Someday… Until then, we recently discovered a small cafe that loosely mirrors our lottery spend, at least in terms of the atmosphere we’d hope to create: Lemon Falls in Chagrin Falls.

You walk into Lemon Falls and you’re almost surprised that this place is new as it fits so perfectly into the Village. The tiny space, which seats 20-ish, is part specialty market, part scratch, locally-sourced cafe and part gourmet to-go eats (with fantastic coffee and pastries in between).

This is just the type of place we like to support. And have four times already. Hands-down the must-try dish is the short rib sandwich with Gruyere served on a pie tin. It’s ridiculously flavorful, tender and keeps bringing us back. Natalie has been all over the deluxe grilled cheese and I’m working my way through the nicely-sized salads.  For brunch, the tortilla wrap won’t disappoint and while it’s normally something that isn’t often called out, the yogurt parfait with granola, seasonal fruit and nuts (and paired with a cappuccino)  put smiles on all three of us. I’m not sure what spices were added to that yogurt, but they really made  it a standout item.

The space is just as great as the food. Fresh, cheerful and inviting with ’40s music, a personal favorite, playing above. There’s a giant chalk board donning the numerous selections and a small window bar to watch the passers-by.

It’s the quintessential Chagrin Falls eatery and I’m hooked. That is, until I win the lottery and open up the competition…

And now, we’re actively supporting the latest Ohio Jeni’s, which opened in mid April. But truthfully, regardless of where they would have opened, we’d be regulars there. Because the ice cream is just that good. It’s nice to finally experience the store first-hand, and not just take-home pints of goodness or at a handful of area restaurants.

The store, which is situated right next to Starbucks, is how I pictured it to be: clean, airy, simple and overall, nicely done. There’s a highly coveted window bar for people watching, several glass milk bottle lights dangling over the premium ice cream flavors, which are proudly displayed on the giant chalk board, good reuse of some materials, like the church pews for indoor seating, wood block tiles covering the sundae bar, which is overseen by the manager in her fun, retro uniform.

We’ve been there least a dozen times (I’m pregnant, don’t judge) and I’m quite partial to mixing the Meyer lemon and black coffee in the delicious homemade waffle cone. These two flavors together are simply fantastic.

I know there are some people who question the price tag ($10 per pint or $4 for the cone I just described). But there’s local goodness in every scoop – literally. You really are supporting Ohio farmers and Ohio purveyors with each purchase, and you’re getting an exceptionally good quality, tasting product for your money. I often tell people that you’d pay $10 for a glass of wine at dinner without thinking twice, so what’s the difference? For me personally, this is money well spent – and well worth it. I’d rather pay this than save a dollar or two for a mediocre product.

Sure, we’ll still visit the Popcorn Shop (or other like places) every now and then (but I’m still holding a grudge against them for taking away my beloved lemon yogurt several years back) because sometimes, I just want mint chocolate chip – still one of my all-time favorite ice cream flavors. But the majority of our ice cream treats will come from Jeni’s. She won me over with her goat cheese and cherry a few years back and have been devoted fans since.

Burntwood Tavern in Chagrin Falls has all the makings to become that restaurant for us. Granted, we have only been twice so far, but from our initial visit – before we even ordered -  we knew we’d be  back several times over.

The restaurant itself is small, but boasts a  mighty big atmosphere. The owner, Bret Adams, spent several months completely transforming this space (his first restaurant, though he has been working in restaurants since he was a teenager) into a cozy rustic-chic cabin you might find out west (he worked with Chris Kalinyak at Processed Art). I can’t say enough good things about this space – they really did a tremendous job with it. It’s especially ideal this time of the year (and even more so as it starts to…snow).

Our initial visit was on behalf of Metromix. Here’s part of the review or you can read the full story here.

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Restaurants continue to pop up in Chagrin Falls, with the latest just up the road from Main Street, though just as quaint and charming as the heart of the village. Burntwood Tavern, the rustic chic restaurant that opened in the former Chag-Town space, will no doubt become a favorite among locals and visitors alike.

