Hot Chocolate 1 oz Tito’s Handmade Vodka 4 oz hot chocolate Just add Tito’s Handmade Vodka and hot chocolate to your favorite mug. Garnish with whipped cream and nutmeg.
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AMERICA’S ORIGINAL CRAFT VODKA 2 Flavor 2019
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Dedicated to Free Times founder Richard H. Siegel (1935-1993) and Scene founder Richard Kabat Group Publisher Chris Keating
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CONTENTS
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The Best Things We Ate in Cleveland This Year
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The Best Things We Ate in Cleveland This Decade
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The 2019 Year in Review for Cleveland Dining Buy, Sell, Hold: The Cleveland Dining Trends We Love, Hate and Long For
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How Four Long-Standing Cleveland Restaurants Have Adapted to the Times and Survived for Decades
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The Best Things We Ate in Cleveland This Year By Douglas Trattner
ROOD FOOD, PHOTO BY TIM HARRISON
Spring Pea Toast at Michael’s Genuine There was no better expression of the season than the spring pea toast dished up at Michael’s Genuine. Atop a shingle of hearty toast sat light-as-air layers of minty mashed peas and fluffy burrata. Strategically placed slivers of radish bring crunch to every bite, while a sifting of orange zest conjures warm Miami breezes. It’s dishes like this that exemplify seasonal cooking. Tinman Burger The Ohio City Galley brought thrills and spills in its first year, but man-oh-man, that burger from Tinman. That stall’s legendary burger is a ridiculously savory stack of two thin patties,
American cheese, special sauce, and sweet and spicy pickles on a brioche bun. It’s plush, beefy and incredibly rich. Here’s hoping that there are more of them to come in 2020. Sliders at Rood Food Our assumptions were upended at this sexy Lakewood restaurant, where sliders and pie are the main events. The build-your-own experience starts with fresh-baked rolls that are split and topped with a choice of a dozen hot fillings and various zippy slaws. From vegan sauteed mushrooms to spicy pulled chicken and meaty braised beef brisket, the results will have you reconsidering the world of sliders.
Thai Yellow Curry at Chutney B We can count on fast-casual spots for efficiency and affordability, but often surrender boldly flavored food in the bargain. That’s not the case at Doug Katz’s Chutney B, located in the Market Hall at Van Aken District. Sure, it’s a “bowl,” but this one is powered by a dynamic spice blend that enlivens a turmeric-hued stew of chicken, carrots and mushrooms atop a bed of fluffy rice. Kick it up with zhug, a spicy herb-based condiment. Perch Platter at Brennen’s Fish House Brennen’s has been in the fish business since 1973, and it’s easy
to taste why. In summer, they are on the receiving end of bushels of swimmingly fresh Lake Erie perch, which is lightly breaded in flour and cornmeal and fried to a pale copper hue. The hulking platter includes a mountain of hand-cut fries, creamy shredded coleslaw and housemade tartar sauce. Lamb Mrouzia at the Standard A new chef-owner at this 5-year-old Collinwood mainstay has ushered in a sea of changes. Dishes like paella, bouillabaisse and North African tagine reflect the owner’s childhood in Casablanca. So too does this Moroccan stew with meltingly tender lamb in a complex sauce kissed
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with honey, fruit and ras el hanout. It’s paired with impossibly fluffy couscous. Pork and Pickled Cabbage at Sichuan Hot Pot Part soup, part stir-fry, the shredded pork with pickled cabbage swaps the usual Sichuan kick in the teeth for the more subdued punch of preserved vegetables. A deep bowl of flat noodles in chicken broth is capped with a nest of slender pork strips and crunchy-sour pickled mustard greens that tickle the tongue in a completely different way. Chicken Yassa at Choukouya As one of Cleveland’s only West African restaurants, Choukouya offers guests a dining experience unlike any other place in town. One such revelation is the chicken yassa, a stew-like dish with beguilingly complex flavors. Tender bone-in chicken is combined with heaps of tart green olive, sweet onions and bright citrus. It all comes together in a comforting, mildly spiced medley that goes great with rice. Gyro at Mars Bar It had been eons since I had the gyro at Mars Bar in Lakewood. That’s on me, because it’s one of the best versions in town: Warm, thick and plush pita is piled high with flavorful shaved lamband-beef meat, crisp red onion, thick-sliced tomato and creamy tzatziki sauce made by the owner’s mother. Maybe it’s the newly expanded dining room, but everything tastes fresher.
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Lunch Buffet at Indian Flame I’m a sucker for a great Indian buffet, and the one presented at the new location of this decade-old University Circle eatery is a delight. During one visit, I enjoyed dishes built around chickpeas, lentils and mixed vegetables in a creamy butter sauce. There was also crunchy veggie pakora, lipstick-red tandoori chicken and biryani studded with boneless chicken, not to mention two types of rice, salad, raita, chutneys and an endless supply of fresh-baked buttery naan.
