Frugal Living While Still Having Fun

Fall restaurant week. YAY!

2014-10-28T19:31:00.000-04:00

Restaurant Week is one of my favorite weeks of the year, glad there are usually 3-4 a year. The deal is that you get a three course meal for $33 a person. Some places take this as an opportunity to bring people in that maybe would not normally eat at the restaurant, others try to be cheap about it and offer mediocre choices. http://www.clevelandindependents.com/restaurant-week.php

Ok here is my run down.....

Most creative:

Paralax, Paladar, Edwins-

Paralax and the yummy options. First course has a choice of a salmon maki roll, grilled apple salad, or roasted butternut squash soup. Second course is where it gets creative. Choice of cider braised pork cheeks with horseradish potatoes and mustard greens or sauteed rainbow trout with ginger fried rice pickled cabbage and a chili-Carmel sauce or for the vegetarians miso glazed eggplant. All awesome choices for a meal, creative and well worth the cost of the dinner. The desserts sound good as well- ginger apple crisp, chocolate truffle torte or pumpkin creme brulee.

Paladar has an amazing Latin themed menu and some really cool choices to pique your taste buds. You can start you meal with a crab and heart of palm empanada, Mojo pork tostones, or a salad, The second course promises Coconut curry vegetables, Argentinian mixed grille, chimichurri portabello mixed grill or mojo marinated salmon. Each one sounds better than the next and all have the signature Latin flare. For dessert- pineapple rum upside down cake or churros.

Edwins- This is a unique restaurant and the concept and purpose behind it makes me want to eat there even more then this great menu. To start you can have soup, and herb salad or a pork terrine with cognac. The entrees feature a cornish hen with cilantro butter, portabello napoleon, or salmon with a white wine butter sauce. You almost never see Cornish hen on a menu. For dessert a creme brulee or a ginger vanilla soup with tropical fruit and jasmine sorbet. A great additions is that for $18 you can get a flight of wines to pair with the meal.

There are three restaurants totally worth it, even if the menu is not that creative. Oldies but goodies. Delmonicos, Blue Point and Salmon Daves.

Delmonico's- To start there is a choice of wedding soup or iceberg salad- classics but if done right they can be amazing. Entrees include a choice of Steak Christopher with tiger shrimp Bearnaise sauce and garlic mashers or chive crusted walley with sundried tomato and asparagus risotto, vegetables and a ginger pine nut butter sauce. or veal and shrimp piccata. For dessert the always elegant but delicious chocolate flourless cake and vanilla bean creme brulee.

The next, Blue Pointe Grill has always been a favorite of mine. The first course is either tomato bisque or an iceberg salad. The second course is a salmon with blue crab and lemon risotto or sauteed jumbo shrimp with Klondike rose potatoes or tornedos of beef with a root vegetable puree and garlic spinach. Each one is decedent but simple. desserts are the old standby- flourless torte and creme brulee.

Salmon Dave's may be one of the best values for your buck for restaurant week. You can start with house salad or lobster bisque. The entrees each sound delicious and luxurious. There is a choice of a pan seared salmon with lemon dill butter, lobster neuberg, or lobster chicken cavatappi. For dessert is the ever popular flourless chocolate torte or cheesecake.

Now the ones that are big old busts and I do not recommend:
Fire and Red are both charging $39 and the choices are not that great. Moxie is offering chicken and biscuits. Seriously, these restaurants need to step it up int he future.

Red Lantern Revamped

2014-09-10T13:43:00.002-04:00

So I recently went in to the revamped, now hip, Red Lantern in Kamm's Corner. I want to start with...it looks great! The prices though are a little steep for Kamm's Corner and especially for the actual food. The food is so so at best. But the weekly specials make it worth while.

We went on Thursday and it was half price taco day and $4 margaritas. The Margaritas was worth the $4. The tacos were only worth half of the normal cost. We ordered steak tacos and pork tacos. They asked how we wanted to steak done- we said medium rare and it was definitely cooked well done. Normally they would be $10 each for 2- on Taco Thursday they were $5 each for two tacos. They were tasty but nothing overly special. The pork taco actually tasted like the meat was a little bit old. We also really wanted chicken wings and ordered the garlic wings done extra crispy. The wing itself was done nicely. It was crisp and cooked well. The sauce, however, was non existent. There were 8 wings for $9 lined up on a plate and not tossed with the wing sauce, but sitting in a pool of unflavored oil with some chopped garlic sparingly sprinkled on top. We asked for hot sauce so we at least could sprinkle some of for flavor.

There are some great specials- Tuesday is kid's night and there are kids items for $2 and Kids milkshakes for $1. And Wednesday is half priced whiskey and wine, and Monday is $3 craft beers. Friday is all you can eat perch dinner...but it is $20 which seems rather steep to me unless you can eat a TON of perch.

They do also run a daily happy hour from 3-6 pm with appetizers at $5, Burgers at $5, and Flatbreads at $5. But again, just not all that thrilled with the quality of food. I would go back again just to try something else as many places have an off day. But I am in no rush to get back here.

