Nothing's Simple at Quince

For proof that chef Gregg Korney is up to his old tricks, consider a simple bowl of soup as it is presented at Quince. In a lovely earthenware crock is the main event, thick butternut squash bisque that is pure vegetal bliss. But to get to that soup one must first eat or remove the three pieces of squash tempura that hover on top. Not that it is a chore: the thin-sliced squash tempura is crisp and delightful. Sharing the oversize rectangular platter with the soup bowl is a shot glass filled with what appears to be packing material. In truth, it is curry-dusted popcorn gilded with coconut shards. The idea is to use the popcorn like crackers to jazz up the soup. But in order to get to the popcorn one must first eat or remove the thick cap of frizzle-fried sweet potato. I’m not sure where the fried basil leaves are supposed to go.

If we have learned anything from dining at a Gregg Korney restaurant, it is that there is no such thing as “simple.”

Korney, you might recall, was the chef and owner of Velocity American Bistro, which lasted a short while in the old Jeso-Mise-Giovanna’s spot. Before that he worked as chef at Vue, Sushi Rock and Giovanni’s.

Following the closure of Velocity, Korney opened Quince in Olmsted Falls, a move that seems to better suit his cooking style. In Cleveland, the chef’s over-the-top approach often was perceived as a lack of restraint. In Olmsted Falls, it comes across as pure genius. I can’t tell you how many times I overheard a customer say something along the lines of Oh, my!, or Ohh, la, la! or That’s the biggest plate I’ve ever seen!

While you can’t always count on subtlety from Korney, you can expect value. The above soup presentation, including the tempura, checks in at $6. Most entrees at Quince come in south of $20, and I’m guessing few plates ever come back to the dishwasher empty. Portions here are so robust that when our server delivered one dish he actually said “Good luck.”

Looking for a relatively light lunch one afternoon I ordered the pork schnitzel ($9) from the menu’s “Between Bread” section, expecting a sandwich. What arrived was a tower of food that had more in common with a last meal than a light lunch. I am not exaggerating when I say that the stack was half a foot tall, comprised of alternating strata of potato pancakes, pork schnitzel, artichoke hearts and roasted garlic. The whole shebang was drizzled with a buttery lemon-caper sauce. Garnishes included airy gaufrettes, grainy mustard, pesto and fried basil leaves.

It’s not that the ingredients Korney mingles are uncomplimentary, it’s that he sometimes mingles too many of them. In jazz they like to say it’s not the notes you play, but the ones you don’t. My scribbled comments note how wonderful that soup tasted, but all I remember was the curry popcorn. I’d kill for a sandwich made with Korney’s ethereal schnitzel, but I’d be hesitant to commit to that whole dish again.

More often than not, though, Korney’s skill, ambition and playfulness result in winning combinations. An appetizer of rosy rare beef rolled around gorgonzola, spinach and onions ($7) gets a flavor boost from a kicky horseradish cream sauce. While technically superfluous, you won’t find me griping about the accompanying crispy mushroom “fries” with shitake aioli.

A beautiful flank of cod ($21) is bundled up in bacon, roasted to perfection, and plopped down on a bed of hearty potato hash. That hash, by the way, also features sweet bay scallops, diminutive shrimp, and golden roasted garlic. I’m as giddy as a schoolboy when the server delivers my “Three Little Piggies” ($20). Arranged on a multi-sectioned platter are various and delicious treatments of pork, including slow-roasted pork belly, spiced grilled pork, and an absolutely brilliant bacon-studded lentil stew.

Over the span of two meals and multiple dishes, only one was a total flop. Another, the chocolate tart ($6) with homemade chocolate ice cream, nearly cost me a filling. Hidden in the ice cream are nuggets of caramel with the hardness of diamonds. Bite on one of those the wrong way and it’s off to the dentist.

