TownHall Has Gone Non-GMO

Ohio City's TownHall has improved leaps and bounds since it first opened, in my opinion. It always had a lively and hip vibe, fantastic beer and cocktail menu, desirable seating options, and a spot on the popular West 25th Street. I felt when they opened, that they had a few good dishes, but still a lot of room for improvement. We've continued to dine there, for dinner, lunch, and takeout, and I've continued to be impressed with the changes over the last two years.

One recent change has made a big splash. The restaurant committed to going 100% non-GMO, and they did. An accomplishment only achieved by two other restaurants in the country. "GMOs, or “genetically modified organisms,” are plants or animals that have been genetically engineered with DNA from bacteria, viruses or other plants and animals to make a crop grow bigger and faster." Reading that description, does that make you want to eat a GMO? Uhh, no. Well, TownHall can help with that.

I was invited in to the restaurant to sample some of the new menu items. Mr. H and I enjoyed some complimentary juices, cocktails, and food.

I started with a Jalapinta juice with pineapple, jalapeno, cilantro, romaine, and cucumber ($5).

Spicy, yet crisp and refreshing, I loved this fresh-squeezed juice.

The kitchen sent out two dishes from their Shareables: Raw Vegetable Crudite with smooth olive tapenade and spicy white bean and kale hummus ($10).

I never thought that raw vegetables could be so exciting, but this gorgeous bowl of crisp vegetables were addicting and prefect for dipping. Mr. H is still craving this.

The second appetizer that we shared was the Seared Shishitos ($7).

These mild to medium spiced Asian peppers were served with a Thai Chili Aioli and Korean BBQ sauce. Again, simple but addicting, and we couldn't stop eating them. These peppers were my favorite dish of the evening, and I can't wait to order them again.

The kitchen then delivered their Power 3.0 salad ($10) with kale, beets, quinoa, almonds, apples, goat cheese, chili threads, and a sweet balsamic vinaigrette.

I'm not a huge fan of kale, particularly in salads, so this wasn't my favorite dish of the evening. I do feel that it needed more quinoa and dressing.

For our entrees, we were encouraged to select our own from the Large Plates section of the menu. Mr. H went for the Thyme Seared Nova Scotia Salmon ($17) with cauliflower puree, brussel sprouts, and a local maple syrup reduction. The salmon was prepared well, and the cauliflower puree tasted way too good to be healthy for you. The consistency was just like creamy mashed potatoes!

I ordered the Grass-fed Ribeye with a sweet potato mash, sauteed broccolini and baby bok choy, and topped with a Thai peanut sauce ($20).

The sweet potato mash was heavenly, and I liked the flavor of the Thai peanut sauce. But, even the flavorful sauce couldn't mask the fact that some bites of the steak were overly charred and didn't taste good. It wasn't every bite, but the ones that were like that were not pleasant. Also, the baby bok choy was a little too bitter. We did share our feedback, both positive and negative, with the manager after the meal.

The meal did not end there. Their Skillet Cookie ($6) arrived, with a homemade white and chocolate chip cookie and Mitchell's vanilla ice cream.

This piping hot cookie was divine, and we ate every last bite, despite being full. Funny how that happens! There's always room for a hot chocolate chip cookie and locally-made ice cream. A great end to the meal.

I also want to say that our server, Alex, was amazing. She's been with the restaurant for a long time, and she was incredibly knowledgeable about the menu and helpful throughout the meal. We haven't always experienced great service there, but Alex did an outstanding job.

The initiative  to go 100% non-GMO may seem a little idealistic, but it's hard to dismiss the fact that an increase in chronic diseases, allergies, cancer and autism diagnoses is consistent with the increase in the use of foods and ingredients made with genetically modified plants in our country. Finding the right distributors, and assessing the increase in costs to make the switch, was difficult for TownHall. However, I think the restaurant, and Clevelanders, will be much better off in the long run. Thanks for caring about the food that we're consuming, TownHall, and congratulations on being able to go 100% non-GMO.

I encourage you to head back in to TownHall, or to visit for the first time if you haven't already, to check out the full non-GMO menu.

TownHall
1909 West 25th Street
Cleveland, OH

Disclosure: I was provided with complimentary food and drink, and invited to bring a guest, in exchange for this blog post. All opinions stated are 100% my own. Some images were provided by TownHall. 

Carnivore Wednesdays- TownHall

Wednesdays have a new meaning at Ohio City's TownHall. Meat. They recently introduced Carnivore: For the Love of Meat as the new Wednesday special. This paleo-friendly menu offers something that I was just talking about on this blog...meat on a stick. There aren't enough meat on sticks in the world! Well, look no further, because TownHall has got 'em.

I was invited in to sample the new special Wednesday menu last week, and the sampling included a surprise beverage pairing with each of the four courses. The pairings were expertly selected, and really brought out the flavor of the dishes or complimented it well. Overall, we enjoyed the four dishes, and TownHall continues to grow on me.

First, we tried the Pulled Pork Bacon and Bleu Meatballs, paired with a Lagunitas Pilsner.

