Pacific East

We don’t often go out for sushi, but when we do, we have always fully appreciated Pacific East. The fish simply tastes fresher and the dishes look beautiful when delivered. We enjoy our trips to this restaurant. While we never sampled the other side of the menu, they offer a number of Malaysian dishes as well.

Unlike most meals, we typically share a sushi dinner. We enjoy the same things and occasionally we order something the other will not appreciate. Jeff sometimes wants a piece with more spice. Michele will select a fish that is “too fishy” for Jeff. In all, it works out.

This trip we ordered some Miso soup, salads with ginger dressing and then the Tri-Color Sushi consisting of Tuna, Salmon and Yellowtail. We also ordered a California Roll. Each piece was perfect. Dessert was deep fried Green Tea ice cream.

We like Pacific East. We are however, not sushi experts. If you’re a casual enjoyer of this Japanese treat, we think you’ll fully enjoy this Coventry landmark.

http://www.pacificeastcoventry.com/  1763 Coventry Road Cleveland Heights, OH 44118 216-320-2302

Eatin’ in Philadelphia 2

After a week eating in New Orleans, it was going to be a tough follow-up as Jeff traveled to Philadelphia. The last time he needed to work there, he had some excellent food at Chifa and Barbuzzo and was in-fact looking forward to the diversity. To make the change he decided to eat “as far from NOLA” as possible. This trip would be Greek and Italian. It was a good adventure.

Vetri has been called the best Italian restaurant in America. It is regularly listed as one of the top 20 restaurants in the country of any type. Jeff tried to dine there two years ago, but could not secure a table. This time, he was lucky…boy was he lucky!

Vetri offers only a multi-course Chef’s tasting menu. You arrive and are shown a list of the things being prepared that evening. Unless you have some dietary restrictions or are dying to try one specific offering, you are left in the Chef’s capable hands. Michele does not like this type of eating, inevitably feeling she’s consumed too much, or they deliver something she doesn’t like, but feels compelled to eat, so with Jeff alone, it was the perfect opportunity. Jeff told the waiter that he was glad the Chef was making the decisions, because he couldn’t! They also offer a wine pairing in two grades and a beer pairing. Wine by the bottle is also available.

While perusing the scrumptious list, a complementary glass of champagne is poured and an amuse buche of house made cheeses and house cured meats is served. Salumi, prociutto, foie gras and reggiano were each flawless. The fun then began!

First was Orata (a Mediterranean fish) in a beautiful green fava bisque. This was followed by a Sweet Onion Crepe with a truffle fondue. The Spinach Gnocchi with Brown Butter was about to be Jeff’s favorite course until the Setaro premium pasta) Porcini with Braised Snails arrived. Jeff argued with himself all the way back to the hotel trying to decide which was better. As of this writing, he is still arguing with no result in sight. The last dish was an unlisted goat entrée that may spoil him for goat forever into the future.

Dessert was perfect, dinner was perfect, the service was perfect, the evening was perfect. Jeff cannot imagine a restaurant being better and he thinks he know why. Chef Marc Vetri was ever present. The folks at the table next to him were acquaintances, on the other side, their children when to school with him. He asked Jeff if everything was as expected. (Of course it was!) Then back into the kitchen, not the food network or the airport. Vetri is not cheap, but then again, nothing this fabulous would, or could be. You get what you pay for and at Vetri, you get an avalanche.

The first evening in Philadelphia was spent in a crowded neighborhood corner eatery with the food of Greece and Cyprus. Kanella is an unassuming space, but the simple ends there. The Bureki appetizer was phillo filled with feta and thyme, drizzled with a luscious honey, tinted with thyme and beets. The dish did not leave the table without a finger drawn through the scented sweet drippings. Jeff’s entrée was Goat Stew with crispy okra and a lovely wheat barley-type grain (called “berries” in the menu.) A dollop of yogurt kept the Mediterranean spunk in check. This was an excellent dish. We could argue if this goat was better than Vetri’s, but really, who cares? Both were at the top of their game! Dessert was a Moroccan Orange Almond Tart with Cardamom ice cream, the perfect cool and creamy end to a wonderful meal.

