Tavern Company

The first restaurant has been conquered on my 2013 "To Dine" list. Saturday night, "R" and I had plans to attend a wine tasting at Cedar Green Wine and Cheese (just $10, and they hosts these events often--check it out). It was a great opportunity to knock an east side restaurant off of the list-- The Tavern Company.

Located in the heart of the Cedar/Lee area, it's a great family-friendly bar serving some delicious pub food. Parking kind of stinks in that area, but we found a metered spot in one of the lots close by and hoofed it over to the restaurant. We were dining a little early (6:00PM) because of the wine tasting, so the four of us had no trouble getting a table. I did notice that we were in the more "family"-oriented section on the other side of the bar area, since there seemed to be several kids. They were noticeably absent from the other side of the restaurant. I could have done without the screaming infant next to our table, so it's worth noting.

I quickly zeroed in on the Smokey Apple sandwich with prosciutto, sliced apple, smoked mozzarella, and brie ($9).

All sandwiches and burgers are served with Tavern Fries. I requested a side of the Malt Vinegar Aioli that is served with the fries on the Side Dish section of the menu, and that was so worth it. The dipping sauce was delicious! Highly recommend.

I was drawn to the sandwich because Light Bistro has a similar one on their Lunch menu that I love. This version had the addition of crispy prosciutto, which gave it great flavor and texture. The cheese was all gooey and melty, and the bread wasn't too greasy. However, I think it could have used a few more slices of the apple. Many bites just didn't have enough apple flavor to it. Overall, I really liked it and would order it again. I think I may prefer Light Bistro's just a hair over Tavern Company's though.

Also around the table were two flatbreads, which looked fantastic, and "R" got the Pulled Short Ribs sandwich with horseradish and crispy onions ($13). The meat was very flavorful, and the bite that I had was tasty with the horseradish and onion straws. However, the sandwich was so greasy that the bottom bun was completely soggy and dripping grease all over the plate. It was unappetizing to look at, but that didn't stop "R".

I stuck to water and "R" had two beers, but the bill only came to just over $35. A cheap, and delicious, pub meal. Now, if they could only improve the beer list...

The Tavern Company
2260 Lee Road
Cleveland Heights, OH 44118
216-321-6001