Seoul Hot Pot

3709 Payne Avenue
Cleveland, Ohio 44114
216-881-1221

Ok, people it is cold here in Cleveland. It is cold and there is a whole bunch of snow outside. One thing that Clevelander's love to do and know how to do in these conditions is eat, and eat well.
If you are looking for that soul satisfying, toe tingling, and that cure for bone chilling cold, then Seoul Hot Pot is the place to go.
Seoul Hot Pot is situated in an unassuming free standing building in Asiatown. There is an entrance in the front and one in the back that takes you through the small produce-packed kitchen. I have yet to visit when they are busy, but that does not change their delicious offerings. Appetizers, grilled meat lettuce wraps, and hot steaming bowls of veggies and meats.
Every meal starts with little bowls of succulent selections including Kim Chi to nibble on.
This visit we ordered the Shrimp and Scallion Pancakes, grilled beef lettuce wraps and the Rice Cake and and Egg Drop Soup. All three were delicious. The appetizer pancakes were sweet and savory. The Beef was seasoned and cooked perfectly, and the soup was fantastic.
The little rice patties floated through the strands of cooked egg, and the broth was light and satisfying.
Seoul Hot Pot is a must for this chilly season, if not any other part of the year.

Momocho

1835 Fulton Road
Cleveland, OH
(216) 694-2122
www.momocho.com


I do not know where to start when it comes to Ohio City's Momocho. I have been there many times, and have always loved it. The music, the lighting, the service, and the food make you feel comfortable and looking forward to the next time.
Knowing we were in for a good meal, we were excited to attend Momocho's latest tequila tasting dinner. I have attended a wine tasting dinner and a tequila tasting dinner there so far, so I couldn't possibly miss the last of the season. We sat at the bar, which was a perfect spot to be able to see all the activity around us. Not everyone was there for the tasting dinner; many chose to order off of the menu. Their menu choices are wonderful, but if there was a delectable tasting menu being offered, why wouldn't you get in on that!? To each his own I suppose.

First, we were presented with a "play on soup and salad". A bowl was placed in front of us with a dollop of chopped rock shrimp and a basil pesto sauce nestled in the bottom.

Over the rock shrimp and pesto sauce, they poured in the Tomate Amarillo Soup. The soup had just enough spice to wake you up but not to knock you out. The consistency of the soup was of a smooth puree and it was a perfect way to set the stage for the following courses.

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Patron Silver was the tequila partner for the first course. Although Patron Silver is not my favorite of tequilas, it definitely fit well with the spicy soup and tender shrimp.
The second course offering was the Sweet Corn Fritters, served with roasted chilies and Queso de Urgell Fondue.

The corn fritters were served on skewers over the bed of chilies. The Urgell Fondue was on the side for dipping or pouring. The Urgell was just the right accompaniment for the corn fritters. The creaminess of the queso brought out the sweetness of the corn and the smokiness from the roasted chilies beautifully. Herradura Reposado tequila was served with the fritters.

This tequila also brought out the sweetness of the corn and cut through the queso nicely.

The third course was the Tuna Cebiche Taquito, served with Watermelon Pickles and a Sour Orange Crema. First of all I love cebiches. The citrus denaturing the fish is just a lovely frolic for the tongue. This cebiche presentation was no different.

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With the squeeze of lime served on the side, the tuna was bursting and the Watermelon Pickles I could eat all by themselves. With the drizzle of the Sour Orange Crema the dish came together superbly.

The cebiche was accompanied by Don Julio Anejo tequila, and with its honey undertones was absolutely perfect.
Next was Momocho's intermission course. I love this unique offering. The intermission includes a flavorful little selection to cleanse the palette before continuing on the culinary journey.
Served in a shot glass was Guanabana Punch with a Vanilla Bean Nieve, topped with thinly sliced Strawberries.

This was perfect. The guanabana, which is a sweet tropical fruit, with the vanilla bean and a bit of sorbet was delicious. The thin strawberries added just enough texture to the little shot glass of sweet heaven.
Next, my favorite course, was the Pork Confit served with Baby Ramps, Coconut Foam, and Mango Salt.

