Dinner In @ NorthSlice Pizza

When I heard NorthSlice was opening, we put up a post spreading the word.  Northside shines on Independence Day weekend, and that's when NorthSlice opened up.  So far, they've been rocking the pizza window - no dining room just yet.  We've had a chance to stop by for a few slices, and recently ordered a full pie.  This pizza is worth driving across town for, but thankfully, we live right around the corner!

The Food:  The only thing we've had (the only thing they make thus far, I think), is pizza.  Our classic order is pepperoni and green olives, and this time we got one half with cheese.  What stands out about this pizza stands out right away - the freshness and flavor of the ingredients really pop.  We were told before that they don't cook the sauce, and the tomatoes are a bit tangy and sweet, very good.  They go pretty light on the cheese and ingredients, which also leads to the sauce standing out.  Plenty of fresh herbs on top of the pizza add to toppings we chose.  Just as we'd been expecting, the crust is not too thick, not too thin.  But because that crust is doused in herbs and salt and crunchy cornmeal, it has a nice crunch (especially around the edges) and a great taste.  Overall, it comes together quite nicely.

The Ingredients:  When we spoke with Mike, the owner, initially, he talked about buying local ingredients, doing his own herb garden, and more.  I'm not sure how that's panned out so far.  Next time I see him I'll try to get some more info on how the sourcing is going.

The Story, Setting, & Service:  Read all about the story of NorthSlice in our original post.  We're excited that they appear to have gotten off to a good start, and are hopeful for more over time.  As I mentioned above, it's only a pizza window right now, but you can peek in at the graffiti walls and see the hip logo and know it'll be a cool hang out some time soon.  The owner is a really nice guy who has been a fixture in Northside for many, many years, and I've had nothing but smiles and kindness from the other folks I've encountered so far.

The Last Bite:  This is definitely the best pizza in Northside.  It's true that it is more expensive than NYPD, but the quality is simply far better.  Whether you're stopping by for a quick slice mid-day or late-night, or ordering a whole pizza for dinner, you won't be disappointed by the fresh flavors at NorthSlice.  For convenience plus taste, this has clearly moved into our number one ranking for pizza in Cincinnati.  Check the menu in the slideshow below.

NorthSlice Pizza

Late Night In @ Mayday

We're not late owls in general, but last week we found ourselves disappointed by the fridge's options and went out into the world to seek happy bellies.  We'd been to Mayday before, but it was just as they were getting started and we wanted to give it another shot.  They've got some good stuff going on over there, and it's a unique choice at just about any hour.  There's still room for improvement, but especially at 11pm on a Tuesday you'll be happy it exists.

The Food:  At Mayday, it is all about the hot dogs.  You can either build your own, or choose from their suggested combinations.  I went with a "signature dog" and Sarah built her own.  Sarah ordered horseradish, raw onion, and sweet green relish with pickle on the side on her dog, which comes on a house-made pretzel bun.  The horseradish turns out to be horseradish mayo, and she thought it would be nice if that was clear and that they would have straight up horseradish.  I ordered the Mayday Dog, which comes with carmelized onion, grilled peppers, spicy mustard, house ketchup, and house relish.  The spicy mustard is quite sweet as well (it reminds me of Woeber's sweet & spicy), and I don't even really like green peppers, so it's my own fault for ordering them.  In general, the toppings erred on the sweet side more than the spicy, and I would have been happy with louder flavors across the board.

We both agreed that overall both the hot dog and the bun taste good.  The dog didn't have that casing snap that is familiar and, in our opinion, desired.  With a bun that is fairly dense, and just a bit sweet, if you want toppings and bun and dog in a bite, it is bound to be a big one.  It wasn't way off, but in our opinion, they could get a better balanced dog, that has a better bun/dog/topping ratio if they tweak it just a bit more.

It's notable that these dogs range from $4.50 to $6.50, so if you're one of the people who simply cannot believe the price of Senate's hot dogs, not to worry - Mayday dogs are more in the range you'd expect.  They also come with a side of either Husman's potato chips (noted on the menu as locally made) or mixed greens with homemade basil vinaigrette dressing.  The chips were, well, chips.  And the salad was ok, and a nice option to make you feel better about eating a big hot dog, but it was overdressed (probably much earlier in the night), and I agree with Sarah's assessment to just ask for it on the side.

