Good eats – Page 19 – Cleveland Rocks, Cleveland Eats

Pickle Bill’s in Grand River

Now that the weather is getting nicer Clevelanders start heading outside to enjoy it. One great place to enjoy the warmer temperatures is Pickle Bill’s in Grand River. It is a bit of a drive from Cleveland, but it is well worth it. If you try to find it using Mapquest or GPS you might not get there. The best way to do it is head to Mentor Headlands Beach. Pickle Bill’s is right off Route 44. There is a big sign. You can’t miss it. The restaurant is aware of the problem, so they offer detailed directions on their website for people coming from the north, south, east and west. They are closed on Mondays, open Tuesday-Friday from 4 to 9 p.m., Saturday from 3 to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 8 p.m. Be sure to call for Barge and Rooftop bar hours, as they are weather-dependent.

101_0834 According to the Pickle Bill’s website, the name Pickle Bill’s was conceived back in 1967. Its first location was on Old River Road in the Cleveland Flats. It was in business for 11 years and had a fairly limited menu. In 1982, Pickle Bill’s relocated to River Street in Grand River. There was a fire in 1998 and it was a total loss. The restaurant rebuilt and reopened in January 2000. There is no mention of the Lakewood location (which is now Deagan’s) on the website, but I remember eating there several times in the 1990s.

Pickle Bill’s can be enjoyed year round, but there is nothing better than sitting outside on their patio or on the Dock or the Barge, which features the carousel-like round bar, in the middle of the Grand River. There is also a Fireplace Room, Rooftop bar and Cantina bar. This is my go-to place for seafood and frozen adult beverages. I have been eating at Pickle Bill’s since it was in Lakewood. I never made it to the location in the Flats.

The decorations are whimsical and reminiscent of a seafood house full of kitschy ocean- and seafaring-inspired decorations. The fun decor somehow makes you relax and enjoy yourself.

This place is not fine dining, but the quality is good. It bills itself as “casual waterfront dining.” I have yet to have a bad meal here. All of the entrees are served with choice of mixed greens, Caesar salad or cole slaw, one side dish, and their fried dough and cinnamon honey butter. The choice of sides include mixed vegetables, spicy red beans & rice, French fries, corn on the cob or baked potato.

Let’s talk about the rolls for a second. Like Red Lobster’s Cheddar Bay Biscuits, the Pickle Bill’s fried dough and cinnamon honey butter are extremely addictive. It is easy to fill up on the fried dough. It is that good. Light as air and slathered with their 101_0851 cinnamon honey butter, these things are the bomb. You can see from the photo how much cinnamon is in the butter from the darker color. It’s almost worth the trip just for the fried dough, but luckily they have lobster, crab legs, shrimp, various sampler platters and all kinds of all-you-can-eat specials.

Unless you are a bottomless pit or all-you-can-eat pro you might be better off just ordering dinners off the menu. My sister and I ordered the all-you-can-eat snow crab legs (currently $42.95) back when they were still in Lakewood. The waitress felt bad for us because we were full after just one bucket and changed our bill to the 1 lb. dinners (currently $22.95). And we had limited ourselves to one piece of fried dough! The snow crab legs IMG_20120829_203716 are a lot of work, but worth it once you fish the succulent chunks of crab meat out of the shell.

One of my friend’s favorite choices is the Appetizer Dinner. You can choose two appetizers (under $11.95), either a Caesar or mixed green salad and one side dish for $19.95. It is a great value.

My go-to meal is the Fine Kettle of Fish, which features a 1 lb. whole Maine lobster (or a 5 oz. lobster tail), snow crab legs, clams, mussels and corn on the cob for $35.95. You can also upgrade to a 1 1/4 lb. lobster for $40.95 or 1 1/2 lb. for $44.95. I have ordered it numerous times, and the seafood always comes out perfectly cooked. Even the corn on the cob is not overcooked!

101_0847 The fish dinners serve huge filets of fish that extend over the sides of the plates. Two of my friends who are vegetarian but eat fish and chips loved their fish dinners here. One ordered it with the chips (aka French fries – pictured), while the other ordered the corn on the cob. Both pieces of fish extended over the sides of the plates. I am fairly certain the fish in the photo on the right is the panko-crusted walleye, but they also offer perch, tilapia, salmon and cod fish dinners. IMG_20120829_203628

They also serve Whiskey Island Chicken, ribs, prime rib and a (cheese)burger for those of you who are allergic or don’t like seafood but are married or dating a seafood lover. My one friend who ordered the ribs enjoyed them a lot.

Be prepared for lots of food and lots of plates. I once ordered the lobster dinner and added on an order of snow crab legs. The lobster, the snow crab legs, the corn and the mashed potatoes were all served on their own separate plate. In fact, the photo of the snow crab legs is from that meal.

I have celebrated my birthday here two times. They sang for me (not too obnoxious like in other restaurants) and gave us a small birthday cake! The cake is nothing to write home about, but it’s free and they wrap it up for you to take home. If you actually have room for dessert, everyone in my group who tasted it raved about the key lime pie.

