MoCa--Edgewater, Cleveland (Clifton Blvd) [$]

Venturing our shortest distance yet, we drove up the street to MoCa cafe.  Grace had mentioned she wanted to go there since seeing pictures of the food her friends have enjoyed while there, and Shannon had always meant to go back to MoCa for food after getting coffee on several occasions.  We read over the chalkboard menu and ordered our lunches at the counter.  The man who took our orders was the only person working at the time, and was also the man Shannon had bought coffee from a while ago.  We assume that he is the owner or manager, although at times he seemed a little frazzled and looked like he could have used another helper.  There were only a few people in MoCa when we got there, two sitting and working on their laptops, and a man sitting at the counter.  After placing our orders, we grabbed our water glasses and took a seat inside to enjoy the cool atmosphere, but sat by the window to look outside.
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Shannon:

I have not visited MoCa for probably a little more than a year now, the last time I went having been before I graduated college.  I would stop in before leaving Lakewood to head back to campus to do homework.  On those occasions I remember also ordering gigantic "black and white" (or half and half) cookies from the display case.  These were positively the best black and white cookies I had ever tasted.  The cookie itself was soft like a thin layer of cake, and the frosting was amply applied.  During those visits I remember noticing the menu and meaning to stop in for lunch, so I was glad when Grace suggested this for this week's outing.

Glancing over the menu, which was written in colorful chalk on a wall painted in chalkboard paint, I was slightly disappointed that I only had one lunch option.  There was a three cheese grilled cheese sandwich under the sandwiches part of the menu, and though I thoroughly enjoy grilled cheese, I do like having several options as well.  Right off the bat I knew what I would be ordering, as the process of elimination simplified this.  The menu said sandwiches came with our choice of a side, so I sidled up the counter to ask what my choices were.  The man replied pasta salad, couscous, coleslaw, or a bag of chips.  I mused over these briefly, but my love of couscous dictated I order that side.  He asked what I'd like to drink, and once I said water, he grabbed a glass tumbler and filled it with ice water and slid it across the counter.  My glass was clear emerald green with lime green flowers printed all over it.  It was very 1960s-70s, and I wondered if it had come from Flower Child, down the street.  Deeply admiring how cheerful it was, I made a note to keep an eye out for one I could keep for myself.

About ten minutes later, our food was brought over to us on square plastic plates.  My plate was black, which my sandwich, couscous, and silverware were all neatly set upon.  The plate reminded me of something that would be used in a cafeteria, prior to Styrofoam, again speculating that it was a Flower Child acquirement.  My couscous was sitting in a cute little pale yellow glass bowl, same as Grace's except hers was blue.  I tasted this first to find the chilled couscous dressed in an Italian-like dressing that had a bite to it.  Later as I ventured deeper into the bowl of couscous, I found their were several diced red onions dispersed throughout, which seemed to be a part of the dressing.  Couscous is perhaps my favorite semolina, and I have honestly had few couscous dishes that I have not enjoyed.  MoCa's couscous salad has now been added to the list.

Turning my attention to my sandwich, I lifted one half and had to employ my fork in separating the immense amount of melted cheese that spread out between the halves.  I took a bite and was in cheesy heaven.  The cheeses on the sandwich were provolone, Amish baby eyed Swiss, and Havarti.  The menu said the sandwich was on 9 grain bread, which I am certain mine was not on, considering it was identical to the one Grace's sandwich came on, called Italian bread.  No matter, the sandwich was divine and had the perfect amount of cheese.  My favorite cheese are white cheeses, so this mixture was superb and quite filling.  After polishing off both halves I returned to gobble up the rest of my couscous, so once I laid my fork down I was very well fed.

