Heights Eats

Sarah and I had heard good things about Jammy Buggars for quite a while and figured that, as it was Saturday, we had time to cross the river for dinner. We were happy we did.

The establishment feels like a moderately upscale bar / restaurant with dark wooden beams and a stylish décor. The ambience is informal, and we were among a number of groups with children.

Despite arriving before 5:30pm, we weren’t seated for a half hour. The waiting area is small with few chairs, and we felt a bit cramped while standing.

We were very comfortable once seated, though. The booths are among the most comfortable in town, with thick, supportive uphostery. Tables are set with a free basket of tasty, homemade potato chips, so any hunger pangs from waiting were immediately put at bay.

Jammy Buggars has an excellent list of draft and bottled beers, and I started with a Bourbon Barrel ale ($4.50). Despite liking both bourbon and ale, this will be my last try on this beer, which is … continue reading

I have been going to Tommy’s since before I was born. It’s home to my first memories of experiencing pita bread. Ben and I met the minister that married us there and we’ve been to Tommy’s many times since.

The restaurant itself is plain, and the décor consists of the work of local artists (for sale) and plants. Natural light abounds during the day. The menu has not changed in decades — but this is a positive attribute. Although known for being vegetarian, their menu does not exclude meat. Some of the more popular items on the menu include milk shakes, french fries, toasted cheese (served on pita), salads with Louie dressing (a take on Thousand Island).

One of our favorites is the unusual pairing of hummus, toasted cheese and fresh vegetables. Warm hummus with melted cheese sounds odd — but tastes really good. Jonathan gave the dish the kid stamp of approval. Our only minor complaint is that there should have been … continue reading

We crossed the river to visit Barroco Grill a few weeks ago and very much enjoyed it.

The establishment is at 129^th and Madison in Lakewood and only seats around 20 people at most. We were there during a large birthday party, so the three of us squeezed ourselves into a table meant for two.

The specialty of the house is arepas, a cross between a tortilla and crusty bread that is common in Colombia and Venezuela. They are made of white corn masa and deep fried, with a thickness and toothsomeness that is very satisfying.

Sarah and I split the Chorizo Arepa ($9) and the Cheesy Corn ($8). While the arepa was tasty, I wasn’t a fan of the combination of crumbly “bread” and crumbly chorizo (Sarah didn’t mind this). I added a fried egg to the leftovers, though, which made for a perfect sandwich. This might be a good option on the menu. What isn’t improved by a fried egg?

The Cheesy Corn, an non-traditional dish created by … continue reading

Sweetie Fry is located on Lee Rd., less than a mile from our house. The area has needed a good ice cream shop for years. The closest one towards Cleveland is La Gelateria, and in the other direction is Mitchell’s. They also have the cold weather bonus of outstanding fries.

Based on numerous visits, we have been very happy with Sweetie Fry. The list of flavors contains most of the standards, but there is still an element of adventure to the offerings.

(the menu above is from a few weeks ago–they switch up flavors regularly)

Everything we’ve tried has been excellent. The pumpkin pie was deep orange and strongly flavored with pumpkin and spice. The chocolate raspberry is a perfect combination of rich chocolate and bittersweet jam. The maple bacon is full of mapley sweetness and smokey bacon. Even the mango sorbet has a rich texture rarely found in anything without cream.

Their ice cream has the flavor intensity of gelato with some … continue reading

I’ve been to Palookaville Chili twice, both times during lunch. The first time was late summer, a period which in theory is not “chili weather.” I work in Parma, so, if I can get off work early, Palookaville is basically on my way home.

Despite the fact that there’s only really one specialty here, their menu is actually a lot more diverse than, say, Chipotle’s. There are five kinds of chili including pork, beef, chicken and two vegetarian options, with a variety of spice levels. You can have your chili in a bowl, over chips (“nacho grande”), on a hot dog, over pasta or in a burrito. They also offer pulled pork and BBQ chicken sandwiches. Optional toppings include fresh jalapenos, cheese, red onions, sour cream and bacon.

Thus far I’ve only ordered vegetarian options as I usually prefer light lunches. Their spicy veggie chili is amazing. I did a quick inventory of my palate after having a bite to verify that they hadn’t snuck meat in there, but apparently … continue reading

We’d been meaning to try Dante for quite a while, and, as bloggers, felt like we had a bit of a gap in never having visited. An available night out with Jonathan sleeping over at his cousins’ house was a good excuse to make a reservation.

The mood at Dante is a mix of festive and refined. The lighting is just dark enough to be intimate but not “smoky bar” dark.

We started with the buffalo burrata with heirloom tomatoes. With those ingredients, you can’t really go wrong. The pesto and crispy Parmesan added a pleasantly sharp counterpoint to the rich burrata.

Our next course was the paparadelle bolognese and the black forbidden rice risotto with rock shrimp. The bolognese was excellent, meaty and clearly braised for a long time to let the flavors meld. If Jonathan were with us, he would have loved this.

The risotto was subtle but tasty. I kept trying to place the flavors–sake, maybe? a hint of ginger? Either way, it was an earthy, unique dish, distinct … continue reading

Pictured: a sake sampling from a recent NEO Food Tour in Shaker Square (Photo Courtesy of Amanda at Clue Into Cleveland)

Amanda at Clue Into Cleveland let us know about a couple upcoming Northeast Ohio Food Tours that sound like a lot of fun, especially for anyone who enjoys good beer, food and wine.

The Brews ‘n Pubs Tour is debuting this year for Cleveland Beer Week. The tour includes stops at local breweries such including Indigo Imp and Market Garden Brewery. Samples of beer and pub fare, transportation between stops, conversations with brewmasters and gratuity are all included. The tour is Saturday, October 15^th from 1:00pm to 5:00pm and costs $60 per person plus a $4.29 service fee. A $100 Beer Masters ticket is also available which includes that Taste of the Harvest event on October 21^st.

This is also the first year for the Market District Happy Hour Tours. These include food and drink samples from various … continue reading