Published: Saturday, October 08, 2011, 6:30 AM     Updated: Saturday, October 08, 2011, 5:05 PM

By Joanna Connors, The Plain Dealer 

Lynn Ischay, The Plain DealerRaymond Bobgan, artistic director of Cleveland Public Theatre, on collaboration with Oberlin College: “This partnership benefits everyone. For students, there’s a real difference between working with other students in a university environment and working in a professional setting. It’s invaluable.”

CLEVELAND, Ohio — When college students study abroad, the journey takes them across foreign borders and always requires a passport.

Passports won’t be necessary for a group of Oberlin College students who will spend the winter term of 2013 working at Cleveland Public Theatre and, if all goes as planned, living in the Gordon Square neighborhood. But borders of a different kind will be crossed in the monthlong artistic residency, which CPT artistic director Raymond Bobgan is calling “study abroad in Cleveland.”

The pilot program will begin in the fall semester of 2012, when the group of about 20 students will stay in Oberlin to study with Oberlin faculty and CPT artists, Bobgan said. Then, in January 2013, they will move to the Gordon Square area and spend the month working on a CPT production.

The program is part of a newly formed arts-education collaboration of Oberlin and the Gordon Square Arts District’s three founding partners — CPT, Near West Theatre and the Detroit Shoreway Community Development Organization. It will kick off on Saturday, Oct.15, with a benefit for the arts district’s $30 million capital campaign.

The benefit begins at 6 p.m. in a pop-up art gallery in the Near West Lofts, 6710 Detroit Ave., with an exhibit by Oberlin art students. Their work will be for sale that night and for 10 days following. Works by Oberlin faculty will be auctioned during the benefit, which is followed by a gala at CPT’s Gordon Square Theatre, 6415 Detroit Ave. Tickets for the art-show portion are $100; for the gala, $50. Go to gordonsquare.org/oct15 or call 216-961-4242, Ext. 222.

Beyond the benefit, the collaborative plans at this point all involve Cleveland Public Theatre. In April 2012, Oberlin students and faculty will be part of a CPT production of “Iphigenia 2.0″ by Charles Mee. Matthew Wright, associate professor of theater at Oberlin, will direct a cast made up of Oberlin students and CPT professionals.

“This partnership benefits everyone,” Bobgan said. “For students, there’s a real difference between working with other students in a university environment and working in a professional setting. It’s invaluable.

“For us, it gives us a connection to the incredibly talented students at Oberlin. We want them to stay here, not go off to New York and other places. We want them to realize, ‘Wow, I can stay in Cleveland and work on my art and have a home.’ ”

[Original Cleveland.com Article]

Published: Friday, September 02, 2011, 2:00 PM

Thomas Ondrey, The Plain DealerCheck out the rich flavors at La Boca’s Margarita pizza. Get it for much less at happy hour.

WE WANT YOUR REVIEW

Have you been to La Boca Barrio in Cleveland? Email us your review of the food, service and atmosphere. Include your full name and where you live. We’ll publish a sampling on Cleveland.com and in The Plain Dealer. Email food@plaind.com to sound off.

Food surveys now call us a nation of snackers — not a bad thing, depending on what we’re nibbling. In Spain, snacking is a fine art, with tapas or “small plates” that fit deliciously into the slower-paced culture.

So we downshifted and pulled up some chairs on the patio at La Boca Barrio, a new (and old) tapas place a few doors down from Minh Anh and Latitude 41 North on Cleveland’s West Side.

La Boca was previously short-lived as Roseangel, a fancy taco joint (and before that, an Argentine-styled La Boca, and before that, Snickers, and before that, Krazy Mac’s, and before that . . .).

Then Roseangel co-owner (and founder of the original La Boca) Rosita Kutkut went solo again and back to her more traditional Hispanic roots.

I’d like to say summer weather borrowed from the Iberian Peninsula played no part of this review, but it sure does make things easy. We arrived at the patio on a warm, dry early evening and seated ourselves in the slanting rays of the sun under handsome, billowing greenery. It was a night-shifting companion’s rare weeknight off, and a chance to go to town.

