Dayton Dining

Saying Goodbye to an Old Friend

February 14, 2013 By Dayton937 5 Comments

End of an Era: The Grub Steak

All good things must come to an end. In this week’s Food Adventure installment, our crew bids farewell to a Dayton institution, the Grub Steak. On Saturday, Feb 23rd the restaurant on Alex Rd in West Carrollton will serve its last meal. Started by Joe Bissett 50 years ago, steaks, seafood and ribs have been a hallmark of this classic supper club, whose original location was on North Main Street in Dayton. Food Adventures had to say goodbye to this old friend of the Miami Valley and visit the legendary menu one last time. In the 70’s we ate there as kids in our “toughskin” pants and wide collared shirts. In the 80’s we impressed high school dance dates with the Grub Steak’s elegant dinners. In the 90’s and beyond we visited the restaurant through its changes and moves to State Route 35 and West Carrollton. It is now down to the final plate. But before it ends, lets remember how it started.

Grub Steak founder, Joe Bissett in the 1980’s

MEMORIES ON MAIN STREET

In 1963 Joe Bissett opened up a small restaurant and bar at 1410 N. Main St. With his chef Ray, Joe soon invented a new way to eat ribs, called “Royal Ribs.” They are small slabs of boneless pork loin on wooden skewers. Originally, in the 1960’s The Grub Steak charged $1.50 for a complete Royal Rib Dinner. Soon they were the largest pork tenderloin user in Ohio. Of course, The Grub Steak was also known for steaks, which were hand cut by the kitchen staff. Various favorite steaks included the NY Strip, Prime Rib, Filet Mignon, T-Bone, The Hotel Steak (sirloin), and the huge Kansas City Sirloin. In the 80’s things were changing and the Royal Ribs Dinner now cost $4.95. The restaurant needed more seating so an addition was built onto the restaurant. The construction also included a courtyard and business was booming. Over the years, Joe Bissett became a local legend. He was an avid golfer, and manged the restaurant until his passing in 1994.

Former owner and Joe’s daughter, Dawn Bissett, sat down with The Big Ragu this week to reminisce about her experiences at this iconic restaurant. She recalls customers celebrating countless birthday parties, anniversaries and engagements inside the doors of the Grub Steak. Dawn started working at the coat check room, and eventually worked her way up through the ranks to managing the restaurant at North Main St. and on The Grub Steak II on State Route 35. She recalls the North Main Street bar constantly bustling with regulars and restaurant staff preparing drinks. Dawn explained, “My fondest memories are the wonderful customers and the many staff members I met over the decades.” She said loyal customers and lifetime employees became family to her. We were lucky enough that Dawn shared some of her private family Grub Steak photos with us for this Food Adventure article. Please browse the photo album below to see these true blasts from the past. In 1998, Fred and Sheila Fieberger took ownership of the Grub Steak, and eventually moved the restaurant south to West Carrollton in 2008.

The Creamy Peppercorn Dressing is homemade

GRUB STEAK LOCATION IN WEST CARROLLTON
For the past few years, Fred and Sheila have brought Grub Steak specialties to a whole new generation. From homemade bread, to the incredible salad dressings, they stayed true to the original menu. Today the Grub Steak is managed by Heather Wimberly, their daughter who has been dealing with huge crowds in the closing days of the restaurant. Heather and her wonderful staff took the time to host The Food Adventure Crew this week, and for that we are very appreciative. Make sure you get to the West Carrollton location by Sat Feb 23rd, for one last memorable dinner.

LAST CHANCE TO GET SOME GRUB – WHAT ARE YOU GONNA ORDER?

You have a few more days to get your last bite at the Grub Steak, and if you do we recommend these classic trademark dishes and sides. Looking for an appetizer? Go traditional with the cocktail shrimp, served chilled. Nothing beats these succulent bites in a classic setting. Also, realize that you are in a restaurant that makes their own salad dressings. In fact, they are so popular, they are for sale in pints. We recommend you get a salad with the creamy peppercorn dressing. It is simply fantastic, and our favorite. Big Ragu has loved this dressing since his childhood, and even more today. He has not tasted anything remotely close to this unchanged recipe. One of the highlights of our meal was the homemade dinner rolls served piping hot and with a side of butter that would make Paula Deen proud.

For an entree you can’t go wrong with any steak on the menu, but we would suggest the Hotel Steak & Royal Ribs Combo. The Hotel Steak has virtually no fat on it and we would suggest you get it butterflied. The flavor of the steak is amazing and will bring a smile to your face. The accompanying pork loin with four skewers was a familiar sight. These “royal ribs” were brushed in Grub Steak’s tangy, special barbecue sauce. The royal ribs were incredible and had us craving more.

The famous “Royal Ribs”

Grub Steak has some great side dishes like the golden fried hash browns. We would also recommend the stewed tomatoes as a traditional choice that is filling and sweet. And what about the corn fritters served with maple syrup? They are excellent! For dessert, fend for yourself because The Food Adventures Crew is about to go into a food coma!

FOOD ADVENTURE MEMORIES

Our childhood memories of The Grub Steak are mainly at the Main Street location which was also near the Upper Crust. The Big Ragu remembers the dimly lit dining room had a great steakhouse vibe to it. The place seemed to always be packed. We recall waiting at the bar with oour parents sipping a kiddie cocktail until a table was available. It was a fun experience as a child going to this fine dining restaurant, the staff made it seem like a big deal. The waitresses were from a past era when being a server was a long term career.

On any given night you could see local Dayton Celebrities such as WHIO TV’s Don Wayne, or none other than Emmet Royer from BHA. Unfortunately Toby the Dog was not with him. But still, The Grub Steak was the place to be.

The “Hotel Steak” – served butterflied as we ordered

Summed up, our memories include good food, reasonable prices, and with great service. It is tough to see The Grub Steak closing. We saw servers with tears in their eyes, showing appreciation to long time customers. It was an emotional night. When places like this disappear, we seem to be left with chains serving similar food. In Dayton’s tough economic times, unfortunately we are seeing see a lot of struggling mom and pop restaurants. The Miami Valley needs these establishments for their personality and tie to the community. Food Adventures exists to share our favorite locally owned restaurants with our fans. We seek not only to promote our Dayton favorites, but actually spend our dollars there. But enough of our soapbox.

Thank you to the Fieberger family for being such gracious hosts. We loved the food, but the dinner was bittersweet, as we know this the end of an era. And so it goes, with heavy hearts, we say to this classic local eatery.. “Goodbye Old Friend.”

SHARE YOUR MEMORIES OF THE GRUB STEAK BY LEAVING A COMMENT BELOW !

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*Please note the Grub Steak is for sale. Call the restaurant at (937) 276.4193 to discuss further*

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Heart Shaped Foods for Valentine’s Day

February 13, 2013 By Lisa Grigsby Leave a Comment

Want to show your sweetheart you care? Present them with their favorite food shaped as a heart! Pizza places have been doing this for a while and you can pick up one to bake yourself or have your affection delivered:

Papa Murphy’s Take ‘N Bake Pizza is offering its famous “The HeartBaker” for just $7.

