Thanks, Soccer. (I asked because there is a Pub in Centerville, a Pub in Lebanon, and probably several others around here I'm missing...) The pizza sounds worth trying - I love thin crust.

Here are photos and slide show with comments from our lunchbunch visit yesterday to the Lumberton 68 Family Restaurant 8295 St Rt 68 North in Lumberton (about 7 miles north of Wilmington and 4 miles N of I-71).

This place was picked at the last minute due to inclement weather yesterday morning - it was our second visit there.

They have fairly decent fare and are very nice and accomodating folks. They offer breakfast specials too and serve breakfast all day long.  We could have got the biscuits and gravy morning special as they still had some left - the pancake dishes I saw on tables but  neglected to photograph looked very good and very large. (Whilst drinking lots of coffee and waiting on my companions).

We were so hungry I did not get a chance to even take pictures of some of the dishes before they were eaten up or passed around.

The chili was pretty good as was the veggie soup - remnants of which are pictured.

I never even got to snap the coconut or butterscotch cream pies before they were consumed - they are all home-made by the owner (they have been under current ownership since 1992).  Their desserts are simply marvelous.

I loved my chicken with noodles and mashed potatoes and broasted potatoes.

The pork chops and chicken and fried sausage were also pretty tasty as were the sides and the fried mushrooms.  The rolls were plain jane but we were told they have corn bread at times.

If you plan to visit you will recognize the light blue building by the photo provided - you will not be able to read the yellow sign til you are on top of it!

http://s417.photobucket.com/albums/pp260/radians2009/68%20Family%20Restaurant%20Lumberton%20OH/

http://s417.photobucket.com/albums/pp260/radians2009/68%20Family%20Restaurant%20Lumberton%20OH/?albumview=slideshow

No pie pictures...and on Pie Friday

I don't blame you for liking those broasted potatoes and the chicken & dumplings those look amazing. How was the fried chicken?

EatingTheRoad


No pie pictures...and on Pie Friday

I don't blame you for liking those broasted potatoes and the chicken & dumplings those look amazing. How was the fried chicken?

I got the wing which I thought was very moist and delicious.

NYPN - thanks for the photos. It looks cheap, and good.

I never even noticed a restaurant there until you mentioned it in a thread some months ago. The last picture of the totally faded yellow sign shows why I never noticed that place. You can't read or even see the sign that well from the south, and I always thought it was a storage building or some kind of mechanical parts or service place.

They really need a new sign. Even a piece of handpainted plywood would be better than what they have now.

Hell, if someone just spraypainted "EAT" on the front of the building their business would probably increase 50%. ;)

..the place is usually packed with locals and that is the way they like it I guess..

The latest on the court action involving the  fight at Troni's:



http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/dayton-news/pre-trial-court-date-scheduled-for-tronis-pizza-owner-442194.html

I know just because you're related doesn't necessarily mean anything but I never understood sibling disputes. Minor quarreling, okay, but things like this were it escalates to a trial...come on! Handle that at home.

Frankly I never understand situation like this in general....friend, brother, partner...we're all human.

68 Family Restaurant is my breakfast stop every Sunday morning on my way to Wilmington. Good home-made food - rare in this area - at reasonable prices. Classic roadfood IMHO.

EatingTheRoad


I know just because you're related doesn't necessarily mean anything but I never understood sibling disputes. Minor quarreling, okay, but things like this were it escalates to a trial...come on! Handle that at home.

Frankly I never understand situation like this in general....friend, brother, partner...we're all human.

Remember the brother that got punched is the one that started up a restaurant similar to his brothers right around the corner - the only thing is he cannot make a pizza that tastes like anything because his crust is awful.

Update 12/18/09 - talked to our favorite waitress here and outlined the situation. Apparently this was a one time glitch.

The Breakfast Club in Lebanon may be losing its edge with diner food. (rest snipped)

Haven't hit that one and probably will not.

