The Veggie Option

Red Squirrel

2008-08-28T07:26:00.000-04:00

Red Squirrel
344 Walnut
Downtown
513-721-1127
www.redsquirrel.org

Located around the corner and down the stairs from Huntington Bank, this locally-owned café is a popular haunt for the bargain-hunting lunch crowd. Get there early or be prepared to wait for a table.

Due to its underground location, the restaurant lacks natural light and can seem a little dark, but the quick service and bustling atmosphere brighten the bunker-like surroundings.

The Red Squirrel is famous for their triple-decker sandwiches, which come piled high with ham and roast beef and a choice of cheese, egg or turkey. Their double-deckers are also meat-based, so I steered clear.

There are a few veggie options available – there’s egg salad, which can be made as a sandwich (my girlfriend says their egg salad is one of the best in the city because they make it “without a lot of unnecessary ingredients like pickle relish”), two different cold cheese sandwiches topped with mayo, lettuce and tomato, a grilled cheese sandwich, and a small tossed salad. The Red Squirrel has 12 different salads, but only the egg salad and the tossed salad are vegetarian, with the latter being the sole vegan offering. On the plus side, they offer Newman’s Own dressings, which is a nice change from the standard Marzetti dressings one usually finds.

While the vegetarian offerings aren’t exactly inspiring, the prices at Red Squirrel are noteworthy. Most vegetarian sandwiches are $3.95 and come with a good-sized plate of potato chips and a pickle spear. The egg salad sandwich platter and the egg salad plate run slightly more but still clock in at under a fiver, and the tossed salad is under three bucks. Not bad.

Unlike the downtown location, which is only open for lunch, the Red Squirrel’s suburban locations in Sharonville, Tri-County, Fairfield and Colerain are open for breakfast and dinner, and kids eat free with each paying adult. The suburban dinner menu lists one additional vegetarian item: a veggie burger.

Fresh - an update

2008-08-27T13:01:00.002-04:00

Ok, so I just got back from having lunch with a friend and noticed that Fresh has reopened. The white paper that lined the windows last week is gone and the restaurant had a chalkboard shingle out front to let passersby know that they are open until 6 p.m.

I stopped in and spoke to the owner, who said they are trying out a "new, updated concept" called Southwest Fresh.

They do not have new menus printed yet because they are "still working out the kinks" but a cursory glance showed a few vegetarian selections, as well as Jarritos in the drinks cabinet.

Beer & Waffles!

2008-08-23T10:42:00.002-04:00

From Market Wines at Findlay Market:

Thursday, August 28th
Belgian beer and waffles returns! Many of you have said that you were disappointed that you couldn't make the first so we are going to do it again. This time reservations can be made for two seperate flights. The first from 5:30p.-7:00 and the second from 7:00 - 8:30. Greg and I have been working on the beer selection and are happy to announce that we will be starting with Augustijn Abbey Ale again. This will be followed up by Moinette Bruine Ale and Lozen Boer, the latter being one of my favorite of all Belgian ales. To finish off the evening we chose Lindemann's Framboise(raspberry ) Lambic. Make reservations by replying to this email, calling Market Wines at 513-744-9888 or just stopping by. The cost is $15 per person.

Also:
Thursday, September 25th
We will be hosting another fundraiser to benefit the Corporation For Findlay Market. Fall wines will be the theme with a good assortment of food from the Market and area farmers. The tax deductible cost will be $25 or $40 per couple. Call us or visit the Findlay Market website for more info.

Market Wines is located at 128 W. Elder St. directly across from the main market building.

Fresh: Gone or Relocating?

2008-08-22T16:54:00.003-04:00

I know there has been a lot of aggro over at the Bartlett Building due to unpaid utility bills and foreclosure proceedings against owner Sterling Phoenix, and on my way home from work today I passed by Bartlett tenant Fresh and noticed white paper plastered over their windows.

Are they relocating, or are they closing for good? Anyone know? There's nothing about it on their website yet.

Mokka

2008-08-21T18:12:00.008-04:00

Mokka
18 E. 5th St
Newport, KY
859-581-3700

My husband and I decided it was high time to get ourselves over to Mokka for brunch. We’d visited the restaurant a few times at its previous location on York Street but hadn’t yet checked out their new, larger space on Fifth Street next to The Syndicate. One of the biggest complaints about their previous location was the lack of space, an issue alleviated with the relocation. Tables are no longer crammed together uncomfortably; it’s cheery, bright, and there is plenty of elbow room.

We entered the building and were momentarily confused as to which way to turn, since it appears the restaurant shares a lobby with The Syndicate. We surmised that it probably wasn’t the area with the bar and white grand piano, so we looked toward the left and saw a blackboard announcing that they now serve Jean Francois’s exquisite Belgium waffles. Well then, there’s my choice sorted. I wanted to see how Mokka’s compared to those little bites of heaven that Jean Francois sells at his Findlay Market location, Taste From Belgium.

For those not in a waffle mood, there are a couple of other vegetarian options on Mokka’s menu, including at least one vegetarian daily special. On the morning we visited that special was a breakfast burrito stuffed with egg whites, yellow bell pepper, tomato and cheese, served with waffle fries and fruit for $7. I wish I had ordered it instead of the waffles, because apparently the Belgian waffles listed on the menu are NOT the Jean Francois waffles, and I wasn’t aware they sold two different types of Belgian waffle. I assumed that the waffles on the menu were the same as the ones being advertised on the blackboard, and I was wrong. What I got was a bog-standard waffle drowning in strawberry sauce and Cool-Whip. When I mentioned this to our waitress, she shrugged and said, “Yeah, you have to specially request those.” Nice of them to let me know that beforehand.Since I didn’t have a great brunch experience at Mokka, I felt it was best to give them another chance. I went back for lunch with a co-worker and had the grilled portabello hoagie with roasted red peppers and cheese and a side salad, which is the only vegetarian option available on the lunch menu. It smelled heavenly and was not as messy as portabello sandwiches can sometimes be, and the tangy brown sauce complimented the roasted veggies nicely. My (non vegetarian) lunch partner had the smoked salmon and bacon sandwich; flavors he wasn’t sure would work well together, but with which he was pleasantly surprised and pleased. There is also a pork and sauerkraut sandwich selection called a “Dutch Oven,” which had me giggling like a 6th grader. It doesn’t take much.

As nice as the food was, Mokka’s lunchtime service was very slow – it took 10 minutes for us to catch our waitress’s eye and ask for the bill, and another 15 for her to pick up the payment afterwards. The restaurant wasn’t busy so I’m not sure why service was so slow, but that makes it a poor choice for an excursion out of downtown if you only have an hour for lunch. If you can carve out more than that, the restaurant is only a short walk from the Monmouth St. stop on the Southbank Shuttle, and there is plenty of metered parking along the street (a quarter gets you an hour) for those with their own transportation. One other thing to keep in mind: the restaurant is only open from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. daily.

Taj India

2008-08-13T18:06:00.001-04:00

Taj India
7677 Mall Road
Florence, KY
859-594-4TAJ
www.tajindiaflorence.com

Someone asked me why I haven’t reviewed any Indian restaurants, and the simple answer is that Indian cuisine is so synonymous with vegetarianism that it seemed unnecessary to even mention them.

There are two major culinary styles - the northern style emphasizes dairy; the south highlights rice, stew and pickle dishes. Those new to Indian cuisine can ease their way into this wonderful world by checking out an Indian lunch buffet, which highlights some of the more popular dishes. Quite a few places around town offer them and there are always several vegetarian options to choose from.

We were in Florence recently and swung by Apna on Connector Drive for a quick bite, only to discover that they have closed, so we tried our luck at Taj India a couple blocks up the road. We hadn’t visited Taj India in quite a while (we stopped going there when Apna opened), but things haven’t changed – the service is still excruciatingly slow, the décor as colorful as a glass of water, and the floor still looked as though it could use a good cleaning. I could excuse all of that if the food was good, but it was a disappointing experience all the way round.

