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Fish Fryday #6: The Fairview Tavern and Church of the Gesu

Lunch at The Fairview Tavern

One of my friends recommended I check out The Fairview Tavern when I talked about going to Gunselman’s last week and recommended their perch dinners. One of my girlfriends wanted to check it out, so we went for lunch there today. I am originally from Olmsted Falls and dated a guy from Fairview in high school. I had never heard of it despite it apparently being in business since the 1940s. It is located in the Fairview Shopping Center close to the intersection of Lorain Road and W. 220th. It is a tiny little sports bar with not much marking it by way of signage. New owners took over in 2006 and have been producing some excellent food since then. This place is the epitome of a hole-in-the-wall hidden gem.

When you enter, you are greeted by a long bar that extends its way into the establishment. There are a couple of high top tables to the left. We had to walk through the bar to get to the dining area with the tables and several booths.

We were greeted by a friendly server, and upon asking what was on tap I was given a list of the draft beers. I was tempted to order a Guiness because the place was festively decorated for the upcoming holiday, but I just bought a four pack so ordered a Samuel Smith’s Nut Brown Ale. It is a clear dark amber beer with a slightly syrupy taste and was a tasty accompaniment to my meal.

I was intrigued by their regular menu and will definitely be going back. One thing I knew I needed to order was the bacon-wrapped kielbasa bites. How very Cleveland. These small coins of kielbasa were nicely prepared and were doused in a maple bourbon glaze. They were a tasty appetite whetter. I will definitely be back from the mini beef wellington – and I failed to order the New England Clam Chowder today, so that will need to be remedied as well.

Both my friend and I ordered the perch dinner. You can get three or four pieces of perch with fries and slaw. We chose the perch and pierogi dinner, which also came with fries and slaw as well as a side of sour cream and a side of tartar sauce. I know I have said this before, but I don’t understand the appeal of perch. There isn’t enough meat to be satisfying. And perch is easy to overcook, which these were hovering on the edge of. They were okay, but the cod sandwich that was served to the patron at the next table definitely looked more my speed. The fries and pierogi were lovely. The pierogi were served with large slices of onion that were grilled and a tasty addition. The slaw was just okay. Knowing I would be hitting Gesu tonight, I ate a pierogi and one of my three perch and got a box for the dinner and a box for the kielbasa bites. I’m sure they will reheat well.

Dinner at Church of the Gesu

I finally made it to the Gesu fish fry tonight. The Gesu fish fry is run out of the Gesu Catholic School’s basement cafeteria and catered by EDWINS. All proceeds go to support Gesu’s Families in Need Fund and EDWINS Leadership & Restaurant Institute. I’ve been meaning to try it all season and finally made it. It took me a minute to actually find it though. What is it with Catholic schools and the woeful lack of signage?

I drove through several mobs of sorority girls and college kids in green from John Carroll walking to parties or the bars, and once I pulled onto Miramar and into the Gesu compound I drove behind the buildings to where most of the cars were parked near a building that had a sign visible through the windows indicating it was the Gymnasium. I asked two ladies who were walking in the lot where the fish fry was, and they pointed to the inside corner of the building. A sign on the door indicated there is a handicap entrance (an elevator) at the back of the building. If you have mobility issues, plan ahead and park close to the handicap entrance.

I entered the building and walked down the stairs to be greeted by a friendly woman at the door of the cafeteria. Once I told her I was a walk-in without a pre-order, she pointed me in the direction I needed to go (straight ahead). Pre-orders and to-go orders veer to the right, and there are rows of chairs available to wait for your order. I filled out my form and paid my money and was told to go to table 18. Table 18 didn’t work for me, so they easily managed to amend my order to table 4. It was brought out to me as I was sitting down. I sat with a delightful older couple with whom I enjoyed talking. They and their friends tried to recruit me for the choir. It was sweet, but the chances of this Lutheran making it to a Catholic morning mass (let alone an hour before mass to practice) are slim to none. But they definitely made me feel welcome.

I ordered the fish and shrimp dinner. Both were perfectly fried. The cocktail sauce for the shrimp was tasty, and the tartar sauce was indeed as good as the mayor of University Heights claimed it is. I ate two shrimp, nibbled on a few fries and had a couple bites of the fish as I chatted with my tablemates. I ended up taking most of it home to reheat tomorrow or Sunday.

