Ballantine - Willoughby Gastropub

We took a group out to Willoughby to check out Ballantine. Willoughby has become a center for good dining on the far East side with a nice mix of upscale and dive restaurants in a charming downtown. I have heard quite a few good things about Ballantine and the food, but that there has been a lot of turnover and changes since it first opened. It seems that they have finally settled on a directions, since since it was originally billed as a gastropub, but the current menu describes it as a Pizzeria and Bier Bar. In addition the couple of website links I can find for it are dead. What we found was very good food and an appealing upscale atmosphere. You get a feel for the place even before walking in as the front wall of windows shows an inviting upscale atmosphere with lots of dark wood and pools of light. As you walk in you see seating at a counter by the kitchen/pizza oven, also a long well stocked bar and a number of tables in a dark room. Seated at one of the high tables along the wall we had a view of several flat screens showing sports (in our case a Cavs game). Oil lamps on the tables add atmosphere if not illumination. The menu features a number of good sounding Neapolitan (thin crust) pizzas ranging from $8 to $12. The starters have some real winners and I decided to go with splitting the Lobster Mac and Cheese and an order of the Calamari. The Mac and Cheese was excellent with pasta shells in a wonderful cheesy becarmel sauce with a good portion of Lobster meat. The portion was good if not huge, but the flavors were wonderful, I would probably have the Mac and Cheese without the Lobster next time as it didn't add that much to the flavor. The Calamari was also good, sauted in a light crust with a bit of heat and some nice contrast from the onions and capers. Prices were ok with the Mac and Cheese going for $8 plus $4 for the Lobster, the Calamari was $9. Others at the table had the entrees $15 - $20, which were nice portions and included your choice of 2 sides. Beyond the Mac and Cheese, I did hear that the Rissoto and the spinach were both good. Food comes presented in large white modern plates and bowls and the look is very nice. Ballantine also features an extensive beer menu, including several beer flights, which allow you to sample several different draft beers. Overall, Ballantine seems to have found its niche, well prepared and presented food and drink presented in a warm upscale atmospere. If you are heading for an evening out, give them a try. The dinners

Rachel's Caribbean - South Euclid Gem

UPDATED 6/24/2010 - Rachel's is out of business.  They will be missed.

I can not believe I have not written about Rachel's Caribbean yet. It is a perfect example of a Cleveland area hidden gem, great food, nice atmosphere and reasonable price located where almost everyone on the East side drives by and never notices. Rachel's is located at 14417 Cedar Road in South Euclid. It is part of a very small strip mall and is located in a narrow space between a Subway and a DO Summers. There is just a small sign up and no windows, so its easy to miss. While just a couple of miles away, Bahama Breeze has a huge place that serves mediocre food to lots of people, Rachel's provides superior food in a quiet and relaxed manner, so most Clevelanders don't even know it is there. Walking in you find a small dining room with a small bar up front. The room is done in a soothing blue with half wooden paneling. The walls have a number of Jamaican pictures, posters and carvings, but with the low lighting and the gentle reggae music, the feeling is very relaxing and low key. The tables are nicely set and there is a choice of tables or booths. Once you settle in you can get a beer, wine or one of Rachel's Caribbean specialties, which are quite tasty and fairly strong. The menu is not extensive, but has a nice variety of really well prepared food, including salads, fish and seafood, Jerk Chicken and other island specialties. Portions are large and cooked fresh to order, presented simply and most importantly, taste good. One of my favorites, especially to get for takeout on the way home, is the fish sandwich. A big fillet of Talapia is either fried or blackened and then served on a fresh bun, topped with cheese and a home made sauce with lettuce and tomato. Sided with Rachel's red cabbage slaw and your choice of regular or sweet potato fries (get the sweet potato, they are fabulous), this provides a full meal at about $9. The fish is always well prepared and the sweet potato fries are crispy and flavorful. The last time I was in I had the Cilantro Shrimp. Large tiger shrimp are perfectly cooked and then covered in a bright Cilantro sauce. Sided with a large portion of the rice and fresh vegetables, it was very good and a bit different then anything I have had in Cleveland. Overall I have found Rachel's food to be excellent, with careful preparation, large portions and reasonable prices. Combine that with the laid back atmosphere and good friendly service and you have a definite winner in my book. With Winter weather on its way, we all need an occasional break; if you are feeling like you need a quick dose of the Caribbean, head over to South Euclid and get some excellent food at a reasonable price.

Caballo Bayo - Chagrin Falls Mexican

UPDATED 6/24/2010 - I was by Caballo Bayo and apparently they are out of business.

With the election finally over, good weather and cheap gas prices, it was hard not to get on the motorcycle at lunch time and just keep going, but instead rode out to Chagrin Falls to try a new Mexican Restaurant, Caballo Bayo. Located at 504 East Washington Street, just past the Chagrin Falls High School, CB looks like a very small place from the front, but appearance are deceiving. Once you get inside there is a large bar to the left and a couple of dining rooms all nicely decorated with sunny yellow walls with Mexican Style paintings and appropriate decorations. The decoration is limited and you don't get the feeling of being overwhelmed as in some Mexican Restaurants. The tables and chairs are nice and substantial, the tables set with cloth napkins and silverware. Of course the chips and salsa quickly arrive. The chips are hot and fresh, the salsa nice if a bit tame, although a little kick does sneak in. My waitress brought me some of the chipolte salsa which had much more of a kick. The menu is extensive and the dinner prices seem a little higher then most Cleveland Mexican Restaurants. At lunch however the specials are very affordable and turned out to be a great value. I ordered the lunch special No. 1 which is described as a Chili Relleno, Taco, Beans and Guacomle Salad. Expecting to get a nice portion, I was shocked when my waitress brought two long plates, one had a good sized Chili Relleno and a large portion of refried beans the other plate had the taco and a large salad of shredded lettuce with a very generous portion of guacamole on top. The waitress caught that I had received the wrong taco and quickly had the kitchen fix the problem - good job. The chili relleno was well prepared and flavorful, in this case the pepper was cooked without any batter, a bit lighter and it allows some of the melted cheese to escape, but very nice. About the only problem I had was that this was a bit mild, but that happens when dealing with fresh peppers, some are hotter then others. The beans were also good with a nice creamy texture and a mild flavor. The guacamole salad was very good, very fresh aith the creamy smoothness of the avacodos contrated with the small bits of vegetables mixed in. The highlight of the meal was the Shrimp Taco; this was excellent. The medium sized shrimp were very well cooked and put into a fresh taco shell with some sauteed pepper and onions and then topped with cheese. Think of this as a mini Shrimp Fajitas. Service was very good, with my water glass refilled several times and an appropriate amount of attention. They seem to be going a little more upscale here without losing a casual feel; this seems to work and I will be checking them out in the future. I left more than full, and that is with leaving half the chip basket uneaten. If the entrees are as good as the food I have this could be a real winner. Head out East and check them out, especially during lunch time.

Jerusalem Grill - Falafel Hot Spot

One of my favorite foods is Falafel. When done right, it is the perfect vegetarian food, a wonderful mix of vegetables, fried balls and creamy sauce all nestled in a pita. So I had the yen for one the other day, and since it was a Monday I remembered that Jerusalem Grill near my house does a special with a full falafel and a can of pop for $4.99. Turns out to be a very good deal. Jerusalem Cafe at 14421 Cedar Rd S. Euclid, Ohio 44121 is located in one of the small shopping centers at the corners of Cedar and Green. A Kosher restaurant that serves meat (so no dairy is allowed), Jerusalem has falafel, shwarma (think gyro), hamburgers, chicken and middle eastern salads. The restaurant is a store front with tables up front and then a deli case and counter in back where all the food is prepared. They have at least tried to make the place look a bit nicer by painting the walls and decorating. Even if you don't keep Kosher or are not even Jewish, you should feel right at home. But the real question is how is the Falafel. Overall I found this to be one of the better Falafels in town. The falafel balls are prepared fresh to order, with the chickpea batter fried just about right. The texture is good, if a little heavy, with the outside crisp and the inside firm. Taste is good, if a little light on seasoning to my taste. However the rest of the sandwich more then made up for that; the Isreali Salad was crisp and fresh, the purple cabbage just a slight bit tart. Add on the Tahini and Shug (green hot sauce) and you have a fine combination of flavors that tickle the tounge. The pita was good and fresh, if a little undersized to handle all of the stuffings, in the end this was a bit messy to eat by hand, but that can be a good problem as long as you have a fork handy. So I know what will become a regular option on Mondays and any other day when I have a hankering for a Falafel, just down the street to Jerusalem Grill

