CLE Eats: Alley Cat

My obsession with oysters is well documented. Naturally, Nick and I just HAD to go try out Alley Cat with our friends Dave and Jessi (Jessi, like me is similarly obsessed with oysters). Located on the east bank of the Flats, Alley Cat is part of the Flats revival. The restaurant is located right on the boardwalk, and there were plenty of people docking their boats and walking in for dinner. The restaurant has huge garage doors, so when they are open, you feel like you're outside, even when you're actually indoors. There are also two outdoor patios, so in short, lots of room to sit. That said, I still recommend reservations!  The day we went, the restaurant was less than a week old, so the slight service issues were to be expected. The food however, was impeccable (with one exception). Between the four of us, we ordered the following:

Clam Chowder: probably the best clam chowder I've ever tasted

Ceviche: absolutely delicious

Beef Tartare: sadly this was disappointing 

Peel-N-Eat Shrimp: this was a warm dish, served in a buttery sauce-- so, so good

Shrimp Stuffed Peppers: spicy! but I couldn't stop eating it. It burned so good!

A dozen oysters: we ordered the Standish Shore, Wianno and Misty Point. The Misty Point were my favorite

Grilled Octopus: smoky and delicious

Lobster roll: Now, its been a few years since I ate one in New England, but this was v. good

Chili Braised Beef: I didn't try this one, but Dave really liked it

Rice Custard Creme Brûlée: This has the texture of rice pudding, NOT creme brûlée, so adjust expectations accordingly

There were cocktails and wine involved (naturally), and the four of us basically had to be wheeled out since we ate SO. MUCH.

Overall, the food was really good, and I know the service will get better with time and experience. With the amazing lakeside views and fun atmosphere, I know I will be back very very soon!

Scenes from my Weekend: The Birthday Edition

I celebrated my birthday this past Friday, and as one should do, I turned it into a celebratory weekend. Nick got me some gorgeous roses and my favorite La Marca Prosecco as part of my birthday present. The other part involves a photo shoot with pet photographer extraordinaire Greg Murray.

Friday evening we got dressed up and headed out to dinner at new-to-me restaurant Trentina.

If you haven't been to Trentina yet, I highly recommend a visit. The decor is a gorgeous white + black + gold combination-- I wanted to move in. The space is pretty small and intimate- only 30 or so tables, and the experience is intimate to match. 

The food is truly exceptional. We saw General Manager, Larder Master, and Wild Food Forager  Jeremy Umansky speak at TedxCLE, and we excited to try some of the innovative creations from Trentina. Trentina's food is focussed on the northern Italian region of Trentino; the restaurant offers a 12-course, 3- hour, tasting menu experience, as well as an a la carte menu. Nick and I went the a la carte route, and it was spectacular. From the charcuterie board, to the crudo, the amazing house made pastas and pizza's, our meal was flawless. After dinner, Jeremy graciously escorted us on a tour of the kitchen and the larder, where he is working on some really interesting creations for the restaurant.

Saturday morning, the weather was so perfect that it was time for Beach Day part deux. 

Unfortunately, I misjudged the amount of sunblock necessary, and left with a slight burn on the back of my arms and the tops of my thighs. Oops. and Ouch.

Sunday, I did something truly amazing for me. For the very first time ever, I'm on target to complete a real New Year's Resolution by the end of the year. I became a licensed spin instructor!!! I am so excited to find my instructor gig (I have a pretty good idea of where I will be starting off), and really hone my skills as a ride DJ and coach!

It was a fitting end to a great weekend. Naturally we had to top it off with some delicious ice-cream and churros. 

This week is going to be a little weird for me: Tuesday I'm having surgery to fix my deviated septum, so I'm going to be a little out of it for the rest of the week. Don't worry though, I have some posts planned, so keep coming back to visit! 

CLE Eats: Flaming Ice Cube

One of my favorite things about working is downtown Cleveland is the wide variety of lunch options. Now, I don't eat out every day, but when I do, I have some favorites. And then sometimes, I prefer to just explore. Last week, my friend Erika and I explored Flaming Ice Cube on Public Square.

Flaming Ice Cube has been around for a while, and offers a vegan menu. I might have lost you at vegan, but I urge you to hang on until the end of the post. I'm certainly not vegan, but if vegan food tastes so good, then I could definitely do it.

