Three For All: Low Fare Global Fare

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Balaton
Photo by Sarah R. Sphar

Mi Pueblo 

Address: 11611 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, OH 44106

Phone: 216-791-8226

At this oversized Mexican restaurant, you'll find a correspondingly large menu and welcoming smiles. Catering to palates both timid and bold, Mi Pueblo prides itself on offering truly authentic Mexican cuisine, including family recipes brought north of the border from towns like Michoacan, Jalisco and Zacatecas. Each meal starts with pickled vegetables, a cup of chicken soup and homemade red and green salsas with a basket of chips. The usual Mexican favorites are all accounted for: tacos, very large burritos, flautas, tostadas and enchiladas, all served in generous portions at reasonable prices. Entrees not to be missed include carne adobado, a beef steak marinated in adobo sauce, grilled and served with guacamole, grilled onions, salad, Spanish rice and refried beans. Also try authentic seafood and chicken recipes, as well as delicious – and oversized – margaritas, which are half-price on Wednesdays. For even more authentic Mexican tastes, visit the West Side location (12207 Lorain Ave. Cleveland, OH 44111; 216-671-6661), where you'll find lingua tacos and menudo, a fiery tripe stew beloved for its post-long weekend restorative powers.

Nate's Deli

Address: 1923 W 25th St. Cleveland, OH 44113

Phone: 216-696-7529

Nate's is a favorite for famished West Side Market shoppers, but even if you have no intention of buying six pounds of apples or several sides of beef, you should make an excuse to visit this deli and Lebanese restaurant. Yes, there is corned beef and a host of other deli favorites, but the real treat is the variety of Middle Eastern specialties: tabboule, kibbeh, fattoush and what must certainly be the best hummus in the city. Falafel is served sliced on a bed of lettuce, tomato and creamy yogurt dressing; fattoush is a fresh and tangy take on the side salad, with chopped lettuce, onion, green pepper, tomato, crispy pita bits and a sharp blend of spices. Nate's is no frills, but who cares when the service is friendly and the food is unimpeachable?

Balaton

Address: 13133 Shaker Sq Cleveland, OH 44120

Phone: 216-921-9691

Website: http://www.shakersquare.net/ssm/balaton.htm

Hungarians helped write the cookbook on comfort food, and Balaton owners the Ponti family have been cooking from that book for more than four decades. Classic wiener schnitzel is more than a foot wide, pounded paper thin, breaded and fried to crispy heights and served with housemade spaetzle and applesauce. The Eastern European-influenced restaurant on Shaker Square is as homey as the cuisine. Generations have flocked here for epic Hungarians specialties, such as goulash, paprikas and lecso, smoked sausage simmered in tomatoes and peppers. For the most part, vegetarians need not apply, though there are svelte and crisp potato pancakes, breaded mushrooms and a spicy vegetable stew. If you've been working the field all day or visiting with a hungry group, don't miss the city's most caloric, delicious offering: the Wood Platter.