Birthday Dinner Help

[skatingtripods]

I'm hoping you guys can help me out a little bit here. My fiancee's birthday is Friday and, while she insists she wants to go to Swenson's (and god damnit do I love Swenson's), I want to take her somewhere better.

She's originally from South Carolina, so cheap BBQ won't do. She knows how it's supposed to be done. She loves Old Carolina BBQ down in Canton, but I don't want to go that far for dinner (trying to keep it within 20 mins of Cleveland/Brooklyn Hts/Parma area). She's also a big fan of Cajun food. Likes Fat Fish Blue, but I'd like to try somewhere new.

So, if I'm looking for BBQ or Cajun, what do you guys suggest as the best places in the area? Keep in mind that I'm poor, so keeping it in the $25-30 range for two people would be helpful.

Edit: Good Mexican food could be an option too, if anyone has a suggestion for that.

[waborat]

Ya gotta have a few bbq or cajun pierogi places near ya, no?

Are you talking $25-30 total for the both of you?

If yes, then you got Hot Sauce Williams on Lee Rd or Vern's in South Euclid is really good...Order up the chicken sandwich @ HSW's for a great conversation piece

For cajun on really cheap, hit up House Of Blues' happy hour (one of the best in town)...$1 domestic bottled beers and ALL appetizers are half price...Before Cav's games we get pizza, wings, gumbo, shrimp and drinks for under $30...only problem is that it ends @ 7:00pm...

As far as edible Mexican fare that's reasonable? Ya got a Qdoba near ya?

[peeker643]

Call me a heathen but there are times when El Rodeo's mexican food hits the spot. And you can get out of there for $30 for two people if you don't go margarita crazy.

[Ziner]

Call me a heathen but there are times when El Rodeo's mexican food hits the spot. And you can get out of there for $30 for two people if you don't go margarita crazy.

Ever get the Carnitas or the Machaca? I have forty million mexican restaurants near me and I still have yet to find any of these places serve up either of those dishes half as well. Their Carnitas is to die for.

If you want good Mexican take her to El Rodeo Tripods.

[waborat]

El Rodeo is an excellent choice guys...

Like Peek said, the drink prices are high so you gotta be careful...

Also a little advice Adam, you'll probably want to call ahead wherever you go Friday and see what fish/seafood specials they're serving? I've known a lot of restaurants to be crazy on Good Friday...

Have Fun!!!

[Larvell Blanks]

El Rodeo definitley if you want Mexican.

If your looking for some a taste of NOLA, head up the hill to State and Wallings. In the plaza w/ the Discount Drug Mart is the French Quarter Cafe. Owned and run by a couple who left NOLA during Katrina. Take a look at the menu and see if that might work. Never been there myself but have heard good things. There may not be authentic items like gumbo and crawfish, but the decor and some menu offerings show a bit of the NO style. At the least go there after your other meal and grab a cup of coffee and beignets

http://frenchquartercafeohio.com/menus.html

Battiste and Dupree's Cajun Grill has an authentic Cajun menu.
1992 Warrensville Ctr (just N of Cedar Rd by the Oakwodd Golf Course)

http://www.urbanspoon.com/u/menu/200388?p=0

[skatingtripods]

El Rodeo is an excellent choice guys...

Like Peek said, the drink prices are high so you gotta be careful...

Also a little advice Adam, you'll probably want to call ahead wherever you go Friday and see what fish/seafood specials they're serving? I've known a lot of restaurants to be crazy on Good Friday...

Have Fun!!!

Neither one of us are fans of fish. In terms of Cajun food, she likes shit like jambalaya, beans and rice, those sorts of things. Also, you deep fry some chicken and she's all about it.

Larvell, my niece and her ex-boyfriend went to French Quarter Cafe all the time. I looked at the menu and I didn't seem all too impressed with it, but it's far from my kind of food. She could find plenty of things to eat off the menu from Battiste's.

We kind of decided on Fat Fish Blue, but I just realized that, A. We'll have a Cavs pre-game crowd to contend with and B. It is Good Friday and they serve quite a few fish dishes. Plus, it's a pain in the ass to park downtown with a Cavs game. I'd probably just valet by E. 4th.


