Diverse menu comes together nicely at Romanini's
Ron Romanini is nothing if not well-traveled. His career as a chef has included such exotic stops as Japan, Mexico, Arizona, Bermuda and Willoughby. (OK, Willoughby might not be that exotic, but the restaurant he worked for there -- Gavi's -- featured terrific Italian fare during Romanini's stint as executive chef.)
Now, his career has come full circle. On New Year's Eve, he opened Romanini's in Aurora, his first venture as an owner. The globetrotting 1986 Culinary Institute of America grad has settled about 10 minutes down Ohio 43 from his hometown, Solon.
Romanini's menu reflects the wide range of cuisines he has spent his life preparing. Small plate and entr e menus both are broken down into Asian, Southwestern and Italian sections. A first-time visitor might find the diversity an odd coupling. But there are threads that tie the menu together.
Take the three clams and mussels small plates (each priced at $12). The Asian version featured fermented black beans, garlic, ginger, soy, rice wine vinegar and cilantro. The Italian plate included prosciutto, garlic, chardonnay and tomato. We opted for the Southwestern version, steamed in Corona beer with jalapenos, garlic, tomato and fresh cilantro, topped with crunchy, multicolored fried tortilla strips. The version was excellent, with a silky broth and fresh, plump and briny clams and mussels. There wasn't much pepper bite, but no one was complaining.
As a whole, the menu delivers a nice variety of meats, poultry, seafood and a handful of vegetarian dishes.
Risotto Surf-n-Turf ($9) was a whimsical small plate that delivered big flavors. Creamy-chewy risotto is mixed with loads of shredded veal osso bucco. The "surf" tops the dish: a large shrimp expertly stuffed with a golden brown puff of crab mousse.
I was ready to try the Asian salmon entree until our server described a salmon special for $22 that caught our attention. A large portion of fresh salmon was cooked perfectly -- extra moist and medium in the center -- topped with a thin, crisp chardonnay-saffron glaze/lacquer. Meza Rigatoni Bolognese ($17) was another big hit. I would call the sauce more of a rich, red ragu than a Bolognese, but that's nitpicking. Beef short ribs were nearly dissolved in the slow-cooked sauce, giving up all their flavor. Hot Italian sausage crumbles rounded out the sauce.
A poultry small plate off the Asian menu -- Duck Udon ($7) --was one of the few disappointments. The udon noodles were tender yet substantial. A garlicky broth was subtle and yummy. But rehydrated mushrooms were rubbery and the duck confit a little chewy and not very flavorful. And a roasted red pepper Caesar salad came out too vinegary one time, then creamy but overdressed another.
Romanini plans some changes in the menu, probably by the time this review comes out, to include some lighter fare and grilled fish. An expansive deck above a lake behind the restaurant also will be completed soon. On our two visits, Romanini's showed it can deliver a lot of quality and value. It sounds like more is on the way.
Bob Migra is a free-lance writer in Westlake.
TASTE BITES
Romanini's
Where: 238 East Garfield Road (Ohio 82), Aurora.
Contact: 330-562-1205; romani nis.com.
Hours: 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday-Saturday.
Prices: Lunch, $6 to $12. Dinner small plates, $6 to $12. Soups and salads, $7-$8; entrees and pastas, $16-$30.
Reservations: Yes.
Credit cards: All major cards accepted.
Kid friendliness: Kids' menu available.
Cuisine: Asian, Southwestern and Ital ian.
Bar: Full bar.
Accessibility: Fully accessible.
Grade: * * *.
Ratings are based on a scale of zero to four stars. (One star means fair; 2 stars, good; 3 stars, very good; 4 stars, exceptional. Zero stars (NR): Not Rec ommended.) Each rating should be measured against comparable restau rants. Plain Dealer reviewers make at least two anonymous visits to each restaurant and do not accept compliemmentary meals.
Meza Rigatoni Bolognese with short ribs and Italian Sausage at Romanini's in Aurora.