Lovin' Luxe Kitchen & Lounge

Sunday Brunch with my sis-in-law Suz, in Cleveland, at Luxe, where dogs are welcomed on the patio=HEAVEN!

Luxe Kitchen & Lounge on Detroit Road in Cleveland, Ohio is open for Sunday brunch from 10am-1pm. And yes, dogs are welcomed and even offered their own Bow-Wow brunch bone-shaped menu with such specialty dishes as Mint Hamburger w/ Carrot & Rice or Fish & Potatoes. For dessert, Chicken Liver Fudgies or Peanut Butter Fudgies. These doggie dishes (literally served in doggie dishes) run $3 for a small, $5 for a medium, and $7.50 for a large.

Suz & I discussed in length brining our BIG dogs to brunch, and we decided it would be a disaster. For purse-size dogs who aren't food-obsessed, people-obsessed, or other-dog-obsessed, I'm sure it's a great time.

But enough of all this doggie talk. Let's get to the heart of the our experience: the FANTASTIC food! Suz and I began our food journey with a bread bowl of homemade muffins and breads. The muffins were to die for: a poppyseed and a cherry-walnut. The breads were good, but not all that special. We devoured them anyways.

For brunch, Suz ordered the cherry-and-cream cheese stuffed french toast ($9), which halted our conversation and continued to halt it until the plate was clean. Suz did manage to tell me that it was divine with the homemade whipped cream but the maple syrup was too overpowering with it. I had food envy until I tasted the hanger steak in my Steak and Eggs with Roasted Potatoes ($14). I could have eaten 4 more portions of the hanger steak; it was cooked to a perfect medium. We got another Steak and Eggs for carryout for Suz's hubby, and the rest of the day he and I obsessed about that steak. It was PERFECT.

The mod atmosphere of Luxe and its completely awesome staff (We love you, Candace!) made our girl time even more special. But the one drawback was no brunch alcohol until 1pm. Candace said this was because of a city of Cleveland law, but Suz and I both remember drinking alcohol in Cleveland at 10 a.m. in times past. Anyone reading know the scoop on this ri-dic-u-lous law? A Bloody Mary with Shrimp for Suz and a blueberry Bellini for me would have heightened our heavenly meal to pure nirvana. I wish Luxe would just take these drinks off the menu if they can't serve them until they close at 1; the torment is too much to bear.

Thankfully, the lemon tart we shared for dessert was divine. However, both of us wanted to taste more of the basil.

At this point, I'm just splitting hairs in the name of unbiased journalism.

If I lived near the Detroit Shoreway in Cleveland, Luxe would be my new hang out. But lucky for me, FD is so jealous of my Steak and Eggs I don't think I'll need to twist his arm to take me there for dinner (served from 5pm-2am every day) during our next visit. And when he sees the reasonable prices, high quality food, and artful atmosphere, I think he'll demand we go there.

Other Cleveland restaurants I'm dying to try: Lucky's Cafe, Lolita, Crop Bistro and Bar, The Greenhouse Tavern, and Three Birds.

It looks like I'll be helping Suz organize her closets and attic about once a month, if she'll have me and feed me. Thanks for a great brunch, mama, and a fun weekend!