LAKEWOOD, Ohio -- Players on Madison may serve its last meal on Oct. 4, but northeast Ohioans have another tasty option opening in the same space.
Chef Anthony Romano spent the last sixteen years as executive chef at Players. He'll be taking over and fine tuning the fare. It's called, Sarita [a restaurant] and is the result of years of experience and ideas rooted in the heart of Lakewood to the West Coast.
Chef Anthony says he's poured his soul into the New American cuisine that brings guests a taste of the Mediterranean, Caribbean and Pacific in an eclectic-contemporary menu.
"Our goal is to be health conscious and source fresh local produce whenever possible. We may use less butter and cream, but the taste will be amazing," Chef Anthony said.
He says New American assimilates flavors from the melting pot of traditional American cooking techniques with elements of Asian, Latin, Mediterranean styles.
"I'm also Italian, so there will be a lot of influence there," Chef Anthony said.
Sarita [a restaurant] located 14523 Madison Avenue in Lakewood, Ohio, will open in November 2015.
Players on Madison had been a Lakewood staple for 32 years. It began as a pizza place with no name and became Players, after the Lakewood High School football players who used to frequent the place for pizza. Over the years, the food became more sophisticated.
"I'm grateful for the experience I've gained at Players over the years, but I'm looking forward to starting a new future with Sarita. Our goal is to provide tastefully healthy options that everyone will love at an affordable price, in a legendary location known for fine dining," Chef Anthony said.
He named the restaurant as an homage to his mentor, the man who taught him the fine art of culinary skill in kitchens from Key West to Delaware. It's also a name derived from several different backgrounds.
"It's a name from both Hebrew and Spanish origins, it's even a song, but it also means caring, original and beautiful," Chef Anthony said.
He and co-owner Sandra Smith say they have taken the best elements of the Lakewood family fine dining establishment and updated it for the 21st Century.
"I've known Chef Anthony for several years and trust and respect his vision for Sarita. I expect many successful years ahead," Smith said.
Chef Anthony will continue to do multi-course wine dinners, a new bar menu, later hours (open Monday to Thursday from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 5 p.m. to midnight and Sunday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.) and outdoor dining is still available.
The goal is a complete renovation in four weeks for a tentative Nov. 8 opening date.
