Jill (@bonnjill)

Le Petit Triangle in Ohio City

IMG_20190209_122318 Update (2024): Le Petit Triangle is expanding and they are planning to expand the menu with it.

Update (2019): I was thrilled when they expanded into the space next door to seat 55 guests. When they added the front patio, that number climbed to 75 when it is nice outside.

This place is tiny (as in only maybe 8 tables – tops – in the winter and a few more on the sidewalk), but it serves up some heavenly crepes and French bistro fare.

20200126_145006 This is my go-to place whenever I want to have a leisurely breakfast or lunch featuring a good cafe au lait and feel like I’m back in Europe sitting in a little corner bistro. My first meal here was a memorable fondue dinner featuring the most amazing White Bordeaux back when it was Le Oui Oui Cafe. A friend from grad school invited me here to enjoy an authentic French meal. Our table was situated in the front window of the original pie-shaped space – le petit triangle. It was more a small open kitchen with a few extra seats than a dining room. Le Oui Oui Cafe was known for their crepes, and Le Petit Triangle continued the tradition. For such a small place and “limited” menu, the food is simply outstanding. I have never had a bad meal here.

nicoise They serve a delicious Salad Nicoise (featuring a pan-seared salmon filet, redskin potatoes, green beans, olives, tomato, hard boiled egg, and a peppercorn dressing), Croque Monsieur (ham, Gruyere and Bechamel sauce served warm on grilled challah with a side of potatoes), Croque Madame (the same sandwich but topped with a fried egg) and crusty baguette sandwiches. They are also known for their savory and sweet crepes and a delicious and filling French onion soup.

I was craving a baguette sandwich after watching Martha Stewart make one on her show, so I decided to enjoy a late lunch recently. I started with the French Three Onion Soup, which is topped with Gruyere and is vegetarian-based. Life just seems complete when you are eating a nice steaming bowl of French onion soup. Digging through the melty Gruyere cheese, tearing off some of the hunk of bread at the bottom of the bowl and getting the perfect amount of onions and broth is decadence at its best. In fact, I couldn’t wait to let it cool a bit before I dug in and burned my mouth. Do yourself a favor and let it cool just a bit.

For my baguette sandwich, I was torn between the Pan Bagna, which features Swiss cheese, ham, tomato, artichokes, spinach, olive tapenade on a baguette and served with a side of couscous-lentil salade, or the Caprese (fresh mozzarella, sliced tomato, spinach with pesto on a baguette). The server (who also happened to be the owner) recommended the Pan Bagna, so I went with her recommendation. Wow, it was great! The olive tapenade really made the sandwich shine. As you can see from the side shot of the sandwich it was just packed with cheese, ham and veggies. And have I mentioned the olive tapenade? Soooo good!

20200126_145114 If you still have room, I highly recommend ordering one of their sweet crepes. They are absolutely divine. My favorite is the Nutella crepe.

My friends and I enjoyed a delicious brunch here back in 2019. Their Raspberry and Mango French toast made with challah was the highlight. I ate it several times when it was the featured French toast on the menu in 2019, and I consider it one of the things I ate that year – if not the best French toast I have ever eaten.

They are open Monday and Thursday from 10 am-10 pm, Friday and Saturday from 10 am-11 pm and Sunday from 10 am-9 pm.
20200126_145114

Contact info:

Le Petit Triangle
1881 Fulton Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44113
(216) 281-1881

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday

They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Eat*Drink*Cleveland often has an “(Almost) Wordless Wednesday” that I enjoy, so I hope she doesn’t mind that I am borrowing the idea this morning. This was too funny not to share.

Jack’s Deli & Restaurant in University Heights

Since I recently wrote about Corky & Lenny’s I thought it would be only fair to write about the other Jewish deli in my “neighborhood,” Jack’s Deli. As one Yelper describes it, “If you like traditional Jewish delis, this is your place. From the deli counter, to the no-nonsense “Brooklyn”-type staff and all the old biddies sitting in the dining room kvetching with their mumbling husbands, its [sic] like you’re in a Woody Allen flick or Seinfeld episode!” I couldn’t agree more.

