For those of you who enjoy a nice raw fish dish from time to time, Sushi Rock is the place to go. I have found myself there several times including this past Friday night with an out of town friend from the Chicago area. To start we ordered martinis. I had a flirtini, my Chicago friend had a sex and the city martini and the other woman with us had a strawberry mojito. I thought my martini was excellent, but slightly over priced at $11 (more expensive then the sushi we ordered). I understand this is the warehouse district of downtown Cleveland, but I think $10 or more for a drink is ridiculous, but very tasty. For our main entrees we all chose to order the big rolls, 8 large pieces of taste bud goodness. In addition, I ordered tuna sashimi (raw fish by itself without rice). I am a big sashimi fan, but you really can taste the difference between fresh, never frozen fish and the other kind. Sushi rock fabulously chooses it's fresh fish and the texture of the sashimi literally almost melts in your mouth as it swims its way to your GI tract.
Like many others, I enjoy the spicy side of life and so for my choice of big rolls I ordered the dynamite, while my less caliente friends chose the everyday morning and the lobster roll. If your are a fan of anything deep fried that involves fresh salmon and cream cheese the everyday morning is for you. The lobster roll was good, but on the safe side of choices on the menu. The dynamite was, as always, a burst of heat and flavor that caused me to consume all my water, but it was so worth it. The dynamite is a masterpiece of rolled spicy tuna, salmon, yellowtail, wasabi and scallion. The sushi comes out on a beautifully presented marble slate that the preparer very meticulously finishes and would get major finishing points for in the Iron Chef kitchen.
So if you are counting carbs or watching your caloric intake, try sushi rock. Not only will you ingest some healthy omega-3 fatty acids (found in most fish) but you will have great service, enjoy a modern urban atmosphere and leave the restaurant feeling satisfied, but not over stuffed.
To check out more on sushi rock, both downtown or in Beachwood, see their website:
www.sushirockohio.com
Grab your chop sticks and getting going! Enjoy!
~Brittney
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Friday, May 16, 2008
Lola
Lunch at Lola! :)
I went with my "partner in delicious crime", Amy and our friend Lisa. We finally made it back to Lola after about a year. The last time we went for dinner. We were obviously very impressed that night, but its been so long we've been dying to give it another shot. Lunchtime, was perfect.
I ordered the, beef cheek pierogie appetizer with horseradish and mushrooms that I've heard so much about. This was a bit of a risk for me because I do not like mushrooms. I decided to "throw caution to the wind" and try the dish anyway. Luckily for me, the mushrooms seem like they are a nice part of the dish, but are by no way the star. The pierogies were buttery, tender and amazingly hearty. My only comment would be that I wanted more horseradish sauce because well...I LOVE horseradish. This dish is great for a chilly day.
I also enjoyed the very simple, but absolutely delicious mixed green salad of greens, sliced green apples, blue cheese, candied pecans and a light vinaigrette. It was refreshing, light and lovely.
Amy raved about her Chicken Pailliard salad with arugula, grapes and almonds. She said, "You know this is only grilled chicken, but its amazing! Its soo moist!". I also thought it was neat that the dish was served with the salad on one side of the plate and a whole chicken breast on the other. This way, you could mix and match pieces to your pleasure.
Lisa ordered the "choose two (selections of soups, sandwiches and salads)" entree with a Pressed Turkey Club with bacon, alfalfa sprouts and smoked cheddar with a side salad. She enjoyed it very much.
All in all, we are definitely heading back to Lola for lunch and hopefully dinner sometime soon.
I know Steve is going to be very jealous of us after today's lunch. He's been dying to try Lola for ages. Look soon for his Lolita review from his Graduation dinner. P.S. Steve just graduated with his Master's Degree in Psychology! Yay Steve!
AND .........Yay Michael Symon!
-Krista
I went with my "partner in delicious crime", Amy and our friend Lisa. We finally made it back to Lola after about a year. The last time we went for dinner. We were obviously very impressed that night, but its been so long we've been dying to give it another shot. Lunchtime, was perfect.
