Ed Balint|The Repository
DOYLESTOWN — A recent Saturday quickly became a night of food adventuring.
Plans to try out a popular Stark County restaurant were abandoned because of reservation mix-ups.Two other stops didn't work out, either.
After some family grumbles and thoughts about turning back, my wife's determined internet search turned up Shelly's Uptown Grillin Doylestown, located about 35 minutes from downtown Canton. Roughly12 miles southeast of Akron, it'seasily accessed off Route 585.
Finding our way on darkened back roads, we wondered if the vehicle's GPS had taken us off course before arrivingin the village's downtown. A busy scene, people were picking up pizzas at a shop andpulling into a CVS store. Others were headed to Shelly's Uptown Grill.
Guided by the glowingsign in alarge storefront window, I crossed the street and walked up to the restaurantat 68 N. Portage St.
Opening the door, it soon felt like I was joining a casual party where everyonewas invited.Tables and the bar were packed with customers of all ages eating, drinking and conversing merrily.
Spacious and handsomely adorned with wood decor, the dining area wasinviting with a festiveatmosphere. A server was welcoming, and I immediately felt comfortable among a crowd of what I suspected were mostly locals.
Jukebox-style music was played loud enough to complement the moodwithout being distracting. Eclectic and vintage sports memorabilia also won me over.
Juicy strip steak for less than $20
Despite the pleasing aesthetics, I was skeptical of the food. Based on my experience with sports-themed bars and eateries, I suspected a predictable menu ofwings, burgers, appetizers and otherdependablegrub.
Before weordered, overthe silent objectionsI sensed from my 15-year-old daughter, I respectfullypeppered the server with questions: Are the burgers frozen or fresh? Are the mashed potatoes homemade? Are the sauerkraut ballstossed from a box into a deep fryer?
The server didn't hesitate: Burgers were fresh. Sauerkraut balls were a homemade favorite.Comfort food was also on the menu, including homemade spuds.
She didn't mislead us. My wife's steak dinner came with two sides; the 12-ounce strip wasjuicy and charred without being overcooked. Her cheesy potatoes wereauthentic.
Opting for a burger, I went big with "The Beast," ($9.99) a half-pound blend ofJapanese beef (Wagyu), elk, bison and wild boar grilled medium. Thick, juicy and flavorful, every bite was delicious.A buttery bun was toasted perfectly.Hand-cut fries were crispy and plentiful ($1.99).
Paige ordered a Nashville Hot Chicken sandwich ($8.99). Breading was crispy but not overlythick, and the sauce wasdeeply flavored with the right amount of heat. Pickles and cheddartopped it off. She also liked the homemadecrab and shrimp bisque ($6.69), which was thick and creamy.
All three of us quickly gobbled the sauerkraut balls ($6.79), crusty on the outside andmoist inside.
Sports fan eye candy galore
I felt like a wide-eyed kid in a sports museum while exploring the rangeofcollectibles. My eyes quickly were drawn to satin Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini boxing trunks.
That was just the beginning. Bill Russell, Lynn Swann, Mike Ditka, Dante Lavelli, Hank Aaaronand BernieKosar jerseys were allautographed. Also framed andsigned was a Joe Namath University of Alabama jersey.
Everywhere I looked there was more sports fan eye candy. A Mancini fight poster. A showcase of Pittsburgh Steelers keepsakes. A soap box derby car. A poster honoring the 1964 NFL champion Cleveland Browns.
Hospital lab tech opens restaurant
Following up with a phone call after my visit, owner Shelly Thomas told me the story of the restaurant and bar she opened in Fall 2019.
Shelly's Uptown Grill has weathered the pandemic. Carryout customerslined up out the doorduring the early stages of COVID-19. Some customers ordered food daily.Community support has been heartwarming, she said.
Thomas, 43, createdthe recipes and oversees the cooking. The former lab technician, including hospital jobsin Akron and Canton,has always enjoyed making people happy with food.
She evencateredher own wedding seven years ago, switching from kitchen apron to wedding dress a few hours before exchangingvows with her husband, George.
"People always said, 'Youshould own a restaurant'," the Waynesburg native and former Carroll County resident said.
Afterher childrengot older, Thomas said she considered the possibility, and then thedowntown Doylestown restaurant site went up for sale.
"The whole story is crazy," Thomas said with laughter."Andit's a whim, but it worked."
Thomas said she learned to cook at home.
"I was a single mom, and I just used what I had," she recalled. "I didn't get to try new things and stuff, but I'm really addicted to the (Food Network), although I don't cook like that. I really focus on food that we want to eat every day."
Homemade dishes include macaroni and cheese and Salisbury steak. Specials change monthly.Examplesinclude a pub burger on a pretzel bun with bacon, gruyereand balsamic glaze, cabbage rolls, chicken and dumplings, creamy chicken and rice soup, meatloaf, vanilla cheesecake topped with berry compote and fresh berries, chicken marsala,and an Uptown Dinner Bowl loaded withmashed potatoes, chicken tenders, corn, gravy and cheddar.
"People can tell the difference in quality," Thomassaid. "It adds a lot of work to our plate, but why would you go here over somewhere else? You know you're getting fresh, getting quality and getting homemade."
Local sports history honored
Sports memorabilia already adorned the walls when she took over the space.
"We got lucky," Thomas said of the previous restaurantowner being a sports fan. "They did a beautiful job with the bar."
Browns keepsakes were added to the existingSteelers decorations, she said.
Local sports memories are also honored.
"Some customers are in their nineties, and that's them on the wall when they were a kid," shesaid. "It's pretty cool to hear these stories.
"We have a baseball team ... and the gentleman who comes in is 98 years old, and that's him in apicture. And there's a bowling team from the '60s, and a woman who comes in was in the picture."
Restaurant hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday; 7 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday; 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday; and closed Monday. Breakfast is served Friday and Saturday.
Shelly's Uptown Grill also features karaoke and live music some nights.
For more information, visitwww.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100057485258211&sk=about
Reach Ed at 330-580-8315 and ebalint@gannett.com. On Twitter @ebalintREP.
