Ido Bar & Grill (dinner)
 Akron, Ohio         Date of Visit: 01/03/14            http://www.idobar.com/ 

Our posters aren't printed yet, we're gonna miss the movie, let's just go to dinner. Some time ago the “don” of secret burger joints took us to Ido Bar & Grill for what I remember to be pretty good burgers. We have been trying to get back to include the burgers and maybe even the rangy dinner menu for our little written adventures here. Their hours and our hours haven’t worked for lunch so we decided to start with dinner. The same dated and well-worn interior greeted us, as did much of the staff. The service staff is diverse, in attitude at least, from super cheery/happiness to the one whose arms never uncrossed from her chest, fixed in place just as scowl appeared no less permanent than the dull presidential countenances in South Dakota.
 

Then there is the manic bus boy who spent a lot of time on the floor kinda staring at people.... The special appetizer for the day was a pork and cabbage egg roll. We had just had a superior version of such in Florida and decided to give them a go here. The AYCE fish fry and a dish of steak alfredo followed. The egg rolls were clearly burned nearly black on one side in the fryer. Maybe they were pan fried…not sure how you burn one side so much more over the other immersing them in grease. Not a great start.

They were nice enough to spin the black side to the bottom…which rested on a scoop of salsa/relish/chutney rice mixture with slivered almonds which actually turned out to be the best part of the dish.

There was a pool of a purported spicy/mustard based sauce on the side but it lacked any spice and didn’t add anything but lubrication. Of course, lubrication is more helpful given the dark shards of wonton wrapper in the rolls.
 

Things Moved In A Better Direction...
 

But The Breading Overwhelms & AYCE Turns Out To Be Less Than This
 

The fish was better, far from my favorite Friday fish fry, but better than the pork rolls. The breading had a sandy sort of texture to it and was clearly too much for the fish. The filets themselves appeared fresh and were fried to flaky and steamy goodness so they were easily the top of the town. Fries, slaw and hot rice were all standard at best.

My steak and pasta entrée came with salad (average) and Italian bread (way good with real butter and sesame seeds on the crust). Changed my mind easily the best thing about dinner was the bread followed by the fish…by a fair margin.

Our first inkling my dinner was going back in the direction of the pork rolls was the fact that our server (she was one of the friendly options) didn’t ask how I wanted the steak done. But then again, she said she really loved the dish and it was a good choice….The steak was well plus whatever level follows that. I'm not sure if there is an official term for it. If not, I suggest leather-upper.
 

I Don't Know Where This Comes From But It Was The Highlight
 

It Was A Salad And...
 

Slaw...Nothing More Or Less
 

Didn't Look All That Bad
 

But Looks Are Misleading, Get It Ground Into A Burger Instead
 

The pasta was cooked functionally but the alfredo was a lot of cream and little cheese except for the single mound of gorgonzola stacked in the middle of the bowl. I had already tired of eating the stuff by the time I found the extra-advertised cheese and it wasn’t enough to rekindle any interest. It was supposed to have broccoli but had enormous leaves of spinach instead which mostly left cheese-less warm cream dripping down my chin. This was the opposite of the super tasty find at Muscarella's in PA. Nice idea, poor production. There were quite a few people having dinner, I hope they were having some thing else. We will probably make it back for a burger or sandwich, but‘ve had enough of dinner. Idon’t. Iwon’t.