Cheap eats – Page 15 – Cleveland Rocks, Cleveland Eats

Bowl of Pho in Woodmere

If you are in Woodmere or Beachwood and are craving some decent Vietnamese food, Bowl of Phở is a good choice. It is located in the strip mall where Corky & Lenny’s is, but it is tucked all the way around the corner on the side street off Chagrin. It is a family-run restaurant that opened in 2011. This review is based one two separate visits. I left pleased with the food both times. It isn’t Superior Phở, but it is a good choice for the suburbs.

I met a friend for lunch there the first time. I started with a hot Vietnamese coffee (Café Sữa Nóng), which gave me a strong jolt of caffeine (and to be honest the shakes). The coffee here is not for the faint-hearted. Vietnamese coffee preparation is unusual in that it consists of hot water and a small metal pot. It looks like a hat and sits on the top of a coffee cup. Inside is a chamber for coffee and room for hot water. It is very basic and simple.

The preparation of the hot coffee was a bit awkward, because I didn’t have anywhere to put the metal coffee filter when the water was finished percolating. I ended up balancing it on the coffee saucer with the cup, which was just super awkward and frankly messier than I wanted. A saucer for the filter would be a nice touch. My second visit I went with the iced coffee (Café Sữa Đá), which at least gave me somewhere to stow the filter (back on top of the brewed coffee, but it still dripped on the table a bit).

On my first visit I ordered my usual – a Phở Tái and a banh mi. The phở was a pretty decent phở. The accompanying add-ins included bean sprouts, Thai basil, jalapenos, and lime quarters (!). It contained a lot of noodles and some beef eye round. It wasn’t packed with meat, but it had a lot of noodles and filled me up nicely. The broth was flavorful. I enjoyed it.

The banh mi featured a warm baguette topped with thinly sliced pickled carrots, daikon radish, cucumbers, cilantro, chili peppers, pâté, mayonnaise, grilled pork, ham, and head cheese. I don’t remember it wowing me like the one at Saigon Grille or even Superior Pho. I think it is because of the bread. It was a little firmer and denser than I prefer, but the fillings were really good. It was a decent banh mi for the price.

On my second visit I was in the mood for something light after my 90 minute massage across the street at Massage Envy. I ordered a Bún Tôm, Thịt Nướng, & Chả Giò, which features grilled shrimp, your choice of meat (beef, chicken or pork), and a spring roll with vermicelli. I had ordered something like this before at Minh Ahn and didn’t really have a fond memory of it because I found it too dry. This one blew me away. I loved it. The house lime dressing for the rice noodles, bean sprouts, mint, ground peanuts, and shredded salad and cucumber was delicious. I chose the grilled pork and really enjoyed the flavor. The grilled shrimp and pork were a nice complement to the underlying “salad.” The egg roll was perfectly fried and nice and crispy.

I also ordered the Gỏi Đu Đủ (papaya salad) thinking it would be a smaller salad than it was. It features fresh julienne papaya tossed with basil leaves and crushed peanuts. It comes with your choice of steamed shrimp or pork, but I went with the vegetarian version and got some nicely prepared tofu that soaked up the house lime sauce quite nicely. I was not expecting it to be as big as it was. I was thinking it would be a nice side salad to complement my Bún Tôm. It would have been really nice to share with someone. I ended up taking it home and having to eat it later that night, because I don’t think it would stand up overnight.

In short, I think you can’t go wrong with this restaurant. If you are looking for a restaurant that uses fresh ingredients and blends them together well you are in the right spot. The place is clean, the service is attentive, and it is a bright and cheerful place to eat a meal. They are open from 11 am-9 pm during the week (until 8 pm on Sunday and 10 pm on Friday & Saturday) and are closed on Tuesdays. They also offer take-out for local business people on lunch breaks. Oh, and they have free WiFi.

