What I Ate This Week

Ladies and gentlemen, are you getting your fair share of music?  This weekend is Midpoint Music Festival here in Cincinnati, which is the region’s most tremendous musical event.  There’s still time… tonight’s the last night!  Lots of good stuff, check out www.mpmf.com.

In preparation for heading down there last night, we wanted to have something tasty but easy.  What came to mind is a place I’ve meant to visit for some time, the Green Dog Cafe, on Columbia Parkway in the Tusculum/Mt. Lookout area.

Good dog.

Green Dog Cafe is run by the same folks who run the Brown Dog Cafe and Tinks, two other restaurants of repute around Cincinnati.  This team has always been putting out high quality, thoughtful food, even if they haven’t always chosen the most sumptuous surroundings!

The Green Dog is really quite an accomplishment– it’s an exceptionally green place (LEED-certified, I believe) and finds a way to construct a menu that is both open for vegans and meat-eaters, as well as delicious and interesting!  The way the place is constructed, you walk up to the registers and place your orders, right in front of the open kitchen.  It’s got a cafeteria feel to it, and it’s worth reminding yourself that there is really good food of the highest quality ingredients being prepared as the cashier takes your order.  The philosophy here is that the sourcing and ingredients are nearly of fine dining quality, but the atmosphere and service are cafeteria-like.  The owners ask your understanding and indicate that they are trying to keep your costs down.  I respect and understand it, but this does add a bit of a strange feel to the place.  Thankfully, the big windows keep the place bright and cheerful.

still working on the camera, but appreciate those fries!

We started with french fries, and they were tremendous.  They remind me a bit of fair fries, for folks who have had them.  Sizable, very potatoey (yes it’s a word), and golden brown.  These things come from real tubers!  They are served with two really nice condiments, a yellow curry sauce as well as a banana ketchup.  Both nice and interesting (I love this sort of thing) but I found them too sweet on balance– something more savory would have been appreciated!

Coconut curry

For my main, I had a chicken curry bowl.  One gets a little nervous when they see only a single curry on the menu, but the description was tantalizing and I was willing to go with something spicy.  Overall, the dish was OK.  The high points were the chicken– clearly high quality and appropriately cooked, and the level of heat in the dish– just right.  I found the sauce to have a nice note of coconut (not overdone) and it had a stick-to-your-ribs quality that autumn dishes are known for, but I did find the sauce a bit gloppy and didn’t find the flavors nearly as bright as I had wished for.  The promised cilantro may not have made an appearance.

Sarah got the turkey burger, which was seasoned very nicely but I thought a touch overcooked and try, with a bun that was sturdy and flavorful but again in my opinion a little over-toasted.  It was acceptable, interesting, and earnest, but just a little bit off of exceptional.  It’s a good metaphor for the place.

I will absolutely be back– not just because it’s convenient to my house, but because the menu is diverse and interesting, and I love the local sourcing aspect.  I think I may need to try a vegetarian dish or one that’s a little simpler to see what I can get to come through.  If you go, let me know what you think– but find a way to support this place.  Green and local are two adjectives we can ALWAYS use more of in Cincinnati!

P.S., to the folks at Nicholson’s:  I think the Dilly Deli might be Cincinnati’s first and finest gastropub.  They’re just too classy to use the marketing term.

This week was another Restaurant Week here in Cincinnati.  It seems that we have two different competing consortia of restaurants here that have competing Restaurant Weeks a few weeks apart– the earlier in the year (but apparently later to be developed) is a Downtown Restaurant Week I reported on a few weeks ago.  This past week was the Greater Cincinnati Original Restaurant Week.  Fine by me, I say.  Another chance to enjoy great food at a great price.

