Nate's Deli

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Pizza incites millions of opinions from millions of people. Falafel is my wife's pizza. The bottom line is that even though pizza and falafel are both made of a few ingredients, the subtleties from one to the next can be huge.

Nate's Deli gets a frequent mention as one of Cleveland's best for falafel. After our altruistic misfortune a few doors down, we went to Nate's Deli so Regina could get her fix.

I think the service there is a little too gruff for my taste. I don't know if was because the waitress was in a hurry or it's just the way she is, but I could do without the plate slamming.

Since I had already had lunch Regina went ahead and ordered falafel ala carte with a side of hummus and tabbouleh. Her requests were a bit unorthodox because she didn't want the pita or lettuce that came with their regular platter and she did make sure to request the pickled turnips to go with her falafel instead. These changes left the already gruff waitress to become both a bit confused and annoyed.

All in all, the Nate's hummus there is extremely creamy and tasty. The tabbouleh was "meh", and the falafel were good, but the sheer volume of what was on each plate left her not able to finish them. In the end, she concluded that she probably wouldn't be back. In terms of falafel in Cleveland, her new favorite is Jersusalem Grille in South Euclid (we'll save that review for another day).

Nate's Deli
1923 W 25th St
Cleveland, OH 44113
(216) 696-7529

The Refectory

Like most everyone else, we didn't have a whole lot of money when we we're in college. Our idea of fine dining was going to the Champp's over at Olentangy Commons. Although Regina and I had driven past the Refectory a thousand times during our years down in Columbus, we'd never actually eaten at the place.

When we went down to Columbus (where we got married) to celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary, we figured this was the perfect time to give it a try. People always speak highly of the dining experience when eating at The Refectory.


As we pulled up to the parking lot I wondered to myself what the surrounding landscape must have looked like when this building was constructed. With a indoor racket club on one side, parking and access roads on two sides, and very deep road cut (to allow cars to go under the railroad), this building is literally levitating above suburban wasteland.

The outdoor patio

The first thing I noticed when we walked in the lobby was that it had a very dark interior (very Spanish Tavern-esque). Since it was a relatively warm and sunny day we opted for the patio. The busy street that sits on the other side of the patio fence is, thankfully, not that audible due to the fact that it's about 15-20 feet below you.

Refectory Crab Cake

For appetizer we decided on the Refectory Crab Cake with mild smoked red bell pepper veloute. What I liked the most about this appetizer is that they didn't skimp on the crab. Large chunks of crab were found throughout, and was not at all greasy or full of a lot of bread crumbs.

Bison Strip Steak with Country Butter

I ordered the Bison Strip Steak with french country butter. Normally I wouldn't order bison because it's a leaner cut of meat that generally ends up getting overcooked. What the meat lacked in fat was accounted for with the country butter. This dish was also served with a small portion of potato gratin, artichoke, carrots, and asparagus.

Lemon Rosemary Duck Breast

Regina had the Lemon Rosemary Duck Breast with sour cherry bordelaise. An abundance of perfectly prepared duck breast with a restrained cherry bordelaise that carefully straddles the line of being too subtle and overpowering.

WARM CHOCOLATE TART

Pecan Praline, Milk Chocolate Sauce, Mint Julip Ice Cream

FROZEN PISTACHIO CHARTREUSE SOUFFLE
with strawberry coulis

The chocolate tart was very good, but the frozen pistachio souffle absolutely stole the show. This creation from the semifreddo family is a playful interpretation of a souffle. Highly recommended. I thought this was a great way to end the dinner.

My overall opinion is that this is a great place to eat in the summer. The interior space is in need of an update. It takes me back to an era of dining that we haven't seen in some time. But is that really the reason why we go out to eat, though? To sit in a beautiful space and eat mediocre food? No, the world has plenty of those.

If you go, request the patio. During dinner it will most likely be completely shaded so take a sweater or jacket.

