Most days, we do our best to eat smart. We cook from scratch often, eat out from chefs/farmers we know, eat in season, avoid processed garbage, etc. We all know the drill by now. But those darn cheese slices – that’s one area I haven’t been able to get Jamie to throw in the towel. Until he heard from a much more credible source that his beloved slices actually contain NO REAL CHEESE.

We received tickets to the second annual TEDxCLE event this year, and once again, were blown away by the passion, enthusiasm and visionary minds we listened to. And no surprise here, my favorite discussion was by none other than chef Jonathon Sawyer. Instead of me trying to capture his thoughts and challenges to all of us, take a few minutes and listen for yourself. You’ll be glad you did.

And do yourself another favor, make sure you attend TEDxCLE next year. Eric and Hallie do an amazing job organizing this event. There’s something for everyone – it’s most definitely an afternoon well spent that will stick with you, and hopefully, inspire you.

I’m so excited for this to open, I just can’t stop saying the name.

If you’re active on Facebook, then you’ve likely seen people “liking” Noodlecat over the past few months. And this week, the proverbial cat was let out of the bag so to speak as to what this secretive restaurant is exactly and who was the masked man, er chef, er, duo, behind it. It’s Team Sawyer of course!

Noodlecat, slated to open later this summer, will be in the former Theresa’s Pizza locale on Public Square near the soon-to-open Pura Vida. According to Amelia Sawyer, the restaurant, “will be a mash-up of Japanese and American cooking. It will be both modern and traditional.”

Added chef Jonathon Sawyer, “We wanted to do noodles for a long time now. We think this will translate really well to Ohio, like what we did at [Bar] Cento with Roman food. We can tell a similar story here and showcase what’s unique to Ohio.”

With the opening of Noodlecat, the goal for the Sawyers was to have clarity of concept.  “Noodles tend to be lumped together in Cleveland. Really muddled in fact and you don’t get to see what authentic Japanese noodles are,” explained the chef.

“The main point is for us to have fun, and be the second certified green restaurant in Ohio,” he added. “We’ll be casual, really fast, a lot of fun and all under $15.”

Just like their flagship Greenhouse Tavern, a lot of staples will be made by the chefs, like rice wine vinegar and a local fish sauce he’s currently working on. He’s also excited to embrace more healthy and veggie-based options, and of course, sourcing a ton of local, quality ingredients.

A sneak peek at the lunch and dinner menu is enough to make you want to relocate downtown. While it’s still a work in progress, some of the items include:

• Slow Soy Cooked Eggs n Soldiers w/ Japanese white bread, crispy snap peas & tempura potato
• Broiled Rice Balls w/ seasonal ingredients
• BBQ Pork Belly Steam Bun
• Ohio Beef Burger Steam Bun
• Veggie Miso Steam Bun
• BBQ Blue Fish Steam Bun
• Pork and Clam Soba w/ BBQ smoked pork country sausage, salted cured chili paste, burnt citrus fruit, toasted garlic, young shallot & bottarga
• Crispy Veggie Tempura Soba w/ seasonal vegetables, miso paste, tofu, peas, scallion & shitake mushrooms
• Spicy She Crab Udon w/ ginger, garlic, young shallot, crab paste, spinach, house made surimi & soft boiled egg
• San Fransisco Surf n’ Turf Ramen w/ poached scallop, wild mushrooms, pasture raised ohio chicken, young shallot & sliced radishes
• Chilled Ohio Soba w/ ponzu, crispy peas, shredded nori, scallion & wasabi
• Su Tofu Udon w/ wakame seaweed, warm dashi, shitake mushrooms & soft boiled tofu
• Whole Roasted Suckling Pig w/ oysters, BBQ, buns, horseradish vodka & condiments
• Very Spicey Whole Crab w/ rice cakes, lots of Garlic, Fish Sauce & Chili  customers are advised to wear a bibb
• Salt Grill Sustainable Himachi w/ oysters, pickled veggies, chilled unfiltered sweet sake, buns & condiments
• Sustainable Sashimi Style Plate w/ pickled veggie, salt cured chili paste & calamansi

“A noodle place like this will make people happy,” concluded Sawyer. I concur.

Half Roasted Chicken in Brioche Bread w/ fresh black truffle, petit wood ear mushrooms & natural jus

Purchasing and Prep

1)    The simplicity of this recipe is foil for how much of a show stopper this dish is. It is a combination of two of my favorite things in the world: whole roast chicken and fresh baked bread. The presentation is just stunning.

