Jill (@bonnjill)

Algebra Tea House

Algebra Tea House is an eclectic tea shop in Little Italy that serves beverages such as tea, coffee, smoothies and shakes, plus Middle Eastern cuisine (the owner was born in Pakistan and his family lived in Syria, Kuwait, Tripoli and Libya – he also lived in Austria for a while). The cafe is also very vegan friendly and has a large assortment of healthy menu options. Owner Ayman Alkayali is an artist and a businessman, and he created all of the eclectic cups in the shop. He also appears to enjoy woodworking and hates straight lines if the door and the shelving units are anything to go by. The front door, tables and shelves were hand-crafted by Ayman, and his paintings cover the walls. He put a lot of work into creating the shop from a bike shop with no gas or electricity. Algebra Tea House opened its doors in August 2001. It was the first non-Italian establishment in the Little Italy neighborhood.

Algebra is opened everyday from 9am – 11pm. They serve breakfast specials on Saturday and Sunday alongside the regular menu from 9 am – 1 pm. Even though he is Muslim you can smell the bacon in the air on the weekends. The smell of Middle Eastern spices also blends with citrus from the orange peel resting atop a wood burning stove.

Do not come here if you are in a hurry. Most of the time, there is only one employee working and they can only do so much. This is a place to linger and relax. There is even Bedoun seating around a low table. My knee would never cooperate with that, so I was also happy to see higher tables and chairs (there’s even a large couch). He designed Algebra to be a place for people to commune together. There is a selection of games in the back to play with and a book exchange library on the front right wall.

The first time I was here was in 2010 or 2011. I met a group of tea drinkers here and had a wonderful afternoon getting to know a lot of interesting ladies. In fact, I met a lifelong friend that day (Hi, G!).

I was last here on a Saturday, and it took an hour and a half to get the tea and kebab I ordered. I have to admit that was a little frustrating, because it shouldn’t take an hour and a half to make a tea. I probably would have ordered a second or third one to go with my food if they hadn’t waited to serve the tea with my food. The server did offer the table half a House Smoothie (a vegan smoothie with mango, strawberry and banana blended with rosewater), which I grabbed since they had all been served their food at that point. It was very refreshing! I’d definitely order it next time. They had three people behind the counter (one just doing the dishes) and were obviously in the weeds, so I do plan on giving them a third chance during the week some time. You order at the counter, and they (eventually) bring your drinks and food to the table. You pay when you leave.

I was there that Saturday with my tea group, so I was feeling more adventurous than ordering a straight Darjeeling or Orange Pekoe tea. The menu had a very wide selection of black, green, white, and ethnic teas as well as chais and “comfort blends” (basically spiced milks). Where else will you find hot chocolate made with chocolate, steamed milk, and rosewater? They also have a large selection of house roasted coffees. I decided to get the Friday Market Libyan Tea, which features black tea, roasted peanuts, mint and brown sugar. I was intrigued. It was the wildest yet one of the most delicious teas I have ever enjoyed. The mint was floating on the surface along with a good amount of roasted peanuts. The brown sugar meant I didn’t need to add any sugar. It was perfect just as it is. I also had the Moroccan Mint because my friend ordered me the wrong tea, but it was also lovely with fresh mint leaves. I had wanted to try their special tea that day, a green tea with mint cinnamon, but she must have misunderstood me when I asked.

I also ordered the Iraqi kebab, which is made of ground beef and lamb mixed with garlic, parsley, sumac and Palestinian spices and wrapped with fresh vegetables, hummus, harissa and a yogurt mint sauce in a homemade pita. I really enjoyed it. It was obviously fresh and was very flavorful. It definitely hit the spot.

Other choices include numerous salads and a falafal sandwich, shawarma sandwich, hummus sandwich, “Zoho gyro,” Cajun chicken sandwich, smoked turkey sandwich with zattar, and bagel sandwich. There are also various “plates” featuring fool madams, falafal, hummus, eggplant, labneh, sardines, or Syrian tomatoes as well as several “all day breakfast choices” that include shakshuka (Shak-shooka), a Saudi breakfast of carmelized onions, sauteed tomatoes and scrambled eggs with a side of warm pita. I’m familiar with the Israeli version. Another fellow diner had the spinach pie plate and loved it. The prices are affordable to appeal to the college crowd.

One of the people in the group who was a regular ordered the red lentil soup, and it came out piping hot in one of the coolest bowls I have ever seen. It’s round shape was intriguing, and the metal probably kept it hot for longer than a regular bowl would. The soup had fresh spinach floating on top and looked delicious. He enjoyed the soup very much.

