I think I may have mentioned maybe once or twenty seven times just how picky I am when it comes to Italian food. I’m willing to bet many of you aren’t nearly as selective as me when it comes to all things Italian, so you should read any reviews of such eateries with that in mind.

About six months ago, the former Corbo’s space thankfully stood vacant no more, thanks to  the opening of Mia Bella. We went (all three of us) last month on behalf of Metromix. While I liked many things about this place (our service was great and I did enjoy my entree), something about it just seemed off. I can’t put my finger on exactly what that was (perhaps it was the Turkish music playing in the background?), but I can tell you that if given the choice, I wouldn’t be in a hurry to head back anytime soon. Again – it wasn’t a bad experience, but like previously stated, I’m just overly picky when it comes to dining out for Italian.

Here’s part of the review or you can read the full recap here.

Food: This is Little Italy after all, so the main focus is Italian—Northern Italian to be exact. But look a little closer and you’ll also see other Mediterranean influences including Turkey, Greece and Albania throughout the menu, thanks to the owner’s roots.

The overall focus on the menu and the chef’s approach to food is simple and eagerly shared with every diner: create simple food that’s sustainable in practice with an emphasis on supporting the surrounding community.

On a recent visit, we started off with Buffalo mozzarella for the table with thick tomato slices, thinly-sliced prosciutto and green olives ($6). For dinner, we tried the chef’s favorite pizza—nine inches of pesto, thin-sliced chorizo, onions, pepper and smoked mozzarella atop thick crust ($9) and the veal braciole ($21) with hardboiled egg, breadcrumbs, ricotta and some other super secret chef ingredients that no one was over eager to share.

This was an interesting dining experience filled with ups and downs starting with the disappointing appetizer. The prosciutto was tough and cheese rubbery. Then we dug into the pizza. With the exception of the crust, this also fell short of expectations (and certainly not the ‘best pizza in the neighborhood’ as described by our server). Not to mention the almost nonexistent chorizo and peppers. But then came the braciole. The expectation was for more of the same, but that was not the case here. The tender veal was tightly wrapped around perfectly-packed and flavorful ingredients—and lots of cheese. The braciole was surrounded by a delightfully thick marinara sauce, which we nearly soaked up every last bite with the bread. It was an incredibly satisfying dish that left us wondering how it came out of the same kitchen as the first two dishes.

Décor: Weather permitting; grab a seat outside on the sidewalk alongside the building. Any seat along Little Italy, particularly this corner, is the best seat around, complete with people watching and the sights and smells of this beloved neighborhood. If it’s a seat inside you’re after, you’ll enjoy the open and airy space of this somewhat small and intimate restaurant. And of course, you can do that same people watching by a handful of tables next to the large windows.

Insider tip: Parking options in Little Italy aren’t overflowing.Therefore, free valet Monday through Thursday is a nice touch.

Bottom line: While this wouldn’t be our first choice when dining out in Little Italy, there are definitely some bright spots that make it worth exploring.

Breakfast. We all have that place. Our joint. The go-to spot. These places may not serve the most amazing, high quality meals. But they have character, comfort and that little something special that keeps us coming back for more. Growing up in Solon, we often went to Chicago Deli as kids and in high school, I’d regularly meet friends at Jim’s Open Kitchen early in the morning. And when I first moved out on my own to Cleveland Heights,

I haven’t been back for my usual in nearly four years. A three-way tie between Lucky’s, Vine & Bean and Yours Truly (in the Falls) have become the new “go-to” Sunday spots for us. But a recent visit back shows that some things never change – and that makes me perfectly happy.

You can read my full Metromix review here, or part of  it below.

For nearly 30 years, the Inn on Coventry has been the quintessential neighborhood restaurant. The original three owners and cooks (the oldest is 96!) have been serving breakfast, lunch and dinner to locals, college students and those looking for a little morning grease to cure the previous night’s happenings at one of the neighboring watering holes.

Food: Just like any good neighborhood spot, you’re known for something. The Inn would like that to be home-style cooking at its best—traditional comfort food that’s likely to remind you of your childhood. After years of visits at every time of day, we think it’s breakfast (and Sunday brunch) that the Inn does best.

