Ethnic stores/restaurants – Page 9 – Cleveland Rocks, Cleveland Eats

Night Market Cleveland

Night Market Cleveland is a summer event series that premiered in Asiatown June 26th and is held on the last Friday of every month through September. It was inspired by the Asian night markets, which originated in Asia as illegal “ghost markets” that bustled through the evening and vanished before daybreak. Night Market Cleveland is the brain child of Michael Fleming, Executive Director of St. Clair Superior Development Corporation. He got the idea when he was visiting Hong Kong. I wasn’t able to attend last month, but knew I wanted to check it out this month. I am so glad I did! I love Asian food and this embraced all different kinds of cuisines – from Nepalese to Japanese and everything in between! Organizers also invited outside fare not typically known for having an Asian influence, such as Pope’s Kitchen and Tremont’s Fahrenheit, with the caveat that they put an ethnic twist on their offerings.

They have found a great location for it – on Rockwell and E. 21st in front of Emperor’s Palace and the big parking lot across the street. Vendor booths line Rockwell as well as the parking lot and there are vendor booths and food trucks in the parking lot as well as a huge stage. Strings of lights, colorfully lit fake trees and glowing performers lend ambiance after dark. It runs from 5 PM to 11 PM. They bill it as a family-friendly and pet-friendly event. I saw lots of strollers and a dog on a leash, so they weren’t lying.

I was lucky enough to find a spot on E. 24th just off Rockwell. When I left at around 7:30 someone was thrilled to quickly take my place. Secure parking is available for $5 in the Plain Dealer lot. Off site parking is available at the Tower Press parking lot and Hot Cards parking lot located right off of Superior Road as well as on-street parking throughout the area.

The star is undoubtedly the food. Lots and lots of street food ranging from huge combos featuring five or six different things for $7 to 3 pieces of dim sum for $2 or $3 or several pot stickers for $2. The longest line was for Han Chinese Kabob and Grill. It stretched down past two other vendors on Rockwell and that was at 6 o’clock before the crowds came. I started off with some shu mei and ginger sesame noodles from Li Wah for $10. The shu mei were my favorite savory bite of the night. They were moist and plump. I also enjoyed the noodles. Some people were adding protein like chicken to them. I saved my appetite for later.

The one vendor I knew I absolutely wanted to try was SnowBros Shavery. They debuted their traditional Asian snow cones featuring cream, milk and fruit in June. The newcomers hope to open a storefront in AsiaTown in the coming year. There were four “snows” to choose from: milk, taro, coffee and green tea. I chose the green tea and ordered the mochi at their urging as well as strawberries and then topped it with condensed milk and splurged for an extra topping of mango whipped cream. It was so worth it! Other toppings included boba (tapioca bubbles), red bean, sweet and salty cereal crunch, raspberries, blueberries, kiwi and blackberries. Dulce de Leche was the third choice for drizzle.

My friend ordered the taro snow (with a fun purple tinge), mochi, red bean and dulce de leche. She also enjoyed hers. She just lamented that the shaved ice she orders on the West Coast is much more plentiful, but maybe the food truck was limiting their volume. I first learned about shaved ice from her, so I defer to her judgment.

We then walked around, sampling various things like a virgin strawberry daiquiri and pomegranate soda from Pope Catering (both were delicious, but the pomegranate soda made with his homemade grenadine was divine!) and fresh coconut milk from a young coconut that was lopped open in front of me ($4) and checking out the vendors’ wares, ranging from ceramics, jewelry, stuffed animals, those cats that wave at you, essential oils and soaps. They even had a bar serving draft beer and Asian-inspired cocktails run by Watershed Distillery. My friend was particularly fascinated watching a vendor named Love Triangle make fresh takoyaki and onigiri, two Japanese delicacies. Unfortunately they were running low on rice and tapped out pretty early on. Other vendors included Szechuan Cafe, Flavors of India, Emperor’s Palace, Koko Bakery, Asian Food Co., Asian Grill, Siam Cafe, Mitchell’s Ice Cream, Fahrenheit and Wok and Roll – just to name a few. Their website has a full list of all the vendors.

I grabbed a bahn mi ($5) from Pho Thang Cafe and a fried rice and egg roll combo ($4) from an unnamed street vendor to go for later. One organizer-related vendor also offered to-go food kits for $20 so you can make monthly traditional Asian recipe at home. This month it was pork lo mein. I ran into a couple more friends on the way out and stood a while chatting while they all nibbled on kabobs and pot stickers. I was glad I got there early because I got my pick of food, but I am tempted to come after dark next time to experience the magic of the true night market. It must have also gotten crazy tonight, because the Critical Mass Bike Ride was scheduled to end there. I remember being stuck in traffic in Lakewood and Gordon Square because of the ride last year. The next Night Market is on August 28th, and the last one for the season will be September 25th. Be sure to check it out!

