Last week, correspondent Mark Koestner reviewed the new Bistro DTW in downtown Willoughby. This week, I checked it out for lunch.

I don't think I liked it as much as he seemed to, and that's mostly due to the fact that the chicken on my Italian chicken sandwich was a little bland. I liked how the rest of it tasted, but I wish the chicken had been seasoned instead of leaving the pesto to do all of the work. Koestner wrote that he and his wife both loved the coleslaw, and I found it to be just fair — but then again, I generally don't care much for coleslaw (really, the only coleslaw I eat consistently is the kind that I find on my overstuffed sandwich from Panini's).

(I loved the chalkboard tabletops, and was happy to write my Twitter handle on there. Seemed like all of the tables in the restaurant were clean when we walked in, and I'm not sure if that's because they had been wiped down or because no one else had taken advantage of the chalk on the table that day.)

I'll likely give it another shot. My fellow diners Janet Podolak and Caitlin Fertal raved about the roasted red pepper bisque and loaded potato soup, so I'd love to try both of those. I also really want to have the gourmet grilled cheese Koestner ordered when he visited to review the restaurant. Actually, I wish I had ordered it on this visit.

Check out Koestner's review Dining Out: Bistro DTW in Willoughby shows potential for lunchtime spot.

-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

A popular Mentor eatery is going indie.

Cleats co-owner Chris Tsilianidis said the Route 306 restaurant will be closing at the beginning of next month for remodeling.

“We have decided to leave the Cleats company after five years and re-open independently as the 'Happy Moose,' ” he said. “We plan on reopening the third week in February, as long as the remodeling goes as planned.”

The menu will be somewhat similar with some new twists.

“We are taking what we have learned our customers enjoy over the past five years and making it better, including new wing sauces, gourmet burgers and sandwiches,” he said.

Cleats Club Seat Grille was founded in 1996 in North Royalton. During  the past 15 years it has  expanded to 11 locations throughout Northeast Ohio.

-- Betsy Scott, BScott@News-Herald.com, @ReporterBetsy