Fun Playing With Food For Jewel

As I reported here, almost 20 of Cleveland's premier Chefs and their crews contributed to Monday night's gathering at the Cleveland Sight Center, to raise funds on behalf of Cleveland-area Chef Jeff Jarrett, and his wife Tammy. The Jarretts are hoping to adopt a second special-needs child from China, named Jewel. We were privileged to join this effort, and I've got some fun food photos to share. If you enjoy looking at these photos, or if the story has moved you, I hope you will consider visiting the event website and making a donation to help defray the hefty cost the Jarretts must incur to finalize the adoption and being Jewel home. Every little bit helps!

The facility's cafeteria was transformed into a sea of red tablecloths (red being an auspicious color) and cheerful Chinese decorations. A nearby room had some seating, which enabled my intrepid fellow food blogger Tom and I to take plate shots without elbowing anyone in the serving room. Along one wall of the cafeteria were tables with silent raffle items, all donated by generous supporters (most from the food community). Chinese music wafted through the air, provided by Jay Xiao and David Badagnani of the Cleveland Chinese Music Ensemble.

I began with a lovely beverage, prepared by the culinary students from Cuyahoga Community College's Culinary Arts program, who assisted the chefs all evening also. 

Punch!

 

A Cookie and A Cupcake, Chef Wendy Thompson

  

Chef Wendy was unable to join us in person, but her assistant shared this amazing display of cupcakery. 

Usually, at this type of grazing event, I overdo the savories and have no desire for the sweets (or, the sweets are gone by the time I decide to consider them). Not this time! Strategically located at the first serving station, I decided to take a cupcake and not wait for later. As Wendy's assistant explained the many different types, I said "sold" and selected the one on the right when she mentioned "salt" and "caramel" in the same sentence. However, when she said the one on the left had a caramel-based center, and was their signature - well, I had to try one of those, too.

Both cupcakes were wonderful - even though I'm not a big sweets eater, I can certainly understand why Cookie and A Cupcake gets so much wonderful buzz! After eating these, I had a little buzz on too!

Tomato Bruschetta 

Red Pepper Bruschetta

These two tasty treats were offered by Chef Eric Wells of SkyeLarae’s Culinary Services. I especially liked the pepper version, but they were both delicious!




Curried Lamb Meatballs with Curried Rice, Chef Stacey Stoudemire, Simply Elegant Catering

Forgive the term, but I loved this elegantly spiced meatball and the seasoned rice that accompanied it.


Sushi Wannabee, Chef Matt Mytro, Stove Monkeys



This "faux sushi" consisted of infused cream cheese, cucumber and melon wrapped in prosciutto. A lovely bite!


Braised Shortrib, Mushroom, Coriander-Dusted Potato Chips, Chef Mike Nowak, Bar Cento

Melt-in-your mouth good! And the crispy, seasoned chips provided the perfect taste and textural counterpoint.


Chewy-Chocolate Roll with Strawberry Leather, Caramel, Lauren Stephenson, North End Wine Bar

Chef Jeff's associate presented this very satisfying sweet -described as a riff on a Tootsie Roll with a touch of Alinea. Worked for me!

The next table offered two items from the kitchen of Chef Jonathon Sawyer at Greenhouse Tavern:


Vichyssoise (Cold Potato-Leek Soup)

 
Bacon Arancini (Rice Balls)

These paired very well together.




Chocolate Ravioli filled with Foie Gras, Strawberry, Pepper, Onion

This dish was a collaboration between Jeremy Kisy of KJ Greens and Chef Adam Bostwick of Melange. A, you should pardon the expression, melange of sweet and savory flavors and concepts - this was a lovely couple of bites. Sorry the photos of the filling didn't come out well enough to post.


Pork Belly, Spicy Aioli, Chef Matt Mathlage, Light Bistro

Perfection. One of my top three of the evening. Just enough spice, soft yet toothy bread and pork. Chef Matt says that you can get a full-size version of this sandwich for $5 at Light's Happy Hour. Can't beat that - I want one!


Apple Crisp, Whipped Cream, House-made Caramel Sauce, Heather Haviland, Lucky's Cafe and Vine & Bean Cafe

Loved this dessert! Fresh apples, crunchy topping and my favorite sweet - fresh caramel! But Lucky's was not only represented by a dessert - Chef Ky-Wai Wong also appeared and whipped up a fabulous mac & cheese:



Mise en Place



This bowlful of cheesy, creamy goodness also made my top three.






