Dining at Dante- Several Times

Dante Boccuzzi's restaurant Dante in Tremont leaves me confused every time that I dine there.

Our first visit, over a year and a half ago, we left feeling underwhelmed. We had tried the appetizer portion of the famous Linguine alla Carbonara with a poached egg and house made pancetta ($9). It was incredibly salty, and neither of us really enjoyed it. I have since had the same dish at his D.C. Pasta Co. restaurant, and it was not too salty. I think the dish can vary depending on the night. We also had the Hong Kong Style Mussels with chile peppers, cilantro, and crab meat ($12). That night, I declared them the "best mussels I've had in Cleveland". Then we moved on to the entrees. I had a gnocchi special with Ohio sweet corn and mushrooms that was simply divine. "R" had a beef dish that is no longer on the menu. It was served with a "potato donut" that was basically a fried potato patty, and a schmear of basil sauce on the bottom of the plate. The entire dish was dry and under seasoned, and "R" rarely complains about food. So, even though a couple of the dishes had been fantastic, we left there puzzled and not in a hurry to return.

It took an entire year before we headed back there. We decided to start with a butter poached prawns appetizer, and an order of our beloved Hong Kong Mussels. The prawns were only okay (no longer on the menu), but the mussels were the real disappointment. They were small and overcooked, very unlike the plump mussels we received a year ago. The wonderful flavors of the broth were muted this time. Previously, we had been fighting to lick the bowl and now we couldn't be bothered to even dip our bread. What happened? For our main course, "R" ordered the curry duck (no longer on the menu) and it was delicious. The duck had a perfect sear on it while still moist, and the curry flavor was great. I was really in the mood for scallops that night, but my gut instinct was to not order the current preparation listed on the menu. I should have listened. The scallops were cooked to perfection, but the flavor combination in the dish just didn't work for me. They were served with small fried potato pancakes, strawberries, and a balsamic sauce. The potato pancakes crumbled when you tried to cut into them, so it became hard to get a good bite of it. Overall, the sweetness of the strawberries and bite of the balsamic just drowned the scallops, and the dish didn't work in my opinion. Again, we left having loved one dish, some were just average, and one was disappointing. When it's all over the map like that, it leaves me confused as to whether or not I truly enjoyed the meal.

Finally, I attended a work dinner there last month where we were presented with a smaller version of the menu to select from. The duck that "R" had previously ordered was one of the main course options, so that's what I went with (it was great!).

I had started with an order of the Crispy Calamari and Shrimp ($14) served with a chile spice mayonnaise. The dipping sauce was the only thing unique about this dish. Otherwise, it was your standard fried calamari and shrimp-- a little too heavy on the batter and kind of dry. However, the dinner ended on a high note. I selected the Artisan Selection of Cheeses from the dessert options. It was one of the best cheese plates that I've had (besides L'Albatros, but they are in their own category). I enjoyed all three cheeses, and the thinly-cut toasted walnut raisin bread that was served with it ($12). "R" and I even headed back there a few weeks later for an after-dinner cheese plate.

So...can you see why I have mixed emotions about this restaurant? Or why it has taken me a year and a half to share my experiences there? Some dishes have been outstanding, some were good but forgettable, and a couple were terrible. Where is the consistency? Is it the fact that he changes the menu so frequently, that the kitchen can't perfect every dish?

Still confused, and still not in a hurry to rush back...

However, the renovated bank space is breathtaking. I'm also looking forward to trying his restaurant Ginko, which is housed below Dante. I've heard that it's the best sushi in Cleveland.

Dante
2247 Professor Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44113
216-274-1200

Crust Comes to Tremont

A new pizza joint just opened up in Cleveland's Tremont neighborhood, but this isn't your average pizza place. Crust, opened by chef Jeff Fisher (Touch Supper Club fame) and partner Mike Griffin, is offering gourmet pizzas made with as many local goods as possible (often from the Tremont Farmers Market). They are also offering giant slices of pizza ($3) that are as big as your head. Other menu items are creative salads, pastas, and subs. All reasonably priced, in my opinion.

