L'Albatros Brasserie

http://www.albatrosbrasserie.com/

11401 Bellflower Road
Cleveland, OH 44106
216.791.7880

I recently went to L'Albatros for the first time for dinner on my birthday and fell in love.  Picture this: a light snow is falling outside as you are sipping fine wine in a plush booth and tasting french delicacies; a lone votive candle flickers on your table in the dimly-lit room.  The restaurant itself is nestled in a more residential street in Cleveland's University Circle neighborhood and the building looks like it could have been an old tudor-style mansion.  From the cozy atmosphere to the uniquely french menu, it was all too parfait.
The restaurant is composed of a series of small rooms instead of one large open space, which in my opinion definitely works with the vibe they are going for.  I tasted the pâté and les escargots for starters.  It was my first pâté, so I realized that I'm not very inclined to the taste of it.  The escargots, however, were magnificent!  And trust me when I say that I have tried A LOT of escargots in my eighteen years. They didn't rival the escargots in Paris, but they were by far the best i've had anywhere else in the states.  As a main course I had the Nantucket scallops with cooked root vegetables which was a special plate that night.  No surprise that it was also very well prepared.  The food- at least the plates my family ordered- had the common theme of comfort food: warm, hearty dishes.
I had no doubts coming to L'Albatros because it is one of Zach Bruell's restaurants (he also owns Parallax, Chinato, Cowell & Hubbard, and is affiliated with Table 45) and my experiences at his other places have been delightful.  His restaurants continually score in the high twenties based on the Zagat ratings.
As you can probably already guess, I HIGHLY recommend this restaurant for an upscale dining experience.

Picture courtesy of:
http://www.google.com/imgres?num=10&um=1&hl=en&safe=active&tbo=d&biw=1153&bih=683&tbm=isch&tbnid=UtuXCSdbV660JM:&imgrefurl=http://www.cleveland.com/taste/index.ssf/2008/12/lalbatros_takes_over_former_sp.html&docid=ad6DsKRDBA9LIM&imgurl=http://blog.cleveland.com/taste_impact/2008/12/large_albatros-zach-bruell.jpg&w=453&h=299&ei=4fO3UK7tEIjX0QGvr4HoCQ&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=764&vpy=134&dur=201&hovh=182&hovw=276&tx=128&ty=87&sig=115096144254542963580&sqi=2&page=1&tbnh=141&tbnw=209&start=0&ndsp=25&ved=1t:429,r:4,s:0,i:95

What To Do Over Thanksgiving Break

Got relatives coming in town? Don't know what to do with them in Cleveland?  Well you've come to the right place.

I originally started this blog to be simply for the festivals and events that happen in the summer, but a friend gave me the idea to extend it to all the fun events and happenings throughout the year.  I'll try my best to keep it updated!  For now, here is a Thanksgiving post about some fun things to do with family while your not scarfing down some turkey ;)

In the University Circle neighborhood:
The new space for the Museum of Contemporary Art (or MOCA) opened October 5, 2012 and is definitely something to see.  The architecture is the perfect way to present the modern art inside.

http://www.artinfo.com/news/story/804963/moca-clevelands-new-27-million-building-relaunches-the-institution-as-a-cutting-edge-kunsthalle

The Cleveland Museum of Art opened its brand new atrium on October 28, 2012.

http://blogs.artinfo.com/objectlessons/2012/09/07/rafael-vinoly-builds-a-pantheon-for-cleveland/

While your hopping from museum to museum and getting your fix of some of the best art Cleveland has to offer, stop for a bite to eat.  Some places I recommend: The Coffee House on Juniper (in an old mansion!), or L'Albatros for some fine french dining.

In the Tremont neighborhood:
As I've probably said before, I adore Tremont for its funky artsy vibe and all that its galleries and antique shops have to offer.  Just a walk down Professor Ave. and you'll find something that fits your taste.  Looking for something fun and new to try during the day?  Check out Studio 11 for relaxing and rejuvenating yoga classes.  In terms of galleries, you can find hyper-realistic paintings, stunning photographic prints, or abstract works in the many different galleries.  Looking for a sit-down dinner or for a quick drink with friends? Tremont has plenty of those as well.  Some dinner favorites of mine are Dante, Fahrenheit, Lolita, and Parallax, while Grumpy's Cafe and Lucky's Cafe are great for breakfast or lunch.  Tremont Scoops never fails when you're craving a good old ice cream cone after dinner.  And don't forget that there are some cool bars to check out also.  I've heard good things about these two places from friends and family: Prosperity Social Club and Flying Monkey Pub.  Of course don't forget to make reservations in advance because Thanksgiving weekend is a pretty popular time of year to go out because a lot of college kids come home for the break, and many people travel to visit family for the holiday.

In the Ohio City neighborhood:
What better time of year to visit the West Side Market than at Thanksgiving?  Pick up any food items to cook up a delicious Thanksgiving meal!  The West Side Market is a Cleveland landmark and it ranks in the top public spaces across the nation.  This is a wonderful spot to bring any visitors who are new to the area and impress them with its beauty and history.  Tired from a long day of searching for the perfect turkey?  Grab a drink at the Great Lakes Brewing Company, a burrito at Ohio City Burrito (it rivals Chipoltle, I promise), or lunch from the West Side Market Cafe which is accessible from inside the market.  Or in order to get the full experience of shopping at the WSM, pick up your lunch of choice from one of the vendors (maybe a french crepe, a detoxing smootie, or a french baguette and some fresh brie) and head upstairs to the viewing balcony to enjoy the beautiful architecture of the building while you eat.

In the Theater District/Downtown:
Go see a fun show playing at Playhouse Square or Great Laks Theater Festival.  This may be the best way to entertain your guests.  In the past few weeks I've seen A Winter's Tale, The Imaginary Invalid (both at the Great Lakes Theater Festival) and Beauty and the Beast (Playhouse Square).

http://www.playhousesquare.org/default.asp?playhousesquare=58&objId=3616

http://www.playhousesquare.org/default.asp?playhousesquare=58&objId=3610

The ones I have seen were all fantastically done, of course.  And after most of the plays I see downtown, I like to have dinner at Cowell & Hubbard, which is a Zach Bruell restaurant in the same building that used to house the famous jewelry store, and the restaurants namesake, Cowell & Hubbard.  Zach Bruell also owns Chinato (E. 4th), Parallax (Tremont), L'Albatros (University Circle) and Table 45 (Intercontinental Hotel)- do you see a pattern here?  On an unrelated note: On Friday, November 23 the day after Thanksgiving, the christmas lights are put up on the trees in Public Square.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/thomsheridan/5221034343/sizes/m/in/photostream/

Wherever your plans take you this Thanksgiving holiday, remember to give thanks for the many things Cleveland has to offer us, and the beautiful city we call home.