Contact info:

Bowl of Pho
27339 Chagrin Blvd
Woodmere, Ohio
216-831-1730

Closed on Tuesdays

Bruno’s Ristorante

Bruno’s is kind of a hidden gem in Cleveland. It bills itself as “the best kept secret in Cleveland.” Reservations are highly recommended, since the dining room only has 10 or 11 tables. Bruno DiSiena was the executive chef at the Cleveland Browns training facility in Berea before the team moved out of town. It’s famous for its lasagna, but any pasta with red sauce is a good choice here. The food and service is good, and the portion sizes are over the top. Count on taking your meal home and eating it for several days.

Located on the near West Side, the security guard outside made me a bit nervous about the area, but there is nothing to worry about. I parked on the street each time I have been here, but the business across the street allows Bruno’s patrons to park there as well. The guard ensures no one gets their cars broken into.

On my most recent visit I sat on the patio in the back because the dining room was booked for a private party. I actually preferred it, because it was perfect patio weather – not too hot with a nice breeze. My server greeted me and told me the bread was in the oven. He brought me my ice tea and took my order. He brought out a basket of warm bread and a garlic-herb butter. The bread was delicious, and you could tell it was fresh out of the oven. My entree came with a soup or salad. I ordered the house salad and a cup of the wedding soup extra.

The salad was really well dressed and came with a little Farfalle noodle to dress up the plate and add a touch of whimsy. I liked it. The vegetables were fresh and the cucumbers were crisp.

The wedding soup was delicious. Lots of fresh spinach and parmesan cheese. I also really liked the addition of the tiny pasta. I would definitely order it again.

As for my entree, I should know better than order spaghetti and meatballs at an Italian restaurant. I am never happy with the meatballs. This was the case here. The meatballs were too bland and there were only two. Next time I’ll order the bolognese or mushroom sauce. The pasta itself was really good. Cooked perfectly al dente and a nice carrier for the tasty red sauce.

My entree on my first visit was the Vitello Milanese Caprese. The veal cutlet was perfectly fried and topped with fresh tomatoes, mozzarella cheese and a balsamic glaze. I enjoyed every single bite – both in the restaurant and later at home.

The lasagna is luscious and creamy and hits the spot. It has just the right ratio of sauce to cheese, and lasagna fans will go home with a big portion to enjoy the next day too. If you are not sure what to order you won’t go wrong ordering the lasagna here.

My friends and I tend to order desserts and share them. We shared the tiramisu and the dreamsicle cake (which is probably similar to the Limoncello Cake being offered now). The tiramisu was delicious, but the clear winner of the evening was the dreamsicle cake. Three layers of moist pound cake with a big splash of orange filling and whipped cream – it was delicious and light with just the right amount of richness.

Fragapane’s Bakery & Deli

When I want the best potato salad in Cleveland I drive to Fragapane’s Bakery & Deli on Lorain Road in North Olmsted. The location in Bay Village is their flagship store. The family bakery, which began in 1971 when brothers Nick and John Fragapane opened their doors in Bay Village. They also used to have a storefront in Olmsted Falls, but it closed. This family-owned bakery and deli is a West Side staple. Every birthday and graduation party I attended growing up had a big bowl of Fragapane potato salad. Their paczki sell out on Fat Tuesday and are ordered weeks in advance (they make them one day a year).

I drive from Cleveland Heights to buy a pound or two of potato salad. In fact, this is the ONLY place we will buy potato salad or I make my own, using my mother’s recipe of half sour cream/half mayo. IMAG0982 Fragapane’s potato salad features slivers of carrot, onion and celery, and is a mayo-based potato salad. It’s not too sweet and is very smooth. It is simply delicious and very addictive. I have learned that if I need this for an event I need to call and order it ahead of time to ensure they have set some aside for me. I have driven over several times only to be disappointed that they have sold out.

