Ethiopian. Citizen Pie and Noodles from an Ice Cream Place.

As the name suggests, this is kinda a random update (which I somehow lost and had to rewrite).

 

If I asked you to name some Asian cuisines or European ones, it would be easy to rattle off a bunch and be able to explain the differences. Africa is a huge place, but with the exception of Ethiopian and Morrocan, there doesn’t seem to be much culinary representation.  I have only been to two Ethiopian places before this venture so my experience is rather limited and I am in *no* way pretending to speak on its authenticity.

I tried Zoma on Lee in Cleveland Hts after numerous Cleveland.com/Scene posts mentioned it opening. I like the flavors and was excited to try a place that wasn’t the location off E. 55, just for comparison.  I guess I need to preface, for anyone not familiar, that the food was MUCH better than it was photogenic.  Also, I am super pleased that I remembered the word for Injera 😛

When I’ve eaten at Empress Taytu I’ve always been impressed with how my waiter has been a knowledgeable, Ethiopian person. Also, it is dark and intimate inside. This makes selecting food and the whole experience seem so immersive and authentic. My waiter at Zoma was a tall white guy (who did know about the food but it feels a little more manufactured). I am sure the kitchens were staffed with equally knowledgeable people.

The atmosphere was nice, colorful but kind of simple. A TV broadcast a screensaver like a slideshow for no reason. There was the Tree area for the ceremony but the well-lit rectangular tables with plastic on them gave it a slight cafeteria feel.

I ordered a trio of vegetarian offerings, (16$ which were a little soupier than I expected. This was a big portion and I really liked the yellow beans.  The lentil and red beans were pretty good. The injera was fluffy and I did not know it was gluten free (for those of you who care about that).  There was a fair amount of spice, in a satisfying but not hot way.  I was able to make it into some sort of burrito for lunch the next day from the leftovers which did not reheat as terribly as I imagined. 

Ryan got the lamb tibs (19$). I tried it and was rather impressed. It was well seasoned and tasty. This was the first Ethiopian meat dish I had that wasn’t disappointing.

Overall, I will go back. I want to try new dishes and eating without utensils is a fun change from the norm. I really like the Cedar-Lee area and this is a nice additional to an already diverse array of dining options.  The ambiance was alright but not outstanding.  I do want to see the coffee ceremony at some point.

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I have been wanting to try Citizen Pie (Pizza for the People) for aWHILE now.  I rarely go over to that area, but was seeing JD Eicher at the Beachland Ballroom and found this the perfect opportunity to try some pizza that seems like a social movement.  The inside is small and cozy. It has a very nice feel. The concept is very fast made pizzas made to order (in about 90 seconds). It is kinda like a Pizza Fire, but really quality ingredients, better dough and a million times less corporate feeling.

Steven and I went to check it out before the concert. We sat at the bar and asked for a recommendation.  We said we wanted white over red and were told to get the

AMERICANO
Mozzarella, Pistachio Cream, Italian Sausage, Green & Red Onion, Calabrian Chile … 15

It was great. I didn’t explicitly taste the pistachio but there was a nice creaminess to it that was pleasant. The sausage and chile gave it a nice kick. I could have just eaten the crust though, it was rather great.

All of you should know that I DESPISE bottle water for its environmental ramifications. So I asked for a tap. I was told they don’t have it. This confused me. They have wine on tap but not water? How do they do the dishes? Do they throw out or take all their utensils home every day? Boxed water is a better alternative to bottled.

It is cool to seem them take a ball of dough and in less than 3 minutes transform it into a wonderful, high-end pizza. This pizza was pretty beautiful, and I do like the fresh from the wood fire taste. The crust was great.  My only issue is that the price was fine (15$) but it wasn’t quite enough for 2 people to split, but I wouldn’t have wanted a whole one to myself (also 30$ for 2 people to get pizza seems a little outrageous).

The have a sign on the door that says “out of dough” (also a meter on their website that tracks the amount left). This reassures how fresh and made to order everything is, which is great. I love the logo and the concept and will go back whenever I find myself over in the area.

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I love icecream (specifically going and getting icecream wth friends) with a passion. Masons Creamery in Ohio City is a fun and kind of hipstery place that offers an every changing selection of unique flavors.  SO the idea of going to an ice cream place for food seems a little counterintuitive for me.  I have heard of the weekend pop-up Ramen for awhile (generally on Facebook).  When I learned that this was the last for the season I felt I HAD to go.  They offer an option of pork or veggie for 12$ each.  The broth and accoutremonts come seperately, and everything is to-go. I got the veggie and Dan the pork.  It was a slightly chilly morning and we got there about 40 minutes before they opened. We were probably 18th in line, but as it got closer to the time, the line got MUCH longer.

I noticed that there were a large number of Asian people in line,  (and hipsters, and a few seemingly Asian Hipsters) which reassured me to the authenticity, and trendiness, of the food.

“This is the best Ramen I’ve had in Cleveland” Dan (who is Asain, but not really a hipster).

