Category: Good eats

Chicken Ranch

Lent is over. It was a good run of fish fries and pancake breakfasts. We now return to our regular feature of restaurants…

Chef Demetrios Atheneos’ latest foray into food here in Cleveland focuses on quick-serve comfort food. He owns a number of popular sit-down restaurants, like Forage Public House and The Oak Barrel, but during COVID he decided to open a quick-serve comfort food concept. His uncle originally had a restaurant called Chicken Ranch in the ’80s in Brooklyn, New York and it was his inspiration. His family works here – specifically his brother Niko and Demetrios’ sister and daughter. His brother rang me out on my last visit and Niko’s young child was hanging out at a table, trying to get his dad to give him something, which made me chuckle. Luckily Chicken Ranch is close to me on the east side, on Cedar Road in University Heights. Located in the former Lox, Stock and Brisket spot, this is a small place set up mainly for take-out, but it has a few tables that you can bring your food to and eat in if you want.

Chicken Ranch is “the farm to table food in a smaller, to-go kind of setting.” Chicken Ranch focuses on quality ingredients and freshly made products — everything from their signature chicken sandwiches to ribs, fish, even homemade cannoli. The menu has lots of dietary indicators, from vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free to keto-friendly. The focus on comfort food really makes it stand out, and the chicken here is next level! It is brined in a spicy buttermilk brine, battered and fried, resulting in a crispy, flaky outside shell.

The chicken tenders are almost the size of entire breasts – not thin tenderloin strips. During my first visit I ordered the tenders (3 for $13) and was not disappointed. They were so big I couldn’t eat them in one sitting. You can order them as regular batter dipped or grilled. They have 15 different homemade sauces to choose from, ranging in spiciness level from the House BBQ and Comeback Sauce (which is keto-friendly) to Black Garlic Toum, Kim Chi Hot Sauce, Dragon Fire Honey Butter, Cleveland Hot Sauce and Nashville Hot Oil. The spiciness level is indicated on the menu. I’m partial to the honey mustard. The tenders came served with a mini jalapeno corn bread, which was super tasty. I also ordered the crinkle fries and beet salad, which was made with golden beets, jalapeno and goat cheese. It is unfortunately no longer on the menu. Maybe it’s a seasonal side. It was a nice, refreshing side to balance out the fried tenders and fries. The fries were nicely cooked, with a crisp exterior and creamy interior, and dusted with a nice seasoning.

On my next visit I went with the Crispy Chicken Sandwich (they have several spicier choices as well, including the Nashville Hot Chicken they are known for). The herb buttermilk mayo was a great addition, and the slaw was fresh and crispy. They were a nice balance to the huge brined chicken breast. I obviously couldn’t finish it either. I had wanted to order the white cheddar mac n cheese, but somehow was confused when I opened the container and found no noodles. Turns out I was given the mashed sweet potatoes. I have no idea if I ordered the wrong thing or the wrong button was pushed. Mistakes happen (like my friend who ordered a patty melt instead of the tuna melt she had been thinking about all week – it happens). I wasn’t about to drive back and exchange it, so I ate it. It was sweet and tasty, but when you have your heart set on comforting mac n cheese it was kind of disappointing. Check your order before you drive away (not bad advice wherever you are, but easy to not think about in the moment). The serving sizes are generous and easily made two meals.

Chicken Ranch is also known for its homemade cannoli. They are next level. I’m fairly certain the cannoli I got on my first visit was a chocolate chip cannoli, but they have a banana cream cannoli on the menu now. Who doesn’t love banana cream??? It’s one of my favorite things in life. I really enjoyed the cannoli. The shell was crisp and shattered nicely, the filling was delicious, and I am fairly certain the whipped cream was real whipped cream and not the fake stuff.

I’m going to try the ribs next time, but they also have Wagyu sliders that sound good. Also, be sure to check the Specials board.