Their deli subs and sandwiches are amazing. They come with one meat or three-meat combos for $8.99 with a choice of mayo, mustard, horseradish, lettuce, tomato, onion, and your choice of cheese. The subs are made with Boars Head meats, which are all natural and one of the best lunch meats out there. These suckers are stuffed full. My favorite is the Fragabomb (to the right), which features ham, turkey and spicy capicola and provolone cheese. The photo at the bottom is half of a roast beef sub with Swiss cheese as well as a healthy portion of potato salad and a smaller portion of the pasta salad at the top of the plate.

I also buy the mayo-based pasta salad, but (word of warning) it is a very sweet pasta salad. It is made with mini shell pasta and also contains carrots, onion and celery. I usually toss in a can of tuna and some frozen peas and make a light summer pasta salad with it. Others swear by the pizza slices, smokies, tuna salad, crab salad, antipasti salad, etc. They feature a daily IMAG0984 lunch special that sells out quickly. This place is very popular with local workers.

I don’t necessarily go there for their baked goods, so I can’t really say anything about them. I had a custard-filled doughnut there once. It was jammed with custard and very heavy to lift. Unfortunately it also seemed a little undercooked. The eclairs there are always favorites for dessert trays. I’ve seen mixed reviews online. I did, however, pick up a couple cans of fire-roasted diced tomatoes and tomato sauce to make some unstuffed cabbage rolls tonight. They have several small rows of Italian staples like pasta, pickled vegetables, olives, etc. It saved me a trip to the grocery store!

The staff there is always friendly and helpful. One time when they were out of potato salad the woman waiting on me called the Bay Village store to see if they had any left. Unfortunately they did not, but I appreciated that she made an effort to find out for me.

Contact info:

Fragapane Bakery & Deli
28625 Lorain Road
North Olmsted, OH
(440) 779-6050

Fragapane Bakery & Deli
626 Dover Center Road
Bay Village, OH 44140
(440) 871-6340

Malley’s Chocolates & Ice Cream Parlors

Most Clevelanders know about Malley’s Chocolates. Malley’s Chocolates is a Cleveland-based chain of 23 chocolate and candy stores that was founded in 1935. Their chocolate covered treats are the stuff of legends. Chocolate covered strawberries, grapes, raspberries, tortilla chips, bacon, etc. are treats on holidays. The chocolate covered Oreos, pretzels, potato chips (a personal addiction), almonds, etc. are available throughout the year. I am such a hardcore fan of Malley’s chocolate covered strawberries that a few years ago I drove out in a blizzard on Valentine’s IMAG0977 Day to buy some and crashed my car on the retaining wall going back up my driveway. That was the most expensive Valentine’s Day ever.

Four of the chocolate and candy stores include ice cream parlors year-round (Bay Village, Lakewood, North Olmsted, and Mentor). The store at Aurora Farms Premium Outlets does not offer seating and only serves ice cream in the summer months. The one in North Olmsted features a slow-moving carousel (see photo to the right), and the flagship store in Lakewood has an Alice in Wonderland theme (see photo to the left). I haven’t been to the Bay or Mentor stores, so I can’t tell you anything about them. IMAG0967

If you go to one of the stores with seating, it is usually “seat yourself.” They greet you with a glass of water and a bowl of pretzels. I taught my nieces to use the pretzels to scoop up vanilla ice cream for a salty and sweet treat. Others love scraping up the leftover hot fudge sauce with the pretzels. Yum. There are over fifty ice cream concoctions to choose from. Whether it’s an ice cream soda, shake or malt, banana split or their trademark Hot Fudge Sundae, Malley’s has a rich, creamy, cold treat for everyone’s taste. The ice cream is pretty basic with solid flavor choices. This is not a hipster hangout. There are no organic ingredients, and I don’t know how locally sourced it is (although I’ve heard rumors that the ice creams come from Pierre’s). However, the sundaes are inventive and, best of all, very affordable. We’re talking a couple bucks for a sundae, and the serving sizes are generous. Kid’s sundaes are around $3-4, and more complex ones are $4-6. I don’t know a kid growing up who hasn’t ever had a Puppy Love, Malley Clown or Mickey Malley sundae. They are just tons of fun for kids.

