Review: Arnold's

Arnold's is Cincinnati's oldest operating bar, dating back to 1861, back when bier halls ruled the Cincinnati landscape. It's a cool place-- if you squint just a little, you can almost see how it was back in the 1860s, with the original, intricately carved bar and green and white awning. It has great atmosphere, that's undeniable. And the courtyard, on a nice spring evening like we had last Saturday, is the perfect place to have a few drinks with friends. This was my third visit. The first was a date back in 1999, with a guy who just moved here from Chicago, and though born in Mason and raised Catholic, fancied himself a sort of Woody Allen in training. I remember I had some sort of vegetarian pasta (I was in a brief vegetarian phase) and my date requested that the piano player play a song for me. It was, I remember, "The Way You Look Tonight", which is still one of my favorites. I was also easily impressed. I'm pretty sure he dumped me shortly thereafter, and I think it had something to do with "not being over" his last girlfriend. I used to get that a lot. The second time was last summer and it was average. This time, it was selected based on proximity to The Blue Wisp, where a few friends and I had decided we needed to go to the last time we all went out for dinner.

Our friends, Tracy and Ted, were running late, so Jay, Ron, Terry and I had drinks and ordered an appetizer: fried green tomatoes. We were hungry, and they were pretty good-- cornbread crusted, served with a spicy mayonnaise.

Yes, kids, that's all that was left before I realized that we needed to take a picture.

Arnold's has a new chef, so she has been putting out a "weekend" menu to accompany the regular menu. Tracy and Ron ordered from the regular menu, and Ted, Terry, Jay and I tried some selections from the new menu. I didn't ask each of them their opinion, as I think I weirded them out enough by taking the pictures (and none, except Ron, are into blogs), so you'll mostly get Terry and my opinion on this dinner, but pictures of everything.

Each of the new menu items was served with "Italian Slaw". I have no idea what was italian about it. It was decent-- a very vinegary dressing served over cole slaw mix-- but tasted pretty much like a cold hot slaw, without the bacon.

Terry got the Mediterranean Chicken, which was chicken in a tomato and cream sauce with some olives. He said it was okay, but nothing he couldn't have made at home. The bite I had seemed a little uninspired.

I got the Java Pork. I really like the trend of coffee and pork. However, this tasted like someone took day-old coffee grounds and rubbed it all over the pork tenderloin, then tossed it in the oven and forgot about it. Is that harsh? I could overlook the far too coarse grind of the coffee and just scrape it off if the pork hadn't been like shoe leather. I ate about two bites of the pork and concentrated on the horseradish mashed potatoes (which were not horseradishy) and the green beans, which were garlicky and not overcooked, thus good. The dijon sauce that tops the pork was also okay, if a little too creamy in an artificial, out-of-the-jar way. I also thought the plates were huge-- which lead to a pretty unattractive presentation. I'm also not a fan of the ice-cream-scoop school of potato portions, as it reminds me far too much of high school lunches. That's the last thing I want to be reminded of on a Saturday night.

Ron got the Greek pasta, a favorite of his. He deemed it good.

Ted got the salmon en papillote, which he said was nice-- the salmon wasn't overcooked, and the vegetables were nicely done. So far, we're a sad 1/3 for the "new" menu.

Tracy really liked her muffaletta, but could barely finish it-- it was huge!

And Jay said that if he was going to appear on a blog, he'd better do something memorable. He ordered the fish sandwich, which seemed sort of lackluster. I didn't get his opinion of it, but on appearances, it didn't impress.

Arnold's still has great atmosphere. It seems like the best option, if you're going to eat there, is to order off of the "old" menu. It's nothing fancy, but it's certainly not bad. I'll go back for drinks and appetizers -- how can you pass up having a drink at a bar that outlived Prohibition?

Review: Apsara, Blue Ash

5chw4r7z, Mary, Steve, Pablo, Terry and I trekked to Blue Ash for dinner on Friday night as prelude to seeing Ms.5chw4r7z's show at Tri County Players. After much email haggling, we decided on Apsara, which is in Watson Brothers Brewery's old location.

Terry and I were the first ones there, so we grabbed a drink at the bar-- I had a pineapple vodka on the rocks, and he had a Blue Moon. They have an extensive bar area-- pretty sure a reworked version of the original-- and a very extensive draught beer selection, particularly for an Asian restaurant. They had Kirin on tap, as well as a bunch of microbrews and some popular imports.

We all grabbed appetizers-- Steve and Mary had frog legs (which, I'm told, did indeed taste like chicken), Pablo had some gyoza, and Terry and I picked some tempura and gyoza. The tempura was perfect-- light, crunchy, not a bit greasy, and the dipping sauce (which I'm pretty sure was ponzu) was a light, salty compliment. Plus, there were slices of sweet potatoes, my favorite! The gyoza were a touch watery, but had a nice flavor. They were not exceptional.

Terry saw their monstrous sushi bar (see 5chw4r7z's pics!) and decided that he wanted sushi. Smart guy. He chose a Playboy Roll, which was the biggest sushi roll I've ever seen. I figured, as it was a Playboy Roll, that it would be somehow silicone enhanced, would serve me drinks, and perhaps have a fluffy bunny tail (which I know from the Kirstie Alley TV Movie version of Gloria Steinem's A Bunny's Tale that you were NOT supposed to touch! The bunny tail is sacred! Anyway, you now know what I watched on cable as a kid, and I think it explains quite a bit), however, it did not. It DID, however, have spicy tuna, shrimp tempura, mango and asparagus topped with cooked shrimp, sriracha, mayonnaise and furikake finished with eel sauce and, according to the menu, "all wrapped in foil and barbecued at table". It was wrapped in foil. It was not barbecued at the table. This is okay-- it was pretty darn fantastic. I have no idea where they got the name, except perhaps that it was probably the most excessive sushi roll I've ever eaten-- it had a blend of flavors, was a little messy and was falling all over itself. In retrospect, I suppose it IS a bit like the stuff I've seen going on at the Playboy Mansion. Creative!

Because I am a lemming and Liberal Foodie told me to, I ordered the duck. Mmm. Duckiness. It was indeed crispy, and the sauce was great-- it was sweet, then salty, then packed a really spicy kick. The vegetables were all delicious and crisp-tender. The duck itself was a little dry-- a hard thing to do with duck-- but not bad. I preferred the vegetables and the jasmine coconut rice with the sauce. Yum.

