Bastone

Molly Abraham, Detroit News Restaurant Critic: The Belgian-influenced brasserie inside a 1939 building in the heart of Royal Oak offers a setting of white tile and dark wood under an exposed ceiling for a menu of steamed black mussels, steak frites, fish and chips, hamburgers, thin-crusted pizzas with such toppings as wild mushrooms and goat cheese. Its space is divided into a small bar area and a dining room with distressed wood tables and cozy booths as well as some trestle tables for a bit of a beer hall look. But this is not really a beer hall despite the brewery in the basement turning out six house brews. Instead, it emphasizes the food from a sophisticated menu. Another element is Cafe Habana, a separate, smaller cafe in the back of the building with its own entrance, turning out a menu of Cuban-inspired dishes including pork in adobo, chicken mole and cornmeal cakes stuffed with goat cheese, avocado and tomatoes. And there's Commune, a cellar lounge.