This intriguing bite came from none other than our host, Chef Jeffrey Jarrett, Executive Chef at North End Wine Bar. A savory disguised as a sweet - this cake had beets as part of its body, and a savory topping that only looked like icing. Clever and delicious!


Chicken Liver and Foie Gras Mousse, Apple Chutney, Chef Aaron Guzik, L'Albatros Brasserie


This creamy bite exuded rich favor, cut just enough by the sweet chutney.


Braised Pork Belly and Plantain Chip Skewer, Pineapple Saffron Sauce, Mark Cleland, North End Wine Bar

Chef Jeff's other associate, Mark, produced this savory plate. We definitely need to get back to North End!

Cauliflower Panna Cotta, Chef Ellis Cooley, AMP 150

This very creative, savory take on panna cotta featured a chive puree and a dash of caviar.

Lentil Salad, Chef Brian Doyle, World's Fare Culinary Services / Danny's Organic Market

It seems that no matter what the cause or who the organizer, Chef Brian Doyle is always there with fun food to play with, and this evening was no exception. This was a refreshing salad, bursting with flavors and texture.

Jerked Pork, Chef Matt Baber, Naya Bistro & Lounge 

I was sure that this was a spicy beef - but someone told me right before I left that it was Jerked Pork - all I know is that it was delicious and one of my top three! Though my first bite of the bread said "never use toast on a buffet because it will get hard" - that first thought was soooo wrong - the liquid from the meat seaped into the toast and made something so much greater than either part - I loved it!

Leave it to Chef Dante Boccuzzi to find a way to work Chinese spoons into this event!

Mozzarella Spheroid over Tomato Jam, Chef Dante Boccuzzi, Restaurant Dante 

Perched atop a lip-smacking tomato jam was a spheroid that was solid mozzarella on the outside, and liquid on the inside. Eaten in one bite - it exploded with creamy flavor in the mouth.

Each guest was asked to vote for a favorite item - which I had a very hard time deciding upon. And, if I included the sweets (which I never do, because I'm not a big dessert person), I'd have had an even harder time choosing - it was all so good! Still - because they asked - someone had to "win" (though the extended Jarrett family was the real winner). Jeff advises that the top three dishes, as voted by the guests, were:

1. Ky-Wai Wong, Mac & Cheese

2. Matt Mathlage, Pork Belly Sandwich

3. Matt Baber, Jerked Pork

Great minds must think alike, because those were my top three (though not in that exact order).

And so, another evening of Fun Playing With Food came to an end amid wonderful company, tasty eats, and the warm glow of helping a truly good and worthy cause.

Fun Playing with Korean Food at Ha Ahn, Cleveland, Ohio

Sometimes, things have a way of working themselves out. My friend and fellow food blogger, Tom, who writes "Exploring Food My Way", wanted to sample some of the steamy goodies I'd recently written about, at Superior Pho in Cleveland Asiatown. We made a date and my mouth was watering for some pho and banh mi! I arrived at 3030 Superior Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44114, and entered the back door - only to see that the gates were closed over Superior Pho. Horrors! A closer examination revealed that Superior Pho is always closed on Monday. Well, what to do? When life gives you steel gates - eat Korean food! Or something like that.

I'd heard about Ha Ahn (Golden Plaza, 3030 Superior Ave., #108, Cleveland, 216-664-1152, no website) from a few food people I trust, and the talk was all good. It certainly looked clean, though not well attended at 12:45pm on a Monday. When Tom arrived, we discussed our options, and decided to walk down the short hall and lunch at Ha Ahn. A wise choice it turned out to be!

As the photo above shows, Ha Ahn is a very simple, small place (housed in the former Golden Bakery). Open 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Monday-Saturday, the restaurant offers lunch specials (Monday-Friday), at $6.95-$7.95. Regular menu items top out around $15. Unfortunately, they didn't have a menu I could take, and the only one I found on-line is a bit truncated. As the photo above shows, Ha Ahn offers photos of most of its menu items on the walls, which is very helpful to the non-Korean diner. Tom did a much better job documenting the menu than I did; I refer you to his blog post if you'd like to see it.

