Category: Cheap eats

Cozumel

I’ve never been a huge fan of Mexican food, but I do enjoy Cozumel. The owners opened their first store in Broadview Heights back in 2001. I have gone to the one in Independence in the past, but was excited to hear that a  branch would be opening near me on Lee Road in Cleveland Heights. The location is the ninth location for the popular local restaurant chain. This location has a more modern vibe than the one in Independence. Some have said it seems sterile, but I like the clean, sleek vibe. And it’s nice to be able to see the menu clearly. Cozumel offers Mexican and Tex-Mex-style foods, with a wide assortment of appetizers, quesadillas, tacos, burritos, enchiladas, fajitas and combination platters.

They make their tortilla chips and salsa in-house. During my most recent visit one father was explaining to his kids how he used to make the tortilla chips and how they were made. It was fun. In any event, the chips were fresh and warm, and the salsa had a nice level of heat – but not too spicy. I was tempted to order guacamole, but knew I would probably regret it once the food came out. Maybe another time.

I have visited the location twice since it has opened, but my experiences with the chain span many years. In the past I have ordered combo platters. The menu here has a ton of combinations to choose from. One of my friends ordered the El Combo, and it was huge. It is a lot of food, featuring a chalupa, chile poblano, chicken enchilada, taco and rice. It was served on one plate, but the taco was delivered a bit later on a separate plate, which is why it isn’t in the photo here.

I had a bite of one of my friend’s carnitas from the Carnitas Dinner and was blown away by the flavor and succulence of the meat. The Carnitas Dinner feature slow-cooked Mexican-style pork with grilled onions that are served with rice, beans, guacamole salad and three flour tortillas. Again, it was a lot of food. My friend was thrilled that she was going to have an excellent lunch the next day as well.

As for me, I ordered a margarita flight and the Cozumel Burrito and a single Chile Poblano Relleno from the a la carte menu. A margarita flight features three flavors and can be either frozen or on the rocks. I obviously went with on the rocks. I chose the classic lime, guava and watermelon, and enjoyed all three. Other choices are raspberry, cucumber, mango, and strawberry.

The Chile Poblano Relleno was great and isn’t breaded and deep-fried like it is in some restaurants. I was expecting the usual whole poblano pepper stuffed with white Mexican cheese, topped with melted cheese and ranchero sauce. The waiter then asked me if I wanted chicken or steak, which surprised me because I was expecting just cheese. I asked for chicken and really enjoyed it. It was stuffed full and really tasty. I could have easily eaten that and some cerviche and been perfectly happy/sated.

The Cozumel Burrito was a featured special. I’m not sure if it is available at other locations or if it is only available for a limited time, but I definitely enjoyed it. It was a huge burrito stuffed with grilled chicken, chorizo, rice, and beans and topped with queso, chorizo, grilled shrimp and pineapple. I particularly loved the use of grilled shrimp and pineapple. It was both light and heavy, and I enjoyed it a lot. And again for lunch the next day.

I went back several days later because I had heard Cozumel’s fried ice cream is good in an online discussion about Chi-Chis. Others talked about the seafood enchiladas, so I went in there thinking I would get seafood and fried ice cream. When asked, the waitress said their enchiladas featured shrimp, so I ordered it. Frankly, this dish was rather boring. It was just shrimp wrapped in tortillas and smothered with queso. I did enjoy the Mexican rice, and the salad was a fresh addition. I could have done without the sour cream though. In any case, the seafood chimichanga looks more like what I was hoping for, so I plan to order that soon.

The fried ice cream was okay, but it wasn’t anything like Chi-Chi’s. The ice cream was firm and there were four toppings to choose from. I had been hoping to order the honey, but the waitress must have misunderstood me when I asked about the fried ice cream and said I needed a few minutes. She ended up having a chocolate version delivered to my table, which surprised me because I hadn’t thought I had ordered it. But I ate and enjoyed it.

What I truly enjoyed during that visit was the Red-Eye Margarita, which is duo of their homemade sangria swirled in a frozen lime margarita. My first sip gave me brain freeze, but I thoroughly enjoyed the drink throughout my meal.

I’m looking forward to eating there again soon. It may not be “authentic” (whatever that means), but it was tasty and plentiful. They did a nice job renovating the space too! The service is friendly and fast. I’m thrilled to have them in the neighborhood. With nine locations I’m sure you have one near you as well. There are locations in Broadview Heights, Brunswick, Independence, Lakewood, Parma, Richfield, Cleveland (W. 150th) and Westlake – and of course in Cleveland Heights.

Contact info:

Cozumel Cleveland Heights
(among others – click on the link above for the other locations)
2196 Lee Road
Cleveland Heights, OH 44119
(216) 331-6592

Levant Shawarma

20241115_140925Levant Shawarma, located in the Little Arabia neighborhood of Cleveland, offers a variety of Mediterranean dishes with a focus on shawarma.  It is easy to access, as it is right off I-90 using the W. 117th exit. The storefront is compact, and there is street parking as well as a public parking lot right next door across from the old Variety theater. When you walk in, you are warmly greeted by the staff, and you can easily place your order and choose what toppings you would like to add to your shawarma bowl in a fresh prep area behind a plexiglass guard. The quality of the food is outstanding. It does primarily take-out, but there are a few tables in the back if you want to eat in.

