This Thursday, my boyfriend turns 30. It is not an occasion that he feels is momentous, but I do (maybe because he gets there first). So six months ago, I made the decision that I would throw him a surprise party. For months I have pondered over the perfect location. It had to be a casual atmosphere (his best friends are very "burgers, beer, and football" kind of guys), but I knew that having amazing food at the party would be the most important thing for "R". We have that in common.Friends and co-workers made several suggestions, but nothing really jumped out at me as "the perfect spot". That is until "R" and I were out at one of our favorite spots, the Tremont Tap House, just before the holidays and their chalkboard stated "Ask us about booking your private holiday party." I jumped for joy (internally, of course), and called them the next day. For the past six weeks I have worked with Jason at the Tap House to create the perfect menu and make all of the arrangements. He was fabulous to work with by the way.
Lucky me, I have a close friend who has a birthday one week before the bf's- so the story of going out to dinner to celebrate her birthday made tricking him a breeze. And trick him, I did! We arrived at the Tap House to find about 30 of his close friends, family members, and my family (who drove in from NY just for the occasion- I think they like him more than me). The party was fantastic and everyone had a great time, but the real star of the evening was the food.
Jason helped me put together a killer menu of:
Chorizo Tacos- with goat cheese and a fire roasted pepper salsa
Calamari- covered in a sweet and firery red sauce with cherry peppers
Short Rib Sliders- strong ale braised, house slaw
Assorted pizzas- including Chorizo pizza with boursin cheese and scallions, an amazing white pizza with goat cheese, and the Portobello mushroom pizza
All of the dishes were fantastic, with hidden bursts of flavor within the layers. The pieces and parts of each complimented each other well, and left you feeling a bit surprised by the complexity of what appeared to be simple dishes. Tap House has mastered the art of "upscale bar food". A big thank you goes out to Jason and co-owner Chris Lieb who took such good care of us all night long. I could not have asked for a more perfect evening to celebrate his birthday, and it is one night that both of us will never forget.
2572 Scranton Road
Cleveland, OH 44113
(216) 298-4451
3 comments:
These guys put out a great product at a fantastic price. Very Cleveland. TTH is one of my favorites, especially in the summer.
We tried to get to the Taphouse for my 40th a few months ago, but they were having some kind of German festival event so getting a table would have been rough. We definitely need to get back there soon, though!
It's one of our favorite spots to hit after work for a quick (and excellent) bite to eat and a beer. Their prices are very reasonable, and we love hanging out on their patio during the warmer months. I think it is even dog-friendly!
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