5662 Springboro Pike, Springboro (937) 395-0408
4052 Wilmington Pike, Kettering (937) 299-7272
1195 N Fairfield Rd, Beavercreek (937) 427-7500

Cassano’s, The Pizza King, offers a large Pepperoni Heart shaped pizza delivered for $12.99.
With ove 20 area locations, there’s sure to be one near you. You can use their centralized
online ordering or call 037-294-KING to send your “heartfelt” pizza sentiments.

Pappa John’s is offering a large one topping heart shaped pizza for $15.

Moore Desserts Please in Oakwood is baking up Heart shaped red velvet brownies- call ahead to reserve. I’m betting every bakery in town has something special to offer, use our guide of over 40 local bakeries to find one near you.

Dunkin’ Donuts is again offeing their heart-shaped donuts. The Brownie Batter Donut is filled with chocolaty brownie batter filling, topped with chocolate icing and white sprinkles. The Cupid’s Choice Donut is a heart-shaped donut filled with Bavarian Kreme, topped with strawberry flavored icing and a festive mix of pink, white and red heart-shaped sprinkles. Both donuts will be available at participating Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants nationwide through the end of February.

I was surprised to find only one location when google searching. It’s at 777 Springboro Pike, just north of the Dayton Mal

If you’re willing to make your own food, there are dozens of sites offering suggestions from the simple like heart shaped muffins, heart shaped tortelini’s,hard boiled eggs and my favorite, heart shaped bacon! You can lose yourself on Pinterest
just checking out pictures of heart shaped treats and marveling at the cleverness of these artists. Many of them have step be step instructions for how to create hearts from anything. Check out this site that documents some of the the weirdest heart-shaped food.

Of course there are plenty of other ways to show someone you care on February 14th, check out this article with lots of local special events to share with your love.

50 Shades of Sweet Nothings

February 11, 2013 By Dayton Most Metro Leave a Comment

Chocolate Balsamic Cakes from Sweet Nothings

About six years ago I fell in love with the smells and taste of Indian cuisine and tentatively began cooking it on my own. This was my first foray into the kitchen and I enjoyed the adventure of tracking down items such as tamarind paste, kaffir lime leaves and whole cardamom pods. As word of my new hobby spread, people began giving me cook books as gifts. At the entreaty of my boyfriend (now my husband), I began to half-heartedly explore the world of desserts until the day I found a baking book with three beautiful miniature cakes on its cover, each dripping with pristine white glaze, sugared raspberries nestled on top. They looked perfect and beautiful, and looking back the appeal that I found in them makes perfect sense to anyone who knows me, as they all realized I was a *bit* of a perfectionist way before I did.

I had not realized that baking was a science and once I did I could not step away from my oven. I started poring over books about pastry theory and technique, and would look for excuses to bake. I initially started by adapting recipes until I got each recipe just so, just right. I am very particular about texture and I kept experimenting until I was satisfied, with all the iterations going into the office for someone else to eat. When I changed jobs one of my old coworkers told my husband, “tell Sarah we miss her.” Then they added, “and we really miss her cakes.”

Shortly thereafter I married my husband and we honeymooned in Hawaii. I created the toffee originally as an homage to that gorgeous state, as it is the only state that has the correct climate to grow vanilla (although it does not do so commercially); and sugar and macadamias are two of its largest exports. (Someday I will find a use for those heavenly pineapples too). The precision required for sugar work was even more intriguing than the cakes and cookies, although I love them all.

The most fun I have is creating unique products, confections with flair. I think that salt, as an ingredient, is woefully underrated and can successfully pique a flavor without seeming salty at all. I see no reason why truffles should be limited to chocolates and sandwich the ganache between cookies instead. I like bundt cakes that maintain perfect sliceability but fall apart in your mouth with a texture like velvet. My feeling is this: if one is going to indulge the experience should be so exquisite, the ingredients so good, that it eradicates later regret. It should be completely worth it. To that end all products are made from scratch, to order, with the best ingredients possible. I do not ever use corn syrup, I use no additives or preservatives; instead I have built a selection with ingredients such as sweet cream butter, real cream, honey, sea salt, whole vanilla beans, Penzey’s spices, and fresh nuts. One customer told me, “You do not realize how the cake is going to taste by looking at it. I put it in my mouth and could taste the purity of the ingredients.”

– Sarah Thieben, Sweet Nothings

50 Shades of Sweet Event

This Wednesday and Thursday (2/13, 2/14), Sweet Nothings will be presenting their second annual pop-up bakery event 50 Shades of Sweet hosted by Get Dressed! Boutique of Oakwood. Available Valentine’s Day packages include:

For the classic Valentine: an all white layer cake frosted with a delicate strawberry meringue buttercream and white chocolate roses. $30
For the adventurous Valentine: a Deep Chocolate Torte, nearly flourless, spiked with chocolate balsamic sauce, covered with white chocolate roses. $35
50 Shades Signature Almond Cream Cheese Sugar Cookie assortment (silver and grey color palette, nylon rope
enclosure) $18
“Vanilla Valentine” Signature Almond Cream Cheese Sugar Cookie assortment (elegant pale pinks and red hearts) $18
Platinum Brownies: half a dozen of the best brownies you’ve ever had. Seriously. Chewy, chocolatey, & topped with whipped buttercream and pink sea salt.
1lb gift box Milk Chocolate Macadamia Toffee. Our best seller dressed in its Valentine’s best. $21
Initiation Sampler pack: Two ounces each of all 9 flavors of Sea Salt Toffees, packaged in a gift box bound with a knotted enclosure. What you do with the rope is up to you. $30
Limited Edition Couples’ Pack: Two of Sweet Nothings signature Platinum Brownies with 2 medium and 2 miniature sugar cookies. $17

Fantôme Saison, A Ghostly Brew

February 8, 2013 By Max Spang Leave a Comment

Man, you remember when saisons weren’t made by tiny breweries from Vermont and made up a good chunk of everyone’s best of list? It’s like you had to go to Belgium to get a good saison, and this one from Fantôme was (and still is) one of the most highly rated examples of the style. I got this bottle all the way from Belgium via the glorious internet, cracked it open, and did what every good beer geek does; took diligent notes. This fella clocks in at 8% ABV.

Appearance

The beer is getting its sais on (get it?). It pours a lovely hazy straw color with a huge white head. The lacing was ghostly throughout the whole session. It just hung around and stared at me while I wasn’t looking at it, then would turn away as soon as I faced it like those ghosts in Super Mario World. Nerdy ghost references? I got’em. [Read more…] about Fantôme Saison, A Ghostly Brew

Sipping your Chocolate

February 8, 2013 By Brian Petro Leave a Comment

Valentine’s Day is a day of hearts, flowers, wines, romance, and boxes and boxes of chocolates. Chocolates are among the most popular gifts to give on Valentine’s Day, making local favorites like Esther Price, Winans and Signature Confections very happy. We like our chocolates as truffles, bars, bons bons, dips, and any number of creative ways. The people that discovered chocolate, the early Mayans and Aztecs, would be completely baffled by how we use chocolate. Xocolatl, or “bitter water” in Nahuatl (Aztec), was fermented and drank, usually by the upper classes. They would also thicken up the drink on occasion with corn and chilies, turning it into porridge. The Spanish were the first to add milk and sugar to it to sweeten it and turn it into the chocolate that we know and love. They were still drinking it until the 17^th century, when the chocolate candy craze hit Paris. For a thousand years, chocolate was a beverage. And in this modern era of craft beers, flavored spirits, and experimentation, you can make it a drink for your Valentine’s Day celebration.

