Tango, Bryn Mawr

39 Morris Ave
Bryn Mawr, PA 19010
610-526-9500

Rating: 3 silver spoons out of 5

Overview: Located near the Bryn Mawr train station, Tango offers solid food and beautiful surroundings. During the warmer months, the outside deck is also a great place to have a few cocktails and appetizers.

Food: Contemporary American with Mexican influence and specialties, the menu also focuses on re-imagined  comfort foods, including broccoli rabé with white beans, veal meatloaf with steamed broccoli and mashed potatoes, jambalaya (not, according to one of my dining companions, for the faint of heart) and chicken enchiladas. Tango also offers an extensive wine and cocktail list, including wines by the glass and bottle, house and fruit margaritas, and a variety of “mocktails,” non-alcoholic cocktails. Pitchers of either sangria or margaritas are always a favorite – especially on a warm evening, sitting out on the deck.

Both the dinner and drink menus are extensive, and having been to the restaurant a number of times, we have been able to try a variety of things. On our most recent visit, we started with gazpacho, the soup of the day, and Mexican chicken spring rolls. My dining partner let me have a quick bite of his gazpacho before he scraped the bowl clean and it was quite good: light, refreshing and with just the right amount of spicy zing. The chicken spring rolls were also tasty, with the mild queso fresco adding the perfect amount of creaminess to balance the spicy chicken. However, the dough was a bit undercooked and, as such, a few bites of the spring rolls were gummy.

In carnivorous moods, we both decided to order steak. I opted for the rib eye with mashed potatoes, sugar snap peas and (the real draw) gorgonzola-onions. While my steak was cooked well, I was disappointed by the gorgonzola onions. Though some were sweet, creamy, and flavorful, the rest were burnt and inedible.  My snap peas, however, were perfect: crisp, sweet, buttery, and happily cleaned of strings and stems. My dining partner chose the grilled New York strip steak with Dijon mustard and roasted garlic butter, steamed broccoli, and shoestring fries. This dish was by far the winning one: the perfectly cooked and seasoned steak was complimented by the rich, tangy and smoky-sweet sauce; the shoestring fries were crisp and salty; though under-seasoned, the broccoli fresh and tasty.

Though we were both too full for dessert, I couldn’t resist taking a peek at the menu: crème brulee, cheesecake, and the always decadent warm chocolate soufflé were very tempting. For those who do opt for dessert, I highly recommend the soufflé: rich, not too sweet, and oozing with warm chocolate, it’s always a favorite. Tango also offers good, strong coffee and delicious after dinner drinks.

Service: The staff at Tango is always friendly and helpful, though not as knowledgeable about the food and beverage selections as the staff at Nectar (also owned by Tango’s proprietor).

Ambiance: Housed in the former  Bryn Mawr train station, the restaurant is truly beautiful. Though the cozy main dining room with its warm color palette and stone fireplace is wonderful, my favorite area of the restaurant is the Train Room. With leather booths and velvet curtains, Tango creates the feel of being inside of a posh dining car, a feeling that is heightened by the trains speeding past the windows. Everyone I’ve taken to the restaurant is awed by the room.

Value: Appetizer range from $4.50 – $14.00, entrées from $13.00 – $27.00. Portion size is very generous, making Tango a very decent value.

Details:

# of times we’ve eaten there:  5+
Reservations:  Yes, by telephone
Hours:  Monday – Thursday: 11:30am – 9:30pm; Friday: 11:30am – 10:30pm; Saturday: 12pm – 10:30pm; Sunday: 11:30am – 8:30pm
Bar:  Yes
Payment:  Cards
Website:  http://www.tastetango.com/