Thankfully, the food is as modern as the interior is not. Every aspect of our dinner was impeccably executed. I thought the portions were appropriate, the desserts were inventive, and the service was excellent. The patio solves the interior problem and the food is fantastic.

The Refectory
1092 Bethel Road
Worthington, OH 43220
(614) 451-9774
www.therefectoryrestaurant.com

Would you like some change with that?

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Last week we stopped by the West Side Market to pick up a couple things. I had heard about the cuban sandwich at Lelolai Bakery and Cafe. Regina wanted falafel from Nate's Deli.

Since I knew my lunch would be a little bit quicker to order (and make), we decided to go to Lelolai first. As we were about to walk in the front door I was tapped up by an elderly panhandler for some food money.

"You got any change so I can buy a sandwich?"

"Come on in, I'll get you one.", I told him.

With a confused but excited look on his face the man came in with us to order a sandwich.

I ordered the regular Cuban Sandwich with fresh roasted pork, swiss cheese, mayo, lettuce, and tomato). My new found friend opted for the Corned Beef sandwich (with extra cheese).

As I was about to pay, the man then says, "Hey! What is this?"

When he was informed that it was bread putting he said, "I'll have that!"

The counter guy peered up at me is if to seek my approval. Not believing what was going on I just said, "That's fine, add a bread pudding for him."

Just as the guy gave me my new total, the entitled panhandler declared, "...and a large coke, too!"

Wanting to bust out a Judge Smails and say, "You'll get nothing and like it!"

I instead told the cashier, "Hurry up and ring it up before he orders anything else."

I have to say, at this point I felt bad for the guy at the counter because now the panhandler was bugging him for anything extra he could get. Sorry that I ever made the offer in the first place - I just sat and waited for my order.

The sandwich was decent. I don't want to pass too much judgment on the quality of the food because at this point I was somewhat steamed by the events that had just taken place. I will say this: they make all of their bread and roasted pork on the premises. I don't know that I would go out of my way to come here, but judging by all of the people in the store - it's popular.

So after wolfing down my sandwich I went by the door to throw away my wrappers. As I went to leave, my now satiated (or so I thought) friend comes up to me.

"Listen, I didn't get to thank you for the sandwich."

"...and the bread pudding, and the coke.", I thought to myself.

"No problem.", I told him.

"Say, would you happen to have any change on you?" he asked (with a completely serious look on his face).

Absolutely gobsmacked, all I could manage to say was, "No, sorry dude."

That sandwich may have been somewhat forgettable, but the story wasn't. So if you happen to be in Ohio City and you see a elderly man struggling to carry his watermelon sized balls around, run the other way.

Lelolai Bakery & Café
1889 W 25th St
Cleveland, OH 44113
(216) 771-9956
www.lelolaibakery.com

Northstar Cafe

Last Friday we went down to Columbus for our anniversary. Since we were just coming down for the day we figured we'd do lunch and dinner.

Refectory was the evening's destination so I didn't want an overly heavy lunch (City Barbeque or Katz's Deli). Northstar Cafe has been getting rave reviews for the last few years, but somehow we never managed to get there.

What a mistake.

When we walked up to the Short North location and thought we thought we were going to beat the lunch crowd at 11:45 - wrong! Every seat was taken in both the inside and outside dining areas (from a food standpoint this is a good sign).

Outdoor Dining Area

As we made our way through the line, I was really impressed with how well thought out this place was. There was a magazine rack against the north wall that sold eco and food related magazines (with a copy to read while you were eating). There were bar style tables for those who were solo, couch areas where people could sit and drink coffee, as well as movable tables for multiples of two and four.

Magazine Rack and Lounge Area

The kitchen is exposed to the front of the dining room behind the cash registers. Northstar has a wood fired oven for pizzas, coffee drink machines (they also serve wine and beer), and the requisite work area for sandwich and salad making.