I ordered the, beef cheek pierogie appetizer with horseradish and mushrooms that I've heard so much about. This was a bit of a risk for me because I do not like mushrooms. I decided to "throw caution to the wind" and try the dish anyway. Luckily for me, the mushrooms seem like they are a nice part of the dish, but are by no way the star. The pierogies were buttery, tender and amazingly hearty. My only comment would be that I wanted more horseradish sauce because well...I LOVE horseradish. This dish is great for a chilly day.
I also enjoyed the very simple, but absolutely delicious mixed green salad of greens, sliced green apples, blue cheese, candied pecans and a light vinaigrette. It was refreshing, light and lovely.
Amy raved about her Chicken Pailliard salad with arugula, grapes and almonds. She said, "You know this is only grilled chicken, but its amazing! Its soo moist!". I also thought it was neat that the dish was served with the salad on one side of the plate and a whole chicken breast on the other. This way, you could mix and match pieces to your pleasure.
Lisa ordered the "choose two (selections of soups, sandwiches and salads)" entree with a Pressed Turkey Club with bacon, alfalfa sprouts and smoked cheddar with a side salad. She enjoyed it very much.
All in all, we are definitely heading back to Lola for lunch and hopefully dinner sometime soon.
I know Steve is going to be very jealous of us after today's lunch. He's been dying to try Lola for ages. Look soon for his Lolita review from his Graduation dinner. P.S. Steve just graduated with his Master's Degree in Psychology! Yay Steve!
AND .........Yay Michael Symon!
-Krista
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Wild Mango
The only thing better than eating is shopping and hours of shopping always makes you want to eat! That was the case a few days ago when I decided to join Krista on the hunt for a perfect new outfit at Great Northern Mall. After browsing a few stores we decided to stop into the Wild Mango for dinner.
Krista and I dined at the Wild Mango about a year ago and were both left unimpressed. Not only were we seated in an awkward booth that was literally cut off from the entire dining room and lead into the kitchen, but we disliked our dishes so much we ended up leaving the majority of our meal on the plate.
On this night we had a much more pleasant experience! Even though the large plank menu made me feel like I was rowing a boat, Krista and I were very pleased to see a multitude of items on the menu that we wanted to try. Plus, our server was extremely knowledeable and did a great job answering our questions.
I started off with the Warm Spinach Salad with caramelized shrimp and roasted pine nuts. The salad arrived warm and the aroma surrounding it was fantastic. The baby shrimp were delicious and the portion was just right.
I followed my salad with the Tuna Tartar which consisted of tuna, lemon-soy and wasabi, quail egg and white truffle oil with a mango coulis. Although the bowl it was served in was a bit large and unnecessary the Tartar itself was AMAZING! My first warm bite of quail egg mixed with the cool tartar was absolutely delicious!
Krista tried the Romano Shrimp for her entree which consisted of cheese battered black tiger shrimp with spicy mayo, sauteed baby spinach and sweet potato fries. While the shrimp themselves were indeed large and filling they were quite heavily battered, too much so for Krista's taste. I do believe Steve was actually the recipient of the rest of her dish when he got home from work that night.
All in all, the Wild Mango offers an upscale dining experience and great alternative to the mall food court.
Tah - tah,
Amy
Krista and I dined at the Wild Mango about a year ago and were both left unimpressed. Not only were we seated in an awkward booth that was literally cut off from the entire dining room and lead into the kitchen, but we disliked our dishes so much we ended up leaving the majority of our meal on the plate.
On this night we had a much more pleasant experience! Even though the large plank menu made me feel like I was rowing a boat, Krista and I were very pleased to see a multitude of items on the menu that we wanted to try. Plus, our server was extremely knowledeable and did a great job answering our questions.
I started off with the Warm Spinach Salad with caramelized shrimp and roasted pine nuts. The salad arrived warm and the aroma surrounding it was fantastic. The baby shrimp were delicious and the portion was just right.
I followed my salad with the Tuna Tartar which consisted of tuna, lemon-soy and wasabi, quail egg and white truffle oil with a mango coulis. Although the bowl it was served in was a bit large and unnecessary the Tartar itself was AMAZING! My first warm bite of quail egg mixed with the cool tartar was absolutely delicious!
