Home Bistro

Home Bistro opened in August 2020 on Mayfield Road, right in the heart of Cleveland's Little Italy neighborhood. They've been making quite a splash, despite us being in the middle of a pandemic. Including recently being named Best New Restaurant of 2020 by Cleveland Magazine readers.

So as my two friends and I got together for our very first patio dining experience since the pandemic began, we were excited to try this new spot out. The owners, Victor Morenz and Emily Gilbert, had a restaurant in Chicago (by the same name) with rave reviews from my friend's family there. I may have been counting down the hours before our visit all week!

Let's just say, it did not disappoint. From the Starters, we shared Beer Battered Asparagus ($12) with IPA beer batter, and salt & vinegar aioli.

And Shishito Peppers ($8) with sea salt and olive oil.

I then got super torn between several of the Mains that all sounded good, so my indecisiveness led me to two additional Starters instead. First, the Grilled Haloumi ($12), which is a Mediterranean cheese with strawberry, pickled green garlic, black pepper, and arbequina olive oil. Isn't that plating stunning?!

And the Artichoke Edam Fritters ($12) with garlic aioli and lemon.

My friends enjoyed the Korean Fried Chicken ($24) with crispy-fried smoked chicken thigh, sweet & savory soy, peanut puree, snap peas, and spring onion kimchi; Caesar Salad ($13); and one of the Mussels specials (Tuesday was Mussels Night with several options for $18). Every single dish was wonderful.

Now, service definitely had minor issues. Food arrived out of order, we were out of water for quite a while, and they seemed stretched thin. But our server and the manager were very sweet and attentive overall. The manager shared with us how difficult it still is to find restaurant workers that will come back to work in the pandemic, and how busy they've been since the Cleveland Magazine coverage and the warmer temperatures. I have no reason to think the service won't improve as things continue to get back to "normal." 

We dined on their patio, but the interior was just adorable too. Parking is a real issue in that neighborhood, but with some patience and lots of circling I did eventually find a street parking spot right outside the restaurant. 

This was one of the best meals I've had out in a long time, and that's not just the pandemic talking! I'm already looking forward to a return visit with Mr. H.

Home Bistro
12022 Mayfield Road
Cleveland, OH 44106
(216) 795-5582

Tales from Social Distancing...

As we enter Week 11, it still seems a little surreal that it's been that long. I drove a car this weekend for the first time since March 16. Weird to think about. 

But we're hanging in there in at home. Now enjoying the sights, sounds, and smells of full-blown Spring.

There are still a handful of chilly and damp days, so one of those evenings we ordered in Gnocchi al Burro from Trattoria Roman Garden in Little Italy. I can't speak to the rest of the menu, but that gnocchi makes an appearance once a year for us!

Do you remember when I recently visited Tapatia's Taqueria? Well we discovered their sister restaurant Hacienda Tapatia, and it was just as good. I still prefer the Chile Poblano from Cozumel, but their version of Chile Rellenos slid into the #3 spot for me (close behind Luchita's).

We're still supporting The Black Pig once a week, and we recently enjoyed their Pasta Night for 2. Their house made pastas have always been excellent, so it was great to experience them again.

I have always loved getting lost in a good book and used to devour 5-7 books a week when I was a kid on summer break, but as an adult I don't read much fiction anymore because I have a hard time putting a book down once I'm reading. It often leads to staying up into the wee hours of the morning until I finish, and then I pay the price for days. With self-quarantine, I decided it was a perfect time to distract my mind and dive into a couple of books. My new gorgeous bookmark from Oceanne makes it feel extra special. Any recommendations?

One of the things I'm enjoying about takeout these days is focusing on foods that we (by "we" we all know I mean Mr. H) don't make at home. Indian falls into that category, and we enjoyed Chicken Tikka Masala from Tandul in Tremont. They have the best Garlic Cheese Naan that I've had locally.

I'm really missing "my people" during this. So Mr. H and I decided to take a random day off of work, whip up some Ramp & Spinach Pesto (thanks for the recipe, Meghan!), and deliver jars with a note to a few of our favorite neighbors. It felt great to take that time to step away from the stress of work to do something nice for people we care about and miss.

The last takeout experience that I want to share with you is the Walnut Shrimp from Li Wah in AsiaTown. It's always been my favorite dish there if I'm not doing dim sum, and after eating it again, it inspired us to try and make a version at home this week. Fingers crossed!

