Inside: Tartine Bistro & Wine Bar

It may not be France, but John McDonnell, the former owner of the Fulton Bar & Grill, wanted to create a little piece of French bistro dining in a quaint section of Rocky River. McDonnell, known for his enthusiasm and friendly nature by regulars at the old Fulton, will surely please old and new faces alike with his newest project that’s been a year in the making.

Food: Tartine, which means open-faced sandwich in French, features a menu full of savory small plates and meals inspired from the Mediterranean with a definite French focus. Must-try items include the medjool dates stuffed with goat cheese, lardons and port wine; crab and shrimp cake with roasted pepper remoulade; the pork and duck open-faced sandwiches and bacon-peach pizza. And surprisingly, all of these delicious temptations were created in a kitchen that only houses a small convection oven. Another menu staple that the restaurant is quickly becoming known for is the daily cheese assortment of seven different offerings, perhaps the best cheese menu on the West side. Food prices at Tartine on average range from $6-$16.

Libations: Tartine lives up to its wine bar name, offering 11 whites and 12 reds available by the pour or bottle as well as a nice selection of sparkling wines. The wine choices hail from French, Italian, Spanish and California regions. If wine isn’t your thing, Tartine has a full liquor license and a decent selection of beers and cocktails including peach-basil sangria, blackberry whiskey sour and an old school martini with a drop of Campari.   

Décor: The tiny bistro seats approximately 25 inside and 20 on the highly-coveted patio overlooking the boutiques on Old Detroit. The inside is rather simple, small and narrow, with several nice touches including the red pressed-tin ceiling, exposed brick wall and wine display above the bar. The doors that separate the patio from the main dining area, when opened, are a nice touch, too.

Service: On both visits to Tartine, service was quick, friendly and extremely knowledgeable, especially when recommending which wine to pair with the daily cheese and charcuterie selections.

Crowd: The restaurant draws a wide-range of people from Rocky River to downtown Cleveland to devotees of McDonnell’s former establishment.

Insider Tip: The menu changes every couple of weeks to accommodate and reflect seasonal changes. In addition, Tartine will soon be open for lunch. And starting this fall, expect to find weekly wine pairing dinners. The chef, Nolan Konkoski formerly of Momocho, was responsible for the tequila dinners at Momocho and plans to do something similar—but French—at Tartine. 

Bottom Line: If your ideal meal consists of good wine and cheese, with a couple tempting nibbles in between, this place is worthy of a visit.