Indulge Your Senses At Thyme the Restaurant

If you’re looking for somewhere special to celebrate a birthday, an anniversary, or even just a Saturday night, look no further than Thyme the Restaurant. Located on North Court Street in Medina, just a bit north of Medina Public Square, Thyme opened in October 2006 and has been pleasing palates ever since.

Thyme’s success can be attributed to John Kolar, owner and executive chef, who is also the mastermind behind the restaurant’s innovative menu. A Hinckley native, Kolar is a Culinary Institute of America graduate with 10 years of experience. He previously worked as a chef in Manhattan, and in 2003 as opening chef for Three Birds Restaurant in Lakewood, Ohio.

Today, all Kolar’s time and energy are focused on Thyme, and on providing guests the ultimate dining experience. On the exterior, Thyme resembles an old white barn, but on the inside it screams luxury. The restaurant’s Web site describes the décor has having “modern urbanity,” with the glass block hostess stand and copper-top bar. While this is true, walls resembling a Venetian plaster and hues of deep reds and oranges lend an Old World air, contrasted with modern twists such as contemporary light fixtures and chairs. Dim lighting and candles on every table provide an intimate atmosphere ideal for a romantic evening out.

A visit to Thyme is more than just a meal. It’s an experience, and one that begins with amuse bouche, or a tasty gift from the chef to help prepare your taste buds for what’s ahead. On our recent visit, Kolar served tiny glasses of a cool melon soup with hints of mint. It definitely made us curious to try more of the chef’s creations.

Looking over the menu, you’ll note several seafood dishes in addition to imaginative sides such as sweet coconut rice or a two-vegetable spring roll. After we perused the two-page list of specialty martinis and wines (including those by the glass and by the bottle, in addition to sparkling wines and “John’s cellar wines”) and ordered our appetizers and entrees, our server brought yet another treat—Thyme’s focaccia bread. Baked with basil and rosemary, sprinkled with salt and served with thyme and honey butter, this may well be the most amazing bread I’ve ever eaten. It was almost a shame we had so many courses ahead of us, because we could have easily filled up on the bread alone, had we not politely asked our server to take it away after a few slices. If I could, I would buy this bread by the loaf.

It wasn’t long before our appetizers arrived: a lobster quesadilla and house-made porcini gnocchi. You know how sometimes you order a lobster dish only to spend the entire meal searching for even one morsel of lobster meat? That’s definitely not the case with Thyme’s lobster quesadilla, made with fresh poached lobster, brie cheese, roasted poblano peppers, caramelized onions and served with mango salsa and tarragon créme fraiche. This appetizer bursts with generous amounts of good-sized pieces of lobster, tasting sweet at first and finishing with a kick from the peppers. Another signature appetizer, the gnocchi, is served with sautéed wild mushrooms, spinach and parmigiano-reggiano cheese, topped with porcini cream sauce. I normally steer clear of mushroom dishes, but the flavor of this dish was so good that I would order it again and again.

Next, we sampled two salads. The first was a Caesar served with two hearts of romaine crossed on a plate and topped with crispy prosciutto, parmigiano-reggiano tuile and creamy Caesar dressing. The second was the baby mixed green salad topped with cherries, bleu cheese, candied almonds and raspberry port wine vinaigrette. The contrast of the pungent cheese with the sweet cherries and almonds was really quite pleasant, and once again Kolar did not skimp on ingredients, serving large, plump cherries.

For our entrees, we settled on one meat item and one seafood dish, and neither disappointed. The macadamia nut crusted grouper came with black Chinese rice, a vegetable spring roll and passion fruit beurre blanc. Everything about this dish worked beautifully together, from the flakiness of the fish with its decadent crust and sweet, tangy sauce, to the nutty crunch of the rice that gave the dish texture. We also tried the grilled double-cut pork chop with black diamond cheddar and potato pierogies, sautéed spinach and pork jus. The pork jus is like a sweet burst of surprise in your mouth, and the pierogies are nothing like the kind you find in the freezer section of your local grocery store. The cheddar filling is so smooth it melts in your mouth.

By the time you make your way through all the other courses, you’ll likely find yourself too full for dessert. However, I beg you to try the créme brulee anyway. With flecks of real vanilla bean throughout the custard, a thick coating of caramelized sugar, and topped with fresh berries, this dessert is too heavenly to pass up. And after all, isn’t the point of a special night out to indulge yourself?

Located at 716 N. Court St. in Medina, Thyme is open for lunch Monday-Friday, 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., and for dinner Monday-Saturday, 5-11 p.m. Seating is limited, so reservations are recommended and can be made by calling 330-764-4114 or online at www.thymetherestaurant.com.