Algebra is known for its hummus. The owner soaks large amounts of chickpeas overnight and makes big batches in an industrial-sized food processor. I know because I watched him grab the food processor from the shelf next to where I was sitting and pile in chick peas until they were almost overflowing out of the container. The hummus is smooth and creamy, drizzled with olive oil and dollops of what looks like a red pepper tapenade (but it could also be harissa), garnished with cucumber and tomato, and sprinkled with a mixture of spices on top.

The desserts also sound amazing. The Banana Algebra, featuring sauteéd fruit with rosewater, cardamom, nutmeg and cinnamon, served over ice cream, sounds amazing. As does the Chocolate Chip Deli, homemade chocolate chip cookies topped with wildberry ice cream, bananas, whipped cream, cherry and nutmeg. The desserts all feature some kind of fruit and/or ice cream and sound healthy in addition to delicious.

In short, this place features lots of Middle Eastern treats that appear to be all homemade. They have a wide choice of beverages and lots of vegan-friendly items. You can also buy loose leaf tea to make at home as well as a variety of grocery items.

Contact info:

Algebra Tea House
2136 Murray Hill Road
Cleveland, OH 44106

Fish Fry Friday #6 – Academy Tavern

I didn’t feel like venturing too far from home tonight, so I went by myself to Academy Tavern on Larchmere Boulevard for their fish fry. Recently featured as one of the oldest bars in Cleveland, Academy Tavern has been in business since 1939 and has been doing a fish fry most of that time. It runs from 11 a.m. until 11 p.m. on Fridays.

This place definitely has character – both in the decor and the patrons. I can picture the bar full of hard-working men drinking after work. And apparently it was spruced up recently and the menu was updated.

I didn’t feel like eating pierogi today, so I stuck with a bowl of clam chowder and the fish fry.

I went before the dinner rush, so the waitress told me to sit wherever I wanted. I chose a seat towards the back, and she came right over and took my order. She was soon back with my clam chowder.

The clam chowder was loaded with clams and obviously freshly made. It was very heavy on the dill, so if you don’t like dill be forewarned. It was very good and very filling. I definitely can recommend it.

The fish fry offers you your choice between perch or pike. Both come with fries and slaw and fetch $15. I went with the perch, although I was very tempted to order the Pineapple Pepper Trout, which is a special this month. I’m a sucker for rainbow trout. But it is Fish Fry Friday, so fried fish it is. The fish was perfectly fried as well as flaky and tender. The tartar sauce tasted homemade, and I really enjoyed it. The coleslaw was creamy and delicious, and the fries were a nice accompaniment. I ended up taking half of my dinner home (I’m sensing a pattern here…). It will be great as a sandwich tomorrow.

I’m on the fence whether I will go to a fish fry on Good Friday. To be honest, I’m kind of fished out at the moment. For many of the church fish fries this is the last day of their season. I guess I’ll just see how I feel on Good Friday, although to be honest that is actually the only day that Lutherans aren’t supposed to eat meat. If I plan to go to a fish fry maybe I’ll be sure to stick to it. Or I might just go get some sushi.

In any event, I hope you all enjoyed this little series. I know I did.

Contact info:

Academy Tavern
12800 Larchmere Boulevard
Cleveland, OH 44120

Fish Fry Friday #5 – Prosperity Social Club

Prosperity Social Club has a special place in my heart. My father grew up in Tremont and would be sent there when it was Dempsey’s to buy a bucket of beer and a pack of smokes for the World War II GIs hanging out at the Lincoln Bathhouse next door when he was 8 years old. Prosperity Social Club celebrated its 10 Year Anniversary on October 22, 2015. Before that, the business had been Dempsey’s Oasis from 1938-2005. Lots of history here.

Prosperity was featured on the Travel Channel’s “Delicious Destinations” show last November. The place has been packed in the past for their fish fries, but now things are crazy. I drove past last week at 7 PM and people were standing outside on the sidewalk. I hoped the rain and cold temps today would keep people home, but I still got there at 6 PM to reserve a table of 8 for my friends and me. I was told it would be a 1 1/2 to 2 hour wait. At 6:45 several of my friends showed up and several didn’t, so we were able to lower our seating count to 4. We were seated pretty soon after that (a little after 7). Pro tip: despite what the Plain Dealer article says, they take reservations all the way until 2 a.m. I had read “first come, first served,” but that only applies to seats at the bar.

