The Burnham

The Hilton Cleveland invited Mr. H and I to come in for a tour of the property and dinner at The Burnham this past weekend. The hotel is full of Cleveland influence, from the steel-themed design in the lobby to the local artwork featured throughout, and that influence carries over into the restaurant.

Named after famous Cleveland architect, Daniel Burnham, the restaurant offers a fine-dining experience with a seasonal menu and Ohio-sourced products wherever possible.

We were seated in the more casual area near the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Mall B and Downtown Cleveland views.

The menu boasts use of products from local suppliers like The Chef's Garden, Mitchell's Ice Cream, On the Rise Bakery, and more. We were asked to make our own selections from the menu for the tasting.

We started with a cup of Lobster Bisque ($5) with Cognac whipped cream and puff pastry. While it was missing the noticeable chunks of lobster meat that I love, it did have rich lobster flavor and was thinner than the often overly-heavy versions of this classic. Locally, I think the version at Chez Francois can't be beat. A bowl is available for $10, but this was more than enough to share with other dishes coming.

We also shared the 63 degree Egg salad ($12) with asparagus, baby spinach, prosciutto, and a truffle vinaigrette. The vinaigrette in particular really stood out for me on this dish.

The last item we shared was the Grilled Octopus ($12) with cauliflower puree, smashed fingerling potatoes, radish, and chimichurri. The flavors and textures on this appetizer were well-balanced and really enjoyable, but I do wish there was more octopus on the plate. The portion also seemed a tad small for the price.

Mr. H ordered the Crispy Skin Salmon ($34) with Ohio City Pasta's sweet pea and sun-dried tomato gnocchi, charred onions, and asparagus coulis. It was a pretty plate of food, and even I had to steal a bite even though I don't care for salmon.

I went for the Scallops and Pork Belly ($36) with sweet potato puree, charred onions, and bacon jam. The portions of scallops and pork belly were very generous, and I loved the sweet and smokey flavor that the bacon jam added.

We were way too stuffed to try any of the desserts, but I hear that the Sweet Potato Cheesecake is worth getting.

My only real criticism of the experience was that service was not quite up to the price point of the menu. Our server, while friendly, seemed quite inexperienced and forgetful. There was very little knowledge of the menu, we had to ask twice to learn what the Steak of the Day was, and he wasn't attentive enough on drink refills or the pacing of courses. With entrees ranging from $28 - $44, I expect a bit more service-wise.

Mr. H and I travel quite a bit, and I can honestly say that Cleveland area hotels have set the bar high on the food quality, local sourcing of products, and overall atmosphere. Now when I visit other cities and find myself dining in hotel restaurants out of convenience, I long for home even more. These restaurants in Cleveland shouldn't be overlooked by locals.

If you find yourself at The Burnham, head on up to Bar 32 for an after-dinner cocktail. Located on the 32nd floor of the building, it offers stunning views of the lake and Downtown. We headed right up there after dinner, and look forward to coming back when the weather is nice to experience the outdoor patio. Being up there was worth my wobbly legs and flip-flopping stomach. Heights are not my friend.

The Burnham
100 Lakeside Ave East
Cleveland, OH 44114
216-413-5120

Disclosure: I was invited to sample the fall menu at The Burnham as part of their media outreach. We paid for our own alcohol and all food over the $100 allotment. All opinions are 100% my own.

Luca West Opening

I've been a fan of Luca since it opened in the Superior Viaduct. The views of downtown, the intimate setting tucked off of West 25th, and the sacchetti....ahhh. Now, Cleveland west-siders will get to enjoy Luca West as they open their doors in Westlake TODAY!

Mr. H and I got a sneak peek over the weekend.

I think you'll see a lot of familiar modern Italian and other European influences on the menu, including the pastas they've become known for. Seriously, isn't this the largest bowl of pasta you've ever seen?

This sight was drawing everyone in at the soft opening. I kind of wanted to crawl up in there and take a nap after the meal.

