Sunday, April 18, 2010

Shawn's Irish Tavern


Shawn's Irish Tavern
105 S. Third Street
Waterville, OH
Open daily from 11:30am
419-441-1081

Shawn's Irish Tavern in Waterville is the little sister of the infamous "Shawn's Back Door" (now also called "Shawn's Irish Tavern") that has been a landmark in South Toledo since 1968. The Waterville location was once an IGA and has been home to a series of restaurants. The Larks remodeled the space adding wood paneling, stained glass chandeliers over the bar, and enough large flat screened televisions to be able to see one from any seat in the place.

I was there on a Thursday night that featured Johnny Rodriguez playing classic and modern rock on his guitar accompanied by his beat box (aka, "Tiny"). He is there every other Thursday from 9:30pm to 11pm.

We began our adventure by perusing the menu for Irish classics like potato soup, fish and chips, shepherd's pie, and Irish stew. What we found were American bar standards like chicken quesadillas, fried Reuben Balls, and other frozen appetizers cooked in the deep fryer. In an effort to keep with the Irish theme, the "Pot of Gold Combination" ($8.75) bundles fried pepper jack cheese balls, fried potato skins, fried mushrooms along with battered and fried onion rings.

In an effort to focus on house made specialties, we ordered the fried grouper strips ($7.25). Served with tartar sauce and cocktail sauce, we requested malt vinegar and enjoyed these fish sticks for grown ups. The soup and salad list does not include potato soup or any other Irish fare, but we were enchanted by Shawn's Famous Chili ($2.85/bowl, $2.35/cup) and Shawn's Chop Salad ($6.95 for a dinner portion). The chop salad includes iceberg lettuce, ham, shredded cheddar cheese, tomatoes and cucumber tossed with a creamy dressing. This salad is an ideal way to get your kids to eat a few vegetables. Besides, who can resist the salty corn crunch of crushed Frito's on top of the chop?

The dinner entrees served from 5pm to 10pm range from Liver and Onions ($9.25) to baby back ribs ($15.25 full slab, $9.95 half slab) to a 14 oz ribeye steak special ($12.95). We sampled the Shepherd's pie and two sandwiches. The "Danny Boy" is grilled deli ham and melted swiss cheese on a kaiser bun ($6.25). The reuben ($6.95) is light on corned beef and Russian dressing but heavy on sauerkraut and melted swiss. It is served on seedless rye. It can also be ordered with turkey instead of corned beef. All sandwiches come with a choice of chips or fries. The chips have a pleasant seasoning. I think they are "Crunchers". The Shepherd's pie is served fresh from the oven in a "don't touch this plate" oval dish. What the ground beef and gravy base lacks in vegetables the whipped potato topping compensate for with a lightly browned layer of cheddar cheese on top.

The menu also includes "Casa Made" pizza and ciabatta wraps. Rumor has it that "Shawn's Back Door" bought a next door pizza parlor and keeps their recipes on the menu at both locations.

Shawn's Tavern is a friendly place to take your family for a casual American meal. It's a neighborhood bar that is perfect for a beer with friends and to watch a game. If you are looking for Irish pub food and a grand selection of on tap beers, this isn't your joint.

“Glass City Gourmet” is a chronicle of one woman's attempt to cook, eat, diet and entertain with both flair and whimsy while based in Toledo, Ohio. I encourage you to read on as the "Glass City Gourmet" attempts grand recipes, samples locally owned restaurants, visits indigenous markets and humbly pursues her quest to be formally recognized as the official "Glass City Gourmet".


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Monday, March 08, 2010

Swig: Charcuterie and Suds for The Curious

SWIG
219 Louisiana Avenue
Perrysburg, OH 43551
419-873-6224

Kitchen Hours: M-Sat 11am to 11pm
Sun 12am - 9pm

Fri/Sat nights: the bar stays open til 1pm with acoustic live music at 9pm
Starting in May...the patio will feature live music on Thursday nights from 7-11pm (weather permitting).

What has 19 beer taps, 50 assorted bottled beers, 11 varieties of homemade sausage, Scotch eggs, two types of homemade french fries, and the friendliest service in Northwest Ohio? SWIG, that's who.

What SWIG lacks in interior charm, it more than compensates for with it's diverse menu and extensive beer options. The restaurant looks like a cross between a retro-diner and a small town road house. It's charming in a no frills way. My dining companion and I ordered one of each of the house specialties, a few draft beers and quickly determined that SWIG needs to become a habit. We are both looking forward to a warm summer evening on the patio drinking beer, listening to live music, and eating the best homemade sausages this town has ever seen!

I had to find out how the partners of this humble establishment chose to open a charcuterie in Perrysburg (Charcuterie is a French word that translates to "cooked meat" or refers to a place where processed meats are made and sold). The on-premise partner, Tony Bilancini, comes from a life in the kitchen including years with Chez Francois, in Vermillion Ohio. Tony learned the art of charcuterie from this experience and others during his unique and varied career path.