WINE

Pairing wine and chocolate is something that people have built whole festivals around. Godiva has even wisely added a page to their website to help you start off, and give you tips on what to look for when you pair it yourself. Putting the two together into one drink is something that is fairly new to the drinking scene. ChocoVine came out of the gate strong in 2009 with high ratings, and it has maintained them since. The people I know that have tried it have had nothing but good things to say about this blend of red wine (they use Cabernet grapes) and Dutch chocolate. In the same category is ChocolatRouge, another blend of chocolate and red wine, this time using California red wines. These are fairly inexpensive bottles, and their richness great to use as a dessert or treat. Their websites also suggest you can use them in cocktails.

BEER

The craft beer movement has encouraged experimentation with a full range of flavors, from savory to sweet, fruity to earthy. The chocolate end of the spectrum is full with delicious porters and stouts, using the already deep flavor of a well-roasted malt to enhance the chocolate added to the brew. The first one, and still one of the better ones, is Young’s Double Chocolate Stout. Southern Tier makes and utterly delightful stout, Choklat, that is a must taste for the chocolate lover. Stouts are a great winter warmer, which has the Brooklyn Brewing company bringing out their Black Chocolate Stout at this time of year. One of the richer chocolate beers is Samuel Smith’s Organic Chocolate Stout, which has a very strong and smooth chocolate taste. In 2001 Rouge Ales released their Chocolate Stout around Valentine’s Day and have not looked back. They followed up this award winning beer with a Double Chocolate Stout, which ramped up the chocolate flavor to satisfy the sweetest tooth. This is a very small sampling of some amazing chocolate beers in the area.

LIQUOR

For a very long time, if you wanted to add chocolate to a cocktail, you were reaching for the crème de cacao. It comes in two varieties, white and dark, and is base liquor infused with chocolate, sometimes a hint of vanilla. It is not something that is the star of the show in a cocktail, more of a supporting actor to the other flavor that is going on. It was not until the explosion of the craft cocktail movement that the options for how to add that chocolate flavor grew.

Godiva Chocolate Liqueur is the most popular of the new wave of chocolate liqueurs. Creamy and thick, it is more reminiscent of Irish cream and holds a great deal of flavor. It comes in White Chocolate and Original Chocolate, depending on what you are in the mood for. One (very appropriate) cocktail you can make with the liqueur:

Aphrodisiac

2 oz. vodka (chocolate, if you prefer)
1 oz. espresso
1 oz. Godiva Chocolate Liqueur
1 oz. coffee liqueur

Chill a martini glass. Pour all of the ingredients into a mixing glass with ice, and shake it until it is foamy. Strain the ingredients into the chilled cocktail glass. You can add chocolate syrup inside of the glass as a decorative element, or rim the glass with cocoa powder.

While you are looking for good chocolate liquor to use, you may want to take a look in the vodka aisle. Since Absolut kicked off the flavored vodka party in 1986, there has been an explosion of flavored vodka. That explosion had not fully made it to chocolate, as there are very few pure chocolate vodkas on the market. Pinnacle has a Chocolate Chip and Chocolate Whip Cream flavors, but they are not true chocolate. For true chocolate, you have three options. If you are someone who is very particular about your vodka and the environment it comes from, 360 offers a Double Chocolate flavor. Three Olives makes some innovative flavors, but kept it simple and sweet for their chocolate vodka. Three Olives will also be the one that is easiest to find. It is a great brand. Van Gogh, while their Rich Dark Chocolate vodka has some great flavors and a darker color, it is harder to find in the stores. It is also the most expensive of the three. That chocolate martini you are making will benefit from any of these fine vodka selections, and either kick off or end the night in fine fashion.

Boxes of sweets are not the only way to being chocolate into the holiday. Beer, wine and cocktail lovers can also drink in some chocolaty goodness to celebrate being with a loved one. Belmont Party Supply can help you select a few beers to enjoy the evening with, and Arrow Wine has the full selection of chocolate infused liquors mentioned. They also have Piece of Cake’s Chocolate Cake liqueur, and chocolate infused whip cream for a garnish to your drinks. If you are looking to try chocolate in the way the ancient Mayans and Aztecs enjoyed it, Dogfish Head has it taken care of. Using flavors taken from samples discovered in 1200 year old pottery, Theobroma has a unique chocolate and chili flavor to it. It is very difficult to find, but if you can, it is a treat. There are plenty of great Valentine’s Day festivities for you to enjoy in the Dayton area, and a wide variety of ways to get your chocolate fix at any of them. Enjoy the day…and your chocolate!

What About Kabab?

February 7, 2013 By Dayton937 1 Comment

Tabbouleh at House of Kabab

Looking for a unique bite out? Tired of the same old, same old? The House of Kabab may be just be the solution! It is a casual, local eatery that is a change of pace from the norm, and a true Food Adventure. This mom and pop establishment is owned by a Lebanese family who has brought their menu of Mediterranean food to the Miami Valley. Located at 298 N. Main St. in Centerville, this restaurant has a menu with some personality. Also a great place to eat healthy, House of Kabab even has a decent selection of vegetarian options. There are many exotic choices, but don’t fear! The staff is very accommodating when explaining the menu and house specialties. Their recommendations are very helpful.

Lamb Shwarma, like a Lebanese Burrito

Through our various visits to House of Kabab, we have some “must eats” of our own. We have always enjoyed the Hoummos (as they spell it on the menu). Many of your are familiar with this popular appetizer paste made from chickpeas, lemon juice, herbs and olive oil. Served with pita triangles, it is the perfect taste bud awakening for the fresh meal to come. House of Kabab also serves Baba-Ghanoush, which is more than the nickname used in the movie “Wedding Crashers.” Baba-Ganoush is a puree of eggplant, garlic, and lemon juice and we would say an acquired taste. It is topped with olive oil and fresh herbs. Served cold, the flavor is bold with a slightly bitter finish. Try this if you are a true Food Adventurer.

Two more items that are fantastic choices at House of Kabab are the Lamb Shwarma and Chicken Shwarma. These are pita roll sandwiches stuffed with grilled meats. Think of them as Lebanese burritos. These tasty treats are also filled with lettuce, parsley, tomatoes, onion and creamy sauces. The Big Ragu will go on record saying the Chicken Shwarma is his favorite menu item at House of Kabab.

One of the healthy, fresh and terrific side dishes at House of Kabab is the Tabbouleh. This salad is made with finely chopped parsley, onions, and tomatoes. The mixture is combined with olive oil and mint. It is an explosion of flavor in your mouth and each bite releases a hint of lemon juice. Hungry Jax would recommend this as her favorite menu item. We really enjoyed this choice.

The Falafel Dinner

Looking for a vegetarian meal? Food Adventures would recommend the Falafel, served as a sandwich or a dinner. As some foodies know, falafel is a hush puppy like ball made from a mixture of chick peas and fava beans. Whether you order it as a sandwich, or as a dinner, the falafel is topped with an amazing creamy, garlic sauce.

