Bite Buff

SOHO Only So-So

2012-01-27T08:02:00.000-08:00

Time to select the winner of the two general admission tickets to the Great Big Home and Garden Expo...random.org selected lucky #8...Dave from Live to Cook at Home! Congratulations, and I hope that you are looking forward to checking out the show. Email me to claim your prize, and please include your contact information and selected day of attendance. Your name will be held at the door on the day that you select, so go check out what's going on at the Expo. Thank you to all that entered, and to the Expo for providing passes to myself and one reader.

So, SOHO Kitchen & Bar has been on my "To Dine" list since first hearing about it last fall. The concept of Southern cuisine appealed to me, and I was a fan of the owner/chef Nolan Konkoski from his days at Tartine. We spend a lot of time in Ohio City, and I thought that this would be a great addition to West 25th Street. SOHO opened while I was recovering from surgery, so we only just had the chance to check them out last weekend.Aside from a very tiny entryway, I immediately liked the look and feel of the restaurant and bar area. Soft lighting, sleek wooden booths, and muted warm colors helped set the tone of our meal. I do have to note that it was very loud in the main dining area, and some adjustments could be made to help with this. Their cocktail list is inventive, and our friend dining with us enjoyed one of the concoctions- Savannah. She said it was "dangerous", as in you can hardly taste the alcohol and it was deliciously good. I stuck with wine, and "R" tried the Carpetbagger- SOHO signature ale.

We took our time ordering, and started with the Crawfish and Crab Fritters- spicy slaw, lemon, and green onion aioli ($9).I knew from other online reviews not to expect a traditional "fritter", and that the dish was really more of a crab cake. That is just what arrived. It did include sizable chunks of crawfish and crab, the slaw added a refreshing crunch, and the subtle heat of the sauces that were drizzled on the plate accented the flavors of the fritters. I wasn't blown away, but it was a good start to the meal. We also sampled our friend's Jalapeno Hush Puppies ($5.50). They were a little dense and dry, and didn't pack the punch of jalapeno that I was expecting, but the sauce that was served with it was light and refreshing.

For our main course, I ordered the Shrimp and Grits with poached prawns, Anson Miller grits, asparagus, peppers, and wild mushrooms ($17).I read some other reviews of this dish before dining at SOHO, and guests had enjoyed it so I wanted to try it. Unfortunately, I did not care for this preparation and left most of it behind. The shrimp were large and cooked well, which I appreciated. But the overall flavor of the dish was off for me, and I decided that it was the red pepper puree that was drizzled on top of it. It just did not work with the rest of the flavors of the dish, in my opinion, and it dominated the plate. Also, I couldn't help but compare it to the shrimp and grits at Washington Place Bistro, and WPB just blows theirs out of the water.

"R" ordered the Dixie Cheese Steak sandwich ($12) with brisket, collards, beer-cheese fondue, and hot sauce. Our friend had the Fried Green Tomato BLT. Both were served with the house-made BBQ chips, and on the same hearty roll. They each felt that the bread outweighed the proportion of sandwich contents, and that both sandwiches were a little underwhelming on flavor. We also ordered the Deviled Eggs ($5.50) to accompany our main courses.They were a fine deviled egg, but nothing special stood out to me in this preparation.

So, we left feeling a little disappointed in our first experience at SOHO. Certainly nothing was "bad", but some subtle tweaks could help take the quality and flavor of the dishes to the next level. However, the service was great. The server and hostess both paid attention to us, and were attentive and helpful. I asked a few questions about components of dishes, and they were always quick to answer and share. I also appreciate that each section of the menu is priced the same. So, if you order a Starter it is always $9, a Supper $17, and so on. They are still a very young restaurant, so I'm certain that they'll flush out any "bugs" and will continue to be a great addition to a booming Cleveland neighborhood.

SOHO Kitchen & Bar
1889 West 25th Street
Cleveland, OH 44113
216-298-9090

Good To Go Cafe

2012-01-25T06:37:00.000-08:00

At this month's Dinner in the Dark, "R" and I met Anna from Good To Go Cafe. We have a mutual friend, and I had heard wonderful things about her small cafe in downtown Cleveland...so I was excited to meet her in person (over cocktails after the event), and even more excited to dine with her the following day.

We already had plans to grab lunch in downtown Cleveland that day, so it was an easy switch to stop in Good To Go instead. I'm so glad that we did! She stuffed us to the gills, and I almost had to roll out of there. We couldn't resist one of the specials that day, Turkey Pineapple Chili.This was seriously one of the best chili dishes that I've ever had. The subtle balance of heat from the spices and sweet from the pineapple just played on our tongues, and I couldn't stop eating it. And I know chili, because my father makes one mean homemade chili. I finished the entire cup, even knowing that we had more food coming.

Next up was the real draw that brought us in that day...leftover Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Braised Duck Ragout from the event the night before. Anna had prepared the gnocchi, so she was serving up this hearty, flavorful dish the next day as a special. We lucked out- this dish was a crowd favorite at Dinner in the Dark.The cafe was easy to find, since we knew that it was located inside of the IMG building off of East 9th. It is just inside the lobby, and the cute chalkboard sign steers you in the right direction once you enter. We dined in, and watched as Anna greeted all of her customers as if they were family. She wished each of them a "5 Star Day", and honestly I left there feeling like I was going to have one after enjoying our lunch so much.

Long story short, Anna is offering delicious, and easy grab-and-go, breakfast and lunch options. You'll find an assortment of fresh salads, wraps, sandwiches, soups, treats, specials and more for lunch. Follow her on Twitter (@good2gocafe) for specials and a 20% off code each day. The code of the day was BiteBuff that day- isn't she sweet! You can also pre-order online for a quick pick up.

Go check it out, and tell Anna that I sent you!

Good To Go Cafe
IMG Center Lobby
1390 East 9th Street, #300
Cleveland, OH 44114
216- 623-7220

Great Big Home and Garden Expo Giveaway

2012-01-23T09:53:00.000-08:00

Two blog posts in one day. I told you that 2012 was going to be great! Speaking of great...

The Great Big Home and Garden Expo approached me about hosting a ticket giveaway for two general admission tickets to one reader for the day of their choice. The third annual expo runs from Saturday, February 4th - Sunday, February 12th at the IX Center. More than 650 exhibitors will be in attendance, showcasing their techniques in cooking, gardening, home improvement and more.

Obviously, followers of this blog are interested in food. Well, they have some great demonstrations scheduled:
- "AMP 150 Favorites" with Jeff Jarret of AMP 150
- "Italian Comfort Food" with Loretta Paganini of Sapore
- "Best of Sergio's and Sarava" with Sergio Abramof
- "Death by Chocolate" with Stefanie Paganini of the International Culinary Arts and Sciences Institute
- "Best of Umami" with Matthew Anderson
- "Easy, Elegant and Entertaining Eats" with Rocco Whalen of Fahrenheit

A couple of my favorite chefs are listed there, so my interest was peaked. Also, "R" and I have constantly been involved with home improvement projects since I moved in four years ago. Can you say "bachelor pad"? We've come a long way, but there is always more that I want to do.

I can't wait to check out the expo for the first time, and you should too! One lucky reader will for free, so just leave me a comment on this post telling me which culinary-related demo you'd be most interested in. I'll select a winner, using random.org, on Friday, January 27th. You can also receive a second entry for tweeting "I want to attend the Great Big Home and Garden Expo for free, courtesy of @BiteBuff at http://tinyurl.com/89ac8zj." Make sure that you leave a second comment on this post for any tweets sent.

Lastly, all readers can receive a $1 discount by purchasing your tickets online and entering the promo code "BITEBUFF" at check out. You automatically get a $3 discount for ordering online, but this gives you an additional $1 off your general admission ticket- a savings of $4.

Good luck, and I hope to see you there!

What home improvement projects have you tackled in your house?

Disclosure: I was provided with two general admission tickets for myself and two general admission tickets for one reader in exchange for this post. The opinions stated are 100% my own.

Thank You!

2012-01-23T08:04:00.000-08:00

Thank you for all of your kind words through blog comments, tweets, and Facebook posts about the new blog design. I'm happy with it, and I think the change came at just the right time.

Also, I appreciate all of your suggestions for finding tacos in the area. I've got my work cut out for me! Keep the ideas coming throughout the year- I'm on a taco hunt.

On to the winner of the restaurant gift certificate giveaway...

Random.org selected...Renee from @BQRC23! Congratulations, you've won three $25 gift certificates to local, independently-owned restaurants. Email me your contact information to claim your prize, and I'll drop them in the mail. Enjoy your free eats!

Stay tuned for some new posts this week, including my discovery of Good To Go Cafe in the IMG building downtown. Delicious breakfast and lunch spot with really creative food!

A New Year, A New Design

2012-01-19T07:25:00.000-08:00

Well, it's a new year...and it was time for a new blog design. It was on my "blog bucket list" for Year Three, and after asking around I ended up using Ashley from Little Leaf Design (who has been very popular lately with the Cleveland bloggers). So...TA DA!

With the new design comes new blog features as well.

1. "About" page, which shares a little bit more of my story and how I landed in our wonderful city
2. Blogroll has moved to its own page (check out some of my favorite Cleveland blogs- only local love here)
3. You can now search by neighborhood/city in the Restaurant Reviews list
4. Touch Supper Club has challenged me to review the taco scene in the Cleveland area, so I'm starting a "Taco Tuesday" ongoing series (which will also be available in the Restaurant Reviews list)
5. Lastly, I'll be launching another new series called "Dining Deals"- meals under $10 (you'll be able to find the posts in the Restaurant Reviews list too)

It's going to be a good blog year, and I'm excited to have a fresh new design to kick it off. Actually, I'm so excited that I want to offer a delicious giveaway to one lucky reader...

- $25 gift certificate to Pearl of the Orient
- $25 gift certificate to Americano
- $25 gift certificate to Creekside Restaurant & Bar

Just leave me a comment on this post telling me your favorite restaurant/bar in the area that offers TACOS. I've got to get on this mission! You can receive a second entry by tweeting "@BiteBuff has a new blog design and is giving away restaurant gift certificates at http://tinyurl.com/7c7xe75 ". Make sure that you leave a second comment to let me know that you tweeted. I'll select a winner on Monday using random.org.

It's going to be a fun year for the blog. I hope that you continue to enjoy my adventures in dining, and give me a shout if you want to join me on an excursion! Thanks for everything.

- Katrina

Souper Market Hits the Spot

2012-01-16T09:58:00.001-08:00

Well, the snow and cold have officially settled into Northeast Ohio. That leaves me craving one thing...soup. Soup has this magical power to warm you from the inside out, which very few foods can do.

I grew up with fantastic homemade soups crafted by my father. He is what I like to call a "kitchen sink cook", where he opens the refrigerator and throws in whatever he can find. Soups, lasagnas, you name it...and while each are unique and some better than others, it always comes out well.

So canned soups can rarely "do" it for me, but a great bowl of soup from a good restaurant can really hit the spot during the winter months. One of my favorite local spots is Souper Market. Every winter, I rediscover their soups.

"R" and I were out doing errands the other day, and we stopped in to grab our first soups of the season to take home for lunch. They offer a wide variety of fresh soups, a few "greens" (salads), and hunks of crusty bread to soak up your meal. They have three locations: Ohio City, Carnegie Avenue, and Lakewood. I've only been to the Ohio City location- it is a tiny place with just a counter to eat at, so I think most patrons take their soup to go.

Here is a shot of the chalkboard menu:...and there are always specials of the week offered.Last visit, I ordered the Lobster Bisque. While not as good as some other lobster bisque that I've had locally, it is a solid option that I always enjoy. If you haven't been before, I suggest checking them out. It is the perfect time of year for soup!

What's your favorite soup?

Souper Market
2528 Lorain Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44113
216-737-SOUP

14809 Detroit Avenue
Lakewood, OH 44107

7501 Carnegie Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44103

Seared Opens in Brecksville

2012-01-11T07:51:00.000-08:00

The last restaurant that I went to before my surgery was the newly opened Seared in Brecksville. They took over the former Spanish Tavern location, and have transformed the space with dark woods, brick-red wall color, exposed beams, and soft lighting. We were seated in the dining room, and one thing that immediately caught my eye was the single table privately located by the wine rack in the back. It could be a great setting for a special meal.We settled into our table, and started to look at the menu. Several items sounded tempting, which is usually a good sign. Our group decided to start with an order of a dozen Blue Point Oysters Rockefeller- baked oysters, herb and bacon crumbs, hollandaise creamy watercress, and spinach ($13). There was nothing special about this preparation or presentation, but it was a fine start to the meal.

I had a hard time selecting an entree, but finally decided on the Filet Gorgonzola- gorgonzola cheese, compound butter grilled asparagus, and honey dijon redskins ($23 for 7 oz. steak). The steak was prepared at medium rare, as requested, but could have used a touch more seasoning to really shine. It was a nice cut of meat, and I was looking forward to it. The gorgonzola did not have quite the bite that I was hoping for, so overall it was only satisfactory in flavor. However, the sides were prepared well and I enjoyed the redskin potato wedges. Their hint of mustard was a nice punch of flavor on an otherwise bland plate.

"R" had the Crab Stuffed Jumbo Shrimp- jumbo shrimp, lump blue crab, basil cream sauce, and asparagus risotto ($22). This dish was also on my short list, so I was happy when he ordered it- I wanted to steal a bite! Unfortunately, the dish also disappointed. The shrimp were still securely in the shell, and were very difficult to gracefully eat. You just had to dig in with your fingers, and this wasn't a restaurant setting where you felt comfortable doing so. Despite the hard work to eat, the dish was fairly bland as well. The risotto was watery with very little flavor, and the stuffed shrimp were only so-so, in our opinion. Noteworthy- bread (and salad) is not offered with dinner but is available for a charge.

Lastly, our server was very soft-spoken and hard to hear when interacting with her. She was absent when a second round of drinks was needed, and it took a very long time to clear our used plates after we finished our meal. It also didn't help my overall impression that there was a severe draft wafting under our table. We were seated in the middle of the dining room, not near a door or noticeable vent. It chilled me to the bones, and I do not typically get cold.

However, they are newly opened and I would give this restaurant a second try. They are offering a variety of special nights to drawn people in, including Martini Madness Monday ($5 martinis), Half-price Wine Night on Tuesdays, Build Your Own Burger Sundays, Raw Bar open Thursday-Saturday, Brunch, and other specials. When we visited (late October), that following Sunday was going to be their first brunch. Again, I liked the overall atmosphere of the main dining room and expansive, separate bar area. The menu had several items that sounded worthy of ordering. I'm a sucker for seafood and steaks. So I will be visiting them a second time, but won't be back if it doesn't impress. The prices are high for the quality we received, and I hope that they are continuing to work out any kinks of being newly opened.

Seared
8188 Brecksville Road
Brecksville, OH 44141
(440)526-8100

Tickets Winner and Good Greens

2012-01-09T06:54:00.000-08:00

It's time to pick a winner for the Near West Theatre benefit tickets.....drum roll please.

Random.org selected: Amanda from Clue Into Cleveland! Congrats, and I look forward to seeing you there. Email me your mailing address and phone number, and I'll get you taken care of. Thank you to everyone that entered! It's not too late to purchase tickets to enjoy an evening of the arts, and delicious food from Spice Bar + Kitchen, to support a very worthy organization in our community.

Now, on to the post for the day. I have been a bad blogger since my surgery (understandable). Over a month ago, Good Greens Bars (out of Shaker Heights) contacted me about reviewing their product for the blog. Normally, I wouldn't review a product such as theirs. But the fact that they are local, and contain 100% of our daily fruits and vegetables requirements, intrigued me.

The company generously sent me a box of complimentary bars, including their Wildberry, Chocolate Peanut Butter, and Chocolate Coconut flavors.Over the next two weeks, "R" and I sampled each flavor. They were tasty, slightly soft and chewy, and certainly didn't make us realize that we were eating all of these great things for us. They tasted almost like candy bars, but were helping us get 12 grams of non-GMO soy protein, 5 grams of fiber, 40 antioxidants, and 3 probiotics. The Chocolate Coconut was my favorite- reminding me of a flat Mounds bar, and the Wildberry was "R's" pick.

Their secret is the Z52 Super Powder, which give the bars 52 superfoods and all of its nutrients. The bars are also low glycemic, vegan and gluten-free. They use all natural ingredients, proven to boost your energy, lower cholesterol, improve digestion, strengthen your immunity, and help increase brain power. All this packed into a yummy bar? Sign me up.

You can find them at Heinen's, Marc's, Mustard Seed Market, Dave's, Anderson's Market, GNC and Krieger's. I suggest checking them out. They made a great grab-and-go snack.

Disclosure: I received the above pictured bars to sample and review in exchange for this post. The opinions stated are 100% my own. Thank you to Good Greens for the opportunity to share their product.

Win Tickets to Near West Theatre's Benefit

2012-01-04T07:23:00.000-08:00

It's still hard to believe that it is January...2012...a new year. Where does the time go? The blog will turn 4 in just a few short months. I can't even begin to count all of the wonderful things that blogging has brought to my life, and I have a feeling that this year will be even better. But two things that it has brought me were both mashed together last Friday night as I attended Alexa and Lisa's New Year's Eve Eve HollaDays party at, the not even open yet, Spice Bar + Kitchen in the Gordon Square Arts district. First, some fabulous friends that I never would have met if it weren't for social media, and secondly, a heightened awareness of the happenings in Cleveland. Not only did I get to enjoy a night out with a great group of people, but I was also able to check out Spice's new space before it's even open to the public. Let me just say...we're in for another fantastic dining hot spot in Cleveland. The space is looking gorgeous with exposed brick, muted colors, warm woods, and just enough of an "industrial" feel to leave me wanting more. I also received a sneak peek at their first menu recently, and it seems well-balanced and focused, while maintaining their commitment to staying local and seasonal.

So, all this chattering about Spice Bar + Kitchen is really leading me to today's post. They have partnered with Euro USA to provide the food for Near West Theatre's Annual Benefit on Saturday, January 28th. This is only 18 short days after Spice's expected opening, so it's a great chance to check them out while supporting a worthy local organization.
"Consider Yourself One of Us!" will provide a night of performances by Near West cast members, food and drink, desserts provided by Gypsy Bean & Baking Co., dancing and a live DJ, and a fantastic silent auction and raffle. Tickets are $85 (or a 10-pack for $800), and you can purchase them by calling 216-961-6391 or at www.nearwesttheatre.org/benefit. It is being held from 6-9:30PM at Trinity Cathedral in Downtown Cleveland.

Or, you can win two tickets here! I have generously been provided two tickets for myself, and two tickets to give away to one lucky reader. Come join me for a night of enjoying the arts, and checking out Spice Bar + Kitchen. The after-party is being hosted in their new space on Detroit Avenue, with cash bar/food and live music from The Luckey Ones. Simply leave a comment on this post expressing your interest in winning, and I will drawn a winner this Monday using random.org. You can also receive a second entry for tweeting "I want to win tickets to the Near West Theatre benefit from @BiteBuff at http://tinyurl.com/7436gg4". Make sure that you leave a second comment on this post if you tweet. So come enjoy an evening with Near West, myself, and Spice Bar + Kitchen. Good luck!

Disclosure: Near West Theatre provided me with two complimentary tickets to the benefit, and two tickets to give away to one reader in exchange for this post. However, I fully support this local organization and the opinions stated are 100% my own.

2012- The "Year of Fun"

2012-01-01T09:05:00.001-08:00

My wish for 2012 is simple...Health and Happiness. This may sound broad, but all of my smaller goals fit into these two categories. Both are things that I did not have very much of in 2011. So, I have officially dubbed this year as the "Year of Fun", and my wish is to get past this health issue that I've been battling and to introduce more happiness into my life. I have an amazing family, boyfriend, friends, and city that I live in...so I have a feeling that achieving the "Year of Fun" will be pretty easy.

2012 is also bringing a lot of great, new things to the blog. I am *this* close to unveiling the new blog design, and with it is going to come several new features that I think you'll enjoy. That's all I'm saying for now...

As usual, the new year also brings a new Top 10 "To Dine" list as my New Year's resolution (click to see 2010 and 2011 lists). This year, I had you submit the restaurant suggestions. I was looking for places that, simply put, are wonderful spots to dine at but yet don't get the wide-spread recognition that they should. You all sent in some great choices, and it was hard to narrow it down to just 10. By the way, you love your Italian food! But...here is my final 2012 Top 10 list.

2012 "To Dine" Challenge:
Stonehouse Grill
Lure Bistro & Sushi Bar
Marotta's
The Fairview Tavern
Beach Club Bistro
Bistro 185
Sullivan's Irish Pub & Restaurant
Tree Country Bistro
Sun Luck Garden Restaurant
Bruno's Ristorante & Catering

Each year, I challenge myself to dine at 10 specific restaurants and I'm really looking forward to the 2012 list. Of course, I also have a few spots in mind that didn't make the list, such as: Ginko, Crop, Pura Vida, SOHO, Fountain, and Hodge's. 2012 is already shaping up to be a great year for dining, blogging, and fun!

Thank you again to everyone that submitted restaurant suggestions. I think the end result is just what I was looking for. Cheers to 2012 and the "Year of Fun", and I hope that this year brings you everything that you wish for. Thank you for continuing to stick with me, and I think you'll love what 2012 is bringing to the blog.

Happy New Year!

Happy Holidays!

2011-12-23T14:13:00.000-08:00

So, what does your family's holiday meal include?