Indian cuisine has a complex depth of flavor and isn’t supposed to be “all about the heat,” but you’d never know that if Taj India was your only reference point. Now I’ll be the first to admit that I love a dish that makes flames shoot from my mouth, but not at the expense of the rest of the ingredients. It’s a delicate balance, and one which Taj India doesn’t do very well.

I tried the mater paneer - cottage cheese cubes and peas in a spiced tomato sauce. It traditionally has a base of tumeric, asafoetida, cumin and chili browned in oil and combined with tomato, ginger, garlic and coriander. The heat level ranges from 1-5 and I requested a three. The level was fine but the balance was way off - all I could taste was the chili, which overwhelmed this usually delicious dish. I probably would have been better off ordering a level 0 and asking for a side of hot onion chutney to liven things up instead.

My husband’s non-veg lamb makhni fared no better. Makhni’s have a buttery, tomato base with a hint of yogurt/cream and garam masala (a mild but pungent spice mix), and those who shy from spicy-hot dishes – like my husband - tend to stick with yogurt or cream-based makhnis and kormas. He was surprised and dismayed that the restaurant skimped on the lamb – there were only a few small chunks swimming in a sea of gravy. It was also too spicy to enjoy. To deaden the heat he could have ordered a side of raita (a yogurt/cucumber sauce) but since we already felt we weren’t getting our money’s worth we were loathe to add to the bill. Most of his dish was left untouched, a $12 loss for us.

Although we went away disappointed, Taj India offers an inexpensive lunch buffet which we hear is much better and less fiery than what we experienced as evening diners, and might be a better option for next time. If there is a next time.

The Terrace Café

2008-08-08T17:25:00.007-04:00

Terrace Café
Cincinnati Art Museum
953 Eden Park Drive
Mount Adams
513-639-2986
http://www.cincinnatiartmuseum.org/absolutenm/templates/ArtTempVisit.aspx?articleid=118&zoneid=23

With a menu created by popular chef David Cook of Daveed’s in Mount Adams and executed by staff from The Bistro Group, the Terrace Café inside the Cincinnati Art Museum offers visitors an affordable and unique dining experience. The sleek dining room is a bright, airy, modernist space of blonde floors, black tablecloths and a wall of windows overlooking a pleasant courtyard which is open for dining during the summer months.

The restaurant packs a surprisingly efficient kitchen into a small space with stylish Danish Modern cupboards surrounding the prep area. The gleaming workspace is not hidden away as in most restaurants; instead it is a logical extension of the dining room, like a residential open plan kitchen. The minimalist design is lacking in sound-absorbing soft furnishings, however, so there is a serious noise issue when the restaurant fills up at lunch.

Usually I am under whelmed by the ubiquitous veggie burger, but the one at Terrace Café is a cut above. Topped with boursin spread, melted cheese and roasted red peppers, this vegetable burger packs an appealing mix of flavor. The menu changes seasonally and unfortunately it’s not on the current summer menu, but will probably reappear when the temperature and leaves begin to drop.

Menu selections are under $10 and there is a small but adequate wine list for those inclined to enjoy a glass during the workday. As for current vegetarian choices on the summer menu, there are a couple of salads, a vegetable wrap with potato chips and pickles, and vegetable soup. I opted for the wrap, which filled a gap but wasn’t anything special, and a cup of the vegetable soup.

Their tomato soup has a chicken stock base and should be avoided, but the vegetable soup is 100% vegetarian and tastes gloriously of the summer’s harvest. Generous chunks of potato, carrot, celery and cabbage mingle seductively with bulbous, juicy mounds of stewed tomato, producing a rich tang on the tongue with each tender bite. It is yummy.

The Terrace Café is open Tues-Sun from 11a.m.-4:30 p.m. with extended hours on Wednesday, and museum members receive a 10% discount (does not include alcohol). Each time I have visited during lunch the café has been busy, filled mostly with ladies who lunch and retirees enjoying a day out, but there’s also a healthy smattering of office workers liberating their senses. On a recent visit we made an all-too-brief detour across the corridor to check out the Gregory Crewdson photography exhibit, which runs through September. Lunch at the art museum is an enjoyable excursion away from the norm. As their slogan goes, “Come as you are…leave as you aren’t.”

Heirloom Tomatoes!

2008-08-08T12:40:00.002-04:00

The first of my heirloom tomatoes rippened last week!

I visited Mom's garden and picked a sackful of jalapeños and white onions, then came home and made a kick-ass salsa.

Simple Salsa
3 tomatoes, diced
1 med onion, diced
1-3 cloves garlic, minced
1-3 jalapeños, seeded and diced
juice of one lime
2-3 Tbs fresh cilantro, chopped
Salt to taste

This is a very basic but yummy recipe, and one that can be altered to suit any taste. Personally I go heavy on the garlic and jalapeños. We packed this salsa into a cooler along with some other goodies and had a nice picnic at Devou Park while enjoying the Kentucky Symphony Orchestra play the music of James Bond.

Yat Ka Mein Noodle House

2008-07-30T20:11:00.003-04:00

Yat Ka Mein Noodle House
Hyde Park Station
3546 Edwards Road
Hyde Park
513-321-2028
http://www.yatkamein.biz/
M-Sat 11 a.m.-10 p.m.

I stopped by Yat Ka Mein on a whim one day after receiving a pedicure at a nearby spa. “Noodles For Your Noodle” proclaimed the signage. I’d never been there before and knew nothing about the restaurant, but a quick look at the menu posted in the window lured me in with the promise of Japanese udon.

I’m a real sucker for udon – well, I suppose one HAS to be, because this is the type of noodle that is meant to be slurped, noisily, one long strand at a time. Yes it is messy, and yes it sounds uncouth to the Western ear, but attempting to eat it quietly is next to impossible. In Japan it is considered an insult if the cook cannot hear how well you are enjoying your noodles, so don’t be afraid to slurp away to your heart’s content on this thick, wheat-based noodle soup.

The broth in its most basic form consists of dashi (a kelp-based cooking stock), shoyu (soy sauce) and mirin (a sweet, rice-based cooking wine), laced with thinly chopped scallions. It is prepared two ways, depending on which area of the country you are in; the eastern region of Japan prepares udon with a dark brown soy sauce, while the western half uses light brown. At Yat Ka Mein you must specify that you want the vegetarian broth; otherwise it comes with a chicken base.

Theirs is prepared in the western Japanese style and comes with tempura vegetables. Tempura is a type of lumpy, ice-cold batter in which the vegetables are dredged and fried quickly in hot oil, resulting in crisp veggies with a delicate, crunchy coating. It’s the type of dish that is friendly to the American palate, and was a big favorite of mine when I was an exchange student at Okayama University. My host mother could whip up a mean batch in no time flat. Ahhh.

The udon At Yat Ka Mein was perfect, but the tempura vegetables were too salty – something I was not expecting. I imagine the heavy-handedness with the salt was to appease western taste buds, but it was the woefully heavy batter that really turned me off. Instead of the light, golden crunch I was expecting, the vegetables were limp, greasy and tasted like the kind of deep-fried nonsense so prevalent in local sports bars. My husband found them agreeable, but then he comes from the land of fish & chips, so salty fried things make him a happy boy. I guess I ought to know by now that Chinese restaurants don’t do Japanese cuisine very well. Oh well, lesson learned.

Service is fast and friendly at Yat Ka Mein, and if you are not in a noodle mood there are ample traditional Chinese favorites on hand, and plenty of other vegetarian options (besides the disastrous tempura) to choose from.

Heirloom Beans

2008-07-28T22:08:00.003-04:00

Last year I saved the seed from some heirloom tomatoes and goose beans given to me by my great-aunt Ada Ruth. In April I started the seeds indoors and in May moved them to an outdoor cold frame. Toward the end of May they were transplanted into the ground.

Two months later I am reaping the harvest of some of the best tasting beans you are ever likely to eat. These goose beans are really pretty and taste even better than they look. These went into a simple and delicious bean salad.

