Its that time of year again...all the Restaurant weeks start to pop up getting us ready for the spring! I am very excited to see that this year there are some new places downtown and they are creating some fun menus for restaurant week. This year there is a "theme"...pierogies. I mean...it is Cleveland anything that resembles a pasta like item stuffed with something yummy...we love!
So there are winners and losers and a ton in between. The top winner...again for best menu...Mallorca. They are offering things like Spanish sausage as a an appetizer and a 16 oz steak or stuffed tilapia for dinner. All of this includes potatoes, vegetables, and rice. For $30...this is a great deal. However, I have been to Mallorca so many times for restaurant week that I am trying someplace new. But for those who have not tried it before...GO!!!!
Ok...let's start with the losers...so anyone who tries to push off soup/salad as an appetizer, pasta as a main course and ice cream for dessert...you LOSE in restaurant week. This is supposed to be a time to showcase your great food and bring someone downtown who may not try your restaurant otherwise because for the price they want to be sure they are getting a good meal. Trust me...give me a good meal for $30...i will return and try your regular menu for $60 one day. Give me a boring menu for restaurant week...i forget you even exist. The first one...Pura Vida- I understand your menu is determined daily...but give some kind of teaser when all I see if Soup, Salad, or appetiser and dinner says meat, fish or vegetarian it does not make me want to try your place. Give me some more. And Flannery's...i will stick to just drinking with you. You are a bar...with bar food...but you want me to pay $30 for fried mozzarella, fish and chips and a dessert? At least many of the other bars were smart and did $30 for 2 dinners even sharing the appetizer and dessert. This is no deal when you are competing with Chinato right across the street...
Now the winners...I will admit that I am picking some places that the menu may not be the most unique...but it is a new restaurant so let's try it (they are also only $30 for 2 diners)! The first is Tomo- a Hibachi place downtown. They are offering 2 dinners for $30 and it includes steamed dumplings with shrimp as a appetiser, chicken and Salmon or a chicken tempura dinner and fried cheesecake or fried banana for dessert. This is a great deal for only $15 a person. Another new place (and where I am going to try this week) is Charkra Indian. It also is a $30 menu for 2 diners and offers a Samosa or paneer pakora(fried cheese), chicken tikka masal and saag panneer or goat curry and navaratn Korma, ending with dessert. All meals include Naan bread and rice. Anyone who has eaten Indian food knows that to get all these courses and Naan for $30 is a bargain for 2 diners.
In the more upscale division...Morton's is a huge winner. I mean first of all, when did anyone get our of Morton's for $30 for even just one entree. They are offering a great menu and a bargain! Yes the first course is a salad or soup...but it is a Morton Cesar salad or a 5 onion baked soup. Dinner is a chicken Bianco or a steak burger or honey chili glazed salmon. Dessert--double chocolate mouse. YUM! Another big winner is Chinato, again one my favorites anytime. Appetisers include salmon tartar or sweetbreads, dinner includes market fish or beef al barolo, and dessert pistachio cheesecake or chocolate hazelnut mouse cake. This is creative, fun and well worth the money.
Some honorable mentions...Hodge's...he is offering a truffle pierogy, Zocala with a chipotle java rubbed filet medallion, and San Souci is offering a braised lamb with rosemary polenta.
I hope everyone enjoy my take on restaurant week...I promise a short update from my dinner at Charkra!
http://www.downtowncleveland.com/events/restaurant-week/participating-restaurants.aspx
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Fat Cats
I will stand by this statement all day...Best Happy Hour in Cleveland- Fat Cats!
Fat Cats is located at the East End of Tremont and is sort of tucked away- which is great for parking purposes. While I do not want to give away my secret because the place already is constantly packed this is my favorite happy hour spot. To begin with the place is so inviting and bustling that you feel as though you are part of the action in some swanky joint. You sit at the bar, where the happy hour menu is already sitting at each open spot waiting for the customers to arrive and partake. While the drinks are still expensive- they are all well crafted and delicious. On this particular occasion I met two friends and we shared alot of our bites...and some we kept for ourselves. Nothing disappointed.
What is fun about happy hour here is that you can order a few bites...sit...eat...drink...order some more. So we started with the fried zucchini($3) and calamari ($5). Nothing is greasy, just crispy perfection with flavorful sauces on the side. The calamari includes some crispy tentacles as well. Personally, i do not like calamari. it tends to be chewy and the texture just throws me. Fat Cats is the one place I will eat it. The fried calamari just melts as you chew it, no weird texture. After that we moved to the next set of plates, pumpkin risotto ($3), BLT ($4), Burger ($5) and Mac-n-cheese ($4). The pumpkin risotto was creamy and sweet but still savory. (One friend actually ordered one for himself after this course). I did not try the other three items, but they came out looking beautiful and my dining companions loved the food. As I had really only eaten at this point the risotto and fried items I decided to go with the melted cheese ($5). All I can say is wow! This was better then any wanna be grilled cheese sandwich you could find at any other restaurant- even one promoting grilled cheese. The bread was thick and crispy but still soft in the middle. The cheese was a white cheddar and there were grilled zucchini slices inside that helped to cut the heavy cheese. It was a perfect balance of cheese and bread with some cheese parts oozing out that became crispy on the griddle.
The meal was amazing. They do offer domestic beers for only $2, but I do not really drink beer so I went with the $6 Moscow Mule. It was gingery and spicy and well made.
