Cleveland institutions – Page 8 – Cleveland Rocks, Cleveland Eats

Bialy’s Bagels

Bialy’s Bagels is a little circle of NYC heaven right here in Cleveland. Located in an unassuming strip mall on the corner of Silsby and Warrensville Heights Roads in University Heights, Bialy’s has been pumping out bagels and bialys for over 30 years. It is a grab and go place. Go in, buy a half dozen or dozen bagels, and head home to stuff your face with carby goodness. There are no tables. There are no cutesy bagel sandwiches. There are no schmears. Just bagels. If you need cream cheese or smoked salmon they have it in coolers, but bring your own knife to assemble it in your car.

The bagels are available in a variety of flavors, from plain, egg, poppy seed to Mish Mosh (everything) and everything in between. I think I remember seeing cinnamon and blueberry as well. Obviously the fresher the better, but they just keep making bagels all day so they are fresh no matter what. If you are lucky you’ll catch a batch right as they come out. When that happens they have a warm outer crust with a chewy inside. You won’t be able to not eat one in the car. Even when they are warm the bagels are nice and chewy – just as a bagel should be. There is some debate as to whether a bagel should be toasted. New Yorkers say only bad bagels should be toasted. These bagels are great untoasted.

If you are wondering what the difference between a bialy and a bagel is, bialys are round with a depressed middle filled with cooked onions and sometimes poppy seeds and then baked. The outside of a bialy is therefore matte, not shiny. Bagels are boiled, then baked. The bialys are only available in onion, garlic, and mish mosh flavors. They also sell longer salt sticks, but I usually stick with my mish mosh and sesame seed bagels.

Also, please note that they don’t take credit cards, so be sure to bring cash with you. That said, your order won’t break the bank. Plan on about $1 a bagel.

Contact info:

Bialy’s Bagels
2267 Warrensville Center Road
University Heights, OH 44118
(216) 371-1088

Don’s Pomeroy House

Don’s Pomeroy House is the first fancy restaurant I ever ate at, and as such it holds a special place in my heart. My parents took us here on Christmas Eve day for brunch, and I had my very first eggs benedict. I have fond memories of the booths lined with books. Don’s Pomeroy House overlooks Strongsville’s town square and has quite a long history, including serving as a stop on the Underground Railroad. The beautifully restored mid-19th century mansion is Cleveland’s south side legendary home of the freshest seafood, steaks and chops and a premier dining spot in Northeast Ohio.

Diners who prefer a more casual setting can eat in The Pub in the basement or on the patio during the summer months. Having enjoyed evenings at all three I would be hard pressed to choose a favorite. They all have their winning points. You can order off both menus on the patio.

My most recent experience was for lunch. We were sat in the library near the fireplace, and it was just very cozy. I ordered a house salad and a lunch duo of the French onion soup and the French dip (pardon the blurry photo). The house salad was fresh, and I enjoyed the poppy seed dressing paired with the fresh greens, mandarin oranges and strawberry slices. The French onion soup was suitably cheesy and was packed with lots of caramelized onions and two slices of dark bread. I was less wowed by the French dip. The “baguette” had a weird texture to it that kind of collapsed when it was dipped in the au jus. I would have preferred a proper baguette to hold the roast beef and provolone cheese.

My dining companion ordered a house salad and the special baked salmon entree with a lemon thyme glaze served over spring pea, asparagus and Asiago risotto. He thoroughly enjoyed every bite, and I enjoyed the taste of the risotto. It was perfectly cooked and very flavorful.

I can also highly recommend the White Fish sandwich, which when I enjoyed it featured grouper. It is served with steak fries. I have also thoroughly enjoyed the Kobe meatloaf, which is made with pork and Wagyu beef, and is served with Yukon Gold mashed potatoes and green beans. I unfortunately have no photos for you to enjoy, because I lost them in a computer crash

The table next to us ordered desserts, which were huge. We were too full, so we abstained. But that eclair looks very tempting. I can highly recommend their Bananas Foster if they bring it back on the menu. Also, the chocolate cake was moist and delicious.

