Review: Bouchon Bakery, NYC

If you haven't noticed, I like fancy restaurants. However, when Terry and I travel, we tend to do smaller, less-fancy places because I think you get a flavor of wherever you're at a bit better than at fancier digs. We want to eat with the people. Or something.

I knew that Thomas Keller's restaurants would be on vacation most of the time we were in New York (and that I should have thought about Per Se reservations weeks before I actually did), but I made him promise that we would get to Columbus Circle so I could get some macarons at Bouchon Bakery. I had heard that they were the best macarons in the States, so I had to have some. Then, Kari told me they had the best chocolate chip cookies in the world. I am not one to ignore such tidbits of information, so one slightly overcast day, we headed over there.



There are two sections to the bakery, which is housed in the Time Warner building in Columbus Circle. First, the bakery, which is a simple stand where you can pick up a cookie or a sandwich, and then a full-service cafe. We went through the line at the bakery, hardly able to make up our minds as to what we wanted. I ended up with exactly what I had planned on getting: a macaron and a chocolate chip cookie.

The macaron I chose was fruits of the forest, which were two purplish almond-and-egg-white cookies sandwiching some berry preserves. Crisp and delicious, but a whole lot bigger than the ones I've had in the past. I prefer the small ones, but these were pretty tasty.


The chocolate chip cookie was good, but not the best I've ever had. I think that, perhaps, these would be awesome straight out of the oven. Still, it was a darn good cookie.



We went outside to prance around in Central Park and it started raining. Sheets. So we decided to wait out the rain by having a meal in Bouchon Bakery. After all, I'd only had a macaron (we saved the cookie for later).

The service was excellent; our waiter was knowledgeable but laid back and ignored my picture-taking. Terry (who had munched on some leftovers for breakfast before I was even up) wasn't hungry, but he saw my eyes light up when the waiter mentioned melon soup, so he ordered it. What a trouper. It was fantastic: that amazing sensation of fresh melon, with some tarragon and creme fraiche-- outstanding. I savored every bite he shared with me.



It was accompanied by some outstanding French bread and butter.



I ordered a very traditional sandwich-- jamon et fromage. Ham, Gruyere, and a bit of mustard pressed together. They were a total trip back to paris-- cheesy, melty-- if I hadn't been in the middle of a mall (yes, Bouchon Bakery sits inside what is essentially a mall) I'd have thought I was in Paris. It was accompanied by a small salad and a few cornichons.



If you're in the area and want a taste of Thomas Keller but can't get into Per Se, try Bouchon Bakery. And don't skip the macarons for anything!

Events: Lots of them

I guess summer is officially over as there are a ton of events starting in September!

First, check out a wine tasting hosted by EQ to benefit the Krystal Pepper Memorial Scholarship Fund. My good friend (and fellow blogger) Michelle has worked so hard to put this together, and they're raising a lot of money for a good cause. It's September 11, $40 and spaces are limited, so if you're interested, go to the website and sign up!

Oceanaire is hosting a wine dinner on September 12. It's five courses, $65 per person and you can make reservations at their website . Michelle and I will have a preview next Wednesday-- I'm sure it'll be great.

Review: Dixie Chili

Dixie Chili-- Coneys
Originally uploaded by winemedineme

I always forget my camera when we're just going out during the week. During the week, we tend to go out to old favorites that I've already written about, or something like The Cheesecake Factory, which I don't care to write about. This time, after seeing Hamlet 2 at the Levee, Terry said, "I want to go to Dixie Chili!" and I said "OK!" and then "Thank goodness I have a Blackberry, which takes surprisingly good photographs!"

Well, not quite like that. But you get the idea.

I'm trying to maintain this whole Cincinnati Losers thing, so I chickened out and got salad with chicken, but Terry took one for the team and got a salad and two cheese coneys. Terry's one of the very few non-native Cincinnatians who actually likes Cincinnati chili. I don't know a whole lot of out-of-towners who eat it and fall in love. Most of you hear "chili" and think "Texas", but you end up finding sort of watery sauce on top of spaghetti (horrors!) topped with cheese (strangely orange) and only occasionally involving beans.

