Also, Popeye’s is tremendous and I go there all the time. It is in Maple Hts. though, not Randall. Big difference. Maple Hts., the beloved city I grew up in and still live in is an ever increasing hell hole. Where North Randall is the equivalent of Afghanistan.

And I also have to make sure I have one or two Cleveland Mochas. With global food culture bringing many regional cuisines to many urban sites far from the region of origin, it’s still nice to have somethings be available only where they originated. Cleveland Mochas are basically Mocha Breves, meaning they use half-n-half instead of milk (and perhaps partly explains the girth of the average Clevelander), but they’re so good (at Phoenix coffee, the few remaining Arabicas, or independent spots like Book n Bean in Berea) that I do not have mochas any other time than when I’m in Berea.

Other required stops while in Cleveland are Aladdin’s (the Lebanese chain) and Goodman’s Sandwich Inn on Pearl Road near where Peaches Records used to be. (Is it still there? I’m too focused on my corned beef sandwich to recall.) What’s great about Goodman’s is that most people get it to go, so I can always find a spot in a booth when I’m there. And for desert, I’m a big fan of the apple strudel at Mertie’s Hungarian Strudel shop on Smith Rd (where Parma meets BrookPark, I think), Dick’s Bakery chocolate chip cookies in downtown Berea (like Cleveland Mochas, I don’t have any other chocolate chip cookies other than Dick’s Bakery’s), and Superman ice cream that all good Cleveland creameries are required to have on scoop!

I also love the photo of your parents at popeye’s!!!!!!!

If you ever find yourself on the westside for pho or vietnamese, go to Minh Anh or Khiem’s Restaurant!!!

Danny B