A few weeks ago this is exactly what we did since I was lucky enough to review the super cute Vine & Bean for Metromix. We started off at the market, where we picked up some Ohio Honey and a Tea Hills chicken (tried the Heidi Robb recipe – it was so good that I’m slowing becoming a chicken fan).

Next up was the super quick drive around the corner to Vine & Bean. We chose the funky patio featuring a hodgepodge of furniture (my favorite place to sit) versus the equally charming and quirky inside dining area.

You can read the full story here or keep reading for a portion of my review.
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It didn’t take too long for Lucky’s Café in Tremont to become the go-to place for weekend brunch. Now, chef Heather Haviland is at it again. This time, it’s East Siders who benefit from her delicious expertise with early hour temptations. And it’s not just breakfast. At Vine & Bean, Haviland is serving up comfort food throughout most of the day along with cocktails, coffee drinks and live music.

Food: Locavores rejoice. Chef Haviland has a strong reputation within Cleveland for supporting local farmers and producers. In fact, each dish that leaves the kitchen during season is approximately 95 percent locally sourced (60 percent during the winter).

The menu, which features gourmet comfort food, is sectioned into weekend brunch and daily offerings, plus specials.

The brunch menu features many of the popular items found at Lucky’s, like the shipwreck, breakfast burrito and pecan-crusted bacon. Each of these dishes alone is a must-try and will bring you back again and again.

On our visit, we tried the vanilla bean waffles with roasted peaches and caramel sauce and the egg pie with local bacon, ham, Swiss cheese and a side of fruit and banana bread.

Consider yourself warned; These sinfully good waffles are big—way big. Even on two empty stomachs, we couldn’t finish. And this dish is sweet, almost dessert like. Perhaps too sweet, but that’s no surprise given Haviland’s baking connections and history.

The egg pie is a much more manageable portion. Served piping hot, it’s a good start to the day with wonderful flavor and a flaky crust and just as tempting sides (the banana bread is some of the best in town).

As for the non-brunch items, you’ll find a number of sandwiches (all served on homemade bread), like the turkey with avocado, cheddar and local bacon served on rustic Italian bread as well as build-your-own hot panini sandwiches. There’s also a small variety of soups and salads and a cheese board.

Décor: Situated in an old Victorian century home on Larchmere Boulevard in Shaker Heights in what was once Café Limbo, Vine & Bean resembles a child’s doll house—a silver blue doll house with bright purple and green accents. Inside, it’s close quarters. You can sit in the quaint front dining room (that was once a family room), in the back kitchen, or on the outside patio, which features a hodgepodge of furniture. The place is tiny, incredibly charming and frankly, adorable.

– Fire / Daily complimentary valet service now available. In addition, the spring dinner menu begins April 28. Also on the 28th, Fire will be serving house made hors d’oeuvres and cocktails featuring house made syrups at the bar from 4:30 p.m. -6:30 p.m. daily.

– Umami Asian Kitchen / Now open for lunch.

– Sarava / Summer hours resume Sunday April 19th (open every Sunday 5-9 p.m.). From Sunday April 19th through Sunday May 3rd, stop in for free dessert with a $20 purchase. Also, RIO rewards members get $10 off their check over $25 this month. If you aren’t a member, you can join on their site and earn points from both Sarava and Sergio’s.

– Cuffs Chagrin Falls / Wine tasting, April 16, $25 pp. Brian Lynch of Wilson and Daniels (burgandy portfolio)

– Lucky’s Cafe / Saturday dinner on April 18 featuring a four-course menu of Italian classics, like gnocci, risotto, pappardelle and eggplant parmesan. $35 pp with a portion benefiting the Red Cross.

– Happy hour @ L’Albatros. Mon – Sat , 4 p.m. – 7 p.m., enjoy $5 appetizers and $7 drinks (small plates like fried cauliflower, pome frittes, goat cheese tart, burger, mussels). I continue to be impressed by this restaurant and am really looking forward to the opening of their patio, one of the best in town.

– Ty Fun / 20% off your bill on Mondays

– Wine classes @ Blue Canyon. Beginning April 16 and lasting weekly until May 7, learn more about wine and sample some good food in a series of wine education classes. Each class offers 5 – 6 varieties plus food pairings. Cost is $30 per class or $99 for all four. Space is limited to 30 per class.

