December 23, 201014 yr If it's the same people that own Peppermint, then they live in my development. I'll go over and borrow a cup o' sugar and get the inside scoop. And a free coupon.
December 24, 201014 yr In Cleveland we were sometimes in town without visiting family Christmas day so we ended up eating Chinese. Siam Cafe is great. Always busy on Christmas with fun energy and a diverse crowd but not too packed and no problems with food or service.
December 28, 201014 yr Just heard on the radio that the ridiculous street construction project is hurting business at Bearden's in Rocky River. There really should be some kind of compensation for small business owners who get clobbered by road "work" that never seems to end. Anyhow, they could use some support right now. I'm dropping by this week. It's a classic place. Here's the site http://beardens-cleveland.com/ p.s. Peabody, did the Siam Cafe with my dad on Christmas. The place was bustling. Excellent, timely service. Dinner was unreal. Absolutely amazing!
December 28, 201014 yr My Mom couldn't get to the Lake Road Market one day as the police wouldn't let her through the only open road. This is crazy!
December 28, 201014 yr The new Vietnamese/Thai place I mentioned looks to be called "Saigon Grille". That's my speculative guess, since there's now a giant and really nice neon sign on the front of the building with chopsticks and the words ... Saigon Grille :) This will be on the 3100 block of Superior, just down from Number 1 Pho and Superior Pho. The windows are still papered, but I've heard talk that the interior is really nice. Can't wait to see this open up!
December 28, 201014 yr Bearden's restaurant to close Friday, perhaps for good Tuesday, December 28, 2010 By James Ewinger, The Plain Dealer ROCKY RIVER, Ohio -- Bearden's, a Rocky River institution that often marked the end of a date or the beginning of a lifelong romance, may serve its last burgers Friday. It's closing then, and the question is whether owner Joe Orange will reopen, sell out to someone else or just throw in the dish towel ... ... Read more at http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2010/12/beardens_restaurant_to_close_f.html.
December 29, 201014 yr very sad news -- that was my dad's hangout for like ever. hopefully someone will take over the business and keep it going.
December 29, 201014 yr They just had a Channel 3 news segment about Bearden's closing...the road construction has resulted in them losing half of their business. Of course, there was no sign at all of any work being done on the road. Just a bunch of debris and equipment laying around motionless, like always. Really sad.
December 29, 201014 yr A nice recap of what 2010 brought to the Cleveland restaurant scene in Scene this week: http://www.clevescene.com/cleveland/dining-lead/Content?category=1518226 Sounds like Brandt Evans' new place in the May Co bldg is to be called "Pura Vida" rather than "Butcher Block". More info about this place (Spring 2011 opening) is in this post of Cleveland Foodie: http://clevelandfoodie.com/2010/11/sneak-peak-pura-vida.html
December 29, 201014 yr Just thought I would post this. The cube on the square (Flaming Ice Cube) now delivers to adjacent neighborhoods near downtown in the city.... Tremont, Asiatown, Ohio City, Detroit Shoreway, etc..... Winter is here so try some of their fantastic made from scratch fresh and hearty soups! Here is the exact information from the site... http://www.flamingice.com/ClevelandInfo.html
December 29, 201014 yr ^Thanks, that's good info. The new Vietnamese/Thai place I mentioned looks to be called "Saigon Grille". That's my speculative guess, since there's now a giant and really nice neon sign on the front of the building with chopsticks and the words ... Saigon Grille :) This will be on the 3100 block of Superior, just down from Number 1 Pho and Superior Pho. The windows are still papered, but I've heard talk that the interior is really nice. Can't wait to see this open up! Nice signage here, saw it last night. Nice addition to the neighborhood!
December 29, 201014 yr I got excited about this Brandt guys new place. So I went to his website because he has a Blue Canyon chain. The website describes this gorgeous cabin in the beautiful woods of a national park, so I see the Twinsburg location is on Wilcox Road. I think, oh wow, this place must be some sort of secluded place in the CVNP, very cool. So I Google Wilcox Road and realize it's a big box nightmare off the I-480/Route 82 exit, neighbors with hotels and other crappy chain restaurants. I hope the lovely description of the new place downtown is accurately described and not just false hope.
