I had some great cheap eats on Saturday night for girls night. The newest...I think...hotspot in Tremont is Barrio. This place is hopping and with good reason. The drinks are creative and delicious and the menu is simple but complex. The meals are a great price for the quality and quantity. The tacos are $3 each or $4 for a stoner taco- I had one of those. You can also order extras including sour cream and guacamole. For the night we ordered a sampler of 3 dips- mango salsa, the Tuscan guacamole, and the queso of the day. All were awesome and enough to share with a large group for only $15. The mango salsa was straight mango with so yummy spices. The Tuscan guacamole is avocado, mozzarella cheese, basil, tomatoes, and balsamic. It was amazing and fresh! The queso of the day included jalapenos and tomatoes and was also delicious.
Now on to the tacos....I ordered two tacos. One taco was a stoner and one was a soft corn tortilla. You can also choose a hard corn tortilla or a flour tortilla. The stoner taco is a hard corn tortilla, cheese, a soft corn tortilla and chorizo. I included with this taco the pulled pork, chihuahua cheese, cilantro and onion, tomato, salsa rojo and a very hot sauce. It was amazing and well spiced. What is great is that you can choose what you want to put on it. The second taco was a braised beef, jicama and strawberry slaw, cilantro and onion, and tomato, fresh queso, and hot salsa. Each taco give the choice of a shell, one protein- including tofu, any of the salsas, any number of sauces, any number of vegetable toppings and any number of cheeses. One friend actually skipped the protein and just ordered a taco with all three cheeses and other toppings and salsa.
My entire meal cost $7 for the ample gourmet tacos- this is not ground beef iceberg lettuce and tomatoes, and $5 for my part of the sample dip. The entire dinner was only $12. This is a great deal. Not my overall dinner with tax and tip was $30 but I had 2 mango margaritas!
I hate to post this...but I fully recommend this restaurant. Note: you can only make reservations with parties of 8 or more.
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Friday, November 9, 2012
Don's Lighthouse
So last night i enjoyed a meal for Cleveland Independent's week at Don's Lighthouse. I had not included it in my original blog because in the past I have been slightly disappointed by this place, however, last night it delivered!
The choices for restaurant week were amazing.
First Course: Soup, Chowder, Ceasar Salad, Bistro Salad, Stuffed Mushrooms or Bruschetta
Second Course: Roasted Chicken, Steak Oscar, Salmon, Clambake, or Lobster Tail
Third Course: crumble, chocolate mousse
My choices were the Bruschetta, Steak Oscar and Chocolate Mousse! The bruschetta was grilled with a nice soft and flavorful cheese melted on top with the compote of tomatoes. It was crispy and fresh. The Steak Oscar was amazing. It was a strip steak topped with crab and served with mashed potatoes and asparagus. Everything was perfect except for the temperature of my steak. I ordered it medium rare, but it was more medium. Still delicious, just slightly disappointing. The dessert was also very good. It was a dark chocolate mousse topped with fresh whipped cream. It was a perfect balance and a great way to end the meal.
There is one more week for restaurant week...try to go to one of these fine restaurants before it is too late for the great deal!
The choices for restaurant week were amazing.
First Course: Soup, Chowder, Ceasar Salad, Bistro Salad, Stuffed Mushrooms or Bruschetta
Second Course: Roasted Chicken, Steak Oscar, Salmon, Clambake, or Lobster Tail
Third Course: crumble, chocolate mousse
My choices were the Bruschetta, Steak Oscar and Chocolate Mousse! The bruschetta was grilled with a nice soft and flavorful cheese melted on top with the compote of tomatoes. It was crispy and fresh. The Steak Oscar was amazing. It was a strip steak topped with crab and served with mashed potatoes and asparagus. Everything was perfect except for the temperature of my steak. I ordered it medium rare, but it was more medium. Still delicious, just slightly disappointing. The dessert was also very good. It was a dark chocolate mousse topped with fresh whipped cream. It was a perfect balance and a great way to end the meal.
There is one more week for restaurant week...try to go to one of these fine restaurants before it is too late for the great deal!
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Cleveland Independents Restaurant Week
Menus for Cleveland Independents Restaurant week are up! I have reviewed and will give you the best ones for the value here! The value is that you get a three-course meal for $33 per person from a specially selected group of items. Some restaurants want to serve you a Cesar salad, pasta and cheesecake...that will not be a top restaurant on this blog.
I have 5 that I think are interesting menus and well worth the money for the three courses. Three of them are old favorites that I think always have the best menus. Let's start with my three veteran restaurants: Pier W, Light Bistro and Grovewood Tavern.
Pier W has a fish heavy menu with quality. For the starter there is a unique selection of a roasted pear salad, scallops over a truffle and apple relish, or tuna satay with a yakitori glaze, each is interesting in its own way. The main meal has quite a few options but my favorites were the tandoori shrimp with couscous and jalapeno honey, blue cod with saffron basmati and chorizo, or Peking deck lo mein with Szechuan vegetables. For dessert they are offering a pumpkin cheesecake or a trio or sorbets. The trio of Sorbet is amazing, I have had it before. They are also offering a $15 wine pairing for the meal.
Next up...always a favorite for special dinners...Light Bistro. Light Bistro is offering many choices and each one sounds better than the other. It is a unique menu with items you would not normally find just anywhere. For the first course they have oxtail soup; braised pork belly on a ramen salad, or ricotta ravioli with butternut squash sauce. The second course is even better with a roasted salmon and a curried cauliflower puree, hanger steak with potato cake and a bacon and mushroom marmalade, roasted chicken breast or a Moroccan vegetarian option. For dessert, pumpkin brulee or pear and apple crisp.
The last of the best deals and my favorites is Grovewood Tavern on the East side. As always their menu is amazing and they are offering a wine pairing with each course for an additional $15 per person. My pick for the appetizer is the grilled smoked Gouda pan seared with mustard seed cavier on crostini. They are also offering a crab cake with a Creole remoulade. For dinner you can try the scallop yakitori with spicy noodles and seaweed salad, a fillet with compound butter, whipped potato and veggie or a maple-adobo pork chop with homemade spaetzle. This may be my favorite dessert offerings: pecan cake, creme brulee or tiramisu.
While these are my favorites, I do have a few honorable mentions in the group. The first is Bac in Tremont. Bac is offering a 3 course meal for $27 per person and it has a soup, salad, app, and dinner as part of the meal. Pretty standard Bac fare, but it sounds tasty. The second honorable mention is Taste in Cleveland Heights. They have a diverse selection of apps and dinners ranging in value.
As always...hit me up with your favorites or to meet out for dinner one night!
I have 5 that I think are interesting menus and well worth the money for the three courses. Three of them are old favorites that I think always have the best menus. Let's start with my three veteran restaurants: Pier W, Light Bistro and Grovewood Tavern.
Pier W has a fish heavy menu with quality. For the starter there is a unique selection of a roasted pear salad, scallops over a truffle and apple relish, or tuna satay with a yakitori glaze, each is interesting in its own way. The main meal has quite a few options but my favorites were the tandoori shrimp with couscous and jalapeno honey, blue cod with saffron basmati and chorizo, or Peking deck lo mein with Szechuan vegetables. For dessert they are offering a pumpkin cheesecake or a trio or sorbets. The trio of Sorbet is amazing, I have had it before. They are also offering a $15 wine pairing for the meal.
Next up...always a favorite for special dinners...Light Bistro. Light Bistro is offering many choices and each one sounds better than the other. It is a unique menu with items you would not normally find just anywhere. For the first course they have oxtail soup; braised pork belly on a ramen salad, or ricotta ravioli with butternut squash sauce. The second course is even better with a roasted salmon and a curried cauliflower puree, hanger steak with potato cake and a bacon and mushroom marmalade, roasted chicken breast or a Moroccan vegetarian option. For dessert, pumpkin brulee or pear and apple crisp.
The last of the best deals and my favorites is Grovewood Tavern on the East side. As always their menu is amazing and they are offering a wine pairing with each course for an additional $15 per person. My pick for the appetizer is the grilled smoked Gouda pan seared with mustard seed cavier on crostini. They are also offering a crab cake with a Creole remoulade. For dinner you can try the scallop yakitori with spicy noodles and seaweed salad, a fillet with compound butter, whipped potato and veggie or a maple-adobo pork chop with homemade spaetzle. This may be my favorite dessert offerings: pecan cake, creme brulee or tiramisu.
While these are my favorites, I do have a few honorable mentions in the group. The first is Bac in Tremont. Bac is offering a 3 course meal for $27 per person and it has a soup, salad, app, and dinner as part of the meal. Pretty standard Bac fare, but it sounds tasty. The second honorable mention is Taste in Cleveland Heights. They have a diverse selection of apps and dinners ranging in value.
As always...hit me up with your favorites or to meet out for dinner one night!
Friday, October 12, 2012
Light Bistro Light Price
Light Bistro is one of my favorite places to eat in Cleveland. The food is always delicious, the service fantastic and the atmosphere is fun and well...light. Anyone who has been there knows it can be a bit pricey. But Light Bistro has a great happy hour and an even better Pizza Thursday!
Every Thursday Light Bistro offers three pizza's for only $5. Last night they had the Hot Pepper Pizza- simple garlic sauce, hot pepper and cheese, the Chicken Confit Pizza-chicken confit, terryaki, and peanut sauce, and the Philly Cheese steak pizza-more details to follow. They also offer $5 glasses of white or red wine. Last night it was a Portuguese varietal and the red wine was dry and delightful. In addition to these choices, they had the normal happy hour menu which included a burger, tacos, truffle frittes, and a mac and cheese. All of these are at a very affordable price and maintain the quality Light Bistro is known for. They also have a specialty cocktail and martini each night. Last night the cocktail was a berry mojito and the martini was an old Manhattan.
The Philly Cheese steak pizza was my choice...what a fine choice it was for a Thursday night. It was a light crisp crust brushed with olive oil and topped with sliced ribeye steak, red peppers, onions, a creamy provolone cheese and garlic sauce. The topping to crust ratio was perfect and the pie was large. Half of it I ate there and half is going to be my lunch today....what time is too early to eat lunch? I have wanted to go on many Thursdays and just always have something going on, however, I will need to make more time for this happy hour and maybe even try another night and some of the other fabulous creations.
