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EATS
STAFF PICKS
Best Thing to Happen to the West Side:
Ron Wise — well-known chef of Primavista, Chateau Pomije and
Iron Horse Inn — decided his home turf on the West side needed
a similarly interesting restaurant, so he opened it himself. The
result, Rondo’s, is a sensible, unpretentious
place with a great menu that changes constantly depending on what
kind of fresh ingredients Wise can get from his local growers. Rondo’s,
3234 Harrison Ave., Cheviot, 513-662-3222.
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Best
Socially Conscious Coffeehouse:
Rohs Street Cafe
Photo: Mandy Janes
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Best
Socially Conscious Coffeehouse:
Rohs Street Cafe
Rohs Street Cafe’s
motto (“We Play Fair”) speaks volumes.
Serving exclusively
Fair Trade coffee, tea
and chocolate, the
cafe isn’t even trying
to compete with the Starbucks around the corner. Justice and fair
wages for coffee farmers have replaced profit as the ultimate goal.
The nonprofit coffeehouse gives back any profits to the community
while the sole paid employee, Les Stoneham, toils away over the
Burista for wages that average about $4 an hour. Like his unorthodox
mix of business and social justice, Stoneham has created an atmosphere
that’s both hip and cozy. On weekdays you can find out about
the next conference on globalization, check out the local art that
adorns the walls or dig into the cafe’s growing backlog of
New Yorker magazines. The cafe usually charges a dollar or two for
admission on weekend nights, but it’s well worth it for the
quality music Stoneham has managed to consistently line up. Thursday
night open mics are great for local musicians. Rohs Street Cafe,
245 W McMillan Ave., Clifton Heights, 513-328-7647. (Tony Cook)
Best
Wall Buster:
The cozy Biagio’s Bistro in Clifton became
less cozy but more accessible when the restaurant knocked down a
wall and expanded next door last spring. Biagio still personally
prepares all the pastas in full view of diners, but now you can
move away from the action and find some privacy. Biagio’s
Bistro, 308 Ludlow Ave., Clifton, 513-861-4777.
Best Use of Spears:
Asparagus spears, that is, which are grilled along with shrimp in
the aptly named Grilled Shrimp and Asparagus Salad at Dilly
Deli. The spears are young and tender, and the grilling
enhances their flavor.
Dilly Deli Wines & Gourmet, 6818 Wooster Pike,
Mariemont, 513-561-5233.
Best Pie for Dinner:
The Chicken Bastilla at Sahara. It’s a sweet
and savory pastry pie of tender chicken basking in cinnamon and
saffron and stacked with almonds and hard-boiled eggs between flaky
layers of phyllo. Absolutely sublime. Sahara, 9100 Cox Road, West
Chester, 513-777-8677.
Best News for Atkins Fans:
It had to happen sometime, didn’t it? A restaurant devoted
to fans of the Atkins and South Beach diets, that is. Registered
dietician and owner Jill Hanto at Bistro @ Harpers
calculates the carbs as she serves up dishes such as Asian tacos
(10.5 gc), sauteed pork medallions (5.7 gc), tilapia over garlic
spinach (7.8 gc) and corned beef and cabbage (4.4 gc). Bistro @
Harpers, 11384 Montgomery Road, Symmes Twp., 513-489-9777.
Best Salad for the Carnivores:
At Nick & Tony’s. If you’re on
the Atkins or South Beach diets, the steak salad is the way to go
here: Two filets top a blend of lettuce, hard-boiled eggs and cheese.
Nick & Tony’s, 19 E. Seventh St., Downtown, 513-723-1940.
Best Heart Attack Served with Tortilla
Chips:
Rincon Mexicano’s Rincon Dip might have your
arteries running for cover, but your taste buds will be feeling
quite orgasmic. Like most everything on the menu, this hearty meld
of melted cheese and ground beef features two things every Mexican
foodie loves to hear: fresh ingredients and authentic taste. Rincon
Mexicano, 4450 Eastgate Blvd., Eastgate, 513-753-7788.
