Jill (@bonnjill)

Dim Sum at Emperor’s Palace

There’s a new place in town for dim sum, and it is fabulous. I’ve been here for dim sum four times now, and it has yet to disappoint. My friends Diane and Nancy were the first people to tell me about it, and they were there within 24 hours from when it opened. I was so glad they talked about it, because it is now one of my favorite places downtown. The staff is friendly, the food is delicious (and plentiful), and the prices are almost criminally cheap.

Emperor’s Palace opened in Cleveland’s former Chinatown area, on Rockwell Avenue between E 21st and E 24th Street. The restaurant seems like it spans the entire block, but there’s only one set of doors to enter through (and hint: the right door is always locked and is the one I always go to first). Free parking is available along the street as well as in the huge parking lot across the street, which is lined with statues of the Chinese zodiac. The decor is ornate, with lots of gold trim and chandeliers. They used to have a buffet table in the center, but they seem to have decided to focus on their dim sum and made-to-order food.

The dim sum here is served differently. Most dim sum places serve their dim sum from carts that are wheeled around the room, but Emperor’s Palace chooses to bring the entrees fresh from the kitchen, ensuring that the food is piping hot. The food is ordered and then brought out as soon as it is ready.

Dim sum is always best when shared with several people – and especially fun when shared with a larger group because you can try more things and send them around on the lazy Susan in the center of the table. I met several friends today for lunch. We feasted on eight different dim sum plates, and splitting the bill (including a generous tip) between the four of us gave us a grand total of $9.50 a piece – and we brought some leftovers home with us.

My favorite things on the menu are the steamed shrimp dumplings, the turnip cakes, and the sticky rice with preserved meats. The BBQ pork buns were also requested by a member of our table, and my Chinese-American friend G. and the waitress decided on several other plates for us (in Chinese so we were pleasantly surprised with some new things).

We started off with the pineapple buns, which were something that G. didn’t realize she had ordered, but were loved by everyone at the table. The dough was light and pleasantly yeasty, and the crust was flaky and delicious. The pineapple was not overpowering and simply delightful. I will definitely be ordering this again – perhaps as the finishing touch for dessert. The waitress also brought out a Century egg porridge/congee that G. requested since her grandmother used to make it. The waitress was unsure we would like it, and – although we assured her we would gladly try anything – she was right. It was deemed too bland by the rest of us, so I don’t think I would order this again. G. got to take several servings home with her to enjoy for breakfast this week.

I never really enjoyed turnip cake until I tried the one at Emperor’s Palace. Now I’m hooked. I’m always tempted to order a second order to go at the end of the meal to enjoy at home. Their “turnip cake country style” features dried shrimp and pork, which makes it extremely flavorful and fresh. The turnip is delicate and flaky with a nice seared crust on top. The size tends to vary every time I’ve been here (the cakes are getting smaller), but the flavor has never disappointed me. They also reheat really well at home.

The Emperor’s steamed shrimp dumplings are addictive. I seriously crave them after I leave as well as the next day. They are little delicate clouds of rice dumpling encasing a succulent shrimp filling. I can’t even begin to describe them without swooning. They are *that* good!

Another favorite of mine is the lotus leaf wrapped sticky rice. I love the delicate scent the lotus leaf gives to this dish and have always enjoyed it at other places that serve dim sum. The one at Emperor’s Palace is just bursting with a variety of meats, including pork, shrimp, chicken, and sausage. It is extremely filling, and three of us split one of the two wrapped packages in the order. I took the second one home to reheat for dinner tonight.

Their “Sao mai” (aka sui mai or shu mei depending on the translation) is dense and flavorful. It is a two-bite dim sum delicacy. I have enjoyed it both times we have ordered it.

Everyone loves the BBQ pork buns, but I have never been a huge fan. The BBQ pork buns here are light and fluffy, and the filling is flavorful. If you love them I’m sure you will be delighted. I am not including a photo here (my photo came out blurry), but you can see them in the photo below peeking out from behind the Shanghai juicy buns.

We went early today, because G. really wanted the Shanghai juicy buns and they have always been out of them when we’ve been there later in the day. We met at 11:30 (they open at 11) and were able to enjoy these little round nuggets. Emperor’s Shanghai soup dumplings are golf ball-sized buns that contain a filling of pork (and sometimes crab) and about a tablespoon of broth. When properly made, Shanghai juicy buns are really juicy, so they are definitely to be enjoyed in one bite. The proper way to eat it is to bite off the top of the bun and blow into the hole to cool off the soup, then either pour some of the accompanying gingered rice vinegar (be sure to say yes when asked if you want the sauce with it) into it. Or you can do as I did and dip it in the sauce and stuff it into your mouth so that when you bite into it the juice doesn’t spurt out all over the front of your shirt. Shanghai juicy buns are very labor-intensive and it’s not easy to make the skin paper-thin and stuff the dumpling so full of juice, so if they have it that day I highly recommend giving them a try.

