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Last Updated on February 6, 2023 by Angie
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Cadence Cellars in the Strip District is a restaurant and bar with a speakeasy theme offering up classics like steaks and pork chops served alongside Prohibition-era cocktails. With its basement location and good execution of both food and drink, Cadence is a great spot to check out if you’re in the neighborhood.
In the Strip District, we tend to think about drinking and dining options as an “either/or” situation – most spots either excel only at food or only at drinks. However, Cadence is a rare spot where both of these are in balance, making it equally great as a brunch stop while you’re shopping or a place to start a night out on the town.
A Modern Speakeasy Vibe at Cadence in the Strip
We visited Cadence for dinner, and as we rode the elevator down to the basement of the Pro Bike+Run shop, we wondered if we were in the right place. As the doors opened to reveal a space with a speakeasy vibe, we were surprised and intrigued.
We were soon seated in the large dining space in a room adjacent to the room with the bar. Although there was a solid beer menu with local options and a nice wine list, we had to start with some classic cocktails. Options include things like a French 75, Sidecar, and Boulevardier; we ordered the Cadence Old Fashioned and El Presidente.
The old fashioned was offered with either rye or bourbon; we opted for rye and it was a solid take on this classic drink. El Presidente was a rum-based drink with white rum, vermouth, orange liqueur, and grenadine. While we briefly worried this drink might trend towards the sweet side, with one sip we were delighted that it was a perfectly balanced and spirit-forward drink with hints of orange and grenadine.
Appetizers here range from standards like salads and fries to more interesting offerings like whipped ricotta toast and fried pork ribs. We were in the mood for some crispy calamari, and it didn’t disappoint.
With an exceptionally light and crispy batter, the plate also included fried artichokes which provided a nice contrasting brininess to the calamari. We definitely fought over the last artichoke bite! A tomato aioli hit the spot for a dipping sauce.
For entrees, the choices are pretty classic – think steaks, chops, fish, and chicken. Accompaniments are generally a form of potatoes and veggies, along with salad and bread to start. The salads were simple and dressed with a house vinaigrette; we weren’t served any bread but we had so much food that we forgot to ask about it.
Although the space was large and pretty packed, service was friendly and efficient, and our pork chop and braised short rib entrees came out in no time. The pork chop was served with potatoes, glazed carrots, and a cherry demi-glace. While the potatoes and carrots were fine, the star was the tender meat and the balanced sweet-savory cherry sauce.
We might have liked the short rib even more. The mashed potato and broccolini sides were good, but again the highlight was the fall-apart-tender meat. The portion was also quite large, so much so we had leftovers.
We’re super happy to have a new restaurant in the Strip District, especially one that has an interesting and well-executed concept. It’s also great to have a one-stop shop, so you don’t have to choose between drinking and eating while in the Strip. We can’t wait to head back to try brunch, and some more of their great cocktails!
Cadence at the Strip is located at 2400 Smallman St in the Strip District.
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