Ever been on a daytrip and found a terrific eatery in Columbus or Lexington or even some backwater burg and wished, "Why doesn't Cincinnati have a restaurant like this?"
We have. Many times.
So we've compiled a treasured list of the restaurants in the region we'd dearly love to transplant here, lock, stock and bistro. For now, you'll have to travel to the cities and towns they currently occupy. But, one day, perhaps some brave restaurateur who reads this story will be inspired to open the Cincinnati version of ...
A La Lucie
Lexington, Ky.
This one's well worth a road trip. White linen and candles on the tables, leopard carpeting, leopard booths, lots of funky stuff on the walls, disco ball in the center of the room.
Lucie and her husband own the place, and Lucie still cooks nightly. There's a quirky, fun, excellent wine list and menu (at least four additional features nightly), always fresh seafood, as well as a featured appetizer and salad. The staff rarely turns over, and Louis has been our waiter every time for years.
They even have really cool matchbooks.
Some favorite dishes: baked escargot and goat cheese, hearts of palm salad, and broiled salmon topped with artichoke heart souffle.
A La Lucie, 159 N. Limestone Ave., Lexington, Ky. 606-252-5277.
Yanni's Greek Grill & Deli
Columbus
Yanni and Stella Minatsis serve up saganaki, tzatziki, spanakopita and the ever-popular mousaka and shish-kabobs. Our favorite is the dolmathes, grape leaves stuffed with ground beef, rice and lemon sauce. For the absolute Greek purist, there are the smelts fried and served with garlic dressing.
Sip a bottle of Athenian beer or a glass of Hatzimichalis white medium dry wine and enjoy life as it's meant to be enjoyed. Opa!
Yanni's Greek Grill & Deli, 6196 Cleveland Ave., Columbus. 614-890-4775.
Dick's Last Resort
Cleveland
They serve food by the bucket here. Really. Buckets of sloppy ribs, jumbo shrimp and crab legs. The tables are lined with butcher paper, and for sides you have an option of fries and cole slaw or fries and cole slaw. Tacky, crowded, wonderful.
Dick's Last Resort, 1096 Old River Road, Cleveland. 216-241-1234.
Seven Sauces
Athens, Ohio
Not too many places would try to serve first-class Italian. And Mexican. And seafood. A favorite hangout of faculty and students at Ohio University, it's always packed. We recommend the Seven Sauces Sampler plate on your first visit.
Seven Sauces, 66 N. Court St., Athens, Ohio. 740-592-5555.
Pine Club
Dayton, Ohio
While Cincinnati has The Precinct, the Pine Club is viewed by many as the best steakhouse in Ohio. A great atmosphere will remind you of the 1940s and '50s. Excellent bar and cocktails. Most of the staff have been here for years and years, so it's very first-name oriented.
No reservations, ever. Even President George Bush had to wait, just like everyone else. (And they make a big deal about that.)
Pine Club, 1926 Brown St., Dayton. 937-228-7463.
Dutch Harvest
Berlin, Ohio
You're in the heart of Amish country now, and the Amish and Mennonites who work here serve up family-style meals (Translated: You share huge plates of smoked ham and roast beef with everyone else at the table).
Dutch Harvest, 5324 County Rd. 201, Berlin, Ohio. 330-893-3333.
Fado
The Flats, Cleveland
They serve up traditional and cutting-edge Celtic cuisine, including those precious Galway Bay mussels. A great sandwich is the corned beef on hoagie with apple and onion relish.
Fado, 1058 Old River Road, Cleveland. 216-771-0066.
Great Hall of Ravenswood Castle
New Plymouth, Ohio
When we're in the mood for a leg of mutton or the attentions of a wench or two, we eat a banquet at this Medieval castle in the Hocking Hills. Actually, the fare leans more toward shrimp and fennel soup. Suits of armor and candlelit tapestries line the walls. An absolutely amazing trip through a time tunnel.
Great Hall, inside Ravenswood Castle, 65666 Bethel Road, New Plymouth, Ohio. 740-596-2606.
Tony Packo's
Toledo
Remember Corp. Klinger in M*A*S*H, always talking up this place to Hawkeye and the rest? They've got killer hot dogs, plus their own pickles and various relishes. It's practically the Izzy's of Toledo in terms of local culinary fame.
Tony Packo's, 1902 Front St., Toledo. 419-691-6054.
Millrace Restaurant at Clifton Mill
Clifton, Ohio
You'll find a terrific pancake dinner and a history lesson all wrapped up into one at Clifton Mill, the largest operating gristmill in the United States (built in 1802).
The Millrace serves breakfast all day. Our favorite dishes include the fried cornmeal mush, buckwheat and buttermilk pancake combo, blueberry oatmeal and, at lunch only, ostrich burger and spinach squares in egg custard. You can eat pancakes from flour ground at the mill while you sit on the deck and watch the mill grind some more.
At Christmas, owner Anthony Satariano opens his Santa Claus Museum next door, a massive collection of 3,000 antique Saint Nick statuettes, toys and related reindeer knick-knacks. It's worth noting that the Christmas light display boasts more than 2 million bulbs, making it the largest holiday display in Ohio.
Millrace Restaurant at Clifton Mill, 75 Water St., Clifton, Ohio. 937-767-5501.
The Hamburger Stand
Miamisburg
They've been turning out perfectly fried burgers at this cart for at least the past decade. People actually drive hours for these delicious miniature hamburgers, seasoned and spiced to perfection. They stand up to the famous Kewpee burger from Lima.
The Hamburger Stand, center of town, Miamisburg, Ohio. No phone.
The Winds Cafe
Yellow Springs
The king of hole-in-the-wall, collegiate cafes, this place serves up killer vegetarian fare. The atmosphere is so liberal that arch-Republican Sen. Mike DeWine, who grew up in these parts, denies ever eating here.
The Winds Cafe, 215 Xenia Ave., Yellow Springs. 937-767-1144.
El Meson
West Carrollton, Ohio
There is nothing like El Meson in Cincinnati. This Latin/South American restaurant features a South American country's cuisine each month - Peru, Chile, etc. - from tapas to paella to entrees you've never heard of.
Great atmosphere, excellent food, family ownership, the place has grown from humble beginnings. The owners take an annual trip to Latin America in search of new recipes.
El Meson, 903 E. Dixie Drive, West Carrollton, Ohio. 937-859-8229.
Lynne's Paradise Cafe
Louisville
This is a popular breakfast joint where California hippie culture meets down-home cooking with all the morning staples: sugary French toast, cheesy home fries and overstuffed breakfast burritos. The culinary funk is courtesy of a food-loving kitchen that tweaks everything with Asian influences and fresh ingredients. Lunch and dinner entrees are equally eclectic. It's what you'd expect from a place kitschy enough to put a giant coffee pot on its front sidewalk. Lynne's Paradise Cafe, 984 Barret Ave., Louisville. 502-583-3447.
