The Souper Market is a small local chain (with five locations) that specializes in hand-crafted soups, stocks, salads and salad dressings, made from scratch using the finest ingredients. I drove past the location on Carnegie (Midtown location) for years and had even thought it had closed because the store front on Carnegie was closed. It turns out that the entrance moved to the side of the building off their generous parking lot. The location in Ohio City is also quite popular, and the Downtown location on St. Clair Avenue is near the Justice Center. they also have a location in Kamm’s Corner and Lakewood. Most locations are only open Monday through Friday, although the Ohio City, Lakewood and Downtown locations are also open on Saturday afternoons. None of the locations are open on Sundays.
There are a few soups that are available every day (Tomato Ginger, Potato Spinach & Swiss, Jambalaya and their beloved Chicken Paprikash, Pulled Chicken Noodle, Tuscan Vegetable and Creamy Wild Mushroom and a chili that varies weekly), but the menu also changes weekly as well as seasonally, offering heartier soups in winter and lighter options in summer, alongside a variety of salads and chilled soups. The soups can be purchased as 8 oz., 12 oz., 16 oz. and 32 oz. servings.
They offer a way to enjoy a soup flight by offering a three pack of soups. You can order three DIFFERENT 8 oz. soups of your choice with 2 pieces of bread for just $14. It’s a great choice if you can’t decide on just one soup.
My go-to order is a grilled cheese paired with one of their delicious soups. It’s only $10 for a large panini pressed grilled cheese and an 8 oz. cup of soup and $11 for a 12 oz. soup. Most recently I enjoyed the Beefy Mushroom & Swiss soup and grilled cheese. I love mushroom and Swiss together, so I loved it.
They also have two deals that feature salads and soup. Deal #1 is an 8 oz. cup of soup and any salad for $13, Deal #2 is a 12 oz. cup of soup and any salad for $14. I have heard great things about the asparagus salad as well as the sweet lemon vinaigrette.
You can also buy stock in quarts or gallons. The stocks, which are the foundation of the soups, are simmered with meats, vegetables, and herbs, creating rich, additive-free, gluten-free, and low-sodium broths.
I have always enjoyed the “56” family of restaurants and met one of the owners years ago through Meetup and found him to be a stand-up guy, so I’m happy they are so successful. The 56 restaurants offer great healthy choices, with really nice salads, and use fresh ingredients. They are located primarily on the east side (56 Kitchen in Solon and Mayfield, 56 Tavern in Aurora, and Elle in Solon). In fact, the Mayfield location’s schtick is that it serves 56 salads, which I think is fun.
56 Social is an all-day cafe located in the former J. Pistone Market on Warrensville Center Road. It is open every day but Sunday from 8:00 AM – 9:00 PM. J. Pistone was in business for 25 years, but I feel 56 Social has a better vibe. The open dining room is less cluttered, and the tables are nicely spaced throughout the dining room, and there is a bar with high top chairs if you like that. I also like the convenient parking in back with the back entrance. I started going after a really bad snow storm this summer and the lot and walkways were always well-cleared of snow and well-salted. If you have mobility issues you should enter from the front, because there are a couple of steps down at the back entrance. Once I entered, I was warmly greeted by the hostess to the right just as you enter and was quickly shown to a table after asking my preference of high top or table seating. The servers I have had have been friendly and communicative when there was a delay.
The all-day menu is an approachable mix of American, Mediterranean and Jewish deli foods. They have a lot of sandwiches and salads that are quite lovely. Obviously I immediately gravitated toward the “Original Pewter Mug” salad. It was really great, made with chopped iceberg lettuce and topped with strips of turkey, “turkey ham” and Swiss, diced tomato, and a creamy garlic vinaigrette. I enjoyed the combination of toppings, but I really adored the pretzel bread that came with it. It is light and fluffy and super tasty. And served warm enough to slightly melt the cheese under it. I will probably order salads in the near future agian just to enjoy one of the pretzels.
I was also tempted by what was described as a creamy egg salad served on house-baked Japanese milk bread. I enjoy a good egg salad sandwich, so I was intrigued. I have to be honest and say it isn’t to my taste. I love the idea of a pillowy egg salad, but this one is bland as hell. I prefer a zippier egg salad. I usually add a bit of horseradish or brown mustard to the egg mixture. Or it would be fine if the bread was more flavorful to offset the blander egg salad. I took half of the sandwich home, sprinkled on a healthy shake of my Pampered Chef dill mix and did enjoy it. The chips were fantastic though.