There are so many other wonderful items I want to try next time including...spicy ribs, seafood, taco, and pizza with grape jam and gorgonzola.
If you do not make happy hour...do not fret...while their normal meals are slightly higher in price they never disappoint. but be sure to get a reservation for dinner. They are the happening spot to be on a Friday night.
Fat Cats is located at the East End of Tremont and is sort of tucked away- which is great for parking purposes. While I do not want to give away my secret because the place already is constantly packed this is my favorite happy hour spot. To begin with the place is so inviting and bustling that you feel as though you are part of the action in some swanky joint. You sit at the bar, where the happy hour menu is already sitting at each open spot waiting for the customers to arrive and partake. While the drinks are still expensive- they are all well crafted and delicious. On this particular occasion I met two friends and we shared alot of our bites...and some we kept for ourselves. Nothing disappointed.
What is fun about happy hour here is that you can order a few bites...sit...eat...drink...order some more. So we started with the fried zucchini($3) and calamari ($5). Nothing is greasy, just crispy perfection with flavorful sauces on the side. The calamari includes some crispy tentacles as well. Personally, i do not like calamari. it tends to be chewy and the texture just throws me. Fat Cats is the one place I will eat it. The fried calamari just melts as you chew it, no weird texture. After that we moved to the next set of plates, pumpkin risotto ($3), BLT ($4), Burger ($5) and Mac-n-cheese ($4). The pumpkin risotto was creamy and sweet but still savory. (One friend actually ordered one for himself after this course). I did not try the other three items, but they came out looking beautiful and my dining companions loved the food. As I had really only eaten at this point the risotto and fried items I decided to go with the melted cheese ($5). All I can say is wow! This was better then any wanna be grilled cheese sandwich you could find at any other restaurant- even one promoting grilled cheese. The bread was thick and crispy but still soft in the middle. The cheese was a white cheddar and there were grilled zucchini slices inside that helped to cut the heavy cheese. It was a perfect balance of cheese and bread with some cheese parts oozing out that became crispy on the griddle.
The meal was amazing. They do offer domestic beers for only $2, but I do not really drink beer so I went with the $6 Moscow Mule. It was gingery and spicy and well made.
There are so many other wonderful items I want to try next time including...spicy ribs, seafood, taco, and pizza with grape jam and gorgonzola.
If you do not make happy hour...do not fret...while their normal meals are slightly higher in price they never disappoint. but be sure to get a reservation for dinner. They are the happening spot to be on a Friday night.
Friday, February 8, 2013
Stone Mad in Gordon Square
This is a great little spot hidden down 65th in the Detroit Shoreway. This place is great for drinks at the bar or in the nice months out on stone patio. The bartenders are gregarious and chatty in good ways. While I was there, I met George and Patrick. They were knowledgeable about the specials, the drinks and willing to answer questions. The interactions with some of the regulars was great to see.
So the happy hour...not the best not the worst...but good. The offer $4 glasses of select white or red wines, $3 cocktails made with Three Olives, Bacardi, or tanguray and a variety of beer specials. The food selection was limited, but very tasty! You have your choice of Mussels, Cheese Pizza, Pub Sliders, or Wings for $5 each. I went with the sliders and the wings and I am thrilled with my choices!
The pub sliders are 2 thick beef patties with Irish cheddar and a Guinness BBQ sauce. They are serve on little toasted buns and are the perfect ratio of meat the bread. They were hot and delicious and perfectly cooked. The wings are baked (healthy right?) and served with this amazing cole slaw. I usually do not like the taste of cole slaw it is vinegar and mayo and just usually not well balanced. This tasted amazing! It was creamy and the cabbage and fennel and apples just paired so well together with the El Diablo seasoned wings.
While I was there a friend and her husband met up and then I ran into another friend. It felt comfortable sitting at the bar and just hanging out. Some other people ordered off the regular menu and the food all looked amazing. I had been to Stone Mad to eat years ago when it first opened and was not impressed. After last night, I am looking forward to going there and trying something off the regular menu.
Night out for a full dinner, 2 drinks, tax and tip...under $20! That is a score!
So the happy hour...not the best not the worst...but good. The offer $4 glasses of select white or red wines, $3 cocktails made with Three Olives, Bacardi, or tanguray and a variety of beer specials. The food selection was limited, but very tasty! You have your choice of Mussels, Cheese Pizza, Pub Sliders, or Wings for $5 each. I went with the sliders and the wings and I am thrilled with my choices!
The pub sliders are 2 thick beef patties with Irish cheddar and a Guinness BBQ sauce. They are serve on little toasted buns and are the perfect ratio of meat the bread. They were hot and delicious and perfectly cooked. The wings are baked (healthy right?) and served with this amazing cole slaw. I usually do not like the taste of cole slaw it is vinegar and mayo and just usually not well balanced. This tasted amazing! It was creamy and the cabbage and fennel and apples just paired so well together with the El Diablo seasoned wings.
While I was there a friend and her husband met up and then I ran into another friend. It felt comfortable sitting at the bar and just hanging out. Some other people ordered off the regular menu and the food all looked amazing. I had been to Stone Mad to eat years ago when it first opened and was not impressed. After last night, I am looking forward to going there and trying something off the regular menu.
Night out for a full dinner, 2 drinks, tax and tip...under $20! That is a score!
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