By Rita Grabowski
Cleveland Live
If this restaurant's name had been a racehorse, it would be a long shot and a late closer, finishing wide from the outside. "Fahrenheit wasn't even something we were considering, until the last minute," explains owner/chef Rocco Whalen. "Naming the restaurant was a tough process," adds Kelly Repas, manager, partner, and Whalen's fiancée. All kinds of plays on Rocco's name, and regional Italian names were the early front-runners, but the couple didn't want a name that would tie them to a specific cuisine. The cuisine-neutral Fahrenheit was an excellent decision, an important one of hundreds made prior to opening, and during each day of operation.
One lesson Whalen learned early from Wolfgang Puck, when he worked for "Wolf," (initially as a sous chef at Obachine in Phoenix in '97), was the importance of using the finest, freshest ingredients. Whalen's signature appetizer on Fahrenheit's menu is a case in point ($7.50). The goat cheese is by Laura Chenel. The artichoke hearts are marinated in sesame oil before they are grilled. A trace quantity of mashed potatoes helps to bind the cheese and artichoke filling which is wrapped, spring-roll style, with wonton skins, sealed with egg wash and cornstarch, and fried for three minutes. Timing is critical. "Any longer would ruin them," says Whalen. In his competent hands, they are as light and crisp as the best phyllo, a glorious textural counterpoint to the creaminess of the artichoke-flavored goat cheese. The whole-grain mustard sauce, arugula, and perfect, halved heirloom cherry tomatoes, like miniature snapshots of a summer's worth of sun, complete the presentation.
Stuffed Hungarian peppers ($6), the other appetizer we tried, is a concept that appears on many area menus. According to Whalen, that familiarity is planned. His goal is a menu that offers some simplicity, as well as items that are proven to be regionally popular. It is difficult, adds Repas, to get customers to order foods that they don't understand. Again, quality ingredients and masterful handling made this appetizer impressive. The Hungarian peppers have some naturally occurring heat, but here they are roasted to a slight char, which brings out their sweetness. The Italian sausage was flavorful and finely ground. A light tomato-basil-garlic sauce, and some strips of peccorino romano rounded out the appetizer.
The "Fahrenheit" theme helps to organize the menu and the wine list, as prep or serving temperatures provide the menu headings, including "212 F Pasta," "600 F Pizza," and "45 F Champagne." Wines are organized by their characteristics, such as "Crisp, Fruity Whites," and "Full-Bodied, Oaky Reds." Glass and bottle prices are reasonable, another conscious choice by Whalen. Most are California vintages, but there are also Kanu Chenin Blanc from South Africa ($12), Fat Bastard Chardonnay from France ($17), and Rockbare Shiraz from Australia ($21), as well as interesting pours by the glass.
The care and thoughtfulness evident in the appetizers and the wine list extends to the menu's entrées and specials. The evening we visited, in addition to the house filet with oven-dried tomato, sage blue cheese and crispy leeks ($20), and the grilled hangar steak with pommes frites and red wine shallot sauce ($16.50), a New York strip steak was offered with a maytag blue cheese cream, roasted fingerling potato and a balsamic reduction sauce ($22). Roasted halibut is on the menu served with lobster and vermouth sauce, fingerling potato and peppers ($18), and was offered as a special topped with peeky toe crab, and a beurre blanc served over basmati rice ($20.50).
We ordered two of the evening's specials. The New York strip was a generous 10-ounce., cooked just a bit on the cool side of the requested medium. The meat was well-trimmed and flavorful, and restraint shown with the blue cheese cream kept that strong flavor from becoming domineering. The redskins, indeed the size and shape of pudgy digits were halved and roasted, and tucked beneath the steak. The preparation of the halibut was layered and harmonious as a madrigal, with a base of basmati (which translates as "the fragrant one"), roasted sliced roma tomatoes, a mild, snowy curl of halibut, medallions of sweet crab meat, the green tangle of scallion chives and a sprig of thyme. A measured hand provided enough butter sauce to moisten and flavor, but not overwhelm.
Just as our entrées were served, Whalen came out to the dining room to introduce himself. He is a charmer who can work the room, and did, shaking hands and chatting before returning to the line, where he deals with heat and limited space, working productively, and smiling serenely. Another lesson learned from Wolf was to be surrounded with good people, and Whalen has done that. Repas shares front of the house duties with her sister, Kim, and Robert Geul, who worked with Whalen at Lockkeeper's, is his sous chef. The wait staff is professional and knowledgeable.
As most of the seats filled, the room got noisy, which is the only negative thing I can say about the comfortable, elegant dining room. The grand piano, from the room's earlier incarnations as Ragtime and 88 Keys, is gone. Avocado green highlights some of the room's structural elements, and some surfaces of the burgundy-colored walls have been given depth and texture with a golden glaze. Exposed brick and the mahogany bar and chairs give the rooms sophistication and warmth.
While some of the desserts have a warm, fuzzy familiarity, they have an edge of sophistication, too. The almond and orange torte ($5.50) was a winner, with a center stripe of chocolate, and divine blood-orange syrup. However, Whalen's signature chocolate coconut pot de crème ($5.50) is chocolate pudding of The Gods: coconut milk, chocolate, heavy cream and egg yolk, whipped and baked into Chocolate Heaven. It is soooo good it should be served with a miniature spatula so that none of it is left clinging to the sides of the ramekin. Garnished with a triangle of buttery cookie, a chocolate cigarette, a dusting of cocoa, a dollop of whipped cream and a perfect, sliced strawberry, it is rather like a Mounds Bar returned from a tour of Europe, newly cultured, near liquid, and seductive.
Although Whalen hasn't toured Europe himself, he is classically trained. A graduate of the Pennsylvania Culinary School, he worked with Wolfgang Puck in his Orange County Grande Café, as well as in Phoenix. After two and a half years at downtown Cleveland's Blue Point Grille, Whalen and Repas spent six months planning to move to Las Vegas. They arrived there soon after September 11th, and, according to Repas, "decided in about six minutes" to return home. (Whalen grew up in Mentor, and Kelly and Kim are from Independence.)
Fahrenheit's goal is clearly a comfortable, accessible restaurant. Fahrenheit is open on Mondays so restaurant workers have someplace to go on what is often their only night off. An abbreviated menu of salads and pizzas is served nightly from 11 p.m. until 1 a.m. Whalen cares so much about his pizzas, he personally signs each pizza-delivery box.
Whalen describes the fortunate timing of the availability of Fahrenheit's space as "a blessing." It is easy to see why area diners will come to think that way about his return.
Food: Five stars. Service: Four and a half stars.