Santo Suosso

The Santo Suosso's Pizza

Regina happened to be out in Medina for a gymnastics meet and asked if I had any requests for dinner. In an ideal world she'd be picking up the pizza from my childhood - the almighty Rustic Inn. (I'll take a large pepperoni and sausage please.) In an ideal world not only would Rustic Inn still be open, but I'd also have six-pack abs, and possession of last week's winning Mega Millions ticket.

Rustic Inn is long gone, my abs...well, I haven't seen those in I don't know how long, and the Mega Million's? Well, I'm writing this aren't I?

Santo Suosso's is known for making a good pie. This little Italian restaurant opened long after I left Medina as a teenager, but people have told me, "Man, you've got a try their pizza."

My wife got home and handed me the box. Upon opening it, I have to say it looked pretty good. The crust was was very Rustic Inn-esque. The crimped edge didn't have an overly doughy-ness to it. The pepperoni and cheese are what I would consider similar to what you find in this area, but the sausage was a nice addition to both the flavor and texture of the slice.

I'd say this place cranks out out solid pizza. If I was in the neighborhood (in this case the city of Medina), I'd stop in and pick something up. I can't speak about the actual restaurant. I've never stepped through the door. Santo Suosso does, however, offer a full slate of Italian entrees and dessert.

Santo Suosso's
3725 Medina Rd
Medina, OH 44256
(330) 764-9888
www.santosuossos.com

Barbecue Classes in NE Ohio

Another hour should do it.

There's a saying, "Where there's smoke, there's fire."

I'll take that old adage one step further by saying, "Where there's smoke and fire, there's most likely a group of men nearby swizzling beers and cooking meat."

We're getting to that part of the winter/spring (whatever you choose to call it here in NE Ohio), when men (and women, but mostly men) across the land start to get that urge for a more primitive kind of cooking. Weber grills sleepily rub their eyes as they're rolled out the garage from a long winter nap. Hardware and home improvement stores switch over displays from snow blowers to gas grills and charcoal pits in hopes ensnaring impulse shoppers.

These weekend warriors range anywhere from the fanatical (that would be me, my grill did not get any sleep this winter), to the occasional hot dog and burger griller. It doesn't really matter if you grill or if you barbecue, and there is a difference, various opportunities across Northeast Ohio exist to expand your outdoor cooking horizons.

I've compiled a cursory list of barbecue and grilling classes that are quickly filling up at various locations in the area.

This first class I've actually been to. I can personally attest to the amount of knowledge visiting instructor Chris Marks shares and the quality of class put on by the folks at Heat Exchange Hearth & Patio Shoppe, in North Ridgeville. I went to the Ribs and Chicken class last year and it was an absolute bargain at $75. Like last year, Ribs and Chicken is a longer in depth class on Saturday. I'll be attending the Loin/Tenderloin class on Friday night ($50). Make sure to bring your camera so you can get your picture taken with me, I don't sign autographs!

Seriously, if you have any interest in going to this event at Heat Exchange on April 29 0r 30, I'd call now. Since the class is listed on the KCBS website, there are a number of out-of-towners that attend. I find that I learn as much from the students as I do the instruction. I happened to be seated at a table with a husband and wife that had the same cooker I did and we traded secrets. The students attending were pretty hardcore and asked a lot of really good questions. It was an absolute blast. Click here for more details.

I would say these other classes are geared more toward those who want to cook with fire more so than smoke. Judging by the descriptions I'd say they're geared more toward the grilling end of the spectrum more than barbecue. I've personally taken at least one class from Western Reserve and Paganini and felt that they both gave me what I paid for.

I haven't taken any of Viking's classes, but have heard that you have to be clear on whether it's a demo class or a hands on class. The Barbecue Basics class is classified as a workshop, so I'm guessing that means hands on. The class on April 10th runs from 6pm-9pm and is almost sold out (I told you people were getting the itch), so again don't wait. Click here for more details.

Western Reserve School of Cooking in Hudson has the Outdoor Grilling Series for $312 or $80 for an individual class. The series consists of Grilling 101, Perfectly Grilled Seafood, The Right Cut for Grilling, and Ribs, Ribs, and More Ribs. These classes run on dates in April and May. Click here for more details (scroll about three quarters of the way down the page).

The Loretta Paganini School of Cooking is putting on The Barbecue & Grilling Boot Camp for $195, on May 14th. This is another class that is nearly sold out. LPSC is offering an 8 hour monster of a class that sounds like it's actual barbecue focused. (I'm always leery of barbecue classes that run three hours. What are you going to smoke in 3 hours? Chicken tenders?) The length of this one leads me to believe that low and slow is going to be the order of the day. Two kinds of ribs, pork shoulder, beer can chicken, smoked salmon, and brisket will be the taught.