Mariemont's best all-around eatery

I really enjoy the Dilly Deli.  It’s everything that’s great about Mariemont, and a bit of what people hate about it too.  It’s sophisticated, smart, well-stocked, friendly, and casual.  To some, it’s also a bit pretentious, high-minded, and elitist.  To me, I see excellence– a place that isn’t shooting for Michelin stars or Polly Campbell mentions (not that there’s anything wrong with either!), but at the same time isn’t content to simply idle away as a predictible neighborhood diner.  It’s a place with aspirations, but mostly of the “pleasing the locals” sort.  I always enjoy my meals there, even if I haven’t remembered to go as often I should.

For Restaurant Week, the place served up a “more inventive than usual” three course mix-and-match menu, and two of the courses (the ones reviewed here) were outstanding.  (They also served a middling “Spiced Carrot Ginger Orange Soup” that tried to be too many things and ended up more like a creamy carrot soup without much body.)

The first course was “Jerk Braised Pork Trotters,” with Black Mission Fig Grand Marnier Jam.  Sublime.  Trotters, fancy culinary term for pig feet, represent some of the tenderest meat on the pig, even though they elicit screams of “gross” from most.  These were trotter bits, shaped into disc-shaped patties and crusted up.  There wasn’t much jerk flavor, but actually that allowed the delicious and tender meat to come through beautifully.  The fig jam was too sweet on its own, but ultimately a rewarding balance versus the pig and made for a very nice yin-and-yang of flavor.

The main was “Red Wine Braised Beef Cheeks” with potatoes and carrots.  These were similarly nicely done.  Beef Cheeks are a bit too tender for some, bordering on the “slimy texture” that most folks (including me) don’t like.  I’ll admit the texture wasn’t perfectly to my liking, but the flavor of these was excellent, and alongside some nicely “gratin” potatoes the texture wasn’t so noticable.  Overall, it made for a very delicate dish and one which thankfully wasn’t as overwhelming as it could be.  All things told, it was a very successful dinner, and a steal at $26.09!

P.S.– While I took photos of both dishes, once again– thanks, iPhone– my photos appear right side up both in my iPhone and in my computer photo program (Picasa).  However, they consistently show up upside down or sideways in WordPress (which I use to blog).  As a result, it’s impossible for me to tell ahead of time what the photos will look like, and I refuse to take four photos of every dish just to capture the “perfect angle”!  I’m learning that there are a good number (though far short of an ego-enriching number!) of folks who read the site and don’t post comments.  All well and good (I’m a lurker most places, too) but if anyone has any idea for how I either should be orienting my iPhone camera consistently, or how I can guarantee right-side-up photos in WordPress, I’d be well-humbled and appreciative.  Otherwise, I may need to seek other blogging tools to keep this thing going and keep myself sane!

Well, well.  That’s one for the books.  What a weekend– so good I forgot to write about it until a day later than normal!

We were in Chicago for entirely non-culinary reasons.  We went to see what, for my money, is the only legitimate “legendary” performer I love than can put on a show in the manner that they did– the first night of the U2 concert in Chicago.  This isn’t a music blog, nor is it Flickr, so I’ll suffice it with one shot that sums it up (or confuses the issue):

Finding what I'm looking for

But of course, when one visits the Windy City, one must eat, no?  Even if I had almost no time– we were in town for about 24 hours, but that’s enough time for two legendary meals (and one forgettable one):

Lunch at Xoco– Mexican Street Food Done Right!

Hmm. OK. "Mexican so good it'll make you flip?"

OK, so everyone’s in on the secret of Rick Bayless.  I’ve been going to his Frontera Grill since before there were supermarket salsas, let alone a Top Chef: Masters victory.  But the success hasn’t gone to his head– he still serves amazing, upscale, and authentic foods that would make the folks at Nada (Cincinnati) realize what kind of sham operation they are running!  Well, on what has become his own personal little stretch of Clark just north of the Chicago River, he’s opened a third eatery, named Xoco.  Unlike Frontera Grill (amazing semi-casual, totally-authentic regional Mexican) and Topolobampo (the only fine-dining Mexican restaurant you’ll ever need), he’s opened Xoco.  It’s an ode to Mexican street food in a casual order-at-the-counter setting.  The place is visually unassuming, looking like a city version of any Texas cafeteria restaurant.

