The majority of us have the good fortune to dine out, shop our local grocers and markets, and even grow our own eats. Something we may even take for granted. We read about food. We value and appreciate food. We know the importance of eating right (most of the time anyway), asking questions and paying attention to where our food comes from. Sadly I believe we are still in the minority, though thanks to continuous efforts of many on a local and national front, the greater nation appears to be catching on.

Perhaps the biggest issue here is that many of the people making poor food choices are also making them for their kids. Kids who are growing up on fast food and processed crap. Kids that can’t recognize a tomato from a potato. Kids that are becoming plagued with juvenile diabetes. And kids that represent the first generation not expected to outlive their parents.

Of course there are a lot of factors contributing to this dilemma. And there are varying perspectives on what to do about it. We’re not going to easily solve the problem, but we can start today by trying to make a difference right here in our community.

We can help 4^th graders in Cleveland learn about food. Learn about farming. And understand where their meals come from and the benefits of making smart choices early on. And then they can take that newfound excitement and knowledge home to their parents and start a conversation about what they eat and begin to make better choices as a family.

Once again I’m asking each of you to help me help these kids, teachers and their caregivers. Help them learn and begin to make better choices right now. And ultimately, help their overall health and well-being.

Now in its third year, Cleveland Foodie is raising funds for Veggie U. If you’re new to this program, Veggie U is a national program that promotes the well-being of children through a healthy lifestyle with a focus on making wise food choices, combating adolescent and juvenile disease, and attaining an understanding of sustainable agriculture. The program provides a complete kit and lesson plans to teachers to help educate their students through hands-on, fun curricula. There are 157 participating classrooms in our area and each kit costs $225. At the end of the program, students understand the connection between agriculture, good nutrition and the culinary arts.

To date, we have raised a total of $7,840 and helped save the program within Cleveland schools.

Would you consider helping once again? Do you have an extra $5 to donate? I know it’s a costly time of the year and that we’re not in the best of economic times. But if you can donate, and believe in this cause and thus the bigger picture (and if you’re a regular reader, I’m willing to bet you do) then I strongly encourage you to consider supporting Veggie U.

Like previous years, if you donate just $5 to Veggie U, you will automatically be entered to win more than $2,000 worth of gift cards to all your favorite eateries and shops. Want to increase your odds? Donate $10, $25, $50 or more. For every $5 you donate, you will earn another entry into the drawing. The more you donate, the greater your chance of winning.

WHAT’S NEW THIS YEAR: Based on feedback, I decided to mix things up a bit. Instead of one person walking away with all the goods, I’m going to evenly split the certificates into three groups allowing for three lucky do-gooders to have a very delightful holiday season. You have from now until December 23^rd at NOON to donate and be entered. Three winners will be picked using random.org on the 24th.

HOW TO DONATE: It’s easy – just call 419.499.7500 M-F, 9a.m. – 5 p.m.; you must reference Cleveland Foodie. OR, you can now donate online right here, 24/7.

This fundraising effort would not be possible without the generosity and support of our local chefs, restaurants and local businesses. I may sound like a broken record, but we live in the best city where nearly everyone is always so quick to help and pitch in and take care of others without a second thought. To those that donated, once again I can’t thank you enough. Truly.

To kick things off, we will donate $100 (which will not be counted towards the gift cards). Remember, the more you donate, the greater chance you have. Thank you for your consideration and good luck! And please, spread the word. Let’s see if we can exceed previous years and make 2012 a year of healthy, local eats.

