The Cleveland Food Bucket List

For a while now, I've thought if I only had one day left in Cleveland, what would I do? where would I go? and most importantly, what would I eat? (shocked aren't you).

When thinking about this in the abstract, it seems like a genius idea. One day. One City. Go to town.

I've thought about this for awhile, debating the order, location, menu choices, etc. But as this is now a reality (I don't have too much time left in the Cleve), this may not have been the greatest idea. To do this right, I would consume something in the range of 35 billion calories in one day. When your friends who like to eat tell you this is ridiculous (in this instance, Adam and Buddy), maybe it needs to be spread over a longer period of time.

Unfortunately, that isn't nearly as fun as doing it all in one day, but I do want to live to see Chicago and my new job, but if health wasn't a concern, and I had one day to dive in gluttony style, here is the ultimate day of eating in the Cle: Nader style...

Breakfast:

Lucky's Cafe: Waffles. During the summer, their waffles are topped with peaches, Chantilly cream, and caramel. Coupled with a coffee the size of my head, there is nothing in the world that makes me happier on a Sunday morning. An excellent way to start the Day.

Lunch:

Lola /Lolita/Bar Symon: The Lola Burger. In deference to other all others, this is the greatest burger in the entire world. Period. Good meat, topped with cheddar cheese, bacon, pickled onions, and a fried egg (cooked in bacon fat), and served on a grilled English muffin (the lack of English muffin is why I couldn't, in good conscious, pick BSpot. I dig me some Bspot, but the English muffin makes this for me). Not that Michael Symon needs more press, but he nails it every time with this classic. I love good food, but a burger is a special thing in my eyes. And this burger stands alone.

Mid-Afternoon Snack (this is my day, and I can do what I want):

The Greenhouse Tavern: Chicken Wings. Why Chicken wings you ask? Why not go to one of those places that deep fries thousands of wings a day and offers you 30 different flavors to choose from? Because these are perfect. The meat falls off the bone, and the taste is exactly what I would want. Spicy, with a hint of garlic and scallions. They just need to be enjoyed.

Second Mid- Afternoon Snack (not only is this my day, I'm also indecisive):

The Flying Fig: Tempura Green Beans. To be honest, the Fig has a special place in my heart. Carlie and I love to eat and this was one of the first restaurants we ever went to together. In fact, we spent our first wedding anniversary here. The Tempura Green Beans is just one of those things, that seem interesting before you order them, and once you try it, its something that you will never to order if you ever go back.

Dinner:

L'Abratros: Mussels with Pomme Frites. Simply, its one of the closest things I've had that reminds me of visiting my family in Belgium. On top of that, they throw on some garlic mayonnaise for fun. How could I not pick this? Its a no brainer.

Dessert:

Again a two-parter. We start with a Coffee cupcake from Cookie and Cupcake. Which is then topped by a scoop (or 4) of Jeni's Gravel Road. While this does not exist at a restaurant currently, at this point of the night, if you actually ate all of this, you are probably in a food coma, and eating this at your house is probably a smart idea.

Honorable Mentions:

Chicken and Biscuits at Crop
Sunnyside Pizza at Bar Cento
Pineapple Guacamole at Momocho

So, now I'm hungry. But truthfully, there is no way I could even think about this in one day, so I've spread them out for my remaining time here in Cleveland. To my friends in the 216, what am I forgetting? Let me know what you think needs to be added.