Someone was lamenting on my Facebook food forum about a two-hour wait at the fish fry they were at. I got to Gesu shortly after they started serving (which is 5-8 pm) at 5:15 and left at 6. There were no lines and lots of tables with available seating. The fish fry is phenomenal (come on, it’s EDWINS), so if you want a great fish fry with no waiting be sure to check it out. If you pre-order a couple days ahead of time you also don’t have to worry about them running out. Pre-orders open at noon on the Saturday before the fish fry. Next week is the last chance for the 2024 Lenten season.

Contact info:

The Fairview Tavern
1867 Lorain Road
Cleveland, OH 44126
(440) 799-4200

Church of the Gesu
Gesu Catholic School
2470 Miramar Boulevard
University Heights, OH 44118
(216) 932-0617

West Geauga High School Pancake Breakfast

It’s Pancake Breakfast season! The holiest of Nature’s holidays. When the sap starts running in Geauga County and the calendar flips over to March, it is time for pancake breakfasts throughout the area. Spring is the time of the most activity when the syrup is being made and most of the harvest work is done. Most of the local pancake breakfasts feature real maple syrup, and you can’t throw a stone around Burton without hitting one. I attended my first pancake breakfast season today and chose to try the breakfast at West Geauga High School in Chesterland. I had heard a lot of good things, and it was my first time there. We pulled into the high school parking lot and followed the crowds of people. The entrances and exits were well-marked. We just followed the signs. We got there at 11:30. It starts at 8 am and runs until 1 pm. The cafeteria was packed, but the line wasn’t very long and moved fast.

West Geauga High School pancake breakfast is run by the Kiwanis Club and relies on community volunteers. The place was swarming with Kiwanis, Boy Scouts, Pixies, Brownies and Girl Scouts. There were lots of folks collecting money at the cashier table, making the food in the cafeteria kitchen, restocking silverware and beverages, and most importantly running around the cafeteria with thermoses of regular and decaf coffee and trays of pancakes and sausage. Insider tip: the sausage is from Kocian Meats at E. 40th and St. Clair, and we heard several people raving about the sausage.

For $10, you can enjoy all-you-can-eat buttermilk, buckwheat, chocolate chip, and blueberry pancakes, French toast, Geauga County’s Pure Maple Syrup, sausage, juice, coffee and milk. Children 6 and under are $6 and there is an early bird special from 8-9 a.m. for even less (but if you’ve been following me you know that I am not a morning person and will never be up and moving for an early bird special unless I haven’t gone to bed yet – which was the plan for this Saturday’s pancake breakfast at Abundant Life Ministry Center in Burton, but I decided at 5:30 a.m. that I would rather go to bed than power through until 7 a.m.). I’ll hit it later in the day later in the month. That one is on Saturdays in March from 7 a.m. to noon.

My friend joined me because she was looking forward to the buckwheat pancakes. Unfortunately she said there wasn’t as much buckwheat as she prefers. She prefers the Burton Fire Department’s buckwheat pancakes. But she still enjoyed them.

I grabbed a plate of blueberry pancakes and a plate of French toast and got several sausage patties. I liked that they asked if I wanted them well-done or regular. I told the server that I didn’t care, so he gave me two regular patties. My friend loved the well-done sausage because they were crispy and just how she likes it. I like that they give you a choice.

We found a clean spot for two and tucked into our food. The volunteers kept coming around and topping off our coffee and clearing half-empty creamer pots and syrup jars and switching them for full ones. We didn’t need refills on pancakes or sausage, but if we had wanted them all we had to do was hold up paint paddles to call for more. There was always someone close by with more. They had big urns of coffee with which they refilled the thermoses.

I was thrilled to see my friends (and former neighbors) who introduced me to the idea of pancake breakfasts just a couple people down from me. I gave them all big hugs and caught up. Not bad for a West Sider who found herself on the far East Side. My friend and I drove back home with full bellies and happy hearts. It was the perfect start to the syrup season.

We were even served some coffee by The Cat in the Hat. He was just a spot of sunshine. Everyone there was efficient and very friendly. It was great seeing families enjoying themselves, and we enjoyed chatting with the folks around us.

