by Molly Abraham

Three years into its run under proprietors Nino and Liz Cutraro, Bella Piatti, the jewel box of a restaurant in the heart of downtown Birmingham, is establishing itself as one of the places to go in Metro Detroit.  xecutive chef Francesco Apollonia's small kitchen turns out authentic Italian fare for a capacity crowd almost every night. The 65 seats are so sought after that reservations are almost necessary.

The good news? At lunch, there are usually tables to be had, and sidewalk seating is on a first-come, first-serve basis. Apollonia, a native of Venice, is a purist. The menu reflects his heritage and doesn't veer off into other directions. How refreshing to read a menu that doesn't try to hit all the trendy buttons but concentrates on the kitchen's strength.

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Source: http://www.detroitnews.com/