Fun Playing with Pho . . . in Solon!

On November 23, 2010, Cleveland food writer Douglas Trattner posted a hilarious video he made to YouTube, which represents, he says, "a conversation I seem to have on a daily basis" as a food writer. Doug is one of my idols, in that he has successfully transitioned from a career in law to a career in food. I had a good laugh when I first saw this, and I hope that you do too, though there is also an eerie truthfulness to the story. But surely, it is mere coincidence that Doug's video protagonist lives in the same town that I live in, Solon Ohio.

I moved to Solon for reasons very different than the person depicted in Doug's video - I have no children (I find the husband quite sufficient), but Bob wanted to move as far away from "the city" as I'd let us after we married. I'm a city girl, but I respected his desire for a big  vegetable garden in our back yard and we both wanted a big kitchen to cook in. Thus, Solon was our compromise. And Doug's humor about Jimmy Daddona's Restaurant notwithstanding - there aren't a lot of bold dining choices out our way (though if you read this blog, you'll find the ones that we do have!).

Doug's video flooded back into my frontal lobes over the last week when we stopped into a place that was for years a ubiquitous Americanized Chinese take out joint called "Mandarin Express." If you wanted cheap and quick fried rice, egg rolls or General Tso's Chicken, this was a  popular choice, located in the same strip mall containing Solon's lone supermarket, Giant Eagle, at the intersection of Route 91 (SOM Center Road) and Route 43 (Aurora Road). I knew that the space had been remodeled to accommodate dining in a few years ago, and that the owners tried bringing in Karaoke, but the food was always gloppy and unimpressive - the epitome of suburban blah. So we had ignored it. 

Until recently, when a local monthly ad-zine included a half-page ad for Mandarin Express that referred to it as "Mandarin Pho Express" and that stated that Vietnamese cuisine was now on the menu. I pulled the page out and mentioned to Bob that we should try it. The coupons expired at the end of November, and as I pitched the page, I reminded Bob that we should try it. 

Well, the Sunday before last, home from a weekend in Cincinnati, snow falling, with no dinner in the house, we finally tried it. And I am not only pleased that we did, but hope to get the word out, to those of you who appreciate home-style cooking in a very casual atmosphere, to give Mandarin Pho Express a try.

Mandarin Pho Express is a Mom and Pop operation. Pop is owner and chef Shan, who hails from Hong Kong. Mom is Shan's wife Kathy, a native of Vietnam. They have two adorable small children, who you may well meet if you stop by.

So the Sunday before last, we slid in from the cold, itching for some hot and tasty Pho. We were the only customers at first, though another couple (of Asian extraction - always a good sign when dining in an ethnic restaurant) eventually joined us. A few take out orders also came through while we were dining. Kathy explained that the Vietnamese menu was her idea and inspiration. She missed these things, and so taught her husband to re-create some of her favorite comfort foods. There are also three Korean dishes on the Noodles section of the menu, inspired by Korean Solonites who are regular customers and who requested them, so Chef Shan added them. The menu also lists four options for Pad Thai.

We started with an order of Cha Gio - crispy spring rolls stuffed with pork, mushrooms and onions and served with fish-sauce based Vietnamese dipping sauce.

 

 

The flavors were fresh and the skins crispy - but not as hot to the touch or throughout the interior as I expected. I asked Kathy about the spring rolls on our second visit - they are made from scratch in house.  I'm guessing that they freeze them. Temperature notwithstanding, we enjoyed both the rolls and the dipping sauce.

Condiments for Pho

Pho Tai - Beef Noodle Soup with Slices of Rare Beef

The tender, pink beef slices fully cook in the steaming hot broth. While I cannot shake the soft spot in my heart and palate for Asiatown's Superior Pho, which is perhaps more assertively seasoned, this bowl of soup was deeply satisfying and very tasty. And two minutes from my house.

My Pho, topped with fresh mint and bean sprouts, a squeeze of lime, and a ring of Sriracha sauce - perfect!

