Greater Cincinnati Restaurant week

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Experience the cuisine that defines the art of dining in Greater Cincinnati with $35 three-course prix-fixe menus from the city’s best restaurants.

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GREATERCINCINNATIRESTAURANT WEEK.com

2   2016 GRE ATER CINCINNATI R E S TA U R A N T W E E K

WoodBottom Q u a i l Fa r m s , l l C

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2016 GRE ATER CINCINNATI R E S TA U R A N T W E E K   3

513. 335.8374 w w w. w o o d b o t t o m q u a i l . c o m

Restaurant Week Menu FirSt courSe Caesar Salad | Chopped House Salad | Lobster Bisque Second courSe Filet Mignon > Black Angus Barrel Cut Beef Tenderloin, Garlic Mashed Potatoes Lemon Chicken > Mushrooms, Tomatoes, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Lemon Caper Beurre Blanc Grilled Halibut > Butternut Squash, Pearl Onion, Bacon, Sage, Wild Rice, Lemon Beurre Blanc Sweet Pea Ravioli (Vegetarian) > Sweet Pea, Pearl Onion, Ricotta Filling, Lemon Beurre Monte’, Lump Crab (Optional) deSSert Trio’s Banana Cream Pie | Strawberry Short Cake

www.TrioBistro.com

7565 Kenwood Rd, Cincinnati, OH 45236

(513) 984-1905 3819 EDWARDS ROAD • CINCINNATI 5 1 3 . 6 3 1 . 5 2 5 2 • S E A S O N S 5 2 .C O M

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jags.com

4 2016 GRE ATER CINCINNATI R E S TA U R A N T W E E K

5980 west chester rd. west chester, OH

PRIMAVISTA The Food ~ The View Since 1989

810 Matson Place, Cincinnati, Ohio 45204

513.251.6467

www.pvista.com

2016 GRE ATER CINCINNATI R E S TA U R A N T W E E K   5

the Best Kept Secret In Town Happy Hour

Thursday-Saturday 5pm-7pm $10 daily specials, 1/2 off food items, and drink specials (Located inside The Phoenix across CityBeat offices)

From-Scratch Kitchen Patio Now Open!

2062 Riverside Dr., Cincinnati, OH 45202

Award-Winner Draft Beer List

513.861.2484 BrewRiverGastroPub.com

BREAKFAST • BRUNCH • LUNCH • DINNER CHEF’S TABLES • PRIVATE PARTIES AAA FOUR DIAMOND AWARD WINNER, 26 YEARS

THE CINCINNATIAN HOTEL

6 2016 GRE ATER CINCINNATI R E S TA U R A N T W E E K

601 VINE STREET • 513-381-3000 w w w. c i n c i n n a t i a n h o t e l . c o m

e v o b A t A Cu Rest the

Open Daily For Dinner at 5:00 PM Happy Hour 4:30 PM - 7:00 PM Monday - Friday

Downtown in Carew Tower - 441 Vine St. - 513.421.7111

Developing a Global Palate Restaurants offer adventure and culinary tourism

BY STE P HE N C ART E R -NOVOT NI “It gives them an opportunity to see different things and to contrast it to what they are used to. … It just keeps things interesting.”

Neace grew up in a large family — he was the youngest of nine children.

So he became open to new foods more out of necessity than invention.

“Any time there was food put down, we ate it,” he says, laughing. “We had to eat it because there wasn’t always a whole lot to go around. We definitely ate everything that was presented to us. It was a humble background, and you never want to insult somebody who would offer food. So whenever somebody offered me food, I would oblige and eat it, whether I liked it or not. I might not have gone back for seconds, but I definitely would try something new.”

Neace delights in sharing this enthusiasm for new tastes and food combinations with his students.

“Being where we are, in Cincinnati, not all of our students are advantaged and have had the opportunity to expand their palates,” he says. “That happens as they come through the program, but I would say 80 percent of our students have not experienced dramatically different cuisines (before coming to school).”

And, Neace says, introducing them to new flavors is also a way of introducing them to new cultures.

Culinary tourism is an important aspect of becoming a global citizen.

From an eclectic dining experience, one emerges as more culturally literate and develops an appreciation for world cultures.

