Wednesday, August 20, 2014

#ThisisCLE Culinary Tour: Part Two

Day two of our Cleveland culinary tour started off early, with my first cup of coffee from Pour Cleveland.
This charming coffee shop is sandwiched between the 5th Street Arcades and Hodge's in Downtown Cleveland. They are a "pour over" and espresso bar.
It was my first time watching the pour-over method of brewing, and they certainly make it fun to watch. Everyone was so warm and welcoming, and it started our day off well. Go check them out!

Sarah (from EatPGH) and I needed the kick of caffeine to fuel our tour of the West Side Market.
Cleveland's public market is one of my favorite places in our city, and a "must-stop" for any out-of-town guests.

We snacked as we toured, munching on a Cheese Danish and Apple Fritter.
Then, a steam bun from Jonathon Sawyer's Noodlecat stand.
Sarah had the Pulled Pork with sesame BBQ, and I tried the Daily Special Bun with Pork Chop Shop (another great West Side Market vendor) chorizo, homemade slaw, avocado, and sprouts. A little messy, but delicious.

After our stroll through the market, we headed out to shop on West 25th. Salty Not Sweet is one of my favorite stops, featuring local goods and gear for anyone wanting to express their Cleveland pride. We also stopped at Room Service, Penzey's Spices, and Campbell's Sweets Factory.
I love that you can sample their small-batch gourmet popcorn at the shop. I picked up a Salt and Vinegar White Popcorn, that we have yet to open.

Before we knew it, it was time for lunch. We headed back into Downtown for Jonathon Saywer's famous The Greenhouse Tavern.
I wanted to make sure to show off our East Fourth dining area during Sarah's visit. With twinkling lights, an abundance of outdoor patio seating, great people-watching, and big-name chefs like Bruell, Symon and Sawyer, it's an area that you should always consider for bringing visiting guests.
I also knew that Sarah would love their Crispy Chicken Wings Confit...
...and Pomme Frites with garlic, rosemary, and aioli.
She loved them both. I also couldn't resist the famous Hand Ground Beef Tartar (even though I still think Luca's version is better).
The kitchen also sent up two desserts, including the inventive R.O.Y.G.B.I.V with orange carrot halwa, raspberry, lemon lime and lavender candy, and their well-known and well-loved Buttered Popcorn Pot de Creme with caramel and sea salt.
That pot de creme is one of Cleveland's best desserts, so don't miss it if you have a sweet tooth!

A quick stop at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum to check out the Beyonce exhibit...
...some shopping in Coventry, then a sweet afternoon treat at Sweetie Fry...
...and suddenly the afternoon was over.

I'm exhausted even writing about it. The day just sped by. It was time for a quick break at home/hotel. I think that I'll have to leave our dinner excursions for another blog post. Check back later this week for Part Two of Day Two!

How am I doing so far on showing off our city and its culinary scene? At this point, my tummy was already very happy.

Disclosure: I partnered with Positively Cleveland to host a three-day culinary tour for an out-of-town food blogger. All meals, admission tickets, and transportation were paid for by PC. I set our itinerary. All opinions stated are 100% my own.

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