I can attest to happy hour both in The Pub and on the patio. My Meetup happy hour group had several events here that were very successful. Everyone enjoyed the food and drink specials. I can also highly recommend the Sunday/Monday surf and turf special. You save $10 on a Maine lobster tail, center cut filet mignon, whipped potato, vegetable. It was quite the popular order the Monday evening one of my dining out groups spent on the patio. Again, no photos but if I ever stumble on them I will update this post.

Photo courtesy of Don's Pomeroy House — Photo of The Pub courtesy of Don’s Pomeroy House

Contact info:

Don’s Pomeroy House
13664 Pearl Road
Strongsville, OH 44136
(440) 572-1111

Chinese New Year at Li Wah

As most of my long-time readers know, one of my favorite meals is going out for dim sum with friends. One of the most fun events of the year is celebrating the Chinese New Year at Li Wah. Li Wah is located in Asia Plaza on East 30th and Payne Avenue. I managed to score a parking space in the side lot, but there was plenty of parking available in the back of the plaza. When we left at 12:30 people were parking along Payne Avenue and the back lot was full. It’s a very popular event.

We met this past Saturday, braving the Arctic temperatures, for dim sum and to watch the Lion Dance. My friend Nancy from Fun Playing with Food put in a lot of work trying to herd all the cats together for this, with several dates and times suggested and schedules compared. In the end, we were six people for dim sum, with three calling off at the last minute. Nancy and her husband got there right at 10 when they opened to get us a premium table. I tried to make it there as close to 10 as I could in solidarity, because there is nothing worse than being hungry and watching all the carts groaning with tasty treats go by as you wait for everyone to get there. They had a pot of tea waiting, and I had brought some fancy chopsticks for everyone to have instead of the wooden disposable ones.

I started off with some wonton soup, which in hindsight I probably should not have had because it filled me up quickly. But I love it and enjoyed every last drop. The bowl was brimming with lots of tender wonton dumplings with a nice firm pork filling. I love the wonton dumplings here because they are full of goodness. Other wonton soups have a lot of extra dumpling dough. These are obviously handmade too. The green onions and light hint of ginger in the broth warmed me up perfectly.

I also ordered a Mai Tai, because come on it’s Saturday brunch. It definitely hit the spot. Not too cloyingly sweet, it was a very nice adult beverage. I loved the apple umbrella instead of the usual basic paper umbrella. I could feel the alcohol hit me about halfway through, so that was nice. I am not a big drinker, so one was perfect.

The first round was chosen right before the rest of the group got there, but they arrived very shortly afterwards. Nancy wanted to strike while she saw the special New Year’s dim sum offerings. She also ordered a sticky rice, because they are very popular at Li Wah and tend to run out quickly. The first round was more sweet than savory. Red bean paste coins and black sesame seed rolls were definitely unique choices that will hopefully bring us luck in the coming year. The red bean paste was a creamy consistency and the whole beans were soft enough that they did not detract from the creaminess of the paste. The black sesame rolls were definitely different. They had a toothsome quality, yet Nancy’s husband equated the consistency as eating jell-o with chopsticks. They appeared to be a flat dough that was rolled out thinly and then rolled into a kind of elongated shape. I don’t know if I would order them again, but they were a fun little treat. The sticky rice was as delicious as usual. Nice and savory with some shrimp flakes added to it. I love their sticky rice there.

Things started getting more intense with the next round. Nancy just kept on ordering for us – lots of favorites, including tofu skin rolls (pork and mushroom filling wrapped in a yuba bean curd wrapper), shu mei (steamed pork and shrimp dumplings), spare ribs with black bean sauce and some other kind of dumpling that kind of looked like their shark dumplings (made with pork and shrimp – not shark). This was definitely my favorite round because I love tofu skin rolls and shu mei. One per person was just enough and we had a couple dumplings from the four piece plates that ended up sitting around to the end. There was simply so much goodness to enjoy we didn’t want to fill up too much.

