Jill (@bonnjill)

The Best Bites of 2016

2016 is thankfully a thing of the past. Like in 2015, I decided to look back on the best things I remember eating this year. Money was a little tighter this year, so I had to cut back on my dining out. I cooked at home a lot, discovering the joy of microwaving 1/2 cup of popcorn kernels in a brown paper bag with just 1 tablespoon of oil and a few dashes of salt or butter salt. I made lots of pastas and soups as well as homemade pizza. Nick and Toni’s Penne alla Vecchia Bettola from the Barefoot Contessa was one wonderful discovery, as was my childhood favorite Slumgullion (aka Macaroni Beef). My Pampered Chef bakeware and electric pressure cooker saw regular use.

It was the year I finally tried some iconic Cleveland staples – like Frank’s bratwurst at the West Side Market, the paczki from Michael Angelo’s Bakery, and the perch fish fry at Academy Tavern. I also revisited childhood favorites like the chicken foldover from Uncle Al’s Pizza and the shrimp with lobster sauce at Nam Wah (love their pho – best in town!). I also feasted on cheese for two days at Counter Culture, a two-day cheesemonger workshop sponsored by Culture Magazine. I fell in love with Vermont Creamery and Mackenzie Creamery as well as Losada olives there. I also traveled to Detroit (garlic paste at Lebanese Grill!); Gettysburg (Friendly’s Peanut Butter Cup sundae!), Philadelphia (Friday Night Meatballs with my friend and Serious Eats author Sarah!) and Lancaster (Amish food at Good n Plenty!); New Orleans (beignets!) and San Francisco (dim sum and meals at the Slanted Door and Tadich Grill!), but since this is a Cleveland food blog I will limit my best bites to here. These bites are the bites I will remember for quite some time.

The new year started off deliciously with this amazing dessert at Dinner in the Dark. Paris goes Tokyo by Larissa from Coquette Patisserie featured green tea roulade, banana and black sesame mousse with black sesame brittle and honey-ginger macaron. It is not something I would have normally ordered, but I’m so glad it was offered as a course at Dinner in the Dark. I adored this dessert and had it again at Coquette later that week when they made it in the store.

The salted caramel cheesecake at 111 Bistro was as delicious as it looks in the photo. I dined here for my friend Tom’s birthday. The food was once again amazing, but the dessert stole the show. The cheesecake was creamy, and it is impossible to describe the decadent salted caramel topping. The little side of ice cream and the little piece of brittle were a fun and delicious touch.

MoMo’s Kebab opened on Lee Road and focuses on fresh Moroccan and Mediterranean food like kebab and fresh grilled vegetables. Back when I had their beef and vegetable tagine it was only available as a Saturday special. I believe tagine is now regularly available on their menu. Since it is cooked in a clay tower the meat and vegetables are unbelievable tender and succulent. My dining companion, who was married to a Moroccan at one point, had the prune and lamb tagine and also loved it. It was sweeter than my beef and veg tagine but just as tender. Be sure to order the mint tea! It is a wonderful ceremony.

My tea group drives out to Sweet Shalom tea room in Sylvania every month. The menu changes based on the theme for that month. They have the best scones I’ve ever had, and these cherry almond scones are by far my favorite. The scones are huge, yet light and flaky. They are usually accompanied with butter and jam or preserves, but these cherry almond scones are amazing just as they are.

A new tea room opened in 2016 in an old farmhouse from 1890 on the village square in Twinsburg. Greenbridge Tea House is a vegetarian and vegan tea house. They are open Wednesday through Friday from 11 to 3 and Saturday from 9 to 3. This golden mushroom and potato soup smelled divine, and I was so happy that I ordered a bowl of it instead of just a cup. Their crustless quiche and garlic bread were also delicious, but the soup stole the show for me.

Coit Road Farmer’s Market is a farmer’s market in East Cleveland that supports the local community. They are open on Saturday mornings in the winter and Wednesdays and Saturdays in the summer. The market manager Kevin is a great cook, and they offer cooking classes to teach customers how to use and preserve produce, cook with cast iron, and cooking skills like knife skills, etc. This year they taught folks how to make spring rolls, sausage, mole, and traditional Chinese cooking, just to name a few. This weekend Kevin is going to show how to put together a sous vide set-up from parts on eBay for $30-40. Their special fundraising meals are always a good time. For a very affordable donation that goes to the market customers can enjoy the food in a casual setting. They served pizzas and had several corn roast and BBQs this year, but one of my favorite bites was their French toast and bacon in April. I don’t know what they put in the batter, but it was delicious.

Batuqui opened on Larchmere a while ago, and I finally got a chance to eat there in 2016. I don’t know what took me so long. The food is delicious, but their seafood stew really won my heart. Fresh shrimp cooked in coconut milk and curry served over rice. I loved every single bite. Plus, they serve amazing caipirinhas. I really need to get back there more often.