I would definitely suggest stopping in at MoCa if you have not already.  They have a generous drink menu, ice cream, pastries, teas, and breakfast before noon.  It's a great place to grab a bite or sit and read or do work.
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Grace:

Having a friend on Facebook who posts pictures while working a shift at MoCa can be a little saliva-inducing. I learned after seeing the menu online and the chalkboard menus, that this person probably just creates certain concoctions for herself--like I do with smoothies all the time! I also learned that when you Google MoCa, the new Museum of Contemporary Art in Cleveland inevitably pops up, so I recommend adding the word "coffee" or "cafe" to the end to get a more accurate search. I really like the MoCa meaning, or slogan--"More than Caffeine." That slogan definitely rings true throughout the establishment, seeing as they have many food options (not really for vegetarians, though), works of art for sale and ice cream!

While looking at the chalkboard, I was having trouble deciding between at least three things: the Turkey Sandwich, the Grilled Cheese (which I figured Shannon would get), and the Lemon Almond Chicken Salad Sandwich. I noticed that online they had featured a Hummus Sandwich, which I figured would be good for Shannon, but when we got there it wasn't on the chalkboard so I figured it didn't exist as an option for that day. I finally reached my decision after some more deliberation and went with the Turkey Sandwich. There was not a list of sides on the chalkboard menu, so we did have to ask the man working there. I chose couscous, like Shannon.

The Turkey Sandwich was really good! Included on the sandwich were Amish country bacon and chipotle jack cheese, all on Italian bread. As stated before, I think the man working there tried to pass off my Italian bread as Shannon's multi-grain bread because they looked exactly the same. Perhaps it was the result of his overwhelmed state, and he simply forgot. Thinking about my sandwich now, I want one right now! It had the perfect amount of sliced turkey, and the cheese definitely had a kick to it! I kept calling the black bits on my bread pepper, which also gave the sandwich a kick, but Shannon said she thought it was from the grill. All I know is that the sandwich as a whole was spicier than I thought it would be, but that it was so unbelievably good! The couscous that Shannon and I both ordered was tri-colored and drenched in a sort of Italian dressing that had some remnants of something spicy that we couldn't quite put our fingers on.

The cost of the sandwich and couscous was about $9 and some change. It was a really great value because I was completely satisfied after my visit. It was really fun to (hypothetically) pick out the art work that we liked best for our apartments that don't exist yet. I will definitely be back to MoCa for another meal, and definitely some ice cream or coffee! I just wish I had routinely woken up a little earlier a few years ago and found the time to stop in before all of my journeys to the east side for college! At least I know now that MoCa is open late and right around the corner--so, no excuses anymore! :)
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Outside MoCa

Display case and behind counter area

Chalkboard menu

Seating area

Table and cool wall art

Local artist's art for sale

Grilled cheese and couscous and awesome green glass

Turkey on Italian and couscous

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Cafe Sausalito--The Galleria, Downtown Cleveland (E. 9th St.) [$$]

Again venturing down town for our dining experience, we parked in a lot across from the Galleria and entered through the east doors.  Both of us commented on how long it had been since last stepping inside.  We mentioned that it had been enough time that neither of us could really tell if most of the shops inside were the same or not, however the food court appeared very familiar to both of us.  After walking around the whole lower level looking for Cafe Sausalito, we located it on the second level, bummed we could not sit outside in the sun.  Ascending the narrowest escalator we had ever seen, we were soon walking into the modernly decorated restaurant and being seated.

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Grace: 

Writing this about three weeks after the fact, I believe I had found Sweetwater’s Café Sausalito on Urbanspoon after typing “Restaurants in Downtown Cleveland” into the Google search bar. Many reviews said Café Sausalito was in The Galleria, which is a shopping mall I haven’t visited in more than a decade, so I hurriedly checked their website for the full menu. There seemed to be a lot of tasty options for both carnivores and herbivores alike, so it didn’t take much to convince myself that this would be a good pick.

