Breaking Bread at Broken Rocks Café and Bakery

Interior of Broken Rocks Café and Bakery

      I decided to take a little detour to Wooster, OH on my way home to visit my cousin Tom and his partner Rolland.  They suggested meeting at Broken Rocks Café and Bakery, an urban chic spot in the center of town, which felt like it was in the middle of a major city.  The look was industrial with exposed brick walls and vents with lots of wood being

Thyme Restaurant Hits All the Marks

Thyme Restaurant in Medina, OH

      I continued my venture further north to visit Cindy in Medina, OH.  On the second day of my visit, we decided to treat ourselves to a fine dining experience.  We looked at several menus online and decided that Thyme Restaurant in town fit our tastes for that evening.  Cindy said it had morphed from a Red Barn fast food restaurant to Chinese and then to its present form.  There are still minor traces of its earlier history, but certainly nothing too distracting or jolting.  In fact, if I hadn't been given a cue I probably would have only thought it was a little quirky with the architecture.  We dined inside but the patio was filled and looked quite inviting.  The interior is pleasant and calming with a divided floor plan allowing for fairly private dining and conversation.

Thyme Interior

     We started with the House-Made Porcini Gnocchi with sautéed mushrooms, spinach, parmigiana cheese and a

House-Made Porcini Gnocchi

porcini cream sauce.  The gnocchi was tender and perfectly cooked (not an easy feat).  The sauce was packed with flavor and I wanted to sop up every bit of it with the home-made bread.  It's also available as an entrée.

Cleveland's Melt Bar & Grilled Lives Up To Its Reputation

Eric and I have been bonding this week.  He chases me around the house when he gets home from work.  I like that!

      My only request while visiting Cindy and Will was to visit one of the top restaurants in the Cleveland area. (In this case, "top" meaning casual dining.)  So, we went for the favorite and visited Melt Bar & Grilled in Lakewood, the number one pick on Urbanspoon's website.  The two of them had heard the wait can be tremendous so we headed out on our 40 minute ride to arrive there by 11 a.m. for the lunch opening.  There were a few people standing out front when we drove past a few minutes before 11.  We parked in the back lot and went in the rear entrance to a wild collection of memorabilia and kitsch.  

Entrance and Shop at Melt in Lakewood, OH

Bar with Lighted Holiday Figures

      The restaurant was sparsely filled when we arrived.  Had the hype worn thin?  We were greeted by our server, Leah, who had both a sense of humor and a vast knowledge of the offerings.  The menu is printed on the backs of various record albums and it can be intimidating with its variety and descriptions.  I had viewed their website and immediately went to the Westside Monte Cristo.  It's my favorite sandwich, so my decision was made.  Cindy chose the Smokey Russian and Will the Gyro Melt, a new menu addition.  All sandwiches are served on fresh baked bread with hand cut fries and sweet slaw.

Westside Monte Cristo

Main Street Café: A Reflection of Medina Square

Neil went away for a few days and I was on my own until Eric came home from work.  I was looking forward to exploring the outdoors but it's been so rainy.  (I like drinking the murky water in the puddles.) There were a couple of hours of sunshine so I made the best of it.  I was anxious to hear what Neil had been up to when he returned home.

Town Square in Medina, OH

      I visited our friends Cindy and Will in Medina recently.  Cindy and I get together for a few days from time to time to inspire one another as artists and designers.  Of course, meals are another way we get energized.  My second day there, we went up to the historical Medina Square in the center of town for a visit to the Main Street Café.  The square is turn of the last century and as we entered the café the time period was repeated. 

Turn of the Last Century Dining Room

      We had dinner there about a year ago and I was quite impressed by their take on several of the dishes.  It was around 2 p.m. so we had missed the lunchtime crowd.  Cindy found a Salmon Wrap on the menu and I was attracted to the Blackberry Chicken.  My entrée came with soup and I chose the Steak and Potato Soup du Jour (the lobster bisque is also yummy).  It was thick and robust in flavor with a generous amount of meat and potatoes.  Cindy liked her salmon, but was really intrigued by the pasta salad served alongside.  The dressing was homemade and quite light.  My chicken arrived with side dishes of ginger-cashew rice and snow pea pods.  Both were nice flavors with the chicken that was roasted to perfection with a blackberry demi-glace reduction.  At first I thought there was too much sauce, but the taste was a great accompaniment for the savory chicken.  I recalled the creamy tiramisu I had for dessert on my previous visit, but I just couldn't make room for it that day.

Steaming Steak and Potato Soup du Jour