Good eats – Page 6 – Cleveland Rocks, Cleveland Eats

Tita Flora’s

Cleveland does not have many Filipino restaurants. For the longest time, the only choice was Nipa Hut, a store on W. 130th in Parma that serves takeout during the week and had a buffet on Saturdays until COVID hit. Tita Flora’s is a welcome addition to the dining landscape. This sit-down restaurant can seat 60 and is located on Brecksville Road in Independence (in the former Babushka’s Kitchen location).

The restaurant serves Filipino staples like chicken or pork adobo (braised in soy sauce, vinegar, onions, garlic, and pepper), crispy vegetable or pork lumpia (similar to fried spring rolls), pork or tofu sisig served on a sizzling platter, pancit made with rice or wheat noodles, and longsilog, the all-day breakfast dish of sausage fried rice topped with a fried egg. They are still working out some kinks and were not serving the buttery garlic shrimp or the lunch specials that have since been taken off the menu.

We started off being greeted by our server and having any questions we had answered. She was very knowledgeable and took good care of us. We ordered beverages and Pik Pik (starters) to start. I had a taste of both lumpia, and they were both quite tasty and perfectly fried. The vegetable lumpia are filled with carrot, cabbage, and green bean and are served as two long rolls. I preferred the pork lumpia (Lumpia Shanghai). They just had more flavor and are served with a delicious chili dipping sauce. Another one of my friends enjoyed the fish balls. He was on the other side of the table, so I didn’t get a chance to sample them.

She highly recommended the pork or chicken adobo. My friend ordered the Bistek (thinly sliced beef and onions braised in soy and citrus – see above), but sent it back because it was too salty and ordered the pork adobo instead. I highly recommend getting the pork adobo. I had a piece of it and fell in love. It is made with pork belly and just has a ton of flavor. They were little nuggets of deliciousness.

Several of us ordered the Chicken Inasal. Billed as a “famous Ilonggo dish,” it is a quarter chicken marinated in a unique blend of spices and fire-grilled. It was served with a tiny side of tomato and cucumbers and little dipping sauce dishes to add to taste. One of us loved it, while the other had difficulty eating it.

One of my friends ordered the Ginataang Gulay, which is a creamy coconut milk stew made with squash and green beans. You can add shrimp to it. I had a taste of it and also loved it. It reminded me of the coconut milk stews I have enjoyed at Batuqui and Sergio’s Sarava. I will definitely order this the next time if the garlic shrimp still isn’t available.

All of the dinners come with white rice, but you can upgrade to garlic fried rice for an extra $2. We all chose to upgrade. I thought the garlic fried rice was good, but it was a little overpowering when paired with some of the more flavor-forward items. I ordered the white rice on my second visit with my chicken adobo, and it definitely hit the spot as I drizzled the sauce over the rice and paired it with a bit of chicken.

I went back a week later, hoping the garlic shrimp would be available, but it still wasn’t. I ordered the pork lumpia and chicken adobo and took half of both home for leftovers. The chicken adobo had a similar flavor profile as the pork adobo since it uses the same spices and marinade. The chicken flaked apart with my fork and was tasty, but I definitely prefer the pork adobo.

I have tried both desserts on the menu – the Turon and the Halo Halo. The Turon is a deep-fried banana rolled in a spring roll wrapper. It is normally served with ube ice cream, but they were out of the ube ice cream so I was served vanilla ice cream with an ube drizzle. It was perfectly fried with no residual grease and absolutely delicious. I shared it with my friends, and everyone agreed that it was tasty.

Halo Halo is Tagalog for “mix-mix.” The Halo Halo is a mix of crushed ice, evaporated milk, and various ingredients including coconut strips, sago, gulaman, sweet beans, and yams, and topped with a scoop of ice cream. I enjoyed it except for the clumps of ice that overwhelmed at times. It is kind of like a shaved ice with several toppings. I prefer the shaved ice at Koko Bakery over Halo Halo, but it is a nice ending to the meal if the Dairy King on the other side of the street is closed for the season.

I also hear that they serve silvanas, a traditional layered Filipino cookie from the southern region of the Philippines made by Silvanas Kitchen, a local Filipino artisan who started making them during the pandemic and selling them at local farmer’s markets. Be sure to ask about them and try one or two.

Contact info:

Tita Flora’s
6531 Brecksville Road
Independence, OH 44131
(216) 232-4303

Quisqueya Latin Cuisine

Quisqueya Latin Cuisine (also called Quisqueya La Bella) specializes in Puerto Rican and Dominican dishes like sopa, mondongo (tripe soup), empanadillas, tostones, fried pork with plantains, camarones con mofongo, and stewed beef with rice and beans. It was located in the Clark-Fulton area for seven years, but moved to Denison Avenue a few years ago. It is one side street (east) down from W. 25th/Pearl Road (if you pass W. 23rd you just missed it). Ample parking is available. This is the side view from the parking lot. You can access it from the side road just to the right of the building or from Denison. I have heard a lot of Cleveland Indians – I mean Guardians – eat here because the food reminds them of their homeland. Owner Dulce Hunt is just the sweetest person and has greeted my groups twice now.

