Trattoria Bruschetta appeared during the time that this appetizer seemed to be the new rage among restaurants.  This restaurant was at The Hotel Baronette in Novi which is a wonderful little continental style hotel that was built to cater to the affluent business traveler to the Detroit area.  The hotel is not a big high rise edifice with a “cookie cutter” approach to the rooms, but more for the demanding traveler who has certain expectations when on the road.

The restaurant itself was a good workman like Italian styled eatery.  I didn’t feel that there was enough there, to compete with some of the classic Italian restaurants that have proven themselves over time in the Detroit area.  I guess my presumptions proved correct as this restaurant was later converted over to an establishment that was more in the flavor of the hotel.  I do not remember much of the meal, other then the fact that it was enjoyable, just not as stellar when compared to some of my stand-by Italian eateries.  I know that hind-sight and Monday morning quarterbacking is an easy thing to say later on, but that was my opinion of the evening.

I remember having a rather curious at that time bottle of wine.  We ordered it as more of a curiosity rather then a need for the evening.  It was a Spanish Cabernet Sauvignon wine from Rene Barbier 1990.  It was listed as a “Mediterranean Select” wine.  It had the mandatory good color and good nose that is expected from a Cabernet Sauvignon, but not the depth of a good Claret or a “Super Tuscany,” though it was not priced as dear, as some of those wines are.  We found the wine to be the most enjoyable part of the meal, though I would not go out of my way to recommend it, but I would order it again, if it was the best option on a wine list.