There is no such thing as a cursed location. Rather, there are only unsound business concepts, undercapitalized owners, uncooperative landlords, and the occasional dose of bad luck. But mention the space at 10427 Clifton Boulevard and just try and put the brakes on the voodoo chatter. Granted, that location has seen more than its fair share of tenants (seven in 20 years), legal wrangling (evictions, lawsuits, partnership divorces), and physical disasters (floods, fires, vandalism). But isn't that pretty much the restaurant biz in a nutshell?
While only time will tell if some biblical plague will befall the Clifton Martini & Wine Bar, the early reports are downright rosy. Nearly five months into his run, owner Jeff Rumplik – fingers crossed – is enjoying brisk crowds and robust sales. On warm nights, Clifton's roomy front patio transforms into the neighborhood village green, with diners buzzing from table to table like eager bees. Inside, the historically contemporary space has been mellowed a bit with warm woods, dim lighting and new soft seating.
Rumplik, who for years ran the Fairmount Martini & Wine Bar in Cleveland Heights, may have settled on a formula ignored by many of his predecessors: K.I.S.S. Most of the prior restaurants failed because they promised too much, delivered too little, and charged an arm and a leg to do it. One operator after another doggedly tried to make the place a destination restaurant, when all it ever wanted to be was a neighborhood bistro.
These days, diners don't want to think too hard about what to order for dinner – and they certainly don't want to empty their wallets in the process. Clifton's menu may not be the most creative in town, but the options presented are both appealing and reasonably priced. Unlike its progenitor, Fairmount Martini, which prepared food in a utility closet, Clifton boasts a full-scale professional kitchen and a full-time professional chef. So, in addition to the ubiquitous room temperature cheese-and-meat boards, bruschetta and flatbreads, there are deep-fried, steamed, sautéed and grilled items.
Clifton's calamari ($10) is so good that I ordered it on two separate visits, atypical for a critic. We twice went with "angry-style," a spicy preparation that tosses the thick, tender rings with olives and banana pepper rings. The flash-fried squid is mounded atop a slick of thick tomato sauce. More zesty than spicy, but no less enjoyable, are Clifton's stuffed peppers ($9). Here, three large mild peppers are jam-packed with sausage, fire-roasted, and laid to rest on chunky marinara. Grated cheese and fresh herbs finish the dish. Fans of steamed mussels ($10) will find no fault with those served here, bathed as they are in a fragrant and buttery wine sauce. The kitchen includes fat slices of grilled ciabatta to mop up the juice.
Including the aforementioned starters, there are some two-dozen dishes perfect for sharing with friends. Jumbo chilled shrimp ($12) are served classically, dangling over a cocktail sauce-filled martini glass. Lamb lollipops ($12), sold four or five to an order, are pan-seared and paired with an Israeli couscous pilaf and mint pesto. The chops can be eaten knife-and-fork style or, as the name suggests, picked up and eaten out of hand. I've certainly enjoyed crab cakes ($11) with less filler and more fish than the ones sold here, but we admired the cake's flavor and soufflé-like texture.
For diners with a more robust appetite – or those who abhor sharing – the menu includes a handful of composed entrees. Most are less than thrilling, being of the standard meat-starch-veg variety. A tender, beefy flatiron steak ($16) is grilled, sliced and plated with garlic mashed potatoes and asparagus. There's also steak au poive, braised short ribs, and chicken picatta. For a neighborhood wine bar, Clifton knocks out a pretty tasty pizza. A group of us devoured an extra large white Italian ($13) topped with sausage, banana peppers and asiago cheese.
To go with those fly pies, Clifton stocks a nice selection of craft beers, including a handful on the restaurant's freshly minted draft system. On tap now are Stone Brewing's Ruination IPA ($7), Left Hand's Sawtooth Ale ($4), and a seasonal Great Lakes. Ironically, it's the "martini and wine" portion of the menu that lacks luster. The cocktail list feels dated, with too many '90s-style flavored martinis, and the wines, while of fine quality, are a little predictable for a wine bar.
Even I can't quibble about Clifton's killer patio, a spacious oasis on a leafy boulevard. It has been the one element to receive consistent praise throughout what seems like decades of doomed eateries. Has the "spell" been broken? Quick – somebody knock on wood.
Clifton Martini & Wine Bar
10427 Clifton Blvd., Cleveland
216.965.0221
