Cibo - Chagrin Falls Pasta

For the most part I have had a lot of success trying restaurants from Groupon (check Groupon out here), Cibo Homemade Pasta certainly ends up on the winner side of the list.  Located at 8564 East Washington Street in Chagrin Falls (the space that used to house Fat Taco) (map is here), at the intersection of Route 306 and Washington Street, Cibo is a friendly little place to get some very good pasta at an affordable price.  Tucked into a corner of the strip mall, it might be easy to miss Cibo, but it is worth finding.  Outside is a couple of tables overlooking a little fountain.  Inside you will find an attractive space that has a feeling of a little trattoria crossed with a fast food place.

Behind a long counter you will see the kitchen and the pasta machine pressing out fresh pasta.  The menu is straight forward and easy to understand, you pick either Cavetelli or whole wheat Rotini and then add sauce and any toppings.  There are also salads and a couple of sandwiches.  When I was there Cibo also had Eggplant Parmigiana, Cheese Lasagne, and some pizza available.  Everything looked very good, fresh made with high quality ingredients.  Since I had a $10 Groupon, I got 2 orders of pasta, one to eat there the other for the next day.

I had the whole wheat rotini with the Alfredo sauce at Cibo.  For $5 you get a very generous serving.  The whole wheat pasta were nice with a little more bite and character then regular pasta.  The Alfredo sauce was nicely balanced between the cheese and cream, with a subtle lighter flavor then many of the heavy Alfredo sauces you encounter; maybe a little bit on the subtle side, but good.

The serving of Cavatelli with the Arrabbita sauce and Romano cheese was one of the better plates of pasta I have had in a while.  The Cavatelli was perfectly cooked, just enough firmness to compliment the sauce and  give a nice chew.  The sauce was excellent, with nice tomato flavor, with spicy heat that balanced well with the grated cheese.  The portion was very good sized but I went through it quickly and would have kept going if there was more.  

Cibo's is a wonderful find, a place that is producing excellent food at affordable prices.  They are using high quality ingredients and obviously take pride in their products.  With a limited menu and the selected specials, they can focus on making the food taste good.  I recomend you head out East and give them a try.

Coleman Fish Market - Wheeling WV classic

I have been keeping close to home since I twisted my ankle last week, but since it was feeling better and the weather was beautiful, I decided to take a ride down to Wheeling, WV and check out Coleman's Fish Market.  I had heard about it from the Cleveland BMW Motorcycles Owners club and it sounded like a great ride and an interesting place to check out.  To get there I cruised down past Canton and picked up Ohio Route 250 which proceeds to meander down to Wheeling; the road has some nice twists and turns, especially after you pass Cadiz.  The ride was about 2 1/2 hours, and I located the Center Market without much trouble (map is here).  The market is a couple of buildings with Coleman's in the middle, with some local artist exhibits at one end and a couple of food places, but overall nothing too big.  The surrounding area seems to specialize in antiques.

Once you find Coleman's you see that it is an actual fish market along one side with fresh fish and seafood and then a counter at the end to order prepared food.  You can see the menu at this link, although prices have gone up a bit, the menu is still simple and very affordable.   One thing that was a bit hard to figure out was there were two different lines, going around to the right would allow you to order the regular items which come up quickly, on the left is the special items.  I ended up ordering the Canadian white fish sandwich, the fried clams and onion rings.  The portion sizes on each were extremely generous, especially considering the prices.  The fish was 4 or 5 medium sized fillets served between two slices of white bread, the fish was nicely breaded and fried and very fresh, add the tarter sauce (which you have to order and pay for) and you have a very good classic fish sandwich.  The clams were also nice and came with a mild cocktail sauce for dipping.  The generous portion of onion rings had a classic batter and were tasty with a nice balance of sweet onion to batter.  There are plenty of tables nearby to eat at.

Coleman's provides very fresh fish prepared in a classic American style with very little fuss and muss.  You are not going to find anything radical or even terribly modern, but the value is outstanding and the food is fresh and tasty.  If you are down near Wheeling WV it is definitely worth checking out for some good affordable grub. 