Contact info:

West Geauga High School
13401 Chillicothe Road
Chesterland, OH 44026
(440) 729-5950

Savour at Polaris and The Buckeye Room at Lorain County JVS

Growing up in Olmsted Falls I am very familiar with Polaris Career Center and its job and training courses, which offer hospitality and cosmetology services to the community such as the restaurant and bakery, hair salon and the now-closed audiovisual services. Polaris offers courses designed to help junior and senior high students and adults from the surrounding cities prepare for meaningful careers, update job qualifications, or develop a personal interest. Students who were not college-bound attended Polaris in the afternoons. The only reason I was familiar with the Lorain County JVS, which is in Oberlin, is because I know someone who works there and used to run the Culinary Arts program there. The Culinary Arts program trains students in all areas of the demanding and competitive world of food service. Basic cooking techniques, baking, salad preparation, cafeteria operation and advanced culinary skills are taught by chef instructors and guest chefs. The Buckeye Room is a full-service restaurant run by students in their senior year. They also learn to cater functions before, during and after school.

The restaurant at Polaris is Savour and the bakery is Indulge. The restaurant at the JVC is The Buckeye Room. I had never eaten at either restaurant before. I have eaten at both twice now and look forward to more visits in the future. The food is amazing and the kids take great pride in what they are doing. You can also order online for take-out at Polaris. Finding the restaurant at Polaris was easy from the visitor parking lot on the right side of the complex (the last driveway on Old Oak Boulevard). Finding the Buckeye Room was a little more difficult. I entered the main entrance and parked in the lot to the right. I then had to walk to the entrance on the right of the photo and turn right as I walked in. There was a sign pointing me to the right, but the doors to the restaurant are not marked. Once you turn to the right, if you don’t know that the restaurant is hidden behind the double doors on the left just inside the cafeteria you will walk past it and have to ask someone where it is.

The bakery is open on Wednesdays through Fridays (most weeks from September to May) from noon to 2:00 p.m. and coincide with Savour’s hours of operation. The baked goods are quite good, and I can highly recommend the cookies, eclairs, individual cheesecakes and pastries such as the tarts and croissants. The bakery usually has a long line and it is SLOW. If you have a reservation at 12:30 you’d better get in line before noon because you will still be in line at 12:30 (even if you were towards the front). If you have a 11:45 am reservation grab your table and then put your order in with a friend as you queue up. Not only do all the elderly patrons slow things down, but the girls working behind the counter were not efficient either time I was there. One writes down your order while the other puts the baked goods on the tray – then they get taken to be boxed and then ring the sale up. I know they are students, but the slow pace is not doing anyone any favors. I’ve worked in restaurants and they are very high pace environments. They also tend to sell out of things quickly.

Both restaurants require reservations because demand for tables is high since they are only open a couple of days a week and only a couple of weeks a month. My friend makes several reservations at once as early in the season as she can for the lunches. I always joke that I am one of the youngest ones dining here, but there has always been one table of twentysomethings eating here as well.

Savour is open for lunch from 11:45 am – 1:00 pm. The schedule is posted here. Each table gets a basket of bialys for your party, and you can order more to go if there are extra. A bialy is flat bagel-like roll with a depression in the center typically seasoned with an onion and poppy seed mixture. The more well-known bagel refers is a round roll, typically with a hole in the center. Unlike bialys, bagels are boiled and then baked, giving them a chewier texture. On our first visit they had not taken the number of reservations into account, and our table was shorted two bialys.

First row: Walleye, Short Ribs, No-Bake Nutella Cheesecake
Second row: Clam chowder, Pot Roast, Maryland Crab Cake
Third row: cross-section of the Crab Cake, NOLA Bread Pudding, Pot de Creme

You order off the limited menu here. There are two soup choices, two salad choices, a Reuben, two flatbreads, three entrees and two desserts to choose from. All the entrees include a complementary dessert for around $16. The servers are also learning to work front of house, but they have all been fairly competent. Our beverages have been refilled and food brought out efficiently. We had one case of the shrimp in the soup being overcooked, so we let the program manager know to tell them not to cook the shrimp in the soups for so long. Other than that everything has been excellent. The clam chowder on my second visit was so good that I ordered a quart to take home. They did not overcook the clams, and the potatos and seasoning were perfect. I absolutely fell in love with the Chicken Rockefeller on my first visit, and it was one of my Best Bites of 2023. The chicken, hollandaise and rice were perfectly cooked and the sauteed zucchini was also delicious. My crab cake on my second visit was moist and delicious (see photos in the table above – including the cross-section). And the chocolate pot de creme was exquisite.

