Symon says: Serve good craft beer!

June 29, 11:58 PMCleveland Craft Beer ExaminerKaren Bujak

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 Michael Symon, Cleveland’s own Food Network star and Iron Chef, at age 40, is the chef/owner of Roast in Detroit, downtown Cleveland’s Lola restaurant and as well as Lolita in Tremont, along with partners, Liz Symon and Doug Petkovic. Last month Symon received the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Great Lakes category. Symon is also a fan of good beer, and will soon be hosting the "Dinner: Impossible" TV show.

 On Wednesday, July 1, his latest venture Bar Symon is scheduled to open in Avon Lake. While his other restaurants may feature some good beers, none have the focus on beer that Bar Symon will have. Bar Symon is an American brasserie featuring artisanal beers. They will have 40 taps and at least 60 beers in bottles. The emphasis is on craft beer, but especially sour beers such as the Belgian reds, browns (oud bruin), lambics, and gueuze styles. Not only will they have the best of the Belgian examples, beverage manager, Joseph Allerton also promised to find the best of the American craft brewed sours. Jolly Pumpkin beers from Michigan will be featured, as will Leelanau beers that haven’t been seen in Ohio for a while. Leelanau beers, also brewed by Ron Jeffries of Jolly Pumpkin undergo aging in 100% new French oak barrels that bring added flavors and complexity to the beers.

Look for Bar Symon to have a few beers that can’t easily be found elsewhere. They have some beers cellared in Detroit that may be used for vertical tastings in the future. They will start out Wednesday with Rodenbach Grand Cru on tap. That’s not even available in Ohio any more! They will likely be the only (or one of the few) to have Jolly Pumpkin’s Lambic when it’s released in about a month. Their beer selection will also include Ohio breweries. Thirsty Dog, Great Lakes, and Hoppin’ Frog are all represented, and look for the Ohio selections to expand.

Each of the Symon restaurants is a little different; from the upscale rotisserie-focused restaurant in Detroit, to the sophisticated downtown location (E. 4th St.) in the heart of Cleveland’s nightlife district, to the historic trendy Tremont Lolita bistro with Mediterranean cuisine to the latest Bar Symon. Look for menu with American style food with a flair along with some of his signature items such as the Symon burger (on an English muffin with fried egg, cheddar, and bacon) and the Lola fries with rosemary. Reasonably priced, entrees range from $9 to $17, bar snacks at $3 or $4 and appetizers from $4 to $8.

With the emphasis here on good beer, watch for beer/food pairing dinners and special promotions with visits from the brewers. And, for you east-siders, you’ve got a more casual Symon restaurant coming your way later this year. The B-Spot is planned for Woodmere in a former Cold Stone Creamery site, with the “B” standing for Beer, Brats, Burgers, and fried Bologna!

Okay… one last plug, to see if it gets me a free beer when I visit: Symon has a new cookbook coming out in November: “Michael Symon’s Live to Cook: Recipes and Techniques to Rock Your Kitchen” (Clarkson Potter).

 For more info: Bar Symon, 32858 Walker Rd, Avon Lake, Ohio 44012.  440-933-5652