Blue Door: A Compendium of Visits

When I heard that the local diner, Golden Goose Restaurant and Bakery, was closing down for several weeks for remodeling, I was a little surprised. When I finally came to understand that the remodel was due in no small part to head baker Michael Bruno and his wife taking over the entire operation of the establishment, both bakery and restaurant, then it became a little more understandable. For several weeks, Michael would send out updates via Facebook about the progress of the remodel. When it finally came time to open back up for business, he announced that in the Golden Goose's ashes would rise a new restaurant and bakery, Blue Door Bakery and Cafe.

While I have covered Golden Goose during numerous visits, I couldn't help but think that once Michael controlled the restaurant's kitchen, he could apply the same level of exacting thought that he put into his baked goods. This definitely had me excited. In order to help him out, he brought in Valerie Miller and Tim Carson to help him run the kitchen while he focused on breads and pastries and managing front of house activities with his wife.

I should say upfront that by now, Michael, his wife, and many of the front of house staff know me by sight, so doing any kind of anonymous review would be laughable at best. At the same time, I neither asked for nor expected any kind of special treatment. I paid for all of my own food during each visit and probably the only "special" treatment I received was a visit from Michael at the end of each meal to ask how my experience had been.

The first item to note is that the transition from Golden Goose to Blue Door is still a work in progress. While the main entrance to the restaurant has finally been painted blue, the sign out front still says Golden Goose. Don't let that fool you. The restaurant located at the corners of State Road and Broad Street in Cuyahoga Falls has definitely begun a metamorphosis. Stepping into the freshly painted door, you come across the remodeled reception area:


This was the new pastry case. While the old one wasn't objectionable, I definitely like the open feeling to the new one.

To the right of the pastry case is the counter area and the new shelving behind it to hold the freshly baked loaves of bread coming out of the kitchen:


On my initial visit (the day after they reopened), I was presented with an moderately redesigned menu:





There were definite holdouts from the Golden Goose's menu, but Blue Door's menu had been tweaked to really emphasize quality, organic, locally procured or produced items to really amp up the dining experience. While I can't really give many style points on the design of the menu, it definitely delivered on choices and descriptions.

Since my first visit was during lunch, I decided to start out my meal with a bowl of the Blue Door Tomato Soup:


Made with San Marzano tomatoes and homemade vegetable stock, what surprised me when it came out of the kitchen was that it was served cold. Gazpacho! While I didn't mind it being served as gazpacho, the menu didn't describe it that way, so be prepared for the temperature difference should you decide to order it, too. The flavor was everything that summer should be: slight sweetness and acidity from the tomatoes, ever-so-slight pungency from the garlic, and a bright, cool flavor that made this a refreshing soup.

While there was a lot from which to choose during my first stop, I decided on going with the Homemade Chicken Salad Sandwich and a Dressed Organic Greens Salad:


Served on Blue Door's homemade challah, this was a total knock-out. I have loved Michael's breads since I first discovered them, but using it in this way really highlighted the flavors and textures of this fantastic eggy bread. The chicken salad was moist without being overdressed and the organic field greens had been dressed in an extra virgin olive oil and 30-year-old balsamic vinegar emulsion. The greens had also smartly been seasoned with salt. I have to admit, I was very impressed with the positive changes coming out of the kitchen.

So much so that I returned two days later to have breakfast with fellow food blogger Cedric and his lovely wife. After being seated at a booth, I was surprised and delighted to see that the restaurant had started using a local purveyor for their coffee, Angel Falls Coffee Company. Here's a shot of my steaming cup of decaf:


To pair with my wonderfully bitter cup 'o Joe, I decided to indulge in a calorie-laden breakfast and ordered the daily special, Challah French Toast with Grilled Peaches, Thick-Cut Nueske Bacon, and Real Maple Syrup:


Holy. Crap.