Contact info:

Chicken Ranch
13892 Cedar Road
University Heights, OH 44118
(216) 938-7645</p

Mama Maria’s Ukrainian Kitchen

One of the first Ukrainian-owned businesses in Parma, a Cleveland suburb that’s been home to Ukrainian immigrants for the better part of a century, Mama Maria’s has been a local staple for about half that time. It serves excellent and authentic Eastern European food. It was run by Mama Maria until her son George took it over. George also State Meats next door. State Meats is my favorite place to buy Ukrainian delicacies like fresh and smoked kielbasa (try the double-smoked – wow), frozen pierogi, German potato salad (oil-based with bacon) and Russian salad (Olyvie, which resembles a potato salad, with the addition of other cooked vegetables like peas and carrots and meat.). You can obviously get that here too, but the pierogi are freshly made and hot. Mama Maria’s is known for its homemade jumbo pierogi, cabbage rolls, pelmeni (smaller Russian pierogi with a meat filling), German schnitzel, chenaky (stewed pork, potatoes, and carrots), and savory borscht (beet soup with pork and vegetables). They make authentic Ukrainian food that you cannot really find anywhere else.

I absolutely adore their kielbasa sandwich on a soft bun. The kielbasa is fresh and steamed to perfection. It is perfectly seasoned with just the right amount of garlic. You can get it with or without sauerkraut. I’ve been known just to stop and get a kielbasa sandwich when I get a craving for it. It always makes me think of my Ukrainian grandmother, who always served fresh kielbasa on Easter. And she lived in the area, so it probably came from State Meats – just like Mama Maria’s does. We now serve fresh kielbasa at Easter and Thanksgiving in her memory.

I met several girlfriends here for a quick dinner before an event at the public library on Snow Road. They loved their meals, which ranged from the schnitzel with a pierogi to stuffed cabbage and pierogi. The schnitzel was perfectly fried. It doesn’t seem to be hand-pounded like I am used to in Austria and Germany. They tend to be huge and hang over the plate, but this was a very serviceable option. The stuffed cabbage was also tasty and the pierogi were little pillows of potatoey heaven.

It’s a really small space with not a lot of seating. Our table was tight and had to be moved to accommodate us. They do most of their business as carryout. It is open from 9:30 am to 6 pm every day but Sunday. Mama Maria’s doesn’t even have a website and its Yelp listing is sparse. It’s definitely a Cleveland secret that shouldn’t be.

Contact info:

Mama Marie’s Ukrainian Kitchen
5342 State Road
Cleveland, OH 44134
(216) 661-2225</p

Fish Fryday #7: Good Shepherd Shrimp Fry

I ate at Chelo’s again for lunch today and you’ve already seen the photos (their amazing tuna melt with grilled onions and Swiss and American cheese and clam chowder), so I’m just writing about tonight’s dinner.

I have heard about the shrimp fry at Church of the Good Shepherd in Lyndhurst for several years, and I finally got a chance to give them a try tonight. The Good Shepherd Shrimp Fry is special. Unlike most church fish fries, the Church of the Good Shepherd serves fried shrimp or mac n cheese and only holds it once a year on the last Friday before Good Friday, which is coincidentally traditionally the last fish fry of the season (unless you are orthodox). St. Ann’s near me also holds their fish fry tonight, but I decided I wanted to have some fried shrimp. Tonight’s shrimp fry (March 22, 2024) was from 5-7.

I’ve been to the Church of the Good Shepherd once over ten years ago for their blessing of the pets service. They used to hold it in the parking lot, but now they hold it at the South Euclid Dog Park on Monticello and South Belvoir. The church is set back from the road on Cedar near Legacy Village. It was not crowded, and I was able to get a good spot close to the church when I arrived shortly after 5:30.

As I was driving there tonight I tried to stop at the ATM, but it was out of service. I figured I could use my debit card there, but they don’t accept cards. They only accept cash, check, Cash App or something called Tithely. Dinners can also be preordered here. The pastor opened the door and greeted me, and also tried to help me scan the QR code and then walked me through downloading and using the Cash App app. Once I had it downloaded on my phone and my debit card entered I was able to easily pay my $15 for my shrimp dinner and headed on into the church hall. I was able to watch them frying the shrimp in the courtyard as I entered.

