Category: Special occasion

The Friars’ Table

Located in the former Cowell & Hubbard space (1305 Euclid Avenue), The Friars’ Table is located at the intersection of Euclid Avenue and E. 13th Street. It is a collaboration between Brandon Chrostowski of EDWINS’ fame and Cleveland Capuchin Ministries. The Friars’ Table opened this past winter and features “a seasonal menu inspired by monastic cuisine,” and its focus is on simplicity and community.

I ended up driving down E. 13th trying to find affordable parking (spoiler alert: there was none) and ended up using the Friars’ Table’s valet because it was the same price as a parking lot a block away. At zero degrees it was worth my not having to walk to and from my car to the restaurant. My friends parked on Chester and walked. When I met friends there this winter it was freezing cold, but one friend kept walking up and down Euclid Avenue trying to find it. I finally had to step outside and wave her down. The signage was definitely lacking at the time. They have since added a large sign. She was freezing when she finally found us, so she ordered hot tea and it came in a nice French press. She chose Earl Grey, but there were several other choices (a Jasmine Green, Peppermint and Decaf Earl Grey) as well.

Once you enter, the restaurant itself is stunning. This beautiful space features a lovely fountain in the center of the front dining room as you walk in, and both dining rooms feature simplistic tables and tableware. The food they serve is simple and wholesome food “to nourish both the body and the soul.” The tableware is very rustic (for example, the water and wine are served in ceramic cups).

The Elixirs are tasty non-alcoholic options. I order the Cloister and loved it. It’s made with pineapple juice, orgeat, fresh lime and soda. The water glass is the green cup, and the wine glass is black (see below).

The server brings out a small basket of complimentary bread with an herb spiral and some olive oil for dipping shortly after you are seated. It is quite tasty. Very fresh and herbacious but not overly so. The bread is definitely a nice touch. I didn’t even use the olive oil.

We ordered three different appetizers, which were all absolutely stunning and delicious. I ordered the wild mushroom tartlet, one friend order the Claufotis St. Abraham (similar to a spinach and goat cheese tart), and the surprising dark horse was the caramelized turnips, which were super flavorful, and I couldn’t stop nibbling on them. The tartlet was flaky and quite tasty. It is a puffed pastry topped with sauted mushrooms. The claufotis is more like a gratin (or one server explained it is similar to a quiche). It was also quite delicious. Both are very popular.

Since it was so cold I was craving warm comfort, so I ordered the beef stew in a bread bowl. I was surprised by the curry profile of the stew. The bread was so hearty that it was somewhat difficult to eat. I definitely enjoyed it. It paired excellently with a Duvel (Belgian beer). I would have loved it if it were served in a proper tulip beer glass, but I definitely enjoyed finding one of my favorite beers on the menu. For it being so small, they have an excellent beer selection (a La Trappe, Weihenstephaner Hefeweizen, Reissdorfer Kölsch and a Clausthaler non-alcoholic beer as well as my beloved Duvel).

My friend K. ordered the Pork Roulade and very much enjoyed it. I enjoyed the bite she shared. It wasn’t as rolled as the roulade I am used to, but it is served with a stuffed fig, olive, and almond sheeps’ milk potato gratin (as you can see it isn’t rolled). But it was quite tasty. K. also thoroughly enjoyed the Borscht. Again, it hit the spot on a cold night.

The absolute star, however, was the Salmon St. Celestine. It is a simple preparation, but the cream sauce prepared with leeks, mushrooms and sorrel was absolutely divine. My other friend shared a bite with us, and I loved it so much that I ordered it when I went back. If you like salmon, it’s a must try!

The desserts were also tasty, but the absolute standout were the Orange Blossom Beignets. They were puffy little balls of doughy heaven. I had the Mixed Berry Napoleon, featuring a mixed berries compote, mascarpone and spiced biscuit crumble, and it was tasty. However, the Napoleon was less a stacked pastry and more like a crumble. But if you can only order one dessert the Beignets are a must.

The place clears out by seven when the theater crowd heads out to their shows. It’s open until 9 PM during the week and 10 on Friday and Saturday nights. If you want a quiet meal get there after the rush.

Contact info:

The Friars’ Table
1305 Euclid Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44115
(216) 230-2017

Clambakes 2025

Clambakes became quite the rage this year. Our clambake tradition was featured in Food & Wine, reporting that “Cleveland’s appetite for clams outpaces anywhere else when the weather cools” (duh) and was a hugely popular topic online with newbies asking food forums where to find a clambake. The hearty Cleveland clambake menu reflects the Midwest appetite and the cooler climate, making it less of a seaside delicacy and more of a harvest celebration. Hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions, of clams are consumed in Northeast Ohio during the early fall, when the harvest is at its peak. Cleveland fish purveyors claim that they sell more clams to Cleveland from August through September than to any other city in the country, thanks to all the clambakes that are held here. Kate’s Fish at the West Side Market claims, “We go from selling about a thousand clams a week to 10,000 in September and October.” As the owner of Salty Mary’s Oyster Bar (which is on my list for next year) reported in the Food & Wine article, “It’s like fish fries during Lent or Browns games on Sunday — it’s one of those Cleveland traditions. It’s comforting to come back to something every year.”

I jumpstarted the clambake season back in mid-September at Chelo’s Kitchen as a Friday special. I was there on the Wednesday before with a friend who wanted their Prime Rib special and ordered mine for that Friday as soon as Sarah told us the specials. Their specials sell out quickly, so I reserved one immediately. I have become a regular at Chelo’s. It’s a great restaurant operated by a really nice young couple. Chelo (pronounced ‘cello’) consistently puts out some tasty food. The clambake included one dozen clams, a 1/4 chicken (bbq or plain – I ordered bbq), sweet potato or baked potato (sweet potato for me with their cinnamon butter!), a cup of clam chowder, a mini corn cob and a dinner roll. It cost me $46 including a generous tip.

