April 4 • 2019 61
jn

Danny Raskin
Senior Columnist

raskin
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