Best Goat Burrito South of Border:
Located amid the burgeoning Monmouth Street area of Newport, La
Mexicana is as authentic a Mexican experience as one’s
likely to find in these parts. Claiming to be “No Taco Bell,”
the grocery store/taqueria proves it by serving up fresh tacos,
quesadillas, tortas, gorditas and burritos without a microwave in
sight. Especially enticing is the Goat Burrito bursting with cheese,
Spanish rice, beans, corn, green pepper, onion and lettuce. La Mexicana,
642 Monmouth St., Newport. 859-291-3520.
Best Meal Deal at an Auto Dealer:
Gilly’s takes the prize for the most unsually
located eatery. It’s found inside the Tom
Gill Chevrolet auto dealership in Florence. Gilly’s serves
up Chicago-style hot dogs with relish, cucumbers, tomatoes and peppers.
The place even comes with a pedigree: It’s managed by Elliot
Jablonsky, the same restaurateur who is behind The Latin Quarter
and The Vineyard restaurants. Tom Gill Chevrolet, 7830 Commerce
Drive, Florence, 859-371-7566.
Best German Fried Pickles:
The dill spears at Hofbrauhaus, breaded and seasoned
with dill. Admittedly a specialty item, these delectable munchers
are served with a honey mustard dressing and go great with the house
beers brewed on-site using sanctioned Munich methods. Hofbrauhaus,
200 E. Third St., Newport, 859-491-7200.
Best Lovingly-Prepared Food:
Cafe de Paris is also winner of Best Place to Learn
to Speak French While Drinking Coffee in the Morning. The nice French
owner, Khaled Atallah, often will try to teach his customers French
if they’re willing — and a lot are. It’s kinda
fun. Très magnifique. Cafe de Paris, 17 Garfield Place, Downtown,
513-651-1919.
Best Thanksgiving Reprieve:
Pit-To-Plate BBQ offers a deal any cooking-weary
grandma could love. Drop off your turkey on Monday and — presto!
— Wednesday evening it’s smoked to perfection. And for
only $1 a pound. Of course, this family-friendly BBQ joint welcomes
sit-down diners, too, featuring authentic Texas-style hickory smoked
meat and stellar, down-home side dishes. Pit-To-Plate BBQ, 1527
Compton Road, Mount Healthy, 513-931-9100.
Best Sweet/Tart:
You’ll love the play between sweet and tart flavors in the
Green Papaya Salad at Ruthai’s Thai Kitchen.
A mound of shredded papaya provides the sweet base for a mixture
of tomato wedges, finely ground peanuts, lime juice and a spicy,
clear dressing. Ruthai’s Thai Kitchen, 3164 Linwood Ave.,
Mount Lookout, 513-871-7687.
Best Sensory Overload:
The Chilean sea bass at Cheng-3 has a pan-seared
exterior and soft creamy interior — it’s like the toasted
marshmallow of seafood. It’s accompanied by a shrimp risotto,
sauteed snow peas and asparagus and a contrasting sweet honey and
roasted garlic sauce. Cheng-3 Cafe, 11371 Montgomery Road, Symmes
Twp., 513-469-8801.
Best Veggie Sandwich:
The portabella grinder at Mokka, the mostly breakfast
nook in Newport. The mushrooms are grilled just right, piled with
roasted red peppers and Monterey jack cheese and served on a crusty
baguette. Mokka, 527 York St., Newport, 859-581-3700.
Best Artistic Lunch:
After opening its new Cincinnati Wing, the Cincinnati Art Museum
reopened its restaurant with the new name Terrace Cafe.
It’s a refreshing overhaul of the museum’s lunch room,
offering understated polish with simple views of a garden courtyard
and a large Joan Miro painting. Cincinnati Art Museum, 953 Eden
Park Drive, Eden Park, Mount Adams, 513-721-ARTS.
