Splendid food, atmosphere at Gervasi's Crush House

Gervasi Vineyard Resort & Spa in Canton is an award-winning gem, and has a perfect spot to grab a bite with a friend on a warm summer evening. We selected one of the five dining and imbibing areas, The Crush House Wine Bar & Eatery.

We arrived on a weeknight in time for Happy Hour specials (until 6 p.m.). Asked to be seated outside, we went upstairs and were seated on a narrow porch area with the shades pulled down. Since the sun wasn’t blaring, I asked that the shades be pulled up so we could actually get some sense of sitting outside. It’s more of a half inside, half outside situation, but it works.

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Our waitress, Brooke, has been with Gervasi for three years originally starting as a hostess. She was efficient and friendly, mentioning she was from Toledo and currently working on her graduate degree in physical therapy at Walsh University.

Since appetizers were $2 off during Happy Hour, we picked two ? provolone carrozza, hand rolled Italian style cheese sticks served with marinara ($10) and the whipped lemon feta spread, served with tomatoes, cukes, basil pesto and pita chips ($12).

Other popular appetizers include calamari served with bell peppers, marinara and a cilantro aioli ($16), crispy fig crostatas, dried figs served with cream cheese, roasted walnuts and clover honey ($10) or an Italian meat and cheese plate ($20).

We both wanted a salad and ordered the smaller versions as side salads. I ordered the Greek salad that featured mixed greens, feta, cucumber, tomatoes, olives and croutons ($7 side; $13 large). Nicole chose the strawberry salad, a blend of mixed greens with the additions of goat cheese, dried cherries and spiced pecans ($7 side; $13 large), substituting a creamy parmesan dressing for the white balsamic dressing. Both salads were very good with a minor annoyance ? they were packed so tightly in small dishes they were difficult to eat without the ingredients spilling out all over, making for a mess.

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The option to add a protein (grilled chicken, steak, shrimp, salmon or scallops) to a salad is available for an upcharge. Soup is also on the menu, with offerings of a cup ($5) or bowl ($7) of Cream of Chicken soup or Wedding soup.

One of the more popular pasta entrees at The Crush House is the Crispy Chicken Linguine served with formaggio cheese sauce, broccoli, cherry tomatoes, spinach and parmesan cheese ($17). I chose that as my entrée order, and although it was flavorful I found the chicken was dry and overcooked.

The short rib gnocchi served with mushrooms, caramelized onions, red wine demi-glace and parmesan cheese ($19) was Nicole’s choice. She ordered it without the onions and totally enjoyed the pasta entrée.

Other pasta options include a Crush House power bowl that includes housemade gnocchi, eggplant meatballs, chilled purple cabbage, goat cheese and a roasted red pepper sauce ($16). It’s on my list to try next visit. Shrimp linguine ($18) and a grilled Greek chicken orzo ($18) are also available as entrees, as well as the ability to substitute fresh spinach for the pasta in any of the pasta dishes.

If sandwiches are more to your liking, try the vegetariano piada ($16) featuring eggplant meatballs or a grilled chicken piada ($17) with barbecue sauce and white cheddar. Short rib sliders ($15) and a Crush House burger ($16) are on the menu, and all sandwiches are served with a choice of housemade chips or coleslaw. The Crush House also offers a limited kids menu (linguine pasta, chicken fingers with handmade chips or an individual cheese pizza).

The menu also includes a wide selection of desserts that include a chef’s seasonal dessert, Flourless Chocolate Truffle Torte ($8), those Crispy Fig Crostatas ($10) that are featured as an appetizer but with the option to add vanilla ice cream ($1.50 for the ice cream), Crème Brulee ($8) and even a Celebration Ice Cream Cake ($32), an 8-inch round white cake with fudge ripple ice cream. If something a little lighter is what you prefer, you can have a scoop of Pav’s Creamery Ice Cream in a seasonal flavor, vanilla or chocolate ($4).

We split the tiramisu ($9), which was perfect. A few spoonfuls of this Italian classic satisfied our sweet tooth.

During our experience, the restaurant continued to fill up. When we left there were several groups of people outside waiting to be seated. Our service was great, and other than a few hiccups, it was a great way to spend a summer evening.

Reach Bev at [email protected] or 330-580-8318.

If you go

WHAT – The Crush House Wine Bar & Eatery at Gervasi Vineyard

WHERE – 1700 55th St. NE in Canton

PHONE – 330-497-1000, option 1

WHEN – 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday; closed Sunday

NOTE – The Crush House is walk-in only, no reservations.

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Gervasi Vineyard's Crush House serves up splendid food, atmosphere