After finding a parking spot in a garage, we saw two policemen on horseback during our walk over to The Galleria. That was exciting, and something you don’t quite see every day! We walked into the mall and started walking all around trying to find Café Sausolito since there weren’t many signs directing us to it. We finally found it on the second floor after going up the escalator we had already passed. I was overwhelmed by the combined size of the restaurant and bar! I had also noticed there was a flyer promoting tango lessons, and I had told Shannon that it would be fun to bring our boys and participate in that sometime! The décor was pretty simple, except for the windows that I kept looking at! They were really interesting and had little slits in the middle of them, which made it come off broken, but cool! Since Café Sausalito has another indoor seating area on the opposite side of said windows, the slits in the windows were a cool touch and they really created a sense of unity within the space.

We were pretty hungry that day, so like the time we shared an order of deviled eggs at Hodges, we decided to share an order of Cheddar Cheese and Potato Pierogies at Café Sausalito! The pierogies were topped with carmelized onions and leeks, in a cilantro cream sauce. They were scrumptious and they were the best part of the whole experience, if I do say so myself! Then again, I am Polish, so that isn’t shocking at all. I then ordered a burger with a not-so-subtle hint of garlic mixed into it. Since all I would eat when I was little were burgers, I would have to say that Café Sausalito’s burger was interesting, but definitely not on my Top Ten list. The fries were a bit bland. Our waiter was very pleasant, but had brought me my burger, asked if I wanted mayonnaise, and when I had said yes, he then took my burger back to the kitchen for whatever reason. My food got cold pretty fast, so I ended up eating only half of my burger, but the pierogies also might have had something to do with that.

Over all, I enjoyed my dining experience at Café Sausalito! My mom told me later that I had been there when I was little, but I really don’t remember. I will come back to Café Sausalito, but I think I will order something completely different (like the Sweetwater Salad or the Mix and Match combo)…and then hopefully whisk away the calories with a little tango! 

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Shannon:

Being several years since I've visited the Galleria, I was curious to see if I recognized the current shops.  My last visit was during a field trip in high school, as the Galleria's food court was our stop for lunch.  I was very glad to be revisiting the location to indulge in much finer food.  After parking in a garage I later found out was directly across from my uncle's apartment building, we entered the sunny interior and located our destination.  Both of us were initially disappointed that we did not have the option to be dining outside in the gloriously warm spring day, the restaurant being located in the middle of the second floor.  Once we walked inside to the hostess station, I noticed the restaurant was split into a darker interior and a brighter faux-terrace of sorts, which was lit by the sun streaming through the glass framework of the Galleria.  I briefly thought to ask the hostess to seat us in the brighter section of the restaurant, however I thought since we would be inside either way, we might as well soak up the decor and artwork on the inside.

Having already looked at the online menu, Grace and I discussed splitting an appetizer of cheddar and potato pierogies.  Once we were seated, our waiter brought us a basket of bread and after we asked how many pierogies come in the appetizer, we placed an order for one first.  The creamy cilantro sauce the pierogies were tossed in was the basis of my desire, and I was not disappointed at all.  The menu said they were also accompanied by caramelized onions and fried leeks, however, it did not appear any leeks were in our batch.  This was totally fine though because the four cheesy pierogies that we split were gone in minutes. Soon after this, our waiter returned to take our entree orders.  Despite just gobbling down pasta as an appetizer, I ordered the Black Bean Raviolis for my lunch.  There were only a handful of vegetarian options for me, and having ordered many vegetarian burger varieties in the past, I wanted to try something different.  I had never had black bean ravioli, so it sounded like the perfect decision.

As we waited for our food, we discussed the decor.  Grace noticed the windows looking out onto the terrace area, which were artistically paint-splattered and broken.  I mentioned that perhaps since they knew no tempestuous weather would be sprayed through the windows, since they were overlooking a still enclosed area, they decided to give them some flare.  Our food arrived a bit later, and placed in front of me was a big white bowl of creamy, cheesy pasta.  There were six or so fair sized raviolis on the bottom of the bowl, surrounded by roasted tomatoes and grilled red onions.  The sauce was creamy mushroom, which was buttery and deliciously submerged all the ingredients.  The raviolis were full of a black bean and what I believe was ricotta cheese mixture.  Each bite was so hearty and delicious, with the creamy sumptuous sauce and crisp tomatoes to offset the heavier components.  By the time I was nearing my maximum fullness, I began to just eat the vegetables, having concentrated heavily on the pasta until that point.  At the end, I was left with a little more than half of one ravioli, which our waiter chuckled upon taking it away.  Grace also commented on being so full that she could not even finish her whole plate.  Cafe Sausalito definitely knows how to satisfy hunger!