Metro Burger - Akron Premium Burger Joint

Metro Burger would not be one of my first choices for a meal, in fact just a couple of weeks ago I picked Zub's across the street (see review here), but when it came up on Groupon I checked out the website (located here) and they claimed to have award winning veggie burgers so I figured for half price it was worth a chance; and that is a great thing about Groupon, you get to take a chance without the full outlay of money (check Groupon out here).  Located at 845 W Market St. Akron, OH 44303 in the Highland Square area of Akron (map is here) is an attractive modern premium hamburger joint. 

The decor is modern funky with bright colors and steal tables and chairs.  A long counter holds the menu sheet that you fill out and present to the cashier, a slightly different approach and it can be a bit daunting with all of the choices, but at least they are clearly presented. 

While it may take a while to work through, the menu is fairly easy, you pick the kind of burger you want (beef, vegie, chicken or turkey), the size and whether you want a combo or not.  Then you work through the toppings, sauce, cheese and how its presented.  In my case I got a double veggie combo on a pretzel roll with smoked gouda, mushrooms, onion straws, red peppers and jalapenos.  Add in sweet potato fries and a drink and the $10 was gone. I also ordered the BBQ sauce and Basil Pesto Mayo to top the burger with.

After a couple of minutes wait, my electronic buzzer went off and I picked up the order.  I immediately noticed that they forgot the BBQ sauce, which they quickly remedied and later figured out they gave me the Horseradish Mayo, which actually worked out well for dipping the fries.  But I would make sure that you get the right order, especially if they are busy.   The 1/3 pound veggie burgers were huge and if I had to do it all over again I would order a single and get another side.   The veggie burger was interesting with a beef like texture, if I had to guess I would venture that it was a combination of soybeans and some other bean.  My personal preference would be for the patty to be a bit moister inside with a bit of a crust on the outside, but this was much better than most of the commercially available veggie burgers.  Taste was mild, without a lot of distinct flavor notes, good to use to build a sandwich around, but not a burger that I would crave.   The pretzel bun was nice, except it started to fall apart once the burger was fully dressed and sauced.  The toppings were good with the roasted jalapenos being the standout player, spicy hot with plenty of flavor and punch.  The gouda was lost between the two big patties.  Topped with BBQ sauce and some hot sauce the burger overall was good, but it had more to do with all of the accouterments then the "meat" of the sandwich.  The sweet potato fries were OK, nicely fried, but without much sweetness; luckily the horseradish mayo that I got by accident proved to be a great dip for the fries, with enough horseradish punch to set off the fries, but not enough to blow your nose off.

If I had it to do again, I would have probably gone with a single and gotten the onion rings or the fried pickles.  Metro Burgers was good, its a bit pricey, but you get a lot for what you pay, especially when you consider the premium toppings and quality ingredients.  The veggie burger is better then most, but lacks a bit in the crave-ability department.  Using the Groupon I was very happy with my visit, but for me, Metro Burgers is not high on the list for a return visit any time soon, but the carnivores among us should enjoy it.

Hiroshi's Pub - the review

One of the hard things about writing a blog like this is if you want to like new local places, especially if they are owned and run by friends, luckily Hiroshi's Pub more then lives up to the advance billing. I have given you a couple of previews of the Pub, but after attending the opening party and stopping by for dinner I can report that the food and service more then live up to expectations.  Located at 3365 Richmond Road, Building B, Suite 130 (map is here) across the parking lot from Moxie and Red, Hiroshi's is the place to be.

As I have previously described, the decor is a mix of a modern upscale pub with some Asian touches, that all comes together in a great feeling, especially when filled up with people.  The Pub seems to have already found a growing audience, as we stopped in at 6:30 on a Wednesday and it was almost full, by the time we left there was a full house.  Despite this, sound levels were reasonable and service was good.

We started with a couple of draft beers, I tried the Goose Island Honker Ale, which was a well balanced full bodied ale; the taste was smooth and made a nice compliment to the food.

The menu at Hiroshi's is huge, with a long list of appetizers, salads, sandwiches, burgers, sushi, BBQ and entrees.  The sushi bar turns out a list of tasty items ranging from the usual sushi to complex rolls, cervices and fusion futomakis.  Some of the most impressive looking plates that went by were the sushi plates.  The BBQ side produces ribs, briskets and other meats that come in a wide variety of forms.  It may take you a while to get through the menu, but you should be able to find something for almost every taste.

