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 John DeJoy is owner of John Palmer's Bistro 44. The restaurant opened in November in the Shops at Grist Mill at I-90 and Ohio 44 in Concord Township. |
John Palmer’s Bistro 44 opened in Concord Township in November. Formerly in Chardon, the restaurant has survived the transplant in perfect health. Three months later, the scent of fresh paint and ceramic tile glue is barely discernable beneath the heavenly aromas wafting from the open kitchen.
Owners John and Michelle DeJoy designed the nonsmoking restaurant. It is subtly lit with white Japanese-style paper lanterns and recessed lighting and decorated in neutral tones and wood finishes. The decor is quite different from the Chardon location in that there is more of a focus on the dining room than on the bar. Cozy semi-circular booths and bench-style seating have deep cushions and throw pillows.
Diners can sit at the chef’s kitchen counter, suggestive of a sushi bar, overlooking the open kitchen. Indeed, a section of the menu is given to a raw bar. Selections include beef tartar, oysters, king crab legs and shrimp cocktail. In addition, white anchovies are served in a shot glass with mignonette sauce for $1.95 each. This sauce, often served with oysters, is made of dry white wine, sherry vinegar and shallots.
The friendly yet dignified servers first put diners at ease, then pamper them, even going so far as to refold their napkins if they leave the table.
Seasonal menu
Specials that evening included potato leek soup, a duck ravioli appetizer, lobster nachos and char-grilled veal porterhouse. We went with the calamari, which was probably the least rubbery I’ve ever had – the squid was as tender as the breading was lightly crisp.
The menu soars to great heights, and although not long, it covers plenty of ground. John DeJoy, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in New York, intends to change the menu seasonally with about a half-dozen feature items each week including soups, salads, appetizers, desserts and entrees.
He said the move marks the return of a rounded menu with a balance of seafood, meats and chicken. Entrees range from a burger to a half-rack of lamb, touching all the bases in between with salmon, chicken, beef, pork, filet and shrimp ($17-$27). My dining partner, never one to beat around the bush, or the burger, said, “No burger is worth $15, I don’t care how good it is.”
I thought the price might be more to dissuade diners from ordering the ordinary, hence encouraging them to order the extra-ordinary. And there is plenty to be found in that category.
In what seems to be a growing trend, everything on the menu is a la carte. Salads ($7-$9) are extra, and if you want a veggie with your entree ($4), they are extra too. That’s not to say the salads aren’t worth it.
We tried the grilled romaine salad with caramelized onions and grilled prosciutto-wrapped bocco mozz drizzled with smoked pepper vinaigrette. It was different and quite peppery, but good. Michelle’s salad – mixed greens and asiago cheese with a balsamic dressing – was simple, but tasty.
Wood-fired grill
We asked our server about her favorite entree, and she replied she had tried everything and there is nothing she doesn’t like.
“Even though lamb is not for me, there is something about it being cooked on the wood-fired grill that makes it really good,” she said.
I had the sauteed grouper with herb risotto and haricot vert, skinny green beans for those who don’t speak French. The grouper was superb drizzled with sauce Veronique, a grape and chardonnay reduction with butter. I love the rich, creamy flavor of risotto, and this was quite so, but the fresh rosemary was more than a little overpowering.
My companion ordered the veal scaloppini which was sauteed and served atop a bed of mascarpone polenta and topped with a crimini mushroom-red onion-marsala reduction. He knew before he cut into it that it would be tender; it was served with only a butter knife.
We decided with our salads and the haricot vert that came with our entrees we didn’t need to order sides of pommes frites, crispy onions or grilled asparagus.
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| Above: John Palmer's Bistro 44 |
Scratch menu
DeJoy said about 98 percent of everything he serves is made from scratch in-house, including desserts and breads. The menu has been called eclectic by others. “I think that’s fair,” he said. “But the focus can change from dish to dish as far as being French, or Italian, or American, so I usually say American regional. We’re always striving to stay on the cutting edge and keep things different as far as the competition.”
For dessert we had a choice of Bailey’s cheesecake, bread pudding, homemade vanilla mango ice cream and tiramisu. The tiramisu was studded with chunks of chocolate so light they blended with the creamy mascarpone cheese and espresso-dipped lady fingers into a decadent, sinfully delicious mixture. If you’d rather drink your dessert, there is a tiramisu martini as well.
Although it would be nice to eat at John Palmer’s often, it’s probably a place most will save for special occasions. Unless, that is, you want to stop in for one of 44 martinis or a glass of wine, also numbering 44 served by the glass. Each variety is listed by regions and rated good, better or best on the wine list. Although it is customary to drink white wine with fish, I had a glass of “good” red wine with my grouper. I was not arrested.
DeJoy said it has been busy. He is assessing the feasibility of opening for lunch and has plans to open a patio in the summer with a six-stool bar and tables to seat 25 to 30.
“We’ve had a very brisk response,” he said. “We’ve had a lot of people tell us they’re glad we came to Concord; it makes us feel good to hear that. And we’re glad to be here.”
John Palmer’s Bistro 44 is at 7590 Fredle Drive in the Shops at Grist Mill.
Laura Freeman writes regularly about restaurants for the Lake County Business Journal. Lfreeman@lakebusinessjournal.com.
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