While on a search for brunch this Sunday, D. and I came across this little diner unexpectedly. It was clean and decorated with flowers and outdoor tables so we thought we’d give it a try…

We weren’t the only ones–as we walked in the door our friend’s M. and T. were already seated at the counter, ordering. The four of us grabbed a table and enjoyed an entirely delicious brunch. And it was cheap! D. ordered some eggs and french toast…

…while I fed on their self-proclaimed “Best Burger in Toledo”. I have to say, it was pretty great tasting burger.

The onion rings were a hit with everyone at the table. We were all amused by M.’s onion ring coffee trick.

My House Diner | 4704 North Detroit Ave. | (419) 478-6525

It was one great weekend. Favorite OWE fest ever, regardless of the weather. Above is some of the video D. shot during festival.

Toledo’s Historic Old West End Association

Oui Oui!

For some reason I thought a “Pu Pu Platter” was a joke. But “Pu Pu” is real! And it includes ribs, wings, fried shrimp, egg rolls, and the wholey “American” crab rangoon. Cream cheese? Sure, I’ll take it.

Long Island iced teas were enjoyed.

My crispy tofu with scallions and cilantro was great. The greens lent a fresh, crisp taste against the warmth of the tofu and rich sauce. I don’t remember what D. ordered–pictured at left–but he loved it. He’s playing a video game right now, so I don’t want to bother him about it.

We returned a week or so later with C., J., and Q. The large shrimp sauteed with garlic was a huge hit.

Note: Although dim sum is proudly posted on the overhanging signs outside, they do not serve dim sum. Shame. They do, however, serve the rarely offered geoduck clam–of which I have no experience and cannot say yay nor nay. But it’s uncommon and therefore mentionable.

Wei Wei | 1202 North Reynolds Road | (419) 531-1117

I’m going to keep this short and sweet. Thin crust. Thin. Crust.

Royal Pizza | 4843 North Detroit Avenue | (419) 478-8101

A little over an hour south of Toledo lives the little town of Lima. And in Lima lives three (3) of the five (5) remaining Kewpee Hamburger joints left in America. According to legend (ie. Wikipedia), Kewpee is the second fast-food hamburger chain in America and many claim the predecessor to Wendy’s.

Our friend, C., hails from Lima and after sharing with us stories of these amazing burgers whose namesake comes from a somewhat-creepy plastic doll, was able to convince a group of us to jump into a borrowed van and head south. We got into downtown Lima at the cocktail hour, so a quickie at Roxy (or was it Stormy’s?) preceded our hamburg pilgrimage.

This location was opened in 1928.

Hamburg pickle on top, makes your heart go flippity-flop!

The interior is a small diner with seemingly little updates over the years and according to a sign on the wall, “Your grandpappy ate here”.

D. and I picked out some burgers, chili and iced tea to share.

And this is what D.’s burger with “everything” looked like as it was unwrapped. Looks great, right? I can attest that it tasted even better.

There were no complaints from us, nor our fellow travelers. So, here’s a daytrip idea for your next lazy day off.

Kewpee Hamburgers | 111 N Elizabeth St. | Lima, Ohio | (419) 228-1778

Here’s something fun and useful. The Anderson’s in Maumee has a deli kiosk near the entrance. If you are in a rush, place your order for the deli at this kiosk and your coldcuts, cheeses, and specialty items (from Oasis, Tiger Bakery, etc.) will be waiting for you by the time you get to the deli! No “Please take a number” and no wait!

The Anderson’s | 530 Illinois Ave. | Maumee | (419) 891-2700

Here’s one. Go pick up your favorite proteins and veggies at your local Anderson’s (or Schorlings, or House of Meats, or Monette’s…) and grill out.

Be sure to pick out something exotic to drink.

And finish the night off by lighting stuff on fire.

Meatloaf and vino? Last week we enjoyed sampling a mix of meatloaf from House of Meats (buffalo, pork, gyro, etc.) and “blends” from the vast wine section in the Talmadge Road Anderson’s. I discovered a very nice wine from Washington, Cascade Clifts Goat Head Red, and brought a bottle home.

The Talmadge store hosts these tastings on Thursdays from 6 to 8pm, but the other stores do these as well… I believe on other days so check the website for event information.

Coming up… “What is Malbec?” on April 15th (tomorrow); “What is Cote du Rhone?” on April 29th; “Seafood & Wine” (with House of Meats) on May 15th; and “Last Great Cabernet Tasting Before Summer” on June 10th.

The Anderson’s | 4701 Talmadge Road | (419) 473-3232

I’ve never seen fresh almonds before! The Middle East Market on Dorr is pretty epic. The food is amazing and the new location is great.

Question: What do you actually *do* with fresh almonds?

Middle East Market | 5303 Dorr Street | (419) 531-3999

Gloria’s Tamales? How about GLORIOUS Tamales! A tip from the *interwebs* brought us here for dinner tonight.

It’s a little spot where you either order at the window or drive-thru. After picking up a bottle of tequila to make our own margaritas, we brought our booty home to eat.

I ordered a cheese quesadilla and a chicken burrito. I could barely eat a quarter of the burrito… so large! Going with the namesake, D. picked one of each of the tamales (chicken, pork, and beef). His favorite is the pork but the others we pretty great as well. The pico de gallo was soooo fresh and delicious, so don’t forget to order some on the side. As I type this, D. and I are full and the fridge holds some yummy goodness for tomorrow… and possibly beyond!

Gloria’s Tamales | 5004 Lewis Avenue | (419) 476-1000

A few weekends ago, we awoke to a particularly dreary Saturday. That afternoon, D. and I took a drive and ended up at Schmucker’s. The “GOOD FOOD” sign certainly lures the crowd in.

There were no free tables, so we grabbed seats at the counter… which was nice because we had cooks and waitresses to watch, and amuse us, unlike the sorry weather outside.

The burgers were great. Dustin loved his fries, but I ordered my burger without. Instead, I grabbed a slice of pecan pie to go! Schumcker’s has been “a Toledo dining tradition since 1948″.

Schmucker’s Restaurant | 2103 N. Reynolds Road | (419) 535-9116

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