Best Delivery on High Expectations:
Jean-Robert de Cavel has already won hearts with his divine but
pricey Jean-Robert’s at Pigall’s downtown. Everyone
was pleased to hear he’d open a more affordable casual French-style
bistro, and JeanRo is living up to the hype. Now
we hear he’s turning his attention to WildFlour in Covington.
Watch out, Jeff Ruby. JeanRo, 413 Vine St., Downtown, 513-621-1465.
Best Turnaround:
Partners Beth Partridge and Dan Pancake — their real names
— were lured from Chicago to become lead chefs at Andiamo!,
and the results have been fantastic. Their menus focus on simply
elegant Italian specialties featuring locally grown ingredients
and unique delicacies. Bravo! Andiamo!, 3235 A Madison Road, Oakley,
513-321-4190.
Best Disappearing Act:
Despite rave reviews from every publication in town, LiCaDi’s
in Hyde Park didn’t make it. Owner George Dyer (who also operates
R.P. McMurphy’s in the vicinity) had some issues with the
city during the renovation of two old houses and told one interviewer
he’d never undertake such a project again, “not in this
city.” But once the place opened (named after Dyer’s
sisters, Linda, Cathy and Diane), its Mediterranean-touched menu
seemed to be building a following — until it closed abruptly
in November, right before the holidays.
Best Other Disappearances:
Culinary Sol, which P&G launched a few years
with much fanfare but sold to local chef Amy Tobin in March 2003,
slid right out of sight over the summer, leaving a lot of folks
with unspent gift certificates. And after seven years anchoring
Riverboat Row in Newport, The Chart House abruptly
pulled up anchor (well, it actually closed for “renovation”)
in mid-October right before Tall Stacks, leaving many people with
reservations for a closed restaurant.
Best Conversion of a Fast Food Joint:
Big Pappy’s Pizza is a little-known haven
for underage musicians and music lovers left in the cold following
The Void’s closing last year. Located in a former Burger King
next to UC, Pappy’s regular Wednesday night shindigs focus
on two things that put a smile on any all-ager’s face, live
music and pizza. The DIY atmosphere ain’t no joke: Bands often
play well into the wee hours of the morning and get paid in —
what else? — pizza. Hey, why bother with a middleman? Big
Pappy’s Pizza, 176 W. McMillan, Clifton Heights, 513-651-2700.
Best New Pizza Bar:
The family that brought Jefferson Hall to Main Street strikes again.
At Harry’s Bar and Pizza, you’re guaranteed
a variety of $5 lunch specials. Can’t make it for lunch? That’s
OK. Harry’s stays open until 4 a.m. Wednesday-Saturday to
accommodate late-night cravings for pizza and beer. Harry’s
Bar and Pizza, 1207 Main St., Over-the-Rhine, 513-621-1391.
Best Low Carb Pizza:
The low carb pizzas, calzones and gyros at Portofino Pizza.
Five grams compared to 30; calzone is 12. Portofino Pizza, 6045
Winton Road, Finneytown, 513-681-8061.
Best My Big Fat Greek Pizza:
The Greek pizza with spinach, olives and feta at Lucy Blue
in Mount Lookout Square. Lucy Blue Pizza, 3200 Linwood Ave., Mount
Lookout, 513-321-2540.
Best Restaurant Takeout:
Chokolate Morel To Go, a new shop associated with
the generally acclaimed Chokolate Morel restaurant. Try the sesame
soba noodles with shredded carrots, salmon with sweet pepper sauce
for the microwave, chicken salad with walnuts, olives, grapes and
honey-tarragon dressing. Chokolate Morel To Go, 105 E. Main St.,
Mason, 513-770-3159.
Best Walk on the Wild Side:
Sample first the ezme, a crunchy relish of hot peppers, tomatoes
and onions at Cafe Istanbul. The theme here is
Turkish, as is the fare. This stone tiled eatery is particularly
notable for its appetizer platters, crammed with variations on hummus
and tabouli. Cafe Istanbul, Newport on the Levee, Newport, 859-581-1777.
