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On With The Show!

Mario’s restaurant scores a hit with dinner/entertainment packages.

I

t was just six or seven years ago when
… $14.95 … or home baseball
… Or its Veal Oscar or linguini
he came up with the brilliant idea that
and football packages that
with white clam sauce.
has vaulted his restaurant into another include Grand Buffet, tickets,
Mario’s continues to serve all
realm of deserved dining esteem.
shuttle to and from the parks
dinners with antipasto, salad,
Eighteen years ago, Mario’s on Second,
… among other promotions
soup and pasta … A light por-
between Willis and Canfield, Detroit,
from Vince’s mind.
tion menu is also still available
enjoyed a large 50th birthday … Now
Mario’s is not just another
… Plus tableside preparations
celebrating its 68th anniversary as one of
Italian restaurant … dancing
of Cherries Jubilee, Banana
Detroit’s premier culinary stops, Mario’s
with live entertainment every
Tropicale, Peach Flambeau and
shines even brighter with owner Vince
Friday and Saturday, 8-11 p.m.
Macedonia.
Danny Raskin
Passalacqua’s brilliant foray into the world
… tableside cooking, both on
Big sellers still include
of dining entertainment.
and off premises catering, etc. Senior Columnist
Mario’s tender filet mignon,
At the time, Detroit’s Broadway was just
Vince’s dad, the late Frank
shrimp scampi, veal marsala
the name of another street Downtown …
Passalacqua, bought Mario’s in
and other fine Northern Italian
Why not, thought Vince, consider the local 1981 and discovered that owning and run- dishes.
namesake avenue a replica, of sorts, of the
ning two restaurants, Carl’s Chop House
Seating at Mario’s main dining room
exalted New York wonder? … And so was
and Mario’s was too much … He sold
is 108, but including other rooms, is
born his idea of bringing like-Broadway-
Carl’s and its five acres of land, slated to
about 400 … There are 25 seats in the bar
style entertainment and dining together-
but never to become the site of a new Joe
lounge plus 19 stools … Hours are Sunday
ness to Detroit via his restaurant.
Louis Arena.
through Thursday, 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m.;
Many restaurants around the country
Vince was only 14 years old at the time Friday and Saturday, noon-midnight.
may have tried this in some way but on a
and worked in the kitchen making fet-
Mario’s Detroit’s 68 years have been
much smaller scale … His deal included
tucine, etc. … To this day, Mario’s still
wonderful ones … Truly a priceless Detroit
dinner, main floor show tickets and shuttle makes its own pasta except, of course,
culinary gem.
service to and from the venue.
spaghetti.
QUESTION & ANSWER DEPT. …
And most others may not have had
Mario’s Restaurant has always been one
“Where is Dynamite Sushi Roll served?”
Vince Passalacqua’s continued persis-
to want its own individual identification
… Bertha Greenberg.
tence … His foresight in convincing the
… All Mario’s sauces, except those with
(Yu Feng Cao, owner of Feng Taste on
Nederlander family’s right-
meat, are made to order …
Orchard Lake, between 12 and 13 Mile,
hand gent, Alan Lichtenstein,
The minestrone soup takes a
Farmington Hills, created his version of
was a major coup for Vince
back seat to few, full-bodied
the Dynamite Sushi Roll, made with spiced
… Advertising the shows
with oodles of goodies … the
crab on shrimp, avocado and cucumber.
in Mario’s ads … The end
12- to 14-ounce whitefish is
I don’t know if any other Japanese restau-
result included giving Mario’s
in a class of its own, as is the
rant makes it just like this.)
a discount on tickets that
Dover sole almandine … and so
READER MINI REVIEW … by Susan
Vince gives back to customers
many more items served by the
Sherbow … “A great dining experience was
toward the food bill.
competent, tuxedoed wait staff
had recently by Mark and me from the
And also, Mario’s lobster
… Including, too, being among
small, but filled with fine choices, menu at
deal every Tuesday … a
the scarce places left that serve
Chartreuse, East Kirby, Detroit.
pound-and-a-quarter beauty
chicken livers with mushrooms,
“Mark had a cap steak, and I chose
including redskin potatoes
properly prepared in sherry
whitefish. His cap steak was a thin sirloin
Vince Passalacqua
and a half corn-on-the cob
wine and a light tomato sauce
very tender cut. It was cooked perfectly

and served with mushrooms, roasted
carrots, grilled beets and a wild ramp
Boursin. Our ramps had a garlic and onion
flavor and, when pureed with Boursin,
made a smooth and creamy sauce.
“My whitefish was nicely browned and
moist and served on a bed of couscous
flavored with pesto. Mark and I shared
a sweet potato dish with smoky ham
and jalapenos. The pate was spread with
a green onion sauce and a red pepper
sauce called muhammara. The sauces on
all of our dishes were unusual and very
tasty.”
MAIL DEPT. … “In regards to Joe
Cornell not being recognized by the
California doctor who had his bar mitzvah
party emceed by Joe years ago, I just had
my 50th high school reunion and did not
recognize several people. People do change
in 50 years! … He hadn’t seen Joe since he
was 18.” … Marci Schulman.
OLDIE BUT GOODIE Dept. … Aboard
El Al Airlines from Israel to America, the
elderly woman was taking her first flight.
They were in the air only a few minutes
when the woman complained to the stew-
ardess that her ears were popping.
The flight attendant smiled and gave
her some chewing gum, assuring her that
many people experienced the same dis-
comfort.
When they landed, the woman thanked
the stewardess and asked, “The chewing
gum worked fine, but tell me, how do I get
the gum out of my ears?”
CONGRATS … To Larry Dictor on
his birthday … To Sharon Schultz on her
birthday … To Barbara Wauldron on her
birthday.

*

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

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54 October 20 • 2016