The first time I ate at Quisqueya I was part of a Culture.CLE Dinner Series dining event. Culture.CLE is a monthly dinner series that helps Clevelanders experience cultures and cuisines from around the world. Every month they visit a new country through a fun ethnic dinner series centered around highlighting local immigrant and refugee-owned culinary businesses. They met on a Wednesday, when the restaurant is normally closed. I decided to attend on my own without knowing anyone and sat with a friendly group of friends. We were introduced to the Dominian cuisine during this event.

During this event, we had our choice of 1 protein – stewed beef, stewed chicken or a fried pork chop with either a side of white rice + pinto beans or yellow rice + pigeon peas. I chose the stewed chicken with the yellow rice and pigeon peas. I had never heard of pigeon peas and was intrigued. The pigeon pea is widely cultivated in tropical and semitropical regions around the world. In English they are commonly referred to as pigeon pea which originates from the historical utilization of the pulse as pigeon fodder (f00d) in Barbados. Fresh pigeon peas offer a nutty taste and crisp texture, similar to edamame. The young pods will be bright green, maturing to a dark brown-purplish color, with brown splotching or striations. Everyone was pleased with how flavorful everything was.

We were given tastings of two national drinks: Morir Soñando and Parcha/Chinola, a cooking demonstration of an empanadilla (and samples), and enjoyed a conversation and Q & A with the owner and chef. I liked the Morir Soñando so much I ordered one from the bar. It is a cold drink that is usually made of orange juice, milk, cane sugar, and chopped ice. It was very refreshing. Parcha is passion fruit juice and was equally refreshing and tasty.

I later organized a dinner with my dining out group on a a Monday night. We had a group of 9 and were the only ones there. I had called ahead to warn them, so there was plenty of staff to fawn over us. Dulce also came out to greet us. My friends ordered various dishes such as Bistec Encebollado (steak and onions), Camarones al Ajillo (shrimp in garlic sauce), Camarones en Salsa (shrimp in a tomato sauce) and Guisado de Pollo (stewed chicken). Several of my friends are huge fans of goat, so they tried the Cabro Guisado (stewed goat) and loved it. I ordered the stewed beef and mangu and really enjoyed it. One of my friends declared it “winner dinner” but liked the goat even more.

Each entree came with one side and a little lettuce and tomato. You can choose from Arroz Blanco y Habichuelas (white rice and pinto beans), Tostones (fried plantains), Maduros (sweet plantains), the previously mentioned Moro/Arroz de Gandulez, Mangu (boiled plantains that are then mashed with butter, margarine or oil in the water in which they were boiled, then finally topped with sautéed red onions that have been cooked with vinegar), Mofongo (fried green plantains that are mashed with garlic and mixed with pork cracklings, then shaped into a ball and served in a ball), or French fries.

Row 1: Stewed beef with mangu, shrimp in tomato sauce with tostones
Row 2: Steak and onions with rice/pigeon peas, stewed goat with rice/pigeon peas
Row 3: Shrimp in garlic sauce with rice/pigeon peas, stewed chicken with tostones

One of my friends at the other end of the table ordered several different Empanadilla and raved about them (unfortunately I couldn’t take photos from where I was sitting). She is a huge empanada fan and quite a picky eater.

We also ordered the flan for dessert. One of my friends declared it was the best flan he had ever had. The menu depicts a circular flan, but we were served a proper slice as if it were a flan pie.

Contact info:

Quisqueya Latin Cuisine
2317 Denison Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44109
(216) 651-3410

Choukouya Resto-Bar

If you’re looking for traditional African fare, this restaurant features dishes from the Ivory Coast and additional West African nations. I have not eaten a lot of food from Africa, so I was intrigued when I heard it had opened in the former Nazca Bar & Grill location at the corner of Richmond Road and Emory. It is on the exact opposite end from Cafe Avalaun.

I initially scheduled a dinner with my dining out group there. We arrived at 6:30 PM on a Tuesday and were the only diners there. We were greeted by a friendly server who it turns out was also bartending. We were also entertained by a group of ladies in a line dancing class. One of my friends joined the class.

We were given a plate of grilled bread, and several of us ordered appetizers. I ordered the Meat pie, which is stuffed with meat and vegetables and deep-fried like an empanada. The African flavor really made it stand out from an empanada. It was quite tasty. A vegetarian version of the meat pie is also available.

To start off, I ordered the Chi Chi Watermelon – “five different rums with watermelon and pineapple juice served inside a watermelon fish bowl. (To Be Shared)” Oops. I didn’t share. I drank the whole thing and enjoyed every drop. The watermelon and pineapple juices were very refreshing. That said, they either served me a non-alcoholic version or I have a hella tolerance because I was not tipsy or buzzed after drinking it. It doesn’t appear to be on the menu anymore.

There are a wide variety of dishes to choose from – from soups and appetizers, to salads, stews, chicken (quarters or thighs), beef, lamb (rack of lamb or lamb shanks), steak (ribeye or t-bone), rabbit, fish (catfish, red snapper, or salmon) or seafood (scallops, shrimp, or lobster tail) to vegetable side dishes, FuFu and rice dishes to desserts. The choice of FuFu includes Eba (“gari” stirred in hot water and slowly cooked in plastic wrap – see photo to the left along with Egussi), pounded yam, pounded banana plantain, steamed rice, Jollof rice (rice cooked in a tomato sauce), Wake rice (rice steamed with black eyed beans) or Riz mosaique (rice mixed with vegetables). Other sides include Attieke (cassava (manioc) couscous), couscous (Moroccan couscous steamed in a tomato sauce) or mashed potatoes as well as starchy or vegetable sides such as Pomme lyonnaise (listed under Appetizers, but it’s fried African potatoes mixed with sautéed onion and choukouya seasoning), sweet potatoes, French fries, banana plantains, green beans, broccoli, asparagus, grilled zucchini, sauteed mushrooms and sauteed spinach.

