Now is the perfect time to take a trek to the west side of town to visit Great Lakes Brewing Company. Oktoberfest is in season.

I tried this beer for the first time a couple of weeks ago and was hooked. It's fine in the bottle, but straight from the tap at Great Lakes Brewing Company, it is divine. If Oktoberfest isn't your thing, several other beers are on tap. And it's not just the beer that's good at Great Lakes. The menu has a plethora of delicious-sounding options, making it a tough decision (and ensuring that I will be back again soon).

During my most recent trip, my boyfriend and I split the 3 Onion Bruschetta (Shallot, chive, Videlia onion, mozzarella cheese, brewer's barley bread crostini) as an appetizer. The bruschetta is slightly sweet, cheesy, and very tasty. For the main course, I ordered the Old World Burger (Smoked cheddar, bacon, fried onion straws, housemade Edmund Fitzgerald Porter barbecue sauce, pretzel roll) and he the Pretzel Chicken (Gerber's chicken encrusted with pretzel, mashed potatoes, seasonal vegetables, Burning River Pale Ale mustard sauce). My dish came with thinly cut fries; I was expecting thicker fries but still enjoyed them, but my boyfriend wasn't a big fan of the skinny option. The mashed potatoes that accompanied his chicken were good and flavorful.

The worst part about our dishes was that I liked them so much, I might have trouble ordering something different the next time I go. But I have my eye on:

• Grilled Chicken Sandwich (Grilled Gerber's chicken breast marinated in Dortmunder Gold Lager, bacon, lettuce, herb mayonnaise, pretzel bun)
• Pulled Pork Sandwich (Dee Jay's pulled pork, housemade Edmund Fitzgerald Porter barbecue sauce, cole slaw)
• Caprese Sandwich (Tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and basil on a ciabatta roll with balsamic drizzle)
• Bratwurst & Pierogi (Dortmunder Gold Lager bratwurst, potato and cheese pierogi, braised red cabbage, sour cream, Dijon mustard)
• Fresh Garden Pasta (Fresh pasta with garden vegetables, garlic and olive oil sauce)
• Veggie Tacos (Two veggie tacos with squash, zucchini, carrots, black bean puree, pico de gallo, mozzarella cheese)

I'm going to need to plan another trip to the west side soon ...

Great Lakes Brewing Company
2516 Market Ave., Cleveland
216-771-4404
glbcinfo@greatlakesbrewing.com
www.greatlakesbrewing.com
Facebook page
Great Lakes Brewing Co. on Twitter


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-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

After Managing Editor Laura Kessel reviewed Arabica Coffee House in The News-Herald's Dining Out feature, I knew I would have to try one of the giant baked potatoes on the menu.

The potato I selected was covered with cheese, chicken and barbecue sauce - and it was incredibly filling. It was pretty good, but I might be more inclined to try a different one on my next lunchtime visit.

Be sure to check out Kessel's full review to see more of what's on the menu. The South of the Border potato that Kessel tried sounds pretty awesome.

I'm a big fan of Arabica at any time of day. I often stop by for a morning iced coffee, or in the afternoon for a frappe - which is essentially a milkshake. My one complaint is that the wireless is iffy. I've never been able to successfully log on and stay on, which has been frustrating because the atmosphere is generally otherwise perfect for getting work done.


Arabica Coffee House
4148 Erie St., Willoughby
440-942-5282
www.arabica-cafe/com
Facebook page

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-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl