Cincinnati Magazine - November 2021 Edition by Cincinnati Magazine

Cozy up to these 32 coffeehouses, cafés, and roasteries.

Coffee e r u t l Cu plus Area Pilgrim Families Relate to Thanksgiving by John Stowell

What's So Funny About Bryant Goulding? by Rick Pender

Greyhound Tavern Stays on Track by Akshay Ahuja

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Cincinnati Magazine is excited to offer this exclusively curated gift, celebrating Cincinnati’s finest goodies, experiences, and products. This collection of classic Cincinnati favorites and Best of the City winners makes a great holiday gift.

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F E AT U R E S N OV E M B E R 2 02 1 MUG CLUB FLOW KOFFEE + KOMBUCHA, IN NEWPORT.

COFFEE CULTURE

Take a peek inside 32 truly great coffee shops, and meet the pros who deliver the beans and brews that keep our city running.

YOUR NEIGHBOR MIGHT BE A PILGRIM

P. 48

On the 400th anniversary of the ﬁrst Thanksgiving, local descendants of the original Mayﬂower passengers help keep that mythical story alive. We should be thankful they do.

FUNNY BUSINESS

P. 52

The Goulding family has used humor to build relationships and success across three generations. Is that sense of fun Rhinegeist’s secret sauce? BY RICK PENDER

BY JOHN STOWELL

PH OTO G R A PH BY D E V Y N G LI S TA

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ON OUR SITE

FOOD NEWS

12 / LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

FRONTLINES

16 / SPEAK EASY

96 / CINCY OBSCURA

Jeremy Pinnell’s new album

One old telescope

World soccer comes to Cincinnati

16 / THEATER

15 / DISPATCH

Live holiday theater ﬁnally returns

18 / STYLE COUNSEL Dorese Bilal goes natural

20 / HOMEGROWN

BY BEBE HODGES

DINE

76 / DINING OUT Greyhound Tavern, Ft. Mitchell

CG Ceramics does the dishes

78 / TAKEOUT HERO

22 / REAL ESTATE

78 / TABLESIDE WITH…

New construction with historic charm in Columbia-Tusculum

24 / DR. KNOW Your QC questions answered

Onolicious Hawaii, Oakley

26 / WELCOME TO MIDDLEHOOD We are the complaining family

Decoding our civic DNA, from history to politics to personalities.

Jen Morales and Jason Stitt, Mixicles

80 / HOT PLATE Copper & Flame, Over-the-Rhine

82 / SNACK TIME

COLUMNS

CITY NEWS

The Empanada’s Box, Over-the-Rhine

85 / DINING GUIDE Greater Cincinnati restaurants: A selective list

HOME + LIFE

Tracking what’s new in local real estate, artisans, and storefronts.

BY JUDI KETTELER

30 / CITY WISE Thom Atkinson is the best writer you’ve never read

BY JIM DeBROSSE

ON THE COVER photograph by JEREMY KRAMER model courtesy HEYMAN TALENT

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Cincinnati Magazine

@Cincinnatimagazine

SPORTS

Insight and analysis on the Bengals and FC Cincinnati.

PHOTOGRAPHS (TOP) COURTESY SIBCY CLINE PHOTOGRAPHY / (BOTTOM) BY ANDREW DOENCH

12 / CONTRIBUTORS

The latest news from our re-emerging dining scene.

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HEALTH WATCH * L I V I N G H E A LT H Y I N C I N C I N N AT I

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Health Watch: Innovations Discover the newest technologies and learn about groundbreaking research happening at our region’s hospitals.

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DISCOVER HEALTHY, BEAUTIFUL SKIN

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF John Fox DESIGN DIRECTOR Brittany Dexter

PUBLISHER Ivy Bayer

DIRECTOR OF EDITORIAL OPERATIONS

SENIOR ACCOUNT MANAGERS

Amanda Boyd Walters SENIOR EDITOR Aiesha D. Little DIGITAL EDITOR Sam Rosenstiel ASSOCIATE EDITOR Lauren Fisher CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Jim DeBrosse,

Kathleen Doane, Jene Galvin, Jay Gilbert, Alyssa Konermann, Lisa Murtha, Kevin Schultz, John Stowell, Linda Vaccariello, Kathy Y. Wilson, Jenny Wohlfarth, J. Kevin Wolfe IN MEMORIAM Polk Laffoon IV EDITORIAL INTERNS

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SENIOR ART DIRECTORS Jen Kawanari,

Emi Villavicencio ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR Carlie Burton JUNIOR DESIGNERS Logan Case, Jessica Dunham

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CIRCULATION

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CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS Lance Adkins, Ryan Back,

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CONTRIBUTORS

M. LEIGH HOOD

L E T ’S G E T T H I S O U T O F T H E WAY R I G H T U P F R O N T: I D O N ’ T D R I N K CO F F E E . I ’ V E always been a tea person, so I have nothing against steaming hot mugs of caffeinated bliss waking me up in the morning, sending me to sleep in the evening, or keeping me company at any hour in between. I just don’t like the taste of coffee, though I usually enjoy the smell. I do love coffeehouses. They’ve evolved in recent years to become true community centers in their home neighborhoods, way beyond simply selling hot drinks. Great coffeehouses serve food from local vendors or their own kitchens, host local musicians, post ﬂyers for local events, and show up at local festivals and school fairs. They let you plop down with your laptop or a magazine and linger. They help you escape the outside hustle and bustle and never hurry you along. This month’s “Wake Up Call,” about Cincinnati’s coffee culture (page 34), highlights more than 30 area cafés and roasters who embrace their important roles in our lives. They’re building connections and relationships one cup at a time, supplementing the coffee occasionally with beer, cocktails, wine, kombucha, books, groceries, and dinner. Some build relationships all the way down the supply chain, personally getting to know coffee bean farmers and growers around the world and striving to support their families. A great coffeehouse is a respite from daily life, a place to be alone with others while you focus on answering work e-mails or working the crossword puzzle. It’s also a wonderful way to get to know a new neighborhood or a new city. No matter how far you are from home, the best coffeehouses treat you like a friend the minute you walk in. With the pandemic easing once again and life starting to open up a bit, take some time to stop in at your local coffeehouse and soak in the welcoming vibe. Be thankful that we can warm ourselves with each other’s company (and a cup of coffee or tea) again as the winter chill approaches, and that we’ll be able to gather with friends and family again at Thanksgiving.

J O H N F OX

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

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ILLUSTR ATIO N BY L A R S LEE TA RU

Contributing writer M. Leigh Hood is a bona-ﬁde coffee connoisseur. So aside from the excuse for “copious caffeination” while writing for this month’s issue, Hood says her favorite part of reporting was discovering Unataza, a Honduran coffee shop in Dayton, Kentucky (page 46). “I’m already arranging coffee dates with friends so I can introduce them to the shop,” she says.

RICK PENDER Although he isn’t native to Cincinnati, freelance writer Rick Pender has lived in the Queen City for 40 years. His admiration for comedy duo Bob & Ray inspired “Funny Business” (page 52). Pender takes a behind the scenes look at the family connection between one half of the comedy duo and one of the city’s most popular breweries, Rhinegeist.

RYAN OLBRYSH Las Vegas–based artist Ryan Olbrysh specializes in digital photo collages, and this month, he brought Cincinnati’s coffee scene to life (page 34). His favorite blend? “I never touch the stuff,” Olbrysh admits. “But I’m pretty good at grinding beans and pressing the on button on my wife’s coffee maker.” CORRECTION

In October’s story on Dublin, Ohio, restaurants, restaurateur Cameron Mitchell was mistakenly identiﬁed as affiliated with Mitchell’s Fish Market. He is not. We regret the error.

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JEREMY PINNELL’S NEW ALBUM P. 16

DORESE BILAL’S NATURAL STYLE P. 18

DELICIOUS CERAMICS P. 20

VICTORIAN VIEWS P. 22

ON THE WORLD STAGE

This month’s U.S.–Mexico match could be a preview of the ultimate soccer prize: the 2026 World Cup in Cincinnati. J O H N F O X

INCINNATI’S REPUTATION AS A U.S.

soccer hotbed takes another step forward this month, and the ultimate prize appears to be within reach. The U.S. men’s national team plays its chief rival, Mexico, at TQL Stadium November 12 in a crucial qualifying match for the 2022 World Cup. The most important game the national team hosts in this country, played once every four years, was awarded to Cincinnati by U.S. Soccer, which had presented this matchup in Columbus leading up to the past five World Cups (2002–2018). FC Cincinnati President Jeff Berding says the club’s new stadium and rabid fan base made this city a natural choice for the national team, which is seeking a boisterous home field advantage against Mexico. “Even though FC Cincinnati hasn’t done well on the field this season, we’re [in the top five] in attendance in Major League Soccer and scenes of our fans’ pre-game marches are well-known to U.S. Soccer,” he says.“Getting this match affirms all of the decisions we made to bring MLS to Cincinnati and build a world-class stadium.” The U.S. and Mexico are in the midst of an eight-country tournament to determine who will represent Central and North America in CONTINUED ON P. 16 ILLUSTR ATIO N BY O K S A N A G RI V I N A

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DISPATCH

THEATRE

’TIS THE SEASON

Holiday fun returns to the live stage, starting with Cincinnati Shakespeare’s Every Christmas Story Ever Told (left) and the Playhouse’s A Christmas Carol. Early December brings Cinderella at Ensemble Theatre and Elf The Musical from The Children’s Theatre. 1 6 C I N C I N N AT I M A G A Z I N E . C O M N O V E M B E R 2 0 2 1

SPEAK EASY

NEW MUSIC THAT DOES SOMETHING Jeremy Pinnell did what a lot of us had to do during the pandemic: He got a day job when his preferred gig dried up. The Northern Kentucky singer/ songwriter took construction work when COVID halted release of Goodbye L.A., his third album of country outlaw anthems about love, trouble, and the combination of the two. It’s finally out now, including a video for the single “Wanna Do Something,” filmed while driving around Cincinnati. As a guitar player working construction, weren’t you worried about crushing a finger or hand? I’ve always done any kind of labor— construction, landscaping, heavy equipment, bricklaying. I’ve thought about [getting injured], but you can’t go to work thinking about stuff like that or you’re gonna mess up. The new album was recorded in Austin, but you’ve said it was inspired by the 1950s Bakersfield sound. What do you love about that era of country music? Merle Haggard was from Bakersfield, and he was the real deal. Such an amazing singer and songwriter, and he wasn’t in a hurry to do anything.

What was it like recording an album during the pandemic? We recorded it at the beginning of 2020 and ﬁnished it on the Monday they started asking people to stay home. So we got it done right under the wire and had a whole year and a half to plan out its release. You have this amazingly consistent deadpan look in photos. Is that your resting outlaw face? I’ve noticed that, too. People will ask to get a picture, and I just get serious for some reason. It’s weird. It’s so hard for me to fake a smile. I’m not that guy. You had a minor hit during the pandemic with an acoustic cover of Concrete Blonde’s “Joey.” Why that song? It was my go-to bar song; get a beer and a whiskey and put a quarter in the jukebox and play it. I sang it once and recorded it with my phone, and then a friend of mine said, “You should put this out.” It got like 10,000 views in four days, so we took it down, went through proper channels, got it mixed and mastered, and then put it out. People seemed to like it. —GIL KAUFMAN READ A LONGER INTERVIEW WITH JEREMY AT CINCINNATIMAGAZINE. COM

PH OTO G R A PH S BY J O N ATH A N W I LLI S

ILLUSTR ATIO N BY J E SSI C A D U N H A M / PH OTO G R A PH S BY (SPE A K E A S Y ) J E R E M Y K R A M E R / (S A N TA ) MIK K I S C H A FFN ER

next year’s World Cup in Qatar. they’ll announce the host cities, though The teams are playing home-andwe hear it will be in first quarter of 2022,” away games against each other, with the says Berding, who is helping organize top three finishers automatically qualithe city’s World Cup bid. “There’s a lot fying for the World Cup and the fourthof mystery in this process, to be honest. place team entering a further playoff The national media has discounted Cinround. The Cincinnati match marks the cinnati’s chances, so we’re an underdog, halfway point of this tournament, which but we’re going all out to impress the stretches until March, when the AmeriFIFA visitors. We know U.S. Soccer supports us, as proven by the U.S.–Mexico cans play in Mexico. Mexico and the U.S. are the region’s match and the U.S. women’s exhibition against Paraguay [September 21 at TQL two highest-ranked teams (No. 9 and Stadium].” No. 13 in the world, respecBerding hopes FIFA is intively), with the next two terested in spreading World best countries being Costa Rica (44) and Canada (51). So Cup sites across the counchances are good that both try instead of concentrating them on the coasts or in the national teams will qualify largest cities. Cincinnati is for the World Cup, though ¡Viva Football! the only finalist city between that doesn’t diminish the Get tickets for the U.S.– need to acquire points in evWashington, D.C., and KanMexico match at TQL sas City, and he’d like FIFA ery match, the desire to look Stadium at ussoccer.com good on ESPN, and the thrill to choose just one city in of beating your top rival on home soil. Florida (between Miami and Orlando), The city of Cincinnati is also in a one in Texas (Dallas and Houston), one in playoff tournament of sorts, but it’s bethe western Midwest (Denver and K.C.), ing played out mostly behind the scenes. and one in the Mid-South (Nashville and The 2026 World Cup will be staged in Atlanta), as well as not taking every fiCanada, Mexico, and the U.S. with 48 nalist on the east and west coasts. That scenario, he says, has Cincinnati making teams, expanding from the current lineup of 32. A total of 16 cities will host the cut. those World Cup matches, with 10 or “The World Cup is the biggest global sporting event, bigger than the Olym11 in the U.S. Cincinnati was one of 17 American cities to make the final cut for pics,” says Berding. “To have World Cup official visits. Executives from FIFA, socmatches played in Cincinnati and people cer’s worldwide governing body, visited travel here from all over the world would Cincinnati in person in October. be a true game-changer for this city.” “We don’t know exactly what criteria Cincinnati continues its presence on the FIFA is using to judge each city or when world stage on November 12.

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STYLE STYLE COUNSEL COUNSEL

Dorese Bilal OCCUPATION: Photographer and natural hair influencer STYLE: “Minimalistic, with a touch of my culture” Why did you start posting tutorials about natural hair? It’s just to help to show that, especially as African Americans, your natural hair is beautiful, no matter what type you have. Our hair—speciﬁcally in the 4C [hair type] community—is real tight curls, and that was frowned upon for so long, and now it’s being embraced. So just showing different styles, ways to wear it, whether that’s your hair, wigs, a wrap—any way to make you feel more comfortable about your hair. Why is this an important view to share on social media? When the natural hair movement began, there were a lot of mixed girls being shown with the big, beautiful, bouncy curls. And yes, that’s their natural hair type. But [the movement didn’t include] a lot of representation of people who had hair that looked like mine. Even within that, it was styled horribly. I hated to see so many people online talking about [how] they needed to get a relaxer to make their hair straight, or they constantly had to have wigs or weaves or something other than their hair, and it’s just like, no. Our hair is beautiful. In addition to tutorials, you occasionally post about tougher subjects. How did you decide to include information about, for example, hair loss? Right after I had my miscarriage, I sat down with my husband [and asked], “Would you be OK with me sharing this?” I literally looked on YouTube for at least an hour, just trying to ﬁnd something about how people were dealing with [hair loss after a miscarriage], and nothing was there. — J A C L Y N Y O U H A N A G A R V E R

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DISH ROOM CHRISTIE GOODFELLOW’S STONEWARE CREATIONS ARE QUICKLY BECOMING LOCAL RESTAURANT STAPLES. — D E V A N M A R R

YOU MAY NOT RECOGNIZE THE NAME CG CERAMICS, BUT IT’S LIKELY

you’ve enjoyed your morning latte from one of its speckled mugs or have been served a meal on CG dinnerware at your favorite downtown restaurant. Behind the scenes, thoughtfully crafting striking stoneware pieces, is Christie Goodfellow, the owner and sole ceramicist behind the brand. “I think it’s really special being able to create pieces that function as a canvas for what others are creating,” she says. “And I’m really drawn to making objects that people are going to use in their daily lives.” 2 0 C I N C I N N AT I M A G A Z I N E . C O M N O V E M B E R 2 0 2 1

Goodfellow’s love for clay blossomed while she was pursuing her BFA at School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She went to study photography and graphic design, but describes how she’d often ﬁnd herself peeking into the ceramics classes while roaming the halls. She ﬁnally gave in to her curiosity and registered for classes. “Looking at a computer just wasn’t for me,” Goodfellow explains. “I quickly

realized how much I enjoyed the tactile process of ceramics and being involved in the making of an object. I just fell in love with it.” Out of college, Goodfellow continued her education in ceramics by taking classes and experimenting with different clays and glazes at local clay studios. That’s where she honed her distinctive style—organic shapes and subtle glazes that accentuate the clay’s natural color. “My interests are in the material and building minimal forms,” says Goodfellow. “I like to let the clay speak for itself. Sometimes just the line or curve of a piece I am making sets off a visceral reaction in me—and that’s when I know I’m on the right path.” In 2013, Goodfellow converted her 200-square-foot backyard shed into a makeshift studio and took on pottery full time. Today, she operates out of a larger studio space, supplying restaurants, bakeries, and retail shops not only in Cincinnati, but across the country. You’ll ﬁnd her pieces locally at MiCA, Khora, and Fern—just to name a few. And if you’re searching for a spot to do some holiday shopping, CG Ceramics will host its annual holiday bazaar from Goodfellow’s old backyard studio in early December. The bazaar will feature Goodfellow’s work, along with pieces from other local artists. 2511 Essex Pl., Walnut Hills, (513) 549-1387, cg-ceramics.com

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ADDRESS: 3742 SACHEM AVE. LISTING PRICE: $739,000

THE VIEW FROM ABOVE

SURE, YOU MAY HAVE YOUR FAVORITE PURPLE SWEATER, MAYBE EVEN

a phone case, but would you paint your house’s trim in this bold hue? The beige-and-purple color scheme adds a little whimsy to the exterior, striking the right note in historic Columbia-Tusculum. But this three-bedroom charmer, built in 2013, features much more than a colorful facade. On this street where houses are packed in tight, builders and owners know how to use their vertical space. The three-bedroom, three-and-a-half-bathroom home on Sachem features 9-foot ceilings, and just keeps going up. The covered balcony view of the city means you don’t even need to leave home to have the best dinner seat in the house. Though this is a newer build, it echoes details found in restored houses in this area, like those high ceilings. Outside, the details really do matter. “The home has a beautifully landscaped yard, and gorgeous river and city views,” says Sibcy Cline agent Julie K. Back. Window boxes full of vibrant ﬂowers are the icing on the cake. 2 2 C I N C I N N AT I M A G A Z I N E . C O M N O V E M B E R 2 0 2 1

The main living space features a much-desired open ﬂoor plan that extends from the dining space, through the cream kitchen, and ends with a sitting room with spectacular coffered ceilings. Multiple rooms in the house could make the perfect study, including a creatively carved out smaller space next to the patio door, and a larger, tiled upstairs room with a view that might have you working less than you intended. This house has all the older home vibes, but it’s actually just eight years old, with the built-in modern technology to prove it. The heating system is geothermal, there’s an oversized three-car garage that’s climate controlled, and an underground irrigation system keeps the landscaping fresh. The new owners can go ahead and donate their snow shovel, as the heated driveway keeps things from getting too slick. Between all that and the beautiful, massive trees of Alms Park backed right up against the lawn, this home has us looking up—literally and figuratively—to Cincinnati’s beauty.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY SIBCY CLINE PHOTOGRAPHY

MODERN AMENITIES ABOUND IN THIS COLUMBIA-TUSCULUM HOME. THE SWEEPING VIEWS ARE JUST THE ICING ON THE CAKE. — A L E X A N D R A F R O S T

We Believe that Families Heal Better Together. “To all those who make Cincinnati’s Ronald McDonald House possible, thank you from the bottom of our hearts. The House provides a safe and comfortable place for our family to rest and be together amidst many tests and doctor appointments for our son. It truly is a home away from home and the people there are our second family. Thank you so much!”

rmhcincinnati.org 513.559.4600

Dr. Know is Jay Gilbert, weekday afternoon deejay on 92.5 FM The Fox. Submit your questions about the city’s peculiarities at drknow@cincinnati magazine.com

DR. KNOW

Q+ A

started in 1922.) Lacking vacuum tubes, they recruited glass-blowers to help create them. That’s the kind of get-it-done spunk that today’s students majoring in lethargy could learn from. On November 1, 1921, a microphone cable was run from the University Gymnasium to the control room of station 9XM, and the visiting Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra was heard by the widest audience in human history. The night sky had virtually no competing signals, so the music reached as far as North Dakota, Iowa, and Minnesota. Take that, Ryan Seacrest! You are correct about this historic moment deserving more attention, especially this year. The only modern local reference the Doctor found was buried almost undetectably deep within the CSO website. Don’t worry, though, he’s summoned all his powers of inﬂuence and clout to make things happen in this town. After all, someone has to replace Dick Farmer and Carl Lindner. Watch your calendar.

I’m from Cincinnati but currently study physics at the University of Wisconsin. Does anyone back home know that the ﬁrst live radio symphony was by the Cincinnati Symphony here in Madison in 1921? It was my physics department’s experiment! I think Cincinnati has forgotten it. —CINCINNATI, POP!

DEAR POP:

The 100th anniversary of this historic broadcast is upon us, so the Doctor hopes you’re wrong about Cincinnati not remembering. Your university boasts one of the country’s ﬁrst “experimental” radio stations, launched by the physics department in 1916. (For comparison, WLW

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Forty-ﬁve years ago this month, I saw the Beach Boys perform at then-Riverfront Coliseum. When they sang their new song, “Susie Cincinnati,” they brought a woman onstage and said she had inspired it. She had picked them up in her cab at CVG years earlier. Who was she, and is she still a cabbie? —I’M PICKIN’ UP DESTINATIONS DEAR DESTINATIONS:

She didn’t recognize the guys who crammed into her cab late that night in 1971, and they didn’t remember her name. But the Boys later turned the playful ride into a song called “Susie Cincinnati,” about a woman with “a groovy little motor car.” Jump ahead five years, and before their next Cincinnati show the Beach Boys thought: Wouldn’t it be nice if we could honor our new song’s muse at the concert? They placed large ads in The Cincinnati Post and Enquirer asking for help locating her, since the taxi company was long gone. God only knows how they found her, but that night Joellyn Lambert came on stage ILLUSTR ATIO N S BY L A R S LEE TA RU

to loud cheers. Al Jardine, who wrote the song, went a step further. Learning that Joellyn hadn’t been able to visit her sister in Seattle in years, he paid for a week-long trip. The Doctor has found a 2008 obituary for a Joellyn Lambert of Newport. It does not mention this shining moment, but otherwise seems to fit the profile. We don’t know where, but she sent us there.

Who does the illustrations for your column? I thoroughly enjoy them every month. Sometimes I see images in other publications that look like they come from the same artist. Is that a popular style, or something that this person has developed on their own? —HERE’S LOOKING AT YOU DEAR LOOKING:

When any publication’s page shows an image, you can easily ﬁnd the artist credit in the margin. All you need is an electron microscope. Almost since its debut in 2008, this column has been fortunate to prominently display the talents of Lars Leetaru. He lives in Philadelphia, and while he confesses to not yet visiting Cincinnati, he feels that this column’s wide variety of geographical, historical, and current-day topics— all of which he thoroughly researches while developing his illustrations— has provided him a good feel for what our city is like. The Doctor, after looking back over the past several years of columns, finds this to be profoundly frightening. You are correct that, in addition to our magazine, Leetaru’s work has also been seen in some lesser-known publications, such as The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Rolling Stone, and Variety. Occasionally he gets an assignment from something more prestigious, such as Sonic Drive-In.