Diners can choose from a variety of meats and vegetables and even two pasta dishes for the less adventurous. There are three African stews that are the focal point of the menu. They can be served with your choice of meat (lamb, goat, fish, chicken, or beef) or with none at all (vegetarian or vegan) and come with one side. The Peanut Sauce is made with groundnut (peanuts) cooked in a mild tomato soup with garlic and black pepper. There are 10 levels of spiciness to choose from. Egussi features West African melon seed cooked with fresh cut spinach in a spicy (or not spicy) broth with palm oil. Sauce feuille (see above photo with Wake rice) is made with well-seasoned fresh cut spinach and collard greens cooked in a red sauce with palm oil.

The shrimpy sauce (left) is delicious and the same sauce is used with the scallops. It seems to be a tomato-cream sauce that is simply scrumptious. I ordered the steamed rice (to truly enjoy the sauce) and a side of asparagus for a nice meal that I will also enjoy the next day. The asparagus was nicely grilled and tasty as well.

Thiebou Dienn is a popular dish from Senegal that is only available on the weekends. Served with fish, chicken or lamb, it is cooked in a red tomato sauce that is well-seasoned with a lot of veggies including cassava, carrots, eggplants, and other vegetables and served with its own rice.

I chose the Fruit de mer (above), which steams shrimp, scallops, and salmon together with organic leek, peas, mushroom and carrot in parchment paper. When the paper is opened, the seafood and vegetables are perfectly cooked and very delicious. I ordered the Riz mosaique with it, which was tasty. The dish is pricy, but definitely worth it!

One of my friends ordered the red snapper (Poisson braise), which is available either grilled (25 min) or fried (10 min) with some fragrant spices and topped with a salsa of vegetables. You can order it as a fillet, headless or with the head. My friend chose a grilled, headless red snapper with a side of Jollof rice and a side of banana plantains. The snapper and salsa was extremely fresh and delicious. I would definitely order it again.

One of my less adventurous friends ordered the Poulet Roti, which features a rotisserie chicken quarter with flavorful seasoning served atop a sauce of sautéed mushrooms and white garlic. It comes with a brick of its own rice. I can imagine ordering this myself for the mushroom and garlic sauce alone!

The service was a little slow, but I have a feeling it was because she was the only one there. Things got better once another employee arrived. We enjoyed the vibe and loved the food. It is worth noting that the food takes a little bit of time to prepare, but the times are stated on the menu and you expect a bit longer if they are busy, but the wait is worth it.

Contact info:

Choukouya Resto-Bar
4620 Richmond Road, Suite 292
Cleveland, OH 44128 (Beachwood)
(216) 245-6660

Geraci’s – Pepper Pike

Geraci’s is a casual dining, Italian restaurant that serves traditional entrees and local favorites from recipes that have been passed down through many generations. Everyone raves about the pizza, and even Guy Fieri enjoyed himself here. The flagship location is located in University Heights, but they have been recently expanding, with a location in Mayfield Heights on Wilson Mills and SOM Center Road, one on Chagrin Road between Eton and Pepper Pike (where Mallorca used to be located), and a slice shop downtown on Prospect Avenue (where Vincenza’s was). I have been to the Geraci’s on Chagrin Road several times now, as one of my friends likes celebrating her birthday there. It is more spacious than the flagship location and has a quite romantic atmosphere. It reminds me of half-timbered restaurants in Europe.

Finding the entrance to the restaurant can be a little tricky. You have to enter the office building (there are a couple steps, but there is also a handicapable ramp to the right) and then walk into the foyer. The entrance is on your left just past the elevators. Once you walk in, you are greeted by the hostess stand, and there is a nice U-shaped bar to your left. There are two dining areas as well as a private room (where we enjoyed our meal during our first visit). The second visit we were in the main area at a long table in front of the fireplace. They also have a patio in the summer. The menus appear to be identical with the University Heights location, offering appetizers, handhelds, pasta and pizza pies.

The table first ordered several appetizers and passed them around. The standout for me was the breaded artichoke hearts. They are served with a spicy 1000 Island dipping sauce. They were crispy on the outside and lovely on the inside. The dipping sauce had a nice zip to it. Several other of my fellow diners enjoyed the fried ravioli and fried mozzarella.

The Italian wedding soup was very good (one of the better versions I’ve had). There are so many versions of Italian wedding soup out there, with variations on the pasta, greens and other ingredients. This one is fairly classic with the small acini de pepe, flavorful meatballs and spinach. I liked the percentage of onions and carrot too. It was a tasty soup.

The salad was nothing to write home about, with a lettuce mix, cherry tomatoes and some shredded mozzarella. The house dressing is an oil and vinegar based Italian, but I prefer the creamy Italian more because the house dressing has to be shaken up to mix.

I fell in love with the Honey Pie on my first visit – so much so that I ordered one for the table as an appetizer on our second visit. The Honey Pie features pepperoni, sausage, hot habanero honey, mozzarella and Romano cheese. There is something about the combination of the meats and the honey that just make it stand out for me. I love a thicker crust, and it was nice and chewy and toasty on the edges. The sauce was a decent sauce. The first time I ordered it, it was well-cooked (with some black spots – see below), but it did not taste burnt at all.