To say that this was good would be a gross understatement. At one point I did a French Toast Battle between Golden Goose and another Cuyahoga Falls eatery, Chowder House Cafe. Golden Goose definitely lost points for serving maple-flavored syrup. This was no longer an issue. The bacon, hand-cut by the kitchen staff, was crispy, chewy, smoky, and salty: a perfect pairing with the sweet maple syrup. In fact, I think I paired the maple syrup more with the bacon than with the French Toast.

And how was that French Toast? The peaches added a wonderful textural and sweet compliment to the more savory battered and griddled challah. In addition to the standard vanilla flavor in the batter, Blue Door had finally upped the ante and started incorporating Vietnamese cinnamon, boosting the heady flavors even further up the scale. Were this my last breakfast, I could die a happy man.

My third visit was again for breakfast, this time with friend and fellow food blogger Tami. Both of us ended up succumbing to the Omelette du Jour, her the vegetarian, and I the porcine:


This was a chorizo, spinach, roasted red pepper and Havarti omelette with a potato croquette. I've had Michael's two inch high quiche in the past and one of the qualities I've always admired about it was how well-balanced the flavors behaved together. Sweet, sour, salty, crunchy, creamy. In much the same vein, this particular omelette also delivered. The eggs were light and tender and the filling just enhanced the experience. The potato croquette, an item which Cedric had gotten during my last visit, proved to be a deep-fried bit of love on a plate. Crunchy on the outside, it was tender and creamy on the inside. Honestly, I've never come across a restaurant that serves potato croquettes before, so I'm glad that Blue Door is not only serving one, but a decent version to boot.

Along with our omelettes, Tami and I each had the option for a "toast" side. Not only was Blue Door making their own breads and croissants, but they also were making homemade English Muffins! Now THAT is a rarity indeed. I knew what my side would be:


Served with an individual jar of strawberry jam, this was a carb lover's dream. For someone who grew up eating Thomas' English Muffins, this was what an English muffin should be. While you certainly won't go wrong ordering up a slice of some of their other toasted breads for breakfast, try the homemade English muffin when you go. I'm looking forward to another one with my next breakfast.

On my next visit for lunch, I decided to go with one of the daily lunch specials, the Cuban Sandwich with Dressed Organic Greens:


All of the typical Cuban sandwich ingredients were present: pulled pork, ham, swiss cheese, stone-ground mustard, and pickle. One of the problems I had with the sandwich was actually the bread. It wasn't that the bread was bad, but the toasted challah it was served on just didn't seem to match up with what my sense memory said it should. When Michael stopped out to check on me, I mentioned this to him and he admitted that it was definitely better with the homemade sourdough bread, but unfortunately they had run out. Fair enough. The dressed organic salad greens were tasty as always though.

During my last visit (which was a week ago), I had intended on going for a late breakfast and getting something light, like a bowl of the oatmeal. Of course, once I saw the daily specials board, I knew my plans were going to change:


Now is the time of year for great tomatoes. I'll happily forgo hard, grainy, not-even-close-to-ripe tomatoes the rest of the year so that I can indulge when they are in season. I mean, why even bother with them if they aren't at their peak?

So, my bowl of oatmeal morphed into a Heirloom Tomato Croissant with Fresh Mozzarella and Basil Chiffonade:


Realizing that this was more of a knife and fork "sandwich" than a handheld one, I cut off a piece with all four ingredients and took a bite. Waves of pleasure rolled over me as I savored each chew. The tomatoes were sweet, sour, salty, and tender. The mozzarella was creamy and rich. The toasted croissant was crisp and buttery. The basil added a bright herbaceous flavor that unified the entire sensation. This was incredible.

Here was a shot of the reverse side of the croissant:


If you are thinking to yourself, gentle reader, that the croissant pictured above looks incredibly flaky, well, you'd be absolutely right.

Along with my sandwich, I also received a Prosciutto and Cantaloupe Salad:


While pairing cantaloupe and prosciutto isn't anything groundbreaking, it's nice to be reminded now and again why they work so well together. The cantaloupe must be absolutely ripe in order for the sweetness to balance the saltiness from the prosciutto. In today's case, the pairing was perfectly executed.