APRIL 20 - MAY 1, 2022 ARONOFF CENTER CincinnatiArts.org

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WE LCO ME TO MIDDLEHOOD BY JUDI KETTELER

Sick of the Complaints

PARDON ME WHILE I COMPLAIN ABOUT MY FAMILY’S COMPLAINERS. BE THANKFUL YOU’RE NOT US. IF YOU HAVE CHILDREN, YOU START TO KNOW WHAT KIND OF FAMILY YOU ARE BY THE TIME your kids reach a certain age. There’s the Outdoor Family, where everyone hikes with backpacks and water bottles, happily posing for pictures at waterfalls. The Animal Family, where cats are fostered in the basement, dogs claim the couches, and chickens roam the backyard. The High-Achieving Family, full of corporate jobs, sports trophies, and advanced placement classes. And then there’s us, the Complaining Family. Where others collect stray cats, merit badges, and brochures from national parks, we collect whines, grumbles, and car rides full of discontentment. I’m not talking about legitimate complaints, like justiﬁed anger at bad government policies or physical pain that leaves you breathless. I’m talking about point2 6 C I N C I N N AT I M A G A Z I N E . C O M N O V E M B E R 2 0 2 1

less, unproductive griping and grousing. I’m not immune from complaining and certainly do my share of venting, but I don’t think anyone would call me a habitual complainer. And yet I wound up marrying one. For the longest time, my husband’s grumbling felt mostly like angsty humor and charming hyperbole. Oh you and your silly curmudgeon ways, I would think. But then the thing happened that always changes everything in a relationship: We had kids. In their chubby babyhoods, these sprite-like creatures were full of wonder at things like butterﬂies and staircases. But now they’re middle-school age, which means the sprite is gone and, from their point of view, everything basically sucks. So now my husband and my kids each have a version of, The world is shit and woe is me to be stuck in it. The whines, the injustices, and the dissatisfaction all create a soundtrack of complaining that my three loved ones harmonize around. I ignore it until I can’t, at which point I start compiling their list of complaints in my head like a prosecutor building her case, until I inevitably explode and freak them out by screaming something like, Everyone shut up right now! It’s a family rule—my rule, in fact—that we’re never supposed to say Shut up! to each other. The three of them complain. I complain about their complaining. Surely, this is all dysfunctional. THIS PAST SUMMER WAS A GREAT EXample. It started with my husband complaining that there even was a summer—as in, a time when children weren’t in school. “Holidays, in-service days, spring break, and they get out in May,” he said. “They barely even have school!” I’ve heard this refrain since our oldest child started kindergarten, so I just I rolled my eyes and ignored it. In July, we took a vacation on Lake Michigan. This meant spending money to rent a house, which was met with only mild grumbling from my husband. Paying a cat sitter seemed much more offensive to him (“The expenses just never end!”), even though our preteen daughter has made a business of cat sitting herself. Whaaaatever. We hadn’t been anywhere since 2019, and I was so happy to actually be going somewhere that even his silly objections ILLUSTR ATIO N BY D O L A SU N

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WELCOME TO MIDDLEHOOD didn’t register. Then there was the drive to Michigan, full of construction, traffic, and idiot drivers, whom we heard about the whole way. But again, this was all just white noise for me. A jerk here who can’t merge, an asshole there who didn’t signal, la la la.

The kids hated it from the moment we pulled into the driveway. Their complaints didn’t stop for the whole hour it took us to unpack and settle in. Why was the couch so uncomfortable? Why wasn’t there a pool? Why did the water taste so bad? Why did we drive six hours to come to this

YOU CAN’T REALLY SHAME A 13-YEAR-OLD AMERICAN OUT OF BEING A 13-YEAR-OLD AMERICAN, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU’VE BUILT THEM UP TO BE EXACTLY WHO THEY ARE. I had found a house on Airbnb between South Haven and Saugatuck. It was slightly in the country but close to everything, and it looked quirky and artsy. It had one of those cocoon-like chair swings suspended from the ceiling that my daughter had once desperately wanted for her bedroom and a sleeping porch I thought my son would love.

dumb, stupid, weird house in the middle of absolutely nowhere? And who came to Michigan, anyway? Why couldn’t we go to Florida like everyone else? Did we even bring any decent food? And there, reader, in the quirky dining room, in the house that wasn’t in Florida and didn’t have a pool but instead had well

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water and was in the middle of nowhere, I lost it. I mean, I lost it. Yelling curse words. Pulling out all the mom guilt and charging at them. “Do you know how hard we work to be able to afford a vacation like this?” (It was actually pretty cheap, since the house was in the middle of nowhere and didn’t have a pool. But still.) “I’m so tired of your ungratefulness! It’s rude and disrespectful, and. . . and. . .” I looked over at my husband, wanting to say, “and it’s your fault because you won’t ever shut up either!” But I refrained. “And it needs to stop,” I said instead. Everyone was quiet. Holy shit, Mom lost it, they were thinking. Holy shit, I lost it, I was thinking. We had an hour or so of peace, until my son pointed out how bad the WiFi was. Sigh. THIS ALL LEAVES ME WONDERING IF THE Complaining Family can find any other identity. Why can’t we be the Volunteering Family? The Thoughtful Family? I’ll even

PH OTO G R A PH BY J O N ATH A N W I LLI S

take the Boring Family, if it makes the silly fussing stop. While my husband’s complaining drives me nuts, he’s at least funny. Michigan traffic and cat sitting fees notwithstanding, he actually does make an effort to curb his curmudgeon behavior, because he knows whining is an undesirable quality. But most importantly, he’s not, you know, my actual responsibility. But my children bemoaning and lamenting their way through life? That feels like it is my responsibility. To that end, I’ve tried all the things. Getting mad at them has been most effective, though only because it shocks them into temporary silence. Guilt and manipulation have proven least effective. You know what I mean—things like lectures about genocide, starving children, and earthquakes devastating whole cities. My thinking is that if they just understood how privileged we are and how silly their complaints would sound to someone who doesn’t have clean water

or basic safety, they’d gain perspective and practice gratitude. But you can’t really shame a 13-year-old American out of being a 13-year-old American, especially when you’ve built them up to be exactly who they are. What seems to bother me about their complaining is that it feels tied to some inherent lack of gratitude for all we have. Isn’t that what this supposed season of thankfulness is about? And yet, more and more, thankfulness feels like it’s just a Band-Aid for all the problems our world has. Slap it on and feel better. Hashtag your social post #grateful and move on to the next thing. After all, you can loudly proclaim your thankfulness and still act in cruel, selﬁsh, and small-minded ways. American history is a case study in insincerity. So yeah, maybe my kids’ complaining is a sign that they will be ungrateful turds for all eternity. Or maybe it’s just an adolescent stage of ﬁnding their voice that has little to do with how they’ll show up in the world as

adults. Either way, isn’t it just frustrating as hell to not live up to your ideals of what you think your family should be? The other night at dinner I felt myself again moving from that space of mild annoyance to bubbling hostility. So I took a step back and observed us. God, we all talked so much. Everyone had an opinion. But also everyone was comfortable in their skin. No one was trying to hide some shadow life. No one seemed afraid of showing who they were. It hit me that it’s possible another moniker describes us, too: The Honest Family. What you see is what you get. And if you’re around us for any length of time, you’re going to see unﬁltered humanness. Obviously, I want my kids to be thoughtful, have perspective, and practice gratitude. What a messy, messy path it’s all going to be. But I’m glad to be on the honest route, right through the whiniest muck. Now that’s a real Thanksgiving toast. Happy holidays, friends.

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CITYWISE BY JIM DeBROSSE

A Man of Character(s) HOW THOM ATKINSON BECAME THE BEST AUTHOR YOU’VE NEVER READ.

DENISE BURGESS READ THE SHORT STORY 10 YEARS AGO AND CAN’T RECALL THE TITLE, but a scene from it has stuck with her like so many others in Thom Atkinson’s writing. Two down-on-their-luck teenage girls share a cigarette in an alley behind a small hair and tanning salon, where the older teen is primping for the prom and the younger one reluctantly works. They lean against a cinder block wall, then drop down and sit together in the gravel, flicking ashes into the alley. Having never been on friendly terms, the girls trade pointed barbs at first about each other’s family and friends. But then the older teen confides that she’s pregnant and hasn’t told anyone. The dynamic between the two girls suddenly changes from hateful to sisterly. “The details in that scene are so layered that they resonate in your head, even if you’ve 3 0 C I N C I N N AT I M A G A Z I N E . C O M N O V E M B E R 2 0 2 1

never smoked a cigarette in an alley,” says Burgess, the self-described president of the still-to-be-founded Thom Atkinson Fan Club. “The way he describes it, you’re right there with those two characters in that moment. He’s so observant. He takes in everybody no matter who or where they are.” Atkinson, 63, has been serving up scenes and characters from his short stories and plays for decades in insightful, unforgettable ways. The Cincinnati native is a five-time winner of the Ohio Arts Council’s Individual Excellence Award and has had plays staged at Ensemble Theatre (Circle of Mystery, Copperheads, Cuttings) and Playhouse in the Park (Clear Liquor and Coal Black Nights) as well as theaters in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. He’s twice been nominated for the prestigious Pushcart Prize in short fiction and had his short stories included in half a dozen anthologies. But despite collecting enough literary honors and critical accolades to wallpaper his home office in Anderson Township, popular acclaim has been elusive. Atkinson and his devotees are hoping that will change with the release this fall of his second novel, Tiki Man (Regal House Publishing), the story of an abandoned 10-year-old girl and the under-employed, sobriety-challenged man who takes her under his broken wing. Its cast of characters and themes are common to much of Atkinson’s writing: people living on the margins of society struggling to do the best they can for each other with a limited set of skills and options. “A great writer is the kind who can live 1,000 lives and truly not hold back what’s happening,” says novelist and artist Robin Winter, who met Atkinson at several Santa Barbara Writers Conferences. “Thom to me is someone who has lived all of those lives, and he hasn’t judged them at all. He wants to be those people with every fiber of his being.” Catherine Ryan Hyde, the best-selling author of Pay It Forward (which later became a movie) and nearly 40 other books, remembers Atkinson reading early drafts of Tiki Man during her Santa Barbara workshop in 2014. “I told him the details just knocked my socks off. I don’t understand why he doesn’t have Cormac McCarthy’s ILLUSTR ATIO N BY PAU L B LOW

CITYWISE career. The literary magazines can’t get enough of his stuff, so it’s not that nobody is affirming how good he is. It’s just that when someone actually has to make a ﬁnancial investment in whether they can sell one of his novels, at that point they start thinking he’s almost too good.” ATKINSON GREW UP IN MT. LOOKOUT ON a gravel side street of working-class homes “before the neighborhood became Mt. Lookout-slash-Hyde Park” of mostly white-collar professionals. “Ours was the tiniest little Cape Cod,” he says. “But now somebody bought it and put an addition on it that’s maybe two-and-a-half times the size of the original house. It’s like a small dog having its way with a large dog.” Atkinson attended Walter Peoples Junior High in the early 1970s when the newly integrated Cincinnati public school was a volatile mix of Appalachians from the East End and African Americans from Evanston. “Those two groups gener-

writer at the University of Cincinnati, where he majored in English and earned certificates in both creative writing and poetry under the tutelage of author Dallas Wiebe and poet Terry Stokes. Both mentors saw a young writer whose talent they thought was worth nurturing. They urged him to be fearless in his honesty, pointing him in the direction of Southern Gothic novelist Harry Crews. In particular, Atkinson recalls the impact at the time of reading Crews’s novel The Gypsy’s Curse. “It’s told from the first-person point of view of a circus freak, a guy who was born without any bones in his legs,” says Atkinson. “He walks around on his hands, and he’s deaf. So when he signs, he goes up on one hand to do sign language. That’s the first-person narrator, the kind of approach where you have to have these giant brass balls and set them up on top of the typewriter before you even start writing.” Atkinson’s writing has been described by other writers as “Appalachian Noir,”

“I CAN ONLY HOPE TO BE AS GOOD A WRITER AS THOM IS,” SAYS AUTHOR AND FRIEND CHRIS NICKSON. “HE ALWAYS MAKES A PARTICULAR GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION HIS OWN.” ally didn’t care for each other, and they clashed,” recalls Atkinson’s former classmate and longtime friend, Karl Kadon. “But they had one thing in common— none of them liked the kids from the Hyde Park and Kilgour grade schools. It was periodically harrowing for us to navigate the hallways between classes.” The tough environment was formative for a tall, painfully skinny, book-minded student like Atkinson, Kadon says. Part of his protection was “a scalpel-sharp wit from the time he was a kid. He learned how to use words as a shield and a weapon. I can see that same Thom in his writing. He’s always had a way with invective that’s hilarious.” Both Kadon and Atkinson later tested into the more academically competitive Walnut Hills High School, where Atkinson says he distinguished himself with “Gentleman Cs.” Atkinson began his education as a

since his stories often take place in the hard-scrabble regions of southern Ohio and West Virginia. His mother grew up in West Virginia even though “she never wanted to admit it and you wouldn’t have known that just by listening to her,” he says. Atkinson’s father was a World War II veteran wounded during the Battle of the Bulge. He was the only soldier to survive from his rifle platoon, and barely so. A shell from a German 88-millimeter cannon exploded in the trench where he was taking cover. A field surgeon saved his life, but the wound that sheared away the left side of his face would require three years of surgery to patch together again. While recovering in a hospital in Cleveland, he met Atkinson’s mother, a volunteer who’d lied about her age to become a Navy WAVE. Atkinson doesn’t like to talk about it, but his own life has had its share of unpre-

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dictability and physical imperfection as well. He suffers from an inherited disorder called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome that affects the body’s connective tissues, blood vessels, and joints. He wasn’t diagnosed until his early 30s, when he began having severe migraines and neck and joint pain. It’s a chronic condition that can be debilitating and even life-threatening, and it’s interfered with but not kept him from writing over the years. “He doesn’t want that to be what defines him,” says Tracey Atkinson, his wife of 30 years. And although his condition helps him identify with the challenges of some of his characters, she says, “he wants his writing to stand on its own.” LIKE ALL SERIOUS WRITERS, ATKINSON worked at a variety of make-money jobs before he was able to devote himself fulltime to his craft. In 1988, six years after earning his MFA in creative writing from Bowling Green State University, he was a tech at Princeton Tires in Sharonville, owned then by Kadon’s father, when Clear Liquor and Coal Black Nights was accepted for staging at Playhouse in the Park. Then 29, Atkinson was the first local playwright to have his work produced there, bumping a play by Sam Shepard to be part of the subscription season. While under cars at the tire store, Atkinson would sometimes get calls from the William Morris Agency in New York. “Mr. Kadon would come over the PA in the garage and the waiting room in this deep, booming voice: Thom, your agent is on line one!” Atkinson had moved on to working at the old Drew’s bookstore in Hyde Park when he first met Tracey. Cincinnati being the village that it truly is, her boss at the software start-up firm where she worked at the time, then known as SDRC and now owned by Siemens, was Erica Wiebe, daughter of Atkinson’s UC mentor. Atkinson called the tender plot to get the two of them together “the most transparent ruse ever.” After several other visits, he says, “Tracey comes into the bookstore, and there’s a Post-it note in her hand with this information on it. She hands it to me and says, Erica is having a Christmas party and she wants you to come.” The couple married in 1991. Until

ARTS & MINDS their sons were grown enough to go off to school, Thom had precious little time to write. “After dinner, I’d run up to my office and have maybe three hours and the energy for work, work, work,” he says. The result was Strobe Life, his first novel, based on his years as a bar-band rocker in the early 1980s. Playing bass in the band was Atkinson’s longtime friend Chris Nickson, who has become a successful writer of historical fiction set in his native city of Leeds, England. “We called ourselves Harvey and the Larvae,” recalls Nickson, who moved back to England in 2005. “I can only hope to be as good a writer as Thom is,” he says. “It’s easy to just tell a story and sort of skim along the surface, because it’s what I used to do for a long time with my fiction. But Thom has always had that ability to dive deeper into his characters and to make a particular geographical location his own.” Nickson says he was surprised that, in Tiki Man, Atkinson has moved the setting from Appalachia to Florida’s Space Coast near Cape Canaveral and Cocoa Beach. “But it’s very similar people in a similar situation, not the Florida you see in the ads,” Nickson says. Atkinson says he based his setting on a street of mostly transient residents where his in-laws once had a condo. The main characters in Tiki Man are Pere, a part-time marina worker trying to make ends meet, and Tammy, the daughter of his jailed girlfriend, and they were inspired by two people Atkinson had overheard in his in-laws’ neighborhood a decade ago. Capturing the way Pere and Tammy look out for each other in the toughest of times is what snags the reader and won’t let go. “The details become like the character of where we are and what society is there and how these characters live,” Hyde says. “And it’s not that he doesn’t have plots. It’s just that he does the descriptions so amazingly well I would sit there all day and read them.” Hyde would like to see Tiki Man propel Atkinson’s popularity to new levels. “I’m really looking forward to my description of Thom being ‘the greatest author you never read’ becoming archaic.”

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WAKE By Lauren Fisher, Jaclyn Youhana Garver, M. Leigh Hood, Aiesha D. Little, Sam Rosenstiel, Leyla Shokoohe, Amanda Boyd Walters, and Elizabeth Miller Wood

CALL

Photographs by jeremy kramer

It doesn’t matter if you’re a coffee connoisseur or a decafonly person—there’s something special about a truly great coffee shop. At these 32 spots you can meet the roasters, baristas, and coffee pros who deliver the beans and brews that keep our city running.

n o m Comds n u o Gr It’s not about the coffee. Well, maybe a little.

—ELIZABETH MILLER WOOD

IT’S TUESDAY MORNING, 9:07 A.M. I’VE just dropped my kids off at school, wiped their mouths one last time, and reminded my kindergartener to take his lunch. I take a deep breath, shrugging off the chaos of getting littles out the door. A few blocks away, I arrive at a coffee shop, a former hardware store at the end of a quaint residential block. The wooden ﬂoors creak as I walk to the counter. “Twelve-ounce medium roast, please,” I tell the barista. “Heavy on the oat milk, right?” she asks. They almost always remember my order. The steamer hisses. A grinder buzzes. Acoustic John Mayer pipes overhead. “Order for Elizabeth!” someone announces. I settle into a two-top table with a tiny antique vase at the center. Laptop open, coffee in hand, I scan my e-mails. I’m a freelance writer, so I can work anywhere. At this moment, I could be at home, on my couch, doing exactly what I’m doing here. I could make my own (admittedly, inferior) cup of coffee and sit quietly in the stillness of my empty house. But I don’t. I choose to come here, to my coffee shop. I welcome the friendly distractions of toasty fumes and bustling to-goers. By a large window, a grandmother shares a muffin with a toddler. Next to them, a college student highlights a paperback book, sipping tea. Two young professionals, trendy with clear-frame glasses, nurse cortados and discuss a startup campaign. And then there’s me, a thirtysomething mom who writes in the stolen hours of naps and

preschool. When I’m working at home, it’s hard to ignore the dirty breakfast plates and the crumbs below the counter. But when I’m here, I can just be a writer. As I observe the strangers sharing my space this morning, I realize we’ve all come here for different reasons, seeking different things—caffeine, conversation, productivity, belonging. Many needs, one place. That’s the enigma of the local coffee shop. It’s not about the coffee (though I do love need it). Yes, the coffee gets me in the door, but it’s not what makes me stay. It’s the people. The vibes. The feeling of being part of something. Coffee shops are a manifest reminder that coffee, itself, is about connection—connection with each other, connection with the earth, and, sometimes, simply connection with our ourselves.

1215 WINE BAR & COFFEE LAB Coffee & Cocktails

Whether you’re in search of a morning pick-me-up or an after-dinner nightcap, this Vine Street mainstay is a godsend. Grab a latte or a glass of wine (or both—no judgement here) and snag a bistro table by the ﬂoor-to-ceiling window in the front of the shop for some of OTR’s best people-watching. 1215 Vine St., Overthe-Rhine, (513) 429-5745, 1215vine. com

I L LU S T R AT I O N B Y R YA N O L B R Y S H

COLLECTIVE ESPRESSO Big Dog

No matter how popular this local outﬁt gets, it just doesn’t feel like the secret’s gotten out. That’s especially the case at the Northside location, an unassuming, sun-soaked café tucked into an alley off the main drag. Come for the no-frills selection of brews, stay for something even better—an intimate coffee shop experience that’ll have you longing for a simpler time. Multiple locations, collectiveorders.square.site

BEAN & BARLEY

Coffee & Cocktails

Is it a coffeehouse? A brewery? Or just the best of both worlds? You’ll ﬁnd beers, ciders, and coffee on tap side-by-side at this O’Bryonville café-slash-taproom. On the weekdays, stop by for both morning and evening happy hours. 2005 Madison Rd., O’Bryonville, (513) 898-1261, beanandbarley.co

AVENUE BREW

A Gathering Space

When Larry Brondhaver started designing Avenue Brew in Bellevue, he used a coffee color scheme (a.k.a., lots of browns). His wife and coowner Christine Brondhaver had something to say about that. “Hell, no,” Larry says, “and I was introduced to a new word: eclectic.” The couple bought furniture at auctions, painted the walls bright colors (no brown!), and hung signs everywhere. The chalkboard area is a favorite detail, where customers leave notes and drawings. It all lends to a homey, fun, and casual atmosphere. 310 Fairﬁeld Ave., Bellevue, (859) 261-4381, avenuebrew.com

P H OTO G R A P H S BY D E V Y N G L I STA

g n i K e e f f Co The

cincinnati

CHUCK PFAHLER IS excited about mescal. He might be better known as Cincinnati’s coffee king—if you’ve had a cup from a local coffee shop this week, there’s a good likeli—JAC LY N YO U H A N A G A R V E R hood that, somewhere down the line, Pfahler had a figurative hand in those beans. (He founded wholesale coffee distribution company La Terza, which supplies beans to more than 50 coffee spots in Cincinnati and beyond, in 2003.) But these days, he’s seriously eyeballing the mescal crown in the display case next door, too. “As much as I love coffee, I have equally fallen in love with the spirit mescal,” says Pfahler, who left La Terza in early 2019. He opened Adesso, which specializes in coffee, cocktails, and wine, in Mason in March 2020. He tells of a February visit to a friend’s palenque, or mescal distillery, like he’s telling a fairy tale or a campfire story. There’s a fifth-generation mezcalero, or mescal-making master, named Valentín Cortes. The palenque had just opened, so Pfahler witnessed the first fermentation. Cortes had been sleeping next to a fermentation tank for days to assure the piñas, the heart of the agave plant that can take eight years to grow, smoked for the precise amount of time. If the mezcalero stops fermentation too soon or too late, the end result would be, Pfahler says, “unpleasant.” That dedication to the process and the quality of the product doesn’t just appeal to Pfahler; it’s the whole why behind Adesso, its values, and its mission. Consider the shop’s tagline: coffee + moments. It’s not about coffee as a means for caffeine but about a pause to savor the present moment. Adesso, even, is Italian for now. Adesso encourages that pause by offering a tidy, selective coffee menu inspired by Italian cafés, which means the drink itself defines

La Terza founder Chuck Pfahler’s decades-long quest for the perfect cup has taken him across the globe. We’re reaping the rewards right here.