Though I rarely go up to Blue Ash, Apsara will definitely become a favorite when I'm in the neighborhood. It's a far more upscale Asian experience than most restaurants around here, the atmosphere is killer, and the sushi was great. In fact, the next time I go, I'll probably skip the entree and just do sushi and appetizers. It's a great value and a great experience.

New blogs (take a peek)

Seems like there are a few more foodies on the Cincinnati wagon train!

Restaurants and Reservations Two people, one blog. Always liked that idea.

West Side Foodie Wannabes Two people, Catholic West Siders. I probably know them-- we should play west side bingo sometime! And it looks like they were inspired by Cincinnati Magazine, too.

Interesting scuttlebutt over at the Foodie Report

Seems like there's a divorce in the works in the Jean Robert group. What do you think? I haven't yet been to Chalk-- though I've heard mixed things. I would hate to see Lavomatic be run into the ground, and I admit that I prefer Greenup for breakfast or lunch and not dinner. JeanRo Bistro has left me unimpressed. Opinions?

Review: Great American Ball Park

Ah, it's baseball season. Who cares if the Reds aren't doing very well (okay, we care, but I think that we in Cincinnati are pretty used to losing pro sports teams), it's still fun to go to the ballpark, grab a hot dog and a beer, and sit back and relax.

Problem is, the Reds ballpark has the worst traditional ballpark junk food ever. The "regular" hot dogs, Kahn's, are tasteless-- they're slightly more moist versions of the bun they serve them on . In the Club Level (we had free tickets that came with Terry's season ticket package), the food is pretty much the same as the rest of the park, except that it's even more overpriced-- adding insult to injury. I realize that I'll pay too much at a ballpark for food, but does it have to be tasteless?

You do have other options: Penn Station is a nice choice, and as Veggie Option noted, you can get vegetarian hot dogs. You can also have a La Rosa's pizza delivered to your seat, or buy it and other La Rosa's products by the slice.

My favorite thing about the ball park?

Oh, yes. The onion machine. That and some brown mustard are the only thing that can rescue those hot dogs. And they don't even sell fresh nachos with that nasty cheese dip anymore! It's all prepackaged, except at one stand (and I have no idea where it is).

The Club seats really aren't worth the extra money, except perhaps on a hot day when you'd like a mixed drink (gin and tonic is my choice) and some a/c or some healthy options, like fruit or chicken. It is really pretty, and the bathrooms are really clean.

Sometime, we'll try to make it to The Machine Room before or after a game. We ended up going to Rock Bottom for a beer in the seventh inning-- the score was 9-1. But it was a beautiful night for a ball game.

Mini Review: Lavomatic's Brunch

Does Ohio realize how much more revenue could be produced at restaurants if we could just have a stinking Mimosa on a Sunday morning? I do not understand why we have such anachronistic alcohol laws. Particularly because there's nothing that goes better with eggs benedict than a mimosa.

Conversation between the waiter and me:

"Would you like some dessert, ma'am?"
"No, I'm pretty sure I just ate it..."

(Cherry cordial french toast: tart cherries, brioche, chocolate ganache. Heaven.)

A quick hello!

Hi, everyone who's reached me via What I Wore Today! Kasmira wrote for me last week, so I wrote for her, this week! And thanks for all of the compliments. I hope I can come up with a few more good outfits to send Kasmira's way.

And for proof we actually hang out together:

Kasmira, our friend Julia, and me. We played Joanne, Kathy and Mary (respectively) in Vanities together about a year ago, which is how we met.

What a weekend!

The weekend was almost entirely consumed with my friends Abby and Tony's wedding, so there's really no restaurant reviewing to speak of. The rehearsal dinner was catered by Tony's brother, Lou, and was really nice-- beef tenderloin, spinach and pine nut stuffed chicken, green beans, roasted potatoes, salad, and cake. It was all homemade, and all delicious. I'll be posting some pictures when I get them from Mikki, the photographer.

The wedding was catered by Raffel's, and (I can say this because Abby said it herself) was very normal banquet food: chicken, beef, sides, etc, for 170 people. Nothing spectacular, but after having not eaten for eight hours (ah, the life of a bridesmaid!), I was pretty hungry. The reception itself was fun, with lots of dancing and merriment among family and friends, a good proportion of which were theater people. And man, The Boyfriend sure can dance!

Sunday, after a tough day of sitting around the apartment, Terry and I went to City Barbecue in Hyde Park. We each got the pulled pork platter, and talked about our next trip to Alabama, home of The Golden Rule and some other place where the locals line up for hours to get barbecue on weekends. City Barbecue satisfies the barbecue craving, but never completely.

Last night, after doing some costuming at the theater, Ted and I went to La Mexicana. Now, Ted really likes Nada, particularly their fish tacos, but we both agree that sometimes a hole in the wall is better. I got a couple of barbacoa tacos, and what do you know? They taste just like Nada's.

This weekend is sort of planned out as far as restaurants are concerned. I'll be seeing 5chw4r7z's lovely wife in a play this weekend, and a group of us are going out beforehand to what I think will end up being Apsara in Blue Ash, and then on Saturday, a group of us are going to Arnold's for dinner. I'm hoping to do a special Food of the Great American Ball Park post, too.

Review: Nada

I finally found time to go to Nada. I'm not a fan of waiting two hours for dinner on Friday or Saturday night, and for the past few weeks (months?) both Terry's and my weeknights have been packed. We finally decided: we are going to Nada on Wednesday, come hell or high water.

The hell and high water involved a fitting for the wedding I'm in on Saturday, as well as me leaving the camera at home. Oops. If you want to see great Nada pictures, check out 5chw4r7z's blog.

We got there around 9 PM and the place had a few tables full, mostly with out-of-town businessmen and a couple who looked like they had cut out of The Color Purple early. Our waitress offered us chips, salsa and guacamole before we ordered, so we took her up on it. The salsa was nice-- roasted tomatoes, garlic, and not too spicy. The guacamole was exceptional-- I could have made an entire meal out of the guac and the chips (which were obviously homemade and warm and perfectly salty): it was very fresh, light, refreshing (not often you hear that about guacamole!) and spicy, but not too spicy. It wasn't bland and was well seasoned, unlike Margaritas', but I expect that from a restaurant owned by Chef David Falk.

