Chef Ricardo Sandoval has been a Cleveland trendsetter for the past 20 years at his funky Tremont spot.
For 20 years, chef Ricardo Sandoval hasn’t just been pushing trends forward — he’s been setting them.
The Tremont spot defined patio eating with one of the city’s best skyline views, and the colorful bohemian bar and eatery has been a hub for local artists, whose work is on display and for sale in the restaurant.
Its unpretentious fusion menu, which offered fresh, farm-to-table and sustainable bites before it was cool, finds inspiration in Sandoval’s Filipino roots, especially in dishes such as the Arroz Caldo ($16 with pork belly), a Calabrian chili-laden porridge.
A wider Asian influence is found across the menu, including in the kimchi potatoes ($9.50), served with Brussels sprouts kimchi, a fried egg and Sriracha aioli.
Sandoval even handles modern fads with ease, tackling the Popeyes-induced fried chicken craze of 2020 with a soy-tinged adobo fried chicken ($17).
After all, when you’re the tastemaker, nothing you do goes out of style. fatcatstremont.com
At the trendiest and most coveted tables in Northeast Ohio, the dishes and the vibe is an extension of the creatives in the kitchen. Get to know them as part of 2023's Best Restaurants issue. By Anthony Elder, Annie Nickoloff, Cassie Tomaselli and Patrick Williams