Cleveland favs – Page 10 – Cleveland Rocks, Cleveland Eats

Gigi’s on Fairmount

Gigi’s on Fairmount opened in December 2013 and has been such a hit that it has already expanded and opened Gigi’s After Dark. That said, it is still tiny, although the patio in the summer helps somewhat. It only seats about 45 people. It is located in the same little shopping strip as On The Rise Bakery. It used to be a flower shop, and the owners put a lot of time and money into installing a kitchen and making the dining area appealing. The decor is cozy and intimate with crystal chandeliers and small tables, and it reminds me of a little French bistro. The food is fresh and unique, and the waitstaff is friendly and welcoming. They also have one of the best bartenders in Cleveland, although I have only come here during the day for lunch because it tends to get crowded at night. I’m thrilled that they are so successful.

On my first visit I ordered a soup and a panini. The soup of the day was a potato chowder that was out of this world delicious. It was creamy with nice chunks of potato and perfectly seasoned. It warmed me up and made me hungry for more. I seem to be drawn to the same thing, because the second time I went I almost ordered the exact same sandwich. I ordered the turkey panini with brie, apples, and fig chutney. The turkey is house brined and roasted and was really succulent. It paired really well with the brie, apples, and fig chutney and was a taste explosion. The panini was not under or overcooked, and the brie was sufficiently melted to mix with everything else. I loved it.

During my second visit I decided to order their signature bruschetta board. After going back and forth I finally decided on the brie and apple compote, smoked salmon and boursin with capers, trout pate with radish and crumbled egg, and the mushroom and caramelized onions. I loved all four, but my absolute favorites were the smoked salmon and the mushroom bruschetta. I also love the idea of the trout pate, but it was more chunks of trout than smooth, creamy pate. You don’t see many places serving trout. The bread was not toasted, but it stood up well to the toppings. The salad was lightly dressed with a light oil and vinegar dressing, and was well-executed if a little bland. It wasn’t anything special (just lettuce and dressing), but it was a nice palate cleanser.

I also ordered a soup to warm up with, choosing the roasted red pepper soup. Despite not being a big fan of roasted red peppers I liked it. It was drizzled with a balsamic vinegar that lent the soup a really nice flavor. The only thing I didn’t like was that I dripped all over myself and left with huge red splotches on my shirt. I had to do laundry before it set. But that’s just me 🙂

My friend, who is a vegetarian, was thrilled to see so many vegetarian choices. All three soups that day were vegetarian. She ordered the Charline panini, which features avocado and sharp cheddar, and enjoyed it. My friend lived on the edge and ordered a light and fruity wine to go with her lunch at 11 a.m. Day drinking is where it is at. She let me have a sip and it was really nice. I would definitely order it a little later in the day to pair with the delicious offerings.

If you haven’t been to Gigi’s yet, what are you waiting for?

Contact info:

Gigi’s on Fairmount
3477 Fairmount Boulevard
Cleveland Heights, OH
(216) 291-7237

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

Graffiti: A Social Kitchen

Graffiti: A Social Kitchen is the latest creation from chefs and brothers-in-law Brian Okin and Adam Bostwick. I recognized a few of the items on the menu from the pop-up they did at Toast last year, which I consider to be the best meal I ate last year. I’ve heard nothing but good things about Graffiti from everyone who has been there, so I organized a dinner there recently. The restaurant is located in the building where Reddstone used to be, so I can’t wait it is patio season.

The bar has been redone and is covered in nickles. It is a nice place to sit and enjoy some drinks and a nosh. Our group was seated in the dining room upstairs. If you have trouble with stairs be forewarned. If you really have trouble with stairs grab a table in the bar. The upstairs is really beautiful, featuring stained glass in the windows and whimsical light fixtures and artwork. I also really have to say I love the music they play. They have several channels they use, but the theme is eighties music. My kind of music. I jammed to the Cure, Depeche Mode, and David Bowie to name a few while enjoying my drinks and the food.

Instead of bread they serve paper bags of flavored popcorn. The flavor varies every day. The day we were there it was a tomatillo popcorn. Another day I was there it was jalapeno cheddar. It is a fun and unique item, and makes you really thirsty. Hats off to that idea.

I have been on a blood orange kick recently, so I didn’t order my usual C&C drink, Stellar, and chose She’s A Woman. This was just a really delicious, refreshing drink. In fact, I’ve ordered it every time I’ve been back since.

I couldn’t decide on an appetizer, so I was very pleased to see the Graffiti Artist, which allows you to order three appetizers to share. They weren’t samples either – they were the full appetizer servings. One of my friends wanted to try the Ribs so I then decided to order the Toad in the Hole Bologna Fried Rice (because that was one of the items at Toast) and the French onion egg rolls. Luckily another friend ordered the Potato Skins, because that was my favorite out of the four appetizers we had.

