Fun Playing With Fried Fish in Solon

Ash Wednesday ushers in the Lenten season, which is heartily observed in Northeast Ohio. Heck, even southern Ohio is in on the act; the Filet o' Fish was invented by a Cincinnati area McDonald's franchisee who saw his burger business dry up between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday. 

We enjoyed delightful food, music and libations at Grove Hill Restaurant on Fat Tuesday, but for some reason, the day after had me craving fried fish. If I have learned one thing living in Cleveland for over 20 years, it is that well prepared, fresh fish is a hard thing to come by, even during "the season." How happy that Solon's Bar 50/20, under new ownership since September 2016 and soon to be re-branded as "Mish Mosh,"  started their Lenten fish fry tonight. 

For $18 each, Bob and I were each first served a lovely salad topped by an obviously house-made Balsamic Vinaigrette.

Then, three magnificent pieces of crispy battered fried Haddock, accompanied by house-made Coleslaw (which didn't look pretty at first blush, but which had been allowed to age to the perfect flavor point), house made tarter (easy on the pickles, so the fish shone through), and fries.

Our first two visits to Bar 50/20 had been uneven - beautiful burgers and fries the first visit (sans camera) and so-so the same plates a few weeks later. But tonight's fish fry left no doubt - owners Jamie and Howard (Howard also being the Chef) are bringing some fun, together with well sourced and prepared food, to the Solon area. And the patio looks like it will be a lovely place to relax and play with your food come the springtime! But in the meantime - the fish fry will be offered every Friday during Lent.

Bar 50/20

5020 Brainard Rd

Solon, Ohio

(440) 349-7300

Fun Playing With Food in Richmond, Virginia

The Christmas-New Year's break brought us once again to Virginia Beach, VA with a house-full of friends. Our route took us first to the northern Richmond suburb of Glen Allen, then Richmond proper for breakfast, then on to Virginia Beach.

We managed to get ourselves to the Richmond metropolitan area in time for a late dinner. Didn't matter what time it was, Mill on MacArthur was jammed! Luckily, there was one deuce open; larger parties were waiting up to 30 minutes for a table! Though the bar looked both fun and funky, with craft beer and tempting wine selections, so not a bad place to wait.  

Bob's: the mill burger.

Single-source grass fed VA black Angus ground beef char-grilled & topped with sautéed mushrooms, crisp bacon, melted cheddar, lettuce & tomato on a toasted Kaiser roll, with house made fries (the diner also has other side choices, at up charges of $1 or $2 each). We were both very happy with the house-made fries, which were in the $1 up charge category.

Nancy's: oyster po boy.

Hand-breaded & fried VA farmed Rappahannock River Oysters with VA country ham, lettuce, tomato on a warm baguette finished with a Cajun remoulade, with house made fries. The combination of briny oysters with salty ham made the sandwich a little too salty for my palate. But fresh seafood always makes me happy and this sandwich did!

Vegetable of the Day

Side order of fresh green beans sauteed with garlic, to share. Yummy.

After getting a good night's sleep and checking out of our hotel in Glen Allen, we first headed for a "must try" recommendation: Early Bird Biscuit. Once we found it, we unfortunately discovered that it was take-out only. With rain and gloom all around us, and having already checked out of the hotel, we reluctantly decided to go someplace else, since we didn't feel like eating in the car.

This turned out to be a great decision, because it led us to Saison Market on Adams street near downtown Richmond. Saison sells beer, wines, and coffee and tea beverages, to eat in or to go, and offers an eclectic "made from scratch" menu from 9am to midnight (not be confused with the affiliated Saison restaurant on the corner of Adams and Marshall, which serves dinner and drinks after 5pm). We started out with hot coffee for Bob and a beautiful fresh-brewed ice tea for me. Though everything is "counter service" the staff brought our plates to our table and were friendly and welcoming. 

Bob's: C A R N I T A S   S O P E S    C O N    H U E V O S

Bob's plate consisted of house-made Masa Cakes topped with Carnitas, Salsa Verde, and Sunny Side Up Eggs. My taste was a little spicy, but definitely enjoyable. The eggs on both plates were simply gorgeous. 

Mine: “ F A N C Y ”   C H I C K E N    B I S C U I T

I can count on one hand how many times a year I order chicken in a restaurant. But the description of this dish just hooked me: Nashville-style Fried Chicken Breast, House made Sausage Gravy, Sunny Side Up Egg, Biscuit. The flavors reeled me in.

 Here's another angle on the Chicken Biscuit; you can actually see the chicken in this one.

