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| - Normally I try to avoid writing reviews for new restaurants, especially after only one visit. But Adega left such a great impression, I think I can make an exception.
The 9 complex is gorgeous. For you non-locals out there, this particular building was an outdated, rather homely, high-rise right smack in the middle of Downtown Cleveland. No doubt a reminder of the slow decline of CLE's past. Not anymore! The exterior of the complex now screams upscale, chic city-nightlife, especially with it's flashy video signage (a la micro-mini-Times Square). Inside it has the same fancy decor, trendy-chic updates to draw not only locals, but travelers alike. Trust me... we have more than enough character-filled hole-in-the-walls and artisan cocktail bars. Some flashy, big-city upgrades are what Downtown Cleveland needs. Plus, this whole project actually saved historic buildings.
Now for the dining experience!
Service
- I found our server to be sugary-sweet nice, but a little on the shaky side. He was really helpful with the drink menu, although he had to take a look when I asked him sparkling wine suggestions (by the glass.) Again--these are new servers in a new restaurant. This is to be somewhat expected Otherwise he was great with the menu and seemed so happy to be there, which is a major plus on my list.
- He did forget to put in our order for an extra pita pillow, which isn't a game-changer, but isn't great either.
- When our food was ready, it came out in the hands of about 3 different servers, which I appreciated because it meant they wanted all four of us to get our hot food at the same time. However, not one of them knew who was getting which dish and my pasta almost slid off the plate because the server set it down without much care.
Food:
- We ordered the hummus trio shared plate with the pita pillows. It was delicious! I loved how the pita pillow came out puffed-up--stabbing it with a fork was almost too much fun. Just one criticism though... While the menu says, "Pita Pillows" you actually get just a single pita. It's honestly not enough for 3 people--the dish should just come with two without the extra charge. There is no pre-dinner bread served here, and how expensive is a pita?
- I tried the Trancredi Sunday Sauce, which I heard was orgasmic. It was delicious, but not mind-blowing good. I wish I had just tried the dish without hearing about it first. It came with a sauce containing huge hunks of pulled pork, which sounds great, right? It was... it just needed more punch--there wasn't quite enough salt or spice. My dining guests ordered the Chicken Francaise with Parmesan polenta. Oh-my-god. This dish is where it's at. You don't really expect memorable chicken dishes from a restaurant, but this one was all kinds of perfect: Tender chicken, creamy-salty-cheesy polenta and Brussels sprouts.
Overall:
A memorable, fancy, fun and delicious experience--but not a cheap one, by any means. I was a little surprised by the prices, but I'm assuming they're targeting a business travel crowd and not so much happy hour-ing locals, if that makes sense. Either way, like I mentioned before, CLE has plenty of cheaper options with artisan, locally-sourced foods, microbrews and craft cocktails. This upscale downtown restaurant fits a different market, which is perfect for the new downtown CLE.
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