– A Cookie & a Cupcake is working on adding a patio that will be ready as soon as the weather cooperates.

– Grovewood Tavern celebrates 10 years of business with 10 entrees priced $19.99.

– Momocho / Spring menu changes should be in effect by end of April. Grilled corn on the cob will return plus the addition of soft shell crabs, plancha style (cooked on a griddle with a weighted press) and new taquitos. And of course, Momocho will have specials for Cinco de Mayo starting at 3 p.m.

– Openings / Jekyll’s (former Blake’s) in Chagrin Falls in now open. And the one I personally can’t wait for, The Greenhouse Tavern finally opens this Tuesday! Also, a very big congratulations to the team at GHT for becoming Ohio’s first certified green restaurant – that’s huge!

Finally, I went to the store today to pick up a few things for my Easter dinner contribution (cauliflower risotto with brie and almonds). While in line, I picked up a copy of Bon Appetit since I let my subscription lapse. Tucked between the pages of tempting recipes that I will someday attempt, is a coast-to-coast guide on the recipes and restaurants that make the U.S. the best place to eat in the world, titled The United Plates of America. Representing Ohio, is the walleye with herb dumpling at Lola and blueberry ale from Rocky River Brewing Company. More national ink for Cleveland – congratulations!

LUCKY’S BRUNCH MENU AT VINE AND BEAN on LARCHMERE! The award-winning brunch that you love is now available on Cleveland’s East Side! Begining tomorrow, February 21, 2009, Chef Heather Haviland will be serving your favorite brunch items from Lucky’s famous weekend brunch at her East Side bistro, Vine and Bean from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., every Saturday and Sunday. The brunch menu at Vine and Bean will expand to include such perennial favorites as the Shipwreck (A blissful blend of hash browns, eggs, seasonal veggies, bacon, and cheddar cheese), Canoewreck (the curried tofu, vegetarian version of the Shipwreck) and the Breakfast Burritos (veggie scrambled eggs in flour tortilla covered in housemade guajillo pepper sauce). Chef Ky-Wai Wong will be serving the traditional brunch at Lucky’s, this week with a special Chocolate Mousse Gateau going to brunch customers for only $1.50 – well worth braving the weather.

Also, reserve your spot for the Lucky’s Cafe Special Dinner. On March 14th, Heather Haviland and Ky-Wai Wong will prepare a special menu for one night only, featuring hand-made pasta, local meats & produce, and special dessert selections. This four-course dinner is offered for $35 (prix fixe) with selections for omnivores and vegetarians.

I hope the pecan-crusted bacon makes its way there, too!

On the menu, I quickly spotted a few specials that almost swayed me, like the cinnamon crepes and pumpkin pancakes, but wasn’t in the mood for something that sweet. Instead, we split our favorite: the breakfast burrito (eggs wrapped in two tortillas covered with thick guajillo sauce, cheese and baked) and pecan-crusted bacon.

The bacon at Lucky’s alone is worth the trip regardless of location. We always say we should try to recreate this at home, but quickly realize it’s probably better that we don’t!

On this particular visit, I noticed all the little ones inside. This of course made me happy since we won’t have to sacrifice visits once the baby comes (unless of course she’s a screamer!).

On our way home, we stopped at the new cupcake shop, A Cookie and a Cupcake, from Wendy Thompson, formerly with Dante. Unfortunately, it was too early and they weren’t open quite yet (not until 11 a.m. on Sundays), but the store really does look cute (as you might expect given the concept) with lots of impressive goodies in the window.

Wendy told me via e-mail recently that they do offer a cupcake similar to the chocolate and peanut butter bar that she created for Dante, which was easily one of the best desserts we’ve had in town. We’re really looking forward to trying this.

1. What are the top 5 spices every home chef should have? Essential elements of flavor for every kitchen include kosher salt, pepper, something from the onion world, say onion-garlic-shallot or leek, cayenne, and nutmeg or mace. If I could have two more, I would include bay leaves and basil.

2. What is your favorite and least favorite thing to make? I still get a bit nervous when I need to prepare a piece of meat. A perfectly done steak takes good technique.