Kanella is a BYOB restaurant. BYOB restaurants are apparently very popular in Philadelphia. If you enjoy wine with your meal, you may want to note this information on restaurant’s respective websites.

Before leaving town, Jeff couldn’t go without a turkey sandwich from The Original Turkey in the Reading Terminal Market. This is very good turkey, tender, juicy and flavorful piled on fresh baked bread. One of Jeff’s Philly favorites!

After a few trips to Philadelphia, Jeff has come to appreciate the culinary adventure. With Chinese-Peruvian food at Chifa, Cyprus cuisine at Kanella and flawless Italian at Vetri, Philadelphia is almost as cross-cultural as Cleveland.

http://www.vetriristorante.com/  1312 Spruce Street Philadelphia, PA 19107 215-732-3478

http://kanellarestaurant.com/  1001 Spruce Street Philadelphia, PA 19107 215-422-1773

http://www.theoriginalturkey.com/ordereze/splash.aspx  45 North 12th Street Philadelphia, PA 19107 215-925-5598

Eatin’ in New Orleans

Normally, a trip to New Orleans is for pleasure, but because of an amazing turn of events, Jeff needed to spend a week working in our favorite city. Michele of course came along for half of the stay. This extended visit allowed us to sample an unusually large group of new places and revisit a few old favorites. Of course we enjoyed our obligatory Shrimp Po Boy at Johnny’s and Gumbo at Mr. B’s. Beyond those staples, with one exception, dining was a positive experience. It was a good week!

The perfect ending – This used to be a Shrimp Po Boy!

Without exception, the highlight of the week was our visit to Le Petite Grocery. This Magazine Street gem serves a wonderful amalgam of French and Louisiana food in a perfectly delightful environment with a staff of extremely knowledgeable and cordial folks. Michele enjoyed a butter-soft Bibb lettuce salad, then Shrimp and Grits. She feels no shrimp tastes quite like the Gulf Shrimp served in New Orleans and this selection was close to perfect. Normally a more reserved eater than Jeff, she was moments away from scrapping the plate to enjoy every morsel. Jeff had the Roasted Sweetbreads (which also seem to be just a bit better in NOLA) appetizer and the Rabbit entrée. Both were exquisite. Dessert was a comforting Butterscotch pudding. Not one morsel could have been better. This one is on our list for a return visit whenever we are back in town.

Almost as good was a recommendation we picked-up from New Orleans Magazine. Eat New Orleans in on Dumaine at the farther extents of the French Quarter. Jeff went there for lunch with the crew from work and each plate was better than the next. Suffice to say, much passing around was performed. Jeff had a bowl of the Chicken & Andouille Gumbo and it was excellent. The Crawfish Étouffée special and Roasted Stuffed Pepper he tasted were also top-notch. We all shared a Crawfish Boullette appetizer that was universally praised. After such a successful meal, we’re looking forward to trying a dinner. It has to be just as good, as the menu is virtually the same. Can’t wait!

John Besh’s latest spot is Borgne located in the Central Business District on Loyola Avenue in the Hyatt Hotel. They specialize in seafood fished within a 75 mile radius, insuring a quality level we have come to expect from Besh. Michele fully enjoyed the Fish in a Bag, that day featuring Sheephead, a Gulf variety that was offered as the special all week, all over town. If you’re from Cleveland, Sheephead might sound familiar. We have no idea if they are the same variety, but if so; don’t be surprised if you see Michele with a pole sitting on the shore of Lake Erie! Jeff had the Oyster Spaghetti, just like it sounds, but with a cream-based sauce. The Grilled Romaine Salad and Crawfish Croquetas appetizers and Lemon Olive Oil cake dessert were also very tasty. While far away from the typical New Orleans “action,” we did fully enjoy this meal.

For lunch on another day, Jeff experienced his first sandwich at Mother’s, a New Orleans institution. The Famous Ferdi Special is a combination of house baked ham, roast beef, “debris” and gravy. It was an excellent Po’ Boy, but way more than any human needs to eat for lunch.

While Jeff was overeating at Mother’s, Michele was doing the same at Red Fish on Bourbon Street. She had the hickory smoked Barbeque Redfish and proclaimed it amazing. Because of those large lunches, dinner that night consisted of the appetizer sliders for Jeff (Very Good!) and the Seafood Gumbo for Michele (Very Good!) at 5 Fifty 5 in the Marriott Hotel on Canal. Not bad for hotel food.