Out of towners, simply change your perspective! Think of Cincinnati chili as a meat sauce; more complex in flavor and less tomato-based than something you would traditionally put on spaghetti. It's derived from patitso, a Greek meat sauce (the various creators of Cincinnati chili were all Greek) and simply Americanized.

Does that help any?

Okay. That doesn't help. You still think it tastes (as I read one commenter on another blog put it) like canned dog food? Skip Skyline. Skip Gold Star. Either head over to the west side and get some Camp Washington chili (open all night in a charmingly retro building; I shall review it soon, I assure you) or cross the river into Newport and head to Dixie Chili.

Terry and I started going to Dixie Chili before we were even dating. We did a show together and, being a) hungry and b) friends we would go there after rehearsal and eat an unhealthy dinner on our way home. Maybe I should credit their chili cheese fries for our romance? I'm not sure "chili cheese fries" and "romance" have ever been used in the same sentence. Anyway, It's a place that holds pretty fond memories for me because of that. Oh yeah-- and their chili is, by far, the best in town.

Dixie Chili has a pretty expansive menu aside from chili, including sandwiches, deli selections and salads. Their chili is rich, meaty, spicy (not in a hot way, but well-spiced and with a depth of flavor that Skyline and Goldstar just can't match) and not greasy like Gold Star in particular can be, as it's made with lean cuts of beef. It's not as sweet as Skyline is, either-- it's very well balanced. I know that chili in Cincinnati is about as personal as barbecue is in the South, but I will say this unequivocally: independent chili parlors are far superior to the chains. Far, far superior. This is not to say I don't like Skyline, but given the choice? Dixie Chili.

I'm also a huge fan of their Greek salad, which is small, and has a light sprinkling of feta, olives, tomatoes, cucumbers and homemade croutons, and homemade Greek dressing on the side. We've gone from Terry politely asking me if he can have my olives (I tend not to eat them) to me putting them on his plate without asking.

Funny how food fosters a relationship, isn't it?

Dixie Chili has three locations: Newport, Erlanger and Covington. Good news for Ohioans? They're smoke free, too!

Review: Katz's, LES

Most people are familiar with Katz's. Have you seen When Harry Met Sally? You know the scene.. well.


I try not to talk about sex in this blog, but this is an appropriate reference. In fact, there's a sign hanging over that exact table. Isn't that cool?




Anyway, Katz's is a New York institution. It's been around for more than 100 years, and its tagline, "Send a salami to your boy in the Army" is still everywhere in this place, along with pictures of the owners with celebrities. There is one area with waiter service (the guy you see in the blue jacket, who I swear was still there when we went earlier this month) or you can self-serve, which is much more fun. When you go in, you get a ticket, and you have to give them the ticket on exit-- or else they charge you $50. I guess you organize any way you can when the line is constantly out the door.

First, you get on line for a slicer. Each slicer has his own line, and if you tip him, he'll give you a healthy sample of whatever sandwich you're getting. In this case, it was pastrami.



Terry took a bite before I could get a good picture. Bad Terry. It's so hard to resist, I can't blame him.

Every time Terry has taken me here, we've eaten too much. There are so many good things to eat! We split a Pastrami sandwich on rye with mustard, then grab a side of cole slaw and some fries. To drink? He gets Dr.Brown's Cream Soda and I get a diet Dr. Brown's Cherry Soda. I remember when my dad used to get this stuff in the little glass bottles. I swear I grew up Catholic, but this is a New York (particularly Jewish) tradition. Yum.





Terry likes the sours and I like the just barely pickled cucumbers.



That pastrami is melt-in-your-mouth good. You just can't get pastrami like that around here. Izzy's is good and all, but it's no Katz's.

For the record, their fries are better than their potato pancakes. If you gave me Izzy's potato pancake and Katz's pastrami sandwich, I might just die. The ultimate deli meal.

There always seems to be a rumor about Katz's closing to make way for development, but for right now it's there and darn, is it good. It's always a must-do when we visit NYC.

Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato Sandwich

Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato Sandwich
Originally uploaded by winemedineme

BLT: Summer's perfect food. This one includes homegrown tomatoes by our own Vudutu (thank you, Craig!), peppered bacon from Kroeger's in Findlay Market, white bread from Shadeau Bakery and romaine lettuce. Oh, and Mayonnaise.

