Fun Dancing With Lions and Playing with Chinese New Year Food

Yesterday was the first official day of Lunar New Year, which is celebrated throughout Asia. Despite Wednesday night's fuzzy weather, our group of 7 ventured to Cleveland's Li Wah Restaurant for a Chinese New Year Dinner and Lion Dance put on by the venerable Kwan family and martial arts troupe. 

Li Wah offered both "Americanized" special dishes and some a la carte items that were more authentic. We opted for the prix fix Chinese New Year Family Dinner Special for 6, and added one a la carte dish to it, since we were seven. Quantity was perfect even though we had a few power eaters at the table. And we got to feed Lucky Money to the Lion and ask for good luck and prosperity in the New Year. 

BBQ Combination

The first course, traditionally served cold, included crispy duck and BBQ pork over jellyfish, crispy pickled vegetables, cucumber and orange slices (the latter representing coins with their shape and money with their green and orange colors). An auspicious beginning.

Assorted Seafood, Bamboo & Shark's Fin Soup

Though fresh and tasty (and very gelatinous from the shark fins), the soup seemed a little bland. 

A splash of chili oil and flakes woke it up nicely - note the way the oil reacted with the surface of the soup - the mouthfeel was exquisitely soft.

Lobster with Ginger and Scallions

Fresh lobster cooked to perfection was shell-licking good.  The next course was our "add on" dish:

Beef with Pepper and Honey

Note the continuing "green" color theme with the tender asparagus and "coins" of zucchini.

Sauteed Assorted Seafood & House X.O. Sauce

X.O. Sauce is ubiquitous on the modern Chinese New Year menu (it is believed to have originated in Hong Kong in the 1980s). The sauce is named after XO Cognac to symbolize wealth and status - both themes central to the New Year celebration. This rich sauce masked well any hints of chemistry on the food service  grade seafood (which, given the price point under $25 per person for all of the prix fix dinner menus, is to be expected). The dish was most satisfying (though I skipped the shrimp), especially the squid. 

Shredded Dry Scallops & Pea Pod Leaves

Dry scallops, or conpoy, are very expensive, which is probably why they were sparingly used in this dish. Blazing hot, fresh from the wok and redolent with fresh garlic - this plate wowed the table.

Steamed Whole Fish

I was pleased to be served the traditional steamed whole fish - I recall a Chinese New Year meal at Li Wah a few years ago where our table was served a fillet instead of the whole beast. Steamed whole fish is another important Chinese New Year tradition, but one that Westerners often eschew. I made a point of telling our server that we didn't want any changes to the menu, but to tell the kitchen to serve us exactly what they'd serve Chinese customers (this was after the first course came out with the neon red cherry halves on it, though since red is an important New Year's color, I may have had nothing to worry about). After we thought we were done, our server scraped and served out all of the last bits from among the bones, and insisted that Bob eat it because he was "too skinny"!

Yeung Chow Fried Rice

Free of soy sauce or other cloying flavors, this dish is a traditional way to end a Chinese Banquet (our servers, probably weary of explaining to Western guests that white rice is not served at a Chinese Banquet, had also dropped a big bowl of the latter on the turntable earlier in the meal). I didn't notice the flavor and ethereal texture that lard - the most authentic frying medium for this dish - would have brought to the plate, but the clean, fresh flavors satisfied nonetheless.

Fried Half Chicken

Though not as lip-smackingly good as Wonton Gourmet's version - this dish also came to the table wok-hot, with crispy skin and tender meat. We enjoyed every bite.

As often happens at Chinese Banquets - dessert was simple. And sufficient. We were all full, but not stuffed, and having enjoyed a lovely meal, we next enjoyed the Lion Dance performance. I video-ed some of it, but am still on new-camera-learning-curve and haven't figured out how to transfer video off of the data card, which none of the three programs that came with the camera seem to do (anyone who knows how to work .mts files please feel free to pipe up in the comments or send me an email). Suffice it to say that we all played with great food and a festive Lion Dance to ring in the Year of the Rabbit in Cleveland Asiatown with the Hom family at Li Wah!

