Reviews

A Four-star Sensation : Xo Shoots For The Moon And Reaches The Stars With Fantastic Food And Ambiance

By Doug Trattner

Stepping off the curb at West Sixth and St. Clair and into XO restaurant, we are deposited into a city that doesn't appear to be suffering from any particular crisis, quiet or otherwise. Far from it, the scene we experience is one of absolute enthusiasm for this city, this block, this restaurant.

At a time when most new restaurants are stooping to find the least common denominator in dining, it is refreshing to see someone here in Cleveland shoot for the moon and return with the prize securely in his grasp. Such is the case with Zdenko Zovkic's exuberant new restaurant XO.

With assistance from his talented young chef, Scott Popovic, Zovkic has fashioned one of the city's most stimulating menus. And the setting, an airy warehouse space at the epicenter of downtown's dining district, makes for a riotously spirited night on the town. It is a restaurant such as this that remind us why we eat out in the first place.

While elsewhere in this city, others wait, beeper in hand, in a line that eventually leads to mediocre food, I hand off my coat and the coats of my companions to the very proprietor of the restaurant. And thanks to the invention of the telephone and an equally novel innovation, the reservation, our foursome is seated straight away. What will they think of next?

Without delay, the table is treated to its first nibble, courtesy of the chef - an amuse bouche in three parts. A rectangular plate divided into three sections, each containing a spoon-sized dollop of raw food, is placed before each diner. Working from right to left, we sample tuna tartar, a citrusy swordfish ceviche, with the fish reduced to impossibly small cubes, and finally, steak tartar served atop a single translucent potato chip.

Plates are removed, silver exchanged and bread is delivered and described to the table, a nice touch. Our wine glasses are replaced with ones more appropriate for our selection - King Estate pinot noir ($41). With such exacting service and attention to detail, XO very easily could have ended up a sedate fine dining experience. Not so. By allowing its location to dictate its temper, XO remains as celebratory as a swagger down West Sixth.

Even whimsy has its place, as evidenced by an appetizer of fried rock shrimp ($11.50), presented in an oversized Chinese take-out box with chopsticks jutting skyward. The tempura-like batter could not have been lighter or crisper, and the flavorful shrimp might have passed for lobster. A spicy chili sauce and lemon aioli take care of the rest.

An appetizer of stuffed peppers ($11), once Popovic gets his hands on it, becomes a delectable new sensation. The two small piquant Spanish peppers are filled with lively chorizo and cheese, or a luscious crab blend. And while delicious, we find ourselves equally impressed with the garnish, a dreamy salad of shredded jicama and pear.

Between courses, the table is presented with four martini glasses, each containing a small scoop of lavender custard. From an open Champagne bottle, small amounts of wine are poured into the glasses, creating a moat of lavender-scented foam around the custard. Our palettes are left refreshed, restored and ready for the main event.

That Popovich is only 26 years old and presenting food this pleasant might surprise folks. While the Cleveland native began his career in town, time spent in top Las Vegas restaurants no doubt sharpened his steel. He returned with some of the latest culinary tricks, such as "lacquered" fish, sensual foams and herby vapors. But Popovic's success lies not in his occasional gimmick, but in his confined precision. Unlike other young chefs, he avoids excessive use of competing flavors.

Illustrating the power of fragrance, a server sets down an entrée of spice-dusted sea scallops ($25). The bowl containing the fish and its accompanying unctuous risotto are set on a larger plate ringed with fresh cilantro. As the server pours a stream of boiling water onto the cilantro leaves, a plume of herbaceous vapor is released into the air. This is tasting without eating.

Braised short ribs ($27.50) are positioned atop smooth celery root puree, the rich braising juices of the shank saturating the luxurious starch below. And while tender, the meat is not reduced to a quivering mess. Even the Brussels sprouts trigger smiles. Better still, a flank of buttery escolar ($23.50) comes packaged in a diaphanous leaf of steamed cabbage. A ginger-scented miso broth anoints both the fish and the crisp sticky rice cake beside it.

Topping the entrees would be difficult. Instead we settle back to earth with a simple trio of organic Woo City ice creams ($7). While the flavors of cherry, melon and lavender restore our palettes for the final time, we consider how fortunate we are to have a restaurant like XO right here in our own town.