Heights Eats

Sarah and I bid on a “kid’s movie night / parent’s night out” for our church auction and, as the hosts lived in Twinsburg, we decided to visit Blue Canyon.

The restaurant is really cool looking, even on a rainy day (which it was). The raised barn ceilings add an open feel, and there’s a beautiful view of grassy hills and sky outside the restaurant’s huge windows. A visit during warmer weather when the patio’s open would have been even better.

For our starter we ordered the cast iron cheese bake ($9) with king crab added ($4).

This was more than enough for five people, let alone two. The mix of cheeses excellent–gooey, garlicky and salty–and the portion of crab was very generous. We took about 2/3 of this home with us and happily polished off (almost) a few days later.

Sarah ordered the Mediterranean Brick Oven Chicken Salad with Israeli Couscous ($15):

The chicken was perfectly seared and tender, and … continue reading

For our final night in Chicago (which happened to be Sarah’s birthday) we went to Topolobampo, Rick Bayless’s most upscale restaurant. We were a bit nervous about bringing Jonathan, but they had a kid’s menu and he generally did really well.

Shortly after we were seated we were given a sort of guacamole amuse bouche with cucumber and jicama. The guacamole was fresh and flavorful with some sharp fresh chili flavor, and the vegetables were crisp and refreshing. And unlike the typical Mexican chips and salsa, this dish was not very filling, making it a perfect first course.

I ordered the Topolo Margarita (with Sauza Commerativo and Gran Torres) to start, which was a very good interpretation. Sarah had a carbonated limeade, which was quite good although a bit on the sweet side.

We started with a fish ceviche, which was outstanding. The fish was perfectly “cooked” by the citrus, and, as with almost all Bayless dishes, a sharp fresh (but not overpowering) spiciness … continue reading

We went to Pier W for our Valentine’s Day dinner on February 13 sans Jonathan. We were very impressed by the food, the service and the setting.

Cal of Dine-O-Mite described the feel of Pier W to us as indistinguishable from a West Coast restaurant. The view out the window, even in winter, is beautiful, a panorama of lake Erie fading off into the distance. Cleveland could use more places like this that take advantage of the coastline.

We started with the grouper tacos, which were stuffed with fresh fish, avocado and cilantro and very neatly plated. They were very yummy.

I ordered absinthe (Lucid, I think–they have quite a selection) to start the meal. It included a sugarcube on a slotted spoon over which one poured hot water. I very much enjoyed it*

For our entrée, we split the surf and turf: filet mignon, lobster tail, spinach, and roasted potatoes. We added a few crab-stuffed shrimp (we were splitting, after all). Like every other aspect of our experience, … continue reading