To drink, Terry got a beer (surprise!) and I got a Mojito Fresa, whch is a mojito with strawberry puree. It was very good, not too sweet, but the bartender last night was, according to our waitress, "MIA", which led to long delays between rounds.

Since so many people had raved about it, we got the Mexican Mac and Cheese as well. It was a little spicy for my tastes, but the cheese was a great, creamy compliment and the portion was just right for splitting-- it was rich, so I wouldn't have wanted to eat more of that than I did.

For my entree, I picked an old favorite: barbacoa taco. This is shredded short rib meat topped with lime and pickled onion on warm tortillas. While good, they tasted the same as La Mexicana's in Newport-- and La Mexicana's are $1.50 a piece instead of 3 for $13.

Terry picked shrimp with a white corn tamale. The shrimp was in a spicy cream sauce, and he commented that spice and cream need to go together more often-- they are a nice compliment. However, he commented that the tamale was very delicate, and the sauce totally overwhelmed it. He deemed it good, but not exceptional.

Dessert was a very standard warm chocolate torte, similar to Nigella's Chocopots, and topped with bananas foster gelato from Madisono's and some banana flavored caramel. It was nice, but Mexican restaurants aren't known for dessert. The gelato made it a step above average.

I will definitely go back for their guacamole and cocktails, but I'm still not entirely sure what all the fuss is about. If I get a craving for barbacoa tacos, I'll go to La Mexicana. Otherwise, if I want a Falk restaurant, I'll stick to Boca.

Mini-Review: Lavomatic

I went to Lavomatic with my new neighbor, Ilan, and his girlfriend, Sarah. I didn't take any pictures because I didn't want to weird out my new friends by photographing their food. We'll save that for the second dinner out!

I had seen signs hawking ramps and fiddlehead ferns at Madison's last weekend, but wondered why I couldn't actually find any-- they're in Lavomatic's special this week. I'm sure that wasn't the reason why, but it was fun to joke with the waitress about it. Sadly, I can't remember any other details of the special. I think it was locally raised chicken. Someone at an adjacent table got it, and it looked really good.

Our dinner was delayed because they'd almost run out of ravioli, Sarah's choice, so the waitress brought by bowls of pickled veg (beets, brussels sprouts and carrots) and a variety of olives to tide us over. I'm not the biggest eat-olives-out-of-hand fan, but these were awesome. The medium green ones were reminiscent of avocado-- smooth and creamy. Yum! And, of course, I love the pickled beets, and I even enjoyed the pickled brussels sprouts.

Ilan got the salmon with Israeli couscous. Being Israeli, he insisted that it wasn't Israeli and wasn't even couscous-- probably bulghur wheat-- but said it was very good, and the salmon was well seasoned and perfectly cooked.

I had a bite of Sarah's vegetarian ravioli, which was filled with beets! I love beets, and this was very good, if slightly watery-- I don't think the seal was tight on the ravioli. Very nice flavor, though.

I ordered the braised pork belly, which was served with a beet and potato hash. I need to stop this pork belly habit, or else I'll have a pretty porky belly myself. This one didn't quite have the crispy fat that the braised pork belly had at Hugo, but the portion was far more appropriate and the flavor was very good-- the cider braise was a wonderful compliment.

We each got dessert-- Ilan and Sarah had creme brulee, which they raved about. Ilan particularly liked the mint, and said it was one of the best cremes brulee he'd ever had. I got a pistachio pavlova filled with very tart lemon cream, strawberries and rhubarb. Yum! As the waitress noted, it's hard to do meringues around here with the humidity, so I was pleased to get one before it got too steamy. Very, very good-- it almost replaces the baba au rhum I got last time which is now off the menu.

I'm sure I'll be back here again: say what you will about JR being spread too thin, I like the fact that he has an affordable restaurant that uses local ingredients within walking distance of my apartment.

Review: Margarita's

(Yes, I am stealing Kasmira's formatting. I really liked it!)

So we scrapped the Via Vite idea. I think we were both looking for something low key: we had rough weeks, and we both had pretty busy weeks to look forward to. I also had just finished a reading of "Footwear for the Masses" over at Falcon Theatre (sorry, it closed on Saturday!), so I wasn't in a fine dining mood. So, after grabbing an American Light (for him) and a diet Coke (for me) at Rock Bottom, we wandered over to Margaritas.

ETA: We went to the Sixth Street location.

We had a bad feeling when we walked in: first, Terry smashed his hand in the door (ow!). After the cursing abated, I commented, "This is a bad sign. The place is empty!' Friday night and Margaritas had one full table, and I'm pretty sure they knew the staff. The restaurant has at least 20 tables, surrounded by TVs that carry soccer and telenovelas, and a pretty big bar. We got a table in the corner, and hoped that this experience wasn't as bad as we thought it would be.

Margarita's has won Best Margaritas from both Cincinnati Magazine and Citybeat several years running. They're a local chain, with locations downtown, Beechmont, and a couple in Kentucky.

My concerns were unfounded: who needs chain Mexican (ETA: i.e. Don Pablo's, Chevy's, etc.) when you have this place? First, we ordered margaritas while we pondered whether or not we were staying. Since, on Friday nights, we are generally not into the effort of going to three restaurants in one night, we stayed and were not disappointed. The margaritas (lime only) were 2 for $7. We each got one on the rocks, his lots of salt, mine no salt. They were pretty good! The salsa and chips were good as well: warm, crispy chips and fresh tasting salsa. We added on some guacamole: it was okay, but undersalted, which made it taste a bit bland. Terry's is better.

We each ordered fajitas. I ordered the fajitas camarones, which were plump shrimp on a bed of grilled vegetables. I had them hold the rice and beans-- I never eat them and they'd just go to waste. The flavors were really nice, and the shrimp were cooked very well. There were also tons of just slightly overly browned onions-- my very favorite part of fajitas! They were great and I'll definitely order them again the next time I get a fajita craving.

