Hanging Out in Hudson

   My dining travels tend to be more city-centered than suburban. But friends who wanted a dinner destination somewhere between Cleveland and Akron suggested we rendezvous at North End in Hudson, a wine and beer bar, retail shop and restaurant. Never heard of the place but the husband and I were happy to oblige. It turned out to be a pleasant discovery.

  The front door opens into a compact beer bar with eight on tap, more in a cooler and a TV on the wall. To the left is a bright spacious wine store with more than 1000 bottles on display. Tables are scattered throughout the room among the shelves, racks and wooden bins with seating for about 55. The walls are decorated with wine-related posters and brand banners.

  The menu, which changes seasonally, has some nice nibbling options, plus a small but solid lineup of entrees. We began with a shared cheeseboard, not the most unusual selection I've encountered but a respectable array of quality products. I moved on to a nicely done salad of charred romaine hearts in an herbed vinaigrette with shavings of Parmesan. The husband chose a burger in large part because it came with pierogies, though the cheddar, peppered bacon and garlic aioli definitely had its own allure and gave the combo a definitive two thumbs up. Based on our companion's enthusiastic recommendation, I ordered the braised short ribs sauced with a port wine reduction and sided with gnocchi.  I took most of what was on the plate home, not because I didn't like it — since I absolutely did — but because I was just too full and too busy drinking some very good wine.

  And those reds and whites are really what makes this spot a real find. Owner Scott Kuebler keeps a large and interesting stock and makes buying a better bottle for sipping in-house very affordable by only charging $10 over the retail price. On Tuesdays and Wednesdays even that, which is essentially a corkage fee, is waived. Guests, like shoppers, can choose anything in the store to pair with their food. They're also encouraged to create their own flights: 2-ounce pours of four wines for $15. It's an excellent way to sample some unfamiliar varietals, vintages and vineyards. Not to mention a perfectly delightful way to spend an evening.

Fire Starters

Things got heated at Shooters in the Flats this past Saturday. More than 1,500 spectators watched as 21 people become human candles to raise money for charities. The feat set a new Guinness World Record for the most people simultaneously performing full-body burns.

"The whole thing is nerve-wracking — your adrenaline's pumping, it's really just an amazing experience," said Hotcards CEO John Gadd of being set on fire. "But when I was lit, it actually became calming. I was just focused on moving my body and watching the people around me."

Two months prior to the event, trained stuntman Ted Batchelor of Chagrin Falls helped prepare each individual burner by lighting their arm on fire and then demonstrating a full-body burn himself.

In 2009, Batchelor oversaw and took part in the previous Guinness record, where 17 people were simultaneously set on fire in South Russell. Prior to that, Batchelor also had set a Guinness record of longest full-body burn without oxygen in 2004. "I felt so comfortable with Batchelor as our stunt coordinator," Gadd said. "He was incredibly methodical during the entire process, always assuring us there would be no room for error."

Originally, 20 people were supposed to be lit. At the last minute, however, mayoral candidate Ken Lanci was added to the group. With only a month to train for the event, Lanci enthusiastically took up the challenge. "We had a stand-in just in case someone were to back out," Batchelor said. "But literally seconds before we began lighting, everyone pulled through, and I made the decision that everyone that was suited up be lit."



Accompanying the burners were their own personal ignitors. Each ignitor was responsible for dousing the burner with fuel and lighting them with a three-foot wooden torch. Once ablaze, each burner walked back and forth across the parking lot, waving their flaming arms and legs for 32 seconds in a scene that looked like it could have been pulled from a horror movie.

"It's one thing to have your arm being lit on fire during the practice sessions, but when it's your whole body, that's when I got a little nervous." CEO of Fresh Brews Tees Tony Mandalone said.

Other burners included Archie Berwick, morning show host from 87.7 Cleveland’s Sound, Jenna Conforti, director of marketing at Scene Magazine, Scot Lowry, Fathom CEO, minister Mark Simone, an attorney and other Chagrin Falls residents, who took part of Batchelor’s 2009 record event.

For many burners, their motivation for getting torched was helping a good cause. The proceeds from the event benefited the Cleveland Foodbank and Brick by Brick, a nonprofit organization that helps impoverished women and children in South Africa, run by Simone. “For charities like these, I told myself, You know what, I’m alright with losing a layer of skin,” Berwick said after being extinguished.

