Farenheit was HOT!

My husband and I have wanted to go to Fahrenheit for years now. For some reason, we don't actually make it out to Tremont very often... We hardly went to Tremont at all before we discovered the Taste of Tremont and Churned ice cream.

My in-laws were in Cleveland to see a presentation my husband was giving on Friday, and they asked us to pick a spot for dinner. We initially suggested Michaelangelo's in Little Italy (my Father-in-law LOVES the mussels appetizer they have/had there, and it was back on the menu) but they asked us to select something different. I posted on Twitter, asking other Cleveland foodies where to take them, and several people suggested Fahrenheit.

Can I say wow? Yeah, wow. I was blown away from the moment we walked in the door. The decor is sultry, warm and inviting. I told my husband I'd love to have one of the paintings from the wall - but it was sadly not on the menu.

We shared spring rolls and bacon wrapped, chorizo-stuffed dates as appetizers, and both were wonderful. I found myself wishing I had just one more stuffed date!

My husband got the lobster macaroni and cheese, and I got a strip steak. Both dishes seem like they could be ordinary, but they definitely weren't. The mac and cheese had decently-sized pieces of Maine lobster that were cooked beautifully, and the sauce was well balanced in flavor.

My steak had perfect char and was cooked properly, and the veggies had a great texture. I almost felt like I had too many fries, but I ate them anyway because they were lightly herbed and covered in parmesan and were delicious. They almost tasted as if they had a bit of truffle oil, but I could have been mistaking the headiness of the bites of mac and cheese (that I kept stealing from my husband) for that. The steak was finished with a red wine syrup, which had just a bit of sweetness.

I got the eclairs for dessert, and they were great - but too heavy for me. I needed every last drop of coffee in my cup to cut the heaviness/sweetness! There was absolutely nothing wrong with them, don't get me wrong - it was just overwhelming (due to all the wonderful food we'd already eaten).

My husband and I truly enjoyed Chef Whalen's creations, and will definitely be back. It was a little chilly Friday night, we'd love to go back when it's a little warmer so we can walk around!

Chowing Down in C-Town!

My husband suggested heading to the C-Town Chowdown tonight for dinner. I have to admit I was reluctant at first, considering how packed the 2011 Winter Chowdown was! When we pulled into the parking lot of The Agora, I wondered if it was going on at all. I learned that Umami Moto's brick-and-mortar venture, The Hipp - was hosting patrons inside their new restaurant space (which was an EXCELLENT idea... It's super cold outside!).

We had a choice of Umami Moto, Zydeco, StrEat Mobile, Sweet! Mobile Cupcakery and Seti's Polish Boys. One of the benefits to going with friends and or/loved ones, is that you get the chance to try out more things. The only truck we did not sample tonight was StrEat. Next time!

Here's a quick review of the things we tried tonight:

Zydeco: Hush puppies. For only $2 you could get a total of six, bite sized. My only prior experience with hush puppies was about 20 years ago at a place that rhymes with Don Juan Wilbur's. Yum! Zydeco's hush puppies were simple and what I'd expect them to be. They didn't take any artistic liberties, and that's good in this case.

Umami Moto: Banh Mi and Sweet Potato Tots. I really liked the sandwich quite a bit. UM has the great gift of offering up fresh and straightforward food. Their Banh Mi is served with pulled pork, jalapeño, cilantro, and daikon/carrot pickles. I could eat the pickled veggies forever, and the bread and other accouterments were fantastic. It had great flavor and was the perfect size.

The tots were also very good, and reminded me of French Toast (I know that sounds odd, but I do not see this as a bad thing - Hello, curried French Toast anyone? I may have to try that). They came with a curry aioli that I wish there had been a bit more of. We got a huge portion, perfect for sharing.

Seti's: While it's not a "first date" kind of food in my book, Seti's served up one of the most flavorful hot dogs I've ever had. The Polish Boy we got was covered with fries, barbecue sauce, cheese, slaw, and chili. It was indescribably messy, but that's the way it should be. While this one was technically Jeff's - I had a few bites and was wishing for my own Polish Boy - and a not-full stomach!!

On the way out, we stopped at Sweet! and picked up a Red Velvet and also a Buckeye cupcake. We waited until we got home to try them, and they were great! Sweet! has several flavors to choose from, at only $2.50 a piece - with better deals when you buy in bulk (6 or 12)! Totally worth it.

The C-Town Chowdown is going on until 10pm tonight (3/3) so if you're out and about and a little hungry, go for it! If you're not out and about, get going - I promise you it's worth the trip!

A River Full of Fire

For those not in the know, Cleveland might be known as "that place where the lake caught fire" or even more recently as the most miserable city . To them I say, don't knock us until you've tried us.

There is however, a river in Cleveland that is full of fire from time to time. Just like our city, it might not be much to look at from the outside to the untrained eye. If you didn't have a reason to do so, you might pass it by without a second glance.

Mekong River in Cleveland Heights offers diners a wide selection of Cambodian and Thai dishes, ranging from mild and sweet, to a those that provide a lip-tingling burn. Their "heat index" ranges from Level 1 all the way up to 15 - a level many of the servers there have told me is usually enjoyed by staff, or their regular Cambodian and Thai customers. On my last visit the server reminded me that heat can always be added on, but cannot be taken out!

Both the exterior and interior of the restaurant are sparse, with little more than a few neon signs on the outside, and only a few paintings and plants on the inside. I've learned through experience however that a pretty restaurant (and even pretty food) do not always equal good food. Seating is abundant, both in the main dining area and around the bar - where there's almost always a Thai or Cambodian television show playing.

Mekong River offers a full bar, as well as beer and wine. The bubble tea is not to be missed, with its thick and slushy texture that differs from the thin, milky bubble teas you find elsewhere. They also offer Jasmine tea as well as black iced tea. I tried the Jasmine tea on this visit and was not impressed - mostly because the hair product I love from Lush Cosmetics contains Jasmine. They were far too similar for me.

We order the Tom Kha Kai (red) soup every time we go. The slightly spicy, coconut milk and galangal infused broth is luxurious. The soup also contains chicken, button mushrooms and cilantro. One bowl is usually split between my husband and I, but the serving size is certainly not overwhelming if you wanted one all to yourself.

My husband's favorite dish is their Cambodian Curry, which contains beef, yams, green peppers, potatoes, and onions, cooked in a curry sauce. He normally orders it with a heat level of 3 (remember, out of 15) which is plenty spicy for the both of us.

I ordered the Tangerine Tilapia, which was a generously sized tilapia filet that had been lightly breaded and fried. The breading was so crisp and light with no trace of oil. It was topped with a sweet tangerine ginger sauce, which I spiced up to a level 2 (it was not intended to be spicy at all(. It came with a small side of steamed broccoli and whole tangerine slices. The flavor combinations were phenomenal, and there was enough to spare. We always take home leftovers. It's not unusual to see diners eating family-style - it might even be the ideal way to experience Mekong River's food when dining with a group of several people. The menu is so vast that you can eat there several times and not even make a dent in the selections they offer.

There are many vegetarian/vegan options - and I'm sure that most meat dishes could be made vegetarian with a request to your server. If you still happen to be hungry after your soup, tea and entree - there are always a few dessert selections, including a housemade coconut ice cream and sticky rice cake with mango.

Mekong River is our traditional stop the night before my husband heads off to a neuroscience conference that takes place annually. It is truly a hidden gem that you cannot judge based on appearance alone.

When It Rains, It Pours...

And when it snows, you eat ice cream.

At least, that seemed to be the modus operandi of many people on Lee Road tonight. Tonight we had dinner at Mekong River, but I'm going to leave that for another post. After dinner, we headed over to Sweetie Fry - which isn't very far from the Cedar-Lee Theater. We'd driven past the storefront a few times, and had seen a Sweetie Fry cart in Coventry during the summer, so it was time to stop in.

Sweetie Fry was busier than I thought an ice cream shop would be on a frigid night in Cleveland. There were two families seated in the dining area, and another couple who had just left before we ordered. Sweetie Fry serves up ice cream made on site (you can actually watch them making it) and if you're not quite in the mood for something cold, they've also got fries of the potato, sweet potato, and funnel cake variety.

There were samples of the funnel cake fries on the counter, which we gladly sampled. These too, were made on site and so soft and yummy that I took a second sample. They also had a cup full of their salted caramel sauce for tasting, complete with sample spoons (no fingers, naturally). I should have dipped the funnel cake fry in the caramel, but didn't.

Sweetie Fry had several flavors on hand (Mango Sorbet, Goat Cheese with Honey and Pecans and a Strawberry Sour Cream, to name a few) so it was very hard to decide what to get. My husband got the Peanut Butter and Fudge (not surprised, personally) and I had initially asked for the Butter Pecan. The man at the counter thought they were out, when another employee said "We made some just last night!" which was nice to hear. Even though they had fresh Butter Pecan, I went with the Vanilla Bean and some of the salted caramel sauce. I was offered a "Sweetie Scoop" - which is a small, two-bite sized scoop they will put on top of your regular sized ($3.35) scoop. The Sweetie Scoop is free, and ended up being a fantastic way to try something else - and to see what I was missing!

