Southwest Ohio and Environs (Open Chat)

Yup like most pizzerias in Ohio unfortunately, and elsewhere. 

A large can of mushrooms is evident in a prior photo I took of their pizza prep area.  To the left of the five guys in the photo. 

But they taste good on the pizza - I have always been in love with mushrooms of any kind,  even on pizza!  But I generally refrain from toppings on my pies.

I have many times thought about putting a Pizza Oven in my garage and do delivery only in my own neighbor hood and surrounding area. I don't know why people arnt already doing it. Send out about 10 of 15 free pizza coupons and in less than a month your phone would ring off the hook if you made a quality real New York Pie. Hire a young guy and a Scooter you could load them on and deliver from 5pm to 9pm....Russ

Russ Jackson


I have many times thought about putting a Pizza Oven in my garage and do delivery only in my own neighbor hood and surrounding area. I don't know why people arnt already doing it. Send out about 10 of 15 free pizza coupons and in less than a month your phone would ring off the hook if you made a quality real New York Pie. Hire a young guy and a Scooter you could load them on and deliver from 5pm to 9pm....Russ

I once dreamed of opening my own pizzeria in Alabama as the pickings were mighty slim, when it came to finding anything vaguely resembling NY pizza pie there.  But it was never to be!

I am afraid most natives of Ohio have no idea what we are talking about, Russ, and could care less about eating the kinds of pizza we keep talking about.

If you don't think Ohioans care then why is Dewey's and Tronis always packed with customers?...Russ

I am not too sure they are always packed with customers any more so than any other pizzeria - look at the success of LaRosas and all the major national chains - all things being equal Domino's should have failed in their first year because of their awful pizza pies - but there are millions of pizza lovers who just settle for what some of us consider awful  pizza.  It has everything to do with what you grew up with food-wise.

I grew up in So Cal and hate Domino's. How do you essplain that?

enginecapt


I grew up in So Cal and hate Domino's. How do you essplain that?

I spent 15 years in San Diego and that town is at a loss for a good pizza place as well. It may be different now but I doubt it. Hey you have Roberto's, Rubio's and In-N-Out. Sycuan used to have great oriental food. Do they still?...Russ

When it comes to someone's taste in pizza I pretty well have given up trying to understand.  I dine regularly with several wonderful friends but they are so far from me in their food tastes, including pizza, that it is amazing that we get along so well.

I have a place in San Clemente (that's in South Orange County) that comes very close to the pizza I've enjoyed at Totonno's and DiFara's. It's family-owned by a family from Brooklyn with the last name of Genovese. It's called Sonny's Pizza & Pasta. I don't know if it would meet the approval of NYPizzaNut, but since he doesn't like mustard on burgers, there's no hope for him. I kid, I kid.

I don't do Rubios's, as there are many one-offs and small, family owned chains that do it better.

As for In & Out, I've been to the local one only once in the years I've lived here. Farmer Boys, Carl's Jr and Baker's get my burger biz.

I prefer Jilberto's over Roberto's, but Miguel's Jr is better than both of them.

EDIT: Also Jack in the Box.

NYPIzzaNut

R Sauer


I have friends who live in the Middletown area who keep recommending Stefano's.  I've never tried it myself, but I am curious.  Has anyone on these forums ever tried it?  How are their pizzas and calzones?  How does their other food taste?  Thanks.

http://www.stefanositaliancafe.net/index.htm

I did not recall this restaurant at first glance, but after some checking with my lunch mates I realized we had paid this place a visit a little over two years ago:




I do recall now their pizza being pretty awful and the waitress had to check with someone on the other side of the restaurant each time we asked a question about the food offerings on the menu but nothing much else stands out in my memory bank.

I stand corrected - the cannoli was excellent! (just found this photo): 

My Photos Photo Gallery - Photo 1 of 31 by troni’s - MySpace Photos

For anyone with some interest this is a gallery of 31 photographs of various foods etc. at Troni's Pizza and Restaurant  in Kettering...

Has anyone ever tried the Hitching Post before?  http://www.cincinnatibite...ing-post&biteID=27

The review makes it sound half decent, especially the omelets. 

I had lunch there with our group several years back - the fried chicken was very good.

I also recall they were packed!!

