The Observation Deck

You know the Devil is an interesting critter. Some think the devil takes the form of a half-goat half-man, some think he is a man with horns, the arch enemy of God. Some think it is that sexy man or woman that distracts you the wrong way down a one way street to Hell. Some think the devil is in the details, which is often true. But today, in this story, for the people I am talking about, the Devil comes in the form of a string-tie-wearing pork farmer from Gallipolis, Ohio, named Bob Evans.


A very clean and well run PR campaign at Taste of Lakewood.

As we all know I am a firm believer in shop local, support locally-owned and operated establishments, and dislike big box stores like WalMart, BestBuy (oh wait they are hip), McDonald’s and Bob Evans to name a few. You can tell all of the really hardcore buy-local people as they have LakewoodAlive or LEAF stickers on their Volvos, BMWs, and Hondas. Preach it and I am a believer: best cup of coffee? Coffee Proper or The Root. It rolls off my tongue so quickly it is nearly impossible not to say it. Best breakfast? Coffee Pot on Madison, The Place to Be on Warren. Best Burger? “West End Tavern, Cerinos, or Coffee Pot again, and on and on. I love locals and locally-owned businesses. I myself have 4 businesses in Lakewood, including the local fish wrap. I bleed local. So you can imagine my surprise when I had an hour to kill, and I was near a Bob Evans on Lorain in North Olmsted. I had not been for over 6 years, once the cinnamon raisin rolls were gone so what was the purpose?


Pot of coffee, menu, and ordered in less time than it takes to get coffee in Lakewood.


A very clean 8 page menu, with pictures describing the food perfectly.

I thought, "There is no way this Big Box store could compete with the Shore, Coffee Pot, The Place to Be, or any of the establishments currently in Lakewood. I mean Deagen’s, no way, Jammy Buggar’s? not a chance, WestEnd, hahahahahahaha!!!! So I grabbed a couple shots of the outside and noticed, 3-Course Steak Dinner $9.99 and thought, Damn, that is almost Lakewood Village prices! I went in and was amazed, it was clean and bright, just like you expect from a chain that has strict corporate standards and oversight. However it wasn’t freezing, and it wasn’t hot. It was rather pleasant. Hmmmmmmm. A girl came up to me and asked "How many," I said one, and she took me over to a table with some other people who appeared to be enjoying their breakfasts. Hmmmmmmmmm. I was seated at a table and given a menu, and looked through the four pages of breakfast and four pages of other food. Almost instantly a coffee pot, real cream, and a cup were at my table. Pam, the waitress, poured the coffee and asked if I was ready to order and I said no, she smiled and said, “Take your time, I’ll be back.” I noticed the faint sound of music, I could barely make it out, but it was perfect fill. I thought of the number of Lakewood establishments where they have confused “background music” with "I am f-ing bored at work and need to rock out" music. My recent favorite was a coffee/breakast spot that for some ungodly reason was playing Eurobeat and Dub music at 11 on the volume dial at 8 in the morning. WTF? I SAY W! T! F!


Before I could finish my first cup of Joe, food served!

So I did, I drank my coffee and checked out this place. The table was CLEAN, no sticky places, none, not even one. I looked at the ketchup, salt and pepper, CLEAN! I mean clean enough to lick, but I didn’t. It was about this time my phone rang, and I answered it. The person on the other end asked what I was doing and I said, “Reconnaissance at Bob Evans.” I brought him up-to-date with my discoveries when suddenly I realized, the table didn’t wobble. Seriously, the thing was stone cold flat and sturdy. I swear to God. I went to 4 other tables and they were sturdy too. I went back and said, “The table is great, no chips, no carvings, no drool, nothing sticky and they all appear to be the same." Just after getting over my shock of the tables it occurred to me, the eight page menu was spotless as well. As we all know, in many of the local establishments you wash your hands after you order and before you eat, as the menus carry a sample of the food, beverages, and even bio hazards left over the past 72 months. Come on we have all gotten those menus you could probably make Wedding Soup out of. But here they were clean, not even a small chance to taste the marinara, or eggs prior to ordering them. Damn. This was pretty wild.