The BLT is fantastic. It is made with crispy thick-cut bacon, sliced heirloom tomato, creamy avocado, and fresh basil served on toasted sourdough. The drizzle of garlic aioli really made it stand out as well. A little garlic aioli might be a good addition to the egg salad. I ordered the BLT with a side of delicious soup of the day (it was a corn chowder that day) for a slight upcharge. The chowder was chock full of chunky potato and nice corn kernels and was well-seasoned. Overall, it was a nice light lunch.
Since you all know my love of a good tuna melt, I obviously had to order the tuna melt here. The tuna melt is made with house-made albacore tuna salad that is topped with heirloom tomato slices and Swiss and grilled on marble rye. It was a tasty tuna melt. Not the best I’ve had (the honors so far go to Chelo’s Kitchen, Yours Truly and the now-defunct Old Brooklyn Cheese Company and Katz Diner), but certainly not the worst. I liked the inclusion of tomato, and the marble rye was nice, even if I prefer a seeded rye. I will definitely be ordering it again. Again, I ordered a cup of soup, which was a delicious lobster bisque. The pairing would be a nice Lent lunch or supper alternative.
As for beverage choices, I really enjoyed the match-chai latte, which I have never seen anywhere else. The spicy chai pairs really well with the earthier matcha. It has a nice zip to it and warmed me up nicely on a cold and snowy day in February. I tried to order a smoothie the next time, but was told they are only served before 3 pm. When I went again, I ordered the Pink Dragon (see in above photo), which is made with oat milk, yogurt, ube, pomegranate, raspberry, strawberry, dragon fruit, and agave. It was innocuous enough, but for $10 I expected something that wowed me and that unfortunately wasn’t it. They do have a bar, so one of their cocktails will definitely be one of my next choices.
The dessert choices also sound great. I ordered the white vanilla bean cake to go to enjoy later, and it was absolutely delicious. I ate it over two sittings, because it was quite large. It would be perfect to share with someone.
Contact info:
56 Social 3245 Warrensville Center Road Shaker Heights, OH 44122 (216) 283-3663
Lehman’s Deli and Bakery is a deli on Detroit Road in Westlake. Lehman’s Country Store started in the 1940’s and has evolved into Lehman’s Deli. It has been operating as a deli since 1983. Lehman’s serves coffee and tea, baked goods, soups, salads, and hot and cold sandwiches. In fact, Lehman’s makes over 140 different soups (several soups a day and they change every day – you can also buy quarts from the cooler) and nearly 100 different sandwiches. They also say you can invent your own sandwiches as long as they have the ingredients on hand. You can also just get half a sandwich if you want. Lehman’s cooks its own roast beef, corned beef, pastrami, chicken breast and turkey breast and bakes almost all of the desserts. It serves Cleveland Bagels and Rising Star Coffee.
The place is split into two different entities – the deli counter and the bakery/coffee bar and dining area. If you want a coffee or baked good take the entrance on the right. The deli counter and coolers are to the left. My doctor is just down the road, so I order on my phone from the parking lot and drive there to pick it up. I may have to chill in my car for a few minutes, but I have also been known to go into the bakery and grab a coffee.
Lehman’s got on my radar when I started my tuna melt quest. People recommended it, saying the Lehman’s tuna melt is up there among the best tuna melts in Cleveland. It was indeed fantastic. The tuna was warm, and the cheese was nicely melted. I paired it with a cup of Italian wedding soup and a Lehman’s vanilla cream soda, which was a total treat. You don’t see cream soda much anymore. The Italian wedding soup was pretty much perfect – with just the right amount of meatballs, pasta and spinach (escarole is ideal, but spinach is a perfectly fine substitute and more commonly found in most non-Italian restaurants).
I ordered a turkey reuben on my next visit and paired it with a bag of chips and an order of deviled eggs. The eggs were a little tougher than I like, but the filling was great. The turkey reuben had a decent amount of smoked turkey along with sauerkaut and Thousand Island dressing on grilled rye. And the bread was perfectly grilled. I also really enjoyed the Calypso Island Wave Lemonade, which blends pineapple, banana, mango, passion fruit and orange with the tartness of lemonade.