Get ready....Cleveland Independent's Restaurant Week is coming soon! Before the end of the month I will blog about where there are the best deals for this 3 course prix fixe menu! Hint...Light Bistro usually makes the list.
Every Thursday Light Bistro offers three pizza's for only $5. Last night they had the Hot Pepper Pizza- simple garlic sauce, hot pepper and cheese, the Chicken Confit Pizza-chicken confit, terryaki, and peanut sauce, and the Philly Cheese steak pizza-more details to follow. They also offer $5 glasses of white or red wine. Last night it was a Portuguese varietal and the red wine was dry and delightful. In addition to these choices, they had the normal happy hour menu which included a burger, tacos, truffle frittes, and a mac and cheese. All of these are at a very affordable price and maintain the quality Light Bistro is known for. They also have a specialty cocktail and martini each night. Last night the cocktail was a berry mojito and the martini was an old Manhattan.
The Philly Cheese steak pizza was my choice...what a fine choice it was for a Thursday night. It was a light crisp crust brushed with olive oil and topped with sliced ribeye steak, red peppers, onions, a creamy provolone cheese and garlic sauce. The topping to crust ratio was perfect and the pie was large. Half of it I ate there and half is going to be my lunch today....what time is too early to eat lunch? I have wanted to go on many Thursdays and just always have something going on, however, I will need to make more time for this happy hour and maybe even try another night and some of the other fabulous creations.
Get ready....Cleveland Independent's Restaurant Week is coming soon! Before the end of the month I will blog about where there are the best deals for this 3 course prix fixe menu! Hint...Light Bistro usually makes the list.
Monday, October 8, 2012
New menu...new specials
One of my favorite places to go is Reddstone in Gordon Square. Recently they put out a new menu and have some new specials. They have the typical wing night and taco night...but my favorite is the Monday night half off small plates.
This is a great bargain for some kick ass food. My two favorite half off items on the list: The Southern Stack ($5) and the Nachos from Hell ($5). For a total of $10 you have a fabulous meal, although maybe not that healthy. The southern stack are cornmeal pancakes, BBQ pork and spice maple butter. It all just melds together perfectly and leaves a great taste in your mouth. The Nacho's From Hell... it is a mish mosh of meats (chicken, BBQ pork and meatballs) with fabulous nacho toppings and a spicy pepper sauce. This is not for the faint of heart. Pair all these yummy items with a beer or vodka (my personal favorite) and you have a great night out with unique bar food.
Just to fill you in on some of the other great specials: Tuesday is 25 cent wing night and I highly recommend the wasabi ranch and the chipotle BBQ. Wednesday is $5 burger and beer. Thursday is $2 tacos and $3 margaritas. Sunday is all day happy hour!
Reddstone fits the frugally classy profile and is highly recommended.
This is a great bargain for some kick ass food. My two favorite half off items on the list: The Southern Stack ($5) and the Nachos from Hell ($5). For a total of $10 you have a fabulous meal, although maybe not that healthy. The southern stack are cornmeal pancakes, BBQ pork and spice maple butter. It all just melds together perfectly and leaves a great taste in your mouth. The Nacho's From Hell... it is a mish mosh of meats (chicken, BBQ pork and meatballs) with fabulous nacho toppings and a spicy pepper sauce. This is not for the faint of heart. Pair all these yummy items with a beer or vodka (my personal favorite) and you have a great night out with unique bar food.
Just to fill you in on some of the other great specials: Tuesday is 25 cent wing night and I highly recommend the wasabi ranch and the chipotle BBQ. Wednesday is $5 burger and beer. Thursday is $2 tacos and $3 margaritas. Sunday is all day happy hour!
Reddstone fits the frugally classy profile and is highly recommended.
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Luxe Happy Hour
A few weeks ago my lovely sister was in town and we were meeting up for a quick bite before her long drive back home. I suggested we meet at Luxe and the decision was great! The happy hour at Luxe fully fits the frugally classy mantra!
To begin with they have 4 specialty drinks that are only $5.50 each. Included on this list is the ever popular Bloom- a citrus vodka with lavender lemonade and blueberry puree. This drink is phenomenal. That evening while waiting for my sister I also tried the Simplicty- vodka infused with fresh basil and pineapple and the Artemis- cantaloupe infused tequila with honey and lime juice. All were well prepared and absolutely delicious!
The menu for happy hour is just as affordable and delicious. I started with the guacamole and warm pita. The guacamole was fresh, vibrant and had wonderful flavors. The warm pita was a perfect pairing. I also ordered the BBQ pork sliders. Three sliders on soft fresh bread appeared. The BBQ pulled pork was cooked perfectly and the sauce was sweet and spicy. Each of these dishes were $6. My sister ordered a pizza with mushrooms. The topping to crust ratio was great. The pizza during happy hour was half off. My sister took almost half of it back home with her.
The service that night is what impressed me the most. It was a Friday night and they were busy. The bar tenders kept a close watch to get people seated at the bar or at tables quickly and fairly based on when they walked in to the restaurant. The bar tenders were attentive, polite, and very helpful. They made it a great experience. Luxe has unique drinks and great food on a regular basis, but I strongly suggest the happy hour menu for a quality bite on a budget.
To begin with they have 4 specialty drinks that are only $5.50 each. Included on this list is the ever popular Bloom- a citrus vodka with lavender lemonade and blueberry puree. This drink is phenomenal. That evening while waiting for my sister I also tried the Simplicty- vodka infused with fresh basil and pineapple and the Artemis- cantaloupe infused tequila with honey and lime juice. All were well prepared and absolutely delicious!
The menu for happy hour is just as affordable and delicious. I started with the guacamole and warm pita. The guacamole was fresh, vibrant and had wonderful flavors. The warm pita was a perfect pairing. I also ordered the BBQ pork sliders. Three sliders on soft fresh bread appeared. The BBQ pulled pork was cooked perfectly and the sauce was sweet and spicy. Each of these dishes were $6. My sister ordered a pizza with mushrooms. The topping to crust ratio was great. The pizza during happy hour was half off. My sister took almost half of it back home with her.
The service that night is what impressed me the most. It was a Friday night and they were busy. The bar tenders kept a close watch to get people seated at the bar or at tables quickly and fairly based on when they walked in to the restaurant. The bar tenders were attentive, polite, and very helpful. They made it a great experience. Luxe has unique drinks and great food on a regular basis, but I strongly suggest the happy hour menu for a quality bite on a budget.
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Supporting family owned business
This blog is a little different...I am giving advanced notice of a great event on Saturday from 8am-8pm. This restaurant is what my blog is all about...quality food at a gret price!
Details first...then a review.
$Cash Mob$: Please come out and support Nate's Deli and Restaurant in Fairview Park Saturday, September 8th, 2012! Nate's Deli is located at 22098 Lorain Rd., Fairview Park, OH 44126. Please remember that the full menu is available for carry out by calling 440-734-9009. Nate's will be open from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm.
I have been to Nate's Deli many times and it has amazing deli sandwiches (especially the corned beef), Mediterranean specialties and breakfast. In the interest of full disclosure...it is owned by the family of a good friend of mine. This place has a great family deli feel to it. One of my favorite items is the hummous and pita. It is perfect and creamy chick pea goodness. The corned beef sandwich is also better than almost anywhere else in Cleveland. It is always fresh and delicious. The Greek salad has olives and feta and the dressing is perfect. I have personally never ordered breakfast, but I have seen the platters of goodness and maybe will try some on Saturday.
The prices are great, quality and quantity are over the top! This is a short blog...but I wanted to get the word out and encourage everyone to go out on Saturday to support a true family business where the family all help out and many times you can see the grandchildren eating as well. If the food is good enough for the kids...it is good enough for all of you!
Details first...then a review.
$Cash Mob$: Please come out and support Nate's Deli and Restaurant in Fairview Park Saturday, September 8th, 2012! Nate's Deli is located at 22098 Lorain Rd., Fairview Park, OH 44126. Please remember that the full menu is available for carry out by calling 440-734-9009. Nate's will be open from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm.
I have been to Nate's Deli many times and it has amazing deli sandwiches (especially the corned beef), Mediterranean specialties and breakfast. In the interest of full disclosure...it is owned by the family of a good friend of mine. This place has a great family deli feel to it. One of my favorite items is the hummous and pita. It is perfect and creamy chick pea goodness. The corned beef sandwich is also better than almost anywhere else in Cleveland. It is always fresh and delicious. The Greek salad has olives and feta and the dressing is perfect. I have personally never ordered breakfast, but I have seen the platters of goodness and maybe will try some on Saturday.
The prices are great, quality and quantity are over the top! This is a short blog...but I wanted to get the word out and encourage everyone to go out on Saturday to support a true family business where the family all help out and many times you can see the grandchildren eating as well. If the food is good enough for the kids...it is good enough for all of you!
Sunday, August 12, 2012
Downtown inthe Frugal Classic Way
So normally you would not look at Greenhouse Tavern as a "frugal" place to eat. But there is a way to enjoy Greenhouse Tavern, especially if you are with a dining companion and experience the wonderful diversity of the menu.
I was lucky and with a wonderful dinner date who was up for trying new things and most importantly sharing! We only ordered a total of 4 items off the menu...but it was way more food then 2 people could eat. We chose one item from each category of the menu.
So the food...We started with Devil;s on horseback. A quick read of the description sounds like a stuffed date wrapped in bacon. This is such an understatement of what was presented. The date was perfectly cooked with the crispy bacon and an amazing sauce that tasted like a vanilla butter. The other dish served as an appetiser was the Crispy hominy with pork skin cracklins. I had been trying to eat healthy, but the crispiness was delectable. The crispy nuggets of greatness were paired with a lime, scallion and chili sauce. After this first course of pure delight, we went on to the mail meal and "side" We split a lamb burger and pomme frites. The lamb burger was perfectly cooked with a cheese sauce. As good as the meal was to this point, it all paled in uniqueness to the last item of our dinner. We were intrigued by the types of frites offered and chose the Animal Style frites. I do not think I can even come close to actually describing this dish. It was perfectly crispy frites swimming in a brown gravy, melted mozzarella curds, two fried eggs, and the crispiest tastiest bacon. We were unable to finish this meal and at least half the frites went home.