Terry says I'm doing it all wrong because it's not iceberg and squishy white bread; I like it just fine. I did it on herbed foccacia last year and it was amazingly good.

What's your favorite use of homegrown tomatoes this time of year?

Mini Review: Lucy Blue's pizza

Lucy Blue's pizza
Originally uploaded by winemedineme

There is nothing quite the drunk munchies, is there? Terry and I had a craving for pizza at, oh, 2 AM a couple of Saturdays ago. Lucy Blues' Pizza Window on 12th and Walnut is open til 3 AM--handy! We called in an order-- a half and half-- and the staff person who answered the phone didn't ask me which halves I wanted-- just said, "OK, five minutes!" and hung up. I didn't realize that they only do cheese and pepperoni-- which makes sense as it's a small window.

So we get to the window and wait in line, and we are by far the most sober of anyone in line. I'm used to the post-bar crowd, but as I'm not usually a heavy drinker, they just amuse me. I've heard more than one catfight and more than one refrain of "Dude, where's my car?" at 3 AM. I love my neighborhood. I digress.

The pizza is good-- very standard, crisp crust, with a good amount of cheese and savory sauce. It's not the best pizza I've ever had, but it is very good and a good choice for late night munchies.

Lucy Blues' other locations include Mt. Lookout and Covington (near Mainstrasse).

Edit, 10/1/08: Terry and I grabbed some pizza after celebrating with friends at Twist last Friday night, and it has gone very downhill-- the sauce was different (and bad, too spicy, and not enough sauce), the cheese was barely visible, and it was cold (and couldn't have gotten that way in the block's walk). Consistency is key-- and don't assume that all of your clientele is too drunk to know any better. I still want to try the main location in Mt. Lookout, but I'll be hesitant to try the pizza window for a while.

Review: Goodies

I know. We just can't get enough barbecue here at wine me, dine me. Terry wanted barbecue last week, but Pit to Plate (our next barbecue stop, I swear) closed at 8:30 and from his place, it's a good 25 minute drive. Leaving at 8:00 wasn't going to give us much time. I noticed that Goodies was open until 10 PM-- well, that decision was made for us.

I like Goodies-- I always have. Their menu is a little hard to decipher. Instead of saying "sandwich" or "pulled pork", they have Little Pig, Pig, and Hog on a Bun-- nothing signifying that the first two are sandwiches. The first time I went there, I had no idea what the deal was, and ended up with rib tips. The rib tips were really good-- covered in sauce and very meaty-- but I wanted pulled pork.

This time, I got it.

Terry got the hot, and I got the mild. Terry loved the sauce-- it was just hot enough to have a kick, but not enough to set his mouth on fire. The mild, for me, was perfect-- a little kick, a lot of flavor, and not too sweet or too vinegary. It is very nicely balanced. The meat is great on its own--very tender and flavorful.



We got sides as well-- cole slaw (average), mac and cheese (good, but not fantastic), greens (Terry liked them, and they were flavorful without being overdone-- a very good thing), and fried okra (which I tried for the very first time and loved). If I found a barbecue place that had killer mac and cheese AND cole slaw, I'd be in heaven.





(Greens are not photogenic.)

I think that Goodies has eclipsed Mr. Pig as Terry's favorite in town. Here's the list (so far):

1. Goodies
2. Mr. Pig
3. City BBQ
4. Burbank's
Distant last: BBQ Revue

I wish he'd gotten a chance to try Jimmy's before it closed. Mmm.

I'm hoping that sometime in the next week or so we can fit in Pit to Plate. Any other recommendations?

Closed: Pacific Moon (Officially)

Got word that the Levee has completely given up on Pacific Moon, which will not be reopening. Period. End of story. Sounds like the Chin family (who owns Pacific Moon, and used to own Shanghai Mama's) hasn't made any effort to pay the back taxes and that's it. Wonder what will replace it? It seems like a lot of spaces are going empty in the Levee: first Tropicana, now Pac Moon.

Review: Mokka

Terry and I went to Mokka a couple of weeks ago, and I noticed that Veggie Option posted about it today, so I figured we could compare notes.