Some of the other dishes featured at the soft opening were lamb, lobster, squid, and the most heavenly gnocchi.

Topped off with tiramisu and a cannoli, and I was just rolling out of there. It made the quite hairy ride over during that storm on Sunday well worth it!

Welcome to Westlake, Luca! A great fine dining option for those of you looking on the west side.

Luca West
24600 Detroit Road
Westlake, OH

Disclosure: I was invited to attend the soft opening of the restaurant with a guest and all food was complimentary. All opinions stated are 100% my own. 

Weekend Bites

The weekend kicked off with the Old Brooklyn Community Development Corporation's An Old Brooklyn Nite fundraising event at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo on Friday. It brought evening exhibit viewing...

...the opportunity to indulge in Old Brooklyn-based desserts, like Honey Hut, Jack Frost Donuts, and Cake Royale. For example, this cake version of the proposed new OBCDC headquarters and main street anchor that they are raising funds for in the Illuminate campaign...

...and my favorite part of the evening (besides winning 4 auction packages and a bottle of wine in the wine pull), the late night carousel rides after a glass of wine (or three, whoops)!

This was our third year attending, and I've always enjoyed the evening of connecting with our neighbors and having some fun in the zoo after hours.

The next day brought my sister-in-law's surprise birthday party at 16-Bit Bar + Arcade. Have you ever had Pop Rocks in a cocktail?

This "Courtney Love" gin-based drink was tasty, but WHOA it felt so weird to feel the Pop Rocks going down.

These past few weeks have been particularly stressful, so on Sunday I took my stress out on the aisles of HomeGoods. Mr. H was not pleased.

But at least he carried my bags. Sometimes you just need a good retail therapy session. Are you with me?

Sunday ended with a hairy ride over to Westlake during the storm for the Luca soft opening, but more on that later this week!

Sausage Shoppe

Open since 1938, The Sausage Shoppe is a beloved business in Old Brooklyn.

But, I only just stepped foot in there for the first time the other day. I was greeted by a case full of brats, cold cuts, jerky, sausages, pierogi, and more.

It was a lot to take in at first.

However, we quickly settled on some Rudy's Pierogi, Banana Pepper Brats, and Garlic Honey Brats.

The next night was gloomy and cold, and this meal just warmed us up from the inside out.

Felt like a pretty "Cleveland" meal!

The Sausage Shoppe
4501 Memphis Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44144
216-351-5213

Cincinnati Eats: Senate and Salazar

Sorry for the brief hiatus. Work and personal life exploded the last two weeks, but let's pick up where we left off...in Cincinnati! Mr. H and I weren't quite done with our food adventures during my work trip.

That includes lunch at Senate in Over-the-Rhine. Known for their creative hot dogs and poutine, this casual eatery was a fun stop for lunch mid-conference. Mr. H went for the Corn Dogs.

While I just had to try the Korean Pork Belly Reuben.

It was well worth the stop, but just beware that it's very busy and there may be a wait.

The final restaurant stop worth noting is Salazar. We had been there during our last Cincinnati trip, and it had left us wanting more. Luckily, it did not disappoint once again!

We started with a Little Fried Oyster Sandwich ($7) with kimchi, radish sprouts, and garlic mayo. We totally should have ordered two, because one bite of this awesome little slider was not enough. Mmmm...

But, we were also sharing the Heirloom Corn Polenta ($12) with a fried duck egg, local mushrooms, pickled vegetables, and brown butter. This was the best thing we ate that night! Decadent.

I had the fish special, and it was quite good.

But not as good as Mr. H's Ora King Salmon ($29) with an “everything” crust, cream cheese dumplings, pickled fresno chilies, bagel chips, caperberry, and dill sauce.

It was like eating a good bagel and lox, and even this "salmon-hater" stole a bite or two. It was worth the second visit, and I have a feeling it won't be our last.

Senate
1212 Vine Street
Cincinnati, OH 45202

Salazar
1401 Republic Street
Cincinnati, OH 45202