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Tuesday, March 25, 2008

wine me, dine me (in washington, DC)

Don't worry, I'm not moving. However, Terry and I are going to be enjoying ourselves in our nation's capital for a few days. I'll be out of town until Tuesday, but I'll be reporting from the field. I hear that I'll be at Capitol City Brewery at least once a day (so says the guy that used to live there), but if I find anything else interesting, I'll be sure to report.

I knew I bought a flickr pro account for something!

Review: Half Day Cafe

My dear friend Abby is getting married in a few weeks, and I have the honor of being in her wedding. On Saturday, I had to go over to Bridal and Formal in Reading to pick up my (admittedly lovely) bridesmaid's dress. I was slightly nervous-- let's just say I ordered the dress before I started the food blog-- but everything turned out great, and I look quite smashing in the dress (if I do say so myself). Terry was brave and came with me into the inner sanctum of femininity-- the bridal shop. He came out unscathed. So that we didn't drive all the way to Reading for just a dress, we stopped in Wyoming and tried Half Day Cafe.

Half Day Cafe
Tea, please?

Half Day Cafe is one of those breakfast places. You know the ones-- breakfast, lunch and brunch. This one's only open Monday through Saturday-- closed Sunday. I think they're missing some prime opportunities being closed Sunday, but it works for them.

I got the egg strata with bacon, gorgonzola, egg bread, rosemary and orange zest. It came out looking and smelling delicious-- crispy and golden with a waft of rosemary. When I took my first bite, I tasted no gorgonzola, no rosemary, and little bacon. All I tasted was orange zest. I totally get the idea they were going for, but there is far too much orange zest. I've definitely decided that I do not like orange with my eggs. It's not often that rosemary, a pretty pungent herb, is overwhelmed by anything. Gorgonzola is a fairly strong cheese, and I couldn't taste it at all. I definitely wouldn't order it again. The tiny little lemon-poppyseed muffin was cute, but I didn't taste any lemon in the bite I took. The potatoes were undercooked (to the point of being raw in some spots) and overly seasoned with rosemary. The individual pots are a great idea, and I definitely get what they're going for, but the seasoning was just terribly off.

Half Day Cafe
Terry got the Almond Cinnamon stuffed french toast and a side of applewood smoked bacon. Applewood smoked bacon must be in-- this is the second meal in a row that involved it. The french toast was great-- crispy on the outside, custardy on the inside-- though it could have used a little bit more filling in the center. I wonder if the ricotta stuffing was too runny, so they used less of it? I've seen other places use marscapone to a rich, creamy effect-- that might make for a better stuffing. However, the flavors were great and balanced.

Half Day Cafe

I'll definitely go back-- I want to try the mango butter rum french toast sometime. However, they need to work on their savory flavors-- sweet and savory can go to better, but some balance would make the egg strata better.

My new Saturday morning hangout: Coffee Emporium

Coffee Emporium


Coffee Emporium
Originally uploaded by anadequatenovel

I've lived two blocks from Coffee Emporium since July, and I finally wandered there last weekend. What a great space! I saw lots of fellow downtowners/OTR-ers I recognized, and Jim Tarbell was holding court in the foyer. I had a delicious White Raspberry Mocha, and Terry got a cup of one of their coffees du jour. Too bad I don't work downtown-- I'd come down here every day before work. Maybe it's a good thing that I don't work closer...



Coffee Emporium

Coffee Emporium

Coffee Emporium

Coffee Emporium

Review: Universal Grille


I apparently haven't been with it. Did you know that Universal Grille (formerly Hamburger Mary's) had a bit of a kerfluffle in the kitchen and ended up closed for about a month? I sent my mom there a couple of months ago, since she wanted a fun place for a girl's night out, and I knew the guys at Universal would take care of her and her friends. I guess this happened just about a month ago! Terry and I decided to walk over there for dinner on Friday night, as well as pay a visit to my theatrical friend Josh. We did Rocky Horror a couple of years ago (he was Rocky, I costumed), and you get pretty close to someone when you apply full body glitter to them every night.


Anyway, Josh and I chatted after I asked, "Uh, where'd the rest of the menu go?" Turns out they decided to do whtat they did best, and cut the rest until they got the kitchen in order. Last year they went away from their Hamburger Mary's persona after the owners left the franchise, and were trying to go a little more upscale. I missed the fun Mary's vibe, particularly the themed areas-- I liked the pop princess area and the Judy Garland corner, personally-- so the dining area, in my opinion, has lost a little bit of its character. Going back to the basics was probably a very smart move. The menu is now mostly bar-style food: sliders, wings, nachos, burges, sandwiches and hamburgers, all with clever, kitschy names. They also limited themselves to dinner service-- though Josh says that he's hiring people to expand back into lunch.

The barbecue chicken salad is close to what I remember-- not as big, but still pretty good. It's basically breaded chicken, barbecue sauce, veggies and tortilla chips. Very yummy, but I think their sauce is a little different than it used to be-- this one is sweeter and spicier. It's a nice change.


Terry, of course, got a burger. He thinks Universal Grille may eclipse Terry's Turf Club in taste-- this burger was, according to Josh, freshly made of ground beef from Eckerlin's, and topped with a sauce made of spicy mayonnaise mixed with sweet onion preserves as well as caramelized onions. It was drip-down-your-chin juicy and the Star Sauce was spicy and sweet and creamy, all at the same time. The bacon was thick and applewood-smoked (though Josh didn't know where that came from), and together it made for a delicious burger experience. The onion rings were beer battered and of decent quality, but the burger really stood out.

We finished our meals and headed to the bar, which still had the old Mary's vibe-- lots of people way cooler than I am hanging out. I did run into a friend from high school that I hadn't seen since before I graduated, and it was fun to catch up. I always see someone I know at Universal Grille, and I hope it continues to be the meet-and-greet place for all sorts of people.

Friday, March 21, 2008

How to throw a successful and stress free dinner party.

Hahahahahahahaha!

Yeah, that's a funny one. I don't think it's possible that a dinner party can be stress free. I've tried, and it just doesn't work. However, I have learned how to minimize stress so I can relax and generally enjoy myself and my guests. Here are my hints:


Start early.

Get an idea of who you're having, what you're going to serve, and how you're going to get from "Shit, I'm having a dinner party!" to the portrait of domestic bliss when your guests arrive. Me, I generally start a week beforehand. I figure out what sort of party supplies I need, a general idea of menu, and what I need to clean. Monday of this week I started cleaning. I tend to be one of those people who obsesses over details when it comes to cleaning, so this is an occasion where you might want to have someone come in and clean. If that's out of your budget, start in baby steps. I tidy first, then move on to big cleaning tasks, then the day of the party I do a quick wipe down of surfaces so everything is neat and tidy.

Don't be fussy.

This is not the time to practice your plating techniques or to serve highly perishable foods. Stick with simple but delicious food. This is the time to pull out your favorite lasagna recipe, your roasted chicken recipe, or a big salad with lots of toppings. Think food that you can prepare ahead of time, too, or at least that doesn't have a whole lot of active cooking while your guests are there. My lamb roast worked out perfectly, as I popped it in the oven while I was putting my final touches on my apartment, and continued to cook as we enjoyed cocktail hour.

Prep ahead of time.

I cannot stress this enough. If you don't want to run around like a chicken with your head cut off, prep your meal beforehand. The night before, I made my hummus, tzatziki, refilled the ice trays, and prepped all of my vegetables for the salad and the entree. Then, the day of, all you have to do is put everything out and reheat things (if applicable), and relax.

Make a list.

I don't know about you, but I always forget something. I make a list, keeping a pad of paper nearby me at work, so I can write down things as I remember them. I even write down things like what I need to clean when I get home, or what pictures I need to take for my blog.

Enlist the help of a friend.

Significant others are great for this, but having a friend who will attend the party but doesn't mind showing up 30-60 minutes early to help with last minute details are invaluable. Terry rescued me by picking up cream cheese and pretzel chips that I didn't have time to pick up, and I greeted him at the door with a bag of garbage to take down to the garage. It also helps, for me at least, to have someone to talk to while I finish things up. It takes some of the pressure off and helps me relax.

Don't sweat the small stuff.

Put clutter in closets, pull the shower curtain so that you can't see that your tub isn't spic-and-span, and use paper napkins instead of cloth. Your guests won't care, and it'll keep you from going nuts. You are not Sandra Lee with her tablescapes; they're pretty, but what they're covering up is mediocre food and lack of conversation. If you have good food and conversation, no one cares if your napkin rings are handmade out of raffia and pinecones. Really.

Buy flowers.

They don't have to be expensive, just grab a bouquet at the grocery store and put them in a vase. Instant festive atmosphere, minimal prep work, and minimal cost. I generally get mine at Trader Joe's for $5. Plus you can enjoy them after the party is over!

Generally, if all goes well, or even if it doesn't-- yesterday greeted me with the fire alarm going off and a half-frozen leg of lamb-- you should have a few minutes to sit down, relax, and enjoy some quiet and a glass of wine before your guests arrive. Then, since all you have to do is assemble things, you can concentrate on enjoying the time you have with your guests, and not slaving away in the kitchen.

What are your tips for a successful dinner party?

Recipe: Hummus

My hummus is a party favorite-- I've been making it ever since my dear friend Elisa visited me for two weeks when I got married and she showed me how simple it was to do it. I'll add that it's far easier to do this in a food processor than in a blender, as Elisa and I learned the hard way (heretofore referred to as "The Great Hummus Incident of 2004") I'm fairly sure that until we remodeled the kitchen, you could still find bits of chickpeas in corners of the kitchen. Elisa's now busy with her political career, and I'm no longer married, but I can't help but think of her every time I make hummus.

This one's a pretty rough recipe-- there are no real measurements; I eyeball everything.

2 16 ounce cans of chickpeas
2-3 cloves of garlic (these can be roasted or unroasted; if roasted I use a few more than that, sometimes a whole head).
Olive oil
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Salt

In a food processor, process the chickpeas until they look sort of like wet sand. Through the chute, add oil slowly, until you notice that it looks less like wet sand, and more like peanut butter. Turn off the processor and taste the olive oil/chickpea mixture. Is the texture creamy? Then it's almost done! Now, squeeze in the juice of half a lemon and pop in the garlic cloves. Process until smooth. Salt to taste-- it shouldn't be salty, but the salt should brighten the flavors of olive oil, lemon and garlic and cut the blandness you tasted when you checked for consistence.

Smooth out on a plate, and garnish with paprika, olive oil, cracked pepper, whole olives-- whatever you want-- and serve with pita chips. It also makes a great lunch spread and it's darn good off of a spoon around midnight, straight out of the refrigerator.

Recipe: Roasted Leg of Lamb, Tzatziki

This recipe is adapted from Emeril Lagasse and Simply Recipes. I didn't have time for a marinade, so I decided to do a rub.

1 4-5 pound leg of lamb, sirloin end
8 cloves of garlic, minced
3-4 stems' worth of rosemary, removed from stems
1/4 cup of lemon juice
1 tablespoon of kosher salt
1-2 teaspoons cayenne pepper (to taste)
Freshly cracked pepper

Preheat your oven to 450.

Rub the lamb all over with lemon juice, then the minced garlic, then the rosemary, then salt and cayenne pepper. Crack as much pepper over the top of it as you'd like, and place in a roasting pan, fatty side up.

Roast at 450 for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 325 and roast for an hour more (about 12 minutes per pound) or until the internal temperature reaches 135-140. This will result in a medium rare lamb, which is how it should be ideally prepared. The ends, of course, will be more well done than the center. Let rest for ten minutes until slicing against the grain of the meat.

If not serving gyro-style, as I did, you can mix a tablespoon of flour with water to make a milky slurry to thicken the drippings into gravy.



(Photo courtesy 5chw4r7z)


My tzatziki is loosely based on the tzatziki from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone.

4 english cucumbers, chopped roughly
1 8-oz container strained greek yogurt (I used fago)
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon (or so) of fresh dill leaves
salt and pepper to taste

This one's easy: Mix it all together. Yum.

Thursday, March 20, 2008

Sunday Dinner: Sauerkraut and Mettwurst

One of my grandma's favorite meals to make for us was sauerkraut and metts. For her, it was pretty simple: Eckerich Farm smoked sausage, canned sauerkraut, an apple (to cut the sour, she said), simmered on the stove until everything is heated through.

When Terry and I started dating, I remember going to Findlay Market-- one of the first times he'd been-- and explaining this to him. He likes sausages, and he likes sauerkraut, so I made it for him. He loved it! He asked me for it again this weekend, as we stared at the sausages at Kroeger Meats at Findlay, so I happily obliged.

Sauerkraut and Metts (a little updated)

1 pound of mettwurst (I used the bier metts from Kroeger's)
2 pints of sauerkraut (I used their house-made sauerkraut; I really should get my friend Ed to give me his recipe, I hear it's great!)
1 apple
1 bottle of beer

In a heavy pot, sear the mettwurst-- just a nice brown crust on the outside. This should take just a few minutes. When browned, top with sauerkraut and nestle in a cut apple. Take a good sip of your beer (test for quality!) and pour the rest in the pot. Turn the heat down to medium, and allow to simmer, undisturbed, for about an hour.

Super simple, and super delicious. This is often served with mashed potatoes (at least it was at my house), but since Terry had made dessert that evening, we skipped the potatoes.


Sauerkraut and Mettwurst
I know. Sauerkraut and mettwurst don't really photograph well. But trust me, it was tasty.

Unfortunately, I do not have pictures of the banana pudding. I don't know why. Maybe I was tired? Who knows. However, here is the recipe:

Not Yo' Mama's Banana Pudding
Recipe: Paula Deen on Food Network

2 bags Pepperidge Farm Chessmen cookies
6 to 8 bananas, sliced
2 cups milk
1 (5-ounce) box instant French vanilla pudding
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (12-ounce) container frozen whipped topping thawed, or equal amount sweetened whipped cream

Line the bottom of a 13 by 9 by 2-inch dish with 1 bag of cookies and layer bananas on top. In a bowl, combine the milk and pudding mix and blend well using a handheld electric mixer. Using another bowl, combine the cream cheese and condensed milk together and mix until smooth. Fold the whipped topping into the cream cheese mixture. Add the cream cheese mixture to the pudding mixture and stir until well blended. Pour the mixture over the cookies and bananas and cover with the remaining cookies. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Review: Red

Terry and I have been trying to get to Hugo for dinner since my birthday in November. Either we've been too busy or they were out of reservations that weren't at 5:30. This past Saturday was another one of those nights. I suggested we try Red-- I've had several friends say they were the best steak in the city, so we decided to try it out.

We were a little early for our 8:00 reservation, so we sat in the bar area for a bit. The restaurant is named for the bar, which glows red and is a pretty cool effect. The restaurant is dark-- really dark. So dark I needed to use a flash, but not so dark that you can't see the person across from you. I had a glass of wine-- a pinot grigio-- and Terry had a beer. They took us in a little bit early for our reservation, which was nice .

As you walk in, you pass a really fantastic looking raw bar-- oysters, shrimp, crab, lobster, you name it-- before you hit the dining room. The thing that got me about the dining room is that sitting there, in the low level lighting, the sounds of plates and utensils and the hustle and bustle of the waitstaff is that it didn't feel like Cincinnati-- it felt more like a really hip, east coast restaurant. That's pretty unique for Cincinnati.

Now, onto the food. We decided on the Heart Healthy tasting menu-- at $35 and $50 with wine pairings, this was a steal, and part of the proceeds went to the American Heart Association. However, to start, we decided to try their foie gras (which is not terribly heart healthy). Terry has always been a big foie gras fan, and I just really discovered it when we were in Paris, so when given the opportunity here, we go for it. Red's was pan seared, with a fig crostini, dried cherry compote and a plum gastrique. Words do not adequately describe how good the foie was. It was pillowy, smooth, and velvety on the tongue, and the rich, yet fresh-tasting fruitiness of the gastrique and compote were excellent compliments to the richness of the foie.

Foie Gras-- Red

For the first course, I got the Red salad-- greens, sherry vinagrette, amaretto almonds, charred onions and a single waffle chip. The portion was petite and perfect, the vinagrette well balanced, though I couldn't find the charred onions for the life of me. Terry got the lobster bisque with sherry cream, which was rich and creamy, but, as he said, "not as good as the foie". The foie would be the gold standard by which the rest of the meal was judged.

Salad-- Red

Lobster Bisque-- Red

Our entrees came out shortly after we finished our first course-- the waitstaff had the timing down very well. My entree was salmon, served with lentils, tomatoes, and herbed cream. The portion, again, was petite but perfect (I hate overlarge portions) and the salmon was prepared medium rare, which was perfect. I really liked the lentils (and ought to cook them more often), and they were an earthy compliment to the salmon. It was, in a way, surf-and-turf, in the most literal sense.
DSCN0228

Terry ordered the ribeye, which was again, a small cut. It was prepared as he liked it (rare), and well seasoned, but he prefers the steaks at Jeff Ruby's. I pointed out that he generally orders a different cut at Ruby's, and he was thoughtful for a second. "I still prefer the steaks at Jeff Ruby's." I think it's a seasoning thing-- Ruby's are highly seasoned, which creates a crust that Red just doesn't have. I agree-- I'm a big fan of the burnt bits (though I like my steaks rare to medium rare).
DSCN0229

Now, for dessert. I ended up with the chocolate decadance cake, which is essentially a chocolate lava cake, and a glass of port (I love port!). Terry hadn't tried port, so I let this be his introduction: I had him take a bite of the chocolate decadence, then take a sip of port. He, too was converted to the delicious things that port does to chocolate... or chocolate does to port. Whatever. It's good stuff. Terry ended up with the banana bread pudding, which he really liked, though he said that the best part was how the bananas, caramel, and ice cream mixed like Bananas Foster-- the bread pudding part was negotiable.

DSCN0231

DSCN0234

All in all, a great place-- but nothing was quite as impressive as the foie gras. We may go back and do something off the regular menu to broaden our choices. This is a great place to take a date, or just go to pretend you're in a big east coast city and eating at a trendy restaurant.

I'm back!

You know, I can't do anything simply.

As you read on Tuesday, my MacBook Pro (yes, I'm one of those people, about which Terry good-naturedly teases me) needed to go in for a broken hinge. Considering it's a first generation (yes, I was on the waiting list, I'm a dork) and just a little over 2 years old at this point and the only other thing that has gone wrong with it in those two years is a broken key and a battery recall, I'm pretty okay with this. I got it back yesterday, all shiny and pretty and... hey, what's this? Why is my memory out of my laptop?