At breakfast, which is served all day, you’ll find all the standards—omelets, sandwiches, pancakes and waffles. Under pancakes, you can choose to order the regular buttermilk pancakes, or wisely upgrade to apple cinnamon, orange whole wheat, peanut butter chip or blueberry and cashew. We tried a single pumpkin ($3.49) and were quickly wishing it was a short stack. Simply great fluffy goodness. Pancakes are a specialty and we know why.

There’s also the slightly not-so-common finds like crepe of the day; sausage, gravy and biscuit; huevos rancheros; no carb bennie and meatless eggs Sausalito. There are a slew of omelets to chose from and, of course, their signature eggs Benedict.

Aside from the pumpkin pancake, we also sampled the chorizo scramble ($6.99) with tomatoes, peppers, onions and Jack cheese with a side of toast and hash browns plus the feta omelet ($8.44; more for egg whites) with spinach, olives and tomatoes and a side of toast and hash browns.

The scramble had great, fresh flavor, though we would have liked a bit more heat from the chorizo. The same goes for the omelet (that is big enough to share)—great flavor, but a little more feta and olives would have been nice. The perfectly crunchy and seasoned hash browns are wonderfully addicting and still just as good. Our only complaint here is with the ketchup; they offer Hunt’s instead of Heinz.

Décor: Twenty-nine years in business and this place hasn’t changed. It’s not stylish or current, yet the atmosphere is inviting and comfortable. You almost don’t want it to change because it’s familiar and welcoming. Grab a seat by the window and you can easily spend a couple hours people watching and chatting with fellow patrons and servers. It’s that kind a place—a true neighborhood spot.

Bottom line: You wouldn’t think this traditional, cozy restaurant would fit within this eclectic, diverse neighborhood. But the two go hand-in-hand and this community wouldn’t be the same without the homemade, comfortable eats the Inn has happily been serving since 1981.

I liked everything about this place – almost. Right off the bat I felt at home on the patio. I could easily picture myself spending any given summer evening on the patio with friends. The overall atmosphere of this space quickly won me over.

Next up, wine. Another winner – good thing since it’s in the name. We enjoyed everything we sampled. And I liked how the wine list was presented, the knowledge of the staff and the fact that they offer opportunities for their customers to increase their wine knowledge.

Service – another plus. And the location of the restaurant itself on Linda Street in Rocky River. I hear there are more eateries and boutiques in the works for this part of town. Rumor Mill Alert: I also hear this space itself plans to move to allow for growth. Not sure if there is any truth to this. Anyone?

Now what I didn’t care for. Sadly, it was the food. We tried several different dishes and nothing really did it for me. I had high hopes for the brie and avocado bruschetta. Two of my favorite things, how could this not be anything but ideal? But it wasn’t – along with the majority of our eats. But despite this, I would go back. We genuinely enjoyed the patio and wine. I’d just pass on ordering food and keep my fingers crossed that the cheese and charcuterie offering way outshines the food.

Here’s part of the recap or you can read the full review here.

Food: The menu features an array of dishes that are meant to pair well with your wine or to be enjoyed on their own. There’s a good mix of starters to share, larger dishes and sweets.

On our visit, our eyes were immediately drawn to the brie and avocado bruschetta ($10), which we ordered before perusing the rest of the menu or sampling wine. Unfortunately, this dish fell short of expectations, which were rather high since typically anything that includes brie coupled with avocado should be an automatic winner. Not so in this case. The bread was barely toasted, which meant the brie wasn’t melted as described by our server. Additionally, the avocado wasn’t as ripe as it was likely supposed to be. The only ingredient that really jumped out was the honey mustard drizzled over top that was borderline overwhelming.

The rest of the meal was on par with this dish, except for an order of the wino fries with malted vinegar and cabernet ketchup ($6)—these were quite addicting and rather satisfying.

Other dishes included the BBQ chicken sandwich special on a pretzel bun with corn salsa ($9) and the chorizo and manchego quesadilla with pineapple salsa ($11). The chicken was overcooked and tough, though the bun and salsa were nice accompaniments. As for the quesadilla, this was another dish that based on ingredients alone should have had us coming back for more…but it won’t. You couldn’t tell there was chorizo or manchego stuffed in this tortilla. Two distinct flavors, particularly the chorizo, were sadly rather bland and unidentifiable.