I realize Old Man Winter is not easily loosening his grip on the weather here in Cleveland, but before you know it there will be leaves on the trees, sunshine on your shoulders, and smoke in the air.

The Single Most Awesome Charity Event

If there is one charity food event to go to in your lifetime, The Great Chefs Event in Philadelphia is it. The joint partnership of Alex's Lemonade Stand and the Vetri Foundation for Children has put together a lineup of chef talent that aspires to match the tour de force that is Alex Scott's legacy (please read this link to hear about this amazing story).

As these charity events typically go, the venues are usually outdoors and at the mercy of the summer weather. Could be warm, could be hot. Could be dry, could be pouring rain. Tents and port-a-potties are standard fare for these large events. When decided to go TGCE last year, we weren't quite sure how this was going to go over in the notorious Philly heat and humidity.

In this case the venue adds to aura of this event, rather than detracting from it. First and foremost, it's indoors and air conditioned! Secondly, the Urban Outfitters headquarters is one of the coolest building interiors you will ever see, old jib cranes have been turned into lights, industrial artwork is scattered throughout, and the the remnants of its past have been incorporated into the decor. The designers from Urban Outfitters and Anthropologie (who's studios are in the adjacent buidings) make for a wonderful experience.

This year's chef lineup is very similar to last year's with some additions and subtractions:

*new chefs for this year are highlighted in orange

• Robert Aiken - Dandelion, Philadelphia, PA
• Kiong Bahn - Twenty Manning, Philadelphia, PA
• Franklin Becker - Abe & Arthur's, New York, NY
• Jonathan Benno - Lincoln, New York, NY
• John Besh - Besh Restaurant Group
• Chris Bianco - Pizzeria Bianco / Pane Bianco / Bar Bianco, Phoenix, AZ
• Marco Canora - Hearth, New York, NY
• Andrew Carmellini - Locanda Verde, New York, NY
• Jennifer Carroll - 10 Arts, Philadelphia, PA
• Tom Colicchio - Colicchio & Sons / Top Chef, New York, NY
• Gina DePalma - Babbo, New York, NY
• Vinny Dotolo & Jon Shook - Animal Restaurant, Los Angeles, CA
• Andrea Forcella - Ol Fa, Bergamo, Italy
• Paolo Frosio - Frosio, Italy
• Jose Garces - Garces Restaurant Group, Philadelphia, PA
• Suzanne Goin & David Lentz - Lucques / A.O.C. / Tavern / Hungry Cat, Los Angeles, CA
• Gabrielle Hamilton - Prune Restaurant, New York, NY
• Paul Kahan - Blackbird / Avec / Publican / Big Star, Chicago, IL
• Mark Ladner - Del Posto, New York, NY
• Barbara Lynch - Barbara Lynch Gruppo, Boston, MA
• Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson - Frasca Food & Wine / Frasca Caffe / Pizzeria Locale, Boulder, CO
• Joseph Manzare - Zuppa / Globe /Tres Agaves, San Francisco, CA
• Matt Molina & Nancy Silverton - Osteria Mozza / Pizzeria Mozza, Los Angeles, CA
• Ken Oringer - Clio / Uni Sashimi Bar / Coppa, Boston, MA
• Marco Rossi & Francesco Cereda - Osteria Le Cantine D, Bergamo, Italy
• Aaron Sanchez - Food Network Star / Centrico
• Jonathon Sawyer - The Greenhouse Tavern, Cleveland, OH
• Mindy Segal - Mindy's HotChocolate Restaurant and Dessert Bar, Chicago, IL
• Michael Solomonov - Zahav / Percy Street, Philadelphia, PA
• Hiro Sone - Terra Restaurant / Ame, Napa Valley, CA
• Daniel Stern - Midatlantic / R2L, Philadelphia, PA
• Michael Schwartz - Michael's Gourmet Food & Drink, Miami, Fl
• David Swinghamer - Shake Shack, New York, NY
• Michael Symon - Lola / Lolita / Roast /Bar Symon /BSpot, Cleveland, OH
• Sue Torres - Suenos, New York, NY
• Jonathan Waxman - Barbuto, New York, NY
• Rocco Whalen - Fahrenheit Restaurant / Rocky River Wine Bar, Cleveland, OH

It's great to see the Cleveland representation with Rocco, Syman, and the newly added Sawyer. Also added is one of my faves native Clevelander Andrew Carmellini! While most of the people listed actually attended the event Michael Symon and John Besh couldn't make it last year, and sent guys from their restaurants instead.