I was greeted warmly by everyone and also as I left later on. I had decided to get the dinner in a to-go box but sit down and enjoy the atmosphere for a bit. I gave the lady at the serving station my ticket and was told to take a seat. There was a table offering canned soda and homemade baked goods for $1 and $2 respectively. Coffee and water were free at yet another table. I purchased a couple of cans of soda for $1 each and sat down, only to be told to go up to the serving area to get my dinner because the shrimp was finished. I got them straight from the fryer as they refilled the serving tray. It doesn’t get any fresher than that! There was some confusion, because they told me to go back up there but they usually bring the dinners to the diners at the tables.

I grabbed some (real!) silverware, got my dinner, and grabbed a couple small containers of cocktail sauce (although they have squeeze bottles full of cocktail sauce available). The shrimp dinners come with eight pieces of shrimp, a generous ladleful of smashed potatoes (and the melted butter was glistening on the top of the serving pan), a generous scoop of cole slaw and a slice of Brownberry bread and wrapped pats of butter and, if you want, a small hunk of lemon.

I sat down and was joined by a friendly gentleman who explained the history of the shrimp fry. He explained that the first year they did it they had almost 100 diners and the line was wrapped around the sanctuary because they hadn’t worked out all the kinks (they could only fry 30 shrimp at a time and had to wait for the oil to come back up to temperature for the next batch). Someone started playing Beatles tunes on the piano and someone else ran home to get a propane burner. Now they use a propane burner to fry the shrimp and things go much smoother. He also told me about the church and about the trees and wildlife behind the church.

We had a nice chat as we tucked into our dinners. I was still full from lunch, so I ate three of the eight shrimp and a couple forkfuls of potatoes and cole slaw. The shrimp were delicately fried and absolutely perfect. I also really enjoyed the smashed potatoes. They were creamy and buttery. The cole slaw was on the bland side. I had to doctor it with salt and pepper and may add a couple of dashes of vinegar to it tomorrow when I eat the rest of my meal for lunch. Bob enjoyed a side of mac n cheese with his shrimp. Another parishioner who joined us also had the mac n cheese as part of her $15 side dishes meal (mac n cheese, smashed potatoes, cole slaw and bread), so it seems like those in the know get the mac n cheese as a side. The kid’s meal is $8 and features mac n cheese, smashed potatoes, cole slaw and bread).

I was on autopilot as I left and realized as I was almost home that I had forgotten to sign the petition against gerrymandering in the church lobby. I had toyed with the idea of grabbing a fish fry dinner to go at St. Ann’s, but it was getting late and I would have gotten there close to 7 when they closed. So I decided the petition was more important and turned my car around and drove back. I have been meaning to sign it for the last month, so I was super pleased that they had a table at the event. I might try to do both St. Ann’s and Good Shepherd next year (St. Ann’s starts at 4:30). Keep them in mind on the last Friday before Good Friday next year!

Contact info:

Church of the Good Shepherd
23599 Cedar Road
Lyndhurst, OH 44122
(216) 382-7770
info@gsepiscopal.org

Century Village Museum Pancake Breakfast

The Century Village Museum, located in Burton, Ohio is an authentic representation of a Western Reserve Village from 1798 to the turn of the 19th century. It’s also the host of a fantastic pancake breakfast. In addition, they offer free tours of the Maple Museum on Pancake Sundays. The museum and store just reopened a couple of days ago (March 15) after being closed for renovations.