The Ingredients:  The menu doesn't say much other than what to order, but we found all of the information about ingredient sources and origin to be great!  Avril-Bleh & Sons Meat Market supplies the all beef hot dogs, and the Chef Aaron Cross makes the pretzel buns fresh daily.  It'd be great if they'd share the sources of the other ingredients on the menu as well.

The Story, Setting, & Service:  The first time we went to Mayday they had recently started doing hot dogs, and frankly (pun intended), it could have better.  They forgot the hot dog in one of our hot dogs, and we weren't too excited about the combinations we got.  But, it's only a couple minutes from our house, and they've got some cool ingredients, so we thought we'd give it a try again.

You pick up an order form at the bar, circle all the things you want, and then the bartender tallies up your bill.  You walk the now-stamped order around the corner to the kitchen (it's sort of a Comet-esque process) and in a few minutes - hot dogs!

Mayday is in the space where Gypsy Hut used to be, and it is still pretty much the same overall.  As an avid ping pong player, I love that they have a table upstairs, and the non-initiated can choose from a number of indoor and outdoor seating options.  The space is very hipster/garage/warehouse feeling, and honestly, it looks somewhere between rough around the edges and a mess (we've never understood, for instance, why the trash pile on the side of the building can't be enclosed or in some way diminished - it's an eyesore for sure).  But, on my last couple visits it has felt on the unpolished side, and the vibe is decidedly Northside hipster.  The reviewer from Metromix may have said it best, saying "I'm probably not cool enough to come here on a regular basis."

There are a number of indications that these folks are skilled artists - from stenciled art to eye-catching flyers, which makes you feel like you're at a insider's hangout.  Posters advertising Mayday's events focus on sexy ladies in almost every instance, but I think most people would be lying if they said they didn't want to take a second look.  With bingo nights and drunk spelling bees, they've got some pretty cool ideas that would be worth checking out.

The most recent event info is loud and proud on the front of Sidewinder Coffee & Tea - the owner there is a part-owner at Mayday too.  These are clearly folks that are connected in the community.  When I asked about how the hot dog eating contest went at the May 1st Mayday party that was advertised behind the bar, they told me not enough people wanted to participate and instead gave the glut of dogs to CAIN.

It was great to be able to grab a late bite to eat, and with NorthSlice Pizza coming soon, there will be another option.  Now, if someone can just open a thai/noodle place in the neighborhood that is solid, I'll be all set!

The Last Bite:  We'll head back to Mayday, if for no other reason than to try to construct the perfect hot dog.  With a number interesting ingredients to choose from, we're bound to get it right sometime soon.  My next try: spicy mustard, banana peppers, carmelized onions, and beer cheese.  Hey, why not?

Scoop: NorthSlice Pizza - A New Restaurant Coming Soon to Northside

Finally, pizza by the slice, not just at late, late night (but that too) in my neighborhood in Cincinnati!  And they plan to open in time for Northside's famous 4th of July parade (actually on the 3rd this year).

Turns out that Northside Community Council meetings (3rd Mondays at 7pm) are a great way to get the scoop on what's happening in the neighborhood - imagine that!  Last time, we brought you news on The Painted Fish opening in the old Gajah Wong space on Spring Grove, and now we've got the dish on NorthSlice Pizza going in the old Portofino location near the corner of Chase and Hamilton.

NorthSlice will be open all week for lunch (starting around 11am), dinner, and beyond - every night when the dining room closes there'll be a window for late night ordering.  Did I mention they'd have pizza by the slice all day and night?!  Ever since living in New York City way back when, I've been wishing that a respectable NY style pizza by the slice place would be somewhere near me in Cincinnati.  I am very hopeful this'll be just that place.  They'll be keeping it pretty simple to start, and will be doing mostly Italian - pizza (whose crust will not be super thin, but definitely not thick either), calzones, subs, soups, salads, gelato/sorbetto, and canoli.  A deli case will be stocked with things like olive salad, prepared cold pasta salad, cheeses by the pound, things like that.  There will be bottled beverages along with fountain Coke, and while they won't have a liquor license, you're welcome to BYOB.  They're open to ideas, and do plan to deliver someday.

Mike Aug is a 10 year Northside resident and has a great combination of clearly caring about the neighborhood as well as a background that includes a number of food-related connections.  The inspiration for NorthSlice came from No Anchovies - a sliced pizza hangout in the 90's where Sitwell's is now on Ludlow.  He'd like to have his spot be a similar hangout, and even has a couple items they used to have in the shop now.  Mike told me about how No Anchovies was the first place hip hop shows were in town, before things to moved to Top Cats eventually - sounds like a happenin' place to be!

