I recently had the opportunity to visit Giovanni's Ristorante in Detroit for the first time and was more than pleasantly surprised by some of the best Italian cuisine that I have had in any city accross the country. I was warmly greeted by Frances (the owner), who made me feel like a long lost relative. She was extremely gracious to the extent of sitting down with me to discuss various restaurants that we had both enjoyed during our travels, such as French Laundry. But on to the food, all of which is made from scratch and cooked to order - the calamari strip appetizer was prepared perfectly and tasted wonderful. Not the ususal rings, but tender and flavorful strips like I have had in Montery, CA. Also very much enjoyed the Veal Saltimbocca which was flavorful and tender. I decided on a side of risotto to accompany the veal and it too was an outstanding choice. For desert (all of which are home made from scratch) I had the cannoli. Wonderful flavor and a crispy, perfectly executed shell. When you have the need to visit Detroit, and have a taste for out of the ordinary Italian, this is a great place that you must try.
Giovanni's Ristorante
330 S. Oakwood Bld
Detroit, MI
1-313-841-0122
http://www.giovannisristorante.com