My dining companion and I sampled the gyro sausage ($3.95) and the Chicago style hot dog ($2.50). Both were served on a traditional hot dog bun. The Chicago dog is an all beef dog served with Chicago style sweet pickle relish, tomato, "sport pepper", onion, and mustard. The first thing you notice is that a homemade beef hot dog tastes like beef - not like it's ball park cousin that is more like a salt lick. The next thing you sense is the kick from the "sport pepper". It's subtle against the sweetness of the relish but perfectly balanced by the savory mustard. The gyro sausage combines lamb and beef with Greek seasonings and is served on a bun with shaved lettuce, onion, tomato, and tzatziki sauce (sour cream and cucumber sauce). Again, it bears no resemblance to the lackluster flavor of gyro meat that has been spinning on a spit for a week and a half before being shaved in to a typical American version of this Greek classic. The lamb sausage at SWIG tastes more like a slice of butterflied lamb.

From there, we moved on to the "reversed hot wings" ($6.75 for 10 wings). We were both a little skeptical of tossing fried wings in ranch dressing and then dipping them in to the house made barbecue sauce...and we were oh so wrong. The hot Parmesan garlic sauce (HPGS) is out of this world. Order a basket of wings and a side of the HPGS ($.50) the minute you are greeted by your server. It will blow you away and make the cold beer taste even better.

The fish and chips ($7.99) are made from fillets of white fish dipped in a London pub worthy batter and deep fried to piping hot and crunchy bliss. The french fries are hand cut and crispier than you might expect from fresh fries. We also tried the hand cut sweet potato fries ($2.95). They are a particularly good choice if you are a woman that MUST have the lusty combination of salty and sweet flavors to satiate your premenstrual or pregnancy food cravings. No joke. I suspect if you order a "skinny bi%$* beer and a basket of PMS treats" they will smile knowingly and get your order to you very quickly.

Swig is a great place to enjoy a mid-week casual dinner with friends, coworkers or family and an ideal spot for a moderately priced "date night". If you know how to savor a great beer and appreciate a more healthy twist on traditional pub fare, you will love SWIG. If your hormones are raging and your family is worried that you might turn in to a werewolf if you don't get some relief...this is the place to soothe your soul with comforting tastes and quench your thirst with the best beer selection in the area (N.B., The Glass City Gourmet is not a physician and all pregnancy disclaimers apply!).

“Glass City Gourmet” is a chronicle of one woman's attempt to cook, eat, diet and entertain with both flair and whimsy while based in Toledo, Ohio. I encourage you to read on as the "Glass City Gourmet" attempts grand recipes, samples locally owned restaurants, visits indigenous markets and humbly pursues her quest to be formally recognized as the official "Glass City Gourmet".








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Monday, February 15, 2010

Ambrosia


Ambrosia Grille & Lounge
1500 Holland Road
Maumee, OH 43537
Lunch, dinner, carry out
419-891-9400
M-Th 11am to 10pm
F/S 11am to 11pm
Sun 11am-10pm

Ambrosia is the reincarnation of Mezzmerize, a short lived Mediterranean and Lebanese restaurant that captivated Toledo with it's elegant interior, beautiful wrought iron embellished patio and impressive wine list. This time the Detroit based property owners, Amin and Aida Beshara, decided to bring their combined experience and talents to the restaurant instead of leasing the space to another entrepreneur. This difference is immediately noticeable as the couple and their daughter are on site during business hours, ready to answer questions and ensure friendly and conscientious service.

The result of this family effort is a broader menu with moderately priced Syrian-Lebanese favorites and other popular dishes from Southern European countries along the Mediterranean Sea. The new menu offers lunch and dinner portions for most dishes with a price reduction for the lunch size (The prices listed in this article are dinner prices).

On my first visit, we ordered the "Middle Eastern Sampler" which included hummus, baba ghannnouj, tabbouli, and a spicy herb infused olive oil ($8). It was served with small pita bread that arrived at our table warm and freshly puffed up from the oven. We also had a well seasoned, piping hot, crispy order of falafel patties served with tahini ($6).

I also sampled the crushed lentil soup ($3 cup/$4 bowl). If you've never had Middle Eastern lentil soup, you are in for a sensory delight. It is a hearty combination of whole and crushed lentils as well as finely chopped vegetables. My dining companion ordered the house salad ($5) which is served with a lemon juice, pomegranate, olive oil and sumac dressing that is so uniquely refreshing you will want the staff to bottle it so you can take it home with you.

For dinner, I ordered the Chicken Shawarma ($15). While the chicken was flavorful, the vegetable medley could be upgraded to fresh Lubia for the same healthy and colorful balance on the plate. The couscous was molded in to a small dome and contained peas and carrots that had lost their color before reaching the table. My friend ordered the roasted lamb shank ($17). It arrived perfectly braised and falling off the bone. The Mediterranean combination of rosemary, garlic, tomato and red wine was divine.