Three incredibly lucky diners will spend 2012 eating and drinking their way throughout Cleveland:

• Greenhouse Tavern / $50
• Noodlecat / $50
• AMP150 / $50
• Fire / $50
• Bistro on Main / two $50 gift cards
• Fahrenheit / $50
• Flying Fig / $50
• Washington Place Bistro & Inn / $50
• Miles Farmers Market / $50
• Welshfield Inn / $50
• 87 West at Crocker / $50
• Crop Bistro / $50
• Luna Bakery / $50
• Dim and Den Sum / $50
• Hodge’s (coming soon) / $50
• Battery Park Wine Bar / $50
• Market Garden Brewery / $50
• Bar Cento / $50
• Paladar / $50
• Touch Supper Club / $50
• Truck (Touch food truck) / $50
• Western Reserve Wines / $50
• Momocho / $50 (plus Eric donated an additional $350 to the program)
• Flour / $50
• Deagan’s / $50
• A Cookie and a Cupcake / $50
• CVI dinner / $100
• Chef’s Garden salad sampler box
• Umami / $50
• Parallax / $50
• Table45 / $50
• L’Albatros / $50
• Chinato / $50
• C2 / $50
• Moxie / $50
• Red / $50
• Lola / three $20 gift cards, one for each winner

Thank you for taking the time to read this and cheers for a wonderful holiday season!

Zack Bruell announces the official start of the 2011 Tour de Bruell.  To take part in the Tour, diners should simply visit any Zack Bruell restaurant - Parallax, Table 45, L’Albatros or Chinato – between Memorial Day and Labor Day and ask for their Tour de Bruell ticket.   Each time a participant purchases dinner at one of the restaurants, they earn a stamp on their ticket.  In order to complete the Tour, participants will have to get one stamp at each Zack Bruell restaurant.

All fans that complete the Tour de Bruell will receive a commemorative t-shirt, featuring the 2011  theme:  “Get Your Zack On.”  From those individuals, 10 semi-finalists and their guests will be randomly selected to enjoy a complimentary wine tasting dinner at Table 45, featuring cuisine by Bruell and champagne offerings by Moët & Chandon.  In addition, one grand prize winner will receive the custom, in-home, four-course dinner for eight, prepared by Bruell.

The Cleveland Museum of Art’s annual Summer Solstice Party, now in its third year, is just around the corner – Saturday, June 25^th. The event will feature all-night music, food, drinks and dancing to celebrate the long days and hot nights of summer us Clevelanders have been so patiently awaiting.  But why wait until the 25^th to enjoy?

Starting next week, each Zack Bruell restaurant will offer its own unique multi-course, prix fixe Summer Solstice menu for one week, to promote the Summer Solstice party.  Chinato kicks it off next week followed by L’Albatros.  Here’s the official menu schedule:

• Week of May 31 (Tues-Sat):  Chinato
• Week of June 6 (Mon-Sat):  L’Albatros
• Week of June 13 (Mon-Sat):  Parallax
• Week of June 19 (Sun-Sat):  Table 45 (Table 45 will offer pre-party dining for Summer Solstice Party 2011)
• The cost for these Summer Solstice Menus are $35 per person

Chinato’s menu:

• 1^st Course: Lamb sweetbreads with roasted tomato aioli
• 2^nd course: Pappardelle with zucchini, chickpeas, arugula mint and pecorino cheese
• 3^rd course: Fennel-dusted cod with bell pepper and fennel risotto and basil butter
• 4^th course: Lemon cheesecake

L’Albatros’ menu:

• 1^st Course: Salad of Garden and Local Greens with Charred Tomato Vinaigrette
• 2^nd Course: Braised Pork Belly & Tiger Shrimp with Lavender Pork Jus
• 3^rd Course : Strawberry Clafoutis

The actual event takes place on 6/25 at the museum starting at 6 p.m. and lasting until 2 a.m. General admission tickets are $125 for CMA members and includes hors d’oeuvres plus open bar from 6-8 p.m. From 7:30 p.m. until 2 a.m., general admission is $60 per person, $40 for CMA members, and free admission for CMA members at the Fellow level or higher and includes appetizers and cash bar. And from 10 p.m. until 2 a.m., advance tickets are $15 per person, $20 per person at the door and includes snacks and cash bar.