“How are my beautiful ladies doing?” said our server. Without her warmth and Spanish accent, it might have sounded hokey and overworked. But her voice had an intuitive ring to it, like when hospitality is really kindness in a professional disguise. It was a shock to hear it, frankly, with the businesslike manner of most dining these days.

We settled in to the menu and found intuitive talent there as well. Spain’s traditional hallmarks are the comforts of the Mediterranean palate and the richness of essential flavors, rather than sparkly add-ons. Garlic is there, but more often as a layered cloud than a strike of lightning.

The list of tapas was staggering, even the somewhat abbreviated list offered during the smartly priced happy hour. The high points started with “Little Oranges,” freshly fried rice balls with peas served on roasted eggplant sauce ($5.50). They were as golden outside and as they were luxuriously creamy inside. Bet you can’t eat just two.

A Margarita flatbread ($15) outdid most things called pizza. I looked at the thin little thing and worried. But one bite and the tomato-based combo showed a piquant lift from cheese, capers and whatever magic dust the kitchen scatters. It’s not about the dough, but it’s one of the best.

Garlic shrimp with sweet pepper relish ($7.50) slapped tired shrimp cocktail out of the box. The kitchen knows how to maintain a fresh texture in shrimp, and with a steeping in garlic and a flashy sweet-hot-sour relish, it was almost candy.

Bacalao (salt cod) croquettes with garlic aioli ($6.50) were, like the Little Oranges, expertly fried. But I would have liked more rustic textures in the filling, and more fish flavor. Pepper-and-basil-dressed pan-seared artichokes ($5) could have used a sign of caramelization. Similarly, the flavor of the Manchego cheese with sherry and fresh thyme ($4.75) had a paleness to it.

Along with the trio of tapenades ($6.50), which were refreshing and varied — pickled vegetable, olive, white bean with thyme — but individually short on complex flavor.

Sandwiches and salads are also on the menu. While our well-endowed mixed greens ($4.50) had housemade dressing, deep green lettuce and garden-fresh tomatoes, it was served in a little bowl that made it hard to maneuver anything.

A Saturday visit turned up a couple of surprises. Salsa dancing takes place later in the evening, and a full entree is sometimes offered. We snatched up the chance to try the paella ($17), a saffron-seasoned rice dish bejeweled with seafood, sausage and chicken. All pieces and parts checked in, but we had a hard time detecting the warm, glowing look and flavor of the golden saffron. As a savory, dense, earthy looking pilaf, though, it had everything else going for it, including a layer of shrimp and fresh mussels.

The house makes a special effort to search out good wines from Portugal, Spain and Argentina, and dessert is no small dish. A silky ginger creme brulee ($8) topped the choices.

La Boca Barrio is named after a city in Brazil known for its nightlife. We didn’t stay for the salsa but were glad that people do. This is a place that reaches for a vibrancy that it sometimes grabs and sometimes does not. But the comfort level of everything on our visits was gracious, warm and dependable.

 

TASTE BITES

La Boca Barrio

Where: 5800 Detroit Ave., Cleveland.

Contact: 216-961-5800; website under construction.

Hours: 5-11 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. Bar open until 1 p.m. through Friday, and until 2:30 a.m. Saturday for salsa dancing.

Prices: Tapas, $4.75-$9.50; flat breads, $14-$15; sandwiches, $10-$13; desserts, $8.

Reservations: Taken.

Credit cards: Most major cards accepted.

Cuisine: Spanish tapas.

Kid-friendliness: No kids menu but flatbread pizzas and sandwiches. High chairs and booster seats.

Bar service: Full.

Accessibility: Through back patio or, with an advance call, on ramp at front door. Restroom wheelchair accessible.

Grade: * *

Ratings: One star means fair; 2 stars, good; 3 stars, very good; 4 stars, ex ceptional. Zero stars: not recom mended.) Plain Dealer reviewers make at least two anonymous visits to each restaurant and do not accept compli mentary meals. Read past reviews at cleveland.com/dining.

