The New (and Improved?) Crop Bistro & Bar

The last time I wrote about Crop Bistro & Bar was nearly two years ago. Since that time, a lot has happened. I've been back numerous times, to enjoy both Sunday Supper as well as the Chef's Table. Steve Schimoler has also closed the original location of Crop and relocated to the gorgeous space on the corner of West 25th Street and Lorain Avenue, just catty-corner to the West Side Market inside a completely renovated space previously occupied by an old bank. If you've been to Restaurant Dante, you will have an understanding of how such a space is utilized since it, too, lives inside an old bank. However, I have to say, the new space for Crop will leave you pretty breathless -- it is amazing!

What brought our intrepid band of diners back to Crop tonight was two-fold. First, we were all eager to experience Steve's food after being without for many months while they relocated to the new space. Second, and more importantly, we were there to celebrate the anniversary of friends and fellow food enthusiast Nancy and her husband Bob. While you can certainly attempt to find parking nearby in Ohio City, we decided instead to valet at the front of the restaurant for a nominal fee. For those looking to plug directions into your GPS-enabled device, the new location was located at 2537 Lorain Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44113. They can still be reached at 216-696-2767 (CROP).

Once inside the magnificent space, we were escorted to the long table facing the open kitchen at the opposite side of the building. Whereas the Chef's Table at the old Crop had been limited to six chairs, the new space had two to three times as many seats. When all six guests had arrived, Steve came over, pleasantries were exchanged, and he offered (and we accepted) a tour of the basement of the new restaurant, which included the enormous vault guarded by a ninety ton door. A work still in progress, when the restaurant manages to finish all of the space on both floors, it will probably be one of the most visually impressive restaurants that Cleveland has to offer.

The physical tour now concluded, we all congregated back at the Chef's Table to begin the gastronomic tour -- the Tour de Crop. For $65 per person, you are treated to a multi-course bonanza of whatever the chef wishes to serve you. I must warn you at this point, gentle reader, as the pictures you are about to see are particularly drool-worthy.

First up was bread service:


The basket contained a combination of very fresh baguette, chewy on the outside with a wonderful crumb on the inside; corn bread sticks; and a slightly sweet compound butter.

Our first actual course was something I recognized from my previous Chef's Table visit at the old Crop -- Deviled Egg with Crispy Prosciutto, Balsamic Reduction and Beet Reduction:


Sprinkled with just a touch of chile powder for garnish, this hit a lot of notes on my palate, spicy, salty, sweet, tart and played the creaminess of the egg and filling off of the crisped Prosciutto adorning the top. This was definitely a nice way to start.

Next up was a dish composed of Raw Tuna, Heirloom Tomatoes, Basil Oil, Balsamic Reduction, and Chiffonade of Fresh Basil:


Anyone who has eaten and enjoys raw tuna (maguro for you sushi-lovin' folks) knows that it has an incredibly delicate flavor and can be easily overpowered by stronger elements. Steve showed a deft hand in combining the components on the plate: each flavor stood on its own, but at the same time helped to elevate the tuna even further and definitely made it the star.

Our third course was the Grilled Mission Figs with Goat Cheese, Honey, Hazelnuts, and Arugula:


While it doesn't take much to put figs and honey together, adding the acidity from the slightly softened chevre and the bitterness and pepperiness from the arugula made sure this mouthful satisfied all the taste points on my tongue (beginning to notice a pattern here?). The ground hazelnuts added a nice textural contrast to the other soft components of the dish.

For our second salad, we were served the Roasted Beet Salad with Orange Supremes, Pistachio-encrusted Goat Cheese, Mixed Herbs, and Orange Basil Vinaigrette:


This was another holdover from Crop's previous location and menu, but it was still a welcome sight. Having become a lover of roasted beets only in the last couple of years, these were flavors that were bright, fresh, and really went well together. If there was one minor criticism, the dish could've used just a touch more salt. Other than that, it was a delight to look at as well as eat.

