Things I would miss about Cleveland were I to leave

(All-food edition)

1. Corky and Lenny's

A very enjoyable deli, somewhat incongrously located between a Starbucks and an Ethan Allen store in a strip shopping center on Chagrin Blvd. in Woodmere. Staffed by the nicest burusque people you'll ever meet. A place that buzzes, especially at Friday lunch.

Hot beef brisket sandwich on rye "from the counter", oh yes.

2. Lakewood

I'm from the Washington, DC area, and in Washington, DC area terms, Lakewood is an impossibility. A densely-populated place that is full of small local stores, bars (no doubt!), restaurants, and small old houses, and is neither rapidly declining nor rapidly gentrifying. Plus it's so close to where we live, and where else do you see a bait/tackle/taxidermy shop with neon in the windows from your window seat in a fine restaurant? The people who built Crocker Park would like you to think it's like Lakewood with better parking (Look, apartments above the storefronts!), but it's not, really. Although I have no problem with Crocker Park...

3. Gust Gallucci's (aka Gus Gallucci's)

A fine Italian grocery, somewhat incongruously located in an industrial wasteland at Euclid and E. 60-something. Where we get our Italian sausage.

And they do mail order -- if you've ever wanted to mail order a whole truffle, Gallucci's is the place. And try the Castelevetrano olives.


 

¶ 5/20/2005 12:18:00 PM