Bites Nearby: Andiamo

Each week, Dearborn Patch editors and readers will pick a great restaurant either in town or nearby whose cuisine is considered to reign supreme.

Here's this week's choice: 

Andiamo

Overview: One of metro Detroit's most well-known Italian restaurants, Andiamo provides an elegant atmosphere along with made-from-scratch cuisine.

Daily Specials: Throughout March and April, the Lobster Amore menu offers a selection of dishes to form your own three-course prix fixe for $28.  Lobster is the focus in each of the entrees. The menu can be viewed here. 

Signature Dishes: Each Andiamo location has signature dishes. Andiamo Dearborn has a particularly interesting Ragout Di Osso Bucco Con Fettucinne–slow-braised free-range veal shanks with wild mushrooms in a rich red wine jus, served over house-made fettuccine pasta, topped with classic gremolata.  

Antipasti: Fried calamari, tomatoes and mozzarella, and other classics are available, but try the Suppli al Telefono (seasoned Italian risotto rolled and filled with fresh mozzarella cheese and topped with tomato sauce).

Pasta: Two sections of pasta are on the menu: imported or house-made. All stuffed pastas are made in-house. Especially noteworthy are the ravioli stuffed with meat, cheese and spinach. From the imported section, try the capellini with gulf shrimp, diver scallops, mussels and calamari sauteed with extr- virgin olive oil, garlic and basil in a spicy marinara-style sauce.

Entrees: A number of different protein options are available. Veal Parmigiana is made with free-range veal and fontina cheese.  Chicken Alla Aldo is a chicken breast sauteed in white wine, long-stem Roman artichokes, tomato fillet, mint and parsley. 

All entrees are served with salad or cup of soup, pasta, fresh vegetable and home-made Italian breads.

Desserts:  Like any decent Italian restaurant, Andiamo has excellent tiramisu, but the mixed-berries sabayon, which is special for Lobster Amore, is pretty stellar as well.

Andiamo 

21400 Michigan Ave. 

Hours: Monday-Thursday 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Friday 11 a.m.-11 p.m.; Saturday 4-11 p.m.;  Sunday 4-9 p.m.

Happy Hour: In bar, 3-6 p.m.

$5 Signature martinis
$5 Signature wines
$5 Signature appetizers