On a whim in the early days of summer I stopped at Strickland’s Custard in Streetsboro and started off a ice cream and butterscotch craving that I still cannot shake to this day. I ordered the Banana Bowl, which features half a banana, vanilla soft serve custard, topping (obviously I chose butterscotch), whipped cream and a cherry. I love the combination of banana and butterscotch, which I would have normally not put together. The photo doesn’t do it justice.

Fat Casual BBQ took over the patio at Graffiti: A Social Kitchen this summer and served their amazing smoked meats and grilled goodness. My friends and I went for the smoked prime rib, which I enjoyed with their polka fries (spiral sliced potatoes fried and smothered in cheese sauce and bacon lardons). But Graffiti’s cereal milk panna cotta with grilled peaches, blueberries and granola stole the show that night. If I could have licked the bowl clean I probably would have. A delicious meal from start to finish. They offer their cereal milk panna cotta on the regular menu, but it isn’t available with grilled peaches.

Lilly Handmade Chocolate always has amazing chocolate flavors, but their Dreamsicle Bark hit my sweet spot. I love the flavors of orange and vanilla together. I’m not normally a fan of white chocolate, but I absolutely adore Lilly’s white chocolates, especially the Maui Wowie. I attended several chocolate and beer tastings at Lilly’s this year and had some amazing bites like the passion fruit panna cotta, but this Dreamsicle Bark was exceptional.

Taj Indian Palace has won my love for two main reasons – one) their peas and mushroom entree and two) their masala dosa. I never understood why people loved dosas until I had theirs. Most dosas were crispy with just a minimum of potato and onion filling. Their dosa is buttery, filled from top to bottom and just amazing. I met some friends for dinner here and ordered the peas and mushrooms because I was craving mushrooms. I loved this dish more than the saag I also ordered. I’ve been back numerous times in 2016. It’s my go-to Indian restaurant now. They also have a lovely lunch buffet.

One of my favorite festivals is the Night Market. From May to September one Friday a month features Asian cuisine and culture in a lovely open-air market setting. Since I love Asian cuisine I thoroughly enjoy wandering through the tents and nibbling a bit from here and a bit from there. Established restaurants like Li Wah and Emperor’s Palace as well as start-up vendors like Snow Brothers and anyone who wants to offer Asian cuisine can sign up for a tent and sell their wares. I learned about vendor Ice and Rice through a friend. Andy Ng is a civil engineer who moonlights as Night Market vendor Ice or Rice with his wife, Jessie, a graphic designer born in Guangzhou. Their food is great, and their tuna onigiri is definitely one of my favorite bites of the year. The creamy tuna salad combined with the Asian sauce and tender rice to make one delicious bite.

Jill Vedaa opened Salt+ in Lakewood, which features small plates as well as great cocktails and unique wines. I met some friends there in August and we enjoyed a variety of small plates. The smoked trout and grilled octopus were nice, but my favorite plate was the white bean puree with mashed olives and lightly grilled bread. It shines probably due to its simplicity. Just clean flavors that shine.

Bonchon recently opened in Seven Hills and serves the most amazing Korean style fried chicken and wings as well as Korean and Asian fusion cuisine. Choices like Japchae and Bibimbap as well as udon, shrimp shumai and fried rice are just some of the choices. But the fried chicken and wings are king. We were there during their soft opening, and I’ve been meaning to get back there. The wings are double-fried and served with either a spicy or garlic soy sauce. A friend and I split the medium size wings and went with the half and half, which features both sauces. The spicy sauce was amazing and not so overly spicy that I couldn’t eat it. My lips had a nice burn, but it was so addictive I kept wanting more. The wings are served with a side of pickled radish to somewhat mitigate the heat.

Last but not least, Boiling Seafood Crawfish on Lee Road offers boiled seafood like crawfish, shrimp, lobster and crab in your choice of sauce. The corn fritter appetizers and po’ boys are good, but the boiled seafood is clearly the star here. I made my own, choosing lobster and crab legs along with the requisite potato and corn. I chose their Juicy sauce, which is a mixture of all the sauces they offer (Cajun, lemon pepper, and garlic and herb). It was messy deliciousness that I crave constantly.

I hope you enjoyed reading about my favorite bites of 2016 and are inspired to go out and try some of the places I’ve talked about. It seems like dessert played a big part of 2016 for me. I made a sweet tea vodka and fresh peach tiramisu for my tea group’s summer picnic this year. I riffed off the Barefoot Contessa’s rum raisin tiramisu and used sweet tea vodka since tea was supposed to be an ingredient and I was overrun with peaches from the Georgia Peach Truck. While making it, it looked like a huge disaster, with the sweet tea-soaked ladyfingers floating in the cream sauce, but it was probably the most delicious tiramisu I’ve ever had. Everyone enjoyed every boozy, creamy bite. Here’s hoping 2017 brings lots of delicious bites as well!