We'll be enjoying turkey dinner with all the traditional side dishes. Mmmm, the side dishes...

We're deep frying the turkey for the first time this year. Wish us luck!

Happy Holidays to you and yours.

Last Minute Gift Ideas

2011-12-19T10:59:00.000-08:00

Need a couple of last minute gift ideas for the foodie or cook in your life? Or maybe a fun gift for yourself this holiday season? I have a couple of local ideas to share...

1. Gift certificate to a Friday Supper Club event or cooking class at Gatherings Kitchen in Lakewood. The Friday Supper Club events are so much fun, and a really unique gift. The concept is that a small group (about 12-16) gather on Friday evenings to spend a few hours preparing a multi-course meal and learning tips and tricks from the pros in an industrial kitchen that will make anyone jealous. Each pair is responsible for one dish, and then you sit down to enjoy the meal with your new-found friends from the kitchen. "R" and I attended one this summer, and here are a few highlights:

Chef Ruth showing one of our "supper club friends" how to prepare a delicious beef dish.The chorizo-stuffed mussels that "R" and I were in charge of making. I, uhh, chopped stuff--- that's about it.Lastly, a shot of the gorgeous table where we settled in for our meal.
It's BYOB, which is a lot of fun. For just $55, it is so worth it. You can also win two passes to an upcoming GK event over at IHeartCleveland.com today!

2. Cooking Classes from The Chubby Cook. Scott and his crew have launched their cooking classes, with several fun concepts that I haven't seen anywhere else. Also, if you register for a January class and use the code ALF2012- then 40% of all proceeds will benefit the American Liver Foundation and Stephanie's Liver Life Challenge goal of running the Disney marathon. Disclosure- I work for the American Liver Foundation, and manage the LLC program in Cleveland.

3. Gift certificates or The Deck from the Cleveland Independents. Visit their site to purchase certificates for some of our area's best independently-owned restaurants, or buy "The Deck" for that foodie in your life to enjoy all year long. It offers 52 cards with discounts offered on each card for a particular restaurant. You can have fun working your way through the deck for 12 months. Both options can be purchased through "The Shop" section of the website.

Well, I hope that this was helpful if you're looking for any last minute gift ideas. Shop local! I hope that this week flies by, because my whole family is coming in from NY and I couldn't be more excited to celebrate with them. Happy Holidays to you and yours.

Key Rewards Week Winner

2011-12-15T12:48:00.000-08:00

So who enjoyed free lunch from our area food trucks yesterday? What did you have? Thanks Key Rewards Week!Now, KeyBank also generously provided a $25 MasterCard gift card for me to give away to one lucky reader. Thank you to everyone that commented on yesterday's post! If I had been able to get out, I would have tried Hodge Podge. So, drum roll please...

The winner is #18, Mark Johnston. Mark, please email me your mailing address to claim your prize. If I do not hear from Mark by Monday, then I will select another winner using random.org.

Thank you, KeyBank. Enjoy the rest of www.keyrewardsweek.com, there are still lots of fun promotions coming up!

FREE Food Truck Lunch On Wednesday

2011-12-13T17:49:00.000-08:00

If you haven't caught on yet, it is #KeyRewardsWeek and Clevelanders have already enjoyed free Starbucks on Monday and a free Josh Cribbs T-shirt on Tuesday at participating locations. That's right, folks--- KeyBank is basically "picking up the tab" Monday-Sunday through different promotions each day.

Wednesday's freebie is one that I was pretty excited to learn about. They have partnered with 10 area food trucks to offer a FREE lunch.Now, you'll have to find the trucks on your own. They'll be scattered throughout the area, and you can track them through social media.

Here is a list of the participating trucks:

- JiBaro (@JibaroWorldEats)
- StrEat (@strEatmobile)
- Nosh Box (@TheNoshBox)
- Fahrenheit (@rock1chef)
- Dim and Den Sum (@DimAndDenSum)
- Hodge Podge (@hodgepodgetruck)
- Umami Moto (@UmamiMoto)
- Motor Mouth (@MotorMouthFood)
- Zydeco (@ZydecoBistro)
- Sweet! The Mobile Cupcakery (@mobilecupcakery)

I love that KeyBank decided to partner with local, independent food trucks during Key Rewards Week. You do not have to be a Key member to get this offer. You can learn more about the week-long promotion and other offers at www.keyrewardsweek.com.

But, the fun doesn't stop there for one lucky reader. KeyBank is offering a $25 MasterCard gift card to one of you. Just simply leave a comment on this post telling me which food truck you want to try for FREE tomorrow, and you'll be entered to win. I will pull a random winner on Thursday.

Go forth and be "rewarded" with a free lunch on Wednesday thanks to KeyBank!

Disclosure- KeyBank offered myself and one reader a $25 gift card in exchange for this post. However, I believe in promoting the partnership with our area food trucks for this promotion and the opinions stated are 100% my own.

Giving Back This Holiday Season

2011-12-07T09:22:00.001-08:00

Today I have something special to share...two ways that we can give back to our (food) community this holiday season.

The first local business that needs our help is Lucy's Sweet Surrender. It is a Cleveland bakery, located on Buckeye Road, that is owned by Michael and Marika Feigenbaum. Over the past two years, I have followed news of multiple break-ins, a shooting, stolen delivery vehicles, etc. that have all happened to this one local business. Yet, the couple remained encouraged to stay at their location and provide wonderful pastries and treats for their community. Well, after another recent incident, they have finally decided to move locations. You can read more about the move in Laura Taxel's post here, but the point is that they need our help. Approximately $20,000 worth of our help. So let's rally behind this wonderful local bakery and help them make the necessary, and safer, move to the new location. Please consider making a donation. No amount is too big or too small, and there are even some incentives for those who give. Not that we need a reason to give back to our community this holiday season!

Secondly, one of my favorite food bloggers, Miss Cleveland Foodie herself, is once again hosting her fabulous gift certificate giveaway to benefit Veggie U. The list of restaurant certificates in the prize package (3 this year) is insanely long, and you'd be nuts to not donate for an entry to win such a unique and fantastic prize. It also helps that all proceeds are benefiting such a worthy, and local, cause. You can read more about it over on her site, but I encourage you to donate (every $5 donated earns you an additional entry) and support this important educational program for our youth. This year, they also offer the option of donating online- which makes it even easier to give!

Please take the time to support these two worthy fundraisers. The true gift of the holiday season is giving.

Help Me Set My Top 10 List for 2012

2011-12-01T07:47:00.000-08:00

Wow, December. How did it get here this quickly?

Well, it's the time of year that I start thinking about my New Year's Resolution for the blog. Every year, I have challenged myself to dine at 10 new (to me) restaurants that are pre-selected (by me). The first year, I fell short with 5 left to go. I carried them over into 2011, and I'm happy to report that I've visited 9 out of 10. This dumb surgery got in the way of completing the list, but hey I do have a few more weeks so I guess it's not entirely out of the question.

This year, I want to do something different. I'm tired of reading blog reviews of the same restaurants over and over again. So help me spice up this blog in 2012 by challenging me to come dine at your favorite local hidden gem. I'm talking about hole-in-the-wall, "why doesn't everyone eat here?", best food in your area that no one talks about kind of place. Tell me about them! East, west, south...I don't care, I'll drive there.

I'll compile a list and reveal the 10 that I will be dining at in 2012 on January 1st. So come on, what restaurant/bar do YOU think should make my list?

Winner Announced

2011-11-25T08:44:00.001-08:00

Congratulations to Jeannine- the winner of the Piccolo from Nescafe! Thank you to everyone that entered the giveaway, and to Nescafe Dolce Gusto for providing the winner with a brand new machine. Jeannine, please email me to claim your prize. If I do not hear from the winner by Tuesday, then I will select another.

So how was your Thanksgiving? Growing up with a small family of five (yes, that's the whole extended family), I've always dreamed of big holiday gatherings. Lucky for me, "R" comes from a large family and most of them live in the Cleveland area. So, yesterday involved about 25 family members, three turkeys (one deep fried, one brine, one traditional) and a whole ham. Let's not forget the two tables worth of side dishes and desserts. Whoa! What does your Thanksgiving look like?

I'm off to mash some of our leftovers into a sandwich for lunch. Yum...

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-23T09:09:00.001-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving Eve! Are you one of the masses that goes out tonight with friends and family? Or are you spending it at home resting, cooking, and finding the best pair of stretch pants that you own?

A Twitter conversation last night inspired this post. What's your favorite dish at Thanksgiving dinner? Most of us could pass on the turkey, but can't live without the side dishes!

Here are a few of my standard favorites...

Mashed Potatoes and GravyGreen Bean Casserole (or "Green Bean Bullsh*t" as "R's" family calls it)Sweet Potatoesand, of course, STUFFING!So tell me about your favorite dish, and then go enjoy it tomorrow! Have a wonderful holiday, no matter how you celebrate or who you spend it with. Even if turkey is your favorite dish, we can still be friends.

Dolce Gusto Giveaway

2011-11-21T07:46:00.000-08:00

Happy Monday! Even with the knowledge of a short work week for most of us, Monday mornings are still tough to swallow. If a cup of coffee is needed most, it's usually Monday morning. So let's talk coffee...

Remember a couple of months ago when Nescafe Dolce Gusto held the small private event for a few local bloggers and rewarded us with a complimentary Piccolo machine? Well, now they are generously offering one Bite Buff reader the titanium Piccolo.This compact machine fits into any kitchen, even our tiny 1940's kitchen with no counter or storage space. It's relatively easy to use once you try it out a couple of times. You can read about my initial thoughts in my original blog post (linked above). Since then, I've noticed that it stays very clean and we've had fun trying out a few different flavors of coffee. Finding them locally still proves to be difficult, and I curse the K-cups every time I'm shopping, but just plan on using their online ordering.

Interested in winning the machine? Just leave a comment below telling me what your favorite local coffee shop is, or your favorite coffee drink. You can also get a second entry into the giveaway by tweeting: "I want to win a machine from @DolceGustoUS from @BiteBuff at http://tinyurl.com/7mqluca". Make sure that you leave a second comment to be entered twice. I will select a winner on Friday using random.org.

Happy Sipping!

Wordless (Kind of) Wednesday- Deagan's

2011-11-16T06:58:00.000-08:00

Some pictures from the first Deagan's Kitchen & Bar Beer Dinner back in August... This dinner was amazing, from the food to the beer to the service to the price. My only complaint was that it ended.

You're in luck--- Deagan's just announced that their next Beer Dinner is on Monday, December 5th at 7:00PM. For just $50 (tax, tip, and service fees included), you'll receive a five-course meal of small plates paired with some great holiday beers. Don't miss this event!

Deagan's Kitchen & Bar
14810 Detroit Avenue
Lakewood, OH 44107

Wordless Wednesday- Yelp Helps the Foodbank

2011-11-09T11:33:00.001-08:00

Check out this event taking place tomorrow...

Entertainment, good eats from several local restaurants and food trucks, and donations being accepted for the Cleveland Foodbank. Click on the link above to learn more.

Upcoming Events- November

2011-11-07T07:32:00.000-08:00

Hi guys! Well I am already missing blogging on a regular basis, so I guess that is a good sign. Also, I received my first round of blog header designs last night from the designer and they look great. Which helped to boost my excitement for the redesign project even more.

But, while we're waiting for my full return I did want to share a few events happening this month that may interest you...

Monday, November 14th- Tartine Bistro: Wine Dinner. Five course dinner with wine pairings. $60. 7:00PM. Reservations required- (440)331-0800.

Tuesday, November 15th- Bistro on Lincoln Park: Fall Wine Tasting. Four course meal with wine pairings. 6:30PM. $50 per person + tax and gratuity. Reservations required- (216) 862-2969.

Tuesday, November 15th- Fountain: Thanksgiving Wine Dinner. 7:00PM. Seven course dinner with wine pairings. $65 per person + tax and gratuity. Reservations required- (216)755-1225.

Wednesday, November 16th- Bistro 185: UniBroue Beer Dinner. Five course French- Canadian dinner paired with Canadian beers. 6:30PM. $50 + tax and gratuity. Reservations required- (216)481-9635.

Friday, November 18th- Creekside Restaurant: Wine Tasting. $40. 7:00PM. Advance ticket sales required.

Cheers!

Wordless (Sort of) Wednesday

2011-11-02T06:40:00.000-07:00

A little glimpse into the items that are getting me through post-surgery recovery...1. Tempur-Pedic mattress and pillow
2. Body pillow to lay against
3. Down comforter
4. New iPad (thank you "R"!) to stream Gossip Girl on Netflix, keep me up-to-date on social media, play games, and watch live TV through Time Warner
5. Kindle: currently loaded with The Hunger Games
6. Water, water, water
7. Medical supplies up the ying-yang
8. Pup for all kinds of good snuggles and kisses
9. Tray table for the yummy comfort food that my mom's been making all week
10. Sleep, and lots of it

Thanks again for all the well wishes on my last post and through Twitter/Facebook!

Blog News

2011-10-26T12:25:00.000-07:00

Hello Bite Buff readers! Well, it is time that I share some news with you. Both good and bad, so let's start with the bad news...

Some of you may remember that I went on a brief hiatus last fall when I had surgery. It didn't work. It's been a year (+ 2 days) of living in constant pain and wearing a bandage from the open surgical wound that never healed. While not life-threatening, it has been life-altering in many ways. So I have a brand new surgeon (the best of the best for treating my specific genetic condition), and I go under the knife again this Friday. We are taking a more aggressive approach, removing a large area of tissue that was causing reoccurring and extremely painful cysts on the small of my back. This means several months, yes months (UGH!), of recovery and being stuck at home. So the restaurant reviews and event recap posts will be few and far between for a little while, but I'll be back at it as soon as I can! You know that I can't stay away for long. I'll continue to post on events coming up, and any other restaurant industry news that I think is worth sharing- so you aren't quite rid of me. If anyone is interested in doing a guest post, just holler.

However, here comes the good news...My full return to blogging should bring with it a whole new site design. I've started the process of working with a local designer, and I'm super excited to share it all with you when we finish. It will be perfect timing if everything works out as planned!

So, this is certainly not "farewell", but more of a "see ya around" these next several weeks. Stay tuned.......

- Katrina

Cleveland Beer Week

2011-10-21T06:42:00.000-07:00

Cleveland Beer Week is not quite over. How have you been "celebrating"?

We've tasted some beers in honor of this festive week, but last night we attended our first of their "Flagship" events- Culture Yourself: A Premier Beer and Cheese Pairing.

In theory, it was a great event. It featured 12 top breweries, including Great Lakes, Bell's, Victory, Hoppin' Frog, Thirsty Dog, and more, and guests could sample from over 30 locally produced cheeses. $35 bought us 25 beer tastings and unlimited cheese, so not a bad deal. I even got my first bite of a pawpaw.

But when we arrived, we quickly realized that the event was WAY oversold. The private back room at Market Garden Brewery was packed, and it became very difficult to move or interact with the vendors. Within the first 10 minutes of being there, a stout was bumped and landed all over three of us. Including my eye. Beer to the eye does not feel very good. Our group of six toughed it out and stayed for the entire two hours, but several people that I know abandoned the event after only half an hour.

Again, this event is a fun concept- but one that still needs a little tweaking.

Anyone attending BREWzilla? We went last year and enjoyed the event. One of the reasons that I love Beer Week is that it pushes me to try new beers. A wine lover at heart, tasting small samples of beer is the way to go. Now I actually have a couple that I would order out in pint size! Enjoy the rest of the festivities. Cheers!

Dinner in the Dark Celebrates One Year!

2011-10-17T09:26:00.000-07:00

Last night, Dinner in the Dark celebrated their one-year anniversary. The event, once again, proved that their concept of bringing together chefs and diners to have a little fun "in the dark" while raising funds for a worthy charity of the month was pure genius. The celebratory meal was enjoyed by both the guests and chefs involved, which included a couple of new faces in the kitchen this month.

The lineup included:
Bac Nguyen from Bac Asian American Bistro & Bar
Greg McLaren and Patrick Fisher from Luxe Kitchen & Lounge
Matt Mathlage from Light Bistro
Brian Doyle from SOW Food
James Blevins from Downtown 140
and Britt Culey from Couquette Patisserie

This meal wasn't for the faint hearted, and even pushed my culinary boundaries a bit. But that's the fun of Dinner in the Dark!

We kicked off the night with a Ginger 3 cocktail from Joe DeLuca and Tobin Northrup, paired with an amuse-bouche of bacon wrapped dates from Light Bistro. Then came course #1...Braised and grilled chicken hearts with a green papaya slaw, ginger beignet, and a beet juice reduction (for the "blood" effect) from Bac. I consider myself a pretty adventuresome eater, but even I was a little hesitant once we figured out what was on the plate. But, I pushed myself to try one of the hearts and I'm glad that I did. I couldn't bring myself to eat any more of them (Joe G. happily took them off my hands), but I was proud of myself for trying them. It really was just a visual (slight textural) issue for me, since they were served whole and still looked like a tiny heart.

Next up, we enjoyed a fun take on a clambake from the guys at Luxe.It was funny, because the first course of chicken hearts had launched a conversation at our table about unusual foods and blood sausage came up. Well, wouldn't you know that the very next course included blood sausage on one of the clams! They were prepared three ways, with the table favorite being the creamed corn/blood sausage clam. The play on Thanksgiving dinner with duck confit, sweet potato, and cranberry compote was a close second.

Then came an endive, beet, and orange salad from Chef Matt at Light Bistro (the host restaurant for the evening).It was light, and the citrus was refreshing before heading into the "main" courses. Which brings us to tempura-fried halibut cheeks from Brian Doyle. It arrived in a miso broth with three types of basil and fried sweet potato straws. This was my least favorite course of the evening. The tempura batter had started to absorb the broth, and it became very gummy and hard to cut through. However, I did enjoy the flavor of the broth.Our last savory course of the evening came from James Blevins of Downtown 140. We enjoyed "country-fried" beef cheek with carrots and parsnips and a country gravy foam. The other two diners at my table had some tough and chewy bites of their beef cheek that threw them off a bit, but my piece was tender and had no textural issues so I enjoyed the dish.We finished off the meal with a sweet treat from Britt Culey. She had prepared a pear and rosemary tart with chocolate ganache. Dang, rosemary...my arch nemesis. I took two bites of the tart and was hit in the face with rosemary flavor, so "R" greedily took over and finished it off for me. Good thing I still had a full glass of Zinsane Zinfandel to wash it down!All of the courses had included a beverage pairing, and I truly enjoyed all of the red and white wines last night. Which I can rarely say. So, overall it was a great evening spent with friends and other adventuresome diners, all to support a good cause: Feed My Starving Children. If you haven't been to a Dinner in the Dark event yet...why not?! Put your trust in their hands and enjoy a truly unique experience. You may just surprise yourself. I did. They are taking the month of November off, but will reappear at Noodlecat in December.

Monday Morning Coffee Needed!

2011-10-10T05:27:00.000-07:00

Monday morning seems like a good time to write about coffee. Because I don't know about you, but I could use a boost right about now. This weekend was glorious, and Monday is particularly hard this week!

About a month ago, a small group of bloggers was invited to a Nescafe Dolce Gusto "Foodie Feedup" at The Greenhouse Tavern. The event included complimentary appetizers, a cooking demo from Chef Sawyer himself, and coffee service with dessert.

After catching up with friends old and new, we headed down to the Greenhouse kitchen for a cooking demo on their famous hand-ground beef tartare.It was delicious!Afterwards, it was time for the coffee demo and tasting. I sampled the Vanilla Latte Macchiato, and it was very good. I usually need cream and two sugars for a cup of coffee, but I only added one sugar to this and it was perfect for me.According to their website, they have 15 different flavor capsules, so there is something for everyone. Including Peach Ice Tea, Chai Tea Latte, Espresso, and a Dark Roast- because the machines can do both hot and cold beverages.

We were surprised that night with the promise of our own (Piccolo) machine. It arrived a couple of weeks later, and I wanted to let it settle in my house before writing about it. I wanted to use it several times, and go out shopping for capsules before sharing this with you.

The long story short is that the machine works well, with a quick heat-up time and clean brewing process. The Piccolo holds enough water to do about two full cups of coffee, so keep that in mind. It is a small machine that tucked away nicely in our kitchen that has minimal storage or counter space. Now finding the coffee capsules has proved to be a little difficult locally. They do have a store locator on their website, as well as an online retail shop. But the only store that I have found them in so far is the nearby Walmart, and they only carry two flavors. I"ll have to keep poking around or order them online. The only other comment that I have is that the packaging on the capsules is designed for the newer models of the machines. Instead of telling us how long to manually flip the brewing switch, the package instructs you on how many "bars" to set the machine for. This is not helpful for the Piccolo, and reading the final fl. oz. for each type has been the best tip. I've gotten the hang of this now, but it does mean that our first attempt at the 4 oz. Espresso did not go so well.

Alright, now it's time for me to go grab a cup before work because I need to brush off the weekend haze! What did you do this weekend? Mine included dinner at Deagan's with friends, pumpkin picking, a picnic in the park, and cleaning out our garage and basement. This weather is amazing!

Thank you again to Nescafe Dolce Gusto for the wonderful time at The Greenhouse Tavern, and the complimentary machine to review. As always, my opinion are honest and 100% my own.

In Search of...

2011-10-06T05:02:00.000-07:00

Since moving to Cleveland almost four years ago, I've been in search of two things...

