Julian's

Place:  Julian’s

Web-site: Not available

Location:  314 Pioneer Street, Akron, Ohio Google Maps

Quick Blurb:

Clam Chowder & Bread Pudding – be sure to visit on a Friday so you can have the opportunity of tasting this excellent combination. This hole-in-the-wall restaurant is as down to earth as you can get. If you live in the area, you’ve got to give Julian’s a try. 

Review:

Appearance:

As I said – a hole in the wall. Upon entering, it’s a small restaurant with booths on either side and then tables down the middle. My guess would be about 6 or 7 booths on each side – to give you an idea of depth. The kitchen is then located in the back and that’s all there is to it. 

Staff:

Each and every time we’ve been, I have never had a complaint about the staff. The waitresses are so friendly and pleasant to speak with. Even on our first trip we struck up a conversation and had a joke or two go back and forth. 

Meal:

Entrée:

We’ve been there only on Friday’s as that is the day we go out to lunch from work. We noticed early on that Clam Chowder was on their specialty menu – clam chowder it is. Believe me, there are a ton of clams in each bowl of chowder you order. It isn’t a couple of clams masked by loads of potato. Rather the opposite.  With a nice side of oyster crackers and some Louisiana hot sauce to sprinkle on, there isn’t much more satisfaction you can get from a meal less than $4. Oh and it does fill you up. I am very hesitant in order clam chowder anywhere, but the fact that it is homemade, right there by the chef, I took the chance and have never been proven wrong. It is delicious!

Desserts:

Ok, if you do make it over to Julian’s, please, do me a favour and order the bread pudding. If you get nothing to eat, just order the bread pudding. Another homemade masterpiece – I don’t think I’ve had bread pudding as good as this anywhere. The beauty of it all, the inclusion of rum…makes a nice Friday lunch treat before returning to work….

Drinks:

I’ve only ever had the soft drinks. I tended to stay away from water because it had a bit of a taste to it, and I’m picky about tap water – I don’t want it to taste like anything.

Prices:

Chowder, bread pudding and a soda = less than $10 with a tip included. You can't beat that really. A quality, homemade meal for under $10 with tip. It’s a steal!

Overall Experience:

I have had some other items on the menu before venturing into the chowder and they were ok. Not great, nothing spectacular, but decent. That said, I haven’t had anything else but the clam chowder since ordering it the first time. 

The staff is great. As I said, friendly, polite, a sense of humor and down to earth. It’s fun to go to Julian’s – you get a solid meal for a great price and you feel welcomed. Places like this are hard to come by nowadays. Go on a Friday and give the chowder and bread pudding combo a try!

Lola

Place:  Lola

Web-site: http://www.lolabistro.com/

Location:  2058 East 4^th Street, Cleveland, OH Google Maps

Quick Blurb:

One of the best restaurants I have been too. It was exciting to see a menu with dishes that you don’t typically find in Ohio. Great atmosphere and excellent service. The only thing keeping me from going again and again is the price. Don’t get me wrong though, it’s worth it!

Review:

Appearance:

While located on East 4^th, it is more of a side street. No cars can drive through the area and there are a few other restaurants around. Nothing stands out too much from the outside, but once in, the décor is wonderful:  Dim lighting, nice long bar to the side, tables situated on two levels and a lower level “party room” and restroom area.

Staff:

We were greeted promptly and politely at the door. We knew we were early for our 8:15 reservations (we arrived at 7:45) and were prepared to have a drink at the bar in the mean time. Instead, they had our table ready and we were seated promptly.

Our server was polite, patient and willing to help out in anyway. Being our first time in the restaurant, he provided us with the recommendations of the masses and then also his own. We started off with a drink and were never pressed to make decisions. We felt comfortable taking our time and this is something I value when dining out.

Meal:

Appetizer:

My wife went for the popular Beef Cheek Perogies, with wild mushrooms and horseradish crème fraiche. I did manage a taste and, while not being a perogie fan (of the actual outside dough), they were delicious. The beef cheek was tender and tasty. I never had horseradish crème fraiche, but I would like to see more of it.