Once we sat down, we were given water, silverware, and blue fish fry menus advertising their Great Haddock Lenten Fish Fry as well as a couple pages featuring the normal menu and cocktails, beer and wines. Our waitress was efficient and had no problems breaking our table down into separate checks using our first names. It was refreshing and a huge relief considering how crazy busy they were. She took our drink orders and food orders at the same time since we were ready to order. Again, efficient. Due to fish fry volume, some regular fried menu items (like french fries and onion rings) are not available on Fridays. There are also no substitutions, but you are welcome to add things like pierogi or chowder onto your order.

I chose the home-cooked “Gotta Haddock” classic fry, which features flaky beer-battered haddock along with a cup of New England clam chowder, two pierogi with caramelized onions, creamy old-school mac and cheese with shell pasta, and homemade coleslaw. The zesty house tartar sauce and sour cream came out with the meals in little containers. I loved that tartar sauce! Also, the clam chowder was really good. It was nice and creamy and had lots of chunks of potato and clam. I could also taste a hint of the sherry they used, which was a really nice touch. The haddock was perfectly fried and nice and flaky. The pierogi were a little overcooked (slightly burnt), but were still good. One of my fellow diners, who is new to Cleveland, had never had pierogi until tonight. The waitress quipped that he will be spoiled for life. I think he’ll be okay. We’re taking him to Sokolowski’s next time.

Everyone really enjoyed their meals, and I enjoyed ordering alcohol with my meal. Being a fan of blood orange, I was going to order one of the beer cocktails with blood orange, but my friend pointed out that the Sol Rojo also had blood orange juice. It was so refreshing and delicious I ended up having two.

Once we were sat at a table the service was super-fast. I was not quite done with my cup of chowder as the entrees came out. Tables are at a premium, so there is a sign asking diners not to linger more than an hour and a half on Fish Fry Fridays. We were out the door at quarter past eight.

I would definitely go back to try some other things on the menu (like the shrimp picatta pasta), but I will be sure to make a reservation next time. I did enjoy chatting with my friends as we stood by the door (I didn’t mind the cold since it was so packed) waiting for our table (and it allowed us to talk a bit before things got crazy and we were busy eating), but being whisked to a table as soon as you walk in sure did look nice. I took exactly half of my dinner home and looked forward to having it for lunch. It was even better the next day.

Contact info:

Prosperity Social Club
109 Starkweather Avenue
Cleveland, OH
(216) 937-1938

Fish Fry Friday #4 – St. Josaphat’s

St. Josaphat Ukrainian Catholic Church in Parma is probably one of my favorite fish fries in Cleveland. They have a wide variety of choices, including borscht (Ukrainian beet soup) and salmon, baked fish, baked cod, fried cod, or fried shrimp dinners served with their heavenly homemade pierogies, French fries, cabbage and noodles, or potato pancakes. You also have the choice between coleslaw and applesauce, but get there early or you will only have applesauce. They also offer pizza for the kids. All dinners also come with a dessert and beverages such as coffee or tea, cola, ginger ale, 7-up and water.

It is in the rotunda behind the church buildings. There is plenty of parking. Pull in where the sign says Enter.

The fish fry is a well-run machine. You tell the greeters which dinner you want, along with any extras, and they mark it on a piece of paper, which you then bring to the cashier. They only take cash or checks. Dinners range from $8.00 – $14.00. After you have paid, you take your stamped paper and queue up in line for the food. The line is long, but it moves fairly quickly. There aren’t a lot of stations where you need to think and consider a choice, which tends to slow things down. Once you get to the food table you are given a tray with a plate and plasticware, and the greeter tells you which steam tray contains the food you ordered (in my case #3). You then work your way down the line picking up your side, a roll and butter, and containers of coleslaw or applesauce, cocktail sauce, sour cream, and tartar sauce. You follow the circular path of the rotunda wall as you go along. Walk past the take-out station to choose from a variety of desserts on another table. The drinks are on tables after the desserts. I grabbed two because I was thirsty.

I really should just give in and just order the pierogi dinner here, although the salmon and baked fish also seemed very popular. The fried fish seems like food service since the filets were shaped so uniformly, but they weren’t overcooked or fried beyond recognition so points there. The fish here is just okay. On the other hand, the pierogi here are amazing, and I suspect my grandmother used to buy her pierogi here instead of making them herself. This was, after all, her home church back in the day. The pierogi are cheese and potato, and the dough is perfect and moist. They are sitting in butter and minced onions in the steam tray. You get three pierogi with every fish or shrimp dinner, but you can order more.

Like most church fish fries you shouldn’t count on the food lasting to the end. I wasn’t hungry right at 4:00 (plus I didn’t want to deal with the traffic on E. 55th and the Jennings Freeway, so I rolled up to St. Josaphat at around 6:40. They had already run out of coleslaw, and the desserts were looking mighty meager and picked over. On the bright side, there was plenty of available seats. The rotunda is filled with long tables and some round tables on the opposite side of the food service. Volunteers take your trays to bring them back to the front of the line during the peak dinner time. In any case, they shut down at 7. I felt badly for the cars driving in as I left, as the place had pretty much cleared out by then. I hope they were driving there to pick up their spouses.