My husband's ice cream was very rich, and very good. The slightly gritty texture reminded me that yes, I was definitely eating ice cream made with actual peanut butter and not something pretending to be such. The peanut butter was also a bit salty, but complimentary to the other flavors in the scoop. The fudge was dark and slightly bitter. If you're expecting the equivalent of a Reese's Cup, prepare to be disappointed. The flavor is more of a jazzed up, exciting version.

The vanilla was smooth and genuinely flavored as well. Flecks of vanilla bean dotted the scoop, which swam in a little pool of thin, salted caramel sauce. The little scoop of Butter Pecan was amazing as well. The abundant pecans went very well with the classically flavored ice cream.

Since we had just eaten dinner, we did not get to sample the non-dessert fries. The Parmesan-Truffle fries caught my eye... Maybe I'll have those next time, when it's too cold for ice cream.

Going on a Date with Felice

The first day of Autumn may have been last week, but I watched the seasons change firsthand last night, at Felice Urban Cafe.

A server at the beloved Michangelo's was the one to suggest the restaurant a couple months back. We looked at the menu online and immediately knew we had to pay them a visit. It was one of the top choices for my birthday dinner, but we ended up doing Siam Cafe with friends, family-style. On that note, Li-Wah may have Cleveland's best dim sum, but nobody holds a candle to Siam Cafe's authentic Chinese offerings for dinner.

My husband and I both worked all day yesterday, and thought that the cold, blustery evening that followed was a perfect time to go on a date (read: not cook). We had selected Felice a few days prior, and had made a reservation for 7:30. I'm glad we did, because they were packed! When we drove up to the restaurant, which is situated in a large, brightly painted house on Larchmere - I was already impressed. There's an art installation on the corner made of vinyl siding, and the house itself was brightly lit with red lights in the patio windows. It felt like we were going to someone's house, in a way! The structure is impressive, and Felice makes wonderful use of the space. We were promptly greeted in the foyer and told that they had a very special table for us. "That's great!" I thought to myself, wondering if they said that to everyone who came in. It didn't seem possible for there to be a bad seat in the house. The host took us past every table and ventured into the kitchen area. My pulse started to quicken a bit. I wondered, were we going to be seated at the Chef's table? As we were guided into a booth nestled in the wall, decorated with a small chandelier I knew it was true - we were sitting at the Chef's table.

"Did you plan this?" I asked my husband, thinking he'd asked for the special table. He insisted that he didn't. I became slightly giddy, and still didn't fully believe him. If I weren't already married, I would have been expecting a ring box to appear from his pocket at some point in the evening!

The host returned with water and menus. Another surprise of the evening was an additional menu that you don't actually see on the website. It contained several other starters and entrees. Their wine, beer and cocktail list was extensive. I settled on a Summer Sangria, even though the wind outside almost seemed to intently proclaim that Winter was around the corner. It was a white sangria, with house-made cherry vodka, brandy, fresh grapefruit and a Sauvignon Blanc. It was amazing, and was enjoyed right down to the vodka-soaked cherry at the end. I ate nearly all of the ice cubes after the drink was gone, you could still taste the boozy goodness. A pitcher of this sangria would be great company for a table full of friends.

We ordered a mixed greens salad and some chorizo and potato empanadas to start, but were surprised with a treat from the kitchen before they arrived. Since we were at the Chef's Table, we each received a small plate with a potato pancake, grape jam, smoked salmon, chevre, preserved lemon and crispy sage. Getting everything on one forkful was a slight challenged, but the amuse was splendid. At first glance, I wondered where the jam was. I had thought that little cherry tomatoes had found their way to our plates until I tasted one. They were whole grapes! This isn't something you'll find in a store, believe me. You could genuinely taste every component in its purest form. Together, they were magical.

Our salad (shared) and empanadas arrived a little later. The salad was made of various greens, and decorated with button-like smoked almonds, granny smith apples, and Manchego cheese. I'm not sure what the dressing ingredients were, but there was a perfect amount coating the lettuces. Once again, the individual ingredients were allowed to shine through, but went well together. There were four empanadas on the plate, small enough for two or three bites each. If you had a lot of other things going on, it would be fine for a party of four. We each took two of the flaky, buttery pastries filled with chorizo and potato for ourselves, and dipped them in the (once again) house-made tomato jam. The jam was slightly spicy and had great flavor.

For dinner, I ordered the Steak Frites from their regular menu. My husband ordered a Duck entree from the special menu, with orange sauce, greens, and potato pancakes.

The steak was cooked medium-rare and was placed on a wonderfully peppery jus with melted onions and black pepper. There was a light and lemony aioli on top of the frites - and a small side of 4 or 5 asparagus spears. The meat was perfectly seared and crisp on the outside, but wonderfully (and truly, might I add) cooked medium-rare. I briefly thought about requesting the tomato jam for the frites, but that would have been a textbook example of 'gilding the lily' which I ended up doing later in the evening anyway. More on that later!

Jeff's duck came out a little overdone, but he was not the one to point it out. Our server was very up front, and said that she'd be glad to take it back if it was not cooked as he requested. She promised to come back in a moment to see how he felt. After a taste he did decide it was a little overdone, and requested it to be re-done. We were both immediately impressed that the issue (which quickly became a non-issue) was handled so professionally and honestly. The new dish with medium-rare duck came out quickly and perfectly. It was obvious that the cooks and staff at Felice really cared about their food, and that it meant a lot for the diners to enjoy as they intended. Our love for this restaurant was quickly growing. The duck breast was tender and seared beautifully, and the orange sauce was lovely. It had wondeful flavor but did not steal away any dynamic of the duck's natural flavor. We'd already had the potato pancakes at the start, but did not mind a re-visit of the crisp cakes, which did not have the salmon this time. (Gilding. Lily.)

Already completely enamored with the food, drinks, and the surroundings (seriously, sitting at the Chef's table was so great), we decided to get dessert. I had eyed the pumpkin bread pudding earlier in the evening, so I decided on that. We'd normally split a dessert, but my husband isn't normally a fan of pumpkin - so he opted for an apple cobbler with ice cream. His came with ice cream, and I became jealous. A new rule is that I will not have ice cream in the house, but can enjoy it while out to dinner, or traveling (Jeni's time!). They had no problem adding it to my bread pudding. This is where I gilded the lily. The bread pudding comes with whipped cream, which they put on the side (it would normally be on top) - the whipped cream was spiced with cinnamon and cardamom, at the very least. We noticed the cardamom immediately, as it was very prominent. A large scoop of vanilla bean ice cream sat awkwardly atop a generous square of bread pudding. With the whipped cream being as awesome as it was, there was absolutely no need for the ice cream. Though my husband isn't normally a pumpkin fan, he conceded that my dessert was really good. He remarked that it "tasted like Fall" and he was right - it tasted exactly like Fall. I'm considering a reasonable facsimile for our Thanksgiving dinner.

Our server suggested that we exit from the back, so that we could see their outdoor patio and bar. While it was too cold to sit out there last night, I can definitely see us going there in the summer. Before we left, we also looked at their happy hour menu. Several menu items are $6 or less. Felice also has a special on Wednesdays where you can get any appetizer, entree, and dessert for $22. We're very glad we went to Felice last night, but Wednesday might be a good time to experiment if you've never been!

Our date was a night we'll truly remember for years to come. If you're looking for a romantic spot for dinner, I would definitely suggest you give Felice a try. If you're down with the hustle and bustle of the kitchen (which was a living machine, let me tell you), you should ask to reserve the Chef's table. We were seated there at random, and felt extremely lucky. It made quite an impression on us both! Our only regret was not bringing a camera. If you want to see pictures of some great food and read another review of Felice, check out fellow Cleveland blogger Cleveland Food and Brews review!

Happy Autumn and happy eating!

Carbs, Luxurious Carbs

Living in Little Italy, I am no stranger to Italian food. My favorite on Mayfield is Etna, but La Dolce Vita's Pasta Fellini is a Fall/Winter favorite of mine. The bartenders at Maxi's are wonderful, and I really like the staff at Presti's - many of the people there have been working there (at least) as long as I've lived here, and it's kind of nice to get my pepperoni bread and iced coffee from the same folks, three years in a row.

When I first moved here, I really didn't know too much about the area. I picked my apartment online, and actually had my (then) boyfriend check it out for me. I didn't see it for the first time until I drove a U-Haul to Cleveland with everything I owned in tow. It should come as no surprise then, that I didn't really know that there were some amazing things on Murray Hill, which intersects with Mayfield. When Jeff and I were dating, the Cornell Rd. bridge was closed and he lived closer to The Triangle, so we rarely went in that direction. The street has evolved quite a bit since I moved here, with the more recent additions of the Murray Hill Market, La Pizzeria, and Washington Place Bistro.