Pho Tai Bo Vien - Beef Noodle Soup with Beef Balls and Rare Beef

Bob's selection was the same as mine, with the addition of beef meatball halves. I would have liked the meatballs a little hotter (they must have been very deeply chilled before being heated and added to the soup) - but the flavors and textures were lovely. Bob was delighted with his dish, and brought almost half of his bowlful home as leftovers. Doggie bag, anyone?

Saturday brought us back to Mandarin Express for lunch, after a trip to the North Union Farmers Market at Shaker Square. I wasn't sure if Chef Shan remembered us initially - he and Kathy were a little preoccupied with their little one, who wasn't feeling well. Again, the place was empty of customers, though a four top came through while we dined, and several take out orders.

I knew that I wanted to try the Vietnamese Black Pepper Beef appetizer I'd seen on the menu during our first visit; I'd wing it after that. 

Bo Luc Lac Appetizer -  Beef with Onion and Black Pepper

Though the tenderloin was nicely cooked, it lacked a strong black pepper zip. When I asked Shan about this, he offered to re-make it, explaining that when they first started serving the spicier fare, the locals would often find it too spicy, so they reduced the spice levels to ensure happy customers. We assured him that we understood and not to worry - and we still enjoyed the dish. However, should you want more authentic spicing on this (or any) dish, all you need to do is say that you like a lot of pepper and he will make it so! 

We loved the caramelized onions and the crunch of the lettuce with this. But we had barely dented the massive portion of steak (a tremendous value at $12) when our entree bowls came to the table. So we had a lot of leftovers, which was just fine with us! Yes Doug, we did take a second doggie bag home.

Mi Ga - Vietnamese Egg Noodle Soup with Chicken

This was Bob's entree - and I am pleased to know that such rich chicken noodle soup is so close to my house should I fall ill this winter!

Chef Shan brought us bowls for sharing - this was my taste of Bob's lunch. The toothy nuts and crispy shallots added great texture to the chickeny goodness!

Bun dac biet - House Special Vermicelli with Springroll and grilled pork slices, dipping sauce

Rice noodles were topped with succulently grilled pork slices, and covered a fresh cold salad of lettuce, cucumber, sprouts, cilantro, scallions and nuts. Mixed all together and drizzled with the fish-sauce based dipping liquid below, it was a hearty lunch. This springroll was blazing hot throughout, with lots of crunch and lots of mushrooms, which I found strangely appealing (I normally do not care for the texture of mushrooms).

Again, owing to the taste of the local clientele, the fish sauce and chilies were less prominent in the dip than they might otherwise have been. But the overall taste was delicious, and our hosts were eager to please in any way that they could. If you like your food authentically spicy, just tell them so and you will be rewarded.

We enjoyed our leftover beef cubes in breakfast Sunday morning. I caramelized the winter tomato slices from the take-out box, then added the beef, the thin sauce, and a lot more freshly ground black pepper to a saute pan - I let it thicken and braise a bit in the pan, then scrambled a couple of eggs and added fresh cilantro and scallion. We had four potato latkes (pancakes) left from Hanukkah last week - and the combination of egg, steak and pancake in a single bite turned out to be sublime. 

I don't belive that Mandarin Express has an alcohol license, and the room is very casual (clean, but the back end reflects the family nature of the place). The food is worthy of a stop if you are in the neighborhood and love a great bowl of noodles, a spring or summer roll, or some tasty meats and vegetables. Prices for these entree-sized bowls of goodness range from $7.50-9, and the Korean and Pad Thai options range from  $8-11. And I am thrilled to able to get a steamy, delicious bowl of Pho so close to my suburban home!

And so Doug - adventurous eating in the far reaches of Solon - who'd have thunk it? I surely didn't expect to find Vietnamese or Korean food in Solon, until I played with the food at Mandarin Pho Express. You can find Kathy and Shan and their multi-ethnic menu at 34214 Aurora Road, Solon, 440-248-9377 (no website, delivery available).

