Restaurant of the Month – May 2014

May 3, 2014 By

Blue Wisp offers dining and entertainment in one place

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Visitors looking for a good night out that includes a tasty dinner, drinks and entertainment will find all of that at the Blue Wisp in Cincinnati’s downtown.

Some say the Blue Wisp is mostly a live music venue, with a focus of all types of jazz. Others say it’s a great dining destination. Still others love the giant bar area, where the taps are numerous, the bottles many, and the bartenders are as top-shelf as the libations.

Key magazine gives the Blue Wisp thumbs up in all three categories. The Blue Wisp is unique in the Greater Cincinnati market. First, the food focus is on entrée dishes that you’ll recognize, appreciate and find upscale without being above understanding. You know what we mean: accent marks over letters, ingredients one cannot pronounce and haven’t heard of, even if one could pronounce them.

Not at Blue Wisp. Menu choices are in an exquisite middle area where diner satisfaction is concerned—neither high-brow nor fare we know as “bar food.” For example, cider salmon is an entrée to which Key gives a first in class. The salmon is fresh and top-quality, and the dish is made with fresh apples and pan-made sauce; nothing bagged or boxed in the whole recipe, according to Ken Moore, GM.

Fact is the Blue Wisp kitchen is a farm-to-table practitioner, relying on our own vaunted Findlay Market (see cover story) and local growers whenever possible. Meats? The kitchen cuts its own steaks, for example. Plus, you’ll find no cryo-vac pre-packs in the Blue Wisp kitchen, Moore stated. “Our Cuban sandwich is a good example. We do it all here: slow-roasted pork, to which we add ham, smoked pork belly and Swiss cheese, top it with Dijonnaise sauce, press it down with some pickles. That’s a sensational sandwich!

“The same with our beef tenderloin medallions, which is one of the most-ordered entrée dishes on our menu. We do that in a blueberry demi-glace and roasted bleu cheese crumbles, served with a side of smashed potatoes and seasonal vegetables. Also, our entrees come with a side salad, bread and butter. So, we offer a good meal at an attractive price in a setting where you will enjoy fine music and some of the best jazz talent on the circuit today. That makes the Blue Wisp a place like no other in the Greater Cincinnati area, and it’s a true highlight for adults visiting the area.”

And what about that jazz, you ask? Among the “name” acts that appear at the Blue Wisp are performers such as Stanley Jordan, Benny Gholson of sax fame, and the Ramsey Lewis trio.

Filed Under: Restaurant Of The Month

Hot Spot of the Month – May 2014

May 3, 2014 By

Cosmo’s is Hot Spot for eats, bar, entertainment

Many visitors to Greater Cincinnati ask Key magazine for a better-than-bar-food place to eat—so, they want good food—but with the energy and action of a hot bar scene. We have the place for you—Cosmo’s on Main Street in MainStrasse Village, Covington (Northern Kentucky, just five blocks across the bridge over the Ohio River).

Cosmo’s Amanda Collins, bartender and one of the friendly faces of this hot spot, will tell you: “The food is really very good—way better than bar food.”
She enthusiastically cited the parmesan cream pasta as an example. “The pasta is mixed with sautéed vegetables and tossed in our parmesan cream sauce, which you can have as is, or you can add blackened or grilled chicken or grouper” if you want protein as well. Collins gave equally high marks to the Cajun cream pasta, with a sauté of peppers, tomatoes and onions, with a Cajun lemon cream sauce, and the options of chicken or fish, grilled or blackened. Both are hearty, hefty entrée dishes, and both reasonably priced.

Looking over the menu, you’ll find lots of comfort food that goes good with the many draft beers and a back bar mixed drinks available. The comfort food includes dishes such as pub-style fish & chips. Also, there is a sizeable list of burgers, including a crowd favorite called the Santa Fe burger. All burgers are _-pounders, and the Santa Fe includes a black-bean and corn salsa to accompany the burger fixins.