Dining Area with the Kitchen in the Background

Northstar is dedicated to supplying as much locally produced organic and artisanal food that they can find. You won't see styrofoam carryout containors or plastic forks here, either.

That's all good, but what about the food?

Obviously the other stuff doesn't really matter if the food isn't any good. Let me tell you - the food does not disappoint.

Pulled Pork with Wild Rice Salad
(JB King's Ohio raised)
Given to me for free because they made an extra one.

Smoked Turkey with Wild Rice Salad (Turkey is, or was, local)

*vegetarian* Northstar Burger (beets, organic brown rice, and black beans)

If you live in Columbus, or are going to be in Columbus, you have got to come here for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Northstar makes Panera look like White Castle. There's really no comparison. I think it even blows away Così (which is a favorite of ours). The vibe is great. The philosophy even better. The food is top of the heap.

Two thumbs....way the hell up!

Northstar Cafe (Short North)
951 N High St
Columbus, OH 43201
(614) 298-9999
www.thenorthstarcafe.com

New York Style Pizza - The Search Continues

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I was flying solo for dinner, so I figured I might as well dip into the "Regina doesn't do this kind of food for dinner" category. On this night my choice would be New York style pizza. More specifically I would be meeting my father at Capri pizza in Middleburg Heights.

Located in the shopping center across from Southwest General Hospital, Capri pizza was the last real legitimate New York style pie that had been touted by others as being authentic.

Going in with an open mind, I ordered a 14" pie (the smallest they make, the other size is 18") with pepperoni. with about 8 tables for 2 and a couple for 4 or more, Capri is a very typical spartan pizza joint.

While pizza is their main focus, Capri also offers sandwiches and pasta. Most of these offerings look to be your usual suspects.

The pizza is a tad bit too thick to really want to fold, and is a bit on the hearty side for New York style. That isn't to say the pizza is bad - it isn't. I think that it has the essence of New York style, but in the end it's just a little too thick and crunchy. I think it's a lot like Vincenza's, just more filling.

With all of the usual suggestions tried, I still have to say that Sweet Basil is my choice for most authentic New York style pizza in Cleveland. If you happen to be in Middleburg Hts or North Olmsted, give it a shot. Capri pizza is good, it's just not New York style enough for me.

Capri Pizza
18340 Bagley Rd
Cleveland, OH 44130
(440) 243-2999

We're Accepting the Challenge!

Yesterday, Michael Ruhlman posted a challenge on his blog: Make a BLT from scratch. You have to grow your own lettuce and tomatoes, cure your own prosciutto and make your own bread. When you've done all of that take a picture of it. If you haven't read the rules you can get them here.

I've already got the tomatoes going, but now I'm going to have to get some lettuce started. I've never grown lettuce, made bread, or cured meat. Will I win? Probably not, but I think this is going to be a lot of fun.

Since yesterday the contest has sort of morphed into about 3 or 4 categories. I think there's going to be something for everyone. What a great idea.

The Tea Party

by Mrs. Dine O Mite

While living in Philadelphia, I had the opportunity to host, with some of my fellow co-workers, the most delightful tea party themed going away party for our boss. We managed to transform our cramped office of case managers and social workers, into an early afternoon sophisticated tea room.

The highlight of the event were these tiny tea sandwiches that I found from a local caterer named Le Petit Chef. During my research, I discovered that this company, located in Radnor, right outside of Philly, was actually nationally recognized for their miniature tea sandwich creations. They ship them all over the country and were featured in Victoria Magazine.

I distinctly recall the arrival of their sandwiches that particular afternoon...I remember being concerned when I saw the approximately 12" x 12" box that supposedly contained all of our 100 tea sandwiches. I thought, is that it? Will we have enough food to feed our ever ravenous coworkers? Sure, we had desserts and other assorted finger foods, but these sandwiches were to be the centerpiece of the affair. We had ordered three types: Cucumber, Egg Salad and Chicken Salad.