We started off with the cucumber detox smoothie. With cucumber, pineapple, apple juice, cilantro and kale, this was a perfectly refreshing summer smoothie. I could almost feel my body absorbing nutrients and detoxing.

Next up, I ordered the Asian Vegetable wrap -- this was delicious and filled with finely cut veggies. It was quite literally steaming with each bite-- so so good. The peanut sauce was TDF-  I could drink it. The side salad was a little too salty, but I just skipped it.

And finally, because I was feeling so VIRTUOUS after my vegan lunch, we decided to indulge in some vegan molten chocolate cake. Oh. My. God. This was as good, if not better, than a lot of non-vegan cakes. This was definitely the moment where I realized that if push ever came to shove, I could definitely be vegan (at least for a short period of time).

So, if you've been wanting to try vegan food, or are even remotely curious, I recommend Flaming Ice Cube. Its the kind of vegan meal I imagine Bey and Jay eat when they do their 22-day Revolution Vegan Diet. So go ahead, channel Bey and Jay. You know you want to.

Cooling off Mumbai Style

Mumbai is oppressively hot for about 9 months of the year. There's a brief respite in January and February during the "winter" and then briefly during the monsoon. But otherwise, it is HOT. And cooling off is a bit of a city-wide obsession. There are all kinds of remedies for cooling foods (there's an ayurvedic theory about some foods that cause heat in the body while others are cooling) -- in fact, juicing has been a trend for decades!

There's a very famous juice spot in Mumbai called the Haji Ali Juice Center - everyone in the city knows exactly where it is. My favorite part about it is that like a lot of juice spots in the city, you can wait in your car, and someone will come take your order and bring your juice right to you! You never have to leave the air-conditioned comfort of your vehicle if you don't want to!



I've never had one of these cream dishes these guys are talking about, but their juices are great!

One of my favorite juices is watermelon juice, and while mine doesn't taste like the one at Haji Ali Juice Center, its delicious nonetheless.

Here's my recipe:
Half a watermelon, cubed
A generous handful of mint
Blend, and pour over ice.
And then, and this is the special Mumbai bit, top with a half a teaspoon of Chaat Masala. Chaat Masala is a mixture of spices that result in a salty, slightly tart flavor. A great balance to the sweetness of the watermelon. Its available on Amazon, and also at your neighborhood Indian grocer!

Here's a look at the finished product!

So as our temperatures start to climb this summer, try a little watermelon juice with a slight Mumbai twist!

Scenes From my Weekend: The July 4th edition

How is it July already? While I'm very happy that summer is firmly here, this year is going a little too fast. Did you have a good 4th weekend? Nick and I both had the day off Friday, so we really enjoyed our long weekend!

Thursday marked 11 years since Nick and I got married. Yes, we were very young, but I think we were both very mature for our age, and very clear on our expectations of each other, which is why I think we've worked so well! I don't necessarily advocate marrying young, but I do advocate being realistic about who you are, and who your partner is, and not expecting either to change. If you're in a relationship where you argue a lot while you're dating, odds are you're going to do the same when you're married. The act of marriage doesn't change a relationship-- I think its important to remember that before you take the leap.

And with that, I'm done with my Dr. Phil moment. This is one of my favorite pictures of Nick and I from a photo shoot we did a couple of years ago. Thursday evening, we headed over to Alexa & Chris' housewarming party, where I ate myself silly, enjoyed a lot of prosecco, and obsessed over Megan's necklace (below). 

After sleeping in Friday morning, Nick and I took the pups to Nano Brew for some patio time and lunch. The patio was recently re-opened after a major renovation and it looks great! Clair and Webster were on their best behavior, and got lots of petting and love from our server and tables nearby, and they even got a few treats.

Friday evening, we headed off to Charity & Ben's to celebrate baby Max's first birthday.  I didn't get any pictures of the birthday boy (shockingly I had my phone put away most of the evening), but I did manage to snag this pic of Nick holding Penny (he doesn't hold a lot of babies-- this was a momentous occasion.)

Saturday, it was time to work off Max's delicious birthday cake with a challenging 45 minute ride at Harness Cycle. Chill Pop Shop was on hand giving away delicious popsicles-- who am I to say no to such yumminess?

