Tuesday, January 1, 2019

2019 To Dine Challenge

Happy New Year! Today is a day filled with hope, plans, goals, and the chance to refresh and restart. Restart is the word I'm sticking with today, and that includes bringing back the To Dine Challenge.

For those of you that are newer to reading along on my dining adventures, each December I asked readers to suggest restaurants that they'd like to see me dine at in the upcoming year. Then, on January 1st, I'd reveal 10 that I had selected to challenge myself to dine at over the next 12 months.

It was harder than it sounds. We'd hit several right away, end up taking a break during the summer when our days filled up with travel and CLE events, and then suddenly it was October/November and I'd have 4-6 left to cram in. I believe I did this challenge for 7 years, and only completed it TWICE.

So in 2017, I went back and did all of the skipped restaurants (that hadn't closed) as the To Dine Challenge of the year. Once completed successfully, I called it quits and didn't launch a new Challenge in 2018.

But as 2019 started to near, I realized that I missed it. It gave me a fun goal for the blog, and many of you joined in on the dining fun and came with me to the stops. I missed that! So, here we go again, the new list...

2019 To Dine Challenge
1. Il Rione Pizzeria
2. Molto Bene Italian Eatery
3. The Pompadour
4. Kavana Social Kitchen
5. Russo's Kitchen
6. La Plaza Taqueria
7. V's Gourmet Chicken
8. Joe's Deli
9. Half Moon Bakery
10. Kingfish Seafood

Where should I go first? Any that you want to join me for?

Bring on 2019! I'm ready for you.

7 comments:

bonnjill said...

Plan on V's when the weather is nice. There's no seating for dining there, so plan to bring it to the lake (Euclid Beach Park is close) to enjoy.

Julia said...

There’s some great ones on here. Excited for you to try Il Rione and La Plaza!

melissa said...

Ooh great! I can't wait to hear how this goes! The only one that I've been to is La Plaza and it was great!

Kat said...

I should not be reading this while hungry lol! All great ideas, and I can't wait to try these!

Crystal @EatDrinkCLE said...

I would love to be your dining partner! Il Rione is top of my list and I definitely think we should triple date with Lisa. Russo's, V's and La Plaza are also especially appealing. I am ALWAYS looking for another excuse to eat at La Plaza. I went to Molto Bene to film a show and would love to go back - the owners are SO nice and the chef is actually Italian. They make homemade gelato too :)

Kate @ GreatestEscapist.com said...

Ooh, I'm excited that you're doing this again! I LOVE Il Rione, & I've been dying to hit up La Plaza, if you want a buddy for that one. :) Happy 2019!

Shibani said...

Some of these are new to me but I LOVE the la plaza tacos.