While I’m really hoping to attend this event, there’s a good chance I just may be in labor (though if I go, UH is just around the corner…). Unless you’re also nearing the end of your pregnancy and the notion of staying up until 10 p.m. is a foreign concept to you these days, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t go. It has quite the reputation of being one of the best summer parties in town! And thanks to the CMA and Zack Bruell, I have two tickets up for grabs to attend from 10 p.m. on. To be entered into the random drawing, just leave a comment to this post (sorry – to be fair, Facebook doesn’t count, but I do appreciate the conversation there!) telling me your favorite thing about Cleveland summers.

Good luck and happy summer! You have until June 8^th to enter.

Last night was a media preview dinner for both bloggers and traditional media outlets. In the spirit of full disclosure (as always), I am doing some freelance PR and social outreach work for the restaurant’s owners and coordinated last night’s event. I was given this opportunity after I interviewed owner Scott Kuhn for a previous post. As many of you know, I’ve worked in PR for the last 13 years and will often do some freelance work on the side, especially when it involves my other passion – food.

So with that in mind, I am clearly biased and therefore won’t write a typical review since I don’t really just have my blogger hat on. But there are several items I think are worth spreading the word.

First off, I do think you should go and check out this place for yourself. It’s truly remarkable the transformation they did from its Baricelli days. Now, we were big Baricelli fans and are super eager for Flour to open in early 2011. But truthfully, we’d only eat there in the summer – on the patio – because neither one of us cared for the décor inside. Scott redid everything from top to bottom, including the inn suites. And we’re not just talking new carpet and a fresh coat of paint. There’s even a spacious new lounge area in the entryway, something I always felt the old space was missing. Though I must admit, I do miss that large, walk-in cooler of cheese, glorious cheese! Though Baricelli Cheeses will be used in many of the new dishes, like the mack and cheese (mack for Mackenzie Creamery).

I also like the significant effort the restaurant is making to support Veggie U, an organization I care deeply about (be sure to check back tomorrow for how you can support Veggie U and basically eat free for the next year). Not only is the chef, Jonathan Guest, utilizing many items from The Chef’s Garden, but each guest has the ability to donate to Veggie U at the end of their meal. Further, the owners want to continue that spirit of giving and will soon offer ways to support UH as well, a hospital and an organization that both Scott and his family have been heavily involved with and committed to supporting for years.

Continuing in the spirit of supporting the community of Little Italy and surrounding University Circle, within the next month or so they will start offering “employee discounts” for people that work in neighboring areas. Further, if you visit one of the area attractions, stop in to the restaurant on that same day to receive a special treat, too. Once these have been finalized, I’ll be sure to share the specifics. And if you’re a Foursquare user like me, there will specials for the Mayor and for each 5^th check-in, like free appetizers.

Regarding the event last night, everyone was treated to passed appetizers, then a six-course tasting of some of their favorite dishes. The menu itself has a definite slant towards gourmet comfort foods, especially pleasing this time of the year. Though I did clear each plate, there were two items I am eager to order on my next visit: the roasted beet and Mackenzie Creamery goat cheese salad (truly, I think this was my favorite dish – I am a sucker for beets) and the oxtail pierogi with Ohio City Pasta truffle-stuffed potato pieogie (a new venture for the guys at OCP). On a side note, I had the pleasure of meeting Jean Mackenzie and her partner Jim. I’ve been a fan of her cheeses for several years now but had never met her. What a truly delightful and charming couple – look for a Q&A with Jean soon!

You can view the full menu, including lunch and brunch, here. And if you happen to be in the area on Wednesdays, be sure to take advantage of the $40 deal: a bottle of wine, appetizer plus two entrees. You can learn about this plus other restaurant happenings and special offers on its Facebook page, too.

During the Tri-C culinary challenge the other week, a giddy Evans was kind enough to give us a sneak peak into his new restaurant (which shares walls with the school as well as many positive synergies, but is not affiliated).