3. What is your favorite thing about Cleveland and what drives you nuts? How long do I have? There are so many things I love about Cleveland, but what made me come back to the area was the people. Clevelanders are such loyal creatures. During the 10 years I was gone traveling around the country, I experienced so many different cities and its people, but no other place can measure up to our people. The thing that drives me nuts is that with that “loyalty” comes the other side of the coin, which is a reluctance to change and try new things. To really save our city, I think we have to get pretty bold and change how we approach growth and put a lot more energy into our downtown.

4. If you could cook for one person, real or dead, who would it be? My great grandfather because he loved his garden and loved to eat. Also my grandfather, because he could now see that cooking can be a career. He never really experienced what I do in the kitchen and he really loved to eat.

5. You’re having a dinner party, top 5 songs on your play list? Depending on the guest list and the menu, these albums are good start to finish:

Van Morrison – Astral Weeks
Nina Simone – The Very Best
S. Rachmaninov – Vespers, performed by The USSR Ministry of Culture chamber choir
Madeleine Peyroux
White Zombies – Super Sexy Swinging Sounds

6. Favorite restaurant in Cleveland? I have just spent 20 minutes sitting here thinking of which is my favorite and it is giving me a headache. I am very proud to be a part of the Cleveland culinary community and I have too many to choose a favorite. My most memorable meal I ate in Cleveland that was not prepared by my sweetie who is a chef [Chef Andrew Strizak of the old Parker’s Bistro and now Lolita], was at Battuto in Little Italy.

7. What restaurant do you miss? Parker’s Bistro in Ohio City and Battuto

8. What hidden gem / café have Clevelanders yet to discover? Villa Y Zapata on Madison. The one on W 25th, their new one, needs a little work.

9. What’s your last meal on Earth? Cheesy polenta with braised beef and red wine braising sauce made by my sweetie, or any meal he would make in late August because it would involve my favorite foods of the Ohio harvest: corn, zucchini, tomatoes, peaches, concords… don’t get me started, there are still seven months to go! For dessert, I would have my mom’s chocolate fudge sauerkraut cake.

10. Most unusual food you have ever tried? Dehydrated pig ear.

11. Most famous person you have baked for? I have been pretty lucky here. Chrissie Hyde of The Pretenders (I just love her), Peter Gabriel (nice guy), Elvis Costello, REM, Quentin Tarantino and Ethan and Uma. I was partners in a restaurant in upstate New York that was next to a recording studio. A lot of the neighborhood was people from the city that had second homes in Woodstock.

12. If you weren’t a chef, what would you be doing? Traditional coal forge blacksmith, mother of five, bridge welder or a solid gold dancer. So many options, so little time. Really, I would be a blacksmith.

13. What is your favorite sweet treat? Dichotomy. It is a popcorn coated with cheddar cheese and caramel made by the popcorn company at the West Side Market

14. What’s the most popular item at Lucky’s? Ginger chewy cookies and Shipwreck, a dish served during brunch. It features sautéed veggies, potatoes, bacon, eggs and cheese served with our house made Italian toast and jam. Our Mac-n-cheese with bacon is making a run for it, too.

15. Where do you grocery shop? It’s a combination of the West Side Market, farmer’s markets and Marc’s.

16. What is the best dessert you have ever had? For my 40th birthday, my sweetie and I went to Hocking Hills and stayed in a cabin in the woods. It could have been the combo of the woods, seclusion, hot tub, fireplace and time to chill and be together, but he made me an apple pie that rocked my world! I am a lucky girl.

Some of my favorite stories include Breychaks Blue Egg Farm and how Kathy, the owner, got into farming and her background as an artist. I’ve had these eggs – what a difference they make. Just try the carbonara at Carrie Cerino’s or the blue egg pizza at Lolita to see for yourself (Both Dominic Cerino and Michael Symon are big fans of the blue egg). I was also intrigued to learn about Polly Creech of Polly’s Prawns and Flower Farm. Polly, a florist, started raising fresh water shrimp based on an article she read in her local paper. Shrimp in Ohio – not the first thing you would think of. But her jumbo-sized shrimp have become must-have for local chefs and residents.