One of the hidden gems on the menu is the Tilapia Dinner. This was a “special of the day” on a couple of our visits, so we took advantage. This dinner features filets of baked tilapia in creamy garlic sauce and each morsel is absolutely delicious. This dish is served with white, long grain rice sprinkled with aromatic Lebanese spices. Is your mouth watering yet? Do not forget about three dishes that are name sakes of the house. They are the Shisk Taouk, Lamb Meshwie and Beef Kafta. These dinners are served as skewers of meat and vegetables, or as we in Ohio call them, shish kabobs. The slightly differently named Shisk Taouk is the chicken skewer and the Lamb Meshwie is, of course, the lamb option. The skewered tubes of beef are called Kafta. You know you can’t go wrong eating skewers of meat and vegetable in a place called House of Kabab. Another menu highlight is the “Tastes of the Mediterranean Dinner for Two.” This meal is under $22 and features a tour of the menu, including shwarma, lamb meshwie, taouk, makanek (sausages), sojouk (spicy sausage), and kafta.

Tilapia Dinner served with hoummos, rice and salad

The restaurant also offers a dessert menu with some traditional American cake, mousse and cheesecake choices. The friendly server will present a dessert tray after your meal, so you can see the desserts up close. Looking for something a little different for dessert? Try the Black Forest Gateau. It is a chocolate cake filled with pineapple mousse. When is the last time you had some pineapple mousse? Topped with chocolate whip cream, the Black Forest Gateau tastes great, and is good for sharing.

As Food Adventurers, our niche has always been checking out those unique, family owned places. House of Kabab is another perfect fit. It is affordable, fresh and not your everyday, run of the mill menu. Give this quaint Centerville restaurant a try when you are in the mood for something new or different. Ask yourself, “What about Kabab?” Explore what the Mediterranean and Lebanese menu has to offer. It is more than just a cultural experience, it is simply good food !

Hey Foodie ! Do us a favor and “like” Food Adventures on Facebook for more photos of Dayton’s best.

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Austin Landing Announces Another Restaurant Tennant

February 1, 2013 By Dayton Most Metro 1 Comment

We are pleased to be able to welcome BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse to Austin Landing,” said RG President Randy Gunlock. “BJ’s is a great restaurant and provides a memorable atmosphere. Personally, my family and I’ve eaten there many times, and I think the restaurant will be a great addition to the community here at Austin Landing.”

BJ’s will have an 8,300 square foot standalone restaurant at Austin Landing. Construction is projected to begin on March 25. The restaurant will be complete and ready to open by Fall 2013. The free-standing building will be located at the entrance to Austin Landing from Austin Boulevard.

“BJ’s offers the type of unique and exciting experience we hope to make available to the community when they visit Austin Landing,” Gunlock said. “We are confident the restaurant will receive a warm reception from the growing Austin Landing community.”

BJ’s Restaurants owns and operates 130 casual dining restaurants throughout the United States, including three in Ohio. BJ’s menu is known for its award-winning, signature deep-dish pizza, as well as generously portioned salads, appetizers, sandwiches, soups, pastas, entrees and desserts.

Last year, Austin Landing announced the commitments of Rue Dumaine, Alligator Annie’s and The Dublin Pub—the first restaurants to be announced at the development. Regal Cinemas also has committed to a 14-screen Regal RPX cinema, the first of its kind in Ohio, at Austin Landing.

The Thrilla in Waynesvilla !! EXCLUSIVE Food Adventure Event at Stone House Tavern

January 31, 2013 By Dayton937 Leave a Comment

First there was Muhammad Ali vs Joe Frazier. Now, there is Mt. Carmel Brewery vs. Rivertown Brewery, being billed as the “Thrilla in Waynesvilla.” These two brewers will go head to head, toe to toe in an all out Beer Brawl! This event is PRE-PAY ONLY and will sell out quickly, so get your tickets now !! This epic beer throwdown, is scheduled for 6pm on Wednesday night February 20th, 2013 at the only venue able to contain the excitement, Stone House Tavern in Waynesville !

Food Adventures along with DaytonMostMetro.com are proud to present this EXCLUSIVE, one of a kind Food Adventure event that promises to be a knockout. Only 50 tickets will be sold, and they are only available online.

Here is how it all will go down…

Attendees will be treated to 5 rounds of beer vs. beer and will vote on their favorites. Each round they will get a taste of 2 beers, one from Mt. Carmel Brewery and one from Rivertown Brewery. The beers will have a food pairing each round from the Stone House Tavern menu. The brewery that wins the most rounds will be declared CHAMPION of the “Thrilla in Waynesvilla.” The price to this EXCLUSIVE Food Adventure is $25 and that includes gratuity! This is a one time only main event, and after 50 tickets are sold, they are all gone! **Note: PRE-PAY ONLY, NO REFUNDS !

Get your tickets for this one time only, exclusive FOOD ADVENTURE event!

“The Thrilla in Waynesvilla” is a fantastic opportunity to learn from expert brewmasters Patrick Clark and Jason Roeper. Also, visit with local restaurateur Dan Apolito who is part owner of Stone House Tavern and Archers Tavern.

And who could forget, The Food Adventures Crew will be cornermen for the different breweries! This throwdown and brew battle promises top be a night of great beers and good food !

So, without further delay, get your tickets here and “LLLeetts get ready to rumble !”

Dessert Alert! Sweet Treats Festival Recap

January 30, 2013 By Dayton937 1 Comment

A Beautiful Cake from Kinder’s Kupcakes

It was a dessert lovers playground and a chocoholics dream. We give you Dayton’s first ever “Sweet Treats Festival.” Held at The Commander Aero Building in Springboro on Sunday January 27th, the event drew a nice crowd on this winter afternoon. There were confectioners, bakers, chefs and restaurateurs. In fact over 30 vendors participated in the Sweet Treats Festival. Every vendor booth had samples set out of various “sweet treat” specialties. Festival goers could browse each display and sample to their heart’s content. What a surprise, the “foodies in their forties,” The Food Adventures Crew tasted treats from each and every booth. A few days later, the Food Adventurers are out of their sugar comas and here with a recap of the day’s festivities!

You know the old saying “Like a kid in a candy store?” Well, here you had us BIG kids in a sweets festival which is a dangerous combination. Sponsored in part by Dayton Most Metro, the festival featured some amazing displays that would have impressed Willy Wonka.

Junebug’s Cupcakes- deliciously decorated treats

Each vendor booth was set up in a circular setting to allow easy flow of the hungry crowd. There were some many sweets and such talented people. Below are the festival vendors and our impressions of each company.

