So, there we were in Canton, Ohio on a Sunday night, enjoying our 4th of July Weekend and without a dining establishment in sight.
"What is an omnivore to do?"
Sure… we could have settled for some ‘chain’ or perhaps we could have ventured up I-77 to the big city of Cleveland, but we had our hearts set on dining local and enjoying what Canton had to offer.
With memories of our previous evenings dining extravaganza fresh in our minds (previous post) we sought a comparable experience. What we decided on was the 356th Fighter Group Restaurant (http://356fg.com/), nestled quietly beside the Akron/Canton Airport.
“Interesting place for a restaurant,” she said, “…and even more interesting choice of décor.”
“This place is most assuredly worthy of a visit,” I said, “… and so we will.”
As we walked the grounds and explored the exterior we were amazed. The level of attention to detail was astonishing and it really did feel like you were on a WWII American Airbase in England. From the ramshackle guardhouse to the vintage vehicles and equipment strewn on the grounds, it was indeed an astounding experience.
The visual assault did not stop there however and once we were inside we were accosted with the bric-a-brac of war; from broken pieces of Stuka dive bombers gracing the ceiling, to framed black-and-white photos of long ago aces, to ‘Kilroy was Here’ graffiti adorning the walls. It was a visual experience ‘to-die-for’. But we didn’t come here for the ‘visuals’… no, for us it was about the dining, and it was Cocktail Time!
Dirty Martinis were the call of the day and both arrived at the proper temperature, with the proper brine content and both were accompanied by the mandatory blue cheese olive. Things were looking very good for the Old 356th.
As appetizer time came around we chose the ‘Bomber Sauerkraut Balls’, served with a spicy mustard sauce. Both Sheb and I, while initially unsure about these but were pleasantly surprised once we tasted them. Nice texture, great taste and very unique.The salad course on the other hand, had us a bit concerned, as the house salads arrived looking like something ordered off the local Denny’s menu. After tasting them, we found that they also tasted like they came from the aforementioned ‘fine dining establishment’.
“Well, it is only the salads.” we said, as we tried to convince ourselves that better quality was ahead of us. The main courses however had more in common with the salads than they did the appetizers.
Sheb’s choice, the Pecan Encrusted Tilapia served with a Honey Glaze, was neither pecan-encrusted nor flavorful. (A smattering of pecans strewn on a fish does not ‘encrusted’ make.) While the fish was cooked quite well, it had no flavor; no seasoning to speak of and to call it bland is to do a great disservice to that word. As for the Honey Glaze, it had apparently gone AWOL.
My choice was the General’s T-Bone, purported to be a 16 oz ‘hunk-O-meat’ smothered in mushrooms. What it was instead was a gristle-filled piece of low grade cow that had the texture of a wet combat boot and while I can not say with absolute certainty, I believe it had the flavor to match. In all, both of our main course selections were very disappointing.
Dessert was an Upside-Down Apple Walnut Pie, and while it had merit it didn’t make up for the terrain that was lost during the main course… there would be no victory here today!
So, if for some reason you are at the Akron-Canton Airport… and if you are feeling the pangs of hunger gnawing at your innards and if you are so inclined… go to the 356th Fighter Group Restaurant. Enjoy the ambiance of the grounds, marvel at the decorative details within the establishment, order a refreshing adult beverage and sample the ‘Bomber Balls’, perhaps even nibble on a dessert…
… But under no circumstance are you to order a meal there. That’s an order!
- Chez