The Buckeye Room is open for lunch from 10:45 am – 1:00 pm Monday thru Friday on certain dates throughout the year. All prix fixe menus are $17.00 for a 4-course meal and a drink. The dining room here at the Buckeye Room is very small, only seating maybe 50 people. On our first visit we were seated promptly, but they had taken too many reservations on the second visit and the kitchen was in the weeds, so we had to wait a while for our table. They had some seating for waiting guests, but people were standing in the small hallway for quite a while. The clientele here tends to skew a little younger.

Just a selection of the meals
First row: Cheese & sausage stuffed mushrooms, Calamari, Potato & leek soup
Second row: Herb roasted turkey breast with sage stuffing, mashed potatoes, glazed carrots and corn; Spiced vanilla trifle; Arancini
Third row: Winter chop salad, Chicken pot pie; Cherry pie

I can never finish the full 4-course meals here. I tend to enjoy the appetizer and soup or salad and then half of the entree, and tend to ask for a to go box. The cherry pie was easier to take home than the tiramisu, so I opted for the cherry pie even though the tiramisu looked amazing. My favorite bite here so far was the Surf & Turf on my second visit. The 4 oz. filet was perfectly cooked to my medium rare specification with a delicious demi-glace. The shrimp skewer was delightfully charred and served on a bed of roasted tomato risotto that was extremely flavorful. They had run out of the brussel sprouts, but the zucchini they substituted was also delicious and I didn’t miss the brussel sprouts. Another Best Bite of 2023.

I look forward to my meals here in 2024 and beyond.

Contact info:

The Buckeye Room
15181 State Route 58
Oberlin, OH 44074

Savour Restaurant
7285 Old Oak Boulevard
Middleburg Heights, OH 44130

Guarino’s

Guarino’s is Cleveland’s oldest Italian Restaurant in Little Italy. It was established in 1918 when Vincenzo Guarino purchased a building that housed a poolroom/tavern and had an apartment above. Vincenzo operated the poolroom and tavern, while his wife Mary prepared dinners in the back dining room for friends, neighbors, and business clientele. Vincenzo’s son Sam took over the business after Vincenzo died in 1954. I had the pleasure of meeting Nancy Phillips, a life-long friend of Sam and who helped run the business with Sam’s wife Marilyn after Sam died in 1987 . The restaurant is now run by Nancy’s children, Rachel & Scott, and her oldest grandson Scott Jr.

Homemade wine and liquor was served in coffee cups during prohibition as the strings of beads hung from the ceiling to shield the bar from the police in the streets. The beads still hang there today and almost graze your head when sitting at the bar. This photo of the bar was taken during one of my Meetup Happy Hour Group’s happy hours. The bar is not usually this packed.

Guarino’s features a private parking lot next to the building, which is always welcome in Little Italy, and one of Cleveland’s most romantic garden patios. The garden patio is one of my favorite spots on a warm sunny day. The ambience inside is that of a classic Italian restaurant. The indoors hasn’t changed in years, very old school and traditional with tableclothes and cloth napkins. Rumor has it Dean Martin used to hang out here back in the day. I have been here for lunch, dinner, a happy hour and a friend’s wedding.

They did a really nice job with the wedding. We were at in the back dining room, and the service was great. I even sang a song for the couple at my friend’s request. My friend was a friend of the family and their photo was featured when you walk in. I think she might still be in a photo there even if he has been cropped out.

The bread service is a solid Italian bread and butter. The Italian wedding soup is quite delicious. It features tender meatballs and is made with escarole, which is a treat. The side salad that comes with the meals has a nice mix of lettuce, croutons and veggies. The Italian house dressing is also nicely balanced.

I love the brasciole (there aren’t many places that serve it!) and the lasagna. Brasciole is made from a flat steak that is stuffed with prosciutto, hard boiled egg, cheese, fresh garlic and parsley and rolled. I had it for the first time at a friend’s house when we were carbing up for the Susan G. Komen 3-Day Breast Cancer Walk and fell in love with it. It is served on a bed of marinara pasta. The lasagna is a 60 year old recipe and is also very good. I’ve had it several times and never had reason to complain. People also rave about the chicken piccata.

I’m not a big fan of the marinara that comes on spaghetti and other pasta because it tastes somewhat metallic to me. It’s not my favorite restaurant in Little Italy, but it has its fans and is definitely worth a visit for the historical value and the patio.

Contact info:

Guarino’s
12309 Mayfield Road
Cleveland, OH 44106
(216) 231-3100

Clambakes 2023

This year money has been really tight, as the translation industry is being decimated by machine translation and AI. So I only attended two clambakes at restaurants this year and was treated to a tasty clambake at a friend’s house.

