Taste this: Huevos enchiladas lasagna ($14.50) served during brunch on Saturdays and Sundays (11 a.m. to 3 p.m.) at Jilly’s Music Room, 111 N. Main St. in Akron.
Creator: Chef Ben Portmann
Locally sourced ingredients: Free-range eggs fresh from Ohio farms
Eye test: The huevos enchiladas lasagna is stacked high, featuring an array of colors, textures and tastes. A fresh fruit garnish is peacocked around the back of the lasagna for a stadium presentation.
What makes this dish special: The enchilada sauce. With an undertone of Belgian dark chocolate, the spicy enchilada sauce is “the star of the show,” Portmann said. Also popular, the cool cream frieze is made with sour cream, cream cheese and a touch of citrus.
Beverage pairing: Order with a golden margarita — on the rocks with salt.
Sides: No sides included.
Process: The dish is made with three alternating layers of fresh vegetables and cheese, topped with enchilada sauce, an egg and crème swirl. Portmann inherited Jilly’s popular enchiladas lasagna when he arrived at the restaurant nearly two years ago, but he knew he could enhance its goodness.
“I felt there were aspects that weren’t standing as strongly as they could,” he said. So he began working with the sauce, experimenting with flavors.
To avoid the Tabasco-bottle-style heat many restaurants rely on, Portmann roasts jalapenos and peppers before adding them to dishes.
“I really believe in chipotle when it comes to bringing that smoky spice you want from a savory
dish like this,” he said. “I’m doing everything I can to bring that heat forward, but it’s not setting your mouth on fire because there’s enough cheese and cream and veggies and egg to soften the burn.”
The recipe begins with a foundational layer of white corn tortillas, cooked fresh to order. Topping the tortilla base are three alternating layers: sweet and bell peppers, caramelized onions, and fresh mozzarella and pepper jack cheese. Jilly’s enchilada sauce is next, followed by an over-easy egg.
Around the top sits a swirl of house-made cream frieze. A sprinkle of fresh chive completes the dish.
Creator’s back story: Portmann has no formal training, but he has worked in restaurants for more than 20 years. He started out as a dishwasher at Applebee’s in Green; he later moved to the grill. A 17-year stint at TGI Friday’s — also in Green — followed. There, he worked in every space in the back of the house.
His unique style was born out of close observation of what has worked and not worked.
Early on, even putting in 50 to 60 hours per week, Portmann began to realize he found the restaurant business truly fulfilling.
“By the end of the day,” he said, “I might be tired, but to be able to lie in bed and know that I made X number of people happy today, knowing at the end of the week I did a great job, is something I don’t think I could get from another industry.”
He also thrives on the chaos inherent in the food industry, which makes every day a challenge that’s completely different from the last. “I think that,” he added, “above anything else, is what keeps me coming back.”
Growing up, Portmann watched his parents work happily in the kitchen. Mom did most of the day-to-day cooking, while dad, a mechanic, jumped in to bake pies, cakes and cookies on holidays and special occasions.
By the time Portmann was 13, he was asking his mom if he could prepare dinner.
“It got to the point where I was requested to make dinner,” said Portmann, a product of Springfield High School. “My dad would be going to the grocery store and he’d say, ‘What do you feel like making this week?’”
Decades later, hoping to pass on that inspiration, Portmann listens to suggestions from the Jilly’s Music Room staff he oversees. He has implemented many of their suggestions.
“I really see the value in other people’s perspectives,” he said. “It’ll never be the ‘Ben Show,’ even if I have a restaurant someday. It’ll be about the people who are working every day, putting in the hours. Because it’s only going to make things better.”
Jilly’s Music Room history: The live music venue, which opened in 2013, offers a variety of live entertainment, from musical acts and artists to theater and comedy. The evening tapas and weekend brunch menus are 100% gluten free.
How to buy: Jilly’s Music Room is open Wednesdays through Fridays from 5 p.m. to closing, Saturdays from 11 a.m. to closing and for brunch Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Jilly’s menu is dine-in or carry out. Visit Jilly’s online to view and download the evening tapas menu or the weekend brunch menu or to place an order online.
“Taste This” is our glimpse of the Akron area’s tastiest, distinctive and popular (or soon-to-be-famous) food, drinks and desserts — and the local culinary talents behind them. Tough job, we know. Know any menu items we should consider? Tell us here.