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A Bit Of Venice In Wham

New Bella Piatti presents Italian dining — Venetian style.

I

talian dining with Venetian touches
another example of that time-
being featured at the small Bella Piatti
old cliche about good things
that opened this past February on
coming in small packages ... At
Townsend, Birmingham, is among the
dinnertime it is not unusual to
newest eatery rages hereabouts.
see six or seven persons at work
Its location across the street from the
putting out the excellent food in
Bella Piatti's small kitchen.
Townsend Hotel has brought numerous
celebrities from the film and sports worlds
Lunch is served Tuesday-
Friday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. ...
... Plus oodles of local citizens who have
discovered Bella Piatti ... One of the movie Dinner is from 5-10 Tuesday-
notables, Mark Wahlberg, here filming
Thursday, and until 11 on
Transformers 4 this past summer, and
Friday and Saturday.
Nino Cutraro, Bella Piatti owner with wife,
The dining room has been
Elizabeth, became close friends.
completely remodeled from its previous
Secretive specialties of Bella Piatti bring
ownership, with owners Nino and Elizabeth
out the Venetian talents of Executive Chef
retaining the Bella Piatti name.
Francesco Apollonia, former chef/owner
Their operations manager, Kevin
of Caffe Orientale restaurant in Venice,
Mazziotta, is the same fine gent with the
Italy, whose dishes are winning much
excellent background that includes Golden
applause ... Like the Gnocchi Faragliona
Mushroom and Tribute headings.
his grandmother used to make (baked
Bella Piatti brings most interesting and
potato dumplings with Bolognese meat
delicious presentations in authentic Italian
sauce and parmesan cheese); Orecchiette
dining ... coupled in so many instances
con Rapini, (Pugliese round pasta, pancetta, with the exceptional touches of Venice.
rapini, olive oil, garlic and
WITH HAMPTON Inn
crushed red pepper); and
Hotel slated to take over the
Paccheri con Carciofi,
former Dunham's and pres-
(artichokes, caper berries
ent Mobil gas station sites
and artichoke sauce).
on Orchard Lake Road,
Many of Chef
West Bloomfield, restau-
Francesco's dishes are
rants in the area are expect-
not found at too many,
ed to see a large influx of
if any, other places ...
new customers.
Including his own style
Hampton Inn is not
Elizabeth and N ino Cutraro
of house-made gnocchi,
noted for having restau-
orecchiette or Risotto D'
rants within, so places like
Asparagi, Spaghetti Busara, with lobster
Georges, New Hellas, Cafe Rendezvous,
tail in a tasty tomato sauce, etc. ... Even
Leo's, Boneyard, etc., in the area should see
one of the salads, Insalata Di Arance is
larger numbers in their eat-in and carry-
very rare, with oranges, red onion, arugu-
out attendance.
la, goat cheese, olive oil and beet reduction
Hampton could also be a major draw in
that gives off its own identity.
perhaps bringing a movie house to West
Bella Piatti's small, but compactly put
Bloomfield or nearby.
together kitchen is only 12 by 25 feet in
REGARDING MUCH talk about an
size ... and seating for intimate lunch
Emagine Theater opening in the West
or dinner dining is just around 65 din-
Bloomfield area, Ruth Daniels, senior vice
ers, plus 10 stools at the bar ... but it is
president, Emagine Entertainment, writes,

"We are looking at several pos-
sibilities in the Metro Detroit
area, and we hope to announce
our next project soon"
QUESTION & ANSWER
DEPT.... "Did you ever have a
waitress that you thought was
your favorite of all time? ...
Lillyann Wiseman.
[No, but among the clos-
est would be Pauline Baron at
Saksey's Lounge on Woodward
in Detroit, owned by Sam
Gilbert (Dan Gilbert's father) and Irving
Sacks. All-the-time wonderful service with
a smile, extremely efficient, personable,
etc., etc. Always the same disposition day-
in and day-out, regardless of any problems
she may have had. If she did have worries,
Pauline never brought them to work.]
READER MINI REVIEW ... by Jerry
Silecchia ... "Sandy and Bob Bean and
Jim Dietle joined my wife, Doreen, and
me as we went to what was the former
Manhattan Club on Grand River in
Novi for a recent visit to Big Tommy's
Parthenon. We intended originally to have
just a light meal of its chopped peasant
salad and maybe something else to share.
"But we started out with spinach pie tri-
angles that followed individual portions of
the salad. For the main course we enjoyed
the large patter of tender twin-bone, loin
lamb chops with green beans, rice, pota-
toes and lima beans in a tomato sauce.
"Doreen had the grilled octopus with
lemon and said that it was one of the best she
has ever eaten. For dessert, we had their sig-
nature Parthenon cake, a Greek tiramisu and
individual servings of creamy rice pudding"
MAKING ROUNDS ... To Rhapsody,
Southgate, for authentic Hungarian veal
paprika ... To Local Kitchen, Ferndale, for
house-made meatloaf ... To London Chop
House, Detroit, for veal Oscar.
NOW THAT THE University of
Michigan versus Ohio State University

football game is over, there is again peace
in the ol' homestead for Ohio State's Sandy
and U-M's Michael Hermanoff.
They are back to talking again ... never
speaking to each other on game day ...
and using sign language when asking how
many points he or she may give the other.
Back to their normal lovey-dovey living
... and silence only until the game was over,
which the Buckeyes won by a single point.
Their dog, Bertie, couldn't care less.
FIFTY FIVE PEOPLE enjoyed the
Thanksgiving feast put on by Dr. Michael
Sherbin and his lady friend, Lenore Gimpert.
But only 53 ate the wonderful holiday food
by Papa Joe's put out at their Bloomfield Hills
abode.
Five years ago, for health reasons, Dr.
Sherbin went on a vegan diet ... No meat,
fish or dairy products ... No turkey, of
course, just delicious side dishes.
Two years ago, Lenore saw how great Dr.
Sherbin looked and felt so also went on a
vegan diet.
OLDIE BUT GOODIE DEPT. ... The
young man excitedly tells his mother that he
has fallen in love and was going to get mar-
ried. He says, "Just for fun, Ma, I'm going to
bring over three women, and you try and
guess which one I'm going to marry"
The mother agrees and the next day
he brings three beautiful women into the
house and sits them down on the couch.
He says, "OK, Ma, guess which one I'm
going to marry"
She immediately replies, "The redhead
in the middle"
"That's amazing, Ma. You're right. How
did you know?"
"I don't like her"
CONGRATS ... To Ethel Bobroff on
her 88th birthday ... To Harold "Hal" and
Marsha Baker on their 16th anniversary
... [Correction, it's anniversary No. 15 for
Dennis and Sharon Green, not 12].

-

❑

Danny's email is dannyraskin@sbcglobal.net.

Kyoto Japanese Steakhouse

1824 W. Fourteen Mile Rd.
Royal Oak, MI 48073
248.288.6666
Visit their website
www.kyotoroyaloak.com

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