The volunteers were all very friendly, and a nice volunteer who was cleaning the tables off even brought me a box so I could bring half of my meal home. All told, I spent $12 and had two pieces of fish, three pierogi, applesauce, a roll, a piece of lemon cake and two soft drinks. I will enjoy my one piece of fish and one pierogi, half my applesauce, and half a roll for lunch tomorrow. And I really should have bought a dozen pierogi to go.

This was the view of the church (I admitted I zoomed in a bit) as I walking out as the sun was setting:

Contact info:

St. Josaphat Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral
5720 State Road
Parma, OH

Kouign Amann at The Fluffy Duck Cafe

I had never heard of Kouign Amann until about six months ago when someone in one of the food groups I am in asked if anyone was making them in Cleveland. No one was. The closest bakery seemed to be in Pittsburgh. Well, we have one now at a delightful coffee shop on Chester Avenue across from the Cleveland Clinic.

The Fluffy Duck Cafe opened in December 2016. It is located on the ground floor of the Innova building across from the construction that will be the Cleveland Clinic’s Health Education Building. I had watched the building go up for a while now and was curious who the tenants would be. I first heard about the Fluffy Duck when Chef Doug Katz raved about it right after it opened. I should have known it would stand up to the expectations. I delivered my translations early this morning and could use a jolt of caffeine for the next one, so I decided to treat myself to a nice coffee and pastry. When I saw they were serving a Kouign Amann I knew what I was going to order, since I’ve been wanting to try it.

I love the format of the Fluffy Duck Cafe. All of the windows gave the cafe a bright and sunny feeling. The clean white walls and clean lines of the wooden tables and chairs and those lining the windows gave it a modern feel (you can see the tables reflected off the bakery case in the third picture). They offer free wifi, so I can see myself coming here with my laptop to translate when I need a change of scenery. The open kitchen allows you to watch the staff busy rolling out dough and making the pastries. The baker had a container full of eggs when I was ordering, and she was turning them into dough.

I wanted a coffee and checked out the list of available coffees. I was leaning towards a cappucino until the flavored lattes caught my eye. I was immediately intrigued by the orange cardamom latte. They use local whole milk and good quality coffee beans from a roaster in Grand Rapids. It is a fine cup of coffee.

I was given a plate with my Kouign Amann, and the barista whipped up my latte, complete with delightful milk foam art. I carefully carried my plates to a table and looked forward to biting in. They had been holding a Coffee with a Cop event, so when the police officer saw what I ordered he raved about his and told me what a delight it was. As he explained, it is flaky and sweet and then you hit a bit of salt. He told me I would enjoy it, and I did. I also enjoyed chatting with him as he was on his way out.

Let me tell you, he was right. I don’t know how it compares with other Kouign Amanns since it was my first one, but this one was delicious. Light and flaky with a nice crumb to it, the caramelized topping with a hit of salt really made an enjoyable pastry. I will definitely be back. The ham and cheese croissants and almond croissants also intrigue me. The menu is limited to pastries and a few lunch-type items after 11 a.m., but what they do offer they do well.

The list of flavored lattes and teas sounded nice, and I believe they might change them out since the menu is a piece of paper on a clipboard instead of a hanging board. They also offer pour overs with three weekly offerings.

So if you are looking for a nice little respite or you have been looking for a Kouign Amann in Cleveland, you need to check it out.

Contact info:

The Fluffy Duck Cafe
10001 Chester Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44106

Fish Fry Friday #3 – El Carnicero

In keeping with my decision to eat at three church fish fries and three restaurant fish fries, this week a restaurant fish fry was on the docket. My original decision was to go to Sachsenheim Hall for their fish fry, but St. Patrick’s Day threw a wrench in my plans. They were not serving fish on Friday, but instead were doing an Irish buffet. One thing most people don’t know about me is that I hate corned beef. I can stomach it in a Reuben, but I also only eat a Reuben once every five years or so. Corned beef and boiled cabbage, carrots and potatoes? Gag me with a pitchfork. An Irish buffet was not going to be my focus.

