WhereToEat: Cincinnati and N.Ky (open chat)

quote:

Originally posted by Delilah77

I was asking about the one on Hosbrook in Kenwood, jjrfoodie. It has been closed for a few weeks now, but the closing was sudden. I've looked online but couldn't find any information.

No no no no no no no no no!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I forbid it. There are far too many dishes that I need for my "fix" at that place.


In other news...
Because franklee is my piper and I was overcome by a Rattus Norvegicus disorder today (sadly, I just had a meeting out that way and then decided to work from home), I made my way to Noce's Pizzeria today for lunch.

I got two slices of pepperoni to go (and reheat at home) and yes, they are each as big as a full sized plate. Crust was nice and crunchy on the outer edges and soft and foldable in the center. Blackend bits from a seasoned oven coated the bottom.




It’s great to see a place sell pizza by the slice and they even do the specialty pies that way. I think that if this place was downtown or in a high traffic pedestrian area it would be a no brainer. ( BTW-This reminded me of Roma’s downtown before it “soldout” to become Roma Trattoria after the art center went in. )

I enjoyed it, but to set up shop within 5 miles of the mothership headquarters of the local pizza “Dark Side” (aka LaRosa’s) is pretty adventurous.

jjjrfoodie


oops--- the menu ...

quote:

Originally posted by flyingfoodie

quote:

Originally posted by Bonk

All right...I have to try this Troni's. In two weeks we're going back to Oxford. Going to have to make a major detour.

I'm curious what everyone's top five pizzas in the area would be (Greater Cincinnati to Greater Dayton, I guess). I know the Cincinnati area is lacking a lot of great pizzerias, but there's still some good ones out there, and I'd be interested in what you folks' other top options are.

I would have to go with (keeping in mind I haven't tried Troni's):

1. Nikki's, Hebron, Ky.
2. Bourbon House and Pizzeria, Burlington, Ky.
3. BJ's, Tri-County Mall, Springdale, Ohio
4. Mac & Joe's, Oxford, Ohio
5. Chicago's Pizza, Fairfield, Ohio

Bourbon House is also one of my favorites - they have the BEST Chicago style I've had this far south of Chicago itself. The traditional crust isn't bad either. I've heard good things about Nikki's and will try that soon. I'm curious what you think of Stone Oven which is also in Hebron? I think it's pretty good New York style - always has a nice blackened crust like at John's in NYC. You know, Larosa's get's a bad rap, but for everyday pizza, there's nuthin' wrong with it. I am a total pizza-head and I've had FAR worse than Larosa's, believe me! Dewey's is just about my favorite around here - great chewy crust and really fresh toppings. So my top 5 would be:

Dewey's - Crestview Hills, KY
Stone Oven - Hebron, KY
Bourbon House - Burlington, KY
Riverfront Pizza - Covington, KY
Adriaticos - Clifton, OH (old college favorite)

For chains, I'll take Larosa's anyday. :-)

Now if you want to talk about the very BEST steak hoagie on the planet, go to Parker's Pizzeria in Georgetown, OH. It's in my hometown and I've never found a better "log" anywhere!

Never had or even heard of Stone Oven. I'll have to give that a shot.

That's kind of why I wanted to do a top five -- so people could see others' favorites and give them ideas for places to try.

Stone Oven is kinda across the street from Nicky's in Hebron

TJ, do you like it too?

I've been having a taste for a different pizza, if you couldn't tell.

quote:

Originally posted by jjjrfoodie

quote:

Originally posted by Delilah77

I was asking about the one on Hosbrook in Kenwood, jjrfoodie. It has been closed for a few weeks now, but the closing was sudden. I've looked online but couldn't find any information.

No no no no no no no no no!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I forbid it. There are far too many dishes that I need for my "fix" at that place.


In other news...
Because franklee is my piper and I was overcome by a Rattus Norvegicus disorder today (sadly, I just had a meeting out that way and then decided to work from home), I made my way to Noce's Pizzeria today for lunch.

I got two slices of pepperoni to go (and reheat at home) and yes, they are each as big as a full sized plate. Crust was nice and crunchy on the outer edges and soft and foldable in the center. Blackend bits from a seasoned oven coated the bottom.




It’s great to see a place sell pizza by the slice and they even do the specialty pies that way. I think that if this place was downtown or in a high traffic pedestrian area it would be a no brainer. ( BTW-This reminded me of Roma’s downtown before it “soldout” to become Roma Trattoria after the art center went in. )

I enjoyed it, but to set up shop within 5 miles of the mothership headquarters of the local pizza “Dark Side” (aka LaRosa’s) is pretty adventurous.

jjjrfoodie


oops--- the menu ...

If Noce's reminds you of Roma's it has to be great NY style pizza. My amigo has apparently stumbled onto something unbelievable apparently!!!

When I worked downtown I lunched at Roma's several times a week - two slices of pie and a drink and I was a very happy man!

I also was shocked at the transition to the trattoria theme when Aronoff Center came along - also Quentin - the owner died shortly after ushering in the trattoria concept and I gave up on them - they seemed insulted when you went there for a pizza like you were some low-life who didn't want to spend $50 bucks for some wine and some lousy Italian food overcooked or worse.

Thanks jjjrfoodie for confirming franklee's opinion of Noce's - I cannot wait to try them out (I used to live near the YWCA near Boudinot and Montana and it kills me I am now sitting 60 miles away from them!) Oh well at least my cholesterol level and heart condition may stay in better shape this way.

franklee and I lunch together weekly with a buddy from near Dayton so we really get around the area covered by Cinci, Dayton and Brown County. Sometimes franklee's ideas about pizza are opposite to mine (I like a plain cheese pie and he loves to load his up with 4 or 5 items) and he at times does not seem to appreciate the importance of a chewy and excellent crust as the first prerequisite of a great pie, along with the best cheese and tomato sauce. But again if he has found the equivalent of the old Roma's pizza he is to be congratulated heartily and I will have gained a lot of respect for his pizza acumen.

quote:

Originally posted by franklee

Will miracles never cease? A very good pizzeria has come to the westside of Cincinnati. Noce's Pizzeria (New York style Pizzeria) next door to some of the best shrimp pad thai I've ever eaten. Takeout for lunch today at the suggestion of friend Pamela. Half Mattie Deluxe (Pepperoni, Sausage, Mushrooms, green peppers, onions & garlic) & Half white dream (garlic & oil, mozzarella, ricotta, tomato, broccoli & basic)... small... opens at 11... 4105B North Bend Road. 513.662.6623. I was most reluctant to try it... having been influenced by my luncbunch friend bob... am glad i took the plunge

This is the Chinese restaurant franklee is talking about:

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

Their Pad Thai and Singapore Mai Fun is some of the best and most reasonably priced that I have ever had. They also have some other locations around town.