Ribsticks

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I like to keep aware of what is going on around me on the local restaurant scene, so I noticed one of the storefronts across from Cedar Center on Cedar Road had paper up on its windows a few months ago and then a sign announcing a new barbecue place called Ribsticks. After what seemed like forever they have finally opened – quietly. I was curious and did a Google search one night and stumbled on a Scene article about it. The article reports that Dr. Lee cooks his ribs in a sous vide bath, then smokes and grills them, resulting in less shrinkage and more meat. I can attest to that. The portions are great with reasonable prices as an added bonus.

I initially ordered a Burnt Ends sandwich ($7.50 but $1 off at lunch). It comes with one side at lunch, and I opted for the corn casserole. The corn casserole was absolutely amazing. It was a nice consistency with some chunks of corn. It was the side of the day, so if you see it be sure to order it. The Burnt Ends sandwich was not as burnt as I would have liked it. My idea of burnt ends is the burnt ends at Oak & Ember; they were so tender they were practically falling apart. The burnt ends here are chewier, because they aren’t cooked as long as the ones I have had in the past are. The bun is housemade, and the sandwich is topped with housemade pickled veggies and caramelized onions. It was a bit sloppy to eat, and I wasn’t thrilled to find a small bone in among the meat.

That said, I was still looking forward to trying other things on the menu. I organized a dinner there a few days later. I focused on the ribs. The pork spare ribs with two sides, to be exact, for $14.00. I ordered a third side just for good measure for $2. My meal was really good. The ribs were actually a combination of fall-off-the-bone and stick to the bone. The meat was plentiful and chewy, and I enjoyed the barbecue sauce.

You can order samplers with two and three meats, featuring the pork spare ribs, pulled pork, beef brisket, chicken wings and beef short ribs. They also recently added kielbasa and the burnt ends to the options. They are tweaking the menu as they go along and adding things like Beer Bites and BBQ pulled pork nachos.

The stars here are the sides; they are absolutely amazing. You can choose herbed quinoa (gluten-free), couscous, baked beans, mac n cheese, bread pudding, bourbon peaches, heirloom coleslaw, red beans and rice, mashed potatoes and a daily side. I ordered the mashed potatoes, bourbon peaches and heirloom coleslaw, which were all delicious. I bought more mashed potatoes and peaches to go with my leftover rib to enjoy the next day. The mashed potatoes are creamy, I could taste the sour cream. The bourbon peaches are to die for. I could have kept eating them forever. The heirloom cole slaw was also refreshing. I also hear the cheese grits are amazing as well. Sadly the side portions are small, but you can always order more on the side.

As for beverages, they offer sweet tea and soft drinks (Pepsi products) as well as alcoholic libations. They have Great Lakes beer and Coors on tap and IPA, and you can add a shot of bourbon to your sweet tea. I thoroughly enjoyed my Dortmunder with my ribs. You can help yourself to sauces near the register and water in a corner by the window.

They also have several desserts, most intriguingly a candied pork ends and chocolate chip cookie. I have heard the cookie is great but haven’t had the pleasure yet.

The service was great. The staff was very friendly and accommodating. The manager and owner were both present and very hospitable. We will definitely be back. In fact, several of my dining companions have already been back. Welcome to the neighborhood, Ribsticks!

Contact info:

Ribsticks
13892 Cedar Road
University Heights, OH 44118
(216) 202-4105

Batuqui

Batuqui on Larchmere Boulevard does a good job filling the void left by Sergio’s Sarava. It moved into the charming restored Victorian house that used to house the Vine and Bean. The building is small yet cozy with lots of dark wood molding. I easily found parking on the cross-street and simply crossed the street to meet my dining companions. We were greeted warmly and seated in the back room, but they happily moved us to the front room once another larger table left (two of my dining companions needed chairs with backs due to various health issues, so the bench seating wasn’t a good choice – it’s worth mentioning if you have an issue). Once comfortably situated the service, food and atmosphere all exceeded our expectations.

When in Brazil order a caipirinha. Caipirinha is Brazil’s national cocktail, made with cachaça, sugar and lime. Cachaça, also known as pinga, caninha, or any one of a multitude of traditional names, is Brazil’s most common distilled alcoholic beverage. It is one of my favorite alcoholic beverages, and it is executed here perfectly.

It is worth noting that a lot of the entrees are dairy-free and gluten-free. I am definitely keeping this place in mind for dining out with my DF/GF mother. Dietary choices are well-marked in the menu, which I love.

I ordered the Bolinho de Bacalhau (cod fish croquettes) with the table. They were perfectly fried, not too greasy, and the filling with light and fluffy. I loved that they served lime wedges with it. The lime was a very nice complement that brightened the croquette. I very much enjoyed this appetizer and can recommend it. My vegetarian dining companion also ordered some fried yucca without the linguica sausage. It too was really delicious, very creamy and flavorful. The photo isn’t very appealing so I’m not posting it, but the taste was great.