My personal suggestion for dining at Greenhouse Tavern would be to choose and share several items instead of just a plain boring dinner and salad. The food is unique and meant to be shared and experienced. This meal was amazing, the atmosphere was fabulous, and the company even better. One the most important things I like to point out in my blog is the love of eating really good food and all aspects of what makes the meal fantastic.
I was lucky and with a wonderful dinner date who was up for trying new things and most importantly sharing! We only ordered a total of 4 items off the menu...but it was way more food then 2 people could eat. We chose one item from each category of the menu.
So the food...We started with Devil;s on horseback. A quick read of the description sounds like a stuffed date wrapped in bacon. This is such an understatement of what was presented. The date was perfectly cooked with the crispy bacon and an amazing sauce that tasted like a vanilla butter. The other dish served as an appetiser was the Crispy hominy with pork skin cracklins. I had been trying to eat healthy, but the crispiness was delectable. The crispy nuggets of greatness were paired with a lime, scallion and chili sauce. After this first course of pure delight, we went on to the mail meal and "side" We split a lamb burger and pomme frites. The lamb burger was perfectly cooked with a cheese sauce. As good as the meal was to this point, it all paled in uniqueness to the last item of our dinner. We were intrigued by the types of frites offered and chose the Animal Style frites. I do not think I can even come close to actually describing this dish. It was perfectly crispy frites swimming in a brown gravy, melted mozzarella curds, two fried eggs, and the crispiest tastiest bacon. We were unable to finish this meal and at least half the frites went home.
My personal suggestion for dining at Greenhouse Tavern would be to choose and share several items instead of just a plain boring dinner and salad. The food is unique and meant to be shared and experienced. This meal was amazing, the atmosphere was fabulous, and the company even better. One the most important things I like to point out in my blog is the love of eating really good food and all aspects of what makes the meal fantastic.
Sunday, July 29, 2012
Youngstown Festival and Food
This blog is a bit different as it highlights my trip to Youngstown over the weekend and three different spots...Haus and Whitehouse Market, Jimmie's Italian Store, and the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Festival in Youngstown.
Haus and Whitehouse Market are both in southern Mahoning County and promote farm fresh ingredients. Whitehouse is much bigger, but Haus is kmuch cheaper. We stopped at Haus Market first and I purchases a large zucchini for 50 cents, 3 homegrown garlic heads for 89 cents, 3 bags of popcorn kernals for only $2.25 per bag, apple cider quart and a glass of apple cider slushie. If I did not have my Fresh Fork items I would have also purchased the 6 hot peppers for $2. The prices were amazing and the items had literally just come off the farm. At Whitehouse it is a bit more commercial and you can purchase pies, doughnuts, chese, milk, and honey in addition to the produce. Whitehouse is a favorite in the fall when they have dozens of different varieties of apples and ciders available. The prices at Whitehouse are slightly higher, but still cheaper then anything in Cleveland.
My first stop every time I go to Youngstown is Jimmie's Italian Store. There is nothing in Cleveland that matches the quality or prices at Jimmie's. The bread is amazing and the tarelli with hot pepper or black pepper is a tasty crunchy treat. On my trips to the store I always purchase the hot peppers in oil that are made in house. I could literally eat only bread, hot peppers, and cheese for days. I also purchased a fabulous spinach roll for under $4 and the olive mix to bring to my family. It was stuffed with spinach and cheese inside of a delicious breading. They always run specials on peccorino romano cheese (only $4.99 for a pound) and Olive oil ($14.99 for a large bottle). I could buy everything from the bakery to the deli to the cheese and antipasto cases every time I go down. The meat is fresh and well cured. The cheeses are delicious. The bakery cannot even be described in this blog. They have everything from amazing Italian desserts to cookies to bread and cakes. Every trip to Youngstown should include a stop at this amazing store. Before you leave, you can even purchase a hot meal to eat.
My last food stop while in Y-town was the Our Lady Of Mount Carmel Festival. This is the church my father grew up in and my family belonged to my entire life (Along with St. Anthony). We arrived at the festival and my entire purpose in going to this festival was to eat. So we immediately went to the church hall to choose food from Fusillo Catering, the official caterer of the church. I started with a meatball sandwich ($4) and my friends had polenta with sausage sauce($3). Nothing purchases from the church was over $5 except for the Frazone(which could feed 2) which was $7. The meatballs tasted amazing and the polenta tasted just like my mom;s on New Year's Eve. We then decided to walk around the festival grounds and the disappointment began. I know that my own advice at festivals is to always stick with the church food...I did not heed my own advice and wasted money on sub par food. Some other friends had told me to try food from the Roberto's truck. They have done the festival route for years and just opened a restaurant in the growing downtown Youngstown. My comments on their food...NEVER AGAIN. I purchased a pepperoni roll. The mistakes began from the beginning...to heat it up they placed it in a microwave. Things were even worse when I received the soggy bread wrapped around a tiny amount of pepperoni. To add insult to injury the sauce was sour. I actually tried to pull the bread off and just eat the pepperoni...it was low quality and I ended up throwing away the roll. My friend purchased a sweet red pepper sandwich, it looked delicious. However, his comment was that is was bland and the bread overwhelmed the filling. Many of the other stands at the festival were not even Italian. So while the church food was AMAZING as always from Fusillo Catering, the food outside was not up to Italian food standard in Youngstown.
Trips to Youngstown always include amazing food and next time I might get my friends to take me to someplace new. Happy eating...this week will feature another great meal from Little Italy.
Haus and Whitehouse Market are both in southern Mahoning County and promote farm fresh ingredients. Whitehouse is much bigger, but Haus is kmuch cheaper. We stopped at Haus Market first and I purchases a large zucchini for 50 cents, 3 homegrown garlic heads for 89 cents, 3 bags of popcorn kernals for only $2.25 per bag, apple cider quart and a glass of apple cider slushie. If I did not have my Fresh Fork items I would have also purchased the 6 hot peppers for $2. The prices were amazing and the items had literally just come off the farm. At Whitehouse it is a bit more commercial and you can purchase pies, doughnuts, chese, milk, and honey in addition to the produce. Whitehouse is a favorite in the fall when they have dozens of different varieties of apples and ciders available. The prices at Whitehouse are slightly higher, but still cheaper then anything in Cleveland.
My first stop every time I go to Youngstown is Jimmie's Italian Store. There is nothing in Cleveland that matches the quality or prices at Jimmie's. The bread is amazing and the tarelli with hot pepper or black pepper is a tasty crunchy treat. On my trips to the store I always purchase the hot peppers in oil that are made in house. I could literally eat only bread, hot peppers, and cheese for days. I also purchased a fabulous spinach roll for under $4 and the olive mix to bring to my family. It was stuffed with spinach and cheese inside of a delicious breading. They always run specials on peccorino romano cheese (only $4.99 for a pound) and Olive oil ($14.99 for a large bottle). I could buy everything from the bakery to the deli to the cheese and antipasto cases every time I go down. The meat is fresh and well cured. The cheeses are delicious. The bakery cannot even be described in this blog. They have everything from amazing Italian desserts to cookies to bread and cakes. Every trip to Youngstown should include a stop at this amazing store. Before you leave, you can even purchase a hot meal to eat.
My last food stop while in Y-town was the Our Lady Of Mount Carmel Festival. This is the church my father grew up in and my family belonged to my entire life (Along with St. Anthony). We arrived at the festival and my entire purpose in going to this festival was to eat. So we immediately went to the church hall to choose food from Fusillo Catering, the official caterer of the church. I started with a meatball sandwich ($4) and my friends had polenta with sausage sauce($3). Nothing purchases from the church was over $5 except for the Frazone(which could feed 2) which was $7. The meatballs tasted amazing and the polenta tasted just like my mom;s on New Year's Eve. We then decided to walk around the festival grounds and the disappointment began. I know that my own advice at festivals is to always stick with the church food...I did not heed my own advice and wasted money on sub par food. Some other friends had told me to try food from the Roberto's truck. They have done the festival route for years and just opened a restaurant in the growing downtown Youngstown. My comments on their food...NEVER AGAIN. I purchased a pepperoni roll. The mistakes began from the beginning...to heat it up they placed it in a microwave. Things were even worse when I received the soggy bread wrapped around a tiny amount of pepperoni. To add insult to injury the sauce was sour. I actually tried to pull the bread off and just eat the pepperoni...it was low quality and I ended up throwing away the roll. My friend purchased a sweet red pepper sandwich, it looked delicious. However, his comment was that is was bland and the bread overwhelmed the filling. Many of the other stands at the festival were not even Italian. So while the church food was AMAZING as always from Fusillo Catering, the food outside was not up to Italian food standard in Youngstown.
Trips to Youngstown always include amazing food and next time I might get my friends to take me to someplace new. Happy eating...this week will feature another great meal from Little Italy.
Saturday, July 14, 2012
Italian Fetival Fun
My favorite festival of the year is happening RIGHT NOW!!!!! Our Lady of Mount Carmel West is the most authentic Italian Festival complete with an authentic Italian procession of Saints. The entire purpose of the festival is to honor the Blessed Mother and our Italian culture.
The members of the church lovingly make all of the food for the festival. Even Bruno's Restaurant- which serves excellent eggplant lasagna, is a member of the parish. There are two options...sit down dinner where the school children actually serve you your dinner at a table and traditional booths. The Villa serves a full meal for around $10 a person. You have a choice of cavatelli and meatballs, spaghetti and meatballs, chicken dinner and many other items all including a salad and bread and butter. The meals are huge and you will take at least half of it home with you. But it is nice to just sit down and have a good meal. Fridays they include fish dinners on the menu.
