Bucci's

The mark of a good Italian restaurant is not the food, or at least not all about the food. When Brittney mentioned that she was thinking about going to Bucci's with her boyfriend she most likely had in mind an quiet romantic dinner, but word got around. This unassuming little restaurant with a little red awning next to an often passed by little convenient store, who would want to stop there? By the time they arrived we were waiting, her parents, brother, sister and me, so much for the romantic night, but it was Bucci's, we could not pass up the opportunity. The mark of a truly great restaurant is its ability to draw people, diets be damned, with just the whisper of its name. Half way through the meal I looked up and found that we had entered a cheesy Olive Garden commercial, albeit with vastly superior food, with everyone sneaking bites off each others plates and spontaneously breaking in to That's Amore, and unfortunately the Spice Girls.

They have the atmosphere of a cozy family restaurant, but they also have the food to back it up. I started with the French onion soup, cheesy and delicious, and followed it up with the mussels in garlic sauce. The mussels are incredible, but the high light of the dish is sopping up all of the extra butter with their fresh bread, and we where lucky to get it fresh out of the oven. I could not help myself from reaching across the table to steal some Gnocchi from Brittany's plate. My favorite thing on the menu is the Gnocchi in Blush sauce, and luckily the portions are so large and the sauce is so rich that there is always plenty to take home, which I usually steal, now I get the mussels and the Gnocchi, and don't worry it is just as good the next day. I was so good in fact that I traded a mussel for a second bite when I got caught stealing.

I could not resist trying everything on the table and had to trade mussels for bites of the veal, chicken and eggplant Parmesans, all great. By this point in the meal I was running low on the mussels for trade, it was a large portion but between being hungry and the frequent trades I was getting low, and I still had not tried the Special Potatoe Crusted Tilapia with fresh grape tomatoes and capers in angel hair pasta, luckily Krista's mother had ordered it, and she was sitting next to me, within stealing distance. I snuck one quick bite. And it was not enough. I had to go back for more. I spent many years working in a seafood restaurant and I know how what it takes to get make a relatively bland fish shine, and I was still not prepared, even after all the other offerings I had tried, for the amount of flavor in this fish, the tomatoes and capers paired perfectly with the light crust with out over powering the fact that it was a perfectly cooked piece of fish I was eating. I usually expect the natural flavor of a good piece of meat to be masked by a heavy sauce and over abundance of cheese at many Italian eateries, not so here. Here was an accent to the natural flavor.

I could not put my finger on it, was it the decadently rich sauce on the Gnocchi, the subtle accents that highlighted the Tilapia, trading bites with friends, having fresh hot bread to wipe up the last of the sauce on my plate (and on the plates next to me), I don't know, but something made this a great night out. I guess I will have to go back again and find out!

Cheers,

Steve

Sakura

About 2 weeks ago, I ventured to Akron to visit my favorite girls, Susan and Stacey. Steve was out-of-town for an interview and I felt the need to escape to the wilds of the "other" northeastern Ohio city. Susan was dealing with a sick little one, so after I quickly stopped by and gave the hard working Mama a hug and a smooch for little Nathan, I made my way to Stacey's place.

We decided it was an excellent night for some delicious sushi. I was really excited because I know that Stacey favors this sushi place over my favorite, Sushi Rock. Every time we have been, I've been reminded of how it isn't as good as her native sushi spot in Akorn, Sakura.

Sakura is nestled in a small shopping center across from the major shopping area of West Market Plaza on Medina Road in Akron. You may not notice it for anything more than a small Japanese take out joint (if you weren't looking close enough). When we parked, I was honestly a little apprehensive...the decor of Sushi Rock is gorgeous and modern...and this looked like "just another tiny Japanese restaurant". When we walked in, I noticed the it was cozy and pleasing to the eye. No decor "over the top", but does that really matter that much when the food is great?

We arrived at about 8:00pm and had to wait for about 20 minutes to get a table because it is a small restaurant and were busy. This is usually a good sign.