The Century Village Museum is located just off of Burton Square. My GPS directed me to the parking lot off of Park Street. I knew how popular this pancake breakfast is and just how small the parking lot is, so I took advantage of St. Patrick’s Day to ensure I could avoid the crowds, who I knew would be either at the parade downtown or at one of the many bars and restaurants serving green beer, kegs and eggs and corned beef. Anyone who knows me know I am not a fan of corned beef. This seemed like the perfect way to spend the morning/afternoon. I woke up at 10 am and headed out shortly after 11. The drive was gray and cloudy, and it started to sleet and then snow. I seriously questioned my decision, but in the end I am so glad I decided to brave the weather this morning. It was totally worth it!

The pancake breakfast is served every Sunday in March from 9 am to 2 pm. They also have signs directing cars through a drive-thru. I got there shortly after noon and had to drive around the small parking lot until someone left. I felt lucky to get a spot. Other people parked on the square, crossed the road, and walked a bit. By the time I left (probably at around 12:30 or so) there were some spaces open. I am also happy that I am walking better now, because it was a bit of a walk to the Bond Building, where the pancakes are served. I followed the signs, and because there was no line I had to ask someone at the door where to go. They have a cordoned off line along the inside of the building to the right. I followed the cordoned area down to the ladies sitting at the cashier’s table and handed over my money. They also take debit and credit cards.

The cost for the all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast is $10 for adults and $6 for kids aged 6-12. The meal includes all you can eat pancakes (buttermilk, blueberry and apple – and they also had gluten free pancakes!!!), 2 sausage links, scrambled eggs, milk, orange juice and apple sauce. I also purchased extra sausage links for $1 each and extra orange juice for $1 (it said $0.75 on the sign, but they probably rounded it up to avoid dealing with quarters). Extra milk and water was also $1 each. I was glad I ordered the extra sausage and orange juice, because the sausage was fantastic. I didn’t remember about the milk and apple sauce being included in the price. Oh well, next time.

I grabbed a tray with a plate and plastic ware and grabbed my orange juices (and probably should have grabbed a container of apple sauce and container of milk). When I got to the serving window they had steamer trays filled with pancakes, eggs and sausage. I chose to get one of each pancake, asked for another half-scoop of scrambled eggs and ended up with four sausage links.

After I left the window, a nice gentleman asked if he could “buy me a cup of coffee” and poured me a cup from the urn. He made me smile. They also had hot water and decaf coffee. I grabbed some sugar and creamer and headed into the seating area to find a seat. The table had jugs of real maple syrup and bowls of individual butters and salt and pepper packets. They also had paddles to hold up high if you needed more pancakes or more coffee. I got a refill on my coffee, and the thermos of coffee was nice and hot.

The coffee was quite good – and strong, which was appreciated. The orange juice hit the spot (and wasn’t still frozen like at West Geauga). As for the food, it was fantastic! The scrambled eggs were just how I like them, and the sausage links were also outstanding. The pancakes themselves were fantastic – even the buttermilk, but the star of the show was definitely the apple pancakes!! These are definitely my favorite pancakes at any pancake breakfast so far. The smell was divine, and the taste was even better. The apple pancakes had a nice amount of cinnamon and were delicious.

I finished the eggs and ate half of the pancakes and sausage on my plate. I moved the pile away from the puddle of maple syrup on the plate and carefully carried my plate of pancakes and sausage to my car.

I plan to run through the drive-thru next week after the Burton Fire Department’s pancake breakfast and get all apple pancakes for later in the day. And I will probably start making apple and cinnamon pancakes at home, because they were a revelation.

Contact info:

Century Village Museum
4653 E Park Street
Burton, OH 44021
(440) 834-1492

Fish Fryday #5: Old Brooklyn Cheese Company and Ferris Steakhouse

If you have been paying attention I have been on a tuna melt quest for the past few months. This works out wonderfully during Lent. Today’s tuna melt was an outstanding offering by Old Brooklyn Cheese Company. It is a Lenten special on Fridays from 11 am to close or it sells out. It is a delectable mix of tuna, finely chopped dill pickles, onions, celery (I didn’t notice too much crunch, so it was perfect for my “hate crunchy stuff in tuna salad” self), mayo, Old Brooklyn Mustard’s lemon preserve and a “houseblend cheese pull” of mozzarella, raclette and cheddar on fresh grilled sourdough from Leavened Bakery in Tremont (you can also get it on a baguette).

