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Best Of Everything

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Sholvivont

For North Italian Dining — Go West!

Andiamo West has been delighting its customers for five years.

Grand Marnier and raspberry.
returning from Milan, Italy, about two
he ghost of the late
When Mickey Rooney was at the
years ago and requesting Veal
Teamsters Union president,
Fox in "Wizard of Oz" three years
Milanese which wasn't on the
Jimmy Hoffa, probably
ago, he came to Andiamo West
Andiamo West menu ... Lee prepared
came back to his old haunt
because of being told about getting
the entree for them ... and still makes
at some time, the former Red Fox
dishes he couldn't obtain anywhere
the dish for Graham and Sally when-
restaurant on Telegraph and Maple ...
else ... Result was Rooney being at the
ever they ask for it.
and left because he thought it was the
restaurant almost every night during
Mort Meisner and wife,
wrong place.
his
stay here.
Leslie
Mangas-Meisner,
On June 16, the former
Many say the osso bucco braised
wanted the spicy penne arra-
Red Fox will have been
with vegetables that is served at
biata one evening about
opened five years as Andiamo
Andiamo West is better than they had
three years ago ... This is a
West ... following a $2 mil-
dish that when translated,
in Italy.
lion decor remodeling then
The meat prepared at Andiamo
means "mean and hot" ...
that brought an altogether
West is cut and carved in its own
Although not on the menu,
new look.
kitchen where Lee and his 27 assis-
Lee whipped it up from
The only things that
tants toil amid a veritable sea of glis-
scratch
...
a
luscious
sauce
remained were the four outer
DAN NY
tening stainless steel.
that is served on linguini and
walls and some beams in the
RAS KIN
The spumoni ice cream is a stand-
seafood.
ceiling.
Local Columnist
out ... in a class all its own ... cut from
Mel Saperstein loves ham-
No more old-fashioned-
spumoni pies that come in from Italy
burgers ... but they are not
looking Sally's Saloon that
... with chopped nuts on the sides and
on the Andiamo West menu ... So Lee
was within the Red Fox, with those
bottom ... This is something many
will grind up a filet for him whenever
dark walls ... Windows came instead
people have never had ... or even
Mel feels like having a burger ...
in what is today Andiamo West's main
know about ... and is truly delicious.
Because of its popularity, Lee now has
dining room ... with seating for 170
Jerry Vitale, operating partner at
a hamburger special every so often.
... and 25 stools at a well-appointed
Andiamo West since its opening, was
Mel also greatly enjoys perch ...
bar-lounge that also includes 46 more
formerly a general partner at Andiamo
which also isn't on the menu ...
seats at tables and booths.
Italia in Warren ... His work is highly
Usually when he has a craving for
Around 4,000 people were served dur-
regarded ... as is Jerry's popularity
them, Mel calls up Jerry several days
ing the first week ... Today, almost five
among customers and vendors ... His
in advance ... and the perch is ordered
years later, more than 1,225,000 cus-
keen knowledge of the restaurant busi-
and prepared for him as a special.
tomers have passed through its doors.
ness and people themselves is a big
Erwin "Itsy" Lieberman, son of the
The food numbers in the nearly five
plus
... Jerry is very much a major rea-
late
Sammy
and
Ida
Lieberman,
is
an
years are stunning ... 25,000 gallons of
son for Andiamo West's great success.
everyday customer at Andiamo West
the yummy pasta fagioli soup full-bod-
Lee's ability to improvise has made
... Lunch for salad and dinner usually
ied with beans, pasta, carrots, etc. ...
him a standout executive chef ... But
for the delicious veal chop that Lee
200,000 pounds of dry pasta, 150,000
even more so is a knack of consistency
prepares.
pounds of homemade pasta,. 20,000 gal-
in his labors ... It is a prime fact that
One of the wonderful things Lee
lons of extra-virgin olive oil and 15,000
among the reasons that customers
makes that few people know about is
gallons of regular olive oil, 80,000
his terrific con-
pounds of beef tenderloin, 52,000
coction of French
orders of tiramisu, 397,000 pieces of
toast with an
homemade gnocchi, about 132,000
unbelievable taste
bottles of wine, over 161,000 pounds of
... It isn't on the
parmesan cheese, 135,000 pounds of
menu, nor is it a
veal, 172,000 pounds of chicken,
slice or slices of
30,000 pounds of whitefish, etc.
bread... Lee's own
Northern Italian dishes served are
preparation of
under the kitchen preparation and
French toast is
severe scrutiny of one of this region's
one large hunk of
fine executive chefs ... Lee Sharkas,
Andiamo West's
who opened Andiamo West and is
homemade bread
well-noted for the Italian dishes he
... with bananas
makes from scratch for people ... espe-
in the center and
cially those who have been to Italy ...
a topping of
and request items they enjoyed there.
whipped cream
This type of knowledge takes a spe-
while resting on a
cial kind of chef ... and that Lee is.
erry Vitale and Chef Lee Sharkas of Andiamo West
luscious sauce of
Like Graham and Sally Orley

T

ITALIA

4/19
2002

86

ilk

Celebrity Showroom

T IF

7096 East Fourteen Mite Road

111

(Between Mound &Van Dyke)

• (810) 268-3200

ID

ill 410•41)