Anatolia Cafe

I used to come to Anatolia Cafe for dinner even before I moved to Cleveland Heights. The food is fresh and can’t be beat. I have arranged some Meetups here in the past, and the staff is always accommodating with a large group. Now that I live in the neighborhood I just pop over here on a whim. The patio is great in the spring, summer, and fall.

I tend to order the apple tea when I am here. It isn’t as “appley” as the Turkish apple tea I am used to from Europe, but it is still quite refreshing. Their cocktails are also quite nice and very affordable during Happy Hour (Monday-Friday from 5-7 PM). The happy hour features half off select “small bites,” select $2.50-5.00 beers, $4 house wines, $5 select mixed drinks. Happy hour pricing is only good in the bar. I had the Sour Cherry Delight cocktail the last time I was here, and it was really good. It features tequila, sour cherry juice, and lime juice.

The wait staff greets every table with fresh, warm pita bread. It is delicious and pairs really well with several appetizers, such as the hummus, baba ganoush, lebni, and tabouli. I love the hummus here. It is really smooth and creamy. The Turkish feta cheese with olives is especially tantalizing and beautifully arranged. The red lentil soup is quite nice as well. If you can’t decide and are with several people, the appetizer platter offers a wide selection of choices and comes in two sizes.

I love several entrees here, but my heart belongs to the Chicken and Lamb Adanas. The meat is ground and mixed with red bell peppers, lightly seasoned with paprika, skewered and grilled as kebabs.

You can also order the kebabs with yogurt. They are then served over oregano-seasoned pita croutons sautéed in garlic butter, topped with a light tomato-butter sauce and a healthy dollop of fresh yogurt. This is comfort food at its best.

The döner is also quite good. It is a marinated mixture of lamb (95%) & beef (05%), cooked on a rotating spit, then thinly sliced. It is known as Döner in Turkey (and Germany – served on a thick pita as a sandwich), Shavarma in the Middle East, and Gyro in Greece. It is served here with rice.

The shish kebabs always make me feel like I am eating healthy – just meat and rice. The meat is always well-seasoned, and I’ve never had it overcooked. This place is very gluten-friendly.

If you can’t decide on an entree you can never go wrong ordering a combination platter. You choose two or more entrees (döner, lamb adana, chicken kebab, chicken adana, lamb shish kebab or filet mignon shish kebab), and it comes with white rice and red cabbage. The Mixed Grill features four of Anatolia’s most popular char-grilled meats (döner, filet mignon shish kebab, lamb adana, and chicken shish kebab) for $25.

I was in the mood for eggplant last time and ordered the Stuffed Eggplant. It features oven-roasted eggplant stuffed with ground lamb, chopped tomatoes, herbs and garlic. It was really delicious. It paired really well with the white rice and red cabbage.

Be sure to save room for dessert here. All of their desserts are delicious. If you want crispy, order the Baklava, Kunefe, or Kadayif. They are all made with phyllo dough. The Kadayif is shredded, mixed with walnuts, drizzled with honey syrup, and garnished with pistachios. The Kunefe is also shredded, but it is mixed with sweet white cheese and butter-honey syrup. It depends on what you are in the mood for. I am partial to the Kadayif myself. If you want soft, the Kazandibi is unique and delicious. It is not a soft. liquidy pudding as we are used to when we think of a milk pudding. Instead, it is slightly caramelized, rolled upside-down, and topped with a sprinkle of cinnamon. The Fırında Sütlaç is a rice-based dessert that features cinnamon as well.

Contact info:

Anatolia Cafe
2270 Lee Road
Cleveland Heights, OH 44118
(216) 321-4400

Koko Bakery

Edit: I’m thrilled to announce they have opened a second location at the end of my street on Coventry. Great bubble teas and all the goodness of the Payne Avenue location.

