portland's parking lot "food stands"

In Oregon all this week, stalking Hillary exploring the streets of Portland.

One of the many charming and fantastic components of this city is all the multi-ethnic eateries along the surface parking lots of Portland's downtown.


Many of the places even had some places to sit in the sun while munching.

Scanning down one street . . .



It's amazing to see how open some cities are to this as a form of ligitimate commerce. Los Angeles has been battling these types of trucks in recent months, with the anti-taco lobby firmly entrenched in city council.


click here to read more about the city where carne asada is not just a meal, but a crime.

I opted for the Thai food for lunch:


Ate some pad see ew with generous portions of broccoli, some chicken satay with peanut sauce, and a coke.

All added up: 7 bucks for a nice meal in the sun, from a stand adjacent to Portland State University.


Many of the trucks had murals painted on the side . . .


And here's a Czech place. (the woman serving spoke czech too)

crepes to go . . .


and a good scene for people watching as well. At least, when one is sitting at the curb eating el pastor.



So a question: is this the type of thing that can fly in downtown youngstown?

It might be interesting to hear the opinions of downtown restaurants, especially the ones that require eating inside.

Maybe the existing places downtown need more outside seating. Maybe we should study Portland's policies that encourage immigrant foods to locate downtown, and for possible health reasons, study how they regulate their kitchens.

or maybe I'm so desparate for a thai place in youngstown, i'll accept this form of cooking to a full-blown restaurant.

that accent, where is she from?

The most recent version of "Accent on Youngstown" really got me fired up.

First off, the collection of extreme sports in the Ohio snow was just awesome. Good music, good editing, and good imagination - it just shows that people are having fun all over the place.

Second, the interview with Randall Craid Fleischer from the Youngstown Symphony was very insightful. There are "young people's concerts" with the symphony all this week which is a new direction for the YSO, and tomorrow night is a fusion concert as the YSO plays with Latin jazz/funk artist Poncho Sanchez.

check Poncho out:


Fleischer makes the good point Youngstown is lucky to be a market such that an professional orchestral musician can be employed here. There is enough of a demand and a market.

Some communities can't support their orchestras.

Miami Florida lost theirs. Columbus Ohio is on the brink of losing its orchestra.

For 82 years and counting, the region has supported the orchestra - which is fantastic. But the house that the Yo's Warner Brothers buiit, like Youngstown, is a big tent and there is room for more people from "Cleveburgh".

If you are reading this blog from Cleveland to Pittsburgh, come out to Youngstown this weekend and eat at Overture (the restaurant at the symphony) and enjoy the show.

Finally, more good news for downtown dining fans: George from Cafe Cimmento announced in the video that their expansion in downtown Youngstown is underway, and should be finished sometime in April.

watch the second Accent on Youngstown:


This video is great - it shows that people and their dreams are flourishing in Youngstown.

the search for cupcakes

70 flavors of cupcakes.

I left home in the morning to find the place I heard makes 70 varieties of cupcakes, in addition to other pastries and french breads.

here is what I found:


Clarencedale Cake is actually housed in a small house. It's open for walk-in business from 9am to 5pm on Tuesdays through Saturdays.

Their website (with tons of picts) is here. Their blog (!!!) of cakes they made can be found here.

Walking closer to the door . . .


Here is an example of a cake one finds inside. The details are just unbelievable. Seriously, download this photo and check out the face of the little raccoon and the wrinkles in the tree stump.


those Charm City punks/hipsters better watch out.

Getting closer to the display case, one can see all the goods ready for consumption.


And here are the dozen cupcakes I purchased, all prepared to be delivered on the streets of Youngstown:


Here's another example of a cake, this one with floral accents.


and another one for St. Patrick's day.


And here is the cake consulting room for weddings and such.


All the Easter bread is lined up against the back wall, and I will for sure visit Clarencedale Cakes again soon.


I was also really impressed with the look and the feel of the house's interior. The pink walls everywhere with the old-school wooden door frames provided a festive, yet traditional vibe throughout.

Needless to say, I don't have many pictures of the actual cupcakes as they were decimated by my friends and family. I met some good Slovaks in that house that excel at speaking French and baking . . . a killer combination.

For all you people in Youngstown and Cleveland, Akron, Pittsburgh and beyond, this place is worth the trip.

