ken stewart goes north
to awaken the east bank
river renaissance
The Powerhouse is on the west bank, but the east bank stirs to life after all these years with none other than its own powerhouse, Ken Stewart, veteran restaurateur throwing down hard with a new spot in the flats. And it takes a veteran pro to come out this strong from the gate. Personally, I have a lot of respect for that, as opposed to places that open with excuses of being "new" and still charge full prices. For those, I have no tolerance.
Walking in, we were greeted by the entire Stewart family. Nice! Ken, big personality and consummate professional, showed us to the bar area. The bar is a stunner. Colorful, comfortable, and a solid inventory. No soda guns, but small bottles of soda, ginger ale and the like. What a HUGE difference that makes. A very nice cocktail list, and well trained bartenders to make them. A hat tip to bartender Molly, who made me a perfectly balanced bourbon/lemon/basil cocktail that was truly a delight. Full flavor spectrum, with the basil top-note being a nuance, and not a hammer. Also, the herb was not muddled into an oblivion that gets all caught up in your teeth.
We had a few appetizers that were exceptional, along with a small, cast iron pan of traditional "Parker house" rolls that I could eat all day. Our mussels came in a light curry broth that those rolls proved a perfect vessel for. Very, very good.
We also had Hamachi sashimi that was fresh, and all in all, outstanding. I wished for a few more slices, but it is perfect example of quality over quantity. Actually, it was just the right amount.
My personal favorite was the steak tartar. Actually, a simple dish that when properly executed is beef heaven. If it is on the menu, I usually order it. I've had it in NYC's Le Halle, and it made me sad. I had it in various Chicago restaurants, and when I found a good one, I could not get it made the same way twice in a row. The Greenhouse Tavern here in Cleveland does a rock solid tartar, and that makes me happy.
But the tartar at East Bank is special. Coarsely ground prime beef topped with a perfect egg yolk, served simply and traditionally, with toast points, capers, and onions, this was, by far, the best tartar I ever had.
I'm looking forward to dinner here. I don't think I'll be ordering a steak anywhere else, as the beef here starts with U.S. Prime, and works its way up to Japanese Wagyu, complete with individual steer certification. Get this. The certificate of authenticity includes a nose print. On the certificate. And probably a full DNA profile as well.
This place is a game changer for Cleveland Steakhouses, and can hang with any of the heavy hitters anywhere.
Bravo.
Carry on...