December 29, 201014 yr I got excited about this Brandt guys new place. So I went to his website because he has a Blue Canyon chain. The website describes this gorgeous cabin in the beautiful woods of a national park, so I see the Twinsburg location is on Wilcox Road. I think, oh wow, this place must be some sort of secluded place in the CVNP, very cool. So I Google Wilcox Road and realize it's a big box nightmare off the I-480/Route 82 exit, neighbors with hotels and other crappy chain restaurants. I hope the lovely description of the new place downtown is accurately described and not just false hope. Blue Canyon is a neat/nice place, very cabinny/lodgy just the location is not so nice. .
December 29, 201014 yr A nice recap of what 2010 brought to the Cleveland restaurant scene in Scene this week: http://www.clevescene.com/cleveland/dining-lead/Content?category=1518226 Sounds like Brandt Evans' new place in the May Co bldg is to be called "Pura Vida" rather than "Butcher Block". More info about this place (Spring 2011 opening) is in this post of Cleveland Foodie: http://clevelandfoodie.com/2010/11/sneak-peak-pura-vida.html Thanks for the Scene link. It led me to an article that I don't believe has been posted yet regarding the old-style soda fountain shop opening in Gordon Square. Here's the link. http://www.clevescene.com/cleveland/bites-neighborhood-soda-fountain-opening-in-cleveland-really/Content?oid=2237265
December 30, 201014 yr Some restaurant experiences in the last week.... Thursday Dec. 23, dinner at Pepper's Cafe on Detroit Avenue in Lakewood. Love this place for its intimate atmosphere as a great little urban Italian-American joint. Mrs. Lavelle is a sweet old lady who still runs the place but she doesn't own it anymore. There was a 20-minute wait for seating in the 29-seat restaurant. Well worth it. The chicken parmagiana with spaghetti was very tasty, but the wedding soup is the best in Greater Cleveland, IMHO. Only close comparison is Bruno's on West 41st Street. Friday Dec. 24, dinner at Longhorn's in Fairview Park. OK, this is the only the chain restaurant I visited in the past week so give me a break, all you purist foodies! But I had to try the surf and turf. The lobster tail was pretty small but very nicely cooked in butter and the Flo's Filet was awesome as always. Can't beat the $26 price for surf and turf, and I think it's better than Dead Lobster's pricier variation including its wimpy-ass steak. Monday Dec. 27, breakfast at Clifton Diner. Had the basic breakfast of scrambled eggs, bacon, white toast and coffee. Nothing spectacular. I was in a hurry. I eat there only because it's close and because it has a better view of the streetscene, not because the food is exceptionally tasty. I prefer My Friends, Diana's and The Shore. Monday Dec. 27, lunch at the West Side Market Cafe. The place was simply jammed, even well after the lunch hour, with a wait of 20 minutes or more to get seated. I had an interesting little American and Swiss grilled cheese sandwich on rye with diced tomatoes. Never had that combo before and I liked it. Grabbed some piping hot chocolate from Frank's and strolled with a friend from Chicago. He loves our market. So do I. :) Tuesday Dec. 28, lunch at The Shore restaurant on Detroit Avenue in Lakewood. A very nice Greek family runs this place and they know most of their customers. If you come back a second time, they will probably remember you. Despite the lunch hour, I had pancakes and eggs because I consider their pancakes (and french toast) to be the best of any of the restaurants in my neighborhood. And I think the service here is the best too. Tuesday Dec. 28, dinner at Mi Pueblo in University Circle. OK, technically this is a chain because they have a west-side Cleveland restaurant on Lorain Avenue. But I was on the east side to see the display of European medieval reliquaries at the art museum (very worth seeing!). I had arroz con pollo y frijoles (chicken with rice and refried beans). The chicken was basted in a three-alarm sauce -- not enough to set your tongue on fire but it definitely tickled the tastebuds. Oh, and I have to say that this place has the best salsa dip I've had in a long time, perhaps ever. I will be back, though probably to the west-side location since it's closer. That's my brief culinary tour of the past week. Get out and support Cleveland restaurants this winter. It's good for the local economy and good for helping to cure your cabin fever! "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
