Cuisine to Dine for Best Of Everything 20 Years Of Fine Italian Dining At Very Competitive Prices Renown. Chef Louai Sharkas invites you to experience the taste everyone is talking about. Michigan's finest upscale, casual American bistro. Now open for lunch. F olks who enjoy Italian din- ing without paying for ambiance or reputation might be interested in a place that serves Provimi veal among its dishes at prices low enough to attract attention. On the corner of John R and Maple in Troy is Capraro's Italian Den, where an item like veal parmi- giana can be gotten for $11.95; or veal marsala, $12.25; or veal piccata, $12.25 ... Each served with soup or salad, pasta or potato and homemade bread. And the full-bodied minestrone soup is chock full of spinach, green beans, garbanzo beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, pasta shells, potatoes, tomatoes and celery. All the dishes ... four chicken, five fish and seafood, and eight regular menu specialties (veal medallions sauteed in a creamy horseradish sauce, $12.25, etc.) are complete dinners "Oakland Grill gets wows for class act." — Observer & Eccentric "Oakland Grill's food and ser- vice shine." Detroit Free.Press , IIMIMMINXSOMSS, "Oakland Grill is a winner.'" -- Daily . Our meal at Oakland Grill was exc ep tional and it left us talking about OUT food all weekend long." -- Oakland Press: , Available for private engagements Saturday afternoons and Sundays. Hours: Mon-Wed 11:30 a.m. - 12:00 midnight Thur-Fri 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 a.m. Sat. 5:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m. 32832 Woodward Oust South of 14 Mile Rd.) Royal Oak (248) 549-7700 Reservations accepfed. Capraro's Nick Kopanakis. that include the above-mentioned accompaniments ... Seven pasta items come with everything except, of course, pasta. At least 12 more daily specials too, like the eight-ounce Capraro steak topped with mushrooms and natural juices, $8.95 .. Or 16-ounce choice cut T-bone steak with mushrooms and au jus, $11.95. When owner Nick Kopanakis took over Oct. 30, 1978, his main interest 200 in the main dining room, plus a was to give a good Italian meal at a bar area with 16 stools. low price. This wanted type of restaurant This he has done successfully, but makes its own lasagna, gnocchi, can- in much too quiet a way. nelloni, ravioli, sauces, soups, etc. ... Those who know about Capraro's The Italian bread too. Italian Den swear by it for good food Biggest seller at Capraro's Italian at low prices in a very clean Den is the veal parmigiana, atmosphere. followed by veal marsala What many may not know and veal piccata is that the fresh, tasty and Whitefish, pickerel, salmon healthy sauces there are all and tuna dinners are also made with low-fat olive oil heavy on the orders. and no sugar. The low price _structure Capraro's Grecian influence even takes in a Sunday buf- with use of a lot of olive oil is fet from 11 to 3, with a a health factor appreciated by variety that includes salad many. bar, roast beef, turkey, DAN NY The former owners used to shrimp, tortellini, mostacci- RAS KIN make their own sauces, too ... Local Co lumnist oli, escalopped potatoes, But with fat. beans, baked cod, lasagna, Nick is a restaurant man pancakes, bacon, eggs made from away back ... capable of to order, etc. ... $7.95 doing whatever is needed. adults and $5.95 kids 10 and under. He has done it all ... from busing Capraro's Italian Den is open tables to washing dishes to mopping Monday-Thursday, 11 to 10:30; floors to bartending to cook- Friday and Saturday, 11-11:30; ing, which Nick does a lot Sunday, 11-8:30. of. The night hostess, Florence Jarson, Also owning his own has been there since it opened ... restaurants ... like the former Server Delphine Babich and day wait- Stephenson Club on John R ress Halina Van Hee are also 20-year and 10 Mile in Hazel Park, veterans. and Flim Flam on Grand Nick's two sons, Michael, 30, and River and Middlebelt. Johnny, 22, are both with dad ... Mike Although it doesn't have cooks days and Johnny helps at night, the lavish decor of many cooking, managing and hosting ... other Italian restaurants, During the school season he is a Capraro's has the main thing sophomore in marketing at University ... a look of cleanliness. of Detroit. And being the restaurateur There is a lot of private parking at that he is, Nick knows that the casual dining Capraro's, and future you can have the best food ... plans include a patio, more music, the lowest prices ... the finest windows, redo of the bar sector, etc. service ... But everything goes But the low prices will remain the down the tube if you don't same. have a clean operation ... Capraro's Italian Den is one of which is why he dotes on this those types of restaurants you enjoy important factor. going to because of the confidence ele- The white linen napkins ment that comes with consistency. are neatly folded on white That the prices are so low is a high linen tablecloths covered point much appreciated by cost-con- with glass-like Lucite tops. scious folks watching their dollars as It is a family restaurant in well as their intake of properly pre- every sense of the word ... pared food in an atmosphere of clean- with a separate children's liness. menu for kids 10 and under ... Also, if NOSTALGIA WAS at its highest wanted, every entree on the menu will ebb for the recent gala opening of the be prepared in a child's portion. '20s and '30s photo exhibition at the Pizzas — round or square — are Maple-Drake Jewish Community heavy sellers at Capraro's Italian Den Center. ... both classic original style and Cars of the eras, photo exhibits Chicago stuffed ... Also nine specialty from sports to places of yesteryears, to gourmet pizzas that are winning com- big-time and small-time hoods, to binations. street scenes, synagogues, etc. Capraro's Italian den seats about Inside Shifman Hall, transferred