The mushroom broth was crazy good.  It came with a variety of mushrooms as well, and some fried tofu. The egg was  absolutely perfect and it was a great size meal. I generally don’t like getting food as a carry-out, but they were able to make the presentation nice for when I opened it up at home on the sofa.  It did need to be reheated a bit, but again it was a chilly day.  I apologize that I’m posting such a glowing review knowing that it won’t be available again for months.

*If the people responsible for these magical noodles are reading this, or anyone has the ability to reach them* can this be a thing on some Friday or Saturday evenings in the summer?!?! I know I would be game for late night ramen and ice cream on a warm summer’s eve.

I tried to post the panoramic video showing the long line of people waiting for the ramen.

Parker’s with the Parents

So this meal was a get together with my parents for my mother’s bday and my 29B birthday, despite being over a month belated.

My parents came up for a fun Sunday that included a quick jaunt through the west-side market. We tried the jerky that was labeled as on of Michael Symon’s Best Thing I Ever Ate, and it was good for jerky I guess, but I’ve eaten much better things.  We then went to the Rock Hall, where we learned that pretty much any musician can be featured. Taylor Swift and Eminem are pretty obviously not Rock artists, right? We then hit up 16 Bit barcade and played some games. If you go on a Sunday afternoon you will find lots of adults with their parents playing the nostalgic machines. If you have never gone, and you partake in adult beverages, they have a cocktail called the Bill Nye which is rye whiskey based and served in a beaker, and others named after cultural figures from the 90s like Hulk Hogan, Ice T, and Winnie Cooper. My mother, who is not exactly a video-game aficionado (I don’t even remember her ever touching our N64) is a savant at Centipede. #HighScoreJeanne

For dinner, I was really torn on where to go. I like to go to new places, but I also want to show my parents cool places that are different from what they can get back home.  I wanted to do something downtown because I originally wanted to get dessert on E. 4th. I was told to try Parker’s. Since my initial reaction was “what’s Parker’s?” I had to look into it. At the moment they do not have a working website, but it is in the recently refurbished  Schofield Hotel on Euclid, across from Heinen’s/ the 9.

I looked at some reviews and they all said pretty much the same things, praising the food but being a little critical of the sound level. We were going for a pretty early dinner on a Sunday so I was not too concerned about noise.

When we entered I was immediately impressed with the simple, art-deco style interior. It was modern without looking like every other Edison-bulb and reclaimed wood filled industrial restaurant. I loved the light-up Guardians of Transportation, despite the fact they were nearly impossible to photograph. When we arrived there were few people dining, but a pretty large group in the central lounge area. All the hard surfaces and high ceilings did contribute to a lot of sound bouncing around. They need more fabric/heavier curtains or something because I can imagine on a Friday night it is pretty crazy.

Lots of Cleveland photos and artwork. I particularly liked mirrored subway tiles and ceramic floor.  The overall space is very simple and elegant.

The menu features a fair variety of options (however I personally do not like the over-sized, flimsy paper menu when dining somewhere that has $30+ entrees).  Recently, I have been pretty healthy and eating vegetarian/vegan for a majority of my meals. This menu was not really in line with that at all, as there doesn’t seem to be any main dishes that are vegan. I am okay with this since it was a celebratory meal but later on I did not feel like moving much as my body was shocked by all the meat and cream I had consumed 😛

I got the Cauliflower soup to start. $9.  Curry and cauliflower is a combination that will never fail to satisfy. The tarragon was a nice twist and the crab meat added a new flavor. I really enjoyed this, especially dipping the fresh multi-grain bread in it. It was reminiscent of Aloo Gobi, one of my favorite Indian dishes. Even my parents, who for some reason, fail to see how glorious curry is, remarked at the complexity of flavors in this soup. This was creamy, super satisfying dish… and a first look at the large portion sizes of this establishment

The waiter, who was incredibly nice and helpful, strongly encouraged me to order the fried pork chop. I was a little weary since “fried” and “pork” are both words I have been avoiding. It was a good suggestion. The cheese curds and blackeyed peas in the gravy were VERY good.  Also, the portion was borderline comical. It was a huge piece of meat. I ate all I could before passing it off to my parents.  All the portions were very generous, which is nice because sometimes when I take my parents to more upscale Cleveland places we are served tiny little tastes (and then I get to hear alllll about how every restaurant in Youngstown has 7 dollar meals that come with multiple sides).

My dad selected the monkfish, which was actually an item I was looking at. This was a good choice, environmentally. (steps up onto my environmental soapbox… seafood has some issues since some species are unsustainable harvested and others carry risks of mercury, it’s important to be knowledgeable…  Monkfish Fish Watch. ) Monkfish has similarities to lobster. I get the comparison but don’t particularly love lobster, so this dish wasn’t my favorite. The flavor was mild. I did really enjoy how the lemony champagne sauce mixed with the potato croquet that the fish was served on.  The dish wasn’t bad by any means but it did not wow me.

My mother ordered the Chicken pot pie. Now, in the past, I have been very disappointed with reinvented/deconstructed versions of this dish. Sometimes when chefs try to make a comfort food into something upscale it loses the qualities that make it wonderful.

