R, M, and D met us for Thai food on the East Side this Saturday. Bangkok Cafe was a suggestion of R & M’s… and it was a GREAT suggestion.

It’s been a long time since I last had Thai beef jerky. Bangkok Cafe served it up perfectly warmed and with a small dish of sriracha.

They allowed me to order off the menu–holy basil with ground pork–and I loved this dish that I had been missing terribly. Everyone shared, with D.’s green curry being my second favorite taste of the night. Highly recommended!

We finished the night with a couple cocktails at Andre’s Lounge on Summit Street. The papier-mâché busts are really something.

The drinks are strong and cheap… and I had fun playing awful music on the jukebox.

Bangkok Cafe | 3401 Woodville Road | on the East Side | (419) 697-7979

Andre’s Lounge | 1337 North Summit Street | (419) 248-9201

Last week was spent in Sarasota, helping out my grandparents… it was a LONG week and I was happy to return home. To help me detox, D. took me to Eddie Lee’s for dinner on Saturday. This was our first visit to this “Toledo Tradition”.

While we waited for our table (about 30 minutes), cocktails were enjoyed in the retro-decorated bar. Service from the bartenders was quick and pleasant, and before we knew it the host showed us to our table. A nice touch was the host carrying my drink for me while I could have easily done so myself.

We ordered a couple appetizers–escargot (which was nice, but should have come with some toasts… the bread on the table was too soft as an alternative) and some fried RED tomatoes (not green) served with a side of cocktail sauce.

Eddie Lee’s was packed with folks on the older side of the spectrum, and outside a couple babies we were easily the youngest diners. Still, the dining room was lively… some of those gray hairs could even be described as rowdy.

The highlight of the evening was my petit filet (yum) and the smaller portion of prime rib that D. absolutely loved. The prices are incredibly good; dare I say cheap? Both of our entrees were priced well under 20 bucks and our bill was close to half of a typical “nice” night out.

Eddie Lee’s | 4700 Nantuckett Drive, Toledo | (419) 882-0616

Located in a plaza off Monroe street, next door to Hobby Lobby.

Following up from our post on June 18, 2008, we had a chance to visit Koreana again with our friend T., who happens to be Korean. We were excited to have her help in ordering off the menu for us.

One of my favorite things about Korean food are the multitude of side dishes… kimchi, beans, vegetables, tofu… the tiny fried fish, I can do without. T. and the owner talked back and forth for a bit in Korean and before we knew it, little plates began covering our table.

The ownership of Koreana switched at some point since our last post, and that switch has brought some improvements. The menu is more robust (offering table-side cooking), the atmosphere is killer with hand-made custom woodwork throughout, and the new owner is really fantastic. Not sure what to order? Tell him what you like, don’t like, and he’ll sort it out for you.

I’m a big fan of the kimchi soup, full of great veggies, tofu, and pork. Flavorful Korean food, Asian beers, and an ever-evolving atmosphere all equals one of our newest faves in Toledo’s dining repertoire.

Koreana | 536 South Reynolds Road | (419) 535-6666

We met up with J. & A. and some new friends at Calvino’s this week for a celebratory dinner. J. & A. had just come off a 3-day fast… and if you haven’t enjoyed real food for a few days this was a fantastic way to bring back the yum.

D. and I arrived early and bought a bottle from the wine shop next door with the silly name “Got Wine”. The prices were really great, so great that a corking charge of $10 to bring upstairs wasn’t outrageous (considering bottle prices at most restaurants). But we will have to go back and pick up wine for home.

The group all ordered individual pizzas and shared. I got the white pizza, one of my faves, and D. made his own with red sauce, ricotta, jalepenos, and red bell peppers. I need to remember that D.’s the best. Hands down. We also shared more bottles of wine. It was a top notch night in Toledo.

Calvino’s | 3143 W Central Ave | Cricket West | (419) 531-5100

Yesterday, D. asked what we should get for lunch and I replied, “sandwiches”! We had just read about a relatively new sandwich shop, featuring Boars Head Meats, in The City Paper and decided to give it a go!

I had a turkey with brie, romaine, tomato and dijon. The first half, enjoyed in the well-packed-for-a-Sunday cafe was great, as was the second half I ate later on. No complaints outside that I would like a little hot-sauce (ie. TABASCO®) bar.

Also, if they are to represent English sandwiches, I think it’s a shame to not offer some sort of a ploughmans. But maybe that’s just me.