Agave - Oberlin Tanqueria

With the good weather this last weekend a little road trip on the motorcycle to try to find some good food sounded like a good idea, so I headed West to Oberlin, Ohio to see what a nice liberal college town would have to offer. On the main square at 19 W College St, Oberlin, OH 44074 I found Agave Burrito Bar and Tanqueria. For those familar with Chipolte or the late lamented Que Tal, you know the basic set up, you order a burrito, plate or salad and then tell the person what items you want off the steam table, however Agave presents some very good and very high quality choices. I had a vegetarian burrito in a spinach tortilla. For $6.50 I got a giant burrito stuffed with rice, beans, roast veggies, sweet potato puree, lettuce, cheese, guacamole, salsa and a couple of their sauces. In addition to the usual items, you will have choices like the sweet potato puree and a couple of home made sauces. I believe they had a tomatillo cream, a red pepper sauce and another one. Overall, this was one of the more tasty burritos I have had in a while and well worth the price. All of the items were excellent and the salsas had some real zing to them and contrasted nicely with the velvety guacamole. It was also nice to get distinctive flavors from each item. I wanted to try the Chipolte Pecan Brownie for desert, but they were out. Maybe next time. Decor is nice, with a number of Mexican masks on the wall and cacti and succulents in the front window with some warm earthtone walls. A very nice, relaxed place with food made from scratch and seasoned well. Agave also has beer and a small bar selection, so you can wet your whistle. If you are out Oberlin way and looking for a good quick meal, give Agave a try.

Jack's Deli

For me going to the Deli is one of the lower choices on the food spectrum, not that I don't enjoy it, but most of the things that I would eat at the deli, I can have at home for a lot cheaper. But I decided to at least give Jacks a try for breakfast, especially because it is very near my house. Now, on the East Side of Cleveland, there are two basic choices for Deli; Jacks and Corky & Lenny's. Jacks is a bit smaller and seems a bit friendlier. Located at 14490 Cedar Road, University Heights (I know you think this is Beachwood, but the little shopping center is in University Heights). In its new home around the corner from its original location, Jacks presents a clean modern dining room; nice, but noting noteworthy. I will say that on Sunday morning it was busy, but I got a table right away. The breakfast menu is what you would expect, eggs, pancakes and waffles. The nice part is that you have several additional choices to add to your eggs, such as Lox, Corned Beef and Pastrami, if you so choose. There are breakfast specials available before 11:00am, which adds a small charge onto a menu item, but provides coffee or tea and a small juice. I ended up getting the 2 eggs over medium with cottage fries and a bagel. The eggs were well cooked and not greasy, the large side of cottage fries were excellent and the fresh dill pickel (available on request) was just the way I like it, crisp with just a hint of dill and garlic. Overall a good value considering the juice and tea. Looking at Jacks menu, you will notice that while the prices aren't cheap, they try to give you value for your money. As an example, the Deli sandwhiches come with a side of potato salad or coleslaw. Service was good and the place is clean and convenient. About the only downside is the parking is mainly behind the old location, so you may have a short walk to and from your car. If you have an urge for some good deli, Jacks is the place to head on the East Side.

Burgers -N-Beer Breakfast - Willoughby Delicious Dive

A place called Burgers N Beer would seem to be problematic for me; after all I haven't eaten meat in over 30 years, so the Burgers are out, and as tempting as a good draft might be I do not drink when I am out on the motorcycle; but thankfully they did tack on Breakfast at the end of the sign. I am always looking for good breakfast places, you know the kind of place that gives a good sized breakfast at a reasonable price. Especially for Sunday mornings; I don't know why I will usually not eat breakfast all week and then come Sunday, time for a full breakfast. Located at 4027 Erie St. Willoughby, Ohio 44094, right near the intersection with Route 20, BNBB is housed in an old building, with the front of the building underwhelming, almost uninviting. Once inside however you are presented with a nice two room restauraunt/bar done up in vintage European posters, and other knick nacks. The theme even goes to the tables, with posters laminated onto them. The place has a cozy, dive like atmosphere, partially coming from the dark ceiling. The menu is the usual collection of eggs, pancakes, French Toast and the usual go alongs. You will notice that the prices are very reasonable and that they actually offer a good number of different combinations. I did a couple of pancakes with 2 eggs over medium and added a side of homefries. The pancakes were outstanding, with 2 very large and pretty thick pancakes well cooked and very flavorful. The eggs were cooked just right and not at all greasy and the homefries were also very good, with thin slices of potato cooked until crispy on the grill. I have heard that their burgers are very good and having had the fish sandwich, I can say the portion sizes are large, with sandwiches served on large slices of garlic bread. Burgers N Beer Breakfast may not have the most original or catchy name, but it is a cool place to hang out and get some good grub at a very reasonable price, so if you are over Willoughby way, check them out.

Sokolowski's University Inn - The Cleveland Classic

I have been trying to get down to Tremont and Sokolowski's for a while, so last Friday, I headed downtown to check it out. For those who don't know about Sokolowski's, and if you are from Cleveland that is hard to believe, it is one of the last holdovers from what Tremont used to be before it went upscale. Sokolowski's is located at the very edge of Tremont, under the I-90 in an old brick building at 1201 University Rd. Cleveland, OH 44113. Open since 1923, food is served Cafeteria style, with you taking a tray, silverwear and then picking and choosing as you head down the line. Dinner is served Friday and Saturday only, with Fish and Seafood specials abounding on Fridays. Faced with a choice, I went for the classic baked Scrod, which was a large portion of the fish, breaded and then baked served with 2 sides, roll and salad. I went with the corn (just average) and paid the extra $.50 for the pirogies which were excellent. Of note is the small salad bar that comes with all the meals, since it includes very good potato salad and an excellent cukes and onions. The portion sizes were big, with plenty of food for the money and the food quality was very good. This is not a place to get cutting edge food stylings, but if you want good food prepared in a classic way, like grandma use to do it, this is the place. The atmosphere is very casual, with a number of different rooms, all covered with genuine Cleveland memorabilia, especially from the Browns, Indians and Cavs everywhere you look. There is also a bar, and beer and wine is available. The bottom line, if you have been to Sokolowski's before, it hasn't changed and you should make a point to get back; if you have never been before, this is one of the keys to true Cleveland Cuisine and you need to check it out. Nothing fancy, but definately good and filling.

Westside Market Cafe - Great Breakfast

With a brief window of good weather on Sunday, I hopped on the Motocycle and headed west to check out the breakfast/brunch at the Westside Market Cafe. Located at 1995 W. 25 St. in the Southeast corner of the Westside Market the Cafe is open even when the Market is closed. Walking in the Cafe has the decor is a bit nostalgic, but in a very genuine way. This is not a space that has been made to look old, rather it is an old space that has been carefully cleaned and taken care of. The overall feeling is that this is a comfortable neighborhood place. There is a bar/counter and two seating areas. The breakfast menu is medium length with most of the items being based around variations on eggs benedict. I went for the Market Special, 2 eggs, toast and home fries for $2.75 and a short stack of the buttermilk pancakes for $3.50. The special was very good, with the eggs cooked perfectly over easy and a large helping of finely diced home fries cooked crisp with onions, and green and red peppers added. But the highlight of the meal was the pancakes. They were nicely presented on a colorful plate with some powdered sugar. The pancakes were medium thick and had just the right buttermilk taste to offset the sweetness of the syrup. These were some of the best pancakes I have had in a while. My overall impression of the Cafe was that they are doing very simple food using the best ingredients and careful attention to details at very reasonable prices. A quick look at the daytime menu shows a number of items I will need to get back and try. Definately worth checking out.

Dinner Impossible - No Pork, No Pressure

I try to keep this blog mainly to restaurant reviews, but did have to mention that I caught the current episode of Dinner Impossible on Food Network last night and I highly recommend it. If you haven't seen the show they challenge the chef and his assistants to make meals under impossible conditions. The new season features Cleveland's own Michael Symon, Iron Chef and lover of all things Pork. Well to shake things up, this episode has Chef Symon at Park Synagogue cooking a Passover Meal for 100. Chef Symon has brought a whole different feel to the show, less yelling and panic and more of a feeling of having fun and dealing with the stress. This episode in which Symon cannot use any pork or dairy or a lot of other products is really fun, especially for anyone on Cleveland's East Side, so try and catch it.