Another round brought deep fried goodness in the form of deep fried taro and the most amazing dim sum I have ever tasted – a seafood paste wrapped in bacon and deep fried. The deep fried taro dumplings feature taro paste that has been mixed with mushrooms, pork, and shrimp, rolled in a breading and then deep fried until feather light and crispy. As for the bacon-wrapped seafood, the bacon and seafood flavors really melded together well and made for a delightful couple of bites that I savored. I hope I can find it again on regular dim sum days.

By 11, which was the scheduled start time for the Kwan Lion Dance, the restaurant was really filling up. They were setting up large round folding tables in the hallway to accommodate the crowds, and there were lots of carts circulating all around the restaurant. It was just a really fun atmosphere. I forgot to keep photographing, so my photos of the food from here on are non-existent.

By that point I had hit the wall of fullness (thanks, wonton soup), but a couple other notable bites were the shrimp stuffed tofu and the deep fried eggplant stuffed with pork and shrimp, which is one of Nancy’s all-time favorites. We ordered some green vegetables for some roughage – the Chinese broccoli with oyster sauce. I liked the flavor a lot, but it was a little overcooked. I didn’t mind it being a little softer, but some people prefer it to be much crisper than it was. I think it had been on the cart for a while. It still hit the spot as a veggie in a dumpling-heavy meal.

On yet another round Nancy grabbed orders of steamed taro cakes and turnip cakes, which the server graciously divided in half for our table to share, as well as potstickers. The taro cakes were slightly overcooked and fell apart rather easily. The turnip cakes were good. They are a little creamier than the ones at Emperor’s Palace, which are my absolute favorites. I can’t say anything about the potstickers. I don’t think I ate one because I was just full.

Nancy ordered two Beijing duck steam rolls when they came around at the very end, because she really wanted some roasted pork or duck from the hanging cart. At that point we were so full that the two couples enjoyed splitting the steam rolls, I watched them enjoy them, and the sixth member of our table got a nibble of the duck meat. I don’t think we could have handled a huge plate of roasted meat, although their roasted meats are delicious.

We had started winding down on the food feast when the Lion Dance started. The Kwan family has been busy this season performing their Lion Dance all over Cleveland. It starts off with firecrackers to scare away the bad spirits and then the Lion dances around the restaurant to the rhythmic beats of the drums. People put money in envelopes for good luck (any amount except increments of four, which Nancy informed us was bad luck) and feed it to the lion as it meanders through the room. I love watching the little kids’ reactions to the lion, but this photo of a cart server feeding an envelope to the lion is my favorite photo from this particular performance. The joy on her face and the playful stance of the lion make it a fun photo. Once the lion has made its way through the room it ends the performance by climbing up on some benches and pulling down a head of lettuce (and this year it was also dressed with some green onions). The lion then shreds the lettuce and “spits it out” and kicks it at the audience. I love the photo with its head bowed, because the look on the woman’s face in the middle of the photo is priceless. It’s a fun way to spend a Saturday morning.

We paid our check (with me deducting my Mai Tai before calculating the per person cost) and divided it up for a grand total of just under $20 a person. They kind of threw me, because they automatically added gratuity this time, which they normally don’t do, so the originally quoted $23 a person dropped down to $19 and change. I added the price of my Mai Tai, gave them the pile of money, and we headed out into the frigid air to go about the rest of my day. I will most likely be full until around 6 or 7 and will have a bowl of cereal for dinner. Not a bad day enjoying some delicious “heart’s treasures” with friends and fellow food lovers.

Nancy has documented the individual dishes on her Flickr feed. The photos are beautiful, so be sure to check them out.

Note: their website is pretty atrocious, so I am linking to their Facebook page in the Contact Info below. Also, be sure to check out the photos on Yelp to really get your taste buds revved up. Just point at stuff on the cart and enjoy.

