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• H Ar„. & Entertainment
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T HE BEST OF EVERYTHING
Black Tuxes, White Truffles
Excellent service and elegant dining thrive at II Posto.
E
legance with creative culinary
tones and heavy touches of
authenticity combine to make
it one of Michigan's finest upscale Italian
restaurants.
This despite the fact that changing of
ownership sometimes brings disadvan-
tages because of food, decor and service
alterations that ooze into what might have
previously been a smoothly run operation.
Since opening Nov. 8, 1997, Il Posto,
now in new hands as it celebrates its ninth
anniversary on Franklin Road east of
Northwestern Hwy., Southfield, continues
to maintain a successful pattern of serv-
ing haute cuisine.
If anything, though, the Il Posto change
in ownership might have brought dis-
tinct advantages ... For one, the service,
although considered among the finest
around, seems now to be more cheer-
ful and pleasant ... and the addition of
a world-noted chef to be its corporate
executive chef in togetherness with the
excellent offering of Il Posto's chef since
its '97 opening, Daniele Dell'Acqua, is by
no means a small added feature.
Little touches like the addition of soup
or salad to lunch entrees instead of a la
carte offerings and sandwiches new to its
menu have also opened the door for even
more changes.
Award-winning Executive Chef Matteo
Giuffrida, whose meal preparations were
among White House favorites of President
Ronald and Nancy Reagan, and a guest list
that reads like a who's who in show busi-
ness, sports and politics, is new owner
Tony Gioutsos' corporate chef for its 140-
seat Il Posto, 200-seat Pi Restaurant across
the street and 450-seat Pi Ballroom.
Chef Matteo speaks five languages
(Italian, English, Spanish, German and
French) and is one of
Gourmet magazine's top
international choices ...
along with being named
one of America's "Best
Chefs” by the Academy of
Restaurants and Hospitality
Guide among his numer-
ous awards and published
accolades.
He even sings, and one
never knows when Matteo
will be on hand to break out
into song.
And there is affable Rito Lissi, at Il
Posto since its opening, the last four years
its general manager ... His knowledge
of wines is well-noted, especially by vino
aficionados.
European dining service has been
retained with graceful tableside class,
in addition to many dining selections
seldom if ever found, including the rare
Bresaola Della Valtellina appetizer of
cured beef served in an extra virgin olive
oil sauce, or Carpaccio a la Piedmontese,
thin filet slices with parmigiana and
truffle oil.
The onetime street-level locale of
Vineyards Annex, Benny's, Marlowe's,
Salvatore Scaloppini, Mardi Gras, etc., is
warmly beautiful ... Five large fully pad-
ded gold-tone booths, mahogany furni-
ture, white linen tablecloths and napkins,
orange-painted brick, dark walls, etc.,
presents an authentic Italian atmosphere
of striking simplicity.
Tuxedoed servers, trained in Italy,
proudly bring out Italian white truffles
that are found in very few restaurants and
Italian-grown porcini mushrooms along
with dinner choices like Scaloppini Al
Barolo E Funghi Porcini (veal scaloppini
sauteed in a Barolo wine sauce
and fine Porcini mushrooms)
and Rossini filet (foie gras,
cognac, vodka and the white
truffles).
Nothing is pre-made ... every-
thing prepared to order in the
six-day operation, closed Sundays
... Monday-Thursday, lunch
11:30-3, dinner 5:30-10; Friday,
lunch 11:30-3, dinner 5:30-11;
Saturday, dinner only, 5:30-11.
Being in an esteemed class has
brought Il Posto Ristorante a variety of
accolades ... That it is even better than
before is high praise.
WHAT ORIGINALLY WAS just a
test in December until the end of 2006
was so successful that upscale Tribute
Restaurant, 12 Mile, west of Orchard Lake
Road, Farmington Hills, will continue
doing what it had never done before ...
Serve lunch ... It is now a regular dining
staple Mondays through Fridays, 11:30-2.
... Eight excellent entrees with well-cho-
sen accompaniments, plus soup or salad
and coffee, tea or lemonade, $20.
THEY LEFT THIS area and spent 15
years eating delicatessen food in Florida
... Now Ada and Kal Bandalene are
back living in West Bloomfield, and after
favorites in and around their former Ft.
Lauderdale home, like Toojays and Best
Deli, they say, "a return to the finest deli-
catessens anywhere, like Deli Unique of
West Bloomfield!'
MAIL DEPT. ... "Read your piece
on Las Vegas. Loved it! Just had a corned
beef sandwich at the Stage Deli in Caesars
Palace. Still open! Of course nothing
compares to the delis back in Detroit,
and I sure do miss Larry Topor's pickles.
Nothing like them." ... Eli Morris, for-
mer Detroiter, now a Las Vegan.
"I was very disappointed to read that
our favorite deli in Las Vegas was closed.
Therefore, my wife and I changed our
daily morning routine of eating breakfast
at Stage Deli in Caesars Palace and found a
deli in Mirage and one at Treasure Island.
[Carnegie Deli is at Mirage and Canter's is
in Treasure Island.] On our third day we
walked through the Forum only to find
Stage of New York well and alive. The next
morning we ate at Stage and inquired
if they had closed or were under new
ownership. The cashier indicated that she
has been working there for over 12 years
and the present owner has owned it for
15 years. Please let your Jewish News
readers know that they can still patronize
the Stage of New York in Caesars Forum."
... Sander and Barbara Papo, West
Bloomfield.
ONE OF THE customers years back
at the Charterhouse Barbershop when
on Nine Mile Road in Southfield, asked
owner Al Nettle, who the little girl was in
the next chair ... "That's my daughter:'
he said proudly, as little 8-year-old Kathy
Nettle styled her Barbie Doll's hair ...
Today, as Kathy Anderson, she recently
graduated with cosmetologist certifica-
tion, and is at Clippers Barber Salon in
Applegate Square, Southfield ... styling
hair on real people.
CONGRATS ... To Rose Neuman
on her birthday ... To Helen Lang on
her birthday ... To Herman Broder on
his birthday ... To Evelyn Pevos on her
92nd birthday ... To Sue Garfinkle on her
birthday ... To Esther and Nathan Katz on
their 65th anniversary. In,
Danny's e-mail address is
dannyraskin@sbcglobaLnet.
111
A
■ BBQ Grill on the Table
■ Best Sushi Bar in Town
■ Traditional Floor
Sitting Rooms Available
10%
off
TOTAL
your
'2
OFF
food bill
ANY TIME
Dine in only • Not good with any otter offer expires 1131107
4b
Ne,w Seouf Garden
•
Authentic Korean & Japanese Cuisine
Phone (248) 827-1600
www.newseoulgarden.com
newseoulehotmail.com
Open Daily
Catering Available
27566 Northwestern Hwy.
(337te
rass PointegiTood 7.q1". c66
24234 Orchard Lake Rd., N.E. corner of 10 Mile • 476-1377
January 110 2007
45