R Sauer


Has anyone ever tried the Hitching Post before?  http://www.cincinnatibites.com/reviews.php?item=hitching-post&biteID=27

The review makes it sound half decent, especially the omelets. 

I like it. I have eaten there several times. I always get an omelet with the potato pancakes & kettle kakes. Delish!!
 
It is VERY busy on the weekends.

Our lunchbunch was here yesterday:

http://www.tiksthaiexpress.com/

http://www.tiksthaiexpress.com/About%20Us.htm

We had been to Yummy's and Ban Thai also and I think this effort is her best yet!

A  photo essay follows soon.

Thai 9 in Dayton. If you have not been there it is a must. Especially if you like Pad Thai or Sushi. My favorite Oriental food in Dayton or Cincy...Russ
http://www.thai9restaurant.com/Main.html

Russ Jackson


Thai 9 in Dayton. If you have not been there it is a must. Especially if you like Pad Thai or Sushi. My favorite Oriental food in Dayton or Cincy...Russ
http://www.thai9restaurant.com/Main.html

I will pass this along to our Dayton area member - I know I have heard of this place but for whatever reason we have never been there - do you remember if it is fully handicap accessible?

My problem with pad thai is that I do not like it sweet and every Thai restaurant I have been to makes it too sweet,  as well as spicy, but the sweet taste ruins it for me.

The only place I can get  Pad Thai that pleases my palate is:

http://www.dragoncitykitchen.com/default.aspx

They make it spicy and flavorful and do not short change you on either portions or ingredients or taste!!!!!!!!!

They also make fantastic Singapore Mai Fun.

NYPIzzaNut


Our lunchbunch was here yesterday:

http://www.tiksthaiexpress.com/

http://www.tiksthaiexpress.com/About%20Us.htm

We had been to Yummy's and Ban Thai also and I think this effort is her best yet!

A  photo essay follows soon.

Below is a slideshow of photos taken yesterday at Tik's along with comments:

http://s417.photobucket.com/albums/pp260/radians2009/Tiks%20Thai%20Express%20Fairborn%20Ohio/?albumview=slideshow

Individual photographs from the slideshow may be found here and can be enlarged by clicking the photos:

http://s417.photobucket.com/albums/pp260/radians2009/Tiks%20Thai%20Express%20Fairborn%20Ohio/

We enjoyed Tik's very much and they were very accomodating and solicitous of our needs.  The food was tasty and well prepared.

I really enjoyed the Tom Yum soup and potstickers and entrees and desserts.

They permitted us to play Scrabble at a back table after our meal (which makes life much easier for our handicapped member who uses a motorized scooter in that he does not have to go back and forth into his vehicle to a nearby library with all the stress that entails.)  Tik said they were real quiet after lunch hours until dinner hour and it was no problem.  We played two games and observed a constant flow of customers while there after lunch hours (they were packed during lunchtime).  They have been there a year and seem to be doing quite well. Prices do not change from lunch to dinner.

Our only complaint was that it was cold inside even sitting next to an auxiliary heater as the place has no real walls to the outside - just huge windows which do not do much good to keep the inside warm.  So we kept our jackets on most of the time and vowed when we return to do it in warmer weather.

After Tik's I stopped on the way home to pick up a take-out pizza at Troni's Pizza and Restaurant in Kettering, believe it or not!

I took some photos too:


Here is my large cheese pie just before it enters the oven:



Here it is well-done and just out of the oven after being cut in eight pieces and ready to go home with me:



Here are some slices just out of the home oven, on day two:


Troni's  one day old left overs -  two with portabello mushrooms, green peppers, onions, a little olive oil and dry basil and oregano - One with just olive oil, basil and oregano



Troni's two day old left overs with anchovies, olive oil and dry basil and oregano and garlic - Extremely delicious heated on a pizza stone at 500 degrees for four minutes

Today I tried a new (to me) restaurant, Carr's Corner Restaurant in Xenia.  I had a chili dog basket.  The chili dog was small like the kind Skyline Chili sells, but the chili sauce is different with kidney beans.  The fries were big like Wendy's used to have, albeit crunchier.  I hope to go back someday, possibly at dinner time to have their fried chicken (it's only sold under the heading "Dinners").