Other dim sum plates I have enjoyed here in the past (but didn’t take photos of) include the scallion pancakes, pan fried pork dumplings (which we were given by mistake because it was supposed to go to another table – our gain!), fried cruller rice crêpes, sesame pork buns, tofu skin (surprisingly delicious!) and pumpkin cakes. We are always too full to order the egg custard tarts at the end. For more photos of Emperor’s Palace, check out my friend Edsel’s photostream on Flickr. My go-to person for excellent Chinese food, Nancy of Fun Playing with Food, also has some great pictures of some other dim sum dishes and entrees on her blog post on Emperor’s Palace.

Maybe one of these days I will actually order an entree here, but when the dim sum is so delicious and flavorful it is hard not to stick with what I love.

Contact info:

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

On the Rise Bakery

I have been on a quest to find the perfect sandwich in Cleveland. Let me qualify that – the best sandwich on a European-style baguette. Ever since I saw Martha Stewart make a ham sandwich with some kind of aioli on a crusty baguette on her show I’ve been looking for a similar sandwich. I think I may have just found what I have been looking for.

One of the best parts of living in Cleveland Heights for me is all of the excellent bakeries that bake crusty European style loaves that I loved so much in Germany. Between Zoss the Swiss Baker, The Stone Oven, On the Rise and Luna Bakery we are pretty darn lucky. The Cleveland Scene’s most recent survey asked for the best bakery in Cleveland, and Stone Oven, On the Rise and Luna were three of the four choices. It was a really hard choice to make!

I love On the Rise. Their sticky buns are amazing, the breads are fresh, and a warm Jennifer cookie (their signature cookie made of oats, nuts, and chocolate) just out of the oven is an orgasmic experience. But now they have started to serve sandwiches and soups on Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 10:30-1:30, and I am done for. I have been wanting to try their offerings for a while now, and today was my chance. I popped in there this morning to buy some bread for a dinner party I am having tonight. Nothing fancy, just a couple vegetarian friends to share a veggie curry recipe I’ve been wanting to try.

I decided to treat myself to two of their sandwiches because I couldn’t decide. I chose the Banh Mi and the Roasted Chicken. I cut them in half when I got home and saved the other halves for tomorrow. They may or may not make it that long.

The Roasted Chicken sandwich was like spring on a baguette. A soft yet crusty and delightfully thin baguette. It features roasted chicken, fresh greens, fresh asparagus tossed with pickled onion, herbs and olive oil, an egg salad spread and aioli. It was delightful. Fresh and bright and very flavorful. The flavors melded well together, and the asparagus kept falling out of the sandwich. The asparagus was perfectly crisp and not roasted within an inch of its life. And the egg salad was a great addition to a roasted chicken sandwich. I enjoyed it very much.

And then I tried the Banh Mi. Oh, the Banh Mi! I think I moaned on the first bite. According to their menu, it features New Creation Farm braised pork, Vietnamese pate, jalapeno and cilantro. But it is obviously much more than that. It was flavorful and juicy. I have no idea where the juices came from. The juices dripped down my hand and made the sandwich an absolute delight because it was perfect and not dry. It could give the banh mi from Superior Pho and Saigon Grille a run for their money. The braised pork was yummy and the pate was not overwhelming like the one I had at The Black Pig. The pickled vegetables were crunchy and perfectly seasoned. It made me wish my hands were all thumbs so I could give it ten thumbs up instead of two. If you like a good banh mi, please try it for yourself and let me know what you think.

IMAG3891 — Chocolate cherry panini (mini-loaf)

The ham and gruyere baguette is also very good. It features New Creation Farm ham, thinly sliced gruyere and herb butter. I picked one up just after they started serving their lunch menu at 10:30. It made a great European-style breakfast. I sliced some fresh Roma tomato and added that. I loved the bites with and without tomato equally. It was just a solid sandwich.

I can’t wait to try their other sandwiches. Vegetarians will be delighted with the Burrata sandwich on one of their rustic rolls – featuring house made burrata from Snowville Creamery cream. IMAG4412 The pulled beef baguette with maple slaw and Prosciutto Americano with honey butter and arugula also sound delightful. The menu changes with the season, because all of the sandwiches use fresh, locally sourced ingredients. They particularly thank New Creation Farm, Miller Livestock and Wolff Farm.

They also make awesome bread. I buy a loaf of Pullman whenever I’m there. I also love their epi and baguettes. They have special breads all week, including stuffed fougasse and bacon gruyere bread. They make a chocolate cherry bread that I love so much I don’t go there on Wednesdays because I will eat the whole loaf.

Contact info:

On The Rise Artisan Breads & Pastries
3471 Fairmount Boulevard
Cleveland Heights, OH 44118
(216) 320-9923
http://www.facebook.com/ontherise
http://twitter.com/ontherisebreads

Lawson’s Chip Dip

Lawson’s Chip Dip remains a huge favorite to so many people in the Great Lakes area, and it’s only available at Circle K gas stations and The Lockview restaurant in Akron.

