What I Ate This Week

Memorial Day weekend!  A time for beers and sausages on the deck, and for gearing up for summer.  Is there anything better?

Andy’s Mediterranean Grill (E. Walnut Hills)

On Friday night, we had a mind to have one more restaurant patio experience—it seems as though May has been Eat on the Patio Month and I enjoy that happily!  It was time for a long-belated trip to Andy’s.

Andy’s sits on Nassau St. more or less above and behind Eden Park.  It’s hard to know exactly what neighborhood it’s in, but we’ll call it East Walnut Hills because it’s at least close to there.  It’s also steps from Gilbert Ave. which means you could be downtown in about 3 minutes.  Anyway, Andy’s has been providing consistent Mediterranean to the neighborhood and city for years.  I’ve enjoyed their food at charity events and festivals forever, but for some reason I had never made it to the restaurant.

But with an uber-cute and cozy patio, it’s really hard to not get comfortable quickly.  Andy’s is run, and gregariously so, by Big Andy.  You won’t need my help to find him—he’s the only huge, body-building-type Lebanese man you’re likely to come across at Andy’s… or anywhere else, for that matter.  He greeted us heartily and while we waited for our table on the patio, he chatted us up.  I’ve got to say this:  I’m lucky enough to dine in a variety of places in our fair city, and many of them are really good.  But I can’t off-hand think of a place that feels as neighborhood-y as Andy’s.  Everyone seems to know each other, but perhaps even more impressively, as visitors we felt right at home.  I mean it… everyone from patrons to employees chatted with us and each other.  It’s the kind of thing that makes you feel INSTANTLY comfortable.

But what about the food?  It was solid, workman-like Lebanese & Turkish food.  We had the Giant Combo, or something titled similarly.  Six skewers of meat with a veritable piles of rice pilaf.  At best, you had the lamb which was flavorful, perfectly seared and juicy.  The steak was also nicely done and blessedly not overcooked (which isn’t always the case with kabobs).  The chicken, however, was cooked within an inch of another death.  It was dry almost to the point of being inedible.  The marinade was good, but you can’t cover up something that wicks away so much moisture from your mouth!

So go to Andy’s.  Socialize, get a drink at the bar, say hi to Andy, and enjoy some lamb on the patio.  This is the kind of summer evening you can get behind!

P.S.:  La Mexicana:  Newport’s Mexican Institution

For lunch this week, in honor of a co-worker’s birthday request, we made it down to La Mexicana on Monmouth St. in Newport.  Is it possible that I haven’t written about this place in the last 2 years?  La Mexicana, alongside the original Taqueria Mercado in Fairfield (which I know I’ve written about before), represent the best and most authentic Mexican food in the tri-state that I’ve had the pleasure of eating.

It’s been a few years since I’ve been, and there were two things that surprised me a bit.  First, unlike last time, we weren’t the only people there who weren’t hispanic.  In fact, other than the employees, no one was hispanic!  Not an issue, obviously, but last time I was here a couple of years ago, I was clearly the out-of-place one.  It seems the appeal might have broadened!  And the other surprise is that the business is up for sale.  Makes me sad because it’s a real bastion of real and comfortable Mexican food in the neighborhood.  I hope someone buys it with the intent keeping the tradition alive!

They were out of chorizo on this day, so I enjoyed two tacos al pastor (my favorite, as some of you know!) and a barbacoa.  They were simply excellent.  In contrast to the taco truck pastor and that of the “new” Taqueria Mercado downtown, the flavors gelled very, very well together.  Comfortable, tasty, and bright with the lime, cilantro, and onions.  Oh yes, this is where you want to get your tacos, folks. Go get ‘em while you can!

Happy Memorial Day, everyone!

