Rood — Restaurant in Lakewood

Restaurants like this with eclectic, upscale, creative food, almost always disappoint me. They try so hard that they lose the balance of flavors and elements overpower, or they use presentation and ambiance to compensate for mediocre flavors. Not Rood though. Every single dish I tried was executed to perfection. I don’t understand anything less than a 5 star review.

The rolls had a nice herb flavor from lavender, and were accompanied by a high quality butter and a ginger, cardamom, and apple sorghum. The sorghum concoction was mind blowing and I would pay $50 for a jar of it. I ended up putting what was left on my Asian Pear Salad.

Speaking of Asian Pear Salad, the pears were poached beautifully (only complaint I have is that I wish there were more pears) and the cherry blossom vinaigrette was very light with subtle flavors. The real highlight was the toasted miso, which added such a beautiful complex flavor to the salad. Has to be the best salad I’ve ever had.

The crab cakes were small, but packed full of crab. They were cooked all the way through (hate when I get a runny crab cake!) but not dried out at all. I’m not usually a fan of grits, but the grits they came on were super delicious.

My sea scallops had a wonderful sear, but not rubbery at all! Such an incredible flavor and PERFECT amount of salt. I prefer the taste of scallops alone so I didn’t eat them with the sauces, but i tasted them afterwards. The farro had a delightfully chewy texture. There was supposed to be a zatar oil, but honestly, I couldn’t pick up on the zatar flavor.

My partner got the boar ragu. He said it lacked salt, but I thought it was acceptably salted. Probably could have used a bit more salt, but fine as is. I’m not a fan of the gamey flavor of boar, so I won’t comment further on this dish.

Now the star of the show…. Pie. Historically, pie is not a dessert I typically enjoy or gravitate towards, but that’s not the case for Rood. Sometimes I go just to pick up some pie. I’ve had nearly every pie Rood has, and was eager to try the Apricot + Pistachio. I don’t really have words for how delightfully perfect it was. Salt + Honey has been my favorite for so long, but it has now been usurped....

Wow...I've been here quite a few times for dine-in brunch, takeout biscuits and just pie for dessert and everything about Rood Food and Pie has been fantastic!

The brunch entrees are fresh, made from scratch and mouth wateringly delicious! The portion sizes are very generous too...you definitely won't leave hungry!

My wife and I have had their biscuit sandwiches and they don't disappoint. The brisket biscuit was loaded with tender meat covered with melted cheddar and the light side salad and roasted brussel sprouts with balsamic dressing goes well with it. The fried chicken, available as a biscuit or entree, is some of the best I've had! Nice and crispy, seasoned just right, with not too much breading and the chicken stays juicy and moist. If you're vegan, the smashed avocado biscuit is a tasty lighter option.

We went there today for brunch with some friends and my wife and I both had the Country Chicken with gravy. It was perfect! Just the right amount of sausage gravy, so the chicken wasn't drowning, a side of bacon collard greens and a fresh baked, soft biscuit with a side of local honey and homemade pickles...mmmm! Our one friend had the Stuffed French toast and it looked so good! Stuffed with cream cheese and blackberry compote, and pecans..omg, most try it next time!

If you have a sweet tooth, Rood's pies are made fresh by their baker and they taste amazing! The Banana Cream Pie is definitely a winner and I also really like the Apple Pear Bourbon Walnut pie, which is actually vegan! The walnut crust is just cooked perfectly and makes you want to keep eating! The apples and pears inside are cooked just right and are seasoned nicely without a lot of added sugar, so you taste the natural sweetness and texture of the fruit. Be sure to check their website and social media for seasonal pies and their availability!

Rood Food, you have a great thing going and you keep us coming back for brunch and pie! Keep it up! We'll have to try...

I cannot say enough good things about Rood Food in Lakewood. For a couple years, it's been among our favorite places, but our experience last night finally prompted a review.

Everything about our experience was exquisite. The service is always top notch: courteous, conscientious, without being over the top or overly intrusive. Bre is a wonderful host, and Zach, our server, was exceptional.

The cocktails were marvelous. I ordered the Oi Boy martini, and it was one of the best of my life. The bartender uses a cucumber brine for a fresh experience, and the spicy tincture is so unusual (in the best possible way). I ordered two and would have ordered more if my BAC would have allowed it!

And while all that was great: the FOOD is what inspired my writing.

LAMB MEATBALLS. My partner and I (somewhat as a joke) have made it a habit to order meatballs whenever they are available on a restaurant menu. The lamb meatballs at Rood are truly the best we have ever had -- anywhere. Succulent, perfectly spiced with a caramelized outer crust. They are magnificent. (I know! What a weird thing to say about meatballs.)

WAYGU STEAK. There are few words to describe how fantastic the waygu is. My partner and I are fortunate enough to travel the world -- including Japan -- a handful of times each year. THE WAYGU AT ROOD FOOD IS AS GOOD -- IF NOT BETTER -- THAN THE TOP RESTAURANTS IN TOKYO. This is not an exaggeration. Every couple bites we found ourselves closing our eyes, chewing slowly, and taking in a truly extraordinary experience. And in Lakewood, OH, no less!

It blows my mind that Rood Food seems to fly under the radar relative to other "big name" restaurants in town. Maybe it's lucky for us -- because we can almost always get a seat. Put this place in any major city, and it'd be booked out weeks in advance.

Cannot recommend...