The thing that seems to be the big sticking point for out-of-towners is that it's held on a Tuesday rather than a Saturday. It actually seems to work out better because people don't seem to drink as much as they would on a weekend night, which typically leads to some pretty bad scenes.

Speaking of alcohol, the representation from local brewers is nothing to sneeze at either. While guys like Sierra Nevada were prominently featured to the front of the entrance, I found what I think is one of the best craft brewers on the east coast - Captain Lawrence. Armed with a few bottles of Golden Delicious, owner Scott Vaccarro got me hooked on his superbly crafted beers. Joe Bastianich and other vintners were offering up their wines as well.

Top to bottom, this event is first class. What better way to honor the legacy of such an amazing little girl than to put together an impressive event like this? If this is the sort of thing you can get away for (and can afford at $300 a person), you have to go at least once. We combine a trip to NYC the Saturday and Sunday before and attend the epic Big Apple BBQ Block Party in Madison Square.

The Pit.......Where do I start?

Barbecue and pizza are two subjects that are near and dear to my heart. I eat a lot of both. When I travel out the east coast pretty much all I eat is pizza. I take that back, in Boston there are two excellent barbecue joints Redbones, and Soul Fire; in New York Fette Sau is a must visit in the summer. All are very memorable. When I'm down south it's barbecue all the way. I've got the posts started, I simply haven't had time to finish them. Actually, I probably have 75-100 posts started that I haven't finished. Maybe I should do that. Boston, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Hawai'i, New Haven, CT.....

I'm getting off track.

With local barbecue so sorely lacking in this town, it was my duty to find out if The Pit was anywhere near as bad as everything I'd heard. The general consensus is that this poor restaurant might be the Gigli of all barbecue.

First, it's found in one of the most underground locations one could possibly choose. I'm not talking about "The Campbell Apartment in Grand Central Station" or "Freeman's at the end of an alley in the East Village", hard to find. I'm talking the "What kind of moron would build a restaurant around the corner from a dead end, that 99.7% of Cleveland never even knew existed" hard to find. The Cheesecake Factory would fail in this location.

The reviews complained about nearly every aspect of their dining experience.

"Is there a space for zero stars?"

"Three rib dinners were,PORK JERKY ON A Bone"

"Ribs were absolutely the worst I have ever experienced anywhere in the entire country. tasted like they were cooked in used motor oil."

or this little exchange with the manager

"He then said he wasn't going to honor the coupon we got offline because he changed his mind on wanting to offer that coupon."

Ouch!

I'm not going to give the blow by blow in writing (okay, maybe a little bit of writing). I think the pictures speak for themselves. One thing I will note, is that this is how the food came out of the kitchen. No sauce was added by me or my barbecue comrade. I will also say that the complimentary cornbread that was given to us at the start was actually exceptional, and I'm being totally serious. Highlight of the meal. Real corn with jalapenos and honey.

Why so much sauce? Probably because it's the only thing containing any moisture.

Dude, where's my chicken and ribs? And which is which? Diabetics beware!

Barely edible.......when they made it two days ago.

Guess the sandwich! Sloppy Joe?

Wrong! *snickering* BRISKET!!!

At the end of the day, the chicken and ribs with two sides were something like $20, the brisket and pulled pork were $8-10 each. Total bill with two Cokes and a tip came to an eye watering $56. For a good laugh read this Metromix review and tell me if it doesn't sound like a paid advertisement. If I had one suggestion, it would be that the owner, the chef, and the Metromix guy visit this The Pit to learn what real barbecue tastes like.

The Pit
25800 Central. pkwy
Beachwood, OH 44122
(216) 292-7427
thepitbeachwoodribs.com/index.htm

The Lenten Season is Upon Us!!!

What do you think about when you think of Ash Wednesday? Me? Well.......I think about sitting on a Parisian folding chair in Madison Square Park eating a nice juicy hamburger, with crispy fries, and a vanilla milk shake from Shake Shack.

Sorry if I let you down.

Danny Meyer is the shit!

All afternoon I eagerly anticipated a dinner that included the epically fantastic Shrimp Po' Boy from Battiste & DuPree, only to find out the place was closed today. Not cool. I will, however, be going to get that sandwich come Friday because it's THAT good.

Rascal House

Is there such a category as "college pizza"? You know what I'm talking about. College pizza, at least in my terms, is simply that which yields the greatest amount of pizza for the least amount of money.

