Tastes, Treats, and Travels

Rocky River Brewing Company

2013-05-17T16:17:00.001-07:00

To celebrate only having 100 days left of internship, my coworkers and I decided to go to Rocky River Brewing Company for drinks and dinner. We arrived at 7:30 and were able to be seated on the patio. The restaurant had a very pub-like feel, with the brewing barrels on display and lots of dark wood.

I decided to try a blueberry beer, which was fantastic (the middle one pictured above). The beer was just the right amount of hoppiness, with a subtle fruity tone. Excellent for a nice warm evening!

For an appetizer, Jared placed an order of portobello artichoke dip for us to share. It was topped with fresh tomatoes and tasted very creamy with warm crispy tortilla chips.

For my meal, I ordered the salmon burger, which was served on a sun dried tomato brioche bun with lemon dill aioli, lettuce, and tomato. The burger was pretty typical, although the aioli was the perfect compliment and the bun was a unique twist. It was served with beer battered fries, which were flavorful and well seasoned.

Jared ordered the blackened tuna steak sandwich, which was served with a sun dried tomato aioli. He seemed pretty happy with his meal.

Holly chose the eldorado enchiritos, served with dirty rice and black beans and including chorizo, chicken, and cheese in a sun dried tomato tortilla. Her meal was topped with cheese, peppers, and onions, and she was very satisfied.

Katie, after much deliberation, decided on the cod tacos, which she also enjoyed. We all really enjoyed our beer, food, and company, and we were able to enjoy it all at a leisurely pace. I can't wait to go back!

Lemon Grass

2013-05-14T15:11:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, I had my graduate school graduation. The hubby decided to make reservations at Lemon Grass on Madison in Hyde Park, Cincinnati: one of my favorite Thai restaurants. We arrived shortly before our reservation time, yet were seated immediately. I ordered a glass of Estancia chardonnay, which was oaky and refreshing, while the hubby ordered a light Thai beer. Our families joined us after just a few minutes and we put in our order.

I got my usual order: swimming angel, which includes spinach, broccoli, and chicken served covered in peanut sauce. It was as amazing as I had remembered, served to my spiciness specifications, the sauce sweet yet spicy, not overly peanutty, and lighter than most peanut sauces. I consciously made the effort to save enough for leftovers, although it was quite difficult.

The hubby also ordered his usual: green curry with shrimp. The green curry was unique and complex, and the spiciness was full of flavor.

The rest of our family members really enjoyed their meals as well, with my brother describing his as "perfect." We were given multiple servings of rice and our waters were refilled regularly. It was a great place to celebrate with a fairly large group, and I cannot wait to go back!

Europa Bistro

2013-05-07T12:59:00.001-07:00

The hubby and I were in Cincinnati this past weekend for a wedding and a baby shower, so we made plans with some of our good friends to meet up for Sunday brunch. I found a place in Covington that took reservations for groups, Europa Bistro, so we headed there. We had to pay for parking, but were able to park easily in the garage, while our friends parked across the street. We were seated immediately when we arrived and enjoyed the colorful decor and fun artwork posted on the wall for sale. Our waiter was a bit formal, and the tone was set even further when Chef Nicola came around to meet us and introduce himself. However, the menu looked delicious.

The hubby decided to order the enticing Uova alla Cincinnatus, which included poached eggs over goetta on toasted filone bread, served with a side of fruit and roasted potatoes and topped with hollandaise sauce. The meal was delicious, with the combination being the perfect brunch food. The eggs were a bit less runny than I'd expect, but the goetta was tasty and flavorful.

I opted for The Greek, a vegetarian entree of sliced pita topped with scrambled eggs mixed with spinach, feta, tomatoes, and kalamata olives, served with the same roasted potatoes and fruit. The roasted potatoes were typical, although good, and the fruit was juicy and fresh. The entree was rich and buttery, tasting more elegant than I would have expected and full of flavor. The pita was even more flavorful than I expected, and it was exceptionally soft and delicate. The only complaint that I had were the full kalamata olives added a little too much of a kick, and I feel like the salty nature could have been toned down had they been sliced. Other than that, the serving size was huge, and I had enough leftovers for later in the day.

Other friends had the Nutella Tosto Francese, a nutella French toast that was reportedly tasty, as well as the Omelette Alla Contadina, which was filled with eggplant, artichoke, roasted red pepper, provolone, and mozzarella. Everyone was satisfied with the food, but our table was a bit smushed when two musicians began playing right next to us. While the music was good, a little bit more space would have been nice. In general, though, the menu was unique, the food was tasty, and the prices were reasonable. Even the coffee was bold and flavorful. A good was to warm up a rainy Sunday!

Happy Dog

2013-05-07T12:47:00.002-07:00

One of my coworkers' going away party was at the Happy Dog in the Cleveland Gordon Square District. The hubby and I decided to join. Our group was joining in the basement, and it had a typical bar feel with several arcade games. A few of us sat at a pub table and viewed the menu, designing our own dogs before putting our order at the bar. Since our group was so large and there was only one bartender taking the orders, there was a wait to put in the orders, but once we placed it, the food arrived quickly.

The hubby ordered the regular all beef hot dog with chipotle ketchup, sriracha hot sauce, sport peppers, chorizo chili, cheddar cheese, and a sunny side up fried egg. His hot dog was obviously very savory and spicy, with loads of toppings melding together nicely. I wouldn't have been able to handle the whole thing, though, as it was definitely heavy.

