joyosity

I’ve only gone there once, and I wasn’t even that hungry, nor did I order steak, but I was definitely impressed not only with their bread (popover served in the pan it was baked in) but also loved the Lobster Bisque with a foot long Lobster Spring Roll and Kobe Beef Sashimi with Himalayan Salt, Truffle Sauce and Mushroom Chips. I will definitely need to revisit this restaurant!

Housed in the dubiously purple painted two story building at the northeast corner of Chinatown, this is a must-try, especially during the cold winter months. Shabu shabu is the Japanese version of fondue; instead of cheese or chocolate, a meat broth (or a variety of other soup bases for an extra $3) is heated to boiling on the electric burner set in the middle of the table. You can order your choice of thinly sliced meats, seafood, and fish cakes, all of which comes with vegetables and your choice of noodles (I’d recommend the udon or bean thread vermicelli). Condiments include “sa cha” (or Chinese bbq sauce), light soy sauce, hot peppers, chopped scallions, and chopped garlic. I’d recommend the pork and fish cakes plus an egg and extra sa cha (but then, that’s because I’m used to the Taiwanese version of shabu shabu, or hot pot).

One tip: try to go with an equal number in your party or else someone will get stuck sitting by themselves with their own pot (each pot is divided in half) or worse, having to share a half with someone else.

My absolute favorite restaurant in the Cleveland area. Their sweet potato fries are to die for, and I still dream about seared yellow fin tuna in ginger tomato broth with shrimp risotto. Oh yeah, and I love their dinner rolls which have bits of chopped scallions in it. The decor is elegant and tasteful, and the food presentation is definitely beyond any restaurant connected to a mall. Check this place out; you won’t be disappointed.

Okay, I’ve only ordered one thing here, the miso-glazed Chilean sea bass, but it’s so good I don’t care. It comes with miso soup and the house salad (mesclun greens tossed with Japanese ginger dressing and topped with these incredibly tasty dried strips of what might be plaintains?) and is served on white rice (you can substitute brown rice) and some vegetable similar to green beans but so good I don’t know what they are.

Besides this awesome dish, there’s also a sushi bar with plates of sushi that you can pluck off the revolving conveyor belt. The decor is really hip and modern yet the prices are definitely reasonable.

My favorite place to get lobster after a long day at Hampton Beach. The location right on Chauncey Creek and freedom to bring whatever side dishes and beverages you want make it worth the extra 30 minute drive north.

Love the chicken gordita with salsa verde and the horchata. Can’t believe this place is so cheap!

Love the squid ink pasta with puttanesca sauce. I always thought Italian food was boring and overrated until I came here.

Take basically any pastry you can think of (cupcakes, brownies, cannolis, apple pie, etc.), inject it with the best soft serve ice cream I’ve ever tasted (and I usually don’t like soft serve), and for the double whammy, run it under the chocolate fountain for a super yummy treat.

The lobster sandwich (don’t call it a lobster roll) is easily better than most lobster rolls I’ve had. Lots of lobster meat and just enough mayo to bind it all together on buttered, toasted scalia bread, made to order. All that and a bag of chips. Literally.

Five words: hazelnut coffee light and sweet.

Darn, I need at least 10 words for a review.