Jill (@bonnjill)

Dim Sum Crawl – Part One

My friends and I did a dim sum crawl yesterday. I got the idea from a blog post describing a dim sum crawl in the San Gabriel Valley. The original plan was to hit all four restaurants that serve dim sum here in Cleveland – Emperor’s Palace, Li Wah, E. 30th Street Cafe, and Bo Loong – but we only made it to two of them before we cried ‘uncle.’ I can’t just order two things at a dim sum place. There is too much deliciousness. Everyone brought cash, and we carpooled and left four cars in Emperor’s Palace’s spacious parking lot since parking can be tight at Li Wah. We could have walked, but Bo Loong is a bit too far from the other places.

The first stop was at Emperor’s Palace. We met there at 11:30, because I wanted to order the Shanghai juicy buns and I know they run out early. Shanghai juicy buns (or xiao long bao) are a steamed dumpling commonly called soup buns because they are filled with pork and broth. The characteristic soup-filled buns are created by wrapping solid meat aspic inside the skin alongside the meat filling. Heat from steaming then melts the gelatin-gelled aspic into soup. Also on the menu were tofu skin rolls, egg custard buns, pumpkin cakes and their absolute stand-outs – shrimp dumplings (har gow) and turnip cake (law bok gow). Since we needed to save room we didn’t order some of my other favorites, but that’s okay. I go there enough to satisfy my cravings. Our bill, split among six diners, was $29.95 – which amounted to $6 per person including tax and gratuity.

Our second stop was Li Wah. There are two completely different kinds of energy at these two restaurants. Emperor’s Palace is more laid back and relaxed. The food is ordered from the photo-filled menu and prepared fresh. The dishes are served as they are ready. Li Wah was packed with diners and we had food on the table within a minute of sitting down. In fact, we were still getting our plates and chopsticks and our water glasses filled as the first cart stopped. We ordered in a blur. The choices we enjoyed at Li Wah included shu mei, spare ribs in black bean sauce, roast BBQ pork, turnip cake (Li Wah’s is softer and creamier than Emperor’s Palace, but the unanimous verdict was that Emperor’s Palace’s cake had the edge flavor-wise), baked BBQ pork buns, beef ho fun, and steamed rice crepes with ground beef. We wanted to get a roasted meat because Li Wah has outstanding roasted meat, some of which are hanging in a cart near the entrance. We also enjoyed a lovely chrysanthemum tea with real chrysanthemum petals steeping in the water (see photo below). Our bill here came to $44.25 – or $9 a person including tax and tip.

At this point we decided we were too full to continue our crawl. We decided to do E. 30th Street Cafe (in the same plaza as Li Wah) and Bo Loong another day. Instead, we headed to Koko Bakery for something sweet. Koko has something for everyone – cream buns, savory buns, hot dogs wrapped in pastry dough, soup, sandwiches, rice bowls, salads, chocolate covered strawberries, mousse, tarts, brownies, cakes, tiramisu, shaved ice, coffee, tea, smoothies, and bubble tea. The cases are a feast for the senses. I opted for a chocolate mousse topped with a chocolate covered strawberry. My friends ordered mango mousse, passionfruit mousse, triple chocolate mousse, a green tea bun and a sponge cake with almonds. Everyone left happy.

If you want to try something different on a Saturday or Sunday consider doing a dim sum crawl with some friends and enjoy some new flavors. Feel free to use some of these suggestions or branch out on your own. We didn’t do as much shrimp because we had someone with a shellfish allergy with us. I tried to order one piece for each person and took the allergy into consideration when ordering – an extra egg custard bun or beef something for her while some got to enjoy two shu mei or shrimp dumplings. We split several choices in half at Li Wah because we were getting full. There are no rules other than enjoy yourself, gorge on dim sum, and drink lots of tea. Oh, and bring cash. Preferably in small bills. It makes life easier.

To be continued…

Contact info:

Emperor’s Palace
2136 Rockwell Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44114
(216) 861-9999

Li Wah
2999 Payne Avenue (Asia Plaza)
Cleveland, OH 44114
(216) 589-9552

Koko Bakery
3710 Payne Avenue (next to Map of Thailand)
Cleveland, OH 44114
(216) 881-7600

Slyman’s Restaurant

Is there anything more quintessentially Cleveland than Slyman’s? Would you believe that I (a native Clevelander) had never been here until a couple months ago? Whenever people talk about “musts” in Cleveland a corned beef sandwich at Slyman’s is always on the list. The sandwiches are monstrous. There is a reason they offer a side of bread on the menu – to make another sandwich with whatever falls off the monster you are currently eating. The carry out line is usually longer than the dining in line, with downtown workers grabbing their food to go eat at their desks. The place is tiny and cramped, but service is exceptionally quick. They have their service down to a science – a very efficient science.

