raskin the best of everything Viva Italia! Danny Raskin Senior Columnist Roma Cafe still wowing diners since 1934. When the Detroit Jewish News published its first edition in 1942, a restaurant still in exis- tence today had been open since 1934 … It was the brainchild of Morris, Paul and Otto Sossi in a building on Erskine and Riopelle, near Detroit’s Eastern Market, that had been there since the late 1880s … and was known as a good combination restaurant, grocery store and somebody’s home. Lovers of Italian food still acclaim Roma Cafe among the finest servers of authentic Italian specialties in this region … with a large emphasis on home-cooking … Its veal dishes are constant winners, as are the spaghetti selections with made- on-the-premises noodles … Also, huge kudos continually gotten for Roma Cafe’s award-winning meat sauce … And vegetarian dishes including its delightfully delicious fried eggplant and egg- plant parmigiana … Being by the Eastern Market, where so many other restaurateurs and chefs go, you can certainly count on freshness. When Hector Sossi took over ownership, it was a crowning point in his life … with remem- brances of when he once served as a Roma Cafe busboy many years ago. Roma Cafe has always been an authentic Italian restaurant dream visitation by those who know this ethnic dining best … It is today operated by Janet Belcoure, daughter of the late Hector Sossi, who was the neph- ew of co-founder Morris Sossi. PROVIDING YOUNGSTERS WITH special needs camp scholarships and JCC youth pro- gramming was reason enough … And so, another guys and gals outpouring added to the festivities for a great 11th annual JCC Michigan-Florida Reunion Dinner, Golf Classic and Games at Boynton Beach’s Indian Creek Country Club. Bruce Gursky, Larry Miller, Dennis Chaiken and Jerry Minkin made up the men’s win- ning foursome … Beth Gursky, Julie Chaiken, Ellen Minkin and Carol Miller were winners of the ladies group … Awards were also captured by Danny Weiss, Mike Kalt, Leo and Libby Sklar, Sandy Levison and Eleanor Bluestone. HERE IS ANOTHER super special that diners will love … It’s an 8- to 10-ounce cold water lobster tail … including soup or salad and accompaniments … $22.95 at all Andiamo restau- rants … good any day through April 30 (except Easter Sunday). REARVIEW MIRROR … My forgettable experience as escort for Zsa Zsa Gabor, guest speaker at the City of Hope Cancer Fighters annual dinner years ago … On the way back from the airport, where her little dog stopped on the runway to deposit its wee wee as Zsa Zsa joyously exclaimed, “Isn’t that cute!” … Then in the limo en route to Northwood Inn where she was staying, “ordering” me to take the pacifier cigar out of my mouth … Staying at Northwood Inn only if she had separate rooms for putting on her makeup, hanging up her furs and sleeping that night … And, of course, one for her dog … Neither City of Hope President Eleanor Riseman or Dinner Chairperson Ida Rosenberg warned me as to why George Sanders probably left her. HE HAS the sort of name that thrills children who hope they will be taken to a circus … Problem though is that West Bloomfield and St Clair Shores Dr. Scott Sircus doesn’t have youngster patients … The highly esteemed and much-regarded urologist plies his trade only with adults … MAIL DEPT … “We’ve decid- ed not to rebuild or move back to the old location of Pepino’s. We miss it, but we are so very happy here on Orchard Lake Road in Sylvan Lake and will always hold the 31-plus years in Walled Lake close to our hearts. The property has been put up for sale. We’ve held steady with our regular main menu plus adding new fish specials as they come in season and updating our wine list” — Co-owner Kathy Morley. GOOD SERVER DEPT. … Kathy Rodgers at Pickles & Rye Delicatessen, West Bloomfield Plaza, Orchard Lake Road, Tuesdays and Wednesdays … The kind of waitress that people ask for … Very efficient service with a great smile and much know-how. OLDIE BUT GOODIE … Fellow takes a seat at the lunch counter and orders a corned beef sandwich. “Corned beef sandwich is not on the menu, but I can give you a sandwich with corned beef in it, like our Midnight Special,” the guy at the deli says. “What’s a Midnight Special?” asks the man. “A triple decker with corned beef, tongue, bologna, tomato, lettuce, onion, pickle and mayon- naise on toasted raisin bread,” says the deli gent. “Couldn’t you just put some corned beef between two pieces of rye bread?” asked the cus- tomer. “Sure,” the deli guy says and then turns to his sandwich man: “One Midnight Special. Make it one deck, hold the tongue, bolo- gna, tomato, lettuce, onion, pick- le and mayonnaise and make the raisin bread rye, untoasted!” CONGRATS … To Don Cohen on his birthday … To Betty Ellias on her birthday … To Elizabeth Applebaum on her birthday. • Email Danny at dannyraskin@sbcglobal.net. Happy Passover! 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