Three Bean Salad

1 (15 oz) can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

1 (15 oz) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 handful goose beans, strung, snapped and steamed (or 1 15 oz can green beans, drained and rinsed)

1 rib celery, diced

1/2 small red onion, diced (or 4 green onions)

Dressing:

1/2 C cider vinegar

1/4 C olive oil

1 Tbs honey

1/2 tsp dry mustard

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 ground white pepper

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

In a bowl, mix together beans, celery and onion. In another bowl whisk together dressing ingredients. Pour over bean salad and toss to coat. Refrigerate. I use a Tupperware bowl and shake it a few times before serving. Drain off excess dressing so that the beans do not disintegrate.

Serves 8

Brio Tuscan Grille

2008-07-24T17:39:00.003-04:00

Brio Tuscan Grille
1 Levee Way
Newport, KY
859-431-0900
http://www.brioitalian.com/

Since moving to Newport my husband and I had never bothered visiting Brio Tuscan Grille because we like to give locally owned and operated restaurants our business instead. Thrift is a strong motivator however, especially in these uncertain economic times, and when we got a book of coupons filled with buy-one-get-one offers for area restaurants and attractions and Brio was among them, we quickly decided that it would be a shame to let the coupon go to waste.

I admit that I was surprised to see discount coupons for Brio since the chain bills itself as a plush, upmarket eatery and you usually don’t see BOGO offers for such restaurants, but who am I to judge? I am my mother’s daughter – I love a good bargain.

All I really knew about Brio before our visit was that they are a spinoff of Columbus-based Bravo! Development Inc. and my dental hygienist told me it is her parents’ favorite restaurant. Apparently they trek from south Dayton to Newport once a month for their fix. I wasn’t sure what to make of this information – especially since there is a Bravo! Cucina Italiana on their doorstep - but based on that recommendation and the possession of a BOGO golden ticket, off we went to the Levee to give it a try.

I’m sure some would refer to the décor as tasteful, but I found it beige and bland, more like someone’s idea of what Tuscany restaurants might look like than what they actually do. All plaster and alabaster, it felt like a staged show-home in a shiny new housing developing sitting on what just last year was farmland. Luckily the food was better than the room it was served in.

The house-made flatbread is a real winner. Prepared in an authentic Italian wood-burning oven and topped with rosemary, sesame seeds and top quality parmesan, this crispy freebie was a delicious and savory introduction to the restaurant.

Because we visited during the lunch/dinner changeover, our waiter was kind enough to bring out both menus and let us order from whichever one we wished. They are similar, with lunch portions smaller and priced accordingly. There are three vegetarian entrées available across both menus. If you are a vegetarian who doesn’t like mushrooms, you’ll be grazing from the salad and appetizer selections because they figure heavily into all three entrées. There’s Penne Mediterranean (mushrooms, spinach, caramelized onion, sun-dried tomatoes, feta cheese and pine nuts), Mushroom Ravioli in brown butter sauce, and Mushroom Ravioli Al Forno (mushroom ravioli in alfredo sauce).

I chose Mushroom Ravioli in brown butter sauce from the lunch menu ($10.95). This selection is available only as an appetizer on the dinner menu. The ingredients complimented each other well; the mushrooms, squash and truffle oil lending a nice earthy flavor while the sage-infused brown butter sauce was sinful and delicious. I can hardly wait to try my hand at recreating this recipe when the squash is ready in the garden.

Let’s discuss value a little deeper here. Without the enticement of the BOGO we would have never given Brio a chance, and to be honest we’d still rather frequent a locally owned independent instead. HowEVER, and this is a major point so listen up: Brio has an unadvertised happy hour bar menu which we would never have known about had we not wandered through the bar area on our way out the door. When we learned about the 3-6 p.m. happy hour prices, we made a mental note to stop back and check it out.

This “Tuscan Tasters” menu has us singing like birds because it is cheap-cheap-cheap. There are nine items on it, two of which are vegetarian, and they all run a mere $2.95 each. BARGAIN. These selections are considered small bites, but they are satisfying and similar in size to their appetizer cousins.

The roasted red-pepper & mozzarella bruschetta (on the “regular” menu this is $9.95)

The Margherita flatbread runs $10.95 on the “regular” appetizer menu.

My husband’s Bistecca Burger was a full-sized burger, quartered and topped with house-made chips. In the restaurant this lunch option is $10.95. In the bar during happy hour, it is $2.95.

Brio is our new cheap-eats place to hit before Reds games, although we have noticed that some of the bar staff tend to ignore those of us wearing “fan attire” in favor of those wearing suit and tie. We’ve had attentive and friendly service, and we’ve had indifferent/rude service. We have learned which bartenders are worth tipping well, and we return despite the indifference we occasionally encounter because the food is healthier, tastier and cheaper than that of the ballpark.

Be sure to nurse your glass of Prosecco though, because happy hour at Brio does not equate discounted drinks specials. But from 3-6 p.m. and again from 9 p.m.-close, go ahead and bow down to the chow down on the cheap. It’s worth it.

The Green Derby

2008-07-05T01:14:00.003-04:00

The Green Derby
846 York St.
Newport, KY
859-431-8740

The Green Derby opened its doors as a bar in 1947 and over time expanded to include dining rooms and a kitchen, serving up home-style cooking for the past fifty years at the corner of 8th and York.

I usually shy away from places like this because “home-style cooking” is usually analogous with “meat-based,” but we were lured in because my husband was intrigued by the banner out front touting their award-winning fish sandwich. He does love his fish & chips.

Prices are astonishingly low at The Green Derby – I wouldn’t go as far as to say they are 1950’s low, but I’d hazard a guess that the menu hasn’t been updated since sometime in the 1980’s. Neither has the décor, judging by the faded, hand-painted ocean and seafaring scenes on the walls, but I suppose that is part of the restaurant’s quirky charm. Service is friendly and genuine, and the restaurant was bustling with happy families on the evening we visited.

As I suspected, there wasn’t a single vegetarian entrée on the menu but luckily there was a grilled cheese sandwich listed on the kid’s menu, so I opted for that with a side of fries and a salad, while my husband had the fish with the Derby’s signature salad. He was taken aback that the signature salad is served warm – it’s made the old-fashioned way with bacon drippings – and he didn’t really care much for it. This is the way my Appalachian grandma made salads so it was no surprise to me, but I guess if it isn’t something you grew up with it might be a turnoff. Since bacon in general is a turnoff for me I stuck with a simple house salad.

My dinner was nothing special – just your basic American processed cheese grilled between two slices of buttered white bread and served with thick fries that probably came from GFS or Sysco – but I wasn’t expecting much, and since the meal was so cheap I didn’t feel ripped off or anything. My husband, who at the last minute decided against the sandwich and went with the baked fish special, was skeptical when it arrived because he wasn’t expecting the butter-crumb coating, but was won over with his first bite. We agreed that this place would probably prove a winner with my relatives, should they ever come to visit, because it is a more genuine representation of home-style cooking than places like Cracker Barrel.

I like that the Green Derby prints the cost of their mixed drinks on the menu. I’ve noticed that many of the places we dine do not print their mixed drink prices, and I figure if they can’t be bothered to tell me without my asking then I can’t be bothered to order one. At the Derby, the drinks are priced to sell and poured with a liberal hand. Oh yes.

Even though the restaurant isn’t vegetarian-friendly, I was still willing to give it decent marks for the friendly staff, cheap prices and generous drinks until we saw one of the staff lugging bags of dripping garbage through the dining room and out the front door, which is grossly unhygienic to say the least. The garbage juice was pooling all over the worn, green dining room carpet and trailing out the door onto the front walk, and since we saw it happen more than once while we were sitting there I have to assume that this is their standard procedure. That is totally unacceptable.