Perhaps next time we’ll stick with the cured meats and cheese selection.

Libations: Where the food lacks, the wine picks up, and is clearly the focus of this establishment. Wine Bar features an impressive selection of wines from all over the world for every palate and price point. The menu is nicely sectioned in categories making it easy to navigate. Groups include: bubbles, slightly sweet, forever fun (sauvignon blanc, fume blanc, pinot gris), toasty (chardonnay), slightly sweet (rose, Riesling), sensational (blends, cabernet, Bordeaux), soft curves (merlot), sensitive (pinot noir), dramatic (chianti, syrah, malbec, zinfandel) and ports. There are also 15 white and red wines each, both ranging from $6.50 to $13.

If you’re not in the mood for wine, there’s a full bar and a handful of domestic, imported and craft beer.

Décor: While the inside of Wine Bar is fairly traditional and cozy with its dark wood and idyllic two top that sits right under the oversized wine window, the patio is the main focal point–and for good reason. Outlined by the quaint little stores on Linda Street and mature trees offering privacy and shade, the patio is perhaps one of the best in town. There’s plenty of seating and even a pergola in one section. It’s the perfect place to spend an afternoon or a long summer evening.

Bottom line: Though the food may fall short of expectations, the wine offerings and atmosphere surely don’t. Wine Bar is a great place for a date night, catching up with friends or to increase your wine know-how.

I went to Zinc a few weeks ago on behalf of Metromix. I had heard prior to my visit that the service was shaky, but a good mix of pros and cons on the food. Well, I have to say that our service was spot on (though we did have a our toddler with us which meant we dined like blue hairs!). But even as the restaurant drew a bigger crowd, our service was still well above average.

The food on the other hand, not so much. I can already hear the excuses: ‘they are still new, give ‘em time’. Or, ‘no restaurant is perfect upon opening’. I’ve said it once, I’ll say it 100 times. If you are open for business and charging full prices, then your food and everything else you present should be to the level that you’d like your customers to experience.

Now I will be honest and say that my folks were with us and they genuinely seemed pleased with their dinners. It was Jamie and myself who weren’t too happy. It wasn’t that our food was bad. Nothing we sampled was in poor taste (except the scallops, and even my dad who eats everything passed on those). It’s just that with such stiff competition around the corner (and throughout the city), you better be great. Because we have lots of choices about where to spend our money and our free time. And based on our visit, there was nothing that excited me and would make me want to come back (though I would be curious to grab a coffee and croissant one morning).

Here’s part of the review or you can read the full piece here:

Decades ago a once vibrant and bustling department store stood proudly on Euclid Avenue until it closed its doors in 1961 due to downtown’s declining retail scene. While retail may not be as prominent within downtown Cleveland as it once was in the days of the Taylor & Sons department store, the culinary scene is and continues to thrive and grow, as is evident with Zinc Bistro Bar and Bakery—the newest tenant in the renovated former retail turned office space in the Gateway and East Fourth area on Euclid.

Food: Focusing on French classics and offering Cleveland’s only raw bar, chef-owner Tom Quick, formerly with Epiq Bistro and Piccolo Mondo, hopes to be a vital player in the ever-growing food scene and popularity of E. 4th.

His menu focuses on traditional French dishes, including cassoulet, duck a l ‘orange, escargot, crepes and coq au vin. On our visit, we started off with a half dozen west coast oysters (per our server’s urging) and onion soup, then moved onto the braised short rib ravioli app, bacon and egg salad, coquilles saint-jacques (scallops with crispy cauliflower in brown butter), and the braised short rib entrée.

There is little to this dinner that wowed us. Don’t misunderstand. Everything was, in fact, enjoyable. But with such stiff competition right around the corner, and with the continued success of L’Albatros, we expected great—not borderline good and in some cases, just OK. Aside from one dish, nothing we sampled left a lasting impression.

