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Published: Thursday, 2/26/2009

Dining Guide


•The Briarfield Cafe, 3220 Briarfield Blvd., in Monclova Township, offers comfort food in a comfy atmosphere. With breakfast offered all day and a variety of salads, sandwiches, and homemade dinner entrees such as meatloaf, all that's missing is a more robust flavor. $$ 2 stars.

•Grape Leaf Diner, 909 South McCord Rd., is a Lebanese-American diner that serves up heaping plates of Middle Eastern comfort food. The portions are huge and the dishes are uniformly consistent, whether it's the grilled kabobs or the veggie-heavy beef ghalaba. Make The hummus is perfect for dipping the complimentary pita chips. $$ 3 stars.

•Restaurant Pacific, 7629 Sylvania Ave., Sylvania, is the Asian-fusion choice that is safe for those wary of a walk on the wild side. First-rate sushi, particularly the red dragon roll, and distinctive entrees such as the pineapple chicken are served in a comfortable relaxed atmosphere. $$$ 4 stars.

•Glendale Garden Cafe, 2521 Glendale Ave., serves decent food at a decent price in a casual environment. The 12-page menu is overwhelming, but the broiled perch, bourbon tenderloin beef, and chicken salad croissant are winners. $ 3 stars.

•Pam's Corner, 116 10th St., provides splashes of color, a seasoned staff, and solid lunch fare with delicious homemade soups, sandwiches, and fine salads. A bit hard to find, tucked behind a downtown parking lot, but worth the search. $ 4 stars.

•Jo-Jo's Original Pizzeria, 4336 Monroe St., is a simple neighborhood hangout where pizza is king. The thin-sliced stuff here is some of the best in town. The menu offers a surprisingly wide variety, including a smorgasbord of bar-style appetizers and standout stromboli. $$ 3 stars.

•Fortune Inn Restaurant, 6725 W. Central Ave., is an unassuming Chinese restaurant that provides great food at affordable prices. The wait staff is gregarious and the appetizers and entrees are consistently excellent. Try the Fortune Inn Special, a perfectly-balanced mix of fat shrimp, lobster, chicken and mixed vegetables in a subtle white sauce. $$ 4 stars.

•The Mango Tree, 217 South Reynolds Rd., serves huge portions to a loyal clientele. The menu features steak, veal marsala, chicken Mango, Scottish salmon, and crab cakes, among many other meals. A few minor glitches from the kitchen and a tired interior are all that keep this South End staple from being first-rate. $$$ 3 stars.

•Tony Packo's Caf, 1902 Front St., is an East Toledo institution that has served up flavorful Hungarian fare for more than 75 years - such belly-busting dishes as Hungarian sausage, chicken paprikas, chili, stuffed cabbage with tomato kraut, and homemade strudel. $$ 4 stars.

•Stella's Restaurant & Bar, 104 Louisiana Ave., Perrysburg, is an upscale, art-strewn eatery that serves such tempting choices as steak, lamb, ribs, seafood, pasta, sandwiches, and chicken Chadwick with artichoke hearts, shrimp, and hollandaise. $$$ 4 stars.

•Naslada Bistro, 182 South Main St., Bowling Green, specializes in the rib-sticking comfort foods of Bulgaria, as well as European fare from Greece, Turkey, Italy, and beyond. Among the choices are moussaka, goulash stroganoff, pork loin in burgundy sauce, shish kabob, panini sandwiches, and Russian potato salad. $ 3 stars.

•Maumee Chop House, 1430 Holland Rd., Maumee, is an upscale eatery that favors classic over trendy, both in dcor and food. The accent is on prime steak, pork and veal chops, and seafood ranging from lobster and king crab to swordfish and sea bass. $$$$ 5 stars.
