Fans of the West Side Market Café (1979 W. 25th St.,
216.579.6800, westsidemarketcafe.com) have
Randy Kelley and Linda Syrek to thank for its remarkable
turnaround. Since taking over the restaurant three-and-a-half years
ago, their team has grown from four employees to nearly 20, and
business has never been better. Soon, the duo will attempt to do for
ABC Tavern (1872 W. 25th St., 216.861.3857) what it has
accomplished for the café. Around Labor Day weekend, Kelley and
Syrek will take over operations at this timeless but long-overlooked
watering hole. “Ohio City doesn’t have a true neighborhood bar
anymore,” laments Kelley. He cites the loss of Ohio City Tavern and the
original Fulton Bar and Grill. He enjoys Old Angle, Bier Markt and
Market Avenue Wine Bar as much as the next guy, but he says they are
different from what he has planned for ABC. In addition to the booze,
the tavern will serve food late into the night. “I don’t want to do the
typical pub grub thing,” he says. “Me and my chefs [Matthew Pell and Tim Duchnowski] are working on a short, tight bar menu with
some twists on it.” A few cosmetic alterations are planned for the bar,
but don’t expect sweeping changes. “The bar has everything right there
— except the people,” notes Kelley. More shocking, perhaps, is
the news that after nearly a decade of engagement, Kelley and Syrek
finally will be tying the knot later this month.
Chef Michael Longo is no longer involved with Umami Asian
Kitchen (42 N. Main St., Chagrin Falls, 440.247.8600, umamiasiankitchen.com.) “He
delivered a phenomenal vision and product while he was here,” says
owner Jonathan Westrich. Opened in January, the 30-seat
contemporary Asian bistro has been impressing diners with its
sophisticated take on seafood. Taking over for Longo in the kitchen
will be Matthew Anderson, recently executive chef of
Sapore (8623 Mayfield Rd., 440.729.1110, saporerestaurant.net) and instructor
at Loretta Paganini School of Cooking. “The product may change with
Anderson,” say Westrich. “Umami means delicious; the food doesn’t have
to be strictly Asian.”
Bon Appetit magazine included Cleveland’s own Greenhouse
Tavern (2038 E. Fourth St., 216.393.4302, thegreenhousetavern.com) among
its list of Top 10 Best New Restaurants in America. Their
recommended dish to try: potato-crusted goat-cheese tarts with heirloom
tomato salad. Look for the issue to hit newsstands later this
month.
This article appears in Aug 5-11, 2009.
