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An Institution
If you've lived around metro-Detroit for any length of time, you know of Tom's Oyster Bar. What started 25 years ago as a novelty — serving oysters — has turned into an institution. The reason they've been able to stand the test of time is because Tom's is still a great place to relax, have a beer and a great meal.
I stopped into Tom's Royal Oak location and was welcomed by a cozy, high-class saloon setting. There is no cliché fishing equipment covering the walls, trying to distract you from the most important thing: the food.
Tom’s has built a reputation around having the freshest and best-prepared seafood. Every location has seafood delivered daily. No frozen fish here. High quality ingredients are the cornerstone of the menu. Salads, sides and other entrees all are made from the freshest ingredients available. The menu changes seasonally to ensure it.
You could start your meal with a variety of appetizers. Calamari, crab cakes and mussels accompany the signature oysters. Try them raw on the half shell or in the popular Oysters Rockefeller, made with fresh spinach, real bacon, Pernod and Asiago cheese.
Other raw offerings are the peel and eat shrimp and sushi. Several types are available from tuna and eel sashimi to classic California rolls. Try specialty rolls like the Firecracker that features Tempura, shrimp and crab.
Tom's has put their own spin on the typical seafood soups. Their clam chowder is made with real cream but you won't find the typical pork. It's great all year but perfect for Michigan winters.
Main courses run the gamut from a Great Lakes Lemon Pepper Whitefish that’s broiled to perfection and served with red skin potatoes and veggies to a Blackened Swordfish. The swordfish is first dry-rubbed with black and cayenne pepper and cooked in an iron skillet. It comes with a cool cucumber dill sauce and rice pilaf.
Tom's strives to keep local dishes available, too. A favorite is the Great Lakes perch. The fish is lightly battered in seasoned flour and then sautéed. The fish is never deep-fried. Both Tom and his staff made it clear that the only things fried there are the french fries and the onion rings.
For those not keen on seafood, they offer chicken entrees and a bacon-wrapped black Angus filet. Pasta dishes come with chicken or several types of seafood. Dinner-sized salads and a large group of sandwiches are available as well. Daily specials can be found on the hanging chalkboard menus along with specials from the bar. Every location has a full bar and they even serve Tom's very own micro-brewed beer. Choose from their Ale or Port or one of eight other beers on tap. The staff can also help you pick from 20 wines available by the glass.
Tom’s Oyster Bar has stood out by giving its customers fresh, tasty seafood that rises above the typical fare. Cozy locations that stay open late, full bars and friendly staff have made it a destination. Stop in to this modern saloon today. | RDW
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