When I was growing up the only chip dip to serve at parties was Lawson’s Chip Dip. Lawson’s started in 1939 when dairy owner J.J. Lawson started a store at his Broad Street dairy plant in Cuyahoga Falls to sell his milk. The Lawson’s Milk Company grew to a chain of stores in Ohio and was bought out by Consolidated Foods in 1959. Lawson’s convenience stores were common in Ohio from the 1960s through the mid-1980s. Lawson’s stores were sold to Dairy Mart, and Circle K bought Dairy Mart in 2003 and kept the Lawson’s products.

I had to get gas today because I was getting a Low Fuel Level warning, and the cheapest gas around was at the Circle K in Solon. I knew I needed to indulge in some Lawson’s Chip Dip for old time’s sake. The refrigerator case held three sizes, the largest being 24 oz (1 lb 8 oz). Circle K also sells Lawson’s ice cream and other dairy products. The chip dip is a French onion dip and isn’t as oniony as dips such as, say, Helluva Good Chip Dip. The flavor is very understated, and the dip is creamy.

So if you are like me and want to indulge in a childhood craving, be sure to check out the refrigerator section of your local Circle K gas station and convenience store.

Vero Bistro in Cleveland Heights

Edit: Vero Bistro expanded and added a full liquor bar in March 2024. The move doubled the available seating, which is a welcome addition. Vero has been operating at full capacity pretty much since it opened in 2012. It is still open for dinner from 5 to 9 (to 10 on Fridays and Saturdays) Tuesdays through Saturdays (closed on Sundays and Mondays). To avoid the long wait I would either get there right when it opened or just not go at all (they really don’t encourage pizza takeout because the pizza is best fresh out of the pizza oven). Reservations are encouraged. They now accept reservations for all parties on their Tock platform. The restaurant tries to keep 30% of the restaurant reservation-free for walk-ins. If no table is available upon your arrival they have a wait list.

The new double-storefront layout increases the seating from 45 to around 100 available seats. The new expansion features a 10-seat marble-topped bar, main floor seating and has kept the mezzanine that overlooks it all. The result is a bright and cheerful space. I recently met friends there and enjoyed my usual Margherita DOP pizza, Caesar salad and – to my delight – a delightful Limoncello-Pistachio Spritz featuring prosecco, limoncello, a lemon/pistachio syrup and soda. It was super refreshing. If you enjoy Aperol Spritz they serve those too!

Original post from March 12, 2013:

Once upon a time there was a young girl who was studying abroad in Austria and spent her Easter break in Italy. She still cannot forget the delicious pizza she ate in Florence – and that was 23 years ago. Well, I don’t have to simply remember it anymore, because I can enjoy it whenever I want at Vero Bistro in Cleveland Heights. Vero Bistro opened last summer in the site of the old La Gelateria in the Cedar-Fairmount district. They serve pizza made in a wood-fired oven and gelato. Vero focuses on Napoletano pizza, which is the classic Italian pizza. The pizzas are served uncut and feed one person – just like I am used to from Germany and Italy. Vero Bistro prides itself on using fresh, locally sourced ingredients. The sources are printed on the menu.

I met with some friends on a Saturday night. We quickly found a four-top downstairs near the window. One of our friends brought several bottles of red wine and a bottle of Cava for our table. Vero does not have a liquor license yet (it is supposed to be approved very soon), so they do not charge a corkage fee. Several other diners had brought along six-packs of Great Lakes beer to enjoy with their pizzas.

I started with a house salad, which featured fresh greens, cherry tomatoes bursting with flavor, and a house balsamic vinaigrette. It was fresh and simple, yet very flavorful. I can’t wait to try their watercress & arugula salad next time.

I ordered a basic Pizza Margherita, which urban legend claims was commissioned in honor of the visiting Queen Margherita. It features San Marzano tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, fresh basil, extra virgin olive oil, and sea salt. The dough is made fresh every day using Italian flour and fresh yeast and proofs overnight. The sauce features hand-crushed Italian plum tomatoes, a touch of salt, and Italian herbs and is not cooked beforehand, waiting to be cooked by the heat of the oven. The pizzas puff up in the oven and are fully cooked in 90 seconds. It was divine. Simple, but absolutely divine. There was some char on the bottom of the pizza, but that is to be expected on a Napoli-style pizza from a wood-burning oven. The char added to the delicious flavor of the crust. While eating the pizza with my knife and fork, I would save some of the juicy inner slice to add to the top of the crust for the perfect bite of flavor. That is how it is meant to be enjoyed, and that is how the Europeans do it. Although there is appeal in folding a slice of New York pizza, this is my favorite way to enjoy a pizza and I’ve missed it.

