Downtown Cleveland Restaurant Week

It's that time again! Another Restaurant Week is upon us! This particular one is Downtown Centric:

http://www.downtowncleveland.com/restaurantweek.aspx

If I had an endless supply of money and had the ability to not gain weight - I tell you, this is what I'd do every night for the next week. It's a chance for restaurants to entice new diners - and also a chance for the budget-conscious to feel like they're splurging on a high-end place for much much less.

Each participating restaurant creates a 3-course pre-fixe menu for $30 (some do $15 lunches as well) that usually highlight either their specialties or menu items that set them apart from the crowd.

There's several restaurant weeks throughout the year - some spread the love all around Cleveland, but the downtown one I particularly like for no other reason than it feels like the restaurants are on their A-game for this one. And personally - there are a lot of places downtown that need checked off my bucket list, but it's just hard to spend that kind of money on the regular!

I'm hoping to hit at least 3 places and already have a lunch date at Lola planned with one of my closest ladies that has never been (!) and the lunch special?? Errhhmgggddd!!! The "Symon Says" combo: Beef cheek pierogi wild mushrooms, horseradish crème fraiche served with mac and cheese roasted chicken, goat cheese.

Like I'm really going to want to go back to work after that!!

The other places I have my eye on for dinner are:

• Hofbrauhaus - mainly because our family has been itching to go but just hasn't locked in a night to do it. Not that it's easy given my husband's inability to plan on the weather.
• Johnny's Downtown - this place is kind of legendary
• Maybe Cleveland Chop or Muse. I've seen mixed things on these but I make my own decisions dagnabit
• Pure Vida - this was on a recent Best Places in Cleveland list and I'd always sort of brushed by it, but the menu looks right up my alley

I was really looking to try one of the good steakhouses (XO or Red) but wouldn't you know it - steak is not an option on either of their pre-fixe menus. That may not stop us, because I tend to stick with the pre-fixe while he will just order what he wants regardless - rule breaker.

I think the wallet can only take the lunch and maybe 2 dinners if we splurge - every dollar anymore I equate to something that could be updated in the house. That new pair of boots? Do I want that or do I want to buy a new ceiling fan? okay those aren't really equally priced trade-offs but you get my drift. Sucks being an adult with responsibilities sometimes!

Anyway all this food talk is making me hungry so I better get back to my sad little homemade salad for now!!

Deep Freeze Valentine's Day

Let me first start by saying... BRRRRR!!! This part of the year is the absolute worst and is probably the only time I really miss my short time living in Florida way back when. I seriously wish I could find a way to become a Snowbird, I'm not sure my company would go for that idea much, but I'm pretty sure the Hubs would give up snowplowing faster than you can say... well... brrr!

I'd love to tell you about an amazing romantic dinner and that I went to the most romantic restaurant in Cleveland or cooked a romantic homemade dinner that looked restaurant quality, but 'twas not to be.

Thanks for the kick in the snowballs, Mother Nature.

My hardworking man left around 11am to make sure other people could safely go about their plans for the day! Now is maybe a good time to mention, however, that we don't even really celebrate Valentine's Day in any big way - I work at a greeting card company - Valentine's Day lost it's magic to me 7-8 years ago. Which is a very good thing, given that 3 out of the 5 years since we started dating, he's had to work - so we usually either go out a different night like we normally do anyway, or make our own dinner/order pizza and treat it like any other day. We don't even exchange gifts or cards - again that is mostly my doing because I've read all the cards and I don't feel its fair to hold him to my "good card" standard and be all judgey.

Although, sidebar: for our anniversary this year, he got me a card that made me cry even though it was a card that I'd seen before when managing the Anniversary card program! He isn't an outwardly emotional person so I knew he thought a lot about the card.

Anyway, where was I? Oh yeah... so what did we do this weekend? Well it just so happens that my mother-in-law's birthday is on the 15th and knowing that we weren't big V_Day people, my father-in-law made reservations at Fratello's in Avon Lake for the family (6 including my SIL's new man-friend).  Well I got the text around 3:30 that I would be going to dinner solo with my in-laws. Good thing I love them so much and that they are amazing or I'd have found some reason to suddenly have "digestive distress" or maybe Ebola to get out of going! But they ARE fantastic so I decided being a 5th wheel would be just fine since I would be eating some good classic Italian (at least as far as I knew at that point)

Fratello's isn't much to see from the outside. In fact, I passed it once not realizing it was there. I was told it used to be an old Lawson's (convenient store) that they renovated - can totally see that from the outside, but on the inside, you'd never know. But as I've learned over the years - good food can be in the most hideous looking building (that's why they're called hidden gems!)

Where's the restaurant? Courtesy of Google Maps - in much nicer weather than my visit

I arrived first - just to add to the awkwardness of flying solo, I was sitting at a table for 6 by myself... good times. BUT - their wine list had a lot of options and it had a good selection of mid-priced wines that I've actually bought at the store (personal favorite: Coppola Claret. heaven in a black bottle!)

mmmmm

Once the rest of the family arrived, we ordered the antipasto plate - which is listed for two. Five of us didn't even finish it, but it was quite good, mostly shellfish: clams casino, calamari, etc. Apparently it was a veal kind of night because 4 out of the 5 entrees we ordered were veal (My SIL is, shall we say... less adventerous... than her brother)

I ordered the veal neopolitan which was veal layered with ricotta and eggplant and a parmigiana marinara sauce. Basically it looked like lasagna - just with much fancier layers! It was delicious, classic Italian flavors. Especially on such a cold evening, it really was perfect comfort dining. I'd definitely go back again. I'd still say Bruno's on W 41st is my favorite west-side Italian, but this is pretty darn close and closer for far-west-siders!

