A taste of the Mediterranean fare

By Elise Franco

The restaurant owner said his new place will be a success because he’s already established a name for himself in the Valley.

CANFIELD — “This is phenomenal,” Shannon Cutrer said as she indulged in the last few bites of her “everything omelette.”

Cutrer, of Canfield, said YOLO is quickly becoming her new favorite spot to grab some grub.

YOLO, for “You Only Live Once,” is the new Mediterranean cuisine restaurant owned and operated by Matt Sutton, former owner and executive chef at Martini’s Downtown, which closed in August after nine years in Youngstown.

Sutton, 40, of Austintown, said he came up with the restaurant name while he and his wife, Debby, were vacationing in Florida.

“That was kind of our mind-set when we decided to leave downtown,” he said. “Then this property became available, and I said to her, ‘Why not? You only live once.’”

Sutton said the next day he saw a yacht with YOLO painted on the back.

“It was kind of a coincidence,” he said.

It took Sutton about three months from conception to opening to get the restaurant up and running on Oct. 20.

“We had a very soft, quiet opening a couple [of] Sundays ago,” he said. “Hopefully we get something larger together in the next couple of weeks.”

Sutton said even though the country is experiencing an economic downturn, he thinks the fact that he’s established a name in the area over the past 10 years will help make YOLO a success.

“Many of the people who come here have heard of Martini’s or heard of me as a chef in the area,” he said. “I also think that our prices are so fair that you can still afford to go out to eat and come here.”

Another quirk Sutton said he’s added to his new menu is that all prices end in the number seven.

“It’s my favorite number,” he said.

Sutton said the restaurant brings a new style of dining to the area.

“I like to cook a lot of different things. We do the traditional Middle Eastern foods,” he said. “I wanted someone to be able to come here four or five times a week and be able to get a different type of cuisine.”

Some of Sutton’s favorite menu items include his mother’s lasagna and a gyro burger, made with half ground lamb and half ground beef mixed with roasted peppers and onions, for $5.97.

“It’s fantastic,” he said.

Patrons seem to most enjoy the lamb sandwich, for $8.77, Sutton said.

“It’s grilled however you like it. ... in pita and baked with mozzarella cheese,” he said. “We sell those 30 percent to everything else.”

In addition to the Mediterranean flavors, Sutton said he loves to include Spanish dishes. Chicken tacos and wet burritos are menu staples, as well as traditional sandwiches, such as the open-faced sandwich he calls the “November 28” sandwich.

“What do you do with the turkey the day after Thanksgiving? You make a sandwich,” he said.

Sutton said everything on the breakfast, lunch and dinner menus are prepared fresh to order. That fact didn’t go unnoticed by Cutrer and her friend Lucy Sharkey, of Boardman.

“Everything in my omelette was sauteed. It’s all prepared fresh,” Cutrer said. “It’s fantastic. I’m devouring it.”

Both women said they plan to return to YOLO as often as possible.

“I love supporting new local endeavors,” Sharkey said. “My husband says I’m on a non-franchise kick.”

Sutton said he was happy the small restaurant had been buzzing with customers midmorning on Thursday.

“It’s great,” he said. “I think morning usually isn’t really a busy time for any restaurant.”

The restaurant also features a full coffee and smoothie bar.

YOLO is open 8:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday.

efranco@vindy.com