It would benefit me to remember to check out health inspection scores before we go out to eat someplace new, because when I checked The Green Derby’s score on the NKY Health Department’s site afterward it was a paltry 74. The inspection was from March and I’m surprised there hasn’t been a follow-up visit by now, but it doesn’t really matter because I’ll not be revisiting. Farewell, cheap and powerful Bloody Marys, farewell.

Habañero Latin American Fare at the Levee

2008-07-01T20:58:00.003-04:00

Habañero Latin American Fare at the Levee
One Levee Way
Newport, KY
859-291-6222
http://www.habanerolatin.com/

Habañero’s, a Clifton mainstay for nearly ten years, opened a second location a few months ago at Newport on the Levee and I finally got around to visiting recently. Located on the Riverwalk Level in the former Moe’s Southwestern Grill space, Habañero’s picks up where Moe’s left off, serving gigantic burritos and savory Latin American fare at prices that won’t break the bank.

Customers queue up just inside the doors to scan through the chalkboard menu then place orders with one of the sandwich makers behind the counter. Selections are prepared while you watch. I knew from past experience that the burritos are substantial, and as I was only feeling peckish I opted for a kid’s mini veggie burrito, which came with a side of chips & salsa and a small drink.

The word “veggie” in this case refers to the burrito being vegetarian - since there were no vegetables inside, only beans and cheese - but it was quite tasty and filling. You can choose between black beans or pinto. The thick, buttery chips are house-made and hold up well without breaking when dipped into the delicious smoky tomato-chipotle salsa, of which there wasn’t enough, but that might have been due to the fact that I got a child’s portion instead of an adult’s. The little condiment cup of salsa that came with my meal only held about two ounces, so I was out of salsa long before I was out of chips. It’s easily rectifiable though – just ask for a refill.

Habañero’s caters well to the vegetarian with lots of choice all across the menu. There are mixed veggie chimichangas, veggie quesadillas, create-your-own burritos and tacos, and three signature vegetarian dishes, which can be made as burritos or open face. The Chuba Cabre is probably the most interesting of the three, consisting of cinnamon-roasted squash, pinto beans, rice and apple-green chile salsa, but it doesn’t provide a variety of textures for your tongue. I have yet to try the other two dedicated veggie signatures but that’s what revisits are for. For the record however, the Tofu Tango consists of roasted eggplant, tofu, pinto beans, rice and fire-roasted corn salsa, while the Venus de Veggie is chock full of mixed grilled veggies, black beans, fresh green pepper, rice and corn salsa.

The restaurant has a limited but good selection of draught microbrews and imported bottled beer, but sadly doesn’t carry my local favorite, Christian Moerlein. Happy hour runs daily from 4-7 p.m. I know the Clifton location also serves up pitchers of sangria, margaritas, mojitos, and glasses of wine, but I forgot to note if it was the same at the Newport location, and calls to the restaurant went unanswered.

The only thing I didn’t care for about Habañero’s is that the food comes in plastic baskets instead of on plates. I know that’s a pretty minor issue, and I realize that it’s probably a cost saving measure to help keep prices low, but it’s a bit of a turn-off - especially when the burritos are so large that they overhang the basket and spill onto the table.

Eddy's Belgian Bistro

2008-06-21T15:49:00.009-04:00

Eddy’s Belgian Bistro
700 W. Pete Rose Way
Queensgate
513-421-0200

In the summer of 1985 I broadened my little world by backpacking around Europe by myself. Not that I remained alone for very long because I met a kindred spirit in Jenny, a wild child from Flagstaff who worked as a Grand Canyon tour guide. She and I hit off immediately and over many pints of bitter in some London pub it was decided that we should travel together. The pair of us managed to find a lot of trouble to get into along the way – from being hung over and retching in the bushes of Buckingham Palace to falling out of a gondola into the murky, stinking waters of Venice, to dancing with members of the Swiss National Guard on an apartment rooftop in the Alps, we had a very memorable summer.

Neither of us had much cash so rather than spend our beer money on Eurorail tickets and hotels, we opted to travel by bus, sleep in austere Youth Hostels and eat as cheaply as possible. This meant lots of fruit, crepes and French fries – and the best fries I’ve ever had were in Brussels and Amsterdam. Called “vlaamse frites,” these were much hardier than the typical American fry and came with a creamy mayonnaise dipping sauce. We couldn’t get enough of them.

When I heard about Eddy’s Belgian Bistro from a friend at WOXY, I made the trek over to historic Longworth Hall to see for myself whether or not their “frites” lived up to the name. The restaurant is owned by a biking enthusiast and is named after famous Belgian cyclist Eddy Merckx. It is quick-serve and their 8 a.m.-3 p.m. hours reflect the office crowd ensconced inside the former Baltimore & Ohio freight terminal. To find Eddy's, head for the long banners flapping in the breeze about a third of the way down the building, signposting the building's entrance. Eddy's is just to the left - look for the stone tables out front.

My first visit didn’t bode well – they’d already sold out of the frites when I arrived, but on the other hand it must mean they are good, right? Perusing the chalkboard menu, I noticed that they didn’t have anything vegetarian listed on the menu, but I was told that they could make a wrap filled with veggies if I wanted one. The wrap was good but extremely messy because the sandwich maker went a bit nuts with the ranch dressing – I’m willing to wager that the wrap had a least a half cup of dressing dumped on it, and it oozed out everywhere.

I finally got around to revisiting Eddy’s last week and was pleased to find that they now list a veggie wrap on their menu, but word of warning - they are still heavy-handed with the dressing. If you don’t want to wear it, request that they go easy with it, or omit it entirely.

The main attraction, however, is the frites, and although they aren't true vlaamse frites, they aren't bad. Cut long and thick, the frites look very much like their Belgian brethren, and the creamy chipotle mayonnaise is an excellent accompaniment. Unfortunately I found them to be a little too greasy to be proper vlaamse frites, which is probably because the fry cook tried to fry too many at a time. The secret to good vlaamse frites is to cut them to one centimeter thick and fry only a few at a time. Eddy’s are also served in a basket rather than in the traditional paper cone, so the grease doesn’t drain away like it should. I didn't find the frites to be very different from those served at Penn Station, but the addition of the chipotle mayo does lend a nice Belgian touch.

The area around Longworth Hall isn't the most attractive - it's situated in the industrial Queensgate area - but it's easily walkable from downtown and once you've passed the multitude of parking lots under the tangle of highway overpasses at Central Avenue you are greeted with an interesting array of artwork (see below) on the grounds of the massive red brick building, which at over a quarter mile long is still one of the longest buildings in the country and is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Mythos Grecian Grill

2008-06-13T17:00:00.001-04:00

Mythos Grecian Grill
100 E. 4th St.
Downtown
513-381-3042
http://www.mythosrestaurants.com/

Vegetarians rejoice.

Mythos Grecian Grill on 4th Street has a huge selection of vegetarian options served up fast. Go early or endure long lines at lunchtime – queues move quickly but you may be hard pressed to find a table in this popular eatery if you arrive after noon.

A gripe I’ve had with the smaller Mythos outposts around town is that they rely on foil wrappers and Styrofoam plates – possibly because they don’t have a large enough space for dishwashing – but at the 4th St. location the lunch selections come on nice melamine platters, and at dinner it’s classic white china. Yay!

Evenings are less rushed and a little more posh with white linens on the tables and tableside service instead of ordering at the lunch counter. You'll also find an expanded menu in the evening with Greek specialties like Saganaki, which is a block of cassari or kefalatore cheese flambéed with Cognac and a squeeze of lemon juice. It’s crispy on the edges but gooey in the middle; a salty-sour bit of heaven.

I’ve been steadily working my way through their vast menu – although it’s difficult to deviate from the perfection that is the veggie pita – and I have yet to be disappointed in my selections.

On the appetizer menu there are zucchini croquettes (kolokithokeftedes), cheese puffs (tiropita), spinach cheese puffs (spanakopita), grape leaves with rice (dolmathakia), and several cheese, olive and dip platters to choose from.