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The Best Things We Ate in Cleveland This Decade By Douglas Trattner
EL RINCONCITO CHAPIN, PHOTO BY TIM HARRISON
T
his month doesn’t just signal the end of a year; it also marks the culmination of a decade, one that has been jampacked with meals good, bad and forgettable. The dishes that follow managed to leave an indelible mark, rising above countless others to earn a spot on this list. A couple friends and I were entertaining a bigwig writer who was visiting Cleveland for work. I’ll never forget the look on his face when that giant beef rib landed with a thud on our table at Mabel’s BBQ. Not only was it impressive to behold, it was sheer rapture to eat: a beef bomb on
a bone that fell apart with little more than a wayward glance. Gentle smoke gives way to a peppery bite followed by melt-inyour-mouth beef goodness. I had driven to El Rinconcito Chapin, a Central American eatery in Old Brooklyn, specifically for the pupusas, but I walked away a fan of the glorious garnachas. An order nets you a halfdozen stacks built atop thick silver dollar-size tortillas. Each is topped with a mound of shredded beef, a dollop of bright salsa, a few rings of raw onion and a sprinkling of salty cheese. A decade ago I drove down to
Barberton, Ohio — the “Fried Chicken Capital of America” — to sample the local specialty. That specialty, of course, is Barberton-style chicken, one of the best things a human can eat. Places like the timeless Belgrade Gardens and White House Chicken turn out platters of exquisite fried chicken, cooked always in lard and paired with coleslaw, fries and “hot sauce,” which curiously is neither hot nor sauce. It wasn’t until Szechuan Gourmet opened up at Tink Holl grocery that I found a place in my life for tofu. What forever changed
my mind was the mapo tofu at this Asia Town eatery, a dish so compelling addictive and incendiary that you forget all about meat. The citrusy zing and intriguing numbness of Sichuan peppercorns combined with the no-joke heat of dried red chilies is the yin and yang that you’ve been missing. Creole and Cajun food barely has a presence in Cleveland, and that’s a shame given the vibrant qualities of this melting-pot cuisine. There might be no better representative dish in town than the crawfish etouffee served at Battiste & Dupree Cajun Grill in
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Five of the Best Things We Ate This Decade That You Can’t Get Anymore
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MABEL’S, PHOTO BY TIM HARRISON
South Euclid, where a spicy, silky roux-thickened gravy is loaded with sweet tail meat and ladled around a mound of white rice and showered with green onions. We’re blessed in Cleveland with no shortage of authentic wood-fired Neapolitan-style pizza, but I’ll never forget that first Sunnyside Pizza from Bar Cento. By topping an uber-thin crust with salty prosciutto, softcooked eggs, melty provolone and cracked black pepper, this Ohio City enoteca essentially changed the rules of the pizza game. Mornings are for suckers, but there’s one dish in town that makes breakfast bearable: the biscuits and gravy at Big Al’s Diner. While everybody else in the room is naively tucking into plates of corned beef hash, discerning diners are slicing into runny eggs to spill that liquid sunshine onto sausage-gravy soaked biscuits. On the side is a hill of onion-spiked hash browns. You could serve up an old shoe
on that enchanting back patio at L’Albatros and it would still be one of the best meals of the summer. So imagine what it’s like to eat something truly ethereal: a selection of perfectly ripe cheeses. There is no better cheese board in town, and there’s no better place to enjoy it — inside or out — than at this University Circle brasserie. Superior Pho did not invent pho, nor did it shepherd its arrival in Cleveland. But it was the first slurp shop wholly dedicated to the genre, thus elevating the dish from ancillary menu item to star of the show. Many bowls have come in its wake, most of them delicious, but this one will always be the paradigm. As long as there’s Ginko, we’ll all be okay. Sit down at this Tokyo-style sushi bar in Tremont, order the omakase, and you too will stop lamenting the state of Cleveland sushi. The freshest possible fish is handled with care and served up in a multi-course feast that will have you returning in short order.
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As far as “failed experiments” go, the Menu Bianco at Trentina was nothing short of a culinary triumph. This 15-course tasting menu, prepared by some of the city’s top talent, took diners on the gustatory ride of their life. Those open to adventure were rewarded with mind-blowingly good antipasti, pasta, seafood and wood-fired meats that didn’t merely push boundaries but annihilated them. From the moment it opened its doors in the wake of Lola’s relocation, Lolita carried on the tradition as Tremont’s most beloved bistro. And while many stellar dishes come to mind — Big Board, fried smelts, pancetta-wrapped monkfish — it’s the Lola Burger I miss the most. Those dreamy late-night happy hours, when that bacon, egg and cheese-topped burger on a muffin cost just $5, are a little bit of irretrievable Cleveland eats history. I can’t say with a straight face that the Slaw Dog at Steve’s Lunch was anything approaching wholesome food, but it sure did hit the spot after a big night out. We lost this iconic spot to fire five years ago, but memories of those all-beef wienies with chili sauce and chip-chopped coleslaw will never fade. One of the saddest consequences of losing the Katz Club Diner (apart from losing the adjoining Bar Car) was saying goodbye to the Chicken a la King. Like a free-form chicken pot pie, the updated classic featured a creamy gravy of chicken and veggies ladled over fluffy waffles. Making the dish extra special was the fact that the comfort food employed the “oysters,” which come two to a bird. Few dishes manage to tickle all of the senses the way the Reuben Ribs at Cork & Cleaver did. This science experiment turned instant classic consisted of bone-in pork ribs that were cured corned beef-style and paired with Thousand Island-dressed slaw, grated Gruyere and a sprinkle of rye salt. When eaten in concert, the dish summoned the unmistakable flavors of a Reuben sandwich.