D. really loved his “cuban” sandwich. I used quotes because it’s not quite spot on, but it’s close–the closest we’ve found in the area. We’ve both spent time in Miami (me more so than D.) and like anything, it’s the small things that count; not judging. I smuggled a real cuban home (Miami to Toledo) last month for D., while I was there for work… it would have been a crime not to.

In closing, while I really don’t care for Levis Commons, we’ll probably be back. My own personal message to JB’s is “move to Downtown Toledo.” And my personal message to the rest of Toledo is “SUPPORT LOCAL SANDWICH SHOPS!” (note: each linked word above brings you to a different Toledo gem).

Oh, one last note. The pickles are particularly awesome–fresh and crispy–so when you are asked, “pickles or chips” get the pickle!

JB’s Sarnie Shoppe | 4195 Levis Commons Blvd. | 419-931-1080

If you do find yourself in Miami at some time, South Beach in particular (old stomping grounds), get yourself a “cuban” at either Davids Cafe, or Puerto Sagua. Trust me.

This cute little coffee shop saved the day last weekend. We really needed coffee.

And a little scoop of gelato was a good accompaniment for my espresso on ice.

D. enjoyed a petit quiche and then we were off. Our visit to Caffeinis was short and sweet.

Caffeinis | 1471 Secor Road (inside the Campus Village Center) | (419) 536-9724

The Summer months were kind to our garden. Above is only a fraction of the gastronomic delights produced. Note the odd, round, yellow “thing” in the very left of the above picture–apparently it’s a pumpkin (I failed to recognize). I put it back outside where it has turned color into a pretty orange, my poor little preemie pumpkin.

I made numerous batches of tomato sauce over the past few months. Once cooled, I packaged, dated them, and placed them in the freezer where they will rest until being devoured this chilly Winter. I’ve also made some delicious pesto… which is incredibly simple and fresh-tasting over linguini.

There remain tomatoes, peppers both hot and mild, leeks, onion, and a ton of herbs–but it’s getting colder and colder and it will all be gone sooner than I’d like.

This Summer was full of great festivals, but due to travel D. and I missed many of them. Luckily we were able to visit to the Birmingham Festival on the East Side of Toledo. We were treated to a tour from resident superstar B. R. U.–her family has been in the neighborhood for generations. She showed us all the hotspots and cute churches while relaying stories of dancing during hot sweaty summer fests as a child.

The festival is one of Hungarian roots and featured some really amazing foods. Foods that D. and I had never tried before, let alone heard of, like the “hunky turkey”.

Hunky turkey is sliced bread topped with bacon drippings, tomato, onion and green peppers. Pretty epic. But, my favorite dish of the day would have to be the cabbage and egg noodles that came in a little styrofoam bowl at the VFW–best 2 dollars I have ever spent.

Next Summer do not miss out on this festival. Great people watching (like woah), music, dancing, drinking, and food. AND, a hilarious Tony Packos pickle-eating contest.

Birmingham Ethnic Festival | Consaul and Front Street on Toledo’s East-Side

D. has been talking about Soul food for a while now. Both of his favorite soul-spots have shut down over the past 2 years and he thought he was out of luck. But the other day D. spotted a thread on a local Toledo message board mentioning a place called Ruby’s. We decided to check it out! More from D…

The atmosphere of Ruby’s was unexpected. It sits inside an unassuming strip mall on Door street in a quiet part of town. As we walked inside, we immediately felt as if we might be in someone’s home. The lighting was just right, everyone seemed happy, and diners were watching Jeopardy on the television.

The menu offered so many choices we were a bit overwhelmed with what to pick. J. ordered a hot “polish” sausage sandwich, and I ordered the catfish dinner. Let me tell you something… that catfish was some of the best fish I’ve ever had in Toledo and I’ve eat a lot of fish. The cornmeal crust was crispy and the fish was perfectly cooked–hot and flaky. I ordered fried okra as a side and it was unbelievable. I normally steer clear of okra, but I had a feeling it was going to be good and boy-oh-boy was I right.

All the side dishes were as expected… from the home-style mashed potatoes to mac & cheese. The only disapointment was the corn bread. It tasted as if it was made with bad buttermilk, or maybe spoiled shortening. But, with all of the regulars coming in and out, I assured myself that it must be a rare mistake and something we shouldn’t experience again.

Toledo, I’m happy to report that Soul-Food is alive and well.

Ruby’s Kitchen | 4933 Dorr St | (419) 578-5388

It’s been a busy summer of work, travel and we’ve been enjoying Toledo in between. Fall is officially here (brrrr) and there are only a few days of outdoor dining left, so I thought it would good to get this post in on Pepe’s…

The margaritas are best had on the back patio… where there’s a mountain!