[Cleveland.com Article] | [PDF]

Love Letters

by Douglas Trattner

XYZ the Tavern 6419 Detroit Ave. 216-706-1104 xyzthetavern.com Hours: 4 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. daily

When we talk about catching lightning in a bottle, places like ABC the Tavern spring to mind. Here’s a joint that limped along in the shadows for decades until new ownership came along and renewed its lease on life. Within days of reopening, the former “old-man bar” with a funny name became the hottest perch in town, lighting up the Ohio City night.

The thing about catching lightning in a bottle is that it’s nearly impossible to do it twice. But that’s precisely what the team behind ABC is attempting to do with XYZ the Tavern. Owners Randy Kelley, Linda Syrek, and Alan Glazen even followed the same script, focusing their efforts on a neglected space in a budding urban neighborhood. This time around it was Perry’s Family Restaurant, a defunct greasy spoon on Detroit Avenue.

Since opening in late February, XYZ has performed as hoped, drawing thick crowds, steady buzz, and repeat customers. But while ABC may have been as easy as 1-2-3, XYZ is proving to be not without its challenges. The spare and boxy space is loud, the food can be spotty, and the entrée selection is more than a little limited.

These shortcomings aside, the restaurant has more than its share of enticements to keep folks coming back. As with ABC, the staff strikes that perfect tone between feisty and festive. We can’t say enough about the craft beer list and the jaw-dropping whiskey anthology. XYZ’s patio will undoubtedly join the ranks of Best Alfresco Watering Holes. And if you know where to look, there are more than enough gems on the dining menu to please even finicky palates.

If ABC is a dive bar with pub grub, then XYZ is its slightly upmarket brother. Generous table seating, a full suite of servers, and an elaborate menu will make this tavern more appealing to a broader audience. A placemat-size menu is loaded with small plates, salads, and sandwiches, while a chalkboard wall ticks off the night’s entrée specials.

Pub-perfect, a platter of house-fried chips arrives dark and brittle with a side of kicked-up onion dip. We can imagine digging into the spot-on chicken and waffles day or night, early or late, drunk or sober. In it, country-fried chicken is paired with fluffy waffles, maple syrup, and rich gravy. When doused with hot sauce, the soul food classic sings with sweet heat. As an alternative, the moo shu crêpe is a plump, eggy, meat-free burrito filled with mushrooms and shredded veggies.

Elsewhere, we gave the broccoli tempura two separate chances, but each resulted in limp defeat. Pale and spongy, the so-called tempura coating likely would send a Japanese chef into fits of apoplexy. The same floppy crust appeared on the battered Buffalo shrimp, but it had less of a detrimental effect on that dish overall. Even French fries that accompanied a sandwich managed to arrive crispless.

Billed as the “big brother” to the rightfully famous ABC burger, the XYZ burger is bigger, beefier, and equally dreamy. Like the original, this one is topped with lettuce, tomato, American cheese, and “frizzled” onion rings. Essentially a stuffed-cabbage sandwich, the Roly Poly fills a hoagie bun with meatball-size stuffed cabbage rolls and sauce. While nearly impossible to eat out of hand, the sandwich is a wonderful interpretation on the theme.

The entire back wall at XYZ is a chalkboard designed to list the day’s entrées, none of which are included on the printed menu. Thus far, the selection has been less than vast. On a recent visit, for example, we had a choice of one single entrée — or two, if you count steamed mussels. That sole main, priced at $12, was a very simple sauté of chicken breast, tomato, spinach, and artichoke hearts served on a fried polenta cake.

And a note to management: Please list prices on the board.

Nitpicking aside, we can’t think of a better addition to Gordon Square. Approachable, affordable, and fun as a barrel of bourbon, XYZ is another in a long list of reasons to live, work, and play in the burgeoning Detroit Shoreway neighborhood.

XYZ the Tavern

6419 Detroit Ave., Cleveland

216-706-1104

www.xyzthetavern.com

Hours: 4 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. seven days.

