LOL!!!!

Is Sixth Street Pizzeria still open?

 

Chris Hodgeson posted on Facebook today that his restaurant is opening at the end of February.  He hasnt gone public on facebook as to where it will be....does anyone know??

I think he has been purposely cagey about it. Originally I think he was looking at somewhere in OC but then that didn't work out. Just not sure.

Speaking of Ohio City, stopped by Market Garden Brewery - beers were great (amber ale, pale ale and stout), service was really good (aka attentive but not intrusive), and food was decent - portions might be too big but ah well, leftovers for lunch. It was nice to see West 25th busy and hopping on a Tuesday night :-)

 

I did notice a livelier vibe tonight too. 60 degree weather and the fact that Christmas Ale was available only tonight (and only at the OC brewpub -- until it goes on sale Monday) helped draw the extra crowds.

 

 

 

...Over to the east side, a loss for the Larchmere District:

 

Haviland of Lucky's Fame to Shutter East Side Vine & Bean

Posted by Douglas Trattner on Mon, Oct 24, 2011 at 11:01 AM

 

http://www.clevescene.com/scene-and-heard/archives/2011/10/24/haviland-of-luckys-fame-to-shutter-east-side-vine-and-bean

 

Man, that's a big loss for Larchmere.  Too bad.  We need to find a way to turn Larchmere into Tremont East.  They have the best patio in Cleveland over there - Felice Urban Cafe.

Regarding Vine and Bean:

 

Never understood why they didn't call it "Lucky's Cafe East" - given that Lucky's has received all that national exposure... Might have helped... Never was more than half busy on the dozen or so Sunday visits I made - so unclear how they stayed in biz that long, despite the comments in Scene's article about popular weekend spot... Food was always tasty - though house in which located was just too worn around the edges, I thought.. - and "aging home" scent of the play was a bit offputting, I thought...

 

With that said, Lucky's Cafe Facebook page says (something Scene does not) that they are regrouping and hopefully opening similar place again in a better location... Cedar-Lee? Cedar-Fairmount? Cedar-Taylor? Coventry?

 

 

 

 

I didn't like how they could only reheat food at Vine and Bean.  They prepared the food at Lucky's.  The prices were too high for food that wasn't fresh out of the oven.

 

I also think vine & bean was before Lucky's. They would have had to change the name after Lucky's got popular, which could have been confusing to those who knew it as vine & bean - new name usually implies new owners or what have you. I never made it over there, but quit going to Lucky's because it got too popular and the waits are too long (similar to Melt).

Vine and Bean came after Lucky's.  The spot was previously Cafe Limbo (which I really liked).

I also think vine & bean was before Lucky's. They would have had to change the name after Lucky's got popular, which could have been confusing to those who knew it as vine & bean - new name usually implies new owners or what have you. I never made it over there, but quit going to Lucky's because it got too popular and the waits are too long (similar to Melt).

 

This is true that the waits can be long (I think we were lucky that it was only about 45min), but if you plan accordingly you can make the best of it.  I took a couple friends from Cincy there and knowing that the wait would be a while we simply walked up Professor for bit, basically just shooting the sh!t as nothing was really open, but we were able to stop in Banyan Tree.  By the time we got back to Lucky's it was maybe only 15 min until we were sat. 

We just get takeout when we go. We got takeout reuben's from there this summer and ate them in the park in Tremont, alongside a crazy homeless woman, a guy using the kid's playground equipment to work out on. Ah, the Tremont experience. Always interesting.

 

Honestly, the reuben from Slyman's is about 1000 times better and not that much less. I think a lot of the food there is overrated. I am all for supporting locals, especially people cooking from scratch and their own ingredients more than sysco's, but if you're going to charge as much as they do, the food should blow you away.

Is Sixth Street Pizzeria still open?

 

no.

Is Sixth Street Pizzeria still open?

 

no.

