Cleveland is a truly fun place. People are friendly, the scenery (both industrial and natural) is breathtaking, and the food is fantastic. I had the opportunity to visit another of famed Chef and Restauranteur Michael Symon’s Cleveland establishments this past weekend, Bar Symon.
The bar features an impressive array of beers on tap, including a selection from Great Lakes Brewery. Luckily for me, the Christmas Ale was available, as I’m told it is the best and most highly anticipated of the company’s products each year. The drink was hearty, with a good head, and a crisp finish. While the beer on its own is enjoyable, with slight hints of seasonal cinnamon and ginger, it also ended up pairing really well with my meal (totally by accident!).
"Symon" Fried Chicken
This fortunate happenstance is one part my drink selection, and the other part simply the comfort food-based menu of Michael Symon (who, if you haven’t guessed from previous posts, I have a particular affection for). My dining crew and I decided to order a variety of proteins and sides to sample the execution and ingenuity. Our favorite dishes by far were the “Symon” fried Chicken, the fried brussel sprouts, soft polenta, and bacon creamed corn. The chicken dish was an exceptional serving size, which was good considering the number of times the dish was passed around the table. The crispy skin was lightly dusted with Parmesan, and the honey and siracha made the overall experience sweet, with a slight tang. The chicken was perfectly cooked–moist and hot and ready to fall off the bone.
The grilled Hanger Steak was well seasoned and the chilies added an enjoyable contrast of texture. The fish of the day was a Mahi Mahi, simply cooked in olive oil with lemon and light seasoning. It was good, but a bit too simple.
Fried Brussel Sprouts with Garlic
After this adventure, I have decided that I enjoy brussel sprouts cooked with a crispy texture (fried, braised, etc). The fried brussel sprouts with garlic were slightly bitter and perfectly caramelized for an extra crunch.
The piece-de-resistance, for me, was the soft polenta. It was soft, without being grainy or overcooked. The butter content was high, but that made it all the more sweet and creamy. That is a recipe I wish I had in my arsenal.
Pretzel Sundae with Guinness Ice Cream
Dessert was another high point of the meal. The turtle sundae was classic, but the Pretzel Sundae, which featured Guinness Ice Cream topped with dark chocolate sauce and pretzel sticks was an unexpected success. While you might expect the Guinness flavor to be overpowering (as Guinness can sometimes be) the ice cream was surprisingly light and the Guinness flavor really develops a minute or so after you’ve swallowed. The flavor profile is a stack: Ice Cream goes well with Guinness, Guinness goes well with dark chocolate, and as always, dark chocolate goes well with salty pretzels. The overall effect is refreshing, which is the perfect way to end a meal.
Overall, I give Michael Symon another thumbs up. Although this eatery is not as precise or well-polished as his others, the menu and decor suggest that it was not meant to be fine dining, just good food done well in a casual setting. Job well done on all counts.
