LIGHT-ing Up the Dining Scene

March marks five years since Light Bistro opened for business. It just doesn’t seem like that long since I attended the friends and family launch night and wrote my glowing review of the place six months later. The Ohio City restaurant has survived the tough economy, developed a loyal following, and earned a spot on the list of best places to eat in C-town. To celebrate, chef/owner Matt Mathlage and partner Eric Dietrich have some special events planned for next week. If you’ve never been here or haven’t visited in a while, this is the perfect time to discover- and rediscover- the particular pleasures of this spot.

There’s an open to the public drop-in party on Thursday March 8 from 5-9 PM with free tapas and drink specials in the Carroll Court room. A five course wine dinner is scheduled for the same evening, starting at 7. Greg Graziano will be on hand to pour and talk, showcasing what he makes at Graziano Winery in Mendocino, California, and sharing his family’s story. When I spoke with chef Mathlage last week he was still developing the dishes they’ll be serving, but told me that he’s been testing a preparation made with wild boar and another that involves duck and red rooibos tea. The cost is $55 person plus tax and gratuity and reservations are required (216-771-7130).

A “Best Of ” tasting menu will also be in place from March 8 through Sunday, March 10. It too features five courses for $55 that reprise some of the chef’s personal favorites and Light’s most popular items, among them Crab and Shrimp Cake with honeydew curry sauce and yellow pepper ceviche, and Cuba libre braised pork belly with pineapple carpaccio and spicy cous cous, two dishes that I praised back in 2007. Those who opt for this anniversary trip down memory lane will also be treated to the house pickled shrimp, another thing I loved from my first bite.

Mathlage calls his style Progressive American, with an emphasis on fresh local and seasonal ingredients. In the past I described what he does as adventurous, audacious, and out-there, showing some playfulness in presentation, and offering a break from the standard appetizer to entree dinner progression. All that is still true (though he does have pizza, burgers, paninis, and regular sized mains). His tapas, appetizers and bar menu are full of interesting options like crispy clams with fried olives, lamb meatballs with tomato mint sauce, truffle frites, and honey ham and cheddar croquettes. He continues to offer quail as he did from the beginning- the current version is southern fried- and his wonderful grilled flatbread with arugula and Lake Erie goat cheese is a fixture. The last time I had it, I was sitting on the sidewalk patio with a good friend. It was a warm starry night. We were drinking mojitos and catching up. We're still a few months away from dining outside, but happily I don't have to wait to go back for more good food and drink.

Taming the Tab

I stopped by Light Bistro in Ohio City for happy hour recently and discovered that co-owners Chef Matthew Mathlage and Erich Dietrich have made it even happier. Show up Monday through Friday between 4:30-6:30 pm. and you can order selected lunchtime salads, sandwiches, and burgers at mid-day prices. These options plus daily drink specials and a bar menu of small plates makes for some seriously appealing bargains.

My companion and I had three cocktails- two whiskey sours for him, one sloe gin fizz for me- and shared a trio of dishes: crispy buttermilk-coated fried chicken livers with a few forkfuls of garlic spinach; big flavored pork belly on brioche with fennel slaw; and a round of charred flatbread topped with oven roasted tomatoes, pesto, and provolone. The total cost was only $28.40 plus tip.

Light’s also partnering with Grovewood Tavern on the east side for another great deal. Spend $60 on meals at each place between now and May 15, mail in your receipts, and you’ll get two $20 gift certificates, each good for your next dinners at these restaurants. In other words- enjoy yourself to the tune of $120 and you get a gift worth $40…with lots of good food and good times thrown in. Click here for details.

Deals like these can mean the difference between staying home or going out. These folks know that money’s tight for many people, and they’re in the same boat. To help themselves and get us in the door, they’re making it more affordable to eat at their restaurants. And that’s an economic survival strategy that’s easy for me to support.