"R" and I called ahead to place an order for takeout, and with just a 20 minute wait, we headed up there to get our food.

We decided to share the Mixed Mushroom pizza with goat cheese, fresh thyme, fresh garlic, caramelized onions, balsamic reduction, white truffle oil, pecorino romano, and grated mozzarella. The specialty pizzas only come in one size-- large, 16 inch, 8 slices for $16.95.

We had a choice between thin crust or hand-tossed, and we went with the hand-tossed. Doughy, but crispy-- it was pretty darn good. It held up well to the toppings and travel time. The pizza was packed with mushrooms, and had strong earthy flavor. We both commented that we wished the additional ingredients came through a bit more. Some balance in flavor was needed by adding more balsamic and garlic, and the pizza was missing the creaminess of the goat cheese. The goat cheese was minimal. Overall, we did really like it and I'd order it again. But you must love mushrooms.

It was a carb-on-carb kind of night. We also shared an order of the Butternut Squash Gnocchi with slab bacon, fresh sage, caramelized onion, and finished with an apple cider reduction and pumpkin seed oil. For $9.95, it was a good sized portion and more than enough to share.

It was rich and creamy, and had great fall flavor. The gnocchi were plump and doughy, and had started to soak in the tasty sauce. We know that it was prepared fresh, because the kitchen is open and as "R" stood at the takeout counter, he got to watch them make it right in front of him.

We were stuffed, had plenty of leftovers for the next day, and were pretty pleased with the new find in Tremont. Welcome to the neighborhood!

Just don't be looking for them to compete with Edison's late night pizza. They close at 7PM Monday - Thursday, and at 9PM on Friday and Saturday. Sundays they are closed. Also, with only a couple of high top tables by the counter-- make sure that you aren't necessarily planning on dining in.

Crust
1020 Kenilworth Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44113
216-583-0257

Weekend Fun

What a weekend! It was filled with friends, fun, and food. Friday night we spent a relaxing night in with my college friends and their husbands. Some Chinese food, wine, and playtime with my favorite baby was just what I needed.

Saturday, it was time to hunt for a dress to wear to the West Side Market Gala coming up on November 3rd. A special night requires a special dress. Thanks to Dillard's and Jessica Simpson (I hate to admit that), I found a pretty silver dress that will do the trick. Saturday night was a very special birthday celebration for Joe G. and Justin at Hodge's in downtown Cleveland. The multi-course feast was called "Lambirthday", and you guessed it-- featured lamb in every course.

We started out with a delicate dish from Melissa at Washington Place Bistro.

And by the time the main course came out, we were surrounded by lamb and dining like cavemen. It was awesome.

A delicious meal with good people. Happy 30th, guys!

Sunday brought pumpkin carving for a good cause at Deagan's, and then a stop at Nano Brew on the way home. "R" ordered their new Pumpkin Ginger Bisque, and it was terrible. The soup was over-spiced, too heavy on black pepper, and the "soft" pretzel served with it was rock-hard and heavily salted. Luckily, the burgers were good again. "R" stuck with the Breakfast Burger (only one patty this time), and I tried the Foodie Burger of the day (daily special). Yesterday, it was with bleu cheese, bacon fig jam, arugula, and caramelized onions. Delicious!

This weekend also included some beers. It is Beer Week in Cleveland, after all! What festivities are you participating in? We'll be at the Founder's Beer Dinner at Deagan's on Wednesday, and Brewzilla on Saturday.

Happy Monday, folks! When it's Beer Week, Monday isn't quite so bad.

Taco Tuesday- Lion on Lorain

These next two weeks are just nuts. I looked ahead in the calendar, and I was only home two nights out of two weeks. Some of it is work, some of it is play. But Tuesday was the only night this week that I didn't have something going on in the evening. Instead of heading to the grocery store, "R" and I decided to make a last minute Taco Tuesday excursion. This time...Lion on Lorain in West Park.

