91 Wood Fired Oven in Canton, Ohio: Restaurant Review

One of the best restaurants in Canton is tucked away in Washington Square on Easton Street, across from Walsh College. 91 Wood Fired Oven opened its doors in the plaza that also houses Giant Eagle in 2002. The owners, Greg and Amy Goehring wanted to create a "dining experience based on simplicity and consistency, and a commitment to excellence on every level." After experiencing success at the Washington Square location, they opened a second restaurant on Fulton Road in Jackson Township in 2004. The building that houses the new location used to be a run-down police station, but Amy and Greg renovated it and gave it new life when they converted it into their restaurant.

When you walk into the restaurant, the atmosphere is warm and inviting, yet modern and chic. You'll always be greeted with a smile and the service is excellent. You rarely need to request anything; the servers seem to sense your needs and attend to them before you have a chance to ask for anything. I've eaten there with large groups and found that even with so many people to wait on, the servers have no trouble keeping your glass full or your empty plates cleared from the table.

The first time I ate there, I had no trouble deciding what to order; I had to try one of their famous wood fired pizzas. They are hand tossed and baked at 565 degrees in their wood fired ovens. You can get a traditional pizza - a "NY slice" for a mere $8.00. Or you can be adventurous and try something like "Amy's Favorite" - a tasty combination of honey-glazed bacon, grilled chicken, roma tomatoes and goat cheese. The pizzas are large enough to split with someone or to have part of it boxed so that you have room for dessert - and trust me, you want to leave room!

My favorite dessert is the Wood Fired Oven S'mores - a crave-able combination of buttery graham cracker crust, dark chocolate ganache, peanut butter caramel and toasted marshmallows. There are other items that are just as delicious: a peanut butter pie served on a chocolate no-bake cookie crust, crème brulee, and crème brulee cheesecake just to name a few.

Of course, pizza and dessert is not all this urban restaurant has to offer. Other menu items include some delicious and unique appetizers such as crab cakes, balsalmic wings, and bacon, cheddar and ranch chips. Their pasta dishes are out of this world and you can't beat their loaded strip steak or lollipop lamb chops - both cooked to perfection, juicy and tender. The seafood menu includes cedar plank salmon, a tasty salmon filet roasted in their wood fired oven. The menu choices are unique enough to please someone with a more refined pallet, yet simple enough that even a "picky" eater will find something delicious to enjoy - and all for a reasonable price.

Wine connoisseurs will love the wine menu - it alone has made 91 a local favorite for wine lovers. With descriptions that tell a story about each wine selection, it includes wines from all around the country and overseas.

Families with children will be happy to know that the kids' menu offers kid-friendly choices like "Mr. Cheesy Pizza," "Peanut Butter Pie-in-the-Sky," and "Oodles of Noodles." Cost for a child is $4.25 and includes pizza or pasta, a drink and cookies. If you go on a Monday, kids eat free!

So if you're looking for a great place to eat and are tired of the same old menu choices, give 91 Wood Fired Oven a try. You won't be disappointed.