With Christmas looming and lots of last-minute gift buying, holiday gatherings, and other tasks to complete, I've overlooked the fact that 2016 is almost upon us. How will you be ringing in the new year? Given it any thought yet? If not, here are some tasty events going on around Cleveland for you to choose from!
New Year's Eve at the Cleveland Museum of Art: Explore the galleries late into the evening, see the blockbuster exhibition "Painting the Modern Garden: Monet to Matisse," and dance the night away as Solstice 2015 performer King Britt returns to Cleveland to reprise his non-stop, high-energy set of electronica, house, and soul-fusion, with opening set by DJ MisterBradleyP. Enjoy curator-led tours, gallery programs, stunning visuals in the atrium, late night desserts, a complimentary champagne toast at midnight, and other surprises as you ring in 2016. General Admission – $40 (Cleveland Museum of Art Members $30). Centennial Package – $150. Upgrade your evening with free reserved parking and access to the Centennial Lounge, complete with a complimentary full bar, specialty hors d’oeuvres, and DJ Darrick Grant spinning old school funk and soul all night. Purchase tickets here.
New Year's Eve Prix Fixe Dinner at Spice Kitchen + Bar: Celebrate a year well-lived with the perfect prix fixe menu! Five courses, featuring fresh hoop house produce, sustainably raised meats & fall preserves. $75 per person – menu only. Add wine pairings for an additional $25. Choose one of three seating times: 5:00pm, 7:00pm, or 9:00pm. Reservations required: 216-961-9637.
NYE at Crop Bistro + Bar: 9-course tasting menu. $100 for menu only, and $135 with wine pairings. Call 216-696-2767 for reservations.
New Year's Eve at The Black Pig: 7-course prix fixe menu to ring in the New Year. Reservations are required, and are available between the hours of 6PM - 9PM, and can be made on the website or by calling (216) 862-7551. $75 per person (dinner only) + optional wine pairings for an additional $45 per person.
Celebrate New Year's Eve with Fahrenheit: $80 per person or $120 a couple. Includes a bottle of Moet and Chandon White Star Champagne. Four courses. Call 216-781-8858 for reservations.
Countdown to 2016 from Behind the Mask: Join Lago Custom Events inside the aLoft Hotel for the New Year’s Eve Masquerade Ball! Unveil the New Year with a night of lavish dining, dancing and entertainment. Dinner accompanied by live band and music spinning all night from DJ Flaco Flash. Cocktails will be pouring at the premium bar with a variety of decadent food served throughout the night. Ticket Prices: $175 per person | $300 per couple | $500 per couple includes a room at the aloft Hotel for the night. Purchase online here.
New Year's Eve Bash at Graffiti: First Seating (5-7pm) for $30.00 (Tax and gratuity for the buffet has been added to the ticket). Includes- Endless buffet, complimentary glass of champagne, drink specials. Second Seating (9pm-12am) for $30.00 (Tax and gratuity for the buffet has been added to the ticket). Includes- Endless buffet, complimentary glass of champagne, drink specials, DJ and dancing. Reserve your seating online here.
This is only a sampling of some of the great ways to ring in the new year in Cleveland this December 31st. If you have others to share, please comment on this post.
Me? I'll be quietly spending New Year's Eve with my husband and family. 2015 was pretty darn good to us, and we're looking forward to welcoming in 2016 together.
Monday, December 21, 2015
Thursday, December 17, 2015
BOLD Food & Drink
A recent girls' night out took us to The Flats. If you haven't been in that area in a while, it is unrecognizable. The amount of restaurants and bars that have popped up in the last year is remarkable. In the eight years that I've lived in Cleveland, that area lining the Cuyahoga River has been desolate. Well, no more!
One of the newest additions to the East Bank is BOLD Food & Drink. It opened in record-time in the former Ken Stewart's location on W. 10th Street. From the folks behind Oak Barrel and Forage Public House, this restaurant has a similar feel to its menu and presentation. You'll find a wide variety of "tiny" and "small" plates, 10 entrees, and then the "BOLD" section of the menu that features steaks, chops, and seafood dishes. Their intention is to bring an affordable steakhouse to the Downtown area. Luckily, the quality that I've come to expect from them at the other two restaurants was present here as well.
To start, we shared the Stuffed Pasture Raised Eggs with piquillo pepper and radish sprouts ($3 for one egg).