Contact info:

Li Wah
2999 Payne Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44114

Tommy’s

Tommy’s on Coventry is a Cleveland institution. It has been in business since the 1970s (even the Coventry fire in 1988 couldn’t shut it down) and many of its menu items are named after its regulars who ordered them. It isn’t haute cuisine, but it doesn’t claim to be. Instead, it is a good place for vegans, vegetarians, and omnivores to get together. Because it specifies vegan, gluten-free, etc. on the menu it is a great place for those with allergies or dietary issues. They have a separate gluten-free fryer and strict gluten-free kitchen practices, so I can eat here with my mother without worrying that she is going to get sick afterwards. It’s also great if you are on a juice fast and still want to get out and meet your friends. The food can be a little bland depending on what you order, so be prepared to season it.

If there is a bit of a crowd waiting be sure to add your name to the clipboard on the counter and wait for them to call you. The place stretches pretty far back, so the wait isn’t too obnoxious.

Tommy’s is famous for its milkshakes. They are rich and smooth with a wide variety of flavors. I can vouch for the chocolate and chocolate mint milkshakes, but my favorite is the banana – made with fresh bananas and vanilla ice cream. One of my friends swears by their chocolate peanut butter milkshake. It’s best to order them in the restaurant, because you get lots of milkshake with the glass and the metal mixer full. If you order one to go you just get a small plastic cup sealed with plastic.

I go to Tommy’s for comfort food. My go to comfort food is the broccoli risso. It’s a casserole with broccoli, rice, mushrooms, and cheese. It’s served in a bowl with a warm IMAG5661 piece of pita. You can also order a cup if you don’t want a big bowl of it or want it as a side. It is just warm, comforting goodness.

I also absolutely love Tommy’s French onion soup. It is vegetarian and made with shitake mushrooms, onions, kombu, veggie broth, tamari, garlic, a slice of French bread and topped with Swiss cheese. I adore it and order it almost every time I go.

I’m not a big fan of the pita sandwiches or escarole pies, but that’s a personal choice. They certainly are unique and come with a wide variety of fillings. My sister loves the Capetown spinach IMAG5315 pie with cheese, raisins and mushrooms. I usually stick with the basics – plain grilled cheese (Judy), Sharpy Burger, burgers, grilled chicken breast sandwich or any of their delicious salads (pro tip: deconstruct it on the plate because you won’t be able to eat it in the heaping bowl it comes in). Vegetarians rave about their vegetarian choices like the hummus, falafel, tempeh and seitan.

Tommy’s was recently voted the Best Fries in Cleveland. I don’t know if I would go that far (Bar Cento gets my vote), but they were better than average. They are 12816775_812473705554691_556600846_n intentionally unsalted so you can salt them however you want.

Tommy’s also has great breakfasts. I get a kick out of seeing young college-age men stuffing their face with waffles buried in strawberries and whipped cream. One interesting choice is the Elsie Combo, which features two fried eggs, two strips of bacon, mayo, American cheese, and their homemade peanut butter made into a triple decker sandwich on your choice of toast. The first time I ordered it I was really scared, but the waitress assured me I would like it. And she was right. The mayo and the peanut butter actually went really well together and complemented the eggs and bacon. If you want to try something different, give it a try. Their omelets are also delicious and plentiful.

They also turn the restaurant over to the Heights Arts group from 10-2 on January 1st for an annual all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast benefiting Heights Arts. Volunteers serve the masses pancakes, eggs, sausage patties and links and vegetarian options as well as juice, coffee and tea for around $10. Tommy’s has been hosting the benefit pancake breakfast since 2001, when owner Tom Fello first offered to help raise funds for the Coventry Arch, located at the intersection of Coventry Road and Euclid Heights Boulevard. It’s a fun time and a good local cause. Consider checking it out this week.

There’s something for everyone at Tommy’s.

Update (2023): I really admire how Tommy’s handled the pandemic. They pivoted to curbside carryout and had three parking spaces in front of the restaurant dedicated to curbside. They also rented the patio from Panini’s across the street to allow outside dining. I took advantage of both.

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Contact info:

Tommy’s
1824 Coventry Road
Cleveland Heights, OH 44118
(216) 321-7757

Jack Frost Donuts

Jack Frost Donuts is consistently the Grand Prize winner in the “NEO’s Best: Donuts,” the Cleveland Hot List, and other “best of Cleveland” contests. The little doughnut shop on the corner of Fulton Road and Pearl Road in Cleveland’s Old Brooklyn neighborhood has been making doughnuts since 1937. They only accept cash or checks, so come prepared. A dozen will run you $10.95, and a half dozen cost $6.95.