One of my foodie friends recommended Jack’s Deli to me, and I have been hooked ever since. Jack’s has been in business for over 30 years and is tucked away in a strip mall at the corner of Cedar and Green. It is around the back of the strip mall just behind the BP station. The store front has about a million handicapped spots (I’m exaggerating – it’s more like 6), and you need to drive past it and park in the lot to the left.

Just as any respectable Jewish deli, they greet you with a glass of water and a plate of homemade kosher pickles. This last visit featured both kosher dill and kosher garlic and dill pickles. They help take the edge off while you peruse the menu and then wait for your food. Jack’s also serves jars of them to go in the lobby. I highly recommend picking up a jar on your way out.

Both offer great sandwiches, corned beef and melt-in-your-mouth brisket, and other kosher delicacies. For those of you who like tongue, you can get it here, and my Jewish, former New Yorker friend swooned over it. Everything is made from scratch.

Jack’s may not have a lunch counter, but it has its devoted regulars and features the best soup in my opinion! The flavor of their chicken soup broth is just a bit deeper and richer. Their version of The Mish Mash is called The Whole Magilla and, like Corky & Lenny’s, features a matzoh ball, kreplach, noodles, rice – all served in an extra large bowl. I’ve ordered it to go several times and they give me a quart container brimming with goodness.

Most of the time I order a half sandwich and a cup of the matzoh ball soup. It doesn’t sound like a lot of food, but the sandwich is brimming over with sliced meat and the matzoh ball is filling. The beef is well-flavored, lean and cut thick enough to give the sandwich some heft. The soup and half sandwich combo really fills you up. I prefer brisket over corned beef or pastrami, so my regular choice is half a brisket sandwich, which I doctor with just a little bit of the yellow mustard. My only complaint is that serving a spicy brown mustard like Stadium mustard or Gulden’s as well would really be nice.

My favorite sandwich at Jack’s is their Famous Brisket Dip. It features hot brisket with melted Swiss cheese and grilled onions grilled on Challah bread and served with a side of au jus and crinkle cut french fries. I have started ordering it without the au jus, because it tastes so delicious as is. Plus, as a Virgo I prefer less messy sandwiches, which au jus just guarantees. The French fries are always crisp outside and buttery soft inside. The roasted beef brisket served open-faced with beef gravy or turkey and turkey gravy with mashed potatoes or French fries is also divine – comfort food at its best!

I never have room for dessert when I eat here, but the cheesecakes are amazing. I hear their other desserts are wonderful as well.

Also, Jack’s Deli also serves great breakfasts, like Challah French toast, omelettes, corned beef hash, matzoh brei and L.E.O. Nova lox with eggs and onions. Be sure to hit the deli counter on your way out. Everything always looks and tastes fresh and delicious.

Update: They have recently renovated the cash register and dining areas to allow for more seating. I wouldn’t recognize the place.

Contact info:

Jack’s Deli & Restaurant
14490 Cedar Road
University Heights, OH 44121
(216) 382-5350

Hot Sauce Williams

in-memoriam-graphic

Edit: All Hot Sauce Williams locations are now closed.

1297095070-hot-sauce-williams — Photo from the Cleveland Scene

Hot Sauce Williams is a Cleveland institution. I drive past it all the time and had heard so many good things about it that I finally decided I needed to try it. If you love fried food that is slathered in hot sauce, then this is your place. We went to the main restaurant on Carnegie, but they have additional locations on Lee Road and Superior Avenue. The restaurant has a “divey” feel to it, which I always enjoy (I still miss the old Suds Maguire in Olmsted Township). The tables are covered in plastic and the place looks somewhat run-down. Just don’t come here expecting fast or friendly service. In fact, the major negative about our visit to Hot Sauce Williams was that the service was slower than molasses and was not particularly friendly, but we quickly forgot about that after digging into the food. But if you go in knowing it’s a bit of a dive and that the food makes it worth the trip you’ll be ok. One thing I can say is that you get a massive amount of food for a great price. It just took an hour to get it. If you don’t want to wait that long, order whatever is in the warmers behind the counter.