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20241115_140548I was introduced to this place by a friend who organized several of us to meet here for a nice lunch. We have tried several shawarma places in Cleveland, and this one is the best. We all got make your own bowls and split a container of hummus. We all loved it and took home leftovers to eat later. The Build your Own Bowls ($12.99)  are massive and are my personal favorite.

20240530_130438You start by choosing between rice pilaf, jasmine rice or mixed greens, then choose two spreads (traditional or spicy hummus, baba ghanoush, Levant baba or tabbouleh. You then pick your protein (beef, chicken or falafel) and up to 5 toppings (diced tomato, cucumber, chopped onion, pickles, turnip, banana peppers, jalapeno peppers, feta cheese, crispy cheese and crispy chickpeas). The final step is to add a sauce (including toum (a whipped garlic sauce), tahini sauce, Levant’s verde sauce or hot sauce).

20240530_125844I ordered a chicken shawarma bowl with rice pilaf topped with a selection of toppings such as hummus and baba ghanoush, onions, cucumber, “pickles” and pickled turnips and topped with garlic sauce). I loved every bite of it. It was creamy and delicious, and the chicken had a nice char and was toothsome with a nice crispiness to it in spots. I also had a bite of the beef shawarma bowl and was impressed with it as well.

20240530_130441Whatever you choose to order, I highly recommend getting garlic sauce. It’s divine. The garlic sauce is made by whipping eggs, garlic, salt, lemon and vegetable oil together, and is extremely flavorful.

The hummus is creamy and really nice and is served with a lot of pita bread. I can be picky about hummus, because I have a friend who makes the world’s best hummus. This is definitely up there with hers.

20241115_143206The shawarma wraps are quick and easy. The beef or chicken are shaved off the rotating spit into a pita and topped with pickled vegetables and the garlic sauce. You can ask them to hold the pickles, but I really feel they add something to the sandwich so unless you hate pickled vegetables give them a try. The chicken shawarma wrap was a nice choice for a light appetite, but I will definitely stick with the bowls. You can also order the shawarma wrap with fries as a “shawarma meal” in which the sandwich is cut into bite-sized pieces and served with well-seasoned fries, garlic sauce, hot sauce and pickles. It’s definitely esthetically pleasing.

20241115_145206I also ordered the spinach pies, which are 4 for $9.99. I had gotten the order to go, and the 20-minute drive home did not detract from them. They were still warm, even if a little condensation had formed on the container. That said, the dough was still chewy and fluffy, and the spinach filling was flavorful. I would definitely get them again, because I am a huge fan of spinach, and these pies are tasty.

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Contact info:

Levant Shawarma
11804 Lorain Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44111
(216) 331-7223

Vienna Distributing

Founded in 1950, Vienna Distributing Company of Ohio is a family-owned and operated deli serving Northern Ohio. When I moved to Cleveland Heights 14 years ago I would drive by when driving down Carnegie to the highway and thought it was a printing company for the longest time. I eventually learned that it was THE place to buy corned beef. Vienna Distributing makes the corned beef that supplies all the best restaurants serving corned beef in Cleveland. The line can be long, but it is absolutely bonkers on the day before St. Patrick’s Day. The parking lots is full and people even park across the street.

It was a bare-bones deli and catering company for the longest time, but recently it is actually advertising with banners (I made a comment once on social media that I thought it was a printing company – coincidence?). It has also expanded what it sells. They have added coolers, a wall of chips, a wider variety of mustards, ketchups, and condiments, and a pick-up counter with hot dogs and the like.

There is no seating. It is purely a take-out place. Be prepared to wait because they are always busy, but trust me its worth it!! The wait during the lunch hour can be quite extensive. I usually go there on “off” hours – like 4 PM on a Thursday. It’s open from 9 am-6 pm Monday through Friday and 9 am-4 pm on Saturday, and it’s closed on Sundays.

I learned many of those “in the know” would stop by to buy Reuben fixings and make fresh Reubens in the parking lot during their lunch hour. So I used to stop in and buy Swiss cheese and corned beef (sliced hot) from the counter, a loaf of seeded rye bread, a jar of sauerkraut, mustard, and Thousand Island dressing. Most corned beef is too fatty for me, but Vienna’s corned beef is nice and lean, which I appreciate.

It also used to sell cheesecake on a stick, which I got a huge kick out of. Think a slice of cheesecake covered in chocolate on a stick. You can check out the PDF menu of available items here. You can order ahead and pick up at the counter on the right – or get it delivered through DoorDash or UberEats.

I stopped there recently because I was hosting a fire pit get-together where we roasted hot dogs and s’mores over the fire. They also sell Five Star real casing hot dogs as well as various packed hot dogs and kielbasa. They used to be in the middle cooler at the counter, but now they are stored in a cooler when you are in line. I stocked up on a 2 lb. package of (16?) natural casing hot dogs and 8 cheddar franks.

Contact info:

Vienna Distributing
8110 Carnegie Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44103

(216) 361-4500

Cavotta’s Garden Center

Cleveland in the summer absolutely rocks. Cavotta’s is a great place to enjoy it. I almost don’t want to write this post and keep this place a secret!

