Cheap eats – Page 12 – Cleveland Rocks, Cleveland Eats

Dan’s Dogs in Medina

I love a good hot dog, so I was dying to try Dan’s Dogs in Medina. The only problem is that the only time I’m in Medina I am usually visiting family and eating with them. I had my chance recently when my niece had a play she had written performed at her school by an acting troupe, and I needed a place to have lunch afterwards. Dan’s Dogs immediately came to mind. The place is adorable. Very 1950s retro with a diner flair. It opened in 1991 and is located just northwest of the Square. It’s not The Happy Dog, nor does it try to be. It is just a good, old-fashioned hot dog diner.

Dan’s Dogs uses all beef hot dogs, grilled to order and served on a signature buttered and toasted split-top New England style bun. This bun was really amazing. The menu is extensive with 41(!) hot dogs to choose from and over 50 toppings if you want to build your own. If you don’t want a hot dog (but come on, why wouldn’t you order one?), they also offer grilled cheese sandwiches, grilled burgers, chicken sandwiches, salads, and more. I had trouble narrowing down what I wanted to order.

I started off with a root beer, because they make their own old-fashioned root beer and I’m a sucker for a good root beer. It was really good and quenched my thirst. If you like root beer floats, this would be the place for one. They also apparently make their own ice cream.

I was in the mood for a nice soup, and the soup that day was a chicken and rice soup. The broth was well-seasoned and the soup had chunks of carrot, celery and strings of chicken, so I could tell it was homemade. It was very good, although the rice had broken down a bit since it was later in the day after the lunch rush. My only complaint was that the server didn’t clear the soup bowl when she brought my dogs, but that is truly a minor complaint.

Now the big dilemma – what hot dogs to order. I ordered while I was still hungry, so I ordered three different “regular size” hot dogs. You can also order jumbo dogs if you are so inclined. Three dogs and soup was definitely too much, and I ended up taking half of each one home for later. My choices were The Mac Attack (smothered in their homemade five-cheese mac & cheese), the Top Dog (topped with grilled bacon and melted cheddar cheese), and a Firehouse Dog (“Red Hot” chili coney dog topped with homemade cole slaw). All three were really good, but that cole slaw was delicious – super creamy just the way I like it. It was a great pairing with the coney sauce.

You can choose all kinds of weird and wonderful hot dogs, like the Hula Dog with baked beans and crushed pineapple; the Junkyard Dog with freshly chopped veggies, melted mozzarella cheese, sour cream sauce and fresh diced tomato; or the Deputy Dog with peanut butter and jelly, or your classics like the Old Yeller with mustard, relish and diced onions; the Chicago Dog with its mustard, relish, onions, cucumber, hot pepper pickle and celery salt; or Hound Dog with caramelized onions and grilled mushrooms. There is literally something for everyone – or you can make your own.

They are closed on Sundays, but now accept credit and debit cards (they used to be cash-only). So the next time you are in Medina and want to try a good dog, check this place out. It’s family-friendly and locally owned and operated.

Contact info:

Dan’s Dogs
111 W Liberty Street
Medina, OH 44256
(330) 723-3647

Jack Frost Donuts

Jack Frost Donuts is consistently the Grand Prize winner in the “NEO’s Best: Donuts,” the Cleveland Hot List, and other “best of Cleveland” contests. The little doughnut shop on the corner of Fulton Road and Pearl Road in Cleveland’s Old Brooklyn neighborhood has been making doughnuts since 1937. They only accept cash or checks, so come prepared. A dozen will run you $10.95, and a half dozen cost $6.95.

The doughnuts are fresh and made of quality ingredients. Some are a little sweeter than I prefer, but their pumpkin pie doughnut has made me a fan for life. They have fantastic specialty donuts like salted caramel, key lime pie, maple bacon, and other seasonal creations like said pumpkin pie doughnut (available with and without “cream”). I’ve enjoyed their Boston cream, salted caramel, raspberry, chocolate glazed, maple bacon and pumpkin pie doughnuts during my visits. The photo at the bottom features two pumpkin cream, two maple bacon, a strawberry cheesecake, and a chocolate cream. The maple bacon is a nice combination of salty and sweet with fresh bacon bits and maple frosting on a yeast donut. The chocolate cream exploded in a huge flurry of powdered sugar all over me and my car. It was totally worth it, with a big pile of chocolate cream on top. The donuts are fresh, and your teeth just sink into them. I prefer yeast donuts over cake donuts, so I can only attest to the yeast donuts here. They are not overbearing or too sweet. The toppings and donuts have a good ratio.
They sell coffee and have a cooler with milk and some sodas if you need something to wash the donuts down with. They are currently renovating their old store, but are located right next door. I can’t wait to see the new place once it opens. It’s a cash only business, so remember to bring cash.

