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.