One of Metropolitan Detroit's Most
Beautiful and Exciting Restaurants

TREAT DAD LIKE A KING
ON FATHER'S DAY

Serving Dinner 2pm-9pm

Wonderfully Prepared Catering
in Your Home, Office or at Our Restaurant

FINE DINING • DANCING
LIVE ENTERTAINMENT
NOW APPEARING TUES. THRU SAT.

DUANE FREEMAN
AND PARK AVENUE

28875 Franklin Rd. at Northwestern & 12 Mile
Southfield
(810) 358-3355

•

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Have a question? Get
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YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO DOWNTOWN
TO GET

E ZIP

Italian-American Favorites
• Pasta Specialties • Pizza
• Steaks • Chops • Poultry
• Seafood

OMOIS Restaurant

In Ferndale Since 1961

Woodward at 9 Mile
Cocktails
548-5005

OUTDOOR ENTERTAINMENT
ON OUR
HUGE DECK

MoreAy to Thursday 11 am. to 2 am

Friday I I am to 3.30 am
Saturday 12 nom to 330 am
Sunday 15 nocn to 2 a al

Where's The Beef?
At A Great Pizzeria

DANNY RASKIN LOCAL COLUMNIST

T

he name has remained the ads, 12 appetizers, round- and
same because of only one deep-dish pizza considered by
reason ... Its new owners many among the best around,
didn't have enough money and other dishes that have con-
to buy another sign.
tinued to make Como's a good
This was back in April 1961, neighborhood family restaurant.
when George and Sicilia Grego
Being a family restaurant is
bought the little pizzeria restau- what it will always be if George
rant named Como's on the corner and Sicilia Grego have anything
of Woodward and Nine Mile in to say, which, of course, they do
Ferndale.
... And son, George Jr., a major
No one could ever imagine that help to his mon and dad as their
34 years later, the same Como's general manager, has done much
Restaurant, noted more for its in furthering the continuous
family style pizza, ribs, etc., in a wishes of his parents.
somewhat limited menu, would
A family owned and operated
become known for the steaks it restaurant is usually of much
serves.
pride ... Como's is one of them ...
In fact, the fat-trimmed filet Plus George and Sicilia and
mignon prepared by Como's, with George Jr., George Jr.'s wife,
zip sauce identical to the original, Mary, works weekends as host-
is a prime piece of
beef which many al-
ready say has no
equal ... Neither does
the price, $16.50 ...
with salad, spaghet-
ti, potato or vegetable.
Word has been
spreading about the
Como's steaks and its
zip sauce ... Filet is
king, but customers
also order rib-ye
steaks with mush-
rooms ($15.25); 20-
o z.porterhouses
($16.95) and sirloin
strips ($11.75) ... and
wonder why they
never knew Como's
had such tasty meat
... at likewise tanta-
lizing prices ... Also a
big seller is the
chopped sirloin with
sauteed mushrooms Como's George Jr., George, and Sicilia Grego.
($9.50).
Few could have thought that ess and waitress on the huge
a place like Como's Restaurant, 3,000-foot deck; their daughter
sitting quietly in Ferndale since Madonna is in the kitchen cook-
1961, would become the con- ing and Madonna's husband,
cealed dining place of so many Paul Calbone, is bartender.
who want to keep the secret to
This has been a family orient-
themselves.
ed restaurant for many years ...
This is not to say that Como's Sicilia's brother, Frank Pas-
has become strictly a steak house salacqua, owns Carl's Chop
... Nothing could be further from House; her mother and father,
the truth.
Mimi and Vincent "Jimmy" Pas-
The culinary expertise of Don salacqua, had a pizzeria on 9 Mile
DeGracia, whose fine track record and Kelly called Mimi's.
includes London Chop House
There are no fancy frills at
with Poncho Valez, Vanelli's, Como's ... no linen tablecloths or
Kingsley Inn and Act IV, pre- fresh flowers on the table ... Pa-
sents an ability to prepare fine, per place mats and paper nap-
traditional Italian dishes like veal kins are a big reason why you can
picante, $14.95; chicken tosca, find a $16.50 prime filet value
$9.95; veal tosca, $14.95; bread- like this (the filets are cut from
ed Italian rib-eye club steak, whole tenderloins and 10- or 12-
$15.50; etc.
ounce trimmed pieces of meat) ...
Also over 20 styles of pasta, It is extremely clean and the at-
eight seafood dishes, seven sal- mosphere is one of cozy comfort

with a lot of close intimacy.
When it opened in 1961,
Como's sat only about 60 in one
room ... Seating now is 96 in two
rooms plus the huge outdoor pa-
tio that holds another 200 and is
so great for outdoor dining and
social functions ... It was put up
in May 1994, and is highly visi-
ble with a big red canopy on the
corner of Woodward and Nine
Mile.
Como's Restaurant discovered
the original zip sauce secret about
three years ago and has been us-
ing it with big results ever since.
Previous to those three years,
Como's used to serve about sev-
en filet orders a week ... Since us-
ing the zip sauce, the count is now
150 weekly, plus porterhouses,

rib steaks and sirloins.
Como's menu is a well-round-
ed one ... Featured dishes include
many favorites ... But a lot of
kitchen savvy includes what is
not on the menu also ... Ask Don
to cook something and he'll do it
... along with specialties like an
out-of-this-world seafood pasta
chock filled with delicious ingre-
dients ... linguini or angel hair,
shrimp, scallops, mussels, toma-
to pieces, in 100 percent virgin
olive oil, garlic, light tomato sauce
and blended seasonings ($12.95)
... It has no name so lets just call
it "Don's Seafood Delight."
One room seats 35 and anoth-
er 65 with stone-like walls,
framed pictures, ivory-colored
beamed ceiling, booths with
padded print cloth backs and
padded leather seats, a trellice-
covered service bar, and a lot of