Apparently, Apple doesn't like 3rd party products, so they said it failed the diagnostics, so they had to take out my extra gig of memory. Ugh. So, until I get to a hardware store for a 00 Phillips head screwdriver, it's running a little slow. So no pictures for now. Okay, fine, I also forgot my camera adapter and can't upload at work, either. Oy! However! I will tantalize you with the menu for my first Cincinnati Supper Club dinner!

Unlike Chris S's menu, which is elegantly paired with wines, mine is a bit more informal. I've decided that spring is here, and spring means lamb, so that's what I'm going for.

First course:
Homemade Hummus and pita chips
Goat cheese and pesto dip with pretzel crackers
Salt and Pepper Peanuts
Wasabi Peas

Second course:
Roasted leg of lamb served Gyros-style, with onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, pita and homemade tzatziki
Spring greens salad with feta, onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, red peppers, almonds and homemade vinaigrette

Third course:
A selection of gelato from Madisono's
Lemon stilton and Strawberry stilton

Terry and I had pizza and watched Top Chef (okay, I watched Top Chef, I'm fairly confident he didn't enjoy it as much as I did. I'm totally rooting for Stephanie and Richard.) and after he left, I did a bunch of prep, so all I have to do when I get home tonight is pick up the lamb at Eckerlin's, the gelato (notice "selection"? It's whatever pops out at me after work), grab a couple of things I forgot, throw the lamb in the oven and assemble everything else. I should have taken pictures of all of my prep bowls-- I was pretty proud of myself. Also, no fingers were harmed during this episode of Cooking with Julie.

I'm sure I'll post pictures (and if I don't, I'm sure 5chw4r7z will) and recipes tomorrow!

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

mini break.

I have two more reviews pending, but they'll have to wait for pictures, as my Mac is in the shop having some minor surgery. I should have it back tomorrow!

Monday, March 17, 2008

Review: York Street Cafe

I have been to York Street more times than I can count. For one particular group of my friends, it's the default drinks-and-apps location either for happy hour or after a show, since it's convenient to the theater we all perform at on a regular basis. Friday night, we celebrated my friend Tracy's birthday there and actually managed to have dinner.

York Street is an old drugstore that now houses a restaurant, an art gallery and a third floor club that often has swing bands and local indie bands. It has really eclectic decor-- from an old bridesmaid's dress, to Hudy delight ads (featuring the owner), to the owner's Elvis collection. I had initially written off York Street a few years ago after a 3.5 hour wait on a Valentine's that they didn't take reservations, but they've since worked the kinks out-- I've never had a bad meal or bad service.

I was rushing around Friday evening-- I got caught up picking up my bi-weekly organic co-op package (I should write a post about that!) and by a car that had parked in front of my garage door (Thank you, CPD, for responding so quickly for what, the third time in three weeks?). This lead me to forgetting my camera. Ack! Thankfully, my lovely friend Dave had his iPhone and saved the day.
I was hungry, so I got the Amish roasted chicken, which is stuffed with onions, gorgonzola and bacon. Very good, though you only got a hint of the cheese/bacon/onion stuffing-- there was none plated with the chicken. I'd have loved to have gotten a few bites of that. The gravy was great-- Terry's fork kept finding its way to my plate-- and you tasted the gorgonzola a bit more in the drippings. Yum.

Terry apparently had a huge lunch, so he ordered a salad:

This is the smoked chicken spinach salad. He said it was good, but that the chunks of cheese cut into the same size cubes as the chicken made it a bit hard to eat, and didn't disperse the gouda flavor evenly. That little pretzel is made out of puff pastry! Cute.

We had skipped appetizers to get a couple of the homemade desserts. The bar in the second dining room hosts all of the desserts, and it's fun to walk by and drool a little.

Dave decided to play cute and put a little cheesecake in the picture

More like cheesy. Not sure what my hair is doing in that picture. The cake was raspberry buttercream, and the raspberry was incorporated into the buttercream frosting. The cake was a white cake that was just a bit dry, but very flavorful. I'd have preferred a straight buttercream with a layer of raspberry preserves instead. Ted finished my cake (when we all go out, he usually gets my abandoned cake), and declared it good (but again, dry).

Terry (who did not pose for a beefcake picture--I kill me sometimes.) got a chocolate mocha cake.
Okay, so the plating wasn't that pretty, but damn, was that good cake. Dense chocolate cake with mocha frosting and whipped cream. Before I could get a second bite, it was gone!

A few of us proceeded to Havana Martini Club for a drink after dinner. Wow, has that place changed since it was on 6th street! It's not all suits now-- it's a mix of drunk college kids, hipsters, and ballroom dancers in their 50s. The music was mostly hip-hop with a little Latin mixed in-- all in all, very disappointing and I'm not sure I'll go back. But York Street? I'll be back sooner rather than later.

Thursday, March 13, 2008

What is a foodie?

I've been perusing the Cincinnati Magazine restaurant issue since I got it, in case I missed something or forgot about a restaurant I wanted to try (I do that a lot!). I've read, over and over, an article in the section that includes comments from local chefs—anonymous, of course. First, apparently the hot kitchen sex only happens in Anthony Bourdain's world (bummer); nearly all of them are tired of foam (thank goodness) and Kobe beef (rarely from Kobe, Japan; it's a word that has become the meat world's champagne, and most of it is Wagyu, a breed of cow that can be raised anywhere); they wish the entire city didn't dine at 7:30 (I tend to dine towards 8:30-9 PM, thankyouverymuch); and French cooking is out and Latin flavors are in. There is one phrase that caught my eye, and I've been thinking about since I read it. When asked what they would wish for in Cincinnati dining, someone said, "More real foodies, not wanna-bes."

What does that mean?

What makes a real foodie? Am I a real foodie?

Most everyone I've met in the (very!) short time I've been writing this blog has been so enthusiastic about the work I'm doing. Sure, some customers look at me a little funny when I whip out my camera as soon as the waiter walks away, but I'm not that easily embarrassed. Not many people do this around here—LA, NY, SF, and other places with bigger populations and a faster restaurant turnover cycle than Cincinnati have tons of bloggers—and only recently has Cincinnati begun to have its own culinary stamp (outside of Skyline and Graeters and other local favorites). Many of the industry people I've talked with are happy that someone who is not on a newspaper's payroll is writing about experiences as a customer.

On the flip side, some folks aren’t so enamored with the idea of blogging; they believe culinary writers should have culinary backgrounds. I think, perhaps, that they're missing the point. Culinary training certainly builds an excellent foundation for food enjoyment—you learn the fundamental techniques of Western cuisine and, by repetition, learn to make them in both large quantities and with consistent quality. You apply that quantity and consistency to the line, delivering the desired products based on your skill, training, and artistry. It is difficult, physically and mentally draining work, and I applaud the chefs, who largely go unseen by customers. However, the average customer at a restaurant is not a chef. Customers may not know how to cook without opening a frozen dinner, or may be good at a few standards, or maybe they’ve never have taken a cooking class.

Some chefs embrace food bloggers (and blog themselves). Others, like Mario Batali, think we're a scourge upon the restaurant industry. Some food bloggers prefer the scoop to research, and some might argue that there is a lack of journalistic integrity and accountability in blogging, since so much of it is anonymous. Okay, so some bloggers might be in it for notoriety, free food, or social status, etc. There are definitely food blog haters out there (who aren't Batali); some think that we all need to have worked the culinary industry to be "more understanding." How many of us, on a daily basis, judge something as "good" or "bad" without formal training in the subject? I know next to nothing about the mechanics of cars, but I know that I like the way my car handles, and I also know that when a funny sound comes out, something's wrong with it. I know that when it's spring and I start sneezing, I should probably take a Claritin.

I've been cooking since I was a wee tot, and grew up on The Frugal Gourmet and Justin Wilson and Julia Child. I have a fairly educated palate (becoming more educated daily, and I still have a long way to go), and I am a fairly accomplished home cook (unless you count the bacon brittle, which was awful!). With the Internet, foodies are more common, because we have more access to knowledge about good, seasonal, artisanal, and exotic food that our grandmothers (in their Jello-mold haze) couldn't have imagined.

Web 2.0 has opened an entirely new opportunity for people who fall between being a trained chef and chain-restaurant diner. Sites like Chowhound, Epicurious, The Kitchen, Eater and The Accidental Hedonist give a voice to people who truly enjoy food: cooking, eating, and learning about it. There is less of a hierarchy. As one commenter put it on Eater.com:

With respect, I think a lot of you are missing the point about blogs in general. Most "food bloggers" are not pretending to be critics, but are sharing their experiences, prejudices, biases, and opinions. The absence of any pretense at journalistic standards is what makes the blogosphere…so interesting.

Don't think journalism.

Think cocktail party. Maybe after an hour and half of cocktails. Buck Callahan.

That's exactly what the Internet is: one big cocktail party where people have opinions and share them with others. You have to sort out the good from the bad; many blogs are well researched and are based on first-hand experiences. And of course some blogs (Yahoo Answers, Yelp, and Citysearch, etc.) have essentially anonymous and often vitriolic posts that aren't as reliable. There are major news outlets that put out unresearched stories, and there are blogs that are often better researched than the average newspaper.

What it boils down to is this: Chefs and food writers (whether they're restaurant reviewers, bloggers, or whomever) have opinions and have, historically, been at odds with each other. As a food blogger, I am not out to ruin anyone's business. I try to write well-researched posts that highlight the sort of food I like and discover. I hope that my reviews will help Cincinnati readers break the habit of going to known chain restaurants and start trying locally owned restaurants (or very small chains) that might be out of their comfort zone. I love good food, and hope I introduce you to some good stuff that you might not have tried.

What is a foodie? A foodie is someone who loves food. Good food. They want to know where it comes from, why it's good, how to prepare it, and how to enjoy it. If my lack of formal culinary training makes me a wanna-be foodie, so be it. I’ll keep enjoying wonderful meals and taking pictures of the fun.

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Congratulations, RayGunGirl!



Yay!

Check here soon for her review of her Blackfinn experience.

She won, by the way, with her corned beef recipe!

Corned Beef and Cabbage
(My mom's traditional!)

Ingredients:
1 corned beef roast with spice packet
1 head green cabbage
1 lb. russet potatoes, peeled

Buy a corned beef that is packaged with a packet of spices included. Put this into a crock pot (the beef, and open the packet of spices and throw it in). Cover with water, turn crock pot on and cook about 5-7 hours on crock pot setting. The last hour, I throw in a fresh cabbage that is cut into large wedges, and I peel potatoes, put them into the water around the beef, lay the cabbage wedges on top. Mmmmm, when it’s done, it’s so tender, and the potatoes and cabbage are just saturated with the flavor of the cooked corned beef; Also, makes great sandwiches the next day (the beef, that is!)

Review: The Quarter Bistro




I walk into this review with a little bias: The Quarter Bistro in Mariemont on Wooster Pike, is one of my favorite restaurants. I ate there when it was The Latin Quarter, and I've eaten there several times in the past year or so. In fact, I have a regular entree-- the diver scallops-- and so does Terry (steak frites).

In the interest of you, my readers, we decided to try something different. We had just come out of the Mariemont Theater (we saw Taxi to the Darkside which was fantastic if utterly depressing and angering), and Terry dragged me right into the Quarter. No arguing, there!

I love their decor-- it is warm, inviting, and very flattering-- the walls are red, and that reflects onto the food and diners quite prettily. They have warm sourdough bread served in cute little paper bags that keep it surprisingly warm on the table.

We started out with drinks-- a Latin Sangria for me, and a Stella Artois for him. The sangria was nice, if a little sweeter than I'd like. It was a little more on the kool-aid side than the sangria side.

We decided that we didn't want a full dinner, just sandwiches or salads, so we ordered some soup to start. This was a great seasonal selection: Sweet Potato Bisque, topped with creme fraiche and a little hunk of pork belly confit. I'll be honest: I'm a sucker for sweet potatoes in just about any form, and with the addition of pork belly? Ooof.




Oh, yeah. See that hunk in the center? That was sizzling when it came out. We each took a few spoonfuls of the soup-- sweet, yet not overwhelmingly so, with some smokiness and a little spice. But the best part? That little hunk of pork belly. The fat quivered below the crispy, scored skin and was meltingly rich and delicious. We split the piece in half, so I figure half a piece didn't blow my "trying to eat healthfully" too much.

Terry ordered the Torta Cubana, the Quarter's take on a Cuban sandwich. It was ciabatta stuffed with pork, chorizo, chihuaha cheese, avocado, spicy mayonnaise, lettuce and tomato. I really like cuban sandwiches, but the only thing "cuban" about it was the pork-- it wasn't pressed, there was no tart pickle or mustard. That doesn't mean it wasn't good, but it wasn't quite a Cubana. We both thought that the chorizo was a little too much-- the spiciness of the chorizo really overwhelmed the rest of the sandwich. I wanted to taste the roasted pork and the cheese, too. It was served with their great french fries, which are perfectly crisp and delicious.




I chose the entree Quarter Salad, which is greens with golden raisins, seasoned almonds, croutons and sherry vinaigrette. They topped it with some nice, moist grilled chicken. The sherry vinagrette is flavorful, and the almonds are nicely seasoned with 5-spice powder. It's a nice change from your usual dinner salad at a restaurant-- light and flavorful.



We skipped dessert, but their desserts are fantastic, particularly the Key Lime Pie with Gingersnap Crust. Yum.

I will, at a later time, write up their entrees. The Quarter Bistro is a great place that's a little off the beaten path, with solid food and great service.

Market Wines to open at Findlay Market!


Thanks to Michelle for this tip!

Findlay Market is finally getting a wine shop! Market Wines will open on March 29, featuring wines that, according to owner Michael Maxwell, are "a little bit of everything", from organics to biodynamics to kosher and beyond.

I'm really exciting-- Findlay will truly be one stop shopping.

Hours: Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 9-5, Friday from 9-6, Saturday from 8-6 and closed Sunday and Monday. There will also be tastings, microbrews, and accessories.


Review: First Watch

On Sunday, Terry and I couldn't wait to get out of my apartment. As much as we like having nothing to do but cook, watch movies, and play with the cats, it was getting old after two days. We decided to brave the snow and head to First Watch.

Yeah, another chain. But it was the only one open, and I was jonesing for a review!

First Watch is based in Florida, and has locations in Florida, Ohio, and a couple of other midwestern states. It's small, but pretty decent. I like that I can order things that are relatively healthy, and aren't too expensive.



That's a "Not Guilty, Your Honor" sandwich: Flatbread, hummus, feta, spinach, red peppers, tomato and mushrooms. I really wanted something fresh and springlike to counter the heavy, wintry foods I've been eating lately. It was pretty good, but something I could easily make at home.


This was the turkey dill CrepeEgg. Turkey, eggs, veggiese, hollandaise and dill. It tasted a lot better than it looks on that plate (beige food is the enemy of the food photographer).

I like First Watch, but my favorite breakfast place locally (as in, "place that is only open from 7 AM to 2 PM") is Daybreak. I'll have to review them soon.

What's your favorite place for breakfast?

Monday, March 10, 2008

Pay for your tap water and help a child-- Tap Cincinnati

I read about the Tap New York project originally in the New York Times and I'm terribly impressed that Cincinnati is on the list to do this before it becomes a global event.

What's happening? 80 restaurants in the Cincinnati area will be asking diners to pay for their tap water-- $1 each. It starts Sunday, March 16 and ends Sunday, March 22.

When's the kickoff? Friday, March 14 at Bang Nightclub. $20 gets you in the door.

Which restaurants are participating?

20 Brix, Amarin, Andy's Mediterranean Grill, Aqua, Baba Budan, Bar Louie, Bella Luna, Bellevue Bistro, Beluga, BlackFinn Restaurant and Saloon, Boca, Carlo & Johnny, Chalk, Cityview Tavern, Cityside, Daveed's, deSha's, Dewey's Pizza (four locations), Embers, Greenup Café, Honey, Hugo, Indigo, Jean Robert @ Pigall's, JeanRo Bistro, Jeff Ruby's Steakhouse, Jimmy D's Steakhouse, Kona Bistro, LaRosa's Rapid Run, Lavomatic, Mac's Pizza Pub, McCormick & Schmick's Fresh Seafood, Mesh Restaurant, Mike and Jimmy's Chop House Grill, Mio's Hyde Park, Mitchell's Fish House, Mt. Adams Bar and Grill, Nada, Nectar, Nicola's Restaurant, Orchids at Palm Court, The Polo Grille, The Precinct, Red, Riverside, Sake Bomb, Skyline Chili, Slatt's, Teller's of Hyde Park, Tink's Café, Trio, Tropicana, Universal Grille, Via Vite, Village Kitchen Restaurant, The Vineyard Wineroom, The Waterfront, ZaZou Grill and Pub, Zip's Café.
The deadline has been extended to Wednesday, so check here for updates on participating restaurants.
I hope you'll patronize these restaurants during that time, and donate your own dollar. $1 can provide clean water for a child for 40 days. $10 can provide clean water for a child for a year. So little can do so much, and I'm so proud of Cincinnati and the owners and operators of these restaurants for giving back.

More questions? Visit www.tapcincy.org.

And the winner is.....

RayGunGirl! Congratulations, you and a lucky guest won tickets to the Blackfinn Pre-Grand Opening party! You were picked rather scientifically by my coworker Jen, whom I accosted with, "Pick a number between 1 and 4!" She picked 3. You were comment #3. Aren't you lucky?

RayGunGirl, comment here and we'll get in touch and meet up so you can grab your free tickets-- and don't forget to comment here with your experience!

Sunday, March 9, 2008

Review: Shadeau Bread's Lunch and Recipe: Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

Like most everyone else in Ohio, it seems, I've been stuck inside since Friday afternoon, when I left work in Mason to make the (hour-long, this time; the last storm, two-hour-long) trek back downtown. I knew I didn't have a whole lot prepared, and didn't want a frozen dinner, so I stopped by Shadeau bread to pick up some pastries and bread and noticed that they did a sandwich service. Yum! And they had soup-- perfect for a snowy day.


So I ended up with a chicken salad sandwich with lettuce, onion, and Swiss on multi-grain bread and a cup of tomato soup with raviolini. Yum.

