Birthdays call for special eats. So it was with much consternation that I attempted to whittle down my (exorbitantly long) short list of restaurants that would fit the bill. The criteria? Location, somewhere close, preferably West Side. Food, eclectic, gourmet and fun, but not extravagant. Beer, good craft list, absolutely nowhere that doesn't take pride in deciding what to serve. Price, somewhere between 'gulp' and 'boinggg' as Danny Kaye so eloquently put it.

After some commiseration with the birthday girl, we narrowed it down to three choices: Ty Fun (pronounced typhoon to the uninitiated), a hip little Thai spot that serves up some killer pad, Lolita, which nary a mention should be necessary, and Fat Cats, an overlooked and underrated establishment with a great skyline view of downtown.

Further paring of the triumvirate proved easier than anticipated. The immediacy of hunger necessitated that Lolita be banished to a certain visit in the near future and Thai was off the mark on our palate preference for the evening, so Fat Cats it was. It also factored that we hadn't been there in a year and we were due for some seared duck...

As you can see, it's a funky little bistro that serves up fine-tuned dishes and drinks. Treated to an amuse of crusty bread with olive tapenade, we perused the menu and plotted our attack. It was decided around the time I received my Magic Hat #9 that I would indeed have the aforementioned Seared Duck Breast, while Katie would be enjoying the Braised Lamb Shank, though there would be generous sharing on both sides.

Without belaboring the details, the meals were quite delicious. My duck, served with the requisite orange sauce, was perfectly balanced by the confit and potato pancake, with goat cheese providing some creamy indulgence. I even enjoyed the brussels sprouts, sliced in half, glazed and pan-seared.

Katie's lamb was savory and rich, the wild mushrooms and mashed potatoes making a mellifluous melange of every bite. With entree consumed, we toyed with the idea of ordering the bread pudding. I'm not normally a big proponent of the stuff, but this recipe stood out; with dried cherries, chocolate and peanut butter sauce, it was like a child's concoction gone curiously gourmet. But, our full bellies got the better of us and we made our exit. The sky had gone dark, and the chill to the air told us winter had not yet receded, but one thing made me giddy with anticipation. The home of the Indians, whatever you'd like to call it, was lit up like, well, game day, reminding me that the new season and with it, spring, is right around the corner.

The Best Damn Beer in the Land

It occurred to me while gazing upon Ratebeer.com's top 50 list that though I have been known to occasionally partake in a delicious craft beer or two, I have been seriously slacking in my horizon broadening. Lately, as noted in previous posts, the IPA's have their way with me, taunting me from the cooler shelves, flaunting their ridiculously high IBU contents. But, I have made a vow that starting today, I will take every opportunity to enjoy the wonders of the brewing world... the stouts, the porters, the lambics and wheats, the barleywines, dopplebocks and... well, everything but lagers I guess. Sorry, I'm just not a lager guy.

But, back to the list. For instance, I've only enjoyed 2 of the top 10 beers represented. Travesty, I know. I've had a strong desire to venture over to Three Floyd's in late April the past few years for the famed and mystical 'Dark Lord Day', but have yet to make the trek. One of these years...

The crux of the matter is that most of these beers aren't available in Ohio, or I just don't know the right people (side note: if a reader happens to be one of these "right people" please leave a comment with your immediate contact information). Anyway, of all the beers I've had from the top 25 above, my favorite, head and shoulders above the rest is the Bells Bourbon Barrel Double Cream Expedition Stout

To paraphrase that old dude from the Smucker's commercial: 'With a name like Bells Bourbon Barrel Double Cream Expedition Stout, it has to be good'.

Dull Day Brightener

"Exactly half way through the week", I thought to myself at 1:00 this afternoon, though not with any sense of victory of excitement. I was debating lunch options... Subway again? That's when my phone rang and a brief escape from the doldrums began. I planned to pick Katie up from the Bookstore on West 25th at 2:00, when we'd head across the Lorain/Carnegie Bridge and over to Juniper Grille. The gray was descending on the buildings downtown, and from my office on the 13th floor, nothing was visible but low lying clouds.

As we ventured inside of the sparse but modern eatery, we were promptly greeted and given a choice of tables. Opting for the street scene, we picked one close to the Superior Avenue windows. Other than the (seemingly achieved by space heater alone) temperature of the place, it was quaint, clean, and unobtrusive: the perfect place for lunch. The menu did nothing to disappoint. Katie chose the Salmon Wrap with Sweet Potato Fries while I couldn't resist the temptations of the Pulled BBQ/ Macaroni & Cheese with white cheddar sauce.