Mike has worked at the Northside Tavern since it opened, helped open Madison's Markets, put the kitchen in the Gypsy Hut (that's where NorthSlice started, then they were doing it out of the Hideaway), and has always felt a part of the community.  He went to high school with Darren from Shake It Records and has known Dave from the Comet for years - he's wanted to be a business owner and add to the community himself.  Outside of Northside, Mike's also started a deli in Athens in 1990, opened two different Party Source stores, opened the Wild Oats cheese counter, and worked for various distributors, including selling European imported goods to Jungle Jim's.  He definitely wants to work with other businesses and be a part of the neighborhood, and even plans pizzas with names to reflect the local flavor.

As you can tell from above, Mike knows good ingredients.  They'll be some specialty items - sundried tomatoes, feta, etc. - that you can't get at NYPD (the other pizza place just off Hamilton, which is pretty standard), as well as using fresh herbs (and growing their own soon).  He also says they don't cook the sauce, will be roasting the mushrooms before they go on the pie, and they'll be using local and seasonal as much as they can.  Mike said "everybody says better ingredients make a better pizza, but they don't always do it" - he's clearly planning on living up to that statement.  NorthSlice will also be vegan friendly, and they'll be trying to pay attention to different dietary needs.

It's all coming together quite quickly, and they've already been taking some pizza over to Northside Tavern in the evening.  The whole operation is a local one - the work being done is by neighborhood guys, a lot of people are biking to work - sounds like a nice community-based setup.

I'm really excited to have this place around the corner from our house - good luck to Mike and everyone working around the clock to get up and running by the parade!

Dinner In @ Melt

Melt is only a little more than a stone's throw from our house, and as a mainstay on Northside's main drag - Hamilton Avenue - it does a great job mirroring the community ethos.  With a substantial number of vegan and vegetarian options, local sourcing of ingredients, and creative combinations, Melt is a solid lunch, dinner, and brunch option for just about anyone.  And Melt's even expanding their imprint in the neighborhood, recently launching Picnic and Pantry - "Micro Market & Specialty Foods" - where we bought our produce today!

The Food:  The menu when you walk into Melt can be a bit overwhelming - a large chalkboard is full of sandwiches, salads, and more.  You quickly get the idea that you're in for a treat, with interesting ingredients and thoughtful pairings, it becomes clear that flavor will not be lacking.

On this trip, we ordered 2 sandwiches, both of which come with a side.  The Joan of Arc is a concoction that includes Applegate Farms roast beef, roasted red peppers, roasted garlic, blue cheese, carmelized onions, and melted provolone cheese, all on a focaccia bread.  And then the Muffaletta - Applegate Farms turkey, roasted red peppers, olive tapenade, and provolone cheese melted on a focaccia bread.  We had a side of Rosemary Redskin Potatoes (that come with a homemade curried ketchup) as well as mixed greens with a dressing (which I didn't pay close enough attention to to explain).  The sandwiches were both solid.  I particularly liked the olive tapenade (regular readers may be learning that I am a sucker for nearly all things salty), and bites that were full of chewy provolone were especially yummy.  We added some of the salad dressing to the Joan of Arc because it was a bit dry, but the flavors were still tasty regardless.  On the sides, the potatoes are always well seasoned and flavorful.  The mixed greens are literally a small box of mixed greens - no nuts, berries, veggies, or anything else - so if you want super straightforward, this is the way to go.  Otherwise there are plenty of salads as entrees to choose from.

It should also be noted that Melt has Jeni's Ice Creams available.  They are terribly good.  I still haven't been able to get over the per pint price ($9.95), as much as I want to.  I am very willing to pay extra for better quality, and while they do use local Snowville Creamery, pints in Cincinnati are between $1 and $3 more per pint than the same product up the road at their Columbus stores (UPDATE: Pints are $8.50 to $10 each in Columbus - I was wrong on this initially, so actually while you may be paying $1 more in Cincinnati on some pints, there are actually many that are 50 cents cheaper. Thanks to Ryan for the comment below, and to friendly employees at Columbus stores for verifying. I apologize for the error, either prices have changed or I just plain had it wrong.)  However, I did just note that Picnic and Pantry has Jeni's macaroon ice cream sandwiches in their cooler and it's likely that I'm near a breakthrough.  Those things are ridiculous.  I am not going to walk over there right now and get one.

