Lunchin and Lola's

After many many years of friendship online, my friend April was making her way to Cleveland from LA.  We were going to be meeting in person for the first time.  It's a momentous occasion!  One I really wanted to do in style.  So when I found out she was staying in downtown Cleveland I asked if she would want to have lunch at Michael Symon's restaurant Lola Bistro.  "Don't kill me, but who's Michael Symon?" she asked.  Hmm.  Well I was just about to scratch that idea when I thought, she won't know of any other places or chefs in Cleveland either so let's just go for it!  So after a quick walk through Tower City Center so we could purchase our newly released, The Runaways DVD, we took a short drive around Cleveland and then came back and walked to Lola's. 

We arrived around 2:15 pm and the sign on the door says that lunch is served until 2:30 pm.  I figured that was that, they weren't going to want to seat us now.  How wrong I was!  We were greeted at the door by a very friendly hostess who happily showed us to a table.  She even asked where we'd like to sit and since the kitchen is open, I asked if we could sit near there so I could watch the goings on. 

Both April and I were only planning on having a light lunch so we first got to enjoy some of the delicious bread and butter that was brought to our table.  I'm kind of bready, so I'm always happy to see bread put on my table.

After looking over the menu, April chose a Greek Chopped Salad and I chose to have a salad and half sandwich.  The salad was Bibb and Watercress Salad (it also has gala apple, oranges, chives and hazelnuts... they had me at hazelnuts - and um, hold the oranges of course!) with the Grilled Rosemary Ham and Cheese Sandwich (grilled ham with rosemary, reclette, whole grain mustard on French bread and pressed in a Panini press).

I know it's just a salad and a panini, but it wasn't just your run of the mill salad and panini!   The salad was scrumptious, truly.  In my book, you can't go wrong if there are hazelnuts in involved.   And the dressing was light and flavorful.  

The sandwich certainly seemed like more than half to me!   In fact, I took half of my half home.  And believe me, Nick was not sad to "have" to eat it later.    The rosemary was perfect, the bread crisp on the outside but not at all hard, the ham and cheese were lovely and the mustard was just right.  Yeah, I liked it.

I loved that my sandwich was packed in a cardboard box.  Very often when taking home leftovers, I have to specify to the server to bring it to me wrapped in a napkin or foil or something, anything other than that horrible bulky Styrofoam container.  I don't want them, I don't want to dispose them and wish restaurants would stop using them. 

And then what happened?  Our server told us that they had Chocolate Pots de Creme with Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream for dessert.   April and I looked at each other and said, "sold!"   We shared one, and O.M.G. 

What an amazingly lovely capper to a delicious lunch.  Thank you sir, may I have another? 

So a beautiful lunch, with a beautiful friend, on a beautiful day in Cleveland.  What could be better?

Lunching at Michael Symon's B-Spot

I wasn't lucky enough to have the experience my friend and fellow blogger Tom had when he went to B-Spot. Michael Symon did not greet me at the door, nor did he show me to my table or set a spell and have a chat. Damn! Ahh well, I kind of knew that wouldn't be the case since I had read he was off shooting his new show for the Cooking Channel (yes a new network, a spin off of Food Network) called Cook Like an Iron Chef. But I did hope a little bit, that he would be there. Not to be.

At any rate, my gal pals Cindy, Denise and I had a fun filled morning of shopping around Eaton Collection in Woodmere, Ohio and then lunching at B-Spot. Really, what could be more fun than a trip to Penzy's, Sur La Table, and Trader Joe's and then having a great lunch at an Iron Chef's restaurant!? It's my kind of day! Penzy's was awesome as usual. I picked up some saffron because I've been dying to make arancini and saffron is kind of an important ingredient in most recipes I've seen. Sur La Table is my favorite store to gawk and dream in. I don't often purchase there, but I love to go in and have a look see. And Trader Joe's, well let's just say I did the most damage there! And I'm still kicking myself for not buying the delectable sounding pistachio and dark chocolate toffee. Next time for sure!

So after shopping our hearts out, we walked over to B-Spot. It's a pretty unassuming little place.


Inside is small and fun. Nothing too fancy. There was a whole wall of beer cans that reminded me of my brother's collection (that he still has by the way) back in the day. There was this really cool wall art, kind of like a 50's pin up soda fountain girl and basically not much else. It was dark and intimate and just fun vibe.


We were seated right away and looked over the menu. I was going to go simple but then Denise said she was getting the Thin Lizzy burger and it sounded too good to pass up. I'm in! The Thin Lizzy is a burger with cheddar cheese, caramelized onions, pickles and mayo. I also ordered the Lola Fries, presumably named for one of Symon's other restaurants, Lola Bistro. There was no way I was passing up these fries which merely were seasoned with sea salt and rosemary. Sounds simple but delicious! So with Denise and I getting Thin Lizzy and Lola fries, Cindy mixed it up and ordered the Reuben burger and onion rings. We all had iced tea which was deliciously freshly brewed.