1. A good Indian restaurant that offers a buffet dinner.
2. Affordable sushi that delivers to our home.

The first, I haven't explored as much. Any suggestions are welcome! "R" had never had Indian before he met me, and I'd like to expose him to more than just what I order for us when we dine in or get takeout. A buffet is a must!

The second, I've tried a little harder to find. Living within the city limits, it continues to boggle my mind that we can't find a sushi place to deliver. When I lived in Syracuse, we had about five spots in our area that would. Of course, there is Delivermefood.com and Food Fetchers. But, we've tried the sushi through these services and it just doesn't measure up. Also, we end up spending about $50 to get it here.

Well last night we were out running errands not too far from home, and I remembered that Alicia had written about a sushi restaurant that wasn't too far from us as well. With a quick tweet, we were on our way. Thanks again, PIP!

Mizu Sushi is tucked away in a small strip of storefronts, across from Sam's Club off of Tiedeman in Parma. We shop in the area frequently, and I've never even glanced in that plaza. If it hadn't been for the recommendation, I wouldn't even know that it existed. But, I'm sure glad that I know now! Turns out that it is the best authentic, "cheap" sushi that we've had on this side of town.

Now, Pacific East has still been my favorite in the Cleveland area. And, of course, Parallax and the newly opened Ginko are surely in a whole different category. But it was nice to find this little spot so close to home. All four rolls (some classic favorites and a House Specialty) and the steamed shrimp dumplings that we ordered were fresh and flavorful, with the bill totaling just $36 with tax and tip (including one soda). This is the first Spicy Sauce that has actually had some heat to it, other than Pacific East. Did I mention that it is a BYOB joint? Grab your favorite beer or bottle of wine, and enjoy. I'll be back, and soon.

Now if I could just get them to deliver...

Mizu Japanese Sushi
10219 Brookpark Road
Parma, OH 44130
216-898-0098

The New and Improved? Bistro on Lincoln Park

2011-10-04T05:17:00.000-07:00

Bistro on Lincoln Park has had a lot of changes recently- new paint, new furniture, new lighting, new bar back splash, and...a new Executive Chef. Chef/partner Pete Joyce has stepped away, and Cory Hess moved up in the ranks to take on the Executive Chef position. So I was interested to check out all of the changes, and dragged a friend there for dinner.

To the untrained eye, there didn't seem to be much of a change in the atmosphere of the restaurant. I noticed new soft seating in the bar, better/softer lighting, but beyond that- the changes were lost on us. Luckily, a nice server pointed out all of the updates later in the evening. Overall, I'd say that the restaurant maintained the same "feel" of modern comfort with their upgrades. Now, on to the food (which I'm not sure if the menu was under Cory's control at this point or not, because Joyce has just announced that he had left).

We both started with the Cream of Mushroom soup with Ohio mushrooms, cream, shiitake salad, and mushroom powder ($7).The 6 oz. soup was, dare I say it, a close second to the famous AMP 150 Mushroom Soup. The soup was smooth, but with great pieces of mushroom throughout that added wonderful texture and enhanced the earthy flavor.

I was hoping for a lighter entree after enjoying the soup, so I ordered the Seared Ahi Tuna that was herb crusted with roasted garlic, potato puree, balsamic marinara, French beans, and Parmesan crisp ($26).This is where my experience at the re-vamped Bistro took a turn for the worse. The dish arrived, and I immediately saw that the tuna was smothered in tomato sauce. I was expecting more balsamic, less tomato, as balsamic vinegar is often paired with tuna. But the hearty flavors of tomato and the potato puree completely overwhelmed the subtle flavor of the fish. This pairing just didn't work for me. I kept thinking that lamb or even beef would have been better paired with this dish. It reminded me of a hearty fall dish that warms you from the inside out, but the tuna just didn't belong on that plate. Overall, the flavor of the other components was pleasant. I did express my opinion to our server when she asked how our meal was, and I bet that I won't be the only person to think that this pairing just doesn't work.

So even though I did not enjoy my entree, I look forward to returning to see how Hess does at the helm. I've always enjoyed their Happy Hour, and they offer 20 wines for $20- a good deal. If you haven't been yet, then I do suggest that you go check them out.

Bistro on Lincoln Park
2391 West 11th Street
Cleveland, OH 44113
(216) 862-2969

Fall Events- Dinner in the Dark, March of Dimes, and more.

2011-09-28T05:13:00.000-07:00

I'm alive! I've just been buried in event planning for the non-profit that I work for, but my event was Monday night and it was a huge success. Phew!

Speaking of events, there are a couple coming up that I wanted to share with you. The great food events in our city just don't stop.

Monday, October 3rd- Charity Night at Johnny Mango's to support the Liver Life Challenge team that is training and fundraising on behalf of the American Liver Foundation for the Disney half, full, or Goofy marathon in January. Bring a special flier to Johnny Mango's from 11AM-11PM, and 20% of your check will be donated to the team. Click on the link above to get the flier. Disclosure- I work for the ALF, and manage the Liver Life Challenge team.

Friday, October 14th- Best of Cleveland Party, hosted by Cleveland Magazine. 7-11PM, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. General admission tickets are $45. Go check out what Cleveland Magazine has deemed "the best" of Cleveland!

Sunday, October 16th- Dinner in the Dark at Light Bistro in Ohio City. 6:30PM. $65 plus tax and gratuity. Enjoy a six course meal prepared by six different chefs, but you're "in the dark" on what the menu will be and what the chef lineup looks like. All proceeds benefit a local charity.

Monday, November 14th- March of Dimes' Cleveland Signature Chef Auction. Tickets are $150, 5:30PM, The Cleveland Aquarium. Highlights over 25 of our area's chefs as they prepare a signature dish for all to taste. Win fantastic prizes in their live and silent auctions. The Honorary Chef is Jeff Jarrett from AMP 150, but the restaurant list is quite lengthy.

Enjoy these events and more this fall! Any fun food events coming up that you plan on attending?

Dining at Flour

2011-09-15T11:55:00.000-07:00

In an effort to get out to the east side of Cleveland more often, a recent Girls' Night Out brought us to Flour- Paul Minnillo and Chris DiLisi's (formally of the Baricelli Inn) newest venture. Offering rustic Italian fare in a sleek, but casual, atmosphere was what they were going for, and I personally think that they delivered.

They offer a small area for patio seating out front, but this evening we decided to dine inside. Picture lots of clean lines, minimalist decor, tons of stainless steel, and plaid shirts on all the waitstaff (this last bit I found a little odd). Our server was pleasant, attentive, and knowledgeable about the menu, although she had some missteps later in the evening and also proved that she knows nothing about how a cheese plate should be presented and enjoyed (start with the mild, end with the stinky).

This particular group of diners LOVES a good cheese plate, so we decided to share the 7 Piece Formaggi ($19) with strawberry compote and crostini as a starter.Overall, it was a decent cheese plate but I don't think that it lived up to Baricelli cheese fame, and it certainly couldn't compete with our personal favorite- L'Albatros. But the cheese selection was nice, although every good plate with this many varieties should include a bleu- in our opinion. But we were off to a good start.

I decided to try the Melon salad ($11) with arugula, ricotta salada, chili, and lime.There were a few different types of melon in the salad, and they were all crisp and refreshing. The chili added a subtle heat to the dish, but we agreed that it was "missing something". Maybe some prosciutto? I don't think that I would order it again.

Then on to the main course- Gnudi ($18 entree portion) with pancetta, corn essence, corn salsa, and crema.Some helpful tweeps had suggested this dish to us, and it didn't disappoint. This was the highlight of the meal for me, and the portion was so large that I was able to take half of it home for lunch the next day. The gnocchi were a probably little dense for some people's taste, but the wonderful sweet corn flavor and crispy pancetta bites just did it for me. It was a little rich towards the end, but I really enjoyed the dish and it reheated nicely. I would order this again in a heartbeat.

So, overall we enjoyed checking out one of the area's newer additions, and I think that they will continue to thrive. The (free) parking and location are convenient, the food is good with some standout dishes, and the atmosphere is casual yet modern and sleek.

Flour
34205 Chagrin Boulevard
Moreland Hills, OH 44022
216-464-3700

September Events

2011-09-12T08:50:00.000-07:00

I am totally in a full-blown fall mood now after the Browns' home opener yesterday, one of my favorite September food events taking place tonight- Taste of the Browns, and a crisp in the air that just wasn't there a few weeks ago.

But festival season is not over! This month brings some other great events that I wanted to share with you:

Monday, September 12th - Sunday, September 18th- First ever Downtown Cleveland Patio Week, featuring $30 three course options and $15 lunch options at participating restaurants. There will also be special events and offers from specific restaurants, and you can check all of this out for only $2 parking. Visit the website (linked above) for more information.

Tuesday, September 20th- Dinner in the Dark. Held at Brandt Evan's new Pura Vida this month, the event will feature six different chefs preparing a six course meal with beverage pairings. But you'll be "in the dark" about who is cooking each course, or what you will be served. All proceeds benefit charity. 6:30PM. Use the link to learn more, or to purchase tickets online.

Friday, September 23rd - Sunday, September 25th- Cleveland's RIPE! Fest, hosted by the Cleveland Botanical Gardens. Featuring food, entertainment, farmers market, shopping and more. Tickets are only $12 for adults and $6 for children. Event hours are 11:00 a.m. - sundown each day. Family-friendly. Check out the event website for more information.

I am simply sharing these events happening in Cleveland because I think they are worth checking out. What events are you looking forward to this month?

Back to Bac

2011-09-07T09:02:00.001-07:00

One of the most controversial blog posts that I've written was my review of Tremont's Bac. Several of you stood up for what you feel is "one of the best Asian restaurants in Cleveland", and told me that I didn't know what I was talking about.

Here's the thing...restaurants and food are subjective. Even when dining with friends, family, or "R"- we can be having the same food in the same restaurant at the same time with the same server, and our experience and opinions will be different. That's the beauty of it, I think.

As you know, our first experience at Bac led us to one of the worst dishes that I've ever had (spoiled scallops, and the dish isn't on the menu anymore), and the rest of the food was only average- in my opinion. Of course I always believe in second chances, and try to not judge a restaurant based on one experience alone. So when many of you reached out about that particular blog post, I knew that I had to go back.

I did, and I'm sorry to say that my opinion hasn't changed. In the picture below you see three small plates: Summer Rolls, Pork Rangoon, and Chicken Satay.Once again, there was nothing "wrong" with the three dishes (other than the Chicken Satay being a little fatty). But there was absolutely nothing that stood out or impressed about these dishes. I've had better rolls, better satay, better peanut sauce, and better dumplings in other Cleveland restaurants. Let me just note that I was sharing these dishes with a friend, and she felt the same way.

Now...I've heard that the Bacon Guacamole, Green Papaya Salad, and Bahn Mi Sandwich are very good. But why should your menu only include a short list of items that stand out? It should be the other way around, especially in Tremont where it is a restaurant mecca of good eats. I'm sorry folks, but my second trip left me feeling the same way.

And that's the beauty of opinions- to each their own. I just try to write this blog honestly about my experiences and opinions, but I do always love to hear your feedback and own dining adventures. We all know what we like best, but it sure is fun to share it with others. I could talk about the Cleveland culinary scene all day!

I do wish Bac the best as he seems like such a nice guy and a hard worker, but the restaurant just isn't for me. I only decided to write a second post because so many of you spoke up after the first. Clearly, the restaurant has a loyal following and that's wonderful!

Touch Supper Club Farm to Table Dinner

2011-09-02T07:25:00.001-07:00

On Tuesday night, "R" and I attended the Touch Supper Club Farm to Table Dinner at Stone Garden Farms in Richfield. The setting was gorgeous, and it was a perfect late summer evening (you know, one with just a slight chill in the air once the sun went down).They were also unveiling their new food truck, which is about to hit the streets of Cleveland serving up tasty tacos.Touch had set up tables of 8 on the grounds of the farm, surrounded by interesting old buildings and beautiful gardens. Before the dinner started, we explored the buildings......poked around the gardens......and made some new friends.Then we settled into our table for a seven course meal served family-style, inspired by Stone Garden Farms. Many of the courses included produce picked fresh from the grounds, and our sixth course was a suckling pig right off the farm. But first up were Assorted Deviled Eggs with Fried Green Tomatoes.I love deviled eggs, and these did not disappoint. The kimchee and blue cheese eggs were my favorite two. The lightly battered fried green tomatoes were also a big hit at our table. This course was paired with a light, summery Cucumber Melon Margarita.

Second course was a Heirloom Tomato Panzanella Salad with wild lamb quarters (a green, as our table learned), arugula, and goat cheese.Paired with it was a Ketchup Martini- my least favorite drink of the evening (whoa, strong and spicy), but fun. I really enjoyed this salad, and it included some of the sweetest and flavorful tomatoes that I've had yet this summer.The third course was a Stone Garden Salt Roasted Beet Salad with romaine, candied walnuts, strawberry rhubarb vinaigrette, and Danish blue cheese. This was a table favorite, but the salt-roasted beets were just a tad too salty in my opinion. I think it lost some of the great earthy flavor of the beets. But the five different varieties of beets were picked straight from the farm, and it doesn't get any fresher than that! Next up was the Garden Beans with toasted cumin, lemon and feta cheese, tomato salad, and toasted pine nuts. It was paired with a sparkling white wine, and is the chef's "favorite summer side dish".

Now we moved into the "main courses", which started with a Grilled Smoked Salmon with heirloom tomato bread pudding, oven dried cherry tomatoes, and a leek corn slab bacon compote. This dish was paired with a refreshing Lynchburg Lemonade.Let me state that I typically hate salmon. It's always too "fishy" for me, and I would never, ever order it out. This was my favorite course of the evening. The bread pudding was outstanding, and I absolutely loved the Rose Hip Gastrique that Chef Fisher had whipped up for the meal. The fish was mild, with a nice crisp to the outside.

Now it was time for the main event, the Roasted Suckling Pig.This was served with smoked sweet potatoes, house-made BBQ sauce, and a slightly sweet red wine. The sauce was exceptional, and several of us dipped our utensils into the jar to savor just that flavor by itself. My first piece of pork was very fatty and too tough to cut into, but the platter kept refilling itself and I enjoyed some delicious smokey, tender pork.

The last course was a Blue Berry Pie with white cheddar cheese ice cream, and was supposed to be served with a Ginger Peach Cobbler cocktail. Unfortunately, as our server made his way to our table he tripped over a chair leg in the dark and down went the tray of drinks. Alas, we didn't get to try the cocktail but it sure sounded good! I am not a pie lover, but I did pick at a few bites and watched as everyone else at the table happily cleaned their plates. So it must have been good, because we were all feeling stuffed at that point.

With our bellies full, we wandered over to the roaring bonfire and continued to listen to the beautiful live folk music that had entertained us all evening. It was a perfect ending to an unique, and delicious, meal on the farm.For more pictures from the evening, check out the album on my Facebook Fan Page.

Thank you to Touch Supper Club for providing me with a media pass to come check out the event and the debut of their new food truck. It was a fun and tasty meal, and one that we won't soon forget. The opinions above are 100% mine.

A Dragonfly at Dragonfly, Shaped Like a Dragonfly

2011-08-31T06:42:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, a friend and I met up for dinner at Dragonfly Lounge in Ohio City. I've heard mixed reviews about the food and atmosphere, and was looking forward to checking it out for myself. Recently, well-known chef Marlin Kaplan (One Walnut, Luxe, Roseangel) also became involved with Dragonfly and re-vamped their menu.

I immediately like the interior of the restaurant. It had a great "lounge" vibe with the modern furniture, lighting, and bar decor, but also had exposed brick (which I love) and sunlight streaming in through the front windows.

Luckily, my friend and I almost always just "share" our meal by splitting a couple of small plates. We decided to start with the Crispy Lobster Pot Stickers with avocado, pomelo, and Indonesian sweet soy ($12.5).The pot stickers were decent, but the lobster flavor wasn't as prominent as I think we both had hoped. Next up was the Dragonfly sushi roll with crab, bok choy, cucumber, avocado, mango mustard, and char su glaze ($13.5).As you can (sort of) see, they playfully arranged the sushi roll to look like a dragonfly on the plate. Bonus points here! I always enjoy a good sushi roll, and this was pretty good. Everything tasted fresh, and I liked the crispy outer coating. But I did wish that the roll was slightly thinner. It was impossible to eat in one bite, and cutting the pieces resulted in the ingredients spilling out.

Last up, we split the Dragonfly Paella with mussels, calamari, snapper, shrimp, and forbidden rice in a coconut curry broth ($22).I appreciated that they split the dish for us (so what you see is only a half portion) for no additional fee. This was my favorite dish of the evening- packed with curry and coconut flavors and fresh seafood. I don't usually enjoy steamed fish in dishes such as this, but even the fish was prepared well and complimented the overall dish. I was happy to end on this note.

So, overall we enjoyed the atmosphere and food- with some dishes being better than others. Several more on the menu sounded tempting, and I always love it when sushi is on the menu! I think we'll both be back, and I'll even bring "R" this time. He gets a little salty when I have these fun dining adventures without him. Hehehe.

Dragonfly Lounge
1859 West 25th Street
Cleveland, OH 44113
(216) 696-7774

Austin's Wood Fire Grill Disappoints

2011-08-26T05:00:00.000-07:00

"R's" grandma lives in Brecksville, and he has dined in the area often with her. So when a Groupon for Austin's Wood Fire Grill popped up one day, he purchased the discounted certificate and plans were made to dine there.

It is located in the same plaza as Heinen's, so parking is very easy and free.We arrived around 7PM, and the restaurant was mostly full. It was a nice mix of ages and type of groups dining, and appeared to be family-friendly as well. We settled in and each ordered a drink as we looked at the menu.

Immediately, I had sticker shock. I was in the mood for a steak, and my eye was drawn to a $32 hunk of beef topped with a special sauce. No way. So I settled on a 12 oz. (only size option) NY Strip for $27.99. No frills (cheese, sauce, extra spices, etc.) and no dinner salad included. Just one side dish of my choice. Pretty skimpy, in my opinion. I went for the baked potato, and also ordered a side of the garlic spinach. We had started with an order of the Stuffed Mushrooms, and the dish included six crab-stuffed mushrooms for $8.49. "R" had ordered the Crab Cake Dinner.

Let's just say that there is something wrong with the bland baked potato being the best part of my meal. The stuffing inside the mushrooms was dry and there was no hint of crab flavor. My steak was seasoned "okay", but even a little more salt and pepper would have gone a long way. A good steak doesn't need much, but this one needed a bit of something more. At least it was cooked to a perfect medium. The spinach was disappointing, and "R's" crab cakes were very similar to the dry and bland crab stuffing in the mushrooms.

All in all, I thought it was an incredibly expensive meal for what it lacked in quality and portions. We won't be back, and I honestly wanted to stand outside and warn people as they walked in. Whoops!

Austin's Wood Fire Grill
8121 Chippewa Road
Brecksville, OH 44141
(440)546-1003

Taste of the Browns Winner and an Upcoming Event

2011-08-25T05:08:00.000-07:00

Today is a good day...because someone has won my Taste of the Browns giveaway! Drum roll please....congratulations to @masongoodman! Mason- email or DM me on Twitter to claim your two general admission tickets. If I don't hear from you by Monday, then I will select another winner using random.org. Thank you to everyone that entered! It's a fantastic event that I hope you consider attending. Tickets can be purchased here, and all proceeds benefit the Cleveland Foodbank.

As we head into fall, Clevelanders are busy soaking up the last days of summer. This often means dining outdoors. Which leads me to an upcoming event that I think is worth sharing. Touch Supper Club is hosting a "Farm to Table" dinner at Stone Garden Farm on Tuesday, August 30th from 7-11PM. The event includes a multi-course meal with beverage pairings, Richfield grown hand-rolled cigars, live folk music, a bonfire, and...the unveiling of their new food truck.

Touch has been teasing us for quite a while through social media that they were working on a food truck, and I personally can't wait to see it in all its glory. I think it will be a great addition to our growing food truck scene.

I will be attending the Stone Garden Farm event on a media pass, but "R" is joining me to enjoy the event in his hometown. I think that you should come as well, and soak in the last rays of summer. Tickets can be purchased online here, and the first 20 people to purchase also receive a $20 gift card to Touch Supper Club.

NEO Food Tours- Shaker Square

2011-08-18T05:25:00.000-07:00

It's been harder for me to find inspiration for blogging lately. Maybe it's the 3 Year Slump, the beautiful weather that we've been having so when I sit down to type I get restless...call it whatever you will, but I've been struggling to feel passionate about it for a few weeks now.

But this morning I woke up, and one of my first thoughts was "I have to share my NEO Food Tours experience!" I had such a wonderful time exploring Shaker Square on a gorgeous summer night, learning a piece of Cleveland history, meeting new and interesting people, and of course...sampling some fantastic food from the restaurants.

The tour kicked off at Sergio's Sarava (Manager pronounced it "Sarah-va") with three small appetizers and then the first official course of the tour- Shrimp Corness featuring fresh gulf shrimp, Ohio sweet corn and chive butter, with a hint of heat from locally grown peppers.I didn't find the "heat" in this dish, but the notes of coconut milk sung through and I really enjoyed this dish. We also had a chance to hear from the Executive Kitchen Manager, who has been with Sarava since it opened. He shared with us that his favorite dish on the menu is their Xim Xim- a slow braised stew. Then we enjoyed a demonstration on how to make the cocktail that was paired with the dish- a traditional Brazilian Caipirinha. It was strong, but tart and tasty!Next, we wandered across Shaker Square (led by our guide, Todd) to Japanese restaurant SaSa Matsu.Here we enjoyed a Lamb Mini Burger on homemade sesame buns with SaSa fries. The dish was paired with two kinds of sake.The spices in the lamb burger left my tongue dancing, and I really enjoyed the kimcee slaw that topped the burger.