IMAG0969 Their most popular sundae is their signature Malley’s Hot Fudge Sundae. It is really good if you add Spanish peanuts to it – sweet and salty together is just a great combination. If you buy a fundraiser chocolate bar from a local school kid or the public library there is usually a buy one get one free coupon on the back for the hot fudge sundaes.

Growing up, a trip to Malley’s in North Olmsted was a huge treat. It later became a great date night location. One’s tastes tend to be formed in childhood, and my two favorites are the Coconut Royale (vanilla ice cream, hot fudge sauce, coconut shavings and whipped cream) and the Pink Elephant (peppermint stick ice cream, Spanish peanuts, hot fudge, and whipped cream).

A sundae will run you between $3.50 and $5.50. If you are with a bunch of people and are feeling adventurous try the Ultimate Sundae. It comes with (to quote one Yelp reviewer) “10 scoops of ice cream, 4 different toppings, 4 types of nuts, and a crap ton of sprinkles and cherries.” IMAG0665

With its pastel walls, gaudy mirrors, vintage ice cream bowls and paper doilies, Malley’s reflects an old-fashioned ice cream parlor from way back when. The simple charms of Malley’s draw local Clevelanders, young and old, for life. This is the kind of place parents bring their kids and then those kids bring their kids and so on… I for one hope it never changes.

Mitchell’s Ice Cream

It’s July. It’s hot. We all scream for ice cream. I couldn’t talk about Piccadilly and not talk about our other awesome local creamery – Mitchell’s. I was recently at a blogging event that was held at Mitchell’s new headquarters on W. 25th. The place is really impressive and a great use of the old Moda building. We gathered in the meeting room on the second floor, which overlooks the production floor. It was very impressive watching them make the ice cream. You can see them making the ice cream when you order, but you really get an impressive view from the second floor.

Mike Mitchell spoke to us about the quality ingredients they use, explaining they use as many organic and locally sourced ingredients as possible. It’s even Certified Kosher! They handcraft the ice creams in small batches, using local grass-fed dairy and fresh seasonal ingredients. He explained he wouldn’t want his family to eat all kinds of pesticides and additives, so he doesn’t want to do that to his customers. That is the kind of thinking I can get behind!

IMAG0850 Mike and his brother Pete founded the business in 1999. As they explain on their website, “As far back as we can remember, ice cream has been a constant source of happiness to our family. And Cleveland has always been our home. So in 1999 we made crafting top-notch ice creams and serving them to the Cleveland community our IMAG0857 life’s work. Today we are as passionate as ever about making our ice creams as delicious and wholesome as they can be, and to being at least a small part of the reason Clevelanders love to call this place home.” Mike is the ice cream chef and Pete is the “taster-in-chief and operations guy.” Now that I have met Mike (I met Pete several years ago when I lived in Solon) I can honestly say that both are just genuinely nice guys. I don’t know about you, but I want to support family-run, locally-operated businesses with friendly and passionate owners as much as possible. Mike even took a moment several times to fist bump one of the toddlers in our little group.

Clevelanders are passionate about their ice cream and their favorite ice cream flavors. He told us they try not to take too many flavors off the menu because they get lots of backlash. I have been eating Mitchell’s for years now IMAG0862 and have several personal favorites, like the Fresh Mint Chocolate Chunk, Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup, Caramel Sea Salt, and Banana Cream Pie. Another friend swears by their Strawberry. Yet another adores the Butter Pecan. And don’t forget their seasonal flavors, frozen yogurt or sorbets. The Mango sorbet is amazing. When I am going hard-core non-dairy I get the Mango or Raspberry sorbets. They also offer two vegan options made with a coconut milk base. Whatever your favorite, you can’t go wrong.

