raskin

the best of everything

Middle Eastern Standout

Danny Raskin

Senior Columnist

Phoenicia in
Birmingham never
disappoints.

ABOVE: Leila and Sameer Eid

There were many moments
throughout the years when he
spent most of his time cooking
in the restaurant kitchen and
numerous occasions making
special dishes when asked …
Today, Sameer Eid continues to
let the food speak volumes for
itself, quality that so many have
learned from him, including
his and wife Leila’s son, Samy,
who is frequently found in the
kitchen and assists in managing
the restaurant.
Once upon a time, in the
early ’70s, the Eids’ Phoenicia
Restaurant was known just
as that very good Mideastern
restaurant over there on Buena
Vista in Highland Park, where
people came from everywhere
for freshly squeezed carrot
juice and apple juice, and a rice
pudding that had few equals …
Also, the Middle-Eastern dishes
that were huge authentic stand-
outs as well … Most of those
dishes were traditional good-
ies of their culture and many
with Phoenicia innovations …
including favorites like hum-
mus with tahini, baba ganoush,
tabbouleh salad, shish kafta,
stuffed grape leaves, etc. … and
baklava that deserves an extra
star rating, just moist enough
for good eating.
People come from every-
where, like Norman and Bonnie
LePage, co-owners of Big
Rock Chophouse, both highly
respected as dining aficionados,

among those who today enjoy
the wonderful Phoenicia on S.
Woodward, Birmingham, with
its own next-door parking lot,
where Sameer and his family
continue to please the palates of
so many … Norm’s favorite dish
at Phoenicia is the baked chick-
en … Bonnie loves the BBQ ribs
… Among other delights.
The traditional foods served
by Phoenicia are now together
with appetizers like roasted
portabella mushrooms, buf-
falo mozzarella, roasted garlic
cloves, etc. … luscious soups
that include squash, cucumber
and yogurt, chicken and rice
… and grilled salmon, cilantro
shrimp, frog legs, baked white
fish, lamb chops, baby back ribs,
baked and broiled chicken, rib-
eye steak, etc. … even vegetar-
ian dishes that satisfy the most
particular palates.
Phoenicia is open Monday-
Thursday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.,
Friday, 11-11 p.m., Saturday, 5
p.m.-11 p.m., Sunday, 5 p.m.-9
p.m. … Standout continuance
of old-country goodness and
modern-day standouts in a most
pleasant ethnic dining adventure
that keeps people coming back.
Sameer and Leila always did
have a keen eye for quality …
and, along with son Samy, have
continually made it a prime
ingredient that people who
frequent Phoenicia know about
and are so thrilled to enjoy …
Such a requisite is among the

15%

OFF

TOTAL FOOD BILL

UP TO $30.00

Expires 2/28/17

 #ROOKS 2D .ORTH OF ,ONG ,AKE 2D 4ROY -) s   

0QFOEBZTBXFFLGPSMVODIBOEEJOOFS 4BUBOE4VOEJOOFSPOMZtPrivate room available for up to 85 people

numerous reasons why so many
return to relish the magnificent
Phoenicia Mideastern culinary
experiences.
MAIL DEPT. … “In my job,
I often go to fancy restaurants
around the country and see
chefs wearing different kinds
of hats while they work. Few
people know why this is, includ-
ing me. Do you know if there is a
reason they wear them?”
(I know that in Europe, there
is no confusion like this. The
many styles of hats by many
chefs there have a meaning
to them. In most instances,
I believe that the higher the
hat, the larger his or her rank-
ing, such as head chef, etc. The
pleats also have a meaning. As
an example, in most of Europe,
they symbolize the number of
ways a chef can cook an egg. I
am told that there are more than
60 ways.)
LET’S CALL IT the “Unsung
Restaurant Hero Award” …
There is no such thing, yet it is
one of the most important statis-
tics never kept … In baseball, it is
the opposite field hit that moves
a runner into scoring position …
In football, it is the player who
blocks a clear way for a team-
mate to score a touchdown …
In dining, it should be the server
whose efficiency and smile make
the evening complete.
THE QUESTION has often
come up as to why I write about
many restaurants numerous

times … The years have taught
me that a good restaurant will
always make needed alterations
of menu, etc. if necessary … The
public should know about these
changes for the better.
OLDIE BUT GOODIE …
An elderly couple had trouble
remembering things so they
went to the doctor for a checkup.
He told them they both were
fine but suggested writing things
down to remember.
That evening, the husband
got up to go to the kitchen for a
snack and asked his wife if she
wanted anything.
“Could you bring me a bowl of
ice cream,” she asked.
“Sure,” he replied.
“Do you think you should
write that down to remember?”
she asked.
“I can remember,” he said.
“I’d like some strawberries
on it, too. Do you need to write
that down?” she said. “The doc-
tor said you should write things
down.”
“For goodness sakes, I can
remember that!” he said.
Off he went and returned with
a plate of bacon and eggs. The
wife glared at him for a moment
and said, “Where’s my toast?”
CONGRATS … To Adam
Finck on his birthday … To
Roman Kuchersky on his 48th
birthday. •

Email Danny at dannyraskin@
sbcglobal.net.




2IIHUQRWYDOLGZLWKDQ\RWKHUFRXSRQGLVFRXQW
2QHFRXSRQSHUSHUVRQSHUWDEOH
 ([SLUHV -1 




2IIHUQRWYDOLGZLWKDQ\RWKHUFRXSRQGLVFRXQW
2QHFRXSRQSHUSHUVRQSHUWDEOH
 ([SLUHV -1 

31646 Northwestern Hwy., Farmington Hills 248.855.4600

$XEXUQ+LOOV%ORRPILHOG+LOOV'HDUERUQ'HWURLW/LYRQLD3RLQWH3OD]D5R\DO2DN6KHOE\7ZS1RYL:DUUHQ

jn

February 9 • 2017

69

