Whole Foods Osteria

Whole Foods Osteria Cedro Rustico maintains a strangely low profile for the high quality of food they serve. We eat there often (its being a mile from our house helps) and we consider it one of the best Italian-inspired restaurants in the area. The prices are great as well.

The Osteria is located in the middle of Whole Foods between the produce and beer sections with most of the seating at a counter around the kitchen. This arrangement has two advantages: you get to see chef Laron Harris in action, plus the wait staff are never more than 10 feet away. There are also some tables that are used during busier times.

The menu has been revised somewhat lately, and Sarah ordered the newly added Rosemary-Garlic Flat Iron Steak with greens, tomatoes and mozzarella ($13). This was an excellent, tender steak cooked to medium (as specified in the menu) with a deep but not overpowering aroma of rosemary and garlic, topped with a savory broth reduction. The greens were very good as well, basically a fresh caprese with balsamic and olive oil.

I had a special of the evening, rare seared bluefin tuna steak with watercress, watermelon and ricotta salata ($12):

The bluefin tuna seemed cooked to medium but was nonetheless moist, juicy and flavorful (more so than some rare tuna I’ve had). The salad was a striking combination of mild bitterness, fresh sweetness and tangy feta-like cheese.

We were a bit sad they took the Shrimp Provençal pasta off the menu (all pasta is fresh Ohio City), but hopefully something like it will be added back. They also tend to have a risotto of the day, which is always very good (I’ve had scallop and shrimp before). And of course there are vegan and vegetarian options–the mushroom ravioli and pumpkin ravioli have been excellent, and they added a new vegan pasta option lately which our waitress recommended.

Like Amp 150, the setting for the Osteria is somewhat out of the ordinary. This is basically an advantage, though, because anything in the store can be added to your meal. This makes kids’ options pretty much limitless (Jonathan had the pepperoni pizza from the food bar but often orders spaghetti and meatballs). The cost for splitting a bottle of wine is retail, plus there are always at least a couple dozen beers available in single bottles starting at $1.25 each. The selection rivals Melt down the street, and even surpasses it if you’re willing to buy a six pack (remaining bottles can easily be brought home). I had a Dogfish 60 minute IPA with this meal, but other great breweries represented include Lagunitas, Great Divide, Thirsty Dog, Flying Dog, Duvel, Unibroue, Great Lakes, Samuel Smith, Strongbow and pretty much anything else you might want. All seating is essentially at the typically coveted “chef’s table” watching Chef Laron add layers of flavor to each dish (searing, seasoning at each step, final touches) which epitomizes Michael Ruhlman’s concept of “finesse.” Chef Laron can be seen in action here.

Tips are also not required at the Osteria. They were previously not accepted, but they now go to the “team member emergency fund.”

We generally love the Osteria, but there are a couple minor issues that could be improved. They always seem to be staffed about 20% lower than they should be, which sometimes makes getting a hold of your busy server difficult. Their antipasto plates–which typically consist of good renditions of salami, pepperoni and cheeses like muenster and cheddar–could also be more interesting, especially considering they have one of the best meat and cheese selections in Cleveland.

Based on the excellent food and prices at the Osteria, we’re often surprised they’re not continually mobbed. Unlike some other local establishments, though, there’s almost no media promotion. And they are in the middle of a grocery store and only open until 8pm. But next time you might be waiting 1–2 hours for a table at another nearby dining establishment, you might want to consider driving a mile up the road and getting some outstanding, reasonably priced food while waiting only as long as it takes to cook it.