Cleveland favs – Page 12 – Cleveland Rocks, Cleveland Eats

Lucky’s Cafe in Tremont

When people ask me what my favorite brunch place in Cleveland is I don’t even have to think about it. My answer is always Lucky’s. The quirky little cafe is tucked away on the one-way portion of Starkweather just before it meets Professor (look for the brick building on the right with some weird metal sculpture on it because if you don’t I guarantee you will drive right past it). The restaurant prides itself on the quality of its ingredients, which are locally sourced or straight from the garden outside (you can actually see them go out and pick the fresh veggies and herbs). Everything here – from the bread to the condiments – is made from scratch.

Owner Heather Haviland is particularly proud of their Reuben, which is made entirely in-house, from the corned beef and sauerkraut to the bread to the Thousand Island Dressing. It was featured on Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. Michael Symon is a fan of her biscuits and gravy.

The place is usually packed with a long line on the weekends, so I try to go here on off-hours. I showed up at 1 p.m. today and was told this was the slowest they had been since 9 a.m. During the summer you can eat in their garden right outside of the restaurant, which helps the lines somewhat but not entirely. This photo of the garden is older. Guests now sit under a wooden enclosure instead of a tent.

Since the restaurant uses locally sourced ingredients, Lucky’s has a tendency to run out of certain dishes. When I decided to order a cup of their corn and bacon chowder today I was informed that they had just run out. Drat!

My favorite item on the menu is the Shipwreck. As one Yelp reviewer states, “The shipwreck is a gigantic pile of awesome on a plate.” It is a scramble of home fries, eggs, seasonal veggies, bacon and cheese together and serves it with four diagonal slices of buttered como toast and a little side of fresh fruit. I always feel healthy eating it, but if you want to be even healthier choose the Canoewreck, which features curried tofu, home fries, seasonal veggies and brewer’s yeast. I was craving the como toast today, so I made the trek. The server was able to get me some jam, but once I tasted the buttered como toast on its own I stopped using the jam.

One of my best friends, who is a mac n cheese addict, loves their baked mac-n-cheese. It is rich and creamy with several different kinds of cheeses, plus extra cream. Definitely worth a splurge! I also highly recommend the waffle (the gingerbread waffle with fresh whipped cream is divine)

I love Lucky’s because it offers 20 oz. mugs of coffee served in cafe au lait mugs (one of my friends refers to them as “bowls of coffee”). The Papa Mocha (chocolate, cream, milk and espresso) is one of my favorites. I splurged today and ordered a 16 oz. Caramel Créme Breve and Sunshine Cocktail (orange Pellegrino mixed with fresh squeezed oj over ice). The coffee was as smooth and delicious as always, and the sunshine cocktail was refreshing. I was full and happy for the rest of the day.

Ordering and paying is a little different here. Your server will give you a little table topper with a letter on it when you order. After the meal, you then go to the register with the table topper, and a person behind the counter will ring everything up based off of the waitress ticket. I calculated the cost in my head when I ordered, so there were no surprises and I already had an idea of the tip I was going to leave.

Just a word of warning: they don’t do substitutions or special orders here, and the food can be a bit pricey. If you want an omelette “your way”, go to IHOP or Bob Evans. Plus, you should be prepared to pay a little extra for the quality and fresh, locally sourced ingredients. Expect to pay $12-15 per person for your entree and extra for drinks. My bill today was around $21.50. I couldn’t afford to eat here every day, but it is great for the occasional splurge or birthday brunch.

Contact info:

Lucky’s Cafe
777 Starkweather Avenue
Tremont, OH 44113
(216) 622-7773

Biga Wood Fired Pizzeria in Kirtland

If you are a regular follower of this blog, you know that I fell in love with Neapolitan pizza while studying abroad. I had been hearing lots of good things about Biga in Kirtland, and I am happy to report that everything I heard is true. Biga is a family-run pizzeria, so they have limited business hours. It is only open Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 5-10 PM and Sunday from 4-8 PM. The restaurant features wood-fired pizza, generous salads and humongous (and delectable) desserts and focuses on locally sourced ingredients. The place is small, so reservations are recommended. They also do not offer takeout on Friday and Saturdays from 6:30-8:30 PM. They do not have a liquor license, but you can bring your own beer or wine for a $2 corkage fee.

The crust is hands down the best of the best here in Cleveland. Since it is fired in a wood-burning oven the crust is going to be a little charred in places. If this bothers you don’t go here. If, however, you think the char adds flavor to the crust you will be very happy here. That said, I have never had a “burnt” crust here. The chefs are very conscientious.

For my first visit I met six friends here. This group likes to share, so I was able to try just about everything. We started off ordering the broccolini, which was an immense mound of broccolini covered in garlic and parmesan cheese. We all had some and still had leftovers. One of my friends and I also ordered the Crispy Salad, featuring locally-grown butter crunch lettuce, Sage Apple Farm’s Fuji apples, crisp celery, toasted walnuts and Gorgonzola cheese. It was a good salad, but huge. Three or four people could easily split one. Another absolute stand-out was the antipasto, which features wood-roasted tomatoes, fresh sliced salume, Castelvetrano olives, herb pesto dip and cheese served with wood-fired bread. The tomatoes and herb pesto were to die for – you could tell the ingredients were fresh!

