Melt In Your Mouth Steak
Akron, Ohio USA
Cuisine Style: Steakhouse
Average Price: $$$
Overall Rating: 5/5
Dined in: May 2014
By Sean Overpeck (CFE)
**A full article and index glossary of restaurants, wines, recipes and travel for
Wine Dine and Play are in the pages section above, or by following these links:
Executive Chef:
Richard Tischler
Proprietor / Manager:
Barry Tavolier
Bob Buck
Sommelier:
Stacy White
I was in the mood for a good steak, and I wanted to find somewhere to get that good steak, but I also wanted fine dining, with great service, a great wine list and so on. Not much to ask right? Well, it is if you’re staying in Canton, Ohio with family, the choices of fine dining are very limited in this town, so it required a forty minute drive to the western edge of the city of Akron in Fairlawn, to the multi-award-winning upscale chain Fleming’s Steakhouse.
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| Dining room |
Awards include:
Award of Excellence, Wine Spectator, 2010–2016
One of the Top 5 Restaurants, Fox 8 Cleveland
Certificate of Excellence, Trip Advisor, 2016
Certificate of Excellence Trip Advisor, 2017
In 1998, restaurateurs Paul Fleming and Bill Allen opened their first Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar in Newport Beach, California. They envisioned a new kind of steakhouse with an atmosphere that was sophisticated, lively and inviting—an inspired, contemporary evolution of an American classic. With over 100 premium selections of wine by the glass, Called Fleming’s 100™, this wine program helped Fleming’s raise the standard of steakhouse dining to a whole new level.
Menu:
- Appetizers
- Salads
- Small Plates
- Entrees
- Steak Companions
- Classic Rubs
- Sides to Share
- Desserts
- Private dining
As I arrived at the Fleming’s restaurant, one of sixty-nine in the country, it was nice to have complementary valet for my car. Inside as your greeted by the host, they have a coat check, as well as a very nice laid out floor plan with booths and tables, the bar at one end and the open kitchen on the opposite. It reminded me of the layout at a Houston’s Restaurant. The booth I was seated at began with either a white or black napkin for service depending on what color clothes you were wearing, a very nice touch that I had seen at a few other restaurants before like The Dining Room at the Biltmore Estate, and Alinea in Chicago. My servers name was Stacy; she was very professional and had a good knowledge of the menu. She handed me an iPad that contained the wine list. I had seen this at one other restaurant before, and really liked the idea of it, instead of wasting space on the table with the regular menu, specials, and then a wine list. She asked if I preferred still, sparkling, or tap water, and I went with the still Aqua Panna. After reviewing the large selection of old and new world selections I chose the Ladera Cabernet 2010, Howell Mountain, Napa Valley, after asking for recommendations from Stacy since she also happened to be one of the restaurants Sommeliers. The nose is pure mountain spice yet fruity with rich blackberry and a hint of cocoa to finish according to the winemaker. The entry is silky and elegant with bold flavors of dark cherries, blueberry, cocoa, and spiced plum. The palate is layered with well-structured tannins which lead to a long and complex finish of dark currant. At this same time the bread selection of a house made parmesan baguette was brought out with a chardonnay infused gorgonzola, and a tomato basil butter.
The menu looked wonderful with so many selections of interest, to include a four-course tasting menu for only $45.00, a damn good price for this style of fine dining. I started with the baked brie, wrapped in a puff pastry, with candied walnuts and sliced gala apples. Other selections on the starters menu consisted of a tenderloin carpaccio, roasted mushroom ravioli, and crab cakes to name a few. The brie was outstanding, especially surrounded with the flaky crust of the puff pastry.
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| Baked Brie |
I ordered a second starter because I just couldn’t decide which one I wanted more between the brie above, and the pan-crisped pork belly starter, so I chose the brie first then had the pork, which was served with a creamy goat cheese grits bed, sweet onion chutney, and a rosemary sprig garnie. As I was enjoying the dish the manager came up and introduced himself, and we chatted for a few minutes. His name was Barry Tavolier, and one thing I did ask him about was the grits on the pork belly, as they had a strange texture I wasn’t used to. Normally I can immediately tell the difference between instant grits and stone ground grits. He told me they were stone ground grits, even though I was a little hesitant. The pork was a little over done for my taste but still tasted wonderful.
