The venerable Cleveland Street Deli is long since dead and gone, and now so are its jukebox, pinball machines and canned beer.
All have been replaced by The Corner Café, a new restaurant that owner Harold McClenic most recently, the general manager of Barracuda's describes in a letter as an "ambitious project" that "continues the recent rehabilitation of the area just west of the Boulevard."
I don't know if you can call five booths, three tables and 10 bar stools ambitious, but the Corner Café is not a bad place to stop off for a very casual lunch or dinner. McClenic has added some microbrews on tap, put some jazz on the PA and filled up a large wine list, all to give the place a more relaxed atmosphere. The menu is filled with standard Fan café food: sandwiches, steaks, seafood and pasta. It's on the corner of Cleveland and Franklin. Open for brunch on Sundays. 355-1954.
Folks in the South Side also have a new restaurant to celebrate. The Caribbean Chef on Ninth and Hull streets is a cheap place to grab a plate of spicy food. They offer curry beef, goat, chicken and shrimp, plus more "American" (less spicy) versions of these same dishes, and a large menu of sandwiches, soups and not one, but three fish 'n' chips entrées. None of these items exceeds $8. For an authentic experience, try the Jamaican champagne cola with your meal. Open for lunch and dinner Tuesday through Saturday.