Ladies, be sure to visit the ladies’ room and lift the leaf loincloth of the guy in the mural. An angel will get its wings.

Contact info:

Pickle Bill’s
101 River Street
Grand River, OH 44045
(440) 352-6343

SASA on Shaker Square

SASA is one of my favorite restaurants on Shaker Square. Scott and Brenda Kim’s restaurant is the first izakaya — the Japanese version of a tapas bar — in Cleveland. The small, medium and special plates offer something for everyone. My friends and I love to meet here on Monday, when they feature their $5 happy hour, which is normally only at the bar from 5-6:30 pm, all night at the bar as well as the dining room. saketini The happy hour menu is fairly extensive, featuring all small plates, half pitchers of draft beer and select sakes, wines, martinis and cocktails for just $5.

I have tried a lot of things on the menu over the years. One thing never changes — I always order the plum saketini. I have gotten many of my friends hooked on this delicious little martini. I have no idea what exactly is in it, but it must include plum wine and some kind of sparkling sake. It is fruity, light and delicious. It is $5 during happy hour and $10 outside happy hour.

IMG_20121105_211707 One other must are the SASA fries. The fries here are something really special. They come with two choices of house dipping sauce (I prefer the creamy orange one, but both are delicious), and the fries are covered in shichimi pepper, a spice mix, and sesame-roasted, sun-dried seaweed flakes.

I have enjoyed many of the sushi rolls here, but my favorite by far is the SASA Fire Roll. At $16 it is pricy, but worth every penny. It lives up to its name IMG_20130311_175632 , arriving in a flaming foil package that has been doused in a liquor (sake?). The brief brush with heat gives the teriyaki sauce a smoky quality that seasons the lobster, crab, Chinese broccoli and masago (bright orange fish roe) filling. I simply can’t get enough of the delicious char flavor. It’s such a unique and delicious roll!

IMG_20130311_180032 I must mention the cute white bottles and dipping plates for soy sauce that they use with the sushi. The dipping plate is curved to allow the soy sauce to collect in one half, leaving the other half somewhat elevated so you can rest your sushi there if needed. Very elegant!

You really can’t go wrong with anything on the menu, from the dumplings, sliders, harumaki, tempura, and udon soup to the ahi tuna steak, five mushroom chicken or grilled or seafood samplers. The sushi is always fresh, and I have never, ever noticed a fishy smell indicating it is anything but super fresh.

The green tea ice cream is always a special treat if I have room for it. Paired with a chocolate brownie and strawberry puree it is a decadent little treat.

Once you have eaten here you will want to come back again and again. Welcome to the club. Oh yes, there is actually a club. Get a SASA loyalty card at the restaurant, amass points for eating there and earn delicious rewards.

Contact info:

SASA
13120 Shaker Square
Cleveland, OH 44120
(216) 767-1111

Gourmand’s Deli & Coffee

I recently learned about an amazing little sandwich shop located in Valley View just off the Tow Path at Granger Road & Canal Road. It is tucked behind the Burger King in a small strip mall between a Mr. Hero and a Schwebel Bakery Outlet. This family-run deli and coffee shop serves Rising Star coffee and unbelievably amazing sandwiches and has been doing so for the last 17 years. They use the best ingredients that money can buy, and it shows.

Yelp warned that it gets crazy, so I planned to get there at around 11:15 so I could be out before the folks on lunch break arrived. They are only open Monday through Friday IMAG0776 from 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., but one Yelper also warned that if you get there after 2 they may have closed early so be forewarned if you are looking to get there towards the end of their work day.

I headed down I-77 the day after learning about this place that apparently served what several foodies in the know touted as “the best sandwiches in Cleveland.” I was surprised at how tiny the storefront is and was initially overwhelmed about what to do once I walked in. A very friendly and patient worker explained how things worked, and I created a graphic to help you prepare for your visit so you aren’t as clueless as I was. Gourmands

The sandwiches are broken down into categories and are listed on huge chalkboards to the left and behind the counter. The red chalk indicates hot sandwiches and blue indicates cold. You order under the huge “Order Food Here” sign hanging from the ceiling and then pay for your food when you leave. Beverages are available in coolers or at the soda fountain station on the back wall.

Once I finished ordering, the friendly guy behind the counter fetched my cup of coffee, leaving me room for cream, and pointed me in the direction of the coffee bar where I could find half and half on ice, sugar and/or sweetener, silverware and napkins. I then sat until my name was called out.

I ordered the Hawaii Five-Oh, which features smoked turkey, pepper jack cheese, pineapple IMAG0778 chutney, bacon, coleslaw and Maui sweet onion potato chips on toasted sourdough. It was warmed in a panini press and all I can say is WOW! This sandwich was DELICIOUS. The flavors blended together perfectly. The smokiness of the turkey, the sweetness of the chutney, the creamy freshness of the coleslaw and the crunch of the potato chips just worked together so well! Each bite was an absolute delight. I have a new favorite sandwich.

