The Blue Door: Golden Goose Restaurant Transformed

The former Golden Goose looks the same outside, but the menu has changed dramatically.

The Blue Door Cafe & Bakery has been operating as the Blue Door since July, despite the outward appearance that it's still the Golden Goose. But local diners seem to be catching on that this is something completely different.  Owner Mike Bruno got his start on the bakery side of the Golden Goose, which was owned by his mother-in-law, Annemarie Leipply, before he bought and took over the operation this year.  Rather than plow a lot of money into changing the physical appearance, Bruno is putting his money into a veteran staff of chefs to prepare fresh, mostly made from scratch meals with local food sources whenever possible (salmon and scallops are kind of tough to find in Ohio). The changes in appearance will be more gradual as budget …

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Amanda Harnocz

11:44 am on Friday, December 2, 2011

This is within walking distance from my house, I can't wait to try it!   more ›

Bites Nearby: Bacchus Lounge

Bacchus shares roof and ownership with Russo's; less formal (and less pricy) menu.

I set out to review something other than burgers this week, but fate was having none of that.  I haven't been to Russo's for quite a while, so I thought this would be a good opportunity for a foodie experience. As I pulled in to a nearly deserted parking lot, I wondered if it had suddenly closed. No, I was early for the 5 p.m. dinner start. But, the host said, Bacchus Lounge in back is open if you want to wait there and we'll come get you when a table is ready.  Well, I settled in at Bacchus and never looked back. Fate had other plans. Thursday, it turns out, is $5 Burger Night at Bacchus. Ah, fate, you win again. So a $5 burger it was, with red beans and rice ($4), and a salty snack (free!) to nibble on while waiting for the burger to …

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Bites Nearby

Golden Dragon Brings Chinese and Japanese Cuisine to State Road

Cuyahoga Falls restaurant and sushi bar has been pleasing legions of fans for two decades.

The Golden Dragon has been at its current location for more than seven years, at 1634 State Rd. in Cuyahoga Falls. The Pung brothers still cut up with customers, though perhaps they have mellowed from some of the epic carousing days that Chai, Hong and Meng used to carry on with, especially on weekends at the smaller space down the road a few years back. Still, a few of the jokes tossed off between servings of sushi and 20-ounce Sapporo beers are not suitable for family-oriented publications. The mostly adult patrons at the sushi bar of course encourage the repartee and frequently join in on the act. Sushi chef Chai Pung is more or less the ringleader of a family business that includes at least three generations and by all appearances will…

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Bites Nearby

Bites Nearby: Flury's Cafe

Tiny Sackett Avenue diner delivers big taste.

Flury’s Cafe is not the place to go if you’re in a big hurry. The tiny breakfast and lunch cafe on Sackett Avenue draws a steady crowd, keeping owner, chief cook and bottle washer Kim Dunchuck busy. Folks wait patiently for a table or booth to open up, or grab spot at the counter. The location has been home to a diner of some sort or another since 1961, according to Dunchuck. She bought the place in 1994 and recently added 19 seats when adjacent space came available, more than doubling the previously tinier place’s capacity to 35 seats. Everybody seems to know almost everybody at Flury’s, and strangers are greeted warmly by staff and diners alike. The friendliness must be contagious: A young couple vacated their booth to let another young …

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Lindsay McCoy

2:31 pm on Friday, March 25, 2011

Then we'll Patch and lunch there next week?!   more ›

Bites Nearby

Sugo Modern Italian Bistro Delivers

Mouth-watering Ahi tuna ribs worth the wait.

My love for Italian food began in my early childhood, so when Sugo Modern Italian Bistro opened up March 4 in Cuyahoga Falls, I was beyond excited to taste the wide variety of dishes they offered. The small restaurant is intimate and romantic; lit candles sit on top of every table, music plays softly in the background and the lights are dimmed to create a cozy atmosphere. I also noticed the restaurant caters to sports fans, providing ample bar seating and a flat-screen television, which probably has been rigged to stay on ESPN. The wait staff was wonderful, and chef and owner Louis Prpich did a wonderful job in ensuring the bistro is enticing to everyone. "I want people to be comfortable when they come here," Prpich said earlier this week…

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The Cashmere Cricket Returns After Four Years

Owner Jimmy Knoch happy to be back on the Riverfront.

The Cashmere Cricket is back in town. After a four-year absence, the popular Cuyahoga Falls Riverfront Square District establishment has opened north of its former location with entrances on the Front Street walking mall and Riverfront Parkway. The reincarnated Cricket opened Jan. 12 with a new chef and a new menu and hopes to be known more as a restaurant/bar than a bar/restaurant, said Owner Jimmy Knoch. The new menu, a mix of casual Mediterranean and Italian dishes, features a few old favorites, Muffaletta and Turkey Ruben sandwiches and Cricket Wings, slow-roasted bone-in pork shanks with a mango barbecue and soy sauce. Customers can choose from small plates, salads, sandwiches, pizza and calzones. Most items are in the $7-$8 range. …

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Samira's Brings New Energy to Riverfront Parkway

New restaurant has more affordable menu with the same striking riverfront views.

With the opening of Samira, Restaurateur Nick Dadich said he will bring new energy to an old power plant along the Cuyahoga River. On Dec. 14, Dadich opened his new restaurant, Samira, at 2291 Riverfront Pkwy., formerly home to The River Brasserie and Bar and, originally, LeFever’s. Constructed as a power plant, the building still features architectural details from its beginnings, but the menu and the atmosphere are all new. Under his direction, Samira trends toward casual, but elegant, affordability. Entrées range from $15 to $25 and sandwiches and pizzas are available anytime, Dadich said. “We wanted to make it affordable,” Dadich said. “We still get people who come in here on their anniversaries and order their filets, but now we also …

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