Foodie Adventures

For my Mom's birthday we decided to venture out of our normal restaurants we enjoy and try something new. After hearing several friends say great things about Sage and reading about them in Crave magazine we decided to give it a shot and were very pleased with our experience. The restaurant is located slightly north of campus next to the Ravari Room/Hound Dogs Pizza. Sage is a small restaurant but is very nicely decorated with local artwork that is available for purchase. We started off with a round of cocktails. I tried the Blood Orange Cosmopolitan which was delicious. We ordered a couple of appetizers. I definitely wanted to try to Pork Belly since it had been highly recommended and was not disappointed. It was absolutely delicious! We also got the cheese plate which was good, might have been nice to be a bit larger for our party of 5 but all of the local Ohio cheeses were yummy. I also ordered their soup of the day which was a Chilled Carrot and Ginger soup. I thought it was very refreshing but one of my other dining partners was not as excited about it. Our waiter did not specify initially that it was a chilled soup and while I am fine with eating chilled soups, it would have been nice to know what to expect. I do think that the ginger might have overpowered the soup a bit but I enjoyed it none the less. Others in my party enjoyed the Grilled Caesar Salad and my mom got the Frisee salad which she said was one of the best salads she's ever had. For the entree course we ordered a bottle of wine the Les Jamelles (I probably butchered the spelling of that) Pinot Noir which was very good in my opinion. The wine list is not very extensive as mentioned below but I agree that it did the job. I ordered the Veal Meatballs as my entree which was served with some Crispy Risotto cakes and it was very delicious. Others ordered the Scallops (which were cooked perfectly) as well as the Tuna entree and the Blackened Crab Cakes. The crab cakes were very spicy, almost too much for some in my party but was served with a watermelon relish on top which helped to cool down the palate a bit. Overall we were all very happy with our orders. Since we were celebrating my Mom's birthday we decided to try three different desserts: the crepes, the creme brulee, and at the suggestion of our server the chocolate torte. All three were delicious but I especially enjoyed the creme brulee which had some strawberries and micro-basil on top which made it just perfect and very refreshing. Their coffee is also very good which always makes me happy.

My only complains about our experience is that the service was pretty slow (which is why I am giving 4 instead of 5 stars) and it was very loud in the restaurant (probably due to the small venue and the brick walls). They were completely packed so I can understand but our dining experience took about 2 1/2-3 hours which is a bit long in my opinion. However we took everything in and despite the longer than usual service we would definitely come back again!! If you are a foodie and you have not tried this place I would highly recommend stopping by!

Decided to be spontaneous and try somewhere new and spotted Cafe Shish Kebab tucked away in a strip mall off Bethel. They have a nice little outdoor patio (even if the view is of the strip mall parking lot) as welll as a nice interior. We sat outside since the weather was nice. We went for lunch and were pleased to see they had great lunch specials. Appetizer and Entree plus the house dessert for only $9.95. For the started I tried the Red Lentil Soup which was delicious! My dining partner got the hummus which was some of the best I've ever had. I also appreciated the bread and the roasted red pepper and olive oil dipping sauce which was very tasty. For the entree my dining partner got the Turkish gyro kebab which was good and I opted for the felafel. I enjoyed mine and ended up having to take some home since I filled up on bread and soup. The dessert was a nice treat. Overall I was very please with my find of Cafe Shish Kebab and will probably be back again to try it for dinner.

Been to this place a couple of times, most recently wanted a bite to eat and started off in the Short North but due to me forgetting it was Gallery Hop night I kept on driving and ended up at Japanese Oriental which is located just north of campus. The actual restaurant is pretty small with only a few tables but it has never been overly crowded the times I have been here. I also was just recently informed that there is a small (like two spots small) parking lot in the rear of the restaurant if you cannot find street parking.