I ordered it with a cup of soup, which was served in a mug. They have two or three homemade soups every day. I chose the the Baked Potato. It was decent, but didn’t knock my socks off. It featured chunks of potato that I could tell were hand peeled. It just kind of paled compared with flavorfulness of the sandwich. I guess in a way it was a decent balance for it though.

Being a big fan of hoagies from my school days (when done well a hoagie can be pure delight), I ordered The U-Boat, which features Bavarian ham, smoked turkey, Genoa salami, all beef b IMAG0781 ologna, Monterey jack cheese, lettuce, tomato, pepper rings and Italian dressing on a hoagie roll, to eat later that night. The hoagie did not disappoint. The bread was soft, the meat was fresh and the Italian dressing dripped from the sandwich, which I always view as a sign of a good sub. I hate subs where you can barely taste the dressing. I ordered it with a side of “potato chippers” – homemade kettle chips that are seasoned and served with a Ranch dipping sauce. The Ranch dressing was necessary, because the pepper seasoning was intense but good.

The friendly worker also pointed out that they make “Pick 6 Salads” where you can choose any 6 toppings to serve with the lettuce and dressing. There are two sizes as well as three types of lettuce, 13 dressings, four cheeses, and lots of veggies, fruits and nuts to choose from. You can add chicken for $2.25, tuna steak for $7.95, tuna or chicken salad for $2.75 and avocado or hummus for $0.95.

These sandwiches were large and delicious. One of my foodie friends swears by The Gourmand, which is a vegetarian sandwich featuring toasted foccacia stuffed with roasted zucchini, portobello mushroom, onions and red peppers, melted provolone and Gourmand sauce, which is a miso-based sauce. She orders it with the garlic mayo instead of the sauce. I can’t wait to go back and try the potato salad, the zucchini fries, the Mandalicious, the My-Thai, the Mad Cow, the Whole Hog, the Cajun Redfish, the Tuna Steak, the Dagwood, the…

Fair trade coffee beans, beer, wine and cigars are available for take out.

Update: I just made my second trip. I ordered a cup of soup and a 1/2 sandwich. I chose the chicken paprikash soup and the Mandalicious. Wow, the soup was absolutely phenomenal. I really had to talk myself out of ordering a bowl to go. I didn’t want to be greedy though, and left some for the lunch rush. The Mandalicious was also delicious. Named for Amanda from Lilly Chocolates (she apparently used to work there and it’s already known that she has some serious good taste!), it features smoked turkey, bleu cheese dressing, Thousand Island, provolone & coleslaw served hot on toasted foccacia bread. Yet another seriously awesome sandwich experience. I also ordered a side of the potato salad, but wasn’t as impressed with it. I tend not to like mayo/mustard-based potato salads, having grown up eating my mother’s potato salad made with half mayo, half sour cream or Fragapane Bakery’s potato salad. But don’t get me wrong, it was a decent potato salad and would be a good accompaniment to any sandwich there if you like mustard-based potato salads.

Contact info:

Gourmand’s Deli & Coffee
5345 Canal Road
Valley View, Ohio 44125
(216) 328-0942

Lucky’s Cafe in Tremont

When people ask me what my favorite brunch place in Cleveland is I don’t even have to think about it. My answer is always Lucky’s. The quirky little cafe is tucked away on the one-way portion of Starkweather just before it meets Professor (look for the brick building on the right with some weird metal sculpture on it because if you don’t I guarantee you will drive right past it). The restaurant prides itself on the quality of its ingredients, which are locally sourced or straight from the garden outside (you can actually see them go out and pick the fresh veggies and herbs). Everything here – from the bread to the condiments – is made from scratch.

Owner Heather Haviland is particularly proud of their Reuben, which is made entirely in-house, from the corned beef and sauerkraut to the bread to the Thousand Island Dressing. It was featured on Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. Michael Symon is a fan of her biscuits and gravy.

The place is usually packed with a long line on the weekends, so I try to go here on off-hours. I showed up at 1 p.m. today and was told this was the slowest they had been since 9 a.m. During the summer you can eat in their garden right outside of the restaurant, which helps the lines somewhat but not entirely. This photo of the garden is older. Guests now sit under a wooden enclosure instead of a tent.

Since the restaurant uses locally sourced ingredients, Lucky’s has a tendency to run out of certain dishes. When I decided to order a cup of their corn and bacon chowder today I was informed that they had just run out. Drat!

My favorite item on the menu is the Shipwreck. As one Yelp reviewer states, “The shipwreck is a gigantic pile of awesome on a plate.” It is a scramble of home fries, eggs, seasonal veggies, bacon and cheese together and serves it with four diagonal slices of buttered como toast and a little side of fresh fruit. I always feel healthy eating it, but if you want to be even healthier choose the Canoewreck, which features curried tofu, home fries, seasonal veggies and brewer’s yeast. I was craving the como toast today, so I made the trek. The server was able to get me some jam, but once I tasted the buttered como toast on its own I stopped using the jam.