Quince’s setting in the quaint, old-timey Grand Pacific Junction district is a bit incongruous. Korney’s contemporary arrangements seem out of place against a backdrop of tea parlors and quilt shops. But I think it is precisely that juxtaposition that so tickles his guests. Korney didn’t have to change his culinary approach to find success, he just had to change his audience.

Quince Restaurant
8074 Columbia Rd., Olmsted Falls
440.427.8100
http://www.quince-restaurant.com/

Another Crack at the Big Egg

There were more diners at The Big Egg (5107 Detroit Ave., 216.281.1600) on a recent Saturday morning than I had ever seen at Saigon 88, Pho Que Huong or Long Phung, the restaurants that both preceded and superseded it. In fact, there were more diners at this version of the Big Egg than even the original could claim in its final desperate years. Apart from the name, the address and the egg-shaped menus, the two Eggs share little in common. The former was a beloved and reviled dive that posed a significant health hazard to even the casual passerby. The latter appears to be a welcome new addition to the neighborhood. Don’t get me wrong, the locale still attracts its fair share of characters, but also young couples, entire families and cops.

The corner spot is bright, clean and airy, made all the airier by wall cutouts that unite the restaurant’s two rooms. A sweeping diner-style menu features large salads, Greek and Italian entrees, fried fish platters and open-face sandwiches. Breakfast is served all day. Service is quick and friendly, and the food – at least the breakfast – isn’t half bad. Popular items include omelets, pancakes, skillets and the 2X4, two each of pancakes, eggs, bacon and sausage for $4. The Western omelet ($5.99) is pretty much textbook (though a tad dry), with onions, green peppers and diced ham. Pancakes ($3.99) are large and fluffy and served with Hungry Jack from its original container. Biscuits and gravy ($4.79) fans won’t have much to complain about this version, which comes with or without eggs. The hash browns could use some jazzing up, but at least they arrive with a nice crust.

Lucky's Brunch Invades East Side

In other breakfast news: East Side fans of Heather Haviland’s delish Lucky’s brunch no longer have to hightail it to Tremont for their fill. Haviland and chef Ky-Wai Wong have begun offering the same thoughtful breakfast fare at Vine & Bean (12706 Larchmere Blvd., 216.707.3333, www.vineandbeancafe.com). Enjoy beloved items like cheddar biscuits and gravy, gingerbread waffles, and the aptly named Shipwreck, a delicious collision of scrambled eggs, bacon, cheddar and fried potatoes, all in a charming Victorian house.

Ty Fun Lunch

Ty Fun (815 Jefferson Ave., 216.664.1000, tyfunthaibistro.com), everybody’s favorite Tremont Thai bistro, can get pretty crowded at dinner time. Save yourself the hassle by visiting during the new lunch hours, Monday thru Friday 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The entire menu is available, as is the full bar.

From Farm Market to Brewery & Saloon

For roughly 60 years, the Danny Boy Farm Market had presided over the intersection of Lorain and Columbia roads. What began as a diminutive farm stand blossomed, three generations later, into one of the area’s most treasured landmarks. In the fall, families bought their pumpkins and apple cider there; in summer, their tomatoes and watermelon.

When diners cross the threshold of the soon-to-open Fat Heads Brewery and Saloon they will find a permanent homage to Danny Boy, a sizeable shrine that includes an original sign and a slew of old photos. That likely is all old customers will recognize about the place.

For more than 15 years, Fat Heads Saloon has been one of Pittsburgh’s most beloved watering holes. Located in that city’s South Side neighborhood, the spirited bar attracts locals and tourists alike with its matchless craft beer selection, comfortable digs, and these things called “Headwiches.”

While technically the first Fat Heads franchise, the North Olmsted operation shares little more than a brand and identity with the original outfit, explains partner Ted Lipovan. The Cleveland version is considerably more ambitious, boasting a full on-premises brewery, elaborate kitchen and smokehouse, and some 13,000 square feet of prime real estate.

