Tour de Bruell

I did it! Mr. H and I tasked ourselves with completing the official Tour de Bruell for the first time this summer. And...we did it!

Cleveland restaurateur Zack Bruell annually launches the Tour de Bruell. Diners receive a punch card at one of his signature restaurants, and then you have between Memorial Day and Labor Day to visit each of his six signature restaurants.

You must order an entree at each, and you receive a stamp on your card to mark your visit at that restaurant. If you complete the tour before Labor Day, you're entered to win a raffle for a four-course dinner prepared in your home for 8 guests by chef Bruell himself. Also, everyone that completes it is invited to a complimentary VIP party in the fall. This year marked the seventh year of the Tour de Bruell, and we did it! His restaurants are some of my favorite in Cleveland, so we had quite a lot of fun getting to all six this summer.

We started at Parallax, and I had the seared ahi tuna with lemon puree, sushi rice, and shishito fried vegetables. This was probably my favorite dish of the Tour, and a great way to kick it off. I was dreaming about that lemon puree for weeks.

Next up was Chinato, and I ordered the braised lamb with sweet potato gnocchi, Brussels sprouts and Parmesan.

Alley Cat was the perfect next stop, because of its riverfront views and summery vibe. I ordered the grilled octopus with succotash, bacon and smoked paprika aioli.

Our most disappointing meal was at Cowell and Hubbard. I had the strip steak with roasted baby potatoes and creamed leeks in a foie gras jus.

Then, we dined at Table 45, and I enjoyed the plancha seared scallops with miso glazed scallops, bamboo rice, bok choy, sweet tamari gastrigue, and shiso cream ($28) from the new chef Matthew Anderson.

We saved the best for last. Our favorite of his signature restaurants, L'Albatros. The lighting was poor, so I don't have a picture of the delicious duck confit with a crispy duck leg, sweet potato puree, and braised cabbage ($24). Of course, we had to end the meal there with the famous cheese service. It was the perfect ending to the tour, and right in time. We dined there just days before Labor Day!

Phew, it was a whirlwind of a summer, but thanks to the Tour de Bruell...it was a tasty one. Nothing to disclose here, we chose to do the Tour on our own, and had a lot of fun challenging ourselves to complete it. You can almost never go wrong with food from Bruell's group, and so we really enjoyed completing the Tour. Don't miss out next summer!

Bruell's Done It Again- Cowell and Hubbard

Chef Zack Bruell's fifth restaurant, Cowell & Hubbard, opened in Downtown Cleveland recently on Euclid Avenue in the heart of Playhouse Square. This modern French bistro was a welcomed addition, and being a Bruell fan- I couldn't wait to check it out.

Valet parking is available ($8), so parking was easy and I was quickly inside. The space is quite large, but is broken up into smaller areas using seating and decor. The bar is long and area open, so it's welcoming for anyone just popping in for a drink.

The menu is daunting to say the least. With 21 appetizers and 11 salads, it's hard to even know where to begin. The good news? Most of it sounds amazing, and you leave wanting to come back and try more. I had asked around to see what people recommended, so narrowing my choices was a bit easier. I selected the Butternut Squash Ravioli with greens, jalapeno, and prosciutto ($9) from the Appetizers section.This dish is served with one large ravioli. The textures in this plate are just beautiful. My favorite component was the crispy prosciutto that added great bite to the dish. It isn't ideal for sharing, but I'd recommend this dish and I'd order it again. Only tiny criticism- it could have been served hotter, and I didn't taste any heat from the jalapenos.

For my entree, I went with the Lamb Breast with yogurt, mint, preserved lemon zest, pine nuts, Moroccan spices and olives with cous cous ($19).For the price, the serving was large and I was able to take some home with me. The meat was tender and just fell apart at the touch. Overall, I did enjoy the dish and its combination of flavors- it was reminiscent of a beloved gyro. However, the lamb meat was a little fatty, and I had wished that there was more tang from the yogurt.

The only thing that was not overly impressive with our experience was our server. She was a little "off" in both personality and attentiveness. A couple of other servers stepped in when they saw that we were waiting a long time to order, and when our dirty plates lingered a little too long. She also completely forgot a dessert that was ordered, but it eventually came out. So our meal ended up taking longer than anticipated, but we didn't really care since we were out for a fun girls' night of catching up and gossip.

We had a great time, and even though L'Albatros will still remain #1 Bruell restaurant in my heart (mmm, cheese)...I will be back to Cowell & Hubbard. It just might have stolen the number two spot from Chinato.

Cowell & Hubbard
1305 Euclid Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44115
216-479-0555