Cibreo

2014-08-04T15:17:00.001-04:00

Most people know, I hate going downtown because it is always so hard to park and too much traffic...I know I am spoiled by my local Cleveland neighborhood spots. But this is one place worth fighting the traffic to enjoy happy hour...Cibreo.

There are 6 offerings for happy hour and nothing over $6.5- including drink specials. Let's start with the food...they have meatballs- one of my favorites. These have a little twist made with pancetta and veal and they are only $4! Also for only $4- aracini. These little balls of rice and stuffed with yummy goodness are delicious. On the "pricier" end is the mussels for $6.5 served in a white wine, garlic and tomato sauce. I do not like mussels, but the broth is worth it- I just go with someone who will eat the mussels and share the broth. The bad thing is that happy hour only goes from 3-6pm and so unless you are downtown it is hard to get to before it is over.

For the drinks- they offer $2 beers- a deal for downtown, 5- yes 5 different types of wine for only $5 each and 4 different cocktails for $5 each. This is amazing pricing for downtown.

Cibreo is a great additions and Scott Kuhn and Driftwood Restaurants do a great job creating fun spots that are classic with a little twist. Even if you don't make Happy Hour, try this place as a special occasion restaurant. The Antipasto is amazing and all of the meals are fabulous.

Healthy Grocerty Store Dinner

2014-07-29T11:54:00.001-04:00

So I am all about quality on a budget. About a year ago I signed up for e-mail alerts from Earth Fare in Fairview Park. I have shopped there a few times and just find it really expensive and so rarely go out unless I am looking for a really high quality product that I cannot get through my farm share. Recently though I received an e-mail about their daily deals. WOW! This is a great way for a budget conscious person/family to get a quality meal "out" without a lot of cost involved.

Each day they offer something different. The one positive is that no matter what you get it is prepared fresh with high quality meats, vegggies, and so forth. So here are the options:

Monday- $5 fresh made sandwiches. This could include things like the "Bird's the Word" with Turkey, guacamole, tomato, cheese, sprouts, and lemon mayo or the "Attack of the Veggie Wrap" which includes hummus, cucumber, tomatoes, sprouts on a spinach wrap.

Tuesday- $5 BBQ chicken and 2 sides.

Wednesday- $5 One protein and two sides

Thursday- Kids eat free (not of much interest to me at this point in my life, but for a family- this is a great bargain.

Friday- $5 rotisserie chicken- Spend a few extra for some sides and you have a meal for 2, with leftovers, for under $5 a person.

One of the best meal deals is on Sunday. Hot Dogs for $2, Hamburgers for $3 and sides for just $1.50. This is a great deal and a family of four could potential spend only $16 for a full meal for the family, and not have to cook.

Now some of the great offerings they have- they can rotate daily. The sides include things like broccoli slaw, asparagus, baked beans, roasted potatoes and many others.

These are some wonderful deals for "fast food" without sacrificing quality. My boyfriend wanted fast food for dinner last night and spending conservatively we spent almost $14 for just 2 people and not nearly as good of a quality as at Earth Fare. On any night for around $10 we could get a healthy quality fast food meal for two.

Sometimes the frugally classy need to look to find the great deals in different places. It is not always about a restaurant or bar for food. Many grocery stores now a days see the need for this fast casual environment but recognize that people want healthy.

Festival_OLMC

2014-07-12T20:56:00.001-04:00

Sunday July 13th.,.,best deal in the city us at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel church at 70th and Detroit. After the procession come down for an amazing meal at the villa. Sit down meal, $11 fir adults and $7 for children. The food us homemade and the portions huge. Its served by the school kids and you can buy wine, limoncello.

So the dinners include salad and either Camarillo and meatballs, spaghetti and meatballs, or fried chicken corn and French fries. The meatballs are all homemade and my favorite. It is and amazing deal.

If you want to walk and eat for $6 you can get a grilled sausage sandwich, meatball sub, or bowl of cavatelli and a meatball. For the kids there is pizza, hamburgers and hot dogs. If you have a sweet tooth try a homemade zeppole- Italian fried dough-3 For $2.50 For a lemon ice. We even have lupini.

Sunday will have live Italian music and the wonderful homemade food. Hope to see you.

Frugal Thursday nights in Cleveland

2014-06-20T10:28:00.000-04:00

So typically my blog is all about food, but being frugally classy I like great deals across the board. The deal of the summer....Edgewater Live on Thursday nights.

Everyone who knows me has learned over the years that the City of Cleveland is typically my focus. I LOVE Cleveland and all it has to offer. Since the Cleveland Metro parks took over Edgewater- the beaches are beautiful! Thursday nights take a drive down to Edgewater and from 5:30-8:30 they offer free live music, food trucks, beer, soda and Honey Hut Ice Cream.

