Do any of you remember going to the old Capers in Beachwood? Well, you wouldn't be able to recognize it these days. Thanks to some major renovations, both in style and substance, it's been transformed into a hotel restaurant that even the locals will want to frequent. Thanks to Sanctuary, The Doubletree by Hilton now offers a gorgeous and delicious dining option on the East Side.
I recently was invited to a media preview to the changes firsthand. The menu for the evening was a nice sampling of what the restaurant has to offer.
We started out with a beehive cocktail (bourbon, St. Germaine, honey and lemon) and a spicy version of a classic hanky panky. The cocktail party classic was updated with chorizo and a dab of fig jam.
Next up was my favorite course of the night: a blue crab hush puppy. Crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside with a hint of crunch from fresh cucumber, I could have gobbled up a tray of these tasty bites. If these are on the regular menu, order them!
A wedge salad included blue cheese crumbles, pickled onion, grape tomatoes and bacon drizzled with a really delicious white french dressing. The dressing was unique and complimented the salad well.
The next course was one that had the whole table talking: seared scallops served on top of risotto studded with golden beets, butternut squash and caramelized apples. We all agreed that the scallop was perfectly cooked but couldn't pinpoint why we didn't love the risotto. Too sweet? Odd spices? Needed more chunks of veggies?
We were happy to see a hanger steak being served since we all agreed that the version at Hodges is one of our favorite preparations. This salsa verde was a little too salty but the steak had a great sear and was very tender. And even for a multi-course meal, one stalk of asparagus does not equal a serving. Hopefully these will be adjusted for their regular dining service. But the herbed fries and delicious malt vinegar aioli were plentiful and hot.
I think I literally squealed when the dessert was served. Rich chocolate mousse and chunks of pretzel rods were topped with whipped cream and salted caramel. There was some serious yum in this dish and even after a full meal, there were empty glasses all around.
The servers were all very nice and did a great job. My only real disappointment was not being served wine. A wine glass was on the table all evening and I kept hoping that some wine would arrive. Such a tease!! Sanctuary is a restaurant and wine bar after all and it would have been nice to see what the wine list had to offer. I definitely intend to go back to find out. And get some more of those hush puppies!
The Sanctuary website contains their full menus and you can follow them on Twitter and on Facebook. Stay tuned for another Sanctuary opening in Westlake late next year.
SANCTUARY BEACHWOOD
DOUBLETREE BY HILTON
3663 PARK EAST DR
BEACHWOOD, OH 44122
*Disclosure: I was invited to attend the media preview free of charge. We also received a gift card to be applied toward a future visit. As always, all opinions and thoughts are my own. *
The Sanctuary website contains their full menus and you can follow them on Twitter and on Facebook. Stay tuned for another Sanctuary opening in Westlake late next year.
DOUBLETREE BY HILTON
3663 PARK EAST DR
BEACHWOOD, OH 44122
*Disclosure: I was invited to attend the media preview free of charge. We also received a gift card to be applied toward a future visit. As always, all opinions and thoughts are my own. *