CLEVELAND, Ohio – Our brunch and breakfast series continues as we check out Adega. Here’s a look at what to expect:
Location + hours: 2017 E. 9th St., in downtown Cleveland, in the Metropolitan at the 9 hotel. Hours: 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. It's near Heinen's at E. 9th and Euclid Avenue. Parking garage to the south plus valet is offered. On game days expect a lot of folks heading to Indians games.
Menu or buffet? Menu.
About the place: The hotel restaurant boasts incredibly tall ceilings, a tiny bar, lighted pieces of art and friendly service.
About the menu: A trio of tasty Croque Madames are offered. (Croque Monsieur is ham and cheese; Madame has egg added.) The Americana had arugula's bitterness acting as a nice palate cleanser, balancing with flavors of maple-smoked bacon, Kumato, avocado, mornay sauce and egg. Four benedicts with cage-free eggs and several frittatas are on the menu. Breakfast potatoes were very fresh and not overdone or overseasoned. For carb fiends, three intriguing twists can be applied to either brioche French Toast or pancakes ("stacked flaps"): Sweet berry compote, dulce de leche or local honey Ricotta.
About the drinks: The liquid-meal standbys - Mimosa and Bloody Mary bars - are there for the creating.
Don’t miss: Breakfast burgers have become a trendy thing in recent years, but the spin here is the cheese in addition to the egg. The Adega Morning Burger is salty and savory with Boursin, which has a savory cream-cheese-like consistency. Picked onion and sweet basil aioli added to the yin-yang of the sweet-salty flavors.
Nice touch: Tea lovers will revel in this place. High-end Tea Forte is rich, smooth and not bitter at all. It comes with a tiny "leaf" protruding from its pyramid tea box.
Have a brunch spot you’ve wondered about and want us to visit? Email me.
Previous eats: Northeast Ohio breakfast-brunch spots we’ve tried:
1815 Tavern - Aurora
111 Bistro - Medina
35 Brix - Green
Akron Family Restaurant - Akron
Alley Cat - Cleveland (Flats East Bank)
Austin’s Wood Fire Grille - Brecksville
Barrio - Cuyahoga County (multiple locations)
Bay Diner - Bay Village
Beau's on the River - Cuyahoga Falls
Big Al's Diner - Cleveland (East Side)
Blue Canyon Kitchen & Tavern - Twinsburg
Blue Door Cafe - Cuyahoga Falls
Bomba Tacos & Rum - Akron
Bonefish Grill – Independence
Borderline Café - Lakewood
Brim Kitchen + Brewery - Willoughby
Burntwood Tavern - Brecksville
Check Please Cafe - Grafton
The Cheesecake Factory - Lyndhurst
The City Diner - Cleveland
City Works - Orange Village
Creekside Restaurant & Bar – Brecksville
Crop Bistro - Cleveland (Ohio City)
Deagan’s Kitchen & Bar - Lakewood
The Eye Opener – Akron
Fahrenheit - Cleveland (Tremont)
Fat Cats - Cleveland (Tremont)
Fire Food and Drink – Cleveland (Shaker Square)
First Watch - Fairlawn
Flour - Moreland Hills
Flury's Cafe - Cuyahoga Falls
Flying Fig - Cleveland (Ohio City)
Fred's Diner - Akron
Fresh Start Diner - Twinsburg
Gabe's Family Restaurant – Cleveland
Galaxy - Wadsworth
Gandalf's Pub & Restaurant - Valley City
The Girves Brown Derby - Medina
Hofbrauhaus - Cleveland (downtown)
Inn on Coventry – Cleveland Heights
Jack Flaps - Cleveland (Ohio City)
Jennifer's - Strongsville
Kelly's cafe - Brunswick
Lamp Post – Akron
Lucky's Cafe - Cleveland (Tremont)
Luna Bakery & Café – Cleveland Heights
Luxe Kitchen & Lounge - Cleveland (Gordon Square)
Michael's A.M. - Akron
Mom's Deli & Grille - North Royalton
Mustard Seed Market & Cafe - Fairlawn
Noble Beast Brewing Co. - Cleveland (downtown)
Perk Cup Cafe & Grill – Berea
Pinstripes – Orange Village
Prosperity Social Club - Cleveland
Punch Bowl Social - Cleveland (Flats East Bank)
Rose Italian Kitchen – Solon
Rosewood Grill – Hudson
Scratch - Independence
Soho Chicken + Whiskey - Cleveland (Ohio City)
Southside Diner - Parma
Tartine Bistro - Rocky River
Toast - Cleveland (Gordon Square)
Tony's Family Restaurant - Parma
Townhall - Cleveland (Ohio City)
Twisted Citrus - Canton
Urban Farmer - Cleveland (downtown)
Valley Cafe - Akron
Village Diner - Orange
Wally Waffle - Akron
Yours Truly - Mentor