Ever the one for a dramatic presentation, our next course actually came out in two stages. First, the kitchen staff set a small plate with a perfectly seared scallop sitting atop a wedge of roasted potato. Chef Schimoler followed quickly behind with an incredibly aromatic black truffle cream. Here was how the dish looked topped with the cream and finely minced black truffle:


And here was a cross-section after I cut into it with my fork:


What can I say about this dish? The scallop was cooked expertly -- translucent in the middle and incredibly tender. The roasted potato had a nice crust on the outside and was tender and yielding on the inside. The black truffle foam was rich and creamy and had the heady earthiness from the mushrooms. While certainly not the most colorful plating, the stark black and whiteness made me think of the way that by removing color from a picture, you are left to concentrate with your other senses.

It wouldn't be a Steve Schimoler dining experience if pork wasn't involved at some point in the meal. In tonight's case, the followup course to the truffled scallop was the Braised Pork Belly with Gigante Beans, Brunoise of Carrots and Peppadew Peppers, Confit Garlic, and Roasted Tomatoes in a Tomato Broth:


Whereas the previous dishes had been executed quite well, taking my first bite of this dish caused me to roll my eyes back into my head and for just a split second, enjoy culinary nirvana. The balance between sweet and savory was perfectly balanced in this dish. The pork belly was crispy and yet also amazingly creamy, the pork fat instantly melting on my tongue. The gigante beans, while not really contributing a flavor of their own, had graciously soaked up the tomato broth flavor. If you get one dish on your visit to Crop, this would be the one not to miss.

After such a rich and decadent dish, the next course was a very light and refreshing intermezzo of Lemon Sorbet:


This was exactly what the doctor (or, rather, the chef) ordered and served its purpose in cleansing our palates. My only critique was that it was rather one note. Lemon combined with some type of herb (thyme, rosemary, or lavender) would have really elevated this dish and made it special.

Our final savory course of the evening was a play on Surf and Turf. The "surf" side was comprised of a Seared Tasmanian Salmon, Cauliflower Mash, Mushroom Jus, and Fresh Basil:


Several others at the Chef's Table thought that this dish was underseasoned. While I agree it probably could've used a touch more salt, it didn't particularly bother me. The salmon was nicely grilled on the outside and moist and tender on the inside. The big hit of the dish for me was the cauliflower mash. The only two presentations of cauliflower I have ever really enjoyed are when it is either roasted or served baked in lots of cream and butter. Tonight's version was incredibly flavorful and dare I say it ... delicious! The fresh basil added a bright herbaceous note to the dish as well.

The "turf" portion of our final savory dish was Braised Beef Shortribs, Mushroom Barley, Carrots, Veal Demi, and Horseradish Cream:


The shortribs had been braised until they were incredibly tender -- no knife required. The mushroom barley was thoroughly soft and pliable under tooth, but not broken down or mushy. The carrot cut easily under the pressure of my fork, while managing to avoid the texture of baby food and the horseradish cream really brought a brightness and spice to the entire dish without overpowering it. Personally, I would've liked to have seen a sharper horseradish note to the cream, but as this was geared toward all diners and not just me, I felt that the level of heat worked very well. While I enjoyed the medium-rareness of the salmon, I also enjoyed the thoroughly braised texture of the shortribs.

The first of two desserts were now presented by Crop's newest acquisition, Pastry Chef Lauren Stephenson. First up was a duo of Banana Chocolate Chip Petit Four with Peanut Butter Mousse and covered in Chocolate Ganache and a Salted Caramel Affogato:


Once the hot coffee hit the caramel and cream, it instantly mixed together. I did the affogato first and enjoyed the salty, sweet, and bitter combination of the ingredients. Were there alcohol in this, I probably would have felt like I was back in college. The petit four was clever, but I wished that it was a little closer to room temperature as I think the flavors would've sung together much better (plus you wouldn't have seen the chocolate sweating).

The other dessert, a Tarte Tatin with maple cream, wasn't served individually, but as one dessert for us all to share. Sadly, the tarte was more or less decimated by our group before I had a chance to take a picture of it, but I did manage to get a bite and can say that it was absolutely delicious. When caramel is involved, you worry about the dessert being too sweet. Lauren managed to balance the sweetness and tartness from the apples well.

Our meal now at an end, we each paid our checks, gathered our coats and bags and headed out into the now dark, cool Cleveland air. While there was a very minor issue with one or two of the dishes (slight underseasoning), I very much enjoyed the entire meal, the company, and the new space that Crop Bistro & Bar gets to call home now. As with past visits, Chef Steve Schimoler has a very thorough understanding of flavor and texture combinations and his food never comes across as too fancy or gimmicky, which can be a very hard line to walk. While I don't know that I'd want to do the Tour de Crop every time I go back, it's nice sometimes to let someone else make the decision of what you will be eating from time to time.

