Weekend Bites

Well, it's now waaaay late in the week, but I still had to share what Mr. H and I were up to last weekend, because it was a good one. At one of our stops on Saturday, someone asked how our day was and what we had been doing. We listed it all off, and they said "Wow, that's like a perfect Cleveland day." I agree.

It all kicked off on Friday evening with one last stop at Coquette Patisserie. This lovely French-themed shop is closing its doors this Saturday with a farewell event. We've loved this shop, and just had to take the opportunity to enjoy their macarons, oysters, and wine one more time to say goodbye.

Waking up on Saturday morning to the sun streaming through the windows and this adorable face staring at me was a great start to any day!

Mr. H and I hurried to get out of the house, and headed to the West Side Market for breakfast at Crêpes de Luxe. Grabbing a crepe and heading upstairs to look out over the market is one of my favorite Cleveland sights to see.

Then, we threw our groceries in a cooler and headed to The Cleveland Flea for the first outdoor market of the year. But, that also gave us the opportunity to pop in to the nearby VNTG Home for the first time. I could browse for hours through their vintage wares. I found some great two-toned chargers that I can't wait to bust out for a dinner party!

Then we wandered down the street to the flea.

I picked up some "plant killer friendly" succulents for my bathroom. Fingers crossed.

After the flea, we headed to Old Brooklyn Cheese Company because it was National Raw Milk Day and they had some great samples going all day long.

After a quick stop home to drop off our purchases, we then headed over to Brewnuts for my first visit. More on that later! I do love that there are a handful of great shops to walk to in the Gordon Square Arts District, including the newer Oceanne Jewlery storefront. Even though I had just purchased a necklace from them at The Flea earlier that morning (shhhh, Mr. H was using the bathroom at the time), I couldn't resist a pair of earrings from the new collection.

This was all before 1PM! So, we hit our bed for a nap, and gained enough energy to head out for a nice meal at Cork & Cleaver Social Kitchen to check out the Spring Menu and cap off the perfect Cleveland day.

As you can imagine, I did almost nothing on Sunday after that busy day! Just lots of puppy snuggles, and our weekly chores to prepare for another week. What's your "perfect Cleveland day" look like?

Six Years, and Seafood

A quick break from my Chicago blog posts...

On Wednesday, "R" and I celebrated our sixth (dating) anniversary. Within weeks of meeting him in Ohio, I knew that he had to be mine, so I boldly asked him to not see anyone else. I know a good thing when I see one! Sometimes, it feels as though we've been together forever. That level of comfort, ease of being together, and deep trust and love. Other times, six years ago seems like just yesterday. Where does time go?

We weren't supposed to be together on Wednesday evening, but things change and suddenly we had the evening together and free of plans. What to do? "R" proposed a bite to eat at Cork & Cleaver Social Kitchen. It's easily becoming one of our favorite spots, and I haven't had a dish there that I haven't liked. There were only two entrees left on the menu that I hadn't tried yet, and the Scallops had been calling my name for a while now. Some tempting specials had kept me from trying them during my last two visits, but I was determined this time.

With braised fennel, radicchio, warm bean salad, and tarragon vinaigrette ($21), the dish was pretty to look at and just as tasty. I absolutely loved the tarragon vinaigrette and the large pieces of braised fennel. Some of the beans were a hair undercooked, but otherwise, I really enjoyed this dish. It may not be my favorite thing in their Bigger Things section (Flat Iron, Chicken, and Pork Paprikash are up there), but I would certainly order this again. Now, that just leaves the Walleye to try.

On Thursday evening, we had scheduled a romantic dinner at Pier W. It's been years since I've been there for dinner (we love their brunch!), and with the spectacular view of the city and splurge-worthy seafood menu, it was a perfect spot for our anniversary dinner. Perched high along the lake's cliffs in Lakewood, this restaurant has one of the very best views of our city, and they are finally taking advantage of the patio area near the restaurant's entrance by adding some outdoor dining this year.

We decided to start with an order of the Oyster Sampler ($18), and they allowed us to mix and match the three types of oysters offered that evening.

It is served with your standard Horseradish Cocktail Sauce, but also a light and refreshing Mango Cucumber Relish.

I was torn between the Cod, Swordfish, and Tuna dishes on the menu, but a last minute switch led me to the Pier W's Famous Bouillabaisse ($32) with fresh fish, Top Neck clams, shrimp, scallops, snow crab claw, and mussels in a saffron tomato broth with oven-roasted garlic crostini and rouille.

Divine. I was surprised at how good the rouille was on the toasted crostini and then dipped into the broth. It really brought together all of the flavors of the broth.

We shared a bottle of one of our favorite splurge wines, and the meal was near perfect. "R's" Pan Roasted Lake Perch was exceptional, and I'd order that in a heartbeat. As we were leaving, our server presented us with two tiny cupcakes and a chocolate that said "Happy Anniversary" on top. It was a cute gesture, and appreciated. The evening was very special, just as it should have been.

Stuffed with some delicious seafood between the two evenings, we called the anniversary celebration a "success." Then we took a "staycation" day off of work today to play in our city together. More on that later!

He won't see this, because he has never read a blog post in the five years that I've been blogging, but...Happy Anniversary, my love! It's been a tough road at times for us, but they've truly been the best six years of my life. I met you, fell in love quickly, followed my heart to Ohio, and am now thrilled to call Cleveland my home. It's all because of how wonderful and special you are, and I couldn't be more thankful that you're mine. You truly are my "better half" and life with you is pretty grand. Cheers to many more!