All entrees are served with a choice of soup or salad and accompanied by a vegetable blend and your choice of roasted red skin potatoes, garlic mashed potatoes, french fries, or Couscous.

While none of the desserts is prepared in house, the baklava ($3.50) is a safe bet for sweet, flaky, nutty bliss. I would like to return to sample the variety of pizzas, sandwiches, and fish dishes on the menu.

The restaurant is quite lovely with back lit art glass installations, stone masonry, granite table tops, and contemporary lighting. There are also enormous framed color photographs of Mediterranean landscapes (see www.ambrosialounge.com) The Beshara family's attention to detail extends to the lovely table service composed of stoneware dishes and platters, over-sized stemware, and weighty silverware. It is a great place for "date night", entertaining clients, or an intimate conversation as the booths offer privacy and the space really is special. The secondary dining rooms can be made smaller for groups of eight to twelve or expanded to accommodate large parties. The family style meal service and variety of menu items will also make Ambrosia a great place for private events on any budget.


“Glass City Gourmet” is a chronicle of one woman's attempt to cook, eat, diet and entertain with both flair and whimsy while based in Toledo, Ohio. I encourage you to read on as the "Glass City Gourmet" attempts grand recipes, samples locally owned restaurants, visits indigenous markets and humbly pursues her quest to be formally recognized as the official "Glass City Gourmet".


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Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Plate 21


Plate 21
3664 Rugby Drive
Toledo, OH 43614
419-385-2121
6:30am - 4:30pm M-S
Closed Sunday

Looking for a fun, relaxing, warm atmosphere in which to meet a few friends for breakfast, lunch or a snack? Need a quiet space where you can sip a perfectly brewed cup of coffee and use free Wi-Fi to check your emails? Desperate for fresh baked goods and too tired to make them yourself? Ready to while away a Saturday afternoon playing dominoes, chess, or Scrabble with a pal while sipping a Mexican Spiced Hot Chocolate ($2.75)? Plate 21 is the answer!

Sandy Spang of South Toledo opened Plate 21 on Rugby Drive near Detroit and Glanzman in September of this year. The lime green and pine wood interior is a sunny and cheerful alternative to the forgettable interiors of chain coffee houses in and around Toledo. Tracy Ladd, of the Toledo Museum of Art, designed vibrant colored fused glass installations that are featured in wall niches on one wall. The joyfulness of the interior is nothing compared to Sandy and her staff. Everyone is knowledgeable about the full variety of items on the menu and especially the coffee and tea drinks.

The first time I visited, I grabbed a quick cup of Tanzania Zanzibar Peaberry coffee ($1.70 for a 16oz medium). The barista was quick to explain that the coffee comes from Flying Rhino Coffee, a local purveyor that delivers the beans to Plate 21 on the same day on which they are roasted. He also shared that a "peaberry" is when a single coffee bean grows inside a cherry rather than the usual two beans. He was charming, he was smiling, he was telling me about my coffee beans and I was really trying to pay attention. But Toledo's newest coffee house happens to employ its best looking barista. Ladies, drive out of your way for the barista, stay for the great atmosphere, fabulous coffee and wonderful menu items. No harm intended, Josh. Give that man a raise...

Whew. I just got a little distracted remembering his smile...Anyway, on my second visit I decided to dive in to the pastries, house made soups and the sandwich specials of the day. I chose a cup of the Tuscan Bean with Sausage soup and a half portobello mushroom panini ($5.95). My dining companion chose the pesto chicken panini ($5.95). Both sandwiches come with ruffled potato chips. The sandwiches were filled with high grade ingredients and the pesto was rich, green, basil perfection. The soup was delicious with plenty of beans and just a little spice to the sausage. We couldn't stop our menu sampling there. We ordered the Plate 21 Pistachio muffin ($1.95), a palmier cookie (.75) and an order of Russian Tea Cakes ($1.00). You will like the muffin so much you will want to place an order to pick up a dozen and share them with friends, and family. Please call ahead if you want more than one or two muffins and Sandy will make sure she has them ready for your pick up time. If you've ever had Russian Tea Cakes (also known as Mexican Wedding Cakes) you know that underneath the powdered sugar exterior is melt in your mouth, buttery, nutty goodness. Plate 21's version does not disappoint.

While the hours for Plate 21 are still limited the friendly service, great specialty coffee drinks, teas, and confections are worth making a bend in your schedule. If you don't already live in the neighborhood, take a drive to South Toledo and enjoy Plate 21. For many reasons, ahem, it is worth the trip.

“Glass City Gourmet” is a chronicle of one woman's attempt to cook, eat, diet and entertain with both flair and whimsy while based in Toledo, Ohio. I encourage you to read on as the "Glass City Gourmet" attempts grand recipes, samples locally owned restaurants, visits indigenous markets and humbly pursues her quest to be formally recognized as the official "Glass City Gourmet".



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