My friends ordered tickets for two of the clambakes at Gunselman’s Tavern. I’ll be out of town for the second one, but was able to join them for the first one. Gunselman’s Tavern in Fairview Park is always a favorite, and I have attended their clambake for five years in a row. The clambakes sell out quickly and early. The clambakes are dine-in only and we had a table reserved inside (if you order patio seating you may get rained out, but the weather was perfect this year). The Browns were playing in London that day, but the volume wasn’t on. I got my usual steak bake. They start serving clam broth and clam chowder at 1 PM and serve the clambakes at 2 PM. The clam broth was sufficiently spicy. I added a couple dashes of pepper to mine, but some of my friends added pepper and hot sauce. Irish Kevin’s New England clam chowder was a treat. The chowder had chunks of redskin potatoes and was nicely seasoned with a lot of thyme, which gave it a unique and delicious flavor. The clams were great – tender and not gritty. I had a couple bites of my redskin and sweet potatoes and ended up taking them home along with half of my steak. We were sad that the woman who made the cheesecake is no longer working there. I wasn’t the only one who had been looking forward to the cheesecake. The price of the clambake ($45 with steak) does not include the gratuity or any beverages or add-ons.

I also enjoyed a phenomenal clambake at Square Bistro in Chardon, which are served every Friday & Saturday for dine-in and take-out in the month of October. It was worth the 45 minute drive from Cleveland Heights. It was a nice drive through the countryside with the changing leaves. I had a reservation for 7:30 because they were booked solid when I went to reserve my table that morning. The clambake is available every Friday and Saturday in October (for dine in or carryout). I was tempted to get the sushi bake ($42 for 1 futo maki and 1 maki roll and the clambake) because it’s so unique, but ordered the lobster tail ($45) instead. The chicken option is $39, the steak is $55 and the crab crusted red grouper bake with lobster cream sauce (!!!) is $50. I was extremely pleased with my choice, but it was a hard decision to make. The lobster tail was my favorite part because it was delicious, but there wasn’t a bad component in the bunch: fresh baked bread with brown sugar cinnamon butter, smoky clam chowder with some corn kernels in it, a dozen perfectly steamed Cape Cod middleneck clams, butter poached lobster tail, rosemary and garlic roasted mashed redskin potatoes and applewood smoked bacon braised brussel sprouts. I was taken aback by the small portion of mashed potatoes and brussel sprouts, but it was honestly perfect and super flavorful. I paid a total of $59.80 for the clambake with lobster and a glass of wine plus $12 for the tip in cash. Honestly, it was one of the best clambakes I’ve ever had.

I decided to stay closer to home for the next clambake, deciding to try Poppy on Larchmere. I had been there when it was Felice, but hadn’t been to Poppy yet. Since it is run by the women behind Salt+ (RIP) I knew I would be in good hands. Poppy serves its clambake special every Friday through November 14. I arrived shortly after they opened at 5 without a reservation, but they were able to accommodate me on the large converted front porch (and the early arrival ensured street parking close to the restaurant). The hostess and my server were both lovely. I was given a carafe of water, which I appreciated. I tend to drink several glasses of water when I’m out to dinner. I ordered the PCP, which is made with Bacardi dark rum, pumpkin spice syrup, coconut cream and tropical juice. It was a nice start. The clambake came with the choice of clam chowder or a wedge salad. Since I love both and couldn’t decide, I ordered both and had her add it to the bill. The clam chowder was phenomenal. It was a small portion, but I enjoyed every spoonful. The wedge was not the typical wedge salad. It features romaine instead of iceberg. The salad came as two baby romaine wedges topped with crispy pancetta, polenta crisps, shallot fennel relish, buttermilk and french vinaigrettes & gorgonzola. It was quite tasty. I’m not quite sure what to say about the clambake. It came served in a big bowl holding a dozen clams, a quarter roasted chicken, a small grilled corn on the cob, and crispy fingerling potatoes. The broth was red in color, and I suspect it had harissa in it due to the color and kick of spice. When my server asked, the kitchen said they used Old Bay. I’m not a huge fan of chicken quarters (as you can see from the other choices on this page), and I missed the drawn butter of it all. The fingerling potatoes, on the other hand, were great – crispy and nicely salted. I’m glad I tried it, but I don’t know if I will put it on my clambake rotation. I’ll probably be back to try some other things at Poppy since it is so close. Because I ordered a cocktail, a glass of wine and an extra starter, my bill was around $74.50, making it the priciest clambake this season.

I ended the season at Fat Cats with Rosie’s Clambake, a fundraiser for St. Joseph Academy. It’s an annual one-day event, and there are three seatings – at 4 p.m., 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. As seems to be the case this year, by the time I called to reserve a spot only 6 and 8 p.m. seatings were available. Since I didn’t want to have to sit at a high bar stool, I decided to choose the 8 p.m. seating even if it was a little later. I have/had been working overnights for the past 2 weeks, so my sleep schedule was/is already whacked out, and 8 p.m. didn’t seem that much of an issue. There were three clambake options to choose from — the basic clambake for $40, one featuring St. Louis ribs for $45 and a 10-ounce steak dinner for $50. The steak came with potato salad, and the ribs came with baked beans. The potato salad was tempting, but I was in the mood for ribs when I called to reserve a spot. The clambake features a dozen clams with lemon butter, corn on the cob with sage burnt butter and parmesan (yum!), New England clam chowder, and a roll. It was as phenomenal as I expected. The clams were the tenderest of all the clambakes, and the chowder was delicious with lots of tender clams. Considering I was at the last seating, the tender and perfectly cooked food was a nice surprise. I also really enjoyed my Arnold Palmer and buttery chardonnay. The only negative was that the corn was cool, but I still enjoyed it with the sage burnt butter and parmesan – and it was grilled. Fat Cats always knocks it out of the park.

