The Local Dish: My 7 Favorite Meals in the CLE

I like food. I like to eat food, I like to photograph food, I like to talk about food, & I especially like to recommend my favorite food places to other people. Did I mention that I can't cook? So I have a lot of favorite food places.

If you're based in the CLE or if you're visiting soon (get at me), the recs in this post are for you. This isn't a sponsored post in any way, but I am partnering up with the SoFab blogger community. Bloggers in other cities are sharing their favorite local restaurant meals, too, in the hopes that wherever you are - or go! - we can help you find something delicious to enjoy.

Without further ado, here are a few of my favorites meals in the 216.

Kaju Curry from Tandul (Tremont)

I live verrrry close to this spot, & one of my greatest achievements is not ordering this dish every day of my life. It's tempting, though: This creamy curry dish, loaded with crunchy cashews, is warm & cozy & filling over jasmine rice & eaten with plain naan. Sometimes I order ahead on Skip the Dishes, & sometimes I head over there to get it fresh, with a mango lassi on the side.

Shrimp Poke Bowl from Corner 11 Bowl & Wrap (Tremont)

This spot is brand new, so it shouldn't really have had enough time to make it onto a favorites list - but hey, maybe I believe in love at first site. I'm so excited to have a healthy lunch spot right here in my neighborhood, & my poke bowl of choice is so delicious & fresh: shrimp on greens, topped with avocado, mango, cucumber, & shredded carrots with tom yum sauce, sesame, & crispy wonton strips. I'm really hoping this place succeeds because I could eat here every day, so help my wallet.

  

   

Slider Dog from Happy Dog (Gordon Square)

Call me gross if you must, but this hot dog combo, inspired by the Cleveland Indians' wacky & colorful mascot, Slider, is actually really tasty. It's an all-beef hot dog smothered pimento mac & cheese with real bacon bits... & Froot Loops. Yes, it looks & sounds like an absolute monstrosity, but if you try it, I think you'll agree: It's a deliciously genius combo, especially eaten at the ballpark on game days.

Chick'N Waffles Brunch Apizza from Saucy Brew Works (Ohio City)

This recently opened brewery specializes in thin, New Haven-style "apizza," & all the versions I've tried are delicious. My favorite, though, & one of their most unusual, is this brunch version topped with boursin smoked cheese, chicken, sriracha, walnut brittle, & OYO bourbon maple syrup. It's both sweet & spicy, & while it admittedly doesn't taste like chicken & waffles, it does taste divine.

Bún Thịt Nướng from My Du Number One Pho (Asiatown)

Right before I left D.C., I discovered my love of Vietnamese food - & was devastated to think that I might not be able to find it in Cleveland. How wrong I was! Number One Pho & nearby Superior Pho are both out of this world - & authentic, owned by Vietnamese families. Number One Pho gets my business mostly because they deliver via Skip the Dishes, which means I can get my beloved beef vermicelli bowl (extra peanuts, please) sent right to my desk while I work.

Breakfast Burrito from Lucky's (Tremont)

This is another spot close to my apartment, & while I stop in regularly for lattes, I have to resist eating there all the time. Luckily, they only serve my favorite meal on the weekends, which helps me resist temptation. This brunch meal is much more than a burrito; it's actually a breakfast casserole, or American enchiladas, or something, two thin egg-&-veggie burritos cooked in a casserole dish & covered in hot, bubbly mole sauce. It's my ideal breakfast food, which is saying a lot.

Jigoku Ramen from Otani Noodle (Downtown)

I'm not typically a big soup person, but I'll make an exception for this spicy dish from a new noodle joint downtown. Roast pork in tonkotsu soup with ramen noodles, scallions, kikurage, seaweed, & corn... yum. It's a huge bowl of food, but I never leave with leftovers. I am also very upset that the new downtown location doesn't deliver to my address. Pleeeeeeease, Otani Noodle?!? I'm begging.

And there you have it. I can think of at least a dozen other meals I love in the CLE - this is a great city for food - but these are my favorites, my go-tos, my "I want to eat something I know I'm going to love" meals.

What's your favorite meal in your city? Or, if your city is the same city as mine, share your local recommendations!