In a quaint carriage house on the campus of Case Western University, chef and restaurateur Zack Bruell’s quintessential French brasserie has stood out since opening in 2008 for its authentic approach, extensive wine list, tableside cheese cart and rich, complex flavors. 11401 Bellflower Road, Cleveland, albatrosbrasserie.com
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Here are three must-try dishes at the restaurant.
1. Onion soup gratinee ($12). Fragrant and overflowing with melted Swiss and gurere, braised beef puts a spin on this well-known dish. “I just wanted to do something that I would eat,” says Bruell.
2. Duck confit ($34). In Bruell’s version of the traditional dish, meat is cured; cooked slow; doused in duck fat and then seared until crispy before service, when it’s finished with a sherry vinegar gastrique and whole grain mustard sauce. The process takes three days. “Confit is old school cooking,” says Bruell. “We started this restaurant doing dishes that you see in the ’40s, ’50s, ’60s or 100 years ago.”
3. Chocolate Napoleon ($10). Despite a robust dessert menu, Bruell knows “Cleveland’s a chocolate town.” This chocolate mousse, layered between phyllo dough and brushed with sugar and honey, is the perfect way to get that chocolate fix.
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