^ homemade soup by the hospital? Pure genius!

Great idea!!!...freshly prepared food is so needed in many of the "nutritional wastelands" of our cities. Remember to clean and re-use plastic containers. A small thing that makes one hell of a difference collectively.

A great interview of Sergio Abramof

 

http://www.cleveland.com/mycleveland/index.ssf/2010/01/restaurateur_sergio_abramof_be.html

Just thought I would pass this along from OCNW's announcements...Not really a restaurant.... But sells home made foods....

 

 

Nice and Sweet

 

 

New Ohio City Business Announcement: "Nice and Sweet" announces their grand opening on Monday January 25th! This new, family friendly store is located at 1410 West 29th Street, between Detroit and Church Avenues. The store will feature homemade chocolates, pies (including homemade sweet potato pie) and other baked goods and desserts, along with nuts, flavored popcorn and more. Check out their holiday gift baskets, just in time for Valentine's Day. Call 216-515-1105 for store hours. Please stop by and give them a warm Ohio City welcome!

 

While on this cool little block, check out the Dean Rufus House of Fun (PH 348-1386), Burton's BBQ (PH 298-5075) and the Ohio City Cafe & Grille (back in their original location, PH 241-2233).

 

 

I am really excited the OC diner is open again. Looking forward to returning. The big egg is just a journey.

 

BBQ? I kind of saw this before and need to check it out.

^ It's interesting they don't mention the "other" establishments on that block.  West 29th is probably the only place in Cleveland (and Ohio for that matter) for your one stop shopping for everything from sweet potato pie to...leather.  :wink:

Yeah......    and that Dean Rufus house of fun is a real hoot! This group of businesses does a great job maintaining that block too.

Strongly recommend Zen Cafe, the new Chinese place in the Old Arcade food court.  I have never before said "wow" to food court food.  But wow.  Not at all fancy, just markedly better than any other Chinese fast food you can get.

From the Souper Market Website:

Currently, the next Souper Market is looking to be open on Euclid Ave near Public Square.

That's great news!  I wonder if they are competing with Zoup!, or if the reports of Zoup! coming were mistaken.

Zack Bruell's latest restaurant, Chinato, strives for good Italian food at reasonable prices

By John Petkovic, The Plain Dealer

January 20, 2010, 11:30AM

 

Zack Bruell likens the opening of a restaurant to being tired of what you have in the refrigerator.

 

Which might come as a surprise from Bruell, who owns three acclaimed restaurants in the area: Parallax, L'Albatros and Table 45.

 

Make that four -- starting Wednesday, Jan. 20, when Bruell opens Chinato on East Fourth Street in downtown Cleveland.

 

 

MORE AT http://www.cleveland.com/dining/index.ssf/2010/01/zach_bruells_latest_restaurant.html

 

has anyone been yet? I think this menu looks really good. I might dip in to the vacation fund to give this a whirl. mmm beef tongue!

 

Zack Bruell's latest restaurant, Chinato, strives for good Italian food at reasonable prices

By John Petkovic, The Plain Dealer

January 20, 2010, 11:30AM

 

Zack Bruell likens the opening of a restaurant to being tired of what you have in the refrigerator.

 

Which might come as a surprise from Bruell, who owns three acclaimed restaurants in the area: Parallax, L'Albatros and Table 45.

 

Make that four -- starting Wednesday, Jan. 20, when Bruell opens Chinato on East Fourth Street in downtown Cleveland.

 

 

MORE AT http://www.cleveland.com/dining/index.ssf/2010/01/zach_bruells_latest_restaurant.html

 

has anyone been yet? I think this menu looks really good. I might dip in to the vacation fund to give this a whirl. mmm beef tongue!

 

 

I went a couple days ago.  Everything was delicious, and the other people with me also loved their food.  Everything seemed to be running very smoothly for such a new restaurant.  The space itself is very well done. I definitely want to go back soon, so many things on the menu I wanted to try.

 

I also happened to notice Michael Ruhlman seated a couple tables away...

 

 

I'm waiting til they open for lunch to go, which should be some time next week I believe.

I should think about checking it out for lunch. Even though I work downtown I am so insanely busy during the day I never even think to go out for a decent meal. Seeing as the b line (something I take when I have biz in different parts of DT)  goes right by there I really have no excuse.

