Akron’s newest dining hot spot
Last weekend, a friend and I had an early dinner at Square Scullery in North Hill. This is the second brick-and-mortar home for the restaurant, which is run by Matt and Heather Ulichney. Square Scullery started as a food truck and later transitioned to a 13-seat spot in Highland Square.
In 2022, a burst pipe on Christmas forced the restaurant to close for several months. Last January, the team began building out its North Hill space. (The Highland Square spot was rebranded as Meow Bao in November, but is currently closed.) Square Scullery opened Feb. 1.
The new restaurant seats 67 people across three distinct rooms, from the lush jewel-toned jungle vibes in the bar area to the pink, floral vibes of the middle room and, finally, the laid-back cozy cafe feel of the third room which includes a view of the kitchen.
Now let’s talk about the food. We started with the Warm Olives and the Bread & Bougie, which includes assorted breads and your choice of two spreads. We opted for the cheese ball and the duck fat butter spread. I cannot stress this enough: Get the butter. Imagine butter — but better? (I don’t know; I’m not a restaurant reviewer.)
For dinner, I had the Mother Clucker: chicken over grits with corn, edamame, feta, chimichurri, crispy garlic and chorizo oil. All of the flavors blended together perfectly and the creamy grits were a nice balance to the dish’s salty and spicy elements.
Being someone who never says no to dessert, I ended my meal with Square Scullery’s take on the affogato — simple but done extremely well. Drinks wise, I had the Golden Elixir (the restaurant’s version of a mojito) and an excellent nonalcoholic ranch water.
The experience was everything I want in a restaurant: Cool ambiance, attentive service, a solid drink menu and good food that’s a little fancy but doesn’t take itself too seriously.
A roll down memory lane
Thanks to everyone who shared memories of skating at Springfield Lake Roller Rink. This story from Doug Oplinger (Springfield High School class of 1970) stood out to me. It was edited for length:
“On the first Monday of every month, I think at 7 p.m., my parents would pull up in the line of cars on the bumpy gravel in front of the Springfield Lake Roller Rink to drop me into the swarm of kids buzzing through the heavy, wooden front doors. In the winter, many were wearing their red and white Spartans jackets with the big letter ‘B’ under the bottom pocket, for ‘Band.’ It was band night.
“So, as I grew, the Monday night skate became as natural as Sunday dinner after church. When we were old enough to drive, we loaded up the car and arrived together, sometimes heading to the Circle-C drive-in afterward for a Satellite Burger and Cherry Spot.
“I can’t imagine, now, at age 72, that I was even capable of standing on rollers, let alone fly[ing] around the giant wooden floor chasing each other, or holding hands, or dancing the hokey pokey. But we did. And the smells, the sounds, the bumping, the snow cones, all remain vivid.
“And you know what? Those bonds remain. Every two months, band members gather for lunch to give each other a little hope. Family is always.”
Three things to do this weekend in Akron:
Miss “Clueless” at the Civic? As if! The downtown theater is going all out for Cinema at The Civic this Friday. The event starts at 6:30 p.m. with a cocktail party where guests can enjoy throwback drinks (cosmos, appletinis) and appetizers (charcuterie, risotto balls, Hawaiian meatballs and ’90s junk food). The movie begins at 8 p.m., followed by an after party at 9:30 p.m. Tickets are $50. Don your favorite Calvin Klein dress and get ready for an evening of ’90s fun.
Enjoy a night of free music Saturday at the Akron Art Museum’s Midwinter Tunes. Musical acts, poets, artists and dancers will perform from 6 to 10 p.m. Attendees can also check out interactive pop-ups from the Akron-Summit County Public Library, East Ave Gallery & Market, Elizabeth’s Bookshop and Writing Centre and the Nightlight Cinema and enjoy food from Bereka Coffee & Food. Tickets are free, but registration is requested.
This Sunday, bring the whole family out to celebrate the Year of the Dragon. Downtown Akron Partnership’s annual Lunar New Year Celebration kicks off at 3:30 p.m. with a culture fair at the Knight Stage and Civic Theatre lobby. Then at 6 p.m. enjoy a stage show featuring professional performers, students from NIHF STEM Middle School and other community members. The event concludes with a fireworks display at 8 p.m. Tickets are $5.
Catch it before it goes
This is the final weekend for Winterblast at Lock 3. Guests have a few more days to enjoy ice skating, ice bumper cars and ice bikes. Those who prefer to stay warm can rent a heated igloo, reserve a fire pit or play a round of Polar Putt-Putt Golf.