It turns out our lunchbunch will be at Noce's tomorrow!!

The guys working at the Fountain Square Chipotle construction site told me today that they intend to open December 5.

quote:

Originally posted by TJ Jackson

I've been meaning to try Stone Oven for some time but it is kinda out of the way for me and the family....is it worth a trip from Mt Washington?

Also on the topic of pizza, I noted this weekend on a drive through Covington that both Germantown Pizza and Pizza Time are closed. I have no idea when they closed. The Germantown closing is especially said - they had been there for forever and a day. We ended up at[url='http://www.salvadorespizzeria.com/']Salvadore's[/url] (sed to be a Pasquale's, right? Good sauce, so-so crust, too much cheese. Not bad, not good either. The twisted breadsticks were pretty good. Don't go there if you avoid places that are not well cleaned/maintained.

For lunch Friday I ended up at my beloved Tan Thai and I was determined to order something I had never tried before because I'd never had a bad meal there no matter what I ordered. I ended up with my first serving ever of [url='http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pad_see_ew']Pad see ew[/url], spice level 2 of 5. Not only was it absolutely fantastic, it is my new favorite dish there.

I also noted on Friday that Fresh - well, actually, they had recently rebranded themselves to "Southwest Fresh" and changed their menu to burritos, tacos, taco salads, etc etc - on the corner of 4th and Walnut has a sign up indicating they are closed permanently due to problems with the Bartlet Building (which has been in the news a lot lately due to non-payment of utilities and such, leaving tenants literlally in the dark)

For lunch today, we went to John Philips in Crestview Hills, and although the place was all but empty, the food was very good. My wife had an EXCELLENT 8oz filet mignon, and I had a very good spicy farfalle dish. I also had the crab and corn chowder, also very very good. Lunch prices were well under 10 dollars in most cases, with decent portion size. The filet was off the dinner menu and was $24 but imho well worth it - ultra tender, good outer crust indicative of a high heat broiler, and much more flavorful than the typical filet. Just before we left, they sat 3 adults at the booth next to ours (weird because the place was still empty as a mausoleum, and this is a big, big place) and all three ordered (without even glancing at the menu) the "crusted chicken". I am guessing this dish must also be pretty good, I'll try it on the next visit. Not a roadfood joint, not at all, but definitely good eats.

Germantowne (the most recent owner spells it that way) moved to Latonia. I believe the building used to be "Breakfast at Ashley's". The new place is nicer and larger, although I would say quality has suffered a little bit. Still good - I go once a week.

John Philips is indeed good. I've found that even when a third full at lunch, though, the service is terribly slow. The crusted chicken is very good. If you're not in a hurry it's a good place to go.

I live about five minutes from both of these places. We love Dragon City; they are always fast and accurate and very fresh. Friendly folks as well. The sesame chicken is delicious.

I'm excited to try Noce's. There have been a few establishments that have been in that spot recently after angilo's closed. Most were gone in a month.

quote:

Originally posted by NYPIzzaNut

quote:

Originally posted by franklee

Will miracles never cease? A very good pizzeria has come to the westside of Cincinnati. Noce's Pizzeria (New York style Pizzeria) next door to some of the best shrimp pad thai I've ever eaten. Takeout for lunch today at the suggestion of friend Pamela. Half Mattie Deluxe (Pepperoni, Sausage, Mushrooms, green peppers, onions & garlic) & Half white dream (garlic & oil, mozzarella, ricotta, tomato, broccoli & basic)... small... opens at 11... 4105B North Bend Road. 513.662.6623. I was most reluctant to try it... having been influenced by my luncbunch friend bob... am glad i took the plunge

This is the Chinese restaurant franklee is talking about:

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

Their Pad Thai and Singapore Mai Fun is some of the best and most reasonably priced that I have ever had. They also have some other locations around town.

It turns out our lunchbunch will be at Noce's tomorrow!!

Newbie here...

We just moved to Cincinnati, and my family took you all up on the Noce's recommendation.

It was definitely good NY-style pizza!

Crust is crisp on the outside and chewy in the middle. Sauce is a good flavor (my only complaint would be that there was a bit too much), just the right amount of cheese, and my hubby was happy to get the pizza+wings deal. We got a pizza, wings, and garlic twists for under $25.00 with tax!

Well worth the drive out to North Bend! Thx!

On the aside, we still need some GOOD BURGER recommendations and GOOD FAMILY places. Then we can be content .

Oh, and anyone know of a Chinese place with good HONEY CHICKEN??

Thx.

quote:

Originally posted by TJ Jackson

Stopped in to try Fatburger in Oakley yesterday

Paid 8.10 for a combo to go, got my drink, and found a place in front of the counter to wait

and wait. and wait.

I noted that the burgers really aren't cooked per order - the grill men drop off plain burgers on a tray between two counter folks who then dress the burger to specs on the receipt. And even though the place was fairly busy, some burgers sat a while eithe ron this tray or on the other side of the counter where they waited to be taken to tables.

and then I wited some more

at 29 minutes (comparing time printed on my receipt to the time on my mobile phone) the manager walks up to me and without a word snatches my receipt out of my hand and looks it over. No apologies, no offers to refund my money in part or whole or two throw in a freebie or a coupon for the next visit - not even an apology. He takes the receipt back behind the counter and asks them to make my order.

No rush, mind you. The counter person assembled and sent out about 7-8 orders before assembling mine, handing it over without a word.