The Ribs are corned baby backs similar to the Reuben Ribs that everyone loves at Cork and Cleaver. However, this one is a more Cleveland take on ribs, featuring shredded Napa cabbage, pickle slices, horseradish, and Stadium mustard. The meat fell off the bone, and the Napa cabbage and dressing the ribs sit on is really delicious.

The Bologna Fried Rice is made with Saucisson bologna Toad in the Hole, Himalayan red rice, mire poix, and soy sauce. The rice was a little dry, but I really loved the combination of egg and bologna. And no one does meat and charcuterie in Cleveland better than Saucisson.

The French Onion Egg Rolls taste exactly how you think they would, like French onion soup and delicious. The crispy wonton wrappers are packed with caramelized onions and Gruyere cheese and it is served with a French onion jus to dip the egg rolls in. Again, this unique twist really worked for me.

The potato skins feature crispy Russet potatoes, chorizo, goat cheese and guacamole. I really, really liked the flavor of this! The ingredients paired really well together, and the goat cheese and guac lent a nice creaminess that balanced out the chorizo. I will definitely be ordering this again.

For my entree I decided on the Monte Cristo. I read several Yelp reviews recommending it, and I’m glad I took their advice. This dish is a deconstructed Monte Cristo, featuring maple brined pork tenderloin, French toast, Mornay crema, and a raspberry mostarda. The French toast alone makes it worth ordering. It was custardy, soft and delicious. It made me want to come back to eat brunch here. I made sure to get a little bit of every ingredient with every bite, and OMG was this good. The pork was perfectly tender, and I loved the crema and raspberry flavors together with it.

My friends ordered the Graffiti Burger, the Cod and pierogi, the Burrito. They said that the burger and the cod were both a little dry, but they still enjoyed them. My friend N. ended up bringing half of her burrito home and looked forward to the leftovers.

The next time I went I was in the mood for something light, so I ordered the BLT Salad (left). It features iceberg lettuce wedges served with crispy pork belly, balsamic roasted tomatoes, bleu cheese crema, and a delicious buttermilk vinaigrette. The bleu cheese and buttermilk melded together to make a delicious dressing. I enjoyed this salad a lot. My friend ordered the Egg Salad (right) and was just as impressed with it.

In short, this playful and rebellious restaurant is a great addition to the Cleveland dining scene. I plan to add this into my regular rotation. It also has one of the best patios in Cleveland.

Contact info:

Graffiti: A Social Kitchen
1261 W 76th St
Cleveland, OH 44102
(216) 651-6969

Fire Food and Drink

If you ask me who my favorite chef in Cleveland is I will answer “Doug Katz” without hesitation. I have loved everything I have ever eaten at any of his restaurants, but his flagship restaurant Fire Food and Drink holds a special place in my heart. It is one of my favorite places for brunch in Cleveland – both inside as well as on the patio watching the world go by. But he also does some great food at dinner and special pop-up dinners both at Fire and around Cleveland Heights (like a mussels demo or grilled cheese at The Wine Spot on Lee). He is planning to reopen the Katz Club Diner as a pop-up restaurant.

His Prince Edward Island mussels are delicious. He makes them with tomato, fennel and garlic and serves with it a piece of grilled, buttered toast. Simple but delicious. The broth is a tomato broth and you can taste all the butter in it. Dipping the toast in the broth is one of my favorite parts about this dish. I was at his mussels demo for Le Creuset at The Wine Spot, and my friend and I loved them so much we drove straight to Fire to order a batch for ourselves. Paired with the popovers with local honey butter and the iceberg salad it was a great meal.

The popovers are light on the outside and custardy soft on the inside. They come as a set of three, so they are great to share. I tried to recreate the meal by myself the other day and ended up taking a popover and half of the salad home with me. If you order these you won’t need the bread and dipping oil service.

I have heard from several foodies that his Tandoor roasted pork chop from New Creations farm and Tandoor rib eye are among their favorite foods in Cleveland. The Tandoor oven ensures the meat is moist and flavorful.

Another thing I love about Chef Katz is that he supports local farms and local businesses and uses local meats whenever possible. He also partners with Seafood Watch and uses only sustainable seafood at his restaurants. Dietary restrictions are also no problem. I confidently brought my mother here for dinner before taking the RTA to the July 3rd fireworks downtown a few years ago. She was having severe dietary issues (being gluten- and dairy-free) and at that time could not eat a number of other things due to ulcerative colitis. After consulting with the Fire staff on what she could and couldn’t eat on the menu she was able to enjoy a delicious meal and did not have a single problem.

The photo above was my favorite course on the NEO Food Tour of Shaker Square a few years ago. He served a 4 oz. Tandoor roasted hanger steak paired with the most amazing leek bread pudding, sauteed spinach and porcino jus paired with a red wine. I wish the leek bread pudding was on the regular menu. If asked what I would choose as my last meal I would probably ask for this.