I nervously watched as we opened the box, peeled back the damp paper towels (placed inside to keep the bread from drying out), and witnessed the reveal of the most miniature, impeccably made, pristine sandwiches I had ever seen. A quick glance at their website, will show you that each offering has a special garnish and/or placed on dainty pieces of bread, shaped from cookie cutters.

While I can't speak for the Chicken salad sandwich (I'm allergic), I can tell you from experience, that the Egg Salad and Cucumber sandwiches were out of this world...they were creamy, smooth, melt in your mouth mini masterpieces...I could have eaten the whole box if they let me.

It was with this fond recollection of the creations were feasted on that afternoon, that I was inspired to host a surprise tea party baby shower for my best friend, who was having her first baby girl. What a fabulous opportunity to bring together a bunch of women and host a tea party of my own.

Although I did spend hours researching tea party sandwich recipes on the Internet, I did start out with some additional inspiration from lunches my mother and I had at Mrs. Ticklemore's Tea Room in Akron's West Point Market. My detective work discovered that the ingredients for the items they serve can be found within the store, and I decided to go with 2 of their creations as part of my menu.

I decided to leave dessert to the experts. I enlisted the help of Tremont's Cookie and a Cupcake for 4 flavors of mini cupcakes and I secured the baking skills of Flour Girl, owned by the Pastry chef of on of our favorite restaurants, Fire Food and Drink in Shaker Square.

BL Tea Sandwiches - by Martha Stewart

* Pepperidge Farm Seeded and Seedless Rye Bread
* Niman Ranch Applewood Smoked Bacon
* Mache - found at Whole Foods
* Sun dried tomato mayo

Roasted Tomato, Basil and Mozzarella Crostini

* Belgioso Mozzarella
* French bread crostini - from The Fresh Market (you could toast your own at home,
but I used these as a time saving measure. They were crunchy, but quite tasty)
* Basil - from the North Union Farmer's Market - a steal at only $2 for a large
bag!
* Roasted Tomatoes or Sundried Tomatoes - West Point Market was out of the Roasted
Tomatoes that they carry in the deli case, so I used a combination of Roasted
Tomatoes from Whole Foods and bottled Sun Dried Tomtatoes. My preference is for
the Roasted variety as I find the Sun Dried too chewy

Tarragon Chicken Salad with Pineapple on Toasted Baguette

* Tarragon Chicken Salad - from the West Point Market
* Fresh Pineapple
* Orange Zest Mayo to coat the toasted Baguettes from The West Point Market
* Grapes for garnish

Herbed Cucumber Sandwiches

* White Bread and The Other Spread (herbed cream cheese) from the West Point Market
* Bread was coated with unsalted butter, prior to adding The Other Spread
* Cucumbers
* Dill and Radishes from the North Union Farmers Market

Cranberry Tuna Salad (from Whole Foods) in mini Phyllo Shells

Cucumber Sandwiches with Duke's Mayo on Pepperidge Farm Pumpernickel Bread

Desserts

Cream Currant Scones

Cream Currant Scones from Mediterra Bakery with Strawberry Preserves and Clotted Cream

The Most Amazing mini Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

From Flour Girl:

Lemon bars
Dried Cherry Cinnamon Brownies
Coconut Almond Crunch Brownies
The Most Amazing mini Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

The Cupcake Tray

From Cookie and a Cupcake:
Yellow cake Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting - the guest of honor's favorite
White cake Cupcakes with custard and strawberry Buttercream Frosting
Spice cake Cupcakes with Apple compote and Caramel Buttercream Frosting

European Chocolate Covered Mints from Westpoint Market

Rounding out dessert were mini Pineapple cream cheese tarts that my mother made and mini cheesecakes made by the Grandmother to be.

Needless to say, everyone was sent home with a to go box, filled with extra goodies.

Through my trial and error prior to the party, I found that it is a special skill to make such dainty sandwiches, and decided for my first go of it, I would have to go with what would be easiest to pull off for a large crowd. My sandwiches weren't as traditional as those offered by Le Petit Chef.