However, the standout were the fajitas cozumel, which were steak, shrimp, chicken and chorizo with pineapple. Terry couldn't get over how good it was, and it was! Everything was browned nicely, and the chorizo was spicy, but not overwhelmingly so. Very different from your standard fajitas-- I wasn't sure how the chorizo and the pineapple would go together, forgetting how the sweetness in pineapple is brought out by grilling! Next time, I'll probably order this instead of stealing bites of Terry's. Which I'm sure he will appreciate.

We ended up closing the place down (with their blessing), but I was very sad that we were the only customers. You'd think that a place known for margaritas would be more vibrant on a Friday night.
I think that this will become my regular "I need a Margarita, now!" place. My previous favorite place, Su Casa in Tri-County, is just too far for me to drive when I have a craving. Any other recommendations for a good margarita?

Review: Walt's BBQ, by guest blogger Kasmira

Kasmira wanted to guest blog! Now I have to come up with an outfit cool enough for HER blog....

I’m not a fan of BBQ, but when my husband dragged me to Walt’s BBQ on Colerain a few weeks ago, I liked the sides enough to suggest we go back.

We showed up for dinner at a little past 7 p.m. on a Thursday night. The parking lot was packed. We actually had to wait for a space. Happily, there were plenty of open seats inside and the hostess was able to grant my request for an “out of the way” spot. (I didn’t want to be totally obvious with the picture taking.)

The best non-food thing about Walt’s is the trivia cards on each table. Several editions of Trivial Pursuit gave their lives to provide the tables with a thick stack of cards. While the wait for food isn’t long, it seems even shorter while sucking down a beer and quizzing your dining companion on trivia.

(I always find it amusing when food writers refer to the person eating with them as their “companion.” It sounds kind of naughty and clandestine. Like maybe the NY Times food critic takes a call girl out for dinner on the paper’s dime.)

We both ordered entrees with our choice of two sides.

Sides

My companion (okay, it was just my husband) ordered his meal with a side of mashed potatoes and green beans. When I asked why, he told me “potatoes are my favorite vegetable.” (He refused to listen when I explained that they were more in the “bread” than “vegetable” group.) I think he ordered the green beans just because they required little chewing, and thus little tasting, to get down. I sampled the potatoes and they were adequate, although bland. I was surprised to find they had actual chunks of potato. It was nice to see evidence that they didn’t just come from a box. I have no comment on the green beans. I didn’t try them and I don’t think Mike did more than swallow them like big vitamin pills.

I put more thought into my sides. I ordered the sweet potato casserole. It is amazing. I’d say the primary ingredients are mashed sweet potatoes, butter, brown sugar, and chopped pecans. If potatoes count as vegetables, than sweet potatoes are my favorite. Honestly, though, the casserole is so decadent that I’m tempted to classify sweet potatoes as a dessert instead. I’m a cole slaw fiend, so I ordered that as my second side. It was disappointing: too much mayonnaise and too much vineger. The cabbage had marinated for so long that it had lost its firmness. I took only a few bites. (For the record, the best slaw in town is the veggie slaw at Gabby’s in Wyoming.)

Mike’s meal also came with a corn muffin. I love corn muffins and Walt’s are no exception. The muffins are heavy, moist, and sweet. They don’t even need the butter that comes alongside. These muffins are so good that I’ve had Mike drive to Walt’s and bring them home for me.

Last time we visited Walt’s, I also tried the macaroni and cheese and fried okra. Both were good.

Entrée

Mike had the pulled pork and beef brisket. I couldn’t get more than an “Mmmmmmmm” out of him, so I tasted his meal myself. I hate pork, so, predictably, I hated the pulled pork. The beef, though, was great. It was juicy and flavorful and I would have been tempted to eat more if I didn’t have a huge plate of fish in front of me. Walt’s offers two bottles of BBQ sauce at the table (your guess is as good as mine as to which of the three sauces, original, sweet, or spicy, is in them). Mike slathered his meat with the bottle we assumed to be hot sauce (red lid), but I didn’t find it spicy at all. It tasted like you’d expect BBQ sauce to taste: sweet, smokey, and tart.

I ordered the tilapia based on the recommendation of a fellow Walt’s lover. I was served two very large pieces of deep fried fish. One of the ends was a bit over-crispy and the fillets wouldn’t have satisfied Chef Ramsey, but it was still satisfying and tasty. I appreciated that the fillets came with both a slice of lemon and tartar sauce. The portions of fish were so generous that, even with Mike’s help, I ate only one fillet. (Maybe I had too much sweet potato casserole?)

Last time we ate at Walt’s, I ordered the sausage and sauerkraut. It was dreadful. The kraut was overly tart and the sausage had been boiled so long that, once the casing was broken, it had the consistency of oatmeal. I’m no carnivore, but even a sometimes vegetarian like myself wants a little firmness when she eats flesh.

Appetizers

I’m mentioning appetizers last because I only dimly remember eating the fried pickles on my first visit. I shoved them down my throat so quickly that I hardly remember eating them at all. They were that good. Can you screw up fried pickles? I haven’t had any bad ones yet.

Walt’s is a budget and family friendly place for a casual dinner. You get loads of meat for a low price and there is a play area in one corner for the kiddies. (It's right next to the servers’ drink station, to their delight, I’m sure.) Adults will appreciate the beer and trivia. Walt’s BBQ is located on Colerain road, a little north of West North Bend Road. Try it this weekend. After all, Mikey likes it.

Dinners this weekend.

Finally, a fairly non-busy weekend. I have a staged reading to perform on Friday and Saturday, and one of my coworkers who is in massage school is giving both Terry and me massages on Saturday, but other than that-- an open schedule! I think we'll hit up Via Vite tonight, not sure about tomorrow night-- I'm open to suggestions. On Sunday, I plan on cooking! I bought a brand new fondue pot a few weeks ago, and while it looks really pretty in my kitchen, I haven't done anything with it, so I'm thinking about using Nigella Lawson's recipe. That would also involve a trip to The Party Source for some kirsh, which I don't have. Oh, darn.

But then again, I may just look through my cookbooks and see what I can find. I sort of want to do some Indian food (I have a Madhur Jaffrey cookbook that I've had for years but haven't made anything out of, just looked at it longingly). Or maybe something out of Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone.