Contact info:

Jack Frost Donuts
4960 Pearl Road
Cleveland, OH 44109
(216) 351-3638

Ferrara’s Imported Foods

Ferrara’s has been selling Italian bread, meats, cheese and more to East Side Clevelanders since 1959. You walk in and you definitely feel you are surrounded by Italians. One gentleman even held the door for me.

This place has everything you need – from fresh garlic and tomatoes to espresso makers and huge pasta bowls to serve your family delicious pasta. I wandered the aisles just amazed at the wide variety of items they sold. They had canned San Marzano tomatoes, every variety of olive oil and vinegar you could imagine, balsamic vinegar ketchup (!), blood orange soda, fresh pasta in a low-slung refrigerated cooler, dried pastas in every shape and form, as well as prepared foods such as Sicilian pizza, pasta and antipasti salads, and made-to-order submarine sandwiches.

Since my friend who told me about Ferrara’s recommended their sandwiches, I went there with the intention of ordering an Italian sub. The sub was loaded with thick-sliced Italian cold cuts (capicola, (Genoa?) salami and I think ham), provolone cheese and your choice of hot or sweet peppers. I went with the sweet peppers and it was oh so good! They make their bread rolls there, and you can tell at first bite just how fresh the rolls are. I don’t know what they do to the peppers, but they are extremely addictive. Some people also suggest having the top of the bread dipped in hot oil. If you want a different sub than the Italian, you can choose from Italian Beef, turkey, roast beef, veggie, prosciutto, and ham and cheese or you can make your own creation.

They also sell hot subs like sausage sandwiches, meatloaf subs, and meatball subs for $5.50. The sausage sandwich (pictured to the right) comes with peppers and onions and has a nice heat to it. It may not look appetizing in the photo, but it was really delicious.

Ferrara’s Wedding Soup is one of the best ones I have ever tasted. You can find it in the freezer with the frozen pasta on the wall to the left as you walk into the store. The back wall is all about pizza. You can buy slices at the register, but you can order larger pizzas back in the back. I bought some Sicilian pizza for my Italian translator friend who had lamented about the lack of Sicilian pizza in Cleveland, and she was absolutely thrilled with their pizza and its authenticity. The pizza is not in slices – but thick slabs of dough covered in a thick tomato pasty-like sauce. There is no melted cheese – just some sprinkled Parmesan. It is served at room temperature.

Just be warned that they only accept cash or checks. They have an ATM in case you forget, and from personal experience I can tell you that the fee is lower than most regular bank ATMs. They also have a nice little area for people to eat in if you feel so inclined.

A small dining area is set off straight ahead as you walk in

View of the bakery/deli counter from the back

Contact info:

Ferrara’s Imported Foods
5750 Mayfield Road
Cleveland, OH 44124
(440) 442-3700

Miega Korean BBQ

Miega Korean BBQ is located on the second floor of Asian Town Center just off E. 38th and Superior. Korean BBQ is a lot of fun with a bunch of people and I plan on having my dining out group here soon, but I wanted to report on my past couple of visits by myself.

I went here for supper before a recent vacation and ended up eating the leftovers on the road. There’s always a great variety of different banchan, which fill you up even before you get your entree. The banchan here weren’t as varied as the ones at Seoul Garden, but they were still delicious. I enjoyed sigeumchi namul (parboiled spinach dressed with sesame oil, garlic, and soy sauce), jap chae (stir fried glass noodles), sweet potato, ojingeochae muchim (dried squid), sukjunamul (marinated mung bean sprouts), rice cakes, boiled peanuts in a sauce, Kim chi, oi sobagi (cucumber kim chi), and miso soup. I enjoyed all of them, but my absolute favorite was the jap chae.

The Kim bob (pictured with the banchan) were a fun take on a Korean sushi roll. It was much sweeter than Japanese sushi rolls, but I enjoyed the flavor a lot. The pickled vegetables and meat were very good together.

I ordered Kalbi (marinated beef spare ribs) that came out of the kitchen grilled for me. At that point I was so full that I ended up taking most of them home with me. They were good cold and reheated.