Crostatas

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Crostatas is a relatively new restaurant located in what I feel is the middle of a culinary wasteland. I think it's the first time I've ever taken a special trip to visit a place out in the Highland Heights area.

As we pulled into the parking lot at 6 o'clock on a Friday evening, the first thing that jumped out at me was that the place looked pretty damn full. As it turns out there was already a 30 minute wait. Here's a tip: if you have a hard time finding a parking spot, it's probably going to be at least 45 minutes. Reservations are only available for parties of 7 or more.

The building is brand new. The interior is smartly decorated. There aren't any hokey murals or fake stucco on the walls (which is nice).

The pizza making area is in full view of those waiting in lobby as well as most of the people that are eating in the dining room.

Without looking at the menu I was already intrigued by what I saw coming out of the kitchen. As the servers would walk by I kept thinking to myself, "Oh, that looks good! That looks good! And I want one of those, too!"

If one thing that jumped out at me was that the ingredients appeared to be of a high quality. Servings were reasonable, yet not obscene. Me, personally, I like reasonable portions.

I decided to kick things off with an Insalata Mista which came topped with sliced strawberries and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. I normally don't get too excited about salad, but I have to say that the balsamic vinaigrette they used on this was pretty thick and sweet. If you look at the picture you can see just how thick it was because it holds its shape exactly where it was drizzled. This was a very simple salad I thought was a great value at $4.50.

Regina decided on the Grilled Eggplant marinated in olive oil. The serving was huge. Since the serving size was so sizable, she decided to take half of it home.

With an eye on dessert we decided to split a pizza. My favorite traditional wood fired pizza is from a place near Pittsburgh called Il Pizzaiolo. They make a margherita pizza with DOC mozzerella bufala that is out of this world. Since the DOC option is also available at Crostatas we decided to go with that (Regina got ricotta cheese added to her half).

The pizzas are done just like they are over in Italy. Personally, I've had enough of this type of pizza to know that if done well, they taste similar to each other. The pizzas here fall into the "done well" category. Are they the best? I'll let you decide. For me it's a question of doing them right and doing them wrong. Crostatas does them right.

For dessert I had the Napoleon Limone which is French puff pastry with lemon curd, whipped cream and raspberry sauce. There were a lot of these desserts coming out of the kitchen, so I decided to join in. I know I'm sounding like a broken record here, but this was very good and looked much bigger than it actually was. It was a nice summery way to end the meal.

Regina is all about pistachios. Period. She ordered the Spumoni with the requisite extra whipped cream. Another hit.

All told, I thought it was a wonderful meal. The food is true to what they're trying to do. While the pizzas are on the high side (for 12"), I think it's important to note that the quality of the ingredients present a case for the prices being charged. If you, or someone going with you, are expecting the typical Cleveland-ized or even New York Style pizza, I'd go someplace else. You're probably going be disappointed. If you like authentic Italian wood fired pizza, you have to come here.

The website is severely lacking (is now fully functional and informative), so but I've included a scan of the menu anyway.



Crostatas Rustic Pizza
558 Bishop Road
Highland Hts, OH 44143
(440) 449-7800
www.crostatas.com

Honokowai Okazuya & Deli

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Since we were halfway to Lahaina to whale watch in kayaks, we decided to just continue on northward to check out Honokowai Ikazuya & Deli.

Everything we had read about Okazuya had been very positive. Once we got up to the strip mall (on the east side of Lower Honoapiilani Road) it had started raining outside. Lucky for us, we got there just before the lunch rush. It looked like we were the only non-locals in the place. Seating inside is somewhat limited and the counter space was lined with working guys having lunch.

I ordered the Korean BBQ chicken with a side of the macaroni salad. The chicken was quite moist and had nice spice to it. I think what I liked the most was the char on the outside along with the moistness. Typically a good char can cross the line between moist and dry in a hurry, but not in this instance. The chicken portion is large enough that I hardly ate the macaroni salad and didn't even touch the rice.