What I am definitely going to do is make some veal stock and some chicken stock. My freezer is full of good chicken bones from some rotisserie chickens Terry bought last week, as well as some veal bones that have been taunting me. I'll probably take some of the veal bones and do some demiglace. I'm excited to have a little time in the kitchen this weekend!

Quick Reviews: Circa on Dupont, Zorba

It's a lot harder for Terry and me to do our little dance when we're traveling.

"What do you want?"
"I don't know. What do you want?"

Since I'm the local here, he tends to rely on me for direction. However, when he's the one familiar with the city (like when we went to Birmingham/Anniston/Atlanta in December, or when we're in New York) I rely on him. That doesn't make it any easier for us to decide, though! We saw a sign on Connecticut Avenue in Dupont Circle for Zorba's, which has the "best cheap lunch" in DC. Mmm. Gyros. Still, we walked around for a few more blocks, trying to decide if thats really what we wanted. We did, and it didn't disappoint.

Someday soon I'll do a review of Sebastian's on the West Side, but for now let me say this: I really love Sebastian's. Mrs. Sebastian, do not attack me the next time I come in, because I dearly adore you and Sebastian's is my choice for gyros in Cincinnati. But Zorba's? Wow. Best gyros I've ever had. The tzatziki was made with greek yogurt, and thick and delicious. The meat had crispy bits and tender bits, and the pita was soft and warm. Yum. And it was a great deal-- with drinks, and a ton of food, around $20 total. Nice!

Circa on Dupont was our last real meal in the city. We had walked by a couple of times, looked at the menu, debated going in. What really struck us, however, is how good the brunch menu looked! I'm not a breakfast person (my morning meal usually consists of oatmeal and coffee) but man, do I like a good brunch.



Arugula and crab fritatta, fruit, and spicy potatoes. I am definitely copying this at home-- fritattas are so easy, quick, and delicious!



Eggs benedict, fruit, and spicy potatoes. Those were really good potatoes, and the hollandaise was nice, too. Mmm. Hollandaise.

To drink, Terry got a Bloody Mary and I got an apple mimosa. I'm really not into tomato juice, and less into Bloody Marys-- in fact, the sip I had of his was my first, can you believe it?-- but I still don't like savory beverages. The apple mimosa was OK; I should have gotten a regular mimosa.

I think I've covered all of the restaurants of note in our trip to DC-- now, to plan the next trip!

Review: Afterwords, Washington, DC

The great thing about DC is you can always find somewhere with a noteworthy (or simply scandalous) history. Me, I go for the scandalous stuff. The mall we went to several times (Pentagon City Mall), as it was right outside the metro station closest to our hotel had a story: it was where Monica Lewinsky was first recorded talking to Linda Tripp. Terry made a special effort to get me to Kramerbooks, which is where Monica Lewinsky bought Bill Clinton a copy of Vox. Yeah, we like the seedy side. It's far more interesting.

The cool thing about Kramerbooks is that there is a really, really good restaurant attached-- Afterwords (ha!). I mean, really really good. And inexpensive! It would even be considered inexpensive in Cincinnati-- our entrees were no more than $17 each, and once you see the pictures, you'll know why we were so impressed. We actually ate there twice (after a failed attempt to go to Cafe Citron), it's that good.

That drink is a Billary: soda, lime, and a sidecar of watermelon and pomegranate shots. Can't have one without the other. Ha, ha. They also had a Client #9 (a white wine Spitzer!) and other drinks under the heading "Electile Dysfunction"-- the inability to get excited about any candidate. Ha.

Terry ordered the crab cake plate. I ended up stealing bites of his pasta all night-- it was smoky and creamy and rich and amazingly delicious.

$17! Can you believe it? That crab cake was huge and full of huge lumps of crab. It was amazing. The next time we went, he had scallops, which were also huge and sweet and perfectly cooked, and served with the rice timbale you'll see in the next picture.

Yum yum yum. Perfectly cooked tuna, a rice, red pepper, cucumber, seaweed salad and caviar timbale, avocado and a ponzu dipping sauce. Heaven on a plate. $17. Seriously. Even at DC prices, it's amazing. The next night, I had duck with a cherry sauce. Also really, really good and crispy and delicious.

If I had a hall of fame (which I should), this place should go into it. The surroundings are unpretentious, the service is casual but competent, and the food is fantastic and inexpensive. If you get to DC and are on a budget (or aren't, and just want good food), I recommend Afterwords. I can't wait to go back!

OpenTable Restaurant List

Check out OpenTable.com-- restaurants are being added constantly, and you can now reserve tables at both Lavo and Hugo. It's also great for traveling-- that's how we got reservations for Charlie Palmer. You also get 100 points each time you dine, unless there's a special promotion-- then you can get up to 1000! 2000 points equal a $20 gift certificate, so it's nothing to sneeze at.

I'll keep you posted on other new restaurants that have been added to the list.