At the 35 minute mark, bag in hand, I asked this manager if it was customary to wait 35 minutes for an order. With no enthusiasm, he mustered a unconvincing apology and then turned away to do something else.

The burger was very average. Nothing special about it, really. Very slightly better than a McDonald's quarter pounder for roughly 2.5 times the price. You want cheese? You'll pay 60 cents for a single small slice of cheese.

Never again.

TJ--

Our Fatburger experience was partly like yours and partly ok. Hubby says he'd want to go back, but I'm not sure I would. I told him we could eat it again if he brought it home!

PROS:
Burgers seemed homemade, flame-broiled-esque, pretty decent size (I agree though that it wasn't uber fresh)
The order of slim fries is huge

CONS:
Paying extra for cheese
Price-- $30+ for me, hubby, and one of our two kids!
Long wait (but they were packed to the walls)
Our cashier was uber rude and not sympathetic that it was our 1st time there

In addition, all the regular customers seemed to sort of get dropped when some local Bengals and entourage decided to drop in for a burger. Maybe they'd play better if they weren't putting grease in their bellies on a Saturday . He he he...

quote:

Originally posted by NYPIzzaNut

quote:

Originally posted by franklee

Will miracles never cease? A very good pizzeria has come to the westside of Cincinnati. Noce's Pizzeria (New York style Pizzeria) next door to some of the best shrimp pad thai I've ever eaten. Takeout for lunch today at the suggestion of friend Pamela. Half Mattie Deluxe (Pepperoni, Sausage, Mushrooms, green peppers, onions & garlic) & Half white dream (garlic & oil, mozzarella, ricotta, tomato, broccoli & basic)... small... opens at 11... 4105B North Bend Road. 513.662.6623. I was most reluctant to try it... having been influenced by my luncbunch friend bob... am glad i took the plunge

This is the Chinese restaurant franklee is talking about:

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

Their Pad Thai and Singapore Mai Fun is some of the best and most reasonably priced that I have ever had. They also have some other locations around town.

It turns out our lunchbunch will be at Noce's tomorrow!!

As it turned out we went to Troni's in Kettering as the 3d member of our lunchbunch got back in from out of town quicker than we thought - as usual their pizza and garlic rolls and antipasto and pasta fagiolli soup and tiramisu and cannolis were truly wondrous!! Here are photos of the exterior and interior of Troni's:




I captured Nick, our waiter, looking at me and his dad, the owner, may be seen (not well) in the pizza oven area in the top right corner of the image. Nick is one of four siblings that work there, along their mom and dad.

quote:

Originally posted by PAinOH

Newbie here...

We just moved to Cincinnati, and my family took you all up on the Noce's recommendation.

It was definitely good NY-style pizza!

Crust is crisp on the outside and chewy in the middle. Sauce is a good flavor (my only complaint would be that there was a bit too much), just the right amount of cheese, and my hubby was happy to get the pizza+wings deal. We got a pizza, wings, and garlic twists for under $25.00 with tax!

Well worth the drive out to North Bend! Thx!

On the aside, we still need some GOOD BURGER recommendations and GOOD FAMILY places. Then we can be content .

For an awesome burger you should check out Terry's Turf Club http://www.yelp.com/biz/terrys-turf-club-cincinnati . I really think they have the best burgers in town. You will hear from many others in Cincinnati that Zips has the best burgers in Cincinnati but I feel they are greatly overrated. Zips has good burgers, but I do not think they are worth driving out of your way for them. Zips is a good place to take the family to get a good burger, but Terry's is a great place to get the best burgers in town without your kids...

I know this is off topic but it is somewhat relevant since I know you can get them at some local restaurants or could in the past... Does anybody on here know where I can get a deep fried turkey for Thanksgiving in Cincinnati? In the past I have taken my turkey to Pit to Plate for them to smoke it and it has been wonderful... Pit to Plate has some great BBQ in general if anybody is looking for a good place to go... I would really like a deep fried turkey this year for Thanksgiving and I would rather not have to deal with frying it up myself with kids all around the house and the fire hazards that come with it...

Deep Fried Turkey - I am thinking that Ollie's Trolley does those

also

quote:

Originally posted by Euched
For an awesome burger you should check out Terry's Turf Club http://www.yelp.com/biz/terrys-turf-club-cincinnati . I really think they have the best burgers in town.

I just took the wife there for a late lunch yesterday while the kids where with gramma and grampa, and she proclaimed it the best burger she had ever had. I think it is a wonderful burger that would be much improved if a) they find a way to size the bun up to the size of the patty, or b) size the burger down a bit to the size of the bun. The fires would also be much improved if they were blanched then fried. All of these are VERY minor complaints, mind you -- I love this place.

quote:

Originally posted by TJ Jackson

Deep Fried Turkey - I am thinking that Ollie's Trolley does those

Yep, I live right down the street from Ollie's Trolley, and they have the sign out now for ordering deep fried turkeys.

Greetings Cincinnati!

It will take me at least a week to slog my way through all the wonderful and informative posts here, but I look forward to the challenge.

I found this forum while trying to do a search on where to get jajangmyun anywhere in the area. The last time I was at Riverside Korean in Covington, they didn't have it, and checking their website it looks like that hasn't changed.

Short of attempting to recreate it in my own kitchen, can anyone point me in the right direction?

Thanks in advance and much love for the food,

jumpinjessflash

The Korea House in Harper's Station has it on the menu. I haven't ordered it so I can't vouch for it's tastiness but it's there to try.

quote:

Originally posted by PAinOH

quote:

Originally posted by TJ Jackson

Deep Fried Turkey - I am thinking that Ollie's Trolley does those

Yep, I live right down the street from Ollie's Trolley, and they have the sign out now for ordering deep fried turkeys.

Thank you both so much for the idea... I just got off the phone with them and I will be picking up my deep fried turkey on Thanksgiving Day at 12:30. It has been a really long time since I have been down to Ollie's so they didn't even come to mind. They also offer their turkeys smoked and grilled (if I remember what she said correctly).

quote:

Originally posted by Delilah77

The Korea House in Harper's Station has it on the menu. I haven't ordered it so I can't vouch for it's tastiness but it's there to try.