The Ingredients:  Melt has great information available about not just its ingredients, but also its practices at the restaurant in terms of packaging, recycling and more.  There are some places around town that are supplying their customers with a good deal of information about the source of their ingredients, but Melt is definitely at the head of the class.  It is simply awesome that owner Lisa Kagen has taken the time and space to write/explain for her customers about the sources of ingredients and how that ties in with the prices that are being paid.  We need more knowledgeable consumers to support thoughtful businesses, but it takes time and energy on both sides to make it happen.

If there was anything we'd love to see, it'd be a way to share more of this info on the menu board (which is already packed!) and the to go menu, so that folks don't have to dig much on the website to learn about Melt's great practices.  But, this is really a small thing.

Thanks for what you're doing, Melt - you're a model for other Cincinnati restaurants!

The Story, Setting, & Service:  We ordered to go, and at 5:30 it was a quick 10 minutes.  They get quite busy at more peak hours though, so add another 10 minutes or so into your expectations if you're planning to grab something on the fly.

The full name for Melt is Melt Eclectic Deli, and that is a perfect explanation.  With mix-matched decor that is comfortably hipster, even for the uninitiated, Melt's indoor space is fun, but can be on the cramped side of cozy when it's busy.  On the plus side, it makes you feel like you're in a big city!  They've also got a great outdoor space to take advantage of while this weather is so nice.

Service is consistently friendly at Melt, and you count on some love going into all your dishes.

Melt, like Take the Cake, Slims/Vout, and Honey, is another local option that we are blessed to have within such close proximity, and a place that we plan to be sampling from for a long time to come.  We're wishing them the best of luck with Picnic and Pantry as well, and hoping for another successful enterprise in the community.

Dinner Out @ Honey

Moving to Northside, we gained the luxury of a number of solid restaurant options.  But, it's particularly satisfying to drink a glass of wine at home and then walk down the street to a steady favorite from the last several years.  A combination of refined and relaxed, Honey is one of Cincinnati's restaurants that makes me feel like there's no need to go to Brooklyn or San Francisco for a hip eatery.

The Food:  On our most recent trip, we started as we almost always do - Honey fries.  They're skinny-cut, skin-on potatoes fried (many to a delightful crisp) and delivered with a mouthwatering sweet chili sauce.  Ordering the fries gives us a chance to ponder the menu a bit longer, as well as the specials, of which there are always at least a few.  On this past trip we ordered a bottle of wine during the decision making process as well - a bright, crisp rose.

There were three of us, and we decided to split three mains.  First, the grilled Pat La Frieda burger with Roth Käse Rofumo, bacon, guacamole, tomato, and red onion on a toasted onion bun with (yes, no shame in it, more) honey fries.  Second, a skate special that came with a couscous and corn deep fried fritter with artichokes and leeks, plated with a tomato vodka broth and green-herbed oil.  Last, a mint-scented sweet pea ravioli in a pool of Riesling-laced chicken broth topped with mascarpone and crispy pancetta.  Mmmm - makes me hungry just thinking about it!

We ordered the burger medium rare, and it was perfectly pink throughout.  A simple guacamole meant you could really taste the avocado (one of those never-going-to-be-local delights), and the cheese added just a hint of smokiness to each bite.  It reminded me a bit of the gouda and guac sandwich at Sitwell's, an old regular order.  The consensus at our table was the skate was a bit overdone, but all was definitely not lost.  With the square fritter acting as the base, it's soft crunch went well with the snappiness of the shaved leeks.  Apparently I was the only who got any artichokes, but I thought they worked well with the tomato broth to bring a nice tang to the dish.  There was also a spicy profile brought by something in that fritter that I really enjoyed.  In fact, a background warmth provided by unnamed and indecipherable spices was a common theme with all the dishes.  Our ravioli with sweet peas was pleasantly peppery, and while it was the most subtle set of flavors on the table, the delicate pasta earned top honors in Sarah's opinion.  The chef did a great job overall with mixing textures, and we were all contentedly full.

Desserts are often a fun finish at Honey.  They are always playing around with new options, and the ice creams are made in house.  On this trip they were all just a bit off - the server would have us until one ingredient (white chocolate or mint julep ice cream for instance) just didn't quite mesh.  Once we ordered foie gras bacon ice cream, because, well, we didn't think we could pass up such a thing.  It wasn't our favorite, but we tell people about the experience fairly frequently.  Recent positive exploits have included a to-die-for chocolate cake (photos at the bottom of this post) and a flight of three ice cream floats laced with liqueurs and liquors.

