Mature Concerns
Accessibility: Yes.
Cleanliness: Very clean.
Lighting: Abundant.
Specialty Diets: Many vegetarian options and the head chef will work with other special diets.
Noise: Varies – later in the evening it grew slightly louder.
Children: Kid-friendly.
Food prices: $7-$14.
After 40 years in the restaurant business, Steve Mourad named his new restaurant to let everyone know that things are done his way. Mourad started in the business as a manager of the very first BW3 store (that’s right, the original) in Columbus, in 1980. Buffalo Wild Wings and Weck (a caraway seeded bread, indigenous to Buffalo) was later shortened to BW3. Steve moved on to Toledo, running the Grand Cafe, a deli sandwich haven, in the plaza near the intersection of Sylvania and Monroe, for nine years, before heading to Ann Arbor where he operated the Touchdown Cafe on South University for almost a decade. Now he has set his sites on Sylvania, with a goal to serve that community with a comfortable, lively, clean, delicatessen and grill, that offers cocktails, tv’s (for sports viewing) and music. That, says Steve, an engaging proprietor, is “his way”!
Serving Sylvania
In the former Tony Packo’s location in Market Square on Monroe Street, the space has been reworked to resemble a bistro. With fresh paint, a new bar and seating in booths or high or low tables, the bistro has a sense of privacy provided by half-walls. The side with the bar is slightly more animated, although Steve’s plans to have live music on the other side of the space may change that. Steve confided that his goal is to have this be a “Sylvania place, where Sylvania comes to relax.”
My Way Bistro is operating under what Mourad refers to as a “soft opening” to allow the staff to raise their game and to let the kitchen settle on a regular menu. The soft opening allows Mourad to open for lunch and dinner while advising diners that they should expect a few hiccups. Steve is very open to questions and is glad to have feedback as he shapes this new venture.
Only the best ingredients
There were no hiccups during our visit and the food delivered to our table was pleasantly satisfying. Steve is proud of the delicatessen side of the menu. And he should be, as the meat comes from Sy Ginsberg, a well known supplier out of Detroit (who also supplies Zingerman’s in Ann Arbor), including the corned beef and pastrami — extraordinaire. The rye, and other breads, delivered by Klosterman’s of Cincinnati, are cut by hand each day by Steve himself (‘I love to slice the bread’, he told us.) The burgers are eight ounce patties on a brioche bun or pretzel roll, with all the trimmings. They look as good as they taste.
My Way Bistro offers appetizers, salads, chicken and beef entrees, soups and other treats. The menu is still evolving so diners are encouraged to share their impressions to help Steve determine what his customers want.
The lively bar in the back of the Bistro is accommodating with 20 seats. The cocktails we ordered were well made and exactly as we wanted them (abiding our peccadilloes). The beer list (27 bottled and 12 drafts) includes locally brewed favorites.
We will keep visiting My Way Bistro to follow its development, have some fun and enjoy good, bistro food and drinks. We suggest that you give Steve and My Way Bistro a try, very soon.
My Way Bistro
5827 Monroe St.
419-517-7096 | mywaybistro.com
11:30am-11pm, Monday-Thursday | 11:30am-1am, Friday
11am-midnight, Saturday | 11am-9pm, Sunday
