Southwest Ohio and Environs (Open Chat)

This composite shows  a good part of the decor and  our group (minus our cofounding member from TN for some strange reason) as well as our wonderful waitress Brit and coowner Carla) - Brit is holding our 3 desserts.

Here is a nice exterior shot with composites of the various interior views seen thru the windows..

This is our Aladdin's Eatery bill for the 5 of us - we were a little shocked to see they actually charged us for hot sauce and extra garlic sauce and at the price of the mango drinks.  We also thought the lamb plate had a very meager amount of lamb for its cost.

Our Lunchbunch will be at the Old Y Restaurant in Winchester this week - this will be our second visit to this nice old-timey country restaurant, in the boondocks of Adams County.

The very latest on the closing and resurrection of New Orleans To Go:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/New-Orleans-to-Go/309639602845?ref=mf

http://www.neworleanstogopoboys.com/

Is anyone familiar with Mimi"s Grill in Beavercreek?

NYPIzzaNut


Is anyone familiar with Mimi"s Grill in Beavercreek?

That would be at The Greene (I-675 & Indian Ripple Rd.) but I believe it closed and has been reopened as something else. 

Mimi's is a chain owned by Bob Evans. I think it's pretty ordinary.

There is another one much closer to you that is open, on Mason Montgomery Road in Deerfield Commons.

donw9876

NYPIzzaNut


Is anyone familiar with Mimi"s Grill in Beavercreek?

That would be at The Greene (I-675 & Indian Ripple Rd.) but I believe it closed and has been reopened as something else. 

Mimi's is a chain owned by Bob Evans. I think it's pretty ordinary.

There is another one much closer to you that is open, on Mason Montgomery Road in Deerfield Commons.

It is still Mimi's Grill and and still mundane and still there in the parking lot area.  It was our Englewood-based member's choice this week.

On the way home from Mimi's I picked up a wonderful pizza at Troni's and learned they are now closed on Mondays in addition to Sundays.

Athenian Restaurant‎
10966 Reading Road, Cincinnati, OH 45241-2555
(513) 733-8482 ‎ 
Is anyone familiar with this place?

NYPIzzaNut


Is anyone familiar with Mimi"s Grill in Beavercreek?

I've eaten there a few times; to me it a more upscale Bob Evans.  (Oh, and it's Mimi's Cafe, not Grill.)

45013

NYPIzzaNut


Is anyone familiar with Mimi"s Grill in Beavercreek?

I've eaten there a few times; to me it a more upscale Bob Evans.  (Oh, and it's Mimi's Cafe, not Grill.)

You are right -  it is a cafe in a parking lot, with upscale prices too ...

I've been to the Athenian. It's a tiny greek diner type place. The food was okay, not great. If you are thinking in that area I would choose Dino's Euro Grill or Rombes. Both do a good gyro. Rombes has a more extensive menu. It's a family owned place and sort of old timey.

Delilah77


I've been to the Athenian. It's a tiny greek diner type place. The food was okay, not great. If you are thinking in that area I would choose Dino's Euro Grill or Rombes. Both do a good gyro. Rombes has a more extensive menu. It's a family owned place and sort of old timey.

Is Dino's the newer place on Cornell that is in a former fast food joint?

Yes, Dino's is on Cornell. It's counter service and still looks like a converted fast food place inside. The gyros are very good, though.
 
I had lunch at Rombes a few weeks ago and enjoyed it. The gyro was very good......on par with Arteti's (Findlay Market). They also had a lot of other options on the menu.

NYPIzzaNut

donw9876

NYPIzzaNut


Is anyone familiar with Mimi"s Grill in Beavercreek?

That would be at The Greene (I-675 & Indian Ripple Rd.) but I believe it closed and has been reopened as something else. 

Mimi's is a chain owned by Bob Evans. I think it's pretty ordinary.

There is another one much closer to you that is open, on Mason Montgomery Road in Deerfield Commons.

It is still Mimi's Grill and and still mundane and still there in the parking lot area.  It was our Englewood-based member's choice this week.

I couldn't agree more about it being mundane. I haven't been able to bring myself to go back to it as I just think of it as mediocre. My grandma really seems to like it but I just find it rather bland and maudlin.
 
Haven't been on in a while, but I hope to be back regularly again. Been working on balancing, full time school, full time graduate studies, and training for my Half Marathons and other races. Been also trying to get my food choices in control as it really throws off my training if I am not careful of how much, what, and when I eat many types of RF. I think I have it under control so I shall be back!

We had a taste for Still Smokin', so we called out a couple of weeks ago to see if he was open. We left a message, and he called back within minutes and said he would open the weekend of April 10-11.

We went out there last weekend and there was no trailer. We tried calling when we got back and left a message, but he hasn't called back.

It would really suck if they didn't re-open -- their smoked ribs are incredible.

I spoke to the owner on Tuesday when I saw their trailer in place and tent up - they opened today and brisket will be ready at 4 PM - remember they are only open from Thursday - Sunday.

http://www.andouilleonline.com/Menu.html

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000148664543&ref=ts

http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/32/1477335/restaurant/Cincinnati/Anna-Rees-Andouille-New-Richmond


Anna Ree's Andouille
New Richmond OH

Has anyone been to this Cajun restaurant?