I decided to try the vegan sausage dog with sun dried tomato tapenade, garlic escarole, brie cheese, sauteed onions, black truffle honey mustard, and fruit loops (hey why not?). The vegan sausage was delicious, actually tasting like a nongreasier version of the pork delight, with lots of spiciness. I wished the brie cheese had been melted over the dog, as I feel like this would have given the spiciness a complementary creaminess. I also was suprised by how much of the sun dried tomato tapenade was on my dog. I felt like this sweet flavor overwhelmed the rest of the toppings so that I wasn't able to taste some of the others (specifically the black truffle honey mustard, which I had been so excited about). And the fruit loops? They just added a nice crunchiness!

My friend Katie also ordered the vegan dog, topped with black truffle honey mustard, sauteed onions, roma tomatoes, alien relish, cucumbers, and brie, and she really enjoyed hers as well.

All in all, the hot dogs were delicious and at $5 a pop with as many toppings as you want, a great deal. There was a decent beer selection, and you could order tots or fries with a variety of sauces as well. I feel like I simply ordered wrong, and surprisingly, it wasn't even the fruit loops ;). Next time I may go with one of the pre-made combinations listed on the table!

Banana Blossom Thai Cuisine

2013-04-21T17:05:00.003-07:00

My friend Jessica was in town this weekend, and so we wanted to go out to dinner. I didn't think to make reservations in advance and unfortunately, several of the restaurants we tried in Tremont had an hour plus wait, so I looked on Urbanspoon to see what was close by with good reviews, and we came across Banana Blossom Thai Cuisine in Ohio City. We called and they said they would hold a table for us.

We got to the restaurant quickly, which was a bit isolated from the rest of the Ohio City restaurants and appeared to be a hole in the wall. However, once we walked inside, I was very satisfied with our choice. The decor was modern and Asian, with bright orange walls, and the restaurant was small with a delectable aroma. We were seated immediately and given our menus. I ordered a glass of the house white, which was sweet, fruity, but not overly sugary. The hubby ordered a Great Lakes Dortmunder Gold beer, which I loved. It was golden, as the name suggested, and slightly hoppy, but not too bitter. Jess got a Thai beer, which was very light but somewhat flavorful. We decided to split an order of crab rangoon as our appetizer while we waited for our entrees.

The crab rangoon was amazing. The servings were small and rectangular, which I had never seen before, but they were perfectly crunchy. not overly fried, and full of sweet creamy crab goodness. The duck sauce was the perfect sweet accompaniment and I wished that there was much more!

For his entree, my husband ordered his favorite Thai dish: green curry. He was not asked what level he wanted to order it at, so he wished it was a bit more spicy (always orders a 10). but loved the flavor. It was one of the best green curries that I have ever had, with delicious crispy vegetables, tender shrimp. and the exceptional sauce.

Jess and I both decided to order the spicy pad thai, one of the entrees that had the best reviews online, which was served with shrimp and chicken. Wow.... that was the best Thai dish I have ever had! The portions were huge, and I had enough for a full dinner the next night. The spicy flavor was absolutely perfect, coating every inch of the noodles and vegetables, and the peanut flavor was subtle but noticeable. Even the tofu, which I usually hate, was cooked well, tender and not too chewy. I loved it!

I was so glad that the other restaurants were so busy that night, and was extremely satisfied with our tasty meal and great service. I cannot wait to go back to Banana Blossum and recommend that everyone go immediately for the great Thai food!

Eddie n Eddie Burgers

2013-04-16T12:59:00.001-07:00

My friend Evan came to visit this weekend and I wanted to go somewhere new but have a tasty meal. My friend Holly had been raving about a burger she had at Eddie n Eddie Burgers in Lakewood, so Evan and I decided to go. We had been shopping in the afternoon and went a bit early, between 5 and 6, and were seated at a table for 2 immediately. The restaurant itself was very casual, with a bar in the center. We were greeted promptly and given our drink orders. As we perused the menu, many of the burgers looked good, as did the brussel sprout salad. I decided to try the EnE burger, recommended by Holly, with waffle fries, hile Evan decided on the Kentuckyaki burger with the potato croquettes.

Kentuckyaki burger and croquettes

Evan's Kentuckyaki burger was served with grilled pineapple, bacon, and bourbon-infused teryaki sauce. The burger was sweet and richly flavored due to the bacon. She ordered it perfectly well, and it arrived slightly pink in the center. I thought it was tasty, and Evan liked it, but she preferred my burger. The croquettes were delicious. Sage-flavored mashed potatoes were fried and served in a sweet honey. It was an excellent, creative, homestyle side.

EnE burger

The EnE burger was incredible. My medium well burger was cooked through perfectly and was moist without being too greasy. The burger was served with a melted slice of gruyere cheese, sauteed onions and earthy portabello mushrooms, and drizzled with fresh herb aioli. Due to the toppings, the burger was huge, and I had half left for lunch the next day. The combination of flavors tasted unlike any I've had before, but also seemed natural. The waffle fries were crisp and salty, although fairly typical. The only downside to the night was the pickles... something must have gone terribly wrong in that pickle jar, as my pickle and half of Evan's tasted atrocious. Didn't know you could mess that up, but with the deliciousness of the burgers, I was able to see past it. They were some of the best burgers I've ever had!

