James Bigley II, managing editor
Li Wah’s Dim Sum ($3.50-$4.50 per item)
Li Wah has become my happy place that I escape to on the weekends. From 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, the passing of dim sum carts full of delightful dishes — hearty pork and shrimp dumplings, crisp deep-fried shrimp
balls, sweet juicy buns filled with custard — all make me feel right at home when I’m most in need of comforting cuisine. 2999 Payne Ave., Suite 102, Cleveland, 216-696-6556, liwahrestaurant.com
Arbela Capas, associate editor
Kenko's Ohio Roll ($10.95)
Every couple months or so, I remember how much I love sushi. But each time, I crave something new, so to feed my craving I tried the Ohio Roll at Kenko in University
Circle. Packed with shrimp, crab, cucumber, asparagus and avocado, the eight-piece roll is much more filling than it seems. Plus, the wasabi mayo adds just the right amount of kick. 11312 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, 216-862-7690, kenko-usa.com
Kim Schneider, editor
Joe's Barbecue's Brisket ($18 per pound)
I almost feel bad exposing Joe’s Barbecue to the rest of Northeast Ohio. A hidden gem in Brimfield, Joe Menendez smokes all kinds of meats out of
a 1,000-gallon smoker and serves it from a brick red trailer. Getting your hands on some of his beef brisket, which he smokes for 12-16 hours, is a tall order as it sells out quickly. But when you do and you take a bite of the juicy, tender meat with
a thick coat of seasoned bark on top? Perfection. 1299 Tallmadge Road, Brimfield, 330-552-8295
Dillon Stewart, associate editor
Slyman's Tavern Food Truck's Rueben ($18)
They
say cliches are cliches because they’re true, and the same goes for classics. We all know Slyman’s is iconic, offering Cleveland’s biggest and best corned beef since 1964, but sometimes it takes a bite to remember just how great
it is. I tracked down the Slyman’s Tavern food truck at Lakewood Truck Park to get the Rueben, a beast of a sandwich made better with a little Thousand Island, cheese and kraut. slymanstavern.com/food-truck