Clean plates, couldn't possible eat the Cinnamon Blossom.

Another waitress was watching me and listening to me, and came over and asked me if everything was all right. I told her, “Yes, but everything is so clean.” She smiled and looked at me as if I was Ted Kaczynski coming down from my mountain shack to eat store-cooked meals. She assured me that Bob Evans is always like this, and laughed and walked away asking if I needed anything. I smiled and said no. Suddenly my waitress Pam reappeared and took my order, “Classic Breakfast”: $6.99, 2 hotcakes/pancakes, 2 eggs, 3 pieces of bacon/sausage and coffee. How would you like your eggs? Over easy, ham, bacon, sausage. I’ll try the bacon. Pancakes or French Toast? I am sure see meant “Victory Toast” but I said pancakes. Would you like bananas? strawberries? blueberries? walnuts? I said blueberries, inside or outside? DAMN! Inside. I said, “Boy, I wish you had those cinnamon raisin rolls,” and she answered, “Everyone does, so we brought back cinnamon blossoms, a version of them." Wow, ok, one of those too! Within minutes, pancakes on one plate, eggs and bacon on another, cinnamon blossom on another. Not a single chip in a single plate, no food from the last couple dinners either!!! Damn. Along with whipped butter, real maple syrup, and the high end selection of Smucker jams and preserves! I said, is this Syrup or Real Maple Syrup. She said real maple syrup that is what you asked for. I said, "I know, but is it from like Costco?" And she said, "No it is from Bob Evans-- real maple syrup, slightly watered down to make it more pourable for consistency." Jesus, three place in Lakewood have better pancakes, but they all use “Syrup” which I think is Scandinavian for “crap.”



I just want to say that all of this happened faster than it took to get a cup of coffee from a local establishment this morning with 4 people behind the counter, and a line of 6 people waiting. Here in “Corporate Hell” I got a full pot of OK coffee, not Rising Star, and breakfast plus, and never spilled any because of the table, nor did I have to repeatedly try to get a server's attention. Overall, a really damn good experience except for feeling dirty for supporting corporate America. But to be honest, the pleasant experience and full belly let me get over it pretty quickly. As I drove away and reflected on the entire experience, I was thinking that many places in Lakewood had better food, but found it hard to compare service, cleanliness, overall niceness, and price.

I mentioned I asked for the manager, and she came over very promptly and asked if everything was alright. I assured her it was, but wanted to comment on how good my server, and the other servers were, making sure I got everything I wanted and more. The one waitress had noticed I ordered a cinnamon blossom and asked me, “Did you have them warm that up? They are soooooooo much better warm.” I said no and went to hand it to her, and felt it. It was warm and toasty in its wrapper. Damn. Anyway, I mentioned I was from Lakewood and we are getting our own Bob Evans so I thought it would be nice to check it out, and she asked, “Well how was it?” And I said to her, "You know how we all have our favorite little corner bar, or restaurant or diner, where the tables wobble, and are sticky with menus you have to pry apart to read, and the food shows up when the server can work it into their personal schedule?” She said, yes, I love those places. I said, well it was nothing like that at all, and the food was OK!



My suggestion to the restaurant owners in town. Up your game, you can beat or equal them on everything but price. I’ll pay more to support local. I’ll even put up with the idiosyncrasies of servers, cooks, and owners. But in this town where 98% will say "buy local, be green, and support local," while shopping for cotton sheets at WalMart and sending their kids to private schools in Cleveland Hts., let’s be honest, we do not see many “BUY LOCAL” people driving around in Steve Barry Buicks. It doesn’t look good for the local small mom and pop places. So the Devil comes in the form of a pork farmer born in 1918, and he is coming for you.

.

Putting aside the understandable "buy local" mentality for a moment, I think that it's important to remember that virtually all big operations once started as small businesses.