I had a tough time deciding on my entree. While I love a good Fejoida I was very curious to try the Moqueca Baiana. It is a seafood stew with either shrimp or fish or both and cooked with tomato, green pepper, coconut milk and dende oil and served over white rice. I chose the version with shrimp, and I am so glad I did! I loved every bite of this. The creaminess of the coconut milk worked really well with the shrimp, and the seasoning was perfect. The portion size was also ideal. I didn’t need to take home any leftovers, but I also wasn’t too full.

My vegetarian friend ordered the Prato Misto, a savory vegetarian dish of pinto beans, Brazilian rice, red onion rings, seasonable vegetables, farofa and fried spinach. It is dairy-free, vegetarian and can be vegan. She loved her meal except for the strange flash-fried spinach, which she found a bit off-putting.

One of my pickier dining companions ordered Carolina’s Pasta, which features fettuccine pasta mixed with seafood, tomatoes, onions in a cream sauce. Her version had calamari, which were perfectly cooked and not at all rubbery, but the current version features shrimp and smoked salmon. She enjoyed the flavor, and I liked the bite I had.

They have several delicious-sounding desserts, but we were too full. The caramel flan and the passion fruit mousse both sound amazing. They also serve fresh fruit with passion fruit glaze for those who like fruit for dessert.

Since I love a good Brazilian steakhouse I can’t wait to go back and order either the Linguica sausage or the Picanha steak. I might even order the Churrasco Misto, which features top sirloin, chicken and sausage, if I can’t decide which I am in the mood for. The sausage is juicy and flavorful – similar to a good kielbasa. The chicken and steak were good, but not as good as the sausage.

Left: Linguica sausage, Rigiht: Churrasco Misto

The patio in the summer is a really comfortable place. They have a large tented area as well as individual tables scattered in the backyard. The tent is ringed with lush hanging ferns. The patio makes it as lovely a spot ambiance-wise in the summer as the cozy house is in the fall and winter.

Since the place is tiny it is highly recommended to make a reservation. An 18% gratuity is automatically added for groups of 6 or larger, but since we usually tip 20% and up (lots of former servers and restaurant workers in the group) that isn’t a problem for us. I wanted to mention it in case it is an issue.

Desserts
Left: Brigadeiros (Brazilian Chocolate Bonbons, Right: passion fruit mousse

Contact info:

Batuqui
12706 Larchmere Boulevard
Cleveland, OH 44120
(216) 801-0227

Chagrin Falls location
17 E Orange Street
Chagrin Falls, OH 44022
(440) 600-2122

Shabu-shabu at Ushabu

I love any and all forms of Asian cuisine, so I was excited to hear that Cleveland was getting a shabu-shabu restaurant. Shabu-shabu is a Japanese hotpot dish of thinly sliced meat and vegetables boiled in water or broth. The meats are cooked piece by piece by the diner at the table, by submerging it in the broth and stirring it. The cooked meat and vegetables are then usually dipped in sauce before eating and served with a bowl of steamed white rice. Once the meat and vegetables have been eaten, leftover broth from the pot is combined with the remaining rice (and in this case the udon noodles, which are at the bottom of the vegetable bowl), and the resulting soup is eaten last.

Ushabu opened recently in Tremont, and several of my friends and I went there to check it out. It is located on Professor in a storefront that I could swear used to be an art gallery next to the old Cookie and a Cupcake store. So the place is very small, and reservations are a must. There are about four or five booths and counter seating. The tiny restaurant seats 25 people, and they were turning folks without reservations away on a Sunday night. Edsel made a reservation for 4 at 6 PM, which was perfect because we finished at 8 when they closed. If there are two of you, you might be seated with some strangers in one of the larger booths, which is okay with me since that’s a fun way to meet people. Dante was seated two booths over from us. His restaurant has been serving shabu-shabu to diners for a while now, so if he was here eating on a Sunday I can’t think of higher praise. As it was, we had a cozy little booth up against the window. The windows steamed up from the steaming broth once things started cooking.

We started out ordering appetizers. I gave in to the peer pressure and ordered the scallop appetizer. It had a gorgeous presentation, but I honestly wasn’t too jazzed about the taste of the scallop. I normally love scallops, but didn’t love this. The scallop was cut in half and topped with a quail egg and tobiko and garnished with a couple bites of pork belly. I liked the pork belly part the best. I might try the chawanmushi next time, because it looked delicious. Kind of a savory custard with a shrimp in it. My other dining companions enjoyed their clam appetizer, although the edible sand took a little adjusting to.

After poring over the menu and Yelp photos beforehand, I started getting excited about the ginger chicken soup base and tried to figure out what to order first. I ended up going with the seafood combo, since ginger and seafood is just about the perfect combination for this sushi and ginger addict.

