Crop Bistro & Bar
If you’re ever in the Ohio City neighborhood of Cleveland I suggest you treat yourself and your loved ones to a meal at Crop Bistro & Bar. The following is taken from their website:
One of America’s top restaurants (according to Zagat)…Cleveland’s best restaurant (according to Cleveland’s Scene)…and winner of the 2012 Wine Spectator Award of Excellence, Crop upon foundations of flavor, freshness, and invention.
Relying heavily on local foodstuffs culled from the region’s small farmers and artisanal producers, the menu is a celebration of contemporary craftsmanship, focused on intense flavors, top-quality ingredients, and a heaping helping of culinary whimsy. Like the harvest, the dishes change frequently, to best utilize all that is fiercest, freshest, and most fabulously delicious.
Located in the former United Bank Building with its 30 foot coffered ceilings and rich mahogany and marble interior at 2537 Lorain Avenue and on the corner of W. 25th Street. Crop is adjacent to Westside Market and south of Market Square (think Great Lakes Brewing Company), there is plenty of affordable parking behind the restaurant off of W. 26th Street. The massive dining room and rich décor will keep you 
awed as you try and decide what to order. In our party of six that day, we started with Cherry Bombs, chorizo and cheese stuffed tomatoes wrapped in wonton wrappers, deep fried and served over spicy black beans. Four of us
ordered the exact same thing and yep the other two ordered the same thing with different sides. The Macaroni and Cheese with BBQ Brisket was definitely a hit as large cavitappi noodles were coated in a delicious Amish Cheddar cheese sauce, served with fresh baby spinach and a large topping of their BBQ brisket…may I say YUM YUM! The odd two out 
ordered the Salmon BLT one with Orzo Salad and the other with a soft wedge salad. The service was impeccable and the wait staff kept water glasses filled and drinks replenished as needed along with baskets of their fresh baked French bread and creamy sweet butter on the table at all times. Our server made excellent recommendations and we appreciated her input. Crop prides its self in the use of farm to table offerings and states the following on their website:
Our crop of local farmers, growers, and artisanal producers is constantly branching out. Among the many hardworking agriculturalists who have contributed to our current menus, we give a special shout-out to Middlefield Original Cheese Co-op in Middlefield, Smoking T’s Smokehouse in Jefferson, Green Harvest (a co-op of mainly Amish farmers in Holmes, Medina, and Knox counties), Holiday Italian Sausage in Cleveland, and KJ Greens in Andover.
For special events and parties Crop offers the Vault, the 2nd largest vault between New York and Chicago where diners experience their 
artisan meal dining inside the vault. There is also an Executive Dining Room located on the 10th floor penthouse that offers spectacular downtown skyline and Lake Erie views. After enjoying the delicious and moderately priced food take a 
stroll along W. 25th Street and make sure to visit Penzey’s Spices (located in the bank building on the W. 25th Street side entrance) and pick-up some unique spices from around the world. Campbell’s Popcorn is a block south and is the Cleveland answer to the famous Garrett’s of Chicago, their delectable hand dipped pretzel rods alone are worth a visit. A new discovery was Horizontal Books, where we found some very good bargains in this warehouse type store. I never miss an opportunity to stroll the aisles of the Westside Market or enjoy a sit in Market Square Park, a fresh brewed beer from Great Lakes Brewing Company or a
Market Sq. Park
I’m including a recipe for my homemade Bleu Cheese dressing that goes perfectly on a wedge salad.
