Question about a Detroit [[Royal Oak) restaurant...

michchick98 · August-10-10, 07:32 PM

I'm writing a story where the two main characters are going out to dinner at a place called Albano's Cafe. I found the name of the restaurant through a search on Google. Now, I did find a menu, but I couldn't find any specific pictures of the restaurant [[inside) or reviews except one that said "the waitress kept our water glasses full."

Has anyone ever eaten at Albano's Cafe? If so, is the food good? Is the atmosphere appropriate for a casual date?

If not, then what could someone recommend? I'd like it to be a restaurant along the lines of what I saw on Albano's menu [[American, Italian, French, Mediterranean), with reasonable prices and a casual atmosphere.

Thanks for your time.

**jh0** · August-10-10, 07:56 PM

For some really tasty food, Cafe Muse is very good, here's a large list of Royal Oak restaurants. The food is typically better when the restaurant specializes in the cuisine, i.e Italian Restaurant for Italian, or a Mediterranean Restaurant for Mediterranean cuisine.

http://www.ci.royal-oak.mi.us/portal...on/restaurants

**gazhekwe** · August-10-10, 08:08 PM

I've been to Albano's. It is closed now. They had a great menu, different kinds of European foods, not the kind you usually find in mainstream restaurants. The food was great. They were usually not very busy, which I guess eventually did them in. Often we were the only ones there. It was on Main Street, and there is another restaurant there now. La Feast. It is Mediterranean/Middle Eastern. We haven't tried it yet, but the menu looks good.

michchick98 · August-11-10, 05:45 PM

Thanks for the replies everyone. I think I'll use Albano's in my story, even though it's closed now.

**gazhekwe** · August-11-10, 05:54 PM

It seemed to be a family operation. Dad in the kitchen, daughter waiting tables. Sometimes there would be grandpa and other family at a table toward the back. It was a nice place. I have no idea why it didn't get much business.

**Fury13** · August-11-10, 06:33 PM

I went there too. It was a family-operated place. The good was decent and prices were reasonable. It's pretty hard to establish a restaurant and make a go of it, especially in a place like Royal Oak where there are so many choices within walking distance.

**Johnlodge** · August-12-10, 07:43 AM

I ate at Albano's. I think their scope was a little wide. It had the feel of a burger diner or coney or something, then had food from all sorts of different ethnicities. I think they would have done better to pick one direction and specialize in it. Plus it's hard to pay more than diner prices when you feel like you're sitting in a diner.