Gunselman’s Tavern

I attended the clambake at Gunselman’s Tavern with several friends who organized a table of six. It was my fourth year in a row. We were seated inside this time, because it was rainy and cold out. They were still cooking the food outside, but under the cover of their garage and a large tent.

The clambake was, as always, delicious. They started by serving us clam broth as a starter, followed by clam chowder at 1 o’clock on the dot. One of my friends saved his broth to add to his clam chowder. This year’s clambake included clam broth, New England clam chowder, a dozen clams, a small portion of both sweet potato and roasted potatoes, corn on the cob, 1/2 chicken or steak and a small roll. No cole slaw this year, Two of the folks at our table ordered extra clams, while one didn’t like clams and let three of us share her portion. The chowder was once again packed with clams and potatoes. I once again ordered the Steak Bake, and the steak was perfectly medium rare, which allowed me to take it home and reheat it for leftovers. I ate all the clams and the corn and took the potatoes and steak home for later.

Willoughby Elks

Since tickets for the Willoughby Elks’ clambake have to be purchased in advance because they sell out and I had bought my ticket in the summer, I only had to shell out some money for my beverages at the bar. I had attended a tea in Burton and drove down side roads through the countryside to Willoughby. It was a beautiful day for a drive, and I got to admire the changing leaves. I had to wait for my friend Kerrie to arrive, but it was nice to catch up with her. We lined up outside in the then-drizzling rain (luckily not too heavy) and waited for the folks under the tent to assemble our meals. The clambake includes clams (or mussels) with the choice of 1/2 a chicken or steak along with sweet potato, corn on the cob, coleslaw, and clam chowder. Kerrie got the Chicken Bake and extra mussels, while I got the Steak Bake. We grabbed a table inside and enjoyed our meal, chatting with the folks around us. The corn is usually the highlight for me, but my corn this year was pretty dried out. And they had issues with the butter. I still enjoyed the clams and chowder and brought home the steak and the sweet potato for lunch the next day.

SweetBerry Fresh Market

One of my good friends had me over for a clambake she purchased from SweetBerry Fresh Market in Wickcliffe. We all contributed to the potluck dinner. One guest brought rumaki and a goat cheese and fig spread appetizer. I brought a s’mores cake made with German chocolate and marshmallow cream in a graham cracker crust in my Quick Cooker/InstantPot. Our host ordered 100 medium-neck clams from SweetBerry and made a delicious vegetable and seafood soup, some side dishes and a berry trifle for dessert, while another attendee brought beautiful steaks for each of us. The fourth guest brought some bottles of wine. I ate a ton of the rumaki (who doesn’t love bacon?), and we all gorged on the clams. One hundred clams divided between 4 people goes a long way. I took my steak home for a steak sandwich the next day. Everything was impeccable. Definitely a highlight of the year.

Contact info:

Willoughby Elks
38860 Mentor Avenue
Willoughby, OH 44094
(440) 942-2747

Gunselman’s Tavern
21490 Lorain Road
Fairview Park, OH 44126
(440) 331-5719

SweetBerry Fresh Market
30022 Euclid Avenue
Wickliffe, OH 44092
(440) 569-1042

Geraci’s – Pepper Pike

Geraci’s is a casual dining, Italian restaurant that serves traditional entrees and local favorites from recipes that have been passed down through many generations. Everyone raves about the pizza, and even Guy Fieri enjoyed himself here. The flagship location is located in University Heights, but they have been recently expanding, with a location in Mayfield Heights on Wilson Mills and SOM Center Road, one on Chagrin Road between Eton and Pepper Pike (where Mallorca used to be located), and a slice shop downtown on Prospect Avenue (where Vincenza’s was). I have been to the Geraci’s on Chagrin Road several times now, as one of my friends likes celebrating her birthday there. It is more spacious than the flagship location and has a quite romantic atmosphere. It reminds me of half-timbered restaurants in Europe.

Finding the entrance to the restaurant can be a little tricky. You have to enter the office building (there are a couple steps, but there is also a handicapable ramp to the right) and then walk into the foyer. The entrance is on your left just past the elevators. Once you walk in, you are greeted by the hostess stand, and there is a nice U-shaped bar to your left. There are two dining areas as well as a private room (where we enjoyed our meal during our first visit). The second visit we were in the main area at a long table in front of the fireplace. They also have a patio in the summer. The menus appear to be identical with the University Heights location, offering appetizers, handhelds, pasta and pizza pies.

