Cleveland Eats

[Michael Kleinman]

There's a lot of great food in Cleveland, you just have to look a little harder and sort through the bad. I have listed the name, Street if possible, what they serve, and have put an asterisk next to items I especially recommend. I only know the East side well, I urge someone to do a West side list. I would also like to see people do extensive lists like this for other cities.

1.Tommy's-Coventry Rd.-Hummus,Felafel/Aunt Jane sandwich*

2.Safron Patch-Chagrin Blvd.-Indian/Masala Dosa*

3.Luchita -Shaker Square-Mexican

4.Tuscany-Chagrin Blvd.-Lots of carry out prepared Italian food, sit down as well. Not exceptional but worth going to.

5.Corky & Lennys-Classic deli,not a trendy copy. A menu pages long with rude waitresses in hairdoos from the 50's-it's the real thing! Homemade Gefilta fish*, and the best potato kinishes anywhere on the planet! They grind up their leftover french fries(not from peoples plates!)to make them and the texture is wonderful. I order mine with melted munster or swiss on top. Also Don Herman pickles can be purchased here and are not to be missed!

5.Lax & Mandel Bakery-Taylor Rd.-cream cheese pastries*, Russian tea biscuts*, Double chocolate cookies*, sold by old Russian jewish ladies who scribble in pencil on your bag to figure out your total bill.

6.Bially's-Warensville Center Rd.-Best bagels anywhere-Better than all the top rated N.Y. places, H&H ect.

7.Mid East Bakery-Carnegie Rd.-My favorite pita anywhere*( Sesame),great spinach pies*, zatar* full line of groceries as well, Bulgarian feta***,olives ect.

8. Albas-Cedar Rd.-middle eastern & Chineese -I've only had the Felafel but it was good.

9.Dragers-Van Aken shopping center-Classic ice cream parlor with killer hot fudge -I know people who take it out of state.

10.Miles Market-Miles Rd. Used to be a farmers market now it's turned into a upscale supermarket. Thier food buyer has a good sense of what the best products are and hits in most categorys.

11.Chandler & Rudd- Van Aken Shopping Center-Old classic gourmet grocery.

12.West Point Market-Akron Ohio-A wonderful store, the closest you are going to get to Balducci's,or Dean & Deluca in the mid-west.

13.Dibella's Pizza-Woodland Rd. (I think). Classic Cleveland style pizza.

14.Zesty Pizza -Buckey Rd.-Another classic Cleveland style pizzaeia.Cleveland is the only place in the country where they use pie pans and crimp the edges like an apple pie. They also use Provelone cheese more than Mozzerella because it has more flavor.

15.Gerracies Pizza-Warensville Center Rd-Been there for years, has a very good tomatoey sauce.

16.A Different Pizza-Warensville Center Rd- All they do is specialty pies, the eggplant walnut * is especially good.

17.Angelos Pizza- Detroit or Maison I can't remember-Great crispy deep dish pizza-stays crispy even when cold! The sauce is a bit sweet for me but the crust is one of the best versions of this style in the country.

18.Players pizza-Madison I think)- Ok pizza but good pasta with a make your own concept -choose your sauce and choose your items for pizza & pasta.

19. Mama Santas pizza-Little Italy-Very homemade tasting pizza-not pizzeria like-havent been there in years but assume it's the same.

20.Shuhi sp?-Chagrin Blvd. -Japaneese-Some of the best food in the city -a must.

21.Johnnys Bar-Clark & Fulton-Clevelands best upscale dinning. Get the homemade pasta with seafood in a Chardonay cream sauce.

22.Johnny's room 224-Not sure if it still exists. Located in an abandoned strip motel in room 224. all the other rooms are boarded up.You choose lobster, King Crab leggs ,or Steak. Great homefries and salad arrive in big bowls to your table family style. Self serve beer or soda from their cooler and they tally up the bill at the end.

[Barb. H.]

OK, I'll bite. What's an Aunt Jane sandwich?

[Michael Kleinman]

An Aunt Jane is a classic Felafel sandwich in pita with the addition of melted cheddar cheese. Tommys does lots of varriations on the classic and this is the one I remember liking the best.

[Heidi]

Hey, Michael, it's nice to see someone else from Cleveland doing some posting. I hope you don't mind but I'd like to comment on and add to your list:

Tommy's,is a good standby on the Coventry Rd. strip, but if it's amazing hummus and baba you search, try Nate's Deli next to the West Side market and don't pass up the fattouch salad. (Speaking of the restaurants next to the West Side Market, has anyone tried Lozada's, the Cuban place next to Nate's?).

