Food Revue • Cleveland Free Times • June 30, 2005

Cleveland Free Times • June 30, 2005

Dogs and Suds
Hearty Ethnic Fare and
cool Polish Brew at the
Happy Dog by Douglas Trattner

Trattner's Tip: Polka, pierogies and perky Polish brew make this tavern a neighborhood favorite. Broad menu of ethnic classics, vegetarian treats and solid homestyle fare manages to satisfy an increasingly eclectic demographic.

WHEN PARTNERS Don Schuerger and Billy Scanlon acquired the building at the corner of West 58th Street and Detroit Avenue, it was in desperate shape. Fifty years earlier, it was Mom Sokotch's restaurant, a family-friendly neighborhood joint serving the foods of Eastern Europe. But years of neglect had left the old brick structure looking threadbare and drab.

Following an extensive period of renovation, which included piecing together the original vinyl booths and barstools, Schuerger and Scanlon unleashed the Happy Dog. Today, the Dog is a family-friendly neighborhood joint serving the foods of Eastern Europe — the kind of place Mom Sokotch would have loved.

Like any great neighborhood haunt, the Happy Dog is a reflection of the people who inhabit the area. So, in addition to the starchy ethnic foods of yesteryear, the tavern strives to offer a wide array of vegetarian-friendly options — appropriate, considering the number of young, progressive types moving into the Detroit-Shoreway district.

The interior is a throwback to the 1950s. Walls are sheathed in real wood paneling, tattered linoleum blankets the floor, and green and yellow vinyl booths ring the perimeter of the room. Tables and chairs are clunky and old-school, and an Elvis lamp sits prominently atop the back bar. But the Happy Dog's most striking feature is its venerable wooden bar — a 46-stool oval behemoth that commands a full third of the room. The original wood-fronted coolers still serve to chill the bar's beverage stock.

The menu is a bit of a throwback as well. A big basket of tater tots ($3) stirs up memories of elementary-school lunches, and the chicken noodle soup ($2.50 a cup), with its wide egg noodles and generous bites of chicken, tastes exceedingly comforting.

Pierogies, fashioned out-of-house, are a staple at mealtimes. They can be ordered as an entree ($6.95), a side dish ($3.50), or, if you happen to be under the age of 12, as part of a kids' meal ($3.50). They are dense and chewy and packed with potato and cheddar cheese. All are served with buttery sautéed onions and sour cream.

Okocim O.K., a sturdy Polish pilsner, is the natural beverage choice to accompany those portly pierogies. But the Dog also stocks the trendy favorites, such as Hoegaarden, Newcastle Brown Ale and Sierra Nevada. Guinness and Great Lakes' Dortmunder are available on tap.

Of course, the Happy Dog does dogs; the meaty all-beef hot dogs can be ordered naked ($2.50), or “your way” with cheese, chili and kraut ($3.50). During Indians games — Happy Dog may be retro, but the plasma screens are up-to-the-minute — hot dogs are just $1.50 and $2.50, respectively.

All entrees include a cup of soup or a nice house salad, fries or tots, coleslaw and garlic bread. They range from a bratwurst and kielbasa platter to spaghetti and meatballs. All are generously proportioned and fairly priced. The Fisherman's Platter ($14.95) comes piled with delicately fried shrimp, cornmeal-crusted perch, a crab and shrimp cake, and the requisite fries, slaw and garlic bread. The kitchen could improve the perch by lightening up the batter — the cornmeal casing is course, dry and uncomplimentary — but I thoroughly enjoyed the balance of the dish.

Hand-formed crab and shrimp cakes, available as an appetizer ($8.95) too, are loaded with large pieces of shrimp and a healthy dose of crab threads. The sautéed cakes are aggressively seasoned and peppery, which is a good thing, because they are served with a featureless aioli.

Of the many vegetarian offerings, the hummus ($5.95) is a fine place to start. The smooth, homemade dip is presented with a plentiful amount of warm and crisp fried pita. Another starter, spinach and artichoke dip ($7.95), is written in green on the menu, signifying its vegetarian status. But when a meat-averse dining companion pressed the server on its ingredients, it was revealed that the prepackaged product contained ham.

The veggie Reuben ($7.50), however, is definitely meat-free. Standing in for the corned beef in this satisfactory facsimile is seiten, a wheat gluten product with a springy texture. If a vegetarian diner has never consumed the real deal, this faux Reuben should meet his or her expectations. Meat-free surrogates of burgers, sausage and hot dogs are also on the menu.

On Wednesdays, the restaurant offers great deals on shrimp dishes as part of its “Shrimpin' Wednesdays.” A cup of shrimp and crab bisque is $2.50, a plateful of fried shrimp is just $4, and the shrimp and crab cakes are knocked down to $5.

Each Friday, the Dog hosts a Polka Happy Hour, and it exemplifies the true spirit and history of the tavern. Entire families trickle in for pierogi dinners and a round of beers, while little ones hop about on the dance floor to bouncy polka music. The lively atmosphere and hospitable surroundings are enough to make a polka fan out of just about anyone.

Happy Dog
5801 Detroit Ave.
216.651.9474