Hot Sauce Williams’ fried chicken was highly recommended as being amazingly good, so I went there intent on fried chicken. I ordered the 2 piece fried chicken breast dinner and received two massive bone-in chicken breasts. They needed to make it in the back and took their good old sweet time doing so. It came out so hot it melted the styrofoam. I could barely finish one breast and took the rest home. It came with cole slaw and French fries and slices of white or wheat bread and cost a whopping $5.99.

The wing dinner was $5.00 and also came with French fries and coleslaw, white or wheat bread. My friend upgraded and ordered three different sides, which she absolutely raved about – mac and cheese, collard greens and candied yams. True Southern comfort food!

Another friend ordered a full slab rib dinner for $19.50 (it also comes with French fries, cole slaw and white or wheat bread). He let me try a couple bones while I waited for my food and watched everyone eat. They don’t fall off the bone, but they are nicely smoked and slathered in an absolutely delicious sauce. After all, Hot Sauce Williams is known for the BBQ sauce.

They gave our group a mess of French fries for free to compensate for our wait. We got an industrial restaurant aluminum pan brimming full of fries (you can see it at the top of the photo in the center of the table). The fries are actually store-bought Ore-Ida brand fries, but they were good – especially drenched in the hot sauce, which wasn’t all that hot (as in spicy).

We weren’t all that impressed with the desserts though (I was so unimpressed that I didn’t even take photos of it), so unless something really tickles your fancy just keep gorging yourself on the dinners. No one walked out of here hungry. In fact, we all left with lots of leftovers.

Hot Sauce Williams has been featured on Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations and Man vs. Food. The menu item that was featured on Man vs. Food was the Polish Boy IMG_20170625_193149 sandwich. It is a whopping $3.50. According to Man vs. Food, the Polish Boy is Cleveland’s signature menu item. I must not be a true Clevelander (although I was born in Parma and grew up in Olmsted Falls), because I have never had a Polish Boy. Pierogis? Yes. Kielbasa? Yes. But a Polish Boy? I had never heard of one until a few years ago. The Polish Boy at Hot Sauce Williams is made up of an all beef kielbasa, French fries, cole slaw, bbq pork shoulder, and hot sauce on a bun. I’ll be sure to get one next time.

Contact info:

Hot Sauce Williams
3770 Lee Road
Cleveland, OH 44128
(216) 921-4704

12310 Superior Ave.
Cleveland, OH 44106
(216)249-0710

Chop It Salad Co.

Since it is summer I had a hankerin’ for a chopped salad. Like any good technophile I turned to Google to find a good one near me, which is how I discovered Chop It Salad Co. It is located in the atrium of Eton Center in Woodmere. In fact, you can watch the folks at B Spot eat their burgers and drink those delicious milkshakes while knowing you are eating somewhat healthy. Chop It Salad Co. allows you to order off the pre-designed Signature Menu (which is what I did since I was craving a good Cobb salad) or create your own salad or wrap with “Unlimited Toppings”! If you choose the latter option, you first choose your lettuce mixture between romaine, iceberg, spring mix or spinach and then choose from their over 50 toppings of meats, cheeses, shrimp, eggs, and veggies.

I wanted a Cobb salad, but I asked for Honey Mustard dressing instead of the default Bleu Cheese or Ranch dressing. My Cobb salad was made of iceberg and romaine lettuce, grilled chicken, bacon, cheddar cheese, crumbled blue cheese, avocado, hard boiled egg, tomatoes and black olives. It was accompanied by a thin slice of pita bread. I ordered a fountain drink to go with it and was told I could get a free refill at any time by bringing my glass back up to the register.

My salad was made quickly by the helpful chopper, and after I paid for it at the register (the total was around $11 for the salad and large beverage) I found a cozy upholstered chair in the center of the atrium where I enjoyed my salad and did some people watching. So if you are in the Woodmere area and want to enjoy a refreshing chopped salad or wrap give Chop It Salad a try. They also have locations in Southpark Center (500 Southpark Ctr, Strongsville, OH 44136) and the food courts at Great Northern Mall and Belden Village Mall.

