Arts & Entertainment

ST OF EVERYTHING

Dining Delight

Assaggi Bistro in Ferndale offers unique California and Mediterranean treats.

R

egardless of the times, good, bad
Also on the interesting
or organic maple-mustard
or so-so, it is always with a feeling menu is what many people
salmon or apple cider-braised
of relaxed pleasure to be in the
do not easily find, Bronzino,
short ribs or grilled eggplant,
company of restaurateurs like them ... So
or Mediterranean Sea Bass, a
dessert choice of tiramisu or
much confidence in the present and future sweet and mild-tasting fish
profiterole or Alinosi spumoni
good health of a dining establishment is
with velvety texture and very
in scoops, not square, but
predicated on feelings owned by them.
white meat ... Double-cooked
Alinosi all the same ... $26.95
Such is with Josie Rotondo Knapp and
Moroccan duck legs, organic
per person.
George Gize, owners of Assaggi Bistro
maple-mustard salmon, lentil
Josie and George like to
on W. Nine Mile, about a block west of
pancakes, etc.
say
that their Assaggi Bistro
Danny Raskin
Woodward, corner of Planavon, Ferndale.
Weekly seasonal and year-
"was
conceived from passion,
Senior Columnist
Both are endowed with "old school
round specials include the
dedication, a lot of hard work
thinking" of experienced restaurateurs ...
likes of veal cheeks, apple
and very little money, where
Especially good to know with economic
cider braised short ribs, osso bucco, veal
we could make food that is in season, but
conditions requiring a certain type of
Milanese, veal chop Milanese, lamb shank, mainly the food that people love best.
togetherness between restaurant owner-
fresh Dover sole, wood-fired filet, etc.
Being in tune with our customers is a very
ship and its customers.
And not to forget
big factor, and we love it."
Assaggi, with its
Assaggi's wood burn-
Assaggi is like the offshoot of their
California contempo-
ing oven where the
little four-table restaurant in a Troy gro-
rary and slightly Italian
three gourmet pizzas
cery store that opened back in 1977 ...
styles of cooking with
are made, Pizza Bianca,
When it closed in 1989, George says that
a slight French accent,
Roasted Pear Pizza and
his wish was if ever they opened another
is among those dining
Rosemary Potato and
Mediterranean restaurant, it would have
operations where the
Artichoke Pizza.
an open kitchen and wood burning oven
wants of customers take
Hours are Tuesday-
... That wish came true, but he and Josie
precedence over every-
Thursday, 5-10; Friday-
would be thrilled if it was even partially as
thing else ... This I like.
Saturday, 5-11; Sunday,
good as their little Mediterranean Kitchen
Assaggi owners Josie Rotondo
And to top it off,
4-9,
closed Monday ...
... You might say that their Assaggi Bistro,
Knapp and George Gize
Josie and George abso-
with seating of around
now in its 1 lth year at the Ferndale locale,
lutely stunned me with
96 in the clean dining
has far exceeded that Troy operation and
Ciopinno (fisherman's seafood stew) on
room with its soft look of framed art, tan
the thrill of dining there now also belongs
their menu that included a very tasty
linen napkins and tablecloth, open kitch-
mainly to their customers.
tomato base consistency, second, I felt,
en, etc. ... Also a small bar with choice
MAIL DEPT. ... "My office is within a
only to Tadish Grill in San Francisco ...
wines and liquors.
few hundred yards of the Hunter House in
Assaggi's Ciopinno is chock full of mus-
I don't know how long this will go
Birmingham and during the spring, sum-
sels, clams, calamari, salmon, codfish,
on, but Josie and George are now also
mer and fall, I often leave open the win-
shrimp and Israeli couscous, plus toast
serving plus its regular menu, an excel-
dows to enjoy the aromas enchanting my
for yummy dipping ... The ingredients'
lent four-course prix-fixe dinner on
nose. I don't eat hamburgers as often as I'd
togetherness are from Josie and George's
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and
like due to my wife's constant monitoring
constant desire to give customers some-
Sunday, ... Salad, tomato bisque soup,
of my diet but as many people often say,
thing they can't readily get elsewhere in
pasta Bolognese or butternut squash,
just because you're on a diet doesn't mean
this region.
entree choice of sauteed chicken francese
you can't look at the menu. Depending on

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New Year's Eve 11 Deli to Go
Party Special 11
Specials

see store for more details

expires 1.
/3/1 .
1

I I
11

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❑

Danny's e-mail address is

dannyraskin@sbcglobal.net.

MI.

• 3 Hot & Cold hors d'oeuvres I I Buy 1 lb of Corned Beef, Pastrami or Lean
Turkey Breast
• Premium Deli Tray
11
Feed
up
to
4 for only $15
• Fudge Brownie Dessert
I I Includes 1 lb of coleslaw or 1 IB old fashioned
$9.99 per person
potato salad, Old and new kosher deli pickles,

(10 person min) Order Now!

how the wind blows, the aroma can really
get to you after a while. If it were up to
me, I'd probably eat at Hunter House every
day." ... Jerry Silecchia.
WITH ALL THE talk these days about
destination restaurants, one of many
years ago comes to mind ... A gent's new
wife always wanted to someday cook in
her own restaurant and, having plenty of
money to burn, he opened one up for his
love to make her specialty, meatloaf
It was a one-of-a-kind eatery with just
one entree ... meatloaf ... because that
turned out to be the only dish she could
make.
IT HAD GOTTEN to a point where
only her personal services were requested,
and she had no time for a private life of
travel ... So Vicky Fingeroot closed her
Events & Entertainment company and
went on a freelance business trip to "see
the world" ... This she is doing with
gusto as producer of corporate events,
meetings, etc.
No more weddings as Vicki travels the
world (latest trips to Las Vegas, Florida,
New York, California, Europe) ... Her
talents in the field of events producing
are still strongly requested and fulfilled
just so long as Vicky can still get in her
traveling wants while doing the thing she
loves best.
CONGRATS ... To Al Nettle on his
74th birthday ... To Allan Grundy on his
80th birthday ... To Robert Canvasser
on his 86th birthday ... To Marvin Fink
on his 80th birthday ... To Maury Lewin
on his birthday ... To Jake Fried on her
birthday.

1

LB Jewish Double Baked Rye,
Deli Basket Russian dressing and Mustard

see store for more d e t ai s

expires 1/3/11

MICHI

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32418 Northwestern Hwy. between Middlebelt & 14 Mile

44

December 16 • 2010

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Open
New Year's Day