Bob Evans was certainly no devil. Fact of the matter is, I feel that he was one of the finest gentlemen in the food business, and for that matter, in life as well.

I would agree with Jim that a number of our local food establishments have much to be desired. My dear late Mom came from the south, and in places like Alabama, restaurants were actually given letter grades by the state that had to be publicly posted. Sub-standard places were shut down faster than you could say "fly swatter", and questionable practices like order-takers handling food and money at the same time were big no-no's.

I am absolutely delighted to see that the Bob Evans chain has come to Lakewood. I'm sure that this will be a decent high-standards place that sets the bar for food and service right where it should be. We can't wait to sit down to our first breakfast there.

If there's a "devil" anywhere, it's in the permissiveness of our government in allowing some public restaurants to be as unsanitary and decrepit as they sometimes can be found in Ohio.

All just my opinion and I may be wrong, but hopefully not too often...

Back to the banjo...

JOB, You crack me up. I have a degree in Restaurant Management and Culinary Arts. I worked in the restaurant industry since age 16. My preference was the tainted "chain" restaurants. The reason, because the standards are clear and the goal is consistency. They are run by corporate types which left me to worry about maximizing efficiency and providing customized customer service. I worked as a GM at a bagel place where the first 12 customers of the day didn't have to tell me their order. I kept the train on the tracks and I was great at it. A huge part of the reason is that unlike almost every single other industry, all you need us some start up money and you too can own a restuarant. It's like me waking up one day and wanting to be a plumber because I like to take showers. I worked beside many English, Liberal Arts, and Spanish majors with much higher degrees than I, who didn't seem to get it. My favorite line was "If this is such a sh@t job, then the least you could do is be good at it". The down side of a chain is when they don't stay on their franchises or have qualified Disrtict managers to oversee and MANAGE. When I go to a Bob Evan or a skeeeeech Applebee's anywhere in the country it should be the same and for the most part it us. Sometime that us what people want.
I like to have both chains and independents available so I can choose. I think for most people, that is the case. Lakewood has great Independents but I can tell you that with my background it is hard for me to patronize some of them. Waiting 45 minutes for a grilled cheese is unfathomable to me. What are they doing? Fresh baking the bread per order? Filth is inexcusable. Cleaning is free. Common courtesy...also free. Chefs make great food but for the most part finding an expert at front AND back if the house is rare. I am always optimistic when 2 people own a restaurant it double the chances The first time I went to Buggars I thought, this food is so good but I am afraid they won't stay open because the service was so off. Not rude just no systems, it seemed like no one knew what to do. It has increasingly gotten better. Barrio is a great example of place with great food and an well run dining room, right off the bat. We have seen many people open and close locals in Lakewood do to the fact that they should not have opened in the first place.
So, I am not a regular of Bob Evans but at least I know what I am getting (or should) when I go in. Us sushi eaters may be onto something JOB, even a stopped clock is right twice a day

Colleen,

I’ll wait for the official “LO News Crew” report from today’s grand opening of the Lakewood Bob Evans.

In the meantime, it is amusing that the good folks at Bob Evans were “warned” of this thread.

And, yet, the Bob Evans managers shared with us that they fully understand the points raised by both you and Jim (as well as Gary), get the irony of the "The Devil Comes To Lakewood, And He Is Looking For You!" subject line, take this thread as a compliment for the “brand” built by Bob Evans, and embrace bringing the Bob Evans “brand” to the ‘Wood.

Matt

Colleen

It was funny, when it was first mentioned, in conversation at the door, we laughed with the hostess,Dawn.
When we spoke with the server, Cece, who was EXCELLENT, it was, OH, that's the paper that
wrote, "The Devil Comes To Lakewood!"

I introduced myself as the writer, and we laughed, and she said, "Hope everything is going to be
OK then..." I am willing to bet she never read it, just was told about it.