“That’s the goal of it,” he says, “to make them more self-aware and to understand these melting pots — what works and why it works for different cultures and how we can adapt to using the best of all the cultures. …

The diversity, the great resources and opportunities in these cultures that they can experience and draw from is another tool in the tool belt that makes a person more successful.”

How to get started Of course, a menu at an ethnic restaurant can look like Greek to a first-time guest. It may actually be Greek, so there’s a learning curve for new diners sitting at the table. Picking among 20 or more different choices — and figuring out how to combine them — can present a challenge.

“If you don’t know what you’re reading, you look at a Greek menu and you see some Souvlaki and you don’t really know what that is — that’s when you’re going to have to take a leap of faith and either communicate that to the server, asking, ‘What am I looking at here?’ and hopefully are guided into what that is.”

Neace says it’s really important to expand and try new items. Even if you find out you dislike a dish, you’ve learned something. And being open to that sort of variance, realizing that every dish you try is not going to be something that would make it into a culinary journal, is part of the fun.

“Not everything is going to be a home run,” he says. “Knowing that going into it should help alleviate any disappointment. Not everything is going to be perfect or meet your expectations. Sometimes oatmeal is just oatmeal. But sometimes it can be garnished with some great accoutrements to make it over the top.

“You just don’t know until you try it: there’s no silver bullet; there’s no path to know that it’s going to work for you,” he continues. “You just have to experiment. You have to see what you’ll like. It’s kind of like drinking wine. How do you know you like it or don’t like it until you try it? And the beautiful thing about wines is that there might be a year where you don’t like a varietal, but the grape changes from year to year. There’s really no reason why you can’t go back and try things again that you may not have liked the first time. They might be different. That’s just the simple fact of experiencing food.”

2016 GRE ATER CINCINNATI R E S TA U R A N T W E E K 7

It’s easy to stick with the old standbys when you go out to eat. Everyone has their favorite dishes, and part of what makes dining out fun is that familiar food is also comfort food. You expect that linguine that you have every time you go to your favorite Italian holein-the-wall will taste amazing today, just like it did yesterday and will tomorrow. But Alan Neace, associate dean executive chef of the Midwest Culinary Institute, says adventure should be part of your restaurant equation, too.

“We need some variety in our life,” Neace says. “Imagine eating the same thing every day. At the school here, we focus on the lineage of French cooking. So if you look at that as a whole, there are a lot of great ingredients.

But, the style that is used, the way that we cook here, it’s pretty linear. I think the idea of expanding on it and being able to do something different — different ingredients and different styles, the way different cuisines are done, makes it really exciting. I think it gives us an opportunity to see esoteric ingredients and cultures.”

The Culinary Institute is part of Cincinnati State College, and Neace says many of the students with whom he works arrive at the school only able to cook a limited array of dishes.

He says instructors at the school start by giving students an appreciation of French cuisine, exploring its lineage from simple to complex dishes.

A full appreciation of one sort of ethnic cuisine allows students a depth of knowledge to draw upon when they try their hands at food from cultures and disciplines from the far reaches of the globe. Likewise, he says, this scheme can benefit diners. It’s like becoming well-versed in classic English literature — its themes and styles — before exploring world literature. It’s the first step toward developing a global palate.

“They can see just how different it is compared to what they know, and it makes it exciting,” Neace says.

wine 101

Educating yourself on the joys of the grape

BY STEPH EN C A RTER -NOVOTNI

Happy Hour Daily/ Private Rooms

10808 Montgomery Road

513.489.1212

For Reservations

8 2016 GRE ATER CINCINNATI R E S TA U R A N T W E E K

www.eddiemerlots.com

FREE $50 GIFT CA R D F O R H O S T Book a Holiday Party of 10 or more with us by December 15 and receive a complimentary $50 Gift Card as the host. Gift card valid on return visit.

Number based on final head count.

Call our large party planner today 513-530-5501 1 1 0 2 3 M o n t g o M e r y r d , C i n C i n n at i 4 5 2 4 9

Admit it — your eyes glaze over when you look at the wine list: the pressure to choose an appropriate blend; the foreign pronunciations; the looming taste test and approving nod.

According to Mary Horn, vice president of fine wine sales and education at Heidelberg Distributing, you’re not alone. A lot of folks are intimidated by the wine-choosing process, but it’s not hard to get your feet wet — and you don’t have to stomp on grapes to do so.