Best Schoolhouse Rock:
Go back in time at the Schoolhouse Restaurant,
a family-owned eatery in the first two-story school building in
the Midwest. The menu is written in perfect cursive on a blackboard,
and flags and the Pledge of Allegiance remind you of the good old
days. And the food — meatloaf, fried chicken, cornbread, cobbler,
pies and root beer — is a satisfying throwback as well. Schoolhouse
Restaurant, 8031 Glendale-Milford Road, Camp Denison, 513-871-5753.
Best Military Maneuver:
The General Tsao Chicken at Raymond’s Hong Kong Cafe
is sweet yet peppery, with a batter as delicate as a breeze. Another
helping? Yes, sir! Raymond’s Hong Kong Café, 11051
Clay Drive, Walton, 859-485-2828.
Best Orgasmic Appetizer:
The sweetbreads at the reborn Coach & Four,
now in Walnut Hills after moving from Covington. Neither sweet nor
bread, this “delicate” meat (aka a sheep or cow’s
thymus gland) is lightly sauteed with spinach, mushrooms and tarragon
in a lemony brown butter sauce. It’s definitely something
to shout about. The Coach & Four, 2200 Victory Pkwy., Walnut
Hills, 513-559-9900.
Best Hangover Cure:
The tripe soup (Menudo) at Taqueria Mercado that’s
offered only on weekends is said to be an instant hangover remedy.
At least that’s what we thought they said, but our Spanish
isn’t that good. Taqueria Mercado, 6507 Dixie Hwy., Fairfield,
513-942-4943.
Best Onion Salad:
OK, it’s probably the only onion salad you’ll ever try,
but don’t miss the Red Onion Salad at the new Peruvian restaurant,
Sabor Peruano. Don’t be intimidated by the
plate of paper-thin onions layered with cilantro — the light
lemon vinaigrette dressing and the cilantro’s clean taste
defuse the onion’s potency and render it as sweet as an apple.
Sabor Peruano, 11512 Springfield Pike, Springdale, 513-772-5503.
Best Chinese Lobster:
King Wok serves a very generous lobster (1 1/4
pounds) at a very reasonable price ($12.95 is the approximate market
price) in a very charming manner. Much of the meat is removed from
the shell, and each piece is lightly coated with seasoned flour
and stir fried with pieces of ginger and scallions in a buttery
sauce. King Wok, 203 W. McMillan Ave., Clifton Heights, 513-723-1999.
Best Tomato Pie:
Not an egg-based quiche, not heavy from excess cheese, the tomato
pie at Otto’s Deli is flaky pastry with a
flavorful filling. Just right. Otto’s Deli, 521 Main St.,
Covington, 859-491-6678.
Best Beat With Your Burrito:
You can always hear good music — sometimes live — at
Habañero, where the mostly college-age employees
haven’t sacrificed personality for good service. Habañero,
358 Ludlow Ave., Clifton, 513-961-6800.
Best Community Table:
Slims combines a striking room of hand-crafted
communal tables, massive found-object sculpture and open kitchen
with the Zen-master style of Chef Patrick McCafferty. The new place
partners perfectly with eclectic, creative Northside and is a breath
of fresh air to Cincinnati’s dining scene. Slims, 4046 Hamilton
Ave., Northside, 513-836-6161, e-mail slims@fuse.net.
