Olesia’s Place

After driving past this new restaurant many times and glancing at its unique structure with curiosity, we finally stopped in, and are so glad we did. Set in a converted spa showroom that might look like a greenhouse from the exterior, Olesia’s Place, located on Royalton Road in North Royalton, provides a comfortable, upscale dining environment and simply delicious American-Ukrainian cuisine. They feature a wide selection of dishes, all made from scratch and prepared according to the traditional recipes of their heritage.

We stopped in just to check out their happy hour, but ended up staying for dinner as well. The Happy Hour is fantastic. Nicely priced apps, specialty drinks, and house wine pours along with domestic and Ukrainian beers. Whether sitting at the bar or in the dining area, you can enjoy the view of multiple fireplaces which provide a cozy atmosphere.

To start, we enjoyed the happy hour red wine pour (very nice) and he had the Chicken Shish Kabob Skewer appetizer, served with house-made sauce, couscous and salad. The portion could have been a light dinner entree, and is actually offered in larger portion on the dinner menu. The chicken was grilled, well seasoned and very good. But the stand out was the amazing couscous. Simple, flavorful, light and fluffy.

For dinner, we started with something we had never tasted before, Borscht. A traditional Ukrainian soup made with beets, root vegetables and finished with sour cream. Not a fan of beets at all, it was a real surprise for me. It was so savory, robust, and complex that we are still talking about it. We definitely will order a full bowl next visit, having just ordered a cup this time. Next up, Mushroom Pierogies, filled with mushrooms, cheese, spices and served with onions and sour cream. Homemade and just delicious. He had the Pan Seared Salmon with sautéed spinach, seasonal vegetable, apricot glaze with an added side that just had to be tasted – Stuffed Cabbage. It came stuffed with beef, rice, onions, spices, and served with tomato or mushroom sauce. He opted for the mushroom sauce, which was an excellent choice.

All in all, Olesia’s Place provides a beautiful, warm, welcoming interior perfect for a cold evening. They have a great happy hour, and a dining menu that deserves full exploration. It also seems to have a nice patio for when the weather gets nice. Enjoy. And check out their website too. Nicely done and shows you just what to expect.

Unity Design is a print and online design firm that specializes in the restaurant and culinary industry.