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!