CMH Gourmand – Eating in Columbus & Ohio

I received an e-mail from Positively Cleveland asking if I would be interested in coming to Cleveland for a Culinary Press Trip in October. I mulled on this for less than one second most likely replying: “YES, YES, YES! So they said yes and here I am.

Your can follow the play by play on twitter here – CMH Gourmand. I will mark most tweets #CLECourmand to avoid confusion.

Below is my itinerary from Positively Cleveland, copied and pasted (without editing, which saves me a load of time) for those of you following along on twitter.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 5

4 – 9pm Check-In at the Ritz-Carlton, Cleveland (Downtown)
• 1515 West Third Street, Cleveland, Ohio 44113, 216.623.1300, http://www.ritzcarlton.com
• The Ritz-Carlton, Cleveland recently completed a major renovation of the 206-room hotel located in the heart of the city’s downtown. From the spacious guestrooms and suites to the exclusive Club lounge with expansive views of the city’s skyline, the award-winning hotel has received a complete makeover.

8:30pm Welcome Dinner at MUSE at the Ritz-Carlton
• The award-winning MUSE, located in the Ritz-Carlton offers a menu of contemporary American cuisine that is designed to offer meals as wholesome and fresh as they are appetizing, artistic expressions.
• You will be enjoying a variety of wines from Northeast Ohio.
• Meet-and-greet with Ritz-Carlton chef

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6

9am Breakfast at Lucky’s Café (Tremont, West Side)
• 777 Starkweather Avenue, 216.622.7773, http://www.luckyscafe.com
• Start your morning out right at Lucky’s Café. Perfectly situated in the artsy, blue-collared neighborhood of Tremont, Lucky’s Café is brimming with charisma and quirkiness with its home cooked breakfasts, lunches, pastries and coffees.
• Meet-and-greet with Chef Heather Haviland.

10am Drive to Sandusky/Huron Area

11:30am Chef’s Garden
• 9009 Huron-Avery Road, Huron, Ohio 44839, http://www.chefs-garden.com
• What started as struggling family farm recuperating from a destructive hailstorm in Huron, Ohio is now the Chef’s Garden, the leading grower of artisanal products in the United States for the world’s top chefs. In fact, Chef’s Garden grows more than 600 varieties of heirloom vegetables, micro greens, micro herbs, specialty lettuces and edible flowers in seven different stage of growth. By using sustainable agricultural methods in loamy soil, each and every product offers exceptional flavor, lasting shelf life and enhanced nutritional content.
• Meet-and-greet with Farmer Lee Jones.

2:30pm Lunch at Light Bistro in Ohio City.

4pm Dessert at Lilly’s Handmade Chocolates (Tremont, West Side)
• 761 Starkweather Ave., Cleveland, 44113, 216.771.3333, http://www.lillytremont.com
• Lilly Handmade Chocolates is an artisanal chocolatier that specializes in pairing fine wine & craft beer with their handmade, fresh chocolate confections. Lilly is owned & operated by Amanda & Joshua Montague, who are both classically trained chefs. Their chef background is reflected in their creations; while there is some throwback to traditional, the chefs aim to create individual “dishes” for you to savor, through layers of flavor both sweet and savory.
• Meet-and-greet with owner, Amanda Montague.

About Tremont:
• http://www.restoretremont.com
• Historic Tremont is has a reputation as one of Cleveland’s hidden hotspots for art and dining. A blue collar neighborhood with a rich cultural heritage, Tremont’s newest residents are urban professionals and artists. Just off of Lincoln Park, the neighborhood’s landmark epicenter, you’ll discover hidden galleries and boutiques, award-winning restaurants and pubs the locals would like to keep to themselves.

4:45pm Lake Erie Goat Cheese Creamery (West Side)
• 216.961.9222, http://www.lakeeriecreamery.com
• Located in a renovated factory located on an urban stretch of road just neighboring downtown Cleveland sits a tiny goat cheese creamery operated by a husband and wife team. While the plant is 40 miles from the nearest goat, the plant produces hand-made, lightly salted chevre from gently pasteurized, small batches of goat milk. The goat milk comes from local goat farms and breeders in neighboring communities. The award-winning cheese is sold in some of Cleveland’s trendiest restaurants like Lola, The Greenhouse Tavern, Flying Fig and Fahrenheit.