This place is a family-run institution. They celebrated 50 years in 2013. Joe and Mae Slyman opened the restaurant in 1963, and now their sons are working behind the counter, slicing the meat and grilling the sandwiches. Slyman’s is located on St. Clair Avenue at E. 31st Street. You can park along St. Clair and E. 31st, but there is also a parking lot across the street off E. 31st.

One reason I had never managed to make it here before are the limited hours and the talk of long lines. They are only open during the week until 2:30 and on Saturdays until 1:00. They aren’t open on Sundays. I finally made it here for the first time on the Saturday afternoon after Christmas. I figure it would not be as crowded as it normally is, and I was right. There was still a line, but it moved quickly. They were able to seat our table of 3 quickly in the small dining room to the right of the door. Once we ordered our food, service was even quicker. I don’t think more than 5 minutes passed before our food was brought to the table.

Since Slyman’s is known for their corned beef, I had to get a corned beef sandwich on my first outing. I ordered a Reuben. The Slyman’s Reuben is not like any other Reuben I have ever had. It is 99% corned beef with just a bit of sauerkraut and one slice of Swiss cheese on the top and bottom. That said, it was pretty damn delicious. The corned beef is not too salty and is shaved very thin and piled high. If you are not a fan of sauerkraut never fear. It doesn’t overwhelm, and I can’t see it in the sandwich. I think there might be a thin layer at the bottom with the cheese. The rye bread is buttery and crisp from the grill. They don’t put condiments on the sandwich. The ketchup, mustard, horseradish, hot sauce and Thousand Island dressing are on the table, which allows you to doctor it up just how you like it.

I ordered a Sprite and a side of potato salad to go with it. The Sprite came in a can along with a small glass of ice. Order two right off the bat if you are particularly thirsty that day. And since corned beef tends to be somewhat salty you might need it. The potato salad was out of this world. It was creamy and had small shavings of carrot and onion. It was not overwhelmingly mustardy if you like that kind of thing. If you do, just add a splash from the table condiments. It was just a good, solid potato salad that I would happily order again.

My dining companions ordered the french fries, and they were really good for food service fries. The serving size was plentiful, and the crinkle cut fries were crisp on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside.

On my second visit I was craving a Tuna Melt. I had heard good things about the tuna melt, and the tips did not steer me wrong. This was a delicious tuna melt. I ordered it on the requisite rye bread with Swiss cheese. I wanted to have soup, but the choice that day was beef barley, which isn’t necessarily the best accompaniment. Potato salad it is! The tuna melt and potato salad were delivered within one minute of ordering (I kid you not). I also can’t believe I ate the whole thing! I didn’t eat for the rest of the day.

You can also order roast beef, pastrami, turkey, ham, egg salad, salami, BBQ beef, a hamburger or cheeseburger, hot dog, patty melt, grilled cheese and several salads. If you really want a challenge, their hot turkey (below), hot roast beef or hot BBQ sandwiches are served closed face along with home fries or french fries and come smothered in gravy.

If you come here and know you won’t be able to finish your sandwich, you might want to bring some kind of container with you. They bring you parchment paper to wrap up your sandwich, but it doesn’t work real well if you have a wet item like potato salad, cole slaw or tuna fish.

Breakfast is served from 6 am to 11 am on the weekdays. I have a friend from high school who raves about their corned beef hash. I’m tempted, but let’s be honest – I am likely to never make it here for breakfast. If you do be sure to order the corned beef!

There is a reason they bring your food so quickly. With space at such a premium you are not encouraged to linger. Order, eat, and get out to make room for the next person. Don’t take it personally. People are clamoring to get in here.

They just opened a Slyman’s Tavern on Rockside Road in Independence, and it seats 150. It is open every day from 11 am to midnight. Maybe it will decrease the crowds downtown, but I doubt it. If anything it will satisfy all the cravings of all business folks in Independence.

Contact info:

Slyman’s Restaurant
3106 St. Clair Avenue NE
Cleveland, OH 44114
(216) 621-3760

Pho & Rice on Coventry

Pho & Rice opened up in August 2013 in the former Winds of Change-Game Exchange-Record Exchange space next to Grum’s. It has been serving up pho to the masses ever since. It serves Vietnamese and some Thai dishes as well as bubble tea and Vietnamese iced coffee and tea. There are a dozen phos, both small ($8.95) and large ($9.95), with the usual noodle, beef, chicken, shrimp and seafood add-ins. The broth is made in house. The pho is not as good as Superior Pho, but it is a decent pho and conveniently located at the intersection of Coventry and Mayfield. The pho is served with a good sized portion of bean sprouts, some Thai basil, a few jalapenos, and a lime wedge.

