The Bistro of Green

Winter 2008

One of the questions I get asked most frequently is “What restaurants do you recommend?”  I often don’t have much of a list to offer—I just don’t eat out that much.  My husband and I both like to cook, and we try to have family meals at home as often as we can.  What I do answer is that when we do go out, we nearly always go to an independent, locally owned restaurant.

Why?  Partly because, generally, the food is better and more interesting and doesn’t have that homogenized chain restaurant flavor.  You may already be thinking, “But what about XYZ chain restaurant?  I love their great ________ dish!”  Don’t get me wrong, I think you can find good food in some chain restaurants, but I also like to eat in locally owned restaurants for other reasons. Because chains funnel more of their revenue out of the local economy, our spending in locally owned businesses has 70% more local economic impact than our spending in chains, according to one study.  I want to keep my dollars circulating in our local economy, and, even more important, I want to vote with those dollars to support the passion and drive of the people whose restaurants give our community its unique flavor.

One of my favorite restaurants is The Bistro of Green at 3459 Massillon Rd. in Uniontown—dining there is just the kind of experience that makes supporting independent restaurants such a pleasure.  I worked with the owners, Russ Chambers and Roger Stewart at 91 Wood Fired Oven (another great locally owned restaurant), and when I found out they had partnered to open their own place almost 2 years ago, I went to congratulate them and have dinner.  It was the first of many great evenings at The Bistro.

The food, under the direction of Roger and kitchen manager Donnie Fillinger, is fresh, innovative, and yet simple.  Crab cakes at The Bistro are made with jumbo lump crabmeat and served with silky tomato beurre blanc.  Calamari is coated in spicy seasonings, lightly fried, and accompanied by a perfectly garlicky lemon aioli.  Steaks are one of their specialties, dusted with special seasonings, grilled to order, and brushed with The Bistro’s flavored butter.   One recent feature was Chilean sea bass, pan seared and served in a bright pool of warm roasted red pepper coulis.

The wine list is thoughtfully and expertly created by Russ, and it changes every three weeks, with new and interesting additions each time.  If you don’t want to order a bottle, you can opt for a 6-ounce glass or a 9-ounce carafe of wine. In addition to each evening’s featured wines, Russ also usually has a few special wine selections available for the asking. 

The service at The Bistro has always been top-notch, personable and professional, and the atmosphere warm and inviting.  One of the owners is nearly always on the premises to make sure things are going well—you can frequently spot them greeting customers, bussing tables, and running warm plates of delicious food from the kitchen to the dining room.

As Russ said when I talked with him about the restaurant, “For us it’s not just a numbers game.  It’s more like ‘welcome to our home.’” Owning the restaurant gives Russ and Roger the ability to implement new creative ideas and to adjust quickly to accommodate their customers.  They opened The Bistro, Russ explained, because they love the restaurant business.  “We strive to get better and better all the time.  We’re going for perfection.” 

That’s the passion and drive I was talking about.

You can call The Bistro for a reservation at 330-896-1434, and you can find their hours and menu online at www.thebistroofgreen.com.  In addition, you can email them at Dinner@thebistroofgreen.com to join their email club and get updates on the latest features and promotions, as well as special offers such as discount coupons for birthdays and anniversaries.