The doughnuts are fresh and made of quality ingredients. Some are a little sweeter than I prefer, but their pumpkin pie doughnut has made me a fan for life. They have fantastic specialty donuts like salted caramel, key lime pie, maple bacon, and other seasonal creations like said pumpkin pie doughnut (available with and without “cream”). I’ve enjoyed their Boston cream, salted caramel, raspberry, chocolate glazed, maple bacon and pumpkin pie doughnuts during my visits. The photo at the bottom features two pumpkin cream, two maple bacon, a strawberry cheesecake, and a chocolate cream. The maple bacon is a nice combination of salty and sweet with fresh bacon bits and maple frosting on a yeast donut. The chocolate cream exploded in a huge flurry of powdered sugar all over me and my car. It was totally worth it, with a big pile of chocolate cream on top. The donuts are fresh, and your teeth just sink into them. I prefer yeast donuts over cake donuts, so I can only attest to the yeast donuts here. They are not overbearing or too sweet. The toppings and donuts have a good ratio.
They sell coffee and have a cooler with milk and some sodas if you need something to wash the donuts down with. They are currently renovating their old store, but are located right next door. I can’t wait to see the new place once it opens. It’s a cash only business, so remember to bring cash.

Contact info:

Jack Frost Donuts
4960 Pearl Road
Cleveland, OH 44109
(216) 351-3638

Ferrara’s Imported Foods

Ferrara’s has been selling Italian bread, meats, cheese and more to East Side Clevelanders since 1959. You walk in and you definitely feel you are surrounded by Italians. One gentleman even held the door for me.

This place has everything you need – from fresh garlic and tomatoes to espresso makers and huge pasta bowls to serve your family delicious pasta. I wandered the aisles just amazed at the wide variety of items they sold. They had canned San Marzano tomatoes, every variety of olive oil and vinegar you could imagine, balsamic vinegar ketchup (!), blood orange soda, fresh pasta in a low-slung refrigerated cooler, dried pastas in every shape and form, as well as prepared foods such as Sicilian pizza, pasta and antipasti salads, and made-to-order submarine sandwiches.

Since my friend who told me about Ferrara’s recommended their sandwiches, I went there with the intention of ordering an Italian sub. The sub was loaded with thick-sliced Italian cold cuts (capicola, (Genoa?) salami and I think ham), provolone cheese and your choice of hot or sweet peppers. I went with the sweet peppers and it was oh so good! They make their bread rolls there, and you can tell at first bite just how fresh the rolls are. I don’t know what they do to the peppers, but they are extremely addictive. Some people also suggest having the top of the bread dipped in hot oil. If you want a different sub than the Italian, you can choose from Italian Beef, turkey, roast beef, veggie, prosciutto, and ham and cheese or you can make your own creation.

They also sell hot subs like sausage sandwiches, meatloaf subs, and meatball subs for $5.50. The sausage sandwich (pictured to the right) comes with peppers and onions and has a nice heat to it. It may not look appetizing in the photo, but it was really delicious.

Ferrara’s Wedding Soup is one of the best ones I have ever tasted. You can find it in the freezer with the frozen pasta on the wall to the left as you walk into the store. The back wall is all about pizza. You can buy slices at the register, but you can order larger pizzas back in the back. I bought some Sicilian pizza for my Italian translator friend who had lamented about the lack of Sicilian pizza in Cleveland, and she was absolutely thrilled with their pizza and its authenticity. The pizza is not in slices – but thick slabs of dough covered in a thick tomato pasty-like sauce. There is no melted cheese – just some sprinkled Parmesan. It is served at room temperature.

Just be warned that they only accept cash or checks. They have an ATM in case you forget, and from personal experience I can tell you that the fee is lower than most regular bank ATMs. They also have a nice little area for people to eat in if you feel so inclined.