Their lunch portion of Mousaka (fresh potatoes, eggplant, zucchini tomato sauce and parmesan topped with a creamy béchamel sauce) is a meal in itself at $8.45, yet you also get a huge Greek salad to round out the dish. At dinner time it costs a few dollars more but comes with both the massive salad AND a side of Greek lemon fries. The dish is quite hearty and I found it to be way too much food, especially since I had already gorged myself on saganaki…and shared a feta & olive platter with my girlfriend, as well as a dip sampler that included hummus, fire feta and tzatziki with pita bread and veggies. In our defense, it was all too delectable to turn down and besides, a Greek meal isn't complete unless every inch of table space is taken up with delicious goodies.

Other vegetarian dishes at Mythos include a stuffed eggplant dish, stuffed peppers, a meal-sized version of the dolmathakia and a veggie combo platter that includes nearly every vegetarian appetizer on the menu.

At lunch I’m partial to the fresh veggie pita wrap. The fluffy pita comes slathered with tzatziki sauce and topped with a Greek Salad of tomatoes, cucumbers, pepperoncini, lettuce, onion, feta and Greek dressing. It’s a simple and satisfying dish and comes with your choice of hand-cut, crispy French fries, flavored rice or a side salad. Vegans are also catered to with the hummus pita wrap, which is similar to the veggie pita but hummus is substituted for the tzatziki. For those wanting a hot sandwich Mythos carries the ever-present veggie burger.

The restaurant has what might be considered odd hours for downtown: they are open for lunch from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 11 a.m.-9 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. They do not have a liquor license, so plan accordingly.

Homearama Cooks for a Cause

2008-06-09T15:41:00.000-04:00

Got this in my inbox today:
-------------------------
Please help us support this worthwhile event with your attendance!
HOMEARAMA® Hosts Fourth Annual Cooks for a Cause
WHAT: HOMEARAMA Cooks for a Cause HOMEARAMA attendees will sample dishes prepared by some of the area's top chefs as they do cooking demonstrations inside each of the ten homes featured in HOMEARAMA. The Fourth Annual HOMEARAMA Cooks for a Cause event is part of 7 Days for SIDS, a fundraising effort that benefits the Sudden Infant Death Network of Ohio.
WHERE: Long Cove, Deerfield Township, Ohio Take 1-71 to Mason Montgomery/Fields Ertel Road. Exit to north on Mason Montgomery Road.
Turn left on Irwin Simpson Road. Follow the signs to HOMEARAMA parking.

WHEN: Wednesday, June 11, 2008 from 6 - 9 p.m.
COST: Included in HOMEARAMA entrance fee, which is $12 at the door; discounted tickets available at area Kroger locations. Raffle prizes available at SIDS raffle booth.
WHY: Sample dishes prepared by some of the area's top chefs while helping to support 7 Days for SIDS, an organization that raises money for the Sudden Infant Death Network of Ohio (www.7daysforsids.com). The participating chefs are from Andy's Mediterranean Grill, Brown Dog Café, Chalk Food and Wine, Daveed's at 934, HUGO Restaurant and Lounge, Jags Steak and Seafood, Jean-Robert at Pigall's, Mesh, Polo Grille and Red Restaurant. All chefs are part of the Greater Cincinnati Independents group and are donating their time and product for the event (www.gcindependents.com).
IN ADDITION: 3 of the homes will have wines provided by E.J. Gallo for guests to sample throughout the evening wand purchase at the SIDS raffle booth. Don't miss our first ever VIP Meet & Mingle reception at the Long Cove Clubhouse from 9 - 10 PM. Meet the chefs up close and personal while sampling light fare and complimentary refreshments.
Tickets are $20.00 at the SIDS raffle booth with all money being donated to SID Network of Ohio. First 100 through the door to receive gift bag!

Jax Grill

2008-05-27T22:08:00.002-04:00

Jax Grill at GameWorks
One Levee Way
Newport on the Levee
859-581-PLAY
http://www.newportonthelevee.com/directory/detail.aspx?id=23

Located inside GameWorks on the Riverwalk level of Newport on the Levee, Jax Grill offers standard pub grub and an up close view of the gaming masses. As one would expect from a restaurant attached to gigantic arcade with over 200 games and attractions, the place is noisy. It’s a bit quieter in the "patio" area, which is a cordoned-off area of the Levee walkway. The patio is a great place for people watching, as there is an almost constant parade strolling between GameWorks and the AMC Movie ticket booths on the weekends.

In all honesty, this really isn’t my kind of place. I’m not much of a gamer – my husband and I prefer downloading the cheat codes for Guitar Hero/Rock Band and just messing around with it on the "easy" setting, for instance – and although we love playing pinball I think $2 for five balls is highway robbery. Add to that our childless status, and we are obviously not the target demographic for GameWorks. We probably would have never even gone there, but decided to give them a try before heading on up the stairs to a show at FunnyBone Comedy Club. We’ve never had good luck with the food at FunnyBone and didn’t want to risk it again.

The restaurant has a couple of vegetarian entrées on the menu: there’s spinach and ricotta ravioli in a creamy alfredo, pasta with pomodoro sauce, and a couple of pizza options. Let me just say that I’m totally spoiled on Pompilio’s Italian dishes so I wasn’t about to go there with GameWorks, and I wasn’t really in a pizza mood. Instead I opted for a side salad and the Xtreme Nachos appetizer, which was decent. They make theirs with shredded cheese and the usual diced tomato, shredded lettuce, black olives, black beans, enchilada sauce and jalapenos. It comes with healthy dollops of sour cream and guacamole too. As I expected, the guacamole was some sort of prepackaged stuff that tasted ok but was not a patch on homemade. Nachos as a meal are fairly ho-hum, but they remain an old stand-by for me because very rarely does a restaurant get nachos wrong (Cock & Bull, I’m looking at you).

Other vegetarian appetizers on the menu are fairly bland quesadillas, deep fried mozzarella cheese sticks, and a cheesy spinach-artichoke dip accompanied by yet more nachos. Exciting, I know, but this place isn’t exactly fine dining. To be fair, the Xtreme Nacho plate is pretty darned big and I couldn’t finish it, but I had a hard time figuring out how something that cheap and basic could cost nearly $10. I guess the restaurant is banking on the "captive audience" notion that gamers would rather eat there than leave the facility in search of food elsewhere. The food is so-so, but honestly we weren’t expecting it to be anything great and our server was competent, friendly and attentive without hovering, which somewhat raised the marks of the restaurant.

One thing we were not expecting though was seeing a group of young men treated rather rudely by Levee security. Just after we were seated they were shown to table nearby, and as far as my husband and I could tell, had done nothing wrong. They weren’t being loud and obnoxious, weren’t taking up space needlessly - they were all enjoying burgers, fries and sodas – and they weren’t acting up or causing trouble. I’m not saying that perhaps they hadn’t done something to raise the ire of security earlier, but they certainly hadn’t done anything in the restaurant, yet the restaurant staff and manager stood by and watched security hassle them. My husband and I both felt the guys were being unfairly profiled, but who can say. It was, however, the abiding memory of our visit to Jax Grill.

Our Tomatoes

2008-05-23T20:36:00.001-04:00

Last August I was visiting relatives in East Tennessee and my great-aunt Ada Ruth gave me some fresh tomatoes that she’d grown. Coming from a long line of farmers, Ada Ruth learned at an early age to save seed from one year to the next, and she’s been doing it for nearly all of her 89 years. The tomatoes she gave me were absolutely delicious – deep red, bulbous, and bursting with juicy goodness. These were the tomatoes I grew up with – the one’s I picked from the vine as a kid and ate right there and then in the middle of the garden, the warm juice running down my arm and dripping from my elbow; the one’s Dad and I would slice up into thick wedges and eat as a snack; the one’s we made juice from to enjoy in the middle of winter. You could slice them and the flesh was so thick and juicy that you could hold them vertically without them falling apart. These were the same tomatoes my family has been growing in the mountains of East Tennessee for 200 years. We always referred to them as “Our Tomatoes.”