Unfortunately, our notes were similar.

I've heard good things about Mokka-- formerly located on York Street in Newport-- but hadn't tried it or heard anything about it until they moved to their new digs at the Syndicate just down the street.

It was sort of a weird atmosphere-- the light was very fluorescent, the decor flowery (the name Mokka implies "cutting edge" or at least sophistication; the surroundings were anything but). It felt like a diner decorated like my mother's living room. Odd.

I had read that the french toast and the Goetta Avalanche were good, so Terry ordered the Mokka French Toast and I had the Goetta Avalanche.



This was pretty decent-- goetta, eggs and cheese layered on an English muffin, with some salad and fruit. I ate about half of it-- the goetta was crisp, the eggs were good, but the "sun dried tomato vinagrette" was Kraft-- very HFCS-laden and too sweet.


Mokka's French toast was supposed to involve vanilla pastry cream, bananas, and cornflake battered french toast. The toast itself was pretty good-- crispy on the outside, soft on the inside-- but honestly? Nothing to write home about. The potatoes served with it were crisp (very obviously deep-fried) and soft in the middle as well, but an odd accompaniment for already-starchy French toast. My major problem? The pastry cream. The presentation was truly bad-- you can see in the picture-- but I could get past that if the pastry cream tasted good. It didn't. It wasn't pastry cream, for one thing: it very obviously had the chemical-laden flavor of instant pudding mixed with Cool Whip.

Veggie Option says that the lunch is much better, even if the service is slow. I might try it, but I'm not entirely convinced. If you go, order the French Toast-- without the pastry cream-- or some eggs and goetta. They're basic, but good. It's the extra touches-- trying to be sophisticated-- that are their downfall.

Is it possible to lose weight AND be a foodie?

... we'll see.

Check out some local women bloggers at Losing in Cincinnati and see if seven of us can lose a few pounds.

(Image courtesy L. Marcio Ramalho)

Home Cooking: Terry's Birthday Dinner

Terry's birthday was a week or so ago, but instead of going out, he wanted me to make him dinner. We trolled Findlay Market for fresh veggies, and ended up with a mishmash of his favorite foods. I got some Amish chicken from Luken's (whose $5 for 5 pounds of chicken leg-and-thigh quarters can't be beat; Terry likes dark meat anyway), some fresh corn, zucchini and tomatoes and I threw together a salad. Very simple, but tasty-- it tasted like summer.









I firmly believe that everyone should have cake for their birthday. This cake is the Opera Cream cake from The Bonbonerie. He loved it!

Review: Mac's Pizza Pub

Mac's pizza
Originally uploaded by winemedineme

Before our friend Jay's band's gig at Rohs Street Cafe, Terry, Ted, Ron and I decided we needed a) beer and b) sustenance. We all met at my place and I suggested what I thought was a sports bar down the street from Roh's Street Cafe. It turned out to be a pizza place with really, really cheap beer. Score!

Mac's is right next door to King Wok on MacMillan Avenue. There is usually street parking, but there is also parking in the back. They have a pretty extensive menu-- our awesome server informed us that the 10 or so specialty pizza choices were narrowed down from 30! In addition to pizza, also has sandwiches, wings, burgers-- typical college fare. We split the pizza between the four of us-- half Flying Pig, which had a ton of different meats and half goat cheese and spinach, which had garlic butter instead of sauce. Though the meat side was good, the goat cheese and spinach side was the best. The flavors were great, fresh-tasting, and a little different than your normal college pizza place.

During the week, they have a lunch buffet for busy college kids, and in the evening they run drink specials during various sports event. I'll definitely be going back-- for the goat cheese pizza and some beer!

Review: Famiglia's Famous Pizza

Until two weeks ago, I had never had New York-style pizza. I had had hot dogs, falafel, deli, bagels-- all sorts of "New York" things, but never a slice of pizza. Luckily, we were right down the street from Famous Famiglia Pizza, the "official" pizza of the Yankees. They're practically the New York Pizza ambassadors, with locations ranging from Alaska to China, but the original location was in the Big Apple.