We headed to Bockfest (that's another post) and wanted something for dinner-- of course, all of the restaurants were closed. Sigh. So we went back to my place and I made some of my favorite comfort food-- pasta with browned butter and parmigiano reggiano. No recipe needed, really-- simply take a stick of butter, cook it until the solids have turned golden brown and nutty, mix in some cooked pasta or egg noodles, add some freshly cracked pepper and some parmigiano reggiano to taste. Simple, delicious, and easy. Throw in some bacon and you have an eggless almost-carbonara (which is what we did on Friday night). Delish.

Saturday, we almost went to Lavomatic with 5chw4r7z and his lovely Mrs. 5, but they were closed, so I whipped up, due to popular demand, more of the chicken and gravy and mashed potatoes from last Sunday. It was enjoyed by both of us, though Terry had to remind me to remind him not to eat too much-- we had dessert!

We both had a craving for Pineapple Upside-Down cake, so we trekked out in the middle of the afternoon to Vine Street Kroger's. It gets a bad rap, but I found everything I needed for my meal, and despite being crowded, it was quick and everyone was friendly. Kroger's really does need to improve the produce section, but they did have some organics and they had fresh vegetables and fruits-- just not enough. I might go there more often in the future.

I went through my grandma's recipes, but they called for shortening (which I didn't have, and didn't want to substitute for). I went through my America's Test Kitchen cookbook, which called for fresh pineapple-- and that was something I definitely wouldn't find at Vine Street Kroger's. I settled on adapting this recipe from Simply Recipes, which I found via a google search. I made a couple of changes: first, I had no sour cream (and by that time, I wasn't going out again), so I substituted yogurt. I also cut out the almonds, and found that the cake just wasn't quite as dense as described. I also threw in some maraschino cherries, as that's a sort of "tradition" both Terry and I agreed on.

The pre-caramelizing of the brown sugar made for a really superior topping. Most recipes just call for brown sugar and melted butter in the bottom of the pan, which is good but not quite this good. If I had a cast iron skillet (or I was at Terry's; he has one), I would make the caramel in the pan and use that for baking as well-- fewer pots.

Oh, and the batter? Delish.

Saturday, March 8, 2008

Snowy Saturday News

First, some great news! Restaurant Week has been extended due to our inclement weather, through 3/14. Check out http://www.gcindependents.com for participating restaurants. I know that Brown Dog Cafe will be participating, but otherwise, visit here and I'll keep you posted.

And also, don't forget my contest! I only have three entries so far-- so dig out your cookbooks (what else do you have to do with 10" of snow out?) and participate!

Thursday, March 6, 2008

The Summit Restaurant to open at Midwest Culinary Institute

Look what just popped up on OpenTable.com!

From OpenTable:

A UNIQUELY "EDUCATIONAL" CULINARY EXPERIENCE!
DINE AT "The Summit"
MIDWEST CULINARY INSTITUTE
Classical french cooking with a light contemporary twist rounded out with some traditional American favorites. You will be wined and dined by our outstanding students. Under the guidance of our Executive Chef and Dining Room Manager our students get to "show their stuff". Truly a unique one of a kind dining experience.

To be clear: reservations are not yet available, per MCI itself.

Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Thanks, Chefs!

What a great way to reach out to the community!! Thanks to Chef Sturkey, the Mazzeis at Pompilio's, and Chef de Cavel. I love to see people give back to the community.

Review: Kona Bistro, Restaurant Week

In case you didn't know, this week is the Greater Cincinnati Independents' restaurant week. A selection of restaurants price a 3-course meal at 25.08. The restaurants range from a couple of Jean-Robert properties, to Hugo, to the Boathouse-- the list goes on.

On Monday, we decided to try Kona Bistro. Terry and I had both been there before-- he once, I had been twice-- and settled in for some great food at a great price.

Sigh.

It was not to be.

I know that Anthony Bourdain insists that you not go to restaurants on Monday night. I should have cooked, or something, and tried Kona on Tuesday.. or even tonight. Anthony, I will never ignore your words again.

Unlike a lot of the restaurants, the only choice in courses was in the entree. The first course was a spring mix salad with butternut squash, candied walnuts, red onions and warm herbed goat cheese. The warm herbed goat cheese was great, as were the walnuts and the vinaigrette, but the squash was boiled, cold and unseasoned and added nothing to the dish but an unpleasant clamminess-- not in flavor, of course, but texture. Disappointing.

I was going to order the espresso crusted pork loin, but they were out of it-- I guess they didn't plan for a lot of people on Monday night (there were maybe 4 tables occupied at 8:30). I ended up with the sun-dried tomato polenta with ratatouille and garlicky spinach.

The polenta was nice, but the ratatouille was undercooked, which made for an unpleasant texture. The garlicky spinach was just that-- really, really overpoweringly garlicky. The dish ended up being simply average.



Terry selected the salmon, which has a much better crust than that of the tilapia from Blackfinn's. The salmon itself, though, was a touch overdone and a touch overfrozen. The mashed potatoes were adequate, but I guess I'd spoiled him the night before with my mashed potatoes. Oops. Again, a very average dish.



Dessert was a fudge brownie with espresso-scented whipped cream. The brownies were again, average-- they needed some frosting or something. The whipped cream was the best part-- just a hint of espresso.

I know that Kona can do better-- I've had better food there somewhat recently. If they skimped because it was a discounted meal, then this is a bad sign-- Restaurant Week is supposed to draw in customers who might not normally go to these restaurants, and if I were one of these customers, I'd be disappointed. I'm going to try them out again sometime in the next couple of weeks to see if this was an isolated incident.

Hopefully, other restaurant week specials will be better! Which restaurants have you visited?

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

The very first wine me, dine me contest!

Yup! A contest. I have two free tickets to BlackFinn's Pre-Grand Opening party on Thursday, March 13. All you have to do is, in the comments, share your favorite St. Patrick's Day recipe. Only one entry per person, and I will pick a random entry as the winner on Monday, March 10th.

You're not eligible if you don't live in the Cincinnati area or if you work for Blackfinn Cincy (since I assume you'll be there anyway). You'll have to pick the tickets up from me before the 13th in a nice, public place. Otherwise, have fun! I look forward to your recipes.

Balsamic Chicken and other Sunday delights


This Sunday, I decided it was a nice day for a chicken dinner. I didn't want to roast one-- I just didn't feel like a whole chicken that day-- so I decided to fall back on one of my favorite recipes: Chicken in Balsamic Vinaigrette.

Roasted Chicken with Balsamic Vinaigrette, courtesy Giada di Laurentiis.
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (4-pound) whole chicken, cut into pieces (giblets, neck and backbone reserved for another use)
1/2 cup low-salt chicken broth
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves

Whisk the vinegar, mustard, lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper in small bowl to blend. Combine the vinaigrette and chicken pieces in a large resealable plastic bag; seal the bag and toss to coat. Refrigerate, turning the chicken pieces occasionally, for at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Remove chicken from the bag and arrange the chicken pieces on a large greased baking dish. Roast until the chicken is just cooked through, about 1 hour. If your chicken browns too quickly, cover it with foil for the remaining cooking time. Transfer the chicken to a serving platter. Place the baking dish on a burner over medium-low heat. Whisk the chicken broth into the pan drippings, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the baking sheet with a wooden spoon and mixing them into the broth and pan drippings. Drizzle the pan drippings over the chicken. Sprinkle the lemon zest and parsley over the chicken, and serve.

Seriously. Yum. And really good cold, too. I just did the thighs-- I think the flavor is perfect with thigh meat-- but it works well with any chicken part. Maybe not feet.


Instead of doing the pan dripping sauce as called for in the recipe, Terry requested actual gravy. So I threw together a slurry, popped it in the pan, thinned it with some chicken stock and voila: gravy.

He also wanted mashed potatoes, so I cut up some potatoes, boiled and mashed, added cream and butter and parmesan cheese. Delish. Too bad I was an idiot and used my chef's knife when my paring knife would do. This was the result:

However, the food turned out great. The mashed potatoes-- skin on-- went well with the gravy, which went well with the chicken. The conversation went something like this:

Me: "So how is it?"
Him: "Mmmm. Oooh. Mmmm."
Me: "Is that a good 'mmm'?"
Him: "Mmmph. Ohm nohm nohm."

He's normally far more loquacious. He had earlier complained about the portion I gave him (for photographic purposes, of course) but he only left about two spoonfuls of potatoes. He said, and I quote, "This is the best gravy I've ever had." This man is from Alabama. He knows gravy. I am pleased as punch.
My organic co-op delivery came (thus the potatoes and broccoli), and it also delivered green peppers. Due to a pizza-and-drinking binge in college, I don't eat a whole lot of green peppers anymore, and definitely not stuffed ones, so I used them to make stuffed peppers for Terry's lunch. I followed a recipe out of the America's Test Kitchen cookbook, which I don't have here to copy. They're stuffed peppers. Not that complicated.

This is pre-baking; I popped them into the oven when we ate and sent them home with him for lunch this week. I had borrowed his loaf pan, so it worked out quite swimmingly. Yesterday, he reported that they were pretty darn good.

The finger, by the way, is recovering nicely, though I now realize that I use my left thumb far more than I thought...

Sunday, March 2, 2008

Review: Blackfinn Cincinnati


I got a special invitation to preview Blackfinn Cincinnati on Saturday, March 1st. The management had a live training session for their staff, and wanted guests-- and who am I to pass up the opportunity?

Blackfinn, as you may know, is in the old McFadden's space. Not a whole lot has changed, interior-wise. There is the same dark wood and brick that graced McFadden's, and honestly, it still feels a lot like Nick and Tony's. The decor included huge flat-panel TVs, smaller flat-panel TVs in the booths (were those at McFadden's?) and pictures of steak houses around the country. The website says that it's trying evoke the atmosphere of a New York-style saloon-- for some reason, I was under the impression it was going to be an Irish pub-- and it does have a steakhouse feel. It doesn't feel like an Irish pub (though the owners were influenced, according to the website, by Irish pubs as well, so maybe that's where I got the idea).

This review is tempered by the fact that this was a training night. Our server, Amanda, was very sweet and did a nice job, but it's obvious that it was her first night serving ever. I'm going to be lot more forgiving than I would be under normal circumstances.

For an appetizer, we chose the calamari-- Amanda had said it was very tender, not rubbery at all. She was right! Thick rings of calamari that were very delicate and tender, unlike a lot of calamari I've had. It was delicately battered and served with marinara sauce-- a fairly basic presentation. However, in addition to the calamari, there were also deep fried pickled jalapenos and pickled red peppers of some sort-- I'm not sure exactly what kind. I'm really not a fan of pickled jalapenos, so I didn't eat the deep fried ones, but I actually liked the slight punch that permeated the calamari because of the jalapenos. Interesting, different, and pretty good.

Amanda then recommended the New England Clam Chowder as "the best she'd had". I had to disagree. It was overcooked-- the clams were like vending machine bouncy balls-- and it had far more potato than clam. The flavor was okay-- less clammy than I'd like-- but we didn't finish it.

We had a bunch of choices for an entree, but, holding with the New York tavern feel, we both chose steaks: I chose a petite filet, and Terry chose a ribeye. Unfortunately, they were out of both of those items, so we had to choose something else. I chose the catch of the day, which was parmesan crusted tilapia. He chose the salmon. The tilapia was okay-- the crust was oversalted, but the fish beneath was tender and quite good. The vegetables were also done well, and lended color to an otherwise cream-colored plate. I think the tilapia could have done with a lighter sauce: the herb sauce was just a tad too heavy for the dish.

The salmon was well prepared, and the seasoning on the outside-- pepper, garlic and salt, very simple-- was quite good. Neither of us were impressed with the rice pilaf, which was simply buttered rice, but overall, the food was a little above average.



For dessert, we decided on the Guinness Chocolate Mousse. Well, I decided: I was the one with the sweet tooth that night. It was chocolate mousse topped with white chocolate mousse, served in a pint glass. Very cute. The chocolate mousse was not quite rich enough-- this was a milk chocolate, and I expected something a bit darker to echo the stout. The white chocolate mousse was not mousselike at all, but instead frothy-- almost like egg whites. It was a nice finish to the meal, and a charming homage to the Irish pub.


Overall, this place has some potential. There were definitely some quirks that I'm sure will be worked out by opening-- the bar was a bit slow, as well as some of the seasoning issues discussed above-- but overall, this was a nice experience and I'll be sure to try them out again.

Full disclosure: We only paid for drinks and gratuity on this meal, as I was invited to try out the restaurant on one of their preview nights. This has no effect on my review.

Grand opening is March 14th, just in time for the pre-St. Patrick's Day weekend.

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

wine me, dine me (in washington, DC)

Don't worry, I'm not moving. However, Terry and I are going to be enjoying ourselves in our nation's capital for a few days. I'll be out of town until Tuesday, but I'll be reporting from the field. I hear that I'll be at Capitol City Brewery at least once a day (so says the guy that used to live there), but if I find anything else interesting, I'll be sure to report.

I knew I bought a flickr pro account for something!

Review: Half Day Cafe

My dear friend Abby is getting married in a few weeks, and I have the honor of being in her wedding. On Saturday, I had to go over to Bridal and Formal in Reading to pick up my (admittedly lovely) bridesmaid's dress. I was slightly nervous-- let's just say I ordered the dress before I started the food blog-- but everything turned out great, and I look quite smashing in the dress (if I do say so myself). Terry was brave and came with me into the inner sanctum of femininity-- the bridal shop. He came out unscathed. So that we didn't drive all the way to Reading for just a dress, we stopped in Wyoming and tried Half Day Cafe.

Half Day Cafe
Tea, please?

Half Day Cafe is one of those breakfast places. You know the ones-- breakfast, lunch and brunch. This one's only open Monday through Saturday-- closed Sunday. I think they're missing some prime opportunities being closed Sunday, but it works for them.

I got the egg strata with bacon, gorgonzola, egg bread, rosemary and orange zest. It came out looking and smelling delicious-- crispy and golden with a waft of rosemary. When I took my first bite, I tasted no gorgonzola, no rosemary, and little bacon. All I tasted was orange zest. I totally get the idea they were going for, but there is far too much orange zest. I've definitely decided that I do not like orange with my eggs. It's not often that rosemary, a pretty pungent herb, is overwhelmed by anything. Gorgonzola is a fairly strong cheese, and I couldn't taste it at all. I definitely wouldn't order it again. The tiny little lemon-poppyseed muffin was cute, but I didn't taste any lemon in the bite I took. The potatoes were undercooked (to the point of being raw in some spots) and overly seasoned with rosemary. The individual pots are a great idea, and I definitely get what they're going for, but the seasoning was just terribly off.

Half Day Cafe
Terry got the Almond Cinnamon stuffed french toast and a side of applewood smoked bacon. Applewood smoked bacon must be in-- this is the second meal in a row that involved it. The french toast was great-- crispy on the outside, custardy on the inside-- though it could have used a little bit more filling in the center. I wonder if the ricotta stuffing was too runny, so they used less of it? I've seen other places use marscapone to a rich, creamy effect-- that might make for a better stuffing. However, the flavors were great and balanced.

Half Day Cafe

I'll definitely go back-- I want to try the mango butter rum french toast sometime. However, they need to work on their savory flavors-- sweet and savory can go to better, but some balance would make the egg strata better.

My new Saturday morning hangout: Coffee Emporium

Coffee Emporium


Coffee Emporium
Originally uploaded by anadequatenovel

I've lived two blocks from Coffee Emporium since July, and I finally wandered there last weekend. What a great space! I saw lots of fellow downtowners/OTR-ers I recognized, and Jim Tarbell was holding court in the foyer. I had a delicious White Raspberry Mocha, and Terry got a cup of one of their coffees du jour. Too bad I don't work downtown-- I'd come down here every day before work. Maybe it's a good thing that I don't work closer...



Coffee Emporium

Coffee Emporium

Coffee Emporium

Coffee Emporium

Review: Universal Grille


I apparently haven't been with it. Did you know that Universal Grille (formerly Hamburger Mary's) had a bit of a kerfluffle in the kitchen and ended up closed for about a month? I sent my mom there a couple of months ago, since she wanted a fun place for a girl's night out, and I knew the guys at Universal would take care of her and her friends. I guess this happened just about a month ago! Terry and I decided to walk over there for dinner on Friday night, as well as pay a visit to my theatrical friend Josh. We did Rocky Horror a couple of years ago (he was Rocky, I costumed), and you get pretty close to someone when you apply full body glitter to them every night.


Anyway, Josh and I chatted after I asked, "Uh, where'd the rest of the menu go?" Turns out they decided to do whtat they did best, and cut the rest until they got the kitchen in order. Last year they went away from their Hamburger Mary's persona after the owners left the franchise, and were trying to go a little more upscale. I missed the fun Mary's vibe, particularly the themed areas-- I liked the pop princess area and the Judy Garland corner, personally-- so the dining area, in my opinion, has lost a little bit of its character. Going back to the basics was probably a very smart move. The menu is now mostly bar-style food: sliders, wings, nachos, burges, sandwiches and hamburgers, all with clever, kitschy names. They also limited themselves to dinner service-- though Josh says that he's hiring people to expand back into lunch.

The barbecue chicken salad is close to what I remember-- not as big, but still pretty good. It's basically breaded chicken, barbecue sauce, veggies and tortilla chips. Very yummy, but I think their sauce is a little different than it used to be-- this one is sweeter and spicier. It's a nice change.


Terry, of course, got a burger. He thinks Universal Grille may eclipse Terry's Turf Club in taste-- this burger was, according to Josh, freshly made of ground beef from Eckerlin's, and topped with a sauce made of spicy mayonnaise mixed with sweet onion preserves as well as caramelized onions. It was drip-down-your-chin juicy and the Star Sauce was spicy and sweet and creamy, all at the same time. The bacon was thick and applewood-smoked (though Josh didn't know where that came from), and together it made for a delicious burger experience. The onion rings were beer battered and of decent quality, but the burger really stood out.

We finished our meals and headed to the bar, which still had the old Mary's vibe-- lots of people way cooler than I am hanging out. I did run into a friend from high school that I hadn't seen since before I graduated, and it was fun to catch up. I always see someone I know at Universal Grille, and I hope it continues to be the meet-and-greet place for all sorts of people.

Friday, March 21, 2008

How to throw a successful and stress free dinner party.

Hahahahahahahaha!

Yeah, that's a funny one. I don't think it's possible that a dinner party can be stress free. I've tried, and it just doesn't work. However, I have learned how to minimize stress so I can relax and generally enjoy myself and my guests. Here are my hints:


Start early.