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| Pork belly starter |
For my salad course they had choices like your typical wedge or caesar salad, but what got my attention was the heirloom tomato with house-made burrata salad, accompanied by baby red and golden beets, arugula, and tossed in a lemon-pistachio vinaigrette. I first tried burrata cheese when I was in Denver eating at Rioja Restaurant, one of the top choices in the city, and the flavor always stuck with me, and Fleming’s didn't disappoint. During this time, Barry came back over to the table after speaking with the chef and confirmed that the grits on the pork starter were not stone ground and was instant. I really did appreciate him following up on that for me.
For my entrée course, I had the main filet mignon entrée, eight ounces cooked to a perfect medium rare, and I enjoyed two sauces with the steak, a béarnaise, and a peppercorn cabernet reduction, which blew me away it was so good. For the sides, I ordered a loaded baked potato and a side of asparagus. Other options with the steak were lobster, king crab, or Diablo shrimp, but I was already getting full, so I opted out. The best part about a prime steak is the wonderful flavor, tender juices, texture, and depending on the steak, the level of marbling. Unless you’ve had a prime our dry aged steak, you would not understand until you did try it. For those that are not big on steak, they also had a selection of salmon, swordfish, chicken, pork chops, and Alaskan king crab to choose from as entrées.
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| Filet mignon entrée |
Dessert:
I was completely full at this point and needed coffee since I just finished an entire bottle of a wonderful Cabernet, but Stacy my served conned me into a dessert anyway, but it would have to be put into a to-go box because there would be no way to eat it until the following day. The dessert menu like the wine list was also on an iPad, and of that selection, I chose the carrot cake. When I ate it the following day it was divine.
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| Carrot cake |
Please see these guidelines for Tipping in Restaurants and on following proper etiquette, customs, cultures, and avoiding assumptions when you dine out.
Wine regulatory’s for the tastings in this article:
United States:
California:
Other Noteworthy Steakhouse Articles & Restaurants:
5A5 Steak Lounge Modern Japanese steakhouse with chic design in San Francisco, California
Council Oak Steakhouse Upscale eatery with butchery at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Tampa, Florida
Fogo de Chão Upscale Brazilian chain with 49 locations. Review based in Buckhead, Atlanta, Georgia
Frevo Restaurant Authentic churrascaria-style dining at the Fairmont on Palm Island, Dubai, UAE
Grill 225 Top 10 American fine-dining ornate chophouse, Market Pavilion Hotel in Charleston, South Carolina
Halls Chophouse Esteemed old-school steakhouse with gospel brunch in Charleston, South Carolina
Laurent Tourondel / BLT Swanky French-American Steakhouse chain with 14 restaurants
Oak Steakhouse High-end elegant steakhouse with sustainable seafood in Charleston, South Carolina
Stonewood Grill and Tavern Stylish chophouse chain with surf ’n’ turf; reviewed in Brandon, Florida
Sunset Terrace A classic outdoor American chophouse at Omni Grove Park Inn, in Asheville, North Carolina
Waterfront Restaurant Steakhouse restaurant on inlet offering Gulf views in Sarasota Florida
See the whole list by visiting “The Wine Dine and Play Article Glossary”
Other Akron/Canton restaurants and articles on Wine Dine and Play:
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Cozy tavern severing traditional Spanish small plate cuisine
Canton
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Pan-Asian favorites from China to Vietnam with sushi
Canton, Ohio, USA
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Casual American gastropub & elevated comfort foods
Canton
|
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Refined rustic American fare
Canton
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Mellow new American fare
North Canton
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Visit other Akron Restaurants at OpenTable.com
See the whole list by visiting “The Wine Dine and Play Article Glossary by country”
Final notes, review basics, observations and more pictures:
Most reviews are subjective, depending on the writer; but they should also be responsible, and respectfully written, upholding the truth, and accurately conveying the experience to the best of the writer's knowledge, even if it includes metaphors the restaurant may not like to read about. My ratings are by the stars I award (from 0 to 5). The rating is calculated on a point accumulation of six separate factors based on individual experience. They include wine and other beverage selections, plate presentation, customer service, restaurant or café ambiance, food quality, and wow factor. To see more details of this rating list, read this article:
Scores are detailed in the factor chart below:
Formula Factor Conclusions and Overall Ratings
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Max Points Possible:
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Total Points Awarded:
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Total Points deducted:
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Ambiance
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10
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9
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1
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Food quality
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10
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7
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3
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Plate presentation
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8
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8
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0
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Customer service
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8
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6
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2
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Alcohol and other beverages
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10
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10
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0
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Total regular points awarded
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46
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40
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6
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Total percentage Before Bonus
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0.869565217391304
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“Wow” factor BONUS
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5
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3
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0
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Total bonus percentage
