I had the pleasure of dining at Luxe Kitchen & Lounge, Marlin Kaplan's newest creation on Saturday night. This hip new hot spot on Detriot Avenue was hopping, and as soon as the food arrived- we knew why.
We started the meal with the Pesto Board, which included Sun-dried tomato, Three Cheese, and Basil and Spinach pestos served with fresh grilled bread and crackers. The Basil and Spinach pesto was a perfect balance of an old classic, but the real shining point of the board was the Three Cheese Pesto. So innovative and original! The breads were thick, soft, and lightly grilled- yum! Our table then feasted on Five Cheese Mac w/ Wagon Wheels (Fontina, Asiago, Cheddar, Gouda and Parmesan), Angel Hair with Romano Crusted Chicken Breast and Marinara, the Luxe "Grinder" and the hanger steak special. The Mac & Cheese was delicious and hearty, although the pasta was a little overcooked. The highlight of that dish was the side of spinach with lemon. The fresh spinach was blanched and served with lemon juice, grilled red onion and garlic. This is one dish that I am going to try to recreate at home! The Chicken Breast was pounded and then lightly breaded and coated with Romano cheese. It was moist and flavorful, but the Marinara sauce left something to be desired.
All in all, it was a wonderful meal and reasonably priced compared to Marlin's other restaurant- One Walnut. Two of the best meals I have had in Cleveland were at One Walnut, but Luxe is the less expensive way to sample Kaplan's talent in the kitchen. There was no sign of a recession in this place, and it's easy to see why!
Luxe Kitchen & Lounge
6605 Detroit Ave.
Cleveland, OH 44102
(216) 916-8732
1 comments:
Just a note---- One Walnut has now closed.
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