Sylvain on Chartres

Once Michele left town, Jeff joined his coworkers for dinner. In the same magazine article that recommended Eat New Orleans, they also suggested Sylvain as a local place in the Jackson Square tourist area that served interesting, dynamic foods. Again, they were right. Jeff ordered the Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad as did a number of others at the table. The sharpness of the sprouts was tempered by apple, pecorino and hazelnuts. The pan fried Pork Shoulder was a real treat, while Jeff’s coworkers enjoyed the Beef Cheeks, Fish Special and Gulf Shrimp Pirlou. All around, this was a real find. As we searched for reservations in the coming days, we noted that Sylvain was booked most nights. This reasonably new spot must be garnering a good reputation.

Eatin’ in Orlando 3

During Jeff’s last visit to Orlando, he took a work associate to K Restaurant; a place both Jeff and Michele heartily enjoyed both times we visited. During conversation with the waiter, Jeff commented that it was hard to find good independent food in the “City of Chain Restaurants.” K and The Ravenous Pig were about all that was available. The waiter agreed, but explained that the owners of Ravenous were opening a new place right down the road called Cask and Larder. On his most recent trip, Jeff gave it a try and the waiter was right. It was a good addition to the Orlando food scene.

Cask and Larder brews their own beer and the menu is almost as inviting as the food options. Jeff tried the IPA which had a bit less “hoppy” taste than normal, making it an interesting choice. He later tried the Black Ale, also a very gentle drink, milder than a stout or porter, but with enough snap to provide enjoyment.

The menu is filled with interesting options and one could easily overdo it or plan two more visits while ordering for the evening. They have a collection of oysters, which is not unique, but they also have a collection of artisan hams, something we’ve never seen before. Jeff really wanted to try the hams, but the waiter suggested it was sized for sharing. Darn! Instead he opted for the Short Rib Tamale, a beautifully prepared tamale stuffed with melt in your mouth meat and sitting in a pool of slightly sweet caramelized onion broth. The tamale slowly absorbed the broth, but not enough to destroy the texture and flavor. It was an excellent first course.

The entrée section consists of locally fished seafood, locally sourced meats and a number of tempting vegetable side dishes. Jeff decides on the Grilled Quail with a whiskey glaze. Quail can be a bit of a pain to de-bone, but he has always found it worth the while. This one was no exception. Excellent all around.

The only negative was with the dessert. The Moon Pie (yes, like those Moon Pies you remember as a kid, but these are made with first-rate chocolate and house made marshmallow!) was accompanied by a Banana Semifreddo that was harder than “semi-frozen” and not very “custardy”. It also looked like it had spent too much time in the freezer. Because the Pies were so good, Jeff wouldn’t discourage ordering it; just check the side dish carefully.

When the 2012 James Beard semi-finalist list was published, another new name with an Orlando address was featured. Jeff decided to try it the next day. The Rusty Spoon is located in the historic downtown section of the city, near the old train station. The place looks like a saloon from the front, but has been nicely stylized inside to appear more pub-like. These were comfortable surroundings.

The menu was divided into a variety of eating options, Rusty Tails, First Plates, Leafy Greens, Handhelds, Pastas, Sustenance and Sweet Finish. On the recommendation of the waitress, Jeff started with the Butter Poached Clams. This was a beautiful pile of tiny, local clams, each tender and flavorful. The ale-based broth was so good the accompany slices of grilled pugliese bread were almost not enough to mop it up, but Jeff valiantly powered through and finished almost every drop. Excellent!

For his entrée, Jeff ordered the Braised Lamb Collar. Pockets of delectable, tender meat are trapped around the collar bone waiting to be picked out. It was very good, as was the lentil based side. The strawberry crisp dessert was built for two and unfortunately, uneventful in addition to being somewhat soggy on the inside. Not the best way to end an otherwise good meal.