I was able to taste my friends’ pizzas as well. The Pizza Funghi added mushrooms to the Margherita pizza, while the Pizza Radice features garlic aioli, oven roasted vegetables, fresh mozzarella and goat cheese, and arugula. The garlic aioli really made this pizza a standout.

I ended my meal with a small Stracciatella gelato. Stracciatella gelato is kind of like American chocolate chip ice cream, except completely different. Instead of the chips and sometimes chunks you find in the American product, Stracciattella has fine bits of chocolate throughout, which results in a smooth texture with just the slightest crunch in every bite. My all-time favorite gelato is Bacio though, which is a chocolate hazelnut flavored gelato, which is also served there.

There have been some complaints about slow service, but we were not there to rush. The servers also had to run up and down the stairs waiting on all of the occupied tables. If people came in for gelato then that was one less server on the floor. We sat and enjoyed several bottles of wine and good company.

IMG_20180125_172546 I have since made this my go-to pizza place when I am craving pizza and want to go out. The seats may not be comfortable, but the pizza is so delicious I don’t mind.

If you want a quality pizza, you won’t be disappointed here. It’s a little pricier than Domino’s but infinitely more satisfying. In short, I can’t wait to come back again. Is today for lunch too soon?

Contact info:

Vero Bistro
12421 Cedar Road
Cleveland Heights, OH 44106
(216) 229-8383

Kuhar’s Arabica

Kuhar’s has been serving its authentic Eastern European cuisine to Northeast Ohio for more than 30 years. I recently discovered Kuhar’s Arabica when a friend recommended it to me. Kuhar’s Arabica is located in Richmond Heights near the corner of Richmond Road and Wilson Mills Road. It is tucked away at the back of a strip mall behind La Fiesta. It has a couple of small tables, but they primarily focus on carry-out. There is also a carry-out store in Mentor on Broadmoor Road. Kuhar’s is open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

I have stopped here twice and look forward to frequenting it more often. The first time I ordered the House Platter, which features a combination platter of Wiener Schnitzel, Paris Schnitzel and smoked sausage served with sauerkraut, choice of potato (I ordered mashed) a side salad and a slice of soft white bread for only $11.75. Having lived in Salzburg, Austria for a year and Germany for six years I know my Schnitzel. This is among the best Schnitzel I have found in Cleveland. Pounded thin with a light coating of breading, this Schnitzel was delicious. I couldn’t decide which of the two I liked better, because they were both excellent. The sausage was also quite good, and the sauerkraut was soft and silky and not too bitter.

They serve specials every day, and I have been looking forward to trying their Tuesday special, stuffed cabbage. It isn’t as “tomatoey” as Sokolowski’s stuffed cabbage, but this stuffed cabbage was delicious. The meat and rice filling was perfectly seasoned, and the cabbage and sauerkraut were not overpowering. I once again ordered the mashed potatoes and got a side of peas and carrots with my meal. For only $8 I received two reasonably sized stuffed cabbages, a generous scoop of mashed potatoes and stuffed cabbage gravy, peas and carrots, a side salad and a slice of their white bread. Yum! And even though I am not a huge fan of peas and carrots these weren’t half bad.

I can’t wait to try the St. Moritz Schnitzel and the Goulasch, and I have a good friend/fellow German translator who will be thrilled to hear about their Rouladen. It’s her favorite, and I plan to surprise her with an order of it at her baby shower in a few days.

But I would be remiss if I didn’t mention their desserts. They offer a special dessert every day as well as strudel. I had the choice of apple, cherry or cheese strudel. I ordered both the cherry strudel for $2.25 and the custard square for $2.95 to share with my friend the first day. The strudel was delicious. Flaky and light with a delicious filling. I am usually pretty picky when it comes to strudel (again, living in Austria will do that…), but this strudel is again some of the best I’ve had in Cleveland. Usually the strudel here is a little tough and difficult to cut with a fork. Not this strudel! The custard square was also absolutely divine. The custard held up well and wasn’t too runny, and the pastry dough was flaky and delicious.

Contact info:

Kuhar’s Arabica
5115 Wilson Mills Rd # 1
Cleveland
(440) 449-4100

White Oaks in Westlake

White Oaks has been a Westlake institution since the 1920s. It is a very throwback restaurant with a country club vibe. During prohibition, it was a speakeasy catering to the crème de la crème, and it honors that rich history with its decor and food. The interior is split up into a honeycomb of many small rooms covered in dark wood and rich colors with fireplaces spread throughout the restaurant. I felt like I had stepped back in time. In fact, we had. I think we were the youngest table there, but that didn’t stop us from enjoying our meals. White Oaks features old-school fine dining, with entrees such as Beef Wellington, Veal Oscar (which was a special that night) and venison. I learned later that it was my parents’ special occasion restaurant in the 1970s and 80s when I was growing up in Olmsted Falls.

I apologize in advance for the darkness of the photos. I didn’t want to use the flash on my phone and disturb the other diners. Plus, there is a sign discouraging the use of cell phones, and I didn’t want to be chastised.

