For the father of five who has been cooking professionally since he was 15, Mike Smith says he’s honored to be selected as top chef, but it’s really a team win. “We wouldn’t be where we are without the people who are in that catering facility, on the food truck, in the restaurant,” says the 42-year-old owner and executive chef at Thyme Table, which opened in April 2019. “We just wanted to open a fun place that my wife, Tess, and I could go have a drink at. That vision and the team that we were able to put together (Eric Scott at the bar and Laura Jerina-Potts in the pastry department) has really allowed us to create this thing that has now taken over.”
It can be a destination for a great date night or a gathering spot to grab an upscale burger, loaded lobster tater tots or a fresh melon salad. “Everything is really designed around being a comfortable neighborhood place that’s almost like the Cheers of Bay Village,” he says. “Whether it’s the hostess, the food, the drinks, the desserts, we want it to be amazing and great, but also down to earth.”
Smith says you need to try these Thyme Table faves:
Beef carpaccio – This is Smith’s favorite menu item right now — a delightful and light dish of shaved beef tenderloin, capers, pickled red onion, arugula, lemon aioli and verjus rouge.
Rosemary focaccia – The backstory on this much-adored bread is that it was developed when Smith and his wife had their firstborn and finances were tight. “We wanted to still eat good food, but we had to find a way to do it in an affordable way. So we created that recipe,” he says. Made with high-end unbleached flour, this bread is loaded with great olive oil and topped with black sea salt and rosemary. “Everybody goes crazy for it. We serve it at all of our catered events.”
BBQ beer braised short ribs – On the menu since day one, these short ribs are the result of 15 years of tweaking a recipe that has finally found its ultimate sweet spot. Braised for several hours, the short ribs are served with cheddar grits, sauteed garlic broccolini and a braising redux.
583 Dover Center Road, Bay Village, 440-617-6964, thymextable.com
