Crave offers everything from sushi to steaks and ribs to seafood and even pizza. To do all these things well, you’d think they would need a decked-out kitchen, a fully staffed sushi bar and a dedicated pizza oven — maybe even wood-burning. Check, check and check.   

What do ground beef, onomatopoeia and a slew of fresh ingredients have in common? Well, nothing, really, unless you’re at the new gourmet burger restaurant WhackBurger in Covington. The small restaurant has been open for about a month now, serving big, juicy burgers with creative toppings right across the street from Madison Theater.  

Bellevue Bistro is a quaint, unassuming café that blends in with the independent shops along historic Fairfield Avenue in Bellevue, Ky. Or at least that’s what I thought before going there. The small breakfast and lunch restaurant (313 Fairfield Ave., Bellevue, 859-581-5600) packs a big menu, big flavors and a big ego.  

Anyone who’s spent much time in the Clifton area knows Biagio’s Bistro (308 Ludlow Ave., Clifton, 513-861-4777). Since opening in 1999, Biagio’s scooter — almost always parked in front of the restaurant — has become as much of a Ludlow Avenue fixture as the bistro itself.  

Food trends usually arrive in this town long after they sweep other cities. Blame Cincinnatians’ tendency to be skeptical and critical. But every now and then amongst all the bust there is a boom. Sometimes the perfect storm of an ailing economy, creativity and a helpful public servant come together. What the hell are we talking about? Food Trucks!  

Though I had a couple bones to pick, Island Frydays is full of that cool Jamaican spirit. With good service, good food and good people, it’s a great place to go and try something different. Where else in Cincinnati can you find a full menu of Caribbean classics?  

When it was announced that Chalk Food Wine in Covington was closing its doors this year, it left an empty spot in our stomachs (or hearts, for you sentimental types). Sandy Meyer and Gary Ginn with their chef Jon Spencer, they created a menu and had Blinkers Tavern open, breathing new life into the space.  

Latin cuisine probably doesn’t come to mind when you think “first meal of the day.” But after having brunch at Poco a Poco, it might. I’ve been really into Sunday brunch lately, so I was excited to try someplace other than my usual haunts. On our first visit, the girlfriend and I were the only people in the place save the kitchen staff and one bartender/server. We thought it a bit odd, since it was prime brunchin’ time, but figured the word about Poco’s brunch just hadn’t gotten out yet.  

Relative newcomer to Over-the-Rhine’s Findlay Market scene, Market Wines (market-wines.com) has quickly become a hotspot for knowledgeable wine lovers and neophytes alike. Owner Mike Maxwell talks about Findlay Market and gives us a video crash course on understanding German wines.  

I’m usually skeptical of catch-all “Asian” restaurants that offer the cuisines of many countries under one roof. If I want good sushi, I go to a Japanese restaurant run by Japanese people. Good massaman curry? Thai Express, of course. I’m not saying that catch-all places can’t do a good job; they’re just usually not my first choice. But I kept an open mind when my girlfriend Casey and I headed to Mason’s Dao Modern Asian Cuisine on a recent Saturday evening.