Sweetwater's Cafe Sausalito was a great lunch experience.  They have great sized helpings that will certainly fill you up.  We will definitely be heading back to the Galleria to try out Winks Local Bar and Grille!

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Outside Cafe Sausalito

Just inside Cafe Sausalito

Bar and wall art

"Inside" seating

Window seats

Bread basket

Cheddar and Potato pierogies with Cilantro cream sauce (sorry we started on them before snapping a picture!)

Grace's Cheeseburger and fries

Shannon's Black Bean and Cheese Ravioli

"Outside" seating

More seating

Artistic window

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Cafe Sausalito was a fun place for lunch, and can also be rented out for parties and weddings.  This would be a great lunch alternative for anyone working down town to grab something much more substantial for their mid-day meal.

Cowell & Hubbard--Downtown Cleveland (Euclid Ave.) [$$$]

Sticking with the downtown theme, Shannon chose a location that is in the heart of it all: The Playhouse District. Parking in a lot Shannon was familiar with on Prospect and E. 14th, we needed  only to walk a short distance to Euclid and cross the street. With no particularly restaurant-esque indications, the dual-named sign could be easily mistaken as a law firm. We hesitated briefly before opening the door, but the etching on the window stated it was a Zack Bruell Restaurant, so we knew we were in the right place. We were swept, as always, into an intimate corner booth by a window onlooking Euclid Ave. and the passersby. Our fast-talking, enthusiastic waitress soon came over and immediately divulged into her favorite menu items. She had poured oil onto a plate, so it was no surprise when another waiter came to distribute two slices of fresh bread for each of us. Each of the tables had a little bowl of pink sea salt and a wooden spoon for application. At first, we were unsure whether it was sugar or salt, so Shannon tasted a few grains to experiment. We commented on how the pink salt complemented the overall red accents throughout the restaurant. 

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Grace:

My parents have been to Cowell & Hubbard after a play, so they have told me I should make my way in there sometime. I was very excited when Shannon told me one of my options for restaurants this week was Cowell & Hubbard! It was very modern inside and I was very impressed with the size. Our waitress was very accommodating to Shannon's vegetarian needs, and I thought it was very interesting that she told us that one of the vegan items was one of her favorites and she wasn't even a vegan or vegetarian. It took me a lot longer to decide what I wanted than it has in the past, but I am very glad I deliberated for a while and chose a winner! 

Shannon and I decided to get a glass of the same white wine, a Vouvray. It was crisp, but not dry. The bread with olive oil was delicious, and had a buttery taste to it that was different from other complimentary olive oil mixtures I've been given. I actually didn't use the sea salt, but more or less used it as a zen garden on such a tranquil day. Between sips of wine and bites of bread, I continued to look at the menu and I was between the Pacific Rock Fish and the Lamb Breast. Since I've only tried lamb in a bite of my boyfriend's gyro, I knew I should get that. The waitress informed me it was very fatty, and asked if that was a problem. I said it probably wouldn't be, but I could always cut it off if it was. 

I was so impressed by how fast our meals came to our table--seeing as they were both so elegantly presented! The lamb had a yogurt and mint marinade, but that was very subtle seeing as there were also bits of lemon and orange found in the cous cous underneath the lamb. Also in the cous cous were Moroccan spices, pine nuts, and black olives. I found the lamb breast option to be a lot of food for $15. When I got to the last few bites, I found myself doing the belly rub that my boyfriend so proudly does when he is satisfied. When we were all finished, the waitress brought over dessert menus for each of us--but I was definitely not able to consume anything else. Not even another glass of wine! 