My first stop as I was getting my sea legs on Cleveland's culinary waters, was Cleveland Foodie - a blog that I consider quintessential to navigating the diverse food culture of Cleveland. I remembered seeing her talk about Michaelangelo's in Little Italy, but I didn't really know where that was. It's been a while, but I may have discovered it while on a walk down Murray Hill. You can't see the restaurant too well from the street or sidewalk unless you're really trying, so Michaelangelo's remained shrouded in mystery for me until about a year ago.

As of last week, I have now been there a total of three times. On the first and most recent visits, my husband and I ordered multiple pasta dishes to share. It's not advertised on the menu for dinner, but you can get half orders of any of the pasta dishes (or the risotto), so we got three half orders of pasta and shared them. Last week we tried the Sacchetti (A ricotta and black truffle stuffed pasta in a black truffle cream sauce), the Raviolini (Lobster ravioli, rock shrimp and a vodka-tomato cream sauce), and the Gnocchi (Potato gnocchi with hazelnut pesto). I should also add that this was our pre-time trial "carb-up" - we participated in a (bicycle) time trial the following morning!

The half order of Sacchetti comes with 7 "purses" of pasta/stuffing, and this was the one I would have wanted all for myself. I tried it on my first visit, and the only reason I didn't get it on my second visit was because they were out. This pasta is the whole reason I love truffles. The flavors are balanced well, and the sauce is velvety and luxurious without being too heavy, something that seems nearly impossible for a cream sauce.

Lobster ravioli is something I've had elsewhere, and it's never really been a favorite of mine. That's not to say that Michangelo's version isn't amazing - it's just not really my sort of thing. The experience of eating this pasta is without a doubt, oceanic. The taste of the lobster and rock shrimp are left untouched, and speak for themselves. There is a brininess to the meat that brings back fond memories of sandy beaches and salty air.

I really loved the Gnocchi. I'd thought about it on my previous two visits, but it never made the cut. The basil is not overpowering, and the parmigiano really makes it tart and creamy. The hazelnuts were not obvious to me, aside from a textural thing. It was fun to eat, and really enjoyable.

The staff at Michaelangelo's has always been wonderful, from the moment we walk in the door. I've never been disappointed with a single thing on any of our visits, and I look forward to going again in the future. I'm almost considering it for my birthday dinner (I have it narrowed down to four restaurants - honest!)!! I hope that you consider them for your next special dinner (or lunch) if you haven't already.

Dining As A Tourist: Do First Impressions Count More In Tourist Towns?

My husband's family has visited Lake Placid, NY for the past twenty years or so, according to my Father-in-Law - though not consecutively. This is my fourth year in Lake Placid. We stay in a condo on Mirror Lake for about a week, while we hike and bike our ways through the Adirondack region. It is no surprise of course, that we also happen to eat while we're here.

If you read Yelp or Tripadvisor, it would seem that eating in Lake Placid is hit-or-miss. We went to a restaurant here last year that is fairly well known, and we happened to have the blandest steaks known to man. Our server told us that the natural light (we were seated outdoors) made the steaks look more done than they were - when the reality was that the strip steak didn't look pink because it WASN'T pink... They had cooked it to death and didn't salt it, at all.

Did we catch the kitchen on a bad night? Maybe. The danger of inconsistency in a restaurant in a tourist area is that a large part of your business, and even repeat business is based on the impression you give your diners on what may be their first (and only) visit to your establishment. Frankly, I'd like to go back - I want another pint glass (you get to keep it when you order a beverage) - but I'm hesitant because of the experience I had last year. I only got to try them on once, and it wasn't a good fit. Alternately we had an amazing time with a restaurant in Costa Rica - it was so good that we ate there three times in our two day stay in Tamarindo. Good food made us go back a second time, and when we were asked to go back for a third we didn't hesitate, considering the food was amazing on both previous visits.

I am not saying that a bad night at a restaurant will permanently ruin its reputation, but if someone's on vacay and they may have only one night, potentially of their entire lives to try your food? It should be a priority to give your customers a memory they'll treasure almost as much as the photos they take. If there's a problem, fix it. Apologize, and don't lie to them (bad lighting made your steak taste like nothing? Come on.).

Tonight we went to a place we'd been before - Liquids and Solids at the Handlebar. They were quite new last year, and had a few kinks. The servers didn't really have a groove, and we pined for our beers as they sat languidly on the bar in plain view. The food and beer selection was so impressive, it was enough to give them another shot. We figured that any kinks would be worked out, and that the experience would be much better this time. Before we left for the restaurant my FIL read reviews that did not speak too fondly of the service. One person wrote, "Is this a joke?" and another complained that their server was overly emotional.

One does get the feeling that you're having dinner served to you by a staff that seems to be more colloquial than customer service oriented. In a way, I really like that sort of feel. To be frank, I don't really want someone to brown-nose me when I'm sitting down to dinner. I don't like it when I am thirsty or hungry however, and I can understand how the service could be off-putting to some. I did not regret my visit tonight, and as long as they are around I will be back!

We sat down around 7:00 and ordered our drinks. I started out with a Dogfish Head Festina Peche, a seasonal BerlinerWeisse-esque beer. The style lends the Festina Peche its sourness/tartness. I liked it, but probably wouldn't get it again unless it was totally ice-cold (it was barely cold when I received it). The five of us each got something different, so I got to try most everything - except for my Brother-in-Law's and that was mainly because I hate blue cheese. Plates at L&S are categorized into "large" and "small" plates, or bigs and smalls.

My Father-in-Law ordered a "large" plate of BBQ beef brisket, cheddar grits, spicy chard, cucumbers, shallots, ranch ($18). The brisket was amazingly tender and well spiced/sauced. The grits were exactly as grits should be, and had a touch of cheese and cracked pepper. The spicy chard was meant to mimic collard greens, and they did this very well. The chard was slightly sour, and had a nice kick to it. The cucumber/shallot/ranch was absent from my tasting, so I can't really comment on it.

My Mother-in-Law ordered a very generous "small" plate of Tuna, tomatoes, coriander and fennel slaw, lemon basil aioli. ($12) The tuna was well seared and well seasoned. I'm pretty crazy about fennel, so the slaw and aioli was nice to have.

Jeff got the night's special, which was a soft-shell crab with wilted spinach and a lime gherkin remoulade. What I tasted was actually quite good, but I don't feel comfortable reviewing it because I don't think I tried enough to properly assess it.

I ordered a Dogfish Head Indian Brown Ale, which was/is the first "hoppy" beer I've ever liked. It went very well with what I ordered, smoked sausage, foie gras, mashed potato, and mustard braised cabbage, with a maple gastrique. ($22) The sausage by itself was actually fairly bland. I had wished for some garlic or a little more seasoning, but it was still good. The foie was seared, buttery and flavorful. The cabbage was tart and had a subtle mustard flavor. The potatoes also had little to no seasoning but this was fine, because it tasted like a potato and that's exactly what was needed. All of the components of my dish worked together wonderfully.

Jeff and I also split two sides, a decently-sized bowl of fried brussels sprouts ($2!!!) and fries ($2). The fries come in a small pot, and this presentation tends to make the fries on the bottom go cold and greasy, at least this time. Their housemade ketchup is well spiced and has a great flavor. The sprouts almost rivaled Michael Symon's - they were seasoned in a similar fashion. They were a total steal, and a treasure.

While eating dinner, I mentioned to our server that we'd had similar brussels sprouts in Michael Symon's restaurant, she told us that the bartender's brother is actually opening up a restaurant in Cleveland, none other than SoHo in Ohio City!

I love traveling, but still get homesick from time to time. At dinner tonight, I felt a little closer to home thanks to good food and a Cleveland connection!

Liquids and Solids is an amazing restaurant. They've really fallen into a better pattern (drinks could come out a little faster) and the food is spectacular. If you want a unique dining experience and just happen to be in the Adirondacks/Lake Placid, please give these guys your business.

Pearl Diving in NE Ohio: A Trip to Barroco Grill in Lakewood

Johann Sebastian Bach was one of the most influential composers in the Baroque period. He played an integral part in the use of counterpoint in music of the era, which means that he made two or more different melodies/themes/rhythms work together. I mention this because the Baroque period took its name from the Portuguese word "barroco" which means "misshapen pearl". We set out on Saturday to find out if Lakewood's new Barroco Grill is a precious pearl that will accompany many of Cleveland's other precious culinary gems!

Barroco Grill specializes in arepas. An arepa is a bread made of corn originating from the northeast of Venezuela. Arepas are a staple of Colombian street food, the pillowy pockets of bread often being stuffed with veggies, cheese and/or meat. Barroco stuffs theirs with steak, chicken, pork, chorizo or ham, with veggies such as mushrooms, onions and peppers and cheese. They also offer fries (both potato and those made of arepas) as well as hamburgers and sandwiches not made with an arepa for the bread.

