38 July 4 • 2019
jn

Toasted Oak Grill 
& Market
U

pright, stamped barrels and 
vintage advertising signs — 
these decorative elements at 
Toasted Oak Grill & Market hearken 
back to America’
s rural roots, when 
people thrived on 
wholesome meals 
made from scratch. 
Home-baking, can-
ning, aging and curing 
were vital skills. 
Farm-to-table 
dining is a byword 
at Toasted Oak, a 
brasserie-style eatery 
within the Baronette 
Renaissance Detroit-Novi Hotel, near 
Twelve Oaks Mall. This is definitely 
not “hotel food.
”
The vision of Toasted 
Oak, merging French 
cuisine with American, 
belongs to Executive 
Chef Ken Miller, 27. He’
s 
a veteran of the fire-
house-turned-restaurant 
Apparatus Room inside 
Detroit Foundation Hotel. 
Miller returned nearly two 
years ago to Toasted Oak, 
bringing his talent for creating imagi-
native and memorable fare, often with 
local ingredients. 
A small market at the front entrance 
has refrigerated display cases filled 
with cheese from local dairy farms 
and charcuterie meat. Shelves hold 
wine and Michigan craft beer. Seating 
is available here and at a bar along the 
back wall.
Dining rooms offer an intimate 
ambiance. Features include recessed 
lighting, wainscoting below cream 
walls, chairs covered in brown leather 
or tartan plaid. The gray stacked-slate 
gas fireplace is two-sided and visible in 
the hotel’
s lobby. 
Service is another area where 
Toasted Oak excels. Knowledgeable 
server Kaitlin Marks guided my hus-

band and me to items we’
d enjoy. 
First, fresh cornbread was delivered 
to the table on a wooden block, accom-
panied by soft, house-made butter.
The plate presentations were love-
ly. We tried three items from the 
“Starters” list. I ordered Roasted Yellow 
Beets. The dish has cherries, goat’
s 
milk and a dark “soil,
” composed of 
foraged mushrooms and barley. The 
Marinated Olives are seasoned with 
orange zest and thyme.
Sachetti Pasta is something spe-
cial. The menu description mentions 
“beet-infused pea-herb filling, ramp 
(wild leek) emulsion, shaved radish 
and chickweed.
” We devoured every 
morsel.
House-made Sausage 
& Dumplings is satisfy-
ing comfort food, also 
with sauerkraut and 
thinly-sliced apple. It’
s on 
the “To Share” list, which 
includes a vegetarian Old 
Blue Flatbread Pizza. 
Among the “Mains” 
entrees are 14-day Dry-
Aged Duck, Trumpet 
Mushroom Scallops and 
Poached Seasonal Fish. A group might 
polish off the 34-ounce Tomahawk cut 
of American Wagyu Striploin ($215). 
Treated to a dry-aged miso rub, the 
meat is tender and delicious. I reveled 
in my smaller portion. 
For “Sides,
” Chef Ken triumphs 
with his Rose Fingerling Potatoes 
baked in hay (!). They’
re served atop 
blended cultured cream, horseradish 
and chives. The odd-looking Roasted 
Carrots are the yummiest! These rain-
bow carrots come with goat butter, 
coriander and chamomile kombucha 
(fermented, slightly alcoholic and 
sweetened tea).
Food service at Toasted Oak starts 
with breakfast and includes a daily 
“happy hour” from 2-5:30 p.m. Try the 
gourmet desserts, too. ■

dining around the d
nosh

Esther Allweiss 

Ingber 
Contributing Writer

Toasted 
Oak Grill & 
Market 
27790 Novi Road
Novi, MI 48377
 (248) 277-6000
toastedoak.com
$$$½ out of $$$$

VIA TOASTED OAK GRILL FACEBOOK

5600 Crooks Rd. (North of Long Lake Rd.) Troy, MI • 248-813-0700

Open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner, Sat. and Sun. dinner only • Private room available for up to 85 people

OFF
15%
TOTAL FOOD BILL

Expires 7/31/19

UP TO $30.00

Daily Special: Soup and Salad or Sandwich and Salad for $8

7/31/19

7/31/19

2140950


On Star’
s beautiful already 
low-priced trays

24555 W. 12 MILE ROAD

248-352-7377

www.stardeli.net

$5 OFF

Expires 7/12/19. One Per Order. Not Good Holidays. 
10 Person Minimum. With this coupon.

DELIVERY AVAILABLE

“…one of America’
s finest 
carryout-only delicatessens! 
Star’
s reputation 
has never wavered!”

— Danny Raskin
STAR
DELI

Prices subject to change

COMPARE OUR LOW PRICES WITH ANY DELICATESSEN IN TOWN!

SALAD TRAY
$13.99
per 
person
per 
person 

DAIRY TRAY
$22.99

SALAD TRAY W/ LOX & CREAM CHEESE
$17.99
per 
person 

MEAT TRAY
$12.99
per 
person

Celebrate the 4th 
with our 
Vienna Hot Dogs 
& Trays!

