May 12, 200916 yr I went on Friday night. I didn't check out the wines. I fell in love with the physical space. The place is absolutely stunning. Every table, chair, mural, etc etc is unique and beautiful. I love the stadium-style outdoor seating. I will definitely be back. Oh and I enjoyed my dinner as well.
May 12, 200916 yr It might just be my personal tastes (although spouse agreed) . I like Italian (mostly the whites) , French (the reds, oh the reds), and Spanish (nearly all of em). I get headaches from new world wines, except organics which often don't taste good. Somehow BC, Lolita, and the fig seem to always have good Italian, french or spanish wines, either red or white or both. The white at GHT was sooo sweet and fruity it tasted like a wine cooler. gack. The red...well just was not good. I am not wine conoussuer, and like many cheaper wines....but within reason I guess. I fully expect they will have better choices down the road
May 12, 200916 yr thx peabody. I think from what you're saying they just have some kind of house wine and you just ordered by the glass?....I finally went to their site and looked myself. Looks like they have a "house" white and red and that's what you got. The white is a grenache which is a usually spanish or french wine blend but depending on the blend, could definitely be more fruity than you would have liked. You would probably have done better ordering the Sauvignon Blanc. The house red is a syrah. Syrahs are very popular and generally very tasty, you might have had a syrah labeled "shiraz" at some point, do you like shiraz? It's a blend of French grapes. So perhaps the geography isn't so much what should guide your wine choices but instead ask the server if a wine is on the sweeter side or more on the dry side or what have you? They seem to have an ok selection of wines by the glass to me, it sounds like you just didn't like the house wines.
May 12, 200916 yr thx peabody. I think from what you're saying they just have some kind of house wine and you just ordered by the glass?....I finally went to their site and looked myself. Looks like they have a "house" white and red and that's what you got. The white is a grenache which is a usually spanish or french wine blend but depending on the blend, could definitely be more fruity than you would have liked. You would probably have done better ordering the Sauvignon Blanc. The house red is a syrah. Syrahs are very popular and generally very tasty, you might have had a syrah labeled "shiraz" at some point, do you like shiraz? It's a blend of French grapes. So perhaps the geography isn't so much what should guide your wine choices but instead ask the server if a wine is on the sweeter side or more on the dry side or what have you? They seem to have an ok selection of wines by the glass to me, it sounds like you just didn't like the house wines. I like Grenache and Shiraz, but what do I know about wine? Not that much! LOL
May 12, 200916 yr A good explanation of syrah and shiraz. Shiraz is most commonly used in reference to Australian or South African syrahs. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syrah I was best friends with the sommolier (sp) when I worked at Jean Georges in NYC, so I know more than I ever wanted to about wine. It was fun tasting though!
May 12, 200916 yr I think the red was a Shiraz, I can't recall what the white was. they were house wines on happy hour. I know some people may think I got what I deserved, but as I mentioned I have loved Lolita, BC house wines. Sometimes the flying figs are not the greatest, but usually pretty reliable (I pass if they are S. African, New Zealand or Aussie). Taste wise here is what I tend to like: Bordeaux (thats a blend I think) Chianti Pinot Noir Pinot Grigio random french, Spanish or Italian "table wines". (so clearly I am not some kind of snob) I almost always hate Chardonnay, German wine, zin, and anything oakey. My regional preference is mostly just the headache factor. So now I am maybe conditioned to like the types that do not give me headaches.