I usually prefer rye for my tuna melts, but the grilled sourdough was unbelievably crisp and held up really well to the creamy tonight. I’ll definitely be taking a trip to Leavened to buy a loaf for myself. The cheeses blended well, and I love raclette, which you don’t see everywhere. The flavors were outstanding, and no one flavor overpowered the other. They just worked together nicely to make a delicious, well-balanced sandwich. The counter dude grilled it up for me and did a great job. The place is also immaculate, which I appreciate.

I was afraid I was going to have to eat it in my car, but I was pleased to see they have added a dine-in seating area. I grabbed a Boylen’s Cream Soda and enjoyed the sun streaming through the windows as the counter dude made my sandwich. If you like a good tuna melt, you need to check it out. It’s definitely in my Top 3 Tuna Melts in Cleveland.

Life is all about pivoting. I had planned to get a fish fry dinner from Gesu tonight, but my sister texted asking me for a recommendation for one on the west side because she had an appointment in Lakewood at 7. She also wanted to dine in somewhere and not have to eat in her car. I suggested Gunselman’s and asked if I could join her. I told her I’d get there early to get a table. The wait was an hour and a half at 5:15. So I decided we should try Around the Corner, but then as I was driving there I saw Ferris Steakhouse and remembered they had a fish fry sign out when I dropped my taxes off next door earlier today (yes I drove to the Hilliard Road exit on I-90 from Cleveland Heights twice today). I have been wanting to try Ferris Steakhouse for several years now. It’s a Cleveland legend.

I pulled in there and was seated immediately. I ordered a Spiked Arnold Palmer while I waited, and chatted with the delightful waitress, who was also named Jill. She informed me that the Steakhouse has been at that location for 13 years, but they have been in Cleveland since 1940. It is still in the family and run by the third generation of Ferris. I loved the ambiance. We were seated at a candlelit table in a dimly lit room – a much-welcome change from what would have been a loud bar/restaurant at Gunselman’s.

When my sister arrived I told her the special was “three slices of fried cod, steak fries and cole slaw for $23 (no substitutions)”. She said “that’s a lot of food,” because she thought I said it was cod, steak and fries. Once the waitress explained it again, we both ended up ordering it. I also ordered a wedge salad, because I am not Catholic and don’t need to abstain from meat. I just like the excuse to eat fish. The wedge salad was delicious. The lettuce was crisp, and the diced tomato and cucumber were really fresh and refreshing. They were also generous with the bacon, balsamic and blue cheese dressing. I finished it, knowing I would be bringing most of my dinner home anyway.

The fish dinner were amazing. The cod was battered and very crispy. My sister even remarked on liking how crispy it was. I know most people rave about lake perch, but I prefer a bit more meat to my fish. Cod is great – especially when it is cooked perfectly. I love steak fries, which is what convinced me to order the dinner in the first place (otherwise I may have ordered the scallops or scampi off the menu). The bread roll was warm and soft, and even the cole slaw was really good. I also enjoyed the tartar sauce and squeezed the fresh lemon on the fish, which was a treat. And I got to have dinner with my sister, which was the best treat of all!

I ended up taking two slabs of fish and half of the fries and cole slaw home for lunch tomorrow. Happy Fryday, everyone!

Contact info:

Old Brooklyn Cheese Company
4464 Broadview Road
Cleveland, OH 44109
(216) 860-4000

Ferris Steakhouse
2589 Wooster Road
Rocky River, OH 44116
(216) 281-1437

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

Au Jus

Au Jus is Cleveland’s first exclusive Chicago-style Italian Beef restaurant. It is tucked away in a nondescript strip mall on Broadview Road in Parma. Its grand opening was on February 8, 2023, so recently celebrated its first anniversary. Up until recently you really had to search for an Italian Beef sandwich. Ferrera’s serves one, but it sells out quickly and they close pretty early. It takes me a while to get out of the house some days, so I usually miss the window. And Ferrara’s is cash only.