I was in a mood to continue the artichoke love on my first visit, so I ordered the Chicken Piccata, which is made with tender bites of chicken breast sautéed in garlic, butter and white wine and served with artichoke hearts, capers and lemon. It was very lemony, but hit the spot.

The only misstep was on my second visit. I ordered the Chicken Florentine, because I love spinach and was in the mood for it. It is billed as being “Marinated, grilled and served atop spinach with tomato & lemon.” I was not a fan. It was dry, dry, dry. I especially disliked the spinach, which was flash-fried and crispy. I was hoping for a nice mound of soft spinach or even a creamy spinach. It was served with a side of spaghetti and a side salad.

I recently went there for lunch and ordered what is undoubtedly now one of my favorite things I have ever eaten at an Italian restaurant. First, I have to eat a little crow. For years I have stated that I do not like angel hair pasta. Well, I was wrong. The waitress passionately suggested the angel hair instead of spaghetti, so I ordered the Angel Hair Balsamico, which is angel hair, artichoke hearts, diced fresh tomato and basil in a butter and white wine sauce. I added chicken for protein. The angel hair was coated in the butter and wine sauce, giving it an amazing buttery taste that just popped. I don’t think I will order anything different there ever again. I couldn’t finish the lunch portion, so I can’t even imagine how I’ll do with the dinner portion.

Our server on the first visit was extremely attentive, even though we were isolated from the rest of the dining areas in a private room, and I’m sure he had other tables besides ours. Our beverages were refilled quickly; our food was delivered promptly and it was delicious. The server on our second visit was overwhelmed, and it manifested in the service. She needed help and messed up a couple orders. To be fair, the restaurant was busy, but it was not so busy that people who were seated after us were served and left.

I do prefer this location over the flagship location, because of the ambiance and larger dining area. It doesn’t come across as cramped, like the University Heights location. Even if the flagship location is closer to me, we gladly drive to Eton/Pepper Pike to dine here.

Contact info:

Geraci’s of Pepper Pike
29425 Chagrin Boulevard
Pepper Pike, OH 44122
(216) 831-1595

Euro Wafel Bar

UPDATE: Euro Wafel Bar has moved to Coventry Road in the space next to Bodega. The hours have also changed, from 3 PM until 10 PM during the week and midnight on Friday and Saturday. Sundays they are open from noon until 10 PM.

The Euro Wafel Bar is a late night cafe (5 pm to 1 am) that just recently started serving brunch from 10 am-2 pm on the weekend (as of July 1, 2023). It is closed on Mondays. They also have special hours during Ramadan. Euro Wafel Bar is located on Mayfield Road off Euclid Avenue at the Huntington Bank Building on One Triangle Plaza (parking lot available in front and behind the building). It is close to Case Western Reserve University and caters to the college crowd. The place is usually packed with co-eds.

The Euro Wafel Bar serves sweet and savory Belgian waffles and crepes as well as milkshakes, coffee, tea and handmade Hawaiian lemonade. You can order a Liege, Brussels or bubble waffle or a crepe. You can order them savory or sweet.

Their savory offerings include chicken, brie, Swiss, spinach or tomato – for example, The Parisienne features brie, honey and walnuts, while the Spicy Vegetarian features hummus, spinach, avocado, olive oil and red pepper. They also have a Honey Dijon Chicken with chicken, a dijon mustard dressing, cheddar and tomatoes. Their sweet offerings feature an array of fresh fruits, candy flavors like Ferrero Rocher, chocolate, Oreo, Nutella and cookie butter, and even ice cream.

I ordered the Bananas Foster waffle with ice cream on my first visit. My friend ordered the Bananas Foster without ice cream. The portion was huge and the fillings were generous. The Bananas Foster waffle features banana, caramel, cookie butter and whipped cream. It was super-sweet, and I was not able to finish it, which was a shame. But now you can order a mini-waffle of any of the choices for $5.50.

One of the fruit waffles on a Liege waffle had so much fruit in it you couldn’t see the waffle! This waffle with bananas, strawberries and mango totally hit the spot, and every single bite was delicious.

The Hawaiian lemonades are great. I haven’t been able to order a coffee or tea because I like to be able to sleep at night. They also serve Turkish coffee, which would make me jittery and keep me up all night. I guess if I were still in college that would come in handy. I used to work as a night guard from 11 pm to 7 am and developed a serious Mountain Dew addiction back then. Caffeine was king. Now I have to stop drinking coffee before 4 pm. Getting old sucks.

