Jeremy McBryde, a Cleveland Heights native, moved back to Cleveland and a year-and-a-half ago opened Comfort CLE. The Cleveland Heights native had lived in Los Angeles for 15 years, and decided he needed to open a soul food restaurant that celebrates “the heart and soul of our beloved city” to 1400 East 105^th Street in Glenville.

“Comfort CLE wants to take the flavors you’ve had and take them to the next level,” he explains of his menu items like his Uptown Chicken Philly. “We use a seasoning blend that creates more umami and takes the profile to a new level with curry, cumin, chili powder. And we work local, so we only use Orlando Rolls.”

McBryde has also built his reputation on his Comfort CLE menu with soul food items like fried chicken, Maw Maw’s Candied Yams, Clean Mean Collard Greens, Cousin Kina’s S’Mac & Cheese, My Momma’s Beans n Rice, Fresh Kutz fries, and two different types of cornbread—the traditional O.G. and Auntie Myrtle’s, which is a stuffed cornbread with ground turkey, red pepper, onions, garlic, house seasoning blend, and Cheese.

Comfort CLE owner Jeremy McBrydeBoth regular patrons and new customers alike have an opportunity to try McBryde’s culinary creations during Cleveland Independents’ Cleveland Restaurant Week, which starts today, Monday, March 3 and runs through Friday, March 14.

Comfort CLE is just one of about 30 restaurants out of the approximately 70 Cleveland Independents members participating in Restaurant Week this year—offering three-course prix fixe dinners for $39 per person (plus tax and tip).

The 20-year-old Cleveland Independents started Cleveland Restaurant week 17 years ago to attract more customers to member restaurants during traditionally slow dining out periods. Organizers say winter is always a difficult time for restaurant industry, but it is particularly hard right now with soaring food prices. They say the set menu prices help make going out to eat more attractive. Many participating restaurants also offer carry-out as an option.

Many of the original members are still members today and offering specials.

Last year, McBryde, although fairly new on the scene last year, participated in Cleveland Restaurant Week and says it was a great way to get the Comfort CLE name out to the public and network.

“It was definitely a good draw, and I loved the experience,” says McBryde, adding that he also got to meet other participating restauranteurs. “You can get familiar with new restaurants, meet the participants and check them out.”

Comfort CLE offers two different cornbread optionsHe’s back again this year, offering both the Uptown Chicken Philly and his Cudi Pack—seven Whole Wings with “That Sauce,” which McBryde describes his as “A super-balanced blend of sweet heat with a creamy mix of garlic that goes really well with the chicken Philly.”

With the entrée choice, diners get McBryde’s signature Deep Fried Chocolate Chip Cookie Bites.

“It’s a play on your typical Toll House recipe, but they are deep fried and served with banana cream and a salted caramel drizzle.”

Diners also get a bottle of Comfort CLE’s homemade Ginger Aid—orange Kool-Aid sweetened with sugar cane and infused with fresh lemon, mint, and ginger.

A full list of participating restaurants and their menus is available on the Cleveland Restaurant Week website. Note some pricing may vary.