They brought up several flavors for us to try. The Strawberry Jalapeno had a nice kick to it and the Toasted Hazelnut had quite a few fans, but my absolute favorite, which is NOT on the menu at the moment, was the Amaretto-Brown Butter. Yum!

I saved room for my favorite Mitchell’s splurge after the event – the Buckeye Sundae. Made with Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk ice cream and topped with hot fudge, chocolate shavings, fresh whipped cream and a Bordeaux cherry, it’s a little bit of heaven here in Cleveland, Ohio.

And don’t forget to bring a pint home to splurge! You can also find pints in the freezer at local grocery stores.

Contact info:

Mitchell’s Ice Cream
Shops located in Avon, Beachwood, Downtown Cleveland (W. 25th), Rocky River, Solon, Strongsville, Westlake, and Uptown at University Circle.

Piccadilly Artisan Creamery on Euclid Avenue

Update: Piccadilly Artisan Creamery has moved next door to the Coquette Patisserie storefront. The Piccadilly Artisan Yogurt shop on Coventry has closed.

Cleveland has a new ice cream shop, and I have a new favorite place to cool down. I met some friends for drinks at the Katz Club Bar Car on Saturday night. We were in the mood for some boozy shakes, but were told they didn’t serve them in the bar car. Now having a taste for ice cream, we brainstormed where we could go. I suggested Piccadilly Yogurt on Coventry, but another friend suggested the new Piccadilly Artisan Creamery on Euclid. It opened in early June. It’s located right next to Coquette Patisserie, which will be featured soon.

This place is so cool! They make the ice cream and yogurt using KitchenAid mixers and liquid nitrogen. The liquid nitrogen immediately freezes the ice cream slurry, not allowing ice crystals to form. The result is flavorful, creamy ice cream. I was impressed that each flavor had its own designated KitchenAid mixer attachment on the wall.

They bill themselves as being “farm-to-cone.” All of the ingredients are organic. They use Ohio grass-fed Amish cows for the highest quality organic milk and cream with no antibiotics or growth hormones. And none of the mix-ins have preservatives or artificial coloring or flavoring either.

They suggest you try one of the Favorites listed on the wall your first time out. I tried the Sailee, which features frozen yogurt, raspberries and chocolate chips. It was really delicious, creamy with just enough raspberries and chocolate to make it decadent.

Then I had bites of my friends’ choices. Wow! They have the Polly – a caramel sea salt and pecan ice cream that will rock your world. We were all in agreement that another friend’s coffee ice cream was undoubtedly the best coffee ice cream any of us have ever tasted. Another friend ordered the Kristina, which features strawberry balsamic ice cream, Nutella and fresh whipped cream. Divine. They even offer vegan choices.

The Fresh Mint Leaf Chip tastes like actual, honest-to-god mint leaves and not the artificial mint flavoring of most mint ice creams. They add mini-chocolate chips into the base. With a drizzle of fudge it is refreshing and delicious.

My all-time favorite here is the caramelized banana. It is refreshing and great with either chocolate or caramel drizzle.

This place is worth the drive no matter where you live. As one of my friends said, it is “stupid good.” You get a show and delicious ice cream for one affordable price.

Contact info:

Piccadilly Artisan Creamery
11607 Euclid Avenue, Suite B (at the corner of Euclid and E. 115th)
Cleveland, OH 44106
(216) 563-1992

Villa y Zapata

Villa y Zapata is probably my favorite Mexican restaurant in Cleveland. It’s good for omnivores, vegetarians, and vegans alike, and is extremely affordable. The restaurant is in a pretty sketchy neighborhood and looks like a dive from the outside, but the food inside is really delicious. It is solid Mexican food – fresh, tasty and good-sized portions.

The restaurants is open 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Friday, 4 p.m.-11 p.m. Saturday, and closed on Sunday. Park in their parking lot if you can. It is off the side street off Madison. Enter through the rear of the building off the parking lot.

Be forewarned that they only allow one check for groups larger than 6, so if you are dining with a chilerelleno group encourage your fellow diners to bring cash!

