JANUARY 21 • 2021 | 45 F olks used to love going to Cedars of Lebanon Lounge on Columbia, Detroit … Customers will never for- get the potpourri of Middle East food that was so exotic … as well as the wonderful native dancing that brought many stomping feet. The food brought out always tickled the tongue with an odor of pleasing excellence … Like the hum- mus with tahini …a dish that consisted of mashed chick- peas and sesame seed butter … lightly dusted with paprika … Dipping the unleavened Lebanese bread in this mar- velous tasting spread made a perfect begin- ning for what followed. I remember having an entrée and several side dishes, including baked kibbeh, stuffed grape leaves, stuffed cabbage and stuffed squash … The entrée itself, cooked as it was on a skewer with chunks of green pepper, tomato and onion was a succulent treat. The highly spirited native dances, we were told, dated back to the days of Solomon and Sheba, and had changed very little over the thousands of years that had passed. ONE OF THE reasons Detroit had so many fine restaurants was the polyglot and typically American makeup of its people … Wherever a large and varied number of ethnic groups live side-by-side, restaurants would spring up serving exotic food pre- pared in the fashion of the “old country” … Another such restaurant was the Sheik, din- ing in the very best fashion of old Arabia … It took but one trip to see that the food was superb … The eggplant a la Sheik was deli- cious, consisting of eggplant, rice, ground meat and tomato sauce. I recall writing down the entrée, shish kabob, tender chunks of lamb cooked on a skewer but served on a platter … These chunks of lamb became even more tasty when dipped in sour cream or the hummus. A really wondrous side dish, I wrote down, was the kibbeh, a ground lamb and wheat baked in an oven … the result was a cake-like goody, not sweet, but distinctive. DOES HE KNOW SOMETHING …or somebody higher up? … Many restaurant owners are kept busy just holding their own paying bills or whatever … And Joe Vicari keeps adding to his entourage of dining spots … Many other eateries are busy with take-out or carryout or delivery service … as is Joe, but the Joe Vicari Restaurant Group also continues to work on future new eatery openings. OLDIE BUT GOODIE … A visitor to Israel attended a concert at the Moscovitz Auditorium … He was quite impressed with the architecture and the acoustics … He inquired of the tour guide, “Is this mag- nificent auditorium named after Chaim Moscovitz, the famous Talmudic scholar?” “No, ” replied the guide. “It is named after Sam Moscovitz, the writer. ” “I never heard of him. What did he write?” “ A check, ” replied the guide. CONGRATS … To Dr. Stuart Kirschenbaum on his birthday … To Janet Sloan on her birthday. Danny’s email address is dannyraskin2132@gmail.com. RASKIN THE BEST OF EVERYTHING Danny Raskin Senior Columnist Detroit’s Long History of Fine Middle Eastern Food Hummus Shish kabob Contact Larry Allan 33700 Woodward Ave. • Between 14 Mile & Adams • Birmingham, MI If you are not wearing it… sell it!... or BORROW on it! You can’t enjoy jewelry if it’s sitting in your safe deposit box. Sell or borrow on it for immediate cash. We deal in jewelry, watches, diamonds and coins. A Service to Private Owners, Banks & Estates 33700 Woodward Ave. • Between 14 Mile & Adams • Birmingham, MI 248-644-8565 Coins & Jewelry If you are not wearing it… sell it!... We deal in jewelry, watches, diamonds and coins. Bookkeeper/Office Administrator Job Opportunity 24 – 30 hour per week position for Bookkeeper/Office Administrator in West Bloomfield Synagogue. This job is an ideal position for an experienced and capable multi-tasker who can follow through on the many aspects of bookkeeping in a relaxed small office atmosphere. Please send resume including experience and references to cbminfo@bnaimoshe.org Job Description • Day to day bookkeeping • Oversee AP/AR • Handle payroll • Follow up with members and vendors • Answer phone calls and emails Job Requirements • Past Bookkeeping/Office Experience • Knowledge in Peachtree and Microsoft Excel • Excellent communication skills • Ability to multi-task • Attention to detail