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the size. Adesso espressos are 2 ounces, and espresso-based drinks are the corresponding size to incorporate those 2 ounces. “If you want [to drink] a swimming pool, don’t order the macchiato, and don’t lather it with caramel and whipped cream,” Pfahler says. “We can’t do it.” Adesso’s macchiatos have 2 ounces of espresso and just a spot of steamed milk, the classic Italian way of preparation. For customers acquainted with these authentic recipes, the technique is nostalgic. Courtney Holloway, a Mt. Lookout musician who met Pfahler last fall, says Adesso reminds her of the cafés she visited when she lived in Italy. “The Adesso team are baristas in the true Italian sense of the word,” she says. “They are always asking questions to get to know the guest’s palate and customize [the] experience.” That’s because those baristas, Holloway says, know everything about their menu. For customers unfamiliar with Italian espresso, Pfahler and the Adesso baristas are ready, and happy, to help a customer order. “So often you walk into a coffee shop, and there’s this pretentiousness,” Pfahler says. “We laugh with them and have a good time. ‘This is what we got and what we’re all about. I think you’d enjoy this drink.’ ” He’s so excited to teach an understanding and appreciation for the sometimes overlooked nuances of coffee that he’s even taught classes, like “Coffee 101: A Cup of Excellence and The Art of Grind-

Bean Barons

Cafe restaurant BlaCk Coffee

Caruso’s

Station Family & BBQ

Bouquet Restaurant

La Terza coffee is everywhere—really!

The Bagelry Sweet Joy

grocery

ing Coffee” at the University of Cincinnati’s continuing education program. This enthusiasm is evident to customers—Holloway says she noticed it immediately. “The thing that makes Adesso awesome is that everyone there is passionate about the experience they are creating,” she says. “They are excited about the drinks they are crafting, [and Pfahler’s] excitement is infectious.” This coffee love dates back to 5-year-old Pfahler, who would sneak into the kitchen pantry and make his own brew with Mom’s Taster’s Choice. In college, he roasted his ﬁrst beans on a popcorn maker, which works because coffee and popcorn cook at the same temperature. “There was something really romantic about the smoke and the smells, taking something that’s almost unusable, then transforming it to something I could share,” he says. Though he’s been in the local coffee business for nearly two decades, Pfahler is still learning. He’s traveled to India, Turkey, Italy, Mexico, and central and South America to meet coffee bean farmers and learn more about mescal, too. On a late summer visit to Mexico to celebrate his anniversary with his wife, Pfahler says, he couldn’t help but scout. “We made some great connections with producers already during our short stay here,” he wrote in an e-mail during the trip. “Who knows what will come out of these new relationships?”

Tela Bar & Kitchen

Kierston’s Coffee Press on Monmouth

Clifton Market

Adesso Coffee Hub Uproot Café

Wildﬂower Café

Unataza Eishaus

The Commons

Café Vivace

Wyoming Community Coffee

Harvest Market Cozy’s Café and Pub

Whole Foods

Dean’s Mediterranean Imports

Soda Pharm

Tags

Kroger

Taste on Elm

Coffee Shop on Wooster

Goshen Grind

The Cheesecakery

Maplewood Country Fresh

Square Mile Coffee

Hometown Coffee Sunny Blu Sorriso

Fairﬁeld Market

Butler’s Pantry Cavu

tutoring studio Book Bums

brewery Ignite Mt. Carmel Brewing Brewing Co.

sweet shop Sweet Hunter

Esoteric I CO N BY B R I T TA N Y D E X T E R

COFFEE DRINKS 101 And That’s the Tea A new Hyde Park location allows an iconic purveyor to expand its offerings. — A I E S H A D . L I T T L E Churchill’s Fine Teas has been providing Cincinnatians with loose leaf blends for nearly two decades. The Findlay Market location offers more than 265 varieties, but over the last few years, owners Kathleen and Jerry Kern, and their daughter, Katherine, had expansion on their minds. The family-run business added a second location to the roster this summer, taking over a retail space on Hyde Park Square that is double the size of the OTR space and allows them to host more private events. Grab 10 of your closest friends for an afternoon tea and tea tasting session and see (or should we say taste) what the hype is about. 3438 Edwards Rd., Hyde Park, (513) 978-0523, churchillsteas.com

CARABELLO COFFEE Northern Kentucky Carabello has been pouring up equitably sourced coffee in Newport since 2009. Stop in for a cup of Autumn Equinox, brimming with rustic fall ﬂavor, or a classic Tandem Espresso. Be sure to stop by the Analog Bar next door for a curated “chef’s table” experience where customers are encouraged to take their time and baristas’ creativity can run free. 107 E. Ninth St., Newport, (859) 415-1587, carabellocoffee.com

Cappuccino, macchiato, and mocha—oh my! If you’re constantly confused at the coffee menu, this cheat sheet should help. — A M A N D A B O Y D W A L T E R S

Espresso

Cappuccino

Forcing boiling water through ﬁnely ground beans results in a highly concentrated brew, with a signature layer of foam called crema.

Espresso and equal parts steamed milk and foamed milk. Sometimes sprinkled with chocolate powder.

Latte

Cortado

Americano

Macchiato

Espresso, eight ounces of steamed milk, and milk foam.

Equal parts espresso and steamed milk, with a tiny bit of milk foam.

A shot of espresso, diluted with hot water.

Espresso, poured into a small amount of steamed milk.

Mocha

Flat White

Breve

Ristretto

Espresso, chocolate syrup or powder, steamed milk, and foam or whipped cream.

Espresso and about four ounces of creamy steamed milk.

Espresso, steamed half and half, and milk foam.

A method of brewing similar to espresso, using half the amount of water, resulting in a more concentrated shot.

HYDE PERK A Gathering Space When Hyde Perk closed during COVID last year, the coffee shop used the time to update the space: new countertop window seating, an updated coat of paint, and a cozy lounge space with chairs, a coffee table, and a leather couch. The combo of cool tones and warm wood give the space a vibe that’s relaxed, intimate, and welcoming. 3664-B Edwards Rd., Hyde Park, (513) 871-5111, hydeperkcoffee.com

FORAGER COFFEE AND TEA New on the Scene Taste the season! With beans from Proud Hound Coffee, Forager creates fall delights like the Pumpkin Cheesecake Latte (made with real pumpkin). And tea holds its own in this shop. The winter menu features Partridge in a Pear Tea (white tea infused with fresh pear) and warm-winter-spiced cookies for dipping. 122 Main St., Milford

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Roast Local No matter your coffee preference, you can keep your beans local with these Cincinnati-roasted blends. — L A U R E N F I S H E R

DARK ROAST IF YOU LIKE: A robust, fullbodied ﬂavor with a bold, smoky taste TRY: Coffee Emporium’s “Raven’s Blend” Bittersweet and smoky, this blend of African and South American coffees has been thoughtfully roasted to bring out the best of the ﬂavors from each of its origin countries.

MEDIUMDARK ROAST

MEDIUM ROAST

BLONDE ROAST

IF YOU LIKE: A hearty roast that packs less of a punch than its darker cousin TRY: La Terza’s “Hyde Park Blend”

IF YOU LIKE: An agreeable, crowd-pleasing ﬂavor proﬁle TRY: Awakenings’s Highlander Grogg

IF YOU LIKE: A blend that’s fruity, rather than smoky—crisp and acidic, rather than heavy TRY: Deeper Roots’s Gatta Anaerobic

With notes of dark cocoa, brown sugar, and green apple, this bold, full-bodied house blend is a local favorite.

Hints of butterscotch, rum, and vanilla intermingle in this popular autumn pick-me-up that takes its name from any one of the alcoholic beverages that sustained Highlanders through the cold.

This Ethiopian blend is sweet and fruity with a wellrounded ﬂavor proﬁle and tropical notes of blue raspberry, pineapple, and kiwi.

DECAF

COLD BREW

IF YOU LIKE: A full-bodied pickme-up, minus the jitters TRY: Carabello Coffee’s Decaf Organic Mexico

IF YOU LIKE: A crisp, no-fuss drink that’s ready to go when you are TRY: Coffee Emporium’s Ready-to-Drink Cold Brew

Decaf tends to get a bad rap, but this Kentuckyroasted blend delivers a ﬁrst-rate experience with notes of vanilla, cocoa, nougat, and caramel.

No need to head to the coffee shop for this summertime favorite. You can ﬁnd Coffee Emporium’s prebottled cold brew in coolers across the tri-state.

DEEPER ROOTS

THE BOW TIE CAFE

THE FRINGE COFFEE HOUSE

Since opening its doors in 2011, Deeper Roots has been on the rise, rapidly becoming a local favorite and expanding its reach from Oakley to OTR, and most recently, downtown. With bright, cozy, plantﬁlled spaces the atmosphere is just as much of an energy boost as the caffeine itself. Multiple locations, deeperrootscoffee.com

Restaurant, wine bar, brunch spot—what can’t this shapeshifting Mt. Adams café do? Stop by in the a.m. for a breakfast burrito and a nitro cold brew, then end the day with a glass of wine under the bistro lights on the charming patio. 1101 St. Gregory St., Mt. Adams, (513) 621-2233, bowtiecafe.com

This Hamilton coffee shop seems unremarkable, but its impact is worth noting. The Fringe empowers inmates at the Lebanon and Dayton Correctional Institutions, providing music therapy, and eventually paid job training at the café, where employees regain a sense of dignity after incarceration. 918 High St., Hamilton, thefringecoffeehouse.com, (513) 889-4500

Big Dog

Coffee & Cocktails

PHOTOGRAPH BY JEREMY KRAMER

Giving Back

How

black coffee lounge a d e w e r B y t i n u m m o C BY ANY MEANS NECessary. That’s what M ea n s C a m e ro n ’s name means, but it’s also his unspoken operational credo. The owner and founder of BlaCk Coffee Lounge and the adjacent BlaCk OWned apparel store, Cameron was born and raised in Cincinnati’s West End and on the West Side. “I have good stories about both,” he says. “When you grow up in those kinds of environments, there are so many things that can take you under every day. But the fact that I’m sitting here with you right now, talking about coffee that’s going to be featured in a magazine, it’s a good story. Because if you were able to be there, to see the things that we witnessed as young kids, I think most people would be more moved to take action.” Cameron decided to take his own action. Instead of getting “captured,” as he says, by the community and “love” that street life afforded, he wanted to pursue a different path, create a different kind of community. Business ownership was a paramount goal for the Miami University graduate. He opened BlaCk OWned in 2014. “I felt like that was going to be the answer to these communities I’m talking about,” says Cameron. “If we own things in those communities, then we would have the resources to clean [them] up, make [them] better, rejuvenate, provide skills to people.” Fashion is already closely associated with Black culture. But coffee—at least on the surface—may seem like an unexpected swerve. “The coffee was just a whole other lane,” says Cameron. “I don’t

Means Cameron on his coffee journey and his mission to create space for Cincinnati’s Black creatives. — L E Y L A S H O K O O H E

think Black people see ourselves in coffee. But the statistics say we consume it. We’re consuming a lot of things, but we’re not proﬁting off of it. Coffee just felt right to be next door.” Cameron credits a friend who was a “huge” coffee drinker with turning him onto the drink. He realized coffee consumption was a way for them to connect, and spent a lot of time in coffee shops. “I realized how important these coffee shops were to all of the little communities they were in,” he says. “Like, everybody’s in the coffee shop, coming in like, ‘Hey, hey, hey, what’s up?’ So for me, with the mind I’ve had since I was a young boy, it was like, ‘Wait. All of these people are connecting. This is happening.’ ” P H OTO G R A P H BY D E V Y N G L I STA

After spending two years in New Orleans, Cameron returned to Cincinnati more inspired than ever by the city’s coffee culture and itching to bring his own vision of a connected community to life. So when the space next to BlaCk OWned became available, he jumped at the opportunity.

place. So we wanted to create this place to be that. In 2019, we came out of the gate exactly like that. But then when COVID hit, it disrupted all of that.” The shop weathered the pandemic, and when protests swept the nation in the

“This place was needed,” says Means Cameron. “Where are all the young Black creatives, or minority creatives? Where do they hang out? Where do they go? We don’t have that place. So we wanted to create this place to be that.”

PROUD HOUND COFFEE New on the Scene Proud Hound Coffee Roasters’s ﬂagship café serves up cortados with heart and Instagram-able latte art. Bring your laptop. Bring your friends. There’s a lot of space and a good menu in this sharp venue. Try the Nashi ’Nati Chicken—it’s brined in tea and served on a house-made biscuit. 6717 Montgomery Rd., Kennedy Heights, (513) 987-1233, proudhound coffee.com

“I’ve never done anything half-assed,” Cameron says. “So when I was opening this, I had to take a step back and say, ‘You really got to do some training, some learning, dive deeper.’ Because I knew I already had the culture piece. But I didn’t know enough about coffee.” Through nonproﬁt MORTAR, Cameron connected with David Gaines, CEO of La Terza Coffee. “I try to only work with people my spirit tells me like, ‘This is it,’” he says. “What [Gaines] represented, what he wanted to do, help shops like mine with ideas like mine, it was right on. He was just a great guy. I found out a percentage of it is Black-owned—the roaster, Robert, is from Uganda. So I fell in love with their company.” Cameron and his crew spent a year and a half on barista and coffee training and continued even after BlaCk Coffee opened in July 2019. “This place was needed,” he says. “Where are all the young Black creatives, or minority creatives? Where do they hang out? Where do they go? We don’t have that

wake of the murder of George Floyd, BlaCk Coffee’s community came out in full force, sponsoring Cincinnati’s Black Lives Matter street mural. Vice President Kamala Harris stopped in for a coffee on her ﬁrst visit to Cincinnati. BlaCk Coffee has quickly become part of the fabric of not only the Black community and the coffee community, but the broader Cincinnati community. “I think our shop is the new energy in the room for Cincinnati coffee,” says Cameron. “That’s why we do well. You can go to 10 coffee shops in Cincinnati and they’re all going to have good coffee, but the vibe is going to be very similar. But then you come here and it’s like, ‘Oh, yeah. This is a different thing.’ ”

AWAKENINGS

SIDEWINDER COFFEE

Coffee & Cocktails With a prime location on Hyde Park Square and a focus on boutique wines and thoughtfully sourced roasts, Awakenings is a day-and-night destination. Go for the drinks—the shop hosts wine tastings every Thursday through Sunday—and stay for the local art installations, which rotate monthly. 2734 Erie Ave., Hyde Park, (513) 321-2525, awakeningscoffeeand wine.com

A Gathering Space Exposed brick, original hardwood ﬂoors, and handlettered coffee signs all contribute to Sidewinder Coffee’s vibe: It’s urban and hip, clean and cozy—all with a bit of historic charm. When Kimberly Maurer Buzek opened in Northside, she kept it a blank slate. That way, her coffee shop could morph and adapt to the community over the years. 4181 Hamilton Ave., Northside, (513) 542-8321, sidewindercoffee.com

Find Your Spot Need to work? Just want to chill? We've got you covered. —LAUREN FISHER

GET COZY AT...

GATHER AT. . .

GET WORK DONE AT. . .

GET OUTSIDE AT.. .

Roebling Point Books & Coffee (Covington), a Northern Kentucky paradise for bookworms pouring organic, fair-trade coffee from independent, family-owned roasters. Iris BookCafé (Over-the-Rhine), a coffeehouse, brunch spot, used bookstore, and art gallery rolled into one eclectic storefront and perfect for a crisp autumn day. Lola’s (downtown), an urban oasis with an atmosphere to ﬁt your mood, whether you’re looking for a welcoming space to meet friends or a hip after-work cocktail spot.

Redtree Art+Coffee (Oakley), a cavernous art gallery and coffeehouse offering plenty of private tables and rentable gathering space. Highland Coffee House (Corryville), the storied UC-adjacent haunt that opens at 5 p.m. and keeps its doors open until the early hours of the morning— perfect for students and night owls alike. The Coffee Peddlar (Harrison), a cozy main street brunch spot with live music on Friday nights and an enclosed courtyard for outside get-togethers.

Mom ‘n ‘Em (Camp Washington), the light-ﬁlled brainchild of the Ferrari Bros, stocked with all the coffee (and wine) you could possibly need to fuel a remote workday. College Hill Coffee Co. (College Hill), a neighborhood gem with a wide variety of workspace setups for your next brainstorming session or solo professional pursuits. White Oak Coffee House (Cheviot), a cozy house-turned-coffee-shop with an unpretentious menu and cushy surroundings that give “work from home” a whole new meaning.

Mile 42 Coffee (Loveland), a walk-up window cafe just steps from the Little Miami Scenic Bike Trail that serves up Loveland-inspired classics like the “Frogman Mocha.” Trailhead Coffee (Newport), a specialty coffee bar (also with a walk-up window) tucked inside Reser Bicycle Outﬁtters. Hometown Cafe (Loveland), a centrally located lunch-and-coffee spot in easy walking distance to the bike trail, East Loveland Nature Preserve, and Nisbet Park.

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COFFEE EMPORIUM Big Dog

They’ve got name recognition, spectacular shops, and—let’s face it—some of the best coffee around. The humble shop that ﬁrst opened in an East Hyde Park Victorian in 1973 (long before the massive OTR location) has cemented itself as a local coffee cornerstone, boasting an impressive selection and an ambiance that’s uniquely Cincinnati. Multiple locations, coffee-emporium. com

WYOMING COMMUNITY COFFEE A Gathering Space

Sara Aschliman may not have had experience in the restaurant industry before opening Wyoming Community Coffee (colloquially called WyCoCo) but she is an architect, and she knew her community needed a gathering space. That’s why she gave WyCoCo to Wyoming. “The shop is intended to feel like the neighborhood’s living room,” she says. “It is bright and open but ﬁlled with warm tones and textures.” 434 Springﬁeld Pike, Wyoming, (513) 510-4765, wyomingcom munitycoffee.com

I AM COFFEE

DRIP COFFEE LOUNGE New on the Scene

Add some jazz to your joe. Drip features the usual suspects, like lattes and macchiatos, but espresso-based cocktails take over about half the menu. They pair well with Drip’s weekly live music performances and community events. Try the Jebena Brew—served in an Ethiopian coffee pot—with a friend for something special. 2927 Colerain Ave., Camp Washington, (513) 813-3009, dripcoffeelounge.com

P H OTO G R A P H S BY D E V Y N G L I STA

Giving Back

St. Bernard’s only coffee shop is also one of its mightiest philanthropic players. I AM Coffee owners Ron and Carolyn Spears have launched a variety of community initiatives, including a “lunch box” program that provides local kids and teens in need with ﬁlling meals for free. Keep an eye on the café’s social media pages to stay up-to-date with its charitable ventures, which include everything from fund-raisers and school supply drives to pay-it-forward coffee programs. 4728 Vine St., St. Bernard, (513) 429-4975

e s o l C to Home

HONDURAS AND NORTHERN KENTUCKY meet in a little coffee shop in Dayton, Kentucky. Twinkling lights and paper stars hang from the ceiling, local artists’ work ﬁlls the walls, and regular patrons discuss their families, jobs, and hobbies with the barista. It feels like a small town coffee shop, and that isn’t by accident. Visitors can tell the space was made with love.

Unataza shares more with the community than just great coffee. — M . L E I G H H O O D

Alejandra Flores is Unataza’s founder. She’s also its heart and soul. A Honduran immigrant, she’s bringing together a community of coffee lovers across borders with a bevy of offerings, from the brickand-mortar shop to “Coffee Origin Trips,” bagged coffee sales, and more. Everything—the shop, the coffee, and the trips—grew from a single root: love of family. Flores knew she wanted to become a business owner at the tender age of 13, but when she moved to the U.S. in 2010, she found new inspiration. “I think the turning point was when I knew I was now living in the U.S., knowing I was not going to move back to Honduras, even though all my family was there,” says Flores. “I wanted to start selling products that I could bring from Honduras that would give me the opportunity to…see my family and make some extra money to cover expenses.” Social media connected Flores with Katia Duke, a coffee farm owner in Honduras. Inspired by each other’s ideas and drive, they began a professional friendship. A door opened. Flores’s dreams of becoming a business owner, celebrating Honduras’s exceptional coffee, and spending more time with her family all became possible at once. She would bring coffee lovers to the source, an actual coffee farm, and not just any coffee farm—one that promoted and practiced ethical employment. But it wasn’t just about the coffee. Flores wanted to “show the real Honduras and maybe help change the perception of the ‘bad’ third world countries and immigrants,” she says. She hopes each week-long trip will give participants a chance to take in the country’s beauty, people, food, and landscape. “The initial idea was only the Coffee Origin Trips,” Flores recalls. Unataza, however, was destined to grow. By partnering with La Terza, a Cincinnati-based roastery, Flores could sell single-source coffee from Duke’s farm. “The selling of bags of coffee, coffee cart pop-ups, and origin trips started to happen parallel to each other,” says Flores. And then came the café. “Finding the location took two years,” she says. Three deals fell through. But the fourth try was a charm. And with help from the community, Unataza found funding. Opening a new business during a pandemic was a gamble, P H OTO G R A P H S BY D E V Y N G L I STA

and the high interest on the shop’s loan made it a greater personal risk. But Flores was undaunted, developing a plan to open as quickly as possible. Unataza’s ﬂagship café opened in September 2020. The community turned out to support Flores, who quickly picked up regulars. Despite having been in business for little over a year, the shop has made astonishing headway. “Currently we have paid 60 percent of our investment,” Flores reports. Unataza is earning back the good it has put into the world, then turning around and putting more good back in. It’s a cycle that begins and ends with the coffee growers.

