RAVE: Lure Bistro

To break up the monotony of the week, my boyfriend and I decided to head to the East side for some sushi.

Well, I was the one who "headed" to the East side, as he lives over there, but that's not the point.

He knew of a quaint little sushi bar in Willoughby that knocked my socks off.

Lure Bistro is one of those great date places. It's got an open, yet fairly private atmosphere with a modern decor. The bar area is separate from the dining area, which was a huge plus.

As we dined, I couldn't help but compare the restaurant with Sushi Rock - one of my favorite sushi places in Cleveland.

The atmosphere couldn't have been different, which is a positive in my book. I love sushi rock, but sometimes it's just too loud and crowded.

The service was quick and friendly. Our drinks were always filled - another huge plus. This girl doesn't like to go thirsty.

We were presented with amazing bread and butter that we were told was mixed with Geauga County maple syrup - yummy!

Of course, the sushi was fantastic! A specialty roll called the FireMouth was by far the best that we ordered - lots of flavors and textures, and just enough spice.

Even the bathrooms were fully stocked with any needs a woman might have while dining out. Of course, I can only speak for the women's restroom, sorry guys, but I'm sure there were toiletries available for y'all, too.

Price wasn't bad, either. For sushi, it was moderately priced. Can't complain about that.

Here's a snapshot of the overall Lure experience:

Price: $$-$$$ (moderate for sushi)

Menu Selection: **** (a great variety of unique sushi rolls)

Taste: **** (yummy!)

Service: ****

Atmosphere: **** (quaint and modern)

If you find yourself with a sushi craving over in Willoughby, OH. or are just looking for a great date venue, Lure is your place.

Cheers!

-A

RAVE: Parallax

Photos courtsey of Kyleroth's Flickr Photostream.

When I first moved to Cleveland from Dallas almost three years ago I was worried about finding a decent restaurant to quench my regular sushi cravings. This was, of course, before I realized just how many great restaurants this city has to offer!

So almost immediately I began my search for the best sushi in town. A former co-worker took me to Parallax in Tremont and I immediately knew that their sushi would be hard to beat. Between the creative combinations in the sushi appetizers, the fresh nigiri and amazing specialty rolls (I highly recommend the spicy scallop roll, you won't find anything like it elsewhere), I was in love.

(Mmm...spicy scallop roll.)

To this day, Parallax remains one of my favorite restaurants in Cleveland. Though I haven't tried anything aside from sushi and the occasional splurge on dessert, I can guarantee their other entrees are phenomenal!

The atmosphere is more laid back than you might expect at first glance. The dim lighting and clean, crisp appearance might seem stuffy, but you'll quickly see that everyone there is relaxed and enjoying the company and conversations around them.

It isn't often that I make it out there, unfortunately. It is a little on the pricey side, but totally worth the splurge. And you can't beat the service! Water is always filled, there's a never-ending supply of bread and oil, and the wait staff checks in just enough to keep you happy, but not so much that it becomes annoying.

Today a good friend and I headed out for a mid-week dinner to celebrate her new job. Unfotunately, she's moving to the East Coast, so we decided to hit up one of our favorites one last time. Dinner included a yellowtail sushi appetizer with jalepeno and mango - YUM - and a variety of nigiri sushi and a salmon specialty roll.

We left full but not over stuffed, and perfectly satisfied.

I suggest, the next time you're in the mood for good sushi, take a trip out to the quaint neighborhoods in Tremont and try out Parallax. You won't be disappointed.

Price: $$$-$$$$ (sushi prices aren't bad)

Menu Selection: **** (a little of everything and a continuously changing menu)

Taste: **** (yummy!)

Service: **** (perfection)

Atmosphere: **** (dressy yet laid-back)

Cheers!

-A

RAVE: Sunset Bar and Grill

Let me start by apologizing for being MIA this week. Between all my travels and more changes in my life (shocker) I've been pretty tied up. If you want to read about my incredible skydiving weekend, check out SkydiveChick.com. My other blog. 

For now, it's onto the review.

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So yesterday I found it a good day to head out for a mid-week break. This included dinner and drinks out on the East side of Cleveland.

As a West-sider who didn't grow up in Cleveland, I have no qualms with going to the East side to visit friends. None. I've met people who have serious issues with this. Something I'll never quite understand I guess.

Anywhositis...this trip took me to Fairport Harbor. We walked through a quaint neighborhood to get to Sunset Bar & Grill. 

Situated right on the lake, we had a great view of sunset - or what was left of it by that time - and the coastline heading West. 

We split some amazing mussels, my crab cakes were perfect, and I even got to taste Manhattan Clam Chowder for the first time. It was so yummy!

The drinks and service were just as good as the food. We even got free shots of what they were calling Blow Pops, which was a concoction including Apple Pucker and Bubble Gum Vodka - though I'm sure there was more in the mix.

Believe it or not, Bubble flavored vodka is pretty good. It smells and tastes like Big League Chew...c'mon, you remember that stuff from the 80s, right?

The night was capped off with a leisurely stroll back through the Fairport Harbor neighborhoods and a few fun scenes from Point Break.

Here's a snapshot of my experience with Sunset Bar & Grill:

Price: $$-$$$ (some of the dishes seemed over priced, some under priced)

Menu Selection: *** (mostly seafood)

Taste: **** (for Cleveland, I was beyond impressed with the freshness) 

Service: ***

Atmosphere: **** (it was beautiful. reminded me of san francisco)

So if you find yourself on the far East side of Cleveland in the near future, I highly recommend Sunset as a place to relax on the patio. Hurry, before it gets too cold to enjoy the sunset outdoors.

Cheers!

-A

Upcoming Festivities

This weekend will be filled with all sorts of festivities and shenanigans. It's been a busy week and I can't even begin to describe how excited I am to have a couple days devoted to jumping out of airplanes!

But, before any of that, I'm going to an event that's a whole different breed of excitement.

So get this - Cleveland is in the running to host the Gay Games in 2014. How cool is that?! We're up against Boston and D.C. in the bidding process, but Cleveland definitely has some qualities that make it stand out, such as affordability and a Midwestern location.

I'm not going to sit here and preach to you about the bid, you can read about that here, and here.

(Thanks Randy and George for the great posts).

One of the best parts of my job is that I get opportunities to attend fun events. Tonight I get to hang out at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for an event called Frivolity. 

Our ProBono work with the Cleveland Synergy Foundation has led us to this opportunity. This event provides a chance for the Cleveland community to come out and support the Gay Games coming to the city. It's a chance for our voice to be heard.

This event will not only host the Gay Games' Site Selection Committee while they are in town, but will have appearances by a number of public officials and a host of community supporters.

Find out more about the event here and get your free ticket to attend.

After tonight's event I'll be heading home for some much needed shut eye before heading out bright and early in the morning. With a friend coming into town from Michigan, we'll be headed out for a weekend of skydiving.

See y'all on the ground on Monday.

Cheers!

-A