The Ingredients:  Honey frequently names the sources of its ingredients (i.e. Sallie's asparagus and Rouster's apples on the current sample menu), and it is great to know they support local farmers and producers.  This is one of the many reasons to appreciate what is done at Honey, and I'm looking forward to even more local options coming soon.

The Story, Setting, & Service:  As I mentioned above, Honey is a neighborhood place for us and definitely a destination for others.  In fact, Sarah and I ate dinner there the night we got engaged, so it does hold a particularly special spot for us.

Inside, the restaurant is an attractive, often dimly lit space with expansive (20' or more) ceilings.  Prints of various flora are framed and match the small vases and candles that adorn each table.  They have an outdoor area as well, although I've never eaten there because when the weather is nice, it is always taken quickly

The service at Honey is the one thing that has had its fits and starts.  For a long time, the servers were always very friendly and knowledgeable, and the pretension level was quite low.  On our last few visits, we've had a bit of attitude from servers a couple of times - nothing even close to turning us off completely, but we have had moments of wishful thinking.  I could be wrong, but it seems like remaining a neighborhood favorite for generally laid back Northside and Clifton locals must be a top priority, so I can only imagine that Honey's easy going roots will win out over time.

Honey is a great place for an intimate meal or gathering of old friends.  Along with excellent dinner options, they've also got a fantastic brunch on Sundays from 11-2.  We hope to have this be a consistent stomping ground for years to come.

Scoop: The Painted Fish - A New Restaurant Coming Soon to Northside

At a Northside Community Council meeting recently, Nick Andersen introduced himself and said that he is planning to open a sushi restaurant called The Painted Fish in the old Gajah Wong space on Spring Grove Avenue, just off of Hamilton Avenue.  The crowd seemed quite pleased.

After I followed up and heard some of the ideas they’re kicking around, here’s what I’ve got to share:

They’re hoping to open in July, and it will be a casual place (if you’ve been in that space, you know it would take a serious makeover to do anything else).  The sushi bar will be less traditional, with lots of specialty rolls, and they’ll also planning to have noodles, chicken, steak, and lots of seafood.  Embracing healthy, alternative menu options was clearly a focus, so they’ll plan to have vegan, gluten-free choices, and good ones!  Nick also mentioned having wifi, and they have an espresso machine as well.  The space is quite large, so there is plenty of room for folks to linger and enjoy themselves.  Finally, The Painted Fish intends to have a late night martini bar where people can grab a few drinks, maybe a small sushi roll, or some edamame.

And I almost forgot – the outdoor patio is huge!  Take the average patio space and triple it.  They’ve got a bar, a stage, and lots of greenery.  A kitchen garden is even in the works.  This city is short on good outside dining options, so it’ll be great to have this area back in operation.

Nick was most recently a sushi chef up in Mason at Bistro Ginza in Mason, and has moved down to Cincinnati from a spot at Uraku in Bowling Green, Ohio.

And while we’re on the subject of NW Ohio, here’s a short “the world is very small/full disclosure” interlude:  I walked in to talk to Nick at the space (they’re doing some repair and painting now), and I was quickly greeted by Anne Steiner – Nick’s wife – who I had no idea I was about to see.  Anne and I are both from the bustling township of Bluffton, OH and, amongst other things, grew up going to the same church.  I had recently been in touch with her parents after a trip to Bluffton and then a cameo on their blog/website – The Bluffton Icon.  Nick and Anne now live a couple blocks from Sarah and I.  So, yes, the world is very small (especially if you limit it to Ohio).

Hopefully all will go well, and we’ll have another great food option in Northside!

Lunch Out @ Take the Cake

We tried and we tried to go to Take the Cake - way too many months went by before we got there.  Somehow, every time we'd make an attempt they were closed.  But alas, we've been doing our best to make up for lost time - this place is fantastic!  They're another Twitter success story, and have earned their popularity with consistently delicious food.

The Food:   The menu is on a chalkboard to the left of the cash register, and the sooner you get there the better because when it's gone, it's gone.  There are always interesting, creative dishes on the menu for both the brunches and lunches they serve.  We wanted something on the light side, and happily ordered a Mediterranean salad, a piece of broccoli, cheddar, and bacon quiche, and a bowl of mushroom soup.