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The 2019 Year in Review for Cleveland Dining By Douglas Trattner
A
s 2019 winds to a close, it’s time for our annual year-end accounting of gains, losses and futures in the local restaurant scene. In the win column are high-profile spots from notable chefs Doug Katz, Jonathon Sawyer and Michael Schwartz, who have opened Zhug, Sawyer’s and Michael’s Genuine, respectively. Those last two bring the Van Aken District closer to capacity in terms of food and drink options, having added over the past 12 months Craft Collective, Banter, Brassica, On the Rise, Scorpacciata Pasta, Rising Star Coffee and Chutney B, also by Katz. Still to come is the as-yet-
unnamed rooftop bar and eatery that will sit atop Sawyer’s restaurant. After undergoing countless tweaks and mods, Moxie finally was put to rest after an impressive 22-year run in Beachwood. In its place came Blu, a restaurant dedicated to seafood. Next door, where Red Steakhouse long held court, Rosso Italia will debut with a menu flush with upmarket Italian fare. Red, by the way, has reopened in a massive new space at Pinecrest, where it will continue its ritzy meat-fueled revelry. After 30 years, the Tremont property known as the Literary Cafe, or “Lit” for short, was reworked into a sharp 45-seat
neighborhood saloon now called the Literary Tavern. Around the corner, another iconic Tremont spot has been reopened as SalsaRito, a laidback Mexican-Indian fusion joint. In Ohio City, the aromas of wood-fired cooking will fill a former drill bit plant that has been converted into an industrial-chic bistro and wine bar called Alea. Also in the neighborhood, Ohio City Pizzeria pairs classic Italian food with a good cause now that the reborn eatery benefits the West Side Catholic Center. Nearby in Edgewater, the long-shuttered Palazzo was given fresh life as a finer-dining Italian restaurant. And Clark-Fulton is
now home to Phunkenship, the sour beer production facility and taproom from the Platform Beer team. Lakewood is riding high on sliders thanks to Rood Food, which has elevated that typically modest snack to a creative art form. The dreamy pie selection is worth a visit alone. The former Jammy Buggars spot in Lakewood was on the receiving end of a wholesale renovation project that ushered in Lindey’s Lake House, which also has spots in the Flats and Beachwood. Soon to come is the new taco spot Hola Tacos from the folks behind Barroco, the Singapore-inspired eatery Dang Good Foods, and the
DAGU RICE NOODLE, PHOTO BY TIM HARRISON
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relocated and expanded Thai Thai. Detroit Shoreway gained the highly stylized “sports bar” Good Company, the worldclass wine bar called Flight, and Blue Habanero, a colorful Mexican eatery that found a home in the former Arcadian space. Further west in Bay Village, snappy Thyme Table is making plenty of friends thanks to contemporary tavern fare and gracious service. And further west still, Hot Chicken Takeover landed in Westlake. Vegans cheered the debut of Foodhisattva, a new dairy-, fish- and meat-free eatery in Cleveland Heights. Lee Road in that same neighborhood gained Voodoo Brewery, a festive and cozy brewpub, and Kensington Pub, which polished up the decades-old Tavern Company space. Asia Town continues to add compelling new options to its already bountiful offerings with Dagu Rice Noodle, Pho Lee, Sichuan Hot Pot and Ball Ball Waffle, each of which brings something unique to the table. We bid a sad farewell to Ontario Street Cafe, one of downtown’s best watering holes, and also A.J. Rocco’s, a solid runner up. Trentina closed in University Circle, Trio in Tremont, Jack Flaps in Ohio City, Sweet Melissa in Rocky River, Bubba’s Q in Avon, and Marta’s in Euclid. In terms of projects on the horizon, we can look forward to Karen Small’s as-yet-untitled breakfast joint in Ohio City, Dante Boccuzzi’s contemporary Japanese restaurant Goma at Pinecrest, and Leaven, an artisan bakery currently rising in Tremont. Angie’s Soul Cafe should open any day now on Carnegie, Boaz will open a No, 2 in University Heights, and Choolaah will open its second Cleveland location in Ohio City. Ohio City will also gain a combination Pins Mechanical and 16-Bit sometime this year, while Cent’s Pizzeria opens on the western edge of that neighborhood. Look for Lakewood Food Truck to park sometime in the coming months. To drink, we have Immigrant Son Brewery and Arsenal Cider House around the bend.
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Buy, Sell, Hold: The Cleveland Dining Trends We Love, Hate and Long For By Douglas Trattner LITERARY TAVERN, PHOTO BY TIM HARRISON
I
n years past, we’ve lamented the rise of sheet pan plates, prayed for more Filipino food, and tried to put the brakes on hot dogs, tacos, gas-station hummus, and egg-topped everything. We’ve welcomed delicious trends like bubble tea, poutine, Nashville hot chicken and real-deal barbecue. We still desire more natural wines, additional food halls and creative vegan/vegetarian restaurants. This is what we’re kvetching about this year.
Sell: Brussels Sprouts Appetizers Remember when Brussels sprouts knew their place in this world? When did this lowly cruciferous vegetable get promoted from dutiful holiday side dish to the appetizer section on restaurant menus, which is normally reserved for exciting (read appetizing) items like, well, anything other than baby cabbages.
Hold: Mini Cast-Iron Skillets Just a few short years ago we moaned in these very pages about the proliferation of sheet pan plates. These days, we reserve our lamentations for mini cast-iron skillets. Used properly, these ruggedly handsome pans retain heat, keeping our food nice and toasty. When those pans start cold, however, the reverse is true.
Sell: Meatballs It seems that where there are mini cast-iron skillets, there will be meatballs. In a few short years meatballs have strived mercilessly to rise from routine pasta-topper at Italian trattorias to star of the show, landing on restaurant menus as an appetizer or even main course. Surely we can come up with something a little more out-of-the-box.
Buy: Wood-Fired Everything In capable hands, wood-fired cooking improves the aroma, flavor and texture of everything from vegetables to seafood and meats. It’s a hassle, no doubt, which www.clevescene.com A Special Presentation of Cleveland Scene
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is why so few restaurants do it, but we can now add Sawyer’s and Alea to the small group of establishments carrying the torch.