Despite being able to seat 245 at a go, the interior is surprisingly cozy. Designers elected to highlight the cathedral-style exposed-beam ceiling, a dramatic element that resembles an intricate truss bridge. Half walls and booth nooks help break up the sizeable dining room, while carpet does wonders to dampen the sound. Exposed brick walls and wrap-around windows comprise the predominant views.

There is no mistaking that the Fat Heads folks take beer very seriously. In place of the usual beer signs and mirrors are hand-painted logos of the world’s most celebrated craft breweries. These vibrant, detailed compositions brighten the entire room. And then there is the brew system, an assemblage of inter-connected copper and stainless silos visible through massive panes of glass.

“This system will be the envy of every brewpub,” says Matt Cole, partner and brewmaster. For the past decade, Cole cooked the suds at Rocky River Brewing Co., where he won some of the industry’s highest awards. His new brew system, plucked from Arizona’s Chase Field, has bells and whistles normally reserved for larger breweries.

At Fat Heads, customers will have their pick from a dozen house beers, including two cask-conditioned ales, and two dozen superlative “guest” brews. Customers will be able to purchase beer to go in refillable glass growlers. “We’re trying to create the ultimate beer nirvana,” says Cole, who has been frantically brewing in preparation of opening day.

It seems that little here is being done half-assed. When chef and partner Derek Wilson decided to add barbecue to the menu, he installed a real pit smoker. Look for items like beef brisket, pulled pork and St. Louis ribs to land on the table bearing that characteristic pink hue and smoky twang. Wilson (Great Lakes Brewing, Sushi Rock) also has spent the better part of a year nurturing a sourdough starter for his pizza dough. Those pizzas will be fired in the same commercial deck ovens found at pizzerias.

While by no means extravagant, menu items will be high-quality. Whole chicken wings are dry-rubbed, slow-smoked, char-grilled and mopped at the last moment with sauce. Steak sandwiches are grilled and sliced to order. Chips and fries are cut and cooked in house. And then there are those Headwiches. Built on large round buns imported from an old Pittsburgh bakery, these over-stuffed monsters (“about the size of your head”) bear whimsical names and unusual ingredient combinations. The Full Cleveland, for example, is a collision of brats, pierogies, kraut, provolone, 1,000 Island and Stadium Mustard. Rounding out the menu are bar-house munchies, salads, burgers, subs and melts.

A large chunk of the interior is devoted to the barroom, the cornerstone of which is a 35-seat curvilinear polished-concrete bar. Taps are installed everywhere to keep pour time to a minimum. Nearly a third of the main dining room is reserved for fun, thanks mainly to a refurbished vintage bowling machine, three bristle dart boards, and a few pool tables.

The best seat in the house may not be in the house at all. Fat Heads has outdoor space to spare, and come the warm weather, look for a patio to sprout on three sides of the building. There will be beer-barrel tables for drinking, traditional tables for dining, and, perhaps, corn hole boxes for tossing. Situated beside a massive parking lot, Fat Heads anticipates throwing one heck of an Oktoberfest bash.

Look for Fat Heads Brewery & Saloon (24581 Lorain Rd., N. Olmsted) to open in late March or early April.

Vieng’s Asian Bistro Invades Westlake

So long, Irish; Hello, Thai (and Chinese, Vietnamese, Japanese, Korean…) Vieng’s Asian Bistro (139 Crocker Park Blvd., 440.871.2888), which took over the Crocker Park spot vacated by Claddagh Irish Pub, aims to attract big crowds with its sweeping pan-Asian menu. Vieng’s is the newest member of the Timothy Ly family of restaurants. The others include Thai Gourmet in Stow and Rockside, and Pad Thai in Hudson and Fairlawn. Following a total gut job, the restaurant received a complete makeover, the highlight of which includes a central waterfall. Some 200 diners can take seats at the bar, in dining rooms, or at the sushi bar. An outdoor patio, complete with alfresco bar, will accommodate another 150.

