cleveland foodie

ClevelandFoodie.blogspot.com has now moved

2009-08-04T10:26:00.002-04:00

Please be sure to update all of your links to http://clevelandfoodie.com and our RSS feed is now http://clevelandfoodie.com/feed

bon appetit recognizes the greenhouse tavern as one of america's best

2009-08-02T19:43:00.005-04:00

By now you've probably read plenty of local reviews on The Greenhouse Tavern from media and bloggers alike. And I'm going to assume you've talked to a few people who told you that the wings were ridiculously good, the burger best in town and the pasta unreal. And that's all true (okay, maybe not the burger - for me that goes to Lolita, but this one is a very close #2) and hopefully was enough to convince you to see for yourself. But just in case it hasn't, here's perhaps the most impressive recommendation and one all Clevelanders should be excited about because Cleveland is once again receiving national recognition for our outstanding culinary talent:

Bon Appetit named The Greenhouse Tavern one of the 10 Best New restaurants in America.

The issue isn't on stands yet, but you can read a sneak peak on GHT's distinction as well as the other nine here. Also making the list is San Francisco's Bar Jules, which I ate at this past spring and couldn't agree with its recognition more.

A big congratulations to chef Jonathon Sawyer, Amelia and the entire GHT team. We are so happy for you and can't think of a more deserving group.

a very good wednesday in cleveland (university circle and baricelli inn)

2009-07-31T20:17:00.006-04:00

A few weeks ago I saw tweet offering a link to a recent study. I never bothered to click on the link because I was having a good day and didn't feel like being aggravated by said reporter's clear lack of research or obvious preconceived and incorrect perceptions of my city. The study in question was something along the lines of Cleveland being recognized as one of the more boring cities to live in.

Seriously? While I recognize I never actually read the article so I don't know all its contents or writer's point of view, but just the thought makes me scratch my head. There is so much to do, discover and experience in this town - well beyond the Rock Hall (amazes me how many people think this is all we have going for us). And what's even more surprising to me is how many people call Cleveland home and are still unaware of what's right in their backyard. Take a day and be a tourist in your own city. You'll be positively overwhelmed and impressed. But bored? No.

Case in point this past Wednesday night. We headed down to the Botanical Gardens for their wildly popular Gourmet in the Garden series (truly - these sell out fast and early). If you're not familiar, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., for $5 a group of 50 or so watch one of our local chefs demo a dish, then sample. On this night it was chef Paul Minnillo from Baricelli and his executive chef Chris, who was demoing a chilled peach soup with basil and strawberries (peaches from a Chardon farm by way of Fresh Fork Market - apparently all the snow in Chardon is good for snow days and making great peaches).

Minnillo, who reminds me of my Italian uncles with his mannerisms and storytelling, first chatted with the crowd about Cleveland, his future thoughts for the restaurant and Inn (perhaps a spa someday?), a brief education on cheese and his retail offering and his fellow local chefs. Chris then shared how to make this super simple soup at home and finally, we got to sample for ourselves - delicious. Did I mention this was just $5?

From there we walked around Wade Oval to enjoy Wade Oval Wednesdays, the free weekly concert series in the summer (Roberto Ocasio's Latin Jazz Project was performing). How great that we have something like this. One any given Wednesday in the summer, expect to find families, couples and people of all ages hanging out on the oval, enjoying a picnic, some cocktails and the atmosphere.

After listening to the band for awhile, and knowing a small sample of soup wasn't enough to call dinner, we decided to head to Baricelli for more.

During Minnillo's introduction earlier, he shared that he's been working hard for the past 10 years to get the restaurant out of that dining destination/special occasion category, but doesn't feel he's having much success. I admit that for years that was my perception of the restaurant, until I went there. And part of it is the mansion itself which houses the restaurant and Inn (it does scream special occasion) and the long history of high ticket items. But in recent years, he has lowered prices and even offers half orders of pasta (my 1/2 bucatini amatriciana was just $12 and is plenty of pasta for one person) as well as great/affordable dinners during Lent. To be honest, I've never sat in the dining room so I'm not sure what vibe that gives off, we much prefer the patio. And that does not feel pretentious or fine dining to me - more like casual, quaint and a must for al fresco dining.

Beyond my pasta and a half order of basil fazzoletti for Jamie, I had the beet salad with walnut-crusted camembert, watercress, a hard boiled egg and vincotta (absolutely wonderful salad) and the chilled peach soup for Jamie. We also each had a glass of wine.

I will say this, while we thoroughly enjoyed our meal and sitting on the patio in the heart of Little Italy and ourselves don't view Baricelli as destination dining, if Minnillo truly wants to change people's perceptions, he needs to make a few more revisions to the menu beyond the pastas. One big area that did bother us was the wine list. If one were just to peruse the list, they'd assume this is a high-priced, high-occasion type of place. There is only one bottle under $60, a couple glass options in the $10/$12 range and the rest is priced in the hundreds. Personally, I would love to see a more approachable wine list with several bottle options under $5o - even $40, as well as more glass choices, too.

And that was our Wednesday. A demo, music and fab dinner in one of Cleveland's great neighborhoods. If that's boring, I give up.

recap - cleveland's first rock 'n roll bbq

2009-07-29T07:49:00.008-04:00

For just the second time in its seven year stretch, we missed the Taste of Tremont. And we were out of town for the spring North Union Farmer's Market event and will be on vacation next month for the fall fundraiser, Farm to Table. For a foodie that loves to support local happenings, I haven't been doing my part. So when I first heard about the Cleveland Food Rocks BBQ through Elain Cicora, director of communications for Crop, and saw who was participating, I quickly put it on our calendar.

As some one who regularly plans events for my day job, I'd say it was a success. And while I haven't talked to anyone at Cleveland Food Rocks to get their take, I've got to imagine they'd agree. Being the first time they did this, and given the infancy of the organization, it appeared to go off without a hitch. The turn out from chefs and restaurants was impressive: Momocho, Crop, of course, Boulevard Blue, Prosperity Social Club, Moxie, Beachland Ballroom (also played host & donated the space), Bar Cento, Lago, Brother's Lounge, Greenhouse Tavern, Luxe, Melange, Blue Canyon and Sky Larae Catering to name a few (25+ total restaurants).

There was also, as the name obviously dictates, music - lots of local music, with the likes of chefs Steve Schimoler and Brandt Evans - even Bootsy Collins. And of course, the food -- the reason why so many came out in the first place.

Just about everything we sampled was good. In fact, there was only one thing I didn't care for. Melange perhaps had the most impressive offering and set up with a tasty (full) clambake, including clam chowder (speaking of Melange, chef Michael Herschman is now the GM over there), Bar Cento's duck blini was rather enjoyable and the wasabi potato salad from Luxe was quite good. Our favorite? This nod easily goes to Momocho for the grilled corn on the cob with chipotle and lime butter. If no one was looking, we would have had thirds and fourths. Our second favorite was the melt-in-your-mouth brisket from Blue Canyon, served with an assortment of barbecue sauces, including a white barbecue sauce from Alabama, a mustard-based sauce and Blue Canyon's own, which I liked best.

As for what I didn't care for - the salmon from Blue Point. And to be fair, I didn't even realize it was Blue Point until after I tried it (between holding Nat and navigating the crowd, I missed the sign). But I will say this - I might just be alone in my thinking because surprisingly I spoke to quite a few people who felt otherwise.

Unfortunately, we didn't get to try everything. After an 1.5 hrs, Natalie, who proudly sported her Rolling Stones tee and flirted with lots of chefs, had her fill of the sun and music and was ready for a nap. I heard the grilled peaches from Lago with goat's milk ice cream and balsamic were wonderful as was the grilled veal from Johnny's.

I really do hope this becomes a regular event. It has all the makings of an annual tradition we'd proudly support. And I think with a few modifications, it can grow each year and become quite successful (for example - better and more seating, perhaps high tops, and a separate area for the music to avoid overcrowding and to control the volume). Yes - I said it, the volume. Does that mean I'm getting old? But at times it truly was super loud and that made it difficult to chat with others and fully enjoy that tent in particular.

Finally, you have to give credit to chef Steve Schimoler and his team. He started Cleveland Food Rocks and has really done his part to promote Cleveland and all of the restaurants - not just his endeavors. He's making an impact here and really trying to make a difference. And I think he's succeeding. And plenty of our local chefs have jumped in and are helping to make it even bigger and better. It's a great collaboration and it's nice to see them all working together. While I'm sure there is still competition among them - and there's nothing wrong with a little healthy competition to keep you on your toes - you can tell everyone truly loves this city and is happy to work together to promote all it has to offer, especially all things local.

(photos pulled from Cleveland Food Rocks Facebook page)

make sure you grab a seat at this traveling restaurant

2009-07-28T12:28:00.010-04:00

Luckily, there are no shortages of wonderful places to eat in this city regardless of your location. But sometimes, you want something a little different, a little unexpected. At least I do. And if you agree, this might just appeal to you as much as it did to us.

Last month we found ourselves downtown, in an area that most would consider undesirable. But tucked away in an unassuming building was an artist's studio that housed an impressive gallery, a kitchen that would make anyone of us jealous and a simply beautiful courtyard. This was the setting for chef Ben Bebenroth's second Plated Landscape Dinner of this year, which I was reviewing on behalf of Metromix.

I was excited for this event for many reasons. One, I've heard from many people - chefs and foodies alike - that each dinner always promises to be a deliciously good time; and two, I would finally get to taste much more of the chef's offerings versus just a few samplings here and there.

I was not disappointed. From the second we walked and were greeted with firefly sweet tea vodka to the moment we left with wonderfully full bellies and a few new friends, I knew we'd back and would encourage others to do so as well.

Here is part of the review, or you can read it in full here.

When the weather’s right, there’s no shortage of restaurant patios vying for your business. And you’d be well-served at many of them. But why not take a night off from your favorite al fresco dinner spot and experience outdoor dining in Cleveland in a more unexpected way. An evening that’s part adventurous, borderline whimsical, naturally beautiful and of course, palate pleasing.

It’s called "Plated Landscape" dinners. This traveling restaurant concept, presented by chef Ben Bebenroth, a sustainable food pioneer, and his company, Spice of Life Catering, takes place among Mother Nature’s finest backdrops, including local farms and urban gardens. The dinner events are typically held outdoors and feature ingredients that guests may have gathered themselves just before the meal. The hope is that guests gain a fresh connection with the land in true “return to roots” form.

Patrons (approximately 20) included a good mix of foodies, a few local chefs and an all around enjoyable crowd (don’t be surprised if you leave with a few new friends). The evening’s menu, which is typically developed and tweaked right up to the day of depending on what’s fresh and in-season, consisted of:

*English pea soup with crème fraiche (paired with 2007 Domaine D’Arton, Des Cotes de Gascogne)
*Double bacon mizuna salad with fried egg and verjus vinaigrette (paired with 2007 Clos LaChance unoaked chardonnay)
*Grits with homemade andouille (paired with 2007 Lolonis Fume Blanc)
*Rhubarb-B-Q short ribs with a berry hot sauce (paired with a 2007 Clos LaChance meritage)
*Family-style shortbread cookies, strawberry ice cream, dolce de leche, smoked cheddar and strawberry jam (paired with Aris petite syrah port)

Each course, which features sustainable and organic ingredients from small family farms within a 100-mile radius of Cleveland, is served with a brief chef introduction that includes background on the dish and a few fun details. The dinner was exceptional, from start to finish. Standouts included the grits with sweet and slightly hot andouille sausage, tender and succulent short ribs and chilled pea soup. Each course was adequately spaced and appropriately sized; you weren't too full from what you just sampled but still look forward to the next dish.

The "Plated Landscape" dinners cost $100 per person, which includes all courses, drinks and gratuity and last approximately four hours. Now in its fourth year, the mini events continue to gain in popularity and are earning a reputation for must-attend summer and early fall dinners.

(photos courtesy of Michael Sawyer & Keith Berr)

150 free wines

2009-07-23T09:30:00.004-04:00

While I'm not necessarily sure anyone would actually taste all 150 varietals available, you certainly can if you'd like - on us. The spirit of giving continues this week with two free tickets to the Vintage Ohio Wine Festival, courtesy of the Ohio Wine Association.

On Monday, I wrote about the special discounted rate for Cleveland Foodie readers ($17 tickets by calling 800 227 6972 or clicking and using reference code FOV2009). And while $17 really is a great deal for what's sure to be another great year of this fantastic event (truly - I've gone a few times now and have really had a good time!), I think we can agree that free is even better.

If you'd like the pair of tickets, leave a comment - with your e-mail address or you won't be included - and tell me your thoughts to this: If Cleveland were a wine, what wine would it be and why? The contest is open until August 3.

By the way, Doug Trattner wrote a great post on his blog yesterday about Ohio wines and wineries. It's a great read loaded with lots of new places to explore and more reasons why you should put this event on your calendar (I think a trip to Harpersfield Winery is in my future).

free tix to cleveland food rocks rock 'n' roll bbq

2009-07-21T12:08:00.006-04:00

As previously posted, Cleveland Food Rocks is throwing the first Rock 'n' Roll BBQ throwdown this Sunday at the Beachland Ballroom. An impressive list of our local chefs will be on-hand grilling and mingling from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets are $25 or $30 day of, but chef Steve Schimoler of Crop, who is the brainchild behind this initiative, has generously offered up two free tickets to Cleveland Foodie.

Interested? One of the questions I always ask chefs during the q&a's is to tell me their top five songs on a dinner party playlist. If you want the tickets, tell me what your top five songs would be if you were hosting a summer cookout. To be qualified, you must also enter your e-mail and of course be able to attend this Sunday. Just comment with your songs and e-mail between now and Thursday. Best playlist wins. Note: To be fair, I won't pick and instead will ask a local musician.

Update: We have a winner. See comments. Thanks for sharing your playlists, lots of good selections!

a closer look into ohio wine (plus discounted vintage ohio tickets)

2009-07-20T11:21:00.002-04:00

Did you know wine making in Ohio dates back to the early 1800’s? And while we may occasionally complain about our weather, it’s actually ideal for producing wine. Ohio in fact is home to many wonderful wineries. Wineries that are not only receiving local attention, but accolades from across the country. Yet another reason to love our great state

Personally, we’ve enjoyed many afternoons at several nearby wineries, including The Lakehouse Inn (they host a fantastic clambake in the fall), Debonne and Ferannte to name a few (and of course, the old Lonz Winery – which was more about just being there than the actual wine). And I know there are plenty more for us to discover. We’re also big fans of the Vintage Ohio Wine Festival at Lake Metroparks Farmpark in Kirtland. It’s a great way to sample a lot of wine, learn a thing or two, and explore a growing industry within our state. The event, now in its 15th year, will be held this year August 7th and 8th from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. Twenty-five wineries in all participate offering over 150 vintages to taste, plus cooking demos and local restaurants. USA Today has even named this one of America's top wine and food events.

Tickets are normally $22 or $25 day of per person -- but the Ohio Wine Assoc. is offering Cleveland Foodie readers a special discounted price of $17. Visit here or call 800 227 6972 and reference code FOV2009 for this special Cleveland Foodie rate.

To get you a little excited for the two-day event, Joel Sandrey, a sommelier who has been involved with Ohio wine since 1997 and is currently the sales/marketing director for Debonne Vineyards, shares with us his point of view on wine and why wine snobs should stay in their cellar.

As Joel puts it, his quest is to get as many people as he can to let down their guard, open up their minds and just drink wine.

“In the last few years I have developed, what I think, is a unique view of the wine world. As so many things in our lives get more and more complicated and stress-filled, isn’t it wonderful that there exists a nearly perfect beverage? One that tastes fantastic, goes great with food, is relatively inexpensive, and makes you smile more and more the more you drink it. And still we insist on wasting time debating, and boasting, and pounding our chests about how wine savvy we are, instead of just cracking open a bottle and enjoying it for what it is....without apology or worrying about what others think of your choice.”

1. Why does Ohio weather make this such a great state for producing wine? The weather in Northern Ohio changes almost from hour to hour. Over the course of a growing season, all of those temp spikes/drops and rain/droughts will create this years’ Vintage, which in all likelihood, will be pretty different from last years’ Vintage. So because of our constantly changing weather, we get true, unique, vintages every year.

2. What are the biggest misconceptions about Ohio wine? That all we can produce is big sugar bombs. Ohio wineries have been winning medals in international competitions for years in traditional European vinifera. We produce world class Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Cabernet, Riesling, and so on. We also make big ass sugar bombs.

3. If Cleveland were a wine, which one would it be? As a lifelong Clevelander, I think Cleveland is a Zinfandel. One big, unapologetic, Zin. We are what we are, perhaps to bold for our own good sometimes, but that is what makes us unique.

4. What's the highest honor an Ohio wine has received? I am not sure about everyone else but Debonné has won Platinum and Double Gold this year on our Pinot Gris, Riesling, and Reserve Riesling. Every year we win dozens of medals in international blind competition.

5. Cork or screw top? Cork is more romantic for table side presentation, but a screw cap means wine will not be flawed. If you are at all concerned about the means by which your favorite wine is sealed, perhaps it is time to reevaluate things in your life :)

6. What can Ohio deliver that Sonoma and Napa can't? Ice wine, baby. They can fake it, but they can’t make it. Throwing grapes in a freezer is not the same as letting them over ripen and then freeze on the vine. There are not too many places on the planet that can produce this jewel of the wine world, Northern Ohio just happen to have the perfect climate.

7. What would a wine snob be surprised to learn about Ohio wine? Nothing. Wine snobs have a preconceived notion that is unbending. If you encounter one of these self important jackasses, it is best to walk away slowly as to not arouse their heightened instinct to blather on with their never ending opinions. You could get trapped in a many hour diatribe about their last trip to “real wine country” where we stayed at blah blah blah. Lucky for everyone, the “wine snob” is a dying breed. In their place is growing a population of wine adventurers, who are willing to experience, with an open mind, anything that is thrown at them. A wine adventurer is just as likely on any given night to grab an old world white, as a big, new world, fruit bomb, red. Thank God for the new wine adventurer! As for you wine snobs, please stay in your cellars.

8. What are 3 must-try wines at the wine festival? I would not want to insult one by not mentioning it, so I will only say, Vintage Ohio is a monster!

9. What is the proper way to taste a wine? Pour it in a glass, swirl it around to let the wine open a little and free all of the subtle characteristics, and then enjoy It. Really it doesn’t have to be any more complicated than that.

10. What wine do you always keep in your house? Bottle of red, bottle of white – you never know what I will be in the mood for.

11. Perfect Ohio wine to take to a backyard BBQ? I like to bring a Pinot Noir and a Pinot Gris; both are light and fun and will be nice enough to go with almost any dish.

henry's at the barn

2009-07-19T17:12:00.004-04:00

Up until last weekend, all I knew about Henry's at the Barn in Avon was that it's dog-friendly (did a story on pet-friendly eateries for Metromix last summer; actually named after the owner's dog) and that my sister and brother-in-law are big fans.

We found ourselves there last Saturday to celebrate my sister's birthday. I didn't know what to expect and to be frank, I'm not necessarily a huge fan of southern food. When we walked in, we were greeted by an incredibly warm and friendly staff. Since we were the first to arrive, they encouraged us to explore the space, which is actually an 1800's era barn. The lodge-esque bar area is really quite cozy and warm with a lot of character. I instantly liked it. We then walked upstairs to the loft which would be a great place to enjoy drinks in the fall or winter with its giant couches, rich wood and again, overall coziness (check out the pictures of dogs on the wall, you can even hang your own). The main dining room was a little less my taste. It lost the warmth and uniqueness of the other spaces. The patio, where we sat, was also right up my alley. Beautiful surroundings and views of the barn plus a nice fire pit.

As aforementioned, the menu is southern, or Carolina low country cuisine as they say. Again, not being a huge fan of this type of food, nothing was necessarily jumping out for me (this is not to say that it's not an impressive menu, rather just not my first choice of regions). I opted for a salad and two apps: the Henry's spring house with deviled egg, berries, brittle and rhubarb vinaigrette; fried green tomatoes with smoked blue cheese; and smoked scallops with sweet pea and carrot spread. Jamie had the she crab soup, a house specialty, and the black and bleu rib eye, which was a special that night.

Let's start with what I liked - the patio (so quaint and well thought-out it's worth mentioning again), soup (I helped myself to Jamie's) and the scallops. I can see why this soup is one of the most requested items - we were all impressed with the creaminess and overall flavor of this soup. My scallops were also rather enjoyable, although I was disappointed that they weren't smoky in flavor - at all.

I also like the wine list - 25 wines for under $25. There were several good choices and we happily enjoyed a few bottles of cabernet.

As for the salad and tomatoes, I was somewhat disappointed. The dressing was just too overpowering and sweet and the tomatoes were actually a bit soggy for lack of a better word. Aside from the soup, Jamie was also underwhelmed with his dinner. While he thoroughly enjoyed the soup, his steak was rather overcooked and served cool. As for the bleu portion of the meal, it was crumbled around the dish versus melted on top.

The rest of the party seemed very pleased with their meal, with the exception of my brother and one sister who both sent back the duck for being too tough, which caused the manager to come out and apologize and sheepishly admit they weren't happy when they saw the duck come in. Both were very happy with dinner #2.

Bottom line - it's almost unfair for me to be overly critical of the food because again, this isn't my type of cuisine. Those that do appreciate southern cooking, were quite happy. We both really did enjoy the space and service was wonderful. I don't think I'd make a special trip from the east side to go back based on this experience, but if my family picked this place for another occasion, I'd happily accept the invite.

guy fieri has good taste (chef williams thoughts on being part of the show)

2009-07-15T07:26:00.008-04:00

Back in March, I received a call from a producer with Page Productions, producers of Food Networks "Diners, Drives-Ins and Dives". She was researching Cleveland for an upcoming show and wanted to know my favorite places to eat -- and they didn't necessarily have to be dives, but as she put it, cool, quirky, unique and still somewhat unknown. I gave her my picks, talked to her a few times between phone and e-mail and never heard from her again. Which is kinda becoming routine now - reporters, authors and producers from around the country do their research, find people like me, pick our brains and tease with opportunities, then poof - not a word until I hear/see/read about sans project like everyone else months later (not that I mind - I'm more than happy to talk food and share my thoughts with just about anyone!).

Cut to last month when I received an email from chef Eric Williams at Momocho telling me that they were selected for the show and to see if Jamie and I wanted to come in for the taping. I couldn't type fast enough - of course a very big YES and thank you for including us! The catch - I couldn't say anything until after (which is near impossible for me, but I made it - and to think, I could have "scooped" the local media...). At any rate, I was thrilled that Momocho, along with Lucky's, were picked for Guy's show. And it just so happens that those were two of the places I gave the producer (along with others I'm sure).

As we approached the restaurant last night, we were greeted by Guy's old red convertible in mint condition parked out front (I'm a foodie, not a car enthusiast... corvette maybe?). As we entered, there was a small crew, big cameras and lights - and Guy Fieri, with an even bigger personality and a lot of big, bold, heavy bling. We sat down right in the middle of the restaurant and ordered drinks and dinner (adobo braised pork, grilled mahi mahi and albondigas - as always, absolutely amazing!) and just watched and listened with excitement as Guy interviewed Eric and other diners.

This was obviously exciting for us to watch and be part of, but just imagine how Eric Williams, Heather Haviland and the Geraci's felt? Here's some of what chef Eric Williams had to say about the experience:

His reaction to finding out: "Super excited and flattered, although I did ask the producer when she called me what category does Momocho fit into. It was explained to me that DDD focuses on one-off unique places. I've watched the show enough to know that Guy leads off the show by saying, 'If you're funky, we'll find you.' "

First impression of Guy: "He's for real. He says what he means and doesn't hold back. He said throughout the filming that he loved everything by using his own lingo. By the way, he renamed the pork carnitas "thunder pork" and said he didn't like the tortilla chips served with the guacs and salsas. He liked the fact we fried them to order but likes his chips to be thicker. He's got a killer sense of humor and obviously loves his job. We had a great time cooking together. Guy also made plenty of time for autographs and pictures for customers and fans after filming."

Guy in the kitchen: "Guy doesn't cook much, his role during filming is to promote Momocho and get excited about what I was cooking - they want us to cook and show off what we do and how we do it. He gave his opinion on a couple things off camera but was really there to have fun."

Favorite dishes he sampled: "He loved the machaca taquito (coffee and ancho braised beef brisket) - said they belonged in shamalamadingdong town!"

The overall experience: "Unbelievable experience. This is a great opportunity to promote Momocho and Cleveland's culinary scene on a national level (DDD filmed at other Cleveland locations this week). Also, this is great for my staff. This gives them a little validation for all the hard work they do daily to make Momocho a success - especially my two chefs, Damon and Tom. These guys are unbelievable!"

His son Jackson's thoughts: "Honestly, a little disappointed. He thought they were going to film him cooking with me. We did drag a chair up to the kitchen so he could watch them tape some last minute details and recipes after everyone left. Plus, Guy signed a baseball hat for him and gave him the wristband off his arm - that made him really happy. He actually went to bed wearing the wristband." I saw Eric's son, Jackson, wearing the wristband and didn't realize that at the time - very cool of Guy!

What went as expected and what didn't go so well: "I don't think it could have gone any better. The production crew was amazing. We banged out all the dishes and recipes under schedule. They had cool personalities and we played a couple pranks on each other - they made it a very easy and fun experience."

Air date: "Should air in September/October. Food Network will send me a notice three weeks prior. We are planning a watch party at Momocho on that Monday night."

The one drawback to all of this? We've been loyal devotees to Lucky's and Momocho for quite some time now. While I'm thrilled for the wonderful national coverage that's ahead for my favorite city and restaurants, I won't be so happy when I can no longer get a table! So seriously, if you've yet to go to Momocho or Lucky's - what are you waiting for? Lucky's is amazing for breakfast (and now Vine & Bean) and Momocho is hands-down the best modern Mexican restaurant - period.

fahrenheit

2009-07-14T07:49:00.006-04:00

There are some restaurants that you know you can always count on. Regardless of when you go, if it's for dinner or a drink, or how much time may have lapsed in between visits, you just know you're going to have a great meal and good time.

For me, Fahrenheit is one of those places. From the first time I took my mom there for pizza almost seven years ago to this past Friday night for dinner with friends, they are consistently good. Has every single item I've ordered through the years been spot on? Not necessarily, I've definitely favored some things over others. But I can say the same for just about anywhere that I've been to so many times I can't even recall all visits. Nonetheless, I love this restaurant. It's one that I quickly recommend to visitors and happily visit time and time again (last month I sent a whole group from HGTV there and they reported back that they loved every bite).

I must admit though, this time it wasn't necessarily the food that impressed me the most (though I did enjoy my entree). Rather, sitting on the newly constructed patio watching people parade up and down the street for the Tremont art walk. This is the first time we sat on the patio and from my understanding, it wasn't an easy space to construct. From my point of view, it's worth all the frustration and patience it took them to complete.

