Bowling, Bocce and Bistro

New complex rolls them all together with an upscale vibe

Until now bowling and bocce have rarely been considered sophisticated and upscale.

But Pinstripes, a gorgeous, 45,000-square-foot entertainment facility in Northbrook, is taking these average Joe and Giuseppe activities a giant step up, a bit like microbreweries have done for beer.

Founder Dale Schwartz, in town just a year after 7 years in Colorado, presides over a mammoth structure that is as much luxurious Rocky Mountain ski lodge/country club as it is bowling alley, bocce courts and stylish bistro.

This is no smoky, windowless bowling alley selling nachos and hot dogs.

From the spacious entryway, paved in handsome Jerusalem stone, the central atrium rises dramatically 50 or 60 feet to skylights that bathe the space in light. Rich, warm cherry wood, natural pine, maple, cypress and teak are prevalent throughout. Wood floors alternate with stone; massive maple support pillars and beams add to the rustic but posh vibe.

Behind the front desk the circular bar and lounge are elevated on a platform in front of the bistro, just visible through windows behind the bar.

A broad, curving staircase leads to a loft and private, elegant banquet room that can be divided for groups of 20 to 600.

On the main floor four indoor bocce courts are to the left, flooded with daylight from huge windows and furnished with comfortable teak lounge furniture, convenient for drinks and appetizers or meals.

Eighteen glass-enclosed bowling lanes are opposite the lobby to the right, furnished with deep black leather sofas and stools on gleaming, natural pine floors. LCD monitors above the lanes typically show vintage cartoons, but private parties can load their own videos.

Outdoors are two more bocce courts and one of the loveliest patios the suburbs have to offer, overlooking wetlands and a rolling golf course.

Oversized table umbrellas are fitted with radiant heat, and a fireplace awaits nearby, extending the outdoor season well past the prime days of summer.

This is sure to be a popular dining spot.

"We want to redefine entertainment dining," says Schwartz, 46, also co-founder and vice chairman of Pharmaca, a chain of 13 upscale pharmacies in the West and Northwest.

"The dream is to see a Sweet 16 birthday party next to a bar mitzvah, and a corporate event next to a group of friends out for the evening, the full panoply of the community."

Toward that end, the 18 bowling lanes can be walled off into groups of 8 and 10 and private party rooms are available in the restaurant.

Pinstripes is located on 5 1/2 acres in the Willow-Festival shopping center, under construction at Willow and Waukegan roads in Northbrook. It is one mile north of The Glen, a massive planned community on the former Glenview Naval Air Station.

The bistro menu and wine list echo the Italian-American partnership of bocce and bowling. Executive chef Mark Grimes, a graduate of the esteemed Culinary Institute of America, brings his experience with Maggiano's and Champps to an affordable menu of appetizers ($8 to $12), soups and salads ($3 to $14), sandwiches, pizza, flatbreads and pastas ($8 to $16) and main courses ($17 to $22).

Expect some unusual combos like pear flatbread with polenta or prosciutto and fig flatbread and a grouper panini with roasted tomato and lemon mayo.

Pastas include an ambitious house-made ravioli "of the moment," and angel hair pomodoro with pesto and mozzarella. Among the large plates are braised short ribs, pine nut-crusted halibut with roasted vegetable risotto and herb-crusted grilled salmon with olive oil mashed potatoes and caponata.

The full menu can be delivered anywhere in the facility - imagine digging into seared ahi tuna salad between turns on the bocce court.

Still, it would be a shame to pass up a seat in the cozy bistro with its natural pine floor, linen-topped tables, open kitchen and wood-burning pizza oven. The space seats 150, including the two wine rooms that seat 20 and 35 and can be reserved for parties.

Eat here first, then burn off the calories with a few games of bocce or bowling.

Open less than a month, Pinstripes already has hosted a number of corporate and private parties. One was organized by Robin Sanders of Buffalo Grove, a registered nurse for Illinois Bone and Joint Institute in Glenview. She put together a happy hour for 30 with hot and cold hors d'oeuvres plus play time.

"Unanimously, everybody had a fantastic time," she says. "The facility is gorgeous. When we walked in our jaws hit the floor."

Fees reflect the upscale surroundings. Bowling is $5 per game per person before 5 p.m., $7 after, close to double the rates at standard bowling alleys. Bocce is $8 per person per hour before 5 p.m., $10 after.

Don't know how to play bocce? No worries. Staff are always on hand to answer questions, but it is easy enough for everyone from children to senior citizens.

Basically, the goal is roll your ball closest to a smaller ball called the "jack" or "pallino." Knocking your opponent's ball out of the way is standard strategy, much like croquet.

Just make sure your equipment box includes a measuring tape for those disputed close calls.