Cavotta’s is a locally owned family business established in 1930 located on Nottingham Road in South Collinwood just north of Euclid Avenue. I used to drive past it all the time when I headed to Euclid to visit my friend. Cavotta’s has been selling annuals, perennials, produce and everything decorative for your garden – as well as and more than 150 varieties of tomato – for more than 80 years. In the spring and summer, Cavotta’s is a garden center selling soil, flowers, plants and garden statues and decorations. They sell pumpkins in the fall and Christmas trees and decor and chocolate goodies in the winter. But the reason I am writing about it on a food blog is because of the secret back garden. Think speakeasy meets garden center. With chickens and goats. The goats are very entertaining!

One of my friends invited me to join her and a couple of friends at Cavotta’s last summer. She knew some of the guys in the band who were playing that night. Parking is tight, with a larger lot to the north of the garden center, but I’ve always been able to park across the street. Walk through the garden center entrance into the backyard and be amazed. The space is beautiful, and they have live music on the weekends (highly recommend). The band plays near the entrance under the shelter and tables with umbrellas line the patio and garden. You must be 21 years old to enter during bar hours (Friday from 4-8 and Saturday and Sunday from 12-6).

They have your basic wines and beers and some picnic style food featuring luscious tomatoes and fresh herbs. You can go to the little drink hut (photo from Yelp until I can go back and include one I’ve taken) or sit on one of the tables on the patio and get waited on. You can also sit throughout the garden on benches and chairs sprinkled throughout. The people and the atmosphere is great. Everyone, from the staff to the patrons, is chill and easygoing. You can settle your bill at the hut. They take credit cards and of course cash.

The first time I was there I ordered the caprese skewers. I am a sucker for tomatoes, mozzarella, and fresh basil drizzled with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. These skewers did not disappoint. They were literally bursting with flavor (and the cherry tomatoes burst in my mouth). I enjoyed a Leinenkugel shandy and several cans of ginger ale. We were celebrating one of my friend’s birthdays, so one of my friends had ordered a cannoli cake from Mama Catena’s. Even though the website says no pets or outside food or drink, the servers were extremely accommodating and didn’t blink an eye at the cake. We gave them some leftover cake, and they were thrilled.

I was there recently and ordered a margherita pizza (which is a common go to pizza for me). The pizza was simple and delicious. The dough had a nice chew, and it was topped with a refreshing red sauce, fresh tomato slices, fresh basil, and slices of fresh mozzarella and drizzled with a balsamic glaze. It was damn good and just like I make at home (minus the drizzle even though I can do it if I think about it). I ate half there and took the rest home to reheat the next day for lunch.

They have several pizzas to choose from (white pizza, margherita, sausage or pepperoni and even a Nutella dessert pizza with berries) – as well as an antipasta plate, a summer salad and a caprese salad, an Italian wrap (with salami, capicola and pepperoni as well as roasted red peppers and provolone), and a BLT wrap. Two of my friends split a bottle of the house red wine and filled my glass after I finished my glass of wine. It was really good.

It’s a nice place to sit back, have a cold beverage and some tasty tomato-forward food and enjoy a live band. The bar patio is open from late spring to early fall (this year until October 13th – check the schedule in the link below). And I hear the clambake in September is always a treat and sells out in July. Maybe I’ll be organized and manage to buy a ticket next year…

Contact info:

Cavotta’s Garden Center
19603 Nottingham Road
Cleveland, OH 44110
440) 897-1497

Ha Ahn Korean Restaurant

Ha Ahn is a small, family-run Korean restaurant in the same AsiaTown strip mall as Superior Pho. They serve homestyle Korean dishes as well as sushi. Just like with Superior Pho, I highly recommend parking in the parking lot behind the strip mall and entering through the entrance in the back. There are only a few parking spots available on Superior. The easiest way to access it is to pull onto E. 31st Street from Superior (No. 1 Pho is on the other side of E. 31st and Superior), but you can also access it from E. 30th. Just remember that E. 31st is a one-way street.

Hot barley tea is available upon request. It is served in a brass kettle. The barley tea has a unique nutty flavor and slightly sweet taste. The barley is roasted and brewed and has great health benefits and is beneficial for your skin.

Each meal starts with a half-dozen complimentary banchan (traditional Korean small plates) such as house-made kimchi, fermented bean sprouts, a fermented cucumber salad, and fermented fish cakes. The banchan are always fun and varied. You can order more for another $4.

It is one of the few Korean restaurants in Cleveland that serve what they call “Mool Nangmyun” (Mul Naengmyun or 물냉면) which is an icy cold noodle soup made with buckwheat noodles. My friend K. loves it and we went there to fulfill her craving. She gave me a taste, and I really enjoyed it. It was tasty. Cold soup isn’t usually my thing, but I can see enjoying this on a hot summer day.

I have ordered either the Dolsot Bibimbap (served in a hot stone bowl) or sushi when I have eaten there. It’s a fun place for a quick meal before a show at PlayhouseSquare. Bibimbap features marinated beef, assorted vegetables, and gochujang sauce piled atop a bed of rice. Dolsot bibimbap comes out in the hot stone bowl with all of the fillings piled in sections and topped with a fried egg. The idea is to stir it all together and enjoy the crispy cooked rice that forms along the walls and bottom of the hot stone bowl.

