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e ve r y t h i n g

Where Barbra Sang …

Sweet memories of the wonderful Caucus Club.

N

ews last year that the former
Club … 18-year-old Barbra
For many, the loved din-
Caucus Club on Congress,
Streisand, at first, doesn’t overly
ing institution Caucus Club
Detroit, would reopen under new impress, but the food does as we
that opened in 1952 and was
ownership at the same Penobscot Building
dove into the luscious offerings
closed in 2012 may never be
off-lobby location that closed in 2012
brought by a gracious server.
forgotten.
threw me back again into the past to those
During the day and evening,
Mary Belloni, former
delightful heydays of this onetime wonder-
legendary Caucus Club was a pet
20-year-owner of the Caucus
ful Detroit dining institution.
luncheon and dinner spot for
Club restaurant, today owns
According to many published reports and Downtown businesspeople, shop-
and operates Caucus Club
news releases, it was to reopen in the spring pers, celebrities, local personali-
Catering LLC in Roseville
Danny Raskin
of 2016 … As of yet, it has not happened.
ties and so many people walking
… Its catered weddings, bar
Senior Columnist
Once more, my eyes were closed as I
around the busy and bustling area.
mitzvahs, showers, etc. are at
dined in memory of those great Caucus
In the front room were those
the 106-year-old Scarab Club
Club days … It was probably in the ’50s
original ceramic Toby coffee mugs, oodles
Art Gallery, on Farnsworth and John R,
that I was greeted by the English Beefeater
of wine in cases and walls and waitper-
behind the Detroit Institute of Arts.
gent statue … Then, into the restaurant
sons wearing tuxedos in lavish splendor as
SINCE THE NAMES Sam, Samuel’s, etc.,
surrounded by soft dark
they smilingly brought
are or have been used, what about just a
panels, looks at the
orders to their appre-
plain Sam Gilbert Restaurant honoring Dan
superb menu and wine
ciative customers …
and Gary Gilbert’s father, late co-owner with
lists with their fine selec-
Tiffany lamps hung
Irving Sacks of Saksey’s Lounge, Woodward,
tions … Lunch with a
nearby.
Detroit … Would be a wonderful trib-
variety of gourmet sand-
The back room where ute to their dad having it in one of Dan’s
wiches including James
young Barbra Streisand
Downtown Detroit buildings.
Beard Hamburger Steak,
was singing, accom-
MAIL DEPT. … From Jerry Silecchia …
Steak Peppercorn crusted
panied by local pianist
“My wife, Doreen, and I took our grand-
and flamed with brandy
Matt Michaels, and
sons, James and Charlie Papadopoulos, to
or a Chef Pancho Valez
seemingly starting to
Russell Street in Detroit’s Eastern Market
burger, etc. … Dinner
sound
better,
was
strik-
and Supino’s Pizzeria. We grabbed a table,
There were not many places like
later of perhaps a beauti-
ing
with
its
dark-wood-
and I ordered two pizzas, a large red pizza
the former Caucus Club.
ful and delicious sauteed
ed mahogany, artifacts,
with mozzarella and Parmigiano cheese for
Dover sole.
heavily padded booths,
Doreen and me, and a small red pizza with
Sitting at the table with me was white-
hanging lamps, etched glass dividers that
olives for the boys.
haired Les Gruber, who came from their sis- Les told me were brought over from France.
“After a couple of bites of the olive pizza,
ter restaurant across the street, the original
An untold amount of dining distinc-
4-year-old James asked if he could try ours.
London Chop House owned by him, brother tion awards hung with honor … and we
Once he did, he never returned to the olive
Sam Gruber and brother-in-law Al Woolf … dug savagely into our deboned Dover sole,
pizza. Two-year-old Charlie, was content
Les jokingly said that he liked to eat at the
tournedos of beef and London broil …
with the olive pie.
Caucus Club because their Executive Chef
Around us other diners were enjoying beef-
“This is the closest restaurant that serves
Pancho Valez made the same food for both
steak tartare, sauteed lake perch, a Pancho
the kind of authentic New York-style, thin-
his London Chop House and Caucus Club,
burger, etc.
crust pizza that we have long searched for.”
and the Caucus Club prices were cheaper.
Then came the beautiful years that fol-
EXPECTED RAINY weather never
Brother Sam Gruber, a large gent with
lowed before it was shut down in 2012 by
came, but what did arrive was another
iron gray hair and the stately presence of
the Penobscot Building’s new owner from
large attendance for the 26th annual Hank
an army general or navy admiral, joined us
Toronto … Even though Caucus Club had
Greenberg Memorial Golf Invitational at
to also hear the new girl sing at the Caucus
recently celebrated its 60th anniversary.
Franklin Hills Country Club, Farmington

Hills.
First-place golf team had husband and
wife Bob and Brenda Felsenfeld, Jeffrey
Davidson, Michael Beaton and Brian
McCullough … Second place went to Brian
Eisenberg, Darren McCarty, Jeff Shapiro
and Jeff Weber … Brian Eisenberg also had
the longest drive, and Eric Tellem was clos-
est to the pin … Mike Ferrell was evidently
so thrilled winning the putting contest that
he gave the $220 prize back to the Michigan
Jewish Sports Foundation.
OLDIE BUT GOODIE … New version
of one with huge rerun requests … The
captain of an anti-Semitic airline sends out
a “mayday” help message. “This is Desert
Air Airlines 175 announcing we have lost
one engine and want to land in any airport
in the Middle East other than Israel!” … No
answer.
A while later he announces, “This is
Desert Airlines 175 again. We have lost two
engines and need to land at any airport in
the Middle East other than Israel!”… Still no
answer.
Finally the captain calls out, “Help, this
is Desert Airlines 175. We have only one
engine left and it is rapidly failing. Unless
we can land we are going to crash. We need
permission to land at any airport in the
Middle East including Israel!”
Shortly after, a voice is heard in the
Desert Airlines cockpit. “Shalom. This is
Tel Aviv approach control. We would like to
help.”
“Allah be praised,” says the captain.
“What should we do?”
“Repeat after me. Yisgadal veyishkadash.”
CONGRATS … To Elaine Schonberger
on her birthday … To Carolyn Nosanchuk
on her birthday … To Sanford “Sandy”
Topper on his birthday … To Alex and
Diana Kovnat on their 35th anniversary.

*

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

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