It wasn’t just about the coffee. Alejandra Flores wanted to “show the real Honduras” and change perceptions of immigrants. When Unataza and La Terza purchase coffee from Duke, Flores says, she can re-invest in her land, her employees, and the children of the employees. Sales have helped fund a school and provide emergency hurricane relief for families in need. And since the café opened, Unataza’s aims have expanded to include more of the Northern Kentucky community of which Unataza is now a part. “The mission stays the same,” says Flores. “It has not shifted, but we have added the component of also contributing to the city of Dayton.” The café teams up with local, women-owned businesses like bakeries and caterers, and the café also serves as a market for local artists. Despite Unataza’s international links, it still feels like the local coffee shops of old, where the owner knows all the regulars, and one shop’s success beneﬁts all. Flores— perhaps unwittingly—revealed her secret. She says, of all the things she enjoys about Unataza, she loves most “connecting with people, their families, their stories, and becoming part of them.” 620 Sixth Ave., Dayton, Kentucky, (859) 2618292, unatazacoffee.com

FLOW KOFFEE +KOMBUCHA Northern Kentucky This trendy space in Newport spins records, showcases local art, and serves single-origin java, sourced from coffee farms around the word. Sip on an Americano or expand your horizons with a local kombucha, available on-tap or in-bottle. You’ll want to snap a selﬁe beneath Flow’s many indoor and outdoor murals (with your beverage in frame). 121 W. 10th St., Newport, (859) 415-0593, ﬂow.supply

MVMNT COFFEE Northern Kentucky Husband and wife duo Cory and Kelsey Morris started MVMNT (pronounced “movement”) to bring high quality ethically sourced coffee to Northern Kentucky. Their blends each have their own unique ﬂavor proﬁle, like the light Las Cascadas, perfect for fall with notes of caramel and green apple. 2901 Washington St., Burlington, (859) 488-1414, mvmntcoffeeco.com

THE KIDD COFFEE CO. Giving Back With ﬁve locations in the Central Business District, this local outﬁt officially takes up more downtown real estate than Starbucks. With every cup, you support critically ill children at the Ronald McDonald House, domestic violence survivors at Bethany House, and substance abuse prevention programs through OneCity For Recovery—and that’s just to name a few. Multiple locations, kiddcoffee.com

THEY SAT DOWN TOGETHER AND feasted. They gave thanks for a plentiful harvest and for the friends they’d made in this wild place. Prayers were said, in their own way, without censure or fear of retribution. They were grateful simply to be alive. It was the first Thanksgiving, 400 years ago this fall. The 50 or so Pilgrims who had survived that first year welcomed nearly 90 American Indians, who brought five deer they’d killed to the banquet. The feast lasted for three days on this rocky piece of land, the windswept ocean at their backs and the impenetrable forest a few hundred yards ahead. For many of us, Turkey Day is our favorite holiday. Family, food, friends, and football are followed by a long nap. What more could you want? For about 200 people here in the Cincinnati/Dayton area, though, “family” means a little more than who sits around the table. They’re direct descendants of the Pilgrims. I originally thought it might be difficult to track down an actual Pilgrim descendant in this area. It wasn’t. Depending on which source you want to believe, there could be as many as 35 million Americans, or as few as 3 million, who can trace their lineage back to those hardy souls. You could be one, but if you want any sort of official recognition you’ll have to convince members of the General Society of Mayflower Descendants with shoeboxes of documentation. They’re based in Massachusetts and very particular about

who gets in the club. Ancestry.com doesn’t count with these folks. Cincinnati has a chapter of the Society, known as a colony. “It’s a great group to belong to, and we all have our stories not just about our ancestors but also about what we had to do to prove they were our ancestors,” says Star Vondrell of Springfield Township, the local colony’s leader. “When we get together, we’re probably a little geeky, but it’s just because it’s exciting to share our stories and listen to what others have discovered.” LIKE MANY MEMBERS OF THE General Society of Mayflower Descendants, Vondrell can likely trace her ancestry back to more than one Mayflower passenger. You see, the Pilgrims were determined procreators, and, at least initially, the only opportunities were right there in their own colony. One of the more famous passengers, John Alden, for example, had 10 children with his wife, fellow passenger Priscilla Mullins, and the kids in turn gave the Aldens 70 grandchildren, some of whom married the offspring of other Mayflower voyagers. The intertwined branches of Pilgrim descendant marriages—some of which still happen today—suggest the family tree is more like a burgeoning bush. Beth Anderson is fascinated with all of her ancestors, but there’s one who stands out. “Oh, I think I’m probably most like

Stephen Hopkins,” she says without hesitation. “I like my beer and I like my wine, and obviously so did he.” Hopkins is described by most historians as the “rogue” on the good ship Mayflower. As a colonist in Plymouth, he often ran afoul of the strict Pilgrim penal code both in terms of his business practices and his morality. He drank beer and played shuffleboard on Sundays. He offended customary sensibilities by selling dry goods to fellow passengers for twice their fair price. He was sued by another colonist and then fined for beating him up. Authorities threw him in jail for refusing to support his maid, who had been impregnated by another settler. He was a colorful character in a rather colorless world. “He was very much the bad guy, but also the adventurer,” says Anderson, laughing as she recounts Hopkins’s transgressions. He had been one of the early settlers in Jamestown, Virginia, before returning to England, where the Pilgrims, as they sought experienced New World

As Star Vondrell dug into her Mayflower connections, she found a later relative ’s pension document citing his service in the Continental Army with General Washington. That “ just sent chills up my spine,” she says. 50

THE PROGRESS OF PILGRIMS STAR VONDRELL OF SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP LEADS THE CINCINNATI AREA “COLONY” OF THE GENERAL SOCIETY OF MAYFLOWER DESCENDANTS. IT TOOK HER YEARS TO GATHER ENOUGH DOCUMENTS TO PROVE HER CONNECTION TO THE ORIGINAL PILGRIMS.

PHOTOGRAPH BY LANCE ADKINS

ﬂower descendant but has also embraced his patriot roots as a member of the local chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution. He even owns a woolen Continental Army uniform.

help, persuaded him to make a second trip across the ocean. He knew and understood the native tribes and the value in their friendship. In many ways, he was Plymouth Colony’s chief diplomat to the Wampanoags, Thanksgiving’s first guests. Discovering your Mayflower roots can reveal other more recent family mysteries, as Anderson, a retired nurse from Centerville, discovered. Her grandmother on her mother’s side abandoned the family when Anderson’s mother was only 3 years old. Growing up, the missing grandmother was a hole in Anderson’s family story. “I guess I just assumed she had died,” she says. Then, about 20 years ago, her mother asked Anderson to drop in on a cousin who lived in Florida.“I said, What? I have a cousin in Florida?” she recalls. “I was 56 years old and never knew. And it turned out that the cousin used to live across the street from us.” The cousin had her own bomb to drop. “She says to me, Do you know you have Mayflower ancestry? and I said, Yeah, right, sure we do. Everyone from Massachusetts has Mayflower ancestry,” Anderson recounts, her eyes rolling. She’s originally from Salem, Massachusetts, and is familiar with

blue bloods in the Bay State who, as she puts it, “live by the sea in the big mansions my mother used to clean as a child.” That isn’t Anderson, who lives in a comfortable condo off I-675 with her husband. But mansion or not, she’s a 14th generation Mayflower descendant and has file cabinets worth of material to prove it. Genealogy is hard detective work. For most people, it starts as a hobby, but as the trail broadens and takes you into the pages of your high school history book, it often becomes an obsession. As Vondrell dug into her past, she found her great-greatgreat-great grandfather’s pension document that cited his service in the Continental Army and “meeting up with General Washington.” “That just sent chills up my spine,” she says. “It brings history to life in a way that’s so personal.” Clay Crandall of Mason also has Massachusetts roots through his mother and, like Vondrell, found his family tree full of Revolutionary War patriots. When he worked backwards, he discovered he was related directly to both John Alden and Priscilla Mullins, the prolific Pilgrim couple. Crandall says he loves to brag about being a May-

CRANDALL, VONDRELL, and Anderson worked for years to confirm their Pilgrim roots. Doug van der Zee, a business executive living in North Avondale, had a head start thanks to his grandmother, who had done a lot of legwork. But there were loose ends to tie up, he says, including trying to prove his line went not only to William Brewster, the Pilgrims’ religious leader, but also to their military strategist, Miles Standish. It also took years, though van der Zee readily admits he wasn’t working on it full-time. “I had a job, and still do,” he says. “But I kept at it out of curiosity. It’s kind of like earning the Good Housekeeping Seal when you finally get blessed by the General Society of Mayflower, like getting your diploma.” The road to that approval traverses a valley between two genealogical mountains. You and your family are on one peak, and the Pilgrims and their next four generations are on the other. Those lines are documented and confirmed in what’s called the Silver Book. Your branch on the Mayflower tree is likely at Generation 13, 14, or 15, and your job is to connect back directly with Gen 5. That valley is full of dead ends, faded records, dusty books, broken tombstones in weedy cemeteries, and official documents with misspelled names. The praetorian guard standing sentry on the road is an exacting official Mayflower Society historian trained in the art of skepticism. Van der Zee calls it the hardest club in the world to join, and everyone has their story of frustration followed by joy. CONTINUED ON PAGE 66

/ I l l u st r a t i o n b y / r e R ya nd e nS P k no c Ri

FUNNY BUSINESS

THE GOULDING FAMILY HAS USED HUMOR TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS AND SUCCESS ACROSS THREE GENERATIONS. IS THAT SENSE OF FUN RHINEGEIST’S SECRET SAUCE?

BRYANT GOULDING OFTEN WRAPS UP SALES MEETINGS AT RHINEGEIST, THE CRAFT BREWERY HE CO-FOUNDED, URGING ALL 70 OR SO SALES STAFFERS TO FORM A CIRCLE. He leads them in a “Rhinegeist! Rhinegeist!” chant, over and over, until the tap room echoes. Matt Steinke, vice president of sales, says he knew right away the co-owner was a little different. On one of his ﬁrst days at Rhinegeist in 2015, Steinke was watching a commercial shoot featuring people in costumes in various locations around the brewery. “Bryant wandered in wearing a horse mask and a business suit, and before long he was dancing by himself at the edge of the room,” says Steinke. “Everyone knew who it was, but he didn’t care. He’s a fun-loving guy. Sometimes he shows up for parties wearing cut-offs and a fake mustache.” Dana Cummin, Rhinegeist’s ﬁrst sales rep, says she and Goulding teamed up in the company’s early staff mop-bucket races. She was in the bucket, and he pushed her across the tap room’s vast expanse. She also recalls attending a beer festival with him in those early years before the brand was well known. Goulding is 6-foot-5, she’s 5-foot-1, and he put her on his shoulders and walked around the exhibition hall. People noticed. Goulding and his father, Tom—who

serves as a Rhinegeist tour guide now that he’s retired—are known to dress up in bright red after Reds games and dance in the tap room. Tom is nearly as tall as Bryant, and Cummin says they resemble those attention-getting inﬂatable waving tube guys outside car dealerships. Speaking at Rhinegeist’s massive headquarters in Over-the-Rhine, and temporarily not dancing, Bryant says he grew up in a family dedicated to making people’s lives better and who used humor to break down barriers and create strong relationships. After searching for his own path to help others, he ended up in Cincinnati in 2012 to launch a new company. “Rhinegeist is a serious business,” Goulding says, “but the business is beer. If you’re drinking beer and being serious, you’re doing it wrong. Our whole premise, our whole culture around what we do, is to create a platform to drink beer together, lower your inhibitions, and relax. Beer is an accelerant for bonding.” The successful growth of Rhinegeist— now the second largest craft brewery in Ohio—helped bond Goulding to his new hometown, and that bond induced his parents to relocate here as well. They’d retired

on the East Coast but decided to move to Cincinnati in 2016 to be closer to their son. Tom volunteered to lead group tours at Rhinegeist and is now a walking comedy act. “Meeting him the ﬁrst time,” Bryant says,“you might think he’s kind of serious, but as he gets comfortable he opens up. He can be the life of the party, really hilarious. He’s really worked hard to get to know beer and our history. He can talk to sophisticated beer nerds or to bachelorette parties.” The Gouldings are natural storytellers and humorists who have a way of disarming and entertaining everyone around them. It’s not difficult to understand why. Tom’s father was Ray Goulding, half of the famous comedy duo Bob & Ray—national radio and television regulars from the 1950s through the ’80s. Perhaps a humor gene was passed from father to son to grandson. Maybe it’s just a family that loves to laugh.“Hilarity was our currency,” says Bryant.

Ray Goulding was born in 1922 in Lowell, Massachusetts, the fourth of ﬁve kids in Thomas Goulding’s Irish-Catholic family.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY (LEFT) DARRYL PITT AND (RIGHT) TOM GOULDING

RAY OF SUNSHINE Ray Goulding (far left) and Bob Elliott perform at Carnegie Hall. Future Cincinnati beer baron Bryant Goulding (right) sits on his grandfather Ray’s lap.

He showed an early interest in humor: As a teenager, he rigged a microphone to a radio so he could speak through it. In a stern tone conjuring the voice of God he announced, “Will Uncle Walter please go home?” His uncle bolted for the door immediately. Ray’s gag blew out the radio (one of the ﬁrst in their neighborhood) and caught his father’s wrath. But he knew how to make people laugh. Straight out of high school, Ray got a gig as a $15-a-week announcer at hometown radio station WLLH, following in the footsteps of his older brother, Phil, a radio announcer in Boston. At ﬁrst Ray called himself “Dennis Howard” so he wouldn’t be confused with Phil, but before long he landed at another Boston station and started using his own name. He was drafted into the Army in 1942, served until 1946, and returned to Boston for a job with radio station WHDH. He worked as a newscaster on the morning program Sunny Side Up, which was hosted by disc jockey Bob Elliott, another former GI. Neither of them went to college, but they were smart and quick-witted. Goulding and Elliott began to banter on the air and quickly recognized that their

senses of humor converged. Eventually a 15-minute segment of their efforts was picked up by the National Biscuit Company. Before long they were doing a 20-minute pregame show before WHDH aired Red Sox games; they created parodies using funny voices, odd dialects, and intentionally amateurish sound effects. The duo excelled at poking fun at the medium of radio, crafting mock commercials for make-believe sponsors, or pushing mundane topics to ridiculous extremes. Their comedy wasn’t based on jokes but on characters, most of whom were boneheaded and/or bloated. Goulding, whose natural baritone voice was quite elastic, created falsettos and gruff blowhards—from the daffy cooking expert Mary McGoon, who delivered recipes for such delicacies as “imitation grape drink” and “fried rice popsicles,” to sportscaster Steve Bosco, who signed off with, “This is Steve Bosco, rounding third and being thrown out at home,” a parody of Cincinnati Reds announcer Joe Nuxhall’s signature phrase. Elliott specialized in adenoidal milquetoasts and silly pseudoexperts as well as the blundering reporter Wally Ballou, who interviewed a vast array of Goulding’s characters. They soon hosted a weekday half-hour radio program, Matinee with Bob & Ray, which they largely ad-libbed their way through. Full-page newspaper ads in Boston urged listeners to tune in for a “date with daffiness.” As their fame spread along the East Coast, Bob & Ray were picked up by NBC radio in New York City in 1951. Their deadpan, irreverent satire was quickly noticed, and they won a Peabody Award for entertainment in radio in their ﬁrst year on the

network. After adding a TV series featuring actresses Audrey Meadows and Cloris Leachman, they won another Peabody Award for broadcast excellence. These were the years when they developed their famous nonsensical signoffs: “This is Bob Elliott, reminding you to hang by your thumbs” and “This is Ray Goulding, reminding you to write if you get work.” Tom was the second of Ray’s six kids, and he jokes that his birth in 1949 was perhaps the catalyst for Bob & Ray’s quick elevation to broadcast stardom. Once the duo landed in New York City, Ray moved his family to Manhasset on Long Island. Elliott, meanwhile, became completely comfortable living in New York City. Nine-year-old Tom traveled with his parents to Hawaii, where Bob & Ray were performing. After a bout with the mumps, he came down with viral encephalitis and ended up in the hospital on an IV. That’s where he saw a commercial for Andersen’s Pea Soup featuring Bob & Ray, which he’d never seen in New York. He remembers saying, “Hey, wait a minute! That’s my dad!” A nearby nurse said, “Yeah, sure, kid.” In the late 1950s Bob & Ray voiced animated TV commercials for Piels Brothers Beer, a regional brewery based in Brooklyn and Staten Island. It was an innovative campaign, veering wildly from the day’s traditional straightforward TV pitches. Elliott played mild-mannered Harry, while Goulding was Bert, a loudmouth who repeatedly extolled the beer that “always aims for dryness,” showing a target whose bull’seyes were riddled with gunshots or arrows. The ads became enormously popular, a real milestone in the duo’s career while Tom was growing up, and their air times were listed in New York newspapers. Tom says he and his siblings were aware of their father’s broadcasting success and became class cut-ups at school. Tom went to a military high school in New York City in the mid-1960s, and he and his friends would occasionally drop by the WOR radio studios on 44th Street after school to watch Bob & Ray tapings. Ray would sometimes use one of those friends’ names in a routine as a fanciful character, and the rest of the group provided an impromptu laugh track. “You just liked being in his circle,” says To m , wh o C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 7 0

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INNOVATIONS IN HEALTHCARE

THESE SIX HOSPITALS AND MEDICAL CENTERS ARE WORKING AT THE INTERSECTION OF RESEARCH AND PATIENT CARE. THE RESULTS COULD CHANGE EVERYTHING. PLUS:

CINCINNATI CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL MEDICAL CENTER’S NICU LIGHTS ARE THE FIRST OF THEIR KIND JEWISH HOSPITAL IS USING A REVOLUTIONARY DRUG TO CHANGE THE OUTCOME FOR CANCER PATIENTS

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NEW LIGHTS T HELP NICU BABIES THRIVE

he smallest of preterm infants typically spend their first days under the bright lights of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, which have been designed to mimic the environment of the mother’s womb. But new research from Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC) is challenging long-held assumptions about what premature babies need to thrive during their stay in the NICU. And the findings just might change the way we think about light on a much larger scale. In September, CCHMC debuted the world’s first fullspectrum NICU lighting system as part of its new $600 million critical care building.

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HEALTH WATCH INNOVATION turns out that almost every organism is designed to take advantage of that light and dark system.” For the bulk of human history, our biological processes have played out in tandem with a natural daylight cycle. But today—or rather, for the past 100 years—we live much of our lives beneath artificial lighting, which lacks many of the wavelengths produced by sunlight. “It turns out that that probably matters a lot,” Greenberg says. “And yet, we haven’t thought about it at all.” When CCHMC looked to turn Lang’s research into action, the NICU seemed like the perfect place to start. With the average length of stay hovering around a month, it’s the ideal setting for doctors to study the long-term health effects of the spectral lights. But when Lang and Greenberg set out to implement their theories, they quickly ran into a roadblock: The technology they were looking for didn’t exist. So with the help of architects, lighting designers, and

even a NASA expert, the team developed their own six-channel lighting system capable of recreating the special “lighting recipe” of Cincinnati. Now, instead of spending those crucial first weeks under the constant glow of traditional artificial lighting, the babies brought into CCHMC’s NICU will experience a constantly changing spectrum of light that mimics daylight down to the wavelength. The project, Greenberg says, is nothing short of groundbreaking, with implications that could go far beyond the walls of the NICU. “If we could create daylight, we can ask some questions about how that impacts neonatal growth and baby development and baby health in ways that we never could before,” he says. And the research could fundamentally change our understanding of the role sunlight plays in human biology. “The sky’s the limit. And we’re in a position to lead this field around the world.” Q

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“We started, when we were in the design phase, with a set of principles,” says James Greenberg, M.D., co-director of the Perinatal Institute at CCHMC. “And one of the principles had to do with incorporating our culture of research and discovery into the design.” The research in CCHMC’s new NICU has been pioneered by Richard Lang, director of the Visual Systems Group at CCHMC, who has spent more than a decade studying the role natural sunlight plays in fetal development. Lang’s team has discovered that certain neurons inside our brains express a special protein that can detect specific wavelengths from the sun. Those neurons, it turns out, can influence a variety of body functions, including metabolism and childhood development. “If you think about life, all life— whether it’s plant life or animal life—has evolved in this kind of 12-hour on-off light-dark cycle because of the rotation of the earth,” Greenberg says. “And it

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riHealth and Beacon Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine recently announced a joint venture that could change the local landscape of care and create the tri-state’s most comprehensive orthopaedic and sports medicine program. The partnership has roots in the 2019 announcement of a plan to create the region’s first orthopaedic hospital—an undertaking that will involve converting TriHealth’s Evendale Hospital into a one-stop shop for inpatient and outpatient orthopaedic care. “This partnership fits perfectly within TriHealth’s vision to deliver on the Triple Aim—better health and better care at a better value,” TriHealth President and CEO Mark Clement says. “And while Beacon will remain an independent organization, this partnership enhances TriHealth’s network of hospitals, ambulatory centers, and employed and private practice physicians with the aim to make orthopedics care more af-

MAYFIELD CLINIC IS LEAPS AHEAD IN TREATMENT OF CHIARI MALFORMATIONS

rain and spine experts at the Mayfield Clinic have been making strides in the treatment of Chiari malformations, a range of oftenunderdiagnosed structural defects that impact an estimated one in 1,000 people. Chiari malformation occurs when the

cerebellar tonsil, located in the lower part of the brain, herniates through the skull and into the spinal canal, disrupting the flow of cerebrospinal fluid. Depending on the severity of the malformation, symptoms can range from barely noticeable to debilitating. In fact, up to 90 percent of patients with Chiari malformations are asymptomatic, according to Yair Gozal, M.D., a neurosurgeon at Mayfield Brain & Spine. The condition is one that patients are born with, but diagnosis can be particularly tricky. Because the symptoms of Chiari malformation can be varied and vague—think headaches, fatigue, dizziness, and difficulty swallowing—the condition is often misdiagnosed as migraines or fibromyalgia. On average, it takes three to seven years for a patient to get an accurate diagnosis. But when that diagnosis is finally made, doctors at Mayfield can provide

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fordable and accessible.” Beacon and TriHealth will combine their existing orthopedic ambulatory surgery centers to create a wide network of outpatient facilities, including the Summit Woods Surgery Center, Beacon West Surgery Center, and TriHealth Hand Surgery Center. Though the network of outpatient orthopedic centers will be governed jointly, Beacon will run the day-to-day operations. The venture will also give TriHealth orthopaedic physicians and hand surgeons the option to join Beacon, broadening the network of doctors available at the organization’s community-based locations. “The joining of forces with existing Beacon physicians and TriHealth to form a comprehensive orthopedic team is exciting for the healthcare community at large,” says Thomas Shockley, M.D., a TriHealth orthopaedic surgeon. “Beacon and TriHealth have a proven track record of providing high quality care to patients in Greater Cincinnati and this partnership will only make it better.” Q

a wide range of treatment options. For symptomatic patients, those options can include muscle relaxants, anti-inflammatory medications, and physical therapy. Surgical intervention for Chiari malformations typically isn’t necessary, but Mayfield brain and spine experts have been hard at work refining their procedures, which involve decompressing the craniocervical junction to restore normal flow of cerebro-spinal fluid. “Working with patients suffering from Chiari malformations is extremely rewarding, both before and after surgery,” says Gozal. “Even before any procedures are performed, patients are often relieved and thankful that the abnormality leading to their life-altering symptoms has finally been identified. It provides them validation for all the effort they have invested, often over years, to finally have a diagnosis.” Q

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ercy Health’s Jewish Hospital is among the first in the nation to utilize a new form of medical technology for the treatment of highgrade gliomas. The drug, 5-Aminolevulinic Acid Hydrochloride—known colloquially as 5-ALA—is a type of imaging agent approved by the FDA in 2017 that makes it easier for neurosurgeons to better distinguish

THE CHRIST HOSPITAL UNVEILS AI-POWERED CHATBOT

he Christ Hospital’s newest approach to cancer screening and early detection doesn’t start in the doctor’s office. Instead, it starts in your text messages. This year, the hospital system introduced the Genetic Information Assistant—a.k.a. “Gia”—a chatbot, or computer program that mimics human conversation through artificial intelligence. It’s all part of The Christ Hospital’s burgeoning precision medicine department, which aims to revolutionize the way we think about medical care, from testing to treatment. This year, each patient who scheduled a mammogram with The Christ Hospital received a text from Gia with a link to a simple, confidential Q&A conversation.

hard-to-spot tumors from the surrounding brain. Because of their location and tendency to spread into healthy brain tissue, gliomas can be particularly difficult to treat with surgery. But the 5-ALA drug Gleolan may change that. Specialists with Mayfield Brain & Spine first began using 5-ALA in 2019 and have since partnered with Jewish Hospital and OHC to make the treatment more widely available to Cincinnati cancer patients. Three hours before the procedure, prior to anesthesia, patients drink the 5-ALA Gleolan solution, which circulates through the

During that conversation, Gia assesses a patient’s family health history, paying close attention to certain conditions that can be caused by inherited gene mutations. “We decided to just start with women in mammogram because women are more proactive about their health care,” says Burns Blaxall, M.D., head of precision medicine at The Christ Hospital. “And [women] are the health care decision makers in nearly 80 percent of homes.” Using the results of the Gia conversation, doctors can better determine if a patient should seek out genetic counseling. As of September, the program was still in its early days. But just 10 months in, 17,000 patients had filled out the Gia Chatbot questionnaire. More than 4,200 of those patients met the National Comprehensive Cancer Network’s guidelines that recommend hereditary cancer testing. And an additional 2,000 patients alerted providers to an elevated Tyrer-

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Cuzick score, a metric used to estimate lifetime risk of developing invasive breast cancer. If a patient’s family history flags Gia to a potential heightened risk for breast cancer, The Christ Hospital will refer the patient to genetic counseling or to the High-Risk Cancer Screening Clinic, where counselors and advanced practice providers will explore possible next steps so patients can be more proactive about their health care. If providers identify any actionable DNA variants or mutations, the hospital can test all of that patient’s blood relatives for free. Next on The Christ Hospital’s Gia radar? Chatbots that can assess everything from hereditary cardiovascular risk to genetics related to prenatal and reproductive health. “That’s what gets me out of bed in the morning,” Blaxall says. “All of that, I think, is very exciting.” Q

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JEWISH HOSPITAL IS USING A REVOLUTIONARY DRUG TO CHANGE THE OUTCOME FOR CANCER PATIENTS

bloodstream. During the surgery, neurosurgeons examine the brain using special blue light filters on the operative microscope. Under that blue light, the Gleolan solution will cause the tumor to glow a red-violet color, illuminating cancer cells and allowing doctors to pinpoint the exact size and severity of the glioma. “The goal is to remove as much of the tumor as possible without harming areas of the brain that control critical functions such as speech or balance,” says Andrea Stoll, a neurosurgical nurse practitioner at The Jewish Hospital. “The consensus among neurosurgeons and neuro-oncologists is that optimal treatment of gliomas includes maximal safe surgical resection of the tumor.” And the results are promising. Recent studies have shown that 5-ALA fluorescence-guided surgery results in a higher likelihood of complete tumor removal than previous visualization technologies. “In addition to chemotherapy and radiation therapy,” Stoll says. “Tumor resection is an essential component to the overall treatment plan for high-grade gliomas.” Q

YOUR NEIGHBOR MIGHT BE A PILGRIM CONTINUED FROM PAGE 53

“I ran into a brick wall at Generation 10,” Vondrell recalls as we sit in a room at St. Xavier High School. She just retired from years of service as the school’s director of facilities, a perfect job for her organizational skills. In Gen 10, she discovered a death certiﬁcate in the Mayﬂower line of her great-great-grandfather that didn’t name his parents.

