Northern Italian cooking has
been Hamad's featured prepa-
ration since he left Egypt when
21 years old to work in Florence,
Italy, and Castellano in New
York.
The thin, crunchy focaccia
bread with thin-sliced tomatoes
is not the kind you'll find at too
many Italian restaurants ...
Don't fill up on the tasty bread
... There are a lot of good things
to come.
Linguine in a fresh tomato
clam sauce ... fettuccine with red
peppers and chicken in a tasty
mushroom sauce ... spaghettini
with shrimp and artichoke
hearts, in a fresh tomato and
basil sauce.
Amazing, the large amount of
pasta dishes, veal favorites,
chicken specialties and fish de-
lights (like whitefish with black
olives and onions in a fresh
tomato sauce) that come out of
the little kitchen ... But a lot of
goodness.
If you had the Caesar salad
that Hamad used to make at

Five tables at
Pasta Fagioli.

Ristorante Di Modesta, you'll
know how tasty it is.
Hamad's cooking at his Pasta
Fagioli, certainly one of the
smallest restaurants with a
"sleeper" label attached to it, is
an enjoyable experience.
THIRD ANNUAL Spring
Arts party by 20/30 League of
Fanclub Foundation For The
Arts, at Townsend Hotel, was
sponsored by David Grossman
of Pegasus Lighting, David Popa
of Gallery Blu, and by Absolut
Vodka.
Bottles of the latter were on
display, each weighing five
pounds, with colorful paint and
original designs by Romero Brit-
to, noted artist who walked
around wearing a colorful neo-
pop jacket he designed ... Every-
thing was for sale ... Except his
jacket.
Elliot Lewkow, with his
portable espresso/cappuccino
cart, was again a big hit ... John
Bloom, executive director of the
Fanclub Foundation, was all
smiles at the younger generation
raising funds to help put on his
annual Fantravaganza in the fall
... Carol Reams, of Napier's Ken-
nel Shop in Birmingham, loved
Britto's pictures of dogs ... as did
Rochelle Zerkel, Julie Branson
and Scott Nelson ... Jackie Sun-
day, too, of course ... The local
Ronald McDonald House head
gal was formerly a Michigan Hu-
mane Society biggie.
No speeches ... just a lot of mu-
sic, hors d'oeuvres, desserts,
jovial conviviality ... and for those
interested, watching a Red
Wing's playoff game on TV ...

"Just like being in New York,"
said John Bloom.
MARY BRADY, co-owner
with hubby Tom of Diamond Jim
Brady's in NOvi, doesn't confine
her excellenticulinary talents to
dining.
She is an active board mem-
ber of the Women's Caring Pro-
gram that raises money each
year for uninsured children.
Next event is scheduled for
Thursday, July 10, 5:30 p.m. to
8:30 p.m. in the gardens of a 10-
acre Milford country home.
Food and refreshments will be
by Mary, who is also executive
chef at hers and Tom's Diamond
Jim Brady's in Novi.
Tickets are $65 in this won-
derful cause ... For more info, call
Melissa Cragg, (313) 745-9004.
NOT BAD when 13 employ-
ees of local Star Trax Event Pro-
ductions pile into a truck and
van, along with their equipment,
to do a bar mitzvah recently in
Pittsburgh ... But even more eye-
opening is that co-owners Renee
Cherrin Erlich and Marc Shecter
handled 15 more parties on the
same weekend ... MCs, djs and
dance troupes from Star Trax
have bags, will travel ... which
they have been doing.
Melissa Vitale, dancer and
karaoke hostess for Star Trax
who also went to Pittsburgh, is
the daughter of Simone and
Jeanne Vitale ... Orchestra
leader Simone has an interna-
tional reputation all the way
from Canada, New York, Chica-
go and Cleveland to the same
Pittsburgh.
Years back, his band even per-
formed in the Jackson State
Prison social hall for the Ali
Baba Dance Club.
This past Thanksgiving, the
Simone Vitale Band recorded the
soundtrack for Anita Baker's
performance at the Thanksgiv-
ing Day parade that aired na-
tionally on CBS Television.
CAIVIPO DE FIORI restau-
rant owned by Elizabeth and
Luigi Giordani in Aspen, Colo.,
has had such fine success that
the couple will open a second one
in Vail, hopefully this July.
She is the daughter of Stone,
August, Baker's Peter Plotke
and wife Mirielle ... and a former
bat mitzvah from Congregation
B'nai David ... Elizabeth grad-
uated from Southfield High and
Michigan State University.
The menu will be about the.
same as their other spot, but in
much larger surroundings.
A BEST BET Of The Week ...
"What a Ball" by Oak Park Se-
nior Center's Vintage Players, 1
p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday,
June 9 and 10, at the Jewish
Community Center on 10 Mile
east of Greenfield.
CONGRATS ... to Annette
and Al Landy, of Plantation, Fla.
... on their 66th anniversary ...
Al is a former Detroit News
sports. reporter. fl

WE ARE PROUD TO BRING YOU THE ABSOLUTE FINEST IN
GREEK CUISINE ... SERVED BY AN EXCELLENT WAITSTAFF AMID
A SURROUNDING OF CONGENIAL LAUGHTER AND ENJOYMENT.
OUR IAMB CHOPS AND AWARD-WINNING TOMMY SAIAD
AMONG OTHER FAMOUS GREEK SPECIALTIES ...
HAVE BEEN -ACCLAIMED AS MICHIGAN'S. BEST.

Tommy Peristeris & Rick Rogow Invite You To Join Us
For Lunch and Dinner Seven Days A Week

NOW APPEARING WED., THURS. & FRI.
MUSIC BY

TAYLOR MADE

ASK ABOUT THE EXCELLENT CATERING

t k07252--
SERVICES IN OUR PRIVATE FACILITIES
1' a ,rT h e N 0 N
6199 Orchard Lake Rd., N. of Maple • 737-8600

MIIIIM"E"IIM
I

M.1- 0MIMP..1ffl

A Restaurant and Banquet Facility

Featuring Fine Continental Cuisine Including All Your Favorite
Greek Specialties .. . and the Award-Winning Tommy Salad

ACCEPTING BANQUET RESERVATIONS FOR
1998
1999
AND
2000

• Weddings
• Bar/Bat Mitzvahs
• Sweet 16s

• Showers
• Anniversaries
• Birthdays

• Brises
• Reunions
• Office Parties

From 50 To 300

Restaurant Hours:
Sunday-Friday
5 p.m.-10 p.m.
Closed Saturdays
For Private Parties

810-788-4567

5586 Drake Road

South of Walnut Lake Road

West Bloomfield

Your Host:
Andy
Stylianou