Food: As the name implies, Burntwood Tavern serves bar food—upscale bar food to be exact. The menu, created by chef Ryan Scanlon (most recently with Olivor Twist in Willoughby), is comprised into hearty starters, salads and sandwiches—all reasonably-priced.

On our visit, we started off with the calamari with cherry peppers and pomodoro sauce ($9), a house specialty, and beer-battered fish sticks with jalapeño tartar sauce ($7). The calamari was nice, but nothing particularly special about this dish versus similar offerings at just about any other restaurant. The fish sticks on the other hand, quickly became the table’s favorite. Nicely-sized, crunchy and quite flavorful, this take on a childhood favorite is the perfect starter (though it’s large enough to be a main course, too). We can only assume the fish sandwich and fish and chips dinner platter are just as good and therefore can see Burntwood become a go-to during fish fry season.

For dinner, the smoked prime rib tavern dip sandwich with au jus, Swiss cheese, horseradish sauce and fries ($10) caught our eye plus the cedar planked salmon with roasted tomato vinaigrette, sugar snap peas and blistered asparagus ($18).

Generous portions continue with these two dishes. The hearty sandwich was tender and quite satisfying. The salmon was also enjoyable, though a little shy on seasoning, (mostly missed was a little kosher salt). The two sides were cooked beautifully, particularly the sugar snap peas, and in fact gone before the salmon.

Rounding out the menu are a couple pastas, roasted chicken, New York strip, smoked pork chops and even a brinner option (breakfast for dinner) of eggs, bacon and hash browns.

Libations: The wine list is small but mighty (13 whites, 14 reds). And the best part—all options are available by the glass as well as bottle. If you’re partial to full-bodied reds, we recommend a glass of the Sketchbook cabernet ($12 glass/$42 bottle).

The restaurant owner, Bret Adams, and chef, infuse all their own vodka (they make all their own pickles and vinegars, too). You can try any number of the vodkas off their fun cocktail menu, like the Jack & Jill with muddled blueberries, lemon and blueberry vodka, or Pear of Cucs with pear vodka, lime and cucumber slices. Or try something different like a twist on a classic with AJ’s Rumrunner, black cherry rum, pineapple juice and a splash of coconut milk.

Décor: A major 18 week-plus renovation took place to transform this restaurant. You can tell a lot of heart and time went into this space. From the outside in, you feel like you’re hanging out in a rustic lodge somewhere out west. Amish barns were taken apart and used for everything from the entrance doors, to framing the mirrors, floors, the bar and ceiling beams giving the place a nice weathered look. The bar area features a large stone fireplace and small seating area for pre-and-post dinner drinks. The low ceiling in the main dining room makes for an intimate and cozy dining experience. Weather permitting, there’s a small patio out front with oversized chairs and couches. Our only complaint with this incredibly well-done space is the small parking lot that surrounds it (which can cause potential parking issues during peak hours).

Little Italy. Home of The Feast, cannoli’s and one Italian restaurant after another. Until mid November that is, when Washington Place Bistro & Inn will take over the space that once house the beloved Baricelli Inn.

Well, I’ve been thinking it at least and that’s exactly what I asked Scott Kuhn when we sat down for (a wonderful and flavorful) dinner at Dante earlier this week. Kuhn is the proprietor of 87 West at Crocker Park, The Welschfield Inn, The Allegheny Grille in PA and now Washington Place.

“I’m not Italian, so I don’t want to open something or do something that I’m not,” explains Kuhn. Though Kuhn, a culinary graduate, did share that he spent a month in Tuscany making pasta and toying with the idea before ultimately deciding it wouldn’t be right.

In high school, Kuhn was a competitive athlete (we actually attended the same school). But in college, a serious accident left him with a broken back and left this former athlete barely able to walk. During his near two-year road to recovery, he realized that he wanted to spend his life doing something he loved – and he always had a serious love for food.