Then we made our way over to Doug Katz's fire food and drink, a Shaker Square hot spot. After a warm greeting from Katz himself...we were served a 4 oz. Tandoor Roasted Hanger Steak with leek bread pudding, crumbled bleu, sauteed spinach and porcino jus paired with a red wine.This was my favorite dish of the evening, overall. The steak was cooked perfectly, and the flavors of the rich bread pudding, sharp bleu cheese, and earthy spinach all worked very well together. We also really enjoyed listening to Katz talk about his love affair with Shaker Square, and his passion for our area's restaurant community and their friendly competition. And it's true, our independent restaurant community is unique if you look across the country. Todd, our guide, compared our restaurant owners to siblings- "You'll push them in the puddle, tease them, but if they fall- you're there to pick them up." Katz also told us about his partnership with the museum and their new restaurant in the works, and a new addition to the fire location- an "underground", almost speakeasy, restaurant next door to the current restaurant. This should open up in the next few months.

Our last stop for the evening was Grotto Wine Bar (one of the two, including fire, that I had been to). Diners had a choice of a Grilled Peach with Mascarpone or a Cheese Plate. Duh, I went with the Cheese Plate.It included fresh mozzarella and shaved parmesan, but my favorites were the gorgonzola and the cranberry stilton. We also enjoyed a wonderful Syrah at this stop.

The evening didn't quite end there. We topped off the evening with a signature cocktail from NEO Food Tours beverage partner (the name has slipped my mind, sorry!) and treats to-go from Britt-Marie Culey's Coquette Patisserie. Along with some other fun swag, we headed home very happy and satisfied. The tour was interesting and educational, the food was delicious and portioned properly (which has been a complaint of others on previous tours), we tried two new restaurants, and I met some great new people. I sincerely suggest that you check out an upcoming NEO Food Tours, but don't wait because there are only two left in the Signature Tour Series before they shut down for the winter! So go and explore one of our area's neighborhoods, and dine on yummy food along the way. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I was offered two media passes to come check out NEO Food Tours. The opinions in this post are 100% my own. Thank you again to the NEO Food Tours staff for the opportunity- we'll be back! For more pictures from my tour, check out my Facebook Fan Page.

Win Taste of the Browns Tickets!

2011-08-16T10:18:00.000-07:00

With the temperatures cooling down and our Browns' season tickets hanging on the fridge, it's starting to feel like fall is just around the corner. And you know what that means...football season. "R" and his friends are already planning the home opener tailgating menu, and chatter about the Browns training camp litters my Twitter feed. It all puts me in the mood for one of my favorite fall food events in Cleveland...the Taste of the Browns.Now, my opinion of this event is a little biased because I used to work at the Cleveland Foodbank and planning this event was one of my big projects...but this does not change the fact that this is a fun and unique event, and truly one of the season's best food events. Now that I no longer work there, I get to actually attend as a guest and I can't wait!

It is being held on Monday, September 12th from 6-9PM. The event features over 25 of our area's best independent chefs and restaurants. Here are just a few of my personal favorites: Bar Cento (pictured above at the 2010 event), Fahrenheit, AMP 150, Light Bistro, Melange, Momocho, Zack Bruell's restaurants, and the list goes on...

And you're sampling all of this food (and wine, beer, and specialty martinis) down at Browns Stadium while you meet and mingle with alumni and current players. There is usually quite the crowd of them in attendance! The event also features a fabulous silent and live auction, including restaurant dining packages, Browns tickets and autographed memorabilia, and more. All proceeds benefit the Cleveland Foodbank. Tickets are $150, but each dollar donated to the Foodbank translates into 4 meals served in a local hunger center!

You can purchase tickets here, or enter to win TWO general admission tickets by leaving a comment below telling me which Taste of the Browns restaurant you want to try the most. It will be hard to choose! For a second chance to win, just tweet the following statement: "I want to win #TasteoftheBrowns tickets from @BiteBuff at http://tinyurl.com/3vb6atj." Please leave a comment on this post for each entry. I will use random.com to select a winner on Thursday, August 25th. Good luck, and I hope to see you there!

Disclosure: I was previously employed by the Cleveland Foodbank. They have provided me with one media pass in exchange for this post. As always, the thoughts and opinions above are 100% my own.

Upcoming Events Not to Miss!

2011-08-10T05:32:00.000-07:00

There are several fun food events coming up in Cleveland that I wanted to share with you...

Sunday, August 15th, Cleveland's very own Chris Hodgson from Dim and Den Sum and his newest food truck, Hodge Podge, is one of eight trucks that competed for $100,000 in the second season of the Food Network's show - The Great Food Truck Race. The show features gourmet food trucks as they literally race across the country, competing in weekly challenges with a losing truck leaving to head home. Now, Twitter gave away some clues about Hodge Podge's stint on the show, so we know that Chris hung in there for quite a while...but did he win? Tune in this weekend for the premier, and don't miss this season. A viewing party will be held at Happy Dog this Sunday.

Wednesday, August 17th, NEO Food Tours hits Shaker Square for a walking tour and progressive dinner at restaurants such as fire, Sergio's Sarava, and Grotto. The tour is $75 (includes wine pairings) and meets at 6:20PM. Tickets can still be purchased online here. I will be checking out the tour for the first time, and was offered a media pass to do so. Come check out Shaker Square with me! This west-sider is really looking forward to it.

Saturday, August 27th- Dinner in the Dark at the Culinary Vegetable Institute. 6:30PM. Join area chefs at the farm as they create a multi-course meal, while you are "in the dark" about what is coming and who is behind the dish. $65 plus tax and gratuity, and proceeds benefit a local charity each month. This month's charity is Veggie U. The chefs behind this concept have been leaking clues through social media, and I think you can expect more than the traditional 6 chefs to be involved in this month's event. Don't miss this edition of DITD!

Saturday, September 3rd, local printing company Jakprints brings us "Jak of All Trades Fest" from noon to 7PM at their downtown location. It is a free event, but you must RSVP. The festival is family-friendly with live music, a fashion show, street course-style skateboard park, art and games, raffle, and area food trucks (portion of proceeds going to charity) with a complimentary beer garden.

Seriously, our city is amazing and there is ALWAYS something fun to do. I hope that you check out some of these great things happening in Cleveland, and feel free to share any other upcoming events in the comments section. Hope to see you out and about!

My Favorite Summer Weekend

2011-08-04T05:45:00.001-07:00

This weekend is always one of my favorite summer weekends. "R" and I have attended Twilight at the Zoo for several years in a row now, and the promise of zoo animals, live music, endless buffets, and unlimited beer and wine leave me in anticipation for months. It's also the weekend of other well-known summer events. So even though I'll be out of town and missing it all, I decided to dedicate a post to this fantastic August weekend. It's one for the books!
Friday, August 5th- Twilight at the Zoo. Wind your way through the Zoo enjoying an assortment of complimentary food, beer, wine, and soft drinks. Dance under the stars to the rhythms of 17 bands playing Motown, rock, salsa, swing, country, and blues. 7-midnight. General admission = $75. Sorry, this event is Sold Out.

Friday, August 5th - Saturday, August 6th- Vintage Ohio Wine Festival. 1-10PM. Kirtland, OH.

Saturday, August 6th- Akron's Blues & Brews. One of Northeast Ohio's largest craft brew events, hosted by Thirsty Dog Brewing Co. and the Winking Lizard Tavern. Located at Lock 3 in Akron. From 2-6PM, sample more than 200 brews from over 75 different breweries, and enjoy live music and food from Winking Lizard. All proceeds benefit charity.

Saturday, August 6th- Krusty's Summer Sauce Camp. 20th Annual event hosted at Whiskey Island to benefit Cleveland's Malachi House. $60 at the door. Live music, food, and drinks.

So, I'll be in Put-in-Bay celebrating a friend's bachelorette party. Where will you be this weekend? Hopefully checking out at least one of these fantastic summer events!

Market Garden Brewery Review

2011-08-02T05:43:00.000-07:00

Thanks to random.org, Heather from Mile 26 and More is the winner of the two tickets to this weekend's Blues & Brews event! I appreciate everyone that took the time to enter, and to tell me about your favorite summer beer.

Speaking of beer...

A group of us recently went to Market Garden Brewery (Ohio City's newest addition to West 25th Street) to check out their food and brews.I immediately liked the atmosphere, except for the orange bulbs in the chandeliers that hang from the ceiling. That just gave them a "Halloween" glow that caught the eye of several of us. We were seated in the main bar area, so I didn't have a chance to check out the outdoor seating, but I hear that it is very nice and a welcomed addition to the area. I didn't feel like drinking a beer with dinner (a sin at a brewery, I know), so I started with a glass of white wine. MGB offers a few different wine options, and several unique cocktails (more on that later).

I decided to get the Classic Wedge salad with iceburg, oven cured tomatoes, bacon, and bleu cheese dressing ($8).I also ordered the Pretzel, which was soft baked with mustard and garlic cheese spread ($6).You can't really screw up a soft pretzel, so I enjoyed it thoroughly. The salad itself was a little bland. I know that sounds weird to say about a salad, but the dressing didn't offer the usual punch that a good bleu cheese typically has. It all tasted a little "watery", and while the tomatoes were an interesting addition- they didn't add much to the dish overall.

So I was a little underwhelmed by the food, and consensus at the table was the same for the beer. The general reaction from those at the table that were sampling the brews is that they didn't have a whole lot of flavor. Now the Shoreway Cooler on the other hand had everyone happily sipping away. Progress Pilsner with housemade honey gin, lemon juice, lillet blanc, and simple syrup ($8). This cocktail was unique, and really refreshing on a summer evening.

But while the food and beer didn't impress on our first visit, they really have created a nice spot that I feel will just improve over time. The atmosphere and service were great, and the food and brews can be adjusted as they find their footing as a new restaurant. Our server handled our large table very well, keeping all of our orders separate and never being too far away when we needed another Cooler. We'll be back for sure!

Market Garden Brewery
1947 West 25th Street
Cleveland, OH
(216) 621-4000

Blues & Brews Giveaway

2011-07-29T08:33:00.000-07:00

The organizers of the upcoming Blues & Brews event on Saturday, August 6th are giving YOU the chance to win two tickets!

Blues & Brews is one of our area's largest craft beer festivals, featuring more than 75 brewers with over 200 different styles of beer. The event also includes live blues music by the Frankie Starr Band, food from Winking Lizard, and a fantastic silent auction. General admission is from 2-6PM. The event is being held in downtown Akron's Lock 3 Park, with free parking available. Proceeds benefit Akron's Guns and Hoses and the Ohio Craft Brewers Association, with additional support provided to a few other local charities.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit http://www.bluesnbrews.org/. OR you can enter a comment below to win two tickets. I was also offered a complimentary media pass to attend, but unfortunately I will be in Put-in-Bay with my friends that weekend. So you'll just have to taste some craft beers for me!

To enter, just tell me what your favorite summer beer is in a comment below. I'll pull a winner, using random.org, on Tuesday. For a second entry, tweet the phrase "I want to win Blues & Brews tickets from @BiteBuff! http://tinyurl.com/3rg2fu8". Good luck!

Memorable Meal at Melange

2011-07-21T07:03:00.000-07:00

I've stated on here several times that two of my favorite chefs in Cleveland are Adam Bostwick and Matt Creighton from Melange...but the truth is that I've only dined at the restaurant twice. They are simply two of my favorites because I've worked with them professionally on many charity events, and they are so super sweet and humble about how talented they really are. Also, the food samples at events such as Chef Jam, Market Under Glass, Taste of the Browns, Emerging Chefs, and Dinner in the Dark have always been impressive and among my favorites.

But, a few weeks ago "R" and I headed out to Beachwood to dine at Melange, and theses chefs quickly reminded me that I need to get out there more often. We had one of the most enjoyable meals that we've had in a long time, and some of this was due to the great conversation and company of the chefs coming out and spending some time with us...but it was mostly about the food.

We started with the Beet Salad ($8.5) with golden, red, and candy striped beets, goat cheese, pickled onion, grapefruit segments, and a grapefruit vinaigrette.And an order of the "Buffalo" Frog Legs ($12) with bleu cheese cream, house buffalo sauce, and micro celery salad.I love a good beet salad, but this was hands-down my favorite ever. "R" even gave this dish the title of "best of the meal." The combination of beet types and the other ingredients worked harmoniously, and I loved the presentation of the salad. This was my first time trying frog legs, and if I had known that they could be like this then I would have tried them a long time ago! Or maybe they aren't always this good. The tender meat fell right off the bone, and the crispy coating was just the right texture and amount of crunch.

After "R" declared his love for the beet salad (and this boy HATED beets when I met him), the chefs surprised us with another starter...a complimentary order of their famous Dirty Chips with house cut potato, sweet potato, and beet chips with smoked bleu cheese fondue, bacon, tomato, and scallions. I, admittedly, am not a chip fan (unless they are salt & vinegar chips, mmm) but these chips were inventive and tasty. We both devoured them.Then we were on to the main course. I decided on their Braised Short Ribs ($19.5) because from everything that I've experienced at tasting events...these two chefs know how to slow cook meat! I wasn't disappointed.The flavor of the Asian sticky glaze on the meat was wonderful, and the tender meat just fell apart at the touch (except for the ends, which were just slightly dried out by the time the dish arrived). I enjoyed the Vegetable Fried Rice that accompanied the dish, but the serving was hefty and I ended up taking home half of my dish. Which I didn't complain about the next day when it made a great lunch!

"R" had the fish special, which honestly was so beautifully presented that I just had to snap a shot of it. I enjoyed the couple of bites that I stole.We finished up with dessert and another cocktail on the patio, completely full and loosening our waistbands. As I said, it was one of the more enjoyable experiences that we've had in a long time. My only real complaint was our server. She was awful. Thankfully, Chef Adam had told us about the specials that evening during one of his visits...because she never told us about them and had been pushing us to order our entrees several times at that point. Also, "R" ordered three different beers during our meal and every time the drink arrived...it wasn't what he ordered. Not even close, at times. Then she gave us the bill for a table that had already paid and left. She was a hot mess, and it probably would have ruined our experience. Luckily, the food and company of Adam and Matt more than made up for her fumbles and we walked away very happy and vowing to be back soon.

Melange
2101 Richmond Road
Beachwood, OH 44122
(216) 378-9755

Veggie U Recap

2011-07-19T07:06:00.000-07:00

Saturday brought one of the best days that I've had so far this summer. It was Veggie U's annual Food & Wine Celebration to benefit their fantastic education program. I couldn't contain my excitement over the lineup of talented chefs, unique event setting, and the group of friends that I would be spending the evening with.

15 of us met at Deagan's Kitchen & Bar for a pre-event cocktail, and then we piled into "Jeff's Sexy Van" with cold beers, shrimp appetizers, and macaroons. The evening was off to a great start...Then we arrived and the real fun began.One of the first tables that I stopped at featured one of my favorite chefs...Jeff Jarrett from AMP 150.As we made our way through the tasting tent, some highlights were Anna Kim's (Cleveland Downtown Marriott at Key Center) cold tomato bisque with balsamic vinegar and a tiny grilled cheese.I also loved Washington Place Bistro's fried green tomato dish (pictured below), and Deagan's lobster nacho. My Cleveland pride was in full force! We tasted so many wonderful dishes, but the ones that really stood out in my opinion were mostly from Cleveland chefs. Which says a lot, because there was seriously some TALENT under that tent.Other highlights of the event included talking with Veggie U's own Farmer Lee Jones (he's making a funny face because he accused me of pinching his butt just as "R" snapped the photo, hehehe).And...I got to meet Ruth Reichl!I tore through her book Garlic & Sapphires this spring in one sitting- it was that good. So meeting her was a thrill, and for the first time in my life I was a little starstruck. But she couldn't have been any nicer to her adoring fans.

It was HOT and sweaty, but this didn't dampen our experience. We finally piled back onto the van with full bellies, a slight wine buzz, and smiles on our faces. I'm just glad that no one recorded the sing-a-long that took place on the way home. I should stick to my day job.Thank you again to Farmer Lee Jones and his crew for the opportunity to attend the event. This was the first, but certainly not the last, time that I'll be there.

Today's Taste of Tremont

2011-07-17T14:59:00.001-07:00

Two hours left of one of the best summer street festivals...Taste of Tremont. So go get your butt down there if you haven't already!Approximately 30,000 people will fill Professor Avenue today from noon - 8PM to experience samples from area restaurants, purchase items from specialty vendors and pop-up boutiques, and possibly even come home with a furry adopted friend. Taste of Tremont has it all.

Personally, I sampled a pierogi from Sokolowski's and mac n' cheese from Lolita. Yum!It's hot, and parking is a nightmare...but this summer festival is so worth it! Did you attend? What was your favorite dish?

Wood Fire Grille Adds Flavor to Avon Lake

2011-07-13T10:19:00.000-07:00

When Bar Symon pulled out of its Avon Lake location, people wondered what would replace it. Well, local catering company Flavor the Town (which I have written about before) decided to open up a restaurant in the space...the Wood Fire Grille.With some minor renovations and their own flare, I think they've settled in quite well. I had a great experience dining there a few weeks ago, and personally think that it was a perfect addition to the area. We were quickly whisked to the spacious, gorgeous patio (with a nice outside bar area), and each started with a (CHEAP) glass of wine. With both of us living within the Cleveland city limits, we couldn't decide if this was "suburban" pricing or just darn cheap pricing from a new restaurant that hadn't figured out yet that I would happily pay twice the amount for that glass of wine. If the latter is the case, then let's just cross our fingers that they don't figure it out!

We both wanted to try several of the small plates and starters, so we decided to share our entire meal. We ordered the Artichoke Dip ($8 but half off during Happy Hour) with warm bubbly cream cheese, artichokes, topped with cheddar cheese, tomato, black olives, and scallions served with pita chips.I've had this dish of theirs at a tasting event, and it was just as good as I remembered. Next up was our "main course", which consisted of Crabby Cakes made in the New England tradition with blue crab and Old Bay seasoning with spicy mayo ($9). Baked Macaroni with smoked gouda, cheddar and fontina cheeses ($4). Our friend that had suggested the restaurant claimed that this mac 'n cheese was better than Lucky's Cafe. I wouldn't give it that rating after trying it for myself, but it might be #2 in my opinion!And we also shared a side order of the Wood Grilled Marinated Asparagus ($5). All of our selections were served piping hot and packed full of flavor. I though the pricing of the food was very reasonable as well, and we walked away with a cheap bill, great summer evening spent on a patio, and promises to come back soon.

Wood Fire Grille
32858 Walker Road
Avon Lake, OH 44021
(440) 777-4108

Scratch another one off the list...Lolita

2011-07-11T05:32:00.000-07:00

#10 - the Reader's Choice - restaurant on my 2011 "To Dine" list was Michael Symon's Lolita. It was the closest to home, but yet the only Symon restaurant that I hadn't been to in Cleveland.

Well, I finally made it a point to get over there recently with two friends for Lolita's famous Happy Hour.With $2-$5 drink specials, and five menu choices for $5 a piece...it really is a great deal. I settled on the "Lolita's Choice" white wine for $4, and it was a dry blend with a light, crisp finish - just my kind of white wine.

Since two of us had never been there before, we wanted to try a couple of the $5 dishes so we shared the Lolita Burger with bacon, aged cheddar, fried egg, and onion.I also got a pea spread with grilled flatbread...I wasn't expecting the Lolita burger to arrive on an English muffin, but it was a nice surprise and a welcomed change from your standard bun. The egg was cooked perfectly, so just the right amount of yolk ran through the center of the burger when we sliced into it. Overall, I was happy with the burger. The pea spread was alright, but not something that I would order again.

So, the meal was pretty darn good for $10 in food (and I won't mention how many $4 glasses of wine we had, hehehe). I loved the atmosphere of the modern, yet warm and inviting, bistro. Why haven't I been here before?!

Lolita
900 Literary Road
Cleveland, OH 44113
(216) 771-5652

Tots are making a comeback...

2011-07-08T05:52:00.000-07:00

I have fond memories of tator tots in the school cafeteria. Those little fried puffs of potato...Mmmmm. Well, I feel like they are making a comeback in my adult life. Does anyone else feel like we are seeing more tots on restaurant menus lately?

Between Happy Dog (hello dipping sauces), brunch at Touch Supper Club, and last night at Reddstone...I see a lot more tots popping up on my plate.

I was in the mood for a patio, so we headed to Reddstone right after work. After trying one of their 10 cent tacos for Taco Night, "R" and I decided to share the Taters & Dips with chipotle ketchup, truffle aioli, and buttermilk horseradish ($8).Behold the house-made tator tots. I didn't know that they existed. But these fried puffs of mashed potatoes were clearly a far cry from the standard shredded nuggets that we are used to. While I can say that the 7 tots were not worth the $8 price tag, they were pretty fun to eat and inspired us to try to make them at home.

Then we shared the BBQ'D Duck Pizza with duck confit, smoked gouda, crispy onions, cilantro, red peppers, and Reddstone BBQ ($18). The pizza was more than enough to share and also take home leftovers. I love the flavor combination, but felt that there was just a tab too much sauce since the slices were a little soggy. Also, we both loved the soft, doughy crust. This was a winner. I think I'll go have the cold leftovers for breakfast right now...So, what do you think - are tator tots "in"? Any other Cleveland restaurants serving tots?

