FOOD
Handmade pieces
for the inspired
FOODIE
Torino
By Esther Allweiss Ingber
chance to dine with my vis-
G N ST E I N
JEWELRY DESIGN
www.grinsteinjewelry.com
162 South Old Woodward, Birmingham, MI 248-647-4414
Happy, Healthy New Year!!
For The Best Service Go To...
FILE
OR
Full Service Auto Repair & Maintenance
Kenny the Car Guy"Walters, owns the award-winning auto shop
Mufflers and More
www.mufflersandmore.net
Email Kenny the Car Guy at
Kenny@mufflersandmore.net
at 490 N. PontiacTrail in Walled Lake
248.668.1200
For years, Mufflers and More has provided neighbors with HONEST, DEPENDABLE,
QUALITY information, repair and service! They live here and it shows!
SERVICE DISCOUNT labor only
MUFFLERS
$10 OFF $50
I I i
$20 OFF $100
$30 OFF $250 or more
MUFFLERS
ai
I
Full Service Auto Re air & Maintenance
IL
Full Service Auk, Re air 8 Maintenance
1934350
Give your child the gift of swimming
lessons this holiday season.
We believe our swim lessons
will change your child's life. Forever.
oFFutziNcl-
Weekly Swim Lessons!
f
4 months - 12 years of age
4:1 student to teacher ratio
30-minute weekly lessons
Location, times & details cal
be found on our website
goldfishswimschool.com
f
LIKE US on Facebook!
Keep your company top of mind with our readers.
ADVERTISE WITH US! CALL 248.351.5101
Visit theJEWISHNEWS.com
68 October 2014 I
in MEM
.11,1
iting cousin Jack at Torino
in Ferndale was a thrill.
This year's Detroit Free Press
Restaurant of the Year is often
in the news because of Torino
Executive Chef/General Man-
ager Garrett Lipar's innovative
Tomatoes with cherries
cuisine. Open at 4 p.m. Tuesday
through Saturday, Torino offers
Thomas Keller's acclaimed Per Se
a nine-course chef's tasting menu at
Restaurant in Manhattan.
$89 per person, a new one for each
Torino makes use of sous vide (un-
month.
der-vacuum) cooking. Food placed
The perfectly balanced portions
inside vacuum-sealed, Cryovec high-
we enjoyed, with optional wine pair-
gauge plastic bags is cooked slowly
ings, will be replaced by nine equally
to perfection in a low-temperature
wonderful courses on Sept. 30.
water bath. The method maintains
Torino owner Noah Dorfman and
the food's natural integrity.
Lipar, family friends, were both at a
"We can achieve consistent and
crossroads when the chef returned
accurate results within a few degrees
home in January 2013 ready to put
in our cooking7Lipar said. "We used
down roots. After earning his degree
it [sous vide] for the crab apples in
at Scottsdale Culinary Institute in Ari- your perch dish and for the veal in
zona, Lipar cooked at cutting-edge
our sixth course." The veal was then
restaurants in New York, Chicago and finished on Torino's yakatori (Japa-
Stockholm, Sweden.
nese) grill.
Meanwhile, Dorfman was seek-
Outlining his menus weeks before,
ing a new identity for Torino, then
Lipar brainstorms details with beverage
a casual bar serving snacks. He was
manager Ian Redmond and Dorfman.
receptive to Lipar's vision for a tast-
Lipar determines the available ingredi-
ing restaurant and by February, gave
ents before finalizing choices.
the chef free rein to pursue his ideas.
Lipar takes great care with the
Lipar said that in spite of Torino's
meal's progression, explaining: "We
poorly equipped and tiny kitchen, he
have an opportunity to tell a story
unveiled his first chef's menu to the
in our nine courses, to make people
public in May, up to nine courses by
feel a certain way:'
June.The rest is dining history.
The year's menus tell diners "what
The course titles, some listing key
it is like to be here in Michigan, now
ingredients, are printed on a sheet.
September showcases fresh
Per the September menu,"Bento
tomatoes and other end-of-summer
Box"came first. Approaching the trio
ingredients, while dipping into
of compartments, head server Dan
heartier fall profiles. Lipar likes every
McCarthy advised us to start from
season for dining, even winter.
left to right for maximum enjoy-
"We do a lot of canning and pre-
ment. The cauliflower custard with
serving to have as many Michigan
bits of red and green pepper and
ingredients as possible," he said.
carrots was silky and crunchy. The
Under-ripe fruit and vegetables can
miso-grilled baby leek provided a
be fermented to keep their stasis.
nice contrast. Finally, the pork belly
Utilizing preservation techniques,
sliders were sweetish and savory.
"our berry season will go on for an-
Continuing, we sampled courses
other month of two," he said.
named "Golden Beet,"featuring peach,
"October is going to be a lot of
arugula and curd;"Red Ranger; with
fun," said Lipar, dropping menu hints
pickled chanterelle, blackberries and
about"Matsutake mushrooms and
flowers; "Three Sisters," with maize,
some ode to deer season ... our
beans and squash;"Perch,"with crab
treatment of venison.
apple, balsamic and cattail pollen;
"We want to continue to push our
"Veal' with cabbage, broccoli and su-
boundaries, making food people are
mac;"Tomato,"with balaton (cheese),
happy with;' he said.
ground cherries and pistachios;
No problem. RT
"Raspberry,"with vinegar, dulce (ice
TORINO
cream) and barley; and "Mignardises"
201 E. Nine Mile Road
(miniature sweets) and coffee.
Ferndale, MI 48220
So many delicious flavors were in
(248) 247-1370
this special meal! We felt happily sati-
www.torinoferndale.com
ated, not stuffed. My foodie cousin
$$$$ out of $$$$$
said Torino compares favorably to
www.redthreadmagazine.com