The food at Mizuna and Luca d’Italia has been great as usual – but maybe owner/chef Frank Bonanno’s heart hasn’t been in it.
He named his second restaurant, Luca d’Italia, after his son Luca – a boy you would often see in his wife Jacqueline’s arms at work. But seems the kid has been in Children’s Hospital more than the eatery recently.
Luca, 4, spent most of May in Children’s for brain surgery to correct cortical dysplasia, which was triggering epilepsy. Before his operations, Luca was having as many as 50 seizures a day. The Bonannos kept the crisis to themselves.
“It’s a scary thing, Bill,” Frank says.
But it looks like Luca is out of the woods.
“Now we want to give back to Children’s,” says Frank. “You almost feel like you’re part of the family when you’re living there. We want to give back the only way we know how – through food.”
Bonanno called his buddy Tony Mantuano at Chicago’s incredible Spiaggia restaurant and he has agreed to come to town to cook a meal with Frank on Oct. 5 at Luca d’Italia. “He’s the biggest name I know – and I know he would do it,” says Frank.
Look for six courses with wine, all inclusive, including Maine lobster, cheese-filled pasta, roast guinea hen w/ black truffle sauce; $250, or $500 for “gold seating.” Call 303-832-6600.
Platinum
The invitation for Allen Fears’ surprise 50th birthday party Friday night looked like a giant American Express Platinum Card – with the slogan: “Friendship has its privileges.”
Fears, former apFO and suburban baseball booster, was caught unawares at Jet Hotel’s downstairs club by his wife, Wendy Mitchell, and pals who included Aurora Mayor Ed Tauer, Wendy Aiello, Maria Garcia Berry, Dr. Greg Buford, Colin and Dana Bresee, Tom and Kay Norton, Raz Gnat, and Brad and Pam Morris.
Tattoo you
A recent ABC polls says 24 percent of Americans 18-50 have at least one tattoo. Make that 36 percent for ages 18-29. Who are you people?
Take your tats to the Thunder in the Rockies motorcycle rally Sunday (the rally runs Friday-Monday) for the first Crossroads Tattoo Competition to benefit Muscular Dystrophy. It all comes down at the Ranch in Loveland. Last year the rally attracted 60,000. This year it features your tats and Ted Nugent and blue collar comic Bill Engvall, biker weddings and fight night. Call 303-651-6112.
City spirit
Tamy Elam, wife of Broncos kicker Jason Elam, earned raves performing as Maria in the Fellowship Community Church’s production of “Sound of Music” last weekend … The cast of “Real World” was in the new RockBar on East Colfax Saturday night, enjoying their last weekend in Denver. The show packs up Wednesday with hugs and goodbyes at DIA … The cast for Cirque du Soleil’s “Delirium” is in town for its Wednesday-Saturday run at the Pepsi Center. Look for some unusual talent to show up at local clubs … Sez who: “I never ask myself how I do what I do. After all, how does it rain?” Pearl Bailey
Bill Husted’s column appears Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. Husted also appears Tuesdays and Fridays on “Good Day Colorado” on Fox 31. You can reach him at 303-954-1486 or at bhusted@denverpost.com.
