Michigan's finest upscale,
yet casual American bistro
Savor the taste that is the
talk of the town

The Best Of Everything

A well-known name keeps Pike Street four-star.

"Oakland Grill gets wows for
class act." - Observer & Eccentric

,N.:4"=‘,

•

"Our meal at Oakland Grill was
exceptional and it left us talking
about our food all weekend long."
- Oakland Press

Tuesday through Thursday evenings and
complimenfary fray-passed Sushi in the
lounge every Thursday evening

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.

Please join us for happy hour,
Monday thru Friday, 4-7 p.m.

Domestic beers

$2.00

Imported beers

$2.50

Well drinks

$3.00

Available for private
engagements Saturday
afternoons and
Sundays.

32832 Woodward Royal Oak

(Jusf Soufh of 14 Mile Rd.)

1/23

1998

124

(248) 549-7700

few feet, oak paneling, fireplace, red
He has wanted to do this until the
ou could call it "coming
leather
and
an
occasional
oil
painting,
time
came when Al felt everything wasr__,
back to his customers" and
good
drinks
and
good
food.
in
place
to greet his many friends of
those who remember Al
It
had
long
been
a
favorite
of
the
yesteryears.
Balooly's legendary restau-
That time has finally come ... and
GM/New Center crowd and a special
rants of former days are greeting him
his
Pike Street Restaurant is again
treat
for
Fisher
Theatre
goers.
with thrilling acceptance seldom seen
reclaiming the high-stan-
Al's
Topinka's
Country
before in the restaurant business.
dard
ranking it once
House
was
open,
airy
and
Even generations who had heard so
comfortable
...
Diners'
sur-
enjoyed.
much about Topinka's On The
roundings ranged from the
Seating downstairs for
Boulevard, and Topinka's Country
cafe-like
atmosphere
of
the
dining
is 150 in the main
House on Telegraph and Seven Mile,
Fireside
Lounge
to
the
more
dining
room
and enclosed
are greeting Al Balooly like the uncle
porch-like
area
... The main
formal
yet
gaily
decorated
their mothers and fathers talked so
Gallery
Dining
Room
...
dining
room
has
elegant
much about.
surrounding
booths
and
Throughout
these
was
an
Al has that kind of charisma ... A
DANNY
tables
of
beige,
browns
and
emphasis
on
seasonal
floral
humble, quiet man whose expertise as
decorations,
truly
beautiful,
RASKIN
soft
burgundy
hues
...
The
a restaurateur is with few equals, is the
especially in December with
Local Columnist enclosed porch has high slat
owner of Pike Street Restaurant at 18
beams, brick walls and a
Pike in Pontiac.
wall
with all-wood case-
Out Telegraph or
ment
windows.
Woodward, it takes less
The
large bar lounge,
time getting to Pike
--\
used
as
a smoking sec-
Street Restaurant than
tion, seats 85 ... 30 bar
the journey into down-
stools
and 50 at tables
town Detroit.
where
folks can dine and
Those who remember
listen
to
the piano styling
Topinka's On The
of
Greg
Nichols
on
Boulevard and Topinka's
Thursday,
Friday
and
Country House can
Saturday
evenings.
hardly forget Al ... His
On the white linen
flair for customer satis-
tablecloths
with white
faction has always been a
linen
napkins
are
foremost attraction to go
brought
the
excellent
along with a keen restau-
offerings of Executive
rant knowledgeability.
Chef Kirk Robinson, for-
Al closed Topinka's
mer sous chef under
On The Boulevard,
Brian Polcyn and then
home of the stars appear-
under Darin Moore ...
ing at the Fisher Theater,
when
both were at Pike
which he had from 1975
Street.
to 1987, and concentrat- Al Balooly of Pike Street Restaurant.
His roast rack of lamb _E\/
ed his efforts in the oper-
with
Dijon herb crust,
ation of his Topinka's
the
revolving
dolls,
and
very
festive
smoked
gouda
potatoes
and Cabernet
Country House, from 1975 to 1990,
sauce
has
many
folks
coming
back ...
year-round
with
a
touch
of
soft
ele-
when developers offered a price to
gance.
Also
the
sauteed
veal
medallions
with
turn it into a shopping center.
But
the
biggest
things
Al
has
been
vegetable
herb
cheese.
After opening restaurants in areas
The grilled Atlantic salmon with a
noted for throughout the years are
not frequented with regularity by his
three-nut
crust, served over a baby
very
good
food,
excellent
service
and
Jewish clientele, Al decided to leave
vegetable
salad, is one of Pike Street's
extreme
cleanliness.
his last one in Ann Arbor, to "come
big
fish
sellers
... The grilled swordfish
All
have
accompanied
him
to
Pike
home again" ... an expression he often
and
artichoke
hearts
is big on the
Street
Restaurant
...
along
with
other
uses because of his dining experiences
orders,
too
...
Hard
to
beat Chef
wonderful
amenities
that
make
for
with the Jewish people.
Robinson's
bouillabaisse
with shrimp,
good
dining
experiences.
On Grand Boulevard, who can for-
scallops,
calamari
and
mussels.
Al
has
had
Pike
Street
Restaurant
get the Cliff Bell influence that
Al's general manager, Brian
since December of 1996, but goes
included a comfortable bar uniquely
McNamara,
is a former six-year
about
his
everyday
business
of
restau-
designed for one-on-one conversation,
Golden
Mushroom
waitperson whose
rateuring
with
mouse-like
quietness.
the semi-circular tables affixed every

y