They also offer a nice selection of sub sandwiches. The one pictured here is the Italian sub, but I’m intrigued by the idea of a clam strip sub (“super sized clam strips on a grilled hoagie roll with tartar sauce, lettuce & tomato”). The Poor Boy also sounds tasty with bologna, hard salami, American cheese, shaved ham, onion, pickle, tomato, lettuce, cole slaw & mayo. I grew up calling them hoagies, but I like the addition of cole slaw. The Italian sub could easily be held up against any Italian sub. It features hard salami, Provolone cheese, shaved ham, pepperoni, onion, tomato, pickle & lettuce that is topped with zesty Italian dressing. It had a nice zesty punch to it between the Italian dressing and the salami and pepperoni.
I’m looking forward to my next doctor’s visit in March so I can explore more of the menu. The deli is open 6 days a week (Monday through Friday from 7 am to 8 pm, Saturday from 7 am to 5 pm and closed on Sunday), while the bakery is open 7 days a week (from 6-4 Monday through Friday, 7 am to 5 pm on Saturday and 7 am to 1 pm on Sunday).
Contact info:
Lehman’s Deli 24961 Detroit Road Westlake, OH 44145 (440) 871-3445
I drive down Mayfield Road all the time and kept noticing the sign for Fraiche Brunch Bar during the construction and façade repair (I’m going to keep spelling it without the î because it’s easier). I had always wondered what Bill’s Coffee Shop was like and never got around to checking it out, but the name Fraiche intrigued me. I love creme fraîche, so it was a good mental image, and it also implies “fresh” in English. I definitely had it on my list of places to try once the façade work on the building was finished and it opened. It opened on November 7th. It’s a small place, with several two-seater booths along the wall, one or two larger tables and seating at the counter.
Well, I finally checked it out and am happy to report I really like it. I learned there was parking and an entrance in the back, so that took some of the stress off trying a new place. Every time I have walked in I have been immediately greeted by friendly employees. One employee even made me a fresh pot of coffee since I came in after the breakfast rush (they are open until 3). I also like the fact they have a hazelnut flavored coffee creamer. My coffee was served to me piping hot with steam coming off of it.
I could not decide what to order on my first visit, because everything looked so good. I definitely wanted to try a waffle, but couldn’t decide which one so their Waffle Flight was a perfect choice. It features all four of their waffles – Strawberry Shortcake, Georgia Peach, Cinnamon Toast Crunch and Biscoff cookie butter (in that order in the photo from front to back). I liked the Biscoff one the best, but they were all tasty. I didn’t even need syrup. You can also get those toppings on pancakes instead of waffles.
I also prefer savory over sweet breakfast choices, so I was debating between the steak bites or something else. My server recommended the salmon patties, so I ended up getting the Salmon Patty Grits Bowl. Wow, wow, wow! That was definitely an amazing choice. The gouda grits are creamy and just the right amount of cheesy but not overpowering. The potatoes were a perfect foil with the grits and were perfectly cooked. And the salmon patties and Fraiche sauce were amazing. I will definitely be ordering it again. Or something else with those grits, because they are fire. Since I had ordered two entrees I got boxes to take everything home and enjoy later. Everything reheated nicely in my air fryer.
Since it is one of the newest brunch spots to hit the Cleveland area, it was also a given to get together with some friends for my annual Christmas Eve Day brunch this year. We have gone to Fire and Inn on Coventry in the past, and a fancy breakfast out on Christmas Eve morning has become an annual event my friends look forward to. Fraiche has mocktails instead of cocktails, and we were okay with that at 11 am on a Wednesday. I had a strawberry Fraiche Fresher, which was a tasty soda water with strawberry sauce (the metal straw is mine), and my friend enjoyed her Cranginger Mule Mocktail.
Fraiche has a very meat-heavy menu (think chicken tenders, steak, breakfast meats and even lamb chops), but my vegetarian friends easily managed to find things they enjoyed on the menu (I almost got some sausage links out of the deal, but the waffle without meat was cheaper 🙂 ). My friends were thrilled with Fraiche’s waffles, and one friend raved about his veggie omelet and potatoes.
I ordered the Biscoff chicken and waffles, which was recommended by my same server. It was a great choice. The sweetness of the cookie butter was a nice accompaniment to the nicely fried chicken tenders.
I like to try a place several times before writing about it, so it usually takes a while for me to post about a place here. However, Fraiche is close enough and tasty enough that I happily came here several times within a month. I obviously had to order the lamb chops at some point, and they did not disappoint. The lamb chop bowl serves everything together (see below), while the lamb chop breakfast serves everything separated. If you like lamb chops you need to check it out. And that sauce was everything. So good!