When I went to Ohio State pizza places such as as Hound Dog's, Papa John's, and Gumby's were the kings of the cheap college pizza. The product that they crank out nightly is absolutely astounding (and I don't mean that in a good way). These pizzas represent everything it means to be happily poor in one's college years. The memories of ordering said pizzas have everything to do with soaking up the fruits of the handmade three story beer bong and nothing to do with the taste of these pies.

I had been talking about pizza to someone here in Cleveland, and they mentioned Rascal House as having a surprisingly good pizza. As I've said many times before - I'll try anything once. I like to think that I'm a pretty fair person, and if a pizza is going to be ruled worse ever, it would have to beat out Chuck E. Cheese for the title. Why Chuck E. Cheese? Wel,l as a seven year old I distinctly remember telling my mom that it was the worst pizza I'd ever eaten. (Yes, ever - coming from a kid that had been on this earth for a whopping seven years.) One has to assume that it is in fact bad, simply because the untrained palate of a young child is able to pick it out of the lineup.

Rascal House is college pizza. The prices are about a close to the bone as one can hope to value a pizza. If you get a hold of one of their coupons (fairly easy to find on the internet), the savings grow even more. It truly is a wonder these guys are able to make money charging these prices. My guess is that the John Carroll crowd does a pretty good job of keeping the delivery guys busy. Aside from pizza, they also sell wings, sandwiches, wraps, and salads.

Everything about the Rascal House pizza just screams of mediocrity. The ingredients aren't what I would consider bad, it's just that nothing really stands out as good. Everything tastes, well, like standard everyday pizza that you could get at any nondescript pizza parlor in the city. The price is the attraction. Sustenance.

Rascal House serves the local college kids. With Geraci's across the street, and Pizzazz Pizza down on Fairmount, there really isn't any need to for anyone seeking good quality pizza to go to Rascal House. Now if you're looking to wash some cheap pizza down with a case of Natty, I think Rascal House just might be the ticket.

Rascal House Pizza
11316 Euclid Ave
Cleveland, OH 44106
(216) 791-6254
http://www.rascalhousepizza.com/

Rummy's

All most of us want out of life is a good hamburger, right? I mean, if it came right down to it, would the end of a great day end with a well cooked piece of beef sandwiched between to pieces of bread.

That is what every American aspires to, right?

Well, if you're in Cleveland, there's really no shortage of places one can go for a primo burger. I've had some of the best at places like B Spot, Buckeye Beer Engine, and even *gulp* The Post & Beam. In the same same vein as Post & Beam, the rumblings were that Rummy's Bar & Grille, which I had unknowingly passed many times on the way to Warehouse Beverage, serves up a burger that many say can hold its own.

Always one for a challenge, I decided to find out if this was pure poppycock or if this whole good burger thing really had legs. What gave me pause for thought is when the person told me that they serve the thing on a kaiser roll. In all truthfulness, every burger I've ever had that was served on a kaiser roll has absolutely, one hundred percent, sucked rocks. My gut was that Rummy's burger was going to blow ass, like every other burger served on a the dry, tasteless bun that is known as kaiser.

The bride and I decided to try this little hole-in-the-wall bar on Mayfield to see what all the fuss was about. Rummy's is essentially the stereotypical bar space that you find in most anyone working class neighborhood...locals camped out on a Friday evening, getting their drink and their grub on. The cheeseburger was quite good...swiss cheese & bacon. Most surprising of all was that the Kaiser bun didn't suck; in fact, it nicely complemented the burger.

In the end Rummy's represents a fantastic value. If I had my druthers, I would go when it was warmer. The interior is a bit drafty, but in the spring or summer I would have no hesitation in stopping in for an impromptu dinner.

Rummy's Bar &Grill
4294 Mayfield Road
South Euclid, OH 44121
(216) 291-1389

Osteria Cedro Rustico (Restaurant inside Whole Foods)

One of my resolutions was to go places and do things I always said I wanted to try. In fact, if you've been reading lately, you'll find that most of the spots I've been going to are places that don't exactly resemble the latest and greatest in restaurant openings. Some places are popular, some are not, but I think it's safe to say that it beats going to the old standby for the tenth time in three months.

After deciding that cooking dinner wasn't in the cards, Regina and I settled on trying The Osteria or Osteria Cedro Rustico, as it's apparently called.

Located inside the Whole Foods on Cedar and Warrensville Center Road, between the produce department and beer and wine section, an arc of chairs ring the counter space. In the middle sits the cooking area where everything is prepared by two cooks.

