Dining at Deagan's Kitchen

About a month ago (yes, I am such a blogger-slacker sometimes), "R" and I finally made our maiden voyage to Deagan's Kitchen & Bar in Lakewood. It was an unscheduled trip, but we happen to be in the area one evening so we decided to stop in for dinner. Since opening, Deagan's has made quite a splash and the "buzz" around the restaurant has led to some long waits from what I've heard. It was a Monday night when we stopped in, so I figured that if we were going to give it a try- then this was probably a good night to do so (historically being slow in the restaurant industry).

There was convenient parking behind the restaurant, and the back entrance led us right to a hostess stand so we were quickly greeted and seated (hehe, that rhymed). We slid into a booth along one wall, which gave us a great view of the main dining room and the bar area. I instantly felt comfortable in the setting, and loved the atmosphere that they have created. Something that jumped out at me right away was that each of the chairs at the tables in the main dining room were different. It created a funky vibe, and reminded me of the mis-matched coffee mugs at Grumpy's Cafe in Tremont.

There was lots of food consumed during this meal (you know, "research" purposes), so let me get on with it...

We each started with an order of the Deviled Eggs (since it is really one egg) with lake erie goat cheese and english mustard ($3).
The strong mustard flavor dominated the dish a bit too much, but at the end of the day a deviled egg is a deviled egg- and I love deviled eggs.

Next up, we decided to share three small plates: Sesame Crusted Calamari with three sauces and scallions ($8), Spicy Shrimp Tacos with avocado, corn, white cheddar and micro cilantro ($9), and Peking Duck Confit Mac -n- Cheese with roasted shallots, mahon cheese and english peas ($8).
The shrimp tacos were easily our favorite, and really reminded me that we need to get to Deagan's for their Taco Tuesday celebration. The fresh cilantro and (I'm assuming) house-made guacamole both added such a freshness and "clean" flavor to the dish. We both really enjoyed the tacos and they left us wanting more. The mac and cheese was the weakest of the meal, with not as much punch in the cheese flavor as I was hoping for, but it was still a solid dish that will not disappoint many. The calamari fell somewhere in the middle. It arrived with all three sauces drizzled over top, which I was not expecting, but they all worked well together and each bite was slightly unique. Really, all four dishes were solid and ones that I would eat again. But not before trying several others off their menu!

Overall, they are doing a fantastic job at providing a casual, yet upscale, bar atmosphere while still being family-friendly, and they are nailing the food preparation from what I can tell. I think this establishment is here to stay.

Deagan's Kitchen & Bar
14810 Detroit Avenue
Lakewood, Ohio 44107
216.767.5775