I went for the Crispy Veal Sweatbreads, with fresh chickpeas, pearl onions, bacon and capers. I haven’t seen sweatbreads on the menu in Ohio and was excited to have them. I had never seen a fresh chickpea before and was shocked to see it was green and had a nutty flavour – very different than the canned chickpeas you are used to – SO much better! The applewood bacon was in pieces and cooked well and the addition of capers just topped off the meal for me. I am quite the fan of capers! I would have a hard time not ordering this again the next time we go, if they have it on the menu still. The night we arrived it was brand new to the menu.

Entrée:

My wife got the Scallops with butternut squash, Brussels sprouts, blood orange, bacon and cilantro. Perfectly seared on both sides, the scallops were sweet and tasty! The dish looked beautiful with the orange of the butternut squash, the green of the sprouts and the red blood oranges. The combination of ingredients was full of flavor but also light on the stomach. My wife was a big fan of the scallops and said she’d be hard pressed to order them somewhere else and enjoy them as much!

I went for the Rib Eye with smoked blue cheese and wild mushrooms. This was one of the most flavorful steaks I’ve had. The mushrooms were extremely good and complimented the hearty steak nicely. The blue cheese was a little too subtle and I didn’t taste much of it – but when I did, I enjoyed it a lot.

Desserts:

My wife went with the “Mint Chocolate Chip”:  Peppermint fudge cake, chocolate chip mousse, and spearmint syrup. The taste of peppermint and spearmint was a welcomed change from the typical minty flavor you get everywhere. The fudge and mousse were rich, but not overbearing.

I went with the Mango Parfait:  mango, lime, cashew, cilantro, and Paulina’s banana bread. What an intense dish. The mango was ripe and sweet. The banana bread consisted of slices of banana with carmalized brown sugar on top – similar to a crème brulee. Talk about being unique.

Drinks:

Martini served perfectly – strait up with a twist.

We each had a glass of the Ben Glaetzer shiraz – lighter body than other shiraz’s we’ve had, but just as intense with flavours of cherry and pepper. Mighty tastey.

I had a second with the steak and my wife went with the Sancerre. You don’t seee Sancerre’s on the menu often. She typically goes with Sauvingon Blanc, but I steered her towards the Sancerre. She was very happy with the choice. Light and fruity, but not sweet. It had an aroma that would keep you just smelling over and over again.

The coffee was nice. I take mine black and it wasn’t very strong, but not watery either – a nice mix.

Prices:

It isn’t cheap. The rib eye was the most expensive at $35. Everything else seemed reasonable for the quality. There aren’t many places you can get a combination of ingredients like these. I love how different it was. The dishes stood out on the menu and on the plate. That’s worth the extra cost to me.

Overall Experience:

A terrific restaurant that I think everyone should try at some point. As I just said, the unique combination of ingredients makes it a fun meal. One thing that I would like to point out when going out for two people – there are a few tables that are situated rather close to one another. We were lucky and had our own table next to a wall. I do not like being seated at a two-person table with another couple within two feet of us. I don’t know how we lucked out, but we did and it made a difference – we felt isolated even though we were in the middle of a restaurant.

You’ve got to give this a go if you’re a fan of eating great food!

Coming Up: Lola

Going to Lola tonight! I've heard many positive remarks from people who have been there, so I'm very eager to get there.

Reservations are at 8:15 - time to get ready!

Big City Chophouse

Place:  Big City Chophouse
Website:  http://www.bigcitychophouse.com/
Location:  45 E. Market Street Akron, Ohio 44308



Quick Blurb:

A typical good, solid steak house. The meat was of great quality, steaks were cooked to perfection and the drinks were well made. Unfortunately, nothing was out of the ordinary – the result left the experience a little plain.

