Chinato Classico

If Cleveland is one of the most miserable cities in America, you'd be hard pressed to know it by dining at Chinato. Here it is a brisk Monday noon in early March – a day, week, and month notorious for dim sales – and the snazzy trattoria is aglow with mirthful souls. Wine glasses tinkle; ebullient chatter bubbles high into the rafters; and well-heeled swells slurp back deliriously good pasta. If there is a miserable sack in this lot, he or she likely is the one scrubbing pots.

More than any restaurateur in town, Zack Bruell knows that setting the mood is no less important than setting the table. His restaurants – four now if you've lost count – boast a mise-en-scène that immediately buoys one's spirit. Like Parallax, L'Albatros and Table 45, Chinato is designed to make us feel special.

For this high-profile location, Bruell reworked a rough warehouse space into a sepia-toned daydream. A room-length mural of Florence provides a playful sense of place, while gauzy window linens offer separation from the reverie-busting reality on the far side of the glass. An open kitchen and lively bar boost energy levels to lofty but measured heights.

If all this feels familiar – even formulaic – that's because it is. Swap French bistro fare for Chinato's upscale Italian and you've got Albatros. Do the same with Asian-inspired seafood and you're sitting down at Parallax. Bruell succeeds at replicating his Midas-like modus operandi by essentially reducing it to two moving parts: food and wine.

Here, Bruell takes on Italian, refining and redefining the classics in contemporary fashion. And – surprise, surprise – he nails it. I've sampled four of the dozen or so pastas, and I'd order every one of them again. Each is an artful balance of flavors, textures and aromas, no small feat for a chef new to the cuisine. Thick rags of fresh pasta ($8/15) are coated in a creamy cauliflower sauce; buttery lumps of gnocchi ($8/15) are dotted with bits of toasted garlic; weightless ravioli ($10/18) swell from a savory meat and vegetable filling.

Whereas most operators commence with a modest menu that evolves over time, Bruell takes off with a shotgun blast. His menus are lengthy, alluring and built to last. The Bunyanesque roster of dishes at Chinato will stop a dithering diner in his tracks, but it also will all but guarantee his return.

Starters range from the sublime, such as glistening shavings of raw yellowtail ($9), to the ridiculous, like a bowl of fried sweetbreads ($10) that eats like popcorn. The former can be found in the crudo section of the menu, and is minimally anointed with perky pesto. The latter is located among the antipasti, and the unabashedly salty bits of creamy organ meat are intermingled with fried veggies, plump caper berries and fat-ripping lemon slices.

What Chinato calls suplee ($7), most of us know as arancini, pedestrian snacks of stuffed and fried rice balls. There is nothing dull about these blessed orbs, which arrive bearing a crisp jacket of grated parmesan and a base of tangy marinara. Earthy chicken livers ($7) are presented in a cast iron mini-crock, along with vinegary cabbage and fried onions. We are less impressed with Bruell's take on burrata ($10), a typically dreamy blob of fresh mozzarella that oozes silken curds when sliced. This version is cold, milky, chalky and, frankly, odd.

As rich as many of Chinato's starters and pastas can be, it's almost imperative to slip in an intermezzo salad course. Light, bright and leaping with summery freshness, these salads best most of their leafy kinfolk. One marries mild shaved fennel ($7), orange segments, olives and a dollop of loose ricotta. Another ($8) is built around sliced octopus, the meaty discs tossed in a citrusy dressing with arugula and shingles of good cheese.

Every great song needs a hook – and same goes for a restaurant. For me, that hook is the porchetta ($17), a delicious swirl of roasted pork belly and herbs. Dished up in a broth with kicky braised greens, the entrée beckons like a cliff-bound siren. Conversely, a too fatty veal breast ($20) on soft polenta fails to deliver as big a reward. Fish fans in search of a winner can't go wrong with Chinato's skate wing ($18), barely breaded and sautéed with butter and lemon.