I've been really digging cous cous (shout out to Courtney at Epiventures for the suggestion of mograbiyeh at Dean's at Findlay) - so was happy to see this salad get set down in front of me with some pearly goodness on top.  This salad was piled with capers, eggplant, cauliflower, tomato, cucumber, olives, micro/greens, onions, roasted garlic, and a dollop of some creamy goodness with sour cream, lemon, and tahini.  It was the best I've had in a quite a while - it really hit the spot.

The brocolli bacon cheddar quiche's most notable quality just might be its flaky, salty, buttery crust.  Sometimes I debate eating crust, in this case I'd almost order it by itself.  The filling is substantial but light, and was well balanced.  The dish also came with a small side salad - pretty straight forward.

Lastly, we had mushroom soup (basic buttons), micro greens on top, and cooked, chopped onions.  It probably could have used a pinch of salt, but it was simple and savory.

Oh, and now to post about the first food that we did not eat.  Yes, we missed out on the last eclair.  I went up to order it and another Northsider has already reserved the final one.  Note: put your name on one of these delectable desserts when you order, not at the end when you pay!  Look out for a forthcoming post on the eclair, which really does deserve a post in and of itself.

The Ingredients:  They don't say anything about their ingredients on the menu, but I do know from talking to folks who work there (who also happen to be neighbors) that they pay attention to where their food is coming from.  I know, that's pretty vague - I will get more details on the next post, promise.

The Story, Setting, & Service:  The first thing that hits you as you walk in the door is a mix of great smells.  That's always a welcome beginning to any culinary experience.  The people are so nice at Take the Cake, and the whole vibe is great.  Simple decor - concrete floors, and eclectic artwork on the walls.  I loved driving by when it was a bit colder out and seeing the steam in the front window - it looked just as cozy from the outside and it is when you're in.

With an open kitchen, if you sit at the bar, you end up watching people mixing different color fondant for a cake or making beautiful tarts.  They got slammed when we were in and handled it very gracefully.  With the prevalence of Gordon Ramsey and all the restaurant haters out there, you get the idea that all restaurant staff are constantly going crazy and yelling and out of control.  You don't have any of that at Take the Cake.  If they weren't so busy and I didn't feel bad about taking a seat, I could really just sit and watch the kitchen, the other customers, and the dance that is a small, local restaurant - very cool.

Get there early, they were darn near sold out at lunch on Friday by 1:30.  Also, prepare yourself for classic Cincinnati - I knew half the people in line when we went, and that seems to be the norm.  Particularly if you're a Northside resident, you should expect to say hi to some neighbors.

At Take the Cake, you eat healthy and feel good about it.  The portions fill you up, but don't weigh you down.  Now, if you lose control and go for pastries afterward, you can't blame it on them :).  We hope to be regulars for a long time to come.

Dinner Out @ Vout

I first heard about Vout (pronounced vow-t), a restaurant in the same space as Slim's, from ForkHeartKnife in early March.  Then there were a few other posts about Slim's and this new iteration that followed shortly thereafter.  We hadn't been to Slim's in a while, and it is right down the street, so we meandered down this week during our "staycation."  On the way there, we spotted a sign for Picnic and Pantry (first details here, on wine me, dine me) - opening soon in Northside - and have a few new "bonus" details at the bottom of this post.

The Food: Vout has the same Afro-Caribbean culinary flair that makes Slim's stand out.  It is really the serving system that makes Vout different from Slim's, so read more about that below in "The Story, Setting, & Service."

The menu (see in the slideshow below) is hand-written and even has a glossary on the back side.  It has several enticing options at first glance.  We ordered a "starter" with smoked salmon, mango, and more (photo on the left), followed by the pork belly and pernil asado for "mains," coupled with "sides" of fufu and cristianos y moros (rice and beans).  I should stop right now and say what jumped out were the low prices - when you're used to a place being $50 per person, and you have mains listed at $7 (the Ohio Maiden charcuterie board at $10, that is the most costly item), you immediately feel like you are getting a value.

The smoked salmon app had great balance, and they don't skimp on such fine fish. Beautiful watercress from Ohio Maiden and a mango avocado tomato relish were all as good to eat as they were to look at.

For the entrees, the pork belly came first.  It comes with crunchy carrots on the side, and a few sprigs of baby or Chinese broccoli on top.  There is a thick crispy top on the pork belly, so hard you have to really work to break through.  I had visions of a big porky mess every time I tried to cut it.  They probably didn't mean it to be that way, but it's something to be aware of.  They give you a huge portion of belly - doing justice to the cheap price of the cut.  Most places give you so little, you feel like you're eating a filet mignon, only to learn at the butcher it costs $3 a pound.   But the pork itself was melty and delicious, just as it should be, and the crunch added a different dimension to the bites, so we're not complaining.  The pork and carrots sit in a bit of soupy liquid that was less flavorful than we imagined it might be or could have been.  There was a bit of sugar in some bites that gave us a hint of the great Momofuk pork buns recipe that still makes us smile when we think about it.