While there are plenty of bar-style appetizers, also there are items such as the spinach & artichoke dip, and chicken and cheese quesadillas. And the menu includes salads, pizzas, calzones, sandwiches and wraps, along with entrée dishes—all tasty and better than your average bar bill of fare, according to Collins.

Filed Under: Hot Spot Of The Month

Hotel of the month – May 2014

May 3, 2014 By

Symphony Hotel & Restaurant: Elegance and charm abounds

If themes of history and music and quaint, intimate settings resonate with you, you’ll want to book yourself into the Symphony Hotel.

This lodging establishment is perfectly positioned for the elegant-minded, who appreciate setting, scene and sense of place. Picture this: Cincinnati’s Music Hall looming at its door; newly configured Washington Park, a cultural magnet, steps away from that same door; and the more than century-old structure itself situated in the City’s famous Over-the-Rhine District. That, reader, is the Symphony Hotel and Restaurant.

Pictures tell more than words are capable, but know that the full-service restaurant and hotel were developed from two buildings built, with a common wall between, in the late 1800s. These “row” houses, linked now, feature nine musically themed rooms, each named after a famous composer of the classical genre. Rooms are furnished in period antiques that echo an era more than 100 years past. Each stay includes a continental breakfast on weekdays and a gourmet breakfast is available on weekends.

The restaurant in the hotel is in one of the row houses’ former “formal” parlor and an adjacent music room.

Filed Under: Hotel Of The Month

Cover Story – May 2014

May 3, 2014 By

Foodies & Fun Seekers Love Findlay Market

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Big-city market houses are fantabulous places to find fun and food. Boston has its Quincy. Seattle has its Pike Street. Cincinnati has its Findlay—market house, that is.

Our cherished market is named after General James Findlay (1770-1835), among Cincinnati’s founding families, whose estate donated the land on which the market stands. Today the Findlay site is the oldest surviving market house in all of Ohio. Findlay Market was named to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. But that’s history; what about now, today

Physically, the market takes up the length of a city block, with entry doors at each end and at the mid-way point. In and about the market house there are some 40 fixed stalls or storefront establishments selling everything from homemade sausages to cheeses imported from many thousands of miles away.

Spice lovers will find Colonel De’s Gourmet Herbs & Spices, offering an unbelievable array of everything herby-spicy, available by the pinch or pound or any amount you want. You’ll find exotic flavors—truly global in reach—from places like Madagascar and Thailand and islands of the South Pacific.

Or just go nutty, as we Cincinnatians do, over the Taste of Belgium. It’s a waffle emporium, where Chief Waffle Officer Jean-Francois Flechet turns out waffle creations that are magnificent. No other word fits—magnificent! Flechet’s waffles can be loaded with confections and fruit, or they can be savory as well. Try the chicken waffle. It’s lick-the-plate good!

Ever had a genuine German knockwurst? You could at Findlay Market, because at least one stand offers the garlic and herb sausages. Knockwurst sausages are loaded with flavor, great on a bun, or with warm German potato salad.

On warm-weather weekend days, there are day-stands (set up at the start of the market day and taken down at its end) that make kettle corn (yummm!), grilled sausages with onions and peppers, burgers and bratwursts, soups, teas and more. The aroma alone will drive your taste-buds crazy. Seasonally, you might run into roasted corn, slices of watermelon, apple cider and more.

Since May can be warm, be sure to stop at Dojo Gelato, where Italian-style ice cream and sorbetto are made fresh daily. The folks behind the counter are the makers of the product, which is made at the market house. They use only fresh ingredients, including milk free of growth hormones, and whenever possible, ingredients from local farmers.

