April 4 • 2019 61
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Danny Raskin
Senior Columnist
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the best of everything
A Family Affair
A
chip off the ol’
block, or two of
them, it might be said as Mark
Zarkin celebrates the ninth anni-
versary of his Steven Lelli’
s Inn On the
Green, 12 Mile, between
Halsted and Haggerty,
Farmington Hills.
His dad, Jerry Zarkin,
after retiring, did what
son Mark had always
hoped for … helped at
his son’
s various eateries
… Jerry passed away in
2002.
Now Mark’
s two fine sons, Ari and
Michael Zarkin, also have made his
fervent dream come true … having the
blessings of his sons on hand to beauti-
fully assist their dad.
Ari is Mark’
s front-of-the-house
manager … greeting patrons, taking
reservations, seating them, etc. … along
with making certain that all Steven Lelli’
s
Inn’
s customers are well taken care of.
Michael is the restaurant’
s kitchen
manager, assisting the executive chef and
his fine staff … plus toiling in garmache
or garde manager capacities making sal-
ads, desserts, house breads, etc.
Both sons have, like Mark, became
huge favorites of many customers …
Steven Lelli’
s offerings of excellent food
with gracious service abilities of fine
servers is the ultimate full culmination
of dining satisfaction.
New dining items to go with its
already noted 32-ounce Tomahawk Steak
for Two … include a luscious house-
made chocolate cake dessert topped with
hot fudge.
In celebration of Steven Lelli’
s Inn’
s
ninth anniversary, two days only,
Tuesday, April 9, and Wednesday, April
10, it will present the choice offering of
three delicious porterhouse lamb chops
... with potato, vegetable and bread bas-
ket, for $11.95 … No coupons … Dine
in or carry-out.
It’
s much acclaimed ultra-large and
elegant enclosed outdoor patio off the
main dining room will again soon be
opened to all … 10 lava heat lamps, if
needed, (you know the unpredictable
Michigan weather), table umbrellas, pad-
ded wicker chairs, etc.
Going into its ninth year is a spe-
cial one for Mark, having the greatly
endeared addition of his two sons …
And as has been its credo since opening,
Steven Lelli’
s Inn On the Green’
s con-
stant efforts … the full maintenance of
dining satisfaction.
MORE THAN 30 YEARS AGO,
Ari Weinzweig and Paul Saginaw talked
about opening a delicatessen … It became
more than just talk when they opened one
in Ann Arbor and called it Zingerman’
s
… with today’
s corned beef king, Sy
Ginsberg, then delivering out of the back
of his Volkswagen and sometimes staying
at Zingerman’
s Deli to help make corned
beef, etc., sandwiches.
MAIL DEPT. ... From Sam Erman ... “I
used to go to Brownie’
s On The Lake and
loved it. I didn’
t know it was still there.
”
(It’
s not the same one, Sam … Joe Vicari
bought Jack’
s Waterfront and renamed it
Brownies on the Lake seven years ago …
You can find it at the foot of Lake St. Clair
… The original Brownies on the Lake
became the Beach Grill, then the Channel
Marker and is now called The Sports
Channel, also in St. Clair Shores.)
DID YOU KNOW DEPT. … That
Little Harry’
s, owned by Diamond
Philips, was the one-time residence
of a prominent Detroit family on East
Jefferson and the home of Detroit’
s first
piano bar? … Diamond kept it along
with the original architectural features
of the yesteryear’
s period … and those
same piano ivories continued to twin-
kle Monday through Thursday at his
Little Harry’
s … Another Diamond
Philips restaurant of the past was on East
Jefferson and crammed with memorabil-
ia he couldn’
t get into Little Harry’
s.
OLDIE BUT GOODIE … Jake and
his friend Izzy were halfway through a
round of golf when a golf ball came from
out of nowhere and hit Jake on the back
of his head. “Oy!” Jake cried out, rub-
bing the back of his head.
Almost immediately, a third golfer,
Hymie, arrived to apologize. But Jake
would have none of that.
“You call yourself a golfer?” yells Jake.
“If I had my way, I’
d ban you from every
golf club. Do you see what you’
ve done
to me? My head is bleeding. I’
m going
to call my lawyer as soon as I get to the
clubhouse and sue you!”
“But, but”
, says Hymie, “didn’
t you
hear me? I yelled FORE.”
“OK,” says Jake, “I’
ll take it!”
CONGRATS … To Don Cohen on
his birthday … To Gertrude Solomon
on her birthday … To Sid Riemer on his
birthday … To Robert Seffinger on his
birthday. ■
Danny’
s email address is
dannyraskin2132@gmail.com.
Sons join their dad at
Steven Lelli’
s Inn On
the Green.
Ari, Mark and Michael Zarkin
COURTESY OF MARK ZARKIN