Last night was a media preview dinner for both bloggers and traditional media outlets. In the spirit of full disclosure (as always), I am doing some freelance PR and social outreach work for the restaurant’s owners and coordinated last night’s event. I was given this opportunity after I interviewed owner Scott Kuhn for a previous post. As many of you know, I’ve worked in PR for the last 13 years and will often do some freelance work on the side, especially when it involves my other passion – food.

So with that in mind, I am clearly biased and therefore won’t write a typical review since I don’t really just have my blogger hat on. But there are several items I think are worth spreading the word.

First off, I do think you should go and check out this place for yourself. It’s truly remarkable the transformation they did from its Baricelli days. Now, we were big Baricelli fans and are super eager for Flour to open in early 2011. But truthfully, we’d only eat there in the summer – on the patio – because neither one of us cared for the décor inside. Scott redid everything from top to bottom, including the inn suites. And we’re not just talking new carpet and a fresh coat of paint. There’s even a spacious new lounge area in the entryway, something I always felt the old space was missing. Though I must admit, I do miss that large, walk-in cooler of cheese, glorious cheese! Though Baricelli Cheeses will be used in many of the new dishes, like the mack and cheese (mack for Mackenzie Creamery).

I also like the significant effort the restaurant is making to support Veggie U, an organization I care deeply about (be sure to check back tomorrow for how you can support Veggie U and basically eat free for the next year). Not only is the chef, Jonathan Guest, utilizing many items from The Chef’s Garden, but each guest has the ability to donate to Veggie U at the end of their meal. Further, the owners want to continue that spirit of giving and will soon offer ways to support UH as well, a hospital and an organization that both Scott and his family have been heavily involved with and committed to supporting for years.

Continuing in the spirit of supporting the community of Little Italy and surrounding University Circle, within the next month or so they will start offering “employee discounts” for people that work in neighboring areas. Further, if you visit one of the area attractions, stop in to the restaurant on that same day to receive a special treat, too. Once these have been finalized, I’ll be sure to share the specifics. And if you’re a Foursquare user like me, there will specials for the Mayor and for each 5^th check-in, like free appetizers.

Regarding the event last night, everyone was treated to passed appetizers, then a six-course tasting of some of their favorite dishes. The menu itself has a definite slant towards gourmet comfort foods, especially pleasing this time of the year. Though I did clear each plate, there were two items I am eager to order on my next visit: the roasted beet and Mackenzie Creamery goat cheese salad (truly, I think this was my favorite dish – I am a sucker for beets) and the oxtail pierogi with Ohio City Pasta truffle-stuffed potato pieogie (a new venture for the guys at OCP). On a side note, I had the pleasure of meeting Jean Mackenzie and her partner Jim. I’ve been a fan of her cheeses for several years now but had never met her. What a truly delightful and charming couple – look for a Q&A with Jean soon!

You can view the full menu, including lunch and brunch, here. And if you happen to be in the area on Wednesdays, be sure to take advantage of the $40 deal: a bottle of wine, appetizer plus two entrees. You can learn about this plus other restaurant happenings and special offers on its Facebook page, too.

It’s that patio that I’ll miss the most. I never cared for the decor inside the restaurant so therefore only found myself at Baricelli in the summer. In fact, the only time I ever went inside was to mill around the tiny walk-in cheese cooler that housed many of my weakness.

I’m sure we all have our opinions as to why they are closing and can form our own conclusions. But for whatever the reason may be, I’ll personally miss the restaurant. Even though I only made it to Baricelli once or twice a year (wine, cheese and we’d share the Bucatini all’ Amatriciana – our standard Baricelli fare on the patio), it’s part of Little Italy’s fabric. That beautiful mansion on the hill with its exquisite grounds. Sure, they earned a reputation as a fine dining establishment and as a special occasion place that never seemed to fade, despite numerous attempts to change it. And that’s likely part of the reason behind its closing.  Nonetheless, it’s in the makeup of that neighborhood and it just doesn’t seem right that in a week it will be no more. Not to mention that that’s now two of my go-to restaurants in Little Italy that made my all time favorite pasta dish (Battuto was the other).

