My birthday month continued with our first trip to Moro's.
We called ahead for directions, parking, dress code, busy-ness level: easy to find on the southeast corner of Southfield and Allen Roads (but construction made it a bit messy), ample, free parking in front of the place, 'casual' (which is a telling state of affairs for our country when the place serves $40 specialties prepared at table), and 'not busy'.
Well everyone must have converged on the place after I hung up because when we arrive, 30 minutes later, there's a wait. We ended up waiting over 30 minutes... but the place is tiny... so, fine.
$3.50 talls (not boombas) of Molson or Peroni. $5.50 dirty martinis... with anchovy stuffed olives! My first time with fish inside my olive, and I liked.
The bread was alright. A large loaf, not warm at all, served with softened pats of butter. For not loving the bread, we still managed to need a 2nd basket. Good thing too - see 'sopping' later.
Started with the Antipasto platter for two. Huge! The platter contained at least 20 Kalamata olives, 12 large Sicilian green olives, 15 pepperoncinis, 1c of marinated beef, 1c marinated mushrooms, 1/2c+ feta cheese, two hulking shrimp served nosed into a silver cup of cocktail sauce... and came with a side plate containing 4 slices of salami and a crumble of some sharper cheese. $15. We brought home half, which will be a great nosh plate while watching football.
I ordered the Shrimp Scampi from the specials menu. I notice it is mentioned in other reviews (hi Liz W, again...and hey Rodger, we agree this time!), so it must be a frequent special. Delish!! Eight of the largest shrimp I have ever seen, each easily cut in to four pieces, showered in fresh slivered garlic and bathed in a decendant (but not super rich) butter sauce. Squirt a big juicy lemon wedge over top, and it is perfection. The firm, meaty consistency of the shrimp almost reminded me of Alaskan crab leg (not snow) or lobster. I finished 2.5. Ken had 0.5. The rest went in to the to go box with the sides, sliced potato and garlicky green beans.
Ken is a veal fan so he was in heaven (Moro's menu leans heavily toward veal, but the waiter told me they would do any of the veal dishes subbing chicken, for me - nice). He ended up with Veal Columbo, breaded veal cutlets, bathed in Palomino sauce (tomato sauce mixed with cream and cheese), then covered in more cheese and baked. This sauce was awesome, and no drop went to waste as we dragged bread through it, sopping up all the goodness. He also brought home half of his meal, with sides too.
We couldn't find room for dessert, even after viewing the show at other tables of flambeed fruit, but we did crack a couple walnuts and slice up a Granny Smith apple to share out of the wooden bowl that arrived at our table after our plates had been cleared. Fun.
Expensive ($100 before tip), but not if you remind yourself that the food and service are excellent, and you have a decent amount of delicious leftovers.
We'd go to Moro's again. read more