Au Jus prides itself on the quality of its products, and it shows. They use top-round beef and slow roast hundreds of pounds of it every day. I have been following the journey online from the planning stages to the opening and finally got a chance to try the restaurant out recently. It is primarily a carry-out business. There are a couple of seats, but it’s not exactly conducive to relaxing. The kitchen is also spotless and every corner is visible. You can watch the workers create your food as you wait. It is a welcoming environment, and the staff is very friendly and knowledgeable.

The Italian Beef is available in regular or large, and you can choose between Swiss or Provolone cheese. You can also add mild, spicy or mixed giardiniera and hot peppers if you like it spicy. Some customers choose to upgrade with double the meat, but save your money. The portions are very big and priced excellent for the quality and quantity of the food. I can probably only eat a regular (and probably only half in one sitting), so I went for the regular Italian Beef with Provolone cheese on my first visit. I forgot to specify mild giardiniera. The beef is shaved thin and piled on a soft hoagie bun. I got the au jus on the side since I wasn’t going to be eating it right away and “dunked” would have made it a soggy mess. The sandwich was delicious. I liked it better than Ferrera’s. You can tell the beef is high quality. I was in the mood for onion rings as well, and they did not disappoint! The onion rings here are battered, not breaded.

I absolutely adore their Italian sausage sub. It comes on a soft bun and is topped with a thin layer of tomato sauce and smothered in onions, peppers and melted provolone cheese. The sausage itself is tossed on the grill in the kitchen before topping it with all that goodness. I was only going to eat half but could not stop eating it because I was enjoying it so much.

If you can’t decide between the Italian beef or the Italian sausage sandwich and like it spicy you can order the Spicy Trifecta, which features Italian beef and cheese, a spicy Italian sausage, hot peppers, and spicy gardiniera. The sausage is split and laid atop the Italian beef and then topped with the hot peppers and gardiniera. It’s too hot for me to handle, but if you are in the mood for spicy it features the best of both worlds.

I also ordered the mushroom and Swiss sandwich. It is one of their pressed sandwiches. The owner warned me that there was no meat because other customers have not been aware of that, but I was. I, however, was not aware that it was more of a vegetarian sandwich and less of a mushroom and Swiss sandwich. I was really looking forward to a mostly mushroom and Swiss sandwich, but it was overpowered by the peppers and onions in my opinion. If I order it again I will tell them to hold the peppers and onions or maybe hold the peppers and go light on the onions. But that is my personal preference. This is a great choice if you are a vegetarian and love roasted veggies.

The owner had also asked my local Facebook food group for their input on the perfect Sicilian sub when he was planning the menu before opening the restaurant. As a result, the pressed Sicilian sandwich includes ham, pepperoni, salami, provolone, lettuce, tomato, onion, diced mixed olives, capers, Italian dressing and lemon basil aioli. That’s a lot of meat! It kind of makes me think of a muffaletta but with lettuce, tomato and onion. It’s one of Au Jus’ best sellers.

Au Jus is open noon-9:30 pm Monday-Saturday. The owners are there on Sundays doing catering, so they don’t mind accepting orders. The owners are friendly and really dedicated and passionate about their products. This is one of those restaurants that I really like to support and root for. Be sure to check them out!

Contact info:

Au Jus
5875 Broadview Road, Unit B
Parma, OH 44134
(216) 795-5063

Fish Fry #1 2024: Mom’s Pierogies

The Lenten season is upon us, and in Cleveland that means the start of Fish Fry Season. Ash Wednesday fell on Valentine’s Day this year. I knew there was no way I was going to even try to dine in at a restaurant on one of the busiest days in the restaurant industry, and most of the churches don’t offer fish fries on Ash Wednesday since they have church services. So I decided to do carryout, and Mom’s Pierogies posted their carryout fish fry on my Facebook group so it was fate. I placed my order online and headed out to pick it up before most people even got off work. My order was ready when I arrived, and I was greeted by the friendly staff and given my order. I handed the employee who retrieved my order a couple bucks for a tip and went happily on my way. It smelled divine despite all of the containers (and the can of Pepsi) being wrapped in plastic wrap. And the fish was wrapped in foil inside the styrofoam (you can see it peeking out of the side below). No chance of leakage here!