Items from the special menus will be offered throughout the two week New Year Celebration, and Lion Dances will be repeated this Saturday and Sunday at 11am during Dim Sum service. Gongxi gongxi!

Fun Playing with Happy Hour Food at Chinato

Last Friday evening, we had a date to attend the 7:30pm show at Hilarities Comedy Club on East Fourth Street in downtown Cleveland. Given the timing and location, we determined that we would finally get to sample Chef Zack Bruell's youngest restaurant, Chinato. There, Chef Andy Dombrowski heads a kitchen turning out beautiful Italian food. And at Happy Hour prices, we were prepared to sample as many tastes as we had capacity for! Happy Hour at Chinato runs from 4:30 to 6:30pm, and $5 plates, $3-5 beer, and $5 wine and selected cocktails are offered.

Chinato's Happy Hour menu is available both at the bar and at the booths in the bar area. But be forewarned - reservations may be necessary for those booths, though they were not on this Friday night, which turned out to be the coldest night of the year here in Cleveland. After snuggling into our booth (Bob never did remove his coat - it was cold), we ordered Great Lakes Christmas Ale drafts from the Happy Hour menu, only to learn that they were out (not a surprise this far into January). Since Elliot Ness Amber Lager and Dortmunder Gold Lager  were both on tap, we were fine. Do be aware that the Elliot was priced as a "seasonal" at $5 a pour (the Christmas Ale was listed as the seasonal); whereas Dortmunder can be had for a mere $3 during the hour of happy. No worries for us.

Our wonderful server Matt dropped off some lovely On the Rise bread and Olive Oil (no photo) for dipping:

We ordered five items off of the Happy Hour menu ($5 per plate), and Matt decided to course them for us. Two first, then a final three. 

Artichoke and Supplì (Risotto and Cheese Stuffed Balls with Tomato Sauce)

As Matt explained, the baby artichoke was so tender that everything on the plate was edible. We loved the contrast of the creamy rice filled balls and tomato sauce against the crispy veggie with olive oil and grated cheese.

Crudo Sampler

From left to right: Scallop with tobiko, scallions and lemon zest, Tuna with lardo,Yellowtail with pesto and tomatoes, and Salmon with orange, fennel, and red onion. This was the only one of the five dishes that didn't completely wow us. Perhaps the memory of the exquisite crudo served up at The Chowder House Cafe  the previous Tuesday was still in our heads (see it here), but we both noticed very slight "off" flavors in the scallop and yellowtail. Still, we enjoyed the plate.

Matt whisked away our first two empty plates, and shortly after, the last three items hit the table:

Tonnarelli with Black Pepper, Pecorino and Lemon

Chinato makes most of its pastas from scratch, but the tonnarelli textured like an extruded pasta cooked from dried. I didn't think I'd love citrus with cheese, but it all worked extremely well.

Gnocchi with Tomato, Basil, Toasted Garlic, Butter and Parmesan

This exquisite dish had us sighing with pleasure. Is there any food so sexy as perfectly prepared gnocchi served with tomato, butter and parmesan cheese?


Fennel Sausage, Tomato Sauce and Mozzarella Pizza



At first glance, the thought that barreled through my head was "Shmura Matzo" pizza - a description given to extremely thin crust pizza by an observant Jewish attorney I worked with in New Jersey years ago. But this specimen wasn't merely thin - it had amazing elasticity and chew, and combined with the tasty toppings (including house made sausage to die for), really satisfied this fussy pizza eater. The pizza is small, but made with top quality ingredients and cooked to perfection.

We were so full that we didn't empty all of the plates completely. Our check, including four glasses of Elliot Ness, was a gentle $45. Chinato offers a food bargain not to be missed if you are anywhere near downtown Cleveland between 4:30 and 6:30pm Monday through Saturday. Or if you are around after 9pm, when it starts all over again! In between those times, all of these items are available on the regular menu. Based on our Happy Hour experience, there is much more on the regular menu that we need to try! Fun playing with beautiful food, quality drink and and fabulous service awaits you at Chinato.

Fun Playing with Chowder+

Well, I'm a day late, but hopefully not a dollar short. Bloggers Kathy Carano and Tom Noe have already posted about the fabulous dinner we enjoyed at Chef Louis Prpich's Cuyahoga Falls restaurant Chowder House Cafe. Chef Prpich hosted our table full of bloggers last Tuesday for a nine-course tasting of some very impressive, fun-to-play-with food.

