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
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