After a holiday weekend plagued by heat, storms and power outages, local chefs put out a collective plea to diners asking for their support. I managed to hit Proof Public House in Ohio City twice in as many weeks in the wake of those outages and on both visits I was happy to see the restaurant operating at or near capacity.
While I can’t speak for every diner in the house, what I suspect motivated many of them was not a simple desire to help a struggling restaurant, but a recognition of what could be lost if it disappeared. After years – decades – of taking local restaurants for granted, it might finally be sinking in that when our favorite watering holes disappear, they won’t be replaced by another homegrown tavern.
The future of dining isn’t the special-occasion omakase. I certainly hope it isn’t the soulless fast-casual chain. I’d argue that it’s somewhere in the middle, the place down the block where you know the owner by name, the bartender remembers your drink order, and rare is the visit that you don’t bump into a friend or neighbor.
Earlier this summer, Matt Fish opened such a place in one of Cleveland’s few remaining indie enclaves, the corporate-free zone that straddles Ohio City and Detroit Shoreway. Packed into this short stretch of Lorain Ave. are chef-owned places such as Soho, Heart of Gold, Juneberry, Tripi, Herb ‘n Twine and Real Smoq’ed BBQ. With Proof, Fish adds something distinctive, heartfelt and appealing to that collection.
When guests walk through the door at Proof, they are warmly greeted by staffers and immersed in a kaleidoscopic live music-themed exhibition. The space already was attractive thanks to a major renovation project undertaken by Fish’s predecessors, but now the restaurant feels finished, dialed in. Alongside myriad concert and club posters, each professionally framed and meticulously mounted, the space displays murals from former Melt locations and relics from Speak in Tongues, the seminal punk venue that existed on this very block.
Proof isn’t an over-the-top grilled cheese bar, but the chef’s penchant for taking familiar foods and pushing them to the edges of conformity remains. Fish likes to tinker, to gild, to pile on in messy, delicious ways. Sandwiches play a starring role here, with everything from the Melt-launching Parmageddon to a summery shrimp roll airlifted from Midcoast Maine. Amid the heat dome, that shrimp roll ($19) felt like a cool ocean breeze. A plush hoagie bun is loaded with a generous amount of sweet, juicy, garlicky red shrimp, crispy slaw and creamy garlic aioli.
After years of sticking to a smash-burger diet, it felt nice to sink my teeth into meaty half-pound pub burger ($16), cooked to a perfect medium. Hand-cut fries are an extra $5 and worth every cent. Proof makes an excellent cheesesteak ($22) featuring shaved ribeye. It’s a savory, saucy two-fisted affair with a subtle kick from a splatter of chipotle aioli. Occasionally Fish turns the amp up a bit too far, like adding a superfluous layer of black bean spread to an otherwise delectable – and already multi-faceted – pulled pork hoagie. The aptly named Gonzo ($19) combines citrus-braised and smoked pork, smoked pineapple slaw, Oaxacan cheese, fresh herbs and that earthy bean paste.
Out back on Proof’s leafy brick-paved courtyard is a hefty smoker inherited from the previous barbecue restaurant. From that Southern Pride emerge items such as that woodsy pulled pork, lemongrass smoked chicken and some of the best wings ($15) in town. Jumbo drums and flats are lightly smoked, char-grilled and tossed in a choice of flavorful sauces. A liberal serving of creamy ranch rides shotgun. Fish offers vegans their own version of wings in the form of firm tofu triangles ($13) breaded in an assertive spice coating, fried up crisp and served with dairy-free ranch.
For Parmageddon fans looking for a trimmer version, the kitchen prepares a platter ($10) with two plump Rudy’s pierogi capped with grilled onions, warm caraway-scented cabbage, sour cream and bright microgreens. Another great starter is the whipped goat cheese ($14), which is topped with a spicy tomato tapenade and paired with plenty of grilled bread.
At Proof, meals might arrive on a paper-lined sheet pan, but cocktails are served in fine crystal. The bar mixes up a creative roster of compelling drinks such as the Sonic Reducer ($12), which somehow balances rye and banana. The neighborhood tavern doesn’t need 50 different bottles and cans, but rather a rotating selection of local gems on tap. Fish secures one-offs and limited releases from his brewing pals at Noble Beast, Market Garden, Fat Heads and Butcher and Brewer.
If you too have grown weary of “experiential” restaurants chasing viral moments, reliable homegrown places like Proof are the antidote and, I hope, the future.
Proof Public House
4116 Lorain Ave., Cleveland; 216-644-4292; proofcleveland.com
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