They had a wall outlining their famous status:



(That's Bill Clinton next to some random kid, and below some child star who we've all long forgotten.)

The pizza was good-- not too cheesy, crisp crust, pretty good. I didn't get a shot of it, but one night we ended up bringing pizza back to our hotel room and we got one with garlic and fresh mozzarella. That one was great-- really garlicky, really mozzarella-y, and my favorite of the pizza I tried from Famiglia.

It was about $2 for a cheese slice. Can't beat it for a quick meal in New York.



(In trolling their website, I found out that you can grab a slice at the Florence Cinema De Lux. I'm sure it's not the same.)

One Hundred Foods You Should Eat

The Omnivore's Hundred is an eclectic and entirely subjective list of 100 items that Andrew Wheeler, co-author of the British food blog Very Good Taste, thinks every omnivore should try at least once in his life.

He offered this list as the starting point for a game, along the following rules:
1. Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
2. Bold all the items you’ve eaten
3. Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.
4. Optional extra: post a comment on Very Good Taste, linking to your results.

Those I've eaten are in bold.
1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile (I have had alligator.)
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho
13. Peanut butter and jelly sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes (Cherry and cranberry and apple)
19. Steamed pork buns (I have a recipe. I want to make some.)
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn or head cheese (grew up on this stuff)
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas (Those are my favorite snack, truly.)
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. Salted lassi (I've had mango lassi and loved it.)
34. Sauerkraut (Homemade, from a can, from a bag.. yup. I just need to make it.)
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a fat cigar I've tried cigars. I cough. I like the smell of them sometimes, though. And I really dislike cognac.
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat (but I could get goat at La Mexicana)
42. Whole insects (we've all eaten partial ones)
43. Phaal
44. Goat’s milk (in cheese and liquid form)
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Fugu
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel (I love eel!)
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut (Yes please.)
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini (I don't like them, but I've had one)
58. Beer above 8% ABV (Heck yeah.)
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips
61. S’mores
62. Sweetbreads
63. Kaolin (I have a face mask that contains it and I'm sure I've gotten some on my lips)
64. Currywurst
65. Durian
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake (no, yes, yes, yes)
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings or andouillette
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake

How about you? Feel free to copy it in the comments.

Restaurant Week

Yay! Another Restaurant Week. I'm glad they're doing this twice a year, now. The list will be announced next week, but I'm sure that it will be similar to last time.

It looks like they're redoing the website, too: The Greater Cincinnati Originals.

Oh, Paula, how embarrassed I am for you.

Review: Maribelle's Tavern

A group of friends has a dinner club, and though we're not official members (bureaucracy!), Terry and I have been invited pretty consistently over the past year or so. Their selection last month was Maribelle's Tavern in the East End.

Ted, whose month it was to pick, insists I suggested Maribelle's. I've never eaten there before. I think we discussed cake (Maribelle Cakery, the best in the city for my money) and burgers in the East End (you know, Terry's Turf Club) and somehow he got the idea that I loved Maribelle's. He also thinks I'm crazy. I think we just talk about a lot of food.

Anyway, about twelve of us ventured there a couple of Saturdays ago. It's sort of easy to miss-- Terry and I drove right past it the first time. It has a laid-back atmosphere, and two levels. They (wisely) put our loud group on the second floor.

We started off with appetizers:



Terry and I had the crab cake. Though it was chock full of good sized bits of crab, it was really, really peppery-- to the point where all I could taste was black pepper. The garlic mayonnaise had an odd texture-- as if it had an emulsifier in it besides egg.



Drew and Wendy got the Broccoli and Gruyere soup. Strangely, it was topped with cheddar. It wasn't bad-- creamy with tons of broccoli.



Sorry about the blurry picture. Jay got the flatbread with four cheeses, which was the best of the appetizer. I'm also a sucker for balsamic and cheese. Good flavors.

We went for burgers for dinner-- which is what they are known for. I got the chipotle burger, which had onions, asian slaw, chipotle barbecue sauce and swiss cheese. The flavors were nice, and inspired us to change the chipotle ketchup in the Bon Appetit burger recipe to chipotle barbecue sauce, but the burger was very overdone and not juicy at all. I did like the waffle fries, which were seasoned and crispy.