When this came out I was a little confused by the lack of color/vegetables. I really like carrots and peas and this dish seemed to lack both.  However, this dish was amazing. In reality, it was more like a Biscuits and sausage gravy with delicious herbaceous chicken. The leeks and mushrooms just added to the flavor of the gravy. It was soo good. The chicken meat was perfect and not just bland chicken. I made sure there some left over to take home for lunch the next day 🙂

Overall-If you like upscale ingredients, creamy sauces, and big portions, this restaurant will not disappoint.   If you want an intimate/ quiet atmosphere with vegan choices this will not be the best option.  Our waiter was very friendly and the manager (?)  came over many times. Both were very passionate and knowledgeable about the food. I am not sure why this restaurant that opened last summer flew under my radar, but I am very glad I finally tried it.

I did make an OpenTable reservation where I noted we were celebrating my mother’s birthday. It’s not that I was requesting a free dessert or something.  But you only turn 44 once. Or twenty times in this case.  They did use my Opentable information to call me later (my dad left his sunglasses) which was very courteous.

The hotel is rather beautiful and has this neat indoor fire pit with nooks to sit in.

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From my weekly Barroco trip. Dan got one of the desserts. It was pretty and messy. You can get an alcoholic version as well. It led me to the realization that all gummy worms should be served with strawberry sauce on them. Probably enough for 3 people, especially after a very hearty Colombian meal.

Vegan creme brûlée?

This is mostly a photo update. I am sorry dear, dear readers (all 4 of you) for my lack of updates.  I have been eating, but I have not been dining out as much and school and things started getting a little crazy. I’ve been working out a ton so I’m trying not to eat a billion calories every day.  Additionally,  I had a pretty crazy medical thing that was a little persistent that led me to eat kinda bland food for a while. I’m better now.  And ready to review.

Yesterday I went to the Clifton Wine and Martini Bar. I had been here before and enjoyed the food. I went with Nathan and Gustavo because they revealed to me that there is an ENTIRE MENU (not one of those papers with 5 options, but a whole actual menu) of vegan options. I didn’t know this existed. They had apps, small plates, entrees, and desserts. The words “Vegan Creme Brulee” were very confusing to me. How do you make something that is eggs, cream, and sugar without two of the ingredients? Well, chickpeas are the answer. I was worried that it would taste like chocolate hummus. It did not. It was pretty tasty and they still had the burnt sugar topping.  The texture was more like a bread pudding but it was a good vegan dessert.

Not huge, but a good serving and very dense (6$). 

Gustavo got the jambalaya. To be honest, we all ate so fast that I didn’t taste it or get much feedback, but he has ordered this menu item before and it was one that the waitress highly recommended. 

Nathan and I both got the vegan tofu lasagna. It had a lot of tomatoes and spinach with basil. I don’t know if it was reminiscent of lasagna per se, more like manicotti actually, but I really liked it.  The tomato sauce was sweet but it made the tofu seem more exciting.

These were the chili fries and they. were. amazing. I loved how thick and spiraling the potatoes were. Mango and guacamole with the black beans and faux meat crumble made for a tasty version that was super satisfying without being greasy.  I will totally get these again.

 

Can we all take a moment to celebrate the beauty of this salad from Forage? They have a vegan night on Wednesdays.

I don’t think I’ve posted this on here, but I started a wonderful ritual (that is pretty much a direct contradiction to my long-standing policy of going to new places and trying new things).  I go to Barroco every Saturday afternoon. With a different friend. I  Always get the  Changua de platano (Columbian Pho) with a side of sweet maduros. 8$.  The waitress doesn’t even bother asking me what I want anymore and I like that I get greeted with a hug. If you have not been to Barroco and celebrated the joy of an arepa, you are missing out.  Also, I have gone enough times that I am running out of friends to accompany me, so let me know if you want to come! Since this has an egg and avocado I can justify it as a brunch item, also they have alcohol and a Huevos Rancheros arepa. I love this place. The atmosphere. The employees. The docor. The sauces…

Dim sum birthday dinner. Not my birthday. (Yes, I recently turned 30 but I don’t want to talk about it).  This was at Siam Cafe. IT was very good but I was confused why the chicken had a friend face as well.

I realize I have had this picture of the pot de creme at Momocho on my phone for a LONG time, mostly because I want to go back and enjoy it again.  

Admire this pizza from Masthead Brewing Co. This new place downtown is kinda like a non-German Haufbrau House. And what I mean by that is that it focuses on beer, has large communal tables, is downtown, and has surprisingly good food. I could not decide what pizza to try so I asked which was the favorite of the bartender (there are no waiters, you order at the bar and they give you a pager). This was the mortadella with a pistachio pesto, ricotta, and parmesan. It was pretty spectacular and I would never think to put pistachio on a pizza.  It was pretty big for a 12$ bar pizza. Besides pizza, the menu is pretty limited, but everything we tried was great.

 

I promise a real review soon. 🙂