Episode 301: Mainlander

If you walk down Euclid in the restaurant-filled Central West End, you might miss one of the city’s most popular new restaurants. Mainlander is a bit hidden. Tucked away in an intimate space that transports you when you walk through the door. Chef Blake Askew and his partner Gordon Chen opened the restaurant in 2023, hoping to create an intimate dinner party vibe. With a prix fixe menu, they hope to take the decision-making out of the dining process and allow guests to sit back and enjoy. We dive into a lot in this episode from the inspiration, the fun twists on classic Midwest dishes and the restaurant’s big move to a larger space in the coming months. Mainlander received a James Beard nomination for Best New Restaurant. Reservations open the first of the month and can go quickly. The Central West End restaurant is open Tuesday-Saturday.