That impressionable dish in question was the short rib ravioli. Our suggestion, order the larger appetizer portion and enjoy this as a meal. It was beautifully presented and cooked perfectly, with plum mushrooms and a pea purée.

We can only assume the chef has a thing for short ribs, because the short rib entrée was our other favorite dish, with creamed spinach and perfectly soft root vegetables that melt in your mouth. The wine that the short ribs were braised in came through in every bite. Our only complaint with this dish was that the meat was not as tender as we would have liked. Short ribs should not require a knife, and these ones did.

As for our other dishes, the scallops were completely oversalted and inedible (though the cauliflower was perfectly crunchy and seasoned beautifully—we would have been happy with a plate of this alone). The oysters didn’t impress us as much as we were led to believe (not to mention several bits of shell atop some of the oysters), and aside from the extra thick and crispy bacon, the bacon and egg salad contained all the right ingredients, but fell short on flavor.

Décor: This formal French bistro space is big, though they do a nice job of making it not feel as big as it really it. There’s an upstairs mezzanine, large bar area upon entering, wide booth and smaller tables just past the bar, followed by another dining room that can also be used for private parties. We feel the most sought-after section of this restaurant will prove to be the 30-seat patio and bar. This will surely draw a lot of attention and become a popular destination for the after-work crowd.

Bottom line: Recognizing Zinc is still in its infancy, our hope is that the food can only improve. In the meantime, enjoy the patio and the delightful drinks and what we believe will be a nice bakery for morning snacks and your daily caffeine intake.

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.

On behalf of Metromix, we found ourselves in a booth at Russo’s one recent Saturday night at a very early 5 p.m. (we had Natalie with us). Here’s the full story and part of the review is below. This gives a pretty good recap of our experience. But what I didn’t really share too much on was the dish we ordered for Natalie – kid’s cavatelli with marinara sauce. In all honesty, I absolutely loved that sauce (and meatball). I am such a marinara  snob and if you don’t have good sauce, I’m convinced the same will be true for the rest of the menu. I can’t tell you how much it bothers me when Italian restaurants can’t even make a good sauce. Well, Russo’s can and did. This sauce was outstanding. In fact, I played the part of mean mommy the next morning when I ate all of Natalie’s leftovers  (you would have too!).

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Since 2002, there’s been an interesting restaurant taking shape in Peninsula. The restaurant is presenting a combination not found anywhere else in town—the flavors of Louisiana plus the various regions of Italy.

Food: The wildly-eclectic menu at Russo’s features Italian, as you might expect, but also Cajun and Southwestern dishes—which are definitely unexpected. These are the flavors that best represent the chef, David Russo, who combines his Italian heritage and skills he learned from his grandma, coupled with years spent training in Louisiana (including several working side-by-side with a rising chef named Emeril Lagasse).

The lengthy menu features something for everyone—literally. In addition to the lengthy menu, the chef offers nightly specials, which practically make up another menu. We’re told this keeps the chef from getting bored and allows for him to go beyond Cajun and Italian fare.

On our visit, we bypassed the regular menu (though the Navajo tacos on pueblo fry bread were tempting) for a handful of daily specials. We started with the crawfish corn bisque ($7) and oysters for Marty, freshly-shucked oysters topped with tobiko, pickled ginger, green onion and soy ($15.99)—clearly showcasing the chef’s desire to cook outside his specialty. Main courses, which come with a house salad, included grilled double cut pork chops with red beans and rice, Southern-cooked collard greens with Steen’s cane syrup and Creole mustard ($24.99) and seared main diver scallops, corn-fried yellow lake perch and smokey-baked macaroni and cheese with grilled vegetables and red and white remoulada sauces ($28.99).

The bisque was delightful, though on the heavy side as you might imagine. The oysters were definitely the star of the starters, and perhaps the entire meal. Aside from a bit too much soy, these oysters were otherwise perfect—and fresh (we’re told they were flown in that morning, as is all the seafood. Flown in fresh, never frozen). There were many other oyster options on the menu; this dish gets us excited to try them all.

The dinners impressed as well. The gigantic pork chop was wonderfully flavorful, juicy and tender, though the accompaniments fell short and definitely weren’t at the same level as the chop. The combination dinner was perhaps too much food, but definitely a wise selection. The macaroni was without a doubt the best we’ve sampled in awhile, as were the scallops. The perch, on the other hand, seemed to be lacking any real flavor.