Looks like my uncles building will get some new life.  Hopefully the curse is over.

 

Has anybody been to the Fairmount Martini and wine bar?

 

From Scene: 

 

Bites: Clifton Martini and Wine Bar

by Douglas Trattner

 

It's been more than two years since the last tenant moved out of 10427 Clifton Blvd.

The famous (some say infamous) address has been home to Velocity American Bistro, Giovanna's, Mise, Jeso and Wilsher Grille.

 

Fortunately for the neighborhood, the new owner has a track record of success. Jeff Rumplik, one of Cleveland's premier bartenders, hopes to duplicate the good fortunes that he cultivated at Fairmount Martini & Wine Bar, a Cleveland Heights operation that he opened but no longer controls. When it opens in late February, Clifton Martini & Wine Bar will serve a full menu of contemporary American small plates, shared items and main courses. Prices will be much lower than those of previous tenants, says Rumplik. "I don't want people to feel pressured to order a $30 entrée," he says.

 

New also are the draft-beer system and temperature-controlled wine storage.

 

http://www.clevescene.com/cleveland/bites-clifton-martini-and-wine-bar/Content?oid=1826140

 

 

 

The Fairmount is a great place. Nothing but good things to say.

mise was my favorite establishment in that spot. hope this will be nice. the location is great IMO

Yes there had been some great places there, especially Jeso and Mise.

Im just glad he didnt go with the proposal to make it a sports bar. 

 

It is a great spot with a great patio, but apparently parking can be an issue (at least claimed by some of the past tenants (bs))

Bad news for folks who like vegan pizza.  I've heard from other folks in the local veg community that Mama Mia's on Madison Avenue in Lakewood will be closing next month. 

I saw a sign in the window last night for a "Mexican Grille" opening in the space next to Subway on Euclid Ave and 18th street across from the CSU Law Building.

 

My girlfriend and I took a trip to Hot Sauce Williams at 78th and Carnegie for my first visit Saturday night. I had the rib and chicken meal and she had the chicken wing meal. Unfortunately they were out of greens so i had to settle for french fry's and mac & cheese for my sides, but everything was amazing.   

I've been to Greenhouse Tavern twice now, once for lunch and once for dinner.  I want to really like it, but I find the seasoning on things to be way too heavy handed for me. For example, the frites and wings are so salty and garlicky, they disturb the skin inside my mouth if I eat too many.  Has anyone else been?  What are your thoughts? 

^ I like them that way.  They could ease up on the salt a little, but certainly not the garlic.

I wonder if it's a male/female thing.  Mr. RNR liked them too, but when I took a girlfriend for lunch, we both found ourselves scraping the salt off the frites with our fingers before eating them.

^ My cousin and I thought the wings were amazing.  I don't recall how the frites were. 

I wonder if it's a male/female thing. Mr. RNR liked them too, but when I took a girlfriend for lunch, we both found ourselves scraping the salt off the frites with our fingers before eating them.

 

I've only been there once, but my wife and I enjoyed it very much.  She really liked the frites, so its probably just individual preference. 

thx.  I wonder if cooking so much at home has soured me on the heavy salt of restaurant food.  :(

thx. I wonder if cooking so much at home has soured me on the heavy salt of restaurant food. :(

 

The coq au vin was very good.

 

I agree about salty things, though.  I am used to good home cooking with very little salt, and overuse of salt is one thing that bugs me in many restaurant dishes.  Not only is it bad for you, I think it detracts from the other flavors often times.

I had the coq au vin for dinner, I thought it was very good, and very subtly seasoned.

I had the coq au vin for dinner, I thought it was very good, and very subtly seasoned.

 

That's what I had when I went there 2 months ago.

I want to give a plug to Clyde's, the latest restaurant to open in the diners on Lee Rd across from Zagara's in Cleveland Hts.  I have been there 4 times since they opened in December, as I live a few blocks away, and all 4 meals have been delicious.  The menu is very eclectic and they did a great job with the renovation.  Service can be an issue, but is slowly improving as far as I can tell.

Salt is not seasoning, it's salt.  Two different issues.

I know the difference.  I don't just think the fries are too salty, I think they are over SEASONED.  Too much rosemary, too much garlic.  I thought the coq au vin was subtly seasoned. 