3 Leees Cupcakery – Incredible tasting desserts. Some choices were vegan and gluten free. Some of the best tasting cupcakes we tried.
Aim To Please Home Cooking – Specializing in various unique flavors of delicious rock candy and more.
Amy Cakes & Cookies– Some of the tastiest “cake pops” you will have and delicious cupcakes.
Baked – The friendly staff served up some very complex cupcake flavors that blew us away.
Cake, Hope & Love – Wonderful “chocolate mustaches” were a hit with the kids. We loved the gorgeous cupcake display with beautiful toppings.
Cheryl & Co. – Turning sugar cookies into works of art. The staff could not have been nicer.
Dee Dee’s Gourmet Peanut Brittle – Generous samples of delicious peanut brittle that seemed to melt in your mouth
Edible Arrangments – About as healthy as you can get at this festival. The chocolate covered apples were a nice twist.
ele Cake Co – A Dayton Icon whose chocolate covered cake bites are a perfect gift to get your Valentine drooling.
“Over The Top Productions” had some inventive displays
Homemade by Heather– Amazing mini-pies, made just for this festival. Full sizes on sale for full blown taste!
JuneBug’s Cupcakes– Icing decor on these cupcakes were matched by a rich tasting cake.
Kilwins – Located at the Greene, this vendor had a huge variety of top notch items including hand dipped caramel/chocolate apples.
Kinders Cupcakes – Not only did they have fantastic cupcakes, but their two display cakes were the most gorgeous in the house.
LongHorn Steakhouse– Local kitchen chefs have kicked up this restaurant. They Key Lime cheesecake, apple strudel and chocolate brownies were homemade and not “chain” like.
Maria’s Buckeyes– The richest buckeyes ever. Good eats, nice owner !
Moore Dessert Please – Local celebs from “Cupcake Wars” didn’t dissapoint with some mouthwatering cupcake treat.
Over The Top Productions– Arguably the best display of the event. The decor was unique as they specialize in weddings and party events.
Sweet By Kristy– Cupcakes with ice cream in the middle. Genius! One of the most popular items at the event and created a lot of buzz like birthday cake and ice cream all in one.
Sweet Eats Bake Shop – Intricately topped cupcakes led to creamy tastes across the board with this baker!
Sweet Nothings– Hands down, the best toffee we have ever eaten. All flavors of the sea salt toffee are addicting!
The Rustic Loaf & Patisserie– From the chocolate crunch cake pops, to the cupcakes that looked like royalty. These bites were eye pleasers and mouth pleasers!

Cupcake Display from “Cake, Hope & Love”
Signature Confections– What can you say about chocolate that sometimes takes 3 days to make? Unique flavors such as Crown Royal, Khalua, Raspberry Guiness, Chai Tea, and Earl Grey Tea. The painted pieces of chocolate belong in an art museum if they weren’t so tasty.
Two Bears Chocolates – They featured homemade caramels dipped in Boston Stoker’s Highlander Grogg Coffee. the Big Ragu said it was the best flavored caramel he has ever eaten. We loved the local twist on taste!
Winans Fine Chocolate– Some of the best turtle bark in the world. We found ourselves overstaying our welcome at the sample dish.

Special thanks to The new Austin Landing Kroger for sponsoring the event. Other sponsors included Tim Horton’s who provided coffee, while Aquafina supplied free bottled water.

All of the desserts were scrumptious, and with each vendor having numerous desserts. There were over 100 sweet treats to choose from, and we got our taste buds on almost every delicacy. Your Food Adventurers had some favorites that stood out from the pack.

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The handpainted Candies from “Signature Confections” were nothing short of amazing

In our humble opinion, here were our picks:

Food Adventure’s Top 5 Favorite Items:

1) The Hazelnut Pistachio Cupcakes from Baked. We ate way too many of these !

2) White Chocolate Ginger Pistachio Sea Salt Toffee from Sweet Nothings. This incredible treat may be purchased at 2nd Street Market and Ghostlight Coffee

3) The Ice Cream Cupcakes from Sweet by Kristy

4) The Hand Painted Chocolates from Signature Confections

5) Red Velvet Pops from RSVP Sweet Treats

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The Big Ragu’s Top 5 Favorite Items:

1) Highlander Grogg Coffee Caramels from Two Bears Chocolates

2) The Baked Apple Strudel with carmel sauce from Longhorn Steakhouse and Chef Bob Medlin

3) Chocolate Carmel Nut Bars from Sweet Eats Bake Shop

4) The Mini-Pecan Pies from Homemade by Heather

5) Hand Pulled Peanut Brittle from Dee Dee’s

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Highlander Grogg Caramels from “Two Bears Chocolates”

As the festival ended, we were stuffed with confections. We had starved ourselves the whole day in anticipation for the event, and now we were going to sleep well. From meeting local culinary masters to tasting their masterpieces, The Sweet Treats Festival was a full blown Food Adventure. From the rich tastes to the sugar rush, the 3 hour event gave everyone more than enough time to get a feel for the desserts of the Dayton area.

In the end, sweet tooths were satisfied and blood glucose levels were raised. The festival attendees were introduced to many local bakers and chefs for the first time. From Hazelnut Pistachio Cupcakes to Chocolate Covered Fruit, this first ever Sweet Treats Festival seems to have a promising future for years to come.

Did you get a chance to visit the Sweet Treats Festival ? If so, please comment below and tell us your favorite treats! Also, make sure you browse through the nearly 50 photos below. The view is simply divine…

Visit Food Adventures on Facebook and “like” us HERE !

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Savor Your Sundays at Coco’s Bistro for Stivers School for the Arts

January 28, 2013 By Dayton Most Metro Leave a Comment

“The Goldfish” – Stivers Visual Art Students

Here is a great way to enjoy a delicious lunch at Coco’s Bistro that will also help Stivers School for the Arts – come to one of the “Savor Your Sunday” events on any Sunday in February and for $30 you will not only feast on some delectable food but you’ll also enjoy entertainment by Stivers student musicians! Plus, an 18 foot high rendition of the original masterpiece “The Goldfish” by Henri Matisse that was recently painted live in under nine minutes by 22 Stivers visual artists will be on display (pictured).

Stivers School for the Arts is a public arts magnet school in the St. Anne’s neighborhood of the City of Dayton that has been nationally recognized as one of the country’s top high schools. Built in 1908, Stivers went through several changes, mergers and moves before opening back up in its current 7th-12th grade format in 2008. Students must audition in order to attend and the arts are an integral part of the overall learning experience, with focuses on Visual Arts, Creative Writing, Orchestra, Band, Dance, Theatre, Choral Music and Piano. The Stivers Jazz Band won the national championships at the Berklee College of Music High School Jazz Festival in 2004, 2008 and 2011.

It takes significant resources to keep the high-quality programs continuing at Stivers, and as with the rest of the Dayton Public Schools (and many suburban school districts), securing funds continues to be a challenge. The seedling Foundation is a non-profit organization whose mission it is to support arts and academic programs at Stivers through various fund-raising efforts such as Savor Your Sundays, and it continues to work on ways to raise money AND tell the story of Stivers to the local community and the entire world.

I have the privilege of serving on the Stivers Community Advisory Board and hope to be able to share more amazing stories that come out of this school here on Dayton Most Metro. Until then, I hope that some of you will enjoy a fabulous Sunday lunch at Coco’s this month and help support the many arts programs that have already helped many talented students at Stivers to reach their goals and dreams.

Open seating is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. each Sunday in February but seating sells out quickly! Call 937.228.Coco (2626) to make your reservation today! Those who reserve by January 24 will be entered into a drawing for dinner for four at Coco’s
Bistro. $15 of the cost is a tax-deductible donation that goes to Stivers.