The Crispy Roll appetizer features 5 small, tightly wrapped vegetable spring rolls and a sweet chili dipping sauce. I ordered it expecting one roll, but it was a nice surprise to have 5. I brought several home with me. They came out of the kitchen piping hot, so I was glad I had been given some water. They left a small sheen of grease on the doily but not enough to make my fingers too greasy. The flavor was good.

The first time I ate there I ordered my usual bahn mi and beef pho order. First of all, the bahn mi is listed under Salads as “Vietnamese Sandwich Salad.” It isn’t a salad at all, but when I ordered it I thought it might have been a deconstructed bahn mi as a salad, which I would have been okay with. The bahn mi was your basic bahn mi with roasted pork, cucumber, carrot, cilantro, and jalapeno, but had a sweet cream mayonnaise. It was quite good, and I particularly liked the pickled vegetables. They did not overwhelm the pork. The sandwich came out warm, the bread was crispy but not dry, and the sweet cream mayonnaise sauce was a nice addition to the pork and vegetables. My vegetarian friend was thrilled to hear that the bahn mi is available in a vegetarian version and has since made it a regular stop for dine-in and carry-out.

The beef pho hit the spot. The beef was not overly cooked, and the rice noodles were the perfect texture. The broth was well-seasoned, if a little sweet. The bean sprouts, basil, jalapenos, and lime were fresh. A squirt of sriracha stirred in made it perfect. I like the idea of having pho within walking distance.

My friends ordered the Drunken Noodles with tofu and the Pad Thai with shrimp and liked them a lot. The drunken noodles were indeed delicious and very flavorful. I had several bites from my friend’s order because I loved them so much. She went back and ordered it again a few days later.

The Pad Thai was a bit deconstructed, but once my friend mixed it all up she was a very happy camper. I can’t say I tried it, but it looked fresh and the shrimp did not smell fishy to my nose. If given the choice I would probably go to High Thai’d for their country pad thai, but if you are out with friends who want pho and are in the mood for pad thai this isn’t a bad choice.

I was in the mood for pho again recently, but didn’t want beef pho. I was toying between the chicken pho and shrimp pho when the Pink Noodle Soup caught my eye. At $10.95 it is only available as a large, but I didn’t have any trouble finishing it. In addition to pink noodles, it came with two shrimp, two mussels, two squid and two fish balls. It has a different flavor and was a little fishier than I expected, but once I added sriracha it hit the spot and made me perspire, which is the sign of a good soup.

The Thai Tea bubble tea was really delicious. I have never seen Thai Tea bubble tea on other menus. You usually just see fruit flavors or flavors like taro. They are on the menu too, but you can also order Thai Tea, Thai Coffee, Mocha or Black Milk Tea here. If you like bubble tea you should definitely give them a try. If you value loose leaf tea don’t bother ordering hot tea here. It is served as a tea bag in a tea cup.

The place is tiny, but the servers are friendly and welcoming. With big windows overlooking Coventry it is bright and cheerful, but there is a draft in the winter.

Contact info:

Pho & Rice
1780 Coventry Road
Cleveland Heights
216-563-1122

Quintealia’s Tea Parlor in Burton

Quintealia’s is a darling little tea room on the historic town square in Burton, serving up delicious scones, tea sandwiches and high afternoon teas. Quintealia’s is named after one of the owners’ grandmother. As the website explains, “The parlor’s name was selected in honor of Annette’s grandmother, Quintilia, who was of Italian decent. Quintilia was renamed “Clara” because her given name was deemed too difficult for others to pronounce. A slight variation in the spelling of her name gave Annette and Renee an opportunity to play on the word “tea” while paying homage to a woman who’s inner strength and brave spirit epitomized their own leap of faith. Quintilia’s photograph, along with the first tea set she gave Annette as a child grace the mantle in the main parlor.”

From the owners to the servers, they are warm and welcoming and really make you feel like an honored guest. I have been there several times, and they quickly recognized and acknowledged me as a “regular.”

Quintealia’s is located in the historic Ford House, a beautiful 1891 mansion built by George H. Ford, Burton’s first mayor. The Victorian mansion is on the National Register of historical places. Quintealia’s features delicious tea and friendly service in a quaint and charming atmosphere. The Main Parlor boasts a fireplace, an 1880s Queen Anne velvet settee and matching ladies chair, and is decorated with rich gem colors and dark woodwork. The soft and feminine French Room is draped in lace and pastel pinks, and the table service is set with gold cutlery. The Ford Room, named after George Ford, the grand old home’s original owner, is adorned in quarter-paneled wood walls, old trunks, oversized wingback chairs and accents reminiscent of Old England. It is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Quintealia’s offers a wide variety of loose leaf teas brewed at the perfect temperature. The servers are very knowledgeable and will happily help you choose the perfect tea for your tastes. The wide variety ensures that everyone can choose their favorite tea. Pots are happily refilled with hot water as needed.