The chicken was also to the spicier side (though more of a Frank's Hot Sauce than the Mexican flavors on Bob's plate), but I'd have licked the plate any way! Tender yet crispy fried chicken, runny egg yolk, beautiful sausage gravy all over a light and flaky biscuit. 

As I rose from the table, I found myself staring at the sherry display. Looking right back at me, begging to be taken from the shelf, was a bottle of my favorite sherry, Pedro Ximénez. Yes, I answered the call.

Rested and fortified after our long drive from Cleveland, happy to to have played with such delicious food in Richmond, we headed off to Virginia Beach!

Fun Playing With Goodies Bistro-Bakery

It has been a tough twelve months for locally owned eateries on Mayfield Road between South Euclid and Mayfield Heights. We've lost no fewer than four restaurants that I can think of, and though three new ones opened, only two of the three are locally owned and operated (Old Carolina BBQ is a small regional chain, but a chain nonetheless). Those two would be Redhot Cabana to the west (opened February 2013), and Smoked BBQ (in DiCillo's Tavern) to the east. 

Yesterday, a new entry joined their ranks, located at 5416 Mayfield Road, between Richmond and Brainard, in a space previously occupied by our beloved Tastee Bites/La Pita, and the well intentioned Bella Cibo after that. Please welcome Goodies Bistro-Bakery to the neighborhood! Their website isn't quite functional as of this writing, but you will be warmly welcomed if you call them at 440-605-9400.

The modest space, which holds about 15 diners, has gone white-tablecloth, but don't let the ambiance fool you. If my experience was any indication of what's to come, Goodies will provide tasty, mostly made-from-scratch sandwiches and salads for eat-in, delivery and take-out at very wallet friendly price points. 

Though the place is locally owned, the operators today were all staff. They seemed experienced and were most enthusiastic about the food and the service.

The Chef (whose name I forgot to get; apologies!) suggested the house-roasted turkey, and boasted that his panini would be a completely different animal from the usual grilled-to-death lunchmeat sandwich. Taking him up on this, I selected the Turkey & Cheddar Panini, which looked to be a bargain for house-made meat and bread (more on that in a moment) for $4.99.

With "bakery" in the name, one would expect all the bread to be made in house; while that is the plan, the restaurant is presently one oven short of a full deck, and so is making some bread and outsourcing some bread (but you could do worse than Pincus Bakery for rye). Given the choice of house-made baguette or foccacia, I left it to the Chef. 

Turkey Panini on House-made Mini Baguette with Caramelized Onions and House Made Mustard Aioli

Goes to show you how biases work - this sandwich came with a huge pickle, that looked pretty good for a pickle; somehow, despite the real estate it took up on the plate, it didn't make it into my photographs. Hopefully, next time someone who likes pickles will be available for a critique of it. The caramelized onions were an unexpected treat and added great dimension to an already tasty sandwich (really, you can't fault them for the slices of pasty winter tomato). While I generally prefer ketchup and mayo on turkey, the hint of mustard coming through the dressing worked extremely well. The turkey was fresh and moist and a worthy star of the sandwich.

They also talked me into an order of the Fresh Cut Fries, and it was a wise decision at $1.79.

Whereas the dear departed Freddie's up the street could never get any crispiness to their house cut fries, these fries for the most part had both the fresh taste (and lack of chemicals/preservatives) of house made potatoes, and satisfying firmness. Vinegar was available, but I'm a ketchup kinda gal. With a can of pop and tax, my lunch came to about $8 and half came back to the office with me for lunch tomorrow!

Goodies opened yesterday even though a few pieces aren't quite in place yet; that should not deter you from giving them a try if you are in the neighborhood and hungry for some fun playing with lunch. Breakfast and later hours, delivery, and more in-house baked goods will commence shortly, but for now, it's lunch only (eat in or take out). The pastries, which are mostly not yet made in house, looked delicious. The size of the menu is modest, but quality is always more fun than quantity, and if my lunch today is representative of the offerings, you will have fun playing with the food at Goodies. 

Fun Playing With Freddie's Polish Boy

As many of you know, one of Cleveland's favorite culinary sons has "made good" with a starring role on daily national television - Michael Symon, who appears on ABC's The Chew. The Chew debuted about a month ago, replacing the long running soap opera All My Children. The DVR has allowed me to see many of Michael's exploits (and you can watch complete episodes via The Chew's website). On Wednesday October 19, 2011, Michael demonstrated a Cleveland classic: the Polish Boy. The Polish Boy consists of grilled sausage or kielbasa on a hotdog bun and topped with coleslaw, french fries and BBQ sauce. Symon said that sometimes pulled pork is added - I've been told that such an addition turns the sandwich into a Polish Girl.