“It doesn’t stop, because every door you open goes into a room with more doors,” says Vondrell. “I had piles and piles of paper on my dining room table for a long time. My daughter tells me I get bogged down in the history and the stories, but that’s what I like.” This 14th generation has worked hard to establish its links to the Mayflower, but none of them has been successful drawing interest from the 15th generation. No children have expressed more than a mild curiosity, I’m told, and some were even disdainful, deciding the Mayflower Society was either elitist or nothing more than another senior citizens club. There’s also plenty of debate among historians over whether the first Thanksgiving actually included the Wampanoags or even happened

HISTORIANS DEBATE IF THE FIRST THANKSGIVING INCLUDED THE WAMPANOAGS OR EVEN HAPPENED AT ALL. YET, DESCENDANTS TELL PILGRIM STORIES AS THEY CARVE THE TURKEY. It took Vondrell several years to collect 26 documents from the 18th and 19th centuries and then write a “probability letter” connecting the generational dots to persuade the Mayflower Society that the links in her chain were provable and unbroken. One of her last obstacles was presenting research showing that, back in the first decade of the 19th century, “Polly” was a common nickname for Mariah—a critical link to connecting her chain, because Polly was the name on her ancestor Mariah’s death certificate. Yes, the Mayflower Society’s walls are formidable. Scaling them might take you to the Board of Vital Records in Chicago or west to military archives in St. Louis. You might have to track down the sexton who has records to a long-abandoned cemetery in rural Clermont County. Or you might spend part of your next vacation in a land deeds office in Vermont. Nearby, the Latter-Day Saints Family History Center in Norwood has a treasure trove of genealogical microfiche. The biggest fish of all is the library whose records rival Google’s: the Mormon Family History Library in Salt Lake City.

at all, as well as questions about colonialism and the mythmaking surrounding the relationship between the Pilgrims and the Wampanoags. So, it’s complicated. But like it or not, kids, you’re in The Club. Maybe it simply makes for a good story over a beer today, but when you’re older you just might find yourself telling the grandkids Pilgrim stories as you carve the turkey. I DON’T KNOW WHETHER TO BLAME MY grade school teachers, the Charlie Brown Thanksgiving TV special, or my own imagination. But I know now that my somewhat romanticized version of the first Thanksgiving was, well, romanticized. Yes, the Pilgrims fled religious persecution, but they didn’t come to America in search of religious freedom. They came here so they could practice their religion and only their religion. And it was as severe as the weather. No hymns, no holidays, no crosses or statues, and no talk of salvation and hope. If you were a Pilgrim, you believed your fate was already ordained. You could neither screw it up nor help your

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cause by leading a spiritual life. Back in 1620, the Pilgrims had commissioned two ships for their journey across the Atlantic Ocean to the Virginia colony. The Speedwell leaked and delayed the voyage until it had to be abandoned, leaving the Mayflower to sail alone into the fall storm season. Gales pushed the boat helplessly north to Cape Cod, hundreds of miles from their land charter. By then it was the beginning of winter, and they were in trouble. But the Pilgrims were tough and, out of necessity, decent diplomats. Half of them were dead by the end of that first winter, and it’s true they probably would have all died had the natives not given them a hand—and a lot of venison. The Wampanoag Nation was fresh off a plague that had all but wiped them out, so maybe they were “friendly” or maybe they were just pragmatic. Give the Pilgrims points for pragmatism, too. Sure, they had guns, but just how many of those Wampanoags were out there in the woods? They knew they were the “away team” and, after an initial skirmish, smartly signed a peace treaty that lasted 60 years. Pilgrim society was a bit of us and them. The Pilgrims referred to themselves as “Saints,” which tells you something of their confidence that their next voyage would be to Heaven. The hired hands— many of them skilled craftsmen or trained soldiers—were known as “Strangers” and, considering the Pilgrims believed in predestination, it’s likely they were considered to be on a different path. Still, it’s notable that both Saints and Strangers signed the Mayflower Compact, and many Strangers became colony leaders. The Pilgrims were, oddly, English nationalists. Some of us remember the story about how they detested the Church of England’s hierarchy and precepts and fled to Holland, where they established their own expat colony. But, after a time, they worried their children were becoming more Dutch and less English and too worldly, independent, and influenced by what they considered a less spiritual environment. So it was off to America with a land charter issued by the despised King James himself. The Plymouth Colony would be all about law and order. The Mayflower Compact, signed by only the men, of course,

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YOUR NEIGHBOR MIGHT BE A PILGRIM was a short but sweet “all for one, one for all” document that established the colony’s rules of the road. “It essentially said, We’ve got to work together to survive,” says Vondrell. The Compact wasn’t detailed, but it did set up a governance methodology and a leadership hierarchy. The Pilgrims filled in the details later. Vondrell argues, and a lot of historians agree, that the Compact was the first spark leading to the fire of American independence. “They were the laws of the land,” she says. “Laws made by the people and not the King.” The Pilgrims were capitalists, and John Alden was likely the first capitalist, first entrepreneur, and first monopolist in the New World. He marketed his skills as a barrel maker and carpenter to earn a place on the Mayflower and, years later, when the colony faced a loan crisis with its English creditors, he cut a deal to personally assume the debt in return for being granted a monopoly on the fur trade in what is now Maine. He died rich. How American is that? “The thing I always come back to is how tough the Pilgrims were,” says Crandall, a 20-year Air Force veteran. “A different breed. They were packed into that little ship, sick and hungry and cold. When they landed, people died all around them, but they couldn’t mourn. They had to get back to work. I wonder how I would have done under those conditions.” I heard that from all of the descendants: an admiration for their ancestors, gratitude that they survived long enough for their line to remain unbroken, and a lot of self-reflection. Would your faith have been strong enough to leave your home forever? Would you have boarded that ship and sailed into the unknown? Would you have survived the ocean voyage or that first brutal winter? Would you have pulled your load and contributed to the colony’s survival? How would you have handled the Wampanoags? On Thanksgiving Day, Vondrell will tell the story to her family again of the Pilgrims’ courage and of the First Feast, which likely occurred in October or November 1621. She will read the Mayflower Compact and the 6 8 C I N C I N N AT I M A G A Z I N E . C O M N O V E M B E R 2 0 2 1

Pilgrims’ Pledge aloud, and her family will keep their eyerolls to themselves. She herself has much to be thankful for: Five children and 22 grandchildren, all of them (like it or not) descendants of America’s first religious colony. She is proud that one of her daughters-in-law is a member of the Oneida Nation from upstate New York. “I tell them every year that the Pilgrims and the natives were both faith-filled and grateful on that first Thanksgiving to be alive,” says Vondrell. Her voice wavers a little, and she admits she can’t talk about that momentous feast without getting teary-eyed. “They were grateful for the food they shared together and for the common bond that had joined them.” Cincinnati’s Pilgrim descendants agree that tracing their roots back to Plymouth Rock has changed their perspective. Some devour any book they can find on the Pilgrims. Some know minute details about their ancestors, while others are less interested. Some are embarrassed that the second generation of Pilgrims mangled the peace with the Wampanoags, setting a tragic pattern of broken promises to our continent’s native people. History is nothing more than millions of stories, good and bad, linked into a tapestry that defines us as a people. “When you think about that first Thanksgiving and the two peoples coming together like they did,” Vondrell says of her Mayflower colleagues, “we need to keep the story alive.” The story exists at all thanks to William Bradford’s biography Of Plimouth Plantation and Edward Winslow’s letter home to a friend in England, recounting the first Thanksgiving. “Although it be not always so plentiful as it was at this time with us,” Winslow writes about the early months of famine, “yet by the goodness of God we are so far from want, that we often wish you partakers of our plenty.” And so every fourth Thursday of November we partake of plenty with our family and friends. And the Pilgrim ancestors among us keep the origin story alive.

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deeply admired his father. “There was good energy. It was fun being around him. He had that Irish blarney and could tell a story.” As an adult, Tom took on the role of the family’s “funny uncle” who kept the cousins laughing, a skill he picked up from his father. “I always liked to have fun and ﬁnd a way to put a twist on things,” he says. “But all my siblings were wild and crazy—the class clowns, class wits. They were always up for fun. Joking was how we conducted our lives with one another.”

posity puncturer,” a phrase the duo used on their stationery. Tom toyed with the idea of following his father into a career in broadcasting. He worked summers as an NBC tour guide at Rockefeller Center when he was home from Wittenberg University in Springﬁeld, Ohio, where he earned a B.A. in history. He escorted nervous guests to the green room before they appeared onstage with Johnny Carson. “Most of the guides were wannabe showbiz guys, but Carson never called to offer me a job,” he says. “Meeting Carson was like meeting the Pope: Don’t make eye contact.” Following his Wittenberg graduation in 1971, Tom worked for NBC in New York City, where he researched health topics. He became intrigued by the human body and pursued a degree at the Los Angeles College of Chiropractic, and then he and his wife Beth, another Wittenberg grad and a chiropractor herself, came back east to set up

“I WOULD SIT ON HIS LAP, AND HE WOULD TELL ME STORIES ABOUT SILLY THINGS,” SAYS BRYANT GOULDING ABOUT HIS GRANDFATHER RAY. “I WAS JUST CAPTIVATED.” IN THE EARLY 1970S, ELLIOTT AND Goulding spent a year and a half on Broadway in Bob and Ray: The Two and Only. Although they were initially nervous about performing live before theater audiences, they were a hit. Clive Barnes of The New York Times called their act “outrageous,” terming it “one of the zaniest shows to hit town in many a season. It is also ﬁrst-rate theater.” The show ran for 158 performances, and neither of them missed an evening. Their fame led to other opportunities, including a four-hour afternoon show on New York City radio and Bob & Ray Public Radio Show on NPR. Tom recalls being dazzled when he watched Bob or Ray throw each other a curve ball, “something outrageous,” and wait for his partner to handle it. “Somehow they’d pick it up and make it work. When they’d start over-voicing and almost tripping over each other, it was hysterical.” Ray Goulding died in 1990 at age 68. He liked to say his career was that of a “pom-

practices in Connecticut. He’d later earn an M.S. in human nutrition from the University of Bridgeport. “We really embraced the natural health care model and went against the tide,” says Tom. “Medical people looked at us like we were weirdos, but I liked working for myself and making a difference in people’s lives.” They both had four-decade practices with devoted patients. Sons Bryant and Kevin were born in 1981 and 1983, respectively. Bryant was just 9 when Ray Goulding died, but he has vivid memories of the man he called “Gramps.” He visited his grandparents’ Cape Cod home on a regular basis. “I would sit on his lap, and he would tell me stories about silly things, like my first time having pancakes,” says Bryant.“He said you have to keep your fork or your thumb on them because they will float off your plate, because they’re made with a magic ingredient, club soda. To a 4-year-old kid, pancakes are amazing, period. But the concept that they could float away, well, I was just cap-

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tivated.” Ray introduced the youngster to a favorite dessert, lemon meringue pie, knowing full well its flavor probably wouldn’t sit well with a preschooler. “I made a face at how sour it was,” says Bryant. “Gramps thought it was hilarious, and everyone laughed.” For one of Bryant’s early birthday parties, his mother, a serious nutritionist, baked a cake using whole wheat flower. Everyone had a slice, followed by dead silence. Tom quipped, “Anyone else enjoying this brick?” Everyone just piled on to the joke. “We’d sit around cracking jokes left and right, sarcasm and wit and puns,” says Bryant.“Everyone was performing. My cousins and I were rolling around my grandparents’ living room. It was combustible.” At age 3, Bryant attended Bob & Ray’s performance at Carnegie Hall, A Night of Two Stars. In 1987 Tom took Bryant, then 6, to Minnesota to see Bob & Ray on Garrison Keillor’s A Prairie Home Companion. “It was amazing to see Gramps at venues like that,” Bryant says, also recalling listening to audio cassettes of Bob & Ray in the car on family vacations. “They would take three or four normal, mundane elements and put them into preposterous circumstances.” Bryant learned more about humor from his own father. “My dad and his brothers were all intense people,” he says. “They had this constant electric, infectious currency.” Tom used humor as the family glue, creating outings he billed as “adventures,” whether they were a Red Sox game or a museum that the kids didn’t really want to visit. “But he made it fun with history and maps that made it feel more like an adventure.” BRYANT GOULDING DID NOT WANT TO follow his parents and become a chiropractor. He attended Elon College, enrolled briefly at New York University, and ended up at the University of Connecticut, where he earned economics degrees. His master’s thesis was “The Economics and Evolution of the Craft Beer Industry.” Goulding started his career as an analyst at Accenture, serving national clients, but quickly concluded that he didn’t feel fulfilled by the work. A part-time passion for home brewing led to a three-year sales stint with Dogfish Head Brewery, covering five western states. Living in San Francisco,

FUNNY BUSINESS he met Bob Bonder, who was pursuing a passion for home coffee roasting that eventually led him to Cincinnati in 2007 to launch a chain of coffee roasteries, Tazza Mia. Bonder fell in love with his new hometown, particularly with Over-theRhine, and stayed in touch with Goulding, pitching him on the idea of establishing a craft brewery in a neighborhood with such a brewing legacy. Bonder invited his friend to come to Cincinnati in 2011 and introduced him to the local scene. “We went to The Lackman and Neon’s Unplugged, and I saw Overthe-Rhine’s awesome architecture and energy,” says Goulding. “I left really impressed.” Tom came to Ohio the same year for his 40th Wittenberg reunion, but his real goal was to meet “this Bob guy.” Bryant moved to Cincinnati a year later, and he and Bonder officially launched Rhinegeist in 2013. They took on a 250,000-squarefoot Over-the-Rhine building on Elm Street that once served as the Christian Moerlein Brewery’s packaging hall, immediately establishing ties to local brewing history. Moerlein had been a German immigrant whose brewery flourished from 1853 to 1934. The entrepreneurs named their new company for the neighborhood it called home (Rhine) and as a ghostly nod (geist) to the area’s German heritage and a signifier that brewing life was making a comeback in Cincinnati. In less than a decade, Rhinegeist has become the 25th largest craft brewery in the U.S. and the second largest in Ohio. Today its 300 employees are brewing 100,000 barrels of beer annually and distributing it throughout Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana and five other states. Bonder and Goulding decided to bring on a CEO, Mike Parks, in August to introduce a new sense of professionalism in the company; Parks has prior experience with distilleries (Brown-Forman, Diageo) and packaged food businesses (Heinz, American Sugar Refining). And the cofounders announced an employee stock ownership program, or ESOP, to eventually transfer ownership of Rhinegeist to their employees by issuing them com7 2 C I N C I N N AT I M A G A Z I N E . C O M N O V E M B E R 2 0 2 1

pany shares over the next 15 to 20 years. Just as important as that business success, says Goulding, is the opportunity to share it now with his parents. “There’s nothing like having your father live in the same town and work in the same place,” he says. “It gives you a sense of how much you share in common. A lot of people who work here know who my father is because he makes jokes and loves connecting with people. It’s awesome to see him take off the mantle of being a doctor and shift into being an entertainer. He really can bring information alive with his humor and his perspective.” Tom once gave a bachelor party tour for one of Bryant’s cousins, a group of 18 happy guys. “He pointed to the brew kettle and the whirlpool,” Bryant recalls, “and said, ‘Most of this now is just for show.’ He pulled out some tablets, like some Alka Seltzers, and said they were made in China. He mixed them in a glass of water and said, ‘We just plop these in, and it makes beer in 12 hours.’ Most of the guys were groaning and rolling their eyes. But one guy totally bit on it. ‘Wait a minute, really?’ That’s the little kid in him. If there’s an opportunity to make somebody laugh, there’s no greater reward.” Bryant claims he isn’t a good joke teller himself. “But I feel like I’m funny,” he says. “That’s how I see the world.” Like his father and his grandfather, he’s quick to turn everyday things into unexpected, humor-inducing moments. “As a kid I was often getting into trouble for cutting up—laughter and humor were a priority to me. That’s what happens now at Rhinegeist. We all have fun. We do serious work and put in hard, long hours, but at the end of the day it’s beer. We’re not doing surgery. If we’re not having fun, there’s something wrong.” Goulding says he’s consciously made humor a key part of the company’s culture. He wants the Rhinegeist taproom to be a fun destination where people can come together, play ping-pong or cross-pollinate at a group lunch, and get to know each other. “Beer is fun, and it’s funny,” he says. “Stuff happens when you’re drinking beer.”

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HAWAIIAN FOOD IN OAKLEY P. 78

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FUSION STREET FOOD IN OTR P. 80

GLOBAL EMPANADAS P. 82

SALM(ON) I AM Greyhound Tavern’s grilled Atlantic salmon, served here with broccoli and white wine, is ﬁnished in a tamari brown butter over potatoes. PHOTOGRAPH BY JEREMY KRAMER

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DINING OUT

ON TRACK GREYHOUND TAVERN continues to live up to its rich legacy. — A K S H A Y A H U J A

F I HAD TO CHOOSE AMERICA’S GREATEST CONTRIBUTION TO WORLD CUISINE, MY VOTE would be meatloaf. Cheap, filling, and easy to make out of things on hand, there is something uniquely comforting and American about this dish. And although every family can have its own version, there is a pretty narrow band of possibilities before meatloaf ceases to be meatloaf. You can add celery (or not). You have options with cornflakes or breadcrumbs. And the ketchup glaze is not totally mandatory. But the range of options is not limitless. Get too fancy and it stops feeling like the real thing. If I wanted to pick a motto for Greyhound Tavern, that would be it: It doesn’t get too fancy, and it always feels like the real thing. You will also be pleased to know that they have a first-rate meatloaf. Rich and peppery, they finish the slices in the pan so it’s a little crisp on the edges, with a firm texture, a tart ketchup glaze, and a creamy gravy on mashed potatoes. If you like homestyle cooking, this is pretty close to perfection. The restaurant has a rich history and owes its longevity to delivering consistently on crowd-pleasing food like this. Opened in 1921, it was known as the Dixie Tea Room before changing its name to reference an early owner’s brother who trained greyhounds in Florida. Once upon a time, the streetcar line ended right next to Greyhound Tavern, offloading throngs of customers. Today, Dixie Highway is a bustling, four-lane road, but you can still take a load off inside or on the patio out back. For 34 years, Greyhound Tavern was owned by Butch and Mary Ann Wainscott, who ran it with members of their family. In 2020, they sold the restaurant to the restaurant group One Holland. Luckily, this is not some out-of-town conglomerate; the owner, Gary Holland, is a longtime Tavern customer and 7 6 C I N C I N N AT I M A G A Z I N E . C O M N O V E M B E R 2 0 2 1

FYI

Greyhound Tavern 2500 Dixie Hwy., Ft. Mitchell, (859) 331-3767, greyhoundtavern.com Hours Lunch and dinner Mon–Sat 11 am–9 pm, brunch, lunch, and dinner Sun 10 am–9 pm. Prices $6.50 (half order onion rings)–$36 (rib eye steak) Credit Cards All major The Takeaway Classics done right, even after all these years.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY JEREMY KRAMER

GREY’S ANATOMY (From left) Chef Fred Lambert; fried chicken with mashed potatoes and countrystyle green beans, served with a bourbon slush; boneless grilled pork chop over herb butter redskin potatoes; Greyhound Tavern’s exterior.

a Northern Kentucky native. In an article in the Northern Kentucky Tribute, he struck just the right note of humility that one needs when inheriting an institution. “Following the Wainscotts in business is going to be a challenge,” he said, “but my team and I are up to it. I promised Butch and Mary Ann that I’m not going to mess this up.” And, as far as I can tell, he hasn’t. Greyhound Tavern sticks with the classics and makes sure they’re all up to snuff. The fried chicken is pretty famous here. It takes a little extra time, but it’s worth it. Served piping hot, you will inevitably burn your fingers a little instead of waiting for it to cool down. The battering is lovely and thin, not the huge, oil-soaked chunky crust you find in fast food places. There’s just the right amount of salt and spice, and it’s still good the next day—the cold refrigerator test is my usual standard for really good fried chicken, and this one meets it. The restaurant generally serves pretty straightforward food, but there is one classic dish that’s unique. As far as I can tell, they have the most massive onion rings in the universe. (“This is the size of a bagel!” my son exclaimed when they came out.) The menu says the onions are “specially selected.” The size is not just a curiosity, though. When onion rings are thin, you mainly just taste the fried batter and not the onion. Here, they are juicy, substantial, and sweet, leading to an ordinary dish that has become something genuinely amazing. You need about one to fill you up. In the classics, that sense of balance is always there, from the mixture of smoky and sweet and spicy in the pimento cheese to the delicious bourbon slush, with its faint bite of ginger and tart citrus.

Another lowkey highlight is the hot slaw. Served with huge chunks of pork jowl, a kind of super-size lardon, the cabbage is shredded fine and raw, and covered with a mixture of vinegar and the fat from the pork. The dish is filled with flavor, balancing freshness and richness, sour and sweet. The only side dish that was a slight disappointment was the cooked-to-mush green beans, but mixed with mashed potatoes and gravy, even these could be rescued. Still, when I pick fresh green beans out of the garden, I always regret the way this delicious vegetable is usually served. The only missteps are when the restaurant goes too far outside its comfort zone. I was intrigued, for example, by the goetta eggrolls, something I’d never seen before. Unfortunately, the Thai sweet chili sauce (almost certainly from a bottle) drowned out the flavor of the meat, and the result wasn’t satisfying either as an eggroll or as goetta. A few other adventurous offerings are similarly disappointing. There was a pecan crusted chicken with a caramel Maker’s Mark sauce. This sounded fun, but it was syrupy sweet and served on top of a sweet potato mash. I kept wanting some spice to balance the dish out, because otherwise it was just the single cloying note. If you are scanning the menu and you see an old homestyle favorite (say, fried chicken livers), then see something more unusual further down the page, my advice is to stick with the favorite. Service here is friendly and accommodating, and little touches make you feel special, from the chilled glass for the beer to the beautiful live plants on the patio. Once upon a time, I imagine, there was a good restaurant serving down-home food like this in every neighborhood. In a landscape increasingly dominated by chains, though, we should treasure the tradition and comfort found in places like Greyhound Tavern. Long may it thrive. N O V E M B E R 2 0 2 1 C I N C I N N AT I M A G A Z I N E . C O M 7 7

TABLESIDE WITH...