Mon, Tue, Wed and Thurs	3:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Fri and Sat	3:00 PM – midnight
Sun	12:00 PM – 10:00 PM

Contact info:

Euro Wafel Bar
1854 Coventry Road
Cleveland Heights, OH 44118
(216) 280-8037
theeurowafelbar@gmail.com (preferred contact method)

Pho Sunshine

We now return to our regularly scheduled (or in the current situation not so regularly scheduled) blog. I have been undergoing some dietary changes since March 10th and have lost 20 pounds and significantly changed my palate and portion sizes. I have been eating at home more often and eating more smaller meals. It also doesn’t help that money is tight, and I have to watch my voluntary spending. Expensive meals just aren’t in the cards at the moment. I will still try to go out, but I can’t promise it will be as regular as it has been in the past. Maybe more like once a month instead of twice a month. I’ll try to write up some of my older backlog of photos/visits to make up for it. I try to visit a restaurant at least twice before blogging about it, but that might not always happen. Anyway…

There’s a new pho place in town. The restaurant takes the spot of Szechuan Café, which recently closed in the back of Asia Plaza in Asiatown (E. 30th between Payne & Superior – in the plaza with Park to Shop) and opened in February 2023. The parking lot there is always bustling but has plenty of free parking. I’ve managed to park close to the entrance twice now. I can’t say how busy it is on the weekend though. The dining area itself is bright, airy and clean.

It serves a wide variety of Vietnamese dishes, from spring and summer rolls to broken rice and cold or stir-fried rice noodles, ramen, phos and soups, and a half dozen choices of banh mi, including a vegetarian version. In fact, there are eight different versions of pho, including two assembled with chicken broth and chicken meat. The restaurant also serves the spicy beef noodle soup known as bun bo hue or various fried rice dishes. You can choose from grilled pork, grilled shrimp and grilled chicken or a combination of them as well as lots of choices for vegetarians. The banh mi can be made of grilled meat, ham or BBQ pork or a combination.

My friends gathered here shortly after it opened, and some of them brought their mothers who had never had Vietnamese food or were at least not very well-versed in it. I recommended the broken rice and pork chop to one of the mothers, so she ordered the House Special Rice Plate (C5 Cơm Đặc Biệt) because she liked the photo, and she loved it. It features a combination of pork chop, shredded pork, pork cake, fried egg, cucumber, tomato, and broken rice. She especially enjoyed the pork cake.

The service at Pho Sunshine was also excellent. Our server was super personable as well as friendly and attentive and made sure that we had everything we needed throughout our meal. We kept him on his toes but made sure he was well-compensated for it.

I started off by ordering honeydew smoothie. It was delicious. I miss the honeydew smoothie at Panera.

I then split the summer rolls with one of the mothers so we could enjoy both and not have to decide. We ordered one order with grilled pork and one order with pork and shrimp. We both agreed that the shrimp one was superior. Probably due to the peanut dipping sauce. Love that dipping sauce!

Summer rolls – Shrimp and pork on the left, grilled pork on the right

I have several things I enjoy at Vietnamese restaurants, and I ordered all of them on the first visit. In addition to the summer rolls, I ordered a grilled pork banh mi, which was absolutely delicious, as well as a pho and a vermicelli bowl.

Grilled pork bahn mi – Visit 1 on the left, visit 2 on the right

The bahn mi I chose (A10 Bánh Mì Thịt Nướng) was chock full of grilled pork, pickled veggies and a deliciously light sauce. The French bread has a nice crust, and they use a good amount of meat and veg fillings. I picked off the two jalapenos, but didn’t tell them to hold them because I like the subtle juice that is left on the bread, but not the crunchy pepper itself. I honestly couldn’t wait to go back and order it again and went to lunch a week or so later.

Rare beef pho – Visit 1 on the left, visit 2 on the right

I ordered the pho with rare beef (Pho Dac Biet). I wasn’t in the mood for fatty brisket and don’t like the texture of pho meatballs. The pho came out piping hot with a little cap of raw beef peeking out. I added the mung beans and basil leaves and gave it a deft squeeze of lime. The beef was tender and juicy, the noodles were perfectly cooked, and it had a deliciously savory broth. The broth was so good that I didn’t need to add any sriracha or hoisin to it, like I usually do. I enjoyed as much as I could and packed the rest up to go. One of my fellow diners taught me the trick of packing up the noodles separate from the broth so the noodles don’t disintegrate.

I also ordered a vermicelli bowl with grilled pork and spring rolls (B7 Bún Thịt Nướng Chả Giò) as well on my first visit. I poured the delicious fish sauce dressing over a small portion of the veggies and really enjoyed the freshness and lightness of the dish. I added the rest when I ate it for lunch the next day so it didn’t get soggy.

I got lots of to go boxes and enjoyed my meals for the next few days. When I returned at lunch a few weeks later I ordered the exact same things, except this time I ordered an iced Vietnamese coffee and didn’t get a vermicelli bowl. The visit was just as good, and the server was attentive since I was sitting by myself and only a few tables were occupied.

I look forward to my next visit. I’m intrigued by the Bún Riêu Crab Vermicelli Noodle Soup (B15), which is a combination of pork, shrimp, crab meatballs, and vermicelli noodles in tomato soup. And I’m craving a grilled pork bahn mi – although maybe I’ll try it with grilled shrimp or grilled chicken this time. And has anyone tried Bánh Mì Xíu Mại – the Shumai Sandwich (2 meatballs)? I’m curious what shumai meatballs served in tomato sauce with French bread on the side is like. Lots of good choices to choose from – and vegetarians have a full page of choices.

