pepino’s lives again … So many
The huge favorite rainbow trout, still on
to open again.
did not truly realize the amazing fortitude
the Pepino’s menu, was Joe’s own concoction
“They gave us the boost that we needed
of the late Helma and Joe Bernardi’s two
and a pet recipe … Also its Cuban black
so much!” says Kathy, whose thrill with
daughter co-owners Kathy Kwiecinski and
bean soup with rice, among others.
Carol and Chris was the determined deci-
Carol Carson, along with Kathy’s son-in-law
Helma had stints as a waitress at the Park sion to reopen and also keep their employ-
Dr. Chris Hutchinson … and their faithful
Shelton Hotel, Seafood Grotto on Telegraph
ees from being out of jobs … Of all the
staff of employees … Few people thought
and Palumbo’s on Eight Mile Road.
Pepino’s employees, only a dishwasher has
that Pepino’s would ever open again.
But opening and running a restaurant? … not returned to the new location on Orchard
That Pepino’s miraculously, completely
At the beginning, far out of their admitted
Lake Road in Sylvan Lake.
and shockingly opened at a new location
territory of dining talents.
The many dining favorites are back …
on a regular basis just three months after
The Pepino’s fire last Nov. 2 was deter-
rainbow trout, lamb chops, baby back ribs,
the fire was unbelievable … Now open
mined to be caused by an electrical mal-
bean salad, garlic-cheese bread and home-
again to celebrate its 32nd anniversary at
function in a walk-in cooler … Pepino’s
made date bread before each meal, frog legs,
the new site on Orchard Lake Road, west of
chefs had finished their prep work and left
etc., just about everything on Pepino’s excel-
Middlebelt, Sylvan Lake, it is here to stay. … just 30 minutes before.
lent menu.
That it was even able to
That the Bernardi
When Pepino’s amazingly opened again
open at the new locale
daughters of Joe and
on Feb. 23, 15 weeks later, it was indeed a
with special events per-
Helma along with
modern miracle … And so much welcom-
mits on last New Year’s
Chris opened again
ing back to what had become a wonderful
Eve and Valentine’s Day
… and so soon after
dining institution … on a 32nd anniversary
until the liquor license
the fire … was little
that almost never came … How proud, too,
transfer was approved,
short of a miracle and
of Kathy, Carol and Chris that Helma and
was beyond belief.
showed so much
Joe would have been!
It rarely is easy going
determination on their
MAIL DEPT. … “On my corner of
in the restaurant busi-
parts.
the world, Northwestern and Beck Road,
ness for the first time
“While looking at
Southfield, what used to be Sunrise Cafe, is
… The late owners, Joe
several places to maybe now an L. George’s Coney Island, open 24
and Helma Bernardi,
sometime open again,” hours, seven days a week. I tried the Greek
found this out after
omelet with lamb and am addicted! Another
Carol Carson, Dr. Chris Hutchinson and says Kathy, “George
taking over the former
Glassman, Andrea
place, Magnolia Soul Food, is opening at the
Kathy Kwiecinski
Fresh, Hand-Rolled,
Kettle-Boiled Bagels
Hand-Sliced Lox
Fully Loaded Deli & Grill
FREE
DELIVERY
end of May at the plaza on Northwestern
and 12 Mile, Southfield.” … Euni Rose.
Euni is a remarkable lass … Where she
gets the time to do so much volunteer
work in Southfield is amazing… Library
board, Celebrity Readers, Southfield Dr.
Martin Luther King Jr. Taskforce, Southfield
Boys and Girls Club, State Fairgrounds
Development Coalition, Southfield Cable 15,
the Southfield Roundtable and much more!
… If I left out the other million, I’m sorry …
Truly amazing!
SHORTIE OLDIE BUT GOODIES …
• Arriving home from a party, a wife
confronted her husband, “I’ll never go to
another party with you.” He asked why.
“Because you asked Mrs. Thomas how her
husband was standing the heat. He’s been
dead for two months.”
• The hotels in Las Vegas are so elegant.
The waitresses, waiters, bus boys, all look
important. Why not? Last week, they were
customers.
• “Gambling brought my family closer
together. I lost all my money, and we had to
move into one room. Don’t misunderstand
me. I have enough money to gamble with.
Now, if I could only borrow some to live on.”
• Newly married man to friends: “My wife
treats me like a Greek god. She keeps giving
me burnt offerings.”
• A politician ran into the house yelling,
“Honey, I’ve been elected.” His wife looked
up from her knitting and said, “Honestly?”
He stopped in his tracks and said, “Why
bring that up?”
CONGRATS … To Andy Rudick on his
birthday … To Don Rudick on his birthday
… To Arthur Dubin on his birthday … To
Mike Pasick on his 60th birthday … To
Robert “Robby” Sklar on his 65th birthday
… To Jon Isenberg on his birthday.
*
Danny’s email address is dannyraskin@sbcglobal.net.
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