I was pleased to hear that the soup of the day was a Tortilla Soup that could be either vegetarian or have chicken added; a very nice idea to allow vegies to have the option.  Even better the large bowl of soup was very good, with a very a good mix of vegetables in a soup with a very nice level of spiciness.  The tortillias had already merged into the soup by the time it got to me, but still added a nice crispness and a little sweetness.  An excellent bowl of soup which is always a great way to start a meal (excuse the mess around the bowl, the waiter bobbled at the table and I didn't want to wait while he went back and got a new bowl).

For my main course I had the Calamari appetizer, which was one of the better versions I have had in Cleveland.  Fresh squid is lightly floured and quickly fried and then served over a light garlic butter with homemade tarter sauce and marinara.  The squid was tender with just a hint of chewiness, the garlic butter was a perfect compliment.  With big flavors, both the tarter and marinara were a bit much for the delicate squid, but overall a very good dish.

My friend Dan had the Smoked Brisket dinner with baked beans and coleslaw.  He thought the brisket was very good, tender with a slight smoke flavor.  I tried a little of the BBQ sauce and it was very good with a nice balance of hickory and sweet, although I could of gone for a bit more hot spice.  Dan also liked the sides and all of the food on the table quickly disappeared.

As you can see, food presentation is very well thought out and portions are good sized.  Service was good and the staff seems to be coming together well.  Despite having a full restaurant, food came out at a good pace, which is nice to see as often newer restaurants will have issues with getting food out, not so for the Pub.

Hiroshi's Pub is a great place to get some excellent and diverse food in a really nice environment.  The food is presented in a very modern and upscale manner; flavors are big and bold, this is a place where taste counts.  Service is good and the bar is already becoming a great place to hang out and relax.

Give Hirsoshi's Pub a try, and you will find that their motto of "Casual Dining with Seriously Good Food" is true.  An easy place to give a high recommendation.

Cafe Tandoor - Nice Indian Food in Aurora

Wanted to give a quick review of Cafe Tandoor in Aurora, where I had dinner on Saturday.  Cafe Tandoor started on Taylor Road in Cleveland Heights and has been one of the better Indian restaurants for a while.  With the opportunity to eat there using a Groupon (link for Groupon is here) it seemed like a good opportunity to check out how they are doing.

I choose the Aurora location because I was meeting a friend from Akron.  Located at 96 Barrington Town Center, Aurora, OH 44202 (map is here) in the shopping center at the intersection of Routes 43, 82 and 306, this location of Cafe Tandoor has a nice if fairly unremarkable decor in its medium sized space.  The service was very good and friendly.

The menu is the same at all three locations (you can see it here), with a nice variety of dishes.  We ordered the Bombay Fish Curry and the Aloo Gobi along with sides of Saffron Pullao and Nan.  The Bombay Fish Curry was nice, with a slightly sweet flavor, although the fish had a slight fishiness that is unusual for catfish.  The Aloo Gobi which is Cauliflower and Potatoes in a nicely seasoned sauce, was expertly cooked and very flavorful.  We had requested that these come out Medium spicy, unfortunately, we found them rather mild to our palates.  The Saffron Pullao was nicely cooked basmati  rice, but I had trouble detecting any of the promised saffron.  The Nan was good, with a nice contrast between the crispy and chewy sections.   Portions, especially on the main entrees were a bit small for the prices charged, especially since you have to pay extra to order the rice and bread on the side.

Based on what I had heard, I had high expectations for Cafe Tandoor, unfortunately Cafe Tandoor fell a little short.  I had a nice meal with wonderful company.  The flavors were good, but not outstanding or packing the impact I was hoping for.  In my opinion, Cafe Tandoor, while good, is not quite worth the prices they are charging.  Maybe it is the Aurora clientele, but they went very light on the hot spices and I expect Indian food to pack a punch.  If you have an urge for Indian food and Cafe Tandoor is nearby, it is a decent choice, but given some of the other options around Cleveland, it would not be tops on my list.