What makes this a Frugally Classy thing...last night for $5, I got a pulled Pork Sandwich with fresh cole slaw on it, free entertainment, running in to tons of friends, and a walk on the beach with my favorite guy. Now since this is a food blog- let me tell you about the food. Each week there are various food trucks at the event. Word is last week they ran out of food because of the unexpected great turn out. We opted for the Cleveland Metroparks food truck and they were offering the pulled pork sandwich. It was tasty, perfectly seasoned and the cole slaw on top was fresh made and had a great balance of dressing to cabbage. The lines for all the food trucks are long- but you can dance in the sand to the music while you wait.

Because it is a public beach, you can still bring your own food and a cooler of non-alcoholic beverages if you would like- making this an even better deal. It was so great to see so many people out and enjoying themselves at Edgewater. This is such a vital part of the city and to see so many people have fun and enjoy is just fabulous!

Check out their schedule of bands and get there early. Don't forget some cash for the sweet treats and food trucks and make this a great Thursday night- on a budget.

Paladar Happy Hour

2014-05-12T12:01:00.001-04:00

Finally I ventured to the East side and was able to Paladar at Eton. I went in for happy around 6:15pm and was able to sit at the bar. I was served rather quickly which was nice. However, the bartender making the drinks for the bar and restaurant was very messy. She would just spray water in to glass sloshing it around, when making mojitos she would fill them with the soda water and some would splash out. It was messy and actually gross how she was making the drinks and had water/soda water everywhere behind the bar. The service was also not that great. There were two people behind the bar, the messy drink maker and another bar tender. The other bar tender took some orders and poured some simple drinks or got water or pop for customers. He took my food order and I also asked for a glass of water. He said ok and never came back to check on me or bring my glass of water. So I spent the time sipping on my mojito, eating, my food, paid and left. No one was very attentive to myself or really anyone at the bar. Even when the runners would come over with the food no one behind the bar knew who ordered what and the customers had to speak up.

Ok...enough negativity...the food was excellent. They have a happy hour menu with many $5 drinks, discounted beer and wine and a nice variety of food items under $5 many to share. I ordered the chorizo and cheese papusa's. They were cooked perfectly, great sauce, great filling to dough ration and served hot. I would definitely order these again. Two women next to me ordered the two taco items off the menu and they also looked great. Each order had 2 tacos and there was a nice balance of meat and vegetables on the tacos. The mojito was ok, but it was definitely more club soda then anything else. The majority of the flavor came from me squeezing the lime and muddling the mint leaves myself- they were actually pristine and had not been muddled at all.

I definitely would go back again with a group and share some items. They had guacamole, salsa trio and queso fundido that would have been great for sharing and based on what others at the bar ordered it all looked good, fresh, and enough to share as a meal. My entire tab with tax and tip was $13.00 for the drink and the meal.

This was a great place for happy hour and if I went again I would try to go with a group and sit at a table so I did not have to watch the messy bartender.

Flying Fig

2014-05-08T11:38:00.001-04:00

So I am about a month late...but hey it has been a busy month. So the Flying Fig in Ohio City has a great happy hour menu with a selection of food and cocktails. They also have a happy hour that goes until 7 pm....I hate when happy hour ends at 6- I work until 6 some nights.

On this particular day the $5 cocktail was a Moscow mule- delicious! They also offered $7 martinis and $2-3 beers. All of the meal offerings are under $7 and one item is enough for a meal. My personal favorite for the night was the $6 beef burger topped with cheddar, grilled onions, bacon and mustard aioli. Happy hour burgers and happy hour wings are probably my favorite items. This burger was great- perfect meat to topping to bun ratio. Friends along that night ordered the $6 braised pork shoulder nachos- great for sharing or eating as your own meal if you are so inclined. The one item I am not a fan of are the empanadas for $5.50. Now it is a great looking bite, looks to be cooked perfectly....but it is filled with turkey confit, raisins and pinenuts- I detest raisins in my food so the poor empanada had no change with me.

For those who are vegetarian- they had a nice selection as well- which is not typical for a happy hour menu unless all you want are fries or pizza. Flying Fig offers a beet burger with black beans and quinoa, a cheese plate and roasted shisito peppers that are amazing!

All in all I would highly recommend Flying Fig for an affordable and yummy happy hour. Its great for a group- large or small and the outdoor seating is perfect for the coming weather. For you foodies who like interesting items, stop next door at the Flying Fig Market and see the fun stuff they have available. And for those who enjoy brunch- they have a menu of breakfast and lunch options as well as a kids item for those who want to peruse the market and then stop by for some fresh local and well prepared food.

http://static.squarespace.com/static/52ffda18e4b01936eeb141d3/t/531bd183e4b0a6495db2f096/1394332035659/BRUNCH%20MENU%202013.pdf

Tacos

2014-03-10T14:25:00.004-04:00

Finally! I had the chance to go to Taco Tantos.  It is a small place with a small bar, but they are quick and the service is amazing. I usually do not comment on the service because it is just normal or expected, but the waitress here was great. She was kind, friendly, and heard you when you asked for something or tried to get her attention even when she was running around to serve everyone. They have great options including gluten free, vegan and vegetarian options.