February 3: Stivers Strings
February 10: Stivers Singers
February 17: Stivers Jazz Quartet
February 24: Stivers Concert Pianists

Flyboys Reinvent Oakwood Deli

January 26, 2013 By Lisa Grigsby Leave a Comment

Steve Crandall and his wife Eunice Kim are giving new life to the restaurant at 2515 Far Hills Ave that closed at Cooper’s Deli back in October. Oakwood Mayor Bill Duncan welcomed the small crowd of community leaders at the official ribbon cutting ceremony, sharing that Oakwood needed Flyboys Deli. Duncan pointed out that downtown Oakwood is really working at helping assist small businesses succeed. He shared with enthusiasm that they’ve added new parking, not only with the public lot across the street, but there are added spots on the side of the building as well as parking behind.

Mr Crandall then acknowledged Dan Apolito and Mike Fullenkamp for getting the deli started, and his banker for helping him to buy the deli from them. He explained that changes he’ll be making will make them more successful then their predecessors. He shared 3 key points that will differentiate Flyboys Deli. First their concept- they’ll be a traditional New York style deli, where you order from the menu, as opposed to the table service Coopers tried. He was also quick to point out that the prices will be about 30% less and the menu much more extensive. They’ll also be open Mon – Sat at 7:30am so you can start your day off with a bagel, breakfast sandwich and Boston Stoker coffee. He then pointed out that as a newcomer to Dayton, he’s realized in his four years here, that Dayton is a city of invention and innovation. He’s been inspired by the history of the town and loves to share those tidbits with former Air Force buddies. Crandall is a retired Colonel and currently works as a VP at SAIC, a firm that specializes in national security, health, energy and cybersecurity.

He points out the “Did You Know” wall in the deli that will highlight many of the region’s inventions. He said “the deli is a work in progress, we have some empty walls on purpose. We want the community to bring us more innovative things to help fill in the blanks on the walls and help us build on the success of Dayton. I never realized how much small business plays into a community’s success and I sure want to be a part of that.” Many of the items on the menu are named after area inventions, like The Starter – a shareable plate of cheeses, pastrami, salami and crackers or the Liberty Reuben- named after the Statue of Liberty as well as the Liberty engine developed right here in Dayton. He then explained that the entire second floor decor will celebrate the region’s aviation heritage.

Crandall then beamed as he mentioned the other key to Flyboys success will be his wife. Eunice’s experience as a restaurateur goes way back. She used to own a Blimpie’s franchise and together they also currently own Akashi Sushi Bar, which may explain the the California roll on the menu. Eunice said that The Flyer Roll, with ham, turkey, cheese, cucumber, carrot, green pepper, avocado, sprouts and lettuce is her favorite. She went on to say that she’s “excited to share her own idea’s and recipes after years of following the franchise rules of Blimpie.” Many of their sandwiches will be served on bread baked for them by neighborhood favorite Ashley’s Pastry Shop. Ms. Kim suggested that the Hot Paninis should be on our must taste list. She also told us to expect some international nights, celebrating her Korean heritage, Sushi nights to bring in their other restaurant, and even Mexican nights, inspired by one of the cooks she hired. She also envisions family fun nights, perhaps showing aviation inspired films on the second floor party room and even puppet shows. You’ll be able to reserve the second floor for private parties (it seats about 35) with a minimum food purchase. Flyboys Deli has 15 employees and hopes that business will demand they hire more. For more info or to find out what beers are on tap or what the daily specials are follow them on Facebook or Twitter.

Food Adventures Gets Sauced at Woody’s Bar-B-Q + $20 Gift Certificate Contest

January 24, 2013 By Dayton937 24 Comments

The Ribs at Woody’s Bar-B-Q – Smoked to Perfection

Nothing says Food Adventure like good barbeque. Lip smackin’, bone suckin’, slathered, sauced or smoked, they have it at Woody’s Bar-B-Q. Ribs cooked to perfection, mouth-watering brisket, freshly sliced vegetable dishes, and homemade pies a mile high are just some of the treasures available at this restaurant in Beavercreek. Located at 3321 Dayton Xenia Rd, this family friendly eatery offers a place to bring the whole crew for Southern style meals, without breaking the bank.

The owners know something about Southern food. Raised in Tennessee around homestyle cooking, Michael and Sharon York moved to Dayton in 1966. For more than 20 years, Michael developed his skills at a meat processing plant and today he personally smokes every ounce of meat. Sharon makes every single pie at Woody’s , and they are masterpieces. From chocolate peanut butter, to banana creme, the pies are so tall that you need a small ladder to eat them.

Country Fried Steak Dinner – Creamy and Crisp

Technically Woody’s is a franchise, one of only two in Ohio. But the feel and preparation of food here is about as “mom and pop” as it gets. Since opening 3 years ago, practically every item has been prepared in-house. The formula of good food and friendly service works here. Woody’s is a place where regulars know the polite staff, and where owners mingle with the patrons from time to time. But make no mistake, the food is the main event here. The Food Adventure Crew has some killer recommendations to smoke your appetite.

There are a couple of appetizers that we feel are “must eats.” First the hand sliced, and twice breaded Fried Squash. This is one unique appetizer that we had never eaten before. The squash slices are a delicious and different way to start your meal at Woody’s. Ask for the “special sauce” for dipping instead of the ranch for a true Food Adventure experience (yeah, we know all the secrets).

Beef Brisket – Smoked Slow and Piled High

Another one of a kind appetizer attraction are the popular Smoked Chicken Wings. The flavor is deep and fulfilling. These wings are like nothing we have eaten before. Sure, you can get the wings with BBQ or hot sauce, but we suggest Cajun style or “Dallas” style which is a mix of sauces. You will just have to try them for yourself because the taste is tangy, peppered and indescribably good. Wings are just 65 cents each on Wednesdays. On Mondays kids eat free and every Sunday is all you can eat chicken and a side for just $8.99.

Now, on to the heavy hitters that will have you speaking with a southern drawl in no time. Chef House loves good brisket, it is one of her weaknesses. The Beef Brisket at Woody’s Bar-B-Q is done right. Smoked slowly out back and sliced up fresh, someone here knows what they are doing. You can see remnants of the smoke ring throughout the moist, shredded brisket. Grab a pint of a Great Lakes beer on draft to seal the deal.

Let’s talk pork. First of all, the Baby Back Ribs are fantastic. Coated with sweet bbq sauce, as the glaze hits your lips, the taste is a result of hours of wood-fired, smoker expertise. Even the half slabs of ribs served in the combo plates are big enough to share a bone. The added bonus is that the rib dinner prices are a few bucks cheaper than at other rib joints. Rather have your pork pulled? The Pulled Pork at Woody’s Bar-B-Q literally melts in your mouth. Prepared by hand, it is succulent and smoky. Here is where you can experiment with the various table sauces such as Southern Sweet, Carolina, Smokin’ Hot, Tangy Mustard and Carolina Style. Squirt it and work it. The Smoked Chicken is also worth mentioning. It is juicy, tender and full of great flavor. Not a BBQ fan? Try the Giant Haddock Fish Sandwich, Fried Shrimp or the Fried Catfish. The Big Ragu suggests you wash it all down Cincinnati style with a cold Hudepohl Beer on tap or stick with the traditional sweet tea. Still thirsty? Try the new Redd’s Apple Ale !