Cowell & Hubbard was an amazing experience, and I am so glad I finally got to go! Everything was perfect--the service, the decor, and the food's presentation! It ended up being a nice day off of work and I always look forward to our outings. This time downtown was very exciting, because we got to see Shannon's boyfriend, Liam, who works across the street from Cowell & Hubbard. Next time we go, it will definitely be after a play, and also with our significant others! 

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Shannon:

My uncle suggested we visit Cowell & Hubbard when I first told him of our blog several months ago.  I put it on a list that since then has lengthened quite a bit, but considering we've been visiting downtown restaurants recently, I thought I should finally check this location off my list.  Once we were parked in the lot I park in when I stop downtown for lunch with my boyfriend, we meandered around a large fenced-in construction area and crossed Euclid.  After entering I recognized the surrounding atmosphere from the photographs on the restaurant's website.  The chairs, booths, and bar stools were all crimson red, a shock of color amid otherwise subtle tones of blacks and browns.  We were seated in a booth by a window which graciously warmed us with rays of sun.  Moments later our waitress arrived along with the bread and oil.

After our waitress mentioned the soups of the day, I inquired whether either were vegetarian.  She responded that they indeed were, but then itemized the vegetarian and vegan options on the menu in front of me.  She exuberantly suggested the Stuffed Pepper Provencal off of the vegan portion of the menu.  Having mentioned she ate it regularly despite being neither vegetarian nor vegan spiked my interest.  Still, I browsed the menu in case something else struck my fancy further.  Returning several times while we were lost in deciding, she suggested a Vouvray to go with the peppers, which at this point I felt I must order.  She looked quite pleased when I said I would be having the peppers, and once Grace placed her order we started sipping our wine.  I am not much of a wine-drinker, and when I do have a glass I prefer sweeter white wines.  The Vouvray was not too sweet, but perfect for my palate.  The bread and oil paired wonderfully with the wine, and I even sprinkled some of the sea salt onto my slice after dipping it in the oil.

Our food did not take very long to arrive, and it did so with a flourish.  A man from the kitchen brought us our plates, which were both lovely and sizable portioned.  My plate held three poblano peppers stuffed with tofu and spices, garnished with a heap of cilantro and two lime slices over a miso sauce.  I squeezed the lime slices onto the peppers, releasing the juice as I am accustomed to do with Pad Thai.  Having been warned the peppers were slightly spicy, I took a small first bite to gauge my reaction.  I found the peppers barely spicy at all, which surprised me, being unreasonably sensitive to spicy foods.  After a few more bites of the first pepper, I started picking off the leaves of the cilantro, since they were still attached to thick stems.  This made chewing an easier task.  Throughout my meal I tried to decipher the spices that made up the stuffing, however I found this a difficult task.  It was such a hearty mixture, unlike any variation of tofu I have ever had.  There were red pepper flecks and small slices of tomato throughout, which added a splash of color to the mainly green dish.  The miso sauce really made the dish spectacular for me, being a lover of miso soup.  The lime paired perfectly with the sumptuous sauce, and at the end of the third pepper I was very full.

I must admit I would probably not have ordered the peppers had our waitress not suggested them so vehemently.  However I am certainly glad that I did.  Cowell & Hubbard was a delightful experience and I look forward to going back and trying other items off the vegan portion of the menu.

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Outside of Cowell & Hubbard

View of bar and some seating areas

Back seating areas

Window seats

Sea salt, oil, and bread

Vouvray

Grace's Lamb Breast and cous cous

Shannon's Vegan Stuffed Peppers

Food preparation area

Bar

More seating

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Cowell & Hubbard was incredible as well as beautiful.  The atmosphere was truly cool and the staff was extremely helpful and considerate. We would love to stop in to sit at the bar in the evening and watch the city go by out the huge windows.