Fun Playing with Comfort Food in Solon, Ohio

Bob and I recently sampled and compared two of the most similar comfort-food-serving establishments in the city of Solon. What makes these two places similar is that they are small, locally owned, serve lunch and dinner, have full alcohol service and lively bar (with a TV emphasis on sports programming), and offer Italian and comfort food. I speak of Station 43 Tavern and Benny's Sports Bar & Grille - both located at different ends of Rt. 43/Aurora Road in Solon. Benny's is rather new, and though Station 43 has been around a while, we hadn't dined there since they doubled and modernized their space some two years ago. Honestly, our first visit to Station 43 in 2007 hadn't wowed us enough to return, but we were just back from a roadtrip to Columbus and wanted quick, casual, tasty eats. Station 43 had recently gotten a nice write up in Mimi Vanderhaven's paper, and so was on the brain.

A caveat - while I try to keep this blog focused on the positive, I also have to be honest if I want to have any credibility. So, below is my honest take on both  of these places.

Station 43: We arrived shortly before 4pm on a Sunday. The three dining areas each had a few patrons, and a few more dotted the bar and high tops. We were seated in a small seating area across from the bar on one side and across from the service window on another, next to another couple that was finishing up. As we talked to one another, we noticed it getting darker and darker in the room. We had a lot of time to talk because the service was very slow. Once we we each had a beer in front of us, we considered the menu, which is kind of all over the place in different comfort food zones - Italian, burgers, ribs, chicken, salads. It all looked good, so we ordered. The couple next to us finished and left. And still we waited. I flagged down another server and asked if the lights might be turned on, so that Bob and I could see one another (and so the camera could also see). I was accommodated, after she said "I'll check." Ok. Honestly, it was too dark and I was too tired to fuss with taking photos of the decor, but it was very original, with Solon-related photos and artifacts, with a heavy firefighter-service person emphasis.

Bob's Firehouse Half Rack did not come with salad, but my Veal Parmesan entree did. 

The salad was adequate, though the food service tomato was a little disappointing given the time of year. The house-made zinfandel dressing was fantastic, however.

Then we waited for our dinners. And waited. and waited. I looked into the kitchen and noticed through the  service window that the cook wasn't Chef Bennie Crosby (unless he's gained weight and turned female). I also noticed said cook eating a sandwich while working on the line and while we were waiting for our dinners. Our server was no where to be seen, although he had few other tables. So we waited.

Nearly an hour after we'd arrived, our dinners finally did (no bread was ever served - I don't know if that's restaurant policy in these wheat-expensive times or an oversight).

Firehouse Rack Half

Described on the menu as: "Succulent St. Louis ribs basted with “Big Daddy’s” perfect sauce served with a hearty portion of french fries, and coleslaw," these ribs tasted of food service food; my one bite was more than enough.

The fries were a nice from-the-package product, prepared well, and the cole slaw was actually very good. 

Veal Parmesan

Again, per the menu: "Lightly breaded veal topped with mozzarella cheese and marinara sauce served with a side of spaghetti or penne, and dinner salad." One look and smell of this plate and I knew the veal had been overdone twice - first in the fryer, then under the broiler. The edges of the meat were just off-black in color, and you can see how overdone the cheese was. It looks nothing like the chicken parm pictured on the restaurant website. Despite the long wait and great hunger, I didn't burn the roof of my mouth on this, probably because it took so long to get a server's attention to ask for grated cheese. I admit, as my eyes searched the room for a sign of service, I was really tempted to send this back. But I didn't. 

The pasta and sauce were pleasant enough - finished with dried parsley, as you can see. And amazingly, given how over-cooked the veal was, the pasta was perfectly toothy. Go figure.

Paying the check turned into another wait, again, we had to flag someone other than our server to get us out of there. We did finally extricate ourselves, nearly two hours after we'd arrived.

Benny's Sports Bar & Grille is located in the Solon Square shopping center, a couple of doors down from Officemax. That general location in the center has previously been home to a couple of restaurants, even though it seems like a very unlikely spot for a bar of any kind, let alone a sports bar. The interior is kind of cold and hard; I suspect it gets rather noisy when a Cleveland team is winning or weekend bands are playing.



