The New Strange Bird Bistro - a Restaurant

Today we had lunch at the newest restaurant in town which took over the vacancy left by Weia Teia when they closed this past August.  The spot is now home to the Strange Bird Bistro which identifies itself as "a global eclectic mix." The interior is much the same as the previous restaurant but the food is a 'fusion' of a little Asian, a little Mexican, a little Cuban, some Eastern European, and some American comfort food with a twist!.

See if some of these menu names whet your appetite: sushi deviled eggs and chicken pot stickers, which Joe and I shared as appetizers, roasted brussels sprouts salad, Korean meatloaf sandwich, Cuban citrus mojo pork, sriracha macaroni & cheese, thai coconut shrimp cakes just to name a few. For our lunch today along with the two appetizers,we also enjoyed the soup of the day which was mushroom bisque and was very good. Next week after the movie at the Apollo we will be checking out the dinner menu and in the weeks to come we will scout out the sunday brunch menu. I see on that menu is a bacon jam and grilled cheese. Sounds yummy!

You will not want for good food choices when you come to Oberlin as we have over 14 restaurants to choose from. Check our website Restaurant page for where to go, links to websites if they have one, and type of food served. And be sure to go to Strange Bird Bistro Facebook page. There menu is on their website. And follow us on Facebook too! LIKE US! We like you!

9 Bistro at Grey Hawk

Restaurants crowded in Oberlin? Do you want a place with a great atmosphere, excellent food, an expansive outdoor deck overlooking a golf course? Then we have a suggestion for you!

Joe and I had an early dinner today at 9 BISTRO at GREY HAWK in LaGrange, just 5 miles east of Oberlin. We chose to sit on the deck, placed our order and watched the golfers finish on the 18th hole. A couple of them got caught in the sand trap! I ordered the grilled salmon and it was cooked to perfection and served over risotto and grilled asparagus. Joe ordered the satay skewers - marinated steak, napa cabbage slaw and soba noodles tossed in a sesame oil vinaigrette. His ums told me it must be good!

The restaurant offers a variety of appetizers, interesting salads, sandwiches, soups, lobster bisque, entrees of seafood, pasta, flat breads, ribs, chicken dishes, and steaks and chops. There is a full bar with spirits, wines and beers. Check the link here for the complete menu.

And if you are a golfer this is the place to go! Play a round of 9 or 18 holes of golf and then enjoy dinner afterwards on the outside deck or in the dining room. We had a great time and I am sure that you will too! And don't forget that we are just a few miles away to make your overnight stay one to rememnber! Come to play, dine, and stay!

New Restaurant Review

It's hard to believe but there are times when Oberlin has so many visitors that it can be hard to get a table in one of our outstanding restaurants. But don't worry, we do have a fine restaurant called Nine Bistro located at Grey Hawk Golf Course just 10 minutes from here in LaGrange. The restaurant is not just for golfers but also for the general public with facilities for banquets, weddings, and meetings.

Before we journeyed into Cleveland for a Playhouse Square production of "I Love You Because" at the 14th Street Theatre, we decided to go to dinner at Nine Bistro since we had not been there since last summer. The restaurant offers you a fine dining experience either inside or on the expansive outdoor patio with fans for cooling or heaters for heating! Since there was a chill in the air we decided to sit inside at a table in front of the crackling fireplace. When the weather warms and the outside patio opens, it is a great place to relax, dine, enjoy a drink and breath in the fresh country air as you watch the golfers play by.

Joe and I shared a crab cake appetizer made with real crab meat which was served in a spicy aioli sauce and we each had a glass of house wine at a price of $3.00 per glass, (Happy Hour time!) The hard, crusty bread dipped in herbed olive oil/garlic was delightful. Joe ordered the fillet duet which consisted of two tender, char-grilled fillets accompanied with a cremini mushroom wine cream sauce, the traditional baked potato and fresh seasonal vegetables. Half way through he said, "This is the best fillet I have ever eaten!" Now that's a testimonial!

I was presented with my order of Asian salmon which was crusted with sesame seed and pan seared and drizzled with a sesame seed soy glaze. It rested atop a molded white rice pillow and was accompanied with the fresh seasonal vegetables. The salmon was superb and cooked just right. All in all we were thrilled with our meal but too full to enjoy one of the many desserts offered after the meal.

