Café Tartine Opens for Breakfast

Tartine Bistro in Rocky River has been a longtime favorite in this household. Its French classics with an American twist are always delicious, and thoughtfully prepared and plated (seriously, follow them or Chef Michael on Instagram for some gorgeous plates of food). 

Restaurants are responding to the pandemic in different ways, and sometimes that means pivoting to new concepts. While they are back open for full-service dining, Tartine also just added a Café Tartine "grab and go" or casual dine-in breakfast option. So we headed there on opening day to check it out.

In addition to some tempting pastries, you'll find easy items like berries and yogurt or granola and a Keep it Simple breakfast sandwich ($10).

Me? I can never pass up a Croissant. 

They also have larger plates better suited for grabbing one of their patio tables and a cup of coffee, like the Parisian Omelette, Burgundy Benny, and Bordeaux Breakfast ($15). I went for the build-your-own Crêpes section ($10), where you can choose 3 items from savory and sweet ingredients.  

I had the smoked spinach artichoke and bacon. I'd love to see the pancake a little thinner and less oily, but remember this was day 1 and takeout eaten at the Rocky River Reservation just down the street. 

The café is open Tuesday - Saturday from 8AM - noon and on Sunday from 8AM - 3PM. Parking is available, but limited, in the free lot connected to the shopping center. You order at the bar and then wait for your takeout order or grab a table on the patio or inside. If you choose to dine in, service is limited to just delivering your food. There were pandemic precautions in place like signage, masks required, plexiglass dividers in some areas, and hand sanitizer available. I think they'll find their groove quickly with this new concept, and we found another way to enjoy and support one of our favorite restaurants. 

Café Tartine at Tartine Bistro

19110 Old Detroit Road

Old Detroit Shopping Center

Rocky River, OH 44116

(440) 331-0800

The Best Things I Ate in 2019

I thought it would be fun to do a look back through the year, at my favorite bites and some newly discovered places of 2019. Here we go...

Cheesy Brisket Crunches from Service Bar in Columbus

Shish Tawook with garlic sauce from Joe's Deli

Arancini from Molto Bene Italian Eatery

Scallops St. Jacques from Blu the Restaurant

Our entire meal at Central Provisions in Portland, ME

Grilled Octopus with white bean shishito ragu and breadcrumbs from Sotto in Cincinnati

Spaghetti from Bluebeard in Indianapolis

Spinach and Meatball Dip from Polpetta

Diavolo Pie (Pro Tip: add Hot Honey) from Il Rione

Well, I guess it was a good one then!

How about you...favorite bites or new restaurant you tried this year? 

Joe's Deli

Inspired to turn a negative 2019 To Dine Challenge experience around, Mr. H and I decided to hit another restaurant on the list the very next day. We had some errands to run in Rocky River, so a late lunch at Joe's Deli and Restaurant was a perfect fix!

We thought by heading there at an "off" lunch time of 2PM would cut down on a wait time, but wow the line was still out the door and we weren't seated until close to 3PM. The place is so huge compared to what I had pictured in my head, and they were pumping diners out pretty quickly (on top of steady takeout). But that kitchen looked like a well-oiled machine, and it gave us time to drool over the dessert counter (cakes from Cake Royale in our neighborhood, which ROCK!).

Once we were settled into a booth and looking at the menu, I knew I had to get the famous Matzo Ball Soup (cup- $4.50, bowl- $5.95). I won't pretend to be a connoisseur, but many locals claim this is the best version around.

I also knew I needed to order the side of Onion Rings ($5.95). Thanks for the tip, Lisa Zone!

7 of these huge hand-battered babies arrived. We were only able to eat half. They should come with a warning, haha. 

The real star of the meal, however, turned out to be the Shish Tawook ($12.95) with marinated chicken tenderloins served in a pita with fries and garlic mayonnaise. You can request it panini-pressed, as Mr. H did, and I highly recommend. I could bathe in that delicious garlic mayo.

The restaurant was a winner. This Lebanese spot will get a slot on our rotation. There's plenty of more menu items to tackle!

Joe's Deli and Restaurant
19215 Hilliard Blvd.
Rocky River, OH 44116
(440) 333-7890

Polpetta

I finally got my butt over to Rocky River to dine at Polpetta. This restaurant is from my friends behind the now-closed Cork & Cleaver and Graffiti, so I was anxious to get in.

"Polpetta" literally means meatball in Italian, and that's exactly what you get here.