Doug is also passionate about community building. This I-Open interview is really fantastic and demonstrates his integrity and support for the local farmers and the local community. It’s just sad because the interview took place in the Katz Club Diner and came out just before it was set on fire.

Contact info:

Fire Food and Drink
13220 Shaker Square
Cleveland, OH 44120
(216) 921-3473

The Velvet Tango Room

The Velvet Tango Room (or VTR) was just named one of the ‘Best 150 bars in America‘ (hint: it’s no. 90) – and for good reason. I love the VTR. Proprietor Paulius Nasvytis is just coolness personified, and the bartenders there really know how to shake a cocktail. The VTR opened in 1996 in a building that was once a speakeasy. It is located on Columbus Road on Duck Island, just a block or two from the West Side Market and the RTA station in Ohio City.

There are more than 80 cocktails on the menu. They serve classics like Manhattans, the Flip, Tom Collins, Sazerac, the Highball, the Ramos Gin Fizz, the Old Fashioned, and sours like the Pisco Sour and the Amaretto di Saronna as well as their own house creations like the India Lime Fizz (which Michael Symon talked about on the Food Channel’s The Best Thing I Ever Drank), the Lady in White, the Apricot Lady, the Cleveland Rose, and the Rust Belt. There is a drink to match every taste and mood. Every cocktail is completely fresh and made from scratch. Each cocktail uses the finest ingredients, the juice is squeezed as they make your drink, and mixers like bitters are made in-house. The ice cubes are made in a special machine to be 1.25″ square and are frozen at -30 degrees, so that they stay cold longer and dilute the cocktail less. The cherries are imported from Italy. Once you taste them you will never eat maraschino cherries again. They’re delicious!

My favorites include the Lady in Red (vodka blended with the Tango Room’s own red wine reduction and adorned with marinated grapes), the India Lime Fizz (a rich, creamy, and powerful cocktail that combines gin, rum, flora India limes, vanilla, and a whole egg), the Moscow Mule (in the metal cup of course), and the Pisco Sour.

Even if you are a hater of eggnog, their version will change your mind. It is the third drink photo here. It is so dense it casts a shadow on the cocktail napkin. Paulius whips it up during the holidays with fresh cream and eggs, brandy and dark rum. I had it during the holidays, when Paulius makes gallons of it and runs out, but they are happy to make it for you any time.

If you can’t decide they offer cocktail flights. As the menu explains, the “flights are groupings of three signature cocktails designed to create a harmonious progression of flavor experiences. Each cocktail’s flavor profile and finish, gently introduces and compliments the next one in the series. The opening cocktail is full-sized, followed by a slightly smaller tasting size cocktail before the final coup-de-grace, another full-size cocktail.” It’s a great way to try several at once. I’ve had the White, Light and Spicy (Lady in White, Rangpur Gimlet, and Dark ‘n’ Stormy) and the Fruits, Herbs and Spices (Lady in Red, Lady in White, and Bourbon Daisy).

The joint is classy from start to finish, but it isn’t pretentious. There is a dress code (no shorts, t-shirts, or anything disreputable), but as you can see in the photo to the right they don’t ban jeans. The customers are friendly and not at all pretentious.

The ceiling has bullet holes from its speakeasy days. The bar and back bar are made of refinished mahogany. There is a sitting room with a grand piano where live jazz musicians play. The back room is tucked away in a hallway and to get to it you have to walk through a mirrored door in the coatroom. You need reservations for the back room, and there is a two drink minimum. The backroom has buttery soft leather chairs and sofas and a fireplace for the winter months and a great patio for the summer months. There is another baby grand piano in the back room for special events. You can check out the photos on their website.

The food is limited, but high quality. You can order savories like Warm Olives and Almonds, Speck on Rye (which I highly recommend), an Artisanal Cheese board, Swine and Cheese (local goat cheese with Courvoisier fig sauce and a mound of prosciutto and crackers), or a Charcuterie plate or sweets like gelato, chocolate truffles, chocolate fondue, and Bananas Foster. We were lucky enough to be treated by Paulius to his Crepe Suzette, flambeed table side. It was a treat for the eyes and the taste buds.

There is no other place in Cleveland serving fine cocktails like the VTR. They serve cocktails and only cocktails, so check out the menu before you go to make sure you like what they are selling. There is no beer, shots or wine served here. The drinks are pricey ($18 for one drink), but they are only $10 during Happy Hour. The Happy Hour at the VTR runs from 4:30-7 pm on weeknights (my friends usually meet there on Fridays). There are no reservations in the front. It’s first come, first served. There are sometimes free nibbles put out during happy hour, but don’t count on them. As one Yelper said, “It doesn’t have to be a “special occasion” for a stop at VTR. VTR is its own occasion and can make any day better.”