Krista tried the Romano Shrimp for her entree which consisted of cheese battered black tiger shrimp with spicy mayo, sauteed baby spinach and sweet potato fries. While the shrimp themselves were indeed large and filling they were quite heavily battered, too much so for Krista's taste. I do believe Steve was actually the recipient of the rest of her dish when he got home from work that night.
All in all, the Wild Mango offers an upscale dining experience and great alternative to the mall food court.
Tah - tah,
Amy
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
One Walnut
The best part of a visit from any lawyer is undoubtedly ditching my brown bag lunch to discuss business over something a little more appealing. On this dreary day in downtown Cleveland the immediate question posed to me, my boss and our visiting legal counsel was "where can we walk to lunch that requires the least amount of walking outside in the rain". Well, it just so happens it's a short walk to One Walnut from my office building so One Walnut it was! I've frequented One Walnut several times for lunch, but today I enjoyed an especially delicious salad I must recommend to those of you trying to strike a balance between eating healthy while enjoying a little red meat.
BUT....before you roll your eyes that I'm writing about yet another salad hear me out, this was not your run of the mill grilled chicken salad with stale croutons, this was a Grilled Angus Salad complete with some of the most delicious Angus beef I've ever tasted. I'm typically not a huge fan of red meat, but on this rainy afternoon it just sounded plain delicious.
The Grilled Angus Salad consisted of a bed of Bibb lettuce topped with a generous portion of perfectly seasoned Angus beef. Fresh mozzarella slices and mushrooms made this salad so tasty I didn't even add the side of Buttermilk dressing (I did however sneak a taste of the dressing which was as rich and delicious as the name suggests).
My boss enjoyed the grilled salmon while our guest enjoyed the fish and chips, both looked equally delicious.
One Walnut is also a fantastic evening dining experience (we'll write more about later); however, if you're ever in need of a classy lunch spot to entertain your next client or co-worker...stop into One Walnut and try one of their delicious and frequently changing menu items.
Happy hump day-
Amy
BUT....before you roll your eyes that I'm writing about yet another salad hear me out, this was not your run of the mill grilled chicken salad with stale croutons, this was a Grilled Angus Salad complete with some of the most delicious Angus beef I've ever tasted. I'm typically not a huge fan of red meat, but on this rainy afternoon it just sounded plain delicious.
The Grilled Angus Salad consisted of a bed of Bibb lettuce topped with a generous portion of perfectly seasoned Angus beef. Fresh mozzarella slices and mushrooms made this salad so tasty I didn't even add the side of Buttermilk dressing (I did however sneak a taste of the dressing which was as rich and delicious as the name suggests).
My boss enjoyed the grilled salmon while our guest enjoyed the fish and chips, both looked equally delicious.
One Walnut is also a fantastic evening dining experience (we'll write more about later); however, if you're ever in need of a classy lunch spot to entertain your next client or co-worker...stop into One Walnut and try one of their delicious and frequently changing menu items.
Happy hump day-
Amy
Monday, May 5, 2008
Sweet Melissa's
Sweet Melissa's opened last Monday 4/28/08. Last night, Amy, Steve and I ventured to try this exciting new place for the first time.
When we walked in we were blown away by the overall look. Copper ceilings, dark wood, local art...it was a very eye pleasing environment. We were soo excited because the menu offered a nice selection, from snazzy Mahi Mahi to savory turkey sandwiches. It seemed like a great new place for the FFF.
However, we were a bit disappointed. It appears as though Sweet Melissa's has some kinks to work out before they can become a successful part of the Rocky River food scene.
We started out with the Fried green tomatoes appetizer. They were ok, but the spicy mustard aioli didn't go with the tomatoes and they were cold (cold seemed to be the theme of the evening). We had the feeling that they sat in the kitchen a bit too long.
I then ordered the Warm Goat Cheese salad. The salad was pleasant enough, but the goat cheese fritter was not warm and appeared to be possibly microwaved or previously frozen.
