Review: Bravo! Cucina Italiana, Toledo, Ohio
Posted on 25 March 2008 under Eat This Blog, Photos, Restaurant Chit-Chat, Reviews: Restaurants | 2 Comments
Yeah, this was a cool way to get dessert! Neither of us were expecting this display stand and its contents whatsoever, but there it was. We’d figured that, when we’d ordered the Bravo! Trio, “Three of our most popular desserts; Cheesecake, Crème Brûlée and Tiramisu”, we’d probably get sample sizes of each of the three desserts and would have room for coffee afterward. But honestly, the menu description says nothing about the three being anywhere near the sizes of samples. And they’re not! The servers just bring out all three full-size desserts on a metal stand, place plates in front of you with some spoons, and that’s that! That Bravo! Cucina Italiana is full of wonderful surprises is an understatement, and we’re glad we took the time this afternoon to have a late-lunch/early-dinner and of course, dessert.
The Bravo! Cucina Italiana location we went to this afternoon was the one closest to us, on the south side of the Westfield/Franklin Park Shopping Center at Monroe and Talmadge in north Toledo. Attached to the south side of the mall itself (I’m not even sure you can get into the restaurant from inside the mall) the exterior of the restaurant is distinctly Roman in its design. Of course, the closer you get to the door the louder the seemingly Latin American music becomes. It’s a bit confusing, but really that’s alright.
The restaurant’s interior is light and airy with plenty of light shining on the tabletops so you can see what you’re eating. The theme is what the restaurant’s web site calls “Roman ruin decor.” There are huge amounts of space between individual tables where other restaurants may try to pack in as many tables and seats as they possibly can. Look closely at the image to the left and you can see the end of the exhibition kitchen, which was probably 30 feet long. Prominent in this kitchen’s center is a wood-fired pizza oven for the restaurant’s pizza and other specialized offerings.
After an appetizer of a thick Lobster Bisque containing countless chunks of lobster, I ordered the Hickory Wood-Grilled Salmon with green beans, crispy potatoes, lemon caper butter sauce and pesto crumbs:
Those beans may look like something off a cheap non-authentic Chinese buffet but they were crisp, firm and downright tasty. I could have easily eaten more of them. The salmon itself also retained a ton of flavor, and with freshly-shaved Parmesan Reggiano on the pesto crumbs, was a wonderful balance of rich flavors.
Now, about those potatoes. They were, in a word, amazing! Light and tender inside, crunchy and well-seasoned on the surface, those potatoes rank up there with some of the best I’ve had anywhere at anytime. When I asked specifically how they were prepared, we were told they were first par-boiled, then oven roasted, then quickly pan-fried over high heat to get them as crispy as possible without burning or scorching or further cooking the tender insides. They were perfect! I’m going to have to try to recreate those taters …
Mary ordered the Spaghettini Rustica with bacon, red onion, crushed red pepper, tomatoes and chicken broth tossed with olive oil, spaghettini and Reggiano Parmesan cheese:
One mistake that’s made with spaghettini (aka “angel hair”) is to serve it with a tomato sauce that’s far too dense to balance the textures within the dish. The sauce used here was very light, complementing the noodles perfectly. This is one of the better pasta dishes we’ve tried anywhere.
Here’s a better look at the Crème Brûlée that was on the dessert stand from the Bravo! Trio:
The strawberry had been cut almost all the way through into fairly thin slices. The torched surface wasn’t as thick as we’ve seen elsewhere but instead was thin and delicate. And the custard itself was thick and creamy, unlike some that end up more like a pudding than a custard.
The Tiramisu was more interesting than we’d thought it’d be:
This was probably some of the richest Tiramisu we’ve had, and we’ve had the dish in many places! While the dessert itself was rich and flavorful, there was also a considerable amount of beautiful coffee included. (We think that might be a fine layer of ground coffee on the surface.) And the chocolate-covered coffee bean adds a great touch.
The Cheesecake had it’s own curiosities:
The strawberry was cut the same way as the one on the Crème Brûlée. But if you look closely at the side of the dessert (now the top) you’ll see it was also torched, rendering the same thin, delicate sugary layer as on the Crème Brûlée. This is a good New York-style cheesecake, thick and creamy with plenty of ricotta cheese.