One of my favorite new finds at Quintealia’s are the wine-inspired tea blends by Vintage TeaWorks. The line of teas was developed by a lawyer in Akron who was passionate about both wine and tea and set out to blend the two. His non-alcoholic blends are deliciously aromatic and do a great job mimicking the notes of the various wines. The teas were voted Best New Product in 2012 by WorldTeaEast. From the light and playful White Tea Riesling to the dark and decadent Pu-Erh Cabernet, each of the six wine-inspired teas stand out in their own right. I attended a tea tasting of the line at Quintealia’s hosted by the personable Vintage TeaWorks founder, and each tea was better than the next, capped off with his delicious Bourbon Chai. I ended up buying the entire line and enjoy them at home cold brewed as well as hot. He suggested cold brewing the Rooibos Noir overnight in the refrigerator, and it quickly became my favorite thing this past summer. Although the Black Tea Merlot is my hands down favorite hot tea. Order one when you visit Quintealia’s. I promise you won’t regret it!

As for the food… my favorite thing to order here is the Savory Sampler for $10.95, which features four assorted tea sandwiches (although there are five in the photo on the right – I think the two cucumber sandwiches counted as one) and choice of a cup of soup or salad. Their soups and sandwiches vary with the season, but they have been delicious each and every time I have ordered this. I particularly love the cinnamon raisin swirl bread with a carrot and cream cheese spread. The mint cream cheese on the cucumber sandwiches is also a great pairing that you wouldn’t expect.

The scones are small but very flavorful. They also vary depending on the day. The white chocolate scone with raspberry was delicious, as are their savory herb scones. They serve Devonshire cream and jam with their scones as their Cream Tea for $7.95 that comes with a pot of tea or simply the Scones and Cream dessert selection for $3.95.

The crispy flatbread ($10.95) is topped with melted Asiago cheese, artichokes, and your choice of sweet peppers or sausage. They served these as nibbles at the Vintage TeaWorks tea tasting, and we couldn’t get enough of them. They were delicious and addictive.

I was less enthused about the Seafood Puff Pastry ($12.95), which features shrimp and whitefish tossed in a delicate dressing with fresh Parmesan cheese, baked in a puff pastry and accompanied by soup or salad. I was expecting a puff pastry, and it was more like a pot pie. If you like the idea of a seafood pot pie you’ll love it.

When I went here with my tea group the table was groaning with tea caddies loaded with savory and sweet selections (Full Afternoon Tea for $22.95). It features a three-tiered assortment of tea sandwiches, petite sweets, freshly baked scones with Devonshire cream and jam and a bottomless pot of tea. The scones were on the top tier (photo on the right). The middle tier had the tea sandwiches. The bottom tier featured the petite sweets. Most of us had to ask for boxes to bring some of the sweets home. They are very generous with this afternoon tea. The petite sweets alone are seven two- or three-bite desserts with choices ranging from cheesecakes, petit fours, brownie bites, tarts, lemon bars, bread pudding, cookies, and a variety of tea cakes and breads. The lemon meltaway bars and bread pudding are to die for!!!

If you want a place to relax over a nice cup of tea and tasty food, a catch up with an old friend or a special place to celebrate with girlfriends be sure to check Quintealia’s out.

Contact info:

Quintealia’s Tea Parlor
14585 East Park Street
Burton, Ohio 44021
(440) 834-1777

Heimatland in Brunswick

Heimatland is a quirky little German restaurant that is putting out some pretty good German food. It’s located in a German business center off the main drag just off the highway. The dining room is dominated by murals of Germany and austere wooden tables and chairs.

The food is affordable, filling and plentiful. Their sandwiches are definitely unique – served on thick slices of Italian bread and accompanied by chips and pickles. Their German Panini features German bratwurst, piled high with shredded cabbage in a house vinaigrette, topped with provolone, and fried potatoes. The Croatian Panini is one of the more unique “knife-and-fork” sandwiches – stuffed cabbage topped with shredded cabbage, tomato and fried potatoes. I ordered the Croatian Panini and loved the fluffy Italian bread it came on. The stuffed cabbage was tender, moist and fell apart easily when I bit into it. The fried potatoes were actually more like French fries, but they paired well with the stuffed cabbage. Some of their other sandwiches feature Polish kielbasa, beer battered tilapia, or grilled knockwurst as well as a Reuben, German style chicken salad, a club sandwich, and a BLT.

The Koln Burger is a 6 oz. beef patty topped with Swiss cheese, sauerkraut or red cabbage, and a side of Thousand Island dressing. The Berlin Burger is a burger with Swiss cheese, grilled onions, and mushrooms. The Salz Burger features jack & cheddar cheese, bacon, and BBQ sauce. The name cracks me up, because I used to live in Salzburg and Salzburgers are citizens of Salzburg.

