Clueless,Ohio

Here's the deal on chains, If there are some that you like...go to them. If there are some that your out-of-town visitors like, then take your visitors where they want to go. If you have early-teen nephews/niece (as I do) who thrive on familiarity -- to a fault -- then let them eat where they want to. If it's really more of a philosophical issue with you, then eat only at the independents and local chains. And go out of your way to support them, even more than usual to stick it to the chains.

I've been wondering about that too. I drive past this Bratenahl location fairly often; there was an "Aavailable" sign for a long time. Can't remember the details of the sign. Almost all of the trees are gone now.

^We got it! :-( In Steelyard.

Yes there are defintely some, although not as many as there once was. My post was that there weren't any that I thought were "best". My bad though on this one. I forgot about Little Bar and Grill. And It IS good. The only one probably.

There really aren't any at the present time.

Whatever one is "better" , I don't knpw. One of them needs to get downtown. The homer...Pearl of The Orient... has had 3 decades to do so.

Parse away, hts121. Whatever the neighborhood scenario is like in 2014, I can guarantee that the Gay Urban Center for that 8-day event will be at the Kimpton-Schofield Hotel (provided it's ready for occupants).

Detroit-Shoreway stretching into Edgewater-Clifton. The Gordon Square District could and should be the center. The Cleve LGBT Center is located there and could become more visible. Detroit Ave. on down to Ohio City seems like a natural progression the other way. The milieu is here...just needs enhanced.

Imagine how beautiful a copy of the St Clair terra cotta work and upper-story windows would be on the PS side. A mural of windows would be the next best thing.

I'm with you on going over to OC, Tremont or DS. I personally consider the W. 25th/Market District area of OC the western edge of downtown. Not everybody does, I know that. But if we just keep the discussion to the CBD for purposes of this thread title, then (for me) we are missing a Middle Eastern place, a Five Guys, a (neighborhood) pizza place like Danny Boys in River, a Heck's Cafe type place, an Indian restaurant as mentioned (which really is so hard to believe given our Indian population), a Thai place, more Organic/non-Pharmed food places and -- yes -- a couple mid-range national chains. Diverse dining options. I realize there are several other places now than just the destination places I mentioned upthread. But we need to stop thinking of downtown as only a destination. And that is thankfully changing. I'm looking forward to PuraVida (billed as a neighborhood eatery) in the May Company building and also the NoodleCat. I see more stuff like this coming. 5-10 years ago I would've said that places like a noodle house, burger place, Mid Eastern, Indian would show up in the WHD. But now that is more likely to occur in the Lower Euclid/Lower Prospect/E. 4th zone. Or even PHS/CSU. Any of these places are walkable from where I live. That's pretty important for me. It'll be very interesting to watch the unfolding of the Uptown neighborhood in Univ Circle. That's gonna be pretty compact, dense and walkable. There will probably be a cool lineup of tenants (retail and restaurant). Btw just because I/we don't cook doesn't mean I/we don't eat homemade meals. Invites to the homes of family and friends ensures that.

You're absolutely right. I have been unable to make it yet to either Alaturka in OC or Istanbul Turkish in Tremont. Those are coming up real soon. I really would like somewhere like that downtown though.

I do not cook! Actually, Middle Eastern is my favorite. I have to go to the suburbs (usually Cleve Hts location) for Aladdiin's. THAT'S REALLY WHAT I WANT DOWNTOWN. Btw, Nates on W. 25th is the best, I know. But it closes too early.

Strap you're too obsessed (your words) to stop loving the Cleve :wink: How about me who lives downtown? I'm sorry but I am not going to Lola, Chinato, Johnny's, Zinc, Blue Point Grille, Morton's, Bricco (destination places) every night of the week. That is CRAZY! Yeah I hit up Asiatown places for takeout. But give me some mainstream Casual other than Winking Lizard (acceptable bar food) and Houlihan's (yuck!).

I don't think ther is any reason for concern over the possibility of a couple more mid- to high-range chains added to the dining scene here. Morton's hasnt killed Hyde Park or JohnQ's. I don't see PF Changs affecting AsiaTown. Cleveland has an embarassment of riches when it comes to superstar chefs, local food scene, great independent restaurants and local chains, etc.

Anyway, there is nothing wrong with these national mid-range chains. Yeah, all of them are not my cup of tea But there is a huge customer base and as soon as they figure out they can make money in downtown Cleveland, some will be setting up shop.

Winking Lizard and Flannery's fit the bill. Golic's sometimes isn't open for evenings on end. Corner Alley can be very un-casual, at least what I've seen

When downtown gets a B-Spot and a Melt, those will be considered chains?

Eventually one or two of these will make it inside the city limits, maybe University Circle? I like PF Changs and I would definitely like it downtown or UC.

I think so. I think the remaining construction mostly revolves around the parking garage and the couple floors of office space above the garage.

For the shell and core, Cleveland Construction: http://www.clevelandconstruction.com/InteriorDetail.aspx?ProjectID=81 Scheduled for June (personally, it looks like it will be late summer, or even later).

Yes thanks. When I wrote CLE+, I meant 'CLE+ et al'. That's Positively Cleveland offices , the Greater Clevleand Sports Commission offices, the visitors center and the "Cleveland-centric" store and/or restaurant which will go at that corner location of 4th & Euclid.

Talbot's having a good outing tonight. It's top of the 8th. Cleveland 4, LAA 0

Thank you for the update. They just recently removed the clock for "reconditioning". I'm anxious to see this building completed.

Looks like you won't be going to Vienna since Big Clueless said he was there. ROFLMAO! Your loss...but Vienna's gain. You probably should think about getting a job first

I'm not sure that the Bodies space (any part of it) was to be used by a restaurateur. I think it (a Sawyer place or a Symon place) was always thought to be exactly where it ended up, or in some other vacancy up the street in the 200 or 300 blocks. I think all 3 storefronts of the Bodies space was to be used for whomever the next tenant was. As we know, not only will CLE+ be in the entire space but, according to the press releases on this, the second floor of that space as well (the old I.J. Fox second floor is in the process of being gutted and opened up now).