Terry got the All American burger. Same story-- overdone, but he didn't have the benefit of the barbecue sauce, cheese and slaw to balance out the overdoneness.




Jay, like he did at Arnold's, got the fish sandwich with cheese. He liked it (and the pickle).



The produce was very fresh with all of the sandwiches-- nice ripe tomatoes, as you can see.

Kristy was a fan of the pork chops with apple chutney. The portion was huge-- she had enough for another meal!




At the other end of the table, Ted and Tracy got burgers and really enjoyed them. I'd say that we'd return to try the food again, but they have to work on consistency. One end of the table shouldn't have overdone burgers while the other's is done properly. I'd also cut back on the pepper in several of the dishes-- they used a little too heavy a hand in seasoning.

Our service was very good-- I always give servers credit for handling this particular crowd, and our server did a great job. We ended up moving downstairs for a few beers during the torrential rainstorm that occured right as we were leaving.

Have you guys been here? Was the mediocre food a one-off situation?

Discuss: "How the hell can you EAT that?"

(Guest post by The Boyfriend)

We all have skeletons in our gastronomic closets.

Oh, you know what I'm talking about. Admit it.

We all have foods that are secret favorites. Secret, I say, because we're afraid that someone we love or respect, or perhaps even a complete stranger will look at what we're stuffing into our mouths and say, "That's disgusting. How the hell can you EAT that?"

Maybe you secretly indulge in a chemical-and-preservative-and-God-knows-what-else-laced Twinkie? Or how about the hot-pink Sno Ball? Ho Hos? Ding Dongs? Mmmm.

Ooooh, or those shrink-wrapped French cream horns hidden in the corner of the grocery store bakery? You'd like those, wouldn't you? And who's going to know, right? Nobody gets hurt.

Maybe an occasional fast-food fish sandwich dripping with tartar sauce? Nice. Maybe you do the happy dance when you find that the McRib is available for a limited time only?

Delicious nastiness? Or nasty deliciousness? Who's to say?

So let's all air our dirty laundry, shall we?

And I'll be the first to step to the plate with my dirty little secret: The Cheeseburger Big Bite.

The CBB is available only at 7-Eleven, the preeminent chain of convenience stores in the area where I lived before moving to Cincinnati. I was sad to learn that there are no 7-Elevens in the Tri-State, so if I stumble across one while traveling, I stop in.

I developed my shameful addiction in the days when I regularly came home late after theater rehearsals. Nothing else was open, so I stopped by the 7-Eleven just around the corner. I don't know exactly what possessed me to try the Cheeseburger Big Bite. It's a safe assumption, however, that I must have been pretty hungry.

The CBB almost defies description. It's a cheeseburger...shaped like a hot dog. The meat (if one can call it that) is pre-mixed with cheese, pre-cooked, and then frozen. They're warmed in the store on the roller grill warmer thingy found in most convenience stores. (You've seen them...with the shriveled wieners that look like they've been warming since the Clinton administration.)

Last week, Julie and I were on vacation in New York when I had the idea for this post. There's a 7-Eleven on 42nd Street, just around the corner from our hotel. I dragged her there without telling her what I was up to.




I asked the clerk for a CBB.

By itself, the CBB looks fairly harmless.



But what I love about 7-Eleven is free condiments. Add mustard and onions. Still fairly innocuous.


But here is where it gets ugly. "Free condiments" also includes all-you-can-slop-on nacho cheese (also known as preservative-laced processed cheese food-type product) and a go at the automated-dispenser chili (also known as...God knows what).





Although Julie didn't say much, I could read her horror-stricken face: "That's disgusting. How the hell can you EAT that?"

And talk about tasty.

Did indigestion ensue? You bet. Do I realize that these things have more monodihydrogenated gleuteonitrate that the average human should consume in four lifetimes? Absolutely. Wouldn't have it any other way. So save your breath.

There. I feel better.

Now, it's your turn. Confession is good for the soul. What is your secret shame in the food world?

(P.S. -- By the way, on this same trip to 7-Eleven, Julie was able to indulge one of her own guilty pleasures: The Slurpee.)

Great week for wine me, dine me.

