Friday, May 8, 2009

Make sure to check here for more Cleveland posts

This is just a short list of places I’ve been to near my house (and beyond) that don’t really warrant more than a few sentences.

No. 1 Express
If it’s number one it’s got to be good, right? Wrong. Superior, No. 1, Superior No. 1, I don’t know where the whole “best” thing comes from with Chinese restaurants, but it doesn’t tell the customer much about the actual establishment.

No. 1 Express is run-of-the-mill Chinese restaurant that has surprisingly bland General Tso’s chicken. If it's spice you like, go elsewhere. I can say that the service is fast, the store is clean, and the food is cheap. I wouldn’t, however, be expecting anything approaching Sun Luck Garden.

No. 1 Express

3977 Warrensville Center Road
Warrensville Heights, OH 44122
(216) 991-5944

No. 1 Express on Urbanspoon

DiBella’s Old Fashioned Submarines
This sandwich shop makes both hot and cold submarine sandwiches. When I walked in I saw a massive neon DiBella’s sign on the back wall that reminded me of the Kenny Rogers Roasters episode of Seinfeld. Put that sucker on the other side of your bedroom window, and you just might become Kramer-like.

If you’re watching your figure this is probably not the place you want to eat at. When I want to go, I have to do so without my wife because it's definitely not Subway. I ordered the Godfather which had Genoa salami, capicola, and spicy ham. The sandwich, which I ordered hot, was really delicious. Unfortunately, the guilt factor afterward has been enough to keep me away.

DiBella's Old Fashioned Submarines
4025 Richmond Road
Warrensville Heights, OH 44122
(216) 378-0783
www.dibellas.com

DiBella's Old Fashioned Submarines on Urbanspoon

Rocco’s New York Style Pizza
I was over in the North Royalton area and drove past a sign that said “New York Style Pizza”. Since it was dinner time I figured I’d swing in. Located at (I believe) the former location of an Antonio’s satellite store, Rocco’s is for the most part a carry-out place. There are a few tables that you can eat at, but nothing totally dedicated to dining.

I went with a small (14”) pizza with pepperoni. Ray, the guy cooking the pizzas, was very friendly and served up my pizza. The pizza was, in fact, New York style. I liked it okay, but thought that the crust was missing a little something (what that is I can’t say for sure). It’s a solid pie, just not anything extraordinary. It reminded me a lot of the neighborhood pizza shops you find in the Jersey/ New York area.

The service is friendly and the prices are good. When I asked if they had any menus they said they were getting more in this week. Is it me, or do you think that’s a little ridiculous? If I owned a restaurant (especially a carry-out pizza place) I would have menus in reserve. It’s worth a try if you’re in the area, but I wouldn’t call it a destination.

Rocco's Pizza
5670 Wallings Rd
Cleveland, OH 44133
(440) 582-1132

Rocco's Pizza on Urbanspoon

6 comments:

  1. Just tried the weblink - but it goes to a restaurant in Oregon. Show and tell me more - displaced New Yorker always seeking yummy pizza here!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Here's the story:

    This place does NOT have a website. When I linked it to Urbanspoon I assumed that because someone took the time to submit a website that it was somehow correct. It isn't. Thanks for the heads up.

    In regards to Rocco's, if I had to rank the New York style pizza in Cleveland it would go something like this:

    1. Sweet Basil
    2. Marrota's
    3. Vincenza's
    4. Rocco's

    As I said in the post, if you happen to be in the neighborhood (which I rarely am) check it out. But be warned, this is not a place I would drive out of my way for. I would say Sweet Basil might be one of those places, but certainly not the other three. Marotta's is near my house. Vincenza's I go to before a game.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hello, I subscribed to your blog recently and have enjoyed it. I wanted to share my Hastily Made Cleveland Tourism Video. It's a Cleveland international restaurant tour.

    If you like this video, help make it a finalist! Give it 5 stars & send it to your friends.

    So funny...Me & my dad did the video together on Friday (he was the cameraman) with a $75 Sony digital camera...


    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2_Fwhsl7i8

    ReplyDelete
  4. You aren't serious are you? I mean, really? I think the first problem is you telling me how many stars to give it before even watching it.

    Second, you've put the same insincere bullshit on a number of other blogs I read. If you're going to pimp your video at least vary the message a little bit.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Marotta's? Are you serious? Have you ever lived in New York? Theirs is NOT New York style pizza.

    Just an FYI - this place is outrageously expensive -which I wouldn't mind if I got something for my money. My one and only experience here ended with a very over-done, dried out cracker that looked like it had red sauce dripped on it three days ago.

    ReplyDelete
  6. FYI - it kind of tells you the state of NYS pizza in Cleveland doesn't it? I'll be the first to tell you it doesn't really exist in a good form. Sounds to me like you need to open your own shop and show everyone how it's done.

    ReplyDelete