July 11 • 2019 45
jn
raskin
the best of everything
Danny Raskin
Senior Columnist
Impossibly
Good
T
hroughout the years, restaurants
have dabbled in ways to make
various meat dishes without the
meat with some success … but rarely with
Mediterranean food.
Among them — and very few are those
eateries who have both regular and meat-
less menu sectors — a huge favorite is
here in Birmingham … where the prod-
ucts are cooked with its special spices in
the plant foods that make for delicious
and healthy dishes.
Elie’
s Mediterranean Grill/Bar on Pierce
Street, west of Old Woodward and south
of Maple, combines the two selection
styles by owner/chef Elie Mondalek with
amazing success.
“Impossible”-named meatless
Mediterranean foods like fried kibbeh,
kofta meatballs, samboosik, homemade
makanik-sausages, grape leaves, Kibbeh Bil
Saniyeh, Shish Kofta Gourmet “Impossible”
burger and gourmet “Impossible” Armenian
Sujuk.
Along with regular Mediterranean,
American and Middle Eastern favorites
like lamb chops, baby back ribs, Moroccan
swordfish, chicken kabob, vegetarian dishes,
whitefish, salmon, prawns, chicken, perch,
etc. … and so many more preferences for
overwhelmingly choice dining.
Elie’
s has been a big choice among din-
ers since 1993 and widely acclaimed for
its many menu selections … but never as
much as it is today … Elie’
s does all its own
baking of pita bread, pies, etc. … and the
making of desserts like rice pudding, ashta,
cheesecake, pecan pie, etc.
Elie’
s is open Mondays to Saturdays 11
a.m.-10 p.m. … and Sundays for private
parties … with indoor seating for 28 and 28
outdoors … plus 10 stools at the bar.
It is a favorite for numerous celebrities
appearing here who say many choice words
about Elie’
s … Along with localites whose
praises are many.
Having two separate menus such as those
at Elie’
s in itself is a dining wonder and much
appreciated.
A CONEY ISLAND restaurant that is
now noted for much more than just hot
dogs, the former site of Eddy’
s Coney
Island, has been remodeled and opened on
Haggerty Road between 15 Mile and Pontiac
Trail in Commerce Township … as BLD
Coney Island.
The BLD stands for … Breakfast, Lunch
and Dinner … with a larger selection from
which to choose … House baking of turkeys,
corned beef, etc. … in a clean, relaxing fam-
ily setting.
It now not only has coneys, made with
regular or kosher hot dogs, but also amazing
pasta dishes that few other such operations
can claim … BLD’
s Cajun chicken pasta, as
example, is a big favorite … along with noted
lox plates and sandwiches … omelets, regular
and stuffed …homemade soups and chili …
salads galore … strip steaks, fish varieties,
fajitas, shrimp, burgers (regular, Greek, salm-
on, turkey, chicken, vegetarian), pitas, wraps,
etc., in a bevy of family dining goodness.
It opened in September of last year,
with seating for 120 persons … Monday-
Thursday, 8 a.m.-midnight, Friday and
Saturday, 8 a.m.-2 a.m. … BLD Coney
Island, owned by Maisser Mikhail, is
already making large waves of much dining
satisfaction.
I HAVE AGAIN been told that a correct
Caesar salad as originated by Cesar Cardini
had anchovies … Whole or mashed in it
… Chef/owner at his restaurant in Tijuana,
Mexico, Cardini did not have anchovies …
One of Cardini’
s ingredients was Worchester
Sauce, which has a hint of anchovies.
REARVIEW MIROR … Folks used
to travel over to Cadieux Avenue on the
east side for its Belgian sports, like feather
bowling, archery, pigeon racing, bicycling
and European-style dancing … World trav-
eler George Pierrot used to say, “The next
thing to Belgium is a mussels dinner at the
Cadieux Café.
”
OLDIE BUT GOODIE … The Russian
commissar lay in an oxygen tent and was
going fast. Very weak, the commissar said to
his chief assistant in a faint whisper, “Ivan, I
only have a few minutes left. I want you to
know I’
m leaving you everything. My house,
my electric heater, my farm. Ivan, everything
goes to you. All I ask from you in return is
one last favor.
”
The assistant exclaimed eagerly, “Yes, yes,
commissar. Anything, anything at all. What
is it?” Feebly, the dying man murmured,
“Please take your foot off the oxygen tube!”
CONGRATS … To Sylvia Solomon on
her birthday… To Simone Vitale on his
birthday …To Howard and Susan Levin on
their 55th anniversary. ■
Danny’
s email address is
dannyraskin2132@gmail.com.
Meatless
Mediterranean
dishes can be
found at Elie’
s.
Owner/Chef Elie Mondalek
COURTESY OF ELIE’
S MEDITERRANEAN GRILL/BAR
32906 Middlebelt Rd (at 14 Mile)
(248) 855-0007
Please see our menu at
www.johnnypomodoros.com
DAIRY TRAY
FRUIT TRAY
MEAT TRAY
Johnny Pomodoro’
s is your ONE STOP SHOP for all of your needs!
CANDY & NUT TRAY
MARTY'S COOKIES
Delivery Available
Shiva Trays, Deli Nosh Dairy and Deli Trays, Marty’
s Cookie Trays, Johnny’
s Signature Fruit & Veggie Trays
CALL JOHNNY’S FOR TRADITIONAL AND NON-TRADITIONAL SHIVA TRAYS.
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