I had ordered the J&B pizza, which is a white pizza featuring “house-made sausage, Barb and Patty’s Butcher Palace’s bacon, mushrooms, onions and fresh mozzarella cheese.” Other pizzas ordered by our table included the Rustica (a white pizza featuring fresh artichokes, onions and Kalamata olives, garnished with locally-grown oregano, Parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese), the Wild Mushroom (another white pizza with wild-harvested roasted mushrooms, locally-grown oregano and fresh mozzarella cheese), a Daily Special (which featured fresh corn and bacon and was delicious), and the Special Seasonal Pizza, which was a prosciutto and fig pizza. They were all outstanding, but my hands-down favorite was the Sweet Sausage Pizza, which is a red pizza featuring sweet sausage, locally-grown oregano, made-in-house tomato sauce and fresh mozzarella cheese).

I liked it so much I went back a week later and ordered it. That visit I met a girlfriend for dinner, and we ordered the Homemade Meatballs as an appetizer and split the pizza. The meatballs were soft and flavorful and were surrounded by a ring of wood-fired bread. The pizza was just as good as I remembered. We also ordered the seasonal lemon tart, which we only intended to have two bites of and leave but found it to be so delicious that we couldn’t stop eating it and finished it off. It was absolutely delicious.

On subsequent visits I have enjoyed the Smokey Blue Pizza (wild mushrooms, hand-crafted prosciutto, smoked blue cheese and mozzarella cheese – without the prosciutto) and a seasonal pizza with Sage Apple Farm’s honeycrisp apples, Barb and Patty’s Butcher Palace’s flavorful bacon and cheddar cheese, garnished with locally-grown rosemary. I have never been disappointed with any of the food here.

The desserts are HUGE! They are all homemade in-house. We ordered several and passed them around the first visit. I ordered the Ho-Ho, which is a huge cylindrical, chocolate-frosted, Bailey’s cream-filled cake. The Bomb is an ice cream cake swirled with Nutella. The version that night was featuring fresh blueberry sauce swirled in along with the Nutella. It truly was the bomb! But the desserts should definitely be shared.

A note about the photos: I left my phone/camera in the car on my first visit, so the photos of the menu, antipasto, and corn & bacon pizza (basically the artful square photos) are from my friend Edsel L’s Flickr account. Be sure to check out his other photos from that visit! They will make your mouth water – even the salad photo!

Contact info:

Biga Wood Fired Pizzeria
9145 Chillicothe Road
Kirtland, Ohio, 44094
(440) 379-7313

Superior Pho

Pho (pronounced “phau”) has become very popular in the last few years. Pho is a Vietnamese noodle soup consisting of broth, linguine-shaped rice noodles, a few herbs, and meat. Pho originated in the early 20th century in northern Vietnam. In the aftermath of the Vietnam War, Vietnamese refugees brought pho to many countries.

The consensus among foodies is that Superior Pho is the number one place for slurping pho in Cleveland. It has been voted Cleveland’s Best Asian Restaurant in Scene Magazine and has an average rating of 4.5 stars from 217 reviews on Yelp. It is located inside a rather unassuming shopping plaza off of Superior that features several other ethnic restaurants (including a Korean restaurant), and the best way to enter is from the parking lot in the back. It is not visible from the street (look for No. 1 Pho and turn down E. 31st to park). You really have to look for it. Superior Pho was one of the first pho houses in Northeast Ohio and still remains one of the best.

Superior Pho without a doubt has excellent pho, but I also like some other things off their menu. I started my meal with a Vietnamese coffee. Water percolates through strong coffee grounds into a cup with condensed milk. It definitely gives you a caffeine jolt – and is fun to watch.

The spring roll is made with delightfully fresh and crisp ingredients, including shrimp, carrots, cucumber, Thai basil and mint, wrapped in a rice paper wrapper. It is served with a lovely peanut-chili dipping sauce that gives it a little zing.

Pho is available with a number of different meats, including tendon and tripe. I always order the Number 10 combination because it features a banh mi and a large pho of my choice. I usually order the Phở tái chín, which is a combination of well done brisket and eye round steak). The pho is always piping hot and plentiful. To make pho, a small mound of vermicelli noodles is topped with beef or chicken, then covered with ladlefuls of fragrant pho broth. The steaming bowls are served with a plate piled with fresh bean sprouts, sprigs of Thai basil, slices of jalapeno peppers and slices of fresh lime, which are used to adjust your pho to taste. Purists don’t add hoisin, Sriracha or fish sauce to the pho (they prefer to put it on a plate and dip the meat in), but I like to mix a couple squirts of Sriracha hot sauce. There is no wrong way to eat pho. The piping hot broth cooks the meat and vegetables as it is being brought to your table. I made the mistake of ordering pho to go once. The broth had cooled too much to properly cook the meat. Never again.

Superior Pho’s banh mi is also excellent. It features roast pork, pate, cilantro, jalapeno slices, and shredded cucumber and radish on a crispy roll. The roast pork is not char-grilled like at Saigon Grille, but it IMAG4951 is still a nice sandwich. I have never had a bad one here, and I have eaten here quite a bit.

They also offer Combination Meals that give you a bit more bang for your buck. Shown here to the left is Meal #1, which is a spring or summer roll (your choice), small pho of your choice, and a beverage for $11. I usually order the Meal #10, which is a bahn mi, a large pho of your choice, and a beverage for $13.50.

Try to come at off-times, because there are lines and it is often standing room only during peak times. Come hungry and be prepared to bring leftover pho home, because even the small pho is quite large.

