Ladies' Night Cleveland

Sergio's Sarava

Sergio's Sarava

Cleveland, OH 44120
216-295-1200

www.sergioscleveland.com  

Day- Everyday

Time- 5:00-6:30pm (also available after 9:30pm on Friday and Saturday) 

Happy Hour Special-

*Three for $12 Street Plates (choice of Pao de Queijo, Salgadinhos, Crisp Spanish Cheese, Sarava Burgers, Artichoke Fritters, Grilled Quesadillas, Chicken Passarinho, Rainbow Smelt Tempura, Chilled Edamame, etc.!)

*$1 off drinks (in bar area only, between 5:00-6:30pm) 

*Rio Rewards- chance to win a trip to Rio de Janeiro! (see rules)

*Finally, also check out Grupo Brasil's hot Latin sounds every Friday after 9:00pm!

Rating:

4.5 out of 5 glasses (based on 2 reviews)

Review by Rachel

          Mentioning the word “Saravá” brings not the Brazilian salutation to mind, but instead Clevelanders envisage Sergio’s Saravá- an upscale Brazilian restaurant at Shaker Square. In fact, even whispering the word jump-starts salivary glands in local food aficionados faster than Pavlovian dogs. (Extra napkins, please!) Few reputations in Cleveland rate like Sergio’s- quality service and consistently impeccable dishes have accumulated somewhat of a culinary cult following.

We had both been to Saravá on several occasions before going explicitly for the LNC Review by Rachel. Our only disappointment this particular night was the lackluster service, which we found to be uncharacteristic of our other experiences there. Our order was initially lost, and it appeared we received less frequent visits from our waiter than other tables. (I told Tiff to show more cleavage! She never listens to me.) The food however, was worth the wait.

We did nothing but praise our multi-course meal (in between mouthfuls, naturally). Every scrutinizing detail was accounted for on each of the dishes. We started off our evening with a couple of the trademarked Street Plates, which cost $12 for three plates during happy hour (5:00-6:30 PM daily, plus after 9:30 PM on Friday and Saturday). To accompany the appetizers, we sipped on a caipirinha and white sangria, which both turned out to be quality cocktails that tastefully packed a punch. We hit the ground running with the Páo de Queijo, light bread puffs stuffed with a mild cheese, and the Saravá Burgers. The appetizing miniature pair of burgers topped with ketchup and caramelized onions was a good sign of things to come. If small bites aren’t your bag of mangos, you might consider an option from the surprisingly fresh raw bar.  For entrees, we decided upon the Xim-Xim slow-braised stew and the Beef Picanha with a single side order of the Trevisana salad. The stew had free-range chicken and generous quantities of shrimp along with tomatoes, carrots, coconut milk, and peppers. It had a complex but not overbearing spiciness to it and was overall quite satisfying. The Pincanha was a tender cut of expertly grilled Brazilian beef complemented with light seasonings. Paired with a glass of Laetite limite pinot noir, each bite was awash in succulence. Accompaniments of flash-fried spinach and black beans and rice were also startlingly flavorful. Who knew spinach could taste this good? (Well, we guess Popeye knew.) The small Trevisana salad of baby greens with red onions, pistachios, and strawberries drizzled with a mildly acidic balsamic vinaigrette was also a worthy selection, although the onions were on the slightly potent side.

Despite an enormous amount of gratifying food, we sacrificed ourselves for our readers and forged onward to the dessert! We ordered two delicacies from a selection of five- Sergio’s Coconut Butter Cake and the Ouro Preto Torte along with a Café Brasil Santos, sweetened Brazilian coffee served French press-style for two. The butter cake was wisely recommended by our server (no doubt guilty over the abandonment), consisting of whipped cream, crème Anglaise, and toasted coconut. The cake was rich and yet not overly sweet, served in a generous portion size to comfortably satisfy the sweet tooth for two. The flourless torte was a rich and heavy chocolate cake beautifully adorned with a ganache topping and edible gold leafs. If you happen to find yourself in a ravenous chocolate-craving frenzy, Sergio’s Saravá has got what you need!      

As if the quality of the food wasn’t enough, the ambiance here emanated warmth and relaxation. Saravá’s décor is as artistically crafted as their cuisine, with notable works of art carefully placed about the restaurant. Multiple segmented seating areas enhance the intimacy of the dining experience, making it an ideal locale for romantic dates and close friends.

In brief, despite the peculiar slow service during our review, we believe Saravá’s renowned reputation to be well deserved. Obsessive attention to detail apparently makes for superb cuisine. Each dish we sampled was simply delicious, and we were pleasantly surprised course after course. So quit complaining that you get lost in Shaker Square and make the trip on down. So far at LNC, we can say “Goodbye”, “Arrivederci”, and now “Saravá”- until the next time!

12/18/2007