Fried Rice

There are a couple recipes I make when I don't know what else to make. One is fried rice, TBG's fave.  I am not Asian, and have never taken a cooking class or anything else so this is just my version.  I love to have leftovers for work so I make a lot when I make it. I also have a really big skillet which helps.  I have never tried to make this in a wok or anything else.  I have tried to make this healthier with brown rice but it's just not as good.  I have also used low sodium soy sauce, but ended up just using more.

Serves 4-5

4c white rice (better if it's leftover or sits on the stove awhile)

2 tbls canola oil

1 tbs sesame oil (optional)

3 cloves garlic (I use more, but we really like garlic!)

1-2 tbls grated ginger depending on your taste

5 eggs

1 large chicken breast

1-2 c of whatever veggies I have around; peas, baby corn, carrots, zucchini, mung bean sprouts...

soy sauce (I use almost a whole bottle every time)

Heat the canola oil, add garlic and ginger.  Tip: freeze the ginger to make grating easier. Saute for 1-2 min then add chicken. While the chicken is browning add the sesame oil if using, and about a tablespoon of soy sauce. If using a veggie that needs cooked longer like carrots or zucchini add now too. I usually add the peas or bean sprouts right before the rice. When everything is cooked add the rice and stir well. If the rice looks dry you can add more oil or a couple slabs of butter. There are two ways to do the eggs, you can scramble them then pour them into the rice, or break them into the pan then scramble. I do not like to dirty extra dishes so I move the rice to the side then break and scramble the eggs right there. Really up to you. Add enough soy sauce to make the whole thing wet, stir well. Let cook another 1-2 min then serve with more soy sauce. TBG also adds Sriacha if you like it spicy.

Hope you enjoy, leave me a comment if you have any questions.  Thanks!

Sushi Rock - Beachwood

Volcano, Crazy, Beachwood, and Spider rolls

I like that Sushi Rock takes reservations as they are usually pretty busy.  They are located on busy Cedar Rd with plenty of parking.  The atmosphere is modern and fun.  The sushi bar is large with seating on almost all sides.  There are a lot of tables, and can accomodate large parties.  The quality of the food is great.  We eat a lot of sushi, and this place is one of the best.  We ordered two appetizers, but ate them before I could get a picture!  We got the calamari with a sweet chili glaze.  Wonderful!  The calamari was lightly breaded, not chewy, and the glaze was delicious.  The second app was a Kobe beef tray with Asian slaw.  Cooked well and very pretty TBG loved it.  We got 4 different maki rolls, Crazy, Beachwood, Volcano, and Spider.  Crazy was my favorite.  The whole roll was tempura fried.  YUM.  None of them were bad.  We were with one person that did not eat sushi, so he got a steak.  He said it was very good.  It was big and came with a ton of mashed potatoes.  We also ordered the cool cucumber martini.  It was very good, and a perfect compliment to a spicy Asian meal.  The beer list was typical Asian beers.  For dessert we got the creme brulee.  Not the best I have ever had but still good.  The prices are expensive, but worth it.  It was a very nice night out.

Service____ 8 Chipps

Food____8 Chipps

Atmosphere____9 Chipps

Beer List____5 Chipps

Wine List____5 Chipps

Value____6 Chipps

Golden Dragon - Cuyahoga Falls

Octopus Salad

Golden Dragon is a very large restaurant, but if you can, sit at the sushi bar.  The owners/sushi chefs are hilarious and always entertaining the guests.  The rest of the restaurant is reminiscence of older, tacky Chinese restaurants.  They do have pretty good food.  On this trip we got a little of everything.  Pork fried rice, a spicy crab roll, beef pho, octopus salad, and negi maki.  The rice is a very large portion and always good, lots of pork.  The spicy crab roll is made from real crab, and a lot of it.  The pho was pretty good, it did not come with all the toppings like at #1 pho, but still good.  This was a special for the day, it is not always on the menu.  The octopus salad and sushi is not for me but TBG liked it.

Service____ 8 Chipps
Food____7 Chipps
Atmosphere____5 Chipps
Beer List____6 Chipps
Wine List____3 Chipps
Value____6 Chipps

Sushi Bar

Negi Maki

beef pho

Thai Gourmet - Stow

This small restaurant is tucked in a shopping center at the corner of Darrow Rd and Graham Rd.  I used to live up the street and didn't even realize this place was there.  There are probably a dozen tables in this cute restaurant.  I liked the decor, the chairs are big and comfortable and there are plenty of booths.  The service was a little slow, we waited 5 full minutes to be greeted at the table.  The beer list consisted of a couple standard domestics and a handful of Asian beers.  We started the meal with the spicy wontons.  The dough and sauce were great.  The filling was a little bland, but the sauce made up for it.  TBG got Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup (or his beloved pho), and I got the spicy  noodles.  The soup was not as good as #1 Pho, but wasn't bad.  The spicy noodles were good, perfect amount of spice for me, and lots of pork.


Service____ 5 Chipps
Food____6 Chipps
Atmosphere____7 Chipps
Beer/Wine List____5 Chipps
Value____7 Chipps

#1 Pho - Cleveland

Pho is a Vietnamese beef noodle soup.  It is delicious, but this happens to be the only place I have ever had it.  This is TBG's favorite pho.  I have nothing to compare to except that this is the only place in North East Ohio to get it.  There is a second place, Superior Pho, but it's across the street, so not any closer to my house!  I have not eaten anything else here, the beer list is Asian, but a large variety of Asian beers.  Sometimes the service is slow, but the last time we were there it went rather quick.  The large is very large, I get the small and still can't finish.  You can choose which cuts of beef you would like in your soup, it also comes out with a plate of toppings: bean sprouts, Thai basil, housin sauce, sricha, limes and jalapenos.

Service____ 6 Chipps
Food____8 Chipps
Atmosphere____5 Chipps
Beer/Wine List____6 Chipps
Value____8 Chipps