Reviews

Gourmet Mood

by Kim Schneider | Aug. 17, 2012 | 4:00 AM

Lemon Falls // One of Chagrin Falls' selling points is its quaint downtown, so it's no surprise that a bright and cheery European-style cafe and market moved into the Main Street spot that once housed Ben & Jerry's. Lemon Falls is built for carryout as much as it is a sit-down breakfast or lunch at one of its wooden tables. Guests order at the counter, and lunch fare includes a chalkboard menu full of sandwiches, salads and two soups, including a daily vegetarian option (chicken noodle and tomato Parmesan were available the day we visited). Try the lobster roll ($14.50), a tasty, Maine-style take on the classic. It's small for its price tag, but this isn't the sort of place you go looking for a bargain lunch. Quality ingredients and inventive preparations are the focus. We enjoyed the grilled cheese and short rib sandwich ($13.50) — a decadent twist on toasted cheese, with melted Gruyére and sweet onions piled on top of tender meat. Co-owner Jim Linhart also gets creative with his salads, offering a white bean tuna Nicoise ($11.50) with cucumbers, celery, olives, green beans and egg on a bed of greens. If that's not enough, the glass deli case is packed with house-made cookies, scones, lemon pound cakes and prepared entrees and sides ready to be taken home.

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