WhereToEat: Cincinnati and N.Ky (open chat)

jjjrfoodie

soozycue520



I know you have tried the chili, but Blue Ash Chili is the only chili parlor I know of that serves alcohol.
http://www.blueashchili.com/

Price Hill Chili on Glenway serves alcohol too Soozeycue.

And just to bring it up, Chicago Gyro in Clifton is now open for business.  I stopped in on Friday while I was waiting for food at Deep India as I had a Indian hankerin' I got my gryo fix to boot.  LOL

 
That is good news. Did you notice if they added Italian beef to their menu? I know they said they were getting Vienna hot dogs but I can't remember if they were going to start doing beef sandwiches.

Maybe I went to SmoQ on an off night.... it seemed like "Generica BBQ" kinda like a "McRibs" joint.
It was okay but nothing I would go out of my way for.
And, although I was the only person at the bar for most of my stay, the bartender seemed to be too busy to pay any attention to me or anyone else that sat down. (One guy walked out after about ten minutes of being ignored)
Like I said, maybe an off night for the place. The leftovers did make for a good breakfast at 5:30am though...

Sorry to hear of it.  I have not been there myself yet but many others who opinions I respect rave about the place

Sounds like he did not get either the rib tips or the fried okra, both of which are like manna from heaven.

Just Q'in is on the move again. They're moving back to Valley Street in Newtown. As I found when I went on the website to look up the menu for this evening's dinner at my house. No word on what caused the move back from Burger Farm &Garden
Center on Route 32. Target date for reopening is August 29.

Bonk


That is good news. Did you notice if they added Italian beef to their menu? I know they said they were getting Vienna hot dogs but I can't remember if they were going to start doing beef sandwiches.

I didn't notice if they did or did not have teh Italian beef Bonk.
 
I was just so excited they were back open and i could get a good gyro (I was subbing in Sebastion's gyro's during the down time) that I never paid attention .
 
Knew what I want, ordered, paid, read City beat and picked up my Indian food  on the way to the car after Chicago's.
Some days I'm a combo of aloof and myopic.  It works for me though. LOL.
 
I'll check next time I stop in. Promise.
 

Went to Findlay Market today since Friday is the only weekday day the two BBQ stands (Velvet Smoke and Eli's) operate there.  Neither were present, and I left with a banh mi from Pho Lang Thang instead
 
There's nothing on either vendor's facebook or web pages about their Findlay stands, so does anyone know whats up in regard to this?
 
Two other misc items
 
-The soul food place that opened in a storefront just southwest of Findlay has closed apparently for good
 
-the owner of Pho Lang Thang said their new restaurant-to-be on Vine Street should be up and running about mid-November
 

jjjrfoodie

Bonk


That is good news. Did you notice if they added Italian beef to their menu? I know they said they were getting Vienna hot dogs but I can't remember if they were going to start doing beef sandwiches.

I didn't notice if they did or did not have teh Italian beef Bonk.

I was just so excited they were back open and i could get a good gyro (I was subbing in Sebastion's gyro's during the down time) that I never paid attention .

Knew what I want, ordered, paid, read City beat and picked up my Indian food  on the way to the car after Chicago's.
Some days I'm a combo of aloof and myopic.  It works for me though. LOL.

I'll check next time I stop in. Promise.

No biggie, I plan on heading down there soon to check it out myself. Glad the gyros are still as good as ever though -- I was mildly concerned they might not taste the same after they moved.

zippypinhead


Maybe I went to SmoQ on an off night.... it seemed like "Generica BBQ" kinda like a "McRibs" joint.
It was okay but nothing I would go out of my way for.
And, although I was the only person at the bar for most of my stay, the bartender seemed to be too busy to pay any attention to me or anyone else that sat down. (One guy walked out after about ten minutes of being ignored)
Like I said, maybe an off night for the place. The leftovers did make for a good breakfast at 5:30am though...

 
That sucks, I wish you had a better experience. Their fried ribs appetizer are one of my top 10 food items in the tri-state. I got take out from there on Sunday because we were talking about it (and I was trying to earn brownie points from the Mrs.) and the quality was as good as I remember it.

Two other notes:
 
-- A Smashburger opened at the end of the Kroger's strip mall in Union Twp. on Beechmont Ave.
 
I'd kind of taken a fondness to the one in Highland Heights, so we went there last night. More expensive than my current area favorite, Great Scott Diner, but they make a good burger. The rosemary on the fries is a nice touch, too. 
 
-- I've heard from someone who leaves very near the place that The Meat Pit on Ohio 125 just west of Amelia has closed already. I went there once and slammed the place on here after a very forgettable lunch.
 
We'll see what pops up there in six months.

Bonk

zippypinhead


Maybe I went to SmoQ on an off night.... it seemed like "Generica BBQ" kinda like a "McRibs" joint.
It was okay but nothing I would go out of my way for.
And, although I was the only person at the bar for most of my stay, the bartender seemed to be too busy to pay any attention to me or anyone else that sat down. (One guy walked out after about ten minutes of being ignored)
Like I said, maybe an off night for the place. The leftovers did make for a good breakfast at 5:30am though...