Reddstone
1261W. 76th Street
Cleveland, OH 44102
(216) 651-6969

Happy 4th of July, America!

2011-07-04T14:11:00.000-07:00

Happy 4th of July!May your day be filled with friends, family, food, fun, and fireworks.

- Katrina

Mid-Year Check-in

2011-07-01T07:01:00.000-07:00

With it finally hitting me today, on the first of July, that summer is really HERE- I thought that it was time to take a look at my 2011 New Year's Resolution list of restaurants that I wanted to try to see how I am doing...

Here was the list:
1. Dante (not done, but a $100 gift certificate was a birthday present and we're headed there in July to celebrate our anniversary)
2. Chinato --- DONE
3. Blue Canyon Kitchen & Tavern --- DONE
4. Umami Asian Kitchen --- DONE
5. Tinkers Creek Road Tavern
6. Washington Place Bistro & Inn --- DONE
7. Deagan's Kitchen & Bar --- DONE
8. Palate Restaurant & Lounge --- DONE
9. Happy Dog --- DONE
10. Reader's Choice...Lolita --- DONE

Um, wow. I knew I was doing well, but I haven't looked at the list in forever and I didn't realize that I am almost DONE. I think not completing my 2010 list really bothered me, so I was determined to tackle 2011. Now what will I do with myself until January?

Happy Holiday Weekend, everyone! Any fun dining plans? Cookouts? I'm just looking forward to actually being in the U.S.A. for the 4th of July because we are usually gone on an annual trip to "R's" lake cottage in Canada. So bring on the BBQ, beers, friends, and fireworks!

Date Night in the District

2011-06-29T05:50:00.000-07:00

Explore downtown this summer!

Cleveland's Warehouse District is bringing diners something special this summer. Through Labor Day, every Friday is "Date Nite in the District".

14 restaurants downtown are offering prix-fixe menus up to four courses, and some even include alcohol, for just $59 or $89 a couple. This promotion also includes $3 parking, and discounts on entertainment and overnight stays.

The participating restaurants include: Barley House, Blue Point Grille, Brasa, Chophouse, D'Vine, Johnny's Downtown, John Q's Steakhouse, Mallora, Nauti Mermaid, Osteria di Valerio, Sushi Rock, Waterstreet Grill (didn't I just read somewhere this week that they are closing, no?), XO, and Z'dara Mediterrean Grill.

It's a great opportunity to check out a downtown restaurant that you haven't been to before, take in dinner and show and stay overnight, or just share an evening out with your special someone. For more information about the promotion, visit www.datenitefriday.com. Get out there and explore our city!

Brunch at Deagan's

2011-06-27T04:58:00.000-07:00

Our first time dining at Deagan's Kitchen & Bar for brunch was the Sunday of the Cleveland Marathon. And I'm pretty sure that the staff at Deagan's felt like they had run their own marathon when the day was over. The place was packed, and the entire staff (including the owner) were scurrying around trying to keep up. Clearly, they had not planned on hosting such a large post-race crowd. In my opinion, it's all in how you handle the situation thrown at you and Deagan's couldn't have handled it any better from what I could see.

We grabbed two available seats at the bar, and I think this gave us a vantage point to witness the hustle of the staff and direction from their leader. Sure, our menus took quite some time to find us at the bar, we didn't get coffee or order for a solid 15 minutes, and the experience took much longer than anticipated. But...the staff was REALLY moving, they still took time to smile, and apologies were given. That's all you can ask for in times like this, and I walked away being really impressed with how they handled the day.

Now, the food I wasn't quite as impressed with so I'd love to go back soon and try another main dish. We started with an order of the Housemade Donuts ($4).They were pretty darn good, and rivaled Light Bistro's. I didn't even need the house-crafted berry preserves served with them.

"R" tried the Monte Cristo sandwich, and he seemed content with his meal. I ordered the 3 Egg Omelet with local eggs, pork belly lardons, sharp cheddar, green onions, and home fries ($9).The omelet was prepared well, but it just lacked flavor in my opinion. It was a little bland, and the pork lardons were cut a little thick for me. They ended up being pretty chewy bites. I think I expected the sharp cheddar and green onions to give it a little more punch on the palate. The home fries were nice and crispy while retaining a soft potato center, just how I like them.

So we left feeling really good about Deagan's staff, wanting to try more dishes from their brunch menu, and craving a mimosa (they always offer several playful flavors) or Bloody Mary (build your own). We'll be back for sure.

Deagan's Kitchen & Bar
14810 Detroit Avenue
Lakewood, OH 44107
(216) 767-5775

Veggie U's Food & Wine Celebration

2011-06-22T05:32:00.000-07:00

One of the things that I am looking forward to most this summer is Veggie U's 9th Annual Food & Wine Celebration coming up on Saturday, July 16th to benefit their children's education program.

Located in Milan, Ohio, Veggie U has been reaching out to teachers and students across the country to educate them on the connection between the food they eat and their health. With a sharp increase in childhood obesity and diabetes, it's their goal to place their hands-on, exciting curriculum into the 93,000 fourth grade classrooms across the country. You can learn more about their program here.

You may remember from the patio party at Washington Place Bistro that Farmer Lee Jones was in attendance, and generously offered a complimentary ticket to each of the media representatives present. But, I promise you, that this does not affect my opinion of their Food & Wine Celebration and my desire to promote it. This is seriously one FANTASTIC event that speaks for itself.

Nationally acclaimed chefs will be cooking up tastings on the grounds of The Culinary Vegetable Institute. For a full list, check out the website linked above, but here are a few headliners: Aaron Sanchez, Lee Ann Wong, Steve Ells, Govind Armstrong, and Ruth Reichl. Also, local chefs such as Jonathon Sawyer, Demetrios Atheneos, Brandt Evans, Rachel Spieth, and Jeff Jarrett are just a few on the long list of talented chefs. This promises to be an event packed full of delicious food, wine, auctions and raffles, cooking demos, artisan food vendors, and more.

Tickets are $145 and on sale now. This is one event that I think is certainly worth the price tag. I have been dreaming of attending this event since I moved to Cleveland. Thank you again to Farmer Lee Jones and his crew for providing me with the opportunity to do so, and I hope to see you there with me! This is a truly special event for a very worthy cause.

Summer Days Spent at Cropicana

2011-06-20T13:58:00.000-07:00

There were a LOT of good eats this past weekend, including Melange (more on that later) and the Tremont Tap House- yum. But we also had a new dining experience. One that just screams "Summer!"

Saturday afternoon we headed to Whiskey Island and met some of "R's" friends at Cropicana to celebrate a birthday with some beers, sunshine, and snacks. This "beach-inspired" restaurant and bar is Crop Bistro owner Steve Schimoler's newest venture, and he was there on Saturday all tan and sporting his shades. He is clearly lovin' the laid back, waterfront vibe.

Great music was pumping from the speakers, all sorts of people and their pets wandering around...The second one is my little pup, Lizzie! And we happily enjoyed several cold beers that afternoon. We reached a point where we were hungry, so we decided to share an order of the Fish Tacos and a basket of french fries ($12).Cropicana offers a limited menu of basic fare: cheeseburgers, ribs, pulled pork sandwiches, onion rings, french fries...you get the idea. We thought that the Fish Tacos would probably be the most interesting. While this still may be true, I couldn't help but be disappointed. They were certainly fine, and even had some winning aspects to them (like fresh cilantro, lime juice, and a nice crispy coating without being too greasy), but overall they were bland in my opinion and just lacking something special. They certainly did the trick since we were just looking to fill our bellies, but I was hoping for more from Schimoler. I'll just have to try it again.

But I'll be back to continue to enjoy this unique setting, cool summery vibe, and cold beers by the lake all summer long!

Tremont's Fat Cats

2011-06-16T07:11:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday evening, we were craving some patio time. We originally headed towards Pete Joyce's Bistro on Lincoln Park, but their patio was full and most of the parties had just been seated. Needing to make a decision quickly on our feet, Fat Cats popped into my head. I've admitted on here before that I often forget about this Tremont gem, but for once I didn't and I'm so glad that I thought of it.

We enjoyed a wonderful evening out on their patio, with a gorgeous view of the downtown Cleveland skyline. The service was attentive without being intrusive, drinks were quickly filled, and the food was exceptional.

We started with their Pizza with grape jam, Gorgonzola, duck confit, Ohio apples, and walnuts ($7). The crispy, thin flatbread held up well despite the amount of toppings, and the blend of sweet, acidic, and rich savory worked beautifully together. Then "R" settled on the Duck Breast with an orange glaze, black rice, and bleu cheese beets. I opted for the Spring Risotto.The risotto was prepared well, and packed full of spring-time veggies. There were so many different varieties that I lost count. The marscapone cheese also gave it a slight creaminess. I was pretty pleased with the dish, and we left there happy, bellies full, and our patio craving satisfied. Fat Cats is tucked away in Tremont, but it is not one to be forgotten!

Fat Cats
2061 West 10th Street
Cleveland, OH 44113
(216) 579-0200

Chef Jam Rocked My Night!

2011-06-14T06:09:00.000-07:00

Sunday night was one of my favorite Cleveland food events - Chef Jam. Chef Jam features over 20 of our area's best chefs and restaurants, but with a twist. The event is hosted at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame & Museum, and each restaurant station is inspired by a musician/band and the dish, decor, and costumes reflect this. Wigs, bandannas, face paint, and ripped shirts/jeans are just a few of the things you'll see. Some of the chefs really go all out. One other unique highlight of the evening are the live bands, made up of restaurant crews and special guests. These guys not only have talent in the kitchen, but on stage as well.

At this year's event, there were some highlight dishes. In my opinion, Melange killed it with their pork belly (hmmm, maybe I really do like pork belly when it's done right) and BBQ beans. The flavors of both the meat and beans were spot on, and continued to dance on my tongue. I also really enjoyed the dishes from Pura Vida (Brandt Evans' new place), B-Spot, Blue Point Grille, Deagan's, Sweet Moses, and Pier W.

But what I really want to share with you today are some tips for navigating the event. Because this is one that you DON'T want to miss next year!

Here are my Top 5 Tips for Chef Jam:

1. They do not open the doors to the Rock Hall until 7PM, and the line gets very long. Don't panic, get grumpy, and annoy everyone around you by whining. The staff know what they are doing, and they quickly move you through the line once the doors open. I swear, you'll be in tasting food within minutes.

2. Food stations are located on the lower level and the third level only. Most of the restaurants are on the lower level, and can easily be seen from the entrance, so most of the guests head in that direction. Don't be tempted! Head directly to the third floor, where you can enjoy several stations and an empty bar before the crowd makes its way up there. (I almost didn't want to share this tip!)

3. The restaurants will run out of food if it is a popular item. So stratgeically plan out which stations you want to hit if you're really dying to try a certain restaurant or dish. You can always swing back through an area or station that you missed. There is no set traffic pattern.

4. Notice which musician/band the restaurant is portraying. Most of the chefs put a lot of thought into their dish to best reflect the artist or a specific song, and having that knowledge can sometimes enhance your experience when sampling the food. (I did not do a good job of that this year.)

5. Last, but not least, take the time to hang out on the first floor by the main stage and enjoy the live bands. These guys can seriously ROCK (see Steve Schimoler from Crop Bistro below), and their talents on the stage are just as impressive as the food they create. If you focus on the food and drink only, you may lose some of what makes this event so special.
Well, I hope that this is helpful when you are planning your night at Chef Jam 2012, because this is one Cleveland food event that you shouldn't miss!

Roseangel is Rotten

2011-06-13T05:23:00.000-07:00

I am typically pretty good at recognizing whether a restaurant is just having an "off" night, or if my gut is correct in assessing that they just aren't very good. I feared the latter about Roseangel, and after a second trip there last week I know that I hit had the nail on the head.

During my first trip, I felt that the food was bland and poorly executed. But I LOVED the white wine sangria, and had been secretly craving it ever since. Well, that craving was kicked...along with any chance of me going back to Roseangel anytime soon.

Again, the food was poor, service barely above neglectful, and the sangria was nothing like I remembered.

I swear that my sangria during my first trip was light and crisp, but there was a heaviness and sweetness to this drink instead of the tart citrus that I remembered (and loved). But it was a hot night, and any cold cocktail would do. It was, again, the food that left me hostile.I ordered the Fish Tacos, with grilled talapia, on house-made flour tortillas. I don't even need to go into how bland this dish was, but my real issue was how "wet" they were when they arrived. The slaw and juices from the fish had completely soaked the tortilla, and it fell apart at my first touch. Tacos are not meant to be eaten with a fork! It's just sad when the only part of a meal that is really edible are the side dishes.Thank heavens for rice and beans.

It's so sad, because I like their space, location, and theme...but as hard as I try to like them- I just can't. Not to mention that they are OVERPRICED. I won't be back if I have any say in it. Sorry if you don't agree, but after two bad visits- I've formed my opinion.

Roseangel
5800 Detroit Road
Cleveland, OH 44102
(216)961-5800

No Need For Words

2011-06-10T05:06:00.000-07:00

Washington Place Bistro's Shrimp & Grits...They are so good that our little table of three diners had three orders. They were so popular on the fall/winter menu as a starter, that they've been moved to the entree section this season. Go get 'em. 'Nuff said.

Washington Place Bistro & Inn
2203 Cornell Road
Cleveland, OH 44106
(216)791-6500

"Crav"ing Summer Cocktails

2011-06-08T05:51:00.000-07:00

With the heavy rains a distant memory and temperatures rising in Cleveland, I am seriously starting to crave some patio time and light, summer cocktails on my favorite restaurant patios. What area restaurant has your favorite patio?

Speaking of summer cocktails, recently a handful of bloggers were invited to a private tasting of a new product on the market -- Crav Spirits.Clevelander Tom Rini has created a smooth, boutique vodka that he is quite proud of, and frankly he should be in my opinion. "Made in Sun Valley, Idaho, by Distilled Resources, Inc., Crav is crafted in small batches, not massed produced, lending to its top-shelf status. It is made from winter wheat and ultra pure water, and distilled once using a four column continuous system." We were given a sample to taste without the mixers, and when I buried my nose in the shot glass twice- I still couldn't smell the typical "alcohol burn" that I am used to vodka giving off. I slowly sipped it, and was surprised at how smooth it was.

But, I do have to admit that I preferred it paired with the light, summery mixes that Pier W's bartender created for us. First up was a Raspberry Lime Crav Sensation with Crav Vodka, Fresh Lemonade, Lime Juice, Raspberry Infused Syrup, and a Mint Sprig. Pure, sweet, refreshing deliciousness! This drink reminded me of one of my summer favorites- lemonade and flavored vodka. What's your favorite light, summer drink?Then I tried the second concoction- the Craving Ginger Rogers with Crav Vodka, Ginger and Orange Blossom Infused Syrup, Prosecco, and a Twist of Lime. Again, the cocktail was light and pleasing. Both helped me welcome in the summer season, and the vodka was untraceable to my palate. Just how I like it!This product only JUST became available on the market (for special order) on June 1st! But several local restaurants and bars have already picked up the vodka, and will be serving it starting this month. Here is just a "taste" (pun intended) of these restaurants/bars: Bier Market, Blind Pig, Clevelander, Dante, Dragonfly, Fahrenheit, Flying Monkey, Happy Dog, Lolita, Market, Southside, Sushi Rock, and The Garage Bar...but there are more. For a seriously smooth vodka, ask for Crav.

Thank you to Tom Rini of Crav Spirits, and Pier W for hosting us and supplying tasty, complimentary cocktails and small plates as we sampled the Crav product.

Umami Asian Kitchen Review

2011-05-31T14:17:00.000-07:00

This post has been a long-time coming, for several reasons. I've known Chef Matthew Anderson for about three years now, and I liked him right away once I saw that he is so warm, enthusiastic, and passionate about what he does. When he moved to take over the kitchen at Umami in Chagrin Falls, I was thrilled for him and wanted to get out there and try it for myself. But time slips by, and unfortunately Chagrin Falls is not always on our dining radar.

So my first trip to Umami Asian Kitchen didn't come until recently, when the Jeni's Ice Cream shop opened up and eager Clevelanders descended upon Main Street. When we walked into the restaurant,"R" and I were surprised to find only a handful of tables, and the chef happily creating in the open, tight kitchen space in the back. There was no wait, and we started to peruse the brief menu. I personally felt that there were enough options for the average diner to be able to find something appealing, and I always appreciate a brief menu selection if you just focus on quality and nailing every dish. I won't say that Chef Matt is quite nailing it yet, but he's coming pretty darn close based on our first experience there.

Thankfully, some tweeps had recommended the Udon Noodles and any fish special. This helped steer our decisions. We started with some Goat Cheese Dumplings with seared greens and a soy ginger butter ($8.50).The goat cheese flavor was a little lost, and perhaps would have stood out if the dumplings were larger. I combined a couple in a few bites and the result was a tad better. But overall, we enjoyed the Asian-inspired flavors and we weren't off to a bad start.

Then, a surprise greeted us at the table. Chef Matthew had graciously sent out a complimentary appetizer for us to try. This time, it was a pork belly dish that is similar to the Crispy Pork Belly on the regular menu but this version had been served the night before at one of their special wine dinners. At first I was hesitant, because I have an issue with fatty meat and pork belly has never been a favorite of mine. Anderson changed my mind. Um, wow! "R" and I were both fighting over the last few bites, and it left me believing that I could like pork belly after all.Next up were our entrees. I had gone with the Udon Noodles with spicy beef, shiitakes, bok choy, basil, ginger, Parmesan, and dashi ($17). The thick noodles absorbed the traditional Asian flavors well, and with just a subtle bit of heat to the dish- it was very enjoyable. Although, the dish did not reheat well the next day. Several of the regular main dishes had peaked "R's" interest, but he went with the fish special. The grouper was fresh and prepared well, with the chef's simplistict approach shining through.

We were both happy with our meal, but the real highlight was the pork belly dish. It pushed our experience to another level, and the chef's lighthearted pleasure in doing what he does best helped keep it there. Even in the hustle and bustle of his tiny kitchen, he took a few moments to talk to us after the meal. I signed up for their email list to be notified of upcoming wine dinners and other special events, and I encourage you to do so as well.

A big thank you to Chef Anderson for a nice evening out trying some quality Asian cuisine that we don't often get in our neck of the woods, and for reminding me that Chagrin Falls is a great little pocket of restaurants and shops and we need to get over there more often! A nice stroll by the falls topped off the night.

Umami Asian Kitchen
42 Main Street
Chagrin Falls, OH 44022
(440)247-8600

Dinner in the Dark- Special Edition

2011-05-24T05:46:00.000-07:00

Last night's Dinner in the Dark was a special version, and one that I am happy I didn't miss. Traditionally for Dinner in the Dark, six talented chefs come together to present a multi-course wine paired meal that leaves diners "in the dark" about what will be served and who is behind the dish. But they put that all aside this time, and recruited 20+ chefs to each do a tasting station. Taking place at AMP150, 260 diners descended upon the chefs and helped raise money for the Matthew Finkle Scholarship- which will help local young talent live out their dream of attending CIA.

Most of Cleveland's best chefs were in attendance, and there was a nice assortment of dishes to sample. There were quite a lot of pork dishes, but with bacon, sausage, tenderloin, pork belly...you just have so many good choice, so I see why several chefs had selected to work with it. We enjoyed strolling through the two rooms of tasting tables, but of course there were some highlights. First up was Chef Rocco Whalen's chicken spring roll from Fahrenheit, which is apparently on his regular menu and now I just can't wait to go and try the real thing. Also in that corner of the room was Ellis Cooley from AMP150, one of the founders of Dinner in the Dark, and his mussels were outstanding. Packed with flavor, and cooked right in front of you. I love a good mussel.SOHO is about to open on West 25th Street in Ohio City, so I was interested to try their dish. It was a light watermelon salad with a jalapeno vinaigrette. The heat of the dish overpowered it slightly, but other than that I loved the balance of flavors and light, crisp texture and it left my tongue dancing. Looking forward to their opening!Another personal favorite was the chorizo pierogi from Melange. I truly enjoy almost everything that these two chefs put out, and I need to get my butt over to Beachwood more often!One station that was causing quite a stir is Fat Casual BBQ. These talented chefs have worked through several great restaurants in Cleveland, and now they've opened "their" kind of place...with some wonderful meats and classic side dishes done well. It looks like we are headed there soon for their Friday special of slow cooked prime rib. One thing to note is that these guys have started catering for the Dinner in the Dark chefs during their regular monthly events, so that the chefs that are working so hard behind the scenes actually get to eat something that night as well. Overall it was a nice event, and it's always fun to see our city's best chefs gather together for a good cause. If you want to attend a traditional Dinner in the Dark, don't miss the June edition at Flying Fig! There are already only 38 tickets left for this event, so don't wait. Kudos to all of the chefs behind this, and thank you for a great evening.

Sushi Winner, Brain is Mush...Happy Monday.

2011-05-23T05:15:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to MoniSz4 for winning the two tickets to Naked Sushi in my giveaway! You have until Tuesday to contact me before I select another winner.

I am "backblogged" as Alexa from Cleveland's a Plum recently called it. There have been so many fabulous foodie events that I've been attending, giveaways to host, and of course just some wonderful dining adventures to blog about...but...