Hodge's--Downtown Cleveland (Euclid Ave.) [$$$]

Now that we've finally been downtown for lunch, we now know what to expect as far as parking during lunch hours.  We parked in a garage on E. 8th with an extremely complicated pay system, however it was very conveniently located a block east of our destination.  We walked west down Euclid Ave and came upon the unmissable archway leading to the entrance of Hodge's restaurant.  Upon entering the courtyard area, Grace realized she had been at this location before, prior to Hodge's owning the space.  We stood outside in the beautiful sun (and some wind) waiting for a hostess so we could be seated at one of the porch tables.  Conveniently, the hostess saw us from the window and told us as soon as the table she was clearing was cleaned we would be seated.  She led us to a table under a big red umbrella that put us mostly in the shade.  When the wind would occasionally blow we were pretty chilly, but otherwise it was a glorious first-outside lunch experience!  After glancing thoroughly over the menu, our eyes and stomachs were both set on the same thing: the Lunchbox.  So because we had practically the same experience, eating the same items, we will be doing our description section a little differently, as to not be redundant.  We apologize for any confusion with the third person tense we will be employing.

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Us:

The Lunchbox option gave the choice of either a Pork BLT, a chicken Parmesan sandwich, or a whipped brie and apple grilled cheese.  Shannon's choice was obvious, but Grace is a sucker for brie, so there was no dissuading our decision, despite erstwhile trying not to get the same items.  The meal also included a soup, and luckily the options were both vegetarian: a tomato bisque and a potato leek soup.  Shannon, excited that a soup other than tomato was available to her, knew she would be ordering the potato leek.  Grace was also intrigued by the potato leek, having always liked that combination.  The salad included in the Lunchbox was a Market salad, which was comprised of the day's market selection.  Our waiter told us the mouth-watering ingredients of red onion, cucumber and avocado on top of a bed of mixed greens, tossed in a lime mint yogurt dressing.  His presentation sealed the deal, and our Lunchbox orders were on their way.

Considering our thorough read of the menu, Shannon had noticed the $3 appetizer of two deviled eggs with pickled beet and horseradish.  She mentioned this option to Grace, who immediately agreed they should be a part of our lunch experience.  We ordered the appetizer and it arrived minutes later on a wooden tile branded with the letter H.  The eggs were stuck to the tile by small dollops of the yolk mixture, there was bright purple beet on top, garnished with chopped chives.  The chives, however, were not entirely secured, because a handful or so blew away in the wind.  We each picked up a deviled egg, briefly discussed popping it in our mouths or taking small bites, we decided on the latter to savor the flavor.

Between finishing our appetizer and receiving our food, Mark, our waiter, often stopped by to refill our waters from a water bottle he had placed on our iron latticed table once we were seated.  We commented on his intensely ice blue eyes and his fun suspenders.  We discussed in general that all of the restaurant staff members could be either models or a member of a widely publicized band.  Enjoying the large outdoor space he had, Mark often sent his empty tray flying up into the air like a vertical frisbee.  On occasion he did not catch the tray, and blundering around to pick it up, he would glance over at us, and theatrically and bashfully went back to business.

Our food finally arrived and we could not be more enthusiastic to start.  Grace suggested we both start with the soup, which was garnished with crispy onions and leeks.  We both mixed the garnished toppings into the soup and took our first spoonful.  The soup was a thick and creamy potato puree that was heated to perfection.  The heartiness of the potatoes lent itself wonderfully to the cleaner and crispier leek flavor.  The toppings were buttery, slightly salty, and a delight when found in the same spoonful.  Shannon, not needing to eat only one meal component at the same time, moved onto her salad before finishing her soup.  Although, when Grace started her sandwich, she insisted that Shannon join her for the first bite again.  The sandwich contained buttery brie, melted around cinnamon spiced country apples.  We both agreed it tasted like a grilled carnival treat.  The bread was a gourmet sourdough, grilled golden brown and crunchy.  The salad was well mixed so there was dressing on every bite.  The yogurt dressing was creamy and paired nicely with the citric lime flavors and the sumptuous avocados and cucumbers.  Shannon's salad had several slices of avocado, on which she commented, thinking Grace would be excited.  Grace however discovered only a small smidgen of avocado in her salad, unfortunately, considering it is her favorite fruit.  When Grace mentioned this to Shannon, Shannon told Grace to take a slice from her salad, knowing of her undying love and having several more in the mix.

