TJ Jackson's Recent Activity
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Greek food in Cincinnati?
Mythos is very mediocre.
Best gyro in town is at Sebastians on the west side
There are few if any truly greek restaurants in Cincinnati, and of the ones I know of, I cannot recommend any of them. Most are either gyro joints for the most part or are not exclusively greek ("middle-eastern" or "mediterranean") or both
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Lunch Near Court & Main (Downtown Cincinnati)
Caspain Express closed down. I think it is now called something like "Raya's Place". The owner has a connection to Jordan Valley on 4th.
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Lunch Near Court & Main (Downtown Cincinnati)
Just a block south on Sycamore is a fairly good deli, Silverglades
If you head straight west on Court, there are a number of single proprietor places I have not tried yet - A Soul Food joint, a Crepe place, a steamtable chinese joint, a gyro/falafel joint, a butcher shop that makes sandwiches and burgers, and of course Tan Thai.
The cafeteria on the back side of Kroger building (also on Court) is supposed to be decent.
Not Chowish, but just to be complete, you will also find a Subway, a Skyline Chili, and two hot dog carts along this route
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Lunch Near Court & Main (Downtown Cincinnati)
My favorite restaurant in all of downtown is on Court Street: Tan Thai
http://rodeo.cincinnati.com/f2/dining...
it's 2.5 blocks west of the Courthouse
Tom's Pot Pies is on Vine roughly the same distance away, and i recommend the broccoli alfredo pie
http://www.tomspies.com
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Cincinnati chowhound ideas?
I understand your point, john, and I am sure it grows tiring to have this same debate in every other "where do I eat in Cincinnati" threa, but keep in mind that many of us are just trying to make sure that the reader does not mistake "ribs + bbq sauce" as "bbq ribs". I've been on both sides of the fence - loved them as a kid, not so much now, but I know legions of folks who swear by the place (as I once did as well). So I *try* to be fair. I admit I don't always succeed.
In any case, the detractors have every right to state their pinion as well, just as you do :-)
All that said, I think we'll continue to see this debate on MI in most Cincy threads, and we should all keep in mind that while it may be tiresome for us who live here, the folks asking the questions probably haven't read any of the dozens of such threads we've already participated - it is a fresh new topic to them. So - and I address all Cincy chowhounds (not just john, sorry if this seems like I am jumping your case, as I am not intending to), no matter whether you love or hate the place - let's try to keep it in mind that it is a fresh new topic in the mind of the person(s) asking the questions in each new thread, despite being a corpse littered battlefield for those of us answering :-)
I wish we could get a FAQ set up for MI on this board - that way, we could register our opinions once and then just refer folks to the FAQ and skip the argument :-)
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Cincinnati Suggestions appreciated! Eastchester, N.Y.
Thanks for the report!
Even though did not much like the chili, at least you can say you tried it. Broadens your experiences :-)
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Cincinnati chowhound ideas?
Emm's already said it, but yeah, thanks for the trip report. So many folks ask for recommendations, get them, and you never hear from them again. The travelers payoff from the advice provided is typically some damn good meals, while the advisor's payoff, frankly, is reading the reports (if any) from the traveller. So - thanks for the payoff ! :-) Mucho appreciato :-)
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Cincinnati chowhound ideas?
Jack - I guessed you missed this RF thread which included visit to Big Art's - photo's included (I had a Insider membership back then and could post photos)
http://www.roadfood.com/Forums/topic....
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Cincinnati Suggestions appreciated! Eastchester, N.Y.
Good casual french food can be had at Jeanro Bistro, on Walnut near 4th. Open for lunch and dinner.
My favorite lunch place downtown is Tan Thai on Court near Vine. Lunch only, prices range from 6.95 to 8.95, very good Thai in a clean, understated surroundings.
A very good pizza can be had at Cafe Martin on Vine between 8th and 9th. 6-8 dollar range for lunch, higher for dinner.
I have not been there, but a lot of folks have reported excellent food at Nada, which is upscale mexican/small plates and tends to have a younger/noisier crowd. Corner of Walnut and 6th.