 
Table condiments include rice wine vinegar (the clear liquid) and soy sauce (dark bottle).

All thoughts of Vietnamese food having vanished from our heads as we smelled the goodness in Ha Ahn's kitchen, we pondered the walls and the paper menu trying to decide what to eat. Everything looked good to us! We decided to start by sharing an order of dumplings.

 

Chili Dipping Sauce for Dumplings

 

Mulmandu (Steamed Beef, Tofu, Vegetable Dumplings)

These amazing dumplings are made in-house - the freshness of all of the ingredients, especially the wrappers, made them literally burst with flavor. Add a little of the chili sauce and, well, I could eat a plate of these for lunch and be very happy. The textural contrasts were simply amazing - creamy wrapper, unctuous fillings, crunch from the green vegetables and the cellophane noodles binding the whole package together.

But this was a Korean meal - so not only would we each enjoy an entree - but our dumplings would be followed by banchan, or little palate teasers. I again fell down on the job in photographing Ha Ahn's unique presentation of each diner's banchan in a bento box - but Tom came to my rescue here.

Kim Chee

This fermented cabbage is a staple of every Korean meal. For some reason, it is usually not a favorite of mine - probably the fermented taste. This version, however, was so clean and fresh that I loved it.

Chicken Salad

Yup, you read that correctly. A ubiquitously American-style, mayonaisey chicken salad. Tasty, but it seemed so out of place that we finally asked our server if we were served this in place of something else the restaurant thought we would not like (you'll understand why we thought that when I discuss the entrees) - but she insisted that this banchan was being served to everyone today. Ok.

 

Chili-Sesame Potato

 

 

Caramelized Goju Root (or Gobo)

This was very sweet, almost candied. A little like ginger, but different.

We were already a little full from the dumplings, so we tasted our banchan, but saved plenty to dip in the entrees. Everything but the chicken salad, which just didn't seem to go . . . .

Tom's order was straightforward and easy, once he confirmed that the egg would be runny.

Dolsot Bibimbap (mixed rice served in a hot stone bowl)

This "deluxe" version of Bibimbap is served in a sizzling hot stone bowl, which crisps the rice at the bottom. I had never seen nor tasted this version of the dish before. Tom chose well!

Dolsot Bibimbap With Chili Sauce 


As you can see, Tom did not spare the chili sauce. The chili sauce he received came in a squeeze bottle. I got something completely different with my entree. This was more sweet than hot.

Dolsot Bibimbap Stirred Together


Aha - the reason for wanting a runny egg - the yolk juice mixes into the sauce - heavenly (and yes, Tom let me have a taste).


The story behind my entree is a little more complex. After hemming and hawing over the many fantastic-looking choices - I was drawn to the one I'd never heard of or tasted before, and which didn't translate very well. When I told our server my choice, she tried to talk me out of it, saying that  she didn't think that a non-Korean would like it (that was what made us wonder about the chicken salad banchan). Anyone out there who knows me knows that this is the type of challenge I can seldom resist. I asked the server, do you know why Americans don't like it? She thought it was the texture. I assured her that I would eat the dish, and love it, no matter how unusual the texture. She didn't look convinced - but she took my order to the kitchen!

Kongbiji Jige (Bean-Curd Dregs with Pork and Kimchee in Broth)


What first attracted me to this dish was the name - "Bean-Curd Dregs" brought to my mind the New Orleans staple of "debris" - which are bits of meat that tenderize by long slow cooking in gravy, and are then ladled over a meat sandwich - a wonderful American comfort food. I wondered if the Bean-Curd Dregs were a by-product of making tofu - or similar to the New Orleans idea of letting tofu simmer in broth for a long, slow cook so that it would change it's character and texture to the delicious. I had to find out! And my taste of the Kimchee in the banchan assured me that I'd like the Kimchee as a main player in the dish.

Chili Sauce

It was deja vu all over again - the same sauce we'd been served with our dumplings re-appeared as an accompaniment to my dish.