Since I was new to shabu-shabu it took some adjusting to figure out how things work and how long to cook everything. I think my next time will be more successful. In addition to three different dipping sauces (a ponzu, a sesame and a soy), they bring out the soup base, a separate bowl of vegetables to cook in and flavor the broth, and a bowl of white rice sprinkled with black sesame seeds. Each diner gets their own, although our dining companions split one and were given an extra bowl of rice and their own dipping sauces. That was a nice touch. With their appetizer and splitting a beef and pork combo with a fish add-on, they found it was just enough food for them.

Onto how things work! Once the soup base gets up to a boil in the induction burner cubbyholes built into the table, it’s time to get cooking. They suggest you put in the more sturdy vegetables like the carrot, corn, cabbage, bok choy, onion and radish first, then move on to the more delicate mushrooms, tomato and tofu. After a few minutes of cooking the meats are then swirled in the broth and dipped in a sauce and eaten with rice. I enjoyed the sesame dip the best, but all three were very good.

The seafood combo came with 3 clams, 1 scallop (cut into several thin slices), 3 tiger shrimp and what I think was salmon and flounder. I was told to start with the clams first and then branch out to the other seafood on my plate. It took a while to figure out how long to cook my seafood. It took longer than what they said. For instance, it took a little while for the clams to finally open, and my first tiger shrimp was raw and cold in the middle. I put it back in to cook up a little more. It wasn’t a big problem for me since, like I’ve said, I’m a big sushi fan and don’t mind raw seafood or a raw sear. Once I got the hang of it I very much enjoyed it. I will say that I won’t boil my broth as much next time, because the end broth was too salty to eat. I ended up taking it home and cutting it with water the next day.

I finished the meal with a nice scoop of Sesame ice cream made by Mason’s Creamery. It was a nice creamy finish to the meal.

In short, I enjoyed myself and look forward to going back. I can’t wait to try the wagyu beef. The restaurant is also vegetarian friendly, as they offer a vegetarian option with the veggies and broth. Two of the three soup bases – the spicy miso and kombu dashi – are vegetarian-friendly.

Contact info:

Ushabu
2173 Professor Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44113

Bonchon

I had no idea what Bonchon was, but one of the people I follow on Instagram checked in here on its opening night. It looked delicious so I googled it.

Several of us met there (on Broadview Road in Seven Hills) a few days later to check it out. It is an Asian fusion restaurant with a wide variety of menu options, but they specialize in Korean fried chicken and wings.

The parking lot was packed, but they offered complementary valet. I’m not sure if it will continue, but it was nice to drop off the car and run in since I was running late due to traffic. It was the night of Game 3 of the World Series, so the TVs were going and once the game started it got pretty loud.

Let’s talk about what they do best – the fried chicken. The chicken is dipped in corn starch and double fried. They are super crispy and packed with flavor. We ordered a ton off the menu and shared a lot of it. The chicken is delicious. A++ Would order again. We ordered a medium half and half combo – half spicy and half soy garlic. The spicy was a nice pleasant heat that wasn’t overwhelming. It is served with a small bowl of pickled radishes that help extinguish the heat.

The “drums” are full-sized drum sticks. My friends who ordered this in a combo had the drums brought out first since they were finished already. They enjoyed them just as much as the wings.

My friend and I also split an order of potstickers. The potstickers also come in the spicy and soy garlic flavor offerings. Once again we ordered half and half. The wrappers were a little thicker than I like, but the filling itself was flavorful and firm. You could tell they were made in-house due to the lack of uniformity. I always like to see that.

I was less impressed with the Japchae (more like a teriyaki noodle bowl – I think it was a bit overcooked last night) and shu mai (I’ll try them fried next time, they were too delicate steamed). Others at the table ordered sliders, bulgogi, and tteokbokki. I’ll definitely be back. Our waitress was super competent and deftly handled a table of 8. They are still in “soft opening” mode and will be gradually adding things to the menu. Be sure to check it out. I may head there again tomorrow for some more wings. They are that good.

Update:
I can highly recommend the Salmon-Avocado Ball. I got one to go on Superbowl Sunday 2017 along with some wings and loved every bite. I paired it with Triscuits, but it is served alone in the restaurant. So good!

Contact info:

Bonchon
7581 Broadview Road
Seven Hills, OH 44131

Citizen Pie – Waterloo

copy_imag0533 Sorry for the lack of posts here. I have not been going out very much lately, and when I have I have been going to places I have already posted about. Money has been somewhat tight with some travel and a very expensive vet bill. I’ll try to be better, but I can’t promise anything.