The multi-page menu is indeed sweeping: In addition to the sushi and sashimi there are Thai salads, Chinese noodles and Korean barbecue. Some 20 starters include both typical (spring rolls, satay) and less common (salt-baked shrimp, chicken lettuce wraps). The bulk of the menu is devoted to Bistro and Chef Specialties, many that appear ambitious and delicious. Whole roast duck is carved and served tableside; red snapper is fried whole and drizzled with spicy garlic sauce; sake-steamed grouper comes with a black bean sauce. Beer, wine, sake and cocktails available.

Just in the Nick O' Time for St. Pat's Day

Spy Bar has reopened as Barley House (1265 W. 6th St., 216.623.1700, barleyhousecleveland.com), a combination Irish pub and nightclub. The brand may sound familiar to those who travel to Akron, where the original has been a success since opening. “We sold that location one year ago,” explains owner Corey May. “We missed it and wanted to bring the concept to Cleveland.” May says the operation will morph over the course of the day from lunch to happy hour to dinner to regular nightclub. The interior has been gutted and reworked into the familiar Irish pub design, with warm wood and numerous booths. The menu is an amalgamation of American, Irish and Italian chestnuts like reuben egg rolls, wings, sliders, chicken Caesars, burgers, fish and chips, and shepherd’s pie. Outdoor seating is available in both front and back. Look for Republic, a “Vegas-style ultra lounge,” to open on the lower level by the end of April.

Cleveland Chili Cook-Off

Now in its third year, The Greater Cleveland Chili Cook-Off is a well-run event that benefits the Autism Society of Greater Cleveland. This year’s affair will take place from 6 to 9 p.m., April 2 at the Terrace Club at Progressive Field. Call 216.556.4937 for info.

La Strada: Fellini Would be Proud

Like Federico Fellini, Terry Tarantino is a dreamer. Both the Italian director and the Italian restaurateur share a gift for the grandiose, favoring ambitious personal projects with theatrical flair. After all, what prudent restaurant owner dishes up live opera alongside pasta dishes named after himself, as Tarantino is wont to do at his Little Italy bistro La Dolce Vita.

La Strada, named after yet another Fellini masterwork, is Tarantino’s most daring scheme yet. Set in a transformed East Fourth Street space, the restaurant is as intricately staged as a shoebox diorama. A slender corridor, wrought-iron balcony and shrewdly painted ceiling trick the eye into thinking its dusk in Istanbul. And like the namesake Fellini flick, this “road” is littered with fantastic scenery. Stained-glass windows hang high in the room, niches are crammed with all matter of gothic ephemera, and filigreed lights cast wistful shadows.

If the scenery provides the journey, then the food must be the destination. Not content to limit himself to just one cuisine, Tarantino elects to use a number of his favorite Mediterranean countries as inspiration. “Spanish, Moroccan, Turkish, Italian and Greek – the food will be a combination of the five cuisines I love,” Tarantino declared. On the menu that multifariousness shows up as Italian wedding soup, Turkish kebabs and Moroccan chicken.

Some criticized Fellini for lacking cinematic focus, and the same could be said about Strada’s scattershot menu. But pulling from the same grocery bag, as these cuisines often do, creates a certain harmony out of the chaos. United by grains, greens and, in many cases, flames, the dishes complement one another like a great supporting cast.

Strada boasts a custom-built wood-burning grill, and the distinctive campfire aroma it gives off perfumes the entire room. Many of the kitchen’s best dishes are assembled from items plucked from that grill. The aggressively seasoned ground lamb kebabs ($18), for example, are every bit as good as those from an authentic Turkish restaurant. Here, the skewered meat is served atop fluffy couscous and garnished with scallions. Similar kebabs are made with chicken or beef tenderloin.