Another reason I'd selected this dish was that I had primed my taste buds for a soup on this bitterly cold, winter day. This bowl did not disappoint - it came to the table bubbling like a mad scientist's test tubes. As you can see, the "dregs" seem to be bits of tofu (or bean curd) that are crumb-sized and probably take on this texture from being cooked in vigorously boiling soup. The broth, though very tofu-y, was not at all like Japanese Miso. It was a gentle, creamy, perfect accompaniment to the mild bean curd dregs and savory chunks of pork, and the Kimchee spiced things up a little. The dish was accompanied by a bowl of sticky rice. I wasn't sure whether I was supposed to mix the rice in or not, so I put some in. I liked it. I did ask the server about it when she next visited the table, and she said the rice is normally eaten on the side. Oops.

Here, the soup is spiced up a lot - I added the whole ramekin of chili sauce (it wasn't that spicy a chili sauce) and a little soy sauce. This was comfort food supreme. Hot and steamy, porky and creamy, with a little spice and sesame, and crunch from the raw scallions - I'd eat this again any time. Both our server, and the cook, came out to ask how I liked it. I told them the truth - I loved it!

The portions are very generous at Ha Ahn - Tom and I reached maximum capacity, so we each boxed up almost half of our entrees, plus a bunch of banchan. I think our hosts were pleased - I hope so. I should mention that notwithstanding our server's well-intentioned concern with my entree choice, she came to our table prepared to recommend items that are popular with American diners, and service itself was excellent throughout the meal.

And now, the toughest part - at which restaurant to dine when visiting the Golden Plaza? I may have an answer - Superior Pho is closed on Mondays but open on Sundays, and Ha Ahn is closed Sundays but open on Mondays. A solution??? We'll have to see how that works out - but it delights me to have so much fun playing with two very different Asian cuisines in the same building!

Fun Playing with Food From The BEST Cleveland Chefs Cooking to Bring Jewel Home From China

One week from today, a veritable pantheon of Cleveland chef talent will come together at the Cleveland Sight Center, 1909 East 101st Street (Corner of Chester Ave.), Cleveland, OH 44106, for a Jewel of a cause. Cleveland-area Chef Jeffrey J. Jarrett and his wife Tammy are hoping to bring Yang Cheng Bing, who they will re-name Jewel, to the United States and their loving home from a Chinese orphanage. Jewel will be their second adopted, special needs child from China.

As Tammy explains on the event website, Jewel "was born February 14, 2009 in Fujian Province China. She was born without eyes/blind and was abandoned by her family when she was just a month old. She is now living in an orphanage. We let our Adoption Agency know that we were possibly interested in adopting her and they pretty much told us that we didn’t need to rush because chances were that if we didn’t adopt her, she wouldn’t be adopted at all." The cost of this adoption process is steep - $20,000-$25,000, but the human cost of leaving Jewel languishing in an orphanage is beyond money.

And so, on Monday, these Chefs will be giving their time, food and talent to lure us to donate $25 (or more) towards the cause.

Matt Baber– Naya Bistro and Lounge: Highland Heights
Dante Boccuzzi– Dante: Tremont
Lanny Chin– Naya Bistro and Lounge: Highland Heights
Mark Cleland– North End: Hudson
Zack Conover– The Leopard: Aurora
Ellis Cooley– Amp150 : Marriott Cleveland Hopkins
Brian Doyle-World's Fare Culinary/Danny's Organic Marketplace
William Fugitt-Private Chef: Columbus
Aaron Guzik– L’Albatros: Cleveland
Heather Haviland-Lucky's Cafe/Vine and Bean:Cleveland
Jeff Jarrett– North End: Hudson
Jeremy Lisy-KJ Greens
Jonathan Sawyer-The Greenhouse Tavern: Cleveland
Matt Mathlage– Light Bistro: Ohio City
Matt Mytro– Stove Monkeys: Cleveland
Mike Nowak- Bar Cento: Ohio City
Stacey Stoudemire- Simply Elegant Catering
Wendy Thompson– A Cookie and a Cupcake: Tremont
Ky-Wai Wong– Lucky’s Café: Tremont
Eric Wells- Skye LaRae Culinary Services

These Chefs will cook for Jewel next Monday, March 22nd, 5:30-9pm. You can make a reservation online through the event site, or by calling 330-353-4991. Parking is included! The web site also accepts online contributions, so you can support this effort even if you can't make it to the event.

For those of you who have never enjoyed Chef Jeff's cuisine (and you might have in the past without even knowing it at The Leopard, Light Bistro, Dante and Lockkeepers) - I strongly recommend that you visit North End in Hudson, where Jeff is now Executive Chef. You will not be disappointed!