Then we moved on to our entrees.
Steve loved his Turkey Club (sandwiches may be the star of Sweet Melissa's). He also ordered a side of the red skin potato salad and reported that it was a bit bland.
Amy ordered the Portabella Quesadilla as her entree. She said that the quesadilla lacked flavor and was also incredibly bland.
I ordered the Pistachio Crusted Mahi Mahi. I loved the side dish, the butternut squash mash, but I was disappointed with the fish. Mahi Mahi is typically a very mild fish and needs a lot of help to "spice it up". The dish lacked anything to "spice it up". I couldn't taste pistachio in the crust and it was a bit too thick for my taste. It honestly reminded me of chicken.
Finally, we ordered dessert. We were incredibly excited because the dessert case looked amazing and the list of choices took up almost the whole back-side of the menu.
Steve ordered a Butterscotch brownie and couldn't taste the butterscotch.
Amy ordered the Golden rasin bread pudding that was a decent bread pudding, but was sad that it was clearly microwaved.
My Chocolate ganache sandwich was mushy and uneventful.
In conclusion, we decided to give Sweet Melissa's another chance in the future, but probably for soups and sandwiches at lunchtime...instead of an FFF dinner out.
-Krista
Check out Sweet Melissa's on the web: http://sweetmels.net/
When we walked in we were blown away by the overall look. Copper ceilings, dark wood, local art...it was a very eye pleasing environment. We were soo excited because the menu offered a nice selection, from snazzy Mahi Mahi to savory turkey sandwiches. It seemed like a great new place for the FFF.
However, we were a bit disappointed. It appears as though Sweet Melissa's has some kinks to work out before they can become a successful part of the Rocky River food scene.
We started out with the Fried green tomatoes appetizer. They were ok, but the spicy mustard aioli didn't go with the tomatoes and they were cold (cold seemed to be the theme of the evening). We had the feeling that they sat in the kitchen a bit too long.
I then ordered the Warm Goat Cheese salad. The salad was pleasant enough, but the goat cheese fritter was not warm and appeared to be possibly microwaved or previously frozen.
Then we moved on to our entrees.
Steve loved his Turkey Club (sandwiches may be the star of Sweet Melissa's). He also ordered a side of the red skin potato salad and reported that it was a bit bland.
Amy ordered the Portabella Quesadilla as her entree. She said that the quesadilla lacked flavor and was also incredibly bland.
I ordered the Pistachio Crusted Mahi Mahi. I loved the side dish, the butternut squash mash, but I was disappointed with the fish. Mahi Mahi is typically a very mild fish and needs a lot of help to "spice it up". The dish lacked anything to "spice it up". I couldn't taste pistachio in the crust and it was a bit too thick for my taste. It honestly reminded me of chicken.
Finally, we ordered dessert. We were incredibly excited because the dessert case looked amazing and the list of choices took up almost the whole back-side of the menu.
Steve ordered a Butterscotch brownie and couldn't taste the butterscotch.
Amy ordered the Golden rasin bread pudding that was a decent bread pudding, but was sad that it was clearly microwaved.
My Chocolate ganache sandwich was mushy and uneventful.
In conclusion, we decided to give Sweet Melissa's another chance in the future, but probably for soups and sandwiches at lunchtime...instead of an FFF dinner out.
-Krista
Check out Sweet Melissa's on the web: http://sweetmels.net/
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
The Cleveland Cupcake Co.
Fresh banana butter cake with milk chocolate chunks, peanut butter cream frosting topped with a chocolate covered pretzel...despite the image of Elvis' swiveling hips popping into my head and Krista singing I ain't nothing but a hound dog...how could you possibly resist something as delicious as a "Silly Monkey" cupcake from The Cleveland Cupcake Co.?
Started up last summer by two Cleveland locals, The Cleveland Cupcake Co. offers an array of simple to exotic cupcakes and other "little nibbles" such as bacon chocolate chip cookies, cheesecake bites, pumpkin blueberry muffins and much more!