It’s also worth noting how much we enjoyed the bread (a large basket of homemade bread, including corn bread, with slow-roasted garlic heads to spread), and even the simple side salads. Every single item is made in house, and for a side salad, the balsamic vinaigrette with blue cheese was quite satisfying.

While the majority of dishes sampled weren’t Italian, we did try some cavatelli with pomodoro and meatballs, the chef’s grandma’s recipe. Given that the Louisiana side of the menu was so good, we were skeptical that he’d be able to execute the Italian side just as well. And while we only tried this one dish, it’s our opinion that if you can make a good Italian sauce, you are on the right path. And surprisingly, that’s exactly what this sauce was—quite wonderful.

Décor: There’s a strange combination of décor elements taking place, much like that of mixing Cajun and Italian cuisine. There’s almost a melting pot of décor elements going on and even remnants of a previous restaurant’s markings. They’ve tried to inject the Creole inspiration into the décor (particularly in the nicely-spaced Bacchus lounge that overlooks the patio) where the walls are donned with images from blues and jazz festivals from Louisiana. In the main dining room, the large open kitchen acts as the focal point, that’s surrounded by stools for diners to watch the kitchen in action.

Bottom line: Cajun and Italian is surely a pairing you don’t think of often and may even make some doubt its possibilities. But this chef makes it works and is turning diners into believers who keep coming back for more.

Like always, here’s part of the review or you can read the full review here. In short, the well-loved diner won’t be making the roation anytime soon. It wasn’t so much that the food was bad (though I wasn’t wowed), or the setting (I love dives like this and appreciate its genuine diner charm), but mostly because the atmosphere is not conducive to a relaxing weekend brunch with the family. Aside from the food, I like lounging with Jamie and Natalie during breakfast and don’t like to feel rushed – I get enough of that during the week.  At Big Al’s, people are hurdled together stalking patrons for a table, and then when you finally snag a seat, it’s the next group’s turn to hunch over you. In fact, it took us three attempts to finally eat there. Standing in the doorway with a toddler is simply no fun. The best part about our breakfast was walking down to Vine & Bean after for a mama’s skinny mocha and cappuccino.

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For the past 15 years, Big Al’s Diner has been a local hot spot, and thanks to one Iron Chef, it has even earned a few minutes in the national spotlight.

Food: Every good diner is known for something. While Big Al’s menu covers everything you’d expect from a neighborhood eatery including sandwiches, burgers and a handful of dinner items, it’s the breakfast that makes people regulars.

Breakfast, which is served all day, features 17 combinations ranging from $5.50 to $11.50, 10 different omelets (we tried the three cheese with homefries and toast for $6.75), sandwiches (try the ham, egg and cheese on an English muffin for $4.50) to the classic carb trio: pancakes, waffles and French toast. Almost all items are made from scratch and portions are generous—almost too big.

If you want to eat like Iron Chef Michael Symon, try the corned beef and hash. This was the dish featured on The Food Network’s “The Best Thing I Ever Ate.” Symon also is a fan of the biscuits and gravy and pancakes.

While we didn’t sample what the chef did (though we trust his palate), we’d also like to add the home fries with caramelized onions among some of the best breakfast fare we’ve had in town.

Décor: This diner probably hasn’t changed since the day it opened, and we suspect some items are still around from the previous tenant (Chuck’s Diner). It’s your typical neighborhood, down-and-dirty diner with friendly service and lots of familiar faces. 

Bottom line: If you’re a fan of breakfast, this traditional greasy spoon is worth checking out. You never know who you may see; plus it’s your chance to try a nationally-recognized dish for less than $10.

And then they opened. And I was invited to some pre event with people from Hell’s Kitchen (that was kind of a turn off in and of itself) plus a blogger dinner, etc. My answer was always the same – thanks but no thanks. The focus of my blog has always been supporting local and whatever you try to call this, it’s still a chain and therefore I have no interest.

