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