So my dilemma started the day before Administrative Professionals Day. What special surpreese should we order to honor our lovely administrative support staff on their special day that can be delivered the next day? Breakfast, flowers, balloons....screw that! This year we are having cupcakes! I've personally been dying to try CCC since I first saw their website featured in the weekly "Cool Cleveland" newsletter. The website by the way is very well put together, easy to navigate and allows you to order hundreds of cupcakes at home or work in a matter of seconds.
Easy right? Now the real decision started, what kind of cupcakes to get. Doesn't seem that hard a choice until you check out their website and see that instead of chocolate cupcakes with sprinkles you can custom order mocha cupcakes with dark ganache icing filled with seasonal berries and topped off with espresso beans! Not in the mood for chocolate, don't worry, you can choose from a multitude of cake flavors such as carrot, red velvet and corn. Ice it off with everything from buttercream to strussle topping. Fill it with figs, lime, jalepeno...the list is truly endless and unique. And finally, top it off with edible flowers, marshmallow, ribbon, cocoa powder or whatever else you could possibly think to place atop a cupcake.
So on the big day the cupcakes arrived right on time and in a fantastic box complete with colorful ribbon...we started off with a dozen custom ordered vanilla bean cake and buttercream icing cupcakes filled with fresh blueberries and blackberries, topped with additional fruit and nuts (I pretended these were a healthy alternative for everyone in our Biggest Loser contest). The buttercream was exactly the way it should be, sweet, sweet and more sweet. The berries were fresh and delicious and the nuts added a great crunch to the moist vanilla bean cake. The staff wasted no time digging in!
Don't worry, the feeding frenzy didn't stop there, I also ordered an other dozen of the "Hazel" cupcakes. The gooey little cupcakes have hazelnut and chocolate candy hidden inside a dark chocolate and caramel cupcake. Although many people commented they couldn't taste the caramel in the batter, this selection definitely satisfied every choco-o-holics sweeth tooth in the building with the gooey icing and crunch candy.
Next on the list to try....blackberry puff pastry tarts, pumpkin cookies, Paradise (grilled pineapple, vanilla bean cake and Hawaii 5-0 decorations) and The Rachel (cornbread, cheddar, bacon and green onion).
Need a sweet treat? www.clevelandcupcakecompany.com.
Smell ya later,
Amy
Started up last summer by two Cleveland locals, The Cleveland Cupcake Co. offers an array of simple to exotic cupcakes and other "little nibbles" such as bacon chocolate chip cookies, cheesecake bites, pumpkin blueberry muffins and much more!
So my dilemma started the day before Administrative Professionals Day. What special surpreese should we order to honor our lovely administrative support staff on their special day that can be delivered the next day? Breakfast, flowers, balloons....screw that! This year we are having cupcakes! I've personally been dying to try CCC since I first saw their website featured in the weekly "Cool Cleveland" newsletter. The website by the way is very well put together, easy to navigate and allows you to order hundreds of cupcakes at home or work in a matter of seconds.
Easy right? Now the real decision started, what kind of cupcakes to get. Doesn't seem that hard a choice until you check out their website and see that instead of chocolate cupcakes with sprinkles you can custom order mocha cupcakes with dark ganache icing filled with seasonal berries and topped off with espresso beans! Not in the mood for chocolate, don't worry, you can choose from a multitude of cake flavors such as carrot, red velvet and corn. Ice it off with everything from buttercream to strussle topping. Fill it with figs, lime, jalepeno...the list is truly endless and unique. And finally, top it off with edible flowers, marshmallow, ribbon, cocoa powder or whatever else you could possibly think to place atop a cupcake.
So on the big day the cupcakes arrived right on time and in a fantastic box complete with colorful ribbon...we started off with a dozen custom ordered vanilla bean cake and buttercream icing cupcakes filled with fresh blueberries and blackberries, topped with additional fruit and nuts (I pretended these were a healthy alternative for everyone in our Biggest Loser contest). The buttercream was exactly the way it should be, sweet, sweet and more sweet. The berries were fresh and delicious and the nuts added a great crunch to the moist vanilla bean cake. The staff wasted no time digging in!