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Buy: Whole Fish Dishes
The intimidation factor of nose-to-tail fish dishes is far outweighed by moist, flavorful seafood thanks to on-the-bone cooking. Grilled, pan-seared, salt-baked or deep-fried, whole fish make an exciting meal for two despite a little extra work. So bring on the branzino, snapper and mackerel.
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Hold: Nashville Hot Chicken
Be careful what you wish for, right? Cleveland has gone from sorely lacking to pleasantly full in terms of this spicy fried chicken dish. We are by no means complaining, we’re just pointing out the fact that now would be a good time to look elsewhere than Nashville for new food ideas.
Hold: Fried Chicken Sandwiches
Ditto with the fried chicken sandwiches. We love them, especially when they’re made with boneless thighs, but there’s more to life than this.
Buy: Real Tapas Bar
As any diner who has been to Spain can tell you, there is no greater joy than plowing through a sampling of punchy small plates. We’re not talking about appetizers or mini-meals here, but singular dishes built around ingredients like olives, potatoes, salt cod, tinned seafood and razor-thin ham. Course after blessed course, all washed down with cold vermouth and bottles of Rioja, until it’s time to move on to the next bar. Matt Spinner’s tapas popup at Ushabu was a reminder of what we’re missing on a regular basis.
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Buy: Cajun/Creole Food
Boudin, gumbo, jambalaya, etouffee, maque choux … . There might not be a more flavorful cuisine than deeply spiced and thoughtfully crafted Cajun and Creole food, but our options in town are slim at best. I can name on two fingers joints that are doing it well, meaning that there’s plenty of room for growth in this department.
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10 Sandwiches We Love… Like, Really Love By Douglas Trattner
HERB’N T WINE, PHOTO BY TIM HARRISON
W
key breast, maple-glazed bacon, smoked Gouda, pickled onions, fresh spinach and sun-dried tomato mayo.
Smoked Turkey Club at Herb’n Twine 4309 Lorain Ave. 216-465-9600 herbntwine.com People lose their minds over the smoked turkey club at Herb’n Twine, a 5-year-old gourmet sandwich emporium in Ohio City. This artful construction is composed of house-baked French bread, house-smoked tur-
Italian Beef at Ferrara’s Imported Foods 5750 Mayfield Rd., Mayfield Hts. 440-442-3700 ferrarasimportedfoods.com Despite a sizeable Italian-American contingent in Cleveland, there is a disappointing lack of legitimate Italian beef sandwiches. Fortunately, there’s Ferrara’s Imported Foods, an eastside staple for 60 years. If you’ve ever enjoyed a real-deal Italian beef sandwich while visiting Chicago, you know exactly what to expect from the version prepared at this grocery and cafe.
hile tacos get all the attention, it’s sandwiches that fuel the world. Here in Cleveland, we have an embarrassment of riches when it comes to classics, originals and over-the-top creations. Anything goes in the world of sammies as long as the results are delicious. We think these 10 are worth a try.
Torta at La Plaza Taqueria 13609 Lakewood Heights Blvd. Lakewood 216-476-8000 We know, the tacos here are heaven on Earth, but, once or twice, cycle a torta into your rotation. You still get to choose your meat (al pastor, chorizo, carne asada …), but instead of being plopped into tortillas, it’s stuffed into a soft, round bun with cheese, refried beans, tomatoes, lettuce, avocado and sour cream. There’s nothing preventing you from hitting that salsa bar on the way to your seat. Lobster Roll at Lobster and Pho 6901 Rockside Rd. Independence 216-264-4007 lobsternpho.com
We never expected to stumble upon one of Northeast Ohio’s best lobster rolls at an Asian eatery in Independence, but there you have it. Folded into a toasted split-top bun is a combination of chopped knuckle meat and tender, whole claws. Garnishes are kept to a minimum, with little more than a drizzle of melted butter and dollop of mayo. Hot Chicken Sandwich at Parkview Nite Club 1261 West 58th St. 216-961-1341 parkviewniteclub.com Short-lived Chow Chow in Lakewood provided many Clevelanders with their first taste of Nashville hot chicken. That business was rolled into the Parkview
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when the chef joined the team, bringing many adoring fans of that crispy, high-octane delicacy with him. Get the hot chicken sandwich here and prepare to be blasted with spicy, crunchy-fried chicken on a soft bun capped with refreshing cabbage slaw. Philly Cheesesteak at Original Steaks & Hoagies 10735 Ravenna Rd., Twinsburg 330-998-6586 steaksandhoagies.com We have yet to find a better version of this Philly-born clas-
sic. From the Amoroso rolls and shaved ribeye, which is chipchopped to perfection on the griddle, to the fried onions and Cheez Whiz (or provolone if you so choose), these sandwiches would fool a Flyers fan. Since launching in Twinsburg 10 years ago, this homegrown “steak shop” has added five additional spots.
feel bloated and logy after demolishing a sandwich, but the Bravacado from the Beet Jar manages to leave diners feeling blissfully energized. This avocado toast on steroids includes toasty coconut, red onion, greens and creamy housemade cashew spread, all tidily stacked atop toasted Sicilian bread from Stone Oven.
Puerto Rican bakeries in town, each proffering excellent versions of this hearty pressed sandwich. But we always find ourselves heading back to Caribe, where the Cubanos come in three sizes. Here, the ideal bun is layered with roast pork, ham, melted cheese, dill pickles and yellow mustard before getting the hot-iron treatment.