Best high end steakhouse downtown is Jeff Ruby's at 7th and Walnut. Everything is ala carte, and service is formal. I don't recommend the Morton's
If you are in the mood for seafood, well, uh...this is the midwest. Sorry. We have two chains downtown: Oceanaire and McCormick & Schmicks. Oceanaire recently got 4 stars in the local paper's review, but most others have not been impressed with either eatery.
A bit outside downtown but a short cab ride away is Montgomery Inn. MI is arguably the most famous restaurant in Cincinnati, and has built it's rep on bbq ribs. Sadly, they do sell ribs, but they aren't bbq, ie they are boiled then grilled then slathered in sweet sauce rather than low-and-slow smoked. Nonetheless, many Cincinnatians (not I) will tell you this is their favorite restaurant in all of Cincinnati. So I mention it here.
I highly recommend you try two things while in Cincinnati, as these are regional to the area and you generally don't find these outside this area. One is Cincinnati-style Chili, which should be tried as a cheese coney, as a chili-spaghetti plate called a "way", and by itself in a bowl. Skyline and Gold Star are two big chains with several locations downtown, and while their chili may not be the very best, you can walk to one from anywhere in downtown and their product is im my opinion a good enough place to get a sampling of this item. Check out http://www.skylinechili.com/signature... for a better understanding of these items
Second is goetta, which is a traditionally a breakfast item. Best place to get it downtown in Hathaway's on the first floor of the Carew Tower, which occupies the block surrounded by Vine, Race, 4th, and 5th streets. Here's a link explaining it: http://www.goetta.com/index.asp?page=...
Hope I helped. Please report back with what you ended up trying - so many folks read the recommendations then never report back, and the report back is the "payoff" that we providing the recommendations look forward to reading later.
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Cincinnati Nostalgia
Evidence of the existence of that particular Burger King still exists....around back, in the alley behind where it (and later Hardees) was located
see: http://danmahan.com/blog/mobile_image...
There is still a easily identifiable Red Barn building on Vine near 15th street
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Cincinnati chowhound ideas?
I've spoken to the cooks - the ribs are boiled offsite, transported to the restaurant, then finished on the grill.
I too would not call them bbq for the same reason - no smoking - and I did like them very much in my youth, but I have not had a good meal there in 3 visits (for business lunches or dinners, always ordering off the menu as any other customer) in the past couple of years
I don't know if I'd call boiled ribs "cincinnati style" as I am unsure anyone else locally does ribs that way with any volume - I'd call the style specific to Montgomery Inn. It's their own style, really. That said, I don't care much for that style :-)
Walt's in Covington must do some odd thing as well because they seem to use high heat, another "bbq" no-no
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[Ohio/Kentucky near US 127]
The Maid-Rite in Greenville, Ohio is just a mile or two from 127
This is a MUST for any Ohio foodie
http://www.greenwave1974.com/maidrite...
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Help choose - Cincinnati area
La Petite France is flat-out excellent, and they do a steak frites.
Absolutely make sure you have a french onion soup and the salad with the dried cherries....
Very under-rated place.
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Cincinnati Korean
If by Song Long you mean this place
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&...
it is in Roselawn and is a Vietnamese place
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Cincinnati Korean
There are only 6 listed in th Enquirer dining lookup (http://dunes.cincinnati.com/dining/re... and of the 6 listed, the only one I have noted getting multiple positive reviews is Riverside. The others are barely mentioned, except Sung, which is the newest and is getting panned regularly on quality, price, and service (strike one, two, and three)
I have heard one positive comment re: Korea House, and no negatives.
The others are rarely if ever mentioned
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Downtown Cinci-near Westin Hotel
To clarify Kingstreet's remark "...with retail and restaurants like MetroNation and Lavomatic" -- Lavomatic is 'restaurant' and Metronation is 'retail'
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Top Ten In Cincinnati [Moved from Midwest board]
I still like the stuff on Citybeat, Annie McM.....nothing against the stuff you guys produce now, not at all. Much better than the airy fluff produced by that p.o.c. weekly that tries to pretend it is an independent weekly and not the junior college arm of the Enquirer, not to mention the dining drivel in the Downtowner (tho thankfully she's not written a piece since last Halloween)
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Top Ten In Cincinnati [Moved from Midwest board]
It's a good list, Donna
Like any list, it's highly subjective. Have a hundred of us make up our own list, and you'd likely get 100 different lists, some with some commonality but no two exactly the same. As we said earlier, your list is a far better representation of Cincinnati than what the taste of cincinnati did to us, and we appreciate that.