The waffles, lamb chops and chicken and waffles are the crowd favorites, but I honestly don’t think there is a fail on the menu. I’ll be back to try the garlic butter steak bites soon because they intrigue me (edit: they were just okay – the steak and eggs comes with potatoes too and is not a half portion). When I posted about it on Facebook at All Things Food in Cleveland, many people who live nearby chimed in saying they weren’t even aware of it or that it was within walking distance so they would check it out soon. This place should definitely be on your list if you like unique breakfast places.
The owner is the chef and pumps out delicious food. Fraiche is open until 3 pm every day – and opens at 7 am during the week and 8 am on the weekend.
Contact info:
Fraîche Brunch Bar 3954 Mayfield Road Cleveland Heights, OH 44121 (216) 400-6582
I’ve been hearing about how good khachapuri is for years. A Georgian bakery opened in the fall of 2025, and I had to check it out. Georgian Bakery Tiflis is located on Pearl Road in Parma Heights. It is small, but there are a few tables to dine in. They have a table with plastic silverware and napkins and bring the food out to you.
I have to say, khachapuri is indeed phenomenal. Probably the most well-known is the Adjaruli Khachapuri, which is shaped like a boat. It’s a wheat flour bread filled with two different Georgian cheeses and some seasonings and topped with a raw egg. Mix the egg into the cheese, rip off bites of bread and dig in. It was a definite highlight for me, and I can’t wait to enjoy it again. I might even order the Adjaruli with Mushrooms.
I also really enjoyed the Pkhlovani Khachapuri (a spinach khachapuri) and my friend’s Khabidzgina Khachapuri (a potato and cheese khachapuri). I am a huge spinach fan, so it was right up my alley. The dough was flaky, and the filling was savory and delicious with cheese, spinach and fresh herbs (parsley, dill and coriander).
Khinkali are soup dumplings on steroids. Note that the beef khinkali do contain 10% pork. The dough wrapping is quite a bit thicker than most dumplings you might get such as soup dumplings or gyoza. The filling is made of the meat mixed with fresh herbs like coriander and parsley. They were quite toothsome and filling.
Very enjoyable meal. Cheesy carb goodness. I will definitely be back (after I finish my leftovers – LOL). I will have to try some of the meat skewers. The staff was extremely welcoming and helpful. It is closed on Mondays, but open Tuesday-Thursday from 10am-8pm and Friday-Sunday from 10am-10pm. Be sure to check out this hidden gem!
I was still craving fish and heard Mish Mosh in Solon was serving their fish fry on Saturday too, so since I had the best clambake I’ve ever had there a few years ago I headed there tonight. It’s a small place, so I got there before 5 (reservations recommended). It’s at the corner of Brainard and Miles tucked behind Capriccio’s (old Fisher’s American Tavern). I pulled into the parking lot off Brainard, which was filling up when I left about an hour later.
There was one table of three in one half of the space along with me and a few people sitting at the bar taking up the other half. I ordered an Orange Mule off the cocktail list and the fish fry special.
I follow them on Facebook, and they advertised “Freshly Beer Battered Dayboat New England Haddock | Old Bay Hand Cut Fries | House Made Slaw | Dill Tartar Sauce | Fresh Lemon.” I have to say, this fish fry is phenomenal! Moist and flaky fish (haddock) that fell apart. I thought I tasted cinnamon in the beer batter, but it turns out I was tasting honey. The beer batter also uses rice flour, so it’s super light. I was planning on bringing half home, but it was so delicious I ate it all – even the (creamy) cole slaw. The Old Bay fries weren’t overwhelming and were served with a bottle of malt vinegar in addition to ketchup. It was $28 and worth every penny. Unbelievably good. Be sure to put in on your list!
They will be serving the fish fry every Friday and Saturday through March, so you have plenty of time to check it out.
It’s been a while since I have been thoroughly impressed by a fish fry. I had a continuing education event in Kent this morning/early afternoon, so I did some research to find a fish fry in the area. I was going back and forth between SS Cosmas and Damian Church in Twinsburg and St. Mary Catholic Church in Hudson. The lobster bisque and Pierogi Lady pierogi at St. Mary’s sold it to me. I also briefly toyed with the idea of stopping at the British-American Club on Ravenna Road, but, when I drove past, the sign indicated their hours started at 6:30. It was shortly before 5, and St. Mary’s serves from 5-7. They had their first fish fry last week.