Once we were seated, our server popped over immediately for our drink order. I guess since I was excited and not paying attention, I ordered a large Sake...whooops. I think that is usually meant for two people and since Stacey is allergic to several things...we weren't sure if she could have it. It was a good thing that she was behind the wheel that evening. ;)

We had perused the menu when we were waiting, so I thought I was ready to order. However, then they brought out the "specials" menu. I was super excited because I saw exactly what I wanted on the specials menu that was missing from the regular menu...the Philadelphia Crunchy Roll. Healthy? No, but soooo delicious! Salmon, Cream Cheese and Scallions...deep fried. My kind of sushi.

I also ordered some spicy tuna roll and shrimp tempura roll. I have to admit, I have tried the rolls that are more geared toward the raw fish lover and no matter how many times I try it or where I try it...I just can't get into it. I like the sweetness in my friends from the ocean. The fresh "out-of-the-ocean" taste has never wowed me. I order my salmon well done. I enjoy deep fried goodness, spicy tuna rolls and everyone's "your a sushi chicken favorite" California roll. Living with a fiancé that used to live in Japan, I have been given my share of the fresh delights and tried hard to like them...but alas they go in the "I don't like" box with raw tomatoes and most mushrooms. Sorry mushrooms...I want to love you too!

Stacey ordered the Alaska roll with smoked salmon and avocado, and the tuna roll. She also enjoyed some Japanese vanilla ice cream made with rice called Mochi. More on this interesting ice cream here. You can find it at Trader Joes. It is a perfect snack for Stacey since she is allergic to wheat products and anything that tastes great made with rice...is good news for her. Stacey was, as usual, very pleased with her dinner.

Needless to say for me, everything was fabulous. I felt that the freshness of the rolls was on par, if not better than Sushi Rock. This is a great place to venture to if you are in the hilly city of Akron.

Sake it to me baby,

Krista

Diso's Bistro-Guest Review

Hello Foodie Fans!

Krista has asked us several times to write a guest review, so here we go. As the parents of Krista and Brittney, we share much of the responsibility for their appreciation and love of good food.

For Valentine's Day I decided to take my wife Lisa (along with our friends, da Bearers) to a place we had been to only one time last summer at the suggestion of friends. Diso's Bistro in Lorain is the antithesis of the corporate, glitzy, high-overhead eatery that dominates most people's choices of where to get a really nice dinner these days. In other words, a place where the owner's personality and attention to detail makes your evening special. Even when it is your destination, one can easily drive right by this establishment. It looks like any of the countless number of neighborhood bars you might never notice. That is what makes this place so special. Once inside, tastefully elegant furnishings of dark wood, subdued lighting and candles starkly contrast the perception of what one might expect to find.

We were immediately greeted by the owner Mark and shown to our waiting reserved table. A very pleasant surprise was that Mark remembered my drink preference exactly, even though we had been there only once many months ago. I have an annoyance for bar staff who don't know the difference between a twist and a slice of orange when ordering my favorite VO and 7-up cocktail.

Once drinks were delivered, we decided to order two appetizers to share among the four of us. The ladies split the "Skins", red bliss potatoes with smoked chicken, pancetta, caramelized onions and boursin cheese. We are lovers of boursin and these Skins were incredibly tasty. The fellas split the 'Smoked DucK". Sliced breast of duck was served with pistachio & pear mostarda, grana padano, crostini and a delicious orange/apple cider honey. The wonderful combination of flavors made this a huge hit. Diso's menu is not overly extensive, but included beef, pork, fowl, lamb, fish and seafood choices. Bearer got the "Game Hen", a pan-roasted cornish hen that was partially de-boned served with fingerling potatoes, a bacon/green bean/tomato ragout and caramelized lemon and roasted garlic jus. The herbs gave this a wonderful flavor and it was lacking the greasiness common with game hens.

They offered a special Valentine's Day three course dinner of oysters, scallops and chocolate sake cakes. Lisa wanted just the scallops as her entree and Mark obliged without the slightest hesitation. They arrived caramelized, served on a wild rice blini with black truffle cream corn, topped with Hudson Bay foie gras. I received one taste and upon requesting a second, my lovely bride politely said NO! They were fantastic. Mrs. Bearer and I opted for the Filet Mignon. Diso's has a unique way of offering their filet. It is sold $3.00 per ounce with a 5 ounce minimum. It is hand cut and prepared to order, served with lyonnaise potatoes and grilled asparagus. It is topped with a generous slice of roasted garlic/herb maitre d' butter. I ordered a manly 8 ounce steak prepared Pittsburgh Rare. It was done absolutely to perfection.