Flying Fig

2013-03-31T14:33:00.000-07:00

The hubby and I decided to go on a nice brunch date to celebrate Easter, so we decided to head to one of the farm-to-table restaurants I have been wanting to go for months: The Flying Fig in Ohio City. We were able to get reservations at 12:15 two days before, and drove over that morning (with parking very close by).

We were seated in a small room inside the contemporary eclectic restaurant. The tables had mason jars filled with brown Easter grass and jelly beans for the holidays, and we were provided with the brunch menu. As we perused the menu, the hubby ordered a bloody mary, while I chose the bellini.

My bellini was dry and tasty. The sparking wine was plentiful, while the peach flavor was very subtle until the end of the drink. The hubby's bloody mary was spicy and well seasoned. I have never really been a bloody mary fan, but I found myself continuing to sip his drink. We both thought it was very well done. Our waitress brought us a bread basket (what a lovely suprise at brunch!) complimented by a light whipped butter and apple butter. The bread was airy and slightly crispy, and the apple butter was amazing.

For my entree, I chose the biscuits and gravy. The description sounded amazing... cheddar scones topped with New Creations Farm sausage, sage onion gravy, and scrambled eggs, with roasted red skin potatoes on the side. The biscuits were soft and crumbly, and the gravy had a lovely wine-esque flavor to it. It wasn't overly thick, as some gravy can be, and the sausage bites were thick and flavorful.

The hubby was enticed by several meal options, but finally decided on a newer offering: the breakfast sandwich. On a brioche bun was pork belly, apricot chutney, goat cheese, an overeasy egg, and watercress, with red skin potatoes on the side. I had a bite, and while pork belly is not my favorite, I found the apricot chutney to be perfectly sweet. The hubby loved it, described it as "warm and comforting decadence," enjoying how the broken egg balanced the crispy texture of the pork belly.

We had a wonderful Easter brunch at the Flying Fig with friendly service. While our order was misplaced while we were there, causing a slight delay in our food, we felt that it still was served to us in a timely fashion and our server was so apologetic that we felt it was no problem. I have been wanting to try out Flying Fig for dinner as well, and now I plan to definitely return!

Peking Restaurant

2013-03-17T12:19:00.000-07:00

I love lazy Fridays! After a long week, nothing beats takeout, so this week, I decided to pick up carry-out from Peking Restaurant in Lakewood on my way home from work.
I placed an order for broccoli and chicken and the combo platter for Szechuan shrimp, specifying extra spicy. The order was ready true to form in 20 minutes. While I saw a sign on the door stating that you could get a free 2 liter of coke with a $15 purchase, I was not offered this promo, even though I spent $16. I might have been able to get it if I had asked, though I no longer drink soft drinks so declined to make it into an issue.

The broccoli with chicken included the typical variety of vegetables and included plentiful chicken. However, the sauce was very mild and a bit flavorless.

Chicken and Broccoli

The Szechuan shrimp was a bit more flavorful, but very mild and not spicy at all, despite my asking specifically for this. The shrimp in the dish was a bit sparse, but the pork fried rice was tasty, as was the egg roll that came with the entree.

Szechuan Shrimp

While nothing was really bad, nothing really blew me away. Due to the lack of flavor and spice, I probably wouldn't go back, although I'd recommend it for someone with much more mild tastes.

Borderline Cafe

2013-03-17T11:56:00.002-07:00

My friend Katie and I decided to go to brunch today and since I had seen great reviews for Borderline Cafe in Lakewood, we agreed to check it out. We got to the restaurant (both of us were able to park on the street close by) around 12:30, and were able to be seated at the window immediately. The restaurant was small and simple, decorated with bright green plastic chairs and green and orange accents on the wall. Our waitress greeted us immediately, offering us coffee, although we both declined. We glanced over the menu, and I chose the veggie breakfast pizza, while Katie chose the veggie burrito with a side of guacamole. Our food quickly arrived, and was delicious. My breakfast pizza was served on a soft, fresh pita, topped with mild salsa, egg, sauteed mushroom, onion, tomato, cheddar, and scallions (minus the peppers and sour ccream, per my request). The flavors complimented each other well, but the mushrooms being the most prominent veggie flavor. The cheese was gooey and melted, providing a creamy texture, and the scallions added a mild pop of onion flavor. The meal was tasty and a bit unique, yet classic. I was pleased with the service, and at $4.75 plus tax for my meal, it was a steal! While the restaurant takes cash only, we were prepared and did not feel rushed to leave once we were finished. A perfect, easy, lazy Sunday brunch!

Veggie Breakfast Pizza

Veggie Burrito

The Sweet Spot

2013-03-10T16:34:00.000-07:00

The hubby and I were out and about Saturday afternoon running errands and needed a bit of a pick me up. We decided to try a gelato shop close to where we live: The Sweet Spot. When we arrived, we were the only people in the store. There were bright red chairs and pretty artwork on the wall, and an assortment of gelato flavors to choose from. The hubby decided to try a gelato sandwich, choosing salted dark chocolate with caramel as his flavor smooshed between two chocolate chip cookies. The gelato was rich and decadent, with the saltiness adding the perfect kick to the chocolate, and the cookies were soft and tasty. The gelato was a bit grainy though.