Get an idea of who you're having, what you're going to serve, and how you're going to get from "Shit, I'm having a dinner party!" to the portrait of domestic bliss when your guests arrive. Me, I generally start a week beforehand. I figure out what sort of party supplies I need, a general idea of menu, and what I need to clean. Monday of this week I started cleaning. I tend to be one of those people who obsesses over details when it comes to cleaning, so this is an occasion where you might want to have someone come in and clean. If that's out of your budget, start in baby steps. I tidy first, then move on to big cleaning tasks, then the day of the party I do a quick wipe down of surfaces so everything is neat and tidy.

Don't be fussy.

This is not the time to practice your plating techniques or to serve highly perishable foods. Stick with simple but delicious food. This is the time to pull out your favorite lasagna recipe, your roasted chicken recipe, or a big salad with lots of toppings. Think food that you can prepare ahead of time, too, or at least that doesn't have a whole lot of active cooking while your guests are there. My lamb roast worked out perfectly, as I popped it in the oven while I was putting my final touches on my apartment, and continued to cook as we enjoyed cocktail hour.

Prep ahead of time.

I cannot stress this enough. If you don't want to run around like a chicken with your head cut off, prep your meal beforehand. The night before, I made my hummus, tzatziki, refilled the ice trays, and prepped all of my vegetables for the salad and the entree. Then, the day of, all you have to do is put everything out and reheat things (if applicable), and relax.

Make a list.

I don't know about you, but I always forget something. I make a list, keeping a pad of paper nearby me at work, so I can write down things as I remember them. I even write down things like what I need to clean when I get home, or what pictures I need to take for my blog.

Enlist the help of a friend.

Significant others are great for this, but having a friend who will attend the party but doesn't mind showing up 30-60 minutes early to help with last minute details are invaluable. Terry rescued me by picking up cream cheese and pretzel chips that I didn't have time to pick up, and I greeted him at the door with a bag of garbage to take down to the garage. It also helps, for me at least, to have someone to talk to while I finish things up. It takes some of the pressure off and helps me relax.

Don't sweat the small stuff.

Put clutter in closets, pull the shower curtain so that you can't see that your tub isn't spic-and-span, and use paper napkins instead of cloth. Your guests won't care, and it'll keep you from going nuts. You are not Sandra Lee with her tablescapes; they're pretty, but what they're covering up is mediocre food and lack of conversation. If you have good food and conversation, no one cares if your napkin rings are handmade out of raffia and pinecones. Really.

Buy flowers.

They don't have to be expensive, just grab a bouquet at the grocery store and put them in a vase. Instant festive atmosphere, minimal prep work, and minimal cost. I generally get mine at Trader Joe's for $5. Plus you can enjoy them after the party is over!

Generally, if all goes well, or even if it doesn't-- yesterday greeted me with the fire alarm going off and a half-frozen leg of lamb-- you should have a few minutes to sit down, relax, and enjoy some quiet and a glass of wine before your guests arrive. Then, since all you have to do is assemble things, you can concentrate on enjoying the time you have with your guests, and not slaving away in the kitchen.

What are your tips for a successful dinner party?

Recipe: Hummus

My hummus is a party favorite-- I've been making it ever since my dear friend Elisa visited me for two weeks when I got married and she showed me how simple it was to do it. I'll add that it's far easier to do this in a food processor than in a blender, as Elisa and I learned the hard way (heretofore referred to as "The Great Hummus Incident of 2004") I'm fairly sure that until we remodeled the kitchen, you could still find bits of chickpeas in corners of the kitchen. Elisa's now busy with her political career, and I'm no longer married, but I can't help but think of her every time I make hummus.

This one's a pretty rough recipe-- there are no real measurements; I eyeball everything.

2 16 ounce cans of chickpeas
2-3 cloves of garlic (these can be roasted or unroasted; if roasted I use a few more than that, sometimes a whole head).
Olive oil
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Salt

In a food processor, process the chickpeas until they look sort of like wet sand. Through the chute, add oil slowly, until you notice that it looks less like wet sand, and more like peanut butter. Turn off the processor and taste the olive oil/chickpea mixture. Is the texture creamy? Then it's almost done! Now, squeeze in the juice of half a lemon and pop in the garlic cloves. Process until smooth. Salt to taste-- it shouldn't be salty, but the salt should brighten the flavors of olive oil, lemon and garlic and cut the blandness you tasted when you checked for consistence.

Smooth out on a plate, and garnish with paprika, olive oil, cracked pepper, whole olives-- whatever you want-- and serve with pita chips. It also makes a great lunch spread and it's darn good off of a spoon around midnight, straight out of the refrigerator.

Recipe: Roasted Leg of Lamb, Tzatziki

This recipe is adapted from Emeril Lagasse and Simply Recipes. I didn't have time for a marinade, so I decided to do a rub.

1 4-5 pound leg of lamb, sirloin end
8 cloves of garlic, minced
3-4 stems' worth of rosemary, removed from stems
1/4 cup of lemon juice
1 tablespoon of kosher salt
1-2 teaspoons cayenne pepper (to taste)
Freshly cracked pepper

Preheat your oven to 450.

Rub the lamb all over with lemon juice, then the minced garlic, then the rosemary, then salt and cayenne pepper. Crack as much pepper over the top of it as you'd like, and place in a roasting pan, fatty side up.

Roast at 450 for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 325 and roast for an hour more (about 12 minutes per pound) or until the internal temperature reaches 135-140. This will result in a medium rare lamb, which is how it should be ideally prepared. The ends, of course, will be more well done than the center. Let rest for ten minutes until slicing against the grain of the meat.

If not serving gyro-style, as I did, you can mix a tablespoon of flour with water to make a milky slurry to thicken the drippings into gravy.



(Photo courtesy 5chw4r7z)


My tzatziki is loosely based on the tzatziki from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone.

4 english cucumbers, chopped roughly
1 8-oz container strained greek yogurt (I used fago)
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon (or so) of fresh dill leaves
salt and pepper to taste

This one's easy: Mix it all together. Yum.

Thursday, March 20, 2008

Sunday Dinner: Sauerkraut and Mettwurst

One of my grandma's favorite meals to make for us was sauerkraut and metts. For her, it was pretty simple: Eckerich Farm smoked sausage, canned sauerkraut, an apple (to cut the sour, she said), simmered on the stove until everything is heated through.

When Terry and I started dating, I remember going to Findlay Market-- one of the first times he'd been-- and explaining this to him. He likes sausages, and he likes sauerkraut, so I made it for him. He loved it! He asked me for it again this weekend, as we stared at the sausages at Kroeger Meats at Findlay, so I happily obliged.

Sauerkraut and Metts (a little updated)

1 pound of mettwurst (I used the bier metts from Kroeger's)
2 pints of sauerkraut (I used their house-made sauerkraut; I really should get my friend Ed to give me his recipe, I hear it's great!)
1 apple
1 bottle of beer

In a heavy pot, sear the mettwurst-- just a nice brown crust on the outside. This should take just a few minutes. When browned, top with sauerkraut and nestle in a cut apple. Take a good sip of your beer (test for quality!) and pour the rest in the pot. Turn the heat down to medium, and allow to simmer, undisturbed, for about an hour.

Super simple, and super delicious. This is often served with mashed potatoes (at least it was at my house), but since Terry had made dessert that evening, we skipped the potatoes.


Sauerkraut and Mettwurst
I know. Sauerkraut and mettwurst don't really photograph well. But trust me, it was tasty.

Unfortunately, I do not have pictures of the banana pudding. I don't know why. Maybe I was tired? Who knows. However, here is the recipe:

Not Yo' Mama's Banana Pudding
Recipe: Paula Deen on Food Network

2 bags Pepperidge Farm Chessmen cookies
6 to 8 bananas, sliced
2 cups milk
1 (5-ounce) box instant French vanilla pudding
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (12-ounce) container frozen whipped topping thawed, or equal amount sweetened whipped cream

Line the bottom of a 13 by 9 by 2-inch dish with 1 bag of cookies and layer bananas on top. In a bowl, combine the milk and pudding mix and blend well using a handheld electric mixer. Using another bowl, combine the cream cheese and condensed milk together and mix until smooth. Fold the whipped topping into the cream cheese mixture. Add the cream cheese mixture to the pudding mixture and stir until well blended. Pour the mixture over the cookies and bananas and cover with the remaining cookies. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Review: Red

Terry and I have been trying to get to Hugo for dinner since my birthday in November. Either we've been too busy or they were out of reservations that weren't at 5:30. This past Saturday was another one of those nights. I suggested we try Red-- I've had several friends say they were the best steak in the city, so we decided to try it out.

We were a little early for our 8:00 reservation, so we sat in the bar area for a bit. The restaurant is named for the bar, which glows red and is a pretty cool effect. The restaurant is dark-- really dark. So dark I needed to use a flash, but not so dark that you can't see the person across from you. I had a glass of wine-- a pinot grigio-- and Terry had a beer. They took us in a little bit early for our reservation, which was nice .

As you walk in, you pass a really fantastic looking raw bar-- oysters, shrimp, crab, lobster, you name it-- before you hit the dining room. The thing that got me about the dining room is that sitting there, in the low level lighting, the sounds of plates and utensils and the hustle and bustle of the waitstaff is that it didn't feel like Cincinnati-- it felt more like a really hip, east coast restaurant. That's pretty unique for Cincinnati.

Now, onto the food. We decided on the Heart Healthy tasting menu-- at $35 and $50 with wine pairings, this was a steal, and part of the proceeds went to the American Heart Association. However, to start, we decided to try their foie gras (which is not terribly heart healthy). Terry has always been a big foie gras fan, and I just really discovered it when we were in Paris, so when given the opportunity here, we go for it. Red's was pan seared, with a fig crostini, dried cherry compote and a plum gastrique. Words do not adequately describe how good the foie was. It was pillowy, smooth, and velvety on the tongue, and the rich, yet fresh-tasting fruitiness of the gastrique and compote were excellent compliments to the richness of the foie.

Foie Gras-- Red

For the first course, I got the Red salad-- greens, sherry vinagrette, amaretto almonds, charred onions and a single waffle chip. The portion was petite and perfect, the vinagrette well balanced, though I couldn't find the charred onions for the life of me. Terry got the lobster bisque with sherry cream, which was rich and creamy, but, as he said, "not as good as the foie". The foie would be the gold standard by which the rest of the meal was judged.

Salad-- Red

Lobster Bisque-- Red

Our entrees came out shortly after we finished our first course-- the waitstaff had the timing down very well. My entree was salmon, served with lentils, tomatoes, and herbed cream. The portion, again, was petite but perfect (I hate overlarge portions) and the salmon was prepared medium rare, which was perfect. I really liked the lentils (and ought to cook them more often), and they were an earthy compliment to the salmon. It was, in a way, surf-and-turf, in the most literal sense.
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Terry ordered the ribeye, which was again, a small cut. It was prepared as he liked it (rare), and well seasoned, but he prefers the steaks at Jeff Ruby's. I pointed out that he generally orders a different cut at Ruby's, and he was thoughtful for a second. "I still prefer the steaks at Jeff Ruby's." I think it's a seasoning thing-- Ruby's are highly seasoned, which creates a crust that Red just doesn't have. I agree-- I'm a big fan of the burnt bits (though I like my steaks rare to medium rare).
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Now, for dessert. I ended up with the chocolate decadance cake, which is essentially a chocolate lava cake, and a glass of port (I love port!). Terry hadn't tried port, so I let this be his introduction: I had him take a bite of the chocolate decadence, then take a sip of port. He, too was converted to the delicious things that port does to chocolate... or chocolate does to port. Whatever. It's good stuff. Terry ended up with the banana bread pudding, which he really liked, though he said that the best part was how the bananas, caramel, and ice cream mixed like Bananas Foster-- the bread pudding part was negotiable.

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All in all, a great place-- but nothing was quite as impressive as the foie gras. We may go back and do something off the regular menu to broaden our choices. This is a great place to take a date, or just go to pretend you're in a big east coast city and eating at a trendy restaurant.

I'm back!

You know, I can't do anything simply.

As you read on Tuesday, my MacBook Pro (yes, I'm one of those people, about which Terry good-naturedly teases me) needed to go in for a broken hinge. Considering it's a first generation (yes, I was on the waiting list, I'm a dork) and just a little over 2 years old at this point and the only other thing that has gone wrong with it in those two years is a broken key and a battery recall, I'm pretty okay with this. I got it back yesterday, all shiny and pretty and... hey, what's this? Why is my memory out of my laptop?

Apparently, Apple doesn't like 3rd party products, so they said it failed the diagnostics, so they had to take out my extra gig of memory. Ugh. So, until I get to a hardware store for a 00 Phillips head screwdriver, it's running a little slow. So no pictures for now. Okay, fine, I also forgot my camera adapter and can't upload at work, either. Oy! However! I will tantalize you with the menu for my first Cincinnati Supper Club dinner!

Unlike Chris S's menu, which is elegantly paired with wines, mine is a bit more informal. I've decided that spring is here, and spring means lamb, so that's what I'm going for.

First course:
Homemade Hummus and pita chips
Goat cheese and pesto dip with pretzel crackers
Salt and Pepper Peanuts
Wasabi Peas

Second course:
Roasted leg of lamb served Gyros-style, with onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, pita and homemade tzatziki
Spring greens salad with feta, onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, red peppers, almonds and homemade vinaigrette

Third course:
A selection of gelato from Madisono's
Lemon stilton and Strawberry stilton

Terry and I had pizza and watched Top Chef (okay, I watched Top Chef, I'm fairly confident he didn't enjoy it as much as I did. I'm totally rooting for Stephanie and Richard.) and after he left, I did a bunch of prep, so all I have to do when I get home tonight is pick up the lamb at Eckerlin's, the gelato (notice "selection"? It's whatever pops out at me after work), grab a couple of things I forgot, throw the lamb in the oven and assemble everything else. I should have taken pictures of all of my prep bowls-- I was pretty proud of myself. Also, no fingers were harmed during this episode of Cooking with Julie.

I'm sure I'll post pictures (and if I don't, I'm sure 5chw4r7z will) and recipes tomorrow!

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

mini break.

I have two more reviews pending, but they'll have to wait for pictures, as my Mac is in the shop having some minor surgery. I should have it back tomorrow!

Monday, March 17, 2008

Review: York Street Cafe

I have been to York Street more times than I can count. For one particular group of my friends, it's the default drinks-and-apps location either for happy hour or after a show, since it's convenient to the theater we all perform at on a regular basis. Friday night, we celebrated my friend Tracy's birthday there and actually managed to have dinner.

York Street is an old drugstore that now houses a restaurant, an art gallery and a third floor club that often has swing bands and local indie bands. It has really eclectic decor-- from an old bridesmaid's dress, to Hudy delight ads (featuring the owner), to the owner's Elvis collection. I had initially written off York Street a few years ago after a 3.5 hour wait on a Valentine's that they didn't take reservations, but they've since worked the kinks out-- I've never had a bad meal or bad service.

I was rushing around Friday evening-- I got caught up picking up my bi-weekly organic co-op package (I should write a post about that!) and by a car that had parked in front of my garage door (Thank you, CPD, for responding so quickly for what, the third time in three weeks?). This lead me to forgetting my camera. Ack! Thankfully, my lovely friend Dave had his iPhone and saved the day.
I was hungry, so I got the Amish roasted chicken, which is stuffed with onions, gorgonzola and bacon. Very good, though you only got a hint of the cheese/bacon/onion stuffing-- there was none plated with the chicken. I'd have loved to have gotten a few bites of that. The gravy was great-- Terry's fork kept finding its way to my plate-- and you tasted the gorgonzola a bit more in the drippings. Yum.

Terry apparently had a huge lunch, so he ordered a salad:

This is the smoked chicken spinach salad. He said it was good, but that the chunks of cheese cut into the same size cubes as the chicken made it a bit hard to eat, and didn't disperse the gouda flavor evenly. That little pretzel is made out of puff pastry! Cute.

We had skipped appetizers to get a couple of the homemade desserts. The bar in the second dining room hosts all of the desserts, and it's fun to walk by and drool a little.

Dave decided to play cute and put a little cheesecake in the picture

More like cheesy. Not sure what my hair is doing in that picture. The cake was raspberry buttercream, and the raspberry was incorporated into the buttercream frosting. The cake was a white cake that was just a bit dry, but very flavorful. I'd have preferred a straight buttercream with a layer of raspberry preserves instead. Ted finished my cake (when we all go out, he usually gets my abandoned cake), and declared it good (but again, dry).

Terry (who did not pose for a beefcake picture--I kill me sometimes.) got a chocolate mocha cake.
Okay, so the plating wasn't that pretty, but damn, was that good cake. Dense chocolate cake with mocha frosting and whipped cream. Before I could get a second bite, it was gone!

A few of us proceeded to Havana Martini Club for a drink after dinner. Wow, has that place changed since it was on 6th street! It's not all suits now-- it's a mix of drunk college kids, hipsters, and ballroom dancers in their 50s. The music was mostly hip-hop with a little Latin mixed in-- all in all, very disappointing and I'm not sure I'll go back. But York Street? I'll be back sooner rather than later.

Thursday, March 13, 2008

What is a foodie?

I've been perusing the Cincinnati Magazine restaurant issue since I got it, in case I missed something or forgot about a restaurant I wanted to try (I do that a lot!). I've read, over and over, an article in the section that includes comments from local chefs—anonymous, of course. First, apparently the hot kitchen sex only happens in Anthony Bourdain's world (bummer); nearly all of them are tired of foam (thank goodness) and Kobe beef (rarely from Kobe, Japan; it's a word that has become the meat world's champagne, and most of it is Wagyu, a breed of cow that can be raised anywhere); they wish the entire city didn't dine at 7:30 (I tend to dine towards 8:30-9 PM, thankyouverymuch); and French cooking is out and Latin flavors are in. There is one phrase that caught my eye, and I've been thinking about since I read it. When asked what they would wish for in Cincinnati dining, someone said, "More real foodies, not wanna-bes."

What does that mean?

What makes a real foodie? Am I a real foodie?

Most everyone I've met in the (very!) short time I've been writing this blog has been so enthusiastic about the work I'm doing. Sure, some customers look at me a little funny when I whip out my camera as soon as the waiter walks away, but I'm not that easily embarrassed. Not many people do this around here—LA, NY, SF, and other places with bigger populations and a faster restaurant turnover cycle than Cincinnati have tons of bloggers—and only recently has Cincinnati begun to have its own culinary stamp (outside of Skyline and Graeters and other local favorites). Many of the industry people I've talked with are happy that someone who is not on a newspaper's payroll is writing about experiences as a customer.