As for the many choices of southern sides, we have tried all of them during our visits. Our favorites were the Baked Beans, Fried Okra, and Onion Rings. Woody’s even offers Chili Cheese Fries with up to 3 meat toppings. The thing to do here is experiment. Mix and match from the large variety of choices. We led you to the promiseland, now you gotta find your favorites. Here are some more tips: Sunday is All You Can Eat Chicken for only $8.99, Monday Kids Eat Free, and Friday is their special price on Prime Rib dinners. Woody’s Bar-B-Q has a deep community involvement, so you may see them at various local festivals. They also have a full catering menu for any event. Woody’s also has an outdoor patio and from time to time hosts live music and parties there.

Homemade Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie

Being two “foodies in our forties,” we appreciate the comfortable, casual, laid back atmosphere and great prices. This is one of those times where we say “You gotta try this place.” Bring yourself and your family to Woody’s for an affordable, delicious meal. Come get sauced, fried, smoked and ‘pie’d’ with the rest of us !

Dayton Most Metro is giving away a $20 gift certificate to one lucky person who comments on this story below. Your name will be chosen at random and announced on Monday. Comment and fill out the form belowfor your chance at some fantastic, free food at Woody’s Bar-B-Q in Beavercreek!

Be sure and “like” Food Adventures on Facebook by clicking HERE !

[form 55 “DMM Contest Entry – Generic”]

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Enjoy A Taste of Liberia

January 22, 2013 By Lisa Grigsby Leave a Comment

In conjunction with the current exhibition, ‘Peacemakers: Women of Liberia,’ the Dayton International Peace Museum invites the public to ‘A Taste of Liberia’ on Saturday, January 26 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

It’s an opportunity to sample traditional Liberian foods and to hear Liberians speak of their personal experiences with the Liberian struggle for Peace. A silent auction will feature Liberian watercolors, oil paintings, fabric and wall hangings.

Reservations required by Jan 24th as space is limited. Call 937-227-3223 or send an e-mail to [email protected]

Downtown’s Serendipity Bistro Opens For A Sneak Peak

January 22, 2013 By Lisa Grigsby 2 Comments

Owners Cammie & James Harris

Last night Dayton’s newest restaurateurs, James and Cammie Harris, hosted a small open house for their neighbors at the St. Clair Lofts (and me) to christen downtown Dayton’s newest business. Setting up a table of homemade baked treats that included an assortment of cheesecakes; a triple chocolate, lemon curd and apple strudle, as well as a spice crumb cake and strawberry whoopie pies. Tables and booths lined the south side of the business, with art from local artists adorning the walls. A large counter backed with shelves to be lined with home baked goods take up the northern side of the building, with the kitchen behind.

Over coffee and pizza, Cammie shared with us that when she and James lived in Evansville, she’d operated a wine bar and pastry shop and James shared that his first restaurant was a BBQ joint. The Harris family moved to Dayton when James got a job with Dayton Public Schools, but after leaving that job, James considered some east coast offers, but the family ultimately decided that they liked Dayton and the restaurant business and thus Serendipity Bistro was born. It’s evident that this will be a family business, as son Noah and daughter Ella were on hand to help great the guests and bus tables. James told us that at one of his previous restaurants Noah figured out that people would give him money for clearing plates and a young entrepreneur was born.

Serendipity will be starting out slowly, and will open this week at 25 S. St Clair Street just for lunch from 11am – 2:30pm serving :

Homemade Pizza’s

Fresh Spinach, Mozzarella & Mushroom
Margherita – Mozzarella & Tomato
Pepperoni
Cheese
Caprice – Olive Oil, Minced Garlic, Mozzarella-
Fontina Blend, Fresh Basil, Roma Tomato
Spinach, Feta, Olives, Sundried Tomato
BBQ Chicken with Caramelized Onion
Veggie Delight – Seasonal Selections
Goat Cheese, Bacon, Mushroom
Sausage, Red Onion, Mushroom
Spicy Pesto, Tomato, Mozzarella
Parmsean, argula and prosciutto.

Panini’s

Cubano
Tomato & Mozzarella
Turkey and Provolone
Ham & Cheese
Italian

Classic Bistro Sandwiches

Roast Pork with Provolone
Honey Ham and Swiss
Smoked Turkey with Paprika Mayo and Roasted Bell Peppers
Grilled Cheese
Homemade Chicken Salad
Southern Club
Turkey and Cranberry Chutney
Italian Hoagie

St. Clair loft resident Ashley enjoying a whoopie pie.

The menu lists 9 homemade soups, and Cammie shared with a laugh, “My husband didn’t consult me when he put all those on the menu, we may start with just a couple of soups, since I have to make all those.” She looks forward to when their wine license arrives in a week or so and they’ll be ableto invite guests to join them before or after the theatre or a movie. They’ll also host wine tasting, acoustic music nights and even poetry slams. While Cammie is the baker in the family, she said they’ll also be looking to work with other local bakers to help fill the retail shelves in the the store so customers can grab and go. Their first partnership is with Langford’s Gourmet Cookies, with a display retailing oatmeal walnut raisin. chunky chocolate chip and nutty peanut butter cookies as well as a sour cream poundcake.

For now Serendipity Bistro will be open for lunch, then eventually they’ll add early morning hours and eventually dinner. Stop by and welcome them to the neighborhood by grabbing a quick bite. To keep up with their progress, be sure and like their page on Facebook.

UPDATE- Tues 11:30am: Just spoke with James, he says they will actually open up at 7am Wed morning serving coffee, sweet rolls and muffins, followed up by lunch service until 2:30pm.

BEST OF VEGAN IN DAYTON

January 21, 2013 By Dayton Most Metro 1 Comment

2012 was such a busy year for ***Vegans in Dayton*!** I couldn’t have anticipated the amount of good things that came to us this year. We have a lot to celebrate! We saw the opening of Fusian, the rise of Ghostlight Coffee and Thistle Confections (including the opening of the Second Street Market location), and businesses like Three Leee Cupcakery and Sweets by Ashley. Our favorite restaurants continued to excite us, such as the addition af vegan pancakes at Butter Cafe, and menu revisions from Lucky’s, Olive, an Urban Dive, and Sunrise Cafe.

In 2012, we said a sad farewell to Amici’s and their glorious pizza, and wished that Bombshell Bakeshop’s indefinite hiatus would end already! We suffered through intense sugar cravings at coffeehouses, and now have expanded options at Ghostlight Coffeehouse!(Press is slated to have Harvest Moon Creations treats sometime soon, but the date has not been set yet.)

2013 is promising to be a great year, with Linh’s Bistro (opened up Jan 1 and moved from the old location), Shish Wraps (opening sometime soon?), and Harvest Moon Creations working on opening a vegan bakery store-front in Xenia in Spring or Summer 2013! I may also get to weigh in on a new restaurant that may be opening in the Oregon District later this year!

Without any further ado, let’s review the best vegan experiences we had in Dayton in 2012!

