Akron Life May 2023

+ 4 Restaurants to Try Blue Door Cafe & Bakery The beloved brunch institution recently launched an upscale dinner service from new executive chef Alejandro Najar, who finished third place on Gordon Ramsey’s “Hell’s Kitchen” TV competition. The small plates dinner menu takes you out of your comfort zone with spreadable Calabrian chili duck nduja, citrus honey and house pickles on sour dough or grilled oysters with creme fraiche, crispy chicken skin, fermented hot sauce and pickled celery. Or opt to order from its exqui site brunch classics lineup featuring its incred ible French-inspired fresh-baked items includ ing a heavenly flaky croissant that becomes a Croque Madame sandwich. 1970 State Road, bluedoorcafebakery.com Butcher & Sprout Eat clean gastropub fare in a fun atmosphere with sports on TVs, board games on tables and seating on the breezy patio. The menu is heavy on meats and locally sourced, organic ingredients in dishes like the surf and turf burger, an 8-ounce beef patty, a succulent siz able piece of lobster, arugula and lemon aioli or tender beef brisket braised in a smoked Guinness demi-glace. The casual spot is fam ily-friendly with a kids’ menu of grilled pea nut butter and jelly and other staples. 1846 Front St., butcherandsprout.com Crave Cantina Tacos get elevated ingredients such as flank steak with truffled togarashi aioli at this styl ish spot from the owners of Crave in Akron. Also find other dishes with global flair like chimichurri fried chicken on a brioche bun or budin Puerto Rican bread pudding with caramel rum plantains. Top it off with a pine apple margarita, prickly pear sangria or mango mojito. 2097 Front St., cravecantina.com Moe’s Restaurant Match your mood at this place that has a fine dining dinner menu with rotating dishes and a laid-back tavern menu. Dine on a juicy rib-eye basted with cowboy butter that’s served with seasonal pepper jack macaroni and cheese and snap peas, or chow down a chicken sun-dried tomato pesto sandwich and loaded tots with Sriracha aioli. Moe’s Restaurant is also known for its creative martinis, like the Purple Haze with grape vodka, blue Curacao, grenadine and Sprite. 2385 Front St., moesrestaurant.com

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MAY 2023 | akronlife.com