I’ve been frequenting Koko Bakery for a while now and have written about it during my dim sum crawls, but thought it might be nice to write a separate post about it. Koko Bakery is located in a small strip on Payne Avenue with Han Kabob Chinese Grill and Map of Thailand (and across the street from Seoul Hot Pot). The storefront is quite unassuming. One wouldn’t know by looking at it that it produces some amazing food and beverages. During a recent dinner at Map of Thailand I watched the people stream by heading for Koko. The Case Western Reserve University students on Yelp talk about how authentic it is and how it is exactly like bakeries you would find in Taiwan. Koko offers a wide variety of choices, ranging from savory to sweet. The case to your left as you walk in features hot dogs wrapped in pastry dough and the larger case next to it contains all kinds of buns, from green onion buns, pork buns, ham and egg buns, pineapple buns, buns with cut up hot dogs to egg tartlets and custard buns. There is a cooler and a freezer filled with buns to take home and finish baking yourself. My friend from Akron always stocks up with a ton of buns when he is up here. He then takes a bun or two out of the freezer and steams them for a quick and delicious meal. They sell all kinds of breads, cookies, buns, etc. to take home with you. The green tea cookies in a bookshelf on the right-hand wall near where you wait for your order caught my eye, and I am tempted to get them next time.

The cooler cases flanking the cash register feature the most beautifully decorated cakes, tarts, mousses, and tiramisu. Every single one of them that I have tried – ranging from a chocolate mousse topped with a chocolate covered strawberry to the mango and passion fruit mousses and the mango cheesecake – has been delicious. Sufficiently creamy without being cloyingly sweet, the flavors hit all the right notes. The board behind the register lists a number of rice bowls, entrees like pork katsu or steam buns, and sandwiches as well as coffee, tea, milk pudding tea, smoothies, and their most popular item, the bubble tea. Several reviewers on Yelp have claimed that Koko has the best bubble tea in Cleveland.

My first foray into the wonders of Koko started with the mango mousse. I got it to go and still have the neat container in my cupboard to use if I feel like fancying up a pudding. The mousse was light, airy and flavorful. This mousse was delicious and I didn’t even miss the chocolate, which desserts usually have to contain in my world. I love the artful decoration of the fresh fruit atop the mousse. It looks whimsical but adds a nice artistic touch to an already amazing dessert.

During part one of the dim sum crawl I was full and was considering just ordering a chocolate covered strawberry until the chocolate mousse topped with a chocolate covered strawberry caught my eye. The chocolate mousse was fluffy and delicious, the strawberry was perfectly ripe, and the chocolate coating was the perfect thickness to balance out the acidity of the strawberry. I also really liked the little chocolate curls adorning the sides. I ended up eating half and taking the other half home for later.

One of my friends was less impressed with the passion fruit mousse. It was layered with a thick layer of white chocolate, which she doesn’t like, so it wasn’t as appreciated as it could have been. That said, the passion fruit mousse itself was absolutely delicious and she loved every bite of that part of it. Another friend ordered the triple chocolate mousse, while another ordered a green tea bun and another ordered an almond bun. Everyone walked away from Koko thoroughly impressed.

Several friends who had only eaten at the first stop of the first dim sum crawl and were sad that they missed such beautiful desserts wanted to try it when they saw photos, so we stopped at Koko Bakery after part two of the crawl. The couple split the mango cheesecake, which again was absolutely delicious and beautifully adorned with fresh fruit. However, it took forever to get the coffees they ordered because the people behind the counter seemed more concerned with making smoothies and bubble teas for the young Asian girls who came in after us.

Meanwhile, I wanted something light after eating so many dumplings. I had noted during the previous stop that they served two different kinds of shaved ice – Taiwanese and Korean shaved ice. Since the Korean shaved ice mentioned ice cream I decided to try the Taiwanese shaved ice because I figured it would be lighter. The price includes 3 toppings of your choice, and you can add additional toppings for an additional $0.90. I stuck with 3 toppings and chose lychee, kiwi and mango. The ice is shaved, topped with fruit and then condensed milk is poured over it. It was actually really good. The fruit tasted fresh. The mango and kiwi were diced fairly small. As the ice melted down it mixed with the condensed milk. This dessert was extremely refreshing, and I can foresee myself coming here in this summer quite often to cool down.

Contact info:

Koko Bakery
3710 Payne Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44114
(216) 881-7600

Coventry location
1767 Coventry Road
Cleveland Heights, OH 44118
(216) 465-1022

Zanzibar Soul Fusion

Zanzibar on Shaker Square is a great place to satisfy your craving for Southern soul food. They moved from their old location next to the cinema into where Sergio’s Sarava used to be several years ago. The move not only gave them more space, but also a great patio. Zanzibar is owned by the same people who run Angie’s Soul Cafe (see previous post).