Tucky's - Nice Place to get a bite

I've stopped by the Mayfield Tucky's a couple of times in the past couple weeks and I was impressed.  Tucky's is a local chain based around hot dogs, burgers and fries.  They have locations downtown, Parma and at 6232 Mayfield Road, Mayfield (map is here) where they have taken over a small storefront that has gone through a couple of different restaurants in the past couple of years.

Going in, the counter and kitchen is on one side and the nice neat dining room is on the other.  The appearance is modern and warm with browns and beiges set off with metal tables and chairs.  The memorabilia  and flat screen add a nice friendly touch. 

The menu is straightforward and caters to the carnivore, although there are a couple of chicken dishes and a veggie burger.  The first time I was there they had a fish sandwich as a special and the second time I had the Wednesday special of 2 fish tacos.  Prices are not cheap, but Tucky's uses quality ingredients and prepares food to the order, so value is pretty good.  In addition, they offer kids under 5 a free meal and kids between 5 to 12 eat for 1/2 price, so there is some added value there.  One thing to note is that this is not fast food, since food is cooked to order, therefore you will wait about 5 minutes or so to get your food.

Both the fish sandwich and the fish tacos had the fish nicely fried with a crisp crust and firm fish in the middle.  For $6 you get two small tacos (they cut the large fillet of fish in half) and a bag of black bean salsa chips.  The tacos were good, as an American version of one of my favorites, although even cut in half the fish needed a bigger taco shell as it tended to push all the other ingredients out of the shell.   The lettuce and cabbage was crisp and the salsa was bright, but very mild.  The chips included were not bad, but I am not a big fan of flavored chips and would have preferred having a choice.  The fish sandwich was also good and my buddy Danny liked his Cheeseburger.

One of the things I really like at Tucky's is the condiment bar which allows you to add the sauces or condiment that you want to your food.  Some hot sauce, banana and jalapeno peppers spiced up the tacos and the tarter sauce made with the Chicago fluorescent green relish helped the fish sandwich.  A good idea that I would like to see more places adopt.

Tucky's does a number of interesting variations on the hot dog, including what looks like a pretty good version of the Chicago Dog (poppyseed bun, sport peppers, fluorescent relish and celery salt are some of the items).   I have asked my friend Mindy who is a Chicago native and hot dog expert to stop by Tucky's and render judgment on the Chicago dog, but that will have to be a an update to this post.

Tucky's is a nice local chain that serves quality food, keeps it restaurant clean and neat and the prices may be higher then fast food, but you get value for your money.  Not a place that I will seek out, but certainly a better choice then the fast food places nearby, especially if you have kids with you.  If you want a dog or some fries, give them a try.

Noisy Oyster - Great Akron Dive Bar

Back when I started this blog a couple of years ago, one of the first places I reviewed was the Noisy Oyster (see original review here), I was just out hiking and saw a place that seemed interesting and so I gave it a try.  This past Sunday, Mosaic (the Jewish Outdoor Club website here) was checking out the F.A. Seiberling Nature Realm, which is a really nice nature center and hiking trails, so I recommended that we give the Oyster a try for lunch.  The Oyster is located at the end of a small strip of stores at 1375 N Portage Path,

Akron (map is here) which is where the Cuyahoga Valley ends in Akron.

I was happy to get back to check out the Oyster and see how it was doing.  While the outside is nothing special, once inside you are greeted by a cozy bar with a vaulted ceiling and a small dining room with windows overlooking a small stream. 
The decor is nothing special, it feels like a local dive bar, but one that has been kept up well and one that actually allows natural light and a feeling of nature in.  The oyster is the kind of place you could settle in and relax for a while.

The menu is still an interesting mix of bar grub with more and better fish and seafood than you usually find (you can see the menu at the Oyster website here).  We ended up ordering 3 Persian chicken salads, 1 shrimp salad and I had an order of steamed clams and an order of calamari.  The salads were nice sized and had a nice mix of vegetables topped with Chicken or Peeled Shrimp with an interesting Persian dressing on the side.  The dressing was a thick vinaigrette with a nice herb taste.  The overall opinion was that the salads were good and a nice change.

The steamed clams were small, but flavorful, with the nice chewy texture and hint of the sea flavor you want.  Sided with some melted butter and a lemon wedge a very nice treat. 