You can find it at 434 Cincinnati Avenue (US 42) south of downtown (after that little jog to the southwest).  The restaurant has its own website at carrscornerrestaurant.com . 

I'll have to give them another try. The wife and I ate there twice about 10 years ago with less than stellar results. The name (Carr's) is different, maybe it's under new management, or at least a new cook. I hope it has changed, there is nothing else in our town to brag about, food-wise.
Thank goodness, Troni's is only 12 miles away!

Roadkill Bill


I'll have to give them another try. The wife and I ate there twice about 10 years ago with less than stellar results. The name (Carr's) is different, maybe it's under new management, or at least a new cook. I hope it has changed, there is nothing else in our town to brag about, food-wise.

Well, Xenia does have Tudor's Biscuit World at 810 W. Second Street at S. Allison Avenue.  All the others in Ohio are in cities within spitting distance of West Virginia.

Tudor's - been there, done that, no thanks, won't go back. Mediocre (at best) biscuits, and the worst 'sausage gravy' I have ever tasted.
Somebody must like them, they are still in business :o)

NYPIzzaNut

a take-out pizza at Troni's

Hey, I have never heard of this place, are they any good?

TJ Jackson

NYPIzzaNut

a take-out pizza at Troni's

Hey, I have never heard of this place, are they any good?

Such class. 

TJ Jackson

NYPIzzaNut

a take-out pizza at Troni's

Hey, I have never heard of this place, are they any good?

Now that you have had pizza in NY and environs how do you feel it compares to pizza available to us in Southwest Ohio?

We are considering going to this place:

Chef C Gourmet

(513) 745-0666
Blue Ash
4924 Hunt Rd
Cincinnati, OH 45242

http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/32/360629/restaurant/Blue-Ash/Chef-C-Gourmet-Cincinnati


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Does anyone here know anything about this restaurant?

It used to be the Baltic Restaurant back when we were last there in April of 2005 and is right near the Blue Ash Library.

NYPIzzaNut

NYPIzzaNut


Our lunchbunch was here yesterday:

http://www.tiksthaiexpress.com/

http://www.tiksthaiexpress.com/About%20Us.htm

We had been to Yummy's and Ban Thai also and I think this effort is her best yet!

A  photo essay follows soon.

Below is a slideshow of photos taken yesterday at Tik's along with comments:

http://s417.photobucket.com/albums/pp260/radians2009/Tiks%20Thai%20Express%20Fairborn%20Ohio/?albumview=slideshow

Individual photographs from the slideshow may be found here and can be enlarged by clicking the photos:

http://s417.photobucket.com/albums/pp260/radians2009/Tiks%20Thai%20Express%20Fairborn%20Ohio/

We enjoyed Tik's very much and they were very accomodating and solicitous of our needs.  The food was tasty and well prepared.

I really enjoyed the Tom Yum soup and potstickers and entrees and desserts.

They permitted us to play Scrabble at a back table after our meal (which makes life much easier for our handicapped member who uses a motorized scooter in that he does not have to go back and forth into his vehicle to a nearby library with all the stress that entails.)  Tik said they were real quiet after lunch hours until dinner hour and it was no problem.  We played two games and observed a constant flow of customers while there after lunch hours (they were packed during lunchtime).  They have been there a year and seem to be doing quite well. Prices do not change from lunch to dinner.

Our only complaint was that it was cold inside even sitting next to an auxiliary heater as the place has no real walls to the outside - just huge windows which do not do much good to keep the inside warm.  So we kept our jackets on most of the time and vowed when we return to do it in warmer weather.

Here is a collage of all of the food we ordered and consumed at Tik's Thai Express:

I just read that Tik's former partner at Ban Thai opened a new restaurant in Kettering recently:

Siam Pad Thai, in the Wilmington Pike location that once housed the China Chef carryout.

http://www.daytondailynews.com/o/content/shared-gen/blogs/dayton/taste/entries/2009/01/14/kettering_thai_restaurant_open.html

Anybody been there yet or know anything good or bad about the offerings?

It seems like Thai restaurants are proliferating like rabbits of late!

There's a new or fairly new Indian restraunt in Oxford, Ohio called Rohan India. Haven't been there yet but am planning on going  the end of this month.