This space is going to be four restaurants in one, Evans explains as he walks us through the giant space that’s heavy in construction mode. There will be giant, flowing drapes that will change the mood of the space from breakfast to dinner, as well as 25,000 LED lights, a 25-person lounge, a to-go space to allow for quick, gourmet lunches as well as partially cooked dinners (as a working mom, I can appreciate this!) and accordion-style doors that will open to a 30-seat patio. And yes, there will be an app for that. To simply the ordering process for take-out orders, Evans is working on an app to satisfy tech-savvy diners.

Evans explained that he knows his audience will change throughout the day, from the breakfast meeting crowd (and he’s planning a specialty menu just for this occasion knowing people would rather conduct work in the early hours versus taking away from family time post 5) to after work. And recognizing that despite everyone’s best efforts, downtown, particularly where he’ll be situated, is basically dead after 7:30 p.m. So he wants to make the most out of the happy hour time period and cater to them with what he’s calling the urban picnic:  tapas and smaller plates.

The menu, Evans said, will be creative, sustainable, local urban food – all scratch. He’ll also feature 25 different cheeses on a daily basis and hanging charcuterie. He wants the food to reflect the atmosphere of the space itself – very urban and sexy. Look for all items to be reasonably priced, with lunch specials starting at $6.

Evans, who has been responsible for feeding happy Clevelanders for years with Blue Kitchen and the old Kosta’s in Tremont, is excited to be back downtown. And hints at more exciting endeavors throughout the city in the future.

Look for Pura Vida to open this spring.

Each blogger only got a few minutes. The goal was to promote his two new shows: The Next Iron Chef and Food Feuds. But of course, I wanted to talk about Cleveland. And a little bet we made at a Christmas, er Festivus, party last year. Truthfully, I don’t expect or want him to pay up. Knowing I won a bet and know just a little bit more about his beloved Guns N’ Roses than he does, is tastier than any dish he could whip up. Ok, maybe not, but you get where I’m going with this.

Food Feuds, which decides  once and for all which dish defines a city, premiers October 14. Iron Chef  Symon sought out the  most intense, long-standing culinary rivalries across the country – including right here in our backyard. The Next Iron Chef, where Symon will be a first-time judge (watch his thoughts on this experience here), premieres on October 3. And you can also watch him on The Cooking Channel during Cook like an Iron Chef. On a side note, we ordered this channel just for this show. I think it’s my favorite program of his to date and I really like the set up. I’ve also found several new shows on the channel that I regularly set the DVR to so it’s worth ordering it if you don’t already have.

If you have been there before, you probably know why this person shared this warning of sorts. If you have never been  before and saw what I saw, you may have spun around and walked out. I know I might have if I wasn’t tipped off by some trusted sources to look beyond the decor and focus on the food. Which is what I will share with you today. Mekong River in Cleveland Heights boasts a wonderful menu (for the most part). The decor, unfortunately, is clearly not a priority. The carpet is all tattered and torn and stained, dust outlines paintings and a fresh coat of paint was needed several times over – decades ago. It’s not even one of those quirky, borderline charming in a forgotten kinda way spaces that one could overlook. It’s just plain bad. And if you’re like me, the overall atmosphere of a place is almost just as important as the food. Now I don’t mean I need Lola-quality decor every time I dine. Quite the opposite. I’m all for dives. But Mekong River is in its own category and that’s why if I go back, it will be for takeout.

Enough decor chatter, let’s focus on the food. For the most part, I really enjoyed my meal. The flavors, aromas and Thai and Cambodian combinations were tempting from the moment I stepped inside. The appetizers were a hit, especially the Thai curry puffs (you need to try these!). I also enjoyed the wonderfully fragrant samlaw machu kreoung – a true one-bowl wonder of layers of great flavor. I can’t say Mekong is my favorite for Thai, but I can certainly see why it’s so well-liked and has a fair amount of devotees.

Like always, here’s part of the review or you can read the full post here:

If you’re in the mood for Thai, head to Cleveland Heights, which seems to boast a Thai restaurant in just about every main section of the city. One in particular, Mekong River, is often referred to as the best in the area as well as a favorite take-out stop for several area chefs.