Later I had the pleasure of introducing myself to the Assistant Manager, her response was, "Oh
thanks for the article," and the District Manager in charge of new restaurants, who knew exactly
what the article said, could quote it and said, "It was a great article for us, and an important
article for the local businesses."

Here is one of my problems, if you make it to Lakewood, you are a Lakewoodite. I do not want to
see any Lakewood business fail because every business failure makes another couple businesses
wonder if Lakewood is good.

Colleen, here is the report, because we are talking about Corporate Restaurants, I am sure you
will understand where it is headed.


If you are going to deal with the devil, best be loaded for bear. I have had the pleasure of eating
breakfast with Mr. Markling in various restaurants, we rarely agree on anything in real life, so
let's rock this place at the crack of dawn!

We walked in and there were a couple people there to welcome us, and seat us. It seemed like
more people than usual, but if you pulled away the Asst Mngr, District Mngr, and New Store Manager
you realized it was just one really nice, sweet person getting her greeting right, and it was.

After a short discussion, we were whisked over to our seats, where "Cece" seated us, and asked
if we wanted coffee. Within seconds a pot of coffee was there. It should be noted there was only
one other table seated.


It is funny, I have run into many people who have brought up this thread and their LOVE of Bob
Evans, wondering how I could attack them. Read the article.

Our food came quickly, and it was well, just like in the pictures on the menu-- and just like the
last time I ordered a couple months ago.

The small world even got smaller. As I was talking with the Asst. Manager, it turned out
she was the Asst. Manager at Great Northern, and was beaming as she said, "That was my crew!"

This is what corporate restaurant chains bring. They bring it.
They are corporate chains because they have a formula for success, that if it is not a fad, just sells
and sells and sells and sells.

Have you ever had McDonald's in England? Yes you have. My first night
in London, BP took me to "TGIF." I swear to God they did. Guess what, it was just like TGIF at
Great Northern. This is what chains do.

The coffee, damn good. Matt said, "Tastes like Bob Evans Coffee." The omelets were good. Just like
both of us remembered. Plates cleaned. Two styles of hashbrowns! His toast was perfect, my
biscuits, fluffy, buttery and so large one was enough. The place is new, so of course it is clean,
but the Asst. manager is the same person that helped to keep Great Northern clean and perfect, so
one must think that between corporate control, and a Bob Evans star, Lakewood Bob Evans will
be cranking out Bob Evans food perfectly for a long, long, long time.

And I have found since the first story, many people are looking forward to it.

Actually at around 8am, as we got ready to drive to Ashland in search of hoops and parks, (see
separate story) people started filing in from the nearby Westerly and Barton Centers, risking life
and limb to get across Detroit Avenue at Manor Park.


City Hall, help save lives, give these fine seniors, and Bob Evans, a light at Manor Park.


So here it is in a nutshell : Bob Evans made their name serving food to millions. I had nothing there
today that I could not get elsewhere in Lakewood. Well the biscuits were damn good! But I know
that anytime I walk through the door, there will be happy people waiting to serve me consistently
good food, day after day after day. It will not matter if they had a slow week, or setbacks, or a
rough time. The trained staff, the corporate cooks, the very well-trained and loving managers that
take serious pride in their work, their workers and their store.

Lakewood businesses, you ready? I hope so.

A Western Omelet with potatoes, A Ham and Cheese Omelet with potatoes, 2 pots of coffee, and
2 coffees to go.



As we were walking out the door, Dawn, who had welcomed us said, "See you tomorrow," in the
most pleasant and inviting tone.

Yeah, they are that good.


Matt checking the mail. I mean you cannot take him anywhere. Or so they say.

I turned and said, "Well?" and he said, "It was just like Bob Evans."

A young man turned to us as we were walking through the parking lot and asked how it was. We told him,
"It was just like Bob Evans." He said "That's great, I am on the way in, and I am glad you liked it."

I went over to talk with him and he mentioned he was an asst manager. I mentioned that I
am an Observer, he smiled as I said, "By the way we have 60 Lakewood residents here to
serve you great food everyday, See you tomorrow." Yeah he had heard of the "Devil..." too.