I love meat and a steak taco is one of my favorite things to eat. I was a little concerned for $4 what I was going to get, but was pleasantly surprised. The steak was nice chunks of beef cooked and seasoned perfectly. The taco come with cheese, tomatoes and lettuce and I added jalapenos for $.75. The shell was thick enough that it did not break when you would bite in to it. They also offer soft shell tacos, burritos, and burrito bowls. My dining companions each ordered soft shell tacos and they were huge, not wimpy tacos. To start we ordered the large fresh salsa and the large queso. Both were delicious. The salsa was really fresh with great seasoning. It was more like a pico de gayo with the large chunks of tomatoes and onions in it.  You could smell the fresh herbs as well. These ran between $4-5 each and were well worth the price of the large. I had also ordered on the side the salsa verde and citrus cilantro. Both sauces were great but really not needed on the taco. They may have been better with the burrito or the bowl.

To top off the night we had s a few drinks. I enjoyed a cilantro lemonade and one of my friends a blackberry margarita. They were great not too strong but not watered down either.      They also have daily specials that sound amazing and a taco Tuesday! I cannot wait to go back. It is a place you could go alone and feel comfortable just sitting at the bar enjoying your taco!

Friday Fish Fry!

2014-03-10T13:56:00.002-04:00

It is that season for the wonderful fish frys that happen all over Northeast Ohio. So where is the best deal for local Friday nights...well I am going to divide in to places to look for them.

1. Local churches. It is hard for me to tell you where the best value is located but I can tell you that the best location is St. Mary's on Warren Road. You walk in, place your order, are seated, and the food comes out to you. It is hot and fresh and not greasy at all. You need to check the different churches to see what is best. Some use really crappy old frozen fish others have homemade perogies and haluski.

2. Local Clubs. For this I mean look at the local Polish Club, Slovak Club, Italian Club. Sometimes they are open to the public on a Friday night for the fish fry or maybe you know a member. They usually offer a great deal and are fresh.

3. Local restaurant specials. I have seen a few great places for Friday specials. Soho in Ohio City offers pieces of fish, shrimp, or oysters for $5 with sides ranging from jalapeno hush puppies to mac a cheese to BBQ Cole Slaw for $3 a side. You could make a meal for $8-11. Wexler's Tavern offers fish dinners including cole slaw, fries, bread and butter from $9.99 to $13.99 and sides of periogies for $3. The best idea...Mac and Cheese with a salad for only $7.99.

BEWARE- some places try to lure you with a fish "special" that is just overinflated in price for where you are going. If a meal costs you over $15 at a restaurant and you are not at a restaurant like Pier W or Blue Point- they are gouging you. If it is more like a bar or casual dining restaurant, just watch what they try to sell.

Share your ideas for a great fish fry. I am always looking and looking forward to a nice church one this Friday. I gave up fried food for lent, except once a week so I could enjoy my Lenten treat.

Downtown Cleveland Restaurant Week

2014-02-26T14:30:00.002-05:00

One of my favorite weeks of the year. I know I am late in reviewing and it is already Wednesday but...my top picks and low picks for the best menus.

My love of restaurant week is not just for the value, but for seeing something different then the restaurant usually has and enjoying a meal that leaves me wanting to come back and pay full price. Places like Lola, Mallorca and Cowell and Hubbard have been favorites of mine in the past and make me want to find a reason to go there other than restaurant week. I have been to all of them for just special occasions since my restaurant week experience.

I have to start by saying it was hard to pick the top menus because so many restaurants had interesting items that made it well worth the value and purpose of restaurant week. This time the restaurants I picked are all places I have never been for dinner.

Luca Italian Cuisine- located on the via duct (already making it more promising because parking is easier to find) first course is a soup or salad-sort of boring but the rest of the meal sounds AMAZING. Choice of Vitello Tortellini, Pappardelli Bolognese, Filetto di Manzo, and Fieletto di Salmone. The salmon is wrapped in prosciutto with a creamy cognac sauce, the pappardelli has ground beef, duck and wild boar. Definitely interesting items that I am excited to try. For dessert- Tiramisu or decadent chocolate mouse- this may sound boring but an amazing tiramisu can make any dinner better. (Yes I am a little biased, many make tiramisu very few have perfected it)

Hodges- First course choice of Chicken Liven Toast, Canadian Mussels, Caesar Salad or Creamy beer and Tillamook soup- this is a great first course! Second course- braised beef cheeks, Salmon or fried chicken thighs. While salmon and fried chicken are not that exciting...you rarely see braised beef cheeks-thanks for going outside of the box Chef Hodson. Dessert- banana cream pie or chocolate bread pudding- ok this is sort of boring but the rest of the meal sounds amazing that I can let it go this time.

Ken Stewarts- First course has 8 different choices- the interesting ones: truffle fries, house made ricotta or calamari. Definitely not your typical soup or salad. Second course- five choices and the most interesting: wagyu and wild board meatloaf with sweet potato risotto and a roast tomato and soy BBQ sauce or scallops with sweet potato puree Brussels sprouts, crisp gaufrettes and pomegranate molasses. Each one different and with some personality. dessert- peanut butter bomb or chocolate tiramisu- why do the restaurants always wuss out on dessert.