St. Mary’s is just off Darrow Road just north of the square, and it has great signage and lots of helpful and informative volunteers. It is a well-run and efficient operation. I was greeted by several friendly volunteers and directed to the line to order. Pro tip: the way to go is apparently to order online. I got there a couple of minutes before 5, and they had already received 50 online orders. I originally had no intention of gettingdessert, but they had banana cream pie on offer. I dutifully ordered a dinner with 2 fried filets (which come with what they call sidewinder fries), a side of pierogi, the lobster bisque and a slice of banana cream pie. It ran me $30.50. I stepped from the order taker to the cashier, who printed out my order for me to hand to a runner, and I headed to the opposite corner to wait for my carryout.
If I had decided to dine in, there would have been plenty of seating (despite billing “limited seating”), but I imagine it gets crowded from 5:30 to 7. Because there was already quite a crush of people picking up carryout orders or dining in. They even had high chairs available for the little ones. If I had ordered a beverage, I would have collected it from the beverage table. As it was, I was directed to the dessert station for my pie. They had lots of boxed pies and large white and chocolate sheet cakes. When I asked if the desserts were from a bakery or made by a parishoner, I was told it was a bakery in North Canton (I think? He was quite soft-spoken).
I enjoyed sitting there and people watching as I waited. I had felt dumb because I wasn’t wearing a coat and it was cold out (it had been 50 when I left that morning and was now down in the mid-30s), but the guy in a t-shirt and flip flops!!! made me feel better. LOL! I also enjoyed talking with a woman from California who had moved here with her husband a few months ago. (Hi! Thanks for finding the blog!)
Once my food was ready, I was told to bag up a dinner roll (from the blue bucket with the metal tongs perched above it in the above photo) and choose from small sides of cocktail sauce, tartar sauce or lemon packets. When I asked whether there was sour cream, I was told “no, you’d think we would…” No worries. I had it at home. After not even getting butter at St. Sava because they are so strict during Lent, I was fine supplying my own at home. I drove 45 minutes home on I-271 north being tortured by the delicious smells emanating from the bag.
At that point I was so impressed that I told myself I didn’t even care whether it was good, but luckily it was. The lobster bisque was smooth and delicious. The Pierogi Lady potato and cheese pierogi never disappoint. Unfortunately, I was not as impressed with the fish because my filet was tough, but it looks like real fish instead of processed fish, so yay? It wasn’t tough because of the cooking process. I think that particular filet was tough. I hope the other piece isn’t as tough and reheats well. They have grilled lemon pepper filet, grilled crab cakes or breaded shrimp that I’d probably opt if I go again. Although maybe not the lemon pepper if these are the filets they use. I had to pull out the tough part again on filet #2 (see bottom of the one on the left).
I’ll enjoy the banana cream in the morning for breakfast and have half of everything to eat later. Post-script: not a single slice of banana in the pie. It was a nice cream pie, but no fresh bananas. Save your money or get a slice of fruit pie that actually contains fruit.
And I have to say that the guy who giddily exclaimed “I love this time of year” as he was leaving with his carryout and I was walking to the entrance absolutely charmed me. Same, dude, same. Welcome to fish fry season!
Ohio Pie Co. bills itself as the “Home of the Original Ohio Style Pizza!” Their pizzas feature scratch-made medium-thick crust, edge-to-edge cheese and toppings, a sweet red sauce spiral on top, and a garlic oil drizzle. The pizzas are cut into squares. You can can design your own pizza from a list of toppings or go with a specialty pie like the double-pepperoni Heartburner, the Firebird starring Buffalo chicken and blue cheese, and the monthly Nick’s Pick. The flagship location in Brunswick opened on Feb. 9, 2019 and did so well a second location soon opened in Rocky River in 2021.
I had been hearing good things, but didn’t have one close to me so it wasn’t really on my radar. For example, they serve brunch pizzas every Saturday and Sunday from 9 am to noon. All of the brunch pies made with their signature “everything” [bagel] crust and cream cheese-based white sauce and are topped with a cheese blend, scrambled eggs and garlic oil and other breakfast toppings like potato, bacon or ham. I am seriously tempted by the idea, but the chances of me making it out the door before 11:00 to drive a half hour to forty minutes before they close are slim to none.
