In recent years, DJ and entrepreneur Kyler Smith intrigued Cleveland foodies with restaurants Filter and The Sauce Boiling Sea food Express. “I never really cooked growing up, so it’s funny that now I’m in the hospitality industry."
Here's where you might find the restaurateur off the clock.
Best Barbecue. “Mabel's BBQ (Cleveland, Woodmere), I love it. I will say it’s some of the best beef ribs ($52) I’ve had in the country. It’s seasoned well, so they don’t really need a lot of sauce. It’s not like a traditional barbecue sauce. It’s more like a glaze.”
Something Sweet. “I’m a sweets type of guy. So, for dessert, I like sweet things, Sprinkles and Milk in South Euclid. Everything from there is good, but I love their milkshake ($9.50) with Oreos, and I mix up the toppings. It's right across from The Sauce, too, which is dangerous because I’ll just walk over there and get it all the time.”
Weekly Favorite. “I’m always going to this place downtown, it’s called Primo African Cuisine. It’s a dope authentic African spot. It’s my ritual to get the fried red snapper ($25) and rice — I eat there every Monday.”
Grab and Go. “I love going to KafeLA on St. Clair Avenue. I always get something different. Sometimes I’ll send my staff there, I tell them to get me a Kafe Overload wrap with salmon ($16) and a different smoothie every time. Everything there is good.”
Most Innovative Chef. “It’s a collective. It's hard to pick just one. I look at everything from high-end to fast-casual. Everything from (owner) Joseph Jordan over at Primoz Pizza (various locations) to Grill 55 in South Euclid, those are my guys. I'm bouncing around, because I'm still in the space of seeing what everyone is doing, being nosy and tasting everyone's new items. So, it's hard to name just one.”
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