Zocalo- Ok I have heard Zocalo's food has not been up to par lately. I have never eaten dinner there only went for drinks so I cannot comment on that, but the menu sounds fun. First course offers bacon wrapped scallops seared in orange glaze with a citrus habanero salsa or baked chili oysters on the half shell. I do not even like oysters but I want to try it out. Second course- there are 5 choices but the most interesting: Zocalo Paella- shrimp, scallops, chicken, oysters, rajas, and chicken stock served over saffron rice. Mexican Lasagna with chorizo and rajas. For dessert- lime sorbet or cinnamon tamale soppapillas.

Ok now for the ones that just really put in no effort at all:

San Souci- Salad, Pasta, dessert- really why bother participating if it is going to be that simple
Tomo Hibachi-you are offering dinner for 2 for $30 but- Edamame and Gyoza, Chicken Hibachi or Sushi, and Cheesecake or Chocolate cake- zero creativity although a good value for 2 people.

Slight disappointment- Chinato and Cowell and Hubbard- usually Zach Bruell does something really interesting not on his normal menu for restaurant week- while the choice constitutes a good value I just feel like they are not being as creative as normal. Also disappointing in Lola. Again great value for the meal but not interesting. Once of my first times at Lola was for a restaurant week and there was beef heart on the menu. That to me is fun and interesting and the purpose of restaurant week.
Maybe for another restaurant week or Cleveland Independents or Zach Bruell restaurant week the menus will be more exciting. Wow...we have a lot of restaurant weeks in Cleveland- we are a town that loves great food!

Jack Flaps Yum!

2014-02-04T13:04:00.003-05:00

While parking in Ohio stinks...the food at Jack Flaps is worth it...as long as you like sweet. First of all these were some of the best pancakes I have ever had, crispy and fluffy at the same time, great flavor even without the toppings. Now when we get to the toppings- everything is sweet. My friend had just plan jack flaps and it comes with a side of cinnamon syrup- that is delicious and special butter which neither of us tried. I had the lemon curd pancakes. They were topped with lemon curd, berries and had graham crackers. They were delicious and I could not even fully finish them. We both ordered the cola braised bacon which was delicious and salty but also sweet. The happy hour...1-3 when all the jack flaps are $5. AWESOME!!!!

Onto the other items, many people ordered a side of eggs with their pancakes and waffles and they looked good. They have things other than just pancakes including waffles, eggy bread (French toast), a few others and sides that include root vegetable hash, bacon, eggs, yogurt. I really wanted to cola braised bacon or I would have gone with one of the non-sweet items on the menu- a homage to another one of his restaurants- the Happy Jack. A waffle topped with garlicky greens, everything cream cheese and an all beef hotdog. It is a waffle with three of my favorite ingredients from Happy Dog...add some Momocho habanero sauce and I would have been all over it.

The scene is fun and their is no alcohol so it is definitely a eat before your drink or next morning hangover place. That being said, there were families there were small children and you could definitely order items and share- the servings are big enough. I would love to go back again and try a waffle or maybe even the crab benedict and root vegetable hash...but alas that is for another day.

Press Wine Bar

2014-02-04T12:40:00.002-05:00

Ok...so I have not blogged in a while. The cold kept me from going out to enjoy the great food of the city. But finally I have broken out and ventured into the cold wintery mix of Cleveland. So Press Wine Bar, great location, great décor and I have been there before for brunch and the amazing Bloody Mary's. But this time it was a catch up session with an old friend over drinks and food for happy hour.

To begin with they have many reasonably priced wines- under $9 a glass- and they have about 8-9 wines available during happy hour for just $5. This is better than most places that have one house red and one house white for happy hour. The cool thing about their choices, you have some. As for the food, to begin with everything is fresh and of good quality. There are only a few items for the $5 happy hour price, but they are a good bargain. On the $5 menu is their shrimp deviled eggs- which I did not have this time but have had before and they are amazing, mussels, two pizzas and the risotto balls.

My dining companion and I opted for a chicken flat bread pizza, risotto balls, and a salad. The flat bread pizza was great, crisp crust, good amount of toppings, great flavor. The risotto balls were crispy with a chunk of fresh mozzarella inside. They were topped with tomatoes and balsamic. It could have used a little bit more salt, but otherwise they were perfect. My dinner companion also ordered a salad that looked great. It had arugula and a poached pear that was perfect.

I would definitely go back. On a Monday night they had a decent crowd, never too busy, but constant., The bar tender was awesome. We were sitting there for over 4 hours catching up and he never made us feel rushed or like we needed to leave because we were not drinking anymore. If you like brunch I recommend their brunch to anyone. It was great when I went with some friends. Reasonably priced and delicious as well!~

Toast Happy Hour

2013-12-18T13:51:00.003-05:00

Toast is a great new place in Gordon Square, right across the street from the Capitol Theater and so great shops. While I have had drinks and appetizers and dinner here before, I had never tried the happy hour. The food and drinks can be pricey, but happy hour is a great way to experience this new gem!

