1•0 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 .. a- 110•4 N: r-- . . ■ • •. 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. • . • g ' . 2 0 1 3 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