We were really looking forward to having an amazing meal. After all, it had been a rough night.
It started innocently enough as an impromptu attempt at a romantic evening. Mikey had to work late on a Friday, so Al got the great idea to take an Uber to meet him after work. The plan was to rendezvous at the fountain at Tower City, then we would would steal away to a quiet dinner downtown.
But as luck would have it, Mikey got stuck in an elevator in the M. K. Ferguson building, and a security guard escorted Al away from the fountain (“you can’t stay here, ma’am — the mall is closed”). So instead of enjoying a carefree start to the evening, Al conspicuously circled the Tower City food court in her floor-length gown while Mikey sweat it out waiting for his rescue by the fire department.
Ninety minutes later, we were finally on the road to L’Albatros, a wildly popular upscale restaurant on Cleveland’s east side.
[Incidentally, the French l’albatros translates simply to “the albatross.” Renowned restaurateur Zack Bruell reportedly chose this name as a homage to his love of golf (an albatross is another name for a double eagle, or three under par), but for us on this particular night, the sea bird’s nod to a burden or a curse seemed fitting. Ah, the irony. Read on.]
After we arrived, and our hostess directed us to a separate menu for “aggressively-priced wines” (her words, not ours), we feasted our eyes on the long-awaited prize: the dinner menu. The menu at L’Albatros, characterized as French contemporary or French fusion, feels a bit confused. Certainly, a French influence abounds. Escargots and pates, confit preparations, and (happily!) a classic croque monsieur are enticing and decidedly French options that diners will undoubtedly enjoy. The confusion comes with the “fusion” portion, which covers more than half of the menu page: an assortment of pizzas, multiple entrees paired with spatzle or sauerkraut, and the award-winning crown jewel of the menu (drum roll please)… a burger? We were shook.
In an attempt to stay true to our French dining expectations, we finally settled on the charcuterie platter appetizer (pictured), which paired classically-prepared pates and delightfully meaty mousses with pickled vegetables, herbed croutons, and a smoky whole grain Dijon mustard. It was a good start.
This was followed by the potage du jour — on this night, a chilled watermelon beet soup topped with crème fraiche and onion chive. A gorgeous presentation of deep red broth shining from its bowl, the surprisingly delicate soup was incredibly well balanced, with subtle notes of each flavor complimenting the other. Unfortunately, the cold soup was served in an enormous portion that mismatched its delicacy and long outlived its novelty.
It went downhill from there. For a main course, Al ordered the ineptly named “Chicken Breast” entrée, which promised roast chicken paired with caramelized fennel, potato mousseline, and goat cheese. Instead, it could have been named “Goat Cheese and Some Other Stuff You Won’t Taste,” because the entire presentation was drowning in a heavy goat cheese sauce that completely overpowered the dish. Mikey ordered the duck confit with braised cabbage, substituting crispy breaded cauliflower for the usual sweet potato puree. As it turned out, the cauliflower was a good choice, because it was the only thing on his plate that was up to par. The duck was so dry that it rivaled Cousin Catherine’s turkey from National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. On further inspection, the bottom quarter-inch of the meat, hidden amongst the cabbage in a cassoulet dish, was burnt black. But we were hungry, so we ate.
The experience wasn’t all bad. We have to acknowledge the fantastic staff at L’Albatros. The hostess was more than happy to accommodate our repeated changes to the reservation throughout the night, and she greeted us with a cheerful “so happy you made it out of the elevator!” when we finally arrived. Our waiter was attentive and pleasant, despite the very late hour and our presence in an otherwise vacant dining room. He recognized the disaster that was the duck confit without our prompt or complaint. He apologized profusely, and he took it upon himself to refund the entrée without question.
Situated in a quaint, historic carriage house on the campus of Case Western Reserve University, the restaurant itself is a bit of a contradiction. The exterior suggests welcoming coziness nestled amongst the otherwise imposing stone-faced and stoic buildings of the University Circle neighborhood. Step inside, and this welcoming façade is juxtaposed with stark white furnishings, minimalist table settings, and ultra-modern décor.
So… overall, it was not the vibe we had expected, and we didn’t get our amazing meal. We were very disappointed, to say the least. But based on the popularity of the place, we have to hope that — like us — L’Albatros was simply having a rough night.
The verdict? Mikey no likey.
#CLEchow rating: 2.50/5.00
L’Albatros Brasserie + Bar / 11401 Bellflower Road / Cleveland, OH 44106 / (216) 791-7880 / albatrosbrasserie.com
Nearby: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland Botanical Garden, Cleveland Cultural Gardens, Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland Museum of Natural History, Crawford Auto-Aviation Museum, Lakeview Cemetery, Severance Hall, Western Reserve Historical Society
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