D. and I had burritos with lots of jalapenos last week.

Everything–including the guacamole–was pretty great. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesdays are $2 Margarita Nights–with 15 flavors.

Consider this spot recommended, and a good way to switch up the regular Mexican spots (El Camino, etc.) Quick note: they are closed on Sundays.

Pepe’s Mexican | 1540 W Sylvania Ave | (419) 478-5488

D and I went to the Toledo Market today for an amazing lunch.
Here are D’s thoughts on the matter:

Stop the presses. The Toledo Market serves good food… really really good food. Living in Toledo, it’s hard not to be exposed to things like hummus and grape leaves, and with that there comes some complacency in accepting lower quality offerings. It takes going to a place like the Toledo Market to remind yourself what really great middle eastern food is all about.

J & I stopped by today, and decided on a veggie plate and a falafel wrap. We were so caught up in the food, no words were spoken until we finished eating. The grape leaves on the veggie plate were literally some of the best I’ve ever eaten. Even things like the hot sauce left on each table taste good… the tahini sauce was good, the hummos was good… everything was so good.

And to top it off, the staff genuinely want you to be happy. The guys behind the counter will bend over backwards to make sure you enjoy yourself but frankly it’s impossible not to. After you are finished eating, it’s fun to walk around the grocery store to pick up exotic snacks and sodas from around the world.

We’ve been to the Toledo Market many times before, but for some reason it’s usually not on our radar for a quick bite to eat. We’re going to change that, and work on becoming regulars.

Toledo Market | 3410 Dorr St | (419) 539-4262

D. and I grabbed lunch on the water at Six Pack Bar & Grill this Sunday. It was my first visit to what I imagine could or may be a hopping party spot on the Maumee. It was previously called The Lighthouse, and earlier Frank Uncles—which would have been the last time D. visited, years ago.

The outside decks were fairly expansive, including picnic tables, a couple bars, docks for boaters and even hammocks. We shared the great view of the river with only a few more tables/patrons. According to D., Six Pack seemed a bit ‘rough around the edges’ since his last visit. But I see a lot of potential and think we’ll come back with friends for an evening of drinks sometime in the future.

Our pub food was pretty good for what it was—a grilled cheese (on thick texas-style toast) and side salad for me while D. thoroughly enjoyed his “black and blue” burger and onion rings.

Six Pack on The River | 2605 Broadway St | (419) 381-1140

I met my wonderful friend K. for lunch today at Ranya’s–a small-ish Mediterranean spot Downtown, only open during the week for lunch. It’s been a year plus since my last visit for no particular reason… outside of me being an idiot because the food is AMAZING.

K. and I arrived at noon and the place was packed, so I would suggest visiting a little earlier or later if you are turned off by crowds.

We both asked for the Mjadara Brown Lentil & Rice Casserole which was accompanied by an incredibly delicious soup. In the past I would order the same thing, over and over again–the Mediterranean Tuna Melt. Not sure why, but it’s pretty great if you’re into tuna melts.

Ranya’s | 608 Adams St | (419) 242-7462

Our lazy weekend included pasta and vino outdoors at R. and M.’s place…

A leisurly dinner at the Real Seafood Co…

And a Sunday Brunch at Manhattan’s. Hope your weekend was relaxing… not too sluggish.

We also did a little ‘Toledo Economic Development’ by giving a tour to a new friend from NYC, who is interested in moving to our awesome city. He seemed pretty impressed so we may have a couple new Old West End residents soon.

This Saturday and Sunday, June 6 & 7, the Old West End opens it’s doors (literally) and invites you to festival weekend. Come and enjoy The King Wamba Parade’s 100th Anniversary on Saturday, beginning at 10:00 am. Immediately following will be The King Wamba and Queen Sancha Coronation Ceremony at Mansion View. There will be a Classic and Antique Car Show in front of the Park Lane, Saturday from 9am to 3pm.

Both Saturday and Sunday, house tours will be featuring beautiful historic homes. Also to enjoy: an art fair, live entertainment on a stage at Woodruff, children’s activities, food, and of course yard sales.

More information is available on the Old West End Association’s site.

Below is a Google Map of the parade route on Saturday:

We spent quite a bit of this weekend on the water, thanks to our gracious hosts J. and A.

J. invited us out to enjoy Friday’s sunset as a double date with her beau A.

Enjoy the sunset is exactly what we did.