It's not that there's anything over-the-top extraordinary about this patio. But the location, size, furniture selection and other added details picked to finish it off truly make for a nice setting. I could have sat there all night. In fact, none of us seemed to mind that the kitchen was backed up and our dinners probably took twice as long. Didn't even phase us, though our server was clearly upset and routinely apologized. To me, a weekend dinner should be enjoyed and not rushed, and that's exactly what we did - enjoyed the wonderful surroundings, company and took our time with dinner.

Speaking of dinner, Fahrenheit has several new items on its menu for summer. I tried the heirloom tomato and goat cheese salad with toasted bread and caper-balsamic dressing and the sushi grade tuna with Indonesian fried rice and a green curry coconut sauce. Jamie went for the famous short ribs with Teriyaki lo mein noodles and a ginger soy reduction.

I love heirloom tomatoes, especially when they are simply prepared without too much fuss, which is exactly how this salad was constructed. My only complaint was there wasn't enough goat cheese. In fact, there was barely any. Luckily the tomatoes were fantastic enough on their own.

As for my tuna, this just might have been one of my favorite Fahrenheit dishes I've sampled yet. The tuna was perfectly jeweled in color and super fresh - just how tuna is supposed to be. And the rice was a great pairing - lots of flavor. I wasn't overly crazy about the curry coconut sauce, but that was mostly because it was too spicy for my liking - much spicier than I anticipated with barely a hint of any sweet coconut.

I did try a few bites of the short ribs and now I know why this dish is a long-time customer favorite. I can't recall having short ribs prepared this way and I truly enjoyed it, as did Jamie who happily finished the plate clean. Now we're both short rib snobs - easily our favorite dish. We compare any and all short ribs to the best plate we've ever sampled at Crush in Seattle a few years ago. While Crush still retains the title, with former Cleveland chef Keoko Turner's version coming in at #2 (though I hear Turner is back in town making organic chocolates), I'd say these are up there. But to be fair, Rocco's version is different, so it's not like comparing apples to apples. But as two self-proclaimed short rib gurus, this is a mighty impressive dish.

By the way, congrats to chef Rocco Whalen who won the Cleveland top chef award at the St. John Westshore competition with Ted Allen.

If you haven't yet been to Fahrenheit, even any of the galleries and shops throughout Tremont, now is your chance. This Sunday marks the 7th annual Taste of Tremont from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. I still can't believe this event is in its seventh year. I still remember the first one and have gone every year except last. It's a fun event and worth checking out. And the weather is supposed to be around 70 on Sunday - ideal for this sort of thing.

celebrate bastille day (for free) at the greenhouse tavern

2009-07-10T15:32:00.004-04:00

If you've yet to check out The Greenhouse Tavern (shame on you if you haven't), and are still deciding just how to celebrate France's Independence, then this is the post for you.

On Monday, July 13, enjoy pre Bastille Day festivities with chefs Jonathon Sawyer, Dante Boccuzzi, Steve Schimoler, Paul Minillo, Ben Bebenroth and Greg Maclaren (just to name a few) at The Greenhouse Tavern.

This very impressive lineup will be whipping up some of the tastiest French cuisine you've ever sampled. This Slow Food sponsored event costs $60 per person (for non members) but thanks to Local Food Service.com, you can win two tickets.

Between now and noon on Monday, just leave a comment telling me your favorite thing about the French and you're entered. And if you agree to give me the other ticket, you automatically win (just kidding!).

vine and bean cafe

2009-07-09T11:00:00.005-04:00

There aren't many things better on a weekend than sitting at Lucky's, sharing breakfast (which must include the pecan-crusted bacon) with Jamie and Natalie while reading the paper. Oh wait - there is! A Saturday morning trip in the summer to the North Union Farmers Market at Shaker Square followed by breakfast at Vine & Bean Cafe, which is also owned by Heather Haviland and therefore features many of my favorite dishes found at Lucky's in Tremont.

A few weeks ago this is exactly what we did since I was lucky enough to review the super cute Vine & Bean for Metromix. We started off at the market, where we picked up some Ohio Honey and a Tea Hills chicken (tried the Heidi Robb recipe - it was so good that I'm slowing becoming a chicken fan).

Next up was the super quick drive around the corner to Vine & Bean. We chose the funky patio featuring a hodgepodge of furniture (my favorite place to sit) versus the equally charming and quirky inside dining area.

You can read the full story here or keep reading for a portion of my review.
_____________________________________
It didn’t take too long for Lucky’s Café in Tremont to become the go-to place for weekend brunch. Now, chef Heather Haviland is at it again. This time, it’s East Siders who benefit from her delicious expertise with early hour temptations. And it’s not just breakfast. At Vine & Bean, Haviland is serving up comfort food throughout most of the day along with cocktails, coffee drinks and live music.

Food: Locavores rejoice. Chef Haviland has a strong reputation within Cleveland for supporting local farmers and producers. In fact, each dish that leaves the kitchen during season is approximately 95 percent locally sourced (60 percent during the winter).

The menu, which features gourmet comfort food, is sectioned into weekend brunch and daily offerings, plus specials.

The brunch menu features many of the popular items found at Lucky’s, like the shipwreck, breakfast burrito and pecan-crusted bacon. Each of these dishes alone is a must-try and will bring you back again and again.

On our visit, we tried the vanilla bean waffles with roasted peaches and caramel sauce and the egg pie with local bacon, ham, Swiss cheese and a side of fruit and banana bread.

Consider yourself warned; These sinfully good waffles are big—way big. Even on two empty stomachs, we couldn’t finish. And this dish is sweet, almost dessert like. Perhaps too sweet, but that’s no surprise given Haviland’s baking connections and history.

The egg pie is a much more manageable portion. Served piping hot, it’s a good start to the day with wonderful flavor and a flaky crust and just as tempting sides (the banana bread is some of the best in town).

As for the non-brunch items, you’ll find a number of sandwiches (all served on homemade bread), like the turkey with avocado, cheddar and local bacon served on rustic Italian bread as well as build-your-own hot panini sandwiches. There’s also a small variety of soups and salads and a cheese board.

Décor: Situated in an old Victorian century home on Larchmere Boulevard in Shaker Heights in what was once Café Limbo, Vine & Bean resembles a child’s doll house—a silver blue doll house with bright purple and green accents. Inside, it’s close quarters. You can sit in the quaint front dining room (that was once a family room), in the back kitchen, or on the outside patio, which features a hodgepodge of furniture. The place is tiny, incredibly charming and frankly, adorable.

i heart cleveland (news, reviews and events)

2009-07-08T07:57:00.003-04:00

A funny thing happened on the way to the Indians game this past Thursday. I'm told it was an awesome game and that fireworks were set to Michael Jackson (which we did catch thanks to the deck at Pete & Deweys, er, Thirsty Parrot). Maybe this has happened to you? You set out to go to the game, and than the lure of East 4 sucks you in and end up catching the highlights (or lowlights as they seem to be lately) the next day.

With every intention of going to the game with our neighbors and their friends, we decided to stop at Lola first for a drink and a few appetizers. Luckily, and I'm assuming since it was rather early, the chef's table was open. This is such a fun place to sit because you can watch executive chef Derek Clayton and company masterfully and meticulously prepare each dish for the restaurant.

We decided to split several orders of each of the appetizers. Obviously, the beef cheek pierogis were a hit. But for me personally, I loved the braised Berkshire "bacon" (pork belly) and cured tuna with grapefruit and fennel the best followed by the charcuterie plate which I grazed on most of the evening until there was nothing left. These apps couldn't be more different from each other and were truly outstanding.

Sometimes I much rather share an assortment of appetizers than have dinner. It's not that Lola doesn't offer some very tempting dinner options, obviously they do, but this is a fun, tasty way to try wide-variety of items.

After enjoying probably one too many cocktails at the chef's table, we the heading to the patio for dessert. I was not-so-secretly hoping everyone would bail on the game and could continue to take advantage of the great Cleveland evening and crowd watching on E 4th. I got my wish.

All the restaurants were filled and people were overflowing from the individual patios onto the street. Lining the street were beautiful planters with oversized colorful flowers. It's truly a site to see and take in. My hope now is that other areas within Cleveland take note of its success. We can enjoy more than one great neighborhood at once.

And Clevelanders aren't the only ones impressed with E 4th. The New York Times just wrote a feature on the area's rebirth, which includes mentions of Lola, of course, The Greenhouse Tavern, La Strada, Pickwick and Zocalo - which surprisingly the reporter cited as one of the best Mexican restaurants in Ohio. While I'm excited for the article, I'd have to greatly disagree with that statement (that nod goes to Momocho).

And speaking of positive national exposure for our small but mighty city, Daily Candy, something else I heart, just did a quick write-up on their recent visit. While I agree we desperately need more shopping, the writer's tour guide missed a big opportunity by not taking her to Room Service, Duo Home and Banyan Tree, among others.

A must-attend event
Cleveland Food Rocks presents a Rock 'n' Roll BBQ Throwdown
On Sunday, July 26 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., at the Beachland Ballroom, Cleveland Food Rocks will be hosting a ginormous BBQ with many of our area chefs in an effort to raise funds for this initiative.

Participating restaurants include: Bar Cento, Beachland Ballroom, Blue Canyon Kitchen, Blue Point, Brother’s Lounge, Crop, Dante, Fahrenheit, Flying Fig, Greenhouse Tavern, Grotto Wine Bar, Gusto, Happy Dog, Johnny’s Downtown, Local Crop, Lago, Luxe, Melange, Momocho, Moxie, Prosperity Social Club, Sarava, Southside and Sky Larae’s Culinary Services.

Rain or shine, come enjoy what you just know is going to be some seriously good eats for $25 ($30 day of) plus live music. And it's family-friendly! You can purchase tickets here.

Started by chef Steve Schimoler of Crop, Cleveland Food Rocks is a non-profit collaborative of dozens of Cleveland-area restaurants and food-service operations, dedicated to promoting and encouraging a vigorous local dining scene by forging a link between great food and live music. The group hopes to serve as a grassroots model, representing the power of social interconnectivity as a catalyst for strengthening the Greater Cleveland Community.

one way we can all help cleveland kids

2009-07-07T10:48:00.004-04:00

This has nothing to do with food, but everything to do with Cleveland. Jamie and I are both on the board of Most Valuable Kids (MVK), a group that provides underserved children throughout Cleveland the chance to see LeBron dunk, Grady homer (when healthy), Joshua Cribbs do just about everything and see the inside of the beautiful and magnificent Allen Theater or Cleveland Orchestra.

MVK takes unused tickets to any sporting or entertainment event and gives them to local kids so they can experience what many of us take for granted. Often for the very first time.

Think about it - how often do you decide to pass on the Tribe game or let the weekend orchestra tickets go unused? Same with season tickets where you work? This is such an easy way for people to help those less fortunate and it doesn't cost a dime, which is something we can all appreciate during the current state of things.

So please help us spread the word. We have a lot of children waiting to go to a game, a play or the museum - we just need tickets! If you have tickets, or your company does, please visit the site and learn how to donate. It's ridiculously easy and you'll be responsible for some very big smiles throughout our city. Thank you.

q&a with lucy wellhausen

2009-07-02T14:54:00.003-04:00

You may not recognize the name Lucy Wellhausen but I'm willing to bet you know Ohio Honey. Lucy, and her husband Charlie, are the duo behind our region's most delicious honey. I love honey and its many uses and am a big fan of Ohio Honey. Of course I like it on certain cheeses and fruits, but my favorite use is generously drizzled over Greek yogurt mixed with frozen blueberries and Graham Cracker crumbs as an after dinner snack (or with Koshi Go Lean Crunch if it's breakfast).

1. How did you get into the honey business? Many years ago, a friend’s father – who was a beekeeper, noticed that we have a very nice field – perfect—full of goldenrod blooms in the autumn, and asked if he could place a few hives. We replied – sure, as long as we don’t get stung! Well, every year, he would bring us a jar of honey and say thank you very much….and that was just fine until 1997 when he passed away. His family had no interest in beekeeping, so we inherited four beehives. Long story short – that was the beginning. We learned beekeeping and are so happy we did.

2. How many times have you been stung? It is an occupational hazard, but not that bad. We take precautions – such as wearing the beekeeper-garb and use a smoker to calm the honeybees when we are working the hives. Inevitably, one or two honeybees manage to get INSIDE the helmet or crawl up the leg, or get into our shoes. Ouch – the important thing is to remove the stinger as soon as you can. How often are you asked that? That question comes up more than any other, at least 2-3 times per month.

3. What's the one thing about your job that would surprise people? Hmm, good question – maybe the fact that we LOVE to do what we do. Our job is actually FUN…never boring, and always full of surprises. For example, in springtime, when we are moving young hives to new farm locations, the honeybees sometimes manage to escape from the hive during transport - in the vehicle. That’s not so bad in a truck, but there have been times when we moved them in the Jeep, and the honeybees snuck out of the hive – and were flying around in the Jeep. It was interesting seeing the looks on other drivers’ faces looking – seeing the driver of a Jeep wearing a beekeepers helmet driving down the freeway!

4. Favorite use for honey, both food and other? The simplest use – spread on toast, chicken and for treating cuts or burns – since honey is anti-bacterial.

5. What do you love about Cleveland and what drives you nuts? Cleveland is emerging as one of the most interesting food capitals of the USA. And we are lucky to be able to provide honey to some of the most popular restaurants! See? Everything is honey-related! The thing about Cleveland that drives me nuts – construction detours and the frustrations of the ‘highs and lows’ we experience with our sports teams.

6. Favorite restaurant? This must be some kind of trick question. To be honest, I can’t single out just one.

7. What restaurant do you miss? Nostalgia kicks in on that question. I remember the good times at the old Captain Frank’s when we were kids.

8. Favorite honey pairing? Toss-up between the old reliable ‘honey and tea’ – and ‘honey and cheese’ – but wait, there’s more – don’t forget honey and peanut butter, and...

9. What book are you currently reading? Ratio by Michael Ruhlman

10. Last meal on Earth? It would be something in the comfort food department – maybe a Thanksgiving dinner with mashed potatoes, turkey and gravy.

11. If you weren't in the honey business, what would you be doing? I suppose I’d still be doing escrows and mortgage loans.

12. Aside from farmer's markets, how else can people buy your honey? Check our site as we have quite a few stores that carry our honey, in addition to buying right on the the site.

13. What does raw honey mean? Raw honey has never been pasteurized, that’s how it keeps the healthy nutrients. Most of the honey on grocers’ shelves has been boiled, which removes the vitamins, minerals and lots of the flavor – all the good stuff is cooked out. Always buy your honey from a beekeeper.

14. Give us an interesting bee fact. A worker bee lives for about 45 days. In that time she will collect enough pollen and nectar to make 1/12th of a teaspoon of honey.

15. How long does it take to get honey and how many bees do you have? The extraction process does not take long. Once the wax is removed from the frame, it is spun (using centrifugal force) and presto – raw honey! Each hive – in the height of the summer season – contains approximately 50,000-60,000 honeybees…too many to name!

food, inc.

2009-07-01T12:43:00.005-04:00

I can not wait to see this documentary. Food, Inc. will be playing at Cedar Lee next Friday, which just happens to be surrounded by great restaurants.
Here's a link to preview the trailer.

Synopsis:
In Food, Inc., filmmaker Robert Kenner lifts the veil on our nation's food industry, exposing the highly mechanized underbelly that's been hidden from the American consumer with the consent of our government's regulatory agencies, USDA and FDA. Our nation's food supply is now controlled by a handful of corporations that often put profit ahead of consumer health, the livelihood of the American farmer, the safety of workers and our own environment. We have bigger-breasted chickens, the perfect pork chop, insecticide-resistant soybean seeds, even tomatoes that won't go bad, but we also have new strains of e coli--the harmful bacteria that causes illness for an estimated 73,000 Americans annually. We are riddled with widespread obesity, particularly among children, and an epidemic level of diabetes among adults.

Featuring interviews with such experts as Eric Schlosser (Fast Food Nation), Michael Pollan (The Omnivore's Dilemma) along with forward thinking social entrepreneurs like Stonyfield Farm's Gary Hirshberg and Polyface Farms' Joe Salatin, Food, Inc. reveals surprising -- and often shocking truths -- about what we eat, how it's produced, who we have become as a nation and where we are going from here.

lockkeepers

2009-07-01T08:11:00.002-04:00

With the resurrection of Lockkeepers, I found myself there a few months ago on behalf of Metromix.

Since reopening with the original owners, the restaurant has brought back some menu favorites and lowered prices, perhaps in an attempt to help diminish its once stuffy and expensive reputation and because now is not the time to introduce high price tags.

Will we go back? Not likely. Mostly because the food didn't leave a lasting impression and it's simply just not my kind of restaurant. Here is a little of my review, or you can read the full recap here.

Food: Lockkeeper’s Italian-centric menu consists of many Italian staples like lasagna big enough to share and its signature and incredibly popular calamari with kalamata olives, sun-dried tomatoes and mushrooms plus slight twists on favorites like prosciutto-wrapped long-bone pork chopped stuffed with fontina and sage. An order of the tuna tarturo teeters between staple and twist sitting atop a crunchy potato chive pancake with caper remoulada. Although beautifully constructed, too much grease interfered with an otherwise perfectly good appetizer. Continuing with a focus on presentation, the scallops with limoncello froth and shoestring veggies was also sitting pretty on the simple white plate. The scallops were seasoned and seared perfectly; However, the accompanying shoestring vegetables were overcooked, slightly bland and wilted in appearance. The highly recommended long-bone pork chop had good flavor and was anything but dry, but unfortunately, was also way too greasy, which made the dish difficult to finish. The pork is served with risotto cakes which were wonderful.

Bottom line: With its convenient location layered between business-heavy Rockside Road and a mega movie theater complex, Lockkeeper’s continues to be a good choice for business happenings, and with its new lower price point, a better alternative to neighboring chains for a weekend dinner and movie.

another zack bruell restaurant set to open soon

2009-06-30T14:22:00.005-04:00

And I thought I had a lot on my plate. Thanks to North Coast Lifestyle's tweet, I saw that Zack Bruell will be the latest chef to occupy a section of East 4th. According to the Plain Dealer, chef Bruell will open an Italian restaurant later this year:

Soon he'll be lending his name, formidable imagination and precise execution to a fourth restaurant -- this one planned for downtown Cleveland's restaurant row on East Fourth Street. Look for Chinato to open this fall, at Fourth and Prospect Avenue.

"It will be an Italian restaurant -- or, at least my take on Italian," says Bruell.

By the way: If you're curious about the name, chinato is an Italian wine that's fortified with herbs, spices and various kinds of bark, producing a drink used as a digestif.

Food editor Joe Crea also included information on tomorrow's opening of Bar Symon:

Casual is king on the menu, too. Grilled sausage platters, appetizers, a raw bar and bar snacks are major categories, with dishes as simple as feta- and oregano-laced popcorn ($3) or some really tasty Spicy Pork Cracklings ($4) to more upscale options like Duck Confit Sliders ($6 each) and Roasted Bone Marrow With Parsley and Chile ($8). I tore into a basket of really delicious Crispy Fried Organic Chicken lightly coated with fragrant truffle honey and strewn with crunchy rosemary sprigs ($15). Delicately sweet Bacon Creamed Corn ($4), its flavor intensified by simmering the kernels in a stock rendered from whole cobs, was a perfect side. But I loved what's maybe the menu's unlikeliest dish -- Fried Brussels Sprouts ($5), an addictively tasty combination of quartered sprouts fried golden, then dressed with extra-virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, capers, Fresno chile, walnuts, parsley and anchovies.

Nothing on the menu exceeds $18, with the exception of the large-cut, spit-roasted prime rib ($24; the small portion is $17) served Friday nights only. Matthew Harlan is executive chef, Jason Bryson serves as sous chef, and pastry chef Cory Barrett will produce desserts for all of Symon's local restaurants from the kitchen.

Good luck, Michael and Matt! We'll be in soon for what will no doubt be the first of many visits (I have family in Avon so I'm excited for this location!).

free t-shirts

2009-06-30T12:14:00.005-04:00

I just love free stuff, don't you? Chef Matthew Mytro, formerly of Paladar and Crop and currently in Miami working on the new Red the Steakhouse, is more than just a chef - he's an entrepreneur. With his company, Stove Monkeys, he and partner Anthony Lynch design shirts for chefs and foodies alike.

According to their site, they were inspired to create a line of clothing that could be worn by chefs as everyday street wear. Stove Monkeys purpose is to provide the culinary industry apparel that will bestow a sense of camaraderie amongst culinary professionals, students, and foodies everywhere. As progressive chefs, they are concerned with sustainability and health. These beliefs are carried into the production of the apparel and utilizie eco-friendly printing materials and recycled products where available.

Mytro is giving away two shirts - one for the guys and one for girls, your pick. All you have to do is leave a comment, any comment, and I'll randomly pick two winners (but don't leave a comment as anonymous - I need to be able to contact you). Pretty simple, huh?

Good luck!

something different this 4th of july

2009-06-25T13:22:00.003-04:00

Sure, you'll probably get invited to a bunch of BBQs where you'll munch on juicy burgers and cool yourself off with plenty of beer. And it will be another great holiday weekend. You know it will be great because you do the same thing ever year. Or, you could try something different (actually - you can do both, it's a long weekend after all).

Check out Ghetto at the Grotto on July 5. This is a new concept (new to me anyway) that features people coming together for a night of farm fresh local food in an urban and charmingly dilapidated setting. Dinner includes six courses of locally sourced ingredients. Chefs Karen Small (Flying Fig) and Tripp Rion (Twisted Foods, Chicago) plus, I'm told, a bunch of other characters will be participating, so you know you'll be in for a treat.

The cost of the even is $50 and includes your food and wine. The location is the Detroit Shoreway neighborhood, 1780 W 52nd St. To sign up, call Jill Davis at 216 577 4795.

win tickets to chef's garden food and wine celebration

2009-06-24T20:17:00.003-04:00

I have yet to meet farmer Lee Jones or his wife Mary (though they did Facebook me!) or visit the Culinary Vegetable Institute - something we are incredibly fortunate to have in our area, so this just may be my opportunity. Our yours.

My friend Heidi Robb is hosting her first blogger giveaway - and what a giveaway it is! One lucky person will win two tickets (which go for $145 each) to the Institutes's benefit for their Veggie U program, a not-for-profit that's committed to fostering a synergy between educational, nutritional and agricultural goals to combat the rising epidemic of childhood obesity.

According to Heidi, the 2009 Food and Wine Celebration will be held this July 18th from 4-9 p.m. in Milan, Ohio on the beautiful grounds of The Culinary Vegetable Institute. There will be food from a multitude of top chefs from around the country, a Star Chef Cook-off with judging by our homegrown Michael Ruhlman and Fred Griffith, Alex Guarnaschelli, executive chef of New York's BUTTER, and more. Plus fine wines, music and merrymaking.

Be sure to visit her blog to learn how to enter. Be quick, you only have a few days. She also includes a recipe for Moxie's beet salad from chef Jonathan Bennett who will be participating in the event (I will most definitely try this - mmm, beets!).

blue point

2009-06-22T19:37:00.008-04:00

A couple years ago I wrote a post about Blue Point. In short, I discussed my fascination for this widely popular Warehouse restaurant. Specifically, trying to figure out what it was that people raved about. I've been there numerous times through the years and not once ever left impressed by the food. In fact, I referred to Blue Point as a glorified Red Lobster, which caused quite a stir.

I found myself there again this past weekend to celebrate my one brother's 40th birthday (his choice). Like I've shared before, I have a lot of siblings and they are genuine fans and regularly suggest BP. I was looking forward to the evening - even the dinner. It's been about two years since my last visit so I decided to go in with an open-mind.

We spent the first 30 minutes perusing the wine list - the very bulky and lengthy wine list. Now, I get that this may impress people, but I'm not one of them. I'd rather have a limited list with really good choices. I love my wine, but I don't like to spend a lot of time studying and wondering if I made the right decision. It also doesn't help when the server isn't too familiar with the list and can't confidently make a recommendation. In the end, we decided on Hess petite, which I think we enjoyed because it led to 6 more bottles.

For my appetizer, I chose the ahi tuna tartare over avocado mouse. As for dinner, nothing was really jumping out. I ended up picking the scallops and shrimp with garlic butter, vegetables and an upgrade to lobster mashed potatoes.

Let's start with the positive - I loved this appetizer. In fact, it was so good, that it made me excited for dinner. And to continue with the high notes, let me jump ahead to dessert. I passed on my own and instead opted to graze on Jamie's flourless chocolate torte, which was ridiculously good. So there you have it - if I would have come in for a glass of wine, this appetizer and this dessert, I would have left happy and reconsidered my previous comments. Actually, considering that was the highest dinner bill this group has had yet, part of me wishes that's exactly what we did! But that's not the case. I had dinner. We all had dinner.

From the second my plate was handed to me, I knew I wasn't going to like it. The shrimp appeared to have sat under the lamp one too many hours. And as for the overall presentation, it looked like someone walked through a buffet line at a wedding and just threw some stuff on a plate.

As for the taste, it wasn't much better. The scallops were so overly salted I left all but one bite on the plate. As for the garlic butter, there was no garlic, just butter - lots and lots of butter. And even more was hiding in the lobster mashed potatoes. Even the vegetables were still slightly raw.

Unfortunately, there was nothing good about this dish and left me wondering once again, what is it exactly that people like about this place so much (my sister agreed, who had the same dish, and Jamie's steak wasn't much better). In general, I think their food is over priced. But with that being said, I don't mind paying a higher price for something when I know I'm getting wonderful and knowledgeable service, the food is knock-your-socks-off good and the atmosphere is enjoyable. I just don't get that from Blue Point, and they have had plenty of opportunities to win me over through the years. So as much as I love my family, I think I'll have to pass the next time the group heads to Blue Point. I'd rather spend my money elsewhere.

But food aside, the evening itself at the restaurant was very memorable. In fact, the whole night was great. It was a 40th birthday that I know my brother would like to think he'll always remember, but unfortunately, he already can't recall half of the evening.

l'albatros (plus cooking demos)

2009-06-19T21:07:00.004-04:00

To celebrate my birthday last weekend (if you've never met me, it was my 29th), Jamie took me to dinner at L'Albatros. He knows me so well - all I wanted was good wine and cheese to accompany it and he picked the perfect spot.

This was our third visit to the restaurant. On prior visits, we sat in the same room, the one that's to the right of the bar. This time we sat to the left of the bar in the cozy brick room with a fireplace and views of the patio.

We started off with a wonderful bottle of the Normon petite syrah, of which I think I enjoyed the majority. I passed on the cauliflower soup for fear of making the same mistake on previous visits (filling up on soup and not being able to fully enjoy anything else) and instead opted for the beat salad. I peaked at nearby diners' tables and they all seemed to be oohing and ahhing over the soup. Chef Bruell's creativity really shines, in my opinion, with soups. None the less I opted to pass on what I know would have been wonderfully tasty for something that was just okay (the beet salad actually only had a hint of beets). Regardless, it's not the salads that draw one into L'Albtros or keep bringing us back.