I had been to the old location for a buffet brunch where I fell in love with their chicken and waffles and the Purple Rain, a mixture of lemonade and grape Kool-Aid served in a mason jar). The Sunrise mixes lemonade and red Kool-Aid. I found myself craving this and kept trying to replicate it at home. Sadly I couldn’t, but luckily for $5 you can order a mason jar filled with your drink to take home.

Now they are located in the old Sergio’s Sarava location. They have an awesome patio, which is where we were sat for this meal. However, they also have plenty of inside seating for the winter months.

Once seated the wait staff brought out a basket of cornbread and blueberry muffins. I had a tough time deciding which one I loved more. Both were really moist and flavorful. The butter was soft and plentiful, which was also nice.

We enjoyed quite a few things on the extensive menu. We started off with a couple appetizers that we shared. My favorite was the Soul Rolls, which feature chicken, greens, black beans, roasted corn and cheese with a zesty remoulade sauce to dip them into. They were delicious. The Collard Green and Artichoke Dip was also stellar. We devoured the ciabatta toast points that came with them and ate forkfuls of the dip to finish it off. I would definitely order both again.

I ordered the Ultimate Feast, which is a great option for those who have trouble deciding between items, because you can pick two entrees. I wish more restaurants would offer something like this. I ordered the walleye cake and the turkey chops. Because where else do you find walleye made into a fish cake? Nowhere. The walleye is mixed with scallions, roasted red peppers, and cilantro, shaped into a patty, and lightly fried. It comes with a Thai ginger mayo on the side. Pro tip: when they ask whether you want your entree “smothered” the answer is always yes. This means that your meal will be smothered in gravy. The gravy was delicious and added a really nice moistness to it. It paired really well with the mashed potatoes, which was the house potato I ended up choosing. The turkey chop meat was tender and easily fell off the bone. The walleye cake was also quite good, but the turkey chops stole the show. I really liked the collard greens that I chose as my additional side.

Another favorite was the Honey Glazed Fried Chicken. There is nothing more southern than fried chicken. The entree features half a chicken broken down and deep fried to a golden brown and finished with a sweet honey glaze. You can order an all white meat option for an extra $3. My friend really enjoyed her wild rice and baked macaroni and cheese sides.

Another friend ordered the Shrimp and Grits, which features shrimp, onions and peppers marinated in a Creole sauce served over a bed of grits. She lived in New Orleans for a little while and appreciated the Creole sauce. She enjoyed the leftovers too.

The aforementioned Chicken and Waffles are served with buttered grits. This place really knows how to make good grits. The entree includes two pieces of chicken over a Belgian waffle. Heaven!

The portions are huge. Be prepared to leave stuffed and bring home leftovers. None of us had room for dessert, although they sound good. You can choose from peach cobbler, apple cobbler, sweet potato pie, baked bread pudding with rum sauce, and Better Than Sex cake, which is a rich cake injected with chocolate chips and walnuts and topped with vanilla ice cream.

So take advantage of the nice weather and enjoy a drink and/or meal on the patio at Zanzibar. You’ll leave happy for sure.

Contact info:

Zanzibar Soul Fusion
13225 Shaker Square
Cleveland, OH 44120
(216) 752-1035

Dim Sum Crawl – Part Two

My friends and I did part two of last week’s dim sum crawl today. We met at 11:30 at E. 30th Street Cafe. It is at the back of Asia Plaza, off the parking lot with Park to Shop grocery store. We were the only table for a little bit, but a few other diners came after us. To be honest, I was nervous about the dim sum here, because no one ever talked about this restaurant or its dim sum. Last week there were only a few occupied tables, while Li Wah on the other side of the plaza was packed. I did some reconnaissance the night before and was pleased to see a very extensive dim sum menu of 50 items. I picked some ones that I knew no one else offered and was quite excited about the idea of a steamed chicken bun or cilantro shrimp dumpling; however, when we started ordering we were told that the restaurant had new owners and they had gotten rid of a lot of the dim sum. In fact, they were closing on the next day so they could renovate for 10 days and reopen as a new restaurant (Szechuan Cafe). We stuck with the dim sum, which was prepared in the kitchen and brought out as it was done.

The original plan was to go light here anyways, so it made it easy to just stick to a few items. We ordered the stuffed eggplants (which were good with a quite chewy texture), sesame balls (smaller than what I am used to but good red bean filling), cilantro shrimp dumpling, and chiu chow dumplings. The chiu chow dumplings were my favorite dumpling here. They were filled with peanuts, chopped vegetables and pork. They tasted like the filling of a lettuce leaf wrap, and everyone really enjoyed them. Our two vegetarian friends split the curry vegetables off the regular menu and had a separate check. The bill for seven of us was $34.67, or $6.00 each with tax and tip. We left comfortable but not full, which is exactly what we planned.