I decided to try a sampling of the lemon ginger, but was disappointed by the very grainy texture. I had a difficult time picking up on the ginger notes due to the graininess. I decided to get a scoop of the white chocolate strawberry, but to my dismay, this was equally as grainy. The flavor of the strawberries, unfortunately, was very mild, and I only counted two white chocolate chips in my dish.

While I think the owners had a great idea and this gelato shop has a great location, I was unfortunately not pleased with the texture of the gelato and will not be going back. Hopefully, this was a bad day, but I was disappointed that all of the flavors we tried had that grainy, rather than smooth, texture. I must give them props for the gelato sandwich idea though!

Players on Madison

2013-03-03T10:13:00.003-08:00

I had heard good things about Players on Madison, and since they have happy hour on Saturdays, I decided to take the hubby there last night to check it out.

From the outside, the restaurant didn't look like much of anything. Inside, though, there was a classic, dressy decor with art on the walls, tin ceiling tiles, and white tablecloths. The bar was a bit hidden from the main entrance and a bit small, but the hubby and I were able to get a seat.

As we perused the menu, the hubby ordered a Bell's two hearted ale and I chose the ginger orange crush cocktail. The hubby's ale was hoppy and fruity, with strong floral notes. My cocktail was light and unique, not too sweet but also flavorful from the ginger infused vodka, Smirnoff orange, blood orange puree, and ginger ale.

The hubby and I decided to try three of the enticing appetizers, all well priced at $5 each. My favorite of the three was the almond and sesame crusted brie. The crust of the brie was nutty and provided a lovely texture next to the smooth creaminess of the brie. This was served with apple pear chutney and truffle honey, which provided a deliciously sweet accent. The green sprouts added another element of flavor and texture, creating the all around perfect dish!

The chorizo and manchego stuffed banana peppers was my least favorite, although it was still delicious. The hubby loved this as well. The chorizo and roasted corn and tomato ragout made the dish feel hearty, while the banana pepper was much spicier than I expected (in a good way). The manchego flavor was subtle, and I almost wished there was a bit more manchego to make the dish a little creamier. It was still very tasty, though.

The gorgonzola pizzette was the hubby's favorite, and a very pleasant surprise! We had thrown this in as a last minute decision, struggling between ordering this and the mushroom pierogies. We were definitely pleased with our choice! The crust was thin and perfectly crispy on the outside, but still soft enough to chew. The gorgonzola was not overly pungent, perfectly creamy, and the sweetness of the grapes complimented it perfectly. There was a strong (but not too strong) garlic flavor that seemed sweet as well, and the truffle honey and rosemary provided a delicious earthiness. The hubby could not stop calling it "outstanding!."

Upon request, we were also given a bread basket with olive tapenade. The tapenade was very sweet and not too tangy, and tasted delicious on the crispy soft bread.

We were definitely pleased with this meal, much more than we had expected! At $5 a pop for appetizers, wine, and cocktails (and only $3 for beer), it was an excellent value. The men sitting next to us was raving about the mussels and margheritas pizzette as well. The atmosphere was romantic, and it was the perfect date night with my hubby!

Lola

2013-02-24T11:54:00.000-08:00

Since I've moved to Cleveland, I've wanted to try out Lola, Michael Symon's acclaimed restaurant on 4th Street in Downtown Cleveland. When I found out that they were participating in Cleveland's Restaurant Week, I decided to make belated Valentine's Day reservations for myself and the hubby.

As I expected, parking was very difficult, but with the Restaurant Week $2 parking voucher, we were able to park just a few blocks from the restaurant at a great price. We walked to the brightly lit 4th Street and into the romantic ambiance of Lola. We were immediately seated at our table with views of abundant artwork on the walls.

The hubby and I were greeted by a server after a short wait and requested the wine menu. We both decided on a glass of 2009 Peirano Estate Vineyards Cabernet. The wine was delicious... full bodied, fruity and spicy, yet with a smoky kick. We were given a bread basket to nibble on, which was crispy on the outside and soft and warm inside. The whipped butter was sweet, simple, and classic.

For the first course, my husband tried the roasted cauliflower soup. The soup was creamy and smooth, with a subtle butteriness. It was accented nicely with the parsley, raisins, and bacon.

I opted for the heirloom lettuce salad for my first course, and I was definitely pleased. The salad was plentiful, and the light vinaigrette added just the right amount of tang to balance the sweetness of the pears, the crunchiness of the candied walnuts, and the subtle creaminess of the blue cheese.

For both of our second courses, we decided on the hanger steak, which was recommended by our waitress as the house specialty. The steak was extremely flavorful on the outside and soft on the inside, with an exotic pickle sauce and chiles. It was served with a plentiful side of fries, which were some of the best I've ever had. The sea salt and rosemary provided an earthy flavor, and they were thin, crunchy, and addicting.

For dessert, I was enchanted by the maple pecan creme brulee. It was served with a bacon maple sugar cookie, which was a bit unnecessary in my opinion but unique. The bacon flavor was unable to be discerned at first, but on careful consideration, piped in at the end of the bite. The creme brulee was perfectly crispy and carmelized on top, with a delectible creaminess inside. I found the maple flavoring to be subtle and not too strong... an excellent finale to a tasty meal.

The hubby decided to try the triple chocolate bread pudding for dessert. This tasted more like a chocolate cake to me, but it was very tasty. It was served with a scoop of sweet white chocolate ice cream and a delicious red wine cherry compote. It was much more rich than the creme brulee, but the hubby was very pleased with his choice.