Food: Thai and Cambodian are the focus of Mekong River, named after one of the world’s longest rivers. There’s no shortage of choices here, with several tempting pages ranging from starters, soups, curry, Thai and Cambodian entrées, noodles and fried rice specialties and a lengthy offering of vegetarian choices.

On our visit, we started with an order of the crab Rangoon ($4.99), wontons filled with cream cheese, crab meat and seasoning and Thai curry puffs ($5.99), ground chicken, sweet potatoes, onions and cilantro wrapped in a puff pastry served with a thick peanut sauce. Entrées included seafood samlaw machu kreoung, a sour pungent Cambodian stew with ground lemon grass, celery, eggplant, jalapeño, garlic, galanga, tumeric and tamarind sauce served with white rice ($13.99), and pad Thai, perhaps the most often ordered Thai dish with noodles, bean sprouts, scallion, eggs, bay scallops and shrimp ($13.99).

The star of this outing was definitely the appetizers, particularly the Thai curry puffs. These thick, small pie-like starters were savory and beyond satisfying. A trip back just for this is in our future.

Dinners were not as favorable. We’ve sampled pad Thai at just about every Thai restaurant around and this version was not among our favorites (though if you like your pad Thai a little less sweet and light on the peanuts, you might want to try this). The samlaw machu kreoung was much more memorable. This heavily fragrant dish is a one bowl wonder with many layers of flavor, including tangy, sweet and spicy. It’s an impressive dish, especially how it all seems to work so well together.

Bottom line: While the Heights has no shortage of ethnic eats, we’re not yet ready to crown Mekong as our favorite for Thai. It does, however, offer wonderful options and is worth checking out—for takeout.

Night 1

For dinner, we all did the tasting. For $39, you get to pick anything you’d like from each of the sections. I started with the breakfast radishes, clams and foie gras, roasted tomatoes and Ohio lamb with wild ramps, yogurt lentils, lamb skin, cumin and Fresno chilies. I’d also like to be able to tell you what we drank – but I can’t. All I know is we went through numerous bottles of wine and I believe my brother-in-law created his own vodka tasting. All of which made for a very, very enjoyable night.

As anticipated, my dinner was simply incredible. Truly – this might have been my favorite GHT experience to date. The only dish I wasn’t crazy about was the roasted tomatoes. And I would have liked a little more space between each course, though given we had a few kids with us, this was probably a good thing. I even liked Natalie’s buttered noodles (yes, they have a kids’ menu now!). But the highlight was the lamb (though the clams are right up there). If you like lamb, you need to get to Greenhouse and try this dish. Now. Seriously – he changes the menu often so don’t take any chances on missing it. A few weeks ago while in San Francisco, I ate at Boulevard and ordered the lamb. I love lamb and felt that was the best dish of its kind I’ve ever tried. Well, they only held that title for 3 weeks. Truthfully, that was the most amazing lamb I’ve had and the lentils alone should be its own side.

The tasting at $39 is a great deal. The portions are big  and you get to pick whatever you want. It’s a great way to go.

(check out Amelia Sawyer showing Natalie the kitchen in action – she was mesmerized as she really does like to stare off into the kitchen when we take her out… fingers crossed for her future career)

Night 2 On Mother’s Day itself, Jamie took me to see Pearl Jam. I’ve been a huge PJ fan since I was 15 and have seen them live twice before. I can remember going to the library and borrowing Ten (still believe this is one of the best albums of all time), bringing it home and taping it because I spent all my babysitting money on something else. And I’d ride around in my mom’s station wagon listening to that tape over and over until I literally wore it out.

Clearly I’m not 15 anymore (and thankfully no longer driving around town in that wagon). And while I still consider myself a huge fan, I think my concert days are coming to an end. It really was a great show and the perfect present (though the 2003 show was better); I just don’t think I’m the concert type anymore. But I’m all for the dinners that precede concerts!