I never forgot how good those family heirloom tomatoes tasted, but I hadn’t had one since Dad died. You see, the cancer made an encore visit to him just as the tomatoes were coming in. We managed to get some canned and made plenty of juice, but our hearts and minds were elsewhere that harvest and we forgot to save the seed.

So that first bite of tomato brought back a lot of memories. Since Dad left us we’ve tried plenty of store-bought seed and seedlings, and we’ve tried other heirloom seed, but none were a patch on Our Tomatoes. I don’t know why I didn’t think to find out if any other family members still grew them, but I am so very thankful that Ada Ruth gave them to me. I painstakingly saved and dried the seed from those tomatoes - as well as some heirloom Goose Beans given me on the same visit - and over the winter ordered a starter kit from Gardener’s Supply, eagerly checking the Almanac for the best dates to begin.

The Gardner's Supply starter kit (above) comes with two self-watering APS-24 seed starters, two greenhouse covers, nine quarts of germinating mix, 24 wooden markers, two water-level indicators and a small canister of seedling fertilizer. I didn't bother using the wooden markers or the fertilizer.

This is a dried string of Goose Beans that I have just begun to shell. I took a photo of them since the tomato seeds are really too small to photograph - at least with my crappy camera.

The kit has a pegged "stand" that goes into the water reservoir and a capillary mat that fits over the top. The mat is just long enough to tuck one end underneath the pegboard. You can see the mat on top of the pegged stand in the photo above.

I filled the water reservoir to dampen the capillary mat. The planting tray sits on top of the mat and draws water up into the germinating mix, keeping the seeds moist. To be honest, when I first received the kit I was dubious about it, but it's actually very well designed and almost foolproof.

After moistening the germinating mix in a bucket, I began filling the trays with the mixture. You've got to tamp it down enough that the soil touches the capillary mat. After that it's a matter of poking the seeds into the soil, covering them, and lightly spraying water onto the entire container, taking care not to disturb the seeds just planted.

The trays of germinating tomatoes coming up. Yay!

These are the seedlings in the cold frame my husband built using part of an old window frame.

We transplanted the beans at the beginning of May. I'm not sure if this particular type of Goose Bean is a climber or a bush-type plant, so my father-in-law and I made climbing poles out of bamboo, just in case. I've already given my Mom a few dozen tomato plants. The rest (below) are being planted in our back yard this weekend.

Oriental Wok

2008-05-14T22:16:00.004-04:00

Oriental Wok
317 Buttermilk Pike
Fort Mitchell, KY
859-331-3000
http://www.orientalwok.com/

I’ve really struggled with this review because I like this place a lot, and I like that the family-owned and operated restaurant has managed to stay on course for 25 years – even as the number of Chinese restaurants in the area multiplies each year - but the last few dining experiences at The Oriental Wok have been disappointing for me.

The restaurant is quite elegant with white linens, a piano bar, and deep red and gold tones accentuating the vast collection of Chinese artifacts that includes a real rickshaw. Designed with Feng Shui principles, the large dining room has a soothing calmness about it even when it is bustling with activity. Owners Mike and Helen Wong are hands-on; Helen greets customers upon arrival, and Mike stops by each table to chat with guests. It is this personable service and exquisite décor that elevates Oriental Wok above the myriad other Chinese restaurants in town, but it is the food that is sometimes lacking.

It’s not that the food is bad. Quite the contrary - it’s darned good…if it arrives at the table hot. See, the thing is, we have been to Oriental Wok at least a half dozen times in as many months, and every time bar one food has arrived at the table lukewarm instead of hot, and I’m at a loss to explain why. Does it sit around getting cold while the other dishes are being prepared? Are the servers slacking off or forgetting it is there? I just don’t know. What I do know is that eating tepid food is offputting, especially stir-fried food, which is supposed to be served piping hot.

Part of the problem might be that the restaurant is a victim of its success. They host a lot of events in the adjoining spacious banquet room which unfortunately means that sometimes diners in the regular dining area are neglected. There does seem to be a correlation between a banquet or reception being held and lukewarm food arriving at our table, and I’ve noticed that the wait staff is otherwise preoccupied, so essentials like refills or reorders of drinks are slow.

On a recent visit we stopped in for a late lunch and the waiter seemed to be rushing us through everything because the staff was preparing for a reception later in the evening. We felt as though we were a distraction to them. It happened to be my Mom’s first visit to the restaurant, and I was embarrassed that her experience was the opposite of what I had expected. It’s a shame too, because the food is usually excellent. I think their hot & sour soup is the best around. It’s jam-packed with delicately slivered bamboo, tofu and tree ear (wood ear) mushrooms, and the spicy base will light you up for sure. So, so good.

There are eight vegetarian entrées on the menu and all are well worth the money – if they arrive hot. On my most recent visit the Szechwan Green Beans let me down, not because they were tepid – they did arrive sizzling hot - but because although the menu noted the dish as "spicy" there was absolutely no heat to it whatsoever. I would have sent it back had our waiter been anywhere in the vicinity, but he disappeared for the duration of our meal. I ended up eating a very bland mix of green beans and mushrooms, and neither my father-in-law nor I got to order a second round of drinks with our meals. The waiter also referred to my father-in-law as "boss" every time he spoke to him, which was cute the first few times but got old quickly, and wasn’t really in keeping with the upscale nature of the restaurant.

When the waiter finally did make an appearance – around the time we finished eating - I informed him of my disappointment with the Szechwan Green Beans. He told me the reason it is prepared that way is because "it can always be made hotter, but not the reverse." He then presented me with a fiery pepper oil to add to the dish. All well and good, but why was the fiery oil not brought out with my meal so I could have used it?

My non-veggie husband, on the other hand, was very pleased with his selection of Moo Shu Pork, which was large enough to have fed a family of four. Not only was it very flavorful, there was enough left over for him and his father to nosh on the following day.

There are some nice touches: the drinks menu includes some fun "exotic" specialties served in groovy tiki-glasses. The Volcano Hawaii is large enough for four people and sports flaming lava rocks! How cool is that? Another nice perk is the complimentary chambord after-dinner drink, and if you are celebrating a special occasion at Oriental Wok, be sure to let them know – they’ll wheel out the big gong and clang to your health.

It's a nice restaurant run by a nice family and even when the food comes out tepid it's good...but when it comes out hot it is fantastic. Here's hoping yours is the latter.

Dee Felice Café

2008-05-05T21:38:00.002-04:00

Dee Felice Café
Sixth & Main St.
Covington, KY
859-261-2365
www.deefelice.com

Located in Covington’s historic Main Strasse Village, Dee Felice Café is housed in an 18th century building that was a pharmacy at one time. The restaurant’s namesake, long time jazz musician Dee Felice, opened the restaurant in 1984 to combine “excellent Cajun style cooking and old-fashioned New Orleans décor with the best live jazz in Northern Kentucky/Greater Cincinnati,” according to the web site.

The claret and pale gray color scheme may have been all the rage the year Felice opened his restaurant -in fact, those were the same colors of my ’84 high school prom - but the restaurant is in serious need of a face lift.
Cosmetic only – the gorgeously ornate tin ceiling (pictured at right) is breathtaking, but they could seriously lose the framed Harlequin posters and I doubt anyone would miss them. They may have been considered “old-fashioned New Orleans” in 1984, but these days they border on creepy. The restaurant has some nice touches though. The soft glow of flickering candles sets the mood, and it is one of the few places I know of that still sports starched napkins.

The first time I visited Dee Felice was with friends. We had already eaten at Otto’s up the street and were lured in by the fabulous swing jazz drifting out the front door. We squeezed ourselves in at the overcrowded bar and experienced one of the strongest Bloody Mary’s ever. Now, I’ve been known to make a pretty mean Bloody Mary myself, but holy crap it was a good thing we had a designated driver that night. I was pie-eyed after just one!