Contact info:

The Velvet Tango Room
2095 Columbus Road
Cleveland, OH 44113
(216) 241-8869

Slyman’s Restaurant

Is there anything more quintessentially Cleveland than Slyman’s? Would you believe that I (a native Clevelander) had never been here until a couple months ago? Whenever people talk about “musts” in Cleveland a corned beef sandwich at Slyman’s is always on the list. The sandwiches are monstrous. There is a reason they offer a side of bread on the menu – to make another sandwich with whatever falls off the monster you are currently eating. The carry out line is usually longer than the dining in line, with downtown workers grabbing their food to go eat at their desks. The place is tiny and cramped, but service is exceptionally quick. They have their service down to a science – a very efficient science.

This place is a family-run institution. They celebrated 50 years in 2013. Joe and Mae Slyman opened the restaurant in 1963, and now their sons are working behind the counter, slicing the meat and grilling the sandwiches. Slyman’s is located on St. Clair Avenue at E. 31st Street. You can park along St. Clair and E. 31st, but there is also a parking lot across the street off E. 31st.

One reason I had never managed to make it here before are the limited hours and the talk of long lines. They are only open during the week until 2:30 and on Saturdays until 1:00. They aren’t open on Sundays. I finally made it here for the first time on the Saturday afternoon after Christmas. I figure it would not be as crowded as it normally is, and I was right. There was still a line, but it moved quickly. They were able to seat our table of 3 quickly in the small dining room to the right of the door. Once we ordered our food, service was even quicker. I don’t think more than 5 minutes passed before our food was brought to the table.

Since Slyman’s is known for their corned beef, I had to get a corned beef sandwich on my first outing. I ordered a Reuben. The Slyman’s Reuben is not like any other Reuben I have ever had. It is 99% corned beef with just a bit of sauerkraut and one slice of Swiss cheese on the top and bottom. That said, it was pretty damn delicious. The corned beef is not too salty and is shaved very thin and piled high. If you are not a fan of sauerkraut never fear. It doesn’t overwhelm, and I can’t see it in the sandwich. I think there might be a thin layer at the bottom with the cheese. The rye bread is buttery and crisp from the grill. They don’t put condiments on the sandwich. The ketchup, mustard, horseradish, hot sauce and Thousand Island dressing are on the table, which allows you to doctor it up just how you like it.

I ordered a Sprite and a side of potato salad to go with it. The Sprite came in a can along with a small glass of ice. Order two right off the bat if you are particularly thirsty that day. And since corned beef tends to be somewhat salty you might need it. The potato salad was out of this world. It was creamy and had small shavings of carrot and onion. It was not overwhelmingly mustardy if you like that kind of thing. If you do, just add a splash from the table condiments. It was just a good, solid potato salad that I would happily order again.

My dining companions ordered the french fries, and they were really good for food service fries. The serving size was plentiful, and the crinkle cut fries were crisp on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside.

On my second visit I was craving a Tuna Melt. I had heard good things about the tuna melt, and the tips did not steer me wrong. This was a delicious tuna melt. I ordered it on the requisite rye bread with Swiss cheese. I wanted to have soup, but the choice that day was beef barley, which isn’t necessarily the best accompaniment. Potato salad it is! The tuna melt and potato salad were delivered within one minute of ordering (I kid you not). I also can’t believe I ate the whole thing! I didn’t eat for the rest of the day.

You can also order roast beef, pastrami, turkey, ham, egg salad, salami, BBQ beef, a hamburger or cheeseburger, hot dog, patty melt, grilled cheese and several salads. If you really want a challenge, their hot turkey (below), hot roast beef or hot BBQ sandwiches are served closed face along with home fries or french fries and come smothered in gravy.

If you come here and know you won’t be able to finish your sandwich, you might want to bring some kind of container with you. They bring you parchment paper to wrap up your sandwich, but it doesn’t work real well if you have a wet item like potato salad, cole slaw or tuna fish.

Breakfast is served from 6 am to 11 am on the weekdays. I have a friend from high school who raves about their corned beef hash. I’m tempted, but let’s be honest – I am likely to never make it here for breakfast. If you do be sure to order the corned beef!

There is a reason they bring your food so quickly. With space at such a premium you are not encouraged to linger. Order, eat, and get out to make room for the next person. Don’t take it personally. People are clamoring to get in here.

They just opened a Slyman’s Tavern on Rockside Road in Independence, and it seats 150. It is open every day from 11 am to midnight. Maybe it will decrease the crowds downtown, but I doubt it. If anything it will satisfy all the cravings of all business folks in Independence.