While I prefer the other version of this dish at Oak Barrel and Forage, it was still a good deviled egg. What is it about this classic and often called "outdated" dish that people still love? I don't know, but I'm a sucker for one!
I wanted to be able to try a few things, so I chose to order two of the "small" plates as my entree. First, I ordered the Stuffed Chile Rellenos with a poblano chile, cotija cheese, chilatomate sauce, and lime crema ($11).
For $11, the portion was large. The chile pepper was lightly breaded and deep-fried, with a golden crust instead of the often too-thick coating that others can have. The cheese was creamy and oozed right out of the pepper when I cut into it. This was a great stuffed pepper! However, I really did not care for the sauce. Its tomato base leaned Italian, and just didn't work well with this dish, in my opinion. It was easy to avoid after a few bites, and I happily enjoyed this pepper even without a sauce.
For my second small plate, I went with the Manchester Farms Stuffed Quail with serrano ham, gruyere, and white truffled cream corn ($13).
The quail skin was crispy, meat moist and tender, and the cream corn was delicate and delicious. I would order this dish again.
Service was very good, even though our server admitted that he was in training and had only been there four days. They also made a delicious mock-tini for my pregnant friend. We were nestled in a cozy U-shaped booth, with a glass fireplace crackling in front of us. It was a great setting for a girls' night out, or a special date night without breaking the bank. They retained most of the decor and atmosphere from Ken Stewart's, so it has a high-end feel without quite the price tag. I think they'll do well in the "new" The Flats.
BOLD Food & Drink
1121 W. 10th Street
Cleveland, OH 44113
216-696-8400
One of the newest additions to the East Bank is BOLD Food & Drink. It opened in record-time in the former Ken Stewart's location on W. 10th Street. From the folks behind Oak Barrel and Forage Public House, this restaurant has a similar feel to its menu and presentation. You'll find a wide variety of "tiny" and "small" plates, 10 entrees, and then the "BOLD" section of the menu that features steaks, chops, and seafood dishes. Their intention is to bring an affordable steakhouse to the Downtown area. Luckily, the quality that I've come to expect from them at the other two restaurants was present here as well.
To start, we shared the Stuffed Pasture Raised Eggs with piquillo pepper and radish sprouts ($3 for one egg).
I wanted to be able to try a few things, so I chose to order two of the "small" plates as my entree. First, I ordered the Stuffed Chile Rellenos with a poblano chile, cotija cheese, chilatomate sauce, and lime crema ($11).
For my second small plate, I went with the Manchester Farms Stuffed Quail with serrano ham, gruyere, and white truffled cream corn ($13).
Service was very good, even though our server admitted that he was in training and had only been there four days. They also made a delicious mock-tini for my pregnant friend. We were nestled in a cozy U-shaped booth, with a glass fireplace crackling in front of us. It was a great setting for a girls' night out, or a special date night without breaking the bank. They retained most of the decor and atmosphere from Ken Stewart's, so it has a high-end feel without quite the price tag. I think they'll do well in the "new" The Flats.
BOLD Food & Drink
1121 W. 10th Street
Cleveland, OH 44113
216-696-8400
Thursday, December 10, 2015
Oberlin's The Feve
With the end of the year looming, it was time to hit another restaurant on the 2015 To Dine Challenge list. This time, we met another couple out in Oberlin at The Feve.
Since 1992, it has been a community favorite for college students, families, and anyone looking for craft beer and tasty bar grub. A lengthy craft beer list is not as easy to find outside of the Cleveland city limits, and The Feve has an impressive one. Instant "points" with me! Couple that with locally-sourced ingredients and fresh, homemade casual food, and you have yourself a winning restaurant concept. It reminded me of our beloved Tremont Tap House, in every sense of the way. Maybe slightly better service here, haha.
They've been voted "Ohio's Best Brunch," but they are truly know for their burgers and tater tots. Although, I could have made a meal from some of their Starters, like the Habanero Rangoon, Fried Pickle Spears, and Mac n' Cheese bites made from Ohio City Pasta.
A big section of the menu is dedicated to French Fries and Tater Tots. You can select from 6 dry seasonings, 4 styles, and 21 dipping sauces. Yes, 21 different sauces. It is so hard to choose!
