A Great Meal at a Great Lakes Bistro

It had been far too long since I’d been to Americano, that place on the ground floor of a Bratenahl apartment building. I blame the out of the way location, though in truth its 12 minutes from Cleveland Heights, and easy to access from the east or west sides via the Shoreway. The fact that it’s outside the boundaries of Cleveland’s trendy dining districts is really no excuse for not eating here. Because this is a terrific restaurant that deserves attention, a truth confirmed by my recent Saturday night dinner there with husband and friends. It was the other couple’s first visit and by the end of the meal there was no doubt they’d be back, often.

Much of what we ate were the daily specials. And I wasn’t taking notes. So I contacted chef and co-owner Vytauras Sasnauskas and asked him to give me some details about each dish. His description of the ingredients as well as the thought, effort, sensibility behind the food not only explains why everything was so delicious but also makes clear that he’s a true culinary artist.

To start there were dates, stuffed with smoked gouda, wrapped in local bacon, glossy with a pomegranate molasses maple glaze. Then a big bowl of amazing Moroccan style harissa spiced mussels and a tomato- ras al hanout aioli to share. He’s very picky about the scallops he serves, getting only the best, when available, from a small supplier in Massachusetts. I ordered them and the superior quality was evident in the texture and the taste, highlighted with a simple searing and just touch of soy and lime reduction. Carrot chipotle caramel paint (fresh carrot juice and chipotle reduced and caramelized and then emulsified with little grapeseed oil) was brushed on the plate. There was also cabbage and cucumber slaw in a gingery lime and fish sauce dressing; black squid ink pearl couscous cooked with garlic and anchovies; and spinach and peas for some seasonal color. The husband devoured to the last bite a huge long bone pork chop sided with mustard dulce-de-leche, a sweet potato waffle with pecan-maple butter, and apple-poppy seed slaw. The friends both chose the "Lake Erie Monster," walleye and a fried soft shell crab with sauce gribiche (a French tartar sauce made with mustard, pickle, and hard cooked chopped egg) and crisped Yukon Gold potatoes cooked in vinegar water, coated with potato starch and fried, and grilled asparagus.

Of the three desserts, ( the others were chocolate lava cake and chocolate peanut butter caramel tart), I was most taken by the panacotta, made with Greek yogurt and cream, honey, and lemon plus a topping of .fresh strawberries tossed in sugar and bourbon.

Cole Davis, co-owner, host, and wine guru confirmed that the Mauro Veglio Barolo we selected was an excellent choice and a great buy for the price, and he decanted it while we sipped cocktails so it was ready when we were. The setting looks formal the service is what you'd get in a swanky restaurant but the atmosphere is actually relaxed. Our server Merle was both efficient and entertaining and took excellent care of us for 2 1/2 hours.

Americano, which has been open since 2008 (I gave it a rave review in Cleveland Magazine in January, 2009), is still not everyone’s radar, but it should be. I have no doubt that one you’ve had Chef V’s food, you’ll be a fan, just like me.

Just Peachy

The New York Times Quotation of the Day last Thursday stopped me in my sweaty tracks: "The key to a good peach is a hot night. What makes it miserable for humans makes it perfect for peaches." -Will McGehee, a Georgia peach grower.

No air conditioners in my house, just fans. Sleeping comfortably has been … challenge. But when I read this my perspective changed. My suffering suddenly seemed connected to a higher purpose that promised rewards, big rewards. Because after all, is there anything better than biting into the sweet yellow flesh of a fresh ripe peach, so full of juice that it runs down your arm? If the oven-like conditions of our bedroom were somehow part of the natural chain of events that was producing an amazing crop of peaches, then my clammy tossing and turning doesn’t seem quite so bad.

Peaches have begun showing up at area farmers markets. And the ones we’ve been eating leave no doubt in my mind that the prize is worth the price. They’re absolutely incredible. We have many chefs in town who make it their business to use seasonal local produce, and I started wondering what they’re doing with this bounty. I tossed the question out into the social media stream and some mouthwatering responses washed up on my digital shores. photo by Barney Taxel, Taxel Image Group

-Heather Haviland is putting peach-strawberry compote on waffles at Lucky’s Café.
-At Americano, Vytauras Sasnauskas plans to be making tomato peach gazpacho, tomato peach burata salad and a grilled local pork chop with peach mostarda.
- Jennifer Plank of Greenhouse Tavern told me they’re bringing back bacon-wrapped peaches soaked in Agra dolce and served with white onion soubise. She also mentioned “dabbling” in a saffron tart with braised endive and peach with a bitter caramel.
- For Washington Place Bistro, Jonathan Guest is doing a peach jalapeno barbecue on St Louis-style ribs with creamed Ohio sweet corn.

I was really excited to hear that Brandt Evans is canning them so the rest of us can enjoy them at Pura Vida when the season is long past. If you’re tempted to do the same, or maybe make some pies and cobblers or jars of jam and chutney, consider planning a picking day at Scenic Ridge Farm near Wooster to get your main ingredient. It belongs to the Bauman family, who have been farming in the region since 1929. There are 3,500 peach trees, about 25 different varieties, among them Redhavens, White Ladies, Starfires, John Boys and Contenders. Take home a few pounds or a bushel basket full. It’s as pretty place, with a hilltop view of 84 acres of farmland, and visitors are welcome to picnic.