A small dining area is set off straight ahead as you walk in

View of the bakery/deli counter from the back

Contact info:

Ferrara’s Imported Foods
5750 Mayfield Road
Cleveland, OH 44124
(440) 442-3700

Seti’s Polish Boys

Cleveland’s original food truck has been serving up Polish boys and grilled dogs since 2000. They have been at their current location, the parking lot of Dean Supply on the corner of E. 34th and Woodland Avenue, for the past nine years. Edit: Seti’s has moved to in front of the Thomas F. McCafferty Health Center, on Lorain Avenue near W. 42nd Street. They are parked there Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The truck is equipped with a grill, deep fryer, steam table, 3 prep tables, 2 refrigerators, 4 sinks with hot and cold running water, exhaust system, and serving window. They serve magic. Having been featured on the Food Network and lauded by folks like Michael Symon on The Best Thing I’ve Ever Ate, Rachel Ray and Andrew Zimmer of Bizarre Foods, I knew I had to try it.

The Polish Boy is Cleveland’s iconic sandwich. It features a slow-grilled and then fried jumbo style hot dog and is topped with cole slaw, french fries and BBQ sauce. Seti’s is known for having the best in town, and Food and Wine Magazine said their Polish Boy is one of the best dogs in the United States.

It was a total mess to eat, but it was worth it. I bit in and the hot dog had a great snap. The creaminess of the cole slaw, the perfect buttery french fries and the sweet BBQ sauce melded together to the perfect meal. I used every single one of the four napkins they gave me and then cleaned up with a wet wipe I had brought with me. Next time I’m bringing a new shirt to change into too.

They serve lunch Monday through Friday from 10 to 4. The service is fast and courteous, the price is right and the food is delicious. If you haven’t been there yet what are you waiting for? Just be sure to bring wet wipes.

setis_official — Seti’s various offerings – official photo by Seti on Yelp

Contact info:

Seti’s Polish Boys
E. 34th & Woodland Avenue
At Dean Supply
Cleveland, OH 44115
(216) 240-0745

Patterson Fruit Farm

Patterson Fruit Farm in Chesterland is great year-round, but it really shines in the fall. Families flock there for the pick-your-own apples, pumpkins, apple cider, doughnuts and apple fritters in a fall wonderland of changing leaves, corn stalks and bales of hay. One of my friends raves about the apple fritters. The place gets packed on the weekends, and they have overflow parking across the street. I made a spontaneous decision to check it out on a Tuesday to see what all the hype is about, and I’m so glad I did. I enjoyed every minute of drive out to Chesterland amid the colorful leaves and crisp air. Driving home through Gates Mills I even got to enjoy the smell of a bonfire. It truly is a quintessential fall experience and is just one more reason that Cleveland Rocks!

There are a ton of pumpkins to choose from outside, along with stands offering fresh kettle corn and lemonade. Inside the barn you can find all kinds of local culinary delights, from apple butter and Amish jams and jellies, pies, doughnuts, apple fritters, dried soup mix, pancake mix, maple syrup, popcorn toppings, and all kinds of cooking implements. The doughnuts, pies and apple fritters are made fresh using the fruit from the farm.

I ended up buying six doughnuts, because I couldn’t choose just one. They all looked amazing I ordered the maple bacon, apple cider, pumpkin roll, Samoa, chocolate glaze and salty caramel. I loved the maple bacon and apple cider doughnuts. The maple bacon doughnut was a nice blend of savory and sweet and the apple cider doughnut had a hint of autumnal spices to it. And the apple fritter is indeed divine – soft on the inside, crispy on the outside and with chunks of apple in the dough.

But the apples are the star of the show. Refrigerated cases hold apple cider, honey crisp apple cider (apparently only available for a limited time), milk and other refrigerated meats and cheeses. Hot apple cider is also available for purchase. You can buy their apple cider in most grocery stores in Cleveland, but there is just something special about drinking a hot apple cider at the farm.

