Toledo, Ohio 2016 (various eateries)

I was not expecting much from the food in Ohio, but I was very pleasantly surprised that the food scene was very much on par with other major foodie cities like San Francisco; but the price, and service, was much nicer. Other than the Toledo Zoo, which was voted "best zoo in the country", there wasn't a lot to do in this city, but I did enjoy time with good friends and good food.

Here are some of the things I've enjoyed.


Petit Fours Patisserie and Cafe
27 Broadway Street, Toledo OH
Located in historic Toledo, with cobble stone and brick buildings, I was already prepped, mood-wise, for this quaint cafe. This was a small but comfortable space with several dining areas situated like different rooms in a house. The service was relaxed but the desire to please was definitely there and it was appreciated. The display case of tantalizing sweets was also very inviting.

Tomato Soup. Fresh and tasty, this broth-like tomato soup and buttery bread was just enough to whet the appetite.

Cafe French Dip. Slow roasted and thinly sliced beef was piled into a soft, buttered and toasted french roll with caramelized onions, melted boursin and provolone cheeses. Served with the jus on the side and incredibly crunchy house made potato chips. This might have been the best french dip I've tasted. Every ingredient was just delicious.

Caprese BLT. Crispy bacon paired very well with fresh mozzarella cheese, fresh lettuce, tomato, and balsamic syrup. All this was served between two pieces of thick cut toasted bread and those fantastic house made potato chips.

Cranberry Mozzarella Quiche and Turkey Mushroom Wild Rice soup. I never would have imagined putting cranberries and mozzarella together in a quiche, but this worked. The custard was delicate, fluffy, seasoned perfectly and the soup was warm and savory with nice chunks of mushroom and turkey. This meal gave me a great start to my day.

Peanut Butter truffle. Almost like a fancy peanut butter cup, this was two little bites of just enough sweetness to end the meal on a very nice note.

Revolution Grille
5333 Monroe Street, Toledo OH
http://revolutiongrille.com/
This was a very hip and bustling restaurant located in a quiet strip mall. I was not prepared for how good this food was. The menus are on tablets with the appearance of pictures and ingredients if a dish name is tapped, which, in my opinion, is a great idea. People eat with their eyes first and a good picture can sell an item a lot better than just a description. They were also having a "restaurant week" special at the time of my visit, so I took advantage of the any-three-entrees-for-$30 deal.

The Professional. One of their cocktail specials, this was made with rye, Averna and sweet vermouth. Similar to an old fashioned, this had boozyness, a little sweetness and a bit of bitterness from the Averna. I enjoyed this very much.

Banana Hammock. Another cocktail special with a funny name, this was made with Tito's vodka, lime juice, banana and simple syrup. A nicely crafted cocktail.

Green Curry Potato Soup. A tasty pureed soup with a bit of a kick, nice spiced flavor and topped with fresh tomatoes, creme fraiche, and toasted croutons.

Meat Lover's Flatbread. A phenomenal flatbread with succulent house made sausage, salami, heirloom tomatoes, red onion and cheese. Every ingredient was phenomenal. So delicious.

Veal Sweetbreads. This was excellently prepared sweetbreads. Full of sweetbready flavor but not too much to be overpowering. It was gently seasoned to let the natural taste shine and served with a parsnip puree.

Pork Belly. Long braised then quickly seared, this was moist and flavorful as a belly should be. Well rounded with a potato puree, pea sprouts and picked radish.

Grilled Colorado Lamb Chop. Served atop a bed of savory romesco sauce, roasted potato and carrot, this was a juicy and perfectly cooked piece of lamb.

Braised Ohio Black Angus Short Rib. Tender would be an understatement for this piece of meat. A spoon would have been fine for this dish. It was falling apart, well seasoned and so good.

Ohio Black Angus Ribeye. Another gorgeous piece of meat; well prepared and topped with meaty pieces of chanterelle and shiitake mushrooms.

Pan Seared Cape Cod Sea Scallop. Nicely adorned with frisee and exceptionally seared, this scallop was served with a parsnip puree colored with beet juice. It was a perfect bite of the ocean.

Jumbo Lump Crab Cake. A small crab cake that had what seemed like all the meat of one whole crab in it. The fresh and sweet crab was delicately plated with just enough veggies to balance out everything.

I would say Toledo was a surprising foodie destination, but seeing is believing. If I didn't have friends here, it's unlikely I'll come back, but as long as I have a reason to visit, I'll enjoy the food while I'm here.