To start with, the drinks are normally $11 each. They are all handcrafted and full of quality ingredients. For happy hour though, they offer discounted beer and a house red/Wine for $5 and this time a mulled cider for $5. These drinks are frugal worthy, the others are for indulgence!

The food...my favorite part of any blog. The food is delicious and sourced locally (another favorite of this frugal lady). We ordered and shared the fun. To start we have the corn dogs- hush puppies with a large slice of kielbasa inside topped with a drizzle of honey. yum! We also had an order of the trio of tapenade. This is $1 less then normal menu price. This time the trio included eggplant, smoked white trout, and beef. The toast were perfectly sliced and toasted and the tapenade was the perfect ratio. Now onto the main course- we had the burger and the grilled cheese. Sounds boring right? WRONG! The burger was made from brisket, served on a home baked brioche roll with egg, cheddar and BBQ sauce. The grilled cheese was beautiful Middlefield cheese and grilled to perfect with a special type of bacon and homemade peach preserves. The food was delicious, fresh and filling. The prices very reasonable for the quality received.

This was a special night out so we did order some specialty cocktails. They were also delicious and well made. I would put some of their hand crafted cocktails at $11 a piece against anything from Velvet Tango room at $20 a piece. These are well worth the money and just as good. To make the atmosphere even better, the bartenders are friendly and accommodating and knowledgeable of what they are serving and the drinks they are crafting.

Don's Lighthouse- Fabulous Happy Hours and specials

2013-11-20T09:20:00.003-05:00

Don's Lighthouse is right down the street. For years I have enjoyed a meal there and a few times I have been there for restaurant week. But for some reason I never went to happy hour- my mistake! To begin with Skyy Vodka martini's are only $5. The choices for happy hour are extensive and cheap! Definitely go with a friends.

I was on my own this night so I ordered the sampler- one crab cake, 2 shrimp, 3 bruschetta all for 6.50. The crab cake was all crab to the point where it sort of fell apart. It was topped with corn and a fresh cream sauce- very tasty. The shrimp were jump plain shrimp cocktail with delicious cocktail sauce with horseradish. The bruschetta were long thin pieces of bread grilled and topped with tomato and balsamic. I did see a neighbor at the bar who ordered the mussels ($5) and the mini burgers (4.50). Both were large. The mussels were served with a wine and tomato broth, the mini burgers were four nice size burgers on beautiful fluffy rolls. IF you are with a group also order the artichoke/spinach dip at $3.88 it is well worth it and perfect to share. Also on the menu escargot ($4.50) and order of Bruschetta ($6.75) and Crab cakes.

There are also great specials almost every night. Tuesday night is $15 lobster tail served over mashed potatoes with drawn butter. Sunday is $10 off steak and lobster dinner. One night is burger night as well.

The crowd is a bit older, but the food is really good. Young foodies definitely should tyr this place out.

Cleveland independent restaurant week

2013-11-03T10:36:00.001-05:00

So it is restaurant week and this is my favorite time of the year. While most places are awesome, I want to point out the most interesting.

A few offer pairings with wine. My two favorites are tartine bistro and pier w. Pier w always has the best food offerings. This year is the same. The most interesting choices include the braised baby root vegetables in coconut milk, sweet basil, and Thai chili's; blackened gulf shrimp with chorizo, cornbread stuffing, and tomato and baby squash fondue; Bavarian chocolate smore baked Alaska. All $30 and can add wine pairing for an extra $15.

Tartine offers the meal for $33 with a glass of wine. The choices include any salad, coq au vin, and tarte tatin.

Bac offers a "fourth" course of either dessert or a drink. Most interesting choices green papaya salad, coconut milk crepe, and any of their big plates.

A new restaurant to Cleveland independents is Toast in Gordon Square. There most interesting items include beef tartar, pumpkin oats with sage, risotto, walnut, farm egg, and pumpkin; chocolate Bavarian with black tea, plum and almond.

On the east side and where I am hoping to go...Paladar. best choices tilapia and avocado crevice; jalapeno spiced lamb stew; pineapple rum,upside down cake.

And a few oldies but goodies....
Dons Lighthouse with mussels, lobster tail, creme brulee. GREAT value. Players include grilled portabelli with caramelized onions, Sun dried tomato, chevre, spinach and calamita; Mediterranean salad, mustard seed glazed Berkshire pork chop with butternut squash pierogies, apple's sage and walnuts.

Most interesting dessert...Flour. for dinner try fried olives with goat cheese, calabrian salmon with salsa Verde and polenta croutons and dessert...nutella and popcorn ice cream bar.

Now these are just my suggestions and a few of them direct you to the restaurant website for the menu. Check out Grovewood and new this year Townhall on their site.
Happy eating!

