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Hours:
Monday -
Thursday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Friday - 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Saturday - Noon to 11 p.m.
Entrees:
$7.99 to
18.99
Carry
Out: Yes
Reservations:
Accepted
We gladly accept
Visa, Master Card, Discover & American Express
Jane
Snow
Beacon Journal
Published: Friday, June 15, 2001
The
modest little Ido Bar & Grill on South Main Street in
Akron has been known for good food for years, but now the food
is even better.
Steve
Baker bought the neighborhood tavern three years ago and
immediately began improving on a menu that already was a
blue-collar work of art.
This
is the place that gave Akron the giant chef's salad that made
dietitians cringe, the sloppy Ido burger oozing juices and
cheese, and a Hungarian sausage sandwich that ranked up there
with the best of 'em.
Baker
knew better than to tinker with tradition. All of those gems
remain, joined by a slew of new entrees and sandwiches
guaranteed to clog Akron's arteries for years to come.
The
Ido is Mom's home cooking at its best, at prices that are hard
to beat.
Baker,
the man behind the stove, was chef at Guy's Restaurant on
Waterloo Road for 18 years before taking over the Ido. His
domain is the kitchen, while his wife, Marcy, oversees the
service. Not only did the Bakers expand the menu, they
redecorated the bar to the tune of about $25,000.
Handsome,
high-backed wooden booths now line one wall in the bar area.
The walls are paneled in warm wood. Neon beer signs still are
the main decorative motif, though, and the adjacent dining
room hasn't changed much at all. The same slightly shabby,
cream-colored vinyl booths and utilitarian tables and chairs
fill the spacious room. Baker plans to redecorate it little by
little, replicating the look of the bar.
The
food is mostly stick-to-your-ribs meat and potatoes. The menu
starts with fried bar munchies, progresses to a long list of
chicken dishes such as chicken stir-fry ($8.99) and chicken
mornay ($8.99), and finishes with a list of six steaks and a
couple of seafood entrees.
The
Ido doesn't skimp on the small things, such as the bread and
salads. The bread is locally baked Massoli's Italian. The
salads are fresh and crisp and studded with homemade croutons.
Such attention to detail is what separates the Ido from most
down-home cafes.
The
appetizers are noshes that go well with drinks, such as fried
mozzarella sticks ($3.99), sauerkraut balls ($4.99) and
pierogis with butter and onions ($4.99). The sauerkraut balls
and pierogis we tried both appeared to be commercial pierogis.
You
may want to skip the appetizers, though, and head straight for
the entrees. The portions are so large that doggie bags are
mandatory.
A
friend insisted I visit on a Tuesday evening, when pork chops
are on special for $9.99. Good advice, but now I have to
return for Swiss steak on Thursday, all-you-can-eat fish on
Friday and prime rib on Saturday.
The
pork chop dinner included two plump, pan- fried, half-pound
chops served with canned green beans and pre-fab mashed
potatoes with a rich brown gravy. The green beans actually
weren't bad. They were better than the tasteless, crunchy
frozen green beans making the rounds.
My
friends' meals were even better, though. The big Louisiana
ribeye ($15.99) lounged atop a split hoagie bun, practically
covering the double-wide surface. Underneath was a pile of
mashed potatoes, and napping everything was a spicy,
Worcestershire-spiked sauce. The oval platter brimmed
edge-to-edge with food.
An
order of chicken diablo ($8.99) came in an equally eye-popping
portion. Four fat pieces of boneless chicken breast were
lightly sauteed and served over rice with fried banana
peppers, fresh-sliced mushrooms and barely wilted sliced
tomatoes. The fork- tender chicken and veggies were tossed in
a garlicky butter sauce.
My
pals and I will be dealing with leftovers for days.
The
service is much the same as it has been for years at the Ido.
Mature adult women take your order, bring your food and
sympathetically tend to you like mom tends to the brood around
the Sunday dining table.
Although
the prices went up this week with the introduction of a new
menu (a few new items were added), the Ido is still a bargain.
The pork chop special previously was $8.99, for example. But
even at $9.99, the dinner -- like most of the food -- is a
steal.
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