Posts Tagged ‘restaurant’
Remember how I recently gave out the title of “new favorite restaurant?”
Well, I think we have another contender. And not surprisingly, this new spot, Chinato, is owned by the same genius who created L’albatros!
From the restaurant’s web site:
Zack Bruell, award-winning chef and restaurateur, announces the opening of Chinato, an old-meets-new Italian culinary concept on Cleveland’s East Fourth Street. Chinato, named after a flavorful Italian after-dinner wine enriched with herbs, spices and Cinchona bark, is Bruell’s fourth restaurant within the city of Cleveland.
Bruell designed Chinato’s menu to highlight the simplicity of all Italian cuisine, not limiting himself to one region or technique. “Authentic Italian food is simple and flavorful – regardless of whether you’re in Tuscany, Sicily or Campania,” said Bruell. “I wanted to stay true to that.” Chinato’s menu features Bruell’s take on simplistic Italian dishes, like Bistecca ala Florentina, accented with Lemon; Sweetbread Fritto Misto with Fried Caper Berries, Carrot and Zucchini Julienne; and Raviolis with Pork, Veal, Zucchini and Shiitake Mushrooms with Melted Butter and Parmesan. Antipasti offerings are just as appealing, with options like Buratta with Grilled Toast and Cold Tomato Basil Sauce and Involtini of Eggplant Stuffed with Ricotta and Shrimp.
Chinato puts the same emphasis on decor and ambiance as L’albatros. But the overall feel/look is much different. Chinato feels modern, yet cozy and intimate, yet airy. I loved the openness and soothing color palette.
Check out this charming, picturesque mural!
The menu carried the same authentic charm.
My friend Jenn and I (who is becoming quite the regular on The Daily Balance) wanted to sample of variety of Chinato’s offerings. If you are trying out a restaurant for the first time and want to sample it ALL, go with my method: a little bit of this, a little but of that 
We ordered an appetizer, starter salads, a side, soup and a “small plate” version of a pasta entree (I love that Chinato offers this figure-friendly portion!)
We started with Jenn’s selection, the Suplee, pan-seared risotto balls with fresh mozzarella cheese.
Balls of heaven. These crunchy morsels held cheesey, gooey goodness that had us saying “mmmmmmmmmmm” and “nomnomnomnom!” I tried to limit myself to just a two– we had a full meal ahead!
Next up, arugula with julienne of pumpkin, roasted turnips, pumpkin seeds, goat cheese and balsamic vinaigrette.
One of the main things I was looking forward to in this salad was the PUMPKIN. Unfortunately, there wasn’t much of it. I was expecting more of a pumpkin punch! Although I suppose others might find my typical love of pumpkin a bit too intense, so subtle may have been the right route to take.
For my main “meal,” I enjoyed the Ribollata, a dish explained as a “minestrone-like stew.”
This soup was delicious! Can you count all those veggies?! Jenn and I both couldn’t believe how much flavor was packed into each bite! I have GOT to try and get some details on this recipe next time I’m at Chinato. I think the key is cooking the pork and letting it get all nice and smoky before incorporating it into the soup with the roasted veggies.
Jenn was kind enough to share her main dish with me: Gnocchi with tomato, basil, toasted garlic, butter and parmesan
wowzer! Best.Pasta.Ever. No joke. And I live in LITTLE ITALY! This gnocchi was sensational. Each pillowy noodle melts in your mouth and sets your taste buds into overdrive. I’m quite impressed that I was able to stop myself from grabbing the dish from Jenn and inhaling it in all its buttery glory.
On the side, Jenn and I both loved the white beans I ordered. These were seasoned with parsley and were so simple and satisfying. I didn’t think a side of white beans could be so delicious… And how cute is the little pot it’s served in?!
Jenn and I both agreed that it just wasn’t right to judge a new restaurant without ordering dessert! I think once you see these beauties, you’ll agree with our decision
The Tiramisu was fantastic! I loved the nutty layers of breading/walnut and how they complimented the light cream so nicely.
But as amazing as it was, it didn’t hold a candle to this gorgeous specimen:
One of the best desserts I’ve ever had. I actually just typed “best.dessert.ever.” but you all know how much I love my desserts, and I’m not sure that’s 100% accurate — but pretty damn close!
Clevelanders – get your buts to Chinato right now! If you don’t live in Cleveland, this restaurant is worth the trip (even if you only order the mousse cake!). Just call me beforehand. I’ll make the reservation
Which one of these dishes looks the tastiest to YOU?
What would you have ordered? I ask because the Mister and I have a trip planned – he just HAD to get in on the action after hearing my glowing review!
This weekend the Mister and I had dinner with two of our two dear friends, Sean and Matty. This dinner was important for two reasons: 1.) we hadn’t made a date with them in AGES; 2.) It had been way too long (almost a year!) since we had eaten at The Grovewood Tavern.
From the Website:
The Grovewood Tavern & Wine Bar offers an atmosphere that is clean, friendly and relaxed. Customers can socialize with friends and new acquaintances in an easy-going atmosphere while choosing from our wide selection of fine wines; domestic, imported and micro-brewed beer; and select liquors. The patrons of the Grovewood Tavern & Wine bar are a diverse and friendly bunch, who come to enjoy fine beverages, fine food, and, of course, fine company.
Our menu features “familiar-exotic” foods from around the world at down-to-Earth prices. We present weekly specials along with customer favorites, so you’re sure to find something to please!
I really love the Grovewood Tavern’s laid-back kitschy look. It’s cozy and inviting, making you want to stay for hours (too bad we couldn’t – but more on that later).