I don’t know why we do it, but a couple hundred thousand of us huddled ourselves together in the heat to have bites of not-as-good-as-the-restaurant versions of dishes from our favorite places (and a few that no one knows if they’re “real” restaurants to begin with!). Here, a couple of really good choices if you’re keen to brave the crowds! (Vegetable Thai Spicy from Bangkok Bistro in East Hyde Park, and the Zinzinnati Sausage Sampler from Mecklenberg Gardens in Clifton, Taste of Cincinnati, downtown). PLUS one bonus sign of the apocolypse: sushi tent for walking around in 90-degree heat with tons of people. Sushi has jumped the shark!

Another hit @ Wicked ‘Wich- a beef BBQ sandwich with cheddar, slaw, and a hit of walnuts and sweetness. Have I mentioned I love this place?! (beef BBQ sandwich with also-awesome curried egg salad, Wicked ‘Wich, downtown)

You know, a lot of my friends ask me why I even take the time to maintain this little website.  I don’t advertise it, I’m not looking for tickets to special events or special treatment (the opposite, actually), and the site isn’t strictly categorizable as a “Cincinnati food blog” (since I only write about Cincinnati food when I’m here!).  But yet I’ve kept faithful for 82 weeks.  Why?

Well, first I tell people that it doesn’t take as much time as most people think it does—I eat at the places I’d want to eat anyway, and I very rarely spend more than 30 minutes a week typing and uploading photos—not a bad time commitment for a hobby that keeps one happy.

Then, I’d tell people that it’s an endeavor that “keeps me busy” and gives me a productive outlet for writing.  Perhaps even someday it will serve as some kind of perverse “diary” where I can look at this little slice of my life through the amazing experiences I’ve had at the dinner table with friends and loved ones.

But then… that’s only part of the story.  What makes me happiest, if I’m really honest with myself, are those experiences that are made sublime by virtue of the generosity and love of others—a place and an experience driven by love:  their love of food, of family, and of their craft.  Friends, this is adequate a description as I can derive for what we experienced today.

forkheartknife:  doing it their way

forkheartknife is a tiny little restaurant (they actually just call it a “kitchen”) on the 1400 block of Main St. in Over the Rhine, in the general vicinity of the neighborhood now called the Gateway Quarter.  The neighborhood sits alongside Northside as one of Cincinnati’s true great neighborhoods—places where neighbors have pride of place, stand up for each other, leverage grassroots publicity, and create some of the most excellent small businesses that a community could ever support.

I won’t tell the forkheartknife story—they do a simple and lovely job of that themselves here.  It will help this story immediately if you start by clicking through to theirs first.  So… go do that.  I’ll wait.

In any case, the story surely is a lovely one, but what would it matter if the experience is anything short of excellent?  So… one must try it, right?

Four butcher-block-topped tables and 4 folding chairs on the sidewalk are pretty much the only ways to dine here in the minimalist yet very comfortable space.  Luckily, one of these tables was open.  The menu is published ahead of time, mostly to help people plan if and when they can go.  They are open sporadically—this week it was Thursday dinner and Sunday brunch.  So, like many new dining establishments (and a few stalwarts) in town, they publish their “open days” and the menu on twitter.  Here, specifically.  But they’ve also got it up on a butcher paper roll.

The menu, consistent with the philosophy of the place, is “what they want to make” and “what they think will taste good.”  The other part of the “story” we share is my time at Midwest Culinary.  It sure seems like a good proving ground—but if anything, it does sometimes run the risk of teaching excellent technique, but at the expense of creativity.  Yet the menu shows that Sierra and Leah have done a nice job to take the technique but not the limitations of “traditional cooking.”  Sarah and I ordered two stratas (one mushroom, one chorizo), a cup of fruit soup, and some of the hash.  And we waited, and smelled the amazing food coming out for other tables.  I don’t know why, but it seems I’m always hungriest at brunch time.  Why is that, people?