Nick brought the pups up to Hingetown to meet me for coffee and breakfast at Rising Star. 

Sweaty cuddles and selfies later, we were off to the dog park for some playtime. Clair is terrified of fireworks, and our whole goal for the day was to get her as tired as possible so that combined with anti-anxiety meds, she would just sleep through all the noise.

Post dog-park, it was porch-time in the neighborhood. My drink of choice a lovely dry rose--- perfect for a summer day!

I had the most AMAZING July 4th meal of crawfish etouffee, ribs, and mac-n-cheese.

We didn't exactly go see fireworks per se, but we could see plenty of them from our neighbor's front porch. And best of all, Clair and Webster did mostly sleep through them all!

Sunday was recover day = lots of lazing around, watching The Spoils of Babylon (such a weird, ridiculous show), and napping on the couch. Sunday evening Nick and I finally got around to celebrating our anniversary with some crab legs at Salmon Dave's. 

Overall,  a lovely 3-day weekend, the started and ended with us celebrating 11 years of marriage!

CLE Eats: Merwin's Wharf

Nick and I LUUUUURVE brunch, and we're always looking for new brunch spots to try. And this Sunday, we took our inaugural brunch visit to Merwin's Wharf. Owned by the Cleveland Metroparks, Merwin's Wharf is located right on the water in the west bank of the Flats. The restaurant's walls are garage doors, so on a beautiful sunny day, you feel like you're outside even when you're not.

Nick ordered the southwest bloody mary-- piled high with meats and cheese on a stick, this was a really good bloody mary. Not too fancy, but the right mix of salt and spice. I ordered a moscow mule--- I know, not a traditional choice, but I wanted something citrusy. For brunch, I ordered the standard breakfast--- I always judge brunch spots by how well they can execute eggs, and my over easy eggs were perfectly cooked. Nick ordered the biscuits and gravy, and they were absolutely delicious!

After brunch, we walked around with our drinks outside, taking in the view. I could see myself spending the whole day there-- you can even play outdoor jenga or corn hole if you feel like it, or lounge on patio furniture and watch the boats go by. Oh, did I mention that Merwin's Wharf is dog friendly on the patio?

Overall, a great experience, and one that I'm looking forward to experiencing again. Good food, great views, super friendly service-- what more can you possibly need on a Sunday Funday?

CLE Eats: BOMBA Tacos & Rum

In honor of Taco Tuesday (we ate homemade tacos), I think its only fitting that I review my experience at BOMBA Tacos & Rum. Since it opened earlier this year, I've heard a lot about BOMBA--- mainly how much people enjoyed their experience and that it was practically impossible to get a table on the weekend. So, this past weekend, Sara and I decided to explore it for ourselves.

BOMBA is located in what is effectively a strip mall in Rocky River, a fact that made me approach this experience with some degree of ambivalence. Being married to an architect will make you strip-mall averse. Ambivalence aside, I vowed to approach BOMBA with an open mind.

As expected, the wait for a table was over an hour. Lucky for us, Sara ran into someone she knew, who let us table-share and avoid the wait. We started off with a round of mango-cilantro margaritas-- absolutely delicious. Next up was queso fundido-- another solid choice. And for my taco course, I ordered the crispy avocado and charred kale and corn. While both tacos were fine, I have to say, they just do not compare to Barrio's tacos. Sara and I were both in the mood for one final course, and we decided to split the chocolate flan. Not gonna lie, this dessert was a DISASTER. It absolutely un-flan-like, and had the consistency of Play-Doh.

Overall, I would score BOMBA as average. Go for the margaritas, definitely avoid dessert.

Explore CLE: Taste Cleveland Food Tours

For Christmas last year, our dear friends Dave and Jessika gifted us a Cleveland Food Tour. Since we had been waiting for nice weather, they joined us a few weeks ago as we actually took the tour. Taste Cleveland Food Tours offer three standard tours: The West Side Market, Little Italy, and Tremont, however they offer custom tours as well. Each tour pairs local restaurants with a look at the history and architecture of the neighborhood.