I hadn't realized the significance of the restaurant's name when Tom set up this dinner. I adore fresh fish and seafood of every type, but I generally despair at tasting any truly fabulous specimens here in Northeast Ohio and never walk into any restuarant with that expection. Until last Tuesday.

Chef Prpich has over 20 years in the restaurant business and opened the modestly sized Chowder House as a way to pursue his life long passion for cooking while maintaining a family life. I learned Tuesday that he knows food - he knows freshness, he knows what tastes good, he knows how to coax great flavors and textures out of a kitchen limited in space and equipment, and he and his staff seem to have great fun delivering it. My kinda place.

To begin, we were offered a choice of one of three soups served daily at the restaurant. 

Lobster Bisque

Bob, who as my lighting director was permitted to join us, opted for this silken soup, featuring lobster, cream and sherry. I tasted it and almost regretted my soup choice, for a moment. But only for a moment.

Chowder

Chef’s Prpich's signature New England style clam chowder, as his menu says,  "contains lots of tender clams and no potatoes." But more than that, it has a perfect balance of flavors and textures and a fresh black pepper kick that had both me and Chubby Cook blogger Scott Groth wiping our bowls with the bread you can see a bit of at the right of the photo.

Crudo

Dayboat Scallops, Ahi Tuna, and, amazingly, Lake Walleye were sliced paper thin, seasoned with salt and pepper, sprinkled with olive oil and Meyer lemon juice, and served with a warm arugula salad with garlic and olive oil. This is the kind of fish I expect to get in Florida, not in Cuyahoga Falls. And not only was the product pristine - Chef Prpich's preparation sang with light, clean flavors that perfectly complemented the delicate meat. One taste and I was completely in Chef Prpich's power.


Portobello Strudel

Yes, there had to be mushrooms. These were poached in Cabernet and garlic, then wrapped in a locally sourced phyllo dough (Athens Foods), which made for an incredibly tender eating experience. Provolone cheese was added before the pastry was baked and the strudel was served with a rich demi-glace. I did love this dish enough to, ahem, work through the mushrooms; I confess to enjoying this dish way more than a mushroom-hater should.




Baked Oysters

Chincoteaque Oysters topped with spinach, bacon, manchego cheese and sherry cream were baked to creamy deliciousness. The oysters retained their briny character, but were enhanced by the rich toppings into a lip-smacking dish. Had five more courses not been on the menu, I would have cleaned the shells (as Bob did).  I was amazed that such fabulous fish and seafood could be obtained in Cleveland, and very impressed with Chef Prpich for both obtaining great products, and his imaginative and tasty preparations. 


Crabcakes

This was the only course that did not sing in perfect harmony for me. I seldom choose crab cakes because I can usually tell packaged crab from fresh, and none of the packaged products taste good to me (processing and chemicals - it's either that or freezing and sometimes chemicals, and neither is kind to fresh crab meat). I have never been able to give a stellar review to any crabcake I've had in this part of the world, and Chef Prpich confirmed that his crab is a packaged product (albeit a good one from a quality supplier). Packaged crab notwithstanding - if you like crabcakes and if you've ever liked a crabcake you've had in Northeast Ohio - you will love this one. Chef Prpich uses no fillers or extenders of any kind - his crabcake is 100% crab meat (plus coating of course). The small kitchen has no deep fryer, so the crab cakes are sauteed to crispy perfection and served with a lovely roasted corn (frozen in-house from summer's best, including Szalay's) with Adam's Reserve white cheddar and tangy jalapeno vinaigrette. 

Wild Caught Black Tip Shark

Spicy-rubbed fish with a Caribbean flair met a julienned medley of bok choy, scallions and red pepper, and was finished with ponzu fish sauce. Had I not been nearly full by now, I would have happily devoured every morsel on this plate. Chef Prpich explained that his fish and seafood are all sourced with reference to the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch website to determine which fish and seafood products meet high sustainability standards. Cooked to a perfect medium - neither the shark nor the preparation were anything  I am used to seeing around here, and kudos to Chef Prpich for bringing it to our table. Similar dishes, varying depending on ingredient availability, are always on the menu at the Chowder House, usually as specials. The flavors were simply delicious, and worthy of an excursion outside of your comfort zone.