NYPIzzaNut


We are considering going to this place:

Chef C Gourmet

(513) 745-0666
Blue Ash
4924 Hunt Rd
Cincinnati, OH 45242

http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/32/360629/restaurant/Blue-Ash/Chef-C-Gourmet-Cincinnati


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Does anyone here know anything about this restaurant?

We lunched there this past Thursday, and a slideshow of our visit may be found here:

http://s417.photobucket.com/albums/pp260/radians2009/Chef%20C%20Gourmet%20Restaurant%20Blue%20Ash%20Ohio/?albumview=slideshow

Individual photos from the visit may be found here (click on the images to get them to normal size and click in left corner of the image  (zoom)  again to increase the image size more:

http://s417.photobucket.com/albums/pp260/radians2009/Chef%20C%20Gourmet%20Restaurant%20Blue%20Ash%20Ohio/

This restaurant has been open almost three years and it is owned and operated by a married couple from South Korea.  Young, the husband, served in the South Korean Army and  the U.S. Army as a cook.  It is basically a sandwich shop for lunches and they have a much more extensive menu for dinner.

We partook of a wonderful flavorful home-made  spicy chili and chicken noodle soup for starters, as shown in the photos.  For entrees we had a very juicy delicious rare hamburger, a tasty tuna wrap with really great cole slaw, a generous scrumptious reuben on rye and chicken fajitas with crispy yummy  french fries.  For dessert we had warm apple pie with vanilla ice cream and triple chocolate mousse cake. (The desserts were not home-made but were very good).

Drink refills kept coming regularly.  Our waitress Michelle was very nice and accomodating and attentive.  The place filled up fast as you can see from one of the photographs.

Was at the Dayton Mall this evening, and we noticed that it looked like the lights were out at Cena.  It turns out that they are closed, with a sign posted saying "Sorry.  Closed due to technical difficulties."  (That's a new one.)  Also, there was yellow police tape stretched across the entrance.  This doesn't really affect us either way, as we had only dined there twice a couple of years ago, and had found the food to be only of average quality, and we didn't fancy paying $60+ for a meal for two, yet not having leftovers to take home (but what are you gonna do?  It's a buffet).  Anyway, it'll be interesting to see if it reopens or not.

R Sauer


Was at the Dayton Mall this evening, and we noticed that it looked like the lights were out at Cena.  It turns out that they are closed, with a sign posted saying "Sorry.  Closed due to technical difficulties."  (That's a new one.)  Also, there was yellow police tape stretched across the entrance.  This doesn't really affect us either way, as we had only dined there twice a couple of years ago, and had found the food to be only of average quality, and we didn't fancy paying $60+ for a meal for two, yet not having leftovers to take home (but what are you gonna do?  It's a buffet).  Anyway, it'll be interesting to see if it reopens or not.

See link below:

http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/crime/police-have-suspect-in-mind-for-damage-robbery-at-cena-465651.html

Police have suspect in mind for damage, robbery at Cena

NYPIzzaNut

R Sauer


Was at the Dayton Mall this evening, and we noticed that it looked like the lights were out at Cena.  It turns out that they are closed, with a sign posted saying "Sorry.  Closed due to technical difficulties."  (That's a new one.)  Also, there was yellow police tape stretched across the entrance.  This doesn't really affect us either way, as we had only dined there twice a couple of years ago, and had found the food to be only of average quality, and we didn't fancy paying $60+ for a meal for two, yet not having leftovers to take home (but what are you gonna do?  It's a buffet).  Anyway, it'll be interesting to see if it reopens or not.

See link below:



Police have suspect in mind for damage, robbery at Cena

Interesting.  Also interesting that we've already planned a lunch at Boulevard Haus for tomorrow (had no idea the owner was also the owner of Cena).  That's too bad (obviously).  I certainly do hope they catch the culprit.  Sounds like an inside job to me.

So how was your meal?

NYPIzzaNut

NYPIzzaNut


We are considering going to this place:

Chef C Gourmet

(513) 745-0666
Blue Ash
4924 Hunt Rd
Cincinnati, OH 45242

http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/32/360629/restaurant/Blue-Ash/Chef-C-Gourmet-Cincinnati


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Does anyone here know anything about this restaurant?