The soup was first up—and to be specific, it’s Thai fruit soup, with pineapple and mango and a couple of blackberries on top.  Folks, this was a vision.  A near-perfect start to a brunch because it’s light, acidic, and very flavorful.  They’ve done a nice job balancing the flavors to have a well-rounded overall taste while still having the strong texture and flavor of the individual pieces of fruit.  It was an appetizer in the true sense, as it piqued my senses and got me ready for the meal.  We enjoyed it, remarking on the taste as well as our overall love for the aesthetics of the place.

The strata and hash came out, and all the talking stopped.  Folks, if you’ve spent any time reading this site you’ll know that I have not hesitated to write very honest reviews of what I’ve eaten including no shortage of small issues, big issues, and catastrophes.  But on this day, it just wasn’t the case.  The meal was as near to perfect a brunch as I’ve probably ever had.

The chorizo and piquillo strata was just plain excellent.  My traditional issues with strata are that it ends up either being and tasting too eggy, or too dried out.  This was a phenomenonally balanced casserole.  The egg was clearly there, but it had a consistency much more like a firm custard and a flavor which spoke as much to the cheese, sausage, and piquillo peppers as to the eggs.  The strata had a cheesiness to it that was both more pronounced and bolder than I’m used to—it almost reminded me of a good lasagna flavor.  Maybe mozzarella or ricotta?  Either way, excellent.

For what it’s worth, the mushroom & sauteed pepper strata was surprisingly different, though no less amazing.  The mushrooms gave an earthy balance, it felt and tasted lighter, and seemed to be topped with some nicely browned leeks or green onions.  Where I couldn’t even finish my strata, Sarah was able to polish off her mushroom one, partly I’m sure because it was so light!

And the hash was also very nice.  The beet and potato combination is one I usually associate with winter, but you can’t argue with great flavor.  If I had any complaint at all—and this is a minor one—the dish probably could have used just a little more seasoning.  (The salt at the table was enough to brighten it considerably.)  That, and I’m not sure if the potatoes and beets were cooked long enough together—the flavors were more separate than I’d have suggested, but when you put them in your mouth together, life was good again.    It was topped with a nice creamed goat cheese.  It actually didn’t taste like the “usual” goat cheese I’m used to—it was milder and somehow creamer.  I wondered if maybe they put a little more effort (and cream!) into it.  Either way, a nice companion.

So yes, this place is a labor of love.  I found the food to be remarkably consistent and consistently excellent—this is not a usual case for a place that’s open 1-2 days a week and does the occasional catering job.  They’re seriously ready for prime time and with a little bit of marketing work, could find themselves a huge and loyal following.  I’m not sure it’s in their plan, though, since they seem to be doing just fine with having a full dining room on the occasion they decide to be open—so why rush/change it?  If you could have a great job on exactly the days and times you wanted, and only then… would you change a thing?

Anyway, please go when you get the chance.  Support these lovely ladies who know what they’re doing.  Let me know what you think of dinner, since I haven’t gotten there yet.  Just save me a seat, would you?

Dojo “really awesome” Gelato

Since we were downtown, a quick stop at Findlay Market was in order.  After loading our bag with fresh meats and seafoods (oh how I love Findlay Market), we made a stop at Dojo Gelato on our way out.  Since Liz has seemed to be following my recommendations lately (Wicked ‘Wich, Taqueria Mercado, food trucks good and ill… oh, OK, some of these she may have gone to first, I don’t know), I thought I’d try out her favorite gelato in the world.  And it was really good!

We had a scoop of pomegranate and a scoop of dutch chocolate.  Both really excellent.  We thought that, unlike most gelatos, Dojo really didn’t have the ascerbic/chemical taste that sometimes can be a part of the gelato process.  It was bright and vibrant, and very creamy.  I mean, it’s hard to go wrong with a good homemade ice cream product, but this is one of the best.  Open pretty much every day at Findlay Market.  Go!

After 17 miles of biking along the river, is there anything better than a scoop of ice cream? Isn’t it even better when it’s made with real bananas and vanilla wafers? Yes, yes it is. (a scoop- yes, a “single scoop”- at Miranda’s, just off the bike trail in Morrow, OH)