“I would recommend that if they can at least communicate what they know they like and what they don’t, they can ask the sommelier to help guide them in the right direction,” Horn says. “They can look for guidance that way. I don’t think there’s one quick little thing that you can tell somebody to make them feel comfortable with a wine list. But, if they can communicate whether they like Cabernet, they like a lot of tannin or they like buttery, oaky Chardonnay, then the sommelier or the beverage server can generally guide them to something they might enjoy.”

Tannin adds a note of bitterness and dryness to wines. There are lengthy and extensive glossaries of wine terminology available, and it’s a good idea to study these as you move forward in developing your appreciation. But the most basic aspect to understand is that a sip of wine yields not just one taste, but many. And, as you learn about what you’re drinking, you’ll discover you can pick out the individual voices in the choir. A crude but handy way to get you started is understanding the notes in “American Champaign” — that is, Coca-Cola.

Cola is not a natural flavor. It’s what’s called a fantasia blend by those in the beverage industry. Cola is made up of vanilla, cinnamon and citrus and, if you imagine the cola taste, you can taste all three. Pepsi leans toward lemon. Coke leans toward orange. From this humble, three-chord example, you can extrapolate into the world of adult beverages and the symphony of flavors they offer.

“If you’re going to a steakhouse,

look for something that has tannin in it, like Cabernet Sauvignon,” Horn says. “If you are eating something with salt and fat, salt minimizes the perception of acid in a wine. Grilled flavors go well with oaky wines.”

Oaky wines are wines that have been fermented in oak barrels and impart tones of vanilla, cream or smoke to a wine, softening its flavor. The terminology and the complexity of wines is part and parcel to it being an elegant beverage and a part of gourmet dining. But don’t get intimidated.

Horn says wines can generally be viewed as either wines of quality — average, bottom-shelf wines — or the more expensive wines of character.

“Wines of character either speak to the grapes that they’re made from or the place they come from,” Horn says.

“If you’re drinking Barefoot Cabernet Sauvignon, you just know that it’s wine and it’s Cabernet. But, it’s got no other defining feature that’s telling you anything about it other than it’s inexpensive, easy-to-drink wine. If I go then to a Napa Valley Cabernet, say, Mount Veeder Cabernet, then I know that this wine is going to have more character because it’s coming from a

specific place, the Napa Valley.”

The character refers to the complexity of the flavor and the different notes you can detect within that flavor.

“These are going to be a little more sophisticated, a little more definable, and they’re going to have a definite personality,” Horn says. “Wines just of quality, these are inexpensive and speak to nothing other than the fact that they’re made from grapes and have alcohol in them.”

Of course, personality is the reason you dine out in the first place: the restaurant’s décor, the cool bartender, the professionalism of your server. By virtue of just being in such an elegant place, you feel a little elegant yourself. Half of what you’re buying is the context.

“Even if they’re a novice, people coming into a restaurant are either going to be comfort seekers or adventurers,” she says. “If they’re a comfort seeker, they’re going to look for something they are familiar with.

Adventurers are going to start small, but they’re going to look to restaurant staff for guidance.”

Horn is also the co-chair of the festival committee for the Cincinnati International Wine Festival. The event takes place every March and all proceeds go to charity. Wine tastings are an important avenue for developing your budding interest in wines, she says.

“The more you taste and the more you understand your own palate, the better you can help yourself,” Horn says. “One of the big challenges is to accept the fact that you’re not going to like everything. Everything isn’t going to be your style or what you want to drink. And that’s okay. That’s the fun of the diversity of both wine and food. The more things you can try and the more you become accustomed to, the less likely you are to find things you don’t like.

“The first time you try anything new, you don’t necessarily like it,” she continues. “The first sip you have of Scotch is off-putting. It’s smoky, it’s peaty, you don’t know what to do with it, so you think you don’t like it.

The second sip you have isn’t quite as bad. By the third sip it’s OK. And by the fourth sip you need another glass. The same is true of wine — the more you can taste different flavors, the less fearful you are of those new tastes, and they become incorporated in what you like already.”

Handcrafted Wines. Modern Casual Dining.

