MOON OVER CLEVELAND

The following are excerpts from Moon Handbooks’ new Cleveland guide, written by Northeast Ohio native and Scene (and former Free Times) food writer Douglas Trattner. The book details restaurants and much more throughout Northeast Ohio. Trattner will speak and sign copies at Joseph Beth Booksellers (Legacy Village, 24519 Cedar Rd., Lyndhurst, 216.691.7000, josephbeth.com) at 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 21.

DIM SUM AND THEN SOME:

A GUIDE TO ASIATOWN

More than 30,000 Asians call Cuyahoga County home, making it one of
the area’s larger ethnic populations. Many reside in AsiaTown, an area
just east of downtown that is loosely bordered by East 30th and 40th
streets, and St. Clair and Payne avenues. This vibrant, diverse
neighborhood is teeming with Asian-owned shops, restaurants and
markets. A visit here is a must for ethnic food fans, adventurous home
cooks and lovers of all things exotic.

The Chinese are Cleveland’s oldest Asian immigrant group, dating all
the way back to the 1860s, but the area that used to be called
Chinatown is now referred to as AsiaTown to better reflect the
residents who call the area home. Recent decades have welcomed arrivals
from Korea, Vietnam and Thailand, and immigrants from each of these
countries have established restaurants and markets in this area.

Pho has become an absolute food craze all over the country —
and for good reason. This Vietnamese meal in a bowl features noodles,
beef, broth and veggies in a plentiful, affordable and delicious
package. Two of Cleveland’s best versions can be found in AsiaTown.
Many locals prefer to hit Superior Pho (3030 Superior Ave.,
216.781.7462) for their bowl, despite the spare, modest setting. For
those who prefer a little more flash, there is #1 Pho (3120
Superior Ave., 216.781.1176), an attractive Vietnamese restaurant less
than a block away. Both menus travel well beyond noodle soup.

Dim sum is a popular weekend brunch activity in Cleveland, and not
just for Asians. The practice of selecting food as it rolls by on carts
is pretty much a universal pleasure. Some Chinese restaurants are
designed specifically with dim sum in mind, with cavernous dining rooms
capable of handling hundreds of guests at once. Two local dim sum
institutions are Bo Loong (3922 St. Clair Ave., 216.391.3113)
and Li Wah (2999 Payne Ave., 216.696.6556). Both have wonderful
selections, efficient service and reasonable prices. Try the barbecue
pork buns, turnip cakes, shrimp dumplings, crisp-skinned duck and, if
you’re brave, chicken feet.

One of the best Asian restaurants in all of Northeast Ohio is
Siam Café (3951 St. Clair Ave., 216.361.2323), a large,
relatively attractive space. The sprawling menu covers traditional and
creative Chinese dishes (plus some Thai and Vietnamese), but this
restaurant excels at seafood. Live lobster, crab, eel and shrimp are
pulled from tanks and served in dishes like shrimp in black bean sauce,
lobster in garlic sauce and salt-baked shrimp.

There are few greater culinary joys than grilling up garlicky beef
bulgogi at a Korean restaurant. It doesn’t look like much from the
outside, but Seoul Hot Pot (3709 Payne Ave., 216.881.1221) is
cute and comfy inside. This restaurant also has a few grill tables (ask
for one when booking a reservation) that turn a bulgogi meal into a
festive event. Korea House (3700 Superior Ave., 216.431.0462) is
more spacious and modern, but bulgogi is cooked on a tabletop hot
plate. Both restaurants put out respectable arrays of banchan, those
pungent condiments like kimchi that accompany every meal.