Cork and Cleaver Social Kitchen

I love it when I am so excited about a place that I just can't wait to share it with you. I know that I gave you a little sneak peek of the newly opened Cork & Cleaver Social Kitchen from my post about the CLEDinnerClub event that we attended a couple of weeks ago, but "R" and I made it back in to dine there from the regular menu this week...and it was just as awesome.

Rose, our bubbly and chatty server, helped us navigate the menu and made suggestions based on her personal favorites and popular dishes. She first pointed us towards the Chicken Wings- confit wings with cilantro, scallion, honey, and chilies ($8 for five big wings).

These wings were simply outstanding. "R" deemed them "the best wings he's ever had" and he's had quite a lot of wings. Greenhouse, who? They start with a sugar and salt brine, then confit them before dredging them in a buttermilk batter. The end result is crispy, moist, fall-off-the-bone meat. The sweet honey and kick from the jalapenos just help round out this dish. Go get them, like now!

It was a hard act to follow, but we both really enjoyed our entrees as well. "R" ordered The Omelette with chorizo, goat cheese, guacamole, sweet pepper bruschetta, and crispy potatoes ($14).

I don't usually photograph other people's dishes, but the presentation of this was so pretty that I had to snap a shot before he dug in. I stole two bites of the fluffy omelette, and a bite of the crispy potato pancake. I'm not a breakfast-for-dinner kinda person, but this was delicious and I'd happily eat that for brunch any day. "R" was hooked, and Chef Adam told us that it's his favorite dish on the menu. Why don't more restaurants offer breakfast food options on their dinner menu?

I went for the Gnocchi with braised lamb, a cucumber and radish slaw, and tzatziki ($18).

A bite that combined all of the components had nice balance of flavor and texture, and it certainly reminded me of a gyro. The lamb meat on its own was a little boring, but that sauce really made this dish for me. A little more slaw and a bit more sauce maybe would have made this a little bit better, in my opinion. Overall, I liked it and I would order it again.

As if we weren't full enough, my buddy Chef Adam surprised us with a complimentary dessert. This Root Beer and Malt was a nice sweet treat to the end of the meal.

The malt ice cream was divine, and I loved the chocolate covered crushed pretzels. Rose suggested just smashing the root beer meringue from the center, and that did the trick. It crumbled into the ice cream, and a bite of all three components was very tasty. I'm not even a fan of root beer flavor, and I enjoyed this! It was mild enough to not offend my soda-free palate, but had nice flavor that worked well with everything else on the plate. All of their desserts are playful and interesting.

I couldn't have been happier with the meal, and with two drinks thrown in as well--- the bill only came to $59.

I left thinking "Damn, we are so lucky that Brian Okin and Adam Bostwick teamed up to open Cork & Cleaver." No joke. "R" asked if every Wednesday could be "Cork & Cleaver Day." Now get in there and try it for yourself.

Cork & Cleaver Social Kitchen
8130 Broadview Road
Broadview Heights, OH
440-627-6449

Corks, Cleavers, and Drinks

Tuesday was a fun night, full of trying new things. This month's @CLEDinnerClub event brought the group to the newly opened Cork & Cleaver Social Kitchen in Broadview Heights. This week, the restaurant turns two weeks-old, so we were among the first to sample what's going on in this new spot.

I may be a little biased, because I adore the two chefs behind this new restaurant--- Chef Brian Okin (Dinner in the Dark co-creator, formally of Verve, Fountain, and Luxe) and Chef Adam Bostwick (formally of Melange). They are two of my favorite chefs in the area, and I'd follow them anywhere. The good news? Cork & Cleaver somehow managed to even exceed my expectations, and it left me wanting more...like, immediately.

The group was served family-style, which allowed us to have small sample tastings of many dishes found on their menu, and a few special items just for us.

The general discussion at the table was that as each course came out, it was claimed to be a new "favorite" course of the meal. That's a good problem to have.

I wanted to share a couple of items with you that are current menu options--- Chicken and Waffles with fried chicken, thyme waffles, spicy butter, and savory maple ($8). Sample portion pictured.

I am not a chicken lover, and this course was one of my top three. This wasn't your typical fried chicken, and this heavenly little patty of shredded chicken made me want more.

Also, we had Pork Paprikash with braised pork shoulder, smoked paprika spaetzle, and crème fraiche ($16). Sample portion pictured.

This dish is already becoming a fan favorite, and our group agreed.

The meal was simply outstanding, and I could see both Brian and Adam's styles shining through on the menu. It's wonderful to see them being able to do the food that they want to do. You'll find many twists on classic dishes, and some familiar items from their former restaurants.

Also, the small restaurant and bar area are full of playful accents. You'll find corks in every nook, and Brian's beloved Heineken prominently displayed as bar lights.

More on this restaurant to come...soon. Because I already can't wait for a return visit.

After dinner club, we headed towards home and decided to stop in to the newly opened Drink Bar & Grill in Old Brooklyn on the corner of Memphis and Pearl. Just about a mile from home, we were curious after reading about it in Scene. The grand opening was just about a month ago, and they are certainly trying to bring something new to the area.

Think more cocktail lounge than bar, and add in a few inventive menu items. We'll see if it will survive, but I'm crossing my fingers. It would be nice to have this place so close by, without having to go into Tremont or Ohio City for this type of atmosphere. But will it draw in that type of clientele? Only time will tell, but I'll get back to you with more on this new spot too after we try some of the menu.

Cork & Cleaver Social Kitchen
8130 Broadview Road
Broadview Heights, OH
440-627-6449

Drink Bar & Grill
4250 Pearl Road
Cleveland, OH 44109
216-661-7543