For dinner, I ordered the braised leg of lamb over pasta risotto and rosemary jus while Jamie once again chose the Saturday night special: beef bourguignon with pearl onions, mushrooms and burgandy reduction. Our server shared with us that this continues to be one of the most popular items and they sell out each Saturday by 8 p.m.

Wow. There really isn't a better way to describe our meals. Before we even took a bite, we knew we were in for a treat based on aromas alone. When you can smell your dish approaching, you know it's going to impress you. Jamie's dish was even better than we remembered from our first visit. And the lamb - that just might be the best lamb I've had out in a long time.

And to top it all off - and what made Jamie bring me here in the first place - five glorious cheeses handpicked from Brandon Chrostowski, manager/fromager. Honestly, I would love to share exactly what I had, but I was feeling too good from the wine to bother writing anything down, and the more and more I turn 29, the less and less I can remember. But it doesn't matter - just tell Brandon what you like and he'll happily set you up on a wonderful journey that will delight your palate.

It was a perfect evening and a delicious way to end an already good day that started off at the farmer's market at Shaker Square (purchases at Ohio Honey and Tea Hill Farms) and breakfast at Vine & Bean (more on that later).

___________________________________________________________________
Speaking of Zack Bruell, if you're a fan, you might be interested to know he's offering his version of cooking classes: Take 45 with Zack at Table 45.

The interactive cooking demonstrations and tastings will feature Bruell preparing his signature eclectic fare, providing techniques, tips and insight in Table 45’s state-of-the art open kitchen. Sessions will feature a different theme every month; the first is Tandoori oven cooking.

Take 45 will take place every other Tuesday at 6 p.m., beginning June 23, and accommodates up to eight participants. The demonstrations cost $55 per person, including chef-prepared cuisine. Optional wine pairings are available for $25 per person. Reservations are required. Call 216-707-4045.

food and wine

2009-06-16T19:43:00.005-04:00

A few things caught my eye in this month's Food & Wine. Up first - a small feature that highlights a variety of chef's kitchen essentials, including Michael Symon.

The issue overall focused on the best new chefs and some of their favorite recipes. Included in the lineup is Nate Appleman with a16 and SPQR, both in San Francisco. I recently ate at SPQR and was truly wowed with every bite of my meal. Very happy to see this talented - and Ohio native - chef included. For his recipe, he shared pinsimonio with tonnato sauce. In last month's issue, he had a recipe for smoky glazed asparagus. I made this the other week and was pleasantly surprised, especially since it calls for mayo - something I typically don't care for and avoid. I'll definitely make it again, but perhaps cut back on some of the salt.

One other recipe in the issue that caught my eye was a watermelon salad with feta and mint. I haven't tried this yet but am eager to. Mostly because it sounds like a simple salad I had at the Beach House in Kauai, though that one used Gorgonzola.

umami

2009-06-15T14:04:00.002-04:00

I don't live in Chagrin Falls, but given the amount of time we spend there, I might as well. Every Sunday we stop at Yours Truly for breakfast then walk across the street for coffee. And now that the farmer's market is once again open for business, that to is again part of our weekend ritual. And while we continue to frequent Yours Truly, I wouldn't say I'm by any means impressed with them. In fact, as I've said before on several occasions, given how much we enjoy the falls and all this Norman Rockwell-esque town has going for it, one of its major shortcomings is lack of good food (and not for lack of choices). That is, until a tiny Asian restaurant quietly opened shop.

We first went to Umami on behalf of Metromix back in April and have returned several times since then on our own. It's a very un-Chagrin Falls like restaurant - exactly what this little town needs and the last thing you'd expect to find here.

Here's part of my review (you can read the full story here):
____________________________

Chagrin Falls is known for many things. Its beautiful, tourist-attracting falls, quaint, century-old homes and a downtown that would make Norman Rockwell open shop. Unfortunately, the one thing that’s been missing from this charming town is food—really good food. Sure, there are plenty of restaurants to choose from, especially casual, family-friendly options, but unfortunately, many are missing that wow factor. Until now. Enter Umami. A very unChagrin Falls-like restaurant in the heart of the village that’s turning heads and drawing in diners that have been craving such a restaurant.

Food: Umami, which means delicious in Japanese and is also known as the fifth taste, serves up Asian dishes hoping to do just that—entice your taste buds. The man trying to wow your palate is chef Michael Longo, whose philosophy in the kitchen and passion for all things local is well-represented in the menu and throughout the restaurant.

"When cooking, I keep it simple," explains Longo, who once worked with Michael Symon at the old Piccolo Mondo and also owns ML in Bainbridge. He emphasizes the importance of letting the ingredients speak for themselves, to cook within the season, keep it as sustainable and local as possible all while incorporating his classical training into each dish. A training, he believes, that allows him to build a foundation and enable him to explore and create whatever he wants with food.

Examples of his training and philosophy are layered within each dish of the one-page menu, which features a few sashimi options, cooked hot and cold small plates and 10 larger plates, plus a handful of daily specials. Making up those plates are as many local products as Longo can get his hands on.

“Farm to table, seed to mouth,” he explains. “A chef is the connection between the farmer and the consumer.” Longo adds that he can't wait for the local Chagrin Falls markets to open, which is part of North Union Farmer’s Market. He is also very involved with localcrop.com, an endeavor created by chef Steve Schimoler of Crop Bistro, and sources a lot of the fish for the restaurant from the Honolulu fish company, which is 100 percent sustainable.

Since opening earlier this year, popular big plates include sake and ginger-glazed pork tenderloin, red curry duck and firecracker prawns, plus tom yum gai and miso with crab soups, sesame noodles with tofu, and five-spice crusted ahi tuna.

On our visit, we sampled a dish within each section. We started with the togarashi-crusted, plancha-seared white tuna with shoyu, tobiko and wasabi, followed by the lobster spring rolls with a sweet chile dipping sauce, spicy Korean BBQ ribs with kimchee and black pepper shrimp with sun-dried papaya, basil, lemongrass, sweet chile and nam pla. Our larger plate, which was big enough to share, was an order of the pad Thai with chicken.

The white tuna was absolutely perfect and incredibly tasty in every way—a must-try item for sure. The shrimp was slightly spicy, sweet and boasted wonderful and unexpected flavor. The ribs were sticky, meaty and spicy. The lobster rolls were incredibly fresh, light and albeit healthy—a nice contrast to the ribs. The surprise dish was the pad Thai. While this popular dish is quite common at many Cleveland-area restaurants, there was nothing common about Umami’s version. This version, with large chunks of tender chicken, nam pla (fish sauce), cilantro, sprouts, tamarind and egg, is unlike any other found within the city, that tend to be on the sweeter side.

Décor: With the first step inside Umami, one thing is for certain: this restaurant does not fit the makeup of Chagrin Falls. This is a good thing. The incredibly tiny restaurant (we counted 10 tables) borders sexy.

With Umami, Longo centered the design around the concept of mixing something old with something new. For example, the brick wall, which dons Warhol pop art and runs one whole side of the restaurant, was uncovered during demolition and became the focal point for something old. The chef’s fascination with lights is evident with the 1920 Edison bulbs that are the centerpiece of the restaurant. The counterpoint to the Edison bulbs, he describes, are the very modern LED candles on the tables.

The chef feels the design of the space correlates to his food in the same way. “I take classics and put a modern spin on them,” he shares. “Restaurant spaces need to have an edge, they need to be somewhat sexy. The food that comes out of the kitchen must have that same edge to it.”

apparently not everyone is a michael symon fan

2009-06-14T19:54:00.006-04:00

I still don't get it. Lolita quickly won her over - twice. And for nine months straight, she craved the beef cheek pierogies and super thin and perfectly salted fries. The laugh alone over the TV has made her smile and throw her arms all around in excitement. But something changed. Of all the places and all the chefs, leave it to my daughter to be unimpressed with a James Beard win and Iron Chef title.

After months of cancelling, Natalie and I headed to East 4th on Friday to meet my friend for lunch. Now while we take Nat everywhere, I would pass on Lola during dinner service with a little one. But for lunch, I figured we'd be safe. Actually, for the most part we were. That is until the food came where Natalie seemingly was unimpressed with the selection and presentation.

The restaurant was packed. In fact, all of East 4th was. Since I no longer work downtown, I don't get down there often during the day. It was nice to see so many people out and about everywhere. Inside, we were seated way in the back but still surrounded by enough people (many of whom I'm sure were having a working lunch) that I knew weren't happy to see a baby carrier headed their way. None the less, the servers were all great and accommodating and kept coming back to take a peek inside.

I ordered the soup and salad combo: creamy artichoke soup with hazelnuts and I believe crumbled pancetta and chickpea salad. I managed to get a few bites in and then Miss Natalie decided she had enough of this so-called Cleveland favorite and was ready to go. At first I tried to console her, which bought me a few more bites, but then she became more persistent with her dislike. While other diners didn't really seem to notice (or were just being super polite), I knew it was time for our second mass exodus from a restaurant (Umami wins for her other least favorite restaurant). I apologized to my lunch date, threw her my card, asked the server if I could get this wrapped and told my friend I'd meet her upfront.

And within 5 seconds, that's exactly where we were, in the safety of the hostess stand. And wouldn't you know it, the crying dissatisfied diner was suddenly happy, even cooing at the hostess and flirting with a server. Figures.

Oh well. She is only six months after all. I suppose Michael has plenty of time to win her over. In the meantime, her mom is a big fan. Even after we got home and a good hour after I placed my order, the soup and salad were wonderful. I can't say that I've had artichoke soup before but now I can't wait to have it again. Creamy and savory and truly wonderful. And the salad - so simple yet I was almost more impressed with that. There couldn't have been but a few ingredients to the dressing and if anyone knows what they are - please share. I absolutely love chicpeas and would really like to recreate this salad at home. Until then, I'll have to go back, sans Natalie, and try the full version of this salad with hanger steak.

Her loss.

table 45

2009-06-09T23:54:00.002-04:00

When Table 45 first opened, I had every intention of dining there. During an interview for the blog, I spoke to chef Zack Bruell about his then soon-to-open restaurant inside the InterContinental Hotel. He spoke with such enthusiasm for the space, menu and plans for future expansion into other cities. But we never made it in. We tried to go for lunch one day last summer after a morning of appointments at the Clinic, but there was a large event and we opted not to wait.

Obviously, we go out to eat quite a bit. I was thinking about why we never made it to Table 45 previously and I think it comes down to its location. Being inside a hotel, it’s somewhat hidden from the outside world and therefore never top-of-mind. On the flip side, its proximity to the museums and orchestra is ideal, especially since there are only a handful of places I would recommend dining in that area before an event. For the most part, we like to go to places where we can walk around after, sit on a patio or sit back and enjoy the crowd and atmosphere. I suppose if I really think about it, being situated inside that hotel in particular is the reason why we’ve never gone until recently, when Bruell’s PR person invited us to have dinner, thus completing the tour de Bruell (if you’re a regular reader, then you know I’m a big fan of Parallax and L’Albatros).

Table 45, which is named after Bruell’s favorite table at Parallax, sits on the first floor of the hotel. And while there are a few negatives associated with its location, one big plus is complimentary valet parking (just be sure to have your server validate you ticket). Like Bruell’s food, I also appreciate his taste in décor and how he transformed L’Albatros and Parallax. Unfortunately, I can’t say the same for Table 45. The restaurant itself is big and super contemporary with lots of blond wood. It’s clean and simple, just not my taste. It reminded me of a giant, cold, sterile conference room. Perhaps that’s because it’s in a hotel and surrounded by the massive Clinic. Perhaps he didn’t have much of a say in the design and the restaurant had to fit within certain confines. I’m not sure. But we both definitely preferred the atmosphere of his other restaurants over this one. With that being said, there were a couple elements we both enjoyed, specifically the flatware and bread and appetizer plates as well as a few booths that are somewhat hidden – plus table 45 itself, which is a glass-enclosed table located inside the kitchen and provides guests with direct access to the chef (who cooks just for you). I haven’t seen anything like this in our area before; ideal if you have a special occasion.

Table 45’s menu is globally focused, with extra nods to Indian cuisine (a big plus for me). We started off with the homemade naan which featured four different spreads (the hummus and olive tapenade the clear winners). From our table we watched the one chef toss the dough into the 800 degree Tandoori oven and a minute later, carefully pull out some of the best naan we’ve ever sampled. After dinner, we got an even closer look into the oven and all that goes into naan.

For appetizers, I had the tuna carpaccio with cucumbers, tomato, Feta and mint oil; Jamie went with the black bean soup topped with generous amounts of goat cheese. For salads, I tried the Belgian endive with shaved prosciutto and Parmesan, citrus slices and olive oil while Jamie had the wedge with Maytag bleu, eggs, red onion and caramelized lardoons. For our dinner, I chose a new item: the poached halibut infused with olive oil and herbs served atop lentils, saffron aioli, roasted garlic and smoked paprika broth. Jamie ordered the fennel-crusted short ribs with red peppers, potatoes and roasted fennel.

The tuna was outstanding, both in taste and presentation. Fresh, flavorful and incredibly satisfying. I loved the mint oil and cucumbers paired with the tuna. Jamie was also equally impressed with his soup, and so was I after the few tastes I had. I loved the texture of this soup and the creamy goat cheese. The salads were just ok – nothing memorable here. In fact, my salad was missing the one ingredient I was most excited about – the prosciutto.

As for the dinners, it’s been two weeks since we dined there and are still telling friends just how good both dishes were. My halibut was absolutely wonderful. I savored each bite and was truly impressed with this dish, same for the short ribs. While the ribs didn’t have as much fennel taste as I would have hoped for, they were tender, cooked perfectly and left Jamie speechless during most of the meal. Both dishes were executed beautifully and left us smiling the whole ride home.

Zack Bruell continues to impress us with is culinary know-how and creativity in the kitchen. I am a bona-fide fan. We truly have so much talent in this city and while some of my favorite chefs are no longer technically cooking on a daily basis, they are educating, training and passing on their points of view to the next generation, like sous chef Tom Shrenk who was in the kitchen the night we were there.

So while I may not be wowed with the space itself, based on this visit, the food is truly wonderful and a good choice if you’re in the area. Again, aside from L’Albatros and Michaelangelo’s, there isn’t much else I’d recommend if you have plans within the vicinity.

slow food event at umami

2009-06-07T19:10:00.003-04:00

I'm not part of Slow Food, though I'm a fan of the group and have several friends that are involved. I keep telling myself I need to join because I often hear of the really great events after the fact (Momocho had one last month that was kid-friendly!). But not this time. My friend Heidi Robb, who is helping coordinate this dinner, shared with me the details of this month's event at Umami, the super tiny Asian restaurant in Chagrin Falls (look for a full review shortly - I've been three times now and each time am more impressed).

Seats are limited (did I mention this place is small?) so if interested, call soon. The cost is $75 per person, but that includes tax and gratuity. Here are the details:

Sustainable Seafood and Wine Dinner / Umami Asian Kitchen / June 22, 6:30p.m. to 9 p.m.

Chef Michael Longo has created a special menu for Slow Food that showcases sustainable seafood and seasonal spring flavors paired with wines and sakes.

Amuses Pink Champagne
Hawaiian Yellowfin tuna roll with pickled shiitakes, tobiko, wasabi aioli Murai Family, Nigori Genshu sake

Shoyu and sake glazed black cod with green tea soba noodles with bok choy and sweet chile, sea urchin butter, yuzu Belle Vallee, Pinot Gris, Oregon 2006

Roast peanut and wasabi crusted Alaskan Halibut with Chinese long beans, coconut -yellow curry sauce Girard, Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley 2007

Teriyaki glazed wild caught Alaskan Salmon with black rice, seared County Line mushrooms, dashi, edamame pesto Clos Pegasse, Chardonnay, Napa Valley 2006

Green tea ice cream

great lakes brewing company

2009-06-04T08:10:00.005-04:00

There are places I just want to love by default. Places that are synonymous with Cleveland and breed local through and through. I want these places to thrive and become a successful part of our make-up. But no matter how much I want to like something, unfortunately that doesn't mean I will. Case in point, Great Lakes Brewing Company.

First, let's start off with what I do like: the beer, but that's a given. We all know the history here and that Great Lakes does brew some really great and nationally recognized beer. And I am by no means a beer enthusiast, not even close. But I enjoy their offering and whenever I need to send a thank you of sorts to out-of-towners, it's usually a case of Great Lakes (Gina Batali at Salume in Seattle said her whole family really enjoyed the beer we sent and are now fans).

I also like the building itself, the buidling's history and the fairly new patio. It's a smart addition on their part and well-done. I'd happily go back and sit on the patio for drinks, either before a game or just because. You can tell they put a lot of thought, time and money into this and I'm sure it is paying off. And I like that it's eco-friendly. If only that same effort was evident throughout all aspects of the restaurant, primarily the menu, which leads me to what I don't like: the food.

We found ourselves at Great Lakes on Monday with our good friends before the Tribe game by way of Flying Fig (forgot this place was closed on Mondays). Jamie and I got there a bit early and since we were starved, we started off with the cheese and meat board and an order of hot wings. I didn't try the wings, mostly because after a few bites Jamie, a self-proclaimed wing aficionado, declared they were some of the worst he's sampled. As for the cheese/meat sampler, I can't say it was much better. The sopressata and cured sausage was incredibly tough and just tasted old and weathered. The cheese was ok, particularly the blue.

For dinner, we both had the tomato bisque and I had the spinach salad with shrimp and balsamic; Jamie had the same but with steak. Again, nothing positive to say here about two dishes that in theory, should be incredibly simple to execute and tasty based on this type of establishment. The rather small shrimp were over cooked and over salted and the steak was tough. Even the dressing was bitter. By the way, I wanted the chef's salad but our server quickly told me to order something else. She honestly shared with us (which I always appreciate) that it's simply not good and in fact, would be coming off the menu the very next day. As for the soup, I will say that wasn't bad and was easily the best dish of the night.

I will continue to support this place because of what it is, but primarily through beer purchases at Heinen's. If we're in the area and it makes sense, I'll stop back in - but not for the food. For that, I'll head over to one of several other places in the area where I know I'll leave happy and satisfied. Cleveland connection or not, at the core you still have to offer a good product because people are paying good money for it.

On a side note, I can't believe how many Yankee fans were at the game. At times it felt like I was at an away game!

made in the 216

2009-06-02T10:47:00.005-04:00

One of my favorite events held by my favorite store owner is back and taking over the neighborhood. It's the increasingly popular Made in the 216 event at Room Service which highlights the many talented designers that choose to stay in Cleveland and build their businesses here.

The show features a wide variety of creations including menswear, jewelry, T-shirts, stationary, photography, screenprints, household goods, furniture and music. The Cleveland-based creators represent all levels of entrepreneurship, from the craft circuit, to etsy shops, to international sales.

The event, which will be held June 26 - 27, is truly growing and can no longer stay confined to Danielle's cozy 600 square-foot shop. This year, Danielle is utilizing several empty storefronts near her store and will set up mini shops, in addition to her main storefront. There will also be 10 bands playing at different locations.

If you haven't been to Room Service, or explored the Gordon Square Arts District within the Detroit Shoreway neighborhood itself, this is a perfect opportunity to do it. Room Service, as well as neighboring DuoHome, are two wonderful stores that we are lucky to have - and I'm not saying that because Danielle is a friend of mine but because I just love everything she carries and her style (Natalie is the envy of all her friends with her super cute bibs and onesies thanks to the previous 216 event). We plan on going again this year and taking Natalie, then heading over to Luxe for another favorite of mine (Luxe opens at 4 p.m. on Saturdays). Shopping then a late lunch/early dinner, what a perfect Saturday!

q & a with heidi robb

2009-05-28T07:30:00.003-04:00

In my previous post I mention all the new friendships I've made because of the blog. Included in that group would be Heidi Robb - a true foodie, talented cook, yoga and music lover and all around genuinely wonderful person that I've really enjoyed getting to know. And on top of that she has a pretty interesting gig testing recipes for chefs and restaurants, including Michael Symon for his upcoming cookbook. This Q&A is a great read - informative and entertaining (she even shares some restaurant scoop!).

1. Top 5 spices everyone should have in their pantry? Fine and flaked sea salt, vanilla bean, red chili, black peppercorns, cinnamon - stick and ground.

2. What is your favorite spice or herb to cook with and why? Although salt is a mineral and not a spice, cooking would be nothing without it - both in sweet and savory preparations. Salt lifts flavor – a good steak requires nothing but salt, add a cut ripe tomato, a slice of juicy mango and sweet butter. A slab of dark chocolate spread with almond butter and sprinkled with sea salt frequently serves as my breakfast on the run. I crave the salty-sweet treats from Thailand. Try a pinch of sea salt in your sweet chai tea – better, yes?

3. Favorite kitchen tool? A well-sharpened chefs knife can do it all on many days.

4. What do you love about Cleveland and what drives you nuts. There’s a pervasive sense of community in Cleveland that can be more difficult to find elsewhere. Generally speaking, Clevelanders are largely a friendly and helpful bunch. It’s also pretty easy to get anywhere else from here.

February. I managed to avoid all but five days of it this year and that was a beautiful thing.

5. Favorite restaurant? I can’t possibly single out one as my favorite. I’m happy to say there are many I frequent for different reasons and I’m content to share the love.

6. What restaurant do you miss? Higbee’s Sliver Grille, for sentimental reasons. I would have brought my kids there when they were younger. I remember having lunch there with my mom and nana. The kids lunch would come served in a little cardboard oven with a precious little lidded chicken dish of creamed chicken. It was kind of fancy and special and we dressed up and rode the rapid. Actually, as I write this down, I don’t think my son Julian would have been fired up about the Silver Grille after all – he is more of the old Kon-Tiki ilk- but Sasha would totally go for it.

7. Favorite dish to make? Roast chicken – I must roast one a week and it’s a family favorite. Pre-salt a good free-range bird overnight. The next day pull out that glob of fat from the inside, chop it fine with some salt and work it under the breast skin- sustainable basting. A halved head of garlic, quartered lemon, fresh thyme, fresh parsley fill the cavity. More salt on the outside and into a cozy little pan it goes until done in a hot 450 oven. Let rest and serve with pan juices. Save the carcass for stock making.

8. Easiest item to make for a large gathering? For a buffet I’d suggest a big platter of Asian style sesame-miso noodles topped with crunchy julienne snowpeas, cucumbers, scallions. Have available one or more DIY additions: grilled duck breast or shrimp, Chinese BBQ pork, slices of seared rare beef or albacore tuna, or baked tofu, for example. Not only is this preparation both visually striking and delicious, but most of the work and prep can be done the day before.

9. Where do you grocery shop? You name it, I’m there: Heinen’s, Mustard Seed, Whole Foods, Miles Market, Asian markets, farmer’s markets, West Side Market, Latin markets, online….

10. Where does your passion from cooking come from and how did you get into this business? I can’t recall a time I was ever disinterested in cooking. Both my mother and her mom, my Nana, were fantastic home cooks in their own right. Nana was a supreme baker in the old eastern European style, and her cooking reflected the same. My mother was more a contemporary cook with a slant towards fresh and wholesome. I helped in the kitchen whenever I could, shelling peas, beating eggs with a rotary beater, breading cutlets. It was not unusual to find me parked in front of the oven seated in a chair while studiously observing our dinner cook. I know, I’m a bit weird like that.

I’ve worked in the food and restaurant business in some capacity since I was fifteen. I’ve tried to escape and work in other venues, but the force kept pulling me back to the food. Along the way I was fortunate to establish friendships and connections that ultimately paved the way to various opportunities.

11. Biggest lesson(s) learned in the kitchen? Salt judiciously. Practice restraint in execution. And, no matter how short you are on space, never ever ever store plastic cutting boards in the oven.

12. How does your love and regular practice of yoga inspire your dishes? My practice affects less the way I cook and more the way I eat as I’ve generally lived a whole and healthy style of cooking. Yoga does force me to slow down, take notice and be mindful of which foods make my body feel good and which don’t, what causes energy to lag and peak, to observe when I’m sated, what my cravings are - too little, too much - balance – it really all comes down to balance.

13. What projects are you currently working on now? My super-talented beautiful friend and catering partner, Karen Gorman, is opening a new wine bar and carryout venture in Moreland Hills, The Nine of Cups and Nine of Cups Market. I’m consulting on recipe and menu development. There. I just spilled nine cups of beans. I’m absolutely thrilled for Karen – exciting times!

I’m also developing a slew of cooking classes with a new local farmer, Kelli Hanley of Hanley’s Homegrown, to be held out at her place. We are hoping to get started this summer.

14. You're having a dinner party, top 5 songs on your playlist? So important! However, experience as a caterer has taught me the value of the delegation of duties. Knowing I would niggle far too long over a 5-song playlist, when my time is much better spent in the kitchen, I passed along music detail to friend Edward Angel Sotelo – bassist for the Jack Fords, Cobra Verde and freelance writer. He is passionate about food and has incredible musical taste. I asked Edward to give me a little something to go with beer, wine, tequila and salmorejo…this party is already sounding like a celebration.

You can hear the playlist here.

15. Describe your job in culinary media and the role you played in Michael Symon's upcoming cookbook. A definition of media: “transmissions that are disseminated widely to the public”. My projects reside in the niche of culinary arts – ones destined for public consumption. Work can bring me recipe testing for cookbooks or restaurants, product development for retail, food styling, food-related writing, restaurant consulting. It’s safe to say that I always have something cooking.

I tested the recipes for Symon Says: Live to Cook. Testing, at times, meant following Michael around while cooking – having him stop, measure and weigh as he went, then writing a recipe from my notes and then reproducing it at home again with success. More often, I would receive recipes from co-author Michael Ruhlman, recipes from the restaurants or family that needed to be accurately reproduced – quantities, ingredients and processes modified and rewritten as required. It’s so important to ensure a great recipe result out of an average home kitchen - which I have – quite small devoid of high-end large appliances. If these recipes can work beautifully out of my home, they will work for you. The experience was a wonderful collaboration and the book truly is fantastic.

16. What local farmers do you support most often and why? I am crazy for Tea Hills Poultry, their chickens taste like chicken. I also shop Ohio Honey for the loveliest of local honeys.
17. If you could be any chef for a day, who would it be? Less chef and more master craftsman, Domenico DeMarco, the 70-something owner of Di Fara Pizza in Brooklyn is the choice for me. He’s been at his craft for close to 50 years – turning out these unbelievably delicious pies, one at a (painstakingly-slow) time, out of deck ovens that you might swear were coal fired. Lately I’ve been making a lot of pizza and I want his secrets. The only way to really know would to BE him as it’s been his hands, his taste, his dance - it’s all there in his body’s memory. I could watch Mr. DeMarco create pizza for hours.