Off to Ashland!

See separate story. http://lakewoodobserver.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=12759

.

Jim O'Bryan wrote:
Actually at around 8am, as we got ready to drive to Ashland in search of hoops and parks, (see
separate story) people started filing in from the nearby Westerly and Barton Centers, risking life
and limb to get across Detroit Avenue at Manor Park.

City Hall, help save lives, give these fine seniors, and Bob Evans, a light at Manor Park.

I hope someone from city hall reads this Jim, I hope they are listening about the light. That is my biggest worry with the new Bob Evans, I just imagine someone getting hit and seriously injured or killed. That intersection is dangerous.

Danielle Masters wrote:I hope someone from city hall reads this Jim, I hope they are listening about the light. That is my biggest worry with the new Bob Evans, I just imagine someone getting hit and seriously injured or killed. That intersection is dangerous.

Danielle

I would doubt that, it seems that people at City Hall can quote the Deck without every reading it!

"The Killing Fields" as some in the area call it, is an accident waiting to happen. Besides taking the
light from the seniors for Dunkin Donuts on Spring Garden, the yellow flashing lights are not
working to stop anyone, and Lakewood has a real fear of consistency in their handling of crosswalks.

I was speaking with a City Hall employee for years at different positions and he mentioned the
biggest problem at City Hall right now is they are incapable of saying "We were wrong..." So that
they spend time and money making us think it works, or is right, and dig deeper and deeper holes.

I think there are good people at City Hall getting bad advice at Panera Bread every morning.
Another corporate chain they brag about bringing to town.

But a light at Manor Park is long overdue.

.

I wonder why the IHOP wasn't able to make it here, though the few times I went there I remember thinking the service was terrible and the food way too expensive; but, I always think breakfast prices are crazy, I have 1999's $3.99 omelet price forever as the unfair standard.

Personally, I feel the best breakfast in town is the Shore on Detroit. I was so sad to see the damage to their building. The owners are such excellent people and I felt their pain in the pictures Jim took of them outside the ruin of their exterior.

You can bet though, when I have parents in town, we'll be trying the Bob Evans. The out of towners are never happy with our local greasy spoon choices.

I know this isn't the place for it but there was a traffic engineer services that had installed a traffic counter at the Manor Park/Detroit Ave. intersection for a couple days last week so "something" is being considered to being done. (there was a camera mast on the Stop sign North of Detroit).

This morning I had the pleasure of meeting up with someone from City Hall for breakfast at the
Coffee Pot. The Coffee Pot has been a favorite of mine for over 30 years. It won BEST BURGER
IN LAKEWOOD, and also has the best Hash Browns in Cleveland. Small and old style, yet it pulls
a good crowd of regulars. On the corner of Robin and Madison, In Birdtown.


Young and old, hip or Hipsters they love the Coffee Pot.

http://media.lakewoodobserver.com/images_full_res/4058acc006e387f86a5540e10d5dc8ad.jpg
I usually judge a breakfast place based on poached or basted eggs. As always they are perfect, the
ham has a lovely sweet smoked taste, and the hash browns, the best!

Breakfast for two out the door...


If you haven't been, try it out. if you might have to wait, it will be worth it.

.

So now let's compare The Place To Be. The Place To Be is the cool spot to eat breakfast, just ask anyone
eating there. They will tell you why it is better than this, or that or whatever. The fact is, they do OK. As
the morning spot closest to my office, and the fact my old friend Gus works there I used to be a regular
when in town. As such I went to my favorite here and it gets confusing so follow along.


I call it "Hillbilly Eggs Benedict" or "Eggs Benedict Kit" without the heavy hollandaise sauce.

Because of a weird price anomaly for over a decade, 3 eggs with juice, ham, home fries and coffee is
cheaper than 2 eggs, ham, home fries, coffee and juice. Who knows why, but the second you suggest
juice with two eggs, the waitress will tell you it is cheaper to order... For over a decade.