Contact info:

Chop It Salad Co.
28699 Chagrin Boulevard
Beachwood, OH 44122
(216) 378-9122

Brunch at the Carnegie Kitchen

ids_venue_2655170 — Photo from Metromix Cleveland

Carnegie Kitchen has a killer brunch. If you haven’t tried it yet you need to do so. Their brunch offerings are definitely unique and delicious, and I can’t wait to go back and try the PBJ French toast for myself!

Carnegie Kitchen is conveniently located on Carnegie right off the E. 14th street entrance ramp. Since I live in Cleveland Heights, it was a straight shot down Carnegie, which made it even better. It is only open for breakfast, brunch and lunch, from 6 AM-3 PM on weekdays and 7 AM-3 PM on Saturday, but a lot of my favorite places in Cleveland also close after their lunch service, such as Inn on Coventry, Jim’s Diner in Solon, Claudette’s in Westlake, First Watch, Slyman’s, etc. There’s something indescribably unique about a restaurant that is only open for breakfast and lunch. Carnegie Kitchen has ample free parking in the parking lot next to the building. The building itself is not much to look at, being a big brick box, but lots of large windows allow for a lot of natural light to enter.

Our brunch group met at 11 AM on a Saturday for brunch. They greeted us warmly, and we were shown to our reserved table. One of our diners had her two kids with her, and they were easily able to accommodate them. There were a few occupied tables already, but the place wasn’t packed. I honestly don’t know why not, because we thoroughly enjoyed our meals.

Our first order of business was to order a round of mimosas, but unfortunately they were out of champagne that day. They had beer and wine, but I stuck with orange juice and coffee. My friend A. ordered a glass of white wine, which made me smile. Wine with brunch, why not?

I ordered Eggs in a Nest, which features an old childhood favorite: “egg in a hole” made of French brioche toast accompanied by house-made pork sausage flavored with sage, rosemary and other herbs (you could definitely tell the sausage was freshly made, and it was divine!) and home fries made of Yukon potatoes. The traditional way for an egg in a hole is over easy or over medium, but I chose scrambled eggs that morning. I just wasn’t in the mood for a runny egg that day. The scrambled eggs were artfully placed in the brioche, making it a thing of beauty, and I enjoyed it very much.

I was able to try my friend M.’s peanut butter, jelly and banana French toast featuring raspberry preserves. Wow! It was sweet and savory, and a very memorable combination. It was essentially peanut butter, raspberry preserves and banana sandwiched between pieces of bread and lightly fried to a golden brown. It was served with a side of syrup. If you are a fan of PB&J you will enjoy this, but in my opinion the use of preserves and banana elevate it from a traditional PB&J. I put it on my list of “must go back and order very soon.”

The salmon platter was also light and fresh, accompanied by two eggs, and was the perfect choice for someone on a no-carb diet when accompanied with a side of fruit instead of the bagel.

We enjoyed a leisurely brunch and the frequent coffee refills, and then ventured out into the cold to enjoy the rest of the day. Driving home we stopped at Aladdin’s Baking Company on Carnegie for some fresh pita bread, olives, and probiotic yogurt. All in all, a wonderful way to start the day.

Contact info:

Carnegie Kitchen & Dining
1332 Carnegie Ave
Cleveland, OH 44115
(216) 862-6788

Chez Francois in Vermilion

Chez Francois is expensive, but worth every penny. It is the perfect location for a romantic date or birthday or anniversary celebration. It’s expensive, it’s upscale, and you’ll need to dress up if you want dine at this place. Men must wear jackets and will be given one if you forget. As one Yelp reviewer said, “It offers top-level, chef-driven food made from scratch with very fresh ingredients by the hand of a masterful chef classically trained in French cuisine.” Everything here is cooked to perfection. The service is impeccable without being burdensome. This is fine dining the way it is supposed to be.

The restaurant is located about a block from Lake Erie overlooking the Vermilion river. If you have trouble with steps, be forewarned because you have to climb down quite a few shallow steps to reach the restaurant. The dining room is impeccably decorated and the view of the river with the boats going by is simply lovely.