As for the food, I usually order sushi rolls and everything I've ever ordered has been fresh and delicious (love the Spicy Salmon and Philly Rolls). I also enjoy their Miso soup and edamame. Their other entrees look appetizing as well, my dining partner tried the Fried Dumplings and they were very tasty. The next time I go I want to try the Kal Beef as another of of my dining companions considers it a favorite and it looked delicious.

Cap City is a great staple restaurant to have in your dining out repertoire. I have been to both locations but usually choose this one as it is closer to where I live. The atmosphere is that of an upscale diner which is a nice change of pace and since its Cameron Mitchell you know the food will be great. Over the course of my visits I've tried and tasted many different things. Some of my favorites include the PEI Mussels as an appetizer, and for entrees Six Cheese Ravioli (with meatballs!) and the Smoked Turkey Reuben. I am not a meatloaf person (I know--what a sin!) but from my friends who die for meatloaf Cap City's is hard to beat. Their desserts are huge and great for sharing if you so desire! The bar at Cap City is also nice--try their Pineapple Infused Vodka! I also love eating out on the patio in the summer if the weather permits. Overall Cap City is a great place to have your fill of some fine dining in a relaxed, casual atmosphere!

Mitchell's Ocean Club is great. I've been here a couple times and it never disappoints. While the price is definitely not cheap you get excellent food and wonderful service. The wait staff is very friendly and knowledgable and will make sure you have a great dining experience. The food of course is the main attraction here and whether you are seeking seafood or steak you are guaranteed to find something delightful. Each time I have been here we have ordered the raw oysters and they are so fresh and delicious each time. Presentation is a big deal at the Ocean Club as our oysters were brought out on an ice tray with the house made cocktail sauce in a "smoking" dish effect from dry ice in the center. Definitely makes is much more of an experience. I forgot to mention the drinks! The Ocean Club has some neat signature cocktails such as the Black Orchid and Elderflower la poire (it was called something like that). I won't spoil the excitement but if you want a delicious and memorable cocktail order one of those. As far as the rest of the meal goes my favorites include the ravioli appetizer which was also very tasty, the lobster bisque, and for the entree I thoroughly enjoyed the filet ala Oscar one time and the sea scallops another. The sides are served family style and my absolute favorite is the Black Truffle Mac & Cheese. It is to die for. The desserts are tasty as well and the coffee is served in a French press which adds a nice touch. Overall if you are looking for an upscale place with options for all don't miss out on Mitchell's Ocean Club.

On a recent weekend trip to Cleveland, I chose Lago as my dining destination to celebrate my anniversary with my dining partner. Overall, I was pleased with my experience. It started off a bit slow, I don't know what was going on with the wait staff that evening but it seemed everyone was having very slow service and the restaurant wasn't even full. Maybe they were understaffed? Any issues with the speed of service were made up for with the food. Everything was absolutely delicious. My dining partner had the gnocchi and just as everyone else on here has said it was phenomenal! I decided to get one of the specials that evening, lobster ravioli with a filet on top. Mine was delicious as well. We had the mussels and clams as an appetizer which was good but nothing out of the ordinary. And for dessert we enjoyed the goat cheese creme brûlée which was very tasty. Overall I give this place 4 stars based on the food. Hopefully others will have slightly speedier service!

Went to Moretti's of Arlington with a group during Restaurant Week and had a great experience. We went during the week around 8:30 to accommodate everyone's schedules and were able to sit at one of the large round tables outside on their patio. The atmosphere on the patio was nice with the flowers and lights. For restaurant week I started off with the Caprese salad which was good as expected, I did try a bite of the Risotto Cheese Balls too though which were outstanding. For my entree I got the Chili Lime Crab Pasta which was pretty good but I should have gotten the Chicken Siciliano some of the others got with the cheese and prosciutto which was awesome. For dessert most of the others got the cannoli which was only fair but I got the red velvet cheesecake which was absolutely delicious. I couldn't eat it all since I was so full and it was very rich but I took the rest of it home and I made for a great treat. Overall I was please and would probably go back.