Monthly Archives: November 2010

Washington Place Bistro Tasting Preview

November 30, 2010 | by Ben 7

We were graciously invited by Michelle of Cleveland Foodie to a tasting dinner at Washington Place Bistro and Inn, the site of the old Baricelli Inn.

We were huge fans of Baricelli and were sad when it closed. Our first thought was that Washington Place had some pretty big shoes to fill, but we didn’t expect an establishment that was not only great for the space but seems to have understood why Baricelli failed and is poised to succeed.

The space is thoroughly revamped. While Baricelli felt old world upscale, Washington Place is elegant but not overly formal. The new color scheme opens up the space, and the lighting is bright enough to be inviting while subdued enough to be intimate. We definitely felt that the new décor was an improvement. And as we glanced over the menu we also noticed that the prices–generally $15-$20 per entrée–were also better for frequent dining than Baricelli’s.

The … continue reading

Cook (sort of) like Ellis Cooley

November 21, 2010 | by Ben 2

A few months ago, Cleveland Foodie posted on how to Cook Like Ellis Cooley (of Amp 150). The first time I thought of making his walleye recipe, I didn’t have beets but happened to have a red bell pepper. While I very much enjoyed the dish at Amp 150, I might have liked my version even better:

The picture above is turbot (I forgot the camera the first time w/walleye) but I think any variety of firm-fleshed fish would work well with this preparation.

Pan Roasted Fish w/ Crème Fraiche, Red Pepper, Dill

(serves 3–4)

1 lb firm-fleshed fish fish (walleye, turbot, halibut, mahi, salmon, etc.)
1 roasted red pepper, chopped
2 TB crème fraiche (available at Whole Foods and increasingly more grocery stores)

2 tsp fresh chopped dill
2 tsp butter
Juice of 1 lemon
scant TB. olive oil

Thoroughly dry fish and season with salt and pepper. Heat heavy frying pan (preferably non-stick or cast iron) to screaming hot. You … continue reading

Adam Richman at Joseph Beth

November 18, 2010 | by Ben 2

Jonathan and I went to see Adam Richman (of Man vs. Food) at Joseph-Beth at Legacy Village on Tuesday (Sarah had a Buddhism class that night). Unfortunately they were out of his book (and accompanying tickets) when we got there, so unfortunately we didn’t get a book signed. Seeing him talk was a lot of fun, though.

Adam looked pretty svelte considering he’s a competitive eater. He seemed really excited to be in Cleveland, and radiated energy from the balcony. He tested the mike with gurglings that sounded like the Swedish Chef from the Muppets, but explained he was singing Pearl Jam’s Jeremy (and added, “There’s a reason that song hasn’t been on the radio for a year or two”).

He briefly explained the origin of the show, how he was a Brooklyn-born Jew going to college in the south (Atlanta) in 1995*and had just had a horrible breakup and started a journal. He described / pantomimed the breakup as a girl reaching into his chest, grabbing … continue reading

Tacos!

November 17, 2010 | by Ben 3

My brother got me the book Tacos by Mark Miller for my birthday last month, and we’ve all really been enjoying it. Who doesn’t love tacos for dinner? Everything from the book seemed very authentic and full of flavor.

We inaugurated the book with bacon tacos (who could resist?). These were basically bacon, a little sauteed onion, honey, chipotle powder and chili powder rolled up in corn tortillas. They were quite good, although the sweetness was perhaps too dominant. Perhaps we could have used smokier bacon, or the authentic pure red chili powder specified in the recipe.

The swordfish tacos with achiote and orange were excellent. We didn’t have achiote paste, so we just ground up some annatto (from Spicehound) with a few spices (click here for the mixture), which seemed pretty much equivalent. The bright citrus and earthy achiote marinade really brightened the flavor of the fish. We topped them with the roasted pineapple-habanero salsa (also in the book) … continue reading