 

thank you

 

"We need to find a way to turn Larchmere into Tremont East."

 

I like that idea. If there is a place on the east side that is like Tremont, it would have to be Larchmere.

 

 

Btw smith the signage on Soho looks great.

 

"We need to find a way to turn Larchmere into Tremont East."

 

I like that idea. If there is a place on the east side that is like Tremont, it would have to be Larchmere.

 

 

Btw smith the signage on Soho looks great.

 

Yeah, I've only seen a text message pic of the signage - they should have lights on it any day now and once it is illuminated, I plan to go snap a few pics of it at night.  As to the interior, they had some unfortunate delays with the city, but I hear they are really on track now and things are really coming along.

Two questions: what's the best Asian/Chinese food restaurant in Cleveland/Inner-ring suburbs?

 

How would you all rate Pearl of the Orient in Shaker Heights?

1. Ty Fun (Tremont)

2. Li Wah (Asiantown)

3. Ginza (Carnegie)

4. Minh Anh (54th&Detroit)

5. Saigon Grill (31st and Superior)

6. Phnom Penh (Ohio City)

7. Khiem's Vietnamese (Lakewood)

I like Pearl of the Orient...and definitely second Phnom Penh in OC.

 

Stpats...im taking someone to Superior Pho for their bday on Saturday...i heard its some of the best around but have not tried it....no love on your list?

No, I like it B.D. but I was trying to give a wide array of places from the different neighborhoods ranked in my order of preference. Superior Pho would probably be #8 or #9 on my list. #1 Pho being 8th or 9th.

 

You certainly won't go wrong with Superior Pho.

Pacific East (Japanese) and Sun Luck Garden should be on that list as well.  I like the food at Pearl of the Orient, but the atmosphere isn't great and it always seems empty (I think that most of their business must be takeout).

Hmm, Thai isn't Chinese isn't Vietnamese isn't Korean ;-)

 

stpats' list is pretty accurate though I'd add these:

 

Bac (Tremont) - Vietnamese and Asian/fusion with a twist

 

Siam Cafe (Asiatown) - Thai and other Asian dishes, more traditional prep

I think Pearl of the Orient is awful, sorry. The only thing I've had worse than that is Hunan on Coventry.

 

I hear great things about Sun Luck Garden but I don't think that's considered inner ring?

 

"Asian" is pretty broad. I really like Seoul Hot Pot for Korean, Minh Anh for Thai.

 

I have never had good food at Siam Cafe, but that may be because when I want Chinese, I want the Americanized stuff, and I think there's is pretty poor. From what I've seen of others' dishes, they do a much better job with things that are more authentic.

Wonton Gourmet and Li Wah for Chinese.  Ty Fun and Banana Blossom for Thai.  Bac, Minh Anh, Phnom Penh, Superior Pho, and #1 Pho for Cambodian/ Vietnamese.  I know that's a lot of Vietnamese, but I need Bac for happy hour and curries, Superior Pho for Banh Mi, Phnom Penh for pan fried noodles, #1 for the pho, and Minh Anh for the awesomely greasy egg/spring rolls.  I went to Pearl of the Orient in Rocky River once and it was gross.

I want to add Jackie Chen Dragon Tower Restaurant in Kamms Corners

My favorite in terms of Take-out "Chinese" food

My experience with Pearl was that the appetizers were pretty good, but the entree dishes were kind of meh.

 

Maybe I've got dead taste buds, but I like Hunan on Coventry. Of course, I haven't been there in about 3 years, so maybe it's changed? It definitely is Americanized chinese. I like Americanized chinese!

 

I can't get to the more authentic places because my wife can't eat any of that stuff, so that means I can't either....  :x. I ate at Li Wah once for their Dim Sum sunday brunch a few years ago. Worst dim sum I've ever had. Maybe I was biased because I had just come back from Toronto and there was a fantastic dim sum restaurant up there, but I've never been back to Li Wah. Aren't they owned by the same people that run Ho Wah? Ho Wah gives me migraines. Good egg rolls...bad Migraines.