18. You have two plane tickets to anywhere in the world. Where are you going and who has the other ticket? As much as I MUST return to Southeast Asia to eat all of it proper, I’m heading back to Spain to thoroughly explore each one of the culinary regions. Karen gets the other ticket – we travel well together and our meals are enjoyed with wonder, thoughtful conversation, good wine and inspiration that translates to our work. Oh, the people, the culture, music, mountains, ocean, sea, late night dining, merrymaking, and land of Javier Bardem – please, when can we start packing?

19. What's your favorite meal from your childhood and last meal on Earth? My mom always made a special birthday meal: steamed artichokes with mustard vinaigrette served on artichoke plates, coquilles St. Jacques baked in half-shells, chilled lemon soufflé with whipped cream and candied violets. I remain devoted to lemon soufflé in lieu of birthday cake to this day.

Last meal: A cup of New England lobster stew of the simplest kind - fresh lobster, butter and cream, a bucket of steamed soft-shell clams and broth, just-picked sweet summer corn, a fresh herb salad, beautiful runny raw-milk cheeses with one perfect peach and cherries. Great champagne, champagne, champagne, and a big after-dinner aged sipping tequila. Won’t need to worry about a hangover, right?

20. What advice would you give to someone planning an event? Hire someone you trust and let the caterer do their job. Please make sure the stove and ovens are in fine working order, the counter tops are clear and there is space in the refrigerator. Have a glass of wine, relax and enjoy your event.

15 minutes, er seconds, via fox 8 this morning

2009-05-22T13:20:00.007-04:00

Thanks to Jacquie, whom I've known for awhile now but finally met today, I was included in a quick segment for today's That's Life with Robin Swoboda on women and social media -- or so we thought. Turns out the segment was more about women and there potential social media addiction and how it can ruin families, and we were portrayed as two possible victims. Maybe that angle makes for better TV, I don't know. But what I do know is that I think we handled the surprise twist rather well. And while I'm sure like anything in life people can become addicted, to me personally, social media has enriched my life. And I believe Jacquie would say the same thing.

The segment was quick and for the most part, rather painless. Robin was really quite friendly and meant no harm. As for the doctor, I felt she was trying to make something an issue, perhaps for business and awareness or maybe because she truly believes this is a problem. Either way, I found it pretty funny when she confessed her love for Facebook during the break.

Social media is about connections and sharing - it's not a new phenomenon rather what people have done for centuries. What has changed is the technology to do this which ultimately makes this very old ritual much easier and quicker. I'm sure if you were to look back through history, people were accused of talking on the phone too much (land and mobile), or writing too many letters and spending too much time reading the paper. It's always something. I'm convinced sometimes people look for problems and as I rewatched this morning segment (the doctor went before us and discussed how easy it is for women/moms to become addicts and how to recognize the signs), it's clear to me that she was reaching and in some ways, not very familiar with social media as a whole.

In the few moments we did have, I tried to explain how social media has impacted my life, for the better. Unfortunately, and as expected, we didn't have much time so I couldn't really make all the counterpoints I wanted. If we did have more time, I would have explained all the ways in which social media, specifically blogging, has impacted me.

I started Cleveland Foodie a few years ago so I could truly understand social media and therefor help my clients. The one main ingredient to blogging is passion. If you're going to author a blog, it has to be something you're passionate about. For me that's easy - food and Cleveland, so a blog about the wonderful food in our city was a no brainer. And while I started the blog to improve my understanding and ultimately help my career, it has helped me in more ways than I could have imaged. The blog has afforded me the opportunity to explore a passion I've always had and a career path I once wanted to pursue. I've gotten to know our wonderful chefs and become part of the restaurant scene in town. I've learned so much more about our city and connected with/learned from people all over the country, both as it pertains to food and as I joined the greatest club on Earth -- motherhood. And my husband and I have met so many people and made many wonderful new friendships. The blog has also led to ongoing freelance work for Metromix and Cleveland Magazine. And as for my original goal of helping my career, it most definitely has and then some, in many positive ways. I can honestly say that I truly enjoy what I do for a living.

So if some want to call my blog an addiction, so be it. I choose to see it as a golden opportunity that has given me the chance to take a passion to the next level. Maybe FOX 8 would like to have us back on and discuss the positive attributes of social media? But I will concede and say this: I have been the proud owner of an iPhone for just 48 hours. And if the past two days are any indication of the future, then I might find myself on that doctor's couch because I am well on my way to becoming addicted to that glorious little contraption.

And for the record, what my daughter sees is two parents that absolutely adore her and enjoy every possible minute enjoying life as a family. And the fact that we're so aware of social media and actively keep up with the times can only benefit us for when she's a teenager.

On a side note, I learned two things from seeing myself on TV: I need a better foundation and I have more baby weight to lose than I thought!

west side market

2009-05-16T14:07:00.006-04:00

A few weeks ago my mom and I took Natalie to her first visit to the West Side Market (Metromix wanted a story on some favorite stands). I still remember my first visit to the market during a second grade field trip. I remember thinking it took forever to get there and that we must be in another state (I went to grade school in Solon - 30 mins tops). Once inside, I was mesmerized by all the people. That didn't last long when my eyes wandered over to a counter where I saw a cow's tongue and was thoroughly disgusted for the rest of the trip. My only purchase that day? Candy cigarettes. I think the whole class walked out with a pack. I blame this one instance on my on my 10 year smoking habit that I happily kicked five years ago (seriously - how were we allowed to buy candy smokes and how were these even marketed in the first place?).

Since that initial trip, I've made countless visits to this wonderful institution in our fine city. I've always been drawn to the market. My great grandfather came to this country from Sicily when he was 13 and started selling produce on a wagon downtown. Years later, he would open Paolo Volpe and Sons produce in the Northern Ohio Food Terminal. He never had a stand at the market per se, but I know he was friends with many of the vendors and I can picture their encounters when I walk the aisles.

When I lived in Cleveland Heights and later downtown, I was a regular shopper. And when my brother was in the trauma wing at Metro, the market became my 20 minute daily breather during those long two months.

Today, we don't get down nearly as much as I'd like, but when we do, I'm still in awe by its rich history, glorious contents and the people. And while Natalie has no idea if she's at the West Side Market, Heinen's or our kitchen, one day she will and I'm excited to bring her on what will surely be many trips to market and watch her reaction when she first discovers cow's tongue (we'll pass on the candy cigarettes, though I can't imagine they are still made).

Click here for my West Side Market photo gallery and to learn a bit more on some of my favorite stands.

grab a beer with michael symon

2009-05-14T08:12:00.006-04:00

Ok, maybe not literally grab a beer with our James Beard winning Iron Chef (but he's the kind of guy that would probably say yes - and love it!). But beer is exactly what's on this chef's mind.

In his latest endeavor, Michael Symon has just partnered with Pilsner Urquell, the world's first golden beer, to educate consumers on the compatibility of beer with food.

Starting this June, Michael's name and likeness will grace point of sale displays all throughout the U.S. Further, Chef Symon created original recipes that specifically pair with the taste of Pilsner Urquell.

Symon is the only chef involved in this national campaign. A microsite with recipes, pairings, and beer education will launch in early June.

Personally, I'm a red wine girl through and through. I like wine with my dinner, dessert and would probably have a glass with my Kashi in the morning if it was acceptable. But I admit, at the Brooklyn Beer dinner a few months ago with chef Sawyer, I learned quite a bit about beer and food pairings, specifically that I can be small minded by just sticking to wine to compliment my meal.

Here's some background on the beer according to the release. Created in Plzen, Czech Republic in 1842, Pilsner Urquell revolutionized the brewing industry as the world's first golden beer, creating a new style of beer that became known as pilsner, named after its city of origin. For more than a century and a half, Pilsner Urquell has been offering discerning beer drinkers a balanced and refreshing beer that has become the standard against which all others are compared.

Pilsner Urquell is brewed in Plzen in the Czech Republic by Plzensky Prazdroj AS and owned, distributed and marketed internationally by SABMiller. Pilsner Urquell is currently exported to over 50 countries around the world including markets in Europe, North America, Australia and Asia. Nearly 90 percent of the world's beer is a variation of the original golden beer, making pilsner the most popular beer style in the world and further establishing Pilsner Urquell as a true original.

out to lunch

2009-05-13T14:17:00.005-04:00

The question of where to have lunch is a simple one, or so you would think. The majority of the time, people are working and can only spare an hour. But that doesn't mean lunch should be something you settle for, or worse, through a drive-thru.

Most days I bring my lunch in, or grab takeout from Pacific East (you can't beat two rolls, soup and salad for $8). But when I go out, I like to have options. And when I have flexibility with my schedule, I like to head downtown, or at least beyond a five-mile radius of my office

Here are three good choices for lunch:

Umami
I first went to Umami last month for Metromix. I was so impressed, I went back last week with a coworker for lunch. It's a good choice for lunch - the service is quick, it's quiet so we could work and the food is good, really good.

We shared the Umami roll, with ahi tuna, whit tuna, shiitake and tobiko. Then I had the miso soup with crab and black pepper shrimp with lemongrass and papaya. Needless to say this was too much food, but everything, just like my first meal there, was incredibly fresh and delicious. The giant bowl of soup could have been a meal all its own and wins easily for best miso soup. The roll was rolled super tight and with such precision, it impressed us both.

Crop Bisto
Last week the dining editor at Cleveland Magazine suggested we meet for lunch. I've been writing for them for over two years now, and it was nice to finally put a face to a name. When she asked where I wanted to meet, I suggested Crop.

I like Crop for lunch when I'm downtown. It's a good menu, good location and I always luck out with street parking (and thankfully, thanks to the Indians' game today, there were no cops around to give me a ticket when the meter ran out).

I had the carrot soup with ginger topped with sesame creme fraiche and the Caesar with shrimp and corn bread croutons.

The soup was pretty good, although not as good as I anticipated. It had good carrot flavor with just a hint of ginger, but was a little spicier than I expected - almost a little too much heat. The salad was enjoyable - nice sized shrimp, great dressing and the best part - the croutons! I loved the fact that they were corn bread and wanted more.

Parallax
I've written many times about Parallax and how much I enjoy this restaurant. Now, you can enjoy it during the day because after five years in business, the restaurant is now open for lunch. I first learned of this this morning via my friend Kyle, then through Zack's friendly PR person.

The majority of items are under $10 and include entrees like blue cod with black garlic vinaigrette, tempura fried chicken with mashed potatoes, braised pork belly with Szechuan sauce, sushi, salads and even a chili dog and Parallax burger.

Another first for the restaurant - happy hour. Parallax is finally on the early bird bandwagon offering 10 menu choices for under $8

taste of the heights

2009-05-13T08:32:00.004-04:00

I love when good food and a good cause come together. For one night, you can sample some of the tastiest local dishes all while supporting a really good cause - kids.

The Heights Youth Club, which provides quality programming to children in both Cleveland Heights and University Heights, is holding a Taste of the Heights benefit on June 3 starting at 6 p.m. For $50, ($60 day of), guests can sample numerous dishes from these participating restaurants:

Jimmy O’Neill’s Tavern / Cedar-Lee Pub / Parnell’s Pub / Anatolia Café / Brennan’s Colony / Tommy’s / Lee Road Phoenix Cafe / Marotta’s / Stone Oven Bakery / Lopez Bar & Grill / Café Tandoor / Night Town / Pacific East Japanese Restaurant / The Grog Shop / Hunan on Coventry / Lemon Grass / Tavern Company / O’Rielly’s Pub / That Seafood Place / Pizzaz / Zagaras Market Place / The Mad Greek

For more information, or to purchase tickets, head over here.

san fran eats

2009-05-06T13:35:00.004-04:00

Last week I spent several days in easily one of my favorite cities - San Francisco. Work brought me there so I didn't have too much free time. But we did have our nights free, which of course were spent taking in all the wonderful flavors and sights of the city.

SPQR
My friend Heidi Robb recommended I check out this small, unassuming neighborhood restaurant in the Fillmore district inspired by a typical Roman osteria (SPQR stands for Senatus Populesque Romanus which means the people and senate of Rome in Latin). The seasonal menu is heavily influenced by locally sourced produce, heritage meats and Italian traditions.

I went for a late brunch on Sunday after I landed. I snagged one of the only open seats up front by the window, which was perfect - I could split my time between people watching on the street and the diners inside. The brunch menu is limited and features a few breakfast-ish options, homemade pastas and a nice selection of hot, cold and fried antipasti.

I opted for the wild arugula with grapefruit, red onion, fried bread and ricotta salata, plus Amatriciana with guanciale, tomatoes, red onions, pecorino and chiles with rigatoni.

The simple salad look rather bland and basic in appearance but was the exact opposite in taste. Each bite was better than the previous. It reminded me of a salad I had in Hawaii on my honeymoon; ridiculously fresh and good.

As for the pasta, I am a sucker for Amatricana - whenever I see it on a menu, I have to order it. It's easily my favorite pasta dish and one I make often at home. Dining out, I've yet to find a version I liked as much as the one at the old Battuto (although Baricelli comes close). That is, until now. Which still does me no good because Battuto is closed and it's not like I'm in San Fran on a regular basis!). The sauce has a nice layer of heat, lots of wonderfully salty guanciale and the pasta was a bit al dente, exactly the way I like it. I would order this exact same meal over and over and be just as happy.

As for Fillmore, what a great neighborhood. I spent an hour walking and exploring.

Bar Jules
I originally had intended to go to Sebo, which was highly recommended by chef Chris Cosentino at Incanto, which we dined at last year. However, the menu is heavily raw, which is ideal for me, but not so much my coworker. So I'll have to save this little sushi restaurant for the next trip. Instead, we visited Bar Jules, which was actually on my list from last year's trip, but we were never able to squeeze it in.

Bar Jules is in the Hayes Valley neighborhood. It's also a small, neighborhood restaurant that serves produce from local farmers and sustainable meat and fish. There are no menus. Instead, the chef decides the day before and day of based on the season and what's available locally. There's a giant chalkboard donning the bluish-turquoise wall that features the day's choices.

From the neatly written offerings, we chose the mussels with white wine, butter, garlic and English peas; potato and leek gratin with anchovy, parm and breadcrumbs, lamb chops with mashed celery root and watercress; and wood-grilled blue nose bass with asparagus, new potatoes, egg and tarragon dressing.

I knew ordering the gratin was going to be a mistake. I'm still trying to lose the rest of my baby weight (I eat out a lot, but I (mostly) eat smart) and there is nothing weight -friendly about gratin - and I don't have the willpower to have just one bite. Which of course I didn't because this dish was sinfully savory and good and unlike any gratin I've had before. Thankfully, I didn't have to feel as guilty about the other dishes. The plump mussels were a hit as was the lamb chop. The only dish I could have done without was the fish. To me, it was just ok.

The Slanted Door
Easily the best view from our trip came by way of a window seat at The Slanted Door inside the Ferry Building overlooking the bay. Slanted Door features simple authentic Vietnamese food done well - really, really well.

The food is served family style, and with our server's help, we decided on an order of Japanese yellowtail with crispy shallots and Thai basil, SD spring rolls with shrimp, pork, mint and peanut sauce (this sauce was so good you want o drink it), asparagus and Dungeness crab soup, caramelized tiger prawns with garlic, onions and chili sauce and finally, Zuckerman Farm asparagus with nameko mushrooms.

There were absolutely zero complaints with this meal. From start to finish, wine to dessert (beignets with cinnamon sabayon), each bite was perfect. Even the asparagus - so simple and lonely on the plate, was incredible. Really good flavor and aromas from every dish. But my favorite would have to be the yellowtail. It was so good, I almost ordered another and even considered stopping back the next day just to have it again!

Ferry Building
On the last day of the conference, I decided to skip the lunch and walk back down to the Ferry Building. Inside, I quickly perused the vendors and decided to make a lunch out of a couple things that caught my eye. I grabbed a small sourdough roll that was still hot, some fresh prosciutto from Boccalone and a few tastes of cheese from Cowgirl Creamery and sat outside on a bench staring into the bay. This was a much wiser alternative to the stale and starch offering at the Marriott.

Now that I'm a mom, and especially since Natalie is so little, traveling is hard - very hard. I don't like to be apart from my family and I feel guilty for leaving Nat. But let me tell you, meals like these in a city as wonderful and beautiful and eclectic as San Francisco does help lighten the sting!

cleveland magazine: may issue

2009-05-06T07:27:00.007-04:00

If you haven't seen this month's issue of Cleveland Magazine, it's the annual Silver Spoon edition featuring their take on our best restaurants.

My small contribution can be found on page 93: the protein scene and meaty veggies. The first part was supposed to include chef Brandt Evans from Blue Canyon as well, but for whatever reason, it was cut. I liked his story as to how he found one of his favorite local vendors, so here is what I originally submitted:

"I buy all our sausage charcuterie needs (Italian sausage, breakfast sausage links and chorizo-andouille sausage) from Lou’s Gourmet Sausage. About 10 years ago I was dating my now wife and went over her parent’s for dinner. My mother-in-law was making sausage and peppers. It was so good, I went home the next day and made it myself. But it just wasn’t the same. I asked her for the recipe and discovered she used Lou’s. I also found out this was a local company and has been making great sausage since 1954. I buy direct from Frank. They are classic vendors – drop off my supply themselves in the very early hours, and I mean early! When the owner makes – and drives – the product to me, you know there is love and care still being put into their recipe."

Also, here is more from chef Eric Williams at Momocho (I knew this was never going to make it in because I totally exceeded my word count):

"We buy our meat and poultry products from Tend-R-Lean Steak Company. Currently we are purchasing whole racks of pork, whole three-pound chickens, bone-in pork shoulders and lamb loins. The owner, Marty, is a small, local butcher who supplies premium products at reasonable prices, two important characteristics most chefs look for in a purveyor. But he is different for other reasons. Marty has come into the restaurant to teach us how to butcher large, whole cuts of beef and pork. These products are delivered whole and we break them down or butcher them into certain cuts and sizes. Not only does this save us money, but also educates the staff. There is also much less waste, portion sizes are controlled and we continue to practice good cooking techniques.

TRL is also located four blocks from Momocho. Not only is delivery consistent, but we save on fuel and delivery charges. All these reasons contribute to keeping menu prices reasonable and helps sustain long-term profits.

Marty isn't an "order taker" either (local chefs will know what I mean). He calls us and we call him, whether it’s to check on how we're doing or to update us on price changes or new products. I feel he's interested in Momocho and our success; that means a lot to me. Communication with all our suppliers helps keep costs under control by forcasting any shortages, learning of a price increase or even simply suggesting an alternative product or cut of beef.

I enjoy the West Side Market for many of the same reasons. I can quickly purchase products at great prices in quantities that I need and have the luxury of choosing which cut I want. These vendors are here to help me, whether I’m a restaurant owner or a home cook. "

Michael Symon: James Beard Winner

2009-05-04T21:04:00.003-04:00

By way of Jonathon and Amelia Sawyer, just learned that Chef Michael Symon can now add James Beard winner to his impressive and ever-growing resume. Symon won best chef for the Great Lakes.

Symon was in good company; Chef Zack Bruell was also nominated for Parallax. There was a total of 20 chefs vying for top honor, including a sizeable chunk from Chicago-area restaurants. Symon was nominated once before for this category in 2006.

According to the foundation, these awards are deemed “the Oscars of the food world,” by Time magazine. The James Beard Foundation Awards are the country’s most coveted honor for chefs; food and beverage professionals; broadcast media, journalists, and authors working on food; and restaurant architects and designers.

What an accomplishment for this incredibly talented chef (and all around good guy) who continues to make his city proud.

jekyll's kitchen

2009-05-04T13:04:00.009-04:00

It feels as if there are no shortage of restaurant openings in Chagrin Falls so far this year. This includes the tiny wonder that is Umami, Fresh Start Diner (replaced Dink's) and now Jekyll's to name a few, which is part of the Hyde Park Restaurant Group.

We've made two visits to Jekyll's so far (one was by the invitation of their PR person). I was impressed - with the view and soon-to-open patio. The food, unfortunately, fell short. But despite my thoughts on this place, Jekyll's will do well, really well. And once the newly constructed patio opens, those that missed out on a seat at Gamekeeper's and 87 West (also nice patios) will surely rejoice.

But despite my mediocre thoughts on the food, they are going to get another visit out of us this weekend. And it's purely because of its location and views. We're taking my in-laws there for mother's day and this is an incredibly picky duo (actually, that whole side is). We're talking a strict diet of American and Italian fare - that's it. And even then it get a little iffy. I love them, but really hope my daughter doesn't inherit any eating habits from her dad's side. We usually take them to Blue Canyon, which they enjoy, but this time wanted to take them someplace new. And since they've never been to Chagrin Falls and have been eager to check out the town we spend so much time in, we figured this was a safe bet.

But I digress. Here's part of story I wrote for Metromix; the full recap is here.
_______

The latest restaurant from the Hyde Park Restaurant Group—the team that runs The Metropolitan Café, Blake’s Seafood and Hyde Park—has opened its newest restaurant venture in picture-esque Chagrin Falls.

Food: Chef Kevin Foley, together with the Hyde Park team and guidance from Chef Michael Herschman, developed a menu that at first impression, is surprisingly rather reasonable.
With a focus on classic American fare, the menu offers a selection of fish, steaks, poultry, pizza, pasta and daily features. Chef Foley, whose five years as an executive chef includes Smith & Wollensky in his hometown of Columbus, says he believes that with his approach to cooking, the diner always knows what they are eating because he tries to let the ingredients stand out and not complicate a dish.

Popular items include the truffle chips with candied pecans and sage, four-cheese penne, wood-grilled lobster pizza with mozzarella and double-cut pork chop with apple bourbon chutney.

On our visit, we tried a sampling of appetizers and entrées, including the rare tuna, ginger calamari, goat cheese-crusted filet mignon with cranberries and sweet balsamic and Chilean sea bass with a crystal citrus sauce.

The tuna, which is the chef’s signature dish, was frankly disappointing. While the sweet mango slaw was a nice complement to the slightly spicy tuna, the tuna itself was dry and surprisingly not served rare. In fact, there was no beautiful deep jewel tone to be found.

Like the tuna, the accompaniments of the calamari were nice, specifically the chili lime dipping sauce. But the calamari itself was nothing special. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t great—it was typical and rather ho-hum.

The dinners were slightly better. While the filet was flavorful and the gruyere gratin was quite tasty, the steak was ordered medium and served well-done. The wood-grilled sea bass had a pleasantly firm texture and paired nicely with the server’s recommendation of the citrus sauce—albeit slightly on the oily side, but still enjoyable.

Décor: The restaurant received a total makeover inside and out from its former days as Blake’s Seafood. Unfortunately, this included a paint job on the outside from white to a brownish tan. The restaurant would have been best served by retaining its original color. Inside, the large windows with even larger velvet drapes with contrasting reds overlook the best part of the restaurant—the falls. Other decorative touches include the exposed brick wall, wood floors and giant, overhead circular lights. However, there is almost too many lights competing for attention.

Perhaps the best part of the restaurant isn’t even open yet—the street-side patio. Come mid-May, both the lower and newly-constructed upper patio will open. The upper patio, which will seat 70, will feature a bar and giant fireplace. This will surely become a destination in Chagrin Falls throughout the summer.

Insider Tip: If possible, request table 60. It’s the best seat in the house offering stunning views of the Chagrin River waterfalls.

Bottom line: Go for the view, go for the happy hour and go for the patio, but go knowing it’s not the food drawing you in.

lolita

2009-05-03T16:40:00.002-04:00

Thursday night Jamie and I headed to one of our favorite restaurants: Lolita. I can’t even form a guess as to how many happy hours, drinks and dinners we’ve enjoyed there, between us, friends and with family. It was our place when we lived downtown and when we decided to move three years ago, promised to return to the city often, especially to Lolita.

It’s a combination of the food, atmosphere, crowd and incredibly reasonable prices that have made us loyal customers. And this past Thursday, Lolita earned one more. Natalie can now add this Tremont staple to her ever growing list of fine dining experiences.

This trip was on behalf of Metromix, which surprisingly the site has yet to review. So for anyone out there who has yet to check out Lolita, my full recap should appear in a few weeks.

We started off with the roasted dates and beet salad with honey and ricotta, then moved onto the buccatini with carbonara, big chunks of pork belly and pancetta and the duck prosciutto pizza with rosemary and egg. But the highlight of the dinner – a quick chat with the super friendly chef Matt (Chatty) Harlan, who made Jamie’s day by bringing out the restaurant’s famed burger with egg and bacon (thanks again, Matt – I know how much you love making those!). By the way, chef Harlan, who has been there for the past 12 years (Lola then Lolita), has a little less than two months left there before he heads over to Avon Lake to lead the kitchen at Bar Symon.

As usual, everything was delicious – especially the beets (hands-down best beet salad in town – I know I always include that, but it’s true) and the burger. That burger is so deliciously messy and juicy; I can’t wait to see what other burger creations Michael Symon unveils at The B Spot.

Thankfully, Natalie was a picture perfect diner throughout the entire meal. Nonetheless, we still ate fast, paid within seconds of the server dropping off the main dishes, and were headed out before the dinner rush made its way in.

On our way out, I noticed Lolita is hosting a lamb dinner on May 6 with Jamison Farm. It’s short notice, but I’m willing to bet this would be worth checking out.

inside: greenhouse tavern

2009-05-01T22:45:00.005-04:00

With four visits thus far and another one planned tomorrow, it's safe to say I'm a bona fide Greenhouse Tavern fan. From Cento to Greenhouse, I've admired and enjoyed chef Sawyer's approach to cooking. And I'm not alone. Sawyer and the entire Greenhouse team are receiving high accolades on the local and national level. And they couldn't be more deserving. And the best part? They're just getting started.

Here's the piece I wrote for Metromix (and it made the front page to boot!):

Inside: Greenhouse Tavern
East 4th Street welcomes Ohio's first certified green restaurant

After years of planning, commitment and determination, The Greenhouse Tavern on East Fourth Street is finally open and hoping to make as little impact as possible.

Certified as Ohio’s first green restaurant, The Greenhouse Tavern team, led by Chef Jonathon Sawyer, is guided by two principals: The proximity of the farm to the restaurant directly impacts the quality of food, and practicing green business everyday is not an option, but rather fundamentally imperative.

Guided by these principals, with each plate of food, the restaurant serves French-inspired fare consisting of local ingredients at approachable prices.

Food: While the restaurant may not have a big impact on Mother Earth, diners are another story. Chef Sawyer continues to make food, regardless of its origin, approachable and unfussy.
The menu, printed on 100 percent, post-consumer recycled fiber, is sectioned into firsts (small tastes), seconds (larger appetizers), thirds (full dinners) and halves (accompaniments to share). And the majority of ingredients are locally sourced, further minimizing the carbon footprint by eliminating unnecessary shipping while at the same time benefiting our local economy.