The Heimatland salad (photo above) is one of the most unique salads I have ever seen on a menu. It features mixed field greens topped with chunks of chicken simmered in a secret sauce, seasoned fries and jack & cheddar cheese and served with creamy BBQ ranch dressing. It looks like a big hot mess, but the person I was with really enjoyed it. Who knew fries on a salad would be so appealing?

The dinner entrees include standard Eastern European fare such as chicken paprikas, stuffed cabbage, Wiener Schnitzel (veal) or pork schnitzel, a German sausage platter, two different pierogi dinners (one with knockwurst and haluska), and beef goulash – among other things like honey fried chicken or liver and onions for those of you who like that. Dinners are served with your choice of two sides – including mashed potatoes, haluska (aka cabbage and noodles) cole slaw, sauerkraut, German potato salad, French fries, spaetzle, red cabbage, home fries, buttered noodles, applesauce, green beans or a side salad.

I was here with a large group of Germans and German speakers. Everyone was very pleased with their meal. The service was friendly and attentive. We certainly had no complaints.

They serve German beer on tap as well as Pepsi products, juice, and other normal beverage offerings. Desserts include a thick slice of Black Forest cake and apple strudel (3 flaky slices topped with powdered sugar and caramel drizzle).

Contact info:

Heimatland Restaurant
3511 Center Road
Brunswick, OH 44212
(330) 220-8671

Wasabi Steak & Sushi

Wasabi is a Japanese sushi and steakhouse that has several locations in the area. I have been visiting the one in Beachwood, since it is the closest to me. It occupies the building that used to be the Olive Garden. It features hibachi on the one side of the restaurant and sushi on the other (although you can order a hibachi meal on the sushi side). The two halves are separated by a giant bubbling aquarium.

My first visit was because I was craving sushi and was in the area. I was seated quickly and had a nice view of the aquarium. I ordered the Sushi & Sashimi Combo, which features six pieces of sushi, nine pieces of sashimi and a California roll. It was delicious. The sushi was fresh and tightly rolled. The accompanying miso soup was good, with some shittake mushrooms. The ginger dressing on the salad was bright and creamy.

My second visit was on New Year’s Eve with my nieces. They were spending the night with me and asked to go to a hibachi for dinner. We have been to Benihana and Otani in the past, and my nieces enjoy the show and the food. I also knew they would enjoy the koi pond and the waterfall as we walked in. We went at 5 PM to avoid the dinner rush, and it was packed with waiting diners when we left. They really loved Wasabi, because they serve fried noodles in addition to fried rice.

The service was pleasant, the hibachi chefs were very entertaining, and the food was delicious. The hibachi entrees also come with the soup and salad (except for the children’s menu, which offers a choice between them). My youngest niece ordered the chicken hibachi on the children’s menu. It was a very decent sized portion and yet very affordable. My oldest niece ordered the adult shrimp hibachi. She snarfed down the fried rice almost before the shrimp was finished, and I ended up stealing some rice from the youngest niece’s plate for her. My shrimp and scallop hibachi entree was perfectly cooked. The fried rice and lo mein noodles were very flavorful and filling. I loved the assortment of vegetables they added to them. The chef was also generous with the yum yum sauce, which was a nice addition but not absolutely necessary due to the flavor of the food itself.

We left with plenty of leftovers. Several of the diners at our table ordered extra fried rice since the portions are so generous. That probably gave them an additional full meal the next day.

My only word of warning is to doublecheck your receipt against your credit card statement. Somehow there was a $15 tip added to my bill despite the fact that I left $16 in cash and remember sitting there and waiting for the change and that the impression of my total and signature on the restaurant copy transferred to the receipt I have. It was a busy night and “mistakes happen”, but it doesn’t hurt to be careful. It isn’t going to stop me from going there again in the future, but I will be writing CASH in huge letters on my receipts from now on. The manager also refunded the money to my credit card without question (but not much of an apology).

Contact info:

Wasabi Steak & Sushi
3725 Orange Place
Beachwood, OH
(216) 292-8866

with locations in Akron, Canton and Independence

A Cookie & A Cupcake has opened in Cedar Center

My favorite cupcake place has opened a couple miles down the street from me, which means I am in trouble. When it was just in Tremont it was enough a drive that it was a deterrent from just hopping in the car when I had a craving. Now I am going to have those moist and delicious cupcakes nearby in the new Cedar Center (between Piada and Zoup) on Cedar Road. You can see the moisture in the picture to the left. Look at those glistening cupcakes. The buttercream is not overly sweet, which I really appreciate. If you like overly sweet frosting this place may not be for you. The cupcakes are $2.50 a piece. They are worth every penny. I have tried a lot of their flavors but keep coming back to my favorite – the Signature. It looks like a cute Cookie Monster with a small chocolate chip cookie is his mouth. The cupcake is a chocolate cupcake with buttercream frosting and a vanilla custard center. The custard center really elevates it to a new level! So good! They offer a variety of cupcakes, from Salted Caramel and Strawberry to Apple and a Peanut Butter Lovers. Each cupcake has some kind of goodness inside and features buttercream frosting. The picture to the left is the Chocolate cupcake. The new location opened today (3/10/15) after a couple days of soft opening last week. I went there on the second soft opening day. The number of people at this new location on just the soft open was good, so I think they definitely picked a good location. The new location also serves their C&C offshoot Churned‘s ice cream. Flavors vary. Some of the IMAG3055 flavors when I were there included Mexican Hot Chocolate, Pistachio, Avocado with a blackberry jam swirl, Rosemary Garlic and they were very excited about the Blood Orange Sorbet. They also offer a Vegan Coconut Brownie made with coconut milk. Very unique. I was all about the cupcakes on my visit, but I will be sure to check out the ice cream once it gets a bit warmer. The original A Cookie & A Cupcake is also at a new location – on W. 14th near Grumpy’s and Bac. The new place combines the cupcakes and ice cream as well and has some indoor seating. It will also offer a patio for people to enjoy their treats in the sun.

Contact info:

A Cookie & A Cupcake
13953 Cedar Road South
Euclid, OH

New location in Tremont:
2681 West 14th St.
Cleveland, OH
(216) 344-9433

Pupuseria Katarina

I initially found out about this little gem from some Spanish translators I know. They meet here once a month to catch up and talk about their assignments and the industry in general. I figured Spanish translators really know their stuff about Latin American cuisine, and I was right. I took a small group of friends here this past winter. It was Arctic and snowy, but it didn’t stop us from enjoying a little Salvadorian flavor. We almost drove past the place. It is located in Old Brooklyn in a small strip mall on Broadview Road just north of Brookpark Road. It is a casual restaurant and rather small, with a few tables filling up a bright but sparely decorated restaurant.

The restaurant is dominated by blue and white, which represent the colors in the flag of El Salvador. There were Hispanic music videos playing on the television behind the counter and some photos of some of the featured dishes. The menu also features photos, which is helpful if you aren’t familiar with the cuisine.

The owner greeted us warmly, offered some great suggestions and was very patient with us when explaining the different dishes. I had never had a pupusa, which are thick corn pancakes stuffed with various fillings like ground pork, jalapeno, chicken, cheese, etc. and fried on a griddle. They did not disappoint.

We started with the Atol, which is a hot soup-like beverage made from sweet corn, milk, cornstarch and cinnamon. It was delicious. They only serve it on Wednesdays, so plan accordingly. I could not stop drinking it and was craving it the next day. That’s the sign of a successful meal.

I ordered two pupusas – one revuelta (pork and beans) and one pollo con queso (chicken and cheese) – and an order of fried plantains, which came with refried beans and sour cream. I preferred the revuelta over the chicken, but they were both good. They were even better paired with a forkful of beans and sour cream along with the slaw and hot sauce that come with the pupusas. The plantains were delicious, nice and sweet.

My friends all ordered vegetarian pupusas – loroco (an “exotic flower” native to El Salvador that is harvested in the morning because otherwise it is bitter), spinach, and garlic – and were very pleased. The spinach one looked super-cheesy. One of my friends also ordered the fried yucca and was really pleased. It wasn’t on the menu as a side dish, but was offered with an entree and the owner was happy to make some for her. I really liked them and they came with a nice dipping sauce. She lived in Mexico for a while and has toured several Central American countries (including El Salvador), so she appreciates good, authentic Latin American cuisine. She was thrilled with the place and was eagerly looking forward to going back on a weekend to enjoy their empanadas. They also serve hen soup on Sundays, which I hear is very good as well.

I can’t wait to go back to try some more pupusas. Maybe next time I’ll go crazy and order the Pupusa Loca, which uses every ingredient on the menu in one big pupusa for $7. In any event, my bill was less than $13 and I left stuffed.

Note: Pupuseria Katarina will be moving to the former Mexican Village spot on Brookpark Road in April

Contact info:

Pupuseria Katarina
4848 Broadview Road
Cleveland, OH
216-331-6624

Pacific East on Coventry

I am a huge fan of Pacific East. In fact, I am a little shocked that I haven’t written about it sooner. I have been to all of the present and past locations (Coventry, Eton shopping center on Chagrin Boulevard, and the short-lived place in Solon), but I have to

say that my favorite one is the restaurant on Coventry at the corner of Mayfield and Coventry. The Coventry restaurant also offers both Japanese and Malaysian cuisine, while the Eton location just serves Japanese. In fact, the Coventry location is one of the main reasons I chose to live where I live – so that I am within walking distance. One Friday night several years ago I walked in a snow storm to Inn on Coventry only to find them not open for dinner despite what their website claimed, so I walked down to Pacific East instead. I will never forget that night. I was bundled up and peacefully walked

down Coventry, had a great meal, and walked back home with the snow collecting in my hair. It was a perfect, relaxing and simple evening. The dining area is bright and cheerful (a sea theme with blue walls with fish/sea shell decor on the walls) with austere black chairs and tightly packed tables. If you are lucky, the waitress will greet you with a complementary glass of green tea. If not, be sure to ask for it.