I think the "wah" places are the same family, there's one on the W side too.

It definitely is Americanized chinese. I like Americanized chinese!

 

So you'll capitalize Americanized, but not Chinese?!?!?!?!??!

 

BIGOT! :)

I hear great things about Sun Luck Garden but I don't think that's considered inner ring?

 

Sun Luck Garden is on Taylor Rd. in Cleveland Heights, so it's definitely inner ring.

I think Pearl of the Orient is awful, sorry. The only thing I've had worse than that is Hunan on Coventry.

 

I've heard Pearl of the Orient in Shaker Heights is far different than Pearl of the Orient in Rocky River (if that's the one you've been to).  Anyway, I find their food good (for take-out Chinese) but definitely not great.  The sauces are all homemade and healthy (low sodium especially) but admittedly not the tastiest (maybe because they're healthy, haha).  Also, I like them for take-out because the meat is of a much higher quality than the "strip plaza Chinese mystery meat" that you find at so many other cheaper Chinese take-out places.

It definitely is Americanized chinese. I like Americanized chinese!

 

So you'll capitalize Americanized, but not Chinese?!?!?!?!??!

 

BIGOT! :)

why not just go to the supermarket?

^ why are all three ladies wiggling like they have to go to the bathroom? Thanks EVD, now I have that song stuck in my head (granted, it's an improvement from 'I'm sexy and I know it', which previously held that place)

 

No love for Bo Loong on this board? You get to pick your own fish!

I heard Bo Loong has gone way, way downhill. I hope that's not true but that's a recent report from my food scene peeps.

^ So what's the best Chinese in town these days? Li Wah used to be a favorite of mine at 30th and Payne.

As I understand it, Sun Luck is the place to go.

I would nominate Wonton Gourmet for best Chinese.

I really like Sun Luck Garden, but I'm with MTS on feeling that they need to make their food spicier.  For dishes that should be spicy, you have to ask them to make it as hot as they can just to get it to a decent level of spiciness.

Oh, I hear great things about that place too!

I've heard more good things about Li Wah than Wonton Gourment, but I'm hesitant to try it because I'm not a big fan of Ho Wah (are they in fact the same owners?).

 

EDIT: This answers my question: http://www.howahrestaurant.com/id54.html

The drawback for Wonton Gourmet is that there's about 15,000 (approximately) menu items and 4 menus (including the wall).  So each time you order it's kind of a crapshoot.  Everything tastes awesome, but you may unwittingly end up eating chicken nuggets with bones in them (I don't know how this works, but it was simultaneously the most frustrating and delicious Chinese food I've ever had) or pork stomach (also amazing although the texture of the stomach is kind of upsetting).  Somehow, in my mind, this all adds to the experience.

pork belly is awesome! But yeah, you have to love fat.

I want to add Jackie Chen Dragon Tower Restaurant in Kamms Corners

My favorite in terms of Take-out "Chinese" food

^^Oh no, not pork belly.  Pork stomach.

oh, more like tripe I assume. Have not had it.

Yes, but sauteed instead of braised or boiled, so it had the consistency of calamari.  Very odd, but it was served with a cilantro, peanut, and chili paste that was so fresh and delicious that it managed to work.

 

Li Wah and Wonton Gourment would be my choice for Chinese as well. I'm sorry but I've only been to Sun Luck once so I don't have enough to form an opinion.

 

RnR,

 

Yes, you are correct. Bo Loong's quality (and service) definitely have taken a nose dive. I won't go back after my last visit.

So we're going to Balaton instead.... Yes, I know. That's not Chinese/Asian! :-D

^Go hungry, and go for the schnitzel.

^Good advice.  It's the one place on earth I eagerly overcome my veal squeamishness.  But the lecso there is outstanding too.  Man do I miss that place.