Dinner: Fat Heads in North Olmsted, Ohio

3
1

After having a wonderful 7am to 5pm shift at work, I figured I needed a bit of a break. So, after running a few errands we decided on some dinner. Actually, we decided on some beer, but food would have been a welcome addition.

Hence...we wound up at Fat Heads.

Fat Heads in Cleveland sits in an old storefront in North Olmsted, Ohio. It used to be Danny Boys, an absolutely fantastic farm market until the local mega-grocery stores killed such local businesses. The building was turned into a micro-brewery/restaurant a couple of years ago and it's become quite a success story on the west side.

If you go to Fat Heads, you have to realize a few things:

• They're a micro-brewery, so expect some great (or at least interesting) hand-crafted beers
• They sell other beers, but don't expect to see Bud Light being offered
• If you plan on eating, be prepared to eat a lot or take a doggie bag home
• Expect to like the food which is pretty darn good.

Smoked chicken wings

If you ever get there, you should must absolutely have to try to smoked chicken wings. They are whole wings (not segmented) that have been smoked and coated with a seasoned dry rub. You can then get them in sauces from sweet to mild to fire-creating. I've had them about 6 times there, and every time they've been great:  moist, meaty, complex in flavor, and just plain finger-licking good.

(BTW, the beer next to the wings is their blueberry beer (look closely:  you can see the berries in the beer)...one of their "always available" brews).

We also had the French Onion soup (big thumbs up on this one, too) and the special soup of the day:  corn, chicken and sausage chowder (again...yummy).

My meal was the bbq pulled pork sandwich (something I seem always inclined to get, regardless of what other offerings the menu may have).

Sandwich big...sandwich good!

The sandwich (like most of their sandwiches) was big...as in "BIG".  The fresh potato chips it came with were...well...addictive.

I had a smoked porter with my dinner.  It was smoky (in both smell and taste), deep and delicious.  But I doubt I could drink more than 1 pint of it; it was good, but almost (I repeat: almost) overwhelming.  I probably should have started with a lighter beer first.

So if you ever get a chance to be in the Cleveland area, give it a shot.  Ah, I should also mention that they have another Fat Heads in Pittsburgh as well.