I have been a fan of Vytauras Sasnaukas’ pizza for a while. I had been hearing about his pizzas back when my friends would gather on the patio at Americano for pizza night. When Americano closed and before Citizen Pie was born, he did some pop-up pizza nights in a gas-fired pizza oven at The Velvet Tango Room, where he started conceiving plans with Claudia Young and Paulius Nasvytis. He got his start making pizzas when he was growing up in Lithuania (his story is really interesting and worth a read) and has been experimenting with various fermented doughs for a while now. His dough really makes his pizzas stand out from the crowd! He bought a wood-fired brick oven and opened Citizen Pie in the Waterloo District across from the Beachland Ballroom. Citizen Pie makes napolitano pizzas and is definitely one of the best pizza places in Cleveland. The pizzas come out fast and hot. They aren’t laden with toppings. There is just the perfect balance for a taste explosion.

I recently met some folks at Citizen Pie to try their Summer pizza special, which featured sweet Ohio corn and poblano cream, Andouille sausage, cherry tomatoes, and green onion finished with a spicy honey drizzle. This pizza was absolutely out of this world. The thing I like most about the pie was the corn cream balanced with the honey drizzle. It was just a great pizza.

My second favorite was the Cacio e Pepe pizza, which is topped with mozzarella, pecorino and straciatella cheese, garlic, black pepper and basil. It is a very simple pizza, but it explodes with flavor. I can’t wait to have it again.

I had been wanting to try the Americano pizza for a while as well. Named after V’s Bratenahl restaurant Americano, the Americano features mozzarella, pistachio cream, Italian sausage, red and green onion and Calabrian chiles. It has a bit of a kick to it, but I love the idea of pistachio cream and it goes really well with the sausage.

The mushroom pizza is also a crowd-pleaser. It is topped with mozzarella, brie, porcini duxelles, bacon, red onion and truffle oil. I love mushrooms and brie, and the truffle oil was not as off-putting as I usually find it. Again, it is just a well-balanced pie. I took a piece of this one home to enjoy later that night.

One of the group ordered a Tartufo, which I was familiar with from the Italian restaurants in Germany. It is a ball of frozen dark chocolate with rum and amarena cherry. As you can imagine, it is delicious. We passed it around the table, and everyone swooned. Claudia is also known for her Migliaccio, which is a ricotta cheesecake with lemon, orange and vanilla. She worked hard to come up with the perfect cheesecake, which Michael Ruhlman has raved about.

I was also extremely excited to see that they serve Stiegl beer here. Stiegl is brewed in Salzburg, Austria and the monks have been brewing it there since 1492. It is a nice smooth lager and goes very nicely with the pizza. I was also pleased to see San Pellegrino, Illy espresso drinks and cane sugar Coca Cola. It’s the little touches like that that just impress me.

Chef V is constantly coming up with new and exciting pizza ideas, like a recent eggs benedict pizza. So if you like good pizza be sure to make a trip to Citizen Pie. They will be opening a second location in Ohio City in the near future – bringing Pizza to the People.

Contact info:

Citizen Pie
15710 Waterloo Road
Cleveland, OH 44110

Seven Roses in Slavic Village

There is no better deal in Cleveland than the lunch buffet at Seven Roses in Slavic Village. For a price ranging from $8.99-14.99 you can eat your fill of hearty Polish food. I had eaten at the Seven Roses in Beachwood back in the day, and always try to hit their stand at local Oktoberfests because the food is good.

My friend Kat’s summary best describes our experience, so I’ll start you off with that:

Had I not read some of comments on Yelp, I would have been totally confused. We sat ourselves and waited a short time for someone to come out of the kitchen. An elderly lady came out and asked if we were having soup. Sure. She brought out 2 flavorful cups of cabbage soup and then asked “Pepsi?” Sure. A bit later she brought out small plates of very creamy potato pierogi and a crisp potato pancake for each of us. (Ask for sour cream if you go, btw) We then helped ourselves to the buffet…because both this [Cleveland.com] review and Yelp told us they had one. Very good, as mentioned. When through, we were each brought a couple of pastries. I had a short conversation with the owner when I asked if there was vinegar in her soup. She asked if I’d ever had dill pickle soup. I hadn’t. When we went to the counter to get the bill, she had a quart container of some ready and gave it to me. Very sweet of her. We enjoyed lunch very much and for sure will be returning. Now you know the drill. Just nod, say “sure”, and enjoy.

Now for the particulars of our visit. The cabbage soup was the absolute highlight for me. It was simple, but had a great flavor to it. I definitely could have eaten a bowl of it. I wasn’t too keen on the choice of Pepsi, especially because I was so thirsty and there was no air conditioning (only fans). Next time I’ll ask for water as well.

The potato pierogi were indeed creamy, almost slippery in texture. They were obviously homemade and were very light. They weren’t as good as Sokolowski’s, but whose is? The potato pancake was delicious as well, and I didn’t really need the requested sour cream.

The food that is served varies, but the kielbasa and stuffed cabbage appear to be a constant. The buffet was in a little corner and featured some small stuffed cabbage, some meatballs of some sort, what I think were broasted chicken thigh, kielbasa and sauerkraut, mashed potatoes, spaetzel, and super-dried-out mixed vegetables. I particularly enjoyed the chicken, stuffed cabbage and kielbasa. I had filled my plate and my eyes were actually larger than my stomach. I did not go back for a second round and could barely finish the first one.