The real surprise of the meal was the Calamari.  When it came out, I was afraid that the pieces were too big and would be tough.  Instead I found the squid to be wonderfully tender and perfectly cooked.  It was clear that this was being prepared fresh and with a really nice touch.  The sauce was a wonderful compromise between cocktail  and marinara sauces, with a good tomato flavor but a nice bite to compliment the slightly sweet squid.

The Noisy Oyster is a great local bar, with an owner/chef who actually cares what comes out of the kitchen.  The food is prepared fresh and with skill and care.  A real surprise to find good and affordable fish and seafood at a little joint in the Cuyahoga Valley.  If you are in the area and want a bite to eat or to just get a refreshing adult beverage and relax, check them out.

Hirioshi's Pub - Update & Photos

Update 7/12/2010 - The Pub is open for business.  The opening party was Saturday night and the place was jumping.  A large crowd of friends and family showed up to check the place out and to enjoy some incredible food.  The menu is huge, with appetizers, sandwiches, sushi, cerviches, salads and lots of BBQ.  The sushi was great and everyone was raving about the  BBQ.  The bar was already hopping and I expect it to be one of the hot places to hang for quite a while.

Congratulations and the best of luck to Hiroshi, Sonya, Mike, Shuhei and all of the staff.  Go and check them out.

------------------------------------------------
Last week I told you about Hiroshi's Pub (see previous post here), well I have news and pictures.  Having seen the nearly completed restaurant, I can tell you that Hiroshi's looks awesome and that it will be opened to the public starting July 12, 2010.  The tag line is Casual Atmosphere - Serious Food, and they seem well on the way.  The menu is coming together and the staff is hired and being trained.  So mark your calendars and plan on checking it out.

The sign to look for and the new patio that will be one of the best on the East Side.

The Patio will be a great place to enjoy the hotter weather and get some seriously good food.

Two traditional Foo Dogs guard the entrance and protect all patrons.

The main dining room and the kitchen line show the mix of influences.

The smoker will be turning out some serious BBQ with some Texas flavor

The Sushi Bar will feature non traditional and fusion items.




Each dining area has unique art and atmosphere

The back room with TVs and more cool art.

The lounge area with comfy couches and chairs.  This will also be used as a stage for bands and other performers.


Cool are and a great bar will be a happening place and a center of activity.

Premium beers on tap and a great atmosphere in the bar area.
 

Cafe 56 - Holding Up Very Well

I have a long history with Cafe 56; when I worked downtown it was one of my favorite lunch spots.  C56 was located on the corner of E.4th and Euclid (long before E.4th became the hip place to eat and be seen).  Originally the idea was to offer 56 different salads (that's were the 56 in the name came from) with large portions and quality ingredients.  C56 has gone through expansion and contraction, but has managed to keep itself a good place to get quality food at an affordable price.  Now located at 1433 Som Center Road in the Eastgate Shopping Center at the corner of SOM Center & Mayfield Roads (map is here), C56 is low key, but worth looking for.

Once inside I was very pleased to see that C56 had been recently redecorated and looked sleek and new.  The decor is shades of gray with stainless steel accents, but the feel is softened by the free form art and tree branches on the wall.  The overall feel is modern but welcoming. 
I also noticed that they have come up with a new menu that is closer to their sibling restaurant 56W which I was very impressed by (the review for 56W is here).  The menu features rice bowls, salads, sandwiches, soups and large plates where you get to pick your protein, sauce, salad and side for $10.  Not quite as diverse or quirky as the menu at 56W, but still some solid choices available.  Since I was using a Groupon (try it here), I had $15 to spend, which meant planning to take some home.  

I picked the soup and salad combo for $7 and a Salmon sandwich for $8.  Starting out with the Portobello Bisque which was excellent.  A large bowl was filled with a rich and luxurious cream soup studded with firm mushroom pieces and accented by onioney chive pieces.  The soup was just the right thickness and had a wonderful balanced flavor with just a hint of acidity to balance out the creaminess.  Combined with woody mushroom flavor it was a great start to the meal.