This dish was so good that I felt drunk after finishing it. I love discovering dishes that just intoxicate you, or immediately give you that euphoric feeling, this dish accomplished both. The sweet fatty pork belly was exquisitely spiced and the lightly sweetened foam danced on the surface before it melted and surrounded the saltiness that lay beneath it.

The mango salt sat on the plate tormenting you, as if it knew, after a bite of the pork, you wanted that extra sweet and savory addition. Served with this was Corazon Anejo tequila. This tequila has a hint of spice to its finish, and complimented the fattiness of the pork well.
As if that weren't enough, the fifth and final course was dessert. The dessert was a Latin Crepe Cake, with Milk Chocolate Mojo and a Tequila Spiked Horchata.

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Thin crepes were stacked upon one another and placed on the Milk Chocolate Mojo, with a shot glass of milky Horchata for sipping, shooting or pouring. I opted for a few sips then the pouring. My companion opted for the complete pouring over the sweet crepes. The Mojo was wonderful and was perfect with the thin crepes. The mild sweetness of the Horchata was very nice sipped or cascading down the layers of the thin crepes.

Momocho has never disappointed, and this trip was no different. The tasting menu and it's pairings were perfect and thoughtfully executed. Unfortunately, the season is over for the tasting menus, but now that the weather has changed their beautiful patio will be open. I will surely be visiting them again soon, very soon.

Tom's Seafood Restaurant

3048 St. Clair Ave.
Cleveland, Ohio 44114
(216) 771-1928
www.tom-seafood-restaurant.com

I am always open to trying a new Asian cuisine restaurant. I have not heard anyone talk about Tom's Seafood Restaurant, and I have passed it often so the other night we gave it a try.
You walk through the glass doors into a large open dining room. Only about three tables were occupied early on this Tuesday night.
We started with tea of course and ordered Crab Rangoon, Pan Fried Dumplings, and Spring Rolls. All three were not that exceptional; as a matter of fact the dumplings had a weird flavor to them. We also ordered the Egg Drop and Wonton soups. The Wonton was very bland and unexciting. But, the Egg Drop was quite tasty and flavorful. We then ordered the Ong Choy with preserved tofu sauce, the Shrimp and Scallop with Black Bean sauce hot plate, and the Beef with Pan Fried Noodles. The Beef with Pan Fried Noodle dish was nothing compared to Siam cafe's version. The flavors were lacking and the beef had a certain flavor to it that I just didn't care for. The Shrimp and Scallop dish was pretty tasty and I really liked the Black Bean Sauce. The Ong Choy was a nice dish also, but it didn't have much to it, although I had not tried Ong Choy before, I have to say I prefer it's cousin the Bok Choy. The meal was finished with sliced oranges. The sweet citrus was a perfect conclusion to the meal.
Tom's Seafood Restaurant had its good points and it's bad points. I don't think I will be in any rush to return, but I am glad I got to try another one of Cleveland's Asian restaurant offerings.

Saigon

2061 E. 4th Street
Cleveland, OH 44113
(216) 344 2020

The newest addition to Cleveland's East Fourth Street strip of restaurants is Saigon, a Vietnamese restaurant opened by the owners of #1 Pho on Superior Ave.
Do not confuse #1 Pho with Superior Pho, the delicious restaurant I have mentioned before. In fact, #1 Pho, and Saigon, cannot even compare to Superior Pho. Based on our experiences with #1 Pho, we did not have high expectations for Saigon but were willing to give it a shot. They had a good range of menu items to impress us with, but unfortunately the flavors did not.
We were one of three tables in the whole place at 9:30 on a Friday night. It was during Cleveland's first annual Restaurant Week, and this could be one of the reasons why they were so slow.
The decor is modern and sleek. Back lit blue framed pieces adorn the walls and there are Bamboo accents and divisions throughout the space. There is a three seat bar at the rear of the restaurant, which you would think would be larger considering that it is located right on the East Fourth strip. You would think a larger bar would be much more attractive to someone looking for a quick appetizer and sake, but instead there are about ninety seats spaced out over the shiny hardwood floors.
We started with the spring rolls and summer rolls. I liked the presentation of the summer rolls, with the sauce at the end of the dish. Unfortunately, the flavor was not as impressive. The spring rolls, as my companion pointed out, tasted as if they had just been defrosted from a grocery store. The fresh julienned cucumber slices were the best part of the two appetizers, not a good sign so far. Next, we ordered the Rare Beef Pho soup and the Vermicelli and Barbecued Pork. The Pho broth was salty and had a strange powdery undertone, the beef had a gamey essence to it that was a bit unnerving. The Barbecued Pork was bright red and had a good flavor and the Vermicelli noodles were nice and refreshing with the crisp bean sprouts, this dish was not too bad.
The service was great and our server was very friendly. Only three tables were occupied, and I wondered if they ever get busy. Was she so pleasant because the rush was over, or because she finally had customers?
All in all, if Saigon continues to dish up sub par meals and remain empty on a Friday night, I doubt they will make it much longer.