Our first visit in June was a bit of an emergency - our dishwasher had died, just as we'd finished preparing for a catering project. So - out to eat we went. I think that in our two visits, we observed both ends of the service spectrum described in some of the Urban Spoon reviews of this place. Our first server was definitely dressed to extract maximum tippage from the male population, and wasn't knowledgable about some things. My cocktail - ordered as a Bacardi and Amaretto Disaronno with lime - was watered down and did NOT contain Disaronno, even though she insisted that the bartender said that she poured Disaronno. But the beer comes in high quality, low price and fair quantity, so we'll call that a draw. The Sambuca Romana I had on the second visit was the real deal, and a very fair pour for a reasonable price.

Like Station 43, Benny's menu is all over the comfort food spectrum, with an emphasis on red-sauce Italian comfort food. Gosh darn, we needed some comfort that first night!


The "Benny Burger"

Bob's choice came with pepperjack cheese, jalapeno, and cajun mayo on a non-descript bun, and house-made fries.



The cajun mayo was irresistable - I kept dipping my own fries in it!





The burger was . . . ok (and cooked well beyond the "medium" ordered). If I wanted a burger in Solon (and if it was Tuesday, Thursday, Friday or Saturday), I'd go to The Annex over Benny's  - there is a huge quality and taste differential. The fries at both places are similar - a little limp, because while freshly cut - they are only fried once. But they burst with real potato flavor.



"Veal Parmesan Style"

I really loved this dish, which was far too mammoth to eat as a sandwich (and the bread was kind of meh). Unlike Station 43, which massacred the veal, this kitchen cooked the veal to perfection. I savored every bite. And, at $8.25, this was a very affordable treat. (N.B.- to compare fairly, the Veal Parm dinner at Benny's, which includes pasta, but offers salad at a $1.99 upcharge, is $11.99; Station 43's version, which includes the salad,  is $13.99).

I also ordered a side of the house-made coleslaw:



I thought the portion, a very small ramekin, was a bit skimpy for, I believe, $2.75 (neither the item nor the price is on the online menu). While not the best value on the menu, it is claimed to be homemade and the delicious taste certainly backed that claim up.

Most important, we learned that the owner hails from New York, and we were assured that the pizza and calzone (stuffed with ricotta cheese!!) was "New York Style." Despite a few service glitches and the lackluster burger, we resolved to return.

We returned a few weeks later to sample the pizza. The first difference in the Benny's experience was immediate - our server was a bit older and, um, more dressed than our first server had been. But more than that - she really busted it for us, despite being slammed with tables, and we greatly appreciated the good service that she provided. We decided to split one pizza and one calzone, and we each ordered a salad.

The "Big Salad"

Well, I don't know about big - especially for $3.99. They are excused for the lackluster tomato, as this was before the local supply had ripened.



House Made Italian Dressing


House Made Peppercorn Ranch Dressing

But the house-made dressings elevated the mundane lettuce to a fabulous starter. Especially the ranch, which perfectly paired creamy ranch against fresh cracked pepper; I couldn't stop nibbling on it throughout our meal.



Large Pizza with Housemade Sausage

The moment the pizza hit the table - I felt a ping of disappointment. This was not a New York style pizza at all, but Cleveland style - clunky, un-foldable sized slices (or "cuts"), too thick crust certainly cooked in a pan, big chunks of sausage instead of finer slices that could be nibbled easily - not what I craved. But the sausage lived up to its "home-made" description with amazing flavor, and was worth the price of admission all by itself.



As you can see, the crust was undercooked. It got worse as a re-heated leftover (no "Cold Pizza For Breakfast" with this specimen), and really did not impress at all.


Spinach and Cheese Calzone

The calzone is essentially a ricotta and mozzerella stuffed dough pocket, which the diner may customize with numerous pizza toppings that can be stuffed inside, with the first one included in the base price.  It is folded closed, crimped, scored, and then baked in the pizza oven. We opted for spinach for our included filling.



Marinara is served on the side - this version zipped nicely.