After dinner and some hijinks we slipped along back home.

We regained our land legs and went back out on Sunday, closing the weekend.

After learning of my “future” home plans, J. navigated us straight to The Toledo Lighthouse. We circled it a few times before moving on…

…moving on to West Sister Island. The word is this island’s for sale? Another rumor is Jimmy Hoffa’s corpse rests there? According to Wikipedia, it’s mostly bird droppings and poison ivy.

Good enough to anchor for lunch and some brief swimming!

D. beat me at backgammon. I’m convinced cheating occurred but sadly cannot prove it.

We later ended up at The Docks, where we bumped into and joined our friends S. and E. for dinner. More Toledo serendipity!

Dinner at Tango’s was great as was our final leg home. Toledo is beautiful at sunset. Our soundtrack for the weekend was the Talking Heads.

Toledo Habor Lighthouse | West Sister Island | Tango’s at The Docks (turn your computer speakers off)

Last weekend’s weather was perfect for a BBQ in the Old West End–or anywhere in Toledo for that matter. And it looks like the skies are going to be great this weekend as well? *crosses fingers*

So might I suggest hosting a BBQ in your own back yard!

A few minutes before this photo was taken I was shown the little guy above, moving about in a bucket of water. I did not eat this guy, leaving that task to D. and M.–which they enjoyed quite a bit. The Attic on Adams (above Mano’s Greek Restaurant) hosts a Cajun night on Wednesdays, complete with seafood gumbo and everything Creole. And it’s a great spot for cocktails with Old West End locals.

Just thought you should know.

The Attic on Adams | 1701 Adams St. | (419) 243-5350

Saturday was the Toledo Bicycle Extravaganza, a Toledo Green Drinks event helping promote bikes as an alternative to the gas-guzzling norm. Groups of people in neighborhoods all over the city met up in differing spots and rode their bicycles to the Toledo Farmer’s Market downtown. A bunch of Old West Enders met in The Commons.

Most of our route was straight down Monroe Street, as it’s probably the smoothest ride to get Downtown.

Upon arriving at the Market we shopped for local veggies, cheese and bread.

It’s still pretty early in the year, yet there were some great finds.

There was an eccentric collection of bicycles, as well…

Including this little yellow number…

And one powered by electricity for when the owner tires on long rides.

At the noon hour we hopped back on our bikes and headed to Manhattan’s, where a lunch buffet was hosted and accompanied by live music.

I really enjoyed the “Fairly Handsome Band” which played what I would somewhat expect to hear at a luau. There was a little bit of rain at that point so the ride home was damp. But our spirits were far from dampened. Great afternoon!

Toledo Farmer’s Market | 525 Market St | Downtown

Manhattan’s | 1516 Adams St | (419) 243-6675

We grabbed some coffee at the new Ground Level Coffeehouse today on our way home from errands. It was the former “Brewed Awakenings” and you can read more about the transformation of the space in an Independant Collegian story here.

The coffee was great–likely because it’s Flying Rhino Coffee, another local Toledo gem of a business. Check out the Ground Level website for hours and events calendar. They are hosting some pretty epic poetry readings and the like. Ground Level also offers great sandwiches options, making this a choice lunch spot.

The Ground Level Coffeehouse | 2636 W Central | (419) 671-6272

It’s still a little chillly out, but not so much that a couple drinks and bar appetizers on the patio of Manhattan’s is out of the question. We shared chicken strips paired with some spicy mustard and a plate of chicken quesadillas that were fantastic with jalepenos.

Be sure to check their website for an event calendar full of local entertainment gems and what looks to be a delectable Scotch Whiskey Dinner on the 13th.

Manhattan’s | 1516 Adams St | Uptown District | (419) 243-6675

Lunch was had at The Original Sub Shop today. I love the typography of their sign painted on the windowfront.

But what I love even more are the subs. I tend to order a turkey and provalone with all the regular fixings–hot peppers, please!

D. ordered a corned beef on rye and although it wasn’t a sub he seemed to really enjoy it. Spot the bottled red substance in the above photo? That’s the famous Sub Shop hot sauce–one of my favorite hot sauces ever, second only to Tabasco®. It packs a punch and has a great taste and I probably use way too much of it… I can’t help myself.

The Original Sub Shop has been around for what seems forever. It’s owned/run by our good pal J.’s parents, who are always super nice when we come in. One last note: free wireless!

The Original Sub Shop | 402 Broadway St | (419) 243-4857