The Lake House Café’s two partners – Koli Gjerazi and Lindi Mellaraj – have three things on their minds besides their restaurant’s great location, location, location on Lakewood's Gold Coast.  They’re constantly thinking about satisfying their “guests,” they say – three meals a day – by offering homemade, chef-prepared quality meals that are also a great value.

For example, breakfast begins with a bottomless cup of piping hot, fresh coffee and the menu features the popular “Simply Breakfast,” a choice of two eggs any style, with hash browns, toast and jelly for only $2.99.  Want to add three bacon or sausages to that order?  Then it's $3.99.  Canadian bacon, ham or a delicious corned beef hash instead? Simply $4.99.  It’s possible for a family of four to enjoy a hearty morning meal for a total bill under $14 before tipping, and that includes beverages and a waterfront view from every table in the Lake House Café.

“Our Simply Breakfast choices are the most popular items on our breakfast menu,” says Lindi.  “For lunch, our guests like our sandwiches, wraps and salads.  The Triple Club Sandwich and the Steak Wrap are very popular.”

Other lunchtime favorites at the Lake House Café are its Cajun Burger and Bacon Cheddar Burger.  For vegetarians, the Veggie Wrap and three salads are popular… the Tomato Salad, Boiled Veggie Salad and the Fruit Salad. Salad prices range from $2.49 (the small Caesar and House Salads) to $6.49 (large Fruit and Cobb Salads).  The lunch and dinner salads are drawing customers – like Lakewood resident Anita Notley – back to the Lake House Café again and again.

“I bring everyone I know here!” says Anita, pictured left.  “I love their salads, especially their dinner salads,” she said on her way into the restaurant for lunch, bringing her friend Sally, right, who was visiting from Medina.

Anita and Sally aren't the only ones who have discovered the 3-month old restaurant and who make it a regular meal.

“A lot of our customers are coming in from downtown Cleveland, Westlake and Rocky River,” says Koli (pron. Ko-lee) who in addition to being a partner is the restaurant’s kitchen manager.  Lindi and Koli both praise Zija (pron. Zee-ah) Lagji for preparing several specialties from scratch.

“Our chef Zija is very talented with pasta,” notes Lindi.  Customer favorites include the Shrimp Fra Diavolo Pasta and the Cajun Pasta.  “Everyone loves them.”

Koli adds, “Our pastas are very good and the white cream sauces for the Fettuccini Alfredo and the Cajun Pasta are made to taste perfectly.  We take up to two hours to make the sauces with fresh ingredients like parsley and basil to make them more flavorful.  Our customers tell us to bring some sauce just to eat with their bread!”

Also popular choices from the dinner menu are the 8-oz. Sirloin Steak ($8.99), Grilled Salmon ($9.99) and the Chicken Marsala ($10.99).

Though opening their own restaurant is a fairly new dream-come-true for the two brothers-in-law, Koli and Lindi (both Lakewood residents, Lindi is LHS Class of 2000) have plenty of prior experience working in fine dining and catering.  Lindi estimates that as a banquet manager for the Independence Holiday Inn, he “probably worked about 2,000 meetings and banquets.  When people hugged me after their events, I knew that they were very happy with the service.”

Koli worked at several European restaurants before coming to the United States seven years ago and learned about American appetites and eateries while working at M Bistro in Westlake and the local My Friends restaurants.  The lessons he has learned he says are “to make sure everything is perfect, cooked right and the right presentation.  My key is to listen to our customers, quality control, and to make people happy.  To give them a family restaurant with fine-dining service.”

And listen to their customers they have.  Says Lindi, "I do take notes when guests make suggestions, so we can get even better."

As a result, they added Kid’s Menu items and, responding to many requests, they are serving their delicious Lobster Bisque every day now, along with the French Onion and a soup of the day.  BYOB is an option for guests while the restaurant waits for its license to serve alcoholic beverages.  And customers can customize their omelets!

“You can create your own breakfast omelet and we will make it for you,” adds Koli.  “We want to give our customers a family restaurant with a fine dining service.”

That fine service at the Lake House Café is made possible in part by a personable, blonde, tall and 10-year professional server who’s too shy to give her name for this story.  “No, no, it’s not about me, it’s about our restaurant and taking care of our customers, which I absolutely love doing!” she explains.  Customers from Rocky River's Rock Cliff restaurant will recognize our attentive, enthusiastic and anonymous server.

With family and service in mind, the Lake House Café has created its latest menu.  To view it online, click here.

The Lake House Café, which also offers convenient carry-out, is located on the north or shore side of the Lake House Condominiums, 11850 Edgewater Drive.  Hours are 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday thru Thursday, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturdays, and normal Sunday hours are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.  Their phone number is 216-228-5253.

The Lake House Café is located on the RTA routes of the Lakewood Community Circulator and the 55 Gold Coast bus.  It’s about a seven-minute commute from that downtown skyline.  Free parking is available near the restaurant’s front door.  And, of course, lake views like the one below are included with every meal.

When you visit, tell Lindi and Koli (and Anita and Sally, if you see them) that you read about them on LakewoodBuzz.com…  Lakewood welcomes the new Lake House Café Deli & Grill and the feeling is definitely mutual!