Moved from its east side location in University Circle,
Ninja City Kitchen and Bar has revamped the former Old City Soda space in the Gordon Square Arts District.
On Detroit Avenue, on the same block as Sweet Moses and across the "hall" from FOUNT, the space inside doesn't feel very different than its former tenant. Wide open, long bar, lots of natural light from the large windows...but now with a modern Asian cartoon flare.
My friend had asked to go here, as she was craving their
Steam Buns ($14.95 for 4) after a recent visit. You have your choice of BBQ Pulled Pork, Chicken, Tofu, Steak, or Shrimp. A $1 upcharge applies for splitting proteins. We had two Steak and two Chicken, and they were quite enjoyable.
We all quickly agreed to also share two orders of the
Spring Rolls ($4.25) with pork and veggies and a sweet garlic vinaigrette.
Several other of the "Small Bites" options were calling my name, so I decided to order the
Pork Rangoons (
pictured below) and
Chicken Wings (
Honey Wasabi sauce). They offer a
Build Your Own Bento Box option where you can mix and match the small bites to build a meal (3 for $11.95 or 4 for $14.95). We liked all of the small bites that we tried. None blew my socks off, but all were solid and I'd have no trouble ordering again.
My two friends both ordered
Ramen Noodle Soup, but I went for the
Banh Mi Sandwich ($12.95). You can select from the Classic (
braised pork belly, ham, and pate), Chicken, Tofu, Steak, or Shrimp. I went right for the
Classic. Again, solid and enjoyable, but I've had better banh mi sandwiches in AsiaTown. It comes with a side of Togarashi Fries or Tots. I had the fries, and they were nice and crispy fresh-cut fries with an interesting and heavy-handed seasoning blend.
Lastly, we all indulged in some adult beverages. I had their version of a tiki cocktail, and it was quite tasty.
It was quiet on a Monday evening, but service was attentive, the food arrived pretty quickly once we decided to order, and I enjoyed our meal. This could definitely be a family-friendly spot, and there is easy street parking or the public parking lot one block away.
Make sure you stop in to Brewnuts just down the block and across the street for dessert!
Ninja City Kitchen and Bar
6706 Detroit Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44102
(216) 862-7200
2 comments:
I don't think I realized there was a Ninja City on this side of town! I'll have to check it out. Since Bac in Tremont closed, I've been on the lookout for a sort of low-key Asian-fusion menu.
I’ll be interested to hear how you think it compares! I never went to the other location.
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