May 12, 200916 yr Are there more or less sulfites in domestic wines? Sulfites and Wine What Are Sulfites? Sulfites are a naturally occurring compound that nature uses to prevent microbial growth. They are found on grapes, onions, garlic, and on many other growing plants. No wine can ever be "sulfite free", since they come in with the grapes. The easy way to see if sulfites are a problem are for you is to eat a food high in natural sulfites - say, dried apricots. On average, 2oz of dried apricots have 10 times the sulfites as a glass of wine does. If you eat those apricots and have a reaction, now you know it's time to talk with a doctor. Why Add Sulfites to Wine? Winemakers have been adding additional sulfites to wines for millenia. The Greeks and Romans used sulfur candles to sterilize their wine barrels and amphorae. Sulfur protects damage to the wine by oxygen, and again helps prevent organisms from growing in the wine. This allows the wine to "last longer" too, which lets it age and develop all of those complex flavors we all love and enjoy so much. If you didn't add sulfites, the wine would turn into vinegar in a matter of months. What's the Problem with Sulfites? Sulfite allergies are a problem for some wine drinkers, just like some people are very allergic to peanuts. Humans can be allergic to just about anything. For people who have a sulfite sensitivity, the sulfites can lead to serious headaches. White wines have more sulfites than red wines, so this can be a way to determine if sulfites might be the problem. Sulfites, used improperly, can also give a rotten-egg smell to a wine. There is no consensus on any other problems caused by sulfites. What's Different about a Wine Without Added Sulfites? A wine without added sulfites might be drinkable by those with only a mild allergy to sulfites. These people might be OK with the "natural sulfites" but have a reaction when they have a wine with "added in sulfites". Remember that a wine without added sulfites cannot last long, however. Usually 18 months is the longest a sulfite-free wine would survive. This includes the time the wine spent at the winery, at the wine shop as well as in your basement! So while no-sulfites-added is fine for "drink young" wines like Chardonnay, it would not be good for a "drink in a year" wine like a Cabernet Sauvignon. How does a Winery Create Wine Without Adding Sulfites? Again, this is only for wines that will be drunk very quickly. The winery has to make sure to warn people to drink it soon, so they do not get vinegar when they open the bottle. The second issue is that sulfites help to keep wild organisms in the winery from harming the wine. So if a winery isn't going to use sulfites, they have to make sure their winery is *super* clean and sterile. So the trick is for the winery to prevent contamination from occurring, without using additional sulfites to do this. Some use a layer of carbon dioxide on the wine to kill off oxygen-dependant microbes. Nitrogen gas is used during bottling, for the same reason. Also, sterile filtration is an important step. All equipment involved - tanks, barrels, pipes, must be kept perfectly clean at all times. This is a lengthy and meticulous process for a winery to follow. The bottle of wine then needs to be stored chilled and on its side. How Free is Sulfite Free? The ATF, the governing body for wineries in the US, allows wineries to call a wine sulfite free when the levels of sulfites are under 10 parts per million (ppm). This is much lower than many sulfite-rich foods like dried apricots. If you feel you have a sensitivity to wine, and you have ruled out sulfites, it might be good for you to read up on - Cogeners and wine - Cheap Wine Headaches European Wines Cause Fewer Headaches? Histamines and wine Tannins and wine Sulfates vs Sulfites
May 13, 200916 yr A good explanation of syrah and shiraz. Shiraz is most commonly used in reference to Australian or South African syrahs. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syrah I was best friends with the sommolier (sp) when I worked at Jean Georges in NYC, so I know more than I ever wanted to about wine. It was fun tasting though! You worked at Jean Georges?! *bows* *scrapes*
May 13, 200916 yr A good explanation of syrah and shiraz. Shiraz is most commonly used in reference to Australian or South African syrahs. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syrah I was best friends with the sommolier (sp) when I worked at Jean Georges in NYC, so I know more than I ever wanted to about wine. It was fun tasting though! You worked at JG?! I love that place but I prefer Nougatine!
May 13, 200916 yr So the other day I took a thread off topic.... "a" thread? he he he he he he :evil:
May 13, 200916 yr Yeah I worked at JG from 2001-late 2004. Now I'm trying to figure out how to get my lawsuit money! (I actually wasn't a part of this lawsuit) http://www.caterersearch.com/Articles/2008/09/18/323504/michelin-chef-vongerichten-settles-1.75m-lawsuit-over-unpaid-tips.html
May 13, 200916 yr I think the trifecta sports lounge in the former Machu Pichu space, may have closed before it even opened :wtf: the awnings with the trifecta name and logo are gone.
May 19, 200916 yr If any of you are at Cleats Downtown before/after the Cavs game ... they have a new shot from the new owner Eddie Occhionero for the playoffs. It's called the "Lebron Bomb." You start off with a shot of Crown Royal and I believe red bull in the other larger glass...in the mean time, you have an opened packet of sugar quietly sitting in one hand. You drop the Crown (King James...get it) into the other glass, take the shot, and finally throw the white sugar in the air LBJ style. Pretty creative marketing idea if you ask me. I know its not hard to make/do by any means, but it is sure fun as hell to watch!
May 19, 200916 yr A friend of mine invented the "LeBomb James" 5 years ago with Crown, grenadine (wine color), Goldshlager, and Sprite. He also invented, the J Remy Sowers, and Ultimate Fasano (after journeyman catcher Sal Fasano).
May 19, 200916 yr The LeBomb James sounds good. The Lebron Bomb, not as much. I'm not big on the Red Bull and_______ drinks. I'm sure the servers love the flying sugar.