Every table is served house-made cottage cheese and a relish tray featuring carrot and celery sticks, a couple radish slices, and green and black olives. I found this very quirky, but loved the cottage cheese, which is flavored with fresh chives. It was definitely unique. I love cottage cheese (especially Breakstone Cottage Cheese) and could have eaten the scoop of cottage cheese all by myself if given the opportunity.

I started with the Apple Onion Soup Gratinee, which features “slowly simmered Spanish onions and Red Delicious apples in a flavorful broth. Topped with freshly grated Mozzarella and Swiss cheeses golden-browned”. I love French onion soup, and the addition of apples was an inspired choice. This soup was absolutely delicious and piping hot with all kinds of melty cheese. I was in heaven. I wasn’t as enthralled with the bite of escargot, but having had excellent escargot in France I am spoiled. It was good, but not spectacular. My friend, however, enjoyed it very much. Next time I will try the highly recommended Pale Ale White Cheddar Cheese Fondue, but I may just have to order the soup again. It was *that* good!

The salads were good, but not anything that stands out. My friends ordered blue cheese dressing and ended up paying a$1.50 upcharge for it, which I don’t remember the waitress mentioning when they ordered it. They enjoyed the fresh salad dressing with crumbled blue cheese and didn’t mention it when we were settling the bill. Word of warning: they put our four meals all on one bill. Apparently they don’t do separate checks even when asked. We could pay with separate credit cards, but we had to tally the bills up ourselves.

I ordered the Venison au Poivre for my entree. It was not at all gamey and was marinated in a ruby red port with assorted seasonings and juniper berries and topped with a port cranberry game sauce. I requested the twice-baked potato instead of the rice. The venison was perfectly cooked and I loved the sauce. The twice-baked potato was a little drier than I would have liked, but was good. The entree came with haricot verts and julienned carrots.

For dessert I ordered tea and a simple order of fresh strawberries topped with a splash of Grand Marnier and fresh whipped cream. I chose a nice Orange Pekoe from their selection of tea bags. The strawberries were fresh despite not being in season any more. The dessert course was simple, yet perfect.

My friends loved their meals as well, ordering the Beef Wellington, the Veal Oscar and the Filet Mignon with Gorgonzola. The service was attentive but not overbearing, and our water glasses were constantly topped off. If you are looking for a restaurant with old-fashioned flair give White Oaks a try. I hear it is sumptuous in the winter with the fireplaces burning and reflecting off the polished wood.

Contact info:

White Oaks
777 Cahoon Rd
Westlake, OH 44145
(440) 835-3090

Accent on Euclid Avenue

Accent recently opened on Euclid Avenue, just before the entrance to Lakeview Cemetery. It is owned by SASA’s Scott Kim, and as soon as I read about the Robata Grill and Josper Oven, which flash-cook meats and vegetables leaving them perfectly cooked yet flavorful and deliciously moist, I was intrigued and knew I needed to check it out as soon as possible.

As the Accent website explains, “Often thought of as Japan’s best kept cooking secret, the Robata Grill reaches temperatures of 1,000 degrees ensuring a crisp, outer texture without overcooking the food on the inside. This cooking technique produces the most tender and moist vegetables and meats. … The Josper Oven, originated in Spain, combines the traditional oven with the characteristics of charbroiling. Kim chose to bring this method to Accent as it reaches the perfect temperature using the highest quality charcoal, ensuring rich and textured flavor is preserved without any charring.”

Like Crystal at East*Drink*Cleveland, I usually avoid new restaurants to allow them to find their groove and work out the kinks, but I simply couldn’t wait this time. The fact that it is so close to my home was definitely a deciding factor. You can see the warm and inviting red glow from the street. The egg-shaped dining room is modern yet inviting. Word of warning: I had trouble finding the front door. It is closer to the Uptown plaza center than the valet stand. It had been a pan-Asian week for me that week, having enjoyed a banh mi and pho at Saigon Grille for lunch and the SASA happy hour for a late dinner on Monday, dim sum at Emperor’s Palace on Wednesday and then Accent on Thursday.

I ordered a hot green tea to warm myself up along with a Rosemary Lemon Drop to start and followed it up with an Uptown Cosmo. The Rosemary Lemon Drop was good, but I preferred the Uptown Cosmo. The Lemon Drop was a little sweeter than I expected, having honey vodka in it. The Cosmo was more my style, even though I normally don’t order Cosmos. My friend E. ordered the overflow sake, which was served in a bento box on a saucer to catch the “overflow”. It was a unique and whimsical menu addition.