Outside the food is top notch! You can get a bowl of cavaelli and one meatball or a meatball sub for $5. There is also yummy sausage sandwiches, pizza, and Hispanic food. Looking for a snack...lupini are available. There are sweets available for everyone. Refreshing HHawaiian ice is available in a multitude of flavors for only $3 for a "small". For the Italian sweet tooth there are cannolis, lemon ice and the famous zeppole! The food is amazing and well priced. A family could easily get a full dinner for $20.
If you are looking for a night out and something other than food...there is beer, wine and homemade cello's. The limoncello is absolutely amazing and shots abound with the working crew come Sunday night. Each night you can dance to the Italian music and many people sign along. The Grocery Stand gets hot on Sunday nights giving away whole provolone's, salamis, gallons of wine, and gallons of olive oil. At midnight on Sunday is the drawing for $5000 grand prize. We also offer casino gambling without having to go downtown for the night.
The best part of this festival aside from the food is the Procession of Saints on Sunday. Mass begins at 11:30 and the Procession starts after Mass. The procession easily takes an hour oing up and down the streets in the Italian part of the West Side. The people walking in the procession pray, sing and watch a fireworks presentation at the end of the procession. The neighborhood families clean the streets and lay down flowers for the Blessed Mother. As the Blessed Mother reaches each cross street, firecrackers go off in her honor to let all know she is present. After the Procession members return to church for Benediction.
Stop by on Sunday and see me at the Zeppole Booth! The fried dough with powdered sugar is a yearly treat!
The members of the church lovingly make all of the food for the festival. Even Bruno's Restaurant- which serves excellent eggplant lasagna, is a member of the parish. There are two options...sit down dinner where the school children actually serve you your dinner at a table and traditional booths. The Villa serves a full meal for around $10 a person. You have a choice of cavatelli and meatballs, spaghetti and meatballs, chicken dinner and many other items all including a salad and bread and butter. The meals are huge and you will take at least half of it home with you. But it is nice to just sit down and have a good meal. Fridays they include fish dinners on the menu.
Outside the food is top notch! You can get a bowl of cavaelli and one meatball or a meatball sub for $5. There is also yummy sausage sandwiches, pizza, and Hispanic food. Looking for a snack...lupini are available. There are sweets available for everyone. Refreshing HHawaiian ice is available in a multitude of flavors for only $3 for a "small". For the Italian sweet tooth there are cannolis, lemon ice and the famous zeppole! The food is amazing and well priced. A family could easily get a full dinner for $20.
If you are looking for a night out and something other than food...there is beer, wine and homemade cello's. The limoncello is absolutely amazing and shots abound with the working crew come Sunday night. Each night you can dance to the Italian music and many people sign along. The Grocery Stand gets hot on Sunday nights giving away whole provolone's, salamis, gallons of wine, and gallons of olive oil. At midnight on Sunday is the drawing for $5000 grand prize. We also offer casino gambling without having to go downtown for the night.
The best part of this festival aside from the food is the Procession of Saints on Sunday. Mass begins at 11:30 and the Procession starts after Mass. The procession easily takes an hour oing up and down the streets in the Italian part of the West Side. The people walking in the procession pray, sing and watch a fireworks presentation at the end of the procession. The neighborhood families clean the streets and lay down flowers for the Blessed Mother. As the Blessed Mother reaches each cross street, firecrackers go off in her honor to let all know she is present. After the Procession members return to church for Benediction.
Stop by on Sunday and see me at the Zeppole Booth! The fried dough with powdered sugar is a yearly treat!
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
Irish Taco Tuesday
The day before a holiday and everyone should go out for a few drinks and some dinner...I mean who wants to cook anyway? Tuesday I went to PJ McIntyre's to meet a friend for a drink and some dinner. This Irish Bar has a typical taco Tuesday line up definitely worthy to be mentioned in the blog. The food is cheap and good, as are the drinks.
We started with $2 margaritas that were tasty and strong. There was a choice between regular and mango, I went with regular. They also offer soft or hard tacos. The beef are $1.50, chicken are $2.50, and fish are 2 for $6. I chose one beef and one chicken soft tacos. They were nothing special, but they were fresh and well made. The tacos were filled with tomatoes, lettuce, cheese and a side of salsa. The beef and chicken were well flavored and just melted into the tortilla. I also ordered a side of black and tan onion rings. These were normal price on the menu $3 and enough to share with a friend. While the tacos were pedestrian, the onion rings were phenomenal. They were crispy and not greasy with a ton on flavor. A definite choice for the future. Sometimes onion rings can be soggy with too much batter but these had a perfect balance of onion to batter.
At the end of the night....dinner and 2 margarita's later my entire bill with tax and tip was under $14. PJ's is a great bar at night for music as well. They have quality specials every day of the week including steaks on Saturday. Ordering from the specials and off menu definitely is a great option for those looking for a yummy frugal meal.
Enjoy the Fourth everyone!
We started with $2 margaritas that were tasty and strong. There was a choice between regular and mango, I went with regular. They also offer soft or hard tacos. The beef are $1.50, chicken are $2.50, and fish are 2 for $6. I chose one beef and one chicken soft tacos. They were nothing special, but they were fresh and well made. The tacos were filled with tomatoes, lettuce, cheese and a side of salsa. The beef and chicken were well flavored and just melted into the tortilla. I also ordered a side of black and tan onion rings. These were normal price on the menu $3 and enough to share with a friend. While the tacos were pedestrian, the onion rings were phenomenal. They were crispy and not greasy with a ton on flavor. A definite choice for the future. Sometimes onion rings can be soggy with too much batter but these had a perfect balance of onion to batter.
At the end of the night....dinner and 2 margarita's later my entire bill with tax and tip was under $14. PJ's is a great bar at night for music as well. They have quality specials every day of the week including steaks on Saturday. Ordering from the specials and off menu definitely is a great option for those looking for a yummy frugal meal.
Enjoy the Fourth everyone!
Sunday, June 17, 2012
three in one
So this week's blog has 3 parts all in one. Great dinner, great festival, and upcoming deals.
1. Great Dinner
I have spent time at Clifton Martini and Wine Bar for parties and just drinks, but Friday night I decided to go for dinner. The outside was packed and since I was dining alone I chose to sit at the bar. Sadly the inside was pretty much empty (hoping this blog brings some recognition to the greatness of this place). I sat down and immediately noticed Absolut Tea vodka and had a drink with the vodka and lemonade. If you like iced tea and have never had this new vodka...give it a try. So now for dinner selections of the night. I wanted something I could not get at home. I was torn between the beef carpaccio and the ahi tuna. I chose the ahi tuna and it was amazing. The description on the menu is perfect "Sesame Crusted, Kimchee Slaw, Wasabi, & Pickled Ginger, Prepared Medium Rare". The tuna was succulent and perfectly seasoned. The kimchi slaw was very unexpected but a great balance to the tuna. The plate was balanced, quality high, and taste out of this world. As a protein portion, it was great. I could have ordered one of the amazing salads but I chose the fried mozzarella. It sounds like a strange combination...but hey it was what I wanted on Friday night. The fried mozzarella was also amazing. It was fresh mozzarella lightly breaded in a light tomato sauce with fresh basil chopped on the top of it. The taste was fresh, the medallions were perfectly melty and for being fried cheese it was not heavy or greasy at all. While the meal was great, it was definitely above my frugally classy budget for dinner. However, it was a treat for a long week and so perfectly acceptable to pay $20 for dinner. :-). On the plus side, from 4-6pm you can order any of the pizza's on the menu for $6 and $3 off martinis. The person next to me had ordered a pizza and it was huge. Definitely a 2 night meal or a great item to split with a date.
2. Great festival
Sunday I went to the Slavic Festival in Youngstown. It was a $3 entry fee and that included a chance at a raffle prize and great entertainment. The food however was absolutely amazing. Most of it was made by Slavic churches and the food was great and cheap! I was able to purchase a pita with cevapaci, onions, and a tomato eggplant sauce. The cost was only $6 and the sandwich was a great size. The next item I tried was from one of churches. It was a $2 bread pastry with meat and onions inside. IT was called a pirohi, not to be confused with a perogie. The smells were great and I wanted to eat more. The Haluski, keilbasa, cabbage, cabbage rolls all looked amazing, but I was stuffed. The festival also offered ethnic beers, slivo, and kolachi. Great event and I cannot wait until next year and eating even more food!
3. Shhhh....a secret sale for all those foodies out there. June 20th check out Cleveland Independents for greatly discounted gift certificates!
Looking for more great festivals to try and food from everywhere. I may blog about the great stuff from Fresh Fork CSA I pick up and how I prepare the food one week.
1. Great Dinner
I have spent time at Clifton Martini and Wine Bar for parties and just drinks, but Friday night I decided to go for dinner. The outside was packed and since I was dining alone I chose to sit at the bar. Sadly the inside was pretty much empty (hoping this blog brings some recognition to the greatness of this place). I sat down and immediately noticed Absolut Tea vodka and had a drink with the vodka and lemonade. If you like iced tea and have never had this new vodka...give it a try. So now for dinner selections of the night. I wanted something I could not get at home. I was torn between the beef carpaccio and the ahi tuna. I chose the ahi tuna and it was amazing. The description on the menu is perfect "Sesame Crusted, Kimchee Slaw, Wasabi, & Pickled Ginger, Prepared Medium Rare". The tuna was succulent and perfectly seasoned. The kimchi slaw was very unexpected but a great balance to the tuna. The plate was balanced, quality high, and taste out of this world. As a protein portion, it was great. I could have ordered one of the amazing salads but I chose the fried mozzarella. It sounds like a strange combination...but hey it was what I wanted on Friday night. The fried mozzarella was also amazing. It was fresh mozzarella lightly breaded in a light tomato sauce with fresh basil chopped on the top of it. The taste was fresh, the medallions were perfectly melty and for being fried cheese it was not heavy or greasy at all. While the meal was great, it was definitely above my frugally classy budget for dinner. However, it was a treat for a long week and so perfectly acceptable to pay $20 for dinner. :-). On the plus side, from 4-6pm you can order any of the pizza's on the menu for $6 and $3 off martinis. The person next to me had ordered a pizza and it was huge. Definitely a 2 night meal or a great item to split with a date.