XYZ the Tavern The team behind the uber-popular ABC the Tavern moved west to Gordon Square for their second act. Generous seating, a full suite of servers, and an elaborate menu make XYZ more appealing to a broader audience. Eclectic and affordable pub-style comfort food is the name of the game, with great burgers, corned beef and chicken sandies filling the bill. Don’t miss the housemade chips and the killer chicken and waffles. Over 70 varieties of whiskey, scotch, bourbon and rye and a smashing craft beer list make this lively American pub a true neighborhood gem. 6419 Detroit Ave., Cleveland, 216-706-1104. $$

[Original Article][PDF]

Then there’s the bookseller I met one afternoon in a run-down section of the West Side that has recently transformed itself into the hopping Gordon Square Arts District. The shop (which has since closed) had an intriguing name—84 Charing Cross Bookstore. Inside, I discovered a wall of volumes devoted to Cleveland history: books about the Connecticut surveyor Moses Cleaveland who founded the city in 1796; the 19th-century colony of Shakers who imbued the region with its value of industriousness; and “Millionaire’s Row,” a stretch of 40 mansions along Euclid Avenue that once housed some of America’s richest industrialists, including John D. Rockefeller.

Published: Tuesday, March 22, 2011, 10:59 AM     Updated: Tuesday, March 22, 2011, 11:19 AM

By Joe Crea, The Plain Dealer

New enterprises keep adding to the unfolding tapestry of the Gordon Square Arts District. And it’s especially cool that the latest opening brings something sweet to the mix.

Sweet Moses Soda Fountain & Treat Shop, 6800 Detroit Ave., Cleveland, is holding its grand opening Saturday. And it is just the right addition to Gordon Square. Vanilla-colored walls hung with vintage posters and oversize postcards, handsomely restored booths and dozens of other old-time touches — including a vintage root-beer barrel and a grand 1940s-era Bastion-Blessings soda fountain fronted by a 16-foot marble counter — lend a welcoming throwback feeling to the place.

“I really wanted to create an experience here, and I knew the feeling I wanted guests to take away — a multigenerational experience,” says Jeff Moreau, who operates Sweet Moses with his wife, Ellen.

“I want people to walk in here and feel glad that it’s in the neighborhood, happy that it’s in the city,” says Moreau, a veteran of the advertising business who wanted to try his hand at something different. “I want my 83-year-old mother to walk in with her friends and say ‘Wow, this reminds me of my childhood,’ but also have a 20-year-old appreciate the fact that it’s cool, it’s not a chain and it’s not in a ‘lifestyle center.’ It’s something that a lot of them will be experiencing for the first time.”

With treats like these, there should be plenty of smiles and memories in the making. House-made classic flavors of ice cream, cookies, brownies and chocolates — barks, fudges and filled “cups” — made with Belgian dark, milk and white chocolate are among the treats. By the way, don’t miss the great white cheddar popcorn and caramel corn.

Those confections and others were showcased during a pre-opening party this past weekend. Guests were invited to sample traditional fountain fare that shares names with area landmarks, such as the Gordon Square (a large homemade brownie topped with house-made Bananas Foster ice cream, hot fudge and warm homemade real-butter caramel), the Shoreway Sundae (hot fudge-topped coffee ice cream showered with almonds and toffee pieces) and the $25 Terminal Tower (a scoop of each of Sweet Moses’ 10 classic flavors, draped in a landslide of marshmallow cream, hot fudge, warm caramel, pecans, candy sprinkles and cherries).

The Moreaus intend to eventually maintain late closing hours, making the shop a stop for after-theatergoers and others who “want something sweet but don’t want to eat it out of a cup in a parking lot,” Jeff says. If you want a sneak peek before Saturday, the shop will be open noon to 9 p.m. through Thursday, and noon to 5 p.m. Friday. 216-651-2202.

