Cabin Club is much more than just steaks

When you get the urge for a steak dinner there are plenty of choices in Cleveland, but there is really no need to look any further than the Cabin Club.

From the moment you arrive, the timber-framed log cabin entices you with a quaint and cozy atmosphere and it’s exactly that when you walk inside.

Raised booths separate the dining area from the stunning mirrored bar in this one-room restaurant. Even with the rustic cabin architecture you feel a sense of elegance as you are seated at your cream-linened table.

The day I met my wife for lunch, I started with the French Onion Soup ($5). This hearty soup is topped with homemade croutons and melted cheese that drips down the side of the crock.

My entrée, a Blackened Chicken Caesar Salad ($9), had just the right amount of Cajun spices to give it a little heat. Complimented with Kalamata olives and sourdough croutons it was perfectly dressed and delicious.

My wife’s Cedar Planked Salmon ($14) came with soup du jour or a house salad – crispy greens, cucumber wrap and sunflower seeds all topped with their classic honey-lemon chardonnay dressing. Her salmon was oven roasted and expertly seasoned, topped with a truffle butter and accompanied with garlic mashed potatoes. Roasted creamed corn was also served with her meal which was absolutely out of this world delicious.

The Mediterranean Steak Sandwich ($13) was cooked medium rare topped with green olives, artichokes, Swiss cheese and fire-roasted mayo. Not your typical sandwich toppings, but that’s what makes it stand out.

If you're in a hurry, you could opt for the HR Express Lunch ($10). You choose from three sandwiches, three soups and three salads all served on one plate.

Looking through their wine list is most impressive, but not surprising as it has been honored with the “Award of Excellence” by Wine Spectator magazine. If you can’t decide on a wine, the staff is quite knowledgeable, as many of them are trained and certified sommeliers.

For dinner, start with their “Award Winning” Lobster Bisque ($8). Wonderfully creamy with nice chunks of lobster, it leaves you wanting more.

Another starter that was served at a nearby table was Appetizer Sampler ($22). The combination of Fried Calamari, Buffalo Spring Rolls and Raspberry BBQ Shrimp looks to be a tempting selection.

Their classic dish is the Steak Christopher ($27). Perfectly grilled twin filet mignons topped with sautéed shrimp, asparagus spears and finished with a decadent béarnaise sauce. It’s also served with a side of garlic mashed redskins. It tastes even better than it sounds.

Delmonico Steak is a favorite of mine and the Cabin Club's is a 14-ounce USDA Prime Cut, a la carte ($28) or with soup or salad and choice of one side ($33). What can I say, on target with the preparation and so tender and juicy. I accompanied it with the Lobster Risotto with truffle oil and parmigiano reggiano, delectable.

Along with any steak, order the Sizzling Skillet of Mushrooms ($4); the sound and smell will tantalize your senses.

Only USDA Prime and Certified Angus Beef are served in this establishment.

Alaskan King Crab, Baby Back Ribs, Beef Short Ribs, Great Lakes Walleye and Lamb Meatloaf are just a small selection of many entrees that will render you helpless in your dinner choice.

The bar has its own menu and from 3-6 p.m. Monday-Friday all bar food is half-price.

Now we can talk about service, WOW! The late Capt. Eddie Solomon of McGarvey’s Restaurant in Vermilion wrote a book, “Service is an Honorable Profession,” and our server Amy personified it with first-class service. Friendly, knowledgeable, timely and professional. If I were to open a restaurant, I would start by hiring Amy, and then clone her.

Back in 1991, George Schindler, Kay Ameen and Dave Hale started Hospitality Restaurants, the parent company of the Cabin Club. Now they’ve grown by four more restaurants and one night club. Their success started in Westlake. Now in their twentieth year, the Cabin Club continues its high standard of outstanding food and professional service. They’re not just the standard of excellence on the Westside but in all of Northeast Ohio.

Rating: 4 stars out of 4.

Cabin Club Steakhouse, 30651 Detroit Rd., Westlake; 440-891-7111; hrcleveland.com/cabin

Steve Novak is a Westlake resident and 30-year veteran in the restaurant industry, working at all levels from dishwasher to manager to chef/owner. The Observer makes two anonymous visits per restaurant and does not accept complimentary meals.

Steve Novak

Steve Novak lives in Westlake

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Volume 3, Issue 22, Posted 11:24 AM, 11.01.2011