This first dish ended up being my favorite of the evening. The balls themselves are made with smoked pork, smoked applewood thick-cut bacon, gorgonzola cheese, green onion, egg, and breadcrumbs. It is served with a tangy homemade steak sauce, that kept us dunking in for more.

Then, we had the Spicy Coconut Chicken, paired with one of my favorite beers--- Willoughby Brewing Company's Peanut Butter Cup Porter. This particular pairing stood out. The flavor of the beer was more subtle when tasted with the Thai peanut sauce, but the flavor of the sauce lingered in your mouth, brought out by the beer.

The grilled chicken breast is spiced with cayenne, cumin, garlic powder, and smoked paprika. Then, it is rubbed with shredded coconut and served with a Thai peanut sauce. I love Thai peanut sauce and peanut curry, but the addition of coconut was something that I hadn't had before. It worked well.

Our third sample was the Bean Bar Rubbed Ribs, paired with a Rock and Rye Slow and Low honey and orange rye whiskey.

Warning: MUST LOVE COFFEE. This bold sauce is bursting with coffee flavor. The housemade sauce is made from espresso beans, found at the TownHall bean bar thanks to their partnership with Rising Star Roasters. The barbecue sauce was tangy and delicious, but I did recommend that they try to grind the beans finer. It was a little gritty at times. The ribs themselves just fell right off the bone at the touch of a fork. They are marinated for 24 hours in brown sugar, cayenne pepper, chili powder, and smoked paprika. Then, slow roasted in Bell's Two Hearted IPA beer for three hours.

The last dish that we tried was the Marinated Flank Steak, paired with TownHall's very own blend of Jack Daniels Single Barrel that the staff themselves sampled and selected.

The strips of steak are marinated in brown sugar, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar. They are served with a homemade chimmi churri sauce. This was my least favorite of the four dishes, but I wouldn't tell you not to order it. I had immediately smothered it in the sauce, but "R" tried some of the meat on its own and actually preferred it that way.

Please note that the pictures above reflect sample sizes for the tasting we were provided. They do represent the full menu of Carnivore, with the exception of the sample platter that includes all skewers. That would be a great option for a table to share. All dishes are served with fried plantains and slaw.

As I said, the food at TownHall is growing on me. My very first visit when they had just opened was far from satisfying, but I think that their food has significantly improved recently. I had a surprisingly good experience at their Vegan Night (on Mondays), and I've had a couple of great lunch meetings and delivery meals within the last six months. The grilled cheese bars have always been good, but now you can order them with a choice from their selection of soups, instead of just paired with the tomato. Also, I've gotten their black bean burger a couple of times now. It's a tad mushy, but really tasty! There wasn't one dish of the four we sampled at Carnivore that I wouldn't order again on my own.

I also really love both their front and back patios. The space has always been cool, and now the food is starting to match that appeal. However, consider yourself warned that very different crowds take over TownHall, depending on the time of day and day of the week. I'm really loving weekdays, and weekend afternoons. The crowd tends to get a little younger and heavy on the drinking on Friday and Saturday nights there.

So, if you're trying to find paleo-centric food in this city, or you just plain love meat, head to TownHall on Wednesdays now for Carnivore.

TownHall
1909 West 25th Street
Cleveland, OH

Disclosure: I was invited to sample their Carnivore menu. All food and beverage was complimentary, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are 100% my own. 

TownHall Vegan Night

First things first...let's pick a winner of the two tickets to the Great Lakes Brewing Company and Parkers Grille and Tavern tasting on Tuesday, October 29th. Thank you to everyone that entered the giveaway. Using random.org, the winner is.... Comment #2- 6502Programmer. Congratulations! Email me by Monday to claim your prize, or another winner will be selected. Didn't win? You can purchase the $35 ticket by calling Parkers for reservations at 440-933-9400.

I want to share a recent dining experience with you. The (relatively) new TownHall in Ohio City contacted me and invited me in to try their Vegan Night menu. Every Monday, TownHall features a special vegan menu, with all sorts of items. I was intrigued. I am not a vegan, and only had a brief stint as a "vegetarian" for a while. I shy away from menu items listed as "vegan", and typically feel as though they lack flavor and creativity at many restaurants. I am pleased to say that TownHall surprised me, and I actually enjoyed some of the menu items that we sampled.

I was invited to bring a guest with me, and we decided to share a few smaller items so that we could sample more dishes. Our server suggested the Black Bean Hummus ($6) with red pepper, jalapeno, and wheat flatbread.

My friend wasn't a fan of this, and I thought that it was decent but not something that I would order on my own again. It was an interesting and unique twist on hummus, but flavor-wise it wasn't too exciting. The wheat flatbread was a little chewy too.

We also ordered the Vegan Veggie Flatbread ($10) with organic tomatoes, cremini mushrooms, fresh chiles, and vegan cheese.

The amount of flavor from the toppings and sauce on this flatbread surprised me. The fresh jalapenos gave it quite the kick (too much for my friend). The dough was a little gummy and hard to cut through, but held up well to the toppings. I couldn't quite get over the texture of the vegan cheese (very gooey and felt like it stuck to your mouth), but it was creamy and tasted great. I would eat this again, but probably not over a non-vegan flatbread option at TownHall. However, it was much better than my first experience with a TownHall flatbread.