Contact info:

Superior Pho
3030 Superior Avenue E
Cleveland, Ohio 44114
216-781-7462

Le Bistro du Beaujolais

I learned to appreciate French food living in Europe for six years. Le Bistro du Beaujolais is a charming little French restaurant located on the corner of Columbia Road and Mill Street on the edge of Grand Pacific Junction in the heart of my hometown, Olmsted Falls. I only wish this restaurant had existed then, but then again we didn’t go out to eat very often and when we did we went to Nam Wah in Berea. I apologize in advance for the darkness of some of the pictures. I did not want to disturb the other diners with a flash.

The owners Georges and Claudie D’Arras are welcoming, and the food is delicious. Georges is an absolutely charming and gregarious host, while his wife Claudie oversees the kitchen. The location burned down in 2009, and they worked to meticulously recreate the restaurant. The original 1830 house, designated a historic landmark, was restored in ten months and looks almost exactly as it did before. The restaurant features two cozy rooms as well as a lovely outdoor patio. I particularly love the light fixtures, which are whimsical music holders.

Their 3-course prix fixe menu offers a variety of choices at a reasonable price of $27. You have your choice between 3 starters, 3 entrees and a dessert. I have ordered this in the past and been very happy with my choice. I have also thoroughly enjoyed their vegetarian offerings, including the most delicious vegetarian roll-up dish featuring lentils I have ever eaten. I liked it so much I was back within a week to order it again – and I live on the East Side of Cleveland. It’s worth the drive.

I met a friend here recently to celebrate her birthday. I decided to splurge and ordered a la carte because I wanted their French onion soup. It was well-seasoned, the onions were nicely caramelized, and the cheese was sufficiently melty and gooey. Just as a good French onion soup should be.

One of my favorite entrees on the menu is probably something you have never heard of – the baked skate wing (Alle de Raie Sauce à la Compote d’Échalotes). Skate is type of Ray (its appearance is similar to a stingray). Despite being a cartilaginous fish it is not at all fishy. I would have never tried it if Georges hadn’t brought one out for us to try the first time I dined here with my dining out group. It is served topped with a delicate shallot and butter sauce over rice and simply melts in your mouth. I am a HUGE fan. You simply have to taste it to appreciate it.

I finished my meal with a dense and rich mousse au chocolat. As you can see from the photo the portion was generous (served in a clear tea cup) and topped with real whipped cream and chocolate powder.

As a true French bistro, they serve only French wines. The staff can help you choose the perfect wine with your meal. Since they only serve French wines they can serve by the glass while maintaining a wide range of inventory at a great value.

Word to the wise: if they have coq au vin on special, order it. You won’t regret it.

Contact info:

Le Bistro du Beaujolais
8134 Columbia Road
Olmsted Falls, OH 44017
(440) 235-8883

Cafe Tandoor

Note: this post was originally from June 26, 2013, but was updated after a recent visit in July 2022.

I love Indian food. I know exactly when my love affair with Indian food started. I was in grad school in 1993, and my German ex-boyfriend visited my family and me for Christmas. He had a craving for Indian. I looked up Indian restaurants in the phone book, and we headed off to what I am fairly certain was Cafe Tandoor on Cedar Road in Cleveland Heights. The Saag Gosht (lamb with a seasoned spinach sauce) sounded good to me, and I’ve been a fan ever since. It may not look pretty, but it is delicious.

IMG_20130509_132504 — Various sauces for the appetizers

Since then I have tried many Indian dishes with varying enthusiasm, but I always come back to my Saag. Sometimes I go crazy and order Chicken Saag, but most restaurants don’t have it on their menu. I have since learned to appreciate many other Indian dishes, such as Butter Chicken, Tikka Masala or Malai Kofta.

The fact that I met the owner of the restaurant last summer (2012) during an NEO Food Tour and she was absolutely lovely helps me want to support the locally owned independent restaurant even more (she and her husband also own Taste and used to own the Atma Center).

I was craving Indian the other day and decided to visit the very same Cafe Tandoor that started it all for a late lunch. They also have a location in Aurora that I visited numerous times when I lived with my parents for brief spell in 2001 as well as one in Westlake for you West Siders.

I love their garlic naan, which is topped with garlic and butter, but I didn’t order it this time around. It is best shared with others. I was recently here with a bunch of people and we ordered almost every variation. I love the Peshwari (here: pishwari) naan as well, which is topped with ground cashews & pistachios and sometimes coconut flakes.

I usually start my meal by ordering the chicken pakora and vegetable samosas. I ate half of each and took the other half home. They were accompanied by a nice variety of yogurts and chutneys. Chicken pakora are boneless pieces of chicken mixed with spices and chick pea flour and deep fried. The breading was so light I didn’t notice it at all. The chicken pakoras were not too spicy and just a wee bit dry, but the chutney moistened them up sufficiently. Samosa are triangular pastries filled with potatoes, peas, cashews, raisins and spices. The samosa was as delicious as ever. They have to be my favorite Indian appetizer.

As I stated before, I ordered the Saag Gosht. I ordered it mild, because I am a big baby when it comes to spicy food. It was not overly spicy and perfectly seasoned. The lamb was not too fatty or too dry. It was succulent and paired well with the spinach.

I ordered a mango juice and a chai (Masala tea). The mango juice was refreshing and was a nice palate cleanser. I was less enthused about the chai. My best friend’s mother makes a delicious, well-seasoned chai with black tea and Indian spices such as cardamom. This one was sadly lacking in any kind of flavor, and the addition of sugar did not help it much.