Most of the dishes (and even some of the craft cocktails) feature foods in ball-shaped bites, including the Beer Cheese ($8) with Beer Battered Fresh Mozzarella, and Spicy Tomato Aioli. Not the overly-fried and thick-battered mozzarella sticks you're used to!

Or the large portion of creamy, decadent Spinach and Meatball Dip ($10) with Spinach and Parmesan Béchamel, Roasted Tomatoes, and Pita that left us scraping the bowl and still dreaming of it days later. This one is a don't-miss on the menu, and perfect for sharing!

The overall concept is simple. 1-2-3. Pick a ball. Pick a sauce. Pick a side. And there are plenty of options to choose from, including gluten-free, vegan, and vegetarian choices.

But they also offer a list of pre-selected Go-To's, which I suggest if it's your first time there.

During Happy Hour, you can get smaller plate versions (pictured below), and Chef Adam sent out their Hot for Teacher with Lobster and Crab Balls, House Hot, and Mac and Cheese for us to try. The mac and cheese was unbelievable, and the dash of house-made hot sauce was the perfect kick. He was kind enough to send us home with a container of the hot sauce, and we made some amazing fried chicken sandwiches with it later that week. I wish they'd bottle and sell the stuff. 

Mr. H ordered one of their top sellers, The Curtis ($14) with Lamb Balls, Tzatziki Sauce, and Panzanella Salad. One for any gyro lover. 

I had another fan favorite, The Adam ($14) with Chicken Balls, Thai Peanut, and Fried Rice.

They were so different from each other, but both really tasty and a playful twist on well-known dishes.

That's what you can expect here. Good food, good cocktails, and lots of playful humor. Now open for lunch as well, and very family-friendly with plenty of parking since it's in a strip of businesses off of Detroit Road.

Polpetta
19900 Detroit Road
Rocky River, OH 44116
(216) 860-4474

Tartine Bistro Private Dinner

Look, it's all fun and games popping in to new restaurants and trying things for the first time. But, there's something special about the tried-and-true spots that keep you coming back for more. Tartine Bistro in Rocky River is one of those for me.

Fortunately, my friends snagged an auction package at Flavors of Northeast Ohio this fall for a six-course, wine-paired dinner for six guests in the private room at Tartine. We decided to celebrate the January birthdays in our group using this package, and WOW did it exceed all expectations.

Chef Michael Grieve had crafted an amazing six-course (plus two!) meal that showed off his creativity, stunning plating, and all sorts of great pairings. His brother BJ had selected the perfect wine pairings, and left us snapping photos of wine labels so that we could track some down.

While the great company would have been enough for us, we were certainly all bright-eyed and drooling over what was in store for us!

What hit the table first was an Amuse of Duck L'Orange Explosion.

We continued on with the courses, each beautiful and delicious, like the Scallop Potato with creme fraiche, chive, and bacon.

A crowd favorite was the single bite Foie Gras Torchon with blue cheese, citrus, honey, and pickle.

A delicate Foie Gras Torchon with duck consomme, blackberry, and celery followed.

The last savory course was Big Ol' Shrimp with sweet potato gnocchi, pear, rapini and caviar. The shrimp were cooked perfectly, and the gnocchi left us begging for more.

For dessert, a Strawberry Tartare with bone marrow ice cream, lemon, poached apple, and bacon sugar. Yes, BONE MARROW ice cream. Served...in a BONE. It was so cool.

The meal and experience was wonderful from start to finish. We had an evening full of deep belly laughs, and the staff were such good sports about our probably rowdy behavior. It's a good thing we were sequestered away in a private room.

If you haven't been to Tartine before, please do. And give Chef Michael a follow on Instagram for some of the most beautiful plating that I've seen in Cleveland. His feed will leave you drooling on your screen.

What's one restaurant that continues to draw you back in?

Tartine Bistro
19110 Detroit Road
Rocky River, OH 44116
(440) 331-0800

Pearl of the Orient

Before the holidays hit, we had quite an entertaining meal out at Pearl of the Orient with some of our amazing neighbors. Mr. H and I had purchased a silent auction package at a charity event for a "Sushi and Lobster Dinner for 6 Guests." With very little information on what this actually entailed, we made the reservation and headed there blindly.

It just started off humorously, because even though I stated that we had the certificate and what it included when I made the reservation, they appeared surprised to see us and quickly informed me that lobster was not available that night. They even suggested that I "should have told them when I made the reservation." Ummmm...