I still miss your work on Citybeat, but glad to see you still in the business of reviewing food in Cincinnati.
Finally.....I'm sure we all want to get onto this rotating list of diners you mentioned, particularly if Cincinnati Magazine is picking up the tab :-) Send us application forms right away! :-)
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Top Ten In Cincinnati [Moved from Midwest board]
John, just be glad that they didn't embarrass us (ala Taste of Cincinnati) by picking national chains to be on this list. :-) Praise the Lord for that, at least :-)
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Oceanaire in Cincinnati [Moved from Midwest Board]
I walked by today the downtown Cincinnati location - its two blocks from my workplace - today, and they are still in the construction stage, with some rough fixtures in place and a lot of craftsmen working. Definitely not open yet, but it looks like they have a fighting chance to open as scheduled sometime in March, most probably (as Fishbone says) in LATE March, if no unforseen problems get in the way.
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Healthy and/or creative food Cincinnati please
Now that I know where you are staying --
Attached to the Garfield Suites is a little bar and bistro called Cafe Martin. A little pricey for my tastes, but most folks would probably term it to be "moderately priced". The pizzas here are out-freakin-standing, particularly if you like garlic.
A block south of your hotel, on the corner of 7th and Vine, is a Skyline Chili. This is by far the most popular chili parlor in town, and while not the best (imho) it will serve as a reasonablly good representation of this local specialty, and of course it's location suits you perfectly.
A block North of you in Scotti's, a very VERY old school Italian joint with funky 70's decor (not retro, rather, they haven't remodeled the place since then) where anything with a marianara or bolognese sauce is very, very good. Not expensive, but not ultracheap either.
Right next to Scotti's is tiny little place called Tom's Pot Pies. He does one thing (guess!) and he does it damned well. If you're feeling like taking some comfort food back to your room, this is the place to pick it up. I like the original chicken pie, but my fave is the brocolli alfredo pie, and I don't even like broccolli. Call before you go, as his hours are a bit weird.
If you're in the modern/hipster thing, about two blocks south-east (corner of 6th and Walnut) is the very newly opened tapas joint called Nada. I have heard nothing but rave reviews about the place. See http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dl... The other word I hear: it is always crowded. Go figure.
About 4 blocks south and 2-3 west is Jean Robert's at Pigalls. This is arguably the very best restaurant in all of Cincinnati, one that will probably earn a 5-star rating in just a few years. French food, very pricey. If you feel like walking a little less far and paying a bit less, stop at JeanRo's Bistro on Walnut - a straight walk south from your hotel. Same ownership, also great food but a bit more casual. Some people like the bistro better.
Now let's say you just want your basic cheeseburger and fries, cheap. Walk three blocks west to sycamore then another 2-3 blocks north to the corner of Sycamore and Court, and you'll find the All Rise Cafe. They're only open til 4 or so, serving breakfast and lunch. You can get your goetta here, certainly, as they'll make breakfast orders all day long. What I go for is for the great 1/4 pound cheeseburger (they have a half pounder, but trust me, you want the small burger) with the very best fresh-cut french fries in all of greater Cincinnati. Grilled onions are free on request. The fries are best when ordered well down, imho.
There are some produce stands up on Court street, basically two blocks north of you, more or less either direction from there.
Now, the only chain recommendation, on the cheap: 3 blocks south of you is the tallest building in Cincinnati, the Carew Tower. In the basement is a very small mall-style food court. Yeah, you're wincing already, but bear with me. Next to the Chik-Fil-A is a japanese terriyaki place called Sakkio Japan. They cook right in front of you on an open grill. 4.39 gets you a huge portion of rice, mixed steamed/grilled veggies, terriyaki chicken, and teri sauce - just indicate how many extra scoops of sauce you want ladeled on top, if any. It is a chain, yes - but it is damn cheap, very filling, and tasty as all get out.