After following Waze’s convoluted driving directions and driving on streets I’ve never driven on before, I located Mom’s Pierogies on Memphis Avenue. Getting home was also fairly convoluted and took me through a speed trap in Linndale and had me going south on I-71 before exiting and reentering to go north again, but all in all the drive was about 20-25 minutes there and back. It is located next to Aldo’s and very close to the Memphis Kiddie Park, which I had been to once with my nieces when they were younger. So I *kind of* recognized the area, but most of the streets were fairly new to me despite being a lifelong Clevelander and living on the west side for 23 years.

There is no seating available. It is strictly carryout. Mom’s Pierogies started in the early 2000s when the owner Janet Vedda was inspired to use her mother’s recipes to make and sell pierogies to family and friends during the holidays. She then branched out to selling pierogi at farmer’s markets and supplying many restaurants. Mom’s Pierogies opened as a brick-and-mortar shop in August 2018. They sell frozen pierogi in bulk – a dozen or 1/2 dozen at a time. The menu boasts around 20 flavors, and they always keep about a dozen of the traditional, most popular flavors on hand. I think I need their breakfast pierogi (featuring sausage, egg and cheddar cheese) in my life and freezer. They make the pierogi by hand every day.

I am so glad I chose Mom’s Pierogies, which I had never heard of before their post (social media works, folks!). In my opinion, an excellent fish fry always includes pierogi (plural: pierogi or pierogies or pierogis, but I prefer without an s – it’s the language geek in me). For the uninitiated, pierogi are small, semi-circular ‘dumplings’ made of dough and filled with a range of ingredients, which can be sweet, savory or spicy. They are a staple in Cleveland, and some would argue that these little pockets of deliciousness are also the national dish of Northeast Ohio. Mom’s Pierogies specializes in gourmet Polish pierogies, and you should not sleep on these pierogies. Although they were smaller and not as filled as I prefer the dough was so delightfully soft and almost melted in my mouth. These were stellar pierogies! Anyway, I digress… We are here for the fish fry.

Every single component of this meal was outstanding – there was not a miss in the styrofoam container. Even the little details like the tartar sauce, carmelized onions and butter, and garlic sour cream (!!!!) were outstanding. The fish is a 9 oz. pollock. It was lightly breaded and perfectly fried. The fish itself was moist and flaky and simply delectable. The housemade tartar sauce was an excellent addition, but it was even tasty without it. I ordered an extra pierogi for $2 and should have ordered more. These pierogi were so good! Most pierogi dough is a little thick and chewy. These were thinner and soft and pillowy – and had a tasty potato filling. The pierogi have been handed down from the owner’s Polish mother’s recipe. I can see why. These are the softest pierogi I have ever enjoyed. The garlic sour cream was ethereally good. You can choose between regular or garlic. Get the garlic! It isn’t overpowering and just gilds the lily. I wished I had ordered more extra pierogi, because I only had one left for lunch the next day and you can eat them in a couple bites even if you are savoring them. I would drive all the way back for a pierogi dinner, but they also serve stuffed cabbage that looks right up my alley, so…

I also added a side of cucumber salad, because it never hurts to have a veggies to balance the fried food. LOL The cucumbers are small and sliced razor thin. They are drenched in a sour cream and onion dressing that I really enjoyed. This was a quality cucumber salad. It is also available in 1 and 2 lb portions. Even cole slaw was a revelation. I definitely detected a heavier pepper presence, which I enjoyed, but there is an herb mix that I can’t quite place (dill? thyme?). The mayo-based cole slaw was delicious, and I enjoyed every forkful of it as well.