I haven't ordered it, either, but I really enjoy The Korea House...haven't had a bad meal there yet.

quote:

Originally posted by carlton pierre

I used to work in Roselawn, right on Reading Road, right at the corner where the Roselawn Shopping Center is. The other road leads to Gibson Greeting cards, can't remember the name of it. I seem to recall a place called The Chili Company, maybe a very small local chain, anyone recall it?
Also, just up the street was the best bagels I have ever had in a small shopping center. They made 'em right there but don't recall the name, but all the local Jewish people came there.

Marx is the bagel company. They have an outlet store in Springdale. The chili place you remember in Roselawn was Chili Time, a small (3 stores at its peak) former chain that is down to one location on Vine Street in St. Bernard. The Chili Company has been opening and closing locations around town for years. I don't know if any still exist (Oakley maybe?) They always had a great (and cheap) breakfast.

quote:

Originally posted by Time for Pie

quote:

Originally posted by carlton pierre

I used to work in Roselawn, right on Reading Road, right at the corner where the Roselawn Shopping Center is. The other road leads to Gibson Greeting cards, can't remember the name of it. I seem to recall a place called The Chili Company, maybe a very small local chain, anyone recall it?
Also, just up the street was the best bagels I have ever had in a small shopping center. They made 'em right there but don't recall the name, but all the local Jewish people came there.

Marx is the bagel company. They have an outlet store in Springdale. The chili place you remember in Roselawn was Chili Time, a small (3 stores at its peak) former chain that is down to one location on Vine Street in St. Bernard. The Chili Company has been opening and closing locations around town for years. I don't know if any still exist (Oakley maybe?) They always had a great (and cheap) breakfast.

The Marx Bagel Factory in Roselawn moved to Blue Ash:

http://cincinnati.citysearch.com/profile/35736772/cincinnati_oh/marx_hot_bagels.html

I was born and raised in metro NYC area and Marx bagels and bialys are as good as anything you find in NYC. I love them.

quote:

Originally posted by Time for Pie

quote:

Originally posted by carlton pierre

I used to work in Roselawn, right on Reading Road, right at the corner where the Roselawn Shopping Center is. The other road leads to Gibson Greeting cards, can't remember the name of it. I seem to recall a place called The Chili Company, maybe a very small local chain, anyone recall it?
Also, just up the street was the best bagels I have ever had in a small shopping center. They made 'em right there but don't recall the name, but all the local Jewish people came there.

Marx is the bagel company. They have an outlet store in Springdale. The chili place you remember in Roselawn was Chili Time, a small (3 stores at its peak) former chain that is down to one location on Vine Street in St. Bernard. The Chili Company has been opening and closing locations around town for years. I don't know if any still exist (Oakley maybe?) They always had a great (and cheap) breakfast.

The only Marx Bagels location left is on Kenwood Road in Blue Ash. The Springdale location closed about 5 years ago, as well as the Fort Mitchell one.

quote:

Originally posted by NYPIzzaNut

quote:

Originally posted by Time for Pie

quote:

Originally posted by carlton pierre

I used to work in Roselawn, right on Reading Road, right at the corner where the Roselawn Shopping Center is. The other road leads to Gibson Greeting cards, can't remember the name of it. I seem to recall a place called The Chili Company, maybe a very small local chain, anyone recall it?
Also, just up the street was the best bagels I have ever had in a small shopping center. They made 'em right there but don't recall the name, but all the local Jewish people came there.

Marx is the bagel company. They have an outlet store in Springdale. The chili place you remember in Roselawn was Chili Time, a small (3 stores at its peak) former chain that is down to one location on Vine Street in St. Bernard. The Chili Company has been opening and closing locations around town for years. I don't know if any still exist (Oakley maybe?) They always had a great (and cheap) breakfast.

The Marx Bagel Factory in Roselawn moved to Blue Ash:

http://cincinnati.citysearch.com/profile/35736772/cincinnati_oh/marx_hot_bagels.html

I was born and raised in metro NYC area and Marx bagels and bialys are as good as anything you find in NYC. I love them.

Marx Hot Bagels are definitely the best bagels in town...I also grew up around the corner from the Roselawn location and used to stop in there every morning while walking to school... Their Blue Ash location is always pretty busy and the only thing that has changed about the place since closing the other locations is their prices...

OK, I've gotten 1/3 of the way through this chat/thread (20+ pages - "gasp") and thought I had better report some of my comments before they became a book. As is, this will be a long post. Sorry. Also sorry if some of this has been stated in the remaining 2/3 of the thread. I'll restrict my comments to places mentioned in the thread and wait to add my own choices until after I've read the whole thing.

Since I'm new to these forums (today), a short bio: After 40+ years in Cincinnati (and 50+ in Ohio), I relocated to central Missouri two years ago and opened a pie shop and espresso bar in a touristy small town in wine country. Although new to foodservice, my wife and I (no kids) have always liked to dine out, and have eaten at many, many places in Greater Cincinnati. I also used to be a reporter, so I might get a little wordy at times . Again, sorry.

Arnold's - unique, but a notch less delicious since Jim Tarbell sold it some years ago. The Greek spaghetti is tasty, and they once had cold chinese noodles on the lunch menu that was also a treat.

Sugar & Spice - went there a lot as a kid and enjoyed it. Went back in the 90s and was underwhelmed. Still there, I think.

The Cricket - had a memorable night there (the old one) when there with a group that had just watched Tom Seaver pitch his no-hitter at Riverfront Stadium. It was a cool old Cincinnati place.

City-Q - I lived about a block from this place in my last Cincy-area home. I tried it in its first iteration and was not impressed. Didn't go back after they re-opened.

Upper Krust - the original, I believe, was the one in Reading at Reading and Galbraith Roads. The Clifton one was added later. Dad took us there a lot as kids. It later moved to Chester Road in Sharonville, and survived through that move and a later name change, but is now long gone.

The Comet - a cool place with a really eclectic crowd, good live music, and the "best jukebox in town". I don't like the burritos though.

