Scene dining editor Doug Trattner ate and ate well once again this year. What were you most interested in? A mix of fresh looks at new openings and stories of classic joints that help make up the backbone of the dining scene; everything from high-brow tasting menus to sub-$15 sandwiches. Here are the 10 most popular reviews of 2023.
Watami in Parma, Ohio’s Only Conveyor-Belt Sushi Bar, is a Non-Stop Thrill Ride Credit: Douglas TrattnerParadise Biryani Pointe is Expanding What Cleveland Has Come to Expect From Indian Cuisine Credit: Photo by Doug TrattnerCleveland Classics: Little Bar is the Beloved Melting Pot of the City Credit: Photo by Mark OpreaPaloma
20041 Walker Rd., Shaker Heights
One of the last remaining marquee restaurant spaces at Van Aken District was snagged by the team behind Giovanni’s and Smokin’ Q’s BBQ. The 4,400-square-foot property, which is next door to the plant store Stump and the new burger concept Shake It, recently opened as Paloma, a taco-focused Mexican restaurant. From partners Zachary Ladner and Carl Quagliata of Giovanni’s and the Village Butcher, Paloma is a taco-focused modern-Mexican restaurant that is a bit more elevated than what’s typically offered. Credit: Scene ArchivesEight Years In, Herb’n Twine is Serving Up the Most Coveted Sandwiches on the West Side and Still Doing It Their Way Credit: Courtesy photoPoppy
12502 Larchmere Blvd., Cleveland
For the past 14 years, Felice earned a place as one of the east side’s most endearing restaurants. It closed in late 2022 and Jill Vedaa and Jessica Parkison of beloved Lakewood tapas spot Salt+ opened. Poppy is in a 115-year old building that was turned from a house into a restaurant, giving it a very homey vibe. Vedaa’s menu takes its cues from around the globe. For this restaurant, the chef prefers to not pigeonhole herself into any specific cuisine. The menu is divided into categories for vegetables, fish and meat, with plates growing in size within those categories as well as across the page. Salt fans might catch one or two crossover dishes, but otherwise this is an all new collection. Credit: Lizzie SchlaferWolf Pack Chorus
2175 Cornell Rd., Cleveland
This modern brasserie opened in Little Italy in the former Club Isabella space in early 2023. After signing the lease, owners Chris and Katie Wolf got busy making the contemporary property their own. Nearly every surface received attention, from the bartop to the bathrooms. Wolf Pack Chorus is the rare white-tablecloth restaurant that doesn’t take itself too seriously. The compelling chefy menu benefits from not sticking to the typical Little Italy fare of veal parmesan and chicken picatta. Credit: Doug TrattnerReview: The Reserve, the Newest Jewel of Chagrin Falls, Will Make You Forget About Umami Credit: Douglas TrattnerAt Coppia in Chesterland, a Fine Dining Gem Worth the Journey Credit: Courtesy CoppiaAfter Losing a Decade-Old Mainstay, Playhouse Square Scores a Hit With Sushi En Credit: Josh Long Photography