Contact info:

Slyman’s Restaurant
3106 St. Clair Avenue NE
Cleveland, OH 44114
(216) 621-3760

Quintealia’s Tea Parlor in Burton

Quintealia’s is a darling little tea room on the historic town square in Burton, serving up delicious scones, tea sandwiches and high afternoon teas. Quintealia’s is named after one of the owners’ grandmother. As the website explains, “The parlor’s name was selected in honor of Annette’s grandmother, Quintilia, who was of Italian decent. Quintilia was renamed “Clara” because her given name was deemed too difficult for others to pronounce. A slight variation in the spelling of her name gave Annette and Renee an opportunity to play on the word “tea” while paying homage to a woman who’s inner strength and brave spirit epitomized their own leap of faith. Quintilia’s photograph, along with the first tea set she gave Annette as a child grace the mantle in the main parlor.”

From the owners to the servers, they are warm and welcoming and really make you feel like an honored guest. I have been there several times, and they quickly recognized and acknowledged me as a “regular.”

Quintealia’s is located in the historic Ford House, a beautiful 1891 mansion built by George H. Ford, Burton’s first mayor. The Victorian mansion is on the National Register of historical places. Quintealia’s features delicious tea and friendly service in a quaint and charming atmosphere. The Main Parlor boasts a fireplace, an 1880s Queen Anne velvet settee and matching ladies chair, and is decorated with rich gem colors and dark woodwork. The soft and feminine French Room is draped in lace and pastel pinks, and the table service is set with gold cutlery. The Ford Room, named after George Ford, the grand old home’s original owner, is adorned in quarter-paneled wood walls, old trunks, oversized wingback chairs and accents reminiscent of Old England. It is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Quintealia’s offers a wide variety of loose leaf teas brewed at the perfect temperature. The servers are very knowledgeable and will happily help you choose the perfect tea for your tastes. The wide variety ensures that everyone can choose their favorite tea. Pots are happily refilled with hot water as needed.

One of my favorite new finds at Quintealia’s are the wine-inspired tea blends by Vintage TeaWorks. The line of teas was developed by a lawyer in Akron who was passionate about both wine and tea and set out to blend the two. His non-alcoholic blends are deliciously aromatic and do a great job mimicking the notes of the various wines. The teas were voted Best New Product in 2012 by WorldTeaEast. From the light and playful White Tea Riesling to the dark and decadent Pu-Erh Cabernet, each of the six wine-inspired teas stand out in their own right. I attended a tea tasting of the line at Quintealia’s hosted by the personable Vintage TeaWorks founder, and each tea was better than the next, capped off with his delicious Bourbon Chai. I ended up buying the entire line and enjoy them at home cold brewed as well as hot. He suggested cold brewing the Rooibos Noir overnight in the refrigerator, and it quickly became my favorite thing this past summer. Although the Black Tea Merlot is my hands down favorite hot tea. Order one when you visit Quintealia’s. I promise you won’t regret it!

As for the food… my favorite thing to order here is the Savory Sampler for $10.95, which features four assorted tea sandwiches (although there are five in the photo on the right – I think the two cucumber sandwiches counted as one) and choice of a cup of soup or salad. Their soups and sandwiches vary with the season, but they have been delicious each and every time I have ordered this. I particularly love the cinnamon raisin swirl bread with a carrot and cream cheese spread. The mint cream cheese on the cucumber sandwiches is also a great pairing that you wouldn’t expect.

The scones are small but very flavorful. They also vary depending on the day. The white chocolate scone with raspberry was delicious, as are their savory herb scones. They serve Devonshire cream and jam with their scones as their Cream Tea for $7.95 that comes with a pot of tea or simply the Scones and Cream dessert selection for $3.95.

The crispy flatbread ($10.95) is topped with melted Asiago cheese, artichokes, and your choice of sweet peppers or sausage. They served these as nibbles at the Vintage TeaWorks tea tasting, and we couldn’t get enough of them. They were delicious and addictive.

I was less enthused about the Seafood Puff Pastry ($12.95), which features shrimp and whitefish tossed in a delicate dressing with fresh Parmesan cheese, baked in a puff pastry and accompanied by soup or salad. I was expecting a puff pastry, and it was more like a pot pie. If you like the idea of a seafood pot pie you’ll love it.

When I went here with my tea group the table was groaning with tea caddies loaded with savory and sweet selections (Full Afternoon Tea for $22.95). It features a three-tiered assortment of tea sandwiches, petite sweets, freshly baked scones with Devonshire cream and jam and a bottomless pot of tea. The scones were on the top tier (photo on the right). The middle tier had the tea sandwiches. The bottom tier featured the petite sweets. Most of us had to ask for boxes to bring some of the sweets home. They are very generous with this afternoon tea. The petite sweets alone are seven two- or three-bite desserts with choices ranging from cheesecakes, petit fours, brownie bites, tarts, lemon bars, bread pudding, cookies, and a variety of tea cakes and breads. The lemon meltaway bars and bread pudding are to die for!!!