2. Great festival
Sunday I went to the Slavic Festival in Youngstown. It was a $3 entry fee and that included a chance at a raffle prize and great entertainment. The food however was absolutely amazing. Most of it was made by Slavic churches and the food was great and cheap! I was able to purchase a pita with cevapaci, onions, and a tomato eggplant sauce. The cost was only $6 and the sandwich was a great size. The next item I tried was from one of churches. It was a $2 bread pastry with meat and onions inside. IT was called a pirohi, not to be confused with a perogie. The smells were great and I wanted to eat more. The Haluski, keilbasa, cabbage, cabbage rolls all looked amazing, but I was stuffed. The festival also offered ethnic beers, slivo, and kolachi. Great event and I cannot wait until next year and eating even more food!
3. Shhhh....a secret sale for all those foodies out there. June 20th check out Cleveland Independents for greatly discounted gift certificates!
Looking for more great festivals to try and food from everywhere. I may blog about the great stuff from Fresh Fork CSA I pick up and how I prepare the food one week.
Saturday, June 2, 2012
Affordable in Little Italy
On Wednesday the Italian American Women's Network of Cleveland met for its monthly meeting and dinner at Trattoria in Little Italy. Not only was the company and conversation enjoyable...so was the food! Trattoria is a great place in Little Italy to have dinner not only for its fantastic outdoor patio but also because it has its own free parking lot. Even better is the food and how affordable it is.
Usually when I go I get the gnocchi with tomato butter sauce. It is amazing and fresh and creamy. But on this nice start of summer evening I wanted something a bit lighter. I started with a salad with oil and balsamic vinegar. The olive oil was a beautiful shade of green and delicious. They also serve fresh bread with tomatoes for the table. The tomatoes were seasoned with fresh garlic and basil. I could have been happy eating just the bread and tomatoes all night. But...decided that something for dinner would be a better idea. I chose the pizza. For $8.50 it was a thin crust pizza with pesto, shrimp, eggplant, roasted red peppers and cheese. There was plenty for me to take half home, but it was so good I just had to finish it. The pizza had a nice balance of toppings, cheese and bright flavors. One of my dining companions had an interesting pizza as well. She chose one with smoked salmon, olives and feta. It was amazing. It was not salty as you might expect. The flavors melded together perfectly.
Most of the restaurants in Little Italy can be pricey with dinners starting at $15 per plate, but at Trattoria most meals are under $15 per person and all are filling, delectable, fresh and authentic. This place definitely fits the frugally classy profile of good food at an even better price!
Usually when I go I get the gnocchi with tomato butter sauce. It is amazing and fresh and creamy. But on this nice start of summer evening I wanted something a bit lighter. I started with a salad with oil and balsamic vinegar. The olive oil was a beautiful shade of green and delicious. They also serve fresh bread with tomatoes for the table. The tomatoes were seasoned with fresh garlic and basil. I could have been happy eating just the bread and tomatoes all night. But...decided that something for dinner would be a better idea. I chose the pizza. For $8.50 it was a thin crust pizza with pesto, shrimp, eggplant, roasted red peppers and cheese. There was plenty for me to take half home, but it was so good I just had to finish it. The pizza had a nice balance of toppings, cheese and bright flavors. One of my dining companions had an interesting pizza as well. She chose one with smoked salmon, olives and feta. It was amazing. It was not salty as you might expect. The flavors melded together perfectly.
Most of the restaurants in Little Italy can be pricey with dinners starting at $15 per plate, but at Trattoria most meals are under $15 per person and all are filling, delectable, fresh and authentic. This place definitely fits the frugally classy profile of good food at an even better price!
Monday, May 28, 2012
Festival Season!
We have officially entered my favorite time of the year...Festival Season!!!!! There is nothing better to me i9n terms of food and value then an ethnic or church festival. I will blog about many throughout the summer...but here the first one which is always a great kick off for the Summer.
Greek Fest in Tremont is always one of my favorite ethnic church food festivals. First the food is authentic, delicious, and fresh. Second, the food is cheap! There are two different eating styles for the festival, outside and inside. The outside tent has Greek "fast food": Gyro's, Greek fries, Souvlaki on a stick, calamari. The prices are good and according to one dining companion "that was the best Gyro I have ever had". I chose the indoor dining where you can get a full meal. Myself and another dining companion both went with the Greek meatball dinner. The cost of the dinner was $8 and included a salad, bread, 3 large Greek meatballs, and 2 sides. The choice of sides included rice, lemon garlic potato wedges, orzo pasta, or green beans. I went with the potato wedges which were in a buttery lemon garlic sauce and the orzo pasta with onions. Yes I know...carb overload...but it was so tasty and delicious. The Greek meatballs were amazing. Greek meatballs are different from other meatballs. They are made with beef, bread crumbs, eggs, onions, and Greek spices and are shaped like fat short cigars. The tomato sauce was light and filled with more Greek spices of oregano and garlic. Instead of getting the regular salad with Greek dressing, I chose to pay the $3 for the feta and olive salad. I mean it was feta cheese and olives...well worth the $3 and it could have been split it was so big.
On top of the great food...the drinks were good and cheap. You could get a domestic draft for $2 or a bottled Greek Beer for $4. Greek wines were $5 each for a large glass.
If you are still hungry...there is a multitude of homemade deserts and pastry. These pastry's are light, buttery, and filled with nuts and honey. Any Greek desert cookie you ever had before you can buy here.
So first festival is down...there are many more to come in the future include the following favorites:
June 16th- Slavic Fest in Youngstown (This will be there second year and my first, but I cannot wait to try the homemade Slavic food)
July 11-15- Our Lady of Mount Carmel West. Here you can have the best Italian Meatballs and cavatelli.
And recently...I just learned of a Russian Festival in Parma. Stay tuned and feel free to suggest your favorites to me!
PS...A special shout out to one of the best high school graduation meals I ever had...My cousin Sarah graduated this weekend and had her graduation party at The Embassy in Youngstown. Most graduations have a form of pasta, chicken, roast beef, potatoes, and sausage...not my cousin. She had a feast of Mediterranean foods including hummus, shredded Italian beef, antipasto with olives, excellent caprese salad, sandwiches, and picked baby eggplant stuffed with tabouli (I think). Unique choices for a truly unique and beautiful graduate.
Greek Fest in Tremont is always one of my favorite ethnic church food festivals. First the food is authentic, delicious, and fresh. Second, the food is cheap! There are two different eating styles for the festival, outside and inside. The outside tent has Greek "fast food": Gyro's, Greek fries, Souvlaki on a stick, calamari. The prices are good and according to one dining companion "that was the best Gyro I have ever had". I chose the indoor dining where you can get a full meal. Myself and another dining companion both went with the Greek meatball dinner. The cost of the dinner was $8 and included a salad, bread, 3 large Greek meatballs, and 2 sides. The choice of sides included rice, lemon garlic potato wedges, orzo pasta, or green beans. I went with the potato wedges which were in a buttery lemon garlic sauce and the orzo pasta with onions. Yes I know...carb overload...but it was so tasty and delicious. The Greek meatballs were amazing. Greek meatballs are different from other meatballs. They are made with beef, bread crumbs, eggs, onions, and Greek spices and are shaped like fat short cigars. The tomato sauce was light and filled with more Greek spices of oregano and garlic. Instead of getting the regular salad with Greek dressing, I chose to pay the $3 for the feta and olive salad. I mean it was feta cheese and olives...well worth the $3 and it could have been split it was so big.
On top of the great food...the drinks were good and cheap. You could get a domestic draft for $2 or a bottled Greek Beer for $4. Greek wines were $5 each for a large glass.
If you are still hungry...there is a multitude of homemade deserts and pastry. These pastry's are light, buttery, and filled with nuts and honey. Any Greek desert cookie you ever had before you can buy here.
So first festival is down...there are many more to come in the future include the following favorites:
June 16th- Slavic Fest in Youngstown (This will be there second year and my first, but I cannot wait to try the homemade Slavic food)
July 11-15- Our Lady of Mount Carmel West. Here you can have the best Italian Meatballs and cavatelli.
And recently...I just learned of a Russian Festival in Parma. Stay tuned and feel free to suggest your favorites to me!
PS...A special shout out to one of the best high school graduation meals I ever had...My cousin Sarah graduated this weekend and had her graduation party at The Embassy in Youngstown. Most graduations have a form of pasta, chicken, roast beef, potatoes, and sausage...not my cousin. She had a feast of Mediterranean foods including hummus, shredded Italian beef, antipasto with olives, excellent caprese salad, sandwiches, and picked baby eggplant stuffed with tabouli (I think). Unique choices for a truly unique and beautiful graduate.
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Not so cheap but excellent meal
Last week a couple friends from Youngstown came up and we saw a great movie at Capital Theater and then went to dinner. We decided to go to Ohio. One of my friends suggested the Flying Fig. I am so glad she did...I forgot how amazing the food was at this little Ohio City location. This was not a typical $10 per person meal like many of my suggestions, however, if we were to look at quality and price it was definitely a frugal living meal.
The three of us decided to share our meals so we each ordered 2 appetizers and a salad. Each item was $6-9 each. There were three salads on the menu and we ordered one of each. Each was slightly different, light and fresh. One was an arugala salad with fresh herbs and a lemon, garlic and Olive oil dressing. Another had beautiful young kale and the third had tiny fresh asparagus.
The six small plates we orders were also amazing, well prepared, fresh, and the perfect size. All three of us enjoyed the burratta cheese with a lovely olive tapenade. It was soft and creamy and full of flavor. The waiter had to bring us more crostini as we did not want to waste a single morsel. My friend also ordered the mussels with a chorizo, tomato and saffron broth. Personally, I am not a mussel fan but the smell was amazing and my dinner companions both loved it. The mushroom tacos were not at all what we expected. They were small, almost dollar coin size, tortilla rounds with a mushroom mixture on top that had a slight creaminess to it. Also on the sharing menu was the herbed ricotta gnocchi which my friend ordered specifically because it was served with ramps. The fifth item was the tempura battered green beans. This may have been the best tempura green beans I have ever tried. The batter was so light that it was more green then tempura. The green beans were so fresh and still slightly crisp. There was no grease. The batter was flavorful as were the two sauces served with it. The last dish was the flat bread pizza. It was light and crispy as a flat bread should be. it was topped very simply with mushroom, thin slices of red chilies goat cheese and arugula.