December 30, 201014 yr Great reviews! We all have to eat at chains sometimes. I had to have lunch at the Olive Garden with my mother yesterday *groan* Clifton Diner used to do this sort of mish-mosh thing with eggs that had all kinds of veggies and cheese, that's their best breakfast item IMO. And I think they have a homemade bread you can order that's not the usual restaurant bread, but maybe I'm not remembering right. KJP, have you ever been to the Borderline Cafe? I think they have one of the best breakfasts in town. Their food is so good and a slightly different than normal menu as well, and the girls who run it are lovely. We did take the baby out to dinner last week, to Treehugger's Cafe in Berea which has been mentioned before on this thread. For any UOs who are parents and west siders, or who venture west, i highly recommend this place for dinner. They are not only extremely kid-tolerant, they have shelves of TOYS for them to play with. They could also use the dinner business as there were only 2 other tables while we were there, and the food was fantastic, though not cheap (around $18 for an entree). Mr. RNR got a salmon entree in dill cream sauce with rice and asparagus and even I thought the salmon was good and I HATE SALMON. I got a black bean and sweet potato enchilada entree in a spicy chimichurri sauce and it was awesome. I ordered little RNR a grilled cheese, which comes on pretzel bread. He ate Mr. RNR's salmon and rice. :)
January 2, 201114 yr Two friends and I dined at Banana Blossom (2800 Clinton Ave., Ohio City) tonight, and it was an excellent meal and experience. I think I found my new favorite place for Thai food in Cleveland, since Mint is closed. The atmosphere is very bright and warm, with a cool retro bar to one side of the dining room. We were greeted and seated immediately, and began to peruse the extensive menu. They have Singha (Thai beer), Heineken, and Great Lakes Dortmunder, as well as a few other brews I don't recall. They also have Christmas Ale, but I don't know how well that pairs with Thai spices. According to our server, this is only their sixth week in business, and it was fairly empty with only three tables occupied (maybe because of New Years Day?) I had Pad Kee Mao, a friend had Tofu Massaman Curry, and the other friend had the Spicy Crispy Duck with jasmine rice. The plates came out quickly from the kitchen, and the food was nicely plated. The veggies were crisp and fresh, and the tofu was nicely done and not rubbery as you sometimes find when it is overcooked. My friend was very pleased with the duck entree, and we all joined the clean plate club, which is rare for us. The food was just excellent. I know we'll be back. For those familiar with Ohio City, this is the old Halite space, later Jazz 28 I think. The exterior signage is just vinyl banners at this time, but permanent signs are on the way. I would highly recommend Banana Blossom. Menu: http://tinyurl.com/2auw2s7 and: http://tinyurl.com/28qakkp
January 4, 201114 yr buckeye, thanks for that review, I live near there and will check it out. I dined at Lola on E. 4th recently and was very impressed. No surprise, I know, but many of my friends have been less than impressed with some of the 'highlight' restaurants in town and I thought I'd mention that both Lola and Lolita are absolutely as good as advertised. I haven't been to Lolita in awhile, but it was good last time. Service was extraordinary, food was extraordinary, drinks were excellent. Obviously, it's expensive.
January 4, 201114 yr buckeye, thanks for that review, I live near there and will check it out. I dined at Lola on E. 4th recently and was very impressed. No surprise, I know, but many of my friends have been less than impressed with some of the 'highlight' restaurants in town and I thought I'd mention that both Lola and Lolita are absolutely as good as advertised. I haven't been to Lolita in awhile, but it was good last time. Service was extraordinary, food was extraordinary, drinks were excellent. Obviously, it's expensive. I highly recommend Lola for lunch if you get a chance. I went for lunch during my week off over the holidays and it was absolutely excellent. I ordered the pork sandwich and the wife ordered the Lola burger. Both were fantastic and the french fries are incredible. And we escaped at around $20 plus tip (great service too). And, FWIW, we've been to Lolita for dinner and were less than impressed. Atmosphere was great, service was good, and the food was OK. I think my expectations were too high.
January 4, 201114 yr Lola is great for lunch, I agree. The house-made bologna sandwich is one of my top 2 sandwiches in Cleveland!