And finally, I really enjoyed the inside look into the Ohio chefs that are preparing the food. Two favorites include Stutzman Farms and the relationship with Chef Heather Haviland of Sweet Mosaic and Lucky’s Cafe, and The Chef’s Garden and Chez Francois. Interestingly, The Chef’s Garden is seen as the source for Artisanal vegetables from chef’s all over the world, including Thomas Keller and Charlie Trotter.

It’s a unique relationship between the chef and the farmer. Suszko said it best, “Every time a farmer and chef connect, they help strengthen the regional food economy and opt for better quality on the plate. One bite and the customer will immediately recognize what is at work between the two.”

While I do feel I have a better understanding of Ohio farmers thanks to Suszko educational journey through the state’s agriculture, perhaps my favorite part are the 120 plus personal recipes from the farmers and chefs. Highlights include minted melon salad, garlic and red wine pot roast, pork chops with sage sauce, milk-braised pork, blueberry muffins, Japanese eggplant spread, dessert cherries in pinot noir, lobster-stuffed Erie County zucchini blossoms and multigrain apple pecan scones.

So while I did enjoy the book, let’s be realistic – aside from supporting local chefs that support local farmers, and buying local when I grocery shop at Miles Market and Heinen’s or the occasional trip to the North Union Farmers Market in Shaker Square, what else can I do? It’s not practical to visit all of these farms. I really want to do my part to support local farmers and thus our regional economy, so I posed the question to the author and here is her response:

“In the back of the book, there are resources that can pinpoint specific farmers close to where you live selling what you want. One very good source is localharvest.org but keep in mind that this Web site, although I think very good, is only as good as the farmers who keep their information up to date.What can you do to support local farms? The quick answer is to buy from them as often as you can during the growing season and pass the word to your friends. A good season in terms of sales will keep a farmer producing to supply his customers in subsequent seasons. This, of course, is the time of year when it gets tricky and frustrating to keep the concept of buying local going in your kitchen. But what you should be looking for are locally grown grains (there are some suppliers out there, both organic and nonorganic), dairy such as milk, eggs (supplies are often lower in the winter), cheese, butter; meats including beef, pork, chicken, some farm raised fish; hydroponic grown greens; sweeteners such as honey and maple syrup.

The winter months can really get you down if you haven’t prepared by canning or freezing the bounty of the summer. You’ll long for the taste of a homegrown tomato, fresh peaches, raspberries, strawberries. Make a note for next growing season to be sure to “put up” some of these summertime favorites to get you through the winter months. It’s a great way to keep local in the pantry all year round.

There are a few farmers markets in the state that run year round. Close to home, North Union Market at Shaker Square has a winter market. You’ll find poultry, apples, mushrooms, maple syrup, pork, milk, honey, root vegetables, potatoes, jam, cottage cheese, decorative greens, wreaths, beef, European baked goods, cheeses, farm eggs, organic greens, local artisans with hand knitted scarves, pottery, jewelry, internationally prepared foods, bison, and more.

And don’t forget, one of the best ways to celebrate local at the holidays is to visit a local tree farm for trees and greenery.”

Actually, friends of ours turned us on to Whispering Pines Tree Farm in Middlefield last year. We’re going Sunday to cut down our tree. It’s a great find and makes for a memorable day. Of course it was 65 and sunny last year and supposed to be 30 and snowy this Sunday, so that could change things a bit.

I had heard during the brief closing this summer, some minor revisions would be taking place, especially to the kitchen, which would enable Heather Haviland, owner/chef/baker, to expand her offerings. From what I can tell, the small cafe received a fresh coat of paint, some new chairs (although my husband thinks they are the same), and few other minor tweaks here and there. Overall, it’s still the same quirky spot with lots of charm and comforts. An ideal spot to lounge on the weekend.

For breakfast, we split the pecan-crusted bacon and breakfast burrito. The brunch portions are a decent size, certainly too big for breakfast, but ideal for sharing.