Once you are seated, as in every other Mexican restaurant on the planet, you are immediately given a bowl of chips and salsa. The salsa is spicy and very flavorful.

Be sure to order a margarita or a 1/2 or full pitcher if you’re feeling feisty. They come in House, Golden or Strawberry. The house margarita is bright green and quite delicious. The black raspberry margarita is only available by the glass. They also serve a nice variety of Mexican beer ranging from the ubiquitous Corona and Dos Equis to the lesser known and probably more delicious Bohemia, Negro Modelo, and Modelo especial.

My father’s favorite Mexican food hands down is chili rellenos, so of course I had to order them as my main course on my first visit. The meal came with 2 large chile rellenos, rice and re-fried beans. This was a solid chile rellenos — cheese stuffed poblano peppers in a tomato-based sauce. I loved the rice and refried beans – and look at the char on the peppers. fajita My father would love it.

Another go-to entree for me is the fajitas. I was in the mood for steak, so I ordered the steak fajitas on my next visit. The steak came out sizzling on the cast iron plate – as it should be along with sauteed green pepper, onion and tomato. I liked that they used tomato in the fajitas as well. It really made it quite tasty. The fajitas come with a second plate containing rice, refried beans, guacamole and pico de gallo as well as tortillas so that you can dress the tacos as you see fit. Perfect! tingapoblano

One of the entrees recommended to us by the server was the Tinga Poblano, shredded chicken cooked with chipotle, tomato, potato, onion and sour cream. It was not something I would have ordered without the recommendation, but I was glad we did. It was really good.

You can also order a la carte items and combine them to make Small (2) and Large (3) Combos. The combos are served with rice and refried beans. It allows diners to order exactly what they are in the mood for. I like that option. combo I’m not sure what my fellow diner chose here, but it is beautifully plated so I wanted to include it. It looks like a taco and a beef enchilada.

The fried ice cream and sopapilla are perfect for sharing. The fried ice cream is served on a cinnamon sugar toasted tortilla shell. The sopapilla are little fried cinnamon sugar tortillas with whipped cream. Both are a sweet and delicious way to end your meal.

Contact info:

Villa y Zapata
8505 Madison Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44102
(216) 961-4369

Minh Ahn

I have been on an Asian kick recently. One of the best Vietnamese restaurants in Cleveland, in my opinion, is Minh Ahn. It is located on Detroit Road just on the outskirts of Gordon Square in what is called “Little Saigon.” It looks like a hole in the wall in the middle of what suburbanites might feel is fairly sketchy neighborhood. It is actually fairly safe, and they have an enclosed parking lot that sees a fair amount of traffic.

Minh Anh is a family-run restaurant that has been in business since 1984. Everything is very fresh, because there is a Vietnamese market on the other side of the parking lot. They don’t concentrate on aesthe IMAG0767 tics. The Muzak is horrendous, the place is fairly bare and dated with a fish tank, wood walls and plastic tablecloths under glass, and the website is pretty outdated. However, the place is very clean, and the food is delicious!

The pho is the best in town in my humble opinion. I LOVE their cinnamon beef pho. The broth is rich and full of flavor, and the burst of cinnamon really brings it to the next level, surpassing the other pho joints in town. The noodles are always cooked perfectly, with a decent amount of meats. I chose the #22 (Phở tái Chin with well done and rare beef & beef balls) this time around. I can take or leave the beef balls, but love the thinly sliced beef. Limes are getting expensive, so the condiments they serve are jalapenos, bean sprouts, and a slice of lemon. If you prefer lime I suggest you bring your own with you. The Thai basil already comes in the broth (and a generous serving at that), and you can clearly see in the photo that the leaves were fresh and not wilted. springroll My waitress asked why I wasn’t using the chili paste/oil (I am not a fan of spicy), but she showed me how to doctor it up by mixing it with the hoisin sauce and chili sauce in the bottles on the table. About one third of each sauce mixed together in the bowl to taste, and it is not at all spicy and just delicious! I greedily added it to my pho. I ordered a small pho and two egg rolls, and it was the perfect meal.