After we were finished they brought us a small plate of Polish pastry, which I wrapped up and took home for later. I particularly enjoyed the poppyseed cake.

Like I said, pricing is hit or miss. It’s cash only, and you pay at the register when you are done. We paid $14.99 while others have reported paying $8.99 for the same experience. It’s a mystery. That said, it’s still a steal with the amount of food you get for the low price.

Contact info:

Seven Roses
6301 Fleet Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44105

Porco Lounge and Tiki Room

I love a good cocktail, and I tried to get here for several years. Plans would be made and then fall through. Finally I got a chance to go there for happy hour with some friends, and I fell in love with the place. The drinks are strong, the music is from the 1980s and the ambiance is top notch. The ambiance is also dark, so I had to use the flash to get the photos to be halfway decent.

We ventured our way right before the Republican National Convention hit Cleveland because we heard the “Love Trumps Hate” billboard was nearby. In fact, it was on the left side of the bridge heading south just before you reach Porco. As far as I know it is still there. Whether Mr. Trump or his campaign staff saw it is doubtful.

All of the drinks here are hand-crafted and incredibly tasty. My first choice was the Planet of the Apes, which features banana, pineapple and orange flavors and three rums. I loved it. I’m all about fruity drinks, and if they are garnished with a plastic mermaid all the better! My friend ordered a Gin Mai Tai off the happy hour menu. We all loved it so much we ordered it for our second round. It was super refreshing. Since the drinks are so potent and I was driving I ordered a non-alcoholic tiki drink for my third drink. The waitress had them make up some kind of fruity drink that was heavy on coconut and pineapple flavors. I left a very happy camper.

13700024_10209055692103893_4865566635583458017_n — Photo by my friend Edsel because mine was too dark

I was hungry, so I wanted to order something to nibble on. I decided to order the Closing Time Nachos, which are advertised as having pretty much everything in the kitchen on them. This includes tortilla chips, black beans, jalapenos, pork rinds, melted cheese, BBQ sauce, chorizo, salsa and pulled pork. I ordered them with “no meat” and they came without the chorizo and pulled pork, but with those lovely pork rinds. Our vegetarian just didn’t eat those. More for us! The nachos were absolutely magical. I loved the addition of BBQ sauce, which gave it a hint of sweetness. I was craving them the next day.

We soon went back for another happy hour at Porco a few weeks later. The nachos weren’t as magical because I ordered them “vegetarian” this time. Everyone agreed that something wasn’t the same. I think it was the lack of pork rinds and the light hand with the BBQ sauce. They also appear to have added pico de gallo. We weren’t as hungry as we were the first time, and there were only two of us. Luckily my friend’s boyfriend showed up and was drunk and hungry, so he ate half of them for us.

This time I ordered Heart of Darkness, which features passion fruit, honey and citrus with some alcohol. I love me some passion fruit. My second drink was a Limon Dee, which they bill as tasting like a key lime pie. It did not disappoint and came in a fake coconut, which I was particularly thrilled about.

I can’t wait to try the Fogg Cutter, complete with dry ice.

Pro tip: go early, if you can. We try to arrive between 4:30 and 5:00 and have managed to park in their small parking lot and get seats in the air-conditioned main room. It has been too hot to enjoy the patio, but once the weather cooled we enjoyed a lovely night on the patio as well.

This has quickly become my favorite bar in Cleveland.

Contact info:

Porco Lounge and Tiki Room
2527 W 25th Street
Cleveland, OH 44113

Lunch buffet on the Nautica Queen

When the weather is beautiful there is nothing better than taking a river or lake cruise in Cleveland. Whether it’s the Goodtime III or the Nautica Queen it is definitely something special that always makes me happy.

I recently went on an afternoon cruise on the Nautica Queen with my local translators group. The dock is located next to the Powerhouse and Cleveland Aquarium. We shared the boat with several groups, including a wedding party and a family reunion. For $24.95 we were treated to some great views of the Flats, the lake and the Cleveland skyline as well as a buffet lunch and gratuity. Tea, coffee and iced tea were included with the price. Soft drinks and alcoholic beverages were extra. They did not have any bottled water.

The food isn’t going to win any awards, but it was pretty good. We were ushered to the buffet by table and after filling our salad plates with some rather fresh salad fixings the plates were taken from us and deposited at our seats, freeing our hands up for the larger plate. The salad bar was actually pretty good. I managed to make a very nice salad from the mixed greens and side salads, including a pasta salad and an antipasta salad. The dressing choices included ranch, poppyseed and I believe a vinaigrette of some sort.

