that is on the table ... Have your server
bring some fresh garlic to mash into the
oil for dipping bread ... And for an
added treat, order the crisp foccacia
bread prepared at Pasta Fagioli.
It is a six-day operation ... Closed
Monday ... Open Tuesday-Thursday,
11 a.m. to 9 p.m. ... Friday, 11 a.m. to
10 p.m.; Saturday, 4 to 10 p.m.; and
Sunday, 4 to 9 p.m.
Hamad is certainly no stranger to the
art of fine-dining cuisine ... He was
born in Egypt but moved to Florence,
Italy, where he received his culinary
school degree ... Then came two years
at the Castelano Restaurant in New
York ... and Di Modesta.
The Florentine-style walls hand-
painted by Janine, glass block entrance,
front counter with eight stools, fresh
flowers on all the tables make for a
most pleasant and cozy dining experi-
ence ... soft operatic music wafts gra-
ciously
Pasta & Fagioli is naturally the signa-
ture soup ... and a good one it is ...
chock full of white beans, carrots and
pasta shells.
If you enjoy a good piece of fish,
you'll delight in the Salmon with
Mustard Sauce or White Fish Livornese
with black olives and onion in a fresh
tomato sauce ... Those who like their
fish plain will find absolutely no fault
with the way it is prepared by Hamad.
Veal Piccata and Veal Marsala are
usual items at Pasta Fagioli, but what-
ever is Italian and not on the menu can
be made by Hamad.
Sure it still does carry-out ... a lot of
it ... And catering, too ... But for sure
this is now a true-blue restaurant ... and
a good one that is celebrating four
years as a growing favorite.
THE COUNTLESS anecdotes
involving the late David Hermelin are
so many that they will undoubtedly go
on being told for many moons to
come.
Gary Cochran, owner of Beau Jack's
in Bloomfield Hills, remembers being
at a parry David gave with Seymour
Brode for Israeli tennis, at David and
Doreen's home in Bingham Farms.
With no warning, all the power sud-
denly went out in the neighborhood,
says Gary ... David asked him to help,
even though Gary was a guest, and they
set up about seven or eight huge barbe-
cue machines that David had already
rented ... On them, Dave and Gary
cooked kosher hamburgers galore for
the many attendees.
When Gary asked David where he
got all the barbecue machines without
any notice of the power shortage, Dave
replied that they were rented for anoth-

41t

FOR THE MIDWEST'S FINEST.

Succulent lamb chops, award-winning

Tommy Salad, favorite Greek specialties

and other wonderful dishes that have

made Big Daddy's Parthenon a one-of-

a-kind restaurant. After all ... your

family deserves the best!

pa J-TeNoN

6199 Orchard Lake Rd. (North of Maple)
West Bloomfield, MI

12/8

2000

95