I had the Salmon Club sandwich ($8) with avocado subbed for the bacon and it was very good.  A large portion of salmon was grilled perfectly, then separated into smaller pieces instead of being a single fillet.  The avocado, lettuce, tomato and aoili (think fancy mayonnaise) formed a welcome platform for the flavorful, but mild fish.  The portion of fish was so large that I put some on the salad I had to take home.  After having many poor versions of home made potato chips, C56 gets it right with crispy chips that were not overcooked.

The Caesar salad that came as part of the combo was smaller then the main menu salads, but still a large portion of crisp fresh romaine lettuce, crunchy croutons, shaves of Romano cheese and a wonderful thick version of Caesar dressing.  Since there was so much food, this went home for lunch the next day and it was a great salad.  All of the ingredients were fresh and flavorful, the dressing was nicely balanced and is one of the better interpretations of the Caesar flavors.   Accompanied by the pretzel bagel and topped with some of the Salmon from the sandwich, it was a good light lunch.


C56 has managed to tweak its menu and decor over the years to keep up with changing tastes, the current Cafe is a great place to get high quality food at an affordable price.  Flavors for the most part are simple and straightforward, but bold enough to work.  A great place to get some good food.

Bruno Brothers - Geneva On The Lake Pizza

If you are heading up to Geneva on the Lake there are a number of good to great food options; among them are at least 3 places on the strip where you can grab a slice of pizza.  I have been intrigued by the Bruno Brothers trailer at  5560 Lake Road East (map is here) so I figured I would give them a try.  This is just a small trailer with a pizza oven and a number of slices available in the glass counter.  What I liked was that they seem to have more variety and more authentic pizza.  I ended up getting a cheese slice and it was suburb.  Many places claim they have New York style pizza, but it falls far short of what I expect, Bruno Brothers comes closer then anything else I have had around here.

To me New York style pizza is huge pizzas, with very thin crust cut into large slices and topped with tangy sauce and a nice uniform cheese layer.  Bruno Brothers hits all the points, I would guess the pizza is 18" and the slice was overflowing the paper plate.  The crust was very thin, but with just the right amount of crispness on the bottom.  The sauce was a little lighter then I would prefer, but still gave good flavor and contrast.  Nice tangy cheese covered the whole slice and was cooked to the point where everything merged into a oily cheesy whole. 

If you are in Geneva on the Lake and feel like getting some Za, I would recommend heading to the middle of the strip (East of Madsen Donuts) and giving Bruno Brothers a try.

Mr. Zub's Deli - Akron Subs with Attitude

So its a beautiful Friday and I have just finished a long hike in the Wetmore area of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park and I am headed to Cuyahoga Falls for the Rocking on the River concert and I want to grab some food to take to the concert.  I pointed the motorcycle towards Fairlawn, but noting hit my fancy, that is until I hit the Highland Square area on Market Street and I saw Mr. Zub's  (map is here).  From the outside it looks a bit scruffy, but the name intrigued me and I could go for a good homemade Zub, so I figured I would give them a try.  Well it turned out to be a great decision.  Mr. Zub's is a classic hole in the wall sandwich shop attached to the Matinee bar next door. 

Walking in you quickly feel the attitude.  The menu is unique and at times hard to navigate (you can see it on Zub's website here); but it has some real appeal, with sandwiches named after characters from movies with the movie and the year it came out helpfully identified for those of us with spotty memory.  Prices generally range from a couple of bucks for a Thorton Melon (Back to School) pizza bagel to about $7 for a few high end sandwiches; there is $10 Aunt Marge giant corned beef and Swiss. 

I ordered the Large Marge (Pee Wee's Big Adventure) Tuna Melt, subbing provolone for Swiss.  What I got was a decent sized hogie roll stuffed with Tuna, some red onions and tomatoes with perfectly melted cheese.    While not as impressively big as the chain subshops, this was very filling as there was a big portion of Tuna and all of the ingredients were high quality.  In addition, instead of putting the sandwhich through a conveyor toaster, this was oven baked until melty good.  What was unique is somehow they got the Tuna salad to taste more like a Tuna steak then the usual creamy mess you get at Jared's favorite place.  Overall a very nice and fairly unique interpretation of a Tuna Melt.

When I am in the area and feel like a quick sandwich I will be stopping by Mr. Zub's again.  If you are heading to Rocking on the River or Lock 3 its worth going out of your way and checking them out.