One of my best friends, who is a mac n cheese addict, loves their baked mac-n-cheese. It is rich and creamy with several different kinds of cheeses, plus extra cream. Definitely worth a splurge! I also highly recommend the waffle (the gingerbread waffle with fresh whipped cream is divine)

I love Lucky’s because it offers 20 oz. mugs of coffee served in cafe au lait mugs (one of my friends refers to them as “bowls of coffee”). The Papa Mocha (chocolate, cream, milk and espresso) is one of my favorites. I splurged today and ordered a 16 oz. Caramel Créme Breve and Sunshine Cocktail (orange Pellegrino mixed with fresh squeezed oj over ice). The coffee was as smooth and delicious as always, and the sunshine cocktail was refreshing. I was full and happy for the rest of the day.

Ordering and paying is a little different here. Your server will give you a little table topper with a letter on it when you order. After the meal, you then go to the register with the table topper, and a person behind the counter will ring everything up based off of the waitress ticket. I calculated the cost in my head when I ordered, so there were no surprises and I already had an idea of the tip I was going to leave.

Just a word of warning: they don’t do substitutions or special orders here, and the food can be a bit pricey. If you want an omelette “your way”, go to IHOP or Bob Evans. Plus, you should be prepared to pay a little extra for the quality and fresh, locally sourced ingredients. Expect to pay $12-15 per person for your entree and extra for drinks. My bill today was around $21.50. I couldn’t afford to eat here every day, but it is great for the occasional splurge or birthday brunch.

Contact info:

Lucky’s Cafe
777 Starkweather Avenue
Tremont, OH 44113
(216) 622-7773

Biga Wood Fired Pizzeria in Kirtland

If you are a regular follower of this blog, you know that I fell in love with Neapolitan pizza while studying abroad. I had been hearing lots of good things about Biga in Kirtland, and I am happy to report that everything I heard is true. Biga is a family-run pizzeria, so they have limited business hours. It is only open Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 5-10 PM and Sunday from 4-8 PM. The restaurant features wood-fired pizza, generous salads and humongous (and delectable) desserts and focuses on locally sourced ingredients. The place is small, so reservations are recommended. They also do not offer takeout on Friday and Saturdays from 6:30-8:30 PM. They do not have a liquor license, but you can bring your own beer or wine for a $2 corkage fee.

The crust is hands down the best of the best here in Cleveland. Since it is fired in a wood-burning oven the crust is going to be a little charred in places. If this bothers you don’t go here. If, however, you think the char adds flavor to the crust you will be very happy here. That said, I have never had a “burnt” crust here. The chefs are very conscientious.

For my first visit I met six friends here. This group likes to share, so I was able to try just about everything. We started off ordering the broccolini, which was an immense mound of broccolini covered in garlic and parmesan cheese. We all had some and still had leftovers. One of my friends and I also ordered the Crispy Salad, featuring locally-grown butter crunch lettuce, Sage Apple Farm’s Fuji apples, crisp celery, toasted walnuts and Gorgonzola cheese. It was a good salad, but huge. Three or four people could easily split one. Another absolute stand-out was the antipasto, which features wood-roasted tomatoes, fresh sliced salume, Castelvetrano olives, herb pesto dip and cheese served with wood-fired bread. The tomatoes and herb pesto were to die for – you could tell the ingredients were fresh!

I had ordered the J&B pizza, which is a white pizza featuring “house-made sausage, Barb and Patty’s Butcher Palace’s bacon, mushrooms, onions and fresh mozzarella cheese.” Other pizzas ordered by our table included the Rustica (a white pizza featuring fresh artichokes, onions and Kalamata olives, garnished with locally-grown oregano, Parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese), the Wild Mushroom (another white pizza with wild-harvested roasted mushrooms, locally-grown oregano and fresh mozzarella cheese), a Daily Special (which featured fresh corn and bacon and was delicious), and the Special Seasonal Pizza, which was a prosciutto and fig pizza. They were all outstanding, but my hands-down favorite was the Sweet Sausage Pizza, which is a red pizza featuring sweet sausage, locally-grown oregano, made-in-house tomato sauce and fresh mozzarella cheese).

I liked it so much I went back a week later and ordered it. That visit I met a girlfriend for dinner, and we ordered the Homemade Meatballs as an appetizer and split the pizza. The meatballs were soft and flavorful and were surrounded by a ring of wood-fired bread. The pizza was just as good as I remembered. We also ordered the seasonal lemon tart, which we only intended to have two bites of and leave but found it to be so delicious that we couldn’t stop eating it and finished it off. It was absolutely delicious.

On subsequent visits I have enjoyed the Smokey Blue Pizza (wild mushrooms, hand-crafted prosciutto, smoked blue cheese and mozzarella cheese – without the prosciutto) and a seasonal pizza with Sage Apple Farm’s honeycrisp apples, Barb and Patty’s Butcher Palace’s flavorful bacon and cheddar cheese, garnished with locally-grown rosemary. I have never been disappointed with any of the food here.