VISIT US AT OUR T WO CINCINNATI LOCATIONS:

Kenwood

Liberty Center

8080 MONTGOMERY ROAD CINCINNATI, OH 45236

(NEX T TO THE AC MARRIOT T) 7490 BALES STREET LIBERT Y TOWNSHIP, OH 45069

NOW OPEN

2016 GRE ATER CINCINNATI R E S TA U R A N T W E E K   9

Banana Leaf Modern Thai

101 E Main St, Mason, OH 45040 (513) 234-0779 • bananaleafmodernthai.com FIR ST COUR SE: Banana Leaf House Salad Tom Yum Soup Tom Ka Soup SECOND COUR SE: Banana Leaf Signature Pad Thai Hanger Steak in Thai Port Wine Reduction Trio Mahi Mahi Panang Curry THIR D COUR SE: Coconut Creme Brulee Thai Tiramisu Macarons

BrewRiver GastroPub 2062 Riverside Dr, Cincinnati, OH 45202 (513) 861-2484 • brewrivergastropub.com FIR ST COUR SE: Plus a 4oz Beer Pairing Truffle Mac n’ Cheese Wedge Salad Canal Street Mussels SECOND COUR SE: Plus a 4oz Beer Pairing The Creole Queen Fried Green Tomato Burger The Cubano The Open-Faced Portobello SAMich THIR D COUR SE: Plus a 4oz Beer Pairing Dark Chocolate Brownie White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Blondie “Young’s” Double Chocolate Stout Cake

Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant 8080 Montgomery Road Cincinnati, OH 45236 (513) 488-1110 • coopershawkwinery.com

5075 Deerfield Blvd, Mason, OH 45040 (513) 234-9032 mason.firebirdsrestaurants.com

FIR ST COUR SE: Roasted Beets & Goat Cheese Caprese Flatbread Chicken Potstickers

FIR ST COUR SE: Nashville Hot Chicken Slider Homemade Chicken Tortilla Soup or Soup of the Day BLT, Mixed Greens or Caesar Salad

SECOND COUR SE: Dana’s Parmesan-Crusted Chicken Spaghetti & House-Made Meatballs Jambalaya Maple-Mustard Pretzel Crusted Pork THIR D COUR SE: S’more Budino Cooper’s Hawk Chocolate Cake Salted Caramel Créme Brulee O ne g l ass of wine with m ea l : Cooper’s Hawk Red or Cooper’s Hawk White

Behle Street by Sheli

2220 Grandview Drive, Ft. Mitchell KY 41017 (859) 341-8888 behlestreetbysheli.com/wordpress FIR ST COUR SE: Shrimp Cocktail Bruschetta SECOND COUR SE: Cafe Wedge Caesar THIR D COUR SE: Braised Short Ribs Ribeye Parmesan Crusted Grouper Jack Daniels Chops Truffle Oil Pasta C o m p l i m entar y D essert: Opera Cream Cake or Homemade Strawberry Shortcake

Boi Na Braza

441 Vine St, Cincinnati, OH 45202 (513) 421-7111 • boinabraza.com

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FIR ST COUR SE: Picanha con Alho Leg of Lamb Pork Ribs Top Sirloin Pork Loin w/Parmesan Salsichao Bottom Sirloin Chicken Leg Chicken Breast w/Bacon Beef Ribs SECOND COUR SE: Unlimited Salad Bar THIR D COUR SE: Carmel Turtle Cheesecake, Key Lime Pie, Carrot Cake, Chocolate Mousse Cake or Strawberry Sensation Cake

Firebirds Wood Fired Grill

SECOND COUR SE: Cilantro Grilled Chicken Chimichurri Flat Iron Steak Wood Grilled Filet Medallions Grilled Jumbo Shrimp THIR D COUR SE: Creme Brulèe Cheesecake Squares Chocolate Brownie Sundae Key Lime Pie; Warm Carrot Cake

Eddie Merlot’s

Jag’s Steak & Seafood & Piano Bar

SECOND COUR SE: Tomato Bisque Blue Crab + Corn Chowder House Salad Roast Salt Beet