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0.0652173913043478
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Total percentage with a bonus for the final star rating
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0.944782608695652
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Stars Awarded (see chart below)
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0 - 5
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5
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**A full break down and explanation of the observations and point disbursement is available in the linked article above. To receive a detailed copy of your score, feel free to contact me at any time and I will provide it to you.**
***
Overall Star Rating:
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5 of 5 Stars:
94% Rating with a 3 point “wow” bonus
An Extraordinary Dining Experience
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Wine List:
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Wine rating:
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7.5 of 10
Old World selections:
France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Austria, Portugal
New World selections:
Argentina, Chile, Australia, New Zealand, California, Oregon, Washington State, South Africa
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Corkage fee’s:
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This Restaurant does not list any corkage fee’s however, most American restaurants charge
$25.00 per bottle
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Restaurant style:
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Conservative dining
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Cuisine Style:
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American, Steakhouse,
Allergen or dietary accommodations:
Farm to Fork, Gluten Free, Grass Fed, Pescatarian, Vegetarian, and Vegan Options
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Reservations:
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Not Required, But Recommended
Walk-Ins:
Accepted, but not guaranteed
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Dress code:
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Casual to Conservative attire
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Child policy:
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The Restaurants reviewed on this site may have a kids menu or cater to them; however, for full enjoyment of food and wine, it is recommended that kids not to be in attendance, unless they have been trained in proper etiquette.
If not then:
Hire a Babysitter!
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Experiences:
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Place for foodies, Modern, Trendy, Lounge, Business parties, Hot spot, Great bar, Beautiful décor, Classy, Upscale, and a Neighborhood Gem.
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Payments:
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Cash, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express
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Parking:
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Valet and Private lot
complementary valet with dining
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Wifi
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The restaurants reviewed on this site may have Wi-Fi, but do not require you to go online, because the excitement of the food and wine alone will keep you too entertained instead of checking your social media and emails.
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Noise level:
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Medium
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Smoking:
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Nonsmoking restaurant
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Patio or terrace:
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No
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Food Prices
(excludes, alcohol, taxes & 20% gratuity’s)
$£€¥ - Under 50.00 (inexpensive)
$£€¥ x 2 - 51.00- 99.00 (moderate)
$£€¥ x 3 - Over 100.00 (pricey)
$£€¥ x 4 - Over 200.00 (expensive)
$£€¥ x 5 - Over 400.00 (very expensive)
**Currencies reflect the world’s major travelers, restaurant, or wine connoisseur’s**
Currency:
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Price
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United States Dollar (USD)
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$$$
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Great Britain Pound Sterling (GBP)
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£££
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Canadian Dollar (CAN)
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$$$$
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Chinese Yuan (CNY)
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¥¥¥¥¥
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European Union (EUR)
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€€€
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Alcohol prices:
$160.00 USD
Flemings Prime Steakhouse:
4000 Medina Road
Akron, OH 44333
Neighborhood:
Fairlawn
Contact Information:
Restaurant website:
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Maître d or host:
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(330) 670-5200
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Online reservations
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Website Contact:
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Serving hours:
Eastern Standard Time
(GMT, Zulu, or UTC - 5:00)
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Dinner:
Mon-Thur
5:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Fri-Sun
5:00 pm - 11:00 pm
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Social Media
&
Accolades:
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****
The worlds best restaurants is a subjective list of who is writing it and changes on a regular basis. The Wine Dine and Play best experiences are based on my highest rated stared restaurants, meaning that the visit was an outstanding or extraordinary experience. From cafés, chains, mom + pops, hole in the walls, to fine dining including a few Michelin spots. Visit the Top 100 page to see the entire list.
A few to tease you with…
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Modern Gastro Whole Animal Cookery
Buckhead, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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Seasonally inspired continental European fare
Atlanta, Georgia, USA
|
High-end bistro with modern New Zealand cuisine
Christchurch, New Zealand
|
Other Pictures:
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| Dining room |
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| Bread service |
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| Burrata salad |
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| Asparagus |
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| Picture courtesy of Fleming's |
“Culinary perfection consists not in doing extraordinary things,
But in doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.”
-Angelique Arnauld (1591-1661)
Who is John Galt?
TTFN
