raskin 75
th
an
the best of everything
niversary
It’s That Good
Danny Raskin
Senior Columnist
Leon’s Family
Dining in
Dearborn
is great for
breakfast …
and lunch and
dinner, too.
Sam Leon
People continuously rave
so much about the breakfasts
at Leon’s Family Dining on
Michigan Avenue, Dearborn,
that I had to see for myself
what it was all about … And
well they should … As I dis-
covered, it is that good … But
also revealed was that there is
certainly a lot more as well to
enjoy at Leon’s Family Dining,
considered the flagship restau-
rant of a small group that origi-
nally opened with one location
by Sam Leon.
First was that it is a true
family restaurant with Sam’s
four children, three girls and a
boy, all now college graduates
with their own jobs, assist-
ing by working there on the
weekends, and a niece, Maha
Khazouz, at the Dearborn res-
taurant daily with Sam … It is
open seven days a week from
6 a.m. to 10 p.m. for break-
fast, lunch and dinner … and,
importantly so, considered
by the Wayne County Health
Department to be one of the
cleanest restaurants they have
seen.
The table service breakfast is
daily from 6 a.m. to noon and
a sumptuous serve-yourself
breakfast brunch daily from 8
to noon.
Sam had come to America
from Syria as a 19-year-old to
study electrical engineering
and worked as a dishwasher at
a Big Boy … liked the restau-
rant business so much that he
went into it himself … So much
so that he opened one in 1983
and today has a small chain of
Leon’s Family Dining eateries
… The Dearborn restaurant,
with seating for 200, was a for-
mer Egg & I that was bought
and refurbished by Sam … His
daily breakfast special Monday
through Friday, two eggs,
choice of bacon, ham, sausage
or pancakes and toast for $3.69
is a big favorite … Almost
everything for breakfast, lunch
or dinner is made daily from
scratch, including soups and
other items … Senior citizens
are given 10 percent off all
meals above $5.
Oct. 30 will be the 34th
anniversary of Leon’s Family
Dining … Total enjoyment of
home-cooked meals amid utter
cleanliness … and another
wonderful coming-to-Amer-
ica success story with Sam
Leon and his family enjoy-
ing so much of which to be
proud.
CLOSING OF LOCAL
Kitchen & Bar on Nine Mile,
Ferndale, came with little
warning … In fact, some people
were still calling it a favorite of
theirs and intending to make
reservations … Rick Halberg,
executive chef and owner with
Brian Siegel, has a fine track
record that leaves little doubt
of whether he will return to the
eatery scene … Local Kitchen &
Bar was quite a departure from
his former Emily’s in Northville,
named after Rick’s daughter
… and an amazing change
from upscale dining to casual
comfort food on a high scale …
like turkey meatloaf made with
challah, etc. … His favorites
on the Local Kitchen menu
were the meatloaf and chicken
cutlets, among others … Quite
a difference from Emily’s veal
rack dusted with Porcini flour,
balsamic roasted duck, etc.
THEIR YOUTHFUL exuber-
ance belies the years spent
by both at their jobs … Steve
Pardo, former food editor and
features editor at the Detroit
News … recently made its
Breaking News Editor, is a
20-year “old-timer” at the News
… Steve’s wife, Leslie Pardo,
senior vice president at Marx-
Layne & Co., is a 19-year “vet-
eran” at the firm.
SCHOOL MAY BE out for
14 lassies but they still meet
every other month at Georges
Restaurant, Northwestern Hwy.,
West Bloomfield … and share
their secrets of always look-
ing mighty good … The gals
call themselves “The Mumford
Cuties” from the class of 1956
and tell their stories in one of
the side rooms at Georges.
WHEN EATING IN a restau-
rant, it is well to remember that
the respect you give a waitper-
son will in most instances be
given back to you … A meal out
in a dining spot can be a much
more pleasant experience if
you are aware of the way you
treat waiters and waitresses
… They usually will provide a
higher quality in pleasing cus-
tomers … and smile.
OLDIE BUT GOODIE …
Before sending her son off for
his first day at school, Mrs.
Cohen hugged him and said,
“Good luck, my sweet bubbele.
Be good, dear bubbele, and
work hard. And remember, my
bubbele, at lunch time eat all
your food and play nicely with
the other children. Oh, bubbele,
I’m so proud of you!”
That afternoon, when little
Cohen returned home, his
mother cried, “Bubbele, my
sweet bubbele, give your moth-
er a hug! So, tell me, what did
you learn at school today?”
“Well,” said the boy, “to start
with, I learned that my name is
Aaron.”
CONGRATS … To Sylvia
Hubert on her 102nd birthday
… To Pamela “Pam” Smith
on her birthday … To Sharon
Schultz on her birthday … To
Rose Light on her birthday …
To Steve and Leslie Pardo on
their 16th anniversary. •
Danny’s email address is
dannyraskin2132@gmail.com.
CUSTOMER
APPRECIATION
Fine Italian Dining in a Casual Atmosphere
SPOSITA’S
PARTY R
O
AVAILAB OM
LE
up to
90 people
RISTORANTE
OUR PETITE FILET DINNER
IS HAPPENING AGAIN!
Sunday, October 22 through Thursday, October 26.
$ 22.95
Includes Petite Filet, antipasto plate, side of pasta,
salad, soup, potato and vegetable.
Dine-in only, not valid with any other offer.
15% Off
food bill
Offer Good Monday-Thursday, dine-in only and entrees only. Not
valid with any other offer. With coupon only. Not valid on holidays.
Expires 10/31/17
(248) 538-8954
33210 W. 14 Mile Rd, in Simsbury Plaza,
just east of Farmington Rd., West Bloomfield
VOTED
10% Off food bill
Offer Good Friday-Sunday. Dine in and entrees only.
Not valid with other offers. With Coupon Only.
Offer good October 1-31 Only. Not valid on holidays.
ENTIRE BILL
Excludes alcohol, Lamb Chops, tax and
gratuity. Dine-in or carry out. Must have
coupon. Cannot be combined with
another offer. Expires 10/31/17.
DAILY
LUNCH SPECIAL
# in the 1
6
Starting at
Jewish News
Mon-Thurs: 4pm-10pmtFri: 11am-11pm
Sat: 4pm-11pmtSun: 4pm-9pm
ER
OCTOB IAL
SPEC
10 % off
4189 Orchard Lake Road, Orchard Lake Twp., MI
248.865.0000
$ 99
CHOOSE TWO
SOUP, SALAD
OR SANDWICH
www.mezzagrille.com
jn
October 19 • 2017
53