Work seems to continually drag Jeff to Orlando. Now, there are four decent places to dine, should he need to go there again.

http://www.caskandlarder.com/  565 West Fairbanks Avenue Winter Park, FL 32789 321-280-4200

http://www.therustyspoon.com/  55 West Church Street Orlando, FL 32801 407-401-8811

http://krestaurant.net/  1710 Edgewater Drive Orlando, FL 32804 407-872-2332

http://www.theravenouspig.com/  1234 North Orange Avenue Winter Park, FL 32789 407-628-2333

Cedar Creek Grille

It is very clear why Cedar Creek Grille has become so popular, so quickly. The owners have overhauled the interior into a warm, wood-filled, comfortable space. They have created a menu that is accessible and unlikely to offend anyone. Finally, they have priced the menu very fairly, dollars below comparable places (with a few minor exceptions.)

We’ve tried to get into this new place on a number of occasions and found them fully booked. We finally succeeded with a late weekday lunch. Upon arriving, we found only a handful of tables open. Patronage such as this would be the envy of any restaurateur.

After battling back and forth, Michele decided on the Caesar Salad and Jeff ordered the Lobster Bisque. While Michele enjoyed this staple, Jeff thought it was a bit bland. Michele also liked Jeff’s bisque, but Jeff was hoping for a bit more spunk.

For our entrées, Jeff intended on ordering the Chicken Paillards, but switched once a roast chicken passed on its way to a neighboring table. Michele toyed with ordering the daily fish special, Grilled Trout, but instead stuck with the menu’s Grilled Salmon. She found the coleslaw side bland, but fully enjoyed the cedar plank grilled salmon. The chicken was perfectly roasted and full of the flavor, only a well roasted chicken can deliver. The side of rice/wild grain was good, but the raw onion pieces were a bit disconcerting and could have been eliminated. Our shared dessert, a Molten Chocolate Cake was chocolaty and rich. The accompanying Mitchell’s ice cream was of course excellent.

We have no doubt this place will be a huge success. The fact that Michele enjoyed her meal, a bit more than Jeff makes sense. Because of her sensitive stomach, she naturally gravitates to less aggressive seasoning. It is for that reason; many will also pine for this restaurant. Within a comfortable setting, non-offensive food is served for affordable prices. For many, you can’t ask for more than this, for others, more is required. You decide.

http://www.cedarcreekgrille.com/2101 Richmond Road Beachwood, OH 44122 216-342-5177

James Beard Nominations 2013

The James Beard nominations have been release for 2013. While the semi-finalist list contained  a number of Cleveland area names and locations (Michael Symon – Outstanding Chef, Zack Bruell – Best Chef: Great Lakes for Cowell & Hubbard, Matt Danko – Outstanding Pastry Chef at The Greenhouse Tavern and Chez Francois – Outstanding Service) only Jonathan Sawyer survived to the Finalist round as Best Chef: Great Lakes.

Chef Sawyer has some tough competition. While we have not been to Next or Sepia in Chicago, we have fully enjoyed Girl & the Goat and Vie. We believe that the best food city in America is Chicago and Cleveland is unfortunately bundled alongside this goliath of the region. This is quite an honor for Sawyer to have survived in a tough category. We wish him well, but Stephanie Izard of “Goat” and Dave Beran of the kamikaze restaurant, Next have become media darlings. We expect one of them to best our hometown hero.

While we live in Cleveland, we continually travel around the country and sample food all over. A few of the categories feature multiple places we’ve dined. In the Best Chef: New York City, we’ve been to Marea, Barbuto and WD-50. The meal we had at Marea was flawless, but the inventiveness of cuisine at WD-50 still has us talking. We give the edge to Chef Wylie Dufresne, the mad genius behind WD-50.

In the Best Chef: South category, four of the five nominees are from New Orleans and we are embarrassed to admit we’ve only been to one! Le Petite Grocery and Dominica are on our list for next month’s trip, but Gautreau’s is in the New Orleans suburbs and we have yet to rent a car and drive out that far, especially when there is so much good, right in the center city area. Perhaps we’ll have a thought when we return…before the awards are announced.

In the rising star category, Jimmy Bannos, Jr., Chef at Chicago’s Purple Pig is a personal favorite. Jeff found the “Pig” a few years ago and has eaten there on almost every trip since. The atmosphere is electric, the food is excellent and the price is very fair. While we both LOVE Blackbird, it’s Chicago competition, we’re rooting for the Pig!