Regina went with the Mahi Mahi with lemon caper sauce and mushrooms. The flavor was good, but it felt like more of a dinner entree because there was a ton of it and it was overburdened with sauce. She originally had her heart set on trying their infamous and highly touted, Eggplant Szechuan. However, her hopes were dashed when the woman at the counter firmly told her that they could not adjust the spiciness of the dish to make it mild (my wife has little to no tolerance for spicy foods). Perhaps her overall satisfaction would have been higher, had she been able to experience the dish she intended on having all along.

At the end of the day I'm not much of a mixed plate person. I don't like to eat all of that food (especially at lunch), but I don't like throwing it away either. For our own taste it's a bit heavy for us. The proteins were very good. If I had it to do again, I'd say leave the rice off and give me half the macaroni salad, or pehaps share with someone else.

If you're staying up in Lahaina or even north of there I think you've got to come here at least once for lunch. In terms of quality, quantity AND price you will find nothing close to this up in that vicinity.

Honokowai Okazuya & Deli
3600 Lower Honoapiilani Rd
Lahaina, HI 96761
(808) 665-0512

Le Petit Triangle Cafe

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I enjoy going to places that are not like anything else in the city. I don't think I've been anywhere that is quite like Le Petit Triangle Cafe.

Located in Ohio City, LPTC is nestled in a small space on the corner of Fulton and West 32nd Streets. The inside of the cafe only has about 7 or 8 tables. As you walk in the door the "kitchen area", which is open to the rest of the cafe, is on your right. The tables run the length of the left hand side of the space.

What is neat about the cooking area is that the counter is only waist high and as best as I can remember is not at all hidden by heat lamps and shelves. Everything that is being prepared is in plain sight of everyone sitting at their tables.

Since I had just eaten at the Seti's truck, it was Regina that was going to do the ordering. As a dutiful husband I was willing to help her finish her food if needed.

She decided on the Smoked Trout Plate which came with capers, red onion, crackers, and chopped egg. Always a sucker for lentils she also ordered the Warm Lentils with a lemon dressing.

While I can't speak for the lentils, I can say that the Smoked Trout was very good. I think what I liked the most was that there was a good variety of crackers to go along with the fish.

I think it's just a really comfortable place to eat. It almost seems as if it's been there for decades. The outdoor area looks like it would be in high demand during the summer. Le Petit Triangle certainly makes my top five for Ohio City.

Le Petit Triangle Cafe
1881 Fulton Rd Cleveland, OH 44113 (216) 281-1881 www.lepetittrianglecafe.com

Homemade Ice Cream, my new favorite thing

Ice Cream Made at Home
Regina received an ice cream maker from her brothers for her birthday. I didn't think it would be almost as fun making ice cream as it is eating it.

David Lebowitz is probably the one person who has the written the most about the subject. In just the past month he's done a very nice article in issue #99 of Fine Cooking about making flavor infusions, add ins, etc for ice cream.I also got the new Culture magazine and he had a recipe for tiramisu ice cream.

I actually used the Fine Cooking recipe to make vanilla infused strawberry ice cream with pound cake. I used the strawberries I bought Saturday morning at the Shaker Square market. It ended up tasting way better than I had expected. If I had bought this stuff at an ice cream parlor I would have been very happy.

We actually have some black walnuts from Muddy Fork, so I'm thinking there's some maple walnut in our future.

Bobby Flay Throwdown Challenge
Did anyone catch the Throwdown this past Sunday? They had a falafel challenge between Bobby and one of his former cooks. Einat Admony, who owns Taïm (tah-EEM) Falafel and Smoothie in New York City was going up against her former boss.

Making a long story short, Flay knew nothing about this chick pea delicacy. He was totally out of his element. He ends up winning the thing because there was some spicy sauce put on top of the falafel.

