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

Indigo Imp Sample Pack

July 18, 2010 | by Ben 0

Local brewery Indigo Imp recently release a mixed 12 pack featuring their newest batches. Indigo Imp uses open fermentation, allowing local yeasts to help flavor the beer. So while their style is “Belgian,” the slightly sour flavors of most of their beers is truly regional.

Below are reviews of each of the three styles included:

Candi Man — This is their Belgian Double (i.e. double strength). The smell is yeasty and the flavor is slightly sweet with a subtle yeast sourness. The 7.2% ABV is very much hidden, and this basically tastes like a slightly stronger / more concentrated version of their Blonde Bombshell. This is a very refreshing beer that tasted great after a two mile bike ride.

Devi’s Wit — The appearance is a light straw color, and the aroma is fairly mild with hints of wheat and yeast. This was my favorite of the three, very full-bodied for a wit beer with an assertive, almost floral citrus and … 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