The desserts are HUGE! They are all homemade in-house. We ordered several and passed them around the first visit. I ordered the Ho-Ho, which is a huge cylindrical, chocolate-frosted, Bailey’s cream-filled cake. The Bomb is an ice cream cake swirled with Nutella. The version that night was featuring fresh blueberry sauce swirled in along with the Nutella. It truly was the bomb! But the desserts should definitely be shared.

A note about the photos: I left my phone/camera in the car on my first visit, so the photos of the menu, antipasto, and corn & bacon pizza (basically the artful square photos) are from my friend Edsel L’s Flickr account. Be sure to check out his other photos from that visit! They will make your mouth water – even the salad photo!

Contact info:

Biga Wood Fired Pizzeria
9145 Chillicothe Road
Kirtland, Ohio, 44094
(440) 379-7313

Cibrèo Italian Kitchen

I was honored to be invited to a soft opening chef’s tasting at Cibrèo last week. It officially opened yesterday. Cibrèo is the latest creation of the Driftwood Restaurant Group, which operates Washington Place Bistro, the Welshfield Inn, Hodges, Orchard House, and 87 West at Crocker Park.

After taking advantage of the free valet (especially welcome when the surrounding parking lots were charging $10 due to the Indians game) we were immediately blown away by the ambiance of the place upon walking in. Gone are the darker fixtures of Bricco and in their place are light-colored sandstone, brick archways and oak barrels, which are reminiscent of a Tuscan wine cellar. I adore Tuscany, so I immediately relaxed as soon as we walked in (and after braving the Indians game traffic I needed to relax!).

A fire was roaring in the corner, and there were flickering (flameless) candles in recesses inside a massive sandstone wall on the north side of the room. I particularly loved that feature. The new location seats 200 people, with private rooms that can seat up to 125. We were welcomed with a small feature cocktail, the Paloma Italia, which features Milagro Reposado tequila, fresh lime juice, and Grapefruit San Pellegrino. It was light and refreshing, and although I am not a huge fan of grapefruit I really enjoyed it. I can’t wait to try some of their other cocktails, such as the Jack Lemmon (Caravella Limoncello, Plymouth Gin, ginger, mint, and Fever-Tree Bitter Lemon Soda – I LOVE Bitter Lemon soda!), the Sophia Loren (OYO Honey Vanilla Bean Vodka, egg white, chocolate, Fragelico and cream) or the A&W (1792, vanilla and root beer). They hoped to have the liquor license by the time they opened.

The bread service featured sea salt, butter and pesto drizzled lightly with olive oil. The bread was easy to dunk, and they also served bread sticks.

The first course was sausage, porcini mushroom and bean soup. It was delicious. It was somewhat spicy and made me appreciate the sausage, mushroom, beans and kale of it all. I could see trying to recreate something like this at home – very simple and fresh ingredients.

The second course was an earthy Risotto Funghi. If you like mushrooms you will enjoy this. I’m still on the fence about it. It had a very creamy texture, as a good risotto should be. It was definitely flavorful, but the earthiness of the mushrooms were a bit overwhelming. If you love mushrooms you will definitely love this dish. The added shaved fresh parmesan brightened it up. It features porcini and shitake mushrooms, truffle, and pecorino toscano cheese. It came out served family style, but we only ate half to save room for the remaining courses.

The third course was a bolognese of veal, pork and beef served over fresh pappardelle that they import from Italy. I may or may not have wanted to lick the plate clean. As Chef Erik Martinez explained, a good bolognese should not be dripping in sauce. It should stick to the pasta, and there should not be anything left over when you are done. I am a huge fan of Bolognese, so I enjoyed this course a lot.

The fourth course – the Pork Osso Buco – blew everyone away. Paired with a glass of white Vernaccia wine (which honestly surprised me but it complemented it well), it had a light gremolata glaze that featured hints of citrus. Gremolata is a chopped herb condiment typically made of lemon zest, garlic, and parsley. This one was heavy on the lemon zest, but it provided a nice contrast to the richness of the meat, but didn’t detract from it. The meat immediately fell off the bone when I went to cut it in half to share with my tablemate. It was served with brown butter polenta and Swiss chard. OMG, the polenta was DIVINE. I am not a fan of polenta normally, and I would order a heaping plate of this as an entree if I could.

We were offered gelato for dessert. Judging from some of the other reviews they made a lot of different gelato flavors. Our table was offered passion fruit and Nutella. I was stuffed, but there’s always room for gelato – just not room for two different kinds. The Nutella gelato was as creamy as a good gelato should be and was sufficiently chocolatey and hazelnutty. As Nutella should be. It was the perfect end to a delicious meal.

I can’t wait to go back and try some of the other things off the menu. Can you say boar and porcini ragu over pappardelle? To quote George Takei, “Oh myyyy!” But I will be sure to order the polenta! It’s available as a side dish. As a Broadway series subscriber I’m at PlayhouseSquare a lot. I will be visiting frequently, and look forward to sitting in front of the fire this winter.

Contact info:

Cibrèo Italian Kitchen
1438 Euclid Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44115
(216) 862-9212

Disclosure: I was invited by Cibrèo to attend the Friends and Family preview with a guest. However, all opinions are my own.