That sucks, I wish you had a better experience. Their fried ribs appetizer are one of my top 10 food items in the tri-state. I got take out from there on Sunday because we were talking about it (and I was trying to earn brownie points from the Mrs.) and the quality was as good as I remember it.

Are you talking about their rib tips?

No, the fried ribs appetizer. An order comes with five ribs lightly breaded with a syrup-pepper glaze sauce on the side for $7.99. Delicious.

You tried the rip tips?

A short trip report -
 
My wife and I visited Jim Dandy's about a month ago. We had never been, and I needed to run down to Micro Center to pick up some computer schlock, so it was easy, being nearby.
 
To summarize:
 
Wet, sloppy, so-so pulled pork, swimming in juice or broth or water in a steam table tray, which caused the bun it was served on to disintegrate.  My wife had a huge amount of gristle and fatty material. The basic texture and taste was greasy and oily.
 
Mac and cheese was "Kroft Dinner" as the Canadians would say. Tasted like stuff straight out of a box.
 
The greens were decent. Oddly, they were very spicy in spots. I suppose that crushed red peppers are used in the greens, but they overdid it here.
 
The table sauces were not bad.
 
The counter help was two unenthusiastic, bored teenagers or young people.
 
Overall the food was cafeteria grade, indifferently prepared, passionless, mostly inoffensive so called BBQ.
 
I found a few older reviews here that indicate that Jim Dandy's was once a go-to place after Burbank's closed. I suspect it's gone way downhill. I would not go back to Jim Dandy's. The meat, frankly, sucked. It was like boiled pork.

NYPIzzaNut


You tried the rip tips?

 
Actually, no. I had brisket the first two times I went and the apple bourbon pork chops the last time I went.
 
I'll have to give those a shot.

donw9876


A short trip report -

My wife and I visited Jim Dandy's about a month ago. We had never been, and I needed to run down to Micro Center to pick up some computer schlock, so it was easy, being nearby.

To summarize:

Wet, sloppy, so-so pulled pork, swimming in juice or broth or water in a steam table tray, which caused the bun it was served on to disintegrate.  My wife had a huge amount of gristle and fatty material. The basic texture and taste was greasy and oily.

Mac and cheese was "Kroft Dinner" as the Canadians would say. Tasted like stuff straight out of a box.

The greens were decent. Oddly, they were very spicy in spots. I suppose that crushed red peppers are used in the greens, but they overdid it here.

The table sauces were not bad.

The counter help was two unenthusiastic, bored teenagers or young people.

Overall the food was cafeteria grade, indifferently prepared, passionless, mostly inoffensive so called BBQ.

I found a few older reviews here that indicate that Jim Dandy's was once a go-to place after Burbank's closed. I suspect it's gone way downhill. I would not go back to Jim Dandy's. The meat, frankly, sucked. It was like boiled pork.

 I have noticed a decrease in the quality at Jim Dandy's over the last year. They catered an event at my office, and not only was the quality diminished, everything arrived ice-cold. Support staff had to move it from the foil containers to other containers and microwave it.

^ A shame because they had marvelous reviews a few years ago, and I had always made a mental bookmark to try it if I was in the area. I wouldn't go back.

donw9876

To summarize:
The counter help was two unenthusiastic, bored teenagers or young people.

I found a few older reviews here that indicate that Jim Dandy's was once a go-to place after Burbank's closed. I suspect it's gone way downhill. I would not go back to Jim Dandy's. The meat, frankly, sucked. It was like boiled pork.

Yup.  Went to Jim Dandy's about a month ago, had exactly the same experience.  It's BBQ I suppose, but quality is pretty poor.  I had a rack of ribs, they were edible, that's about it.  Serving tables were just a mess, and I noticed the pulled pork "soup" too.  Servers were just going through the motions.  Going to have to try the SmoQ place.
I know this is the Cincinnati thread but last spring I had some of the best ribs ever just North of Zanesville, at a place called Bill's Real Pit Bar-B-Q (5945 Frazeysburg Road, Nashport, OH).  Give it a try if you are road tripping out that way.  BBQ chicken is amazing and it's cheeeep.

jmckee


The earlier mentioned Say Cheese at the Riverside Antique Mall on Kellogg looks closed. Looks like (yet) another restaurant is going in. Talked to somebody there, and she was vague; "we're just turnin' it into a bar and grill."

 
Drove past the former Say Cheese today and there was a huge "Wyatt's Bar and Grill" sign on the building.
 
I pulled into the parking lot and saw a neon "open" sign. Didn't stop in but I'll try to in the next couple of weeks.

I'm in an extended stay in between houses and I have been trying out a lot of local places.  If you haven't tried  the Friendly Stop Cafe in Glendale give it a whirl.  Meatloaf is fantastic, good grill food, sandwiches, especially the fish.  And it IS friendly, place is a little small though.