In summary, it was a very delicious clambake season.

Best chowder: Fat Cats, second place to Poppy
Best clams: Fat Cats, second place to Square Bistro
Best entree: Square Bistro, second place to Gunselman’s
Best side: Square Bistro, second place to Fat Cats (corn)
Best beverage: Gunselman’s, second place to Chelo’s because they keep my unsweetened iced tea topped up
Most affordable: Chelo’s

Contact info:

Chelo’s Kitchen
There’s no website but follow them on Facebook to see the Wednesday and Friday specials
4446 Mayfield Road
Cleveland, OH 44121
(216) 382-4490

Gunselman’s Tavern
21490 Lorain Road
Fairview Park, OH 44126
(440) 331-5719

Square Bistro
205 Main Street
Chardon, Ohio 44024
(440)279-0101

Poppy
12502 Larchmere Boulevard
Cleveland, OH 44120
(216) 415-5069

Fat Cats
2061 W 10th Street
Cleveland, OH 44113
(216) 260-9430

Mary Yoder’s Amish Kitchen in Middlefield

Mary Yoder’s Amish Kitchen opened in 1987 and is owned by the Miller family. Located in Middlefield, which is apparently in the center of the fourth largest Amish community in the world, Mary Yoder’s features a full-service restaurant serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner; a bakery; a private banquet room; and a gift shop. It’s not necessarily Cleveland, but Cleveland-adjacent and close enough to be a fun road trip. In fact, I took a spontaneous road trip out there for the dinner buffet in July. I drove out there a lot when I lived in Solon. It’s about an hour’s drive from Cleveland Heights either down South Woodland or on 422 to 700 (scenic drive over LaDue Reservoir and down some side roads past Amish homes and farms). I also love driving there in the fall to enjoy the changing leaves (I recommend the hot apple cider in the fall – see photo below). It’s definitely a tourist location and a tourist restaurant. That being said, you will see locals dining here as well as the occasional Amish or Mennonites dining here (but to be fair I saw a table of them at Cowboy Food and Drink in Bainbridge last month).

Mary Yoder’s isn’t necessarily “amazing” food (like Der Dutchman or other restaurants near Millersburg and Berlin – and not to be confused with Mrs. Yoder’s), but it is extremely comforting fare. It has its good days and bad days – for example, the dressing that I usually adore was too salty last week. But the food is hearty and hits the spot. It’s made by Amish women in their kitchen, and the buffet ($17.99 for the dinner buffet and $12.99 for the salad bar) is constantly stocked from 11:30 am to close (8 pm) Monday through Saturday (the restaurant is closed on Sundays). There is also a breakfast buffet (for $12.99), but I have only had the breakfast buffet once and there are no photos from that visit. It opens at 6 am and is available until 11 am. If you have a hankerin’ for something not on the buffet, they have an extensive menu to choose from. Some favorites include the ham, pork chops, roast turkey or roast beef or a hot roast beef or turkey sandwich. They even have a trail bologna sandwich, which is just Troyer’s Trail Bologna and Middlefield Swiss on a fresh roll. Easy enough to buy and make at home by buying the Trail Bologna from the cooler in the gift shop and grabbing some Middlefield Swiss from Rothenbuhler Cheese Chalet (formerly Middlefield Cheese), but definitely a unique offering to order there (just be sure to pull off the plastic casing before biting in – true story). There is ample seating available, and it has a banquet room for large groups. When you walk in head to the front of the building to your left.

I adore a good old-fashioned salad bar, and the salad bar contains all my favorites – a nice selection of greens, hardboiled egg, peas, beets, red onion, tomato, cucumber, etc. There is always a decent wet salad or two to choose from. I love cottage cheese, broccoli salad or macaroni salad to pair on my salad, which allows me to use less salad dressing. It is always the highlight of the meal for me, which I then follow with a couple of selections on the lunch/dinner buffet for a couple of bucks more. I got a side of cottage cheese with a to go meal the other day and was amazed by how creamy and delicious their cottage cheese is. So much so that I called to find out who they get it from.

I usually only fill up one dinner plate with my choices, but others take several trips. The buffet offerings do vary by the day, but there is usually always baked or broasted chicken, mashed potatoes, dressing and a nice vegetable on offer. Not to mention a dessert or two like a pudding. Last week one patron was sad that only the “blue jell-o” was left. But you can always order a piece of their excellent pies if you have room (or get a piece to go to enjoy later at home). I always enjoy the broasted chicken and chicken or beef noodles. The mashed potatoes are hearty and tasty. Be sure to not take too much, because there are no to go containers for the buffet (well, technically there are, but they charge $7.99 per pound).

I went home with a butterscotch pie last week and special ordered a peach pie yesterday, which I picked up at the drive through window to the right of the building. I was in Burton for a tea, and it was only a ten-minute drive to Middlefield. I worked at Baker’s Square and am not a fan of pie crust (one summer I ate a piece of French Silk a day but would scoop out the filling and throw out the crust…), but I eat the crust on Mary Yoder’s Pies. That is a huge testament to them and makes me believe the crusts are homemade using lard or butter. The pies are pricy, but worth it. The whole butterscotch pie below was $16.99 and the whole peach pie (slice on the right) was $19.99. They last a while and are worth the quality of the ingredients.

