So if you've been reading the blog for a while you may know that I have a thing about Chinese takeout places; there are a ton of them, but I am always on the lookout for good ones that try to do things a bit differently. Two good examples are Richie Chans (
review here) and Happy Buddah (
review here). Well it looks like I have another one, LM Chinese at 7537 Mentor Avenue, Mentor, Ohio (
map is here).
Located in one of the strip malls near Great Lakes Mall, a
couple of things attracted me to LM; I thought the name was a good sign, as in that it didn't have any dragons, China Gates, Lotus or other stereotypical names for these types of places. The sign was also good, as you can see from the menu it is a bit different and appears a bit more upscale. Once inside, the impression deepens as they obviously spent a bit more money and time on this place then the typical takeout. The front of LM is set with a few high quality tables and chairs, the walls have been paneled and a mirror runs along one wall. If not for the fact that the only thing that seperates the front from the kitchen area is the counter, I would probably consider this a very small Chinese restaurant rat
her than a takeout place.
The menu itself is a bit different, with a bit more emphasis on each dishes, with the food grouped by protein. I have been there twice, trying the Kung Bo Shrimp and the Shrimp Lo Mein, with two very different impressions. Both dishes were well cooked and very nice portions, served on real plates with an eye towards presentation. However I found the Kung Bo to be a bit overpowering, not from a spiceness factor, but more from the sauce seemed a bit too concentrated in flavor and a bit one note. It seemed like it had been overreduced and the result was a very strong soy sauce flavor. On the other hand the Shrimp Lo Mein was excellent, with large shrimp stir and noodles stir fried to perfection. The dish came out dry with very subtle flavors, the addition of some chile oil I requested from the kitchen, made everything sing. It was the type of dish I would find in the finest Chinese Restaurants.
So I am not quite sure of where LM is headed, I would like to see more of the approach I got in the Lo Mein, a subtle touch to the seasoning and a light touch all around. It is clear to me that LM is trying to serve a high quality product at affordable prices. Hopefully they can find an appreciative audience in the Mentor area.
couple of things attracted me to LM; I thought the name was a good sign, as in that it didn't have any dragons, China Gates, Lotus or other stereotypical names for these types of places. The sign was also good, as you can see from the menu it is a bit different and appears a bit more upscale. Once inside, the impression deepens as they obviously spent a bit more money and time on this place then the typical takeout. The front of LM is set with a few high quality tables and chairs, the walls have been paneled and a mirror runs along one wall. If not for the fact that the only thing that seperates the front from the kitchen area is the counter, I would probably consider this a very small Chinese restaurant rat
her than a takeout place.
The menu itself is a bit different, with a bit more emphasis on each dishes, with the food grouped by protein. I have been there twice, trying the Kung Bo Shrimp and the Shrimp Lo Mein, with two very different impressions. Both dishes were well cooked and very nice portions, served on real plates with an eye towards presentation. However I found the Kung Bo to be a bit overpowering, not from a spiceness factor, but more from the sauce seemed a bit too concentrated in flavor and a bit one note. It seemed like it had been overreduced and the result was a very strong soy sauce flavor. On the other hand the Shrimp Lo Mein was excellent, with large shrimp stir and noodles stir fried to perfection. The dish came out dry with very subtle flavors, the addition of some chile oil I requested from the kitchen, made everything sing. It was the type of dish I would find in the finest Chinese Restaurants.
So I am not quite sure of where LM is headed, I would like to see more of the approach I got in the Lo Mein, a subtle touch to the seasoning and a light touch all around. It is clear to me that LM is trying to serve a high quality product at affordable prices. Hopefully they can find an appreciative audience in the Mentor area.
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