My husband got a chorizo arepa ($6), stuffed with mozzarella cheese, onions and the compulsory chorizo. I loved the texture of the arepa, and the chorizo had a bit of spice to it. I got a Hawaiian sandwich ($8), with ham, pineapple, lettuce, tomato and mozzarella cheese. Our server did not know the type of bread with the sandwich, or even where it came from but it was amazing. The sandwich was nearly twice the size of the arepa - so it could easily be shared between two people. The sandwich was sweet tasting, and had both fresh pineapple and a pineapple sauce. I would have loved a little heat to this sandwich, and will ask for chorizo instead of ham if I have that particular sandwich again. Both sandwiches had good flavor, and make me excited to try some of the other ones they offer (They have a Cubano that sounded like it would be very good).

The arepa fries looked just like regular fries, to the point that I wondered at first if we'd been given the wrong item. They were crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, but didn't have much flavor to them by themselves. The five sauces Barroco offers came in handy, for this reason! The sauces were explained as being chimichurri, garlic, pineapple, ranchero, and spicy peanut. The pineapple, chimichurri and garlic were the stars, to me. The ranchero almost tasted like plain ketchup, and the spicy peanut had absolutely nothing to do with peanuts. We both tasted the "spicy peanut" and remarked that it simply tasted like buffalo (hot wing) sauce.

My wish would be to see a Colombian-style beverage on the menu (salpicón de frutas, perhaps?) someday, but their standard offerings of soda (non and diet) are just fine.

The restaurant was packed, which means that word is getting out! The small space really does feel like you've been whisked away to another place. There are 8-9 tables as well as three stools for counter service. There is local art all over the walls that is for sale, its styles seemed appropriate for the space.

Overall, I'd say that Barroco Grill is pretty good, amazing if you take into account that they opened fairly recently and may be going through some occasional mis-steps. I'll definitely be back - I want to try the cheesy corn, which Metromix says is amazing!

Have you been to Barroco yet? Tell me about your experience. If you haven't been there yet, you should definitely go. There's something for everyone!

Dinner by Design Event Review (Part II): Getting Inked At Dinner

In my last post, I left you with a review of Adam Bostwick's intermezzo - a BRILLIANT lime gelatin wedge. Now, anyone who knows me will tell you that I'm no stranger to getting inked... But thanks to Chef Ellis Cooley and Emerging Chefs, last Wednesday was the first time it's ever happened during dinner.

Course Four

Course four was titled "Black and White" and was comprised of bay scallops, farro, and squid ink. Before my full-on foray into the foodie world, squid ink was something I only saw on Iron Chef Japan - and even then it was something I was half intrigued, and half horrified about. Chef Cooley's scallops were sweet and cooked magnificently - they had a buttery, pillowy texture. The farro was toothsome and almost fun to eat, while the squid ink provided an indescribable (but pleasant!) briny-ness. I really liked this one and felt the portion was just right.

Course Five

By the fifth course I was blissed out on the wine pairings, while visions of spiced lime jellies wiggled in my head. Still, we carried on! This was a lamb loin with a cipollini soubise (a soubise is a thickened, bearnaise-style sauce made with onions and cream, sometimes potato), a spice brittle and fava beans. The soubise was my favorite part of this dish, to be honest! I could have eaten that with some mashed yukons and collapsed into a carb-induced coma. The brittle was also very good, and the lamb had a lot of great flavor. The loin seemed a little tough to me, but it was worth the extra effort in my opinion. It was cooked perfectly. I was not crazy about the fava beans, but that had nothing to do with Chef Cooley's take on them - I am just not a fan of favas. The favas added a strident, earthy and bitter flavor to the dish, which was complimentary to the rest of the plate.

Course Six

Would you eat a bacon cookie? Of course you would, especially if it was made by Amp 150's Chef Ellis Cooley. The sixth and final course is what I affectionately refer to as the pièce de résistance, a dessert so busy it almost needs a traffic cop. While we're on the topic of law enforcement, this was also so fun and decadent, it should be illegal (only not really). I ate this in an "around the world" style, trying to come back to everything more than once. Starting at the bottom right and moving clockwise, we have:

- A dark chocolate truffle with sour apple. This was a very simple treat, but lovely. The sour apple balanced perfectly with the chocolate. I tried my best to make this three bites.

- Dehydrated honey. This was honey, nothing more. The flavor once again evoked nostalgic memories, this time of being six, shoulder-tied sundresses and freckled shoulders in the summer breeze. I really loved this.

- Chocolate pannacotta with "fizzy" and a bacon cookie. The "fizzy" was a powder that reminded me of the Ramune soda flavored hard candies I used to buy at an Asian grocery in Columbus. The idea was to make the flavor like that of an egg cream. The bacon cookie was spectacular, I found myself wishing for another one. The flavor of this cookie would make Michael Symon blush, it was so good. It went perfectly with the pannacotta.

- Beet jelly with citric acid (To make it tart, like a Sour Patch Kid). This was really good, and initially hard to believe it was made of beet. After the second bite I could tell. I liked this, though it was very sour!!

- The middle was a chocolate foam, which was nice but not my favorite. It seemed to be the most subdued of all of the aspects of this dessert, but I believe this was probably the idea. It was nice to come back to, especially after the sour jelly!

The Dinner by Design event was truly a night never to be forgotten. The music was fantastic (I really loved the remix of "Home" by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros) and the atmosphere was charged with the curiosity and enthusiasm of of other foodies like myself. It was great to be a part of a group who may never meet again, but were for one night, kindred spirits in the name of good food.

Thank you for reading!

When Life Gives You Limes, You Cleanse Your Palate With Them (Part 1 of 2)

Emerging Chefs has hosted several events in Cleveland that feature many of Cleveland's greatest culinary marvels who expand the minds of the attendees and push the boundaries of creativity and innovation to create spectacular edibles. This is my review of their most recent event, Dinner by Design. I will be posting this in two parts.

My upcoming wedding has taken a lot of free time (and my sanity), so Dinner by Design was my first EC event. As Jeff and I rode the elevator to the top floor of what used to be the Tyler Elevator Company, neither of us really knew what to expect. Walking down the hallway, it felt like I was walking towards a room full of presents and all I wanted to do was find out what they were!

The dining area was transformed from a raw space in the historic building to something truly wonderful to behold - and the sights got even better as the sun went down, thanks to Rock The House and Event Source. Before long, it was time for two of Cleveland's culinary innovators to reclaim the transformed space and elevate the palates of about 100 lucky Clevelanders to a whole new level.

Adam Bostwick's Amuse consisted of bocconcini, tomato "leather", chorizo oil, spring pea paper/paste and micro arugula and mozzarella cheese. Accompanying the Amuse was a champagne cocktail made with lavender elixir and fresh lavender.

Amuse by Chef Adam Bostwick

The Amuse seemed like a playful take on a caprese salad. The tomato leather had a bold flavor, lending a bit of acidity and saltiness to the bocconcini. The portion size was quite generous (more than one bite, easily). I could see this being a small plate at a Mediterranean tapas restaurant.

Chef Ellis Cooley of Amp 150 Cleveland

Course One

Chef Ellis Cooley came out to greet the crowd and explain his first offering, a yellowtail and hamachi "crudo" with an apple/dill puree and celery juice "roe". Sesame was listed as a component on the menu, but it was quite subtle and went unnoticed by me. The fish was rolled and sliced thinly, and had a wonderful flavor. The dill/apple puree had a grassy flavor that I was extremely fond of. The "roe" appears on the plate with a dewy, green color. Its flavor reminded me of a rainstorm, cool and earthy. Both accompaniments complimented the raw fish, heart and soul.

Course Two

Our second course was a torchon (a method of cooking by which the foie is placed in a towel and poached - "torchon" is also French for towel!) of foie gras with ice and snow. The ice was a jelly made with ice wine and the "snow" was a powder made with the fat from the foie gras. This was accompanied by micro greens and a brioche funnel cake. The components were all great, but the magic happened when you put them all on the fork at once. Doing this resulted in a flavor that I can best describe as a savory ice cream cone, and that was a wonderful thing.

Course Three

The third course was a visually striking square bowl of pea and coconut soup with marshmallow (yes, marshmallow!) and carrot. This course was served just at sunset, hence the darker picture. When the sun went down, the room totally transformed.

View from my table

Reflection from the skylight

The soup was velvety in texture, and the accent of carrot puree added a subtle bitterness, while the marshmallow contributed some sweetness. Unfortunately, this is the only course I didn't finish. Halfway through the bowl, a man at my table asked everyone, "Does this taste burnt to you?". Perhaps it was the power of suggestion, but I did notice a scorched aftertaste. Intended or not, it was off-putting to me and once the marshmallow was gone, I stopped eating. I really want to give this course a second chance, perhaps in my own kitchen. The concept and design of the soup were both phenomenal.