There is plenty of seating available, as they have expanded on both sides. There is a tiny bar area with a few tables to the right as you walk in, and the most recent addition is seating in the back left in the old bank space next door. P

acific East is known for its sushi – and rightfully so. The sushi is some of the best in Cleveland if you ask me. In all the times I have come here I have never had bad fish. The rice and fish are always fresh, and the rolls melt in your mouth. They are also always rolled tightly and don’t fall apart when you try to eat them.

The fish slices on the Nigiri are quite generous. The fish always extends beyond the rice. The sashimi is so fresh it literally melts in your mouth. Some of my favorite rolls include the Spicy Tuna Roll, the Rainbow Roll (kani, cucumber, avocado, topped with assorted fish & fish roe), the Spider Roll (soft shell crab tempura, cucumber, avocado, fish roe

& eel sauce), the Alaska Roll (fresh salmon, avocado, cucumber, fish roe), the X-Mas Roll (tuna, avocado, fish roe), the Green Dragon (eel, cucumber, topped with avocado, fish roe, sesame seed and eel sauce), the Volcano Roll (California roll with baked scallops and smelt roe), and the Lobster Tempura Roll (lobster tempura w/ avocado, cucumber, fish roe, & eel sauce). I was less impressed with the Land & Sea Roll,

but that is because – even though I love them as Surf & Turf – I just don’t like steak and lobster together as a sushi roll. If you do, you will probably love it. Also, bargain alert: the sushi lunch specials just can’t be beat, ranging from a two-roll Maki combo* for $8.95, three-roll Maki combo* for $9.95, four pieces of sushi & one roll for $9.95 to up to $13.95 for three pieces of sushi, seven pieces of sashimi & one roll. They also serve Bento Boxes, featuring your choice of appetizer, a California roll and either a hot entree from the kitchen ($10.95), nigiri sushi ($11.95) or sashimi ($12.95). All lunch combos are served with a salad and miso soup. Lunch is served from 11-3 pm every day.

(*Not all rolls are included in the Maki combo specials. The ones that are are specified in the menu.) The house-made ginger dressing on the salad is worth noting all on its own. The menu says it is made with 15 fruits and vegetables. It is creamy, delicious and plentiful. One of the best I have had. The salad features fresh lettuce, a cucumber slice, a cherry tomato

and some carrot shavings. It is a nice balance to the rice and fish. However, Pacific East is also known for its Malaysian cuisine. I have been on a noodle soup kick recently and fell in love with their Malaysian noodle soup called Laksa. Traditionally made with rice noodles, shrimp, chicken, tofu and curry, the soup is filling and delightfully spicy. Pacific East’s version is loaded with shrimp, chicken, tofu, peppers, onions, rice noodles, and hard-boiled egg. If you order it during their lunch hours

you get an spring roll with it for just $8.95. I have had both the regular spring roll and the Penang spring roll served with it. I wasn’t a fan of the Penang spring roll, because it had a soft curried potato filling that I wasn’t expecting. I think if I had been expecting a curried potato filling I would have liked it more. Both spring rolls were well-fried and crispy on the outside with soft filling on the inside. I tried their Tonkatsu Ramen after eating a bowl of Laksa and found it to be pretty bland and lifeless in comparison. It doesn’t help that I had the most amazing

Tonkatsu ramen at The Slurping Turtle in Chicago a few months ago. There was no way anything could compare to it – although the Laksa comes close. Maybe it was just an off day for the chef, but the broth was boring, the noodles were just a wee bit overcooked, and the pork was non-existent save for 3 or 4 slices. The seaweed was the ramen’s saving grace. In any event, I don’t recommend the ramen here. I prefer Flying Crane’s ramen. Business is so good there are often waits in the evening. Hopefully the new expansions will alleviate some of that. Seating is available at the sushi bar as well. IMAG4082

Contact info:

Pacific East 1763 Coventry Road Cleveland Heights, OH 44118 (216) 320-2302 Pacific East at Eton 28601 Chagrin Boulevard Woodmere, OH 44122 (216) 765-1305 Pacific East Kent 100E Main Street Kent, OH 44240 (234) 263-5018

The Bourbon Street Barrel Room

I love New Orleans – the architecture, the river, the beads, the culture, the music and most importantly the food. The Bourbon Street Barrel Room opened in Tremont just before Christmas, and I have been meaning to get there ever since. I had my chance the other night, when I met a bunch of foodie friends there for dinner on a cold, snowy January evening.