Korean Kimbap (seaweed rolls) have a sweeter nutty flavor that is distinctly Korean, so I was nervous when I ordered sushi here the first time. I had no reason to be nervous. The sushi here tastes just like sushi at a Japanese restaurant. The rice used in many Korean dishes is a short grain sweet rice, which is the “stickiest” variety of rice consumed in Korea. The glycemic index of this rice is very high. The different flavor also obviously comes from the fillings in the seaweed roll. Kimbap uses marinated beef bulgogi and assorted vegetables. They are very tasty and among my favorite items here.

The Japanese sushi rolls here listed in the Sushi section of the menu are the standard fish and fillings you can find at other sushi restaurants. The quality is always fresh, and the rolls are tight. I have ordered both nigiri and large rolls here and have been very pleased every time.

Ha Ahn is open every day but Sunday for lunch from 11 to 2:30 and then for dinner from 4:30 to 8. It’s open from 11 to 8 on Saturday. I try to go at off-hours to ensure I can get a seat/table. It’s really small and only has about 8 tables. There are benches in the hallway where you can sit and wait for a table.

Contact info:

Ha Ahn Korean Restaurant
3030 Superior Avenue E
Cleveland, OH 44114
(216) 664-1152

Chelo’s Kitchen

Chelo’s Kitchen is a family-owned traditional American breakfast and lunch diner that also serves authentic Latin cuisine (Chelo is from Uruguay). It is located in the strip mall at the corner of Mayfield and South Green Roads. It is open until 2:00 pm everyday but Monday and then from 2:30 to 7 pm Wednesday and Friday nights, where they serve several specials. You need to order the specials through their Facebook page or by email (Cheloskitchencle(AT)gmail.com) in order to ensure they are available at the time you specify, because the specials are limited and can quickly sell out. They do A LOT of take-out, so you need to specify the time and whether it is for dine-in or take-out. The food is made from scratch, the service is attentive, and the family atmosphere permeates the place. The servers recognize me as a regular now and remember whether I like cream and sugar with my coffee or sugar and Sweet and Low with my iced tea.

There is plenty of parking in the lots behind the strip mall, and there is a rear entrance. You can also enter from the front, but it is easier to enter from the back because the hallway funnels to the cash register/host seating area and dining room. The kitchen is at the front of the restaurant and the dishwashing area is at the rear. The bathrooms are in the very rear where you enter but before a second door.

The menu is simple and straight-forward, and they are very accommodating to special requests. On my last visit a guy a few tables over ordered an eggs benedict and subbed white toast for the English muffin, changed the meat and asked for hollandaise on the side. The server laughingly told him it wasn’t eggs benedict anymore but a breakfast sandwich, but happily took his order.

Chelo’s wife Sarah runs the dining room and is a whirling dervish, taking orders, clearing tables, running food and cashing customers out. You can use a credit card, but if you intend to add a tip you need to tell them as you hand them your receipt so they can run it. There is a sign on the plexiglass, but it is easy to overlook so be forewarned. She also makes the amazing desserts. More on them below.

I had been meaning to check them out for a while (I had eaten here when it was Kalie’s), but a post on All Things Food in Cleveland advertising their tuna melt at the start of the Lent season prompted me to check it out. Their tuna melt is in my opinion the best in Cleveland (with Old Brooklyn Cheese Company’s tuna melt a close second). It features grilled onions and American and Swiss cheese. The tuna is briefly grilled on the flat top, and the rye bread is perfectly grilled as well. You can sub out the bread, but rye on a tuna melt is my favorite. I ordered the New England clam chowder, which was the soup of the day during Lent. It was creamy and delicious with nice chunks of clams and potato.

My friend K. had also seen the post and called me, and we decided to check them out on the following Friday. It’s a funny story. She had been thinking/obsessing about the tuna melt all week and was stunned to see a patty melt placed in front of her and insisted she had ordered a tuna melt. I promptly informed her that she had indeed ordered a patty melt. I think the fact that they talked about onion rings as her side (Chelo made them specially for her because they weren’t available that day) threw off her thinking. I gave her a quarter of my tuna melt and got a quarter of her patty melt in exchange. I love a good patty melt and usually order it as one of the first things I try at a new place. It was an excellent patty melt, perfectly grilled and the burger cooked to her specification (which honestly should have clued her in, but again… she was thinking of the onion rings).

I came back here several Friday evenings to try some of the delicious looking specials (they post the specials a day or two ahead of time on their Facebook page). The fish special features cod and is not just served during Lent. It is available every Friday night, and you can order it fried or baked. It comes with two sides. It’s a lot of food for $13.99.

The first special I tried was a half slab of ribs. It came with a grilled half ear of corn and one side. The ribs were perfectly and easily separated from the bone. To be honest, it has triggered a craving for ribs in me. I ate half and took the other half home for the next day. I of course devoured the small ear of corn, which I thoroughly enjoyed.