Mmmm, flavored water

But it’s hard to photograph the smell.  And my God, what a smell.  Breads, meats, and chilies.  You get drawn in compulsively, left foot after right.  And all of a sudden you’re in a line that will take you an hour to get your food but you’ll spend so long looking at the menu that you will change your mind five times before you finally, gloriously get to the front and are handed your “ticket” (meaning that the hostess has spotted empty seats in the tiny dining room).

Oh, right.  But the food.  How’s the food?  OK, well, I wish I could hedge and sound haughty and smart about, but it’s just completely damn good.  Comfort food, street style.  If it’s authentic, it almost doesn’t matter where it comes from– Chicago, Philadelphia, Brooklyn, Austin, San Francisco.  All great street food centers.  But here Mexico comes front and center in three lenses:  salads, soups, and sandwiches (tortas), the latter of which are either cooked in a wood-burning oven or on the griddle.  So, what’s a boy and his girl to do?  One of each type, and just dive in.

Oh cilantro. What earthly flavor cannot you improve?

Chips and guacamole started the meal, and the guac is from Frontera– I’m guessing I’ve never reviewed it, but my first time with Frontera guac was so inspirational, I bought the cookbook just for the recipe.  And folks, it’s simple.  But the bold flavors of lime and cilantro brighten not just your meal, but your day!  The chips came out pretty much right away, a welcome reprieve after a long slow wait that amounted to the ultimate tastebud tease.  As for the meal?  It came about 10 minutes later.

Upon what street can I find this food in Mexico? And how do I get there?

I’ll start by saying that I didn’t try the salad.  I probably should have– I am due for some damn vegetables, after all– but I passed.  Sarah tells me it was solid– hers was the pork carnitas salad, and if my torta was any indication, the meat had to be the best part of it.  My sandwich (The Ahodaga) came out just perfectly– nicely crisp fresh bread from the woodburning oven, cradling hunks of moist and nicely seasoned carnitas, a schmear of black beans, a slight bit of zesty arbol chile sauce and pickled onion, all sitting cut end down in a 1/8″ thick layer of surprisingly delicious tomato broth.  Whoa, baby, this is bold food.  And if someone served this to me on the street, I’d gladly pay more than the $9.50 Chef Bayless charges.

Caldo

And the soup?  What a delicious surprise.  We got the Shortrib Red Chile Soup, listed simply on the menu:  “Braised Tallgrass shortribs, red chile broth, roasted vegetables, epazote, wild arugula, lime.”  This was one serious Caldo, rich, hearty, and filling.  It was tremendous, but I could only imagine the way it could warm me up on a cold February Chicago day.  I will say this:  these soups will become famous.  Lovely tender meat and soup that’s more than broth with vegetables.  This had all-day-simmering flavor.
Of course, even though the menu isn’t huge there are surprises.  While I chose beer for my drink, two other choices equally intrigued.  Xoco serves agua frescas– traditional Mexican flavored waters, way older and much more subtle and less sugary than what you’ll find from Vitamin Waters and all those guys.  Sarah’s limonada water was just like I had in Oaxaca last year, tart but not overwhelming, and completely refreshing.  They also have an entire selection of Mexican hot chocolate drinks.  Having been to Oaxaca last year, I saw the home of this artform and became addicted.  Next time, I come for breakfast or lunch and get some hot chocolate.  Yo!  Anyway, the experience was excellent despite an admittedly long wait– the sign on the door indicated they were no longer taking names for breakfast since the wait time for being served was now longer than the length of time (4 hours) they were serving breakfast!  So it’s popular– I think it is only about a week old– but despite the hype this is seriously excellent and comforting food.  I wondered how they got their act together so fast.  Then I looked up and saw a blur:

The fuzziness and finger on the lens are my problems. Chef looked stunning.