FIR ST COUR SE: Blazing Blue Cheese Shrimp Lobster Bisque Caesar Salad

FIR ST COUR SE: Fig, Meat & Cheese Cranberry Glazed Wings Autumn Oysters

SECOND COUR SE: Duet of Filet Mignon & Salmon Angel Hair Shrimp Scampi French Cut Pork Chops

SECOND COUR SE: Cream of Asparagus Harvest Salad Roasted Beet Salad

THIR D COUR SE: Duck, Here Comes Your Filet Pacific Halibut Mediterranean Chicken

THIR D COUR SE: Bourbon Butter Cake Triple Chocolate Cake Crème Brulee

THIR D COUR SE: Grilled Filet Mignon Caramelized Scallops Bourbon Apple Pork Loin

Embers Restaurant

Jeff Ruby’s Carlo and Johnny

Brown Dog Cafe

1000 Summit Park Place, Cincinnati, OH 45242 (Summit Park Blue Ash) (513) 794-1610 • browndogcafe.com FIR ST COUR SE: Lemongrass Grilled Shrimp Artichoke Fritter CAB Carpaccio

The Capital Grille

3821 Edwards Road, Cincinnati, OH 45209 (513) 351-0814 • thecapitalgrille.com/ locations/oh/cincinnati/cincinnati/8052 FIR ST COUR SE: Wedge Caesar Salad Clam Chowder SECOND COUR SE: Filet Mignon 8oz All-Natural Herb Grilled Chicken Bone-In Dry Aged NY Strip 14oz Seared Citrus Glazed Salmon Porcini Rubbed Sliced Tenderloin THIR D COUR SE: Flourless Chocolate Espresso Cake Classic Créme Brûlée

Montgomery Plaza, 10808 Montgomery Rd Cincinnati, OH 45242 (513) 489-1212 • eddiemerlots.com

8170 Montgomery Road , Cincinnati, Ohio 45236 (513) 984-8090• embersrestaurant.com FIR ST COUR SE: Spicy Tuna Maki Roll Roasted Red Pepper Bisque Caesar Salad

VISIT greatercincinnatirestaurant week.com FOR DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS AND SPECIAL OFFERS

9769 Montgomery Rd Montgomery, OH 45242 (513) 936-8600 • jeffruby.com/carlo-johnny FIR ST COUR SE: Freddie Salad or Caesar Salad

SECOND COUR SE: 72 Hour Braised Short Rib Amish Chicken Breast Salmon

SECOND COUR SE: 6 Ounce Bone-In Filet Pan-Seared Salmon Chicken Parmesan

THIR D COUR SE: Lavender Panna Cotta Chocolate Mocha Cake

THIR D COUR SE: Jeff Ruby’s Very Own Cheesecake Chocolate Cake

The Golden Lamb

Jeff Ruby’s Precinct

27 S. Broadway Lebanon, Ohio 45036 (513) 932-5065 • goldenlamb.com FIR ST COUR SE: Wild Burgundy Escargot Mushroom & Goat Cheese Strudel

S P O N S O R E D B Y:

5980 West Chester Road West Chester, Ohio 45069 (513) 860-5353 • jags.com

SECOND COUR SE: Chef Nick’s Clam Chowder Roasted Beet & Apple Salad THIR D COUR SE: Indiana Duck Breast Shore-Style Seasonal Fresh Fish Grilled Venison Loin Pan-Fried Frog Legs Provencal

311 Delta Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45226 (513) 321-5454 • jeffruby.com/precinct FIR ST COUR SE: Freddie Salad or Caesar Salad SECOND COUR SE: 6 Ounce Bone-In Filet Walnut Crusted Salmon Porcini Crusted Chicken Breast

THIR D COUR SE: Jeff Ruby’s Very Own Cheesecake Chocolate Raspberry Cake

K aze

The National Exemplar 6880 Wooster Pike, Mariemont, Ohio 45227 (513) 271-2103 • nationalexemplar.com