On the flip side, some folks aren’t so enamored with the idea of blogging; they believe culinary writers should have culinary backgrounds. I think, perhaps, that they're missing the point. Culinary training certainly builds an excellent foundation for food enjoyment—you learn the fundamental techniques of Western cuisine and, by repetition, learn to make them in both large quantities and with consistent quality. You apply that quantity and consistency to the line, delivering the desired products based on your skill, training, and artistry. It is difficult, physically and mentally draining work, and I applaud the chefs, who largely go unseen by customers. However, the average customer at a restaurant is not a chef. Customers may not know how to cook without opening a frozen dinner, or may be good at a few standards, or maybe they’ve never have taken a cooking class.

Some chefs embrace food bloggers (and blog themselves). Others, like Mario Batali, think we're a scourge upon the restaurant industry. Some food bloggers prefer the scoop to research, and some might argue that there is a lack of journalistic integrity and accountability in blogging, since so much of it is anonymous. Okay, so some bloggers might be in it for notoriety, free food, or social status, etc. There are definitely food blog haters out there (who aren't Batali); some think that we all need to have worked the culinary industry to be "more understanding." How many of us, on a daily basis, judge something as "good" or "bad" without formal training in the subject? I know next to nothing about the mechanics of cars, but I know that I like the way my car handles, and I also know that when a funny sound comes out, something's wrong with it. I know that when it's spring and I start sneezing, I should probably take a Claritin.

I've been cooking since I was a wee tot, and grew up on The Frugal Gourmet and Justin Wilson and Julia Child. I have a fairly educated palate (becoming more educated daily, and I still have a long way to go), and I am a fairly accomplished home cook (unless you count the bacon brittle, which was awful!). With the Internet, foodies are more common, because we have more access to knowledge about good, seasonal, artisanal, and exotic food that our grandmothers (in their Jello-mold haze) couldn't have imagined.

Web 2.0 has opened an entirely new opportunity for people who fall between being a trained chef and chain-restaurant diner. Sites like Chowhound, Epicurious, The Kitchen, Eater and The Accidental Hedonist give a voice to people who truly enjoy food: cooking, eating, and learning about it. There is less of a hierarchy. As one commenter put it on Eater.com:

With respect, I think a lot of you are missing the point about blogs in general. Most "food bloggers" are not pretending to be critics, but are sharing their experiences, prejudices, biases, and opinions. The absence of any pretense at journalistic standards is what makes the blogosphere…so interesting.

Don't think journalism.

Think cocktail party. Maybe after an hour and half of cocktails. Buck Callahan.

That's exactly what the Internet is: one big cocktail party where people have opinions and share them with others. You have to sort out the good from the bad; many blogs are well researched and are based on first-hand experiences. And of course some blogs (Yahoo Answers, Yelp, and Citysearch, etc.) have essentially anonymous and often vitriolic posts that aren't as reliable. There are major news outlets that put out unresearched stories, and there are blogs that are often better researched than the average newspaper.

What it boils down to is this: Chefs and food writers (whether they're restaurant reviewers, bloggers, or whomever) have opinions and have, historically, been at odds with each other. As a food blogger, I am not out to ruin anyone's business. I try to write well-researched posts that highlight the sort of food I like and discover. I hope that my reviews will help Cincinnati readers break the habit of going to known chain restaurants and start trying locally owned restaurants (or very small chains) that might be out of their comfort zone. I love good food, and hope I introduce you to some good stuff that you might not have tried.

What is a foodie? A foodie is someone who loves food. Good food. They want to know where it comes from, why it's good, how to prepare it, and how to enjoy it. If my lack of formal culinary training makes me a wanna-be foodie, so be it. I’ll keep enjoying wonderful meals and taking pictures of the fun.

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Congratulations, RayGunGirl!



Yay!

Check here soon for her review of her Blackfinn experience.

She won, by the way, with her corned beef recipe!

Corned Beef and Cabbage
(My mom's traditional!)

Ingredients:
1 corned beef roast with spice packet
1 head green cabbage
1 lb. russet potatoes, peeled

Buy a corned beef that is packaged with a packet of spices included. Put this into a crock pot (the beef, and open the packet of spices and throw it in). Cover with water, turn crock pot on and cook about 5-7 hours on crock pot setting. The last hour, I throw in a fresh cabbage that is cut into large wedges, and I peel potatoes, put them into the water around the beef, lay the cabbage wedges on top. Mmmmm, when it’s done, it’s so tender, and the potatoes and cabbage are just saturated with the flavor of the cooked corned beef; Also, makes great sandwiches the next day (the beef, that is!)

Review: The Quarter Bistro




I walk into this review with a little bias: The Quarter Bistro in Mariemont on Wooster Pike, is one of my favorite restaurants. I ate there when it was The Latin Quarter, and I've eaten there several times in the past year or so. In fact, I have a regular entree-- the diver scallops-- and so does Terry (steak frites).

In the interest of you, my readers, we decided to try something different. We had just come out of the Mariemont Theater (we saw Taxi to the Darkside which was fantastic if utterly depressing and angering), and Terry dragged me right into the Quarter. No arguing, there!

I love their decor-- it is warm, inviting, and very flattering-- the walls are red, and that reflects onto the food and diners quite prettily. They have warm sourdough bread served in cute little paper bags that keep it surprisingly warm on the table.

We started out with drinks-- a Latin Sangria for me, and a Stella Artois for him. The sangria was nice, if a little sweeter than I'd like. It was a little more on the kool-aid side than the sangria side.

We decided that we didn't want a full dinner, just sandwiches or salads, so we ordered some soup to start. This was a great seasonal selection: Sweet Potato Bisque, topped with creme fraiche and a little hunk of pork belly confit. I'll be honest: I'm a sucker for sweet potatoes in just about any form, and with the addition of pork belly? Ooof.




Oh, yeah. See that hunk in the center? That was sizzling when it came out. We each took a few spoonfuls of the soup-- sweet, yet not overwhelmingly so, with some smokiness and a little spice. But the best part? That little hunk of pork belly. The fat quivered below the crispy, scored skin and was meltingly rich and delicious. We split the piece in half, so I figure half a piece didn't blow my "trying to eat healthfully" too much.

Terry ordered the Torta Cubana, the Quarter's take on a Cuban sandwich. It was ciabatta stuffed with pork, chorizo, chihuaha cheese, avocado, spicy mayonnaise, lettuce and tomato. I really like cuban sandwiches, but the only thing "cuban" about it was the pork-- it wasn't pressed, there was no tart pickle or mustard. That doesn't mean it wasn't good, but it wasn't quite a Cubana. We both thought that the chorizo was a little too much-- the spiciness of the chorizo really overwhelmed the rest of the sandwich. I wanted to taste the roasted pork and the cheese, too. It was served with their great french fries, which are perfectly crisp and delicious.




I chose the entree Quarter Salad, which is greens with golden raisins, seasoned almonds, croutons and sherry vinaigrette. They topped it with some nice, moist grilled chicken. The sherry vinagrette is flavorful, and the almonds are nicely seasoned with 5-spice powder. It's a nice change from your usual dinner salad at a restaurant-- light and flavorful.



We skipped dessert, but their desserts are fantastic, particularly the Key Lime Pie with Gingersnap Crust. Yum.

I will, at a later time, write up their entrees. The Quarter Bistro is a great place that's a little off the beaten path, with solid food and great service.

Market Wines to open at Findlay Market!


Thanks to Michelle for this tip!

Findlay Market is finally getting a wine shop! Market Wines will open on March 29, featuring wines that, according to owner Michael Maxwell, are "a little bit of everything", from organics to biodynamics to kosher and beyond.

I'm really exciting-- Findlay will truly be one stop shopping.

Hours: Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 9-5, Friday from 9-6, Saturday from 8-6 and closed Sunday and Monday. There will also be tastings, microbrews, and accessories.


Review: First Watch

On Sunday, Terry and I couldn't wait to get out of my apartment. As much as we like having nothing to do but cook, watch movies, and play with the cats, it was getting old after two days. We decided to brave the snow and head to First Watch.

Yeah, another chain. But it was the only one open, and I was jonesing for a review!

First Watch is based in Florida, and has locations in Florida, Ohio, and a couple of other midwestern states. It's small, but pretty decent. I like that I can order things that are relatively healthy, and aren't too expensive.



That's a "Not Guilty, Your Honor" sandwich: Flatbread, hummus, feta, spinach, red peppers, tomato and mushrooms. I really wanted something fresh and springlike to counter the heavy, wintry foods I've been eating lately. It was pretty good, but something I could easily make at home.


This was the turkey dill CrepeEgg. Turkey, eggs, veggiese, hollandaise and dill. It tasted a lot better than it looks on that plate (beige food is the enemy of the food photographer).

I like First Watch, but my favorite breakfast place locally (as in, "place that is only open from 7 AM to 2 PM") is Daybreak. I'll have to review them soon.

What's your favorite place for breakfast?

Monday, March 10, 2008

Pay for your tap water and help a child-- Tap Cincinnati

I read about the Tap New York project originally in the New York Times and I'm terribly impressed that Cincinnati is on the list to do this before it becomes a global event.

What's happening? 80 restaurants in the Cincinnati area will be asking diners to pay for their tap water-- $1 each. It starts Sunday, March 16 and ends Sunday, March 22.

When's the kickoff? Friday, March 14 at Bang Nightclub. $20 gets you in the door.

Which restaurants are participating?

20 Brix, Amarin, Andy's Mediterranean Grill, Aqua, Baba Budan, Bar Louie, Bella Luna, Bellevue Bistro, Beluga, BlackFinn Restaurant and Saloon, Boca, Carlo & Johnny, Chalk, Cityview Tavern, Cityside, Daveed's, deSha's, Dewey's Pizza (four locations), Embers, Greenup Café, Honey, Hugo, Indigo, Jean Robert @ Pigall's, JeanRo Bistro, Jeff Ruby's Steakhouse, Jimmy D's Steakhouse, Kona Bistro, LaRosa's Rapid Run, Lavomatic, Mac's Pizza Pub, McCormick & Schmick's Fresh Seafood, Mesh Restaurant, Mike and Jimmy's Chop House Grill, Mio's Hyde Park, Mitchell's Fish House, Mt. Adams Bar and Grill, Nada, Nectar, Nicola's Restaurant, Orchids at Palm Court, The Polo Grille, The Precinct, Red, Riverside, Sake Bomb, Skyline Chili, Slatt's, Teller's of Hyde Park, Tink's Café, Trio, Tropicana, Universal Grille, Via Vite, Village Kitchen Restaurant, The Vineyard Wineroom, The Waterfront, ZaZou Grill and Pub, Zip's Café.
The deadline has been extended to Wednesday, so check here for updates on participating restaurants.
I hope you'll patronize these restaurants during that time, and donate your own dollar. $1 can provide clean water for a child for 40 days. $10 can provide clean water for a child for a year. So little can do so much, and I'm so proud of Cincinnati and the owners and operators of these restaurants for giving back.

More questions? Visit www.tapcincy.org.

And the winner is.....

RayGunGirl! Congratulations, you and a lucky guest won tickets to the Blackfinn Pre-Grand Opening party! You were picked rather scientifically by my coworker Jen, whom I accosted with, "Pick a number between 1 and 4!" She picked 3. You were comment #3. Aren't you lucky?

RayGunGirl, comment here and we'll get in touch and meet up so you can grab your free tickets-- and don't forget to comment here with your experience!

Sunday, March 9, 2008

Review: Shadeau Bread's Lunch and Recipe: Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

Like most everyone else in Ohio, it seems, I've been stuck inside since Friday afternoon, when I left work in Mason to make the (hour-long, this time; the last storm, two-hour-long) trek back downtown. I knew I didn't have a whole lot prepared, and didn't want a frozen dinner, so I stopped by Shadeau bread to pick up some pastries and bread and noticed that they did a sandwich service. Yum! And they had soup-- perfect for a snowy day.


So I ended up with a chicken salad sandwich with lettuce, onion, and Swiss on multi-grain bread and a cup of tomato soup with raviolini. Yum.

We headed to Bockfest (that's another post) and wanted something for dinner-- of course, all of the restaurants were closed. Sigh. So we went back to my place and I made some of my favorite comfort food-- pasta with browned butter and parmigiano reggiano. No recipe needed, really-- simply take a stick of butter, cook it until the solids have turned golden brown and nutty, mix in some cooked pasta or egg noodles, add some freshly cracked pepper and some parmigiano reggiano to taste. Simple, delicious, and easy. Throw in some bacon and you have an eggless almost-carbonara (which is what we did on Friday night). Delish.

Saturday, we almost went to Lavomatic with 5chw4r7z and his lovely Mrs. 5, but they were closed, so I whipped up, due to popular demand, more of the chicken and gravy and mashed potatoes from last Sunday. It was enjoyed by both of us, though Terry had to remind me to remind him not to eat too much-- we had dessert!

We both had a craving for Pineapple Upside-Down cake, so we trekked out in the middle of the afternoon to Vine Street Kroger's. It gets a bad rap, but I found everything I needed for my meal, and despite being crowded, it was quick and everyone was friendly. Kroger's really does need to improve the produce section, but they did have some organics and they had fresh vegetables and fruits-- just not enough. I might go there more often in the future.

I went through my grandma's recipes, but they called for shortening (which I didn't have, and didn't want to substitute for). I went through my America's Test Kitchen cookbook, which called for fresh pineapple-- and that was something I definitely wouldn't find at Vine Street Kroger's. I settled on adapting this recipe from Simply Recipes, which I found via a google search. I made a couple of changes: first, I had no sour cream (and by that time, I wasn't going out again), so I substituted yogurt. I also cut out the almonds, and found that the cake just wasn't quite as dense as described. I also threw in some maraschino cherries, as that's a sort of "tradition" both Terry and I agreed on.

The pre-caramelizing of the brown sugar made for a really superior topping. Most recipes just call for brown sugar and melted butter in the bottom of the pan, which is good but not quite this good. If I had a cast iron skillet (or I was at Terry's; he has one), I would make the caramel in the pan and use that for baking as well-- fewer pots.

Oh, and the batter? Delish.

Saturday, March 8, 2008

Snowy Saturday News

First, some great news! Restaurant Week has been extended due to our inclement weather, through 3/14. Check out http://www.gcindependents.com for participating restaurants. I know that Brown Dog Cafe will be participating, but otherwise, visit here and I'll keep you posted.

And also, don't forget my contest! I only have three entries so far-- so dig out your cookbooks (what else do you have to do with 10" of snow out?) and participate!

Thursday, March 6, 2008

The Summit Restaurant to open at Midwest Culinary Institute

Look what just popped up on OpenTable.com!

From OpenTable:

A UNIQUELY "EDUCATIONAL" CULINARY EXPERIENCE!
DINE AT "The Summit"
MIDWEST CULINARY INSTITUTE
Classical french cooking with a light contemporary twist rounded out with some traditional American favorites. You will be wined and dined by our outstanding students. Under the guidance of our Executive Chef and Dining Room Manager our students get to "show their stuff". Truly a unique one of a kind dining experience.

To be clear: reservations are not yet available, per MCI itself.

Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Thanks, Chefs!

What a great way to reach out to the community!! Thanks to Chef Sturkey, the Mazzeis at Pompilio's, and Chef de Cavel. I love to see people give back to the community.

Review: Kona Bistro, Restaurant Week

In case you didn't know, this week is the Greater Cincinnati Independents' restaurant week. A selection of restaurants price a 3-course meal at 25.08. The restaurants range from a couple of Jean-Robert properties, to Hugo, to the Boathouse-- the list goes on.

On Monday, we decided to try Kona Bistro. Terry and I had both been there before-- he once, I had been twice-- and settled in for some great food at a great price.

Sigh.

It was not to be.

I know that Anthony Bourdain insists that you not go to restaurants on Monday night. I should have cooked, or something, and tried Kona on Tuesday.. or even tonight. Anthony, I will never ignore your words again.

Unlike a lot of the restaurants, the only choice in courses was in the entree. The first course was a spring mix salad with butternut squash, candied walnuts, red onions and warm herbed goat cheese. The warm herbed goat cheese was great, as were the walnuts and the vinaigrette, but the squash was boiled, cold and unseasoned and added nothing to the dish but an unpleasant clamminess-- not in flavor, of course, but texture. Disappointing.

I was going to order the espresso crusted pork loin, but they were out of it-- I guess they didn't plan for a lot of people on Monday night (there were maybe 4 tables occupied at 8:30). I ended up with the sun-dried tomato polenta with ratatouille and garlicky spinach.

The polenta was nice, but the ratatouille was undercooked, which made for an unpleasant texture. The garlicky spinach was just that-- really, really overpoweringly garlicky. The dish ended up being simply average.



Terry selected the salmon, which has a much better crust than that of the tilapia from Blackfinn's. The salmon itself, though, was a touch overdone and a touch overfrozen. The mashed potatoes were adequate, but I guess I'd spoiled him the night before with my mashed potatoes. Oops. Again, a very average dish.



Dessert was a fudge brownie with espresso-scented whipped cream. The brownies were again, average-- they needed some frosting or something. The whipped cream was the best part-- just a hint of espresso.

I know that Kona can do better-- I've had better food there somewhat recently. If they skimped because it was a discounted meal, then this is a bad sign-- Restaurant Week is supposed to draw in customers who might not normally go to these restaurants, and if I were one of these customers, I'd be disappointed. I'm going to try them out again sometime in the next couple of weeks to see if this was an isolated incident.

Hopefully, other restaurant week specials will be better! Which restaurants have you visited?

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

The very first wine me, dine me contest!

Yup! A contest. I have two free tickets to BlackFinn's Pre-Grand Opening party on Thursday, March 13. All you have to do is, in the comments, share your favorite St. Patrick's Day recipe. Only one entry per person, and I will pick a random entry as the winner on Monday, March 10th.

You're not eligible if you don't live in the Cincinnati area or if you work for Blackfinn Cincy (since I assume you'll be there anyway). You'll have to pick the tickets up from me before the 13th in a nice, public place. Otherwise, have fun! I look forward to your recipes.

Balsamic Chicken and other Sunday delights


This Sunday, I decided it was a nice day for a chicken dinner. I didn't want to roast one-- I just didn't feel like a whole chicken that day-- so I decided to fall back on one of my favorite recipes: Chicken in Balsamic Vinaigrette.