I've been there 3 times now and every time I order the fries and love em, there is a lot of seasoning but I like it that way

I just think Greenhouse Tavern is a little too eclectic for my taste, but I think it adds that uniqueness to the dining experience downtown so I am glad it is there.  I liked the rosemary touch on the fries and the burger was not bad.  The rest of the stuff I tried I did not care for.  I really did not like that soda and green tea mixture they serve there.

I'm glad to see the eclectic additions; Lola's popularity has been pretty gratifying for a "meat and potatoes" town that's lousy with sports bars serving nachos and potato skins (not that there's anything wrong with nachos and potato skins), and I think GHT is following that.  Chinato's opening adds another level of foodie to 4th street and I for one am glad to see it. I think that with flannery's, pickwick, HOB and corner alley there are enough "conventional" places to eat and enjoy the mix.

I had a friend in town from Boston a few weeks ago, and we went one night. We were unable to get a table, due to lack of reservations, but we sat at the bar and had a few of their smaller plates. Everything was delicious - we had the wings (extremely flavorful and seasoned), the stuffed dates (chocolate sweet, salty and spicy), the house made cheese (spreadable, rich and creamy) and the lamb ravioli (these were good but not remarkable). I look forward to going back for an entire meal this summer and hopefully dining on the roof deck. The spices and seasoning there do seem intense at times, but I almost feel that is the premise of the restaurant - combining different tastes that you wouldn't necessarily think of putting together but turn out wonderful.

I like the food and physical atmosphere at greenhouse, although I admit I have not been a while. The service was a bit of a turn off the 3 or so times we have been. I know douchey is not really word, but you get my point. I love that they have beef tartar though, and I like the ghost peppers for the wings so I will probably be back at some point.

I am officially DONE with the House of Blues.  Today marks the FOURTH time I have tried to take people there for lunch or meet someone there for lunch and they are closed.  I wrote them a letter after this happened a couple of times, and never got any response so I can see how concerned they are...NOT.  I won't be bothering with another letter. 

 

If you cannot be open consistently when you are supposed to be open, people will stop coming.  This includes me and everyone I have tried to take there, and everyone they know, as they were each/all disgusted at slogging through the snow only to get there and find them closed. 

going tonightttttttttt

I am officially DONE with the House of Blues.  Today marks the FOURTH time I have tried to take people there for lunch or meet someone there for lunch and they are closed.  I wrote them a letter after this happened a couple of times, and never got any response so I can see how concerned they are...NOT.  I won't be bothering with another letter. 

 

If you cannot be open consistently when you are supposed to be open, people will stop coming.  This includes me and everyone I have tried to take there, and everyone they know, as they were each/all disgusted at slogging through the snow only to get there and find them closed. 

 

I've had this happen with multiple downtown restaurants.  It's even worse near CSU.  Never seen anything like it.  Detroit looks so much more abandoned in terms of buildings... but the restaurants there are somehohw able to keep normal hours.  This is something we just plain need to fix.  We are falling short of clear and obvious national standards.  People in America work more than 3 hours a day.  Restaurants in America are open for meals, at least two of them, and stores in America are open well into the evening.

 

And don't give me this "chicken and egg" stuff again.  You can't expect some "vibrant" urban neighborhood to spring up amongst basic services that are only open 3 hours a day.  If you can only afford to have the doors open 3 hours a day, don't blame the neighborhood for your lack of customer base. 

 

"This place needs ten thousand more people!"  No it doesn't, you need to work all day and do it consistently.  Business may be slow for a while, but people need to have faith that you will be there when they need you... only then do they become regulars.  You obviously didn't have enough capital to open a business in the first place, if you can't justify keeping it open during normal hours.  This is a FAIL, and seeing them everywhere discolors the impressions that suburbanites and out of towners take away when they visit downtown. 

I am officially DONE with the House of Blues.  Today marks the FOURTH time I have tried to take people there for lunch or meet someone there for lunch and they are closed.  I wrote them a letter after this happened a couple of times, and never got any response so I can see how concerned they are...NOT.  I won't be bothering with another letter. 

 

If you cannot be open consistently when you are supposed to be open, people will stop coming.  This includes me and everyone I have tried to take there, and everyone they know, as they were each/all disgusted at slogging through the snow only to get there and find them closed. 