While this was my first visit to Bravo! Cucina Italiana Mary’d been there twice before. The food is so incredible, and the service so wonderfully friendly, that we’ll definitely be back.
Eat This Blog: Reuben Sandwich at Gander’s, Luna Pier
Posted on 25 March 2008 under Eat This Blog, Photos, Restaurant Chit-Chat | 2 Comments
Click on the image for a larger version.
Ah yes, a simple Reuben sandwich. Lots of tender corned beef, cheese, sauerkraut and thousand-island dressing on a good toasted rye bread, with a side of fries and slices from a real Kosher dill pickle. This has got to be one of the best meals there is when you really want something satisfying after a hard day when you’re already looking at a busy evening.
KFC’s Grilled Chicken? “I don’t want nobody foolin’ around with his own ideas.”
Posted on 24 March 2008 under Rants, Restaurant Chit-Chat | 2 Comments
Many news organizations are reporting that KFC will soon offer grilled chicken. From the CBC article:
Kentucky Fried Chicken customers will be greeted eventually by lighted “Now Grilling” signs, starting in coming weeks in select cities in the United States …Storefront signs will be altered to promote the new product — called Kentucky Grilled Chicken. Even the brand’s ubiquitous chicken buckets will get a makeover, though they will still feature the iconic founder Sanders … Doug Hasselo, KFC’s chief food innovation officer, says “This is transformational for our brand.”
No, not transformational. More like complete and utter nonsense, totally ignoring what KFC’s founder would have wanted.
One of the many autobiographies I own is that of Col. Harland Sanders. If alive today, the Col. would have completely pissed, and would have simply removed control of the organization’s “innovation” from Hasselo. Here’s why he would have been pissed, in the Kentucky Colonel’s own words:
Well, every greasy spoon restaurant in the country has fried chicken on its menu and most of them call it Southern fried chicken. It’s fried in the same French fryer as they fry fish, shrimp, and everything else. Well, I didn’t want my chicken to be in that category. So I called mine Kentucky Fried Chciken, way back from its very inception when I first started frying chicken in the state of Kentucky … In the Southeast, we usually season our food more highly than the people in the Midwest or the West. Also, folks in the big cities usually liked thier food cooked in one way, while people in the country another way. But it didn’t seem to make no difference where people came from, they liked my Kentucky Fried Chicken just the way it was … Since then, we have seen this fact demonstrated in many parts of the world where Kentucky Fried franchises have been opened - thirty-three countries in all.
Why do I say the Col. would remove Doug Hasselo from the organization? Again, I’ll let the Col. explain:
Many times I’ve been accused of being a perfectionist. Maybe I am. But I do know how chicken should be fried, and if it’s goona be fried usin’ my special recipe, then it’s got to be done right. I don’t want nobody foolin’ around with his own ideas. [emphasis mine] If he had my franchise then he had to do it my way.
One time Mildred called me on the phone from Newport News, Virginia, to tell me there was a franchisee that wasn’t fryin’ chicken with my equipment. Someone come along and sold him on another type cooker.
At the time I was in Roanoke, so I drove up there, and sure enough there was this inferior equipment. There was also a pile of chicken left over from the night before and it was a horrible mess.
Well, I got there just after daylight. Wasn’t any business in the restaurant, so I backed up my car to the platform, raised the trunk lid, and went through the kitchen.
“Where’s the chicken-frying department?” I asked the first man I see.
“Over there,” he jerked his thumb.
There was the cooker. There was the pile of chicken left over from the night before. So I crawled under the counter and started handin’ the cookers over to my man. He carried them out and put them in the back of the car. Then we got the barrel of spice that I sent him. We took everything that had to do with Kentucky Fried Chicken.
Then I got into the front part of the restaurant and find the manager in there smokin’ a cigarette.
“Where’s the owner?” I asked.
“Not here yet.’”
“When he comes, tell him he’s out of the chicken business as far as Kentucky Fried Chicken is concerned. I’ve pulled his cookers, his spices, everything he’s got, and he won’t represent me anymore.”
