By Kathleen Sterling
You don’t think of a bowling alley as a place with decent food – more like hot dogs, popcorn and beer.
But Pinstripes at Westfield Topanga is much more. It’s a full service restaurant, event center and community gathering place. Oh yes, and a bowling alley.
Its Topanga Bistro offers made-from-scratch Italian cuisine from breakfast to dinner. I’ve eaten there twice now, and was so impressed I’ll come back again.
This past Sunday we indulged in a leisurely Sunday brunch. Pinstripes’ “boozy brunch” on Saturdays and Sundays from 11 to 3 offers an expansive buffet spread across the beautiful downstairs dining room.
Brunch is priced at $38, $16 for those five to 12 and free for under five. Great price for a terrific selection.
We tried a little bit (and then some more) of everything.
Various stations are set up around the room, and buffet style means you can go back again to revisit something you loved, which we did!
My foodie friend headed straight for the prime rib and ham carvery, while I opted to start with a traditional waffle.
Nothing traditional about these. The small waffles (great size because then you don’t feel guilty about sampling every station) were available with fruit, but also whipped cream, Nutella, blueberry compote, lemon ricotta, chocolate chips, sprinkles and M&Ms.
Are you getting the vibe here? Over the top offerings – and oh so good.
Back to my friend, who raved about the tender prime rib – and the roasted brussel sprouts. I couldn’t resist, and admit that I went back twice just for the delicious sprouts.
There are also of course eggs, bacon, potatoes, bagels and lox, an omelette station, fruit, salad, and all the traditional favorites.
But this is brunch, where calories don’t count, so we also tried Pinstripes’ wood-fired pizza – which they are becoming quite famous for.
For kids – and kids at heart – there are mac and cheese, chicken tenders and French fries.
You don’t have to be young to indulge at the dessert bar with its chocolate fountain and all sorts of dippables.
Speaking of adults – the “boozy” part of this brunch comes with their $30 bottomless mimosas, Aperol spritzes or seasonal sangria. Because, well, it’s brunch, we had to try the “Big Baller” Bloody Mary. Trust me on this one – it’s the perfect complement to a weekend brunch date. There is also a full bar with large TV’s playing the major weekend sports events.
Topanga Bistro is a great place for couples, families or a group. There is a private dining room for up to 20 if you’re celebrating an occasion.
And of course after brunch you can make a day of it and head upstairs for bowling and bocce ball.
Another plus – there’s free parking and you don’t have to go through the mall to get to the restaurant. Pinstripes is located at 21851 Victory Blvd. and open Mon-Thurs noon to 9 pm, Fri noon to 11 pm, Sat 11am to 11 pm and Sun 10 am to 9 pm. For more information visit pinstripes.com or call (747) 293-8620.