The food is the star here. The menu changes with the season. Several of its signature items, such as the lobster bisque (Homard Bisque, en Croûte) and the French onion soup (Soupe a L’Oignon Gratinée) as well as the Beef Wellington (Filet de Boeuf Wellington à la Périgourdine), are always on the menu. We started off our meal with an amuse bouche served in a small shot glass of what tasted like a summer gazpacho with an avocado foam. It was light and delicious. Bread was served soon after that – the loaf was warm and wrapped in a white napkin.

The lobster bisque features a puff pastry top and is loaded with creamy soup and chunks of lobster. I was able to try my friend A.’s bisque. It was perfectly seasoned. You will feel as if you’ve died and gone to heaven. I definitely plan on ordering it next time.

I myself ordered the Escargot Basilic, which were delicious. You can see an order of them in the photo just behind the lobster bisque. The escargot features five large snails served in the shell swimming in the most decadent blend of sweet basil, garlic, shallots and sweet butter. It was topped with a little puffed pastry crescent moon that I used to sop up the leftover butter. When in a French restaurant, do as the French and try the escargot. I think you’ll be surprised at how good they are.

The entrees then came with an artful summer salad with a cucumber slice wrapped around it. The salad was perfectly seasoned, used the freshest ingredients, and not too large. For my entree I ordered the Escalope de Veau aux Fruits de Mer, which featured sautéed breaded medallions of Provimi veal tenderloin with Maine lobster, a cold water shrimp, a Maine sea scallop and asparagus spears, topped with a Normandy wine sauce with fresh dill. Words simply can’t describe how wonderful this was. It was absolutely divine. Perfectly seasoned and not overcooked.

The desserts were so delicious we simply couldn’t choose and ordered several to share. My favorites were the fresh Ohio peaches over homemade ice cream and the chocolate mousse, which was topped with fresh blackberries.

Every single member of my dining out group loved their meals, so you can’t go wrong with anything on the menu. Chez Francois also has special dinners and wine tastings, which are posted on the website. I attended the Bordeaux Wine Dinner this spring and was simply wowed from start to finish. Two of my tablemates didn’t drink, so if you don’t drink don’t let that dissuade you from attending a wine dinner or other celebration there.

Contact info:

Chez Francois
555 Main Street
Vermilion, OH 44089
(440) 967-0630

Corky & Lenny’s

in-memoriam-graphic
Corky & Lenny’s has earned itself quite a reputation in the deli business, having served Clevelanders for over 55 years. The menu is massive and features all kinds of kosher and non-kosher goodies, including massive, overstuffed pastrami and corned beef sandwiches, various entrees featuring lox (smoked salmon), kishkas and knishes, burgers, and other treasures. I always make sure to bring my father a knish when I go to Corky & Lenny’s.

You stand in line by the deli counter and are seated by the hostess. A small counter is also available for solo diners. Once you are seated your waitress will come over with fresh pickles. Oh, the pickles! Dill, garlic, and other kosher deli pickles. To be honest, sometimes I just come for the pickles. They are the perfect compliment to a sandwich – and do a great job of taking the edge off your hunger while you are waiting.

IMAG4414

One of my favorite things at Corky & Lenny’s is the Mish Mash soup – chicken soup packed with a matzoh ball, kreplach, noodles and rice. Perfect if you can’t decide which doughy goodness you want, because you get them all. It’s only available in the large bowl size. I have been known to get it to go to eat over several days. It’s the perfect antidote for a wintery day or when you are sick. The broth isn’t as rich as Jack’s Deli’s and the matzoh ball is not very dense, but it hits the spot when you’re in the mood.

Corky & Lenny’s is of course known for its sandwiches, which are ENORMOUS. I usually only eat half and then take the rest home. An hour or so later I then realize I’m kidding myself and scarf the rest down. They are known for their overstuffed corned beef, pastrami, roast beef and turkey breast – and tongue, which I can’t bring myself to try. The deli sandwiches are available in the regular size and the king size. You can also order a half a sandwich and soup (pictured to the right – I asked them to make a tuna and Swiss sandwich, which isn’t listed as a sandwich choice but they happily made for me).