All in all, this was an excellent start to Fish Fry Season 2024. I’ve already planned which churches and restaurants I want to try this season (St Mary’s Church in Collinwood, Gesu Catholic (catered by EDWINS), St. Agnes / Our Lady of Fatima and Voodoo Brewery are new to the list and I plan to revisit St. Joseph’s Parish and St. Vladimir as well as Benedictine High School to give them another chance after a less than stellar review pre-COVID). I have lunch plans at Ice or Rice Cafe tomorrow, so we’ll see if I am hungry at fish fry time. There may or may not be two reviews tomorrow. So see you tomorrow (or Saturday whenever I get the post written)!

They also sell t-shirts if anyone wants to get me one 🙂 The photo above is just one of the choices on their website (follow the link). Mom’s Pierogies has apparently been in business since 2003. They are closed on Sunday and Monday and open from 11-7 on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, 11-5 on Thursday and 11-4 on Saturday. Be sure to check them out – and don’t forget the garlic sour cream!!!

Contact info:

Mom’s Pierogies
8467 Memphis Avenue
Brooklyn, OH 44144
(216) 309-1570

Michael Angelo’s Bakery

It’s almost Pączki time. Celebrate at the Winery this year from noon-6 pm on January 28th, but you can stock up on pączki at the Bakery until February 13th this year.

My favorite pączki are made at Michael Angelo’s Bakery. The Bakery has been open for 20 years and is located on Broadview Road in Broadview Heights Ohio just to the north of Wallings Road. The same owners opened Michael Angelo’s Winery during the pandemic. It is located down the street on the corner of Boston Road and Broadview Road in Richfield, and I have heard nothing but good things about it. I haven’t made it there yet though.

As I’ve said, Michael Angelo’s Bakery (not to be confused with Michaelangelo’s (the restaurant in Little Italy) or Michael Angelo’s Winery) is my go-to bakery for pączki (pronounced poonch-kee). For those who don’t know, pączki are made from especially rich dough containing eggs, fats, sugar, yeast and sometimes milk in the month or two before Lent (but definitely on both Fat Tuesday and Fat Thursday). They feature a variety of fruit and cream fillings and can be glazed, or covered with granulated or powdered sugar. Michael Angelo’s pączki are generously stuffed with filling and are light and airy while also being heavy in weight. It is a must-visit for me every pączki season. I go during the day during the week, but you have to get there early before they run out (or you will be stuck with prune) – or order them ahead of time. The lines are long during pączki season – especially on the weekends. If they run out of a certain flavor and they still have the pastries they will run and fill them for you. But once they are out they are out.

Their bread is also very good. They make bread for St. Sava. It looks like it would have a firm crust, but it is really quite soft. It is a tasty bread, but my favorite is their Buttercrust bread. It is their Italian bread topped with butter and baked in a loaf pan. It’s so good! Pictured here to the left is the Country Grain. It reminds me a lot of European bread – a harder crust with a soft center.

They also sell lots of packaged coffee, boxed or bagged cookies and bagged chocolate-covered treats like Oreos or pretzel rods. Their chocolate chip and oatmeal cranberry cookies are great. I had a friend buy them for one of our tea events. The last time I went I also bought a bag of their peanut butter cookies with mini Reese’s pieces, and they were moist and delicious. I’ve also heard good things about the macaroons but can’t attest to them because I’m not a fan. They do look pretty though!

They are also known for their special order cakes. The cakes I have seen people pick up here are spectacular, from kid’s birthday cakes to special events like bachelorette parties or baptisms. They also have smaller individual cakes in a display case to the left of the store.

They also sell coffee and tea, which is helpful when you need a jolt of caffeine or a soothing hot tea.

Contact info:

Michael Angelo’s Bakery
8035 Broadview Road
Broadview Heights, OH 44147
(440) 526-0499

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