I had heard about these tours in the past, but since we had never tried one before, we decided to stick with a standard tour of Tremont. Nick and I used to live in Tremont, and being an architect, Nick knew a lot about the history and architecture of Tremont, so we weren't exactly expecting to learn anything new, but in fact, WE DID! Our tour guide was very knowledgable and led us around parts of Tremont for 3.5 hours.

If I were to summarize the experience, its like a walking tour meets progressive dinner. We met the group at 4 pm in Lincoln Park, and from there, we stopped at 4 restaurants: Prosperity Social Club, Parallax, Ty Fun, and Lilly Handmade Chocolates, although the stops are subject to change with each tour. In between eating delicious food, we learned about how Tremont came to be, and some fun facts about the neighborhood as well as the restauranteurs. Alcohol was not included in the standard tour but was available for purchase, although you can do a custom tour that includes alcohol as well.

Overall, a very fun experience, and one that I highly recommend. This would also be a great gift for Father's Day, or in general a fun gift for someone who has everything. You can make your tour reservations here.

As I mentioned previously, it is a walking tour, so comfortable shoes are key. Unfortunately, I have plantar fasciitis, so walking for 3.5 hours in flats will absolutely destroy my feet. Lucky for me, I found this pair of flats that are not only cute, but offer the kind of arch support I need.

At $99 they are a little expensive for flats, but they are worth it considering I will wear them all summer with zero pain!

So there you have it-- a lot of food and a little fashion to get your week started off just right!
XO
~ Shibani

CLE Eats: Mason's Creamery

If I had to eat just one thing for the rest of my life, it would be ice cream. I LUUUURRRVE ice cream, and we are so lucky to have so many amazing, local choices here in Cleveland. One of my favorite ice cream shops is Mason's Creamery, located in Ohio City at 44th and Bridge.

My obsession with Mason's Creamery is so great, that I've actually become friends with the owners Jesse and Helen. I'm particularly obsessed with their vegan churros that they make fresh, and basically to order. Hot churros, cold ice cream… seriously, is there anything better? Actually, there is. They also have a churro ice cream sandwich where you pick the ice cream in the middle. IT IS HEAVEN. TRUST ME ON THIS.

Jesse makes all the ice cream in-house in small batches. The flavors change frequently, and there's always an excellent mix of regular ice-cream and vegan options. Some of my favorite flavors include the mexican chocolate, olive oil (yes. olive oil) and buttered popcorn. The olive oil and buttered popcorn come served with a sprinkle of smoked salt--- absolutely amazing. 

So, if you like cool, creamy, delicious treats, hurry over to Mason's Creamery. Check their website for hours-- they are not open on Sunday until the summer. They can also be found at the Cleveland Flea, although without churros, and with a more limited menu (obviously). 

And like the mural on the side of their store, make sure to go over all the time! You will probably see me there!! 

CLE Shops: The Olive Scene

A few weeks ago, I finally made my way to the Olive Scene on Old Detroit Road in Rocky River. I say "finally" because I first heard of them when my dear friend Lisa gifted me a bottle of their harissa infused olive oil a couple of years ago. So, my tardiness in getting there really has no excuse. Anyway, my trip was a revelation into the amazing world of olive oil and balsamic vinegars--- I really had NO idea there were so many kinds!!!

When you walk in, you will immediately notice the rows of neat steel containers along the walls and down the middle of the store. First up, olive oils originating from a variety of different grapes. Next, infused olive oils, and finally, varieties of balsamic vinegar. 

I went on a major tasting spree (you taste it out of little plastic cups, like a little shot of oil)-- while I didn't really have a preference between the different types of olives, I had a few flavors of the infused oils that I really loved. Most notably, the olive, lemon, kaffir lime, baklouti green chili, and chipotle flavors. The balsamic vinegars were really amazing-- I particularly liked the fig balsamic and strawberry balsamic, which would both be perfect over some vanilla bean ice-cream. 

Prices range from $6 for the 60mL mini bottle, to $29 for the large 750mL bottle. I ended up going home with an assortment of sizes of the baklouti green chili olive oil (great with bread), lemon olive oil (fantastic when used to roast asparagus), garlic olive oil (I use this in pretty much everything and anything) and the serrano honey vinegar (will change popcorn forever). 