Dinner In The Dark IV

I've really begun looking forward to the monthly Dinner In The Dark series. The first two months, the chefs took us on amazing gastronomic journeys. Sadly, I had to miss the dinner in December due to the atrocious conditions of the roads. I'll drive far for good food, but not when I risk getting into an accident. Fortunately, when it came time for the January dinner on the 17th, the roads were clear, our stomachs were empty and our palates eager for stimulation.

This time around, the event was to take place at Jeff Jarrett's new restaurant, Palate Restaurant and Lounge in Strongsville. Joining Chef Jarrett this time around were some familiar faces as well as some new blood. My companion and I arrived about fifteen minutes before the scheduled start of the event and found our way to our as of yet unoccupied table for eight. As we waited for the others to arrive, I took a snapshot of tonight's menu:


As always, the Dinner In The Dark events benefit a local charity. In tonight's case, it was an organization close to the Jarretts' hearts, the Cleveland Sight Center. The CSC was the location of a fundraiser called Cleveland Chefs Cook For Jewel, a gathering to help raise the funds required to bring one of the Jarrett's newest sight-impaired daughters back from a Chinese orphanage. The CSC is doing absolutely fantastic work in delivering services to Cleveland's sight-impaired folks as well as educating those of us without sight problems as to the needs of those who do.

On the opposite side of this page was the somewhat cryptic menu:


As opposed to the first dinner, courses had been described by simple pictures. Some were easy to decipher, others, not so much. I guess we would just have be adventurous and try whatever was put in front of us!

While we waited for the rest to arrive, Joe DeLuca from Apothecary served us up a tasty pre-dinner cocktail called "A rose by any other name...":


Consisting of Four Roses single barrel bourbon, a pinot noir syrup, rose water, and just a touch of bitters, this was a delicious way to whet our appetites for what was to come. It was expertly mixed and blended and each flavor component was present without dominating the others.

Chef Adam Bostwick from Melange, no stranger to these dinners, presented us with our amuse bouche, a Caramelized Onion and Fig Tartlet with Crispy Sweetbreads and Blue Cheese Ice Cream:


It was a mouthful to say and an even better mouthful to eat! The shortbread crust was incredibly tender and simply melted in my mouth. The play of salty, sweet, crispy and soft all worked so well together. The flavors were definitely strong and while I don't think I'd want to eat a large portion of this, as a one bite starter, it worked incredibly well.

The first course, a Wild Mushroom Bread Pudding with Herb Smoked Onions and Truffle Oil, was presented by Palate's own Chef Jarrett. It was accompanied by a Boffa Dolcetto D'Alba from Piedmont:


As this was being placed in front of me, the heady aroma from the truffle oil filled my nostrils with anticipation. As Jeff has done in the past, he played with textures and flavors that both competed with and complemented each other. The fresh sorrel on top gave the finished dish a herbaceous note to match the already earthy one from the mushrooms. This was a mushroom masterpiece and if the fungus appeals to you in general, you would have loved this. I know I certainly did. Fortunately for all of you gentle readers out there, this dish also appears on Palate's current menu, so you can try it out for yourself.

For our second course, Chef Matt Mathlage from Light Bistro decided that instead of pairing a wine with his course, he picked beer instead:


This was a Menabrea Bionda Biera from Piedmont and paired remarkably well with the dish it accompanied, a Mini Reuben with 14 Day Cured Apple Kimchee:


Of course, it wouldn't be Dinner In The Dark if there wasn't some playful twist on the classic Reuben. Tonight's version had been made with calf tongue and had I not known what the cut was, I would've assumed it was corned beef. The sauerkraut had been cured for seven days using Napa cabbage and the kimchee cured for fourteen days and made with a ninety day vinegar. The results were stunning. The Reuben, for all intents and purposes, ate like a really great sandwich. The kimchee acted all the part of a great side with notes of acidity, spice, salt, and sweet.

