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| - The last time I was here it was June, 2014 and this space was occupied by a restaurant called The Tavern of Solon. It was not good and it is no more. Filling the space left vacant by the previous tenant is 56 Kitchen, a new American bistro that opened late spring 2016 with a focus on responsibly-sourced grub made from scratch. To nutshell it, I'd say it's a very good eatery with a comfy, welcoming vibe that has the potential to be great. Allow me to expound on our recent Wednesday evening experience.
The first thing I noticed upon entering the restaurant is the restaurant itself. I know, big surprise. I guess what I'm saying is that most places are just "there" without much personality. Here at 56 Kitchen it really is a well-designed and beautiful space. It oozes attention to detail and a warm sort of rustic urban comfort. The main seating area occupies the majority of the restaurant with the bar and open kitchen toward the back.
Reclaimed wood is in abundance, accents of exposed brick, and as others have mentioned, a really cool wall of doors toward to rear. The somber lighting adds to the cozy ambiance and the spotlights on some of the tables are sure to make Yelpy foodie photogs happy. If I had a small gripe it would be that the unpadded metal chairs weren't all the comfortable after about 45 minutes.
The service we received was excellent. We were immediately greeted when we walked in and immediately seated. Our server was pleasant, very knowledgeable and attentive in just the right amounts. Hell, her smile even seemed genuine. We were also waffling on a few dinner choices and she immediately had suggestions at the ready to break the ties. Waters were brought without having to ask - always a welcome touch - and empty plates were cleared in a timely fashion.
The adult beverages span the gamut from wine to specialty cocktails and back around to beer. Speaking of beer, they've got 10 draught selections that feature a few locals for good measure along with a handful of bottled selections that's not worth mentioning.
The menu is nicely organized in several sections that include Small Plates, Salads, Pizzas, Sandwiches, and (larger) Plates. Everything reads like a little culinary story with each chapter a tasty little novella just waiting to be read, er, munched. I have a feeling you'll have a tough time deciding just as we did, so be sure to ask your server for help. That's why they're there, right?
We started our meal with a couple of salads. Here's a suggestion. Get one salad and share it. They're definitely on the large side and it'll save you about $10. My wife had the French Kiss and I opted for the less fruity Spinach. Both salads were tasty, made with plenty of fresh ingredients and weren't lacking for dressing. I actually thought they were a bit over dressed. I also wasn't expecting the crouton on my salad to be a large piece of unseasoned toast that I had to break apart myself. Minor issues, really.
Next we had the goat cheese and date tart/pastry. Probably the biggest disappointment for me foodwise. What you actually get is a plate that looks like a salad. The puff pastry is completely buried underneath a large mound of dressed greens. Turns out this is a puff pastry, served cold, schmeared with herbed goat cheese and topped with caramelized onions. I think the dates were in the salad part of this dish, but I don't remember tasting them. It was quite dry and flavorless. No golden brown, buttery goodness to be found. Just sort of blah.
For our main courses I had the Spice Crusted Pork Tenderloin and the wife the Salmon Club Sandwich. The tenderloin was done a mid-rare, just a bit pinker than I like my pork, but it was seasoned well and quite tender. I wasn't a big fan of the mushroom/garlic/kale/polenta. The mushrooms were a bit on the tough side and overall it lacked seasoning. The "tomato caramel" on the plate was like low viscosity ketchup that added a nice bit of acid.
The sandwich was served open-faced (also not expected and also makes it not a sandwich). The salmon was cooked well, just as ordered, the avocado was the perfect ripeness and the oven-roasted tomatoes added just the right amount of punch to cut through the fatty fish and unctuous garlic aioli. My wife found it pretty damn tasty. Oh, and the fries that came with it were perfect. Could use some malt vinegar mayo, though.
We made it to dessert and went for the donut holes. Five fried balls of crispy on the outside gooey on the inside deliciousness served atop a little river of fruity/chocolaty sauce. It's fried dough, how could you go wrong? Just sweet enough and a great end to the dinner.
So there you have it. We enjoyed our dinner at 56 Kitchen, it just wasn't great, specifically when it came to the food. It was so close, though. Just a few minor tweaks, some more seasoning, and I think they'll get there. Maybe we'll give them a few more months before we return, just so they can get their sea legs.
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