2)    This recipe relies on the high quality sourcing of tasty local ingredients.

3)    So, in a mixing bowl combine butter, mushrooms, herbs, vinegar and S&P.

4)    Preseason chicken twenty minutes before you are going wrap and cook it. This helps ensure even seasoning.

 To wrap and bake

1)    Roll dough out to 1/8^th inch thick circle on a lightly floured surface

2)    Use egg wash (egg & water equal parts) around the edges of the dough

3)    Center chicken in middle of the dough with an inch of leg sticking out of the dough. Add mushroom butter to top of chicken

4)    Work clock wise wrapping chicken in dough. Ensuring it is completely wrapped. No holes in the dough.

5)    Cook for 60 mins at 350

6)    Allow bird to rest for 15 minutes and allow juices to redistribute themselves. Carve and Enjoy!

For a side dish, Sawyer shares this simple but tasty veggie with a couple preparation ideas.

Whole Grilled Spring Peas

This recipe, “Ohio Edamame,” can be done in two ways:

“Pot sticker” Style:

• Toss peas in olive oil and salt to coat.
• Place peas on hot flat griddle or cast iron pan. Add 2 ounces of water and cover.
• Allow steam to evaporate for about four minutes; peas should be a bright vibrant color with a pliable shell.
• Remove from heat, toss in bowl with salt, lemon juice and olive oil to coat.
• Place on serving platter, garnish with sliced radishes, finely grated horseradish root, olive oil and lemon zest.

Grilling method:

• Bring an 8 quart pot of salted water to a boil; add peas blanch for about two minutes.
• Remove from water and shock in ice water; peas should be a bright vibrant color with a pliable shell.
• Toss in bowl with salt, lemon juice and olive oil to coat.
• Place on hot grill, until outsides are browned.

• Remove from grill, place on serving platter, garnish with radishes, finely grated horseradish root, olive oil and lemon zest.

This post is sponsored by Heinen’s. When making this dish at home, Laurie, the wine expert for the Avon store, says if she had to pick one wine for both dishes it would be the Mer Soleil Silver Chardonnay.  This is an unoaked Chardonnay she says, that would be delicious with chicken – especially with the Chablis vinegar, fresh herbs and mushrooms.  Since the wine does not see oak it has a clean and bright flavor profile and complements the vinegar and herbs, she adds.  There is butter in the recipe and the cleanness of the wine would cut through the butter. The wine would pair with the peas and tame the heat from the horseradish. The lemon in the vegetable dish would pair with the citrus in the Chardonnay. This wine is regularly $29.99 but currently on sale for $19.99.

Kate Krader is the restaurant editor for Food & Wine. She’s well-respected, well-known, and the envy of many (ok, at least one – me).

How do you discover best new chefs? How are they vetted? What’s the criteria? What was it about Jonathon Sawyer? It’s a year-round process. There aren’t any age requirements, except that a chef has to have been in charge of a kitchen for at least five years (not necessarily in a row). We look all around the country, from big to small cities. We have a network of people who nominate chefs, from professionals in the industry, to food writers, bloggers, and previous winners.

I came to Cleveland in January to see Jon. I instantly loved him! When you walk into Greenhouse, there’s just something about the energy. It was very inviting. I instantly felt comfortable. I can’t articulate it, but I just really liked it. Not that that is part of the BNC criteria, I just think it’s worth sharing. Jon has that same energy and passion. And he has a fun point of view on food and with his menu. I’ve never seen clams and foie gras – it’s one of the best dishes I’ve had all year. I still think about how good and smart it is. And his fries – it’s the best new version of hash browns. I just love it.

Jon executes food really well. He’s creative, like his Death Row Dinners. Love this – what a great idea! And he’s geeky about certain things, like the vinegars. We’re just really happy with him. I didn’t have anything at Greenhouse that I didn’t love. He’s a genius at work. It’s just a great place and we love all that he’s got going on – and is green, and is Ohio’s first green restaurant. What an accomplishment.

What else did you do in Cleveland? What’s your culinary viewpoint on Cleveland? What can we continue to improve? What Cleveland restaurant do you wish was in NYC? I wish Greenhouse was in NYC! While I was there, I also went to Dante. Thought it was a really cool restaurant and loved the space, look of the menu.  I had some good dishes and some so so dishes but felt it had potential (she acknowledged she was there shortly after opening and that may have had something to do with it). Overall, Dante (Boccuzzi) has a great reputation and I’m sure he’ll do well. Went to Lucky’s, thought it was awesome (went with Laura Taxel). Liked the homegrown aesthetic and energy – such a great, fun place. I went to school in Ohio (Kenyon College in Gambier) so I’m loyal to the state, even though I haven’t been back in awhile – but I plan to come back this summer. Also went to B Spot with Michael and Liz, who are just awesome. What crazy milkshakes he has – if someone is counting calories, look out!

