LAKEWOOD, Ohio – Rood Food & Pie calls its menu “creative interpretations of seasonal American dinner fare.” And the menu is strong.
The real star of the meal here has been the decadent pie. Think peanut butter as in a chocolate cookie crust with a layer of ganache, topped with peanut butter mousse, salted peanuts and whipped cream.
These signature pies are about to change.
Less than two months after purchasing the establishment, Vessel Hospitality, led by Cory Hajde, replaced the existing pastry chef with pastry chef Annabella Andricks. Andricks was an owner of and ran the pastry program at Solstice in Lakewood. Solstice closed at the end of August.
Andricks is also owner of Dramatic Snax, which supplies desserts to restaurants around Northeast Ohio.
On its Facebook page, Rood posted: “Annabella will be building a new and exciting pastry program while maintaining a variety of Rood’s specialties and fan favorites. Additionally, Annabella has been responsible for the delicious syrups at Rising Star Coffee, syrups and pastries at Index Coffee and Books, and coffee cakes and pies at Juneberry Table. Soon enough, she’ll be accepting new wholesale clients for those interested.”
She has already started changing the pie-focused dessert menu at Rood and tweaks will continue. The new menu will retain some pies, add new ones as well as add plated desserts and custom ice cream flavors.
“There won’t be as many pies with the addition of other dessert options,” says Andricks. “We’re slowly rolling it out to get everybody used to the idea first.”
“We’ll still keep pie as part of the menu,” she said. “Every week we’ll try to change one pie and introduce a couple of vegan options. We’ve already rolled out a couple of new pies.
Two new pies are triple chocolate cream pie — a black chocolate cookie crust, browned butter dark chocolate cremeux and salted chocolate Chantilly – and apple custard crumb – spiced, brown-butter apples, vanilla custard, brown sugar streusel.
“We want Rood Food to be recognized as one of the best restaurants in Cleveland and we’re working to put out great product and things that may seem a little different,” said Andricks.
“I’m excited to do something fun and new. Change is always hard even good change– which is why I’m doing a slow roll out process.”
Rood Food is at 17001 Madison Avenue, Lakewood.
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