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arts & entertainment >> the best of everything
Looking Back On A Delicious Year!
W
ith 2014 soon here, the year
their third Pizzeria Biga, Ann
Arbor ... Gallery Restaurant,
Bloomfield Township, feted its
30th anniversary with more
framed art ... Atomic Dawg
opened in Ferndale using
Hollywood's noted Pink's
hot dogs ... Cafe Cortina,
Farmington Hills, received
another Award of Excellence
from Wine Spectator magazine
on its 36th anniversary ...
Steven Lelli's Inn on the Green,
Farmington Hills, proved it can stand on its
own two feet ... Travis Waynick became the
new executive chef at Joe Vicari's Andiamo
Italian Steakhouse, Bloomfield Hills ...
O'Brien's Crabhouse, Auburn Hills, went
over the million mark of customer atten-
dance on its 23rd anniversary ... 25th year
by Beverly Hills Grill, Beverly Hills, hon-
ored as Bill Roberts' first of his little chain
... Ownership of Pepino's, Walled Lake, cel-
ebrating its 28th anniversary, also included
Dr. Steve Hutchinson, former University of
Michigan football All-American.
MAY ... Assaggi Bistro, Ferndale, cel-
ebrated its 13th year ... Prime 29 Executive
Chef Hai Ying ran out of room for all her
awards ... Zoran Smolcic, general man-
ager and maitre d' at Mon Jin Lau, Troy,
gives authentic tableside Caesar salad with
advance notice ... Blue Nile, Ferndale,
honored its 30th birthday as a genuine
Ethiopian food restaurant ... Bella Piatti
opened in Birmingham ... Fox Grill,
Bloomfield Hills, gained its own recognition
instead of being the former Fox & Hounds
location ... Cafe ML opened in Bloomfield
Hills ... Moe's on Ten, Novi, celebrated its
30-year anniversary ... Mr. Joe's, Southfield,
celebrated ninth year ... Le Chef,
Farmington Hills, took additional space for
authentic Lebanese food and celebrated its
third anniversary the next month.
JUNE ... Crowds jammed for soft-shell
crabs in season at Pasta Fagioli, Bloomfield
Hills, and O'Brien's Crabhouse, Auburn Hills
... Early Bird feted its 10th anniversary in
Keego Harbor ... Not a Japanese eatery,
2013 was noted to be an
important economic era for
many restaurants that climbed the hill
to loftier dining heights ... Also, the all-
important eatery anniversary celebrations
and new openings were welcomed with the
looks of happy days ahead.
JANUARY ... Small Pasta Fagioli, contin-
ued to put up big numbers during its 16th
year in Bloomfield Township ... Sposita's
Ristorante, West Bloomfield, started the
year with a "new look" remodeling ...
Gravity Bar & Grill, Milford, drew raves
on its ninth year... Michigan Culinary
Team won three gold, a silver and three
brass medals at the International Culinary
Exhibition in Erfurt, Germany ... Marvin
Yagoda exhibited his little 10- by 12-foot
"junk heap" office at Marvin's Marvelous
Mechanical Museum, Farmington Hills ...
Circuit Judge Ed Sosnick retired after 28
years on the bench ... Hedy Blatt retired as
community relations director for Michigan
Jewish Sports Foundation ... Sari Cicurel
took her place ... Cafe Rendezvous came to
West Bloomfield for breakfast and lunch ...
Ron Forman operated Detroit Bagel Factory
deli in Livonia ... Rocky's of Northville cel-
ebrated its 20th year.
FEBRUARY ... Chef/owners Mary
Brady and Sharon Juergens, Diamond Jim
Brady's, Novi, proved to be a great new
combination ... George Lukaj at Georges,
West Bloomfield, showed plans for a fifth
restaurant ... Moro's Dining, Allen Park,
continued to impress as it approached its
33rd year ... Steve & Rocky's, Novi, hon-
ored its 15th anniversary with Gourmet
magazine calling it "One of America's
Best Restaurants" ... Beans & Cornbread
again named one of America's best soul
food restaurants on its 14th anniversary
... Joe Vicari opened his Andiamo Italian
Steakhouse in downtown Las Vegas' new D
Hotel ... Southern Nosh vegetarian restau-
rant opened in Southfield.
MARCH ... Luciano and Monica Del
Signore celebrated Bacco's 10th year,
Southfield, with the planned opening of
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but Crave, Dearborn, featured
very good sushi... Dr. Melvin
Rubenfire added distinction with
a goatee ... Joe Torre was hon-
oree at annual Hank Greenberg
Memorial Golf Invitational
by Michigan Jewish Sports
Foundation ... More than 600
people celebrated 25th anniver-
sary of Rattlesnake Club, Detroit.