They also serve family style dinners, which are a nice option if you have a group. You can choose one, two or three of their meats, and the dinners include beverages, the salad bar, mashed potatoes, gravy, dressing, a vegetable and homemade rolls (which are fluffy and yeasty). Everything is served in bowls to pass around. The price is per person depending on the meat selection (kids are a much lower per person price), and there is a minimum of 15 guests. Everyone at the table has to order it.

The gift shop is full of various tchotchkes that make a nice souvenir if you are a kid or a tourist. I always enjoy buying some fresh Amish baked goods like their breads or dinner rolls, cookies or pies. One of my friends swears by their raisin puffs (a kind of cookie). Order ahead if you want to ensure your favorites are available. The only doughnuts left at 4:30 on a Tuesday were their cream sticks.

Mary Yoder’s also caters to the local Amish community and has a hitching pad for the horse and buggies to the back of the parking lot. Watch out for horse and buggies on the roads too and give them a wide berth. The Whoa stop sign as you leave always cracks me up.

Contact info:

Mary Yoder’s Amish Kitchen
14743 N State Avenue
Middlefield, OH 44062
(440) 632-1939

Blue Heron Brewpub in Medina

The Blue Heron Brewery and Event Center is an artisanal brewery that makes flavorful beers and serves good food. It is tucked away in a housing development in Medina off River Styx. It is a beautiful setting on what was once a country club. Full disclosure: I have eaten here twice now, because my niece works here. The first time she was a hostess, and my friends and I wanted to go there in the winter and rent an igloo. Alas, the strong winds shut down our dreams. LOL. We did enjoy watching her work, seating people and busing tables. She is now at college and working here as a waitress over the summer. She loves it. My family met here to celebrate birthdays and Father’s Day and spent a lovely Saturday afternoon on the back patio enjoying the sunshine and live music. She worked a shift after our lunch. Several of my family members have a lot of specific dietary needs and were able to confidently order and enjoy their meals.


The Brewpub
If you squint you can see an igloo in the center of the window.

On our first visit I ordered a Giant Bavarian Pretzel for us to all share, and we enjoyed it very much. You know the German translator had to order the giant pretzel, and it did not disappoint. It was fluffy inside with a nice crust. It is served with a green chili white queso and whipped cinnamon butter. Not exactly typical German pretzel dips, but I really enjoyed the cinnamon butter.

My friend was very excited about the lamb burger, which must be a winter item. She loved it. The housemade chips are also quite tasty. Folks on Yelp suggest saving the splurge of the Wagyu burger, which sounds tasty but I would probably order the Blue Heron or California burger and save a couple of bucks.

Another friend ordered the Caesar salad and added salmon, and it looked delicious. In fact, I was leaning towards ordering it with my family, but ended up ordering something else (more on that later). My mother enjoyed her strawberry and spinach salad with a balsamic dressing and without the goat cheese because she is dairy-free as well as gluten-free.

My brother-in-law recommended the seafood stuffed mushrooms and jumbo chicken wings as appetizers. Both were quite tasty, but I absolutely loved the seafood stuffed mushrooms. They were fantastic!!! The white mushrooms are hand stuffed with diced shrimp, crabmeat, cream cheese and scallions and topped with Parmesan cheese and light Dijon aioli. I could see myself ordering these for a meal! We ordered two orders of mushrooms to share, but it would have been cheaper to buy the special 3 for a dollar less than 2 orders were (a happy hour special). But my family only wanted two, so we stuck with two.

I ordered the Coconut Curry Salmon Fillet, and it did not disappoint. The pan-roasted salmon was served with a delectable Caribbean curry sauce and cilantro lime rice and fresh seasonal vegetables (in this case Brussels sprouts, which were tender and tasty). Everything was flavorful and perfectly cooked. I would probably order this again.

My dad and sister ordered the Reuben and loved it. Seeing how lean the corned beef was I would have probably enjoyed it. Anyone who has been following this blog knows I’m not the biggest fan of corned beef because I’m not a fan of fatty meats.

If you have room at the end, I highly recommend ordering the Peanut Butter Pie if you have the room. It is made with an Oreo crust with peanut butter mousse and fresh whipped cream. It’s delicious. I ordered it during our first visit, and we got 5 spoons to share.

And if your waitress is Carley tell her you read about the Brewpub on her Aunt Jill’s blog.

Contact info:

Blue Heron Brewpub
3227 Blue Heron Trce
Medina, OH 44256
(330) 870-2583

Metroparks maple syrup event: Tree to Table brunch

In addition to fish fries this time of year, I’m usually all about pancake breakfasts in March, but I’ve only been to one pancake breakfast so far this year. However, I attended a lovely brunch at the Cleveland Metroparks yesterday. I follow the Metroparks on Facebook in addition to getting their email newsletter and have attended several of their cooking classes in the past. I signed up for this event as soon as it was announced, and I’m glad I did because another attendee told me her mother wanted to go but waited four days only to find out it was sold out so she came on her own. The menu sounded amazing, and the price of $35 was good for the amount of food. They also offered vegetarian options, switching mushroom for the pork and tofu instead of the shrimp.