Contact info:

Pho Sunshine
2999 Payne Avenue, Suite 142
Cleveland, OH 44114
(216) 515-1111

Bonus Fish Fry 2023: Ohio City Provisions

I have always been a big fan of Fresh Fork Market, a weekly subscription farm buying club. I was a subscriber for several years until I realized I was throwing out too much produce (even with a small share), so I quit and started shopping at their store in Ohio City – Ohio City Provisions. I get the same products, but I can pick and choose what I need. From meat and cheese to produce and baked goods, the quality of Fresh Fork and Ohio City Provisions is amazing – and so are their special meals. Their sit-down Thanksgiving dinners for subscribers pre-COVID were amazing. I have also ordered special meals from them such as fried chicken or other carryout meals. So I knew a fish fry from OCP would be something special. They serve their fish fry all Lent, from February 24 to April 7. Pre-order required. I ordered it on March 24th for the 31st. Order as soon as you can, because they do sell out. OCP is located on Lorain Road just past St. Ignatius High School (same side of the street). You can park in front of the building or on the side of the building on a side street.

The dinner did not disappoint. The fish dinner was $18. It featured beer-battered Atlantic cod, housemade coleslaw (cabbage, carrots, apples, beets), handcut-russet potato fries topped with a generous sprig of rosemary, and housemade tartar sauce made with mayo, candied jalapenos, fresh dill and chives. I chose the earliest pick-up time so that I could still attend a fish fry in the evening. I had to wait a few minutes while they fried up my dinner. It doesn’t get any fresher than that.

I couldn’t resist and tucked into one of the pieces of fish in the car. It was probably the best battered and fried piece of fish I’ve eaten in a long time. The batter contained a hint of lemon and it puffed around a generous piece of moist and flaky cod. I also had a few fries, which were perfectly cooked as well. I reheated it on Saturday for a nice lunch. It reheated perfectly in the air fryer. You still have one more Friday if you want to try it. Order here.

Contact info:

Ohio City Provisions
3208 Lorain Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44113
(216) 465-2762

Fish Fry #2 2023 – St. Joseph’s in Avon Lake

← Drive here

Don’t park here
↓

St. Joseph’s Parish was founded in 1949, but it has become known for its fish fry since the new pastor arrived a few years ago. Saint Joseph’s has been served by six pastors in its history. Its current pastor is Father Ronald J. Wearsch, who has Avon Lake roots and is a trained chef. Father Wearsch arrived in mid-2013. The church began hosting its fish fry in St. Joseph’s former church building in 2014, but quickly had to move to a new parish and family center facility to accommodate the hundreds of people who flocked from the suburbs surrounding Avon Lake.

This fish fry is so popular that they encourage (nay, urge) you to order and pay ahead online. You can specify your pick-up time to ensure your meals are hot and they don’t sell out. Online ordering starts the Saturday before the fish fry and starts cutting off at 5 PM on Thursday, when the items are then subject to limited fulfilment. No orders are taken after 2 PM on Friday.

Pro tip: Parking is in the BACK of the church. Just follow the line of cars. Stay to the left for Dine-in eating and to the right for Take-out pick-up. You can only enter from Lake Road. Don’t be a dummy like me and take the first open spot you see. I ended up having to walk ALL THE WAY around the church and ALL THE WAY to the back of the Parish (for an idea of how far it is, watch this drone footage from the website – I parked in the very last spot on the left next to the sidewalk and facing the church, and the entrance (blue awning) is all the way to the right behind the church and in the back rear corner of the parking lot). The Credit Union entrance with a blue awning is the entrance to the fish fry. I found a wonderful parishioner who was willing to drive me back to my car (thanks, D.!), because the idea of walking back while carrying my take-out was daunting.

Baked cod and sweet potato (better photo to come)

If you have preordered and prepaid, you will be directed to a worker at the table who has that day’s orders. I had ordered a meal to eat in and one to take out. They called to confirm it wasn’t a mistake and were ready for me. Most take-out orders are fulfilled in the drive-thru car lines. A volunteer greeted me at the door to the gymnasium and explained how the system worked. The chowder/bisque was on the wall across from the entrance, and the food was to the right on the wall by the stage. Water (for hot tea), coffee, iced tea and lemonade are included with dine-in service and are on a table in the very middle (and coffee carts circulate the gym). Soda and bottled water are available for purchase.

They had a bunch of helpful young boys willing to carry my tray and grab some beverages for me – and there is a little hand fly swatter on the table that you can wave if you need something. I (and my helper Colin) grabbed trays and gathered my meals (both dine-in and take-out) as I made my way through the stations. I decided to sit near the soup and sat with a lovely couple. After the wife left to do dishes, two other couples joined us at the table.

I had heard amazing things about the Baked Verlasso Salmon with a chardonnay dill sauce. I have never seen anything like this on a fish fry menu. The closest “exotic” thing may be the crumb coated cod at St. Gabriel’s in Concorde or baked lemon-pepper haddock or crab cakes at St. Mary’s in Hudson. This is about the most perfect thing I have ever eaten. It was exquisite, and the first bite literally brought a tear to my eye. I would eat this every day if I could. I’m definitely going to try to recreate it at home and start eating more salmon. All of the fish dinners are served with green beans (not canned) and slaw, and I added pierogi to the dinner. Other sides include baked potato, sweet potato (which looked amazing!), mac and cheese, grilled cheese, cabbage and noodles, and tater tots.

I also chose to add a New England clam chowder to my dine in order. The soups are generous portions (12 ounces) and obviously homemade. The clam chowder had chunks of carrot, potato, and corn along with the clams. It was unlike any other chowder I’ve had, but I kind of dug it. I definitely finished every last drop of it, and it was very filling.