It was such a lovely meal. Not only was the food delectable but the company was great. The atmosphere just lends itself to a long Sunday dinner with friends.
The three of us decided to share our meals so we each ordered 2 appetizers and a salad. Each item was $6-9 each. There were three salads on the menu and we ordered one of each. Each was slightly different, light and fresh. One was an arugala salad with fresh herbs and a lemon, garlic and Olive oil dressing. Another had beautiful young kale and the third had tiny fresh asparagus.
The six small plates we orders were also amazing, well prepared, fresh, and the perfect size. All three of us enjoyed the burratta cheese with a lovely olive tapenade. It was soft and creamy and full of flavor. The waiter had to bring us more crostini as we did not want to waste a single morsel. My friend also ordered the mussels with a chorizo, tomato and saffron broth. Personally, I am not a mussel fan but the smell was amazing and my dinner companions both loved it. The mushroom tacos were not at all what we expected. They were small, almost dollar coin size, tortilla rounds with a mushroom mixture on top that had a slight creaminess to it. Also on the sharing menu was the herbed ricotta gnocchi which my friend ordered specifically because it was served with ramps. The fifth item was the tempura battered green beans. This may have been the best tempura green beans I have ever tried. The batter was so light that it was more green then tempura. The green beans were so fresh and still slightly crisp. There was no grease. The batter was flavorful as were the two sauces served with it. The last dish was the flat bread pizza. It was light and crispy as a flat bread should be. it was topped very simply with mushroom, thin slices of red chilies goat cheese and arugula.
It was such a lovely meal. Not only was the food delectable but the company was great. The atmosphere just lends itself to a long Sunday dinner with friends.
Cheap Cuban Food!
The other day I finally had a chance to stop at a little place on Madison Rd in Lakewood, Barroco Grill. The inside is small and festive with handwritten graffiti on the walls. The menu is traditional with a twist. While they serve Arepas and Cuban sandwiches, they also have hot dogs and hamburgers. Most of the items are under $9 each, but they do have some items under the Gourmet section that are $11-17. While the more expensive items sound amazing...I am sticking with the cheap items for the blog.
My experience was the Cuban sandwich for $9. It was a great sandwich and a perfect balance of bread and filling. For me the sandwich was big enough to have half for lunch and half for dinner. Although I am sure others could eat the entire thing in one sitting. The traditional Cuban has sliced pork, ham, mozzarella cheese, garlic sauce, lettuce, tomato and I also had a side of the green sauce to dip it in. This sandwich did not come with fries, but it did not need them.
They also serve arepas, they looked and smelled amazing! All of the arepas are serves with fries and wasabi coleslaw. There are 6 different ones, including a vegetarian option. The most traditional arepa has your choice of chicken, steak, pork or chorizo with onion, peppers, and mushrooms. In addition to the six various options, you can also get a burger on an arepa. There are also around $9 each.
Another great deal on the menu is the Cheesy Corn! The Cheesy Corn is corn gratin with chicken, bacon, mozzarella and arepa fries. It just sounds amazing, although I have not yet tried it. Maybe on my next trip out there.
If you want to eat there, it is a great fun atmosphere and the day I stopped by had a lot of families. I would recommend this for any weekend when you are looking for a yummy quick lunch!
My experience was the Cuban sandwich for $9. It was a great sandwich and a perfect balance of bread and filling. For me the sandwich was big enough to have half for lunch and half for dinner. Although I am sure others could eat the entire thing in one sitting. The traditional Cuban has sliced pork, ham, mozzarella cheese, garlic sauce, lettuce, tomato and I also had a side of the green sauce to dip it in. This sandwich did not come with fries, but it did not need them.
They also serve arepas, they looked and smelled amazing! All of the arepas are serves with fries and wasabi coleslaw. There are 6 different ones, including a vegetarian option. The most traditional arepa has your choice of chicken, steak, pork or chorizo with onion, peppers, and mushrooms. In addition to the six various options, you can also get a burger on an arepa. There are also around $9 each.
Another great deal on the menu is the Cheesy Corn! The Cheesy Corn is corn gratin with chicken, bacon, mozzarella and arepa fries. It just sounds amazing, although I have not yet tried it. Maybe on my next trip out there.
If you want to eat there, it is a great fun atmosphere and the day I stopped by had a lot of families. I would recommend this for any weekend when you are looking for a yummy quick lunch!
Saturday, April 7, 2012
Another Restaurant Week!!!!
Cleveland Independents is one of my favorite organizations and they are having a spring Restaurant Week from April 2-14th. As per my usual obsessive compulsive self towards getting a bargain, I have examined all of the restaurants menu and come up with the best bang for your buck. For $33 per person some of the restaurants have the choice of salad, pasta and ice cream for dessert while others have....well...check these places out!
Flour Rustic Italian Kitchen has an amazing menu for the week. My choices from the menu would be the following: Chorizo stuffed dates wrapped in pancetta with a roasted red pepper sauce; Intermezzo-chef's inspiration; third course- Vitello tonnato ravioli with veal, tuna tomato sauce and pickled garlic with arugula; for dessert- Nutella and chocolate molten cake. The selections sound amazing and it is well worth the $33 per person. Plus, I have never been here so this is one of my top choice for the week.
Another long time favorite of mine is The Grovewood Tavern and its menu does not disappoint either. My choices for the special menu would include some of the tastiest items on the menu that are unique and always well prepared. First course- grilled smoked Gouda is pan-seared and served with a fig/shallot/port wine jam and crostini. I have had similar dishes to this at Grovewood and it is amazing. The second course choice would be the Maple-Adobo Pork shank which is raised in Guiness with adobo peppers, heared spaetzle, and fresh vegetales in a Chardon maple syrup adobo glaze. The other items sound flavorful as well but this one sounds the most unique and inventive of all of the choices. For dessert the choice would clearly be the caramel pecan cake...it is caramel, pecans and cake what else could be better. Grovewood a better deal then the $33 dinner by including a special selected wine pairing with each course and dish for only $13 more. If you miss Grovewood for the week...I highly encourage you to stop e another time for a truly delicious meal.
My second choice for the week, based mainly on the fact that I have never been to this place for dinner before is Players on Madison. It is hard to make a choice at this place but I will do my best. They also have a slightly different option in that the three course do not include a dessert course. The first course offers Roasted chicken, corn, spinach spring rolls with asian slaw and siracha-soy dipping sauce. The second course- a salad course- my choice would e the mista salad with sun dried strawberries, onion, gorgonzola and a balsamic vinaigrette. While this is not the most exciting group of choices, a well made salad can be amazing no matter how common it might be to the palate. The main course choice for me would clearly be the Proscuitto and Gouda stuffed pork chop served with polenta, corn salsa and smoked ancho-tomato sauce. I love things that are spicy and this sounds like an interesting combination.
My last choice, only due to the number of times I have eaten here, is hype park in Westlake. This menu may be the best one in terms of value. First course the clear choice is the half Hyde Park Wedge. While the other choice is Loster Bisque, trust me this Wedge salad is amazing and so perfect. The dinner choice for me would be the Jumbo Shrimp Saute with tomatoes, mushrooms, scallion on lemon pepper angel hair pasta with a spicy lobster butter sauce. My second choice would e the bacon wrapped twin fillet with caramelized onion, truffle aioli and garlic whipped potatoes. This is a steak house and their steaks are melt in your mouth fantastic. The dessert would be the two layer double chocolate cake. I could easily go to Hyde Park for this $33 dinner three time if money were no object.
So there are my choices for Cleveland Independent Restaurant Week! I am looking for dining guests this week. I am willing to go to at 2 dinners...so let me know if you are interested! :-) Have a Happy Easter everyone!
Flour Rustic Italian Kitchen has an amazing menu for the week. My choices from the menu would be the following: Chorizo stuffed dates wrapped in pancetta with a roasted red pepper sauce; Intermezzo-chef's inspiration; third course- Vitello tonnato ravioli with veal, tuna tomato sauce and pickled garlic with arugula; for dessert- Nutella and chocolate molten cake. The selections sound amazing and it is well worth the $33 per person. Plus, I have never been here so this is one of my top choice for the week.
Another long time favorite of mine is The Grovewood Tavern and its menu does not disappoint either. My choices for the special menu would include some of the tastiest items on the menu that are unique and always well prepared. First course- grilled smoked Gouda is pan-seared and served with a fig/shallot/port wine jam and crostini. I have had similar dishes to this at Grovewood and it is amazing. The second course choice would be the Maple-Adobo Pork shank which is raised in Guiness with adobo peppers, heared spaetzle, and fresh vegetales in a Chardon maple syrup adobo glaze. The other items sound flavorful as well but this one sounds the most unique and inventive of all of the choices. For dessert the choice would clearly be the caramel pecan cake...it is caramel, pecans and cake what else could be better. Grovewood a better deal then the $33 dinner by including a special selected wine pairing with each course and dish for only $13 more. If you miss Grovewood for the week...I highly encourage you to stop e another time for a truly delicious meal.
My second choice for the week, based mainly on the fact that I have never been to this place for dinner before is Players on Madison. It is hard to make a choice at this place but I will do my best. They also have a slightly different option in that the three course do not include a dessert course. The first course offers Roasted chicken, corn, spinach spring rolls with asian slaw and siracha-soy dipping sauce. The second course- a salad course- my choice would e the mista salad with sun dried strawberries, onion, gorgonzola and a balsamic vinaigrette. While this is not the most exciting group of choices, a well made salad can be amazing no matter how common it might be to the palate. The main course choice for me would clearly be the Proscuitto and Gouda stuffed pork chop served with polenta, corn salsa and smoked ancho-tomato sauce. I love things that are spicy and this sounds like an interesting combination.
