The Best Meal I EVER Ate

After the Plain Dealer and the Akron Beacon Journal wrote about national location experts having dinner on the 50 yard line at Browns’ Stadium, I’ve been asked a lot of questions about it, so here’s the inside scoop:

A few months ago, Team NEO’s CEO, Tom Waltermire, and I met with Browns’ President, Mike Keenan and COO, Dave Jenkins to discuss how we can work together to attract more businesses and jobs to Northeast Ohio. When Mike offered to host business location specialists on the field for dinner, I had no idea what to expect. Apparently, neither did he... Unbeknownst to us, he had never dined on the field. In fact, NO ONE had ever dined on the field....

So let me set the scene: Vast rows of orange seats surrounded the pristine green field, which smelled of fresh cut grass and newly painted yard lines. Amidst a clear blue sky, the moon faintly peeked out behind the goal posts while the sun began to set. As we walked onto the field, we could feel the soft, moist grass beneath our feet. We sat at two round tables draped in pumpkin-colored silk tablecloths, lit by soft candles and exotic blooms. A silk napkin delicately wrapped individually printed menus of our 4-course gourmet meal.

Here was the line-up:
+For our Salad, Four Carrot Slaw with Salmon Two Ways (smoked and poached) in a Pernod Shallot Vinaigrette paired with Santi Pinot Grigio
+For the Appetizer, Vanilla Seared Sea Scallop on Sweet Corn Risotto accompanied by Gary Farrell Chardonnay
+Our Entrée, Kobe Beef Steak with Horseradish and Thyme Potatoes, Grilled Baby Vegetables, Peppercorn Reduction and Point Reyes Blue Cheese paired with Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon
+And for the grand finale, our Dessert, Chocolate Truffle Cake with Toasted Almond Honey Butter served with Taylor Tawney Port

Okay – I don’t know what football games you’ve been going to, but I’ve never had stadium food like this. Apparently, this menu is available for order in the suites, so to all of you suite-holders, please, please, please take my advice and order this meal. The carrot salad refreshes your palette just before the sweet corn risotto dances in your mouth. The plump scallops soft on the tongue, while the Pinot Grigio cool on your lips, and the Kobe beef so tender it melts into the creamy potatoes on your tongue just as the peppercorn reduction and Cabernet coats your belly like a warm blanket.

Just writing about it gets me warm and fuzzy inside! Best of all, it left our site selection guests feeling the same. They left full and happy, in awe of how Cleveland Plus welcomed them to our region. They left impressed, willing and ready to connect us with clients looking to expand their businesses. Thank you to Mike Keenan and his entire organization. We had no idea what to expect – and yet, you exceeded all of our wildest dreams. You are a gem to the region and the business community.