We lunched there this past Thursday, and a slideshow of our visit may be found here:

http://s417.photobucket.com/albums/pp260/radians2009/Chef%20C%20Gourmet%20Restaurant%20Blue%20Ash%20Ohio/?albumview=slideshow

Individual photos from the visit may be found here (click on the images to get them to normal size and click in left corner of the image  (zoom)  again to increase the image size more:

http://s417.photobucket.com/albums/pp260/radians2009/Chef%20C%20Gourmet%20Restaurant%20Blue%20Ash%20Ohio/

This restaurant has been open almost three years and it is owned and operated by a married couple from South Korea.  Young, the husband, served in the South Korean Army and  the U.S. Army as a cook.  It is basically a sandwich shop for lunches and they have a much more extensive menu for dinner.

We partook of a wonderful flavorful home-made  spicy chili and chicken noodle soup for starters, as shown in the photos.  For entrees we had a very juicy delicious rare hamburger, a tasty tuna wrap with really great cole slaw, a generous scrumptious reuben on rye and chicken fajitas with crispy yummy  french fries.  For dessert we had warm apple pie with vanilla ice cream and triple chocolate mousse cake. (The desserts were not home-made but were very good).

Drink refills kept coming regularly.  Our waitress Michelle was very nice and accomodating and attentive.  The place filled up fast as you can see from one of the photographs.

Our lunchbunch member who loves to play with our basic photos of our lunch episodes has been hard at work again and here are his latest two creations fit for this thread:

First off is a tweaked photo of the two owners and our sweet waitress with their names:



Secondly a display of the food we consumed that day:



I think the Black Angus half pound burger and the cole slaw and chili were my personal favorites although the corned beef reuben was very good too.

NYPIzzaNut


So how was your meal?

Didn't end up going, unfortunately.  The wife came down with a cold and didn't feel like heading up to downtown Dayton.  So, we'll try again sometime later, maybe after it's revealed that the owner didn't, in fact, ransack and rob her other establishment so she could collect the insurance money.  Not saying that I believe beyond the shadow of a doubt that's what happened, just saying that it's a little fishy, is all.

Did you cook some nice chicken noodle soup for her?

NYPIzzaNut


Did you cook some nice chicken noodle soup for her?

If by "cooking chicken noodle soup", you meant "running out to Shaddock's to pick up a couple steak hoagies", then yes, I did. 

It is the thought and the food that count.

We lunched at Campbell's Barn in Amelia today:

Campbell's Barn Restaurant & Saloon (Campbells Barn)


A full report with photos follows shortly.

NYPIzzaNut


We lunched at Campbell's Barn in Amelia today:

Campbell's Barn Restaurant & Saloon (Campbells Barn)


A full report with photos follows shortly.

I will begin this report with a slide show:

Image hosting, free photo sharing & video sharing at Photobucket


And main view of  images that may be clicked once or twice (in top left corner) to see separately:

Campbells Barn Restaurant and Saloon Amelia OH pictures by radians2009 - Photobucket



Next follows the individual ratings/comments of our group members about the food etc using a rating scale of one to ten:

This is my box score: 

fried chicken (3 thighs and 1 breast)  5 definitely overcooked - part of the breast's skin was burnt - very small breast - hard to tell by looking which were the  thighs and which was the breast!
Fried chicken livers/onions 3 overdone and tasteless
onion rings 4 bland and only 3 in number!
green beans 4 canned with no real taste and no bacon I saw (we were told they were cooked with bacon)
mac and cheese 7 pretty tasty
broccoli na did not try
cole slaw 8 creamy very good
chicken noodle soup 6 not much flavor but decent
loaded potato soup 4 no broth ?! not much flavor
chili 3 tomato taste overwhelmed everything else - bland
chili cheese fries 2 plain awful
creamed corn 7 nicely done and very tasty
yeast rolls 7
coffee 5
blackberry cobbler warmed with vanilla ice cream 8 store bought according to our waitress
chocolate cream pie 8 home made there
service and  server 9
ambiance 6
music 1 70s mainly
overall experience 8


they were very nice and accomodating - but the fried chicken was not even close to being exceptional as I have found the fried chicken at the Country Inn in Mt Orab and at Stacey's Buffet in Wilmington to be