Bravacado Sandwich at Beet Jar 1432 West 29th St. beetjar.com It’s a strange sensation to not
Cubano at Caribe Bake Shop 2906 Fulton Rd. 216-281-8194 We’ve been blessed with the opening of nearly half a dozen new
OMG Philly from Black Box Fix 25359 Cedar Rd., Lyndhurst 216-675-3129 blackboxfix.com Black Box Fix isn’t messing around when it comes to the OMG Philly, a knife-and-fork hoagie loaded with Philly-style chicken, grilled shrimp, mushrooms, onions and peppers. What brings it all together is the dreamy “yum-yum” sauce, a mayo-based spread. The success of the sandwich has even birthed a spin-off, the OMG 2.0, which adds buttered lobster to the already winning combination. Potato Pancake Reuben at Der Braumeister 13046 Lorain Ave. 216-671-6220 derbrau.com Winter is just around the bend, and in preparation for our annual hibernation, it’s time to put on some weight. Might we recommend the gut-busting potato pancake Reuben at this 35-yearold treasure? Just like it sounds, this bell-ringer consists of the usual corned beef topped with sauerkraut, melted Swiss and Thousand Island dressing, but the two-fister swaps the bread for a pair of potato pancakes. Goodnight.
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Banh Mi at On the Rise Multiple locations ontheriseartisanbreads.com As On the Rise bakery in Cleveland Heights marches toward the 20-year mark, it continues to expand its operations. Three years ago the artisan bread shop doubled its storefront footprint and last year, it debuted a satellite shop at Van Aken District’s Market Hall. Throughout it all, the beloved banh mi has been satisfying diners with its perfect marriage of tender shredded pork, thin sliced pate, rainbow of pickled, julienned veggies, and slather of silky aioli. All of the above, of course, is packed into one of Cleveland’s best baguettes. A Special Presentation of Cleveland Scene www.clevescene.com
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Where We Celebrate Now: Cleveland’s Special Places for Special Times By Douglas Trattner MARBLE ROOM, PHOTO BY TIM HARRISON
T
he term “special-occasion restaurant” is both a blessing and a curse. While it’s nice to know that diners value your establishment enough to entrust it with their most momentous milestones, it would also be nice if they popped by a little more often. Some places, like those listed here, have certainly earned their reputations as special-occasion restaurants. But wise diners know to not wait around until the next birthday, anniversary or Mother’s Day to make a reservation.
Marble Room
623 Euclid Ave. 216-523-7000 marbleroomcle.com Every other dining room in town looks up to Marble Room. The breathtaking interior, formerly a turn-of-the-century bank lobby designed by Walker and Weeks, the mavens behind Severance Hall, is just dripping with Beaux Arts beauty. Columns soar 40 feet in the air, marble staircases bend like ballerinas, chandeliers are gilded in gold, and ornate ironwork is straight from the golden age of design. “With a space like this you can only go one way and that’s highend,” owner Malisse Sinito rightly explained. Indeed, the menu is loaded with suitably luxe foods like chilled lobster tails, oysters Rockefeller, King crab and thick-cut USDA Prime steaks and chops. You won’t walk out the door for less than $300 per couple if done right, but you’ll be dining in a room filled with the ghosts of Cleveland’s industrial tycoons.
Johnny’s Bar
3164 Fulton Rd. 216-281-0055 johnnysonfulton.com For close to 100 years, an unassuming neon sign has welcomed hungry neighbors into Johnny’s Bar. It wasn’t until the 1980s, under the guidance of the Santosuosso family, www.clevescene.com A Special Presentation of Cleveland Scene
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SAME LOCATION NEWLY EXPANDED MENU, FULL SERVICE DINING. OFFERING LATE NIGHT MENU AND FULL BAR. LIVE ENTERTAINMENT, RENT OUT SPACE FOR A PRIVATE PARTY.
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that the corner bar began edging away from fish fries and redsauce pastas to more upscale Italian fare. These days, the “corner bar” designation is a relic of yesteryear, replaced by the more accurate designation as special-occasion restaurant. “You don’t just end up here, you make a point of coming,” states owner Bo Santosuosso. “This place is a destination restaurant.” The cuisine is far from cutting edge, but that’s not why you come to Johnny’s. You come to wine and dine in a timeless dining room with mahogany paneling, leopard-print carpet and that dreamy Art Deco bar. The air is redolent of garlic, seafood, red wine and new money. If you’re smart — and you are, because you’re here — you’re looking to the “specials” board for inspiration.
Lola Bistro
2621 W. 14TH STREET CLEVELAND OH 44113
216-241-5025 grumpys-cafe.com
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2058 East Fourth St. 216-621-5652 lolabistro.com The feature about special-occasion restaurants that makes them special is rarely the food; it’s the way these plush places make us feel. In an age of declining customer service, it’s nice to know that there still are places that champion basic human dignity. From the servers and bartenders on up to the sommeliers and general managers, staffers at Lola seem to be deeply, genuinely invested in a guest’s well-being. For dinner there are those quivering beef cheek pierogi, of course, but branch out to the crispy bone marrow if you really want to lay the groundwork for a “special” night. Don Angie in New York is booked solid for six months, but you can enjoy their game-changing salad right here on Fourth Street. For a dinner of high drama, go all in on the Dover sole, which is deboned tableside and gilded with brown butter beurre blanc. Wash it all down with too much Champagne and follow it up with the whimsical s’mores dessert, crafted by one of the city’s best pastry chefs. 13101 Shaker Square 216-921-3333 edwinsrestaurant.org We can’t say it any better than owner Brandon Chrostowski, so
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why try? “Dining is all about the experience and the more majestic one can make it, the more memorable,” he explains. Edwins is like dinner and a show in a single outing. A wagon train of wheeled carts dispenses everything from rye-powered Manhattans to that aromatic tableau of weeping cheeses. In between are trolleys dedicated to hand-ground burgers, medieval pressed duck, and bananas Foster, which literally and figuratively warms the cockles thanks to that blazing rum-powered flash. “Carts allow a diner to be engaged with the restaurant and the staff,” adds Chrostowski. “Plus, tableside shows are intimate, sexy and when you flambe there is no better way to show off your date.”