That was until I heard that they were doing a Crab Rangoon pizza for Lent. They will probably be doing this again this year, so keep it in mind starting on February 18th. The Crab Rangoon pizza is made with what they call “Goon mix” (imitation crab, cream cheese, soy, sweet chili), cheese blend, sweet chili, chow mein noodles, green onion, and of course some more sweet chili on the side for dipping. It is only available as a medium and was only available through Lent. Again, I was intrigued, so I made a point to head to Brunswick when I was somewhat close in Broadview Heights. I phoned in an order for the Crab Rangoon pizza and a pizza called the Basic B from my car and headed out. The Crab Rangoon pizza was very sticky and very sweet, but also very tasty. It didn’t have as much goon mix as I thought it would, but it still hit the spot.
The Basic B is a white sauce pizza that is topped with their cheese blend, fresh spinach, and dollops of fresh ricotta. I had ordered a small just to try it and almost ate the entire thing in one go. I tried a slice of each in the car as I drove home and absolutely fell in love with the Basic B. In fact, I counted it among my best bites of 2025. I now order it as a medium because I know I can enjoy it over several days that ways. Their pizzas reheat nicely in an air fryer.
It turns out my sister lives near the Brunswick location, so I once again ordered a Basic B as well The Heart of it All, which is basically a Deluxe. The Heart of it All features pepperoni, crumbled sausage, mushroom, onion, and green pepper on their signature red sauce. It was a tasty pizza as well, but my heart still belongs to the Basic B.
Ohio Pie Co. opened a third location in Parma in May 2025, which means it is closer to me than the other two locations. The Nick’s Pick recently was a Vodka Ziti Pizza, so I wanted to give it a try. It features a delicious Vodka sauce, ziti noodles, cheese blend, and crumbled meatballs. I ordered it from the parking lot at PlayhouseSquare and headed out. They quoted me 20 minutes, and my GPS told me it would be 22 minutes. I knew it was on Ridge, but wasn’t sure where on Ridge. Imagine my surprise when I saw it is in the strip mall just past my old orthodontist’s office (from the 1980s). I laughed. And then realized it is located right next to Omizu Sushi, which is one of my favorite sushi places in Cleveland.
Unfortunately there was a mix-up, and I was given a Vodka Pizza, which apparently right next to the Vodka Ziti pizza on the order screen. My first clue was the lack of ziti noodles. And pepperoni and pesto sauce. I called to ask about it when I got home and discovered the error, and the employee could not have been nicer. She offered to redo it, but I explained I was a half hour away and not driving back in the snow. She then put me on a list with a credit. She offered me a large specialty pizza, but since I had ordered a small ziti I told her I only needed a small and would be by some time that week. How a restaurant handles mistakes really tells you a lot, and Ohio Pie Co. handled it right. The vodka pizza was definitely delicious. That vodka sauce is killer. However, I then tried to use my credit for a Vodka Ziti pizza and was given a Ziti pizza instead, which was boring without the Vodka sauce. I am giving up and not trying to rectify the situation again. The Parma location is not close enough that I can just pop by before that pizza stops.
They also sell cookies. I got a banana pudding cookie and was completely blown away. It was soft and flavorful. So be sure to get a cookie or several for dessert.
HOURS OF OPERATION for all 3 locations Closed Monday Tues. – Thurs. – 11am-10pm Fri. – 11am-11pm Sat. – 9am-11pm Sun. – 9am-10pm
Funshi has recently established itself here in Cleveland. This locally owned restaurant puts the “fun” in sushi. Funshi opened Funshi Sushi, Ramen and Boba in Rocky River in early 2025. It was so successful that it opened Revolving (conveyor belt) sushi locations in Avon and now Beachwood.
There were two things that we were impressed by (besides the service). The tables have built-in drawers for utensils and chopsticks, which saves servers from having to run back and forth and allows you to not have to wait at their mercy. The other fun addition is the robot that delivers your beverages and appetizers to the table.
I initially got a few friends to gather at the Rocky River Funshi. The tea menu is overwhelming in a good way.
I like that you can customize the tea to your exact specifications – light or no ice, sugar level (50% is just fine) and add-ins like boba, lychee, coffee or crystal jelly or popping strawberry boba. I prefer jelly over boba, but to each their own. I initially ordered the Grape Peach tea, which was very refreshing. My friend ordered the Strawberry Peach tea, and it had chunks of fresh strawberry in it. She liked it as well. When I finished my tea I then ordered a Mango Coconut Foam tea with light sugar (75%). It was really tasty as well.