Roasted Chicken with Balsamic Vinaigrette, courtesy Giada di Laurentiis.
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (4-pound) whole chicken, cut into pieces (giblets, neck and backbone reserved for another use)
1/2 cup low-salt chicken broth
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves

Whisk the vinegar, mustard, lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper in small bowl to blend. Combine the vinaigrette and chicken pieces in a large resealable plastic bag; seal the bag and toss to coat. Refrigerate, turning the chicken pieces occasionally, for at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Remove chicken from the bag and arrange the chicken pieces on a large greased baking dish. Roast until the chicken is just cooked through, about 1 hour. If your chicken browns too quickly, cover it with foil for the remaining cooking time. Transfer the chicken to a serving platter. Place the baking dish on a burner over medium-low heat. Whisk the chicken broth into the pan drippings, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the baking sheet with a wooden spoon and mixing them into the broth and pan drippings. Drizzle the pan drippings over the chicken. Sprinkle the lemon zest and parsley over the chicken, and serve.

Seriously. Yum. And really good cold, too. I just did the thighs-- I think the flavor is perfect with thigh meat-- but it works well with any chicken part. Maybe not feet.


Instead of doing the pan dripping sauce as called for in the recipe, Terry requested actual gravy. So I threw together a slurry, popped it in the pan, thinned it with some chicken stock and voila: gravy.

He also wanted mashed potatoes, so I cut up some potatoes, boiled and mashed, added cream and butter and parmesan cheese. Delish. Too bad I was an idiot and used my chef's knife when my paring knife would do. This was the result:

However, the food turned out great. The mashed potatoes-- skin on-- went well with the gravy, which went well with the chicken. The conversation went something like this:

Me: "So how is it?"
Him: "Mmmm. Oooh. Mmmm."
Me: "Is that a good 'mmm'?"
Him: "Mmmph. Ohm nohm nohm."

He's normally far more loquacious. He had earlier complained about the portion I gave him (for photographic purposes, of course) but he only left about two spoonfuls of potatoes. He said, and I quote, "This is the best gravy I've ever had." This man is from Alabama. He knows gravy. I am pleased as punch.
My organic co-op delivery came (thus the potatoes and broccoli), and it also delivered green peppers. Due to a pizza-and-drinking binge in college, I don't eat a whole lot of green peppers anymore, and definitely not stuffed ones, so I used them to make stuffed peppers for Terry's lunch. I followed a recipe out of the America's Test Kitchen cookbook, which I don't have here to copy. They're stuffed peppers. Not that complicated.

This is pre-baking; I popped them into the oven when we ate and sent them home with him for lunch this week. I had borrowed his loaf pan, so it worked out quite swimmingly. Yesterday, he reported that they were pretty darn good.

The finger, by the way, is recovering nicely, though I now realize that I use my left thumb far more than I thought...

Sunday, March 2, 2008

Review: Blackfinn Cincinnati


I got a special invitation to preview Blackfinn Cincinnati on Saturday, March 1st. The management had a live training session for their staff, and wanted guests-- and who am I to pass up the opportunity?

Blackfinn, as you may know, is in the old McFadden's space. Not a whole lot has changed, interior-wise. There is the same dark wood and brick that graced McFadden's, and honestly, it still feels a lot like Nick and Tony's. The decor included huge flat-panel TVs, smaller flat-panel TVs in the booths (were those at McFadden's?) and pictures of steak houses around the country. The website says that it's trying evoke the atmosphere of a New York-style saloon-- for some reason, I was under the impression it was going to be an Irish pub-- and it does have a steakhouse feel. It doesn't feel like an Irish pub (though the owners were influenced, according to the website, by Irish pubs as well, so maybe that's where I got the idea).

This review is tempered by the fact that this was a training night. Our server, Amanda, was very sweet and did a nice job, but it's obvious that it was her first night serving ever. I'm going to be lot more forgiving than I would be under normal circumstances.

For an appetizer, we chose the calamari-- Amanda had said it was very tender, not rubbery at all. She was right! Thick rings of calamari that were very delicate and tender, unlike a lot of calamari I've had. It was delicately battered and served with marinara sauce-- a fairly basic presentation. However, in addition to the calamari, there were also deep fried pickled jalapenos and pickled red peppers of some sort-- I'm not sure exactly what kind. I'm really not a fan of pickled jalapenos, so I didn't eat the deep fried ones, but I actually liked the slight punch that permeated the calamari because of the jalapenos. Interesting, different, and pretty good.

Amanda then recommended the New England Clam Chowder as "the best she'd had". I had to disagree. It was overcooked-- the clams were like vending machine bouncy balls-- and it had far more potato than clam. The flavor was okay-- less clammy than I'd like-- but we didn't finish it.

We had a bunch of choices for an entree, but, holding with the New York tavern feel, we both chose steaks: I chose a petite filet, and Terry chose a ribeye. Unfortunately, they were out of both of those items, so we had to choose something else. I chose the catch of the day, which was parmesan crusted tilapia. He chose the salmon. The tilapia was okay-- the crust was oversalted, but the fish beneath was tender and quite good. The vegetables were also done well, and lended color to an otherwise cream-colored plate. I think the tilapia could have done with a lighter sauce: the herb sauce was just a tad too heavy for the dish.

The salmon was well prepared, and the seasoning on the outside-- pepper, garlic and salt, very simple-- was quite good. Neither of us were impressed with the rice pilaf, which was simply buttered rice, but overall, the food was a little above average.



For dessert, we decided on the Guinness Chocolate Mousse. Well, I decided: I was the one with the sweet tooth that night. It was chocolate mousse topped with white chocolate mousse, served in a pint glass. Very cute. The chocolate mousse was not quite rich enough-- this was a milk chocolate, and I expected something a bit darker to echo the stout. The white chocolate mousse was not mousselike at all, but instead frothy-- almost like egg whites. It was a nice finish to the meal, and a charming homage to the Irish pub.


Overall, this place has some potential. There were definitely some quirks that I'm sure will be worked out by opening-- the bar was a bit slow, as well as some of the seasoning issues discussed above-- but overall, this was a nice experience and I'll be sure to try them out again.

Full disclosure: We only paid for drinks and gratuity on this meal, as I was invited to try out the restaurant on one of their preview nights. This has no effect on my review.

Grand opening is March 14th, just in time for the pre-St. Patrick's Day weekend.

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

wine me, dine me (in washington, DC)

Don't worry, I'm not moving. However, Terry and I are going to be enjoying ourselves in our nation's capital for a few days. I'll be out of town until Tuesday, but I'll be reporting from the field. I hear that I'll be at Capitol City Brewery at least once a day (so says the guy that used to live there), but if I find anything else interesting, I'll be sure to report.

I knew I bought a flickr pro account for something!

Review: Half Day Cafe

My dear friend Abby is getting married in a few weeks, and I have the honor of being in her wedding. On Saturday, I had to go over to Bridal and Formal in Reading to pick up my (admittedly lovely) bridesmaid's dress. I was slightly nervous-- let's just say I ordered the dress before I started the food blog-- but everything turned out great, and I look quite smashing in the dress (if I do say so myself). Terry was brave and came with me into the inner sanctum of femininity-- the bridal shop. He came out unscathed. So that we didn't drive all the way to Reading for just a dress, we stopped in Wyoming and tried Half Day Cafe.

Half Day Cafe
Tea, please?

Half Day Cafe is one of those breakfast places. You know the ones-- breakfast, lunch and brunch. This one's only open Monday through Saturday-- closed Sunday. I think they're missing some prime opportunities being closed Sunday, but it works for them.

I got the egg strata with bacon, gorgonzola, egg bread, rosemary and orange zest. It came out looking and smelling delicious-- crispy and golden with a waft of rosemary. When I took my first bite, I tasted no gorgonzola, no rosemary, and little bacon. All I tasted was orange zest. I totally get the idea they were going for, but there is far too much orange zest. I've definitely decided that I do not like orange with my eggs. It's not often that rosemary, a pretty pungent herb, is overwhelmed by anything. Gorgonzola is a fairly strong cheese, and I couldn't taste it at all. I definitely wouldn't order it again. The tiny little lemon-poppyseed muffin was cute, but I didn't taste any lemon in the bite I took. The potatoes were undercooked (to the point of being raw in some spots) and overly seasoned with rosemary. The individual pots are a great idea, and I definitely get what they're going for, but the seasoning was just terribly off.

Half Day Cafe
Terry got the Almond Cinnamon stuffed french toast and a side of applewood smoked bacon. Applewood smoked bacon must be in-- this is the second meal in a row that involved it. The french toast was great-- crispy on the outside, custardy on the inside-- though it could have used a little bit more filling in the center. I wonder if the ricotta stuffing was too runny, so they used less of it? I've seen other places use marscapone to a rich, creamy effect-- that might make for a better stuffing. However, the flavors were great and balanced.

Half Day Cafe

I'll definitely go back-- I want to try the mango butter rum french toast sometime. However, they need to work on their savory flavors-- sweet and savory can go to better, but some balance would make the egg strata better.

My new Saturday morning hangout: Coffee Emporium

Coffee Emporium


Coffee Emporium
Originally uploaded by anadequatenovel

I've lived two blocks from Coffee Emporium since July, and I finally wandered there last weekend. What a great space! I saw lots of fellow downtowners/OTR-ers I recognized, and Jim Tarbell was holding court in the foyer. I had a delicious White Raspberry Mocha, and Terry got a cup of one of their coffees du jour. Too bad I don't work downtown-- I'd come down here every day before work. Maybe it's a good thing that I don't work closer...



Coffee Emporium

Coffee Emporium

Coffee Emporium

Coffee Emporium

Review: Universal Grille


I apparently haven't been with it. Did you know that Universal Grille (formerly Hamburger Mary's) had a bit of a kerfluffle in the kitchen and ended up closed for about a month? I sent my mom there a couple of months ago, since she wanted a fun place for a girl's night out, and I knew the guys at Universal would take care of her and her friends. I guess this happened just about a month ago! Terry and I decided to walk over there for dinner on Friday night, as well as pay a visit to my theatrical friend Josh. We did Rocky Horror a couple of years ago (he was Rocky, I costumed), and you get pretty close to someone when you apply full body glitter to them every night.


Anyway, Josh and I chatted after I asked, "Uh, where'd the rest of the menu go?" Turns out they decided to do whtat they did best, and cut the rest until they got the kitchen in order. Last year they went away from their Hamburger Mary's persona after the owners left the franchise, and were trying to go a little more upscale. I missed the fun Mary's vibe, particularly the themed areas-- I liked the pop princess area and the Judy Garland corner, personally-- so the dining area, in my opinion, has lost a little bit of its character. Going back to the basics was probably a very smart move. The menu is now mostly bar-style food: sliders, wings, nachos, burges, sandwiches and hamburgers, all with clever, kitschy names. They also limited themselves to dinner service-- though Josh says that he's hiring people to expand back into lunch.

The barbecue chicken salad is close to what I remember-- not as big, but still pretty good. It's basically breaded chicken, barbecue sauce, veggies and tortilla chips. Very yummy, but I think their sauce is a little different than it used to be-- this one is sweeter and spicier. It's a nice change.


Terry, of course, got a burger. He thinks Universal Grille may eclipse Terry's Turf Club in taste-- this burger was, according to Josh, freshly made of ground beef from Eckerlin's, and topped with a sauce made of spicy mayonnaise mixed with sweet onion preserves as well as caramelized onions. It was drip-down-your-chin juicy and the Star Sauce was spicy and sweet and creamy, all at the same time. The bacon was thick and applewood-smoked (though Josh didn't know where that came from), and together it made for a delicious burger experience. The onion rings were beer battered and of decent quality, but the burger really stood out.

We finished our meals and headed to the bar, which still had the old Mary's vibe-- lots of people way cooler than I am hanging out. I did run into a friend from high school that I hadn't seen since before I graduated, and it was fun to catch up. I always see someone I know at Universal Grille, and I hope it continues to be the meet-and-greet place for all sorts of people.

Friday, March 21, 2008

How to throw a successful and stress free dinner party.

Hahahahahahahaha!

Yeah, that's a funny one. I don't think it's possible that a dinner party can be stress free. I've tried, and it just doesn't work. However, I have learned how to minimize stress so I can relax and generally enjoy myself and my guests. Here are my hints:


Start early.

Get an idea of who you're having, what you're going to serve, and how you're going to get from "Shit, I'm having a dinner party!" to the portrait of domestic bliss when your guests arrive. Me, I generally start a week beforehand. I figure out what sort of party supplies I need, a general idea of menu, and what I need to clean. Monday of this week I started cleaning. I tend to be one of those people who obsesses over details when it comes to cleaning, so this is an occasion where you might want to have someone come in and clean. If that's out of your budget, start in baby steps. I tidy first, then move on to big cleaning tasks, then the day of the party I do a quick wipe down of surfaces so everything is neat and tidy.

Don't be fussy.

This is not the time to practice your plating techniques or to serve highly perishable foods. Stick with simple but delicious food. This is the time to pull out your favorite lasagna recipe, your roasted chicken recipe, or a big salad with lots of toppings. Think food that you can prepare ahead of time, too, or at least that doesn't have a whole lot of active cooking while your guests are there. My lamb roast worked out perfectly, as I popped it in the oven while I was putting my final touches on my apartment, and continued to cook as we enjoyed cocktail hour.

Prep ahead of time.

I cannot stress this enough. If you don't want to run around like a chicken with your head cut off, prep your meal beforehand. The night before, I made my hummus, tzatziki, refilled the ice trays, and prepped all of my vegetables for the salad and the entree. Then, the day of, all you have to do is put everything out and reheat things (if applicable), and relax.

Make a list.

I don't know about you, but I always forget something. I make a list, keeping a pad of paper nearby me at work, so I can write down things as I remember them. I even write down things like what I need to clean when I get home, or what pictures I need to take for my blog.

Enlist the help of a friend.

Significant others are great for this, but having a friend who will attend the party but doesn't mind showing up 30-60 minutes early to help with last minute details are invaluable. Terry rescued me by picking up cream cheese and pretzel chips that I didn't have time to pick up, and I greeted him at the door with a bag of garbage to take down to the garage. It also helps, for me at least, to have someone to talk to while I finish things up. It takes some of the pressure off and helps me relax.

Don't sweat the small stuff.

Put clutter in closets, pull the shower curtain so that you can't see that your tub isn't spic-and-span, and use paper napkins instead of cloth. Your guests won't care, and it'll keep you from going nuts. You are not Sandra Lee with her tablescapes; they're pretty, but what they're covering up is mediocre food and lack of conversation. If you have good food and conversation, no one cares if your napkin rings are handmade out of raffia and pinecones. Really.

Buy flowers.

They don't have to be expensive, just grab a bouquet at the grocery store and put them in a vase. Instant festive atmosphere, minimal prep work, and minimal cost. I generally get mine at Trader Joe's for $5. Plus you can enjoy them after the party is over!

Generally, if all goes well, or even if it doesn't-- yesterday greeted me with the fire alarm going off and a half-frozen leg of lamb-- you should have a few minutes to sit down, relax, and enjoy some quiet and a glass of wine before your guests arrive. Then, since all you have to do is assemble things, you can concentrate on enjoying the time you have with your guests, and not slaving away in the kitchen.

What are your tips for a successful dinner party?

Recipe: Hummus

My hummus is a party favorite-- I've been making it ever since my dear friend Elisa visited me for two weeks when I got married and she showed me how simple it was to do it. I'll add that it's far easier to do this in a food processor than in a blender, as Elisa and I learned the hard way (heretofore referred to as "The Great Hummus Incident of 2004") I'm fairly sure that until we remodeled the kitchen, you could still find bits of chickpeas in corners of the kitchen. Elisa's now busy with her political career, and I'm no longer married, but I can't help but think of her every time I make hummus.

This one's a pretty rough recipe-- there are no real measurements; I eyeball everything.

2 16 ounce cans of chickpeas
2-3 cloves of garlic (these can be roasted or unroasted; if roasted I use a few more than that, sometimes a whole head).
Olive oil
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Salt

In a food processor, process the chickpeas until they look sort of like wet sand. Through the chute, add oil slowly, until you notice that it looks less like wet sand, and more like peanut butter. Turn off the processor and taste the olive oil/chickpea mixture. Is the texture creamy? Then it's almost done! Now, squeeze in the juice of half a lemon and pop in the garlic cloves. Process until smooth. Salt to taste-- it shouldn't be salty, but the salt should brighten the flavors of olive oil, lemon and garlic and cut the blandness you tasted when you checked for consistence.

Smooth out on a plate, and garnish with paprika, olive oil, cracked pepper, whole olives-- whatever you want-- and serve with pita chips. It also makes a great lunch spread and it's darn good off of a spoon around midnight, straight out of the refrigerator.

Recipe: Roasted Leg of Lamb, Tzatziki

This recipe is adapted from Emeril Lagasse and Simply Recipes. I didn't have time for a marinade, so I decided to do a rub.

1 4-5 pound leg of lamb, sirloin end
8 cloves of garlic, minced
3-4 stems' worth of rosemary, removed from stems
1/4 cup of lemon juice
1 tablespoon of kosher salt
1-2 teaspoons cayenne pepper (to taste)
Freshly cracked pepper

Preheat your oven to 450.

Rub the lamb all over with lemon juice, then the minced garlic, then the rosemary, then salt and cayenne pepper. Crack as much pepper over the top of it as you'd like, and place in a roasting pan, fatty side up.

Roast at 450 for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 325 and roast for an hour more (about 12 minutes per pound) or until the internal temperature reaches 135-140. This will result in a medium rare lamb, which is how it should be ideally prepared. The ends, of course, will be more well done than the center. Let rest for ten minutes until slicing against the grain of the meat.

If not serving gyro-style, as I did, you can mix a tablespoon of flour with water to make a milky slurry to thicken the drippings into gravy.



(Photo courtesy 5chw4r7z)


My tzatziki is loosely based on the tzatziki from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone.

4 english cucumbers, chopped roughly
1 8-oz container strained greek yogurt (I used fago)
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon (or so) of fresh dill leaves
salt and pepper to taste

This one's easy: Mix it all together. Yum.

Thursday, March 20, 2008

Sunday Dinner: Sauerkraut and Mettwurst

One of my grandma's favorite meals to make for us was sauerkraut and metts. For her, it was pretty simple: Eckerich Farm smoked sausage, canned sauerkraut, an apple (to cut the sour, she said), simmered on the stove until everything is heated through.

