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II Centro Fulfills A Dream
For An Honored Michigan Chef

Ti•t2 BLur Nils

DANNY RASKIN

Experience the 3000 year
old culture of Ethiopia

Local Columnist

B

The Ethiopian diet is based on practicality
and - total health."' Poultry, beef, Iamb and
vegetarian dishes are all prepared from
traditional Ethiopian recipies keeping in mind
our philosophy of - total health."' The end
result is a unique variety of pleasing textures
and tastes. Join us fog a dining experience
that is to be shared and long remembered.

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bINNER FOR TW

$19.00

Reg. $12.90 per person
SAVE $6.80

Orchard Lake Rd. & Maple
Old Orchard mall • W. Bloomfield
Open 7 days 4p-10- • 539-1126

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FAMILY ITALIAN DINING & PIZZA

"RATED #1 BY THE ONES WHO COUNT-OUR CUSTOMERS"

4033 W. 12 MILE, 3 Blks. E. of Greenfield
548-3650
Berkley

DAILY LUNCH & DINNER SPECIALS

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COUPON NOT VALID WITH DAILY SPECIALS OR OTHER COUPONS • Expires 11-30-91

• BANQUET ROOMS • BEER • WINE
• COMPLETE CARRY-OUT • COCKTAILS

VICTOR'S

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50% OFF!

With this coupon
Receive 50% Off a second lunch or dinner
entree of equal or lesser value.

Expires 12-15-91

70

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1991

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New
Award

Winning
Restaurant .. .

Fresh Seafood • Chicken
Pasta • Cocktails

43317 Grand River &
Novi Rd. 349 1438

-

eing team manager of
the coming 1992 Cu-
linary Olympic team
that will travel to Frankfurt,
Germany . . . heading our na-
tion's aggregation in competi-
tion among some of the
world's highest-ranking chefs
. . . is a big honor.
But to Joe Beato, owner/
chef of the new Il Centro
Ristorante on Lothrup, bet-
ween Second and Third, it
takes a back seat to his top
grade ambition come true.
Winning seven culinary
Olympic gold medals, three in
international competition
(Vancouver, Cleveland, Col-
umbus and Detroit) was ex-
citing . . . as is his television
show (every other Sunday
6:45 a.m. over WDIV-Ch. 4)
. . . They too vie for second
place in Joe's realization of a
long-held dream.
He had always wanted his
own restaurant . . . A place
where Joe could ply his ex-
pert manner of preparing food
at reasonable prices . . . in
cluding the Per Il Vostro
Cuore (for your heart) items
prepared lower in fat,
cholesterol and sodium that
has gained him much
acclaim.
Joe's brother, John, was do-
ing remodeling work at the
Fisher Theatre and came in
back to Fisher's Uptown Cafe
to repair its roof . . . The
owner told John of wanting to
sell and so Joe was on his way
toward the fulfillment of a
long - standing aspiration.
It had originally been a
private home . . . a "blind
pig" during prohibition in the
'30s . . . Charlie Fisher's
became Fisher's 666 and
Fisher's Uptown Cafe.
Joe opened the doors of his
new Il Centro Ristorante on
Aug. 16 of this year . . . and
with the city's okay, changed
the address for good luck from
666 to 670.
Three rooms on the main
floor seat 70 for dining while
another large one upstairs ac-
commodates 70 more . . .
There is also seating for 16 in
a pleasant downstairs bar
area.
Il Centro Ristorante, with
its extensive Italian menu
and moderate prices, has
become a big favorite of peo-
ple who appreciate good food
in a warm environment of
class intimacy . . . It's some-
thing you would expect from
someone whose life has been

devoted to culinary expertise
. . . casual or dressed.
The dining room tables are
covered with white linen
cloths on which a wide white
strip of paper crosses
diagonally for customers to
doodle with crayons supplied
in a glass.
When Joe was executive
chef at Henry Ford Hospital
on Grand Boulevard, a post
he left in July after 17 years,
his dishes were of high note
. . . They had to be for the
Ford family and dignitaries
from the world over in their
private suites who savored his
culinary masterpieces.
In 1968, while at the Italian
Village in Windsor, Joe
became a certified executive
chef through the Canadian
Chefs Federation . . . In 1980
at Henry Ford Hospital, he
was made a United States
certified executive chef and
chosen chef of the year by the
Michigan Chefs du Cuisine
Association . . . no small
honor.

The past four years, Joe has
been first vice president on
the MCCA board of directors
and member of its board of
trustees six years previous .. .
Also during those 10 years, he
has chaired the very fine ap-
prenticeship program spon-
sored by Michigan Chefs du
Cuisine in conjunction with
the American Culinary
Federation and Oakland
Community College . . . A
number of years ago, Joe was
president of the Chefs 200
Club which annually raises
many dollars for worthwhile
charities.
His general manager from
the beginning at Il Centro
Ristorante, Harry Burk-
holder, was formerly chef at
Novi's Wyndham Garden
Hotel and previously kitchen
manager with the Charley's
chain at the former South-
field Charley's and Northville
Charley's . . . He had been
kitchen manager five years
for Chuck Muer at the Grand
Concourse in Pittsburgh,
Charley's Crab-Cincinnati,
River Crab-St. Clair . . . and
the original Charley's Crab
on Pine Lake (former Rotun-
da Inn) when it was ravaged
by fire in the '70s.
You won't find mahogany
wood walls at too many places
like those in Il Centro .. .
And those sturdy dining room
tables with white napkins are
amidst striped hanging
drapes and stripe-covered
chairs . . . The upstairs decor
too is classic with brick walls,

Italian Cinzano signs and
hardwood floors . . . Except for
some Ron Rey touches of in-
terior designing, the previous
Fisher's New Yorkish look
has pretty much been left
alone which is another plus
for Joe.
He knows food . . . and is a
whiz on dining health care
. . . That's why Joe's menu is
loaded with so many red
hearts for the oodles of Heart-
Smart items . . . If there was
any one thing Joe could be
singled out for other than his
all-around culinary skill, this
would be it.
Il Centro Ristorante is open
six days a week presently, and
seven when the Fisher
Theatre season opens in
December through May .. .

The restaurant
across from the
Fisher has
renewed taste and
elegance.

Every Thursday evening,
Dino Vallee presents his
strolling opera, 6:30-10 p.m.,
singing Italian arias among
other favorites.
Owner/chef Joe Beato
waited for the right place .. .
Il Centro Ristorante was the
opening of a fervent aspira-
tion that took place from the
day he and Harry said hello
to their first customer .. .
followed by many more .. .
almost all returning again
. . . the highest compliment a
restaurant can receive.
CONGRATS . . . to Art and
Harriet Davis . . . on their
40th anniversary . . .
celebrated prior to their leav-
ing for Florida with get-
together by their children,
Eileen Scheier, Nancee (Jeff)
Sharkey and Cathy (Paul)
Lubanski, plus six grand-
children.
MAIL DEPT. . . . from
Florine Mark-Ross, Weight
Watchers head . . . "The
owner, Jerry Licari, at Inn-
field's on W. 12 Mile in
Berkley, is friendly, warm and
wonderful to his guests and
the place looks great. What I
especially loved about it is
that they cut back on the fat
and were adaptable to my diet
plan."
A LARGE MURAL on the
wall at home depicting an old-
time commercial outdoor
poster? . . . Jo-Anne Wein-
garden is having fun working
Fridays among many at
Gallery IV which opened on-