Cassoulet

Not one, not two, but three types of house made sausage formed the foundation of this dish: chicken, spicy Italian (pork) and a second pork sausage containing whatever seasoning met the Chef's fancy at stuffing time. Instead of using duck meat in the dish, Chef learned through trial and error that chicken is more comfortable to local diners. But Chef Prpich works the traditional duck into the dish in a non-traditional way - can you say duck fat? Lots of tasty duck fat, used to confit the meats and added again towards the end of the assembly process. Oh, and the dish contains some cannelloni beans, vegetables and a crunchy panko bread crumb topping. But you come for the sausage and stay for the duck fat. Nontraditional, yes - fabulous eats, even more yes.

Monkfish Wrapped in Prosciutto Simmered in House Grown Stewed Tomatoes

The stewed tomatoes are an appetizer staple at Chowder House for as many months of the year as possible. Summer garden tomatoes canned by Chef Prpich (or served fresh in season) are slow stewed with garlic and butter and finished with a drizzle of fresh cream. It tasted like summer. On a plate. In the middle of January. Honestly, I was so full by this dish that I couldn't eat much - but oh for a bite of those tomatoes. And the monkfish with prosciutto offered lovely flavors with not a hint of any off note.

Vanilla Creme Brulee

Vanilla scented Creme Brulee with a side of cocoa whipped cream and a cayenne and chocolate tuille managed to revive our ravaged appetites - though unlike Kathy, I could not finish mine. But I made a dent!

A light and satisfying end to a rich dinner, with a sweet crunchy top and eggy pudding below, punctuated by the unusual tuille. 

Chowder House is open Monday thru Friday for lunch and dinner and Saturday for dinner only. On Sunday, brunch is served from 10 am - 2 pm. No credit cards are accepted, but checks are welcome, as is cash. Reservations are recommended (call (330) 794-7102). A beer license will be in place any day, with a wine license to follow very shortly.

Our table of 6 bloggers (and lighting director) had great fun exploring Chef Prpich's fish and seafood laden cuisine. I look forward to returning for more fun playing with fresh, local and sustainably sourced cuisine prepared with flair. Thank you Chef Prpich for treating us.

More Fun Playing With Dinner in the Dark

Monday January 17, we attended the fourth installment of Dinner in the Dark. It was also my first time using the new camera in "combat" conditions, so the photos are what they are.

DITD is self described as "An impromptu dinner designed to stimulate your palate and surprise your taste buds by offering you no idea of what you will eat or drink or who will be cooking for you." Some of Cleveland's top culinary talents have cooked at each of the first four events, donating time and product for a different charity each month. January's dinner benefited the Cleveland Sight Center and was held at Jeff Jarret's new Strongsville restaurant Palate. Priced at an affordable $65 (including wine but plus tax and tip), each of the three dinners we attended have offered some amazing flavors and introduced us to some new culinary ideas.

Before digging into the food, a few words about 55 Degrees. This Ohio wine distributor has provided most of the libations consumed at these events (as well as retail priced bottles for purchase after the meal, with profits donated to the charity of the month). This month, we especially enjoyed (and purchased) the Sineann Red Table Wine from Oregon, which complimented perfectly the Veal Strip Loin you will see below. Thank you to Aaron Deibel of 55 Degrees for explaining the wines and offering them to us each month! We've especially enjoyed the whites we purchased after Dinner in the Dark 2 at AMP 150.

We began with a cocktail crafted by Cleveland area cocktail meister Joseph DeLuca:


A Rose By Any Other Name

This refreshing libation contained Four Roses Single Barrel Bourbon, Pinot Noir Syrup, Rose Water and Bitters.


Amuse

Tonight's first bite was prepared and presented by Chef Adam Bostwick of Melange. His caramelized onion and fig tartlet was adorned with a crispy sweetbread and a large dot of bleu cheese ice cream, which isn't visible in this photo. A lovely, complex start to the evening.



