Peter Shear's
Since I write about food and restaurants, I’m often asked, “What have you eaten lately that was fabulous?”
My current answer: the aptly named Black Magic flatbread at Peter Shear’s.
This luscious appetizer is an amalgam of ingredients that have no right coexisting, yet somehow coalesce into something, well, magical. Executive Chef Nathan Mushrush created a chicken liver pesto that is spread on crisp flatbread, then topped with fresh basil leaves, goat cheese, cremini mushrooms and candied pine nuts. Hints of caramelized onion, balsamic and rosemary add to the rich, heady flavor.
Yes, it’s time for diners to rediscover this downtown Canton eatery.
Mushrush could have elected to change the Peter Shear’s name when he took over the ailing restaurant 13 months ago. Instead, he chose to honor its roots.
“I just love the history of the place, the feel of it, the fact that it’s named for a real person,” Mushrush said. “And I have a personal history with the place. I started here as a sauté cook.”
The restaurant opened in 2001 in the 138-year-old building named for original owner Peter Shear. Mushrush joined the staff in 2003 and quickly was promoted to executive chef. He left in 2004 to start his own restaurant in Atwood, then returned to Canton in 2009 as chef/owner.
“I fell in love with the canvas. That’s what brought me back, the ambience,” Mushrush said.
To reach the restaurant, you descend from street level. Sandstone walls, low ceilings and gleaming wood floors create an intimate, yet chic, feel. Mushrush is doing all the right things to lure customers back, from throwing patio parties with low-priced drinks to hosting a Facebook page. But I predict it will be the execution of his menu that ultimately ensures his success. Complex sauces, gorgeous plating and top-notch ingredients are the rule here.
The line-caught, wild sockeye salmon was served with a pale green purée of grilled scallions and roasted garlic and accompanied by a fun faux mac and cheese made with Israeli couscous. Tucked alongside was a little mound of burgundy-colored salsa made from bell pepper and smoky ham.
The jambalaya was perfectly seasoned — enough creole heat without numbing the taste buds — and the large shrimp were tender and sweet. The risotto was made with smoked cheddar, which added an unexpectedly earthy flavor. Dinners were served with warm ciabatta bread and garlic butter.
Although the menu changes with the season, the blue-crab crab cake on sweet slaw is a regular, as are the Angus steaks rubbed with “Shear Love Dust.” But don’t forget the humble burger. Mushrush buys his ground beef from a local farmer, Cricket Valley Farm in East Sparta.
“You pay a little more per pound, but it’s all natural, hormone-free,” Mushrush said. “He even raises the corn himself to feed the cows.”
Burgers come with a side dish for $9. On weekdays, you can get lunch specials for $8, including Yankee Pot Roast on Mondays and meatloaf on Tuesdays.
Desserts are extravagant and include moist bread puddings, house-made sorbets and a molten chocolate cake with peanut butter cream.
Service was attentive and professional, from the warm greeting at the door to the tidying of the table between courses.
Peter Shear’s is at 427 Tuscarawas St. E. For more information, call (330) 588-8300 or visit www.facebook.com/petershears or www.petershears.com.