arts & life
the b e s t o f
e ve r y t h i n g
Still Going Strong
Tom’s Oyster Bar continues in Royal Oak with much favor.
B
ack in 1985 when Tom Brandel
opened his first Tom’s Oyster Bar
in Grosse Pointe Park, it was to
appease the many seafood-loving people
who wanted a restaurant of this dining
selection in their locale.
It later became so successful that Brandel
opened another one in September 1994
in Royal Oak … And then came more …
Today, that Royal Oak location is the only
one left … owned by Nick Ritts, who had
purchased it from Tom to become still
another good restaurant under his Ritts
Hospitality Group umbrella … Nick’s
Terry’s Terrace and Ale Mary’s are also din-
ing favorites.
When it recently turned 22 years old as
the only remaining Tom’s Oyster Bar, it had
maintained a reputation
of high esteem in continu-
ance of what has always
been considered a widely
respected small chain …
So much so that it’s huge
success at the time created
need for expansion and so
came the Royal Oak site
on South Main, between
East Third and East
Fourth streets.
It is open Monday
through Friday, 11 a.m.
to 2 a.m. … Saturday and Nick Ritts
Sunday, noon to 1 a.m.
… Seating in the dining
room is for 65 … A large outdoor patio is
also available when weather permits.
Best sellers among the bevy of selections
at Tom’s Oyster Bar in Royal Oak include
items like Tempura Fish N’ Chips, battered
fresh cod, malt vinegar fries, gribiche,
Brussels sprouts slaw, Lake Perch (lightly
breaded and pan-fried) served with red-
skin potatoes, vegetable and coleslaw, etc.
In additions to its seafood
macha, a spicy sauce. The
lovelies, Tom’s Oyster Bar is
wings were very meaty but not
also much noted for its Spanish
spicy enough for Mark. We
coffee … Over the last 20
also tried the grilled chicken
years, it is estimated that more
sandwich with pickles, lettuce
than 100,000 orders have been
and tomato and a cheesy white
served … Weekly fresh fish
sauce on the sandwich. This,
catches and daily features are of
too, was very good.”
much note.
MAIL DEPT. … From
About the oysters, which
Rachel
Kapen … “After the
Danny Raskin
Tom’s Oyster Bar orders with
closing
of Jerusalem Pizza in
Senior Columnist
pride, much note is made on
the Jewish Community Center,
the large orders of more than
West Bloomfield, many resi-
100 cases per month … And the shipment
dents who adhere to the laws of kashrut
of fresh seafood six days a week is also an
didn’t have a kosher restaurant in West
eye-opener.
Bloomfield until the recently opened Soul
Tom’s Oyster Bar has maintained a top
Cafe as part of the Farber Center at the cor-
stature of quality that gives much satis-
ner of Walnut and Drake.
faction and is still held in
“I checked out the place when my
noted esteem … What Tom
strictly observant granddaughter, Michaela
Brandel started has been in
Kapen, flew in from Virginia a couple of
the very good hands of Nick days before Rosh Hashanah; and I was
Ritts in the carry-on of a
glad to take her to a kosher place. We had
fine tradition.
dinner in mind, but Michaela found out
READER MINI REVIEW that it serves only breakfast and lunch. We
… From Susan Sherbow …
opted for lunch. She also found out the
“Mark and I were impressed varied menu it serves, so we went there
by the breakfast, lunch
all prepared, and the place exceeded all
and dinner items that are
expectations. It is very pleasing to the eye,
served at the O.W.L. res-
the food is varied and delicious, no meat,
taurant, a 24-hour diner on
the service is great, too, and, last, but not
Woodward in Royal Oak.
least, it employs many special needs young
The little restaurant is billed people.”
as a Mexican-American res-
GOOD SERVER DEPT. … Lina Shabi
taurant, but readers should
… Very competent, fast, smiling and effi-
not expect the usual Mexican fare.
ciency that highly satisfies customers who
“I tried the avocado toast, which was
enjoy having her wait on them … Siegel’s
delicious — sesame bread covered with
Deli, West Maple, Commerce Township.
avocado spread and topped with thinly
MAKING ROUNDS … To Hungarian
sliced carrots, radishes, sprinkled with
Rhapsody, Northline, for Hungarian
cilantro and topped with a hardboiled egg.
goulash … To Bistro 82, Royal Oak, for
The combination made an unusual but
stuffed peppers … To Cafe Sushi, Troy,
delicious breakfast treat.
for Mongolian beef … To Antonio’s,
“Mark opted for chicken wings with
Farmington Hills, for linguini with red
01&/%":4t%*/&*/t$"33:065t$"5&3*/(
Deli Trays
$ 99
only
9
per person
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3258 Orchard Lake Rd.
Orchard Lake
(Just North of Commerce Rd.)
Visit Facebook
for Full Menu
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)0634.PO'SJBNQNr4BUBNQNr4VOBNQN
48 November 3 • 2016
clam sauce …To Sposita’s, West Bloomfield,
for baby perch …To Big Rock Chophouse,
Birmingham, for roasted salmon …
To Franklin Grill, Franklin, for roasted
Indiana duck
IF THEY HAD A Jewish Mother Dept.
… To George Washington, “Next time
I catch you throwing money across the
Potomac, you can kiss your allowance
goodbye!”
OLDIE BUT GOODIE DEPT. … An
elderly Jewish man is bumped by a car
while crossing the street. He is unhurt, but
his wife persuades him to go to the doctor,
just in case. He returns home and his wife
asks, “What did the doctor say?”
“The doctor says I have a flucky.”
“Terrible! What do you do for a flucky?”
“I don’t know. He didn’t say.”
She tells her neighbors, “My husband
was hit by a car and now he has a flucky!”
Neighbor No. 1 says, “In the old country,
when someone has a flucky, we always
applied cold. Cold is the best thing for a
flucky.”
Neighbor No. 2 says, “What are you
talking about? Cold is absolutely the worst
thing you can do for a flucky! We always
applied heat. That’s the only thing to do for
a flucky.”
Cold, heat! Now thoroughly agitated
the wife calls the doctor herself, “Doctor,
please tell me what’s wrong with my hus-
band?”
“I told him that nothing is wrong. He got
off lucky.”
CONGRATS … To Robert Steinberg on
his birthday … To Linda Gold on her birth-
day … To Dennis “Denny” Green on his
birthday … To Irving and Marilyn Markel
on their 57th anniversary.
*
Danny’s email address is dannyraskin@sbcglobal.net.
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