arts & entertainment >> the best of everything Flaming Desires Steven Lelli's Inn brings outdoor flambe dining to Farmington Hills. D on't call out the fire brigade ... large throw carpeting, heavy The new "in" restaurant is not wicker cocktail tables with up in flames ... Those blazes are glass tops, nine large, lighted from the welcomed addition to offerings at white globes outlining the one of this area's much talked-about din- terrace railing, potted plants, ing emporiums. spotlights shining on the golf Along with its authenticity of presenta- course trees, non-slip new tions duplicating dishes served at the for- cement flooring, etc. mer wonderful Lelli's Inn on Woodward, If desired, diners may also Steven Lelli's Inn On The Green, Golf have their original Lelli's veg- Pointe Boulevard, between Halsted etarian Minestrone soup with and Haggerty, Farmington Hills, comes or without cream and butter, Tableside Flaming on the Terrace. entree and accompaniments in the dining room or on the Even the man on the moon must be impressed with all the flaming elegance large outdoor terrace ... and their entrees, desserts and drinks (flaming or regular) that is now also presented ... with choices of flambeed dishes that include ... pan- also either on the terrace or in the dining roasted veal chop, Chateaubriand, Chicken room ... at no extra charge ... Same for Marengo, Steak Diane ... Summer Berry the complete "think-thin" dinner of soup Jubilee, Pineapple or Salad Lelli, entree with Tropicale, Bananas vegetable and potato ... Foster, Cherries Jubilee or complete six-course ... Dover sole (not meal that also includes flamed, but deboned antipasto appetizer plate, tableside). soup, salad Lelli, entree, Plus the regular sump- spaghetti Bolognese and tuous Steven Lelli's Inn dessert ... plus the potato menu. and vegetable. Flaming tableside by Other than the lunch or dinner dining, wed- tuxedoed waitpersons on the 100-seat outdoor Steven Lelli's Inn co-owners dings on the downstairs balcony patio is adjacent Fran and Mark Zarkin enjoy Copper Creek Golf to the luxurious-looking wine on the Flaming Terrace Course lawn or on the Steven Lelli's dining terrace are certainly con- room ... The elegant upper-level outdoor ducive to the beginning of a romantic life terrace is, without much doubt, among ... with the joyous receptions held on the those considered the most beautiful and terrace and beautiful downstairs patio. spacious in this region. Entertainment on the Flaming Terrace is The outdoor terrace at Steven Lelli's Tuesday through Saturday evenings, with Inn On The Green has the no-expense- soft melodic contemporary jazz styled for spared look of total comfort and dining listening pleasure. enjoyment under the stars ... It's striking A standout feature like flambeed feast- ambience is replete with more than 10 ing is without doubt among the gracious tall Lava Italia heat lamps with high- goodness pluses of upscale dining ... contained flames, two fire pits, colored There is no in between ... Tableside flam- lights, red-and-white table umbrellas, ing should be done correctly ... At Steven Lelli's Inn On The Green, it is properly heavy black wicker padded chairs and set- tees, red throw pillows, red table lamps, presented with much class amid the ele- gantly beautiful surrounding. Flaming dishes add to the showing off of Steven Lelli's Inn's fine dining versatility, both inside and outside, with- out the presence of needless overly high prices. READER MINI REVIEW ... From Susan Sherbow ... "It is all about the show at the Katana Nu-Asian steakhouse on South Main, Royal Oak. When your waitperson asks whether you liked the show not the food, you know what the objective is. Young or old, the show is enjoyable. Mark and I never tire of the whoosh of fire to start the grill, the stacked onion volcano, or the toss of a shrimp tail into the chef's hat. His knife tossing reminded me of the gun slinging in an old cowboy movie. The food is good and includes a salad with a refreshing sweet ginger dressing, a shrimp appetizer and miso soup. On the hibachi, you have a choice of meats, fish, seafood or tofu, cooked with vegetables and served with white or fried rice and three sauces. You can also get all veg- etables or Portobello mushrooms on the grill. I prefer to choose from the Bistro menu. On our last visit, I chose crispy battered fish tacos topped with an Asian slaw and served with a cilantro salsa. Even though the show is the thing, the food here is good, too:' HEAVY FAVORITE of many, those deli- cious soft shell crabs are in season and a big special through the end of July at Pasta Fagioli restaurant, Square Lake Road, just east of Telegraph, in the Sugar Tree Plaza, Bloomfield Hills. FORMER FISH CHEF at the Lark restaurant in West Bloomfield, Marvin Silk, has made a career about-face kitchen move ... He is now the executive chef at West Bloomfield's Twin Beach Country Club on Glascott Road, near Haggerty and Richardson ... Marty Rosenbloom is membership chairman of the small 83-year-old club. QUESTION & ANSWER DEPT ..."Why do you write so many times about different restaurants having anni- versary celebrations?" ... Lillian Gendle (and more). [I am a big advocate of dining spots that celebrate birthdays ... There is so much to running a restaurant that those eateries who continue having anniversa- ries must be doing a lot of good things right ... And the longer they stay open, the prouder I am of them.] DATE OF 12th ANNUAL W.J. and Lillian Kemler Walk of Ages this year is Sunday, Aug. 18, at the Eugene & Marcia Applebaum Campus of West Bloomfield's Jewish Community Center on Drake ... Grand Marshall will be Maggi Savage and chairfolks Wendy Kippleman, Linda Solomon and Nori Rubin. OLDIE BUT GOODIE DEPT ... The wealthy manufacturer regarded the young man pleading for his daughter's hand with deep suspicion ... "I wonder," he said, "if you'd be so anxious to marry my Rosalie if I didn't have a penny?" ... The young man excitedly replied, "I think I'd love her twice as much:' "Get out:' cried the manufacturer. "We've got enough idiots in this family already!" CONGRATS ... To Newton Berlin on his birthday ... To Jerry Chudler on his birthday ... To Angelo Georgizas on his birthday ... To Darline Leader on her birthday ... To Al Gussin on his birthday ... To Nate Rubin on his 90th birthday ... To Naureen "Nori" and Larry Rubin on their 32nd anniversary ... To Melvin and Marilyn Rothenberg on their 60th anni- versary ... To William "Bill" and Carolyn Nosanchuck on their 60th anniversary. ❑ Danny's email address is dannyraskin®sbcglobaLnet. DISCOVER ANDIAMO'S NEWEST TASTE EXPERIENCE EXPLORE OUR PREMIUM MENU AT AN DIAMOITALIA.COM/STEAKHOUSE 6676 TELEGRAPH ROAD IN BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP FOR RESERVATIONS CALL (248) 865-9300 48 June 6 • 2013 JN