I had wanted to try the fish fry at El Carnicero from the moment one of the members of All Things Food in Cleveland posted a photo ad for it in the group. It just looked amazing. I have tried three times to get to El Carnicero, but something has always come up to thwart my plans to organize something for my dining out group. The first time it was closed for a staff holiday party, the second time I was sick and the group went without me, and I think I was out of town for the third time my friends went. When Sachsenheim fell through I focused on El Carnicero, which is also on the west side. Apparently El Carcinero sometimes closes on St. Patrick’s Day, but luckily my friend Nancy ran into Chef/Owner Eric Williams, who assured her they would be open and would be serving their fish fry.

You wouldn’t think a Mexican restaurant would be a good choice, but it really was! They serve Dos Equis beer battered lake perch and also spice things up with a chipotle tartar sauce and chimichurri-drizzled French fries. I was very excited about the prospect. I wasn’t going to let a little snow and ice deter me this time.

After wending my way past a car accident on I-90 that closed three lanes of traffic, I showed up about ten minutes after our agreed upon meeting time. I was thrilled to see that the restaurant has a very large parking lot behind it. I got one of the last spots in the lot and trudged through the sloppy, wintry mess. Even though El Carnicero does not take reservations Chef Eric had been more than happy to reserve a table of four for us. It turns out it wasn’t necessary, since there were quite a few tables available. Thanks, St. Patrick’s Day! It isn’t usually the case in this very popular eatery. The bar had some revelers, but it was a really good vibe overall. Our waitress was wearing green lipstick, which I thought was awesome. My friends already had their drinks, since they passed the accident right after it happened, while traffic was practically at a standstill when I got there. I was going to order a blood orange margarita until Edsel’s regular margarita arrived with its bright green color in honor of the holiday. To make things even more difficult Edsel highly recommended the hibiscus flower margarita. What was a girl to do? Why, order the margarita sampler and enjoy all three! They were all delicious, but I loved the blood orange the best, with the hibiscus coming a very close second. El Carnicero definitely serves some delicious margaritas! Slainte!

We ordered a few appetizers to share. I chose the smoked gouda queso dip, IMG_20170317_191533 Edsel ordered the sikil pak (toasted and ground pepita mixed with lime and chile jalapeño – as he explained “kind of like a hummus but made with pepita”), and Nancy (and the rest of us) wanted guacamole. It was a tough decision as to which guac to order, but we went with the tradicional. I would like to go back and order a sampler to try a few of the others as well. Next time. I loved all three appetizers, but I was really pleased with the queso dip. I kept dripping it on myself even though I tried everything to ensure I didn’t, but that’s just how I roll. It’s a gift.

All four of us ordered the fish fry. We can go back and order tamales, taquitos, etc. next time. We were all really glad we ordered the fish. The beer batter casing was perfectly cooked, not too crisp and not too soggy. The fish was light and flaky and almost melted in our mouths. It was the best piece of fish I’ve had in a while. I also loved the chimichurri French fries. The fries were shoestring, which get cold easily. Nancy thought hers were too cold and had a fresh batch delivered from the kitchen. I didn’t come for the fries, so I wasn’t as concerned. I really enjoyed the chimichurri sauce, which was fresh and light. I was craving it again once I left. Luckily I had to ask for a box and had the other half as leftovers.

Edsel ordered the brussel sprouts as a side, which I found to be very lemony but nicely roasted. Being a sucker for creamed corn I ordered the esquite (achiote creamed corn) and polished it off. It had a nice zing to it and had some heft to it that I think might have been potatoes.

After a delicious meal from start to finish, we left El Carnicero very happy and ventured our way back to the highway to head home in the snow. It was a nice way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.

Contact info:

El Carnicero
16918 Detroit Avenue
Lakewood, OH 44107
(216) 226-3415

Fish Fry Friday #2 – St. Gabriel’s

My favorite fish fry in the Cleveland area is without a doubt St. Gabriel’s in Mentor. It runs from 5:15 to 7:30 every Friday during Lent. Located in its school building on Johnnycake Road near the Concord border, it is a bit of a hike, but it is so worth it. There is a sign indicating the entrance. Plan to walk far from and to your car, but there is plenty of parking (even with douchebags taking up two parking spots). It is run by over 100 volunteers each night, including adorable tykes in Boy Scout uniforms manning the roving garbage cans, and all proceeds benefit the St. Gabriel’s Day School Tuition Assistance Program.

It is extremely popular, so you need to get there early to ensure you get served and can enjoy all the goodness. Some friends went last week at 7 PM and were turned away because they had run out of food. This all-you-can-eat feast will run you $14. They also offer take-out and ala carte items. Click on the link below under “Contact info” for the Fish Fry page on the church website. There are two dining rooms – the main dining room has a shorter line between the cash table and the food, so we chose that one this year. We got there at 6 PM and were in line for about 20 minutes until we were sitting down with our plates. I needed to save six seats, so I jumped out of line to reserve them right after six together cleared and were cleaned off. The gymnasium has no line for the cash table, but the line for the food circles the room. We waited in line for 45 minutes last year. There is more seating, but also more people.

