ALL'S FARE
VIVA MILANO!
BY DAVID MOSS
■
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANGIE BAAN
Nestled alongside one of Southfield's busiest intersections is a classy
new eatery that's worth a stop for people seeking a tasty dining hot spot.
Top: Pizzaiolo (pizza maker) Edo Caffarati,
formerly of Milan, Italy, prepares a Caffe
Milano thin-crusted pizza.
affe Milano is a casual trattoria where
Excalibur once stood. Over the course
of two visits, we were much more
impressed with dinner than lunch.
My lunchtime pizza came loaded with
mushrooms, after I asked to leave them off. Several
minutes later, my companion's pan/no (sandwich)
arrived. The thin pizza bread was great, but the veg-
gies inside were cooked beyond description.
Dinner was another story. We were greeted with a
hearty "Buona sera" and led to a small table. The din-
ing room, while attractive with its yellow walls and
dark wood accents, was a little too bright for an
evening dining experience.
But the pace at dinner was slow and relaxed. As we
dug into our exquisite calamari appetizer, we remarked
that this calamari had never seen the inside of a freez-
er. It was lightly dusted with flour, deep fried and
served on a large plate with thin strips of fried zucchini
and a slightly spicy dipping sauce. I began to forget
about our erratic lunch.
The wine selection features 15 by the glass, most in
$5-$7 range. Bottles of wine go for $25-$32, with a
Barolo and Barbaresco for $60. We had a pleasant
house Sangiovese.
The menu features thin-crusted pizza from a wood-
burning brick oven. Traditional toppings start with
simple tomatoes and mozzarella and can include pro-
sciutto, artichokes, anchovies, mushrooms, eggplant
and pepperoni in any combination.
Entrees are not skimpy here. A dozen pastas are avail-
able at dinner; and we tried the Bucatini all'Amatriciana,
a thick, hollow spaghetti noodle in a sauce of bacon,
onion, crushed peppers, tomato and pecorino cheese. It
was rich, smoky and simply delicious.
Other options include Linguine alle Vongole —
linguine with clams served in-shell, Pennette alla
Vodka and Spaghetti alla Carbonara.
Our second entree was the delicious Involtini di
Vitello alla Pugliese, tender veal medallions rolled
around a thin slice of prosciutto and paste of romano
cheese, basil, bacon and garlic. A hearty meal, the dish
is served with steamed veggies, scalloped potatoes and
marinated sauteed mushrooms.
Other second courses include chicken breast with
red and green peppers; a braised lamb shank with
tremendous eye appeal; scallops of fresh salmon with
garlic, white wine, tomatoes, capers and olives; filet of
sole; and. Zuppa di Pesce — a rich seafood soup in an
Italian tomato broth.
For dessert, we tried the profiteroles, a light, semi-
sweet chocolate cream puff, and the tiramisu, which I
found disappointing in that it lacked the usual strong
coffee flavor. It was, however, fresh, light and large
enough to serve two. Other desserts include a lemon
sorbet served in a hollowed-out frozen lemon, and
tartes of apple and mixed berries.
Caffe Milano is a casual, friendly and gastronomically
pleasing spot for lunch or dinner. In nicer weather,
there's an outdoor patio. Reasonably priced with good
service to boot, this place should do well. II
Caffe Milano • 28875 Franklin Road
(at 12 Mile and Northwestern Hwy.) • Southfield
(248) 208-7500
JNPLATINUM • DECENIBER
2 004
• 5