Cleveland State University students are now going to have more of a choice in where to eat on campus with the opening of Elements Bistro on Euclid.
Elements is located on the first floor of the University's Parker Hannifin Administration Center at 2300 Euclid Avenue. According to a CSU press release the name for the eatery comes from, "The title of the mathematician Euclid's Elements - regarded as the most influential textbook ever written and a play on the restaurant's university setting and its address on Euclid Avenue."
The interesting thing about Elements Bistro on Euclid is its use of local products in its menu offerings. Some of the products come from Cleveland's West Side Market, such as sausage and pasta from Ohio City Pasta. Also the restaurant features Amish cheeses and will eventually carry Ohio beer and wine.
"Using local products will help raise awareness that Cleveland produces high quality products, and it also helps support the local economy," said Frank Hurley, Executive Chef, CSU Dining Services. "Local food can also be tracked to easily determine where all of the products came from - start to finish."
Elements is going to help build a sense of community according to Ned Hill, Vice President of Economic Development at Cleveland State. "Elements is the start of a village node that is growing at Euclid with the renovation of Fenn Tower, Howe Mansion, the Administration Center and Shops at Trinity Commons: Cafe Ah-Roma, Sacred Path Books and Art, and Ten Thousand Villages. They all create a triangle of convenience that is forming here with education, housing, retail, dining and access to the RTA Silver Line." T h e restaurant's look is very sophisticated. It is very spacious and has a great contemporary atmosphere. Located in the front of the restaurant is a circular bar. The bar blends in with the rest of the restaurant, which is made up of tables and booths. In the spring and summer, it will be nice to have the beautiful French doors of the restaurant to open to an exterior patio, which will seat 52 people.
The restaurant's menu is very eclectic with choices ranging from West Side Market Sausage and Pierogis to a make your own sandwich option. With the range of menu selections, it was decided that this restaurant review would have to be a twoperson job. Culture Editor Ilona Westfall and myself went to Elements for lunch. Here is what we think.
Laura Dynda:
What I expected: I expected the restaurant to have a good atmosphere and have tasty food.
What I ordered: GREAT LAKES BEER BATTER-FRIED TILAPIA FILLET ($7.50) and MAPLE CRÈME BRULEE ($4.95)
What I think of the pricing: I thought that overall, the pricing was all right. It is not somewhere that I would go all the time, but it was a great place.
How the food was: I thought that the food was really good. I decided to try something new, since I have never had tilapia before. The meal was very filling and I was happy with my pick. And the dessert was also very good.
Ilona Westfall:
What I expected: Basically I expected a more upscale Café AhRoma.
What I ordered: ELEMENTAL SANDWICH ($8.50) - A build your own sandwich accompanied by a side dish (mine had a Portobello mushroom, basil pesto, Amish cheddar, tomato and lettuce on kalamata olive bread with a side of fresh-cut fries) and of course, I had to share some of Laura's MAPLE CRÈME BRULEE.
What I think of the pricing: A little more than I would like to spend for lunch on a daily basis but cheap for the quality of food.
How the food was: Pretty good, overall. My portobello had a really good texture but marinating it would have been an improvement. The dessert was delicious.
THE VERDICT: A nice place to go for a sit down lunch with some friends or even for a business lunch. However, Elements is not so good for those of us who are grabbing a quick bite to eat between classes. I felt that it could have been a bit quicker and if I were on any time constraints I would have been anxiously checking my watch. Our server informed us that, fortunately, the menu is available for takeout if you call ahead. While we're on the subject of service, it was good. A little bit uneven, which is expected for a newly opened restaurant, but good, overall. The food was very good and the selection was awesome. It's a bit pricier than most of our other on-campus dining options but way cheaper than most sit down restaurants, especially for the quality of food. It would be great for dinner but is, unfortunately, not open during dinner hours at this point. Ultimately, Elements is recommended. But you're better off stopping elsewhere if you only have a few minutes between classes.
Elements Bistro on Euclid is open Monday - Friday from 7 a.m. - 4 p.m. Call 216-802-3131 for more information or check them out on the web at www. elementsoneuclid.com
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