I have found the Saffron Patch to be inconsistent and always very salty. I've been enjoying the Maharaja on Wilson Mills at Hilltop Plaza and Cafe Tandoor on Taylor Rd.

Luchita's, also is okay but somewhat under-seasoned and I like Mi Pueblo at both the Euclid and Lorain locales. One glitch though is awful Margaritas.

Tuscany, I'm puzzled, what do you really like there?

Corky's- you said it...check out the new ambience, it's actually looks clean and the food remained the same.

Whare is Albas on Cedar Rd.Is it new? I've never heard of it and should check it out.

Draeger's- was just there on Saturday with three kiddies who were in heaven pouring their personal crocks of hot fudge. It's too bad the Sealtest Ice Cream they had for years is no longer; Pierre's just isn't the same.

Miles Market, I go out of convenience but it is becoming SO pricey and not especially worth it. One major peeve: they've been carrying what deserve to be exceptional cheeses but they are all pre-wrapped and not dated. Too many times I've brought home pieces that ended up being pure ammonia.

Geraci's Pizza:I've never loved it, my husband was raised on it but our last few pies were just plain lousy. Papa Geraci's daughter and son-in-law have opened their own place in Chagrin Falls called Little G's and the pizzas have been great. Check them out.
Also, for great pizza try Vincenza's on Broadway's miracle mile in Bedford. My personal favorite.

Player's, again confused.

Shuhei: lots of folks love it, but I've been put off by the increased prices and diminishing portions. Not that I want HUGE for Sushi(see my post on Sushi Rock), but Shuhei's portions are almost teensy.

Johnny's room 224: still operating as far as I know.
VERY expensive, for what? You pay to get a trough of food and no service. Is it the novelty of eating in an old dump? I guess I don't get it.

[Lauren]

In the deli department:Am I the only one who thinks Corky and Lenny's has gone downhill? The last time I was back in Cleveland, I went with a friend and had a really substandard meal—and that wasn't the first time it happened. My current favorite is Jack's on Cedar at Green: A wonderful, wonderful deli with a terrific, warm atmosphere. Another place I go out of my way to visit is Seoul Hot Pot, on Payne around 36th or 38th. It's the most authentic Korean food I've had outside of someone's home, and really fresh and delicious. As far as mid-eastern goes, Pyramid on Lorain around 122nd has the best hummous and chicken shawarma I have ever had, period.

[Heidi]

I whole-heartedly agree that Corky's is substandard to Jack's on at least two counts: the corned beef and Nova. I would still like to find a place with decent chicken noodle/Matzah ball soup.

I need to try Seoul Hot Pot again;sounds good. Was there several years ago before I knew what to order or expect.

Have you ever tried Lozada's? I am trying to get an opinion on the place.

[Lauren]

I've never tried Lozada's, so unfortunately I can be of no help in the matter. But I do urge a trip to Seoul Hot Pot soon! I'm convinced you can't go wrong with anything on the menu, but some standouts are the kim bob (a sushi roll, basically, but with meat instead of fish), bibim naeng myun (spicy cold buckwheat noodles), duk guk (a thick soup with rice dumplings and beef), and soon dofu (bean curd in a spicy broth with baby shrimp and clams). Also, they're willing to do things without meat if at all possible, which is good to know. Happy eating- to give you all an idea of how much I love this place, I'll say that I have yet to find a Korean joint in NYC that I like as much!

[Mel]

Lozada's is worth a trip. I would classify food as authentic Cuban style fare (definitely NOT Mexican). Great beans & rice. The flan dessert is very good, too. During baseball season, Lozada's is a favorite restaurant for some of the Cleveland Indians players. That would explain the baseball (Indians) themed decor.

[Gary Kierspel]

I agree: Corky and Lenny's has gone way downhill. I had a very unmemorable meal there recently. The place to go for deli fare in Cleveland is Danny's Deli on 17th St. and St. Clair. They have the leanest, most piled-high and simply best corned beef in Cleveland. They're not open on weekends. Not far behind is Slymon's in the same area.

[Steve]

Thanks for the tips, as I go to Cleveland fequently (used to live there) and am looking for new restaurants. But I have to disagree about Draegger's, the ice cream shop. It serves Pierre's ice cream, which one can buy in a store. If the ice cream isn't special, why go to an ice cream shop? Cleveland just isn't an ice cream town.
If ever you are in Cincinnati, try Graeter's ice cream. You'll then know why Draegger's can never compare.

[Jim]

My favorite icecream in this world (it's actually custard) is Strickland's by the Goodyear hanger in Akron. Only open in the summer. I just recetly went to the I think its called East Coast Frozed Custard (corner of MAybield and Brainard). I prefer it to Graeter's - ut maybe not a fair comparison - since it's actaully custard, rihgT?