And guess what? I HAVE to go back since my snow-man needs to experience the food as well before I can officially check it off the Dining Bucket List!

Suburbia

As I mentioned previously, we just moved from Lakewood a whole 8 or so miles west to Bay Village and it seems a bit like another planet. Suburbia to be exact. As in groups of deer routinely walk down the street USING THE SIDEWALK! like their 3rd graders heading to school!

Proof that Bay Village deer are more civilized

It's going on 4 months now and as much as I'm loving having a real house of our own, I'm still acclimating to not being in "the city". Anytime I've tried to put into words what it is I miss, I falter because there are so many things I've gained moving here and things that I kept, like the corner bar that has cheap but delicious wings within walking distance: Moosehead is my new Merry Arts. But Moosehead doesn't quite have the same "unique" clientele that are so much a staple of Merry Arts that I'm pretty sure they pay rent on their stool (Popeye, I'm looking at you!)

I think it's just a vibe you get in Lakewood, or maybe it's the pride I used to have of saying I lived in Lakewood. You just feel cooler living there - like you're still young and hip - even if you might not really be so much anymore. I feel so adult in Bay, and I'm making so many adult decisions and I knew it had to happen eventually... and seriously it's only 10 minutes drive... but I spent the majority of my adult life in Lakewood (10 years to be exact!) so it's always going to be such a big part of who I am. And really, it's not like I'll miss a crappy landlord, or sharing a narrow driveway with inconsiderate duplex-mates, or the random drunks walking past the house at 3am on a Thursday.

So here's to embracing the Suburbia phase of my life! Pretty sure it's going to just keep getting better!

Missing in Action

Wellll... since I never really published this to a die-hard readership, I cannot be surprised at the lack of outcry for a new posting within the past... oh 378 days!

With that said, I'm ready to get back onto the horse so to speak and even test out a few other great reasons to read my random musings!!

I'll keep this particular post short, but the long of it (see what I did there?) just came down to having enough time to devout to writing a proper blog! We started saving for a house and therefore not going out so much, so not much to share, then my husband's grandfather passed away in July and our whole world got flip-turned upside down.  We ended up buying his house from the estate (aka Mom) and have been knee deep in making an adorable but outdated split level in Bay Village into our adorable and retro-cozy home ever since!

That doesn't mean we didn't find a little time and cash to hit up a couple of my bucket list restaurants along the way!  Here's the quick-ish list:

White Oaks, Westlake: this is now right around the corner from our new house. Got a groupon and Tim was always talking about how good their food was. Judging a book by it's cover, I was not really sold, but I gave in for our 2 year wedding anniversary (again - thanks to Groupon there). The food and service were great! I really would go there again to eat and it was the 2014 Best Romantic Restaurant in Cleveland on the Cleveland Hot List - thanks to the gorgeous view in the back of the restaurant. Only downsides were that it still feels geared toward the older clientele with the average age of our fellow patrons on a Saturday night at around 60-65. It really was as outdated in the decor as the home we had just agreed to buy, but I have become fond of saying I married an 80 year old in a 30 year old's body so this was right up Tim's alley. It also felt really weird that they served a complimentary relish tray and cottage cheese. No joke, this is what my grandma used to do at dinners when I was little (she was in her seventies when I was a kid)

Touch Supper Club, Ohio City: this was a little spur of the moment dinner with the intention of catching a friend for a drink that I hadn't seen since college. He ended up being a no-show but all was well because we had a great time! Again, for a Saturday night I expected more action in the place, but we're old and were there before 7:00 ;)  Anyway, the biggest highlight for me was finally having a gin-based cocktail that I wanted to keep drinking! I wish I could remember the name - and I tried to look it up, but they are in the process of revamping the entire restaurant, including the menu! Which just means we have to go back and re-check it from our list again!! :)

Fahrenheit, Tremont: I know, I know. How is it that I am in love with all things Cleveland (and have a super obsession with our local chefs, including Rocco) and haven't actually eaten here yet? Simple semantics, my friend. Every time I've tried to get a reservation for any occasion, it is booked solid. Until the off-chance of my birthday dinner this year. We were supposed to dine at Crop Bistro on Friday night after drinks with my closest girls, but a freak snow storm waylaid the snow-plowing husband so I had to cancel my own birthday :*( Box mac & cheese with sausage, tomatoes, and green onions did not exactly feel birthday festive.
Anywhooo... because my husband is wonderful and didn't want me to miss out on celebrating, we decided to wing it and find something decent on Saturday night. We made this decision at 3:00 in the afternoon. Not much was open, but I showered and started getting ready for...somewhere... and happened to refresh OpenTable and all of a sudden angels came down from heaven singing to me at the bathroom sink! There must have been a cancellation b/c all of a sudden there was a 7:00 opening at Fahrenheit!!!! I squealed. I do that.
To cut off this long story and get down to business, since I was finally there, I could not get anything other than the famous Kobe Beef Short Ribs and I'm a better person for it. My husband was a tad more adventurous and got what our server described as an under appreciated gem on the menu - a very delicious ramen bowl. We got some dessert (can't remember what! eek!) and some Fahrenheit coffee and it became a perfect birthday dinner celebration!

So that's the highlights - going forward I'm going to attempt to post quickly and give some better detail than "it was so good" including pix and links to the site, all that fun that hopefully a couple people read besides those I force because they love me.