The second stop was Bo Loong. This was our cart experience for the day. The service here was pretty lacking, but that might have been because we were off the main room. We asked for a knife to cut the buns, which we never got. They gave us forks and we had to ask for chopsticks. I ended up using the forks to cut the buns and to serve things like the sticky rice. We ordered Pu Li tea to start, because someone on Yelp had recommended it and I like trying new teas. It was okay, but most of us preferred the black tea they served us automatically. There was no lazy susan, which meant we needed to pass the dishes around and I had to keep reminding one of my friends to stop talking and pass the food.

Food service was quick as the carts came around, but our poor vegetarian friends who ordered off the menu finally got their food almost when we were finished. And we had to remind the waiter that I had also ordered pea shoots with garlic. The dumplings were good, and we had a ton of them, ranging from Sue My (aka shu mei), Fun Goa (steamed dumpling with chopped veggie, shrimp and pork), a dumpling with scallions and some kind of meat, xiao lao (soup buns but they had sat too long and the soup had escaped from them – they still tasted good though and was the favorite dumpling for most of us) and Sin Joe Gin (fried tofu skin stuffed with sausage). We had two buns – 4 Sue Bough (baked BBQ pork buns) and 4 Guy Me Bough (a bun with coconut). I cut them up into four pieces each so we could all try them. We also ordered one sticky rice in a lotus leaf, which I normally love, but I was really disappointed with it here. Despite being packed with various meats it lacked profundity and most of all flavor. The pea shoots and garlic was delicious, and it came with a side of rice. Our bill came to $60.75, which broke down to $10.50 a person including tax and tip.

One of my friends wanted us to stop at Asia Food Company – specifically Asia Tea House, which is tucked away in the back. I was completely unaware of the Asian Town Center complex until today. I’ve driven by it several times, but have never really paid attention to it. It has several parking lots, and I was glad they had a sign pointing to the main entrance. I had read about Asia Tea House several months ago when Doug Trattner wrote about it in the Scene Magazine, but I still hadn’t checked it out. The grocery store was huge and had a wide variety of items. I plan on going back again soon to take my time and browse the aisles. The fruits and vegetables were huge (including a jackfruit that was bigger than my head) and looked very fresh. They sell live crabs and lobsters, butchered meats, fresh kim chi, frozen and dried rice noodles, and a wide selection of sodas and juices, just to name a few. We were more interested in the little restaurant tucked in the back. At this point none of us were hungry and some of my friends were done for the day, so we just popped in to check things out. They had roasted meats hanging as well as a huge variety of dumplings (and samples!), savory and sweet buns, and pre-wrapped bahn mi sandwiches. If you want to sit in the table area you order your soup or from around 17 entrees at the register and they will bring you tea and your food when it is ready. I grabbed a sticky rice and a bahn mi to go for tomorrow. Some other friends grabbed a couple of buns to go. We were too full to order anything and sit down. I’ll be back soon to try some of their soups.

Five of my friends continued with other plans, while four of us decided to stop at Koko Bakery. My vegetarian friend had left after Emperor’s Palace last week and lamented having missed the desserts, so I wanted to make it up to her. I thought about ordering a smoothie, but decided to order a Taiwanese shaved ice ($5.35 including tax) instead. One of my friends thought it sounded good and ordered the same thing I did. They shave the ice, top it with three toppings (I ordered lychee, mango and kiwi), and pour condensed milk over it. It was very refreshing on this 78 degree day. I also felt I was getting some vitamins to balance out the dumpling overload. My vegetarian friends split the mango cheesecake, which I had a bite of and really liked.

Overall, it was a successful dim sum crawl spread over two days. We got to try some old favorites as well as some new dim sum offerings and discovered a couple places along the way. I would not recommend doing it all the time because it is really filling, but this was a great way to spend an early afternoon on a Sunday. I highly recommend it.