Overall, we had a great experience at Lola. The food was delicious, restaurant was romantic, and the $30 per person (excluding the wine) price tag was very reasonable for the portions we received.

For the first course, my husband tried the cauliflower soup.

The Anchor

2013-02-18T12:47:00.000-08:00

My friend Jess' birthday was last weekend, so I wanted to take her out to dinner when I made it back to Cincinnati. She chose a seafood restaurant in Over-the-Rhine, The Anchor. While I tried (and failed) to make reservations on Opentable.com earlier in the week, I called ahead the day we wanted to go and was able to reserve a table for 7 at any time we wished. We got there on time and were led to a hightop table between the front and back of the restaurant. The decor was modern and romantic, with lots of textures and unique lighting. Our waitress greeted us promptly and allowed us to put in a drink order while we perused the menu. As we were going to Beer Fest after, I chose not to get a drink and decided to try the trout BLT. Others tried the fish and chips, burger, watercress salad, hush puppies, and scallops.

The trout BLT was tasty, with the mild flavor of the fish enhanced with the bacon aioli on a flavorful focaccia. It was served with lightly fried Cidalia onion rings. While I thought the sandwich was unique and tasty, the onion rings were a little flimsy for my taste and difficult to eat. I tried a bite of my friend's fish and chips, and the fish was the perfect crispiness and not overly oily. The fries were addicting, thin, crispy, and salty, with a thick and sweet malt vinegar aioli. Others were happy with their choices as well, and the meal left us full, satisfied, and ready for Beer Fest!

Crust

2013-02-03T09:38:00.000-08:00

The hubby and I made dinner plans with our friends Mark and April, and in the efforts to try a new place, I suggested a relatively new restaurant in Tremont, Crust. We got there around 6:30, and even despite the snow, were able to find a parking spot right across the restaurant. We walked to the small building and were luky that one of the two small tables was available. Those working greeted us in a very friendly fashion and let us wait for our friends as we perused the menu.

Butternut Squash Ricotta Gnocchi

The menu consisted of gnocchis, salads, subs, and either pizzas by the slice or the whole pie. Since I am enticed by gnocchi, I chose the butternut squash ricotta gnocchi. Due to the recent fire at West Side Market, they were low on ingredients (yay for shopping local!), but they offered to make me a smaller portion at half price. The serving was still large enough for at least a meal. The hubby lived this dish, raving about the melding of the flavors from the slab bacon, sage, carmelized onion, apple cider reduction, and pumpkinseed oil. I was not as impressed as he was, feeling that the gnocchi was more tough than I prefer and that the pumpkinseed oil was too pungent.

Hot Stuffed Banana Pepper Pizza

The hubby and I also split the hot stuffed banana pepper pizza. Wow... this was the BEST pizza I ever had! The hand-tossed dough had a medium density and was easier eaten with a fork. The mixture of sauce, ricotta, mozzarella, pecorino romano, garlic oil, and basil was creamy and flavorful with a kick of spice from the pork and peppers. The toppings were plentiful enough to give bursts of flavors in every bite but not too much to complicate the freshness of the tomato sauce. I was definitely grateful that it left enough for lunch the next day.

Roasted Eggplant Pizza

Mark tried the hot margerita pepperoni pizza, which he thought was tasty and a bit spicy. April got the roasted eggplant pizza, which she described as tasty but not really tasting like a pizza. While the restaurant is more of a take out place, we were accommodated well by the staff, and the food was amazing. I'll stick to the pizza next time!

Market

2013-01-27T17:10:00.002-08:00

To celebrate our halfway point of my internship year, my supervisor suggested we all go out to brunch. My coworker, a native Clevelander, suggested Market in Rocky River. She made a 12:15 reservation for 10 of us, and when the hubby and I arrived at noon, the table was ready.

Market had a mixed lodgy-industrial feel. There was a lot of exposed brick on the wall and wooden tables, with black pipes coating the ceiling. The restaurant was large and the tables were far apart, giving it a roomy feel. They even offered complimentary valet parking. Our server greeted us promptly, and gave us several opportunities to order drinks. I decided to try the mango mimosa. I was definitely glad I did! The mango flavor was thick enough to remind me of the fruit, yet lightened up by the champagne to give a tropical refreshing feel. My friend Katie ordered a pear mimosa, which was light, tangy, and refreshing. For those who like Bloody Marys, there was a huge bar available with every topping (is it a topping in a drink?) that you could imagine.

MKT Breakfast Tacos and the Mango Mimosa

To eat, I decided to order the MKT breakfast tacos, while the hubby chose the southern spiced omelet. Our food came out fairly promptly and was presented in a very appetizing manner. My breakfast tacos were plentiful, and they were served with Yukon Gold home fries. The home fries were tasty, crispy on the outside yet soft on the inside, and flavored with various herbs, seasonings, and onions. However, I felt they may not have needed to be cooked with as much as they were. They were good, but they did not blow me away. My tacos involved three large flour tortillas filled with black bean puree, chorizo, scrambled egg, queso fresco, and salsa and sour creams on the side. While the tacos were good, the flavors did not melt together as well as I would have hoped, and I couldn't even taste the chorizo. I will mention again, though, that the portion size was huge and I was easily left with half my serving to take home for leftovers.