Over in the middle of the restaurant is a pickle bar. Our waitress told us that when we get our burgers we can head over to the pickle bar and have whatever we'd like. There were different kinds of pickles, pickled tomatoes, pickled jalapenos.




When the burger arrived with pickles already on it, I decided that was enough for me so I didn't head to the pickle bar. Feast your eyes on this glorious burger!


Seriously, it's a thing of beauty. The roll looks like it's going to be hard and crusty but it's perfect. Soft but not soggy. The pickles are crisp and full of flavor. The meat is perfectly cooked and so incredibly flavorful. There was just the right amount of mayo on it. Not dripping in mayo but definitely there. I did have to pull some of the onions off because well, onions are not always my friend. But the ones I did eat melted in my mouth. I dare say I'm in love with this burger!


The portion size is perfect. It's not huge and overbearing, it's just enough. And did I mention that it tastes absolutely incredible? There is no contest, this is the best burger I have ever had. And I've had some damn good burgers. This one blows them all out of the water..

Now those fries. OK, I'm not a skinny fry lover. I like my fries hearty. But if I had to have skinny fries, I would want these skinny fries. They were cooked perfectly and seasoned incredibly. Not too much rosemary, not too much salt. The flavors were there without slapping you in the face with them. Incredible!


And in a league all their own were the onion rings. Oh. My. God. These onion rings are a freaking work of art. The batter is golden and delicious. The onion is incredibly sweet and thoroughly cooked. Like I said, onions are not always my friend, but sometimes you just have to suck it up and take one for the team. I had to try them. I just had to. Could you pass these up?


Yeah, I didn't think so.

I will be returning to B-Spot, oh yes. I definitely will be!

Carolina Comes To Akron!!

Just a note to readers up front, this blog will be peppered with lots of yum's, oh my God's, and as many other euphemisms for delicious as I can come up with.

OK, with that out of the way, Nick and I were celebrating our 16th wedding anniversary this weekend and were looking for a place to go. The past three years we went LeFever's in Cuyahoga Falls. A place we loved but has now changed names and changed hands and well, even though we haven't been there since the change, it just isn't the same. Plus, times are tough and we couldn't really afford the hefty price tag a dinner at a place like LeFever's can run.

I've had several friends recommend Old Carolina Barbecue Company in Canton and in Massillon and hell, I'm always up for some good BBQ. There really isn't any nearby and going to Valley View to Hoggy's is kind of a pain. So I went on the web to find directions to Old Carolina in Canton and was quite thrilled to find that their new restaurant in Akron had opened two days before! We are so there.

Now, I'm used to a place like Hoggy's that is big and loud. I was really surprised when we pulled up to Old Carolina and found that it was a store front in a strip mall. No big deal, just a surprise.


When we walked in, the menu's were on the wall or you could have one at the counter to read.



We were immediately greeted by one of the Old Carolina partners, Tim Hug, and he walked us through Old Carolina's menu and ordering process. There are not a lot of things on the menu and we like that. Do something good and do it right. I don't need a 10 page menu. We came for BBQ and that's what we wanted. Tim told us about the four different sauces that Old Carolina offers, which are all available to try. The sauces are the Original Classic, which is a sweeter sauce (and my fave). The Piedmont, which is a tangier sauce. Original Gold, which has a richer more golden color. And Screamin Beaver, which is their hot sauce. I tried the first three and loved them all. I'd put them in this order for my taste... Original Classic, Original Gold, Piedmont.

He also told us we could see the smokers in the back (through a window) while we wait.


We put in our order, found a table, checked out the smokers and then got our drinks and our sauces. The wait was very short. Before we knew it our platters of piping hot and glorious looking BBQ was at our table. Nick ordered the Carolina which is a combination of four ribs and a generous helping of pulled pork. The meals come with two sides so Nick chose Brunswick Stew and Mac and Cheese.



I ordered the Texas which is a combination of four ribs and a very generous helping of beef brisket. My two sides were garlic mashed potatoes, which I am just a sucker for. When I see mashed on the menu, I'm inevitably getting them. I also got hush puppies.



This is a hell of a lot of food for $13.99. A hell of a lot of incredibly delicious food. I don't even know where to begin. OK, I'll start with the brisket.


Look at that stunning smoke ring. The brisket was so tender, juicy, and just the right amount of spice from the rub. I tried it as is. I tried it with all the sauces. I loved it each and every way. There was so much of it, I ate, gave some to Nick to try and brought home about 5 slices. Incidentally, it was just as good today on a sandwich for lunch.

And how about those hush puppies.


They were a little bit of a surprise. Why? Well I usually think of hush puppies as a seafood accompaniment. But they intrigued me so I decided to give them a try. As soon as Nick saw them he said, "I should have gotten the hush puppies." Not that he was disappointed in his choices, in fact he was quite happy. It's just that those little golden nuggets of happiness looked and tasted so delicious, he wished he had more than just the 3 or so of mine that I gave him. They were crispy, perfectly cooked and just a perfect textural compliment.

