SHAKER HEIGHTS, Ohio — Chef Doug Katz and his team are putting the finishing touches on their hotly anticipated new restaurant Kiln, which opens October 22 at Van Aken District in Shaker Heights. The bistro joins Katz’s other still-buzzing eateries, Amba and Zhug.
Like Amba and Zhug, Kiln will treat guests to exceptional hospitality, a great vibe, and a broad range of dishes meant to be shared and enjoyed family-style. But Unlike Amba and Zhug, Kiln will offer American bistro fare rooted in classical European cooking techniques from an open kitchen.
From that kitchen will come a broad assortment of appealing dishes that range from seasonal crudite with hummus to braised lamb shanks with preserved plums and mint. More than two dozen items are available, including many vegan and vegetarian dishes. Servers will offer suggestions on what dishes pair well, helping guests build the ultimate dining experience.
The wine program will be built around small American producers, including a handful of Ohio growers.
For this project, Katz worked with designer Dana Sobota to create a simple but elegant dining room intended to bring guests together in a lively space. The main dining room is wrapped on three sides by a comfy banquette. There is seating for 80 guests downstairs and another 65 in the second-level lounge. In spring, patios up and down will come into service.
Unlike Amba and Zhug, Kiln will accept reservations, but most of the tables will be set aside for walk-ins, says Katz. While they wait for a table, diners can have a drink upstairs, at the cozy 8-seat bar in the dining room, or elsewhere in Van Aken.
“We want people to walk in, to hang out in the district, and come back for their table,” he says. “It’s important for us to be able to get people in.”
Kiln represents a personal and professional homecoming for Katz. Not only did he operate Fire Food and Drink for 20 years in this community, but he also spent his childhood here.
“I grew up right down the road, as you said,” Katz states. “And to be able to open something in Shaker Heights, down the road from my first restaurant, is just such an amazing feeling and opportunity for me.”
Katz’s partners in the project are managing partner Todd Thompson, executive chef Cameron Pishnery and director of operations Phoebe Connell.
For more information and to make reservations - visit here.