WhereToEat: Cincinnati and N.Ky (open chat)

Re: Tower Place Mall~~
 
I wanted to know what is going on.  I am downtown every day. I work downtown.  I frequent Tower Place Mall, although it has been a shell of its former self for quite a while.  Businesses with any promise, have been deserting ship recently.
 
I remember hearing that the city may try to take over ownership of the mall.  So, I googled Tower Place Mall.  It looks like the mall will close November 30th.
 
http://www.wcpo.com/dpp/news/local_news/done---cincinnati-takes-first-step-to-buy-tower-place-mall
 
Even though the mall has been a lot of nothing for quite a while, the loss of this valuable space is a huge loss to downtown Cincinnati. 
  
 
http://www.wlwt.com/news/local-news/cincinnati/City-could-buy-struggling-Tower-Place-Mall/-/13549970/17407664/-/d3j296/-/index.html

So I saw a sign off the Sharonville exit of I-275 for The Laughing Noodle.
 
It appears it's a part of White Castle and opened two months ago. It's the second one to open -- the other is in Springfield.
 
Does anyone know anything about this place?
 
Here's the link: http://thelaughingnoodle.com/

An asian friend of mine said the noodle offerings were pretty bad. 
 
I don't think I'll end up trying it myself, since if I want any of the items they offer, I will get it at a mom-n-pop asian eatery...unless for some odd reason I am hungry for such at 3 in the morning :-)

Well, I work nights... ;)

Gawd!  That looks really bad...

carlton pierre

Gawd!  That looks really bad...

 
If you mean the web site for Laughing Noodle, yeah. It looks like White Castle is selling noodles or something.

donw9876


If you mean the web site for Laughing Noodle, yeah. It looks like White Castle is selling noodles or something.

Does the notion of a bowl of mac 'n' cheese topped with chopped WCs not appeal to you?

Yeah, uh-huh.
 
Most of the chain noodle places like "Nothing but Noodles" and Noodles and Co. have been or are pretty good. I can see why an operator like White Castle would want to get in on noodles - noodles are cheap carbs. 
 
The stuff can be prepared offsite, trucked in and heated up.  It probably tastes like it, too. I'll probably have to try it sometime before it goes out of business.
 
Just took a look at the Sharonville menu. Oh, look, they have "Firecracker Shrimp". Bet it's just like Bonefish Grill's Bang Bang shrimp...

Tacqueria Mercado in Fairfield -
 
I live farther north but tonight we stopped here on a trip to Jungle Jim's.
 
Some context: my tastes in Mexican are very pedestrian - I don't do tripe, pozole, menudo - I just like flavors and freshness.
 
I really, truly don't get the hype around Tacqueria Mercado. Either they had an off night, or, we are not in tune with some delicious subtlety about the place. I can skip this place from now on.
 
I ordered a small burrito lunch with barbacoa, and a side of a tostada with chicken. My wife ordered the quesadilla lunch with carnitas (pork). We ordered chips and salsa (not free, costs $2 here.)
 
The chips were like from a bag, not fresh. The salsa was like ketchup, sweet and pureed, not fresh tasting at all. Tasted like jarred salsa. The chips+salsa we had were a ripoff considering that you pay for it.
 
My burrito was a mass of wilted lettuce, no taste of cilantro or other herbs, and fairly flavorless. The meat (barbacoa == stewed beef) had a ton of greasy fat - very poorly trimmed - that I had to pick out and hide in a napkin.Very unseasoned and bland.
 
The beans had an interesting meaty texture but were flavorless and unseasoned. Same with the rice, also very unseasoned.
 
The chicken tostada on the side was the best part of my meal. The chicken was quite dry.
 
My wife reported that her quesadillas were "ok" but also complained about the lack of seasoning.

(By "seasoning" I mean they grossly under-used salt on everything. Nothing had any flavor and I had to dump salt on things and they still did not have much flavor.)
 
Even the table sauces that they provided had (to me) no particular compelling flavor profile. One was reddish and tasted smokey. Two others were different types of verde sauces. All three were forgettable. I wound up using the bottled Valentina brand sauce on the table.
 
Table service was OK and the server was pleasant. The girl who rang us up did the Mexican restaurant standard thing of ignoring us and not speaking or having any personality.
 
This place sucked. It wasn't even that cheap because we had to pay for chips and salsa, and the fact that they only had lunch combinations, so putting together the dinner I really wanted was more expensive than something I'd get at Abuelo's.
 
