Many of the best restaurants to leave us in recent years lived in that grey area between fine-dining and neighborhood bistro. Places like Black Pig, Greenhouse Tavern and Flying Fig, for example, managed to combine compelling chef-driven food with an easy-going atmosphere that pulled diners in for regular visits.
That’s the sweet spot that partners Constantine Katsaros and Jack Messer are aiming for with Westsiders , which opens next week in Rocky River . The restaurant, set in the former home of Bomba Tacos on Detroit Road, will endeavor to bring the “downtown experience” to the near-west suburbs.
When Bomba closed in late 2023, the owners scrambled to secure the spot. They were confident that Rocky River was hungry for an independent restaurant with elevated food, a top-notch beverage program, and the type of energy that seems attainable only in or near the city center. Chef Chris Suntala, who returned home to Cleveland after a decade working in top New York City kitchens, has crafted a menu of “New American” dishes with equal parts finesse and broad appeal. The roster will be concise but flexible, with both weekly specials and seasonal adjustments.
There will be shareable starters, vegetarian-friendly dishes and hearty mains big enough to share. Black Pig fans might recognize a slow-braised pork collar entrée while vegans can enjoy grilled radicchio with beets, fennel and lentils. The chef says he’s relying on some back-of-the-house efficiencies to keep prices in check to foster regular visits.
“We want to have that energy and feel like you can be here late night and not just in a restaurant,” notes Messer. Like his counterpart behind the swinging door, Bender says that tricks of the trade behind the stick will lead to savings – and, ideally, more rounds – on this side of the bar.
Jack Messer Westsiders Rocky River Landmark Smokehouse Openings Closings
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