Ray's Place

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When we moved back to Cleveland we were actually naïve enough to think we would see our friends and family more often. Since just about everyone we know has had kids (and lives on the west side), we’ve found increasing difficult to find people able to go out to dinner with.

Through the magic of Facebook I’ve reconnected with an old friend from high school. Upon finding out he was married with two children, I figured this was going to be another “we can’t go more than 300 feet from our house” situation. To our surprise they both enjoy going out and don’t mind driving if they have to. (The added bonus here is that his wife Paula is really cool, too. What sucks worse than going out with a friend only to have a wet rag spouse come along?)

Since her mother lives in Kent and would watch the children (for the low, low price of free) I suggested Ray’s Place. I had heard nothing but good things and even though I spent a year attending school there – I had never been.

We met there about 7 on a Saturday night and there were tables available. I’m going to foreshadow a little here, but for food that is this good and inexpensive I’m surprised we didn’t have a wait. (I will say that I don’t think the students were back yet.) When school’s in session I imagine the story changes a little.

So we sit down and Jay tells me that draft list actually looks pretty good. Well, actually looking at September’s draft list things look better than good, (Southern Tier Pumpking, Bear Republic Racer X Double IPA). Sign me the hell up. Who’s going with me? So the draft beer list is really good. The happy hour is more like happy dinner service – it runs from 4-9pm!

The food here is high quality (and high fat). If you think you’re going to walk in and eat a bunch of low calorie BS, you’d better think again. That being said, I’m from the school of “I don’t give a damn what the calories are – but they better be worth it!” I can say unequivocally - it is. I ordered the Stuffed Gourmet Burger (6oz. patty, stuffed with mushroom duxelle (a minced mushroom, oniony mixture), topped with caramelized onions, and blue cheese served on a Kaiser roll). I hate stuff that comes on Kaiser rolls – unless it’s a stack of twenties – but the burger was so juicy that the firmer, drier roll actually kept the thing from being a sopping wet mess. A Shake Shack bun would not have been good for this particular burger.

Many a hamburger experience has been ruined by sub par fries – but this is not one of those stories. The fries are of the fresh cut variety and come in potato and sweet potato form. They actually call the sweet potato version “Sun Fries”. All of them were light and crispy. I don’t even think the ones at the bottom were soggy.

Ray’s Place is epic. I hit the trifecta on this visit: draft beer selection, burgers, and fries – all kicked ass. This is the kind of restaurant you can bring anyone in your family, from baby to grandparent. There’s something for everyone here. As I said before, I’m not really sure what the waiting routine is when school is in session so I might call ahead to find out.

Ray's Place
135 Franklin Ave
Kent, OH 44240
(330) 673-2233
www.raysplacekent.com

Krazy Jim's Blimpy Burger

When you go to Ann Arbor there is no shortage of delicious lunch options. To be clear here, I’m not talking about, “Mmmm, that was good.” I’m talking about, “Damn, that may be all time top five.” In the past I’ve talked about Le Dog and Zingerman’s Deli as noteworthy places to have lunch.

I’ve always wanted to try Krazy Jim’s Blimpy Burger, but never wanted to risk the disappointment of a bad burger and missing out on lunch at two places I already love. Since Regina wanted to hit Haifa Falafel (which will be tomorrow’s post speaking of all time top five), I figured I’d just go ahead and try Krazy Jim’s.

To be honest, you can go to just about any college campus across the country and there is a place that has been there that is wildly popular among students and the nostalgia hungry alumni. Krazy Jim’s has been going strong since 1953 and certainly falls in the category of “Ann Arbor Institution”.

When you walk in you notice that there is definitely an assembly line, insider knowledge, ordering language, don’t upset the apple cart by not knowing how to order, feel to it. The ordering at Krazy Jim’s is very similar to the anxiety you feel when walking up to the counter at Pat’s or Geno’s and ordering a cheese steak in Philadelphia.

You pretty much faced with the task of knowing pretty much all of the stuff that you're going to have on your burger right from the get go. You’re standing in line with a slew of people in both in front of and behind you. The fear of looking like a dork in front of everyone forces you to focus on the menu to know exactly what you want.

The burger patties when rolled up like meatballs (which is what they start out as) are about the size slightly larger than a golf ball. They go on the flat top as a meatball and are then smashed into a patty. One of your first tasks is to tell them how many patties you’re going to have on the burger (I went with an unmanly two patties). The second thing you had to tell them was if there was going to bacon, grilled onions. If I remember correctly, the last decision was what type of bun to use. (I chose the standard issue plain bun.)I was happy to make it through the line without drawing attention to myself (unlike I did at my first visit to Pat’s Steaks).

Since this was my first time here I went with a fairly standard bacon cheddar burger. When I took the first bite I thought for sure that if I closed my eyes I would think I had been transported to Madison Square Park in New York City. This is very similar to Shake Shack’s burger (my all-time favorite burger and just opened an outpost in Miami, FL). As I ate this little work of art my wife looked at me and said, “Well?”