Intermezzo by Chef Adam Bostwick

The intermezzo was one of the most inventive and brilliant things I've ever eaten. As the servers brought this out, I could only spy from a distance what appeared to be a slice of lime. I thought it was plausible, to cleanse your palate with a lime, but I had secretly hoped I didn't have to! It turns out the lime was actually a lime flavored agar agar gel in an actual lime peel. It was accented with agave nectar and jalapeño. This was meant to mimic a tequila shot. With the wine pairings, we definitely didn't need any more booze!

The initial flavor was lime with the pure, green flavor of a jalapeño pepper. Seconds later, the heat kicked in and put a slow, gentle burn in the back of your throat. This was a fantastic palate cleanser. Jeff remarked that he'd buy this if it was sold in stores (in a cup) or in a restaurant. I would agree with that!

This concludes the first part of my review. I've been so involved with wedding related activities (my shower and bachelorette parties were this past weekend) that I've had little time to write. I will post the second half of this review on Wednesday!

I was invited as a guest of Emerging Chefs to this event. The views and opinions in this post are my own.

L'amour... L'Albatros...

I've heard other foodies refer to the "Tour De Bruell" before. For the uninitiated, it involves going to each Zach Bruell restaurant (Parallax, Table 45, L'Albatros and now Chinato). If I am a participant of this tour, my mode of transportation seems to be stuck somehow - because I keep going back to L'Albatros.

Our first visit was on one of their first nights. The restaurant wasn't packed by any definition, and the walls were sterile and bright, save for a painting of a woman's eyes hanging on the back wall. Naturally the servers were still a little green on the menu, but ours handled everything wonderfully. I had the Hangar Steak and Frites, and Jeff had the Skate Wing. As I started to eat, I wondered if what I was experiencing was commonplace. Had I just not been to a restaurant of this caliber before, or was the food just that good? The steak was flavorful and done as a steak should be. The fries were perfectly salted, hot and crisp. As we left that night, I told Jeff that I really hoped that the place would do well, that other people would realize how great it is, and that we'd be able to come back and enjoy the same wonderful cuisine for years to come. So far, our wish has come true.

On each visit, I have ordered the very same entree and have relied on Jeff to order new things to sample. I think I became fixated on steak frites when I first heard Anthony Bourdain talk about it at his restaurant, Les Halles. At the time, I had only had steak with a baked potato. "Who in the heck eats french fries with a steak?" I asked myself. It didn't make sense to me, to my unenlightened self. I simply didn't go out to eat that often back then, and I certainly didn't go to anything that wasn't a chain. Now, Bruell's take on this "nonsensical" dish makes sense - and is all I can think about ordering when I go to L'Albatros.

We chose to go there a third time for a date which just so happened to take place right around this "holiday" called Valentine's Day. We, much like Cleveland Foodie do not buy so much into the commercial aspects or celebration of Valentine's Day. The restaurant was packed and yet, they seemed to try and accommodate even those who hadn't placed a reservation. We had a great table and decided to go all out and order whatever we wanted (truthfully, we had been given a gift card for Christmas). We started with a salad made with greens, shaved fennel, feta and I thought beets, but I do not recall seeing them in the salad. They split a single salad between us and it was delightful. There was a little too much black pepper in mine, perhaps - but that was completely my fault.

We opted for cheese for a second course, picking five wonderful cheeses to sample. We were also offered a sixth tasting of bleu cheese (because we said we weren't fond of it) that we were urged to try. Every single cheese was amazing - except for the bleu. I didn't spit it out and neither did Jeff (we were promised we would not be thought poorly of if we did so), but I did take a healthy swig of my Manhattan immediately thereafter. I described it as tasting like an old hymnal.

Aside from our final cheese sampling (which we still tried in earnest!), there was not a single thing we disliked our of the entire evening. Based on our previous experiences with L'Albatros, this was not surprising. Their staff is attentive, polite, and concerned with every single patron's enjoyment of their evening.

Halfway through dinner the candle on our table went out. Jokingly we whispered, "This is an outrage!" when truthfully, it didn't matter. The food was just as good and the night just as romantic. We thought nothing more of it. Minutes later, a new candle was placed at our table. This touch may have been minute, but the attentiveness to something so small was an inextinguishable mark of how every detail of the food, presentation and ambiance is important to Zach Bruell and his staff. Are you rolling your eyes at me now? Did she just write a whole paragraph about a candle? The voice in my head that once scoffed at "steak and french fries" wants to mock me for this.

It says, it's a candle. A CANDLE. Come on.

The candle was the cherry on top of the best sundae I've ever had, let's look at it that way. The evening was amazing, but the little nuances were what made it spectacular. We actually did end up with a brownie and ice cream (not quite a sundae) and the cherry was actually in my Manhattan... But you get my drift. Maybe that's what it is.

I'm drifting. I'm in a rowboat with only one oar, and I'm drifting blissfully - circling L'Albatros again and again. I simply must find my other oar and proceed onward to the next stop in the tour, though there is no question I will be making a round trip, coming back to one of the restaurants, certainly the favorite so far, that made me fall in love with Cleveland's cuisine.

Pedals and Pancakes and Pizza... Oh My!

Jeff and I have been going to spinning classes on Saturday and Sunday mornings. He bought me a membership to Urban Active for Christmas, and ended up getting a free 30 day trial membership in the process. He liked spinning so much, that he got a month-to-month membership. He says he'll keep it until spring.

After doing several cycling tours in Northeast Ohio, I realized that I needed to do something to become adept at tackling the hills of our rural roads. The company I work for has a cycling team that commits to do Pedal to the Point every year, and many people take a spinning class in Strongsville that 1. I have no way to get to and 2. It starts before I even get off of work. Urban Active had a holiday special where you could get an 18 month membership for $299 and after I noticed their spinning classes on weekends, I decided that I wanted the membership and I asked "Santa" for it.

First of all, you won't believe how people became outraged that my own boyfriend bought me a membership to a gym. "Aren't you offended?!" asked one co-worker. Nah. Going to the gym with a BF (or even your BFF) is like having a date/outing where you just happen to get in shape. Urban Active (like many other gyms) has a cardio "theater" where you can hop on a treadmill, elliptical, arc trainer or a stepmill and watch a movie. I also started the "Couch potato to 5k" program this week in hopes to run in an alumni race for my high school in Dublin. Now, I am hardly a potato but I am no runner. The next several weeks will be interesting, to say the least.

After spin last Sunday, we stopped by Lush at Beachwood Mall and picked up some goodies and then headed to Woodmere to have breakfast at the Original Pancake House. When you've been spinning and shopping for stuff that smells good - Sometimes all you want is a plate full of carbs. And those carb-frisbees can be stuffed with coconut (my pick), strawberries (Jeff's pick) or even bacon. Yes, OPH makes a pancake even Michael Symon would love, and he'd only have to walk across the street to get it. The food is inexpensive and good, and in some way it kind of reminded me of going out for breakfast on a Sunday morning when I was a kid, even though I'd not been to an Original Pancake House before last week.

We went to Sur La Table afterwards, and bought a molcajete, much like this one and a new corkscrew (with a bottle opener on top, perfect for opening Mexican Coke found at Alesci's and Marc's!). We also stopped by Trader Joes, and I was very sad to see that they've evidently stopped carrying honey chevre. Does anyone know of a place to find it? I cannot wait for the Sweetfire chevre at the Shaker Farmer's Market. Come on, Spring!!

Once at home, I made a sandwich fit for a Superbowl. Using a loaf of Italian bread, hot capicola ham, salami, hot pepper rings and provolone (all from the West Side Market) I put together something the exponentially outclasses Subway or any other sandwich shop I've been to. The meats and cheese cost about 10 dollars, and the bread was a couple of bucks, but we have enough deli cuts to make two sandwiches and then some (hey, guess what we ate tonight?). After using olive oil and red wine vinegar on the bread and sprinkling some oregano on top of the cheese, we piled on the meat, peppers and cheese and stuck the whole thing under the broiler for a few minutes. Yum.

I actually don't have a lot to say about pizza, except that since we bought a pizza stone we hardly go out for it anymore (Angelo's is the exception). With the closing of Vidstar Video in Coventry, we got set up with Netflix and will be having a date night (in) while watching The Dark Knight and making good use of our pizza stone. Tomorrow will involve a pineapple, ham, and bacon pizza.

What do you like on your pizza?

Finally, a good trade occurs in Cleveland.