Southern Spiced Omelet

The hubby definitely ordered right yet again. His omelet was served with the same home fries and an English muffin. For some reason, the English muffin blew me away. It was light and spread with the perfect amount of butter, toasted perfectly so that the sourdough flavor really came through. The hubby's omelet was amazing as well. The egg was complimented perfectly with chorizo, tomato, scallion, and jack cheese, and the flavors were pungent and unlike my order, melded perfectly together. Luckily, I married a good sharer. :) Others at the table ordered the steel cut English oatmeal, the broccoli and white cheddar omelet, steak and eggs, and French toast, and everyone seemed to be satisfied. For the reasonable prices (items ranging from $7-10, with the mimosas $6 a pop), it was a great play to gather on a lazy Sunday with a group.

NYC at Christmas

2013-01-13T13:57:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to share some of the hubby and my pics of the beautiful decorations and places we visited in New York City at Christmas! Thank you to our wonderful friends for hosting us and showing us around!

Fahrenheit

2013-01-13T13:24:00.003-08:00

The hubby recently accepted what he describes as his dream job, so we decided to celebrate for dinner at Fahrenheit in Tremont. Fahrenheit is a somewhat upscale modern American restaurant with great, modern decor: low lighting, wood tables, black chairs, an exposed brick wall, and colorful wall paintings. The hubby and I had a 6:30 reservation and were seated at a half booth in the back of the restaurant immediately. Our server greeted us immediately, filling our water glasses, telling us about the specials, and taking our wine orders. She was one of the best servers I've ever had... friendly and jokey but not too up in our business, timely, accurate, and just fun in general! I decided to try a glass of the Centine red blend, which I have had before and liked, while the hubby chose a Napa Valley Zinfandel, Tierra Caliente. While the Centine red was tasty, spicy and fruity with a medium body, the zinfandel stole my heart: smoky, leathery, a bit fruit forward, and full bodied. Lucky for me, I have a wonderfully generous hubby who traded glasses with me :).

While we were enticed by the gnocchi special, Ron and I decided to order two appetizers and a pizza. We chose the chorizo stuffed sweet dates, because who wouldn't!, and the Vietnamese chicken spring rolls, then the roasted apple pizza.

Before the appetizers came out, we were given a basket of multigrain artisan bread with servings of housemade olive tapenade and honey butter. We were in love already! The bread was flavorful, and the sweet honey and tangy tapenade were the perfect combinations. We even were given extra to go!

When our appetizers came, I tried the spring roll first. It was tasty, substantial in portion size, and served with lettuce, crisply pickled cucumbers and ginger, and a Hong Kong dipping sauce. Delish!

The next appetizer really won my heart... I am a huge fan of sausage stuffed dates but these were just perfection! Five bite sized dates filled with spicy chorizo and sweet roasted tomato aoili, and wrapped in bacon. The bites were full of flavor, perfectly seasoned, and not drenched in sauce. This was by far our favorite!

When the pizza came out, I was already on my way to full. The roasted apple pizza was advertised as served with pork belly, piave cheese, and cheddar cheese. It was enticing, although in reality, did not live up to my hopes. The apples were tasty but not strong or numerous enough to flavor the pizza, and the pork belly was a bit fatty. The pizza did not have any time of sauce, and while the flavor of the crispy honey crust was tasty, the hubby and I both felt the pie was missing something. Not terrible, but not as good as we had been expecting, especially since the other dishes were so good.

Despite the disappointing pizza, the hubby and I were very excited to have tried Fahrenheit and would definitely go back! The bread, zinfandel, and dates were absolutely incredible, and it was the perfect evening celebration!

Istanbul Cafe

2012-12-26T09:06:00.004-08:00

The hubby and I went back to Cincinnati to celebrate Christmas and decided to head downtown Saturday night to look at the lights. Since I had seen a HalfPriceCincy deal for 50% off a meal at Istanbul Cafe, we decided to satisfy my tabouli craving and have dinner there.

We arrived just as 6 and were able to park on the street just around the block. Cafe Instanbul was just a couple blocks from downtown on Vine Street. We walked in the bright turquoise restaurant and were the first people to eat. We were seated at a table by the window and greeted promptly. Since it was a BYOB restaurant (but we didn't know), we just had water to drink. The hubby and I perused the menu and decided to share the falafel main entree and order eggplant puree, tabouli, and feta borek.

Eggplant puree

The eggplant puree was actually my least favorite of the dishes, although the hubby liked it. It had a very smoky flavor and tasted much more mild in general than baba ganoush. It was a bit chunky but plentiful to be added to the deliciously fresh pita we were served.

Falafel dinner

The falafel dinner was absolutely incredible. The hummus was creamy and flavorful, the falafel light and not too greasy, and the salad and balsamic vinaigrette was the perfect accoutrement.

Feta borek

The feta borek was absolutely perfect as well. The phyllo dough was lightly crisped and not overly fried, so that it was very soft. The feta was creamy and somewhat mild, and the mint yogurt sauce added a light pop of flavor.

Tabouli

The tabouli was unlike any that I have ever had. The waiter was telling us that many Lebanese people are outraged by the tabouli, since it is much more flavorful than the typical parsley-flavored tabouli of other countries. However, I found it to be delightful. The wheat did incorporate parsley, olive oil, and lemon juice as one would expect, but also tomato, spring onions, red pepper, pomegranate syrup, and other herbs. It was flavorful and bursting with color.

We were definitely pleased with Istanbul Cafe, and it would be delicious to try out some of their wraps at lunch. We left full and satisfied, without being overly stuffed. Delicious!