Russ Jackson


My problem with Marion's is that the place needs to be cleaned and updated. Hey I am all about nostalgia but the place is dirty and worn down. Dust on fixtures and ther is no energy in the place. I don't care for the Pizza but it was once a Dayton place to be at. Even though the service at Troni's is poor. The customers that pack the place are happy and talkitive. There is a buzz in the air. The patrons are content waiting for quality food. I could fix the place in an hour. Get a couple full figured professional Waitresses who know what they are doing and you wouldn't be able to get into the place.
 
Five Guys has a similar situation. On a scale of 1 to 10 it would rate a 7.5. But because nobody makes a fresh ground beef burger in most cities. People are lined up out the door. Imagine if someone did it with a jucier grade of meat and a quality bun. Served by a pleasant waitress instead of walking through a maze to place an order to an unattentitive punk. Cut back on the unreal ammount of fries and give me a quality bun. I might bring some quality pepperoni into Tronis next time I go there.
 
Question of the day:
 
How are pizza pepperonis sliced so thin? Laser? And why dont the burn when cooked.
 
If you stacked an entire pizzas worth of pepperoni it wouldn't add up to a 1/2 inch. I find it amazing...Russ

I agree that Marion's needs to be updated, but I love the pizza.  I grew up on Cassano's, Ron's and Marion's.  Sadly, only Marion's is still the same.  My favorite pizza places in Dayton are Marion's, Milano's, Dewey's, Spinoza and Flying Pizza.  I tried Troni's once and was pretty good,  I just can't get my wife to go back. 

Roadkill Bill


68 Family Restaurant is my breakfast stop every Sunday morning on my way to Wilmington. Good home-made food - rare in this area - at reasonable prices. Classic roadfood IMHO.

Here is a composite collage of most of our food consumed during our visit there this past Thursday:

donw9876


The Breakfast Club in Lebanon may be losing its edge with diner food.

I ate there last week and had fish with hash browns instead of fries. I asked for extra crispy hash browns with onions, and what was brought out by the same waitress who should have known better looked like a plate of yellow, way undercooked saratoga chips with no onions. I sent it back and it came back just passable, with the slices of potato more browned than fried. The fish is hand dipped and used to be succulent - this time it was barely fried completely and not that crisp.

This was very simple stuff to foul up and the place wasn't very busy - no excuse that I could see. Next time this happens I will talk to the manager and complain.

That is disappointing to say the least. The Breakfast Club has always been really good for Breakfast and they have been pretty fast and good quality. While I may not be a fan of their biscuits and gravy but I think that their cinnamon rolls are fantastic and pretty filling otherwise.

Skull Mask Worn During Robbery Posted: 12:08 pm EST December 14, 2009 Updated: 6:53 pm EST December 14, 2009
RIVERSIDE, Ohio -- Police are investigating an armed robbery that happened Sunday night in Riverside,  The robbery happened at Joe’s Pizzeria, and police said the man who robbed the business was wearing a skull mask.  Joe’s Pizzeria has been operated by the same family for 50 years on Airway Road.

http://www.whiotv.com/news/21961342/detail.html

http://www.myohiodefenselawyer.com/ohio-man-charged-with-domestic-violence-for-fight-with-brother/

Ohio Man Charged With Domestic Violence for Fight with Brother

---

Too often the general public has a very narrow view of what the laws encompass. This story is a good example of domestic violence reaching far beyond husband and wife situations.

Is anyone familiar with Miss Molly's Bakery & Cafe in Farmersville?

http://www.superpages.com/bp/Farmersville-OH/Miss-Mollys-Bakery-Cafe-L0126485514.htm?SRC=amertowniyp&lbp=1&PGID=yp253.8084.1260915926792.22026868579&bidType=FLCLIK&TR=77

Is anyone familiar with the Meadowlark Restaurant in the Dayton Mall area?

NYPIzzaNut


Is anyone familiar with the Meadowlark Restaurant in the Dayton Mall area?

Yup.  Eaten there several times.

What do you recommend?

Captain Howdy

NYPIzzaNut


Is anyone familiar with the Meadowlark Restaurant in the Dayton Mall area?