The Col. physically shut down this franchise, and others like it, for fairly minor infractions against what he founded KFC on.
And then there’s Doug Hasselo, KFC’s “chief food innovation officer”, changing products and storefront signs.
Doug Hasselo, KFC’s “chief food innovation officer.” Chief what? Chief of, “If the Col. were alive today, he’d throw me out on my ass, with my grills not too far behind.”
I guess I’d better get over to a real KFC and get some real, honest, original recipe before these dad-gummed kids run the place right into the ground.
HJ’s Prime Cut, Toledo
Posted on 22 March 2008 under Photos, Restaurant Chit-Chat | No Comments
Click the image for a larger version.
A couple months ago I spent a couple days at Mary’s brother’s house while a crew installed carpeting. To thank us for this, David gave us a $50 gift card to HJ’s Prime Cut on Alexis Rd. at Dixie Hwy. This evening we were finally able to head down there to have what’s probably some of the best beef in Toledo. In the above photo you can see my serving of their signature prime rib which I ordered as the Prime Rib & Perch Combo. The 8 oz of prime rib itself was perfectly done, needing no additional sauce, with the perch being moist but firm. This is an exceptional dish that HJ’s does quite well. Behind the plate you’ll see I also had a bottle of the new Land Shark Lager from the folks at Margaritaville. The lager is on the lighter side with a full-body flavor, making it a good party brew.
Click on the image for a larger version.
This is Mary’s serving of the restaurant’s Baby Back Ribs. Even though she was only able to finish half of these ribs she was very happy with the immnse flavor and how the meat simply fell off the bone. She has plenty left over for another meal.
Even though we didnt happen to catch our server’s name she was very attentive, taking care of everything as necessary. We’ll definitely be back sometime.
Note: HJ’s Prime Cut will be closing this particular location April 1, 2008, moving all of it back into their current banquet facility just west of where this standalone restaurant is. The location on Heatherdowns will be unaffected by this move.
MDA Lock-Up at the Frog Leg Inn, and Accident Details
Posted on 29 February 2008 under Restaurant Chit-Chat, Special Events | No Comments
So yesterday morning, the call came. “Dave, there’s going to be a great photo op over here today … it’s the MDA Lock-Up and there’s already three limos parked next to the restaurant!” Grabbing my gear I headed for the Frog Leg Inn and found exactly that, with lots of activity inside the restaurant.
Now, I had intended to tell you the story of the whole day in this post. Instead, since my right shoulder’s fairly sore today, I set up the Photo Gallery on the restaurant’s web site to tell the majority of the story. There are 19 images in that gallery featuring Luna Pier City Administrator Greg Stewart, along with shots of other participants, some of the volunteers and, of course, the food. (Mary was asked if they could arrest her as well but she works too far away for that to have been practical.)
As to yesterday’s limousine accident: I wanted to get video of Greg being arrested, so I was along for the ride. Ron, the driver, had asked if I wanted to sit in the rear of the limo, but I wanted to sit up front so I could shoot the vehicle’s approach to City Hall before Ron “arrested” Greg. At about noon we had dropped off two of the morning’s participants in Lambertville and Ron had “arrested” a gal at an insurance agency in the Bedford area.
We were headed north on Secor on our way to Luna Pier City Hall so Ron could “arrest” Greg and were about to pass through the intersection at Erie Road … when the maroon minivan seen in yesterday’s photo pulled out from a full stop and headed west right in front of us. (Secor Road doesn’t have Stop signs at that intersection while Erie Road does.) Ron pulled left to get around her but she just kept going. He did everything he could (including yelling!) to stop that limo but at about 45 mph there was far too much momentum. The limo hit her minivan from the driver’s door forward, shoving her vehicle 90 degrees around to head north on Secor, while the limo literally ground into the pavement to a stop just short of a telephone pole.
The driver of the minivan would be my only real concern, but as I never learned her name I’ll likely never find out how much she was injured. I heard late yesterday the gal from the insurance agency was fine, was the person who called 911 and took over from me to assist with the woman in the minivan while I directed traffic till police got there. And Ron’s likely back on the job today.
This incident is one of those proofs that, indeed, you never know what will happen.
