Monthly Archives: June 2011

Bubba’s Q

June 26, 2011 | by Ben 4

We’re always up for good barbecue, and, as we were in the area driving back from Cedar Point, we figured we’d try Bubba’s Q.

Like many authentic barbecue places, Bubba’s Q is a fairly unassuming establishment in a building that seems like a cross between a house and a barn. The space is nicely open, though, with a high A-frame ceiling and visible supports.

As they’re known for their ribs, Sarah and I split a full rack of baby backs with fries, baked beans and fried corn. Jonathan had the kids’ hot dog dinner.

The ribs were unbelievably good, not just the best we’ve had in town but maybe the best we’ve had ever. The meat was perfectly tender, smokey and flavorful. The outside had a flaky dark brown crust that Sarah couldn’t get enough of. The barbecue sauce on the side is pretty good, vinegary, slightly sweet and not very hot. The ribs didn’t need much (if any of it), though, because of how … continue reading

Rockefeller’s

June 20, 2011 | by Ben 1

We’d been meaning to visit the recently opened Rockefeller’s on Mayfield Road for a while but hesitated. Trying out a new sandwich place is one thing, but it’s a bit riskier when entrees are in the $20–25 range. Once they offered a restaurant.com coupon, though, we decided to take the plunge. We’re glad we did.

The restaurant space is impressive and is housed in a historic building built by John D. Rockefeller. But the atmosphere is not oppressively formal, and the establishment is perfectly set up for a relaxing meal. The tables are also spaced far apart, adding to the diner’s comfort.

The most important aspect here is the food, of course, and everything we had was really good.

We’re all meatball fans, especially Jonathan, so we started out with the lamb meatballs. They were some of the best we’ve ever had, subtly scented with Middle Eastern spices and accompanied by a tangy yogurt sauce and saffron couscous. Executive Chef Jill Vedaa worked at … continue reading

Flying Fig for our Anniversary

June 12, 2011 | by Ben 3

Sarah and I really like The Flying Fig, but we somehow don’t go there as much as we’d like to. Probably this has something to do with crossing the river, but it’s still not very far. We secured babysitting for our ninth anniversary and had a wonderful dinner there.

We started with the burrata, which was excellent and reasonably priced ($8). Burrata, mozzarella filled with cream-based cheese, is quite rich, but the accompaniments of olive tapenade and greens created a perfectly balanced dish.

To drink I had a Bell’s Oberon draft, and Sarah ordered the Pyramid Apricot Ale. Both were very refreshing.

While the large plates on the menu looked good, the small plates really enticed us (plus we could order more of them). We very much enjoyed the flatbread ($9) with Killbuck Valley mushrooms, proscuitto and cheese. The crust was very light with plenty of crunchy cornmeal, and the mushrooms added a nice earthy flavor.

We also ordered the roasted … continue reading