For firsts, try the French breakfast radishes with butter and salt and the organic American prosciutto. The sliced radishes, a vegetable that normally doesn’t receive much praise, are unexpectedly good and simple. The prosciutto is not too salty and lays deliciously atop grilled bread.

Under seconds, three are not to be missed: Chevre salad (French for goat) with Ohio goat confit from Lucky Penny Farms in Garrettsville, fresh herbs and sheep’s milk cheese; Virginica oysters with Meyer lemon mignonette; and hand-ground beef tartare with a cold poached egg.

The salad is packed with layers of flavor and the fresh herbs really shine. The tartare is simply magnificent. An order of the skate wing was the only somewhat disappointing second.
For larger portions, you really can’t go wrong. Standouts include the buckwheat pasta with mahogany clams and chili, cod in papier with fresh black truffle and potato, and the roasted Tee Hills chicken from Loudonville, Ohio with bread heels, carrots and herb jus.

The perfectly prepared pasta satisfied, although be aware, it can be a bit on the salty side. The roasted chicken, with its flavor-packed crispy skin, was surprisingly juicy, tender and well-received all around.

To finish off the meal, pastry chef Kerry Garcia has a handful of tempting items, mostly priced at $5. Not to be missed is star anise pot de crème with valhrona bittersweet chocolate and fleur de sal Florentine and the Calvados apple tart with cognac ice cream.

Libations: In continuing with the focus on all things local, general manager and beverage director Everest Curley approached the drink menu, specifically beer and liquor, with an emphasis on supporting the Great Lakes region. Because, as he shares, there is a superior product right here and wants to give the mom and pop purveyors a market all while exposing diners to a new product they may not experience otherwise.

The barley section of the drink list includes a selection of four beers on tap, including Four C’s Pale Ale from The Brew Kettle in Strongsville, 12-ounce bottles, 22-ounce bottles and a handful of 750-milliliter bottles.

Under grain, it’s a similar tactic. You won’t find all the usual suspects, with the exception of a handful like Grey Goose, Johnnie Walker and Crown Royal. Instead, there’s Boyd & Blair potato vodka from Pennsylvania, Buffalo Trace bourbon from Kentucky plus a lengthy list of other regional finds.

The grape section of the list stretches a little further than the region—much further to be exact. The wine list is inspired from the team’s trip to Paris last year. The group spent the past 18 months tasting wine to ultimately narrow down to 45 bottle choices including several glass pours. With the final list, Curley explains, every table can afford a bottle of wine if that’s what they want.

As for specialty cocktails, all drinks are made to order; no premade concoctions found here, which is what the team believes every customer deserves. The drink selection pays homage to cocktails from the pre-prohibition era, when drinks had a reason, Curley states. One must-try cocktail is the signature Ginger Flip, a subtly sweet, unique blend of Goslings rum, egg white, ginger beer, powdered sugar and fresh nutmeg.

Décor: The team worked to keep much of the original Cort Building in tact. The space features four different dining levels that break up the large space into four uniquely intimate dinning experiences.

The basement, where the main kitchen is housed, features a chef’s table (best seat in the house), classic jukebox that spins 45s and bathrooms complete with one-of-a-kind, handmade wallpaper from Europe. The solid English oak tables are actually laboratory furniture from John Carroll University's science classrooms, circa 1950s. And the bars, kitchen and restrooms utilize the latest water-saving technologies, including solar-powered dual flushers and faucets.

The main dining area, which is earthy and open, features Civil War era cedar barn wood from Jefferson, Ohio that chef Sawyer found on the side of the road. The vintage benches (even a few church pews), bar tables, chairs and chandeliers custom-made from a local bike co-op that feature bike rims are all recycled from local neighborhoods. Finally, the long bar that spans the narrow space illustrates the teams’ dedication to finding creative eco-friendly design solutions. Wine and beer bottles were painstakingly broken to bits and recycled to create a custom concrete bar top.

Next are two mezzanine levels, each offering overhead views of the restaurant and people watching on East 4th Street. The carpet squares are not only produced in a sustainable factory with high-recycled content, but are samples from interior designers and architects that were headed for the landfill. From the collection, an aesthetically pleasing patchwork design was created.

Finally, the rooftop, which is set to open later this summer, will offer dining and a functional greenhouse that will contribute to the daily food preparation.

Service: After a handful of visits, you’d think this restaurant’s been open for a lot longer than a month by the way this team works together and interacts with customers. Servers are knowledgeable, friendly, efficient, and most important, passionate about where they work and the restaurant’s mission.

Insider tip: Happy hour is available twice, starting at 5 p.m. until 7 p.m., then again from 11 p.m. until 1 a.m. Look for drink and food specials, including $3 prosciutto, $5 chicken and duck wings with chili pepper and garlic, pomme frites with housemade aioli, $1 Virginica oysters and a $7 Ohio beef burger with raclette cheese.

Many remember the popular Rock & Roll wine projects from Sawyer’s Bar Cento days. Look for these at Greenhouse soon, only bigger and better. Additionally, brunch service is expected to start this summer followed by lunch.

Bottom line: Sawyer and crew’s footprint may be environmentally small, but the impact they are making on Cleveland’s culinary scene is impossible to ignore.

pom pom

2009-04-24T20:43:00.003-04:00

Last month, the folks over at POM asked if they could send me a case of their pomegranate juice to sample. I love pomegranate juice and cook with it often, so of course I said yes and was thrilled to be offered. On a side note, as a PR counselor by day, I loved their PR person's approach (and I get some whoppers, trust me). She didn't request, require or hint at the slightest thing and most importantly, did her homework on me and my blog. I appreciated it.

In less than a week, we knocked off our case of POM samples. I used it to replace OJ in my morning green smoothies, tried it in a few new recipes and of course, drank it straight.

Of everything we've tried, my favorite recipe is the very first one I made last year: herbed lamb chops with pomegranate reduction from Cooking Light. It's quick, easy and incredibly good (and healthy).

Ingredients
8 (3-ounce) lamb rib chops, trimmed
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
3/4 cup pomegranate juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon honey
2 tablespoons minced shallots
1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon water
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Preparation
Preheat broiler. Coat a foil-lined baking sheet with cooking spray. Place lamb on prepared pan. Sprinkle lamb evenly with 1/2 teaspoon pepper, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and thyme. Broil 5 minutes on each side.

Combine juice, mustard, and honey in a small bowl. Heat a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add shallots and garlic to pan; sauté 1 minute. Stir in juice mixture; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook until reduced to 1/2 cup (about 5 minutes).

Combine cornstarch and water in a small bowl; stir until smooth. Add cornstarch mixture to pan; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in chives, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Serve with lamb.

umami made my daughter cry

2009-04-23T20:03:00.005-04:00

I suppose it was bound to happen. I've heard stories but secretly hoped we were immune. I mean, we've made it this far and at some fabulous places to boot, weren't we home free? Not so much. Thirty-six minutes in, two barely touched glasses of cabernet and $77 later, it was our turn -Natalie cried in a restaurant.

Technically, I suppose we're to blame. When we dine out with her, we try to keep early bird hours so we don't interfere with other diners - just in case. But tonight we tempted fate. It was a little after 5 p.m. and she usually eats around 6-ish. But since she's been so good at every single restaurant we've exposed her to (and it's a pretty lengthy list), we decided to push our luck and see if she could make it. Through the first round of beautifully prepared small plates, she slept. And while we waited for our larger plate and the check, she stared and smiled (we always ask for the check early when we eat out with her just to be safe). But as I looked up and saw the chef finishing our pad Thai special, she let out a wail and didn't stop.

My husband and I looked at each other almost in disbelief then quickly went into evacuation mode. I grabbed her bottle, which she wouldn't take, all her gear and went straight for the outdoors while Jamie signed the bill, apologized to our server and had the dinner made to go. In minutes flat we were in the safety of the car where of course Natalie was once again smiling and laughing, no doubt at her parents moment of panic. (Natalie, you owe mommy a glass of wine.)

Metromix brought us into Umami tonight, the new Asian eatery in Chagrin Falls. We've attempted to go a few times, but kept getting sidetracked. And when we finally made it in, it was cut short. But in that quick 36 minutes, we were wowed. This ultra tiny yet intimate space is beautiful and sophisticated and responsible for equally as impressive dishes. We sampled five different items and one in particular I'm craving more of right now: the togarashi crusted, plancha seared white tuna with hoyu and tobiko.

I'll share more details and specifics with the full Metromix review, but in the meantime, I'm so happy this un-Chagrin Falls like restaurant is in Chagrin Falls. Hopefully Natalie will have better luck at what's sure to be more Umami visits in our future.

michael symon to open two new restaurants in cleveland

2009-04-22T07:38:00.006-04:00

In flipping through the Plain Dealer, I saw that Michael Symon is planning two new restaurants this year (and I thought the news of the day was going to be the Cavs).

According to Joe Crea, Symon is taking over Swingos Grand Tavern in Avon Lake as well the former Cold Stone Creamery in Woodmere, which is part of the Eton Collection (this will replace the bakery he was originally planning).

Here's more from the article:
Bar Symon, an American bar and brasserie, will occupy the site of Swingos Grand Tavern, which closed suddenly in February. The restaurant, at 32858 Walker Road, is scheduled to open in June.

"Everything on the menu will range from $9 to $18," said Symon, adding that "most of the menu will be built around live fire cooking" and may feature custom-built rotisseries similar to the ones boldly displayed at his most recent restaurant, Roast, in Detroit.

"Very casual, American-driven, very comfortable -- that's what we're aiming for," Symon said, describing the vibe he and his wife, Liz, and their business partner Doug Petkovic are seeking. In addition to 100 beers from around the globe, 40 of them artisinal brews available on tap, Symon anticipates a comparatively modest wine list featuring about 25 bottles. Matt Harlan, executive chef at Lolita, will take over the kitchen in Avon Lake.

Once the doors open at Bar Symon, the partners will kick into overdrive to open the other restaurant.

The B Spot -- "pretty much just great burgers and beer," Symon said -- will bring upscale casual fare to the tony Eton Chagrin Boulevard shopping center. It replaces a bakery concept he originally envisioned.

"We just wanted great, simple food," Symon said of a menu that will feature "maybe 10 burgers plus fries, milkshakes, a couple of salads and around 20 beers on tap."
____________
Congratulations, Michael, Liz and Doug! And good luck to Chatty - although we'll miss you at Lolita.

cinco de mayo: happenings and recipes

2009-04-21T14:43:00.006-04:00

I honestly have no idea where the times goes. I realize just how cliche that sounds and that everyone says that. But seriously, how is it that I'm writing a post for Cinco de Mayo when I feel like it wasn't that long ago when I wrote last year's post and was sitting upstairs at Momocho chomping away on chips and guacamole (I was pregnant for last year's festivities so I truly was chomping away and then some!)? Sigh.

At any rate, we're about two weeks out and I've already received a dozen plus e-mails from people looking for recommendations. Here's what I know thus far for local activities. As I learn more, I'll be sure to update this post. And if you know of any happenings, please share.

Baricelli Inn
I know, I know it's an Italian restaurant. But, chef Paul Minillo hosted a similar dinner last year and it received much praise. This culinary homage to Mexican cuisine will be in the form of a prix fixe 3-course Mediterranean fiesta. Their twist on Mexican classics includes a choice of three starters, entrees and desserts. Plus handcrafted margaritas and sangria, The cost is $35 pp.

Momocho
Chef Eric Williams will start things off at 3 p.m. He's planning a number of drink and food specials and weather permitting, the patio will be open.

Staying in? Chef Williams shares his recipes for salsa and the famous guacamole, which still retains my vote for best guac in Cleveland, hands-down.

guacamole

yields: 4 cups

12 ripe avocados*

1 small yellow/Spanish onion chopped

2 cloves fresh garlic / minced

1 small bunch fresh cilantro / minced and stems removed

1 jalapeno chile / minced (removing the seeds will reduce the amount of heat)

juice of 1 lime (roll the lime by hand on counter top or microwave for 10 seconds before cutting to yield the most juice)

2 tbl kosher/course salt

Peel and pit the avocados and place pulp in a mixing bowl. Add salt, minced garlic, and lime juice and begin to mash to desired consistency (the salt will act as an abrasive and will help infuse the other flavors). Add the minced cilantro and jalapeno chile to the mashed avocados (you can add as much or as little as you desire). Stir to incorporate all the flavors.

Some alternatives -- addition of diced tomatoes, goat or bleu cheeses, habanero chiles, roasted red peppers, roasted garlic, smoked fish, or tropical fruits.

*choose dark green Haas avocados that are slightly soft to the touch. You can purchase hard avocados (green) and ripen them by placing the hard avocado in a brown bag in a warm spot; may take 1-2 days

tomatillo salsa verde / “green salsa” yields: 4 cups

1 - 27 oz can tomatillo

1 small yellow/Spanish onion

1 bunch cilantro

1 bunch scallions

1 jalapeno pepper

4 cloves garlic

¼ cup lime juice

1 tbl salt

Reserve the liquid from the tomatillos (this liquid can be used to thin the salsa during the puree process). Peel and chop Spanish onion and remove stems from cilantro and jalapeno pepper. Chop the ends from the scallions and place all ingredients into blender and puree until smooth.

plated landscape dinners set

2009-04-19T20:51:00.003-04:00

Now in its fourth year. chef Ben Bebenroth and the Spice of Life Catering Company have unveiled their schedule for the incredible plated landscape dinners:

June 7th: Muddy Fork Farms Asparagus Dinner - Wooster
June 28th: Urban Landscape Dinner at Keith Berr's Courtyard - Cleveland
July 4th: Rooftop Fireworks Urban Landscape Dinner - Cleveland
August 9th: Urban Landscape Dinner at Karen Small's Backyard - Tremont
August 16th: Heritage Lane *Family Friendly* Bison Roast - West Salem
September 20th: Muddy Fork Farm Heirloom Veggie Dinner - Wooster
September 27th: Killbuck Valley Mushroom Fall Fungus Dinner - Wooster
October 18th: Mackenzie Creamery "Get Your Goat" Dinner - Hiram

This time around, they have scaled back on the courses to make the experience more budget-friendly. The 5-course dinner is now $100. This includes food, wine pairings and a tour (beautiful surroundings compliments of mother nature). These tend to book fast, so if interested, call now to reserve the dinner that appeals to you most.

q & a with michael herschman

2009-04-13T18:56:00.006-04:00

Clevelanders have seen a lot of good restaurants come and go through the years. Mention any one of these, like the Silver Grille or Battuto, and it automatically conjures up a favorite memory or emotion for many. This is why I always pose this question during my interviews. For me, Battuto is one of those restaurants I miss, along with Mojo's. I spent a lot of time in my early 20s at that restaurant, both at the bar and on the patio. While I still miss Mojo's, you don't have to look too far from Tremont to find the chef. Michael Herschman has worked in several kitchens since closing Mojo's, and right now, he can be found at Metropolitan Cafe. In fact, he is the only reason why we have returned to Metropolitan since leaving downtown.

1. What are the top 5 spices every home chef should have? Kosher salt (but that can’t count, c’mon), good black peppercorns in a good mill, cumin, fennel seed (my favorite spice), cinnamon, and most importantly, Old Bay.

2. What is your philosophy in the kitchen? Know your basics, keep it simple and evolve from there. It is easy to have successful dishes by not trying to be so complex. By combining a few simple well-prepared items together, a balanced, composed dish will result.

3. What is your favorite thing about Cleveland and what drives you nuts? My favorite thing about Cleveland is it is home. My family is from here and most still remain, or like myself, have returned. Home is home. Accessibility is Cleveland’s biggest asset. What drives me nuts is this perpetual inferiority complex and lack of leadership. Culpability, accountability and credit where credit is due because there is so much out there, yet so few, “go for it”.

4. If you could cook for one person, real or dead, who would it be? My wife, Marilyn. She has the best palate in town, and is not biased by bs. Either she loves it, it is ‘whatever’ or here comes the frown. Oh yeah, Jerry Garcia or John Lennon, too!

5. You’re having a dinner party, top 5 songs on your play list? Unfortunately, I only go albums (old school) but definitely 1) Tomorrow Never Knows – Beatles (get this room bumpin' and open up some bubbly), 2) Naima – John Coltrane (loosen up folks and mingle), 3) 70’s Bowie goes great with food and company (cheeky and a little lusty so I would have a small set from Heroes or Hunky Dory), 4) anything of Mars Audiac Quintet by Stereolab (not so pulsy but circulatingly applicable background that is mostly French so people can’t necessarily sing a long, though the tunes are still catchy and make great wallpaper) and 5) any solid loud Paul Weller blast of “There is No Drinking after You’re Dead” off of Heliocentric (completely suggestive for the remainder of the evening after food, libations, discussion and the transition to keep the evening alive).

6. Favorite restaurant in Cleveland? Unquestionably, Siam Café. Haven’t had a bad meal since it transformed from a dilapidated Red Barn (miss my Barney Buster). Service is very hospitable, great to my family, able to knock out large parties and take out is never messed up. The beer is always ice cold and the Tod Mun is always hot. Plus, where else can you go immediately when you are in the mood for Frog?

7. What restaurant do you miss? Little Vietnamese takeout joint on Euclid Heights and Lee Road in Cleveland Heights which was only around for two years, but man, was it awesome.

8. What place(s) have Clevelanders yet to discover? I am looking forward to Jonathon Sawyer’s new place on 4th [The Greenhouse Tavern] and would like to check out Chrissie Hynde’s place in Akron [The Vegiterranean].

9. What’s your last meal on Earth? Sushi from Ebisu in San Francisco, Duck at Chinois on Main and my mom’s Matzoh Ball soup, but will she be pissed when she finds out it’s my last meal (am I dying or is there a death penalty situation here, because that changes everything!).

10. Most unusual food you have ever tried? Chocolate covered salted crickets from Japan. Take hair, salt and shrimp legs, fry them up and then coat with melted bittersweet chocolate. Echhh, then you eat another!

11. Most famous person you have cooked for? Phil Lesch and Bobby Weir - dinner for Vogues 50th Anniversary (everybody who is anybody amongst a few hundred folk).

12. If you weren't a chef, what would you be doing? Who knows? Maybe producing music or playing it, or most probably teaching… even though school and I didn’t always get along.

13. Do you cook at home? Yep! Most requested meal from your kids? BBQ, BBQ, BBQ

14. What do you miss most about Mojo’s? The awesome crowd and late night hit. All the folks in the business would come in late for a nosh and the music. Will it ever be back? You can make that check out for……..

15. If you could be any other chef for one day, who would it be? Jean Louis Pallidin, RIP. Cooked for everybody - traditionalist and innovative, a total individual yet so disciplined and knocked over walls at the right time.

16. If you could visit any restaurant in the world, which one would it be? I want to go back to San Francisco and spend the entire day sitting out front of Zuni and start with oysters, work my way to a burger, a couple salads, the ricotta gnocchi and then a couple desserts later and a few bottles of anything Helen Turley has on the list and have a perfect espresso and be kindly asked to leave because they have to lock the doors.

17. What book are you currently reading? Some old David Morrell novel. I need to escape to where people get shot up and spy and stuff. Nothing you would find in the Oprah's list.

18. Favorite TV show? Simpsons!

19. What kitchen gadget can you not live without? 12-inch tongs.

20. What is the best plate of food you have ever had? Lunch at Rastfali in Amsterdam and Sushi in Toronto (the uni melted and melted and melted).

21. Favorite meal from your childhood? Deli to go on Sundays...how can you not stick your tongue out at the tongue in the glass case?

22. What local farmers and vendors do you rely on most? Honestly, I have to rediscover local agriculture, but truly will always count on Tom and Wendy from Killbuck.

23. What's your signature dish? Calamari, I guess.

24. And current food-related trends happening right now? I want the French Asian thing back! It tasted good, wasn’t expensive and was a great creative outlet with the discipline. I do not need to hear the biography of every ingredient on a menu or eat every part of the animal. Good restaurant equals good ingredients. I do not need to know that the Lah Dee Dah Farms chicken was spoon fed from the manna of the cherubs, died of natural causes with its entire family present and then had a burial at sea…oy.

25. You have owned a restaurant and been the head chef at many restaurants in Cleveland. What are some of the lessons you've learned from these experiences that others starting out could learn from? Listen to everybody but go with your gut. Do not hurry; life is not a credit card (you cannot borrow time and pay for it later). Set reasonable standards - help the team reach them, then reach higher. Cut labor when necessary but do not try to disguise shotty work or use crappy ingredients. The customer is always right…because they pay your rent. If you are a talented chef then you are also the best pushover. Just make the frickin' Caesar with chicken at 10 pm... it will afford your foie gras, dumass!

restaurant news / updated

2009-04-10T20:56:00.009-04:00

Here's a rundown of various restaurant events and food-related items that have been sent my way:

-- Fire / Daily complimentary valet service now available. In addition, the spring dinner menu begins April 28. Also on the 28th, Fire will be serving house made hors d'oeuvres and cocktails featuring house made syrups at the bar from 4:30 p.m. -6:30 p.m. daily.

-- Umami Asian Kitchen / Now open for lunch.

-- Sarava / Summer hours resume Sunday April 19th (open every Sunday 5-9 p.m.). From Sunday April 19th through Sunday May 3rd, stop in for free dessert with a $20 purchase. Also, RIO rewards members get $10 off their check over $25 this month. If you aren't a member, you can join on their site and earn points from both Sarava and Sergio's.

-- Cuffs Chagrin Falls / Wine tasting, April 16, $25 pp. Brian Lynch of Wilson and Daniels (burgandy portfolio)

-- Lucky's Cafe / Saturday dinner on April 18 featuring a four-course menu of Italian classics, like gnocci, risotto, pappardelle and eggplant parmesan. $35 pp with a portion benefiting the Red Cross.

-- Happy hour @ L'Albatros. Mon - Sat , 4 p.m. - 7 p.m., enjoy $5 appetizers and $7 drinks (small plates like fried cauliflower, pome frittes, goat cheese tart, burger, mussels). I continue to be impressed by this restaurant and am really looking forward to the opening of their patio, one of the best in town.

-- Ty Fun / 20% off your bill on Mondays

-- Wine classes @ Blue Canyon. Beginning April 16 and lasting weekly until May 7, learn more about wine and sample some good food in a series of wine education classes. Each class offers 5 - 6 varieties plus food pairings. Cost is $30 per class or $99 for all four. Space is limited to 30 per class.

-- A Cookie & a Cupcake is working on adding a patio that will be ready as soon as the weather cooperates.

-- Grovewood Tavern celebrates 10 years of business with 10 entrees priced $19.99.

-- Momocho / Spring menu changes should be in effect by end of April. Grilled corn on the cob will return plus the addition of soft shell crabs, plancha style (cooked on a griddle with a weighted press) and new taquitos. And of course, Momocho will have specials for Cinco de Mayo starting at 3 p.m.

-- Openings / Jekyll's (former Blake's) in Chagrin Falls in now open. And the one I personally can't wait for, The Greenhouse Tavern finally opens this Tuesday! Also, a very big congratulations to the team at GHT for becoming Ohio's first certified green restaurant - that's huge!

Finally, I went to the store today to pick up a few things for my Easter dinner contribution (cauliflower risotto with brie and almonds). While in line, I picked up a copy of Bon Appetit since I let my subscription lapse. Tucked between the pages of tempting recipes that I will someday attempt, is a coast-to-coast guide on the recipes and restaurants that make the U.S. the best place to eat in the world, titled The United Plates of America. Representing Ohio, is the walleye with herb dumpling at Lola and blueberry ale from Rocky River Brewing Company. More national ink for Cleveland - congratulations!

time well spent on e 4th

2009-04-09T21:08:00.007-04:00

After hearing about Corner Alley for a year or so, we finally made it there tonight for a work outing (bowled two games, neither score worth mentioning). As far as bowling alleys go, this one is up there - granted my knowledge of alleys now includes two, Freeway Lanes in Solon and now this one.

This upscale alley is a mix of lanes, obviously, pool tables and a full-service martini bar and restaurant. There is plenty of seating, flat screens, great music (Feist, Kings of Leon, The Killers), contemporary decor and a fairly high-energy crowd. It's a perfect addition to downtown and something I wish was around when I lived there. Who doesn't like to bowl? Apparently many Clevelanders do because I'm told there is a month waiting list to reserve lanes and up to three months for millionaires' row, the plush VIP section that fits 100.

After I lost two bets to my overly giddy husband and two games, we made a quick stop into The Greenhouse Tavern for their social media and industry bash, the last preview in a series of three before the Sawyers open to the public on the 14th.

Unfortunately, we could only stay for a half hour before we had to get home and relieve the babysitter (grandma). But it was a packed 30 minutes. We chatted with chef Eric Williams over at Momocho who shared a cute story about his son, Jackson (apparently his son thinks his dad owns every restaurant), our friends Heidi Robb (check out her new site), Martin with Erie Island Coffee, Kyle Roth and his wife, Erika, of course Jonathon, Amelia and Everest, and finally, Michael Ruhlman, whom I finally had the pleasure of meeting as we waited for the car.

On our way out, we picked up take out from Saigon. Nothing crazy just the pho tai nam (beef and brisket) and spring rolls. The pho was wonderfully seasoned and aromatic. The rolls were typical - good, but nothing overly memorable. And although I was only in for a quick minute, the space appears to be a good balance of sophistication and warmth with dramatic lights, bamboo dividers and tables in the window for good people watching.

As we walked down the street, the majority of restaurants and bars had the patio furniture front and center and ready for warm Cleveland nights. Too bad the beautiful weather from today can't carry over for the home opener tomorrow and the large mass of people that will surely line the street throughout the day.

q & a with bob fishman

2009-04-08T07:45:00.008-04:00

If you live in or around Cleveland Heights, than chances are you know Bob, or at least his store, The Grapevine, on Cedar-Fairmountl. His wine shop has been part of the city for over 20 years.

1. What is your absolute favorite wine? The wine that I am drinking at the moment. They are all favorites otherwise I would not be drinking them. The wine that I have the fondest memory of was the 1990 Estancia Meritage. We drank it the night we conceived my daughter. It was a nice wine but my all time favorite wine as far as tastes goes is the 2001 Colgin Cabernet that we had along with Harlan, Maya, and Neiman this past November.

2. What is a must-try red and a must-try white? For red it would be a Syrah, from Alban - Sin Qua Non or an equal producer. If there is one out there, please let me know. For white, I love Oregon Pinot Gris, such as Elk Cove.

3. What is a decent red and a good white to give as a gift? The most popular red still is Cabernet Sauvignon, and for white it is Chardonnay. They are always safe bets, but when gift-giving I like to suggest something a little bit more off beat that you may not know about or purchase for yourself.

