Southwest Ohio and Environs (Open Chat)

Captain Howdy

NYPIzzaNut

donw9876


A note on Lovely's, where I have never bought food, but recommended to me by a trustworthy friend: supposedly they have simply fantastic fried chicken. FWIW.

Thanks for the heads up, NYPN.

I got a look at the fried chicken they were readying for lunch and if looks and smell count for anything I would have to agree it is exceptional.

I can confirm firsthand the deliciousness of Lovely's fried chicken.  It's succulent and crispy beyond belief (IMHO).

One thing that puts me off about Lovely's is their high prices for things like jams and jellies and licorice - I know for a fact they are selling these goods about two dollars higher than I have seen at similar places, like the Home Place in Georgetown Ohio (which is owned and operated by a wonderful Mennonite family):
The Home Place Furniture

The Home Place, Georgetown OH 45121


The Home Place is open year-round so that makes it nicer also as far as availablility.

For example Lovely's is selling a pint of Dutch Country Kettles Blueberry Jam for $5.75 and Home Place offers it at $3.75:

This is the product (Amish made with pure cane sugar and no corn syrup in Holmes County OH) I am talking about - which I have been getting from the Home Place for years:

Farm Fresh Delivery - Farmers and Artisans 

This is where it comes from:
Real Amish Experiences

NYPIzzaNut, that pizza looks fantastic. You really like that place huh? How often do you eat there?

EatingTheRoad


NYPIzzaNut, that pizza looks fantastic. You really like that place huh? How often do you eat there?

I am lucky if I eat there once a year but I generally pick up a take out pizza from there about once or twice a month on average.  My lunchbunch group consists of folks from Cincinnati and from near Dayton and we rotate each week where we eat.  My friend near Dayton is kind enough to normally pick a place in the vicinity of Troni's so that I am able to swing by there and pick up a pie to take home to my wife.  We are both from the NYC environs and I was raised on pizza pies but my wife was not but she got to loving them once we got together and has similar tastes in  pizzas to me.

My lunch companions unfortunately are not as hooked as I on pizza pies and normally prefer not to go back to the same place very often preferring to experience and maybe discover new great places to eat.  If it was my decision alone I would choose Troni's every week - as a matter of fact I was considering picking them next week even though they are 78 miles from my door but I decided on a place closer to home since I have been to Cinci and Dayton areas the last two weeks!

The problem with restaurants in my area is they are few and far between and we have been to most of them that are worth going to.  The one we are going to next week is one of my favorites for their fried chicken especially, but we have been there as a group several times already and I always catch flak for that!

My wife and I both polished off that last piece of Troni's pepperoni pizza a few minutes ago.  She had ordered it and I had ordered the mushroom.

I had told her the car smelled for about 45 minutes with the pepperoni odor while I was driving from Kettering to Sardinia.

The smell and taste of pepperoni just overwhelms the taste and smell of the basic pizza IMHO  - that is why if I get a topping I normally get mushrooms, which I think mind their own business on the pizza and compliment the flavor of the pie without taking it over, like the pepperoni seems to do.

I did not care much for it but yesterday when I finished off my mushroom pieces they tasted just as good as the night I brought the pie home - my wife said the pie today tasted not quite as good as the first night but she still enjoyed it.

How do you reheat it?

EatingTheRoad


How do you reheat it?

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees and place the pieces on a baking sheet and put in over for 4 minutes

I normally do not put anything on the pieces the first night but after that I put on olive oil and garlic and basic and oregano (dry) to liven it up a bit after being in the frig.

The same for me when I have some quality pizza I want to reheat, but I use a baking stone instead of a cookie sheet. The texture of the crust is just a bit better with the stone.

On this past Thursday we ate at:

http://www.meadowlarkrestaurant.com/



It was a most memorable and enjoyable occasion and despite trepidations I had about the place regarding their prices and seemingly upscale vibe reflected IMHO by their website we all enjoyed the food, staff and experience very much, despite the fact that we busted the $100 mark for the first time in our history, which goes back many years.

I can still taste my portabello sandwich - unparalleled in taste anywhere that I have ever experienced and I love this kind of sandwich - the NY Rye was exactly as advertised and all the ingredients combined to make it simply fantastic - I regret having to give up two - thirds of it to my mates but that is what we do - share virtually everything on the table - unless someone does not want to try the item or is allergic to certain ingredients in some dishes.

The beets were consumed 98% by our lone female - Willie (who chose the place) - I took a couple of pieces with plenty of the goat cheese and enjoyed it but our other two mates wanted nothing to do with beets!

