Vento la Trattoria

EDITED: Well, this is now a very sad post to share with you, because I had already written and scheduled it before the news broke that Vento la Trattoria has permanently closed. Another casualty of the pandemic. I know this restaurant will be missed by the community, but the good news is that Matt Harlan has announced that he'll be opening Chatty's Pizzeria in that location in about two months. Read more here at Cleveland Scene, and with his history with the Michael Symon Restaurant Group this is sure to be a winner.

The last restaurant on my 2020 To Dine Challenge list was Vento la Trattoria in Bay Village. Tucked in between Huntington Reservation in the Cleveland Metroparks and Bay Arts, the restaurant is known for their charming patio and views of Lake Erie in the distance. 

I had held out on this one, hoping that we'd be able to experience a patio night out. However, we just never felt comfortable during this pandemic to dine out while the weather was nice...so takeout it had to be.

We started with a perfect classic Caesar ($9) salad.

I had the Pescatore ($22) with homemade linguine, white wine, olive oil, and garlic topped with Chef’s selection of daily seafood. As you can see, it was a nice mix of clams, mussels, and shrimp.

Mr. H ordered the Matriciana with Meatballs ($24) which is their famous Matriciana pasta dish served with homemade linguini, pan-fried pancetta, onions, aurora sauce, and topped with two large meatballs.

Both dishes were simply prepared and quite good. The texture of the pasta was *chef's kiss*, and it all traveled home pretty well. The Matriciana was a bit bolder in flavor, so we did agree it was our favorite of the two pasta dishes. 

We also snagged a wonderful bottle of wine to-go. 

It is absolutely adorable inside. There is plenty of free parking in the large lot connecting the park and the businesses tucked in there.

That's a wrap on this year's To Dine Challenge. What a strange trip it's been, but I feel particularly accomplished considering that it was completed and with time to spare! Funny what can happen when you slow down...

EDITED: I consider this a lesson for us all. Let's get out there and support our independent restaurants through the rest of the pandemic. I know it's the reality for many of our beloved restaurants that they may not make it through this. Dine-in if you are comfortable, order takeout, buy retail wine or cocktails to-go, purchase a gift certificate for later use or a holiday gift, and tip generously.

Vento la Trattoria (now closed)

28611 Lake Road

Bay Village, OH 44140

(440) 835-4530

Batuqui

2020 is winding down (aren't we all ready to put it in the rearview mirror?!) and so is my To Dine Challenge list. I scheduled an open-air evening with friends from the east side, and they picked up Batuqui Brazilian Restaurant for us all. We kicked off our dinner with a Caipirinha ($10). This traditional Brazilian cocktail is made with Cachaça, muddled lime, and sugar. Mr. H makes a pretty mean one too!

Mr. H and I shared the Moqueca Baiana ($29 with shrimp), which is a traditional Brazilian stew from Bahia with tomato, onions, cilantro, organic coconut milk and dende oil, served with Brazilian rice.

We also split the Costela do Norte ($29) with short ribs in a very rich homemade sauce with tomatoes, onions, and peppers and served with mashed potatoes and seasonal vegetables.

Both dishes were excellent, but my favorite was the Moqueca Baiana.

Trying to sample more traditional Brazilian dishes, we also shared a side of Vatapá ($9). This dish from the North of Brazil is made from bread, shrimp, coconut milk, finely ground peanuts, and palm oil, then mashed into a creamy paste. It sounded too unusual to not try! While it was certainly fine, it didn't wow me in texture or flavor so I'd skip it next time.

Our friends also generously shared their Pao De Queijo ($9) appetizer. These little doughy nuggets of Brazilian cheese bread are definitely worth ordering!

This meal was a highlight from the 2020 To Dine Challenge list, and one we won't be caught sleeping on again. Stay tuned for the final stop at the 10 restaurants I was challenged to dine at this year!

Batuqui Brazilian Restaurant
12706 Larchmere Blvd.
Cleveland, Ohio 44120
(216) 801-0227

2020 Local Foodie Gift Guide

It's that time of year when we're all shopping for loved ones (and maaayyybbee something sneaks into the cart for ourselves, like the Animal Print Mug ($38) from Rose Parlor and Wild Ideas Reporters Notebook ($9) from Lake Erie Design Co. that I snagged for myself on Small Business Saturday), so here's my 2020 Gift Guide focusing on locally made items fit for any "foodie" in your life. 

Anyone would enjoy a warm beverage (like my bourbon-spiked apple cider below) in the Cleveland Skyline Multi-colored Mug from The Cleveland Traveler. Check out her online store for other CLE-themed items like a tote and art prints. She's also generously offering all of you 15% off using the promo code BITEBUFF15 at checkout!

Give the gift of wearable food with these Sushi Cutie Kawaii Earrings (and so much more) from Letterpress Jess. 

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Prepping and serving food can be gorgeous too with these Nesting Formation Bowls (set of 3) from Lauren HB Studio.

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Looking for an experiential gift for the home baker? Consider a Virtual Cooking Class (price varies) from Annie's Signature Sweets.

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Shopping secondhand is always a good idea, and you can score items like this Ceramic Pie Plate from Helm Collective. It's my favorite vintage retail shop in Cleveland, and you should follow her on Instagram for a peek at the goods and easy online shopping in her stories or on her website. 

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What home cook doesn't love to try new recipes? Purchase a Cookbook from Visible Voice Books or another local bookstore. Double up on the local love by purchasing one authored by our city's best chefs, such as Koji Alchemy: Rediscovering the Magic of Mold-Based Fermentation by Jeremy Umansky & Rich Shih.