I loved this calzone. Which is incongruous because the dough is the same dough that seemed so lame under the pizza. I'm guessing that it's all in how it was handled and cooked. You can see the nice colors on the calzone dough; the texture was crunchy and chewy at the same time. But when it comes to it - I'm a sucker for calzone stuffed with ricotta, which none of the pizza places in Cleveland (other than Dewey's and Vincenza's) seem to serve. And this version  offered an additional tasty surprise - caramelized sweet red pepper was mixed in with the spinach filling. My only complaint was that there could have been more filling; there was a lot of empty real estate inside the pocket. But this is a minor quibble; this product is New York calzone lover approved!

My conclusion after we consumed the leftovers during the next few days: leave the pizza, take the calzone (with spinach AND sausage)!

If I was seeking this type of food, price point and environment the next time a kitchen appliance dies or a long trip is over - Benny's would get my patronage faster than Station 43. But we only visited Station 43 once, on a Sunday, when the Chef was not in the house, so perhaps they deserve another chance.We did visit Benny's twice. The fun thing is that Solon now offers a couple of pleasant options for playing with comfort food seven days a week, with full bar and sports TV, though your mileage may vary on the quality of the service and even some of the food.

Fun Playing with Sushi and Malay Cuisine at Pacific East Solon, OH

In his book Kitchen Confidential, Anthony Bourdain wrote about restaurant locations that would become almost jinxed by housing repeated failures, such that any new restaurant moving into the space would be doomed before it started. This analysis certainly applied to the building located at 33003 Aurora Road, Solon, Ohio - a short drive down the road from my home. When I first moved to Solon 14 years ago, it held a red-tablecloth, red-sauce Italian restaurant that we may have patronized once. It then held a series of Asian themed restaurants, each with a declining quality of food, and ending with a somewhat bizarre marriage between Chinese and Cajun themes. When word came that the owners were closing it down for good, I was not surprised - the Avis Rental Car location that had opened in the building during its last renovation seemed to be doing a better business than any of the last ten years' worth of restaurants. 

And then, a small sign went up on the property, which brought joy to my heart, and hope that perhaps, on this occasion, Mr. Bourdain might just be wrong. "Coming soon: Pacific East." The same folks who own Pacific East in Coventry and at Eton would soon be bringing their pristine fish and fiery Malaysian menus to Solon!

The problem I've always had with dining at Pacific East Coventry was deciding between the two cuisines; Pacific East Eton is a much smaller restaurant and does not offer the Malaysian temptation. But Pacific East Solon offers not only both Japanese and Malaysian cuisines but also a full beer, wine and liquor selection. I couldn't wait to try it!

Our first visit was dinner with a dear friend. I was delighted to see bubble tea among the offerings.


Taro Bubble Tea

This is my preferred flavor, and Pacific East did a good job with it. My favorite bubble tea in town, however, remains at Koko Bakery  in Cleveland's Asiatown. 

Also a first for us at any Pacific East - we were offered an amuse:






Baked Mussels Bechemel

I am not a huge fan of mussels, but this one was very tasty. The treatment is one seen sometimes at Dim Sum, applied to scallops in the shell - very luxurious on the palate. We placed our dinner orders with great anticipation.


Miso Soup

All Japanese entrees are served with a cup of  miso soup and salad (and salad came with the Malaysian entrees, also). This miso had rich flavor, which bounced sprightly off of the tofu cubes. The salad, which I didn't photograph, was your basic food service mix. But it was crisp and topped with a tasty peanut dressing.


Tom Yam Seafood Clay Pot

Bob opted for the Malaysian side of the menu, which brought him this Thai spicy soup w. shrimp, squid scallop, fish cake, clams, straw mushrooms, onion tomato and lemongrass. Although the flavors of the soup fulfilled their exotic promise, the quality of the seafood reflected its price point. All of the casseroles were priced between $11-15 and no item on the Malaysian menu is more than $16. On the Japanese side of the menu, entrees containing fish or seafood start around $16 and go up into the low $20s. So, you get what you pay for and there is a difference. The Malaysian seafood items all seemed to me to be food service pack quality, treated with sodium polytriphosphate and frozen. Now - this did not stop Bob from enjoying or cleaning his plate, but I wouldn't have enjoyed it as much.