When Terry and I started dating, I remember going to Findlay Market-- one of the first times he'd been-- and explaining this to him. He likes sausages, and he likes sauerkraut, so I made it for him. He loved it! He asked me for it again this weekend, as we stared at the sausages at Kroeger Meats at Findlay, so I happily obliged.

Sauerkraut and Metts (a little updated)

1 pound of mettwurst (I used the bier metts from Kroeger's)
2 pints of sauerkraut (I used their house-made sauerkraut; I really should get my friend Ed to give me his recipe, I hear it's great!)
1 apple
1 bottle of beer

In a heavy pot, sear the mettwurst-- just a nice brown crust on the outside. This should take just a few minutes. When browned, top with sauerkraut and nestle in a cut apple. Take a good sip of your beer (test for quality!) and pour the rest in the pot. Turn the heat down to medium, and allow to simmer, undisturbed, for about an hour.

Super simple, and super delicious. This is often served with mashed potatoes (at least it was at my house), but since Terry had made dessert that evening, we skipped the potatoes.


Sauerkraut and Mettwurst
I know. Sauerkraut and mettwurst don't really photograph well. But trust me, it was tasty.

Unfortunately, I do not have pictures of the banana pudding. I don't know why. Maybe I was tired? Who knows. However, here is the recipe:

Not Yo' Mama's Banana Pudding
Recipe: Paula Deen on Food Network

2 bags Pepperidge Farm Chessmen cookies
6 to 8 bananas, sliced
2 cups milk
1 (5-ounce) box instant French vanilla pudding
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (12-ounce) container frozen whipped topping thawed, or equal amount sweetened whipped cream

Line the bottom of a 13 by 9 by 2-inch dish with 1 bag of cookies and layer bananas on top. In a bowl, combine the milk and pudding mix and blend well using a handheld electric mixer. Using another bowl, combine the cream cheese and condensed milk together and mix until smooth. Fold the whipped topping into the cream cheese mixture. Add the cream cheese mixture to the pudding mixture and stir until well blended. Pour the mixture over the cookies and bananas and cover with the remaining cookies. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Review: Red

Terry and I have been trying to get to Hugo for dinner since my birthday in November. Either we've been too busy or they were out of reservations that weren't at 5:30. This past Saturday was another one of those nights. I suggested we try Red-- I've had several friends say they were the best steak in the city, so we decided to try it out.

We were a little early for our 8:00 reservation, so we sat in the bar area for a bit. The restaurant is named for the bar, which glows red and is a pretty cool effect. The restaurant is dark-- really dark. So dark I needed to use a flash, but not so dark that you can't see the person across from you. I had a glass of wine-- a pinot grigio-- and Terry had a beer. They took us in a little bit early for our reservation, which was nice .

As you walk in, you pass a really fantastic looking raw bar-- oysters, shrimp, crab, lobster, you name it-- before you hit the dining room. The thing that got me about the dining room is that sitting there, in the low level lighting, the sounds of plates and utensils and the hustle and bustle of the waitstaff is that it didn't feel like Cincinnati-- it felt more like a really hip, east coast restaurant. That's pretty unique for Cincinnati.

Now, onto the food. We decided on the Heart Healthy tasting menu-- at $35 and $50 with wine pairings, this was a steal, and part of the proceeds went to the American Heart Association. However, to start, we decided to try their foie gras (which is not terribly heart healthy). Terry has always been a big foie gras fan, and I just really discovered it when we were in Paris, so when given the opportunity here, we go for it. Red's was pan seared, with a fig crostini, dried cherry compote and a plum gastrique. Words do not adequately describe how good the foie was. It was pillowy, smooth, and velvety on the tongue, and the rich, yet fresh-tasting fruitiness of the gastrique and compote were excellent compliments to the richness of the foie.

Foie Gras-- Red

For the first course, I got the Red salad-- greens, sherry vinagrette, amaretto almonds, charred onions and a single waffle chip. The portion was petite and perfect, the vinagrette well balanced, though I couldn't find the charred onions for the life of me. Terry got the lobster bisque with sherry cream, which was rich and creamy, but, as he said, "not as good as the foie". The foie would be the gold standard by which the rest of the meal was judged.

Salad-- Red

Lobster Bisque-- Red

Our entrees came out shortly after we finished our first course-- the waitstaff had the timing down very well. My entree was salmon, served with lentils, tomatoes, and herbed cream. The portion, again, was petite but perfect (I hate overlarge portions) and the salmon was prepared medium rare, which was perfect. I really liked the lentils (and ought to cook them more often), and they were an earthy compliment to the salmon. It was, in a way, surf-and-turf, in the most literal sense.
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Terry ordered the ribeye, which was again, a small cut. It was prepared as he liked it (rare), and well seasoned, but he prefers the steaks at Jeff Ruby's. I pointed out that he generally orders a different cut at Ruby's, and he was thoughtful for a second. "I still prefer the steaks at Jeff Ruby's." I think it's a seasoning thing-- Ruby's are highly seasoned, which creates a crust that Red just doesn't have. I agree-- I'm a big fan of the burnt bits (though I like my steaks rare to medium rare).
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Now, for dessert. I ended up with the chocolate decadance cake, which is essentially a chocolate lava cake, and a glass of port (I love port!). Terry hadn't tried port, so I let this be his introduction: I had him take a bite of the chocolate decadence, then take a sip of port. He, too was converted to the delicious things that port does to chocolate... or chocolate does to port. Whatever. It's good stuff. Terry ended up with the banana bread pudding, which he really liked, though he said that the best part was how the bananas, caramel, and ice cream mixed like Bananas Foster-- the bread pudding part was negotiable.

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All in all, a great place-- but nothing was quite as impressive as the foie gras. We may go back and do something off the regular menu to broaden our choices. This is a great place to take a date, or just go to pretend you're in a big east coast city and eating at a trendy restaurant.

I'm back!

You know, I can't do anything simply.

As you read on Tuesday, my MacBook Pro (yes, I'm one of those people, about which Terry good-naturedly teases me) needed to go in for a broken hinge. Considering it's a first generation (yes, I was on the waiting list, I'm a dork) and just a little over 2 years old at this point and the only other thing that has gone wrong with it in those two years is a broken key and a battery recall, I'm pretty okay with this. I got it back yesterday, all shiny and pretty and... hey, what's this? Why is my memory out of my laptop?

Apparently, Apple doesn't like 3rd party products, so they said it failed the diagnostics, so they had to take out my extra gig of memory. Ugh. So, until I get to a hardware store for a 00 Phillips head screwdriver, it's running a little slow. So no pictures for now. Okay, fine, I also forgot my camera adapter and can't upload at work, either. Oy! However! I will tantalize you with the menu for my first Cincinnati Supper Club dinner!

Unlike Chris S's menu, which is elegantly paired with wines, mine is a bit more informal. I've decided that spring is here, and spring means lamb, so that's what I'm going for.

First course:
Homemade Hummus and pita chips
Goat cheese and pesto dip with pretzel crackers
Salt and Pepper Peanuts
Wasabi Peas

Second course:
Roasted leg of lamb served Gyros-style, with onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, pita and homemade tzatziki
Spring greens salad with feta, onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, red peppers, almonds and homemade vinaigrette

Third course:
A selection of gelato from Madisono's
Lemon stilton and Strawberry stilton

Terry and I had pizza and watched Top Chef (okay, I watched Top Chef, I'm fairly confident he didn't enjoy it as much as I did. I'm totally rooting for Stephanie and Richard.) and after he left, I did a bunch of prep, so all I have to do when I get home tonight is pick up the lamb at Eckerlin's, the gelato (notice "selection"? It's whatever pops out at me after work), grab a couple of things I forgot, throw the lamb in the oven and assemble everything else. I should have taken pictures of all of my prep bowls-- I was pretty proud of myself. Also, no fingers were harmed during this episode of Cooking with Julie.

I'm sure I'll post pictures (and if I don't, I'm sure 5chw4r7z will) and recipes tomorrow!

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

mini break.

I have two more reviews pending, but they'll have to wait for pictures, as my Mac is in the shop having some minor surgery. I should have it back tomorrow!

Monday, March 17, 2008

Review: York Street Cafe

I have been to York Street more times than I can count. For one particular group of my friends, it's the default drinks-and-apps location either for happy hour or after a show, since it's convenient to the theater we all perform at on a regular basis. Friday night, we celebrated my friend Tracy's birthday there and actually managed to have dinner.

York Street is an old drugstore that now houses a restaurant, an art gallery and a third floor club that often has swing bands and local indie bands. It has really eclectic decor-- from an old bridesmaid's dress, to Hudy delight ads (featuring the owner), to the owner's Elvis collection. I had initially written off York Street a few years ago after a 3.5 hour wait on a Valentine's that they didn't take reservations, but they've since worked the kinks out-- I've never had a bad meal or bad service.

I was rushing around Friday evening-- I got caught up picking up my bi-weekly organic co-op package (I should write a post about that!) and by a car that had parked in front of my garage door (Thank you, CPD, for responding so quickly for what, the third time in three weeks?). This lead me to forgetting my camera. Ack! Thankfully, my lovely friend Dave had his iPhone and saved the day.
I was hungry, so I got the Amish roasted chicken, which is stuffed with onions, gorgonzola and bacon. Very good, though you only got a hint of the cheese/bacon/onion stuffing-- there was none plated with the chicken. I'd have loved to have gotten a few bites of that. The gravy was great-- Terry's fork kept finding its way to my plate-- and you tasted the gorgonzola a bit more in the drippings. Yum.

Terry apparently had a huge lunch, so he ordered a salad:

This is the smoked chicken spinach salad. He said it was good, but that the chunks of cheese cut into the same size cubes as the chicken made it a bit hard to eat, and didn't disperse the gouda flavor evenly. That little pretzel is made out of puff pastry! Cute.

We had skipped appetizers to get a couple of the homemade desserts. The bar in the second dining room hosts all of the desserts, and it's fun to walk by and drool a little.

Dave decided to play cute and put a little cheesecake in the picture

More like cheesy. Not sure what my hair is doing in that picture. The cake was raspberry buttercream, and the raspberry was incorporated into the buttercream frosting. The cake was a white cake that was just a bit dry, but very flavorful. I'd have preferred a straight buttercream with a layer of raspberry preserves instead. Ted finished my cake (when we all go out, he usually gets my abandoned cake), and declared it good (but again, dry).

Terry (who did not pose for a beefcake picture--I kill me sometimes.) got a chocolate mocha cake.
Okay, so the plating wasn't that pretty, but damn, was that good cake. Dense chocolate cake with mocha frosting and whipped cream. Before I could get a second bite, it was gone!

A few of us proceeded to Havana Martini Club for a drink after dinner. Wow, has that place changed since it was on 6th street! It's not all suits now-- it's a mix of drunk college kids, hipsters, and ballroom dancers in their 50s. The music was mostly hip-hop with a little Latin mixed in-- all in all, very disappointing and I'm not sure I'll go back. But York Street? I'll be back sooner rather than later.

Thursday, March 13, 2008

What is a foodie?

I've been perusing the Cincinnati Magazine restaurant issue since I got it, in case I missed something or forgot about a restaurant I wanted to try (I do that a lot!). I've read, over and over, an article in the section that includes comments from local chefs—anonymous, of course. First, apparently the hot kitchen sex only happens in Anthony Bourdain's world (bummer); nearly all of them are tired of foam (thank goodness) and Kobe beef (rarely from Kobe, Japan; it's a word that has become the meat world's champagne, and most of it is Wagyu, a breed of cow that can be raised anywhere); they wish the entire city didn't dine at 7:30 (I tend to dine towards 8:30-9 PM, thankyouverymuch); and French cooking is out and Latin flavors are in. There is one phrase that caught my eye, and I've been thinking about since I read it. When asked what they would wish for in Cincinnati dining, someone said, "More real foodies, not wanna-bes."

What does that mean?

What makes a real foodie? Am I a real foodie?

Most everyone I've met in the (very!) short time I've been writing this blog has been so enthusiastic about the work I'm doing. Sure, some customers look at me a little funny when I whip out my camera as soon as the waiter walks away, but I'm not that easily embarrassed. Not many people do this around here—LA, NY, SF, and other places with bigger populations and a faster restaurant turnover cycle than Cincinnati have tons of bloggers—and only recently has Cincinnati begun to have its own culinary stamp (outside of Skyline and Graeters and other local favorites). Many of the industry people I've talked with are happy that someone who is not on a newspaper's payroll is writing about experiences as a customer.

On the flip side, some folks aren’t so enamored with the idea of blogging; they believe culinary writers should have culinary backgrounds. I think, perhaps, that they're missing the point. Culinary training certainly builds an excellent foundation for food enjoyment—you learn the fundamental techniques of Western cuisine and, by repetition, learn to make them in both large quantities and with consistent quality. You apply that quantity and consistency to the line, delivering the desired products based on your skill, training, and artistry. It is difficult, physically and mentally draining work, and I applaud the chefs, who largely go unseen by customers. However, the average customer at a restaurant is not a chef. Customers may not know how to cook without opening a frozen dinner, or may be good at a few standards, or maybe they’ve never have taken a cooking class.

Some chefs embrace food bloggers (and blog themselves). Others, like Mario Batali, think we're a scourge upon the restaurant industry. Some food bloggers prefer the scoop to research, and some might argue that there is a lack of journalistic integrity and accountability in blogging, since so much of it is anonymous. Okay, so some bloggers might be in it for notoriety, free food, or social status, etc. There are definitely food blog haters out there (who aren't Batali); some think that we all need to have worked the culinary industry to be "more understanding." How many of us, on a daily basis, judge something as "good" or "bad" without formal training in the subject? I know next to nothing about the mechanics of cars, but I know that I like the way my car handles, and I also know that when a funny sound comes out, something's wrong with it. I know that when it's spring and I start sneezing, I should probably take a Claritin.

I've been cooking since I was a wee tot, and grew up on The Frugal Gourmet and Justin Wilson and Julia Child. I have a fairly educated palate (becoming more educated daily, and I still have a long way to go), and I am a fairly accomplished home cook (unless you count the bacon brittle, which was awful!). With the Internet, foodies are more common, because we have more access to knowledge about good, seasonal, artisanal, and exotic food that our grandmothers (in their Jello-mold haze) couldn't have imagined.

Web 2.0 has opened an entirely new opportunity for people who fall between being a trained chef and chain-restaurant diner. Sites like Chowhound, Epicurious, The Kitchen, Eater and The Accidental Hedonist give a voice to people who truly enjoy food: cooking, eating, and learning about it. There is less of a hierarchy. As one commenter put it on Eater.com:

With respect, I think a lot of you are missing the point about blogs in general. Most "food bloggers" are not pretending to be critics, but are sharing their experiences, prejudices, biases, and opinions. The absence of any pretense at journalistic standards is what makes the blogosphere…so interesting.

Don't think journalism.

Think cocktail party. Maybe after an hour and half of cocktails. Buck Callahan.

That's exactly what the Internet is: one big cocktail party where people have opinions and share them with others. You have to sort out the good from the bad; many blogs are well researched and are based on first-hand experiences. And of course some blogs (Yahoo Answers, Yelp, and Citysearch, etc.) have essentially anonymous and often vitriolic posts that aren't as reliable. There are major news outlets that put out unresearched stories, and there are blogs that are often better researched than the average newspaper.

What it boils down to is this: Chefs and food writers (whether they're restaurant reviewers, bloggers, or whomever) have opinions and have, historically, been at odds with each other. As a food blogger, I am not out to ruin anyone's business. I try to write well-researched posts that highlight the sort of food I like and discover. I hope that my reviews will help Cincinnati readers break the habit of going to known chain restaurants and start trying locally owned restaurants (or very small chains) that might be out of their comfort zone. I love good food, and hope I introduce you to some good stuff that you might not have tried.

What is a foodie? A foodie is someone who loves food. Good food. They want to know where it comes from, why it's good, how to prepare it, and how to enjoy it. If my lack of formal culinary training makes me a wanna-be foodie, so be it. I’ll keep enjoying wonderful meals and taking pictures of the fun.

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Congratulations, RayGunGirl!



Yay!

Check here soon for her review of her Blackfinn experience.

She won, by the way, with her corned beef recipe!

Corned Beef and Cabbage
(My mom's traditional!)

Ingredients:
1 corned beef roast with spice packet
1 head green cabbage
1 lb. russet potatoes, peeled

Buy a corned beef that is packaged with a packet of spices included. Put this into a crock pot (the beef, and open the packet of spices and throw it in). Cover with water, turn crock pot on and cook about 5-7 hours on crock pot setting. The last hour, I throw in a fresh cabbage that is cut into large wedges, and I peel potatoes, put them into the water around the beef, lay the cabbage wedges on top. Mmmmm, when it’s done, it’s so tender, and the potatoes and cabbage are just saturated with the flavor of the cooked corned beef; Also, makes great sandwiches the next day (the beef, that is!)

Review: The Quarter Bistro




I walk into this review with a little bias: The Quarter Bistro in Mariemont on Wooster Pike, is one of my favorite restaurants. I ate there when it was The Latin Quarter, and I've eaten there several times in the past year or so. In fact, I have a regular entree-- the diver scallops-- and so does Terry (steak frites).

In the interest of you, my readers, we decided to try something different. We had just come out of the Mariemont Theater (we saw Taxi to the Darkside which was fantastic if utterly depressing and angering), and Terry dragged me right into the Quarter. No arguing, there!

I love their decor-- it is warm, inviting, and very flattering-- the walls are red, and that reflects onto the food and diners quite prettily. They have warm sourdough bread served in cute little paper bags that keep it surprisingly warm on the table.

We started out with drinks-- a Latin Sangria for me, and a Stella Artois for him. The sangria was nice, if a little sweeter than I'd like. It was a little more on the kool-aid side than the sangria side.

We decided that we didn't want a full dinner, just sandwiches or salads, so we ordered some soup to start. This was a great seasonal selection: Sweet Potato Bisque, topped with creme fraiche and a little hunk of pork belly confit. I'll be honest: I'm a sucker for sweet potatoes in just about any form, and with the addition of pork belly? Ooof.




Oh, yeah. See that hunk in the center? That was sizzling when it came out. We each took a few spoonfuls of the soup-- sweet, yet not overwhelmingly so, with some smokiness and a little spice. But the best part? That little hunk of pork belly. The fat quivered below the crispy, scored skin and was meltingly rich and delicious. We split the piece in half, so I figure half a piece didn't blow my "trying to eat healthfully" too much.