- - -

This visit has inspired me to create a new site/map:

presenting "the gems of youngstown"

click here to see more details on this ongoing project

accent on youngstown's cup of love

our friends at Accent Media have posted on their blog and their website this 10 minute video of their first "Accent on Youngstown" production. Check it out:



From Scott at Accent Media:

"This is a chance to use our new studio and shooting space, to meet people we really want to meet and respect and are curious about, and give a little sumthin, sumthin, back to the community who has welcomed us to Downtown Youngstown.

If you have a segment idea, or would like to be featured yourself, drop me a note at:
sfullerton (at) accentmediaonline (dot) com"

I especially like the animations in the intro and throughout, and thought the music selection was great. The guests make me excited too about the people striving to make Youngstown a better place - and we should support their efforts.

All sorts of interesting tidbits pop up in the three interviews during the broadcast, one of them being the new dining room at Charles Staples' restaurant will have a New Orleans theme and will be adding some additional southern favorites to the menu.

My tastebuds are already blown away by the "cup of love" Charlie puts in his bbq sauce.

What's gonna happen when Charlie puts some of that love into the gumbo?

the "grow youngstown" movement

UPDATE:local paper reports on this story filling in a few more bits of info.

a new webpage is up for Grow Youngstown, a non-profit dedicated to community supported agriculture for city residents:

www.growyoungstown.org

Besides working with local farmers, Grow Youngstown is advancing its City Gardens Program. City Gardens is a community membership gardening program. Grow Youngstown secures land and provides initial financial support for any preparation the land may need. The garden members may organize themselves to grow collectively or have individual plots depending on what works best for their community.

Grow Youngstown puts farmers and members together and with administrative tools, such as bookkeeping, contracts, newsletters and organizational strategies.

The advantages of this type of cooperation are many:

• Greater nutritional value: Food traveling shorter distances, reaches customers with higher nutritional content.


• Supports the local economy: Money transferred stays within the local economy (doesn't go to Chicago (IGA) or Pittsburgh (Giant Eagle) creating direct and interdependent bonds between producers and consumers.)


• Good price: Customers pay less than they would pay at the supermarket for the same organic produce and farmers get more than they would get at auction or through a distributor.


• Variety: Customers get a variety of vegetables not always available at the local supermarket.


• Sustainable: The food is grown sustainably, adhering to PASA or OEFFA guidelines, though not necessarily certified organic.

another great benefit to living in the city . . .

join the community of interconnected neighbors in Youngstown. feel the vibe.

Go to their website to become more involved, or to learn how to receive fresh produce.

fifth look inside the rosetta stone

Had my first meal at the newly opened Rosetta Stone downtown over the weekend. Here is a tour of our table's plates that evening:

salad with strawberries and mandarin oranges:


mozzarella cheese, tomato, basil and balsamic vinaigrette salad:


I believe this was mushroom ravoli, with pears (maybe apples?)


steak:


salmon with subtle blue cheese sauce over a bed of angelhair:


A carrot cake upon first look I thought was mashed potatoes:


Creme caramel with fruit garnish and black coffee.


my next goal is to get there on Federal Street for their daily breakfast, and try things from their bakery.

fourth look at the rosetta stone

Because uploading all of my videos from First Night is taking a good bit of time, I'm just going to concentrate on the construction at the Rosetta Stone Cafe today - which was serving coffee, fruit, and cheese and crackers on New Year's Eve.

Walking through the main door, this chocolate sculpture greeted all the visitors:


wow.

The three figures carved in cocoa were very ornate, and held the wine bottles in place.


The floral arrangement was also made of sugar. A nice compliment to the mangoes and fromage.


The display cases have now been installed, which are right next to the ovens and will contain all the daily baked goods.


Leather couches and tables have been placed on the upper level.


From the street level, the wide open windows allow pedestrians to look all the way to the back mural. Compare this experience at the street level to the horribly designed Children's Services Building just two blocks away.

Just imagine if this vision continued down the street, all the way to the symphony!


The new booths have been installed, along with some chairs . . .


. . . and the bar looks to be finished, with lights and beer taps now installed.

third look inside the rosetta stone

A few days before Christmas, I snuck inside the Rosetta Stone Cafe to take a few more pictures. This post will provide an update of the construction, plus a sneak preview of the menu.

The full-service restaurant will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner, as indicated in this article from the Business-Journal:

"The static portion [of the menu] will feature steaks, chicken and other entrees. The other will be “somewhat dynamic and change relatively frequently,” he continued. Among the selections will be Peruvian and Mediterranean dishes.

The chefs are Barry Karrh and Chuck Wolfcale. Karrh, who attended culinary school in France, comes from Mississippi and “brings a lot of French Creole and Cajun to the table.” Wolfcale has been a chef in the area more than 27 years."