Chef Michael Lyon recognized E. (who had already been there 3 times, but this was the first time since it had opened), and sent out some complementary kim chee as a welcome. Normally I’m not a fan of kim chee (I worked at a Korean printing company for a bit in Germany where there were several batches marinating every day, I would come home smelling of kim chee), but this kim chee was delicious. Kim chee is a traditional fermented Korean dish made of vegetables with a variety of seasoning. It is traditionally a quite spicy pickled cabbage and other vegetables like daikon, all brined in salt, flavored with herbs, garlic, ginger, and often liberal amounts of red chili peppers. The pickled vegetables in Accent’s kim chee were light and fresh and not as spicy as some I have tried. I enjoyed it, which surprised me.

We of course had to order an order of the addictive SASA fries. The fries did not disappoint, being nice and crisp yet soft inside with a nice flavoring from the seasoning and rosemary. My favorite sauce is the orange dipping sauce. I always manage to finish it off before the fries are gone. Yum!

We asked to order off the lounge menu, because we wanted to try the small plate grilled items from the Robata Grill. Luckily our server was very amenable. I cobbled together a delightful meal from the various small plates. I started off with the Pork Broth with Vegetables, Beef and Brown Rice and a side of Shrimp Yakitori skewer. The menu said you could add any Robata item for $2, but I think the server misunderstood and charged me full price. I wasn’t going to quibble over $4, so I didn’t bother mentioning it. It certainly didn’t detract from my experience. In any event, I LOVED the ramen. The broth was extremely flavorful, and the vegetables were deliciously fresh. I felt very healthy for having ordered it. The shrimp yakitori was perfectly grilled, and the four shrimp on the skewers had a wonderful grilled taste to them. In fact, the heat from the grill had fused them together pretty well.

My friend B. ordered the Accent Crudo, which features tuna, hamachi, and salmon, off the dinner menu and let us try it. It is Accent’s version of ceviche, which is raw fish marinated (aka “cooked”) in lemon or lime juice. Crudo is the Italian version of sashimi: raw fish at the peak of freshness, dressed simply with olive oil and lemon. The fish was was very light, bright and fresh and not at all “fishy”. I will definitely be ordering this next time! I’m a sucker for a good ceviche, and this one did not disappoint!

I also knew I had to order a turkey rib (not pictured, because my photo didn’t do it justice), having read about it on Crystal’s blog, and even if I hadn’t come in knowing I would order it my friend E. had also insisted we all order one. It was divine. The meat was tender and nice and smoky. Most importantly it was deliciously moist. The “rib” is actually the collarbone, and it definitely got me in the mood for Thanksgiving.

We knew we needed to finish our meal with the s’mores. The s’mores feature four marshmallows that have been skewered, rolled in chocolate ganache and graham cracker crumbs and then blasted in the Robata. Chef Lyon invited us back to the kitchen once the rush had died down, and we were able to roast our s’mores over the Josper Oven. It was extremely hot (obviously), so we were very careful not to accidentally burn ourselves and not to have the melted marshmallow fall off the skewer.

Chef Lyon explained that they leave the Josper Oven on all night, moving the coals from the Robata to the oven to keep them warm. The temperature in the oven falls to 300 degrees overnight, but quickly fires up again in the morning. He proudly showed off his kitchen, and we tried as best we could to stay out of the staff’s way. He talked about wanting to possibly add a raw bar, and we were able to give him some suggestions that might be fun to see implemented. I can’t wait to see what he does with the place and really hope it succeeds in this up-and-coming district. Now that MOCA is open, be sure to pop down the street afterwards and enjoy their happy hour or tapas, lunch or dinner menus. We left pleasantly sated – but not too full – and looking forward to our next visit. If anyone wants to meet me there for Happy Hour just say the word!

Contact info:

Accent Restaurant
11460 Uptown Avenue (Euclid)
Cleveland, Ohio 44106
(216) 721-8477

Luna Bakery

Whenever I want to give myself a little treat I stop by Luna Bakery and buy myself a ham and Swiss croissant and a coffee. Luna Bakery is located on Fairmount just after the intersection with Cedar. It is located a door or two down from The Mad Greek (it’s on the end so just turn into the parking lot behind the stores). Luna Bakery IMAG5004 has proven to be so popular that they have already expanded seating to accommodate the throngs of people. This is a great place to meet some friends for coffee and pastry or enjoy one of their outstanding crepes (I recommend the Nutella and banana crepe, but any of them are a good choice).

One of my friends who is a particularly picky eater swears that their cheddar herb scones are one of the best things she has ever ate. One particularly popular breakfast item is the Nest Egg (a sunny egg nested in semolina toast topped with cheddar (ham is optional) – an egg-in-a-hole with a twist), but be sure to get there early because they stop serving it once breakfast hours have finished (11 a.m. on the weekend).

The pastry counter has lots of good choices. They offer a gluten-free / flourless chocolate cake, tarts, and raspberry bars, and their whimsical sugar cookies puts smiles on the faces of children and children-at-heart.

But my favorite treat is the ham and Swiss croissant. It is exactly like the ham and Swiss croissants I used to buy in Germany. The ham and cheese is rolled up in the croissant dough and gets all crispy and melty. It’s divine. But get there early. They usually sell out really quickly. A ham and cheese croissant and a cafe au lait can really brighten up my day. They are also available at The Stone Oven on Lee Road.