Bonk

jmckee


The earlier mentioned Say Cheese at the Riverside Antique Mall on Kellogg looks closed. Looks like (yet) another restaurant is going in. Talked to somebody there, and she was vague; "we're just turnin' it into a bar and grill."

Drove past the former Say Cheese today and there was a huge "Wyatt's Bar and Grill" sign on the building.

I pulled into the parking lot and saw a neon "open" sign. Didn't stop in but I'll try to in the next couple of weeks.

A bit of research turns up that it's a branch of a joint in Burlington, KY.
Reviews on Urban Spoon are largely positive. Yelp has three goods and one not.
Menu looks rather pedestrian -- sandwiches, the usual appetizers, etc.

DwayneB


I'm in an extended stay in between houses and I have been trying out a lot of local places.  If you haven't tried  the Friendly Stop Cafe in Glendale give it a whirl.  Meatloaf is fantastic, good grill food, sandwiches, especially the fish.  And it IS friendly, place is a little small though.

Friendly Stop is an awesome place.
The had a fire a few years ago that they had to rebuild from but still the same clientele'.
 
I almost always get the garlic bugrer which has cheese of choice and about 10 cloves of roasted garlic on it.
It is to die for. :)
 
As for Jim Dandy's, the pulled pork held au jus in the steamer pan was never a turn on for me.Since I now have a smoker at home, I seldom go out for local "Q".
The last six years or more Jim Dandy's has always had the sticky tables, aloof teenage counter staff and soggy sandwiches if you didn't know what to order.
 
i still love their BBQ sauce and buy it out at Jungle Jim's or at the restaurant when I'm by, but the "cook and hold" process they use can certainly take away a lot of the taste and quality if you've had meat fresh off the smoker.
 
Still better than no "Q" at all, LOL, but for the price there are quite a few alternative places locally doing it right.

News on Just Q'in: http://cincinnati.com/blogs/dining/2012/09/07/just-qin-back-in-business/
So the move to Burger Farms was instigated by the Village of Newtown. And now the Q place is back, and has interior seating (some) and will add new menu items.

Local blog EggplantToGo released word of Cincy RF favorite New Orleans to Go re-opening as a brick and mortar business in Blue Ash
 
http://eggplanttogo.blogs...o-blue-ash-bistro.html
 
Blue Ash folks - we'll expect a full report soon

jmckee


News on Just Q'in: http://cincinnati.com/blogs/dining/2012/09/07/just-qin-back-in-business/
So the move to Burger Farms was instigated by the Village of Newtown. And now the Q place is back, and has interior seating (some) and will add new menu items.

 
That is good news. I'll have to get back there soon.
 
I did get to Chicago Gyros for the first time since they moved across the street, and the gyros are as good as ever ($.30 more expensive at $5.25, but with all the meat they give you that's still a good deal).
 
I also got a hot dog. They use high quality poppy seed buns, which impressed me, and the dog is a Vienna, so of course it was delicious.
 
They have Italian beef on the menu, so I'll have to give that a shot.

I went to Just Q'in on Saturday evening to get carryout for my family, and I am pleased to report that in their new / old location on Valley in Newtown they are still dishing out first-class food.
 
Pulled pork was still beautifully smoky and tender. Ribs flavorful and gently tuggable-off-the-bone. Beans good with a spicy punch. Slaw distinctive and tangy without being too vinegary. Delicious, creamy mac and cheese.
 
One change: Brisket and the BBQ green beans, formerly available only in the evening, are now available all day. Also, there are three little tables inside and two outside if you wish to eat there. (Bring a drink for the time being; they haven't got their beverage delivery yet.)
 
They will be adding some menu items, starting with corn bread soon.

Although a chain, may roadfooders have waxed poetic about the food at Popeyes - so I wanted to notify everyone a new Popeye's is opening at the corner of 5th and Main in Covington just north of the Mainstrasse in the building that was most recently - as best I recall - a KFC
 
Another fairly recent addition to Mainstrasse is DJs Sandwich Shop, which is not (as I found out today in true TTM style) open on Monday, but apparently serves an italian beef.  I missed out today but will get one soon and intend to report back.  The picture on their website looks a bit suspect, but we'll see.  Hope springs eternal.

Thanks, TJ. It's good to have someone looking out for me on the Italian beef front.
 
 

I was told (and confirmed on their site) that Mac's Pizza in Clifton is opening another location on Wooster Pike in Fairfax in the next couple of months.
 
I've never had it, but I thought I remembered someone on here talking about it a couple of years ago.

The Mac's on Wooster is open
 
I should have written this up earlier - but, sorry dude, the italian beef at DJ's is, uhm, not an italian beef.  Dry dry dry lunchmeat style roas beef he dips in some juice.  He doesn't press his cuban, he doesn't smoke his bbq, etc etc etc.  Ah well.