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True Blue

For 30 years, Blue Nile has served authentic Ethiopian cuisine.

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ne of the best-regarded adven-
vegetarian dishes the likes of
tures in authentic ethnic dining
which might never have been
is unknown to those who have
tasted before being a huge
never eaten it.
favorite ... A typical order for
But true Ethiopian dining ranks among
two might include poultry,
the better-admired and enjoyed culinary
lamb or beef dishes and a
experiences by those who have tasted the
couple of vegetables ... Unless,
wonderful, exotic and healthy food of
of course, all vegetables are
Ethiopia.
requested.
Locally, considered one of the best expo-
Blue Nile, by the way, is
nents of Ethiopian dining is the lauded
also noted for its authentic
Blue Nile Restaurant on Nine Mile Road,
Ethiopian honey wine and
west of Woodward, Ferndale.
Ethiopian tea that, throughout
Celebrating its 30th anniversary, Blue
the years, have received many accolades.
Nile is as realistic as it gets ... And this
Open six days a week, Monday-
is good because the Ethiopian food and
Thursday 5-10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday,
dining experience is extremely enjoyable
4-11 p.m., seating is for 90 plus another
when presented with definite authenticity.
nine stools at the bar.
From the moment that folks having a
Being a former head chef in Ethiopia
first-time visit are seated at small chairs
for Hilton International, Seifu is very well
with little glass-top tables
versed in the cook-
on the side for the excel-
ing and presentation
lent Ethiopian wine and
of authenticity when
wonderful Ethiopian tea, a
it comes to accurate
momentous and enjoyable
Ethiopian presentation
occurrence has begun.
... Blue Nile Restaurant
The charm of Ethiopian
is a wonderfully good
dining presents folks with
..„4 representative of this
a rare chance to enjoy the
standout centuries-old
food of one of civilization's
and highly honored
oldest cultures ... very
culture.
Blue Nile own ers Fetlework
healthy and tasty ... At
MANY FOLKS WILL
and Seifu Les sanework
the start, diners are given
recognize two familiar
hot towels, premises-made injera bread
faces at the recently opened Bella Piatta
that serves as both plate and utensil, upon
Italian restaurant on Townsend, between
which food is mounded for consumption
Pierce and Henrietta, Birmingham.
on a hand-woven wicker table with wicker
Nino Cutraro, owner with wife,
top to keep it warm ... Diners break off
Elizabeth, is the same personable gent who
small pieces of the flat, porous, unleavened owned Bacci Abracci years back on Pike
bread and scoop up pieces of the chicken,
Street in Pontiac.
beef, lamb or vegetarian favorites.
His fine general manager at Bella Piatta,
Owned by Ethiopian Jews Seifu and
Ken Mazziota, was a five-year server at
Fetlework Lessanework, Blue Nile cel-
Golden Mushroom in Southfield and
ebrates its 30-year anniversary having
an eight-year bar manager at Tribute in
Farmington Hills before becoming dining
served almost a quarter-million people
who dined on a healthy menu of lean beef,
room manager at the prestigious upscale
skinless chicken, fresh vegetables, etc.
restaurant.
Ordering at Blue Nile is easy ... with
Opened recently, Bella Piatta features

Kids eat for
$1.99* off the
Kid's menu
Mon &Tuesday

numerous authentic Italian
dishes prepared by its Venice,
Italy, born-and-raised execu-
tive chef, Francesco Apollonia
... Items like Bistecca
Fiorentina (a 32-ounce porter-
house steak grilled according
to Italian regulations), rose-
mary and garlic roasted quail,
and Salatino Ferrarese (finely
ground northern Italian sau-
sage, bechamel and truffle in
puff pastry with arugula and
fennel) ... As far as I know, these items
are not seen on any Italian menu in this
region ... About the Bistecca Fiorentina, in
Italy, it must be the loin's center cut, mini-
mum weight of 32 ounces, Angus beef,
hormone- and antibiotic-free ... If any of
these requirements are not met, the term
Bistecca Fiorentina cannot be used.
Best sellers at Bella Piatta are easily
recognizable ... linguini with white or red
clam sauce, veal saltimbocca, mozzarella
burrata and "day boat" scallops with par-
mesan cheese and brandy.
Its daily specials include selections
that range from seafood to whole fish,
meats and regional pasta preparations
... Signature dishes are its Carpaccio of
Octopus and its Spaghetti Busara with
lobster tail.
Bella Piatta seats 65 in a six-day-a-week
operation ... Lunch, Tuesday-Friday, 11-3;
dinner, Tuesday-Thursday 5-10; Friday
and Saturday until 11.
READER MINI REVIEW ... from
Dennis Silber ... "Maybe now we won't
have to hear the expression, 'With all
our great restaurants in Boca Raton and
Delray Beach, Fla., I still yearn for a great
Lafayette or American Coney Island
from Detroit: Detroit Coneys have come
to Delray Beach at the Grand Tavern on
Linton Boulevard.
"Every week, plenty of hot dogs and
chili are flown in. Debbie and I and oodles
of Detroiters here went there recently and

the Coneys were just like back home in
Detroit. Same for the delicious chili fries.
The dogs were as we always knew them,
as were the fresh-cut onions, the bun and
that special chili from National Chili.
"Although their present plan is to make
Sundays Coney Days, because of the new-
found popularity, they are considering
spreading the Coneys to other days of
the week. The Grand Tavern selections
here are not only about Coneys. We also
sampled a few of their 10 different fresh
salads, French onion soup and some of
their large variety of pasta, fresh fish and
steak choices"
QUESTION & ANSWER DEPT....
"Weren't Caesar salads at one time banned
by the health department? ... Ruthe

Grossman.

[No, in most states it was just the use
of wooden bowls. But in the late 1990s,
California did have a new health law ban-
ning the sale of any food that had raw
eggs as an ingredient. The law was soon
revised, I believe in 1998, and the situation
remedied.]
OLDIE BUT GOODIE DEPT. ... A
Jewish gangster was dining at a kosher res-
taurant when members of the mob burst
in and shot him full of lead. He managed
to stagger out of the restaurant and stum-
bled up the street to where his mother
lived. Clutching his bleeding stomach, he
crawled up the stairs and banged on the
door of his mother's apartment, screaming
"Mama! Mama! Help me, Mama!"
His mother opened the door, eyed him
up and down and said, "Bubbeleh, come
in. First you eat, then we talk".
CONGRATS ... To Joyce Torby on her
60th birthday ... To David Sachs on his
62th birthday ... To Art Dubin on his
birthday ... To Grace Goodman on her
95th birthday ... To Paul and Ruth Chosid
on their 46th anniversary.

❑

Danny's email address is

dannyraskin@sbcglobal.net.

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