The Pasta Case

A selection of fresh made pasta is displayed in a case for you to choose from. Once you've selected what you'd like, the pasta is then cooked to order. Regina got the spinach linguini with Parmesan, eggplant, and caramelized onions. I settled on the short ribs and mashers (no pasta).

The Bar

I wasn't sure I was really going to like eating dinner while customers passed by shopping, but the partition around the seating area seemed to create enough of a barrier to where you didn't notice any commotion. The conversation around us was quite lively, too. As my wife and I talked about Top Chef from the night before, the cooks joined in with their opinions. The next thing I know, the two women sitting next to us joined in, and then - the food was ready.

Now I'm not going to sit here and act like the short ribs here are going to cause Rocco Whalen to look over his shoulder anytime soon, BUT the short rib dinner I had also came at about a third of the cost of Fahrenheit's. We felt that for what we paid, it was certainly a good value. Would my dad complain? Probably, but then again he still thinks a coffee should cost sixty cents. Middle aged men aside, I think most people would find the menu here pretty reasonable.

I think Osteria puts out a quality product at a decent price. It may be a restaurant inside of a grocery store, but it shouldn't be mistaken with the old Marc's No Name Restaurant, in Parma Heights.

Osteria Cedro Rustico
13998 Cedar Rd
University Heights, OH 44118
(216) 371-5320

Touch of Italy

A restaurant is a funny thing. While a business with a normal name isn't going to sway me one way or the other, in terms of wanting to eat there; a good or bad name can. Death Row Pizza in Williamsport, PA, ended up being totally disgusting - but I loved the name. Touch of Italy would fall under the "not so good" category. Really? Just a touch? What country comprises the other 99% of the food?

Touch of Italy is a little restaurant that sits in the strip of stores near the corner of Chagrin Blvd and Lee Rd. Until last fall, I had driven past it a million times and never stopped - simply because I didn't like the name.

9" Pepperoni and Sausage

I'm not going to paint this place out to be the best pizza I've ever had, but for being as close to my house as it is, I thought it was pretty damn good. The crust is a pan style that is remarkably light when you consider the volume the crust has. It looks much beefier than it actually is. I've had pies that I had to finally just tap out, because the dough was heavy and aplenty. I ordered a small 9" and didn't feel the least bit stuffed.

The ingredients on top of the pizza are of decent quality. I thought the sauce had a pretty good balance of tomato versus spice, which I think can really ramp up the flavor on the rest of the pie. I opted for the pepperoni (which looked like the pepperoni everyone else uses) and bulk sausage (the amorphous big chunks, which I like).

It's pizzas like these that keep me scratching down the name of places I see whenever I'm driving around Cleveland. If you do want to try Touch of Italy, I would suggest carry-out. There is more of a bar feel to the space than anything else. If I were to judge the pizza based on the interior, I would have never thought they were serving anything close to this quality.

If you happen to be coming through these parts - give it a shot. It's one of the better pizzas in the Shaker/Cleveland Heights area. Just make sure you get it "to go".

A Touch of Italy
16822 Chagrin Blvd
Shaker Heights, OH 44120
(216) 991-8282
thetouch.biz

Gentile's Bakery & Deli

By Mrs. DineOMite

I typically reserve dessert for the last meal of the day. However, as fate would have it, I was at a luncheon last summer when I was faced with a platter of cookies from Gentile's Bakery & Deli.

Not having eaten much for lunch itself, I decided to have a few cookies; I opted for a slightly misshapen number that was covered in powdered sugar. One bite of the cookie revealed a rich almond flavor and moist texture. I was immediately searching the platter for the rest of these cookies.

My favorite amaretti

After cherry picking each one and stashing it away for the obligatory "take home" tray, I decided a trip to Gentile's needed to happen ASAP. After multiple trips there this year, I've learned that they refer to them as "Amaretti" and they are made with almond paste. I've tried numerous amaretti from other establishments in San Francisco and Philadelphia, but to date, these little gems are the prize winning Amaretti in my tummy. I think the soft chewiness of this version is what separates it from the harder, crunchier versions I've had elsewhere.

Gentile's isn't exactly next store, so now I buy more than I intend to eat and freeze the rest as they keep perfectly. Whenever my husband is down near the Old Brooklyn area, he knows major points will be scored with a box full of these beauties. At about sixty cents apiece, these make for a great host gift for any party. If you don't see them in the case - just ask. They sometimes have them wrapped up and toward the back where you can't really see them.

Although I have never had one, my brother tells me that the sandwiches here are also of note. Gentile's is certainly worth a detour if you anywhere close (easily accessed from 176).

Gentile's Bakery & Deli
464 Broadview Rd
Cleveland, OH 44109
(216) 351-1161