I also enjoyed the barley tea they serve and ordered a glass of plum wine based on the server’s recommendation. The plum wine was very refreshing. The bill with tax and tip ran me $39.00. Not bad for all that food.

Some of the tables have a bell on them to ring for your server. This is a great little feature, and the Korean people do not think it is rude at all. I also really liked the metal chopsticks. They were definitely much fancier than anything you get at a Chinese restaurant. Most Korean chopsticks are metal. Unless you are there for lunch, then you get the wooden disposable chopsticks.

Lunch is a great deal here at Miega. You can order a lunch box featuring one of their six entrees and it comes with fried rice, jap chae, salad, two fried dumplings and the ever-present banchan. I ordered the bulgogi, which was nicely prepared, thinly shaved, with some nice vegetables, and in a light marinade. The fried rice was nice and warm, with fluffy chunks of scrambled egg and fresh vegetables. I loved the Gun Man Du (the Korean dumplings). They were crispy with some kind of meat filling. I would definitely order those again! I was extremely pleased with my lunch here and was not able to finish it completely. Although the web site specified that the lunch box was $10.95, they charged me $12.95, so do not rely on the website for recent prices. It was still cheap though; my bill was $13.99 ($17 with tip).

Contact info:

Miega Korean BBQ
3820 Superior Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44114
(216) 432-9200

#1 Pho

#1 Pho is open 365 days a year, which is comforting to know when I am craving pho and Superior Pho and Minh Ahn are closed. It is also helpful when you are craving pho on New Year’s Day, because they are sure to be open. I usually choose the other pho places because they serve bahn mi, and I am bahn mi’s bitch. Like seriously love it. Unfortunately #1 Pho does not serve bahn mi. They do, however, have lots of other tasty items on the menu.

The first time I went I ordered pho. I think it might have even been my first time trying pho. It’s good pho. The broth is a well-balanced bone broth with subtle flavors. They serve the usual meats – rare beef, meatballs, brisket, tendon, etc. The meat is always tender and melts in your mouth a bit. They serve lime here, which is a plus, in their side dish of add-ins (bean sprouts, Thai basil, lime, and jalapenos). I have also had the chicken pho (Pho Ga – pictured on the right), which is also good. It features a rich chicken broth and pulled chicken along with the rice noodles. The last time I was here it was very apparent that there are many regulars, who are greeted like old friends and were asked if they wanted their usual. I like that.

I have also tried their wonton noodle soup with roast pork (H5) and really enjoyed it. It has both egg noodles and wontons and thick strips of roast pork in a nice broth. I would definitely order it again if I was in the mood for a fun noodle soup. It was filled with all kinds of noodley and dumplingy goodness, and I loved the wontons, which were perfectly cooked.

The appetizers also have some good choices on the menu. The crispy spring rolls (A4) are filled with pork and mushrooms and served with a dipping sauce and some fresh vegetables. My niece, who is a serious shrimp addict, really loved the crispy shrimp (A3), which came with a sweet and sour dipping sauce and veggies. I am less impressed with the fresh spring rolls. The filling just tastes bland, and I need a lot of savory peanut dipping sauce to brighten it up. That said, the pork spring rolls (A8) with charbroiled pork, lettuce and bean sprouts are a bit more flavorful than the shrimp spring rolls. I learned how to make these in a Viking Vietnamese cooking class, and mine tend to be much more flavorful. Probably because mine include fresh mint leaves and a few things other than just lettuce and vermicelli.

They have a very nice selection of vegetarian choices, which makes life easy when you go out to eat with vegetarian friends like I do. The first time I went my boyfriend at the time, who was a vegetarian, he ordered the stir-fried clear noodles and really liked them.

I like their iced Vietnamese coffee and they serve a variety of bubble teas. I tried to get my nieces to try the bubble tea, but they were not as impressed with it as I was. It is apparently an acquired taste. They also serve a wide variety of juices and smoothies, including fresh orange, fresh coconut, jack fruit, mung bean and durian.