Yup.  Eaten there several times.

I have eaten there myself for breakfast and I would recommend staying away for that meal. My parents and I ate there about a year ago after hearing how wonderful their food is. I was kind of dissapointed in the flavors and the serving size for the money that we paid.
 
Most of the items are of the "arisinal" or "bistro" like that for the most part I don't tend to care for as I never feel like I am getting in value what I am paying for. I don't know about their dinner as it may be drastically different, but in what I would consider a rather extensive brunch experience in Dayton it ranks rather low in my books.

NYPIzzaNut


What do you recommend?

Well, as with Soccer862923, I've only ever had brunch there; however, unlike him, each time I've dined there, I've always really liked the food/experience.  Probably it's because I do, in fact, enjoy the flavors, and the extensive use of artisanal/sustainable ingredients.  To each his own.

Having said that, here's what I've tried:

Huevos Rancheros - While it's not my favorite version of this that I've ever had (that would be the huevos divorciados served at Cazadores in Franklin), it is pretty damned good, as I recall, with s subtle touch of heat and luscious, silken, creamy poached eggs.

Potato Roesti - The wife ordered this, and as I recall, really liked it.  It pretty much is what it says it is: good quality hashbrowns.

'Lark Burger - A wholly adequate burger, cooked to my wife's specifications, but without much of a crust (which I like on a burger) due, I'm sure, to it being cooked in red wine... which didn't, as I recall, add all that much flavor to the meat.

Hoppin' John - Good, flavorful dish.  I've never had this anywhere else, but I really liked it here.

Garlic Frites - These, along with the huevos, are probably the tastiest things I've eaten there.  The homemade ketchup is mighty tasty, too.

So, those are my two cents.

Captain Howdy

NYPIzzaNut


What do you recommend?

Well, as with Soccer862923, I've only ever had brunch there; however, unlike him, each time I've dined there, I've always really liked the food/experience.  Probably it's because I do, in fact, enjoy the flavors, and the extensive use of artisanal/sustainable ingredients.  To each his own.

Having said that, here's what I've tried:

Huevos Rancheros - While it's not my favorite version of this that I've ever had (that would be the huevos divorciados served at Cazadores in Franklin), it is pretty damned good, as I recall, with s subtle touch of heat and luscious, silken, creamy poached eggs.

Potato Roesti - The wife ordered this, and as I recall, really liked it.  It pretty much is what it says it is: good quality hashbrowns.

'Lark Burger - A wholly adequate burger, cooked to my wife's specifications, but without much of a crust (which I like on a burger) due, I'm sure, to it being cooked in red wine... which didn't, as I recall, add all that much flavor to the meat.

Hoppin' John - Good, flavorful dish.  I've never had this anywhere else, but I really liked it here.

Garlic Frites - These, along with the huevos, are probably the tastiest things I've eaten there.  The homemade ketchup is mighty tasty, too.

So, those are my two cents.

Our lunchbunch went there yesterday and we really enjoyed the food and experience - we had two dishes you mentioned - the garlic frites and the Hoppin' John, with cornbread and steak added to the dish - I will do a full report shortly once I edit and assemble the photos and my thoughts - I also picked up some cider and apples beforehand at A & M Farm Orchard for the group and a great pizza from Troni's on the way home - probably the best pizza I ever recall having from Troni's.  A & M will only have cider and apples through Wednesday or so of next week and then they close for the season so if you are in the area I highly recommend the cider.

NYPIzzaNut

Captain Howdy

NYPIzzaNut


What do you recommend?

Well, as with Soccer862923, I've only ever had brunch there; however, unlike him, each time I've dined there, I've always really liked the food/experience.  Probably it's because I do, in fact, enjoy the flavors, and the extensive use of artisanal/sustainable ingredients.  To each his own.

Having said that, here's what I've tried:

Huevos Rancheros - While it's not my favorite version of this that I've ever had (that would be the huevos divorciados served at Cazadores in Franklin), it is pretty damned good, as I recall, with s subtle touch of heat and luscious, silken, creamy poached eggs.