Yes, Rick Bayless himself headed to work the line for the evening.  No joke!  And yes, that’s really him.  Trust me.  He was just moving so fast, this is the best shot I got.

So if you’ve got time, go get this now.  This place doesn’t need a break-in period.  If you want something a little more convenient, wait a few months as I suspect his regulars will gravitate back to Topolobampo or Frontera after folks forget about that Top Chef thing.  Chef Bayless has been my top chef for a long time, and the popularity won’t keep me away!

Superdawg:  Chicago’s Best Dogs?  (Don’t Throw Anything At Me!)

Top rank of frank

I love Superdawg.  This blog is the only reason I know it’s been over a week since I’ve been there because somehow I haven’t written about it yet.  I won’t waste much space waxing poetic here– it’s the Chicago hot dog.  If you don’t know it, Wikipedia it, you’ll learn all about dragging some beef “through the garden.”  It’s a much practiced sport in Chicago– the debating of the Chicago dogs, “who has the best?”  It’s a fruitless argument for me because, truth be told, I’ve never had a truly bad Chicago dog in Chicago.  It’s all relative, I know, and I do have a favorite.  It’s right here, away from the tourist scene at the corner of Nagle and Milwaukee.  An eclectic mix of foodie foreigners and locals wander down to the drive in, kitchily-themed as a 50′s style carhop.

Lunch box(es)

Don’t let them fool you, this place hasn’t been around forever.  They just take great pride in what they do and turn out a quality product.  You can go to Hot Doug’s if you want a bison sausage or something off the wall (it’s good!).  But come to Superdawg for your Chicago dog.  You won’t be disappointed.  What makes it great?  The same thing that makes all great Chicago dogs great.  The bite of the natural casing, the pillowy softness of that steamed bun, the explosion of heat if your bite has a sport pepper (or the mild flavors of onion and celery salt if it doesn’t), and the extraordinary collusion of flavors that literally cannot be mistaken for anything else.  Nice work, guys.

The dog is hiding in its delicious house

Superdawg, by the way, also makes a really tremendous better-than-fast-food style cheeseburger (called the “Supercheesie”).  Find some room in your stomach for one.  It’s like comparing apples and oranges (if both were really bad for you).  But oh so good.

Super. Cheesy.

So yeah, I only had time for two great meals in Chicago, but I scored.  I think I’ve written about some other places on other visits, but do yourself a favor and make it to a Bayless joint and a hot dog stand next time you’re in town.  If you do, and you see me in line, just let me cut, OK?  This waiting is killing me!

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P.S.  It’s restaurant week in Cincinnati!  Check it out.  Just had an amazing meal at the Dilly Deli, their R. Week menu is really nice.  You may just be reading about it in a week.  SUPPORT LOCAL RESTAURANTS!

Well, folks, it’s football season, and that means it’s time for me to make a few trips up I-75 to my alma mater.  I-75 is no laughing matter, except that sometimes the shit people pull is actually laughable (assuming you don’t get injured or killed in the process).

It looks even scarier right side up

Anyway, once in Detroit I knew where I wanted to eat this time.  There’s some kind of strange renaissance of popularity happening in Detroit for pizza.  I think we can “thank” Alan Richman for this, who recently posted his absolutely strange list of 25 best pizzas as a part of a food issue of GQ.  Oddly, 3 of that top 25- more than 10%!– are from Detroit!  And the number one pepperoni pizza pie in the country is supposedly at a place called Tomatoes Apizza, which I’m a little ashamed to say I’ve never visited.  Until Friday.

Pizza Haven

Tucked away in a REALLY quiet area is a strip mall with virtually nothing, save Tomatoes Apizza.  (I visited the 14 Mile & Middlebelt location.  They have two locations, both in Farmington Hills.  The original just up the road has a brick oven, whereas this location has a coal oven.)

I knew we were in for something good when I saw folks ordering at the front, stepping gingerly around hundreds of pounds of coal bags.

