Chef's Tasting Menu

One of my favorite things to do at a restaurant where we know the chef and trust that it will be a great meal, is to do a Chef's Tasting Menu. This is usually 3 - 5 courses (although Dante offers up to 21) that the chef crafts specifically for the tasting menu. They are typically dishes that you can't order on the regular menu, and it can be quite fun to give up control and let yourself be surprised as each course arrives.

Recently, Mr. H and I took advantage of the five-course tasting at Dante in Tremont, while enjoying a gorgeous evening on their secluded garden patio.

We splurged and added wine pairings (often available with Chef's Tastings). Each course, and the wines, delighted our senses and we rolled walked away quite impressed with the experience. Our favorite was the "salad" course with tempura asparagus and tempura jalapeno.

This dinner got me thinking...What other restaurants around Greater Cleveland offer a Chef's Tasting option on their menu? Here is what I came up with:

Dante
AMP 150
Crop Bistro (Chef's Table)
Trentina
The Black Pig
Greenhouse Tavern (Chef's Table)

Do you know of any that I missed? I'm on the hunt for more. Leave them in the comments!

I encourage you to lower your inhibitions and take a risk ordering a chef's tasting. Diners can experience things that they may not normally order for themselves, in the trusted hands of one of our area's best.

AMP Fest 2014

On Friday evening, "R" and I attended the inaugural AMP Fest event at AMP 150 on West 150th Street. The event included live music from the Westies...

...cocktails and beer from vendors like Cleveland Whiskey and Buckeye Brewing Company...

...a silent auction, and food from five chefs. The chef lineup included stations from AMP 150's own Dean James Max...

...who took this whole fish, grilled it for all eyes to see (next to an amazing wild boar from Chef Brad Phillips of Asador)...

...and turned it into some really tasty fish tacos with Asian greens and a pepper aioli.

Also, AMP 150's Executive Chef Jeff Jarrett was grilling up some chicken thighs that even made this self-proclaimed chicken-hater drool.

The red onion jam and blackberry BBQ sauce had wonderful flavor, and the meat was so tender and moist.

The event was held in the outdoor courtyard, and it was filled with tantalizing smells as attendees wandered about and enjoyed the evening.

The event was just $40 for all-you-can-eat, all-you-can-drink from 5-9pm. A $5 donation from each ticket sale benefited the Children's Miracle Network, and they were able to raise over $2,000 for the organization.

Great food, fun cocktails and beer, watching the chefs grill right in front of you, live music, and a family of ducks made for a fantastic evening. One that I hope they repeat! There is talk of making this an annual event, so fingers crossed. Don't miss the next one. Always keep you eye on AMP 150 events. The food is outstanding, and always a steal for the ticket price.

Disclosure: I was provided with two media passes in exchange for pre-event promotion. I chose to share my experience with you post-event because it was a great event, and one that you should attend in the future. All opinions are 100% my own.

AMP Fest Giveaway

Ah, Monday. How was your weekend? "R" and I took full advantage of the sunny day on Saturday (more on that later this week), and I actually welcomed the rain on Sunday. It gave me a break from watering our flowers, and a good excuse to curl up on the couch with a movie and a cup of coffee. Also, time for some blogging, which is always harder to find once the warm weather hits and we're out and about more.

Monday gets such a bad reputation, having to follow the weekend. So, let's kick off this week with a great giveaway. That should perk up those Monday blues. 

I'm talking about two tickets to the upcoming AMP Fest on Friday, June 27th. 

One lucky reader will receive two tickets to the event, which includes food from AMP 150, cocktails, live music, an auction and artwork. It will be held on the outdoor courtyard at the Cleveland Airport Marriott from 5-9PM, and $5 from every ticket purchase will benefit the Children's Miracle Network. 

It should be a good event, with tasty food from several chefs, including Chef Jeff Jarrett and Chef Dean James Max. Tickets are just $40 each, and well worth the purchase. 

However, you do have the chance to win here. You can enter using Rafflecopter, and a winner will be selected on Friday, June 13th at 4:00pm. Tweet daily for additional entries. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!

Disclosure: I was provided with two tickets to give away, and one media pass, in exchange for this post. All opinions are 100% my own. 

AMP 150 Special Dinners

I was recently invited to attend the AMP 150 Reunion Dinner, and as usual...these three chefs did not disappoint. The six-course meal was outstanding, and every time that we thought that we had a favorite dish, the next course topped it.

Something that did stand out to me was that my favorite course came from the current Executive Chef, Jeff Jarrett. While the restaurant had some talented hands in its creator and its first Executive Chef, it's Jeff that continues to shine.

He has a new toy in the kitchen, and we got a taste of what's to come from that...

Country Ham-wrapped Sous-vide Veal with local corn puree, chanterelle conserva, and a truffle demi.