Li Wah

2999 Payne Ave.
Cleveland, OH 44114
(216) 696 6556


I suppose I have been on an Asian cuisine kick lately. But, I love the flavors and the different techniques that go into such cuisines. I have been looking for the best that Cleveland has to offer. I have been doing research on what others say is the best in the city, and so far we seem to have somewhat differing opinions. Li Wah in Cleveland's Asian Plaza, has been toted as one of the "best" Chinese restaurants in the city. Okay, you walk in, and the place is pretty, everything matches. It is a large and sprawling place, and when we arrived it was early on a Saturday evening. We were promptly seated, and our server came over a few moments later.
We looked around the dining room and saw parties of four or more of people not of Asian decent. Not that is exactly what is important, but I feel it can be a good indicator of whether the food is authentic and or good. We ordered some tea, and decided to get the "Spring Roll" appetizer and the "Vietnamese Spring Roll", just to compare. Both arrived, and served with two plastic squirt bottles of spicy mustard and sweet sauce. They were crisp rolls, both I found to be uninspired and lacking flavor. The only flavor was from the fishiness of the Vietnamese rolls; not a good flavor. I ordered the Vegetable and Tofu soup and my companion ordered the Spicy Beef Noodle Soup. The soup I ordered was meant to be a starter soup, and the other as a meal, which I realized when we ordered, but the server I think thought that I did not know this information.
After about 45 minutes I would say, the vegetable and tofu soup arrived. A large bowl of raw vegetables tossed into a salty broth with cubes of Tofu bouncing around. There were chunks of shrimp and crab as well, which I was not aware there would be in a vegetable soup. The beef soup was lacking flavor as well, and only had the bean sprouts to thank for texture which came on the side for your own addition. The noodles were over cooked and also lacking.
Even though we only had a few items, and it was early on a Saturday evening, I still feel that is no excuse for a restaurant that is supposedly the "best" in a city.

Superior Pho

3030 Superior Ave E
Cleveland, OH 44114
(216) 781-7462

Superior Pho in Cleveland's downtown is a tiny 15 or so table, Vietnamese restaurant specializing in Pho soups. Pho: savory rice noodle soups that are traditionally made with beef. But, can be made with chicken and pork, and come with garnishments of bean sprouts, basil, lime, and peppers. Usually, the soup starts with a slow simmered beef broth and is then served with beef shank, eye of round, flank steak, brisket, or fatty flank options.
As soon as you walk through the glass door you are enveloped by sweet and savory smells of basil and simmering beef. It was a Saturday afternoon and there were people of all ages having lunch when we arrived. Families, couples, and some friends, were all enjoying warm and soul comforting soups. They serve Jasmine tea by the never-ending pot full, as well as bubble teas. We started with a few summer rolls, of rice paper wrapped around shrimp and sprouts, and an order wrapped around Chinese sausage and fried egg,served with a sweet peanut dipping sauce. We also started with the crisp spring rolls stuffed with marinated, and chopped pork. Next, we all ordered a Pho soup. I tried the one served with fatty flank steak and eye of round. The fatty flank was falling apart as it floated in and around the cilantro, scallions, and tender noodles. I wanted to curl up in the large bowl and take a nap, swimming amongst the sweet broth. My sis in law chose the Barbeque pork and shrimp soup, which arrived steaming with a salty broth, but bursting with flavors of the cilantro and a sweet smokiness from the pork. It was served with chopped lettuce on the side for personal addition.
The staff was quite pleasant and ready to make our stay more comfortable at each pass.
Superior Pho serves up simple and delicious concoctions with ease, and it is definitely a spot I will return to every time I get the hankering for a smooth, and delightfully filling Pho.