I’m not perfect (I can hear my husband laughing now). Not 100% of my time, effort and money goes towards local. Since having Natalie, I might as well have half my pay automatically deposited into Target. And I’m a regular at J Crew and Banana Republic. But I always felt that with food, I could control exactly where my money goes and make conscious decisions about who I’m going to support, from local grocers, purveyors, farmers and chefs. Sure, I eat at the occasional chain (I love Five Guys and have a daily Starbucks stop), but for the most part, it’s pretty consistent. I like to keep my money here and I know I’m getting a much better quality product when I eat at one of our many locally-owned restaurants. Plus I just like to know where my food comes from. So obviously, a trip to the airport Marriott just isn’t in line with my beliefs and what I consider local. Or so I thought.

After reading more about chef Ellis Cooley, particularly his commitment to local farmers and building relationships with as many as he can, I started to rethink my stance. And last week, my stubborn streak came to end. Along with my friend Heidi and new friend Floyd with Red Basket Farm, we experienced a near four-hour dinner.

While I’d still classify this as a chain, but with a caveat. Cooley isn’t just saying he’s supports local – he truly is (even in the gift shop). He’s utilizing as many farmers as he can, serving grass-fed beef, and even growing items himself (a 1/4 acre out back). He’s shaking things up at the Marriott and I’m impressed.

What a delightful night. Between the company and conversation, and several long chats with the chef, coupled with the impressive food, I was converted. Here’s part of my review or you can read the full review in Metromix.

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While at first glance, you’d likely pass on dining at this restaurant for something more proven and in a less commercial setting, but AMP150 all but demands you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover—or in this instance, its location.

Let’s just get this out of the way now—AMP 150 is located inside the newly-remodeled airport Marriott. Covering chains, let alone encouraging people to patronize one isn’t something we’re accustomed to. But this is the exception to the rule, and chef Ellis Cooley’s commitment to utilizing local farmers and purveyors has us convinced that this is a viable dining option worthy of a visit.

Food: “We know where we are located,” explains chef Cooley. “We have to serve great local food at reasonable prices or else Clevelanders won’t come. We want to be known as a great dining spot to locals, but also something different for travelers, something other than a turkey club.”

AMP 150, which stands for America’s Modern Palate (and the 150 because of its location), serves a lot of small bites to mid-sized portions and is a garden-focused menu as the chef likes to call it. Mostly because he is making a concerted effort to support the community, from Kamm’s Corners Farmer’s Market to Killbuck Valley Mushrooms, Lake Erie Creamery as well as a quarter-acre garden onsite he’s in the process of planting, a courtyard in the hotel with a wide variety of herbs plus a plot in the West Park Community Garden. The chef is also steadfast in using only grass-fed beef, with the exception of the double bacon Angus burger.

The menu is intentionally priced so that people can sample a variety of dishes (nothing is more than $19, with most dishes priced between $6-$14). Though located in a Marriott, the chef has total autonomy when it comes to the menu. Cooley is constantly experimenting and always changing the menu, specifically the small bites.

On our visit, the chef led us through a near four-hour tasting of a good portion of the menu. Some of the dishes we sampled included the chicken liver pate on grilled bread ($6), black mussels with ginger and lemongrass in a spicy broth ($8), velvet mushroom soup with chive cream ($5), spring lamb chili with fava beans, harissa and yogurt ($6), seared scallops with pea and coconut purée and pickled ramps ($10), rabbit spaetzle with peas, speck ham and tarragon ($8), shrimp and grits ($7) and braised lamb’s neck with artichoke faro cooked in the style of risotto topped with chili spiced grapes.

Someone clearly forgot to tell the chef he works in a Marriott because this is anything but a corporate chef and these are not your ho-hum standard entrées. Fresh, inventive, wonderfully satisfying and an impressive commitment to supporting local—AMP 150 proves to be a mighty competitor in the Cleveland dining scene.

While there were dishes we weren’t overly impressed with, like the chicken paprikash and seared scallops, the majority of our tour-de-Cooley was quite impressive, with some dishes, specifically the lamb neck, rabbit spaetzle, mushroom soup and spring lamb chili, teetering on near perfection.