We were there today - it does not compare to NOTG  in any way, shape or form.

NYPIzzaNut


We were there today - it does not compare to NOTG  in any way, shape or form.

What's NOTG?

New Orleans To Go

We went to Andouille last night, and I wouldn't go so far as to say it doesn't compare to NOTG. We pretty much ignored everything on the menu that wasn't Louisiana-related (like burgers, steaks, and chicken fingers), although I understand why they are on there.

First, the good. The crawfish, bar none. Flown in live, something NOTG was never able to do for some reason, and it makes all the difference in the world. My wife (a native of Louisiana, born and raised not far from Breaux Bridge, the "Crawfish Capital") was scared to death of ordering them, due to several disastrous experiences up here (including NOTG), but these were far and away the best we have had locally. Our only nitpicks were that they aren't as spicy as they should have been (and they may have just been "dumbed down" for local tastes), and they weren't served with the "standard" dipping sauce (equal parts ketchup and mayonnaise, plus black pepper or Tony Chachere's to taste), or any dipping sauce for that matter. We asked for the ingredients, and mixed our own. The appetizer version was almost 20 pieces for $7, which I found pretty reasonable for this area, all things considered.

My wife also enjoyed the crawfish etoufee, which was made closer to the Cajun style (that is, a butter/onion/green pepper base, not tomato). I went with the red beans and rice, which was okay. It was a bit peppery, much too smoky (because they use smoked ham hocks instead of tasso), and not creamy at all, since none of the beans were mashed during cooking. This, I will agree, does not compare to NOTG's version. Entrees include cornbread (which was extremely moist and delicious, and ended up being our dessert) and a choice of salad. I was pleased that the spinach salad with bacon was one of the choices, and it was pretty good, although the vinaigrette dressing could have been used a bit more sparingly.

The gumbo was, frankly, terrible...much too thick, not enough of a roux base, only one piece each of chicken and andouille sausage, and far too expensive at $5/cup.

Overall, we were pleased with our experience and will go back, although it isn't in the most convenient location. (It took about 30 minutes to get there from our home in Northside, and I will admit to driving faster than most.) I personally am most intrigued by the all-you-can-eat catfish on Thursdays. My wife, meanwhile, keeps telling people back home that she finally found some good boiled crawfish up here, and that's a pretty successful dining experience in my book.

Bonk


We had a taste for Still Smokin', so we called out a couple of weeks ago to see if he was open. We left a message, and he called back within minutes and said he would open the weekend of April 10-11.

We went out there last weekend and there was no trailer. We tried calling when we got back and left a message, but he hasn't called back.

It would really suck if they didn't re-open -- their smoked ribs are incredible.

Have you made it out there yet?

Finally got back there last weekend. The ribs were still excellent.

Lee said he's using a different kind of wood to cut down the smoky flavor (which some claimed was too much), but I didn't notice the difference. I love the smoky flavor.

I had the mac and cheese, which is also fantastic, and I tried a pork chop sandwich. He smokes the pork chop, bone in, and puts it on a bun. It's a little weird eating a sandwich with a bone in it, but it was still delicious.

No brisket??

NYPIzzaNut


No brisket??

 
Yeah, good point. I totally forgot that we did get some, which is probably just as well.
 
It was a little overdone. Still not bad, just not particularly memorable. My gf also got some cole slaw, which is actually her favorite anywhere (I actually can't stand any type of slaw), and she said it was just as awesome as she remembered it.
 
She says it's a vinegar thing.

There are two kinds of slaw dressings: predominantly cream based, and vinegar based. The cream based is the crap that you get almost everywhere and prepared in the supermarket. I've gotten slaw like this that resembles a cold soup. Disgusting. And the most vile common slaw is where the cabbage is pureed into a sort of mush. The vinegar based slaws with coarsely cut cabbage that are sparing with the liquids have more crunch and better flavor. 

This past Thursday we had lunch at the Lake Waynoka Restaurant.

My friend from Paris TN loved their fried chicken which he claims is the best he ever had outside of his aunt's fried chicken back in TN.  I also think the fried chicken (and their baked chicken) are truly exceptional.

We have new management and a new  cook at our restaurant now and the food is vastly improved from in the past.  Her name is Sandy and she previously operated the Fireside Inn in Higginsport and sold it to a new owner who moved it to Georgetown (we have reported on the Fireside Inn earlier in this thread).

If you ever get the chance to be out this way do yourselves a favor and try some food here.  All the desserts are home-made also and exceptional.

Bonk

NYPIzzaNut


No brisket??

 
Yeah, good point. I totally forgot that we did get some, which is probably just as well.
 
It was a little overdone. Still not bad, just not particularly memorable. My gf also got some cole slaw, which is actually her favorite anywhere (I actually can't stand any type of slaw), and she said it was just as awesome as she remembered it.
 
She says it's a vinegar thing.

Too bad about the brisket - hopefully they will get back to the wonderful juicy briskets I remember from last summer - I do think their slaw is truly exceptional.