Contact info:

Number One Pho
3120 Superior Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44114
(216) 781-1176

Seti’s Polish Boys

Cleveland’s original food truck has been serving up Polish boys and grilled dogs since 2000. They have been at their current location, the parking lot of Dean Supply on the corner of E. 34th and Woodland Avenue, for the past nine years. Edit: Seti’s has moved to in front of the Thomas F. McCafferty Health Center, on Lorain Avenue near W. 42nd Street. They are parked there Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The truck is equipped with a grill, deep fryer, steam table, 3 prep tables, 2 refrigerators, 4 sinks with hot and cold running water, exhaust system, and serving window. They serve magic. Having been featured on the Food Network and lauded by folks like Michael Symon on The Best Thing I’ve Ever Ate, Rachel Ray and Andrew Zimmer of Bizarre Foods, I knew I had to try it.

The Polish Boy is Cleveland’s iconic sandwich. It features a slow-grilled and then fried jumbo style hot dog and is topped with cole slaw, french fries and BBQ sauce. Seti’s is known for having the best in town, and Food and Wine Magazine said their Polish Boy is one of the best dogs in the United States.

It was a total mess to eat, but it was worth it. I bit in and the hot dog had a great snap. The creaminess of the cole slaw, the perfect buttery french fries and the sweet BBQ sauce melded together to the perfect meal. I used every single one of the four napkins they gave me and then cleaned up with a wet wipe I had brought with me. Next time I’m bringing a new shirt to change into too.

They serve lunch Monday through Friday from 10 to 4. The service is fast and courteous, the price is right and the food is delicious. If you haven’t been there yet what are you waiting for? Just be sure to bring wet wipes.

setis_official — Seti’s various offerings – official photo by Seti on Yelp

Contact info:

Seti’s Polish Boys
E. 34th & Woodland Avenue
At Dean Supply
Cleveland, OH 44115
(216) 240-0745

Geraci’s Restaurant

Geraci’s is family-run restaurant with fresh Italian cooking from scratch. They have been in business since 1956, so they must be doing something right. It is also popular with John Carroll students, and they have a special section on the menu for them (billed as “late night dining” – although they are only open until 9 PM and 10 PM on Fridays and Saturdays). Geraci’s is known for its pizza, so much so that it was featured on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives.

The bread service features crusty and soft Italian bread with a dusting of sesame seeds on the crust and packets of soft butter. The House salad dressing is a good choice if you like red wine vinegar. It’s pretty overwhelming. You can order it with and without grated mozzarella on it.

The only thing I have ordered here that disappointed me was the spaghetti and meatballs. I thought the meatballs and sauce were pretty bland. I’ve learned not to order spaghetti and meatballs in Italian restaurants around here. However, they offer a lot more than spaghetti and meatballs. They are known for their Geraci’s sauce, which is a red sauce. You can also order spaghetti with fresh mushrooms, meat sauce or marinara and upgrade with a meatball or Italian sausage. They also offer gluten-free pasta and whole wheat pasta for an upcharge.

The spinach ravioli are absolutely fantastic. The ravioli are large and the sauce is a tomato cream sauce that really complements the cheese ravioli. It is a creamy delight. I didn’t even miss the meat.

Geraci’s also offer veal and chicken entrees. The Chicken a la Tosca was out of this world. I wasn’t expecting such a large portion. It came with three chicken cutlets dipped in egg batter and lightly fried and served over a bed of garlic spinach and diced tomatoes. The chicken was really moist and tender.

The heavenly smell as they were frying it permeated the restaurant (I was the only table left after their lunch rush), which made me really anticipate the meal. It was served with a side of spaghetti. I was able to upgrade it to the meat sauce for an extra dollar. I had been wanting spaghetti that day, but didn’t want a huge plate of it. This was perfect – and I was able to bring two of the three cutlets home for later.

Everyone raves about the pizza, however. I have friends who travel all the way from the far west side for a Geraci’s fix. Reading all the suggestions for the pepperoni pizza on Yelp I felt the need to order one even though I am not a huge pepperoni pizza fan. My friend who loves it suggested I get the large with extra pepperoni, because she feels it is their best one. It was okay, but it didn’t thrill me. The sauce is a little sweeter than most, and the crust is a little stiff (I prefer a little doughier, chewier crust). And it was more burned than I like. I’ll stick with the chicken and pasta here in the future.

Make sure you come with cash though. This is a true Italian restaurant. Cash or check only.

