Most people who spend a tasting menu evening at a nice restaurant walk out thinking about the check. This diner walked out thinking about how they would ever eat again. The morning after a $90 tasting menu at Cordelia in Cleveland, they woke up so full that they skipped breakfast and skipped lunch.
The diner behind the YouTube channel @Jamesnu shared the whole experience, and the opening line sets the tone: “What drew me was their 90 dollar tasting menu that may be one of the greatest deals out there.” The follow-up is the part that makes you smile. “I ate more food at Cordelia than I’ve ever had before.”
That is not usually how a tasting menu story goes. These multi-course dinners have a reputation for tiny portions and big bills and a hungry stomach by the time you get home. Here, the complaint was the opposite.
Why Cleveland?
The trip itself has a little backstory. The diner picked Cleveland because flights to Montreal were too expensive, a problem they blamed on “rising fuel cost.” So a trip that might have pointed toward Montreal ended up with a meal in Ohio instead. That detour is a reminder that a great meal does not always require the famous destination, and a bargain can be waiting where you least expect it.
The morning after
The next day, the diner reported: “I’m so full even when I woke up today that I skipped breakfast and lunch. I didn’t eat any food until about 3:30 when I had a slice of cheesecake with my coffee.” Then came the big summary: “Probably the most full I’ve ever felt… one of the best bang for your buck meals I’ve ever had.”
Think about that for a moment. Skipping breakfast and lunch the next day is a pretty clear sign of how much food was on those plates. For a budget-minded traveler, that is the kind of value that makes a price tag feel fair.
What stood out on the plate
Three dishes earned the diner’s favorites list: the pork belly with its sauce, the BLT and the tomato toast. Those are comfort-food names, and they hint at the kind of food on the table. Still, the diner was honest about the rest of the menu. “Not every dish was perfect,” they said. That balance is what makes a review believable. Nobody is claiming a flawless night, just a very good value.
The diner also had a bit of regret about the day’s plan. “I’m a little intimidated about the restaurant now… I should have had a lighter lunch, even though that was a good burger.” The takeaway is that a big lunch before a big dinner may not have been the smartest move. Even so, the diner plans to return.
How to get the most from a tasting menu
If this story has you itching to book a long, multi-course dinner of your own, a few practical ideas will help you enjoy it without regret.
- Go in hungry, not stuffed. As this diner learned, a hearty lunch can leave you struggling by the middle of the meal. Keep the day light.
- Pace yourself. A tasting menu is a marathon. Take small bites of the early courses so you have room for the later ones.
- Know the full price. Ask what is included, whether there are optional add-ons, and remember that tax and tip come on top of the listed price.
- Take it slow. Long meals are meant to be savored, so give the evening plenty of time and do not rush between courses.
- Plan the day after. If you expect to be this full, do not schedule a big breakfast or lunch for the next day. Your appetite may not show up until the afternoon.
- Save a little room for the favorites. You never know which course will be the star, so avoid filling up on the first few plates.
- Compare value, not just price. A set price that covers a lot of food can beat a la carte ordering at a regular restaurant, as long as you can enjoy all of it.
The big lesson from this review is that value does not have to mean cheap, and a nice night out does not have to mean a tiny plate. A $90 menu that leaves you full for a full day and a half is the kind of deal that gets people talking.
The diner called it one of the best bang for your buck meals ever, picked favorites, admitted that not every dish was perfect and said they would be back. For a restaurant review, that is about as honest and appealing as it gets. If you are ever in Cleveland with an empty stomach and a free evening, Cordelia just got a very hungry recommendation. Just maybe skip the burger at lunch.
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