Here’s my personal plea to Cleveland – open on Sundays! There were so many other things that I wanted to do and see but couldn’t because they weren’t open. Like the (West Side) Market and The Sausage Shoppe. I also didn’t get a chance to do the The Velvet Tango Room – that’s one of the great bars in the country.

Michael Symon really raised the profile of Cleveland and the market in general. If there’s any silver lining to the down economy, it’s that a lot of chefs are thinking – why work in NY, too expensive. Instead, they are going home, often to the Midwest, and opening their own place in their hometown utilizing the skills they learned here – the native kids coming home. I think you’re seeing that a lot, especially in cities like Cleveland. Cleveland really does have a lot of talented chefs.

Personally, I think the Midwest is the most exciting food destination in the country right now. Chicago is good, of course, but because of the high interest on knowing farmers and purveyors and where your food comes from, Midwest, especially Cleveland, is huge right now. There are so many good producers; it’s a great opportunity for Ohio. The chefs know exactly where the food comes from and are sharing that on the menu and telling you their stories – people want to know that. You guys have been doing great things for so long now, and it’s really creeping up on the national radar.

There is something about your city on many, many levels. I’ll be back!

What are the trends in food right now? What restaurants do we need to be on the lookout for when traveling? In NYC, there’s a big Italian trend. Seeing lots of regional Italian, and people focusing on one specific area. Also veggies. Mario Batali had been leading this in many ways, with the focus on moving protein to the side of the plate and focus more on vegetables. It’s an interesting time right now. People are more ambitious and cooking what’s in their heart, and we’re seeing it pay off. It’s also a big year for dessert – the year of the pastry chef.

One restaurant Kate mentioned was Locanda Verde in the Greenwich Hotel in NYC. She said it’s among her favorites and highly recommends checking out. The chef, Andrew Carmellini, is from Cleveland and Robert De Niro is part owner.

Complete this sentence: ______________ is the new black. Vegetables.

What’s the first thing you notice when you walk into a restaurant? I’m really sensitive to the energy. Are people talking? It’s weird when no one is talking and you see a couple just staring at each other. Not that that is the restaurant’s fault, but you notice it. There’s an X factor to a restaurant. And there’s something about a restaurant putting you in a good mood and creating a feeling. I can’t help but notice the level of conversation – this makes me happy.  I like when the staff presumes a level of interest and intelligence.  I saw this at The Greenhouse – extra special credit for them.  For example, if someone isn’t familiar with the wine or comfortable making a good wine recommendation, I like when they get someone who is. If you don’t know, fine, but go that extra step to have people that do know and can pass the information on.

Frank Bruni of The New York Times said once if he opened a restaurant, he’d install a super nice front of the house person as well as someone who answers the phone.  I agree. If a hostess is rude and makes me wait while they chat about their personal lives, I get annoyed. Be nice and friendly. It’s probably not as much of an issue in Cleveland as it is in NY.

If you could be one chef for a day, who would it be? Mario Batali. He’s someone who came up with me while I was starting out at F&W and I had always idolized him. It’s something to see him in action. But I’d only want to be him for one day. I also like chefs that just focus on one restaurant and would want to be one of those chefs for a day. I can appreciate the empire that some chefs have built, like Batali, but I also like those chefs that are obsessed with their one restaurant.

(This answer is why I really liked her – Mario Batali is my chef crush)

Can Cleveland host a season of Top Chef (this was a reader question)? I think if LeBron can take you to a championship, it will raise your profile. You’re still a little bit away, but could get there.

Do you shop at farmer’s markets or buy directly from farmers (another reader question)? I don’t get to cook much at home (though she admits she makes the best brownies in the world and is good with pasta), but when I do I like farmer’s markets.

Last song(s) downloaded? Kate shared that she has a habit of downloading a song or two and then playing them over and over. She said she’s been playing One Below by The Watts (discovered on Pandora), The Good Life by Kanye West and Just Say Yes by Snow Patrol – over and over.