The egg rolls and spring rolls here are also always a delight. This time around I was so hungry that I dug into the egg rolls without taking a picture. They came out of the oven piping hot. In fact, I burned my tongue on them a bit. I cut them up to let them cool down deluxepadthai a bit, and the pork, cabbage and carrot filling was dense and flavorful while paired with the crispy, flaky wrapper. The fresh Shrimp Spring Roll (#9 – Gỏi Cuốn) is served with a side of peanut sauce for dipping. The roll is always fresh and tasty, and peanut dipping sauce is thick, creamy and delicious!

One of my other favorites here is the Deluxe Pad Thai (#99a). First of all, it is a beautiful, vibrant color (look at the vibrant red cabbage in the photo!) and chock full of everything that makes Pad Thai delicious – fresh rice noodles, shrimp, pork & chicken, bean sprouts and peanuts – and pickled red cabbage.

The Egg Rolls with Vermicelli (#50 – Bún Chả giò) is wonderful. It features a huge bowl of noodles, egg rolls, pickled carrots and cabbage, cucumber, bean sprouts, onions, spicy ground peanuts and tiny fried onions. Next time I am ordering the grilled pork (#53 – Bún thịt nướng) – and order egg rolls on the side to enjoy the best of both worlds.

Minh Ahn is a dependable, affordable, and friendly place to eat. I’ve been here by myself numerous times as well as one time with a fairly large group of dining out enthusiasts, and not a single person complained about their meal. We all shared, and although we had a variety of dis chickenszechuan hes ranging from Bun dishes, Vegetarian Szechuan (pictured), Scallop Hibachi, Vietnamese Stir Fried Noodles, and numerous curry dishes the hands down favorite was the cinnamon beef pho! If you want some flavorful Vietnamese cuisine you won’t go wrong here! Just be sure to wear a shirt that you can clean. I left after my most recent visit wearing quite a bit of pho broth!

Contact info:

Minh Ahn
5428 Detroit Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44102
(216) 961-9671

Aladdin’s Eatery

I have been a fan of Aladdin’s, a local Cleveland chain, for years now. Headquartered in Lakewood, the company also has locations in Indiana, Virginia, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1994.

I first started eating there when I lived on the West Side (their Berea location), and now enjoy the local eateries on the East Side (Cleveland Heights as well as Hudson). The food is solid and affordable, and the restaurant is very vegetarian-friendly. I am confident when I claim that Aladdin’s has the best hummus in Cleveland. Hands down. I am also extremely partial to their dawali (grape leaves stuffed with rice, chick peas, tomato, and parsley). The falafel also rocks. The vegetarian combo appetizer is a nice easy meal or easy to share. It features hummus, tabouli, baba, falafel, and dawali.

My sister first turned me onto their V-9 soup, which is amazing. It features 9 different vegetables, including potatoes, carrots, onions, tomatoes, peas, zucchini, peppers, and celery (the ninth veggie might be squash, but I can’t remember off the top of my head). In any case, it is divine, and when I first tried it I was not a fan of vegetables. One taste and I was hooked and ordered my own bowl. It is a great low calorie soup that warms the soul. Just look at the glisten on the broth and the fresh parsley floating on top. Yum. You can also add chicken to it for a heartier meal.

The Flavor Savor Special offers a little bit of everything. It features grilled chicken mishwi and beef kafta on a bed of seasoned white rice with vermicelli, served with mixed greens, hummus and falafel. The beef kafta has a zesty flavor to it, while the chicken mishwi is scrumptious. The falafel was moist and delicious. Most of the time falafel is overcooked and dry. Not here. And I could eat a ton of their rice and vermicelli. Aladdin’s is known for their hot sauce. I ordered it without, but unfortunately my waiter served it to me anyway and I thought it was salad dressing. Yeah, it isn’t salad dressing, so I wasn’t able to enjoy my salad on my last visit.

