Tour de Bruell

I did it! Mr. H and I tasked ourselves with completing the official Tour de Bruell for the first time this summer. And...we did it!

Cleveland restaurateur Zack Bruell annually launches the Tour de Bruell. Diners receive a punch card at one of his signature restaurants, and then you have between Memorial Day and Labor Day to visit each of his six signature restaurants.

You must order an entree at each, and you receive a stamp on your card to mark your visit at that restaurant. If you complete the tour before Labor Day, you're entered to win a raffle for a four-course dinner prepared in your home for 8 guests by chef Bruell himself. Also, everyone that completes it is invited to a complimentary VIP party in the fall. This year marked the seventh year of the Tour de Bruell, and we did it! His restaurants are some of my favorite in Cleveland, so we had quite a lot of fun getting to all six this summer.

We started at Parallax, and I had the seared ahi tuna with lemon puree, sushi rice, and shishito fried vegetables. This was probably my favorite dish of the Tour, and a great way to kick it off. I was dreaming about that lemon puree for weeks.

Next up was Chinato, and I ordered the braised lamb with sweet potato gnocchi, Brussels sprouts and Parmesan.

Alley Cat was the perfect next stop, because of its riverfront views and summery vibe. I ordered the grilled octopus with succotash, bacon and smoked paprika aioli.

Our most disappointing meal was at Cowell and Hubbard. I had the strip steak with roasted baby potatoes and creamed leeks in a foie gras jus.

Then, we dined at Table 45, and I enjoyed the plancha seared scallops with miso glazed scallops, bamboo rice, bok choy, sweet tamari gastrigue, and shiso cream ($28) from the new chef Matthew Anderson.

We saved the best for last. Our favorite of his signature restaurants, L'Albatros. The lighting was poor, so I don't have a picture of the delicious duck confit with a crispy duck leg, sweet potato puree, and braised cabbage ($24). Of course, we had to end the meal there with the famous cheese service. It was the perfect ending to the tour, and right in time. We dined there just days before Labor Day!

Phew, it was a whirlwind of a summer, but thanks to the Tour de Bruell...it was a tasty one. Nothing to disclose here, we chose to do the Tour on our own, and had a lot of fun challenging ourselves to complete it. You can almost never go wrong with food from Bruell's group, and so we really enjoyed completing the Tour. Don't miss out next summer!

Alley Cat Oyster Bar

Cleveland restaurateur Zack Bruell's new Alley Cat Oyster Bar has opened as part of The Flats Project on the east bank.

Right across from Shooter's and The Music Box Supper Club, diners can enjoy views of the Cuyahoga River that have been hard to find in the past.

Finally, some waterside dining with food to match the quality of view!

The menu features 12 types of oysters. Currently, they are offering three a night, until they get to know the menu better. We indulged in the three available that evening. Other than the fact that a few of them hadn't been detached from the shell, we really enjoyed them. We also ordered the Beef Tartar with egg 63, house grain mustard, and toast points ($15). It was a good tartar, but Greenhouse Tavern and Luca both have better versions. I'd try other starters before ordering this again.

I convinced Mr. H to share entrees with me, so that we could try more than just the Lobster Roll ($22). What can I say, we're on a total lobster roll kick after our trip to Maine. My mom, also a lobster lover, was also ordering the roll, so I just had to try something else too.

This was a far cry from what we were able to get in Maine, but it was probably the best version that I've personally had in the Greater Cleveland area. I was concerned that it was dressed with Green Goddess (I'm a lobster purist!), but the dressing was light and it didn't detract from the butter-poached lobster. For the price, I'd like to see more lobster on the roll. The fries were quite good! Extra crispy, and lightly seasoned.

We also shared the American Red Snapper with an arugula bread salad ($21).

The fish was cooked perfectly, and the flavors were light and summery. Enjoyable, but not memorable, however.

Service left a lot to be desired. It was much sloppier and more casual than other Bruell restaurants, and the staff seemed very uneducated on the menu. Like, we were served bread that had kernels of corn in it, but no one could tell us what the type of bread was. I've been to other Bruell restaurants close to opening, and that was never the case before. I think management is aware of the issues, and they are addressing them, so I expect that things will be running more smoothly next time we're in. Because, we'll certainly be back!

This is what Cleveland needed. More quality seafood options, excellent cocktails, and waterfront dining. It's so exciting to see the progress being made in The Flats. Have you been down there recently?

Alley Cat Oyster Bar
1056 Old River Road
Cleveland, OH 44113
216-574-9999