Mr. Herb's - I've been to the one in Hebron, and the fish is indeed superb!

F&N Steakhouse - another of Dad's favorites, he would take us there (or Walt's) after a trip to Turfway Park. RIP

Maury's Tiny Cove - a Cincinnati institution, but I never had a good meal there. I don't get it.

Pasquale's Pizza - once a sizable chain, there are only a few left. Once had some of the best hoagies in town, with excellent egg-bun hoagie rolls. I had one walking distance from where I grew up. mmmmm.

Jimmy's BBQ (Vine Street in Hartwell) and Jim Dandy's BBQ (Sharon Road in Sharonville) - very similar stories. Each started with a BBQ trailer in local parking lots (coincidentally, each did a stint in the lot of Brentwood Plaza, near my mom's house) and later moved to a permanent restaurant. And failed within a year of the move.

The Root Beer Stand - in an old A&W drive in, still serving a similar menu. We used to make this a regular Wednesday night stop during the summers.

Mr. Genes - Original location on Beekman Street is in a terrible neighborhood but the food is good. The building was destroyed a few years ago by a runaway school bus, but they were planning to rebuild. I don't know if that happened.

Pacific Moon - never tried it, but I was a regular at Alex and Barbara Chin's previous place, Chin Dynasty in St. Bernard. It was tasty.

Guenther's - great place, steaks are awesome and they do a really nice Mahi dinner. Call early for weekend reservations.

Cactus Pear - went there for lunch on occasion with work groups. Awful. Lots of artistry, but don't go if you are hungry.

Vinyl - I don't understand the guy who said it wasn't in a bad neighborhood. A friend of mine was murdered in that block after leaving a club. Call me not convinced.

Thanks for the thread, TJ. More later.

quote:

Originally posted by Time for Pie
Jimmy's BBQ (Vine Street in Hartwell) and Jim Dandy's BBQ (Sharon Road in Sharonville) - very similar stories. Each started with a BBQ trailer in local parking lots (coincidentally, each did a stint in the lot of Brentwood Plaza, near my mom's house) and later moved to a permanent restaurant. And failed within a year of the move.

I am pretty sure Jim Dandy's is still kicking, unless they failed since this past Thursday, when I had lunch there.

quote:

Originally posted by Time for Pie


Arnold's - unique, but a notch less delicious since Jim Tarbell sold it some years ago. The Greek spaghetti is tasty, and they once had cold chinese noodles on the lunch menu that was also a treat.

Agreed.

quote:

Pasquale's Pizza - once a sizable chain, there are only a few left. Once had some of the best hoagies in town, with excellent egg-bun hoagie rolls. I had one walking distance from where I grew up. mmmmm.

All are gone as of this moment

quote:

Jimmy's BBQ (Vine Street in Hartwell) and Jim Dandy's BBQ (Sharon Road in Sharonville) - very similar stories. Each started with a BBQ trailer in local parking lots (coincidentally, each did a stint in the lot of Brentwood Plaza, near my mom's house) and later moved to a permanent restaurant. And failed within a year of the move.

Yep, Jim Dandy's is still alive and doing quite well.

quote:

Mr. Genes - Original location on Beekman Street is in a terrible neighborhood but the food is good. The building was destroyed a few years ago by a runaway school bus, but they were planning to rebuild. I don't know if that happened.

Mr. Gene's is still there in it's glorious crappy neighborhood. Just had lunch there in the late summer.

quote:

Pacific Moon - never tried it, but I was a regular at Alex and Barbara Chin's previous place, Chin Dynasty in St. Bernard. It was tasty.

They closed up shop in Montomery sadly and moved to Newport on the Levee where the crowds that made them so popular did not follow and the price of rent drove them out of business.

quote:

Cactus Pear - went there for lunch on occasion with work groups. Awful. Lots of artistry, but don't go if you are hungry.

I personally love Cactus Pear. Orignally concieved and owned by chef Elliot Jablonski, it was sold to Swami a decade ago and I am still suprised the menu has remained the same since Elliot owned it. AWESOME salsa and creative tex-mex IMHO.

jjjrfoodie

I'm pretty sure the Pasquale's in Bellvue/Dayton Ky is still in operation

quote:

Originally posted by TJ Jackson

I'm pretty sure the Pasquale's in Bellvue/Dayton Ky is still in operation

I was not aware of this TJ. Thanks. I thought all of the Kentucky stores closed and when I went by the only Cincy store left on Pippin Rd. over in Colerain Twp., it too was closed.

Souns like a Saturday roadtrip for me.

jjjrfoodie

anybody ever comment on Ms Helen's at Findlay Market? Excellent cabbage & cornbread. But whatever happened to aunt flora's?

Aunt Flora moved to Flora's Plate Full of Soul on Court Street

Oddly enough, Polly also had a[url='http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?Category=blog14&plckController=Blog&plckScript=blogScript&plckElementId=blogDest&plckBlogPage=BlogViewPost&plckPostId=Blog%3a1921648a-c77d-4218-b8c1-5af7ab309046Post%3af0465080-fe62-49ab-9289-5c83015a20c8&sid=sitelife.cincinnati.com']blog entry[/url] on this today. And she says they do deep fried turkeys for Thanksgiving, another recent topic on this thread :-)

Other updates:

Fruities/downtown has moved across the street into the US Bank building. It's right across from J Gumbos (the new cajun/creole joint).

J Gumbo's/downtown is now offering a 5.00 daily special - red beans and rice, chicken creole, whatever. Not sure if there is a schedule or if it's random at this point. At 5.00, it's almost cheap enough for me to give them a try

Ruby Bootsy's/downtown has a nice fresh coat of purple paint on the front, and seems to be coming together quickly

Chipotle/fountain square/downtown is supposed to open Dec 5, and looks to be ahead of schedule. I figure westsider12 will give us a full report, since he works very near there.

Baba G's/downtown appears to have opened a new location on Elm near 8th next to Elm Street Dinner (former Marrakesh Cafe). Two gyro joints sluggin' it out. I don't think both will survive.