After assembling. My dogs prefer I order 3 eggs too, as they get an egg and half order of ham. It is good
ham and eggs, just too much for me.

I had breakfast with Tim Kanak, a writer for the Observer in years 1 and 2. He covered the Lombardo House
and other things. He is back in town, and wanted to jump in again now that he is back. He had 2 eggs,
sausage, rye toast, home fries and coffee. no juice.


With a $5.00 tip out for $20, a little more than the Coffee Pot.

Better home fries at Coffee Pot, better value if you are hungry at The Place To Be.
So far no one has burned the eggs, or left a bone in the home fries.

Stay tuned...

.

Jim O'Bryan wrote:So now let's compare The Place To Be. The Place To Be is the cool spot to eat breakfast, just ask anyone
eating there. They will tell you why it is better than this, or that or whatever. The fact is, they do OK. As
the morning spot closest to my office, and the fact my old friend Gus works there I used to be a regular
when in town. As such I went to my favorite here and it gets confusing so follow along.

Because of a weird price anomaly for over a decade, 3 eggs with juice, ham, home fries and coffee is
cheaper than 2 eggs, ham, home fries, coffee and juice. Who knows why, but the second you suggest
juice with two eggs, the waitress will tell you it is cheaper to order... For over a decade.

Better home fries at Coffee Pot, better value if you are hungry at The Place To Be.
So far no one has burned the eggs, or left a bone in the home fries.

Stay tuned...

.

I have been there a few times in the past and it's not bad and cetainly affordable. The complaint I would have is that it is 2014 and they still are not accepting credit cards to my knowledge. Yeah, yeah....transaction fees and such. Well maybe they should set a mimimum purchase for credit payment. I had more fees from taking cash at their ATM then the few cents they may have occurred on a credit transaction. Does not leave you with a good feeling after breakfast.

Many people do not carry cash today, so it would stink to have someone not from the area try the place and then be stuck in the same situation.

Jim O'Bryan wrote:This morning I had the pleasure of meeting up with someone from City Hall for breakfast at the
Coffee Pot. The Coffee Pot has been a favorite of mine for over 30 years. It won BEST BURGER
IN LAKEWOOD, and also has the best Hash Browns in Cleveland. Small and old style, yet it pulls
a good crowd of regulars. On the corner of Robin and Madison, In Birdtown.

I usually judge a breakfast place based on poached or basted eggs. As always they are perfect, the
ham has a lovely sweet smoked taste, and the hash browns, the best!

If you haven't been, try it out. if you might have to wait, it will be worth it.

I thought I heard that they are open longer now? I do like this place but the short hours always kept me from patronizing them often. Whereas, I can walk into Bob Evans at 7PM and get my breakfast.

.[/quote]

I have been there a few times in the past and it's not bad and cetainly affordable. The complaint I would have is that it is 2014 and they still are not accepting credit cards to my knowledge. Yeah, yeah....transaction fees and such. Well maybe they should set a mimimum purchase for credit payment. I had more fees from taking cash at their ATM then the few cents they may have occurred on a credit transaction. Does not leave you with a good feeling after breakfast.

Many people do not carry cash today, so it would stink to have someone not from the area try the place and then be stuck in the same situation.[/quote]




How much are the fees charged a merchant for accepting a credit card. I could be a substantial cost for some businesses. I don't know anyone who doesn't carry some cash. If you are taking $15 out of an ATM to pay for breakfast, I think I see the problem.

I never carry cash, unless I know I am going somewhere that only takes it and then I have to make a special stop at an ATM. Which means every time we consider The Place to Be for Breakfast, we usually go elsewhere. I find when I have cash it disappears before I know what it was spent on, I prefer to use a debit card so I can track all my spending. Credit card fees are only usually 2-3%, which you can offset with a credit card surcharge or minimum amount. I'd rather pay a 50 cent surcharge to use my card over the hassle of finding a nearby ATM or paying $3 to $5 to use whichever is closest.