Review:

Appearance:
Sitting next to Crave, the exterior wasn’t anything spectacular. Upon entering, the atmosphere also was lacking a little something. The bar was immediately in front of you, in it’s own room and the rest of the restaurant to your right. Mixture of booths and tables lined the rows. There was a lack of dimension to the place.

Staff:
No one actually greeted me. The host/ess stand was empty. I stood around looking from bar to restaurant until the people I was meeting called my name and ushered me to the table.

Our waitress was very nice, but a little too robotic. Perhaps it was because she was training someone new and wanted to do everything by the book. Just came off a little too intense, but friendly all the same.

Meal:

Appetizer:
We held back on ordering an appetizer – it was a work function and we were somewhat limited for time. We did get salads and I got the traditional ceasar salad, which I might add had a great dressing. The croutons were cheap though, had a stale taste to them, as if the bag they came had been opened for a while. Not much flavor on them.

Entrée:
I got the Blue Cheese Encrusted Filet of Sirloin with a starch or vegetable.

Again with the options of a starch and vegetable. You ask what they are and they rattle off a bunch of possible combinations. Yikes – I chose the Red Skinned Smashed Potatoes.

The meat was cooked to perfection! I haven't had a steak this good since Mitchell's Steakhouse in Columbus, OH. You may know, I enjoy my meat rare and this piece was perfectly seared on both sides, warm all the way through. Excellent! I like the crust of blue cheese on top as well, usually it’s just crumbled on top, not ‘baked’. A nice way to differentiate.

The potatoes were exactly as they said, Red Skinned Smashed. Nothing too fancy really and they gave you a lot of them! It looked as if I didn’t even touch them when they took my plate away.


Desserts:
They came out with the desert plate, which is a great sales tactic. Once you see how delicious everything looks, how can you say no? The decision was to choose one to split; I let the ladies choose the Peanut Butter Pie. If you’re a fan of this, you’d like it. I’m not so much a fan of the PB Pie, but from what I tasted and heard, I’ll give it credit.

Drinks:
Contrary to Cilantro, the martini I ordered was perfect. Straight up with a twist. Declicious. I asked for a glass of their Shiraz and it was really nice. I didn’t see the name, so I can’t say for sure what it was, but it was very good for being by the glass.

Prices:
Work dinner, so I got off easy on this one. But the prices were very reasonable. My 8oz Filet of Sirloin was $21.95, and a 10oz Filet Mignon was only $29.99. The meat was great quality, so these prices are very competitive.

Overall Experience:
Ultimately, it’s your typical steak house, not too much in terms of style, but the food is solid and the prices of the steak are very reasonable for the quality of the meat. Unfortunatley, the service wasn't anything outstanding and there was no one even to greet me as I walked in. As I said in tehe beginning, it was a little plain.

Cilantro

Place:  Cilantro

Website:  http://www.downtownakron.com/go/cilantro  (their actual website doesn't work)

Location:  326 S Main St, Akron, OH 44308  Google Maps

Quick Blurb:

Finally, I have some Thai food that tastes like Thai food – in Akron! While they do have other Asian dishes on the menu, the Panang curry that I had was delicious! Very cool, modern décor and big floor to ceiling windows created an atmosphere not too often felt in downtown Akron; it rivals Crave on the décor, but wins out on food.

Review:

Appearance:

The outside appearance is nothing special. They do have valet parking, and it’s cheap! I think I remember it being only $3! I drove around twice and then thought, eh, forget about it. Inside, the sushi bar sits on what seems to be a second level, which makes it stand out from the rest. The bar is centrally located and, attention area restaurants, tables are very spaciously placed.

Staff:

Upon entering, we were greeted with a friendly smile and seated promptly, as we had reservations. Our server greeted us with a smile and spoke slowly and clearly. I liked his clam demeanor. He explained the different spice levels and recommended not going for the highest, 5. I took 4 and appreciate his suggestion!

