Melt Bar & Grilled @ Lakewood

Everyone loves a grilled cheese sandwich right? Well....then you'll LOVE Melt Bar & Grilled. It's kind of this hip place, and nothing fancy...but the individuals working there are definitely characters, and they have a bar! So it's grilled cheese sandwiches and beer! This place more than just your grilled cheese sandwich and soup, they have specialty sandwiches that they grill like grilled cheese, and no not like panini. They use texas size toasts, and these sandwiches take over 20 minutes or so to make. So yes lots of love. I didn't get to try the tomato soup, and the sandwich was too big. Panda and I could only eat half of our individual sandwiches. Next time, one sandwich...the bestest one...and tomato soup. Oh yea...all sandwiches comes with natural cut fries and cole slaw.

Smokey Russian
[smoked turkey, fresh napa vodka kraut, smoked gouda, russian dressing]
this was really good...especially the smoked gouda...i love gouda, did you know that? it's my favorite cheese! that and havarti, but yes gouda...so melted gouda in a sandwich...that is heaven. this sandwich came with homemade russian dressing, and it made the sandwich even better because with each bite i would spread some dressing on it. yum yum...however...this sandwich was nothing compared to what panda got...

Wake and Bacon
[fresh amish farmed fried eggs,crisp bacon, american]
this sounds simple enough right? and i make enough breakfast sandwiches, so what could be so special about it? how about texas size toast! cheese on both sides, sandwich between fried egg and bacon. and you know how this sandwich is cut into two, well there's a fried egg (yolk and all) on each half! yayyy!! yea...this sandwich was great, way better than mine. this is what i want next time...

Momocho @ Ohio City

Mod Mex. Another surprise from Ohio! Quite tasty fancy mexican food...and no I'm not talking about Chevy's or Chipotle....but Momocho. The decor inside was pretty good, and I guess if you're sheltered you'd think "satanic" than cool because there are crosses all over the place. Some in the right position, and others on the side, or upside down (anti-christ, as some would say). Additionally, there were a lot of pictures of individuals that look like Nacho Libre...who are they? Matadors? Masked some thing or other. Anyways, the food was really good, and yes a tad pricey, but I believe worth it. What sucked us in here in the first place is that they have a 3 course dinner for $30 per couple, so what a deal right?!?! Well when we got there, like most prixe fixe meals, the actual menu looked a lot more appetizing. You ready for yummy food pics? always! because i know that this blog keeps you entertained while at work or in class, and keeps your tongue salvilating!

First Floor

Sangria

Guacamole Sampler
[from left to right; Smoked Trout w. Bacon and chile poblano; Blue Crab w. corn and chile chipotle; Goat Cheese w. tomato and chile pobalano]
man...sampling of guacamole! it's a great deal, because each guac for the same size is $8, but for all three it's $18! i was really excited about the blue crab guac, but it wasn't that tasty after all. the best was the smoke trout and goat cheese. i know they sound like a weird mixture, but those ingredients really brought the flavors out. addicting...very

Fresh Chips
ok these chips were really good...fresh corn, freshly fried and lightly salted. better than all the other eateries that provide chips...and even better with guac sampler!

Duck Confit Taquitos
[duck confit, corn, onions]
this dish was simply prepared with the duck confit mucho succulent. so when i read the menu and it said taquito, i was thinking of...well what i know of taquitos..corn tortilla wrapping meat and deep fried. well, i guess taquito here is "make your own taco." which is precisely why it's just a plate of meat, and comes with two different sauces: salsa verde and honey-chipotle mojo. personally i preferred the mojo because the salsa verde didn't taste like anything.

Fresh Flour Tortillas

so when this dish came, and i made my first taquito, i took a bite. the flavors were amazing, and the duck confit was well infused in fat..haha. but for about a few minutes i couldn't figure out what kind of meat it was. i forgot that i ordered duck confit, and when the server came and asked me if i liked the duck confit...in my head i went "oh yea...it tastes like duck, not pork." haha yes...my palate and my brain stopped working for a few minutes.

Pork Chop al Carbon
[grilled pork chop over a bed of huitlecoche "tamale dumplings", corn and all topped with mole coloradito]
panda ordered this dish and it was TASTYYYY!!! the pork chop was cooked perfectly, and was not dry at all, or panda just gave me all the good pieces so i didn't taste anything bad. but honestly the best part of the disk was the "tamale dumplings" that were underneath the pork chop. i still don't know what they were made of, but they were rich, creamy, flavorful...and just really good. at the end instead of wrapping my duck confit in tortilla i just took some duck and some tamale and ate as is.