Don't worry, the feeding frenzy didn't stop there, I also ordered an other dozen of the "Hazel" cupcakes. The gooey little cupcakes have hazelnut and chocolate candy hidden inside a dark chocolate and caramel cupcake. Although many people commented they couldn't taste the caramel in the batter, this selection definitely satisfied every choco-o-holics sweeth tooth in the building with the gooey icing and crunch candy.
Next on the list to try....blackberry puff pastry tarts, pumpkin cookies, Paradise (grilled pineapple, vanilla bean cake and Hawaii 5-0 decorations) and The Rachel (cornbread, cheddar, bacon and green onion).
Need a sweet treat? www.clevelandcupcakecompany.com.
Smell ya later,
Amy
Monday, April 28, 2008
Nighttown
As mentioned in my earlier post today, we journeyed to Nighttown for Steve's cousin's wedding reception this past Saturday night. Since Nighttown is a restaurant, what else can I do...but write a foodie review! *Please disregard the nerdy rhyming, it had fabulous timing...
I was very impressed with the reception at Nighttown. We arrived a bit early and all the staff was so accommodating; serving us cocktails immediately with a friendly smile. The appetizers put out also made us quite happy. Mini toasts with herbed goat cheese and roasted red peppers, bacon wrapped water chestnuts ...always a crowd pleaser. Matt's parents also had a great selection of wine, which left me in "food/wine" heaven.
As well as the food, I loved the atmosphere. The combination of the fun jazzy art and the elegance of the gorgeous lilac centerpieces with low candlelight ...reflected Matt and Emily's style... amazingly fun, awesome and elegant.
We had a choice of four different entrees to choose from when it came time to seat everyone for dinner. I have to say, I was a bit disappointed in my entree...the rib eye steak. It was overcooked and very thin, served with disappointing vegetables. Alas, sometimes to serve about 75 people steak is a quite difficult task. So I cut Nighttown some deserved slack here. :)
However, once I tried Carrie's (my "to-be" sister-in-law) entree...the house specialty, The Dublin Lawyer...Nighttown had definitely redeemed itself. The Dublin Lawyer is lobster meat sauteed in a mild cayenne butter cream sauce with mushrooms, scallions & Irish whisky served with rice pilaf...the lobster was incredibly sweet and spiced perfectly. I was very very jealous of Carrie at that point. ;)
Steve and I are definitely planning on heading back to Nighttown for a dinner out sometime in the future, I have been hearing nothing but good things about the food.
Congrats again to the happy couple!
-Krista
Nightown on the web: http://www.nighttowncleveland.com/
I was very impressed with the reception at Nighttown. We arrived a bit early and all the staff was so accommodating; serving us cocktails immediately with a friendly smile. The appetizers put out also made us quite happy. Mini toasts with herbed goat cheese and roasted red peppers, bacon wrapped water chestnuts ...always a crowd pleaser. Matt's parents also had a great selection of wine, which left me in "food/wine" heaven.
As well as the food, I loved the atmosphere. The combination of the fun jazzy art and the elegance of the gorgeous lilac centerpieces with low candlelight ...reflected Matt and Emily's style... amazingly fun, awesome and elegant.
We had a choice of four different entrees to choose from when it came time to seat everyone for dinner. I have to say, I was a bit disappointed in my entree...the rib eye steak. It was overcooked and very thin, served with disappointing vegetables. Alas, sometimes to serve about 75 people steak is a quite difficult task. So I cut Nighttown some deserved slack here. :)
However, once I tried Carrie's (my "to-be" sister-in-law) entree...the house specialty, The Dublin Lawyer...Nighttown had definitely redeemed itself. The Dublin Lawyer is lobster meat sauteed in a mild cayenne butter cream sauce with mushrooms, scallions & Irish whisky served with rice pilaf...the lobster was incredibly sweet and spiced perfectly. I was very very jealous of Carrie at that point. ;)
Steve and I are definitely planning on heading back to Nighttown for a dinner out sometime in the future, I have been hearing nothing but good things about the food.
Congrats again to the happy couple!
-Krista
Nightown on the web: http://www.nighttowncleveland.com/
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