[Cleveland.com Article] [PDF]

Published: Tuesday, February 01, 2011, 3:59 PM     Updated: Tuesday, February 01, 2011, 4:14 PM

By Joe Crea, The Plain Dealer

Gus Chan, The Plain DealerThe Mad Stone, a bar/restaurant near Cleveland Public Theatre, on Cleveland’s West Side.

Big changes are in the wind for one of the West Side’s most remarkable spots. Stone Mad, the beautifully appointed restored house in Cleveland’s Gordon Square neighborhood, will have two new chefs at the helm — including Eric Williams, maestro behind mod-Mex Momocho.

“Actually, I’ll just be a hired hand for a couple of months,” says Williams, who’s being brought in by Stone Madd co-owner Eileen Sammon to tune up the operation. Together, Williams and Sammon worked to pinpoint problems and changes they thought necessary.

“We’re tweaking the menu to make it pub style — much smaller, showing a wider variety of ethnic pubs, not just Irish, but English, Italian, different styles,” Williams says. The new menu will include six appetizers, three sandwiches, three french-bread pizzas and four entrees, but there’ll be eight, scratch-made side dishes. So a guest can get curried corn succotash, brussels sprouts with cider vinegar and bacon, or green beans with browned butter and pine nuts, too.

“This way, the customer can pick and choose his plate,” Williams adds. Stone Mad’s popular handmade burgers will stay on the menu.

Mike Wyant is the other new chef in the equation. Former sous chef at Cabin Club in Westlake, he’ll work with Williams in making the transition then take over the new kitchen.

Expect Stone Mad to be closed Tuesday, Feb. 15. An army of chefs will descend on the restaurant, “and we’re going to do a 24-hour-marathon, kicking the dishes out and trying and retrying everything,” Williams says. After a soft opening, the public will be welcomed back on Friday, Feb. 18.

Stone Madd: 1306 West 65th St., Cleveland; 216-281-6500.

[Original Article on Cleveland.com][PDF]

Published: Friday, January 07, 2011, 1:40 PM     Updated: Friday, January 07, 2011, 2:22 PM

By Laura DeMarco, The Plain Dealer

Joshua Gunter l The Plain Dealer The restored 1921 Capitol Theatre is a gem of a place to see a movie.

‘Tis the season . . . the movie season, that is. In advance of the Oscar nominations on Jan. 25, movie companies are rolling out their heavy-hitters. A steady stream of award-worthy flicks are opening this month in Cleveland. Which one to see first? And, almost as important, where to see it? Not all movie theaters are created equal, though prices are about the same everywhere. Amenities, location and after-film fun can send a theater to the top of the box office. Read on for Some of the Best Places to See a Movie in Cleveland.

Capitol Theatre, 1390 West 65th St., Cleveland, 440-349-3306: Opened just over a year ago in the busy Gordon Square Arts District, this lovingly restored 1921 theater successfully walks the line between mainstream fare and art-house films previously shown only at the Cedar Lee in Cleveland Heights. The main 420-seat room is 3-D- capable, and all three theaters have digital projection. The theaters are smaller than some, but the seats and cupholders are roomy. Like its East Side sister, the Capitol has an impressive concessions list, with beer, wine and sandwiches in addition to the popcorn and pop. Even better, the theater offers arguably the best nearby post- and pre-show dining and drinking, including hipster hangout Happy Dog, chic Luxe bistro and cozy Stone Mad Irish pub. The Capitol also screens several special late-night and monthly Sunday brunch flicks. Up next is “The Maltese Falcon” at 10 a.m. Jan. 16. Ticketholders also get 20 percent off at brunch partners Latitude 41N, Luxe and Reddstone. And like all theaters in the locally owned Cleveland Cinemas chain, the Capitol offers weekly discounts, including $5 Mondays and free-popcorn Tuesdays.