Luca
2100 Superior Viaduct 216-862-2761 lucacleveland.com From top to bottom, Luca is designed for indulgent pleasure-seekers. The 6-year-old restaurant enjoys some of the most enchanting views in town from its perch atop the Superior Viaduct, providing a dramatic backdrop for a menu threaded with extravagance and immoderation. In the Sacchetti al Tartufo Bianco, white truffle, widely regarded as an aphrodisiac, is stuffed into fresh pasta purses along with ricotta, Pecorino Romano and Parmigiano Reggiano cheeses. Gilding the lily, as it were, those pillows are slicked with an intoxicating truffle cream sauce. Seafood lovers lap up every drop of lobster risotto, crowned with butterflied whole lobster, while meat eaters bend a knee before one of the best versions of osso buco this side of Milan. Panseared branzino is deboned tableside and finished with a delicate and bright lemon, garlic and wine sauce. Speaking of wine: This list is studded with enough Barolos, Brunellos and Super Tuscans to mollify a Roman Emperor, and staffers are knowledgeable enough to lend a hand selecting a bottle or two.
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The Best New Restaurants in Cleveland of the Past Five Years By Douglas Trattner
BL ACK PIG, PHOTO BY TIM HARRISON
A
t the tail end of 2014, I composed for this very magazine my annual look-ahead at the year in food. Back then, Cleveland diners were eagerly awaiting the arrival of such places as Alley Cat, Graffiti, Citizen Pie, Batuqui, M Italian and any number of gratuitous Crop Bistro spin-offs. In the years that followed, we heralded the impending launch of high-profile haunts like Butcher and the Brewer, Trentina and Marble Room, neighborhood joints like Molto Bene, Xinji Noodle Bar and Banter, and second acts like Michael’s Genuine, Black Pig and Dinerbar on Clifton.
Some don’t last a year, while others carve out a more lasting spot on the Cleveland dining landscape. What follows is a list of places that feel like they’ve been here all along.
The Black Pig Officially, Black Pig opened in 2012, but it wasn’t until the restaurant relocated three years later to its current home, a handsome brick building on quiet Bridge Avenue, that the Pig truly emerged as one of the best nose-to-tail bistros in town. Michael Nowak is a meticulous chef who trans-
forms ethically sourced pork into world-class charcuterie, seasonal entrees and ever-shifting tasting menus. For every succulent braised pork collar, there’s a stunning vegetarian small plate, lust-worthy pasta and sunny seafood special.
Larder Nostalgia is a powerful emotion, and it’s the fuel behind the eye-popping delights at this contemporary but timeless Ohio City deli. An 1850s-era firehouse has been converted into a bustling neighborhood hub where hungry guests pop
in for bowls of soul-satisfying matzo ball soup, two-fisted pastrami and fried chicken sandwiches, and snappy housemade pickles and charcuterie. That festive fare is followed up with ethereal Jewish pastries like rugelach, babka and knishes, all of which is washed down with fizzy phosphates.
Salt Jill Vedaa’s resume is too lengthy to list here, but suffice it to say that the chef has been an invaluable resource in countless Cleveland restaurants. That experience is on full display at Salt,
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a trendy small-plate eatery in Lakewood that continues to win over meat-and-potatoes skeptics. Guests chart a course from the seasonal, Mediterranean-inspired menu, with each artful, smart and creative dish a tightly constructed delight.
Astoria Market and Cafe To make a splash in buzzy Gordon Square, you must be doing many things right. Since opening a little more than three years ago, this marketplace-slash-cafe is doing that and more. A true community hub, Astoria treats neighbors to generous happy hours, easylike-Sunday-morning brunches, and cosmopolitan dinners built around an expansive menu with almost zero duds. Highly tuned service keeps us coming back for more.
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Banter Banter was an early adopter of the KISS formula, where a stripped-down setting served as a fitting backdrop for a succinct menu built around sausage and poutine. Equal parts retail bottle shop, corner bar and neighborhood tavern, this modern, minimal Detroit Shoreway venue always seems to rise to the occasion. The poutine is matchless, the Polish Boys legendary, and the beer and wine selections hand-picked for greatness.
The Plum
MADE IN HOUSE FROM SCRATCH WITH THE HIGHEST QUALIT Y INGREDIENTS & ALWAYS FRESH
The Plum is audacious, playful, enigmatic and utterly distinctive. And while the hyper-local, seasonal bistro defies easy description, diners know the menu will be chock-full of thoughtful and delicious snacks, small plates and sharable feasts. Don’t get too attached to any of them as they may not be available on return visits. This is chef, ingredient-, and techniquedriven cuisine that pays equal attention to vegetables, grains, seafood and meats.
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One of the most talked about new restaurants of the past five years is La Plaza Taqueria. Mexican food fans have been making
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pilgrimages to La Plaza for tacos, tostadas and quesadillas for nearly a decade, but the entire experience was elevated last year when the operation was moved from a makeshift cafe in the rear to a bona fide taqueria up front. An expanded salsa and condiment bar paired with seating for dozens manages to make those heavenly tacos taste even better.
Mabel’s BBQ Before Mabel’s BBQ came to town, Texas-style barbecue fans had to board a plane to enjoy real-deal smoked brisket. Sure, there’s a Cleveland bent to many of the dishes at this nearly 4-year-old East Fourth Street destination, but at the heart of them all is bona fide barbecue, cooked low and slow in woodfueled pits. Gloriously savory fare like pig ears, pork ribs, fatty brisket and juicy kielbasa is served up in a fun and festive environment with Swiss-like efficiency.