Mama Roberto's - Mentor Italian Good Food - Updated

Update - I was out to Mama Robertos last night and had the Linguini with white clam sauce; very nice with al dente linguini smoothered with a ton of chopped clams in a light white wine sauce with garlic and some roasted red peppers. The amazing thing was the size. I couldn't even get through half of the portion served. Truly amazing. Also had the house salad and it is good and crisp and used as a shredded cheese delivery device. The house Italian was nice and a bit sweet. Another good meal and I have the second half of it waiting in the fridge at home. ________________________________________________ A little confession, part of the inspiration for this blog is Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives on the Food Network. I have to say that while it doesn't fit any of those categories, Mama Roberto's in Mentor fits the general theme of the show; big portions of freshly prepared food. Based on recommendations from friends I have been meaning to get to Mentor to try Mama Roberto's. Located at one end of a small commercial strip at 8658 Mentor Avenue this is a nice newer restaurant. Inside the decor feels light with an Italian feel from the green, red and white predominate colors. The kitchen is in one of the back corners and the overall feel is nice, clean and casual. You start out with an outstanding bread basket that Guy would refer to as 'Money'. A couple of large slices of thick cut Italian bread were joined by fresh made garlic rolls. The bread was all perfect; cruchy crust with a soft inside. A great way to start the meal. I ordered the Eggplant Parimgana sandwich with the side of pasta. For around $6 I got two huge slices of garlic bread around thick cut slices of wonderfully baked eggplant topped with a chunky sweet marianara and melted cheese. The eggplant was especially good, since it was not breaded or fried. Fork tender and not at all bitter, this is how eggplant should be cooked. The portion was very large and with a nice bowl of spaghetti topped with the same marinara sauce, more then filling. Lets talk about the sauce for a minute, rather then the usual marinara, Moma Roberto's makes a sauce that is chunks of sweet tomatos with littel extra seasoning or cooking. The flavor is bright and bold, but you are not going to get the usual herbal flavors, so don't expect a lot of seasoning here. Watching the other tables in the restaurant I was amazed at the size of the portions being served. The servings were more then enough to make two meals, and that seems to be the approach of most of the customers as almost every table left with a sizable to go bag. About the only negative comment I could come up with here was the music playing in the background which seemed to be early 50s popular songs, but even that changed to 60s rock during my visit. Mama Roberto's is certainly popular and with good reason. This is a nice casual Italian restaurant serving huge portions of very good freshly made food. The food is not complex, but it is wholesome and flavorful. Give this a try, if for no other reason then to enjoy the bread.

Bar Cento - Ohio City Hot Spot

So I headed out to Bar Cento on Friday. Located on W25th Street, right across from the West Side Market in Ohio City, this is one of Cleveland's hot spots. The decor is nice, casual but relatively simple, with the restaurant fairly dark and the table set with a bottle of water, a bag of bread, some little plates and a small bucket with the silverware and some paper towels. The menu is also casual and relatively simple but very good Italian. We started with a Margherita pizza that was excellent. A very thin and crisp square crust is topped with fresh tomatos, fresh mozzeralla and basil leaves. The combination of flavors was bright and nicely balanced. We then shared an order of the pomme frites. A big order of twice fried potatoes was served with 3 different mayonnaises and ketchup. The fries were crisp, although I would have like a slightly smaller cut on the potato. The mayonnaise dipping sauces were good, although it started to become hard to tell one from the other. Finally I had an order of the Mussels. A nice portion of good sized mussels came out in an very zippy broth with a couple of long crutton like breads for soaking. The mussels were very good and well balanced, surprisingly once the mussels were gone, the broth was a bit overpowering to be sopped up with the bread. Overall a very good meal at a really fun place. I would strongly recommend the pizza and everything else was good. There is a happy hour with reduced prices on selected items from 5-7 on weekdays.

Melt - Update

Well Melt has added the space next door and they did fabulous job of making it look like it has been there all along. The space provides a couple of extra tables, which will be used when the patio is closed and a lot more space to allow people to wait for tables to become available. Nice job. I also wanted to mention that Melt has a brunch menu available all day on Sunday and while not extensive, the egg dishes, french toast and waffles sound great and look to be really well prepared. On my last couple of trips here, I have added the soup of the day to my feasting. Certainly didn't need it since the sandwiches are enough to fill up even me, but they sounded so good I had to give them a try. And I was very happy with the soups. The soups are served in one of Melt's many variety mugs and they tasted home made. Thick and rich, without being overpowering and seasoned very well, this is what soup should be like. Finally, I wanted to give a big shout out to the staff at Melt. Everytime I have been there they have been friendly, knowlegable about the food and drink selection and seemingly having a good time despite being busy. It might be working in a place that puts out consistently outstanding food, it might be that the management does a very good job of hiring and training or it just might be a lucky happenstance. In an case we all complain enough about bad service, so lets try to recognize and more importantly reward good service. Remember to throw a little something extra in the tip when you think the server deserves it.

Madsen Donuts - Yummy

After having one of the best meals in a long time at Piero's (see the previous entry) I needed something sweet so I headed down and across the street to Madsen Donuts at 5428 Lake Road. The sign says that it has been there since 1938 and I believe them. This is genuine scratch donuts made the old fashion way. The shop is small and you can watch the donuts in various stages of being made so you know these are fresh. A small glass counter has the donuts; you may be disappointed in the variety, I counted 8 different kinds, but you will not be disappointed in the flavor. I had the creme stick and the cinnamon stick and they were delicious. Flavorful and fresh with rich real flavors and good texture. If you watch Alton Brown's Feasting on Asphalt on the Food Network, this is the kind of place he would love. So if you need a sugar fix and are in the Geneva area, head to the strip and grab some donuts, you will not be dissapointed.

Piero's Pasta House - Geneva Gem

Over the years I have heard rumors about this amazing pasta place in Geneva on the Lake that was only open during the summer season. Well the rumors are true. I rode up on a Thursday night and was very impressed. Located at 5367 Lake Rd E, Geneva, Ohio on the East end of the commercial strip, Piero's doesn't look like much from the outside. The inside is another story. The room is relatively small with tables packed close together, so I would guess the place seats less then 50. The decor is faux Mediterranean, with with the ceiling decorated to look like a vineyard and a mural on the back wall. But overall it feels like someone had a vision and has followed through. Of course the thing that will really strike you about the room is the open kitchen with the large menu board above it that runs across one side of the small room. You get to watch and even better smell the dinners being prepared. The menu board gives you the full menu. A couple of appetizers and salads are available, but everything else on the menu is pastas ranging in price from $9 to $17. The selections sound yummy and include plenty of seafood, vegetable and meat dishes. I tried the seafood combination pasta and it proved a winner. A generous portion of Shrimp, Mussels and Squid were perfectly cooked and served in a perfectly seasoned sauce with wine, capers and red peppers over al dente pasta. I do want to let you know that the chef takes such pride in his dishes that when I requested grated cheese for the pasta he came out of the kitchen to ask me to try it first. I will admit that the dish was so perfectly seasoned, that I passed on the cheese, the way it was prepared it needed nothing. The portion size was good and based on the flavor and the quality this was a good value at $16.95 (and the most expensive thing on the menu). My only regret about the meal was that I ate one of the pieces of crusty italian bread before the pasta came; take my advise and save all the bread to use to sop up the sauce, it is good enough that you will not want to leave a drop on the plate. This is some seriously good authentic Italian food. About the only downsides are that there is no airconditioning and Piero's is only open for dinner Wednesdays to Sundays from May through October. I would highly recommend that you head to Geneva on the Lake and give Piero's a try.