Contact info:

Luna Bakery Café
2482 Fairmount Boulevard
Cleveland Heights, OH 44106
(216) 231-8585

Clambake at Alfredo’s at the Inn in Mayfield

Alfredo’s at the Inn is an Italian restaurant located in the Holiday Inn in Mayfield. It’s not Amp 150 in the Marriott, but it is a very good hotel restaurant, which is always nice to see. My friend loved the carved 16th century antique desk just outside the entrance, and the pumpkins lining the hallways were whimsical. The metal shelves lining the wall when you walk to the hostess station filled with bags of chips and the coolers of soda and bottled juices were a little disconcerting though. I felt it kind of detracted from the ambiance of the restaurant.

The restaurant itself has very good ratings on Urbanspoon and Yelp, and I had initially heard about it on the local food program 3 Squares. I’ve been meaning to schedule a dinner with my dining out group here. When I read in the FR!DAY magazine that they were offering a clambake on Friday and Saturday nights in late September and October I knew I had to check it out. The clambake is $23.95 a person and offered a lot of food and value for the money.

The parking lot was fairly full – as was the restaurant when we arrived at 7:30 this past Friday night. Despite that, my friend and I were quickly shown to a table and given menus and water. Even though I knew what I wanted I read through the menu and was thrilled to see they serve Beef Braciole. Not many restaurants serve braciole, which I came to appreciate several years ago at a friend’s aunt’s house the night before my first 3-Day walk. When our waitress came to the table to greet us we ordered wine and the clambakes.

While we were waiting for our wine someone dropped off a basket of warm Italian bread and whipped butter. The bread was really good – crusty on the outside and soft on the inside, and we each had our own containers of butter. Our waitress quickly brought out our first course – a cup of New England clam chowder and creamy coleslaw. The coleslaw needed some pepper to season it, but it was quite good. The clam chowder was hot and delicious, with visible chunks of clam.

The bake itself came out on a HUGE platter and included a dozen steamed middle neck clams, a half of a chicken roasted with rosemary and garlic, grilled corn on the cob, and a baked sweet potato as well as a container of melted butter. Being middle neck clams, the clams were a little chewy but very flavorful. A couple of them were gritty, but I feel that just shows that the clams are fresh. If they were in ice water for a while (or too long) they wouldn’t be gritty. The roasted chicken was fall-off-the-bone tender and moist. I love rosemary on chicken, so I was very happy. The corn on the cob was perfectly cooked – not mushy or hard, but just right. It had some nice char marks from the grill on it. The sweet potato was good, but that is never my favorite part of a clambake.

We had some trouble flagging down our waitress after our food was delivered for more water, and even more trouble getting her to bring us the bill and cash us out. If she had bothered to ask us if we wanted dessert I would have probably ordered a chocolate covered strawberry. Not because I was still hungry, but because they looked amazing in the refrigerated case when we walked in. I can’t wait to come back and try some of the Italian entrees and the amazing-looking desserts. If the food tastes half as good as it smells I won’t be disappointed.

If you love a good clambake and don’t have any friends hosting one at their home, Alfredo’s is a nice alternative. They’ll be featuring their clambake through October.

Contact info:

Alfredo’s at the Inn
780 Beta Dr
Mayfield Village, OH 44143
(440) 449-4833

Sokolowski’s University Inn

Sokolowski’s is a Cleveland institution. My father used to eat there all the time with his co-workers from Richman Brothers, and I grew up hearing about his lunches at Sokolowski’s, Sterle’s and the Hofbräuhaus. I finally got a chance to check it out for myself about ten years ago and have been a fan ever since. I was craving comfort food this afternoon, so I called some friends and we headed out to Sokolowski’s. We got there at around 11:30 to avoid the lunch rush, and got in line just in time because Lolly the Trolley let off a big group there just behind us.

Established in 1923, Sokolowski’s University Inn is one Cleveland’s oldest family owned and operated restaurants. Specializing in Polish and Eastern European cuisine, this Cleveland institution has been feeding its bratwurst, kielbasa (my dad’s favorite), pierogi, stuffed cabbage, cabbage and noodles, chicken paprikash, etc. to its customers for over 87 years.

Food is served cafeteria-style. There is always a crowd, but don’t worry – being cafeteria style the line moves fast. You line up, grab a tray and silverware and work your way down the line. I couldn’t help but start dancing when I grabbed my tray and heard the polka music. The first stop is salads (as well as beet salad and a delicious cucumber-dill salad) served on ice and saran-wrapped pies and cakes, followed by alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverages either from bus tubs or the fountain (and they offer several beers on tap – today they had my favorite, Reissdorfer Kölsch on tap for $5 for a pint, but I went with their ‘house’ brand grape soda). After that you are confronted with the hot foods. Every lunch and dinner is served with a roll, so they have a sign telling you to take one. You have to be quick with your order because they move quickly. Hot food is constantly being brought out from the kitchen behind them. All lunches and dinners come with two sides, and they don’t give you a lot of time to think about it. Some of the available sides include pierogi, mashed potatoes and gravy, corn, green beans, and cabbage and noodles. You can also order soup and/or sandwiches (which come with a pickle and potato salad). Friday lunch and dinner features lots of fish choices – as well as mac and cheese.