On the Rise Bakery

I have been on a quest to find the perfect sandwich in Cleveland. Let me qualify that – the best sandwich on a European-style baguette. Ever since I saw Martha Stewart make a ham sandwich with some kind of aioli on a crusty baguette on her show I’ve been looking for a similar sandwich. I think I may have just found what I have been looking for.

One of the best parts of living in Cleveland Heights for me is all of the excellent bakeries that bake crusty European style loaves that I loved so much in Germany. Between Zoss the Swiss Baker, The Stone Oven, On the Rise and Luna Bakery we are pretty darn lucky. The Cleveland Scene’s most recent survey asked for the best bakery in Cleveland, and Stone Oven, On the Rise and Luna were three of the four choices. It was a really hard choice to make!

I love On the Rise. Their sticky buns are amazing, the breads are fresh, and a warm Jennifer cookie (their signature cookie made of oats, nuts, and chocolate) just out of the oven is an orgasmic experience. But now they have started to serve sandwiches and soups on Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 10:30-1:30, and I am done for. I have been wanting to try their offerings for a while now, and today was my chance. I popped in there this morning to buy some bread for a dinner party I am having tonight. Nothing fancy, just a couple vegetarian friends to share a veggie curry recipe I’ve been wanting to try.

I decided to treat myself to two of their sandwiches because I couldn’t decide. I chose the Banh Mi and the Roasted Chicken. I cut them in half when I got home and saved the other halves for tomorrow. They may or may not make it that long.

The Roasted Chicken sandwich was like spring on a baguette. A soft yet crusty and delightfully thin baguette. It features roasted chicken, fresh greens, fresh asparagus tossed with pickled onion, herbs and olive oil, an egg salad spread and aioli. It was delightful. Fresh and bright and very flavorful. The flavors melded well together, and the asparagus kept falling out of the sandwich. The asparagus was perfectly crisp and not roasted within an inch of its life. And the egg salad was a great addition to a roasted chicken sandwich. I enjoyed it very much.

And then I tried the Banh Mi. Oh, the Banh Mi! I think I moaned on the first bite. According to their menu, it features New Creation Farm braised pork, Vietnamese pate, jalapeno and cilantro. But it is obviously much more than that. It was flavorful and juicy. I have no idea where the juices came from. The juices dripped down my hand and made the sandwich an absolute delight because it was perfect and not dry. It could give the banh mi from Superior Pho and Saigon Grille a run for their money. The braised pork was yummy and the pate was not overwhelming like the one I had at The Black Pig. The pickled vegetables were crunchy and perfectly seasoned. It made me wish my hands were all thumbs so I could give it ten thumbs up instead of two. If you like a good banh mi, please try it for yourself and let me know what you think.

IMAG3891 — Chocolate cherry panini (mini-loaf)

The ham and gruyere baguette is also very good. It features New Creation Farm ham, thinly sliced gruyere and herb butter. I picked one up just after they started serving their lunch menu at 10:30. It made a great European-style breakfast. I sliced some fresh Roma tomato and added that. I loved the bites with and without tomato equally. It was just a solid sandwich.

I can’t wait to try their other sandwiches. Vegetarians will be delighted with the Burrata sandwich on one of their rustic rolls – featuring house made burrata from Snowville Creamery cream. IMAG4412 The pulled beef baguette with maple slaw and Prosciutto Americano with honey butter and arugula also sound delightful. The menu changes with the season, because all of the sandwiches use fresh, locally sourced ingredients. They particularly thank New Creation Farm, Miller Livestock and Wolff Farm.

They also make awesome bread. I buy a loaf of Pullman whenever I’m there. I also love their epi and baguettes. They have special breads all week, including stuffed fougasse and bacon gruyere bread. They make a chocolate cherry bread that I love so much I don’t go there on Wednesdays because I will eat the whole loaf.

Contact info:

On The Rise Artisan Breads & Pastries
3471 Fairmount Boulevard
Cleveland Heights, OH 44118
(216) 320-9923
http://www.facebook.com/ontherise
http://twitter.com/ontherisebreads

Vero Bistro in Cleveland Heights

Edit: Vero Bistro expanded and added a full liquor bar in March 2024. The move doubled the available seating, which is a welcome addition. Vero has been operating at full capacity pretty much since it opened in 2012. It is still open for dinner from 5 to 9 (to 10 on Fridays and Saturdays) Tuesdays through Saturdays (closed on Sundays and Mondays). To avoid the long wait I would either get there right when it opened or just not go at all (they really don’t encourage pizza takeout because the pizza is best fresh out of the pizza oven). Reservations are encouraged. They now accept reservations for all parties on their Tock platform. The restaurant tries to keep 30% of the restaurant reservation-free for walk-ins. If no table is available upon your arrival they have a wait list.

