Cleveland Rocks, Cleveland Eats

Everyone has their favorite restaurant when it comes to dim sum, whether it be Bo Loong or Li Wah. I’ve tried them both – and both are very good – but I have to say my personal favorite is the dim sum at Li Wah. The crust on the egg tart is just a little flakier, and I prefer the atmosphere at Li Wah more. Plus, you never have a problem getting a table at Li Wah because it is so large. Bo Loong, on the other hand, was deemed Cleveland’s best dim sum restaurant by the Plain Dealer. Both restaurants are usually packed with Chinese diners, which is a testament to the quality of both places. You really can’t go wrong at either place.

Dim sum refers to a style of Chinese food prepared as small, bite-sized or individual portions of food traditionally served in small steamer baskets or on small plates. Dim sum is served in most Chinese restaurants on carts. The fully cooked and ready-to-serve dim sum dishes are wheeled around the restaurant for customers to choose their orders while seated at their tables. The most unusual dishes can be ordered from the servers and are made to order in the kitchen. The dishes are tallied on a bill that is left on the table, and are priced according to size.

Dim sum is traditionally served with tea. In fact, the drinking of tea is just as important to dim sum as the food. More traditional dim sum restaurants typically serve dim sum until mid-afternoon.

Dim sum is a great choice when you dine with several people, and it’s a fun thing to do on a Saturday or Sunday morning. The first time I went to Li Wah we had a nice-sized group and sat at a round table with a lazy susan in the middle. We could select the dishes and rotate the lazy susan to get what we wanted.

I usually meet my friend G. for dim sum during the week. G. speaks Chinese, so it is always a treat for me to listen to her order in Chinese. We have similar tastes, so I generally rely on whatever she wants to order. We order a bunch of steamed goodies like pork and shrimp siu mai, pork or shrimp dumplings, turnip cakes, char siu baau (steamed BBQ pork buns), or sticky rice wrapped in lotus leaves (so good!) and then order some egg tarts, jin deui (a chewy dough filled with red bean paste, rolled in sesame seeds, and deep fried) or steamed buns for dessert.

The check is then divided by however many people are in attendance. It is always a surprise how stuffed we are and how little we spend in the end. You can sit there for hours and walk away paying less than $20.

The most important thing about enjoying dim sum is to go in there with an open mind and just try as many dishes as you can. Once you have learned what you like and don’t like you can then start being choosier. For example, I cannot and won’t eat chicken feet, even though they are a dim sum delicacy.

Contact info:

Li Wah
2999 Payne Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44114
(216) 589-9552
Open Mon-Thu, Sun from 10 am – 12 am and Fri from 10 am – 1 am

Bo Loong
3922 St Clair Ave NE
Cleveland, OH 44114
(216) 391-3113
Open Mon-Thu, Sun 10 am – 2 am and Fri-Sat 10 am – 3 am

I met some friends for lunch yesterday at Palookaville Chili. Wow, we loved it. This funky chili shop on Lorain Avenue (just past Fulton) specializes in chili or (as they like to call them) “hot pots o’ soul.” If you like chili you’ll love this place. Once you see the bill you’ll love it even more.

The star here is the chili, made from hand-chopped meats, fresh chiles, and proprietary spice blends. There are five “gourmet chilis” to choose from, including Texas beef, chicken verde, hot pork, spicy veggie, and spinach paneer. The spicy veggie and spinach paneer are vegetarian-friendly The chilis are served eight different ways – in a cup or bowl, on macaroni, on nachos, on rice, on a chili dog, in a burrito or as a sloppy jose. They also offer beef & cheddar, pulled pork and BBQ chicken sandwiches, which would pair nicely with a cup of chili. It is BYOB-friendly if you want to enjoy a beer with your chili.

As soon as I saw it on the menu online I decided to try the sloppy jose. Being a fan of hoagie buns, this was right up my alley. I could choose from any of the chilis and then could add toppings, including cheddar cheese, red onion, sour cream and jalapenos (baked beans are 50 cents more). I ordered the chicken verde (the mildest of the chilis) with everything but the jalapenos. I am going out to dinner that night and didn’t want to have heartburn or an upset stomach. It was served with a fork, which I quickly learned I would need. I tried to eat it as a sandwich and succeeded in making quite a mess. This sandwich was delicious. The chili was very flavorful and, for being a mild chili, had a nice heat to it. Combined with a can of Mountain Dew my bill came to a whopping $5.

I also splurged on a side of cornbread, which was $1.75. It was worth every penny. The cornbread was dotted with bits of corn and jalapeno and was more savory than sweet. It was also extremely moist.

I also had the pleasure of trying my friend’s spinach paneer chili (not pictured here), which featured spinach, Indian spices, and cubes of fresh Indian cheese (paneer). Wow, that was good. Despite being a meat lover I can appreciate a good palak paneer, and this spinach paneer did not disappoint – with chunks of paneer in a spicy spinach-based chili. Yum!

This little neighborhood gem is only open for lunch and closes at 4:00 every day. It features free wifi and plays some righteous bluegrass-rock music. My friend G. was loving the old-time music. We all felt very comfortable and will definitely be going back.