Meal:

Appetizer:

We were with another couple and split two appetizers: Spring Rolls and Crab Rangoon. Now, I am aware that neither are necessarily Thai, in fact Crab Rangoon is classified as “American Chinese”, but my favorite appetizer, Tod Mun Pla, wouldn’t have been a favourite of anyone else on the table. Next time I go, I will be selfish and order these.

The Crab Rangoon, while not my first choice, were the best I’ve had. The Spring Rolls, while good, had an egg roll feel to them. The outer wrapper was reminiscent of a Spring Roll, but the inside just didn’t seem right. It was OK, but I wasn’t thrown back.

Entrée:
As I said earlier, I went for the Panang Curry, with beef. Let me say that I usually am hesitant about ordering beef in curries or sauces in restaurants, as the quality usually isn’t the greatest; not so here. The beef were nice slices and not a trace of fat clinging on. To say I was pleasantly surprised would be an understatement. The sweetness of the coconut milk shined through and the dish was just delicious. As I’m typing this, I feel like going back!! ….hmmm maybe I will tonight….
I ordered level 4 spice – this was my limit. I like spicy food but this border lined on being too hot to enjoy. Next time I will definitely get a level 3. The main portions were very large. Next time I will suggest we get a variety of dishes and share them across everyone. That way we can taste a variety of foods.
Ultimately, everyone else at the table enjoyed their meal as well. When asked if we would return, we all answered with a defiant YES!
Deserts:
The dishes were large – people had leftovers and I finished mine. Not deserts to be had!

Drinks:

They have Singah beer and I will stick to that next time. I ordered a martini to start with, simple straight up martini, and it was filled with so much vermouth, it may have well been straight vermouth. Not a fan. I think if I see the male bartender there, I will stick with beer.

Prices:
Total bill for 1 appetizer, two main dishes and 3 drinks, with tip ~$50.

Overall Experience:
I am really excited that Akron has a great Thai restaurant to go to. It may be a while before I try their sushi because there are so many delicious plates to enjoy on the main menu, why get sushi? The décor is fun and modern, something you don’t see too often in Akron. While we sat in the front room, there is a back room that I understand to be very different in style. Maybe when I go back I can get a different experience.

Definitely go – even if Thai isn’t your favourite cuisine, they had some Chinese dishes on the menu as well. Enjoy!

Also, take a look at the photos on the wall – my photographer friend has some of his collection showing! http://www.lanceandersonphotography.com/

Cilantro

Will be going to Cilantro in downtown Akron on Friday - be ready for a report back on this new trendy restaurant...

Note:  I will be going in already questioning why they decided to combine Thai and Sushi cuisine....

Gusto D'Italia

Place: Gusto D'Italia
Website: http://www.gustoditaliaristorante.com/
Location: West Streetsboro Street Hudson, OH 44236 Google Maps


Quick Blurb:
I think that Gusto D’Italia has promise. I wasn’t blown away by my first visit there, but I was surprised. The location doesn’t say much for the restaurant – in a shopping plaza with an Acme and McDonalds around it. In fact, there have been more than six different restaurants in that exact location over time. That said, the interior is decorated nicely, but too many tables give a real cramped feeling. The food, like the restaurant, has promise, but came up just a little short.

Review:

Appearance/Atmosphere:
Not much from the outside, just your typical shopping plaza restaurant. Once inside, you forgot about the plaza and felt like you were somewhere else. It was nice to be greeted by a host dressed in a suit; gave a professional and upscale feel. There is a stone wall at the entrance that has water trickling down. It isn’t flowing like most interior waterfalls, just a trickle – I liked the subtlety. Dimly lit all over, the bar had leather couches and high tables to sit at. The formal dining room had only tables (big plus), but they were too close together.

Staff:
Politely greeted as we entered, I thought the gentleman was a little too much when he asked “Name Please…” It’s hard to describe in words, but imagine a British butler from the past, speaking really slowly, and a little loud “Naaaammmmme Pleeeaaaassseee”. Then he waved his arm in the air with his pen as he went to cross our name off the reservation list. Not necessary.

