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

Barrio's Tacos

Tuesday was just begging for some patio time and cocktails that evening. The weather was a perfect balance of sunny skies and no humidity. That rarely happens in Cleveland, so we were certainly taking advantage of it! This led to an impromptu gathering of friends and significant others at the recently opened Barrio in Tremont.

Barrio took over the old 806 Wine Bar on Literary just over two weeks ago. So they are brand spanking new. And it kind of showed. But there's potential there.

First order of business, margaritas.

We went with a pitcher of the traditional flavored Casa Made Margaritas for $24. We got about four and a half drinks out of it. I thought the mason jars were a cute twist.

Now that we were settled in on the brick patio, it was time to order. Like Happy Dog, you are given a checklist of taco choices. You start with either hard or soft, flour or corn, and then build your custom taco. The options are lengthy, so we felt that over time they should create and provide a list of "suggested" combinations.

Before tacos, however, came guacamole. "R" and I shared the Tuscan Guacamole with pine nuts, mozzarella, tomatoes, and balsamic vinegar. The ingredients added some texture and minimal flavor that apparently the Traditional was lacking, but our version still needed the addition of citrus and salt. It was certainly fresh and creamy, but a little bland in the bites without the balsamic.

The chips were sometimes chewy, perhaps a little stale?

Our tacos arrived a bit later. I had gone with two soft flour tortillas, and built my tacos around the fish and chorizo.

While the flavors of both were good, the tacos have really cooled down by the time they arrive. I know that they can be difficult to keep hot when adding so many cold toppings, but I still think that the kitchen just hasn't quite figured out that balance. There's improvement in their process needed. I give these tacos a solid 4 out of 10, but if they had been served warmer they would have been bumped up to a 6 out of 10 (in my opinion).

Overall, the ingredients were clearly fresh and they have a great concept. The tacos were reasonably priced at $3 each. I love the addition of a Tequilaria in Tremont. It's something that isn't being done in the area. They are serving late night tacos as well, from what I hear. They are just going through some significant growing pains with both food and service (long wait times, food/drinks missing, wrong kind of tortillas used on a couple of taco orders), but there's hope for this new spot.

Barrio
806 Literary Road
Cleveland, OH 44113

Dinner in the Dark- May Event

Last night's Dinner in the Dark event was held at Washington Place Bistro in Little Italy. The event always rotates restaurant locations and charity of the month each time, so when I saw that May's dinner was being held at one of my favorite restaurants in Cleveland- I had to go. I had a feeling that it was going to be a good one, and it was.

Just check out the lineup...

A few of my favorites were there, including Adam Bostwick (formally of Melange and Hodge's) and Matt Anderson (Umami), and a couple of new chefs that I was excited to try. One was Fabio Mota from Club Isabella. I just haven't made it over to the restaurant yet since its opening, but I keep hearing good things about it.

We settled into the sunny back room of Washington Place Bistro, and were quickly served the signature cocktail of the night (pictured above). It was a light and refreshing take on a Tom Collins. Then came out the amuse bouche, an English pea and coconut milk panna cotta with black truffle honey and lemon zest.

We all really enjoyed this, and the truffle honey drizzled on the plate was outstanding.

First course came from Chef Matt Anderson from Umami. It was a huge chunk of Parmesan-crusted lobster meat served over first-of-the-season vine-ripened tomatoes, seared greens, and a sriracha vinaigrette. I really enjoyed this course.

Next up was Chef Nate Barker from the Welshfield Inn. Our second course was a scallop served with a pickled salad of beets, red onion, and shiitake mushrooms. Fennel, sea salt, and fiddleheads rounded out the dish. Have you ever had a fiddlehead? This was my first time. A member of the fern family, it is inedible after it opens and only has a four week season. Very cool looking, and this course was delicious.

Third course was a light and fresh asparagus salad from Chef John Selick at University Hospitals. He spoke briefly about their approach to food and serving the hospital patients. Who knew you could get such great, locally sourced whenever possible, food there?!

Then we moved on to the fourth course, a salt-crusted bronzini with pan seared black polenta and red pepper sauce from Chef John Roskowski of Washington Place Bistro.

