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
thejewishnews.com/newsletter
FRESH Daily Headlines
Delivered to Your Inbox.