4,0

Michigan's finest upscale,
yet casual American bistro

The Best Of Everything

Savor the taste that is the
talk of the town

Authentic Middle East flavor and a kosher heksher.

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

tells of being born in Ashkelon, Israel,
toes stuffed with veal) sided by very
south of Tel Aviv, and coming to the
heavy leaning on the Middle Eastern
United States in 1984 ... After his
style.
stint as a dishwasher, he was a cook at
But other specialties aren't neglect-
s a lad of 16, he came here
Denny's and Christopher's in Toledo,
ed ... Like salmon patties, schnitzel,
from his native Israel and
and at Alia's here.
meat
loaf,
stuffed
peppers
with
washed dishes in a Big Boy
It was at Alia's that he
or
without
meat,
fried
chicken,
restaurant.
met
John Murdoch, his pre-
gefilte
fish,
baked
chicken,
It was the beginning of a career
sent chef who assists Ofer in
chopped liver, etc.
that would ultimately make his dream
making the many foods
"Those who have been in
come true.
from Ofer's recipes.
Israel know how wonderful the
From that moment, Ofer Ohana
Taste of Israel now seats
food is," says regular customer
has wanted to own a restaurant ...
70
people at 25 tables ... By
Rabbi Alon Tolwin. "Its dis-
And today that fulfillment is a reality.
the
end of this year, Ofer
tinctive
flavors
are
something
There has been continuous talk
expects.
to have the entire
that
Taste
of
Israel
has
cap-
about kosher restaurants opening
former
Lakewood
area seat-
tured."
again in the Northwest area.
D ANN
ing about 200.
There are two ways of
While the well-intended and hope-
RA SKIN
At present, a back section
ordering at Taste of Israel ....
fully well-meaning lip service is going
Local Columnist now contains many Israeli
on, a little carry-out quietly adds more People can go to the counters,
specialty items which Ofer
select their food, and it will be
tables to what has become a full-ser-
has
retained
as a convenience.
brought
to
their
table
...
Or
customers
vice, sit-down, glatt kosher restaurant
While
Israeli
music plays in the
may
sit
down
immediately
and
a
serv-
... Open for breakfast, lunch and din-
background,
people
who recognize the
er
will
take
their
order.
ner.
food and those who just want the type
When it opened July 9, 1997, Taste
Taste of Israel on Greenfield, south
of home cooking it affords, enjoy spe-
of Israel was strictly a carry-out opera-
of I-696, may not be the most preten-
cials like lamb chops, meat pies, fish
tion with one-half the space ... Then
tious place, but it is what others have
and chips, portobella
said they would open ...
sandwich, hot turkey
A bona fide kosher
and hot beef sandwich-
restaurant.
es and 12 more in pita
No frills ... Nothing
or baguette, short ribs,
fancy ... No fine linen
Salisbury steak, soups
tablecloths and napkins
(matzah ball, pea, veg-
... No opulent booths ...
etable, navy bean,
Just good kosher food in
lentil, chicken), kugels
a clean environment.
(noodle, apple, potato,
As the name suggests,
salt
and pepper), etc.
Taste of Israel leans
Biggest
sellers are
mainly toward the foods
the
shwarmah
and
of that nation.
kafta,
but
each
day a
Hummus (chickpea
different special is fea-
dip), tahini (sesame seed
tured ... One item,
paste), pita (Arab pock-
chicken pot pie on
et bread), and falafel
Thursdays, is a typical
(fried chickpea balls) are
sellout ... But not
typically Middle Eastern
before regulars like
dishes which became
Sandy Margolis have
Israeli by adoption.
had theirs.
All are at Taste of
Ofer says that
Israel along with
nobody here makes
shwarmah (turkey sea-
Taste of Israers Ofer Ohana.
Moroccan eggplant ...
soned with lamb), Israeli
And
prides himself on
kafta (spiced ground
his
having
the
same
flavor as gotten at
Ofer
took
over
the
former
Lakewood
lamb and beef char-grilled and served
open-air
markets
in Israel.
shuk
the
Market
next
door
in
September
and
on two skewers).
His
chatzilem
looks
similar
to the
his
restaurant
grew
from
2,200
square
The cooking at Taste of Israel is
Arabic baba ganoush, but has an
feet to 4,400 square feet.
geared to Israeli and Moroccan ways
entirely different and distinct flavor...
People have asked if, with a name
(meatballs cooked with carrots and
Ofer's eggplant is made with mayon-
like Ohana, he wasn't Irish or Hawai-
peas; eggplant and matboohah,
naise ... And he says that his Moroc-
ian
...
Ofer
noddingly
smiles
as
he
cooked tomatoes and peppers; pota-

DANNY RASKIN
Local Columnist

A

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

DECK
NOW
OPEN!

Buy One Entree At Regular
Price Get Second Entree
Equal or Lesser Value

HALF THE PRICE

• Dine In Only • With Coupon
• One Coupon Per Couple
• Not Valid With Other Offers

L Expires 7/31/98

JN

SERVING LUNCH & DINNER
TUESDAY - SUNDAY

32832 Woodward

►

Royal Oak

Oust south of 14 Mile Rd.)

7/24
1998

(248) 549-7700

92 DetrOit Jewish News