Shuhei - Best Restaurant Ever

I have been promising for some time to give my review of Shuhei Japanese Cuisine and Sushi Bar, well here it is. I do think that I have to start off with a bit of a disclaimer, Hiroshi and Sonja who own Shuhei are very close personal friends and I worked at Shuhei and Shijuro (its predecessor) while putting myself through law school. I will try to give a objective view, but at least I am upfront about any bias. Shuhei is located at 23360 Chagrin Blvd, close to Green Road in Beachwood. The restaurant is in the back of a set of a small colonial style office building. There is a small sign out front and plenty of parking in the back. The entrance is under the awning Once you enter the restaurant it is a different story. Tan walls with ash wood accents set off Shuhei's impressive collection of prints and other art. Among the highlights is the display case in the waiting area which shows off a beautiful and highly detailed wedding kimono. The overall feeling is of classic Japanese style. The dark tables and chairs present a nice background for the simple table settings and the wonderful food. The servers wear traditional Japanese clothing, with the waitresses in kimonos and the men in "happy jackets". Shuhei has an experienced and knowledgeable wait staff that do a great job of taking care of their customers. The food, well that is hard to beat. Having spent a lot of time in the kitchen here I can tell you that the vast majority of sauces and dressings are made fresh from scratch. The ingredients are of incredibly high quality and are carefully prepared. What would shock most people is the amount of prep time that goes in a Shuhei, they work hard all day to be ready to make the best food possible. For the most part food preparation and presentation stays close to the traditional Japanese style, which is a good thing when it is done as expertly as this. Lets start at the sushi bar where the highly skilled sushi chefs combine the freshest fish and seafood with rice, seaweed and other vegetables to make the best sushi in the area. Whether you order a simple maki roll up to the large assorted sushi and sashimi platters, presentation is carefully considered and the plates are works of art. One of the tests of a good sushi bar is how they do on the simple straight forward nigiri sushi, where the fish is presented on top of a rice pellet. At Shuhei the freshness of the fish along with the skill of the chef shines through, the fish melts in your mouth with a nice contrast from the vinegared rice and the wasabi. Some of my favorites and suggestions to try are the scallop sushi, large fresh scallops served raw allow you to experience the slightly sweet taste and the wonderful texture; the spider roll, taking a perfectly fried soft shell crab and rolling it with lettuce and slightly spicey mayo for a great flavor combination; and the Nippon Kai Salad, an assortment of raw fish and seafood cut up into smaller pieces and served over a light vegetable salad with special miso flavored dressing that allows you to try a wide variety in an appetizer. You cannot go wrong with any of the sushi dinners, but if you want something a bit different try the Chirashi dinner. Instead of individual pieces of sushi, you will get a very nice assortment of fish and seafood on top of a bed of the sushi rice. The rest of the menu is perfectly prepared Japanese food presented simply, but elegantly. Japanese cooking tends to emphasize simple flavors using the freshest foods available. It is hard to go wrong with anything on the menu, but once again some of my favorites. The tempura at Shuhei is how I think tempura should be. Shrimp and vegetables are battered and then deep fried in such a way as to result in an incredibly light and flavorful, but cruchy outside with the inside being perfectly cooked; you cannot go wrong with any of the tempura items. The fish dishes are all incredibly fresh and perfectly cooked and then mated with an appropriate sauce. The hot pot meals come out in a large iron pot steaming hot and loaded to the brim with goodness. The salad entrees and noodle dishes are outstanding, especially as a lunch. If your idea of Ramen is the little packets you buy at the Supermarket, you should try Shuhei's version. A bowl of noodle with a slightly spicy broth is topped with shrimp or beef and stir fried vegetables. If something on the menu sounds good, give it a try since it should exceed your expectations. Shuhei is certainly not the cheapest restaurant and with the number of Japanese restaurants that continue to open in the area there are a lot of choices, but Shuhei shows that value comes from excellent food expertly prepared and served in a well designed restaurant. The food, service and ambience are all top notch and there is a reason that Shuhei has remained one of Cleveland's top restaurants.

Rosati's Custard

So I am headed home from Agave's (see previous post) feeling pretty happy, but still could use something sweet; and there is a nice little roadside stand with a giant cone sticking up. So I pull into Rosati's Custard 95 E. Aurora Road. The place looks immaculately clean and the menu is very nice without being hokey. The flavors available today, Chocolate and Vanilla along with specials Cherry Vanilla and Cotton Candy. I decide to go basic and get a medium cone with Chocolate and Vanilla. The portion is nice sized and the custard is outstanding. Not overly sweet, but thick and rich with wholesome flavor. A great find, although certainly not a hidden gem, since Roati's is well know in the area, I would say that Rosati's is even better then East Coast Custard.

Agaves - Very Good Mexican Restaurant

UPDATED 6/24/2010 - I was by and they are out of business.

UPDATED - went back for a second dinner and tried the Shrimp Diabla. The portion of shrimp was generous and they were excellently cooked, the sauce was good, if a little mild for my taste, but this place is a winner. One note is to pay attention to what is suppose to come with the meals, they tend to just serve the rice and beans, no matter what the menu says, and in this case it was worth asking for the Guacamole; as it was fresh, flavorful with just the right amount of contrast from the crunchy bits. Well, my Mexican food hunt finally pays off in a big way. Of course it was a result of luck. On Sunday I was riding through the Cuyahoga Valley and needed to stop at a Marc's for a Birthday card for my niece. I remembered there was one on W. Aurora Road coming up from the Valley so I stopped. As I was pulling out I noticed that a new Mexican restaurant had gone into the strip mall so I came back on Monday night to give it a try. From the outside Agave Mexican Restaurant is nothing special. Located at 470 W. Aurora Road in Northfield Center it sits at the front of a little shopping center with a fairly plain sign out front and a couple of awnings. Inside is not much more impressive. The walls have been painted a light yellow with orange accents to hide what looks to be a standard restaurant setup. They have added some framed prints. Overall the impression is of a quick makeover, but it is clean. It appears that they spent more on the flat screen at the end of the room then they did on the whole rest of the decor. Once down in the booth a large basket of chips and a bowl of salsa are delivered. The chips are good, fresh and light, the salsa is a bit light on accents to the tomato, but with a little hot sauce added it was pretty good. The first surprise was the menu. Some time and energy went into putting this together. There are quite a lot of choices and they range a lot farther then the typical Mexican restaurant menu. I was especially impressed by the Seafood selection, which was long and varied. But since it was my first time I decided to go with some simple items to see how the food is. I ordered a combination plate with a bean burrito, chili relleno, rice and beans, very reasonably priced at under $8. The food came out on a large orange platter and looked good and wholesome. The second surprise was the flavor. This was Mexican food prepared very well, with bright flavors and simple preparations. The bean burrito was simply that, refried beans in a flour tortilla with a red sauce on top. What made this work was the flavorful beans and the delightfully zippy sauce. Even better was the Chili Relleno; usually batter fried, in this preparation the pepper stuffed with a mild cheese was without batter, but perfectly cooked and then topped with a wonderful tomatillo green sauce. The pepper to cheese balance was just right with the flavor of the cooked pepper coming through. The sauce was a perfect compliment and my biggest problem was that I had soaked up all the sauce before I finished the pepper. The beans on the plate were also good and the rice was well prepared. Overall one of the better Mexican meals I have had in a while. Service was good, water was refilled, check was delivered at the end of the meal and the waiter was friendly without being overbearing. My overall impression is that Agave serves very good, simple Mexican food at reasonable prices. The decor could use some work, but as long as the food is good, I'll be back. I already know that I want to try some of the Shrimp dishes. If you are looking for some good Mexican food I recommend you give Agave a try.

Watami and Yellowtail - Japanese Buffets

After all the Chinese Buffets we have had to deal with, Northeast Ohio has recently gotten two Japanese Buffets. Now I love Japanese food and have a bit of knowledge since I spent quite a few years working at Shijuro and then Shuhei restaurants, so I figured I at least had to check them out. First up is Watami Japanese Seafood Buffet at 7703 Ridgewood Drive in Parma. This is in the Parmatown strip mall. A nice sized, but not overly large restaurant has been carved out. The setting is very nice and simple, with clean lines and light wood accents; the tables are up front with the buffet in back. The overall feeling is clean and light, with a modern Asian feel. The buffet is divided into two sections, on the right is the hot side. You start with a couple of soups, miso and a crab miso. Both are acceptable, if a little strong to my taste. You then have a steam table of Japanese hot food. The Tempura falls short, with the breading not nearly light enough. The fried rice and yakisoba were pretty good, but this is not what you come to a buffet for. Overall, most of the hot food is not quite up to snuff, I blame this primarily on having to sit on the steamtable; not the best condition for Japanese food. On the Left side is the cold side, which comes through much better. The front has a number of cold salads, I tried a couple and they were not bad. Next comes the Sushi section. A number of Sushi Chefs turn out a variety of maki (rolled) and nigiri sushi. In addition to the items that they put out on the buffet, they will make selected handrolls upon request. The selection is heavily weighted towards the maki rolls, with a limited selection of nigiri sushi (where the fish is on top of the rice). While the sushi here is better then any other buffet I have tried in the area, it still is not quite up to true Sushi Bar quality. The rice is cooked properly, but it is a bit underseasoned; a problem with much of the mass produced sushi, they just do not add enough vinegar to the rice and there is no wasabi on the nigiri. At Watami, I found the fish and seafood generally fresh. Rather then rely on the best quality fish simply prepared for the sushi, Watami tends to go more towards the combination rolls, where the fish will have other food to accent it. I did want to add that the desserts that I tried were actually pretty good. The cakes were moist and flavorful and the fruit was fresh. My overall experience at Watami was good, and with a lunch time price is $7.99 Monday-Thursday and $8.99 Friday and Saturday I felt like I got my moneys worth. I have moved away from buffets, preferring to get made to order food in reasonable quantities, but if you are in the area and need to really fill up, you should consider giving Watami a try. A good place to fill up and a step above the typical Chinese Buffet. Yellowtail Seafood Sushi Buffet is in Fairlawn at 4054 Medina Road, which is right by the I-8O ramp. It is located in one of the shopping centers and took over a space that used to be a Chinese Buffet. Walking in I was impressed, this is a large restaurant and clearly a lot of time and money was spent on transforming the space. There are a number of glass enclosed dining rooms and a very nice bar area. The buffet is arranged along the middle of the restaurant, in a large U with the hot food on one side, salads on the other and sushi in the middle. Once again the hot food, while looking good, did not hold up well due to having to sit. I did at one point manage to get some tempura just after it had been added to the buffet and it was significantly better then the pieces I had tried earlier, but still not up to top tempura standards. I can tell you that I was disappointed in the crab cakes and crab balls, both of which were more filler then crab. Off of the salad side I tried a couple of items that seemed interesting, but while well prepared, they were nothing special. So lets get to the sushi, since this should be the draw at Yellowtail. Unfortunately, I was very disappointed. There is a good variety to choose from, but the quality was lacking. The maki sushi were ok, although quite a few of the items were very similar, with the fish mixed with mayonnaise or other dressing and then used to fill the roll. In the end, this is a way to hide lesser quality fish and seafood, but it tends to make everything similar. Unfortunately the nigiri sushi was even worse. First the rice portions under the fish were too big; which makes sense for a buffet where they are trying to fill you up; but does not make for good sushi. Even worse was that the fish itself was not all top quality. While the White Tuna was good, I did have a piece of the regular Tuna that was quite a bit stronger then it should be. The other fish ranged in quality, but none was what I expect to be used for sushi. The food quality issue was especially upsetting considering that Yellowtail charges $15.95 for lunch and $25 for dinner. At those prices I expect to have top quality food. For me the easy choice is to take that amount and go to a real Japanese Restaurant and have a good meal. I also had a service issue. When my waitress approached me about drinks, I asked what came with the buffet, she listed off soft drinks, ice tea and the like; I had the ice tea. Imagine my surprise when there was an additional $2 charge for the drink. I called this to my waitresses attention; while she apologized she did not take the extra charge off the bill. So my recommendation is to stay away from Yellowtail, while the place looks great, it is overpriced, the food quality is mediocre and they have some of the worst sushi I have had. You get a much better deal at Watami, but for me I am headed for Shuhei and some good food.

