111 Bistro
A recent addition to the long corridor of Rt. 18 in Medina, this place was quite a find! Our only hope is that it “catches on”. Tucked back in the corner of an almost new strip center right at Rt. 18 and I-71, 111 Bistro is quite a step up from the typical sports bars (and “bar” bars) that are generally found in this area. So much so, that we expressed that concern to our server, Adam. They’ve only been open a few months and while we don’t usually find any place too crowded on Tuesday nights; for as large as it is, 111 was pretty empty. Our concern was that it might be a little too “frou-frou” for the area and as the menu and $$ reflect, this is the kind of place that you might find downtown, or in a more eclectic, up-scale area; not right off of the interstate in a rural area of Medina.
Now, all that being said; it was beyond FABULOUS!!! For the ‘regular folk’ out there that don’t speak culinary-ese, if you can get past some of the descriptions of the entrees (we had to ask Adam to explain or describe most of the dishes); you will be absolutely blown away. Something as simple as pan-roasted chicken (my entrée selection at the suggestion of Adam) was nothing short of amazing. Who would have thought that something that sounded so simple could be that outstanding (the lemon gremolata, by the way, was basically a delicious risotto-type of side dish, which was not too heavy on the lemon). Mr. Z opted for the Salmon Bernaise, which he said was some of the best he’s ever had. In addition, I tried the 111 Salad, which was a perfect start to a very hearty meal; not too heavy and the shallot vinaigrette was deliciously light. As an added bonus, Adam brought me a bowl of the butternut squash bisque to sample, which they were featuring as a soup of the day. It was perfect!
We definitely gave this place 4 thumbs up!!! It was a comfortable atmosphere, the service was great (thank you Adam) and everything we tried was out of this world. Now, let’s just hope that word gets around and they thrive in their current location.
111 Bistro is located at:
2736 Medina Road
Medina, OH
(330) 952-1122
http://111bistro.com/