Urban Farmer // #BloggerRoundup

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It’s been nearly three weeks since my Single Week; and just as long since I had a meal where I wasn’t eating as quickly as possible to keep a toddler from begging me for whatever it is I’m scarfing down.

While I’ve learned that this is now the lifestyle I prefer (competing with a toddler for food > loneliness), I did manage to squeeze in the longest and one of the most amazing meals I’ve ever had during my Single Week. I was lucky enough to attend a blogger/foodie event at Urban Farmer Cleveland. Urban Farmer Cleveland’s newest and most fabulous steakhouse, located in the Westin hotel on East 6th.

I arrived fashionably early. Is an hour early still ‘fashionably’ early? Probably not. But it did give me plenty of time to enjoy a happy hour cocktail in the very chic lounge.

If it were up to me, I would just call this drink “Delicious” on the menu; but it has a name. And it’s name is Rhubarb Daisy. Gosh, I love rhubarb season!

From happy hour in the lounge, we ventured to the patio for Oysters, Signature Cocktails, and Charcuterie.

It’s hard to believe I spent nearly an hour chatting with my fellow Ohio blogger friends while sipping on a tasty cocktail overlooking a city that I absolutely adore.

I was able to finally meet some blogger friends that I have “known” for years, but had yet to run into in real life (I’m talking about you Bite Buff!); and it made my heart SO incredibly happy to catch up with friends I’ve known for a long time (Poise in Parma, Eat Drink Cleveland, and Smitten In CLE — I’m looking at you!).

Before I knew it, Jaqquie from Cleveland Kiddos ‘challenged’ me to our first oysters. I know, pathetic I had never had oysters before. I had no doubts I would love it, but I anticipated being weirded out by the texture. Nope! (although my face would suggest otherwise on Cleveland Kiddos instagram! Ha!).

Shortly after my first oyster experience, we moved into The Pantry (Urban Farmers’ private dining room) for a five-course food & wine pairing. I’m not certain what my expectations were, but they blew me away. First of all, the dining room decor was adorable. In the worst/best way. Look at that lamp!

They also have a private room that is dedicated to everything they’ve pickled! (I feel like I was the only person who kept thinking “We can pickle that!”). UF uses local veggies that are left unsold at local farmer markets for pickling purposes! Genius! Right? My husband would have been thrilled. He LOVES pickled everything.

The first course was Beef Tartare with Deviled Egg (pairing with Charles & Charles Rose). As a semi-foodie (which really means someone who will try any food once, but will still show some hesitation), I was nervous for my first tartare experience.

But I remembered this: I was once nervous for my first sushi experience, too. This is the same. The result? I freaking loved it. Love, love, loved it. I could eat this beef tartare every single day. True story.

The second course was a chilled lobster salad with tomato, avocado, fennel, mint, and verjus sorbet (pairing with Mayu Pedro Ximenez). Lobster is a food I’m completely down with. Chilled? That’s a new experience for me. But delightful, light and flavorful. White wine is not something I typically choose to drink, but I was impressed with the pairing. 

The third course was a seared scallop with corn, candied bacon, a corn fritter, and tomato (pairing with Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc/Viognier). The entire course was flavorful and texturally contrasting — which is awesome. But I could eat pounds of that candied bacon. And the corn fritters were perfection! 

The fourth course was a 21 day dry-aged strip loin with boulangere potato and summer squash (pairing with Lock & Key Meritage — my personal favorite). Chef Brad lost me in a food coma when he started talking about how the potatoes were cooked. I’m a sucker for beef. And potatoes (this has not always been the case — my pregnancy with Moosh changed me. It made me a beef + potato lover!). I knew that I wanted to eat this entire course; but I was far too full to eat all of it all at once (thanks to the most extravagant, most delicious 5-course meal I’ve ever eaten, and for our incredibly attentive server for packing the rest of this up for me to go!). Sidenote on the wine: I sent texts & tweets the next day to all of my blogger buddies. For the life of me, I couldn’t remember the name of this red wine. And I searched for it. High and low. Nada. Can’t find it anywhere. So the search continues!

The fifth and final course was a Great Lakes Malted Barley Custard with malt balls and honeycomb. I’m pretty much a dessert junkie. Especially delicate and well-paired desserts. The malt balls and custard were the perfect flavor combination. And I saved the honeycomb until the end. Because like my gal Sarah, from Cooker Girl, reminded me — the honeycomb was pretty much a slightly harder piece of sponge candy! O. M. Yum!Guys, I over-ate in the best and worst way that night. On my way back to Akron, I called my mom and said “I need you to get me a gift card to Urban Farmer for my birthday so I can take Chad for a dinner date.”

Huge thanks go out to the staff at Urban Farmer Cleveland! Keep up with their Facebook page HERE, follow them on Twitter HERE and Instagram right HERE!