Sweet Melissa's Sweet Happy Hour

2013-10-31T12:56:00.002-04:00

I have found a cheaper happy hour than Fat Cats and it is not as crowded. I actually take concern in writing this blog for fear of this place becoming over crowded for that wonderful happy hour. Happy hour prices are only good at the bar of the two tables in the bar area. Sit anywhere else and no such luck on pricing. Trust me, sit in the bar area!!!!!!

To start with there are select beers for $3 and wines for $5. But then we get to the food. Order any two items and it makes a dinner. Most items are only $3. The $5 items are crab cakes and burger. Feel free to pass, these are boring items compared to the $3 menu. So at our table we ordered a fish taco which had a large piece of fish and was packed with Mexican goodness including beans, sprouts, and avocado. Another member of the table ordered the mussel that were sitting in a chili lemongrass broth that you could eat like a soup. It came with about a dozen mussels for $3. Personally I had the chicken taco. It was perfectly cooked chicken, black beans, cheese, avocado, sprouts, and deliciousness in a flour tortilla. On the side we split the orders between fried brussel sprouts and fried green tomatoes that were topped with a crisp apple compote. The green tomatoes needed some salt, but other than that they were fried perfectly and tasted delicious. You received 4 in an order...again for $3.

I have seen many reviews on line regarding Sweet Melissa's most stating how bad the service is there or panning the food. While I can understand some people may not like the slower service, the food has never disappointed. I have gone for years for lunch, dinner, brunch and now happy hour. The food quality is well worth the price- especially when you are paying $3 for a plate of mussels. And for those who are Gluten Free they do offer some options!

My friends an I enjoyed the experience and look forward to returning soon to try some of the other items on the menu. They also serve calamari and house cut fries for $3 each. It is a great meal for a glass of wine, 2 plates, tax and tip is $15 out the door! Now shhh...keep this little secret between us!

Weekend Brunch Johnny Mangos

2013-10-31T12:36:00.004-04:00

A few weeks ago, after an early morning game of touch football, several members of the team were looking for somewhere to have breakfast. We decided to go to Johnny Manos. While we had all been there before for lunch or dinner, brunch was a new experience for us and it did not disappoint.

To start with I ordered the margarita of the day- jalapeno and cucumber. It was delicious! One of my other companions orders a mimosa- this was not a one glass of champagne mimosa it was a full pint size glass. But we were there for breakfast so let's move on. We had a young child with us and he was happy with his happy beans and snagging some corn bread and other items from the rest of us. I indulged in the smoked salmon scramble with the side of corn bread and home fries. I loaded all of it with the green hot sauce, my favorite, and for under $8 it was a healthy and satisfying breakfast. They have old staples live Huevos Rancheros and eggs and cornbread as well as various types of whole wheat waffles. For those slightly more daring for breakfast they have a Vietnamese Rice Crepe folded over shrimp, mushrooms & sprouts; sweet and sour dipping sauce. And as always they have their regular menu available during brunch.

Johnny Mango's never disappoints. They have great food, great prices, and the quantity matches the quality. It is always changing and unique, yet you could order the same thing each time and be completely satisfied. I actually want to go back and try a different flavor margarita and maybe some pineapple granola whole wheat waffles.

I have some Gluten Free friends and this is a Gluten Free Friendly Restaurant.

Lava Lounge

2013-10-05T09:50:00.001-04:00

So another adventure in Tremont. I love Fat Cats happy hour so decided to check out their sister restaurant on the other side if Tremont, Lava Lounge. The happy hour is not as good but there are still some solid deals.

They have multiple items for $3-7 each. I was with a friend and we ordered the wings, burger and goat cheese. The wings had 5 in an order and with a spicy Asian inspired sauce. They were a good size and cooked well. The burger was just ok. We ordered it medium and it was well done and not juicy. The meat tasted a little old as well. I would not order it again. The goat cheese was delicious. Nice herbs and crust with a spicy chopped tomato garnish and perfect crostini. I would order 3 of these next time.

The drinks were ok. Creative but nothing special. The bartender was friendly and attentive. For two drinks each and enough to call it dinner our bill was about $25 each including tax and tip. It was an affordable enjoyable night.

The last plus is their happy hour goes until 8 so no need to rush out of work.

bacon and Fahernheit

2013-09-17T17:21:00.002-04:00

I FINALLY got to enjoy happy hour at Fahrenheit. I have always loved their food. But I never was able to find the right time or day to enjoy their happy hour...it was well worth the wait. I want to start with the best bar snacks around, bacon. They literally serve cones of bacon for patron to grab like a bar snack. It is very yummy and just starts the meal off right.

The drinks at happy hour are very reasonably priced as well. Wine is $4 and a specialty cocktail is $5. The specialty cocktail that evening was a tea vodka with lemonade. It was a little sweet for me, but good.