Here is photo of the rapidly changing mural that runs along the back of the stage.


Now peeering towards the wine room,


when we look inside we can see the racks for all the bottles.


This section of the restaurant is now carpeted and ready for furniture.


Speaking of furniture, here are some seats being put in:


Ok, now back to the menu. Picking out some (but not all) items

For breakfast: bagels, croissants and muffins will be baked daily.

For appetizers: asiago stuffed mushrooms, spinach pies, and vichyssoise, etc.

For salads: goat cheese and fruits with baby greens, Chilean caeser salad, etc.

For meats: fillet, ribeye, ny strip, and surf and turf, etc.

Other main courses: trout almandine, butterflied shrimp in tumeric

For vegetarians: mushroon ravoli, ratatouille, etc.

For desserts: lemon souffle, mousse cake, etc.

Keep in mind there is a whole bunch of stuff from the menu that I did not include, including other entrees, soups and sandwiches. I just chose those things that jumped out at me and my palate.

the cénacle at selah

I'm always amazed on how people find this blog. Many times, surfers are looking for a certain restaurant or event but because they have no presence on the internet, Shout Youngstown pops up.

Metro Monthly recently featured a piece on Selah, a french-american fusion bistro, that fits this category. What interested me the most about this place is how the place sits in a former bank, with the renovations taking advantage of such architectural details such as the teller windows and the vault. This YouTube clip points out those details.


The video also contains information about their dinner theatre on the second floor of the building, and their weekly jazz nights. Selah is located on Bridge Street, just along the Mahoning River.

second look inside the rosetta stone cafe

wow.

what a difference two weeks makes!

Following up from yesterday's post, here are some new photos from inside the rapidly changing Rosetta Stone Cafe. Looking around the interior, we find fresh coats of paint on the walls . . .


And the arched ceiling is now painted with a colorful mural. Created by one of the Rosetta Stone Cafe's chefs, the mural depicts some of the wonders of the ancient world, including the lighthouse of Alexandria.


Looking out from the stage, you can see the rest of the mural, going to the main part of the restaurant.


Moving over towards the bar, lots of work has been done here as well.


And peering down the length of the bar . . .


Finally, a photo from the beautiful medians along West Federal, which provided me shelter as I took this picture looking into the Rosetta Stone in the evening.


Seems to be progressing nicely . . .

first look inside the rosetta stone cafe

Over the past few weeks, local message boards and blogs have been buzzing about the opening of the Rosetta Stone Cafe in downtown youngstown. The Rosetta Stone Cafe will be a full service restaurant with an extensive seating area, bar, and even a bakery with pastries and other oven-fresh goods.

Three weekends ago just after Thanksgiving, one of the partners gave Shout Youngstown a tour of the building in which the Rosetta Stone Cafe will be housed. The building was at one point a Woolworth's department store, and its most recent commercial incarnation was a Rite Aid. Here is a photo of the front of the building at present, located at 110 West Federal Street:


Signs on the front windows show they are looking to hire employees in time for their grand opening. Check out this Craiglist ad for more details, or contact them at [info (at) rosettastonecafe (dot) com].


Here is a picture facing what will be the bar area:


From behind the bar, you can look across to the main entrance and out to Federal Street.


Next, in the center of the space towards the back, we have an arched ceiling where the stage will be.


Glancing around the main room, there are some various spaces for semi-private and private dining and meetings.


Into one of the bathrooms before the thrones are installed,


And finally, a quick peek at the kitchen area:


come back tomorrow to this blog, and we'll fast forward though more construction and another update. This one will be from a week ago, or about two weeks after the pictures in this post.

And again, if you or other you know would be interested in working at the Rosetta Stone, give em a call or shoot them an email.

cupcakes and angry elves

Only two shows left at the Oakland for the double performances of Season's Greetings and Santaland Diaries.

this Saturday, December 15th, at 8pm
this Sunday, December 16th, at 8pm

At the Sunday show starting at 7pm, every visitor to the Oakland will receive a free cupcake treat from the Youngstown gourmet cupcakery POP!.

here are some picts, ordering info is on their website: (disclaimer: POP! cupcakes will not help you lose weight, make you prettier, make your car payments, or get you a better job.)






check out those Heath Bar Cupcakes and the Apple Pie Cupcakes!

Regardless if you find the musings of David Sedaris hilariously funny or disappointingly annoying, the cupcakes make the trip downtown worth it!

for real?

my Google Alert found this on the Feast of the Seven Fishes blog:

"The best part of this signing by far was all the fans who came in with printed out blogs about the event, those are the true fans!"

for real?

need a fish? here's seven of them . . .

and seven fishes makes a feast!