Stay tuned later this week, because I've been slowly starting to tackle takeout from 2020 To Dine Challenge restaurants to still try and complete the list this year. Only 5 more to go!

Li Wah
2999 Payne Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44114

Tandul
2505 Professor Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44113

The Black Pig

2801 Bridge Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44113

Trattoria Roman Garden

12207 Mayfield Road
Cleveland, OH 44106

Hacienda Tapatia
1572 W. 117
Lakewood, OH 44107

Michaelangelo's

Michaelangelo's is an iconic restaurant in Cleveland's Little Italy. It's been touted as one of the best in the area, the chef left to open the popular Luca (2013) and Luca West (2017), and I've always wanted to go. Other than a work dinner with a pre-set menu once, I had never been.

Mr. H and I were looking for a date night spot last week, and I had a craving for pasta. BINGO!

I am absolutely in love with the cozy bar area. I could curl up in one of the huge leather chairs with a glass of wine in front of that fireplace for hours. But, we settled in for our meal in one of the two main dining rooms. It's classic fine dining Italian.

We ordered the Grilled Portabella Mushroom, Herb Polenta and Drunken Goat Cheese Sauce ($12) from the hot appetizers section of the menu. The flavor of the mushroom itself was outstanding, but it was very small and not the focus of the dish as the name implied. The goat cheese sauce was not as flavorful as I would have liked, and the whole dish arrived at barely room temperature. I did let our server know (no apology or even acknowledgement that it wasn't right!). So, overall, we weren't off to a great start.

I was drawn to several of the pasta dishes, but couldn't resist ordering their famous Sacchetti al Tartufo ($17/$28) with a Ricotta and Black Truffle Stuffed Pasta, Tartufata, and Black Truffle Cream Sauce. I've had this dish at Luca several times, and it is always outstanding. This version didn't disappoint.

But, Mr. H ordered the Scalloppine of Veal Tenderloin with Prosciutto, Sage, Sauteed Spinach, Vermentino Reduction and a Herb Risotto Cake ($36), and was disappointed in the texture of the veal itself and the breading. The herb risotto cake was also very bland and dry. The reduction had nice flavor, but really that was the only redeeming factor of this dish. For that price point, no thank you.

Service continued to be only average throughout the meal.

I've certainly heard that it "isn't the same" or "isn't as good" since Chef Luca Sema left, but what are your thoughts? I felt let down.

Michaelangelo's
2198 Murray Hill Road
Cleveland, OH 44106
(216) 721-0300

34 Isn't That Bad...

This past weekend, I turned 34. I have to admit, I wasn't too thrilled with that number looming. I loved turning 30. I think this decade is going to be full of good things for me (so far, so good), but I'm now moving into that true "mid" 30's range. Often having to check a new box on forms. Meh.

But, Mr. H did a wonderful job distracting me and spoiling me rotten all weekend long. I was getting over a terrible head cold that lingered for over a week, so luckily I was able to enjoy our Saturday festivities.

The afternoon started with a shopping trip to Fount in Gordon Square. Mr. H had seen me eyeballing the Atlas handbag for months, and surprised me with it for my birthday!

Hello, gorgeous. 

That evening, we headed to Nora in Little Italy for dinner. A 2017 To Dine Challenge restaurant, so we killed two birds with one stone! In the former Il Bacio space, across the street from Washington Place Bistro and Inn, it's still a cozy, classic Italian restaurant.

It was creepily silent when we first sat down, and everyone was speaking in very hushed tones, but it picked up as the meal wore on.

Overall, we enjoyed the food quite a bit. We ordered a Chicken Liver Bruschetta, small portion of the house made Fettuccini, and Mr. H got the Veal Osso Bucco. I had the fish special of the evening, a crusted and seared ahi tuna steak with forbidden rice, spinach, and a basil aioli. The dishes were beautifully plated, flavorful, and the pasta in particular was very good. Only a few tiny things negative to note. For the price point, the bruschetta was a very small portion (about four bites total), and my tuna was cooked almost all the way through. Searing it was necessary to get the crust good and crunchy, but it was just overdone for my personal taste. Lastly, our server was an odd guy, and his unnatural communication skills impacted our experience poorly a bit. Our interactions were awkward, but at least he was very professional and was certainly attentive. I did walk away happy with our meal, and knowing that I'd recommend the restaurant. It was probably one of our better experiences in Little Italy.