Best Place to Show off Regional Cuisine
to Big City Visitors:
The Tousey House in Burlington features beautifully
appointed dining rooms and stunning, upscale Southern cuisine artistically
and respectfully prepared by Chef Kristy Schalck. Tousey House,
5963 Jefferson St., Burlington, 859-689-0200.
Best Duck Naked:
Try Antonios’ specialty, two pan-seared duck
breasts served medium rare with a red wine and shallot sauce. The
intensely rich meat needs little garnishment. Antonios Ristorante,
7165 Liberty Centre Drive, West Chester, 513-755-7242.
Best Vegetable Sampler:
Queen of Sheba offers a rainbow of veggies done
up Ethipoian style — green lentils, yellow garbanzo beans
and red lentils are served onto large injera bread around a salad
of diced tomatoes, cucumber, onion and jalapeno pepper dressed with
lemon juice, oil and vinegar. The food here is truly unique and
spiced appropriately for American tastes. Queen of Sheba Ethiopian
Cuisine & Lounge, 126 W. Sixth St., Downtown, 513-421-0100.
Best Way to Fill up the Family:
Hitch up your brood any Sunday, Monday or Tuesday and head over
to Pasta Wagon, where the kids eat free. Try the
toasted ravioli or the Parmesan sandwiches. Pasta Wagon, 3880 Paxton
Ave., Hyde Park, 513-321-7979.
Best Pulled Pork Sandwich:
At Smokey Bones, where they smoke the tender pork
for 12 hours and pull it by hand. Terrific with the beer-battered
onion rings on the side. Smokey Bones, 509 Ohio Pike, Cherry Grove,
513-528-1725.
Best Steak Sauce:
The bourbon butter sauce served over the ribeye at Buckhead
Mountain Grill. Dreamy. Buckhead Mountain Grill, 35 Fairfield
Ave., Bellevue, 859-491-7333.
Best Dining in Over-the-Rhine:
Walk into the old car barn at Sycamore and Liberty, and it’s
likely that Nick Pietosa will greet you at the entrance of Nicola’s
Ristorante, a place full of rich atmosphere. He knows his
regulars — neighbors and arts lovers on their way to Music
Hall and the Playhouse — and treats them well with some of
Cincinnati’s best northern Italian cuisine. Even when the
riots scared others away, the neighbors kept coming to support this
treasure. Nicola’s Ristorante, 1420 Sycamore St., Over-the-Rhine,
513-721-6200.
Best Dessert Deal:
You’ve probably read our recommendations of the fabulous desserts
at Glendale’s Grand Finale, but here’s a tip. Owners
Larry and Cindy Youse also operate the Friendly Stop
across the street. In addition to the Stop’s uncomplicated
menu of sandwiches and burgers, on Mondays you’ll often find
bargains on left-over Grand Finale desserts from the weekend. Friendly
Stop, 985 Congress Ave., Glendale, 513-771-7427.
Best Stop for Gourmet Shoppers:
Of course we love Jungle Jim’s in Fairfield (so much that
people got overheated recently about a false rumor that Jim Bonaminio
would open a second store in the vacant Thriftway at Hyde Park Plaza).
But we keep hearing great things about Trader Joe’s
(closest location to us is Kettering, south of Dayton), which has
more than 2,000 unique items on their own label with an emphasis
on minimally processed products ranging from organic to Kosher and
vegetarian-friendly. The most sought-after commodity seems to be
Charles Shaw wines, known affectionately as “Two Buck Chuck.”
How about one of these for Cincinnati’s city residents? Trader
Joe’s, 328 E. Stroop Road, Dayton, 937-294-5411.
Best Server in a Coffeehouse Known
for Bad Service:
Sitwell’s is loved for its coffee and the
diverse customers who partake of it. But let’s be honest.
The service sucks. Sitwell’s server Ann Ralston knows this
and busts ass to get to tables as quickly as she can. As a result,
customers feel noticed and appreciated. What a concept. Sitwell’s
Coffee House, 324 Ludlow Ave., Clifton, 513-281-7487.
Best Edible Nod to Rudyard Kipling:
The Riki Tiki Turkey at Poppie’s Deli is
a tasty tongue twister to order. Its combination of roasted turkey,
swiss cheese, honey mustard and olive tapenade on focaccia bread
is the bare necessities of good eating. Poppie’s Deli, 819
Elm St., Downtown. 513-421-9888. ©
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