After we finished our meals, Grace suggested we get another order of deviled eggs, to finish off our meal with their amazing flavor.  She also mentioned it would square away our checks evenly.  Mark put in the order and swiftly brought out another H tile of purple topped eggs.  Again, chives evacuated in the wind, but we made due and gobbled them right up.  Mark brought us our check, which came in a bright red envelope reading "The Damage."  This made us chuckle as we both placed our cards on the tray which he took away to split our check.

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Entrance way sign

Entrance

Outdoor seating area

Outdoor bar

Water bottle and our waters

Deviled Egg appetizer

Shannon's Lunchbox

Grace's Lunchbox

The bill

Inside sign

Indoor seating

Balcony seating

Hodge's bar

Far room seating

Corner shelf and stairs

Shelf unit and art piece for Chris Hodgson's food truck, Dim and Den Sum

Neat lighting

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Hodge's was an entirely divine experience that everyone must try.  Both of us are in great anticipation of our next visit to try other menu items.  The staff were all incredibly kind and helpful.  Before we left, we explored the inside of the restaurant, which was also very lovely and eclectic.  If you go, definitely try to get there on a sunny day to enjoy downtown Cleveland!  See you soon, Hodges!

The Flaming Ice Cube--Public Square, Cleveland (Corner of S. Roadway and Ontario) [$]

Trekking downtown for the first time since the start of our blog, our lunch outing started with struggling to find a parking spot.  Deciding to quit meandering, we entered the Tower City parking garage and luckily saw a car backing out once we made it to the furthest corner of the lot.  Of course on our way inside we found a vacant spot right next to the elevators, but neither of us wanted to lie down to save it.  Going through Tower City and coming out onto Ontario, we were at first confused where the restaurant was because it was inconveniently blocked by the construction in the middle of the road.  Locating our destination with some peeking around a large truck, we swiftly made our way inside.  We were seated in a neat corner swathed in exotic patterned fabrics and silver wall ornaments.  Our soft-spoken waiter brought us our menus and water, and we started to browse our choices.
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Grace:

Having just started eating meat again, I was a bit concerned when Shannon chose a vegan restaurant! I thought everything would be made of tofu, soy, tempeh, and the like. I'm definitely a carnivore at heart, but I looked at the Flaming Ice Cube menu online and it seemed intriguing. Since I am a fan of hummus wraps, I figured I would be getting that--and not, say, anything with soy and/or vegan substitutes for pepperoni or chicken, just in case I didn't like it. Shannon had told me when we sat down that she heard the artichoke dip was out of this world. Since I am now making student loan payments, I didn't really want to splurge on an appetizer this time. The waiter came and quietly told us the soups of the day: black bean and a sweet potato based soup that we didn't hear in entirety. We had to ask him again when he came back. I opted for the "Choose Two" option for only $6.99, and ordered black bean chili and the hummus veggie wrap.

We both ordered soups, and they came promptly and at the same time. My black bean chili was one of the best I've had. It was pretty spicy and I even found my nose running a little! It was the perfect temperature and all of the ingredients were very fresh. It was the perfect amount for a combo soup, and I definitely recommend getting it.

My hummus veggie wrap came when I wasn't even done with my chili, so I made sure to finish my soup before paying any attention to my wrap. The hummus veggie wrap consisted of a homemade garlic parsley hummus, cucumber, tomato, green pepper, and romaine lettuce. I commented on how speckled the actual wrap was, and how cool it was. I had never seen a wrap like that before, but it was really great, with its traces of garlic and its assortment of herbs. The wrap wasn't folded like other wraps I've seen, so I expected the contents of it to slip out really easily. However, everything stayed in place! The flavors of the wrap mellowed out the spiciness of the black bean soup. I didn't put the wrap down once, and I recommend getting that, as well!