Contact info:

Palookaville Chili
3900 Lorain Ave.
Cleveland, OH
216-961-4810

I’m going to take a controversial stand – I prefer Saigon Grille over Superior Pho. I seem to crave pho on Mondays, when Minh Anh and Superior Pho are closed. A few weeks ago I was craving a banh mi, so I hit Google and searched for a restaurant that offered them. Number 1 Pho was open, but they only serve pho – not banh mi. The restaurant one door over from it did and was open all day from 10 a.m. to midnight, which was great because I was eating a late lunch at 2 p.m. After eating at Superior Pho today and ordering a similar pho and banh mi meal I can unequivocally say that I prefer the banh mi at Saigon Grille over Superior Pho (although the meal at Superior Pho was about $5 cheaper). Both restaurants serve outstanding pho, but if you want an outstanding banh mi I suggest you try Saigon Grille’s and see if you agree.

Saigon Grille is a small unassuming storefront right near Superior Pho and Number 1 Pho. Parking is available in the back off E. 31st street (caution: one way street), but I parallel parked on E. 31st and walked down to the cheerful door. I’m glad I did, because they have a little shrine right inside the door with incense, candles and a roll on a plate. It lent some major atmosphere to the place.

I was quickly seated, and the waitress quickly brought me a glass of water. I ordered my banh mi (A7) and P22 (Pho Tai Nam, which is rice noodle soup with eye round steak and well done flank steak). Since Saigon Grille serves Vietnamese and Thai cuisine, I ordered one of my favorite beverages (a Thai ice tea) to drink and was surprised to see that they served it as a bubble tea.

The banh mi was heavenly. You can choose between pork, chicken or ham, but if you don’t specify you get pork. Unless you are Jewish I don’t know why anyone would order anything but the pork. The grilled, charred smokiness combined really well with the bright and fresh vegetables. The bread was crusty without being difficult to bite into. It was, frankly, a little bit of heaven. I prefer the roll at Superior Pho, but since the sandwich contents themselves are so delicious I’ll happily eat it.

The pho was also delicious. I dressed it with the Thai basil, bean sprouts and squirt of fresh lime wedge that accompanies pho at any restaurant you order it. The soup was perfectly prepared. The noodles weren’t overcooked, and there was just enough meat to enjoy with every bite. I can still taste the lime. The serving was plentiful and I ended up taking over half of it home with me to enjoy that evening.

Contact info:

Saigon Grille
3142 Superior Avenue East
Cleveland, OH 44114
(216) 589-9300

My friends and I ate at Noodlecat last night, and I can honestly say that I don’t know what has taken me so long to eat there. My only excuse is that I don’t usually eat downtown, and was reminded of why when I had to pay almost $10 to park since House of Blues was having some special event that night. Yes, I am a spoiled suburbanite (if Cleveland Heights can be considered the suburbs – but I gladly pay a couple quarters at their meters…). That said, I do occasionally eat in the Warehouse District, but generally can find a cheap spot on the street or cough up $5 for a spot in the parking lot. It’s not that I mind paying to park, but when there are so many other options that don’t necessitate paying half to one-fourth of the cost of the meal… Unfortunately there were no available spots on Prospect or Euclid, so I valeted it on E. 4th.

Noodlecat is unpretentious and casual, using recycled materials in the same way as The Greenhouse Tavern. Being an environmentalist from way back (since the 1980s) I love that. My only complaint about the decor is that the chair started becoming uncomfortable after an hour and a half. In short, my butt hurt from sitting on the little metal chair, and my fellow diners told me the wood bench wasn’t much better.

Kim Chee salad

Those are the only two negatives I have to report. In short, the food was simply amazing, and I take it as a good sign that I am craving the food the next day. If you are a fan of pho or ramen you will be quite pleased with what they serve. It was a happy accident that I scheduled our dinner for 6:30, which was at the tail end of their happy hour. All the ramen was $5 and the steam buns were just $2. I walked away paying just $20 including tip.

I started off by ordering a sparkling sake, which was on draft and only $4. Win! The sake was just what I wanted/needed. It was light and just a little sweet. Choosing an entree was a difficult decision. I was tempted to order Roscoe’s Fried Chicken & Ramen with fried chicken, butter, hot sauce, maple syrup, greens and fried chicken broth, but changed my mind when I heard the chicken was bone-in. Three of my fellow diners ordered it and loved it. They did, however, have trouble getting the meat off the bone with only chopsticks and an Asian-style soup spoon.

Chicken yakitori steam bun

One of my fellow diners ordered the Kim Chee Salad with Napa cabbage, sweet pureed kim chee, cashews, peanuts and pickled melon. Not being a fan of kim chee but willing to keep an open mind I was able to try several bites. The salad was flavorful and had a subtle heat that snuck up on you. Another friend ordered the “Super” Salad with adzuki beans, local greens, dry blueberry, savory green tea granola and ancient grains. He loved it and even pointed out to the waiter that there wasn’t a drop left.