The table first ordered several appetizers and passed them around. The standout for me was the breaded artichoke hearts. They are served with a spicy 1000 Island dipping sauce. They were crispy on the outside and lovely on the inside. The dipping sauce had a nice zip to it. Several other of my fellow diners enjoyed the fried ravioli and fried mozzarella.

The Italian wedding soup was very good (one of the better versions I’ve had). There are so many versions of Italian wedding soup out there, with variations on the pasta, greens and other ingredients. This one is fairly classic with the small acini de pepe, flavorful meatballs and spinach. I liked the percentage of onions and carrot too. It was a tasty soup.

The salad was nothing to write home about, with a lettuce mix, cherry tomatoes and some shredded mozzarella. The house dressing is an oil and vinegar based Italian, but I prefer the creamy Italian more because the house dressing has to be shaken up to mix.

I fell in love with the Honey Pie on my first visit – so much so that I ordered one for the table as an appetizer on our second visit. The Honey Pie features pepperoni, sausage, hot habanero honey, mozzarella and Romano cheese. There is something about the combination of the meats and the honey that just make it stand out for me. I love a thicker crust, and it was nice and chewy and toasty on the edges. The sauce was a decent sauce. The first time I ordered it, it was well-cooked (with some black spots – see below), but it did not taste burnt at all.

I was in a mood to continue the artichoke love on my first visit, so I ordered the Chicken Piccata, which is made with tender bites of chicken breast sautéed in garlic, butter and white wine and served with artichoke hearts, capers and lemon. It was very lemony, but hit the spot.

The only misstep was on my second visit. I ordered the Chicken Florentine, because I love spinach and was in the mood for it. It is billed as being “Marinated, grilled and served atop spinach with tomato & lemon.” I was not a fan. It was dry, dry, dry. I especially disliked the spinach, which was flash-fried and crispy. I was hoping for a nice mound of soft spinach or even a creamy spinach. It was served with a side of spaghetti and a side salad.

I recently went there for lunch and ordered what is undoubtedly now one of my favorite things I have ever eaten at an Italian restaurant. First, I have to eat a little crow. For years I have stated that I do not like angel hair pasta. Well, I was wrong. The waitress passionately suggested the angel hair instead of spaghetti, so I ordered the Angel Hair Balsamico, which is angel hair, artichoke hearts, diced fresh tomato and basil in a butter and white wine sauce. I added chicken for protein. The angel hair was coated in the butter and wine sauce, giving it an amazing buttery taste that just popped. I don’t think I will order anything different there ever again. I couldn’t finish the lunch portion, so I can’t even imagine how I’ll do with the dinner portion.

Our server on the first visit was extremely attentive, even though we were isolated from the rest of the dining areas in a private room, and I’m sure he had other tables besides ours. Our beverages were refilled quickly; our food was delivered promptly and it was delicious. The server on our second visit was overwhelmed, and it manifested in the service. She needed help and messed up a couple orders. To be fair, the restaurant was busy, but it was not so busy that people who were seated after us were served and left.

I do prefer this location over the flagship location, because of the ambiance and larger dining area. It doesn’t come across as cramped, like the University Heights location. Even if the flagship location is closer to me, we gladly drive to Eton/Pepper Pike to dine here.

Contact info:

Geraci’s of Pepper Pike
29425 Chagrin Boulevard
Pepper Pike, OH 44122
(216) 831-1595

Szalay’s Sweet Corn Farm & Market

There’s a magical time of year in Ohio called “corn season.” At least in my opinion. My all-time favorite food is corn on the cob, but corn is best when it is in season. Sweet corn season in Ohio begins July 1, usually spreading from southern Ohio to the north. It continues until the first frost in late September or early October.

This means I get to enjoy corn on the cob on my birthday every year. I request it with whatever else we are eating for the birthday dinner. It goes with everything – fried chicken, ribs, burgers, kebabs, etc. It’s even good as a meal on its own. People have been doctoring up corn recently to make elote/Mexican sweet corn, but I like it just with butter and salt. Growing up our church would host a corn roast at one of the member’s homes. They would soak the corn in buckets and throw them husk and all on the fire to get the perfect char.