Restaurants as of 4/23/08

Bella Luna Restaurant	Cincinnati	Italian	$$
Bistro JeanRo	Cincinnati	French	$$$
Boca Cincinnati	Cincinnati	Italian	$$$$
Boi Na Braza - Cincinnati	Cincinnati	Brazilian Steakhouse	$$$$
Carlo & Johnny	Cincinnati	Steakhouse	$$$
Chart House Restaurant - Newport (Cincinnati)	Cincinnati	Seafood	$$$
Cumin Indian Fusion Cuisine	Cincinnati	Indian	$$
deSha's American Tavern	Cincinnati	American	$$
Eddie Merlot's - Cincinnati	Cincinnati	Steakhouse	$$$
Hugo Sophisticated Southern Cuisine	Cincinnati	Contemporary American	$$$
Jean-Robert at Pigalls	Cincinnati	French	$$$$
Jean-Robert's Greenup Café	Cincinnati	French	$$
Jeff Ruby's Steakhouse	Cincinnati	Steak	$$$
Jeff Ruby's Tropicana	Cincinnati	Fusion / Eclectic	$$$
Jimmy D's Steakhouse	Cincinnati	Steakhouse	$$$$
Lavomatic Cafe & Urban Wine Bar	Cincinnati	French	$$
Maggiano's - Cincinnati	Cincinnati	Italian	$$
McCormick & Schmick's Seafood - Beavercreek	Dayton	Seafood	$$
McCormick & Schmick's Seafood - Cincinnati	Cincinnati	Seafood	$$
mesh restaurant	Cincinnati	Contemporary American	$$$
Mike Fink	Cincinnati	Contemporary American	$$
Mitchell's Fish Market - Cincinnati (West Chester)	Cincinnati	Seafood	$$
Mitchell's Fish Market - Newport	Cincinnati	Seafood	$$
Morton's, The Steakhouse - Carew Tower	Cincinnati	Steak	$$$$
Nada	Cincinnati	Mexican	$$
Nicholson's Tavern & Pub	Cincinnati	American	$$
Nicola's Ristorante	Cincinnati	Italian	$$$
Orchids at Palm Court - Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza	Cincinnati	American	$$$$
Pacchia	Dayton	Contemporary American	$$
Palomino - Cincinnati	Cincinnati	Contemporary American	$$$
Parkers Blue Ash Grill	Cincinnati	American	$$
Pho Paris	Cincinnati	French	$$
Red Cincinnati	Cincinnati	Steak	$$$
Seny Tapas-Bar	Cincinnati	Spanish	$$
South Beach Grill at The Waterfront	Cincinnati	Steakhouse	$$$
The Melting Pot - Cincinnati	Cincinnati	Fondue	$$$
The Polo Grille	Cincinnati	Contemporary American	$$
The Precinct	Cincinnati	Steak	$$$
The Quarter	Cincinnati	Contemporary American	$$
The Summit	Cincinnati	Contemporary French	$$$
TRIO	Cincinnati	Contemporary American	$$
Via Vite	Cincinnati	Italian	$$
Vineyard Cafe and Wine Room

Non-Food post: West Side Bingo

Bear with me. This doesn't have anything to do with food.

Terry, who is not from Cincinnati, but who works in Western Hills, is constantly amused when I run into people who grew up on the West Side, and we engage in a game of West Side Bingo:

"Oh, you went to Seton? I went to Seton!"
"Did you know so-and-so?"
"Well, I knew her second cousin twice removed, she..."

You get the idea. At a recent dinner party, one of my guests and I went about three degrees of separation, down to "lived across the street from my best friend" level. Pretty impressive.

Say what you will about the West Side, and I often make fun of it (I grew up in Delhi, I'm allowed), but it is a very tightly knit, middle class community. You can generally rely on your neighbors in times of trouble, and the community never fails to lend a helping hand to those in need. West Siders, as a whole, are fiercely loyal and incredibly respectful of those in law enforcement, fire fighting, EMS and the military.

Watching the WLWT aerial feed of the procession, seeing neighborhoods that are incredibly familiar to me lined with people pausing in respect of Robin Broxterman and Brian Schira, I can't help but be incredibly moved. These were born and bred West Siders-- one an Oak Hills grad, the other a La Salle grad-- who were motivated to help out the communities that raised them. That's admirable and heroic.

On Monday night, I had to call the CFD because of some smoke near my apartment. I couldn't help but think about their roles as firefighters-- sure, they're told it's just a smell of smoke, but every run could be so much more-- and I made sure to thank them and tell them to be safe. In the same, selfless manner of every firefighter I ever met, one said, "No, you be safe. We know what kind of crime goes on around here. Don't ever hesitate to call us."

I won't dwell on the cause of the fire-- rumors abound of the homeowners delaying because of some illegal activities in the basement, plus the construction issues many new homes have-- but instead think about the selflessness of firefighters, who go to every run, no matter where it is or who called or what the circumstances are, with the sole purpose of helping someone, and with little regard to their own safety.

And thank you to the citizens of Colerain, Green Township, Delhi for being so stereotypically close knit. It's times like these that this is appreciated.

The kitchen of the future...

...courtesy Mark Bittman.





How bleak! I don't know about you, but I very rarely use my microwave. In fact, I don't think I'd really miss it if it mysteriously disappeared. I bought some popcorn at Costco (Orville Redenbacher's All Natural, no weird chemicals, and really darn good) and occasionally pop a mini-bag, but generally I just eat that at work. I heat water up on the stove with a teakettle, and I generally steam vegetables on the stove.

I'd also die if I had to eat pre-portioned meals every darn day. Ugh. It's bad enough eating Lean Cuisine, but I just couldn't do it for every meal.

How about you? Do you use your microwave a lot? What do you use it for?

Recipe: Lazy Pasta

There's so much truth in the saying that simple is better. Terry had rehearsal last night, and so did I (but in separate places-- like, 30 miles apart separate!), so I only had to cook for myself and the cats last night*. So I threw together something right out of the pantry. It's super simple.

Grab your favorite pasta-- last night, I used whole wheat rotini-- and cook according to the package directions. Terry likes it when I use angel hair, and it's also good with some premade tortellini or ravioli.

In a saute pan, melt some butter. We'll be cooking it to the browned stage, per Michael Ruhlman's easy directions. If you've never had beurre noir before, you'll be amazed-- it's nutty and rich and delicious. Unsalted butter, please, if you have it.

Toss the pasta in the pan with your browned butter and toss to coat. Then, get out a hand grater or a vegetable peeler and grate some parmigiano reggiano into the saute pan. Don't use the pre-grated stuff unless it's an emergency (we had to slum it with the pre-grated stuff during the Blizzard of 2008. Trust me. Use the good stuff). There's enough saltiness in the parm that you don't really have to season it much more. Use as much as you like. Toss some more. If you like, add some other seasonings-- I use black pepper and lemon for a sort of light alfredo flavor. It's also nice with fresh sage.

You can use other cheeses as well-- crumbled feta, crumbled Roquefort. It's an impromptu sauce that is quick, easy, tasty, has no weird , unpronounceable chemicals, and is very filling.

What are your favorite "go-to" pantry meals? What do you always have in your pantry?
*Note: I don't cook for the cats, but they seem to think I do, the way that they watch me cook. I may sneak them chicken or tuna sometimes, but I will never admit it.