Italian wedding soup, zucchini fries, and spaghetti with Italian sausage

Contact info:

Geraci’s Restaurant
2266 Warrensville Center Road
University Heights, OH 44118
(216) 371-5643

Map of Thailand

I’ve been meaning to dine at Map of Thailand for over a year now. A lot of my friends really love it and feel it is the best Thai restaurant in Cleveland. I had a craving for Thai food one Friday night, so I decided to set off on the spur of the moment to Payne Avenue. I got there at around 7 PM. Several tables were occupied, but it wasn’t full and they were able to seat me quickly. It seems they do a fair amount of take-out business. The restaurant has 10-15 tables, but turnover is quick even during the lunch rush. They don’t serve alcohol, but allow you to bring your own with no corking fee. They have several nice non-alcoholic beverages that you can enjoy as well. I loved the White Sangria, and their various ice teas are also unique and thirst-quenching.

The service was extremely accommodating, making sure my water was always topped up and bringing the food out fairly quickly. When I made an absolute mess trying to put my leftovers in the to-go container the waiter quickly grabbed a towel to clean up the sauce that had poured all over the table. I also love the attention paid to small details like the straw wrapper being folded up like a flower.

I started off with the Golden Bags, which are billed as “Crisp tofu purses filled with shrimp, chicken, water chestnut, mushroom, and scallion, fried to golden perfection.” I have to say these were really nice. The filling was pretty light and not as dense as I expected. They were indeed fried to perfection; they just left a light sheen of oil on the doilie. They were so light and crispy! They came with a nice sweet chili dipping sauce. I was intending to eat half and bring half home, but they were just too good and I ate them all.

The photo of the Seafood Coconut Soup (Assorted seafood in coconut cream base soup, seasoned with spices, mushroom, lemon grass, galanga, cilantro and kaffir lime leaf) was the first thing to catch my eye and my interest on the Yelp page for Map of Thailand. It was my favorite thing about the meal. Creamy with just a light kick, I loved every single drop and tipped the bowl to fill my spoon with the remains. It came out piping hot and I actually burned part of my tongue on it, so be prepared to stir it until it cools enough to eat. The soup had two shrimp and two calamari rings as well as thinly sliced mushrooms. It was divine. I could see myself getting addicted to it really easily. It is the most expensive soup on the menu but worth every penny. I have also had the Tom Kha Kai soup, but I really recommend the seafood coconut soup. The Tom Kha Kai is good, but it isn’t as flavorful in my opinion.

I wasn’t sure what I was in the mood for, and the Lard Nar Noodles sounded appealing. It is packed with vegetables, which really appealed to me. It features wide rice noodles with chicken, shrimp, Chinese broccoli, carrot, broccoli, and cabbage in a special house gravy sauce. I just wish it had been a tiny bit spicier. The soup was billed as two-star spicy and was perfect, so I am going to stick with spicy here instead of my usual mild.

They do not serve alcohol but allow you to bring whatever with no corking fee, which is nice if you want to share a bottle of wine. It didn’t matter to me, because I ordered my usual Thai iced tea to cut some heat. The Thai lemon ice tea (see photo above) is one of the house specialties. It is indeed quite lemony, and I found it to be quite refreshing. That said, I highly recommend the Thai lime ice tea. It is fantastic. If you like lime you will love it. I found it paired really well with the pad thai.

My bill for the three courses came to $25.25, which I found to be extremely reasonable for a Friday night dinner. As I was waiting for my food, a gentleman at a table near me said it was “the best meal [he had] had in a really long time.” He was also pleased to hear that his friend’s meat-centric dish could be made vegetarian for him, which is good to know.

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I came during lunch on my second visit. Lunch portions are a little less, so my bill was even more reasonable at lunch ($18 including tip). I arrived shortly after 1:00 and only a couple tables were free. I ordered the Tom Kha Kai soup and Drunken Noodles. The Drunken Noodles were billed on the menu as two stars (meaning very spicy), but they were able to drop it down to one star for me. It had a nice little kick to it and my mouth was burning nicely by the time I left. I really like their method of flash frying the cabbage, green beans, carrots, red pepper, because the vegetables were crisp and fresh. The noodles were a reasonable size to eat and were nicely coated with the sauce.

On yet another visit, the pad thai was a little sweeter than I expected, but it was a nice pad thai. If you like it sweet you’ll love this. The portion size was fair, and it had a nice balance to it. Order the country pad thai for a little heat.

The Khao Soi Noodle is a Thai coconut curry noodle soup with chicken. The red curry sauce is well-executed and addictingly spicy. I didn’t like it as much as the seafood coconut soup, but it had a good flavor and nice depth. The crispy egg noodles on top were a good palate cleanser to balance the spice.

