Cleveland-Heath for Dinner

Cleveland-Heath had been on the top of Patience's list for quite a while and let's just say we made the most out of our trip over the river.

I often joke that we try to order everything off of the menu, but this is the closest I have come to actually doing so.

Full table

Excellent wine and cocktail list, so Patience and I tried a few uniquely named drinks. I like it sweet so I ordered a "Five Law & Orders Later", which was like a boozier Pimm's cup.

Five 'Law & Orders' Later - Pimm's No 1, Peach Vodka, Amaretto, Lemon

Patience had the Whiskey River and then a Gin creation from the bartender.

Whiskey River - Woodford Reserve Bourbon, Angostura, OJ, Lemon, Maple Syrup

Gin drink

There are way more small plates on the menu than entrees, so I focused on those dishes instead. I was most curious about the Beef Tongue and Spaetzle, because it reminded me of a Jewish dish. The beef was hard and crispy, which I was not expecting.

Beef Tongue and Spaetzle

The Short Rib and Coconut Rice really stood out and there was also a special smalle plate, Duck Confit on a crostini!

Short Rib in Coconut Rice

Duck Confit on a crostini

We both have a soft spot for Deviled Eggs. They were real thick and creamy.

Deviled Eggs

And we have to get poutine wherever we go! This was a much larger dish than the others so this ended up being a game night treat the next night. The sausage on top really made the dish.

Poutine

Our downfall was ordering "just a few side dishes" since they were "family-sized"! (We completely missed the "sized to share" note on the menu.) We ended up eating these for lunches for a few days, no joke. I wanted the Mac N Cheese....

Mac N Cheese

...while Patience had to get Brussels Sprouts and house made Cheddar Drop Biscuits. Believe it or not, I actually enjoyed these Brussels Sprouts! Probably helped they were coated in parmesan! The biscuits were breakfast the next day.

Brussels Sprouts

Home Made Cheddar Drop Biscuits

Patience did attempt a main course and was able to eat just enough of the Vietnamese Noodle Soup (with all the fixings) to fit into a to go container.

Vietnamese Noodle Soup and fixings

Jenny Cleveland was sweet and dropped off a little dessert. Isn't it amazing how you always find room for chocolate!

Chocolate dessert

Chocolate mousse and cake

You know how you say you want to go to Edwardsville, but it's so far? Do it. Incredible cocktails and comfort food. And you must use the "No Wait" app on your phone because it is ALWAYS busy. There is a damn good reason for it.

Drink Menu

Menu

Resources:

Cleveland-Heath = http://www.clevelandheath.com/

Photos by Patience Scanlon

Cleveland-Heath

After reading so much about Cleveland-Heath, STLwinegirl, Angela Ortmann, finally gave me a good reason to travel over the river and through the woods to Edwardsville by hosting a Traveling Table there. Located right on the corner of Main Street, the restaurant had a warm and charming feel with all the servers dressed in plaid shirts and jeans. Although, our event was actually located in the Township Grocer next door where we sat at one long, wooden table, which Cleveland-Heath rents out.

Luckily, there were some locals attending the dinner who had eaten there several times so I asked them what was their favorite and what was the best. Both of them said the tacos were fantastic along with the risotto and basically, they loved to try whatever is new there. Cleveland-Heath also offers quite a lengthy beer and wine list and their menu reminded me of American “home cooking” but with a fresh twist.

We started off the night with a baby beet salad with farro, feta, and chimmichurri. Beets are all the range these days and I was really impressed at how different they tasted as to the flavor I was expecting. Fresh is so much better than canned any day! The light and fruity salad paired well with my favorite, a von Hovel Riesling, Kabinett Oberemmeler Hutte, Saar, Germany, 2010. I don’t know how many times I will tell you that German wines are the best…not too sweet, not too dry.

The main course was a Crispy Skinned Wild Arctic Char, in place of salmon, but looked like the same thing to me. Underneath the two large hunks of fish were brussels sprouts, butternut squash, roasted mushrooms, and pomegranate, almost like a mini vegetable salad. I still cannot eat Brussels sprouts to save my life but this was a hearty meal with warm flavors. That warmness helped to pair the meal with a red wine, Mirabile Nero D’Avola, IGT Sicilia, Italy 2009, even though it was a fish course! Yet, it was an Italian red, which was a little too dry and heavy for me, even with the meaty and buttery fish. Although the brussels sprouts definitely needs something strong!

The dessert course was my favorite since it included a ridiculous amount of chocolate. To do it justice, I included another picture so you can see the smooth and creamy goodness underneath the “house made graham” and toasted “marshmellow” top. A strong port was paired with this to cut through all the sweetness, but I can only handle something like a Moscato rather than a fortified wine. The Terra D’Oro Zinfandel Port came from Amador County, CA.

This dinner definitely gets all three stars from me since it featured a Riesling, chocolate, and no bacon to be seen!

Resources:

Cleveland-Heath = http://www.clevelandheath.com/

Township Grocer = http://www.townshipgrocer.com/

STLwinegirl = http://www.stlwinegirl.com

Photos by Stacy Anderson (http://www.everylittlethingblog.com/) and Angela Ortmann