People who like egg salad really like egg salad. Landing squarely in that category, I was intrigued by the egg salad sandwich ($13) on the menu at 56 Social. It’s not something I would typically order at a restaurant, but this one came on house-baked milk bread, a detail that sealed the deal. When the sandwich landed, I noticed that the bread wasn’t toasted and there were zero crunchy add-ins such as celery, relish or capers. To bind the ingredients, the kitchen reaches for Kewpie, an egg yolk-enriched Japanese mayonnaise. The end result is like eating a fluffy egg-flavored cloud, where not even the slight resistance of toasted bread stands in the way.
If this much thought and attention go into a plain-old egg salad sando, what else must be at play.
When it comes to shoes that need filling, few were larger than the former J. Pistone Market, a Shaker Heights staple that fed the neighborhood for 25 years. But partners Jay Leitson and Izzy Schachner not only were up to the task, they are uniquely suited for it. They’ve been feeding the Eastside since 1998, when they opened their first Cafe 56 in Mayfield. That shop was ground-breaking for its ability to make salad appealing thanks to a roster of 56 different iterations.
If you’re looking for a recipe for success, it’s hard to top a seamless blend of variety, quality and value. Toss in hospitality and local ownership and you too might make it to the 28-year mark. Along the way, Leitson and Schachner have opened 56 Kitchen locations in Solon and Mayfield, 56 Tavern in Aurora, and Elle in Solon.
There have been countless versions of the famed Pewter Mug salad floating around since that iconic tavern was established in the 1960s. Leitson’s claim of ownership is better than most: his father ran a Pewter Mug location in Beachwood. The version ($17) served at 56 Social is a bountiful chef’s salad with cold, crisp iceberg topped with tomato and julienned turkey, ham and swiss, garnished with the requisite pretzel bagel and served with garlic vinaigrette on the side. There are eight other leafy creations, from a classic Caesar to a romaine-based blend with grilled flank steak and crispy potatoes.
56 Social is a true all-day café, one that can take diners from bacon and eggs in the a.m. to a burger and beer in the evening. On a particularly brutal weather day, I was stunned to walk into a fully occupied dining room at midday. The draw is a menu that blends deli items, tavern fare and Mediterranean bistro dishes that are open to customization.
Slender polenta fries ($10) are stacked Lincoln-log style, arriving hot and crispy outside and corny, creamy within. They are served with a charred-scallion aioli. 56 makes a mean latke ($9), again served hot, crisp and golden brown – with the classic accompaniments of sour cream and apple sauce.
In addition to that fluffy milk bread, 56 bakes its own focaccia, which finds its way into pizza-style flatbreads such as the tomato, basil and mozz-topped Margherita ($13) and another with prosciutto, whipped feta and pistachio. For the pastrami Cuban ($19), the focaccia is split, loaded with pastrami, roasted turkey, swiss, pickles and mustard aioli, and toasted in a panini press until hot and melty. There are a dozen savory sandwiches – from creamy pesto chicken salad to a house-blended kofta burger with tzatziki – and they all come with dark and crunchy housemade chips.
Selective diners will appreciate the “craft your comfort” section that allows diners to build their own entrée by pairing one of six proteins with one of five presentations. While short of 56, the 30 different possible combinations are impressive. We combined a well-seasoned chicken schnitzel ($19) with the warm potato and arugula salad. Other proteins include grilled flank steak, salmon and housemade falafel, and other presentations feature pesto gnocchi, warm couscous and herbs, and hummus with tabbouleh.
Skip the diner and head to 56 Social for your morning meeting, where items like milk bread french toast, cheese blintzes and breakfast burritos await. I’m eager to sample the eggs Bene-stein, a Jewish take on eggs Benedict that tops potato pancakes with pastrami, over-easy eggs and hollandaise sauce.
The owners did a great job of making a cavernous space feel warm and inviting – even on the coldest of days and nights. An open kitchen brings warmth and transparency into the equation while a new bar in one corner gives solo flyers a comfortable perch. Display coolers show off the pastries of the day, ideal for grab-and-go enjoyment.
56 Social
3245 Warrensville Ctr. Rd., Shaker Heights
216-283-3663
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