If you like Thai food I suggest you give this place a try. I’m addicted to the seafood coconut soup, so I will be back again very soon. They are open Monday through Saturday for lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and for dinner from 3-9:00 p.m. (9:30 on Saturday) and noon to 9 p.m. on Sunday (although their website says they are closed on Sundays – call first). I suggest checking out their website if you are curious about what the dishes look like. The site has a photo of every single item they serve (except the beverages), which is very impressive.

Contact info:

Map of Thailand
3710 Payne Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44114
(216) 361-2220

Night Market Cleveland

Night Market Cleveland is a summer event series that premiered in Asiatown June 26th and is held on the last Friday of every month through September. It was inspired by the Asian night markets, which originated in Asia as illegal “ghost markets” that bustled through the evening and vanished before daybreak. Night Market Cleveland is the brain child of Michael Fleming, Executive Director of St. Clair Superior Development Corporation. He got the idea when he was visiting Hong Kong. I wasn’t able to attend last month, but knew I wanted to check it out this month. I am so glad I did! I love Asian food and this embraced all different kinds of cuisines – from Nepalese to Japanese and everything in between! Organizers also invited outside fare not typically known for having an Asian influence, such as Pope’s Kitchen and Tremont’s Fahrenheit, with the caveat that they put an ethnic twist on their offerings.

They have found a great location for it – on Rockwell and E. 21st in front of Emperor’s Palace and the big parking lot across the street. Vendor booths line Rockwell as well as the parking lot and there are vendor booths and food trucks in the parking lot as well as a huge stage. Strings of lights, colorfully lit fake trees and glowing performers lend ambiance after dark. It runs from 5 PM to 11 PM. They bill it as a family-friendly and pet-friendly event. I saw lots of strollers and a dog on a leash, so they weren’t lying.

I was lucky enough to find a spot on E. 24th just off Rockwell. When I left at around 7:30 someone was thrilled to quickly take my place. Secure parking is available for $5 in the Plain Dealer lot. Off site parking is available at the Tower Press parking lot and Hot Cards parking lot located right off of Superior Road as well as on-street parking throughout the area.

The star is undoubtedly the food. Lots and lots of street food ranging from huge combos featuring five or six different things for $7 to 3 pieces of dim sum for $2 or $3 or several pot stickers for $2. The longest line was for Han Chinese Kabob and Grill. It stretched down past two other vendors on Rockwell and that was at 6 o’clock before the crowds came. I started off with some shu mei and ginger sesame noodles from Li Wah for $10. The shu mei were my favorite savory bite of the night. They were moist and plump. I also enjoyed the noodles. Some people were adding protein like chicken to them. I saved my appetite for later.

The one vendor I knew I absolutely wanted to try was SnowBros Shavery. They debuted their traditional Asian snow cones featuring cream, milk and fruit in June. The newcomers hope to open a storefront in AsiaTown in the coming year. There were four “snows” to choose from: milk, taro, coffee and green tea. I chose the green tea and ordered the mochi at their urging as well as strawberries and then topped it with condensed milk and splurged for an extra topping of mango whipped cream. It was so worth it! Other toppings included boba (tapioca bubbles), red bean, sweet and salty cereal crunch, raspberries, blueberries, kiwi and blackberries. Dulce de Leche was the third choice for drizzle.

My friend ordered the taro snow (with a fun purple tinge), mochi, red bean and dulce de leche. She also enjoyed hers. She just lamented that the shaved ice she orders on the West Coast is much more plentiful, but maybe the food truck was limiting their volume. I first learned about shaved ice from her, so I defer to her judgment.

We then walked around, sampling various things like a virgin strawberry daiquiri and pomegranate soda from Pope Catering (both were delicious, but the pomegranate soda made with his homemade grenadine was divine!) and fresh coconut milk from a young coconut that was lopped open in front of me ($4) and checking out the vendors’ wares, ranging from ceramics, jewelry, stuffed animals, those cats that wave at you, essential oils and soaps. They even had a bar serving draft beer and Asian-inspired cocktails run by Watershed Distillery. My friend was particularly fascinated watching a vendor named Love Triangle make fresh takoyaki and onigiri, two Japanese delicacies. Unfortunately they were running low on rice and tapped out pretty early on. Other vendors included Szechuan Cafe, Flavors of India, Emperor’s Palace, Koko Bakery, Asian Food Co., Asian Grill, Siam Cafe, Mitchell’s Ice Cream, Fahrenheit and Wok and Roll – just to name a few. Their website has a full list of all the vendors.

