Ready to taste your first mountain pie?

A new restaurant that will feature the pocket sandwiches is expected to open in about four weeks in the food court at SouthPark Mall, next to Mitchell's Ice Cream.

"We're excited," said Gary Medved, who created the concept with his brother, Dave. 

Great Bear Mountain Pie will offer a high-end sandwich known to some campers at "mountain pies," typically made over an open fire at a campsite.

Medved actually invented the grill the restaurant will use to cook the sandwiches, and his family worked with a chef to create the recipes. Western Reserve Bakery helped design an artisan bread.

"People have made these over a campfire for decades. I had an idea to commercialize them, because once you leave the campgrounds, you can't get them," Medved said.

Target opening date is the week of Aug. 27.

At Great Bear, you'll be able to order one of the signature sandwiches -- steak, chicken, turkey or pizza -- or create your own, similar to Subway or Chipotle, choosing from an array of ingredients. 

Then it'll go into the grill for two minutes and comes out as a pocket, with the edges crimped, the outside grilled and the fillings warm and melted.

There will also be dessert pies like apple cheesecake and brownie cheesecake.

And for kids? Macaroni-and-cheese and hot dog and cheese.

Medved said he has also brought in a line of all-natural chips from Colorado called Boulder Canyon Kettle Chips.

A trial run of the menu last week was "overwhelmingly positive," he said.

"There are two camps: People who have never heard of a mountain pie, and people who say, 'oh, what a great idea -- I love those,'" he said.

Medved, who has a background in mechanical engineering, has applied for a patent for his grill design.

He and his brother are both east-siders, but picked Strongsville for their first restaurant after visiting Westfield SouthPark and seeing all the crowds shopping at the mall -- and eating at the food court.

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