Who would tell me such a thing? The fine folks at Freddie's Rib House, which opened in April 2011 at  5361 Mayfield Road, Lydhurst OH, that's who. You can reach Freddie's at (440) 449-9400 (no website). Hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Friday, noon to 1 a.m. Saturday, and noon to 8 p.m. Sunday.

I've eaten there a number of times, but held off posting about them. The people are really nice, but they had some early kinks to work out. Things seem well in hand now. Except for the fries, which I'll get to shortly. Owner Andre Wheeler is the son of the restaurant's late namesake Freddie Wheeler, and he was working the order counter my first two visits. The original incarnations of Freddie's served for years downtown, but the urban location closed shortly after the Lyndhurst spot opened. Take out or eat in at one of four four-tops.

After watching The Chew Crew devour Symon's Polish Boys Wednesday night, I had a hankering to eat one myself yesterday. And I knew where I could satisfy that craving - Freddie's! Here it is - a "deal" for lunch at $4, including a can of pop (regular price is $5 just for the sandwich). A larger size is available for a dollar more.

Usually, I would eat something this messy with a fork - but inspired by Chef Symon, I tucked the foil back into the bottom end of the package, picked it up, and just dove in. Crunchy from the grill, the sausage skin gave way to tender, juicy saltiness that was complimented by the slightly sweet, yet tart (and obviously housemade) cole slaw. The fries, which are cut in-house from whole potatoes, were a bit limp, but full of potato flavor. The BBQ sauce was reasonably well balanced between heat and sweet, but applied perhaps a bit too robustly. My hands and face were a mess after eating this, but oh was my tummy happy!

Here's a Polish Girl I sampled on April 15; it was also messily delicious:

 Other items I've enjoyed at Freddie's since April are below:

Fried Perch Lunch, April 13, 2011

My first meal from Freddie's consisted of a generous portion of frozen perch that was hand-breaded to order and perfectly deep-fried, accompanied by the house made french fries. Everything Freddie's serves is prepared to order - either call ahead, or expect to wait at least ten minutes.

This bag, one of several in the restaurant, could be seen from the ordering counter - a sign of the authenticity of the fries. I believe that they store the raw, cut fries in water to prevent oxidation, then fry them to order. As Chef Symon explained on the The Chew, the better technique is to blanch the fries in 300 degree oil (which would also solve the oxidation problem) and THEN fry to order at 360 degrees. The single-fry method explains why the fries don't get very crisp. But they do taste delicious, and contain no artificial ingredients or processing.

Andre told me that I had to try the wings, and so went my third meal:

Meaty wings, fried to exquisite crispness. The Wing Dinner contains a generous portion for $6.25.

Plus house-made cole slaw.

Plus fries, and two slices of bread (which you can sort of see in the upper left corner), together with a cup of Andre's BBQ sauce.

A friend joined me on my next visit, and we started by sharing an order of onion rings:

Though clearly not made from scratch, the rings were fried to hot crispiness and were most enjoyable.

My friend had a fried tilapia sandwich (all of the sandwiches come with fries):

I opted for the Rib Tips:

Both lunches satisfied and offered good value for the price. The rib tips were melt-in-your-mouth tender and not overly sauced.

One of the kinks I was hoping they'd work out, though, concerns the sides - priced at $3 each. When last I ordered any, in May 2011, the portions were very small for the price point. For example, the cole slaw:

That cup didn't hold more than 2 ounces of product. Yes it is house made and delicious, but for $3, I wish they'd move up to the next cup size. Same issue with the mac and cheese side order:

This cup didn't hold more than 3 ounces, I'd guess. It tasted nice, but wasn't anything special and didn't go very far. I do not know whether anything has changed in regard to this issue in the intervening months.

At first, the baked stuffed potato seems pricey ($8-10). But the portion is huge (chicken, steak or shrimp, plus chopped broccoli, onion, cheese, mushrooms and green pepper), especially for lunch. More important - it was one of the best tasting items I've had at Freddie's (hold the mushrooms on mine, please):

You can see bits of seasoning atop the cheese; I have no doubt that this sprinkle added to my enjoyment of the dish. 

Freddie's seems to have solved it's early issues with utensilry, nakpins and beverages. So - if you are in the Lyndhurst area and are in the mood for a Polish Boy or Girl, or ribs, or fried chicken or fish (and yes, they offer grilled chicken also) - Freddie's can be a fun choice to play with Southern-inspired comfort food. It certainly slaked my Symon-induced Polish Boy craving!

