The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Strong Republic
While there’s little flair for the dramatic, eatery puts on a solid dinnertime show at Playhouse Square
It was a different time — and what feels like a different world — when I first tried to dine at Republic Food + Drink before a show at Playhouse Square in Cleveland.
I can’t even recall the show, to be honest. What I do remember is I would be comically late if I wanted a table in time to make it to said show.
One pandemic later, I was not going to make that mistake before a comedy show that would be taking place a few doors down from the restaurant. Republic doesn’t take reservations when Playhouse Square has something going on, and I was told over the phone that to be safe to make the show at 7 p.m. on a Friday, 5:30 p.m. should be my targeted arrival time.
When my friend Cassandra and I arrived at Republic — and saw vacant tables galore — I wondered if I’d worried for nothing. Well, not long after we were seated at a table in the main dining room with big windows looking out onto Euclid Avenue, the tables around us filled up, as did the tables and booths
in a second narrower room around the corner and the inviting bar area.
It’s not hard to see why. Republic doesn’t do anything out of the ordinary. It doesn’t have an unusually creative menu or something that might be considered a gimmick. Instead, it serves delicious food in a classy-but-comfy atmosphere, accentuated by a hardwood floor and lots of brick.
Truth be told, I wish the menu were a bit more expansive, but I came to believe our friendly server when, upon giving out a few requested recommendations, she said that the menu is composed of a select number of dishes that Republic does really well.
She did steer me from the Dark and Stormy ($11.50) and to the Rye Old Fashioned ($12.50) when I asked for a nudge in either direction — not that I never need more of a push toward an old fashioned. Made with the unusual choice of Jack Daniel’s Rye, the drink had excellent character, and that this place’s old fashioned wasn’t too sweet, as so many establishments’ are, was a good sign.
Her service throughout the meal was solid, but, as Republic got more crowded, she wasn’t able to check on us as often as we’d like, and had to watch our water intake a bit.
Notable appetizers include Grilled Chicken Nachos ($13.49), Buffalo Cauliflower Bites ($10.99) and a delicious-sounding Brussels Sprouts ($11.99), prepared with balsamic onion, teardrop pepper, Spanish peanut and bourbon molasses.
That Cassandra’s probably entree choice came with the sprouts was reason enough to skip those, and we were pretty pleased with the Spinach + Artichoke Dip ($11.99) and Crispy Chicken Bites ($10.99).
The former was what you’d expect — a small
crock of savory and thick dip served with multicolored tortilla chips — and, while tasty, it was a bit too salty for my tastes.
The latter was what’d you’d get if the boneless wings you’d find at a sports bar were prepared by a chef. The chicken was so tender, and the maplebourbon glaze on them, enhanced by sesame seeds and scallions, was sensational.
Selecting an entree wasn’t that difficult for either of us.
Cassandra’s Grilled Salmon ($27.99) arrived with a good amount of those sprouts and she found both elements very flavorful.
The same could be said of my Shrimp + Grits ($26.99), in which a handful of plump shrimp lived in harmony with cheddar grits, chorizo, cherry tomato and scallion. This
was every bit as rich and complex as I’d hoped, and I loved every bite.
Other entrees include Airline Chicken ($22.99), C.A.B. Short Rib ($29.99) and the Classic Cheeseburger ($17.99). While the prices don’t exactly make Republic a place to find a bargain — and we should note some of the prices here are from their online menu and may be a little higher in actuality — you get quality for your money, and you’re paying in part for location.
Five desserts were available on this night, and while the Warm Brownie Sundae ($8.99), Pecan Pie ($8.99) and Root Beer Float ($6.99) and the others sounded perfectly fine, none was tempting enough that it was worth running
the risk of being too full to truly enjoy our fast-approaching show.
Driftwood Restaurants and Catering, which owns two other fine eateries in Playhouse Square, opened Republic in 2019. I might tweak this or that, but this is a show worth catching — and one that should be playing for a long while.