January 4, 201114 yr I ate a Zdara last week with 2 buddies (I had a groupon from a while back). You could tell it was the holidays because we were the only 3 people in the restaurant. I started with the Hummous, which was good, and they served with warm pita. I got the chicken kabob, which was disappointing. For one thing, they only give you one kabob. For the other, they cooked the living sh!t out of it. One friend got the beet salad, which he thought was good, and the other had the falafel wrap, which he seemed to think was ok. Total bill was over $40 for the three, so it ain't cheap eats. I may try it again, when they're on their A game, but for the money, I'll take Nate's.
January 4, 201114 yr Our chick kabob was partially uncooked when we went. Sounds like an uneven kitchen.
January 6, 201114 yr Delta travelers this month who pick up the airline's in-flight magazine Sky will be treated to a heaping portion of Cleveland's Greenhouse Tavern. In an article titled "3 Masters of Comfort Food," food celeb Andrew Zimmern singles out some of this nation's finest, including Cleveland's Jonathon Sawyer. "He's only 30, but Jonathon Sawyer brings a stacked resume to the table," Zimmern writes, adding that the chef "played instrumental roles in the opening of Michael Symon's Lolita and Parea." Not to mention snagging Food & Wine's "Best New Chef" award. http://www.freshwatercleveland.com/inthenews/deltasky010611.aspx Zimmern Article; http://www.freshwatercleveland.com/inthenews/deltasky010611.aspx
January 6, 201114 yr I ate a Zdara last week with 2 buddies (I had a groupon from a while back). You could tell it was the holidays because we were the only 3 people in the restaurant. I started with the Hummous, which was good, and they served with warm pita. I got the chicken kabob, which was disappointing. For one thing, they only give you one kabob. For the other, they cooked the living sh!t out of it. One friend got the beet salad, which he thought was good, and the other had the falafel wrap, which he seemed to think was ok. Total bill was over $40 for the three, so it ain't cheap eats. I may try it again, when they're on their A game, but for the money, I'll take Nate's. $40 for 3 people isn't cheap? You're talking about a restaurant vs. a deli. My bill was $90 for 2 people last night at a steakhouse, without drinks.
January 6, 201114 yr ^It's not fast food cheap, but for a sit down restaurant for lunch that sounds just average.
January 6, 201114 yr ^It's not fast food cheap, but for a sit down restaurant for lunch that sounds just average. Was it lunch (I don't think he specified)? Because if it was dinner that would qualify as cheap IMO.
January 6, 201114 yr Yeesh. $40 for 3 people isn't cheap? You're talking about a restaurant vs. a deli. My bill was $90 for 2 people last night at a steakhouse, without drinks. Thanks for pointing that out to me. I've never actually eaten in a restaurant before, so it was good to get your perspective. It was lunch, and you're right, it didn't bust the bank, but it wasn't 'cheap' in the strictest definition of the word, either. That was my point. I wouldn't compare a steakhouse prices to this place either, that's as much of a difference in pricing as your 'restaurant vs a deli' comparison.
January 11, 201114 yr 'Howl at the Moon' closes to make way for aquarium http://www.wkyc.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=168895 I thought Howl at the Moon was moving over to the building where Shooters is, but the article doesn't mention anything about this. Apparently they are closing permanently. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
January 11, 201114 yr I went to Buckeye Beer Engine last night. Good times. Had two totally different kinds of beer, one with a vanilla undertone and one that was a tulip beer. I also had the fried mac and cheese which was delish!
January 11, 201114 yr Had dinner at XO Steakhouse last night with a group of 14. Strangely, given the number of years it has been around, I had never had dinner there (lunch a couple of times just for a burger, but not dinner). It was absolutely fantastic. To a person everybody raved about what they had. One of the best steaks I had in a long time (New York strip topped with blue cheese...you basically can create your own steak dinner with toppings, sauces etc). Service was great...it was of course a slow night being a Monday in January with the NCAA Championship game on (only 4 other tables during the 3 hours we were dinning) and I am curious whether service is as good when it is busy. While it is of course pricy, it is the new place I am going to recommend in town when somebody is looking for a steak house.
January 12, 201114 yr Buckeye Beer Engine is delicious, as is XO Steakhouse. We actually got engaged there :). They gave us free creme brulee and champagne!
