Arts & Entertainment
THE BEST OF EVERYTHING
A Dream Fulfilled
Innovation and excellence propel Cafe Cortina to near five-star status.
R
ecently passing the date of its
with much development by their
its appreciative clientele no
31st anniversary, it is hard to
son Adrian who with mother,
end ... Like the branzino,
believe that there may still be
Rina, has given the restaurant
somewhat on the order of
some people who have yet to hear of this
its world-class note.
European sea bass, fresh
remarkable restaurant.
That Cafe Cortina has steadily
white truffles utilized mainly
Certainly, they are far in the minority
grown into one of near five-star
in the pasta and risotto
and rarely take in folks who consider din-
status is due to the continued
dishes at Cafe Cortina, being
ing out a desired pastime.
hard work and devotion of
the only Michigan restaurant
Rina and the late Adriano Tonon had
Adriano, Rina and Adrian, who
serving head-on langous-
Danny Raskin
purchased parcels of land on 10 Mile
have carried the torch so admi-
tines
marinated, grilled and
Senior Columnist
in Farmington Hills in 1970 after being
rably in the restaurant's skyward
dipped in an herbed lemon,
informed that Interstate 696 was planned
rise.
olive oil infusion ... A very
for the locale ... However, the express-
"Much has been written about Cafe
popular item among many at Cafe Cortina
way was eventually built near 12 Mile,
Cortina and the family," says Adrian. "My
is the excellent Piedmontese beef brushed
instead, and the Tonons were left holding
father, the chefs and all the staff over the
with truffle butter.
an almost empty bag ... But they had a
years are only second to my wonderful
Throughout the years, Metropolitan
dream and were hellbent to make it come
mother, Rina. She is the reason why we are Detroit has been blessed with many
true regardless of banks and people saying so successful. She has endured great loss
of the nation's finest restaurants ...
they had ridden on the wrong track.
in her life, and when many would put their When food writer, author and recog-
So when Dec. 21, 1976, rolled around,
heads down, mother rolled up her sleeves
nized father of American gastronomy
the doors of their new Ristorante Cafe
and dedicated herself to this business.
James Beard once made his statement
Cortina, 10 Mile just east of Orchard Lake
She is a role model, a leader, a magnifi-
of Detroit being a premier culinary city,
Road, were opened ... Since then, as Cafe
cent businesswomen, an amazing mother,
Cafe Cortina hadn't yet been born ... If
Cortina's culinary reputation continually
friend and true restaurateur in every sense Beard were alive today, he would eas-
gathered steam, customers from all over
of the word."
ily rank it among the country's tops ...
the world have come to dine at Rina and
Cafe Cortina has received such acclaim
Truly a magnificent credit to an amazing
Adriano's dream ... In fact, the number of that it has become old hat for Chef Jeffrey
and wonderful family, whose mother and
customers who have enjoyed the gastro-
Hoffa and his staff to fulfill the wishes of
son have taken Ristaurante Cafe Cortina
nomic excellence has reached well over a
customers for dishes they have enjoyed
far beyond the "romantic dining" reputa-
million people.
elsewhere in the world if ingredients are
tion into an upper echelon of outstand-
Adriano passed on in February 1993,
on hand ... Adrian estimates that almost
ing cuisine.
but not before still another fervent ambi-
200,000 pounds just of homemade pasta
GOOD WAITRESS DEPT. ... From
tion had also been achieved ... Cafe
(gnocchi, tagliatelle, ravioli) not includ-
Gerald Manko ... about Karen Fisher,
Cortina followed the idea of Rina's mother, ing already prepared, has been sold, plus
who has been serving two generations
Tina Bisilico, who with her husband,
about 300,000 pounds each of veal, steak
at Embers Deli on Lahser and Maple ...
Gaetano, had a vegetable garden years
and fish.
"Karen has been at Embers for over 20
ago by their Rina's Pizzeria on Schaefer in
The award-winning restaurant's acco-
years, stopping just long enough to have
Detroit ... In back at Cafe Cortina is the
lades are many ... but rather than rest
two offspring. She knows many customers
more lavish and larger "baby" that Adriano on its laurels, Cafe Cortina continues to
by name and their eating preferences, and
planted and loved ... Now still cultivated
come up with innovative items that please has a consistent pleasant demeanot"
MANY OF THE doctors and their wives
who attended the bash love to dance ...
but music was only during cocktails and
hors d'oeuvres, not after dinner, so the
terpsi-loving docs and spouses had to get
their exercise elsewhere ... Some still ask
why there's never dancing after dinner ...
If a person is feeling punk, not a bad idea
to be among the bevy of medic gents who
were at this past summer's Pathfinders
in Medicine black-tie shindig by Wayne
State University School of Medicine ...
2007's locale was Greektown's Atheneum
Hotel ... The 2006 event was held at the
Detroit Institute of Arts ... Proceeds from
the annual Pathfinder's dinner are used to
fund student scholarships at the medical
school.
LOST & FOUND DEPT. ... Gold ring
found at Sposita's Ristorante, Farmington
Hills ... Call Joe or Lois Sposita, (248)
538-8954.
CONGRATS ... To Alice Arfa on her
70th birthday ... To Sy Warshawsky on his
birthday ... To Ruth Finke on her birth-
day ... To Larry Garfinkle on his 50th
birthday ... To Norman Wauldron on his
birthday ... To William Elson on his 60th
birthday ... To Nadine Tack on her birth-
day ... To Eddie Cohen on his birthday
... To Paula Duke on her birthday ... To
Seymour Stone on his 75th birthday ... To
Sylvia Kasoff on her 83rd birthday ... To
Herman Kasoff on his 83rd birthday ... To
Lili Ann Camden on her 70th birthday ...
To Sylvia and Herman Kasoff on their 60th
anniversary. 0
Danny's e-mail address is
dannyraskin@sbcglobaLnet.
Warm up with Bloom's Chicken Soup
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