If you are looking to buy some apples there are a ton of kinds to choose from, ranging from Winesap and Honey Crisp to Macoun and Jonagold and everything in between. They let you sample all of the apples available for purchase. They also offer big bags of seconds, which are great to use for apple sauce. I bought two kinds to make some apple sauce. I was so excited about trying the different kinds I forgot to take photographs. I bought winesap and honey crisp apples. I will use the winesap together with my apples from Fresh Fork Market to make the apple sauce. The honey crisp are just because they are my hands-down favorite apple to eat plain.

The orchard allows you to pick your own apples as well and features almost 20 different kinds. Not all varieties are available at once, but there are always several to choose from. They also offer pick your own strawberries and blueberries in season. The pick-your-own location is just down the street from the farm market at 8765 Mulberry Road.

Contact info:

Patterson Fruit Farm
11414 Caves Road
Chesterland, OH 44026
(440) 729-1964

Geraci’s Restaurant

Geraci’s is family-run restaurant with fresh Italian cooking from scratch. They have been in business since 1956, so they must be doing something right. It is also popular with John Carroll students, and they have a special section on the menu for them (billed as “late night dining” – although they are only open until 9 PM and 10 PM on Fridays and Saturdays). Geraci’s is known for its pizza, so much so that it was featured on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives.

The bread service features crusty and soft Italian bread with a dusting of sesame seeds on the crust and packets of soft butter. The House salad dressing is a good choice if you like red wine vinegar. It’s pretty overwhelming. You can order it with and without grated mozzarella on it.

The only thing I have ordered here that disappointed me was the spaghetti and meatballs. I thought the meatballs and sauce were pretty bland. I’ve learned not to order spaghetti and meatballs in Italian restaurants around here. However, they offer a lot more than spaghetti and meatballs. They are known for their Geraci’s sauce, which is a red sauce. You can also order spaghetti with fresh mushrooms, meat sauce or marinara and upgrade with a meatball or Italian sausage. They also offer gluten-free pasta and whole wheat pasta for an upcharge.

The spinach ravioli are absolutely fantastic. The ravioli are large and the sauce is a tomato cream sauce that really complements the cheese ravioli. It is a creamy delight. I didn’t even miss the meat.

Geraci’s also offer veal and chicken entrees. The Chicken a la Tosca was out of this world. I wasn’t expecting such a large portion. It came with three chicken cutlets dipped in egg batter and lightly fried and served over a bed of garlic spinach and diced tomatoes. The chicken was really moist and tender.

The heavenly smell as they were frying it permeated the restaurant (I was the only table left after their lunch rush), which made me really anticipate the meal. It was served with a side of spaghetti. I was able to upgrade it to the meat sauce for an extra dollar. I had been wanting spaghetti that day, but didn’t want a huge plate of it. This was perfect – and I was able to bring two of the three cutlets home for later.

Everyone raves about the pizza, however. I have friends who travel all the way from the far west side for a Geraci’s fix. Reading all the suggestions for the pepperoni pizza on Yelp I felt the need to order one even though I am not a huge pepperoni pizza fan. My friend who loves it suggested I get the large with extra pepperoni, because she feels it is their best one. It was okay, but it didn’t thrill me. The sauce is a little sweeter than most, and the crust is a little stiff (I prefer a little doughier, chewier crust). And it was more burned than I like. I’ll stick with the chicken and pasta here in the future.

Make sure you come with cash though. This is a true Italian restaurant. Cash or check only.

Italian wedding soup, zucchini fries, and spaghetti with Italian sausage

Contact info:

Geraci’s Restaurant
2266 Warrensville Center Road
University Heights, OH 44118
(216) 371-5643

Eat at Joe’s

Update: Eat at Joe’s has a new owner and now accepts credit cards.

I’ve been hearing about Eat at Joe’s for a few years now. Everyone said they serve amazing hash browns. I’m happy to report that the hype is true. Eat at Joe’s is a tiny little place on the side of the CVS at the corner of Mayfield and Green Roads. It is just a solid spot with no frills, good food, and a nice staff. The prices are low, and the hash browns are amazing. The menu is small but covers all the basics. Breakfast is served all day: 3-egg omelets, pancakes, French toast, and your basic variations on eggs/hash browns/breakfast meat/toast. Lunch features some sandwiches, burgers, soup and a couple salads. Nothing is over $5.50. As I said, the place is really tiny and from what I hear it is always packed, especially on the weekends. But tables turn over quickly; this is not a place that people tend to linger. Two tips: it is only open until 2 pm, and it is cash only.