Last meal on Earth? Cheese fondue, something super spicy – maybe an Ethiopian dish, pasta and chocolate chip cookie dough.

My week started by spending an evening with a bunch of really witty and engaging  Cleveland bloggers by way of a shopping spree at NEXT in Beachwood Place (I didn’t shop, sigh. Instead, I played the part of social media maven and organized this soiree. I sometimes do some PR/social media freelancing for friends, etc). They had fun shopping; I had fun catching up with some old friends and meeting a few new ones, too.

The next night, I went to bed a very happy woman followed by a fabulous dinner on E 4th courtesy of  The Greenhouse Tavern and Lola. My company is hiring for several positions (at one point we had 15 open spots; not sure where we currently stand). The one candidate we are really interested in is a fellow foodie. A very serious foodie at that. He and his family would be moving to Cleveland from Denver so he wanted to get a sense of the food community here. I can appreciate this.  It’s a tough job, but I mustered up the energy, along with Jamie (we work together for those that don’t know) and ate our way through a Wednesday night. We had apps at GHT and finished the meal at Lola. Highlights include the beef tartare at The Greenhouse (I could eat this daily; and our guest commented that it’s some of the best tartare he’s had), plus the beet and pear salad at Lola for me (such a simple dish but perhaps giving the beets at Lolita – my current favorite – a run for its money). Our guest enjoyed the braised Berkshire “bacon” and scallops and was quite impressed – especially with the belly. The table also enjoyed crispy bone marrow with six accompaniments courtesy of the kitchen (cilantro salsa and lemon my favorite).

The best part about this night (aside from the obvious) — the city was packed. It was a snowy Wednesday evening and all the restaurants were filled with  people out and about enjoying a great February night in Cleveland.

The following day, Cleveland Foodie won a bronze for its new logo at the annual ADDY awards (advertising industry thing). Jamie designed it for me last year. To me, it won  gold. The new ad is currently on our Facebook page)

Yesterday morning, we spent the day being inspired and moved via TEDxCLE at the Capitol Theater. We listened to a group of interesting, passionate and smart individuals share their vision and what specifically they are doing to affect positive change on our city.  It was the first independently organized TED event for Cleveland and I hope it’s the first of many. The organizers, Hallie and Eric, should be very proud of themselves. They did an amazing job and I’m beyond happy that I was in the audience – and will be each year they hold this.

Every discussion was enlightening, but for me, stand outs include: Terry Schwartz of Kent State and Pop Up City sharing ideas on how to fix broken cities; Aaron LeMieux of Tremont Electric discussing alternative energy and his personal energy generator (seriously – we’d buy stock right now if he was selling);  Michael Ruhlman talking about how people need to get back in the kitchen and cook and what type of positive impact this has on all of us; our friend Danielle DeBoe on how her passion led her to Room Service and how she is connecting with her community; and finally Patrick Perotti, a Cleveland lawyer that had many of us choking up over his stories of how he’s helping children keep their fight alive – specifically via class action lawsuits and how we all can help by simply signing this petition.

Images courtesy of  Kyle Roth. Check out all his images from the event via his Flickr page. And visit the  TEDxCLE site in a few days where all the videos from the day will be made available.

And my week isn’t over yet!  So Forbes, while  I have several suggestions as to what exactly you can do with your article and silly little title, you are entitled to your opinion (even if it’s not based fully in facts). And so am I. I am proud to call Cleveland home. I choose to live here. Just one question for you though. Why even bother to write this kind of article in  the first place, regardless of who’s in the top 5? I just don’t see the point. Instead of focusing on the negativity, why not spotlight all the positive changes taking place everyday in all types of cities?

But then something changed. I got pregnant and actually started to crave (and enjoy) spicy food. And meat – I wanted all sorts of meat and poultry. I was a never a vegetarian (veal and short ribs are two long-time favorites), but just never liked chicken, steak and really only occasionally would want a burger. I thought this would surely pass once my daughter was born but it didn’t. Now I find myself ordering and cooking spicy food (nothing along the 911 lines, but spicy enough) as well as steak and burgers – on a regular basis. Before this, I can honestly say I can’t ever recall ordering steak out. I knew I was in for a lot of changes when I found out I was first pregnant, but wasn’t expecting this. But, along with Natalie, this is one change I’m happy about. I still don’t like pepper, though.