I left work a little early yesterday feeling "disappointed and zoned out" (to quote one of my favorite animated series). It's been a stressful couple of weeks and I've been riddled with insomnia because Eponine and Mitters still hate each other. (E & M are our cats)

I hopped on to check my e-mail and saw that Jeff was logged on Google Chat. I asked him what he wanted to do that night, and he told me that he'd probably be agreeable to whatever I suggested. (Why do you do this, guys?) The conversation went something like this:

Me: I know, let's go to L'Albatros ;) (smiley is large, bold and red to convey the sarcasm intended)
Jeff: Now that you mention it, I kind of want to go...
Me: (several emoticons expressing shock)
Jeff: What?
Me: ...Okay.
Jeff: 7:45!

I'm sure I just won the lottery there, as I don't know how many people can say they've suggested a restaurant like L'Albatros to their significant other (sarcastically, no less) and actually had them want to go there. Seriously, I had every intention of going to IHOP or Mi Pueblo. I just didn't want to cook, that's all!

A good trade, if you ask me.

While I have yet to go to any of the other Zack Bruell restaurants, Bruell and his minions of yum have impressed me once again with my second visit to L'Albatros.

Our first visit was on opening night, and there weren't that many people there. From my very first toast point full of the Chicken and Foie Gras Mousseline, I wanted good things for L'Albatros. "Fly! Fly and be successful!" I probably thought to myself that night. The wait staff was unrehearsed and unversed with the menu but it was charming. We loved every last bite of the food and were anxious to go back.

Seven months later, we returned. The restaurant was packed, inside and out. Our first visit caught a glimpse of a fledgling, wobbly and unsure. Last night we observed L'Albatross in flight, spectacular and energetic.

We opened our meal with a drink. Jeff got the L'Albatros, the house special made with mint, pineapple juice and absinthe. The drink has a spicy, licorice taste to it and a beautiful aesthetic quality, being poured into a slender glass with muddled mint leaves swirling about. I had the "One of a Pear", which is made with Grey Goose Pear, pear nectar and champagne. Mine was a sweet little thing of a drink that seemed to compliment everything that crossed over our table. I nursed it so it would last the length of our meal.

We ordered the Pork Rillettes ($7), which came in a hinged glass jar with too few toast points. When we asked for more, we received nearly triple the quantity given when the plate arrived. This was an extremely generous appetizer that could have easily been someone's lunch entree. It was served with tiny gherkin pickles and pickled onion on the side.

Jeff ordered the Chicken Breast ($16) with carmalized fennel, goat cheese, and potato mousseline (Translation: the best mashed/whipped potatoes ever). We'll be trying to recreate those potatoes unless Mr. Bruell wants to add it as a side (and then I'll just order them to go and say I made them)...

I (once again) had the Hangar Steak and Frites ($21) and was not disappointed. The steak was cooked as I asked (that's not as common as I'd like in restaurants) and melted in my mouth. For all I know, those fries are the best in Cleveland, if not the world.

We were sincerely too stuffed for dessert (thanks to the Rillettes) but I was sad to notice that the Pineapple Tart Tatin was missing from the menu. Next time, we'd like to sit on the patio.

If you haven't gone to L'Albatros, please go. If you've been already, go again.

The Power of Melt Compels You

Two weeks ago, Jeff and I went for Round 2 at Light Bistro. I won't post as lengthy of a review since I regrettably cannot recall everything that everyone had. I'd really like to hit up a happy hour sometime, it sounds like it'd be really good. K & J - yes, you must go!!

Melt found its way to our computer earlier this week, and thus we found our way to Melt last night. June is coming to and end, and so is their June special sandwich - The Pig Roast. Pulled pork, fried sweet potato, slaw and cheddar-jack cheese. Mmm. Jeff got the platter with the roasted garlic corn on the cob and I just ended up getting the fries with mine. The sandwich was amazing, and easily the best thing I've ever eaten at Melt. Do yourself a favor and make a special trip for this sandwich. The corn, which Jeff was gracious enough to let me sample, was almost as amazing as the sandwich.

"We're going to make corn on the cob like this" I said to Jeff. (Note I didn't ask!)

We are going to be doing some more cycling tours this summer, you should definitely come along. We're looking at the ABC (Absolutely Beautiful Country) Ride and possibly the Sweetcorn Challenge (VERY hilly) which will both lead up to the 175 mile (100 mile day 1 + 75 miles day 2) Pedal to the Point in August.

We will be going to the Waterloo Arts Festival this weekend (yay!)

Pick of the Week: "Sweetfire" goat cheese from the Shaker Square Farmers Market. Get it!

Where does she get those wonderful toys?

Holy man-tights, Batman... Where have all the cowboys gone? For that matter, where has all of my time gone???

Once again I find myself making an apology for not posting! Let's see, where to begin...

Jeff and I went to the Beachland Ballroom Prom two weeks ago and had a pretty rockin' time. Since our reservations for L'Albatros fell through (read: were not made), Jeff picked out Light Bistro for dinner.

Light Bistro was one of the best restaurants I've ever been to. We're actually going again tonight because Jeff's parents are visiting Cleveland to celebrate his birthday (which isn't until next week). Here's a rundown of what we ate!

Bonus Appetizer - Bacon wrapped Dates stuffed with almonds and Valdeon cheese

These were fantastic, and I was sad when they were gone. The bacon was perfectly smoked and salty, while the cheese had an amazing texture and I loved it, despite it actually being blue cheese - ew ew ew ew (normally) . The almonds provided texture and the obvious nuttiness - and I can't even begin to say enough nice things about dates. I love them. Put them all together in a warm, crispy little baconified date-mummy and you've got something magical.

~

First Course(s) - PEI Mussels with Lemongrass, Coconut Milk and Lime / Shredded Apple salad with Manchego cheese, walnuts, and citrus vinagrette

I went with a first here, and tried the mussels and I'm very glad that I did. 10-12 PEI mussels came in a little bowl with a lot of coconut milk. There was so much, I wished that I had been given a spoon to drizzle more of it over the mussels - there was a good bit left in the bottom of the bowl at the end. The limes were grilled, and this changed the timbre of the lime's flavor. I enjoyed eating the limes - with and without the mussels!

Jeff had the Apple/Manchego salad, and I wished I had gotten this. The idea however, was to share our courses and that's what we did. This salad was almost fun to eat, and I can't exactly explain why. It was light, crispy and subtle. I told Jeff that I want to buy a shredder so that we can recreate the salad. I don't have my shredder yet, but I did make a similar salad using Geauga County smoked cheddar cheese I bought from Zagara's and walnuts. I made the vinagrette myself, but it was less subtle and not as good.

~

Second Courses - Sweet Potato Ravioli with Rustic Ratatouille and Nutmeg Cream / Grilled Peach Barbequed Quail with Merguez sausage, Cous cous and Peaches

Once again I found myself with entree envy, seeing Jeff's dish. That's why I'm starting with his. At dinner, I described eating the ravioli like "eating a pillow" - sadly enough the mental imagery doesn't transpose well. This entire dish, its texture and flavors almost seemed to ask to be eaten. I think that's a little strange to say, but I'm going to 1-up it here by saying that this dish was like clearing four lines in Tetris - everything just fit and you just score. Celebration ensues, and you just hope you can do it again in the near future.

Sadly this menu item is going away very soon, it's on their Fall/Winter menu and they're about to premiere their Summer menu. Get it while you can, it's completely worth it.

My entree was also very good, but paled in comparison to the ravioli. Perhaps I lack the knowledge of how to properly eat a quail, or maybe it's that I can't grok the price of quail in Cleveland, but I felt the need to eat this dish very slowly because of how small it was. I did feel like I was missing out on parts of my dish because I didn't want to sit there in a gaudy pink taffeta dress and pick at the tiny thigh bones of the quail as if I were dining at LB's Rib Shack. The peach was not noticable in this dish, not really even in the 5-6 little cubes of peach on the plate. I know that subtlety is part of the art in some dishes, but the peach in this entree needs a bigger voice - or the entree needs a new name. I wouldn't get this again, but it still doesn't mean I didn't enjoy every last bite - it was not what had been advertised, though.

~

Third Courses - Strawberry Panna Cotta / Apple and Pear Cobbler with Cinnamon Ice Cream

I'm not going to describe much about the cobbler, only because most cooked fruit really isn't my bag, baby. It was good, but not my thing at all. The panna cotta however, was just about as perfect as any panna cotta could aspire to be, I imagine. Truthfully I'd never had the dish before, and I'm afraid I wouldn't like it as much - having Light Bistro's rendition be my first impression. The strawberries were drizzled with a balsamic reduction and everything sat on butter cookie crumbles. I hope they keep this on their summer menu, it does really seem like a summery and refreshing dessert.

~

And now, PROM! Our favorite band was the Helper T-Cells (like last year). We danced and played with silly toys on the tables... We were prom king and queen! Hooray for the slightly nerdy people! Woo! We still have our little grass hats (it was a luau theme) and we might actually hang them somewhere in the house.

This weekend proves to be a busy one. Jeff and I are riding in the Sunday in June bicycle tour sponsored by the Cleveland Touring Club. Jeff is riding the 62 miler, and I am riding 50. This will be my longest ride yet, so we'll see how that goes.

