Luxe–Gordon Square Bistro

Gordon Square (the Detroit-Shoreway area) has become one of Cleveland’s most happening neighborhoods.  Starting with Cleveland Public Theater the area has developed into an attractive neighborhood and is one of Cleveland’s biggest successes.  One of the key steps in the development of this area was when Marlin

Kaplin, one of this area’s most respected restaurateurs decided to open Luxe in the heart of Gordon Square.  Having a Groupon in hand (the link for Groupon is here), I was excited to check Luxe out to see if it lived up to the hype.  Located at 6605 Detroit Avenue a block away from the Theater, Luxe offers a warm friendly face to the neighborhood.  The front windows are decorated with culinary quotes, which gives a feel for the interesting combination of whimsy and style that Luxe presents.
The inside is striking, with a Art Deco bar, tin ceiling and well chosen pieces throughout.  While pieces are eclectic, they are used with restraint, creating a pleasant slightly upscale feeling.  You feel welcome, but you know that this isn’t a hash house.
Service is friendly and attentive with a young, but knowledgeable staff.  Once settled out came a very nice artisanal bread bowl with some yummy pieces of crusty bread to start.   The menu (which you can see at the website here) contains a nice mix of interesting items.  I settled on the Calamari small plate and an order of the Lobster Risotto from the evening specials.

The Crispy Calamari was very well prepared with a light breading on the fresh squid and a quick fry, sided with some marinara and a lemon aioli.  The dish was well prepared and the sauces provided just the right punch to compliment the slightly sweet and tender squid.  When the plate was first put down I thought the portion was small, but part of that was being presented on a large plate; while certainly not huge, the calamari made a very nice appetizer.

Next up was the Lobster Risotto which was beautifully presented and had a wonderful aroma that made you want to just drink in the smell.   Topped with two large perfectly prepared grilled shrimp, the risotto was studded with lobster, shallots and asparagus.  The one quibble I had with the dish is that it wasn’t quite as creamy as I expect from a risotto.  As has been discussed in a recent Top Chef episode, where Tre was sent home, the rice should be creamy while maintaining their individual grains, here they were a bit more toothsome and could be molded into a shape rather then spreading out on the plate.  Even with that caveat, the dish was delicious.
Overall I found Luxe to be an excellent place to get some high quality food.  The portions are not huge for the price, but premium ingredients are used and are generally very well prepared.  Not the place to go if you are looking for a budget meal, but if you are headed to the Gordon Square it’s a great place to check out, with one of the nicer decors in Cleveland, great service, a relaxed atmosphere and some great bistro fare.