May 19, 200916 yr A friend of mine invented the "LeBomb James" 5 years ago with Crown, grenadine (wine color), Goldshlager, and Sprite. He also invented, the J Remy Sowers, and Ultimate Fasano (after journeyman catcher Sal Fasano). Brown liquor! Lawd! Ya drunk!
May 19, 200916 yr The LeBomb James sounds good. The Lebron Bomb, not as much. I'm not big on the Red Bull and_______ drinks. I'm sure the servers love the flying sugar. I agree. maybe it was more than redbull...I was a little tipsy. Obviously the joy is tossing the sugar doing your best LBJ impersonation. So we'd need to modify your friend's if it was from 5 years ago to include the throw! Yeah, the servers weren't too happy...but a few joined in at the end since they new they had to clean it up anyway.
May 19, 200916 yr I went with some friends to Sergio's Sarava (a Brazilian restaurant) in Shaker Square on Saturday night for dinner. The service was absolutely terrible (over 2 hour from when we entered to when the entrees arrived) but the food and ambiance were great! Also, Wayne Henry (is that his name? African-American Channel 8 anchor, grey hair, mustache) sat right by us, so that was kinda neat. The prices were also pretty reasonable, but man oh man was the service terrible, especialy since it wasn't all that crowded.
May 19, 200916 yr I went with some friends to Sergio's Sarava (a Brazilian restaurant) in Shaker Square on Saturday night for dinner. The service was absolutely terrible (over 2 hour from when we entered to when the entrees arrived) but the food and ambiance were great! Also, Wayne Henry (is that his name? African-American Channel 8 anchor, grey hair, mustache) sat right by us, so that was kinda neat. The prices were also pretty reasonable, but man oh man was the service terrible, especialy since it wasn't all that crowded. So that was you down there making all that noise??!!
May 19, 200916 yr Could've been my buddy. He was openly a little pissy about the service since he's a diabetic and was getting really lightheaded during our wait.
May 19, 200916 yr Could've been my buddy. He was openly a little pissy about the service since he's a diabetic and was getting really lightheaded during our wait. Well tell him to keep down in the future, I need my beauty rest.
May 19, 200916 yr Could've been my buddy. He was openly a little pissy about the service since he's a diabetic and was getting really lightheaded during our wait. Well tell him to keep down in the future, I need my beauty rest. Are you actually in Cleveland???
May 19, 200916 yr Could've been my buddy. He was openly a little pissy about the service since he's a diabetic and was getting really lightheaded during our wait. Well tell him to keep down in the future, I need my beauty rest. Are you actually in Cleveland??? Not now. I'm like BatGirl, I gracefully slide into the city and slip out while nobody's watching.
May 23, 200916 yr ^ such a shame that one closed. peruvian food is sooo good. that wasn't the best place for it tho, hopefully they reopen somewhere else.
May 23, 200916 yr ^ I agree about Peruvian. I think there are some vacant restaurant spaces ready to roll on west 25th near the market. There is a chance it could do well around there. I have not a heard a word about it relocating though. I wish they had never picked that spot. It is hard to recover once you have suffered like that.
May 26, 200916 yr I stopped by the Phoenix coffee shop on W.9th today and noticed their new hours. On Fridays and Saturdays, they'll be open till 3am. Great to see some non-alcoholic options that are open so late downtown.
May 27, 200916 yr FYI for you and any of your friends, a vegetarian friend of mine only recently discovered (after several visits and dealing with a regular server who knew she was a vegetarian) that the fries at Bar Cento are fried in duck fat. She was pretty pissed. Just something to pass on. We have a monthly networking event at McNulty's Bier-Markt (sister to Bar Cento), and I, too, was rather distraught to find out what made those frites taste so good. As for discoveries -- Tastebuds on East 30th just south of St. Clair ROCKS! Unfortunately, they're only open for lunch.
May 27, 200916 yr Now that summer's here, I'm looking forward to kicking back on the Barking Spider patio in U.Circle for a couple Spaten brews and great local music. Maybe a venue for a UO happy hour? http://www.barkingspidertavern.com/ One of my faves: http://www.thomasvisionsinc.com/prayerwarriors/music.php Lounge music: http://www.tunamusic.us/
May 28, 200916 yr As for discoveries -- Tastebuds on East 30th just south of St. Clair ROCKS! Unfortunately, they're only open for lunch. I love Tastebuds, I often walk there from work for lunch when the weather is nice
May 28, 200916 yr Hi Everybody, just a couple updates. There is a sign up for a new restaurant in the old NIKOS on Detroit Road in Lakewood called the Rte. 6 cafe...a tribute to Detroit Avenue (at least thats what rt. 6 is in lakewood). Also, for you suburbans...a paninis is scheduled in Westlake on the corner of Clague and Detroit...in that middle of nowehere building.
