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New Coffee Shop in W. Akron Plans Oodles of Noodles

Posted on: Wednesday, 18 January 2006, 09:00 CST

By The Akron Beacon Journal, Ohio

Jan. 18--Susan Aylward hopes eventually to turn her snazzy new West Akron coffee shop into a noodle shop -- a first for Akron. Asian noodle shops, where customers slurp big bowls of noodles, broth and fresh garnishes, are popular in Chicago and New York, but so far none have opened here.

Meanwhile, Aylward's customers don't have to go hungry. She serves a small but interesting menu of homemade salads and sandwiches at Enjoy Cafe, the first business to open in the refurbished plaza behind the CVS drugstore on West Market Street.

Aylward and partner, plaza owner Stan Sheftel, decorated the airy cafe in a soft, modern style with wicker, natural woods, plenty of plants, and works by local artists.

The food is interesting and thoughtfully prepared. It ranges from homemade chicken noodle soup to a fruited bulgur salad to vegetarian chili to chicken salad with big chunks of chicken and plenty of crunch. The blackboard menu changes daily.

"It's a work in progress," Aylward said.

The pastry case is stocked with muffins, pies, cakes and hunks of the original Lou & Hy's cheesecake, made by the former owner of the deli, located where the drugstore now stands. All kinds of coffee drinks and a wide selection of teas are served.

Hours are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The phone is 330-869-5653.

Eatery head turners

Great restaurant names, courtesy of the Nation's Restaurant News:

-- Sake Tumi, a Milwaukee restaurant that specializes in a variety of cuisines.

-- Bob's Eat and Get the Hell Out Grill in Kill Devil Hills, N.C.

-- Earwax Cafe, a Chicago restaurant specializing in vegan diner food.

Recipe sweepstakes

Even if you can't cook a lick, you could win a cool $1 million in this year's Pillsbury Bake-Off. All you have to do is vote online for your favorite recipe. One voter will be chosen in a random drawing in early March to receive a trip to the Bake-Off. The voter gets the $1 million if his or her favorite recipe wins.

Bake-Off finalist Cindy Egersdorfer of Cuyahoga Falls hopes you'll vote for her recipe for peanut butter crunch brownies. Egersdorfer is one of the 100 finalists who will compete for the $1 million grand prize March 19-22 in Orlando, Fla. For the first time in Bake-Off history, the contestant who receives the most votes from the public will get $100,000.

"I would buy a swing set for sure," said Egersdorfer, who has a 2-year-old daughter, Jamisen. But vote only once, Egersdorfer cautions, because multiple votes from the same person will be disqualified.

To vote, go to www.bakeoff.com/ and click on America's Favorite Recipe Sweepstakes. The deadline for voting is Feb. 28.

Head a burger standard

The International Federation of Competitive Eating is trying to determine the exact weight of actor David Hasselhoff's head for an upcoming competition. Competitive eaters are set to face off Saturday over a hamburger billed as "larger than Hasselhoff's head," but no one knows just how big that is. To solve the mystery, the organization has asked the actor if it can weigh his head in either a submersion tank or by having Hasselhoff lie on a table with his head extended over the edge onto a scale.

"Unless we are certain of its weight, it is irresponsible to use Mr. Hasselhoff's head as a standard by which to measure this burger," the organization's president, Richard Shea, said in a press release.

So far, Hasselhoff has not responded. The Big Daddy Burger Eating Contest will take place at the Plaza Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.

Fogle cooking Thai

Sue Fogle has left House of Hunan and is cooking at Kazoku Thai, the restaurant located in the building on Tallmadge Avenue where Fogle used to operate Bangkok Gourmet.

Owner Michelle Luangrath asked Fogle to resurrect the Bangkok Gourmet menu after Max Luangrath, Luangrath's brother and co-owner, returned to his native Hawaii.

Dumpling snacks, pad Thai, khing curry and a host of other Bangkok Gourmet favorites are back on the menu, Fogle said. Entrees are $7.95 to $12.95.

The restaurant is at 1283 E. Tallmadge Ave. Hours are 5 to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 5 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 4 to 9 p.m. Sunday. The phone is 330-630-3682.

Cite Grille owner retires

The Cite Grille in North Canton has a new owner. Warren restaurateur John Kouvas has pledged to retain the menu and staff that made the upscale restaurant popular in the 15 years it was owned by Emilio and Pamela Campos.

The Camposes are retiring for health reasons. Kouvas owns the Chophouse and Avalon Inn in Warren. The Cite Grille is at 6041 Whipple Ave. N.W. The phone is 330-494-6758.

Jane Snow is the Beacon Journal's food writer. She can be reached at 330-996-3571 or jsnow@thebeaconjournal.com. Sign up for Jane's free, weekly e-mail newsletter "Second Helpings" at www.ohio.com.

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Copyright (c) 2006, The Akron Beacon Journal, Ohio

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Source: Akron Beacon Journal (Akron, Ohio)

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