Casual Class

Steve Schimoler goes heavy on taste, light on formality at Crop Bistro

Crop Bistro & Bar (1400 W. Sixth St., 216.696.2767; cropbistro.com) is the new kid on the block in Cleveland’s dining scene. Chef Steve Schimoler and his wife, Jackie, opened the restaurant in the city’s Warehouse District in June 2007, and word has spread quickly that something interesting is happening here. The most familiar dishes — roast chicken, macaroni and cheese, ribs, and even mashed potatoes — are over-the-top delicious. But Schimoler’s approach to cuisine is deceptively subtle.

He doesn’t go in for flash on the plate, and there’s no mention of gastriques and confits on his menu. While some trendier items — lamb sliders, polenta croutons, and mushroom compote — are on offer, Schimoler favors less pretentious chow: shrimp and biscuits, brisket, roasted beets, and home-fry pie. “My operating philosophy,” the chef explains, “is underpromise, overdeliver.”

Schimoler calls his food inventive American fare. What separates it from the creative contemporary cuisine served elsewhere is the level of ingenuity and innovation behind what seem to be simple preparations. A seasoned veteran, Schimoler has owned numerous successful restaurants in other parts of the country, among them the Mist Grill, which became one of Vermont’s most celebrated dining destinations. Surprisingly, he has no formal culinary training. What Schimoler — who has a parallel career as a food industry consultant and product developer — brings to the table is an extensive knowledge of the science of cooking and the physiology of eating, what happens when specific ingredients and textures hit the tongue. That allows him to push every dish, from salads and salmon to steaks and cheesecake, to the wow level.

Meltingly moist and tender braised pork belly starts with a spin in a vacuum tumbler. The countertop machine creates a negative-pressure environment that allows virtually every drop of the marinating liquid to be absorbed. Big, attention-grabbing flavors characterize the frothy lobster lattes, the bright, citrus-forward orange vinaigrette on the roasted beet salad, and the homemade peanut butter ice cream. Schimoler engineers these effects by substituting kitchen chemistry for butter, oil, and cream, which he says coat the palate and make it harder to actually taste things. Since he’s able to cut back on the use of fats, salt, and sugar without sacrificing any of the yum factor, everything Schimoler serves has the added benefit of being relatively healthy.

The space at Crop is nicely appointed, but there’s none of the formality that often defines fine dining. Staff members wear T-shirts, and guests are welcome to do the same. In good weather there’s sidewalk seating, and the restaurant’s chef’s whim, prix fixe Sunday Suppers are always a good deal. For those who like a little music with their late-night nachos and po’ boys, Schimoler hosts jam sessions Fridays from 10:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. “Going out to eat,” the chef says, “should always be fun.”

Getting There: Continental’s hub in Cleveland offers nonstop service to more than
70 destinations.

1

Dante, 8001 Rockside Road, Valley View, 216.524.9404. Chef Dante Boccuzzi favors classically driven dishes defined by unexpected and adventurous combinations with an Asian flair.

2

Fahrenheit, 2417 Professor Ave., 216.781.8858. Have a wild mushroom pizza or a four-course meal at Rocco Whalen’s sexy, something-for-everyone Tremont hangout.

3

Table 45, InterContinental Hotel, 9801 Carnegie Ave., 216.707.4045. Zack Bruell’s inventive cross-cultural food features the flavors of South America, North Africa, Europe, and Asia. For a quick midday meal, try the four-course express lunch served on a single plate.

4

Sasa Matsu, 13120 Shaker Square, 216.767.1111. Chef Scott Kim serves izakaya, the Japanese version of tapas, at his stylish new Asian bistro. Beef tenderloin is cooked tableside on a hot stone.

5

Three Birds, 18515 Detroit Road, Lakewood, 216.221.3500. Sit on a gorgeous patio under the stars and enjoy a seasonal menu of creative contemporary American food. — L.T.

Cooks all over the country fry chicken, but not everyone can make the real crisp-on-the-outside, moist-on-the-inside Southern-fried version. John T. Edge, author of Fried Chicken: An American Story, and Nathalie Dupree, who wrote New Southern Cooking, share a few great spots for forking up this down-home favorite.

Watershed, Decatur, Ga. James Beard award winner Scott Peacock brines his birds and gives them a buttermilk bath before they hit the pan at this suburban Atlanta restaurant. 406 West Ponce De Leon Ave., 404.378.4900.

Hominy Grill, Charleston, S.C. Crowds flock here for pan-fried chicken dressed in country ham cream gravy. Chef Robert Stehling says diners never leave anything on the plate except the bones. 207 Rutledge Ave., 843.937.0930.

Julep, Jackson, Miss. Order a piece or a half chicken. It’ll be finished with a toss in a honey rosemary glaze, and served with potatoes and green beans. 1305 E. Northside Drive, 601.362.1411. — L.T.