Cedar Lee Theatre, 2163 Lee Road, Cleveland Heights, 216-321-5411: Also part of the Cleveland Cinemas chain, this East Side mainstay has been drawing serious film fans from all parts of the region to its foreign, indie and art-house films for decades. Often home to exclusive openings — like the recent Swedish trilogy of Stieg Larsson “Girl . . ” films or the Brit-hit “Made in Dagenham,” which opens today — the theater also hosts a fantastic late-night series and is local ground zero for “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.” Saturday’s late-night show is camp hit “The Room” at 10 p.m. See the website for a full schedule.

Regal Crocker Park Stadium 16, 30147 Detroit Road, Westlake, 440-871-7661: No lifestyle center would be complete without a movie theater. Now Crocker Park visitors can shop, eat, see a flick, shop and eat some more. Though it offers 16 screens, this luxurious theater often sells out because of its great location and close post- and pre-show amenities, so arrive early or get your tickets online. Or just do a little more shopping or eating while you wait for the next screening. The diverse lineup, which occasionally brings art films to the mainstream, also deserves a nod.

Cinemark Valley View 24, 6001 Canal Road, Valley View, 216-447-8820: If it’s not showing here, it’s probably not showing in Greater Cleveland. This massive theater complex, located in the valley directly below Interstate 480 and easily accessible from the East and West sides, features 24 theaters, including XD and 3-D theaters. It also has some of the plushest seats and biggest screens in town.

Shaker Square Cinemas, 13116 Shaker Square, Cleveland, 216-921-9342: Yet another knockout Cleveland Cinemas theater. Movie fare at this restored Art Deco gem (formerly the Colony) ranges from arty to mainstream (more of them on the mainstream side, with a total of six screens). Concessions are top-notch — from beer to pop, nuts to popcorn. And top-notch nearby dining options make this a date-night gem, ranging from innovative American cuisine at Fire and Old World comfort food at Balaton to sexy Brazilian small plates and drinks at Sergio’s Sarava.

OVERHEARD

A weekly look at people and places in the national press: This week, we look at a recent Seattle Post-Intelligencer blog post about Cleveland’s own Melt Bar & Grilled. Blogger “beerblotter” ranked it 4 out of 5 on his dining scale and called it a “psychotically creative meal emporium; home of grilled cheese magic.”

“The pierogis, slaw and the buffalo chicken soup (which I got on a follow-up visit the next day) were all amazing. Nothing that I tried failed to meet expectations. Get as much as you can. Remember that you can always take it home. No one at this place will judge you. Take a visit, eat some food, drink some good beer and take a nap.”

The only thing beerblotter doesn’t explain is how he managed to get a table at Melt two days in a row!

OUTSIDE OPINION

Each week, “Outside Opinion” asks a visitor what he or she likes best about Cleveland. This week, we talk to Larry Spisak, 44, of New York.

Spisak, a native of the area, came to town in mid-December to see the Knicks-Cavs game. Lucky for him — and the Cavs — he chose one of the Cavs’ few winning games in recent memory, an overtime scorcher.

“It was my first time at The Q,” says Spisak, who moved to New York after college. “An impressive venue . . . and that night the Cavs were good, too. . . . It really looks like Dan Gilbert puts some money into the team, with the entertainment and concessions better than most [venues]. And it’s certainly cheaper than Madison Square Garden.”

DeMarco is The Plain Dealer’s Friday magazine editor.

[Original Cleveland.com article] [PDF]

The Boston-based quiz show Says You recently came to Cleveland to record a series of programs at the Capitol Theatre in the Gordon Square Arts District. Host Richard Sher and the Says You panel played their game of words and whimsy, bluff and bluster, with the help of two Northeast Ohio panelists, culture critic Charles Michener and writer-director Murray Horwitz. Award-winning local blues man Austin “Walkin’ Cane” Charanghat provided the musical accents for this holiday special Says You, which was recorded in front of a live audience at the Capitol Theatre on December 5th, 2010. It originally aired on 90.3, WCPN, ideastream December 19th , 2010 at 12:00pm.

Entire Show : MP3 file

[Listen to 'Says You' Show on 90.3 WCPN Idea Stream]

Photos from Says You Holiday Edition at the Capitol Theatre

[Show as slideshow]

[View with PicLens]

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