My last choice, only due to the number of times I have eaten here, is hype park in Westlake. This menu may be the best one in terms of value. First course the clear choice is the half Hyde Park Wedge. While the other choice is Loster Bisque, trust me this Wedge salad is amazing and so perfect. The dinner choice for me would be the Jumbo Shrimp Saute with tomatoes, mushrooms, scallion on lemon pepper angel hair pasta with a spicy lobster butter sauce. My second choice would e the bacon wrapped twin fillet with caramelized onion, truffle aioli and garlic whipped potatoes. This is a steak house and their steaks are melt in your mouth fantastic. The dessert would be the two layer double chocolate cake. I could easily go to Hyde Park for this $33 dinner three time if money were no object.
So there are my choices for Cleveland Independent Restaurant Week! I am looking for dining guests this week. I am willing to go to at 2 dinners...so let me know if you are interested! :-) Have a Happy Easter everyone!
Friday, March 23, 2012
Biker Bar Great Food
I friended Lion on Lorain, a biker bar in West Park, a few months back just for fun. Every time they post food it looks amazing and it sounds even better. This place boasts itself as a biker bar but it is so much more than that. The food and drinks are unique twists on some classics. The food and drinks are cheap but well worth it. This bar is not your typical bar food.
The drink menu is great for flavored vodka lover's such as myself. I cannot say much about the beer menu because I am not much of a beer drinker, although they do have Christmas Ale!!!!!!!! I had one drink from the menu and the other two the friendly bar tender just created for me based on what I liked. All three had cherry vodka (my fav!) and a different blend of juices. The drinks were only $3.25 each, a great deal for a hard liquor drink.
The menu has amazingly creative items. It is divided into groups of appetizers, sandwiches, and burgers. Myself and my dining companion enjoyed the sandwich section....$8 per sandwich with choice of tator tots or jojo's. I had The Ex. It was a toasted crunchy baguette with a jalapeno bacon jam, lettuce, tomato, delicious lightly fried chicken breast, cheese and a very good creamy sauce. I opted for the sweet potato tots and they were crunchy and perfect. The sandwich was so big I could only eat half of it. It was the first sandwich I had in a long time that was a perfect proportion of bread to filling to vegetables to sauce. Everything melded together perfectly with a great flavor and a spicy kick! I of course had to add some hot sauce just because. My companion indulged in the "Fresh Prince". A mix of a philly steak and a roast beef au jus. The sandwich looked amazing and I should have asked for a bite. There was perfectly sliced beef, onion, mushrooms, jalapenos, cheese wiz, and it was falling apart with each bite.
While this food was great it completely fit in with my frugality. $8 for a sandwich good enough for 2 days is a great deal in my book! I cannot wait to go back again. There are no plain burgers on the menu. All of them have unique toppings. I was looking at the California burger, topped with onions, avocado and a verde sauce. The other menu item that just makes my mouth water is the mac and cheese. This is not normal mac and cheese....this includes a variety of toppings that you can choose for the mac and cheese. The only thing better than pasta and cheese is a dish that includes bacon, pulled pork, or taco beef along with a mixture of jalapenos and other veggies.
I would definitely go back again. The staff was very nice, the chef came out to talk to us about the food and the place. It was warm and inviting. This place is amazing, cheap, and the best bar food I have had in a long time! They do have specials each night including taco's on Tuesday, Pizza on Wednesday, Burgers on Friday, and a steak dinner on Sunday's. When I say special, I mean something new different and not on the menu. I cannot say enough about this place and look forward to reporting on the burgers and the mac and cheese from personal experience.
The drink menu is great for flavored vodka lover's such as myself. I cannot say much about the beer menu because I am not much of a beer drinker, although they do have Christmas Ale!!!!!!!! I had one drink from the menu and the other two the friendly bar tender just created for me based on what I liked. All three had cherry vodka (my fav!) and a different blend of juices. The drinks were only $3.25 each, a great deal for a hard liquor drink.
The menu has amazingly creative items. It is divided into groups of appetizers, sandwiches, and burgers. Myself and my dining companion enjoyed the sandwich section....$8 per sandwich with choice of tator tots or jojo's. I had The Ex. It was a toasted crunchy baguette with a jalapeno bacon jam, lettuce, tomato, delicious lightly fried chicken breast, cheese and a very good creamy sauce. I opted for the sweet potato tots and they were crunchy and perfect. The sandwich was so big I could only eat half of it. It was the first sandwich I had in a long time that was a perfect proportion of bread to filling to vegetables to sauce. Everything melded together perfectly with a great flavor and a spicy kick! I of course had to add some hot sauce just because. My companion indulged in the "Fresh Prince". A mix of a philly steak and a roast beef au jus. The sandwich looked amazing and I should have asked for a bite. There was perfectly sliced beef, onion, mushrooms, jalapenos, cheese wiz, and it was falling apart with each bite.
While this food was great it completely fit in with my frugality. $8 for a sandwich good enough for 2 days is a great deal in my book! I cannot wait to go back again. There are no plain burgers on the menu. All of them have unique toppings. I was looking at the California burger, topped with onions, avocado and a verde sauce. The other menu item that just makes my mouth water is the mac and cheese. This is not normal mac and cheese....this includes a variety of toppings that you can choose for the mac and cheese. The only thing better than pasta and cheese is a dish that includes bacon, pulled pork, or taco beef along with a mixture of jalapenos and other veggies.
I would definitely go back again. The staff was very nice, the chef came out to talk to us about the food and the place. It was warm and inviting. This place is amazing, cheap, and the best bar food I have had in a long time! They do have specials each night including taco's on Tuesday, Pizza on Wednesday, Burgers on Friday, and a steak dinner on Sunday's. When I say special, I mean something new different and not on the menu. I cannot say enough about this place and look forward to reporting on the burgers and the mac and cheese from personal experience.
Downtown Restaurant Week 2012- XO
This is a short post. One reason is that I was slightly disappointed with my dinner from Downtown Cleveland Restaurant week. For years I heard great things about XO and I have always wanted to try it. Their menu for restaurant week sounded amazing so I really wanted to try the food.
I started my meal with the mini short rib wellington with a wild mushroom risotto. The short rib wellington was literally amuse bouche size, not appetizer size. The risotto was ok, but not great. For the entree I ordered the twin fillet with sauteed spinach and potato cake. The fillet was cooked ok but it was not the quality I expected from XO. The spinach was flavorless. The meal was ok, ut just not great. Dessert was the warm berry compote. That was the first thing I ate all night that was really good. It was buttery and fruity.
I would not return to XO based on this experience.
The good news is that Cleveland Independents is going to have a Restaurant week starting April 2nd~ Who wants to take me to dinner for my birthday?
I started my meal with the mini short rib wellington with a wild mushroom risotto. The short rib wellington was literally amuse bouche size, not appetizer size. The risotto was ok, but not great. For the entree I ordered the twin fillet with sauteed spinach and potato cake. The fillet was cooked ok but it was not the quality I expected from XO. The spinach was flavorless. The meal was ok, ut just not great. Dessert was the warm berry compote. That was the first thing I ate all night that was really good. It was buttery and fruity.
I would not return to XO based on this experience.
The good news is that Cleveland Independents is going to have a Restaurant week starting April 2nd~ Who wants to take me to dinner for my birthday?
Monday, February 27, 2012
Tales from another city
This post is the same as any frugal post...focusing on good food at an even better price. However, this post is about a restaurant experience from my visit to Tallahassee last weekend. This restaurant is cool, fun, and different from anywhere I have ever been before.
Chris took me to Circa Sushi for lunch on Saturday. This restaurant serves Thai and Japanese food, but that is not the cool part. The frugal part of this restaurant was the lunch deal of all you can eat sushi, salad, soup and a drink for....$12!!!!!!! Yes that is $12. That will normally just cover 2 rolls but this was all you could eat. So the deal was amazing. The cool part though was the conveyor belt that brought out the sushi. Yes this place had a conveyor belt. The sushi chef would make the sushi and then put it on the belt and you could just pick up whatever you wanted as it passed by your table. The restaurant was not very busy when we were there so the only sushi they made for the belt was common (Philadelphia roll, spicy tune, California roll, shrimp roll). The chef did offer to make us any sushi on the men, but we were pretty full from what we had already eaten. The sushi was simple but very fresh and well prepared. The pickled ginger was spicy and sweet and the wasabi was HOT! The salad with the ginger dressing was fresh and cold, however the miso soup was tasteless and cold.
As far as deals go, this was a great deal with really good sushi for a nice Saturday afternoon lunch. The addition of a conveyor belt going past your table was just interesting. Plus I got to enjoy some time with my favorite dining companion. So if you are ever in Tallahassee, try Circa it is a cool experience.
We were going to try "Mo Bettas". A unique little BBQ/Smoker set-up in a parking lot of a gas station. Yes...BBQ and a smoker in a gas station parking lot. It smells amazing everytime we would drive by it. But the weekend got away from us and we never had a chance to stop by and try a pulled pork or beef brisket sandwich. Maybe on the next visit we will stop by and I can add it to the blog!
The next blog will be about my experience at Downtown Cleveland Restaurant week. Right now I am thinking XO, Prime Rib, or Johnny's Downtown.
Chris took me to Circa Sushi for lunch on Saturday. This restaurant serves Thai and Japanese food, but that is not the cool part. The frugal part of this restaurant was the lunch deal of all you can eat sushi, salad, soup and a drink for....$12!!!!!!! Yes that is $12. That will normally just cover 2 rolls but this was all you could eat. So the deal was amazing. The cool part though was the conveyor belt that brought out the sushi. Yes this place had a conveyor belt. The sushi chef would make the sushi and then put it on the belt and you could just pick up whatever you wanted as it passed by your table. The restaurant was not very busy when we were there so the only sushi they made for the belt was common (Philadelphia roll, spicy tune, California roll, shrimp roll). The chef did offer to make us any sushi on the men, but we were pretty full from what we had already eaten. The sushi was simple but very fresh and well prepared. The pickled ginger was spicy and sweet and the wasabi was HOT! The salad with the ginger dressing was fresh and cold, however the miso soup was tasteless and cold.
