If you rarely venture west of the I-90/271 split, you may not have heard of Johnny Mango World Café & Bar until a new location opened in downtown Willoughby . Westsiders have known about the Ohio City restaurant’s unique blend of healthy world food since 1996.
The new Mango’s opened Dec. 1 on the former sites of an antique shop, health food store and the 1899 Grille. Owners Shelley Underwood and Gary Richmond together have more than 50 years experience in the restaurant business.
Many menu items originate from Richmond ’s extended forays to Thailand , Mexico and other far-off countries in search of interesting cuisine. For example, the Bangkok BBQ chicken recipe came from a successful Thai restaurateur whose mother began selling the creation from a street stand.
Underwood shrugged when she was asked how to explain their choice of fare. “That’s part of our charm,” she said. “You can’t define us. Sloppy street food served inside? Food from warm climates? We’re really just a grown-up burrito shop.”
With fresh-squeezed juices, tofu, organic whole wheat flour tortillas and many grains and fresh vegetables, Johnny Mango is a dream-come-true for health-food junkies seeking supper in downtown Willoughby .
But don’t worry. Mango’s won’t abandon those craving culinary corruption.
To go along with the somewhat Caribbean theme, a tiki-hut bar of straw and corrugated steel dominates the center of the restaurant. Tables near the many windows give a sense of eating outside. Exposed pipes crisscross the sky-painted ceiling. Where there aren’t real windows, window frames topped with straw look out on . . . the walls. Lizards and large multi-colored flowers adorn the remaining wall space.
Last month the lizards wore Mardi Gras beads and masks. Each month features a different special. January was Hot Soup month. Other months highlight Jamaica , Mexico , noodles, chopsticks and salads.
Our attentive and helpful server Amy recommended a fresh-squeezed juice ($1.75-3.95), spritzer or frozen yogurt/soy milk shake ($3.50 and $4.95). I couldn’t resist the Zoni Beach shake—strawberries, apples and bananas blended with frozen yogurt. Yum! My dining partner had a Pelican Kiss: apple, cranberry and ginger juice.
My companion mentioned that the menu seemed limited. What he failed to notice is the unlimited number of combinations falling into four main groups: vegetarian, burritos, one-dish melodies and Big Plates of Rumba and Salsa ($12-$18, served after 5 p.m. only).
Besides a soup du jour, Mango’s offers a bean, veggie and grain of the day. On the cold February day of our visit, the beans were golden soybeans with mushrooms and spicy red curry, the grain was herbed long-grain rice with basil, oregano and thyme and the veggie was green beans with garlic and lime.
Choose from eight burrito and quesadilla fillings such as steak, veggies, chicken, shrimp salad or chorizo and potato ($5-$9). Burritos and quesadillas can be ordered a la carte or as a big plate with salsa, happy beans, grain of the day, Yucatan slaw and a grilled banana ($9-$12).
Underwood said the original Ohio City location is so small there isn’t room in the tiny kitchen to prepare a wider selection. And if it’s not broke, why fix it? Loyal, happy customers attest to the fact that the menu, which hasn’t changed since it opened about eight years ago, is fine as is.
At least one regular at the West Side location eats lunch there every day.
I ordered the beans and cheese quesadilla big plate ($9). The quesadilla was stuffed with plenty of black beans and smothered in Colby, Monterrey Jack and feta cheese. It was wonderful. The soybeans were unusual; the plain old white rice a little boring. The slaw was a different story. Instead of the usual creamy dressing, this vinegar-based mix has flavors of lime, jalapeños and pumpkin seeds. And the grilled banana was luscious.
My companion had the Jamaican jerk chicken sandwich ($8.50). Duly warned by Amy, he agreed it was hot, but didn’t have a problem eating every bite.
No visit to Mango’s is complete without an order of Caribbean French fries ($3). They aren’t potatoes at all, but fried plantains mashed and refried. Eat them with the fresh salsa. They taste a little like potato pancakes, and aren’t at all greasy.
I have to mention that Mango’s is a nonsmoking establishment. Since going smoke-free last summer, Richmond said business at the Ohio City site has increased by almost 10 percent.
Desserts include ice cream and a concoction called Chocolate Triple X ($4). The chocolate pate in a pool of raspberry sauce tastes like a combination of fudge and chocolate mousse. Claiming fullness is no excuse. It’s so light and delicious, you must at least split one no matter how much you ate.
Visit Mango’s on weekends and holidays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. for brunch and choose from an eclectic entree selection. Whole-wheat waffles, omelets, breakfast quesadillas, Vietnamese rice crepes, huevos rancheros and the old standby of two eggs any style range from just $3.50 to $7.
I signed up for Johnny Mango’s Passport Club and received an e-mail the very next day reminding me of the privileges of membership. As a frequent guest, you’ll receive free food and beverages, invites to Mango events, a birthday surprise, a quarterly newsletter and a yearly gift coupon.
If you order an entree with black beans, don’t forget to check your teeth before you head back to the office. Not opening your mouth for the remainder of the day isn’t an option, since you’ll want to tell your coworkers all about lunch at Johnny Mango.
Johnny Mango, 4113 Erie St., is open Monday through Thursday 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Fridays 11 a.m.-11 p.m., Saturdays 9 a.m.-10 p.m. and Sundays and national holidays 9 a.m.-10 p.m.
Laura Freeman reviews restaurants regularly for the Lake County Business Journal. |