There is a lot of food to choose from, so I was extra judicious this year. I eschewed most of the carbs and saved room for the fish and mussels. Let me see if I can remember everything on offer… starting with salad, cole slaw, applesauce and rolls and butter (which I somehow overlooked), then moving on there were baked potatoes, french fries, mac n cheese, cheese ravioli, fresh green beans in butter, pizza (always popular with the kids), hush puppies, and cheese pierogi, fish choices included baked tilapia, fried cod, baked cod, butter crumb baked cod, mussels, breaded cocktail shrimp and peel-and-eat shrimp and at the end was a pot of seafood chowder that ran out just as I got there. I tried to keep an eye out for when it came back out, but they ran out of it fairly early. They always do. There was a small table in the corner with tartar sauce and cocktail sauce. They ran out of tartar sauce several times. Beverages were along another wall, including tea and coffee and unsweetened ice tea, lemonade or ice water. Dessert (on the same table as the beverages) was chocolate or white cake, which ran out by the time I went back for some. Grab it when you can! They eventually brought out a tray of brownies, which were excellent, and when that ran out they brought out orange slices right at the end. I don’t know who makes the food, but every single item is great.

This year I asked for extra mussels and stuck to the battered and baked cod and the shrimp. Like I said, I skipped most of the carbs, but I did get some ravioli and pierogi (because it isn’t a fish fry in Cleveland without pierogi). The pierogi were extra cheesy and well-cooked. The dough was moist and nicely steamed. They had some sauteed onions as an accompaniment. I also really enjoyed the green beans.

From last year:

From 2014:

Contact info:

St. Gabriel’s
9925 Johnnycake Ridge Road
Concord Township, OH 44060
(440) 352-8282

Fish Fry Friday #1 – St. Clare’s

It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year as far as I am concerned – fish fry season. Cod, haddock, perch, walleye – what’s not to like? Pillows of beer battered fish served with sides of pierogis, chowder, cole slaw, mac n cheese, etc. Some fish fries go all out with baked fish, shrimp, mussels, etc. I embraced the idea after reading Tom’s fish fry experiences in his blog, Exploring Food My Way. He’s not eating battered fish or salt or butter anymore, so I am going to pick up the torch. Cleveland embraces the fish fry. We have somehow managed to hold on to the Friday fish fry tradition — yes, in churches, but also in bars and restaurants — when most other parts of the country have not.

I decided to document my visits to local fish fries this year. Since most church fish fries tend to be disappointing (long lines, steam tables that make crisp fish soggy, etc.) I decided this year to choose three church fish fries and three restaurant fish fries, trying to balance it out. My favorite fish fries serve pierogi, and that is one of the qualifications I try to look for.

Fish Fry Friday #1 was not very successful. I wanted to stay close to home for the first one, so when I got out of my massage at 5:30 I knew my first choice Sts. Constantine and Helen wasn’t going to be an option. The Sts. Constantine and Helen fish fry runs from 5-8, and, with just a small parking lot and parking on the side streets, parking can be a nightmare – especially smack dab in the middle of dinner service at 6:00. I decided to keep driving and go to St. Clare’s, which was serving from 4-7. I have been to St. Clare’s at the corner of Green and Mayfield in the past and enjoyed it. The fish fry is run by Boy Scout Troop 433, and the proceeds benefit their local troop. Troop 433 has been part of Saint Clare Church since 1955.

The first time I went I remember being absolutely confused about where to go. Luckily, this time I knew to drive all the way to the back and go into the back building and not one of the church buildings. They have learned from the long lines and now swing the cash table to the right. You are then seated by one of the Scouts, who notes your table and runs the order to the kitchen. I ordered the perch dinner, which was $14 and comes with two sides. They also offer fried or baked fish for $11, fried shrimp for $11, pasta with no side for $8.50, 6 pierogi with one side for $8.50, or a fish sandwich for $7. The side choices were french fries, Sophie’s pierogi, cole slaw, mac n cheese, cabbage and noodles and applesauce. I also ordered a bowl of clam chowder for $4 (a cup will run you $2). The cashier asked if I wanted onions with my pierogis, and I was on my way.

I came towards the end of their evening, so there was no line at all and quite a few empty tables. I sat at a completely empty table. There were also quite a few people sitting off to the side waiting for their fish fries to go. The wait was a little long, but they had a cardboard container of buttered popcorn to stave off the hunger. I grabbed a couple cans of soda, which is available along with water for $1. I finished the first one while I waited. I brought my Kindle, so I was perfectly happy with the wait. I think my food came out in about 20-30 minutes.

