Nosh News

Appetizing bites about Jewish chefs and restaurateurs in Northeast Ohio

Compiled by Becky Raspe

Amba prepares for move into physical space

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, chefs around the country opened ghost kitchens that operated delivery and pickup only – catering to customers that couldn’t or wouldn’t dine out. Cleveland chef Doug Katz was one of those innovators, and his Indian-inspired concept Amba is now preparing to set down roots in Cleveland’s Ohio City neighborhood’s Hingetown district. Located at 1430 W. 28th St., Katz told the Cleveland Jewish News in April that the restaurant is planning for a fall opening.

“I just love the area, I love what people are doing there and the level of creativity there is great,” he says. “I think the neighborhood is very diverse with people who are interested in trying sort of new cuisine. So, Amba ts well in that neighborhood. And I think that Amba is our most creative Indian fusion concept. It’s out of the box and I think that is the perfect neighborhood to introduce that space.”

Katz’s other ghost kitchen, Chimi, which o ers a South American-inspired menu, operates out of the kitchen at 1975 Lee Road in Cleveland Heights. Until the fall opening, Amba’s orders will continue to come out of that kitchen as well. Katz also owns Zhug, a Middle Eastern-inspired restaurant at 12413 Cedar Road in Cleveland Heights. He closed the fast-casual Indian/Thai bowl restaurant Chutney B at Van Aken District’s Market Hall in Shaker Heights in June.

Amba

Above: Amba’s chicken masala. Below: Amba’s chickpea fritters.

Blu, the Restaurant

Blu reopens, next Friedlander concept coming soon

Armed with a new menu, decor, sta and head chef, Brad Friedlander’s Blu, the Restaurant reopened April 28 at 3355 Richmond Road in Beachwood.

“We have a new sta and a new chef that we searched the country for and brought here from Texas. And he’s extremely talented,” Friedlander said in April. “I’ve worked with a lot of talented chefs in the past, but this is exciting for the team.”

The new chef, Brian Moses, formerly of Olive & June restaurant in Austin, put together a new menu, which Friedlander says “is pretty exciting.” Moses is also Jewish, having been raised in a Conservative Jewish home in Fort Worth, Texas.

“(It’s) a completely new menu and just bringing in a di erent kind and style of food,” Moses told the CJN in April. “It’s seafood-focused like it has been, but with the improvements made to the dining area, it’s just a little bit nicer. That is the vibe we wanted to go with.”

Friedlander’s other restaurant on site, Rosso Italia, had only been open a few months before the pandemic hit Ohio, and won’t reopen. He is currently planning a new concept there, Cut 151, which has a projected August opening.

“The vibe will be a warm, sexy and very intimate restaurant,” he says.

Passion pu dessert from Blu, the Restaurant.

Birdigo still working on opening

Solon will soon have a new dining option in Birdigo, a chicken concept to open in the former Mama Jo’s Pizza storefront at 32975 Aurora Road within the next month.

The concept was created by Jay Leitson and Izzy Schachner of 56 Kitchen, and Michael DuBois and Adam Kemelhar of Imperial Wok, both with locations in Solon. Marc Glassman of Marc’s grocery stores, Mike Fratello, former Cleveland Cavaliers coach and NBA analyst, and Bob Reiner, former president of Joshen Paper & Packaging, also helped develop the concept.

“Chicken is a super hot craze right now and hopefully it’ll keep going, and it’s an economical protein,” Leitson said in January. “Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, we closed our restaurants the rst month or so and spent that time developing recipes for Birdigo. So, it’s been in the works for a while now.”

The menu will feature chicken in a number of ways, such as rotisserie, fried chicken, tenders and sandwiches, as well as other proteins and sides. Chicken served at the concept will be “all-natural and antibiotic-free,” Leitson says. Plans also call for each parent restaurant, 56 Kitchen and Imperial Wok, to develop sauces inspired by their menus.

Operating rst as a test kitchen o ering only pickup and delivery, customers will be able to order by phone or online.

Leitson and Schachner are also preparing to open another Solon restaurant, Elle, an upscale French and Italian eatery at 33730 Bainbridge Road in the former Harvest Kitchen space. The pair is aiming for a summer opening with chef Patrick Capuozzo heading the kitchen. Capuozzo has experience in the kitchens of Parallax, Nora and the Flying Fig, all in Cleveland.

Birdigo

Examples of what could end up on Birdigo’s sandwich menu, which focuses on chicken and custard.

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