My piece in the Cleveland Jewish News - Blowing My Own Horn

Just wanted to mention that the Cleveland Jewish News was good enough to publish my piece on being part of the Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters Association.  Its a great organization and we are always looking for more Bigs to mentor kids who need a helping hand.

The article is at: http://www.clevelandjewishnews.com/articles/2010/06/25/news/local/doc4c2387ac592fb727317786.txt

For information, visit www.jbbbsa.org or contact Rachel Mandel Duber, 216-320-8310 or duberr@bellefairejcb.org.

Luchitas Xpress - University Circle Taqueria

Luchitas has been one of Cleveland's best Mexican restaurant for almost 30 years and while the original on W. 117th Street always seemed better then the other locations, it has been interesting to watch Luchitas open more locations.  With the economy the way it has been, inevitably Luchitas had to give up some of the those locations, so I was interested to hear that they had opened up a new Xpress location in University Circle. Located at 11311 Euclid Avenue (map is here) in a newly renovated storefront, the space is interesting, with a larger dining area at ground level with a smaller dining area and the counter and drinks on an upper level in the back.  Decor is minimal, but decent; it feels like they are trying to make the space work, but there is little atmosphere. 

If you have been to another Taqueria, the menu will look pretty familiar, although I will be heading back to try the wet burrito.  Basically you decide on what you want: burrito, tacos or quesadilla, and then decide if you want chicken, steak, beef, pork or vegetarian.  They then build the food in front of you and you get to choose what to add or subtract.  Of note is that all meats and vegetables are Ohio grown.

I ordered a vegetarian burrito with the sauteed veggies, red rice and a mix of pinto and refried beans.  While not having huge impact, the tastes were very good, with subtle traditional flavors.  The rice was moist and flavorful, the beans nicely textured with deep earthy tones.


While a bit more expensive then some of its competition, $5.95 for the vegetarian burrito, Luchitas Xpress has tasty Mexican food made with quality ingredients.  The atmosphere should come along as they get more experience in this format.  The location is in the middle of Case Western Reserve and near University Hospitals and the Museums.  The one downside is a lack of convenient parking.  Here's hoping that the Xpress is a success and we see more locations open around town.

Glenwillow Grille - Just Good

When I get a Groupon offer (check it out here), a number of things go into whether or not I buy it; how good is the deal, where the place is, what the menu is like, and just a general feeling.  When Glenwillow Grille came up I was intrigued since I had passed it on Pettibone Road (29765 Pettibone Road
Glenwillow, map is here) a number of times and always thought that it look like it was worth checking out.  Glenwillow is a cool little town just south of Solon, with a number of old small company town buildings, with the Grille being the highlight.  Looking at the menu I saw some interesting items so I figured I would give it a chance.

From the outside, the Grille is neat and trim, with a small porch and a patio seating area out front.  Once inside you see that there is a cozy dining room and a welcoming bar.  Both have a nice mix of natural materials set up in a way that is warm, welcoming and just a bit clubby, but with an overall casual feel.  I settled in at the bar and perused the menu (you can download it here).  I had originally planned on getting the calamari and the Shrimp De Johng, but since they were out of squid, I switched my plans around.

First up was the Lobster Bisque, which was an additional $1.50 with the entree and it was well worth it.  The bisque was thick and creamy without going too far with a nice portion of real lobster meat shredded in.  The taste was wonderful with the  sweet lobster balanced with the lightest touch of sherry.  A wonderful start to the meal.

Next up was the Firecracker Shrimp, and while there were some nice things here I think this just was a conceptual failure.  Six good sized shrimp were nicely deep fried, however they were drenched in creamy sauce that actually dulled the shrimps flavors.  The greens were also overdressed in an indistinct dressing, with only the sirancha squiggles adding any real flavor.

The main course was the Eggplant Parmigiana, which ended up being a nice sized portion of pasta topped with three thick slices of fried eggplant with marinara and cheese.  While not a bad rendition, nothing on this plate had any snap or distinctive flavor.  What was needed was some garlic and herbs to really make this plate sing.   Especially at a price of $15, I expect more.