LJ Shanghai As Superior Pho did for pho, this Asiatown newcomer introduced an entirely new gaggle of diners to the thrills of Shanghai-style soup dumplings, spicy beef noodle soups and earthy pan-fried noodles. We love LJ because it’s quick, affordable, delicious and exciting. The fullcolor menu makes it easy to try new things, and there always seems to be new things to try. Come for the xiao long bao but stay for the pork and preserved vegetable noodles.
Collision Bend Prolific chef Zack Bruell opened both Alley Cat and Collision Bend down in the Flats, but we always seem to end up at the latter. There are few better places to enjoy the river than on that roomy rear patio, where Cleveland’s best assets are on full display. In winter, the lofty warehouse-like dining room is the place to be, where tasteful nautical elements like brass lamps, sailcloth awnings and dock-cleat sconces reflect the area’s history. The menu is a riot of flavorful small plates, wood-fired pizzas and robust American entrees.
How Four Long-Standing Cleveland Restaurants Have Adapted to the Times and Survived for Decades By Douglas Trattner TARTINE, PHOTO BY TIM HARRISON
W
hen the building that currently houses Don’s Lighthouse Grille was constructed, Edgewater Park stretched all the way up to the front door. With no Memorial Shoreway to dodge, beachgoers would walk right up to the impressive three-story edifice to purchase taffy, hot dogs, barbecue and icecold Coca-Cola. That building is approaching the century mark, and its daily, weekly, monthly and annual upkeep is just one of countless undertakings that ownership has been dealing with since Don’s Lighthouse moved in 50 years ago. In addition to standard maintenance, the interior receives a complete overhaul every five or six years so that it reflects the fashion of the day, says owner Peter Strang. “Don’s Lighthouse Grille has always been known to keep changing to meet the palate of its customers,” states Strang. “We strive to be as relevant on the restaurant scene now as we were when we first opened.” From the day they fling open the doors, restaurants are on the receiving end of a barrage of challenges, some that could not even have been imagined at inception. Changing dietary trends, the move away from fine dining, the birth of social media, an endless talent crunch and shifting demographics that see the rise, fall and rebirth of neighborhoods — and, yet, through it all, some restaurants manage to survive and thrive. “The challenge for us is an aging clientele,” admits Strang. “How do you stay relevant and attract some of the younger clientele while still maintaining your existing base, because you don’t want to chase the older ones away in an effort to run after the 30- to 35-year-olds.” In addition to the periodic www.clevescene.com A Special Presentation of Cleveland Scene
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physical improvements to the dining rooms, Don’s Lighthouse and sister establishment Don’s Pomeroy House in Strongsville, employ what management calls the “75-25 rule,” says Strang. “For 75 percent of our menu, we continue the focus on our core items, but we are always trying to experiment with the other 25 percent,” he explains. “We’re not necessarily the first ones to jump on things, but we do want to be relevant.” That translates into the arrival of trend-conscious items like lobster nachos, poke bowls and plantbased hamburgers, which find menu space alongside classics like crab cakes, pan-seared scallops and crabcapped steak Oscar. Both restaurants also utilize “bar menus” so that customers can enjoy many of these same items in a more relaxed environment. For a majority of his 28 years in business, Randal Johnson has been trying to outrun his reputation as a fine-dining operator. “When we opened, we were definitely going after the fine-dining, higher-end,” explains Johnson, who launched the Mentor mainstay Molinari’s in 1991. “But now, no matter what I seem to do, we will always be branded with that, which puts us in that special occasion box.” Diners can still enjoy a very special meal here, but tweaks and changes to both the physical space and the menu over the years have been directed at attracting a broader and more inclusive clientele. Years back, Johnson added a pizza oven, which sits prominently by the bar, reminding guests that there’s more to Molinari’s than the veal Milanese and rack of lamb, not the least of which are delightful thin-crust pizzas and gourmet burgers. Mid-week specials are broadcast via the restaurant’s Facebook page and more than 300 bottles of wine are available at retail prices (plus corkage) from the in-store displays — all maneuvers intended to remain visible and viable in a crowded marketplace. “In our little corridor, from Willoughby to Mentor to Painesville, there have been a lot of new restaurants and we’re all vying for the same dining-out dollars,” Johnson reports. When Jorge and Maria de la Luz Galindo opened Luchita’s at the end of their block in Lakewood, they had light competition in the form of other Mexican restaurants. These days, some four decades later, the
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number of like-minded eateries has increased 20-fold, and staying topof-mind is a daily endeavor. That responsibility rests largely with marketing guru Sandro Galindo, who juggles social media accounts on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Whereas Galindo’s abuela was more inclined to post adverts in the daily newspapers, her grandson’s media of choice are more likely to capture the attention of younger customers. And just as social media continues to evolve, so too do the tactics used to employ it effectively. “I think social media has gotten to the point where it’s not about promoting yourself,” Galindo explains. “If you can put a smile on other people’s faces and have your name attached to it, I think that’s great. We like to post Instagram stories of people celebrating birthdays, our staff lets their friends know when they’re working, and we like to post funny memes that poke fun at ourselves.” When Tartine opened for business 11 years ago, the Rocky River bistro did so with a kitchen lacking basics such as a stove and hood. They managed to “make do” using a few induction burners and a janky old oven. A few years back, the owners invested in an expansion and improvement project that netted a fully equipped kitchen as well as an intimate private dining room. That PDR appears to be earning its keep. Tartine has always hosted wine dinners, but under executive chef Michael Grieve, they have become promotional powerhouses. These monthly dinners consist of seven- to 10-course prix fixe meals with beverage pairings. They are capped at 50 guests and routinely sell out. “When I first started here, there was more of a focus on the wine,” explains Grieve, who joined the team three years ago. “I think now, the food is riding upfront with the wine and we’re getting just as many foodies as we are wine connoisseurs.” What’s more, these folks tend not to be the bistro’s bread-andbutter customers, but rather more adventurous folks who come to try something new and different. The chef makes a point of meeting these diners, soliciting feedback, and hopefully converting some of them to more consistent guests. “These events are something that we’ve ramped up over the years,” the chef states. “That’s something that helps us stay relevant.”