The bacon is better than any bacon I have ever tasted. And such a simple thing, rolling it in crumbled pecans. And the funny thing is, I don’t even like pecans! But you would never know from the way I fight Jamie for each piece. The burrito is filled with veggie scrambled eggs and cheddar cheese rolled in a tortilla, topped with guajillo pepper sauce and baked in a cute, little casserole. It has a unique taste – nothing traditional about this dish. But very enjoyable and tasty, especially the eggs with the pepper sauce. It’s served with hash browns, but we both left those on the plate. Not because we were full, which we were, but because they lack any flavor. Each time I have been to Lucky’s, I’m always happy with my order. The hash browns are the only thing I’ve tasted that’s been disappointing. But I consider that to be a blessing in disguise and forced portion control!

If you head to Lucky’s for brunch soon, I also recommend the Shipwreck and waffles. In the past, I’ve had the sweet potato waffle; on the menu this week was gingerbread – and they looked delicious. I also saw the takeout menu of Thanksgiving treats, in case you don’t feel like baking this year. A lot of specialty pies and such to choose from.

Over the past two weeks I was in your city for 3 evenings. Here’s where and what I ate.

1. Fire Food and Drink: I went with my colleague and I think we had a fairly decent meal. I started with the braised beef ravioli with wilted spinach. Nice starter, and perhaps a bit small. Decent mix of flavors and fairly light, especially for beef ravioli. Very enjoyable way to begin, and would’ve liked more. I followed with the crispy Hudson Valley duck legs. Whereas the beef ravioli may have been a little small and light, I found the duck to be very (too) plentiful. It seemed autumnal on the menu (gnocchi, apples, squash) and that was correct. Frankly, it came off as Thanksgiving dinner with dark meat and sweet potatoes. The duck certainly wasn’t crispy, just sort of oily and falling off the bone. It wasn’t bad at all, but it was big and not very subtle (again, like Thanksgiving).

The room was nice and cozy; the wine was decent (though now I’ve forgotten what I had). My colleague seemed to enjoy her ribeye, and didn’t offer me a bite! I hadn’t put two and two together to figure out that the “Fire” was that everything is cooked in a tandoor. Cute idea, and it’s nice you can watch them cooking.

All in all, I’d go there again, but I wouldn’t be tempted to pass up something like Lola for it.

2. Flying Fig: Of the places I went on this trip, this place was most up my alley. Unlike Fire (too much), this place threatens to give you too little. I ordered the three savory small, which consisted of gnocchi, arugula and beef salad and a soft cheese. All three were enjoyable, but literally so small it was just a taste. That’s not too problematic with the gnocchi and soft cheese because they packed a punch, but a bigger salad then about a dozen leaves and two pieces of beef would’ve been good. I tend to have a small appetite, so that was fine, but they certainly didn’t add up to a full-sized entree as promised. All three of the small plates were quite nicely done though, with attention given to all three.

I really liked the room, too, which surprised me. The pictures on the site make it look like a neighborhood pub and average restaurant. But it was really cozy and pleasant, and the bar staff was somewhat friendly. Strangely though, I was waiting for them to offer me dessert or coffee, and instead got the bill plunked down. Well, I guess I’ll be on my way then. I also could feel the small community of Cleveland though when I recognized that one of the servers had worked at Lucky’s when I went there — I’ve been to about 8 restaurants in Cleveland and there was someone who had worked at two! Made me feel like a regular.

3. Moxie: On my last trip, I was getting in late and staying on the east side, so I decided to forego another trip to downtown or the west side and eat near my hotel. So I ended up at Moxie. You warned me it was kind of lame, and lame it was. Not bad, but just an independent, upscale version of other suburban restaurants.

They had a largish cheese selection and offer five for $12.50. As I wasn’t starved and it was late, I asked if they could sell them individually (I didn’t want a whole plate). No, was the answer. I decided to skip the appetizer. Just to seal my own lame fate, I ordered the chicken. It was pretty dull, admittedly — very large white meat chicken breast, cooked in an fairly oily sauce. Fine and all, but nothing to write Cleveland about. I had it with a passable glass of wine, and wondered whether I would’ve preferred to go downtown. Well, at least I wasn’t driving for 30 minutes on a full stomach and glass of wine.

Of the above, I sort of got the feeling that only Flying Fig was genuinely good, but that’s an unrepresentative sample. Moxie is the kind of food a hotel serves in NYC, and it wouldn’t survive as an independent restaurant very long without something else to sell it. Fire – that may be able to make it, but hard to say.