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A Cozy Little Trattoria

Pasta Fagioli has the tastes and ambiance of Northern Italy.

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ach year as it celebrates a birth-
kitchen assistants graciously
day, so many people who come
create without question.
from near and far to enjoy its fine
Other items on the menu,
food also celebrate ... Having such a fine
like Chicken Ponte Vecchio, a
restaurant as Pasta Fagioli in their midst is savory lightly-breaded chicken
a source of communal pride.
breast paired with mushrooms
Looking into the rear-view mirror, many in a soft, lemony sauce, to the
probably remember when the owner/chef
homemade daily gnocchi and
was executive chef of another popular res-
ravioli and so much more, have
taurant, the former Ristorante de Modesta. made Pasta Fagioli a small,
The chef who always wanted his own
intimate restaurant with the
restaurant has proven to also be an astute
interior coziness of trattorias in
businessman whose ability to obtain and
Italy ... Included in the bevy of
prepare food is priceless ... Along with
food selections are also gluten-free pastas
his devoted wife, he finally fulfilled that
and numerous heart-smart choices.
dream by opening it 18 years ago this past
Many Northern Italian dishes served at
November.
Pasta Fagioli certainly contradict the false
Pasta Fagioli, owned and operated by
thought that all Italian cuisine must be
Hamad and Janine Kouka on Square Lake
heavy to be good ... Tutti de Mare as pre-
Road and Franklin, just east of Telegraph
pared by Hamad and his staff, for example,
in the Sugar Bush Plaza, Bloomfield
is a definite seafood delight chock full of
Township, is on the way
good things to eat ...
to year number 19 in
and a huge favorite at
thrilling the palates ...
Pasta Fagioli.
Many regulars relish his
The restaurant is
magic touch with food
closed Mondays ...
... along with folks who
Open six days a week ...
regard the little destina-
Tuesday-Thursday, 11-9;
tion restaurant among
Friday, 11-10; Saturday,
their favorites.
4-10; Sunday, 4-9.
It seems like it's just
The backbone of any
Janine and Ham ad Kouka
a very short while ago
restaurant has become
since Hamad originally
a byword at Hamad and
opened what was just
Janine's Pasta Fagioli as
a little carryout spot for the fine folks of
it honors its 18th anniversary with the
that region after heading the kitchen at the all-around goodness that has continued to
former Ristorante de Modesta that today
bring customers back.
houses Bacco in Southfield ... His delight-
THERE ARE FEW better reasons for
ful ability as a chef was not forgotten by
returning to a restaurant than consistency
his customers ... After a multitude of
... Knowing that what one enjoyed on a
requests, he soon had tables for dining-in
previous visit will taste exactly the same
as well as carryout.
and be served as before is invaluable.
Pasta Fagioli is unique to the enjoyment
Many restaurants are proud of this fac-
among so many of its dedicated army
tor ... Moro's Dining, on Allen Road off
of regulars who sometime develop their
Southfield Road in Allen Park, is among the
own Italian recipes, which Hamad and his
lucky ones who have rarely, if ever, encoun-

A SPECIAL DAY WITH US!

FEBRUARY 13 - 15, 2015

PRIME29

STEAKS • SEAFOOD • COCKTAILS

6545 ORCHARD LAKE ROAD. I WEST BLOOMFIELD, MI 48322

(SE CORNER OF MAPLE & ORCHARD LAKE, NEXT TO PLUM MARKET)

WWW.PRIME29STEAKHOUSE.COM 1 248.73.PRIME (77463)

IN=

5 • 2015

iN

MAKING ROUNDS ... To Rugby Grille,
Birmingham, for Dover sole ... To Roma
Cafe, Detroit, for Veal Saltimbocca...
To Antonio's, Farmington Hills, for
Rita's gnocci ... To Beans & Cornbread,
Southfield, for Louisiana gumbo.
RECIPIENTS OF THE Bremen
Memorial Inspiration Award at this
year's Hank Greenberg Memorial Golf
Invitational, Monday, June 1, at Franklin
Hills Country Club, Farmington Hills,
will be Eunice and Milton Ring ... Barry
Bremen was famed as the Great Imposter of
sports, but Eunice and Milton are the real
thing with their fine bevy of charitable work
... Baseball Hall of Fame's Joe Morgan, pres-
ent sportscaster, will receive the Greenberg
Lifetime Achievement Award.
OLDIE BUT GOODIE SHORTIES ...
Lady to beggar, "Aren't you ashamed
of yourself to stand here begging on the
street?" Beggar replies, "What do you
want, lady, I should open an office?"
The same lady asking the same beggar,
"You're not ashamed to ask for money
when you have two good arms?" And the
beggar answering, "For your lousy money,
I should cut off an arm?"
The customer sat down in the delica-
tessen and said, "I'll have a corned beef
sandwich, and make it lean" ... "Yes, sir:'
replied the waitress. "Which way?"
THANK YOU FOR the much-appreciat-
ed words on my recent birthday.
CONGRATS ... To Sheldon Baskin on
his 60th birthday ... To Sherry Shanbom
on her birthday ... To Jay and Marion
Grant on their 72nd anniversary ... To
Margo Docks on her birthday ... To Stella
Docks on her birthday ... To James "Jim"
Hiller on his birthday ... To Barbara
Cohen on her birthday ... To Robert "Bob"
Wander on his birthday.

❑

Danny's email address is
dannyraskin@sbcglobalmet.

THIS VALENTINE'S DAY WEEKEND, THE CHEF HAS PREPARED
WONDERFUL HEART WARMING SPECIALS!

CELEBRATE

58 February

tered this problem ... The same
consistency it has maintained
for around 35 years has never
seemed to waver.
This is an amazing factor
when considering that changes
of some sort might certainly
have occurred during those
years ... However, owners like
Tom Moro respect this prime
requisite and are always on the
alert with efforts of its con-
tinuous attainment.
Whether it be tableside presentations,
salad tossed at the table without added
charge, fruit bowl at the meal's end, the
same dish prepared the same way every
time ... Moro's has few equals in all-
around dining satisfaction ... With the
tasteful goodness of its Northern Italian
specialties, along with the cuisines of the
other cultures it serves.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS are important
in the restaurant business ... But last-
ing imprints are most vital ... Customers
enjoy the latter with come-back returns
many times at places like Bacco Ristorante
on Northwestern Highway, Southfield.
The effervescent smiles and per-
sonal ways of Bacco evening server Elena
Cacoveau and evening maitre d'/manager
Agata Lombard-Bogle, go far in making
each Bacco visit a most enjoyable one.
Owner Luciano del Signore rightly swears
by his food ... Having people deliver it
or graciously assisting for a pleasant visit
is most important as well ... Elena came
from Romania and worked three years for
Luciano's dad at the former Fonte D'Amore
before coming to Bacco more than 11
years ago ... Agata came from Italy to Cafe
Cortina and the past 13 years as a server
and now evening manager at Bacco.
Their cordiality, smiles, efficiency and
highly personal ways of customer satisfac-
tion are priceless.