NY Fresh Deli/downtown has recently taken to offering a regular daily special which represents a nice discount off their otherwise steep prices. Monday is a 5 dollar footlong. Wonder where they came up with that? 5 bucks on their footlong is a much better deal than at that other Sub place with 8,745 locations downtown. IMHO. :-)

Shanghai Mama's/downtown has very quietly lowered their lunch prices. I paid 5.50 for Beef Ho Fun today, when the paper menu I have from a year ago says 5.95. Same portion size - generous. Nice. The fried rice was not lowered, but at 4.25 it was already one heck of a bargain.

Balboa's/downtown has an okay recession special - up to 3 Nathan's dogs for a buck a piece with purchase of a soft drink. Two dogs and a drink to go will run you 3.50 and the dogs are pretty good if a bit small.

quote:

Originally posted by TJ Jackson

I'm pretty sure the Pasquale's in Bellvue/Dayton Ky is still in operation

Maysville Ky for the eastside crowd. Excellent!

quote:

Originally posted by jjjrfoodie

...Yep, Jim Dandy's is still alive and doing quite well...

...Mr. Gene's is still there in it's glorious crappy neighborhood. Just had lunch there in the late summer...

Good news on both, thanks. Jim Dandy's owner is a cool guy, so I'm glad to hear he's still going. When he was down the street in his trailer (corner of Mosteller and Sharon roads), I'd stop to chat with him about the restaurant business when I drove my wife to work on that block.

More from Polly's blog:

The Greater Cincinnati Independents, a group of 32 local restaurants, is offering gift certificates this year that can be used at any of their member restaurants. So you can give certificates in any denomination and your giftees can use them anywhere from Jean-Robert at Pigall's, Mesh or Seny to the Dilly Deli, Mac's Pizza Pub or Pompilio's. You'll be supporting local restaurants owned and run by your neighbors. If you want to buy in large quantities, such as for corporate gifts, you could get a discount. Get them online at http://www.gcindependents.com/ or on the phone at 877-870-3463.

Let's get those freinds and relatives into our faves!

quote:

Originally posted by Alco251

quote:

Originally posted by foodjoe1968

Has anyone tried Germantown Pizza in Covington? It is a small family style "German" pizza joint that has been there since the mid 70's.

This must have been a small chain as I remember a Germantown Pizza in St. Bernard just as you describe.

Yep, it was a chain a long time ago, but several of the locations survived independently for a long while. The one in St. Bernard was sold and converted into a LaRosa's in the late '90s. The one in North College Hill became Kathy's Corner (same owner, different name)in about 1990

quote:

Originally posted by TJ Jackson



Balboa's/downtown has an okay recession special - up to 3 Nathan's dogs for a buck a piece with purchase of a soft drink. Two dogs and a drink to go will run you 3.50 and the dogs are pretty good if a bit small.

I was downtown yesterday, and passed by the new Balboa's location on 4th St. in the Mercantile Center. The Nathan's sign lulled me in, but I had to try their "recession special" on the Philly Steak Sandwich - $5.00 for a whole sandwich, with the purchase of chips or fries & a drink. I got it "whiz wit" to go.

I took a picture of it when I got home {and after a couple of bites}. I thought it was a good sandwich, but I have not had an original to compare it to.




It's really just a good pic of the bun.

Some time back, I bemoaned the loss of The All Rise Cafe on the corner of Sycamore and Court. This was my go-to spot for the best fries (imho) in Cincinnati, and an awesomely cheap cheeseburger deal. It was replaced by a middle eastern joint called the Jerusalem Cafe which appeared to serve middle eastern food with a tiny lunch buffet. I was heartbroken.

Well, I noticed the name had changed again to "Sahara Cafe" and although they still have some middle eastern food and a buffet set up, they appear to have brought back in some of the old All Rise items - they even have a breakfast special called the "All Rise" - including but not limited to the cheeseburger AND those wonderful fresh-cut french fries.

I went there today and - man oh man - it was just as good as ever.

They don't give you quite as many fries as All Rise did, but still plenty of them, and the 1/4 lb cheeseburger is just as good as before. This is not a fancypants burger. Despite starting with a frozen patty, the sum is greater than the parts. Griled onions are still available, still free. The one dropoff is the lettuce, which is bits of iceberg rather than whole leaf lettuce.

All told, cheeseburger n fries were 3.50.

The special the day before was the same deal plus a drink for 2.95. I will be looking for this one, you can be sure.

They have a 1/2 pound burger, but (as before) I urge you to go for the smaller burger. The smaller burger is better, at least in this case

I will be smelling Chipotle all day from my desk, so I'll give a report as soon as I can. I have a feeling that the first few weeks or so will be ridiculously busy - everyone I have talked to that is downtown is anxiously awaiting this opening.

The J Gumbos $5 option will be good - 7.50 for a relatively small bowl of cajun food is tough on the wallet.

Love Shanghai Mama's - this is great news.

I made my way over to El Originale Mexican Restaurante at 6304 Vine St. in Elmwood Place for lunch today.

It's a little bigger than I thought, but still just one server with broken English, and one older gentleman who speaks no English running the kitchen.

Folks, this is traditional, old fashioned no frills Mexican food here. The salsa was a tomatillo based green salsa served warm ( go figgure) with tortilla chips and was given to every table no matter the order.

Their fare was simple but covered the bases. Tacos, Burritos, Chimichangas, Pambazos, Sopes, Tortas and Quesadillas.

Taco and burrito choices included beef toungue (lengua) among many others. Everything from al pastor (sliced pork marinated in spices), to carne asada, bistec, chorizo, and pollo could be had.

Tortas (hard roll sandwiches) could have the above or even be ordered Cubano, milanese, Jamon or Salchicha (hot dog). Tacos were $2, burritos $6, Sopas $4, Chimichangas $7 and Torta $6-8.