The new double-storefront layout increases the seating from 45 to around 100 available seats. The new expansion features a 10-seat marble-topped bar, main floor seating and has kept the mezzanine that overlooks it all. The result is a bright and cheerful space. I recently met friends there and enjoyed my usual Margherita DOP pizza, Caesar salad and – to my delight – a delightful Limoncello-Pistachio Spritz featuring prosecco, limoncello, a lemon/pistachio syrup and soda. It was super refreshing. If you enjoy Aperol Spritz they serve those too!

Original post from March 12, 2013:

Once upon a time there was a young girl who was studying abroad in Austria and spent her Easter break in Italy. She still cannot forget the delicious pizza she ate in Florence – and that was 23 years ago. Well, I don’t have to simply remember it anymore, because I can enjoy it whenever I want at Vero Bistro in Cleveland Heights. Vero Bistro opened last summer in the site of the old La Gelateria in the Cedar-Fairmount district. They serve pizza made in a wood-fired oven and gelato. Vero focuses on Napoletano pizza, which is the classic Italian pizza. The pizzas are served uncut and feed one person – just like I am used to from Germany and Italy. Vero Bistro prides itself on using fresh, locally sourced ingredients. The sources are printed on the menu.

I met with some friends on a Saturday night. We quickly found a four-top downstairs near the window. One of our friends brought several bottles of red wine and a bottle of Cava for our table. Vero does not have a liquor license yet (it is supposed to be approved very soon), so they do not charge a corkage fee. Several other diners had brought along six-packs of Great Lakes beer to enjoy with their pizzas.

I started with a house salad, which featured fresh greens, cherry tomatoes bursting with flavor, and a house balsamic vinaigrette. It was fresh and simple, yet very flavorful. I can’t wait to try their watercress & arugula salad next time.

I ordered a basic Pizza Margherita, which urban legend claims was commissioned in honor of the visiting Queen Margherita. It features San Marzano tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, fresh basil, extra virgin olive oil, and sea salt. The dough is made fresh every day using Italian flour and fresh yeast and proofs overnight. The sauce features hand-crushed Italian plum tomatoes, a touch of salt, and Italian herbs and is not cooked beforehand, waiting to be cooked by the heat of the oven. The pizzas puff up in the oven and are fully cooked in 90 seconds. It was divine. Simple, but absolutely divine. There was some char on the bottom of the pizza, but that is to be expected on a Napoli-style pizza from a wood-burning oven. The char added to the delicious flavor of the crust. While eating the pizza with my knife and fork, I would save some of the juicy inner slice to add to the top of the crust for the perfect bite of flavor. That is how it is meant to be enjoyed, and that is how the Europeans do it. Although there is appeal in folding a slice of New York pizza, this is my favorite way to enjoy a pizza and I’ve missed it.

I was able to taste my friends’ pizzas as well. The Pizza Funghi added mushrooms to the Margherita pizza, while the Pizza Radice features garlic aioli, oven roasted vegetables, fresh mozzarella and goat cheese, and arugula. The garlic aioli really made this pizza a standout.

I ended my meal with a small Stracciatella gelato. Stracciatella gelato is kind of like American chocolate chip ice cream, except completely different. Instead of the chips and sometimes chunks you find in the American product, Stracciattella has fine bits of chocolate throughout, which results in a smooth texture with just the slightest crunch in every bite. My all-time favorite gelato is Bacio though, which is a chocolate hazelnut flavored gelato, which is also served there.

There have been some complaints about slow service, but we were not there to rush. The servers also had to run up and down the stairs waiting on all of the occupied tables. If people came in for gelato then that was one less server on the floor. We sat and enjoyed several bottles of wine and good company.

IMG_20180125_172546 I have since made this my go-to pizza place when I am craving pizza and want to go out. The seats may not be comfortable, but the pizza is so delicious I don’t mind.

If you want a quality pizza, you won’t be disappointed here. It’s a little pricier than Domino’s but infinitely more satisfying. In short, I can’t wait to come back again. Is today for lunch too soon?

Contact info:

Vero Bistro
12421 Cedar Road
Cleveland Heights, OH 44106
(216) 229-8383

Clambake at Alfredo’s at the Inn in Mayfield

Alfredo’s at the Inn is an Italian restaurant located in the Holiday Inn in Mayfield. It’s not Amp 150 in the Marriott, but it is a very good hotel restaurant, which is always nice to see. My friend loved the carved 16th century antique desk just outside the entrance, and the pumpkins lining the hallways were whimsical. The metal shelves lining the wall when you walk to the hostess station filled with bags of chips and the coolers of soda and bottled juices were a little disconcerting though. I felt it kind of detracted from the ambiance of the restaurant.

The restaurant itself has very good ratings on Urbanspoon and Yelp, and I had initially heard about it on the local food program 3 Squares. I’ve been meaning to schedule a dinner with my dining out group here. When I read in the FR!DAY magazine that they were offering a clambake on Friday and Saturday nights in late September and October I knew I had to check it out. The clambake is $23.95 a person and offered a lot of food and value for the money.

