 JUNE 18 • 2020 | 45

the best of everything
Raskin

T

hat wonderful word in 
the culinary world … 
authenticity … raises its 
beautiful head with Mandaloun 
Bistro back with 
awaited sit-down 
accommodations 
for its elegant true 
Northern Lebanese 
presentations.
Among those 
restaurants that 
use this ethnic 
connotation are some eateries 
who may also have a couple of 
dishes interspersed within their 
menus, but unlike Mandaloun, 
located on Telegraph Road, 

between 12 and 13 Mile, 
Bingham Farms, the authenticity 
label may not be present.
There are various parts of 
Lebanon where the food may be 
quite different, too …. and it is 
many times possible that they 
all may cook differently, with an 
apparent distinction in the taste 
of dishes with the same name.
The main difference is caused 
by the varied uses of spices 
which is a popular difference 
in Lebanon … Northern and 
Southern.
Mandaloun Bistro could also 
be classed as a family restaurant 
with the working presence of 
mother Milaki Bitar, husband, 
Fernand, and daughter, Melissa 
… all who have prominent parts 
in the culinary excellence of 
Mandaloun Bistro.
You may recognize this trio 
from its former name of Le Chef 
Bistro, previously in Farmington 
Hills … Where the servings were 
and are today so wonderful of 
lamb shank, baked kibbe, kibbe 
balls in yogurt, stuffed eggplant, 

cheese balls, lamb chops, etc.
Seating accommodations for 
150 are available, plus eight stools 
at the bar … Also, entertainment 
from 6 p.m. each Saturday.
Mandaloun Bistro is in a 
class by itself when it comes to 
Northern Lebanese cooking.
MAIL DEPT. … From Bess 
Lachman … “Now I hear that 
actress Scarlet Johansson is not 
Jewish. Is that true?”
(All I can say is that her moth-
er, Milanie Sloan, is from an 
Ashkenazi Jewish family.)
PEOPLE HAVE ASKED me 
why the chops seem to be so 
good at Andiamo restaurants … 
No change, it is the exact same 
as its one-time corporate head 
and great Master Chef Aldo 
Ottaviani had used for over 50 
years ago at his Italian restaurant 
on Kelly Road until he closed in 
1988… Aldo had always insisted 
on using the same as he did then 
… It was to use only with ani-
mals fed from the field and not 
anemic milk-feeding methods … 
Aldo used to preach this to his 

Kelly Road kitchen staff … with 
much emphasis on his feeling for 
this method that so many have 
endeared.
OLDIE BUT GOODIE (Many 
are requested repeats) … Sadie’
s 
husband, Jake, had been slipping 
in and out of a coma for several 
months, yet his faithful wife stays 
by his bedside day in and night 
… One evening, Jake comes to 
and motions for her to come 
closer.
 “My Sadie,
” he says, “you have 
been with me through all the bad 
times. When I got fired, you were 
there. When I got shot, you were 
at my side. When we lost the 
house, you gave me support. You 
know what, Sadie?” 
“What dear?” she asked gently.
“I think you’
re bad luck,
” he 
said.
CONGRATS … To Collin 
Stoller on his birthday … To 
Bonnie Nosanchuk on her birth-
day … To Carolyn Nosanchuk 
on her 90th birthday. 

Email dannyraskin2132@gmail.com.

Danny Raskin
Senior Columnist

Sit Down at
Mandaloun Bistro
The authentic Northern Lebanese eatery 
is back serving customers in person.

Milaki and 
Melissa Bitar

FOOD PHOTOS VIA MANDALOUN FACEBOOK

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