DINING: RESTAURANTS & BARSFood Reviews, Fine Dining Guides & More in Cleveland OH
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Cleveland diner comes to life again as Somer's
by
Debbi Snook / The Plain Dealer
Friday July 25, 2008, 12:35 PM
Somer's serves up a sturdy chicken vegetable soup and tasty turkey platter.
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First things first: Somer's Diner is no Ruthie and Moe's. But, geez, it isn't trying to be. The new owners and menu that moved into the vintage 1940s spot at Prospect and 40th have a closer ancestral connection to the simple, hearty foods of the stainless steel past than the satiny comfort and style of Ruthie Helman's former kitchen.
We just have to get used to the idea.
It helps that Somer's owners, Brian Rooks and Sam Khouri (related to the original Somer's on W. 150th), are moving the menu back to traditional 1950s dishes but without the 1950s baggage.
Translated: The spoons are not greasy. In fact, I detected some love in the chicken vegetable soup ($3.49). Nobody overcooked the vegetables, for one thing. The broth was sturdy and there was almost more chicken than noodles. Make a note of that when winter muscles its icy shoulders into the Midtown Corridor.
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Dinner, drinks & a movie: Bricco, Bar Cento's Bell's Two Hearted Ale, `The Dark Knight'
by
Plain Dealer Staff
Wednesday July 23, 2008, 11:44 AM
DINNER
Bricco
1438 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, 216-862-2889
briccodowntown.com
There are times when Bricco can dazzle under its trendy, tangerine-drenched setting. Its pan-seared salmon ($18), caramelized golden on top, blushed with heat and moistness inside, was a bargain and rivaled some of the best I've had. Good too, if pricier, was the full-flavored 8-ounce filet ($26), married well to a rosy dab of tomato butter and a satisfying hunk of garlic mashed potatoes.
DRINKS
Bell's Two Hearted Ale
Bar Cento
1948 West 25th St., Cleveland
barcento.com, 216-344-9944
This American IPA comes from Bell's in Kalamazoo and is named after the river in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, a river immortalized in Hemingway's short story, "Big Two-Hearted River." Nick Adams, the hero of Papa's fiction, would have appreciated the strong hops and floral aroma. Or, as the author would have put it: "Nick drank the beer. It was gold in color. The hops tasted bitter on his tongue. It was good."
MOVIE
"The Dark Knight"
Director Christopher Nolan's second entry in the Batman saga is an entertaining ride that stops to ask questions about good, evil and what constitutes a hero. Christian Bale returns from "Batman Begins" as Bruce Wayne/Batman, beset with the burdens of protecting Gotham City from the newly arrived Joker (a mesmerizing Heath Ledger in his last completed performance). The strong cast includes Gary Oldman, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman and Aaron Eckhart. Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and some menace. 152 minutes. Grade: B+
Tinkers Creek Road Tavern food makes up for any missteps
by
David Farkas/Special to The Plain Dealer
Friday July 18, 2008, 12:20 PM
A perfectly seasoned veal meatball sits atop a pile of angel hair pasta swaddled in terrific tomato sauce.
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"There is nothing which has yet been contrived by man, by which so much happiness is produced as by a good tavern," declared Samuel Johnson. True, Al Gore had yet to invent the Internet. Still, Johnson's point is timeless. Few food and beverage outlets can beat the unaffected hospitality and simple yet delicious food of a well-run tavern. Tinkers Creek Road Tavern is a modern-day example by which the great 18th-century essayist would have been made happy.
To begin with, the decor is vacation-home chic. Spinning fans hang from a high ceiling, cooling pale walls and wood floors. Light pours through large windows that offer a view of the leafy environs of Walton Hills. That, and a polished wood bar, wooden tables and chairs give the 10-month-old eatery an air of upscale authenticity.
The theme, for the most part, is carried through to the menu, which bears evidence of fresh, high-quality ingredients. In a phone interview after my two visits, executive chef Kevin Powers told me a local farmer custom-grows some of the restaurant's produce.
In fact, a pool of tomato sauce surrounding neatly charred banana peppers ($8) couldn't be fresher; ditto for the well-seasoned veal stuffing. But this otherwise wonderful dish could do without its salty canvas of melted provolone. The light tempura jacket encasing calamari ($6) is a crispy and guiltless touch, though the kitchen needs to hike the promised spicy-citrus quotient in the accompanying dipping sauce.
Dinner, Drink and a Movie: Quince, Fairview Tavern & `My Name Is Albert Ayler'
by
The Plain Dealer
Thursday July 17, 2008, 10:54 AM
Get an heaping helping of comfort by ordering the meatloaf at Quince.
DINNER
Quince
Where: 8074 Columbia Road, North Olmsted.
Call: 440-427-8100.
The bacon-wrapped meat loaf was a bargain for $11. A huge plate of moist ground meat was topped with a sweet, tangy barbecue sauce and served with a novel side dish: a potato roll. It was mashed potatoes stuffed in a tube made from a crisped, paper-thin slice of potato like a potato cannoli without the sugar.