I then decided to share my find with some friends and started organizing a Friday night dinner, to be followed by frozen drinks at DaqFac. The next Friday most of them couldn’t make it, but I came here with a friend. I preordered the prime rib special, which she enjoyed, and ordered one of the fish fries for myself. My friend is allergic to potatoes, so she was somewhat limited in her choice of sides. She ordered the steamed vegetables and cole slaw, which she enjoyed. She was surprised that it only cost $19.99 because it was a lot of food and cooked nicely.

My fish fry came with two large pieces of fried fish and two sides. I chose the mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables and enjoyed it a lot. That said, the table next to us ordered a baked fish special and rice, and it looked delicious as well. I’ll definitely order rice the next time I have a choice of sides. The half I took home reheated nicely in my air fryer (fish) and microwave (mashed potatoes and veggies) the next day.

I also tried the beef and ham and cheese empanadas. They were nicely fried and not greasy at all. The filling was plentiful. The beef empanadas are stuffed with ground beef, peppers, onion, hard-boiled egg, cheese, and Spanish olives, while the ham and cheese empanadas have diced ham and American cheese. They are good and filling.

The soups are also homemade. The beef and barley soup had huge slices of beef in it, and the creamy chicken and gnocchi was chock-full of fluffy gnocchi and hunks of chicken.

We finally got together for dinner the next Friday at 5:30. They tend to get busiest at 6 and do a lot of takeout. Two of my friends ordered the fish fries, one ordered the surf and turf (6 oz strip steak & blackened shrimp – served medium rare as specified), and one ordered a club sandwich off the menu. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed their meals. I ordered the tuna melt because it was on special (unadvertised) and a club sandwich to go because I had intended to order one that night.

The club sandwich was really good. It is properly cut in quarters and secured by toothpicks. It is so fresh that the filling can easily slide out from the bread, so be sure to keep those toothpicks in and nibble around them. I learned to slather my club sandwich with thousand island dressing when I worked at Bakers Square a million years ago and always order a side of dressing. No need here! They slather the club with the thousand island dressing inside the sandwich, and it is quite generous and adds to the tastiness.

We went for drinks afterwards at DaqFac (short for Daquiri Factory), which serves delicious and potent frozen drinks and opens at 4 pm. We enjoyed our beverages on the patio along Mayfield. Yes it was a little loud, but the weather was great and the beverages were tasty. I had the Hennessy colada and my friends enjoyed their drinks as well. They use fresh juice and lots of alcohol. It was a quick walk just across South Green next to the CVS, so keep that in mind!

Chelo’s also makes some great breakfasts. I am not a morning person, so the likelihood of me making it there early is pretty low. That said, I wanted to try their breakfasts. Being located across from Eat at Joe’s makes it a good alternative if Eat at Joe’s is packed. The breakfasts are just as good and affordable. I ordered a skillet the first time I ate breakfast here. I was tempted to get the Chelo Skillet, which is a bed of home fries topped with peppers, onions, sausage links, two eggs and mixed cheese and drizzled with a spicy mayo and scallions, but had a craving for sausage gravy that day. So I ordered the Southern Skillet instead. It also features home fries topped with peppers and onions, but it also contains mushrooms and is topped with a two egg omelet with your choice of meat, cheddar cheese and sausage gravy. Because there are a lot of older customers I highly recommend using salt and pepper to season your food to your taste. It was pretty bland without the added salt and pepper. But if you are on a low-salt diet you’ll be okay.

I smelled the pancakes when I was there (a kid ordered one the next table over and they had a strawberry shortcake pancake on special that first morning), so I ordered a pancake combo and added blueberries on my next visit. The combo comes with eggs and your choice of meat. I went with scrambled and bacon. Again, add salt and pepper to the eggs. The bacon was nicely cooked but a little softer and chewier than I prefer. If you also prefer bacon crispy, be sure to order them cooked crispy. The pancakes were a delight, fluffy and delicious, and I was glad I ordered the blueberries, which were plentiful (I flipped the pancake over to show the added blueberries).

Also worth mentioning is that they have little containers of flavored creamer if you ask for it.

I promised to talk about the desserts. I had heard good things about the tiramisu and got one to go on one visit. It did not disappoint! It was great. My friend ordered the Alfajor for dessert, which is a South American cookie that is somewhat like shortbread with a dulce de leche filling and rimmed with coconut. I had kept seeing it on the Facebook page, but am usually too full to order dessert. She gave me a bite of her cookie, and it was absolutely divine. It was moister than I expected and the combination of dulce de leche and coconut was great. I can’t wait to try the Chaja, which is a vanilla cake with layers of Dulce de Leche, meringue, whipped cream, and peaches and looks absolutely divine. I’m keeping an eye out for it.

Contact info:

Chelo’s Kitchen
4446 Mayfield Road
Cleveland, OH 44121
Cheloskitchencle@gmail.com
(216) 382-4490

Scotti’s Italian Eatery

After being in business for over twenty years, Scotti’s Italian Eatery has gone through a lot of rough times recently and has come out on the other side. In July of 2019, the owner was ready to call it quits due to the road work that closed the I-90 exit at East 185th Street. His loyal customers rallied around him, and he changed his mind and decided to stay open. Then Covid hit, and he pivoted to takeout only. The restaurant then had to suffer through the lengthy Water Pollution Control project that tore up the street and then the Streetscape Improvement Project. I am happy to say that the endless construction is finally over and business is starting to pick back up, but it wasn’t easy.

