It’s a bit of a homecoming for Zachary Bond whose new restaurant, The Spot on Lakeshore, at 7272 Lakeshore Boulevard occupies the space that played a big role in his development as a chef.
“I worked at the Lakeshore Eatery right around the time when it opened. It was the first scratch kitchen I worked in,” said Bond, “John showed me knifework and how to prepare scratch food. I still remember when I was worthy enough to make the pot roast here. It was a big deal to get to use the butcher twine, wrapping the pot roast, learning to properly sear it, and all that.”
The 36-year-old has been involved in the restaurant business since he was 14. He got his start at Silvestro’s in Painesville and his career has included stints at John Palmer’s Bistro, Ballantine, L’Albatros, and most recently, Table 45 located in the Cleveland Hotel Intercontinental, among other places.
So, who opens a new business in the wake of a pandemic? A brave soul with an appetite for their craft, that’s who. When the opportunity presented itself, Bond asked himself a lot of hard questions and finally made the decision to move forward.
“It was a scary thought, leaving my comfort zone at [Table 45] with 401K, and benefits, and all of that,” he says,” but as a chef, it’s all about the passion – it’s what you care about.”
The Spot has been open for about a month and thus far the response has been overwhelmingly positive. When asked why he chose Mentor, the answer was simple.
“Because of Lake County’s blue-collar values. I grew up in Painesville city and my dad lived right down the street from here,” said Bond, “The Spot is for people who appreciate good food and appreciate community.”
When asked what people can expect, he promised a relaxed, professional, atmosphere.
“You’re going to feel a calm, warm energy when you walk in here. The people that take care of you are professionals who care about the finer details,” he said.
The Spot offers a wide variety of breakfast and lunch selections, including vegan options. The most popular items on the menu happen to be his favorite as well.
“If you are making something that you care about and it means something to you, it’s probably going to be a hit,” he said.
The Short Rib Hash is coffee rubbed and braised for 4 hours, and finished with caramelized onions, tomato jam, and red skin potatoes. The Crème Brulee French Toast features a vanilla whipped batter, sugar crust, and fresh berries.
Other unique specialties include the SLO Skillet which features smoked Slovenian sausage and his grandmother’s cabbage recipe, and the CRO Skillet which features cevapi (Croatian style sausages) and house made ajvar.
Scratch is a word he uses often, and it refers to all elements of a dish being prepared from raw ingredients. In addition to breakfast and lunch options, the Spot also offers grab-and-go breakfast sandwiches as well as pastries that are made fresh daily in-house by pastry chef Tim Bradach. They also offer full-bar service – complete with mixologist – as well as coffee sourced from Wall Street in Jefferson, Ohio.
Bond prides himself on what he considers a simple, yet honest menu.
“That’s what inspired me to become a chef. And I don’t know if you ever become a chef – it’s really a journey,” he said.
The Spot is open to the public from 6:00 AM to 3:00 PM with no plans to expand hours.
“My kids are still young, and they still think I’m cool. As a chef, I’ve given up enough time at their expense,” he says, ”We do private events at night – small weddings, holiday parties, and such. We have a full liquor license and some think I’m foolish for not using it to its full extent, but we’re not a bar…we have enough bars in the area.”
Bond appreciates being in a place where people appreciate the concept of community. We appreciate his investment in our city and wish him the best in the future.
Learn more about the Spot at Lakeshore on their website, or on their Facebook or Instagram pages.