If you want a place to relax over a nice cup of tea and tasty food, a catch up with an old friend or a special place to celebrate with girlfriends be sure to check Quintealia’s out.

Contact info:

Quintealia’s Tea Parlor
14585 East Park Street
Burton, Ohio 44021
(440) 834-1777

A Cookie & A Cupcake has opened in Cedar Center

My favorite cupcake place has opened a couple miles down the street from me, which means I am in trouble. When it was just in Tremont it was enough a drive that it was a deterrent from just hopping in the car when I had a craving. Now I am going to have those moist and delicious cupcakes nearby in the new Cedar Center (between Piada and Zoup) on Cedar Road. You can see the moisture in the picture to the left. Look at those glistening cupcakes. The buttercream is not overly sweet, which I really appreciate. If you like overly sweet frosting this place may not be for you. The cupcakes are $2.50 a piece. They are worth every penny. I have tried a lot of their flavors but keep coming back to my favorite – the Signature. It looks like a cute Cookie Monster with a small chocolate chip cookie is his mouth. The cupcake is a chocolate cupcake with buttercream frosting and a vanilla custard center. The custard center really elevates it to a new level! So good! They offer a variety of cupcakes, from Salted Caramel and Strawberry to Apple and a Peanut Butter Lovers. Each cupcake has some kind of goodness inside and features buttercream frosting. The picture to the left is the Chocolate cupcake. The new location opened today (3/10/15) after a couple days of soft opening last week. I went there on the second soft opening day. The number of people at this new location on just the soft open was good, so I think they definitely picked a good location. The new location also serves their C&C offshoot Churned‘s ice cream. Flavors vary. Some of the IMAG3055 flavors when I were there included Mexican Hot Chocolate, Pistachio, Avocado with a blackberry jam swirl, Rosemary Garlic and they were very excited about the Blood Orange Sorbet. They also offer a Vegan Coconut Brownie made with coconut milk. Very unique. I was all about the cupcakes on my visit, but I will be sure to check out the ice cream once it gets a bit warmer. The original A Cookie & A Cupcake is also at a new location – on W. 14th near Grumpy’s and Bac. The new place combines the cupcakes and ice cream as well and has some indoor seating. It will also offer a patio for people to enjoy their treats in the sun.

Contact info:

A Cookie & A Cupcake
13953 Cedar Road South
Euclid, OH

New location in Tremont:
2681 West 14th St.
Cleveland, OH
(216) 344-9433

Pacific East on Coventry

I am a huge fan of Pacific East. In fact, I am a little shocked that I haven’t written about it sooner. I have been to all of the present and past locations (Coventry, Eton shopping center on Chagrin Boulevard, and the short-lived place in Solon), but I have to

say that my favorite one is the restaurant on Coventry at the corner of Mayfield and Coventry. The Coventry restaurant also offers both Japanese and Malaysian cuisine, while the Eton location just serves Japanese. In fact, the Coventry location is one of the main reasons I chose to live where I live – so that I am within walking distance. One Friday night several years ago I walked in a snow storm to Inn on Coventry only to find them not open for dinner despite what their website claimed, so I walked down to Pacific East instead. I will never forget that night. I was bundled up and peacefully walked

down Coventry, had a great meal, and walked back home with the snow collecting in my hair. It was a perfect, relaxing and simple evening. The dining area is bright and cheerful (a sea theme with blue walls with fish/sea shell decor on the walls) with austere black chairs and tightly packed tables. If you are lucky, the waitress will greet you with a complementary glass of green tea. If not, be sure to ask for it.

There is plenty of seating available, as they have expanded on both sides. There is a tiny bar area with a few tables to the right as you walk in, and the most recent addition is seating in the back left in the old bank space next door. P

acific East is known for its sushi – and rightfully so. The sushi is some of the best in Cleveland if you ask me. In all the times I have come here I have never had bad fish. The rice and fish are always fresh, and the rolls melt in your mouth. They are also always rolled tightly and don’t fall apart when you try to eat them.