-- Bob Migra
DRINK
Labatt Blue draft
Fairview Tavern
Where: 21867 Lorain Road, Fairview Park.
Call: 440-799-4200 ormembers.cox.net/fairviewtavern.
There are happy hour specials, and then there is the Fairview Tavern's pint of Blue for $1.50. That's such an outstanding deal that happy hour should be renamed. Overjoyed hour? Ecstatic hour? You call it. Be sure to avail yourself of the daily food specials as well at the Fairview, which would be a great corner bar if it weren't in a strip mall.
MOVIE
"My Name Is Albert Ayler."
The Cleveland Museum of Art is spinning a "Midsummer Melodies" film series through Friday, Aug. 1. Kasper Collin's 2005 documentary about Albert Ayler, the innovative jazz artist from Cleveland, plays at 7 tonight. Next Friday, it's "Gotta Serve Somebody: The Gospel Songs of Bob Dylan." The museum is at 11150 East Blvd. in Cleveland's University Circle. Call 216-707-2465.
-- Clint OConnor
At Don's Pomeroy House in Strongsville, history and fine cuisine co-exist: A Taste of the Town
by Bob Migra / Special to The Plain Dealer
Friday July 11, 2008, 12:00 PM
There are plenty of reasons why Don's Pomeroy House has been a Strongsville favorite since 1980.
Start with the look. The historic 1840s house, said to be a stop on the Underground Railroad, dazzles inside and out. The main dining room has a classic country club feel, from lush wood paneling to white linen table cloths and pleasant classical music on the sound system.
Outdoors, diners are treated to a wonderfully secluded patio, shaded by a massive buckeye tree, surrounded by manicured rock gardens, and illuminated at night by thousands of tiny white lights on the evergreens.
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Continue reading "At Don's Pomeroy House in Strongsville, history and fine cuisine co-exist: A Taste of the Town" »
In Brecksville, steak is king at Austin's Wood Fire Grille: Taste of the Town
by Beth Segal
Friday July 04, 2008, 12:00 PM
Deep, dark, rich, succulent... The primal lure of a perfect steak is a call from the wild of our primordial past. You, too, can harken to that call. It's improbably emanating from a restaurant in a strip mall in downtown Brecksville.
Since 2002, the chefs at Austin's Wood Fire Grille have been cooking with great authority over Texas mesquite and hickory, turning out gorgeous grilled meats and fish, and flavorful slabs of smoked ribs.
A beautifully prepared entree is a joy to behold, and there is definitely some joy here and some delightful eating as well.
Fudgy chocolate, a topping of coffee ice cream... what's not to love?
WE WANT YOUR REVIEW
Have you been to Austin's Wood Fire Grille? E-mail us your review of the food, service and atmosphere. Include your full name and where you live. We'll publish a sampling on Cleveland.com and in The Plain Dealer. Click here to sound off
Checking out Cleveland area hot dog shops
by Michael Heaton/Plain Dealer Reporter
Friday July 04, 2008, 12:00 AM
Dogs from The Hot Dog Diner.The hot dog permeates American culture the same way restaurants devoted to eating hot dogs saturate Northeast Ohio. The hot dog is represented in all areas of American life. In the animal world, we have the dachshund or wiener dog. In automobiles, we have the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile.
In music, we have the Perry Como classic "Hot Diggity (Dog Ziggity Boom)." In television, who could forget the theme song to "The Patty Duke Show": "Patty loves to rock and roll, a hot dog makes her lose control."
One of the best jokes ever written is: What did the Zen master say to the hot dog vendor?
"Make me one with everything."
In sports, there's the famous Nathan's Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest, which takes place today, July Fourth.
So in honor of this American classic, I checked in with some of Cleveland's most popular hot dog emporiums last week, with Lipitor and Tums in hand. What an assignment! Hot dog!
Checking out Cleveland area hot dog shops
by Michael Heaton/Plain Dealer Reporter
Friday July 04, 2008, 12:00 AM
Dogs from The Hot Dog Diner.Upscale chefs share their twist on the iconic hot dog
The hot dog permeates American culture the same way restaurants devoted to eating hot dogs saturate Northeast Ohio. The hot dog is represented in all areas of American life. In the animal world, we have the dachshund or wiener dog. In automobiles, we have the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile.
In music, we have the Perry Como classic "Hot Diggity (Dog Ziggity Boom)." In television, who could forget the theme song to "The Patty Duke Show": "Patty loves to rock and roll, a hot dog makes her lose control."
One of the best jokes ever written is: What did the Zen master say to the hot dog vendor?
"Make me one with everything."
In sports, there's the famous Nathan's Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest, which takes place today, July Fourth.
So in honor of this American classic, I checked in with some of Cleveland's most popular hot dog emporiums last week, with Lipitor and Tums in hand. What an assignment! Hot dog!
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