CLEVELAND — Destination Cleveland’s ultimate digital invite is now available.
The International Restaurant Passport is pushing Clevelanders to get out and explore.
“We have 17 restaurants in eight different neighborhoods across the city from east to west, including downtown,” said Jen Brasdovich, public relations manager of Destination Cleveland. “Some of them are first-generation families who came to America and wanted to spread their diverse heritage here in Cleveland. So, it's a really great opportunity and it is going to give Clevelanders that sense of pride that they're supporting our local hospitality community, supporting our local business community, and supporting what makes Cleveland so diverse and so unique.”
The passport includes various local spots with international cuisine like Yum Village, which is based in Detroit, Michigan. The owner, Carasai Ihentuge, opened the Cleveland location on Chester Avenue about six months ago.
“This Yum Village Cleveland is our third addition to the map here,” Ihentuge said. “Being part of the international passport here in Cleveland means that I can offer diaspora of our food and our community back in Africa here to the community that has never had it or who wants to experience it.”
As Ihentuge explained, Yum Village offers “Non-GMO gluten-free options.” He added, “majority of our menu is vegan. I would say just 75% of our menu is vegan and on top of that, we offer halal meat. We specialize in jerk chicken, jerk oxtails, curry goat.”
Like Yum Village, each restaurant participating in the passport program offers customers a unique discount.
“A few patrons have taken advantage of that. We offer a 15% off of any combo meal,” Ihentuge said.
While there's no prize at the end of passport completion, the experience is just one click away.
“You sign up for the international restaurant passport…and then from there, you can see the different restaurants that are involved, the different deals and offers that they're offering to customers using the passport,” Brasdovich explained. “Once you go to the restaurant, you just show them that you're a passport user, pull up the restaurant on your phone and show it to them and they'll give you that discount or special offer right there.”
To sign up, click here.