We all loved the garlic frites and the two dips and the corn tortilla soups - wonderful flavors - really unbelievably delicious.

I did not think the Hoppin' John or Vietnamese Noodle Salad were that flavorful but the steak we got with both dishes was beyond fabulous and the sauces that came with the dishes on the side made the dishes very good to my palate and to my companions.

The pork tacos were very good and tasty.

The desserts were simply beyond compare - my comments on the photos say it all.

A most enjoyable place and it will go on our "Must Repeat" list!!!!!

NYPIzzaNut

EatingTheRoad


NYPIzzaNut, that pizza looks fantastic. You really like that place huh? How often do you eat there?

I am lucky if I eat there once a year but I generally pick up a take out pizza from there about once or twice a month on average.  My lunchbunch group consists of folks from Cincinnati and from near Dayton and we rotate each week where we eat.  My friend near Dayton is kind enough to normally pick a place in the vicinity of Troni's so that I am able to swing by there and pick up a pie to take home to my wife.  We are both from the NYC environs and I was raised on pizza pies but my wife was not but she got to loving them once we got together and has similar tastes in  pizzas to me.

My lunch companions unfortunately are not as hooked as I on pizza pies and normally prefer not to go back to the same place very often preferring to experience and maybe discover new great places to eat.  If it was my decision alone I would choose Troni's every week - as a matter of fact I was considering picking them next week even though they are 78 miles from my door but I decided on a place closer to home since I have been to Cinci and Dayton areas the last two weeks!

The problem with restaurants in my area is they are few and far between and we have been to most of them that are worth going to.  The one we are going to next week is one of my favorites for their fried chicken especially, but we have been there as a group several times already and I always catch flak for that!

NYPizzaNut please give Johnny's Pizzeria off of I-48 in Centerville a try the next time that you are in Dayton and are craving some pizza. I am pretty sure on previous comments and posts I have mentioned how I think their pizza is superior to Troni's and I would love to hear what you think of their pizza considering your affinity for NY style pizza.

http://www.activedayton.c...t.jspd?activity=156071

Sorry if you have already posted on them before but I figured you should give them a try.

Soccer862923

NYPIzzaNut

EatingTheRoad


NYPIzzaNut, that pizza looks fantastic. You really like that place huh? How often do you eat there?

I am lucky if I eat there once a year but I generally pick up a take out pizza from there about once or twice a month on average.  My lunchbunch group consists of folks from Cincinnati and from near Dayton and we rotate each week where we eat.  My friend near Dayton is kind enough to normally pick a place in the vicinity of Troni's so that I am able to swing by there and pick up a pie to take home to my wife.  We are both from the NYC environs and I was raised on pizza pies but my wife was not but she got to loving them once we got together and has similar tastes in  pizzas to me.

My lunch companions unfortunately are not as hooked as I on pizza pies and normally prefer not to go back to the same place very often preferring to experience and maybe discover new great places to eat.  If it was my decision alone I would choose Troni's every week - as a matter of fact I was considering picking them next week even though they are 78 miles from my door but I decided on a place closer to home since I have been to Cinci and Dayton areas the last two weeks!

The problem with restaurants in my area is they are few and far between and we have been to most of them that are worth going to.  The one we are going to next week is one of my favorites for their fried chicken especially, but we have been there as a group several times already and I always catch flak for that!

NYPizzaNut please give Johnny's Pizzeria off of I-48 in Centerville a try the next time that you are in Dayton and are craving some pizza. I am pretty sure on previous comments and posts I have mentioned how I think their pizza is superior to Troni's and I would love to hear what you think of their pizza considering your affinity for NY style pizza.

http://www.activedayton.c...t.jspd?activity=156071

Sorry if you have already posted on them before but I figured you should give them a try.

Do you know if they are handicap accessible?

I pick the locations in my neck of the woods and my friend in Englewood picks the Dayton area locations we go to but I will mention it to her and see what might be arranged - or I could stop by after our lunch on the way home and check their pies out - although I am fond of Troni's I am never adverse to checking other places out that have merit.  Thanks for your input - I will let you know if and when I connect with them.

NYPIzzaNut


On this past Thursday we ate at:

http://www.meadowlarkrestaurant.com/



It was a most memorable and enjoyable occasion and despite trepidations I had about the place regarding their prices and seemingly upscale vibe reflected IMHO by their website we all enjoyed the food, staff and experience very much, despite the fact that we busted the $100 mark for the first time in our history, which goes back many years.

