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Good Start!

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Surviving the first and second years may point to longer life for a restaurant.

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ne- or two-year restaurant anniver- influences of French dining.
saries are usually good barometers
Bella Piatti in Birmingham,
of things to come for their smart
celebrating anniversary No.
owners and operators ... It may prove that
2, is owned by Liz and Nino
many of the usual kinks have been removed
Cutraro who have loads of res-
and that any stormy times
taurant experi-
might have ended ... That
ence (Taboo,
milder weather in their oper-
Metropolitan
ations is finally ahead!
Music Cafe,
Such is the case for two
Ultimate Sports
eateries that have wisely
Bar, Intermezzo
done much to provide
Italian Ristorante,
hoped-for longevity.
Amici's Italian
Bistro 82 at Lafayette and
Village, Luigi's Trattoria, etc.)
Fourth, Royal Oak, feting
... Their fervor and expertise
anniversary No. 1 ... and
are much appreciated by the
Aaron F. Belen
Bella Piatti, on Townsend,
many customers their res-
Birmingham, celebrat-
taurant has attracted in just a
ing anniversary No. 2 ...
short existence.
have both made wonderful
Liz and Nino's restaurant
achievements in their main
knowhow is a huge plus in
purposes ... Each has done
that it provides answers to
much in preparing for long
the sometimes usual first-
runs in the restaurant busi-
and second-year problems...
ness.
Whatever issues that may
Aaron E Belen, owner of
have arisen in the early days
Liz and Nino Cutraro
Bistro 82, likes to use his
of Bella Piatti have, no doubt,
middle initial although many
been obliterated.
folks still call him Andy ...
Their wonderful Venetian-
He is just in his early 30s and answers many
born Executive Chef Francesco Apollonia is
queries by saying that "82" was the year
likewise imbued with fine dining experience
he was born and a great year for French
and also back in the early 1990s was owner
Bordeaux wine ... And that the bistro's sec-
of his own Italian cooking school ... He is a
ond-floor Sabrage Lounge was named after
whiz at Bella Piatti's Italian cuisine, adding
a technique for opening a champagne bottle
touches of his own Venetian styling to many
with a saber used for ceremonial occasions.
favorites ... And Operations Manager Kevin
He is the son of Lisa Fenkell,
Mazziotta is known as having few equals
Birmingham, and Dr. Steven Belen, West
to his very fine talents in assisting Liz and
Bloomfield, and the grandson of the late
Nino in their wonderful dining offerings at
Morrie Fenkell ... His director of operations
Bella Piatti.
of their AFB Hospitality Group, Scott Sadoff,
Ah, the wilderness of the opening year!
is the son of Beth and Edward Sadoff of
... How lovely the road ahead may look for
West Bloomfield.
restaurants celebrating their first and second
Executive Chef Derik Watson's excellent
anniversaries.
fine dining track record is from his wide-
THE WINDOW NOTE calls for "Proper
range culinary expertise that includes the
Attire" ... At least it is every other Sunday

for brunch, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.,
at La Dolce Vita, Woodward,
Detroit ... That's when most
of the servers and some other
employees come to work wear-
ing pajamas ... Sounds like
something keeping in tune with
a Sunday brunch ... During the
warm weather, we're told, many
customers also come in pjs.
QUESTION & ANSWER
DEPT. ... "When I was a little
girl in the '60s, we used to go
Downtown for High Holiday services held
at the Veterans Memorial Building and then
sometimes go to Lafayette for a Coney dog
and chocolate cream pie. The owners would
be standing outside or behind their big win-
dows where they made the dogs, waving to
us to go to their restaurant.
"There were three Coney restaurants in
a row on Lafayette. The American and the
Lafayette. I'm trying to find out the name
of the third one next to them. I've called the
Detroit Historical Society, and they didn't
know after searching for 20 minutes. I
called the restaurants, and they didn't know
either. I'm on a mission to find out that third
Coney Island name. Do you know it?" ...

Doreen Bernstein.
(Yes, it was the Senate Coney Island, also
owned by the two brothers who owned
American and Lafayette Coney Islands next
door, Gus and Bill Keros.)
EVERY DAY SEEMS to add to its fast-
growing reputation as probably the premiere
headquarters for sugar-free goodies in this
region ... And it is welcomed with open
arms by those in combat against the use of
too much sugar.
Chocoholics and the health-conscious will
go gaga over the newest biggie feature by
American Bulk Food in the West Bloomfield
Plaza, Orchard Lake Road, between 14 and
15 Mile Roads.
It will soon also have a complete section

devoted strictly to sugar-free chocolate items
... available by the piece or by the pound ...
The awaited separate sugar-free chocolate
display will include giant turtles with choco-
late and caramel, large clusters of caramel
with almonds or pecans or macadamia
nuts, truffle bars, chocolate-dipped pretzels,
cherry cordials, melt-aways (chocolate and
mint), etc.
The mouth-watering sugar-free choco-
lates will be on display ... and for sale at
American Bulk Food beginning Tuesday,
March 10.
OLDIE BUT GOODIE DEPT. ... The
prosecuting attorney called an elderly
woman to the stand and asked, "Do you
know me?"
She said, "Yes, I've known you since you
were a young boy. And franldy, you've been
a big disappointment to me. You lie. You
manipulate people and talk behind their
backs. You think you're a big shot when you
haven't the brains to realize you never will
amount to anything more than a two-bit
paper pusher. Yes, I know you!"
The lawyer was stunned. He pointed
across the room and asked, "Do you know
the defense attorney?"
She again replied, "Yes, I've known him
since he was a youngster, too. I used to bab-
ysit him. And he, too, has been a real disap-
pointment to me. He's lazy, narrow-minded
and has a drinking problem. He can't build
a normal relationship with anyone, and his
law practice is one of the shoddiest in the
entire state. Yes, I know him!"
The judge rapped the courtroom to
silence and called both lawyers to the bench.
In a quiet voice, he said menacingly, "If
either of you asks her if she knows me, you'll
be jailed for contempt!"
CONGRATS ... To Michelle Sheridan on
her birthday ... To Melvin "Mel" and Sybil
Markowitz on their 17th anniversary. ❑

Danny's email is dannyraskin@sbcglobal.net.

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February 26 • 2015

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