Buzz Worthy

The Commonwealth is keeping a blistering pace, cranking out three albums over the last two years. Their most recent release, Urban Soul (Cellar Door Records, $8), brings the band’s mellow, heady rock sound to an orchestral tipping point. It's a perfect primer listen before heading out to catch the band at a free Heights Music Hop concert at 7:30 p.m. tonight at Phoenix Coffee Co., followed by a Seafair performance at 9 p.m. The multi-band and multi-venue hop is one of the events that kicks off Cleveland Beer Week.

For Commonwealth drummer Nicholas Kuhar, local shows are where the band is most at home. “We definitely like intimate performances,” he says. “Similarly, playing a smaller room is always inviting because you can actually see the faces of people. We do enjoy playing those more intimate gatherings.” We spoke to Kuhar, who also plays percussion and piano, about what makes the Commonwealth tick.

CM: What role does Cleveland play in your music?

NK: Any metropolitan Midwest city has a lot of touchstones similar to Cleveland, so I think it’s about just experiencing adult life in a place like that. And trying to really, legitimately be an adult … trying to set up a life for yourself that’s real, where you’re trying to be good to people and you’re trying to make sense of some of the things in life. I think that’s what the album’s really speaking to.

CM: How is Urban Soul different from Emerald City Blues?

NK: The first song [of Emerald City Blues], “Ichabod,” there’s lyrics that reference like “This has been done to me”, not necessarily “You are to blame for this,” but it’s very much more looking outward and trying to identify where the is the problem. I think that might have been more the tenor of our first two records. Where as this one, I think the stories, or the lyrics, are just more interesting, more complex and 3-D when you talk about, “What am I doing that’s not completely functional?” [and] “How am I culpable in any of my conflicts?”

CM: Where do you want to go as a band?

NK: Artistically, we’re trying to push even more the orchestral elements of the band. We really respect bands like the National or Bon Iver where it’s like a tiny orchestra on stage. It’s like, wow. We’ve seen the National live twice, and they’re so incredibly powerful and rich and have so much dimension to them. That’s really where we want to be.

Sibling Success Story

Sometimes great places just fall off my radar. There's no good reason for it. But what's new overshadows the familiar. Or a spot isn't located along my usual routes or in a neighborhood I frequent often, so I forget about it. That's what happened with J. Pistone, a market and cafe, or gathering place as Joan and her brother John Pistone like to call it, on Warrensville Road in Shaker Heights.  But I recently had a meeting out that way and walked out after two hours of talking with a big hungry hole in my stomach and another appointment to get to in less than an hour.  I almost drove by before I realized I was within sight of a dependably good and quick lunch.

  The three-meal-a-day cafe has a regular menu of sandwiches, wraps, soup and salads. But I was drawn to the gorgeous prepared foods display. The guy behind the counter was ready to take my order, but I had a tough time deciding what to eat because there were so many appealing choices: cold pasta and grain dishes, brightly colored vegetables of all kinds, chunks of salmon and slices of beef. After keeping him waiting for too long, I settled on soba noodles in a zesty peanut sauce and roasted cauliflower, both sold by weight.

  It was one of these warm Indian summer days we've been having, so I grabbed a sidewalk seat and a server brought my food out to me.  I spent the next 20 minutes enjoying my meal and happily eavesdropping on a pair of older guys, friends since childhood, lingering over their lunch as they reminisced about parents, buddies, and growing up in Cleveland circa 1950s.

In addition to ready-to-go entrees and sides, you can get everything needed for a complete meal from house-made baked goods to packaged gourmet foods and fine wines. As the holiday season approaches, it's worth remembering that Joan, John and their staff create food gift baskets, party platters and cater events and meetings. I grabbed a copy of the catering menu and it's impressive, with creative restaurant-style options such as lobster mac and cheese, country pate, beef bourguignon, Thai pork, cassoulet, eggplant torta and wild mushroom tart. The siblings, who have the restaurant business in their blood and between them claim more than 40 years of experience, have been doing this together since 2000. My brief visit this month reminded me of just how well they work together, and why I should keep this place in my sights.

Rockin' It at Rockefellers

Chef Jill Vedaa's food got my husband and I into Rockefellers, while the restaurant's cover-free, live music kept us there for three delightful hours. We sat at a lounge area for a view of Grammy Award-winning trumpeter Kenny Davis, and crooner and keyboard man Harry Bacharach. 
Our pick from the wine list — 2009 Howling Moon Old Vine Zinfandel from Lodi, California, chosen because we visited there and enjoy this varietal — turned out to be quite good, and a steal $20 for the bottle. It was expertly decanted by our server, a sommelier-in-training.

