Step inside the new Marble Room Steaks and Raw Bar restaurant in downtown Cleveland. The previous home of the National City Bank now embraces a myriad of dining tables, a banquet, and a 33-foot-long bar. The ornate ceiling and soaring 35-foot pink marble Corinthian columns tower over guests, contributing to the opulent environment emitted by the restaurant and celebrating early 20^th century Cleveland architecture.

The Garfield Building is a historic structure that was built in 1898 and was home to National City Bank from 1921 until 2008.  This restaurant underwent an incredible transformation from an antiquated bank to a modern restaurant, which creates an antiquated yet refined atmosphere for the diner.

This restaurant is one of the many projects of developers Frank and Malisse Sinito of Millennia Cos., who strive to give customers a taste of the optimistic city that Cleveland is becoming. Thomas Sinito, class of 2018, serves as a host at his family’s restaurant and believes that the restaurant is a great indication of Cleveland’s bright future and adds to the already vibrant restaurant scene downtown.

“You can’t duplicate the architecture. So we started with the architecture, to make sure everyone can see it, enjoy it,” owner, Malisse Sinito said. The architecture and the fantastic food provide an unprecedented unique dining experience and ushers in a bright future for Cleveland through acknowledging the past and creating a more refined and vibrant future.

Thomas Sinito answered the following interview questions:

How do you feel that the marble room indicates a vibrant future for Cleveland’s restaurant scene?

-I think the opening of Marble Room Steaks & Raw Bar not only reflects the direction and transformation that Cleveland is currently witnessing but also a brings a dose of New York to our city. It’s not too hard to find a good steak in Cleveland, but it is hard to find a true fine dining experience that you will never forget. When dining at Marble Room you are not just solely going for an outstanding meal, it is the experience that is so unique and fresh to the city of Cleveland. This one of a kind experience is made achievable through not only the wonderful space that has been preserved but also the myriad of key people that make it all possible. The General Manager we hired months before the opening named Sonny Gorushanovich relocated all the way from Abu Dhabi to Cleveland to open and manage this restaurant. Before moving to Abu Dhabi to open the notorious Nikki Beach (which is a very exclusive day club and restaurant where check averages are basically well north of anything you can ever imagine) Sonny spent the last fifteen years catering to VIPs and celebrities at some of the world’s prime destinations. Sonny has been able to bring the excitement of his past experiences from stand out restaurants like Jean George’s NYC, Scarpetta Miami, and Nikki Beach to Marble Room Cleveland. When people dine at fine dining restaurants, they want a flawless experience and want to feel valued. As you walk in the restaurant, our goal is to make you feel appreciated and pampered with outstanding service and attention. Because of Sonny’s past he has also been able to successfully implement one-of-a-kind entertainment into the dining experience. During any night you can be surprised by Saxophonists, belly-dancers, violinists and of course a DJ who regularly performs on weeknights and weekends. In my opinion, the restaurant business is all about exceeding expectations and consistency. I believe we are blessed with a team and space to accomplish just that.

How does the history of the building contribute to the atmosphere of the restaurant?

-As many might already know, Marble Room used to be a bank hall (the second largest bank hall in the country). Because the skeletons of the building were so beautiful when we started, we wanted to preserve every architectural detail. The soaring ceilings, fluted marble columns, and gilded ceilings are focal points. We wanted to keep the grand “over the top” feeling that the space already had while also making it modern, fun, and most importantly comfortable. When dealing with such a large open space, our number one concern in designing the restaurant was making it comfortable, quieting the acoustics, and bringing the room together. We knew that acoustics would be a big problem, especially considering our plans for entertainment. While working with Morris-Nathanson Design, we were able to fix the acoustics and create a beautiful interior but also an incredibly comfortable, relaxing atmosphere. We didn’t just want a huge room full of tables, but rather strategically placed seating and tables around columns and drapery to create a sense of privacy and exclusivity. We were able to make the restaurant feel more modern not only through the cuisine and entertainment, but also through the very unique artwork that is displayed throughout the restaurant. We worked with international fashion photographer, Greg Lotus out of Miami for all the major artwork. Working with Greg was a pleasure and really enabled us to be able to create the mood we were looking for.

Describe the Food… (Type of food, quality, brag a little etc.)

We knew we wanted to create a steakhouse because we felt it was timeless. We decided to take it to another level by putting a twist on the concept. Marble Room Steaks & Raw Bar is everything you want in a classic prime steakhouse that serves the best cuts and chops of meat but with a Japanese fusion twist. Marble Room has a full raw bar and sushi menu. When dining at Marble Room Steaks & Raw Bar you will be introduced to a one of a kind menu that consists of USDA Prime beef with chops that range from dry-aged delmonicos, bone-in strip steaks, A5 Miyazaki Wagyu, to a mammoth 42oz. tomahawk that better resembles a weapon over a steak. The goal was to make the menu as decadent and creative as possible without sacrificing the dishes people love at steakhouses: like an amazing homestyle loaded baked potato and creamed spinach. Menu items range from seared foie gras over a funnel cake, to whole main lobster, to a myriad of sushi rolls. Each menu item is equally as beautiful and delicious to look at as is to eat, because every tasting process starts with the eyes. There were dozens of tastings this summer and plenty of hard work that was put into perfecting the menu. The Chefs are just as important to the success of the restaurant as the GM, Sonny is. Big thanks and shout out to Executive Chef Alberto Leandri, Chef Brandon Veres and Chef Kyle Anderson. You can access a full lunch and dinner menu at http://www.marbleroomcle.com

What’s your role in the restaurant?

-I have been fortunate enough to have been given the role of Director of VIP Services & Promotions at Marble Room Steaks & Raw Bar. Although I have worked many years at different positions at Lockkeepers (our other restaurant in Valley View) this job has been a learning experience. As director of VIP services I basically take care of very important peoples’ reservations, and make sure their dining experience goes smoothly. I also talk to and help schedule DJs and other sources of entertainment. But most importantly, I run the restaurant’s social media pages including the Instagram (go follow @MarbleRoomCleveland).