Anyone in your life would like a Silicone "Kookin" Trivet from MODGY to protect their table or counter. 

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Looking for a winter project for that foodie in your life? Grow Your Own Microgreen Kit from Erie Shore Seed and Spore for fun with the whole family. 

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A bundle like the Roast 101 Seasoning Gift Set (several others to choose from too) from Urban Herbs will always be put to good use in any kitchen.

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To decorate that foodie's home, gift them the Pack of Places postcards (20 included) or an 8.5"x11" single print from local illustrator Amber Esner. They can cluster a few framed prints in their home and use others to mail as postcards to loved ones they can't see during the pandemic. Almost all of the prints included are iconic Cleveland restaurants! 

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We've always been fans of the famous produce, and you can give the gift of an Introductory Farm Experience Box from Farmer Jones Farm at The Chef's Garden. It includes: Introductory Vegetable Box, 5-ounce box of cut honeycomb from bees tended on our grounds, along with Tomato, Carrot Cake, and Pepper Marmalade—each containing ingredients that are regeneratively farmed by their team. Plus, items that feature their edible flowers include Flowerhouse Lamiaceae Green Tea and Flowerhouse Soap. This unique gift box also contains buckwheat flour, squeeze bottle, tea infuser, and wooden spoon or honey dipper.  

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Give the gift that keeps on giving with a small-batch, locally made Granola of the Month Club for 3 Months from City Hippie Granola. A different flavored granola for every month of the year from this small-batch local granola company, shipped to your loved one. Flavors include Almond Mango, Apple Pie, Banana Bread, Coconut Lime Pineapple, Double Chocolate Coconut, Jail House Rock, Lemon Blueberry, Orange Cranberry, Parmesan Rosemary, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip, Snickerdoodle and Sweet and Salty Trail Mix. Really love someone? Upgrade it to 6 Months ($70) or 12 Months ($140).

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A beautiful handcrafted leather Knife Roll from J.Lees Knives that holds up to eight 8” knives will make any home cook feel like a professional chef. Also check out his one-of-a-kind knives. 

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I hope you find this guide helpful. As always, a gift card to one of our local restaurants is a perfect stocking stuffer, gift for that hard-to-buy-for person in your life, or as a treat for you to enjoy later. They need us more than ever right now. Please consider shopping with our small businesses this holiday season. 

Disclosure: I was provided with a sample mug from Cleveland Traveler in exchange for inclusion in this post. All opinions stated are 100% my own.

Taste of the Browns 2020 Telethon

Like most things in 2020, the annual fundraiser Taste of the Browns to benefit the Greater Cleveland Food Bank will look quite different this year. This event has been transformed into a telethon on Friday, December 4th from 4:00 pm - 7:30 pm on News 5 Cleveland.

Tune into News 5 Cleveland for news casts from 4 pm to 6:30 pm and a Taste of the Browns Telethon special at 7 pm. Celebrate our city’s love for the Cleveland Browns, while providing hundreds of thousands of meals to northeast Ohioans in need! 

Looking for a gift for that special someone? Check out these Taste of the Browns auction packages, including exclusive dining packages from local restaurants like EDWINS and Fahrenheit.

Join the Greater Cleveland Food Bank and the Cleveland Browns to raise critical funds for the Food Bank. Since the start of the pandemic and the economic crisis that has followed, the Food Bank is serving more people than ever before in its 40-year history. One-third of the people are turning to emergency food programs for assistance for the first time ever.

Also, continue to support our area restaurants that have generously participated in this event in the past. Order takeout, buy that gift card as a stocking stuffer, and tip well. The Food Bank, and our local restaurants, need us more than ever before, and this is a great way to give back to those in need this holiday season. Please consider making a donation. 

Disclosure: All images were provided by the Greater Cleveland Food Bank. I am a former employee of the organization. All opinions stated are 100% my own. No compensation or trade was provided in exchange for this post.

2021 To Dine Challenge Submissions

Well, what a wild and unusual time 2020 was. But, I still completed my annual To Dine Challenge, and it's almost time to kick off a new list.

For those of you newer around these parts, every December I ask my readers to submit restaurants to be considered for my version of a New Year's Resolution. Then, on January 1st I announce a new list of 10 local, independently-owned restaurants that I challenge myself to dine at over the next 12 months and share here. 

So, hit me with those restaurant suggestions in the blog comments or on social media (@BiteBuff)! 

I want to focus the 2021 list on minority-owned restaurants, restaurants that may be particularly struggling with the effects of the pandemic, and restaurants that will continue to offer carry-out or delivery. 

For us, I don't think we'll feel comfortable dining in until a vaccine is widely distributed. So at least through the winter and early spring we'll likely be sticking to takeout. 

- What is your favorite hidden gem in your neighborhood?
- Did you discover any new-to-you cuisines in 2020 at a local spot we should check out?
- Is a business you love hurting from the economic crisis and COVID precautions in place that could use some extra love?
- Is there a black-owned restaurant that you'd like to see highlighted here?

Our restaurants are hurting, and I want to continue to shine a light on the experiences we have around Northeast Ohio. I encourage you to continue to support your favorite restaurants in a responsible way. Order takeout, purchase a gift card to use in the future or as a gift, and tip generously. 

If you'd like to check out some past To Dine Challenge lists, here are the most recent:
2020
2019
2017

Thank you for sending me your submissions! You all always come up with such excellent suggestions, and I look forward to narrowing down this list every year to the 10 I'll challenge myself to.