5:15pm Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum (Downtown)
• 1100 Rock and Roll Boulevard, Cleveland, 216.781.7625, http://www.rockhall.org
• Contact: Margaret Thresher, Director of Communications, 216.515.1215, mthresher@rockhall.org
• Pay homage to rock icons and see video, artifacts, memorabilia and other cool, “one-of-a-kind” stuff on display at the Rock Hall. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is dedicated to exploring the past, present and future of the music and the cultural context from which it emerges.

7:15–8:15pm Downtime at Ritz-Carlton, Cleveland

8:30pm Dinner at The Greenhouse Tavern (East Fourth Street, Downtown)
• 2038 East 4th Street, Cleveland, 44115, 216.443.0511, http://www.thegreenhousetavern.com
• Chef Jonathon Sawyer evokes the farm-to-plate movement in his new restaurant, the Greenhouse Tavern. Sawyer believes that the proximity of the farm to the restaurant direct correlates with the quality of food. This new restaurant exhibits this concept and is the first Green Restaurant Association Certified Green restaurant in Ohio. Chef Sawyer is a semi-finalist for the 2010 James Beard Foundation Award for Rising Star Chef.
• Meet-and-greet with part-owner, Jonathan Seeholzer.

About East Fourth Street:
• http://www.east4thstreet.com
• Quickly becoming a nightlife destination of choice, this narrow brick street is packed with upscale eateries and entertainment. Take in a show at the House of Blues. Laugh along with your favorite comedian at Hilarities. Bowl at the upscale Corner Alley. Savor a pint at Flannery’s or dine at Chef Michael Symon’s Lola.

10:15pm Nightcap at Velvet Tango Room (Tremont, West Side)
• 2095 Columbus Rd, Cleveland, OH 44113, http://www.velvettangoroom.com
• Recently rated as one of the “Top 10 Places to Slip into a Modern Speakeasy” by USA Today, the Velvet Tango Room is reviving the art of a well mixed cocktail. But if you ask any food critic, they’re changing lives daily. While each of their unique cocktails begins at $15 a piece, guests will soon realize that it’s a small price to pay for changing their entire perspective on cocktails. Try the Apricot Sour (light, airy and smooth) or the Dark and Stormy (spicy, homemade ginger ale finished with Black Seal rum).

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 7

9am Breakfast at Tommy’s Restaurant (Coventry Village, East Side)
• 1824 Coventry Road, Cleveland Heights, OH 44118, 216.321.7757, http://www.tommyscoventry.com
• Head to Tommy’s for a burger and milkshake! While the shakes and menu stayed the same since it opened in 1972, Tommy’s is now in a much bigger venue and is always filled with customers – vegetarians, vegans, meat-eaters, health-conscious and the just plain hungry.
• Because we love them so much, expect to enjoy a milkshakes at breakfast!! Meet-and-greet with owner, Tommy.

10am Big Fun (Coventry, East Side)
• 1814 Coventry Road, Cleveland Heights, 44118, http://www.bigfunbigfun.com
• Fun is packed into this store with cards, kitsch and collectibles from lunch boxes, blow-up advertising toys, Barbie dolls, and reproduction and original classic toys. Prices range from under a buck to thousands of bucks. This one’s fun for teens, too.

About Coventry Village:
• http://www.coventryvillage.org
• With a music club, street festivals and ethnic restaurants, Coventry Village in Cleveland Heights on Cleveland’s near east side retains some of the counterculture atmosphere that made it a magnet for the area’s bohemians in the 1960s and ‘70s. Cool and eclectic shopping options ranging from the vintage toys of Big Fun to offbeat book stores, round out this hip ‘hood.

11am Cleveland Museum of Art (University Circle, East Side)
• 11150 East Boulevard, University Circle, 216.421.7340, http://www.clevelandart.org
• One of the most prestigious cultural institutions in the city is the Cleveland Museum of Art, one of the United States’ most important art museums and the only major museum in the country to still offer free admission to its permanent collection.

About University Circle:
• East Boulevard, Cleveland, 44106, 216.791.3900, http://www.universitycircle.org
• Each year, more than 2.5 million people “find themselves in the Circle.” Just four miles from downtown Cleveland, University Circle is one of the most concentrated square miles of arts and culture in the nation, home to more than 20 artistic and cultural venues.

