Tom&Mutz Restaurant Review — ForMyLoveofLemon

Tom&Mutz….Cibo deliziso o no?
Disclaimer: I google translated this.

Calling out all Italian food fans to Armenia street in the heart of Mar Mikhael, Lebanon.

People have been raving about this restaurant which is actually Italian-American. I went there twice and tried different things on a Sunday afternoon. They had a 1 pm - 3 pm opening, so reservations are a must.

I have to say, nothing pisses me more than places that have phone numbers yet fail to respond every single time they’re called. Fortunately, they were always quick to respond (I know because I tried calling different times of the day on different days).
The person on the other side of the phone(which was different each time), was very respectful and kind. They don’t rush you, regardless of how busy they are. This also showed me that different people responding to the call means prioritizing client care, which I appreciate a lot.

And on the day of your reservation, they call you a few hours beforehand to remind you. LOVE THAT TOO!

The decor is elegant and easy on the eyes, and it welcomes different age groups too. The place isn’t that big and if you’re unlucky with a reservation of 2, you might end up sitting by the wall, which I disliked. The second time I went, I asked NOT to be seated there and they accommodated it. Again, client care counts.

Our server was Adam and he is VERY sweet, attentive, and with great communication skills. I don’t see that often in other restaurants so if you get Adam, you’re in luck!

Menu time…

In addition to the Margherita pizza, we ordered the vegetarian. The size of the pizza is perfect, filling, and with that wooden semolina flavor that screams Italy. It’s a thin-crusted pizza packed with flavor. The cheese was rich but overpowered the tomato sauce flavor. I wasn’t a fan of the green olives because they were too big and didn’t add the right amount of saltiness that this pizza needed. Overall, the crust was amazing and I look forward to trying different flavors next time. I think I am hungry already…

This was MY FAVORITE. I love dishes that can give you multiple subtle flavors and this did the trick. There were 6 goat cheese balls coated in sesame seeds, dried figs, toasted almonds, grated beetroot, and red leaf lettuce drizzled in a balsamic dressing.

This dish has 2 types of seafood and 2 kinds of vegetables too. I appreciate restaurants that add a description so they don’t mislead the customer into thinking something else. The batter was light and thin - not too oily. The vegetables had just the right crisp and softness while the seafood was juicy and cooked to perfection. Easier said than done btw. And the lemon mayo sauce was soooooo good but not that spicy. If you like basil, you’d like the salsa verde served - tasted like pesto thinned out with oil. In brief, this was a great appetizer but filled us up with the salad even though we haven’t had the main courses yet. Their portions are quite generous.

These are the main dishes we ordered, in respective order from left to right. Chicken Parmigiana, Steak & Fries, Seafood Linguini, and Chicken Piccata.
Both pieces of chicken were cooked to perfection, leaving it juicy. The vegetables were still slightly crisp and not overcooked, retaining their vivid colors - THIS IS SO IMPORTANT AND UNDERRATED.
The beef was cooked to my liking too. I wished there was more peppercorn sauce (I didn’t ask for more but I am sure they would have gotten me some had I asked). If the sauce had cream, it’s not very evident and could use some acidity but it suited my cravings and I enjoyed it a lot.
The pasta sauce was good and I’d eat it again but I’ve had better that were exceptional. Honestly, it all comes down to the type of tomatoes used and I know these can be hard to get at all times.
Finally…the pasta! Yes the pasta was al dente and the seafood was fresh but I wouldn’t order it again, only because I have very high expectations for seafood pasta. It’s not bad but it didn’t leave me saying “WOW” or excite me to eat it again. I’m sorry Tom&Mutz, I don’t blame you because it’s hard to nail a good seafood pasta.

Oops, I almost forgot the dessert.

I will just say this. I LOVE lemons but I hate lemon tart because it’s VERY easy to make the lemon curd bitter, lumpy, or have that egg-like aftertaste that sickens me. HOWEVER, this was devoured by me and it wasn’t even my birthday dessert. Enough said…Drops mic!

So…final verdict?

The dishes are VERY generous, the staff is friendly, and the prices are affordable given the quality provided. I will definitely go there again soon. So yes, good things do go together (that’s their logo btw).

P.S: I loved their bathroom - very clean and selfie friendly.

P.P.S: Follow them on their Instagram because they share background stories, have creative posts, and mini fun games. Loving whoever is behind their social media platform.