I ended up getting the Al Pastor (marinated pork) torta. Let me tell you, the thing was the size of an actual football (9" long and almost as wide) and came on actual Mexican style bread that looked exactly like that in the link here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torta

With the chips and salsa, I ended up taking half to go. Sandwich had lots of griddle cooked pork, lettuce, tomato,. onion, queso fresco (yes, the real stuff) and roasted jalepenos on top. The interesting part was that they spread the bottom bun with refried beans before they put the pork on, so it makes for a unique suprise once you realize it's there.

Sandwich was very good. But, two gentleman next to me ordered the Thursday special Chimichangas and they looked spectacular and were as big as my head.

Daily lunch Specials:

Monday: Taco Salad
Tuesday: Soft Tacos
Wednesday: Green Enchiladas
Thursday: Chimichanga
Friday: Chicken tamales

If you want an adventure and a need to take a chance on some unique dishes, give it a go. I'll head back for the Wed., Thurs, and Fri. specials soon and give them a second and likely third try. most of thier business is local, whether it be Spanish speaking neighbors or folks coming for lunch from the P&G facility around the corner.

I'll post a pic of the Torta later tonite but his is true mom and pop Mexican cooking.

jjjrfoodie


Edit: Here is a pic of 1/2 of the torta which I brough home for a second lunch. That is a full size Skyline 3-way plate it sits on.



Jalepeno's Restaurant Kenwood: I drove by last week and there is a construction fence around teh place and major demolition going on with the building. I was sad.

Pasquale's Bellvue: I drove past on Sat. and it looks nice, new and clean. I can't wait to give it a try to see if it indeed tastes like the pizza I ate 20 years ago...

Lunchbunch went to Noce's (westside) today.... It is NOT accessible to wheelchairs... So I won't be going there anymore. The antipasto ($9.95) is excellent. The sausage roll is good. We disagreed on the pizza two of us thought it was good (although I didn't think the "white" was as good as before) and the third member expressed dissatisfaction with the crust. Still, the people at Noce's (from Syracuse NY) are friendly... the luncheon experience was positive... we had a good time and I'm sorry I won't be able to return unless someone figures out how to spend fifty bucks and put in an asphalt ramp.

Does anyone agree that the quality of Jim Dandy's ribs has gone south since he moved into his permanent location? A big disappointment to me.

Two more updates

Kar-ma\Anderson - I had intended to hit[url='http://theforeignexchangeonline.com/']The Foreign Exchange[/url] on Saturday after running some errands, but it turns out that they do not open for lunch on Saturday, so instead I decided to check out Kar-Ma Thai, which Polly had mentioned briefly in [url='http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20081120/ENT01/811210312/1026/rss06']Dining News[/url] with a fuller writeup w/pics in a recent [url='http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?Category=blog14&plckController=Blog&plckScript=blogScript&plckElementId=blogDest&plckBlogPage=BlogViewPost&plckPostId=Blog%3a1921648a-c77d-4218-b8c1-5af7ab309046Post%3ad1636382-efef-4502-86fd-61108c198743&sid=sitelife.cincinnati.com']blog entry[/url]. When I found out this place had taken over the spot of the Panda Cafe and it's wonderful pork dumplings, I did not want to like this place, but.....it's pretty darned good and (at least at lunch) somewhat reasonably priced. I had the stuffed chicken wings, which I did not like all that well, and the Pad Kee Mao (also known widely as "drunken noodles" and it was very, very good. There is a great deal of similarity between their menu and the one at my beloved Tan Thai downtown, and when I asked about it, my waiter said that the chef here was/is a "protege" of the chef at Tan Thai. The crown on the deal, aside from the fact that it is good, reasonably priced, and basically in my neighborhood? They serve "american food" type kids meals, such that I can take the kids here and they can eat w/o complaint.

Village Kitchen\Mariemont - sadly, they have changed their name to "Blue Water Grill" and no longer serve breakfast (their strength) all day.

Had lunch at the Oakley Pub and Grill on Friday. Had the Memphis burger which has bacon, BBQ sauce, and cheddar for 7.25. They have daily lunch specials as well, which on Friday was a large grilled grouper sandwich for 6.95. The verdict - very good but not great. The burger was big, but I wanted it medium and it came out at well done. I'm not overly pick and generally am very kind on reviews, but that always makes me a little miffed.

The burger came with fries, but they were steak fries which I'm not a huge fan of. The burger toppings were very fresh and crisp and the atmosphere was cool as it used to be an old bank building. It is small inside but a decent little lunch place. Would definitely return, although we were in agreement to try Fatburger down the street before we returned.

http://www.oakleypubandgrill.com/

quote:

Originally posted by TJ Jackson

I'm pretty sure the Pasquale's in Bellvue/Dayton Ky is still in operation

It is. There is also a Newport location on Monmouth Street, but the last time I was there it wasn't the cleanest looking place in the world. The Bellevue location is run by a local family and they keep it up nicely. Well worth the trip.

I went to J & J restaurant on Glenway Ave. today for breakfast. It's in the strip mall next to Kroger, across from the Plaza. It was my first time there, and at a little before 11:00am, there was a wait for a table. Not a long wait, but a good sign. As we ate, a group of policemen came in. Another good sign. The whole time we were there, people were waiting for tables.

My cousin & I both ordered the standard eggs {OE & OM}, bacon, potatoes & toast. I asked for my potatoes with onions & cheese. The waitress recommended that we share potatoes and she was so right on the money. It was a full plate of homemade home fries with cheese on the bottom AND top. It actually almost looked like a 3-way coming out of the kitchen. They were very, very good & definitely enough for two. The eggs & bacon were cooked perfectly and they ask you whether you want your toast buttered or not, another plus.

We were watching HUGE double deckers coming out of the kitchen, as well. Definitely worth a return trip.

I didn't have my camera, but here is a link to a review from the westside foodie wannabe blog:

http://foodiewannabes.blogspot.com/2008/11/j-j-restaurant.html


J & J Restaurant
6159 Glenway Ave
Cincinnati, OH 45211
(513) 661-2260

So this thread has been condensed to 30 pages, but I see the original first page is still there and the most recent (this is) is also here.

I'm confused.

We needed to condense the thread in anticipation of a software upgrade. It will be merged back after the weekend.

Thanks Stephen...