The owner and our server could not have been more apologetic, and they quickly tried to make plans to feed us. We began to joke that Whole Foods or Heinen's grocery bags may fly by our private room's doorway at any moment, or that UberEats may soon deliver us our lobster dinner. We were laughing so hard at the scenarios we were making up that tears were forming and my belly hurt from laughing. It was off to a good, but comical, start.

It didn't end there. One of our friends accidentally ordered a cocktail meant for two people. But it arrived in a...flower VASE! The thing was massive, and had about 10 drinks in it. Immediately, we imagined that a table in the main dining room suddenly had no centerpiece. Or the bar or hostess stand was now without flowers. Another round of hard belly laughs. More of a warning should come with that thing! Or at least our server could have confirmed he did indeed want this cocktail meant for two. Nope.

The next round of "entertainment" during this meal was a little scarier. Two of our guests have food allergies, one with a very serious poultry allergy. This can become tricky in restaurants, as chicken stock and broth is often used in dishes and it's not always obvious to a diner. The owner and our server were made very aware of the allergy, but alas, the first course included Miso Soup and their version has chicken broth in it. Our guest with the allergy was served this, even after being reassured that it did not have chicken product in it. Only a couple of slurps in, and our server realized that the owner had given our guest this soup. She whisked it away, and we all started to worry. He assured us that he knows instantly if there is a problem, and the two or three small spoonfuls of soup hadn't caused a problem. Phew! 

Luckily, things smoothed out after course one. We were served some delicious sushi, sashimi, and rolls next.

And then the entrees didn't stop coming, including lobster! Wonder where they got them from...

Dish after dish appeared.

Every kind of protein on the menu was represented.

And we just kept spinning the lazy susan to try everything.

There was so much food, we ate and ate and then still took some home. These pictures don't even show HALF of what showed up at the table. I think they were feeling awful about the start to the meal.

Dessert was served even after that massive course, but we found room.

So, the food was good and our sever and the owner were beyond sweet and attentive, but it was a very rough experience overall that almost ended in a serious allergic reaction. That is concerning that the allergy was overlooked, as many diners have to be very careful. Our experience doesn't leave me racing to go back.

It's a good thing that our crew is very laid back and we found the humor in it all. When things are going THAT WRONG, it becomes quite funny and you just leave with a good story to tell. Those hard belly laughs and food and drink shared with neighbors that we call friends were just what I needed that night.

Pearl of the Orient
19300 Detroit Road
Rocky River, OH 44116
(440) 333-9902

Bearden's

After stopping at my in-law's new house in Bay Village recently, the family headed out to the iconic Bearden's Steak Burgers in Rocky River. Around since 1948, I'm guessing not much has changed. The decor and atmosphere will "teleport" you back in time to a real 50's diner.

They are known for their steak burgers. Luckily, Mr. H was in the mood for one. Served on a butter toasted bun with your choice of toppings.

Even though I was secretly dying to try their famous Peanutburger with peanut butter and sweet pickles, I just wasn't in the mood for a burger. Guess I'll have to go back!

I opted for the Hot Dog with a side of homemade Onion Rings.

Nowhere on the menu did it state that it was TWO hot dogs. I totally would have gotten the Peanutburger if I had known. Oh well, it was still a decent dog and I got to take one home for later. The onion rings' batter was dense and clearly not a frozen product. Even though there were only three, I still couldn't finish them and I also took one home to accompany the hot dog.

Our nephew was enthralled with the train that circles the ceiling and the SpongeBob cartoons on the TV. Certainly a great place for families. You order at the counter, seat yourself, and the food comes out quick and hot.

Bearden's Steak Burgers
19985 Lake Road
Rocky River, OH 44116

Kelsey Elizabeth Cakes

I made the mistake of following Kelsey Elizabeth Cakes on Instagram. I don't even have a sweet tooth, but I found myself drooling over their adorable sweet treats.

We found ourselves in Rocky River to pick out some paint samples two weeks ago, and I caught sight of the Kelsey Elizabeth Cakes shop across the street.

So, when we headed back to the hardware store this past weekend to purchase the final paint, I convinced Mr. H to stop in. We were instantly greeted by this gorgeous, and girly, chair.

They had an assortment of cupcakes, macaron flavors, bars, and cookies. The shop also carries products other than their own, like chocolate bars, etc.