I had gotten a fish fry at the Emerald Necklace Marina during Covid and enjoyed it, so I knew the brunch would be a treat. I got there about 15 minutes before the 11 a.m. start time and was able to quickly check in, grab a maple-inspired cocktail using my provided drink ticket (I opted for coffee with Bailey’s and maple syrup) and grab a seat. I sat with a bunch of lovely people who made me feel welcome despite being by myself (again, I wasn’t the only one). One of the women had tried all three cocktails and stated that the Maple Syrup Mimosa was the best of the three, but they were all good. The other drink on offer was a Maple Syrup Old Fashioned, and there was a mocktail (below) as well as beer and wine to choose from.

The atmosphere was cozy on a cold and gray day. There was a fire burning in the fireplace, and there were three long tables to choose from. I chose a spot near the coffee. Priorities. There was a PowerPoint presentation running on a screen with lots of fun facts about maple syrup and maple sugaring.

To start, the servers came around with small shot glasses of sap water, which was a refreshing start. Sap water is more water-like than syrup-like, and the ‘sap water’ that is collected from maple trees is boiled down to make syrup. It takes 40 gallons of sap to make 1 gallon of syrup. There is a long tradition in Ohio of collecting sap that started with the Native Americans in the area. We were told that we are lucky enough to live in an area that is ideally suited for maple syruping. The snowy cold weather (and it started snowing a bit as I was driving to the event) after several days of warmer weather encourages the sap to flow from the roots to the leaves in the trees our area, and Ohio is ranked fifth in maple syrup production. We live in the 0.005% of the earth that produces sap and maple syrup (I’m fairly sure that percentage is correct, but I could be wrong – but it is a very miniscule percentage of the earth’s land). So our ‘Cleveland winters’ are good for maple syrup production.

The starters were served quickly and professionally. The food was served on small biodegradable plates (it is the Metroparks after all). We started with homemade focaccia bread with a maple cinnamon butter, quickly followed by roasted butternut squash soup with goat cheese, chili-infused maple and pepita. Both were delicious. The bread was fluffy, yet tender and was a nice delivery for the butter. The butter was so good I made sure to eat it all, and the soup was excellent. Everything in the soup was extremely well balanced, with nothing overpowering the other ingredients. The crunchy pepita were an excellent foil to the creamy soup.

We weren’t sure what to expect with three entrees listed. Would they be served together on a plate or served individually? I was most looking forward to the roasted garlic and herb pork tenderloin, which ended up being the first entree served despite being second on the menu. It did not disappoint! The “spinach, bacon and apple bread pudding” was a fantastic complement to the pork, which was perfectly cooked. It was topped with a delectable cider and maple butter sauce and crispy fried onions. I’m glad they served it first because I still had room to enjoy every single bite of it. I picked a bit at the next entrees, and one of my fellow diners asked for a box for hers. There was not a single thing on the plate I did not enjoy. I would go to a restaurant to order it!

The brussels sprouts in the Sambal and Maple Shrimp entree was my favorite ‘bite’ in the second entree served, although the plump shrimp were also really great and not too sweet. Each diner was served three perfect shrimp. The vegetables were chopped very small and roasted together. The puffed rice were also fun, it was nicely seasoned, and the entire dish as a whole was quite tasty.

The Pain Perdu with poached apple and smoked bleu cheese with pecan crumble was also quite delightful. Essentially a small square of French toast, it was perfectly prepared and well balanced. Bleu cheese can be quite overpowering, but this was the perfect amount to cut through the eggy french toast and complemented the poached apple. You could definitely taste the fennel in the maple/fennel reduction that was drizzled over the pain perdu, but it was also not overpowering and just offered a hint of fennel.

One of my tablemates had to leave to go see & Juliet at the Playhouse, which is fantastic and I was so happy that she got to see it (and it turns out about four or five of my friends were also at that show yesterday from the posts of Facebook), but she was able to enjoy the pain perdu and the crème brulee before she had to leave early to make it on time. I gave her fiancé my business card because I enjoyed talking to them so much. The Maple Crème Brulee with berry sauce and whipped cream was a delightful finish to an excellent meal. We then enjoyed a presentation on the history of maple syruping and maple syruping in the Metroparks, complete with props like collection bags and buckets, filters and a yoke that they wore to carry buckets of sap (an lots of photos of kids wearing the yoke). I would not have been surprised to see me among the photos of kids learning about maple syrup, because my mother took my sister and I to many educational events at the Metroparks when we were little and I definitely remember maple syrup production being one of them. We are so lucky to have the Metroparks for all of the educational as well as recreational activities!

Hopefully they will offer this event again, because it was fantastic. Be sure to follow the Metroparks on Facebook or get their email newsletter. And sign up as soon as you see it, because it sells out quick. All of their cooking events are also a fun time (I’ve attended a pie iron class and a pot pie class, among others), so keep an eye out for their events. They offer lots of different free and fee-based events (crafts, hikes, recreational classes, camping trips, etc.) in addition to cooking and food events, so if you haven’t checked them out be sure to do so! The Cleveland Metroparks rocks! Don’t be afraid to attend on your own, because everyone was very friendly, and we chatted the whole time about various topics. I left shortly after 1:00 to meet some girlfriends at Sangria y Tapas (I ordered a sangria and soup) and was full the entire day. The entire day! This meal (and specifically the pork tenderloin) will definitely be among my Best Bites in 2025.

And be sure to check out the Cleveland Metropark fish fries! Guests can dine-in at Big Met or get carry-out at Sleepy Hollow and Emerald Necklace Cafe. Merwin’s Wharf will also have fish fry specials every Friday. The Fish Fry takes place on Fridays from 3 to 7 p.m. through April 11 this year.