We begged him to add it to the current AMP menu. Hopefully, he took the hint!

Jeff has always got something up his sleeve, and he shared some exciting plans with us that I hope to unveil soon.

Their special dinners and tasting events are truly where they shine, in my opinion. They have another one coming up: Friday, September 20th- Cocktail Dinner. A five-course meal paired with original infused cocktails from AMP 150. Tickets are $50 a person. The event will begin at 6:30PM. Make your reservation now by calling 216-706-8787.

Disclosure: I was provided with one ticket to the Reunion Dinner in exchange for pre-promotion. I chose to share this post with you on my own, as well as sharing the upcoming event information. All opinions stated are 100% my own.

A Final Birthday Celebration- AMP 150

I'm sure that you're sick of hearing about my birthday, but I had one last celebration to do...a fabulous dinner party with my Cleveland friends. I've had it in my head for months that this is how I wanted to ring in the new decade. Good friends and good food, that's the best way that I know how to celebrate any occasion.

The location was AMP 150. I selected the restaurant because I knew that they had a private room large enough to host my group of 26 friends (many of which I met through this blog/Twitter), and one of my favorite chefs in Cleveland just happens to be the Executive Chef there--- Jeff Jarrett.

I love his approach to food, and I knew that he'd put together a killer custom menu for our dinner. Of course, he did not disappoint!

First course: Pork Belly with vanilla parsnip puree and apple kimchee.

This was probably my favorite course of the evening, but that's not saying much because all four were simply wonderful.

Second course: Butternut Squash Ravioli with duck confit, mustard greens, and port bubbles.

The port bubbles gave such a great pop of sweetness to this earthy dish.

Third course: Beet and Goat Cheese Salad with watercress.

Isn't the presentation just gorgeous? It almost looked too pretty to eat. The unexpected fried balls of goat cheese were awesome! A beet and goat cheese salad is one of my favorite types of salad.

Fourth course: Braised Short Rib with a potato and onion hash.

The meat was so tender that it just fell right apart when you cut into it with your fork. This dish inspired many of us to try cooking short ribs at home! The chef's tip---Get a good sear in the pan, and then braise them low and slow at 325 degrees for 2.5-3 hours.

As you know, I'm not a sweets kinda gal. So, I wanted four savory courses from Chef Jarrett. But, "R" has the biggest sweet tooth that I know, so he surprised me with a cake from Heinen's for the party.

Don't be fooled by the pretty candles. They were the re-lighting kind, oh joy. Once I finally extinguished them all, we enjoyed a piece of deliciously moist chocolate cake. They have a great frosting that is nice and light. A great end to the meal, and I'm sure that everyone appreciated "R's" decision.

I can't thank AMP 150 and Chef Jeff enough for the memorable experience on Saturday night. The food was outstanding, the service was exceptional, and I had such a great time celebrating with the people that help make Cleveland  "home." Thank you to everyone that was able to attend!

I promise that this is the last birthday post. Hello, 30! You look kinda good on me.

Trust the Chef

I am calling today's post, "Trust the Chef". Several of our area restaurants offer a chef's tasting menu, a multi-course meal where the diner puts their order in the chef's hands and doesn't know what is going to come out of the kitchen. "R" and I had to go to AMP 150 the other night for work, darn. Normally, several of their menu items sound good to me, and I've never been able to give up control and try the Chef's Choice. They offer two options- 4 courses for $35 or 6 courses for $50. The entire table has to participate. We went with the four courses, which was more than enough food.

An amuse bouche of their celery soup came out first (not included in the four courses). It was a little mild for my taste, and could have used a punch of more flavor. Great soups like AMP's mushroom and Hodge's pea are just setting the bar high now. Our first course was a smaller portion of their Black Mussels with lemongrass, plum wine, coconut milk, ginger, and cilantro.

Only thing lacking? Some bread to get at that broth. With traditional Thai flavors, it was right up my alley.

Next came the salad course.

Feta, crispy bacon lardons, fresh spinach, and a citron vinaigrette. Light and refreshing.

The "entree" course was next, and a sirloin came out medium rare over goat cheese polenta and braised spinach.

The meat was tender and seasoned well, but the real star was the goat cheese polenta. I could eat a bowl of that every day, no joke. It was my favorite dish of the meal.

Fully satisfied with our dinner at this point, how could it get any better? This non-sweets lover was skeptical, because I was pretty sure that dessert was coming out next.

Not one, but THREE, small portions arrived for each of us. Each one was very different, highlighting lemon and blue berries (left), strawberries and rhubard (right), and rich panna cotta (middle). With chocolate, peanuts, and salty caramel- the center one was my favorite and a great end to the meal.

I have always enjoyed most of AMP's food, but this meal far exceeded anything that we had put together on our own in the past. So, my message today---Trust the Chef.

