New eateries expand menu of options
Brave crop of restaurateurs bring affordable selections to Akron area
By Lisa Abraham
Beacon Journal food writer
POSTED: 12:18 p.m. EST, Nov 10, 2009
There are some brave souls out there who are opening their doors for us to come and dine despite the economic downturn.
The Akron area is starting to see new restaurants opening again, with most owners offering moderate prices to help make dining out a little easier on our wallets.
As you'll see, some of the new spots are in the locations of old favorites.
• Cilantro Thai & Sushi Restaurant.
For the first time in nearly four years, there is life again at 326 S. Main St.
The building and all the fixtures had sat unused since Piatto moved to Cuyahoga Falls in 2005. It recently reopened as Cilantro Thai & Sushi.
Owner Charlie Somtrakool, 29, a native of Thailand, had been working in the restaurant business in Dayton for the past eight years. He decided to look at Akron as a location for his own restaurant after a Thai friend studying at the University of Akron complained about a lack of authentic restaurants in the area.
Little has changed in the decor since the Piatto days, but Somtrakool has added a sushi bar and jigsaw light fixtures, as well as bright orange napkins that give the restaurant a fresh pop of color.
The menu is extensive, split between sushi and other Japanese dishes and traditional Thai favorites, including pad Thai, duck basil and seafood clay pot. The flavors of Thai food are what separate it from other Asian cuisines — curries, the almost anise-like flavor of Thai basil and coconut milk.
Somtrakool's mother, Mallika Suthapintu, and father, Preecha Lerttevasiri, have been visiting from Thailand for the past several months to help him get the restaurant opened and to keep an eye on the kitchen, where all of the staff are Thai natives.
Somtrakool chose the name because the herb figures so prominently in Thai cooking.
Dinner entrees range from $10.95 to $17.95. Lunch prices are lower. Sushi rolls are roughly $5 to $12, while elaborate combination platters to serve groups are priced considerably higher. Appetizers, soups and desserts are in the $4-to-$8 range.
Somtrakool said his first customers on opening night were a couple who got engaged during dinner. He believes it was a positive sign about new starts.
Cilantro Thai is open for lunch from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and for dinner from 5 to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 5 to 11 p.m. Friday, 4:30 to 11 p.m. Saturday and 4:30 to 9:30 p.m. Sunday.
Phone 330-434-2876 or visit http://www.cilantrothai.com.
• Chowder House Cafe.
You could almost hear the shouts of ''hooray'' coming from Cuyahoga Falls when Chef Louis Prpich announced that he would be reopening the former Jimmy's Cafe at 2028 Chestnut Blvd.
The Chowder House Cafe opened in October, with a casual menu of sandwiches, salads, soups and, of course, chowder.
Prpich's signature clam chowder is rich and creamy, made with plenty of clams, and, Prpich likes to boast, ''no potatoes.'' It has quickly become a customer favorite and he sold several hundred gallons in his first few weeks.
Other favorites are the iceberg lettuce wedge salad and fish tacos. The menu also features daily special entrees. Items range from $5 to $11.
Customers will be glad to see that Prpich has made few changes to the colorful artwork that made Jimmy's such a neighborhood icon, but the entryway has been redesigned.
There's no liquor license, but customers are encouraged to bring their own beer or wine for a small corkage fee.
The Chowder House is open Monday through Friday for lunch and dinner, and Saturday for dinner. It's closed Sunday. Phone 330-794-7102.
• Pub Bricco.
Restaurateur David Glenny will add a third location to his group when he opens Pub Bricco in Akron's Merriman Valley on Tuesday.
Glenny purchased what was expected to be Terry Deane's Irish Pub. It was just weeks away from opening when owner Deane lost his battle with cancer in August.
Glenny reached an agreement with the Deane family to purchase the pub and has spent the last few weeks finishing the interior and getting ready to open.
Pub Bricco won't be an Irish pub, although much of the decor — including a stone wall — will remain. Instead, plans call for an upscale burger restaurant, with a few sides and salads, taken from the menu of the downtown Akron Bricco, including the popular iceberg lettuce wedge salad (oh, Akron, you do love white French dressing). The menu consists of about a dozen burger choices. Aside from beef, there will be turkey and veggie burgers as well as chicken and salmon sandwiches. Sandwiches are $7 and $8.
There will be a full bar with 16 beers on tap, including Guinness.
Glenny said he's not worried about the large number of existing bars and pubs in the area around Weathervane Community Playhouse, because his emphasis will be on the food, not the drink.
''There won't be blaring music. If two 60-year-old women want to come in and have a glass of wine and something to eat and relax, they'll be able to do that here,'' he said.
Pub Bricco also has a patio. It is at 1841 Merriman Road, the location of the former Grotto restaurant. The phone number has not yet been assigned; see http://www.briccoakron.com.
Restaurant hours will be Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to midnight; Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m.; and Sunday from noon to 11 p.m. The bar will be open to 2:30 a.m. on weekends.
• Sweet Pea Cafe.
After years living abroad and in California, Bath Township native Josh Thornton has opened a casual restaurant in Fairlawn.
The Sweet Pea Cafe serves breakfast and lunch daily, but the once-monthly dinners are becoming one of the restaurant's most popular features.