Sal's Pizzeria and Restaurant

2012-12-21T17:01:00.002-08:00

On our last night in NYC, the hubby wanted to check out Little Italy, so we decided to stop in a small Italian restaurant, Sal's. We were seated at a table for 4 immediately and I was impressed by the quaintness of the room, with brick walls and framed photographs in the hall The hubby and I each ordered a glass of the house red, and we were brought over a half carafe for the same price. The wine was buttery and smooth, a great compliment to dinner.

We all decided to split an order of calamari to start. While the calamari itself was very classic, the sauce was exceptionally fresh, and the bed of lettuce complimented it perfectly.

For our main course, we split a Napoli pizza, complete with broccoli rabe and sausage. The pizza was perfectly crispy but not too dry, with the flavors melding nicely with the mozzarella and sauce. The pizza was a good size for the 4 of us and we finished it all. It was a nice low key way to end our fantastic weekend trip to New York!

Veniero's Pasticceria & Caffe

2012-12-19T17:50:00.000-08:00

After brunch on Saturday, Ada led us to an excellent Italian pastry shop for dessert: Veniero's Pasticceria & Caffe. While it took a while for us to be greeted, once we were, we were given samples of a red velvet cupcake and seated.

The ceiling was decorated in a beautiful stained glass, and the decor made me feel like I was back in Italy.
We struggled to decide what to order, but Ada got a slice of coconut cake, Jess and Caso chose cannoli, and Adrian tried the strawberry shortcake. The cakes were both amazing. The cake itself was light, the frosting fluffy and sweet, and the strawberries and coconut being abundant on their respective cakes.

The hubby and I split a cafe au lait and a cannoli. The cannoli was simply out of this world! Super creamy and thick, with a nice cinnamon flavor, and the crispy fried shell reminding me of the best cannolis I have had in Italy! The coffee was creamy and perfectly strong as well.

Another excellent choice by Ada, and the perfect way to spend an afternoon catching up with friends!

La Cerveceria

2012-12-19T17:28:00.002-08:00

My good friend Jess told the hubby and I that one quintessential New Yorker activity is weekend brunch, so we decided to make reservations at restaurant Ada wanted to try: La Cerveceria in East Village. We were able to make reservations and were seated at the window.

The restaurant was decorated in a quirky, modern fashion. An orange-ish, reddish wall, funky lights, and an interesting picture of an alpaca gave the restaurant its unique style.

For brunch, the restaurant has several specials where for $14, you get a mimosa, bloody mary, or sangria, as well as an entree. I tried the mimosa, which was classic, while the hubby chose the sangria. While my mimosa was good, the sangria was amazing... buttery, fruity, and definitely not too sweet. I instantly regretted my drink decision, but lucky for me, I married someone good at sharing!

The hubby decided to order the Huevos Rancheros de Cerveceria, which was over easy eggs served with bacon, guacamole, rice, beans, salsa borracha, and over tortilla chips. He liked it, but thought it could have had more sauce on it.

My friend Greg ordered the Lima Cobb Salad, which I didn't try, but looked fresh and flavorful with a hard boiled egg, gorgonzola, chargrilled chicken, bacon, and a mustard vinaigrette.

Adrian decided on the Quinoa Risotto Con Huevos, another dish I didn't try. Again, it looked amazing, with poached eggs, skirt steak, peas, and broccoli.

Ada decided on the Mayan style omelet. This was incredibly delicious, and I would have ordered this had I not got my dish. The bacon, avocado, tomato, and beans melded together as the perfect Mexican brunch good, and it was served with greens and home fries.

I chose the Tacos de Huevos, which was three mini tacos stuffed with scrambled egg, guacamole, pico de gallo, and shrimp. The dish was amazing, with the eggs served perfectly fluffy, the avocado adding a creaminess, and the shrimp flavor strong. The homestyle fries were a nice addition as well.

Jess decided to try out the French toast, which was a huge serving size. The toast was stuffed with ricotta, bananas, and raspberries,and served with dulce de leche. It tasted decadent yet the toast was fairly fluffy.

We had an excellent time and the meals were all delicious and unique. An A+ for La Cerveceria!

Patzeria Family and Friends

2012-12-19T17:11:00.001-08:00

The hubby and I decided to cross another item off our bucket list this Christmas season: NYC at Christmas! We stayed with one of my closest friends from college and met up with several more for dinner and the Rockettes. For dinner, my friend Ada made us reservations at a 4-star-on-Yelp Italian restaurant not too far from Radio City Music Hall: Patzeria Family and Friends.

We arrived about 5 minutes before our 7:30 reservation and seated promptly. The restaurant was classic and somewhat small, and we were seated near the kitchen. We ordered a bottle of Moscato and perused the menu as we munched on the complementary garlic bread. The Moscato was very tasty... sparkling, crisp, and not overly sweet.

The garlic bread was crispy and lightly buttered with a subtle garlic flavor. It could have used a bit more butter (which it was served with, to their credit), but it was also nice to have garlic bread not dripping in butter and oil.

Jess ordered the calamari as an appetizer, and the dish was classic. No crazy embellishments, but perfectly fried.

Eventually, I decided upon the spaghetti alla vodka, while the hubby tried the tortellini patzeria. The spaghetti was cooked perfectly and the sauce was creamy, but it could have used a touch more salt. It was a bit thick for my taste, but good nonetheless.