The tables are laid out in a dinner theatre style; most diners have a good view of the musicians playing on the long, narrow stage behind the bar. It’s impossible to tell where the stage begins and the bar ends – liquor bottles line the edge of the stage at the band’s feet. It may seem an odd set-up, but it works. Depending on which night you visit, you may encounter a jazz pianist, a really tight trio (piano, drums and stand up bass) or a cookin’ swing band with brass. One thing is certain – the entertainment is excellent.

Dee Felice lists a Portabello Étouffée on their menu, but doesn’t specify whether or not it is vegetarian. Étouffée is made with a blonde roux of butter and flour, cooked to a pale brown. The difference between it and a typical Creole or Cajun roux is that the latter is made with oil (or fat) & flour and turns dark brown. Both consist of onion, cayenne pepper, green pepper, celery, garlic and salt. Traditional étouffées usually have either crawfish or shellfish, so when our waiter informed me that the Portabello étouffée was indeed vegetarian, I knew I had to have it.
I felt the chef was a little heavy-handed with the salt, but it was still very tasty. The fiery sauce infiltrated the vegetables, rice and thick black strips of mushroom - spicy enough to slightly singe my lips and tongue. I like dishes that open my sinuses, and this one didn’t disappoint. My only disappointment was that I had ordered the half-sized portion instead of the full entree, and once I tucked into the dish I really wish I had ordered the larger size.

Because I was still hungry at the end of the meal I decided to eat one of the complimentary rosemary dinner rolls, which was a great choice. They were so good that once I’d had a bite I couldn’t stop. They reminded me of my Mom’s home-made biscuits, powdery on the outside, thick and fluffy inside. Yum. They didn’t even need butter. Our waiter said they were baked locally, but I couldn’t wheedle out of him what the name of the bakery was. Never mind, I’ll try to replicate them at home.

Speaking of the wait staff, Grant was fabulous; attentive without hovering, quick witted and friendly, he is obviously a seasoned veteran of the restaurant who knew the menu inside and out. His recommendations were excellent and he knew the tomato bisque soup du jour had chicken stock in it without having to go ask the kitchen – and this was before he knew I was vegetarian. That alone deserves a gold star. My husband and father-in-law both opted for the soup as their starter, and when they ordered Grant made a joke about the “correct” pronunciation of the word “tomato.” The Brits begged to disagree, stating that it was not “tuh-may-toe” but “tuh-mah-toe.” Grant then quipped, “Well let’s call the whole thing off,” which made us all roar with laughter. If you go, ask to be seated in his area. He’s a real gem.

While there aren’t any vegetarian entrées listed on Dee Felice’s menu, (the portabello étouffée isn’t listed as such although it is vegetarian) they do note that some of the meat and seafood pasta dishes can be made vegetarian.
They also have a few salad entrees that can be made meatless. If you have a salad, by the way, be aware that their house dressing (a spicy Dijon) is incredibly thick, with a consistency similar to mayonnaise or possibly even creamy peanut butter. While flavorful, I am simply not a fan of heavy, gloppy dressings so I probably wouldn't opt for it again. All in all, there really isn’t a great deal of choice for vegetarians, but as long as they keep the étouffée on the menu I’ll keep coming back, creepy clown posters or not.

Cazadores Mexican Restaurant

2008-05-01T20:51:00.008-04:00

Cazadores
1350 E. Second St.
Franklin, Ohio
937-746-2925
http://www.cazadoresrestaurants.com/

I don’t get to visit Mexican restaurants as much as I would like because my husband isn’t a big fan, so whenever I drive up north to visit family I usually stop at Cazadores Mexican Restaurant, just off the Franklin-Springboro exit ramp on State Route 73.

Situated in a former Country Kitchen (remember them?), the restaurant has retained much of that Southern "down-home" feel; the difference of course being that Cazadores' fare is from a land further south. Heavy, dark wood tables and chairs are scattered across a muted tile floor, while booths wrap around the periphery. It’s been a long time since Country Kitchen was there, but I would almost swear it’s the same tables and chairs. They aren’t the most comfortable, but they certainly are sturdy.

I am by no means an expert on Mexican fare, but I think Cazadores is better than average, with good sized portions and a very tasty cinnamon-infused red sauce that is a far cry from the stuff you get at other local places that tastes as though it came straight from a can or jar. Another flavorful difference is their rice, which has notes of lime and cilantro in each yummy bite.

Cazadores has an impressive vegetarian menu which not only includes the usual suspects (bean burritos, enchiladas, chalupas and quesadillas) but interesting dishes like vegetarian fajitas, arrozcon vegetables (grilled poblano peppers with zucchini, squash, mushroom, tomato and onion over Mexican rice and a side of salad in a tortilla shell) and spinach burritos. Vegetarian entrées range in price from $6.95-$9.50.

Vegetarian Enchilada Entrée

On my most recent visit I was accompanied by my Mom, who was never a fan of Mexican fare before Cazadores. I’d dragged her to other Mexican restaurants in the past, but after trying various dishes at different places, she informed me that "everything tastes the same, no matter where you go." Chalk one up for Cazadores – their unique mix of spices, fresh vegetables and flavorful rice won her over.

Mexican and Latino men are by nature quite respectful of their elders, and I think another reason my mom enjoys going to Cazadores (flavorful food and cheap pitchers of beer aside), is because the young men working there show deference to her. They also seem to like flirting gently with her - and at 75 years old, my white haired, bespectacled mother enjoys the attention and a good giggle.

Cazadores also has locations in Milford and Mason, and their web site offers printable half-price coupons for entrées and appetizers (probably yet another reason Mom likes them – she’s thrifty and loves coupons). It’s a nice place; the staff is friendly and the food tasty, plus you can catch up on Mexican soap operas while Tejano music plays softly in the background. The only thing missing is Mexican Coca-Cola.

Great American Ball Park

2008-04-24T22:30:00.009-04:00

Great American Ballpark
100 Main Street
Downtown Cincinnati
http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/cin/ballpark/index.jsp

Rock concerts and ball games are generally not known for their food, and arenas and stadiums aren’t the best places around to find vegetarian fare. There are options available, however, as long as you don’t mind hunting and aren’t too picky.

Great American Ballpark has plenty of concession stands on every level of the stadium, and most have at least something vegetarian. The list includes nachos, jumbo pretzels, popcorn and LaRosa's cheese pizza and, if you don’t mind some traipsing around, there are also veggie-dogs.

The veggie-dogs are a little elusive. Not every hot dog vendor has the veggie-dog, so put on the ol' hunting cap and go for a stroll. We usually opt for the view level seats on the top deck when we go to a game, and the only concession stand that serves up veggie-dogs on that particular tier is Dugout Dogs, conveniently located next to the Skyline Chili stand behind section 418/518. It’s even more difficult to locate the beer vendor selling Christian Moerlein, but at $7.75 a cup it’s maybe best to do without. Just for the record though, the Moerlein vendor is tucked away near section 527, by the elevator.

I'm not a big fan of veggie-dogs but feel that it is my duty, as a vegetarian, to have one at the ball park, lest they decide it isn't a profitable item and get rid of it. I give props to GABP and Sportservice for offering it, even if the actual product isn't the greatest tasting thing in the world and at $4.25 costs as much as an entire pack of veggie weiners from the grocery.

I think the problem with GABP veggie-dogs is that they sit around awhile because there is probably not a huge demand for them. I've been to three games this season so far and have tried the veggie-dog on each occasion. Much like the Reds, the results have been inconsistent; sometimes they suck, other times they're pretty good. One time the dog was almost cold - surprising since they are kept in a heated case, and on another visit the skin was tough and chewy, as if it had been heated and reheated several times, which more than likely it had been. Perhaps it is just too early in the season to get a good one.

My favorite way to enjoy a veggie-dog is to squirt on a packet of Texas Pete's hot sauce and a packet of pickle relish (both can be picked up at Dugout Dogs), add a thin line of mustard and ketchup, and top it all off with a few cranks from the onion grinder. The onion grinder, by the way, is one of my all-time favorite gadgets. If only diced onions were always so easy and convenient!