I was a bit put off because they had people that had never eaten the stuff judging the challenge. How stupid is that? I hate to see that stuff. You could tell he felt embarrassed because he was so outclassed, and knew it.

Regina swears that this is the absolute best falafel she's had in her life. If you make it into the city this is a do not miss.

Ko Missed
Speaking of missed. On the weekends I'll just screw around on the computer and basically wander around the internet.

David Chang of Momofoku fame has a cool reservation site for his 12 seater Momofoku Ko. It's basically a random selection site that you log into and if you're chosen you get an opportunity to book a reservation. There's no speed dial or third party booking services that can help you. The person that registers with their credit card has to have the matching license when they show up to eat.

So on Saturday I went on the website for shits and giggles. I entered my log in and all of a sudden this thing pops up and said I could have a ressie for this coming Friday at 1pm. I was gobsmacked! I've done this a bunch of times and have never gotten this screen.

What the hell do I do? I hit the "accept reservation" button and it took me to another screen where it has a timer that counts down from 180 seconds. You basically have to fill out the information and give your credit card number. All the while the timer ticks down, second... by.... second.

It pained me to turn it down. Normally I would have done it, but next week is our 10th anniversary and we'll be dropping major cash at The Refectory and G Michaels (not mention staying at The Lofts) down in Columbus.

It was the worst feeling waving bye bye to that reservation. On the plus side, if that's the worst thing that happens to me in times like these; I figure I'm doing okay.

Top Chef Magazine
Call me crazy, but I think that's one food magazine we could do without. I can see it now, the July feature is "How I Won the Truck Stop Challenge", by Applebee's Mike.

I am, however, starting the countdown for Top Chef Masters next week.

Mister Brisket
I scored some gorgeous King Salmon from Mister Brisket today. It is the prettiest piece of non-Atlantic salmon I've seen in about a year.

Curly Tail
We made a special trip out to Peninsula to grab the last six Berkshire chops the Snavely's had. They say they'll have some more in August. Curly Tail is hands down my favorite pork. I really wish they'd come to Shaker, especially in the winter.

An apology to Stuart
Sorry Stuart about the Bubbie's mochi false alarm. When they emailed us they said they had them in. Since we had given Whole Foods the phone number and contact information, I took them at their word.

When I went in today and saw that shitty Japanese brand (which sucks very badly) I talked to Demo Dave about the miscommunication.

I gave them the information again and he said they'd have them in three weeks. I promise I won't say anything until I have the box in my greedy hands. I am, however, very skeptical as they claimed the same company sold Bubbie's pickles (which is not true). I'm not holding my breath.

Thai Charm

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Seven Hills or the area near it actually has some viable dining options. I don't know if D'Agnese is technically in Seven Hills, but Pizzeria Cerino and Charm Thai have emerged as some inexpensive options serving up good food.

Regina had actually been to Charm Thai before and gave it the thumbs up. We just happened to be in the neighborhood, so we decided to stop in.

First off, I really like the interior of the space. With a good variety of tables and booths, Charm Thai is split into dining on one side and a nice bar area on the other. Much like Thai Fun (pronounced like Typhoon) in Tremont, Charm Thai is not decorated in a typical hokey red walls with gold trinkets.

I decided I didn't really want to order a ton of food, so I went with the Pad Thai and Tofu. The tofu was actually pan fried (the way I like it). I think I would have liked the actual noodles to be a little more tasty. I don't think the peanut flavor was as powerful as I usually like it.

Regina ordered the Shrimp Himaparn. She thought the salty and sweet of the dish tasted perfect. The dish comes with a generous amount of shrimp and vegetables. She really, really, likes this dish.

If you happen to be in this neck of this neck of the woods it's certainly worth a try. Thai Charm puts out a good product at a good price.

Charm Thai
7426 Broadview Rd
Parma, OH 44134
(215) 642-0360
www.charmthaiohio.com