We decided to take a grazing approach to dinner. By the time the check came, my husband and I had shared and sampled our way through a bowl of mussels; a plate of grilled bread with garlic-laden white bean puree and green olive tapenade to spread on it; mini mahi and avocado tacos in soft corn tortillas with pickled jalapeno, tomatilla salsa and citrus crema; and a vegetable tart with pickled ramps and fig jam. All was excellent.

Vedaa came out to chat, and I found out two important things. First, there's a new and very competent manager on board. And second, Vedaa has redone her menu for fall and winter. It just launched yesterday, but I got a sneak peak of what she'll be cooking.

photos by Shelley Pike Polewchak,
MultipleXposure Photography

There isn't a single dish on the new menu that I don't want to try. She's changing up the white wine and lemon mussels we had to a version done with roasted tomatoes and herbs. Bruschetta will be topped with butternut squash and truffle honey — a divine combination — plus shaved Parmesan and pecan dust. I'm especially lusting after the chicken livers with apple ginger chutney, pancetta and arugula. And those are just her starters. She's offering an intriguing salad composed of bibb lettuce, grapefruit, shaved fennel and house-smoked trout in a coriander vinaigrette. The entrees include duck legs, a pork chop with caramelized cabbage, swordfish with edamame puree and cucumber sesame slaw. I was happy to find that Vedaa's signature coconut milk glazed fried calamari with cilantro remains on the menu.

Whether you're a first-timer, someone who had a less than stellar experience here in the past, or a regular, there are plenty of reasons to come have dinner at Rockefellers now.

Lola Bistro Pastry Chef Takes to Twitter to Unveil Fall Dessert

Originally it was the the “#prototype” hashtag that caught our attention in Summer Genetti’s tweet. But when we saw what the Lola Bistro pastry chef was working on — a new dessert for the fall menu — we needed to know her inspiration and when we could try it. — Interview by Jon Miller

Cleveland Magazine: The dish looks great; what does it consist of?
Summer Genetti: Goat cheesecake with sweet potato sorbet, whole-wheat shortbread crumbles, poached cranberries, cashews, dates and a red wine caramel sauce drizzle on top.

CM: How did you come up with the dish?
SG: Well, it was originally supposed to be a sweet potato pie, but I thought adding the sorbet into the mix would be something different. We at Lola Bistro aren't ones to lay out a simple slice of cheesecake or pie. We have to put our own twist on it, and this what we came up with.

CM: Do you have a drink recommendation for it?
SG: [Today] we'll be introducing a new cocktail that will consist of apple cider syrup, from Ohio's own Rittman Orchard, and Oyo Vanilla Honey Bean vodka.

CM: Can we expect this on the new menu this season?
SG: Absolutely. Expect this item on our dinner menu this entire fall season, and possibly our winter menu as well.

CM: Are there any other ideas in the works?
SG: I'm always experimenting. We've also just introduced a new sweet potato pierogi with sour cream-based filling, five pieces of spiced candy and raspberry cream drizzled on top.

Follow Genetti on Twitter at @summergenetti. Lola Bistro, 2058 E. 4th St., Cleveland, 216-621-5652, lolabistro.com

Reel Time

The Canton Film Fest might not be on the top of your must-do list this weekend — but we ask you to reconsider the intimate festival, housed at the historic Canton Palace Theatre going on today through Oct. 6. 

Photo courtesy of Canton Film Fest

Here are three reasons to take the trip down 77 South:

1. The — albeit limited — lineup includes a showing of indie film A Fish Story, followed by a Q-and-A with its star and North Canton native, Eddie McClintock. Support a locally born star. Also on tap: Showings of Wagonmasters, Thirteen and O and The Sax Man (To read our profile of its star, Maurice Reedus Jr. click here.) with accompanying Q-and-A’s.

2. If you’ve never been to the Canton Palace Theatre, now is your chance. The landmark was erected in 1926 and still evokes that era’s opulence and grandeur. What better place to view films than from the Palace’s plush red seats, surrounded by its gilded and ornate walls and ceilings?

3. Tickets range in price from $5 for a film screening to $35 to participate in a Saturday-only pre-film reception. Head to any other local movie theater, and you’ll be faced with ticket prices that teeter toward $11. Who could resist a steal — err, deal — as good as this?