Mini-Reviews: The Precinct, Blackfinn and Cue

Friday night, instead of going downtown, Terry and I toured the East side. Though he's lived here for a few years, he's still learning his way around, and he discovered how close he lived to both Mt. Lookout ("I live that close to Zip's?") and Columbia Tusculum, which lead us to The Precinct. Yeah, it's the same Jeff Ruby's food, so I'm not going to go too much into it, but I do have a funny story:

I have never, ever been congratulated for finishing a meal. I ordered Steak Colinsworth (there weren't any appealing seafood choices on the menu), which is a petite filet. I hadn't eaten anything since noon, so I was hungry. Terry ordered the Jewel, which he was about halfway through when the Maître d' stopped by to check on our meal. "You're finished? Wow! Give me five!" I high fived him. That was a first. Now, given, the Precinct is pretty much a boy's club (not a lot of women there, a very locker room feeling, with an air of familiarity you might not find at his other locations), known for its clients being Cincinnati movers-and-shakers (noticed Joe Deters while I was there, for example) and sports stars, this didn't surprise me. I think he must've been surprised that a girl... ate. On the way out, he congratulated me again, giving me a firm handshake and saying, "I LOVE you! I love this girl!" I wonder if I go back if I'll be known as "the woman who beat her boyfriend at eating steak". It wasn't even a big steak, guys! Jeez.

I'd go back just for the environment, over the flagship location. I liked the familiarity and the feeling I was intruding on a boys' club. And I'm all about that.

Blackfinn:

I went there with some friends for a bachelorette party. I think Blackfinn is really concentrating on being a bar/club, and less on the food-- no one was eating except for us and another bachelorette party. The food was mediocre-- very TGI Friday's. I might go back there for drinks again, but the food was really unimpressive.

Cue:

I am too old for Cue. I am 27. I am still too old for Cue. It's a 21-and-up bar in the old Have a Nice Day space. 99% of the people there were 21 and not a minute older. Give me Twist any day.

Hopefully, I'll have more exciting reviews in the coming week.

ETA: Apparently, it's really rare for women to order steak! Check out this NYT article as well as this link from local blogger Rachel from The F Word.

Review: Charlie Palmer's, Washington, DC.

The Washingtonian's Best Restaurants 2008 was an invaluable resource for us during our travels. No surprise to any regular readers of this blog, but my partner-in-crime had a steak craving while we were there. We decided on Charlie Palmer's because the menu looked good and we got 1000 points on OpenTable. Score!

Charlie Palmer owns restaurants in NY, DC, Vegas and elsewhere, and is known for lots of wine (which I did not sample, much to the sommelier's chagrin)-- 3500 bottles on display in the restaurant, and a total of 10,000 on premises-- and high quality ingredients. This location, which is right on Capitol Hill (in the area where the streets criss-cross confusingly; we had to ask some pedestrians for directions). The restaurant itself is spare but impressive: leather banquettes, lots of glass, lots of black and white, lots of chrome, and dark wood. It doesn't have the traditional steakhouse feel, but definitely feels stylish and expensive. The staff was attentive-- no less than six people, headed by a stylishly suited waiter, served us during the evening-- but not overly so. We had plenty of time to talk and people watch.

The scene felt a lot like the early scenes of American Psycho. Lots of gelled hair, expensive suits, and exchanges of business cards. I could practically hear Patrick Bateman's brand litany in the back of my head. The interesting part? Of the serving staff, only one was female. Of the guests, including me, I think there were maybe six women in the entire dining room. Despite Hillary Clinton's run for president, Nancy Pelosi as Speaker of the House, and Condoleeza Rice as secretary of state, Capitol Hill is still very much a boys' club.

There aren't a ton of pictures from this place, because I felt very self-conscious taking them. I'll have to get over that, won't I?

We each got a drink-- Terry, a beer (I really have to keep track of what sort of beer he orders out, don't I?) and I got a cosmopolitan. The first one tasted like straight cranberry juice, the second one was quite tasty.

The chef sent out an amuse bouche, which was a cold cantaloupe soup with grenadine. Very refreshing, and the contrast between the very sweet cantaloupe and the syrupy, tart grenadine was fantastic.

For our first course, we split a Caesar salad-- this was great, with whole leaves of hearts of romaine, lots of freshly grated parmesan, and an obviously fresh dressing that was heavy on the anchovy. It was plenty for two people, but they didn't split the plate. It's a little awkward to share a salad with someone next to you.

Our entrees came up next. Palmer's has a ton of different steaks: from USDA Angus aged from 21-28 days and in various cuts, to Kobe beef at $20 an ounce (5 ounce minimum), as well as chicken, duck, pork, seafood, and one vegetarian (but not vegan) dish. Terry got a steak: a "Cowboy Cut" ribeye, bone in, with horseradish cream, creamed spinach and fries with chipotle aioli.

What an amazing steak. Perfectly cooked, look at those juices! The horseradish cream went with it perfectly. The creamed spinach isn't pictured, but it was very spinachy-- some creamed spinach is far heavier on the cream. He said it's one of the better steaks he's had in years.

And look at the presentation of the fries! This is what inspired me to actually take pictures-- the presentation was hard to beat. On the right side is the chipotle aioli, which was just the perfect level of spice, and on the other side, ketchup. The fries were crispy and delicious. I ate more of them than I should have.

I ended up with the Roasted Breast of Sonoma County Duck with endive marmalade,
roasted macoun apple tarte tatin and seared foie gras. If I eat much more duck and foie, I'm going to start quacking. This was seriously heavenly: the duck itself was well seasoned and not too greasy or too dry, but the real standout was the tarte tatin with seared foie gras. If I just had a plate with that, I would have been a happy girl. The apple tarte tatin was very traditional, and the perfect complement to the foie gras, which was perfectly seared. It's the best foie I've had, bar none (and I've had so much foie in the past month, it's ridiculous). I was torn between gobbling up every bit in a taste overload, or savoring every last bite. I came to a happy medium.

Terry was stuffed, but my eye caught the dessert menu-- apricot basil sorbet! I had to have some, so we did.

Sorry it's so blurry. Again, I was feeling self conscious. There are three flavors there: a rich, true raspberry, a very refreshing mango, and the apricot-basil, which was disappointgly low on basil. The apricot flavor, however, was very good and not overly sweet. And the little cookies? Homemade shortbread. I think I know what's next on my baking list. I love how shortbread is sweet and a little salty at the same time. Yum.