If you like fish I highly recommend ordering the Bombay Fish Curry, which features catfish simmered in garlic, ginger, lemon and spices in a tomato-based sauce. I ordered it through Deliver Me Food and loved it. Unfortunately, they seem to have taken it off the menu. The last time I went I ordered the Butter Salmon Curry, which is similar to Butter Chicken but features salmon in a fresh, creamy tomato & butter sauce. It was quite tasty. My friend ordered the Tandoori Salmon, which was phenomenal. It came on a bed of onions and peppers, which she left but several of us enjoyed.

My one friend ordered the Sagg Paneer and got it a little spicy. She loved it. Sagg Paneer is just the spinach sagg sauce and Indian cheese (paneer).

Our waitress did a great job with our group of 7 last week – especially since it was her first day on the job. She kept our water glasses filled, we all got the meals we ordered, and she was really nice through it all. She also kept me supplied with cans of ginger ale after I finished my pre-dinner cocktail.

The only negative about the place is that, unless otherwise noted, you have to order rice separately. An order of Basmati rice is $3. I splurged and ordered the Saffron Pullao (Basmati rice steamed with spices & saffron threads) for $4.

Cafe Tandoor is consistently voted Cleveland’s Best Indian Restaurant in the Cleveland area Hot List and has been in business for 30 years, so if you haven’t tried it, I suggest you do.

Contact info:

Cafe Tandoor
2096 S Taylor Road
Cleveland Heights, OH 44118
(216) 371-8500

They also have locations in Aurora (96 Barrington Town Center) and Westlake (30030 Detroit Rd.)

Dim Sum at Emperor’s Palace

There’s a new place in town for dim sum, and it is fabulous. I’ve been here for dim sum four times now, and it has yet to disappoint. My friends Diane and Nancy were the first people to tell me about it, and they were there within 24 hours from when it opened. I was so glad they talked about it, because it is now one of my favorite places downtown. The staff is friendly, the food is delicious (and plentiful), and the prices are almost criminally cheap.

Emperor’s Palace opened in Cleveland’s former Chinatown area, on Rockwell Avenue between E 21st and E 24th Street. The restaurant seems like it spans the entire block, but there’s only one set of doors to enter through (and hint: the right door is always locked and is the one I always go to first). Free parking is available along the street as well as in the huge parking lot across the street, which is lined with statues of the Chinese zodiac. The decor is ornate, with lots of gold trim and chandeliers. They used to have a buffet table in the center, but they seem to have decided to focus on their dim sum and made-to-order food.

The dim sum here is served differently. Most dim sum places serve their dim sum from carts that are wheeled around the room, but Emperor’s Palace chooses to bring the entrees fresh from the kitchen, ensuring that the food is piping hot. The food is ordered and then brought out as soon as it is ready.

Dim sum is always best when shared with several people – and especially fun when shared with a larger group because you can try more things and send them around on the lazy Susan in the center of the table. I met several friends today for lunch. We feasted on eight different dim sum plates, and splitting the bill (including a generous tip) between the four of us gave us a grand total of $9.50 a piece – and we brought some leftovers home with us.

My favorite things on the menu are the steamed shrimp dumplings, the turnip cakes, and the sticky rice with preserved meats. The BBQ pork buns were also requested by a member of our table, and my Chinese-American friend G. and the waitress decided on several other plates for us (in Chinese so we were pleasantly surprised with some new things).

We started off with the pineapple buns, which were something that G. didn’t realize she had ordered, but were loved by everyone at the table. The dough was light and pleasantly yeasty, and the crust was flaky and delicious. The pineapple was not overpowering and simply delightful. I will definitely be ordering this again – perhaps as the finishing touch for dessert. The waitress also brought out a Century egg porridge/congee that G. requested since her grandmother used to make it. The waitress was unsure we would like it, and – although we assured her we would gladly try anything – she was right. It was deemed too bland by the rest of us, so I don’t think I would order this again. G. got to take several servings home with her to enjoy for breakfast this week.

I never really enjoyed turnip cake until I tried the one at Emperor’s Palace. Now I’m hooked. I’m always tempted to order a second order to go at the end of the meal to enjoy at home. Their “turnip cake country style” features dried shrimp and pork, which makes it extremely flavorful and fresh. The turnip is delicate and flaky with a nice seared crust on top. The size tends to vary every time I’ve been here (the cakes are getting smaller), but the flavor has never disappointed me. They also reheat really well at home.

The Emperor’s steamed shrimp dumplings are addictive. I seriously crave them after I leave as well as the next day. They are little delicate clouds of rice dumpling encasing a succulent shrimp filling. I can’t even begin to describe them without swooning. They are *that* good!

Another favorite of mine is the lotus leaf wrapped sticky rice. I love the delicate scent the lotus leaf gives to this dish and have always enjoyed it at other places that serve dim sum. The one at Emperor’s Palace is just bursting with a variety of meats, including pork, shrimp, chicken, and sausage. It is extremely filling, and three of us split one of the two wrapped packages in the order. I took the second one home to reheat for dinner tonight.

Their “Sao mai” (aka sui mai or shu mei depending on the translation) is dense and flavorful. It is a two-bite dim sum delicacy. I have enjoyed it both times we have ordered it.

Everyone loves the BBQ pork buns, but I have never been a huge fan. The BBQ pork buns here are light and fluffy, and the filling is flavorful. If you love them I’m sure you will be delighted. I am not including a photo here (my photo came out blurry), but you can see them in the photo below peeking out from behind the Shanghai juicy buns.