This is from Vermont native, who has lived in Ohio for over 25 years:
fried chicken livers 2, (dry and yucky) fried chicken 6, (Over cooked) although white meat moist, green beans 6,(no bacon  as we were informed) brocolli 6, potato soup 4 not a soup at all like eating au gratin potato, chili 6, sweet ice tea 6 nothing special McDonalds better, chicken soup 4( not that flavorful, ) chili cheese fries not worth the calories 4, blackberry dessert 7, chocolate cream pie 6 didn't get any coleslaw, cream corn 6.  Wish I had gotten the beef liver and onions and had $9.95 added to our bill.  Would have been $70 dollars plus. 
Forgot some items
The rolls were yeasty and would have been good hot and  lathered in butter but I was too full 7
onion rings -7

This is from our Cincinnati native daughter:
 
fried chicken 6
(didn't taste livers)
chicken noodle soup 8
chili 4
potato soup 4
chili cheese fries 6
corn 7
coleslaw 6
broccoli 6
onion rings 4
green beans 6
bread (didn't taste)
blackberry cobbler 8
chocolate cream pie 8

This is from our Paris TN native son: 
chili (w/ my own hot sauce) 6.5
chicken noodle soup 3.3
potato soup 3.8
chili cheese fries (w/ my own hot sauce) 6
fried chicken 3 (breading not flavorful, over fried, nor succulent)
fried chicken livers 2.1 (no flavor, dry, too cooked)
green beans 4.5 (good yankee beans but definitely don't match my taste)
cole slaw 3 (bland)
cream corn 4 (bland)
yeast bread (7.8)
mac n cheese n/a (didn't eat any)
onion rings 7 (excellent breading)
blackberry cobbler 8.3 (yummy) (with ice cream)
chocolate cream pie 8.7
service and server 9
atmosphere 9
ambience 9
background music 8.88
coffee 2 (terrible)
diet coke, no ice, lemon on the side 7.325
total experience (food, friends, service, servers, atmosphere) 8.3456


..and the take out item:


3... bland... how the hell can scalloped potatoes with jalapenos be bland?
 



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

NYPIzzaNut

diet coke, no ice, lemon on the side 7.325

I am happy to hear that their diet coke is better than average

I think many would rate it a 7.327, or perhaps even a 7.328

TJ Jackson

NYPIzzaNut

diet coke, no ice, lemon on the side 7.325

I am happy to hear that their diet coke is better than average

I think many would rate it a 7.327, or perhaps even a 7.328

Sarcasm?  Shocker!

NYPIzzaNut

NYPIzzaNut


We lunched at Campbell's Barn in Amelia today:




A full report with photos follows shortly.

I will begin this report with a slide show:




And main view of  images that may be clicked once or twice (in top left corner) to see separately:





Next follows the individual ratings/comments of our group members about the food etc using a rating scale of one to ten:

This is my box score: 

fried chicken (3 thighs and 1 breast)  5 definitely overcooked - part of the breast's skin was burnt - very small breast - hard to tell by looking which were the  thighs and which was the breast!
Fried chicken livers/onions 3 overdone and tasteless
onion rings 4 bland and only 3 in number!
green beans 4 canned with no real taste and no bacon I saw (we were told they were cooked with bacon)
mac and cheese 7 pretty tasty
broccoli na did not try
cole slaw 8 creamy very good
chicken noodle soup 6 not much flavor but decent
loaded potato soup 4 no broth ?! not much flavor
chili 3 tomato taste overwhelmed everything else - bland
chili cheese fries 2 plain awful
creamed corn 7 nicely done and very tasty
yeast rolls 7
coffee 5
blackberry cobbler warmed with vanilla ice cream 8 store bought according to our waitress
chocolate cream pie 8 home made there
service and  server 9
ambiance 6
music 1 70s mainly
overall experience 8


they were very nice and accomodating - but the fried chicken was not even close to being exceptional as I have found the fried chicken at the Country Inn in Mt Orab and at Stacey's Buffet in Wilmington to be