Desserts are solid, but clearly it’s the main menu that’s the star attraction (though all ice cream is from Jeni’s Ice Creams out of Columbus). We recommend the lemon grass crème brulee and milk chocolate panna cotta with malted hazelnut milkshake.

Libations: Beer aficionados rejoice—AMP 150 features an impressive offering of craft beers from around the world with numerous local selections, making the beer menu alone worth a visit. Beers range from Pittsburgh’s famous Iron City to Viking Blood Mead out of Denmark (with a 19-percent alcohol content that sells for $40). Wine snobs are not neglected, with several pours, half bottles and bottles available, all nicely priced.

Décor: While the food may have you forgetting where you are, the décor quickly brings you back to reality. The restaurant is located in the lobby of the hotel—literally. Though it’s nice and clean, there’s no hiding the fact that you’re in a Marriott and depending on where you sit (we recommend requesting one of the high-back booths that offers some privacy), you feel as if you’re part of the lobby’s make-up, which can make for an odd dining experience.

Bottom line: Don’t make the mistake we almost did and pass on this restaurant because of its location. While the décor and overall setting may not be ideal, the food is—and then some. This is one talented young chef looking to make a name for himself while doing his part to support the community. And therefore, deserves your support in return.

Up until last month, when I went on behalf of Metromix, it’s probably been close to 10 years since I’ve eaten there. Granted, a lot can change in 10 years – including my taste buds (I wasn’t nearly as picky then as I am now). Would the food be as good as I remembered? Would my favorite dish still be on the menu? Did the restaurant receive its much-needed makeover?

In short, the food was just as good – well, most of it. The main dishes were quite impressive, our starters… not so much. The decor is still bad and the prices seem to have jumped way up. Our dinners far exceeded expectations and I’d have no reservations about going back – except perhaps because the atmosphere is so stale and dated. For me personally, the atmosphere and a restaurant’s overall decor ways heavily when opting where to go. With that kind of food this kitchen is putting out, they need a space to match this level of quality and creativity. I bet if they did, a lot more people would be checking them out.

Here’s part of the review:

Food: Noble House dubs itself continental Chinese cuisine and offers everything from traditional, expected dishes to imaginative creations not replicated elsewhere. In fact, on our visit, we found that the usual Chinese dishes were just average while the more distinctive offerings would get us back in the door any day.

We started with an order of the chicken velvet egg drop soup ($5.75) and the Chinese corn and crab soup ($5.95) plus the Beijing ravioli for the table ($6.25).

The egg drop soup was rather ho-hum. The chicken was rather tough and the scallions overpowered the other more delicate flavors. The creamy and smooth Chinese corn soup, on the other hand, was quite unexpected and enjoyable. Our last appetizer, with a marinated ground pork, shrimp and cabbage filling, was also on the bland side. The homemade pasta skin was way too tough and we would have preferred a more creative dipping sauce instead of soy sauce.

Dinners consisted of beef tenderloin steak ($26.75) made with stir-fried filet tips with onions, zucchini and broccoli in a black pepper sauce and eggplant yu shiang ($18.95) made with large chunks of eggplant and minced pork in a garlic sauce topped with scallions.

Where the appetizers fell short, the dinners more than made up the difference. Though somewhat on the pricey side, each portion was quite large and could easily be shared. The tender beef was cooked perfectly and was boasting with flavor. The only thing that would have made this dish even better would be a bit more heat. The eggplant and minced pork proved to be a perfect pairing, especially as the eggplant sits and soaks up the sauce. Note, this dish can also be served sans pork for a nice vegetarian option. Each dinner is served with a choice of white, brown or fried rice; we opted for fried.

While we didn’t sample on this visit, on previous visits we’ve also enjoyed the Asian sea bass, which is grilled over an open fire; and the lightly breaded walnut shrimp that’s stir fried in a sweet creamy white sauce topped with broccoli and caramelized walnuts.

Décor: Noble House has been around for awhile, and the décor is the first sign of that. The traditional styling appears to not have been touched since the late ’80s. It’s dated, rather stale and in need of a major facelift.

Bottom line: It’s not cheap Chinese by any means, but the entrées deliver and you truly get what you pay for.