This coal isn't clean, but it IS tasty

Not tons of choices here, but there are four styles of pizza, each of which can be tried in the “Sampler”:

No sense of scale here, but this thing is HUGE and the two of us ate it all (well, mostly me)

Six types of pie– “cheese” (red sauce, mozzarella, and toppings– pepperoni in this case), “red” (red sauce and parmesan), “white” (mozzarella, tomatoes, garlic, and basil), “green” (mozzarella, spinach, and garlic), crab, and “fresh mozzarella” (red sauce, buffalo mozzarella, and basil).  The sampler includes a cheese (plus one topping), red, white, and green.  Oh, and friends, this thing is the real deal.  So damn good!  I’ll admit that the white pie isn’t as much for me given the huge slices of tomatoes (although I’ll admit it was a lot better than I thought it would be), but all four types exceeded my expectations.  But the two most amazing slices had to be the “fresh mozzarella,” which tasted exquisitely of their red sauce and fresh basil, and this piece of perfection:

Heaven. Holy Cow.

In both cases, I’ll say this– this is a pizza worth the drive.  Absolutely the best “New York” style pizza (even if not advertised as such) I’ve had outside of Manhattan or Brooklyn.  The crust, lightly dusted in cornmeal, was thin but cooked enough so as not to be too soggy.  One could fold it, or not.  It tasted–in the best possible way– of charcoal, and held its own with a naturally bold tomato sauce that tasted… of tomatoes.  The cheese (especially on the “fresh mozzarella” slices) was bold and did not taste of over-processing.  And the pepperoni was delicious… a real cured meat, folks.  Tremendous.  I will be back.  The big choice will be whether to return to that site or instead to head over to the brick oven location.  Decisions, decisions!

Zingerman’s Celebrates Bacon, and I Join In (This One’s For Kyle)

OK, so the pizza was the “main event” for the week.  But I must mention something– Zingerman’s (my all-too-often-spoken-of deli love in Ann Arbor) is on a bacon kick.  Ari has just put out a tremendous book on the subject (Zingerman’s Guide to Better Bacon)– I’ve just started reading it and it is extremely interesting.  So much so that I stopped at the deli today on the way home to buy a pound to experiment with at home.  As a result, they’re doing lots of interesting bacon things– and I enjoyed a couple delicious slices of applewood bacon on my excellent burger on Saturday night.  But it’s how the meal ended that is of significance.  The few people who were interested in this place from Week 1 might remember the dish that started it all– Zingerman’s Doughnut Sundae.  Kyle and I loved it so much I decided I might want to write about food weekly, and so far (at least through 45 weeks!), I have.

As I prepared to pack it in after another long, amazing, and successful meal at the Roadhouse, the server came around to do the obligatory check on dessert.  Prepared, as usual to say “no,” Sarah asked if I wasn’t just a little bit interested in the doughnut sundae (she knows me!).  I was prepared to say no, but my server must have known what I was interested in too, because she told me that they were doing an off-the-menu special for bacon week– doughnut sundae with bacon.  My brain hurt from pondering the choice, so I went for it and was not disappointed.

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It was just right.  Homemade vanilla doughnut– excellent as ever– covered in homemade vanilla gelato, whipped cream, Virginia salted peanuts, and yes sprinkles of fresh-cooked salty bacon.  I’ll never look at dessert the same way again.  It was just… right.  It cut the sweet down considerably, but this thing was still unmistakably dessert.  The flavor impact was actually less about the salt, and a lot more about the smoke.  It was a smoky sundae, and it was irresistable.  Thanks, Zingerman’s.  There’s one off the bucket list!  (Folks, check out that bacon book.  I’ll be making some things in the next couple weeks because the recipes look so good!)

That’s it, gang.  Exciting weekend planned next weekend– headed to Chicago to see U2 and I’ve got a couple of fun food things planned if it all works out.  Cross your fingers!