Subpopular is giving away a copy of the combination cookbook-comic book-graphic novel, "Feast of the Seven Fishes" on its website. All one has to do is register with Subpopulated, an online community of Youngstown artists, musicians, and everyday people from around the globe that is associated with the Subpopular online magazine.

Additionally, the author of "The Feast of the Seven Fishes" will be selling and signing the book at Little Jimmy's on Belmont Avenue on Monday December 10th. Earlier in the day, the tour will be at Corbo's Bakery in the Italian Village in Cleveland.

fact: I know Italians who live in the Italian Village in Cleveland who drive down to Youngstown to get Jimmy's cookies and canolis because they swear the taste is better. I was suprised they make the trip, but good food makes people go long distances. I think Corbo's is still pretty good, then again, Jimmy's IS worth driving 90 minutes for.

You can find more details about the signing in Youngstown here.

vegans and vegetarians of youngstown unite!

On sunday, had the opportunity to join the Vegetarians of the Greater Youngstown Area at their monthly pot-luck meal. Every item among the many many dishes there, from soups to lasagna to desserts, were all made with love and without meat.

It was held in the absolutely beautiful Slippery Rock Pavilion at our beloved Mill Creek Park, and saw some old friends and met some new ones.


Cabins and pavilions like Slippery Rock are available to rent throughout Mill Creek Park.


Here is a photo of my first run through the buffet line:



- - -

Interesting in coming one day? Even meat eaters who are looking for an alternative experience welcomed at the table.

for the next 9 months, all of the dates and places are set.

July 1st - Slippery Rock Pavilion
August 5th - Slippery Rock Pavilion
September 2nd - Slippery Rock Pavilion
October 7th - Birch Hill Cabin
November 4th - Birch Hill Cabin
December 2nd - Birch Hill Cabin
January 6th - Birch Hill Cabin
February 3rd - Birch Hill Cabin
March 2nd - Birch Hill Cabin

All meetings are the first Sunday of the month, and start at 4:00pm.

in flan we trust

It's an insult to your taste buds if you eat any other Mexican food in the Mahoning Valley instead of Casa Ramirez.

- - -

Just one opinion, but from tasting their food, one can tell it is the only true authentic mexican restaurant in the region.

The restaurant is celebrating its 15th anniversary this year, founded by Carlos y Celerina Ramirez.

Inside are two well-decorated rooms, one with an elegant mural inside:




The food again is great. And the waitresses are cute.

The first time I had a *real* tamales wrapped in a corn husk was here, as well as my first delectible chile relleno. Their mole sauce is just incredible.

I wish I had that stuff on tap at my house.

- - -

I forgot to take pictures of my food until half way through, but here is some mole sauce on my half-eaten potato enchilada:


And as usual that night, I had the flan for dessert.

Now listen up people.

This is flan the way it should be made. There is only one other flan in my life I have tasted as good as this one, at it was in the city of Utuado in Puerto Rico.

The custard is set perfectly. The caramel sauce is sweet, but not overpowering.


And it costs $1.95.

again, $1.95.

unbelievable.

If you are coming from downtown, Casa Ramirez is the first restaurant on the right, just a few streets after the Mahoning Avenue bridge (the Frank Sinkwich bridge) which passes over Mill Creek Park. They must do takeout, because one of the sportscasters from wytv picked up a dinner while I was finishing my flan.

Say hello to Coach Hartzell for me, brother.

According to their sign outside, they are open from 11am to 9pm Mondays thru Thursdays, 11am to 10pm on Fridays, 2pm to 10pm on Saturdays, and closed Sundays.

google map here.
Casa Ramirez
1578 Mahoning Avenue
Yo., O. 44509
phone: 330.792.9920

- - -

This blog is the first in a series of entries about food and dining in Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley. It will concentrate on great tastes and eccentric places.

And henceforth, the new foodie companion site for Shout Youngstown will be youngstowndining.blogspot.com.

Youngstown Dining will be searchable, including indexed tags, sorted by location and type of cuisine.

corned beef at 5:30am

Ahh St. Patrick's Day in Ytown . . .

more people go to the bars on this day than church on Easter.

Here's a picture from in front of the Open Hearth restaurant on Steel Street: [west side ytown]



I got a nice corned beef n' bagel sammich from Kravitz' last week.



see you tomorrow at 5:30am.