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

Tremont's Tandul

I'm still on the hunt for my favorite Indian restaurant in the Cleveland area. I may not have found it in Tremont's new Tandul, but I did find something else that I'd been looking for...an Indian restaurant with a buffet available other than weekday lunch.

I was first exposed to Indian cuisine at a charming little hole-in-the-wall in Syracuse that had a huge buffet on Sunday evenings. That's how I was able to sample many dishes, and discover my favorites. I've been looking for something similar to take Mr. H to in Cleveland, since Indian isn't his favorite cuisine. I'd like him to be able to try a wide variety of dishes, instead of being stuck with what I always order for us to share.

Last Saturday, I met a group of girlfriends for lunch at the newly opened Tandul on Professor Avenue. The smells were intoxicating in that place, and we all couldn't resist the lunch buffet. It was small, but still allowed us to try a handful of dishes. The lunch buffet is offered daily, including weekends.

For my personal taste, I would have liked a higher spice level. But, the food was all enjoyable, and I do like their naan.

Mr. H and I also recently had takeout from Tandul, and I had my first Garlic Cheese Naan with the cheese baked right in. Heavenly. 

I liked the food both times, but I'm not ready to declare it in the running for my favorite Indian restaurant in town. I feel like I need to give it one more try, and order a dish to my preferred heat level. I was also conservative with my spice level when we ordered takeout, and it just didn't have the heat that I love from a good strong curry sauce.

Good news for those that haven't made it over to Tremont yet. You can have Tandul delivered to your door through Skip the Dishes and GrubHub.

Tandul Indian Restaurant and Bar
2505 Professor Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44113
216-465-2442