The Shiz-nit

Well? “Fucking awesome” pretty much sums it up. I wanted to get back in line after I finished my sandwich. The crispy edges, the soft bun, the flavor of the patties made this worthy of a special trip.

I’ve been meaning to get to Miller’s Bar in Dearborn, but always seem to be in the area on a Sunday when they’re closed.

I now have three places that I have to seriously ponder for lunch in Ann Arbor. And yes, Krazy Jim’s easily makes my list of all-time top five burgers. I love this place.

Krazy Jim's Blimpy Burger
551 S Division St
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
(734) 663-4590
www.blimpyburger.com

The B Spot

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As has been the custom in the past, I called Cheesecake to go out and try a place my wife doesn’t typically like to go – a burger place. On this occasion we decided on Michael Symon’s B Spot.

If there’s a restaurant interior that seems to really fit Symon’s persona, at least from an aesthetic standpoint, it’s this place. Decked out in a range of black, chrome, and shiny, the décor seems to be inspired by the opening credits in his Dinner Impossible days – complete with faux stamped motorcycle parts hanging above the bar and a studded bathroom door. The U-shaped bar sits in the middle-rear of the room, while being surrounded by an assortment of free standing tables, booths, and high boys.

Our server Amy, who was dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, took our orders on a pda type device. When I tried to order a Bear Republic Hop Rod she was able to see that they were all out of it. It was then that I opted for the $1 PBR (vast departure I know). Cheesecake went with his usual Bacon Cheeseburger. Being a creature of habit myself, I opted for whatever appeared to be the hottest thing on the menu in this case the Red Hot Burger (with pulled pork, pickled tomato, hot peppers, pepperjack cheese, siracha mayo.) We decided to share an order of the Lola fries.

The place was packed; it was prime dinner time so I expected things would take a while. Surprisingly the food came out in no time at all.

I would estimate that the burgers were slightly taller than they were wide. As I bit into my burger I noticed to things: 1) The meat was juicy as hell 2) There was nothing hot about this thing.

I’m not as “in the know” as some people are, so I wasn't sure who the hell Pat La Frieda was (or maybe I knew, but I don’t know it). It turns out this meat company from NYC cranks out top notch product.

When I bit into the burger juice spewed from the patty. High marks for the burger patty itself.

Some people have complained about the bun. Is it my style? No. I’m partial to the softer more generic type bun like they have at Buckeye Beer Engine (which is Shake Shack-esque but a little more substantial.) The Shake Shack bun is my favorite of all time; but it wouldn’t work with the burgers here at B Spot; the patties are too thick for that type of bun. I think they DO call for a thick bun like they’ve got. I just wasn’t all that crazy about it. I think it was a little crumbly in the top part of the bun?

Whenever I order something hot, my nose is the gauge for just how spicy a dish really is. This burger didn’t register a single nose wipe - not even twinge. Perhaps the spicy stuff was cut by the beef and pulled pork. I don’t know, but hot it wasn’t.

The Lola fries were good but a little shy of what I would pay $3 for.

In the end I’m not as high on it as some (here, here and especially here, and I’m not as down on it as here), but I don’t know that I’ll be rushing back. Symon has obviously done his homework and positioned himself in an area that is absolutely starved for this type of dining option. My guess is that he will never be short on customers at this location. I can’t speak for lunch, but dinner can have a half hour to hour wait. Thankfully they are pretty good with their time estimates, so Barnes & Noble, Trader Joe’s, etc. are the perfect place to spend that time.

Update
I hear that the bun has been altered so as to not get as soggy from the juices emanating from the burger patty. I cannot personally attest to the new version, since I haven't eaten it, but apparently the kitchen has responded to this situation.

Michael Symon's B Spot
28699 Chagrin Boulevard
Woodmere, OH 44122
(216) 292-5567
www.bspotburgers.com

Buckeye Beer Engine

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Buckeye Beer Engine does not get that much play with the local food scene. Cheesecake and I went there last night; which was my first time. What can I say other than I was very, very impressed. If I lived on this side of town I would be either an alcoholic, chub tub, or an alcoholic chub tub.

I liked it on three separate levels: the beer, the food, and the setting.

The Beer
BBE offers up 27 different beers on tap. With four separate price points ranked by letters A thru D, with A being the most expensive, they have a beer for the aficionado as well as the “I don’t care, just gimme a goddam beer” crowd (my father falls in the latter category). Since I’m a huge fan of Bear Republic Brewing, I went with the Hop Rod Rye. A self proclaimed Racer 5 addict, I was surprised that I liked this one more than maybe Racer 5. Later on I finished my dinner with Buckeye Brewing’s, Buckeye Bling Bling; which ended up being okay. Aside from the one page draft list, they also have what I think is at least a 3 page bottled list that totals somewhere around the century mark. If they just served beer and nothing else I would drive from Shaker Heights to come here.