Scotti’s is cash only, which doesn’t help bring in customers since most people have stopped carrying cash. But that is also the reason that prices stay low. He also rolls with the punches and offers added bonuses like a Tesla charging station and “affordable Pet Shots” at the location. But, most importantly, the food continues to be made from scratch and is top-notch and affordable. And now that the weather is getting nicer it will be patio season, and Scotti’s has a great back patio.

The restaurant itself features a long bar, an open kitchen and a comfortable dining room with tables and booths with tables that are not bolted into the floor.

I started frequenting Scotti’s during the pandemic. Since then I have only dined here by myself in the middle of the day (so I haven’t been able to order an appetizer like the much-loved and intriguing stuffed hot peppers), but service has always been great. You are greeted warmly and told to take a seat. I was even greeted by a back of staff worker (the cook?) in addition to the server on my most recent visit. Each meal is accompanied by a house salad with tomato, cucumber, olives, walnuts and shaved cheese (get the house dressing!) as well as a basket of soft, warm, house-baked herb focaccia with a dipping sauce of herbed balsamic vinegar and olive oil. You can also just order butter to enjoy the flavor of the bread without the overpowering vinegar and oil. The bread is soft and delicious and worth the trip alone! 

Doug Trattner reports that Scotti recommends the veal dishes, but for me the star of the show here are the calzones. The dough is light and crisp, and I love the combinations. A dish/cup of warm marinara for dipping is served on the side. My absolute favorite is the Bocconcini, which features fresh mozzarella, plum tomatoes, spinach, provolone and the house dressing. The Caprese is similar to the Bocconcini (with fresh mozzarella, tomato, fresh basil and provolone cheese) but also includes proscuitto. I found it to be very salty from the proscuitto, but if you love proscuitto you’ll love it. The Florentine intrigues me, because it contains scrambled egg and cheddar cheese in addition to spinach, tomato and provolone. But I just adore the gooey fresh mozzarella and provolone combo so much in the calzone.

The pizzas are hearty and use all fresh ingredients. The Classic Deluxe features pepperoni, sausage, black olives, fresh mushrooms, green and red pepper, onion and anchovies. I recently ordered a small pizza with sausage, mushroom and green pepper to go and enjoyed it reheated in my air fryer. The green pepper was very fresh and a little overpowering, but the sausage and mushroom was perfect.

I am definitely a creature of habit. I had a photo of the lasagna as carryout during the pandemic and unwittingly ordered the lasagna again on a more recent visit. The lasagna is really good – gooey, flavorful and filling. It layers meat sauce and ricotta and provolone cheese in between fresh pasta sheets and tops it with more sauce and some parmesan.

I was in the mood for something different the other day and ordered the Scallop Fettucine Dinner with a sundried-tomato, basil and alfredo sauce. The large sea scallops are sauteed in garlic and olive oil and set atop a bed of perfectly cooked fettucine coated in the delectable sauce. It was delicious.

Scotti’s is open during the week from 11:30 to 9 pm and 4 to 9 on Saturdays. If you follow the restaurant on Facebook, Scotti often posts that he is there on a Sunday or for special events like the Super Bowl or Christmas Eve making pizza and other food, and you can tell he really loves and remembers his customers.

If you’ve been paying attention at all, I literally live at the top of the hill to Little Italy. I prefer to drive to Scotti’s on E. 185th in North Collinwood or Mama Catena’s in Euclid for a more authentic and better experience. Do yourself a favor and give them a try!

Contact info:

Scotti’s Italian Eatery


Dim sum at Li Wah

As most of my long-time readers know, one of my favorite meals is going out for dim sum with friends. Li Wah has been one of my favorite places because it has the dim sum served from carts. Dim sum (otherwise referred to as Yum Cha) is considered to be brunch in the Far East. Dim sum is usually served for breakfast and lunch (10am – 3pm at Li Wah). The baked, fried, or steamed goods usually come with 3 or 4 pieces to an order. Dishes are expected to be shared. Asians consider the concept of ”that plate is yours  and this plate is mine” as impolite. Sharing is essential to developing a better relationship with your friends and family.  Dim sum carts roll past every table throughout the restaurant, and guests can pick from different dim sum items as the carts roll by. You generally just point at what you want and/or nod if you recognize the name of the item. Shumai are always a good place to start – or the black bean spare ribs.

Tea is considered to be an essential part of the dim sum experience. The Cha in Yum Cha stands for tea. Tea is automatically served when you are seated, and you are expected to serve your dining companions before serving yourself. Li Wah carries 6 different blends of  tea. The tea charge varies from .80 cents per person to 1.00 per person  depending upon tea selection. I like the basic oolong they serve, but you can also order jasmine tea or chrysanthemum tea (which are made with actual chrysanthemum blossoms. When your tea pot is  empty or needs to be refreshed, simply leave the teapot lid open. They also serve beer, wine, various cocktails, sodas, lemonade with popping pearls, milk tea, bubble tea and smoothies. But if you are splitting the bill in the end it might be a good idea to order them separately.

