Carrie Cerino's Ristorante & Party Center

by the Awakened Epicurean

    The history of Carrie Cerino, her family and her restaurant (Carrie Cerino's Ristorante & Party Center) is a classic American tale. The true story behind this self-made immigrant and the life she created in this country is a rich tapestry woven from fibers of Italian heritage and American opportunity, strengthened by the bond of family, tinted by the colors of tradition and preserved by the four generations who have followed in her footsteps.

    Immigrating to America in 1916 at the age of six, Carrie grew up in the Collinwood neighborhood of Cleveland, Ohio. In 1931 she married Dominic Cerino, also an Italian immigrant. In the early years of their marriage, Dominic had a habit of throwing Carrie's food out their second-floor window when the meal did not meet with his expectations. A proud woman, Carrie worked diligently to refine her culinary techniques. Before long, she created the recipes that became the backbone of her business.

    In 1945 Carrie opened her first bakery in Maple Heights. Her catering business followed in 1955, but Carrie dreamed of opening her own restaurant. In 1962, Carrie and Dominic found the perfect location – a turn-of-the-century chalet in North Royalton. Investing time, love and the support of her family, Carrie expanded this location to become a 30,000 square-foot-facility, including a grand ballroom (added in 1972), a bakery (added in 1975), smaller party rooms, a lounge and an enclosure of the front porch (added in 1978). Now owned and operated by Carrie's grandsons (brothers Dominic III and Carmen), Carrie Cerino's Ristorante & Party Center continues to bring the flavor of the Old World to the families of today.

    The inviting rooms of the facility are a treasure map of memorabilia, including photographs of the Cerino family, plaques chronicling the history of the building, framed newspaper clippings about Carrie and the restaurant, and photos of the many wedding receptions held there. Each describes a piece of the story of the family and the business. In the lobby, a magnificent glass case houses dozens of fine porcelain dolls hand crafted by Carrie herself. The sweet aroma of cookies and frosting mingles with the savory smell of soups and roasting meats, adding to the cozy, homey atmosphere of this massive establishment.

The exceptional grilled Berkshire Pork Chops are unsurpassed in flavor and tenderness. The menu explains that this heirloom breed dates back 300 years to the swine herd of the House of Windsor.

    The kitchen continues to rely on Carrie's timetested recipes, and the restaurant has garnered attention from the local Slow Food chapter, an international association that celebrates and promotes food and wine culture and agricultural diversity. Cooking everything from scratch, including soup stocks and pastas, chef and owner Dominic explained, “We have added some new items, and we have also gone full circle to return to how Carrie originally cooked. It is a return to a time before the commercialization of food products, such as commercial produce that has been modified to allow it to travel thousands of miles or chicken genetically manipulated to produce more meat or eggs.”

    Dominic continued, “Commercialization has destroyed the flavor of many foods. The beauty of cooking with high-quality ingredients is that they have their own natural flavor. We enhance the food, but we do not need to serve it covered with sauces.”

    There is literally something for everyone on the impressive menu at Carrie Cerino's – soups, salads, appetizers, fish, shellfish, veal, steak, pork, chicken, pastas and desserts. Notably, the chicken and salmon are organic, and there are two dishes made from an heirloom breed of pork. And in the Italian tradition of making sure everyone is well fed, all meals come with soup or salad, freshly baked bread and a side of spaghetti, risotto, potato or vegetables.

    I began my meal at Carrie Cerino's with a cup of Stracciatella, classic Italian Wedding soup. The base of the soup is a savory organic chicken stock that is made in-house. Unlike commonly served wedding soups, Carrie Cerino's traditional version does not have any pasta. Instead, the soup contains a combination of parmesan, breadcrumbs and eggs cooked into the soup. The result is a light texture that surrounds tender bites of chicken, fresh parsley greens and a few grains of rice.

The Grilled Fillet of Salmon was char-grilled to perfection with a tasty, crunchy exterior and a succulent interior.

    Moving on to entrees, I first selected the Grilled Fillet of Salmon. The kitchen prepares this flavorful, organic fish from Ireland with olive oil, Mediterranean sea salt and pepper. Served with a squeeze of lemon, fresh dill, capers and grilled red onions, the sizable piece of fish was char-grilled to perfection with a tasty, crunchy exterior and a succulent interior.

    I next sampled the Grilled Berkshire Pork Chops. The menu explains that this heirloom breed dates back 300 years to the swine herd of the House of Windsor. The exceptional chops are unsurpassed in flavor and tenderness. Simply prepared with olive oil, salt and pepper, the flavor of the meat is absolutely the way pork is meant to taste.

    I was fortunate to sample a number of the amazing pasta dishes as well, including spaghetti with pesto and cavatelli with white sauce. All the pastas at Carrie Carino's are homemade and hand cut. While I do not typically favor pasta dishes, I have been craving the pasta from Carrie's ever since my visit. In fact, on my next visit, it would be difficult to order anything but the Spaghetti alla Carbonara. Dominic explained to me that very few restaurants can serve this traditionally prepared pasta dish because it contains raw egg yolks. He stressed the importance of knowing the purveyor in order to trust the freshness and quality of the eggs. Carrie Cerino's version of Spaghetti alla Carbonara includes eggs from heirloom Aracuna chickens, raised organically and free-range farmed in Columbia Station, Ohio. Dominic often can be found meandering through the dining room to show off these uniquely blue-shelled, orange-yolk eggs while answering questions about local and organic ingredients on the menu.

Very few restaurants can serve the traditionally prepared Spaghetti alla Carbonara pasta dish because it contains raw egg yolks.

    The Carbonara also features an authentic Italian cut of pork called guanciale, which is similar to bacon, but guanciale comes from the pig's jowl and is dried rather than smoked. Only available in America from a single purveyor in Seattle (who happens to be the father of Food Network TV star chef Mario Batali), this meat is both leaner and richer in flavor than bacon. The combination of fresh, homemade pasta, decadent egg yolks and rich guanciale – along with a bit of olive oil, garlic parmesan and Romano cheeses – makes this dish irresistible. Served with one yolk nested in the middle, this dish allows the diner to freshly mix the yolk's creaminess into the nest of pasta for a visually stunning and exceedingly appetizing experience.

    Carrie Cerino's offers all the comfort and food selection of a family restaurant, but it also goes far beyond the parameters of a typical family establishment. While continuing to honor Carrie's original recipes and intensions, her grandsons also have invested time and interest in local and organic foods. If you have never been to Carrie Cernio's, or if it has been a number of years since your last visit, I encourage you to venture there for lunch or dinner. You may also want to consider Carrie Cerino's for your next business or family function, or call them for takeout of party platters or frozen, fresh handmade pasta. Whatever you do, try the Carbonara!
Carrie Cerino's is located at 8922 Ridge Road in North Royalton. The restaurant can be reached by calling (440) 237-3434. More information, including menus and information about its banquet halls and take-out party platters, can be found on their website: www.CarrieCerinos.com.

Photos by Bob Perkoski - www.Perkoski.com.