I can still taste my portabello sandwich - unparalleled in taste anywhere that I have ever experienced and I love this kind of sandwich - the NY Rye was exactly as advertised and all the ingredients combined to make it simply fantastic - I regret having to give up two - thirds of it to my mates but that is what we do - share virtually everything on the table - unless someone does not want to try the item or is allergic to certain ingredients in some dishes.

The beets were consumed 98% by our lone female - Willie (who chose the place) - I took a couple of pieces with plenty of the goat cheese and enjoyed it but our other two mates wanted nothing to do with beets!

We all loved the garlic frites and the two dips and the corn tortilla soups - wonderful flavors - really unbelievably delicious.

I did not think the Hoppin' John or Vietnamese Noodle Salad were that flavorful but the steak we got with both dishes was beyond fabulous and the sauces that came with the dishes on the side made the dishes very good to my palate and to my companions.

The pork tacos were very good and tasty.

The desserts were simply beyond compare - my comments on the photos say it all.

A most enjoyable place and it will go on our "Must Repeat" list!!!!!

My goodness, I do need to head back to the Meadowlark, to be waited upon by the trés photogenic Ruthie, if for no other reason. 

The menu (and the clientele, IMHO) can certainly be more than a little off putting, but I have had nothing but good things to say about their cuisine in all of the several visits I've made there.

What a very cool place. Every single thing looks and sounds fantastic. I would love to try everything you had. The owner and your server seem so great. I bet you'll be going back there shortly.

EatingTheRoad


What a very cool place. Every single thing looks and sounds fantastic. I would love to try everything you had. The owner and your server seem so great. I bet you'll be going back there shortly.

Yup!

The menu (and the clientele, IMHO) can certainly be more than a little off putting,

I can see that even casual lunch dining at this place is expensive so that part I understand. 

How are the clientele offputting?

I don't hug trees so I can't be offended. :)

Meadowlark is owned by the same people who own The Winds in Yellow Springs. FWIW, every business based in YS feels ideological like it has to make a green or left statement. Maybe that's their customer base...

  



The staff of Troni's Pizzeria and Restaurant and the Lunchbunch wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!

NYPIzzaNut



I pick the locations in my neck of the woods and my friend in Englewood picks the Dayton area locations we go to but I will mention it to her and see what might be arranged - or I could stop by after our lunch on the way home and check their pies out - although I am fond of Troni's I am never adverse to checking other places out that have merit.  Thanks for your input - I will let you know if and when I connect with them.

I am fairly confident that they are handicap accessible. It is just a rather small shop with maybe room for 20 or so people so don't expect a big building but either way I am pretty sure you should be able to get a wheelchair through either set of doors. Navigating inside maybe a little difficult but is probably also doable.

They do pizza by the slice if you want to not fully commit but I would recommend a whole pie if you can swing it as I feel like the quality is better.

donw9876

The menu (and the clientele, IMHO) can certainly be more than a little off putting,

I can see that even casual lunch dining at this place is expensive so that part I understand. 

How are the clientele offputting?

I don't hug trees so I can't be offended. :)

Meadowlark is owned by the same people who own The Winds in Yellow Springs. FWIW, every business based in YS feels ideological like it has to make a green or left statement. Maybe that's their customer base...

As someone who is, politically, pretty liberal when it comes to social issues, I don't at all mind to clarify:  The clientele seems to be made up primarily of what I tend to call limousine liberals, or LINOs (Liberals In Name Only).  In short, they're the new breed of yuppie, and I've never, ever had anything good to say about yuppies.

The reason they frequent the place is twofold: 1) They live close by in Washington Township/Centerville, and 2) Because the ads on NPR (something that I listen to quite frequently, I might add) tell them to.

Anyway, I don't let the (sometimes) maddening customers affect my absolutely thorough enjoyment of the Meadowlark.

Interesting. Kind of what I would have expected (and I never set foot in the place.) I think the label you're looking for is probably "bourgeois bohemians" or Bobos. Airs of self righteousness and affluence. 1 and 2 both nail it.

donw9876


Interesting. Kind of what I would have expected (and I never set foot in the place.) I think the label you're looking for is probably "bourgeois bohemians" or Bobos. Airs of self righteousness and affluence. 1 and 2 both nail it.

Yep.  Bingo.

"Bobos", eh?  Heh.  Funny.  Though I'll probably stick with "yuppies", especially since it has such negative connotations. 