This is from Vermont native, who has lived in Ohio for over 25 years:
fried chicken livers 2, (dry and yucky) fried chicken 6, (Over cooked) although white meat moist, green beans 6,(no bacon  as we were informed) brocolli 6, potato soup 4 not a soup at all like eating au gratin potato, chili 6, sweet ice tea 6 nothing special McDonalds better, chicken soup 4( not that flavorful, ) chili cheese fries not worth the calories 4, blackberry dessert 7, chocolate cream pie 6 didn't get any coleslaw, cream corn 6.  Wish I had gotten the beef liver and onions and had $9.95 added to our bill.  Would have been $70 dollars plus. 
Forgot some items
The rolls were yeasty and would have been good hot and  lathered in butter but I was too full 7
onion rings -7

This is from our Cincinnati native daughter:

fried chicken 6
(didn't taste livers)
chicken noodle soup 8
chili 4
potato soup 4
chili cheese fries 6
corn 7
coleslaw 6
broccoli 6
onion rings 4
green beans 6
bread (didn't taste)
blackberry cobbler 8
chocolate cream pie 8

This is from our Paris TN native son: 
chili (w/ my own hot sauce) 6.5
chicken noodle soup 3.3
potato soup 3.8
chili cheese fries (w/ my own hot sauce) 6
fried chicken 3 (breading not flavorful, over fried, nor succulent)
fried chicken livers 2.1 (no flavor, dry, too cooked)
green beans 4.5 (good yankee beans but definitely don't match my taste)
cole slaw 3 (bland)
cream corn 4 (bland)
yeast bread (7.8)
mac n cheese n/a (didn't eat any)
onion rings 7 (excellent breading)
blackberry cobbler 8.3 (yummy) (with ice cream)
chocolate cream pie 8.7
service and server 9
atmosphere 9
ambience 9
background music 8.88
coffee 2 (terrible)
diet coke, no ice, lemon on the side 7.325
total experience (food, friends, service, servers, atmosphere) 8.3456


..and the take out item:


3... bland... how the hell can scalloped potatoes with jalapenos be bland?




~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Another great fried chicken source in southwest Ohio is der Dutchman in Waynesville:

http://www.dhgroup.com/en/wv/wv-restaurant.php

And all their pies are home-made and delicious.

This is an Amish owned restaurant.

NYPIzzaNut

NYPIzzaNut


We lunched at Campbell's Barn in Amelia today:

Campbell's Barn Restaurant & Saloon (Campbells Barn)


A full report with photos follows shortly.

I will begin this report with a slide show:

Image hosting, free photo sharing & video sharing at Photobucket


And main view of  images that may be clicked once or twice (in top left corner) to see separately:

Campbells Barn Restaurant and Saloon Amelia OH pictures by radians2009 - Photobucket



Next follows the individual ratings/comments of our group members about the food etc using a rating scale of one to ten:

This is my box score: 

fried chicken (3 thighs and 1 breast)  5 definitely overcooked - part of the breast's skin was burnt - very small breast - hard to tell by looking which were the  thighs and which was the breast!
Fried chicken livers/onions 3 overdone and tasteless
onion rings 4 bland and only 3 in number!
green beans 4 canned with no real taste and no bacon I saw (we were told they were cooked with bacon)
mac and cheese 7 pretty tasty
broccoli na did not try
cole slaw 8 creamy very good
chicken noodle soup 6 not much flavor but decent
loaded potato soup 4 no broth ?! not much flavor
chili 3 tomato taste overwhelmed everything else - bland
chili cheese fries 2 plain awful
creamed corn 7 nicely done and very tasty
yeast rolls 7
coffee 5
blackberry cobbler warmed with vanilla ice cream 8 store bought according to our waitress
chocolate cream pie 8 home made there
service and  server 9
ambiance 6
music 1 70s mainly
overall experience 8


they were very nice and accomodating - but the fried chicken was not even close to being exceptional as I have found the fried chicken at the Country Inn in Mt Orab and at Stacey's Buffet in Wilmington to be


This is from Vermont native, who has lived in Ohio for over 25 years:
fried chicken livers 2, (dry and yucky) fried chicken 6, (Over cooked) although white meat moist, green beans 6,(no bacon  as we were informed) brocolli 6, potato soup 4 not a soup at all like eating au gratin potato, chili 6, sweet ice tea 6 nothing special McDonalds better, chicken soup 4( not that flavorful, ) chili cheese fries not worth the calories 4, blackberry dessert 7, chocolate cream pie 6 didn't get any coleslaw, cream corn 6.  Wish I had gotten the beef liver and onions and had $9.95 added to our bill.  Would have been $70 dollars plus. 
Forgot some items
The rolls were yeasty and would have been good hot and  lathered in butter but I was too full 7
onion rings -7