We went early today, because G. really wanted the Shanghai juicy buns and they have always been out of them when we’ve been there later in the day. We met at 11:30 (they open at 11) and were able to enjoy these little round nuggets. Emperor’s Shanghai soup dumplings are golf ball-sized buns that contain a filling of pork (and sometimes crab) and about a tablespoon of broth. When properly made, Shanghai juicy buns are really juicy, so they are definitely to be enjoyed in one bite. The proper way to eat it is to bite off the top of the bun and blow into the hole to cool off the soup, then either pour some of the accompanying gingered rice vinegar (be sure to say yes when asked if you want the sauce with it) into it. Or you can do as I did and dip it in the sauce and stuff it into your mouth so that when you bite into it the juice doesn’t spurt out all over the front of your shirt. Shanghai juicy buns are very labor-intensive and it’s not easy to make the skin paper-thin and stuff the dumpling so full of juice, so if they have it that day I highly recommend giving them a try.

Other dim sum plates I have enjoyed here in the past (but didn’t take photos of) include the scallion pancakes, pan fried pork dumplings (which we were given by mistake because it was supposed to go to another table – our gain!), fried cruller rice crêpes, sesame pork buns, tofu skin (surprisingly delicious!) and pumpkin cakes. We are always too full to order the egg custard tarts at the end. For more photos of Emperor’s Palace, check out my friend Edsel’s photostream on Flickr. My go-to person for excellent Chinese food, Nancy of Fun Playing with Food, also has some great pictures of some other dim sum dishes and entrees on her blog post on Emperor’s Palace.

Maybe one of these days I will actually order an entree here, but when the dim sum is so delicious and flavorful it is hard not to stick with what I love.

Contact info:

Emperor’s Palace
2136 Rockwell Avenue
Cleveland OH 44114
(216) 861-9999

On the Rise Bakery

I have been on a quest to find the perfect sandwich in Cleveland. Let me qualify that – the best sandwich on a European-style baguette. Ever since I saw Martha Stewart make a ham sandwich with some kind of aioli on a crusty baguette on her show I’ve been looking for a similar sandwich. I think I may have just found what I have been looking for.

One of the best parts of living in Cleveland Heights for me is all of the excellent bakeries that bake crusty European style loaves that I loved so much in Germany. Between Zoss the Swiss Baker, The Stone Oven, On the Rise and Luna Bakery we are pretty darn lucky. The Cleveland Scene’s most recent survey asked for the best bakery in Cleveland, and Stone Oven, On the Rise and Luna were three of the four choices. It was a really hard choice to make!

I love On the Rise. Their sticky buns are amazing, the breads are fresh, and a warm Jennifer cookie (their signature cookie made of oats, nuts, and chocolate) just out of the oven is an orgasmic experience. But now they have started to serve sandwiches and soups on Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 10:30-1:30, and I am done for. I have been wanting to try their offerings for a while now, and today was my chance. I popped in there this morning to buy some bread for a dinner party I am having tonight. Nothing fancy, just a couple vegetarian friends to share a veggie curry recipe I’ve been wanting to try.

I decided to treat myself to two of their sandwiches because I couldn’t decide. I chose the Banh Mi and the Roasted Chicken. I cut them in half when I got home and saved the other halves for tomorrow. They may or may not make it that long.

The Roasted Chicken sandwich was like spring on a baguette. A soft yet crusty and delightfully thin baguette. It features roasted chicken, fresh greens, fresh asparagus tossed with pickled onion, herbs and olive oil, an egg salad spread and aioli. It was delightful. Fresh and bright and very flavorful. The flavors melded well together, and the asparagus kept falling out of the sandwich. The asparagus was perfectly crisp and not roasted within an inch of its life. And the egg salad was a great addition to a roasted chicken sandwich. I enjoyed it very much.

And then I tried the Banh Mi. Oh, the Banh Mi! I think I moaned on the first bite. According to their menu, it features New Creation Farm braised pork, Vietnamese pate, jalapeno and cilantro. But it is obviously much more than that. It was flavorful and juicy. I have no idea where the juices came from. The juices dripped down my hand and made the sandwich an absolute delight because it was perfect and not dry. It could give the banh mi from Superior Pho and Saigon Grille a run for their money. The braised pork was yummy and the pate was not overwhelming like the one I had at The Black Pig. The pickled vegetables were crunchy and perfectly seasoned. It made me wish my hands were all thumbs so I could give it ten thumbs up instead of two. If you like a good banh mi, please try it for yourself and let me know what you think.

IMAG3891 — Chocolate cherry panini (mini-loaf)

The ham and gruyere baguette is also very good. It features New Creation Farm ham, thinly sliced gruyere and herb butter. I picked one up just after they started serving their lunch menu at 10:30. It made a great European-style breakfast. I sliced some fresh Roma tomato and added that. I loved the bites with and without tomato equally. It was just a solid sandwich.

I can’t wait to try their other sandwiches. Vegetarians will be delighted with the Burrata sandwich on one of their rustic rolls – featuring house made burrata from Snowville Creamery cream. IMAG4412 The pulled beef baguette with maple slaw and Prosciutto Americano with honey butter and arugula also sound delightful. The menu changes with the season, because all of the sandwiches use fresh, locally sourced ingredients. They particularly thank New Creation Farm, Miller Livestock and Wolff Farm.