Then, we headed to Severance Hall for a performance from the Cleveland Orchestra. It was my first! Something that I've been wanting to do for a while now.

Mr. H outdid himself this year, and it was a fun and celebratory day. Maybe 34 isn't that bad...

Nora
2181 Murray Hill Road
Cleveland, OH 44106
216-231-5977

La Dolce Vita Tasting

It's been years since I've dined at La Dolce Vita in Cleveland's Little Italy neighborhood. I believe three, to be exact. I had a work meeting there, and to be honest, wasn't too terribly impressed with my salad and pasta during that meal. I think that I left there saying "Eh, it was alright, but not worth going back to in a hurry." I thought that I must have been missing something, because Clevelanders had spoken highly of the Murray Hill establishment.

Well, I finally made it back in to La Dolce Vita. The restaurant's public relations team contacted me a few weeks ago, to see if I'd be interested in coming in for a tasting menu. I was curious. It had been years at this point, and I've continued to hear praises for the restaurant since my first visit. It was time for a second try.

First of all, I absolutely love the use of fresh tomatoes as decor around the restaurant. They greet you from every corner, and adorn many tables.

Chef/Owner Terry Tarantino is clearly a fan, as he should be. These locally-sourced tomatoes that he gets from a "secret" farm down Akron-way are some of the best Ohio tomatoes that I've tasted since moving here. We had a chance to try them as Terry greeted diners with a small plate of complimentary freshly-tossed tomato salad. By "freshly tossed" I mean that he was literally walking around the dining room with the big metal bowl, blending together the ingredients and plating them.

The phrase "Keep it simple, stupid." ran through my head as he was describing what makes his version so outstanding. Use only 1/4 vinegar, and 3/4 oil. Most restaurants/home cooks do the opposite. Also, keep that balsamic far, far away, in his opinion. I've tried twice, at home, this week, to recreate his tomato salad. Unsuccessfully, I might add.

While this simple plate of tomatoes (with feta, olives, and red onion) remained a highlight of the meal for us, we were not disappointed by the many dishes that followed.

We had his famous Pesto Omar.

Eggplant Del Giorno.

Risotto del Giorno.

A flavorful dish with chicken wrapped in prosciutto, that made even this chicken-hater dig in.

One of our other favorites of the meal was the pasta with Gorgonzola sauce that was served as a side to the chicken. Wowza.

As if we weren't stuffed enough, a small plate of fresh blackberries and ricotta appeared at the end of our meal. A combination that I would never think to do, and something that Terry loves to serve to friends and family. I can see why.

Again, so simple and pure. The food at La Dolce Vita is not complicated or flashy, much like the owner himself. He speaks with pure passion for quality ingredients when discussing his cooking style. Quality ingredients do the talking for themselves. Terry prides himself on shopping at the farms and markets himself, and building trusted relationships with his vendors.

I left the meal full, comforted, and with a much more lasting impression than my first visit. At La Dolce Vita, the food is meant to do that, in a relaxed neighborhood-vibe. As if you're family. Watching Terry work the room, sitting down at many tables, shaking hands, making menu suggestions, and pulling out bar and kitchen favorites to share, it was exactly what an Italian restaurant should feel like.

Now, everything that we had is not currently on the menu, or in the same form. Terry shared with us his plans to change about 2/3 of the menu, after some inspiration his hit from looking back on his time spent in Italy.

Change is good, but at the heart of it, La Dolce Vita will remain the same. After 25 years in business, why mess too much with it...

If you've never been, or it's been a while, I encourage you to visit the corner restaurant right in the heart of Little Italy.

La Dolce Vita
12112 Mayfield Road
Cleveland, OH 44106
216-721-8155

Disclosure: I was invited, with a guest, to attend a private tasting dinner at La Dolce Vita. All food and wine was complimentary. All opinions stated are 100% my own.

Chutney Rolls Brings Fast Casual Indian to Little Italy

Chutney Rolls quietly opened their doors in August, bringing their Indian fusion bistro to a brick-and-mortar restaurant on Murray Hill Road. Their business had an interesting start at the local business incubator, The ShakerLaunchhouse, before debuting their wraps and smoothies at the Shaker Farmer's Market. Gaining confidence and momentum at several festivals and farmer's markets throughout the summer, the result is the space that they now call "home" in Cleveland's Little Italy neighborhood.