Lucky's Cafe

777 Starkweather
Cleveland, OH 44113
(216) 622-7773
www.luckyscafe.com

Lucky's Cafe in Cleveland's Tremont neighborhood is a perfect place to sit and sip coffee all day or just stop in for a quick bite. The cafe has indoor seating and outdoor seating. The seating outside consists of picnic tables lined up along side their personal herb and vegetable gardens.
Each time I have been to Lucky's I have left pleased and sometimes overly caffeinated, due to over indulgence of the luscious coffee. They are open seven days a week, but only serve brunch on Saturdays and Sundays. They offer sweet selections like scones, tarts, cookies, and cupcakes as well as soups and sandwiches. The sandwiches are served on your choice of house baked breads from focaccia and multigrain, to baguettes and flaky croissants. My most recent visit I left with two cupcakes and a peanut butter brownie, and unfortunately, all three were dry and unimpressive. Because of how good everything else has been, I surely will try again.
On the brunch days they serve delectable options, from gingerbread waffles with maple apples, honey whipped cream and house made caramel, to the Shipwreck: an egg scramble of bacon, potatoes, peppers, and cheese, served with buttery toast. I also have enjoyed their house made granola served with yogurt and fruit, as well as the oh so rich, brioche stuffed French toast, with sweetened ricotta and served with caramelized peaches. Sweet deliciousness. Even if you arrive on a busy weekend morning, the overstuffed couch near the front is a perfect spot to enjoy your meal and coffee while looking out of the large picture window on to the street, or conversing with your neighbor across the table.
The staff is always helpful and courteous. A few additional perks are that they adorn the walls with local artists' works, and also feature a daily dark roast, medium roast, and flavored coffee.
There is nothing like a locally owned cafe; especially one that grows it's own veggies and herbs, and Lucky's is definitely not one to overlook.

Siam Cafe'

3951 Saint Clair Ave NE
Cleveland, OH 44114
(216) 361-2323

What can I say? This is the best Thai/Cambodian cuisine to be found in Cleveland, (so far.) I say so far, because I have not been to every single Thai place in the city, but I have been to a good handful, so up to this point Siam Cafe' is the best. Every time you walk in to the place you are greeted with a warm hello, but for my personal taste it is way too bright. (Although I do like the lights to be lower than most in restaurants.)
They are always friendly and helpful if you should have questions about dishes, how prepared or their favorites. I personally love the Tom Khar Gai soup. Made with coconut milk, galanga, lime, scallions, and tender pieces of chicken. My significant other opts for the spicy Tom Yum Goong soup, which is great too. A must are the pan fried dumplings and the crispy spring rolls, just to get started while you figure out the rest. The rice paper rolls are refreshing with the bean sprouts and basil too. Going along the beef route, i would have to insist on the Beef with Pan Fried noodle.
It is served with a hearty brown sauce with carrots, shrooms, and broccoli. The noodles are crispy and juicy at the same time, from the savory sauce dowsed upon them. The duck dishes are quite fabulous as well, if you are in to duck. Most of the seafood dishes I have tried are succulent and well rounded with flavor. And if you are really hungry or have some friends with you, call ahead and see if they have any Ham hocks around...We went there with good friends of ours, and they luckily had the Ham hock special available, we couldn't resist. The platter full of fall off the bone meat came to the table surrounded by bok choy. It was just that simple. Juicy, tender, falling apart meat covered in a lightly sweetened gravy and perfectly cooked bok choy. Not only was this dish delicious, but the price was unbelievable! $15! Yes, that is right. The four of us with two beers each, tea, appetizers, soups, one dish, and the Ham hock got out of there for around $65! Can't beat that.
This is a place that you know every time you will get a damn good meal and not have empty pockets when you leave.