We were early by 20 minutes and so they suggested we go to the bar. Great – here we go again, the place is pushing their drinks on me already. Not the case! I was surprised to see they had a sofa area to sit down and wait. A couple bar tenders came to us to make sure we were being served and after politely saying we’re just waiting for our table, they smiled and said “No problem, if you need anything then, come on up”. For once I felt at ease in a bar not ordering a drink.

Our waiter was nice, polite, but a little strange. He seemed nervous going through the specials, but he was fine; not intrusive during the meal at all. I did notice him goofing off with another waiter serving water – so what you say? Well he had my drink in his hand and spilled some of it on the floor. Not cool!

Meal:

Appetizer:
To start off, I had the crab cakes. I’m a sucker for crab cakes and make them at home often. These had absolutely no fillers; just pure crab meat. The sundried tomato aioli that accompanied it, was lacking something. You will never see me complain about something not having enough salty falvour. I will never put salt from the table on my meal and I did not do so at Gusta D’Italia. However, the crab cakes were missing something salty; it was bland.

Entrée:
I went for the Veal Tenderloin with Prosciutto and Fontina Cheese. Served with the Chef’s choice of starch and vegetable.

The starch ended up being Risotto – now I’ll just comment to that a little. I know risotto somehow has fanciness attached to it. I’m not 100% sure as to why; maybe because of the difficulty in cooking it. It is difficult, and this wasn’t cooked right. Believe it or not, some bits were hard and other bits mushy. I would have preferred roasted potatoes or something along those lines. Any why is it unknown until the day? What is going on behind the scenes that they can’t commit to a specific ‘starch’ for a plate each and every time?

The vegetable was string beans. Ok.

Onto the main part of the dish, the veal and the prosciutto, fontina filling. The veal was good when I could bite into a piece without fat being around it. I think I was the unlucky person to get a piece of veal that had a good portion of fat in one area. Once I got by that, it was good, but still lacking something. You would imagine the salt and flavors of the prosciutto and the fontina cheese would be plenty, but you couldn’t even taste them when eating them on their own. I don’t know what it was, but there was just no flavor coming from the dish. Someone else at our table ordered the same thing and had a similar reaction. I’m rather confused how a cured meat and cheese couldn’t give enough flavors to a dish.

Dessert:
Now finally I had some flavor! Ordered the Tiramisu and for the first time, it wasn’t just a piece on a plate; it was in its very own bowl. I liked the individuality of it, and most of all the taste. It was a solid Tiarmisu and I would go back just for drinks and that to be honest.

Drinks:
I went off course from my usual and ordered a Grande Martini, which included Vodka, Grand Marnier and Orange Juice. I liked it. It wasn’t filled to the top, partly because our waiter spilled it during his antics.

We ordered a bottle of wine, which the name escapes me now. It was one of the recommendations on the table 50% Sangiovese and 50% Merlot. Priced at only $22 a bottle, I found it to be a delicious wine. In fact, I want to find out the name of it and buy it to drink at home. I’ll be sure to update with the name when I find it.

Overall Experience:
I liked the evening. It was a new place and it wasn’t a bad experience. I believe it has a lot of room for improvement. I was disappointed to have made reservations only to be seated in one of the middle tables where it was crowded; especially when there were tables by the window that never were occupied…didn’t make sense. Next time I am going to specify a window table. The food just was lacking something; dare I say it was bland overall? I was disappointed with the “starch” being risotto and hope that they can be more creative next time. Despite the crowded atmosphere, the odd waiter and the bland food, I am going to go back to try it out again. It won’t be one of my first choices, but I want to see how it is in a few months. If anything, I’d go back to have a drink at the bar, very cool atmosphere. I rate it a 7 based on the potential the place has - the dishes sound like they could be really good, they just got to take it to the next level; the wine was great and the desert delicious; and the bar would be fun to go and have a drink and a small appetizer.