I also wanted to mention the overall service I have received since the restaurant transitioned to its new name. Blue Door has been fairly busy every time I've gone (with the exception of the last visit), so if you are looking for a thirty minute lunch, I'd suggest trying it out when you have more time. Also, note that there have often been daily specials that also appear in a "regular" form on the printed menu. French Toast is a great example. The day that I ordered the French Toast with the grilled peaches, that was the daily special. There was also a regular French Toast already on the menu. Just make sure your server understands which one you actually want in order to avoid confusion.

These few minor quibbles aside, I think what Michael and his wife have done to transform the Golden Goose into the Blue Door is nothing short of remarkable. The food coming out of the kitchen is being held to the same standard that the breads and pastries have long achieved. The food is not inexpensive, but at roughly $10 for breakfast or lunch per person and for the quality you receive, I think it is a great value. If you've been hesitant to try out the restaurant or just haven't been back for a while, now is the time to take action.

And if you go on a day where they have the heirloom tomato croissant, get it. You won't be disappointed.

Extra Helpings: A Confused Croissant At The Golden Goose

In an interesting double-whammy twist of having driven by the Golden Goose Restaurant and then not-so-soon after reading about them on my friend Kathy's blog, I decided to check out their website in order to gather more information. While their site is still under construction, there was enough information to pique my curiosity and prompt me to give them a try. It seems that the new establishment (in the same location as the Chuck and Diane's that had been there for many years before that) was trying to portray itself as much as a bakery as a restaurant.

Located at the southwest corner of Broad Boulevard and State Road in Cuyahoga Falls, they can be reached at 330-926-9774. Parking was available on the same lot as the restaurant. Here was a shot of the sign and exterior of the restaurant:



It should be noted that the Golden Goose is a breakfast and lunch kind of joint, kind of like Wally Waffle and Molly Brown's Country Kitchen. Once I was inside the front door, I noticed a very small pastry display case off to the left side of the room next to the lunch counter. However, before I had a chance to check it out, one of the servers noticed me and directed me to a table near one of the windows. She left me with a menu to peruse:






The last page was actually a free-form insert. It alone mentioned using some of the pastries (notably the croissant) that were made in the kitchen. And even though it was close to noon when I went, I wasn't really in the mood for a sandwich; however, I was determined to try something from the pastry selection.

My preference was more for a late breakfast, so my server brought me a decaf and water after I requested it:


When I inquired about the croissant, my server sadly answered that they had sold out of the plain croissant well before I had arrived today. She wasn't sure what was left, but suggested I walk up to the pastry case and make a selection from whatever remained and she would be happy to bring it to my table. I walked up to the pastry case and noticed that they actually had three different kinds of filled croissant left, almond, chocolate, and ham and cheese. Thinking a sweet croissant might go better with my late breakfast, I decided on getting the almond filled one.

After only a minute, this arrived at my table:


With just a minimal sugar glaze on the outside, this looked absolutely delicious. When I cut my first bite, I was rewarded with the many flaky layers that making this pastry by hand gives you:


While the first bite didn't have any filling, the butteriness from the dough and the sweet glaze on top made for a delicious mouthful. Unfortunately, upon my second bite, I noticed signs of trouble:


Clearly this was not the almond filling I had asked for. In fact, it looked (and more importantly tasted) of ham and cheese. Something was amiss here. If the croissant had been missing the sweet glaze on top and I had gotten a ham and cheese, then I could've gladly accepted that it was my server's error. However, given the glaze and the filling probably weren't supposed to be co-habitating in the same pastry, I figured the mix-up had happened in the kitchen. I called my server over and explained my discovery. Of course, she offered to bring me a replacement. At that point, with my breakfast still coming, I decided to tell her that I'd be happy to take the replacement, but instead of bringing it for immediate consumption that I'd like her to box it up so I could eat it later.

