A longstanding Toledo icon, Mancy’s Ideal, has a renovated look with emphasis on their roots, by reopening the doors (of the former Revolution Grill), inviting the hungry and curious to come and experience the tradition that started in 1921. The Ideal, the Mancy restaurant posse’s/ kabal’s/ gang’s/ family’s fifth location, is a throwback to the original eatery which established Mancy’s as a Toledo tradition, almost 100 years ago.
“No Shortcuts”
The low-lit atmosphere provides a relaxed ambience, punctuated by smooth and classic music, and enough, but not too many TV’s, allowing conversation at a comfortable level, setting the tone for a fun evening out with friends, or family. The staff is friendly, attentive, occasionally overly so, and is very enthusiastic about the local sources for the seasonal beverages, ingredients, and food.
As a local establishment, The Ideal places a strong focus on locally grown and harvested materials for their meal preparation. Gus Mancy, the eldest of this generation of restaurateurs states, “…we believe in preserving this family heritage by using local, seasonal and sustainable food and traditional cooking methods with no shortcuts.” Judging by the presentation of the food selections, as well as the craft and skill required to prepare these dishes, the only thing Mancy’s is cutting short are the prices. “We really want to focus everything into that $8-$21 range. There’ll be some great side dishes available, everything chef driven, everything made from scratch,” Gus adds.
Locally Known, Locally Grown
Gus says that in planning the current menu, and looking back at the original Mancy’s Ideal, there was no need for great concern about ingredients being natural or organic. “They were buying fish from Lake Erie, They were buying local; the sausage maker, the milk man, the person delivering their eggs, all local businesses back then. So, we’re really stepping out and really modelling that method and technique. We’re purchasing things to mimic what they were doing 50 years ago.”
Covering a variety of tastes, the entrée selection ranges from pleasure foods like fried chicken, and cheese burgers, to the finer pan-fried cod, raw oysters, or veal cutlet, rounded out with staples like a full-cut Mancy’s sirloin steak and potatoes. Each dish seems to be a carefully crafted offering consistent with the Ideal’s presentation as a laid-back, yet mature dining choice, which lends itself to a nice evening out, or even a first date.
A Loaf of Bread, A Glass of Wine, and Thou
For those looking for a few drinks after work, the drink menu contains an impressive variety of red and white wines, imported both from Napa Valley, as well as several locations in Europe, including France, Italy, Spain, and Portugal. There are more than a dozen locally-crafted beers, including a fantastic seasonal Oktoberfest, and a cocktail menu that pays tribute to the prohibition era mixtures, while keeping a modern-day flair.
Mancy’s Ideal is a blend of historic tradition and culture, mixed with an upscale, professional presentation, resulting in a dining experience that stays true to the Mancy’s family heritage, and to Toledo itself.