TAKEOUT HERO

JEN MORALES & JASON STITT

THE OWNERS OF THE FROZEN botanical cubes startup Mixicles are adding more flavor to your favorite cocktails. How did you come up with the idea for Mixicles? JS: The idea came to us in summer 2018 while we were sampling the watermelon margarita mix I’d made from scratch for a block party. JM: We’d seen flavored ice cubes served in cocktails at a few area bars and restaurants, but there didn’t seem to be anything like that available for home use. Who’s your target audience for Mixicles? JS: Curious consumers who are seeking to bring the craft-cocktail experience into the comforts of home. Bar-quality drinks that can be made without fancy tools or having to source hard-to-find ingredients make for an easy escape.

Rise and Grind VINCENTE BENEDETT LEARNED TO COOK AT LUAUS PUT ON BY HAWAIIAN FAMILY MEMbers in San Francisco, where he was born and raised. So when he and his wife, Elena, decided to open a restaurant in Cincinnati, they went with the food he knows and loves. Whenever possible, Onolicious Hawaii’s ingredients are organic and local, incltuding “Hawaiian local” from relatives on Oahu: li hing mui (dried plum) powder, Hawaiian salt, and the Aloha Shoyu sauce that flavors their signature Shoyu chicken. Benedett sears the thighs first, then braises them for hours. The result is seriously tender chicken with a sweet low end. Savory and sweet permeate the menu, including the Hawaiian-style Pearl City pork shoulder and the musubi, Spam glazed and caramelized to perfection, is wrapped with rice in nori and served with a sweet and sour dipping sauce. Onolicious’s Hawaiian cuisine borrows from all over the Pacific. You’ll find traditional Filipino eggrolls (lumpia) served with a vinegary dipping sauce that also pairs perfectly with their lightly blackened, fall-off-the-skewer beef sticks. The papaya salad packs lots of zesty crunch in contrast to those nap-inducing plussize portions of meat. Finish with the Haupia, a silky, sweet coconut Onolicious Hawaii, 3715 Madison Rd., pudding, “baked with aloha” by Newport’s F & Goode Desserts. Or, if Oakley, (513) 321you stop by Sunday for the “Poco Loco” brunch, you might catch Elena’s 0034, onolicious grinds.com Pineapple Rolls before they’re gone. Mahalo! — C E D R I C R O S E 7 8 C I N C I N N AT I M A G A Z I N E . C O M N O V E M B E R 2 0 2 1

What do you think Mixicles add to the drinks market? JM: Mixicles contain only premium botanical ingredients. Because they are sold in frozen ice-cube form, Mixicles chill and ﬂavor your drinks without watering them down, and they enable anyone to simply and consistently craft delicious mixed drinks. What are your future plans for your product? JM: We’re expanding our retail presence outside the Cincinnati area into other parts of Ohio and Kentucky as well as Michigan. We hope to keep growing, both in terms of our product line and reach, in the years to come.

—AIESHA D.

LITTLE

Mixicles, mixicles.com Read a longer conversation with Jen and Jason at cincinnatimagazine.com

PH OTO G R A PH BY L A N C E A D K IN S / ILLUSTR ATIO N BY C H R I S DA N G E R

HOT PLATE

Flame On

A fusion street food wonderland in Over-The-Rhine. AT COPPER & FLAME, THE SPOT ON Vine Street that used to be the board game bar The Rook, guests receive tab cards to unlock dozens of drinks (beer, hard seltzer, cider, wine, and housemade cocktails), and from there, it’s a DIY beer flight to paradise. And here, paradise comes from the kitchen, usually with a side of the housemade Chinese mustard “dijonnaise.” The eatery’s menu showcases fusion pub grub and upscale street food. The sourdough pretzel is everything you want from knotted dough—soft enough to tear but sturdy enough for dipping. (It’s especially delicious paired with the Regional Snacks pilsner from central Ohio’s Hoof Hearted Brewing.) It’s a great lead-in for the show-stealing C+F Burger, made with grass-fed beef from Kentucky’s Black Hawk Farms on a Sixteen Bricks challah roll. The American Wagyu shares the heavy lifting with the fresh Korean pickles and fig jam for an incredibly balanced burger. The pickles keep the jam from overpowering the tallow-soaked meat. Top it off with a Grand Mimosa cider from Other Fruit, which delivers a tart, fruity flavor with fresh apples and oranges. Surprise specials join the ranks of wonton nachos, Cubano sandwiches, loaded frites, and Korean Nashville hot chicken sammies on the regular menu. The lineup changes often, and so does the tap list, so there’s always a new pairing to try. — M . L E I G H H O O D Copper & Flame, 1115 Vine St., Over-TheRhine, (513) 381-0484, copperandflame.com

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PHOTOGRAPHS BY ANDREW DOENCH

Handcrafted forr speccial occasiions and evveryday moments

1895 BILTMORE'S STORY BEGINS IN ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA

1970s FIRST VINEYARD PLANTED AT BILTMORE

1985 BILTMORE WINERY OPENS

BI LT MOR E W I N E S .C OM

1992 BILTMORE WINES EARNS 1ST DOUBLE GOLD MEDAL

#B i lt mor eWi ne s

TODAY THE STORY CONTINUES #BILTMOREWINES

SNACK TIME

GLOBAL TURNOVER WHAT’S THE BEST way to travel without leaving your city? Eating empanadas, according to Diego Nuñez. The savory turnover ﬁlled with meats and spices is a staple in many parts of the world. The owner of The Empanada’s Box in Over-the-Rhine offers more than a dozen ﬂavors, including Jamaica (jerk chicken and green onions); Lebanon (ground beef, tomato, lemon juice, and cilantro); and Chicago (pepperoni, mozzarella, and tomato sauce). The most popular is from Nuñez’s hometown, Buenos Aires (ground beef, onions, and peppers), which he makes from his grandfather’s recipe. “The empanada represents our roots,” he says. “We’re proud to share a piece of where we come from.” There are even vegetarian options for the non-meat eaters, including one with eggplant, vegan cheddar, tofu, onions, and peppers, served in turmeric vegan dough. And if you need a little sugar to chase that savory taste, try one of the eatery’s rotating sweet empanadas, like apple or banana. With all of these choices, tasting your way around the world is a snap. —AIESHA D. LITTLE The Empanada’s Box, 1811 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine, (909) 670-8108, theempanadasbox.com

8 2 C I N C I N N AT I M A G A Z I N E . C O M N O V E M B E R 2 0 2 1

PH OTO G R A PH BY D E V Y N G LI S TA

Serving Children in Foster Care and their foster families. Hope’s Closet’s enriches and improves the lives of children & families impacted by children’s services through programs such as foster family recruitment & training, whole family activities, support & mentoring, Mom’s Night Out and through its gently used clothing boutique. In everything that we do our goal is to inspire hope in a loving God. Serving Butler County, Ohio and the greater Cincinnati region.

Who we LOVE: foster parents and their foster children. What we PROVIDE: foster parent support groups, foster parent recruitment and training, our clothing boutique, and birthday club program. We provide encouragement, support and material needs. Who we INSPIRE: The community around us and hope in a loving God. What we NEED: We accept monetary donations & gently used and new clothing for kids size infant to teen. We thrive from our amazing volunteers. We need volunteer shopping assistants and clothing sorters.

513-773-4018 www.hopes-closet.net

9850 Princeton-Glendale Road, Suite C, West Chester, Ohio 45246 Hope’s Closet is a 501© nonproﬁt organization, founded in 2014 by foster moms.

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DINING GUIDE CINCINNATI MAGAZINE’S

dining guide is compiled by our editors as a service to our readers. The magazine accepts no advertising or other consideration in exchange for a restaurant listing. The editors may add or delete restaurants based on their judgment. Because of space limitations, all

of the guide’s restaurants may not be included. Many restaurants have changing seasonal menus; dishes listed here are examples of the type of cuisine available and may not be on the menu when you visit. To update listings, e-mail: cmletters@cincinnati magazine.com

BRONTË BISTRO You might think this is a lunch-only spot where you can nosh on a chicken salad sandwich after browsing next door at Joseph-Beth Booksellers. But this Norwood eatery feels welcoming after work, too. The dinner menu features entrées beyond the rotating soup and quiche roster that’s popular at noon. Fried chicken? Check. Quesadillas and other starters? Yep. An assortment of burgers? Present, including turkey and veggie versions. Casual food rules the day but the surprise is Brontë Bistro’s lineup of adult beverages, which elevates the place above a basic bookstore coffeeshop. The regular drinks menu includes such mainstays as Hemingway’s Daiquiri, a tribute to the author who drank them (often to excess). 2692 Madison Rd., Norwood, (513) 396-8970, josephbeth. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner seven days. MCC. $

BROWN DOG CAFÉ If you haven’t had a plate of Shawn McCoy’s design set in front of you, it’s about time. Many of the menu’s dishes show his knack for the plate as a palette. A trio of stout day boat diver scallops—exquisitely golden from pan searing—perch atop individual beds of uniformly diced butternut ICON BY JESSICA DUNHAM

March 2020.

1000 Summit Place, Blue Ash, (513) 794-1610, browndogcafe.com. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner Mon–Fri, brunch and dinner Sat, brunch Sun. MCC, DS. $$

THE BIRCH

702 Indian Hill Rd., Terrace Park, (513) 8315678, thebirchtp.com. Lunch and dinner Tues– Sun. MCC. DS. $

= Named a

Top 10 Best Restaurant

squash, fragments of boar bacon, and shavings of Brussels sprout. The eye for detail and contrasts of colors and textures belongs to someone who cares for food.

AMERICAN On any given evening, guests nibble at spicy hummus served with French breakfast radishes and pita bread while sipping slightly spumante glasses of Spanish Txakolina. And while the dinner menu reads strictly casual at first glance—soups, salads, and sandwiches—the preparation and quality is anything but. An endive salad with candied walnuts, Swiss cheese, crispy bacon lardons, and an apple vinaigrette surpassed many versions of the French bistro classic. And both the Brussels sprouts and Sicilian cauliflower sides refused to play merely supporting roles. Both were sensational studies in the balance of sweet, spicy, and acidic flavors.

KEY: No checks unless specified. AE American Express, DC Diners Club DS Discover, MC MasterCard, V Visa MCC Major credit cards: AE, MC, V $ = Under $15 $$$ = Up to $49 $$ = Up to $30 $$$$ = $50 and up

THE EAGLE OTR

AT THE TABLE

Cozy’s Café & Pub in Liberty Township and the Grand Finale in Glendale were named to OpenTable’s 100 Best Neighborhood Gems in America for 2021. Restaurants were selected based on qualifying reviews, a minimum overall score, and whether they were tagged as a “neighborhood gem.”

blog.opentable.com/ best-neighborhoodgems-america-2021

The revamped post office at 13th and Vine feels cozy but not claustrophobic, and it has distinguished itself with its stellar fried chicken. Even the white meat was pull-apart steamy, with just enough peppery batter to pack a piquant punch. Diners can order by the quarter, half, or whole bird—but whatever you do, don’t skimp on the sides. Bacon adds savory mystery to crisp corn, green beans, and edamame (not limas) in the succotash, and the crock of mac and cheese has the perfect proportion of sauce, noodle, and crumb topping. The Eagle OTR seems deceptively simple on the surface, but behind that simplicity is a secret recipe built on deep thought, skill, and love. 1342 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine, (513) 802-5007. Lunch and dinner seven days. MCC. $

EMBERS The menu here is built for celebration: poshly priced steak and sushi selections are meant to suit every special occasion. Appetizers are both classic (shrimp cocktail) and Asian-inspired (crabcakes); fashionable ingredients are namechecked (micro-greens and truffles); a prominent sushi section (nigiri, sashimi, and rolls) precedes a list of archetypal salads; Kobe beef on sushi rolls sidles up to steaks of corn-fed prime; non-steak entrées (Chilean sea bass or seared scallops with mushroom risotto and broccolini) make for highstyle alternative selections. Talk about a party. 8170 Montgomery Rd., Madeira, (513) 9848090, embersrestaurant.com. Dinner seven days. MCC, DC, DS. $$$$

GREYHOUND TAVERN Back in the streetcar days, this roughly 100-yearold roadhouse was at the end of the Dixie Highway line, where the cars turned around to head north. The place was called the Dixie Tea Room then, and they served ice cream. The fried chicken

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AMERICAN BARBECUE CAJUN/CARIBBEAN CHINESE ECLECTIC FRENCH INDIAN ITALIAN JAPANESE KOREAN MEDITERRANEAN MEXICAN SEAFOOD STEAKS VIETNAMESE

came along in the 1930s, and they’re still dishing it up today. Families and regulars alike pile in on Mondays and Tuesdays for the fried chicken dinner. While the juicy (never greasy) chicken with its lightly seasoned, crisp coating is the star, the side dishes—homemade biscuits, cole slaw, green beans, mashed potatoes, and gravy—will make you ask for seconds. Call ahead no matter what night you choose: There’s bound to be a crowd. Not in the mood for chicken? Choose from steaks, seafood, sandwiches, and comfort food options that include meatloaf and a Kentucky Hot Brown. Or just try the onion rings. You’ll wonder where onions that big come from. 2500 Dixie Highway, Ft. Mitchell, (859) 3313767, greyhoundtavern.com. Lunch and dinner seven days, brunch Sat & Sun. MCC, DS. $$

GOOSE & ELDER The third restaurant from chef Jose Salazar, Goose & Elder is a more everyday kind of joint compared to his others. The prices are lower, and most of the dishes, from burgers to grits, are familiar. Salazar’s menus have always hinted that the chef had a fondness for, well, junk food. But junk food is only junk if it is made thoughtlessly. Everything here is made with little twists, like the cumin-spiced potato chips and delicate ribbons of housemade cucumber pickles with a sweet rice wine vinegar. Even the fries, crinkle cut and served with “goose sauce,” a mildly spiced mayonnaise, are wonderfully addictive. The restaurant demonstrates that what we now consider “fast food” can be awfully good if someone makes it the old-fashioned, slow way. 1800 Race St., Over-the-Rhine, (513) 5798400, gooseandelder.com. Lunch Tues–Fri, dinner Tues–Sun, brunch Sat & Sun. MCC. $$

OTTO’S Chef/owner Paul Weckman opened Otto’s, named after his father-in-law, with $300 worth of food and one employee—himself. Weckman’s food is soothing, satisfying, and occasionally, too much of a good thing. His tomato pie is beloved by lunch customers: Vine-ripe tomatoes, fresh basil, and chopped green onions packed into a homemade pie shell, topped with a cheddar cheese spread, and baked until bubbly. Weckman’s straightforward preparations are best. The shrimp and grits with sauteed shrimp spinach, mushrooms, Cajun

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WHERE TO EAT NOW

beurre blanc atop a fried grit cake, short ribs braised in red wine and herbs, served over mashed potatoes with green beans and caramelized baby carrots that will bring you the comfort of a home-cooked meal. This is, at its heart, a neighborhood restaurant, a place with its own large, quirky family. 521 Main St., Covington, (859) 491-6678, ottosonmain. com. Lunch Mon–Fri, dinner seven days, brunch Sat & Sun. MCC. $$

RED FEATHER KITCHEN Historically peasant-grade cuts of meat get the full Pygmalion treatment at Red Feather in Oakley, where there’s deep respect for the time and tending necessary to bring a short rib, pork chop, or hanger steak to its full potential. After a quick sear to lock in juices, the steak takes a turn in the wood-ﬁred oven. While primal cuts play a leading role, the supporting cast is just as captivating. The hot snap of fresh ginger in the carrot soup was especially warming on a winter evening and the crispy skin on the Verlasso salmon acts as the foil to the plump, rich ﬂesh. Service here only improves the experience. 3200 Madison Rd., Oakley, (513) 407-3631, redfeatherkitchen.com. Dinner Tues–Sun, brunch Sun. MCC. $$

RON’S ROOST They stake their reputation on their fried chicken, serving 10,000 pieces weekly. It takes a few minutes, since each batch is made to order. Ron’s also serves chicken 18 other ways, including chicken and waffles and chicken livers in gravy. It’s all about the chicken here, but that’s not all they have. The menu is ﬁve solid pages of stuff good enough to be called specialties: Oktoberfest sauerbraten, Black Angus cheeseburgers, fried whiteﬁsh on rye, hot bacon slaw, lemon meringue pie (homemade, of course), and the best Saratoga chips this side of Saratoga.

delivered a ﬁne balance of crunchy crust, sharp cheese, and sweet, roasted tomatoes. Paired with a glass of pinot noir, it made a perfect light meal. The service is friendly enough for a casual neighborhood joint but comes with white tablecloth attentiveness and knowledge. Combine that with the consistency in the kitchen, and Trio is a safe bet. 7565 Kenwood Rd., Kenwood, (513) 984-1905, triobistro. com. Lunch and dinner seven days. MCC, DC. $$$

THE WILDFLOWER CAFÉ Wildflower Café is not the sort of place that tries to wow anyone with feats of inventiveness. Its formula is simple but satisfying: lots of mostly local meat and produce, a menu that continuously changes with available ingredients, a nice selection of wine and beer, and well-made, homey food. The small, focused menu has a classic American quality (salads, steaks, burgers) with enough surprises to keep things interesting. Many of the dishes are designed with open spaces to be filled with whatever is available in the kitchen that day, an advantage of an unfussy style. You don’t go to Wildflower expecting a certain kind of perfection; you accept that your favorite dish from last time might be made differently tonight, or no longer available. Like the farmhouse that Wildflower occupies, the imperfections are part of the charm. 207 E. Main St., Mason, (513) 492-7514, wildflowergourmetcafe.com. Lunch and dinner Tues–Sat. MCC. $$$

YORK STREET CAFÉ Five blocks from the Newport riverfront, Terry and Betsy Cunningham have created the sort of comfortable, welcoming environment that encourages steady customers. A dependable menu and quirky atmosphere appeal to a broad range of diners, from non-adventurous visiting relatives to non-attentive children. Desserts have always been one of the stars: ﬂourless chocolate hazelnut torte, bittersweet, rich and moist; butter rum pudding that would be equally at home on a picnic table or a ﬁnely dressed Michelin-starred table. 738 York St., Newport, (859) 261-9675, yorkstonline. com. Lunch and dinner Tues–Sat. MCC, DS. $$

3853 Race Rd., Bridgetown, (513) 574-0222, ronsroost. net. Breakfast Sun, lunch and dinner seven days. MCC, DS. $$

BARBECUE

SUGAR N’ SPICE This Paddock Hills diner, with a second location in Overthe-Rhine, has been dishing up wispy-thin pancakes and football-sized omelettes to Cincinnatians since FDR was signing new deals. Breakfast and lunch offerings mix oldhat classics like steak and eggs, corned beef hash, and basic burgers with funky iterations that draw on ethnic ingredients such as chorizo and tzatziki. Get here early if you don’t want to stand in line. 4381 Reading Rd., Paddock Hills; 1203 Sycamore St., Over-the-Rhine, (513) 242-3521, eatsugarnspice.com, Breakfast and lunch seven days. MCC. $

SYMPHONY HOTEL & RESTAURANT Tucked into a West 14th Street Italianate directly around the corner from Music Hall, this place feels like a private dinner club. There’s a preferred by-reservation policy. Check the web site for the weekend’s five-course menu, a slate of “new American” dishes that changes monthly. You can see the reliance on local produce in the spring vegetable barley soup. Salads are interesting without being busy, and the sorbets are served as the third course palate cleanser. Main courses of almond-crusted mahi-mahi, flat-iron steak, and a vegetable lasagna hit all the right notes, and you can end with a sweet flourish if you choose the chocolate croissant bread pudding. 210 W. 14th St., Over-the-Rhine, (513) 721-3353, symphonyhotel.com. Dinner Thurs–Sun, brunch Sun. $$

TRIO Trio is nothing if not a crowd pleaser. Whether you’re in the mood for a California-style pizza or ﬁlet mignon (with side salad, garlic mashed potatoes, sauteed swiss chard, and mushroom jus), the menu is broad enough to offer something for everyone. It may lack a cohesive point of view, but with the number of regulars who come in seven nights a week, variety is Trio’s ace in the hole. A simple margherita pizza with roma tomatoes, basil, Parmesan, and provolone

ELI’S BBQ Elias Leisring started building his pulled pork reputation under canopies at Findlay Market and Fountain Square in 2011. Leisring’s proper little ’cue shack along the river serves up ribs that are speaking-in-tongues good, some of the zazziest jalapeño cheese grits north of the MasonDixon line, and browned mashed potatoes that would make any short order cook diner-proud. The small no-frills restaurant—packed cheek-by-jowl most nights—feels like it’s been there a lifetime, with customers dropping vinyl on the turntable, dogs romping in the side yard, and picnic tables crowded with diners. The hooch is bring-your-own, and the barbecue is bona ﬁde. 3313 Riverside Dr., East End, (513) 533-1957, elisbarbeque.com. Lunch and dinner seven days. MCC. $

SINNERS & SAINTS TAVERN You won’t leave this Texas smokehouse/sports bar hungry. From the Not Yo Mama’s Fried Bologna sandwich to the slow-smoked brisket—served with Texas BBQ sauce, white bread, and pickles, or in a hoagie—you can’t go wrong with these rich barbecue flavors. Several dishes, like the housemade sausage links, draw on German influences found in both Texas and Cincinnati cuisine, while the sides take flavors back to the country (try the creamy coleslaw, crispy onion straws, and chili-spiced cornbread). The resaurant’s character shines through its decor, which includes hanging hockey memorabilia, pictures of public figures and tables made from real NBA courts. 2062 Riverside Dr., East End, (513) 281-4355, sinsaintsmoke.com. Dinner Tues–Sun. MCC. $$

WALT’S HITCHING POST A Northern Kentucky institution returns. Roughly 750 pounds of ribs per week are pit-ﬁred in a small building in front of the restaurant, with a smaller dedicated smoker out

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back for brisket and chicken. Walt’s ribs begin with several hours in the smokehouse and then are quick-seared at the time of service. This hybrid method takes advantage of the leaner nature of the baby-back ribs they prefer to use. Each rib had a just-right tooth to it where soft ﬂesh peeled away from the bone. One hidden treasure: Walt’s housemade tomato and garlic dressing. Slightly thicker than a vinaigrette yet unwilling to overwhelm a plate of greens, the two key elements play well together. 3300 Madison Pke., Ft. Wright, (859) 360-2222, waltshitchingpost.com. Dinner seven days. MCC. $$

CAJUN/ CARIBBEAN BREWRIVER CREOLE More than 800 miles from New Orleans, this may be as close as you can get to the real deal here in your own backyard. The menu fully leans into Chef Michael Shields’s penchant for cuisine from the Crescent City. His six years of training under NOLA’s own Emeril Lagasse comes through in a scratch kitchen menu that spans a range of the city’s classics. The enormous shrimp and oyster po’ boys—the former protein fried in a light and crispy beer batter and the latter in a hearty cornmeal breading—are served on ﬂuffy French bread loaves and dressed with lightly spicy rémoulades. The jambalaya packs all the heat of a late summer day in the French Quarter without masking a hint of its satisfying ﬂavors. Paired with a Sazerac and nightly live jazz, you may just feel tempted to start a second line. 4632 Eastern Ave., Linwood, (513) 861-2484, brewrivercreolekitchen.com. Dinner Tues–Sun, brunch & lunch Fri–Sun. MCC. $

SWAMPWATER GRILL At first blush, this place is a dive where homesick Cajuns can find a good pile of jambalaya. But thoughtful details like draft Abita Root Beer and char-grilled Gulf Coast oysters on the half shell signal its ambition. Bayou standards like jambalaya, gumbo, and fried seafood also make an appearance. But the extensive menu also features amped up pub-style items for those who may be squeamish about crawfish tails (which can be added to just about anything on the menu). You’ll also find a roundup of oyster, shrimp, and catfish Po’Boys, as well as a selection of hardwoodsmoked meats. 3742 Kellogg Ave., East End, (513) 834-7067, swampwatergrill.com. Lunch and dinner Wed–Sun, brunch Fri–Sun. MCC. $$

KNOTTY PINE ON THE BAYOU The Pine serves some of the best Louisiana home-style food you’ll find this far north of New Orleans. Taste the fried catfish filets with their peppery crust, or the garlic sauteed shrimp with smoky greens on the side, and you’ll understand why it’s called soul food. Between March and June, it’s crawfish season. Get them boiled and heaped high on a platter or in a superb crawfish etouffee. But the rockin’ gumbo—a thick, murky brew of andouille sausage, chicken, and vegetables—serves the best roundhouse punch all year round. As soon as you inhale the bouquet and take that first bite, you realize why Cajun style food is considered a high art form and a serious pleasure. And you’ll start planning your return trip. 6302 Licking Pke., Cold Spring, (859) 781-2200, letseat. at/KnottyPine. Dinner Tues–Sun. MCC, DS. $$

CHINESE AMERASIA A sense of energetic fun defines this tiny Chinese spot with a robust beer list. The glossy paper menu depicts Master Chef Rich Chu as a “Kung Food” master fighting the evil fast-food villain with dishes like “fly rice,” “Brocco-Lee,” and “Big Bird’s Nest.” Freshness rules. Pot stickers, dumplings, and wontons are hand-shaped. The Dragon’s Breath wontons will invade your dreams. Seasoned ground pork, onion, and cilantro meatballs are wrapped in egg dough, ICON BY JESSICA DUNHAM

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wok simmered, and topped with thick, spicy red pepper sauce and fresh cilantro. Noodles are clearly Chef Chu’s specialty, with zonxon (a tangle of thin noodles, ﬁnely chopped pork, tofu, and mushrooms cloaked in spicy dark sauce and crowned with peanuts and cilantro) and Matt Chu’s Special (shaved rice noodle, fried chicken, and seasonal vegetables in gingery white sauce) topping the menu’s ﬂavor charts. 521 Madison Ave., Covington, (859) 261-6121. Lunch Sun–Fri, dinner seven days. MCC. $

GREAT TANG Although the (24-page!) menu features classic dishes in every style, the specialty at Great Tang is the reﬁned coastal cuisine of Zhejiang. If you like spice, you can get still the Sichuanese and Hunanese classics. One dish will hint at the surprises in store for people who are mainly used to Chinese takeout: the lovely Xian cold noodle. The dish is exquisitely layered: the creamy and nutty undertone of sesame paste, mixed with notes of tang and spice, topped with the bright pop of cilantro. The combination of textures is also delightful, with crunches of cucumber and sprouted mung and the softness of the ﬂat noodles. And that tofu! It was wonderfully meaty, with dense layers, substantial and satisfying as a counterpart to the noodles. Be as brave as you are in the mood to be. Ask for some suggestions and prepare to be astonished. 7340 Kingsgate Way, West Chester, (513) 847-6097, greattangohio.com. Lunch and dinner Wed–Mon, dim sum Sat & Sun. MCC. $$

BROTHERS, WHERE ART THOU?