This was our table's least favorite dish of the night. The texture of the fish was a little too soft, and we found several bones throughout. It took away from truly experiencing the flavors, as we were constantly searching for those bones.
 
In between this and the next course, we were treated to a durian mousse. Have you ever heard of durian? Apparently, the smell of this fruit is compared to sweaty gym socks and rotting garbage. Good thing it tastes better than it smells!

Our last savory course was from Chef Fabio Mota, and it was a sirloin ramen with rare beef, cabbage slaw, nori sheets, and a poached egg.

Unfortunately, the yolk of the poached egg had hardened by the time it arrived at the table. I think it would have only added to an already great dish. Guests were given painted chop sticks to slurp this course with, and we got to take them home at the end of the night. The flavors were well-balanced, and I had fun enjoying this dish.

Our last course of the night was from Chef Adam Bostwick. While it wasn't my favorite dish of the night, it certainly was the star of the evening! The menu pictured a baseball. What the heck is a baseball dessert going to be? We had fun guessing, but here is Adam's interpretation of game day.

He playfully created a soft pretzel bread pudding with beer caramel and Stadium Mustard ice cream. Yes, you read that correctly. Stadium Mustard ice cream, folks. Combined, all of the components truly did remind me of baseball game flavors. His own cracker jacks added great crunchy texture to the dish as well. Home run! If I was a sweet vs. savory person, this probably would have been my favorite course.

Overall, we really loved the meal. We tried two unusual ingredients, fiddlehead ferns and durian, and a great variety of flavors throughout the dishes. I am so glad that I didn't miss this one! All proceeds benefitted The Dancing Wheels Company & School this month.

Next up, they'll be at Fat Casual BBQ for an outdoor Dinner in the Dark in June.

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day, Mom!

I may not be able to celebrate in NY with you today, but I'm thinking of you and grateful that I have one of the best moms out there.

Even if you allowed me to dress in patterened leggings, perm my hair, and sport a New Kids on the Block hat. I'll still pretend that was just what was "cool" circa 1990. It was, right? That's my story, and I'm stickin' to it. (Thought you guys would enjoy this embarassing family photo).

Love you, Mom! Enjoy your day.

Session One of the IX Beer Fest

Last night, "R" and I attended Session 1 of the International Beer Fest at the IX Center. Session 2 begins today at 1:00, and Session 3 opens at 7PM tonight. Since it was my second year going, I knew what to expect and felt that I actually enjoyed it more this time (even though very little had changed).

What a difference a year can make though! Last year, I was barely a beer drinker and stuck to all of the lighter options, seeking out wheat beers and fruity blends. Thanks to events like the IX Beer Fest and Beer Week in October, my palate has changed a lot over the past year. Last night, I focused on stouts and porters.

My two favorite beers of the night? Fat Heads Brewery Bean Me Up, an intense coffee-flavored stout.

My other favorite? Willoughby Brewing Company's Peanut Butter Cup Coffee Porter.

I went back for seconds of both, wanting to end my night with each. The fact that my two favorites happen to both be from Ohio made me happy. I swear I wasn't biased. We know our beer. The IX Beer Fest features an entire section, just for Ohio breweries.

Two of the most unusual beers that we sampled were the Mexicali Smoke from Fat Heads Brewery, with intense smokiness and subtle heat. Also, we had a Tangerine Wheat from Lost Coast. It was the punchiess cirtrus beer I've ever personally had. Perfect for a hot day on a patio.

Other features that I like about this event? Area food trucks park in the back left corner, so you can grab some tasty grub to line your belly for all that beer. We enjoyed grab-and-go items from strEat Mobile Bistro and Jibaro. With my media passes, we had access to the VIP Brewers Lounge. The Lounge had plenty of soft leather couches, small rounds, and high tops for relaxing, special taps taking place at two expansive bars, and a small buffet of complimentary food. It was a great escape from the main floor.

But my favorite part of the event, other than the beer, is the people watching.

You never quite know what you're going to find wandering the floor.

We had a great time, and it's not too late for you to enjoy the 2012 International Beer Fest. Thank you to the IX Center for providing me with two passes to give away to a reader (enjoy, Julie!), and for two media passes so that we could enjoy the event as well. We certainly did!