Fun Dining With Strangers

On my recent birthday, we decided to do something completely different. We enjoyed Dinner With Strangers, a collaboration between Please Catering (which also has a small website here) and Made in the 216. They don't seem to have a website, but their Facebook page is here. As explained on the FB page, Chef Ryan Santos selects a theme and creates a five course menu, and partner Danielle DeBoe selects approximately 24 guests from a list of people who have expressed interest, and who hopefully don't know one another (for the most part). Selected guests are notified by email, and pay in advance online. The dinner costs $30 per person and is BYOB. The theme this evening was: BBQ.

We arrived at the patio of Chartreuse, in Lakewood Ohio, at the appointed day and time. Since the host venue was a design firm (NOT a kitchen design firm) and not a restaurant - how would Chef Santos pull off the food prep? A method dear to my heart:

Kitchen Improvisation

Everyone brought a beverage of choice, and we spent some time sipping and introducing ourselves. We then took our seats around the long table (there were actually two tables, to accommodate the two levels of the patio).

Loved the Water Pitchers a/k/a GLBC Growlers

Looking around, I discovered that I actually knew a few of the attendees (well, one I had only known by reputation until this evening). 


Chef Ryan Santos Introduces the First Course

It was a perfect evening - the day had been hot and hazy, but by the time we took our seats around 7pm , the weather was pleasant, especially with a cold glass of wine in hand. Since it was my birthday, we'd brought enough to ensure a celebratory experience.

Amuse: Grilled Lemonade




The lemonade was the perfect refresher - though I honestly missed the "grilled" part - no matter.


Amuse: Fried Black Eyed Peas + Old Bay

This crunchy snack started us off with a bit of salt, texture, and a unique flavor from the Old Bay seasoning combined with the toasted legumes.

1st: Pickles: bread & butter + kool aid + dill + rosemary garlic + scape, green tomato jam, pig trotter rillettes, duck chicharron + hot sauce + black salt, cornbread crackers

Well now, that description is certainly a mouthful. I'm pleased to report that despite the presence of four different cucumber-based pickles on the plate - I loved this dish! The rilllettes and chicharron were prepared perfectly, and their richness was nicely cut by the refreshing green tomato jam.

Kool Aid Pickle

Yes - the camera does not lie! I drank the Kool Aid, so to speak, by taking a bite from this pickle. I almost wanted another. Almost. (Sorry Ryan - loved the Kool Aid treatment, but I really hate cucumber.)

2nd: Candy Onion + beet & rootbeer BBQ sauce, beet greens + char puree + jowl bacon

Another beautifully executed dish - I love jowl bacon (or guanciale), no matter how it is used, and here it  highlighted sweet grilled onion and a purree of beet greens and char, accented by a touch of root beer flavor. 

This plate was followed by an amazing Intermezzo:

White Dog Sour: Buffalo Trace White Dog Mash #1, lemon juice + egg white + sugar + regan's orange bitters

A bottle of the star ingredient was passed around for us to investigate, but I was too busy enjoying the cocktail to take a photo of it. While I'm not ordinarily a big fan of whiskey, I found this to be a well-crafted, balanced cocktail that did indeed refresh my palate. 

It was somewhere around this point in the dinner when Danielle asked those who had a cafeteria-style serving tray under their place to please pick it up and move themselves to another seat. She did ask, not require, that people do this, and most of them did with great merriment. And that way, we all got to meet some more strangers!

3rd: Bourbon Braised Pulled Beef Beef Cheek + Watermelon & Sour Apple Tartare, Watermelon pickle + Green Jalapeno Puree + Smoked Salt, Sweet Potato & Radish Coleslaw

Unfortunately, by the time this plate came out, we were losing the light, and I was losing my appetite because I had enjoyed the first courses so heartily!

Though this Watermelon/Apple Tartare did not hold its shape as well as was probably intended  - it succeeded in evoking a visual of its namesake, while providing crisp, refreshing flavor and mouthfeel to counterbalance the heavier beef, which was tender and redolent of the gentle bourbon treatment.

Dessert: "Peaches and cream" Mousse + Sun Tea Roll Up, Shaved Caramelized White Chocolate + Corn Coulis + Blackberry, Lemon Verbena Scented Pie Crust 

One look at this plate and I instantly regretted not saving more room for dessert. The photo does not do justice to the fresh, fresh ingredients and Ryan's artful combinations.