This is from our Cincinnati native daughter:

fried chicken 6
(didn't taste livers)
chicken noodle soup 8
chili 4
potato soup 4
chili cheese fries 6
corn 7
coleslaw 6
broccoli 6
onion rings 4
green beans 6
bread (didn't taste)
blackberry cobbler 8
chocolate cream pie 8

This is from our Paris TN native son: 
chili (w/ my own hot sauce) 6.5
chicken noodle soup 3.3
potato soup 3.8
chili cheese fries (w/ my own hot sauce) 6
fried chicken 3 (breading not flavorful, over fried, nor succulent)
fried chicken livers 2.1 (no flavor, dry, too cooked)
green beans 4.5 (good yankee beans but definitely don't match my taste)
cole slaw 3 (bland)
cream corn 4 (bland)
yeast bread (7.8)
mac n cheese n/a (didn't eat any)
onion rings 7 (excellent breading)
blackberry cobbler 8.3 (yummy) (with ice cream)
chocolate cream pie 8.7
service and server 9
atmosphere 9
ambience 9
background music 8.88
coffee 2 (terrible)
diet coke, no ice, lemon on the side 7.325
total experience (food, friends, service, servers, atmosphere) 8.3456


..and the take out item:


3... bland... how the hell can scalloped potatoes with jalapenos be bland?




~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here is a collage of the food we ate that date, as served up by lovely Linda:

..thanks to our Paris TN native son for this effort..

A summary of sorts of our day at Campbell's Barn last Thursday, as prepared by our computer savvy Paris, Tennessee native son:

 

This past Friday found our weather-weary lunchbunch on a reprise visit to Mi Camino Real Mexican Restaurant in Mt Orab in Brown County - just off the intersection of St Rt 32 and St Rt 68:
 


hot and mild salsa with warm tortilla chips



roasted jalapeno peppers and bean dip with chorizo


Mar y Tierra
Filets of charbroiled skirt steak plus sauteed shrimp and then grilled served with rice, beans and guacamole 


Camerones a La Crema
Shrimp and mushrooms prepared in a delicious Parmesan cheese cream sauce


Steak fajita


churros and flan


Lunchbunch minus our greater Dayton member
 

The food was well prepared and prompt and very tasty.

Looks good. I like that take on the creamy shrimp. The beans look too smooth. Were they canned?

Nooooooooo.

Do they serve hamburgers with mustard?

My wife and I had lunch the previous day at the Country Inn on St Rt 68 in Mt Orab - we had their  exceptional fried chicken - we learned they are closing on March 1st  and reopening at their new location on March 8th,  just off St Rt 32 just before St Rt 68 - across from Mercy Medical Center  - in  a brand new strip mall - there is  pole sign on St Rt 32 at the intersection of Brooks - Mallott Road;  they are at 290 Brook-Mallott Road, at the farthest  end of the strip center away from 32.

Here is listing notice for job interviews at the new location,  giving some details about this fine restaurant:

Open Interviews this Thursday & Friday--New Country Inn Restaurant

I must admit on campbell's barn that the last few visits have been subpar. I have noticed the old guy in the kitchen has not been there lately. Not sure if that is why, but the chicken has def been below standard lately.
    not sure if they have changed something or not. Or the cooks they have now just dont care? Food has droped off and I hate to admit it.

baughman


I must admit on campbell's barn that the last few visits have been subpar. I have noticed the old guy in the kitchen has not been there lately. Not sure if that is why, but the chicken has def been below standard lately.
    not sure if they have changed something or not. Or the cooks they have now just dont care? Food has droped off and I hate to admit it.

They had a young guy in the kitchen when we were there.

You should try the Country Inn in Mt Orab or on Rt 125 a couple of miles closer to I 275 interchange from Campbell's Barn.  I have been enjoying their wonderful fried chicken for many years.

Anyone been to House of Sun in Sharonville?:

http://houseofsuncincy.com/default.aspx