If you're local, I highly recommend a visit. In addition to Rocky River, the store has locations in Chagrin Falls and Vermillion. Just be prepared that you will go home with multiple bottles of deliciousness. If you're not local, you can choose to shop online, although you will not have the benefit of trying before you buy. The oils and vinegars themselves make excellent gifts, but the store also offers other italian delights like dried pasta, and gift items like pasta bowls and cheese trays. 

Get out those stretchy pants and your wallet!!!

A Very CLE Weekend

Seriously, was this the BEST weekend all year (so far)?! Warm, sunny-- fun activities…. its the little taste of summer that makes me so excited for what is to come this year!!

Friday I did not partake in the Indian home-opener festivities, instead I relaxed on the couch, doing damage to a bottle of wine and a giant bowl of homemade popcorn. After an INTENSE yoga class at Inner Bliss (seriously, so sore) I headed off to the inaugural Cleveland Flea of 2015 with Danielle and her 5-week old daughter Penny.

I seriously LOVE the Flea. Its my most favorite thing to do on a Saturday. I've come to know so many of the vendors that its basically a whole day of hanging out with friends, sampling delicious food, and buying fabulous trinkets. This flea, I was very impressed with two new vendors-- Soul Custom (pictured above) and Souls Repurpose. Both local vendors with excellent selections, and adorably styled booths (although Soul Custom was a converted semi, but still).

I would be remiss if I didn't mention the Kickstarter Campaign to grow the Cleveland Flea. The Flea gets better every year, and if successfully funded, this will take the Flea to the next level. Phase I is infrastructure like beautifully handmade furniture to be a permanent part of the Flea--- all locally made of course. So if you're a fan of the Cleveland Flea, or local shops, or even supporting local economies, or fabulous community events, please consider funding this campaign.

Sunday, Nick and I tried out Cleveland's newest brunch offering, Graffiti: A Social Kitchen. A variety
of fabulous bellini flavors and a fun, innovative menu really put the "fun" in Sunday Funday. My favorite dishes were the chorizo pop tart (served with guacamole) and the breakfast strudel.  The food was so good that I completely forgot to take pictures, and the mimosas weren't half bad either ;) --- yes, I drank them all. No, of course I didn't drive!

After brunch, Nick and I took the pups down to Edgewater Park to hang out with our friend Sara. Romps on the beach later, we were back at our place to wind down into Sunday evening with some wine and cheese, and get ready for the week ahead. 

Hope you enjoyed the weekend as much as I did, and I'm looking forward to seeing you at the next Cleveland Flea on May 9th!

CLE Eats: BEET JAR

As I've documented previously, I suck at juice cleanses. The minute someone says "juice cleanse" all I can think about is high-fat foods like cake. Or pizza. Its my pavlovian response.

That said, I really like juice. And I'm pleasantly surprised and very pleased that we have so many juice options in Cleveland, especially on the West Side. Between Garden of Flavor at the grocery store, Fruit Vibe, daily press, and BEET JAR we really have a wealth of options.

Today however, I want to focus on BEET JAR, that recently celebrated its one year anniversary at its home in Hingetown. I probably visit BEET JAR with the most frequency of any of the other juice bar options I mentioned, simply because its right next door to Harness Cycle and I frequently use their juice as a personal reward for a really good ride. I reward myself a lot.

Unlike most of my regular visits, my most recent visit to BEET JAR was right before lunchtime, and I did something that I've never done before. I FINALLY TRIED THE FAMOUS BRAVOCADO SANDWICH!!! 

If you haven't tried the Bravocado, its toasted bread, with greens, smoked coconut, avocado, red onion, and some other deliciousness that I couldn't identify. I was wary of the smoked coconut-- I think I expected it to be too sweet, but it was a perfect blend of meatiness from coconut, bite and crunch from the onion, smooth velvetyness of avocado, and tanginess from the unidentified ingredient. Seriously amazing and completely crave-worthy. Oh, did I mention it is vegan. Seriously, if I could eat food like this ALL the time, I would go vegan in a heartbeat! I also picked up some seriously delicious juice-- grapefruit, lemon, mint and cayenne. Perfection.

I would not call this an inexpensive lunch-- all in, it was about $20, but I will tell you that I felt incredibly virtuous after for putting all this healthy, nutritious stuff in my body!