Contact info:

Emerald Necklace Marina
Rocky River Reservation
1500 Scenic Park Drive
Lakewood, OH 44107
(216) 226-3030 ext. 1

Miss Hickory’s Tea Room

Those who know me know that I am a member of an active tea group on Meetup that visits local tea rooms and has local tea-related events at local libraries such as informative presentations, craft projects, tea blending classes and other events such as our upcoming Chinese New Year tea. Miss Hickory’s is a favorite of our group. We have attended special tea events as well as met for tea as a group in which we’ve ordered off the menu. It never disappoints.

Reservations are required. You can’t just drop in and expect to be accommodated. The ingredients are fresh and everything is made to order each day. One of my friends preorders a quart of soup ahead of time to take home with her.

Miss Hickory’s Tea Room is located in a mid 1800’s farmhouse right off State Route 82 in Strongsville, Ohio (turn on the road is across from Camp Cheerful). Cona and Joe are the owners, and they have a passion for historical properties. They own several of them on the street. The farmhouse was originally the home of Strongsville’s first blacksmith, William Weller. They have put in a lot of work on the property. There is a ramp as well as stairs to the cozy front porch. The parking has expanded a bit, which is a welcome change.

Once you enter the tea room you are greeted by the hostess. The hostesses and servers are dressed in early 1900s attire, and it has a historical vibe. While you wait to be seated they offer a sample of the ‘tea of the day’ at the tea steeping station in the front parlor. I love this station because the light fixtures are made from tea cups. If you are seated right away you will be given a sample at your table, but be sure to admire the steeping station as you leave.

The first time I was exposed to Miss Hickory’s was for a Halloween tea in which we were encouraged to come dressed as witches. The multi-course meal was impressive – they even carved out an orange and filled it with broccoli salad! I wish I could find my photos from that tea, but it was in 2016. They also were not skimpy on the portions. The food was so plentiful that many of us took home leftovers. Their Christmas tea a few years ago had a quartet of carol singers to entertain us.

Despite being a tea room that specializes in hot teas, they also offer coffee and hot chocolate, milk, iced tea and pink lemonade as well as soft drinks. My favorite blend is their Angels Dream Tea blend, which is described as a “heavenly naturally flavored black tea with maple sweetness, blackberry pungency, full flavored Assam and a mystery green tea. We have sought the heavens to try to find the flavor befitting all the virtues of this tea’s namesake. The natural flavors of maple and wild blackberry enhance this excellent tea from the tea world’s finest regions – Sri Lanka, Formosa and Assam (India).” The Arctic Raspberry and Blue Lady Tea (with passionfruit, grapefruit, orange, and grenadine flavors) are also personal favorites. I love a good flavored black tea, but they also have tasty green teas (like their Chai Tea), white teas, herbal infusions, and an Orange Blossom Oolong tea.

The High Tea Sampler is served on 3-tier serving dish filled with an assortment of Miss Hickory’s favorite things, such as BLT finger sandwiches, chicken salad wonton cups, cucumber finger sandwiches, and egg salad club sandwiches; the Scones of the Week with Devonshire cream & homemade jam; their Lemon Tea Bread; and a serving of strawberries. If several people order the tea sampler they are all served on the same serving dish and everyone gets one serving of everything. The finger sandwiches are stunning and delicious.

I usually order off the menu. There are various “house sandwiches,” paninis and wraps. You can order the House sandwiches (chicken salad or tuna salad) on fresh Artisan bread, croissant or greens. I wish the egg salad were also available as a house sandwich, but it is only available in the tea sampler. I also enjoy their various side dishes, such as the citrus broccoli salad, strawberry pretzel salads and cups of soup. I usually order a sandwich or quiche and then add a side dish or two.

Left: Chicken stew with a half sandwich, and citrus broccoli salad; Right: creamy chicken pot pie soups with puff pastry heart and half a sandwich

Their chicken stew with spaetzle soup is delicious. It is available every day. Their other soups vary weekly. The website has all of them depicted and they all sound divine (don’t mind the security alert – they aren’t tracking you; they are simply using an outdated security certificate so the site isn’t “secure.” They run a tea site and aren’t web programmers). The Creamy Chicken Pot Pie Soup with Puff Pastry Heart is especially cute.

They offer a quiche of the day in addition to their Spinach Bacon Swiss Quiche, which is served daily. I had this quiche on my last visit and enjoyed every bite. It is made with fresh eggs and cream, spinach, crispy bacon, shredded Swiss cheese and just the right amount of spices. I was tempted to order one to go as well!

Don’t sleep on the salads either. My friend declared their most recent signature salad “the best salad [she had] ever eaten.” I ordered it to go the next time we went and loved it as well. It was their Autumn Salad, which featured assorted greens tossed with sweet pear slices & candied pecans, all drizzled with a spectacular Maple-Balsamic Dressing. The Classic Wedge Salad is available every day. They also have several other salads available, which are seasonal such as the Fruit Salad, the Honey Crisp Apple Salad and a Spinach Salad.

If you are a scone fan you won’t be disappointed. Their scones are actually scone-shaped and not too dense. The scone changes monthly.

We enjoy sitting on the front porch before and/or after event just catching up. Joe even turned on the ceiling fans for us last summer. It’s especially fun when it is decorated for Halloween, with a spooky pumpkin offering some ambiance.

Contact info:

Miss Hickory’s Tea Room
14217 Mill Hollow Lane
Strongsville, Ohio
(440) 668-3053

Quick Carol Singers video: https://youtube.com/shorts/0p5SQm6uy_I

Austin’s Smokin’ Steakhouse

Austin’s is a small local chain, but it isn’t on every street corner like some chains. Austin’s Smokin’ Steakhouse is one of three locations in the Cleveland area (Brecksville, Mayfield Heights and Mentor) of the Austin’s Wood Fired Restaurants. The Mayfield Heights happens to be the one closest to me. Austin’s has been in business since 1994. I enjoy a good steak every once in a while, and since Brown Derby in Lyndhurst closed this is my go to. The food is always consistently good. The Austin’s restaurants make everything on the menu from scratch, grilling over hard wood, not gas, and it just gives it that special flavor.

