Michelson & Morley

My husband and I always try to have a really nice dinner on NYE. This year, Michelson & Morley was the winner in a long search for somewhere that we hadn’t been to and we could agree on.
We were both a little leery, since we went to CWRU and are familiar with Bön Appetit (I’m sure many will agree with our not so great outlook on the company). But, despite our worried expectations, this meal was fantastic!
The calamari was delicious, not rubbery, and very lightly breaded so the breading and oil wasn’t overwhelming. The light aioli sauce was also delicious! I got scallops, which were some of the best I’ve ever had. The sear was perfect and they weren’t over-​buttered or salty. My cocktail, the Bellflower Basil was also surprisingly strong and tasty!
My only complaint is that service was slow at the beginning, but it picked up and our server ended up being great! It’s totally worth the strange walk through the student center as a non-​student to get to this place. I can’t wait to hit up happy hour!

So, first, the food. The food is really very good. It’s interesting, well-​priced, and high quality. The drinks – and especially the happy hour – I hear are also very good, but I usually come here for work lunches and therefore don’t participate. (I should change that!)
Next, the ambiance. It’s classy without being overdone, and the giant wall of French windows next to the outdoor patio seating alongside a busy campus thoroughfare makes for a kind of a vibrant, swanky feel. The indoor seating is also set up with many little alcoves, perfect for groups who want a little more privacy because they’re working (or partying) too hard.
Now, the growing pains. Any college campus’ new and nicer restaurant is going to have those, and for Michelson and Morley this includes inconsistent service and food options. The service is frequently slow, which is troublesome when you’re the closest restaurant around for a nice, working lunch, and now your customers are late to their next appointment… Further complicating this is the ever-​changing menu. I’ll frequently show up excited for the meal I had last time (That I’ve confirmed is good, quick, and easy to eat while working and talking.) to find it is no longer available. For fine dining restaurants, a seasonal menu is good practice. For working lunch spots, it is not. ((Maybe only change your dinner menu, M&M??))
Four stars, though, still. I think they will grow out of their growing pains and lunches will become faster, service and food more consistent, and the things that are good about Michelson and Morley are so good: the quality food, the great ambiance, the location. All of that is here to stay, and I know I’ll be back. Four stars.

A group of classmates and I came after our Friday afternoon class and had a nice time! Their Bellflower Basil drink was really delicious (vodka, grapefruit juice, and basil)! I ended up having 3 of them, and probably could have had another but they ran out of grapefruit juice. I also really enjoyed the calamari appetizer!
I rarely see students in here however, despite the fact that it is inside the university center. I think that’s because it is fancy looking and unless you’re there for happy hour it is a bit more money than most students want to spend. I think we’ll be back though!

This restaurant is right inside the student center at campus. The decoration is modern style, have only been there for lunch, sitting next to the French windows made me feel quite relaxed.
The food there is quite nice, not the best in town but the price is actually good. Just had today’s special Ahi tuna.

This is my second time at this casual fine dining restaurant. It is in the Tinkham Veale University Center at Case Western Reserve University. Bön Appetit, the company that runs food service for Case, runs this restaurant. Bön Appetit’s Ed Kasper is the general manager and Tony Smoody is the executive chef. Today I had the greens salad. They offered me bread service with it. The multigrain bread they gave me was fabulous. I thought the lettuce was dry though. They offered me extra dressing (a reisling vinagrette). They have a happy hour here that starts at 3:00. I came here for a dessert snack the last time I was here, and ordered a light flourless Neopolitan Torte that was very, very good! They also have a passion fruit charlotte with fresh berries, which I’m told is also a light dessert, and I look forward to trying it. This restaurant has Case Wireless and Case Guest wifi. They have power outlets all along the bar.