Some upfrontness to start.
I know someone in the organization. I have actually been to the
Fairlawn location since our original visit
(before they were connected), but didn’t want to step on toes or
feel as though I should compromise my opinion. We are stopping in
for the soft opening, which puts them more at risk, but I was
welcomed to scribble my thoughts. All I can say is I’ll be as honest
as I know how, which is often more so than most think appropriate.
In fact, I’m still catching hell at home for ridiculing the use of
cottage cheese in lasagna. So here goes. |
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The new location is pretty slick. Similar interior to the Fairlawn shop, modern, relaxed with a bit of edge to the furnishings and staff. There is also a patio and seating area outside with a glass fire pit for more communal waiting for a seat or imbibing. Hey, fire is cool. Our server was both friendly and nice (there is a difference) and had most of the menu down to a T. He did well with the adults and the kids, and the adult kids (you know who you are). They are flat out packed but there aren’t many signs of struggle on the floor, and you would have to know and be looking for them to notice. Not easy to do when you are still pulling teams together. On my return visit to Fairlawn I found some of the things I had complained about from the menu clearly addressed. The same was true if not better this trip. Honestly. They
source everything from O!-H! (you know the rest), including the
adult beverages. I think they offer tastings or flights in two
different sizes depending on how much your interested in trying and
if you might be driving later. I started with some Bourbon, cause
I’m a ‘Merican with their Smash, featuring Watershed Distillery
bourbon, bitters, and citrus, nothing wrong with that. I asked about
dark beers and was told they had a couple of porters, one sweet, one
coffee. Some flavorings in beer are so ethereal you find yourself
wondering if you are tasting or imagining them. Not so with the
wonderfully bitter and coffee studded pour here. As we moved on to
the menu, it seems they have been moving to more forward flavors
than I remember, I’m a fan. |
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We
ordered a bevy from the apps/sides section. Fries of many stripes,
skinny, sweet, truffle, chips, all of which are well prepared and
seasoned. Still a fan their fries, but even more so of the cups of
sharp and aggressive sauces served alongside. Who needs ketchup? I
do like my goop, especially unique and memorable goop. I had a
different reaction to the mac and cheese bites, I’ve never really
been wowed by anyone’s version, concept = heaven; product = meh. The
gouda is a nice touch but not enough to woo me. A dunk in the
buffalo ranch dip they arrived with, would improve lots of things. I
wanted to steal it for my onion rings. Speaking of which, the onion
rings (which I had lambasted in Fairlawn)
were fantastically improved. Crispy but not greasy. Exterior clung
fiercely to the tender and sweet onion. Doneness of the vegetable
itself allowed for a clean bite through without the rest of the ring
trailing out of one side or the other. 1000 times better than when I
tried them years ago. Roasted red hummus was a nice lighter option,
but I would probably stick to the fryer. |
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We were
going to try a couple of different sandwiches but they were out of
bbq pork so we ended up with tastes of a couple of burgers and their
southern style chicken sandwich. Southern, in that it’s fried and
served with slaw and pickles. Chicken was moist and surrounded by
dark crunch. I’m not a sweet pickle kinda guy but the bread and
butter chips had enough tang to offset the sweet. Good, but the
place is really geared to cow sandwich. The beef is ground coarsely
for texture and arrives with a tasty dark brown coat. Still good.
There were a range of temps ordered at the table and they were all
on the nose, quite an accomplishment for a soft opening. The Blue
Bessie is topped with sweet spinach, funky cheese, earthy mushrooms,
spiced fried onions and a biting horseradish sauce, which set
everything off with quite a blast. I’m a fan. The 7th Heaven burger
has a sweet/acidic red onion jam, thick rashers of bacon and the
residue of truffle butter. The butter had melted and soaked mostly
into the bottom bun and just reeked of intensely shroomy truffle. I
would do this over and over. |
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They’re burgers and taters have been good. The onion rings up to match compared to my first trip. What I did not expect to find was ridiculously tasty twist on a classic dessert. In days of yore, holidays with our family would include two kinds of pie, pumpkin and pecan. Mom provided pumpkin, an aunt the pecan. The Rail has taken on a woman who I think started making pies at home and now provides all the various locations with heaven in a dish. Pecan pie will never be the same. Here’s what makes her’s different from my prototype and also what makes her’s fantastic. The same
bits of wonderfully roasted nuts are suspended over sweet egg and
sugar goo, contained in a crust. First difference, the pie is much
sweeter than the one I grew up with, but in this case is expertly
offset with a formidable blast of salt in the crust. If you’re a fan
of salted caramel or chocolate bacon or the like, you know what I’m
talking about. Disparate elements start by challenging each other,
but in harmony elevate each other instead. Then there is the
aforementioned sugar & egg goo. Sorry, didn’t mean to use such a
technical baking term, mixture then. |
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I remember a hazy, thick, gelatinous layer
between the nuts and crust. Not here. There is a clear light brown
suspension that oozes like lava. I’ve never contemplated how
dinosaurs might have been captured in amber, now I have and I
understand. Just warmly creeping towards you, sweet and inviting,
lay down, have a nap, everything little thing is gonna be alright,
welcome to Jurassic Park. Add a splash of Watershed Bourbon and you
have something we have now talked about for a week. True confession:
there might be a whole pie in our fridge right now....but not for
long. I don’t know if this pie offering is seasonal. If it is run.
Find the closest Rail, find an array of
local adult beverages, find serious burgers (or chicken) with more
assertive sauces and toppings, always well-done range of tater
options, well done onion rings (see if you can get the buffalo ranch
dip on the side if you like things spicier than the red pepper
sauce), and even if you are as stuffed as I was, get some pie! It’s
all from Buckeyes, and it’s for you. Course, I might be biased, or
not, you decide.
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Ratings | |||||||
Food |
Service |
Ambiance |
What's Best |
What's Worst |
Overall |
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A- | B | B+ | A | N/A | A- | ||
Patio & Fire | PIE, Burgers & Fries |