Tullio’s was one of those great Old Italian neighborhood restaurants of years back.  Nothing pretentious or having that canned look of so many restaurants of today.  It was an honest dinner from the old school.  Like so many of the nationalities that I grew up with in Detroit, there was a segment that moved down river from the city and Tullio’s  La Riviera catered to one of the groups.  Though his food was fine enough, that many others discovered his dishes as well.

It was a great pasta place, the type that even if you didn’t order pasta, you got some on a side plate along with your meat entrée.   I remember the first time that I was there, the host/manager brought us to a table.  His voice was so familiar, but I was having a hard time placing him from my youth.  During the course of the meal, I had a chance to talk to him some more, especially after hearing people call him by his first name.  He was Mario Casadei, who years ago had a restaurant in Southwest Detroit called (of all things) Casadei’s.  Of course everyone from the neighborhood referred to it as “Cassidy’s,” which made it sound like an Irish-Italian restaurant.  The old restaurant had closed I would venture a guess around 1972 or so (maybe later).  I remembered it, as the restaurant that had my Mother’s memorial dinner after her burial.  The restaurant was usually closed on Mondays, but with the turn-out for my Mother, the restaurant was opened for a private event.  It is funny how one remembers little incidents, as this was a restaurant that my Father and his cronies would go to, as opposed to my cronies.  Mario looked at me, when I brought up the memory and remembered the day.

The wine list was not extensive, but a simple grouping that would accommodate the menu.   I was just learning about Montepulciano d’Abruzzo wines at the time, so here was another learning moment for me.   This was more of a table wine, from the region so it was not as heavy.  Of course one of the problems for this wine, that I do enjoy, is that it is dwarfed by the Chianti district and now also by the Super Tuscany region as all three are in the central part of Italy.   Another problem for this wine is that the grape varietal is the Montepulciano, and there is a town or village with the same name, but Abruzzi is the major city in the district.  The charm of enjoying wines is pairing a wine with the dish.  If one is not fussy, neither should the other; at least that is my thought on the subject.   I find that a Montepulciano d’Abruzzo can make pasta (even the dishes that are made for the American palate)and Tullio’s La Riviera was not of that ilk, better.

I am sorry to say, that a tragedy befell the family and the restaurant has since closed their doors.