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Healthy and/or creative food Cincinnati please
Given that you are limited by transportation options, it'd be very helpful to know where you are staying and what days/hours you'll have free to choose meals for yourself.
In general - If you've never been to Cincinnati before, you should at the very least try to get one lunch/dinner of cincinnati-style chili and one breakfast featuring goetta. Both are good budget choices as well.
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Oceanaire in Cincinnati [Moved from Midwest Board]
There were construction workers installing inside rough fixtures when I walked by today, so it is definitely underway now after a long, long wait.
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Cincinnati restaurant info please
In Cincinnati and for about 50 miles around, you will find a breakfast food called goetta. This is probably the second most Cincinnati-ish thing as far as food goes, second only behind cincinnati-style chili.
Third (imho) is double-decker sandwiches
All three (the chili with all it's variants, goetta, and double decker sandwiches) can be had at Camp Washington Chili. This place is a Cincinnati institution, and is my top pick for any out of towner who wants a taste of Cincinnati. Order one of each - too much food to eat, yes, but if one item is not to your liking, you've got the others to enjoy. Plus they are open almost around the clock,and easy to find right off I-75
The chili should be sampled in three configs: cheese coney (essentially a chili god topped with a mound of mild, finely shredded cheddar), a three way (spaghetti topped with the chili and then a mound of this same cheese), and by itself.
Goetta can be ordered as a side item by itself, but is properly on a plate with eggs, hash browns or home fries, and toast.
Aglamesis is lesser known than Graeter's for ice cream, but is a far older institution and in my mind, produces a better product.
If you see a summer church festival underway, stop by and enjoy a grilled mett and/or brat. Good eats
The most popular restaurant in Cincinnati is arguably the Montgomery Inn, but it's claim to fame is "barbequed" ribs that in fact are never smoked. Most out of towners seem disappointed with the place.
Of course, if you are not from an area where White Castles are sold, stop and get you a few of these tasty delights, which must be eaten within minutes off the grill to be enjoyed at their peak. Many locations in town. Skip the very average fries.
Many locals (not I) tout the local pizza chain LaRosa's, which features a very sweet sauce. Similarly, many (again, not I) will point you to the local "Big Boy" franchise, Frisch's, for the Big Boy hamburger and/or the fish sandwich, both with Frisch's tartar sauce.
For a rambling ongoing discussion of food in Cincinnati, check out: http://www.roadfood.com/Forums/topic....
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The BonBonerie, Cincinnati
why is this thread stickied? I like the bonbonerie and all, but why sticky this particular thread?
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Cleveland recommendations near the Q
why is this topic stickied? it should not be stickied
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New York-style pizza - Cincinnati area?
Lucy Blue's Mt Lookout location is just a few miles from where I live, and I can attest that the pizza is not good there. Also expensive. They make their money selling slices out the window late night to the dedicated drinkers lurching their way from any of the many nearby taverns.
Additionally, the last time I was there (to try it) I picked up a shaker to dust my slice with a little parm, only to find the cheese was spoiled, smelling like soured milk. I checked several other shakers, same problem. I pointed this out to the employees there, and they were unsympatethic, even claiming that parm is supposed to taste like that.
That said, I cannot think of any other eatery in Cincinnati selling slices (Goodfellas might be an exception) and I know slices are a big deal in NYC, so perhaps that's part of the charm of the place for him
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Pizza Pan, Cincinnati [Split from NY Style Pizza thread]
Where is Pizza Pan?
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New York-style pizza - Cincinnati area?
Agreed on Flying Pie - dough too thick to be called NY Style.
Fratelli's is thin but poor quality.
I haven't been to Aponte's
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Looking for REAL food on I-75 in Ohio
About 20 miles west of Piqua is Greenville, where you will find the local legend, Maid-Rite, and it's famous loose-meat sandwiches. Ignore the one at the exit that is part of a gas station, it's crap. Go west to Greenville
Link: http://members.aol.com/rjamesohio/gre...
A little further north, in Lima, is Kewpee Burger
Link: http://www.4burgers.com/United_States...
