CLEVELAND -- When asked what is most remembered about the historic Silver Grille restaurant, many don't hesitate by answering the cardboard ovens.
These small, black and white happy meal-style boxes were used to serve kids' meals for years.
"You'd open the oven door and inside might be our miniature pot pie," says David Rabinsky, director of social catering at the Ritz-Carlton Cleveland.
The Silver Grille, which sits on the 10th floor of the former Higbee building, was inherited by the Horseshoe Casino. This hidden gem was once a very popular destination for families to grab a bite to eat.
Since we first revisited the Silver Grille for a story in February (watch below), numbers of viewers called us to ask how they can possibly get their hands on one of these cardboard ovens. Sadly, there were none available.
Until now…
The replica cardboard ovens are being given out to each guest at an all-you-can-eat brunch at the Silver Grille on Sunday, May 18 and on June 8. Those events are SOLD OUT. But due to the popularity and demand, a third brunch will now be held on July 20 and reservations are being taken now by calling 216-297-4911. The event, buffet included, costs $29.99 per person.
The brunch will accommodate 300 people and reservations go quickly.
The luncheon is being held to celebrate the casino's "Then & Now" promotion, which aims to revive the sense of childhood wonder that the Higbee building was famous for.
"Since we opened, many guests have reminisced about the special times they had at Higbee's, but the strongest memory is of eating at The Silver Grille and receiving lunch in their very own cardboard oven," says Marcus Glover, general manager of Horseshoe Cleveland. "Having seen the way Clevelanders' faces light up when they talk about that experience, we felt we had to find a way to bring the ovens back to help them relive those memories."
PHOTOS | Inside the Silver Grille -- http://on.wkyc.com/1iVy7kY
The Silver Grille was restored in 1990 and now dons authentic green walls and silver metallic trim, capped with lighting fixtures that have been recreated to match those when the building opened in 1931. In the middle of the room is the running water fountain popular among the families who visited The Silver Grille throughout the decades.
Although the Silver Grille is no longer a daily restaurant, it now serves as a banquet hall. Reservations can be made through the Ritz-Carlton Cleveland.