Let’s talk about the food. Everyone raves about Lake Erie perch at fish fries. Save your money here and get the basic fried fish, which looked good when the tables around me got them. The perch I was served were fish briquettes. Dried out slabs of breading and desiccated fish. I give them a D and I’m being generous. The roll and cole slaw were food service and passable. The pierogi were the highlight, but I only give them a B+ because they weren’t pan fried to finish. The onions were great, so I definitely enjoyed the pierogi. And they were pillowy and well-cooked. They serve Sophie’s Pierogi, so I knew what I was getting ahead of time. The clam chowder was chock-full of clams. It was a little metallic, but I enjoyed it. I didn’t enjoy the indigestion that night though. Who knows what caused it, but I want to be honest about my experiences here. I do want to reiterate that I have been here before and had a lovely experience – enough that I wanted to come back, so your experience could be completely different (but avoid the perch). I left feeling good about supporting the Boy Scouts, but went to Arthur Treacher’s the next day for some pillowy fried fish to satisfy my craving. So yeah. Next week is my favorite fish fry in Cleveland – St. Gabriel’s in Mentor!

Contact info:

Church of St. Clare
5659 Mayfield Road
Cleveland, OH 44124

Kintaro Sushi & Hot Pot

Kintaro is a full-service, all-you-can-eat sushi and hot pot restaurant just off I-480 off Ridge Road. Everything is made to order. The place has been recently renovated and has two separate dining areas as well as a sushi bar. Both sides are bright and cheerful, with some stone dividers, neon lighting and lots of bamboo and wood decor. Upon entering, you can choose between sushi and hot pot, although you can opt out of the all-you-can-eat deal to order menu items individually or order the all-you-can-eat sushi on the hot pot side if you are dining with friends who want hot pot.

Hot pot is a fun way to eat with friends. The tables have inset hot pot burners, and you choose your menu items, ranging from the broth, vegetables and fish and meat. The fish and meat choices range from pork, fatty beef, chicken, crab, clams, several fish choices, lunch meat and dumplings as well as more adventurous items like beef tripe, pork stomach, quail egg and cuttlefish balls. They also offer 28 vegetarian ingredients. You also choose your noodle to enjoy with the broth at the end of your meal. Choices include instant ramen noodles, potato vermicelli, udon, rice noodles or some fun noodles like a wide, crystal clear noodle that my friend Nancy ordered and enjoyed. There is also a sauce bar where you can choose from various soy sauces, “Kitaro sauce,” oyster sauce, sesame oil, hot chili sauce, cilantro, scallions, etc. to flavor your broth. You have two hours to eat your hot pot, and they encourage you to be discerning in your choices by threatening to charge by the pound for waste.

The real deal is at lunch. The all-you-can-eat sushi and hot pot will run you about $25-26 at dinner (and you can upgrade some hot pot items for a total of $32), but it is only $11 for hot pot and $15 for sushi at lunch (11 to 2:30 Monday through Saturday). The lunch sushi and hot pot choices aren’t as varied as at dinner, but there are still plenty to choose from.

20220517_184556 The first time I went I chose the all-you-can-eat sushi during lunch. You are given a menu and check off on the menu what you want. For $15 I enjoyed a miso soup, salad, several pieces of nigiri, tempura, an eel hand roll, and a Jeep specialty roll. As you can see from the left, it was a lot of food (and all-you-can-eat is usually a joke for me because I get full quickly on a good day – I’m their ideal customer). Apart from the tempura I enjoyed it. The tempura was very bland in my opinion. Yes, I know you need to dip it in a sauce, but it should have at least some underlying flavor. The sushi was fresh, and the server was very personable. I ordered it in several stages, and barely finished the specialty roll (my last stage). If you want something more filling like hibachi or udon noodle or a rice bowl, you may want to just order a small appetizer, your entree and then see how you feel. I was stuffed from my lunch choices, but I was very happy with what I ordered. For me I need the miso soup and salad for a sushi meal. Others might choose to skip it. My friend who came to join us for hot pot during dinner ordered just sashimi and as few rolls with rice as she could to get the most bang for her buck. I thought that was a little crazy, because with sushi the rice is just as important as the fish in my opinion. But to each their own. And that is the beauty of this place – each person can order just what you want or you can choose to share.