Los Gallos - Bedford Mexican

The hunt continues. While headed through Bedford to the Metropark I noticed a new Mexican Restaurant at 630 Broadway Avenue, just as you head into Downtown Bedford. Plenty of parking and the building looks like it has been nicely restored. Inside it is typical Mexican restaurant decor, bright colors, festive hangings and painted fake bricks peaking through painted fake plaster. It looks OK, but certainly if you have been to a couple of these places, nothing you haven't seen before. I sat outside at the small patio, nice, but I get the feeling the plastic tables and chairs will not hold up over time. A nice little fountain is in the corner. We start with the chips and salsa and surprisingly a cup of coleslaw. The chips are ok, but not great and the salsa is good if very mild, a situation easily remedied with the hot sauce on the table. I am still not sure why I was given the Coleslaw, but it was fine, if nothing special. For lunch I had a vegetarian Chili Relleno platter which came with a Taco, beans and a Guacamole Salad. When brought out I was impressed with both the portion size and the presentation. The Chili Relleno was very large and looked great with a vivid red sauce and pepper and onion pieces. The Guacamole on top of the salad was a beautiful green and just perfectly gooey. The taste of the items did not live up to the high expectations created by the presentation. The Relleno, while good, was a bit bland and with the cheese inside overpowering the rest of the dish. The Guacamole lacked any punch or contrast, it seemed to be just avocado. On the whole the food was OK, but nothing special. To me it seemed underseasoned. Service was acceptable, with a minor glitch that was corrected after I called the waiter's attention to it. I did kind of find it strange to be addressed by the waiter as "My Friend", but that is just me. To wrap up, Los Gallos gets a general OK, yet another Mexican Restaurant that offers decent food at an OK price. If only the flavors lived up to how good the food looked coming out.

Wonton Gourmet & BBQ - Asiatown Hidden Gem - Updated

I headed down to Asiatown for lunch on Saturday and wanted to try someplace new. Had heard mention of Wonton Gourmet and noticed it had taken over the spot at 3211 Payne Avenue in Cleveland's Asiatown. Under a previous name and ownership this used to be just another smaller average Chinese restaurant in the neighborhood, ate there once and was neither very good or very bad, just kind of average. Pulling up to Wonton Gourmet I was not particularly impressed, although there is a good sized parking lot next door, the outside of the building is a bit run down. But walk inside and it is a complete 180 degrees. Decorated in a very modern and clean style Wonton Gourmet looks the complete opposite of its exterior. The place virtually gleams and there is very little decoration. On the far wall a large flat screen shows presumably Chinese shows; along the walls hang small Chinese signs listing menu items with their prices. Luckily there are printed menus with English. The tables are simply set, but in a good sign in addition to the ubiquitous soy sauce there is a container of the hot chili oil. Very nice black plastic chopsticks are brought upon request. The menu lists very standard items; Chow Mein, Fried Rice, Egg Foo Young, Lo Mein and similar items at very reasonable prices. Although I didn't order anything from them on this trip, looking at other tables, the food looked good with very well sized portions. What immediately caught my attention was the separate menu on the table with the Hong Kong style items; Noodles in Soup, Congee and Chow Fun, Delicasies and other dishes. I tried the Shrimp Wonton soup with Egg Noodles. For $4.95 I got a large bowl with a light but well seasoned broth, a large portion of thin noodles, greens and 5-6 large shrimp wontons. The soup was excellent with the Shrimp Wontons being the highlight. Adding just a few drops of the chili oil added the needed punch and it was excellent. Overall I was very impressed; the decor is excellent, very restrained and modern; the menu has plenty of interest while still touching on a lot of what we are familiar with. The prices are very reasonable, especially considering the portion sizes. Bringing a taste of everyday Hong Kong style to Cleveland, this is definitely a place that I will be hitting again, especially at lunch time. Update: I stopped at Wonton Gourmet for a quick dinner and was once again impressed. The dinner menu is extensive and has some items that are new event to me. I was in the mood for squid so I tried the Salt and Pepper Squid. It was a good sized portion of well prepared deep fried squid with a nice salty batter and plenty of hot pepper slices to get my tounge tingling. This is a great addition to the Cleveland Chinese food scene. A very nice place, with an interesting menu of well prepared food and reasonable prices. Go and try it out.

El Tango Tanquira - Another Lakewood Find

So after a rough start I am finally having some success on quest for good inexpensive Mexican food in Cleveland. My latest find is El Tango Tanquira at 14224 Madison Avenue in Lakewood. This place has built a nice reputation and has gotten some great writeups online so I figured I would give it a try. The outside is nothing special, but easy enough to find. Once inside I was struck by the decor, kind of a funky Southwest feel, with a nice tile floor, wooden tables and wrought iron chairs and plenty of colorful decoration. A really fun place and kind of has the feel of the places I find in Western ski towns, funky but clean. Instead of heading to a table in the small dining room on the left, you head over to the counter in front of the kitchen on the right and place your order. Once you have picked your food and paid you sit down and from there you get table service with full plates and silverware. The menu is not overly long, but the items on it appear to be very good. I ordered the Green Chili Stew with Vegetables and the Burrito with fish added to it. All items were fresh and made to order. The stew came out first and it was exceptional. A thick bright green chili stew was studded with vegetables including onions, squash, broccoli and beans; and to add a suprise and extra flavor note there was a wedge of fresh pineapple as well. The flavors were excellent, well seasoned and complex with just enough heat. I would highly recommend this. The fish burrito was next, good sized and filled with Spanish Rice and beans; the fish were very nicely grilled pieces of a Snapper. All of the ingredients were very good, but as a whole the burrito didn't come together. It needed a sauce or salsa to get everything to combine. It also seemed a little too simple in the food combination, I would like to see some vegetation (onions, peppers, tomatoes and/or lettuce) and some cheese to make the burrito complete. Now for my mini rant, El Tango does not put out the chips and salsa, it is $4.95 for them and they looked good on a nearby table. They do not have water by the glass and they do not have hot sauce, at least not in a bottle, they were willing to sell me some of the salsa for $1 extra. While the food here is very high quality, well prepared and reasonably priced ($4.50 for the chili stew, $6.95 for the Burrito plus $1.00 to add the fish) I start to feel like I am less a customer and more of a income source when I have to pay an extra charge to make the meal suit me. I can understand the chips and salsa, but not serving water or having any sauce included in the burrito does not seem right to me. Now that is just me, I generally don't like to pay the high price for drinks when eating out, unless I am having something alcoholic and I like to be able to doctor the flavor of my food, but that is me, your mileage may vary. Overall a very good place, fun decor, good service, high quality food, some of which is exceptional (try the Green Chili Stew), at what should be reasonable prices until you start having to pay for all the extras. If this was closer I probably would visit again and try the Fish Tacos, but I am just bugged enough by the extras issue to not make a special trip across town.