So he decided not to go back to The University of Alabama and instead pursued the culinary program at The University of Akron then a business degree from Malone. Upon graduation, he bought his first restaurant, The Allegheny Grille, surrounded by canoes, kayaks and 200+ motorcycles on any given Sunday. A restaurant he still owns today. A small stake in Gamekeeper’s Tavern and 87 West in Chagrin Falls followed (he is no longer involved in these places).

“I don’t know that there’s a person out there that loves what they do more than me,” says Kuhn.

Kuhn acknowledges that his other restaurants aren’t in iconic locations or not necessarily coveted by foodies, of which he says still only make up a small percentage of people dining out.

“I know when this (Washington Bistro) opens, it’s going to be different,” he says. “There’s going to be this unspoken pressure. I think variety is good and that people will really like this place – foodies will like this place.” Kuhn, a foodie himself, claims that his newest venture cwill go toe to toe with places like Dante. And when Paul Minnillo came to him about buying Baricelli, he knew this was his opportunity to open his dream restaurant.

Helping him appease those foodies will be chef Jonathon Guest, who runs his kitchen at Crocker Park. And as Kuhn says, is not being used to his fullest potential. The menu, which will be priced at $14 – $26 for dinner (they will also be open for lunch and Sunday brunch) features a lot of grown-up American classics. Here’s a sampling of the menu (starters and entrees):

• roasted tomato soup – roasted tomato/ garlic/ grilled cheese crouton/ EVOO 6
• roasted cauliflower bisque / double cream/ Maytag blue/ balsamic gastrique 6
• Washington Place salad – fried green tomato / lump crab/ avocado/ chefs garden greens 11
• roasted beet salad – Mackenzie Creamery goat cheese/ marcona almonds/ vinaigrette 11
• field greens salad / chefs garden greens / dried cherries/ sunflower seeds / vinaigrette 12
• crispy calamari – garlic/ cilantro/ fresno peppers/ chili vinegar dipping sauce 10
• bacon and eggs – fresh bacon/ deep fried egg/ potato hash 9
• shrimp and grits- low country/ scampi/ barbecue drizzle/ leek 12
• oxtail pierogies- braised oxtail/ fennel/ shallot/ chives/ big red reduction 12
• fresh fries- house cut/ salt & pepper/ chives/ malt vinegar aioli 7
• dayboat scallops – butternut squash risotto/ beurre blanc/ micro greens 22
• seared salmon – cauliflower gratin/ oyster mushrooms/ micro greens 18
• pasta – braised oxtail/ oyster mushrooms/ shallots/ carrot/ grated parmesan 14/19
• mack n cheese – Mackenzie Creamery/ manchengo/ parmesan / chorizo/ strudel 14/19
• braised pot roast-chefs garden root vegetables/ garlic mashers/ big red reduction 18
• veal meatloaf-oyster mushrooms/ white cheddar mashers/ roasted tomato gravy 17
• pork rib chop-white cheddar and scallion spoonbread/ braised spinach/ apple cider demi 23
• roasted vegetable napoleon – eggplant/ tomato/ yellow squash/ red onion / balsamic 16
• chicken thigh confit- spoonbread/ braised spinach/ pan gravy/ micro greens 16
• Washington burger- white cheddar/ grilled red onion/ roasted garlic aioli/ fresh fries 11
• hanger steak- balsamic red onions/ seared mushrooms/ fresh fries/ blue cheese butter sauce 18
• 14 oz. Delmonico – Maytag mashers/ asparagus/ oscar 26/29

The menu will also feature Baricelli cheeses plus other local items, from meat to produce when possible.

As for the décor and space itself, Kuhn is conscientious of the stigma that followed his predecessor and wants to get as far away from that as possible. He put a lot of money and time into getting the space right, which will still feature seven fully redone guest rooms ($149 – $169 a night). He says it will be warm and inviting and formal enough for a special night out, but casual and relaxing to accommodate nearby students and the after work crowd.