Now please tell me the new software will allow us to come straight to new messages from the notification email. That's one thing I really find frustrating about the current message board software. Even better would be to have the text of the reply in the email. I am on the AVS Forums, a very high volume home theater and electronics message board and they do this.

tpd, I too am a frequent visitor of the AVS Forums (just got my man-cave finished a few weeks ago).

Yes, the new software will have those features. I would say the upgrade will slightly exceed the capabilities of AVS, which is a MAJOR improvement from here.

Catching up on this thread always makes me hungry.

I think it was Bonk that posted favorite Pizza places, to which I say, "Mac&Joe's serves pizza?". Is it SDS pizza?

It was me that mentioned that. It was their own pizza.

Interestingly enough, the last time we were up there was two weeks ago (we have Miami hockey season tickets) and the pizza was missing from the menu.

A couple of other menu changes were made, too, including their rib tips, which we really liked.

Food's still tremendous though.

Our lunchbunch visited City Barbeque at Eastgate - their newest location.

I do not usually rave about places much (except Troni's and Deweys's Pizza) - but they are doing things right at this City location, From A to Z.

We did not have near the same wonderful experiences at the other two City BBQ joints we went to in West Chester and Centerville.

Right from the time I walked in til the time we left I was a happy camper. Great friendly staff, samples offered of anything you wish. All the meats and sides and desserts and drinks were mighty fine. We were there at 11 AM (they open at 1030 am weekdays) and it was quiet as a mouse and we had the joint and staff to ourselves. By 1130 am the place was packed to the gills and you could not even hear yourselves talk.

We had the City Sampler with a bunch of meats and two sides and we ordered two other sides and we enjoyed everything - we even argued about who got to take home the leftovers (I won). Normally there is not much discussion about such matters.

We had ribs, Texas sausage, pulled pork, brisket, chicken, green beans with ham, baked beans with bacon, cornbread, corn pudding, hush puppies, banana pudding an Nehi sodas.

Finally Eastgate has some decent eats!

Oh and the smell as you approach their place is out of this world - talk about heavenly smells. And there is a Panera Breads right next to them.

My wife and I have been doing the South Beach thing, and in the middle of all this dieting I've had a craving for two things: really good pizza and a really good Chinese buffet. The pizza thing I took care of last weekend, but the buffet jones is still there.

I think 95% of Chinese buffets are just terrible. Just read the local restaurant inspection notices if you need proof. Too much food that sits around too long. But when you find a good one ...

So, any recommendations out there? I live on the East Side, but that doesn't matter. I used to like House of Sun downtown -- not large and the food was usually very fresh -- but that closed a while back, and it's certainly not a gold standard.

First Wok in Hyde Park Plaza is small. They only have a lunch buffet, but the employees are pretty much standing over the buffet, replenishing it regularly. Last time I was there, it was $5.95. I have been there a few times, and the food was good, hot & fresh.

quote:

Originally posted by TJ Jackson

Balboa's/downtown has an okay recession special - up to 3 Nathan's dogs for a buck a piece with purchase of a soft drink. Two dogs and a drink to go will run you 3.50 and the dogs are pretty good if a bit small.

I had been eager to try Balboa's, but the reviews on other sites have not been so hot. Well, my hubby took his lunch bunch today. He was pleased.

They are still offering the "recession special," so less than $8.00 for a footlong cheesesteak, fries, and a drink. Not bad!

Hubby said the hoagie was definitely a good deal for that price, he hasn't ed yet and the pizzas he saw going out looked good too.

Gee, now if he'd just take me !

quote:

Originally posted by johnbycz

My wife and I have been doing the South Beach thing, and in the middle of all this dieting I've had a craving for two things: really good pizza and a really good Chinese buffet. The pizza thing I took care of last weekend, but the buffet jones is still there.

I think 95% of Chinese buffets are just terrible. Just read the local restaurant inspection notices if you need proof. Too much food that sits around too long. But when you find a good one ...

So, any recommendations out there? I live on the East Side, but that doesn't matter. I used to like House of Sun downtown -- not large and the food was usually very fresh -- but that closed a while back, and it's certainly not a gold standard.

I like Rong Tan's on Ohio 125 just east of I-275, but I'm not sure if that's up to your standards.

quote:

Originally posted by Bonk

quote:

Originally posted by johnbycz

My wife and I have been doing the South Beach thing, and in the middle of all this dieting I've had a craving for two things: really good pizza and a really good Chinese buffet. The pizza thing I took care of last weekend, but the buffet jones is still there.

I think 95% of Chinese buffets are just terrible. Just read the local restaurant inspection notices if you need proof. Too much food that sits around too long. But when you find a good one ...

So, any recommendations out there? I live on the East Side, but that doesn't matter. I used to like House of Sun downtown -- not large and the food was usually very fresh -- but that closed a while back, and it's certainly not a gold standard.

I like Rong Tan's on Ohio 125 just east of I-275, but I'm not sure if that's up to your standards.

When I lived on the east side of town I used to love going to Rong Tan's. Their food is pretty good for a buffet in my opinion and they at least used to have good bands playing on Friday/Saturday nights...

This is more "fine dining" than road food, although Polly Campbell praised the burgers. I'm referring to the Edgecliff Room in Walnut Hills, in the Edgecliff Condominiums. I met some friends for dinner there yesterday evening. It was explained that it is in the JeanRo group but Jean Robert doesn't own or manage it. Without going into detail, almost everything was disappointing. None of us had a burger so that may be their best offering. It's pretty expensive, making the food even more disappointing. A miniscule "loaf" of hard, overbaked bread, served with a miniscule amount of hard, cold butter, started the meal. Only 4 appetizers on the menu and none sounded appealing. My filet was good but not oustanding. My friend's stuffed chicken entree was tasteless. Every entree was served with tough broccoli. Service was slow and sporadic. One dessert was inaccurately described and the pastry shell was tough to cut. My Pot de Creme was good but Polly liked it better than I did.

There is a deck overlooking the Ohio River that my friend says is a great place to go for a drink in warm weather. And, indeed, I would love to sit out there for a drink...before or after dinner somewhere else.