The above photo, shot after the cameraman from Newsnet 5 was kind enough to bathe our table with some much-appreciated light, does at least show you the ice cream. Click the link to see the compelling backstory to this night's event.


Wild Mushroom Bread Pudding, Autumn Vegetables, Sage, Balsamic, Dried Sorrel, Truffle Oil

This slightly kicked up version of an item on the Palate menu was prepared by host Chef Jeff Jarrett. Even though I'm not a mushroom lover, I can recommend this dish, which presented the essence of mushroom, accented with truffle, in a creamy pudding that contrasted texturally with crispy herbed smoked onions.

Calf-tongue Reuben Sandwich with 7 Day Cured Napa Kraut and 14 Day Cured Apple Kimchi

Chef Matt Mathlage of Ohio City's Light Bistro contributed this tasty combo. I neglected to photograph the sandwich sans wrapping paper, so you'll have to take my word for it that the calf-tongue "corned beef" melted in the mouth and tasted wonderful, especially against the kraut and cheese in the sandwich. The Apple Kimchi delighted, kissed with a 90 day vinegar.




Roasted Beets with Pistachio Crusted Goronzola and Goat Cheese Crottin, Blood Orange Vinaigrette,  Beet Gelée, Pistachio Herb Oil

Chef Steve Schimoler of Crop Bistro, who I consider the Mad Scientist of Cleveland Cuisine, presented this amazing salad. My friend Edsel Little got a much better photo of it, which you can find here. The internet tells us this about crottin: "1. A pungent cheese made of goat's milk and formed into small disks. 2. A disk of this cheese." Lookng further, the cheese itself is described as "a goat's milk cheese made in the heart of France in the verdant Loire Valley. When the Crottin is young, it is moist and it has a light tangy goat's milk flavor. As it ages, this pretty little cheese takes on a firmer texture and a fuller flavor." The cheese balanced between creamy goat and tangy Gorgonzola, which worked nicely for me, and perfectly complemented the beets and the fabulous Beet Gelee, which tracked and enhanced the flavors of the beets.The pistachios added crunch.


Brown Butter Poached Arctic Char, Fennel Salad, Smoked Corn & Truffle Risotto, Basil  Cream Sauce

The fish course came from Chef Matt Mytro of Stovemonkeys.com and Crisp Catering. Arctic char bears some similarity to salmon, but is a bit more delicate. This pristine specimen featured crispy skin and a luxurious risotto, nicely cut by the basil sauce.

Intermezzo

Ray Garman of Melange prepared this lovely blood orange sorbet with basil, served over a round of seriously frozen kiwi. A perfect palate refresher as we transitioned from fish to flesh.


Veal Strip Loin with Risotto Croquette, Dr. Pepper Demi

Chris Quinn, a Chef with US Foodservice, gave us this surprising course: spicy espresso-rubbed veal strip-loin steak with jalapeño risotto cheese croquettes and haricots verts in a sweet pepper jus. Once again, my photo does not do justice to this melt-in-your-mouth hunk of meat and the toothy sides - so do please click through to Edsel's much better photo. The flavors were perfectly melded, such that the espresso did not set off my "coffee meter" (hence the "surprise") and the texture of the veal was, well, I suppose what I'd expect a veal strip loin to be like, if I'd ever considered eating a veal strip loin - buttery, mild, and tender are three adjectives that come to mind.

Caramelized Local Apples, Lucky Penny Goat Cheese, Black Walnut Granola, Sorghum and Five Spice

 

Dessert was provided by Chef Matt Anderson of Umami Asian Kitchen. Truthfully, I was too full to really appreciate this, though caramel is one of my favorite things, and this plate did not disappoint. 

As diners began to say their goodbyes and leave, a final whimsical bowl made its way to the tables, courtesy of Melange's Adam Bostwick:


Peanut Butter & Jelly Popcorn

This dish epitomizes the creativity and fun that Cleveland Chefs are bringing to each table every month with Dinner in the Dark. The next event is scheduled for February 21 at Melange. Please call 216-378-9755 for your reservations, so you can join us in playing with great food and drink for another worthy (and as of this date, unannounced) beneficiary.