My favorite dim sum items at Li Wah are primarily dumplings as well as the steamed buns with Peking duck, the shrimp, Har Gow and tofu skin rolls. Chinese people have been raised on a diet of predominately pork, poultry (duck and chicken), and seafood. Many Asians are  lactose intolerant due to the lack of cows in the  region. Roast duck, Peking duck, and roast pig are  wonderful meats to try, but they tend to be expensive additions. Likewise, the Chinese vegetables such as Chinese broccoli (Gai Lan), bok choy, pea pod leaves (dao mu), or Bittermelon (Foo Gaw) can be expensive additions as well and take longer to make so order them early if you want some greens with your dumplings. I can also recommend the cucumber salad.

The weekends tend to be the busiest, and they tend to roll out some of the better items later in the day like the mussels or salt baked prawns. The more adventurous eaters might want to try the chicken feet or the tripe or jellyfish, but I tend to order the less adventurous things when I am dining out with friends who are new to dim sum. It helps that I am not the biggest fan either.

If you have a larger group it is a good idea to make sure you get a table with a rotating glass lazy susan. It’s a good idea to have one of the more experienced diners be in charge of ordering and in charge of the bill, because otherwise chaos ensues. As the items are set on the table, the server will mark it on your bill depending on the price of the item.

Most dim sum are served as three or four to a plate. It’s also good to order enough so each person either gets their own bite-sized item or cut the item in half with a chopstick or fork. Knives are considered bad energy, a cutting force, in feng shui. It is not proper to eat a Chinese meal with a knife and fork. If you can’t handle chopsticks, use a spoon and a fork. Li Wah can also give you children’s chopsticks, which are held together with a rubber band. The Chinese don’t cut food on the table – although we have been brazen in the past and asked for a knife. If you want something like the turnip cakes cut up into smaller servings the server will be happy to do so for you. But using a knife to cut up the dim sum really is frowned upon.

The desserts are sweeter dim sum as shown above. It’s a good idea to order one or two items like the mango pudding, egg tarts or my favorite egg custard bun for a sweet ending. Even the sesame balls (the round balls coated with sesame seeds in the center of the photo on the right) can be considered sweeter because the red bean paste filling is sweeter than some of the savory items.

Once everyone is full (which is easy to do) you ask one of the servers to total up your bill and then you divide it by however many diners were at the table. It is best to make sure everyone has enough cash to cover themselves and then just hand the cash to the server. Too many credit cards can throw the server off their game. I have an app that calculates the tip (Li Wah is now tacking on an automatic gratuity of 18% though, so be sure to doublecheck whether the tip is already included) and divides the total by the number of diners. Most of the time we end up paying $20-25 a person (unless a roast meat or vegetable dish has been ordered, then it is more like $30). Unfortunately the price per item has risen in the last few years, and the quality has become hit or miss. Nevertheless, it’s still a fun experience that everyone should have at least once, and it’s a great way to share a meal with friends.

Contact info:

Li Wah
2999 Payne Avenue, Suite 102
Cleveland, OH 44114
(216) 696-6556

Mama Maria’s Ukrainian Kitchen

One of the first Ukrainian-owned businesses in Parma, a Cleveland suburb that’s been home to Ukrainian immigrants for the better part of a century, Mama Maria’s has been a local staple for about half that time. It serves excellent and authentic Eastern European food. It was run by Mama Maria until her son George took it over. George also State Meats next door. State Meats is my favorite place to buy Ukrainian delicacies like fresh and smoked kielbasa (try the double-smoked – wow), frozen pierogi, German potato salad (oil-based with bacon) and Russian salad (Olyvie, which resembles a potato salad, with the addition of other cooked vegetables like peas and carrots and meat.). You can obviously get that here too, but the pierogi are freshly made and hot. Mama Maria’s is known for its homemade jumbo pierogi, cabbage rolls, pelmeni (smaller Russian pierogi with a meat filling), German schnitzel, chenaky (stewed pork, potatoes, and carrots), and savory borscht (beet soup with pork and vegetables). They make authentic Ukrainian food that you cannot really find anywhere else.

I absolutely adore their kielbasa sandwich on a soft bun. The kielbasa is fresh and steamed to perfection. It is perfectly seasoned with just the right amount of garlic. You can get it with or without sauerkraut. I’ve been known just to stop and get a kielbasa sandwich when I get a craving for it. It always makes me think of my Ukrainian grandmother, who always served fresh kielbasa on Easter. And she lived in the area, so it probably came from State Meats – just like Mama Maria’s does. We now serve fresh kielbasa at Easter and Thanksgiving in her memory.

I met several girlfriends here for a quick dinner before an event at the public library on Snow Road. They loved their meals, which ranged from the schnitzel with a pierogi to stuffed cabbage and pierogi. The schnitzel was perfectly fried. It doesn’t seem to be hand-pounded like I am used to in Austria and Germany. They tend to be huge and hang over the plate, but this was a very serviceable option. The stuffed cabbage was also tasty and the pierogi were little pillows of potatoey heaven.