They also make awesome bread. I buy a loaf of Pullman whenever I’m there. I also love their epi and baguettes. They have special breads all week, including stuffed fougasse and bacon gruyere bread. They make a chocolate cherry bread that I love so much I don’t go there on Wednesdays because I will eat the whole loaf.

Contact info:

On The Rise Artisan Breads & Pastries
3471 Fairmount Boulevard
Cleveland Heights, OH 44118
(216) 320-9923
http://www.facebook.com/ontherise
http://twitter.com/ontherisebreads

Vero Bistro in Cleveland Heights

Edit: Vero Bistro expanded and added a full liquor bar in March 2024. The move doubled the available seating, which is a welcome addition. Vero has been operating at full capacity pretty much since it opened in 2012. It is still open for dinner from 5 to 9 (to 10 on Fridays and Saturdays) Tuesdays through Saturdays (closed on Sundays and Mondays). To avoid the long wait I would either get there right when it opened or just not go at all (they really don’t encourage pizza takeout because the pizza is best fresh out of the pizza oven). Reservations are encouraged. They now accept reservations for all parties on their Tock platform. The restaurant tries to keep 30% of the restaurant reservation-free for walk-ins. If no table is available upon your arrival they have a wait list.

The new double-storefront layout increases the seating from 45 to around 100 available seats. The new expansion features a 10-seat marble-topped bar, main floor seating and has kept the mezzanine that overlooks it all. The result is a bright and cheerful space. I recently met friends there and enjoyed my usual Margherita DOP pizza, Caesar salad and – to my delight – a delightful Limoncello-Pistachio Spritz featuring prosecco, limoncello, a lemon/pistachio syrup and soda. It was super refreshing. If you enjoy Aperol Spritz they serve those too!

Original post from March 12, 2013:

Once upon a time there was a young girl who was studying abroad in Austria and spent her Easter break in Italy. She still cannot forget the delicious pizza she ate in Florence – and that was 23 years ago. Well, I don’t have to simply remember it anymore, because I can enjoy it whenever I want at Vero Bistro in Cleveland Heights. Vero Bistro opened last summer in the site of the old La Gelateria in the Cedar-Fairmount district. They serve pizza made in a wood-fired oven and gelato. Vero focuses on Napoletano pizza, which is the classic Italian pizza. The pizzas are served uncut and feed one person – just like I am used to from Germany and Italy. Vero Bistro prides itself on using fresh, locally sourced ingredients. The sources are printed on the menu.

I met with some friends on a Saturday night. We quickly found a four-top downstairs near the window. One of our friends brought several bottles of red wine and a bottle of Cava for our table. Vero does not have a liquor license yet (it is supposed to be approved very soon), so they do not charge a corkage fee. Several other diners had brought along six-packs of Great Lakes beer to enjoy with their pizzas.

I started with a house salad, which featured fresh greens, cherry tomatoes bursting with flavor, and a house balsamic vinaigrette. It was fresh and simple, yet very flavorful. I can’t wait to try their watercress & arugula salad next time.

I ordered a basic Pizza Margherita, which urban legend claims was commissioned in honor of the visiting Queen Margherita. It features San Marzano tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, fresh basil, extra virgin olive oil, and sea salt. The dough is made fresh every day using Italian flour and fresh yeast and proofs overnight. The sauce features hand-crushed Italian plum tomatoes, a touch of salt, and Italian herbs and is not cooked beforehand, waiting to be cooked by the heat of the oven. The pizzas puff up in the oven and are fully cooked in 90 seconds. It was divine. Simple, but absolutely divine. There was some char on the bottom of the pizza, but that is to be expected on a Napoli-style pizza from a wood-burning oven. The char added to the delicious flavor of the crust. While eating the pizza with my knife and fork, I would save some of the juicy inner slice to add to the top of the crust for the perfect bite of flavor. That is how it is meant to be enjoyed, and that is how the Europeans do it. Although there is appeal in folding a slice of New York pizza, this is my favorite way to enjoy a pizza and I’ve missed it.

I was able to taste my friends’ pizzas as well. The Pizza Funghi added mushrooms to the Margherita pizza, while the Pizza Radice features garlic aioli, oven roasted vegetables, fresh mozzarella and goat cheese, and arugula. The garlic aioli really made this pizza a standout.

I ended my meal with a small Stracciatella gelato. Stracciatella gelato is kind of like American chocolate chip ice cream, except completely different. Instead of the chips and sometimes chunks you find in the American product, Stracciattella has fine bits of chocolate throughout, which results in a smooth texture with just the slightest crunch in every bite. My all-time favorite gelato is Bacio though, which is a chocolate hazelnut flavored gelato, which is also served there.

There have been some complaints about slow service, but we were not there to rush. The servers also had to run up and down the stairs waiting on all of the occupied tables. If people came in for gelato then that was one less server on the floor. We sat and enjoyed several bottles of wine and good company.

IMG_20180125_172546 I have since made this my go-to pizza place when I am craving pizza and want to go out. The seats may not be comfortable, but the pizza is so delicious I don’t mind.

If you want a quality pizza, you won’t be disappointed here. It’s a little pricier than Domino’s but infinitely more satisfying. In short, I can’t wait to come back again. Is today for lunch too soon?

