Chester’s Legacy Tavern – Painesville Tavern

Just like Hannibal from the A-Team, I love it when a plan comes together.  I have been sitting on a Groupon (Groupon Site is here) for Chester’s and with fall having come it was Clambake time.  So I was very pleased when on visiting Chester’s  website  I noticed that they were doing Clambakes on the weekends in October.   Sounded like a good way to spend a Friday night, chowing down on some tasty bivalves. 

Chester’s is easy enough to get to, located at 11 Chester Street, Painesville, Ohio 44077 just a stones throw from the Painesville exit of Route 2, the location is convenient, if nothing else.  The outside is a fairly nondescript building, but there is a decent sized parking lot and a small patio on one side.  Walking in I was quickly greeted and then seated at a high two top next to the windows and right at the transition between the bar area and the dining room.  The decor is clean and comfortable, heavy on wood and earthtones, but looking very well kept and timeless.  This is the kind of place you would think of as nice, but probably wouldn’t be able to remember anything specific.  A long bar with a lowered ceiling presents a comfortable area to grab a drink and settle in.

Chester’s menu (go here to check it out) is a nice selection of American and Tavern classics, with an emphasis on fish and seafood, a good sign for me since that is my wheelhouse. Also included was the specials with several variations on the Clam Bake (Clams, Clams & Chicken & Clams & Steak). I settled on the Clams & Clams which included 2 dozen clams, chowder and sides.  I also ordered the Shrimp Chester appetizer.

First up was a cup of the New England Clam Chowder.  This was a very nice rendition of the classic recipe, thick, but not over loaded with cream, the mild soup was stocked with chunks of potatoes and plenty of tender fresh clams.  Very satisfying and a good way to get my seafood taste buds going.

Next up was the Shrimp Chester ($10), good sized fresh shrimp smothered in a wonderful garlic sauce and cheese and baked to perfection.  Sided with garlic bread, this was a cannot miss treat.  Simply presented, the aroma got me as soon as this was set in front of me.   The shrimp were perfectly cooked, tender and firm and wonderfully complimented by the garlicky cheesy goodness, that managed to get even better as it cooled and set up.  With the bread there to soak up the extra sauce, this was a very well thought out and executed dish.

Next up was the main course and the reason I made the trip East.  The two dozen clams came out in the classic fiber bowl with melted butter and extra clam broth for dipping.  Sides were the ear of corn and I substituted sweet potato fries for the regular sweet potato.  Portions were large, with the clams generally coming in about half dollar sized and steamed in their shells.  The clams were mild and tender, each a mouthful of the goodness of the sea perfectly complimented by the drawn butter.  Out of the 2 dozen clams, I had 3 that didn’t open (and you should always leave these be), but I had more then enough to satisfy my hunger.  The corn was sweet and fresh and the sweet potato waffle fries were crispy on the outside and sweet and delicious on the inside.  At $26 for the Clams and Clams bake, not cheap, but considering the amount of food and the quality, I think they give you what you expect.

Service was good and friendly, although there seemed to be a bit of a lag on the time for food to come out of the kitchen, it might be that I was there early and they hadn’t hit there groove yet, but I would hope they would be more on top of things when most of the tables were empty.

Chester’s is a place worth checking out, especially if you are in the area.  The food is good, well prepared and presented nicely.  There is not a lot of flourish or trendiness here, but that can be a very good thing.  The biggest thing working against Chester’s is location, if they were located a couple miles North in Fairport Harbor or Grand River I think that they would be more well known, but as it is this a great place to get some good solid food.  Chester’s is trying to push their presence with some of the Groupon and radio and TV station offers, so if you look around you might be able to get a deal.  Check them out.

Richie Chan's - Hidden Gem

There seems to be a little Chinese takeout place on every corner of Cleveland. They range from ok to pretty good. Most have a very similar approach and food; many even seem to use the same menu and menu board with just the restaurant name changed. At first glance Richie Chan's at Cedar Lee (13181 Cedar Rd) in Cleveland Heights, may fit in with all the rest, but a closer look will reveal something completely different. This is not your average Chinese takeout place. Walking in to Richie Chan's there are 3 tables out front, using the Goldilocks approach, 1 small, 1 medium and 1 large. The difference from most takeout places is that you will frequently find these tables filled. That's right, this is not just takeout. An especially good sign is the frequently the customers are Asian. The decor is not much, some old Chinese prints right out of most older Chinese Restaurants, hang high on the walls. The floor is covered with industrial runner carpets, but they try to make the place feel homey and while a bit run down it is clean. Now when you look at the menu you will notice that Richie Chan's has its own menu. All of the standards are there Chow Mein, Egg Foo Young, Lo Mein Fried Rice and Combination Plates; and all done very well. But in addition, you will notice other options, including some very good noodle dishes, fish dishes and others you won't see at most takeouts. Then in addition to the menu there are additional items that are posted in Chinese, you can ask for an explanation, but the best option is to watch the other tables and ask what they have. The food that comes out is generally very good to excellent. Among my favorites is the Shrimp Lo Mein, the Singapore Chow Mei Funn and the Shrimp Chow Mein Cantonese style. Let me talk about the last Cantonese Chow Mein. At Richie Chan's you get a large serving of fresh fried noodles (think similar to pan fried noodles, but with bigger noodles) with good sized shrimp and baby bok choy in a delicious white sauce. Overall food quality and taste is excellent. In addition there are a number of items that are definitely not take out style. There are several fish dishes and I have tried the Salty Peppery Shrimp special which is excellent. The shrimp are fried in a very light batter which has a real peppery kick. The large portion of delicious shrimp are served over a bed of lettuce and topped with slices of very small, very hot green and red peppers. A spicy, slightly sweet red dipping sauce is served on the side. Wonderful, especially if you want something that will wake up your tongue with a lot of heat. Service is an interesting point, depending on what you order, you may be served in Styrofoam or on traditional plates. That's right a "takeout place" that serves on regular plates. Also you will usually get a choice of hot or cold tea and a little plate of fruit. Finally I would recommend you check out the special board, for a very inexpensive price, usually about $4.75 at dinner, you get a combination plate with the special entree, plain fried rice and a shrimp egg roll. A very good sized portion of very tasty food at a great price. At lunch the combinations are similarly priced and they are one of the best values in town. To summarize the experience, the decor and setting is takeout, but the food and the friendly family approach is a winner. This is not the place to take someone to impress them, but if you want very good Chinese food at a reasonable price, this is the place to go. A definite winner and worth trying, even if just getting an order to go on your way home from downtown.