Cincinnati Restaurants

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Apparently, Jasmine tea is harder to find in Cincinnati than the proverbial needle in a haystack. Once located at World Food Market in both White Tea Jasmine & Green Tea Jasmine, they no longer carry it. BUT it may be purchased at the following:

Trader Joe's (Jasmine green tea)
Bonbonerie Tea Room

And may sipped at the following:
Highland Coffeehouse (unlimited pot of Jasmine)
Teak Thai
There's a place in Clifton near my friend Sandye's house but I can't recall the name
Bonbonerie Tea Room

As I uncover more locations I will update this tip accordingly. Bear
with me, it is a slow but enjoyable travail to uncover.

Tip: Jasmine tea goes WONDERFULLY with a smidgen of Orange Blossom
Honey, which may be purchased locally at any Bigg's grocery store for
$5-6.

Just before I left Cincinnati, I made it to this fine Indian Restaurant. I hadn't had much luck finding anything good in town.

Favorite Dish: I feel like I can rate an Indian restaurant after trying Palak Paneer, a spinach and cheese dish. It was delicious and authentic here. I stayed away from meat this time, and was pleasantly surprised with the freshness of all the vegetables.

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I was set to task by my Italian friend, Christian (MuttleyMilano, who is from...MILANO!). After perusing my Cincy page he noticed a plethora of French & Chinese places that I loved but no Italian places (I have since written about Barresi's, Campanello's & Ferrari's Little Italy & Bakery). Tried to explain most Italian places weren't good & it was "Americanized" Italian. I asked around & found out about Nicola's! Was told by person after person that it is THE best Italian food in Cincy.

I haven't eaten a full meal there but judging by the desserts the food is par excellence! The 1st visit there was with my friend, Sandye. We went after a night out to the symphony. Nicola's stays open late for the symphony folk & our esteemed conductor, Paavo Järvi, his family & guests dine here after performances in a round room reserved especially for them.

That 1st visit I sampled the limoncello (excellent!) and Sandye & I shared the Tiramisu (delicious) & the Chocolat Fondant with the Pistachio Gelato (my 1st taste ever of gelato - truly wonderful - as great as everything I'd read about it. It's nice to find a place that serves real Italian espresso & cappuccino & doesn't charge an arm & a leg for it. A mere $2.50 for espresso while cappuccino is only 50 cents more.

The 2nd visit was with our very own madaboutparis. We went to the symphony, also, and I told her about Nicola's as the symphony hangout & about their divine dessert so we popped in here, too! She tried out the Chocolat Fondant while I got a scoop of the Honey Lavendar Gelato (oh god - DIVINE! with real lavender buds in it).

Run by the Pietoso Family who hail from Italy. Nicola studied culinary arts in Florence! Lucky us!!

Photos: September 2005

Favorite Dish: Tiramisu - $10
Chocolat Fondant (see, they even have French desserts here!) - $10
Lavendar Honey Gelato - $5
Limoncello - $6
Espresso - $2.50
Cappuccino - $3

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P.F. Chang's is a national chain but it doesn't feel like one! One of my favorite places for Chinese-influenced food (and who could resist the word Bistro) in Cincy. If you stick to either an appetizer or 1 entrée you'll find that it's very filling and very inexpensive. Usually I go with the Chicken Lettuce Wraps ($6.75) and the Sichuan-style asparagus ($5.95) and take the leftovers home. The brown rice is always fluffy & non-sticky.

Lots of great vegetarian offerings on the menu. My friend, Renée, who is vegan, usually opts for the Lettuce wraps with tofu; she finds the chef & staff here to be very accommodating.

House drinks are wonderful here and look very tropical with fruit & umbrellas. They can make the meal pricey, though. Fortunately, the bar is also a great place for people to meet after work & that may be all you're interested in are the drinks. My especial favorite is the PLUM WINE - mmmm.

The décor could be described as Chinese Art Deco and is very modern, funky & cool.

Staff is always nice & friendly.
UPDATE:
Tonight I met the wonderful trés cool, way cool server, Nick! He is a national trainer for P. F. Chang's & I can certainly see why! He is very knowledgeable about the P. F. Chang concept & history, he's extremely professional & an expert at what he does!!

The location in West Chester (just north of Cincy) has terrace seating.