Chinato at lunchtime really is an exercise in affordable luxury. Cleveland's movers and shakers sip wines off the meticulously curated list, which includes compelling labels from every conceivable corner of Italy. Pair a svelte fennel-sausage pizza ($11) with a glass of crisp Umbrian wine and see how positively un-miserable you feel.

Chinato
2079 E. Fourth St., Cleveland
216.298.9080

Menu6: Take a Number

Diners will follow their favorite chefs around town like doting pups, regardless in which kitchen they happen to hang their toques. That's good news to guys like Michael Herschman, who seem to put down roots as deep as tumbleweeds. It's no shocker to report that Herschman "gets around" – but wherever he manages to land, you can bank on the fact that his fans will be first in line. That's certainly been the case at Menu6 (12718 Larchmere Blvd., 216.791.6649, www.menu6.com), the chef's latest culinary crash pad. And there's good reason; enjoying the most creative control since his Mojo days, Herschman is whipping up a landslide of impressive dishes.

Set inside the former Boulevard Blue spot, Menu6 boasts a compelling conceit: six menu categories, each comprised of six items (more or less, anyway). The “food-forward" fare is part steakhouse, part Asian-spiced Pacific Rim. This means that in addition to a platter of Herschman's killer sweet and spicy calamari ($7), diners can carve into a prosciutto-wrapped filet ($24). Foie gras appears in multiple guises, as in the Kentucky "foied" chicken ($9), a succulent piece of liver-goosed fried chicken awash in truffle-scented jus. Also found in that “Hot, Cold, Small” section of the menu is a dish of crispy fried shrimp ($8). Four large prawns are tempura battered and fried, dusted with aromatic spice, and lined up in a pool of delicious peanut-coconut milk sauce. Raw bar fans have their pick of oysters, clams, scallops and American caviar. Diners who covet a stiff char on their steaks might want to skip the Meyer Ranch ribeye ($28). Rather than grill the steak, the kitchen packs the meat in salt and roasts it, a technique often used for fish. Don't worry cavemen: There's a fat bone-in rib steak with your name on it. Rounding out the appealing menu are entrees built around duck, lamb, quail and crisp-skinned finfish ($19), which is presented in a deep bowl of miso noodle soup.

A front-to-back remodel has given the room a fresh look. Most dramatic is the addition of a community chef's table, situated directly in front of the open kitchen.

So Long, Rachel's Caribbean

For nearly a decade, in-the-know Eastsiders scored their spicy jerk chicken, zippy chicken curry, and other West Indian treats at Rachel's Caribbean, a wee storefront on Cedar Road. Unfortunately, those days are done as owner David Sterling recently has pulled the plug. Replacing it will be Sababa, a kosher restaurant.

Plated Landscapes 2010

On May 1, chef Ben Bebenroth of Spice of Life Catering will kick off another season of his magnificent Plated Landscapes. This, the fifth year, will feature eight fabulous alfresco events between spring and fall. Adventurous diners will find a more even mix of urban and rural settings, ranging from an Ohio City rooftop to Killbuck Valley Mushroom Farm. Book early and often as these dinners sell out each and every year.

Tickets are $125 per person ($100 for F&B professionals), which includes a farm or garden tour and five local, sustainable courses paired with wines. Contact Jess at 216.432.9090 or jess@SpiceOfLifeCaters.com to reserve your seats.

May 1st (Sat.): Keith Berr's Studio Urban Landscape
Cleveland
Featuring: Foraged ingredients and early gardens

July 3rd (Sat.): Ohio City Rooftop Urban Landscape
Cleveland
Featuring: Cleveland FIREWORKS and produce from Kentucky Gardens

July 22nd (Thurs.): Ohio City Grotto Urban Landscape
Cleveland
Featuring: Produce from Peter McDermott's Urban Farm

August 8th (Sun.): Killbuck Valley Mushroom Farm
Wooster
Featuring: Chantrelle mushrooms from your pre-dinner forage

August 26th (Thurs.): Cleveland Botanical Urban Landscape
Cleveland
Featuring: Produce from Cleveland Botanical Gardens West 66th St. Urban Gardens