1331 Vine St, Cincinnati, OH 45202 (513) 421-7826 • quanhapa.com

FIR ST COUR SE: Kato Roll (5pcs) “Otr” Roll (5 pcs) Pork Belly Bun

FIR ST COUR SE: Hungarian Mushroom Soup Kale Salad Mussels Roman Style Meatballs

FIR ST COUR SE: Okonomiyaki Tsukune

1400 Vine Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 (513) 898-7991 • kazeotr.com

SECOND COUR SE: Miso Soup Kaze Salad THIR D COUR SE: Beef Bowl Katsu Bowl

L a Petite France Restaurant

Northland Shopping Center 3177 Glendale Milford Rd Cincinnati, OH 45241 (513) 733-8383 • lapetitefrance.biz FIR ST COUR SE: Soupe à l’Oignon Salade Caesar Seafood Bisque SECOND COUR SE: Poulet au Porto Baked Filet of Cod NY Strip Steak THIR D COUR SE: Mousse au Chocolat Tarte Tartin Peach Crepe

The Melting Pot

11023 Montgomery Rd, Cincinnati, OH 45249 (513) 530-5501 • meltingpot.com FIR ST COUR SE: Spinach and Artichoke Cheese Fondue Bourbon Bacon Cheddar Cheese Fondue SECOND COUR SE: Filet Mignon, Memphis BBQ Pork Medallion, Roasted Garlic Chicken, Teriyaki Sirloin, Chicken Potstickers and Vegetable Medley THIR D COUR SE: New York Cheese Cake Fondue Smores Chocolate Fondue

The Mercer

SECOND COUR SE: Bucatini all’ Amatriciana Wild Mushroom and Ramp Risotto Petite Filet Grilled Salmon THIR D COUR SE: Créme Brulee Carrot Cake Bread Pudding

The Palace at the Cincinnatian Hotel

601 Vine Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 (513) 381-3000 • palacecincinnati.com

THIR D COUR SE: Passion Fruit Panna Cotta Tiramisu Madisano’s Sorbe

THIR D COUR SE: Specialty Noodles 2 for $35

Prime 47

THIR D COUR SE: Salted Caramel Brownie Sundae Cranberry Raisin Bread Pudding

FIR ST COUR SE: House Salad Caesar Salad Lobster Bisque Soup Of The Day

Tano Bistro & Catering

THIR D COUR SE: Key Lime Pie Half Baked Cookie Grippo’s Pretzel Crusted Brownie

812 Race St, Cincinnati, OH 45202 (513) 721-2260 • thephx.com FIR ST COUR SE: Sauerkraut Balls Calamari Fritti Clam Chowder Little Gem Salad SECOND COUR SE: Black Ink Spaghetti Branzino Fall Risotto Short Rib THIR D COUR SE: Panna Cotta Pots de Créme Artisanal Cheese Plate

FIR ST COUR SE: Veal Meatballs Crispy Calamari

580 Walnut Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 (513) 579-0720 • prime47cincy.com

SECOND COUR SE: Seafood Risotto Seared Marlin Seared Filet Mignon

The Presidents Room

9836 Montgomery Road Montgomery, Ohio 45242 & 6200 Muhlhauser Rd, West Chester Township, OH 45069 (513) 489-1444 & (513) 942-2100 stonecreekdining.com

SECOND COUR SE: Herb Crusted Salmon Bloody Mary Marinated Pork Chop

FIR ST COUR SE: Baby Arugula Salad Mole Braised Pork Belly King Crab Pot Pie

THIR D COUR SE: Sweet Corn Brulee French Toast

Stone Creek Dining Company

Prism Steakhouse

1000 Broadway St., Cincinnati, OH 45202 (513) 250-3294 • jackentertainment.com/ cincinnati/restaurants/

204 W Loveland Ave, Loveland, OH 45140 (513) 683.TANO (8266) • foodbytano.com FIR ST COUR SE: Grown-up Tater Tots Sprout & Snout Buffalo Chicken Queso SECOND COUR SE: Tano House Salad Roasted Beet Salad Bowl of Soup THIR D COUR SE: Stuffed Salmon Braised Bison Pasta Smoked Bone-in Pork Chop

FIR ST COUR SE: Lobster Bisque Caesar Salad Prism Chopped Salad

7565 Kenwood Rd, Cincinnati, OH 45236 (513) 984.1905 • triobistro.com

SECOND COUR SE: Steak Frites Free Range Chicken Linguini Scampi

FIR ST COUR SE: Caesar Salad Chopped House Salad Lobster Bisque

THIR D COUR SE: Vanilla Bean Cheesecake Black Forest Mousse Strawberry Lime Opera Cake