Contact info:

E. 30th Street Cafe (now Szechuan Cafe)
Asia Plaza
2999 Payne Avenue #142
Cleveland, OH 44114

Bo Loong *Warning: the website is really bad. A more extensive menu is here.
3922 St Clair Avenue NE
Cleveland, OH 44114
(216) 391-3113

Asia Foods/Asia Tea House
Asia Town Center
3820 Superior Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44114

Dim Sum Crawl – Part One

My friends and I did a dim sum crawl yesterday. I got the idea from a blog post describing a dim sum crawl in the San Gabriel Valley. The original plan was to hit all four restaurants that serve dim sum here in Cleveland – Emperor’s Palace, Li Wah, E. 30th Street Cafe, and Bo Loong – but we only made it to two of them before we cried ‘uncle.’ I can’t just order two things at a dim sum place. There is too much deliciousness. Everyone brought cash, and we carpooled and left four cars in Emperor’s Palace’s spacious parking lot since parking can be tight at Li Wah. We could have walked, but Bo Loong is a bit too far from the other places.

The first stop was at Emperor’s Palace. We met there at 11:30, because I wanted to order the Shanghai juicy buns and I know they run out early. Shanghai juicy buns (or xiao long bao) are a steamed dumpling commonly called soup buns because they are filled with pork and broth. The characteristic soup-filled buns are created by wrapping solid meat aspic inside the skin alongside the meat filling. Heat from steaming then melts the gelatin-gelled aspic into soup. Also on the menu were tofu skin rolls, egg custard buns, pumpkin cakes and their absolute stand-outs – shrimp dumplings (har gow) and turnip cake (law bok gow). Since we needed to save room we didn’t order some of my other favorites, but that’s okay. I go there enough to satisfy my cravings. Our bill, split among six diners, was $29.95 – which amounted to $6 per person including tax and gratuity.

Our second stop was Li Wah. There are two completely different kinds of energy at these two restaurants. Emperor’s Palace is more laid back and relaxed. The food is ordered from the photo-filled menu and prepared fresh. The dishes are served as they are ready. Li Wah was packed with diners and we had food on the table within a minute of sitting down. In fact, we were still getting our plates and chopsticks and our water glasses filled as the first cart stopped. We ordered in a blur. The choices we enjoyed at Li Wah included shu mei, spare ribs in black bean sauce, roast BBQ pork, turnip cake (Li Wah’s is softer and creamier than Emperor’s Palace, but the unanimous verdict was that Emperor’s Palace’s cake had the edge flavor-wise), baked BBQ pork buns, beef ho fun, and steamed rice crepes with ground beef. We wanted to get a roasted meat because Li Wah has outstanding roasted meat, some of which are hanging in a cart near the entrance. We also enjoyed a lovely chrysanthemum tea with real chrysanthemum petals steeping in the water (see photo below). Our bill here came to $44.25 – or $9 a person including tax and tip.

At this point we decided we were too full to continue our crawl. We decided to do E. 30th Street Cafe (in the same plaza as Li Wah) and Bo Loong another day. Instead, we headed to Koko Bakery for something sweet. Koko has something for everyone – cream buns, savory buns, hot dogs wrapped in pastry dough, soup, sandwiches, rice bowls, salads, chocolate covered strawberries, mousse, tarts, brownies, cakes, tiramisu, shaved ice, coffee, tea, smoothies, and bubble tea. The cases are a feast for the senses. I opted for a chocolate mousse topped with a chocolate covered strawberry. My friends ordered mango mousse, passionfruit mousse, triple chocolate mousse, a green tea bun and a sponge cake with almonds. Everyone left happy.

If you want to try something different on a Saturday or Sunday consider doing a dim sum crawl with some friends and enjoy some new flavors. Feel free to use some of these suggestions or branch out on your own. We didn’t do as much shrimp because we had someone with a shellfish allergy with us. I tried to order one piece for each person and took the allergy into consideration when ordering – an extra egg custard bun or beef something for her while some got to enjoy two shu mei or shrimp dumplings. We split several choices in half at Li Wah because we were getting full. There are no rules other than enjoy yourself, gorge on dim sum, and drink lots of tea. Oh, and bring cash. Preferably in small bills. It makes life easier.

To be continued…

Contact info:

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

Li Wah
2999 Payne Avenue (Asia Plaza)
Cleveland, OH 44114
(216) 589-9552

Koko Bakery
3710 Payne Avenue (next to Map of Thailand)
Cleveland, OH 44114
(216) 881-7600

Pho & Rice on Coventry

Pho & Rice opened up in August 2013 in the former Winds of Change-Game Exchange-Record Exchange space next to Grum’s. It has been serving up pho to the masses ever since. It serves Vietnamese and some Thai dishes as well as bubble tea and Vietnamese iced coffee and tea. There are a dozen phos, both small ($8.95) and large ($9.95), with the usual noodle, beef, chicken, shrimp and seafood add-ins. The broth is made in house. The pho is not as good as Superior Pho, but it is a decent pho and conveniently located at the intersection of Coventry and Mayfield. The pho is served with a good sized portion of bean sprouts, some Thai basil, a few jalapenos, and a lime wedge.