There are plenty of choices on the happy hour menu as well. I chose the burger with goat cheese and sweet pickles. Those who know me, know I do not like sweet pickles. These were nicely cured sliced of cucumber and were not overly sweet but very fresh. The burger was perfect with a toasted bun and a side of stone ground mustard or ketchup. It was big enough for a meal (especially when you have 2 pieces of bacon as the bar snack). My companions who joined me decided to order the pizza. It had three cheeses and a drizzle of honey. It was large enough for 3 people to split, each getting 2 pieces. Also on the menu was a new item- a philly cheesesteak for $6. I cannot lie, it sounds great and I may get it next time.

The best thing about Fahrenheit is that you are not sacrificing any quality for the price. Their happy hour is cheap and filling, but of the same quality you would expect of any of their menu items. While yes there is a burger, wings, pizza and sliders...typical for a happy hour menu...it is not typical. The toppings are delicious and fresh and the food is cooked to perfection. The bar is definitely hopping and there are some tables around the side as well to sit at while enjoying a few drinks and food.

This is a great stop before an art walk in Tremont and after dinner, you can walk across the street to scoops for some ice cream or a chocolate covered slice of cheesecake. Yum!

Luxe Again

2013-09-05T10:18:00.003-04:00

So it has been about a year since I wrote a review of Luxe's happy hour and since that review it has changed. There are still wonderful drinks for $5.5, including the Bloom- my favorite. (See prior post for all the great information on it).

Last night we orders the Margherita Pizza and a plain traditional with pepperoni. All were half off during happy hour on the porch. The Margherita had thin slices of tomato, cheese, and was crisp and light. The plain pizza was also light and crisp with the right amount of sauce to topping ratio. The best part is, the pizza's are 8 slices and can easily be shared with a group.

We also ordered their Fritto misto. It was fried, not breaded, brussel sprouts, green beans and sweet potatoes. The brussel sprouts were golden and sweet and crunchy. The green beans had a little char and were crisp to bite but still well cooked. The sweet potato was crunchy on the outside and literally fell apart on the inside as you cut into it. IT was served with a curry sauce that was not too spicy but had a punch of flavor.

The best part about Luxe is their patio. If you go on a Wednesday night they have free live entertainment. The entertainment is great, not too loud but wonderful background music. The outdoor patio is fun and lively and can be hard to get a seat.

Luxe has always been one of my favorite spots in Gordon Square. It offers great food quality at a great price. They have ever changing specials every night which makes the dining experience different all the time. They also have a parking lot in the back which is another plus of Gordon Square!

Lago for Lunch

2013-08-04T11:17:00.002-04:00

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

2013-08-04T10:51:00.003-04:00

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!

Brothers and sushi

2013-07-23T18:07:00.001-04:00

Sailing was cancelled again...so what is a girl to do? Sushi at Brothers Lounge on Detroit. All drinks are a dollar off during happy hour. So my vine martini with white wine and vodka is only $6.50. It is quite tasty.

The beauty of tonight is the sushi. Reasonably prices and only served on Tuesday. I ordered the 6 piece dynamite roll with spice tuna, salmon and avocado for $5.5 and then splurged on the 8 piece futo maki roll with spicy tuna, salmon, crab, avocado and siracha. It is $11, but a huge portion.

The rolls were beautiful and fresh. Nice and light for a humid Tuesday night. The dynamite roll was spicy and perfect with the wasabi and soy. The pickled ginger was sweet with a kick. The futo maku roll really was huge with lots of fish inside and spicy siracha and a hoy mayo drizzled on top. There was way too much food for just one person, but of course I finished it all. Three rolls between 2 people would he perfect.

It's a nice contrast to the regular menu. Something special for a Tuesday night.

Flying fig lunch

2013-07-04T13:05:00.001-04:00

An employee of mine was retiring so we decided to go to flying Fig for for lunch. It was the perfect spot for the special occasion. Well the lunch prices are extremely reasonable the food is phenomenal. At the end of the meal the total cost per person for a shared appetizer 3 meals 3 desserts and 3 ice teas was only $25 a person and that included tax and tip.

Now on to the important part... the food. We started with what is one of the best shared appetizer on the menu, the tempura battered green beans. They are light crispy and very fresh. They are served with a sword ginger sauce and a sweet thicker Asian sauce.

For the main course I had vegan and so workers had the eggs sandwich with the bread on the side. The vegan had beautifully homemade hummus grilled eggplant pickled onions roasted red peppers arugula and a balsamic dressing between ciabatta bread. It was a perfect combination and the sandwich was large. My coworkers grilled eggplant sandwich was just as beautiful. There was a beautiful pile of arugula with thinly sliced marinated eggplant, a roasted red pepper/sundried tomato paste, and according to my dining companions a pickled fennel. They serve the bread on the side as requested and it was a delicious homemade onion focaccia.

However well the meal was wonderful desert stole the show. I had a banana rum bacon brittle ice cream that is made in house. It was made with wonderfully wholesome ingredients. My coworkers each ordered the butterscotch budino with salted caramel and a hazelnut cookie. They both wanted to scrape the mason jar for more.

The meal was very special and right next door is a little shop also filled with fresh ingredients to take home. The meal was memorable and delicious.