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Danny Raskin
Senior Columnist
Antonio’s Cucina
Italiana has been
serving authentic
Old-World fare
since 1964.
Mama Rita Rugiero and
Antonio Rugiero Jr.
Italian!
hen speaking of Italian
dining, done usually
with much reverence,
the name Antonio’s Cucina
Italiana … as of this year is now
at five localities … is many times
said with much appeal because
of the place it holds in conversa-
tions about truly authentic eth-
nic dining.
Because Italian cuisine is
without doubt among the lead-
ers when talk revolves around
authentic pursuance of such,
this high reputation is held with
much regard.
Although a group of fam-
ily Italian restaurants small
enough not to call itself a chain,
Antonio’s holds a special esteem
in the hearts of many when
speaking of authentic Italian
dining.
But all may not have been so
when it originally opened in 1964
as an Italian family restaurant
called Roman Village that has
grown into five dining locations
with the last four named after
its originator, Antonio Rugiero
Sr., who with wife, “Mamma
Rita” Rugiero, opened their first
restaurant in Dearborn … Since
all five restaurants have separate
anniversaries, it is quite impos-
sible to name just one.
The first, Roman Village,
Dearborn, 1964 … Antonio’s
Dearborn Heights, 1992 …
Farmington Hills, 2000 …
Canton, 2007 … Livonia, 2018
… Each noted as an upscale
family restaurant with excellent
and authentic Italian food and
reasonable prices … All open
Monday-Thursday, 10:30 a.m.-
10 p.m.; Friday, 10:30-11 p.m.;
Saturday, 1-11 p.m.; Sunday, 1-9
p.m.
The Rugiero family, Antonio
Jr., Patrick, Mark and Robert, run
each of its locations as one unit
… with every member having
the responsibility that includes
all locations … As an example,
Mamma Rita oversees all recipes
that have been handed down for
generations …Antonio Jr. (Tony)
is at the helm as CEO and presi-
dent.
Every menu consists of
Antonio’s fresh authentic Italian
food that brings back many
memories of days in Italy … The
clam dish that sells out frequent-
ly, its Chicken Antonio breast
topped with provolone cheese,
the gnocci with Rita sauce and
sautéed in a creamy tomato …
The various chicken and gnocci
styles are specialty items that
can be found only at Antonio’s.
A very popular dish is its
Spaghetti Alla Bocella … and
Antonio’s popular Veal Osso
Bucco is not found at most
Italian restaurants … The peas-
ant dish polenta made from corn
flour is served over it and also as
an appetizer.
And there is Antonio’s noted
and difficult-to-copy bread …
Almost 7,000 pounds a week for
all its locations from a secret
recipe brought back from Italy by
Antonio Rugiero Sr. called pizza
bread.
Yes, it all started back in 1964
as a small pizzeria with a half-
dozen items … And, of course,
Chef Mamma Rita has over the
years added classic recipes from
back home to the menu … No
small reason among numerous
others of why so many families
truly enjoy their old-school tradi-
tional Antonio’s Cucina Italiana
visits.
GOOD LITTLE restaurants
are very important to malls,
shopping centers and large
shopping areas … Many people
are known to go where they can
spend their time shopping as
well as eating.
WHAT PEOPLE TALK
ABOUT … Wine-steamed mus-
sels at Bella Piatti, Birmingham
… Barbecued or fried shrimp
and Louisiana-style gumbo and
luscious muffins at Beans &
Cornbread, Southfield … Double-
bone lamb chops at Uptown
Parthenon, West Bloomfield
… Fruit baskets after dining at
Moro’s, Allen Park.
MAIL DEPT. … from Herman
Kahn … “I was in Washington,
D.C., recently and taken by my
friend to a restaurant called the
Tadich Grill. It doesn’t look like
much, but I had some of the best
Oysters Rockefeller I have ever
had and an out-of-this world
clam chowder. I don’t know what
they do to those oysters, but they
sure were sensational!”
(While visiting son Scott in
San Francisco, I enjoy going
to the original Tadich Grill on
California Street for its wonder-
ful Cioppino. Tadich Grill in
California is more than 100 years
old (opened 1849) and is the
state’s oldest restaurant.)
AWAITED NEWS has the new
Cantoro Italian Trattoria Troy,
Big Beaver between Rochester
Road and John R, now open for
lunch … 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Mondays-
Saturdays … And Happy Hours
3-6 p.m. Mondays-Fridays.
OLDIE BUT GOODIE … The
company decided it was time
for a change and hired Morris
for the job. He was to rid the
company of all slackers. On his
first tour of the factory, he saw
a young man leaning against a
wall and asked him how much
money he made. The young man
tells him $240 a week and asks
why he wants to know. Morris
hands the young man $240 and
says, “Here’s a week’s pay. Get out
of here and don’t let me see you
here again.”
Feeling good about his dis-
missal, Morris looks around and
asks, “Does anyone want to tell
me what that idiot did here?”
One of the workers replied,
“He’s a pizza delivery guy from
Dominos.”
CONGRATS … To Gary
Tringale on his birthday … To
Leon Sampson on his 15th birth-
day … To Jeff and Mallory Sharpe
on their fifth anniversary •
Danny’s email address is
dannyraskin2132@gmail.com.
“For 40 years, Gallery Restaurant has served up masterpieces”
~ Danny Raskin
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jn
August 9 • 2018
57