Fat Taco - Bainbridge Mexican

UPDATED 6/24/2010 - I was by Fat Taco and apparently they are out of business.

Well I finally had a partial success in my inexpensive Mexican food quest. I think part of my ongoing hunt involves the loss of Que Tal on Coventry. Before it closed I could count on it for good, tasty, big and reasonably priced burritos. Well I may have found a pretty good substitute. Fat Taco at 8564 E. Washington Street in Bainbridge (the corner of E. Washington and Route 306 in the same little strip as Cowboy Food) is a very nice little Mexican fast food place. I have been here before, but it has been a while so I figured it was time to give them another try. Fat Taco is clean and simply but nicely decorated. You order at the front counter and you can eat inside or there are a couple of tables out front. The menu is not extensive; basically Burritos, Tacos, Nachos and Enchiladas, but the food is good and the portions are generous. I had the Fat Burrito; a vegetarian option which includes sweet potatoes, onions and peppers along with the rice, bean, lettuce, pica di gallo and cheese. The burrito was well made with generous fillings. I would note that while the menu described the onion and peppers as grilled, they seemed almost raw and the peppers were quite hot jalapeño slices. The overall taste was good, with a nice contrast between the sweet soft yams and the crunchy and hot peppers. I did need to add a combination of some hot sauce and taco sauce, but that is not unusual for me. Since it was Tuesday, I got the special, which is if you buy a burrito and a large drink, you get the chips and salsa free. The chips were obviously made in house, and while they may have sat for a day or two, they were good. The salsa was a nice fresh dice, with good flavor and texture, but it needed more heat. Overall, Fat Taco delivers high quality Mexican food at a reasonable price. While it may not knock your socks off, it will fill you up and satisfy your taste buds. If it were a sit down restaurant with a full menu my hunt might be over, but for now it continues.

Jalapeno Loco - Mentor the Hunt Continues

In my ongoing hunt to satisfy my inexpensive Mexican food craving, I headed out to Jalapeno Loco in Mentor. Located at the end of the shopping center at the intersection of Route 306 and Mentor Avenue, Jalapeno Loco was one of my reliable stops for good, cheap Mexican food; the food was good if not terribly innovative and the prices and portions were right. The trip this time was made with some trepidation, as I had heard that the restaurant had been raided in April by Immigration for having illegal workers (see the PD story here: http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/cuyahoga/120842112261840.xml&coll=2). I liked the place, but didn't want to support a business that is using illegal immigrants, plus losing a sizable portion of your employees will usually hurt the food. Walking in, the decor remains the same, standard Mexican Restaurant/faux Cantina style. Nothing wrong and the place is kept clean and in good shape. Well the raids have certainly had an effect. The wait staff has changed radically with most of the current servers being cute young American girls; my server was very nice and seemed aware that the food is not what it once was. We start with the chips and salsa, overall good, the chips if not fresh made are at least served warm and are crisp with a good taste; the salsa is ok, if a bit mild, but has a nice flavor. I ordered my usual favorite, the Chili Rellenos (although they are called something else on the menu) which are Poblano Peppers stuffed with cheese, battered and fried. The plate comes out with 2 nice looking peppers with rice and beans. The first hint of change is that while I am warned that the plate is hot, it is at best warm and everything on it is just warm. In addition, while the peppers are nice sized, the batter barely covers them and there is a dab of the red sauce that is suppose to cover them completely. The peppers are very mild, which happens from time to time, the cheese is good, but the overall balance of the dish is thrown way off without the proper covering and sauce. The rice is ok, if a bit bland; the refried beans have a decent flavor, but nothing special. My overall impression is a major step down from past visits. So once again I remain disappointed. The decor is nice, the service is good and the prices are right; but the food is a major disappointment, especially for a place that used to be a reliable, if unspectacular kitchen. Clearly some of those who were deported or arrested were key hands in the kitchen. The quest will continue, if you have a place you think has good affordable Mexican food, let me know so I can give it a try. Thanks for reading.

Lopez - the Mexican Food Hunt Continues

OK, so my hunt for good inexpensive Mexican food continues. I had a coupon for 20% off food on Mondays so I decided to give Lopez on Lee Road in Cleveland Heights a try. First off I have to tell you that I am a little confused about the name. On the web I have seen this restaurant referred to as Lopez on Lee, Lopez Bar & Grill and Lopez Southwestern Food Club; for ease I will just refer to as Lopez. It is located at 2196 Lee Road in Cleveland Heights, near the Cedar intersection and the Cedar-Lee Theaters. Walking in one knows right away that this is not your typical Mexican restaurant. The room is done in warm tones and feels classy and southwestern. The feeling is inviting and upscale, but fun. The chips and salsa are good, the chips come in a small paper bag, the salsa is good with a nice flavor. The menu is also upscale, so I decide to go for a couple of smaller items. I picked the Puffy Fish Taco and the Calamari. The taco was good, although the shell was not very puffy. The walleye on the Taco was excellent, well cooked and flavorful. I had trouble finding the lime cilantro yogurt sauce. The portion size was a little off balance, there seemed too much fish for the small taco shell and vegetables. Make this in a larger shell with more sauce and they would have a clear winner. The Calamari was excellent, lightly fried and served over shredded cabbage with a senstional red pepper dipping sauce. Really well done and a nice if not huge portion. Overall Lopez does not disappoint, the food is very good reinterpretations of Mexican and Southwest food. Unfortunately, this is a bit more upscale; the prices and portion sizes mean that while a place I would recommend, this is not the place for inexpensive Mexican dining. Of course if I am going to be disappointed, this is the way to go; keep Lopez in mind for when you want to go a bit fancy or to impress that certain significant other.

Cowboy Food - Update

Was out to Cowboy Food in Bainbridge with a group of friends and have to say that the food was excellent. Where last time I had the Fish Tacos, and they were only so-so, this time I had the Blackened Grouper Sandwich and it was near perfect. The nice sized portion of Grouper was grilled very nicely, it had the nice spicey sear on the outside, with the middle being moist and tender large flakes of fish. Served on a bun with a side of lettuce, tomato and onion to put onto the sandwhich, it was tasty. So good no extra sauce was needed. The sweet potatoe fries were perfect, crisp with a great flavor of the sweet potato coming through. Friends had the 1/2 slab of baby back ribs and the BBQ Sundae (pulled pork, coleslaw and baked beans layered in a Mason jar and everyone enjoyed their food. About the only thing I could find to fault was that the pickle spear was only OK; if you are going to serve pickles, get some good real Kosher ones, but this is just nitpicking. Great food, good portions, friendly service and reasonable prices. Well worth checking out.

Mi Pueblo - The hunt for good inexpensive Mexican

Well the weather is definitely warming up and I have been craving some good Mexican food, so it has been off to some of my usual suspects to see what is up: First, over the Memorial Day holiday I stopped out at Mi Pueblo Taqueria, at 12207 Lorain. This used to be one of my real favorites, you could count on good authentic Mexican food at a reasonable price. This time, while the food was OK, the prices have gone way up. Mi Pueblo is nice, clean and well run. You get the expected chips with red and green salsas, both of which have some real heat to them. These salsas have never been chunky, relying on heat instead. The first disappointment was that I did not get the carrots and jalapeños. I don't know if they stopped serving them, if it was just during the holiday weekend or what, but I usually love the combination of the crunch of the carrots with the heat they pick up from marinating with the peppers. When I get the menu I was shocked by the increase in the prices. My usual order, the Chiles Rellenos, which are delicious poblano peppers stuffed with a white cheese, batter coated and then fried are now $13. I finally decided to try the Shrimp Fajitas. which while $14, I figured where a better value. While the flavors were overall good, I was disappointed with what I received; I got about 10 relatively small shrimp with a lot of peppers and onions. The beans and rice are good, and the guacamole is tasty, although a relatively small portion. The tortillas were a disappointment, they seemed small and just didn't have the right texture. The fajitas were well cooked, although they come out on a plate, with none of the hot plate we have become used to. Overall, not bad, but certainly not exceptional, especially at the price. My overall recommendation would be in the middle, I think the food is still good, although not at the level it once was, but the prices have gone up too high for what is being served. Sadly the hunt will have to continue.

