« Fried Chicken ... $8.25
Angie's Soul Café - Floured with a special five-season blend, a recipe from namesake Angie Jeter's mother, Angie's fried chicken is a far fry from typical north-of-the-Mason-Dixon knockoffs. Pair it with a side of Tabasco-style hot sauce for a true Southern feel. Info to Go » All Southern comfort food, such as chicken and waffles or grits, is made from South Carolinian family recipes kept under lock and key. Jeter laid the foundation for her cafe in the Carnegie Hotel kitchen in the late 1970s. "The recipes she learned from her mother were better than what the hotel was serving," says Jeter's son Akin Affrica. You can still find Angie in the kitchen doing what she loves most — baking bread pudding and sweet potato pie.
Pick Up » 3859 Superior Ave., ClevelandOhio, 216-426-8890, angiessoulcafe.com
Pork Chops (Family 4-Pak) ... $24.95
Packed with a helping of mashed potatoes, salad and rolls, the four pecan-studded pork chops have a lingering sweet flavor mixed with a straight-from-the-grill smoke. The to-go-only dinner from Creekside Restaurant and Bar is a great substitute for a home-cooked meal. Info to Go » Owners Matt and Shirley Harper tried out the family-style options on their two teenage sons before debuting them on the menu. Four made the cut, including pasta, chicken and pork.
Pick Up » 8803 Brecksville Road, BrecksvilleOhio, 440-546-0555, creeksiderestaurant.comHouse Platter ... $11.75
The Eastern European trio of Wiener schnitzel, Paris schnitzel and a smoked sausage from Kuhar's Carryout and Catering isn't for the faint of appetite. It's a filling plate of buttery, breaded veal cutlets served with a mound of sauerkraut and home fries that'll guarantee leftovers. Info To Go » "We've got a little bit of everything: goulash for Hungarians, pierogies for the Polish," says Kuhar's owner Dan Luketic, whose in-laws started the eatery 30 years ago. "We try to bring Europe to the New World and keep that European heritage alive in America."
Pick Up » 8030 Broadmoor Road, Mentor, 440-951-1000, kuhars.comMuffalatta Panini ... $7.50
This French Quarter Cafe sandwich has all the trappings of binge-worthy bayou grub with layers of ham, salami and mortadella and gobs of gooey mozzarella and Swiss. It's served on toasted French bread rather than the traditional sesame-seed bun to suit Midwestern tastes. Info To Go » The menu is packed with Big Easy favorites such as beignets and praline pecan salad. "It's our way of keeping New Orleans alive and in our hearts," says owner Kimberly Davis, who left after Hurricane Katrina.
Pick Up » 5540 Wallings Road, North Royalton, 440-237-9966, frenchquartercafeohio.com
Half Slab of Ribs ... $9.99
Instead of sweet and messy sauce, Fat Casual BBQ slow smokes its ribs over hickory wood and calls it Ohio-style barbecue. "Our house sauce is more like a demiglace," says co-owner Walter Hyde. "The smoke, ... the rub, the quality of the meat. We don't try to cover [that]." Dinners come with two homemade sides and cornbread. Info To Go » If Ohio-style isn't your flavor, Hyde will dress your ribs with one of the eight sauces on his dining room sauce bar. "We know everyone has different tastes," Hyde says. "You might prefer vinegar based, or you like hot or sweet."
Pick Up » 223 E. Highland Road, Macedonia, 330-748-4690, fatcasualbbq.com
