Cultural Cuisine: My favorite Filipino spot is Tita Flora’s in Independence. I knew them before they even opened up that restaurant. I had fried rice and their lumpia. They are the nicest people. There’s also this spot, the Rush Inn in Lakewood, that’s Irish. It’s a good late night place. The burgers and wings are good. They’ve been around a long time, maintain good quality and are always consistent.
Local Ingredients: My favorite spot for local produce is Red Basket Farm in Kinsman, Ohio. They’re great. They’re just an awesome couple, Amy and Floyd Davis. I met Floyd at the Tremont Farmers Market, and he had the best produce in the world. I get curly kale, tomatoes, acorn squash, eggplant, all that kind of stuff from there. And then [I go to] Tyler’s Farm for greens in Oberlin, hydroponically grown. This time of the year, if you can’t get ground greens, his stuff is just fantastic.
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Golf Grounds: For my favorite golf course, I would say the Metroparks. I loved it when the City of Cleveland sold Seneca Golf Course to the Metroparks. And so in that time, I could basically golf there forever; everybody knew me, and they just let me go. So I would say probably Seneca or Sleepy Hollow Golf Course in Brecksville are my favorite. Although, I always like the mom-and-pop courses, as well.
Coffee Time: Rising Star Coffee Roasters, I love those guys. The owners are fantastic; I see them all the time. I usually do French press, so I get the Illuminator Blend there.
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