The Food
While we waited for the food to come, we talked about what makes a good burger. Does it have to be a hand-made patty or can it be preformed? Is it the bread? Is it the toppings? Is it the sides that come with it? Does price play a role? Does a burger get points if it's cheaper, like $6, but a click below the $16 version? The discussion could have lasted hours. Each question giving rise to new ones. It just the kind of exercise you want to be engaged in when there's an entire keg of Hop Rod Rye on tap.

From some of the things I’ve read BBE cited fairly regularly as having a good hamburger. Cheesecake would be the only one sampling the bovine bliss tonight due to the fact that I am in the middle of trying to lose weight. Here something cool: if you see a burger you like but don’t want the hamburger patty, you can substitute it for a chicken breast or a spicy bean patty. I ordered the Blackened Burger (chicken breast substitute), with Cajun seasoning, topped with mushrooms, caramelized onions, and blue cheese. It had an awesome char on it, the bun was just a plain (but very soft and fresh), and there was so many big chunks of cheese on it they were falling out the back of the bun. Looking back I think this is the best sandwich I’ve had this year. A side of shoestring fries and a deep fried pickle come with the sandwich.

Since I wasn’t allowed to substitute the baked beans for the fries, I ordered them “to go”. When I reheated them at home, they tasted like they were fresh out of the pot. What had intrigued me was the addition of the jalapenos. These beans tasted like my favorites down at City BBQ in Columbus. With a brown sugar influence, they tasted just like my favorites. The only difference between the two of these recipes was the subtle heat you felt at the end of each bite. If there was a gripe, it’s that there weren’t any chunks of brisket or pork (at least none that I could see). These were a special so they might not be on the menu if you go.

The Setting
A big bar dominates the central space of the restaurant, proudly declaring that beer is at the forefront of this establishment. Behind the bar sits a battalion of taps, eager to serve any thirsty customers who come through the door. To the left of the bar are tables and booths, with high boys rounding out the balance of the seating in the front of the restaurant. I know it isn’t much consolation heading into winter, but a sizeable patio area wraps around the front of the building. I actually like drinking great beer with loud music, but it might not be the place to take the elders if they’re looking for burgers, unless you can sit outside or they too enjoy loud music beer drinking. In which case, a good time will be had by all.

The bottom line is that this is THE place to have sandwiches and beer. I know this may be sacrilege but I’m going to go so far as to say that the beer (27 different drafts, 100+ bottles), the food (inventive tasty sandwiches with bread that will actually fit in your mouth), and setting (both have loud music, both have tables and chairs but BBE just has more of them, and no 2 hour wait). I have a gift certificate for Melt that I still have to use, but after that I think I’ve eaten for the last time at the one in Lakewood. As far as my D, D, and D Mondays have gone with Cheesecake, this one was the best yet. Buckeye Beer Engine is definitely worthy of a special drive from Shaker.

Buckeye Beer Engine
15315 Madison Ave
Lakewood, OH 44107
(216) 226-2337
www.buckeyebeerengine.com

Thurman Cafe

Walter Dad and I took a roadtrip to Columbus this past Sunday. I had a couple of things I had to do while I was down there, so it was a perfect opportunity to catch some food at the same time.

I knew that when we got down there that I wanted to take him to Thurman Cafe in German Village. Since it was the weekend I figured lunch was going to be packed; so I planned on a midday visit to avoid any major wait.

We got to Thurman Cafe around 3 and there was about a 5-10 minute wait. It's kind of like Melt in the sense that there is a waiting room on one side, and the bar and dining area on the other. On the plus side, the waiting room offers free popcorn while you wait.

Here's a tip: go at off peak hours. At dinner and lunch the wait can sometimes be measured in hours. There comes a point where the wait isn't worth it. It is an old bar space so (as you can see from the photo below), space is very limited.We sit down and the first thing I notice is that it's much more pleasant to eat here than the old days due to the absence of cigarette smoke. It had been the first time I'd been there since the smoking ban was put into law. Very nice. Looking around the bar you can still see the nicotine patina that coats the walls and ceiling (the smell however is gone.)


I ordered the Jonnie's Special which is a 1/2# burger with blue cheese, horseradish cheese, and bacon served with fries. I can't remember what Walt got but it was massive (pictured below). However, his burger was not as big as the Thurmanator which was the centerpiece of a Man vs. Food episode (a hamburger with a half a pound of ham on it.)


The burgers here are great. Like most things, the best ever is a relative term. I would say Thurman Cafe rates toward the top of the list for most people that have been. The big complaint is going to be the wait. As I said before, do yourself a favor and go at the odd hour - you'll be glad you did.

Thurman Cafe
183 Thurman Ave Columbus, OH 43206 (614) 443-1570 www.thethurmancafe.com