4. What tips do you have for someone ordering wine out, but isn’t sure what they are looking at? Talk to your server if they are wine savvy and tell them what you are looking for. They taste wine on a regular basis and have a good feel for the list at the restaurant. Try to find something that is priced in the middle of the pack. Ask questions such as what flavors do they have, and inquire about the specific vintage. If your server can't help, ask for additional help from a manager or owner.

5. What do you look for when tasting a wine? Smooth, silky, great legs, complexity and a finish that lingers on and on.

6. What local wineries are worth the trip? Ohio has over 100 producers of wine and they are improving with each new harvest. There are the old guard wineries still making sweet, boring wines. The good news is that many are not - check out St. Joseph and Harpersfield for good examples of what is capable of being made in Ohio.

7. What’s your ultimate pairing? Grilled Salmon with a Oregon Pinot Noir from the 2006 vintage like Bergstrom.

8. What wine are you likely to serve at a dinner party at your house? We drink far more reds then whites. I am happy to open anything for our guests if they will appreciate it. We have been cellaring wines for years and it's fun to bring out something that is 15 to 20-years-old. That way you can drink the best wines at the best times and the best prices. I have more Laurel Glen Cabernet in our cellar than anything else.

9. Do you have a tried and tested trick for wine stains? Drink red wine at your friends house only.

10. What type of selection can people expect to find at Grapevine? When we opened the store in 1987 we decided to do something different and have not changed our concept since day one. Our focus is the best selection of California, Washington and Oregon wines in the area. We have always carried French Champagnes, Ports and Sherries. There are no substitutes for the real McCoys. Even though we do not stock imports we have and always will be happy to special order in any wine that is available to us from our Ohio distributors.

11. Favorite cheese? Again based on our menu that can vary.

12. What’s your favorite thing about Cleveland and what drives you nuts? The people, culture, diversity and the cool houses and communities that we have here. Something for everybody, but I love the old neighborhoods such as Cleveland Heights and Shaker Heights. The grayness of winter drives me crazy. If it is 10 degrees out but sunny, I am a happy camper.

13. Favorite restaurant and what restaurant do you miss? Crop. Great food, great staff and always fun. We never get bored with the menu as it is always changing with new and fun foods. I miss Au Provence, which was a 36 seat restaurant that I worked at many years ago.

14. Where does your passion for wine stem from? Two people. Tom Wykoff, who was the owner of Au Provence. Tom was a pioneer in making Ohio wines and started the restaurant because he had so much wine and didn't know what to do with it. Gene Parrino who was one of the founders of Vintage Wine Distributors. He forget more about wine then I will ever know, and I have been around the wine and restaurant industry since I was 13-years-old.

15. Do you cook? If so, what’s your specialty? I do most of the cooking at our house. My wife has a few special dishes that are her specialty, but I cook the rest. It's been five years since I lost 65 pounds so I do not eat the way I once did. Lots of simple preparations, like grilled or sauteed foods with lots of rubs and spices.

16. What restaurant wine lists in town impress you? Any restaurant that charges fairly for wine. There is no reason to charge double retail or more. It is the ultimate turn off. Everyone is entitled to make money but there is a point of no return.

17. What book are you currently reading? One of my passions is reading. I try to read three or four books a month if I have time. I just started Paths of Glory by Jeffrey Archer. He is my all time favorite author who wrote Kane and Abel, Prodigal Daugher and about 15 others.

18. Do you ever hold any tastings or special events? We do not have a tasting permit so we can not open any wines at the store. We do tasting at customers homes, business or charity events from as few as 10-15 people up to events of several hundred. They are all designed with our customers preferences.

19. Is a screw top really better to preserve wine versus a cork? This is the ultimate debate at home. I love screw tops, my wife Lisa hates them. You don't get corked wines with screwtops. There is an industry standard of up to three or four percent of bad corks out there, and lots of people don't know they are drinking bad wines. The only thing we don't know is how will wine age with a screwtop, but most people are not cellaring wines as they once use to.

preview dinner at the greenhouse tavern

2009-04-07T09:33:00.002-04:00

They say good things come to those who wait. Well Cleveland, we've waited and in return, we're rewarded with not good, but great things.

On Sunday night, Jamie and I were fortunate enough to be included among the eager and downright giddy that had the pleasure to attend The Greenhouse Tavern's family and friends preview.

People often ask me why I am so passionate about local restaurants and not so positive towards chains. Take one step inside this restaurant and you will know why. It's people like Jonathon and Amelia Sawyer, Everest Curley and the entire GHT crew. Because their passion is contagious. Because to fulfill a dream it takes months upon months of hard work, resolve and sacrifice. Because there is a dedication to support their communities and neighbors. And because there is a genuine desire to put exceptional quality on each plate. All while leaving as little of a footprint as possible.

Chef Sawyer, who was happily back in the kitchen after a four-month hiatus, treated guests to a generous sampling of menu items. We experienced:

Hand ground beef tartare with a poached egg and wild ramps

French breakfast radishes with butter and salt

Cod in papier with black truffle and potato

Roasted Tea Hills chicken with bread heels, carrots and herb jus

Chevre salad with Ohio goat confit, herb salad and sheep's milk cheese

Roasted bone-in skate wing with capers, garlic and anchovy

Crispy chicken wings with chili pepper, scallions and garlic

From start to finish, with each passing course, to say we were impressed would be an understatement. We ate some seriously good food. My two favorite items were surprisingly things I don't even care for: chicken and radishes. I rarely make chicken let alone try it in a restaurant. It's just something I never cared for. Until now. The crispy skin and meat were packed with flavor. And the radishes, simply perfect. My other favorite was the chevre salad with Ohio goat confit. We had a similar dish at the Brooklyn Beer dinner last month so we were eager to sample this again. And it didn't disappoint. The only dish I wasn't crazy about was the skate wing. While the table seemed to enjoy it, I felt it was just okay and that the garlic and anchovies weren't as prominent as expected. Nonetheless, I wasn't too concerned because I was surrounded by wonderful flavors and aromas and tablemates (thanks Steve & Julie) that didn't seem to mind my wandering fork.

Chef Sawyer's dishes are simple and use straightforward ingredients. But when combined, the result is a complex, layered dish full of unique flavor. Much like the space itself featuring four different dining levels. It's a brand new restaurant yet it has many stories to tell, some decades old. It's worthy of post all its own, which I will do in the very near future.

Yes Cleveland, the wait is almost over. In two short weeks, the restaurant will officially be open for dinner, with lunch and brunch not too far behind. This restaurant is just one more reason why there is a very happy foodie living in Cleveland.

cleveland food rocks crop bistro

2009-04-06T16:02:00.011-04:00

This past weekend, the Cleveland Food Rocks week-long event came to a close, but not before the chef behind the idea threw a party to celebrate the city, its chefs and of course, its food.

Chef Steve Schimoler, along with Elaine Cicora and the entire staff at Crop Bistro, hosted the first ever late night rock 'n' roll throw down in conjunction with the induction. And late it was. From 10:30 p.m. until 1:30 a.m. or so, chefs, including Dante Boccuzzi and Michael Symon, foodies, media and music aficionados drank, ate and were entertained by Steve's band, Cream of the Crop.

Between mingling and playing the tambourine for a few songs, Dante was in the kitchen helping to feed the hungry guests (even the Iron Chef jumped in). Unfortunately, I only sampled one dish that made its way out: a miso shrimp flat bread finished with yuzu skin dust. It was, as you might imagine, wonderful. Great texture and flavor. Apparently everyone else thought so too because I wasn't able to try anymore.

Another highlight of the evening was Michael and Liz Symon. I don't see them often, or really know them outside of the blog, but when I do see them, I'm continually impressed by the couple's down-to-earth nature and incredibly friendly attitude. You can't help but love the Symons.

For more pictures from the event, click here. In the photo at the top is Liz Symon, Steve Schimoler, Michael Symon, myself and Jamie. Above is pastry chef Olena Gudz, Jamie and myself.

Dante Update

Speaking of Dante, I asked how things were coming along with the restaurant. He shared that he's dealing with the city on a few things and hopes to be open by July/August. As for the flat bread, I asked if that dish was a sneak peak to his new menu and he said we could see something like it. He also said that when he left the restaurant, 50 pounds of miso came with him and has been eating miso everyday! Oh how I wish he was my neighbor...

tree country bistro

2009-04-02T09:42:00.004-04:00

A couple years ago, my one coworker introduced me to Korean food and all that I was missing. On a business trip to LA, she took a few of us to Woo Lae Oak where I didn't even bother to examine the menu, rather trust her to order and know she wouldn't steer us wrong. And she didn't. I've had Korean since, not at a restaurant per se, but rather her house (although it was definitely restaurant quality). I'm told there are several viable options for good Korean in Cleveland, and last month on behalf of Metromix, we visited one such place. And while I still have much to learn when it comes to Korean food, I think this spot just might even impress my colleague.

Tree Country Bistro in Cleveland Heights is a Korean restaurant. And Japanese. And if you're craving Thai, well, they've got that country covered, too. Sitting in the former Que Tal space, Tree Country is nestled among many Asian eateries on Coventry and neighboring streets. At first, I thought for sure this was a bad idea considering its stiff competition from Pacific East and Mint alone. But after our visit, I was convinced Tree Country could hold its own.

The full review is here, but here are a couple excerpt from our meal:

Food: If you are looking for endless options, this is the restaurant for you. Tree Country features more than 165 items on its menu—from sushi and noodles to rice, curry and everything in between.

Sushi alone consists of 75-plus rolls including sashimi and specialty rolls, like the B-52, snow mountain and alligator. We sampled the fashion maki (BBQ eel, cream cheese, avocado, cucumber and tobiko). This neatly constructed roll, complete with a decorative bird assembled out of a carrot, was simply wonderful.

Under Thai specialties, expect to find the usual suspects: a variety of curries, pad Thai and an impressive selection of fried rice (pineapple, basil and mango to name a few). An order of the country pad Thai, a spicier version of its traditional counterpart, was surprisingly quite good. This dish easily holds its own compared to neighboring versions within a stone’s throw. In fact, Tree Country’s version packs more heat than a similar dish found a block over.

To round out the order, we tried the popular Korean dish Okdol Bi Bim Bab, with assorted vegetables and beef (or chicken) over rice topped with a sunnyside-up egg served in a sizzling hot stone pot.

This piping hot dish, which remains sizzling long past the last bite, was easily the standout favorite of the meal. The meat was plentiful and wonderfully seasoned, and when mixed with the egg yolk, rice and veggies, creates a wonderful texture and delicious layers of flavor. To kick this dish up a notch, try mixing in the spicy-sweet chili-bean paste that’s served alongside the pot. The only suggestion we might offer the chef would be to cut back on the rice and increase the vegetables. Other than that, this is a must-try dish.

If you can manage a few more bites, dessert options include tropical fruit on ice, fried bananas, Thai custard, fried ice cream and Thai custard with sweet sticky rice. We tried a few bites of the fried banana, which is wrapped like a spring roll with chocolate sauce and honey drizzled on top. It’s a good dessert, but not worth holding off on the main attractions.

Décor: The somewhat small space is clean and contemporary with warm tones and a few Asian influences scattered throughout. Plastic green bamboo, which the restaurant can do without, separates diners from passers-by on Coventry.

north union farmers market

2009-03-30T14:55:00.004-04:00

It's hard to believe on days like today, but it really is spring. The new season means more than just warmer weather, but also outdoor seating (ok, that may still be a month off), new seasonal menus (check out Fahrenheit's spring menu) and the opening of the North Union Farmers Market.

On April 11 at 8 .m., the market officially opens for the season at Shaker Square and lasts thru December 12. For west siders, the market opens at Crocker Park on April 18 until November 21. For a complete list of all market openings, click here.

Buying directly from the market not only means a better quality product on your dinner table, but you're supporting our local farmers and economy. I personally can't wait for the market to open. I don't visit Shaker Square as much as I used to when I lived right around the corner. Now, we head to Chagrin Falls. Smaller, but still great. I'm looking forward to introducing Natalie to it all very soon.

Can't get enough of the market? The Spring Benefit is April 27 from 6:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. at ETON. Enjoy a feast prepared by over 25 of the best local chefs, including:

Bar Cento, Mike Nowak
Bistro 185, Ruth & Marc Levine
Boulevard Blue, Kurt Steeber
CK's Steakhouse at Renaissance Quail Hollow Resort, Jonathan Buchner
Crop Bistro, Steve Schimoler & Olena Gudz
Culinary Occasions, Bob Sferra & Joyce Potts
Dewey's Coffee House, Diane Armstrong
Grotto, Fabio Salerno
Grovewood Tavern, Brandon Kercher
J. Pistone Market & Gathering Place, John Pistone
L’Albatros, Zachary Bruell
La Campagna, Carmella Fragassi
Light Bistro, Matt Mathlage
Lola, Derek Clayton
Olof's Daughter, Elise Jansson Holtier
Parallax, Zachary Bruell
Pier W, Regan Reik
Sapore, Matthew Anderson
Sara's Place by Gavi, Richie Cunningham
SASA, Scott Kim
South Market Bistro, Michael Mariola
Stone Mad Pub, Pete Leneghan
Table 45, Zachary Bruell
The City Square Steakhouse, Michael Mariola
The Greenhouse Tavern, Jonathan Sawyer
The Viking Store Cooking School, Adam Wilson
West Side Market Café, Matthew Pell
Zoss, the Swiss Baker, Barbara Zoss

Tickets start at $80 per person. Call 216.751.7656.

a perfect saturday morning

2009-03-28T20:29:00.003-04:00

Normally, you can find us on the weekend happily nestled inside Starbucks in Chagrin Falls. Coffee, green tea and the paper is how we like to start our Saturday morning. Today, however, we opted to head to East 4th street and visit our friend Martin's coffee shop, Erie Island Coffee.

What a perfect addition to East 4th. The shop is wedged between Zocalo and Pickwick. The long, narrow space features two areas in the window ideal for people watching, oversized local art donning the walls, turquoise-esque chairs and custom-made curved benches lining the walls and my favorite touch, several walls accented with a mosaic of stained cedar planks. It's our kind of shop and if we still lived downtown, it would be our weekend hangout for sure.

Since neither of us had anything to eat, we both opted for a crush, a panini crushed between a bagel. I had the veggie omelette with roasted red pepper cream cheese, portobello, tomatoes, spinach and cheese and scrambled egg; Jamie had the applewood omelette crush with bacon, cheddar, basil and egg. To drink, I had an ivory mocha light.

We both enjoyed our sandwiches, just the right amount of food for breakfast. But what I really enjoyed was my coffee. I'm not a coffee connoisseur by any means, but this was a very enjoyable specialty drink and did not taste light at all.

After our visit, we made the very short walk across the street for a sneak peak at The Greenhouse Tavern where Everest Curley was kind enough to take a break and show us around.

The space isn't complete yet and is still several weeks from opening, but what we saw was very impressive. You can tell a lot of love and hard work is going into this restaurant. Every item inside has a story and what we learned so for was quite interesting.

But what really made this Saturday so perfect was that one of my best friends became a fist-time mom this afternoon. Welcome to the world, Jack William!

she's just my type, american classic

2009-03-27T16:07:00.005-04:00

Congratulations to Ken who won the Cleveland Food Rocks contest for his description on why Cleveland rocks. His six-word entry, "she's just my type, American classic," earned him $50 to Crop Bistro.

To be fair, I asked Jim Sollisch, creative director and writer extraordinaire where I work, to be the judge. He's an incredibly gifted writer and I knew he would enjoy this.

As for the winner, Jim said he liked it because it's a sentence, not a tag line, and therefore more interesting. If the assignment were just on food, Jim said he liked "foodie complicity, gourmet simplicity, every ethnicity."

By the way, if Jim were to play along, his entry for why Cleveland rocks would have been: 5-bedroom house, 3 fireplaces, updated $209,000. "Hemingway had a great idea to use the for-sale genre— it really packs a lot of info in a few words," he explained.

I thought there were a lot of great entries to choose from and am happy so many people played along. A lot of people focused on food and those ones were among my favorites. I liked: Mistake on the lake takes its cake (although it came in past the deadline); Symon, Bruell, Small, Whalen, Sawyer, Schimoler; One generation's history is another's inspiration and Live local, eat local, love local (that would be chef Eric Williams of Momocho who entered just for fun).

Congratulations, Ken, and enjoy your dinner. And thanks to Crop and chef Steve Schimoler for giving away the generous gift card.

cleveland rocks and so does its food (tell me why and win $50 to crop)

2009-03-20T12:31:00.009-04:00

Since landing in Cleveland in 2005, chef Steve Schimoler has made quite the impression. After his term ended at Nestle in Solon, he could have packed up his knives and headed anywhere given his impressive background and talent. But no, he decided to stay in Cleveland and open Crop Bistro in the summer of 2007. And that would have been enough for most - but not this chef. He fell in love with our city and wanted to make a bigger impact. He went onto launch Local Crop, an online farmer's market that connects Northeast Ohio farmers with local chefs, and most recently, Cleveland Food Rocks, a collaborative effort among local chefs to put our wonderful independent restaurants in the spotlight as the Rock Hall induction ceremony finally comes home.

Beginning March 28 through April 4 - Rock Hall induction week - 16 restaurants will feature a special food or drink item centered around the Rock 'n' Roll theme and will have live music one night during the week.

Just like the Renegade Lunch, this is another idea I just love -- our local chefs working together to promote our city and each other. Chef Schimoler's objective for this concept was to champion the dining scene to the estimated 40,000 visitors that are expected to take over Cleveland that week and boost business at local, independent restaurants.

According to Elaine Cicora, Crops's chief storyteller, Steve came up with the idea a year ago. As a drummer and a chef, he is very tuned into the synergy of food and music, and immediately saw this as a natural way to leverage the excitement of the inductions into a showcase for the city's great dining scene. In addition, he also was committed to developing the project as a truly collaborative, grass-roots endeavor and wanted to encourage the community to come together to spotlight our wonderful city -- not merely as a money-making opportunity, but as a real celebration of Cleveland's great clubs and restaurants.

The Music

The project's grassroots focus is also seen in some of the music that restaurants are featuring : Sergio's Sarava, for instance, will be featuring a samba trio made up of the restaurant's bus boys; Metropolitan Cafe is featuring acoustic jazz provided by their multi-talented servers; and of course, Cream of the Crop (Steve's band) will be playing at Crop on April 3 featuring Crop staffers and former staffers.

This is really a big deal for our city. The inductions are finally back and it's great to see so many businesses, organizations and the community in general working together and joining in the excitement.

In addition to Crop, participating restaurants include: Bar Cento, Bistro on Lincoln Park, Brother's Lounge, Fahrenheit, Grotto, Grovewood Tavern, Gusto, Johnny's, Lago, Luxe, Metropolitan Cafe, Michaelangelo's, Prosperity Social Club, Sarava and Wonder Bar.

Here's just a sampling of what you'll find:

--Luxe / B.B. King's Cajun mac 'n' cheese

--Metropolitan / Strawberry Fields Forever (spicy shrimp tossed in greens with strawberry shallot vinaigrette)

--Michaelangelo's / Black Sabbath's sweet leaf mint martini + Sinatra cover band

--Fahrenheit / April 1, 4-course tasting menu, only $32 + Material Girl martini

For a complete list of live music and special food and drink creations, click here. By the way, be sure to head to the Rock Hall on April 4 - admission is FREE all day.

Win $50 to Crop

So what's better than all the new treats hitting diners' plates next week? Eating for free. Playing off the popularity of the six-word phenomenon, sometimes referred to as American haiku, you can win a $50 gift certificate to Crop Bistro. Here's how:

Legend has it Hemingway was once asked if he could write a story in six-words. His reply, "For sale: baby shoes, never worn." He was said to have called it his best work. In 2006, Smith Magazine partnered with Twitter for a six-word challenge (another brilliant idea). Soon, there will be a foodie six-word book from Smith Mag (more on that later).

Playing off this idea, tell me why Cleveland Rocks in exactly six words and the gift card could be yours. Share your words in the comment section and be sure to include your e-mail so I can notify the winner. Deadline is Friday, April 27, at 9 a.m. Good luck.

For inspiration, watch this video. Even if you're not going to participate, still watch - it's that good. And be sure to head out during Rock Hall week to help our chefs show off our city.

$1 equals 40 days of water for a child (cleveland chefs join together for unicef's project tap)

2009-03-18T18:48:00.008-04:00

From March 22 - 28, five local restaurants are participating in Unicef's Tap Project, which brings clean water to millions of children around the world - something each of us takes for granted every single day. Just $1 provides drinking water for one child for 40 days - $1, something most of spend without a second thought on coffee, the paper or any number of things on any given day.

Participating restaurants include: Momocho, Red the Steakhouse, Moxie, Paladar, Bar Cento and Gamekeeper's Taverne.

Momocho is going one step further. Chef Eric Williams is donating an additional $250 to the cause, plus extending the restaurant's popular happy hour until 9 p.m. on Wednesday, March 25. So take advantage of the extended hours and have a great night out for less and do some good in the process.

I first heard of this cause after reading it in the NY Times two years ago when New York City restaurants asked their patrons to donate $1 (or more) for water they normally drink for free. Since then, it has grown to a nationwide movement that thankfully, our local chefs and restaurants quickly got on board to support.

head to greenhouse tavern tomorrow

2009-03-16T08:14:00.005-04:00

St. Patty's Day is, of course, tomorrow. It's going to be a warm and sunny 60 degrees outside and the streets will no doubt be packed with families, drunks and plenty of people playing hookey. It's been a good five years since I've retired from participating in the downtown March madness, but if I was heading down, I'd surely skip the parade and overcrowded bars in favor of The Greenhouse Tavern's street fare.

Tomorrow, starting at 7 a.m., chef Sawyer will be making duck fat fries, featuring power ketchup, housemade beer vinegar, and just for St. Patty's Day, a green aioli.

While I don't miss the post St. Patty's recovery period and am more than content with my fuzzy memories of many happy years celebrating my faux Irish downtown, I do miss getting my annual corned beef sandwich at Slyman's and will definitely miss out on this Greenhouse sneak peak. Thankfully, they are still slated to open on April 1 so I won't have to wait much longer.

q & a with olena gudz

2009-03-13T09:28:00.004-04:00

From forensic scientist to pastry chef at Crop Bistro, Olena Gudz is truly quite unique. Here, she offers up interesting insight into the science behind her craft, why she loves her heritage, plus gives readers a detailed recipe for a dessert anyone can make at home. And if that's not enough, she's a fan of Babbo and loves The Office.

1. What are the top 5 spices that should be in everyone's pantry? Vietnamese cinnamon (a more fragrant and bolder cinnamon than one would find in the spice aisle of most grocery stores), a chili, such as ancho or chipotle (great for adding subtle heat to all things chocolate, such as brownies, cookies, hot chocolate), instant espresso powder (great when baking because it has an intense coffee flavor and dissolves very well), cardamom, and a nice sea salt for garnishing.

2. What is your favorite and least favorite thing to make? I absolutely love making ice cream. The flavor possibilities are endless and there is a lot of room for experimentation. I also love putting together cakes. It takes a lot of patience but I love making all the separate parts; the cake layers, filling, soaking syrups, and frosting, and then experiencing it all together...with both the eyes and the tastebuds!

I don't like making puff pastry dough from scratch. I made it in school and while it was interesting to see the process, it is just too labor intensive and the purchased stuff is very similar.

3. What is your favorite thing about Cleveland and what drives you nuts? I love all the little neighborhoods and what each has to offer: Tremont, Little Italy, Coventry, Lakewood, Ohio City, Shaker Square, University Circle. I just wish there was better public transportation to access all these areas more efficiently and conveniently. I hate when people really trash Cleveland, especially when they live here. I've been to a lot of great places, both in and out of the U.S., but I have a soft spot for Cleveland and always will.

4. If you could cook for one person, real or dead, who would it be?
Real: Oprah Dead: Charles Darwin

5. You’re having a dinner party, top 5 songs on your play list?
I always like to have a nice variety: "Forever Yellow Skies" by The Cranberries, "Electrical Storm (Orbit Mix)" by U2, "The Rach 3" by Sergei Rachmaninoff, "Ecstasy" by Rusted Root, "Get Up Offa That Thing" by James Brown.

6. Favorite restaurant in Cleveland? I've always had good experiences at The Flying Fig.

7. What restaurant do you miss? I have fond memories of going to the original Lopez & Gonzales with my parents, siblings, and aunt and uncle. That was when I was still a pretty picky eater though.

8. What’s your last meal on Earth? A good, crusty bread with the richest, saltiest butter I can find, the perfect Caesar salad, a chicken simply roasted with butter, salt, pepper, onions, and lemon, risotto with rosemary and mascarpone, a bowl of pistachio gelato, and a nice dessert wine.

9. Most unusual food you have ever tried?
I know for many folks, this isn't so unusual, but for me, it is sweetbreads. The first time I had them, I really didn't care for them. The second time, I actually enjoyed them.

10. Most famous person you have cooked for? I was just part of a small team who prepared dinner for a very exclusive group of people, that included Colin Cowie, lifestyle and design expert to celebrities.

11. Most requested dessert your friends and family ask you for? Honestly, I haven't repeated a lot of desserts for family and friends. I use the opportunity to experiment with new desserts and baked goods. They're pretty excited anytime I make anything! One of my most requested cookies, though, are Fudge Crackle Cookies.

12. Where do you grocery shop? I do the bulk of my shopping at Giant Eagle, mainly for price and convenience. For more specialty items I can't find there, I love Nature's Bin in Lakewood.

13. Favorite guilty pleasure when it comes to food? I definitely have a weakness for salt, great breads, and really good doughnuts.

14. If you weren’t a chef, what would you be doing? My plan was to be a Forensic Scientist, working with DNA.

15. If you could visit any restaurant in the world, which one would it be?
I would love to have the full El Bulli experience.

16. What is one easy dessert everyone at home could make?
Fruit (either fresh or slightly cooked down with butter and sugar until tender) served with a streusel topping and fresh whipped cream. Taking advantage of fruit that is available is an easy way to create a simple, yet delicious dessert, whether it be for your own enjoyment or for a special occasion. The key is to use fruit that is in season. Some general guidelines: stick to pears, apples, and cranberries in fall and winter. Stone fruits, such as apricots and plums start becoming available in late spring, and then berries in the summer.

For the streusel, work the following ingredients together with your fingers until it comes together and is crumbly:
4 oz. (1 stick) unsalted butter, slightly soft
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cups granulated sugar (or equal amount of brown sugar if you want a richer taste)
1/2 tsp. salt

Spread in an even layer on a sheet pan and bake at 350 for 8 - 10 mins or until lightly brown.

This streusel recipe can be easily doubled or tripled, without affecting the quality. To add a bit more interest and texture to the streusel, feel free to add about a 1/4 cup per batch of coarsely chopped nuts or even oats.

For garnish, whip two cups of heavy whipping cream with 1/2 cup of powdered sugar and 1 tsp. vanilla extract, until medium-firm peaks form.