Seoul Hot Pot - Can Not Miss

Ok, you have been watching Anthony Bourdain on the Travel Channel and you want to have a culinary adventure, but you are in Cleveland and have tried the well know Asian restaurants. Well I have a suggestion for you; head to the Near East Side of Cleveland and enjoy some of the best and most authentic Korean food in the US. After having the urge for some good Korean food for a while, I finally got back down to Seoul Hot Pot and it is as great as ever. I have been going here for quite a while. A Korean friend introduced me to it and I think it is the best Korean food around. This is one of my favorite restaurants and I don't understand why it doesn't get more attention. While the local reviewers and Zagat always cover and rave about Phenom Phen (which is also very good and a favorite) not a word is mentioned of Seoul Hot Pot. Seoul Hot Pot is located at 3709 Payne Avenue in Cleveland. If you are not familiar with the area it is part of the Cleveland Chinatown area, with Asian shops and residents moving in. Across the street is a little strip with a Chinese Restaurant and Koko Bakery where you can get wonderful Chinese bakery and good Bubble Tea. Part of the fun for me has been watching the place evolve. The story is that the Korean owners bought an existing Pizza place and kept it running, but as Korean friends would come in they would cook Korean home style food for them. Eventually they switched over and stopped serving the pizza menu, but when I started eating here the Pizza Sign was still out front (you can still see it painted over on the front of the building). They also used to have the Pizza Menu board still up on the wall of the front room; it used to hang over the Turtle tank that is also gone. Over the years the restaurant has evolved; grill tables were put in up front and the decor has been revised several times. Now while the exterior is ok, the interior is nice with wood paneling half way up the walls and nice decorative Asian touches on the walls. The tables and chairs are solid if unspectacular, with just a napkin dispenser on top. The front room has the grill tables with hoods, the back room is regular tables with a view into the kitchen. Many times the TV in the back room will be showing Korean shows. Once you are settled, you will get the menu and some barley tea (hot or cold depending on the season). Which has a wonderful nutty flavor. You can also get a Beer, domestic or Asian or Soju, a Korean rice distilled drink that can knock your socks off. The menu is fairly extensive, with much of it favoring the carniovers among us. For those unfamilar with Korean food it is far different from Chinese, with most dishes prepared simply and with bold flavors. Among my favorites are the Pajun (Seafood Pancake) which is a savory batter of egg and rice flour with green onions, small shrimp, pieces of squid and an occasional oyster pan fried to deliciousness and served with a soy sesame sauce. I also enjoy the Jap Chae, a rice noodle and vegetables dish (make sure that you let them know if you want it without any meat) and the squid in hot sauce. Be warned, the hot sauce dishes push hard on the heat, with the squid or rice cakes in a bright red sauce that will tingle the tongue. In fact be careful because any Korean food that is spicey will be extremely hot, including the Kim Chee and other spicey Banchan. Having brought my meat eater friends, I can tell you there are a number of very good meat dishes, including the beef spare ribs and the bulogi, which is a marinated beef. The beef is marinated in soy, sesame oil and garlic and brought to the table raw and you grill the meat yourself. Fun and from what I am told, delicious. There is also a good selection of soups and hot pot meals. When you get your meal you will be served a bowl of white rice and banchan, which are small side dishes to accompany your meal and my favorite part about eating Korean. The banchan at Seoul Hot Pot are especially good, most made fresh at the restaurant and delicious. You will usually get between 6-8 of these which usually include Kim Chee (marinated spicy cabbage), daikon chunks in hot sauce, marinated been sprouts, potatoes, a plain gelatain and pickles. I go to Seoul Hot Pot as much for these side dishes as I do for the main course, they are good enough to make a meal out of on their own. The food here is home style cooking, but consistently excellent. The service is good and friendly, although the kitchen can slow down when they get busy. There is usually only one server so it may take a bit to get your food, but it is worth it since everything is cooked fresh to order. I highly recommend that you give Seoul Hot Pot a try. The food is excellent and reasonably priced. The atmosphere is nice and it will be an adventure you will want to try again.

Melt - Lakewood's best

Over the Memorial Day Weekend I decided to take a ride through the Metroparks. Since I was going to Rocky River to start the run I decided to hit Melt on Detroit right in the middle of Lakewood. Now Melt has gotten quite a bit of attention and good reviews, and all of it is deserved. For those who haven't been there or haven't heard Melt is one of the best bar/casual restaurants in the area. The decor is old fashion corner bar with all kinds of funky hip decor. The walls are covered with Cleveland memorabillia, with a heavy dose of Cleveland sports teams. There are plastic figures on top of the bar, Dracula, the Easter Bunny etc. and there are a number of TVs which may be on sports or on cartoons, either way you win. The music is great rock and roll. The atmosphere is fun and friendly with a lot of humor. Once you get in and seated, which may involve a wait as the place is usually humming along, you are faced with the first of many hard choices, what to drink. Melt offers one of the best beer menus around, with everything from the regular suspects to beers I haven't seen before. You'll have about 20 draft choices, and a near endless list of bottled beers sorted by category and with plenty of information in the list. All seem to be reasonably priced and there are usually monthly beer specials, so you will have even more options. Now you will get to the menu. Melt bases it's menu around the grilled cheese sandwich. But not the little old ones we used to get in school, these have been elevated to works of culinary art. With a wide range of choices it is hard to go wrong. I have had the Mushroom Melt, the Lake Erie Monster (walleye), the North Coast Shores (Crab Cakes) and they have been excellent. It starts with thick slices of good bread, which are then stuffed with high quality ingrediants and your choice of cheese and then grilled to perfection. Served with a large mound of home made fries and a good coleslaw, this will fill up even the biggest appetite. Melt has taken the grilled cheese and made it king. In addition the menu has a number of appetizers (try the vegie chili another winner), salads and burgers. There is also a monthly special, this month it was the Big Popper. A heavenly combination of cream cheese, cheddar cheese and jalepeno peppers is sandwiched between two slices of killer french toast and served with a side of blueberry maple sauce. This all combines together in ways that will make your tongue sing. The sweet and hot contrast nicely, as does the gooey cheese with the crisp peppers. Served at a size that made me cry Uncle for $8.00 it was the best meal I have had all month. I do want to mention the servers. In the times I have been to Melt, the service has been excellent. The servers know the menu and can explain it to you. Plus they really seem to enjoy working there. This last visit, the bartender was rocking out to the classic rock tunes as he kept drinks filled, delivered and cleared plates and generally made sure that everybody was having a good time. Kudos. Melt is located at 14718 Detroit Road in Lakewood, next to Geigers. There is a small patio. You can check them out on the web at http://www.meltbarandgrilled.com/home.html

Dibella's Subs

OK I am not one for chains, but I am always looking for a good sub sandwich. Until I find a good local sub shop near by, Dibella's has become my current sub of choice. They are a small regional chain that has opened up 2 stores on the east side of Cleveland. One on Richmond Road across from Tri-C East and the other on Aurora Road in Solon. The shops are a bit bigger then the your average Subway or Quiznos, with a long sub line and plenty of seating. Very good subs here. They bake the bread in the stores and it is good, a bit crusty on the outside, with a nice soft middle and good flavor for both the white and wheat. I especially like the everything bread, topped with onions, poppy seeds and sesame seeds. Now the subs themselves, they are well stuffed with proper layering of quality ingredients. I of course have the Tuna and find it to be good quality with not too much mayo. I love that in addition to the cheese, lettuce, tomato and onions you also have a choice of hot, sweet and banana peppers. A couple of other differences you will notice, the hot subs are made on a real griddle the old fashion way, not run through a conveyor belt oven. Also this is a sub shop, salads are not on the menu. For desert there are chocolate chip cookies which may be expensive, but they are yummy. The cookies are just how you want them, a bit crisp around the edges with the soft, chewy middles. Dibella's has a complete menu of cold and hot subs, so if you need a bite give them a try. You can find there website at http://www.dibellas.com/default.asp

Cowboy Food Drink - Chagrin Falls

When I got off work the other day the weather was too nice to sit around so I got on the motorcycle and cruised out to Chagrin Falls figuring I would check out Cowboy Food Drink. Cowboy is at 8586 E. Washington in Chagrin Falls, right at the intersection of E. Washington and Route 306. Its been about a year since I had been out there and it seemed like a good time to check it out. Cowboy has been through some changes over the past couple of years, there has been a change in ownership, in the kitchen and a 2nd location in Mentor has opened and closed. Still with all that the changes have been minimal. For those who have not been, Cowboy is a restaurant and bar all in one. The decor is a mix of western theme and sports bar, with plenty of TVs tuned to sports, mostly hightop tables and a menu that features Southwestern and BBQ favorites. The overall atmosphere is fun and friendly and there is a stage for bands to play on during the weekend. The concept is to serve high quality food at a reasonable price in a fun manner. This time around I found the food to be generally good, although possible a step below what I remember. I had the fish tacos, 2 soft shell tacos with grilled white fish and the usual salad and sauce. The tacos were ok, with some of the fish, which was cut into small cubes tasting a bit fishy. The sauce and guacamole was good, but lacked distinctive tastes. Definitely needed some hot sauce which zipped them up. I got to pick 2 sides, in a carbo loading mood I got the Sweet Potato Fries and the Mac and Cheese. The fries were wonderful, fresh crisp, tasty and just sweet enough. The mac and cheese was good, although I was disappointed that it was a wet version rather then a baked version, still it was cheesy and thick. Overall a good meal at $10. For those carnivores, I have heard that the Pit Smoked BBQ is very good. With Pork, Ribs, Chicken and Brisket available there is a good variety. Service was friendly and prompt. The menu has seemed to stay basically the same for several years with the prices largely unchanged. I think overall Cowboy food is a great alternative to Chili's, or Ruby Tuesday's with good food, a great atmosphere and enough to keep you busy for a while.