September 19th (Sun.): Muddy Fork Farm
Wooster
Featuring: Heirloom veggies

September 30th (Thurs.): Maurice Small's Urban Landscape
Elyria
Featuring: Produce from the master urban farmer himself

October 3rd (Sun.): Heritage Lane Bison Farm
Salem
Featuring: Bison and veggies

November 7th (Sun.) MacKenzie Creamery
Hiram
Featuring: Goat cheese

Resto Opportunity in Green-Minded Oberlin

The developers of the East College Street Project, a $17 million mixed-use green building opening this spring in the heart of downtown, are looking for chefs/restauranteurs who are interested in operating sustainably minded, organic and/or ethnic eateries that compliment the spirit of this exciting college town. You can read more about the project at www.sustainableca.com and contact Josh Rosen at 440-574-9527.

Scene's Tasteful Affair Iron Chef Battle

I have been asked to select this year's Cleveland Scene Tasteful Affair Iron Chef contestants. Area chefs still have time to email their 2-minute audition videos to TastefulAffair@clevescene.com. Deadline is March 31! Your email must include: 2-minute clip (maximum time) displaying you in action, Brief Bio (participan...ts must be affiliated with commercial kitchen or caterer, Subject line: 2010 Iron Fork Competition.

Allez... whatever the F that dude says!

Rosewood: Nothing 'Bitter' About It

There was a forgivable amount of anxiety percolating through Hudson during the build out of Rosewood Grill. Set inside the historic Turner's Mill complex, locals understandably were concerned about modifications being foisted upon one of the town's most beloved fixtures. After all, how do you tastefully marry a 160-year-old grist mill with a brand spanking new 5,000-square-foot addition?

All it takes to allay those fears is a short stroll across the threshold. Once inside, guests can't help but get swept up in the snug embrace of one of the village's most attractive restaurants. The goal here was to craft an eatery that felt as though it had been here all along. From the looks of things, management has succeeded. Swaddled in grainy wood, sumptuous leather, and eons-old barnstone slabs, the place has the lived-in look of a clubby neighborhood bistro.

Boasting two moods in one, the shrewdly arranged restaurant accommodates guests in either a lively barroom or serene-by-comparison dining room. The lounge is dominated by a lengthy communal table, weighty granite bar, and unobstructed views into the jumping kitchen. Louder voices and music give the room a playful frame of mind. Though far from somber, the dining room – with its sleek banquettes, wall-to-wall carpet and hushed tones – can more accurately be described as "middle-aged hip."

Despite the five-star digs, the menu takes a more populist approach to diner satisfaction. Contemporary American – which is to say, a little bit of this, a little bit of that – the menu will win few awards for ground-breaking originality. What it will earn kudos for is quality, execution, and wholesale gratification. This is the kind of grub you don't have to analyze to enjoy. And thanks to prices that largely fall south of $15, it is food that diners can enjoy on a frequent and habitual basis.

Our foursome one evening nearly obliterated its collective appetite thanks to a platter of nubby fried calamari ($8). Dotted with fried banana pepper rings and served with a pair of zippy dipping sauces, the starter is a no-brainer table pleaser. Another appetizer that provokes uncontrollable hand-to-mouth action is the baked goat cheese ($7). Flatbread, fresh from the stone oven, is sliced into wedges and served with a bubbling crock of cheese-topped sauce. The process goes something like this: dip, eat, repeat, etc.

A quintet of sushi shooters ($9), lined up like pearls on a string, has all the elements in place for a choice starter. Crisp wonton cups are filled with diced raw tuna, wasabi and creamy avocado. The only hitch is that these shooters are too large to actually shoot.

