Sat., Sept 8, show time 7 p.m.
Sun., Sept 9, show time 6 p.m.
FOOD
Please arrive 1 hour or earlier if you're having dinner
"Barbra Streisand and CHER
Tribute from Las Vegas"
FOODIE
(Look alike and Exact Sound alike)
Town Tavern
2 Dinners
2 Show Tickets
2 sodas only:
By Esther Allweiss Ingber
L
$ plus
5995
Tax
& Tip
Free Parking & Free
Photo Opportunities
with Greet & Meet
Tickets are limited to this event, so make your reservations early!
Here's your
chance to
win Dinner
& Show for 2
Answer these questions. The person who answers most or all
correct, wins! The person/persons will be contacted no later than
Wednesday September 3rd.
Please email your answers to kfarber@renmedia.us
1.What Detroit Restaurant did Barbra Streisand sing at in 1961?
2. What movie did Cher win an academy award for in 1987?
3. What actress plays opposite Barbra in the movie Yentl,
that went on to marry Steven Spielberg?
Please submit no later than Monday September 1st
The New
AND IA /1 0
Call for Tickets: 248.348.3838
or Ticketmaster.com visa/Mas ter Card accepted.
Banquet and Event Center of Novi 42705 Grand River, Novi, Michigan 48375 • 248 348 -3838
EMERY'S
Creative jewelers
30975 Orchard Lake Road
Farmington Hills
248.855.0433
Monday-Saturday 10am-6:00pm
emeryscreative@sbcglobal.net
Like us on
28 September 20121
ocated on happening West
Fourth Street in Royal Oak, a
block and a half from the Royal
Oak Music Theater, is a popular
gathering place called Town Tavern.
Don't confuse it with an ordinary
bar, despite the "tavern" in its name.
Under the direction of Executive
Chef Ray Backers, this is a sophisti-
cated restaurant offering an upscale,
fresh take on familiar American
fare. Naturally, Town Tavern serves
a dandy cocktail and since the ad-
dition of a draft beer system this
summer, four Michigan craft beers
are on tap.
Native east-side Detroiter Bill Rob-
erts opened Town Tavern in June
2007 as part of his Birmingham-
based Roberts Restaurants Group. It
includes several notable properties
in Oakland County. Preceding Town
Tavern were Streetside Seafood
(former Richard & Reiss) in Birming-
ham and Beverly Hills Grill of that
city. This past February, Roberts
opened Roadside Bar & Grill (former
Brandy's) in Bloomfield Hills and his
next restaurant, at Maple and Lahser
roads, should debut by early 2013.
"With Town Tavern, we thought
this was a great opportunity to offer
a high-quality fresh food operation
in downtown Royal Oak, including
quality appetizers," said Roberts, a
Michigan State University hospital-
ity program graduate who formerly
worked for Machus Restaurants
Group and Pontiac Silverdome.
Ron Rhea designs the decor at all
Roberts Group restaurants.
"I wouldn't do anything without
him," Roberts said. "He has a great
feel for what people like!'
For Town Tavern, "an upscale
1930s-style tavern," Rhea used rose-
wood, marble, mohair and stainless.
Features include weathered dark
wood, chocolate velvet upholstered
booths, frosted ribbed glass, and
scenes and faces of old Royal Oak
framed on paneled walls. The look
is nostalgic, yet contemporary. The
dining room accommodates 100;
French doors lead to a small patio.
Now, it's time to eat! In addition to
several soups, side salads and sand-
wiches at lunch, look to the chalk-
board for an omelet of the day. The
listed entree salads are Caesar with
Buffalo shrimp or grilled chicken
breast, pulled chicken in a maple-
mustard vinaigrette and warm
tenderloin, including walnuts, blue
cheese and red onions in a balsamic
vinaigrette. Buffalo mac and cheese,
made with cheddar, is a customer
favorite.
RED THREAD
fp
"They made the best Caesar salad
I've had in a long time," said Shirley
Kaplan of Southfield, a lunchtime
guest. She also raved about the
freshly baked Parmesan-garlic rolls.
I was pleased with Town Tav-
ern's treatment of Caprese salad, a
simple, go-to dish for summer. Alter-
nating slices of vine-ripened tomato
and mozzarella were artistically
arranged on a plate, topped with
chopped fresh basil and a drizzle of
balsamic-reduction dressing.
Popular choices at dinner include
lobster mac and (Mascarpone)
cheese, fresh seafood specials on
the chalkboard, broiled Great Lakes
whitefish and oregano-lemon
grilled shrimp. For meat-fanciers, try
the "Blue Ribbon"cheeseburger or
Buffalo burger, and tender filet mi-
gnon or reserve-aged New York strip
steak, both accompanied by jumbo
grilled asparagus, steak-cut fries and
Tavern steak butter.
"Our Bar Plates are really popular;'
Roberts said. The small, tasty por-
tions include lump crab cakes with
mustard sauce, five-spice calamari
with Asian aioli, short rib tacos and
especially, the Parmesan truffle fries.
This Tavern specialty consists of
thinly cut fries tossed with truffle oil
and sprinkled with Parmesan and a
bit of parsley for color. Yum!
Cocktails, such as the signature
Michigan Cherry Screwdriver or
Tavern Bloody Mary (made with
jalapeno-infused vodka), go well
with Bar Plates. Or choose from
the Dessert Wine/Port list or have
a specialty liquor-enhanced coffee.
Non-alcoholic Faygo Floats come in
three pop flavors.
Ray's Ice Cream in Royal Oak
provides the featured daily flavor,
and Gala apple-berry cobbler goes
very well with ice cream. Other des-
serts are creme brulee and carrot or
chocolate stout cakes.
The service here is exception-
ally attentive. Setting the tone are
general manager Stephanie Foster
and managers Margo Ladd, Matt All-
geier, Melissa Crossman and Justin
Fuller. RT
TOWN TAVERN
116 W. Fourth St.
Royal Oak, MI 48067
(248) 544-7300
www.towntavernroyaloak.com
$$-$$$ out of $$$$$
www.redthreadmagazine.com