Service was excellent and very friendly.   As someone who has eaten at bars quite often, I did want to commend the Grille for having a smart and unique idea, a wooden board with feet designed to fit over the bar so that the food is closer to you and easier to eat.  This is something that should be copied by more places.

My overall impression of Glenwillow Grille is that this is a nice upscale, but casual place.  While the Lobster Bisque was superb, the rest of the food was just OK.  They are clearly using good, quality ingredients and the presentations are nice, what is lacking is a real culinary viewpoint and a chef who brings some flavor fireworks.  Prices are a bit higher then I prefer, but if the food delivered what the menu promises, it would be worth it.  If you are looking for a nice place by Solon and aren't that worried about flavors, this might be for you.

Hiroshi's Pub - Coming Soon To Beachwood

 For those of us who used to hang around the Cedar Lee area in the late 80's and early 90's, Hiroshi's Pub was a favorite hangout with a comfortable atmosphere, good affordable food and some great people.  Well its been quite a while, but a new version of Hiroshi's is coming to Beachwood in the next month or so.  Located at 3365 Richmond Road, Building B, Suite 130 (map is here) across the parking lot from Moxie and Red, Hiroshi's has taken over a former Japanese restaurant and is in the process of converting it into what should be one of the areas most interesting spots.

As with the original spot the people in charge are the same, Hiroshi and Sonya from Shuhei are the owners and the vision behind everything and Mike will be running things day to day.  They bring a wealth of experience and success in the Cleveland restaurant and bar scene. 

I stopped by recently to see how things were coming along and the place is starting to really come together.  They have kept quite a few Japanese elements from the previous place, but the overall feeling is going to be a lot different.  To start, they are laying down a large patio out front that will provide some very nice outside dining, the patio was just being finished and the high quality outdoor furniture was being assembled. 

Once through the double doors and the large Foo Dogs on either side, you will see a large bar to the left and the small sushi bar to the right.   A number of smaller rooms will be set up, one with couches, another with traditional Japanese seating.  They had a ways to go, but it looks like there will be flat screen TVs throughout.  The overall look is warm browns and oranges, with high industrial ceilings.  I get the feeling this is going to be a real eye catching place.  When they get further along I will try to get you some photos.

The huge kitchen is in the middle, with the massive smoker and grill area facing the bar.   The menu sounds like it is going to hit some of the current food trends.  There will be the American classics, made with high quality ingredients, some serious long smoked BBQ, and an eclectic sushi bar with some cervices' flavors and even some meat based sushi.  It looks like the menu will be large and diverse, which should be very interesting.

Hiroshi's will be hitting an area that Beachwood has been missing, a neighborhood tavern with good food and casual atmosphere.  I will fill you in with more as the process moves along.  If you are looking for work, Hiroshi's is hiring, you can get more information at hiroshispub.com.

Papa Santi's - Bringing Little Italy to the East Side

Papa Santi's opened up a couple of month's ago in a small storefront on Chagrin Road across from Village Square (map is here).  From what I hear and after getting a pizza, Papa Santi's is a direct relation to Mama Santa's the much beloved heart of Cleveland's Little Italy (my review is here).  When I got a coupon for a medium pizza for $2 I had to check out Papa Santi's.  The transaction was easy and the pizza was hot out of the oven in 20 minutes, just as I was told. 

As soon as I got the pizza the Mama Santa's heritage was clear; Papa Santi's has a very similar look, with the pizza well cooked and the sauce, cheese and crust merging into a wonderful greasy gestalt.  I can understand how some will decide this type of pizza is either overcooked or just too greasy, but to me it hits my palate just right.  The medium is a good sized 13" size with cheese almost all the way to the edge.  The major difference I observed with the Papa Santi's pizza is the crust is thinner and flatter then Mama Santa's; the result is a crisp crust with a bit less chewiness.   Also while the sauces seem very close I would guess that Papa Santi's uses a bit less per pizza.  Of course since hand tossed pizzas are individual creations, this could just be that the pizza I got was a bit thinner and less sauce, the next one could be right in the sweet spot. 

Overall, Papa Santi's makes a very good pizza, and while not quite up to Mama Santa's standards, it is very close.   The prices are a bit higher, but Papa Santi's offers convenience for those on the East Side of Cleveland who want a pizza that is not a clone of every other pizza around.