Creamy Vanilla Flan
so panda and i were really disappointed in this. i think we were both expecting something really creamy, and taste popping. i think we've had really good creme brulee before and was expecting something like that? the chef at momocho can really cook, but hey chef's and pastries chef's don't mix. chef's don't do desserts, and pastries chef's don't "cook"

go for the guac...go for the chips...go for the pork chops, but more importantly the tamales under the pork chops. my fav :)

Mitchell's Fish Market @ Woodmere

Panda & Penguin 5 year anniversary! Panda's eat bamboo...and that's not too tasty (side note, ever read the book Eats, Shoots and Leaves? i really liked it but i'm a linguistics nerd, the title has i believe three different interpretations). Penguins eat fish, very tasty! My panda is special and he eats fish too, so for dinner we went to Mitchell's Fish Market. The restaurant was very nice, and Panda and I were the only individuals that were under 30 there...and oh yea the only asians...but what else is new in Ohio. ha. our server was really good, because when he walked away and was at the next table, he overheard be saying "lets ask him what he recommends," and immdiately after serving that table, he came over and answered me. very nice! he also checked in on us periodically, and not in the annoying way, so it was nice. the food was good, and very fresh. this place is actually a fish market, and you can buy fresh fish that is flown in daily from around the world here, and take it home for you to prepare your own way. Btw...they have a style that you can have the fish made in "Shang Hai" is what they called it or "Shanghai" if you're educated and not ignornat, and more specifically it isn't "Shanghai" if you put asian spices in it...because Shanghai refers to a specific region in China and a specific way of cooking. Anyways...Panda doens't recommend it because he tried it once...honestly people that don't have much contact with asians shouldn't try to make "asian" flavors...you just fail. All in all, fish cooked in its most simple form, with simple seasoning...are tres delicious.

Sourdough Bread w. Butter
this bread was really good...it was fresh out of the oven, so the crush was crunchy/chewy and inside was warm and soft. we saved some, and asked for more, for our next dish...

Mussells
[cooked in garlic and white wine w. croutons]
this was amazing...it really was. the mussells were fresh, and the ingredients here were just so simple and clean...that it was all so tasty. what made it better was when you dipped the bread into the broth! wow....i could have had more

Caesar Salad
did i mention that they have a prixe fixe menu for $19.95. comes with your choice of house or caesar salad, an entree of three choices, and a dessert of two choices. this was the caesar salad with my prixe fixe meal, and it was actually really refreshing. it was light and crisp in between our entree and our mussell's.

Shrimp & Lobster Parpadelle in Alfredo Sauce
the pasta was very very fresh, and the shrimp was cooked really well, because when i bit into it was succulent and crisp - like how shrimp should be. it wasn't chewy, or overdone on the inside. the alfredo sauce was nice too, because it wasn't heavy on the cream or cheese, which would smother the taste of the seafood. my only complaint is the garlic toast that had red pepper flakes and i wasn't a fan because i wasn't expecting it and choked a lil.

Chillean Sea Bass w. Mashed Potatoes and Veggies
panda chose to have the chillean sea bass broiled in butter and lemon. it was goooddd!!! he said that the chillean sea bass wasn't "fatty" enough lol, i said that the fish probably had a lot of exercise. hehehe. i liked it. it was fresh, smooth and well flavored. i do have to say that i prepare sashimi to this...specifically toro tuna, yellow tail and fresh big scallops. lol that's just me though.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Mousse Cake
this was the better option compared to apple cobbler with vanilla ice cream. we both though that it might be too rich, and maybe too peanut buttery..but it really wasn't. there was a nice balance, and we loved it. yum-o!

The Dog House @ Cleveland Heights

Think Hot Dog on a Stand at the Mall...you got the colors in your mind? This is what The Dog House looks like, but way way WAY more ghetto (I hope I don't get shot saying that). However, while the facade looks not too appetizing, the hot dogs were truly great...and it was great because they have fake/processed cheese! Now...i enjoy real cheese as much as the next person, but certain food items call for processed cheese: nachos, hot dogs and fries. The reason being is that when one has real cheese on either of these things and the cheese or the food item cools down...the cheese becomes congealed, chewy, greasy...and just not that good anymore. Anyways, my Chili Cheese Dog was great....cheese fries were great...my only complaint is that this place is over priced for Cleveland, and given how this place looks.

Chili Cheese Dog
hmmm the hot dog was grilled....and then poured chili over it, then processed cheese, and then wrapped in foil so it stays warm on the 5 minute walk to panda's apt...oh yay!

Cheese Fries
ok these fries were special...it's like they were fried once, and then coated with some batter, and then fried again! had a nice crunchy consistency

Ultimate Egg Sandwich

Panda loves his avocado's, and he loved the breakfast sandwich that he got at Alpha Omega when we were in So Cal over the summer, that i told him i could replicate it, or at least try to. So before i jumped on my flight to cleveland this past weekend, i stopped at a grocery store and picked up three avocadoes. Yes avocadoes do exist in ohio, but they're over priced and not quite ripe...or lacking some avocado flavor. Anyways here is my ULTIMATE EGG SANDWICH!