Fun Playing with Cheesesteak Wit Whiz in Twinsburg OH

My blogger friend Tom (Exploring Food My Way) recently referenced a post he made last year, describing a relative newcomer to the Northeast Ohio food scene - The Original Steak & Hoagies in Twinsburg, which promises to deliver the true Philadelphia Cheesesteak experience. I saw Tom's more recent post, and wondered, "how did this place slip through my radar?" And so, after a trip to the Geuaga Farmers' Market on a recent Saturday, we headed for Twinsburg to see if a true taste of Philly had landed in our proverbial back yard. Please refer to Tom's excellent post for some background on the genre, and the family that owns and runs Original Steak & Hoagies.

 

Orders are placed at the friendly counter - I ordered a small Cheesesteak Wit Whiz; Bob opted for Wit Provolone. As we sat and waited for our food, I was impressed by how exquisitely clean the place was - both the dining room, and the large portion of the food prep areas we could see from our seats in front of the restaurant.

We had also decided to share an order of fries, which was more than plenty for the two of us. The fries came up first:



The staff told us that they had just switched to this product, and asked how we liked it. The fries were perfectly cooked to crispy goodness and dressed with just the right amount of salt. Most important, they weren't greasy. Though not house-made "from scratch," we loved them.


Bob's Wit Provolone


Mine Wit Whiz

For those of you not conversant in Philly Cheesesteak speak - the "wit" refers to "with grilled onions."



This "sandwich consumption in progress" shot says it better than I can. The combination of an authentic roll sourced from Amoroso Bakery in Philadelphia, which handled the extreme juiciness of the sandwich with perfect aplomb, the creamy meld at the left of the sandwich in this photo of whiz, caramelized onions and tasty rib eye which had been chopped and fried to order on the grill, led to happy sighs. Our last trip to Philly was July 1990, but one bite of this sandwich took me right back.

We were having so much fun playing with our food that proprietor Bill Fromholzer stopped by our table to chat. I mentioned how the sandwich took me back to my last Philadelphia cheesesteak experience, and commented that next time, I'd have to try the Mom Mom's Meatball with Gravy sandwich. But before you could say "on top of spaghetti," Bill brought us each a meatball and a taste of gravy - made from scratch from his grandma's recipe ("gravy" is of course the Philadelphian term for tomato sauce) and piping hot; no microwave needed here.





The meatball tasted like a combination of different meats (probably pork, beef and veal), egg, seasonings, and just enough breadcrumb to hold it together - a great set of ingredients prepared with grandma-like finesse. And the sauce also sang with fresh-made flavor.

Since we were grilling sausage for dinner that night, we decided to grab a side of the house-made coleslaw to go with it.



This cole slaw had the flavors and texture of cole slaw as I enjoyed it growing up on the East Coast - chopped vegetables (not food service pack, and not shredded, but obviously chopped in house) with just the right amount of mayo, vinegar and simple seasonings (including a pinch of sugar, which always seems missing from Midwest coleslaws). Darn tasty.

According to the Steaks & Hoagies website, you can enjoy their products at Canal Park in downtown Akron (home of the Cleveland Indians AA affiliate Akron Aeros), in addition to the Twinsburg location on 10735 Ravenna Road. And free local delivery is available; call to learn if you are in their range. If you are fond of cheesesteak, Philadelphia, meatballs and gravy, or coleslaw - you will have fun playing with food at  The Original Steak &  Hoagies.

Fun Playing With Polish Boys

You read that correctly. Polish boys. Not the New Orleans "Po' Boy." But a Cleveland specialty, served up by a ten year old Cleveland classic - the Seti's food truck. Seti's may be found Monday through Friday, from 10am-4pm, in the parking lot of Dean Restaurant Supply, E.34th & Woodland Ave., Cleveland, OH 44115. Seti's is also available for catering. Though I had read some praises of Seti's from no less than Cleveland's Iron Chef Michael Symon, it wasn't blinking strongly on my radar. Until the weekday that I needed to stop at Dean Supply for some catering supplies (Dean has an awesome selection at great prices). 

