Moe's Restaurant

Place: Moe's Restaurant
Website: http://www.moesrestaurant.com/
Location: 2385 Front Street, Cuyahoga Falls, OH 44221 Google Maps



Quick Blurb:
I highly recommend going to Moe's Restaurant. Whether you are looking for a romantic night, a celebration, or just a place to go out with friends and have fun, Moe's can provide. With the formal dining area and the tavern side to choose from, you can decide what type of atmosphere is for you.

The staff is excellent, the food is outstanding, and the drinks are made to perfection. Once you try Moe's, you'll find yourself wanting to go back again and again.


REVIEW

Appearance/Atmosphere:
From the outside, Moe's doesn't look like much. I like the simplistic look: A stand alone building that looks somewhat out of place amongst car dealerships. There are two main doors - one to the formal dining area and one to the tavern.

The formal dining room is comfortable, not crowded with tables and dimly lit, but enough to read the menu without troubles. Even though it is connected via a corridor to the more boisterous tavern side, you are not distracted by the noise and still have the serene and romantic vibe of a formal sitting.

The tavern side has a great look to it. The long bar to the left has a lot of character, as do the bartenders that serve you. There are plenty of seats along the bar as well as both booths and tables to sit. TVs are located in various places making this a great place to enjoy delicious food while watching a game. While it is loud, I don't find it to be at that obnoxious level that you find in some bars/restaurants - It is a friendly loud.

Staff:
Each and every time I go to Moe's, the staff is...well, put it this way - I don't think I could find a flaw even if I tried. They always have a smile on their face and are upbeat. They take the time to go through the menu with you and answer any questions that you may have. I have never once gotten the claustrophobic hovering feeling at Moe's. Nor have I ever been frustrated in getting the attention of our waiter/waitress. There is a good balance between enjoying your food with your company and ensuring that everything is going well.

MEAL

Appetizer:
My Wife: Steamed Prince Edward Island mussels, orange, basil and wasabi butter
Myself: Tempura scallops wrapped in salmon on a cucumber-seaweed salad with chili caramel

The first thing I noticed was that the seafood was fresh. The scallops tasted like a fresh scallop - as it should be. There wasn't that hidden taste of bleach that you sometimes have in other restaurants - which is disgusting and results in my never going back. My scallops were perfectly cooked and the cucumber-seaweed salad was something that I could have kept on eating. The chili caramel glaze was similar to a sweet-chili sauce. It complimented the scallops and seaweed well. The tempura batter was nice and light - as it should be.

Salad
My Wife: Goat cheese, mixed field greens, dried cherries, candied walnuts and walnut vinaigrette
Myself: House salad

I opted to not upgrade the house salad and it was one of the best 'house salads' I've had. The lettuce was a good mix - not just chopped up romaine that has no flavour. The dressing was sweet with a little sour mixed into it. I did hear a lot of "Mmmm"'s coming from the other side of the table re: the Goat cheese salad.

Entree:
My Wife: Grilled beef tenderloin smashed red skins, spinach, “Diane” sauce and onion rings
Myself: Garlic scampi and grilled scallops on escarole, chorizo and white bean risotto with a tomato broth

I went for the sea again for my main course. I have not had scampi and scallops paired with chorizo before and wondered how the flavours would interact. The chorizo lent its flavour well while not being overpowering. The scampi and the scallops, again, were cooked perfectly.

I am not a risotto lover, most likely due to having it cooked poorly too many times, but I ate every bite. I enjoyed the escarole; I don't see that too often on menus and I like the flavour. Overall a great dish that I would get again.

Desert:
Split: Cannelloni

My wife liked the cannelloni a lot. I thought it was a little too fried - I tasted the outside more than I did the ricotta cheese in the middle. As a result, I didn't eat too much since I was rather full from the previous courses and the fried flavour wasn't sitting well with me.

Drinks:
My Wife:
Frenchtini
Glass of St. Supery Sauvingnon Blanc (w/ mussels)
Glass of Shingleback Shiraz (w/ beef)

Myself:
Vodka martini
Gin and Tonic (driver)

I normally enjoy a good glass of wine with dinner, however, the martinis where big and the GnT was potent. I thought it'd be wise to go easy and drink the gin and tonic throughout the meal. I did have a taste of the Shingleback - it was very good. I am a fan of Shiraz (my favourite Shiraz is Penfold's Koonunga Hill - excellent wine at only $10 a bottle). The Frenchtini got an approval from the missus as did the St. Supery.

OVERALL EXPERIENCE:
The meal was delicious. I would have liked to have enjoyed a glass of wine with the dishes, so I'll have to remember that for next time. I would have liked a better ending to the meal; I'll most likely pass on the cannelloni next time and opt for another option.

As I have said earlier, we've been to Moe's numerous times and never have had a negative experience. Actually, I should rephrase that: we have never had anything but a great experience. Whether it is for lunch or for dinner, the quality has always been outstanding and the food always enjoyable to eat.

If you still have some doubts about trying Moe's and don't want to splurge the first time, you should stop in during the weekend for lunch at the Tavern. Their lunches average $10 for sandwiches or salads and will give you a good sense of the atmosphere, the staff and the food.