ULTIMATE EGG SANDWICH
[buttered toast, avocado, salt, sausage link, cheese, egg]
panda loved it...no? what is there not to love? the cheese melts over the sausage links while i scramble the egg...and what makes this even better, is to have a fried egg, rather than scrambled egg...and avocado adds flavor to anything. i do have to say that this is the best breakfast sandwich i ever made! yes...

side view! completely assembled

Black Seedless Grapes

Ready for another healthy snack? You didn't think i had it in me did you? You didn't think i could possibly be healthy right? Well if it tastes good, i don't really care...and well it's the season for black seedless grapes at costco! they are definitely a great substitute for chips when you got the munchies like panda and i did this wknd. a entire box of grapes from costco for $6, and well we ate it all during the entire wknd. we just washed them, and put them in a bowl in front of the television...and munch munch munch!!!!

tastes delictible when chilled in the fridge because they are crisp and refreshing!

Artichoke

A lovely snack...very healthy and very filling = artichoke. While a lot of people might be scared of these guys, or may even find it difficult to cook/prepare, they really aren't! Panda and I bought a batch of 4 from Costco over the weekend, and it was for little over $5, GREAT DEAL! Especially how humongous these guys are.

To prepare: simply bring a pot of water to boil, add chopped garlic and drop the artichokes inside the pot. Cover the pot slightly with a lid, and cook for about 20-25 minutes (depends on the size). A sure way to test when it's cooked, is to grab one of the leaves and pull...if you can pull it off, it's ready, if not let it boil for another 5 minutes or so. If you pull it and it feels like it's about to come off, but doesn't, it's ready. The artichoke is still cooking on the inside when you pull it out. Dip the leaves into your favorite dressing (ours is ranch), and munch away! When you get to the heart, you just take a knife and "scoop" the "hairs" away...and voila!

oh how tasty you truly are...

Shoki Ramen @ Sacramento

Something amazing exists in Sacramento...something tasty exists in Sacramento, something that my tastebuds still want! they're still craving it....it's RAMEN! No, it isn't the ramen that you buy at Safeway, or even the Ramen you buy at some asian store, but the real LEGIT ramen (granted I've never been to Japan, so I can't fully compare). Ramen at Shoki Ramen is AMAZING, I've had ramen at Asahi in Los Angeles, and Shokie is better!!!! whoa...i know...that's crazy.

Shoki Ramen if off of 24th avenue and Broadway in Sacramento. It's a completely hidden spot, and seats maybe 20 people? Yes i know i have a habit of finding places that are small and doesn't sit that many indivdiuals, but hey! the best are like that! the noodles are HOMEMADE, and the pork...wow it falls off the chopstick and melts the whole way to your belly!

you can choose which size you want...i recommend regular, unless you're a fatty then ok go with large

kitchen is where the magic happens, and it's not hidden...not at all

Chashu Shoyu Ramen
[chasu aka bbq pork, soy sauce brothen, ramen, topped with bamboo shoots]
i need another bowl....the pork just melts into your mouth, down your esophogus, and straight down your belly. the noodles, are al dente, and fresh. tastes nothing like the packaged stuff that they fry in hot oil and then wrap plastic around it. i loved the bamboo shoots, it was a nice added flavor and texture to all of it. the broth, amazing...i didn't sense there was a lot of msg since i wasn't that thirsty afterwards. oh yea...to make this noodle EVEN BETTER YOU ADD...

TOGARASHI!!!! it's japanese red chilli pepers/flakes that you would add to udon or soup noodles. i like to add tons, so it gets incorporate to every bite...oh yum

look at the noodles! for reals...they are not store bought, but made fresh.

Suzie Burger @ Sacramento

So I've passed by this place many many times while being at Sacramento, and each time I drive by I just stare...the decor intrigues me, and it's so out of place compared to the rest of midtown. I had to try Suzie Burger, and obviously I check out the website and see if anything delicious exists beneath the bright lights and neon colors. When I looked at the website I instantly new I wanted to try the Philly Cheesesteak...it looks the most appetizing to me. I have to admit when I got it, I wasn't all that impressed, but after the first bite it was great!...however on my drive home my stomach was telling me otherwise. I don't think I'll ever go back, because while my tastebuds loved it, the stomach wasn't too please with me...maybe because of all the grease?

Bacon Cheese Burger w. Everything
[everything = sauteed mushrooms, onions, jalopens and pickles]

French Fries
a lil too greazy

Philly Cheesesteak
[added sauteed mushrooms]
this thing was massive! like i said the first bite was great, considering i was really hungry too, and after a few more bites it got to be too much...and on my way home, it really was no good. this didn't stay in my system for very long...sorry! had to tell the truth!!!

looks good huh? the cheese was melted pretty nicely....but still

Lacking

I know....you don't have to tell me, where the hell has penguin go? Did she go eat herself into an oblivion and decided to disappear, or did she end up with an eating disorder and given up eat all together? Well if you know me at all you know the latter is simply not possible. I have lots of updates, and will do them as soon as possible. First and foremost I have to transfer them onto my computer first :)

Prepare to salivate my friends...