Szalay’s Sweet Corn Farm & Market is open 7 days a week from 9 am-7 pm, but it is an event on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays in August. The sweet corn farm has a market where you can buy lots of fresh fruits, vegetables, bread, strudel, etc., but it features weekend food stands that offer sandwiches and hot dogs, corn, homemade lemonade and canned pop, and soft serve ice cream and fruit sundaes with ice cream and fruit. There are swinging picnic tables to eat at, but they turn over quickly. They have a bouncy house and other play stuff for the kids, and later in the season they have a corn maze in the parking lot across the street.

Word of warning: they only take cash or checks. Not just the food stands, but also the market. They have an ATM on site if you need to withdraw cash.

I’ve been coming on my own on the spur of the moment for several years, but decided to organize a lunch on the second Friday the food stands were open. There is usually live music on the weekends. Things were crazy, but not as crazy as it usually is on Saturday and Sunday. I sat at the table while my friends hit the food stands. We feasted on pork loin sandwiches, corn on the cob, lemonade and delicious fruit and soft serve. I chose blueberries with vanilla ice cream that tasted like fresh cream. The corn was absolutely perfect. They roast it and dip it in butter before handing it over wrapped in husk and foil. The pork loin sandwich was okay. The pork loin was pretty thin and the tomato kind of overshadowed it.

After we ate, we hit the market to stock up on corn, nectarines, peaches, melons, tomatoes, cucumbers, cabbage, etc. We then all headed our separate ways to run errands, go back to work, or just go home.

Contact info:

Szalay’s Corn Farm & Market
4563 Riverview Road
Peninsula, OH 44264
(330) 657-2727

Spudnut Donuts in Berea

Spudnuts are not just any doughnut. Spudnuts are fresh, delicious donuts made from potato flour. Berea’s Spudnut Donuts became one of the first franchised dealers in the nation in 1949 and is one of the few original Spudnut shops remaining. The parent company no longer exists, but there are only a few independent franchise shops left – with two in Ohio. One in Berea, and one in Mentor.

Bob and Al Pelton were looking for a recipe that would make a better doughnut and started experimenting with potato dough in 1946 at their doughnut shop in Salt Lake City, Utah. They came up with a combination of ingredients that included mashed Idaho potatoes, mountain grown wheat flours and spices from all over the world. The result was a consistently light, fluffy, tender potato doughnut with a unique delicate flavor.

I grew up one town over from Berea, and everyone always raved about Spudnuts. I’m sure I ate my share of spudnuts back in the day. To this day it remains my favorite doughnut. The location moved three times in the past – from Front Street to Riverside Drive and now to Prospect Road.

The Spudnuts in Berea always has a throughly stocked counter. Whenever I have gone to the one in Mentor (no matter what time it is) it is always fairly bare with a serious lack of fun doughnuts. I prefer a yeast doughnut, but even Spudnuts cake doughnuts are moist and delicious – unlike most other cake doughnuts (no coffee for dunking needed here!).

I love a good glazed doughnut, but the custard and jelly filled doughnuts are also a treat. I bought a huge box for my girlfriends in St. Patrick’s Day in March and they were a huge hit. They loved the sprinkles.

Contact info:

Spudnut Donuts (Berea)
650 Prospect Street
Berea, Ohio 44017
(440) 234-4249

Spudnuts Shoppe (Mentor)
6930 Center Street
Mentor, OH 44060
(440) 255-7257

Kenston High School Pancake Breakfast

The Pancake Breakfast at Kenston High School on Bainbridge Road in Chagrin Falls is hosted by the Bainbridge Civic Club and co-hosted by the Bainbridge Women’s Club during the first three Sundays in March. This year was the 71st Annual Pancake Breakfast. It’s closer to Cleveland than any Geauga county pancake breakfast, and they also serve killer pancakes and real maple syrup (they have a big box in the corner that they used to refill the syrup dispensers). Unlike Geauga county breakfasts, they don’t serve every single weekend. This year the breakfasts were held on March 5, 12 and 19 from 8-1. I love that they serve until 1 PM. That allowed me to slowly wake up and still head over there in plenty of time for pancakes.

I know I joke about the lack of signs sometimes, but I certainly can’t say it about Kenston High’s Pancake Breakfast. There are signs leading you to the breakfast from the I-422 highway exit, down Bainbridge Road and to the entrance of the high school and then all the way to the entrance doors. A++++ for the signage!