We then ordered appetizers. I was blown away by the Crabby Pringle and Takoyaki. The Crabby Pringle is exactly as it sounds – crab salad nestled on a Pringle. The creaminess of the crab salad paired with the crisp Pringle is delightful. Takoyaki are Japanese octopus balls that are crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside. The filling held small chunks of octopus. They are then drizzled in eel sauce and mayonaisse (most likely Japanese mayo). There are several other appetizers that sound intriguing, but don’t skip the Crabby Pringle.
I wanted a nigiri and a sushi roll on my first visit because I wanted to judge the freshness of the fish, but was also intrigued by the curry chicken. The nigiri had a generous portion of salmon draped over a sushi rice cake that held up well. You can barely see the rice because it was so large. As for my roll, the Triple immediately caught my eye, which features three generous chunks of fish (tuna, salmon and yellowtail) wrapped with a generous chunk of avocado in seawood and drizzled with spicy mayo. I loved it. I was impressed by the size of the fish compared to the rice. As you can see, there is mostly filling and less sushi rice than at most places. The curry chicken was also a nice choice. The chicken cutlet was nicely fried and it was served on a bed of rice and steamed broccoli. The soy egg was also a nice touch.
My friend ordered the Chashu Pork ramen. I think she went with Tonkatsu broth. She was leery of the black fungus, but I encouraged her to try it and she liked it. However, she was less impressed with the pickled bamboo shoots. They were not at all to her liking.
I tried to be a bit more adventurous on my second visit and didn’t have quite as good of an experience, but that was only because the rolls I ordered didn’t wow me as much as on my first visit. I ordered the Sweet Heart because I liked the optics. The spicy tuna, asparagus and “crunch” (probably tempura?) wrapped in a thin layer of rice and then fresh tuna in the shape of a heart. But it was just okay. My other choice was the Volcano. Maybe I was expecting the Volcano to be like a normal volcano roll, which seems to be the Dynamite here, but it was just kind of bland despite the spicy mayo and wasabi mayo drizzles. It just didn’t wow me. My other friend who ordered it had the same opinion.
Once I heard they were opening a revolving/conveyor belt sushi location near me in Beachwood I knew I had to give it a try. It opened on December 15th. If you’ve never experienced it, a conveyor belt travels from the kitchen loaded with small plates, then winds its way past the tables through the restaurant and back to the kitchen again. The sushi is on white or black plates, indicating raw and cooked items. The dishes leave the kitchen covered and remain that way until removed from the belt by the diner. Everything is $3.50 based on portion size. Some plates hold just one item or two or three items, depending on the ingredients. The plates arrive in groups, preceded by a sign with the name of the dish and the ingredients, which is especially helpful if you have dietary issues or want to know what is in a certain roll. There is also a tablet at each table to order items from the tea bar or kitchen and a call button if you need a server (to the left of the bow in the video below).
I introduced my niece and her boyfriend to conveyor belt sushi when they were home from college in early January, and they really enjoyed it. Unfortunately there was a mix-up, and they went to the Rocky River location while I was in Beachwood. My niece texted me and then stressed out about the mistake, but I assured her it wasn’t a problem. It was a Monday afternoon, and the staff couldn’t have been lovelier about the fact that I took up the table while I waited for them to drive the 40 minutes between locations. I ordered a honeydew milk tea with lychee jelly and pulled up my Kindle app on my phone. I pulled two orders of Crabby Pringles to ensure we had a good start about 30 seconds before they walked in (good timing on my part). They were a hit and my niece grabbed another plate off the conveyor belt later, but if I were to do it again I would order them fresh from the kitchen to ensure they are crisp and not lightly soggy. They were still tasty, but a little soggy nonetheless.
I didn’t take photos once they arrived because I wanted to concentrate on getting to know him, but they enjoyed everything. We had gyoza, various nigiri (I especially liked the scallop nigiri), some rolls, and my niece grabbed a Tamago egg omelette nigiri and the Inari. The boyfriend enjoyed the steak nigiri. There was also a brisket roll and chicken nigiri for those who don’t like fish (my youngest niece probably would have enjoyed them if she had been able to join us). They were nicely surprised by the sweet potato roll I suggested they try. My niece burned her mouth on a somewhat molten fried red bean paste pastry but liked the taste a lot. We sat there for two hours talking, and they did not rush us out. The servers came by occasionally to make sure we were okay and assured us there was no rush.