First, the facts. We ate at Dante last Saturday night at 7 p.m. (everyone was on time). We ordered by 7:30. It was after 9 when we got our first course and they were done serving by 10:30 (we had to ask for our dessert to go). Jamie ordered the tasting (which is included in the review); the rest of the party had a variety of items. Our server never said the tastings can take longer and instead told us he’d talk with the chef about bringing a few of the tastings out at the same time so we’d all eat together. Service was slow. We expected to wait, but this was really long. And it wasn’t the wait so much that really even bothered us, but that neither our server or the GM talked to us – and we asked several times. That’s what my complaint was, that there was poor communication. And don’t tell me it’s opening week, because no one needs to be trained to say I’m sorry, the food is coming, they are really backed up, anything. I used to be the world’s worst server and I knew every excuse in the book to tell my tables (truth be told I always forgot to put the check in – like I said, I was a crappy server). And we watched other people come and go. The only thing communicated to us was a smile, shrug and at one point we were told they were shucking our oysters, only to come back 30 mins later and say they were another tables.

And the funny thing is, the server knew I was there for Metromix – not that that matters one bit and not that I ever expect anything different because of it. I’m just saying he knew because I asked him a ton of questions when we got there and explained to him why.

In my review, I clearly said it was opening week. I also clearly stated that I have no doubt these hiccups will very soon work out and encouraged everyone to go. I also said in general, that our server was great and that we have had him many times before. Further, I said the food was good! Oh, and did I mention that I encouraged others to go and offered the disclaimer of when the review took place?

So again I ask you, why all the fuss? Should I have lied and said food came out swift and that I didn’t receive a wrong dish? Is that what you expect when you read reviews, details omitted? I don’t think Metromix does, who pays me to review places on their behalf. Just the opposite – they expect full honesty, which is why I enjoy writing for them so much. Contrary, I decided no longer to freelance for Cleveland Magazine because I learned this is not something everyone values.

The question of whether or not media/bloggers should review restaurants this soon after opening keeps popping up.  And I most certainly can see valid points from all sides. But it doesn’t matter what you want, the reality is that because of social media, people are sharing their experiences these days right from the dinner table! At one point, media may have gone several times before they review, but that’s not the case anymore. Social media is a good thing and shouldn’t scare off restaurants, chefs – or anyone. Those that learn to embrace it will find it can be a powerful tool to engage with your customers. Those that choose to ignore it are in for a long battle. It’s part of our daily lives now. I’m not talking out of my ass here; this is a subject I know very well. It’s what I do for a living. People have always talked – word of mouth is the oldest form of advertising. People are still doing the same thing, just now they have a new medium to share and the speed is greater than we have ever experienced. This proves to be a great opportunity – chefs, business owners, etc. can listen to the conversation and have a direct line with their customers. Know what’s being said about you and why, learn from it and engage. I promise you, the benefits are endless.

All that being said, I do fully agree that it can still be tricky to review a place during opening week. People are learning a system and how to work together – I get that. It takes time and waits could be off and checks may be incorrect. I’ll give anyone a pass for all of this during the first few months of opening.  Heck, I don’t care if you have been open for years, I’ll always give a restaurant one free pass on service because I know how lousy I was at it (it’s repeated mistakes when I opt not to go back). This is why I clearly stated when we went and put it in context for readers. But what I think is fair game to judge right out of the gate is the food and décor. If you’re not quite yet comfortable with your food and think there is a possibility that people will find fault, then don’t open! But if you are open for business and charging full prices for food, then the food should be what you are hoping it is and it’s fair to review. We all make mistakes. I screw up constantly and there’s no shortage of people waiting to tell me. But if you’re open for business and charging away, then I think it’s totally fair to review (again – with the caveat that I do think service is the one exception).

Bottom line, I was a regular at the old Dante and plan to make numerous visits at the new location through the years. I think Dante himself is very talented and we’re lucky to have him back in Cleveland (and he’s a fellow Italian so automatic points for that). And you should go as well. I have no doubt that you won’t have anything but a wonderful experience. But I am always going to be honest. Period. And it sounds like Dante’s team has already learned from this, which is the point. So it should be nothing but happy eating from here on out.