Not much for good eats in downtown Cleveland, unfortunately, but the real overriding theme was mediocre service. I’m not saying bad service, or rude service, just a lot of indifferent service.
First meal was at Fat Fish Blue, at the corner of Prospect and Ontario, serving a sort-of Cajun menu – sort of because they’ve supplemented a lot of Cajun classics with some other dishes more befitting a casual-dining chain. I stuck with the classics and was one for two. The chicken-and-sausage gumbo was a disappointment; the flavor was OK, with a lot of andouille, but the gumbo was thin (meaning that the roux was underdeveloped), and the bowl was about 1/3 gumbo and 2/3 overcooked and not-all-that-hot rice. The shrimp po’boy, on the other hand, was almost dead-on, with the only flaw being the cook’s failure to scoop out the doughy part of the French bread, which is de rigueur for an authentic po’boy. The fried shrimp were perfectly breaded (cornmeal with a little black pepper) and not even a little bit greasy, and the remoulade on the po’boy was delicious, although mayonnaise is more traditional.
Breakfast the next morning was at the Inn at Coventry, which won the Citysearch readers’ poll this year for Cleveland’s best breakfast. It’s a good value, but the food didn’t blow me away. The best thing I had was their popular “blues and chews” pancake, with blueberries and cashews; they get bonus points because you can order just one cake as a side. The pancake was a little flat but had a great butter flavor. The eggs etc. were all ordinary. This was, however, the best service I received at any restaurant on the trip.
For lunch on Wednesday I decided to hit Lola, the downtown restaurant by Michael Symon and I’d say one of the two best-known (to outsiders) restaurants in Cleveland at the moment. Lola offers kicked-up comfort food, and they have a lunch menu with a great you-pick-two option. I went with a chickpea salad and a chicken-salad sandwich on flatbread, and both were very good. The salad included chickpeas, rocket (okay, arugula, but “rocket” sounds so much better), yellow onions, and a few julienned pieces of japalenos; the chickpeas were a little undercooked, and the whole thing was overdressed, but the taste combination was excellent. The sandwich was served on a fresh pita; the chicken salad was slightly spicy (curry powder, perhaps) and it included pickled onions and julienned red peppers. I wouldn’t change a thing about it. So here’s my mediocre-service story: I sat at the bar and asked for sparkling water to drink, which is my usual. The bartender doesn’t tell me that they only sell it in liter bottles, and I end up paying $5 for just one glass of the stuff.
Wednesday’s dinner was at Zócalo, a pseudo-Mexican restaurant right across from Lola. I knew I was in trouble when the chips and salsa came and the chips were glittering with grease. The entree was no better. Avoid.
Thursday’s breakfast was a small adventure; I walked to the Second Street Diner only to find that it no longer exists, so I wandered back over to Euclid and went to Sammy’s, a little lunch-counter/greasy spoon tucked in the National City building. I went for an EMPT, and while the bacon (already mostly cooked, just reheated to order) and potatoes were nothing special, the short-order cook takes his egg-scrambling very seriously. He has a tiny metal bowl and a two-tine fork just for the purpose, and when he scrambles the eggs, he gets his whole body into it. The eggs were perfectly cooked, soft, fluffy, but totally cooked through. And it’s just nice to find the occasional place that still cooks eggs to order.
I picked up a sandwich to go from the Juniper Grille, and when I said I was there to order something to go, the waitress who greeted me immediately changed her whole demeanor to make it clear I was a second-class citizen. The turkey club wrap was good and came with potato chips that tasted like they were fried in-house, but I was left with something of a bitter taste from the way that waitress and another one inside treated me.
Last bite before I left was the Strickland’s frozen custard at the Jake. I’m a big frozen custard fan, since it usually has an ultra-smooth texture, but this stuff was a little icy and grainy.
Write to me next time you’re in Cleveland, I can give you better food tips than citysearch. That Mexican place just opened, and I’ve heard other people say it’s crap too, probably won’t be there in 3 months.
Thanks. To be fair, Citysearch was only responsible for one place, the Inn at Coventry. My last day there I noticed a Peruvian joint just off Euclid, called Machu Picchu (at least I assume it’s Peruvian, based on the name) – have you been?
Keith,
You’re spot-on with your Cleveland restaurant reviews. Juniper is actually a decent lunch spot if you dine in.
Cleveland is largely riddled with chain restaurants but there are some excellent little places that CitySearch missed (NightTown; Melt; Cheddar’s; Lockkeepers; Aladdin’s, amongst many others). Please also email me next time you’re in town and I’ll happily steer you in the right direction.