I was invited to come and check them out, so "R" and I drove over last night. Indian is one of my favorite cuisines, and their menu looked small but tempting. It didn't take much convincing to get us over there. Free street parking is available, and there is a small lot behind the storefront. When you enter, you are greeted by a counter and chalkboard menu. The steps to ordering are clear, and our only problem became what to get when several items sounded so good.

We started with two orders of Mini Samosas- Potato and Peas and Spinach and Paneer (two for $1.50).

Pictured above are the Spinach and Paneer, but they look exactly the same until you bite into them. Both versions were good, but I slightly preferred the Potato and Peas. It had a bit more flavor. The dough wasn't too thick, which often causes samosas to be dry and bland for my taste. This was not the case here! It was a tasty start to the meal, and a nice side dish option if you're ordering a roll. If you're dining there for dinner, you may need more than just a roll. They aren't huge.

"R" and I were both drawn to the Murgi Tikka- chicken marinated in yogurt and spices ($6.45) and Palak Paneer- sauteed spinach with cubes of savory cheese ($6.15), so we decided to order both as rolls and split them. Dining Deals Alert! 

Murgi Tikka:

Palak Paneer:

All wraps are topped with a crunchy cabbage salad, paired with a zesty lemon dressing, a tangy tamarind chutney, and fresh cilantro chutney.

A bit messy to eat, but delicious. Some traditional Indian flavors with great texture, all wrapped up in a flaky blanket. It was thinner and flakier than naan I've had, but held up well to the wrap's contents. The chicken was a little dry, but we poured some of the leftover sauce from the samosas on it, and that helped significantly. The spinach was moist and flavorful in the Palak Paneer.

I'd love to go back to try a rice bowl. You can order any of their dishes as a roll, rice bowl, or salad bowl. They have four options, with additional rotating daily specials. There are also two other appetizers, and a variety of signature beverages to order from.

The small restaurant is designed for quick and easy service. It struck me as an Indian version of Chipotle, with its ordering system and line assembly. There are only five tables and two high-tops, and it was cute inside.

I was having flashbacks to college. With its close proximity to campus, we were clearly the only non-students dining there. It also reminded me of our beloved Pita Pit, which I still crave to this day.

Delivery is available, and they are catering as well.

Overall, it was tasty, casual, quick, and cheap. Perfect for what we needed that night. For my personal taste, I'd love the option to increase the heat level of the food. Perhaps some sauces on the side to kick it up a notch? A fun addition to the neighborhood, I could see this business growing. I'd love to see a west side location! We'll be back, for sure.

Chutney Rolls
2218 Murray Hill Road
Cleveland, OH
216-721-2295

Disclosure: I was contacted by a student that is helping Chutney Rolls with their marketing efforts, asking that I come in and review the restaurant. I paid for my own meal, and all opinions stated are 100% my own.

Il Bacio

Yikes, I haven't blogged much in the last month. It's been a whirlwind several weeks, between holiday travel to stay with my family and an eight-day work trip to Florida for our Liver Life Challenge program...I've been busy. Life just gets in the way of blogging sometimes. But, that's okay, because now I have a lot of fun content to share with you. It's not like I stopped having some dining adventures over the last month!

With January 1st looming, I still had three restaurants left on my 2013 To Dine Challenge that I needed to hit. "R" and I headed to Il Bacio Ristorante Italiano in Little Italy for a date night on one snowy evening. Pasta just sounds better when the weather is cold, right?

It is located on Murray Hill Road, right across the street from Washington Place Bistro. Free street parking was hard to locate, but we eventually found a spot after circling a few blocks. That's one of my biggest complaints about the Little Italy area.

Inside, it was warm and intimate, with a nice street view from our table.

We were clearly the "outsiders" there that evening, and this Italian restaurant has its regulars. Service was pleasant and helpful, however, more attentive to the other tables.

We started with a special, breaded eggplant with marinara and ricotta.

Often, marinara sauce in restaurants leave a lot to be desired, in my opinion. They don't have the depth of flavor that a good homemade sauce can have. This version? Not too bad! Personally, I would have liked a little more seasoning, but overall it was nice. I just wish that the bread hadn't been served cold and a tad stale. It would have made for a great dipping sauce. The eggplant wasn't greasy, the light breading gave it some great texture, and the ricotta was smooth and light.

"R" ordered the seafood risotto special- Shrimp Scampi, and I went with a similar variation from their regular menu (sorry, no website means no accurate menu posted online for reference).