On my first visit I knew I wanted the hash browns. I wasn’t sure what else I wanted. I walked in shortly before 10 a.m. on a Friday, stood behind a gentleman, and waited for a seat to open up. He took a small two-top that was vacated, and then I saw there were several seats available at the counter. I grabbed the seat on the end and was immediately greeted by a server who asked what I wanted to drink. I ordered a large orange juice (for $1.50). I then looked at the menu in a little table stand and ordered a standard diner breakfast of two eggs over easy, bacon, hash browns, and rye toast. At some point a young guy came in and sat next to me and was immediately greeted by name and asked if he wanted coffee. You’ve got to love a place that recognizes its regulars. Some other guy seated at a table by the kitchen, who was also obviously a regular, yelled out for a server who was too far to hear them calling for her to pick up an order. That’s camaraderie. The guy next to me got his cinnamon chip pancakes (a special) and sausage before I got my breakfast. I immediately regretted not ordering the pancakes. They smelled wonderful. Soon after my breakfast was brought out.

The eggs were perfectly cooked (so much so that I ended up wearing a few drops of egg yolk), one strip of bacon was crisp (see the almost burnt piece in the photo) while the others were well cooked without being too crisp, and the rye toast was small but well-buttered. The hash browns were as good as everyone says. They were crisp on one side and soft but not undercooked on the other. I was in heaven. I didn’t even ask for ketchup, which I usually do for breakfast potatoes. My bill came to $6.49. I rounded up to an even $9, because I follow Robert Fulghum’s advice and always overtip my breakfast servers. It was still a bargain.

I went back a few days later for the cinnamon chip pancakes and a side of sausage because it sounded so good. Once again I sat at the counter. The counter seems to be the place to be, because I got to witness an epic obnoxious customer along with my breakfast. She was arguing with the waitress over a $1 brownie because she wanted a middle piece and not an end piece. The waitress told her she couldn’t stipulate what she got, while she demanded that she could because she was the customer. They ended up giving in to her because she wouldn’t let it go. Epic. I almost wished they served popcorn. Meanwhile, the older guy on my left (greeted as a regular) was home from wintering in Florida and on his way to Cape Cod for the summer. Eat at Joe’s attracts all kinds of customers apparently.

In any event, the cinnamon chip pancakes were delicious and went very well with the side of sausage. They were actual cinnamon chips and not chocolate chips with cinnamon mixed in. They were lovely. You can’t see them in the photo because they were on the bottom. I ordered a coffee and a large cranberry juice. The coffee was decent, and they both hit the spot. My bill was $8.65.

I stopped in a third time to grab a quick lunch at 12:30 because I was going to be in the area on an errand. There was ample seating at the counter and a couple tables available. img_20171106_110246 The turnover continued as I sat there and people-watched. I ordered an iced tea, a cup of soup, a tuna melt and a side of hash browns. I even got to choose what kind of bread (rye again). The soup that day was yellow split pea. It didn’t wow me, but it was a nice choice for a dreary day. My tuna melt and hash browns were finished super quick before I could finish my soup, and they were amazing. The cheese on the tuna melt was nice and melted, the tuna overflowed onto the plate (and paired well with a dill pickle slice), and the hash browns were as crisp as before. My bill was $12.20.

This place is definitely going on my regular rotation, and I’m going to need another tuna melt soon.

Update: I went there and ordered lunch choices – a bacon cheeseburger and veggie beef soup. Stick with the breakfasts. The burger was served on ciabatta bread, which I hate, even though a breakfast sandwich is served on a Kaiser roll. The burger was well done, something was burnt to a crisp on the edges, and the soup was just okay.

Contact info:

Eat at Joe’s

1473 South Green Road

South Euclid, OH 44121

(216) 381-3101