12:45pm Dessert at Presti’s Bakery (Little Italy, East Side)
• 12101 Mayfield Road, Cleveland, 216.421.3060/www.prestisbakery.com
• Presti’s Bakery in Little Italy offers homemade pastries, cookies, biscotti, cannoli, tira misu and cakes for any occasion. Or, tempt your tastebuds to some delicious Italian gelato. Open for breakfast and lunch, Presti’s menu also offers deli items, breads, pizzas and paninis.

About Little Italy:
• http://www.littleitalyredevelopment.org
• First settled in the late 19th century by skilled Italian artisans, Little Italy (also known as Murray Hill) has retained much of its Old World charm and tight-knit sense of community. A blend of art galleries, shops and restaurants, Little Italy offers some of the finest Italian dining in Cleveland Plus.

1:45pm Lunch at Slyman’s
• 3106 St. Clair Avenue, Cleveland, 216.621.3760 http://www.slymans.com
• While certainly not the “haute couture” of upscale culinary, the renowned Slyman’s Deli has been serving Cleveland’s most coveted corned beef sandwiches for countless generations.
• Meet-and-greet with owner, Freddie Slyman.

3:15pm Tour + Tasting at Great Lakes Brewing Company (Ohio City, West Side)
• 2516 Market Avenue, Cleveland, 216.771.4404, http://www.greatlakesbrewing.com
• Great Lakes Brewing Company, which is comprised of a brewery and brewpub, was the first microbrewery in the state of Ohio and today remains Ohio’s most celebrated and award-winning brewer of lagers and ales.

5:15-6:30pm Downtime at the Ritz-Carlton, Cleveland

7pm Dinner at Moxie, The Restaurant (Beachwood, East Side)
• 216.831.5599, http://www.moxietherestaurant.com
• Often referred to as the east side’s “crown jewel,” Moxie’s imaginative yet simple menus are developed by nationally acclaimed Executive Chefs Jonathan Bennett and Peter Vauthy, both known for using the freshest and best ingredients in the world. Peter says, “We order and work with the best. If we don’t have what the world says is the best, we search for it until we track it down. We don’t deal with second-rate ingredients here.”
• Meet-and-greet with Chef Jonathan Bennett.

10pm Nightcap at Morton’s The Steakhouse (Downtown)
• 55 Public Square, Cleveland 44113, 216.621.6200, http://www.mortons.com
• World-renowned steakhouse serving prime beef, fresh seafood and shelfish. Enjoy an award-winning wine list during a special wine event occurring with the three generations of Mondavi family members.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 8

10am Breakfast + West Side Market (Ohio City, West Side)
• 1979 W. 25th Street, Cleveland, 216.861.5250 http://www.westsidemarket.com
• If you’re covering the culinary scene in Cleveland, you absolutely cannot leave without a visit the West Side Market. Built in 1912, the West Side Market is the largest indoor/outdoor market in the country. This marketplace was once where turn-of-the-century immigrants found their native foods and spices. Today, it features 180 booths with the freshest selection of fruits, vegetables, meats, dairy, produce, bakery, ethnic foods and international delicacies. Only open Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.
• Tour the market with Richard Soren Arnoldi, Executive Chef from MUSE at the Ritz-Carlton.

11:30am b.a. Sweetie Candy Company (Parma, Southwest)
• 7480 Brookpark Road, Cleveland, 44129-1104, 216.739.2244 or 888.267.9340 http://www.sweetiescandy.com
• From wax lips to PEZ dispensers to gourmet jellybeans, this amazing store has every delight for every sweet tooth. You have to see it to believe it.

1pm AMP 150 (West Park, Southwest)
• 4277 West 150th Street, Cleveland, OH 44135, 216.252.5333, http://amp150.com
• This hip, new restaurant located in the recently restored Cleveland Airport Marriott, AMP 150 is the newest destination restaurant by chef Dean James Max. The farm-to-plate movement comes to life through menu consisting of local artisan products and hand-crafted cuisine much to the liking of critics and locals alike.
• Meet-and-greet with Chef Ellis Cooley.