Potato Roesti - The wife ordered this, and as I recall, really liked it.  It pretty much is what it says it is: good quality hashbrowns.

'Lark Burger - A wholly adequate burger, cooked to my wife's specifications, but without much of a crust (which I like on a burger) due, I'm sure, to it being cooked in red wine... which didn't, as I recall, add all that much flavor to the meat.

Hoppin' John - Good, flavorful dish.  I've never had this anywhere else, but I really liked it here.

Garlic Frites - These, along with the huevos, are probably the tastiest things I've eaten there.  The homemade ketchup is mighty tasty, too.

So, those are my two cents.

Our lunchbunch went there yesterday and we really enjoyed the food and experience - we had two dishes you mentioned - the garlic frites and the Hoppin' John, with cornbread and steak added to the dish - I will do a full report shortly once I edit and assemble the photos and my thoughts - I also picked up some cider and apples beforehand at A & M Farm Orchard for the group and a great pizza from Troni's on the way home - probably the best pizza I ever recall having from Troni's.  A & M will only have cider and apples through Wednesday or so of next week and then they close for the season so if you are in the area I highly recommend the cider.

Looking quite forward to your writeup!

I stopped at Lovely's Farm Market and Country Cafe on St Rt 73 in Springboro on the way to lunch yesterday, to pick up some chocolate licorice, and learned they will be closing on Dec 24th for the season and will reopen next May - they will be clearing inventory out next week with greatly reduced prices:

http://www.lovelysfarmmarket.com/index.htm

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

Thanks for the heads up, NYPN.

donw9876


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

Thanks for the heads up, NYPN.

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

NYPIzzaNut

donw9876


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

Thanks for the heads up, NYPN.

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

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

I decided to start out my comments from our lunchbunch trek this past Thursday with my last stop of the day, at Troni's Pizzeria and Restaurant in Kettering, Ohio, where I picked up a mushroom and pepperoni pizza for a late supper, for my wife and I.  I generally have been getting it well done as I like the crust more that way.  This particular pie was one of the best ones I have ever had while in Ohio (32 years).  And I usually get my pies plain!

I have memorialized it by a photograph, and also am including one of the staff at this restaurant:







The owner Sami is on the far left and his son Nick (they are the  chief pizza makers) is in the middle. The other fellows, to the right of the owner and Nick, are friends of the family and the one on the far right is a cousin of Nick's.

Captain Howdy

NYPIzzaNut

donw9876


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

Thanks for the heads up, NYPN.

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

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

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

The Home Place, Georgetown OH 45121


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

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

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

Farm Fresh Delivery - Farmers and Artisans 

This is where it comes from:
Real Amish Experiences

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

EatingTheRoad


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

How do you reheat it?

EatingTheRoad


How do you reheat it?

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

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

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

On this past Thursday we ate at:

http://www.meadowlarkrestaurant.com/



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

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

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

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

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

The pork tacos were very good and tasty.

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

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

NYPIzzaNut

EatingTheRoad


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Soccer862923

NYPIzzaNut

EatingTheRoad


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Do you know if they are handicap accessible?

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

NYPIzzaNut


On this past Thursday we ate at:

http://www.meadowlarkrestaurant.com/



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

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

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

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

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

The pork tacos were very good and tasty.

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

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

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

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

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

EatingTheRoad


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

Yup!

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

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

How are the clientele offputting?

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

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

  



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

NYPIzzaNut



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

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

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

donw9876

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

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

How are the clientele offputting?

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

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

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

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

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

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

donw9876


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

Yep.  Bingo.

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

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

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

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

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

NYPIzzaNut


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

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

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

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

EatingTheRoad

NYPIzzaNut


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

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

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

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

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

NYPN, the way I see it -

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

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

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

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

The main impressions:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

NYPIzzaNut


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

Or probably because it was near Troni's!

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

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

And it has an attached pizza operation of sorts.