I grabbed a Sea Salt Fudge macaron to snack on immediately. There were about five flavors that I had a hard time choosing between.

Mr. H and I took home a stuffed cookie to share later. It was a chocolate chip cookie sandwich with vanilla buttercream and cookie dough (pictured top, left below). Yes, cookie dough INSIDE of a cookie. The buttercream was a little too sweet for my non-sweet tooth self, but getting to that cookie dough in the center was worth it!

From the posts I see on social media, this shop can handle just about anything, while making it uber pretty. I love the frilly, girly look and feel of not only the shop, but most of her goods.

Kelsey Elizabeth Cakes
20033 Detroit Rd.
Rocky River, OH 44116

Bomba Tacos and Rum

Bomba Tacos and Rum opened in Rocky River recently. From the same folks behind the popular Paladar Latin Kitchen, people have flocked to this casual premium taco restaurant. The wait can get a tad long, and they don't take reservations, so be prepared. However, I suggest grabbing yourself a Pomegranate Ginger Mojito while you wait.

The focus of the menu are tacos and shareable snacks, but they do have a build-your-own guacamole section, house made salsas, three salads, four large plates, five sandwiches, and sides. Judging from the amount of families that we saw dining there, I'd say that this is a kid-friendly spot despite having "rum" in its name.

I'd love to see some suggested combinations for the build-your-own guacamole ($5.50 + additional toppings). It was a little overwhelming to choose when we were put on the spot by our server, but she made a suggestion of bacon, goat cheese, and black beans, so we went with it. The guacamole is served with yucca, plantain, malanga, and corn chips. Having the variety was something different, and enjoyed. It was good, but Momocho does it better.

They suggest 3-4 tacos per person. I decided on the Roasted Pork Al Pastor (left), Chorizo and Potato (center) and Crispy Shrimp (right). They are $3 - $4 each.

The Crispy Shrimp, with jalapeno, mango, and a roasted garlic aioli was my favorite. They were all quite messy, as a taco should be, but the tray was helpful in keeping the mess contained. I also appreciated that extra napkins are stashed at each table.

I can't help but compare Bomba to local favorite, Barrio. I'd say that Barrio's tacos are a tad better, and I love the build-your-own system that they use. I'd like to see Bomba offer at least a small section of create-your-own tacos. My friend asked if she could leave the roasted red peppers off one of the tacos she wanted, and our server was hesitant to ask the kitchen. The answer ended up being no, so she had to order a different one.

Judging from the line out the door when we left at 7:30, this restaurant will probably do well in Rocky River.

Bomba Tacos and Rum
19880 Detroit Road
Rocky River, OH 44116
440-409-0210

River Dog Cafe: Gourmet Hot Dogs

I've been working on knocking restaurants off of the 2015 To Dine Challenge. I'm determined to get to them all this year! That meant a recent trip to River Dog Cafe in Rocky River.

This fast-casual gourmet hot dog and sandwich shop is family-friendly, and focused on serving up quality product that both kids and adults will enjoy. The hot dogs are made with all natural, grass-fed beef, and there are enough topping choices that everyone can find something that makes them happy.

The restaurant is small, but open and welcoming. Classic toys fill shelves on the wall, and the menus are hand-written on playful chalkboards. There were a lot of suggested dogs with interesting toppings (and a build-your-own option), so it took us some time to decide.

Mr. H got The Chubalub: split on the bun and topped with Mac n Cheese and a Fried Egg($6).

The mac can also be ordered as a side dish, and it had a nice subtle spice to it.

We both ordered ​​The Jenny Dog with Brie Cheese, Crispy Bacon and Honey Truffle Glaze ($6).

I also got a side of tater tots ($2.50).

The dogs themselves were pretty tasty, and the toppings were interesting. The only real downfall was that the buns are just too big, and you end up with pretty bread-y bites. I did see this tip on social media. I tweeted at the chef after our dinner there, and he said that they are looking into other bin options.

While this was a decent place, and we enjoyed our meal overall, Happy Dog it is not. This is a good option if you live close by, but for us, Happy Dog is closer and better, when it comes to the hot dogs.

They do have a good list of cafe sandwiches, wraps, rolls or bowls, and a Kids Menu. The meal was cheap, arrived quickly, fresh, and overall pretty good. Just not memorable enough to drive to Rocky River from our area for.

River Dog Cafe
19900 Detroit Road
Rocky River, OH
216-767-5559