It’s a really small space with not a lot of seating. Our table was tight and had to be moved to accommodate us. They do most of their business as carryout. It is open from 9:30 am to 6 pm every day but Sunday. Mama Maria’s doesn’t even have a website and its Yelp listing is sparse. It’s definitely a Cleveland secret that shouldn’t be.

Contact info:

Mama Marie’s Ukrainian Kitchen
5342 State Road
Cleveland, OH 44134
(216) 661-2225</p

Fish Fryday #7: Good Shepherd Shrimp Fry

I ate at Chelo’s again for lunch today and you’ve already seen the photos (their amazing tuna melt with grilled onions and Swiss and American cheese and clam chowder), so I’m just writing about tonight’s dinner.

I have heard about the shrimp fry at Church of the Good Shepherd in Lyndhurst for several years, and I finally got a chance to give them a try tonight. The Good Shepherd Shrimp Fry is special. Unlike most church fish fries, the Church of the Good Shepherd serves fried shrimp or mac n cheese and only holds it once a year on the last Friday before Good Friday, which is coincidentally traditionally the last fish fry of the season (unless you are orthodox). St. Ann’s near me also holds their fish fry tonight, but I decided I wanted to have some fried shrimp. Tonight’s shrimp fry (March 22, 2024) was from 5-7.

I’ve been to the Church of the Good Shepherd once over ten years ago for their blessing of the pets service. They used to hold it in the parking lot, but now they hold it at the South Euclid Dog Park on Monticello and South Belvoir. The church is set back from the road on Cedar near Legacy Village. It was not crowded, and I was able to get a good spot close to the church when I arrived shortly after 5:30.

As I was driving there tonight I tried to stop at the ATM, but it was out of service. I figured I could use my debit card there, but they don’t accept cards. They only accept cash, check, Cash App or something called Tithely. Dinners can also be preordered here. The pastor opened the door and greeted me, and also tried to help me scan the QR code and then walked me through downloading and using the Cash App app. Once I had it downloaded on my phone and my debit card entered I was able to easily pay my $15 for my shrimp dinner and headed on into the church hall. I was able to watch them frying the shrimp in the courtyard as I entered.

I was greeted warmly by everyone and also as I left later on. I had decided to get the dinner in a to-go box but sit down and enjoy the atmosphere for a bit. I gave the lady at the serving station my ticket and was told to take a seat. There was a table offering canned soda and homemade baked goods for $1 and $2 respectively. Coffee and water were free at yet another table. I purchased a couple of cans of soda for $1 each and sat down, only to be told to go up to the serving area to get my dinner because the shrimp was finished. I got them straight from the fryer as they refilled the serving tray. It doesn’t get any fresher than that! There was some confusion, because they told me to go back up there but they usually bring the dinners to the diners at the tables.

I grabbed some (real!) silverware, got my dinner, and grabbed a couple small containers of cocktail sauce (although they have squeeze bottles full of cocktail sauce available). The shrimp dinners come with eight pieces of shrimp, a generous ladleful of smashed potatoes (and the melted butter was glistening on the top of the serving pan), a generous scoop of cole slaw and a slice of Brownberry bread and wrapped pats of butter and, if you want, a small hunk of lemon.

I sat down and was joined by a friendly gentleman who explained the history of the shrimp fry. He explained that the first year they did it they had almost 100 diners and the line was wrapped around the sanctuary because they hadn’t worked out all the kinks (they could only fry 30 shrimp at a time and had to wait for the oil to come back up to temperature for the next batch). Someone started playing Beatles tunes on the piano and someone else ran home to get a propane burner. Now they use a propane burner to fry the shrimp and things go much smoother. He also told me about the church and about the trees and wildlife behind the church.

We had a nice chat as we tucked into our dinners. I was still full from lunch, so I ate three of the eight shrimp and a couple forkfuls of potatoes and cole slaw. The shrimp were delicately fried and absolutely perfect. I also really enjoyed the smashed potatoes. They were creamy and buttery. The cole slaw was on the bland side. I had to doctor it with salt and pepper and may add a couple of dashes of vinegar to it tomorrow when I eat the rest of my meal for lunch. Bob enjoyed a side of mac n cheese with his shrimp. Another parishioner who joined us also had the mac n cheese as part of her $15 side dishes meal (mac n cheese, smashed potatoes, cole slaw and bread), so it seems like those in the know get the mac n cheese as a side. The kid’s meal is $8 and features mac n cheese, smashed potatoes, cole slaw and bread).

I was on autopilot as I left and realized as I was almost home that I had forgotten to sign the petition against gerrymandering in the church lobby. I had toyed with the idea of grabbing a fish fry dinner to go at St. Ann’s, but it was getting late and I would have gotten there close to 7 when they closed. So I decided the petition was more important and turned my car around and drove back. I have been meaning to sign it for the last month, so I was super pleased that they had a table at the event. I might try to do both St. Ann’s and Good Shepherd next year (St. Ann’s starts at 4:30). Keep them in mind on the last Friday before Good Friday next year!

Contact info:

Church of the Good Shepherd
23599 Cedar Road
Lyndhurst, OH 44122
(216) 382-7770
info@gsepiscopal.org