And basically, if you've ever shopped at any DLM location, you've seen the clientele of the Meadowlark.  My opinion?  It's a nifty little space with some pretty tasty (if pricey) food, but it needs a healthy dose of some honest, unpretentious roadfoodies to frequent it and bring the snooty quotient of the place way down.

I am not sure why you guys need to add stereotypes to the discussion but I will say I generally pay much more attention to my lunchmates and the food we are served than the clientele of the establishment we are visiting.

Not that we are blind to the folks eating around us but we do not come to analyze such things.

I mentioned my trepidation about the place after looking at their website and before visiting in person and I also said that after the visit and partaking of the food and ambiance etc that my concerns were totally baseless.  I will say no more.

NYPIzzaNut


I am not sure why you guys need to add stereotypes to the discussion but I will say I generally pay much more attention to my lunchmates and the food we are served than the clientele of the establishment we are visiting.

Not that we are blind to the folks eating around us but we do not come to analyze such things.

I mentioned my trepidation about the place after looking at their website and before visiting in person and I also said that after the visit and partaking of the food and ambiance etc that my concerns were totally baseless.  I will say no more.

Exactly...how does the food make my tongue, heart and stomach feel.

EatingTheRoad

NYPIzzaNut


I am not sure why you guys need to add stereotypes to the discussion but I will say I generally pay much more attention to my lunchmates and the food we are served than the clientele of the establishment we are visiting.

Not that we are blind to the folks eating around us but we do not come to analyze such things.

I mentioned my trepidation about the place after looking at their website and before visiting in person and I also said that after the visit and partaking of the food and ambiance etc that my concerns were totally baseless.  I will say no more.

Exactly...how does the food make my tongue, heart and stomach feel.

It is a little like you experience listening to your favorite music!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

NYPN, the way I see it -

Every public place that does good business has an energy about it. A  restaurant that is full of families coming home from soccer practice is going to be a lot different in feel than a college hangout.

To say that the customers someplace are "bobos" is stereotyping in a way, yes. But it means that you're going to have a different kind of experience than going to, say, an Irish college bar or a casual hot dog place.

And it's not like we're profiling disadvantaged types. This is the free range sustainable green organic "everything I eat is a social cause" crowd we're talking about. Bobos can always afford to be teased.

Anyway, I ate at Doubleday's in Centerville with my brother yesterday. This place is egalitarian, it's patronized by all social and ideological elements.

The main impressions:

It's a genteel, clean "bar" atmosphere. I really like the layout and decor.

The menu has a vast selection of items for a bar & grill.

Portions seem to be huge. This is kind of a disadvantage in that you are forced to pay for a lot more food than one person may wish to eat. One trivial example is that their smallest side salad looks more like a dinner salad in size but without the ham and chicken, and costs almost $5. There's no cheap side salad option.

My brother got the chicken pot pie dinner which IIRC was about $10.99 with a salad. It is baked with a crust only on top in a white tureen that is about 10" wide and looks like a huge banana split boat.  It was freakin' huge; he said it was quite tasty and somehow ate it all.

I got a personal sized meat lover's pizza, which I ordered "well done", for $9 or so. (no pizza option for a full lunch, it's a la carte.) I found it was probably unnecessary to order it well done. The ingredients were all excellent. They make an "ingredient focused", not a "crust focused" pizza; there was a waffle pattern on the bottom that looked like they probably bake it in a non stick skillet or something.  It reminded me of Johnny's/Roc-A-Fella's. I enjoyed it.

The main drawback was that the service was good but extremely impersonal. Our server was perfunctory to the max.  I sort of remember that from an earlier visit. No feeling of a personal touch.

I'd definitely go back, however. For what you get it's on the high side but it's very good food. If you want to go to an O'Charley's or Applebee's or Ruby Tuesday type place, this place is a great alternative.

I am trying to remember what I liked most about the place - perhaps it was the soups.

I'd definitely go back, however. For what you get it's on the high side but it's very good food. If you want to go to an O'Charley's or Applebee's or Ruby Tuesday type place, this place is a great alternative.

What the......shouldn't that be the other way around?

NYPIzzaNut


I am trying to remember what I liked most about the place - perhaps it was the soups.

Or probably because it was near Troni's!

EatingTheRoad
What the......shouldn't that be the other way around?

I'm just saying that Doublesday's seems` way better than most chains and that it has "comfort" food like a real restaurant. It's not the standard bar & grill wings/burgers/salads bar food selection.

And it has an attached pizza operation of sorts.