The fish slices on the Nigiri are quite generous. The fish always extends beyond the rice. The sashimi is so fresh it literally melts in your mouth. Some of my favorite rolls include the Spicy Tuna Roll, the Rainbow Roll (kani, cucumber, avocado, topped with assorted fish & fish roe), the Spider Roll (soft shell crab tempura, cucumber, avocado, fish roe

& eel sauce), the Alaska Roll (fresh salmon, avocado, cucumber, fish roe), the X-Mas Roll (tuna, avocado, fish roe), the Green Dragon (eel, cucumber, topped with avocado, fish roe, sesame seed and eel sauce), the Volcano Roll (California roll with baked scallops and smelt roe), and the Lobster Tempura Roll (lobster tempura w/ avocado, cucumber, fish roe, & eel sauce). I was less impressed with the Land & Sea Roll,

but that is because – even though I love them as Surf & Turf – I just don’t like steak and lobster together as a sushi roll. If you do, you will probably love it. Also, bargain alert: the sushi lunch specials just can’t be beat, ranging from a two-roll Maki combo* for $8.95, three-roll Maki combo* for $9.95, four pieces of sushi & one roll for $9.95 to up to $13.95 for three pieces of sushi, seven pieces of sashimi & one roll. They also serve Bento Boxes, featuring your choice of appetizer, a California roll and either a hot entree from the kitchen ($10.95), nigiri sushi ($11.95) or sashimi ($12.95). All lunch combos are served with a salad and miso soup. Lunch is served from 11-3 pm every day.

(*Not all rolls are included in the Maki combo specials. The ones that are are specified in the menu.) The house-made ginger dressing on the salad is worth noting all on its own. The menu says it is made with 15 fruits and vegetables. It is creamy, delicious and plentiful. One of the best I have had. The salad features fresh lettuce, a cucumber slice, a cherry tomato

and some carrot shavings. It is a nice balance to the rice and fish. However, Pacific East is also known for its Malaysian cuisine. I have been on a noodle soup kick recently and fell in love with their Malaysian noodle soup called Laksa. Traditionally made with rice noodles, shrimp, chicken, tofu and curry, the soup is filling and delightfully spicy. Pacific East’s version is loaded with shrimp, chicken, tofu, peppers, onions, rice noodles, and hard-boiled egg. If you order it during their lunch hours

you get an spring roll with it for just $8.95. I have had both the regular spring roll and the Penang spring roll served with it. I wasn’t a fan of the Penang spring roll, because it had a soft curried potato filling that I wasn’t expecting. I think if I had been expecting a curried potato filling I would have liked it more. Both spring rolls were well-fried and crispy on the outside with soft filling on the inside. I tried their Tonkatsu Ramen after eating a bowl of Laksa and found it to be pretty bland and lifeless in comparison. It doesn’t help that I had the most amazing

Tonkatsu ramen at The Slurping Turtle in Chicago a few months ago. There was no way anything could compare to it – although the Laksa comes close. Maybe it was just an off day for the chef, but the broth was boring, the noodles were just a wee bit overcooked, and the pork was non-existent save for 3 or 4 slices. The seaweed was the ramen’s saving grace. In any event, I don’t recommend the ramen here. I prefer Flying Crane’s ramen. Business is so good there are often waits in the evening. Hopefully the new expansions will alleviate some of that. Seating is available at the sushi bar as well. IMAG4082

Contact info:

Pacific East 1763 Coventry Road Cleveland Heights, OH 44118 (216) 320-2302 Pacific East at Eton 28601 Chagrin Boulevard Woodmere, OH 44122 (216) 765-1305 Pacific East Kent 100E Main Street Kent, OH 44240 (234) 263-5018

Crop Kitchen

Steve Schimoler of Crop Bistro recently opened a restaurant on the East Side in the new Uptown District (intersection of Euclid Avenue and E. 115th across from Constantino’s and behind the Cleveland Wine Cellars). Steve relocated to Cleveland in 2005, as Director of Innovation and Development for Nestle North America and, after completing his term there, decided to remain in Cleveland, and we are all the better for it. Crop was initially opened to function as a test kitchen, but soon became a Cleveland favorite. His son Stevie is the General Manager of Crop Kitchen, and they recruited Matt Anderson of Umami to run the kitchen. I’ve been there several times now and am happy to report the quality of Crop is available on the East Side in a hip, affordable location. Crop Kitchen is located where the old Accent used to be. They managed to inherit Accent’s awesome Robata Grill and Josper Oven. They changed the colors a bit and put up whimsical colanders as light fixtures. One side of the restaurant has a pool table and makes it the perfect venue for after work drinks or a quick, informal bite to eat, while the dining room offers light wood tables and plenty of tables to accommodate any sized party. Crop Kitchen features Crop favorites like two different flavors of popcorn (orange miso and truffle) as well as Matt Anderson specialties like spring rolls, sushi and the goat cheese dumplings (more on those later).

I started off with the Sleepy Hollow cocktail, which featured house-infused pumpkin vodka with a house-made apple crème liqueur. It was delicious. Unfortunately they are only running it in the fall, because on a visit in early December I was told they had just taken it off the menu.

The chile deviled eggs with crisp prosciutto are a mustardy choice for an appetizer. It was very good, with just a hint of heat and prosciutto flavor. However, you have to try the wasabi deviled eggs with pickled ginger. They are out of this world! A friend and I were served one each served side by side recently, and the wasabi egg was my hands-down favorite!

