592201 Fri Jan 30 12:01:59 -0800 2009 13 8 Midwest 0 4373343 Staying at the Hyatt Regency Cleveland Arcade on Superior Avenue. I'm assuming that's right downtown. What are the best food choices for dinner tonight and lunch tomorrow. Would like to stay near the downtown area please and it doesn't have to be cheap! Thanks in advance! MovieGuy Fri Jan 30 12:01:59 -0800 2009 229901 MovieGuy 1 4373345 Ughh, sorry I misspelled your fine city's name, I was in a rush. Apologies! Fri Jan 30 12:02:47 -0800 2009 4373343 229901 MovieGuy 2 4385179 movieguy howz about a report back? where did you end up? Tue Feb 03 17:12:05 -0800 2009 4373345 11372 mrnyc 1 4373399 Try Lola's. Things change quickly in Cleveland, so I can't swear that Lola's is still there. Fri Jan 30 12:17:05 -0800 2009 4373343 261854 svallegal 2 4373452 Lola is still at 2058 East 4th Street downtown and still outstanding. Open for both lunch and dinner. It's two very short blocks from your hotel, and should take you about three minutes to walk there. Great choice. www.lolabistro.com Fri Jan 30 12:31:53 -0800 2009 4373399 55363 nsxtasy 1 4373561 There aren't a lot of choices downtown. I admit that there are some restaurants I need to check out and there's at least one restaurant opening soon that I'm looking forward to. Still, I hardly ever eat Downtown even though I would really love to. There was a nearly identical thread very recently. http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/578493#4231078 I offered several recommendations in the Ohio City neighborhood and the Shaker Square area. Public transportation in Cleveland can be inconvenient as it is in most cities but these two neighborhoods are both easily accessible. The routes are fast and straightforward. Getting to Ohio City takes less than 15 minutes including walking and Shaker Square takes 20-30 minutes. You can check Google maps for public transit directions in Cleveland which I also mention in my other post. Your choices for food will be wider and better and the neighborhoods are both worth experiencing, too. I should add that the Asiatown area is also easily accessible. For instance, Siam Cafe Wonton Gourmet and Garden cafe are 13 minutes, 7 minutes and 9 minutes away, respectively. Wonton Gourmet and Garden Cafe have some very interesting Hong Kong and Taiwanese specialties our other Cleveland restaurants don't have. I've recommended Siam Cafe many times and you can search for those posts to find specific recommendations. They're currently offering a special Chinese New Year menu. Superior Pho has awesome banh mi. Siam Cafe: http://www.chow.com/places/474 Fri Jan 30 12:56:59 -0800 2009 4373343 10919 stuart 2 4375952 Siam Café is good but my favorite place for oriental is now Phenom Penh on W25th by the market. My daughters roommate is from Hong Kong and she thought Li Wah was better then Boo Long. Lemon Gras is also very good, and a bit more upscale than Phenom Penh. Sat Jan 31 13:56:14 -0800 2009 4373561 22220 Kelli2006 3 4376033 I just had Dim Sum at Li Wah today and was very pleased - they've really improved since the last time I tried them (about 2 years ago). Sat Jan 31 14:30:21 -0800 2009 4375952 18699 NancyH 1 4373848 I'm not sure why the other poster would say there "aren't a lot of choices" downtown, that is completely inaccurate. As mentioned previously, Lola (not Lola's, a common mistake) is what many consider our crown jewel, it is helmed by Iron Chef Michael Symon. I would call to make sure they can accommodate you, they might be full up on a Friday night. It is very near the Hyatt on E 4th street, along with several other restaurants including the House of Blues and Pickwick and Frolic (mid-priced, Continental cuisine), Flannery's pub (decent bar food), Saigon (Viet food), La Strada (very good, this would be my 2nd choice on E 4th) and Zocalo (tex-mex). A short, free trolley ride (look for the green and gold trolley and stops/signs saying E-line) to the Warehouse district on W 6th opens up many more choices. Metropolitan cafe (upscale Continental) Blue Point (seafood), Johnny's (old-school steaks and such), Cleveland Chop House & Brewery (very good food with big portions), Osteria (intimate Italian place) just to name a few. Lunch tomorrow is a little tougher as some things are closed on the weekends downtown, especially for lunch. I would see if 1890, the restaurant in the hotel, is open, they have good food. Fri Jan 30 14:08:54 -0800 2009 4373343 19518 rockandroller1 1 4374200 Probably too late to save ya, but here are some...ahem...differing opinions on Lola. http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/549384 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/398981 Fri Jan 30 16:06:05 -0800 2009 4373343 160718 uhockey 2 4374711 uhockey's is a distinctly minority opinion. I think Lola is simply divine, and would be a crown jewel in any city. The fact that it's three minutes walk from the OP's hotel makes it a no-brainer. (Any chance they could freeze and ship their heavenly beef cheek pierogis? LOL!) However, NancyH's observation about Saturday is perceptive and corrects my post regarding lunch; tomorrow is Saturday, and many restaurants, including Lola, are not open for lunch on Saturdays. One place she mentioned in her post that IS open for lunch on Saturdays is Cleveland Chophouse. Fri Jan 30 20:55:20 -0800 2009 4374200 55363 nsxtasy 3 4375590 nsxtasy - I think you meant rockandroller1's post. And I agree with you about Lola - I've had lunches and dinners there and have never had anything but a stellar experience. Sat Jan 31 10:56:17 -0800 2009 4374711 18699 NancyH 3 4827745 Looked through these posts on Lola, and it seems in Cleveland you are not allowed to criticise the great Michael Symon, and that the above posters reply to such reviews with "it's a distinctly minority opinion" or chastise the poster for not complaining to the server, AND management, AND emailing them. A lot of people love this restaurant, unlike me, but there is also a lot of detailed criticsm. When a restaurant gets things wrong several times, it is up to the restaurant to respond and change. Some owners lurk on Chowhound just to find out what may be wrong with this place, but i get the feeling that Lola thinks they are above this.(I just posted my review on CH. I am a former chef from another older mid size town like Cleveland. My answer to the unhappy posters is to try Crop in the Warehouse District ) Fri Jul 03 13:20:41 -0700 2009 4374711 12297 crowsonguy 4 4838203 Loved Crop the one time I went. Loved Lola all of the times I went. Love Light Bistro and Parallax in Tremont, as well as Fahrenheit. Lots of places in Cleveland to love. Never known Lola to not make things right if something goes wrong - don't understand the enmity some have about it. I was totally NOT impressed with Lola the first time I went (back in the old Lolita location) - but I gave them another chance and have had nothing but yummies since - not dissing others' experience, but that has been mine. Tue Jul 07 19:49:11 -0700 2009 4827745 18699 NancyH