Upon being seated, each table is given a plate of freshly baked bread and garlic dipping oil – check out those whole cloves!
Having a considerable amount of time to scan the menu (I did my research online ), I already knew what I was going to order. Moroccan Mahi-Mahi: Grilled and served with artisinal lemon oil, with roasted spaghetti squash and lentil salad.
Sorry for the poor picture quality – the restaurant was very dark!
This was delicious – exactly what I was hoping for. The Mahi Mahi was cooked quite well and the lemon oil infused the entire fillet with mouth-watering, fresh flavor. The lentil salad was incredibly refreshing. Crisp and tangy, it did a great job of cleansing the palette. But my favorite bites were spent on the spaghetti squash! This was cooked to the perfect consistency and seasoned with something sweet (maple syrup, perhaps?) but balanced with subtle spices.
Everyone else really enjoyed their meals, as well. Great food…better company…fabulous evening!
UNTIL…
Now, let me give you a bit of context. While the Grovewood looks super laid-back and comfortable, the prices are not. The Mister and I spent more than $50 total for just two entrees (no drinks!). That being said, I don’t mind splurging for a good meal and an opportunity to relax and chat with good friends. What I do mind is being PUSHED OUT.
Le me give you the run down. We had just finished our meals and paid the bill. The Mister was in the middle of a story and we were all having a really great conversation. Note: other patrons were doing the same — i.e. enjoying each-other’s company after finishing their meal. But they must have had an “in” with the manager or something, because what happened next was simply not cool. Dear Grovewood Tavern, perhaps KICKING patrons out of your restaurant isn’t the best way of getting them to come back. This is simple customer service, people. I understand if we lingered for an extra 30 minutes…but it had been 5 (tops).
The “manager” (or bus boy with a huge ego) came to our table and said the following: “Hey guys, I hope you enjoyed your meal. As you can see we are kind of busy and I could use the table, so….yea….” —AWKWARD SILENCE —
Dude, are you kidding me? This has never, EVER happened to me before. I was actually a bit in shock – we all were! The thing that REALLY put me over the edge, though, was the fact that I had seen this “manager” making the rounds to other tables to “welcome them” and ask them about their meals. We were never “welcomed,” just “goodbye-d.” And we’re cool people – totally approachable! Grovewood Tavern, I MIGHT give you one more chance, but if you pull these shenanigans again, I might need to add you to my Black List — even if your food is spectacular. Because what’s the point of having an amazing meal if the whole experience leaves a bitter taste in your mouth?
Moral of the story: if you go to Grovewood Tavern — ORDER DESSERT — because $8 is definitely worth being able to enjoy an extra few minutes of conversation with your friends.
Have you ever experienced something similar? How did you handle it?
Good afternoon! Since I was having a crummy day, I figured lunch with a friend would cheer me up! So my co-worker Lisa and I headed to Chipotle! Cuz there is nothing a lil guac can’t fix
In the mix: lettuce, carnitas (pulled pork), corn, tomato, cheese and guacamole.
I don’t think I need to tell you how amazing this was.
In other news: I figured I’d answer some of the ASK ME ANYTHING questions.
Q: Do you and Jason plan on having children? If so, how many do you want? Boys or girls? And when?
A: YES! The Mister and I cannot WAIT to have kids. I think I owe this excitement to my amazing parents and the childhood I had growing up — because I can’t wait to do the same things for my kids one day. We are really looking forward to having our own family and starting our own traditions — I really cannot express to you enough just how much I look forward to being a mom For now, we always say we want two kids — one boy and one girl. But to be honest, as long as the are healthy, I really don’t care. And after we have one, maybe two will be too much! Or maybe we’ll want 5! You just never know what life will throw at you. As far as WHEN — I’m not really sure! Again, this is something that you can’t really plan – but I have faith that God will bless us when the time is right. In the meantime, I enjoy being selfish and getting all the Mister’s attention
Q. How much do you weigh and how tall are you? Also, I think you said once you sometimes calculate calories to stay on track, after a vacation or something. How many calories a day do you aim for?
A. I have never mentioned my weight on the blog because everyone carries weight differently and to me, it really is just a number. But since I promised I’d be honest I suppose I’ll give you the stats. I am 5′ 9″ and weigh 127-137 pounds. I normally weigh myself once every few weeks. If I am at the lower end of that range, I try and increase my calories and focus on weight training instead of cardio (I look WAY to skinny at anything less than 130). When I hit 137 I know that it’s time to scale back on indulgences and focus on healthy choices — because it’d only be a matter of time before all my pants were tight! Again, this is the range that I feel best at — it doesn’t mean everyone at my height should aim for it.
Re: Calorie Counting. You are correct (you pay attention!), when I have one too many weeks of indulging or need to get back on track, I will rely on calorie counting. It really is the best way to keep track of what you are eating — and it works. But as soon as I’m back on track mentally — I stop. I don’t think obsessing over numbers is a way to live. We all know that an apple is healthier than a cupcake — we all know that iced tea is better than beer — we just need to MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICES.
As far as how many calories I aim for a day, I really just eat when I’m hungry, apply the 90/10 rule and always keep healthy choices in mind. In an ideal world I’d eat about 1800 calories a day — but a calorie ISN’T a calorie — it DOES matter what you are putting into your body and 90% of my choices are fresh, clean foods. When I’m counting calories to get back in the game and scale back, I stick to 1300-1500. And of course I’ll have those days when I probably consume 3,500 calories (but those are few and far between) — it’s all about balance and finding what works for you.
Do you want to ASK ME ANYTHING? Go ahead! (click link to post an anonymous question!) In the meantime, I’ll answer a few questions a day!