I like to treat myself every once in a while. This place kept me going during the pandemic when I needed an indulgent meal, since I could pop down Monticello/Wilson Mills for my order. I wish they still served the twice baked potatoes as a side dish choice, but a baked potato (loaded or not) is also still a good accompaniment. I also miss the corn muffins in the bread basket. But restaurants do what they can to make a profit and stay in business I guess. The bread they serve now is still tasty.

The servers are all very accommodating. When my friend recently ordered some muddled cucumber drink “neat” and it came out all muddled, the server quickly had the bartender strain it for her, and she was super happy with the result.

If I am being indulgent I also enjoy treating myself to an appetizer before my main. I’ve had the potato skins and the stuffed mushrooms, and all the soups have been tasty (although it wasn’t my favorite New England Clam Chowder I’ve ever had, but it was a decent enough version). The stuffed mushrooms are stuffed with crab and topped with Parmigiano-Reggiano and mozzarella cheese. The mushrooms themselves are small but tasty. The potato skins are the old-fashioned kind and are loaded with sharp cheddar, bacon and scallions and served with sour cream on the side. They definitely bring back the memories of loaded potato skins.

I enjoy a nice New York strip when I am feeling indulgent (are you sensing a pattern?). The steaks are hand cut in house, seasoned with a 5-spice blend, grilled over the wood fire and finished with Austin’s steak butter. I order it medium rare, and it always comes out perfectly cooked. The steaks include a choice of potato and the vegetable of the day. Available sides include their house fries, a baked potato, sweet potato fries, garlic basil broccoli, house coleslaw, smokin’ (baked) beans, mac and cheese, bacon Brussels sprouts, Parmesan potato wedges and rice.

I have also enjoyed the Prime Cowboy Steak, which they claim is their most flavorful steak. It is a hand-cut, heavily marbled 18 oz ribeye. I love the visible steak butter on top.

My friend and I went there a few weeks ago, because she loves their smoked prime rib and wanted me to try it. The smoked prime rib is available on Friday and Saturday evenings after 5 pm. It is available as a 12 or 16 oz slab of beef. The Black Angus prime rib is hickory roasted. It isn’t the smoked wonder that Walter Hyde used to serve, but it was a nice slab of prime rib. I ordered the 12 oz and a baked potato and the Brussels sprouts. I could have ordered a loaded baked potato, but I didn’t want to overload the flavor of the beef with a lot of cheese and bacon. The Brussels sprouts were nicely roasted and tender. I loved the horseradish cream sauce they served on the side. My friend ordered the 16 oz so she could take half home with her for the next day. Her trick is she orders two baked potatoes so she has one for the next day as well.

Contact info:

Austin’s Smokin’ Steakhouse
6535 Wilson Mills Road
Mayfield Village, OH 44143
(440) 442-4340

Olesia’s Place (now Olesia’s Taverne of Richfield)

Olesia’s is a Ukrainian restaurant that features delicious Eastern European and Ukrainian food. Everything is homemade and delicious. Olesia’s husband was a customer who fell in love with her food and her at her first location. I first ate here at the first location in North Royalton when it was Olesia’s Place and looked like a former Spaghetti House (complete with a large curved plastic windowed patio). It was always packed and you needed a reservation to ensure a table. It quickly outgrew the old space and relocated to Richfield in 2019.

It now occupies the old Richfield Taverne. The new location is stunning both inside and out. It boasts two elegant dining rooms with a stunning bar on the main level and a speakeasy-style bar/lounge on the lower level, a cozy patio, and a third-floor event space (Grand ballroom). It is pretty far from me, but it worth the effort to drive there. It is now billing itself as a fine dining location, but the food is hearty and filling and just as delicious as it was in the old location. According to its website, it is open Monday from 4 to 9, Tuesday to Thursday from 11 to 9, Friday and Saturday from 11 to 10 pm, and closed on Sundays.

Olesia’s saved my Easter during the pandemic. The timing of the new restaurant opening was unfortunate, just before the pandemic, and it quickly pivoted to take-out only to survive. I ordered an Easter dinner online and lined up in the parking lot to pick it up the day before Easter. It was so good and reminded me of my Ukrainian grandmother’s Easter dinner. It featured deviled eggs, shrimp cocktail, ham, Russian potato salad, brussel sprouts, green salad, and a roll. The only thing missing was the kielbasa. I ate it over Zoom with my family members on the other end. It was divine and remains one of my most memorable meals of the past few years.

Our first meal at Olesia’s is undocumented, but I remember the Borscht, the Beet Salad, Olesia’s Platter and the Beef Stroganoff being the absolute stand-outs. All are featured here in photos from other visits. Olesia’s Platter (left) features a large cabbage roll with either red or mushroom sauce, three cheese and potato pierogies with onions and sour cream, and sauerkraut with your choice of sausage or kielbasa. It definitely hits the spot. The cabbage roll was just like Grandma used to make, and the pierogi dough consistency is light yet firm and tender. The bread is fresh and homemade, and the butter is herbacious and perfectly seasoned.

Beet salad, Borscht, and bread and butter

Olesia’s also has an amazing patio. I took a group there last summer and we all enjoyed ourselves immensely. The vegetarians enjoyed the spicy fried buffalo cauliflower florets, potato pierogi, and mac n cheese. We also enjoyed watching a newly married couple take wedding photos and motorcyclists driving past.

