It’s been a while since I’ve been to a chic restaurant, so I was very excited when my girlfriends and I decided to have dinner at Shoefly Public House.
Before I stepped foot into the restaurant, I was pleased to know that while the eatery was located in Center Township, it wasn’t downtown. I like how many restaurants are seeing the potential outside of the downtown core and becoming more of a neighborhood restaurant.
It was a Friday night so I was also delighted when we got a table right away. Shoefly’s décor is contemporary yet simple, which helped me focus on their well-put together menu. As I decided on my meal, I noticed that this outlet challenges your palate with eclectic flavors and food combinations.
My fellow foodie friend Adrienne, decided to order an appetizer for the table. As we began catching up with one another’s lives, we snacked on tomato and basil nachos with balsamic vinegar and mozzarella, provolone, asiago and parmesan cheeses. They were incredible!
Those nachos encouraged me to be adventurous and order the walleye tacos with jerk rub, honey cider slaw, tomato and red onion as my entrée. I added sweet potato fries with a delicious hickory Dijon sauce as my side item.
My fish was flaky and had just the right amount of jerk seasoning as to not overpower the light seafood. The hickory sauce was the perfect complement to the sweet potato fries. I also tried an Egg Cream for the first time as my drink and fell in love.
My friend Nicole ordered the Blue Bison made with a bison patty, blue cheese, bacon and onion straws; Adrienne ordered a BLT that included avocado and aji sauce on sourdough. They also enjoyed their meals.
Although we were filled to the brim with goodness, we decided to order the grilled pound cake as our dessert. It was decadent and oh so delicious!
I can’t wait to go to Shoefly Public House again. I loved the unpretentious menu and how it made me feel as if I had an indulgent dinner without the guilt of paying too much or feeling as if I needed to hit the gym immediately.
My meal ran me about $25 including tip. That may be pricey for some, but I think Shoefly is worth the splurge.
I may try the vegan chili or the Cuban pork flatbread for lunch one day. The grilled salmon with orange miso, beet, carrot and cauliflower hash would make a great light meal. The bison short ribs with sage and goat cheese polenta and mushroom ragout sounds perfect for a cold winter’s night dinner.
They even have kids meals that, thankfully, don’t offer boring standards. Kids can dine on items like gnocchi with tomato sauce; pork tacos; pulled roast chicken; or a “no meatloaf” with mashed potatoes and gravy.
Shoefly Public House has a wide range of food choices and an equally impressive beverage menu. They offer drinks like house-bottled ginger beer, Thai iced tea and fresh lemonade, and also have an extensive beer and wine menu.
Check them out!