Some of my favorite sandwiches on the menu include the Clevelander or The East Sider, which features sliced turkey breast or roast beef, respectively, topped with cole slaw and Thousand Island Dressing on rye bread. If you prefer hot sandwiches, you can’t go wrong with one of their Reubens (turkey or corned beef) or the Beef & Latkas (pictured here above), which feature corned beef on potato pancakes (latkas).

One of my all-time favorites, which is frequently overlooked in such a packed menu, is the Challah Grill (pictured to the right), which comes with your choice of turkey breast, beef brisket or chicken with Muenster cheese grilled on challah bread with honey mustard sauce. Yum!

img_20181228_133415

I also sometimes get a craving for a hot turkey or roast beef sandwich and mashed potatoes in the winter. They have a decent hot turkey sandwich here – the bread is nice and soft and the gravy is flavorful. Although I have to say Jack’s mashed potatoes are better – with lumps.

They have a really large menu featuring breakfast, lunch and dinner, so there is something for everyone’s taste. I love that they serve Arizona Mandarin Green Tea, so that is always a draw for me. They are also known for their chocolate phosphate.

Whatever you decide to order, you won’t be disappointed. Once you are finished simply bring your bill to the register at the front of the deli and try not to take home a bag of bagels, some bread, or something from the deli or bakery counters. I dare you, because it simply isn’t possible.

Contact info:

Corky & Lenny’s
27091 Chagrin Boulevard
Woodmere Village, Ohio 44122
(216) 464-3838

The quintessential spring day – CWRU book sale and hanging in the Heights

I wanted to let you all know about an upcoming event that I am unfortunately not able to attend this year. I look forward to the Case Western Reserve University book sale every year and try to make a festive day out of it. My friend C. joined me last year, and we spent a delightful afternoon/early evening hanging in Cleveland Heights. I’ve also been known to treat myself to a lunch on the garden patio at Guarino’s in Little Italy, just me, a plate of pasta, and my new purchases.

The CWRU book sale is gigantic. It literally fills up the entire gymnasium and is extremely well-organized. The books are divided into genres, and each genre gets its own section and own check-out help who mark down your purchases for that section on the form you get when you walk in. Once you have your fill of books you head to the front to pay for your books at the main check-out.

I particularly enjoy the music section and the paperbacks in the back, but I also browse the cookbooks, history books, and German books. The rare editions and coffee table books are always interesting. In the past I’ve found a rare German dictionary set for a song, an ECG self-assessment program, and started my Les Roberts collection. Last year I scored 12 Vienna Masters Series CDs for $1 each that rounded off my collection of classical music that I started in 1989 (with only one duplicate, which I gave my father) in addition to a ton of paperbacks and some books on World War II and the art of spycraft. I guarantee that there are sections for every single taste.

The Book Sale is being held this year from June 2-5. It is open Saturday from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. for the preview price of $20 (this attracts mostly collectors and the truly zealous) and admission is free from 12 p.m. – 5 p.m. It is open Sunday and Monday from 12 p.m. – 5 p.m. and Tuesday from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. Prices are reduced on Monday, and Tuesday is “Box Day” – $5/box.

C. and I met at the Mad Greek parking lot, so we decided to enjoy a nice meal there as well. The patio had just opened for the season and it was a gorgeous day, so we sat outside. The servers brought our delicious drinks first, which we enjoyed in the sun. I ordered a Mango Madness and Caroline ordered the blueberry mojito. Both were very refreshing and potent. The server soon brought us our samosas, which we split, and our entrees (vegetarian Indian food for her and the Island of Minos Stir Fry for me). We enjoyed the delicious food and chatted about the book sale and our purchases. It was a delightful afternoon.

So mark the dates in your calendar. If you love books this is one sale that you simply can’t miss! Add a trip to one of the local restaurants afterwards and you’ve got a quintessential Cleveland day that rocks!

Contact info:

Case Western Reserve University’s Adalbert Gymnasium
2128 Adelbert Rd.
Cleveland, OH 44106

Bo Loong (Dim sum in Cleveland)

Bo Loong is under new management, and they have really spiffed up the place. One change is it now closes at 9 or 10 PM every night instead of 2 or 3 AM. It is still located across from Siam Cafe and has the same entrance doors, but the water-stained ceiling tile and grungy carpet is gone. The tables still have white tablecloths, but the chairs have sumptuous red covers. They also offer some fun and different dim sum choices.