Terry ordered the Torta Cubana, the Quarter's take on a Cuban sandwich. It was ciabatta stuffed with pork, chorizo, chihuaha cheese, avocado, spicy mayonnaise, lettuce and tomato. I really like cuban sandwiches, but the only thing "cuban" about it was the pork-- it wasn't pressed, there was no tart pickle or mustard. That doesn't mean it wasn't good, but it wasn't quite a Cubana. We both thought that the chorizo was a little too much-- the spiciness of the chorizo really overwhelmed the rest of the sandwich. I wanted to taste the roasted pork and the cheese, too. It was served with their great french fries, which are perfectly crisp and delicious.




I chose the entree Quarter Salad, which is greens with golden raisins, seasoned almonds, croutons and sherry vinaigrette. They topped it with some nice, moist grilled chicken. The sherry vinagrette is flavorful, and the almonds are nicely seasoned with 5-spice powder. It's a nice change from your usual dinner salad at a restaurant-- light and flavorful.



We skipped dessert, but their desserts are fantastic, particularly the Key Lime Pie with Gingersnap Crust. Yum.

I will, at a later time, write up their entrees. The Quarter Bistro is a great place that's a little off the beaten path, with solid food and great service.

Market Wines to open at Findlay Market!


Thanks to Michelle for this tip!

Findlay Market is finally getting a wine shop! Market Wines will open on March 29, featuring wines that, according to owner Michael Maxwell, are "a little bit of everything", from organics to biodynamics to kosher and beyond.

I'm really exciting-- Findlay will truly be one stop shopping.

Hours: Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 9-5, Friday from 9-6, Saturday from 8-6 and closed Sunday and Monday. There will also be tastings, microbrews, and accessories.


Review: First Watch

On Sunday, Terry and I couldn't wait to get out of my apartment. As much as we like having nothing to do but cook, watch movies, and play with the cats, it was getting old after two days. We decided to brave the snow and head to First Watch.

Yeah, another chain. But it was the only one open, and I was jonesing for a review!

First Watch is based in Florida, and has locations in Florida, Ohio, and a couple of other midwestern states. It's small, but pretty decent. I like that I can order things that are relatively healthy, and aren't too expensive.



That's a "Not Guilty, Your Honor" sandwich: Flatbread, hummus, feta, spinach, red peppers, tomato and mushrooms. I really wanted something fresh and springlike to counter the heavy, wintry foods I've been eating lately. It was pretty good, but something I could easily make at home.


This was the turkey dill CrepeEgg. Turkey, eggs, veggiese, hollandaise and dill. It tasted a lot better than it looks on that plate (beige food is the enemy of the food photographer).

I like First Watch, but my favorite breakfast place locally (as in, "place that is only open from 7 AM to 2 PM") is Daybreak. I'll have to review them soon.

What's your favorite place for breakfast?

Monday, March 10, 2008

Pay for your tap water and help a child-- Tap Cincinnati

I read about the Tap New York project originally in the New York Times and I'm terribly impressed that Cincinnati is on the list to do this before it becomes a global event.

What's happening? 80 restaurants in the Cincinnati area will be asking diners to pay for their tap water-- $1 each. It starts Sunday, March 16 and ends Sunday, March 22.

When's the kickoff? Friday, March 14 at Bang Nightclub. $20 gets you in the door.

Which restaurants are participating?

20 Brix, Amarin, Andy's Mediterranean Grill, Aqua, Baba Budan, Bar Louie, Bella Luna, Bellevue Bistro, Beluga, BlackFinn Restaurant and Saloon, Boca, Carlo & Johnny, Chalk, Cityview Tavern, Cityside, Daveed's, deSha's, Dewey's Pizza (four locations), Embers, Greenup Café, Honey, Hugo, Indigo, Jean Robert @ Pigall's, JeanRo Bistro, Jeff Ruby's Steakhouse, Jimmy D's Steakhouse, Kona Bistro, LaRosa's Rapid Run, Lavomatic, Mac's Pizza Pub, McCormick & Schmick's Fresh Seafood, Mesh Restaurant, Mike and Jimmy's Chop House Grill, Mio's Hyde Park, Mitchell's Fish House, Mt. Adams Bar and Grill, Nada, Nectar, Nicola's Restaurant, Orchids at Palm Court, The Polo Grille, The Precinct, Red, Riverside, Sake Bomb, Skyline Chili, Slatt's, Teller's of Hyde Park, Tink's Café, Trio, Tropicana, Universal Grille, Via Vite, Village Kitchen Restaurant, The Vineyard Wineroom, The Waterfront, ZaZou Grill and Pub, Zip's Café.
The deadline has been extended to Wednesday, so check here for updates on participating restaurants.
I hope you'll patronize these restaurants during that time, and donate your own dollar. $1 can provide clean water for a child for 40 days. $10 can provide clean water for a child for a year. So little can do so much, and I'm so proud of Cincinnati and the owners and operators of these restaurants for giving back.

More questions? Visit www.tapcincy.org.

And the winner is.....

RayGunGirl! Congratulations, you and a lucky guest won tickets to the Blackfinn Pre-Grand Opening party! You were picked rather scientifically by my coworker Jen, whom I accosted with, "Pick a number between 1 and 4!" She picked 3. You were comment #3. Aren't you lucky?

RayGunGirl, comment here and we'll get in touch and meet up so you can grab your free tickets-- and don't forget to comment here with your experience!

Sunday, March 9, 2008

Review: Shadeau Bread's Lunch and Recipe: Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

Like most everyone else in Ohio, it seems, I've been stuck inside since Friday afternoon, when I left work in Mason to make the (hour-long, this time; the last storm, two-hour-long) trek back downtown. I knew I didn't have a whole lot prepared, and didn't want a frozen dinner, so I stopped by Shadeau bread to pick up some pastries and bread and noticed that they did a sandwich service. Yum! And they had soup-- perfect for a snowy day.


So I ended up with a chicken salad sandwich with lettuce, onion, and Swiss on multi-grain bread and a cup of tomato soup with raviolini. Yum.

We headed to Bockfest (that's another post) and wanted something for dinner-- of course, all of the restaurants were closed. Sigh. So we went back to my place and I made some of my favorite comfort food-- pasta with browned butter and parmigiano reggiano. No recipe needed, really-- simply take a stick of butter, cook it until the solids have turned golden brown and nutty, mix in some cooked pasta or egg noodles, add some freshly cracked pepper and some parmigiano reggiano to taste. Simple, delicious, and easy. Throw in some bacon and you have an eggless almost-carbonara (which is what we did on Friday night). Delish.

Saturday, we almost went to Lavomatic with 5chw4r7z and his lovely Mrs. 5, but they were closed, so I whipped up, due to popular demand, more of the chicken and gravy and mashed potatoes from last Sunday. It was enjoyed by both of us, though Terry had to remind me to remind him not to eat too much-- we had dessert!

We both had a craving for Pineapple Upside-Down cake, so we trekked out in the middle of the afternoon to Vine Street Kroger's. It gets a bad rap, but I found everything I needed for my meal, and despite being crowded, it was quick and everyone was friendly. Kroger's really does need to improve the produce section, but they did have some organics and they had fresh vegetables and fruits-- just not enough. I might go there more often in the future.

I went through my grandma's recipes, but they called for shortening (which I didn't have, and didn't want to substitute for). I went through my America's Test Kitchen cookbook, which called for fresh pineapple-- and that was something I definitely wouldn't find at Vine Street Kroger's. I settled on adapting this recipe from Simply Recipes, which I found via a google search. I made a couple of changes: first, I had no sour cream (and by that time, I wasn't going out again), so I substituted yogurt. I also cut out the almonds, and found that the cake just wasn't quite as dense as described. I also threw in some maraschino cherries, as that's a sort of "tradition" both Terry and I agreed on.

The pre-caramelizing of the brown sugar made for a really superior topping. Most recipes just call for brown sugar and melted butter in the bottom of the pan, which is good but not quite this good. If I had a cast iron skillet (or I was at Terry's; he has one), I would make the caramel in the pan and use that for baking as well-- fewer pots.

Oh, and the batter? Delish.

Saturday, March 8, 2008

Snowy Saturday News

First, some great news! Restaurant Week has been extended due to our inclement weather, through 3/14. Check out http://www.gcindependents.com for participating restaurants. I know that Brown Dog Cafe will be participating, but otherwise, visit here and I'll keep you posted.

And also, don't forget my contest! I only have three entries so far-- so dig out your cookbooks (what else do you have to do with 10" of snow out?) and participate!

Thursday, March 6, 2008

The Summit Restaurant to open at Midwest Culinary Institute

Look what just popped up on OpenTable.com!

From OpenTable:

A UNIQUELY "EDUCATIONAL" CULINARY EXPERIENCE!
DINE AT "The Summit"
MIDWEST CULINARY INSTITUTE
Classical french cooking with a light contemporary twist rounded out with some traditional American favorites. You will be wined and dined by our outstanding students. Under the guidance of our Executive Chef and Dining Room Manager our students get to "show their stuff". Truly a unique one of a kind dining experience.

To be clear: reservations are not yet available, per MCI itself.

Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Thanks, Chefs!

What a great way to reach out to the community!! Thanks to Chef Sturkey, the Mazzeis at Pompilio's, and Chef de Cavel. I love to see people give back to the community.

Review: Kona Bistro, Restaurant Week

In case you didn't know, this week is the Greater Cincinnati Independents' restaurant week. A selection of restaurants price a 3-course meal at 25.08. The restaurants range from a couple of Jean-Robert properties, to Hugo, to the Boathouse-- the list goes on.

On Monday, we decided to try Kona Bistro. Terry and I had both been there before-- he once, I had been twice-- and settled in for some great food at a great price.

Sigh.

It was not to be.

I know that Anthony Bourdain insists that you not go to restaurants on Monday night. I should have cooked, or something, and tried Kona on Tuesday.. or even tonight. Anthony, I will never ignore your words again.

Unlike a lot of the restaurants, the only choice in courses was in the entree. The first course was a spring mix salad with butternut squash, candied walnuts, red onions and warm herbed goat cheese. The warm herbed goat cheese was great, as were the walnuts and the vinaigrette, but the squash was boiled, cold and unseasoned and added nothing to the dish but an unpleasant clamminess-- not in flavor, of course, but texture. Disappointing.

I was going to order the espresso crusted pork loin, but they were out of it-- I guess they didn't plan for a lot of people on Monday night (there were maybe 4 tables occupied at 8:30). I ended up with the sun-dried tomato polenta with ratatouille and garlicky spinach.

The polenta was nice, but the ratatouille was undercooked, which made for an unpleasant texture. The garlicky spinach was just that-- really, really overpoweringly garlicky. The dish ended up being simply average.



Terry selected the salmon, which has a much better crust than that of the tilapia from Blackfinn's. The salmon itself, though, was a touch overdone and a touch overfrozen. The mashed potatoes were adequate, but I guess I'd spoiled him the night before with my mashed potatoes. Oops. Again, a very average dish.



Dessert was a fudge brownie with espresso-scented whipped cream. The brownies were again, average-- they needed some frosting or something. The whipped cream was the best part-- just a hint of espresso.

I know that Kona can do better-- I've had better food there somewhat recently. If they skimped because it was a discounted meal, then this is a bad sign-- Restaurant Week is supposed to draw in customers who might not normally go to these restaurants, and if I were one of these customers, I'd be disappointed. I'm going to try them out again sometime in the next couple of weeks to see if this was an isolated incident.

Hopefully, other restaurant week specials will be better! Which restaurants have you visited?

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

The very first wine me, dine me contest!

Yup! A contest. I have two free tickets to BlackFinn's Pre-Grand Opening party on Thursday, March 13. All you have to do is, in the comments, share your favorite St. Patrick's Day recipe. Only one entry per person, and I will pick a random entry as the winner on Monday, March 10th.

You're not eligible if you don't live in the Cincinnati area or if you work for Blackfinn Cincy (since I assume you'll be there anyway). You'll have to pick the tickets up from me before the 13th in a nice, public place. Otherwise, have fun! I look forward to your recipes.

Balsamic Chicken and other Sunday delights


This Sunday, I decided it was a nice day for a chicken dinner. I didn't want to roast one-- I just didn't feel like a whole chicken that day-- so I decided to fall back on one of my favorite recipes: Chicken in Balsamic Vinaigrette.

Roasted Chicken with Balsamic Vinaigrette, courtesy Giada di Laurentiis.
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (4-pound) whole chicken, cut into pieces (giblets, neck and backbone reserved for another use)
1/2 cup low-salt chicken broth
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves

Whisk the vinegar, mustard, lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper in small bowl to blend. Combine the vinaigrette and chicken pieces in a large resealable plastic bag; seal the bag and toss to coat. Refrigerate, turning the chicken pieces occasionally, for at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Remove chicken from the bag and arrange the chicken pieces on a large greased baking dish. Roast until the chicken is just cooked through, about 1 hour. If your chicken browns too quickly, cover it with foil for the remaining cooking time. Transfer the chicken to a serving platter. Place the baking dish on a burner over medium-low heat. Whisk the chicken broth into the pan drippings, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the baking sheet with a wooden spoon and mixing them into the broth and pan drippings. Drizzle the pan drippings over the chicken. Sprinkle the lemon zest and parsley over the chicken, and serve.

Seriously. Yum. And really good cold, too. I just did the thighs-- I think the flavor is perfect with thigh meat-- but it works well with any chicken part. Maybe not feet.


Instead of doing the pan dripping sauce as called for in the recipe, Terry requested actual gravy. So I threw together a slurry, popped it in the pan, thinned it with some chicken stock and voila: gravy.

He also wanted mashed potatoes, so I cut up some potatoes, boiled and mashed, added cream and butter and parmesan cheese. Delish. Too bad I was an idiot and used my chef's knife when my paring knife would do. This was the result:

However, the food turned out great. The mashed potatoes-- skin on-- went well with the gravy, which went well with the chicken. The conversation went something like this:

Me: "So how is it?"
Him: "Mmmm. Oooh. Mmmm."
Me: "Is that a good 'mmm'?"
Him: "Mmmph. Ohm nohm nohm."

He's normally far more loquacious. He had earlier complained about the portion I gave him (for photographic purposes, of course) but he only left about two spoonfuls of potatoes. He said, and I quote, "This is the best gravy I've ever had." This man is from Alabama. He knows gravy. I am pleased as punch.
My organic co-op delivery came (thus the potatoes and broccoli), and it also delivered green peppers. Due to a pizza-and-drinking binge in college, I don't eat a whole lot of green peppers anymore, and definitely not stuffed ones, so I used them to make stuffed peppers for Terry's lunch. I followed a recipe out of the America's Test Kitchen cookbook, which I don't have here to copy. They're stuffed peppers. Not that complicated.

This is pre-baking; I popped them into the oven when we ate and sent them home with him for lunch this week. I had borrowed his loaf pan, so it worked out quite swimmingly. Yesterday, he reported that they were pretty darn good.

The finger, by the way, is recovering nicely, though I now realize that I use my left thumb far more than I thought...

Sunday, March 2, 2008

Review: Blackfinn Cincinnati


I got a special invitation to preview Blackfinn Cincinnati on Saturday, March 1st. The management had a live training session for their staff, and wanted guests-- and who am I to pass up the opportunity?

Blackfinn, as you may know, is in the old McFadden's space. Not a whole lot has changed, interior-wise. There is the same dark wood and brick that graced McFadden's, and honestly, it still feels a lot like Nick and Tony's. The decor included huge flat-panel TVs, smaller flat-panel TVs in the booths (were those at McFadden's?) and pictures of steak houses around the country. The website says that it's trying evoke the atmosphere of a New York-style saloon-- for some reason, I was under the impression it was going to be an Irish pub-- and it does have a steakhouse feel. It doesn't feel like an Irish pub (though the owners were influenced, according to the website, by Irish pubs as well, so maybe that's where I got the idea).

This review is tempered by the fact that this was a training night. Our server, Amanda, was very sweet and did a nice job, but it's obvious that it was her first night serving ever. I'm going to be lot more forgiving than I would be under normal circumstances.

For an appetizer, we chose the calamari-- Amanda had said it was very tender, not rubbery at all. She was right! Thick rings of calamari that were very delicate and tender, unlike a lot of calamari I've had. It was delicately battered and served with marinara sauce-- a fairly basic presentation. However, in addition to the calamari, there were also deep fried pickled jalapenos and pickled red peppers of some sort-- I'm not sure exactly what kind. I'm really not a fan of pickled jalapenos, so I didn't eat the deep fried ones, but I actually liked the slight punch that permeated the calamari because of the jalapenos. Interesting, different, and pretty good.

Amanda then recommended the New England Clam Chowder as "the best she'd had". I had to disagree. It was overcooked-- the clams were like vending machine bouncy balls-- and it had far more potato than clam. The flavor was okay-- less clammy than I'd like-- but we didn't finish it.

We had a bunch of choices for an entree, but, holding with the New York tavern feel, we both chose steaks: I chose a petite filet, and Terry chose a ribeye. Unfortunately, they were out of both of those items, so we had to choose something else. I chose the catch of the day, which was parmesan crusted tilapia. He chose the salmon. The tilapia was okay-- the crust was oversalted, but the fish beneath was tender and quite good. The vegetables were also done well, and lended color to an otherwise cream-colored plate. I think the tilapia could have done with a lighter sauce: the herb sauce was just a tad too heavy for the dish.

The salmon was well prepared, and the seasoning on the outside-- pepper, garlic and salt, very simple-- was quite good. Neither of us were impressed with the rice pilaf, which was simply buttered rice, but overall, the food was a little above average.



For dessert, we decided on the Guinness Chocolate Mousse. Well, I decided: I was the one with the sweet tooth that night. It was chocolate mousse topped with white chocolate mousse, served in a pint glass. Very cute. The chocolate mousse was not quite rich enough-- this was a milk chocolate, and I expected something a bit darker to echo the stout. The white chocolate mousse was not mousselike at all, but instead frothy-- almost like egg whites. It was a nice finish to the meal, and a charming homage to the Irish pub.


Overall, this place has some potential. There were definitely some quirks that I'm sure will be worked out by opening-- the bar was a bit slow, as well as some of the seasoning issues discussed above-- but overall, this was a nice experience and I'll be sure to try them out again.

Full disclosure: We only paid for drinks and gratuity on this meal, as I was invited to try out the restaurant on one of their preview nights. This has no effect on my review.

Grand opening is March 14th, just in time for the pre-St. Patrick's Day weekend.