Cincy Chic profiled me in their "Best of the Web" issue! Many thanks to Maureen Jacob for asking such great questions. It was fun!

I also had the pleasure of attending the first Social Media Breakfast at First Watch, put together by the charming Kevin Dugan sponsored by Marketwire, with a presentation by PimpMyNews.com. It was fun meeting a bunch of people with whom I regularly Twitter, even if Michelle and I aren't morning people. At all. But that's why there's such a thing as coffee, right?

Review: Tink's

Oh yeah. I almost forgot. I blog about food.

Tink's is an old favorite of mine. I used to go there all the time with the professor I TAd for at the University of Cincinnati. We would go there for lunch and talk about my future in academia (at one time, bright; now I'm incredibly glad I'm not in it), Judaic Studies (I TAd Literature of the Holocaust, American Jewish Fiction and Jewish and Women's Humor) and she always ordered the Atkins platter of salmon, capers, cream cheese and onions with a side of bread.

When I stopped into Paolo a few weeks ago to design some jewelry (he's making me a gorgeous ring with diamonds and topaz, and a ring involving a watch crystal and some diamonds that came from my grandma's jewelry; I've wanted to purchase some things from him for years, since he was in the Garage on Ludlow), Paolo and Toby excitedly told me about Tink's new menu. In case you didn't notice, Paolo is connected to Tink's-- literally. You can walk through the door between Paolo and Tink's with a glass of wine and browse at jewelry between courses, or pick up a bite to eat while your jewelry is getting cleaned or you're waiting to pick up what I think is some of the most beautiful jewelry in town (it's unique! it's owned by locals! it's not at the mall! it's remarkably reasonably priced! they have the cutest dogs ever!). Paolo also tells me that they're planning some jewelry shows where you'd eat dinner, and in between courses, models would walk from table to table to show customers jewelry. Oh right, I write a food blog? Let's get to the food.

Paolo had a "new menu" party a couple of weeks ago which I was unable to attend, but Terry and I made it for dinner one Sunday night-- in a torrential downpour-- to try the new menu. The whole place was new to Terry as he'd never been there. We were both fairly impressed.

We started off with fried green tomatoes, which were beer-battered and served with a tomato custard. These were great-- very crisp, though the tomatoes weren't quite in season-- and I loved the tomato custard, which was like a savory pudding.



We each got an entree as well (though I'd have been happy just to try lots of appetizers). I ended up with the scallops, which were served with butternut squash, apple, arugula and sage browned butter. The scallops were huge, sweet, and cooked properly. The butternut squash was also sweet, which was a nice contrast both to other preparations of butternut squash I've had recently and to the arugula, which added just the right amount of bite. The browned butter wasn't overwhelming, but added a nice richness to the dish. I'd definitely order this again.



Terry was the clear winner in the entree wars. He got the shrimp and grits, which Paolo recommended to me with great enthusiasm. He was right. This was the best preparation of shrimp and grits I've had-- including Hugo and the place I originally tried in Nashville. The grits were not too cheese-laden, stone ground, and perfectly creamy. The shrimp were tender and juicy, and the tasso demiglace was a rich, savory accompaniment that also included substantial chunks of tasso. It was just the right amount of spice, creaminess, richness and saltiness. I stole lots of bites when Terry wasn't looking. I'm pretty sure that he would have licked the plate had it been socially acceptable to do so.



I decided that I wanted dessert. Terry instructed me to order whatever I wanted, as he was too full to do anything but take a bite. I chose the Dulce de Leche mousse. Remember how I said Terry wanted to lick the plate? I wanted to lick the glass. I've had "alternative" mousses at other restaurants, and often they consist of flavored cool whip. Not here: this was a delicate mousse made of real cream and real dulce de leche. It was heavenly-- just sweet enough without being overwhelming (as that artificial stuff nearly always is).

Tink's is such a unique experience in Cincinnati-- good food with no shortcuts, in a great neighborhood (you can head over to the Esquire on certain nights with your Tink's receipt and get discounted movie admission), and in between meals you can take a peek at some of the most innovative jewelry in the city. It's a great place to take a date (hey! you can pick out an engagement ring in between courses!) or the girls for a fun night out.