No procrastinating, kids

As things open up in Northeast Ohio, Mother’s Day meals require early planning this year

Now that the weather’s warming into a lovely spring and many people are fully vaccinated, plans for Mother’s Day meals on May 9 are being made.

And people are returning like crazy to restaurant dining. On April 23, a Friday, there was an hour’s wait for a table at Red, Wine & Brew in Mentor, and other places were just as packed. Reservations are definitely in order.

Some, however, would rather polish the silver, iron the tablecloth, get fresh candles and order elegant takeout to celebrate Mom. For them, there’s Sapore in Chester Township, an arm of Loretta Paganini’s cooking schools. Deadline to order is noon May 4, with pickup between noon and 1 p.m. May 8 at Sapore, 8613 Mayfield Road.

Two set menus tempt all tastes, but this is a meal best suited to grownups.

Menu 1, at $45 a person: Crab Cake with Remoulade Sauce and Arugula Salad; Cheese Ravioli with Pomodoro Sauce and Julienne Vegetables; Chicken Scaloppine Piccata with Artichokes, Red Peppers and Mashed Potatoes; Limoncello Cake with Fresh Strawberries & Chantilly Cream; and Assorted Truffles.

Menu 2, at $65: Smoked Salmon Roses on Grilled Focaccia with Chive Mascarpone Cheese; Silky Lobster Bisque with Herbed Oil and Creme Fraiche; Spinach and Arugula Salad with Pea Shoots, Strawberries and Candied Pecans with Green Goddess Dressing; Brie-Stuffed Puff Pastry & Chicken Roulade with Dried Cherry and Pinot Noir Reduction; Roasted Baby Carrots and Herb New Potatoes; Individual Chocolate Tart with Raspberry Sauce; and Assorted Truffles.

Both menus serve one person.

Call when you arrive for pickup and the order will be brought to your car, complete with heating instructions. Call now to order at 440-729-1110.

Mother’s Day brunch will be served family-style at both the Estate on Coffee Creek in AustinburgTownship and the Rustic Grill at StoneWater Golf Club in Highland Heights.

Family-style meals are served with platters of food and everyone helps themselves.

In the heart of Ohio wine country, the Estate on Coffee Creek will host seatings at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. with this menu: Tomato Caprese Salad; Truffled Scrambled Eggs; Stuffed French Toast with Blueberry Syrup; Pierogies; Carved Smoked Cottage Ham; Chicken Marsala; Sliced Roast Beef with Horseradish Cream; Spring Vegetable Ratatouille; and Apple Cherry Cobbler and Honey Vanilla Ice Cream. Bottomless Mimosas are an extra $20. The meal is $29.95 for adults; $19.95 for those 11 to 15; and $14.95 for those 5 to 10.

Reserve online at EventBrite (bit.ly/coffeecreekmd21) or call 216-392-3363. The Estate on Coffee Creek is at 1591 Route 45, on the left as you go south from the Route 45 exit of Interstate 90.

StoneWater, at One Club Drive, has reservations available between 10 a.m. and noon for its Mother’s Day brunch and from noon to 2 p.m. for lunch.

Brunch menu: Blueberry Stuffed French Toast; Mushroom Leek and Asparagus Frittata; Shredded Rosemary Garlic Hash Browns; Braised Beef Brisket with Au Jus and Horseradish Cream; Bacon & Sausage Links; Fruit Platter; and Assorted Mini Desserts. The Kids Brunch, which will be plated, includes Scrambled Eggs, Pancake, Sausage Links, Assorted Fruit Cup and a Mini Cupcake and Brownie Bites

Lunch Menu: Grilled Vegetable Salad with Baby Gem Lettuce, Feta and Sherry Vinaigrette; Mushroom Ravioli with Parmesan Cream; Braised Beef Brisket with Au Jus Horseradish Cream Chicken Piccata; Roasted Tri-Color Baby Potatoes; Fruit Platter; and Assorted Mini Desserts. The plated kid’s lunch will entail Chicken Fingers or Mac N Cheese Fries; Assorted Fruit Cup; Mini Cupcake and Brownie Bites.

To select your reservation time, contact Whitney at 440-461-4653, ext. 232 or wneidus@stonewatergolf.com. Credit cards will be taken to hold reservations.

Or you might choose instead to give Mom a treat of cooking with the kids or grandkids with a handson cooking class on May 8 at the Loretta Paganini School of Cooking in Chester Township.

Designed for kids 7 through 11 and beginning at 10 a.m., the hands-on session will be led by chef Kate Csepegi. The menu, which will then become lunch, includes Cheese Breadsticks; Mixed Greens Salad with Homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette; Homemade Lasagna Roll-ups; Meatballs in Tomato Sauce; and Chocolate Cake with Raspberry Sauce.

All pandemic protocols will be observed. The fee is $75 for two of you. Register at 440-729-1110.

DAVID CRIDER PHOTOGRAPHY These dainty cupcakes are among dessert selections for Mother’s Day brunch and lunch set at StoneWater’s Rustic Grill in Highland Heights.