Our taste buds fully awake and firing now, Chef Steve Schimoler from Crop Bistro decided to give us a Roasted Beet Salad with Pistachio Crusted Blue and Goat Cheese Crotin, Blood Orange Vinaigrette, and Blood Orange Gelee. He paired this with a Joe Dobbs Jovino Pinot Noir from Oregon:


Made from local Ohio red and yellow beets that had been perfectly roasted to bring out their sweetness, the blood orange vinaigrette and gelee added a bright acidity to help cut through that very sweetness to balance the flavor out. The saltiness from the Blue/Goat cheese combination added just the right amount of "tang" to give the salad another dimension of flavor. As a final touch of flavor and color, Chef Schimoler added an herb-infused oil to dress the plate. Even with the heaviness from the cheese, there was something very refreshing and light about the flavor of this salad.

The fourth course, a Brown Butter Poached Arctic Char with Crisp Aromatic Salad, Smoked Corn and Truffle Risotto, and Basil Sauce, was courtesy of Matt Mytro from StoveMonkeys. This was paired with a Demetria Chardonnay from Santa Barbara:


Words can hardly do this picture justice. The arctic char was cooked perfectly, seared crispy on the outside while the interior flesh was moist and tender. The smoke on the corn added such a unique flavor to the risotto and while it might not have passed recent Top Chef critiquing, it was certainly a delicious version to this taster. The salad that dressed the fish consisted of thinly sliced red onion and fennel mixed with a bit of arugula, which gave it a spicy, anise-flavored kick. Of course, what plate of food wouldn't be complete with a great sauce? The basil sauce delivered its herbaceous kick with serious aplomb. I was worried that the basil flavor might overpower the rest of the dish, but it complemented the other flavors nicely.

It was at this point in our meal that the palate cleansing intermezzo made its appearance. Delivered to us from Ray Garman from Melange, it consisted of a rock hard frozen kiwi slice that had been topped off with an orange granita and a sliver of basil:


When I say that the kiwi was rock hard, I really mean it. Several at my table tried to cut it without success. In the end, the only way to eat it was to simply pick up the entire slice and quickly pop it into your mouth. The flavors were great, but for those of us susceptible to "brain freeze," this was a bit of a nightmare. In the end, this "in the middle" course did its job and we were primed to receive the last two courses.

Our final savory course, a Spicy Espresso Rubbed Petite Veal Striploin Steak with Jalapeno Risotto Croquettes and Haricot Vert, was served by US Foodservice veteran Chris Quinn:


This dish was accompanied by a glass of Sineann Red Table Wine from Oregon. The croquettes very much reminded me of arancini and the spice from the jalapeños was present, but definitely not overwhelming. While the steak had been spice rubbed before grilling, it had also been dressed with an almost mole-like sauce and had hints of dark chocolate or cocoa. In a surprising twist, the chef informed us upon delivering the dish that the plated sauce was a Dr. Pepper and veal demi-glace reduction. It was interesting to see how Chris had incorporated these well-known tastes into a more refined rendition. I should also mention that the steak was melt-in-your-mouth tender while the haricot vert were nicely crispy-tender.

With the savory portion of the evening finished, we finally arrived at our final course of the evening, Caramelized Local Apples, Lucky Penny Goat Cheese, and Black Walnut Granola. This had been paired with a Monmousseau Vonvray from Loire Valley in France:


Delivered by Chef Matt Anderson from Umami (not to be confused with the food truck Umami Moto), he had also incorporated five spice powder and sorghum to create this sweet, but not too sweet finish to our meal tonight. A tiny bit of caramel sauce had also been drizzled on top of the combination to add a touch of cooked sugar savoriness to the dish. Having just eaten an amuse bouche, five courses, and an intermezzo, this was a light way to finish. The apples were tender but also retained a bit of crunch and the granola contrasted well to the softness and delicateness of the Lucky Penny chevre.

Tonight's dinner, with tip and tax, had essentially come out to $80 per person. While I will agree that this is a bit expensive, considering that this was a wine-paired dinner, proceeds were benefiting a local charity, AND an amazing meal cooked by some of the leading Cleveland chefs, I think it was definitely worth the price of admission. The next Dinner In The Dark is being held at Melange restaurant in Beachwood on Monday, February 21st at 7 p.m. Reservations are required as is an adventurous nature when it comes to eating a menu over which you have no control. But then again, that is part of the fun when it comes to participating in these dinners. I plan to be there and I hope to see you there, too!