Once you enter the gymnasium, there are two tables to the right and left selling raffle tickets and Kenston gear. The table straight ahead is where you pay. They accepted credit cards for the first time this year, but it was quicker and easier to pay in cash. The funds they raise are used to support the Bainbridge Area Food for Friends Food Pantry, provide scholarships, and fund the club’s local community driven, philanthropic endeavors.

$11 for an adult breakfast will get you sausage, coffee, milk, syrup, butter & applesauce, orange juice and unlimited pancakes (plain, blueberry, and buckwheat) and/or French toast. They direct you down the hallway to be seated when a seat becomes available. They definitely keep things moving. Community volunteers seat you, take your order, and bring your freshly prepared, hot food to your table. I was immediately asked for my beverage order (orange juice and coffee), and then I ordered a Combo and sausage with applesauce. The Combo comes with two pancakes (buttermilk and blueberry) and one French toast, but I was given all three pancakes along with a French toast (probably because it was getting close to the end and they had a surplus of buckwheat). The sausage patties were also generous and perfectly cooked. The sausage is an exclusive recipe, ground and made fresh each week by Mazzulo’s Market. Best of all, the meal is served on china plates, with china mugs, and metal silverware!

The tables had little two-sided paddles if you needed more coffee or pancakes. If I needed anything else (like more sugar, more syrup, or my applesauce that wasn’t delivered) I asked someone and was immediately given it. It was a lot of food for $11, and I savored it. It was a special morning sitting in the gym watching the snow fall outside. What more could one want? Generous signage directing me where to go, real plates and silverware, and all I could eat? Add some eggs (protein) and this would be the absolutely perfect pancake breakfast. Once I got back to my car I decided to pop over to my parents’ house to say hi since I was so close. All in all, a great Sunday.

Contact info:

Bainbridge Civic Club Pancake Breakfast
Kenston High School
9500 Bainbridge Road
Chagrin Falls, OH 44023

Fish Fry #1 2023 – Ash Wednesday lunch at West Park Station

This year’s fish fry season is starting out well – the fish fry at West Park Station in Kamm’s Corner was superb. I ventured out in the slushy, cold and rainy weather and was lucky enough to get a spot right in front. That’s one of the reasons I chose lunch there, but I was still tickled that I didn’t have far to walk from where I parked. They opened at 11 am and had advertised the fish fry starting on Ash Wednesday, but the kitchen had either forgotten or something. I took a seat and ordered a Guinness and a cup of clam chowder from waitress #1. I don’t know what soup I was given, but it sure looked like a gumbo. I sent it back with waitress #2, and the kitchen had to make a pot of clam chowder because of my order. So it took a while, which was fine because I had my Guinness. I ordered the Pike and Pierogi Combo, which was $19.99.

Waitress #2 finally brought out the chowder, which was understandably hot. As I was letting it cool, my Pike and Pierogi Combo came out. Once I got some silverware I tucked into it. This was one of the best fish fries I’ve had. The “pike” (walleye) was dusted with cornmeal and had a hint of lemon on the inside. It was delicious. The pierogi came out deep fried with some cooked onions. I had ordered a side of sour cream for them and would do so again even though I was charged extra for the tiny cup of sour cream. The pierogi were good, although I do prefer them boiled and pan-fried. The french fries were delicious. I don’t know what they did to them but they had a great flavor. Someone brought out three hush puppies at some point as well, which weren’t included in the P&P dinner and are close to $5 to order a la carte. But I’m glad they brought them out because they were tasty (and free). The combo also came with a small cups of applesauce and cole slaw. The tartar sauce also seemed housemade. I would gladly return to enjoy this again. It paired nicely with the Guinness and was extremely tasty.

The chowder was perfect – if a little thin. I’m sure it thickened up over the course of the day on the burner. It was brimming with clams and chunks of potato. I’ve never had the first serving of chowder before. I usually get the end. It was really nice to enjoy a super-fresh chowder.

As far as other non-meat options go, the appetizers included boom boom shrimp and pierogi in addition to the clam chowder (and the regular menu had several non-meat friendly options like chips & dip, pub pretzels, fried mozzarella, spinach-artichoke dip and bruschetta. The fish fry menu also features a walleye dinner with chips and hush puppies, a bourbon glazed salmon dinner with rice pilaf and broccoli that would be a great choice for those watching their weight, a beer-battered haddock dinner with fries and slaw as well as bruschetta pasta, lobster mac n cheese, lobster alfredo, and a haddock sandwich on the regular menu.

Contact info:

West Park Station
17015 Lorain Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44111
(216) 476-2000