That barbecue does wonders for a trio of marinated chicken thighs, the stars of a dish called Marrakesh Dajaj ($18). Grilled bone-in and skin-on, the meat is as juicy and flavorful as a thigh could be. This hearty platter also includes couscous, this time augmented with tender chunks of sweet potato. Perfumed by both wood smoke and saffron, the scampi risotto ($22) features two large grilled prawns on a bed of lush, creamy risotto. Not sure how tomatoes and summer squash qualify as “seasonal vegetables,” as described on the menu, but there’s little point in quibbling.

Calamari is prepared at every single restaurant on the planet, it seems, and La Strada is no exception. But if you’re gonna do it, do it right – and Strada does. Baby squid ($10) is sliced thin and coated with rice flour before frying, giving it a remarkably crisp, delicate crust. Pizza is every bit as omnipresent as calamari, and there is little about Strada’s that distinguishes it from the masses. Neither the crust nor the toppings on the Vagabondo ($11) are particularly memorable.

As one might expect from a Mediterranean restaurant, there is a variety of fresh, interesting salads. A classic Greek ($9) contains all the usual suspects, including romaine, cukes, olives and French feta (better than Greek, if you ask moi). The Vlora ($8) is a bold arrangement of arugula, blood orange, red onion and grilled radicchio. Because the radicchio was scarcely grilled as billed, however, the salad is all tart and no sweet, making it a bit cloying after a few nibbles. A thick red lentil soup ($6) contains pleasant hints of cumin and spice.

Pasta fans – and Dolce Vita fans – will likely welcome the inclusion of popular carry-overs from that bistro, including pesto Omar, veal Pavarotti and fettuccini Fellini. Lunch guests can expect the same menu as dinner guests, though with reduced prices.

Fellini’s Oscar-winning La Strada is often projected onto a massive stucco wall in flickering black and white, further cultivating the illusion of a European courtyard. The best vantage point for watching the film is from the elevated balcony above the bar. Glimpsing Zampano, the brutish carnival strongman played by Anthony Quinn, it’s impossible to not make comparisons with Tarantino. The owner’s strong-willed style certainly isn’t for everybody, and his vanity can sometimes mask his good intentions. But at least he has a style, and nobody can accuse his uniquely personal restaurants of being predictable and boring.

La Strada, the movie, doesn't end on a happy note. Meals at La Strada, the restaurant, most often do.


La Strada
2050 E. Fourth St., Cleveland
216.861.3663
www.lastradacleveland.com

Los Habaneros, Oy Vey!

It can be a bit disquieting walking into a Jewish deli and getting served tamales and enchiladas. But that is precisely the routine at Los Habaneros (20255 Van Aken Blvd., 216.991.4522, loshabanerosmexican.com), a new Mexican spot run by Rogelio Hernandez. Granted, the space hasn’t served matzo ball soup since Eddie Sand’s Blueline Café shuttered last year. But apart from a splash of paint and a few sombreros, the space hasn’t changed a bit.

The menu certainly has. Diners can expect the typical Tex-Mex, South-of-the-Border assortment of tacos, burritos, fajitas and combination plates. “Nothing is frozen but the margaritas,” Hernandez promises. For fast, friendly, filling and cheap Mexican fare, Los Habaneros definitely fits the bill. Warm chips and fresh salsa hit the table before your butt hits the seat. A side of creamy guacamole is worth the $2.99, and the four plump husk-wrapped tamales ($6.99) are packed with shredded pork. Entrees (there are close to 50 of them) include sizzling platters of steak and/or chicken fajitas ($12.50) with all the fixings, chicken-stuffed enchiladas ($10.99) covered in dark, faintly sweet mole sauce, and combo plates too numerous to list. Of course, everything comes on a screaming-hot plate loaded with refried beans (eh), fluffy orange-hued rice, and enough cheese to fill a fondue pot. Los Habaneros serves a decent selection of Mexican beers and margaritas.