Flavor wise, this food was on a par with El Rancho Grande stuff. As noted, no tastes of herbs like cilantro, or freshness, except for the lettuce and tomato on the tostada.
 
It's funny - I read somewhere that Tacqueria Maya at Fields-Ertel is owned by the same people. Food at Maya is considerably tastier, fresher and with much more flavor than this stuff.

donw9876


Tacqueria Mercado in Fairfield -

I live farther north but tonight we stopped here on a trip to Jungle Jim's.

Some context: my tastes in Mexican are very pedestrian - I don't do tripe, pozole, menudo - I just like flavors and freshness.

I really, truly don't get the hype around Tacqueria Mercado. Either they had an off night, or, we are not in tune with some delicious subtlety about the place. I can skip this place from now on.

I ordered a small burrito lunch with barbacoa, and a side of a tostada with chicken. My wife ordered the quesadilla lunch with carnitas (pork). We ordered chips and salsa (not free, costs $2 here.)

The chips were like from a bag, not fresh. The salsa was like ketchup, sweet and pureed, not fresh tasting at all. Tasted like jarred salsa. The chips+salsa we had were a ripoff considering that you pay for it.

My burrito was a mass of wilted lettuce, no taste of cilantro or other herbs, and fairly flavorless. The meat (barbacoa == stewed beef) had a ton of greasy fat - very poorly trimmed - that I had to pick out and hide in a napkin.Very unseasoned and bland.

The beans had an interesting meaty texture but were flavorless and unseasoned. Same with the rice, also very unseasoned.

The chicken tostada on the side was the best part of my meal. The chicken was quite dry.

My wife reported that her quesadillas were "ok" but also complained about the lack of seasoning.

(By "seasoning" I mean they grossly under-used salt on everything. Nothing had any flavor and I had to dump salt on things and they still did not have much flavor.)

Even the table sauces that they provided had (to me) no particular compelling flavor profile. One was reddish and tasted smokey. Two others were different types of verde sauces. All three were forgettable. I wound up using the bottled Valentina brand sauce on the table.

Table service was OK and the server was pleasant. The girl who rang us up did the Mexican restaurant standard thing of ignoring us and not speaking or having any personality.

This place sucked. It wasn't even that cheap because we had to pay for chips and salsa, and the fact that they only had lunch combinations, so putting together the dinner I really wanted was more expensive than something I'd get at Abuelo's.

Flavor wise, this food was on a par with El Rancho Grande stuff. As noted, no tastes of herbs like cilantro, or freshness, except for the lettuce and tomato on the tostada.

It's funny - I read somewhere that Tacqueria Maya at Fields-Ertel is owned by the same people. Food at Maya is considerably tastier, fresher and with much more flavor than this stuff.

I have not been there in quite a while but my amigo had got take-out burritos from there shortly before his demise in September and he was not too happy with them, as I recall. 

Bob is Cinncinati this week, working. Thanks for the heads up!
 

NYPIzzaNut
I have not been there in quite a while but my amigo had got take-out burritos from there shortly before his demise in September and he was not too happy with them, as I recall. 

 
My condolences on the loss of your friend. I read that here a few months ago.
 
I just ate at Taqueria Maya tonight, and it was consistently excellent as always. So I think my taste-o-meter is working fine. (I doubt my own judgement when I read over the top reviews of a place and it turns out to be p*ss poor when I finally go.)

We're doing a non-traditional Christmas this year. Anybody aware of any Chinese (preferred) or other restaurants open Xmas day in the Eastern corridor?

I've been living in a hotel for months and have been gaining weight steadily, while having a good time exploring a LOT of new restaurants.
 
So I thought I would share some recent "hits" and "misses":
 
I had a SUPERB burger at Flipdaddy's on Mason Montgomery Road, but to get there you must get through "Fields-Ertel Exit Hell".  I am sure you know what I mean if you live in this area.   Ordered the thing med well, and MAN it was yummy.   I would advise going with a std hamburger (my preference) or cheeseburger, because this ground meat can stand on it's own - the fancy burgers on their menu have too much claptrap on them for me.  The place was freaking busy when I was in there, always a good sign.
 
If you like Indian, give the New Krishna a whirl, it's in Sharonville in a strip mall on Lebanon Road just North of I275.  Above average Indian, nice buffet.  Only ding was that their buffet was not spicy enough for me.  I've never ordered from the menu so can't advise about that.  Oh and that weird dessert that looks like syrup with fresh apple slices in it?  Awesome (but really sweet).
 