I also have a special place in my heart for their rolled pitas. Aladdin’s is known for its pita bread. Most everything is served with warm pita on the side. The rolled pitas are a nice pairing with the V-9 soup. I love the chicken shawarma rolled pita (I was eating it before The Avengers made chicken shawarma cool!), but recently tried the tuna steak rolled pita and fell in love. It features char-grilled tuna steak, greens, onion turnips, pickles, and curry spice topped with Aladdin’s garlic sauce (I quickly became addicted to this sauce!). The tuna was perfectly cooked and paired well with the turnips and pickles, which gave it a nice flavor over and above the curry-garlic sauce. I cut it in half here to show off the filling and to make it a little more manageable to eat.

Aladdin’s is also known for their baked goods. The baklava is delicious, as are their carrot cake and Chocolate Bomb cake. They currently have a triple chocolate mousse cake that looks pretty amazing. All of their baked goods are made by Jasmine’s Bakery, which was established in 1997 to provide baked goods for Aladdin’s. I’m assuming it is a wink to the 1992 Disney classic, Aladdin, which makes me smile.

It is also a good place to meet friends if you are juicing. Their fresh juices and smoothies are delicious.

Contact info:

Aladdin’s (search for one of their 30 locations)

Frederick’s Wine & Dine

Frederick’s Wine & Dine was recently named one of the Top 100 Restaurants in Cleveland by Cleveland Plain Dealer’s Friday magazine, so some friends and I wanted to check it out. We dined there on a Tuesday night. It is located near Thistledown at the corner of Emery and Northfield Roads. It is located in a run-down strip mall, but don’t let that scare you off. The inside is cavernous, and I can see how live music would liven things up.

The food was good (although some of my fellow diners were less enthused about their meals – the southern fried chicken and the southern fried pork chops), but the service was abysmally slow. They might have just had an off night, but if you expect good service from a restaurant (especially when there are only a couple occupied tables) you might want to go elsewhere. From the bartender behind the bar when we were the only four people sitting there (apart from one lone woman down a few seats from us) to the overwhelmed waitress who had problems taking our order in the first place (running around helping the three or four other tables that were seated in the restaurant) and remembering things we ordered (even forgetting to bring one latecomer’s salad until after her entree was served), the service was just lacking. But if you go to a restaurant for the food and not the service you might be okay.

Once we finally got some bread it was delicious – a loaf of herb bread served piping hot with lots of soft butter. We really enjoyed the bread.

The salad was fresh but nothing special – lettuce with a couple cucumber slices, croutons and shaved carrot and red cabbage. The dressing, which came in a cup on the side, was slopped over the side.

I ordered the grouper dinner and chose to get it grilled. It was well seasoned with a slight Cajun kick to it. The fish was also moist and perfectly flaky. I also enjoyed the garlic mashed potatoes (with a Cajun seasoning sprinkled on top) and the cole slaw. I tried a bite of my friend’s fried grouper, and it was also delicious.

There weren’t a lot of desserts to choose from, and they were out of a couple of them. The chocolate confusion one wasn’t available, so I ordered the Apple Betty, which was a nice Brown Betty made from apples and sweetened bread crumbs. It was a sweet ending to my meal that I enjoyed a couple bites of and then took home and had for breakfast the next day. I forgot to take a picture.

I’ve tried it. I honestly don’t think I’ll be going back any time soon and neither will my other five dining companions. We just weren’t wowed by the place. I honestly don’t know how it got in the Top 100 or was voted an OpenTable Diners’ Choice. Then again, we might have just had a really bad waitress and come on an off night. If you like grouper or Cajun food you should give it a visit.

Contact info:

Fredrick’s Wine & Dine
22005 Emery Road
Warrensville Heights, Ohio 44128
(216) 581-5299