Pork miso ramen

I decided to go with a chicken yakitori steam bun with pickled carrots, miso mayo and cilantro, which I enjoyed. However, as luck would have it our waiter had accidentally ordered two Tonkatsu buns that featured a crispy fried pork cutlet and smoked egg sauce. I told him I would be happy to pay for one of them, and I am so glad I did because it was my favorite part of the meal (and that is saying a lot). It was a taste explosion of goodness.

Green tea pot de creme

For my entree I ordered a bowl of the pork miso ramen, which features roasted Ohio pork, miso, scallions and greens. The noodles and roasted pork were perfectly cooked, and the broth was so flavorful and delicious that I drank up every last drop.

I ended my meal with the green tea pot de creme. I love green tea ice cream, and the pot de creme was absolutely perfect. The consistency was firm and not runny, and the flavor was light and balanced. The shaved chocolate on top was a nice complement to the green tea pot de creme. The waiter informed us that the chef had spent two weeks working to perfect it. I say thumbs up!

Several of us headed over to the Chocolate Bar for a night cap afterward. Since the temperature had dropped 40 degrees in a day I was chilled and chose the caramel and sea salt hot chocolate. It was creamy and delicious. The perfect ending to a perfect meal.

Contact info:

Noodlecat
234 Euclid Avenue
Cleveland, Ohio 44114
(216) 589-0007

My dining out group recently ate at Babushka’s Kitchen in Independence. The restaurant in Northfield was closed for renovations at the time, so we decided to check out the newest location in Independence. It is worth mentioning that it is impossible to see from the street. It is tucked in the middle of the Independence Square shopping plaza. Look for the shopping plaza with the Independence water tower on the periphery, and you’ll know you are in the right place. Thank heavens for GPS, because I never would have found it otherwise.

The restaurant is a “casual quick-service style cafe” featuring pierogi, stuffed cabbage, kielbasi, roast pork, dumplings and all those Eastern European favorites. You order at the register in the front of the restaurant, you are given a number, and the kitchen staff brings your order out to you from the kitchen in the back. This isn’t fancy dining by any stretch of the imagination, but if you want comfort food your grandmother (well, okay, *my* Ukrainian grandmother) used to make you will be very pleased.

The pierogi are to die for! They are advertised as jumbo pierogi, and boy are they. The night we were there they had several flavors on offer – potato, potato and cheddar cheese, mushroom and Swiss, and sauerkraut. There was one other flavor, but I don’t remember what it was and I can’t read it on the dry erase board in the photo.

They offer several platters to allow new customers to try a variety of their entrees. The platters come with your choice of one or two side dishes, which include soup, green beans, kraut & noodles, mashed potatoes & gravy (red or brown), and cinnamon applesauce. There may be one or two that I can’t remember. The tables were practically groaning from all the food that was brought out. No one went home hungry – that is for sure!

I chose Grandma Olga’s Favorite, which features two of the jumbo pierogi with grilled onions and sour cream, two side dishes and a slice of rye bread and butter. I also ordered a cabbage roll on the side. It was HUGE! One of these and a side would have completely sufficed. For my side dishes I chose the applesauce and green beans and bacon. The beans were canned not fresh, but I am a huge fan of canned beans and prefer them over fresh (I blame my school lunch indoctrination). The cinnamon apple sauce was perfectly seasoned and was the perfect accompaniment to the heavy entrees. I wasn’t that thrilled with the cabbage roll, but I have high standards. It was simply too sweet for my tastes. I prefer Sokolowski’s cabbage roll because it is more savory than sweet. Other people loved it. I absolutely adored the jumbo pierogi. I chose a mushroom and Swiss and a potato and cheddar. Both were delicious. One of my fellow diners also gave me his side of kraut and dumplings, which was also quite tasty (although the kraut was slightly overcooked). I had so much food that I took most of it home.

I am intrigued by The Warsaw, which is a large potato pancake layered with grilled onions, sliced pork loin, sauerkraut, pork gravy, then topped with another potato pancake and a dollop of sour cream, served with any side dish or cup of chicken noodle soup. I will probably get this next time. No one ordered this that night, but my friend M. ordered a potato pancake as a side (see above photo of the pierogi platter) and several people had the roasted pork with their meal and loved them.

If you can’t decide what to order, I suggest getting the Hunter’s Feast, which features one stuffed cabbage, a link of smoked kielbasa, roasted pork with sauerkraut & dumplings, one jumbo potato & cheese pierogi with grilled onion and sour cream and your choice of two side dishes, or the Gatherer’s Platter (photo above on the beige platter), which features one stuffed cabbage, one jumbo potato & cheddar cheese pierogi with grilled onions & sour cream plus your choice of one side dish. You will be stuffed!

I bought two dozen kolachky, which were just as good (if not better!) than my grandmother used to make!, to share among my fellow diners and took the leftover kolachky home. I need to go back for more soon! The kolachky were flaky and melted in our mouths. The only flavor left by the time I bought them was raspberry, but that was fine with me because that happens to be my favorite. Apricot would be a close second.

Contact info:

Babushka’s Kitchen
9199 Olde Eight Rd
Northfield Center, OH
(330) 468-0402