We’ve been to three of the five places nominated for Outstanding Restaurant, Restaurant August in New Orleans, Blue Hill in New York and Spiaggia in Chicago. Blue Hill was stunning, but our culinary heart remains partially in New Orleans and John Besh’s Restaurant August is one of, if not the finest place to eat in the city. Besh gets our vote!

Jeff has been to Rioja in Denver twice and had lunch at Hugo’s in Houston. Not the fairest sampling, but the excellent lunch at Hugo’s makes him quietly hope for a win for Chef Ortega as Best Chef: Southwest. In the other categories, we’ve only been to one place, so it would unfair to push, but a Le Pigeon in Portland, OR and Topolobampo in Chicago win would be nice!

Many cities will tout their James Beard recognition and many people will dismiss the awards as cloistered and snooty. We sit on both sides of the fence. While we recognize Chicago, New York and San Franciso as a great food cities, Cleveland has a remarkably vibrant collection of excellent chef and restaurants. We should not be dismissed so easily with a single nomination. To think that Zack Bruell, the Chef who taught most of us (of a certain age!) HOW to eat great food has not yet received a nomination is almost unthinkable. Steven Schimoler (Crop) Ben Bebenroth (Spice) Douglas Katz (Fire) and Mathew Mathlage (Light Bistro) all deserve some national love and can easily stand toe-to-toe with most of the people on the list. We are an excellent food city and we should be proud of it. Let’s hope for a better result next year.

Lolita

A little know secret about the original Lola restaurant in Tremont was that it opened for dinner at 4:00PM on the weekend. Because of this unusual start time, after a matinee theatre performance, we often walked in on Saturday or Sunday afternoon without a reservation and were seated immediately. When mobile phones became more popular, we started to call ahead. Regardless, while the throngs were complaining about two-month waits for weekend reservations at this hot-hot spot, we never did. If you’ve read many of our comments about eating out in Cleveland, we’re not very good about planning far in advance and we don’t typically wait at a place if there is a line. There are too many good restaurants in the city to do so. Consequently, when Lola abandoned their 4:00 opening in favor of the standard 5:00, securing a table has been more complicated. We simply haven’t gone there much.

Following an afternoon at the theatre to see “Sister Act” the very funny musical based on the very funny Whoopi Goldberg movie, we started thinking about Lola and our post-theatre Tremont ritual of the past. Lola is now anchoring the East 4th Street food destination and Michael Simon has replaced the original Lola with Lolita. His daily presence may be gone, but the funky interior and neighborhood vibe remains. So too does some very good food.

Our 5:02 arrival for a 5:00 opening reservation found the bar hopping and multiple tables already filled. We were rewarded with what we felt was the best seat in the house, overlooking the door, the bar and the kinetic excitement of a vibrant business. Even on the weekends, there are a number of early bird specials and we decided to give a few a try. The house red wine was a real bargain and a nice option. The mussel appetizer was so good, we asked for another basket of bread and sopped up every last drop of the excellent tomato, garlic, chorizo broth. Jeff was also eyeing the Fried Brussels Sprouts, but knew Michele wouldn’t be interested. Perhaps next time. We were off to a good start!

The seafood special was a beautifully grilled bass. Jeff had the full flavored Hanger Steak over a bed of spinach and a pool of creamy-cheesy goodness. Each entrée comes with a side and Michele’s potato gratine and Jeff’s polenta were both excellent, but ultimately went home. (Too much bread and mussel broth? Perhaps.) We of course saved room for dessert, a wonderful Pumpkin Pound cake with tart cream cheese ice cream, drizzled with caramel. Rich, yes, but we persevered and cleaned the plate.

By the time we finished, the place was fully filled and a number of the bar patrons were enjoying the assorted Early Bird snacks and libations. It was impossible not to be drawn into the electric human interaction. Tremont is alive and there is no better definer of this pulse than Lolita. Need a pick-me-up? Lolita is just what the doctor would order, if he weren’t at the next table!

http://lolitarestaurant.com/ 900 Literary Road Cleveland, OH 44113 216-771-5652