AsiaTown is blessed with great ethnic markets that transform an
everyday shopping trip into a culinary expedition. These bustling
groceries stock exotic live seafood items like frogs and eels,
hard-to-find herbs and spices, and even dirt-cheap cookware. One of
Cleveland’s oldest and best is Tink Holl (1735 E. 36th St.,
216.881.6996), a large, bright space crammed with interesting stuff.
For a treat, purchase half a roasted duck. Hacked into pieces, this
bird blows away the Colonel’s. One of the newest additions to the area
is Koko Bakery (3710 Payne Ave., 216.881.7600), a contemporary
shop that sells an amazing selection of Asian baked goods. Come here
for sweet and savory buns, Chinese cakes, egg custards and bubble
tea.

PUB CRAWL CALLOUT

Clevelanders love themselves a good pub crawl. Maybe it’s the gray
skies, chilly night air or the fact that their pro sports teams always
find a way to blow it — locals here spend a lot of time in
bars.

Cleveland is blessed with old-fashioned neighborhoods, the kind with
a Main Street densely populated with pubs, taverns, saloons and corner
bars. One of the best ways to experience the local color is by working
one’s way down the block, popping into every single drinking
establishment along the way. Better yet, just pick a few that look
inviting.

A great way to get to know Tremont is from the inside of a bar.
People come from all over to soak up this district’s café
culture, hitting a procession of galleries, bistros and bars. Start
your trek at Edison’s Pub (2373 Professor Ave., 216.522.0006), a
cozy den serving great imported beers. Friendly folks, knowledgeable
bartenders and decent pizza make this place a must-crawl. Next up is
the Flying Monkey Pub (819 Jefferson Ave., 216.861.6659), a
handsome tavern filled with hand-crafted wood furnishings. The only
gimmick here is the monkey mascot that pops out of his hidey-hole
late-night. Dive bar fans will swoon over Hotz Café (2529
W. 10th St., 216.771.7004), an old-school Cleveland bar that’s been
around since 1919. One block west is Prosperity Social Club (1109 Starkweather Ave., 216.937.1938), a retro saloon popular with
every demographic. Folks here take seats at the 1930s bar or, on cold
nights, around the blazing wood-burning stove.

What’s the sense in paying one’s tab and heading to an identical bar
down the block? Diversity is precisely what makes Ohio City the
pinnacle of pub-crawl locales. Beer aficionados have the one-two punch
of Great Lakes Brewing Co. (2516 Market Ave., 216.771.4404) and
McNulty’s Bier Markt (1948 W. 25th St., 216.344.9944). The
former brews and serves matchless American suds in a woodsy pub
setting. The latter specializes in Belgian and Belgian-style ales on
tap and in bottles. Wine lovers are treated to Market Avenue Wine
Bar (2521 Market Ave., 216.696.9463), a European-like jewel with an
amazing by-the-glass and bottle selection of wine. If a contemporary
Irish bar sounds tempting, pop into Old Angle (1848 W. 25th St.,
216.861.5643). Set in a renovated hardware store, this pub is not your
typical shamrock shack. One of the liveliest places to go for last call
is Garage Bar (1859 W. 25th St., 216.696.7772), a high-energy
bar with loud rock, interesting people and cheap shots.

Lee Road in Cleveland Heights is a pub-crawler’s dream. Packed into
a short 1,500-foot strip is a wide array of welcoming watering holes.
Start near the intersection of Cedar and Lee roads, near the glowing
movie marquee, and work your way south. Parnell’s Pub (2167 Lee
Rd., 216.321.3469) is an Irish-themed sports pub with Guinness on tap,
darts in back and a map of Europe that conspicuously omits England. If
it’s Tuesday or Thursday, cross the street and head to Lopez (2196 Lee Rd., 216.932.9000), a trendy Southwestern restaurant. Thanks
to half-price margaritas and tequila drinks, this place fills up fast.
On the same side of the street a little farther south is Tavern
Co. (2260 Lee Rd., 216.321.6001). This place changes from
family-friendly tavern to locals-only bar as the night progresses. Cap
off the night at Brennan’s Colony (2299 Lee Rd., 216.371.1010),
a neighborhood institution that has attracted crowds for decades. On
warm nights, make sure to check out the secluded courtyard and bar.