Terry and I have eaten a lot of meals together, and we decided that this one was probably the best one-- the surroundings were stylish but intimate, the menu was outstanding, and the service was superb. If you find yourself in DC and want a steak (or duck or foie..), I'd highly recommend Charlie Palmer's.

Review: Jaleo, Washington DC.

I'm back from DC! Thanks for all of the "I miss you!" comments. I really appreciate it. Thanks also for the restaurant recommendations. We were able to take advantage of one of them.

Terry, as I may have mentioned, lived for four years in the DC area. He hadn't been back in about five years, so he was really excited to go back and try all of his favorite restaurants again. I told him that one of my readers (hi, Liberal Foodie!) had recommended Jaleo, a tapas place, and he said, "Oh! I love tapas. There's a tapas place I used to go to... let's find it!"

We tried to go to Jaleo the first night, but our hotel's concierge got the closing times wrong for all of the restaurants within walking distance, so we ended up back at the hotel eating mediocre hotel food. Yuck. We ended up at Jaleo on Thursday, after trying (unsuccessfully) to get tickets for the International Spy Museum, which is off of the same Metro stop in Chinatown. Terry didn't know what the name of his favorite Tapas place was, so we found our way to the Shakespeare Theater, and it turned out that it was Jaleo.

Jaleo's original location is the one near the Shakespeare Theater, though there are others in Crystal City and Bethesda. It was rated by the Washingtonian as one of the best restaurants in the city, due to both the executive chef, James Beard award nominee Jose Andres, as well as the young, promising chefs he brings in from Spain.

We were seated quickly, and each ordered a drink: Terry got a beer, and I grabbed some sangria. There's nothing better than sangria on a hot day you've just spent walking from Arlington Cemetery to the Mall to Chinatown.

I made Terry order, since he'd been there before. And this is what we got.

Endive with orange, goat cheese, scallions, almonds and sherry vinaigrette. This was so very simple but very good. I may try to interpret this at home, it was such a lovely blend of sweet, creamy, sharp and nutty.

The next dish was one of Terry's old favorites: a Spanish omelet. Again, very simple: egg, potatoes, onions. That's it. Delicious.

The next dish was another of Terry's picks-- canelones traditionales. Two tubes of pasta stuffed with pork and foie gras, covered in an undisclosed cheese and baked. Heavenly.

We also had some excellent salmon with a simple sauce of capers, olives, and shallots. Perfectly cooked, tender, and delicious.

The portions were plenty for two people who were fairly hungry after a long day of walking. This is a great place to go with a big group of friends-- the service is not hurried, and you can try a ton of dishes between everyone. Definitely recommended.

Review: Hugo

Shrimp and grits. If you ask anyone who knows anything about Southern cuisine, specifically low country cuisine, this is about the time you should get out a handkerchief: let the drooling commence. Shrimp. Grits. What could be better?

Now, seeing as my wonderful dining partner is from the South (Alabama, specifically), I have gotten quite the education on grits. What are grits? Grits are ground hominy. Hominy is the soft white part of the corn kernel after the outer "shell" has been removed-- often with lye. Don't listen to Tyler Florence, who I recently saw do a recipe on his show that was purported to be shrimp and grits-- ground cornmeal is not grits. That's polenta. Polenta is great stuff, but it's not grits. Grits come in instant, quick, regular and stone-ground. There is a world of difference between the three, and stone ground grits (though they take longer) are infinitely better. The texture is just incomparable. You can pick stone ground grits up in the Cajun section of Jungle Jim's, or you can buy them at a more reasonable price online. Terry purchased some from this store last Sunday, and they got there on Wednesday before we left for our trip. We're set for grits for a good long time.

I had shrimp and grits for the first time on a recent trip to Nashville. They were fantastic-- a little spicy, with white cheddar grits, bacon and shrimp. It was simple but exceptional. When Hugo opened recently, and I found out that their shrimp and grits were supposed to be great, I had to try them. Initially, we were supposed to go there for my birthday in November, but we just never made it. Finally, Terry called me at work and said, "Make reservations for Hugo." So, I did.

Hugo is in Pho Paris' old spot in Oakley. They specialize in "sophisticated Southern", with menu items including fried green tomatoes, corn fritters, short ribs and hoppin' john (black eyed peas cooked with bacon). These aren't your Kentucky grandma's version, these are instead rich and sophisticated, with interesting twists on these old standards.

I got pretty excited because they supposedly have the best foie in the city. We decided on foie as an appetizer, but then our server told us the specials.

Dammit.

The first course special was braised pork belly with apples. Pork belly is so fashionable and so tasty-- you get crispy outside, moist, porky inside, and a succulent layer of fat. It was topped with a fondue-- so pork and cheese. Oh, man. This portion was huge-- it could have been an entree for two-- and Terry and I could only manage to eat about half of it.

I will never be a size 2.

Of course, we still got the foie. Terry has become a veritable foie fiend, and I'm happy to share it with him. Hugo's was pan-seared, served with dried apricots on top of corn bread and pine nuts with a pineapple gastrique. The pineapple was sweet and a little sour, and the foie so rich, they were an excellent compliment. I think it was better than Red's.

We skipped the second course and moved right on to the entree. I decided on duck: I am so in love with duck these days, can you tell? This was duck confit, served with butternut squash, cider jus and radicchio. It tasted like fall-- rich and spicy and heady.

Terry got the shrimp and grits. This wasn't the rustic dish I had in Nashville, but more refined-- the grits were finely ground, the tasso rich and a little spicy, instead of getting its spice from jalapenos. It was delicious and well prepared and deserving of its local fame.

For dessert, we split a Huguenot torte. which was rich with pecans and apples, and topped with house-made maple ice cream. The ice cream was absolutely the best part of this dish. It was creamy, rich, but somehow light. The torte itself was OK, but no more than okay; it was a little dry and a little overly nutty for my tastes. But the ice cream? Oooh.

Sophisticated Southern-- this was fine dining with a touch of the South. These were traditional fine dining staples kicked up with Southern flavors. All of the dishes were rich-- I hope that Chef Daly changes this a bit for the spring-- but all were appropriate for this still cool weather. I will definitely be back-- if just for the grits and the foie!