For all of you golfers, the golf course itself has been voted as one of the top 10 of America's Best new afforable public courses when it opened in 2004. I'll follow up at a later date with a post about the golf course itself. But if you want information immediately just follow this link: http://www.greyhawkgolf.com/index.htm.

So when you're making your plans for your summer stacation, keep us in mind. Play some golf at Grey Hawk, dine at Nine Bistro, and come home to Hallauer House Bed & Breakfast! Come on! You know you want to! You won't be disappointed!

Another Restaurant Review!

It's 7:00 p.m. and I'm still not hungry after having eaten a very substantial lunch at 1:30 at another one of Oberlin's fine restaurants, Tooo Chinoise. This local eatery is located just opposite Tappan Square in the heart of Oberlin. Joe and I decided to eat lunch out and since we hadn't been to Tooo for quite a while, it seemed appropriate that this was the time to go. Like all restaurants in Oberlin, there is no large neon sign telling you to "Come in here!" The sign is subdued with the window welcoming you with it's selection of fine wines. The entrance door leaves a lot to be desired but don't let that fool you. We were quickly seated in a booth by the friendly hostess and our server came promptly to take our beverage order. Forget the American and order a Chinese beer. The lunch entree list was substantial and we had a difficult time choosing but after much thought Joe chose Shrimp with Lobster Sauce and I chose the Pepper Steak. Both were priced at $6.00 each and included steamed rice and egg drop soup. Dinner entrees range from $7.00 to $11.00 and there is a nice selection of vegetarian and noodle dishes.

While we waited for the chef to prepare our food, our gaze took in the hip and trendy atmoshere that makes this Chinese restaurant many notches above others that we have been in. The booths are spacious along the wall and the tables align the middle and are separated by panels that offer a small level of conversational privacy. The modern formed booths along one wall were specially constructed for only 2 people, so make for a small intimate space. The wall was simple with small alcove shelves holding various Chinese article. The overhead light fixtures were very unique, large, and covered in fabric to blend with the rest of the decor.

And then came our food, served in bowls that looked like boats! Very chic! Joe's dish had a generous amount of shrimp and the lobster sauce was oh so good! My beef was tender and nicely flavored with peppers and veggies that were tender crisp. A substantial mound of rice was presented with each dish and the water glasses were kept full - the sign of a first class establishment, so we were told many years ago by a well known restauranteur!

When you visit Oberlin, Tooo Chinoise, should be added to your list of places to eat! You won't be disappointed!

Great Sunday Brunch!

There's just 2 weeks left before Oberlin comes alive again with some college students coming for the first time and others returning for the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th year. The International students arrive around Aug. 25th and by Tues. the 28th the First Year students arrive with all their gear followed by the upper classmen on Labor Day weekend. Just a word of advise to new college parents - if your son or daughter will be attending college at a small school, be sure to check out the area accommodations, plan your yearly visits, and make reservations very early! A very limited number of rooms are available at B & B's and small hotels in college towns so the early birds get the best rooms, especially for Parent's Weekends and graduation.

Yesterday was a beautiful Sunday here, very quiet after the guests checked out and before the new guests checked in, so we decided to go out for a late lunch. After much thought about where to go, it suddenly dawned on us that we hadn't been to The Feve in Oberlin for quite some time. So the decision was made and off we went to town. And lucky for us, we made it just in time before the Sunday Brunch hours ended! We sat at the curvatious downstairs bar where we were greeted with quick service and absolutely fantastic food! Almost as good as the Hallauer House breakfasts! Joe had the shrimp wrap with these amazing tater tots and I had a noodle dish with lots of herbs and veggies and a spinach salad with a lite vinegrette dressing. Scumptiously delicious! The brunch menu changes each week and as they say on their website "this keeps the cooks excited about the menu and keeps you from getting bored!" They also have a regular menu, lunch and dinner, as well as a full service bar with wine and at least a half dozen or more imported draft beers on tap.

So parents and visitors, when you come to Oberlin, be sure to visit The Feve. The students know all about it-it's a great college hangout so I'm sure they will guide their parents there, but if you're visiting or just passing through Oberlin, this is a great place to get some great food at some great prices. And be sure to visit their website at http://www.thefeve.com/ to get the complete picture and see the menu.