Ticket to Ride: The Best Destination Dining in Northeast Ohio By Douglas Trattner
RENNICK MEAT MARKET, PHOTO BY TIM HARRISON
I
s there any better appetizer than a long drive? Culinary road trips, those unhurried journeys that end at the door of one of our favorite restaurants, are some of life’s most memorable occasions. We will gladly drive an hour for a wonderful meal, whether it’s built around tacos, fried fish, cheese fondue or fine French cuisine. All of these places are worth the drive.
Rennick Meat Market 1104 Bridge St., Ashtabula 440-964-6328 rennickmeatmarket.com There are plenty of great reasons to visit downtown Ashtabula, where a captivating Main Street leads to a historic harbor complete with mesmerizing lift bridge. Charming as they may be, small towns aren’t typically known for their progressive food scene. But this little patch
boasts a handful of great restaurants, not the least of which is Rennick. Housed in a former butcher shop of the same name, this bistro lives up to its meaty past with chophouse-inspired items like steak tartar, grilled pork chops and approximately eight different cuts of steaks. Those dishes are balanced by lighter, trendier options like burrata, steam buns, shrimp and grits, ramen and a house-
made veggie burger. Great cocktails, wine and beer, friendly and attentive service, and that Old World decor provide more than enough reasons to make the drive. Chez Francois 555 Main St., Vermilion 440-967-0630 chezfrancois.com For more than 30 years, Chez Francois has demonstrated that
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diners will overlook ostensible shortcomings such as distance, price and that pesky “jacket required” imperative in return for heartwarming service and exceptional food. Perched on the banks of the Vermilion River, this cozy small-town bistro compresses long drives with the promise of luxurious dishes built around prime ingredients. Intoxicating lobster bisque, cheese-draped French onion soup, seafood in savory sauce veloute, sweetbreads coddled in silky lemon-butter sauce, and filet mignon wrapped in puff pastry and enriched with truffle sauce are just a few of the timeless classics that await. Truly personal touches exemplify the type of fine dining that is on the wane. Bender’s Tavern 137 Court Ave., Canton 330-453-8424 bendersrestaurant.com There’s more to Canton than the Football Hall of Fame. In fact, rumor has it that Canton wouldn’t even have the Hall were it not for Bender’s, home to many of the unofficial organizational meetings that predate the decision to build it here. Around since 1902, the turn-of-the-century tavern has ageless charm to burn — and the menu boasts the same changeless appeal. Savor classic dishes like lump crabmeat cocktails, escargot in garlic butter, turtle soup with a sherry sidecar, broiled scrod and thick grilled steaks. The wine list is better than most “fine dining” joints and the evening bar menu is one of the best deals in town. Chalet in the Valley 5060 St. Rt. 557, Millersburg 330-893-2550 chaletinthevalley.com The drive to and through Amish Country is more than half the fun, even when exciting destinations like Lehman’s Hardware await. When hunger strikes, and you’ve had all you can handle of the crowds, sneak off to Chalet in the Valley, a charming Swiss restaurant that swaps the boisterous hoards for a more genteel experience. Run by the Guggisberg Cheese family, this happy place serves the
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best fondue you can buy outside of Geneva. Made with Baby Swiss, Gruyere and a hint of sherry, the fondue is nutty, silky and comforting. In addition to those quietly bubbling caquelons, genial dirndl-clad servers deliver plates laden with tender pierogi, crispy pork schnitzel, and bratwurst and sauerkraut platters. Brennan’s Fish House 102 River St., Grand River 440-354-9785 brennansfishhouse.com As lakeside residents, we pride ourselves on our fish fries, which appear weekly at countless bars, taverns, churches and VFW halls. Most of them, if we’re being brutally honest, are sub-par, owing to frozen fish, flavorless breading, improper frying and lackluster sides. Drive to Brennan’s Fish House in Grand River during the summer months and you’ll net a bushel of fresh, never frozen, filets that are barely breaded, flash fried and subtly sweet. Tack on orders of the fried clams, popcorn shrimp, crab cakes and shrimp scampi and enjoy them all in a former saloon that dates back to 1865, now tastefully appointed with maritime decor like marine charts, brass lanterns, wooden ship wheels and antique diving helmets. La Casita 484 North State St., Painesville 440-357-1109 Like a traveling circus, La Casita is here one minute and gone the next. The impermanent taqueria takes shape each spring behind a Latin grocery in Painesville, operating Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through fall. We take zero issue with driving 40 minutes to enjoy quesadillas, tortas and aromatic corn tortillas folded around chorizo, al pastor, steak and tongue. Items include roasted onions and peppers and toppings like diced onion, radishes, fresh cilantro, lime wedges and a variety of salsas. In winter, food is available in takeout form from inside the grocery, which itself is well worth a spin. Sometime in the coming months, La Casita grocery and restaurant will relocate to a new space and offer year-round full service.
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Celebrate our Italian! GATHER, SHARE & ENJOY
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