I have also opted to do the century loop on the first day of Pedal to the Point in August. The loop will be named after my company's late CEO - so a lot of people on the cycling team have committed to doing the loop on at least one day of the tour. If I only do the century on the first day, I will have a total of 175 miles in two days. (several thousand calories)

Jeff and two more kitties joined my Little Italy apartment two weeks ago and we're doing well. My cat doesn't like Eponine (Jeff's youngest cat) but they're basically polar opposites in personality. It'll take time, and possibly fake cat pheromones to fix it all. It's getting better, but I'd be lying if I told you it wasn't a little heartbreaking to stress out my old kitty this way.

Eating Little Italy, Part II

My hands still faintly smell like iron from the chains on the swings at Brush Park in Little Italy. I took the liberty of ordering some gelato from Presti's before walking down the hill to the park. The sun was still out and the breeze was faint enough to make sitting outside in a tank top tolerable. The gelato wasn't very good this time, so I didn't finish it. The views however, were spectacular. There's something picturesque about pre-dusk, edifices and verdure appear to be over-saturated in color and the sun shines in its brightest of bright effort before retreating beneath the horizon.

Friday night was for eating Little Italy. A friend and I went to Restaurant Etna (a location formerly occupied by Valerio's) on Mayfield. Valerio's moved to Battuto's former location farther east on Mayfield Rd.

Mount Etna is an active volcano on the east coast of Sicily, southern Italy. It is the largest active volcano in Europe and the largest of the active volcanoes in Italy. (via Wikipedia)

We started with the house Cabernet ($5 per glass) which was fairly bland for a cab. The wine list is extensive there, so I'm sure my frugality was my undoing. I was saving my money for further drinks, so I ate light with an antipasti plate - anchovies, soppressata, sun-dried tomato, olives and peccorino cheese, ($8.50) and a house salad ($2.50). Anne had the Ravioli Tre Formaggi ($13.50) which looked good, but she wasn't a sharer (but she ate my tomatoes!).

The menu is currently vast and a little hard to look at - but the server did apologize. To their credit, they'd only been open for a few days at that point. I'm actually very excited to go again. Peppe (the chef) was very excited that I knew him and brought us some Sicilian Tiramisu at the end of the meal - it's not as sweet and was absolutely wonderful (and gratis). Be sure to say hello to him if you go to Restaurant Etna. It is inexpensive, and a nice addition to Little Italy.

Jeff ran the 1st annual Derby Dash 5k in Ohio City, which was one of the most unorganized races I've ever been to. The course was short, and they got Jeff's time wrong. They tried to give him the 3rd place cash prize (he placed in fourth) and didn't initially give him the age group award. He did win a raffle though, and got some stickers, a pint glass, and a shirt (an XL, wtf). We ate lunch at the Great Lakes Brewery, and it was delicious.

Jeff and I got the sweet potato fries to start, and they were freaking amazing. They were shoestring cut sweet potatoes with honey, sage and thyme. We both also got the Old World Burger (smoked cheddar, bacon, fried onion straws and barbecue sauce on a pretzel roll) which has to have been one of the best burgers I've ever had. Jeff received a coupon for a free pint (for running in the race) and since he doesn't imbibe, I went for the Edmund Fitzgerald Porter. I really liked it a lot, and if I had another 30 minutes to finish it, I would have (I'm not an avid beer drinker, honestly - but it was extremely good. I'm just slow).

We went to brunch at the Beachland Ballroom and it was also very good. There are so many things I would like to try (including half of the cocktail menu)! K & J, we thought for a moment that we saw you. I think we were wrong. We have both gotten haircuts since the last pictures were posted.

Speaking of Beachland... The 4th annual Prom is on May 29th! Put on your best formal dress and be there! Only $5!

We have made more progress on the "Garden of Piggy Street". Pictures coming soon.

Until next time...

Bonus video: Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald - Gordon Lightfoot

Triangle Man hates Person Man: Film at 11

Calvin (the RTA bus driver) is one of those people that makes living in Cleveland all the more awesome. Riding the bus can be a pretty banal event, but this man makes it a little more enjoyable. As I walked to the 9th and Euclid station tonight, I hoped that I would get to be on Calvin's bus.

A fun side fact about the creator of Calvin and Hobbes - Bill Watterson lived in Chagrin Falls. I bet you already knew that, though. Just like everyone sees the arrow in the FedEx logo. It's like hearing a five year old internet meme from your own mother, I'd wager.


I can has popcorn?

In the above picture, Calvin is attacking Chagrin Falls. (secret-ninja-jeff-edit)

Anyway, Calvin (the busdriver) likes to ask trivia questions over the loudspeaker. He encourages people to shout out the answers to his questions and it actually makes riding the bus FUN. You can see people who were previously scowling start to smile when they realize they know the answer to the question. For the duration of a few city blocks, you can feel like a genius in front of several strangers.

Jeff and I had lunch at a sushi place that (dare I say) rivals Pacific East. It's called Aoeshi Cafe and it is right next to the Cedar Lee theatre. Don't be put off by the plain decor or the styrofoam cups your water comes in, this sushi is amazing. We had the Mexican Roll (spicy tuna with crunchies) and our ever favorite, the Spider Roll (softshell crab, avocado and either daikon radish or lettuce). It's cheap, too. I was brave and tried a raw quail egg on top of citrus tobiko (usually flying fish roe). I wouldn't eat it again, but it was interesting.

Please check out Aoeshi Cafe. I didn't get the feeling that it was traveled much during the afternoon hours - not so sure about the evening. It's really good and if you're lucky you can sit on the futon (woo!).

Random photo of the day regarding something I probably talked about weeks ago:

Jeff and I at the wedding we attended in Columbus (like, a while ago)

The garden in the back of my house has been completed. I'd still like to do more to the patio, and there's quite a bit of cleanup left to do... But this is basically what it looks like at the moment. We filled (read: Jeff) about 10 yard waste bags full of mulch and debris that had been back there. I don't think there had been a garden in years.

I didn't plant as many herbs as I'd like, we'll see how the Dill and Thai Basil do first. I'm hoping to host a little shindig there this summer! (The patio is basically awesome, but cluttered now)


This used to be a crappy pile of mulch and dead pokeweed!

Kudos to my partner in foliage for thinking of the path formation.


Concord grapes grow on our patio walls!

Seriously, the patio will start to smell like a vineyard before too long. Some of the local gents here actually make very good wine, I'm hoping to get my hands on a Cabernet before long.


Oh god now you kind of know where I live...

I really like my street. There are a lot of nice people that live here, and the Alta House is amazing. If I could raise 200 bucks to get a bocce team together, I totally would for this summer. Yep, my little corner is about to get very busy, and not in a hooker-y way.

Come up and see us sometime. That reminds me, anyone up for a bike ride some weekend in the near future? We can ride the EUCLID CORRIDOR!!! (and wave to Calvin)

Eating Little Italy

I'll be the first to admit that I am a VERY BAD resident of Little Italy. I've hardly eaten anywhere here. I've been to La Dolce Vita a half dozen times (way more than that for drinking) and I went to Trattoria Roman Gardens once about two years ago. I've had drinks at Maxi's, La Dolce, Valerio's and Guarino's as well.

Well, at some point I hope to change that (gradually). Tonight, I ordered takeout from Guarino's (because it's right across the street and I am admittedly feeling VERY lazy tonight). I got the cheese ravioli and some cheese toast. This was a nice little treat. I wouldn't do it on a regular basis because it is a little expensive ($15 for the ravioli, $3 for the toast) for a solo evening meal and it beats the hell out of Qdoba or Chopstick (a horrendous little Chinese place on Euclid and Mayfield).

I'll have another post about Chopstick someday, just don't go there. Please trust me, the staff is rude and the food might be good if I was 12 years younger and a pothead. In my opinion however, there is no libation that could make this stuff taste even remotely Chinese.

Growing up with San Georgio pasta and a jar of Prego makes me really like the restaurants that very obviously make their own pasta and sauce. The sauce with the ravioli wasn't acidic at all, I felt like I could eat the sauce on little bits of garlic toast for a good while (I kind of did that with the garlic toast).

The inside of Guarino's is really charming, it's essentially a house. The bar has a piano across from it, covered in family photos. The dining rooms look like something out of a really touching Norman Rockwell picture. I would definitely suggest it for a dinner with the folks, or for one of those really sappy romantic dinners. You know the one I mean, where you gaze lovingly into each other's eyes and say;

Girl: I love you.
Guy: I love you more!
Girl: No, I love you more.
Guy: Aw! You're cute.
Girl: No, you're cute.
Guy: No...You!

Not that I uh, know anything about that sort of ordeal. Nope, nothing at all. *whistles*

It was a nice dinner. If I hadn't been in gym clothes I might have actually sat down and had a drink or two.

On another subject...

