FOOD
FOODIE
Mike Larco's A La Carte
By Esther Allweiss Ingber
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Fresh Mid-Eastern Cuisine
6096 West Maple Rd.
(at Farmington)
West Bloomfield
248.539.0505
Open 7 days a week for lunch & dinner
www.aloumararestaurant.com
58 September 2013 I
RED THREAD
mmigrant Ernesto Larco's authen-
tic Italian recipes and traditions
made him an outstanding restau-
rateur in New England. In 1952, sons
Pete, Nick and Mike Larco in Detroit
parlayed the family legacy to suc-
cess at Larco's Inn on West McNich-
ols, west of Livernois.
Other eateries with the Larco
name came and went during the
following years, but since October
2012, the next delicious chapter
for the family is written six nights a
week at Mike Larco's A La Carte in
Sylvan Lake.
The down-to-earth Mike Larco
learned the business working
alongside his father, Pete, and
uncles. Mike also spent several years
cooking at Lelli's, another landmark
Detroit restaurant, founded by his
Uncle Nerio and Aunt Irene (former-
ly Larco) Lelli. That's a heritage!
With partners Paul Mousley han-
dling front-of-the-house duties and
Mike's wife, Tori (Stollman) Larco,
helping in various ways, Mike Larco's
A La Carte is a casual, sit-down Ital-
ian American chophouse. What's dif-
ferent is that the menu of traditional
specialties was redesigned to serve
a new kind of clientele. Instead of
offering multiple courses, the "a la
carte" in the restaurant's name refers
to diners' ability to put together
smaller, less wasteful meals at often
more affordable prices.
"If you ordered a tossed salad for
$3.50, chicken Marsala for $10.25
and had a glass of one of our house
wines for $5, you could get away
with dinner for under $20," said
Larco. As restaurant general man-
ager, he oversees the kitchen and
cooking staff of Marty Cardella and
Adrian Sanchez.
The same meal, Larco said, costs
even less during "Happy Hour" —
3-6 p.m. Tuesday-Friday — when
house wines are reduced to $3 a
glass. Discounts on premium wines
and beers are also offered. Several
entrees are $4.95 then, the same
price charged for children's menu
meals.
Mike Larco's prides itself on using
higher-grade choice beef, such as
in its tasty Bolognese sauce. At least
10 sauces are available, including ar-
rabiata, primavera and my personal
favorite, palmina. This "signature
sauce" consisting of napolitano,
marinara, parmesan and cream is
divine over pasta or chicken.
Carnivores enjoy different styles
of beef tenderloin for $11.75 and
veal for $12.50,
including choice
of sauce. The rightfully
famous Zip really enhanced the fla-
vor of my small, perfectly prepared
filet. Zip sauce, said Larco, was a
"Larco-Lelli collaboration."
Lamb chops, rib-eye steak, filets,
a house burger and several styles of
chicken complete the meat selec-
tions. On the seafood side, three
items are whitefish, mussels and
breaded Shrimp Mike Larco, made
with garlic, lemon and white wine.
Sides and additions to meals are
plentiful. To name a few, there are
Italian sausage, Anna potato, risotto
and various sauteed vegetables.
The appetizer list has antipasto for
1, consisting of shrimp, salami, moz-
zarella cheese, carrots, pepperoncini
and celery, and also popular tender-
loin tips and Spiedini, mozzarella-
layered bread with chopped green
olives, lemon, garlic and wine sauce.
Among two soups available, one
is always minestrone with kidney
beans. It tastes just as this classic
should. Salad selections include
summery Caprese, featuring toma-
toes, mozzarella, basil, pesto and ol-
ive oil. Among the salad add-ons are
chicken, anchovies and crumbled
bleu cheese.
For those who'd rather not build
their own dinner, a chalkboard lists
several entrees, such as horseradish-
encrusted salmon, plus accompani-
ments.
There's a daily"chef's featured
dessert," or stick to the menu's
sweet treats. My recommendation
is the luscious spumoni, all-natural,
molded ice cream made by Larco's
half-sister, Marie Palazzolo, in
Fennville. It's a product of her Palaz-
zolo's Artisan Gelato & Sorbetto
label, distributed by Sysco Corp.
A long bar visible upon entering
serves to divide the restaurant's
two main dining rooms; one is a
little more formal than the other.
Some tables sport inlaid wood de-
signs. Mike Larco's offers a banquet
room, and catering and carryout
services are other strengths of the
business. RT
MIKE LARGO'S A LA CARTE
2440 Orchard Lake Road
Sylvan Lake, MI 48320
(248) 682-9500
www.mikelarcos.com
$$1/2 out of $$$$$
www.redthreadmagazine.com