Lastly, go ahead and splurge. Wash it all down with a Moerlein Select. Just be careful not to spill it when Brandon Phillips knocks one deep, or Edwin Encarnacion powers a 3-run homer in the bottom of the ninth to grasp victory from the jaws of defeat!

Nicholson's Tavern & Pub

2008-04-22T06:55:00.004-04:00

Nicholson’s Tavern & Pub
625 Walnut St.
Downtown Cincinnati
513-564-9111
www.nicholsonspub.com/nicholsons.html

Located directly across the street from the main entrance to the Aronoff Center, this Scottish-themed pub sees a lot of theatre traffic. We hadn’t realized there was a matinee performance scheduled on the day we visited the restaurant and were turned away from being seated in the dining area because we didn’t have a reservation. I didn’t know they took lunch reservations, nor did I think they would be needed. Ah well.

Luckily the bar area was not yet filled up with theatre-goers grabbing a last-minute lunch (or drink) and we managed to score some seating along the wall of the pub. It wasn’t an ideal place to sit because my husband, father-in-law and I had to sit next to each other on a long bench instead of being able to sit across from one another, which made it difficult to carry on a conversation. Long, narrow tables are secured to the floor in front of the benches, incapable of being moved to suit the diner’s needs. The design worked out ok for my husband and father-in-law but I found myself perching on the edge of the bench in order to shorten the distance my fork had to travel. Being petite has its disadvantages, I suppose.

Nicholson’s has an excellent selection of draught beer, single malt Scotch and bourbons. My father-in-law was surprised to see English favorites like Old Speckled Hen, Whitbread Ale and Young’s Oatmeal Stout on tap, and chuckled pleasantly when he learned they also stock Dry Blackthorn Cider. Our kilted server knew his beer and brought samples for us to try. If you go, get a pint of Young’s Double Chocolate Stout instead of dessert. It’s full of chocolaty, beery goodness.

I was disappointed to find that there isn’t a single vegetarian entrée listed on the menu. Nicholson’s is part of the locally-owned Tavern Restaurant Group, which also operates The Pub at Rookwood, The Pub at Crestview Hills, deSha’s and The Polo Grille, so I was surprised that they didn’t have anything vegetarian on their menu when the other restaurants in the group do. When I mentioned this to our server he told me that although it isn’t stated on the menu, the Roasted Chicken Penne could be made sans chicken as a vegetarian dish. Truthfully though, whenever I see a menu without anything vegetarian it sends up a warning flag to me that the restaurant isn’t veggie-savvy and that the kitchen might think that picking the chicken out of a cream sauce makes the dish vegetarian. Maybe I am wrong to think this way, but after 20+ years of dealing with the after effects of dishes that contained non-vegetarian stock, I’m naturally a little wary.

The restaurant does list a few appetizers that probably would have been ok – oven-baked goat cheese, spinach and artichoke dip, and fried pickles – but I opted instead for a salad and a side of fries, which I figured would guarantee vegetarianism. The Tavern House Salad consisted of mixed greens, red onion, dried cherries, toasted almonds and crumbled stilton topped with a creamy basil vinaigrette. It was very tasty indeed. The fries, eh, not so much. They were simply your garden variety frozen steak fries, available at supermarkets everywhere. I hit ‘em with some salt and malt vinegar to make them palatable.

I’d like to offer Nicholson’s (and the Tavern Group in general) a suggestion for a good, authentic vegetarian option that is hugely popular in U.K. pubs: The Ploughman’s Lunch. This simple and delicious option consists of a large chunk of cheese (usually Stilton or Cheddar), a thick wedge of crusty bread with butter, a small salad, a pickled onion and a sliced apple. It’s easy to prepare, healthy and incredibly filling. Best of all, it can be made with items the restaurant already stocks. Why they haven’t yet thought of it is mystifying.

Greenup Café

2008-04-20T17:10:00.003-04:00

Greenup Cafe

308 Greenup Street

Covington, KY

859-261-3663

http://jeanrobertgroup.com/greenup

It had been a while since we'd gone to Greenup Café for Sunday brunch and when the day dawned sunny and crisp we thought it'd be the perfect morning to visit with my father-in-law, who is currently visiting from England.

A few things have changed since my last review, including their opening time for brunch. Whereas they used to begin serving brunch at 10 a.m. now they begin an hour earlier. We weren't aware of the time change and arrived just prior to ten, worrying that we'd left it too long to get a table. Luckily we only had wait about ten minutes before a table was ready. There isn't a designated waiting area at the restaurant, so those waiting usually have to stand around in the carry-out area being jostled around while servers weave in and out of the adjacent kitchen.

The restaurant was short staffed today but our server remained attentive, friendly and completely unflappable, all qualities of a true professional. The kitchen also seemed to be struggling today, as meals were slow to arrive, and the usually awesome roasted potatoes were underdone to the point of still being crunchy in the centers. Because we'd waited so long for our food to arrive we were loathe to send back anything, opting to simply leave the potatoes untouched on the plate.

My husband and father-in-law both chose the Greenup Omelette, which they agreed was tasty although my husband admitted it was not the light and fluffy divine creation he'd come to know and expect from previous visits. The omelette that arrived today was, for want of a better word, lumpy. It tasted better than it looked, but that isn't saying much. It was stuffed with mushroom, tomato, gruyere cheese, asparagus and topped with creme fraiche, so perhaps they can be forgiven a little for the lumpiness.

I ordered the croissant with avocado, brie, red onion and tomato, which comes with the aformentioned potatoes and a small side salad. Aside from the potatoes the rest of the meal was heavenly; the soft, chewy croissant coupled with creamy avocado and brie and the crunch of red onion is a perfect combination. I've tried nearly every vegetarian item on Greenup's brunch menu, and I always return to the croissant sandwich because there's an explosion of flavor in every bite.

In anticipation of my father-in-law's visit we had purchased several discount gift vouchers for Greenup from the Greater Cincinnati Independents and used one today. The $25 gift voucher covered everything but the tip - what a great deal! Hopefully the restaurant isn't becoming a victim of its own success and that today's experience isn't indicative of the direction Greenup is headed. We still have a couple of vouchers left to use.

The Great Sunflower Project

2008-04-17T13:04:00.004-04:00

Val over at Cincinnati Locavore has written about a really interesting study called The Great Sunflower Project.

All over North America during the summer of 2008, participants will be monitoring honeybee activity on wild sunflowers that they have planted in their gardens. The group conducting the research sends out the wild sunflower seeds (it has to be a specific type of sunflower for the study) for participants to plant, then at certain times during the summer participants will watch the sunflower to log the amount of time it takes for five bees to visit. Participants send their data to the Great Sunflower Project, where the data is tallied to see where bee activity is health and where it is not.

I know that the media has only jumped on the colony collapse disorder bandwagon in recent years, but my father - who farmed his whole life - voiced his concern about disappearing bees from the mid-1980's until his death in 1999. His worry and concern passed to me, and I've tried to make sure that there are plenty of pesticide-free, bee-friendly flowers and plants in my garden.

Observations I made during the summer of 2007 escalated my concern about the welfare of the honeybee. I saw plenty of bees visiting my garden, but I began to notice that some of them seemed sluggish, as if they'd been drugged or on an all-night bender. Some acted as though they were in pain, rubbing their little legs around their heads and eyes. Still others landed on flowers and then simply forgot how to fly away again, as if paralyzed. I'd see them late in the evening - long after they should have gone back to the hive - sitting on a petal or hanging on a stem, and they'd still be there the next morning, covered in dew.

I know my neighbors already think I'm nuts for squatting on the sidewalk near a bed of clover giving pep talks to the little guys, and for cheering them on as they buzzed around the bee balm, foxglove and campanula in my garden, so it will come as no surprise that I've signed up to participate in the Great Sunflower Project. I can hardly wait to tell the bees about it!