For 50 cents each, or 3 for $1, I highly recommend trying several sauces. I decided to try the Garlic Mayo, Honey Sriracha, and Thai Peanut with my tater tots.
Each of the sandwiches and burgers come with a choice of side. You can pick between French Fries, Tater Tots, Side Salad, Hummus, Cup of Soup, Onion Rings, and Daily Bean. Just do yourself a favor and go right to the tater tots. Not enough restaurants serve them.
I had to go with the restaurant's namesake burger, The Feve Burger ($9).
It comes with grilled red onion, house-pickled jalapeno, bacon, and cheddar. The burger itself was decent, but the patty was a tad dry. Not my favorite gourmet burger that we've had in Greater Cleveland, but a solid choice and plenty of burger topping options here to choose from.
It was really an enjoyable evening, between the delicious craft beers, gourmet bar food, and the company. I can see why it's so popular in Oberlin. If you find yourself out that way, stop in for some tots! Just note- They do not accept reservations. There was a wait on Friday evening, but they send you a text message when your table is ready.
The Feve
30 S. Main Street
Oberlin, OH 44074
440-774-1978
Since 1992, it has been a community favorite for college students, families, and anyone looking for craft beer and tasty bar grub. A lengthy craft beer list is not as easy to find outside of the Cleveland city limits, and The Feve has an impressive one. Instant "points" with me! Couple that with locally-sourced ingredients and fresh, homemade casual food, and you have yourself a winning restaurant concept. It reminded me of our beloved Tremont Tap House, in every sense of the way. Maybe slightly better service here, haha.
They've been voted "Ohio's Best Brunch," but they are truly know for their burgers and tater tots. Although, I could have made a meal from some of their Starters, like the Habanero Rangoon, Fried Pickle Spears, and Mac n' Cheese bites made from Ohio City Pasta.
A big section of the menu is dedicated to French Fries and Tater Tots. You can select from 6 dry seasonings, 4 styles, and 21 dipping sauces. Yes, 21 different sauces. It is so hard to choose!
For 50 cents each, or 3 for $1, I highly recommend trying several sauces. I decided to try the Garlic Mayo, Honey Sriracha, and Thai Peanut with my tater tots.
Each of the sandwiches and burgers come with a choice of side. You can pick between French Fries, Tater Tots, Side Salad, Hummus, Cup of Soup, Onion Rings, and Daily Bean. Just do yourself a favor and go right to the tater tots. Not enough restaurants serve them.
I had to go with the restaurant's namesake burger, The Feve Burger ($9).
It was really an enjoyable evening, between the delicious craft beers, gourmet bar food, and the company. I can see why it's so popular in Oberlin. If you find yourself out that way, stop in for some tots! Just note- They do not accept reservations. There was a wait on Friday evening, but they send you a text message when your table is ready.
The Feve
30 S. Main Street
Oberlin, OH 44074
440-774-1978
Tuesday, December 8, 2015
Thai Elephant
2015 is winding down. By November, I still had three restaurants left to visit on my 2015 To Dine Challenge list. Luckily, I knew that I had some fellow diners all lined up to try Thai Elephant in Kamm's Corners.
The quaint restaurant is located on Lorain Avenue, and they are open seven days a week for dinner. They have recently changed their hours, so be careful. The sign on the door, and hours listed online, and not currently accurate.
A group of six of us met at Thai Elephant for dinner one chilly evening two weeks ago. It was a perfect night for Thai food. The decor and atmosphere is pretty typical, but warm and inviting. The smells from the kitchen were intoxicating as soon as we walked in the door. Bring on the curry!
Our table shared a couple of appetizers, like the Crispy Shrimp and Dumplings. Both enjoyable, and easy to share.
I had to order the Pad Thai, because I heard that it was very good. I appreciated that I was given several spice level options, which isn't always the case for Pad Thai. Mr. H and I were doing some sharing, so I had to order it at a "medium" level. Normally, I order "Thai hot" for everything. Our server immediately offered to bring out a spicy chile sauce that could be added to the dishes to increase the level of heat. I was grateful, and it did the trick!
This was a solid Pad Thai, and much better than some other local versions that I've had around town.
However, the real star of the meal was the Massaman Curry that Mr. H ordered for us to share. The peanut-based curry sauce is my favorite Thai dish, and this was hands-down the best version that I've tasted in Greater Cleveland.