And so, I had great fun playing with the food of Please and the company of Danielle and the other guests she selected for my birthday dinner. If you live in or near Cleveland and this kind of surprise/eat it or leave it dining appeals to you, I suggest that you check out the Dinner With Strangers Facebook Page and get on the guest list for a future dinner!

More Fun Playing With Lunch at Michael Symon's Bspot

My friend Edsel remarked to me that since we had tried the burgers at Bspot on Monday, we needed to return later this week to try the brats! (Remember, the "B" stands for Bar Snacks & Sides, Big Salads, Bad **s Shakes, Burgers, Bratwurst, Bologna (& Other), Beer and Bourbon.) I can never argue with logic like that, so today, three of us returned to Michael Symon's new restaurant in Woodmere Ohio to sample the brats (the third person hadn't been there yet).

While waiting for everyone to arrive, I got another perspective on the shiny motorcycle remnants hanging over the bar area:

I also checked out the pickle bar - something new (and cucumbery) had been added, and I felt obligated to get a blur-free shot of the other cucumber-based pickle, which hadn't come out well my first visit:

Sweets

 

Pickle I blurred on Monday.

All three of us opted for brats:

Clevelander brat with coleslaw, hot sauce, fries

Edsel enjoyed his choice.

 

Stadium Style brat with caramelized onions, stadium mustard

Both Kay and I selected this combination. The caramelized onions were perfect, and the veal and pork based-brat was very tasty. The only weak link in the sandwich (indeed, the only weak link I've yet discovered at Bspot) was the bratwurst's bun. There was nothing wrong with it - but  it was nothing special. And it really didn't hold together well enough to eat the sandwich as a sandwich.

 

Any shortcomings in the bun were more than amply compensated for by the amazing onion rings:

Michael Symon has said that with Bspot he was shooting to produce the best burger in America (which he may well have achieved; see my last post). I don't know if he realizes it, but he may have also created the best onion ring in the land! The tasty breading actually stays connected to the onions inside (how many times have you bit into an onion ring and the onion came out in a big hunk, leaving an empty ring of greasy breading?). Speaking of grease - I know there must be some on these onion rings, because my fingers left grease stains on my napkin - but darned if I tasted any grease or felt it in my mouth while munching these. Amazingly - the smaller rings were actually the best ones!

Think the fact that they are fried in pork fat has anything to do with how luscious they are?

Lola Fries

  

Chips parmesan fondue, rosemary

I don't think I'll ever tire of this re-run.

 

Simply marvelous - cheesy, creamy goodness against perfectly crispy chips.

One reason for selecting the less-intense brat (as opposed to the massive burger) was to ensure I'd have the space on my plate and in my tummy for some of those fabulous pickle-bar goodies!

 

Sweet Pickled Green Tomatoes, Hot Pepper Relish, Hot Pepper Ring, Jalapeno Relish

Uh, Mr. Symon - I'll have a gallon of those pickled green tomatoes to go . . . they are THAT good. In fact, those tomatoes, and the onion rings (and the re-run of the chips and cheese fondue), were the most amazing things I tasted today. Sorry that the brats were "only" delicious; not everything can realistically rate an "amazing."

Pickled Onions

I got these after I finished the caramelized ones on my brat. While nothing could touch the flavor and crunch of those green tomatoes - these pickled onions will definitely satisfy an onion craving!

And so, having played with two lunches at Bspot, I can only say that I expect to spend wayyyy too much time there in future weeks and months. While the brats will not dazzle you the way the burgers will, they are solidly tasty and expertly cooked, and a more than ample portion at $5-6 each.

Oh - and I tasted the Lexington Brewing Co., Bourbon Barrel American Strong Ale, Kentucky on draft- it was pretty darn amazing, rich and malty, with a few banana notes even though it isn't a wheat beer. I neglected to mention on Monday that I tasted two of Bob's beers - the Bells, Best Brown, English Brown, Kalamazoo, Michigan, on draft, and it was terrific, and the Great Divide, Hibernation, Old Ale, Colorado,  also on draft, which was even tastier for a malt-head, but very strong for someone who had to drive back to work and then actually work (hence, I enjoyed but a taste).

BSpot is turning out to be everything we'd hoped it would be and more - meticulously crafted comfort food at a comfortable price, with beverages matched to the menu. One can indulge the food funny bone in burgers, brats, and other delights without breaking the bank - can't wait for my next visit!