SECOND COUR SE: Filet Mignon Lemon Chicken Grilled Halibut Sweet Pea Ravioli

Seasons 52

trio bistro

THIR D COUR SE: Trio’s Banana Cream Pie Strawberry Shortcake

3819 Edwards Road, Cincinnati, Ohio 45209 (513) 631-5252 • seasons52.com/home

primavista

810 Matson Place, Cincinnati, Ohio 45204 (513) 251-6467 • pvista.com FIR ST COUR SE: Arugula Salad Pasta e Fagioli Potato Gnocchi SECOND COUR SE: Sautèed Veal Scallpine Broiled Verlasso Salmon Shrimp and Pesto THIR D COUR SE: Budino di Panettone Tiramisu

FIR ST COUR SE: Signature Flatbreads: Roasted Roma Tomato; Garlic Pesto Chicken; Blackened Steak & Blue Cheese; All-Natural Pepperoni SECOND COUR SE: Seasonal Spinach Salad Organic Field Greens Crisp Romaine & Baby Kale Caesar THIR D COUR SE: Cedar Plank-Roasted Salmon Wood-Grilled Filet Mignon Southern Style Shrimp & Grits Wood-Grilled Pork Tenderloin All-Natural Roasted Half Chicken Two Mini Indulgence Desserts

Restaurants with more than one option in the courses listed above will give guests a choice on selection.

Menus are subject to change.

2016 GRE ATER CINCINNATI R E S TA U R A N T W E E K 1 1

SECOND COUR SE: Amish Chicken Breast Branzino Risotto Macaroni

SECOND COUR SE: Papaya Salad

SECOND COUR SE: 6 oz Petite Filet 14 oz Cajun Berkshire Pork Chop Garlic Shrimp or Chicken Grilled Salmon

1324 Vine Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 (513) 421-5111 • themercerotc.com FIR ST COUR SE: Artisan Mixed Greens Caesar Salad Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Quan Hapa

autHEntic tHai cuiSinE in the heart of Mason

101 E Main St, MaSon, oH 45040 | (513) 234-0779

1 2   2016 GRE ATER CINCINNATI R E S TA U R A N T W E E K

bananaleafmodernthai.com

Join us on September 26th - October 2nd and enjoy $35 three-course prix fixe menus

La Petite France

Share your moments with us Du r i ng Gr e at e r C i nc i n nat i R e s tau r a n t W e e k , use h a sh tag # GC Rw e e k on so c i a l m e di a for a c h a nc e to w i n ou r Gr a n d Pr i z e Pac k : 10 gi f t c e rt i f ic at e s wort h $2 5 e ac h f rom 10 r a n d om ly se l ec t e d Gr e at e r C i nc i n nat i R e s tau r a n t W e e k pa rt ic i pa n ts — som e of t h e be s t cu isi n e i n t h e a r e a !

RestauRant & BistRo

Celebrating 30 years of authentic award winning french cuisine elegant private dining rooms along with a casual bistro and bar

3177 Glendale-Milford Rd Evendale, OH 45241

call 513-733-8383 for reservations lapetitefrance.biz

Li g ht up th e n i gh t w i t h Em b e r s

Luc k y ru n n e r- u p w i n n e r s w i l l a l so ta k e hom e i n di v i dua l $2 5 gi f t c e rt i f ic at e s f rom pa rt ic i pat i ng r e s tau r a n ts .

8170 M on tgome ry Rd, C i n ci n n ati , OH 45236 ( 513) 984-8090 | w w w.e mbe rs re s tau ran t.com

Open Daily for Lunch & Dinner

LOCATED IN THE HEART OF HISTORIC LOVELAND, OHIO

204 West Loveland Avenue | Loveland, Ohio 45140 513.683.TANO (8266) | www.foodbytano.com

2016 GRE ATER CINCINNATI R E S TA U R A N T W E E K 1 3

#GCRWEEK

EXQUISITE DINING & CATERING

Offering comfortable fine dining in Over-The-Rhine

1324 Vine Street Cincinnati, OH 45202 513-421-5111

Valet Parking aVailable ReseRvations accepted

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SD: I went to Kenyon College in Ohio.

So I lived in Gambier for about four years. And, Tess, the character, does start with a lot of autobiographical information from my life. She moves to New York the same year that I did.