The tortellini patzeria was better, in my opinion. The sauce was similar (if not identical) and plentiful, but the addition of prosciutto, peas, and shallots added a nice flavor. Others tried the veal, salmon, and broccoli rabe and sausage penne, and were all satisfied with their meals.

Patzeria Family & Friends was very reasonably priced for the location and the portion size. They served classic Italian food cooked in a traditional fashion. We were served quickly but not rushed, and we were able to get out in good time to make the Rockettes. All around, a great first night in NYC!

Sweet Melissa's

2012-12-02T16:24:00.002-08:00

My friend Katie's 30th birthday was this weekend, so we decided to celebrate with brunch at Sweet Melissa's. We had seen mixed reviews online but had heard from several people that the food was good. We arrived between 11:15 and 11:30 (parking was tough to find due to the Rocky River Holiday Walk), and were seated nearly immediately at a front table for 4.

Our waiter greeted us fairly promptly and brought us glasses for water. We all decided to get the blood orange mimosas, which were fantastic! Tons of flavor and fairly generous on the champagne, as well as delightfully served with a strawberry on the side.

It took us all forever to decide on what to order, as there were menu items that were extremely enticing. However, I decided to try the unique ABC folded eggs... an omelette stuffed with apples, bacon, and white cheddar. I was definitely happy with my order. The sweet and savory mix was absolutely perfect, and the amount of cheese was "tasteful," as Katie puts it. The omelet came with several potatoes with a delicious creamy sauce (incredibly moist and seasoned to perfection!) and a wheat toast, which was tender, flavorful, and lightly buttered. One of the best brunches I've had!

My friend Holly opted for my second choice: the Greek folded eggs. This was abundantly stuffed with sun dried tomatoes, artichokes, olives, feta, and onion... salty and flavorful!

Jared decided on one the Sonja's bagel sandwich, which was absolutely huge! The bagel came stuffed with grilled salmon, fried eggs, cheddar, capers, tomatoes, avocado, and goat cheese... and it looked absolutely amazing.

The birthday girl splurged on the crab 'n eggs... crabcakes, fried eggs, fried green tomatoes, and chipotle aioli. The crab was soft and delicate, and the creamy spicy sauce was the perfect addition.

All of the food was incredible and the restaurant was decorated for the holidays. I would love to go back to try some of the lunch and dinner dishes, as they looked amazing as well. I absolutely believe that Sweet Melissa's is truly worth the (positive) hype!

1215 Wine Bar and Coffee Lab

2012-11-26T17:10:00.001-08:00

The hubby and I were back in Cincinnati for Thanksgiving weekend, and after our annual trip to the Festival of Lights at the Cincinnati Zoo with some good friends, we decided to check out the relatively new wine bar (and coffee shop) 1215. We got there between 8 and 9 and were able to park pretty close on the street, then found a group of seats at the bar. There was a musician playing guitar and singing, and the bar was comfortably crowded. A few of our friends decided to leave to get food at a nearby restaurant since all 1215 served was small plates, and those of us left ordered beers and glasses of wine. While 1215 serves flights, I decided to get a glass of cabernet franc recommended by the bartender for my "leathery and smoky" craving (unfortunately I do not remember the label... party foul on this blogger!). The wine was perfect and exactly as described, with a full body. Evan chose a glass of tempranillo, which had strong tannins and was spicy and fruity, true to tempranillo form. Our hubbies ordered beers, which they enjoyed. Overall, 1215 was a pretty typical wine bar with the added plus of serving coffee beverages and holiday decor. The service was friendly and timely, and we had a good time. A much needed addition to the Vine Street strip.

Barrio En Tremont

2012-11-18T16:59:00.003-08:00

A good friend of mine is living in Akron, and since I moved to Cleveland, we've been intending to get together to catch up. We finally got around to it this Sunday for lunch. In attempts to find a fairly neutral locale, we decided to try out Barrio in Tremont. I had read great reviews, and they opened at 1 for lunch. I got there shortly after, finding parking on the street. I was the first to arrive and was greeted and given a menu to peruse. My friend Julie got there just a few minutes later and we were given waters and chips and salsa as we looked over the menu.

(L) chorizo taco, (R) pescada taco

Both of us struggled a bit to make our own tacos, but finally each decided on one sweeter taco and one more savory taco. I ordered both tacos on flour tortillas, one fish and one with the housemade chorizo. On my fish taco, I chose to get jicama slaw with strawberries, a mango salsa, manchego cheese, and a cilantro-lime aoili. For my chorizo taco, I tried the chipotle crema sauce, salsa roja, salsa verde, lettuce, tomatoes, and manchego cheese. The fish taco was a bit messy, sopping in the cilantro lime aoili. It tasted sweet and creamy, but I wished that the sauce was a bit lighter so that I could taste more of the fish. The chorizo taco, though, was much more well-balanced. It was spicy, yet sweet, with the fresh tomato and lettuce adding great texture. While it was a bit greasy and messy, it was unique and very tasty! Julie tried the chicken on the corn tortilla. She thought the taco was a bit dry, but loved the flavors and really enjoyed the tortilla. We had great service during our meal and did not feel rushed in the slightest, as the restaurant was fairly empty. At $3 a pop for the tacos, it was a great value as well. I'd love to go back and try their drinks and guacamole... well done Barrio!