It’s been a tough year for the restaurant industry. But, as we’ve seen some closures around Cleveland, we’ve also seen some openings, from familiar faces and newcomers, from east to west, and across the culinary spectrum. And we’ve already got our eye on some dynamite additions that await further down the road. In both cases, it’s nice to get a little good news around these parts, so get out there and support these places as often as you can.
Twisted Taino Latin Eatery
1400 West 25th St., Cleveland
Chef Jose Miguel Melendez applied for one of the original kitchen spots at the Ohio City Galley, making it all the way to the final round before losing out. Two years later, he’s preparing to open a restaurant there after all, one that builds upon his experience as a catering chef with Latin roots. The business, Twisted Taino, is the first to join Victor Searcy Jr. at what is now referred to as “Sauce the City Galley”. Twisted Taino is a quick-serve eatery that takes influence from various Latin cuisines, according to the chef. The menu ranges from smaller items like empanadas, gourmet tacos and Cuban sandwiches to “heavy hitters” like the mofongo bowl, a combination of mashed yucca and plantain stuffed with “Puerto Rican fried rice” and a choice of roast pork, chicken, steak or shrimp. The Bandeja Criolla is a hunger-slaying platter loaded with roast pork, chicharron, tostones and yucca fries.
Photo courtesy Scene ArchivesHibachi Japan Steak House
6025 Kruse Dr., Solon
This hibachi saga begins, curiously enough, with a night on the town starring recently deceased Baseball Hall of Famer Tom Seaver. In the 1970s, Paul Goetz was a sports agent living and working in New York. After a visit with Seaver to a Greenwich Connecticut Benihana, Goetz discovered the second career he was looking for. A couple years later he opened a similar concept in Akron. That restaurant, Hibachi Japan Steak House, was relocated to Cuyahoga Falls (1803 Front St.) in 1990 and is still going strong. Now run by son Morgan Yagi, the popular eatery is ready to expand northward. Fittingly, it will open in the former home of another long-running Japanese steak house, Akira, which operated for 20 years in its Solon home. When it opens in the next week or so, Hibachi Japan Steak House will feature the same name, same concept and same menu as the sister establishment in Cuyahoga Falls.
Photo via Scene ArchivesCloak and Dagger
2399 West 11th St., Cleveland
Next in line for the notorious Tremont property that most recently was home to SalsaRito is Cloak & Dagger, which owner Casey Hughes describes as a “neighborhood craft cocktail bar.” Hughes and business partner Cory Hajde are shooting for a late-September opening. In addition to affordable craft cocktails and other liquid refreshments, Cloak & Dagger will launch with a light menu of “plant-based” snacks and, perhaps, larger items.
Photo via Scene ArchivesTwo New Concepts at Harbor Verandas
1050 East Ninth St., Cleveland
For most of his career in and around the hospitality industry, Chris Schramm has played a supporting role as design consultant, lending his sharp eye for detail to projects like the original Lola in Tremont and literally dozens of other high-profile spaces. But for the past year or so he’s quietly been working on a project of his own, one that will place him squarely in the principal position. His latest canvas is the ground floor of Harbor Verandas, the luxury apartment building located on the East Ninth Street Pier, just steps from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The 4,000-square-foot space will contain two separate concepts, a coffee shop and “bar/lounge/kitchen.” Cute for Coffee will occupy about one third of the ground floor, while Sandrine, the bar, will inhabit the rest.
Photo via Scene ArchivesYemen Gate
11901 Lorain Ave., Cleveland
Yemeni food has been a very welcome arrival to the Cleveland food scene. The fahsah, saltah and rashoush are all wonderful dishes but you really can’t go wrong with what you order here.
Photo by Douglas TrattnerThe Sauce Boiling Seafood Express
1266 West 6th St., Cleveland
Back in May, we reported on Kyler Smith’s plan to expand his popular restaurant The Sauce Boiling Seafood Express to downtown. We now have an official opening day: September 11th. We can’t wait for the newest output of this express version of seafood in a bag.
Photo by Emanuel WallaceSixth City Sailor Club
668 Euclid Ave., Cleveland
The Euclid Avenue space that was formerly Hodge’s and before that Zinc Bistro was recently claimed by the team behind East Fourth’s Society Lounge. Sixth City Sailor’s Club, a downtown neighborhood cocktail bar, opened this August. The concept takes advantage of the wonderful courtyard patio that for years has served as a gathering space for downtown residents and workers.
Photo via Sixth City Sailors Club/FacebookPupuseria y Antojitos Guanaquitas
2998 W. 25th St., Cleveland
Pupusa fans have a delicious new option in town thanks to Pupuseria y Antojitos Guanaquitas. The brightly colored El Salvadoran eatery opened quietly a few months ago but has slowly built a following of devoted customers thanks not only to those pupusas, but also well-crafted tacos, tortas, burritos and combination plates.
Photo via Scene ArchivesHako
13603 Madison Ave., Lakewood
Sapporo Sushi has been a downtown mainstay for 15 years. The small shop on the alleyway, beloved for its sushi, sashimi, rolls, noodle bowls and teriyaki dishes, rolled down the shutters for good on August 1. But fans of the owners and food won’t have to wait long to enjoy both again as they are relocating the shop to Lakewood. The new restaurant will be called Hako, and it will be run as a partnership with Jackie Kim, the owner of Ohashi in North Olmsted. The space formerly was home to Kim’s Aji Noodle Bar and, before that, Yuzu. In addition to nigiri sushi, sashimi and dozens of traditional and eclectic rolls, the menu will feature “pan sushi.” Popular in Hawaii, pan sushi is a more carefree style of sushi that features layers of rice, fish, roe and sauces, which are pressed and then cut into tidy squares.
Photo via Scene ArchivesOld Brooklyn Cheese Company
3441 Tuttle Rd., Suite 101, Shaker Heights
Since before it even opened the doors, Van Aken District has been pitching Michael Januska to join the food-filled Market Hall in Shaker Heights. In that time, his Old Brooklyn Cheese Co., which he launched in 2016, has continued to expand its product line, audience and reach. After years of holding them at bay, Januska was finally ready to open an east-side satellite of his popular west-side cheese empire, and it opened in late August.
Photo via Scene Archives