Appropriate as a starter or main, Rosewood's flatbreads include versions topped with brie, shrooms and sweet roasted garlic ($8), and Buffalo chicken and blue cheese ($9). If we had a complaint about our Greek pie ($9), it was that the ingredients (feta, artichoke and olive) seemed to have been sprinkled on post-bake. Salads and sandwiches, so often the red-headed stepchildren of menus, are not given short shrift here. Large entrée-size salads are topped with rotisserie chicken ($13), grilled salmon ($14) and Asian sesame chicken ($11). Some of the best things we ate at Rosewood happened to be bread-bound. In the case of the lobster rolls ($14), a pair of split-top hot dog buns overflow with succulent seafood washed in a tarragon-scented dressing. Slaw adds just the right amount of crunch. The "Killer French Dip" ($13) lives up to its billing, stuffed as it is with shaved prime rib and gruyere cheese. Sandwiches are served with equally killer house-cut fries.

Because Rosewood is a member of the Hospitality Restaurants group (Cabin Club, Delmonico's, Blue Point…), diners can count on quality steaks and chops. An expertly trimmed sirloin ($17), drizzled with a rich wine sauce, combines the beefy goodness of a rib-eye with the tenderness of a filet. Of course, if you prefer a rib-eye or a filet, those too are available. Rosewood's rotisserie chicken ($16) is made with fresh, local poultry and it tastes that way. If there is an area of the menu that elicited yawns, it's the sides. Ubiquitous cheesy mashers, ho-hum roasted spuds, slightly limp Brussels sprouts, and unremarkable sautéed spinach are some of the items we encounter.

Adult beverage fans will have few complaints regarding the drinks list. Signature cocktails, craft beers, and a great selection of wines by the glass and bottle are on hand to make every occasion festive.

Those who go should know that Rosewood accepts no ressies, practically guaranteeing a wait at primetime. Look for the 50-seat patio, sporting a 12-foot gas fire pit, to alleviate some of the crowding.

Rosewood Grill
36 E. Streetsboro Rd., Hudson
330.656.2100

Symon Takes Aim at Burger "B Spot"

It would be very easy to discount B Spot, Michael Symon's east-side burger bar, as a gimmicky payday for an overextended celebrity chef. After all, how difficult is it to slap the Symon brand on the broadside of a burger while laughing all the way to the bank? But as even the casual observer of Cleveland's Iron Chef can attest, the man doesn't seem to know the meaning of half-assed.

With nothing short of burger bliss as his goal, Symon approached this project with as much zeal as he did Bar Symon, Lola and Lolita. And the task is in many ways tougher, when you think about it. While few of us may be qualified to adequately judge a slab of Berkshire pork belly, every red-blooded American fancies him or herself a hamburger critic.

Since opening in late November at Eton Chagrin, B Spot has been positively slammed with curious diners. Yes, many come simply because it's a Mike Symon joint, but just as many return because the hamburgers are that stinking good. Using beef supplied by legendary New York purveyor Pat LaFrieda — the source of New York's Shake Shack's equally addictive blend — the burgers have become something of an obsession for an already meat-obsessed populace.

Burgers come in all shapes and sizes, from slim diner-style versions to the four-finger-thick pub variety. B Spot aims right for the middle, offering a six-ounce patty that is neither too thin nor too thick. Despite its relatively slender chassis, the burgers leave the kitchen precisely as ordered. Here, that means warm red centers for burgers cooked medium-rare and warm pink centers for those prepared medium. If the faintest blush of color causes angst, I suggest you order nothing short of well done.

Comprising chuck, sirloin and brisket, the hamburgers explode with beefy goodness. A crusty shell from the griddle locks in juices. Call me a purist, but I believe a burger this good needs little more than lettuce, tomato and onion to reach perfection. At B Spot, that burger is called Plain Jane ($5.50). Fans of the ridiculously savory Lola burger — topped with bacon, cheddar, fried egg and pickled onions — can get that here ($9). But don't expect the English muffin; this one comes on the same sturdy bun as all the burgers. Folks who like to gild the proverbial lily can go nuts, as the menu includes renditions piled high with pastrami and slaw (Fat Doug), corned beef and kraut (Breuben), and flipsteak and Cheez Whiz (Philly Witt).

The "B" in B Spot refers not only to burgers, but also bar snacks, brats, bologna, beer and "bad ass" milkshakes. Under the snacks column are blazing-hot sriracha wings ($7), heavenly battered onion rings ($3) and the omnipresent rosemary-scented Lola fries ($3). For an extra two bucks, you can get those fries buried beneath a hill o' bean-free chili, cheddar cheese and scallions.