She gets the same terrible apartment that I had. And she also makes a drive from Ohio, which I once made when I graduated college and moved to New York City in the summer of 2006.

Besides that, we are very different.

CB: The idea of becoming is interesting. The rise of foodie culture in the U.S. is in the process of becoming, too. Even places that were once provincial have become psuedurban in a way that they were not a decade ago.

let servers serve and diners dine Author Stephanie Danler on how diners can engage with a smarter, urbane foodie culture

BY STE P HE N C ART E R -NOVOT NI CityBeat: Tell us about your book.

Stephanie Danler: Sweetbitter is a coming-of-age novel based around a young woman who is 22 years old, and she moves to New York City and gets a job at a fine dining, landmark restaurant. From there, the story is really about her falling in love with the world of food and wine and her education within it, which isn’t just limited to her palate. Also it’s about her experiences with friendship and intimacy and lust — becoming. For me, it’s really a story about becoming a woman.

CB: What’s the Ohio connection to the book?

CB: You’ve argued that serving has become more professional as well.

SD: The job of being a server formerly had a whiff of failure, of having failed at something else. And that has completely disappeared. Maybe not completely, but in New York City it has for the most part. It is a valid profession. That is in part because of the exposure. It has become permissible. Once you start exposing a subculture, it becomes, by nature, more professional.

SD: I had a very different background from Tess insofar as food. I was familiar with restaurants. … That said, when I moved to New York, I didn’t have an awareness of foods in their season, foods being consumed at the peak of their season. I remember my first heirloom tomato was that summer of 2006, which is a scene that I fictionalize for the book. I grew up in California and we had tomatoes yearround and they were excellent. But to see these purple tomatoes and these yellow and orange tie-dyed tomatoes, they tasted like an entirely different fruit, and that was when I realized that food eaten close to its source and food that is waited for and food that is treated like a celebration tastes entirely different from something that you pick up from a supermarket and is always at a consistent level of barely ripeness.

CB: What makes a great server? How can guests work with their servers to enhance their experience?

SD: When I managed restaurants, my priority was education. I feel like an educated staff has the best chance of educating the diner or acting as an ambassador for a restaurant, to give the kind of food experience for which the restaurant was designed.

What I look for in great service is — I still love to turn my meal over to the server. I love to ask what wine they are really interested in and I like to know their favorite dishes and how they like to course things. That is what they are trained to do. So many guests come in to a restaurant with a preconceived idea of how the meal should go. They want a California Chardonnay. They want their steak well-done and whatever their requirements are. But you’re really losing a lot of the nuance of the experience, often ignoring the reason you chose this place: because there’s an incredible chef or the esoteric and wide-ranging wine list. So unless you’re open to that and your server is educated in how to deliver that experience, the service suffers. The service suffers from staff that are not educated enough and guests that are not open enough.

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Stephanie Danler’s debut novel, Sweetbitter, chronicles the story of Tess, a one-time Midwesterner who moves into the high-profile New York City dining industry and finds herself in the process of “becoming” — becoming cultured, becoming an expert on serving and food and becoming who she feels she was meant to be. The novel is loosely based on Danler’s own experiences — she attended college at Ohio’s Kenyon College and did in fact pursue a journey of self-discovery in New York while working at the high-profile Union Square café. In a recent conversation with CityBeat, Danler discussed her novel, her palate and how to work with the wait staff at restaurants to get the most out of the experience.

SD: Just in the last 10 years we’ve seen an explosion of food and wine and restaurant awareness. A lot of that is television and a lot of that is a change that began to take place in 2003 in New York City, which was the exposure of its culture, which has slowly become mainstream culture. I think that it’s been exported to every city. An essential part of the urban experience now is to go out and experience the restaurants. There also is a larger number of people being educated in food and wine, so let’s say that everyone goes to CIA in upstate New York — the Culinary Institute of America — and everyone goes to New York City to become a server now, or to become a bartender or a restaurant manager. These people are leaving New York and they’re setting up shop all over the country. And so, there’s been this trickle-down effect.

The intensity of the scene in New York has been to the benefit of any place interested in culture, interested in art and music. Now, food is a part of that same conversation.

CB: How did your experiences inform the expansion of your character’s palate?

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