raskin 75
th
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the best of everything
niversary
For The Dogs!
Danny Raskin
Senior Columnist
Pet owners speak
out and Beverly
Hills Grill turns 30.
Bill Roberts
I knew there were a lot of
pet owners that read the Jewish
News … but not as many as I’ve
heard from who are hoping
from my recent column that
pets have bowls of water while
customers are enjoying outside
dining at area restaurants.
It brings to mind the years-
ago article in the New York
Times about some restaurants
not only having water and
biscuits for the pets, but also
places like Café Giardinetto
with dog menus featuring
minced turkey breast, chopped
beef and an antipasti platter
… At Verbena, employees were
trained to be as hospitable
to pets as they were to their
owners ... Regulars included
a French bulldog and a Jack
Russell, who dined on ham-
burger steak, rare, served cut
into bite-size pieces.
In some places, bus boys
filled water bowls as routinely
as water glasses.
The result was a doggie café
society that rivaled that of
Paris, France, where city regula-
tions had never excluded pets
from joining mistresses and
masters at the table, inside or
outside.
Pets remember restaurants
where they’ve been spoiled, the
article said, and more than one
had led its owner to lunch or
dinner.
ONE OF THE NICEST
Readers want their dogs to be welcome at restaurant patios.
GENTS in the restaurant busi-
ness, Bill Roberts, is deservedly
receiving many kudos on the
30th anniversary of his Beverly
Hills Grill, Southfield Road,
South of 13 Mile, Beverly Hills.
“It is amazing how quickly
three decades go by in the res-
taurant business,” Bill says.
When it opened in March
1988, Bill had only one other
restaurant, Richard and Reiss
in Downtown Birmingham …
He gutted it in 1995 and cre-
ated today’s Streetside Seafood.
Bill has added four more
privately owned restaurants
since then … and today his fine
Roberts Restaurant Group, in
addition to Beverly Hills Grill,
includes Town Tavern in Royal
Oak, B&G Café in Bloomfield
Township, Streetside Seafood
and Bill’s, Bloomfield Hills.
“The world and our indus-
try have changed in so many
ways that it feels like we’re
now working in a totally differ-
ent era,” reminisces the highly
respected Bill.
SHE GREW UP a swimmer
and diver and spent five years
running a lacrosse recruiting
service to assist college stu-
dents in the popular sport …
So, being a fine public relations
and marketing pro, Sari Cicurel
is certainly capable of taking
over as executive director of
the Michigan Jewish Sports
Foundation from David Blatt
Happy Passover!
… Dave needed to retire and
devote all his time to his mort-
gage and title consulting work
of more than 25 years … He’ll
still consult with MJSF through
June to ensure a smooth transi-
tion.
READER MINI REVIEW …
By Jerry Silecchia … “My wife,
Doreen, and I went to the for-
mer Roma Café at Detroit’s
Eastern Market with friends
Walt and Amyre Makupson.
Although the name has been
changed to Amore da Roma,
the quality and quantity of food
remain the same. The restau-
rant was taken over by its for-
mer chef, and a lot of work has
been done to the interior; but
we mainly went for the food.
“Rather than the all-you-
can-eat buffet, we all shared
its wonderful Roma Salad,
mixed and served tableside.
Doreen and I split a Chicken
Parmigiana dish that came
with a choice of sides. We got
the green beans plus a side
order of spaghetti with meat
sauce. Even though there is an
up-charge of $5 for sharing, we
went that route and were glad
we did when we saw the abun-
dance of food. Walt and Amyre
chose the Veal Parmigiana
that they also split with a side
of spaghetti. The Roma min-
estrone soup that Walt and I
had was hot and tasty. All of us
were extremely satisfied that
the food has remained as good.
Prices are a bit higher but
worth it.”
REARVIEW MIRROR …
When a sign above the bar
at the original London Chop
House in Detroit said, “The
Pause That Refreshes” … When
Chinese restaurant Rikshaw
Inn in West Bloomfield also
served a great true Caesar
salad mixed tableside, French
onion soup, flaming Steak
Diane or Flaming Shrimp
Saigon with cheese sauce and
other flamed tableside dishes ...
among its titled Chinese dishes.
OLDIE BUT GOODIE ...
As soon as the Sabbath ser-
vices had ended, the little boy
walked up to the rabbi and
said, “When I grow up, rabbi,
I’m going to give you lots of
money.”
The rabbi laughed and asked,
“That’s really good to know,
little man, but why do you want
to do this?”
“Because,” replied the young-
ster, “my dad says that you are
the poorest rabbi we have ever
had.”
CONGRATS … To Sidney
Meyers on his 15th birthday
… To Reva “Revy” Strohl on
her 78th birthday … To Al and
Marilyn Frommer on their 67th
anniversary. •
Danny’s email address is
dannyraskin2132@gmail.com.
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March 29 • 2018
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