Now the best part for you value seekers. The dinner for Lisa and I which included two premium cocktails, the duck appetizer, three huge sea scallops and my half pound filet was $64.00 including tax, without tip. The dinner was as good as any at any price we've ever had. I have paid twice that amount for a dinner of this quality and thought it reasonable. This is why we'll be going back to Diso's and why we encourage you to do the same.

Jeff Faro
Foodie Dad/Guest Reviewer


Diso's Bistro
4286 Oberlin Ave.
Lorain, OH 44089
440-282-1195

Foodie Update

Hi Foodie Fans

We know it has been a long while since any of the 2....I mean 4 of us ;) has written a foodie review. It is a rough time out there for most people with the economy, but since Steve and I are saving for our wedding this summer, Brittney is pursuing her doctorate in Physical Therapy and Amy is in weddings galore...we have become the broke foodies. :(

Alas, our taste for expensive cuisine has been shelved for pizza, Chinese food, wine at home and board game nights. Although this makes us sad, we have been having a great time. Hopefully, soon I'll be able to post a review for another Happy Hour.

In the meantime, if any of our loyal followers would like to post a review, please email us at: fourfabulousfoodies@gmail.com. We'd be happy to hear from you.

Cheers,

Krista

Tartine Wine Bar & Bistro

As usual on Tuesdays, I am tempted by Stacey coming into town and the promise of some inexpensive Happy Hour fun. Last night, I suggested that we head to new Wine Bar & Bistro in Rocky River, Tartine (one of my co-workers was raving about the decor, wine menu and food over lunch yesterday, so my curiousty was peaked)

Although Tartine does not offer Happy Hour specials, their menu is priced incredibly fairly and can accommodate a limited HH budget. Yay for me and my checkbook!

The exterior and interior decor was as my co-worker described, absolutely charming. It felt like we did escape to a lovely French Bistro. The warm red ceiling, small cozy tables and excellent view of the single hard-working chef/kitchen were amazing. I was really impressed.

Then came the service, it was fabulous. We were greeted promptly with a pleasant server, our water never ran dry and the entrées were served incredibly fast. I haven't seen this kind of service in a while, and it was really refreshing to know it still exists. ;)

And on to the food....

I must mention that Stacey has several food allergies including gluten (wheat products), so when we can find an accommodating menu (as we did last night), it is always awesome. She decided to order the Roasted Mussels and the Asparagus Salad. They were the largest mussels I have ever seen; she was very pleased with them. I took over the bread served with the mussels and dipped it in the fresh marinade consisting of lemon and basil. It tasted absolutely amazing, so I assumed the mussels were fabulous as well. I couldn’t wait to try them myself sometime soon. Stacey then, moved on to the Asparagus Salad. It was served with greens, tomatoes, an over-medium organic egg and horseradish vinaigrette. Stacey said that the egg/aspargus combination was amazing, and that the dressing was good, but a little too spicy for her taste. I am obsessed with horseradish (bias Krista), so I loved the bite I tried.

As for me, I ordered the Roasted Beet Salad and the Bacon Pear Pizza. I was trying to be as adventurous as possible (aka I don’t eat many beets). There were several things on the menu I was dying to order (such as the daily special of foie gras or the medjool dates with goat cheese), but I needed to expand my palate.
Although I was nervous to try the beets, I was pleasantly surprised. I enjoyed the salad consisting of beets, ricotta cheese, greens, honey vinaigrette and fabulous roasted pistachio immensely! I think that although the beets are the star of the dish, there was too many for my taste. A little more greens to beets to cheese balancing ratio was needed.

The pizza was pleasant enough, consisting of: a lovely thin crust, roasted bacon, pears, cheese and a balsamic glaze. I feel that the pears were overcooked because they lacked any of the wonderful sweetness I was expecting and the entrée was quite heavy, so I boxed most if it up for Stevie. Overall, the dish was good and priced well.