The garlic mashed were skin on (my fave) and lumpy (my other fave). They were full of flavor with just the right amount of garlic so as not to overpower.

And now, the ribs.


The ribs. Oh. My. God. The ribs! What can you say about ribs that are so tender and succulent they slide right off the bone? What can you say about smoky hunks of deliciousness? What can you say about a flavor that is so incredible that you don't need to add sauce to them? You can say this... more please!

Oh yes, we will be going back to Old Carolina BBQ and I highly recommend anyone in the area go there too. Old Carolina is locally owned and expanding fast. Support your local restaurants especially delicious BBQ places that come into a town with no BBQ! Get out of that stupid Olive Garden line and help out your neighbors. You will not be sorry. Old Carolina only has one dessert on the menu, Banana Pudding, but they were all out of it on Saturday night when we were there.

Tim, thanks for taking the time to talk to me and my husband on Saturday night. You're place is awesome!

I now know what Heaven tastes like

Last night, Nick and I went out for our yearly anniversary dinner. We were married on October 30, 1993 on a cold, crisp and yes, snowy day. A beautiful day. The best day of my life quite frankly. But I'll stop with all the cheese for now and fast forward to 14 years, 4 days, 7 hours and 53 minutes later. With much thanks to Mom and Dad, and their generous anniversary gift, Nick and I were able to enjoy LeFever's River Grille, for the second year in a row. And enjoy we did!

Our reservations were for 7:00 pm. I knew, after last year, that I would be ordering the calamari appetizer once again. I have truly never had any calamari so delicious as this. It's not just your standard breaded and fried calamari. After that part of the process, they then take the fried pieces of calamari deliciousness and toss it with Kalamata olives, sundried tomatoes and green onions, then sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. It's incredible. The calamari is tender and succulent, and mixing it with those other ingredients brings to a whole new level. It's the perfect start to a perfect meal.

Nick and I both had trouble deciding what to order for our entrees, but for me, my eyes kept going back to the Dijon crusted lamb rack. That ended up being my choice. It came with Cilantro Couscous, but seeing the other side dishes they had on the menu, I wondered if I could substitute. This was not a problem, so after the run down of all the delicious side dishes I could chose from (Garlic mashed potatoes, lobster mashed potatoes, shrimp au gratin potatoes, risotto, mushroom risotto, goat cheese risotto) my choice was clear... goat cheese risotto! The waitress wasn't sure how it would go with the Dijon crust of the lamb, but said if I wanted it, to go for it. I did! It also came with glazed carrots. After much indecision, Nick asked Carrie (our waitress) if he should get the Chipotle marinated pork tenderloin, or the veal medallions. She recommended the pork, so that's what he went with. It came with black bean salsa and spinach saute. He kept his meal as is. We both got salad with their homemade Romano Peppercorn dressing. This dressing was amazing! Creamy and thick, peppery and delicious. I asked Carrie if there was buttermilk in it, because it tasted like there was to me. She wasn't sure but she said it is made with their homemade Ranch base, so it could very well have had buttermilk in it. Funny thing was, it had no hint of a Ranch flavor (which Nick hates!)

Our dinner plates arrived soon after and were a thing of beauty. I had a very generous helping of goat cheese risotto with thin strips of glazed carrots on top of it, and my gorgeous lamb chops (4!!) with their long bones that had been frenched. Interestingly enough though, Carrie was right and the Dijon didn't go well with the risotto so I ended up scraping it off, even though it was really good (Nick ate the crust pieces with his pork!). Nick's plate was equally as beautiful, with the tenderloin of pork sliced on a bias and arranged over a bed of spinach with black beans scattered all around the plate. I had so much risotto that I gave him some, I ate some and I brought some home (mmmm risotto for later). In fact, we both brought home food... he had two pieces of tenderloin and I had two lamb chops and risotto. Every single thing we ate was incredibly delicious from the lamb down to the spinach. We had a truly amazing dining experience, as Nick pointed out when we were leaving. It wasn't just good food, it was a total experience.

What could top off the evening for us? Carrie, our sweet waitress brought us a glorious dessert on the house to celebrate our anniversary! We got an Ice Cream Ball, which was a generous scoop of homemade peanut butter ice cream with toffee chips on top and chocolate ganache on the bottom! What a topper!!

A beautiful restaurant right on the river, overlooking the falls (even though they are difficult to see at night), delicious food, wonderful service, and great company. All in all, it was one of those nights to remember.

Afterwards, we decided to go out to a local coffee house we discovered not too long ago so as to not let this great night end too quickly. It was cozy, comfortable and we talked for hours. Isn't it wonderful to know, that after 14 years of marriage and being with someone from 20 years, you still have things to talk about for hours? And just to put icing on the cake, Angel Falls Coffee Company has XM radio and on this night, they had on a station that was perfect for us... we heard The Clash, Peter Murphy, The Smiths, Echo and the Bunnymen, Joy Division, Bauhaus, The Ramones, New Order and on and on. It was wonderful! So all this and great music too!! What more could anyone ask for?