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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