In comparison to the burgers, the bratwurst sandwiches are wholly underwhelming. The sausages are soft, bland and forgettable. Two bites into my Clevelander ($5), Symon's take on the Polish Boy, the brat decided to part ways with the bun by sneaking out the bottom. Measuring in at damn near an inch thick, a fried bologna sandwich ($6) has a pleasingly mild taste and smooth texture, which is offset by crisp pickles and yellow mustard.

Diners can doll up their sandwiches by visiting the well-stocked relish bar, loaded with sweet, spicy and pickled condiments. Each table is also outfitted with a caddy of six great sauces, ranging from coffee barbecue to ShaSha, an addictive Symon family recipe sporting peppers and mustard.

Mitchell's ice cream forms the basis for thick, delicious milkshakes ($5), all of which can be kicked up with a shot of booze for $3. As is the case at Bar Symon, the beer selection at B Spot boasts some of the best names in craft brewing.

Despite its home in a former Cold Stone Creamery, B Spot is eminently cool. Industrial touches like a smooth concrete bartop and galvanized chairs are warmed up with wooden booths, a shotgun-chic antler chandelier and a wall-size mosaic of beer cans. The less appealing mall-side seats will be swapped with patio seats come finer weather.

To keep things moving, Symon wisely has instituted some rules of play. Parties are seated only when complete. Meals are served not in courses but en masse. And while ingredient subtraction is permissible, substitutions are not. This may sound inhospitable, but it definitely trims wait times. When a restaurant is besieged by 500 or more guests a day, every little bit helps.


B Spot
28699 Chagrin Blvd., Woodmere
216.292.5567

Beep, Beep! Hot Food Coming Through

Jeremy Esterly is so confident that Clevelanders are hungry for something new he's willing to wager his prime post at Fire Food and Drink. Chef de cuisine of that Shaker Square restaurant since 2006, Esterly soon will swap the relatively cushy confines of a commercial kitchen for an aging Chevy step van. Billed as a mobile gourmet food service, Dim and Den Sum is really a food cart on steroids. The fully outfitted rig boasts a grill, griddle, burners and fridge — and it will dispense gourmet fare wherever hungry (and, occasionally, drunk) people congregate.

The cuisine will be Midwestern and Southern comfort foods with an Asian twist: Think ramen topped with fried chicken, pulled-pork Polish Girls with Asian slaw and Ohio beef burger with "kimcheechup." Many of the more complicated items will be prepared in a catering kitchen and finished in the truck to order. Likely lunch stops will include downtown, college campuses and weekly farmers markets. At night, look for the bistro buggy in party zones like West 25th Street, Tremont and the Warehouse District. While other metro areas boast food trucks dispensing dumplings, biryani, jerk chicken and all matter of righteous tacos, Cleveland, a so-called dining mecca, is left with ho-hum hot dogs. Esterly thinks that reality will soon change.

"Cleveland has a really eclectic food scene, and people here seem receptive to unique food ideas," he says. "I think pretty soon we'll see a caravan of food trucks roaming the city." Esterly's partner in the project is Chris Hodgson, most recently of NYC's famed Spotted Pig. Look for the debut of Dim and Den Sum around April 12.

Cooking not for a Cause, but a Jewel.

It would be tough to find bigger hearts than those of Jeff and Tammy Jarrett. In 2008, the couple adopted a visually impaired child from China, joining their three birth children. But the Jarretts didn't stop there. Plans are in the works to bring a blind infant from China, and the couple could use some help with the $25,000 fees. Luckily, Jeff is a chef at the North End Market (7542 Darrow Rd., Hudson, 330.656.1238, northendwinefoodfun.com), which means he has the full support of his generous colleagues. Join Cleveland's top chefs for a fundraiser on March 22, at the Cleveland Sight Center. Check out the lineup and make reservations at 330.353.4991 or Cooking for Jewel.