Serve this dessert in small bowls for a casual look or parfait-style, in martini or other nice glasses for a more elegant look. Start with fruit on the bottom, top with desired amount of streusel, and then a dollop of whipped cream.

17. Favorite TV show? All-time favorite is Seinfeld, with The Office coming in at a very close second.

18. What kitchen gadget can you not live without? A microplane and small and large off-set spatulas.

19. What is the best plate of food you have ever had? I've been fortunate enough to dine at several great restaurants, such as Babbo, The Slanted Door, The French Laundry, Zuni Cafe, etc. However, my most favorite dining experience was at a restaurant called Le Chien Noir in Kingston, Ontario. It is a French bistro in this Canadian city that borders Lake Ontario. It was the simplest yet most delicious plate of steak frites I have ever had. That, along with the company I was with and the atmosphere, made it a dining experience I will never forget.

20. Favorite meal from your childhood? Not necessarily a meal but a few different foods. Potato Pierogies with sauteed onions and butter, potato pancakes, cinnamon rolls, and Packa (Ukrainian Easter Bread). These are all foods that both my grandmothers made. That's a lot of carbs, huh? Also, I remember delicious cupcakes that my mother made when I was only a couple years old. They were very rich chocolate cupcakes with chocolate fudge frosting topped with the little colored sprinkles. I have yet to find a chocolate cupcake that is as good as those.

21. How did you become a pastry chef? I have always had a passion for food and an extra-passion for desserts. I was almost through with my Undergrad Degree in Biology from Kent State when I had a light-bulb moment. I love science but I also have a very strong creative side that I knew I had to incorporate into my career. I graduated from Kent, completed the Pastry Program at ICASI, and landed my first restaurant pastry position, opening with Lola in Downtown Cleveland. Since then, I have gradually begun to marry two of my strongest interests, science and food. Working at Crop has really allowed me to apply my science education to my dessert creations in terms of new techniques, ingredients I am able to use, and continued experimentation. Also, continuing to take science-related coursework as I can allows me to stay sharp and current in that area while still working with food.

22. Are you trying out any new desserts? I really love floral notes but I know many people are hesitant because it reminds them of perfume. For spring, I want to put a dessert on the menu that is a balance of floral and herbal notes, something that is refreshing and not too perfumey.

23. How does science play into your desserts? I incorporate aspects of food science into my desserts in ways that improve the dish, whether it be texturally, flavor-wise, or nutritionally. However, I strive to make these improvements subtle and so they are not screaming out to the customer, like "Hey, I am a laboratory experiment on your plate!". Part of my philosophy is, if it does not do anything to improve the quality of the dessert, then do not do it. I also plan on using my science background and continued science education to create baked goods/desserts that are delicious and nutritionally sound.

24. How did you become involved with a Ukrainian vocal group? I have always been very involved in my Ukrainian heritage but as I got older and busier, I fell out of a lot of the groups and events. The opportunity arose to audition for a Ukrainian Female Vocal Ensemble. Because music, particularly singing, has also always been a big part of my life, I knew this was something I had to do. Our group, Zorya (which translates into star), is made up of about 13 women who all live in the Greater Cleveland area. We bring a fresh, young face to Ukrainian music while still maintaining tradition. We are recording our first CD of folk, Christmas, and sacred music. I am thrilled to be a part of it.

new additions to bistro on lincoln park

2009-03-11T13:06:00.006-04:00

When we first visited Bistro on Lincoln Park back in December for Metromix, the chef promised that a happy hour was not far off, along with an affordable wine list. This past weekend, we found ourselves back at Bistro to celebrate our friend's birthday and learned both are now in full swing.

In addition to the restaurant's regular wine list, you can also order from the 20 under $20, which features a good mix of reds and whites. Not one to pass on a good deal, the table quickly ordered a few bottles. Even if you think you're only going to have one or two glasses of wine, it's just more cost-effective to order from this list, considering you can cork what you don't drink and enjoy at home later.

Following in Lolita's delicious footsteps, Bistro also offers two daily happy hours Monday - Friday, from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., then again from 9:30 p.m. to close (10:30 on Fridays).

For $5, you can try:

Lamb Sliders, peppered aioli, micro fennel on homemade slider buns
Croque Monsieur, house-made duck prosciutto & raclette cheese on English muffin
Country Sausage Ragoug, fresh sausage, forest mushrooms & roasted chestnuts over polenta
Pizzelle mini, hand-made pizza dough served with fresh tomato sauce and parmesan reggiano Tuscan Beef Stew, slow braised beef served over creamy polenta

As for our meal last Friday, cheers from all around the table. I had the scallop special over wilted spinach and a deluxe hash brown of sorts and the goat cheese tart to start things off. Two visits and two good meals. Service was friendly, too, and the restaurant itself was nicely packed. No doubt that will continue with the addition of the happy hour menu.

cleveland international film festival

2009-03-10T07:27:00.004-04:00

The 33rd Cleveland International Film Festival starts next week (March 19 - 29th). Good friends of ours, Kevin Kerwin and Kate O'Neil of Authentic Films, are sponsors of the film festival and produce the promotional trailer. For the past several years, we've attended opening night with them and try to see their list of recommended movies. They have yet to let us down. Here are their picks for must-see movies playing at this year's fest:

Tokyo!
directed by Bong Joon-Ho, Michel Gondry, Leos Carax
Sunday, March 22nd 12:00 AM (Saturday midnight screening)
Sunday, March 22nd 1:50 PM

It's Not Me, I Swear
Friday, March 20 6:50 PM
Sunday, March 22 9:15 AM
Monday, March 23 11:30 AM

The Way We Get By
directed by Aron Gaudet
Tuesday, March 24 2:00 PM
Wednesday, March 25 7:15 PM

Art & Copy
directed by Doug Pray, financed by The One Club
Friday, March 27 2:15 PM
Saturday, March 28 7:15 PM

Prodigal Sons
directed by Kimberly Reed
Thursday, March 26 9:30 PM
Saturday, March 28 4:20 PM

Sparrow
directed by Johnnie To
Wednesday, March 25 12:10 PM
Friday, March 27 2:10 PM
Saturday, March 28 10:00 PM

Scenarios USA Shorts Program
Misunderstood, Bitter Memories, MANchild
directed by Rawson Thurber (Dodgeball), shot by Lee Daniel (Before Sunrise), Line Produced by Kate O'Neil (Authentic Films)
Monday, March 23 7:00 PM

The Garden
directed by Scott Hamilton Kennedy
Friday, March 27 6:45 PM
Saturday, March 28 11:10 AM

At the Edge of the World
directed by Dan Stone
Friday, March 20, 6:45 PM
Saturday, March 21 11:00 AM

Kassim the Dream
directed by Kief Davidson
Saturday, March 28 2:20 PM
Sunday, March 29 4:45 PM

Dinner and a movie - a great night out and an even better way to support Cleveland.

ben and greg's renegade lunch

2009-03-04T11:06:00.012-05:00

I love ideas. One of my favorite aspects about my job is brainstorming and working together to generate all sorts of ideas for our clients, big and small, outlandish and simple. So when I first heard about this idea back in December, I was immediately wowed and a bit giddy.

Here's how the big idea started, straight from Greg MacLaren's post:

"A few weeks back I had this crazy idea. What if, I thought, Ben and I just started doing random free plated lunches around town? I know that times are tough for a lot of people in the working world and especially in our fair city and I also expect that morale can't be at its all time high. Ben and I have always enjoyed the unexpected and more than a little chaos, so I figured we could combine that with food and come up with something unusual, exciting, and a little chaotic. Hence, Ben and Greg's Renegade Lunch Project."

The traveling restaurant offers lucky diners (first come, first served) a free, two-course, locally sourced lunch prepared tableside. At the end of each lunch, diners will be asked for a small donation to a local charity. Another good idea.

Brilliant, right? Love the concept (logo, too) and the fact that chefs Greg and Ben [Bebenroth] are doing a little something out of the ordinary to help a lucky group of 25 forget about all the crummy things going on, even if it's just for an afternoon. All while passing on some good to a local charity in the process.

The lunch events will be held in different mystery locations each month. The charity will change each month, too.

Chefs Ben and Greg, Cleveland's dynamic duo. Wouldn't you agree?

UPDATE

Marigold Catering was just voted best off-site caterer by Cleveland Business Connects. Marigold also celebrated a second award as the exclusive caterers of Park Lane Villa, voted Best New Venue. This is the second year in a row Marigold was honored as best off-site caterer. Congratulations.

parallax

2009-03-03T07:10:00.003-05:00

Natalie can now add Parallax to her list of favorite restaurants. And for the record, it was another successful outing with the baby. Not one word from our little foodie.

A few weeks ago, chef Zack Bruell's PR person e-mailed me to extend an invite for dinner at Parallax on him as a way of saying thank you for the coverage and helping to drive traffic to his restaurants. This blog was started out of my passion for local food and Cleveland a few years ago. I don't make any money on it and we always pay for our own meal. But on occasion, a chef will send something over to the table, or as the case last week, invite us to dinner. Although the gestures are greatly appreciated, it's worth noting that I never let anything influence my posts. After all, if I'm not honest, I'll lose credibility and people will stop reading.

I've written about Parallax a lot. It's easily one of our favorite restaurants and on my short list of places I recommend when contacted for suggestions. The food and service are consistently good and there is always something new on the menu to try.

On our visit, we started off with two salads: seared scallop with tomatoes, bacon, arugula and white French dressing for me and warm goat cheese with endive and mustard vinaigrette for Jamie. For dinner, I went with the seared tuna with horseradish mashed potatoes and port wine sauce while Jamie had the popular Alaskan black cod with miso glaze. We also shared the unavo roll and each had a glass of the Woop Woop cab.

I've had the scallop salad before. I like the different textures and the scallops combined with the dressing. This time, however, the scallops were too salty. I ate them, and enjoyed the rest of the salad, but looking back I probably should have said something.

Our roll was really quite good. I'm not sure if people think of Parallax for sushi. I've gone several times for this alone. It's always fresh, nicely prepared and really enjoyable.

My tuna was also quite good, especially the horseradish mashed potatoes. I was debating between that and the Thai seafood stew. Although the stew sounded rather tempting, in the end, I was very happy with my dish.

The black miso cod also delivered. This dish is a perfect example of how consistent the kitchen is. Jamie and I both have ordered the cod many times over the past few years and it's always spot on.

While I've yet to try Table 45, between L'Albatros and Parallax, chef Bruell continues to earn high praises from us. And Natalie, too, considering she has already been to both at the ripe old age of 3 months.

a cookie and a cupcake

2009-02-27T10:40:00.003-05:00

Last weekend we went over our friend's for a small dinner party. I wanted to bring something in addition to wine, so earlier that day we went to Tremont for some treats at A Cookie & a Cupcake (plus some quick shopping/browsing at Banyan Tree).

I was so excited to finally check out this bakery. I've been a fan of Wendy Thompson from her days at Dante and knew this place would be sinfully good. Their shop, which she co-owns with Syndee Klingenberg, is tiny but filled with big aromas of all things sweet and decadent. The shop is easy to find, just look for the one-of-a-kind, beautifully decorated cakes in the window.

There are 12 cupcakes available daily, each at $2.50. I selected a mix of German chocolate, espresso, apple, carrot, PB lovers (chocolate cake with peanut butter crunch, similar to Wendy's one dessert we loved at Dante) and lemon.

The cakes aren't the only things that are impressively decorated. Each cupcake is a little work of art. It has to be quite time consuming to assemble and decorate all these tiny cakes. Their effort pays off because these cupcakes tasted as good as they looked.

I tried the lemon with raspberry filling and butter cream. It was very good and surprisingly, not as sweet as I anticipated, although I still didn't eat all the butter cream, it was almost too much. I also tried a bite of the PB lover and sure enough, that was another winner.

In fact, there were smiles all around the dinner table.

go fish

2009-02-27T10:30:00.003-05:00

Today kicks off the search for great fish fries in our area. If you have a favorite, please share. We like American Tavern in Solon and The Colony in Cleveland Heights. For a slight twist, check out Baricelli. Every Friday throughout Lent, get a three-course, prixe fixe dinner for $30. The menu includes:

Soup or Salad
Rainbow trout, skate or seafood fettuccine
Creme brulee or sorbets

WKYC posted a guide for local fish fries, mostly at churches. If you know of any other good places to try, please share.

preorder michael symon's cookbook, live to cook

2009-02-25T10:11:00.004-05:00

I saw that everyone's favorite Iron Chef posted on his Facebook page yesterday information about preordering his cookbook, Live to Cook. And later on his blog, Symon Says, he shared a little more information about his first cookbook:

Upon returning I found out that my book just went on presale on Amazon. This book has been well over a year in the making and has been one of the toughest and most enjoyable projects of my life. It will have stories and recipes from my childhood until now and to say I am proud of it would be a vast understatement. I really need to thank Michael and Donna Ruhlman for making the process enjoyable and Rica for pushing us to do such a great book.

You can preorder the book here. Live to Cook will hit bookstores this November. I will definitely put this book to good use and will proudly display it right on my kitchen counter next to my Babbo cookbook, which by the way is wonderful if you don't already have it.

brooklyn beer dinner with chef jonathon sawyer

2009-02-24T10:04:00.003-05:00

Last Thursday, chef Sawyer invited Jamie and myself to be his guests at Viking in Legacy for a special Brooklyn Brewery beer tasting featuring brewmaster Garrett Oliver (who also happens to be a best-selling author and sommelier). Each beer, six total, was paired with a dish created by chef Sawyer and his team. The night also offered a sneak peak into his highly anticipated new restaurant, The Greenhouse Tavern, because several of the dishes will be on the menu. Oh, and for those as anxious as I am for it to open, chef Sawyer shared that the wait should be over around April 1.

The menu featured:

raw mackerel filet with nicoise olives, a spicy dijon mustard Jonathon and Amelia brought back from Paris and haricot verts.
roasted Ohio baby goat served with a herb salad with coriander, lime and mint and delicious goat's milk cheese
black cod in papillote with lobster, new potato, hop oil and artichokes.
Ohio beef tenderloin, short rib and bone marrow served with root vegetables and Local 1 bordelaise
Ossua Iraty cheese with scotch heather honey and crostini
Brooklyn Chocolate stout creme glace with chocolate cherry break and crushed malted milk balls

On the way home, we both commented that it's been way too long since we've had any of Jonathon's food and this night made us that much more excited for Greenhouse to open. And in talking with several people on his team, it truly sounds like it is going to be one hell of a space and well worth the wait.

As for the food, stand outs for me included the baby goat, short rib and cheese. While everything was simply perfect and incredibly satisfying, if I had to pick one favorite, it would be the sustainable black cod. He made this dish look effortless, but there is no way I could ever make anything tasting even close to that. Thankfully, I won't have to because this dish will be on the new menu, although it may not always be cod.

If given the choice, I always pick wine over beer with my dinner. But this tasting opened my eyes. Garrett Oliver, who did an outstanding job selecting the right beers with each course and describing why it works so well, gave all of us quite the education and taught me to alter my thinking. In fact, I enjoyed the beer so much (Jamie has always been a fan), that we served it at our daughter's baptism this past Sunday.

For pictures of each course, check out Northcoast Lifestyle.

lucky's brunch now at vine and bean

2009-02-20T12:33:00.002-05:00

Just received this e-mail this morning:

LUCKY'S BRUNCH MENU AT VINE AND BEAN on LARCHMERE! The award-winning brunch that you love is now available on Cleveland's East Side! Begining tomorrow, February 21, 2009, Chef Heather Haviland will be serving your favorite brunch items from Lucky's famous weekend brunch at her East Side bistro, Vine and Bean from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., every Saturday and Sunday. The brunch menu at Vine and Bean will expand to include such perennial favorites as the Shipwreck (A blissful blend of hash browns, eggs, seasonal veggies, bacon, and cheddar cheese), Canoewreck (the curried tofu, vegetarian version of the Shipwreck) and the Breakfast Burritos (veggie scrambled eggs in flour tortilla covered in housemade guajillo pepper sauce). Chef Ky-Wai Wong will be serving the traditional brunch at Lucky's, this week with a special Chocolate Mousse Gateau going to brunch customers for only $1.50 - well worth braving the weather.

Also, reserve your spot for the Lucky's Cafe Special Dinner. On March 14th, Heather Haviland and Ky-Wai Wong will prepare a special menu for one night only, featuring hand-made pasta, local meats & produce, and special dessert selections. This four-course dinner is offered for $35 (prix fixe) with selections for omnivores and vegetarians.

I hope the pecan-crusted bacon makes its way there, too!

dining with a baby (lunch @ l'albatros)

2009-02-18T11:04:00.004-05:00

For Valentine's Day, we decided to make it a trio and head to lunch at L'Albatros. We had such a fabulous meal and all around enjoyable evening there a few weeks ago, heading back for lunch was an easy choice. Plus, I've never been a fan of going out to dinner the night of V Day anyway.

We take our new daughter, Natalie, everywhere with us. She enjoys reading the paper while sipping a green tea at Starbucks, shopping at Banana Republic and Target, picking up something for dinner at Heinen's or Miles Market, visiting friends and family, taking Stella for a walk, going for a much needed pedicure, and of course - going out to eat.

So far, she's been to Touch, Yours Truly, Shinano, Pacific East, Bravo (not my choice but Jamie loves it), Luchita's, American Tavern, Lucky's, Peppermint, Vito's and most recently, lunch at L'Albatros for her first Valentine's Day.

Everywhere Natalie has been, she's been the perfect little diner. She just sleeps! But just in case she decides she's ready for a change of scenery, we always ask for the check as soon as we order in case we have to make a fast getaway (which we've yet to do). Plus, we are very conscientious of when we go out to eat, mostly during the week and before 6 p.m.

L'Albatros was her first big girl restaurant. We played it safe and went early and right after she ate and was ready for her afternoon nap. As expected, she slept the entire time. She didn't even budge when I oohed and ahhed over my rich and creamy mushroom bisque with truffle oil, croutons and shaved parm, or from hearing me ask (beg) several times for one more bite of Jamie's sinfully good croque monsieur.

Nonetheless, when we walked in, we received plenty of dirty looks (and lowered jaws) from patrons. I knew exactly what they were thinking - oh great, there goes our nice afternoon lunch, coupled with, this is no place to bring a baby.

I can't say I blame them, they don't know her or us. I wanted to walk up to every table and assure them Natalie would be the perfect little patron, no need to fret.

When I used to be a server, I would cringe when little Johnny and Susie would get sat in my section - mostly because the parents would let them throw/spill food and draw all over the tables and chairs leaving an extra big mess for me to clean up, while they laughed. I never blamed the kids, just their parents. You wouldn't let them act like this at home (well, I assume you wouldn't) so why do it out?

But Natalie is different and we're not those parents. I'm sure as she gets older, it won't always be this easy and we'll leave her home more with a sitter. But for now, we are in baby bliss and like bringing her along and introducing her to our world.

So if you see an unbelievably cute baby girl being sat next to you (FYI - next up for her is Lolita and Momocho; she's craving guacamole and a burger), you have nothing to worry about. But just in case she should fuss, we'll be gone in seconds flat. Our goal is to enjoy every minute with her and expose her to as many things as possible, not ruin your night out in the process.

As for our lunch at L'Albatros, it was as expected, simply great. And while the patrons may have not been overly thrilled by our presence, I will say our server was just great and didn't seem to mind one bit.

lago

2009-02-17T16:33:00.003-05:00

Shortly after Lago first opened, I met my girlfriends there for dinner. Last month, I found myself back at Lago sitting at the same corner booth with the same group of friends. I wrote initially that I wasn't too impressed with the restaurant and received quite a bit of e-mails, some agreeing with me but many urging me to give it another try. After two attempts, the second on behalf of Metromix, I have to say I'm still not all that impressed (though I will admit it was better the second time around).

You can read the full review here. In short, I'll say the best part of my meal was the beginning and the end - the wine and dessert. Thanks to our server, I found a wonderful new wine, McManis Petite Sirah. As for the dessert, we shared the olive oil cake and tiramisu, both were really quite good, especially the ultra moist olive oil cake.

As for my meal, I ordered the short ribs, which came to the table surprisingly on the cold side. The ribs were also quite fatty and tough. I wasn't totally disappointed, but this dish definitely fell short.

After two visits, I'm sorry to say I probably won't be back for dinner (but I wouldn't hesitate to go back to sit on the patio for some dessert and wine). There are just way too many consistently good restaurants in town where I'd rather spend my money.

erie island coffee company to open this week

2009-02-14T22:16:00.006-05:00

East 4th Street is about to have a new resident. On February 19, the Erie Island Coffee Company will open its flagship shop.

Don't expect this to be just another coffee house. Each latte and cappuccino is topped off with latte art, a practice created by delicately pouring micro-foamed milk over a rich, amber espresso’s crema. Erie Island baristas have received over 400 cumulative hours of training in this craft.

According to the release, the shop’s proprietary Northern Italian espresso roast is a blend of five quality green beans, smooth with caramel tones, no bitterness, a sweet cocoa finish. It is served in European café-style, with either a chocolate covered bean or a square of milk chocolate.

The shop will also offer fat-free, fruit puree smoothies, each topped with Italian granita, a flavored shaved ice. A selection of breakfast and all day sandwiches called Crushes will be available for dine in or take out. Crushes are oven-crisped bagels, sliced, turned inside out, layered with fresh and healthy ingredients, and then crushed and toasted on a Panini press (vegetarian versions are available). Soups and salads top off the menu.

Erie Island Coffee will be open Monday-Thursday 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Saturday 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Sunday 8 a.m. - 2 p.m; free WIFI available.

Erie Island Coffee was founded in 2008 on Kelleys Island by two Cleveland advertising veterans, one of whom happens to be a good friend of ours, Martin Reuben.

Good luck, Martin - we wish you much success! The three of us will soon have a new coffee shop to enjoy Sunday mornings.

chef sawyer at viking on thursday (beer dinner with garrett oliver)

2009-02-13T17:34:00.003-05:00

In today's Plain Dealer, Joe Crea did a short piece on Garrett Oliver, award-winning brewmaster and author. Crea briefly writes about Oliver's itinerary while in town, including a beer dinner with Chef Jonathon Sawyer and several members of his Greenhouse Tavern team.

From the PD:

Pairing beer with food is a growing passion among foodies, and an upcoming visit by one of the nation’s foremost experts might increase your knowledge.

Garrett Oliver, award-winning brewmaster of the Brooklyn Brewery in New York and author of “The Brewmaster’s Table” (Ecco, 2003), will visit the area this week.

At 6 p.m. Thursday, chef-restaurateur Jonathon Sawyer of the soon-to-open Greenhouse Tavern will prepare a six-course meal paired with beer selections by Oliver at Viking Culinary Center at Legacy Village (24703 Cedar Road, Lyndhurst; 216-381-2100; www.vikingcookingschool.com).

Dishes (from the Greenhouse menu) include chevre salad with roasted Ohio baby goat; sustainable black cod en papillote with artichokes and Cascades hop oil; and soft-serve ice cream with malted milk balls and chocolate stout. Oliver will speak about beer-food pairings. Admission is $100.
________
We'll be there!

q & a with brandon chrostowski

2009-02-12T19:55:00.004-05:00

Brandon Chrostowski just might be one of the most interesting people in Cleveland. I am not the jealous type, but I am definitely envious of his career path - a trained chef, sommelier, and now a fromager at L'Albatros. If you like cheese (or at least want a very good meal), head to L'Albatros to meet Brandon and the most impressive cheese board in the city.

1. Tell us a little about your background. Well, classic story. I started in the kitchen, and then made the switch to the dining room years back. I graduated from the Culinary Institute of America with my Bachelor’s degree, apprenticed under Charlie Trotter in Chicago, who helped me make my way over to France. Once there I worked at two great establishments: Jean Bardet in Tours and Lucas Carton in Paris. Once I arrived back in the states I worked in NYC at Picholine, Le Cirque and Chanterelle. Chanterelle made the greatest impression on me. Owners, Karen and David Waltuck, have really given me wisdom and many tools for success. Now I’m here in Cleveland.

I don’t consider myself a cheese expert; I’m always learning. My title would be fromager. My passion for cheese is like my passion for life – it’s exciting. Working at great restaurants, cheese and wine has always been the centerpiece. I became a certified sommelier a few years back and have since refined my skills and knowledge to pair the best of both worlds. I have been very fortunate to work under the right people. There’s an expression that “Perfect practice makes perfect.” Although I am far from perfect, I have had much perfect practice.

2. What is your role and responsibility at the restaurant? I’m not much for titles but since you asked, I am the Assistant General Manager and my responsibility is to make sure the restaurant runs smoothly. I am also the fromager which would be extremely difficult to do not having the right staff. Fortunately, we have the right staff. I have a strong team to fall back on at the restaurant, beginning with Zack Bruell and Rob Rasmussen.

3. On average, how many daily cheeses are offered? Around 15. When I get really excited sometimes over 20.

4. How often will the cheese selection change? Where do most of the cheeses come from? It changes biweekly. It’s tough to say. From all around the world, but mainly France and the United States.

5. What is the best cheese and wine pairing? Fourme d’Ambert with Vin Jaune L’Etoile.

6. For someone hosting a party, what should their cheese tray look like? There are so many ways. I like to have about 5 or 6 cheeses: 1) a goat’s milk, preferably a young, soft. 2) a double or triple crème cow’s milk 3) hard cow or sheep’s milk 4) a washed rind cheese 5) a blue 6) and lastly, something unusual that doesn’t conform. For me, Sottocenere would be a great example.

7. Where are the best places locally to buy cheese? And online? Locally, head to Paul Minnillo from The Baricelli Inn, or Dion from Chef 2 Chef at The West Side Market. If you choose to order online, be wary. You don’t touch, smell or taste the cheese online. You’re at the mercy of reading bits of information and the reputation of seller from the Internet. If you find a cheese monger who knows your palate and whom you can trust, then it’s a different type of relationship. For consistency, go to Murrays Cheese, Artisanal or Formaggio Kitchen online.

8. You tell a story with each cheese you offer. What's your favorite story? Stichelton is probably my favorite story. It’s a “rebellious cheese.” In the late 1980’s a couple of guys decided to make a raw milk form of stilton cheese. As you know, stilton must be pasteurized. To get around this rule, they found the traditional recipe for stilton and renamed it for the village that later became known as Stilton, Stichelton. The cows graze on the northern part of the Sherwood Forest. This cheese is fantastic. It’s well-balanced, tangy, and creamy. Hey, maybe even Robin Hood himself would have eaten this cheese.

9. What is your favorite and least favorite cheese? Favorite cheese is hard to say but I love a good Monte Enebro, Rafael Baez makes the best. Least favorite is any goat cheese that’s out of season; I’m not a fan of “bucky” flavors.