And there, in the parking lot, with only a small bench for the assembled waiting customers - there it was:

 

The menu is right on the truck:

Since it was my first time, I had to try the "Best Polish Boy" - which is a  grilled Polish sausage topped with slaw, fries and BBQ sauce. Chili and cheese are both available for a small upcharge. But I had mine "off the rack" as it were. It was hard to get decent photos juggling the goods in my car, but here it is:

The sausage was perfectly cooked and steaming hot, and it snapped beautifully when bitten into, yielding porky juices and tender flavors. My only complaint was that the BBQ sauce sort of took over the sandwich, muting what seemed like wonderful coleslaw, and turning crisp fries mushy. Still, this sandwich made for a great lunch.

I returned to Seti's a few weeks later with my husband in tow - he's lived near Cleveland for almost 60 years and had never had a Polish Boy! We needed to remedy that, and we did.

Bob's Best Polish Boy 

Bob agreed with me that the BBQ sauce overwhelmed the sandwich a bit. But that didn't stop him from enjoying every messy bite!

I opted for the Chili Dog for my second experience:

Chili Dog with Mustard and Chopped Onion 

I'm not a big chili dog kinda girl - but I really loved this sandwich! The chili wasn't very spicy, so the onion and mustard each got to play a note in the final taste.

Fries

The fries were fresh, hot, and crispy. The perfect side for a chili dog.

Seti's offers fun food at a cheap price (our lunch for two, with beverages, totaled $10). We had fun playing with Seti's Polish Boys and their other offerings - and though a picnic table or other seating appliance would be nice, the car worked just fine both times. The food is served hot enough (and wrapped well enough) to take some travel, say to an office downtown or a nearby suburb. But when food smells this good, it is so hard to wait!

Fun Playing With A Chicago Breakfast That Channeled the Catskills

I so apologize for the long delay between posts. Since my last post on May 19, we've been to NY and back, and to Cincinnati and back - cooking on both trips. Reports will follow eventually - but I didn't want to lose this report on a very cool Chicago spot that was our last taste of that city on our early May trip.

Donut Holes - the Amuse at Lou Mitchell's

Having been forced to dismiss the lawsuit against the city that tore up my labrum after the trial judge allowed the City to fundamentally change the case, literally moments before we were to select a jury, and knowing we'd be re-filing and starting again, I was determined to enjoy one last special taste of Chicago before we left to drive back to Cleveland. The only problem was that we'd had to meet with my attorney first thing Thursday morning, and we had to be checked out of our hotel room by noon to avoid extra charges. So - we sprinted across downtown to 565 W Jackson Blvd to sample a place recommended by a friend - Lou Mitchell's. 

Now, I suppose that there are a lot of locals who think this place is a tourist trap and nothing but. But let me tell you - one step into the dining room, one breath of the aromas, and one look at the tables, food and servers were enough for me! I felt transported to the world of "Catskilland" - a marketing term coined for New York's Catskill Mountain resorts in the late 1980s. My parents were married at the Nevele, and my childhood experience was indelibly inked by time spent "in the Catskills," at the Nevele and other resort hotels long gone. Since I married Bob nearly 15 years ago, I'd often hoped to take him to the Catskills to experience at least a taste of it; however, it is almost gone now (Kutshers Country Club  is the only "Borscht Belt" hotel still operating).

Fast forward back to Lou Mitchell's. It wasn't especially "Jewish" at all - but something about the look, the smell, the feel - I felt like I was back in The Mountains. It didn't hurt that our server was an older woman who understood completely when I asked for expedition, as we needed to walk a bunch of blocks back to our hotel before noon (and it was already after 11am). I wanted to take some atmosphere shots, but the stress and hurry made that impossible. The above freshly prepared donut holes are kept in a container by the entrance, and offered to patrons as they enter or wait for a table. Fortunately, we got to enjoy our nosh and get right to a table.

La Conga Delight (Bacon, Tomato and Cheese), Choice of Homemade Bread, Melted American Cheese, Crisp Bacon and Tomato, Fries

My selection - brought freshly cooked, hot, crispy and delicious. The house-made fries are simply lovely - creamy and crispy. And, the leftovers made a delightful road snack, holding much of their crunch though cold.

House-Made Coleslaw




Though I skipped the pickle, I adored this cole slaw.


La Conga Close Up



BLT Club, Crisp Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato on Homemade Golden Brown Greek Toast, Fries



Bob loved his choice (and my bite was fantastic) - crunchy, cheesy, creamy - and most importantly - made fresh with fresh ingredients.

Since the case has been started over again, I anticipate additional Chicago trips to resolve it. We have promised to return to Lou Mitchell's without a time clock ticking over our heads, to give it the respect and enjoyment that it deserves. Despite the rush - we had great fun sampling not only the tasty food and fabulous service - but the nostalgic atmosphere of Lou Mitchell's.