January 12, 201114 yr I went with another couple years ago to XO, but it clearly didn't leave much of an impression as I haven't been back....I'll have to try it again. I ate at Light Bistro over the weekend, and was pretty happy with everything. Their homemade chips are fantastic! I ordered a bag to take home with me. They had a fried olive appetizer that was great too. I got a kobe burger with truffle oil on it...how can you go wrong with that?
January 14, 201114 yr I liked XO when I ate there a couple years back during restaurant week. Ate at Tremont Tap House this week. It was great, great beer and everything on their menu sounded great. With a party had about 5 apps, recommend the Mussels & Fries (it's all one dish), had the Trout and a Flank. Both very good. Also, lots of spreads about CLE dining this week via Fresh Water Cleveland: major sawyer spread in food & wine Being named a Food & Wine "Best New Chef" has its privileges, not the least of which is regular ink in the pages of the good-old glossy. That's precisely what Jonathon Sawyer got this week when the February issue of the monthly hit newsstands, revealing a healthy four-page spread of copy, art and recipes. http://www.freshwatercleveland.com/inthenews/febfoodwine011311.aspx amp 150 selected as 'best new place to eat' by midwest living In a feature titled, "Best New Midwest Places to Play, Eat and Stay," Midwest Living encourages its readers to plan their next vacation around the mag's most recent picks of the Midwest's best new attractions, restaurants and hotels. http://www.freshwatercleveland.com/inthenews/amp150011311.aspx cleve hotspots fair well in mag's 'best of ohio' list In its January article titled "Best of Ohio," Ohio magazine lists what it believes are the best places to go and things to do around the Buckeye state. Cleveland-based attractions faired well, snagging four spots on the list. http://www.freshwatercleveland.com/inthenews/ohiomagbestofohio011311.aspx
January 14, 201114 yr How 'bout this one?: Newest Cleveland Heights bar Club Sober offers full menu, no liquorPublished: Friday, January 14, 2011, 2:00 PM By Lindsay Betz, Sun News CLEVELAND HEIGHTS -- Don’t expect to be served a beer if you walk into a new bar on Lee Road. Club Sober Juice Bar & Grill, 2214 Lee, boasts the “best Philly cheese steaks in the state” and a wide array of burgers, sandwiches and breakfast options. But if you want an alcoholic beverage, you will have to go to a different establishment. “I wanted to do something different to help the community,” said owner Michael Waddy. “It’s a place for people to look at and say ‘hey, that’s not a bar, somebody’s doing something different.’” http://blog.cleveland.com/sunpress/2011/01/newest_cleveland_heights_bar_c.html
January 14, 201114 yr How 'bout this one?: Newest Cleveland Heights bar Club Sober offers full menu, no liquorPublished: Friday, January 14, 2011, 2:00 PM By Lindsay Betz, Sun News CLEVELAND HEIGHTS -- Dont expect to be served a beer if you walk into a new bar on Lee Road. Club Sober Juice Bar & Grill, 2214 Lee, boasts the best Philly cheese steaks in the state and a wide array of burgers, sandwiches and breakfast options. But if you want an alcoholic beverage, you will have to go to a different establishment. I wanted to do something different to help the community, said owner Michael Waddy. Its a place for people to look at and say hey, thats not a bar, somebodys doing something different. http://blog.cleveland.com/sunpress/2011/01/newest_cleveland_heights_bar_c.html "The menu is based on Waddy’s favorite foods, like hamburgers and fried chicken, but he said most customers come back for the breakfast, which is served all day. " Sounds like my kind of place. Can't wait to try it out.
January 14, 201114 yr the article said it was replacing an old diner's space, can't remember the name
January 14, 201114 yr I love new restaurant ideas that are so original, they cause me to respond: "Why didn't I think of that!" "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
January 14, 201114 yr I wonder why the word "sober" has to be in the name. Chucks diner did not serve alcohol either. And why on earth would you want to cater to the drunk crowd if you are sober? I am guessing they are hoping to do some preaching.
January 15, 201114 yr I wonder why the word "sober" has to be in the name. Marketing. It's an attention-getter. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
January 15, 201114 yr I wonder why the word "sober" has to be in the name. Marketing. It's an attention-getter. it is a buzz kill if you ask me.
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