Weekend Bites

I'm going to start a new series here on the blog, called Weekend Bites. Mr. H and I always find ourselves out and about in Northeast Ohio, particularly on the weekends, and sometimes there are things that we do, see, and taste that I want to share with you but they just don't fit in as their own blog post. These posts will now share a bit more about businesses we shop at, activities we do, and some delicious bites along the way. So, here's the first post in the new series...

We purposely hadn't scheduled plans for Memorial Day Weekend as we headed into it. A relaxing long holiday weekend is exactly what we needed this time of year! We decided early on that we'd both plan "surprise" dates for each other. This is something that we like to often do, and it makes "date night" even more fun. Mr. H was up first, and he planned a progressive dinner in The Flats on Saturday night.

It was a gorgeous night to be down by the water. We started at BOLD Food and Drink for appetizers. We shared a Grilled Octopus Salad that inspired some addition fun later on that weekend. Then, we wandered over to Scene Magazine's Taste of Summer event. There was live music, food stands, pop-up shops, booze, and outdoor games. We had fun spending a couple of hours just walking around and sipping on margaritas. Our last stop was at Alley Cat for oysters and entrees. The oysters were fantastic, but I was really disappointed in my Lobster Roll. The bun was over toasted, and it was basically a giant crouton that just crumbled apart when I tried to bite it.

On Monday afternoon, it was my turn to plan a date, and I decided to take us to Mr. Divot's Miniature Golf in North Royalton.

We had a good, and competitive, time on the classic course. I gave up keeping score after one hole just really kicked my butt. We then split some food for lunch on their outdoor patio. This place is a throwback, and their expansive menu is full of classic American food. They are known for their orange creamsicle swirl, so don't miss it. Mr. H can remember coming here as a kid, and the family-run business is proud to say that not much has changed.

Later that afternoon, we stopped at the new Terrestrial Brewing Company. Sometimes, you have to slow down and remember to look up, because you get views like this.

We had to head home at that point, because we had a whole octopus (thanks, Kate's Fish at the West Side Market) cooking in the sous vide waiting for us. Mr. H threw it on the grill that evening, and we served it over a lemon garlic pasta with vegetables.

It was something new for us, but a lot of fun to try and it came out pretty darn well for a first attempt! Mr. H wants to let it go a little longer next time to tenderize it a bit more.

Sadly, the relaxing and fun weekend came to an end, and reality hit the next morning. Can we go back and do it all over again? We really lucked out with the weather overall, and it was a memorable Memorial Day Weekend for us. It really feels like summer is here in Cleveland now.