I ordered a delicious cocktail and the deviled eggs to start, and they were absolutely amazing. Olesia’s is known for the deviled eggs, and as a huge fan of deviled eggs I was quite pleased with them. They have just the right amount of zing. The crab legs (on special) were perfectly cooked and hit the spot. I tore through them and enjoyed every single bite.

I have also had the pleasure of attending my local translator group’s Christmas event at Olesia’s. We occupied the third floor event space. You can climb the stairs or take the elevator to get there. There was a cash bar and the deviled egg appetizers and dessert plate were served family style. I ordered the beef stroganoff and it was just as good – if not better – than I remembered. The creamy short rib stroganoff in burgundy mushroom sauce was served on perfectly cooked egg noodles and topped with crispy fried onions. Soooo good!

Deviled eggs, beef stroganoff, and dessert plate

Contact info:

Olesia’s Taverne
3960 Broadview Road
Richfield, Ohio 44286
(234) 400-0288

Dim sum at Li Wah

As most of my long-time readers know, one of my favorite meals is going out for dim sum with friends. Li Wah has been one of my favorite places because it has the dim sum served from carts. Dim sum (otherwise referred to as Yum Cha) is considered to be brunch in the Far East. Dim sum is usually served for breakfast and lunch (10am – 3pm at Li Wah). The baked, fried, or steamed goods usually come with 3 or 4 pieces to an order. Dishes are expected to be shared. Asians consider the concept of ”that plate is yours  and this plate is mine” as impolite. Sharing is essential to developing a better relationship with your friends and family.  Dim sum carts roll past every table throughout the restaurant, and guests can pick from different dim sum items as the carts roll by. You generally just point at what you want and/or nod if you recognize the name of the item. Shumai are always a good place to start – or the black bean spare ribs.

Tea is considered to be an essential part of the dim sum experience. The Cha in Yum Cha stands for tea. Tea is automatically served when you are seated, and you are expected to serve your dining companions before serving yourself. Li Wah carries 6 different blends of  tea. The tea charge varies from .80 cents per person to 1.00 per person  depending upon tea selection. I like the basic oolong they serve, but you can also order jasmine tea or chrysanthemum tea (which are made with actual chrysanthemum blossoms. When your tea pot is  empty or needs to be refreshed, simply leave the teapot lid open. They also serve beer, wine, various cocktails, sodas, lemonade with popping pearls, milk tea, bubble tea and smoothies. But if you are splitting the bill in the end it might be a good idea to order them separately.

My favorite dim sum items at Li Wah are primarily dumplings as well as the steamed buns with Peking duck, the shrimp, Har Gow and tofu skin rolls. Chinese people have been raised on a diet of predominately pork, poultry (duck and chicken), and seafood. Many Asians are  lactose intolerant due to the lack of cows in the  region. Roast duck, Peking duck, and roast pig are  wonderful meats to try, but they tend to be expensive additions. Likewise, the Chinese vegetables such as Chinese broccoli (Gai Lan), bok choy, pea pod leaves (dao mu), or Bittermelon (Foo Gaw) can be expensive additions as well and take longer to make so order them early if you want some greens with your dumplings. I can also recommend the cucumber salad.

The weekends tend to be the busiest, and they tend to roll out some of the better items later in the day like the mussels or salt baked prawns. The more adventurous eaters might want to try the chicken feet or the tripe or jellyfish, but I tend to order the less adventurous things when I am dining out with friends who are new to dim sum. It helps that I am not the biggest fan either.

If you have a larger group it is a good idea to make sure you get a table with a rotating glass lazy susan. It’s a good idea to have one of the more experienced diners be in charge of ordering and in charge of the bill, because otherwise chaos ensues. As the items are set on the table, the server will mark it on your bill depending on the price of the item.

Most dim sum are served as three or four to a plate. It’s also good to order enough so each person either gets their own bite-sized item or cut the item in half with a chopstick or fork. Knives are considered bad energy, a cutting force, in feng shui. It is not proper to eat a Chinese meal with a knife and fork. If you can’t handle chopsticks, use a spoon and a fork. Li Wah can also give you children’s chopsticks, which are held together with a rubber band. The Chinese don’t cut food on the table – although we have been brazen in the past and asked for a knife. If you want something like the turnip cakes cut up into smaller servings the server will be happy to do so for you. But using a knife to cut up the dim sum really is frowned upon.

The desserts are sweeter dim sum as shown above. It’s a good idea to order one or two items like the mango pudding, egg tarts or my favorite egg custard bun for a sweet ending. Even the sesame balls (the round balls coated with sesame seeds in the center of the photo on the right) can be considered sweeter because the red bean paste filling is sweeter than some of the savory items.

Once everyone is full (which is easy to do) you ask one of the servers to total up your bill and then you divide it by however many diners were at the table. It is best to make sure everyone has enough cash to cover themselves and then just hand the cash to the server. Too many credit cards can throw the server off their game. I have an app that calculates the tip (Li Wah is now tacking on an automatic gratuity of 18% though, so be sure to doublecheck whether the tip is already included) and divides the total by the number of diners. Most of the time we end up paying $20-25 a person (unless a roast meat or vegetable dish has been ordered, then it is more like $30). Unfortunately the price per item has risen in the last few years, and the quality has become hit or miss. Nevertheless, it’s still a fun experience that everyone should have at least once, and it’s a great way to share a meal with friends.

Contact info:

Li Wah
2999 Payne Avenue, Suite 102
Cleveland, OH 44114
(216) 696-6556

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Contact info:

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

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