It’s Fat Wednesday — fat with news about the local food scene. Fat Tuesday is so yesterday.
In Fairlawn, Bombay Grill is moving into the space formerly occupied by Sweet Pea Cafe, a breakfast-and-lunch place that closed at the end of last year.
Bombay Grill, as its name suggests, is an Indian eatery that is currently in a tucked-away storefront at 3233 State Road. George Colaco, who owns it with his wife, Liz, said he hopes to open its new home at 117 Merz Blvd. later this month.
It’s a return home of sorts for the place that has attracted a following for its food, including a number of vegetarian and gluten-free options.
Bombay Grill began in 2009 at another site in Fairlawn, in the strip plaza in front of Wal-Mart. Parking was tight there, so the couple moved to a spot in the Falls. Fans found it there, despite the fact that it faces Bath Road, not State Road where its address is.
Now the Colacos are freshening up the old Sweet Pea space, painting bright colors on interior walls, and hoping customers will follow them to Fairlawn. The Falls location closed Tuesday.
Fresh bread
You can now get bread from at least three local bakeries at the 2.0 version of West Point Market at 33 Shiawassee Ave. in Fairlawn.
Fresh-baked loaves are available from Breads of Fairlawn, the refashioned former Breadsmith that is just a little west of West Point, as well as Brimfield Bread Oven and Sarah Jane’s bakery in Munroe Falls.
(I, my husband, retired Beacon reporter Jim Carney, and some friends enjoyed a baguette from Brimfield this past weekend. We served it with hard salami and other appetizers, and could hardly manage to eat the main-dish lasagna from DeVitis. I digress.)
Owner Rick Vernon said the store is still adding food and nonfood items. There’s now a healthy section of packaged cheeses next to the bakery, which offers the famous Killer Brownies and some other goods. You can find selections from Breads, Brimfield Bread Oven and Sarah Jane’s near the bakery counter, and there’s a variety of prepared foods.
A friend who lives outside the area asked me where exactly West Point was on Shiawassee. Perhaps others are wondering, so I’ll include this here: It’s just north of West Market Street, west of Fairlawn Town Centre.
The first phase of the revamped West Point — including a wine bar that serves as a cafe during the day — opened in December.
Retail building opening
A new retail and apartment building on West Market Street in Akron’s Highland Square neighborhood is finally getting close to opening.
The new building — in the works for a few years — is a family affair, with Manny Nemer spearheading the project and his son, Ray Nemer, and nephew, Mario Nemr, planning to bring their popular businesses across the street to some of the retail spaces.
Mario Nemr’s Capri Pizza will mark its last day in leased space on West Market on Friday. It will then be closed for the move, reopening inside Mr. Zub’s deli in the new building. Mr. Zub’s is expected to open not long after St. Patrick’s Day, Nemr said, but until its move, it will remain open in its current spot on the south side of West Market.
Phew. Got that?
Ray Nemer also plans to move Ray’s Pub, which replaced the Bucket Shop several years ago, to the new building. It’s on the site where the Crescent and Von apartment buildings once stood. Manny Nemer, who bought the property for $420,000, had hoped to rehab the buildings that had sat vacant for several years, but found that they were too damaged to salvage.
We’ll have more on all this later on.
Luck of the Irish
It’s March, so news of the St. Patrick’s Day-related food festivities is arriving.
The United Methodist Church of Uniontown in Stark County’s Lake Township hosts its big St. Patrick’s Day Cabbage Roll Dinner on March 18 (yeah, that’s the day after St. Patrick’s Day).
That morning, church members will make more than 1,500 rolls to be sold that evening from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Members fill 25 roaster pans with the rolls. Patrons can carry out or eat in. Cost for the meal of two cabbage rolls, mashed potatoes, salad roll, beverage and homemade dessert is $10. Children ages 4 to 12 pay $5. Chicken nuggets are available for children.
Cabbage roll six-packs will be sold for $13. They will keep in the freezer for up to three months, advises church member Kathy Matheny, chairwoman of the dinner.
The church is at 13370 Cleveland Ave NW in Lake. The phone number is 330-699-3587.
St. Patrick’s Day menu
Also coming up for your March calendar: D’Agnese’s, the Italian restaurant in West Akron, will feature its annual St. Patrick’s Day menu — yeah, you read that right — March 15-19.
New this year will be a salmon appetizer. Back is boxty, the traditional Irish potato pancake stuffed with yummy savory, uh, stuff. Chef and co-owner of D’Agnese’s is Joe Gallagher, from County Mayo Ireland.
“I have to flex my Irish muscles,” Gallagher explained. Regular menu items also will be available.
And to warm things up, he said, the restaurant will have a multicourse Jameson dinner March 15, pairing foods with different whiskeys.
This event begins with cocktails at 6 p.m.; dinner starts at 6:30 p.m. Cost is $45. Wine will be available for those who don’t want whiskey. D’Agnese’s is at 566 White Pond Dr. Call 234-678-3612 to reserve.
Nutritious, delicious
Walk-in tickets are available for this year’s Nutritious & Delicious Gala, featuring healthful food, from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday at Tangier, 532 W. Market St. in Akron.
Cost is $35 and includes samples from a variety of local establishments, two drink tickets and an engraved wine glass. Attendees can vote for favorite dishes. Tickets can be purchased at www.eatrightakron.org or at the door.
Proceeds go to the scholarship fund of the Greater Akron Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, which benefits students studying those fields at Kent State University and the University of Akron.
Brunch benefit
On Sunday, you can enjoy a brunch and help raise funds for field trips for University of Akron hospitality management students.
The annual spring brunch will be from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. March 5 at the Crystal Room Bistro, 360 Grant St. (Gallucci Hall). Cost is $19.95; $15.95 for ages 60 and older; and free for children 3 and younger. Phone 330-972-6615 for reservations. Proceeds help pay for program field trips.
Small bites
• Here’s an extremely reasonably priced wine-tasting opportunity. Wise Guys Lounge & Grill, 1008 N. Main St., Akron, will host a benefit from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. March 8. Cost is $20, and proceeds benefit the Jack Norton Memorial Association for Akron Children’s Hospital. Call 330-922-3006 to RSVP. Wise Guys Lounge is in the former Nick Anthe’s Restaurant.
• The 750ml wine bar and retail shop at 2287 W. Market St. in West Akron will host winemaker Alberto Bianchi of Newton Vineyard for a 6 p.m. Tuesday tasting. Newton Vineyard is in the Napa Valley of California. Cost is $39 for club750 members and $49 for non-club members. Reservations are a must. Call 330-794-5754.
• Buehler’s Fresh Foods grocery in Jackson Township will host a free Bridal Open House from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. The free event will showcase food, flowers and cakes. Information on event sites also will be available. The store is at 7138 Fulton Drive NW.
Send local food news to Katie Byard at 330-996-3781 or kbyard@thebeaconjournal.com. You can follow her @KatieByardABJ on Twitter or on Facebook at www.facebook.com and read the Akron Dish blog at www.ohio.com/food.