Curry and Microbrews

So I’ve been in my new place here in Lakewood for roughly two weeks now—and realized that I have not updated once. The busy nature of finals, unpacking, and getting adjusted to a full-time work schedule have more or less gotten in the way of getting out during the day, exploring, and reporting back. Thankfully, however, my desire to have a little fun in my new neighborhood has won out over sleep… so I’ve managed to find a few great places not too far away and I’m making the time right now to spread the love! Anyone that knows me knows that I have a rather incredible love affair with food. And beer. Moving to another area opens up a whole world of possibility and exploration. I still have a long way to go, but here are some of my preliminary observations:

Mullens on Madison

This has become my usual go-to bar. I know. Who has a “go-to bar” after two weeks? I make myself sound like a raging alcoholic… sigh… But in all honesty, the rationale behind this statement all comes down to one tiny but incredible fact: $2 microbrews. As an obnoxious beer snob that scoffs at even the idea of drinking a beer with a “light” plastered on the bottle, this is a rather exciting prospect—because, you know, I really can’t afford to drink expensive beer at the bar. Hence, Mullens will provide less suffering for my wallet. But really, it has the best happy hour I’ve ever seen. And by happy hour I mean anytime after 7:00 on Wednesdays, and by best I mean everything is $2. Anything in the bar you see. It is rather obvious where I will be spending my Wednesday nights…

Thai Kitchen

Did I mention I painted my bathroom? It looks fabulous, and the best part is that one of my very best friends made the journey north to help me do so. Prior to the painting escapades, however, we decided to take a short walk (roughly one block) to Thai Kitchen—a very small, hole-in-the-wall establishment. Let me preface this by saying that I pretty much live and breathe for Thai food. There’s something about coconut milk that makes it less like nourishment and more like crack. I will say that Thai Kitchen is certainly not the best Thai I’ve ever had. I wouldn’t even put it in the top five. That being said, I’ve had a whooole lot of Thai. I would repeat my visit multiple times to this quaint little place regardless. The only downside: they only take cash. In most cases that will warrant me making a trip to the ATM prior to leaving (which kind of negates the convenience of it being so very close), but perhaps that will reign in the number of trips I make there…

[the "after" shot of the bathroom. we are two hardcore painters.]

India Garden

Looking for an Indian restaurant in the area was a must, but I was a bit unsure of the quality of India Garden at first. Granted, determining how nice a place is via website is never accurate, but the decision was made to go for it nonetheless. I’m really happy that decision was made. We ultimately ended up getting food to go, but the restaurant looks incredibly cute… and the food was great! Excellent curries, naan… and huge portions! I’ll be eating leftovers for a few days for sure. Though not on my end of Lakewood, I’ll certainly be making multiple trips back. I don’t know what it is about Thai and Indian food that just makes it the best comfort food… so good!

I’ve visited other restaurants in the area as well. There is a Winking Lizard very close to me, which is fantastic for both beer and wings. I was relieved to see an Aladdin’s in the neighborhood—as thus far I’ve never lived without one. They have locations in Akron, Pittsburgh, and apparently the Cleveland area. Delicious Lebanese food at a great price. Thankfully, I have not busted my budget any further at area restaurants—instead opting to cook at home the majority of nights. I am happy that both of my preferred grocery stores are also in the area (Aldi and Marc’s are both a must).

Thus we have determined that the Lakewood food situation is pretty bangin’.

#Winning.