Eaters of Lakewood Meet and Eat At 56 West
On Saturday, January 23rd the public chapter of the Eaters of Lakewood held their first monthly meeting at 56 West, an area restaurant located at the intersection of Detroit and Westlake Avenue. They came with a similar drive; to eat and eat well. The Eaters of Lakewood was originally a club started in Lakewood High school and has since extended its influence to include a chapter available to the public. Since its inception the club has only met with success so, naturally EOL expanded to not only include the students of LHS but all people of Lakewood. It’s easy to see why EOL membership has been on the increase when you look at the core ideals the group was founded upon: if you like to eat, you’re in. EOL is about food, friends and a good time. Their members scour the city, searching for the places with the best food and atmosphere. Their goal? To keep their friends and neighbors informed on all the best eateries, where they are and what they can hope to find (all while getting in a good bite of course).
The meeting at 56 West was no different, upon entering customer and club members alike were greeted at the EOL table where they could sign in at the guest log, speak with members or enter their names via ticket for a chance to win a $25 gift card for use on a future visit. Along with the tickets (which run for 25 cents a piece or five for a dollar) everyone was also encouraged to take a small observation card where they could place comments and rank different facets of their dining experience such as atmosphere, food and service. When the final stats are tallied they are displayed on the EOL website for review and comment. This proves that EOL doesn’t only have a love of good food, they also love their community. The goal of these confidential surveys is to give some free advertisement to the many local businesses throughout the city and encourage people to broaden their horizons while visiting some interesting places with friends and family.
In the case of 56 West it is clear to see why they are already so popular. In the categories of food, service, atmosphere and cleanliness there was little disagreement. The average rating (on a scale of 1 to 5) was between 4.3 and 4.7 with the highest ranked being the food. Participants indulged on a wide variety including steak, make-your-own burgers, salad and sandwiches all of which contained high quality ingredients such as grain fed beef and all natural chicken. 56 West is also known for getting all their buns from a local bakery known as The Breadsmith. The comments received on overall dining experience were widely very positive. One customer commented, “Great quality food for a great price. Great beer selection too.” Other comments frequently mentioned the value, speedy service, pleasant light and setting and friendliness of the staff. Most also mentioned the high likelihood of returning. With the first of many monthly meetings complete EOL now sets its sights on the well known Beer Engine which is sure to be another hit. Members are encouraged to (but not required) to attend this event which will be on February 27th from 6-10pm. EOL is always looking for new recruits and membership is free so anyone can show up and enter their name for a $25 Beer Engine gift card. To learn more about The Eaters of Lakewood you can check out their homepage at www.eatersoflakewood.com or join their already substantial fan base at www.facebook.com/eatersoflakewood or find them on www.twitter.com/LakewoodEaters.