I grabbed a bahn mi ($5) from Pho Thang Cafe and a fried rice and egg roll combo ($4) from an unnamed street vendor to go for later. One organizer-related vendor also offered to-go food kits for $20 so you can make monthly traditional Asian recipe at home. This month it was pork lo mein. I ran into a couple more friends on the way out and stood a while chatting while they all nibbled on kabobs and pot stickers. I was glad I got there early because I got my pick of food, but I am tempted to come after dark next time to experience the magic of the true night market. It must have also gotten crazy tonight, because the Critical Mass Bike Ride was scheduled to end there. I remember being stuck in traffic in Lakewood and Gordon Square because of the ride last year. The next Night Market is on August 28th, and the last one for the season will be September 25th. Be sure to check it out!

Anatolia Cafe

I used to come to Anatolia Cafe for dinner even before I moved to Cleveland Heights. The food is fresh and can’t be beat. I have arranged some Meetups here in the past, and the staff is always accommodating with a large group. Now that I live in the neighborhood I just pop over here on a whim. The patio is great in the spring, summer, and fall.

I tend to order the apple tea when I am here. It isn’t as “appley” as the Turkish apple tea I am used to from Europe, but it is still quite refreshing. Their cocktails are also quite nice and very affordable during Happy Hour (Monday-Friday from 5-7 PM). The happy hour features half off select “small bites,” select $2.50-5.00 beers, $4 house wines, $5 select mixed drinks. Happy hour pricing is only good in the bar. I had the Sour Cherry Delight cocktail the last time I was here, and it was really good. It features tequila, sour cherry juice, and lime juice.

The wait staff greets every table with fresh, warm pita bread. It is delicious and pairs really well with several appetizers, such as the hummus, baba ganoush, lebni, and tabouli. I love the hummus here. It is really smooth and creamy. The Turkish feta cheese with olives is especially tantalizing and beautifully arranged. The red lentil soup is quite nice as well. If you can’t decide and are with several people, the appetizer platter offers a wide selection of choices and comes in two sizes.

I love several entrees here, but my heart belongs to the Chicken and Lamb Adanas. The meat is ground and mixed with red bell peppers, lightly seasoned with paprika, skewered and grilled as kebabs.

You can also order the kebabs with yogurt. They are then served over oregano-seasoned pita croutons sautéed in garlic butter, topped with a light tomato-butter sauce and a healthy dollop of fresh yogurt. This is comfort food at its best.

The döner is also quite good. It is a marinated mixture of lamb (95%) & beef (05%), cooked on a rotating spit, then thinly sliced. It is known as Döner in Turkey (and Germany – served on a thick pita as a sandwich), Shavarma in the Middle East, and Gyro in Greece. It is served here with rice.

The shish kebabs always make me feel like I am eating healthy – just meat and rice. The meat is always well-seasoned, and I’ve never had it overcooked. This place is very gluten-friendly.

If you can’t decide on an entree you can never go wrong ordering a combination platter. You choose two or more entrees (döner, lamb adana, chicken kebab, chicken adana, lamb shish kebab or filet mignon shish kebab), and it comes with white rice and red cabbage. The Mixed Grill features four of Anatolia’s most popular char-grilled meats (döner, filet mignon shish kebab, lamb adana, and chicken shish kebab) for $25.

I was in the mood for eggplant last time and ordered the Stuffed Eggplant. It features oven-roasted eggplant stuffed with ground lamb, chopped tomatoes, herbs and garlic. It was really delicious. It paired really well with the white rice and red cabbage.

Be sure to save room for dessert here. All of their desserts are delicious. If you want crispy, order the Baklava, Kunefe, or Kadayif. They are all made with phyllo dough. The Kadayif is shredded, mixed with walnuts, drizzled with honey syrup, and garnished with pistachios. The Kunefe is also shredded, but it is mixed with sweet white cheese and butter-honey syrup. It depends on what you are in the mood for. I am partial to the Kadayif myself. If you want soft, the Kazandibi is unique and delicious. It is not a soft. liquidy pudding as we are used to when we think of a milk pudding. Instead, it is slightly caramelized, rolled upside-down, and topped with a sprinkle of cinnamon. The Fırında Sütlaç is a rice-based dessert that features cinnamon as well.

Contact info:

Anatolia Cafe
2270 Lee Road
Cleveland Heights, OH 44118
(216) 321-4400