Our conversation livened up the dreary day and as the pouring rain outside swiftly morphed into big heavy flakes of snow, we planned for our big adventures this summer (and beyond). We were politely interrupted by our plates; mine bearing a good sized portion of "elbow macaroni" saturated in a light sauce, with a centerpiece of sweet pulled barbecue pork just waiting to be mixed. Topped with four of the lightest and most delectable onion rings I've ever had, this wasn't lunch (ho hum...) this was Lunch (oh yeah...). Katie's sweet potato fries were delicious in their thickness, consistency and flavor, while her salmon roll was both fresh and hearty.

The lunch hour drew to a close We paid our reasonable tab and ventured back out into the weather, the snow plunking off of our styrofoam take-out boxes reminding us that spring, though on the way, is not here yet. It's nice to remember that even a little adventure can change the outlook of a day...

Tapping In

Shockingly, the five car parking lot was jammed with vehicles notably out of place on the fringe innards of Tremont. Shiny new SUV's, fresh from driveways in the suburbs, have found temporary new homes on the cracked and pot-holed pavement at Scranton and Starkweather. Surrounded by shabby gray houses with rattletrap Oldsmobiles and Escorts (the cars, not the company) out front, the oasis that is the Tremont Tap House beckoned us inside.

Up the few steps and through the heavy wooden door. A high, long bar is the first thing you see; with enough bar stools to seat a small third world country's army. These reside under six overly bright, but appealingly large flat-screen televisions, all dutifully beaming images of the dawn of March Madness, the conference tournaments. A closer look reveals 25 well chosen and eclectically enjoyable taps, with offerings as diverse as Left Hand Milk Stout, Lindeman's Framboise, Victory Golden Monkey and my reason for drinking - Bell's Two Hearted Ale.

Seated in one of the half dozen booths, each with an authentically created local artists creation under glass (we were lucky and scored the Scott Radke table), Katie and I took in the exposed brick, framed with an industrially modern lighting scheme that shed some, but not enough glow to block out the t.v. glare... and some ambiance. I'm particularly fond of the roll-up metal door on the opposite side of the tap handles that will allow for serving straight through to the patio when summer finally arrives.

My parents arrived to meet us and we each sampled the others' brew choices. The Breckenridge Vanilla Porter was pleasantly imbued with distinctly vanilla bean flavor. The Maredsous 8 reminded me of what a fine Belgian ale should taste like. For Katie and I, we scoffed at the opportunity to break out of our waist deep IPA ruts and ordered our regulars; Dogfish 90 Minute and the aforementioned Two Hearted Ale.

The menu, a subtle tap to the growing foodie revolution fomenting around the area, served up traditional eats with flairs of fancy. The penne macaroni with dried figs, brie and sage was one such example. It also, for me, set the scene for the rest of the meal; good, but not quite my style. My empanadas, filled with a delectable goo of chorizo and goat cheese, were a little overly deep fried, giving the plate a heavy, greasy finish that masked the bright flavors. The salmon on rye was said to be delicious, though I can't vouch for it personally. The most unique selection of the night was perhaps, no, definitely the blue cheese & walnut sandwich, with hard-boiled egg slices, apple chunks and spinach on...get this, raisin bread. Not something that I would probably have thrown together at home. But, it hit the proverbial spot, with the raisin bread bringing just the right balance of sweetness to the bitter notes of the blue cheese and spinach.

On the whole, the place is a very welcome newcomer to the 'West Tremont' scene, and one that I hope to frequent on Saturday afternoons in June, drinking my Two Hearted and listening to the Tribe under that blazing Cleveland sun.

Storm of the Century!...er....week!

What a great way to spend a Saturday; holed up in the cozy confines of home, enjoying a few beers and watching the snow pile up outside. And pile it did; we've got about 18 inches out front, and with the drifting out back, it resembles some Siberian hinterland. We even ventured out in the midst of the barrage and managed to snake our way around the neighborhood without becoming a roadside rut casualty.

Here's Katie utilizing her own unique style of shoveling snow:

O'mmegang Stout - Cleveland Availability Update

As a follow-up to both posts below, I just received info. on the locations that "O'mmegang Stout" will be available in the Cleveland area for St. Paddy's Day. According to their website, the seasonal treat will be available only in New York, Massachusetts and Rhode Island, so we're in some select company! These fine establishments are the local purveyors:

Cleveland:
McNulty’s Bier Markt
Buckeye Beer Engine
The Brew Kettle
La Cave du Vin

St. Paddy's Day Parade in Cleveland

Defying the Catholic Church's decree that no St. Patrick's Day parades/celebrations be held during Holy Week, Cleveland (a shocker, I know) will be holding their 141st Annual Parade on Monday, March 18th. Hey, at least they didn't actually hold it on Sunday...