My dish was absolutely packed with mussels, clams, shrimp, and scallops. My broth was clearly better than the one that "R" ordered, but the rice was a real disappointment in both. Not the consistency or flavor that I truly enjoy from a risotto.

So, overall there were some hits and misses that evening. We enjoyed being tucked away in a cozy restaurant on a snowy night, with great smells coming from the kitchen and neighborly conversation flowing in the dining room. But, this meal didn't leave us wanting more from Il Bacio.

Il Bacio
2181 Murray Hill Road
Cleveland, OH 44106
216-231-5977

Maxi's in Little Italy

I'm not even sure how I am awake at this hour this morning. Yesterday was event #1 of three within three weeks of each other that I am working on right now, and with only three hours of sleep the night before, a 3:45AM wake-up call, and a dinner event to attend last night after my walk was all said and done...I don't really feel human today.

Last week was a flurry of last minute event details, and plenty of stress. I fell off the WW bandwagon for several days, but it's back to it today! While I knew that I wasn't counting points, we decided to indulge in some Italian food on Thursday night. Work errands on the east side of Cleveland prompted "R" and I to finally use our gift certificate to Maxi's Bistro in Little Italy.

In the heart of it all on Mayfield Road, they offer a couple of outdoor tables, an expansive bar and small casual dining area downstairs, and then a more formal dining room upstairs. We just saddled up to the bar, and had excellent service from the bartender throughout the meal.

I knew that I wanted to start with the Stuffed Banana Peppers.

Two good sized peppers arrived swimming in a marinara sauce. I enjoyed the dish, but agreed with "R" that the flavor of the sausage could have been more prominent. The pepper was cooked well with a great subtle heat, and the sauce was flavorful and perfect for dipping our warm bread into. I find that so many marinara sauces are pretty bland when dining out, but this was not the case.

Two things determined my entree for me: red pepper and shrimp.

This penne in a spicy vodka sauce had my name written all over it. The portion was huge for $18, and I took more than half of it home.

But "R" had the winning dish of the night. He ordered the goat cheese and roasted tomato ravioli, but the kitchen made a mistake and served him the Spinach Ravioli dish instead. Who cared? Not us! The raviolis were so light and airy, and the stuffing was delicious. However, the Alfredo sauce that it came with was outstanding and had us both licking his plate. I was so happy that I had saved half a piece of bread. It went right into the sauce left on his plate! Only complaint...the dish included just four ravioli. They weren't large, and for the price- the dish should have included one or two more.

I haven't really enjoyed the handful of restaurants that I've tried in Little Italy, other than Washington Place Bistro (duh) and Trattoria's gnocchi. But Maxi's easily is the best overall meal we've had in the area's traditional Italian restaurants. Now I just need to check out Michelangelo's...

What's your favorite restaurant in Cleveland's Little Italy? What is the best dish there?

Maxi's Bistro
12113 Mayfield Road
Cleveland, OH 44106
216-421-1500

No Need For Words

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

Pig Roast to Welcome Patio Season!

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!

"Cruze-ing" to Washington Place Bistro

Seriously, "R" and I ate like kings this past (long) weekend. He turned the big 3-1, and we celebrated with family, friends, and each other. All centered around food...I'm feeling a major detox coming on this week.

Friday after work, I picked up my Chevy Cruze. That's right...I am one of this month's Chevy Girls as part of the Girlfriend Getaway program. I've been asked to test drive a Chevy Cruze for four weeks and blog about my experience. I'll be sharing photos, video, stories, links and more over on their website. Don't worry, I'll let you know when I post. I have only been driving the car for four days, but I am enjoying it already. Hello heated seats and remote start! But I digress...We picked up the car and then scurried back home because we were headed out to dinner with "R's" family at Washington Place Bistro & Inn in Little Italy.
When they opened about six weeks ago, they held a special media preview dinner that I had to miss since I was still recovering from my surgery. But after reading all of the great reviews from many of my fellow food bloggers, I knew that I had to get over there soon! So when we started to look at restaurants for "R's" birthday, this was top on my list. Luckily, he agreed. First, I loved the complimentary valet parking. Parking can be tricky in Little Italy, so it was appreciated. The entrance/bar area is modern yet cozy and inviting thanks to some soft yellow lighting. We were seated in one of the small rooms used for the main dining area. I personally like how the area is split into several smaller spaces. It is more intimate, and perfect for our special occasion.

