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| - This is old school class and elegance. There is nothing else really like this in Cleveland, and only a very small handful of restaurants in the state that are in any way comparable. Giovanni's has been in business for 35 years and having dined there last night with someone who's been there a number of times over those 35 years, it's been confirmed that the quality has not slipped with the trends toward more casual, more mass-produced food. No, Giovanni's hasn't changed a bit because it hasn't had to.
A sign to the left of the elaborate entrance doors in an otherwise nondescript Beachwood office building indicates "Jackets Preferred." How many restaurants are left in Ohio that request or require jackets? I think I can count them on one hand.
The food was positively exquisite. I ordered the veal sweetbreads as a starter. They were served with escargots, fingerling potatoes, asparagus, bacon, and a beurre blanc. This dish may have been the best composed dish I've ever consumed. It was just so perfect that I seriously considered requesting a double portion for a main course. Sweetbreads are almost always good, but these could not have been made to be better. I ordered the short rib for my main course, and this was also outstanding. Decadent. The brussels sprouts, which I order at every nice restaurant I visit, were delicious, the fingerlings were perfectly cooked as they were in my first course, and the short rib itself was just overwhelmingly rich. I've never seen a short rib on such a long bone, by the way. This was a 10" bone. A short rib only technically, I assure you. For dessert, I had the cheesecake, my long-time weakness, and it was great, although certainly nothing particularly special.
I also had the pleasure of trying the Caesar salad which tasted like a milder version of one I like to prepare tableside at home, and I'd say it was better than mine. More sublte but full of flavor. My wife had the pumpkin ravioli which were so far ahead of any pumpkin or butternut squash ravioli we've had anywhere, and one of us usually orders this if it's an option. I did not have the steak tartar although that was my second choice for an opener. Someone at our table ordered bananas foster, and it was very good. The gentleman preparing it tableside has been doing it for 32 years at this very location. Many dishes are prepared tableside including most (if not all) pastas, the wedding soup, and the expected flambeed desserts (bananas foster and cherries jubilee). One member of our party ordered the Dover Sole, which was taken apart masterfully beside our table. You don't get this kind of service at many places these days. My wife ordered the creme brulee, and it was good to very good. The best I've ever had is from Hartmut Handke (Columbus), and I've never had any as good as his.
Our server, Chris, was a treat. He is probably not used to a group that likes to laugh and have so much fun, but he handled us well. As I said when I opened this review, Giovanni's is old school. Most of the patrons are older and very wealthy. I saw some really garish looking people last night. There was a woman that was wearing a pound of makeup, and this makeup probably cost more than saffron. Few of these people were laughing or carrying on. They expect white glove treatment and no funny stuff. But, I'm thankful for these people. Without them, Giovanni's would cease to exist. There are plenty of young people with enough money to keep a place like Lola or Lolita going, and I love those places. But, Giovann's is not chic or trendy. I'll bet most people reading this review have never heard of the executive chef, Zach. One does not go to Giovanni's to be a part of some kind of new cultural trend. My generation could not sustain this restaurant.
One goes to Giovanni's to experience dining perfection. And I was not disappointed in this regard, not even a little. Probably in my top 5 meals all-time, and this includes a number of other 4-diamond and a couple of 5-diamond restaurants.
The only things that could have made the experience any better were (1) a more architecturally interesting space, (2) a better view, or (3) a more exciting or exclusive location. None of these very minor desires would have made the actual culinary adventure any better.
If you want the best in Cleveland, I'm not going to say that this is it (because that can be subjective), but I will say you have to at least spend one evening at Ristorante Giovanni's. It will reset your expectations for fine dining.
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