I had a vague idea where it was since I had been to the art studio it had been in a previous life. It is located on Professor Avenue next to Fahrenheit. I parked on the cross street just past Ty Fun and carefully made my way down the icy sidewalk. The blue twinkle lights and light shining out of the sign and front windows were a warm, welcoming sight. Can I just say that the art studio was a total pit (water leaking out of the walls, cracked concrete, terrifyingly narrow stairs with a tiny metal railing leading down into the bowels) and that they have done AMAZING things to the space. The restaurant features lots of wood, chandeliers and tile ceilings and has a second floor circling the main area that is reminiscent of New Orlean’s latticework balconies. It is very impressive.

I wasn’t a big fan of their seating policy. They don’t take reservations after 6 PM – even for a table of 11 – and would only seat us once 75% of our party showed up. We stood awkwardly at the bar waiting for the majority of the group to get there. At least I got to watch them make 5 hurricanes at once, so I had a good idea what was in them. We ended up getting a seat in the back of the restaurant near the kitchen. It was not as cozy as upstairs and was kind of loud, but we got the food really quickly and it was nice and hot.

Their happy hour runs from 2 to 7 PM every night, and it features $1 off most of their appetizers as well as $1 off their Abita draft beers, house wines and hurricanes.

I started off the evening with a hurricane because I love them. I chose the regular hurricane instead of the top-shelf Category 5 Hurricane because I knew I was driving in snow later. The regular hurricane was delicious. You could really taste all the fruit juices they used. I would go back in a second for drinks.

I had a tough time deciding what to order because it all sounded good. I ended up ordering a small order of Hot Legs (frog legs with hot sauce) and the Jean Lafitte shrimp and catfish combo. It was a lot of fried food, so I ordered a side of greens once the food came out and I saw there was no greenery or plate dressing.

The Hot Legs were very tangy from the hot sauce, and the frog meat was moist and tender. The frog legs were delicately breaded and fried. I had a bit of trouble with the small bones in the leg. The meat was so tender it fell off the bone fairly easily, but the bones also separated easily. The hot sauce was not as overpowering as I thought it would be, and I have to say I liked it. The slaw that accompanied it was nothing special, but it did a good job cutting the heat. I had one of my friend’s Hot Rocks (fried shrimp) and they were also really good.

The Ragin’ Cajun Brochettes looked delicious as well. They feature Andouille sausage, vegetables, and pineapple on sugar cane skewers. They were very well received.

The Jean Lafitte shrimp and catfish combo came with a choice of hush puppies or French fries. I ordered the hush puppies and was so glad I did. These little corn bread nuggets were delicious – not too dense and had a nice flavor to them. The shrimp and catfish were nicely fried as well. The shrimp was the same shrimp as the Hot Rocks but with a different dressing drizzled over them. The catfish was moist and tender and flaked easily with my fork. The citrus slaw that was supposed to accompany it was nowhere to be seen. Overall it was a little boring, but they certainly tasted good.

The braised greens were very vinegary. I prefer Angie’s Soul Food’s greens over these. They were a little mushy and the vinegar was very overpowering. One of my friends loved it, and she explained that she loves dousing fries in malt vinegar and loves vinegar. As for me, I had a few bites and took them home. I will probably add them to a fried rice, but I might also just toss them. They didn’t wow me. Next time I’ll order a side salad.

I couldn’t go to the BSBR and not order the beignets for dessert. They were hot out of the fryer and topped with powdered sugar and some fresh berries. I shared them with the table since I was pretty full, and they were a hit. They weren’t as light and fluffy as the beignets I have had in New Orleans, but they were certainly a good choice.

One of my other friends ordered the bread pudding and sent it around the table to taste. It was OUTSTANDING. The bread was the perfect custardy consistency, and the sauce was flavorful. I want to go back just for the bread pudding and hurricanes.

I would probably give the place 3 thumbs up out of 5. Our server was great and handled our large table like a boss. However, the food was good but not outstanding. One diner wasn’t that enthused about the BBQ shrimp and grits, and the buns from the Po’ Boys were a lot of bread. One friend ate the catfish and left most of the bread behind. Another friend ordered the Muffaletta, and it came on a small baguette cut diagonally. It looked really good, and he appeared to enjoy it. Maybe they should use the baguette for the Po’ Boys. I’ll be back to try more things off the menu like the shrimp cocktail, lump blue crab cakes, Voodoo Mama (Red Beans, Braised Greens, Smoked Sausage & Steamed Brown Rice) and the Crawfish Etouffee. And of course I need to try out their New Orleans brunch on Sundays from 10-3.

If you haven’t been yet, you should check it out.

Contact info:

The Bourbon Street Barrel Room
2393 Professor Avenue
Cleveland, OH, 44113
(216) 298-4400