BEST OVERALL RESTAURANT FOR VEGAN FOOD

Olive, an Urban Dive claimed the prize this year! People love their business ethics, their flair, and their dedication to delicious food. Of particular fanfare is the falafel burger, their weekend scrambled tofu brunch, and their socca-bread pizzas. They also do salads and soups quite well. They balance the art of local, fresh fare with dazzling flavors and exciting vegan protein. I give them major props for all the efforts they go through to serve the vegans in this town, especially as some of the menu items change from season to season. Our hats go off to the chefs and owners who dream up the great dishes that both vegans and non-vegans enjoy! (They also won second place in the Best Vegan Burger / Sandwich!)

BEST LOCAL VEGAN BAKERY

Cookies & Cream cupcakes from Harvest Moon Creations

This was the closest battle of them all, and I must declare a tie between Thistle Confections and Harvest Moon Creations! Both have a loyal following and have worked hard to ensure excellent ingredients and fresh, lovely baked goods that we feel great eating.

BEST PLACE TO GET LOCAL VEGAN BAKED GOODS

Butter Cafe easily landed this prize, with their always-stocked cases of Harvest Moon Creations cupcakes, twinkies, and cookies. Their hours are convenient, parking is easy, the hosts are super-friendly, and the cupcakes come in the cutest pink boxes!

BEST COFFEEHOUSE FOR DRINKS

I was extremely surprised to see yet another tie! This time, between Press Coffeebar and Ghostlight Coffee. Both have excellent ambiance, fantastic drinks, and are striving to meet vegan needs in 2013. As I love both and visit both regularly, I was actually very happy about this tie. Congrats!

BEST VEGAN BRUNCH

Butter Cafe blew everyone else away! Perhaps it’s the vegan breakfast burrito, or maybe it’s the vegan blueberry pancakes. Maybe it’s because vegan dessert (usually elusive) is just around the corner in a chilled case. I love Butter Cafe, and am very happy to see that they won!

BEST VEGAN BURGER / SANDWICH

Lucky’s landed this prize, probably for their house-made seitan sandwich. Pair that with their sweet potato or shoestring fries,made in their dedicated vegan fryer, or a house salad with vegan ranch, or any number of great sides and apps, as well as the best beer on tap selection in town (my opinion there). Congrats to Lucky’s for their continual improvement as well as being second place in the Best Overall Restaurant for Vegan Food!

BEST VEGAN FOOD IN AN ASIAN RESTAURANT

Thai 9 won this award hands down! Perhaps it’s because of all their vegan curries, or their choice of tofu, mock duck, or mock pork. Their sushi is excellent, and the decor is lovely. Service there is always charming as well. Linh’s came in second place, and I believe they hold a distinction of being the best non-Thai restaurant in town. In years past, I separated these two categories, and will do so in the future.

BEST VEGAN MEXICAN

Taqueria Mixteca won by a longshot yet again! Congrats to a great restaurant! I absolutely love their taco salad and their fajitas
(ask for no cheese or sour cream) and their guacamole.

Thanks to the hundreds of people who took the survey! I got a ton of great comments and suggestions. I’ll do my absolute best to get your comments to restaurants in the next month. Thanks for the kind words, and for making Dayton and the world a better place. You’re doing it right!

(This post originally appeared on the DaytonVegan blog run by Astrea Taylor )

The Barrel House – Coming Soon To Third And Wayne

January 20, 2013 By Lisa Grigsby 5 Comments

The future home of The Barrel House

There’s been a bit of a buzz starting downtown about what’s going on behind the stark exterior wall at 417 E. Third Street. It’s a building you barely take note of, being attached to the long beige, stucco expanse of the KK building. A storefront that once existed, has been completely stucco’d over and painted gray, just sitting there waiting, right across the street from the old Wympee Diner on Third… another building that just a couple years ago, looked just as abandoned and neglected.

Kimberly Collett had a vision for what that old greasy, empty diner could be and we followed her through eight months of gutting and remodeling before she finally opened Olive, an urban dive, inside it, leaving the exterior exactly as it’s been since 1938. Olive is just over a year and a half into their stride and it just keeps getting better… from the quality of the dishes, to the size of their following. And one day, in a flash of inspiration, while standing in a shop in South Carolina, Kimberly had an idea for the building just across the street, that has stood empty, for the last ten years. For the last seven months she’s been honing the concept, working with the city and the building’s owner, Mike Wenzler, to pave the way for The Barrel House. But knowing she had her hands full with Olive and her construction company, Dayton Tradesource, she had to bring in someone else to partner and manage this new idea and asked her cousin, Jeff Heater, a craft beer enthusiast, to come home from Maine and lead the charge.

Jeff signing the lease for the space.

They describe The Barrel House as, “a coffee shop for beer, no coffee… just beer”, though it’s really much more. Once complete, you’ll enter the new storefront and be immediately greeted by a ‘coffee shop feeling’ lounge, with deep couches and vintage furniture. As you move further in, the space transitions into a retail shop filled with shelves and custom displays of bottled beer and wine, there’s also space for local art, beer and wine related locally made gifts, party supplies, chips, salsas, and hot sauces. Then there’s the centerpiece on the back wall, 15-20 taps for popular and eclectic, craft micro-brews from around the world, that you can carry-out in growlers.

Originally, The Barrel House was just going to be a carry-out and community area, but with no carry-out beer licenses left downtown, The Barrel House will be applying for a full restaurant liquor license, marrying the two businesses together in a symbiotic relationship, where Olive will supply the food portion of light fare and desserts and The Barrel House will be an overflow and waiting space for Olive guests, as well as an old world style, community pub, where you can meet friends for a carry-out lunch from Olive, hold a client meeting over a pint of beer, or just sit in the sunbeams streaming through the windows with a good book and a glass of wine. There will be tastings, gathering events, and collaborations, with as many local vendors as possible

Early demolition stage of the space

If all goes well, Heater hopes to open The Barrel House in sync with patio season, but having just been through this two years ago, Kimberly smiles as she looks at Jeff and says, ‘I’ve learned not to say when and Jeff watched everything I went through with Olive, so…” and Jeff finishes the sentence with, “we’ll see!”

In talking with Jeff, it’s easy to hear the enthusiasm in his voice. He’s been working on site, doing the demolition, tearing down drywall and plaster down to reveal brick. He’s found three different electrical panels that reveal some of the history of the building, i.e. labels for a jukebox and bar in one and in another bar lights and a back bar. While tearing out some old shelving he even found a phone number for Heidelberg Distributing written on the wall. So while not the first bar that will inhabit this space, this rendition won’t be your average neighborhood bar either. Heater is looking forward to sharing his love of craft beer and expand the palate of his guests.

The most up-to-date picture of the building of The Barrel House

Jeff’s excitement when talking about Ohio beers is contagious. His knowledge of the Ohio beer scene was honed while spending 9 years living in Columbus and he is looking forward to being able to showcase some of the specialty brews from places like the Columbus Brewing Company and even some Cleveland breweries. There are still a lot of hoops to jump through, but soon enough, Jeff will be inviting us to grab a seat on the couch, dial up the wifi, sample a Saison (his favorite beer style) and become part of the casual, comfy community he and Kimberly hope to create on their little corner of Third and Wayne.

While you’re waiting for them to open be sure and like their Facebook page so you can watch the progress of the construction and be in the know for their opening plans.