Steak on a Stone

We had Valentine’s Day dinner with friends again last night for the 4th or 5th year. It started by accident. We ran in to some old friends one year at what used to be my favorite restaurant. We decided to do it again the next year, on purpose this time, and asked another couple who live nearby to join us. So, 3 couples, us the youngest by a lot, have dinner together every Valentine’s Day. At the same place.

It’s called Steak on a Stone, now. It is located on Lorain Ave. in North Omsted.  When it was my favorite restaurant, it was called Kristopher’s. I have had wonderful meals there. Only place in Cleveland I’ve been able to get a whole fish. And their Crème Brule was wonderful. But, then, they decided to change the place radically. Now, you get a 700 degree piece of granite and a raw steak and you slice and cook it yourself. And go home smelling like you’ve been grilling, because you have. Makes your clothes and hair stink. Don’t wear anything that is not washable!

This most recent trip, there was some confusion over who was going and what time the reservation was but we got that worked out and everyone arrived. Not as much snow this year as last but still cold. February in Cleveland, what else do you expect? One couple was already seated when we got there and we joined them. No one came to ask if we wanted drinks for about 10 minutes. All in all, the service was terrible. I had to ask for a bread plate and two of us were missing silverware. Water was requested and never delivered. What was delivered was never refilled. The coffee drinkers got 1 cup apiece and then had to try and catch our very elusive waitress. She was very busy, too busy to see if we needed anything. My hubby and I never did get to order our wine with dinner. She wasn’t around long enough to ask. Lots of smiles and away she would run.

And, for the record, I go to restaurants so I don’t have to cook! If I wanted to cook my steak, I would stay home. The very hot stone on the table in front of you makes the space very hot. I sweated through my dress! Around 10 PM, they turned on some ineffectual ceiling fans and pushed the smoke around. They also do a flambé cheese appetizer that felt like it set my hair on fire when the table behind us ordered one. That just added to the general over-heating of the place.

We won’t be back. Dinner with friends was the only thing that kept us going there even once a year since they changed their format. With this latest experience, not even that can lure us back!

And this used to be my favorite restaurant. So sad…