Noisy Oyster - Akron in the Valley

So I'm riding my motorcycle out through the Cuyahoga Valley National Park along the canal and looking for a place to get a quick lunch. Just as I hit Akron, I noticed a little bar in a small strip that has the interesting name of the Noisy Oyster and says fresh Seafood. So I figure why not give it a try. The outside is not terribly impressive, but inside the place is actually bigger then you would have guessed. A bar with a number of TV is on one side with a glass walled dining room next to it. Decor is nothing special, but acceptable. The menu is medium sized, but does offer a bunch of Seafood you wouldn't expect. I tried the Seafood Chowder and the Steamed Clams. Lets start with the Chowder. A Manhattan style, ie tomato based soup is loaded with small shrimp, fake crab and fish. And it is good. Thick with seafood and vegetables, there almost isn't enough room for the soup part. And nicely seasoned with just enough heat to keep it interesting. The bowl was not huge, but definitely filling and well priced at $4.95. The dozen clams came out on a metal platter with a bowl of butter to dip and a lemon wedge. The clams were nice sized, cooked very well and tasted just right. At $6.95 a dozen I thought this was a good value. I did see the guy down the bar get a dozen fresh oysters and they looked very nice, both in size and freshness. The service was good and friendly. Daily specials are available, and my new friend down the bar was saying the steak special was good. A good place to go if you are out in the Cuyahoga Valley and looking for a place to catch a nice bite and possible some libations at a reasonable price. I know that I will back to try some more of the menu. Noisy Oyster 1375 N Portage Path Akron, OH 44313 (330) 864-7500

Great Bar Food - Kirtland City Tavern

On Friday went to the Kirtland City Tavern for their all you can eat fish special. I've been there a couple of times before and the food is always good. KCT is located at 10015 Chillicothe Road (Rt. 306) in Willoughby, near the back entrance to Chapin Forest. From the outside it is a fairly nondescript bar, but the inside has a classic and authentic road house feel to it. Nothing fancy and plenty of beer signs, but it has the feel that these were collected over the years, not bought by some consultant. The menu is fairly extensive with the usual hamburgers, sandwiches, salads and some good Italian items (I have tried the Eggplant Parmigana and it is good). But where they really pack them in is for the daily specials. Friday is all you can eat fish. For $9.99 you get coleslaw, freshcut fries and fried fish with tarter sauce. The coleslaw is fresh and mild with a crisp bite. The fries are a bit limp but very tasty, but the fish is where this deal shines. Large filets of whitefish is coated in a medium batter and then fried to perfection. The fish was perfectly cooked with a very crisp, slightly sweet shell. Although the 3 fillets that came in the original portion should have filled me up, I had to get another since they were so good. I would call the Kirtland City Tavern a hidden gem, but they appear to be well known in their area with the place filled and a short wait up front for tables to clear. The service was good considering the crowd. Give them a try.

Richie Chan's - Hidden Gem

There seems to be a little Chinese takeout place on every corner of Cleveland. They range from ok to pretty good. Most have a very similar approach and food; many even seem to use the same menu and menu board with just the restaurant name changed. At first glance Richie Chan's at Cedar Lee (13181 Cedar Rd) in Cleveland Heights, may fit in with all the rest, but a closer look will reveal something completely different. This is not your average Chinese takeout place. Walking in to Richie Chan's there are 3 tables out front, using the Goldilocks approach, 1 small, 1 medium and 1 large. The difference from most takeout places is that you will frequently find these tables filled. That's right, this is not just takeout. An especially good sign is the frequently the customers are Asian. The decor is not much, some old Chinese prints right out of most older Chinese Restaurants, hang high on the walls. The floor is covered with industrial runner carpets, but they try to make the place feel homey and while a bit run down it is clean. Now when you look at the menu you will notice that Richie Chan's has its own menu. All of the standards are there Chow Mein, Egg Foo Young, Lo Mein Fried Rice and Combination Plates; and all done very well. But in addition, you will notice other options, including some very good noodle dishes, fish dishes and others you won't see at most takeouts. Then in addition to the menu there are additional items that are posted in Chinese, you can ask for an explanation, but the best option is to watch the other tables and ask what they have. The food that comes out is generally very good to excellent. Among my favorites is the Shrimp Lo Mein, the Singapore Chow Mei Funn and the Shrimp Chow Mein Cantonese style. Let me talk about the last Cantonese Chow Mein. At Richie Chan's you get a large serving of fresh fried noodles (think similar to pan fried noodles, but with bigger noodles) with good sized shrimp and baby bok choy in a delicious white sauce. Overall food quality and taste is excellent. In addition there are a number of items that are definitely not take out style. There are several fish dishes and I have tried the Salty Peppery Shrimp special which is excellent. The shrimp are fried in a very light batter which has a real peppery kick. The large portion of delicious shrimp are served over a bed of lettuce and topped with slices of very small, very hot green and red peppers. A spicy, slightly sweet red dipping sauce is served on the side. Wonderful, especially if you want something that will wake up your tongue with a lot of heat. Service is an interesting point, depending on what you order, you may be served in Styrofoam or on traditional plates. That's right a "takeout place" that serves on regular plates. Also you will usually get a choice of hot or cold tea and a little plate of fruit. Finally I would recommend you check out the special board, for a very inexpensive price, usually about $4.75 at dinner, you get a combination plate with the special entree, plain fried rice and a shrimp egg roll. A very good sized portion of very tasty food at a great price. At lunch the combinations are similarly priced and they are one of the best values in town. To summarize the experience, the decor and setting is takeout, but the food and the friendly family approach is a winner. This is not the place to take someone to impress them, but if you want very good Chinese food at a reasonable price, this is the place to go. A definite winner and worth trying, even if just getting an order to go on your way home from downtown.

Introduction and Mission Statement

Cleveland is a great city to eat in. Recently we have started to get more national and regional attention. There is good reason for this, we have some great restaurants. As part of this we have some very good resources for finding restaurants. You can get great food reviews from Elaine T. Cicora at the Scene magazine. There are some very good bloggers, who cover the Cleveland area. What I want to cover is some of the lesser known local spots, dives and little ethnic places. Who am I to give my opinion. I am a corporate attorney living on the East Side. I eat out quite a bit. In addition I have worked in quite a few restaurants over the years. I was primarily a waiter but at various times I have been a busboy, host, assistant manager and bartender. I still am friends with quite a few restaurant people. As for my food preferences, by my choice I do not eat meat or foul. I have no moral issue for me, this is strickly a personal dietary choice. I am fine with what anyone wants to eat. Because of my diet I favor ethnic places over traditional American Restaurants. I like spicy foods and love trying new things. What kind of place do I like, well it depends, but I much prefer locally owned places to chains, especially little family places. I enjoy fine dining, but really love to find little out of the way places that may not be in the best neighborhood, but do serve good authentic food. OK, what about some of my favorite restaurants (all of which I will cover more fully in future posts): Shuhei, for Sushi and Japanese, both because of the quality of the food and great service and because Sonya and Hiroshi are good friends and great people. Chinese take out - several are good, but Richie Chans at Cedar Lee is the best, with consistently good, reasonably priced food with a wide variety of uncommon dishes. Korean - Seoul Hot Pot is a wonderful little spot on Payne with great food and an improved decor. Cambodian - Phnom Penh, I know most people around Cleveland know how good they are, but I started going when it was a little 3 table place on Detroit. So let me know what you think. Drop me a comment about a restaurant I have reviewed or leave me a suggestion of one of your favorite places. Eat well.