New Chef at Bistro 185

Todd Mueller, former chef at the now-closed Grill at Bainbridge Common, has joined the kitchen at Bistro 185 (991 E.185th St., 216.481.9635, bistro185.com). “My parents were talking about what a great place the restaurant was,” the chef explains, “that I jumped at the chance to work here.” The classically trained chef joins an already deep bench, which includes Ruthie Hellman (the Ruthie half of Ruthie & Moe’s) and owners Ruth and Marc Levine. Mueller’s touch can already be tasted in creative dishes like crepe-crusted sole with hollandaise, 24-hour Hoisin-braised short ribs with polenta cake and Asian slaw, and a whimsical shrimp chip-coated halibut that bears those chips’ preternatural hue.

Drink in the New Grotto Wine Bar

Until fairly recently, the term “wine bar” was reserved for establishments that placed drink in higher regard than food. Visitors to these casual haunts expected to find a great selection of wines by the glass and bottle. What they didn’t demand was first-rate food. Historically, folks went to a wine bar for sips and nibbles, not a full-on feast.

These days, the line between enoteca and bona fide restaurant is inexorably blurred, rendering most distinctions obsolete. Grotto Wine Bar, a gorgeous new spot at Shaker Square, is a prime example. While the menu does feature a hefty assemblage of wine and small plates, it also includes soups, salads, entrees, desserts, even nightly specials.

Notwithstanding the nomenclature, Grotto is a fantastic addition to the once-sleepy northwest quadrant of Shaker Square. It boasts a large bar and late last call, making it one of the few nightlife options in the immediate vicinity. And despite some bothersome flaws, the restaurant deserves the positive attention it has been receiving since opening in mid January.

With Lago and Gusto under its collective belt, the Salerno Restaurant Group has considerable experience when it comes to putting together a quality restaurant. Grotto, which consumed two vacant Shaker Square spaces, possesses Old World drama without the faintest whiff of gaudiness. Guests enter a soaring front room dominated by an impressive chandelier. To the right is the bar and 1,000-bottle glass-encased wine cellar. To the rear, a flickering gas hearth provides ambiance and warmth. Textural finishes include stacked-stone pillars, sweeping brick archways and dark-wood paneling.

In their promotional material, the Salernos promised “Italian tapas-style dishes at very reasonable prices.” Well, they got it half right. Grotto’s menu lists nearly a dozen small-plate options, and many are unequivocally delectable. But at prices that largely fall in the $12-14 range, reasonable is not quite the word that comes to mind. Grotto would do well to add some more affordable and less ambitious starters.

One starter that is both delicious and fairly priced is the polpette ($10). Three large, airy meatballs arrive nestled in marinara, topped with cheese and sided by good Italian bread. While I’d love to see more variety, the three-meat, three-cheese antipasto platter ($14) proves an enjoyable sidekick to a glass of wine.

Grotto’s arancini ($12) are some of the best I’ve eaten. Slice into the crisp-fried, honey-brown rice balls and shrimp tumbles out into the saffron cream sauce. Equally impressive are the pistachio-crusted scallops ($12), a pair of perfectly cooked sea scallops drizzled with a tropical pomegranate glaze. Though the accompanying sesame-scented Asian slaw is anything but Italian wine-friendly, we find little fault with our duo of hefty grilled prawns ($10).

With everybody and their sister baking superlative thin-crust pizzas these days, perhaps we’ve grown a bit spoiled, but Grotto’s pies fail to make a lasting impression. More doughy than crusty, the diminutive six-inch Gianni ($10) is a bit bland, and the pale winter tomatoes don’t help matters much.

On the other hand, Grotto’s chicken roulade entrée ($12) is a revelation. Sliced into bite-size wheels like a sushi roll, the colorful twirls of chicken, spinach and cheese turn out to be the surprise hit of the night. The only complaint lamb chop fans likely will have with the dish served here is the portion size, with three wafer-thin chops running $16.