I really enjoyed our vegan lunch outing. It was nice to "eat clean" and also to relax for a little while with a great friend. If you are ever downtown and looking for a quick, healthy lunch--I highly recommend Flaming Ice Cube as a great alternative to those other fast food places. Cheap and convenient should not have to come before quality.
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Shannon:

Several months ago my uncle told me about The Flaming Ice Cube, and wanting to go ever since, I made a point to get there finally.  One of my bosses made me even more excited when she told me it is one of her favorite restaurants, being a vegan.  As a vegetarian who often eats a vegan diet, I was greatly looking forward to being able to order absolutely anything I wanted on the menu, as this never happens at regular restaurants.  I had not even browsed the menu online because I knew I did not have to search for an option I could eat.  So once we arrived, I hungrily browsed the menu to decide what I would want.

Wanting to steer away from the burger options, having had a fair amount of veggie and portabella burgers recently, I concentrated on the sandwich and wrap menu.  Grace mentioned the "choose two" option, which appealed to me because I also wanted to order a soup.  I had not quite caught the full name of the sweet potato soup option, although knowing I would be able to eat any of the ingredients, and greatly liking sweet potatoes caused me to order the soup anyway.  Along with the soup I ordered half the chickenless salad sandwich.  Our soups arrived several minutes after ordering, in a little white bowl on a white plate accompanied by oyster crackers.  I added the crackers and tasted my soup to be intrigued by the flavor I was tasting.  I added a few dashes of pepper and asked Grace if she would like to try it, asking her if she could decipher the other ingredient.  We guessed ginger and pumpkin, but I still could not put my finger on it.  Right before I gave up and asked, I commented that there was a peanuty flavor to it.  When the other waiter on duty came over with our sandwiches I asked her what the soup was called, to which she replied, Sweet Potato Peanut Butter Bisque, and I pointed at Grace and exclaimed "I knew it!"  The waitress looked at me quizzically and I told her I had not entirely understood the soup when the other waiter had listed them, and she looked a little less confused.

After finishing off my soup, I pushed the bowl away and pulled my sandwich plate closer.  The triangle of my half sandwich sat next to a pickle on another white plate, and although it looked delightful, I was disappointed by it being fairly small.  The bread was toasted seven grain, and a bamboo sandwich pick was dramatically sticking out the top slice.  The chickenless salad was comprised of tempeh, celery, onions, and I am assuming a type of veganaise.  The salad was accompanied by a couple slices of tomato and lettuce.  Starting at one corner, to keep the pick in, I took a bite and tasted all the layers of the sandwich.  Being a fan of Whole Foods' vegan chicken salad, I was curious to taste a different take on the recipe.  As I chewed the corner of my sandwich, I was delighted by The Flaming Ice Cube's chickenless salad.  The celery gave it a nice crunch, and overall the flavors lend themselves wonderfully to the rest of the sandwich.  I finished this in no time, and decided that next time I would just order a soup along with a full sandwich order.  I did not leave hungry, but I definitely could have had, and would have enjoyed, a larger helping.

The Flaming Ice Cube was an exciting outing for me, since most of our restaurant choices usually have a handful at most for me to eat.  The environment was really cool, and I am very happy that Cleveland has an all vegan option within the city.  Definitely check this Compassionate Cafe out!  It's totally worth it!
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Flaming Ice Cube door

Deli and Seating area

Table corner

Display case

Specials board

Moon wall ornament and wall hangings

Black Bean Chili

Sweet Potato Peanut Butter Bisque

Tempeh Chickenless Salad Sandwich

Hummus Veggie Wrap

Seating and wall decorations

Seating area

Flaming Ice Cube explanation

Outside The Flaming Ice Cube

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The Flaming Ice Cube was a really amazing place for a quick and healthy lunch.  We will definitely be going back to try other sandwiches, and a cup of raspberry chocolate coffee!  Let us know if you stop by and order something tasty!