Everyone has their favorite restaurant when it comes to dim sum (I know a guy through Meetup who is at Bo Loong every Saturday for dim sum), whether it be Bo Loong or Li Wah. I’ve tried them both – and both are very good – but in my opinion Bo Loong doesn’t quite measure up to Li Wah. I think the service has a lot to do with it. The carts don’t flow through the restaurant as often as in Li Wah, and the offerings aren’t as diverse. One morning we had to sit and wait 30 minutes for the first cart to be ready.

The crust on the egg tart is just a little flakier, and I prefer the atmosphere at Li Wah more. Plus, you never have a problem getting a table at Li Wah because it is so large. Bo Loong, on the other hand, also has plenty of seating and was deemed Cleveland’s best dim sum restaurant by the Plain Dealer. Both restaurants are usually packed with Chinese diners, which is a testament to the quality of both places. You really can’t go wrong at either place. IMG_20171111_114256

Dim sum refers to a style of Chinese food prepared as small, bite-sized or individual portions of food traditionally served in small steamer baskets or on small plates. Most people think of various steamed or pan-fried dumplings and stuffed steamed or baked buns when it comes to dim sum. My favorites include the turnip cake, sui mai (or sao mai depending on the restaurant), sticky rice, and shrimp dumplings. It’s a chance to be adventurous and try new things. I always try to order Chinese broccoli or some other vegetables to balance out all the carbs. Pro tip: order the green veg FIRST so you have it at the same time as the rest of the food! IMG_20171111_114821

Dim sum is served in most Chinese restaurants on carts. The fully cooked and ready-to-serve dim sum dishes are wheeled around the restaurant for customers to choose their orders while seated at their tables. The most unusual dishes can be ordered from the servers and are made to order in the kitchen. The dishes are tallied on a bill that is left on the table, and are priced according to size. The recent cost of dim sum at Bo Loong for 8 people was $62.55, which came out to about $10 a person after tax and a generous tip.

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

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

My friends and I usually order a bunch of steamed goodies like shumai (a mixture of pork, shrimp and mushroom – last photo above), sin joe gin (tofu skin rolls – middle photo in top row above), various pork or shrimp dumplings, turnip cakes, char siu baau (steamed BBQ pork buns), or sticky rice wrapped in lotus leaves (see last two photos in last row below – so good!). We also got a fun deep-fried dumpling that blew us all away along with the house special Phoenix dumplings (shrimp, mushroom and pork paste – first photo below). The second photo are meatballs covered in shaved carrot – also delicious. The third photo are shrimp rice noodles. The first photo in the next row are ham sui gok (fried glutinous rice dumplings).

Once we start getting full, we then order some sweets like egg tarts, jin deui (a chewy dough filled with red bean paste, rolled in sesame seeds, and deep fried) or steamed buns for dessert (see below). The third photo is complementary tofu fa – a kind of smoky-tasting soybean pudding.

258785763_10224633915142792_8388280024862154337_n

259875759_10224633914782783_7929226191356024334_n

We then divide the check by however many people are in attendance (any vegetarians or picky/allergic diners get their own check – it’s just easier and more fair). It is always a surprise how stuffed we are and how little we spend in the end. As long as you avoid the roasted meats and vegetables (the higher priced items), you can sit there for hours and walk away paying less than $20.

The most important thing about enjoying dim sum is to go in there with an open mind and just try as many dishes as you can. Once you have learned what you like and don’t like you can then start being choosier. For example, I cannot and will not order tripe, jelly fish or chicken feet, even though they are a dim sum delicacy. But I have at least tried them.

IMG_20171111_113912

Dim sum tip: Bo Loong and Li Wah serve dim sum off carts, while Emperor’s Palace brings them fresh from the kitchen.

Contact info:

Bo Loong
3922 St Clair Ave NE
Cleveland, OH 44114
(216) 391-3113
Open Mon-Thu 10 am – 9 pm and Fri-Sun 10 am – 10 pm