Stacey and I went on to split the flourless chocolate cake with port wine syrup for dessert. It was wonderful! Stacey, especially, was raving about it. I really enjoyed the chocolate/port wine syrup combination. Next time, I will ask for extra syrup for sure! J

In conclusion, I was very impressed with Tartine’s menu choices, prices, décor and food. Alas, we did not sample any wine, but the menu is truly amazing.

Check them out online:

www.tartinebistro.com

Au revoir,

Krista

87 West 2

This past Friday night marked the birthday of one of my very best friends (Elaine) so of course we had to go out and do a little celebrating. Elaine and I decided to pay a long overdue trip to 87 West 2 at Crocker Park where our new found friend Clint is a manager. Elaine and I were lucky enough to snag a cozy booth near the fireplace which was a first for me. So far I've only been to this wine bar when it's packed forcing you to casually walk around while giving people the "are you leaving soon because I want your table" eyes.

Once settled we decided to check out the menu. What started as a the intent to order a small snack turned into a small tease, flat bread and dessert! Elaine also sampled some fantastic red wine from the enomatic wine system while I enjoyed a seasonal Great Lakes Nesfaratu. The first little tease Elaine and I tried was the sweet lump crab meat tacos. These bite size tacos were good but absolutely no match for the extremely flavorful chorizo sausage flat bread that Clint talked us into. The flat bread was piled with spicy chorizo sausage, roasted pepper and avocado. The smooth avocado with the spicy sausage was wonderful and the flat bread itself was very soft and chewy, not hard and crunchy as some flat breads can be. By this time Elaine and I were pretty stuffed but Clint being the nice guy he is had saved us one of the seasonal pumpkin cheesecakes so of course we couldn't say no. The cheesecake was served warm and in a festive pumpkin that had been carved out. I've had a lot of pumpkin cheesecake in the past few weeks but this was by far my favorite so far!

Elaine and I had a great time at 87 West 2, and with the approaching cool weather this is a great weekend or weeknight spot to enjoy the company of friends with a glass of wine (or two) and some tasty tapas!

Happy Birthday Elaine!

Amy

Saigon Restaurant & Bar

The world of authentic Vietnamese cuisine can be very overwhelming for those who never dared try it; however, for the brave who take the time to navigate the menu full of spring rolls, soups, vermicelli and rice dishes, the reward is an intense blend of contrasting flavors and textures served to you with equally exotic sauces and sides.

First rule when eating at a Vietnamese restaurant: consult with an expert such as my good friend Julie Q on the proper pronunciation of the dishes so that you aren't one of those idiots like me running around saying how good #1 Pho is (pronounced by me as foe) when in fact it should be pronounced Pho (pronounced Fuh).

Second rule when eating at a Vietnamese restaurant: dine with someone who doesn't mind sitting across from you while you slurp your soup straight from the bowl (hey Anthony Bourdain does it) and someone who also doesn't mind speaking to you while you have a constant stream of rice noodles hanging from your pie hole.

Lucky for me, I had the pleasure of having lunch at Saigon with my good friend, former co-worker and spirit guide, J. Both J and I have no shame in our game when it comes to soup slurping and thought Saigon would be a great place to try out on this extremely dreary day in Cleveland.

I was craving a nice hot soup and went with a classic, the Pho Tai (beef broth noodle soup). My soup no joke arrived in a bowl that was bigger than my head full of delicious rice noodles with rare beef, also accompanied by bean sprouts, basil, lime and jalapeno pepper. The aromas coming from this bowl were so incredible that I joked and asked J if he would mind if I put a towel over my head and did a quick facial. Sadly enough, neither J or I had a towel that would work. Instead I enjoyed each and every bite of my rice noodles and beef adding dabs of the jalapeno pepper sauce as I could handle it.

J went with another classic Vietnamese dish, Pho ga (chicken noodle soup). I was expecting J's rice noodles and chicken to come prepared in much the same fashion as my soup; however, there was much less broth and his appeared to be more of a chicken and noodle dish than a soup. Either way, it looked fantastic.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time spent at Saigon and would love to go back and sample a few more dishes that step outside of the soup category. The spring rolls and vegetarian dishes look like a fantastic place to start.

Amy