Eat*Drink*Cleveland: Taco Tuesday

The Oak Barrel Launch Party

Deagan's in Lakewood has always been one of my favorite places, so when I heard that Chef Demetrios Atheneos was going to be opening his own place, I was sad that he was leaving but really excited to see what he had up his sleeve.

Saturday I found out and it's exactly what I expected. Great food in a stylish, fun and comfortable spot. I've found my new favorite restaurant in Valley View.

The restaurant is housed in the former Hoggy's conveniently located just off 77 and 21 on Canal Road.

The former BBQ joint with a country flair turned into THIS!

Check out that fire pit!

My favorite change is the addition of a gas fire pit and heated patio. I can't wait to spend some time sipping cocktails on one of the comfy seats. It was so inviting I was tempted to try it Saturday in spite of the rain.

But we couldn't resist seeing the inside and our stomachs were growling with anticipation. As we were greeted, the hostess explained that we could help ourselves to the buffet-style spread and our waiter would take our drink orders (cash bar.)

Deciding on a drink was a very difficult decision thanks to an extensive list of over 100 whiskies, hundreds of craft beers and excellent scotch. The tight wine selection has something for everyone and is extremely affordable. A small but seductive cocktail list made me swoon. These beauties rival that of the venerable Velvet Tango Room with prices to match. I couldn't resist the Oak Barrel Old Fashioned. With macerated amarena cherries and a nice kick, it was the perfect way to start off the night.

This drink was served with a huge ball of ice in the glass in lieu of the traditional cubes. This keeps the drink cold while preventing it from becoming watered down. I only wish it was in a bigger glass...

The food was plentiful and delicious. It included a great assortment of the snack, share, flat bread and taco sections of the menu.

duck fat popcorn, devils on horseback, flat bread

Trifecta of YUM!
Arugula, pine nut, garlic confit, caramelized shallots and munster flat bread
Duck fat popcorn with white truffle oil and chili lime sea salt
Devils on Horseback with bread cheese, medjool dates, fresno chili and applewood bacon

Every time we thought we had tried everything, more food would appear. We couldn't even try all the different tacos because we were stuffed so we are eagerly awaiting visiting on an upcoming Taco Tuesday.

We also can't wait to try some of the other offerings. Some items that caught my eye are:

Open Faced Pulled Pork with jalapeno corn bread and apple slaw
Lyonnaise Salad with gold potatoes, roasted onions, egg, + smoked pork belly
Duck Confit Salad with watercress, arugula, cashews, bleu cheese and miso plum vinaigrette
Amish Chicken and Waffles with blackberry maple syrup and cayenne honey butter
Dr. Pepper Braised Pork Shank with garlic mashers and soy chile jam
Baked Camembert Brie with honey, quince paste, strawberries and baguette

Even a mix up by our waitress turned out to be a blessing in disguise - we ordered Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale and got Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Stout instead.

Holy yum!

There was even a live band Bacon Cake playing a great mix of tunes.

Chef Demetrius knows how to throw a great party! I am so happy to have this restaurant so close to home because I can tell already that I'm going to be a regular. It will definitely be fun to work my way through the cocktail and craft beer lists.

Recipe for success: Susan and Demetrius
Congrats!

And a special thanks to my sis Katie - what a fun night!