I ordered a Lake Erie perch dinner with tartar sauce and a tomato bisque to go. I popped one of the pierogi in with it for later. I reheated the perch and pierogi in my air fryer for lunch today. The perch was still moist and sweet. I think I understand why people love perch so much now. The tomato bisque was absolutely delicious – even better than the chowder. Apparently the bisque is the Father’s favorite to make. If I am not mistaken it had little chunks of tomato and onion as well as rice in it to bulk it out. I really liked it!

This fish fry was an A+. I am doing something that I rarely do and going back this season on March 17th. A lot of fish fries are not operating since it is St. Patrick’s Day, but St. Joseph’s is offering a “Special St. Patrick’s Day menu” featuring a corned beef and cabbage dinner with roasted potatoes, carrots and slaw. I will also be ordering the baked cod with mango chutney. The cod looks delicious, and I tried the chutney from the container lid and liked it. And you know I’ll be getting a salmon dinner to go!

Contact info:

St. Joseph’s Parish
32929 Lake Road
Avon Lake
Fry time: 4:30 to 7 p.m. Fridays Feb. 24 to March 31 (no fish fry on Ash Wednesday or Good Friday).

Express Deli

Express Deli is a family-owned deli that is making some of the best sandwiches in Cleveland. Express Deli was listed #41 in Yelp’s Top 100 Places to Eat in America in 2018. According to a Yelper, the parents Pierre and Maha bought the place 24 years ago when they moved from Lebanon in 1998, it was more like a Mini Mart. (Note: that explains why I haven’t heard of them until now – I moved to the east side in 1992). They thought it would be a good idea to serve good deli food at the Mini Mart, and have turned it into a true deli over time as it rose in popularity. Located on Smith Road just off I-480 (W. 130th exit) and just past Brookpark Road in Brook Park, it is tucked away at the end of a small, nondescript strip mall. When you walk in you are greeted like a family friend. Head to the back – that’s where the magic happens.

Make sure to tell them if it is your first time. They offer a tasting tour of their three most popular sandwiches – the turkey, the pastrami, and the Reuben. Each features a special sauce. The turkey is served with the house dressing (a delicious herbed oil), the pastrami has a garlic mayo and is topped with a thin pickle slice, and the Reuben is a small bite of Reuben (corned beef, Swiss and kraut) with a mix of their delicious Thousand Island dressing and garlic mayo. They started the samplers about 7 years ago to have people try and love what they ended up purchasing, and maybe get them to try something they normally wouldn’t.

If you are a regular reader, you know I’m not a fan of corned beef. It is a rare place that can make me change my mind. Well, I tried the Reuben bite and liked it so much I actually ordered the Reuben on my first visit! They make their own corned beef on the premises, so maybe I’m just a fan of their corned beef. I guess I like lean corned beef. The sauce and melted cheese made every bite super creamy, and the sauerkraut was not sour at all. I can see why everyone loves this and it’s one of the top sellers.

I had originally decided to order the chicken cordon bleu wrap until I tried the Reuben, so that was my choice on my next visit. Maybe it was an off day, maybe the Reuben has ruined me for all other sandwiches, because I thought it was just okay. The cordon bleu sandwich has a lot of fans. It’s made with chicken, ham, Swiss, lettuce, tomato, mayo, and a honey mustard sauce. I don’t see any tomato, but it still wouldn’t have magically saved it. I’m not a huge fan of wraps; I find the texture of the wrap or pita too dry, which then detracts from the fillings. I’ll try it on a hoagie next time, because it is one of my favorite food pairings.

One of their other most popular sandwiches is the Beirut Chicken. I asked what bread he might recommend for it instead of a pita wrap, but he really urge me to get the pita wrap since there was so much going on in the sandwich. It is made with marinated & sautéed chicken breasts, garlic mayo, lettuce, tomato, onion, thin sliced pickles, cole slaw, and sriracha. I was initially only going to eat a few bites and then eat the Reuben I had also ordered, but I soon found that I had eaten half of the sandwich and was ready to finish it. The sandwich was that good! The flavors really complemented each other, and each bite was a delight. I set aside the sandwich to eat half of my Reuben and was pleased that the wrap only got soggy in one spot when I went to eat it later. And for the record the Reuben was perfect the next day – no sogginess to speak of despite all the sauces on it.

I also ordered the chicken noodle soup. Since I wasn’t eating it right away I was okay with it not being heated up. Once I was ready to eat it at home, it heated up nicely, and the noodles were a total treat. The homemade broth will definitely cure what ails you!

They have a huge cooler filled with soft drinks, iced teas, flavored water, hard seltzers, and beer as well as a wall of crunchy snacks (chips, pretzels) to go with your sandwich. I also grabbed a bag of Zappo’s Voodoo Chips and Harvest Cheddar Sun Chips (my two favorite chips) and a bottle of Mountain Dew and a Crush Grape. The chips and beverages are very well-curated. The homemade cookies are also soft and delicious.

The macaroni salad was just okay. Davis Bakery has ruined me for all other macaroni salads. The pasta salad was really tasty. I highly recommend it. It looks like the black bits are olives, but they are beans. I still didn’t hate it. The seafood salad was great. I ate it straight out of the container with a fork, but it was especially good on a toasted slice of croissant bread. I also enjoyed the pickle. I do plan to try the potato salad too. But come here for the sandwiches.