Go out and enjoy the surprise of allowing the chef to choose for you. Other area restaurants that offer these tasting menus: Crop Bistro (Chef's Table only, 7 course tasting), Dante (5 course tasting), and The Greenhouse Tavern (4 course tasting).

Do you know of any other restaurants in Cleveland with this option on their menu? After our experience at AMP 150, I know that I will be more trusting when it comes to putting my meal in the chef's hands. I look forward to doing another one.

Veggie U Recap

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.

Dinner in the Dark- Special Edition

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.

Get "AMPed" for Emerging Chefs' Next Dinner

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!

A Tour of Chef Cooley's Garden

Last night, the local chapter of ISES (International Society of Event Specialists) hosted an event at the Cleveland Airport Marriott featuring Chef Ellis Cooley from AMP 150. The event was titled "Culinary Trends: From the Garden to the Table". It included a cooking demonstration and tastings from Chef Cooley, and a tour of the 1/4 acre garden that he and his team installed this spring just past the parking lot on an unused piece of overgrown land owned by the hotel. Other people saw weeds and asphalte- Cooley saw corn, cucumbers, peppers, herbs, and more!

The evening started with the cooking demo and samples of the dishes that Chef was using to highlight his definition of farm-to-table. We tried a beet salad with Ohio-made goat cheese, a scallop perched on top of Ohio-grown corn "pudding", sliced heirloom tomato on toasted bread, and a sausage-stuffed pepper. Cooley had literally picked the peppers from their garden at 2PM. It doesn't get any fresher than that!

The second portion of the event included a detailed tour of the garden by Chef Cooley himself. As he walked through the cucumbers, squash, and peppers you could tell that his own blood, sweat, and tears are in that garden. He is pretty proud of their first attempt- and he should be!

It was a fun evening- filled with tasty samplings, networking, cold cocktails in the courtyard, and the chance to finally see Chef's vision of a garden come to life.

AMp 150

4277 West 150th Street

Cleveland, OH 44135

(216) 252-5333

Something to Get "AMP"ed About

Chef Ellis Cooley has been making a splash over at AMP 150 in the Airport Marriott since arriving in Cleveland- not only in the dining scene and among foodies but on the social media network as well. Utilizing Twitter, Facebook, and most recently Foursquare- Cooley is communicating with and engaging his customers and potential diners very well (in my opinion). Asking diners about their experience, offering deals and freebies to patrons, listing specials and events, and even hosting a "Tweet-up" and earning everyone a swarm badge through Foursquare...it's all working for him. People have certainly been buzzing about AMP since its opening, and I finally got the chance to have dinner there last night at our monthly Blogger Dinner.

For full disclosure, this is not my first time dining there. "R" and I took my parents there for Mother's Day Brunch, but we left feeling very underwhelmed by the food and atmosphere. I swore to not judge based on a buffet (they are hard to do well), but I think my expectations were a little higher than usual based on the reputation they were building for themselves. I will say that the desserts were amazing, and I'm dying to know if they made that cheesecake in-house. In the end, my mom enjoyed brunch and being in Cleveland on Mother's Day so that's all that matters. Moving on to my meal last night...

The dinner started with Chef Cooley greeting our table and talking to us for quite some time about everything that they have coming up this season. I knew that he was trying to use local product and stay seasonal as much as possible, but I had no idea that they actually change the menu on a weekly basis- swapping at least two or three items each week. I love that! They are building an outdoor dining area, and Cooley hopes to feature family-style "Sunday Dinners" out there this summer. He also told us that the garden is thriving and the bees are busy making honey on the roof. It's exciting to see his plans come to life.

I knew that I wanted to try at least two things from the menu in order to get a better sense of the style and quality. Something to note is that nothing on the menu is over $20, by design. After some recommendations from the chef and our server, I decided to try the Apricot Gnocchi ($8)- shaved asparagus, parmesan, and apricots (pictured above) and the Rabbit Spaetzle ($8)- peas, speck ham, and tarragon. Both dishes are from the Small Plates section of the menu, which are designed to give you a tasting and allow you to pair them with other dishes to create a full meal. Two was a perfect decision, and I left feeling full. I won't go in to a lot of detail, but both dishes were very good. You can tell that Chef Cooley puts a lot of thought into pairing his ingredients, and each dish was well-balanced in flavor and texture. He did tell us prior to the meal that the rabbit dish was about to change for the season and would be a much lighter version, which is a thoughtful decision because I did feel that it was a little heavy for a warm summer evening. I just hope that it reappears next winter!

I still can't get over facing the hotel lobby while I dine, so I think that I need to request a table in the back next time- but overall Cooley's talent shines through on the menu and the food will keep you coming back. I look forward to dining there again soon, and keeping an eye out for what he has planned next.

AMP 150
4277 West 150th Street
Cleveland, OH 44135
(216) 252-5333