Detroit Restaurant Week: Andiamo Detroit Riverfront

To continue our support of Detroit restaurants, we returned on the second to last day of the Detroit Restaurant Week (DRW) Spring edition to try out Andiamo Detroit Riverfront in the GM-Renaissance Center.  This time, we extended our group to Steve, Julie, Al, Tommy as well as some friends of Julie and Al.  Originally, we planned to go see the Detroit Derby Girls, but these girls sell out in a flash, so that will have to wait until 2011 as their season is coming to a close.

As we entered Andiamo, I felt like the restaurant had a case of split personalities going on.  For one, I was surprised that their wall facing the Detroit River and Windsor wasn't simply a glass view.  I know they have a separate section of seating outdoors, but I thought maybe they'd take advantage of their real estate and show off some more of their views rather than create a darker, upscale atmosphere inside.  I do realize that the Detroit River and Windsor aren't much to look at, but come on, there are business travelers in and out of here all week long, so you have to help a city out!  As we moved passed the first room that housed the bar atmosphere, we entered a much quieter dining room where we were seated.  It was also pretty dimly lit.  But we also had a view to the hotel lobby so that was also a bit odd. 

Anyway, off to the menu for DRW, which at first glance, certainly appealed to me because of the pasta and fish options!  I started off with the Suppli Alla Romano (seasoned Italian risotto rolled and filled with mozzarella cheese topped with pomodoro sauce) after it came highly recommended by Julie and rightfully so, this dish was everything and more.  I savored the risotto and melted cheese as long as possible swishing it down with a nice glass of red wine and some warm bread.

For the entree, I chose the Pesce Bianco Alla Siciliana (whitefish lightly breaded Sicilian-style, sautéed in olive oil, garlic and served with ammoglio sauce).  The fish here was simply average, but add the olive oil, garlic, and ammoglio sauce, and we have a somewhat healthy winner in my book.  Or at least I'd like to believe so.   But after a few bites into this dish, and I was tasting a heck of a lot of garlic which was a good cover up for their average piece of fish.  Luckily, I topped the meal off with some cold gelato for dessert. 

I find it odd how Andiamo's has become somewhat of a must-eat in Detroit or rather Metro Detroit for its Italian food while Scottie and I find it to be nothing better than your average Olive Garden.  And Olive Garden might even have a better thing going on with their bread and salad (that whole bit is a shout out to our girl Allyson from 96.3 WDVD!).  But the other crazy thing is that most Detroiters, well, maybe most Metro Detroiters won't even think twice about trying a restaurant less than a mile across the border in Windsor's Little Italy.  Now that's some Italian!

Post-dinner, we all headed over to a new spot for Scottie and I in Midtown, Jumbo's bar, apparently, the spot for karaoke in Detroit.  It was a good time listening to our extended crew come up with some creative songs to sing, but in the end, the smoke got the best of us.  Good thing for the upcoming Michigan smoking ban!  There was also some crazy ruckus going on between some of the women in the establishment, so Scottie and I bolted before it became uglier!