Our last small plate that we shared was the Tofu Etouffee ($12) with blackened tofu, tomatoes, onion trinity, and brown rice.

This dish ended up being my favorite of the meal, and I would order this on my own again. The blackened tofu had such great spicy flavor, and the curry sauce over the rice packed a punch too. There was a lot of heat going on in this dish, so it isn't for the faint-hearted. It reheated well the next day too.

What's a vegan tasting with trying dessert? They have the most adorable pastry chef on staff, Liz, and she came out to our table to talk about her inspiration for their desserts. She is vegan, and seems to really enjoy playing in the kitchen and finding ways to make food healthy and fun. There was a vegan cookie, and the Black Forrest Cake available that night. Bring on the chocolate!

This ended up being my least favorite dish of the night. Coconut is a common ingredient in vegan desserts, and this just tasted like too much coconut and not enough chocolate. Also, the texture was a little dry and tough.

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by our experience, and even found some dishes that I would order on my own again. I also want to try the Faux Pho and the Pan Roasted Corncake. A great beer list (and Craft Beer Night) rounded out our meal.

So, what are your thoughts on vegan food? A few area restaurants are starting to cater to this crowd, and it's nice to see. We also ended up eating at Deagan's that Wednesday evening, which is Vegan Night. "R" really enjoyed their Vegan Paprikash.

If you are vegan, gluten-free, or just interested in trying something new--- head out to these Vegan Nights and you may find yourself pleasantly surprised as well. Any other restaurants that you know of that do vegan food well?

TownHall
1909 West 25th Street
Cleveland, OH

Disclosure: I was invited in to taste a complimentary sampling of TownHall's Vegan Night menu. My guest and I enjoyed our experience, and the opinions stated above are 100% my own.

Ohio City's New TownHall

TownHall seems like it has been in the works for quite some time. Well, it finally opened its doors and it has appeared to be busy every night since. Including Mr. Captain America himself, which just happened to be the night that we stopped in for some drinks, eye-candy, and a bite to eat.

I like what they did with the location. There's a great secluded back patio, and limited casual seating on the front patio as well. Garage doors open up the front of the restaurant, so even though we were seated inside the main bar area, we had a great view of the Ohio City streets and a breeze left us feeling like we were dining outdoors. The overall look of the place feels similar to some of the other West 25th establishments, so it should be right at home here in this neighborhood.

I was having a lousy day at work, and I needed a pick-me-up. I selected TownHall for our impromptu outing because Willoughby Brewing's Peanut Butter Cup Porter was listed on their menu as one of the "Staple" beers on draft ($5 all the time). Our poor server had the task of informing me that they had run out of it. The horror! But very fitting for how my day had been going.

We were waiting on a friend, so "R" and I decided to munch on some snacks to hold us over. We got an order of the Prosciutto Wrapped Dates with almonds, house chorizo, and goat cheese (six dates for $7.50).

They really just tasted like bacon and dates, with no real hint of goat cheese or the chorizo. They were perfectly acceptable, but Light Bistro's version down the street is much better.

We also shared the Matchstick Truffle Fries with Parmesan, truffle oil, herbs, garlic, and served with BBQ ketchup and rosemary aioli ($6).

In hindsight, I guess "matchstick" should have been a big clue, but we weren't expecting shoestring fries. What does "fries" vs. "frites" mean to you? Frites I associated with thin-cut. We both despise shoestring fries. The aioli was quite good, and it can be found on their burger as well, but overall the fries were only okay.

We settled in with some beers to wait for our friend, and I was beginning to enjoy myself. Sadly, the rest of the meal was even more disappointing.

"R" was torn between a couple of menu items, and decided to go with the Burrito #2 with rotisserie chicken (or tofu), creamy pesto, veggies, cilantro, brown rice, and quinoa. He said it was really dry and pretty bland. From the amount of salsa that he kept dumping on it, I believe him.

I had zeroed in on the Prosciutto and Fig Jam Flatbread ($12) with goat cheese, port reduction, and arugula pizzette. I also added mushrooms from their additional toppings section ($2 each).

This flatbread was very dry and hard, tasted burnt most of the time, and overall it was really lacking. I was so sad. It included some of my favorite ingredients, but this time they just didn't work.

Now, our friend ordered the Grilled Cheese Bars with Tomato Bisque ($10), and she enjoyed it. It looked good too! But only one out of five dishes that we had at the table were anything worth ordering again. Those aren't good odds.

However, several other menu items sound enticing, so I'll certainly give it another try. Maybe this time, they'll have my staple draft too. This, and some other pieces of the evening, can be excused by their newly opened status. Growing pains, every restaurant has them. I just hope that our experience with the food is better next time. I'd love to check out their brunch with the build-your-own crepe station. Welcome to the neighborhood, TownHall.

TownHall
1909 West 25th Street
Cleveland, OH 44113
216-344-9400