Contact info:

Vero Bistro
12421 Cedar Road
Cleveland Heights, OH 44106
(216) 229-8383

Sokolowski’s University Inn

Sokolowski’s is a Cleveland institution. My father used to eat there all the time with his co-workers from Richman Brothers, and I grew up hearing about his lunches at Sokolowski’s, Sterle’s and the Hofbräuhaus. I finally got a chance to check it out for myself about ten years ago and have been a fan ever since. I was craving comfort food this afternoon, so I called some friends and we headed out to Sokolowski’s. We got there at around 11:30 to avoid the lunch rush, and got in line just in time because Lolly the Trolley let off a big group there just behind us.

Established in 1923, Sokolowski’s University Inn is one Cleveland’s oldest family owned and operated restaurants. Specializing in Polish and Eastern European cuisine, this Cleveland institution has been feeding its bratwurst, kielbasa (my dad’s favorite), pierogi, stuffed cabbage, cabbage and noodles, chicken paprikash, etc. to its customers for over 87 years.

Food is served cafeteria-style. There is always a crowd, but don’t worry – being cafeteria style the line moves fast. You line up, grab a tray and silverware and work your way down the line. I couldn’t help but start dancing when I grabbed my tray and heard the polka music. The first stop is salads (as well as beet salad and a delicious cucumber-dill salad) served on ice and saran-wrapped pies and cakes, followed by alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverages either from bus tubs or the fountain (and they offer several beers on tap – today they had my favorite, Reissdorfer Kölsch on tap for $5 for a pint, but I went with their ‘house’ brand grape soda). After that you are confronted with the hot foods. Every lunch and dinner is served with a roll, so they have a sign telling you to take one. You have to be quick with your order because they move quickly. Hot food is constantly being brought out from the kitchen behind them. All lunches and dinners come with two sides, and they don’t give you a lot of time to think about it. Some of the available sides include pierogi, mashed potatoes and gravy, corn, green beans, and cabbage and noodles. You can also order soup and/or sandwiches (which come with a pickle and potato salad). Friday lunch and dinner features lots of fish choices – as well as mac and cheese.

Have a heart for those behind you and try to pay in cash if you can. It keeps the line moving. They have a $10.00 limit for credit cards. They have guys waiting at the cash register to carry your tray and escort you to a table. Normally I ask to sit in the room with the piano player. Tom “Mr. T at the Keys” Ballog plays during Wednesday through Saturday hours. It adds a nice ambiance to the meal. Dad also taught me to unload your tray onto the table when you sit down so they can quickly reuse them, but I don’t know if that is necessary anymore.

My choice today was the fresh bratwurst with a side of pierogi and corn. The woman behind the counter gave me corn and green beans. When I corrected her she slapped some pierogis on a plate for me and told me to tell the cashier (who is one of the owners) that it was a mistake. Well, I didn’t have the heart to do that and paid for the pierogis extra. They’re worth it. But you do need to be vigilant at the counter, because they managed to screw up each of our three orders somehow. In the end I was really pleased I had the corn and green beans (if you are a fan of canned green beans you will be thrilled. Yes, yes, when it comes to green beans I have no taste…), because I walked out of there this time not feeling overloaded with carbs. Sokolowski’s can be quite carb-heavy, as my friend who had the pierogi lunch with potato pancakes and mashed potatoes and gravy can attest. He ended up boxing half of his meal and bringing it home.

Since this is a Cleveland food blog, let me just talk about the pierogi for a second. Sokolowski’s pierogi may be small and only come filled with mashed potatoes and cheese, but they pack a flavorful punch. They are served in a pool of melted butter and sautéd onions. I dripped some of the butter on my t-shirt today and can still smell the onion and butter as I type this. About a year ago I did a taste test, going to Babushka’s Kitchen one night and Sokolowski’s for lunch the next day. I ordered the same thing – stuffed cabbage and pierogi. Babushka’s Kitchen’s pierogi are bigger and there are a lot more choices to choose from, but Sokolowski’s won my heart hands down. Babushka’s definitely gives them a run for their money, but you just can’t beat the flavor of Sokolowski’s pierogi. But for the record, Sokolowski’s stuffed cabbage blows Babushka’s away. It isn’t even a contest in my book. It may not be haute cuisine, but it tastes just like my Ukrainian grandma used to make it.

I had enough room for a bite of the coconut cream cake, which is one of my favorite desserts there (if they don’t have the rice pudding). It looks really heavy, but you wouldn’t believe how light and airy it is. It’s like biting into a cloud of moist cake, whipped cream and coconut. I also had a bite of my friend M.’s carrot cake, and it may have replaced the coconut cream cake in my favorites list. Whatever your dessert favorite, be it rice pudding, cherry, apple or blueberry pie (or whatever other flavor they have), chocolate cream pie, coconut cake, or carrot cake, you won’t go wrong grabbing it at the top of the cafeteria line – even if you have to box it up and bring it home with you, which is what I usually do.

Friday nights I can highly recommend the meatloaf. The slice of meatloaf almost hangs over the plate and has a nice tomato-chipotle glaze. One of the best meatloaves I have ever eaten in a restaurant. IMAG0602

The Innerbelt Bridge project has made it a little more difficult to find it, but the long line at 11:30 shows that it hasn’t killed business. Coming from the east, we got off at the Abbey Avenue exit, took a left on Fairfield Avenue, turned onto W. 11th and pulled into the parking lot on Abbey. Luckily there were signs to Sokolowski’s with arrows that we could follow. Sokolowski’s has directions on its website, but they should only serve as a guideline. If you head to Parallax and South Side you’ll find Sokolowski’s. And I promise it’s well worth the extra aggravation.

