Amazing opportunity alert! I know you’ve heard that Todd Kelly, the executive chef at Orchids in the Hilton Netherland Plaza, was named Chef of the Year by the American Culinary Federation. This is huge, right? Cincinnati Chef Kelly wowed the judges with his Crispy Snapper dish and was named the best of a national organization of 20,000 chefs.
Now you’re probably thinking, when will I ever get the chance to try Chef Kelly’s Crispy Snapper? I am a poor student/underemployed minion/etc.! I can barely pay my library fines and fill up my gas tank in the same week!
Here at The Dish, we have the answer: Downtown Cincinnati Restaurant Week, Aug. 8–14. This is a once-a-year opportunity to enjoy some of the best eateries in town at the bargain price of $35 for a three-course dinner. Listen to your entrée choices at Orchids: Crispy Snapper, Roasted New York Strip Loin or Herb Gnocchi.
Is your mouth watering? And that’s just the entrée course! There are three starters to choose from, and two desserts from Megan Ketover, who is about to compete on Bravo TV’s Top Chef Just Desserts.
Restaurant Week specials are a great way to try star-power dining without an over-the-moon budget. The popularity of the event can lead to overcrowding, but hey, that menu sounds like it would be worth quite a wait. If Orchids fills up, there are 17 other places to try, including the always-magical Nicola’s, Via Vite, Jeff Ruby’s, Arnold’s and even Daveed’s in Mount Adams, where your entrée choices are
Fennel Pork Loin with olive oil poached potatoes and sautéed spinach or Garganelli Pasta with sweet corn, roasted peppers and basil pesto. Visit DoDowntownCincinnati on the web or Facebook for additional details.
Support your local dining scene! From the highbrow-awards at Orchids to the scary-sounding (but probably delicious) Roadkill Café at Washington Platform (ends tonight, so hurry!), there’s so much going on. New places to try include Flippin’ Jimmy’s at 14 E. Fifth Street in Covington, and newly opened Bayou Fish House on York Street in Newport, with authentic Southern-style deep-fried fish, traditional sides and Louisiana gumbo.
There are two new Mediterranean places to visit — one north and one south. Ali Baba Grill at 4793 Red Bank Road, and La Badiya, on the site of the old Southern Kitchen on Donaldson in Erlanger. La Badiya sounds very promising — its Mediterranean menu looks good, and it has got fresh-squeezed juices and smoothies to get your immune system back in shape. Whaddya mean, your immune system is already in shape? Get on the cart!
Even if you’re really on a budget and just want to do a good deed, area White Castles are participating in a fundraising event for Autism Speaks, North America’s largest autism science and advocacy organization. This is a big deal — last year they raised over $60,000 for the cause. See, sliders can be a force for good — now through Aug. 20.
CONTACT ANNE MITCHELL: [email protected]