Pre show dinner was, you guessed it, back at The Greenhouse Tavern. For as much as I wanted the Ohio lamb dish again, I just wasn’t that hungry. Instead I had the clams, Ohio lamb ravioli and a side of lentils with lemon (not the same lentils as with the lamb – if only). The ravioli are small and only a handful comes per order, so this was the right amount of food. And just like the night before the clams were perfect (I agree with Kate Krader – one of the best dishes of the year, simply a smart pairing that pays off). The lentils and ravioli were just as good.

I clearly cannot get enough of Greenhouse.

Night 3 Last night we took some clients to dinner at Chinato followed by the Cavs game – my first game of the season (lucky me, huh?).

We all have off nights. Chefs have off nights. Athletes have off nights. No one is exempt from this rule. And I think last night was the perfect example of that.

I’m not going to toss in my two cents about the game. I think Clevelanders got an earful today from the sports media across the country to Twitter to the radio. We get it. But I will say this: I don’t think we’re cursed, I still think we’ll win the next two and LeBron will be here next season. But Cleveland teams sure make it hard to love them sometimes, don’t they? And there have been plenty of days when I swear I’m not going to raise my daughter to be a Cleveland fan. But what would be the fun in that?

I’ve been to Chinatoa few times now, but this was the first visit for the three ladies I was with. I will say this – they all loved their meal, from start to finish, and seemed really happy with my restaurant selection. And don’t get me wrong – my meal was good, too (fennel and olive salad, scallop crudo and braised beef). But it wasn’t great – except the crudo – what a fantastic start to the meal. I’ve written a few times about how much I love that fennel salad in particular. But last night it just wasn’t the same. I can’t put my finger on it, but something was off. The selection of braised beef was completely in response to the cold rainy weather. I love anything braised – but felt this dish was just ok. It wasn’t as flavorful or tender as I was hoping for.

Like I said, my meal wasn’t bad by any stretch, it just wasn’t as good as I know it could have been – because I think Chinato is an amazing restaurant and have been wowed there a few times already.  And my fellow diners were quite happy with their meal. Despite the off night, at least to me, it was still the highlight of the evening. The company and conversation were wonderful, service  friendly and honest (I love when servers are truthful about what they like and dislike) and the restaurant’s atmosphere in general is one of my favorites.

For as much as I enjoy cheese, whether at home or dining out (I prefer cheese at the end of my meal versus something sweet), I’ve never participated in a structured cheese tasting. That is until L’Albatros extended an invitation for a few bloggers to participate.

Now, if you’ve been to L’Albatros, I don’t have to tell you about the food and how truly wonderful it is. You know this (and if you don’t, you’re missing out). And if you’ve dined here, chances are you’ve met Brandon Chrostowski and have already been wowed by their impressive cheese selection (the best in Cleveland) and his extensive knowledge. Well, imagine an entire evening of this.

We participated in the Italian cheese and wine tasting last week. For two hours, a group of 50 or so listened to music, sampled light hors d’oeuvres, and were taken on a trip throughout the regions of Italy where we enjoyed wines and cheese hand selected by Brandon, a certified sommelier, fromager and trained chef — a triple threat (read more about Brandon here).

The eight cheeses we sampled include: La Tur, Casatica di Bufala, Salva Cremasco, Pecorino Sardo, Testun al Barolo, Monte Veronese Malga, Taleggio Bergamasco and Blu del Moncenisio – plus carefully selected wines to accompany each.

Brandon won us over after our first visit to L’Albatros shortly after they opened. And this tasting just amplified what I like best about him. He’s knowledgeable, but not in a pretentious way. And he’s a wonderful storyteller who genuinely enjoys passing on his learnings and sharing the back story of each cheese- where it comes from, interesting facts, etc. So each guest walks away with something other than a new favorite cheese.

My personal favorite cheese of the night was the very first course, La Tur. This incredibly creamy cheese comes from Piemonte. It might just be one of the best cheeses I’ve ever tried. I was also impressed with the Testun al Barolo, but I truthfully don’t know if it was the floral hints of this cheese I liked so much or the great lengths Brandon went to for us to try (one hard-to-pronounce volcano  kept his order in Italy, and the horrible weather down south, where the only cheese monger in the US he was able to locate resides, was also affected by Mother Nature).  I actually enjoyed each course, with the exception of the last one – mostly because I’m just not into bleu cheese.