Our other entree, the pernil asado, was a simple dish that lacked the wow of presentation that you got when a huge slab of pork belly hit the table.  It was a bowl of slow-braised pork with oregano-garlic adobo rub - oregano was the powerhouse flavor.  It came with a cup of crispy, salty, spiced-up plantains that we used to scoop up our side dishes - they were quite a treat.

The fufu was 1/2 plaintain mash and 1/2 smoky mash (potatoes plus paprika), with some bacon bits and scallions (we think) mixed in.  This came in 2nd, after the smoked salmon starter, for our favorite part of the meal - straightforward and delish.  Our other side was rice and beans, which has a zap of citrus from the kumquat slices throughout.  Not bad, but needed salt, and not quite like the Brazilian beans and rice that we're used to - otherwise known as "party in your mouth."

Finally, we were tempted into dessert when the magic words of the week were uttered - lemon tart.  We asked for it to go, and they wrapped up a plate with a slice of tart and some fresh pansies and violas for garnish.  This one didn't make it long once we go to our house.

The Ingredients: A solid number of the veggies are grown in house - literally.  Check out the pictures below in the slideshow.  Just behind the long tables as you walk in, there are greens growing in the sunny window.  There are also lemons and peppers and squash that are not, but very cool that they are sowing their own seeds.  If you walk just a few blocks down the street, you can see the plot of land where "Ohio Maiden" (a play on Made in Ohio) ingredients come from - it's just a few hoop houses on an average size corner lot (right across from The Village Green), but it is definitely not something you see every day in the typical urban jungle.  On the downside, the folks we asked didn't know where the pork comes from, but overall Vout is clearly paying attention to what makes its way to your stomach.

The Story, Setting, & Service:  Some places have bistros or cafes upstairs or next door (ala Chez Panisse or La Normandie below the Maisonette - before it was closed of course), Slim's and Vout share one space.  Reggae on the radio and a gorgeous sunlit room make for a perfect place to sit back and relax.  On top of that, the staff is very friendly and easy going.  In particular, Maggie, who I think may secretly have identical quadruplet sisters, because it seems she works at every restaurant in Northside (maybe Cincinnati?) always adds a positive energy where ever she happens to be.

No one else was there at 6:30 when we arrived,  but it filled up a bit by 7.  I wouldn't recommend going if you're in a hurry, this is a place to chill out.  Oh, and it's BYOB, so you'll see folks coming in with a 6-pack or bottles of wine all evening.

Overall, this was a solid meal, and at around $30 for two, there was a lot of good going on for a low price.  We could have spent closer to $20 and been happily full I think.  It's exciting to have another restaurant in the neighborhood where we can walk and get dinner on a weeknight for a reasonable price and come home happy.

Bonus:  Picnic and Pantry will open soon - probably late May.  It'll be a fancy grocery store, with a focus on local foods, that will stock staples and ready to eat meals (from the catering business in the back - which will phase in over the next couple months, most likely).  The grocery will likely be open every day, something like 8am-8pm, but they really want to be responsive to customers so will try to make it fit what people want.  As for the street food in the front, Lisa Kagen (Melt's owner) and Chef Frances Kroner will likely be doing that themselves to start so that folks know they're serious about it.

I've known Chef Kroner since far before the Chef was added on (isn't it awesome when folks you know do cool things?!).  She was at Slim's when it rose to prominence, and has recently been putting together "feasts" all over the city.  See more info here at her blog.  Sarah and I hosted a feast last year, and are putting another one together now.  It was awesome - beautiful, delectable food without having to go anywhere or do anything, and costs less than we would have spent at a restaurant.  We'd recommend it to anyone - get at least 12 people together and give her a call.

Dinner Out @ Ko-Sho

I'm sure everyone who lives within 5 minutes of the new Hamilton Ave., Northside location of Ko-Sho had the same fantasies we did as it took weeks upon months to open its doors, then finally did a while back: a great sushi and Japanese soup place with reasonable prices.  A place to grab take out on the way home for an easy meal, or to sludge up to in the snow for a belly warming.  It even has a rhyming catch phrase - fo sho - built right in.  Unfortunately, the reality isn't as rosy as the ideal so far from what we can tell.