Within less than a minute, a trim gentleman came out of the kitchen and approached the gentleman sitting alone in the booth at the opposite end of the room. Clearly my server had told someone about the problem. Not surprisingly, the other guest looked a little puzzled with all the talk about mistaken croissant fillings. That was when the man recognized he was talking to the wrong person and looked over in my direction. He came over and introduced himself as the head baker, Michael Bruno. Michael also happens to be the son-in-law of the owner. He apologized profusely and tried to explain how something like this could've happened. Knowing that my server had already taken care of the issue by wrapping up a replacement croissant to go, I assured him that mistakes happen and in my mind the issue had been rectified. Which, as far as I am concerned, it was.

Soon my server returned with my croissant-to-go and the rest of my breakfast:


This was the two pancakes, two pieces of bacon, and two eggs for $5.75. Unless you are a pancake eater, I'd suggest sticking with a short stack (just two instead of three) as the pancakes were HUGE. With the addition of some syrup,


I thoroughly enjoyed my breakfast. Everything was cooked properly and while nothing blew me away as being original, it was hot and fresh and a good deal. I gathered myself up and walked toward the front of the restaurant to pay the check. Michael was up at the pastry case rearranging some of the items inside. He again apologized and insisted that if I wasn't happy with the pastry to come back and he would make things right. I thanked him and walked out of the restaurant, prepared to pursue my agenda for the rest of the day.

I finally returned home around 5 PM, slightly hungry but not famished. The notion of having my replacement croissant crossed my mind and I decided to give in to my impulse. Like before, sweet glaze on top, first bite all flaky and buttery. Second bite ... ? You guessed it. Ham and cheese. Deciding that I wasn't going to throw it away, I pulled all the ham and cheese out first and ate it as my "savory" course. I then finished eating the rest of the croissant as my "sweet" one.

I did contact Michael to let him know about the problematic croissant issue and he wrote back and informed me that because his normal baking schedule doesn't have that many filled croissant on the dossier, he normally just puts them all on a single tray and keeps mental note of what is what. However, after what happened to me both at the restaurant and later at home, he is now going to separate them, regardless of how small the batches are, just to avoid this problem in the future. He also let me know that the next time I was at the restaurant he would personally see to it that I got the correct croissant of my choice.

When I first had the croissant mix-up, I kind of chuckled and thought to myself that I was probably the best and the worst person to which this could have happened. Obviously restaurants don't like their mistakes to be made public. At the same time, without knowing who I was or what I do, Michael went out of his way to talk to me and more than make up for the kitchen's accident. Every restaurant and bakery screws up, it's human nature. It's how we handle those mix-ups that build or destroy your customer base.

I will definitely be returning for another meal and another pastry at the Golden Goose soon. If you are in the mood for quality food at very reasonable prices or are just looking for some freshly baked croissant (filled or otherwise), I would heartily suggest that you do the same. Hopefully with the procedural adjustments in the kitchen, you won't have to experience the strangeness of having a savory ham and cheese croissant with a sweet glaze on top.

[Update: I returned two weekends later for a follow-up meal and that proper croissant. Michael was standing by the lunch counter when I walked in and I got that look, like he knew I was someone he should know, but didn't immediately acknowledge me. It wasn't until after I placed my order that he walked up to my booth with a almond filled croissant on a plate. "You're Thomas, right?" After I confirmed who I was, we chatted for a minute before he left me to try out the croissant for the third time. This time? Yes, it was definitely almond. In the form of a 50/50 blend of French almond paste and homemade frangipane, actually. It was also quite delicious and would've gone exceptionally well with a nice cup of hot black coffee.


P.S. To the woman sitting in the booth directly across from me who was consumed with outrage and nearly ready to walk out of the Golden Goose after having placed your order simply because they didn't have honey available for your hot tea: GET OVER IT! I would have rather been surrounded by screaming babies than to have to listen to your incessant whining and moaning the entire time I was trying to enjoy my lunch.]