I don't know how many of you (or if any of you for that matter) ride the HealthLine (aka the #6 bus), but it has gotten crazy lately, what with the fare evaders and all. You have the option to purchase a single pass at any of the stops along the Euclid corridor. You also have the option to buy the pass on the bus, but rumor has it that this is going to disappear soon. If you have a weekly pass, you only need to activate it once. It prints your start date and the expiration date for you.

Keep your pass on you, however. Every single morning and evening the Transit Police appear on the buses at random and ask you to present your farecard. If you can't, you are escorted off the bus and given a ticket for $76.00. You have two weeks to pay it, or you'll get a warrant. When you are ticketed, they check for previous warrants and you can be arrested if you have them.

Every single day, I see at least one person sitting at a stop next to two or three Transit Policemen. Lately, I've seen people in cuffs (this means they tried to run). I talked to one of the officers who told me that people have started to physically fight the officers and will subsequently be arrested. This morning, I saw a lady surrounded by officers (she was cuffed) bawling her eyes out, pleading for them to tear up the ticket.

You'll most often hear people cry "bullshit" about the penalties, but I find it very hard to feel sympathy. The people getting ticketed/arrested are not homeless people trying to get down the way, they're people like you and I - except that they're not paying their fares.

It's two freaking dollars for a one way ticket, people. Pay your fare.

I suppose the sense of entitlement isn't a new fad but it really annoys me. Maybe I'll panhandle one afternoon, raise two dollars and get a one way pass. Then, I'll panhandle at Public Square and get another one way pass and go home - just to prove a point. I guess the point would appear that anyone can (and should) panhandle so they can afford the bus...That's not the point I want to make, so nevermind.

I've even felt so annoyed by this little dance that I witness every day that I'm motivated enough at this point to write a (dun dun dun...) LETTER TO THE EDITOR (god i'm old now). Who knows.

On a musical note (haw), give a listen to this Jeff Buckley song, Je N'en Connais Pas La Fin. (I like it more than I like Hallelujah)

Do you like free stuff? Go here and check out Trumpets in the Snow. (Made of some former members of To Be a High Powered Executive) You can even download their album for free.

Cruising for an Indian Buffet

I really wish I had the fortitude to post every day like Alexa et al... I'll have to work on that.

Jeff and I are heading to Washington DC in about a week. We're going to be tourists and then hit up Columbus for a St. Patty's Day party his parents throw every year. Sometime before we go, I'm actually going to get furniture! I'm thinking of throwing a little foodie party when I have places for people to sit. I've lived in Cleveland for six months and I have no living room furnishings.

Onto the food...

I've had some fantastic Indian food in Cleveland at Cafe Tandoor, and have found numerous Lebanese restaurants that are also pretty amazing. While Cafe Tandoor is quite nice, I have been missing a little Indian buffet in Columbus called Taj Mahal. You could go on the weekends and eat some pretty damn amazing Indian food for$7.99.

Until now.

Oh. My. God. Becky...
*clears throat*
No, seriously. I had found a small ad for a place in Lakewood called India Garden. They advertised a lunch buffet for $8.99, so I mentioned it to Jeff. We love visiting Lakewood restaurants (Angelo's Pizza, Melt...) and thought we'd give it a try. When I sat down with a plate of naan, a samosa, and some amazing chicken curry - I looked at Jeff and said "I think we've found our Cleveland Taj". Do not pass up this little restaurant. We waited for about 5-10 minutes to get a table because they were packed. There was a wait for a short time after that because people just kept coming in.

The staff is friendly and very willing to answer any questions about the food. Jeff and I loved this place and are planning to head back very soon.

They include Mango Lassi (a yogurt drink) with the buffet, too. The kheer is the best that I've had (outside of my own, which is crazy...I know).

Dinner at L'Albatros

After reading several reviews of La Dolce Vita and La Strada, I have been wondering if I am capable of providing a fair review of either location. I am not particularly close with Terry Tarantino, but I am friends with much of the wait staff at LDV and many of those who work at La Strada. In a way, La Dolce Vita is sort of like my own little Cheers.

I don't think I could give a non-biased impression of Terry, or the staff. I can tell you truly that the food is fantastic, and that it's a fun little restaurant. The fruit drenched in triple sec that comes at the close of your meal is a nice little treat, kind of like getting a free manicure with a spa treatment.

I walk by the restaurant every time I get off the bus after work. I wave at the bartender. Sometimes, the hostess will come out and greet me. I haven't been there lately, however. I have been going to the gym a lot, and can't seem to justify a fattening (but incredibly delicious) plate of Fettuccine Fellini after running for a half hour. Go figure.

We made it to L'Albatros the day after it opened and I'm just now getting around to posting about it. Unfortunately, I wasn't really sure how to use my new camera and a lot of the photos didn't turn out the way I'd hoped, but I'll do my very best.

Jeff and I went to L'Albatros on opening night. They weren't that busy when we arrived, but that could have easily been due to inclement weather - it was one of the first crappy nights of the season.

The decor was minimal and the tables looked very sterile. Jeff wondered if the dining room could have been more romantic if the lights had been a little lower. Had the restaurant been crowded I would have agreed with him. The tables were close together in some spots, which might be annoying if you were on a date and wanted to completely immerse yourself if conversation with your date.

Our waitress was incredibly friendly, and helpful almost to the point of being annoying. We took our time with the menu since there were many things that looked like they would be good. She stopped to see us several times, to see if we had decided. In my opinion it was a little excessive, but much better than the alternative of a missing waitperson.

Jeff ordered the Onion Soup Gratinee for an appetizer, and I ordered the Chicken Liver and Foie Gras Mousseline. The soup was amazing, and the mousse had a creamy, decadent texture I had not been familiar with before. If anything, the mousse needed salt. L'Albatros had a generous cup of Fleur de Sel on each table with a charming little spoon - in retrospect I didn't think to use it. I wanted to experience the food as the chef wanted me to experience it.


For the entree, Jeff ordered the Sauteed Skate Wing and I had the Hanger Steak and Frites. I had a bizarre fascination with ordering steak frites ever since Anthony Bourdain mentioned it on A Cook's Tour.

Jeff's dish was explained as having the texture of a scallop, which was correct. It had a mild flavor, but the texture put me off. I don't think I could have eaten the whole thing. He seemed to like it, however and that's what is important.

The skate was our waitress' suggestion, and had been informally named as the house special, according to several other people that we knew who went in the weeks to follow.

This is fine, but I had to wonder if the static suggestion was due to insufficient information on the many other dishes featured on the menu.

The steak was amazingly tender and cooked just right. I haven't had much experience with fries but there have been many other foodies who have raved about Lola's fries. I plan to try them as soon as possible. These fries were nice, and the right thickness for my tastes. They were lightly salted and not greasy at all. I cleaned my plate that night, and that's something I rarely do.

When my meal was gone, I was a little sad that I couldn't eat it anymore. This was a simple and classic dish that I wouldn't mind having on a semi-regular basis - it's a good thing my personal trainer doesn't read my blog, she'd have a fit!

I've actually been wanting to go back for some time now, if only for the soup we had at the start of our meal.

I'd like to give the wait staff another chance as well. Many of our questions about various menu items went unanswered, as the staff simply didn't seem to be familiar with much of it.

A chef friend of mine recently went and commented that certain things needed to be tweaked, that they needed a bit more "practice". He ordered the Terrine and said it wasn't seasoned at all, he noted. After his comment I wondered if I had been correct about the mousseline.

On our visit we inquired about several of the desserts. Aside from the obvious ones (cheesecake, berries and creme anglaise) our server did not seem to know much about the desserts, either. Disappointing - but forgivable considering it was opening night, I suppose.

We chose the Pineapple Tarte Tatin, if only because Jeff and I really like pineapple. It wasn't a bad decision!















The tarte involved a puff pastry circle with a pineapple ring on top of it. There was coconut ice cream on top of the ring, and a sweet cache of caramel in the hole beneath the ice cream. Once again not wanting it to disappear, we ate it slowly and frequently commented on how good it was.

The sweetness was natural and not overkill at all. The pastry was light and fun to eat, though the dish was a little messy. We were given forks and spoons to eat this one, as the server had described it as "complicated".

I'd never had a complicated dessert before, and I had always imagined that a complicated dessert would somehow involve shellfish - I joke, only because shellfish tend to be complicated to eat. The tarte is not a first date dish, nor is it one to indulge upon if you're worried about sticky fingers or potentially having a caramel décolleté.

Andy Dombrowski greeted us on our way out and asked how everything was. I spoke honestly, for the most part. I didn't mention the lack of menu knowledge, that wouldn't have been fair. It would have been like telling your kid that they stink - the first time they try to ride a bicycle.

If you haven't visited L'Albatros, I suggest that you do. It was a fun and moderately priced experience I plan to repeat as soon as possible.

Oh, and they have cocktails with Absinthe. (yum!)

Thanks for reading!