Hughes High School is a Clifton landmark. The building is indeed remarkable, but what is even more impressive are the students and staff that call the building a second home. The gargoyles keep watch over the exterior, but one woman, principal Ginger Rhodes (and her staff, of course), keeps the interior running like clockwork.  

Did you even know that there was a café at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center? Neither did Jean Francois Flechet until he had a chance to propose opening a satellite site of his Belgian waffle empire there. Well, maybe Taste of Belgium hasn’t reached empire status, but it’s certainly growing in local impact.  

Social media is a powerful force these days, providing the means for the people of Egypt to shake their government at its very foundation. Here at home, Naked Pizza is using social media to shake up Americans’ love affair with pizza.  

A decade and a half after planning began, we finally have evidence of The Banks' existence with the opening of the Holy Grail Tavern and Grille. Located directly across from Great American Ball Park, this spot is guaranteed to be packed for our boys of summer and will be a hotspot to root on our beloved and beleaguered Bengals in the fall and winter.  

In the next few months, CityBeat’s dining crew is going to periodically revisit some classic Cincinnati restaurants. What defines a classic? Well, if longevity is a factor, Hyde Park’s China Gourmet certainly qualifies. They’ve been serving fine Chinese cuisine since 1977. In an era when restaurants close within months of opening, the fact that China Gourmet is still going strong in its fifth decade is an amazing testimony to its ownership.  

David Taylor’s tastes range from the international to the simplest of comfort food. His home cooking is mostly one-dish suppers made in his grandmother’s cast-iron fried chicken pan. His meals at La Poste are also straight from the heart — honest food like pork shank with white beans and kale.  

It’s April, and my thoughts have turned to cake. Now, mind you, I am not talking about just any cake. There are a lot of cakes in the world that I wouldn’t waste a calorie on. Bad grocery-store cake with super-sugary icing is nasty. It should never be served at home and is acceptable only at office birthday parties when you dislike the people you work with. If you like your co-workers even a little bit and have to have a store-bought treat, get donuts.  

People who hate surprises, rejoice! I have good news. You may now come downtown, park your car and enjoy dinner and a show at the Aronoff and a very nearby eatery. Jeff Ruby has opened a new place that is custom tailored for you — the Walnut Street Grill. There are no bad surprises here. Nothing unfamiliar. These are upscaled (ever so slightly) versions of dishes you’ll find in most familiar casual restaurants.  

No one is happier to see signs of spring than locavore chef Julie Francis, chef and owner of Nectar. She’s anticipating the growing season the way most of us wait for Santa Claus, with visions of sugar snap peas dancing through her head.  

I will be the first to admit that I am not the most eco-friendly person out there. I am terrible about recycling and I am constantly reminded about my eco failures by my closest friends. Therefore, when I heard about Greek To Me Prassino, I knew that my broad carbon footprinting required that I try it out.  

Asian fusion restaurants seem to be in fashion lately, and The Painted Fish in Northside has thrown its hat into the ring with modern décor and an eclectic menu. The Fish has transformed the former Gajah Wong West space into a hip environment where the dining soundtrack is Passion Pit and the sushi chef is Nick, a young, energetic owner who hollered a greeting from the back sushi bar as we walked in.  

When the company restructures and you’re suddenly without a job, you might take a chance like Meredith Trombly and Louis Snowden did when they opened a food stall at Findlay Market called Fresh Table, specializing in organic, locally sourced foods. Meredith was the organic food buyer for Bigg’s and Louis was the corporate chef, both for about five years before Remke took over the supermarkets.  

While many of the items taste-tested in this column each month are “weird” or “unusual” ethnic foods — uncommon perhaps in our general culture but the norm for many others — we’ve also examined products that showcase all-American gluttony at its finest, from KFC’s brazenly unhealthy Double Down to the daffy concoctions made for hard-to-please kids and lazy parents like the “Carnival Corn Dog” Kids Cuisine frozen dinners.  

There are a few foods that people have such strong opinions about that they’ll start a conversation (or a fight) whenever they’re brought up. Hamburgers, ice cream and Cincinnati-style chili are a few, but I’ve only ever experienced honest-to-goodness harsh words from anyone over pizza. With this in mind, we headed to Mellow Mushroom.  

Since opening in November 2007, Bouquet Restaurant and Wine Bar (519 Main St., Covington, 859-491-7777) has been a small, charming bistro where diners always find great seasonal food and excellent wines. Chef/owner Stephen Williams has been one of the leaders in using fresh, local food on his ever-changing menu. Williams creates a new menu at least five times a year and is currently in the process of drafting a spring version.