May 29, 200916 yr ^Its in the former M Bistro building. It will be interesting to see how they turn that place into a Panini's...the patio should be great though.
May 29, 200916 yr aaaaand......more good news from Lakewood. Blackbird baking company is going in the west end neighborhood. Its right on the Lakewood side of the bridge. What has always been a neat neighborhood in terms of bars has emerged in the last couple years with a fine dining "three birds", a pizza place deweys, vespa shop, and now a sit outside bakery. This bodes well for me as i sit in my living room every night with a sweet tooth wondering how i could possibly satisfy it. www.blackbirdbaking.com Could be trouble for the breadsmith just about a mile east on Detroit. maybe not though.
May 30, 200916 yr GREAT newer place in Shaker Square. Same ownership as Gusto in Little Italy BTW. The critique knocks the Gnocchi with Lobster. Had it a few times with no complaints....in fact, I thought it was pretty damn good. Grotto Wine Bar in Shaker Square like a flashback to better times by Bob Migra/Special to The Plain Dealer Friday May 29, 2009, 1:51 PM Deja vu arrived with the first glasses of wine and tasty small plates at Grotto Wine Bar on Shaker Square. It wasn't my usual flashback to a carefree childhood or young-adult memory from the '60s or '70s. It was as if the haze were burning off the forgotten promise of a more recent period. I was back in the mid-1990s, when the economy was booming and we thought computer technologies and the Internet would lead to more prosperity and leisure time. (Yeah, right ...) More at http://www.cleveland.com/taste/index.ssf/2009/05/grotto_wine_bar_in_shaker_squa.html
May 30, 200916 yr ^Its in the former M Bistro building. It will be interesting to see how they turn that place into a Panini's...the patio should be great though. Holy moly, from M Bistro to Paninis? Sorry but IMO that's a waste of that real estate space.
May 30, 200916 yr grotto sounds great and what a perfect type of place to have on the square. is there some outdoor seating too? btw i'd ask about the kobe beef first before i shelled out the big money for it. if it's not from japan its not kobe beef (the pampering process over there is what makes kobe beef so special). more than likely it's "american wagyu steer" beef, much of which is raised in texas just like any other cattle.
May 30, 200916 yr ^Its in the former M Bistro building. It will be interesting to see how they turn that place into a Panini's...the patio should be great though. Holy moly, from M Bistro to Paninis? Sorry but IMO that's a waste of that real estate space. More of a comment on the economy - much easier to fill a 200 seat space with beer drinkers eating $6 sandwiches than with fine diners forking over for $25 entrees and pricey wines... and lots of dining dollars maybe have shifted to the chains at Crocker Park. I definitely miss M Bistro's Sunday brunches, but the place was emptier over the past 1-2 years, except for the divorcee patio.
June 1, 200916 yr Just noticed a for lease sign in the space where Vivo was, im not sure how long it has been there but i was under the impression that they were temporarily closing back when the Euclid Corridor was finishing up construction and then were going to reopen once construction ended. Also, there were signs in the window at the other side of of the Arcade on Euclid Avenue for a new shop serving sandwiches, soups, and salads but i cant remember the name. 2 people were painting inside but didnt say when they hoped to open.
June 2, 200916 yr Vivo has had the signs up for two weeks, maybe three. Definetly an interesting space.
June 2, 200916 yr several notable restauranteurs have taken a look at that space. Don't know if anyone is close to doing anything yet.
June 3, 200916 yr This place isn't that new, but I'd like to give a shout out to the Asian Grille on Clifton in the Truffles building. We went there Monday after once again trying to get into Melt (thinking, well it's 9:00 pm on a Monday night, maybe we'll actually be able to get in...nope, still 45 minute wait...no thanks). We've eaten at the Asian Grille several times and the food is always good, plus the atmosphere is nicer for a sit-down meal than a typical chinese take out place, although they do take out too. It seems to be mostly Thai food. I ventured away from my usual Pad Thai and tried the Massaman curry with pork which was excellent. The BF had some kind of really hot red curry with seafood and also liked it a lot. Anyway, I wanted to plug it because no one ever seems to be in there. They have a nice little patio too. And you can walk to Big Fun!
June 3, 200916 yr via Detroit Shoreway i-Neighbors list serve, the Big Egg will be open 24 hours Friday PM - Sunday AM
June 3, 200916 yr I've called 3 times in the last month, I was told wait time would be 45 min twice and 90 min once. The 90 min was on a Friday night though
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