Click here for more information.

With an ever-growing appreciation for the subtle interplay and sentient flavors imbued in a pairing of just the right dish and serving of beer, I was very excited to see the following event taking place at Buckeye Beer Engine. For more info., click the link at right.

Beer and Food Dinner Pairing Featuring Ommegang Beer

Tuesday, March 11th, 2008, 7pm
Special guest speaker John Mediate, Duvel USA.

$50, tax and gratuity INCLUDED
Reservations required - Limited seating

Six (6) courses

Asparagus soup with Chèvre (goat cheese.)
Paired with Ommegeddon (Belgian Ale, 8% ABV.)

Curry rubbed flank steak over mesclun greens.
Paired with Hennepin (Saison, 7.7% ABV.)

Warm brie with sun dried cherry compote.
Paired with Three Philosophers (Quadrupel, 9.8% ABV.)

Duck confit with egg noodles and braised red cabbage.
Paired with Rare Vos (Belgian Ale, 6.5% ABV.)

Monkfish stew with mixed wild mushrooms.
Paired with Ommegang (Abbey Ale, 8.5%.)

Strawberries with Belgian chocolate ganache.
Paired with O'mmegang Stout (Dry Stout, 4.6% ABV.)


By the way, I am now absolutely helpless to resist their Cyclops burger, a savory delight of a patty, seasoned and cooked to perfection, covered with thick cut bacon, cheddar, an over easy egg, and for good measure, some garlic mayonnaise to slather at will. Coupled with the the straw cut fries seasoned with garlic & rosemary (??), it may be the perfect comfort food for the (always) impending snow storm this season. And I haven't even mentioned their beer! Which I will just say takes me at least 15 minutes to read through before making my decision every time.

Damn you HopSlam; I always wind up with you anyway...

...and they DROVE from Quebec!

The vibe last night at the Obama/Arcade Fire rally was not exactly electric, more like static electric. Every single person crammed into the Beachland was of like mind, and the audience gelled in a way that doesn't happen as a rule. There was no sniping, no people pissed off because 'that dude stepped on my shoe, then didn't apologize!'.

Indeed some people, for reasons that I will never know, chose not even to wear shoes. No offense to Cindy, the gracious proprietor of the venue, but I would not walk barefoot around the Beachland unless I had a death wish.

Arcade Fire played two abbreviated sets, with a short Obama appeal from a campaign staffer in between. It was very high intensity, and it's been since my Phish days that I've heard such a high percentage of the crowd singing along at the top of their lungs.

We stuck around after the show and went up on stage to have a look around. We wound up meeting Win Butler, Regine Chassagne and Jeremy Gara from the band. They apparently had just concluded a recent tour and were back home in Montreal when they decided to contact an Obama rep to offer their services. 90 hours later they were playing a show in Cleveland on the night before the primary. The kicker is; they didn't want to put out the campaign by flying on such short notice ($$), so they drove from Quebec for the shows!

It just makes me think that people who don't get around to voting when the polling station is around the corner are lazy beyond all reasonable belief.

Anyway, it was a great evening that I hope is only matched by the results from today's election.

*Oh, and one note, I'm laughing in the Win Butler pic, not maniacal...

Light Bistro under $30

So Katie and I met for an early dinner at Ohio City's Light Bistro on Friday and had the place, and I mean it, entirely to ourselves. Granted it was 4:30 in the afternoon, but it's never too early for braised pork belly, am I right?

Plus, with the killer happy hour deals, selected $5 tapas plates and drink specials (mmm... Blackout Stout), you can sample the best without resorting to pan-handling afterward (also a popular tradition in Ohio City).

As I mentioned, the braised pork belly was absolutely indulgent, the flatbread with goat cheese mellow, crusty and delicious and the service, as one might expect when you're the only customers, top notch.

Arcade Fire in Support of Obama Tonight

Indie Hipsters of Cleveland rejoice! The Arcade Fire will be performing two shows tonight in support of Barack Obama at the Beachland. The first show is first come first serve while the second, announced this morning, can only be attended through tickets from the SEIU office at 1771 East 30th Street in Cleveland. Either way, the shows are FREE!

No, Barack will not be there in person, but I heard his rendition of Black Mirror sucked anyway.

Word is that they'll play about 8 songs for the second show, which will probably start around 10:30.
Not a bad way to spend a Monday evening if you ask me...