Cleveland has been my home since 2009, when I arrived for medical school. The city gets a bad rap... yet I feel that it's very underrated. Its food scene, in particular, deserves some respect. Especially when it comes to affordability and accessibility, I think Cleveland actually has a big advantage over bigger cities like LA and NYC. A world-class beer scene and an abundance of happy hours makes Cleveland as one of the more fun cities to eat out.
Anyway, these are my odes to my favorite places to eat in Cleveland. Perhaps it can be a resource to people to discover some new restaurants worth checking out!
Barroco Grill is all about fun. It starts when you walk through the door to take refuge from a relatively shabby area of Lakewood. You first notice the signatures engraved all over the walls, accompanied by inscriptions of praise. Perhaps after your meal, you can grab a Sharpie from the counter and add your own mark! In the meantime, check out the vibrant art on display from local artists. Then you can sit down amongst the diverse crowd, a mix of Latinos getting a taste of home and mid-westerners tasting something new and unusual. You encounter the eager and cheerful staff, excited to tell you about the arepas.
This restaurant specializes in these Columbian delights. Referring to a fluffy cornmeal bread popular in many South American countries, arepas here are served in sandwich form with a variety of stuffings ranging from the traditional to the new. I'm particularly a fan of the Hawaaian, with a mix of ham, pineapple and mozzarella that offers a salty, sweet and utterly satisfying meal. Be sure to try the sauces. There's six of them, including the spicy Ranchero, an herbaceous chimmichuri and an absolutely addicting garlic sauce. You can dip you fries in them, or squeeze them onto your arepa. Have fun with it!
They serve other treats too. The Super Dog is an exercise in excess, dousing a bacon wrapped hot dog in three sauces. Or if you really want to be decadent, get the Cheesy Corn, which is served with arepa fries. It's heaven in your mouth and sits like a brick in your stomach afterwards.
There is word that they're opening another branch on West 6th, which I predict will make it the perfect place for a late night snack after a night of fun downtown.
-JK
No comments:
Post a Comment