Want some Thai in a nice relaxing setting?  Try Tong's Thai off Route 28 just east of Milford (west on 28 from I275).  I really liked this place, had not been there for years, I think it used to be Bankok Thai.  Food is fantastic (spicy) and is the perfect place for a nice meal.  If I was looking for a place to take a date or someone for a special dinner, I would choose this place.  Inexpensive too.
 
I know it sounds strange, but I had a good bar pizza at BJ's Brewhouse in Springdale (in the Tri County mall).  I would highly recommend this for a quick nosh, it's a good pairing with their BJ local brews.

BJ's does make a good pizza. I've had several other menu items there and have never been disappointed.
 
I thought Flipdaddy's (the Mariemont one) was a bit expensive. It was a good burger, but not really worth the $14 or so they charged for it.

I got the chance to walk through Tower Place Mall last week. The city is going to take over the mall, from what I have heard. Hopefully it will be a good thing. Tower Place Mall is a separate entity from the Carew Tower Concourse. Those businesses remain intact.
 
Most businesses have jumped ship. But, some remain.  The only "real" shops are T.J. Maxx and the I Love Cincinnati shop. There is still an auction place, and a business that sells homemade, crafty type of items. I wondered why this place was there. They had to be paying almost nothing for rent, in order to sell the kinds of things they were trying to sell.
 
Anyhoo, this is supposed to be about FOOD!!! I went down to the food court, and everything is gone, except the Chinese Combo place, and Subway. The only places still operating, in what looked like a ghost town (ghost mall). Very sad.

Has anyone been to the new Aunt Flora's place on 4th downtown?  I haven't had a lot of time to eat out lately but was hoping for a review from someone from this site.
 
http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-cobbleria-by-aunt-flora-cincinnati

Hey look, we're getting a Johnny Rockets here in Cincinnati
 
http://cincinnati.com/blo...-in-eastgate-saturday/
 
oh, wait, sorry - its called Highway 55

Not too sure they offer Nathan's hotdogs, which is what I like about JR.

If Cincinnati ever does get a Johnny Rockets, it won't be anything to get too excited about. I've eaten at two JRs, both of them in the Chicago area, and I wasn't really impressed with their burgers. They're similar to those at both Steak n' Shake and Culver's but, IMO, aren't as good. Johnny's prices are a bit on the high side too.

Great Scott Diner in Amelia does the '50s burger joint theme very well, so it will be interesting to see how another one 10 minutes away fares.
 
Although with Jungle Jim's being the destination that it is, a Little Caesar's in that complex would probably thrive.
 
I'll probably give it a chance and take one for the team here in the next few weeks. I'm just that kind of guy.

carolina bob


If Cincinnati ever does get a Johnny Rockets, it won't be anything to get too excited about. I've eaten at two JRs, both of them in the Chicago area, and I wasn't really impressed with their burgers. They're similar to those at both Steak n' Shake and Culver's but, IMO, aren't as good. Johnny's prices are a bit on the high side too.

We have had a Johnny Rockets in the Kenwood area of Cinci for many years - they are not cheap but their Nathan's hot dogs are sublime.

Hwy 55  tells me they offer their own branded dog.

NYPIzzaNut


Hwy 55  tells me they offer their own branded dog.

Hmmm...since it's a Carolinas chain it'll probably be pork, and if that's the case I'll pass.
 
I wonder if this place will hurt Five Guys' business.

Wife's birthday was last weekend and we checked out the new Great Scott in Oakley, since we live on the east side and her family lives west.
 
They said they were in the process of changing the menu over, and one side was German food and the other side was most the usual items the Amelia location has.
 
The Oakley location is definitely more cozy. It feels like more a German-style restaurant, which is I guess what they're shooting for. I was with a party of nine and didn't get to ask many questions.
 
Everyone loved what they got. If you're an onion ring fan -- which I'm not -- I would recommend getting an order. They're absolutely enormous and the breading (I'm told) is incredible.
 
Three people got the cordon bleu schnitzel, and I tried a bite myself, and it was incredible. The breading was thick and delicious, and none of the people that got it came even close to finishing theirs. My wife actually couldn't finish the leftovers for lunch the next day.
 
The portions are huge and the prices are pretty reasonable. I got the cajun seafood pasta, which was $19, but it was absolutely loaded with shrimp and scallops.
 
And the service was fantastic, as has always been the case at the diner and the other restaurant in Amelia. I made sure I went over to the manager when we were leaving and thanked her for making our experience so memorable.

