COPLEY, Ohio – You can call it the Hill or Restaurant Row or whatever you want, but the bluff adjacent to the Interstate 77 and Ohio 18 intersection has supported a smorgasbord of restaurants for years. Currently, a Mexican eatery, Japanese place, sports bar, fast-casual, chain steakhouses and fast food currently inhabit the culinary mountaintop.
And now, finally, there is good seafood.
It’s tough to miss the tall sign proclaiming KINGFISH, which opened a few months ago, from the highway. When you pull in to the lot you’ll be greeted by the flashing lighted fish atop the building. Inside there’s an elegance befitting the menu and ambiance.
(Sidebar: My wife knew a couple who lived in the apartments on the hill near the restaurants. Various aromas of grilled meats and savory dishes beckoned every night. They gained weight the first few months living there.)
For starters, the a la carte options of clams and assorted oysters is a nice way to control exactly what and how much you want (succulent Blue Point Oysters were by far the star of this lineup). Deviled crab was a nice nibbler, though slightly pepper-heavy. (We passed on the $85 seafood tower, tempting as it were.) We split on the calamari; I prefer sauteed and found this a little over fried, but my tablemates loved it. The calamari was extremely tender, though.
A lobster bisque included a wonderful buttery texture and taste. If you have never had this rich, labor-intensive dish, it’s worth trying.
Salads become almost a second thought, and that’s all right. We went right to the entrees, which included New Bedford Scallops – perfectly prepared, hearty pieces, served with Brussels sprouts, bacon, hazelnut sweet potatoes with a leek veloute. Contrasting textures here amazed: Within the pureed potato were crunchy, toasted hazelnuts.
A generous Maine Lobster Noodle Casserole classes up the classic and old-fashioned tuna casserole. Sweet peas and mushrooms mixed into a surprisingly not heavy lobster Parmesan cream sauce. Striped bass was simple, thick and tender and not burdened with spices, though it had a nice smokiness to it.
If spicy is your thing, try the Creole Shrimp Stew. This is a southern version of Cioppino, one of my favorite dishes. Kingfish’s version blends Littleneck clams, mussels, smoked carrots and gold rice, besieged in a very spicy tomato broth.
A halibut special came with Succotash and – like the scallops – the fish was very tender. Nothing here was overly seasoned; it relied on quality of ingredients.
Half a dozen desserts were scrumptious topoffs, each with varying and contrasting flavors. The obligatory chocolate dessert is an incredibly delicious – and heavy – fudge brownie with hazelnuts, salty caramel ice cream and brandied black cherries. Each bite of the Warm Indian Pudding was hot, cold and spicy, with cinnamon, roasted peaches, pecans and vanilla ice cream forming a messy – and tasty – treat. And the coconut cream cheesecake was, by all accounts from the coconut lovers at the table, truly delicious with toasted coconut mixed with whipped cream and mango rum coulis.
Cleaning the plate: Kingfish leans on the pricy side, and it’s worth it. Great dining experience that will satisfy your seafood cravings.
More on Kingfish
* It’s 28 miles from downtown Cleveland. Take the Ohio 18 West (Medina Road) exit, then an immediate left on Montrose West Avenue up the hill.
* In addition to the restaurants on the hill, there are multiple hotels. Plus: Shopping plazas, big-box stores, Summit Mall and other business sit along the busy commercial stretch of Ohio 18 heading east toward Akron.
* Warning: The vertical metal menus are very heavy, and if you don’t have a good grip when they are handed to you, there’s a chance that wine glass set in front of you will topple.
* Vegetarian and vegan-prepared dishes are available.
* Service on subsequent trips was excellent – friendly and engaging, attentive but not overbearing. We learned the restaurant offers wine education for its staff, something that is becoming less commonplace, a wine rep tells me. One of our servers even offered us a restaurant card with his name on it so we could request him again, if we wanted.
* A handful of beers from Northeast Ohio breweries are featured on draft, and the bottle list is extensive and well-chosen.
* Noise level is energetic but not overbearing.
* Kingfish is owned by Fairview Park-based Hospitality Restaurants, which includes Cabin Club in Westlake, Salmon Dave’s in Rocky River, Delmonico’s in Independence, Blue Pointe Grille in downtown Cleveland, Thirsty Parrot in downtown Cleveland near Progressive Field and Rosewood Grill, multiple locations.
Taste Bites
Kingfish
Where: 115 Montrose W Ave., Copley.
Contact: 330-777-2005.
Online: kingfishakron.com
Hours: 4-10 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 4-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 4-9 p.m. Sunday. Closes major holidays and Super Bowl Sunday.
Prices: Appetizers, $1.50 (per-piece clam)-$85 (seafood tower), but most apps are in the $9-$24 range; salads, $7-$14; entrees, $24-$52; sides, $6; dessert, $5-$9.
Reservations: Recommended.
Attire: Business casual.
Credit cards: All major.
Cuisine: Primarily seafood, though also cosmopolitan American.
Accessibility: Good.
Grade: ***
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