I had been debating between Slyman’s and Sokolowski’s today, but Slyman’s sandwiches are $11.00-12.00 and my bratwurst lunch with two sides at Sokolowski’s was $8.00. Sure, I paid extra for the cake, drink and side of pierogi, but I was very happy with my decision to eat at Sokolowski’s. Slyman’s will be there another day. Sokolowski’s is open Monday-Friday 11 am – 3 pm and Friday and Saturday from 5 pm – 9 pm and 4 pm – 9 pm respectively.

Contact info:

Sokolowski’s University Inn
1201 University Rd
Cleveland, OH 44113
(216) 771-9236

And did I mention that Anthony Bourdain ate here for his show “No Reservations”? The website also features Michael Symon talking about Sokolowski’s pierogi in “The Best Thing I Ever Ate.” Like I said, it’s an institution…

Danny Boy’s Pizza

IMAG2849 — Veggie Tortilla Pizza appetizer

I have a new favorite pizza place. I have been hearing about Danny Boy’s Pizza since I lived on the West Side of Cleveland. It opened in Rocky River in 1991. I used to confuse it with Danny Boy Farmer’s Market in North Olmsted, which I used to drive by all the time on my way to work from Olmsted Falls to the Baker’s Square on Lorain Road in North Olmsted. I have been meaning to try the place forever and simply never got around to it.

Well, I heard they opened a new location in Broadview Heights, and my best friend and I finally went there to check it out last night. My friend M. is a total mac-n-cheese freak, so when I told her about their mac-n-cheese pizza I knew she would be up for driving there with me. The location in Broadview Heights opened in mid-August in the longtime home of Pipers III, which closed its doors earlier this year after nearly 40 years in business. I’ve eaten at Pipers III, and I can’t tell you how happy I am to hear a restaurant closed. We used to have the annual meeting of our local translators group there, and I found the place really stodgy. They’ve done a nice job renovating the place. It barely resembles Pipers III – and that’s a good thing. The atmosphere inside the restaurant is casual. Lots of tile and booths and tables. A wood bar divides the more ‘formal’ dining area from the bar area. The walls are are covered in posters, fake road signs, etc. all featuring Rat Pack memorabilia. The voices of Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra and Michael Buble croon over the speakers. I immediately felt comfortable.

IMG_20120925_194713 — Downtown Mac-n-Cheese Pasta Pie

The place was packed for a Tuesday night, but we were shown to a table immediately. The parking lot was still packed when we left an hour and a half later. Danny Boy’s is definitely thriving at the location, and their take-out business is also quite healthy.

IMG_20120925_194743 — The Clevelander Pie

The menu is enormous and features 150 items. I jokingly asked the waitress how long it took her to learn all the items on the menu, and she half-jokingly replied that she was still learning them. I had a hard time deciding on just one item, so I opted to order two small pizzas and bring them both home with me. Also, it should be mentioned that the servings are enormous. You’ll be bringing food home with you even if all you ordered was one of their subs. The plates were groaning with food. The menu features salads, subs, calzones, pizza and pasta as well as some really unique appetizers and even appetizer pizzas. Not to mention ribs and burgers…

I ordered a glass of Chianti, and M. ordered a glass of white wine to go with our meals. I started off with a side salad – and gave M. one of the enormous breadsticks so I wouldn’t fill up too quickly. The breadstick was light and airy and had a nice garlicky/parmesan taste to it. I quickly regretted the decision to give the second one up, but only for a brief second when the table next to us got their subs.

M. ordered the mac-n-cheese pizza and added onions and mushrooms to it. The mac-n-cheese pizza comes out topped with crispy kettle potato chips. The Downtown Mac-n-Cheese features macaroni covered with a Danny Boy’s three cheese blend topped with “kettle chips for a creamy and crunchy delight!” The pizza was amazing. The mac and cheese on its own would have pleased M., but putting it on a pizza crust and topping it with potato chips really elevated it to something special. Carbs on top of more carbs, but what a meal! It was delicious flavorful, and I was happy that M. shared a slice with me. She was THRILLED and can’t wait to come back and get it again.

IMAG2853 — Summer Wind Shrimp with spaghetti instead of angel hair pasta

I in turn gave her several slices of my pizzas to take home to her boyfriend, who was working that night. I decided to order The Clevelander, which is a mixture of a Chicago-style deep dish and a thin New York-style pizza. If I had been in the mood for a more traditional Italian pizza with red sauce I would have been more than happy with this pizza, which is one of their award-winning pizzas.

As it was, I was in the mood for something lighter, so I also ordered the Chicken Fold Over. When I was a young girl my family would occasionally order a chicken fold over from the local pizza joint in town. The Danny Boy’s chicken foldover was just as good, if not even better, than Uncle Al’s in Olmsted Falls. The fold over features cubes of breaded chicken breast and pizza cheese baked golden brown and topped with crisp lettuce, tomatoes and cool mayo. I was in heaven, and had several slices of it this morning for breakfast.

With the salad and one slice each of the pizzas I went home full and happy. I can’t wait to go back and try some of the other choices – including the Spin Dip Pie, which features spinach and artichoke dip topped with kettle chips, and the Polish Pierogi Pasta Pie, which features a buttered crust with onions, green peppers, pizza cheese, Polish kielbasa and potato & cheese pierogi. How very Cleveland of them…

Danny Boy’s has been so successful that it has locations in Boardman, Broadview Heights, Canton, Chesterland, and Sandusky in addition to the flagship restaurant in Rocky River.