Bones Brothers Wings recently opened a brick-andmortar restaurant in the U Square @ the Loop in Clifton Heights near UC. The new spot sports beer on tap and a late-night walkup window. Those Chicken Bomb Nachos are calling your name! bones

brotherswings.com

ORIENTAL WOK This is the restaurant of your childhood memories: the showy Las Vegas-meets-China decor, the ebulliently comedic host, the chop sueys, chow meins, and crab rangoons that have never met a crab. But behind the giant elephant tusk entryway and past the goldfish ponds and fountains is the genuine hospitality and warmth of the Wong family, service worthy of the finest dining establishments, and some very good food that’s easy on the palate. Best are the fresh fish: salmon, sea bass, and halibut steamed, grilled, or flash fried in a wok, needing little more than the ginger–green onion sauce that accompanies them. Even the chicken lo mein is good. It may not be provocative, but not everyone wants to eat blazing frogs in a hot pot. 317 Buttermilk Pke., Ft. Mitchell, (859) 331-3000; 2444 Madison Rd., Hyde Park, (513) 871-6888, orientalwok.com. Lunch Mon–Fri (Ft. Mitchell; buffet Sun 11–2:30), lunch Tues–Sat (Hyde Park), dinner Mon–Sat (Ft. Mitchell) dinner Tues–Sun (Hyde Park). MCC. $$

SICHUAN BISTRO CHINESE GOURMET Like many Chinese restaurants that cater to both mainstream American and Chinese palates, this strip mall gem uses two menus. The real story here is found in dishes of pungent multilayered ﬂavors that set your mouth ablaze with fermented peppers and fresh chilies and then just as quickly cool it down with the devilish, numbing sensation of hua jiao, Sichuan pepper. Its numbing effect is subtle at ﬁrst: appetizers of cold sliced beef and tripe, as well as slices of pork belly with a profusion of minced garlic, lean toward the hot and sweet; mapo tofu freckled with tiny fermented black beans and scallions, and pork with pickled red peppers and strips of ginger root, progress from sweet to pungent to hot to salty—in that order. Alternated with cooling dishes—nibbles of rice, a verdant mound of baby bok choy stir-fried with a shovelful of garlic, refreshing spinach wilted in ginger sauce, a simply sensational tea-smoked duck—the effect is momentarily tempered. 7888 S. Mason Montgomery Rd., Mason, (513) 770-3123, sichuanbistro.com. Lunch and dinner Tues–Sun. MCC, DS. $$

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ECLECTIC Top 10

ABIGAIL STREET

Most people who’ve eaten at Abigail Street have favorite dishes that they order every visit: the Moroccan spiced broccoli, for example, or the mussels charmoula, with its perfect balance of saffron, creaminess, and tomatoey acidity. Many of the new items on the menu have the same perfected feeling as these classics. Working within a loose framework of Middle Eastern and North African flavors, Abigail Street has never fallen into a routine that would sap its energy. New offerings like the duck leg confit, with spicy-sour harissa flavors, firm-tender butternut squash, and perfectly made couscous, feel just as accomplished as old favorites like the falafel, beautifully moist and crumbly with a bright parsley interior. The restaurant is always watching for what works and what will truly satisfy, ready to sacrifice the superficially interesting in favor of the essential 1214 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine, (513) 421-4040, abigailstreet.com. Dinner Tues–Sat. MCC, DS. $$

Top 10

BOCA

With its grand staircase, chandelier, and floor-to-ceiling draperies, Boca has an atmosphere of grandeur and refinement. There is a sense of drama not only in the decor but in everything it serves. In some dishes, there is a painterly sense of contrast and surprise, like violet-derived purple sugar beside the pain de Gênes (French almond cake). In others, there is a dramatic suspense, like the whole egg yolk quivering in the center of the Fassone tartare waiting to be broken. While staying mostly grounded in the fundamentals of Italian and French cuisine, Boca has an air of international sophistication that sets its food apart. The hamachi crudo, an old standby on the menu, takes Japanese flavors and gives them new dimensions with grapefruit suprêmes and slivers of shishito pepper. This is food of extraordinary creativity and flair. 114 E. Sixth St., downtown, (513) 542-2022, bocacincinnati.com. Dinner Mon–Sat. MCC, DS. $$$

Top 10

BOUQUET RESTAURANT AND WINE BAR

Normally diners aren’t pleased when a restaurant runs out of something. At Bouquet, though, surprise changes to the menu are simply a sign of integrity. Chef-owner Stephen Williams is serious about using seasonal ingredients, and if the ﬁgs have run out or there is no more chicken from a local farm, so be it. The ﬂavors at Bouquet are about doing justice to what’s available. Preparations are unfussy, complexity coming from within the vegetables and proteins themselves. A tomato salad—wonderfully fresh and vibrant, so you know the tomatoes have just come off a nearby vine—is dressed with chopped shiso, a crimson herb that tastes like a mysterious combination of mint and cilantro. This determination to make something delicious out of what’s on hand, to embrace limitations, gives the food at Bouquet a rustic, soulful quality. 519 Main St., Covington, (859) 491-7777, bouquetrestaurant.com. Dinner Mon–Sat. MCC, DS. $$

BRANCH Located in a huge Art Deco building, formerly a bank, Branch has taken this potentially cavernous and impersonal space and made it intimate. Diners might recognize the vibe from this restaurant group’s ﬁrst venture, Northside’s The Littleﬁeld. The chef, Shoshannah Anderson, cooks in a mode that we would call “international home-style,”

taking inspiration from the comfort food of many cultures. It maintains a balance between cooking to a higher price point and creating an atmosphere of reﬁnement without losing the informal neighborhood feel. The shrimp and grits—served soupy in a big bowl with an addictively sweet-and-sour green tomato marmalade swirled into the creamy grits—are taken surprising heights. Another notable item is a dish that wouldn’t normally get a mention in a review: the french fries. They demonstrate that food that is usually mindlessly inhaled can be worth savoring if it is made with enough love. 1535 Madison Rd., East Walnut Hills, (513) 221-2702, eatatbranch.com. Dinner Mon–Sun, brunch Sat & Sun. MCC. $$

CROWN REPUBLIC GASTROPUB What makes Crown Republic special isn’t its handful of outstanding dishes. It’s the place’s sheer consistency. No single dish is absolutely mindblowing or completely original, but when almost everything that comes out is genuinely tasty, the service is always friendly and attentive, and (stop the presses!) the bill is quite a bit less than you expected, you sit up and pay attention. The crab and avocado toast, served on grilled bread with lime juice and slivers of pickled Fresno chiles, is a prime example of what makes Crown Republic tick. The cocktails are equally unfussy and good, like the Tipsy Beet, made with vodka, housemade beet shrub, cucumber, mint, and citrus peel. Crown Republic has a mysterious quality that I can only describe as “good energy.” 720 Sycamore St., downtown, (513) 246-4272, crgcincy.com. Lunch and dinner Tues–Sat. MCC. $$

E+O KITCHEN The former Beluga space comes alive with a menu that conjoins minimalist Asian with gutsy-cumearthy Latin. The results are hit-or-miss: while guacamole was pointlessly studded with edamame, the pork belly buns are especially tender. Taco plates are a safe bet, with the “sol” pastor— pineapple coupled with Korean kimchi, bulgogi pork, and cilantro—hitting all the right notes. More adventurous palates may opt for the nuanced ramen—the pork and soy broth teeming with cuts of both pork belly and slow-cooked shoulder, while a superbly poached egg lingers at the edge, awaiting its curtain call. Service is friendly but tends to sputter when it comes to the basics of hospitality. 3520 Edwards Rd., Hyde Park, (513) 832-1023, eokitchen.com. Lunch and dinner seven days. MCC. $$

METROPOLE Metropole has been remarkably stable since it opened in 2012. Even when chefs have left, the organization has promoted from within, kept popular dishes on the menu, and maintained a certain vibe, a balance between sophistication and rusticity. Its vegetarian fare contains many of its most inventive and delightful creations. The chilled cantaloupe soup has a creamy note from coconut milk and a hint of spice floating in at the end of every bite to balance the subtle, melon-y sweetness. The fancy “candy bar,” with its light and crispy peanut wafers and ring of flourless chocolate cake and caramel, encapsulates Metropole at its best: fun and whimsical, but rooted in careful execution of deep and satisfying flavors. 609 Walnut St., downtown, (513) 578-6660, metropoleonwalnut.com. Breakfast and dinner seven days, lunch Mon–Fri, brunch Sat & Sun. MCC. $$

Top 10

MITA’S

It’s ﬁtting that chef Jose Salazar named this restaurant after his grandmother, because there is something deeply homey about the food at Mita’s. With a focus on Spanish tapas, it ICON BY JESSICA DUNHAM

always feels, in the best possible way, like elevated home cooking. Its sophistication is modestly concealed. The ﬂavors are bold and direct, whether the smoky depths of the chimichurri rojo on skewers of grilled chicken or the intensely bright sourness of the pozole verde. In dishes like the mushroom soup, the chef hits every register: the acid of red piquillo peppers to balance the earthy mushrooms, the crisp fried leeks against the delicately creamy soup. But what mainly comes through is the warm-hearted affection a grandmother might have put into a meal for a beloved grandson. It’s the kind of big hug everyone needs from time to time.

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501 Race St., downtown, (513) 421-6482, mitas.co. Dinner Mon–Sat. MCC. $$$ Top 10

ORCHIDS AT PALM COURT

The food at Orchids is wonderfully complex, diverse, and surprising. A dish of parsnip soup has a quinoa chip and apple butter, along with salty duck prosciutto, notes of smoke and spice from the espelette pepper at the base of the bowl, and a touch of acid that crept in on the roasted parsnip. In a few dazzling bites it all comes together like a highly technical piece of music. A Southeast Asian–inspired halibut dish, with its green curry paste, adobo, and peanut brittle, breaks out of the restaurant’s traditionally European comfort zone. Aside from the food, part of the pleasure is simply being in the space, enjoying the jazz band, and watching the grace and assurance of the staff as they present the meal. 35 W. Fifth St., downtown, (513) 564-6465, orchidsatpalmcourt.com. Dinner seven days. MCC. $$$$

PLEASANTRY

With only 40 seats inside, Daniel Souder and Joanna Kirkendall’s snug but spare OTR gem—they serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner like a true neighborhood spot—features an engaging wine program aimed at broadening your palate alongside small plates that are equally ambitious. Classic technique and fresh produce anchor an approachable menu—“everything” biscuits with cured salmon, burgers, and chicken salad sandwiches are available at lunch, and the cauliflower with sambal is a comforting mash-up of a rich cauliflowerand-coconut-cream schmear topped with a head of sambal-roasted cauliflower, grapefruit segments, toasted cashews, and cilantro. This is not to say that the proteins aren’t something special. Traditionally a much less expensive cut, the small hanger steak was decidedly tender, served with braised cippolini onions and sauteed mushrooms. 118 W. 15th St., Over-the-Rhine, (513) 381-1969, pleasantryotr.com. Dinner Tues–Sat, brunch Fri–Sun. MCC. $

SACRED BEAST

Sacred Beast advertises itself as a kind of upscale diner, but the real gems are the oddball dishes that don’t quite ﬁt the diner mold. The menu can be disorienting in its eclecticism: foie gras torchon is next to lobster poutine, and a king salmon is next to a diner breakfast and deviled eggs. Winners are scattered throughout the menu in every category. On the cocktail list, the Covington Iced Tea, a lemon and coffee concoction made with cold brew, San Pellegrino, and vodka is oddly satisfying. The service is good, and there is some ﬂair about the place— including vintage touches, from the facsimile reel-toreel audio system to the mostly classic cocktails—even within its rather chilly industrial design. In short, go for the late night grub; stay for the elegant, shareable twists on classic snacks.

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1437 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine, (513) 213-2864, sacredbeastdiner.com. Lunch, dinner, and late night seven days. MCC. $$

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SENATE

Ever since it began dishing out its lo-ﬁ eats, Chef Dan Wright’s gastropub has been operating at a velocity few can match. From the howl and growl of supremely badass hot dogs to the palate-rattling poutine, Senate has led the charge in changing the local conventional wisdom about what makes a great restaurant. Consumption of mussels charmoula means either ordering PHOTOGRAPH BY TK FREELANCER

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onions and marinated red bell peppers pair well with subtly sweet fontina. Not every bite at Zula is a game-changer, but one is all you need. 1400 Race St., Over-the-Rhine, (513) 744-9852, zulabistro.com. Dinner Tues–Sat. MCC. $$

additional grilled bread to soak up every drop of the herby, saffron-laced broth or drinking the remainder straight from the bowl and perfectly crisped and seasoned fries inspire countless return visits. 1212 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine (513) 421-2020, senatepub. com; 1100 Summit Place Dr., Blue Ash, (513) 769-0099, senateblueash.com. Lunch and dinner Tues–Sat. (Blue Ash only: Brunch, lunch, and dinner Sun.) MC, V, DS. $

TASTE OF BELGIUM

Jean-François Flechet’s waffle empire grew from a back counter of Madison’s grocery at Findlay Market to multiple full-service sit-down spots. There’s more on the menu than the authentic Belgian treat, though it would be a crime to miss the chicken and waffles: a dense, yeasty waffle topped with a succulent buttermilk fried chicken breast, Frank’s hot sauce, and maple syrup. There are also frites, of course, and croquettes—molten Emmenthaler cheese sticks—plus a gem of a Bolognese. And let’s not forget the beer. Six rotating taps offer some of the best the Belgians brew, not to mention those made in town. 1133 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine, (513) 381-4607, and other locations, authenticwaffle.com. Breakfast and lunch Mon–Sat, dinner Tues–Sat, brunch Sun. MCC. $$

ZULA

For a restaurant whose name loosely derives from an Israeli slang term for “hidden treasure,” it seems apt that a dish or two might sneak in and stun—like the mussels Marseilles, with its bouillabaisse-style broth, rich with saffron, tomato, and fennel. But Zula is no one-trick pony. With a wood-ﬁred oven on the premises, it’s incumbent on you to try the ﬂatbreads. One zula is the eggplant option, where caramelized

FRENCH CHEZ RENÉE FRENCH BISTROT

Based on American stereotypes of French food—that it’s elaborate, elitist, and expensive—one might expect Chez Renee to fall on the chichi side. Instead, it’s elegant in an everyday way, operating on the principle that it is better to excel at simplicity than to badly execute something complicated. The formula is not complex: Simple ingredients, generally fresh and from nearby, prepared without much fuss. Asparagus is beautifully roasted and perfectly salted, and the quiche Lorraine (yes, the old standby) has a nice, ﬁrm texture, and a ﬁne balance of bacon, mushrooms, and oignons (to quote the menu, which is a charming hodgepodge of French and English). This is solid, tasty food, both approachable and well executed. It’s well on its way to becoming, as a good bistrot should be, a neighborhood institution. 233 Main St., Milford, (513) 428-0454, chezreneefrenchbistrot.com. Lunch and dinner Tues– Sat. MCC. $$

LE BAR A BOEUF

Jean-Robert de Cavel’s upscale alterna-burger-shack features bifteck haché, ground beef patties that are a mainstay of French family dinners, according to de Cavel. His “Les Ground Meat” is available in beef, Wagyu beef, bison, lamb, and ﬁsh (a blend of albacore tuna and salmon). Portions are eight ounces, taller than a typical burger, and seared on the kitchen’s iron griddle. It’s easy to turn many of the gener-

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ously portioned appetizers into dinner. Pair the open-faced beef tongue “French Dip” sandwich with a spinach salad and you’ll have one of the best choices in the house. Or go for mac-and-cheese. The lobster mac always sounds lush, but do consider the humble beef cheek version, enlivened by a touch of truffle oil, instead. 2200 Victory Pkwy., East Walnut Hills, (513) 751-2333, barboeuf.com. Dinner Tues–Sat. MCC. $$

INDIAN AMMA’S KITCHEN

Muthu “Kumar” Muthiah serves traditional southern Indian and Indo-Chinese vegetarian cuisine, but with a sizable Orthodox Jewish community nearby, Muthia saw an opportunity: If he was going to cook vegetarian, why not also make it kosher? Muthiah prepares every item— from the addictively crunchy gobhi Manchurian, a spicy Chinese cauliﬂower dish, to the lemon pickle, tamarind, and mint sauces—entirely from scratch under the careful eye of Rabbi Michoel Stern. Always 80 percent vegan, the daily lunch buffet is 100 percent animal-product-free on Wednesdays. Tuck into a warm and savory channa masala (spiced chickpeas) or malai kofta (vegetable dumplings in tomato sauce) from the curry menu. Or tear into a crispy, two-foot diameter dosa (chickpea ﬂour crepe) stuffed with spiced onions and potatoes. 7633 Reading Rd., Roselawn, (513) 821-2021, ammaskitchen.com. Lunch buffet seven days (all-vegan on Wed), dinner seven days. MC, V, DS. $

BOMBAY BRAZIER

Indian food in America is hard to judge, because whether coming from the kitchen of a takeout joint or from a nicer establishment, the food will rarely taste all that different. It will generally be some twist on Punjabi cuisine. Bombay

Brazier does it just right. Chef Rip Sidhu could serve his dal tadka in India, along with several other extraordinary dishes, and still do a roaring business—and this is not something that can be said of most Indian establishments in America. Try the pappadi chaat, a common Indian street food rarely found on American menus, and you will see what sets this place apart. They do everything the way it is supposed to be done, from the dusting of kala namak (a pungent black rock salt) on the fried crisps to the mixture of tamarind and mint chutneys on the chopped onion, tomatoes, and chickpeas—having this dish properly made is balm to the soul of a homesick immigrant, and fresh treasure for any American lover of this cuisine. 12140 Royal Point Dr., Mason, (513) 794-0000, bombaybraziercincy.com. Dinner Mon–Sat. MCC. $$$

BRIJ MOHAN

Order at the counter the way you might at a fast food joint, except the shakes come in mango and there’s no supersizing your mint lassi. The saag, full of cream in most northern Indian restaurants, is as intensely ﬂavored as collard greens in the Deep South—real Punjabi soul food. Tarka dal is spectacular here, the black lentils smoky from charred tomatoes and onions, and the pani puri, hollow fried shells into which you spoon a peppery cold broth, burst with tart cool crunch. Follow the spice with soothing ras malai, freshly made cheese simmered in thick almond-ﬂavored milk, cooled and sprinkled with crushed pistachios. 11259 Reading Rd., Sharonville, (513) 769-4549, brijmohancincinnati.com. Lunch and dinner Tues–Sun. MC, V, DC. $

I TA L I A N ADRIATICO’S

Everything about this place says it’s about the pizza: the

herbed sauce, the assault of the cheese, the toppings. It’s all evenly distributed, so you get a taste in every bite. Adriatico’s still delivers the tastiest pizza in Clifton. On any given night the aroma wafts through every dorm on campus. It’s that popular because it’s that good. Being inexpensive doesn’t hurt either. 113 W. McMillan St., Clifton Heights, (513) 281-4344, adriaticosuc.com. Lunch and dinner seven days. MCC. $

ENOTECA EMILIA

Margaret Ranalli revives her O’Bryonville restaurant in a new Loveland space. The menu makes the most of seasonality—which is apparent in the shrimp spiedini. The star of the dish is not the grilled shrimp; it’s the salad of ﬁrm diced peaches on which it is served. It is pure summer on a plate. The dish may be off the menu by the time you’re reading this, but any chef who can celebrate an ingredient like this can carry the whole year. Simple presentations of exquisitely fresh ingredients appear throughout the menu, from the the oyster mushrooms served with Brussels sprouts to the roasted sweet corn on the pizza. Enoteca Emilia does the classics well—the crust on both pizzas we tried was just right, the quattro formaggi a particular highlight—and the prices on these items, along with the wine, were quite reasonable. 110 S. Second St., Loveland, (513) 583-0300, emilialoveland.com. Lunch Sat & Sun, dinner Wed–Sun. MCC. $$

FORNO

Cristian Pietoso’s second restaurant has all the bones of an upscale eatery, but the menu is infused with enough Italian soul to make nonna proud. In most instances, raving about a side of creamed corn wouldn’t bode well for the rest of the menu. Here, that side dish—kernels swimming in a pool of truffle-laced heavy cream that demands sopping up—is evidence that each component prepared by chef de cuisine Stefano Carne is purpose-driven. The red wine–braised honeycomb tripe, which carries a warning label (“Don’t be scared!”), and the pappardelle with spiced cinghiale (wild

boar) ragu are examples of the elevated, adventurous comfort food that Pietoso strives for. 3514 Erie Ave., East Hyde Park, (513) 818-8720, fornoosteriabar.com. Dinner Tues–Sun, brunch Sun. MCC. $$