The Food:  The first thing that I noticed when I looked at the menu is that it's pretty expensive.  The place is plain Jane inside (see below for more on the setting), so the dollar amounts are a bit surprising.

We started off with a few appetizers and one bit of sushi - a spicy tuna roll.  The hiya-yakko came first.  It is exactly what it says on the menu - tofu with scallions and ginger (they say there is fresh Japanese basil, but we didn't see/taste any).  Unfortunately, it is exactly what it says on the menu.  The tofu is literally an uncooked block of tofu that was pretty bland on its own.  There wasn't ginger or scallions to go around.  Next up was oshinko - pickled veggies.  There were some mushrooms (which the server said were radishes, but they definitely were not), Japanese cucumber, and daikon.  I thought the cucumber were pretty good, but the texture plus flavor of the both the others were off.  Veggie gyoza were our last app, and they were nothing to write home about.  We've made these at home several times and they're not particularly complicated.  The sauce was particularly disappointing because the balance was so off - way too much vinegar.  You'd think this would be an easy staple they'd have a boatload of in the back (they serve it with other things too).

Best thing on the table at this point?  The miso soup, which had good seaweed, and nice seasoning, and comes with pot dishes and noodles although the menu doesn't tell you.  We also enjoyed the ginger salad dressing that came with a small salad, which was also with the entrees and not on the menu.

We were kinda bummed by this point already, and then the entrees came.  The first was the shabu shabu, which we got with tofu (since we didn't know what the beef was or where it came from, but was probably a mistake because they didn't marinade or do anything to the tofu).  The broth has no flavor - it might have been water.  Sesame sauce on the side was tasty, but the ponzu sauce was the vinegary gyoza sauce and ruined anything you put it on.  Unfortunately, when they brought me 6 things I assumed I should put them together, so I had too much vinegar from the start.  We asked for more of the sesame to try to save the day, but it was too little too late.  Sadly, this was the worst $19.50 we've spent on a meal in a long time.

Our second entree was udon noodles which came with yummy tempura vegetables and a rice lump with toasted sesame and salt.  The noodles were slurpily good, and the broth was satisfying.  This dish was clearly the best part of our meal, but even it wasn't anything special.  We make a far better Asian soup at home.  And even in the best dish, a big reconstituted mushroom had a dehydrated chemical taste (they were in the shabu shabu too).

In it's defense, 5chw47z did think the sushi was fantastic (though, he admits, pricey).  Some of our neighbors and friends haven't been so kindly to the rolls, but we clearly didn't focus on the sushi on this visit.  If and when we are feeling lazy, and in the mood for sushi, and willing to pay a premium, I'll post about that experience.  I'm sure that'll happen, probably not any time soon.

The Ingredients: We asked about where the beef came from for the shabu shabu and they didn't know.  The server was brand new and didn't have many answers for us, but neither did the kitchen.  Other than that, no notes about local, seasonal, organic, etc.  I will say, they have a sizable vegan menu (over half the appetizers, for instance), if you're into that sort of thing.

The Story, Setting, & Service: Unfortunately, we'd heard mixed reviews at best before we ever walked in the door.  We were waiting to go, partly in hopes they'd work out some kinks.  I guess they haven't yet.  On the service, darn near every review I've read (to go along with every person I've talked to) has expressed disappointment.  The guy was really nice, so I feel a bit bad, but to beat a dead horse, at this price point he needs to know more before he's put on the floor.

The decor is weak, and the ambiance is nearly non-existent.  Even with very few people the small space echoes, and the loud other people and blenders were a distraction.  Finally - and I swear I don't have a grudge against these people, in fact we'd REALLY like them to do well (for us) - our table was musty, they need to wash their rags before they clean the tables.

Bonus:  Dessert at Honey (which, incidentally, may have the slowest loading web page left on the world wide web :) ).  One of the great things about the strip of restaurants in Northside is that if you aren't happy at one place - go somewhere else!  He said best cake ever, bartender laughed, almond inside, frangipan, butter cream, peach inside, salty caramel,

To wrap up, at the price point we paid at Ko-Sho, we would prefer to go down the street to Honey every single time (and that just if we want to walk somewhere).  As we were sauntering, albeit saltily, home we discussed how maybe we should write them a letter (that's our less public way of telling a restaurant what we think if we want to give them a second chance).  We decided they were already open downtown, so its probably a done deal.  Bummer.