 

I wonder what the deal is.

 

So did you go to Greenhouse for some wings and frites instead?  :-D

LOL.  I was really hoping the people I was with wouldn't suggest GHT and they didn't. They suggested Pickwick.  WHICH WAS ALSO CLOSED.  So we went to Flannery's, where I had a terrible meal of bad fish and frozen french fries, but nice company, and at least got outside for a few minutes.

 

Unless the Grinch in my department makes us cancel at the last minute, I should be able to make up for it this Friday, when I get to pick the location for my birthday lunch.  I picked Chinato.

Even more depressing - the person I was with doesn't get out much for lunch, and as we were walking she observed that a) Cadillac Ranch is now closed for lunch and b) asked "what is Sometimes in the Silence?" and I had to tell her all about the sad story of a failed theater company.  It was a rather depressing lunch, now that I think about it.

If a restaurant has certain hours posted (both on its door, website and other advertising) and it is not actually open during those times, that is a serious business faux pas and should not be tolerated. 

 

That said, it is clear from a number of the comments above that most people don't have a clue what goes into running a restaurant (although I can promise you that most people think they do and have no problem expressing their ill informed opinions...people in the industry just shake their heads or get a good chuckle).

^ yes but at lease Pickwick doesnt make a habit of speaking falsely.  From their Website:

 

Winter Seasonal Hours of Operation:

Tuesday-Sunday 4pm-Close

 

Spring Seasonal Hours of Operation:

Monday-Friday 11:30 am-Close

Saturday-Sunday 4 pm-Close

 

http://www.pickwickandfrolic.com/aboutus.html

 

Not very descriptive, but I think we can all agree that it is still winter.

We all know how much cooks and waiters are paid.  It's hard to believe any restaurant can justify being closed for entire meals.  There's not that much marginal cost involved in being open (you pay on rent and fixtures regardless), but you permanently lose business by putting people through experiences like R&R's today.  Refusing to be open during normal hours is destructive to downtown, destructive to the city, and wasteful of the time and resources so many have poured into revitalization efforts.

 

Sorry.  Sore spot.

I wasn't really angry with Pickwick as I didn't check their hours.  But HOB:

Hours of Operation

Tuesday – Friday: 11:30 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.

 

And to Htsguy, I have plenty of knowledge of what goes in to running a restaurant. I worked in the industry for about 10 years.

It is not wise to make dismissive assumptions about other people's backgrounds.  I was in the restaurant business for almost as long as R&R was... all types of restaurants in all types of settings... and I've never ever heard of a place being open 3 hours a day.  Never.  Never heard of any such thing till I got to Cleveland.

 

And this is why we can't fix anything around here.  As soon as a problem is identified, this massive status-quo electromagnet kicks on to assure you the problem is all in your dumb little head.  Even though restaurants really do work normal hours everywhere else-- it doesn't matter.  All that matters is that we WILL NOT change anything around here.  Correction-- any change must recieve 35 stamps of approval from the very people and groups that have already run the city into the ground. 

 

I don't care.  Restaurants need to be open for meals, because that's what people do when they live in a society.  There is no counterpoint.  Some of this stuff isn't half as complicated as it's made out to be.

We all know how much cooks and waiters are paid. It's hard to believe any restaurant can justify being closed for entire meals. There's not that much marginal cost involved in being open (you pay on rent and fixtures regardless), but you permanently lose business by putting people through experiences like R&R's today. Refusing to be open during normal hours is destructive to downtown, destructive to the city, and wasteful of the time and resources so many have poured into revitalization efforts.

 

Sorry. Sore spot.

 

Lunch can be a tricky one for certian places to operate for.  I have worked in the industry on both sides of the house and while the actual employees may not cost an establishment much, the food will.  And one slow day means that all the food that has been preped for lunch cannot be used in dinner service.  Again depending on the restaurant that can lead to a significant loss.  And if over the course of a few months lunches are not profitable then there is no reason for them to be open.

 

That I think is a reflection more on the job market in its current state that some of these places cannot remain open for lunch.

That's FINE if they have made a financial decision not to be open for lunch, such as Pickwick did, knowing winters are slower.  But if you state you will be open, on your doors and on your website, and then keep closing randomly, that is just f*cked.