Today my brain is fried. I am an event planner by day, and my largest event of the year for the non-profit that I work for was yesterday (huge success!!!). So my brain is mush, and I couldn't do any post justice today. I'll just have to wait until tomorrow. But by then I will have attended another great event ---Dinner in the Dark Special Edition at AMP150. Who is headed there tonight? Last I heard, they have recruited 23 chefs, sold out the originally planned 200 tickets and opened up an additional 100 tickets. Only 60 are left, so go get yours if you haven't already! Only $40 and the funds raised support a very worthy cause. I can't wait!

But now it's off to do some data entry...

Beer Me!

2011-05-20T05:27:00.000-07:00

Over the past year, through this little ole' blog, I've had the chance to attend a couple of great beer festivals. Now, I've admitted on here that I am a wine girl through and through...but these more recent beer experiences are really making a difference. When you gather a lot of great brewers and some truly outstanding brews, I'm bound to find some that I like and push myself to try ones that I don't. That's what happened last weekend, yet again.I'm talking about the International Beer Fest at the IX Center. The coordinators generously offered me a media pass, so "R" picked up a ticket and we showed up for Session 3 on Saturday night. It was my first time inside of the IX Center, and boy is it HUGE! I do have to mention that I preferred the dim and sparkling setting of BREWzilla at the Galleria last October as part of Beer Week, but at least at the IX Center you could clearly see the different areas of "the world" and sample beers accordingly.

We wandered around for a bit, starting with Ohio!Then we took a break and chowed down on some grub from StrEAT Mobile Bistro. Yup, several of Cleveland's popular food trucks were present. Awesome addition to the event.After enjoying our food, we headed back out onto the floor for more samples. Several of my "tweeps" had attended on Friday night or Saturday afternoon, and one in particular had raved about Kuhnhenn Creme Brulee Stout.So we located the stand, sampled away, and I declared that I was done. This.was.it. I'm not even a stout lover like "R", but that beer was delicious and I couldn't go back. So we happily ended our tour and headed home. Maybe there is a beer lover deep inside me after all....

Win Tickets to Naked Sushi!

2011-05-17T05:55:00.000-07:00

Matt Mytro from Stove Monkeys and Crisp Catering is known for thinking out of the box. I had the pleasure of attending one of his Yumm events last year, with culinary creations using gastronomy and pure playfulness. Well he has a new series, called Naked Sushi...and it's pretty literal.Guests are offered the chance to dine on delicious sushi from Dante of Restaurant Dante and (the soon to be open) Ginko featured on "unique landscape". This "landscape" is beautifully painted models, who just happen to be naked. This ancient Japanese tradition has come to Cleveland, and now it's your turn to check it out.

The next event is taking place on Thursday, May 26th from 7:30-11PM at Liquid and Suite Sixx on West 6th Street in downtown Cleveland. The event will also offer Asian-inspired snacks and signature cocktails. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door, but one lucky reader will get to win a pair of tickets and attend for free!

Just leave a comment on this post telling me what your favorite sushi roll or sashimi is, and you'll be entered to win. You can also gain a second entry by tweeting "I want to win tickets from @BiteBuff to Naked Sushi!". Make sure that you leave an additional comment below to let me know that you've tweeted. I will select a winner using random.org on Monday. Don't forget to leave an email address or contact information in your comment so that I can easily get in touch with you. Good luck!

*Thank you to Matt Mytro, who generously offered me the opportunity to give away the two passes to a reader and to attend as a media representative.

Pig Roast to Welcome Patio Season!

2011-05-16T05:46:00.000-07:00

Washington Place Bistro opened its newly renovated patio last week, and welcomed in the patio (sort of, since it started to rain) season by inviting local media and a handful of bloggers to the restaurant for a traditional pig roast with all the fixin's.

To get to the patio from the parking lot, you are taken through a small walkway that is just bursting with flowers, bushes, and even fresh herbs. I felt like we were being led to something secret. Well the secret is out- they've done a great job with the patio and this will quickly become a summer hot spot in Little Italy!

We settled in with some cocktails before the meal.I really enjoyed the Raspberry Wheat, and the sample of the light summer cocktail that they served was refreshing and I'd order it on my own. After giving us some time to chat, owner Scott Kuhn welcomed the group and gave us some highlights of the changes that they've made since opening last fall. Then he introduced us to the infamous Farmer Lee Jones, who talked to us about his Veggie U program and their big fundraising event coming up in July (more on this later, because he very generously provided each of the guests with a ticket to the event). I can't wait to tell you more about this wonderful program.

Then it was time for the roast!It included a whole pig with two different types of BBQ sauce, slaw, some of the best baked beans that I've ever had, cornbread, deviled eggs, and more. It was all delicious!

A big thank you to Washington Place Bistro, Cleveland Foodie, and Farmer Lee Jones for inviting us to christen the patio and hear about what the restaurant and Veggie U program have coming up this summer season. It sure put me in the patio mood!

Band Aid Bash Ticket Giveaway!

2011-05-13T14:11:00.000-07:00

MedWish is about to host their biggest fundraiser of the year next Saturday, May 21st from 7-11PM...the Band Aid Bash! And one lucky Bite Buff reader is going to get the chance to attend...

MedWish recovers and recycles donated medical supplies from area healthcare providers, and then these life-saving supplies are made available to those providing medical care in developing countries all over the world. In 2010, MedWish saved 450 tons of medical surplus from being sent to local landfills, supplying 201 shipments to 54 countries. It also boasts to have one of the largest volunteer programs, with over 2,000 people assisting with the sorting of supplies in the MedWish warehouse each year. But one night a year, they take a break from doing good in the community and transform their industrial warehouse into a swanky nightclub with amazing food and auction prizes!

This year, the food is coming from Spice of Life Catering (one of my favorites, as you know) and they will highlight international fare. This includes dishes from the Caribbean, Africa, South America, and the Middle East. You also don't want to miss the chance to bid on auction packages from Spice of Life, fire food and drink, L'Albatros, Emerging Chefs and much more!

Have I tickled your taste buds enough yet? Interested in attending this fantastic event? Just leave me a comment on this post expressing your interest to win, and tell me what your favorite local non-profit is. I'll select a winner using random.org on Tuesday. Please note that only one ticket is included in this giveaway. Good luck!

A big thank you goes out to MedWish for inviting me to attend as a media representative, and then agreeing to let me give away my pass to a reader when I couldn't attend because of a work conflict. My packed schedule this month is someone's good fortune!

Apples to Apples, Burrito to Burrito

2011-05-10T05:45:00.000-07:00

We stumbled upon a new (to us) brunch location recently that I wanted to share. Did you know that South Side in Tremont offers a Sunday brunch? Well we certainly didn't until we were dining there one evening, and when our bill came there was a small advertisement for their brunch at the bottom of the check. Being the brunch-lovers that we are, of course we headed back there a few weeks later to check it out.

Now I have mixed feeling as I write this post, because if you follow me on Twitter then you know that "R" and I had a disappointing meal there the other night. The food was off--- components were missing and all three things that we ordered just didn't measure up to what we've experienced in the past. Not that SS has ever really wowed me or been a Tremont favorite, but at least the food has been consistently decent in the past and we do like the atmosphere and outdoor seating. And the mussels, Mmmm the mussels. But, I digress. So even though our most recent experience left me disappointed and swearing that we wouldn't be back for a while, I still feel compelled to write this post about our brunch.

I was happy to see a lot of appetizing options on their brunch menu, including Chicken & Waffles, Crab Cake Benedict Florentine, Enchiladas and Eggs, and Pecan Crusted French Toast. Their menu rivaled one of our favorites- the Tremont Tap House. Now, how did they stack up? Not too shabby in my opinion.

"R" ordered the Pigs in a Blanket with deep fried pancake batter sausage links served with cinnamon butter, syrup, two eggs, and hash browns ($9). From the bite that I stole, the flavors and textures were well-balanced. This dish did inspire us to try our own version tailgating this fall. I zoned in on the Breakfast Burrito with eggs, chorizo, veggies, Tex-Mex sauce, shredded cheese, salsa, and sour cream ($7). It reminded me of one of our favorite dishes at the Tap House, so I wanted to give it a try. I even added a side of hollandaise sauce so that I could compare apples to apples. Truth be told, it was a good breakfast burrito and I enjoyed my meal...but my heart still lies with the Tap House's version.At South Side, I felt like we got a lot of "bang for our buck" with the brunch entrees prices at $9 and $7. We were seated on the enclosed patio with lots of sunlight pouring in, and brunch hit the spot that day. So just in case you didn't realize that this popular Tremont bar also serves brunch...well, now you know!

South Side
2207 West 11th Street
Cleveland, OH 44113
(216) 937-2288

XYZ Tavern- First Impression

2011-05-08T11:07:00.000-07:00

Randy and Linda Kelley's newest venture, XYZ Tavern, has been open in the Detroit Shoreway neighborhood for a couple of months now and it continues to please most of its patrons. The duo is also behind Ohio City's ABC Tavern, which some will claim that XYZ will never measure up to. It's a matter of opinion, and I enjoyed my first experience at XYZ.

I headed there after work one Wednesday to meet up with three friends. We settled into a table and ordered drinks before perusing the menu. With dozens of craft beers, loads of bourbon and whiskey options, and a few other cocktails there is something for everyone.

Thanks to the Twitterverse, I had heard that the Broccoli Tempura was quite good and it reminded me of Flying Fig's tempura green beans that I love so much. So that menu item was a must, and I also ordered the fish taco special.The broccoli was a hit, with its sweet and spicy sauces and light batter. I would order this again for sure, and "R" even enjoyed the pieces that I brought home with me.

The fish taco was a little disappointing. As you can see below, the taco was large and loosely folded. There were so many ingredients in there that there was no way I could try and pick it up to eat it like a standard taco. So I ended up using my knife and fork. While the components were fresh and the fish prepared and seasoned well, eating it with utensil just lost some of the experience of a taco. A couple of smaller tacos instead of one giant taco would have been more appreciated and appropriate.Overall, we liked the atmosphere and food/drink menu and we'll be back for more. It also looked like garage doors will open up for some outside seating once the warmer weather settles in. Now that's my kind of restaurant!
XYZ Tavern
6419 Detroit Road
Cleveland, OH 44102
(216) 651-5520

*Note: "R" went there several weeks later, and wasn't too thrilled with what he ordered. Looks like it is time for Round #2 to see for myself!

Prosperity Social Club Reminder

2011-05-04T14:26:00.000-07:00

Prosperity Social Club is nestled along Starkweather Avenue in the Tremont neighborhood on the south side of Lincoln Park. All stone and wood on the exterior, it is just one of those places that invites you into their dark, cozy comfort and you can easily settle in for some brews and a bite to eat. We've dined there several times, and each dish has been solid and dependable but without ever really "wowing" you. It is just homestyle comfort American food, some of them with a twist.

"R" and I popped in for a quick dinner and a couple of beers the other night, and sadly we were two of the only three people there that evening. I realize that it was early in the week, but Tremont is a busy dining area and I expected more traffic for this restaurant. Hence why I am writing this post.

We dined on Sausage Tortilla Nachos with andouille, cheddar sauce, black bean salsa, house fried tortilla chips, and cilantro-lime crema ($9.5).While they weren't quite as good as Reddstone's Macho Nachos, these were fresh and tasty with plenty of toppings that lasted through all of the chips. This is a rare occurrence, and one that I appreciated.

Then we each had one of their happy hour menu items (very reasonably priced with several options). I had a dozen mussels for just $3 (not good, very "fishy"), and "R" had the bratwurst sandwich for $4.5. He enjoyed the sandwich, and it was gone in seconds. With happy hour drink specials as well, our bill was pretty cheap for what we got and we left full and satisfied.

But, we didn't participate in my favorite part of Prosperity...the board games! A large stack of games are just waiting to be used in the back of the restaurant, including some of my childhood favorites like Chutes and Ladders and Connect 4. So go hang out, have a beer, grab some grub, and enjoy a board game with friends!

Prosperity Social Club
1109 Starkweather Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44113
(216) 937-1938

Winner, Winner, Beer for Dinner!

2011-05-03T05:55:00.001-07:00

Drum roll please....congratulations to Stacy (comment #15) for winning the two general admission tickets in my International Beer Fest giveaway! Stacy, please email me or leave your email address in a comment below to claim your prize. If I don't hear from her by Thursday, then I will select a new winner.

For those of you that still want to attend, the organizers have also offered me a discount code for my readers. Save $4 by using the promo code "BLOG" when you purchase your general admission tickets at http://www.ixbeerfest.com/.

So who is attending? Because I'll be there checking it out and sampling beers! I think we are going to go to the Saturday evening session. Cheers!

Happy Dog Made Me a Happy Girl

2011-04-30T15:10:00.000-07:00

It's been on my "To Dine" list since it opened (It finally made its way onto my 2011 New Year's Resolution list), and it's been a bone of contention between "R" and I on a frequent basis. Yup, I'm talking about Eric Williams' Happy Dog. Ode to the glorious hot dog.

You see, it wasn't that I didn't want to try it. I mean, come on, if you've ever dined at Momocho then you know that Williams is a master in the kitchen and this will probably be a pretty darn good dog. But hot dogs, like Chinese food for me, I need to be "in the mood" for. That mood usually strikes when I'm at a ballpark, cooking over a bonfire, or grilling out (Is it summer yet?!). But in the spirit of completing my 2011 Resolution, a couple of us headed there the other night in search of a good hot dog.

I decided to play it safe and try one of their "suggestive wieners", because the hot dog toppings list includes over 50 options. Very overwhelming for a first-time diner. With my tots and selecting dipping sauces for them, I took a little more liberty. So my hot dog selection included: cucumber, caramelized onions, warm pineapple-ginger-currant chutney, sriracha hot chile sauce, smoked gouda cheese, and a fried egg. Viola!
You know what? It was a pretty darn good dog. I won't say that it blew me away, but I can't imagine that ANY hot dog could do that for me. The combo that they had suggested had great contrast in texture and flavor, balancing cool and fresh with sweet and spicy. Although I may have enjoyed the crispy, crunchy tots and the large assortment of dipping sauces at our table a little bit more than the dog. It brought back so many school cafeteria memories!

The atmosphere is laid back with quite the "hipster" vibe and a great bar area, easily somewhere that you can settle in for some dogs and beers. We'll be back, and maybe this time I'll actually bring "R" and try to create a hot dog combo on my own! I hear that the chunky peanut butter is worth the risk.

Happy Dog
5801 Detroit Road
Cleveland, OH 44102
(216)651-9474

Win Tickets to the International Beer Fest!

2011-04-27T15:56:00.000-07:00

I don't get to write about beer-related events too often, but there is a (BIG) fantastic one coming to Cleveland May 13th-14th. It's the International Beer Fest!Held at the IX Center, the event will host approximately 800 beers from 200 different breweries. Umm, wow...that's a lot of beer. Personal favorites include Bell's Brewing Company and Ithaca Beer Co., and I know that "R" is thrilled to see Left Hand Brewing Co. and their tasty Milk Stout on the list. But with a list like that, there is something for everyone.

There will be three different sessions:
Friday, May 13th, 7-11PM
Saturday, May 14th, 1-5PM
Saturday, May 14th, 7-11PM

The event features tastings, celebrity appearances, educational programming, exhibitors and vendors, and a Tasting Room where you can sample food and beer and learn about pairings. It really sounds like a lot will be going on.

So, have I wet your whistle yet? Good, because one lucky winner has a chance to attend! The event organizers offered me a media pass to help promote the event and provide event coverage, but they also gave me two general admission tickets to give away on my blog.

Here's what you have to do to win...Simply leave a comment below telling me which beer I should try at the event. You can see what breweries and their products will be there by clicking on the link above. I am more of a wine girl, so I always look for help when selecting brews. Keep in mind that I like them fresh, on the lighter side, and not too hoppy...but I want to hear what YOUR favorite is. I will pull a winner using random.com on Tuesday, May 3rd. Make sure to leave contact information in your comment below so that it's easy for us to connect when you win. Good luck!

Second C-Town Chow Down

2011-04-23T07:06:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, area food trucks gathered once again for the second installment of the C-Town Chow Down. As you well know, the first time this event took place there were some logistical issues and many complaints from attendees. I, too, had some problems with the event but wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt since it was the first one. I give them credit for a fantastic concept, and who knew that they would experience crushing crowds. We Clevelanders just love our food, especially fun food! Well, our patience and understanding paid off this time because things certainly ran smoother last Sunday. April's Chow Down did experience a lower attendance in my opinion, but the trucks also seemed better prepared. Some offered two order windows, like JiBARO, which allowed them to take orders and serve food quickly and efficiently. We arrived early again (10:45 a.m.), but when we were finally leaving the area around 1:30 p.m. the trucks were still serving and lines were manageable. It was cold and windy (again), but that didn't keep people away! I am just looking forward to the first Chow Down on a warm, sunny day.

So, here's what we ate...

Unfortunately, we started off on a high note and the food we sampled slowly went downhill from there. First up, was a Cheesesteak from Chef Rocco Whalen's Fahrenheit truck. Last time, Rocco ran out of food so we weren't chancing it this time. I've had this sandwich at other food festivals, such as the Taste of Tremont, in the past and it never disappoints.Then, we headed to Umami Moto for a Bahn Mi with pulled pork, mayo, diakon-carrot pickle, cilantro and jalapenos on a French baguette ($6).
It was a little dry, but other than that we had no complaints. The flavor was mild, but nice, and the cool vegetables added a crisp freshness to each bite. We also appreciated them (and Rocco) slicing the sandwich in half so that we could easily share.

Then we moved on to JiBARO for some seafood bisque and fried plantain chips. The plantains were dry and bland, and were only saved by the dipping sauce. I was looking forward to sampling their seafood bisque after several people raved about it at the last Chow Down. However, when I went to take my first spoonful we discovered a long, dark hair. I couldn't pretend that it was mine and keep eating because the soup had been sealed when served to us. Darn! Needless to say, that went in the trash.

To sum it up, the second Chow Down flowed much easier. I think the trucks were better prepared, and knew how to handle the event for the most part. A couple of new trucks even joined this time, including Pranzo Pizza and a hot dog truck. They haven't announced the May date yet, but keep your eye on their Facebook page because rumor has it that it will be a monthly occurrence. I know that we'll certainly be ready to "chow down" again after a much better experience this time around.

Excuses and Cheese

2011-04-18T15:07:00.001-07:00

Yikes, it has been over a week since my last post. Reason: our home computer has completely zonked out, it's on the fritz, kapooey, crashed...you get the point. I've been itching to get back to blogging, so I finally hauled my old college laptop out of storage and it will just have to do until we replace our laptop. But, ahhhhh...this feels good. I've had several dining adventures since I last left you, and I may have lost content for three that were waiting to be drafted when the computer died (still waiting to see if files can be saved), so I am certainly not short of content. But for the first post back, I just wanted to leave you with this...Cheese. Glorious Cheese. Yes, that is 14 different kinds of cheese, and they were a result of L'Albatros Brasserie's famous cheese service. Brandon is a God. He floats over to your table like out of a dream with a tray just full of more cheeses than you could imagine, and talks you through each kind as you make your selection. When he heard of our love for goat, cheddar, and bleu...he even added a few additional cheese "from the back" that he knew we would enjoy. I can't even begin to tell you all of the different cheeses that we sampled, but we thoroughly loved almost all of them so that is a testament to how well Brandon knows his sh*t...I mean, cheese.

This was all that was left...Well, that and happy tastebuds and bellies. This was my first time enjoying L'Albatros' cheeses, but it certainly wasn't the last. Go forth and cheese, my friends!

Pleasing our "Palate"s

2011-04-06T05:47:00.000-07:00

Two weeks ago, I had one of the most pleasurable meals that I've had in a long time. And that says a lot, because as you can see...we dine out often. My parents were coming to town to visit, and I knew that I had to come up with a restaurant that could deliver a memorable meal and once again impress my out-of-town guests. I really love bragging about how amazing our city's culinary scene is! So I racked my brain and quickly decided that my maiden trip to Chef Jeff Jarrett's Palate Restaurant & Lounge in Strongsville was going to do the trick. Palate is Jarrett's first restaurant on his own, and after just opening in late December...word is spreading already about the food, atmosphere, and price point.

We had a long day spent at the Great Lakes Science Center and a late lunch at Nate's Deli, so we moved our reservation to 8:30PM on Saturday. When we arrived, the main dining room and bar area were mostly full, but the noise level was manageable thanks to strategic decor and walls sectioning off areas. It created an intimate setting that allowed us to really enjoy the company, while still feeling like we were surrounded by other restaurant patrons. The soft earth-tones and warm lighting created an atmosphere that I personally always enjoy.

Now, on to the food...because there was a lot of it! We started by sharing three small plates. Mussels with Thai flavors and cilantro ($8), Crab Cake with corn flakes, candied hot peppers, and apple butter ($5 per piece), and Buttermilk Fried Chicken Livers with cheesy polenta, spiced honey, and grilled scallion salad ($7). The mussels were good, but I didn't really get any traditional Thai flavors from the dish. It was heavy on the garlic, so my garlic-hating father steered clear of this small plate, but the rest of us enjoyed them. The crab cake had a distinct crab flavor, without being "fishy", and we loved the corn flake crust- it added great texture. I had pushed for us to order the chicken livers, as they are becoming a popular menu item at Palate, and this was the dish that Jarrett served at December's Dinner in the Dark. But, I have to say that the table was underwhelmed, and I had to agree that they were much better in December. The spicy honey was lacking, which had been my favorite component of the dish, and the polenta did not have as strong of a cheese flavor this time around. All in all, the small plates were good (some temperature issues) and we were off to a nice start. I love that several of the small plate options can be ordered in "pieces" so that you can easily adjust the dish to fit the size of your party.