The two of us started by sharing the Oxtail Pierogies- oxtail ragout, ohio city pasta truffled potato pierogie, caramelized onion, and horseradish creme fraiche ($13). The manager informed us that this appetizer is quickly becoming one of their signature dishes. It was certainly good, but it didn't blow me away. The creme fraiche was perfect though.

"R" ordered their Braised Pot Roast- c.a.b., chef's garden carrots, roasted garlic mashers, and big red reduction ($18), which is also becoming one of their signature specialties. Thanks for the suggestion, tweeps, because this dish was a winner. The meat was so tender that it fell right apart, and all of the flavors worked in harmony. I was lucky enough to steal two bites before it vanished! I decided on the Dayboat Scallops- butternut squash risotto, pearl onions, apple cider demi, and micro greens ($21). The risotto got a little rich towards the end, but overall I really enjoyed the dish and the scallops were cooked perfectly.Overall, we truly enjoyed our first experience here. The cozy, intimate atmosphere was just what we were looking for, the service was friendly and attentive, and the food was just shy of exceptional. I am already certain that we'll be back, and soon. That beet and goat cheese salad is calling my name!

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



Disclaimer: The Girls On The Go campaign is being sponsored by Northeastern Ohio Area Chevy Dealers, who gave me a Chevy Cruze to test drive for one month and blog about my experience using the vehicle. The program has given us some fun "missions" to do and will be providing me with gift certificates to allow me to do this. Follow Gotta Love Chevy NEO on Facebook or on Twitter (#chevygirls).

The Feast!

Well yesterday I made it to my very first Feast of the Assumption in Cleveland's Little Italy neighborhood. I've spent three summers living in Cleveland (hard to believe time flies that fast), and we finally made it there after all of the hype. Was it worth it? The jury is still out...

Late last week I sent a tweet out asking when the best time to go was. We were looking to experience the festival in its glory, but avoid the "peak" times and crushing crowds that I had heard so much about. Some of you mocked my question, but several of you offered key advice. So we headed out early Sunday evening, and while I didn't see the rest of the four-day-long festival- I thought we were there at a perfect time. The streets and patios were full, but it was easy to navigate up the main street and the lines weren't terribly long at the food stands. If there was a line at all, you knew that whatever they were serving was popular! Like the stromboli line.

Parking was a bit of a pain, and expensive in my opinion since you are about to head into a street festival and drop a bunch of money on trying different food samples and supporting the stands filled with apparel, jewelry, artwork, and other goods. At first, we headed to the outskirts of the festival trying to find free or cheap street parking- it was a No Go. So then we investigated parking lots and garages several streets away- only to discover that they were charging the exact same $10 that the lots right next to the festival were charging. We headed back up to a garage close by and grumpily paid the $10. If we knew the neighborhood a little better, then I am sure we could have found cheaper parking. Any suggestions for next year are welcomed!

It was once again very hot and humid in Cleveland yesterday, but when we arrived around 5:30PM it was starting to break. We wound our way through the street festival sampling gnocchi from Gusto!, ciabatta pizza from Orlando Baking Company, pesto pasta from La Dolce Vita, a fresh meatball stromboli (the line was worth the wait), and we ended with a cold tiramisu from Presti Bakery. With our bellies full and people-watching quota complete, we headed home.

All in all, it was a fun summer Sunday evening and The Feast was worth experiencing even just once. Now will we be back next year? We'll have to wait and see...

I Live With Trattoria's Biggest Fan

From the time we started dating over two years ago, my boyfriend has expressed his love for Trattoria's House Special Gnocchi Al Burro. In the heart of Little Italy, Trattoria has a lot of great competition on Mayfield Road. Its low profile entrance and signage might not jump out at you, but this is one casual, cozy, third-generation run destination that you should check out. The atmospohere is nothing special, and could actually be called "cliche". However, thier plump, hearty gnocchi make it worth the trip.

I have now experienced their gnocchi special more times that I can count, and I too have become a loyal fan. Their homemade potato dumplings are soaked in a tomato, basil, butter and Romano cheese sauce- and it is to die for. I actually highly recommend getting take out and allowing the gnocchi to absorb the delicious sauce for a while longer. Many things are not as good reheated, but this dish is better!

You also need to try their fresh bruschetta that is served with each entree order. The house-made dipping sauce is phenomenal, and the warm baked bread served with it is the perfect spoon! Lucky for us, they sell it by the jar.

Trattoria On The Hill

12207 Mayfield Road

Cleveland, OH 44106

(216) 421-2700