Have a heart for those behind you and try to pay in cash if you can. It keeps the line moving. They have a $10.00 limit for credit cards. They have guys waiting at the cash register to carry your tray and escort you to a table. Normally I ask to sit in the room with the piano player. Tom “Mr. T at the Keys” Ballog plays during Wednesday through Saturday hours. It adds a nice ambiance to the meal. Dad also taught me to unload your tray onto the table when you sit down so they can quickly reuse them, but I don’t know if that is necessary anymore.

My choice today was the fresh bratwurst with a side of pierogi and corn. The woman behind the counter gave me corn and green beans. When I corrected her she slapped some pierogis on a plate for me and told me to tell the cashier (who is one of the owners) that it was a mistake. Well, I didn’t have the heart to do that and paid for the pierogis extra. They’re worth it. But you do need to be vigilant at the counter, because they managed to screw up each of our three orders somehow. In the end I was really pleased I had the corn and green beans (if you are a fan of canned green beans you will be thrilled. Yes, yes, when it comes to green beans I have no taste…), because I walked out of there this time not feeling overloaded with carbs. Sokolowski’s can be quite carb-heavy, as my friend who had the pierogi lunch with potato pancakes and mashed potatoes and gravy can attest. He ended up boxing half of his meal and bringing it home.

Since this is a Cleveland food blog, let me just talk about the pierogi for a second. Sokolowski’s pierogi may be small and only come filled with mashed potatoes and cheese, but they pack a flavorful punch. They are served in a pool of melted butter and sautéd onions. I dripped some of the butter on my t-shirt today and can still smell the onion and butter as I type this. About a year ago I did a taste test, going to Babushka’s Kitchen one night and Sokolowski’s for lunch the next day. I ordered the same thing – stuffed cabbage and pierogi. Babushka’s Kitchen’s pierogi are bigger and there are a lot more choices to choose from, but Sokolowski’s won my heart hands down. Babushka’s definitely gives them a run for their money, but you just can’t beat the flavor of Sokolowski’s pierogi. But for the record, Sokolowski’s stuffed cabbage blows Babushka’s away. It isn’t even a contest in my book. It may not be haute cuisine, but it tastes just like my Ukrainian grandma used to make it.

I had enough room for a bite of the coconut cream cake, which is one of my favorite desserts there (if they don’t have the rice pudding). It looks really heavy, but you wouldn’t believe how light and airy it is. It’s like biting into a cloud of moist cake, whipped cream and coconut. I also had a bite of my friend M.’s carrot cake, and it may have replaced the coconut cream cake in my favorites list. Whatever your dessert favorite, be it rice pudding, cherry, apple or blueberry pie (or whatever other flavor they have), chocolate cream pie, coconut cake, or carrot cake, you won’t go wrong grabbing it at the top of the cafeteria line – even if you have to box it up and bring it home with you, which is what I usually do.

Friday nights I can highly recommend the meatloaf. The slice of meatloaf almost hangs over the plate and has a nice tomato-chipotle glaze. One of the best meatloaves I have ever eaten in a restaurant. IMAG0602

The Innerbelt Bridge project has made it a little more difficult to find it, but the long line at 11:30 shows that it hasn’t killed business. Coming from the east, we got off at the Abbey Avenue exit, took a left on Fairfield Avenue, turned onto W. 11th and pulled into the parking lot on Abbey. Luckily there were signs to Sokolowski’s with arrows that we could follow. Sokolowski’s has directions on its website, but they should only serve as a guideline. If you head to Parallax and South Side you’ll find Sokolowski’s. And I promise it’s well worth the extra aggravation.

I had been debating between Slyman’s and Sokolowski’s today, but Slyman’s sandwiches are $11.00-12.00 and my bratwurst lunch with two sides at Sokolowski’s was $8.00. Sure, I paid extra for the cake, drink and side of pierogi, but I was very happy with my decision to eat at Sokolowski’s. Slyman’s will be there another day. Sokolowski’s is open Monday-Friday 11 am – 3 pm and Friday and Saturday from 5 pm – 9 pm and 4 pm – 9 pm respectively.

Contact info:

Sokolowski’s University Inn
1201 University Rd
Cleveland, OH 44113
(216) 771-9236

And did I mention that Anthony Bourdain ate here for his show “No Reservations”? The website also features Michael Symon talking about Sokolowski’s pierogi in “The Best Thing I Ever Ate.” Like I said, it’s an institution…