The Brick Oven — Restaurant in Middleburg Heights

First time at this site and I am pleased to say they are checking all the boxes . Italian cuisine (or pizza) has to be one of the most popular and available restaurants anywhere you go. Thus, it is a delight to find those places that are doing it well. While there is an incredibly casual vibe here, they do pay attention to the the issues that can best define a well managed eatery. First off, the place is clean -- from the menus to utensils. The floor is not carpeted which, unless cleaned weekly, can become a petri dish of organisms and rotting food -- smart move. The glasses, dinnerware, and even napkins (paper, but high end) are well considered and spotless. The table covering, not linen (smart move again) is a synthetic; easily maintained and cleaned. Now on to the food. Having watched Food TV's "Restaurant Impossible," I have come to suspect restaurants with overextended menu selections. Truth be known, they can't handle it. Brick Oven selections are sensible and fill one page -- a sufficient selection of appetizers, entrees, salads, pastas, and pizza. And a couple of desserts. Same with the wines -- Affordable. We chose the house salad, baked bolognese, Veal parmesan, and the house salads. (Grated cheese is extra; not parmesan but okay.) Salads were sufficient and better than average with mixed greens, cuke, and the obligatory cherry tomato. (Might impress me next time with two tomatoes.) But the main dish is the star. Both pasta dishes were extraordinary and well priced (here's hoping they can control prices in this crazy world.) You can see from the photos that the portions (especially on the veal are generous.) Linguini was perfect (and I didn't even caution that I like it al dente -- they know how to cook pasta.) And before I forget --Everything is reputed to be made on site and I believe it. The bread and butters (whipped, one with garlic and parsley) are better than I have gotten in other high end places. Brick Oven is on target and more satisfying than any other Italina I have had in the Strongsville/Middleburg/Parma area. Thanks to staff John, Brittney, and Heidi for a spectacular experience....

My wife and a friend of ours met up for dinner here a few weeks ago. She enjoyed it so much that she asked me to take her there again. So today, we stopped in so I could try it too.

The interior was much nicer than my prejudices against strip malls allowed me to imagine. Tables are not cramped together and the booths are wide enough to sit two people side by side comfortably. The dining area had a nice, modern feel to it. Everything was clean and tidy.

My wife ordered the chicken piccata (because she loved it so much last time) and I had the special, which was a filled pasta I was unfamiliar with and I couldn't really hear what our server called it. I thought she said spagatini or something like that. I googled the name and no wonder she kinda mumbled past it: it's called faggottini. It's kinda like a ravioli, but instead of being crimped on all edges, it's like a pasta square that has been cinched up like a small change purse with ricotta inside. They served it in a blush sauce and baked under a generous layer of gooey mozzarella; I thoroughly enjoyed it. The portion was very generous and I was unable to finish it thanks to filling up on the wonderful fresh bread and delicious Italian Wedding Soup.

As much as I loved the Mozzarella Fritta we started with, the size of my entree meant I'll probably skip getting an appetizer next time. That's a shame, because the breading was wonderful and they were fried to perfection.

Our server was friendly and attentive, and she was quick to replace my drink when I let her know it seemed like the fountain syrup had started to run out. Unfortunately, we ended up being "those people" who had a bunch of small asks during our meal, but our server cheerfully took care of each one. We will definitely...

For the past 15 years, I have had some good experiences with this restaurant. I haven't eaten here in a few years, though, so when I had plans to reconnect with an old friend, I figured this would be a nice place to catch up. The food was very sub-par. My salad was watery and nothing spectacular; my chicken had a real crappy presentation and flavor; nothing from what I remember seeing or tasting...

And, in general, our waitress was just rude. She was so "put out" that a customer was there. Really? You're a waitress, what do you expect? Her attitude was very passive-aggressive, and I did not enjoy it at all. When a friend of mine asked for a recommendation, she offered the more expensive of the two (which did not bother me) but her reasons were unrelated. I asked for which of the two would be better in her opinion, she offered her answer, because it was "healthy".... I am so disappointed in this place, and will not be returning; especially for a 60$ dollar bill with crappy food and crappy service; no thanks! There are other places that appreciate...