PADRINO

This sister restaurant to 20 Brix is also owned and operated by the Thomas family and their superstar Executive Chef Paul Barraco, who brings his passion for the slow food movement to the Padrino menu. Billed as “Italian comfort food,” Padrino offers the classics (like lasagna and chicken carbonara) plus hoagies and meatball sliders, an impressive wine list, seasonal martinis, and a decadent signature appetizer—garlic rolls, doughy buns smothered in olive oil and garlic. Best of all, Barraco’s pizza sauce, which is comprised of roasted tomatoes and basil, is so garden-fresh that one can’t help but wonder: If this is real pizza, what have we been eating all these years? 111 Main St., Milford, (513) 965-0100, padrinoitalian. com. Lunch and dinner seven days. MCC, DS. $$

SOTTO

There are certain books and movies that you can read or watch over and over. Eating at Sotto is a similar experience: familiar, but so profound and satisfying that there is no reason to ever stop. Unlike other restaurants, where the techniques are often elaborate and unfamiliar, the magic at Sotto happens right in front of you, using ordinary elements and methods. When you taste the results, though, you realize that some mysterious transmutation has taken place. Penne with rapini and sausage comes in a buttery, lightly starchy broth with a kick of spice that you could go on eating forever. From the texture of the chicken liver mousse to the tart cherry sauce on the panna cotta, most of the food has some added element of soulfulness. Top 10

118 E. Sixth St., downtown, (513) 977-6886, sottocincinnati.com. Lunch Mon–Fri, dinner seven days. MCC, DS. $$$

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J A PA N E S E KYOTO Owner Jason Shi seems to know everybody’s name as he chats up diners, guiding them through the extensive sushi and sashimi menu. Five young sushi chefs, all part of Shi’s family, work at light speed behind the bar, a choreography backlit by rows of gleaming liquor bottles. Dinner proceeds with glorious chaos as a feisty Carla Tortelli–like server delivers one dish after another—slivers of giant clam on ice in a super-sized martini glass, a volcanic tower of chopped fatty tuna hidden inside overlapping layers of thin avocado slices, smoky grilled New Zealand mussels drizzled with spicy mayo, and delicate slices of a samurai roll—all between shots of chilled sake. 12082 Montgomery Rd., Symmes Twp., (513) 583-8897, kyotosushibar.com. Lunch and dinner seven days. MCC. $$

MEI

THE SECRET IS OUT

A new soul food eatery is coming to Over-the-Rhine. Soul Secrets will open next door to Nostalgia Wine & Jazz Lounge by the end of the year. The catering service-turnedrestaurant specializes in Southern cuisine, like fried chicken, collard greens, and sweet potatoes, made from scratch with recipes from owner Candice Holloway’s grandmother. soul

secretscatering.com

Mei’s menu is meant to represent traditional Japanese cuisine, appealing to the novice as well as the sushi maven. It is divided into sections that encourage a progressive meal of small dishes: One each for hot and cold appetizers, noodles, sushi and sashimi, special rolls, soups and salads, sushi dinners (with miso soup), and combinations (such as tempura paired with sashimi). Deep-fried soft shell crab comes with ponzu sauce—a dipping sauce made of rice vinegar, soy sauce, mirin, and citrus juice—and the kind of yakitori that you can ﬁnd on the streets of New York. Bento boxes—lacquered wooden boxes divided into compartments—offer the neophyte a sampling of several small dishes. Mei’s are lovely: deep red and stocked with tempura, cooked salmon, sashimi, stewed vegetables, and a fabulous egg custard with shrimp and gingko nut. Mei’s sushi—nigiri, maki, and handrolls—is exceptionally good with quality cuts of fresh seafood. The staff is knowledgeable, extremely efficient, respectful, and attentive, even when it’s at peak capacity. 8608 Market Place Lane, Montgomery, (513) 891-6880, meijapaneserestaurant.com. Lunch and dinner seven days. MCC, DS. $$

ZUNDO RAMEN & DONBURI A stark contrast to Styrofoam cup soup, chef Han Lin’s ramens are a deep and exciting branch of cuisine, capable of subtlety, variation, and depth. The simplicity of the dish’s name hides a world of complexity. Zundo uses the traditional Japanese building blocks of ﬂavor—soy sauce, miso, sake, mirin—to create something freewheeling and time-tested. Bowls of ramen come with a marinated soft-boiled egg half, roast pork, green onion, and a healthy serving of noodles. Each has a distinct identity, like the milky richness of the tonkotsu, the rich and buttery miso, or the light and faintly sweet shoyu ramen. A transformative add-in is the mayu, or black garlic oil. Dripped on top of one of the subtler broths, it adds a deep, mushroom-y richness, with the hint of burned ﬂavor that makes barbecue so good. 220 W. 12th St., Over-the-Rhine, (513) 9750706, zundootr.com. Lunch Tues–Sun. MCC. $$

KOREAN HARU After the closing of Sung Korean Bistro, Haru is a welcome addition to the downtown scene. Dishes are served along with the usual Korean accompaniment of pickles, kimchi, ﬁsh cakes, and other mysteriously delicious dainties. A favorite is the japchae, a traditional dish sporting silky sweet

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potato noodles with sesame-and-garlic sauce, matchsticks of assorted crisp vegetables, and behind it all a wonderful smokiness that pervades the whole meal. The accompanying pot of gochujang, a fermented Korean chili paste, adds its own sweet and spicy note. The result is a homey, soulful, and satisfying taste that appeals even to those who’ve never eaten a bite of Korean food before. 628 Vine St., downtown, (513) 381-0947, harucincy.com. Lunch and dinner Mon–Sat. MCC. $$

RIVERSIDE KOREAN RESTAURANT Come for the jo gi mae un tang—a bowl of sizzling, happy hellbroth pungent with red pepper, garlic, and ginger, crowded with nuggets of fish, tofu, and vegetables. Come for the restorative power of sam gae tang, a chicken soup for the Seoul—a whole Cornish hen submerged in its own juices and plumped with sticky rice and ginseng, dried red dates, and pine nuts. Revered for their medicinal properties, both dinner-sized soups will leave your eyes glistening and your brow beaded with sweat. They’re a detox for your overindulgence, rejuvenation for when you’re feeling under the weather. Expect crowds on weekends. Expect too, that dozens of them have come for dolsot bibimbap, the hot stone pots filled with layers of rice, vegetables, meat or tofu, egg, and chili paste. Characterized by its electric color and addictive flavors, Riverside Korean’s version is a captivating bowl of heaven. 512 Madison Ave., Covington, (859) 291-1484, riversidekoreanrestaurant.com. Lunch Mon– Fri, dinner seven days. MCC, DS. $$

SURA This traditional Korean oasis has been flying well beneath the radar since 2010. Don’t let the pepper count on the menu deter you. Each entrée arrives with purple rice and assorted small bites aimed at cutting the heat—steamed broccoli, pickled radishes, soy-sauce-marinated tofu, pan-fried fish cake, and housemade kimchi. Korean barbecue staple osam bulgogi—one of only two items meriting a three pepper rating—swiftly clears sinuses with a flavorful duo of pork belly and squid lashed with Korean red pepper paste and served on a sizzling skillet. The two-pepper kimchi jjigae stew marries fermented Korean cabbage with hunks of tofu and shards of pork in a bubbling tomatobased broth. Make sure to order a bowl of the bone noodle soup for the table—a comforting combination of thick noodles and bits of flank steak floating in a umami-rich marrow broth that magically soothes the burn. 7876 Mason-Montgomery Rd., Mason, (513) 204-3456, surakorean.com. Lunch and dinner Mon–Sat. MCC. $$

MEDITERRANEAN ANDY’S MEDITERRANEAN GRILLE In this lively joint with a burnished summer lodge interior of wood and stone, even the food is unrestrained: rough-cut chunks of charbroiled beef tenderloin, big slices of onion and green pepper turned sweet and wet in the heat, skewers of marinated and charbroiled chicken perched on rice too generous for its plate. Co-owner Andy Hajjar mans his station at the end of the bar, smoking a hookah pipe that ﬁlls the air with the sweet smell of ﬂavored tobacco, while the friendly but hurried staff hustles through. 906 Nassau St., Walnut Hills, (513) 281-9791, andyskabob.com. Lunch Mon–Sat, dinner seven days. MCC. $$

CAFÉ MEDITERRANEAN Chef-driven Middle Eastern cuisine leans heavily on Turkish tradition here. The baba ghanoush uses seared eggplant, which adds a pleasant smokiness to the ﬁnal product. Börek is described as a “Turkish Egg Roll,” wrapping feta and fresh and dried herbs into phyllo dough, and frying it lightly to brittle ﬂakiness. The pastry arrives atop a vivid cherry tomato marmalade, which adds a welcome dimension of barely sweet fruitiness. While there is a smooth, simple hummus on the menu, you should go for the classic sucuklu hummus, which is spiked with sujuk, a common beef sausage popular all over the Middle East. 3520 Erie Ave., East Hyde Park, (513) 871-8714. Lunch Mon–Sat, dinner seven days. MCC. $$ Top 10

PHOENICIAN TAVERNA

No matter how much restraint you go in with, meals at Phoenician Taverna quickly become feasts. There is just too much that’s good, and everything is meant to be shared. With fresh pita bread continuously arriving from the ovens, and a table of quickly multiplying meze (hummus, falafel, muhammara), there is a warmth and depth to the cooking that envelops you. With such traditional cuisine, you may think there isn’t much left to discover beyond simply executed classics prepared according to time-tested methods. But there are always new discoveries as the ﬂavors mingle from plate to plate: the tabbouleh with the hummus, mixed with a touch of harissa, or the smoky baba ghanoush spooned onto falafel. Phoenician Taverna keeps taking these classics a little further. 7944 Mason Montgomery Rd., Mason, (513) 770-0027, phoeniciantaverna.com. Lunch Tues– Fri, dinner Tues–Sun. MCC. $$

SANTORINI Steak, eggs, and home fries. Jumbo haddock sandwich with Greek fries. Chocolate chip hot cakes with bacon. Notice something wrong with this menu? Chicken Philly cheese steak sandwich with Olympic onion rings. Yep, it’s obvious: What’s wrong with this menu is that there’s nothing wrong with this menu. Greek feta cheese omelette with a side of ham. It’s been owned by the same family for more than 30 years. Santorini has diner standards, like cheeseburgers, chili ﬁve ways, and breakfast anytime, but they also make some Greek pastries in house, like spanakopita and baklava. 3414 Harrison Ave., Cheviot, (513) 6628080. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner Mon–Sat, breakfast and lunch Sun. Cash. $

SEBASTIAN’S Watch owner Alex Sebastian tend to the rotating wheels of beef and lamb, and you understand how Greek food has escaped the American tendency to appropriate foreign cuisines. Sebastian’s specializes in gyros, shaved off the stick, wrapped in thick griddle pita with onions and tomatoes, and served with cool tzatziki sauce. Alex’s wife and daughter run the counter with efficient speed, and whether you’re having a crisp Greek salad with house-made dressing, triangles of spanikopita, or simply the best walnut and honey baklava this side of the Atlantic (often made by the Mrs.), they never miss a beat, turning more covers in their tiny deli on one Saturday afternoon than some restaurants do in an entire weekend. 5209 Glenway Ave., Price Hill, (513) 471-2100, sebastiansgyros.com. Lunch and dinner Mon– Sat. Cash. $

SULTAN’S MEDITERRANEAN CUISINE The meze, a parade of small plates and appetizers—the refreshing yogurt dish with cucumber, mint, and garlic known as cacik, and its thicker cousin haydari, with chopped walnuts, dill, and garlic—is rounded out with ﬂaky cheese or spinach boureks, falafels, soups, salads, and more, while baked casseroles or stuffed cabbage and eggplant ICON BY JESSICA DUNHAM

ALL YOUR ALL YOUR FAVORITE FRESH

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dishes (dubbed “Ottoman specials”) augment the heavy focus on kebabs: chunks of lamb and beef on a vertical spit for the popular Doner kebab (a.k.a. Turkish gyro), peppery ground lamb for the Adana kebab, or cubed and marinated for the Shish kebab. 7305 Tyler’s Corner Dr., West Chester, (513) 847-1535, sultanscincinnati.com. Lunch and dinner seven days. MCC, DS. $$

MEXICAN HABAÑERO

It’s easy to find a cheap burrito place around a college campus, but you’d be hard-pressed to find one as consistently good as Habañero, with its flavors of Latin America and the Caribbean wrapped up in enormous packages. Fried tilapia, apricot-glazed chicken breast, hand-rubbed spiced flank steak, shredded pork tenderloin, or cinnamon-roasted squash are just some of the ingredients for Habañero’s signature burritos. All salsas are house-made, from the smoky tomato chipotle to the sweet-sounding mango jalapeño, which is hot enough to spark spontaneous combustion. 358 Ludlow Ave., Clifton, (513) 961-6800, habanerolatin.com. Lunch and dinner seven days. MCC, DC, DS. $

MESA LOCA

Sitting on a corner of Hyde Park Square, it’s easy to see that Mesa Loca has an absolute dream of a location. The pandemic forced a few changes to the seafood-centric menu,

but those dishes still on the menu indicate what Mesa Loca could be. The tuna ceviche is nicely balanced: tart, with a little spicy creaminess, and a good crispy tostada. The Baja snapper goes well with a bright pile of grated radish and the mango habañero salsa, one of the highlights of the meal. With minced chunks of mango and a hint of fruity habañero heat, it is a prime example of how you can elevate Mexican food and make it worthy of a higher-thanordinary price. One of Mesa Loca’s appealing qualities is its dramatic ﬂair: The yucca fries come stacked on the plate like a late-stages game of Jenga, and their sour-and-spicy rub is quite delicious and striking against the bright starchy white of the fries. 2645 Erie Ave., Hyde Park, (513) 321-6372, mesalocahydepark.com. Lunch and dinner seven days. MCC. $$

splashed with a large, colorful mural, is equally energetic: the bustling semi-open kitchen; a busy counter that handles a constant stream of take-out orders; a clamorous, convivial chatter in Spanish and English. Try camarones a la plancha, 12 chubby grilled shrimp tangled with grilled onions (be sure to specify if you like your onions well done). The starchiness of the rice absorbs the caramelized onion juice, offset by the crunch of lettuce, buttery slices of avocado, and the cool-hot pico de gallo. A shrimp quesadilla paired with one of their cheap and potent margaritas is worth the drive alone. 6507 Dixie Hwy., Fairﬁeld, (513) 942-4943; 100 E. Eighth St., downtown, (513) 381-0678, tmercadocincy. com. Lunch and dinner seven days. MCC, DS. $

SEAFOOD

NADA

The brains behind Boca deliver authentic, contemporary, high-quality Mexican fare downtown. You’ll ﬁnd a concise menu, including tacos, salads and sides, large plates, and desserts. Tacos inspired by global cuisine include the Señor Mu Shu (Modelo and ginger braised pork) and fried avocado (chipotle bean purée). The ancho-glazed pork shank with chili-roasted carrots comes with a papaya guajillo salad (order it for the table); dreamy mac-and-cheese looks harmless, but there’s just enough of a roasted poblano and jalapeño punch to have you reaching for another icy margarita. 600 Walnut St., downtown, (513) 721-6232, eatdrinknada.com. Lunch Mon–Fri, dinner seven days, brunch Sat & Sun. MCC, DS. $$

MCCORMICK & SCHMICK’S

The daily rotation here reads like a ﬁsherman’s wish list: fresh lobsters from the coast of Maine, ahi tuna from Hawaii, North Carolina catﬁsh, Massachusetts cod. But highquality ingredients are only half the equation; preparation is the other. Flaky Parmesan-crusted tilapia, with a squeeze of lemon, makes the taste buds dance. The spacious digs and attentive waitstaff bring a touch of class to Fountain Square, and make it a sophisticated destination. It’s likely to remain a favorite. After all, it’s right in the middle of things. 21 E. Fifth St., downtown, (513) 721-9339, mccormickandschmicks.com. Lunch and dinner seven days. MCC, DC, DS. $$

TAQUERIA MERCADO

On a Saturday night, Taqueria Mercado is a lively ﬁesta, with seemingly half of the local Hispanic community guzzling margaritas and cervezas, or carrying out sacks of burritos and carnitas tacos—pork tenderized by a long simmer, its edges frizzled and crispy. The Mercado’s strip mall interior,

PELICAN’S REEF

Over the years Chef John Broshar has developed his niche, inspired by the seasonal availability of ﬁsh obtained daily from one or more of the purveyors he uses. Mahi-mahi from the Gulf, swordﬁsh from Hawaii, Lake Erie walleye, wild

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1,593

21,731 6,261

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6,261 27,992 1,841 29,833

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77.63%

75.26%

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9 4 C I N C I N N AT I M A G A Z I N E . C O M N O V E M B E R 2 0 2 1

12/01/2021

Alaskan salmon, wreckﬁsh from South Carolina, rainbow trout, and wild striped bass are just some of the varieties that rotate through the extensive features listed on a 10-foot by 2-foot chalkboard. The regular offerings are no slouch: Grilled grouper sandwich with chipotle tartar sauce, chubby ﬁsh tacos, perfectly fried piping hot oysters tucked into a buttered and toasted po’ boy bun with housemade slaw, and tart-sweet key lime pie. And of course, the damn good New England style chowder. 7261 Beechmont Ave., Anderson Twp., (513) 232-2526, the pelicansreef.com. Lunch and dinner Mon–Sat. MCC, DS. $$

STEAKS LOSANTI

A bit more upscale than its sister restaurant, Crown Republic Gastropub, Losanti is also more conservative in its offerings. Service is friendly and informal, and though the meal feels like a special occasion, prices and atmosphere are right for, say, a date, rather than a wedding anniversary. The ﬁlet mignon, rib eye, and New York strip are cut to order for each table (there are a few available weights for each). The steaks themselves are totally irreproachable, perfectly seasoned, cooked to precisely the right point. Losanti even makes the steakhose sides a little special. Sweet and smoky caramelized onions are folded into the mashed potatoes, a nice dusting of truffles wakes up the mac and cheese, and the sweet corn is at least freshly cut off the cob and recalls elote with lime and chile powder. 1401 Race St., Over-the-Rhine, (513) 246-4213, losantiotr.com. Dinner Mon–Sat. MCC. $$$

MORTON’S THE STEAKHOUSE

No one has replicated the concept of an expensive boys’

club better than Morton’s. Amid the dark polished woods and white linen, the Riedel stemware and stupendous flower arrangements, assorted suits grapple with double cut filet mignons, 24 ounces of porterhouse, pink shiny slabs of prime rib, overflowing plates of salty Lyonnaise potatoes, or mammoth iceberg wedges frosted with thick blue cheese dressing. Jumbo is Morton’s decree: Oversized martini and wine glasses, ethereal towering lemon soufflés, roomy chairs, and tables large enough for a plate and a laptop. Even steaks billed as “slightly smaller” weigh in at 8 to 10 ounces. 441 Vine St., downtown, (513) 621-3111, mortons.com. Dinner seven days. MCC. $$$

TONY’S

Best known for his 30 years in ﬁne dining, Tony Ricci has built a life in the hospitality industry. Much of Tony’s menu is right out of a steakhouse playbook: jumbo shrimp and king crab legs from the raw bar; Caprese, Greek, and Caesar salads; sides of creamed spinach, mac-and-cheese, asparagus, and sautéed mushrooms; toppings of roasted garlic or Gorgonzola butters to accompany your center cut of ﬁlet mignon. There are boutique touches, though, that make it stand out—a garlic herb aioli with the calamari, steak tartare torch-kissed and topped with a poached egg, a superb rack of lamb rubbed with aromatic sumac and served with mint pesto. 12110 Montgomery Rd., Symmes Township, (513) 6778669, tonysofcincinnati.com. Dinner seven days. MCC, DS. $$$$

VI ETNAM E S E PHO LANG THANG

Owners Duy and Bao Nguyen and David Le have created a

greatest hits playlist of Vietnamese cuisine: elegant, brothy pho made from poultry, beef, or vegan stocks poured over rice noodles and adrift with slices of onions, meats, or vegetables (the vegan pho chay is by far the most ﬂavorful); fresh julienned vegetables, crunchy sprouts, and herbs served over vermicelli rice noodles (again, the vegan version, bun chay, is the standout); and bánh mì. Be sure to end with a cup of Vietnamese coffee, a devilish jolt of dark roast and sweetened condensed milk. 1828 Race St., Over-the-Rhine, (513) 376-9177, pholangthang.com. Lunch and dinner seven days. MCC, DS, DC. $

QUAN HAPA

The Nguyen brothers followed up on Pho Lang Thang’s success at Findlay Market by bursting onto the OTR scene with some of the boldest ﬂavors in the city. A tuna ceviche makes use of the ﬁery sweetness of Malaysian sambal oelek and a banh mi steakburger gains crunch from pickled daikon and a side of Indonesian shrimp chips. Or try the okonomiyaki, a traditional Japanese pancake topped with a choice of bacon, prawns, or vegetables. The Vietnamese coffee, a complex, chicory-forward blend, is an ideal way to end the meal. 1331 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine, (513) 421-7826, quanhapa. com. Lunch and dinner seven days. MCC, DS. $ CINCINNATI MAGAZINE, (ISSN 0746-8 210), November 2021, Volume 55, Number 2. Published monthly ($14.95 for 12 issues annually) at 1818 Race St., Ste. 301, Cincinnati, OH 45202. (513) 421-4300. Copyright © 2021 by Cincinnati Magazine LLC, a subsidiary of Hour Media Group, 5750 New King Dr., Ste. 100, Troy, MI 48098. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced or reprinted without permission. Unsolicited manuscripts, photographs, and artwork should be accompanied by SASE for return. The magazine cannot be held responsible for loss. For subscription orders, address changes or renewals, write to CINCINNATI MAGAZINE, 1965 E. Avis Dr., Madison Heights, MI 48071, or call 1-866-660-6247. Periodicals postage paid at Cincinnati, Ohio, and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Please send forms 3579 to CINCINNATI MAGAZINE, 1965 E. Avis Dr., Madison Heights, MI 48071. If the Postal Service alerts us that your magazine is undeliverable, we have no further obligation unless we receive a corrected address within one year.

N O V E M B E R 2 0 2 1 C I N C I N N AT I M A G A Z I N E . C O M 9 5

CINCY OBSCURA

Power to the People BENEATH A WIDE DOME AT THE CINCINNATI OBSERVATORY STANDS A TOWERING TELESCOPE THAT, CENTURIES AGO, REVOLUTIONIZED astronomy. The elm, mahogany, and brass telescope was once the third-largest in the world. Its immense size enabled astronomers to see faint, faraway stars. And as for social impact, the telescope was the first in America open for public use. “It didn’t matter who you were,” says Kelsey Stryffe, Observatory docent. “If you wanted to see the moon, you could come see the moon.” But how did the groundbreaking telescope get here? In 1845, local astronomer Ormsby MacKnight Mitchel purchased a lens in Munich originally crafted for the Tsar of Russa. The assembled instrument was stationed at Mt. Adams, named for former president John Quincy Adams after he gave the observatory’s dedication speech. Much has changed since then—the observatory moved to Mt. Lookout and boasts a second, more technically advanced telescope—but the “people’s telescope” continues living up to its nickname. Still in active use today, anyone can use the instrument to explore the celestial world. — B E B E H O D G E S

9 6 C I N C I N N AT I M A G A Z I N E . C O M N O V E M B E R 2 0 2 1

PHOTOGRAPH BY LANCE ADKINS

Cincinnati Magazine - November 2021 Edition

Articles inside

DINING OUT

DINING GUIDE

SNACK TIME

DR. KNOW

REAL ESTATE

WELCOME TO MIDDLEHOOD