The staff was quite generous with the portions – for both the wine and cheese. They regularly came around to top off the wine and offer more cheese (though trust me, no one needed it). Like I said, we were guests, but the cost of this tasting (and most of their tastings), is $50. And I can tell you that is an incredible deal given all that you experience during the two hours. At the end, you have the opportunity to buy any of the wines and/or cheeses (I bought the vin santo del chianti, castello sonnino, Montespertoli. I didn’t care for the blu cheese it was paired with, but surprisingly liked this dessert wine).

The only thing I would have liked with this pairing was perhaps some greens or even sorbet about half way through, just to break it up (it is a lot of cheese, even for me, and you need something to cut through it all). But truly, even without, this was an impressive tasting and I highly recommend experiencing first-hand.

Parallax

The next day, I took a client to another of Zack Bruell’s restaurants: Parallax in Tremont. I’ve been impressed with this restaurant since the day he opened it. It’s always spot on and one of the best restaurants in town. We sat outside and I took advantage of it being a Wednesday when they offer the full sushi menu: sashimi combo of yellowtail, white tuna and tuna, plus a cup of the leek soup. I’m a fan of nearly everything I’ve tried there, but the sushi is among my favorite in town. Always fresh, inventive and completely satisfying. Sushi is available for lunch at Parallax everyday, but only a limited offering – except on Wednesdays. The entire sushi menu is available for dinner each night.

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.

Umami is the ultra tiny restaurant in the heart of Chagrin Falls. I first wrote about them last June when Michael Longo was chef. It’s close to my house and office, so we found ourselves there often. I was impressed – with the food and space. You see, for as much as I like the Falls, food options are ho hum at best.

Then Longo left for whatever reason. I went twice more post his departure and was disappointed (all restaurants have bad days, which is why I went twice – I’ll forgive anyone for a bad day). It’s not that it  was a horrible experience by any means, it just wasn’t nearly as good. They were the same dishes, but fell short of when I’d previously tried them. So I stopped going.

About six weeks ago Umami made its way back on the rotation, both for lunch during the week and dinner. It started with Jamie. He went back  few times with coworkers and was happy. Then I talked to friends that had a recent positive experience so I figured I’d return and see for myself. The new chef, Matthew Anderson, apparently changed up the menu and instead of cooking what he inherited, created a menu filled with contemporary Asian dishes he wanted to make, dishes that represented his style.

I can’t quite say that I love it, but I think it’s really, really good (highly recommend the udon noodles with spicy beef), and if they continue to improve as they have been, no doubt I’ll be saying the L word soon. 

But here is what I do love – the service. Truly, I cannot say enough good things about the staff and even the chef, who I don’t believe reads or is even aware of CF (not that that matters or means anything), but we have been there at least four time in the past month and are really impressed by their passion, friendliness and willingness to go that extra step to make it a positive dining experience.

Case in point – today’s lunch/dinner. I just got back in town from Chicago and we were hungry. We headed to Umami for a quick bite, walked in and were told they don’t open until 5 (it was 3:30). No problem. But the server asked us to hold on, talked to the chef then came back and told us to have a seat. He said as long as we didn’t want sushi, we could stay. We felt bad and said that’s not necessary, but they insisted and said it’s no problem at all. So we hooked up Natalie’s toddler seat and ordered away. On a previous visit, the server asked what he could get my daughter and I said she’ll just eat some of my dish. The server said not to worry, he’ll have the chef make her something special. A few minutes later he came out with a super tasty chicken stir-fry of sorts that she inhaled. These little things go a long way, especially when Natalie is involved. And I swear, Umami has become her favorite as of late – she totally flirts with the server and likes that she has a direct view into the kitchen where she watches the chef (her favorite pastime). The chopsticks are right up her alley, too.