Sweet Mango (And VinoMatique, briefly...)

"The closest thing to true Thai food this side of the Pacific."

Sweet Mango

I have been to Sweet Mango several times, and never been disappointed. The food is consistently fresh, perfectly balanced with vegetables, meats, and sauce, and the spices have been flavorful without overdoing the heat. And so it proved Friday night.

Starter: Mango Rolls ($4.50 for 8), shared with the table. The peanut dipping sauce is the perfect compliment to the crisp, bright, simple wraps. They are bite-sized, so by the time entrees arrived, our palettes were prepped and appetites still present. Main dish: Beef Basil, which was 'spicy and hot' according to the menu. It was indeed, (KA-POW!) but it was a hot and spicy that respected the other flavors on the plate. The Thai basil used throughout the menu is a striking flavor, more so than it's Italian counterpart, and really brings a splash of clarity and herby freshness to the mixture.

The restaurant itself is a small place, situated in the Berea triangle (they also have a Strongsville location, similarly tucked into a strip of stores on Pearl Road) and has a cozy feel without being crammed. We were served promptly and without fuss. Decor was to be expected for a Thai restaurant- but with the clean, straightforward atmosphere of good quality fresh food, served honestly and without pretention.

Following Sweet Mango, we ventured down the street to VinoMatique, a wine experience/store on Front Street in Berea. A party was underway for regular members, but we were welcomed in and tutored in the selection and sampling process. The staff was knowledgeable, and the selection ran a wide spectrum, in white and red. We were allowed to sample at our leisure, explore the selection for sale in the store, and relax in the comfy, living-room-esque seating area.

A very satisfying dining and wining experience in the heart of Berea. APPROVE.

Bar Symon

"Good Food in the Suburbs? When Pigs Fly!"
Bar Symon

What word could you possibly use to describe a bounty of beef, a heaven of ham, a plethora of pork? Meattastic, my friends. As our intrepid six-some made our way out to the lovely ‘burb of Avon Lake, our expectations for Bar Symon were drastic and meattastic.

Eric described the drive up to the restaurant as feeling more like a we were traveling to "'enjoy' some county line dancin' in what appeared to be a fairly deserted shopping center.” This was is a far cry from the sassy locales of other Symon restaurants in Tremont or East 4th. Lackluster first impression aside, the internal décor was a mix of industrial/roadhouse/modern pub, a welcome contrast to the cookie-cutter exterior. The emblem of the flying pig underlines that here, the motive is meat.

The “Bar” of Bar Symon earned its place in the title. Not only does it command attention, but from it's smooth counter slides a worthy variety of beers. Our thirty-minute wait dissolved while contemplating the tantalizing beer menu.

We were the(n) escorted to a table in back and hunkered down to peruse the menu. Starters chosen: the House Chips with Blue Cheese Fondue ($4) and the Popcorn with Feta and Oregano ($3) The table was split on the Chips - some called it flavorful, while others found a few soggy chips and thought the sauce a bit dull. The popcorn was a universal hit – the spices and the feta a perfect accompaniment to the popcorn, which in turn was a perfect partner for beer.

For our main dish Joe and I ordered the Symon Burger ($9). It came on an English-muffin style bun, topped with egg, cheddar and bacon. The burger was fabulous – with the perfect amount of sweet caramelized bits around the edges. The richness of the over-easy egg added a sort of decadent creaminess.The side of fries with Lola ketchup were a forgettable afterthought – mine were slightly flaccid and tasted as if they languished in the pass-through for a while.

Eric sampled the Grilled Meatloaf with banana pepper relish and Lola ketchup ($12) with a side of Bacon Creamed Corn ($4) and found it fantastic, though the corn left something to be desired.

Gabe tried the “Barberton Style” Fried Chicken with truffle honey & Parmesan ($15). While we were forewarned by others who’d said it was too sweet, Gabe enjoyed the combination.

Sara chose Grilled Pork Chop with peaches, coriander & honey ($17) and found it sounded better than it tasted.

Lauren selected the Mac & Cheese, a Symon staple, with rosemary, goat cheese & chicken ($15) and found it hearty and flavorful, and in an appropriate portion size, a rarity with pasta dishes these days.

We soldiered on to a bevy of desserts.

The Turtle Sundae was...love. Whatever they toasted the nuts with – sea salt? MSG? Some illegal substance? Those little bits of goodness provided the perfect balance of salty and sweet. I couldn’t tell if Eric was kidding when he swore it included of (remove) tiny slivers of bacon, but I really didn’t care. I was rather salty myself, rather then sweet, after realizing I had to share.

The Guinness Sundae paled in comparison to the Turtle, but in the words of Sara, the PB&J and Banana Ice Cream sandwich was "deceptively delicious" and was paired with another blissful sauce – peanut butter, of which Sara and Gabe seemed very fond.

Overall, prices were reasonable, especially for a Symon restaurant. Food on the whole was enjoyable, even with a few minor disappointments on the way. I wouldn't expect much from the sides. Regarding service, I don’t recall wanting (waiting?) for anything, but a 20% tip was included in the bill for our party of 6. In the words of Eric, “apparently someone decided that the service is just fine."

I suspect I’ll be back to visit to sample some of the more unique offerings. Bar Symon rates above average, and has options to satisfy most dedicated carnivores. The beer and popcorn might tempt me to leave Lakewood and sojourn out West again.

While I hesitate to call the place “meattastic” just yet I think the menu was meaty enough to warrant praise. To this end, the Supper Club recommends Bar Symon.