When I heard Steve was doing a burger for the first time ever I knew what I had to order on my first trip. The CK Double Double Burger was even better than I had hoped it would be. It features two all-beef patties, lettuce, tomato, onion, smoked cheddar cheese, and Dijon aioli on an onion bun. The onion bun and the melty cheddar cheese really put this burger over the top. It was cooked exactly to my specifications and was AWESOME. The roasted potatoes that accompanied the burger were perfectly cooked, with a crisp exterior and creamy interior. I was able to dip them in house-made ketchup.

I was less impressed with the sushi rolls. The tempura veggie roll was kind of bland, and the spicy tuna roll didn’t wow me. They serve three rolls a night, and the selections vary. I will try them again, but as of right now I am not all that keen on ordering them again. That said, the fish was very fresh, and the sashimi someone ordered at the next table glistened and looked delicious. However, you definitely should not avoid the Asian side of the menu. I can report that I had the duck ramen special the other night, and it was spectacular. It featured pork belly, duck confit and grilled eggplant and had a delicious gingery and umami taste in the broth. I hope to see this on the menu again soon!

Matt Anderson is also known for his goat cheese dumplings. These dumplings are crazy good. The dumplings are light and fluffy and are served over a bed of shiitake mushroom, miso vinaigrette and what may be sauteed spinach or kale. This dish is a good choice for vegetarians as well as non-vegetarians. The menu indicates if a dish is gluten-free, vegetarian or vegan, which I think is a nice aid for those with dietary issues.

I had debated between the burger and the cassoulet, so I decided to wait and order the cassoulet once the weather turned a little colder. This is the perfect comfort food for a cold, dreary Cleveland winter. The cassoulet is made with sausage, boneless chicken thighs, pork belly, and beans. I loved the melding of all the flavors. The beans were creamy and smokey. I liked this more than the cassoulet at L’Albatros, and the cassoulet there is really good. I managed to eat half and save the other half for later. It was just as good – if not better – reheated the next day.

I had a couple bites of the potato salad that came with my friend’s Grilled Portabello & Marinated Tofu sandwich, which features grilled peppers & onions, lettuce, tomato, onion, avocado aioli and herbed goat cheese on request on the onion roll. She loved it and said it was some of the best tofu she has ever eaten. I have to say I am now a huge fan of the potato salad, and I am a tough critic when it comes to potato salad. It was creamy and had just the right mix of herbs. Definitely try it if you can. They only serve one side a day, so don’t come in there looking forward to a specific side dish. The orzo side dish I had the other day needed some citrus or something to brighten the flavor a bit. Crop Kitchen should consider posting its sides and specials on its Facebook page, because I would make a trip for the potato salad and would be there in a heartbeat for any of their ramen. In addition to drawing in customers, it would also highlight the kitchen’s versatility.

I also want to talk about the ice cream and sorbet at Crop Kitchen. My friend and I split the Ohio Strawberry Sorbet recently, and it was bright and fresh. It was the perfect end to a meal of goat cheese dumplings and cassoulet. Steve was the VP of product development for Cabot Creamery in Vermont for several years, so the man knows his ice cream. I was lucky enough to hear about the recent launch of Pierre Ice Cream’s Chef’s Signature Ultimate Ice Cream Pints. You can read about the story here. They unveiled the first two flavors — Croppy Road and Holé Molé — on December 5th at Crop Kitchen. Croppy Road features chocolate ice cream, chocolate-covered marshmallow cups, almonds and smoky salted caramel swirl, while Holé Molé incorporates cinnamon ice cream with chili choco chips, chocolate-covered toffee pieces and molé fudge swirl. The Croppy Road was very smoky, but if you like that you will love the unique ice cream. However, I am head over heels for the Holé Molé. You can order the ice cream by the pint or in a sundae at Crop Kitchen (and I would imagine Crop), and the pints are also available in local grocery stores that sell Pierre’s products, including Heinen’s, Marc’s, Dave’s Supermarkets and Zagara’s Market.

One final recommendation is the Maker’s Mark New Fashioned, featuring Maker’s Mark with hints of spiced orange and cherries in their housemade Orange & Cherry Chipotle Cure. I had two the other night at a good friend’s recommendation (her husband loves them so much she ordered 2 quarts of Cure for him for Christmas). They are delicious, but they are potent. Another friend I was dining with was surprised to see me happily buzzed, because I never have more than two (and we’ve been going out together to happy hours since 2005). The drinks here are strong, so plan accordingly.

Welcome to the neighborhood, Crop Kitchen! I’ll be back soon.

Contact info:

Crop Kitchen
11460 Uptown Ave (Euclid Avenue & E. 115th)
Cleveland, OH
(216) 696-2767