10. What's your favorite item on the menu? The cassoulet.

11. What's your impression of our city so far? So far so good. It’s been a lot of work and little play, thus far.

12. Aside from where you currently work, what restaurant has really impressed you thus far and why? Where are you dying to get to? To be honest, I really haven’t had a chance to go out and eat. Aside from a slice of lasagna at Trattoria, I can’t comment much about the food scene. However, from those whom I’ve talked to at work, the Flying Fig is at the top of our list.

13. What cheese can always be found in your fridge? My wife is a fan of triple crèmes so there’s always a St. Andre, Brillat-Savarin, Explorateur or Pierre Robert.

14. What point in the meal is best to eat cheese? Why? After the main course. There’s something sensual about being full, then eating more. It’s like having a great meal then making love.

15. What local cheese has really impressed you? When we moved here in the fall I tried Lake Erie Creamery’s Blomma goat cheese. It tasted a bit out of season then, but in the spring time it will definitely be on the cheese board.

16. How do you select which cheeses to offer? I have a standard spread of cheeses 12- 14. For example, a hard goat’s, a soft sheep, a washed rind cow’s. You can fill these in with any cheeses. There are hundreds of styles of these cheeses and I only get what’s ripe.

17. Will L'Albatros offer any cheese tastings? Yes, in the near future.

18. What is the best way to store cheese? NEVER WRAP DIRECTLY WITH PLASTIC WRAP. To get technical, each cheese has its own range of temperature and humidity; usually between 50 to 58 degrees, with 80 to 90% humidity. With the exception of blues: 42 to 46 degrees and 90% humidity. Cheeses should also never be wrapped in plastic wrap. It suffocates them; remember, they are alive. So for someone at home (average refrigerator temperature at 39 degrees with 32% humidity), for example, the best way to handle cheese is to store it in a cool, damp part of your basement or house. Or in the vegetable drawer of the refrigerator wrapped first in a light wax paper, then wrapped in plastic wrap. At the restaurant I use cheese paper. Don’t forget, cheeses like it to be fairly dark.

19. Best plate of food you have ever had? When I worked in Tours, at Jean Bardet, I had a roasted pigeon (squab) with sweet potatoes cooked in a caramel with a touch of raspberry vinegar and, of all things, bananas.

20. Are there any current trends in cheese? Yes. Trends that I’ve noticed while purchasing cheese is the increase in quality of small, artisan cheese producers. People such as Andy and Mateo Kehler at Jasper Hill Farm have built a cheese cave allowing these small Vermont farmers to age their cheese properly, but most importantly get paid sooner than later. A trend here and abroad is artisan cheese in grocery stores. These artisan cheese shops are venturing out to grocery stores to get their cheese more accessible to the masses. People are going to large grocery stores to buy their cheese as opposed to going to the local cheese makers. This has all been possible by the overall awareness of artisan cheese being increased by those before us.

21. How can one really hone their palate and learn more about the various types of cheese and go beyond the basics? Find an affineur or fromager that you trust. Taste with them. Get to know them, but more importantly let them get to know you and where your palate’s at, then fall in love…with cheese. Read about the long history of some of these cheeses, but more importantly understand the life of these animals. That’s what makes cheese beautiful and alive.

22. Do you make any of your own cheese? If so, what kind and is it difficult? No. I have tried making cheese, but it’s difficult with the homogenized milk you buy in the store. I have had much better luck making cheese with cheese makers.

23. Which cheese makes the best grilled cheese? Practically, a simple cheddar. If I were to have my last grilled cheese sandwich on earth, it would be made with fontina between two pieces of brioche, cooked in white truffle butter…divine.

24. Do you cook? What's your specialty? Yes. Mushroom risotto, my wife’s favorite.

Images courtesy of Kyle Roth.

just in time for valentine's day

2009-02-11T19:55:00.003-05:00

On the Today show this morning, one of my favorite chefs, Mark Bittman (I've yet to make a dish of his I didn't like), demonstrated a chocolate souffle anyone could master. Not only did it look super easy, it's looked absolutely decadent. The trick, he said, was to fold not mix and be sure to clean the mixer between mixing the yolks and then the whites (no yolk can be present when mixing the whites or else it won't work). I probably won't make this for Valentine's Day, but definitely will give it a try soon.

shinano

2009-02-10T09:46:00.006-05:00

I heart sushi. It's up there as one of my favorite meals. For awhile now, I've been boasting that Pacific East gets my vote for favorite local place for sushi. And when the restaurant owners decided to open a second location in Eton, just a few miles from my house, I was downright giddy. So imagine my delight when Shinano, another popular sushi restaurant, closed its Richmond location and relocated to Solon. Now, my house is right smack in the middle of Pacific East and Shinano. For a sushi lover, this is ideal.

A few weeks ago, we made the super short trek to Solon to check out Shinano on behalf of Metromix. I've been to the Richmond location several times (and even more for takeout), so I knew the sushi would be satisfying, but what about the other items? Aside from the sushi, I've never given the menu a second look and was eager to dive in and try the non-sushi specialties.

You can read the whole store here. The short of it is, we will be back, but just for the rolls. The other items we tried were disappointing. In fact, the curry rice left such a bad taste in my mouth, it took several glasses of milk when I got home to erase (plus the dish itself is not appealing to the eye). Now I'm sure there are some stand outs, and to be fair, it's not like we tried every single item. But in my opinion, sushi is their specialty and that suits me just fine.

Other low lights included the service and decor. I've heard from several people now that they too had poor service and I have now twice. Don't get me wrong, service is super friendly, just super slow - with food, the check and picking up plates. I asked if the staff was all new and was told it's mostly the same from the previous location, so no excuse there. As for the decor, truthfully, I wasn't expecting much so it's really not all that disappointing. Overall, the restaurant is very clean and neat, just on the cold and stale side.

But again, if it's good sushi you're craving, you will get it here. But in the end, Pacific East still retains my vote (but it's nice to have options).

february specials at blue canyon

2009-02-08T15:00:00.000-05:00

I love a good deal (these days, who doesn't?), especially when it comes to food. Here are two I just learned about at Blue Canyon:

1. Every Monday at Blue Canyon throughout February, have dinner for two for only $35. Their "date night" Monday menu includes a salad, entree and dessert (new menu every Monday). You'll even get a mousse bomb dessert to take home to the babysitter (or for yourself, of course!).

2. Giving thanks. Every Wednesday throughout the month, police and fire departments, EMT drivers and school staff will receive 25% off entrees. Just show a 2009 ID badges, pay stubs or business cards.

the culinary vegetable institute

2009-02-06T19:09:00.003-05:00

The Culinary Vegetable Institute, a learning center dedicated to the relationship between the farmer and the chef, has a series of upcoming events that are open to the public (CVI, and its parent company, The Chef's Garden, supply herbs and vegetables to chefs all over the country - including Thomas Keller). CVI is located about 50 minutes from downtown.

Earth-to-Table dinner / February 26
Family-style menu created by chef Johannes Klapdohr
$45 pp
Menu includes:

Appetizers
Carpaccio of Winter Beets with Walnut Oil and “Minus 8” Ice Wine Vinegar
Exotic Kale Blend and Old World Lettuces with Pineapple-Ginger Honey Vinaigrette
Wilted Mustard and Turnip Greens with Bacon, Northern White Beans and Glazed Red Onions
Lentil and Heirloom Potato Stew with Vienna Sausages, Carrots and Micro Celery

Entrees
“Coq aux Vin”Free Range Chicken braised in Red Wine with Mushrooms, Shallots and Applewood Smoked Bacon
Slow Roasted Niman Ranch Pork Shanks in a light BBQ and Preserved Tomato Sauce

Vegetables
Roasted Fingerling Potatoes with Thyme and Rosemary
Oven Roasted Beet Variation with Micro Caraway
Braised Celeriac with Pistachios
Brussels Sprouts Sautéed with Duck Prosciutto

Desserts
Parsnip and Pear Strudel with Caramel Ice Cream
Root Cellar Apple Cobbler with Hazelnut Crumbs

Sardinian Wine Tasting / March 5
Five-course wine tasting and food pairing created by chef Johannes Klapdohr
$85 pp
Menu includes:

First Course
“Chefs Garden Caesar Salad”
4 different Romaine Lettuce with Saltimbocca of Organic Chicken and Duck Prosciutto
Parmesan, Sun-dried Tomato Crouton
Sulitai – Cannonau di Sardegna doc 2005, Single Vineyard

Second Course
“Culingiones”
Sardinian Raviolis with Winter Root Spinach and Pecorino Cheese
Sautéed Diver Scallop, Micro White Celery
Tavoleto – Nebbiolo D’Alba doc 2004

Entree
Osso Buco with Marrow and Micro Sage Crust in a light Gremolata Sauce
Broccoli Rabe, Golden Garlic Chive Polenta
Sariz doc 2001

Cheese CourseTaleggio “Pizza” with Dried Figs, Toasted Pistachios and Pear Mustado
Petit Arugula Salad
Amarone della Valpolicella doc 2003

Dessert
Zabaglione Tart with Citrus Fruits and Mascarpone Gelato
Moscato D’Asti docg 2007

Cooking Classes / February 21 and 28
Three hour classes focusing on easy to prepare meals;$245 each. Call to learn about specifics for each class.

L'Albatros

2009-02-04T12:03:00.007-05:00

Last month, my husband was promoted to VP where we work. While he appreciates it, titles have never really mattered to him and he isn't one that likes a lot of attention directed his way. As his very proud wife, I was not about to let this go with just a pat on the back. So I called my folks to watch the baby and took him to dinner at L'Albatros to celebrate.

L'Albatros is the newest restaurant endeavor from Zack Bruell (Parallax, Table 45) in the old That Place on Bellflower space. I absolutely love Parallax and have never had a bad experience there, so there was no doubt in my mind that this French brasserie was the right restaurant for such occasion.

I can't even remember the last time I was at That Place, maybe 7 or 8 years ago, if not longer. Therefor, I can't really recall what the space looked like. But from what I've read, Zack basically redid everything, from the decor to some structural work. Whatever he did, it worked because the space is quite beautiful. The styling is very clean and minimal overall. There are warmer colors on select walls to help soften the mostly stark white interior. It's very well done overall.

Before we even looked at the menu, we ordered two glasses of champagne, which then turned into a glass of Woop Woop cab for me and a martini for Jamie. The server then started going over the few specials and we were quickly sold on basically everything, from specials to the entire menu.

Our server was so sweet and genuinely excited about the food. Her enthusiasm won me over and I decided to start off with the soup and salad specials (a lentil and lamb minestrone and a beet salad with goat cheese and candied pine nuts); Jamie had the onion soup. For dinner, I went with the veal short rib and Jamie chose the beef bourguignon.

The soup, which was topped with pesto, was ridiculously good. It had amazing layers of flavor and big chunks of lamb. The beet salad was also incredible, so good that there wasn't a speck of evidence left on my plate. Jamie also really enjoyed his onion gratinee (that soup could almost be a meal). I enjoyed my few bites as well, but was surprised by how sweet it was, perhaps a little too sweet.

For my entree, my favorite part was the wild mushroom risotto - perfect texture and taste. I thought the short ribs were good, but not great. They were a little tougher than I anticipated and not as flavorful. I'm not sorry I got it, but think I will try something else next time. As for Jamie's dish, he couldn't have been happier. He called it sophisticated comfort food and enjoyed each bite (I agree - the few bites I snagged were really quite good).

As for dessert, Jamie was sold on the warm chocolate brownie with vanilla ice cream and I went for a selection of three cheeses. We are very predictable - if there is something warm and chocolate on the menu, Jamie will order it every time and I can never pass up cheese.

Up until Saturday night, I would have awarded Baricelli as offering the best cheese selection in town. That distinction now goes to L'Albatros and Brandon, the guru of all things cheese (look for a q & a with him soon).

If it's cheese you want, it's cheese you get. Brandon comes to your table with approximately 25 different types of cheese. The cheese board changes weekly and features selections from all over the world plus several local options. Tableside, Brandon will either describe each one in detail for you, or based on your likes and dislikes, make a recommendation. I went for option number two.

I'm sure I'm going to butcher the spellings, but I tried Langres from France, a very sexy cheese as he described it with black truffles and cow's milk; Case Forest from Germany, stinky but pleasant on the palate; and ozze from Portugal (plus one bleu but I didn't write down the name).

With each serving of cheese, Brandon relayed a story of its origin and some interesting fact. It was very informative and we were both impressed by his great knowledge.

From the first bite, we were sold. I can't wait for the weather to warm up and enjoy cheese and wine on their patio. Of course, I'm sure we'll be back long before it's warm enough to eat outside - special occasion or not.

q & a with chef pete joyce

2009-02-01T12:17:00.002-05:00

Recently, chef Pete Joyce and his wife opened Bistro on Lincoln Park in the old Sage space in Tremont. My husband and I went there for dinner in early December. We thoroughly enjoyed both the space and the food and would highly recommend visiting if you haven't already.

1. What are the top 5 spices every home chef should have? Salt, pepper, thyme, cinnamon and chipotle

2. What is your favorite and least favorite thing to make? Favorite thing to make is duck confit; least favorite is nothing - I love to cook.

3. What is your favorite thing about Cleveland and what drives you nuts? It's a small town with all big city things to do. People in this town think the traffic is bad, and it's really not.

4. If you could cook for one person, real or dead, who would it be? My grandfather, Eddy.

5. You’re having a dinner party, top 5 songs on your play list? Linus & Lucy (Vince Guaraldi), The Last Waltz (The Band), Crash (Dave Matthews), Wonderful Tonight (Eric Clapton) and Ride Wit Me (Nelly)

6. Favorite restaurant in Cleveland? Flying Fig

7. What restaurant do you miss? None

8. What place(s) have Clevelanders yet to discover? Bistro on Lincoln Park

9. What’s your last meal on Earth? Foie Gras

10. Most unusual food you have ever tried? Lamb eye balls and brain

11. Most famous person you have cooked for? Derek Jeter

12. If you weren't a chef, what would you be doing? ski bum

13. Where do you grocery shop? I don't, my wife does (Heinens)

14. Favorite guilty pleasure when it comes to food? Foie gras

15. If you could be any other chef for one day, who would it be? Thoma Keller

16. Favorite TV show? CSI

17. Favorite kitchen gadget? Japanese Mandolin

18. What is the best plate of food you have ever had? Duck Confit, Balthazar, NYC

19. Favorite meal from your childhood? Mom's baked chicken

20. What’s on your iPod? What's not on my iPod? These things can hold so many songs it's not even funny. The Band, Beatles, Grateful Dead, Phish, Clapton, Bob Dylan, Little Feat, Neil Young, Rolling Stones, The Who.

21. What's your signature dish? Sous Vide Salmon

22. Why should someone visit you for dinner? Because the Bistro is different. It offers variety, great food, great service and a warm, inviting atmosphere with reasonable prices.

23. What's the inspiration behind your restaurant? Passion for great food.

dante update

2009-01-30T17:56:00.001-05:00

Here's an update on Dante Boccuzzi's new Tremont restaurant. He posted this on the food forum earlier today:

I'm truly excited about the move to Tremont and I hope to see you foodies there as soon as we open this coming May. I understand there is still a little legitimate confusion about the transition from Dante to Lockkepers. My last dinner service was New Year's Eve and my name is still on the building due to logistics as the new Lockkepers sign is in production. The old/new owners took over the following day, Jan 1, and they are working hard to reestablish the reputation that they always had. So, why the move to Tremont? The occasion presented itself with a building and an area closer to my style; at the same time the old owner (my partner at that location) was looking to re-launch his previous concept. The new Dante location will feature your favorite dishes and new creations, a chef's table in the kitchen, seating in the original bank vault, year- round outdoor seating, private parking and a new sushi surprise!

touch supper club

2009-01-29T17:31:00.009-05:00

There is a restaurant in Chicago called The Bongo Room. Probably eight or so years ago my friend took us there for breakfast; I've been hooked ever since. Whenever we are in the city, we don't leave until we've stopped in for breakfast or lunch. The atmosphere and delicious/creative menu lure us in each time.

We like to go out for breakfast and try to at least once a month. Often we look for places that are similar to our Chicago faithful. One of our favorites is Lucky's Cafe. It doesn't necessarily remind us of The Bongo Room, but it's delicious and comforting nonetheless.

A few weeks ago, we checked out the brunch at Touch Supper Club for Metromix. This was my first time there to eat (previously I've just been there for the music and dancing, but even that was several years ago). Since chef Jeff Fisher joined, it's been on my list. After sitting there for awhile, we both commented that Touch reminded us of The Bongo Room. The decor is completely different, but they both somehow felt the same and the menu items were similar. I can't put my finger on what it was exactly that reminded us of our Chicago favorite, but whatever it was, we were happy to be there.

This was also Natalie's first restaurant! She was the perfect diner - slept the entire time.

Here is my full review for Metromix. In short, wow. I can't believe we haven't been there sooner for Sunday brunch and I now can't wait to go back and see what they do for dinner. We loved everything we sampled, from the mimosas (try the pear nectar) to the super thick, super deluxe French toast.

_________________

Here's more on the food:
Once known solely for its music and dancing, Touch is now earning a reputation for what’s happening in the kitchen, not just the basement, thanks in large part to chef Jeff Fisher.

The chef has assembled a tempting and creative selection of Sunday options, from egg concoctions (all served with tator tots and fresh fruit), to sandwiches, like the spamwich and fried bologna, to a variety of carbohydrates including chicken and waffles and chorizo and cornbread.

On a recent Sunday outing, we opted for the breakfast burrito with cheese, scrambled eggs, thick pieces of chicken and potato wrapped in a crunchy tortilla; stuffed French toast with berries foster and cream cheese and the potato pancakes. For sides, we sampled the hash browns and maple bacon sausage.

The thick French toast was the hands-down favorite. This French baguette not only made the dish more enjoyable, but was visually appealing as well. The oversized burrito, one of the most requested items, was equally as good, although we would have preferred more cheese and even perhaps some guacamole.

It’s worth noting that the portions at Touch are quite generous. We left with half the burrito and potato pancakes. Further, the prices are some of the lowest for brunch in the city. Our total bill (including three main dishes, two sides and three mimosas) was less than $35.

support the arts, eat out

2009-01-26T15:35:00.002-05:00

On Wednesday, February 4, you can help your community - and your wallet - just by visiting Felice for dinner or drinks.

Twenty percent of all receipts will be donated to Art House, a non-profit community art center. Your wallet benefits because on Wednesdays, you can chose any appetizer, entree and dessert for only $22. We've been there for dinner during this special - it really is a good deal.

vito's italian grill

2009-01-25T10:04:00.004-05:00

About four years ago, a man named Clyde Mart owned Vito's in Aurora and chef Keoko Turner was running the kitchen. Through a mutual friend, Clyde asked me to help with his publicity and Jamie with some creative work (we both work in PR and advertising). After meeting with them both and sampling just about everything on Keoko's new menu, we quickly and happily agreed to freelance for them. Keoko was (is) a very talented chef and impressed us both, especially with his braised short ribs, of which we compare everything to.

Sadly, Keoko moved to Atlanta and Clyde sold the restaurant. The new owner turned it back into more of a family Italian eatery.

We haven't been back to Vito's since the change until 6 or so months ago. While out running errands, we decided to stop in and see what has become of the place. Jamie had a pizza and I had the eggplant parm. I didn't care for the eggplant (too greasy and a bit overcooked), but his pizza was really quite good.

On Friday night, we decided to pack up the baby and head back to Vito's for a pizza. We started off sharing a salad (it's really plenty for two), with a really good balsamic and shallot dressing, and a large pizza, half pepperoni (Jamie) and half prosciutto (me).

I wouldn't award Vito's as having the best pizza in town, but it is pretty good. The thicker crust is slightly chewy and the sauce a bit sweet but tasty. The prosciutto was perfect.

The atmosphere and service is great, too. It's what you might imagine a small family Italian place to be - quaint and cozy with plenty of Italian artifacts sprinkled throughout.

While I haven't tried anything on the menu aside from the pizza and eggplant, I can only assume the other items must be good because the place is always packed (or that others aren't as picky about Italian food as I am). When we got there on Friday around 6ish, we had to sit upstairs because the downstairs was packed with reservations.

Even though Keoko is long gone, we like it there. It's a nice place to go for a pizza, especially now that we have a little one.

restaurant news and upcoming events

2009-01-15T17:30:00.007-05:00

Tartine
Tartine will be hosting its second wine dinner on Tuesday, January 27 (they host one a month, each with a different theme). January's dinner will celebrate the culinary exchange between France and the southeast Asian area once known as French Indochina, most notably Vietnam. The dinner will feature 5 courses paired with 5 wines for $50.

Michaelangelo's
My favorite Little Italy restaurant is throwing a recession shindig on Monday, January 26. For $20 per person, enjoy gourmet peasant food, wine and old school drinks. What a fabulous idea and great deal!

Crop Bistro
Crop is extending Valentine's Day to three evenings, beginning Thursday, February 12. Regardless of when you choose to dine, each meal will begin with a glass of sparkly and a tongue-teasing amuse bouche, then moves on to a appetizer, salad course, entrée and dessert, plus a surprise or two along the way. The cost is $75 per person. Be sure to ask for it by name when making reservations, at 216-696-2767. (A vegetarian version can be arranged with prior notice. The regular a la carte dinner menu will also be available.)

Sarava
Celebrate the inauguration of President Obama (yay!)on January 20 beginning at 5 p.m. A projection TV in the bar will show all the national activities while you enjoy some of Obama's favorite foods. In addition, Sergio's SARAVA is participating in the Food For Change drive, in honor of National Day of Service on Martin Luther King Day. Bring a canned food donation, or a check made out to the Hunger Network of Greater Cleveland.

Dante / Lockkeepers
As most know by now, the original Lockkeepers took over Dante earlier this year. Right now, it is still being operated under the Dante name with the menu featuring part Dante items and part original Lockkeepers favorites. Look for the total overhaul to happen by early February, complete with lower prices.

As for Dante Boccuzzi we won't have to wait much longer to check out his new venue in Tremont, expected to open around April / May. Hopefully Dante will offer his fabulous sushi at the new place. Either way, I'm willing to bet it will be a wonderful offering and atmosphere that I can't wait to checkout.

Shinano
Finally, Shinano Sushi Bar is open in Solon, right next to Miles Farmer's Market. We're planning to go this week for dinner, but everything that I've heard thus far has been positive. 440.498.1614

Market Avenue Wine Bar
On Tuesday, January 20 starting at 7 p.m., head to Market Ave for a five-course vegetarian wine dinner prepared by Dish Global Catering. Cost is $60 per person.

three birds

2009-01-14T14:38:00.005-05:00

Last week was my first restaurant outing since Natalie's arrival. In fact, it was almost her first outing, too. I called Three Birds, which was my latest assignment for Metromix, to inquire about kids, and the women was so nice and said to absolutely bring her. The plan was to go on a Tuesday at 5 p.m. just to be safe (although really, she just sleeps in her car seat when she's out and never makes a peep), but in the end, we decided to hold off on bringing her and I met a friend instead.

This was my first meal at the Lakewood restaurant; I've just been there once for drinks early in its infancy. In general, I was pleasantly surprised with my overall experience and kicking myself for waiting so long to come back. I was really impressed with the overall atmosphere and decor of the place, especially the patio. Even snow-covered, you can just picture the crowds enjoying late summer evenings (I know we'll be there when it warms up).

My only gripe was with my meal. I had the scallops and genuinely liked this dish. In fact, the scallops were some of the best I've had in awhile. However, I was disappointed in that I had only two scallops. I'm not saying I need a gigantic portion with every meal, I don't. But I was surprised to find just two lonely ones on the plate for the price. My friend's monkfish, on the other hand, was more in line with what I would expect (and incredibly tasty, too).

You can read more, here.

give the gift of warmth

2009-01-10T11:14:00.003-05:00

So the holidays may be officially over (although with the heavy snowfall outside it doesn't necessarily feel like it), but it's not too late to keep the gift-giving and spirit of the season alive.

Stephanie, a follower of this blog, sent me an e-mail yesterday about a great event and an incredibly easy way for everyone to help out those that are less fortunate. The West Side Catholic Center, a nonprofit homeless resource, is desperately short men's coats. To help out, Stephanie teamed up with Bier Market and Bar Cento for a coat drive on Sunday, January 18. There are two ways we can help: bring a coat in for the center to distribute, or mention the WSCC to your bartender/server and the restaurant will donate 15% of the check directly to the center.

This isn't an event sponsored by any group or even the restaurant, it's just an idea Stephanie came up with and it's her way of trying to help those in need and give back - pretty impressive if you ask me.

la strada

2009-01-09T11:39:00.004-05:00

Here's another guest post from my friend Christina over at Postcards from Christina on her recent visit to La Strada.

Personally, I haven't been to this newer restaurant yet and have heard mix reviews. I will go at some point - one so I can judge for myself, and two because I like to check out and support our independent restaurants at least once (plus the atmosphere sounds fantastic). I will admit though that I'm not a huge fan of La Dolce Vita (same owner). I've always found the food to be just okay; however, I love sitting on their sidewalk in the summer with a glass of wine and dessert to people watch - simple great atmosphere (and Jamie and I had a great night there when we first started dating).
____________

E. Fourth's newest addition, La Strada, (same owner as La Dolce Vita) opened about eight weeks ago for lunch. My first visit was shortly after it first opened, and I really enjoyed the meal and atmosphere. Unfortunately, a return visit today left a bad taste in my mouth from very slow service coupled with an overly attentive owner.

Recently a co-worker and I sampled the wedding soup, bruschetta, chicken kabob and scampi risotto. The wedding soup was good, albeit a bit salty. I enjoyed the escarole that was crispy and soft in all the right places. The chicken kabob had great flavor (but slightly undercooked veggies) and was accompanied by yummy fregole (Italian toasted pasta). The bruschetta was tasty, and I liked that it included avocado and cilantro in addition to fresh tomato chunks. The scampi risotto was also a little salty, but had a nice saffron essence.

Once we were seated, we waiting patiently for 15 minutes before approaching the hostess with a request for a server. Once greeted, our server apologized for our wait and offered us complimentary bruschetta. A few minutes later, the owner asked how we were enjoying our experience, and we mentioned the delay. He began profusely apologizing and returned to our table four additional times to check in. At first, we appreciated his sincerity, but then his visits became intrusive as he was a bit over the top with apologies and we kept losing track of our conversation because of the interruptions. At the end of our meal, our server also offered dessert on the house, but we politely declined since we had already overstayed our lunch hour. We did accept his offer of rosewater for our hands, which he mentioned is a Morrocan tradition.

Regarding the décor, La Strada's space is fantastic, but unfortunately, the glass doors/window hide the interior from the street. The layout reminds me of Foreign Cinema in San Francisco since this restaurant also projects an old movie with subtitles on the wall. The upstairs has theater-style bar seats so diners can catch glimpses of the movie while they sip drinks from the massive bar area below.

The restaurant is open for lunch during the week, and dinner is served Monday through Saturday.