As far as deals go, this was a great deal with really good sushi for a nice Saturday afternoon lunch. The addition of a conveyor belt going past your table was just interesting. Plus I got to enjoy some time with my favorite dining companion. So if you are ever in Tallahassee, try Circa it is a cool experience.
We were going to try "Mo Bettas". A unique little BBQ/Smoker set-up in a parking lot of a gas station. Yes...BBQ and a smoker in a gas station parking lot. It smells amazing everytime we would drive by it. But the weekend got away from us and we never had a chance to stop by and try a pulled pork or beef brisket sandwich. Maybe on the next visit we will stop by and I can add it to the blog!
The next blog will be about my experience at Downtown Cleveland Restaurant week. Right now I am thinking XO, Prime Rib, or Johnny's Downtown.
Monday, February 13, 2012
Best Valentine's Ever
The restaurant in tonight's blog is an old favorite that I have written about in the past and I promote to all who will listen....Pier W. Everything on the bar menu is half off, martinis and wine are discounted as well. I promise that this is not a repeat of the past as there was one reason for a trip to Pier W tonight...the Chocolate Bar! Not only is Pier W amazing for Restaurant Week and Happy Hour, but also for Valentine's Day. If you do not have plans for Valentine's Day then make plans right now for Tuesday night to go to Pier W for Happy Hour and...the Chocolate Bar!!!!!!!!!!
So in true frugally classy fashion let's start with the great deal. The half price happy hour is amazing as always. My dining companion, her beautiful 1.5 year old and I started our meal with fresh bread that they provided for the toddler's enjoyment. We ordered the pizza and short rib pierogies for our "meal". (we felt as though we should have some sort of real food and not just chocolate for dinner, that would be a bad example for the child with us). The total cost of these bar bites for happy hour was $4.5 and $4 respectively. The pizza was a great thin crust, fresh tomatoes, fresh basil and mozzarella cheese. Each bite was fresh and a perfect meld of flavors. The short rib pierogies were stuffed with this amazing braised short rib meat with a thick caramelized onion jus. It tasted like the beefiest, meatiest, heartiest flavor you could imagine. It was Sunday roast beef. We used some of the bread to sop up the juice. My martini was originally $9 but only $5.75 for happy hour and my companion's wine was 20% off.
After dinner...we had the delectible chocolate bar. The deal is one trip for $8 and unlimited trips for $12. We tried almost one of everything and some were favorites, but all were great. The favorites were the red wine truffle and the twist on a buckeye. The red wine truffle was this thin dark chocolate shell with a sweet but dry red win inside. It just melted as you bit into the juicy piece. The buckeye cup was a beautiful light peanut butter mouse in a thin chocolate cup. The other pyramids that we enjoyed were filled with cheesecake that melted, cherry chocolate cordial with the light creme, and a white chocolate macadamia nut pyramid. We tried only one round truffle that was a soft ganache of espresso flavored chocolate dusted with chocolate. There were two types of chocolate that were 2 biters. The first was a coconut macaroon covered in chocolate with toasted chocolate on top. The second was the amazing buttery shortbread topped with the silkiest creamiest carmel and covered in chocolate. It was not milk chocolate but not a super dark chocolate either. They also had several types of cake. We tried the chocolate cake like brownie topped with homemade marshmallow. There were also several types of bark. We tried the bark with peppermint. To be honest, we could not tell exactly what was under the peppermint bark. It was a layer of chocolate and then a layer of toffee flavored graham cracker consistency crust. The round out the night....there was a chocolate fondue fountain with strawberries, pineapple, cookies, pretzel rods, and all kinds of other things that could be dipped. We stayed away from that as it was too ordinary for the other things that were on the table.
I have been on a low sugar diet, but broke all rules to be able to enjoy this amazing buffet of chocolate. To make things even better it was well worth the $8 price for a trip and an even better deal for a $12 plate with unlimited trips. Anyone looking for a Valentine's date idea at the last minute should stop by Pier W tomorrow, it is the last day for the chocolate bar.
So in true frugally classy fashion let's start with the great deal. The half price happy hour is amazing as always. My dining companion, her beautiful 1.5 year old and I started our meal with fresh bread that they provided for the toddler's enjoyment. We ordered the pizza and short rib pierogies for our "meal". (we felt as though we should have some sort of real food and not just chocolate for dinner, that would be a bad example for the child with us). The total cost of these bar bites for happy hour was $4.5 and $4 respectively. The pizza was a great thin crust, fresh tomatoes, fresh basil and mozzarella cheese. Each bite was fresh and a perfect meld of flavors. The short rib pierogies were stuffed with this amazing braised short rib meat with a thick caramelized onion jus. It tasted like the beefiest, meatiest, heartiest flavor you could imagine. It was Sunday roast beef. We used some of the bread to sop up the juice. My martini was originally $9 but only $5.75 for happy hour and my companion's wine was 20% off.
After dinner...we had the delectible chocolate bar. The deal is one trip for $8 and unlimited trips for $12. We tried almost one of everything and some were favorites, but all were great. The favorites were the red wine truffle and the twist on a buckeye. The red wine truffle was this thin dark chocolate shell with a sweet but dry red win inside. It just melted as you bit into the juicy piece. The buckeye cup was a beautiful light peanut butter mouse in a thin chocolate cup. The other pyramids that we enjoyed were filled with cheesecake that melted, cherry chocolate cordial with the light creme, and a white chocolate macadamia nut pyramid. We tried only one round truffle that was a soft ganache of espresso flavored chocolate dusted with chocolate. There were two types of chocolate that were 2 biters. The first was a coconut macaroon covered in chocolate with toasted chocolate on top. The second was the amazing buttery shortbread topped with the silkiest creamiest carmel and covered in chocolate. It was not milk chocolate but not a super dark chocolate either. They also had several types of cake. We tried the chocolate cake like brownie topped with homemade marshmallow. There were also several types of bark. We tried the bark with peppermint. To be honest, we could not tell exactly what was under the peppermint bark. It was a layer of chocolate and then a layer of toffee flavored graham cracker consistency crust. The round out the night....there was a chocolate fondue fountain with strawberries, pineapple, cookies, pretzel rods, and all kinds of other things that could be dipped. We stayed away from that as it was too ordinary for the other things that were on the table.
I have been on a low sugar diet, but broke all rules to be able to enjoy this amazing buffet of chocolate. To make things even better it was well worth the $8 price for a trip and an even better deal for a $12 plate with unlimited trips. Anyone looking for a Valentine's date idea at the last minute should stop by Pier W tomorrow, it is the last day for the chocolate bar.
Friday, February 3, 2012
New Year....New 50 food places or things
As the new year is underway I wanted to have a fresh idea for the blog. My thought...inspired by a crappy list of 50 things to eat in Cleveland that was listed in the Plain Dealer today...50 new places or trying things I have never eaten under $20~! I need to have something in the mix to keep it loyal to my frugal brand.
Tonight XYZ tavern. I love this bar and just think it has a fun vibe in general. I decided to stop there on my way home from work tonight. So I tried 2 things I have never had before...Rooster Cocoa Porter and Bouillabaisse Risotto. The total for tonight's dinner, with leftovers for lunch tomorrow, was $20 for dinner, drink, tip and tax! Not bad for the night with leftovers to boot!
The Rooster Cocoa porter was very interesting. It was slightly sour with a taste of cocoa. It was dark but not too hoppy. I actually liked it and I typically do not like beer. Dinner was a new experience as well. I realize that bouillabaisse is not exactly exotic, but it is something I never ate before. I do not like mussels...but decided to try it anyway. The meal was yummy. half a dozen mussels, 4 large shrimp and white fish cooked in a great spicy tangy tomato broth with onions, green peppers, carrots, celery and parsley. All of it was served over top of rice that was perfectly al dente. It is going to soak up the remaining broth and not get soggy by tomorrow.
I have discovered that I still do not like mussels. Seriously, the texture is just too much for me to get past. I cut them up really small and they seemed to melt into the dish so as not to be as offensive to me. The shrimp was cooked perfectly and had fantastic flavor. This dish needed nothing more added to it. Once again XYZ Tavern did not disappoint and while for the most point the food is not extremely interesting it is well prepared.
For my first outing for the blog...it was not that exciting but it stayed under my $20 budget and it was 2 items I have never had before. Now to start thinking about my next outing!
Please comment with your suggestions and possibly new items for me to try!
Happy eating!
Tonight XYZ tavern. I love this bar and just think it has a fun vibe in general. I decided to stop there on my way home from work tonight. So I tried 2 things I have never had before...Rooster Cocoa Porter and Bouillabaisse Risotto. The total for tonight's dinner, with leftovers for lunch tomorrow, was $20 for dinner, drink, tip and tax! Not bad for the night with leftovers to boot!
The Rooster Cocoa porter was very interesting. It was slightly sour with a taste of cocoa. It was dark but not too hoppy. I actually liked it and I typically do not like beer. Dinner was a new experience as well. I realize that bouillabaisse is not exactly exotic, but it is something I never ate before. I do not like mussels...but decided to try it anyway. The meal was yummy. half a dozen mussels, 4 large shrimp and white fish cooked in a great spicy tangy tomato broth with onions, green peppers, carrots, celery and parsley. All of it was served over top of rice that was perfectly al dente. It is going to soak up the remaining broth and not get soggy by tomorrow.
I have discovered that I still do not like mussels. Seriously, the texture is just too much for me to get past. I cut them up really small and they seemed to melt into the dish so as not to be as offensive to me. The shrimp was cooked perfectly and had fantastic flavor. This dish needed nothing more added to it. Once again XYZ Tavern did not disappoint and while for the most point the food is not extremely interesting it is well prepared.
For my first outing for the blog...it was not that exciting but it stayed under my $20 budget and it was 2 items I have never had before. Now to start thinking about my next outing!
Please comment with your suggestions and possibly new items for me to try!
Happy eating!
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