October 3, 2008
Ken Stewart's Grille
1970 West Market St.
Akron, OH 44312
The Setup: It was my Step-Sister's birthday and my Mom and Step-Dad wanted to take her somewhere special. Now, I love my hometown but as far as upscale restaurants go, Akron's choices are somewhat limited. Ken Stewart's Grille is probably the most well known of the "fancy" restaurants, and has been a west Akron staple since 1990. Before opening Ken Stewart's Grille, Ken Stewart himself began his journey into the restaurant business working at The Brown Derby (also an Akron staple) under Gus Girves - a start which would put anyone in a great position to succeed in the business! After celebrating 11 successful years of Ken Stewart's Grille, Stewart opened a second Akron restaurant - Ken Stewart's Lodge. Today, however, I am reviewing the original Ken Stewart's Grille.
The Experience: Like I said before, Ken Stewart's Grille is an Akron staple. We had a 5:30 reservation on a Friday night which is a great time to go if you want to avoid the crowds. When we arrived there were only 3 to 4 other tables occupied, but by the time we left at 7:00 it was packed. Making a reservation is a must! Our waitress was great, and very knowledgeable about all of the daily specials. Not only did they have dinner specials, but appetizer specials as well. The atmosphere in Ken Stewart's is unique. The walls are filled with western style paintings, most of which depict the same cartoonish cowboy character in different settings. Not my personal taste, but somehow it works within the space. The only annoying thing about our dining experience was the fact that the lights kept dimming and raising periodically throughout the night.
The Food: Between the four of us - my Mom, Step-Dad, Step-Sister and myself - we ordered 3 appetizers: Fried Pickles with Chipotle Aiole, Baked Brie with Raspberry and Apricot Preserves and King Crab Leg Cocktail (see photo above for the presentation of the King Crab). We all thoroughly enjoyed each of the appetizers and were surprised at how fresh the crab legs were and how much meat was actually in them!
As an entree, Tara went with the Seared Sea Scallops which were too fishy tasting for any of our liking, and a disappointment in comparison with the crab legs.
Mom and Gene opted for the Sliced 32 oz. Porterhouse for Two. Not only did it fill them up with some to spare, but they were even able to take home the bone in a true "doggy bag" to our miniature schnauzer Maggie!
As for me, I started with a glass of Ruffino Chiante ($7.95). For my entree I went with an appetizer - 2 bone Lamb Rack with Arugula and a South American Pepper Sauce (market price $18.95) and a side dish of a Stuffed Potato ($6.95). I have to say my favorite part of the meal was the potato! It was rich and creamy, and had amazing flavor. The lamb was tender and cooked perfectly, but it lacked the flavor I had hoped for. Also, in my opinion it was way overpriced for the portion!
The Verdict: B- Getting dressed up and spending a nice evening out with the family was definitely a nice treat! The service at Ken Stewart's was great, as was most of the food. I'm not a person who has a problem paying a high price for food in a nice restaurant when I know I'm getting exceptional quality and a fitting portion, but I don't think the prices at Ken Stewart's fit those guidelines at all (with the exception of the Porterhouse for Two). At the end of the day, though, we Akronites love our food and we love our city, and that means we will continue to support Ken Stewart's and our other local restaurants -- when our pocketbooks allow!