The choices that day included roast beef, chicken breast, fish and a rigatoni pasta with tomato sauce as well as mixed vegetables and mashed potatoes. I’m told the entrees and sides can vary. I particularly enjoyed the fish and the mashed potatoes. The roast beef was a little fatty, but it was moist and tender. The pasta and chicken breast were a little dry, but I don’t expect anything less from a buffet like this.

After clearing our plates the waitress brought us a lemon cake with raspberry drizzle. It was a little dry but palatable.

After we ate we watched the newlyweds dance their first dance (she sang to him the whole time – it was very touching), and then went up a level to the roof to enjoy the skyline and the sunshine. We left the dock at 11 and returned at 1. It was an enjoyable two hours spent on the lake. If you are looking for a fun thing to do with guests I can recommend this. The price doesn’t break the bank, and it is a relaxing couple of hours spent on our beautiful waterways. They also offer a dinner buffet, which I have been told is better than the lunch buffet, as well as a brunch buffet.

They also cater wedding receptions, because I attended a wedding reception on the Nautica Queen about 12 or 13 years ago. I remember enjoying the dancing and the nighttime view of the Cleveland skyline.

Contact info:

Nautica Queen
1153 Main Ave
Cleveland, OH 44113
(216) 696-8888

The summer of ice cream

It’s been a while since I’ve posted here. Money has been tight, and I have been eating at home a lot. However, there is always room for ice cream. I’ve spent the summer exploring some of Cleveland’s oldest and most popular ice cream establishments. I was on a mission to find old-fashioned ice cream stands.

It all started out with a stop at Strickland’s of Streetsboro on Route 14 about a mile from the intersection with Route 43. I ordered their Banana Bowl ($4.25 including tip), which features one scoop of vanilla custard, 1/2 a banana, one topping (I chose butterscotch), peanuts and a cherry. The flavor combination was awesome, and I decided I needed many butterscotch sundaes in my life this summer. Unfortunately I have never managed to scrape up the nerve to ask them to add a banana to the butterscotch sundaes.

My next stop was Dairy King on Mayfield Road in South Euclid. I’m not sure if it is associated with the Dairy King in North Olmsted I used to visit as a high schooler, but it is awesome no matter what. I ordered a medium butterscotch sundae for $2.75 and got a large because she “accidentally made a large.” It was huge, and I couldn’t finish it. But I kept coming back all summer. I also really like their peanut butter cup parfait ($4.75) – and where else can you buy a “mini” banana split for $1.35? They also sell hot dogs and fries.

Sandy’s Frozen Whip on Lake Shore Boulevard in Euclid also managed to get on my radar. I made a special trip there, and since I was craving a root beer float that is what I ordered. A root beer float and a foot-long chili dog with everything definitely brightened my day. The person working the counter (I think it might have been Sandy herself) was extremely friendly and helpful. She made a strawberry shortcake sundae while I was waiting for my chili dog that looked tempting for next time (sub ice cream for whipped cream on top).

I then went to the Apple Cart, one of Cleveland’s oldest ice cream stands on Superior Road. I ordered a butterscotch sundae for $2.50 (keep the change). The woman behind the counter asked if I wanted whipped cream and nuts – of course. It definitely hit the spot. I had to chuckle driving home and seeing all the workers walking back to work with their ice cream cones. I’m going back soon for a cherry-dipped cone.

Two outliers I wanted to talk about are Snow Brothers Shavery and Koko Bakery’s shaved ice. They aren’t ice cream per se, but they are a cold treat on a hot day. Snow Brothers is a food truck that you can find at Night Market and various other festivals around the area. They shave their flavored ice to make “snow” and top it with condensed milk and various toppings. I chose the milk-flavored snow and topped it with blueberries and strawberries, but you can also choose mochi, red bean paste, Captain Crunch and a few other toppings. Koko Bakery also sells shaved ice. They sell Korean and Taiwanese shaved ice. I prefer the Taiwanese shaved ice. The price includes 3 toppings of your choice, and you can add additional toppings for an additional $0.90. I am a creature of habit and always choose lychee, kiwi and mango.

And of course no Cleveland ice cream post is complete without mention of Mitchell’s. Mitchell’s fresh strawberry ice cream was a divine pleasure when the strawberries were in season. I hear fresh peach ice cream is in season right now. Mitchell’s is always a treat, but this scoop of strawberry really stands out in my memory this summer. They unveiled a few flavors for the RNC and Cavs championship win. You’ve got to love a hometown favorite that is just as passionate about their hometown as well.

What’s your favorite old-fashioned local ice cream stand?

Contact info:

Strickland’s of Streetsboro
9070 Cleveland – East Liverpool Road (Route 14)
Streetsboro, OH 44241

Dairy King
4325 Mayfield Road
South Euclid, OH 44121

Sandy’s Frozen Whip
17635 Lakeshore Blvd
Cleveland, OH 44119

Apple Cart
4313 Superior Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44103

Mitchell’s Ice Cream
Various locations

Koko Bakery
3710 Payne Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44114