I went back by myself about a week later. Once again, I recommend the Crabby Pringles be ordered from the kitchen. They were cold and soggy and are phenomenal when the crabmeat is warm and the Pringles are crisp. I am adding a table with several choices off the conveyor belt so you can get an idea of what to expect. It is a good way to try a lot of different sushi. I really enjoyed the Yum-Yum roll, which features shrimp tempura, cream cheese, asparagus, spicy crab and ‘crunch’ topped with a mango sauce and coconut sauce. The rice fell apart under the red clam (bottom right), which leads me to believe it had been on the belt longer and had lost some moisture, and the avocado on the dragon roll had turned brown. So definitely take a close look before you grab anything off the belt. Because once you’ve taken a plate off the belt you can’t put it back. The sushi is good but not great, but conveyor belt sushi is not about gourmet sushi – it’s about the experience. The only phenomenal sushi I’ve had off a conveyor belt is at Kura, which is worth driving to Columbus for. For phenomenal sushi in Cleveland go to Issho Ni, Pacific East or Omizu. For a fun time check out Funshi.
When you are ready to settle the bill you ring the call bell, and the server will count your plates and bring you your bill. Quick and easy.
The Fairview Tavern in Fairview Park is a hole in the wall bar that serves great food. It is located in a strip mall on Lorain Road and is open every day of the year from 11 a.m. to 2:30 a.m. (and opens at 7 a.m. on Sundays). There is a basic menu, but the Blue Plate Specials and Chef’s Specials change weekly and a happy hour that runs from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. They also serve breakfast on Sundays from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. If you live nearby that might be a fun option, but since I live 40 minutes away it isn’t one for me.
There is plenty of seating in the bar area, but I have always sat at the dining area at the back of the venue. There are plenty of tables that can accommodate any number of diners.
The Friday special is their perch dinners. I met a chef friend here when we heard about their perch. They use real perch because it curled up perfectly. The perch filets are perfectly fried. They are $14 for 3 filets and $17 for 4. They come served with fries and slaw, but we were able to upgrade to pierogi, which were really well prepared. One of my friends ordered a perch sandwich on another visit. The sandwich only has 2 perch filets. It would have been perfect with 3. He ended up cutting the sub roll in half and only eating half a roll with both filets. So if you want a good perch sub ask to add another filet even if there is an additional charge.
The appetizers are also tasty. I have had the kielbasa coins, which were stellar, and another friend recently ordered the pepperoni rolls, which featured phyllo dough. He also raved about their fresh made pork rinds. So if an appetizer appeals to you by all means order it.
My friends who live on the west side and appreciate a good bargain turned me on to the place. The Blue Plate Specials are $10 and include a generous side salad. They also haven’t charged us for non-alcoholic beverages. We initially met there for the Tuesday burger and pint special (for $10 – $8 for the burger and 2 for a domestic beer). The burger patties are generous and you can get whatever burger fixings you want.
The burgers and sandwiches are served with housemade kettle chips, which are quite tasty, but the star of the show is the chip dip. I ordered a Patty Melt most recently and was quite pleased with it. I ended up taking half of it home to eat later.
The clam chowder is great – with lots of big chunks of potato, clams, celery, etc. If it’s on the menu definitely get it. I ordered a bowl along with my Patty Melt. The serving was huge. The chowder was creamy and not at all lumpy. I enjoyed every bite.
The pizzas are also quite large. I haven’t tried one yet, but my friends who did enjoyed it. One ordered the Mediterranean and the one below is mushroom and pepperoni. The mushrooms are fresh and not canned, which is always appreciated. Both had several slices but had to get boxes for later. I will probably order one the next time I go and none of the Blue Plate Specials appeal to me.
The schnitzel and spätzle were quite nice on another visit. They were supposed to come with a lemon basil sauce, but the waitress happily substituted brown gravy instead when my friends asked for the sauce on the side because it was extremely lemony on a previous visit. It was a lot of ofod for only $10 0 with two pork cutlets and lots of fresh made spätzle.
The servers have all been friendly and accommodating every time I have been there. We tip generously when we order the Blue Plate Specials because they run around a lot for a $10 tab, bring out salads and then the entrees, refilling our beverages (which they don’t charge for), etc.
It isn’t fine dining, but it is quite tasty for a hole in the wall bar. I’d go so far as to call it a diamond in the rough. And the food changes often enough that you won’t get bored. I’ve only been there for lunch, but the live music apparently can bring in the crowds. I can’t wait to try their clambake.
Cleveland Rocks, Cleveland Eats 