Lago for Lunch

I almost never get to enjoy lunch out during the week, but on this rare occasion I decided to treat myself and try the new Lago East Bank.  Lago East Bank begins where  Lago Tremont left off...expect the same great service and amazing food.

My dining companion and I went for lunch.  We ordered two sandwiches and shared.  It was a brilliant idea to try their great menu.  Lago also offers half portions of their pastas and for lunch this provides a right size portion of their amazing pasta.  Before I get in to the food, I want to discuss the service.  Our waiter was someone you would expect to find in a 5 star stuffy white table cloth restaurant.  He was attentive, friendly, answered questions, told us about happy hour and the use of the patio.  It was a cool day for summer but still warm.  We sat in the restaurant near the open doors to the patio.  He brought me a glass of ice because my ice tea ice had melted- I never asked, he just noticed and did it.  My companion would finish his diet coke and have a new one within seconds without asking.  The last time I remember service like this was out with my parents as a child in some fancy super expensive restaurant.  This alone sets Lago apart from anywhere else I have been in Cleveland.

Ok...now the important stuff...the food.  As I said we chose the sandwiches which were served with rosemary chips that were sliced super thin and perfectly fried.  I ordered the Salami Panini that included salami, sopressata, cappicola, sun dried tomato, olive tapenade, provolone cheese served on a thin crusty bread.  It was amazing.  It made me think of my father and how he would love a sandwich like this for lunch, but it was much more refined than he would make.  It as crunchy and salty and just a perfect idea in my mind of a salami Panini.  The hamburger was ordered medium and cooked perfectly.  It was topped with an aioli, grilled onions, cheese, lettuce tomato, and salami.  It also was a perfect combination of flavors, nothing over powered anything else.  The flavors were all distinct but well married together.  Both things ordered sound ordinary, but they are made to be memorable and not like anything served in any other restaurant around.  Out total cost- as we split the bill- was around $17 for the sandwich, drink, and tax.  As the frugally classy girl always looks at quality compared to price...Lago is at the top of my life.  The quality far outweighs the price!

I am excited to try happy hour sometime soon and blog about how it fits in to the frugally classy idea of amazing quality food at an amazing price. 

Tartine Bistro

I have been dying to try Tartine Bistro in Rocky River for a long time, finally I got to experience this quaint restaurant and happy hour was a great time.  We walked in and decided to sit at the bar.  The restaurant is small and there is a nice patio in front.  The door and windows were all open creating a great outdoor feel even inside.  We decided to go with the happy hour menu and it was well worth every penny. 

For two people we ordered 4 happy hour items and decided to try one of the pizza's as well.  We started with the cheese platter and it is a chef's choice of three cheese, lavender honey, and nuts served with crackers.  My dining companion is pregnant so we asked the chef to keep that in mind while picking the cheeses. He chose a tellagio which was salty and sharp, the prima donna which was sweet and creamy and tomme du levezou which had a nutty flavor.  We then each had an order of chicken chorizo stuffed peppers with a saffron aioli.  These were spicy but the aioli helped cool it with great flavor.  Each order came with 2 peppers.  We then finished the happy hour menu with the dates stuffed with goat cheese and served with bacon.  They were crunchy, sweet, and salty.  A perfect balance and I do not even like dates!  We then decided to splurge and get a pizza as well.  The happy hour items were each $5, the pizza was $15.  We ordered a peach and bacon pizza with a balsamic glaze.  It is new to the menu and great for summer time.  light, fresh and very good.

They also have drinks available for only $5 each  including he La Bicyclette.  It is made with Campari, a French dry white and soda served with a  lemon.  I like Campari, but appreciate that the bartender asked if I had ever tried Campari before.  Many people have not and it can be an off putting taste. 

The bartender provided wonderful service and conversation in answering all of our questions.  It was a great experience and now I want to go back for dinner sometime soon...but would settle for happy hour chorizo stuffed peppers anytime!