El Rodeo could be a winner. She's a huge fan of Nuevo Acapulco in North Olmsted. I'd like to try somewhere different though.

[Cerebral_DownTime]

Mongolian BBQ is where it's at.

[waborat]

Neither one of us are fans of fish.

Sorry bout that...

Didn't mean for you guys, just that it's Good Friday and if they are serving a bunch of different non-meat items then they'll probably be packed...

I've been out on GF where the lines are out the door

[pup]

El Rodeo is an excellent choice guys...

Like Peek said, the drink prices are high so you gotta be careful...

Also a little advice Adam, you'll probably want to call ahead wherever you go Friday and see what fish/seafood specials they're serving? I've known a lot of restaurants to be crazy on Good Friday...

Have Fun!!!

Neither one of us are fans of fish. In terms of Cajun food, she likes shit like jambalaya, beans and rice, those sorts of things. Also, you deep fry some chicken and she's all about it.

Larvell, my niece and her ex-boyfriend went to French Quarter Cafe all the time. I looked at the menu and I didn't seem all too impressed with it, but it's far from my kind of food. She could find plenty of things to eat off the menu from Battiste's.

We kind of decided on Fat Fish Blue, but I just realized that, A. We'll have a Cavs pre-game crowd to contend with and B. It is Good Friday and they serve quite a few fish dishes. Plus, it's a pain in the ass to park downtown with a Cavs game. I'd probably just valet by E. 4th.


El Rodeo could be a winner. She's a huge fan of Nuevo Acapulco in North Olmsted. I'd like to try somewhere different though.

Save yourself some more duckets.

http://www.restaurant.com/microsite.asp?rid=319062&mcn=00014784

[skatingtripods]

Save yourself some more duckets.

http://www.restaurant.com/microsite.asp?rid=319062&mcn=00014784

Thanks, but,

Minimum purchase of $50 from the dinner menu only. Excludes holidays & alcohol. 18% gratuity added to the pre-discounted bill.

I'm not sure the two of us can eat $50 worth of Mexican food.

Seems like there's El Rodeo in Mayfield, and then a different chain of El Rodeo restaurants in Parma Heights, Westlake, and N. Olmsted.

Anybody know anything about the west side chain? Their websites are completely unrelated.

[Ziner]

I know the one I suggested and still miss is in Mayfield, I am not sure if they are connected, but unless you can confirm that they are go to the Mayfield one. Get the Carnitas, put it in tortillas, pour some of their delicious salsa on it and thank me later!

[skatingtripods]

Thanks for all the help guys, but I just found out that Old Carolina BBQ opened a new one out in Fairlawn. I'll drive 20 minutes to take her to a sure thing. Like I said, she loved the one in Canton.

I'm definitely keeping El Rodeo in mind though, because she's a huge Mexican food fan. We'll also be going to Fat Fish Blue before an Indians game at some point.

[waborat]

Thanks for all the help guys, but I just found out that Old Carolina BBQ opened a new one out in Fairlawn. I'll drive 20 minutes to take her to a sure thing. Like I said, she loved the one in Canton.

Eh, you're just like my father-in-law...

Asks for advice and then goes back to the original plan

My wife calls him the Time Witherer

[skatingtripods]

Eh, you're just like my father-in-law...

Asks for advice and then goes back to the original plan

My wife calls him the Time Witherer

Nothing wrong with having more information for future dinners out.

[waborat]

Eh, you're just like my father-in-law...

Asks for advice and then goes back to the original plan

My wife calls him the Time Witherer

Nothing wrong with having more information for future dinners out.

The restaurant.com link Pup sent you is a great way to try new stuff...

A few times a year they have 90% off their already low prices...

You can pick up a $25 certificate for $2.50

[jb]

Was that you and Abby on the scoreboard screen at the cavs' hawks game??

Cute girl with guy with missing teeth. Thought it might have been you two. Mostly due to the missing teeth. ;-)