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the best of everything
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Sposita’s Unsung Hero
Danny Raskin
Senior Columnist
John Flynn
They come in all sizes … Those
so-many-times unsung heroes of
industry.
In the dining business, includ-
ed among the numerous heroes
are families of mom-and-pop
neighborhood restaurants and
general managers who assist the
owners in making the well-oiled
wheels go around but are sel-
dom acclaimed.
Like General Manager
John Flynn at the excellent
mom-and-pop neighborhood
Sposita’s Ristorante, 14 Mile,
between Orchard Lake Road
and Farmington Road, West
Bloomfield … When needed, he
fills in to help in the kitchen,
serving, bartending, waiting on
tables, busing tables, training,
etc. … and telling waitpersons
like Shelly Von Werder to keep
up her wonderful smile and
excellent efficiency in servicing
her customers.
John’s assistance to owners
Joe and Lois Sposita, whom he
fondly refers to as “Uncle Joe”
and “Aunt Lois” and their son
Tony, is invaluable … So critical
to them in knowing that their
restaurant is in good hands
whether they are there or not.
Customers also appreciate
a general manager like John
Flynn … enjoying the knowledge
that its wonderful reputation is
untarnished.
READER RECALL … From
Dennis Silber, Boca Raton, Fla. …
“How can yesteryears be talked
about in Detroit dining without
including Mario’s on Second
Boulveard? Such fond memories
going back to the casual supper
club atmosphere, but always
each customer and table tended
to personally by owner Mario
Lelli.
In fact, because he lived
in Pleasant Ridge, and our
Fred Silber Co. was in nearby
Ferndale, he stopped in several
times a week. Tableside prepara-
tion and serving of his unusually
tasty dishes, starting with his
Mario Salad accompanied by
the great cheese toast, home-
made pastas like canneloni,
shrimp scampi and veal picante
leave wonderful memories. The
evening usually ended with a
lasting taste of Cherries Jubilee.
When Debby and I come to
Detroit from Florida for special
occasions, we try to revisit and
re-live fond tasty memories at
that great restaurant that is still
in business.”
“100 BEST BURGERS in
America” by Food & Drink maga-
zine lists the cheeseburger at
Miller’s Bar in Dearborn, Mich.,
No. 76 among 330 tasted in 30
cities around the country by its
“National Burger Critic.” … F&D’s
No. 1 is Nick’s Cheeseburger
with grilled onions at Stanish’s
in Portland, Ore., where my
granddaughter Hannah and
hubby, Nic Berglund, live … and
to where grandson Matthew
Raskin is moving.
READER FAVORITE restau-
rant of yesteryears … From Jerry
PASTA FAGIOLI
15
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1 coupon per table.
Coupon must be presented before ordering.
Cannot be combined with any
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Naftaly … “Among those that
hold fond memories is Skandia
on James Couzens Highway
and Greenfield, Detroit. It was
open from the late 1960s until
1972. Two years later, in 1974, it
became the Playboy Club.
“Skandia was very unique,
owned by real estate devel-
oper Paul Boraks and a group
of investors. He may have
borrowed from his roots in
Denmark when creating Skandia
with a Scandinavian theme. The
atmosphere was rich in dark
wood beams, panels, artwork
and semi-private alcoves.
“Skandia was known for a
plentiful smorgasbord filled
with hot and cold meats and
varieties of fish that invoked the
Scandinavian motif and remind-
ers of the Viking ship days. A
piano bar and entertainment
that included Mel Ball added to
the attraction. I was a youngster
then but have never forgotten
the fond moments I spent there
enjoying the huge avalanche of
wonderful food from which to
select. Dining at Skandia was to
me one of the great pleasures of
my life at that time. Never to be
forgotten.”
THE ANNUAL HANK
GREENBERG Invitational Golf
Outing by Michigan Jewish
Sports Foundation, Monday,
June 12, at Franklin Hills
Country Club, is again shap-
ing up to be a goodie … Golf
at 11 a.m., dinner at 5 p.m. …
The Hank Greenberg Memorial
Award will be to Cy Young
award-winner Ferguson “Fergy”
Jenkins, seven-time 20-game-
winner pitching great; and the
Dick Shaap Memorial Award
will go to Sports Broadcaster
Dick Enberg … Rabbi Elimelech
Goldberg, national director for
Kids Kicking Cancer, will receive
the Barry Bremen Memorial
Award … The terrific sports
panel discussion and auction
are also always biggies … Call
(248) 592-9323 for your reserva-
tion.
OLDIE BUT GOODIE …
Moe and Sol are out hunting
in the woods when Moe sud-
denly collapses. Sol rushes over
to him, but Moe doesn’t seem
to be breathing and his eyes
are all glazed. Sol is in a panic.
He takes out his phone, calls
emergency services and shouts,
“Help, please help me. My friend
Moe is dead! What on earth
should I do?”
The operator tells Sol, “Sir,
please calm down. I can help
you. First of all, let’s make sure
he’s really dead.”
After a short silence, the
operator hears a shot. Then Sol
gets back on the phone. “OK,
now what?”
CONGRATS … To Angelo
Georgizes on his birthday … To
Newton Berlin on his birthday…
To Melvin Seffinger on his 89th
birthday. •
Danny’s email address is
dannyraskin2132@gmail.com.
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Every Friday from 6pm to 9pm
A whole mess of perch sautéed
right in front of you!
ALL SIDE ITEMS ARE ALL YOU CAN EAT
SERVED BUFFET STYLE
**(side items only are all you can eat)
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June 8 • 2017
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