So what’s in a name? Scott Kuhn’s grandpa died in 1992 and they were incredibly close. Kuhn shared that as he gets older, it’s harder and harder to picture him – except when he makes his grandfather’s potato salad. Then he can clearly see him. His grandpa loved this country and US history. So when he was thinking about this concept, Washington kept popping up and he knew his grandpa would appreciate it.

Look for Washington Place to open in mid November.

What’s Next

With the doors of his Little Italy venture not quite ready to open; Kuhn is already thinking of his next project: a mix use office/retail/restaurant/micro brewery in Chagrin Falls that will sit on a former paper mill that has been vacant for roughly 25 years (Kuhn will own the restaurant). This project is called The Spillway. Aside from Kuhn, Tim Conway, a former Falls resident, will also play a role. According to Kuhn, this area houses the most breathtaking view in town – there’s nothing like it in Cleveland he adds. You can partially see the waterfalls it will overlook if you drive up Mill Rd past the Chagrin Falls library.

He says the concept for the restaurant will be an upscale sports bar and very family centric with a giant outdoor kitchen. Kuhn says he likes to fill niches where he feels there’s vacancy and believes there’s a need for a fun place with lots of energy in Chagrin Falls.

The Spillway, which will be a certified LEED project (so it’s plenty green), is still a good 12 – 18 months away. And if you have driven by the area, I think it’s probably safe to add a few months to that.

Umami is the ultra tiny restaurant in the heart of Chagrin Falls. I first wrote about them last June when Michael Longo was chef. It’s close to my house and office, so we found ourselves there often. I was impressed – with the food and space. You see, for as much as I like the Falls, food options are ho hum at best.

Then Longo left for whatever reason. I went twice more post his departure and was disappointed (all restaurants have bad days, which is why I went twice – I’ll forgive anyone for a bad day). It’s not that it  was a horrible experience by any means, it just wasn’t nearly as good. They were the same dishes, but fell short of when I’d previously tried them. So I stopped going.

About six weeks ago Umami made its way back on the rotation, both for lunch during the week and dinner. It started with Jamie. He went back  few times with coworkers and was happy. Then I talked to friends that had a recent positive experience so I figured I’d return and see for myself. The new chef, Matthew Anderson, apparently changed up the menu and instead of cooking what he inherited, created a menu filled with contemporary Asian dishes he wanted to make, dishes that represented his style.

I can’t quite say that I love it, but I think it’s really, really good (highly recommend the udon noodles with spicy beef), and if they continue to improve as they have been, no doubt I’ll be saying the L word soon. 

But here is what I do love – the service. Truly, I cannot say enough good things about the staff and even the chef, who I don’t believe reads or is even aware of CF (not that that matters or means anything), but we have been there at least four time in the past month and are really impressed by their passion, friendliness and willingness to go that extra step to make it a positive dining experience.

Case in point – today’s lunch/dinner. I just got back in town from Chicago and we were hungry. We headed to Umami for a quick bite, walked in and were told they don’t open until 5 (it was 3:30). No problem. But the server asked us to hold on, talked to the chef then came back and told us to have a seat. He said as long as we didn’t want sushi, we could stay. We felt bad and said that’s not necessary, but they insisted and said it’s no problem at all. So we hooked up Natalie’s toddler seat and ordered away. On a previous visit, the server asked what he could get my daughter and I said she’ll just eat some of my dish. The server said not to worry, he’ll have the chef make her something special. A few minutes later he came out with a super tasty chicken stir-fry of sorts that she inhaled. These little things go a long way, especially when Natalie is involved. And I swear, Umami has become her favorite as of late – she totally flirts with the server and likes that she has a direct view into the kitchen where she watches the chef (her favorite pastime). The chopsticks are right up her alley, too.