Cheap Eats: Ray's Place

The price tag might hook college kids from Kent State University nearby, but the classic menu items from the 80-year-old institution keeps patrons coming back long after classes are out. “We have a ton of alumni who work and live in the area that come in here every day,” says Charlie Thomas, who’s owned the two-story restaurant since 1978. But has tradition turned stale? Not with fresh dishes like the Korean po’boy ($8.50), an open-faced hoagie topped with deep-fried pork marinated in ginger and white-wine vinegar. A garnish of sesame seeds and scallions provides crunch, and cilantro-infused wasabi aioli cools it down. Also Try: Pull up a barstool for a helping of Gerty’s homemade chili (cup $3.50, bowl $4.25), a decades-old recipe created by one of Ray’s first chefs. Take a cue from Iron Chef Michael Symon’s pick on the Food Network’s The Best Thing I Ever Ate and order the Mo-Fo burger ($8.95), a knife-skewered behemoth of two 6-ounce patties stacked high and topped with bacon, cheese, sautéed mushrooms and all the fixings. 135 Franklin Ave., Kent, 330-673-2233, raysplacekent.com