Favorite Dish: Chicken Lettuce Wraps - $6.95
Brown Rice - steamed - included
Sichuan-style asparagus - $5.95
Spring Rolls
Plum wine - $4.25
Mango Iced Tea - $2.00
My daughter loves the Northern Style Spare Ribs
Son loves the Honey Chicken

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UDF (United Dairy Farmer's) is a combination ice cream shop & gas station! We like to bring the kids here for a late-night ice cream sometimes as they have a wonderful selection of UDF brand ice cream, Homemade brand choices (made by UDF, Homemade is one of the most famous ice cream brands in the midwest), great sundaes, old-fashioned malts & shakes. It's like something straight out of the '50s!

Before I moved to Ohio I knew of Root Beer Floats, concoctions of vanilla ice cream & root beer, or Coke Floats (vanilla ice cream & Coca-Cola). However, here in Ohio they call Root Beer Floats by another moniker - Brown Cows! It wasn't too long after I moved here that I learned of the ubiquitous Pink Cow (UDF or Homemade brand vanilla ice cream & Barq's Red Creme Soda) and also of the Purple Cow (vanilla ice cream & grape soda).

UDF is owned by the Lindner family (it used to be a farmer's co-op, hence the name United Dairy Farmers). The Lindners are the most powerful family in Cincinnati because they own/head one of the most powerful companies in Cincinnati, the Chiquita Co. (yes, folks, bananas!).

Photos: October 2005

Favorite Dish: Peanut Butter milkshake
Pink Cow - $2.49/16 oz.

Sometimes these go on sale for $1.99, usually in the hottest part of the summer.

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Without a doubt THE best Sunday Brunch in all of Cincinnati can be found at Grand Finale and it's a great deal at $12.95 with all of the superb offerings, juice included, but coffee extra.

I love coming here for the food offerings, the casual elegance, the fresh juice, the excellent coffee and the Mimosas (champagne & orange juice cocktail). You can either come in dressed casually or you may dress to the nines. Lots of people show up celebrating birthdays, graduations, & anniversaries here!

The remarkable thing is that the owners/chefs are not professional chefs. They've traveled extensively and decided to recreate some of their favorite dishes in their restaurant and they've done a fabulous job in doing it.

They have been voted Best Chicken Dishes several times and indeed they should be! Their dishes are served with some of my favorite things: capers, artichoke hearts, asparagus tips - DIVINE!

The ambience is studied Victorian elegance with floral or striped patterned wallpaper & fabric covered ceilings. During the spring or summer try the outdoor terrace but be mindful of the bees.

Favorite Dish: Sunday Brunch is faboo!
My favorite thing on the buffet:
Cheese Garlic Grits
Quiches
Chicken Crepes
Fruit Salad
Eggs Benedict
Buttery Scrambled Eggs (I have never tasted better plain scrambled eggs - delicate & divine)

Lunch:
Penne from Heaven
Spunk's Famous Crabcakes
Mediterranean Salmon Salad

Desserts:
Limelight Pie - Key Lime Pie with the Hazelnut crust
Chocolate Cordial Pie - a mile high chocolate mousse pie

Photo: January & October 2005

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Wonderful straight-up American-style Chinese food! Located in an off-the-beaten-path shopping square in Kenwood but well worth the drive. To me they have some of the best Chinese food in Cincy!

I usually opt for either the Orange Beef or Chicken (wonderfully tangy sauce with oranges & broccoli) or the Sesame Beef or Chicken (crispy, tender with sesame seeds sprinkled in just the right ratio). Rice is always great. Soups are superb; I love the Egg Drop or Wonton soups, some of my friends swear by their Hot & Sour soup!

Jason, the owner/proprietor, tells me that besides Americanized Chinese food he has the authentic stuff on a special Chinese menu for his Asian customers or those seeking the real deal.

Favorite Dish: Orange Beef or Orange Chicken
Egg Drop Soup
Wonton Soup

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A most congenial, romantic restaurant, I ate lunch at the Glendale Gaslight Café, a name that invokes the image of its neighborhood, a few years ago after a job interview. They made me feel very special indeed as if I were already celebrating my new job.

Located in an out-of-the-way part of the charming, historic Glendale neighborhood of Cincinnati, you'll be surprised at how inexpensive this restaurant is considering its setting in an old Victorian home with its tavern feel.

Be sure to dine in on Tuesday nights when they have LOBSTER!

When you're finished dining here, you may wish to shop across the street at Bella Donna, one of the few places that sells Icon shoes & handbags, or to continue the historic feel, you can visit historic Oak Hill Cemetery just down the street with its beautiful statuary & mausoleums.

Favorite Dish: Gaslight Black Bean Soup (dolloped with sour cream and served with tortilla chips)
Crab Cakes

PhotoS: October 2005