The sauce was thicker than most, almost like stew or thick gravy. It had wonderful flavor, and I was only able to steal a couple of bites from Mr. H. So much for "sharing," huh? I took that as a good sign. I used to claim that my favorite version was from Thai Gourmet in Independence. I still appreciate that they use additional vegetables, like peppers, that are a bit lighter than the traditional potato and carrot that is served with Massaman Curry.
Worth noting- This restaurant is BYOB!
We'll definitely be back to Thai Elephant. A highlight from the 2015 list, for sure.
Don't forget that it's that time of year. I want to hear from YOU on your restaurant ideas for the 2016 To Dine Challenge. I'll pick 10 from your suggestions, and I'll challenge myself to dine at all of them in the upcoming year. Comment on the blog post here. Where do you want to send me next year?
Thai Elephant
16610 Lorain Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44111
216-671-9999
The quaint restaurant is located on Lorain Avenue, and they are open seven days a week for dinner. They have recently changed their hours, so be careful. The sign on the door, and hours listed online, and not currently accurate.
A group of six of us met at Thai Elephant for dinner one chilly evening two weeks ago. It was a perfect night for Thai food. The decor and atmosphere is pretty typical, but warm and inviting. The smells from the kitchen were intoxicating as soon as we walked in the door. Bring on the curry!
I had to order the Pad Thai, because I heard that it was very good. I appreciated that I was given several spice level options, which isn't always the case for Pad Thai. Mr. H and I were doing some sharing, so I had to order it at a "medium" level. Normally, I order "Thai hot" for everything. Our server immediately offered to bring out a spicy chile sauce that could be added to the dishes to increase the level of heat. I was grateful, and it did the trick!
However, the real star of the meal was the Massaman Curry that Mr. H ordered for us to share. The peanut-based curry sauce is my favorite Thai dish, and this was hands-down the best version that I've tasted in Greater Cleveland.
Worth noting- This restaurant is BYOB!
We'll definitely be back to Thai Elephant. A highlight from the 2015 list, for sure.
Don't forget that it's that time of year. I want to hear from YOU on your restaurant ideas for the 2016 To Dine Challenge. I'll pick 10 from your suggestions, and I'll challenge myself to dine at all of them in the upcoming year. Comment on the blog post here. Where do you want to send me next year?
Thai Elephant
16610 Lorain Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44111
216-671-9999
Tuesday, December 1, 2015
Submit Selections for 2016 To Dine Challenge
Wow, December 1st already, huh?
But...you know what that means. Time for you, dear readers, to submit your picks for my 2016 To Dine Challenge.
For those of you that are unfamiliar: Each December, Bite Buff readers make suggestions on restaurants that I should dine at in the upcoming year. At the end of the month, I'll select 10 and challenge myself to complete all ten by the close of the year. I'll post the final list on January 1st on my blog. As a New Year's Resolution, of sorts.
I want to hear from YOU. Where should I dine in 2016?
What's your favorite neighborhood haunt? A local spot that doesn't get the "buzz" that it deserves? Something off of the beaten path? A new restaurant that just opened and you're dying to try?
Hit me with them! Submit ideas by commenting on this post, or by tweeting (@BiteBuff) or Facebooking me. You have until December 31st to submit your choices.
Speaking of the To Dine Challenge...I hit two of the 2015 restaurants recently, so stay tuned for posts on those this week. Only one more to visit before the end of the month. I can do it!
But...you know what that means. Time for you, dear readers, to submit your picks for my 2016 To Dine Challenge.
For those of you that are unfamiliar: Each December, Bite Buff readers make suggestions on restaurants that I should dine at in the upcoming year. At the end of the month, I'll select 10 and challenge myself to complete all ten by the close of the year. I'll post the final list on January 1st on my blog. As a New Year's Resolution, of sorts.
I want to hear from YOU. Where should I dine in 2016?
What's your favorite neighborhood haunt? A local spot that doesn't get the "buzz" that it deserves? Something off of the beaten path? A new restaurant that just opened and you're dying to try?
Hit me with them! Submit ideas by commenting on this post, or by tweeting (@BiteBuff) or Facebooking me. You have until December 31st to submit your choices.
Speaking of the To Dine Challenge...I hit two of the 2015 restaurants recently, so stay tuned for posts on those this week. Only one more to visit before the end of the month. I can do it!