I must be spoiled from all my years in Germany, because the Braunschweiger sandwich just didn’t do it for me. I prefer a softer meat spread. It’s also possible that it was too much of a good thing. I got there close to closing time, and she used up the Braunschweiger on my sandwich. It was very generous, but I prefer thin slices over huge hunks. I won’t get this again, but there are plenty of other delicious-sounding sandwiches to choose from.

There are no tables. It’s takeout only. Eat in your car if you must.

Open Monday through Friday from 9 to 5 and Saturday from 11 to 4.

Contact info:

Express Deli
5185 Smith Road
Brook Park, OH 44142
(216) 267-7878

Creekside Restaurant & Bar in Brecksville

Creekside (formerly Eddie’s Creekside) has been serving its guests in Northeast Ohio for over 30 years, using fresh, locally sourced ingredients to create a modern twist on classic menu favorites. Located in downtown Brecksville, Creekside Restaurant provides an inviting experience, offering casual cuisine nestled in the treetops overlooking picturesque Chippewa Creek. I have been hearing great things about it for years, but my friend’s neighbor ate here with his family during the holidays several years ago and raved about the eclectic menu. The idea of a lasagna omelette had me immediately intrigued.

I decided I wanted to treat myself to a nice breakfast there as soon as possible and met a friend there for the Sunday Breakfast. They only serve this from 8 am to 1 pm on Sundays. We had to wait a bit despite having a reservation, but it wasn’t a long wait and I had a bench to sit on in the hallway. We were seated at a nice booth overlooking the creek. The food was amazing. They had so many things on the menu I wanted to try, so I ordered two and took food home.

For my meal in the restaurant, I ordered the Eggs & French Toast Combo and upgraded it with the Coffee Cake French Toast for an extra $2.00 because I was intrigued. They use coffee cake as the bread and then drizzle it with a cinnamon streusel and vanilla glaze. Wow, the cinnamon streusel was really great. The scrambled eggs were perfectly cooked (I like them firm and not runny), and the bacon was nice and crisp. I treated myself to coffee and orange juice. It was pricey in the end, but it was worth every penny. My friend ordered the Eggs & Pancakes Combo with the Lemon Ricotta Blue Cakes (rear of photo), which features a lemon ricotta batter with blueberries and a lemon glaze. It hit her craving perfectly.

Of course, I had to order the Lasagnomelette (and ordered it to go), but there were several other omelettes that sounded great, like the California Chicken (chicken, avocado, bacon, tomato, and cheddar cheese), the Lorraine (spinach, bacon, and Swiss) or the Caprese (roma tomatoes, fresh basil, and fresh mozzarella topped with pesto) omelettes. There is even a Thanksgiving omelette year-round that features turkey, stuffing, onions, and Swiss cheese. The Lasagnomelette features Italian sausage, ground beef, provolone, and ricotta cheese. It was so delicious, with the savory meat combined with the cheesy deliciousness of provolone and ricotta. I can only imagine how amazing the cheese pull would have been hot off the griddle. It was good reheated at home if you can believe it.

The cakes in the bakery case were also tempting, but I was full from breakfast and had a ton of leftovers. My friend ordered a slice of cake for later. I’m not quite sure what kind it was, but it looks like some kind of white cake with buttercream frosting. Definitely looks super moist.

I also wanted to try some food off the regular menu, so I went back for lunch a few months later. It was chilly, but it was still comfortable on the balcony because they had heaters set up. I felt much more comfortable on the balcony by myself at the height of COVID.

I had planned on getting a burger or something – or a couple appetizers – for my lunch, but they had a strip steak with crumbled crab (Steak Oscar) as a special. I am a huge pushover for Steak Oscar, so it was a no-brainer. I ordered a side salad for my choice of side (because asparagus is always served with Steak Oscar) and ordered a cup of lobster bisque as well. The bisque was creamy and delicious with some nice chunks of lobster. The steak was perfectly cooked medium rare. The crab and asparagus were a little overbroiled, but they still tasted good.

There were so many good items on the menu I figured I’d just go back soon, but since it isn’t close to me it is quite a trip. Who knew it would take over a year for me to visit for the third time (which is my rule for reviewing a restaurant on a blog post)?

I went on a Wednesday evening close to the holidays. It was decorated really nice, and there were quite a few small and large parties celebrating. My holiday cosmopolitan was really lovely. The White Cosmo Martini features raspberry vodka, triple sec, fresh squeezed lime juice, and white cranberry juice. I loved it. It was refreshing as well as festive.

I was craving potato skins, and since you don’t see those on restaurant menus very often I knew I had to order them even though it was just me. They were perfect – still quite a bit of soft, fluffy potato insides covered in melted cheese and bacon bits. I ate a couple and ordered a box. And even though I knew I wouldn’t have much room left, the Rustica Pizza sounded so good that I ordered it, knowing I would be bringing most of it home. I am so glad I did, because it is one of the best pizzas I have enjoyed in Cleveland. The dough was fluffy and pillowy just like I like it, the sauce was not too sweet, and the toppings paired well together. The shaved parmesan and fresh tomatoes were my favorite part. I wish it were closer so I could order it all the time.

The potato skins were the perfect breakfast the next morning after a quick 5 minute heat session in the air fryer. The pizza also reheated well, which I was happy about.

Contact info:

Creekside Restaurant
8803 Brecksville Road
Brecksville, OH 44141
(440) 546-0555