According to the article, Washington Place Bistro and Inn will open in its place this fall. The restaurant will not serve Italian dishes, instead it will focus on modern American comfort food. While I hate to judge a place based on one article and not knowing a thing more, I’m a bit skeptical about this new venture. Yes, I want something to go in there and would hate the thought of that beautiful structure sitting empty. But American comfort food? And based on the other establishments that the new owner, Scott Kuhn, owns, I don’t have high hopes for the food. While I am a fan of many places he operates, like 87 West, it’s for the atmosphere and wine, never the food. I consistently just find it to be average and not a main priority. Nevertheless, only time will tell and of course I’ll visit to fond out for sure – and hopefully be proven wrong.

As for Paul Minnillo and head chef Christopher Di Lisi, they have no plans to hang up their chef coats anytime soon. As Joe Crea shares in the article:

Meanwhile, the end of Baricelli doesn’t mean Clevelanders will have enjoyed their last meal from the artful hands of its skilled chefs. Minnillo is joining in the migratory pattern taken by growing numbers of the nation’s tops chefs from formal to casual.

This fall, Minnillo and partner chef Christopher Di Lisi, will open Flour at 34205 Chagrin Blvd. in Moreland Hills. Di Lisi’s wife, Krista, will serve as general manager. The 6,000-square-foot space will have an open kitchen, an expansive bar and a menu that the partner chefs describe as “moderately priced rustic Italian.” Flour will prominently feature an oversized wood-fired oven capable of baking authentic Neopolitan-style pizzas and other dishes, as well as an array of house-cured salume, antipasti, pastas and entrees.

The migration also will bring lower prices. Despite the area’s higher socioeconomic bracket, “these people are no different [in their changing eating habits], even though their homes are more expensive,” Minnillo says. “They’re going to more casual places.” The most expensive item on his new menu will be $21.”

As for the cheeses that I have grown to love, Crea shares that The Baricelli Cheese Co will live on inside the West Side Market offering more than 40 varieties from around the world in conjunction with Urban Herbs and the Cheese Shop.

Good news for cheese lovers, and despite the sad news of Baricelli’s closing, I am certainly looking forward to Flour and can see myself becoming a regular (and it’s fairly close to me!).

1. Top five spices every home cook should have? 1. Black peppercorns. They are a basic spice in which all other spices, flavors and seasonings are based off of.  2. Cinnamon. If you are baking it is a necessity and can be used in savory dishes as well.  3. Cumin Seed. I love it. I use it in almost everything I make and so should all of you!  4. Cayenne Pepper. Used in very small doses it adds a nice heat to things.  5. Fennel Seed. I love it as well – it can be used in so many different ways.

2. Favorite thing to make? It is a tie between cheesecake and pasta.  I love cheesecake because good cheesecake is very technique driven.  I hate using any fillers for structure such as flour so the process is what makes it so light and perfect, i.e. no browning, no cracking, and cooling  it properly.  Everyone who eats it says it is so light. I personally hate cheesecake and cream cheese – they are vile substances.  But I love to cook with it.  I love pasta because it is truly a labor of love; really good pasta dough gets me excited, in a completely professional manner of course!  I love working with pasta dough.

3. Least favorite thing to make? Chicken sausage.  Yesterday was the second time I made chicken sausage for our new late summer menu (Note: this q&a was originally completed in August). It came out great, in fact it is amazing the texture and seasoning is perfect but the mess is insane.  Pork sausage is no picnic either, but the chicken sausage has a knack of being just sticky and getting everywhere.  It took me two hours to clean and sanitize the mixer, grinder, ceiling, shoes, my left ear.  Just a mess.

4. If you could cook for one person who would it be? Gandhi. Hands down the easiest meal I would ever have to make.  No prep, no service, no clean up! Don’t forget to tip your server Mr. Gandhi!

5. Favorite thing about Cleveland and what drives you nuts? The Cleveland Browns are my favorite thing about Cleveland, (I know I am a glutton for punishment.)  I also love that there is so much culinary talent in this city.  We have a ton of great chefs and great independent restaurants.  The thing that drives me nuts about our great city is the abundance of chain restaurants and the perception that large portion size equals quality and good value.  Chain restaurants homogenize everything and take away the cultural and distinct influences of northeast Ohio.  I realize they serve a specific niche and do so well, but it still drives me nuts.