Frog Leg Inn: The Demise of the Orange Formica Bar
Posted on 15 February 2008 under Restaurant Chit-Chat | 2 Comments
For those familiar with the 1970s-era orange Formica bar at the Frog Leg Inn in Erie, Michigan (the bar with the exceedingly-uncomfortable forearm ramp) … as you can see from the above photo it’s no longer there! In its place is a couple inch thickness of this beautiful quartz. The front of the bar, its step and the floor on its platform will also be re-finished to compliment this new surface. Yes, you can finally eat at the bar if you’d like without too much trouble!
Eat This Blog: Saturday’s Dinner, a Stuffed-Salmon Terrine
Posted on 11 February 2008 under Eat This Blog, Restaurant Chit-Chat | 4 Comments
Saturday evening at the Frog Leg Inn in Erie during my annual “Daddy-Daughter Date” with Briahna, I had my first taste of Chef Cedric’s Asparagus & Wild Mushroom-Stuffed Salmon Terrine. Fresh Atlantic salmon lines an oiled bowl, and the inside is stuffed with an asparagus and wild mushroom stuffing. This is steamed for about 20 minutes, and is then inverted into a basil cream sauce. The presentation is amazing, and the basil cream sauce sets the whole thing off perfectly. Frog Leg Inn co-owner (and Cedric’s mom) Catherine hadn’t tried this dish yet either but now she has … it was so good, she almost double-dipped when she tasted from my serving!
Photos: Salad Gallery, Toledo
Posted on 6 February 2008 under Photos, Restaurant Chit-Chat | 4 Comments
We’ve been wanting to try the Salad Gallery on Navarre Ave. east of St. Charles hospital for a couple years now. It doesn’t look like much on the outside, but inside are all kinds of fresh goodies in a brightly-lit and clean environment … and, the place gets busy!
There are all sorts of salads. Above you can see the chicken salad with some cottage cheese, a fruit cup and a Nantucket Nectar orange juice.
Below you can see some of the selections of green salads. There are also creamy salads, along with subs, sandwiches and desserts.
This is just a quick look at the place. The food was fresh, cold and very crisp. We’ll head back another time for a better look!
CBC Video: North Vancouver City Councillor Asks for Banning of Drive-Thrus
Posted on 31 January 2008 under Food In The News, Politics, Restaurant Chit-Chat, Video | 4 Comments
North Vancouver City Councillor Sam Schechter is attempting to enact a ban on any future drive-thrus within his city. There is currently one drive-thru, at an A&W restaurant. Councillor Schechter claims banning drive-thrus will help reduce global warming and will not have an effect on individuals who are more likely to use a drive-thru because of disabilities. Click on the “Drive Thru Open” image to view the CBC Morning News video. (Runs 4:24; Windows Media Player required to view.)
Let’s Talk About Tipping …
Posted on 29 January 2008 under Restaurant Chit-Chat | 5 Comments
Over on MLive.com, this article, “Gandy Dancer taps into staff’s tips to offset fees”, really got my goat this morning:
Earlier this month, the upscale Ann Arbor restaurant [”Gandy Dancer”] began charging its servers 1.5 percent of the tips patrons leave on credit cards to help the restaurant pay credit card processing fees … “It’s not a cost that the business should pay,” said Steven Scheinthal, executive vice president. “The employee is getting paid via a credit card and there is a cost associated with converting the credit card to cash.
To quote Colonel Sherman T. Potter, “Horse Hockey!!!”
If you scroll to the bottom of the article you’ll find I’ve left a comment:
It’s not the restaurant’s decision for the patron to use a credit card, nor is it the server’s decision. It’s the customer’s decision as to whether or not they use a credit card instead of cash. So, that’s where the fees need to come from. Adding a credit card processing fee to a patron’s bill would make the most sense.
I’m clueless as to how Mr. Scheinthal couldn’t quite figure this out.