It is precisely these ups and downs that stand in the way of Grotto earning the highest marks. An exceptional arugula salad ($8) with fennel and orange is followed by a side of “creamy polenta” ($6) that is anything but creamy. With an odd fluffy-grainy texture, the polenta is closer to couscous than porridge. A gnocchi entree ($14) wows us with oodles of lush lobster meat in a spicy-creamy truffle sauce. Sadly, the dumplings are dense and leaden. Grotto’s hearty wild boar meat sauce is just the ticket on a brisk winter night. Too bad the overcooked tagliatelle ($14) is too limp to support it. I’ll order rabbit in a hop, but when I saw what amounted to three ounces of meat for $19, I just about leapt from my chair.

Expectedly, Grotto’s wine list is broad, deep and chock full of quality labels from the Old World and New. There are over two dozen wines by the glass and hundreds more by the bottle, with considerable attention paid to California and Italy.

Veteran GM Mike Tomaseli runs a tight ship, and apart from one very slow evening, service has been pleasant and efficient. Already under construction, an attractive sidewalk patio will undoubtedly become one of the nicest places to enjoy an alfresco drink come summer.


Grotto Wine Bar
13101 Shaker Square, Cleveland
216.751.WINE
www.grottoshakersquare.com

Shaker Square Gains Darna Fine Moroccan Cuisine

Grotto Wine Bar isn’t the only new neighbor at Shaker Square. In early January, Darna Fine Moroccan Cuisine (13114 Shaker Sq., 216.862.2910) opened in the spot long occupied by Luchita’s. The restaurant is owned and operated by Said Ouaddaadaa, the man behind both Bodega (1854 Coventry Rd., 216.932.3060) and Uptown (11312 Euclid Ave., 216.229.9711). While Bodega features small plates from throughout the Mediterranean, Darna focuses almost exclusively on authentic Moroccan cuisine. That means diners can look forward to elaborate couscous platters, with versions featuring lamb, chicken or strictly vegetables. Tagines, lush slow-cooked stews containing meat and vegetables, are served in their namesake earthenware vessels. Other entrees include Fez-style stuffed quail with golden raisins, Berbere stew with prawns, scallops, mussels and Merguez sausage, and chicken with preserved lemons. Entrees, mostly in the $16-20 range, are large and designed for sharing. An appetizing listing of small plates includes mussels roasted with fennel and saffron, grilled fresh sardines, and flaky Moroccan “cigars.” The cheerful restaurant is decorated in warm, rich reds and oranges, and a lounge area contains low seating, an American substitute for the customary floor seating. “The restaurant is beautiful,” says Ouaddaadaa. “You’ll think you landed in Marrakesh when you come inside.”

Giovanna’s Opens in Ashtabula Harbor

With The Estate on Coffee Creek (1591 OH-45, Austinburg, 440.275.5022, coffeecreekestate.com) scheduled for its grand opening this spring, Nick Kustala has plenty to keep him busy. Still, he found the time to squeeze in the opening of another restaurant. “This was totally unexpected,” he explains. “The owner of a turn-key restaurant suffered a heart attack and could no longer run it, so I took it over.” Located at the Ashtabula Harbor, Giovanna’s (1033 Bridge St., 440.964.6964) resurrects the casual Italian trattoria-style concept that existed in Cleveland on Clifton Blvd. The restaurant, named after Kustala’s wife, is housed in a 200-year-old building that most recently housed the Bridge Street Bistro. Down the road, the second floor will house a separate restaurant.

New Lockkeepers Unveils New Menu

Well, it’s officially official: Lockkeepers (8001 Rockside Rd., 216.524.9404, lockkeepers.com) has made the transition from Dante to one operated by original owners Frank and Malisse Sinito. The new Italian-cuisine menu features house-made pastas, steaks and seafood, including some classics from the old Lockkeepers Inn days. The entire menu is available for viewing on the restaurant’s website.