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Pasta And Present!

For 26 years, delighted diners have returned again and again to Alfoccino.

T

heir only previous restaurant
children's menu, reason-
ownership experience was a small able prices, a good menu of
pizza operation in Oak Park and
ethnic favorites that include
a carryout in Southfield ... But determina- its own baked polo rigatoni
tion here weighed heavily against the odds
topped with grilled chicken
that so often prevent restaurant success
and mozzarella cheese, etc.
with little previous ownership experience.
... The bottled salad dress-
As a result, Alfoccino on the corner of
ing is also shipped to former
Haggerty and Grand River, Farmington
customers in other states who
Hills, is celebrating its 26th anniversary by
miss its goodness.
brothers Frank and Tony Shustari and Kay
It is open seven days a
Tavakoli ... What originally began as a lit-
week, Monday-Friday, 11
tle Italian restaurant with seating for only
a.m.-10 p.m.; Saturday 3-11
65 in a single room, today seats around
p.m.; Sunday from 3 p.m.
200 in three softly-lit and well-appointed
The Alfoccino story has been so success-
rooms plus another 25 at an outdoor patio. ful that another location was founded in
It is estimated that since opening,
Auburn Hills, named Loccino Italian Grill
Alfoccino has welcomed almost 1.5 mil-
and Bar, taking over the site once occu-
lion people to enjoy its premises-made
pied by the posh Troy Palm Restaurant on
best sellers of chicken piccata, lasagna,
Crooks.
pizza, fresh whitefish, fettuccini Alfredo,
Frank and Tony are remembered by
etc., including more than 40,000 gallons of many as the first male waiters at the one-
soup among amazing num-
time Mitch's Tavern ... Good
bers hardly expected when
wholesome food adeptly
the restaurant first opened.
served has been like a way
Not uncommon for cus-
of life for Frank and Tony,
tomers who have moved
whose Mitch's experience
out of the Michigan area is
in Keego Harbor years ago
to make Alfoccino a must-
brought valuable knowledge
visit when returning to this
that today brings their res-
area to enjoy the home-style
taurant customers appreci-
cooking they experienced for
ated adventures in good,
Frank and To ny Shustari
so many years there ... Not
down-to-earth, home-style
on the menu but also avail-
Italian dining.
able are its wheat pasta and gluten-free
READER MINI REVIEW ... by Geri
rice pasta ... Plus traditional veal features,
Margolis ... "A recent visit by four in our
barbecue ribs with Alfoccino's house-made party to Roma Cafe on Riopelle in Detroit
dressing, etc.
was enormously satisfying. Upon arriving
An important facet of a family restau-
for our reservations, we encountered a
rant is that one of the owners is always at
restaurant filled to the walls with diners,
the location ... This in Alfoccino's instance including large parties of families, but
is with strict adherence ... Other attri-
were immediately seated. We thoroughly
butes of a family-style dining operation
appreciated the unbelievably fine wait
is the making of its own sauce, which the
staff, still attired in tuxedos and extremely
partners bottle and sell, as well as baking
efficient.
its own bread and garlic sticks, a separate
"David Roberts had what he said were

.

absolutely excellent small perch
fillets. My veal Milanese was
easily one of the best I have ever
had. Mariam and Lew Davis
both completely enjoyed out- .
standing filet mignons prepared
exactly to their liking and cut
with butter-like consistency.
"All our dinners were deli-
cious and came with ample
accompaniments of soup, salad
and side of pasta. Of course,
we had to have the delicious
Alinosi's spumoni for dessert.
"It was like step back in time, but the
quality of food and delightful old ambi-
ence of Roma Cafe continue to make up a
wonderfully enjoyable vise
MAIL DEPT.... "I agree with almost
everything you wrote about Beau Jack's in
Bloomfield Township, with one exception.
That their Maurice salad, which I love, is
an 'exact replica' of the one served at J.L.
Hudson's. Everything else about the salad
at Beau Jack's is terrific, but I miss the
small, sweet gherkin pickles that Hudson's
had on their salad. The wait staff at Beau
Jack's graciously provides me with pickle
relish, but it just isn't the same." ... Susan
Rogers
FINE GESTURE by Detroit Prime,
Northwestern Highway, Farmington Hills,
is the 25 percent of all sales, both lunch
and dinner, being given Wednesday, Oct.
3, in a fundraiser to help support the fam-
ily of recently fatally shot West Bloomfield
Officer Patrick O'Rourke.
GOOD WAITRESS DEPT. ... Gina
Ahnen, the favorite of so many at Pepino's
in Walled Lake, is one of the most asked-
for waitpersons in this area ... Her smil-
ing efficiency, very personable ways and
concern for complete satisfaction of her
valued customers are valuable traits so
responsible for innumerous return visits to
Pepino's.

MAKING ROUNDS ... To Root
Restaurant & Bar, White Lake, for smoked
fish with creme fraiche ... To Thai Bistro,
Canton, for drunken noodles with shrimp
and wine.
BIG HIT AGAIN at the recent
annual open house tasting of her High
Holiday food by Shirlee Bloom's Kitchen
at Vineyards on Northwestern Hwy.,
Farmington Hills, was Shirlee's award-
winning vegetarian chopped liver ... The
capacity crowd ate it with gusto as is, on
crackers or challah, along with other good-
ies without charge.
It was all-you-can-eat of the chicken
soup, mushroom barley soup, kugels,
stuffed cabbage, meatballs, etc., plus
house-made strudel and seven-layer cake
... enough to fill plates and return for
more.
OLDIE BUT GOODIE DEPT. ... A
mother and her small son are walking
along the ocean shore when a large wave
comes in and washes the boy out to sea
... The woman screams, but no one is
near, and she can't swim ... Her son's head
bobs up and down as he cries for help and
moves farther from shore.
Desperate, she sinks to her knees in
the sand, pleading with God for mercy ...
She swears she will devote herself to good
causes and be faithful in attending syna-
gogue if God will spare her child.
Suddenly another huge wave crashes in
and puts her son, wet but unhurt on the
sand ... She lifts her face above, extends
both arms and cries, "He had a hat!"
CONGRATS ... To Hope "Cookie"
Chimoff on her birthday ... To Bruce
Adelman on his 58th birthday ... To Kim
Metzger on her birthday ... To Sharon
Bidlofsky on her birthday ... To Louise
Abrams on her birthday.

Danny's email address is

dannyraskin@sbcglobahnet.

AMERICAN PRIME. ITALIAN FLAVOR.
"I promise you authentically
wonderful food and the very best dining
in Metro Detroit. Buon Appetito!"

NOW OPEN.
visiT ANDIAmorrALIA,com/hm,
To viEw mENu

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September 27 • 2012

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