Our hot pot dinner adventure was a lot of fun. Since I was sick, my friends suggested I get my own pot. They then shared two broths. We all ordered the Chicken Broth, and they also ordered the Sha Cha broth, which was delicious (I took a sip from a fresh spoon). I’m definitely getting that next time. If you like spicy, they also have a Sichuan Spicy broth. I over-ordered the raw items, but luckily I only left vegetables and a little bit of fatty beef, so my server didn’t charge me the waste fee. But I would have been completely okay if he had though since it was my mistake thinking they would have small portions for one person. I also over-ordered thinking the broth would just be broth and would need some add-in flavor, but they added some things for flavor right out of the gate. I ordered the fatty beef, dumplings, cilantro fish balls, frozen crab, several kinds of mushrooms, broccoli, cilantro, Chinese cabbage, and bean sprouts. I somehow got turnip on my plate instead of the black mushrooms (47 vs. 57 so write clearly on your paper).

I would definitely skip the frozen crab. Since it was previously frozen it was very difficult to get the meat out of the shell. Go fresh or skip it. The fish balls were really good as well. My friend Nancy ordered the Fuchow fish balls and liked them better than my cilantro fish balls, which I enjoyed (I’m a big fan of cilantro). We tried choices off of each others’ trays, which was nice and added to the variety. I was not a fan of the Chinese sausage, for example. It had a cloyingly sweet taste, but she and her husband enjoyed them. I loved the dumplings the most. I dipped them in sauce after cooking them in the broth and, while they were filling, they had a really enjoyable flavor.

20220517_185059 Even though it is all-you-can-eat, the quality at Kintaro was pretty good. It’s not Pacific East, Ginko or Ushabu, but you pay for that quality there. Nancy is a tough customer (having been to China), and she was impressed. I will definitely be going back at lunch, now that I know what to expect. I can see this going on my regular lunch rotation since it is such a deal. And if you are looking for a fun meal with friends you should definitely give this a shot. I think you’ll enjoy yourselves as much as we did.

20230117_140854

Contact info:

Kintaro Sushi & Hot Pot
7325 Northcliff Avenue
Brooklyn, OH 44144
(216) 459-8862

Otani Noodle

Cleveland has desperately needed a good ramen place. Otani Noodle fits the bill. It isn’t amazing ramen like Slurping Turtle or some of the ramen places in New York, but it certainly fulfills the craving for a well-crafted bowl. Don’t come here with high expectations, and you will probably walk out very pleased.

Located on Euclid Avenue next to the CIA building, Otani is a small space with some tasty ramen. It is decorated in red and black with a colorful mural on one wall with four tables on the left side and the counter and kitchen on the right. You go up to the counter to order, find a seat and then they bring it out to you. Service is fairly quick. I think I waited about 5-10 minutes for my ramen. The seating (fairly high plastic stools) does not encourage you to linger. I found the higher seat to be fairly uncomfortable. Luckily I live close enough that I could take it to go if I wanted to enjoy it in the comfort of a more comfortable chair.

My first visit was in the summer right after it opened. I live up the hill in Cleveland Heights, so I am in the Uptown area a lot. I parked in the parking garage behind Crop Kitchen and hobbled my way to Otani Noodle to soothe my craving. The place was not that busy, but I hear word is spreading and people are flocking there. I’m glad to hear this, because we need it in the area. The staff was welcoming and helpful and brought out my steaming bowl for me. I sat in front of the open doors and the fan and enjoyed every warm bite.

For my first visit I tried the Torikatsu ramen, which is fried chicken cutlet in a tonkatsu broth. The broth was rich and flavorful. They get their noodles from Sun Noodle, which according to my knowledgeable friends are the best noodles you can get in the States. They had a nice toothsome bite and were great. The chicken was perfectly fried, tender and crispy. I loved the added extras like corn, broccoli, scallions, mushrooms, and seaweed, which added some great flavor. I will definitely order half a boiled egg next time as well. It isn’t ramen if it doesn’t have a hard-boiled egg half. I ordered the jasmine-infused honey tea as my beverage, which also hit the spot. It was a nice bottled ice tea.

On another more recent visit I ordered the Char Siu Tonkatsu ramen instead of the pork belly one, because another Asian noodle restaurant about a block away has turned me off pork belly for life. The char siu roasted pork came in thin slices and had a great flavor.

The only reason I haven’t tried more of their food is because I have been too busy with work to go out for lunch and have been eating at home more to save money. I look forward to trying the tempura shrimp and miso ramens.

The website is fairly useless. I still haven’t figured out if they have a menu listed on it. If you are going to make a website that contains no information (and no menu?!?), do your customers a favor and don’t bother. Thank goodness some kind soul posted photos of the menu on Yelp (page one and page two).

Contact info:

Otani Noodle
11472 Euclid Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44106
216-862-1400