The Crispy Roll appetizer features 5 small, tightly wrapped vegetable spring rolls and a sweet chili dipping sauce. I ordered it expecting one roll, but it was a nice surprise to have 5. I brought several home with me. They came out of the kitchen piping hot, so I was glad I had been given some water. They left a small sheen of grease on the doily but not enough to make my fingers too greasy. The flavor was good.

The first time I ate there I ordered my usual bahn mi and beef pho order. First of all, the bahn mi is listed under Salads as “Vietnamese Sandwich Salad.” It isn’t a salad at all, but when I ordered it I thought it might have been a deconstructed bahn mi as a salad, which I would have been okay with. The bahn mi was your basic bahn mi with roasted pork, cucumber, carrot, cilantro, and jalapeno, but had a sweet cream mayonnaise. It was quite good, and I particularly liked the pickled vegetables. They did not overwhelm the pork. The sandwich came out warm, the bread was crispy but not dry, and the sweet cream mayonnaise sauce was a nice addition to the pork and vegetables. My vegetarian friend was thrilled to hear that the bahn mi is available in a vegetarian version and has since made it a regular stop for dine-in and carry-out.

The beef pho hit the spot. The beef was not overly cooked, and the rice noodles were the perfect texture. The broth was well-seasoned, if a little sweet. The bean sprouts, basil, jalapenos, and lime were fresh. A squirt of sriracha stirred in made it perfect. I like the idea of having pho within walking distance.

My friends ordered the Drunken Noodles with tofu and the Pad Thai with shrimp and liked them a lot. The drunken noodles were indeed delicious and very flavorful. I had several bites from my friend’s order because I loved them so much. She went back and ordered it again a few days later.

The Pad Thai was a bit deconstructed, but once my friend mixed it all up she was a very happy camper. I can’t say I tried it, but it looked fresh and the shrimp did not smell fishy to my nose. If given the choice I would probably go to High Thai’d for their country pad thai, but if you are out with friends who want pho and are in the mood for pad thai this isn’t a bad choice.

I was in the mood for pho again recently, but didn’t want beef pho. I was toying between the chicken pho and shrimp pho when the Pink Noodle Soup caught my eye. At $10.95 it is only available as a large, but I didn’t have any trouble finishing it. In addition to pink noodles, it came with two shrimp, two mussels, two squid and two fish balls. It has a different flavor and was a little fishier than I expected, but once I added sriracha it hit the spot and made me perspire, which is the sign of a good soup.

The Thai Tea bubble tea was really delicious. I have never seen Thai Tea bubble tea on other menus. You usually just see fruit flavors or flavors like taro. They are on the menu too, but you can also order Thai Tea, Thai Coffee, Mocha or Black Milk Tea here. If you like bubble tea you should definitely give them a try. If you value loose leaf tea don’t bother ordering hot tea here. It is served as a tea bag in a tea cup.

The place is tiny, but the servers are friendly and welcoming. With big windows overlooking Coventry it is bright and cheerful, but there is a draft in the winter.

Contact info:

Pho & Rice
1780 Coventry Road
Cleveland Heights
216-563-1122

Heimatland in Brunswick

Heimatland is a quirky little German restaurant that is putting out some pretty good German food. It’s located in a German business center off the main drag just off the highway. The dining room is dominated by murals of Germany and austere wooden tables and chairs.

The food is affordable, filling and plentiful. Their sandwiches are definitely unique – served on thick slices of Italian bread and accompanied by chips and pickles. Their German Panini features German bratwurst, piled high with shredded cabbage in a house vinaigrette, topped with provolone, and fried potatoes. The Croatian Panini is one of the more unique “knife-and-fork” sandwiches – stuffed cabbage topped with shredded cabbage, tomato and fried potatoes. I ordered the Croatian Panini and loved the fluffy Italian bread it came on. The stuffed cabbage was tender, moist and fell apart easily when I bit into it. The fried potatoes were actually more like French fries, but they paired well with the stuffed cabbage. Some of their other sandwiches feature Polish kielbasa, beer battered tilapia, or grilled knockwurst as well as a Reuben, German style chicken salad, a club sandwich, and a BLT.