Thornton, 39, has been working in restaurants since his first job, and spent time in England and France before living the last 12 years in Monterey, Calif. He moved back to Ohio in 2008, and when he heard about the location of the former Bellyful Deli becoming available, he grabbed the spot. ''I didn't want to manage a kitchen or cook for someone else any longer. . . . I wanted to try being the boss,'' he said.
The breakfast menu includes house-made granola, frittatas and some interesting omelet combinations, as well as traditional breakfast fare. For lunch, there are soups, salads and sandwiches and a few entrees, including macaroni and cheese and meatloaf.
Thornton says all items are made from scratch with fresh ingredients. Justin Houmard is the executive chef.
On the second Saturday of each month, Sweet Pea offers a fixed-price dinner of three to five courses, ranging from $25 to $35. Thornton also offers catering, including Thanksgiving dinner.
Sweet Pea Cafe, 117 Merz Blvd., is open from 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily, and for dinner on the second Saturday of every month. Phone 330-794-7952.
• Angel Falls Coffee Co.
Owners of this Highland Square fixture, Jim King and Rafael Oletta, have a second Angel Falls location in the FirstEnergy building in downtown Akron.
The shop opened in mid-October with the same coffee and baked goods that have been served at the Highland Square location for 13 years.
Oletta said that because the location caters to a different demographic — the downtown worker — there have been a few changes to the menu to make it more carryout friendly. Quiche, sandwiches and salads, including Angel Falls' signature chicken salad, are still on the menu. New items include tuna salad and egg salad, Oletta said.
''From Day 1, we've had the chicken salad. It's our best seller,'' he said.
Angel Falls at FirstEnergy is open from 5:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. It is closed on weekends.
It's in the food court of the Orangerie Mall at Akron Centre, 76 S. Main St.; phone 330-252-0192; http://www.angelfallscoffee.com.
• O'Charley's.
This casual chain restaurant was opened in Cuyahoga Falls by Warren-based franchisee Covelli Enterprises.
Sam Covelli made his name as one of the country's largest McDonald's franchisees, before selling them off to invest in Panera Bread. Covelli owns all of the Panera locations in Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Florida.
Since 2006, he has been opening O'Charley's as part of a franchise agreement with the Nashville, Tenn., chain of casual dining restaurants, known for steaks, salads and freshly baked yeast rolls. There is a full bar. Most entrees are $15 or less.
The Cuyahoga Falls location also serves Sunday brunch.
O'Charley's is open seven days a week. Hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday. O'Charley's is at 283 Howe Ave., Cuyahoga Falls; phone 330-475-8444; http://www.ocharleys.com.
• The Taverne of Richfield.
If you're still standing after 123 years, chances are you'll see a lot of owners come and go. Such is the case with the Taverne of Richfield.
This historical tavern in northern Summit County is open again, less than a year after closing and less than three years after another major reopening. This time, new owner Craig Johnson is promising a family-friendly atmosphere somewhere between a causal eatery and fine dining.
Executive chef is John Orszak, and James Williams is manager. Orszak previously cooked at the Black River Beanery in Lorain, Slam Jams Sports Grill and the Chesterland Grill and Taverne.
The menu is a traditional mix of steaks, chicken, seafood and pasta dishes, as well as sandwiches, wraps and burgers. There is a full bar.
The Taverne, at 3960 Broadview Road, is open daily for lunch and dinner; phone 330-659-0610; http://www.tavernerichfield.com.
• Thano's Family Restaurant.
Thano Kapolis has opened his second Thano's Family Restaurant in a renovated Ponderosa Steakhouse building in Barberton.
Kapolis offers a locally owned option to family-style chain restaurants, with low prices. He's open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, serving daily specials like stuffed cabbage, lasagna, beef tips and city chicken. There's also a long list of sandwiches, wraps, paninis and salads. Lunches are $5 to $7; dinners, $7 to $12.
Kapolis, a Warren native now residing in Bath Township, has had a successful Thano's location in Canfield for years, and decided to branch out closer to home. He opened his doors two months ago.
Thano's is open daily from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. It's at 71 Fifth St. SE, Barberton; phone 330-861-1300.
• Lucia's.
This Canton mainstay has reopened after being dark for two years.
Known for its steaks and Italian food, Lucia's closed in 2007 after 65 years at its Mahoning Road location in Canton. It was reopened last month with Faith Anne Flickinger, granddaughter of original owner Anthony Rich, and her partner Rob Johns as the owners.
Flickinger is the niece of Carl and Lucille Santelli, who ran Lucia's for many years. In the kitchen is chef Rick Young, who will be making Lucia's signature peppers and other Italian favorites. The restaurant has a full-service lounge and rooms for private parties.
Lucia's is now at 4769 Belpar St. NW, Jackson Township, the site of the former Benjamin's Grille.
Reservations are suggested by calling 330-492-9933. Lucia's will be open for dinner 4 to 10 p.m. Monday to Thursday and 4 to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Lucia's is honoring Benjamin's gift cards through Dec. 31.
Meanwhile, a new restaurant is reportedly in the works for the former Lucia's site on Mahoning Road.
Lisa A. Abraham can be reached at 330-996-3737 or labraham@thebeaconjournal.com.