Golden Pepper & Salt Shrimp

Betsy ordered this dish. The shrimps were marinated, "golden fried," and tossed with pepper, salt, scallions and chili. The shrimp plate was accompanied by a small bowl of steamed rice. The preparation of the shrimp was perfect, but I could not get past it's chemically smell. As I am especially fussy about my seafood, recognzie that your mileage may vary - if you often eat shrimp at restaurants, you will find this product similar to what you are used to and you will probably enjoy it very much - Betsy did.

I had been unable to resist the siren call of sushi, so my introduction to the Malaysian side of the menu was limited to tastes of my dining companions' meals.


Maki Dinner, 3 rolls: tuna, spicy salmon and hamachi


First - I adored the presentation, and the edible flower decoration, made from wasabi and two shades of chili paste. As at the other Pacific East locations, the pickled ginger is not stained with dye, and has clean flavor. The rice is skillfully prepared and perfectly textured, and the nori is noticeably fresh. And finally, the most important part:



Tuna

The fish! Pristine, sweet, and tender.

 
Spicy Salmon


Hamachi (Yellowtail)

Hamachi tends to be the most hit-or-miss in quality of these three varieties, but on this night, it actually reigned supreme in freshness and flavor.




Dinner (and the lunch to follow) were both served with enthusiasm and care. We regretted being too full for dessert.

To sink my teeth into the Malaysian menu, I met my friend Edsel for lunch at Pacific East Solon on a Monday. We were greeted and seated, and decided to imbibe in the green tea, the only hot tea they have. I'm not a big fan of green tea, but the beverage I was served at Pacific East was lip-smacking good - I wonder if the green tea was blended with another variety; because I thought I tasted some malt or gain flavor in there.

We began our lunch by splitting the Satay sampler:




Beef, lamb and chicken were skewered, marinated and grilled. Different colored skewers were employed so everyone would know which meat was which. The plate was decorated with tasty pineapple and cucumber . . . that Edsel enjoyed.



And this fabulous peanut dipping sauce.


Meat Close-Up

For the entrees, Edsel and I decided to be totally boring and order the same thing. It just looked so good as described in the menu!



Nasi Lemak (Coconut Rice) w. Cloves & Screwpine Leaves, served w.Chili Sambal Anchovy, Chicken Rendang, Cucumber, Pan Fried Peanut & Hard Boiled Egg 

Wow - talk about a ploughman's lunch! The plate held a lot of food, in an array of textures and tastes.



The coconut rice was perfectly prepared - scented with coconut and offering coconut flavors without being  overpowered by it.



The two cold accompinaments at the top of this photo tasted incredibly fresh, with  intense flavors - on the left, a peanutty sauce that had a fruity component (tamarind?), and to the right, chili sambal with bits of anchovy and caramelized onions. Oh, and I guess the cucumbers added yet another taste/textural contrast, but none of those for me, thank you!



The chicken rendang, towards the bottom, benefitted greatly from the use of dark meat chicken, which has the fat content to stand up to the stew pot. It was creamy and tender, with just the right amount of chili kick. The sambal would add additional kick, for anyone so desiring.  The eggs added additional texture, and a cooling flavor. Finally, the warm peanuts drew it all together - a delicious lunch (actually, two lunches for me; half left in a take-out box) priced at $8 (plus the Satay combo we split, which was $9 for six skewers).

Pacific East Solon, like its siblings, is highly recomended, with the following caveat: if you love pristine, fresh fish and seafood, stick with the sushi bar items. They cost more, but you get what you pay for. If the "usual" shrimp and seafood from your favorite Chinese restaurant please your palate, you may venture happily into the seafood portions of the cooked Japanese and Malaysian menus, otherwise, stay with the meats and vegetables for the best flavors. We had fun playing with the many flavors and textures offered by Pacific East Solon, and we intend to return for more!