The Koln Burger is a 6 oz. beef patty topped with Swiss cheese, sauerkraut or red cabbage, and a side of Thousand Island dressing. The Berlin Burger is a burger with Swiss cheese, grilled onions, and mushrooms. The Salz Burger features jack & cheddar cheese, bacon, and BBQ sauce. The name cracks me up, because I used to live in Salzburg and Salzburgers are citizens of Salzburg.

The Heimatland salad (photo above) is one of the most unique salads I have ever seen on a menu. It features mixed field greens topped with chunks of chicken simmered in a secret sauce, seasoned fries and jack & cheddar cheese and served with creamy BBQ ranch dressing. It looks like a big hot mess, but the person I was with really enjoyed it. Who knew fries on a salad would be so appealing?

The dinner entrees include standard Eastern European fare such as chicken paprikas, stuffed cabbage, Wiener Schnitzel (veal) or pork schnitzel, a German sausage platter, two different pierogi dinners (one with knockwurst and haluska), and beef goulash – among other things like honey fried chicken or liver and onions for those of you who like that. Dinners are served with your choice of two sides – including mashed potatoes, haluska (aka cabbage and noodles) cole slaw, sauerkraut, German potato salad, French fries, spaetzle, red cabbage, home fries, buttered noodles, applesauce, green beans or a side salad.

I was here with a large group of Germans and German speakers. Everyone was very pleased with their meal. The service was friendly and attentive. We certainly had no complaints.

They serve German beer on tap as well as Pepsi products, juice, and other normal beverage offerings. Desserts include a thick slice of Black Forest cake and apple strudel (3 flaky slices topped with powdered sugar and caramel drizzle).

Contact info:

Heimatland Restaurant
3511 Center Road
Brunswick, OH 44212
(330) 220-8671

Pupuseria Katarina

I initially found out about this little gem from some Spanish translators I know. They meet here once a month to catch up and talk about their assignments and the industry in general. I figured Spanish translators really know their stuff about Latin American cuisine, and I was right. I took a small group of friends here this past winter. It was Arctic and snowy, but it didn’t stop us from enjoying a little Salvadorian flavor. We almost drove past the place. It is located in Old Brooklyn in a small strip mall on Broadview Road just north of Brookpark Road. It is a casual restaurant and rather small, with a few tables filling up a bright but sparely decorated restaurant.

The restaurant is dominated by blue and white, which represent the colors in the flag of El Salvador. There were Hispanic music videos playing on the television behind the counter and some photos of some of the featured dishes. The menu also features photos, which is helpful if you aren’t familiar with the cuisine.

The owner greeted us warmly, offered some great suggestions and was very patient with us when explaining the different dishes. I had never had a pupusa, which are thick corn pancakes stuffed with various fillings like ground pork, jalapeno, chicken, cheese, etc. and fried on a griddle. They did not disappoint.

We started with the Atol, which is a hot soup-like beverage made from sweet corn, milk, cornstarch and cinnamon. It was delicious. They only serve it on Wednesdays, so plan accordingly. I could not stop drinking it and was craving it the next day. That’s the sign of a successful meal.

I ordered two pupusas – one revuelta (pork and beans) and one pollo con queso (chicken and cheese) – and an order of fried plantains, which came with refried beans and sour cream. I preferred the revuelta over the chicken, but they were both good. They were even better paired with a forkful of beans and sour cream along with the slaw and hot sauce that come with the pupusas. The plantains were delicious, nice and sweet.

My friends all ordered vegetarian pupusas – loroco (an “exotic flower” native to El Salvador that is harvested in the morning because otherwise it is bitter), spinach, and garlic – and were very pleased. The spinach one looked super-cheesy. One of my friends also ordered the fried yucca and was really pleased. It wasn’t on the menu as a side dish, but was offered with an entree and the owner was happy to make some for her. I really liked them and they came with a nice dipping sauce. She lived in Mexico for a while and has toured several Central American countries (including El Salvador), so she appreciates good, authentic Latin American cuisine. She was thrilled with the place and was eagerly looking forward to going back on a weekend to enjoy their empanadas. They also serve hen soup on Sundays, which I hear is very good as well.

I can’t wait to go back to try some more pupusas. Maybe next time I’ll go crazy and order the Pupusa Loca, which uses every ingredient on the menu in one big pupusa for $7. In any event, my bill was less than $13 and I left stuffed.

Note: Pupuseria Katarina will be moving to the former Mexican Village spot on Brookpark Road in April

Contact info:

Pupuseria Katarina
4848 Broadview Road
Cleveland, OH
216-331-6624

Pacific East on Coventry

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Contact info:

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