Over the summer, a small group of us had breakfast there on a Sunday. It was memorable, and not in a good way. The brunch menu is 4-5 items, but most of us decided on a classic breakfast of eggs, potatoes, bacon, and toast. Our hearts were originally set on an omelet, but our server made a mistake by telling us that we could customize it. In fact, it is only served one way and most of us changed our minds after hearing what was in it that day. Anyhow....the breakfast food was fine, but nothing special. I did think that it was unusual that they serve honey spread right onto the toast without letting the customer know that this is how it is prepared. What if I don't like honey? It was delicious, but unusual, and I think it is worth servers noting. The scary part of the meal? The ketchup bottle! She brought it from the kitchen, and it had clearly sat too close to a heat source. It was so warped and discolored that no one was brave enough to use it. Don't worry folks, we snuck it into the trash can when she wasn't looking. It was repulsive.

Why am I sharing this with you? Well, this experience was very disappointing and I wasn't in a hurry to head back. But, in the quest for Taco Tuesday-- I knew that I had to. I had heard really good things about their tacos.

This week, they were offering 10 different kinds of tacos.

Many sounded great, and we had a hard time selecting. I went with the Black and Bleu taco (ground beef, lettuce, mushrooms, onions topped with homemade bacon bits, crumbled bleu cheese, and Lion BBQ sauce) and the Puerto Rican taco (rice and beans with lettuce, Puerto Rican slow-cooked pulled pork, fresh mozzarella, and Lion hot BBQ sauce).

The Black and Bleu (right) was probably my second favorite of all that we tried. It was a little heavy on the romaine lettuce, but after I pulled a bit out-- it was fine. The bacon bits were super crunchy, and added great texture. Something that would have taken this taco over the top would have been if the crumbled bleu had been warmed a bit to start melting into the taco. I would order this one again.

The Puerto Rican taco (left) was disappointing. The pulled pork had barely been heated up, and cold pork is just tough and lacking flavor. Also, the rice was impossible to keep in the tortilla.

My favorite taco that we tried was probably the Shepard's Pie taco with ground beef, lettuce, baked Shepard's Pie, and topped with mozz-prov cheese and BBQ sauce. It was so unusual, and brought me back to memories of eating my mom's homemade Shepard's Pie. Worth noting-- it was "R's" least favorite taco. To each their own.

The tacos are $2 each, and come with a small side of chips and salsa. The are pretty good sized tacos for the price, and Lion on Lorain is certainly being creative with the toppings. Overall, they were good but not great. A step above your typical cheap tacos, but not quite in the same category as Deagan's or Touch Supper Club yet. From my personal Taco Tuesday adventures, I'd compare them to the tacos at Sachsenheim Hall in terms of quality. However, Lion on Lorain has much better, and more interesting, combinations going on. So far, I'd say that they are the winner in that category. I like how each taco has a name too.

It was a fun Taco Tuesday night out, but it didn't necessarily leave me wanting more from Lion on Lorain. Have you dined there? What did you think? I'd like to go in for dinner sometime. They do a great job of promoting their specials online, and they often sound appealing. I think it's worth one more shot before I make up my mind.

Lion on Lorain
12703 Lorain Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44111

Edwins Launch Party

EDWINS Leadership and Restaurant Institute is gearing up to launch their unique non-profit concept in Cleveland, and last night brought us a fundraiser and official Launch Party in the eclectic home of Christopher G. Axelrod in the gorgeous condos at One Bratenhal Place.

Over 100 guests wandered through the rooms, admiring Axelrod's collections and furniture, and sampling food from some of Cleveland's best chefs. Each room brought us new surprises, and plenty of food to try.

After having some fun with the chefs supporting the cause, like Chris Hodgson from Hodge's (who was cooking up some rich and delicious gnocchi on a massage table),...

...a few speakers presented information about the Institute, and why they have gotten involved. "We have all made mistakes. Just some of us have gotten caught." So true. Everyone deserves a second chance, and that's just what EDWINS intends to do for its students as they provide housing, support services, and training for a career in the culinary industry.

Learn more about the cause, the restaurant that will be open to the public, and how you can help at www.edwinsrestaurant.org. They are working hard to open their doors, and you can get in on the ground floor as they form and work towards changing lives in Cleveland.

EDWINS Leadership & Restaurant Institute
12026 Mayfield Road
Cleveland, OH 44106