Just as we began to tell everyone to visit La Boca, like it predecessor Crazy Mac, it closed. This corner must be jinxed! Let’s hope not, because (like its two predecessors) the food at the new RoseAngel is very good.
We spent a nice afternoon at the Lakewood Arts Festival and on the way home stopped at this spanking new restaurant. If you remember what it looked like in the past, you will think you walked into the wrong building. Entering from the corner door, the bar room is electric orange and gray with wonderful copper mesh lighting fixtures. The next room is deep magenta red with white table dotted with black. With such a nice overhaul, you might expect an expensive menu, but nothing could be farther from the truth. This is a modern-day tacqueria, filled with interesting filling choices, all at a VERY reasonable price that invites adventurous eating simply because of the low cost. Would you try a braised beef tongue taco? At $4.25, your darned tootin’ you would!
We started with a dish of guacamole and house made chips. The “guac” was creamy with just enough spunk to demand one last scrap of the dish with a finger before being whisked away. The menu offers a platter of three tacos for $11.75, so we assumed three was a typical meal. All three must however be the same. We opted for the ala carte option and each ordered three different tacos. First, three tacos is a LOT of food. Michele took the luscious perch taco home and Jeff soldiered on and barely finished his avocado. Michele would immediately reorder the Walleye. A beautiful piece of perfectly grilled fish sat atop diced tomatoes and cilantro pesto. Jeff started with the duck confit and corn salsa, both also included flavorful cabbage, rather than the typical taco lettuce. This crunchy green made a big difference. Soft or hard shells are available. We both choose soft and think it was a good idea, they were easy to wrap around the heap of filling and the whole grain goodness really stood up to the flavorful insides. Michele’s Shrimp taco was less successful, the pepper and onions apparently were not enough to enliven the wrap. Jeff found the braised pork to be almost as tasty as the duck. The green chili and onion was spicy, but not in a way that deadened taste buds. To gently cool down the combo, diced pineapple was included. What a nice combination! The Avocado was mixed with cilantro and onion, but most importantly dense sweet soy. Again, the mixture was a winner.
Even after all of this, we still had to have dessert! The rice pudding with currents was house made. The rice was nice and nutty with a bit of a crunch in the center. Best of all was the poblano whipped cream that slowly melted down the cracks and crevices of the warm rice mixture. The spicy pepper on the sweet finale summed up this restaurant. They really know how to mix ingredients!
There is no question we will be back!
List Status: Added
5800 Detroit Avenue Cleveland, OH 44102 216-961-5800
August 7, 2010 at 9:24 PM
RoseAngel
Just as we began to tell everyone to visit La Boca, like it predecessor Crazy Mac, it closed. This corner must be jinxed! Let’s hope not, because (like its two predecessors) the food at the new RoseAngel is very good.
We spent a nice afternoon at the Lakewood Arts Festival and on the way home stopped at this spanking new restaurant. If you remember what it looked like in the past, you will think you walked into the wrong building. Entering from the corner door, the bar room is electric orange and gray with wonderful copper mesh lighting fixtures. The next room is deep magenta red with white table dotted with black. With such a nice overhaul, you might expect an expensive menu, but nothing could be farther from the truth. This is a modern-day tacqueria, filled with interesting filling choices, all at a VERY reasonable price that invites adventurous eating simply because of the low cost. Would you try a braised beef tongue taco? At $4.25, your darned tootin’ you would!
We started with a dish of guacamole and house made chips. The “guac” was creamy with just enough spunk to demand one last scrap of the dish with a finger before being whisked away. The menu offers a platter of three tacos for $11.75, so we assumed three was a typical meal. All three must however be the same. We opted for the ala carte option and each ordered three different tacos. First, three tacos is a LOT of food. Michele took the luscious perch taco home and Jeff soldiered on and barely finished his avocado. Michele would immediately reorder the Walleye. A beautiful piece of perfectly grilled fish sat atop diced tomatoes and cilantro pesto. Jeff started with the duck confit and corn salsa, both also included flavorful cabbage, rather than the typical taco lettuce. This crunchy green made a big difference. Soft or hard shells are available. We both choose soft and think it was a good idea, they were easy to wrap around the heap of filling and the whole grain goodness really stood up to the flavorful insides. Michele’s Shrimp taco was less successful, the pepper and onions apparently were not enough to enliven the wrap. Jeff found the braised pork to be almost as tasty as the duck. The green chili and onion was spicy, but not in a way that deadened taste buds. To gently cool down the combo, diced pineapple was included. What a nice combination! The Avocado was mixed with cilantro and onion, but most importantly dense sweet soy. Again, the mixture was a winner.
Even after all of this, we still had to have dessert! The rice pudding with currents was house made. The rice was nice and nutty with a bit of a crunch in the center. Best of all was the poblano whipped cream that slowly melted down the cracks and crevices of the warm rice mixture. The spicy pepper on the sweet finale summed up this restaurant. They really know how to mix ingredients!
There is no question we will be back!
List Status: Added
5800 Detroit Avenue Cleveland, OH 44102 216-961-5800
August 7, 2010 at 9:24 PM Leave a comment