The parking lot was fairly full – as was the restaurant when we arrived at 7:30 this past Friday night. Despite that, my friend and I were quickly shown to a table and given menus and water. Even though I knew what I wanted I read through the menu and was thrilled to see they serve Beef Braciole. Not many restaurants serve braciole, which I came to appreciate several years ago at a friend’s aunt’s house the night before my first 3-Day walk. When our waitress came to the table to greet us we ordered wine and the clambakes.

While we were waiting for our wine someone dropped off a basket of warm Italian bread and whipped butter. The bread was really good – crusty on the outside and soft on the inside, and we each had our own containers of butter. Our waitress quickly brought out our first course – a cup of New England clam chowder and creamy coleslaw. The coleslaw needed some pepper to season it, but it was quite good. The clam chowder was hot and delicious, with visible chunks of clam.

The bake itself came out on a HUGE platter and included a dozen steamed middle neck clams, a half of a chicken roasted with rosemary and garlic, grilled corn on the cob, and a baked sweet potato as well as a container of melted butter. Being middle neck clams, the clams were a little chewy but very flavorful. A couple of them were gritty, but I feel that just shows that the clams are fresh. If they were in ice water for a while (or too long) they wouldn’t be gritty. The roasted chicken was fall-off-the-bone tender and moist. I love rosemary on chicken, so I was very happy. The corn on the cob was perfectly cooked – not mushy or hard, but just right. It had some nice char marks from the grill on it. The sweet potato was good, but that is never my favorite part of a clambake.

We had some trouble flagging down our waitress after our food was delivered for more water, and even more trouble getting her to bring us the bill and cash us out. If she had bothered to ask us if we wanted dessert I would have probably ordered a chocolate covered strawberry. Not because I was still hungry, but because they looked amazing in the refrigerated case when we walked in. I can’t wait to come back and try some of the Italian entrees and the amazing-looking desserts. If the food tastes half as good as it smells I won’t be disappointed.

If you love a good clambake and don’t have any friends hosting one at their home, Alfredo’s is a nice alternative. They’ll be featuring their clambake through October.

Contact info:

Alfredo’s at the Inn
780 Beta Dr
Mayfield Village, OH 44143
(440) 449-4833

Tree Country Bistro on Coventry Road

Tree Country Bistro is just down the street from me, and I had no idea it was there for almost a year. That was a real shame, but I’m making up for lost time. Right in the heart of Coventry, this tiny little restaurant is an Asian food haven. Tree Country Bistro offers a large variety of menu selections ranging from Japanese entrees and sushi to Korean such as Bi Bim Bab and traditional Thai curries. Located so close to Pacific East I never thought to go to Tree Country Bistro for sushi, but their sushi is equally fresh and delicious. When I order sushi for delivery, Tree Country Bistro is my first choice, because they offer a wide selection of sushi and some other warm appetizers like shumai (steamed or fried shrimp dumplings with a soy ginger sauce – I prefer them steamed as in this photo).

You can’t go wrong with the spring rolls (as seen in the top photo behind my melon smoothie) or the gyoza (pork dumplings), but if you want to try something different I highly recommend you try the soft shell crab tempura as an appetizer. The dish features lightly breaded and perfectly fried soft shell crab and vegetables with a light dipping sauce. Wow! Talk about different and delicious!

My favorite roll is their Ebi Mango Maki, which features cooked shrimp, fresh mango, tempura crumbs and a special sauce. The flavor is bright and delicious. The tempura crumbs were a nice contrast to the smoothness of the mango.

If you prefer trying their Korean dishes you will also not be disappointed. Their Bulgogi and Bi BimBap are definite must-tries. Bulgogi is a Korean dish that usually consists of marinated barbecued beef, chicken or pork. It is listed at number 23 on the World’s 50 most delicious foods readers’ poll compiled by CNN Go in 2011. Bulgogi literally means “fire meat” and is made from thin slices of beef. Before cooking, the meat is marinated to enhance its flavor and tenderness with a mixture of soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, garlic, pepper and other ingredients such as scallions, onions or mushrooms.

The day we ate there most of my friends ordered the various versions of BimBap, which features chicken or beef. It is made with bulgogi-style meat and deliciously marinated vegetables. Tree Country Bistro serves their traditional BimBap with a cooked egg on top (see photo on left). They also serve Okdol Bi BimBap (on the right), which is served in a sizzling hot stone pot. Everyone loved their choices.

The service was attentive (considering we were a large table and they had quite a few additional tables to take care of at the same time). Drinks were refilled, and the attention to detail in the food was really remarkable. In fact, one of the plates of sushi was served in the shape of a heart, which was a cute touch. The owners brought out a beautifully cut plate of fresh fruit (watermelon, honeydew melon, grapes and orange slices topped with hand-carved carrot butterflies and flowers) for us on the house, which was a lovely surprise. Unfortunately my photo of it was blurry, so I can’t share it. It was the perfect ending to a delicious meal.

The menu is understandably extensive. You can check it out by clicking on the restaurant name under Contact info. I’m confident everyone you dine with will be able to find something to satisfy them.

Contact info:

Tree Country Bistro
1803 Coventry Road
Cleveland Hts. OH 44118
(216) 321-0644