Before opening the NorthSlice Pizza window, Mike Aug had worked for specialty food distributors and grocers around town for years but he never worked at a pizza place. Aside from only a little experimenting at home, his first time making pizzas was NorthSlice’s almost-opening night inside the Gypsy Hut about three years ago.
Waiting to Inhale
Going smoke-free in a smoke-filled state
2 Comments · Wednesday, November 24, 2010
The only smoking I want with my breakfast is the bacon. Maybe the ham, too, but no cigarettes. With the indoor public smoking ban, of course, you Ohio diners have taken smoke-free eating for granted for a few years now. But in Kentucky it's still a big bone of contention. I recommend checking out Fort Wright Family Restaurant, where last year when they remodeled they went smoke-free. They lost some business as a result but gained many new customers like me.
Jim Jennings [Owner, Salt of the Earth]
0 Comments · Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Salt of the Earth (4760 Red Bank Road, Madisonville, 513-272-3650) is a lunch café and dinner-to-go place that’s been helping home cooks round out their repertoire for the past 10 years. Very vegetarian friendly, but not exclusively vegetarian, they also do catering and carry a small specialty grocery selection.
Chestnuts Roasting on a Local Fire
Nectar's Julie Francis helps us create a locally sourced holiday meal
0 Comments · Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Nowadays, I'm more likely to make a gift than buy a gift, and I'm twice as likely to dine with my friends than to give them presents. Of course, when I do give gifts, they tend to be food related. So when I sat down to think about a local foodie holiday, I decided to consult with Julie Francis . She's not Santa, but in Cincinnati food circles when you think "local" you think of Julie.
La Poste (Review)
New Clifton spot delivers with knowledgeable staff, clever decor and simple, quality dishes
0 Comments · Monday, November 22, 2010
Occupying the hole Tink's left in the Clifton dining scene, La Poste plays on the theme of the site's original business, a post office, in everything from the menu categories to the mailbag that's a wall decoration near the front door. La Poste offers the whole package: good, expertly prepared ingredients; access to good wine (and expert wine knowledge); and a server who is table-side the moment you make eye contact.
Jean-Paul's Paradiso (Review)
A slice of paradise in Anderson Township
0 Comments · Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Jean-Paul's Paradiso is tucked away next to a gas station in Anderson Township's small historic district. Inauspicious surroundings belie the delights waiting within. When you enter into the tiny space, you're greeted with the smells of freshly baked bread and pizza and a clear view of the kitchen.
Mai Thai (Review)
Submit to the tasty pleasures of this Florence gem
0 Comments · Wednesday, November 17, 2010
I'm letting you in on one of my "Bet you didn’t know about this place" places, since it's starting to become more and more well known anyway. And it deserves to! Mai Thai is located just across the road from the quirkiest hotel in, well, just about anywhere: the Wildwood Inn. Even if the exotic setting isn't enough to entice you to Florence Y'all, the food at Mai Thai should be.
Kim Marcus [Mokka/Sunset Bar & Grill]
0 Comments · Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Mokka and the Sunset Bar & Grill is not just for brunch anymore. They still offer their award-winning breakfast and brunch menu, and now you can go back later for dinner, drinks and live entertainment. One of the fringe benefits of working in a restaurant is grazing for an entire shift. What happens when you are surrounded by delicious food, but are trying a new diet?
Watching the Market
0 Comments · Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Findlay Market is serving up some new specialties these days: The long-awaited Vietnamese diner Pho Lang Thang is up and running, as is Sushi Bears, with an extensive menu of vegetarian and vegan sushi and stir fries. Fresh Table opened last month and offers ready-to-serve takeout with a focus on healthy, sustainable ingredients.
Go With the Phro
Local sisters create cruelty-free 'ice cream' out of compassion for all eaters
0 Comments · Tuesday, November 9, 2010
With a name like Smucker's, it has to be
good. And so it follows that, with a last name like Swallow, you're bound to make food (or porn). Luckily, sisters Meg and Ellen Swallow went into the food business, creating Phro*ZEN, their own line of vegan ice cream — or vegan "frozen dessert" to be exact, since there ain't no cream in their cruelty-free concoctions.
New Cincinnati Barbeque Joints (Review)
Warming up to Pinky Sue's Smokehouse and Riverside Barbeque & Drive Thru
0 Comments · Wednesday, November 3, 2010
With The Classy Pig in Ludlow, Pinky Sue's in Newport and Riverside Barbeque and Drive Thru on River Road in Sedamsville, suddenly Greater Cincinnati is sprouting some of the little barbeque gems that you find in so many other parts of the country. If Guy Fieri ever decides to return to Cincinnati for his 'Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives' show, he has to stop at these new spots.
Tim McGee [Geeter's Bar & Grill]
0 Comments · Wednesday, November 3, 2010
After retiring from the Bengals at the end of the 1994 season, Cleveland native Tim McGee stayed in town and is now making his mark in the restaurant world instead of the football field. McGee, who also is a prominent sports agent, opened Geeter's Bar & Grill in Mason.
Food News to Remember for November
0 Comments · Wednesday, November 3, 2010
November already ... it doesn't seem possible. On the plus side, this is the month of my favorite holiday, National Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day. Ostensibly designed to make room for your turkey, it also serves the valuable function of making all those coagulated condiments and remaining bottles of raspberry beer you really didn’t like go away. Nov. 15, people. Celebrate!
Shaan Indian (Review)
Saag specialists offering some of the area's best Indian cuisine
1 Comment · Wednesday, October 27, 2010
If I'm to be stuck anywhere awaiting tardy dining guests, I could ask for no better place than an Indian restaurant with a David Sedaris book. I was the only one in the Shaan dining room, save a steady stream of carryout customers. I had a pile of complimentary papardumm (fried, crisp, lentil wafers) and delicious accoutrements such as sweet tamarind, a pureed mint and a spicy onion chutney to keep me busy.
Taste This: Meatless Meat
0 Comments · Wednesday, October 27, 2010
The stigma attached to vegetarians has lessened over the decades. When I was in high school, "vegetarian" was just code for "pretentious Smiths fan." These days, major chain restaurants and supermarkets actually cater to the non-carnivores of society. So in the spirit of adventure, I gathered a few meatless meat products (all quite a bit more expensive than real meat) to find out how close they've come to the real thing.
