FOOD

FOODIE

Bacco

By Esther Allweiss Ingber

people often tell me that Bacco

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INBAL DROR

COUTURE BRIDAL TRUNK SHOW

SEPTEMBER

708 N. OLD WOODWARD AVE.

10-15

I BIRMINGHAM I MI 1 48009 1 248.723.4300 I ROMASPOSA.COM

1932030

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Specializing in Cosmetic Surgery &
Aesthetic & Reconstructive Breast Surgery

DANIEL SHERBERT,

M.D. FAGS

Certified by The American Board of Surgery, The American Board of
Plastic Surgery & Fellowship Trained in Aesthetic & Reconstructive
Breast Surgery

(248) 865-6400
5807 W. Maple • Suite 177 • West Bloomfield

38 September 2014

I RED THREAD

Ristorante in Southfield is their
favorite Italian restaurant, their
favorite special-occasion restaurant
— their favorite, favorite restaurant.
When a guest and I visited the fine-
dining establishment, the timing
seemed perfect. Bacco's three gardens
are bursting with summer's bounty.
One garden grows peppers and
herbs. In another,"we've got 120
tomato plants producing a couple
of bushels a day,"said chef-owner
Luciano Del Signore.
Eight zucchini plants in the third
garden "make flowers like crazy," he
said. These flowers are stuffed with
Mozzarella cheese and basil, rolled in
tempura batter and then fried for the
memorable Fiori di Zucca. Another
popular Mediterranean-style appetizer
is Burrata con Caponata.
Situated on the east side of North-
western Highway, past Franklin Road,
Bacco's offers cuisine "heavily influ-
enced by the Abruzzo region where
my parents were born, east of Rome,"
Del Signore said. He learned to cook
in John and Lena Del Signore's former
restaurant, Fonte d'Amore in Plym-
outh.
"We use as many local, fresh ingredi-
ents as we can get our hands on," Del
Signore said. Eat Local, Eat Natural of
Ann Arbor makes deliveries from small
family farms.
Del Signore frequently changes
menus to reflect what's seasonal, such
as the current dessert combining
figs, blueberries and olive oil lemon
cake. He uses natural, antibiotic and
hormone-free products.
The imaginative chef draws inspi-
ration from "travel, dining in other
restaurants, cookbooks, magazines,
eating with other chefs; also dreams I
have at night"
Dinner at Bacco starts with cannel-
lini bean puree, including extra virgin
olive oil and Bermuda onion.The
creamy spread goes on spicy Parmi-
giano crostones. Hot rolls brushed
with olive oil are passed, too. Every-
thing is delicious, but pace yourself.
Carciofi, sometimes called "tower
salad;' is four colorful layers: shaved
raw baby artichoke hearts; Grana
Padano cheese; garden tomato salad;
avocado mashed with Bermuda onion,
plus truffle oil and extra virgin olive oil.
After admiring the stack, peppy maitre
d'Agatha Lombardo advised spread-
ing the stack over our plates.
We liked Pappardelle ai Funghi:
whole-wheat spaghetti, roasted toma-
toes, wild mushrooms and basil. Bacco
General Manager Alberto De Santis

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said our pasta was hand-rolled and
hung to dry that morning. Another
popular pasta dish featuring seafood is
Fettuccine ai Frutti di Mare.
Caposante Porcini is a large scallop
placed on a bed of Porcini mush-
rooms, with cream, white truffle oil
and shaved Parmigiano. We accepted
the offer of a small sourdough wedge
to soak up the yummy sauce.
"We're known for our Branzino
Mediterraneo," said Del Signore. It's
exquisite! A whole Mediterranean sea
bass is roasted, deboned and ac-
companied by thinly sliced potatoes,
grilled zucchini and roasted fresh
tomatoes, with a basil garnish.
At lunch,"we offer a good sand-
wich and a good burger" he said."The
salads can become an entree:'
A dessert served in a half-eggshell
is a show-stopper. We used our tiny
spoons to scoop out chocolate pot de
creme, caramelized foam, Michigan
maple syrup and molten sea salt. A
crunchy, vanilla macaroon accom-
panied. Bacco sells 12 flavors of the
macaroons, as does Hiller's Markets.
DeSantis showed me Bacco Saletta,
a separate suite with kitchen, bar and
three individually decorated dining
rooms. The largest, Cantinella, seats
16-24 guests in an upscale, wine-cellar
setting.
Speaking of which,"we have a great
wine list with 600-700 selections, pre-
dominately Italian' Del Signore said.
Bacco is also part of the handcrafted
cocktail movement.
The patio is open or choose Bacco's
formally appointed, white dining
room. A coved-ceiling mural lends
drama.
"The decor still looks great," said Del
Signore, "but after 13 years, we want
to keep up with the times"A more
contemporary look is due by October.
The busy chef also founded and re-
mains a partner in the casual Bigalora
Wood Fired Cucina. Its fourth loca-
tion will be at Detroit Metropolitan
Airport.

BACCO RISTORANTE
29410 Northwestern Highway
Southfield, MI 48034
(248) 356-6600
www.baccoristorante.com
$$$$ out of $$$$$

www.redthreadmagazine.com