Then it was on to the salads (and one soup). I only tried "R's" Fried Goat Cheese salad (top) with roasted beets and apples and a cranberry honey gastrique ($6) and then my Mache Pit salad (bottom) with goat cheese, pistachio, honey pomegranate, and a lemon vinaigrette ($6). While I loved my light, citrus dressing..."R" won the salad battle. The fried goat cheese was crispy and creamy, and once paired with the apples and beets...salad heaven.

Finally, it was entree time. The real stars of the evening! Here is my Pancetta-wrapped Pheasant with butternut squash puree, apple cranberry compote, and maple gastrique ($20):

Called their "showpiece dish", we couldn't help but to Oooh and Ahhh over the presentation when it arrived at our table. Luckily, it was just as delicious as it was beautiful. All of the components combined created the sensation of Thanksgiving dinner. But don't look for it on the spring menu, which is arriving in about a week!

And, of course, we couldn't resist dessert.Four different desserts were sampled and passed around the table, but I enjoyed my order of the Deconstructed S'more. It brought back memories of campfires and childhood cookouts. Sous Chef Lauren Stephenson knows how to please a sweet tooth!

Shortly after our entree dishes were removed, Chef Jarrett had appeared to check in on us and say hello. At this point, the dining room had cleared and he was able to spend quite a bit of time with us talking about the growing pains of opening a restaurant and teasing our tastebuds with descriptions of some spring menu items.

This meal will be remembered for quite a while. While all of the dishes we sampled that night were well thought out and overall flavorful, the experience kept building with each course and really ended on a high note. The entree course (all three dishes) was a "hit out of the park" in my opinion. I also have to note that our server was outstanding, and has traveled with Jarett throughout his culinary career. Hang on to her, Chef! 2.5 hours later, we left the restaurant with full bellies, a slight buzz, and happy palates.

Palate Restaurant & Lounge
12214 Pearl Road
Strongsville, OH 44136
(440) 238-8500

Get "AMPed" for Emerging Chefs' Next Dinner

2011-04-01T14:49:00.000-07:00

If you read my review of the March Emerging Chefs' dinner, then you know just how fun, creative, and tasty these events can be. The April event is already promising to be one that you shouldn't miss! Emerging Chefs "specializes in creating distinctive events around emerging chefs, culinary trends, and destination dining experiences." This month's event ("Dinner by Design") is featuring AMP 150's Chef Ellis Cooley, who has made quite a splash in the Cleveland culinary scene since he arrived not too long ago. Known for his farm-to-table beliefs and creative culinary concoctions, Cooley has created quite the following. So whether you dine at AMP150 often or you still haven't made it over there to sample his cuisine, this event is for you...

Tickets are just $55, and they include a multi-course meal with cocktail pairings. It's being held in the hallway of the Tyler Elevator Company building on Superior Avenue from 6-9PM on Wednesday, April 13th. Just click here to purchase tickets, but don't wait! As I write this post, the Chef's table is SOLD OUT and there are only 30 general admission tickets left.

I actually dined at AMP150 last night with some friends. Cooley's famous Mushroom and Truffle Soup is back on the menu this season, and I made the mistake of missing it last year.Well, I wasn't letting that happen again, and I'm so glad that I didn't. This creamy soup was so light and fluffy that it felt like velvet on my tongue. The texture is hard to describe because it was really something special. Mushrooms obviously have a very earthy flavor to them, but this soup was well balanced and it didn't overwhelm. A friend dining with me that doesn't care for mushrooms even enjoyed her first taste so much that she went back for a second sample.

So get over to AMP150 this season for his mushroom soup, but also don't miss the upcoming Emerging Chefs' dinner on the 13th. I hope to attend, and can't wait to see what this creative chef comes up with!

Built My Burger at 56 West

2011-04-01T05:30:00.000-07:00

During the last Cleveland Independents' gift certificate sale, "R" purchased a $25 certificate to 56 West. Known for their "build-your-own" burgers, we knew that it was a casual place that we should check out. With my parents in town last weekend, and big dining out plans at Palate on Saturday, we wanted a low-key dinner on Friday and easily narrowed it down to 56 West.

We were dining kind of late, arriving at 8:30 p.m., but the dining room was still buzzing and food was coming out quickly. After a round of beers were ordered, we decided to share the HOT AND SPICY- Pickle chips tossed in a special seasoned flour, beer battered and fried, and served with red curry dipping sauce ($6) and the BREAD AND SPREAD '3-WAY' with fresh baguette served with three spreads- olive tapenade, oven dried tomato relish, and herbed goat cheese spread ($6). The pickle chips were good, but the tang of the dill pickle was a little lost in the heavy beer batter. I personally prefer Market's lighter version of this dish. The bread and spread was served as three hearty slices of bread, each topped with one of the spreads. It was a little difficult to share with four people, but somehow we made it work. All three were good, but the goat cheese was my favorite.

Then, we worked on ordering entrees. I knew that I had to try one of the BYO burgers ($6). For the burgers, there are six categories: Main (4 choices), Bun (4), Sauce (8), Greens and Things (6), Cheeses (10) ($1 per item), and Gourmet Toppings (8) ($1.5 per item). Lots of options, and decisions to be made! Check out their menu for the full list. I selected a hamburger, 56 Classic bun, roasted garlic aioli sauce, goat cheese, caramelized onions, and a fried egg. My masterpiece:
One gooey, runny bite in and I knew that I had made a good decision. I didn't love the 56 Classic bun, but the other components were working harmoniously together so I quickly forgot. I think it was the sesame seeds that threw me. I think the test of a truly good burger is whether or not it runs down your hands, and this burger was so juicy that it certainly was! I also ordered a side of their sweet potato fries, which were served with a gaujillo pepper, brown sugar and cinnamon rub. They were seasoned well, and everyone at the table enjoyed grabbing a few. Sweet potato fries can often be soft, but these had a nice crispy outer layer.

So I left happy with my meal, and already planning another BYO burger!

56 West
16300 Detroit Avenue
Lakewood, OH 44107-3624
(216) 226-0056

Bobby Flay, I Blame You

2011-03-30T05:59:00.000-07:00

I blame the Food Network's Throwdown with Bobby Flay. A few weeks ago, "R" and I were absentmindedly watching the episode where Bobby travels to Chicago to challenge the "master" of the Chicago deep dish pizza. As we watched the Throwdown, our mouths watered and bellies rumbled. Our dinner plans were thrown out the window, and "R" hopped onto the computer in search of true Chicago-style pizza here in Cleveland.

Being from Cleveland, "R" has traveled to Chicago and had "the real thing". I, on the other hand, have only experienced thick crust pizza that merely calls itself Chicago-style deep dish. When we all know that it's not. The online search didn't take long, and he stumble upon Danny Boy's Pizza in Rocky River.We literally jumped in the car and took off. I blame Bobby.

While I know that this is still probably not "true" Chicago deep dish, I think that it came pretty darn close. Take a look...As done on the Throwdown, the formation of the crust was a match, a layer of pressed sausage lined the crust (with a little sauce), and then it was topped with cheese before a final layer of sauce. Clean and simple. My only complaint is that the sausage had clearly been pre-cooked and browned up before it joined the other ingredients, because it was a little tough and hard to cut through. Also, our pizza arrived way too quickly for true Chicago deep dish to cook (typically around 40 minutes).

But...it did the trick and satisfied our craving. I am still a little salty with myself that we didn't order a plate of their fresh breadsticks. They looked great, and almost every table had them. The atmosphere was fun and family-friendly, and clearly very popular. Thanks for the idea, Bobby. I still blame you.

Danny Boy's Pizza
20251 Lake Road
Rocky River, OH
(440) 333-9595

C-Town Chows Down

2011-03-28T05:42:00.000-07:00

Yesterday a "convoy of Cleveland's finest food trucks" gathered at Lincoln Park in Tremont for the first C-Town Chow Down. Clevelanders could enjoy some tasty treats from our favorite food trucks (including Dim and Den Sum), and be introduced to some new trucks (like Umami Moto) hitting the scene this spring.
The event was advertised as 11:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m., but I had a sneaking suspicion that we should get there early on. The RSVP list on their Facebook page was over 1,300 people alone! So we headed up shortly after 11, and quickly jumped in one of the already growing lines. Our first stop was StrEat Mobile Bistro, who were celebrating their official launch date yesterday. Their menu jumped out at me right away, and I wasn't even sure what I wanted as I stood in line and waited.
Our wait was about 30 minutes, and as we crawled towards the truck I decided on the Eggs Benedict Roll and the Buffalo Mac n' Cheese. StrEat handled the logistics of the event very well. Orders were taken as quickly as possible, delays on certain menu items were communicated, and the food came out piping hot with only about a 10 minute wait after ordering. With the egg roll packing the full breakfast experience into one roll (although very greasy), and the mac n' cheese a subtle spicy hit...I was off to a nice start.Then we cruised around and checked out a few of the other trucks without jumping in line.Chef Rocco Whalen from Fahrenheit was there serving up some specialty items out of his truck. His lamb sliders peaked my interest, but Rocco sold out quickly and we watched him pull away as we stood in our next line.
Which was the ever-popular Dim and Den Sum food truck...the pioneers of the Cleveland food truck scene. They had done an excellent job of pre-promoting their coffee braised short rib slider, and my mouth was watering just thinking about it. Alas, when we finally arrived at the order window around 1:00 p.m.- they were SOLD OUT of the slider (no surprise there, I knew it would happen). I wasn't that hungry when we placed our order, so I settled on the Chicken Confit Wings with Asian flavors. We moved over to the food window line, and watched all of the other items sell out as we waited 1.5 hours for our order to come up.Good for them, but man were people disappointed to not be able to try their food! Not to mention the growing discomfort and hostility in the waiting line. One woman was complaining so loudly, and it was never ending, that a fellow diner finally asked her to shut her trap. The crowd cheered, and she walked away without her order. Not quite the atmosphere that I was hoping for at this festival, but entertaining at the very least. I do have to mention that my Chicken Confit was not worth the wait (very fatty and I didn't like the flavor of the sauce), and I was hungry enough by the time we got our food that I should have ordered the famous PBLT or the Kobe Beef Burger. Oops! I heard very good things about both of these items.

So, overall we enjoyed a fun and unique experience. Even though it was freezing cold...the sun was out, spirits were high, live music entertained us from afar, and Cleveland proved its point once again what a truly amazing culinary scene we have. Let's just hope that there are plans in the works for a future Chow Down, with a few logistical tweaks!

Emerging Chefs ThEATrical Event

2011-03-25T05:45:00.000-07:00

Those of us that attended last night's Emerging Chefs dinner at the 14th Street Theater didn't quite experience what we had thought was in store for us. The event turned into something different, something so much more...and I still sit here in amazement and quite humbled the next morning.

The film-inspired muti-course meal was the brainchild of Chef Adam Bostwick from Melange. He has been planning for months- selecting the movies and clips to base the courses on, preparing the menu, and gearing up for what promised to be a great culinary event highlighting his talent and creativity in the kitchen. Sadly, Adam's family experienced a great loss within just 24 hours of the event. This is where the event turned from not just a wonderful meal, but a display of camaraderie and brotherhood that proves to us all how truly amazing our area's chefs are- both in and out of the kitchen.

Chefs Matt Creighton, Jeff Jarrett, Brian Okin, Brian Doyle, Chris Quinn, Kimberly McCune, and Chris McCarthy all stepped forward and said, "I will do this for Adam." Co-Executive Chef at Melange, Matt Creighton, rose to the occasion and played the role of executive chef for the event. He privately told me that he had just seen the menu for the first time at 11:00 a.m. that morning, but you never would have known! These chefs put aside their personal lives, many left their own restaurant's kitchens for the night, and all gathered to put out a very memorable meal and one that certainly would have made Chef Adam proud.

So let's get into the food. The first course, or "The Preview" was based on the movie 9 1/2 Weeks and the famous refrigerator scene. It featured a Hard Boiled Egg, Tuna and Strawberry Tartar, and Kalamata Olive. The drink was a Strawberry Jalapeno Shooter.The dish was light with clean flavors, and a nice fresh start to the meal. The champagne-based drink didn't have quite the jalapeno kick that I had hoped for. Now we moved on to the Feature Presentations. The first dish was Cleveland Shrimp Gumbo, Shrimp Pierogi, and Crisp Fried Shrimp, inspired by the well-known Forrest Gump movie.The dish had great texture, and was a fun play on Bubba's lengthy list of ways to prepare shrimp, but it could have used a little salt in my opinion. The cocktail was an Adult Doctor Pepper, which several diners identified as their favorite drink of the evening. As you can see below, with each course we got to watch the movie clip that influenced each dish/cocktail combination. It gave us insight into Chef Adam's thought process, and it was just plain fun. It already motivated me to add some flicks to my Netflix list.
Next up was The Social Network/Meet Joe Black- featuring Chicken Stuffed Chicken, Thai Peanut Butter Sauce, and Peanut Salad served with a Stella Artois with a Salted Peanut Rim.I enjoyed this dish when all of the components were paired together in one bite. But I am always a sucker for Thai and peanut flavors. At this point, the event then took an "Intermission" and served us a cocktail interpretation of Sour Patch Kids. This was my personal favorite drink of the night! Then we moved on to the "Royale' With Cheese" Short Rib Pave with Tomato and Kornichon Bruschetta, Crispy Onion, Ketchup Broth, Aged Cheddar, and "Big Kahuna Fries". This course was a reflection of the movie Pulp Fiction, and was paired with a "8 Dollar Milk Shake". It was my favorite dish, giving guests "the sensation of biting into a cheeseburger," as Chef Adam calls it. As usual, the meat was tender and prepared well. These guys at Melange certainly know how to slow cook something to perfection!The last course, dessert course, was inspired by the classic Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The dish was a Blueberry Panna Cotta with Gobstopper Brittle. This white-chocolate brittle was the highlight of the whole night for me. It took me by surprise since I don't usually like white chocolate, and the combination of sweet and sour flavors won me over. Hey Melange- find a way to work this into your regular menu! Served with the course was our own personal Fizzy Lifting Drink, and it was a close second to my favorite drink of the evening.Phew, that was a long post but I couldn't stand to leave anything out. All of the food and drink were memorable, but the true star(s) of the evening were the chefs and their dedication to quickly help a friend in need. I think it left all of us feeling good about our community, and the delicious cannoli that was given to us as we left didn't hurt either!Cheers to all of the chefs that stepped forward last night, and I know that I can speak for everyone when I say that our thoughts are with Chef Adam and his family. But this event clearly left me wanting more, and I already can't wait to go back for another Emerging Chefs event. Follow them on Facebook or Twitter for updates, and learn more about the group on their website linked above.

Attention Sweet Tooth: Go check out Sweet Moses!

2011-03-24T05:47:00.000-07:00

Yikes, this has been one crazy week for me. I apologize for the lack of posting. It certainly isn't due to lack of content! I have some other fun posts coming up, including a review of tonight's Emerging Chefs dinner featuring one of my favorite chefs. It's 8:00 a.m. and I'm already dreaming of the film-inspired meal.

Last weekend was a whirlwind of fun, laughter, beer (St. Patrick's Day), some highs (Syracuse winning on Friday), some lows (Syracuse losing on Sunday), and some sweet treats. Cleveland Foodie invited several bloggers and other social media hounds to visit Sweet Moses- Detroit Avenue's newest addition- for a media preview party on Saturday. This traditional soda fountain and treat shop will bring back good memories for some, and promises to please all. My brother and his girlfriend were in town for the long weekend, so I dragged them and "R" over there after a delicious, and hearty, brunch at Latitude 41.

We were greeted with samples of fudge and English toffee upon entering the door- what a way to be welcomed. We then started to check out their impressive cases filled with all sorts of treats for your sweet tooth.
I have to go back and try the Ritz Bits!The cookies were giant!A variety of peanut butter sandwiches will be featured at the shop, including: Peanut Butter and Bacon, Peanut Butter and Marshmellow Cream, and Peanut Butter and Nutella.
Then we were offered the opportunity to order from a reduced menu. I decided to keep it simple after our large meal at Latitude, so I opted for a scoop of their homemade Belgium Chocolate ice cream. But when I was given the choice of adding chocolate sauce, whip cream, and nuts...I couldn't refuse.The ice cream itself was smooth and creamy, not at all too hard for this frozen custard loving girl. I was thoroughly pleased. Although when I ordered the peanuts I had assumed that they would be crushed, and I was a little disappointed in the full Spanish peanuts. My bad.

"R" is an ice cream-aholic. No joke. So by the time we finally walked out of there, I knew that we'd be back. The official opening is this weekend, so go check out this fabulous addition to the Detroit Shoreway neighborhood! It's here just in time for the warm weather.

Sweet Moses
6800 Detroit Avenue
Cleveland, Ohio 44102
Phone (216) 651-2202

Emerging Chefs, Dinner in the Dark...and Twestival!

2011-03-19T08:33:00.000-07:00

There are some great foodie and social media events happening this week in Cleveland. I myself, will be attending Emerging Chefs' event ThEATtrical featuring Chef Adam Bostwick from Melange on Thursday. He's one of my favorite chefs in Cleveland, and I couldn't resist the film-inspired theme this month. Also, the latest Dinner in the Dark installment is taking place on Monday the 21st at Bistro on Lincoln Park. Tickets for both events are dwindling fast!

But this post is really about a great mash-up event for foodies and social media mavens alike...Twestival.This Thursday, March 24th, Twestival Cleveland will host an extended happy hour from 5 - 9 p.m. at AMP 150 in the Cleveland Airport Marriott (4277 West 150th Street). The fundraiser will feature food and drink specials from the innovative farm-to-table restaurant as well as a Chinese Auction.

Twestival Cleveland joins other cities across the globe who will use social media for social good on March 24, 2011. Twestival is a one day Twitter Festival where people meet offline to host fundraisers for local charities. 100% of the tickets and funds raised at each Twestival go to the local charity, and organizers have selected We Run This City Youth Marathon Program.

We Run This City is a collaboration between the YMCA of Greater Cleveland, the Cleveland Department of Public Health, the Cleveland Metropolitan School District, and the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon. With the help of We Run This City, students from the Cleveland Metropolitan School District are taught how to set and achieve goals as they prepare to run in the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon on May 15th.

Admission for Twestival Cleveland will be a $10 donation to We Run This City. These tickets can be purchased here.

All proceeds from tickets, the Chinese Auction and the sale of event t-shirts designed by C.L.E. Clothing Co. will support We Run This City. AMP 150's Chef Ellis Cooley will also design a special menu for the happy hour with a portion of those sales going to the youth marathon program.

For more information, visit www.Cleveland.Twestival.com, follow @TwestivalCLE on Twitter and Twestival Cleveland on Facebook.

What events will you be attending this week? Events such as these are just a few of the many reasons why I love this city so darn much. How do you choose? Is anyone attempting to attend them all? Go out and support some of our city's best chefs, great charities, and join your fellow Clevelanders in some great fun. Hope to see you there!

SOURCE: Twestival Cleveland

GNO and a Winner!

2011-03-16T05:31:00.000-07:00

Let's pick a winner for my Blogiversary gift certificate giveaway... Random.org assisted, and a big congratulations goes to...Alana! I hope that you enjoy the $25 gift certificate to D'Vine. Email or DM me on Twitter with your address, and I'll drop it in the mail. Thank you to everyone that entered, and for all of the kind words about my blog turning 2. It's been an amazing year, and I've loved sharing it with all of you.

Now on to the regularly scheduled post:

Last Friday was Girls' Night Out with some of my favorite ladies. A plan was made to start with dinner and drinks at Market in Rocky River.
This was my second visit to Market, and I wasn't too thrilled with my meal the first time so I was looking forward to giving it another shot. I (try to) always believe in second chances. While the company was fantastic, I still left that night feeling underwhelmed by the food and service and annoyed at how loud it is in the main dining area. Unless someone else is planning, I think that this was my last trip there to dine. It just isn't for me. This statement makes me feel old, but I just prefer to have a quieter, more intimate setting when dining with friends or "R". If I wanted to shout to my friends to be heard, then we would have gone straight to a bar or club. I blame it on the high ceilings and wood interior. It just doesn't make for great acoustics.

But on to the food...We started with an order of the Pretzel Crusted Pickle Chips- dill pickle slices, pretzel crust and homemade French onion dip ($9). I had shared an order of these last visit, and they were just as good (if not better) this time. The tangy pickle with the crunch of the pretzel crust is delicious. We also shared the Salsa Flight- mango salsa, pineapple salsa, sweet corn salsa served with fresh tortilla chips ($8). All were decent, but kind of typical.For my entree, I ordered the Short Ribs- Szechaun braised shortribs, wasabi mashed potatoes, and house veggies ($21).
Our server had suggested this dish once I narrowed my options down to two, so I went with it. The meat itself was tender and didn't require much use of my knife, but they were much fattier than recent shortribs that I've had at other restaurants. I've totally been on a shortribs kick lately. So this meant that I had to inspect and tear away several large pieces of fat before really digging in. Yuck. The house veggie of the night was green beans, which were cooked well. The slight crunch added great texture to the dish. But then there were the wasabi mashed potatoes. I am a big fan of spice and heat, and love wasabi with my sushi...so I thought, "Why not- this sounds interesting" when I ordered. Well, wasabi can be easily overdone since it is such a powerful flavor, and in my opinion there was just too much punch in the potatoes for them to be truly enjoyable. I should have known better.