6. Top five songs at a dinner party? Safety dance/Men without hats. I want my guests to know how important kitchen safety is to me. Cuts like a knife/Brian Adams. I want my guests to know that my knives are sharp and truly cut like I say they do. Summertime Rolls/Janes Addiction. If I am cooking at home for others then it is summer, I am grilling, and this song rules. Redemption Song/Bob Marley. That is how I feel when all our guests beat our butt in cornhole! Red Hot Chili Peppers (any song). They are a great summer band.  You hear them you need to be doing something, why not cook and eat.

7. Favorite Cleveland Restaurant? Like I said before I feel Cleveland has an abundance of great independent restaurants all with talented chefs.  If I have to choose one though I would pick Downtown 140 in Hudson.  It is small, charming and their chef Shawn Monday can cook his butt off.  PS – my wife works there so I may be a tad bias.

8. What restaurant do I miss? Without a doubt, Dante.  I have eaten there on numerous occasions and never had a bad moment.  Chef Dante is really talented and I look forward to eating at Dante again in Tremont very soon.

9. What restaurants have Clevelanders yet to discover? I am going to cheat here.  I know they have discovered Baricelli Inn but I think it is time they rediscover it.  I know I am really bias but I am very proud of the passion, and skill that goes into every aspect of our food.  We don’t cut any corners – our kitchen is a completely scratch kitchen.  Our menu changes seven to eight times a year.  I do all pastries and desserts in-house including ice cream and sorbet.  We are really attempting to make fine dining a casual experience and not make it stuffy or take ourselves way too serious.  I want our guests to feel like we are having fun doing what we do because we are. I love it.  We are a destination restaurant for sure but we are also priced to be frequented more often than every five years.  Come in and get a glass of wine and a cheese board from our affinage, grab some cappuccino with dessert, or an app with a martini.  We are here to serve you Cleveland!

10. Last meal on earth? Thanksgiving dinner!  I am a mashed potato freak and that is the best time to eat them, plus the turkey isn’t half bad either.

11. How old were you when you started cooking and why did you decide to become a chef? I remember vividly going to my grandfather’s house and he would always be cooking either pizza, pasta, or the “sauce”.  I have probably heard grandpa is making the sauce about five thousand times in my life.  To tell you the truth, I don’t even remember if the sauce was good! My grandpa died 13 years ago, but when he made sauce it was an event.  It took 24 hours it seemed, but when it was nearing completion all his children and their families would gather waiting for the sauce and playing poker, which is where I learned pocket aces are a very good thing.  But the thing I took from that was that food was special and meant to be enjoyed by the people you enjoy being around.  My grandfather didn’t know what bruniose was or how to make hollandaise, but man could he cook, and often I would try to help him in his efforts.  So that is where the seed was planted.  Ironically enough I really decided to become a chef because I always found cooking to be relaxing and calming. Ha – that’s funny!

12. If I weren’t a chef you would be? A football coach.

13. If you could be any other chef for a day? Ferran Adria.  The way he thinks food is so interesting.  He can take someone’s perception of an ingredient and completely twist it and change every molecule of it and it still retain the essential essence of the ingredient.  He is just so good that it is truly humbling.

14. If you could visit any restaurant in the world? El Bulli, Ferran Adria’s restaurant in Spain.  Spain is now the forefront of the new avan garde movement in food.  Most of Adria’s “students” have taken up residence there and are now creating some very interesting and exciting food.  Their molecular gastronomic creations would never sell in Cleveland but I think it is good that chefs are thinking way outside the box. 

15. Favorite TV show? Househunters. I can’t explain it but that show is mesmerizing.

16. Favorite kitchen gadget? Immersion blender (me too!)

17. Favorite shortcut when cooking?  I really don’t take any shortcuts at work.  Everything we make we do the right way.  That is how I believe you are truly ready to become a head chef.  Do the right things the right way no matter who is watching or if anyone would notice otherwise.  That is the only way I know how to do this job.  Even at home I find myself not cutting too many corners. 

18. Signature dish? At Baricelli we really don’t have a signature dish.  We are constantly changing our menu based on seasons.  Our menu changes are truly comprehensive as well so we don’t have many holdovers from old menus.  My mantra is to never repeat what we have done in the past.  So I make sure we are always trying fresh ideas with seasonal ingredients.