JULY ... Hudson Cafe,
Detroit, brought folks
Downtown for breakfast/
brunch ... Shangri-La, West Bloomfield,
celebrated 19th anniversary ... Buddy's
Pizza, Farmington Hills, brought out a
new low-fat pizza ... Reborn London Chop
House celebrated first anniversary ...
Prime 29 Steakhouse, West Bloomfield, also
became known for seafood.
AUGUST ... Whitney, Detroit, feted its
27th anniversary ... Penny Zwick became
new general manager at Rocky's of Northville
... First Michigan Cheesecake Factory res-
taurant opened at Twelve Oaks Mall, Novi
... Rugby Grill, Birmingham, celebrated its
25th anniversary with a new look ... Prime
29, West Bloomfield, received Wine Spectator
2013 Award of Excellence on first anniver-
sary ... New Hellas Greek restaurant opened
in Farmington Hills ... One-Eyed Betty's,
Ferndale, and Rattlesnake Club, Detroit,
placed first and second in Fairway Packing's
annual Burger Brawl.
SEPTEMBER ... Marvelous Marvin's
Mechanical Museum held 30th anniver-
sary with free ice cream, hot dogs, etc. ...
Blue Danube, Windsor, celebrated its 39th
anniversary ... Stoli Liti took over as man-
aging partner at Prime 29, West Bloomfield
... Excellent Executive Chef Rick Halberg
returned to dining fold as owner with Brian
Siegel of Local Kitchen, Ferndale ... Joe
Vicari changed Andiamo Novi name to Joe
& Aldo's Italian Tavern, honoring his late
corporate chef, Aldo Ottoviani.
OCTOBER ... Engagement party for
Detroit pitcher Max Scherzer to Erica May
is held at Steven Lelli's Inn on the Green,
Farmington Hills ... Huerto Mexican eatery
opened at former Big Daddy's locale in West
Bloomfield ... Pasta Fagioli celebrated its 17th
anniversary in Bloomfield Township ... Count
reached 40 awards to Norm LePage with latest
to Big Rock Chophouse, Birmingham, from
Wine Spectator . . . Shangri-La in Farmington
Hills closed permanently so owner
Cholada Chan could devote time to her
two other Shangri-La restaurants.
NOVEMBER ... Spositis Italian
Ristorante, Farmington Hills, celebrated its
14th anniversary ... Word is revealed that
former Dunham's site and Mobil Gas Station,
West Bloomfield, to be location of new
Hampton Inn Hotel ... Cleanliness-conscious
Golden Phoenix, West Bloomfield, is site of
four Oakland County Health Department
retirement parties ... Piada Restaurant
opened in Troy ... New name of Gerald E.
Naftaly Municipal Complex a big compli-
ment to Oak Park's former mayor ... Pizzeria
Biggs name is changed to Bigalora Wood
Fired Cucina on third anniversary ... Steven
Lelli's Inn on the Green celebrates third anni-
versary with huge numbers ... Free turkey
dinner for everyone day before Thanksgiving
by Moe's On Ten, Novi, and two Leon's
restaurants ... Zoe's Pancake House, West
Bloomfield, gets much acclaim for Mexican-
style breakfast selections.
DECEMBER ... C.A.Y.A. Smokehouse
Grill opened in Wolverine Lake ... Sweet
Lorraine's Southfield restaurant hit 29th
anniversary ... Restorante El Barzon, Detroit,
a rare Mexican and Italian combination
eatery ... Mexican food craze entered more
breakfast dining menus ... Baseball Hall
of Famer Joe Morgan named as 2014 hon-
oree of June 9 Hank Greenberg Memorial
Golf Invitational ... New Bella Piatti,
Birmingham, merged Italian with Venetian
touches to food ... Sweet Lorraine's celebrat-
ed 29th anniversary with openings of its Mac
n' Cheez! eateries ... Coming of Hampton
Inn to West Bloomfield is seen as a boon to
area restaurants.
Wishes to all for a healthy and happy
New Year.
❑
Danny's email is dannyraskin@sbcglobal.net.
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NEW YEAR'S EVE
CELEBRATION
of" '41 "
7
4‘
ITALIAN
I
SURF AND TURF DINNER INCLUDING WINE
•
BRAISED SHORT RIB AND LOBSTER TAIL
ROASTED REDSKIN POTATO
GRILLED ASPARAGUS
ANDIAMO SIGNATURE KIT KAT AND STRAWBERRY TUXEDO CAKE
•
LIVE ENTERTAINMENT BY DEVYNNE N COMPANY
,
EVENING INCLUDES PARTY FAVORS, CHAMPAGNE TOAST AT MIDNIGHT AND LATE NIGHT PIZZA
$120 PER COUPLE, TAX AND GRATUITY NOT INCLUDED
PARTY BEGINS AT 8PM, DINNER IS SERVED AT 8:30
4 ft• ti 01" )
BLOOMFIELD
For reservations call
(248)
86 5 - 9 No
andiamoitalia.com
1879430
46 December 26 • 2013