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Tag: Zack Ladner

  • Paloma at Van Aken District to Briefly Close to Usher in an ‘Evolution of the Concept’

    Paloma at Van Aken District to Briefly Close to Usher in an ‘Evolution of the Concept’

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    Douglas Trattner

    Paloma to briefly close to usher in some changes to space and menu.

    Zach and Alyssa Ladner – along with partner Carl Quagliata – opened Paloma two years ago at Van Aken District in Shaker Heights. Now, after earning a reputation as a casual but chef-driven taco restaurant, the team is preparing to make a shift. On September 14th, the restaurant will close its doors for 10 days to usher in changes both to space and menu. The goal is to elevate the entire experience, says Zach.

    “We’re looking at this as more of an evolution of the concept,” the chef explains. “We’re taking what we have and we’re building on it. We want to grow beyond just being thought of as a place to go to get really good tacos.”

    Much of the motivation for the changes, adds Ladner, stems from the roster of talent that he feels is being underutilized. The goal is to give people like chef de cuisine Kytana Bradley – a 13-year veteran – more room to showcase her range.

    “We have a really great staff with a lot of talent – and I want to let these people shine,” Ladner says. “I want to allow them more freedom to express themselves.”

    Already, guests have been experiencing as nightly specials some of the new dishes, which retain their Latin roots while aiming for higher culinary ground. The tacos will remain, albeit sequestered to the bar menu, replaced in the dining room by new small plates and entrees, many of which are vegetarian.

    Some of the new items include trumpet mushrooms with salsa macha and toasted pumpkin seeds, smoked cauliflower “burnt ends” with fig-chipotle BBQ sauce, Alaskan black cod in banana leaves with annatto and orange, smoked lamb shank with salsa verde, and shrimp Diablo with chorizo, chilies and lime. There will also be a handful of steaks from sister business The Village Butcher.

    To facilitate these changes, a partition separating the bar and dining room will be installed. The dining room will be upgraded with new furniture and a private dining room. A new wine and cocktail list will also debut upon reopening.

    Guests who visit after the reopening will discover a new “guacamole bar,” a station dedicated to crafting “the best guac in Cleveland.” The made-to-order guacamole will be served with salsa rojo and housemade chips. Add-ons like blue cheese and jalapeno bacon, charred zucchini, Maine lobster and smoked brisket will be available.

    “I like doing things that help make an experience more memorable for a guest – but memorable in a way that is meaningful and not fake or gimmicky,” says Ladner.

    Paloma will reopen Sept. 24th.

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    Douglas Trattner

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  • Chefs Quagliata and Ladner to Open Fast-Casual BBQ Spot Next Door to Village Butcher in Mayfield

    Chefs Quagliata and Ladner to Open Fast-Casual BBQ Spot Next Door to Village Butcher in Mayfield

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    Courtesy Zack Ladner

    Zack Ladner (left) with Carl Quagliata.

    Carl Quagliata and Zack Ladner opened the doors to The Village Butcher (818 S.O.M. Center Rd., 440-565-7330) in Mayfield nearly two years ago. The neighborhood butcher shop has quickly become a destination for shoppers in search of imported pantry items, deli meats and cheeses, high-quality steaks and chops, and built-to-order sandwiches.

    When the adjacent storefront came on the market a year ago, the owners decided to grab it, not knowing what plans they ultimately would have for it, explains Ladner.

    “We knew that we wanted to expand our production space at the butcher shop, but we also wanted to have another storefront that was related to the butcher shop in some way,” he says.

    The plans for the space came into focus this past winter after Quagliata and Ladner decided to close Smokin’ Q’s BBQ in Mayfield and replace it with Cuoco Bello (718 SOM Ctr. Rd., 440-646-0429), a homestyle Italian eatery. Given the soaring cost of food and labor, a full-service barbecue restaurant made less and less financial sense, Ladner noted at the time.

    What does make financial sense, says Ladner, is counter-service barbecue. The meat-focused concept also happens to pair nicely with the butcher shop next door.

    Ladner describes the forthcoming restaurant as “stripped down, bare bones, traditional Texas barbecue.” Unlike at Smokin’ Q’s, the smoked meats will be sold by the pound only and not in sandwiches, tacos or nachos. Like Smokin’ Q’s, the meats will be smoked over 100-percent hardwood. Guests can expect a roster of meats that includes brisket, pulled pork, ribs, burnt ends, turkey, sausage and chicken.

    The meats will be carved to order and served traditionally, with sliced white bread, pickles and onions. The sides and sauces will be classic but tweaked.

    “I think that’s more of what people want when they want barbecue,” Ladner says. “They want to walk up and see you carving the meats. I think it adds to the experience, but also, from a cost point of view, it’s significantly less expensive to operate like that. We want to keep it very simple and very straightforward. We want it to be fast and as affordable as we can.”

    Ladner says that he and Quagliata have been hosting weekly BBQ pop-ups at the butcher shop and the food has been selling out in under two hours.

    “There’s been a lot of excitement with it from our customers who come to the butcher shop,” he reports. “We’re excited, we’re looking forward to it and I think the community in Mayfield village is excited for it too.”

    The owners are aiming for a mid-summer opening.

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    Douglas Trattner

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