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

Amp 150

June 26, 2010 | by Ben 6

Amp 150 is probably the most talked about new restaurant in Cleveland these days. We headed over there once as a family and once during my mom’s layover at Hopkins, both times with a $25 restaurant.com coupon purchased for $2 (the promo code as of this writing is “summer”). We definitely enjoyed both food and drink.

The strangest element of Amp 150 is its being located in the lobby of a hotel. This isn’t something you forget as the restaurant is really open and the front desk and hotel entrance are always visible. This isn’t entirely a bad thing, though, as it allows for a casual feel not often found in fine dining.

For appetizers we tried the bread, house made potato chips and sweet soy & peanut wings. The bread was okay–soft white and wheat–but the butters (especially the honey) were excellent.

The chips were quite good, clearly homemade but not greasy or soft. They came with a vinegar aioli … continue reading