As an aside, in the event you desire a cocktail in Cleveland, please visit the Velvet Tango Room; there’s just no place like it in the entire mid-west. You’d surely appreciate their service – it’s second to none.
Best,
Greg
Did you catch the Cleveland episode of No Reservations on the Travel Channel before you went? I believe Lola was one of the restaurants featured on the episode.
I saw that episode summary online and noticed Lola was on there, and since it was a short walk from the hotel I made it a point to go. I nearly always stay downtown on major-league trips, and I hate getting the car out just to go to grab a meal, so I often end up operating within a small area.
The chef from Lola, Michael Symon, will be one of the contestants on the new Food Network show to determine the next Iron Chef. It starts in October and I’m guessing it will be worth watching given some of the amazing stuff they do on the Iron Chef.
Custard is excellent. Unfortunately you will have to go to Kopps (vanilla and red raspberry)in Milwaukee for the best custard in the US.
Some people say Leon’s is best, I’d say their vanilla is good, more kick to the flavor, but their chocolate is no match for Kopps.
In case the Cleveland roadtripper from KLaw’s 4/3/08 chat finds this link, check out Heck’s Cafe in Ohio City, which is walkable from downtown (maybe 20-30 minutes) if the weather isn’t too bad. You’ll also be able right around the corner from Great Lakes Brewing Company for the city’s/region’s best microbrews. If the walk is too long, the cab ride should be no more than $5 each way.
I am a huge KLaw fan, but, as for Cleveland roadtripper, treating Cleveland as a walking city and that’s a fatal miscalculation.
I’d also strongly suggest against walking to Ohio City for Heck’s (which was once truly great, but falls short under its new management) or GLBC (which brews some very good beer, but serves middling food).
If you come to Cleveland on a Friday/ Saturday, I would highly recommend venturing into Ohio City during the day for a little soup at Souper Market on Lorain (take it to the West Side Market on W. 25th and people watch from the balcony). At night, for fine dining, the Flying Fig is the call.
If you’re looking for comfort food, the prior suggestion of Melt (in nearby Lakewood, a western suburb, is a keeper).
I like the Juniper Grille for brunch and lunch…but Klaw’s insights on service are spot on. That’s really just the atttitude of the place.
Some of the better dining is actually to be found in Tremont, a Cleveland neighborhood that is a five minute drive from Downtown. I am big fan of Lolita (the original Lola), Sage, and Fat Cats.
Finally, if you do stay Downtown, Lola is straight up solid, but let me recommend the Warehouse District and Johnny’s Downtown (old school Cleveland) or XO (I always leave happy).
KLaw, Cleveland has more than its share of better dining. If you don’t take up the prior posters on their offer of tips by email, email me.
One other thing…
For breakfast/bruch, also consider the Water Street Grille in the West Sixth District (I think its West Fourth)…its an easy walk from the Downtown Center.
Keith – downtown Cleveland eats, unfortunately, aren’t that inspiring. From a fellow baseball fan and writer, here are some places that might be worth checking out next time you’re in town to see the Tribe:
Mallorca on West Ninth (Warehouse District) – it’s walkable, the service is extremely attentive, and the seafood paella is excellent. The owner also owns Brasa Grill, a fixed-price Brazilian steakhouse, just a few doors down.
The Metropolitan Cafe on West Sixth, also walkable and in the Warehouse District. Nothing fancy, but well-prepared comfort food and fairly attentive service.
Momocho – Modern Mexican food. Amazing margaritas, an eclectic vibe, and pepita-crusted trout with a jalapeno cream sauce to die for. This one is in Ohio City, which probably requires a cab ride.
The Flying Fig menu was totally unimpressive to me – expensive and pretentious. Zero appeal.
I just generally prefer walking cities. The fact that there’s so little to recommend within walking distance of downtown is a real indictment of the city. When I do big-league coverage, I’d prefer to avoid renting a car, but I’m not sure I can do that in Cleveland.
Keith, your points are well taken. Coupla notes:
1. The Flying Fig’s menu is seasonal and relies–purposely– on local ingredients. One of the great things about Ohio City (which is one Rapid red line train stop from Tower City on Public Square– no car required) is that its restaurants all try to operate off local farmers who bring their crop to the West Side Market. It tends to restrict ingredients– but the flavors are great. And FF isn’t at all a pretentious spot. The staff all lives in the neighborhood and is incredibly friendly.
2. I totally agree that Cleveland’s failure to be a walkable city is an indictment. (I’ve lived in London, Chicago, and, for a time, NYC. I miss not owning a car.) Cleveland is what it is. My only point is that, absent learning to take a train to Ohio City or a bus to Tremont, a car is helpful. OTW, the Warehouse District is the place to go.