It has long been noted that despite the huge numbers of German-descended people living here, and the biggest Oktoberfest in the US, we have very few German restaurants here in Cincinnati
 
and now......one fewer still
 
http://news.cincinnati.co...ainful-Auf-Wiedersehen
 
Partial text of the article:

One less place to eat schnitzel, sauerbraten, strudel and sauerkraut, the four S’s of Cincinnati cuisine. Another historic house gone. One more link to the Queen City’s German heritage broken.

Those losses spring from the news that Clifton Heights is about to lose a landmark, Lenhardt’s & Christy’s restaurant. The German-style eatery in a very German-style old house closed just before Christmas.
 
Earlier this week, out-of-town developers revealed the owners’ plans to sell the property and wreck the 122-year-old former mansion sitting just two blocks from the University of Cincinnati. Seven stories of student housing and stores would replace the restaurant that was once the grand 19th-century home of the fourth of the six daughters of Christian Moerlein, Cincinnati’s biggest beer baron.

 

Wouldn't the building be protected for historical reasons? There was talk that Maloney's East would be torn down and a new building erected, but I was told that would never happen for that reason, and that building isn't nearly as old as Lenhardt's.
 
The problem with that location is the German descendents don't live anywhere near Clifton, nor do people travel to Clifton to dine. It's strictly a college and younger-people area, and not a very attractive one at that.

Tried two places this weekend: The Highway 55 joint next to Jungle Jim's Eastgate and Andouille's in New Richmond.
 
The Highway 55 interior is pretty cool. Typical 50s decor, 50s music.
 
I got the double cheeseburger and my wife got the BBQ burger. She got onion rings on the side and I got fries. They do offer gravy for fries, but I didn't try that.
 
The burger was good. Very juicy, done medium, and the cheese was melted nicely. The bun was a touch flaky, but that would be my only objection. The fries were OK, most were crispy but a few were a little limp.
 
My wife liked hers but prefers a thicker, Memphis-style sauce over the thinner sauce, but we expected that with it being a North Carolina-based chain.
 
I got a pop and she got water and our bill was a hair under $20. I guess the onion rings are considered a premium side.
 
Overall it was good but not exceptional. I'd like to go back and try a couple of other items. They did offer us a samples of their frozen custard, and it was quite good.
 
The price is probably a little high for a couple of burgers and one pop but not outrageous.
 
I think Five Guys is a little better and Great Scott Diner is definitely a big step up from both and cheaper if you don't mind driving 10-15 extra minutes.
 
More...

Also tried Andouille's in New Richmond today.
 
I saw the ad in one of the free rags they give out at bars. I just did a search and saw a couple of you did discuss this place in the SW Ohio thread three years ago and had mixed opinions. Our experience was very good.
 
We went at 3 p.m. and there was only one other family there, but 3 p.m. is between lunch and dinner so that's not surprising.
 
We got the fried mozzarella, which came in wonton wrappers sprinkled with some kind of paprika-based barbeque seasoning. It was excellent. It came with a pepper-and-onion based marinera.
 
I order, well, the andouille since that was the name of the place and my wife got the blackened BBQ chicken panini. Mine was four huge pieces of sausage over a generous bed of fresh mac and cheese with sweet peppers and onions on the side (I ordered without the onions), and it came with a salad (fresh croutons) and cornbread that about as moist as any I've ever had.
 
I absolutely loved it. The sausage had a little spice, but not overwhelming, and was incredibly flavorful and juicy. The mac was a great complement.
 
I got through 1 1/2 pieces of andouille and got a to-go box. The portions were very generous.
 
My wife loved her panini and could only get through half. Hers came with fries, which were thicker, almost chip-like in texture. Normally I don't go for thicker fries but these were very good. Hers also came with cajun coleslaw, which she liked but I'm not a fan of slaw so I didn't try it.
 
She ordered a dessert to go, so with the appetizer, two meals, one pop and two stuffed to-go boxes our bill was $38. I'd definitely go back, as there were several other menu items I'd be interested in trying. Very pleased with this find.
 
 

Polly Campbell says Piada, the Italian version of Chipotle, is coming to Cincinnati. Two locations to open soon.
 
I tried one in Columbus (and wrote about it in the fast food forum) and I was pretty pleased. The ingredients are very fresh and the portions are huge.
 
Link here: http://cincinnati.com/blogs/dining/2013/02/13/two-locations-of-piada-italian-street-food-to-open-here/