Ribeye gets luscious at Red Gables Mesquite Grill in Sandusky.WE WANT YOUR REVIEW
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Words are cheap but good steak is not. So our skepticism was aroused by the online claim, "Best Steak You'll Ever Eat," floated by <Red Gables Mesquite Grill in Sandusky.
Best steak? I wouldn't touch that high-schoolish chant. But I did want to know if it was worth a 65-mile trip from Cleveland, or even a side trip after a day of careening around the rails at Cedar Point.
Answers: probably, and definitely.
There's no shortage of premium steakhouses in Greater Cleveland, from Red to Morton's to Hyde Park. But we're in summer, the prime season of wanderlust. Thoughts of a good steak can fuel a carnivorous appetite for the hour or so it takes to get there.
Once there, Sandusky has plenty to offer. We strolled downtown's ferry docks and storefronts on one trip, hopped aboard a paddle-wheel boat out of Cedar Point Marina the next.
Each visit, coupled with the dinner at Red Gables, felt like a vacation day.
Now, for the steak. It's not Prime, but aged and Certified Black Angus, cooked over mesquite wood for a distinctive Western accent. The medium-cooked rib-eye ($26.95 for my 14-ounce, $32.95 for a thick-cut 18-ounce) instantly became one of my all-time favorites: hearty structure but tender chew, pepper-rubbed, vaguely charred and whispering of cowboy terrain. It was a dynamic, mouth-filling beef flavor.
Also a standout was the tenderloin shish kebab ($18), which had an even better tenderness, and likely would have had more if my companion had thought to order it medium-rare instead of medium. I might have hit him on the head with it, if he wasn't my father -- and very happy with his dinner.
The red-meat parade of successes continued with a frequent special, rack of lamb Dijon ($32 for 4-bone), which highlighted the kitchen's emphasis on successful simplicity. This one was caramelized for crispness all over, and the interior flavor was a rare balance of wildness, tangy juices and warmth. Again, one of the best I've had.
The house pork chop is advertised as "Dan Aykroyd's Favorite," a shapely, lightly smoked, 10-ounce, bone-in serving that was juicy and tender despite being ordered well-done. (My mother, this time.) I didn't ask for any documents on the Aykroyd reference. Chef Jonathon Pribanic said the actor has been there and liked it that much, so he mentioned it on the menu. If I were Dan, I wouldn't complain.
There was a good measure of voluptuousness about the shrimp, served with equally plump sea scallops in another kebab ($18). The "New England-style crab cakes" ($19) had a fresh, sweet, briny crab flavor, if a bit of slack texture, despite the pan-browned appeal.
The sides were local vegetables treated with respect, and the mashed potatoes had a richness and creaminess that paired well with the meat. If you're getting salad, which often comes with the meal, the one dressed with celery seed also sports fresh fruit.
My only disappointment was the barbecued baby back ribs in their "secret Comeback sauce" ($19 for half-rack, $26 for whole). They were tender and fairly tasty, but the Flintstonian bones did not fit the common definition of "baby back." The dark sauce was pleasantly balanced, although not otherwise distinctive.
Add a steakhouse visit to your Cedar Point trip this year: Red Gables Mesquite Grill in Sandusky.
When we asked for some wet wipes for our hands, the server arrived with bowls of hot-soaked cloth napkins and lemon wedges, a nice touch. The young, pretty servers were reasonably effective overall, although often tentative in demeanor.
Red Gables, according to its website, claims a gangster history. The etched-glass entryway into the dim, white-tablecloth dining room has a freshened retro 1980s look when coupled with upholstered window valances and booth seating. Sinatra-style music plays and the shades are drawn seductively. Pribanic showed up tableside to chat up the customers.
It's part throwback, including the decadent mouthwatering part that's worth coming back to visit. It might even be, as the owner claims, the best you've ever had. Maybe not. Whatever.
TASTE BITES
Where: 2350 Cleveland Road, Sandusky.
Phone: 419-626-3354.
Online: redgables.wordpress.com
Hours: 4-10:30 p.m., daily
Prices: Appetizers, $5.95-$14.95; en trees, $13-$50; desserts, $6-$6.50.
Reservations: Suggested on week ends.
Credit cards: Most major cards accepted.
Cuisine: Steak, seafood, pasta.
Kid-friendliness: Kids selections, $6.50.
Bar service: Beer and wine.
Accessibility: Yes.
Grade: * * *
Ratings: One star means fair; 2 stars, good; 3 stars, very good; 4 stars, ex ceptional. (Zero stars: not recom mended.) Plain Dealer reviewers make at least two anonymous visits to each restaurant and do not accept compli mentary meals. Read past reviews at cleveland.com/dining