46 August 4  2016

P

OTPOURRI 
Why, you may ask, is so much 
time and energy spent on talking 
about neighborhood restaurants?  Because 
so many people may or may not realize it, 
but neighborhood restaurants have always 
held a special niche in the hearts of many.
Especially when talking about those eat-
eries that can be depended upon to serve 
quality food at low prices, with a clean atmo-
sphere, good service and all-around pleasant, 
relaxing comfort.
For so many reasons, these special quali-
ties can be found all wrapped up into one 
lovable bundle at neighborhood restaurants 
that are the favorites of many  Countless 
are family-owned, mom-and-pop operations, 
and others are owned by semi-retired chefs 
who have finally found the restaurant they 
have always longed for to show off their spe-
cial dining wares  Where so much pleasure 
is found in every tasty 
spoonful, not to mention 
the calming customer 
laughter of stress-free 
comfort.
So often I get nos-
talgic about the many 
neighborhood restau-
rants that throughout 
the years made impres-
sions in many memories 
 Much too many to 
mention, of course  
But oh-so wonderful, 
pleasant reminiscences, 
indeed.
I got to thinking of them recently while 
enjoying another visit to Sposita
s Italian 
Ristorante on 14 Mile, east of Farmington 
Road, Farmington Hills  So crowded on 
a weekday night with people laughingly 
enjoying what many diners swear is among 
the best in neighborhood Italian cuisine and 

togetherness  With prices that 
don
t cause double takes at the 
bill.
Sposita
s is so much like the 
many other good neighborhood 
restaurants that people dream 
about  One of those that are 
taken so much for granted.
And, yet, even a place like 
Sposita
s had its problems  
Almost all usually do at the start 
 Thankfully, an important one 
was resolved at the beginning when Sposita
s 
began under another name  and was only 
open nine months before a major change 
needed to be made  The partners were 
splitting up and the original name could not 
be used  Co-owner Joe Sposita took over 
as the sole proprietor with wife, Lois, and 
renamed it Sposita
s Italian Ristorante.
After many hours of hard work and much 
perseverance, it became 
what one radio com-
mentator would say, 
The rest of the story  
Truly a successful one  
With the name Sposita
s 
to become the enormous 
pride of its customers 
and staff.
Seeing people at 
Sposita
s having so 
much fun and return-
ing often for the food 
and service and its 
many other magnificent 
attributes adds up to a whole lot of pride 
 And as numerous people like local 
boxing manager Jackie Kallen who have 
become regular patrons no doubt might 
say about Sposita
s Ristorante, It
s one of 
my favorite restaurants! 
And how true as noted by cardiac physi-
cian Alan Silverman that good neighbor-

hood restaurants serve a major 
purpose  They provide wide 
choices of wholesome food 
at reasonable prices,
 says Dr. 
Silverman. They seldom go out 
of business and, if any do, it is 
felt immensely by the communi-
ty and many others with whom 
they made friends.

SUNDAY BRUNCH IS nor-
mally classified as an early meal 
that combines both breakfast 
and lunch  But there are other classifica-
tions, such as Las Vegas hotel-style with 
glamorous almost-everything-to-select-from 
varieties, or upscale restaurants that include 
items seldom heard of, or ethnic eateries 
with their own personalities, etc.
However, the one type that might stand 
out by itself are neighborhood restaurants 
that present standard, simple choices among 
its groupings.
One of those is Georges Family Dining on 
Northwestern Highway, just north of 14 Mile, 
West Bloomfield, with its dine-in items that 
number more than 50 from which to choose 
 Usual fresh picks with a good assortment 
that is included in the low-price standbys  
eggs scrambled with sauteed onions, cheese 
blintzes, bagels and cream cheese, chicken 
piccata, cheese-encrusted potatoes, salmon 
Florentine, mac and cheese, crepes with 15 
varieties of fillings, Greek salad, pancakes, 
waffles, etc.
Such Sunday brunch variety at Georges 
Family Dining is available from 10 a.m.-2 
p.m.  with adult prices, $12.99, children 
ages 5-12, $7.99, youngsters age 4 and under, 
free  Selections and prices may also be 
made from the regular menu. 
FRESH WHITEFISH  And I do mean 
fresh  have lovers of the popular aquatic 
delicacy salivating in anticipation  They 
are now available the same day as caught at 

Andiamo Bloomfield, Telegraph, south of 15 
Mile  Arrangements made by Executive 
Chef Bill Hall have the 12-14 pounders 
brought to the restaurant by fishermen after 
catching them  five days a week, Tuesday, 
Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday  
Any fresher and the whitefish would have to 
fly here themselves.
QUESTION & ANSWER DEPT.  
Where in the Birmingham area can I get a 
kosher hot dog with my Coney Island?  
Sid Malker
(Many folks tell of getting their coneys 
with kosher dogs at Village Coney Island on 
S. Adams, Adams Square Building, south of 
15 Mile.)
60-YEAR REUNION OF 1956 grads from 
Mumford High will be Saturday, Aug. 13, 
at Knollwood Country Club, West Maple, 
West Bloomfield  For more info, call Sue 
(Klinger) Radner, (248) 669-0889.
NOTED HAIRDRESSER to the stars, 
Yiannis Karimalis, is even more than that  
He
ll be exhibiting a collection of his origi-
nal paintings at Art in the Garden benefit 
for Planet Lori Art Camp, at Yiannis
 Novi 
home, Saturday, Aug. 13, 4-7 p.m.  Lila 
Lazarus will emcee  For more info, email 
YiannisTheArtist@gmail.com.
OLDIE BUT GOODIE  Sadie is at the 
shopping center and bumps into Becky who 
is looking after her two grandchildren. Oh, 
Becky, what beautiful children, how old are 
they? asks Sadie.
Well,
 says Becky with much pride, the 
lawyer is six months and the doctor is two 
years.

CONGRATS  To Lila Lazarus on her 
birthday  To Beverly Nusbaum on her 
birthday  To Rabbi Jason Miller on his 
birthday  To Ray Horenstein on his birth-
day  To Joe Horenstein on his birthday. *

Danny
s email address is dannyraskin@sbcglobal.net.

Benvenuto!  Welcome!

Feel at home at Sposita
s Ristorante, one the finest neighborhood eateries.

Danny Raskin

Senior Columnist

arts & life

the best of 
everything

Lois and Joe Sposita

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