Overall, this trip was better than the first in terms of food (but still not great). But I still think they have a ways to go on the restaurant side of things. Both times that I have dined there the service has been pretty bad. Our server this trip left us alone with the menus for far too long, and once our meals were finished the dirty plates didn't disappear for about 15 minutes. Even as the restaurant traffic significantly thinned, we felt a little neglected. There really should be no excuse at that point.

Finally, we paid and then high-tailed it to Around the Corner for some drinks, laughs, a Cleveland Snookie sighting, and even some booty-shaking (which resulted in free shots- thanks, "A"). Another fantastic Girls' Night Out for the books!Market
1137 Linda Street
Rocky River, Ohio 44116
(440) 799-4292

Happy Blogiversary!

2011-03-13T07:03:00.001-07:00

Yup, my blog turns 2 today! What a crazy, fun, and delicious ride it has been. This year in particular has been filled with yummy meals, bloggers turned real-life friends, amazing food and wine events, an interview with Iron Chef Michael Symon, test driving a Chevy Cruze for a month, media previews of new restaurants, fun giveaways, and so much more...

So, in celebration I wanted to give my readers something. How does a $25 gift certificate to D'Vine Wine Bar sound? It's one of my favorite wine bars, and is a great downtown spot to hit for a night out. Umm, hello cheese plate.

Just leave a comment below to enter the giveaway. If you are looking for more ways to win, then you can also tweet "I want to win a $25 gift certificate from @BiteBuff at http://tinyurl.com/4bl5fvl." on Twitter for a second entry. I'll tally them up and pick one winner on Wednesday.
Happy Blogiversary, readers! Thanks for taking part in a great year for the blog. Cheers to Year #3- I can't wait to see what it brings. I've already got some things up my sleeve...

St. Patrick's Day in Cleveland

2011-03-10T07:11:00.000-08:00

St. Patrick's Day is right around the corner, and I will FINALLY be celebrating in true Cleveland-style this year. I have been living in this city for three years now with plans to take off of work and hit the town hard every year, but something has always stood in my way. Knock on wood...but I am doing it this year! My brother and his girlfriend are coming to town (22 year-old college seniors, oh god...my poor liver...will I be cool enough to "last"?), T-shirts are ordered, green beads are waiting, and plans have been made. Get ready, Downtown Cleveland- I've got 4 St. Patrick's Days to squeeze into 1!

In honor of the impending "holiday", I wanted to share some of the events and specials happening around town:

St. Patrick's Day at the Greenhouse Tavern- Running specials all day on the patio starting at 7AM. Featuring Victory Brewing Company and a Greenhouse Tavern Lager, with their famous chicken wings and street frites. T-shirts available for purchase.
Flannery's Pub on East 4th Street will open its doors at 5:30AM. The celebration will include bag pipers, face painters, Irish dancers, and live entertainment from The Lucky Ones.

Blind Pig St. Patrick's Day celebration includes $3 green beer pints all day, Mike "Mad Dog" Adams live at 2PM, Rover's Morning Glory radio crew, and live music from Radio Tokyo at 6:30PM.
John Q's for St. Paddy's Day- Located right on the parade route, they are offering food specials all day long including: corned beef sandwiches, Irish stew, limerick soup, and a corned beef and cabbage entree.

City Square Steakhouse Celebrates St. Patrick's Day with Guinness beer cheese soup, Baileys cheesecake, green beer, and Irish coffee.

Nighttown Celebrates St. Patrick's Day with two show times for The New Barleycorn, Irish-inspired fare, and a special performance.

St. Patrick's on Zinc's Patio- Restaurant will be grilling corned beef sliders and pulled pork sliders for just $7.

Pickwick and Frolic open their doors at 5AM with drink specials, all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet from 7-10:30AM, and live entertainment.

These are only a few of the fantastic Irish-inspired events and specials happening around Cleveland. What will you be doing to "celebrate"? I'm not Irish, but my liver is.

Cheers!

Broccoli, Beef, and Brambleberry Crisp...Oh My!

2011-03-06T11:36:00.000-08:00

Last weekend, "R's" mom took us out to Miles Farmers Market in Solon for the first time. For many years, she lived in the area and grew to love the market. Since we live very close to the famous West Side Market, we frequent it often and love shopping for our produce, meats, and other specialty items there. Farmers markets can be just plain fun to experience, and at least I walk away feeling better about where my dollars were spent and the quality of the products that I am purchasing. Needless to say, I was looking forward to checking out the Miles Market.We had a great time exploring, and it did remind me a smaller and slightly less packed West Side Market. Although some of the ladies shopping did get a bit crazy with their carts, and there seemed to be no clear path for shoppers to follow. Check out some of the things we saw:

An expansive deli area...
"R" came away with freshly sliced ham, roast beef (on sale), and some Havarti cheese for sandwiches during the week.

A seafood bar...
Filled with all sorts of under-the-sea goodies. We picked up a crab salad that was great with crackers as a snack!

The produce area was large, and we picked up all kinds of fresh fruit and vegetables including green beans, asparagus, and broccoli. I couldn't wait to get home and have some. We hadn't been grocery shopping in two weeks, so my body was craving some fresh produce. We also hit up the bakery area for muffins. "R's" mom swears by their muffins, and the Banana Nut muffins that I purchased made for a great breakfast the following two days. They were a perfect size, and very moist even days later.

But the highlight of the trip had to be this...Yup, Miles Farmers Market stocks Jeni's ice cream. Jeni's is made in Columbus, and a shop is opening soon in Chagrin Falls. Cleveland ice cream fanatics LOVE Jeni's and several of our area restaurants serve their product. However, purchasing it in a store around here is hard to do. When we first approached the freezer section of Miles, there were only three pints of ice cream left on the shelves. As we stood there and tried to choose, the lovely cart full of new pints showed up that is pictured above. We were very happy! "R" absolutely loves ice cream, and he's never had Jeni's. We selected the Brambleberry Crisp- Ohio blackberries and black raspberries comprise a striking, rich-colored "Brambleberry" jam that's mixed with black currants and oven-toasted oat streusel and layered throughout honey vanilla bean ice cream. De--lish--us! I loved the flavor and texture of the added oats. "R" is now officially hooked.

It was a fun experience, and I suggest that you get out to Miles Farmers Market or the West Side Market one weekend. Enjoy browsing the aisles and aisles of goodies!

Miles Farmers Market
28560 Miles Road
Solon, OH 44139-1184
(440) 248-5222

Dining at O'Malley's Rockcliff

2011-03-02T12:04:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday, "R" and I headed out to Avon Lake to attend a friend's annual family bowling party. We go for the fun, friends, great jams on the loudspeakers, beers, and of course most importantly- to laugh at how horrible I am at bowling. Always a great time. But it has become tradition that "R" and I pick a restaurant in the area to dine at prior to the party. We don't get out that way very often, so it's a great opportunity to do so. Last year, we selected Michael Symon's Bar Symon (which has since closed). At a charity event in 2010, "R" won a gift certificate to O'Malley's Rockcliff...so that easily made the decision for us this year.

I tweeted that we were headed there and asked for menu suggestions and feedback. Almost all of you that tweeted back said that the food was good, but to expect the average age of the diners to be around 63. Well...you weren't joking. While I did feel in the minority dining there, I kind of liked the fact that most of the diners were of a different age bracket than we typically dine with, and more than half of them appeared to be regulars. There was plenty of face kissing and warm greetings not only from the hostess and bartenders, but the other diners as well. Another sign that we were not in Tremont anymore, Toto was the wonderful woman playing the piano as live entertainment (positioned right in between the bar area and main dining room). What fun!
The only seating available at 6:45 p.m. on Saturday was a high top in the bar, which was fine with us. We settled in and started to look at the menu.Advertised for their "steak and chops", I knew that I had to have a steak. I was craving it. I decided on the 8 oz. Filet Mignon with a twice baked potato and side salad.
Bread arrived first, piping hot out of the oven. Yum. The side salad was a basic salad, but I did like the balsamic dressing that I had selected. The twice-baked was again very standard, but good. Now on to the meat...It was cooked as requested (medium) and was a beautiful cut of meat. It was very juicy and tender, but the saltiness of the seasoning tainted my opinion of it overall. And for me to say that something was too salty, you KNOW that it was salty. I know that a salad came with it, but I did feel that the entree dish was missing a vegetable. I love to mix and match my bites of protein, starch, and vegetables when having the main course. Also, the plate just looked a little sad in my opinion. The potato was orginally served on a separate plate. "R" had a burger that was nothing to write home about, although it was cooked-to-order at medium-rare and he did say that he liked the bun.

Overall, it was a fun excursion, but one that I can't see us making again. However, you can clearly tell that they have quite the following, and that some in the area would swear by it.

O'Malley's Rockcliff
2589 Wooster Road
Cleveland, OH 44116
(440) 333-2600

Fondue Fusion for Valentine's Day

2011-02-26T07:23:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to deanna for winning the $25 Sushi Rock gift card and Kristin for snagging the $25 Wonder Bar gift card from my Downtown Cleveland Restaurant Week post. Email me (can be found in my blog profile), message me on Twitter at @BiteBuff, or leave a comment below with your email address. You have until Tuesday to claim your prize, or I'll pick another winner. I selected the winners using random.org. Thank you to everyone that entered!

Okay, so normally I would never write about a chain restaurant...but "R" and I had such a wonderful (delayed) Valentine's Day celebration at The Melting Pot in Rocky River that I just had to share it with you. I won a $25 "dip" certificate from them on Twitter in December, and "R" shocked me when he said that he had never actually had fondue. So I knew a trip was in our near future, and when we were looking for something "special" to do for Valentine's Day- I thought this might be just what we needed. Since we dine out so often, it can be difficult to make it "special". Usually, this means selecting a higher-end restaurant with a romantic setting, but this time it meant doing something fun, interactive, and unique.

When we arrived, we were immediately whisked away to their "best room" called the Red Room. This space offered private dining for two, separated from the main dining room and certainly more romantic. We were tucked away in our little booth, and started to look at the menu. Eric, the General Manager, then showed up to walk us through the menu and highly suggested doing the "Big Night Out" menu option. BNO offers four courses: a cheese fondue, salad, entree fondue with the choice of four cooking styles, and a dessert fondue. The BNO offered specialty items not featured on the main menu, but you could easily swap out items if you preferred. We opted for the BNO so that we could fully experience the restaurant's menu.We started with the Fondue à la France- a rich, smooth combination of baby brie, fontina, gruyère and raclette cheeses accented with nueske’s bacon, onions, white-truffle cream and fresh chives.They had us at brie and bacon. With it came three different types of bread, raw vegetables, and granny smith apples. While I enjoyed all of the courses, this may have been my favorite. But, duh...it's things smothered in hot, gooey cheese.

Then came the salad course, and we were each able to select a different salad (which was good because we were arguing over what to order when we thought we only had one selection for the both of us). I went with the Cesar and "R" had the California Salad with mixed-baby-salad greens, roma tomatoes, walnuts and gorgonzola cheese with raspberry black walnut vinaigrette. We were each happy with our salad course. I really loved the Parmesan-encrusted pine nuts in mine.

Next up was the main course, the entree fondue. We selected the Fondue Fusion with a cold-water lobster tail, filet mignon, peppercorn-crusted NY strip, chicken provençal, roasted-garlic shrimp, maple leaf farms duck a l’orange, ratatouille and goat cheese ravioli and fresh vegetables. So basically, a little bit of everything. For our cooking style, we went with the Mojo: Caribbean-seasoned bouillon with a distinctive fresh-garlic flavor and a citrus flair.
Once it arrived, we had a blast dipping and cooking our bites. I loved the seasoning in the bouillon. "R" said that this was the only meal that could ever slow down his typically inhale-style eating, so for that I was grateful.

After we finished, our fabulous server "British Chris" (who really was British and had the best accent I've heard in a long time. It helped that he was very cute too. Shhh, don't tell "R".) presented us with the dessert menu. We chose the Flaming Turtle with milk chocolate, caramel and chopped pecans flambéed tableside.It was served with fresh strawberries, bananas (we opted for more strawberries instead, since "R" hates bananas), cheesecake, Rice Krispies Treats, marshmallows, pound cake and brownies to dip into the rich chocolate fondue. The only dipper that we didn't care for were the marshmellows. We were happily dipping away when a surprise arrived at our table. We had not ordered the Big Night Out White Chocolate Crème Brûlée- a fondue version of the classic French dessert, including white chocolate and caramelized sugar, because I tend to shy away from white chocolate. But the manager, Eric, insisted that we try it so he personally delivered a small portion of it to our table for us. I was proven wrong. He instructed me to throw out any previous concept of white chocolate, and he was right. "R" started eating it with a spoon after the dippers were gone. I kid you not.

Lastly, the evening ended with the hostess coming and taking a picture of us at the table, printing it out, and framing it for us since they knew we were celebrating a special occasion. At first I was a little thrown by this, but when the picture arrived it was actually a great shot of us and it now hangs on our refrigerator as a reminder of our fun evening out.

Overall, the service was phenomenal- attentive without being intrusive. The pace of our meal was perfect, and we were happy with the cozy, intimate atmosphere since we were celebrating. I walked out of there pleasantly surprised at how well our evening had gone, and I think "R" is now an official fan of fondue!

The Melting Pot
3111 Westgate
Westgate Mall
Fairview Park/Rocky River, OH 44126
(440) 356-8900

Giveaway Time for Downtown Restaurant Week!

2011-02-24T11:44:00.000-08:00

You've heard me blabbering on about how it is the 4th Annual Downtown Cleveland Restaurant Week...so what have you done about it? I want to hear about where you've been dining this week, and who you think has the best specials/events going on. Tried any new restaurants?

And...

It's giveaway time! I have been provided with a $25 gift card to Sushi Rock and a $25 gift card to Wonder Bar. How does a night on the town sound? Just leave a comment below telling me which one you would like to win. To spread as much Downtown Restaurant Week love as possible, I'll be giving away the gift cards separately. So, go on, comment!

I'll be drawing the two winners on Saturday, so hurry!

Here's a little tidbit from the chef at Sushi Rock about our downtown restaurants:

Sushi Rock- Daniel Cassano, Corporate Executive Chef (interview with Falls Communications): Downtown Cleveland has received national recognition as an emerging culinary scene. How would you describe the culinary scene Downtown? What is happening?

It’s an eclectic group of truly talented chefs and restaurant owners. Collectively we are starting to pay more attention to the quality of the food and where it is coming from. At Sushi Rock, I’m trying to buy as much seasonally available local product as possible. Certain products can be purchased locally, but other products, in order to bring the best quality possible, we need to source. Right now, I’m buying my tuna direct from Hawaii. That means that I’m getting tuna 23 hours out of the water. It’s not sitting in a warehouse somewhere. In this case it is really about bringing the customer a better product - tuna is not available locally! It becomes about balance. Procure as much local top-quality product as possible, then if something is not available - go to the best source. This attention to the quality and sourcing translates into a higher level of dining consciousness.

Dining at Deagan's Kitchen

2011-02-22T11:07:00.000-08:00

About a month ago (yes, I am such a blogger-slacker sometimes), "R" and I finally made our maiden voyage to Deagan's Kitchen & Bar in Lakewood. It was an unscheduled trip, but we happen to be in the area one evening so we decided to stop in for dinner. Since opening, Deagan's has made quite a splash and the "buzz" around the restaurant has led to some long waits from what I've heard. It was a Monday night when we stopped in, so I figured that if we were going to give it a try- then this was probably a good night to do so (historically being slow in the restaurant industry).

There was convenient parking behind the restaurant, and the back entrance led us right to a hostess stand so we were quickly greeted and seated (hehe, that rhymed). We slid into a booth along one wall, which gave us a great view of the main dining room and the bar area. I instantly felt comfortable in the setting, and loved the atmosphere that they have created. Something that jumped out at me right away was that each of the chairs at the tables in the main dining room were different. It created a funky vibe, and reminded me of the mis-matched coffee mugs at Grumpy's Cafe in Tremont.

There was lots of food consumed during this meal (you know, "research" purposes), so let me get on with it...

We each started with an order of the Deviled Eggs (since it is really one egg) with lake erie goat cheese and english mustard ($3).
The strong mustard flavor dominated the dish a bit too much, but at the end of the day a deviled egg is a deviled egg- and I love deviled eggs.

Next up, we decided to share three small plates: Sesame Crusted Calamari with three sauces and scallions ($8), Spicy Shrimp Tacos with avocado, corn, white cheddar and micro cilantro ($9), and Peking Duck Confit Mac -n- Cheese with roasted shallots, mahon cheese and english peas ($8).
The shrimp tacos were easily our favorite, and really reminded me that we need to get to Deagan's for their Taco Tuesday celebration. The fresh cilantro and (I'm assuming) house-made guacamole both added such a freshness and "clean" flavor to the dish. We both really enjoyed the tacos and they left us wanting more. The mac and cheese was the weakest of the meal, with not as much punch in the cheese flavor as I was hoping for, but it was still a solid dish that will not disappoint many. The calamari fell somewhere in the middle. It arrived with all three sauces drizzled over top, which I was not expecting, but they all worked well together and each bite was slightly unique. Really, all four dishes were solid and ones that I would eat again. But not before trying several others off their menu!

Overall, they are doing a fantastic job at providing a casual, yet upscale, bar atmosphere while still being family-friendly, and they are nailing the food preparation from what I can tell. I think this establishment is here to stay.

Deagan's Kitchen & Bar
14810 Detroit Avenue
Lakewood, Ohio 44107
216.767.5775

A Blue Canyon Birthday

2011-02-14T07:43:00.000-08:00

Two quick notes:
1. Don't forget about the 4th Annual Downtown Cleveland Restaurant Week happening February 21st - February 27th! I already have plans to dine out on Monday. Where will you be headed? This is a great deal, don't miss it!

2. I am seriously kicking my 2011 "To Dine" list's buh-thooey. I have completed 4 out of 10 already! In case you missed it, I selected Lolita as my final #10 restaurant. Then I will have completed my tour of Symon's restaurants. And my grandma generously (and thoughtfully, since she lives in NY) sent me a gift certificate to Dante for my birthday. So that will be another one knocked off the list soon!

So, on to the post...

It was my birthday on Saturday. The big 2-8, and "R" and I decided to celebrate by heading to Blue Canyon Kitchen & Tavern in Twinsburg for a late dinner. Opentable provided us with a 9:00 reservation, but we decided to head over early and grab a drink at the bar while we waiting. But, no wait necessary! When we arrived at 8:40PM, the hostess informed us that they were ready and led us to an amazing table by their floor-to-ceiling windows in the Great Room. Snow covered bushes and evergreens decorated in twinkling blue lights was our view to the right, and our view to the left was Blue Canyon's open kitchen and the giant stone fireplace and chimney smack in the center of the room. On this chilly winter night, I was loving the view and "lodge" atmosphere. The added throw pillow found on my chair was a bonus! Very comfortable seating and a cozy glow to the rustic room.
We started with the Cast Iron Cheese Bake ($9) with fontina, asiago and goat cheeses served with crunchy bread. We also added the Alaskan king crab for an additional $4. We had been torn between this dish and the duck flatbread, and our server had suggested this starter with no hesitation. I mean, come on, it is a crock full of steaming, gooey, delicious cheese. And delicious it was. A little greasy, but overall tasty and we loved the crusty, browned cheese around the edges. It was a little too large of a portion for just two diners, so I had to stop myself after a while or I never would have been able to enjoy the rest of the meal.

Our server then brought over a bread basket, which we were going to refuse until she told us that the spread served with it was a white bean, cream cheese, and pesto blend. We had to try it! This is one spread that I know we will be attempting to recreate at home. It was silky smooth with just a hint of pesto flavor. It also helped that the bread had just come out of the oven.

I had checked out their menu online earlier in the day, and had zeroed in on one entree- the Braised Beef Short Ribs and Sweet Potato Gnocchi ($21) served with brussel sprout leaves and caramelized onions. I have been on such a short rib kick lately. I blame Adam Bostwick from Melange for the amazing short rib dish that he served at the December Dinner in the Dark! I've been hooked ever since. Several since have lived up to my expectations, but unfortunately tonight's dish did not. The meat was cooked well, but the sauce was terribly bland and took away from the great piece of meat. Also, the gnocchi were mealy and gummy...not at all an enjoyable texture. I left most of them on the plate.

"R" was in the mood for a steak, and ordered the 16 oz. Bone-in Rib Chop ($29) with whipped potatoes, seasonal vegetables, and a smoked blue cheese and maple butter. To be honest, I think he just wanted the butter! The steak was okay and certainly cooked to order, but in my opinion- it was nothing special.

I needed my birthday dinner to end on a high note, and the entrees were certainly not offering that, so we decided to share a dessert. On special that evening, it was a double fudge cheesecake with bourbon whip cream. Thankfully, it did the trick and wiped away the memory of our entrees (at least temporarily).

So overall there were some highlights (atmosphere, open kitchen, bread/spread, dessert, service, and wine), but the lingering feeling towards Blue Canyon is one of disappointment. The entrees are supposed to be the star of the meal, yet they really let us down. When we have so many fantastic options closer to home in Cleveland, I doubt that we will make the drive back to Twinsburg for another attempt at this restaurant.

Blue Canyon Kitchen & Tavern
8960 Wilcox Drive
Twinsburg, OH 44087
(330)486-2583