Arts & Entertainment
THE BEST OF EVERYTHING
All Piedmontese, All The Time
La Bistecca celebrates its 10th year serving leaner beef.
B
eing the first restaurant in the
country to use only its highly
popular type beef has given it a
second name ... And one by which many
people have become accustomed to calling
the restaurant.
La Bistecca, Plymouth Road between
Newburgh and Haggerty in Livonia, cel-
ebrating its 10th anniversary on Dec. 21,
has received much acclaim as the House of
Piedmontese, which meat it uses exclusively
... Others may use Piedmontese beef, but
not wholly so.
Piedmontese beef has been analyzed
numerous times, and always comes up
with salient numbers ... 3.5 ounce serv-
ing of Piedmontese beef has 104 calories
compared to 287 for regular beef and 119
for skinless chicken ... cholesterol count of
31.5 to regular beef's 70, etc., with all fig-
ures from accredited research.
In the early 1960s, owner Jerry
Constanza's late dad, Jerry Costanza Sr., and
mother, Joyce, hardly thought of calories or
cholesterol at their little 20-seater pizzeria,
Costanza's Continental Cafe ... But today, at
La Bistecca (Italian for steak), it is consid-
ered with major proportions.
Dining room seating is 100, with the
decor by Joyce and the Costanza family a
relaxed comfort-styled setting of colored
squares and overhead track lights.
Of course, the usual veal, chicken and
fish items found in an Italian restaurant are
also very prevalent, along with fish dishes
like the baked filet of salmon topped with
artichoke pesto crust, and a grilled chicken
breast with portobello mushrooms, aspara-
gus tips and penne pasta ... Another fine
item rarely found at other Italian dining
spots is the Zucca Primavera con Gamberi
al Forno, pan-seared jumbo shrimp, roasted
spaghetti squash, portobello
years ago, popular value leader
mushrooms, tomatoes, yellow
Pepino's destination restaurant,
squash, zucchini, toasted pine
Walled Lake Drive and Pontiac
nuts, marinara and fresh herbs.
Trail, Walled Lake, will open
But USDA Certified
Sundays, 3 to 7:30, as of this
Piedmontese beef has been the
weekend, Dec. 7.
big attraction at La Bistecca,
THE RECENTLY OPENED
with more than 65,000 pounds
Luccino Italian Grill & Bar,
sold in its 10 years to a large
Crooks, North of I-75, Troy, is
Danny Raskin
portion of the more than
dining spot number three for
Senior Columnist
200,000 people that have vis-
popular brothers Tony and
ited the restaurant in that time
Frank Shushtari ... They also
... Open Monday-Friday, 11:30 lunch and
own Alfoccino's on Haggerty and Grand
Monday-Saturday, dinner ... Piano bar
River, Farmington Hills, and Alfoccino's on
entertainment is Tuesday through Saturday. Opdyke in Auburn Hills ... Tony and Frank
"Piedmontese beef is all natural without
are also remembered for their former Pizza
steroids, antibiotics or force feeding;' says
Square on Nine Mile in Oak Park, and Pizza
Gene Baratta, president and CEO of Fairway Square Carry-Out on Telegraph and 10,
Packing, present work home also to Marty
Southfield ... Luccino occupies the former
Wilk, former Excalibur executive chef
Palm location, but not with the same prices.
and owner, which supplies the beef to La
BREADED VEAL cutlets at Golden
Bistecca.
Phoenix, Sugar Tree Plaza, Orchard Lake
Steaks are the big thing at La Bistecca, all
Road, North of 15 Mile, West Bloomfield,
prepared with the Certified Piedmontese beef are from a recipe originated back in the
... house-cut tenderloin, tenderloin tips, New
1940s when it became one of the most
York strip, 20-ounce porterhouse and 24-
requested items on many Chinese menus
ounce cowboy ... Even the Ravioli di Manzo ... Same recipe, different veal ... The meat
is stuffed with the Piedmontese beef.
used by Golden Phoenix is a much higher
There is hardly any doubt that USDA
grade ... And instead of a tomato paste
Certified Piedmontese beef is an excellent
much like tomato soup, owners Shaw and
choice for health-conscious customers ...
Helen Ng accompany the breaded veal and
However it is doubly so with elegant taste
mashed potatoes with a full-bodied tomato
and tenderness that go together with a deli- sauce along with a brown sauce.
cious juiciness.
GOOD WAITRESS DEPT. ... Marla
La Bistecca celebrates a 10th anniver-
Rosberg at Pasta Fagioli, Square Lake Road,
sary on a note of thanks from many but
just east of Telegraph, Bloomfield Hills ...
especially those lovers of steak who have
Personable, on-the-ball efficient and gracious.
previously not indulged too much because
KOSHER CERTIFICATION from inde-
of calorie and cholesterol content.
pendent kashrut supervisor, Conservative
CONTINUOUS REQUESTS by many
Rabbi Jason Miller, is given to Marty's
of its customers will finally become a real-
Cookies, owned by Stacy Fox on 12 Mile,
ity ... For the first time since opening 24
east of Telegraph, Southfield ... It is located
in the same building as Josh Charlip's
Bagel Factory, also kosher certified by
Rabbi Miller ... The label is in accordance
with the Conservative Jewry movement's
designation of kosher foods ... Rabbi
Miller's kashrut certification includes Udipi
Vegetarian Indian restaurant in Farmington
Hills, along with his being the year-round
rabbi of Tamarack Camps and overseeing
its kosher kitchens.
WEST BLOOMFIELD High School's
marching band that took Michigan divi-
sional first place at the Ford Field-held
state finals, included freshman Jared
Kohlenberg on tenor sax ... Jared's dad,
Marty Kohlenberg, is the guest that folks
see taking pictures at community events for
his personal collection.
FORMER DETROITER Les Lee Roland
adds Travel Trade Hall of Fame to her cred-
its, along with Travel Trade Agent of the
Year ... Les Lee and hubby, ex-localite Dr.
Harold Roland, now live in Florida.
COLUMN CLIPPING of Jan. 10, 1947,
comes from Mel Tichik about the 6 -year-old
child prodigy drummer boy (Mel), who put
on a show for the Faygo Beverage Convention
at the old Book-Cadillac Hotel ... "I still
have the original drum set my grandpar-
ents bought me in 1946',' says Mel,"and I
occasionally go down in the basement to
prove that I can still make some noise."
CONGRATS ... To Lary Goldman on his
49th birthday ... To Matt Prentice on his
50th birthday ... To Dr. Larry Miller on his
60th birthday ... To Elaine Faudem on her
75th birthday ... To Sonia Glaser on her
101st birthday.
GET WELL WISHES ... To Leo Ordin. _7_
Danny's e-mail address is
dannyraskin@sbcglobal.net .
201 S Old Woodward Avenue • Birmingham Ml 48009
248.594.7300 • www.forterestaurant.com
December 4 • 2008
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