Here are a couple dishes I recently tried that I never would have thunk to order two years ago. On Groundhog’s Day, we headed to The Greenhouse Tavern to celebrate the release of their new beer with the Buckeye Brewing Co.: Saison de Maison (it’s brewed exclusively for GHT). I’m not a beer drinker, but I easily enjoyed two glasses and almost went for a third (and I love the logo, too – based on Amelia). What I really enjoyed was our dinner: we shared the wings (almost went for the super spicy but our server scared us!), braised lamb shank ravioli, devils on horseback (dates wrapped with bacon, almonds, bitter chocolate) and the Groundhog burger with sausage, fresno chilis, onions, aged cheddar and a spicy mustard.

I loved the ravioli and would want two dishes next time, but the burger was most impressive. And again – not something I would normally like. It was different – but in a good, unexpected way. I liked the sausage and chilis and how everything worked together. I hope it shows up on the menu more than once a year.

Another perfect example of my post-pregnancy eating was at Fire. I met my friend Heidi for dinner one night and was so happy she suggested Fire. I just love this place – the location, décor, chef, but admittedly don’t go nearly as often as I’d like (and really need to make a point to go for brunch). They even offer free valet, too – how great is that?

I ordered a half portion of the tandoor roasted hanger steak with Killbuck mushroom ragout atop truffled French toast. What a surprise this dish was. It was even better than it sounded and even as a half order (which I think is just great that it’s offered this way), was more than enough food for me. I’m planning to go back soon because this is a dish Jamie has to try, too. It’s something I know he’d thoroughly enjoy. And if I would have tried this pre pregnancy, I probably would have sampled a bite and thought it was nice – but never would have actually ordered it and enjoyed as much as I did

Funny story about Fire – and meeting friends in general. If you’re meeting someone out, be sure to describe them to the hostess or make a point to walk the restaurant if you believe someone is really late. We both arrived within 10 minutes of each other, but didn’t sit together for over an hour. I came in, didn’t see Heidi and got a table at the window; Heidi arrived first and sat at the bar (she was in the restroom when I came in). We were separated by a wall and after an hour, realized we were both there (thank you, Twitter). Luckily for me, I had great wine and cheese to keep me company!

Chopped Chicken Liver

To make Chopped Chicken Liver one must first make:

Soak livers in 8 oz. milk, 2 tsp nutmeg and salt overnight. Strain livers out. Bring 8oz. of milk to 135 degrees F. Add livers to milk, cooking two minutes, remove from heat and allow to rest 12 minutes and strain. Puree livers in a food processor, adding one cube of butter at a time and more salt, remainder of nutmeg and pepper. Puree until a smooth, creamy consistency.

To make Chopped Chicken Liver:

Coarsely chop caramelized onion, capers, cornichons and hardboiled egg. Fold those ingredients into the room temperature mousse and then fold in the vinegar and seasonings. It is important that the mousse be room temperature as it will be very firm when chilled (the butter in it will get very firm). Enjoy.

This recipe is courtesy of Heinen’s. The wine experts at Heinen’s suggest you pair Sawyer’s chicken liver with Bielsa Garnacha ($8.99/bottle). This old vine Grenache from Spain features rich blackberry, cherry and subtle spice notes that flow through this silky and easy to love wine.

Who better to be nominated (and win) the Rising Star Chef of the Year award then Chef Jonathon Sawyer of The Greenhouse Tavern? According to the site, this award is given to a chef 30 or younger who displays an impressive talent (check) and who is likely to make an impressive impact on the industry in years to come (check and check).

Visit here to vote. Registration takes 30 seconds, then scroll down to the rising chef category. You can also nominate your pick for best new restaurant. I nominated L’Albatros and The Greenhouse Tavern.

Sawyer truly is the perfect chef for this. His food is amazing, his passion is contagious and he brought the first certified green restaurant to Ohio, not to mention his commitment to all things local. And the Sawyers are just good people. They have become our friends – it’s fun to watch them succeed and witness the difference they are making in our great city. He’s got my vote and hopefully yours, too. And if you still haven’t been to GHT – go and see for yourself. Then nominate him because you’ll agree he’s quite deserving of this honor.

Bon Appetit named The Greenhouse Tavern one of the 10 Best New restaurants in America.

The issue isn’t on stands yet, but you can read a sneak peak on GHT’s distinction as well as the other nine here. Also making the list is San Francisco’s Bar Jules, which I ate at this past spring and couldn’t agree with its recognition more.

A big congratulations to chef Jonathon Sawyer, Amelia and the entire GHT team. We are so happy for you and can’t think of a more deserving group.

UPDATE: Here’s the story.