4.28 BEST OF THE BEST pgs. 1-12
Transcription
4.28 BEST OF THE BEST pgs. 1-12
BEST OF THE BEST PAGE 4 SUNDAY APRIL 28 2013 Antonio’s Cucina Italiana Italian people are known for being passionate. The Rugiero Family is no exception. In fact, one of their greatest passions is ensuring that Antonio's Cucina Italiana serves only the very best in traditional Italian-style cuisine. This is why the readers of the Oakland Press have voted Antonio’s Cucina Italiana #1 in the Best of the Best 2013 of Italian Restaurants. Some would say it's because the Rugieros have been doing it for over 49 years and they got it right. In fact, the original location started out as Roman Village Pizzeria in 1964 with a limited menu and pizza pie that consistently won local awards. With their growing menu, years later the boys decided to branch out and open Antonio's Cucina Italiana. Others might say it’s the service — friendly and professional. When you’re there, you feel like family. That's because the Rugieros still run their business with a “mom and pop” sense of tradition, where employees are part of the family. You will always find a family member at one of the locations working alongside their employees, whether it’s in the kitchen cooking, greeting guests in the front of the house, payroll, sales or even marketing. “We can hold down any job in the restaurant. People feel connected. It creates a good work environment, and I believe, in turn, they do a better job. It speaks volumes that many of our employees have been with the company for decades,” Antonio Jr. says. Many say the family’s Tuscan-style atmosphere with elegant earth tones and actual stone walls at each of the Antonios’ restaurants creates a warm and inviting place. They’re perfect for romance, business luncheons or family gatherings, and they won’t break the bank like some high-end Italian restaurants. An array of homemade pasta dishes ranging from $9.50 to $13.95 is popular with diners. Reasonably priced veal parmigiana is $16.50 and is made with milk-fed provimi veal, a steal compared to other restaurants which may charge $25. Of course, you will find an extensive wine menu featuring over 50 wines. On Wednesdays, 1 all bottled wines are ⁄2 off with your dinner. The Rugieros say, “It's all about the food.” At the end of the day, it’s the experience that the guests have when they enjoy truly authentic Italian food that matters the most. The family keeps it traditional. The recipes go back to the old country: simple, fresh, made to order. Mama Rita goes store to store making certain that her recipes are prepared in the same tradition. Passion is put into all dishes like their hearty lasagna or mouthwatering chicken marsala made with a 12-year aged marsala wine. The family caters to vegetarians and offers a variety of choices, serving one of the best eggplant parmigiana you'll find. Antonio's even serves a whole-wheat and glutenfree pasta. But some dishes carry signatures like gnocchi with Mama Rita sauce — which you can’t find anyplace else, because there’s only one Mama Rita and she’s at Antonio’s. And of course, the famous chicken Antonio, a tender breast of chicken topped with provolone cheese and a rich cream sauce, is a big hit. And then there’s the bread. It’s freshly baked and it’s the first thing that everyone asks for when they sit down. Once you’ve had it, you can’t get enough. It’s a hot, fluffy, garlicky-buttered piece of heaven. It’s custom that the family does not serve the bread until after you’ve ordered your meal so you leave room for the experience and don’t fill up on the bread, which is a meal in itself. How do you finish such a perfect experience? A homemade canoli that’s made to order. It comes to the table made with cream (northern-style), not ricotta cheese. A crunchy shell proves that it hasn’t been sitting in a pastry window all day. Simply put, it’s just wonderful. An espresso made with Lavazza Super Creama coffee from a imported espresso machine shows the detail that is put into keeping it real. Or, if you’re in the neighborhood, you’re in for a treat. Canton Antonio's is the first to bring real authentic gelato to Michigan, made fresh daily. The Rugiero family is proud to be part of the community. It’s not just about the day-to-day operations, it’s also about giving back to the community. They are truly a giving family. Through the Rugiero Promise foundation (a 501C3), they have made a commitment to support local charities like the Capuchin Soup Kitchen in Detroit; Breast Cancer Awareness Month; Veteran's Outreach of Southeast Michigan and The U-M Brehm Diabetes Research Center along with many others, promising a better tomorrow. All the locations offer banquet facilities and full service bar. Carry-out and catering trays are available. Visit any of the Antonio’s locations in Farmington, Dearborn Heights or Canton. Visit www.antoniosrestaurants.com for details on Antonio’s events.