So what is a tip, or as it’s more formally known as, a gratuity? In one of its Great Debates RestaurantReport.com has posted comments by Paul C. Paz, President of the National Waiters Association:
Waiting tables is craft. The level of remuneration is relative to competent customer service. We certainly do not sustain our careers via minimum wage (although is still an important part of our income). “Raises” are provided by our customers and not our employers. If I want to improve my income level I must improve on my craft and skills … There are those who do not believe in tipping. That is their choice and it is one of the occupational hazards of the profession. Americans prefer having the option on gratuities and rebel at being told they “owe” tips. I know that I serve over 11,000 people each year and maybe 5 of them challenge my service skills. That leaves 10,995 fabulous guests who are a pleasure to serve and reward my genuine professional attention with gratuities that have allowed me to raise three children as a single parent.
Again … the customer’s decision.
I have serious issues with people who leave minimal tip in response to professional service. The gals at the Frog Leg Inn have always received 20% from us. We know them, we know how they bust their butts, we’ve seen how they run over each other in the kitchen while still maintaining high professional standards.
These particular servers are currently the standard by which we judge servers in other restaurants.
Does what these gals do have anything at all to do with whether or not a patron uses a flippin’ credit card? Of course not. That would be ludicrous; absolute and total nonsense.
Most restaurants see credit card fees as a cost of doing business. They may bury the processing fees in food costing, in the prices of individual dishes, but they’re likely not going to charge anyone specifically for them.
Frankly, a server’s tips should be off-limits for this.
Back on RestaurantReport.com is a great response to Mr. Paz’s comments:
When it comes to a gratuity … I leave what I feel is appropriate for the level of service that I have received. Outstanding service will merit about 25%. Fair service will be about 15-20%. Horrible service, roughly 10% … In restaurants today, all to often, you find servers that are merely order takers or salesmen, expecting a minimum of a 15% tip on every table, almost as if its a service charge. This is not what a gratuity is meant to be. So the next time that you feel you are being punished by a poor tip, ask yourself these questions - how did I go above and beyond to give my guests an outstanding experience? - What did I miss, What did they have to ask for. What could I have done to give them a more pleasurable experience? Chances are a poor tip means one of two things - one, that the level of service was not up to their expectations, or two, that they don’t know how to appropriately tip.
Those last words, “that they don’t know how to appropriately tip”, should ring alarm bells for some readers. Mary has three little words she loves to use: “Math is hard”. Are you really, truly, honestly leaving the right tip for the right reasons? Can you determine that 15% in your head? If not, where’s your calculator??
It’s fine to leave zero tip if service was really bad and there’s no excuse. I leave a penny or two in these instances if only to make my point. But at the Frog Leg Inn we’ve occasionally not had enough cash on us to leave a decent tip for the service we get there. The gals love when we come back with the tip and hand it to them, or give it to them on our next visit. We make sure they get what they deserve.
It’s been just over a year since I posted the following story. Today it deserves another reading.
Our first visit to the Frog Leg Inn was the result of a gift card someone had given us for our wedding in October of 2004. During that visit, service from our server, Sherry, was almost non-existant. Mary says that, since we were basically on our honeymoon, she really didn’t notice. But having worked in foodservice before, I noticed. However, Sherry had a good reason. I realized there was one woman at a nearby table who was, quite literally, demanding all of Sherry’s attention. And I mean, all of it! I felt sorry for Sherry for what she was having to tolerate. She’d get to us when the woman gave her a breather, but as soon as she’d do something for us, that woman would call her right back over.
We lodged no complaints. Mary hadn’t realized what was going on, and at a couple of instances I’d actually felt like defending Sherry against the woman at the next table.
The kicker came when Sherry delivered our bill. One little act of hers endeared the Frog Leg Inn to us forever.
What did she do? She brought us a piece of creme brulée in a to-go box, profusely apologizing for not giving us her best-possible service.
I hadn’t complained, Mary hadn’t complained, the food was excellent, we had been left alone which was fine for a honeymooning couple … but Sherry felt guilty anyway.
It was at that moment the Frog Leg Inn became our favorite restaurant in Monroe County, and one of our all-around faves of every restaurant we’ve been to, even across the country. Sure, it helps that we’re good friends with the gang there now. But it would still be our favorite even if those relationships hadn’t developed.
Servers put up with more than you could ever imagine. Unless you’ve been one you really have no idea how difficult that job is. Treat these folks right.
Obviously, some restaurants still have a lot of work to do in this area.
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