Speaking of local farmers, each weekend (especially Saturday) during the growing season, you will find truck farm-stands adjacent to the market’s main building. These farmers are all small and local, within 50 miles or so of the market. They bring in field-fresh produce, eggs and cheeses; oven-fresh breads and pastries; locally harvested honey; and so much more. This time of year, the early spring crops are in and the quality is superb.
Or if you are feeling more like settling down behind some good, old fashioned comfort food, stop by a stand such as Gramma Debbie’s Kitchen. There is macaroni and cheese, made with three cheeses (and a spicy buffalo version too); braised kale and beans, a greens and beans dish that has a spicy kick to it, and more. Soups and salads and many heat-it-yourself items round out Gramma’s menu.

The point is, you can find just about anything you want to eat, along with gifts to buy and take back home, and sights to see as well, at Cincinnati’s one and only market house—Findlay Market.
See you there!

Filed Under: Cover Story

Key Shopping Experience – I Love Cincinnati Shoppe

April 14, 2014 By

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There is something for everyone on your list, including you, at the I Love Cincinnati Shoppe located on level two of the Carew Tower shopping area above the street level walk-through of the Tower building at 441 Vine Street downtown.

Just now with the Reds season in full bloom, you’ll find plenty of Cincinnati Reds official apparel, including jerseys, hats, sweats, tees and more. Outfit yourself in an official MLB Reds logo item, or find sizes to fit teens, kids and even toddlers and infants. Also for the little ones are action figures of the most popular players, including hard-hitting first-baseman Joey Votto.

In the official apparel department, the same goes for the Cincinnati Bengals, University of Cincinnati Bearcats, Xavier University Musketeers, Ohio State Buckeyes, and other area teams. Baseball-style caps with both team insignia and “Cincinnati” inscriptions are in stock and ready gifts for almost anyone on your list.

You’ll find a wide range of affordable memento gifts on display at the Shoppe as well. There are fridge magnets of every size, shape and description, from Cincinnati sports team logos, to Flying Pig marathon items to Fountain Square.

An extensive rack of postcards allows you to send Cincinnati sites with your good tidings, or collect them as keepsakes of places visited with here in Greater Cincinnati.

There are Cincinnati Monopoly games (just like the Parker Bros. version, only with Cincy locales!), framed color shots of Cincinnati landmarks and stadiums, past and present. For both outdoors and in, there are pennants, flags, wind-sock hangers and more. Check on the time with clocks featuring XU, Miami (of Ohio), Ohio State and UC logos on the face.

In addition, the Shoppe offers custom-filled baskets with whatever you may want, and if desired handle all packing and shipping to any destination.

If it’s about Cincinnati, you’re almost certain to find it at the I Love Cincinnati Shoppe, 441 Vine Street, Carew Tower. 513-381-4401

Filed Under: Business Of The Month

Palomino is Mediterranean- European Dining with Italian Flavors

April 14, 2014 By

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If you’re looking for a fine-dine restaurant with an enticing mix of imaginative food, fun-friendly ambiance and a magnificent location with a view, look no further than Palomino Restaurant & Bar.

Let’s get to cases! Lunch, anyone? Try the salmon burger. We did, and it is scrumptious. Sous Chef James White tells us they buy premium Atlantic salmon in big filets several feet long, then cut serving portions from the loin. For the burger, small pieces are taken and shredded, not ground, to allow for big chunks in the _-pound burger—hence more salmon flavor. It works, too. The burger is tasty and loaded with salmon flavor. BTW, the burger is topped with a chef-made spicy onion “jam” that is like a marmalade, and is flat-out delicious.

Palomino is known for its rotisserie cooking, according to GM Nelson Castillo. “We feature rotisserie cooking and items that are very difficult to execute at home,” he said. Pork, beef and chicken are among those items, and the process takes hours— actually, days for the pork loin. The bone-in pork loin is brine cured for 3-4 days in a sweet/herby concoction that penetrates and preps the meat for the rotisserie. Then, the meat is coated with a steak-salt, garlic, onion and pepper mix, and roasted. When you order, the chef whacks off the chop and brings the meat to temp and the result is mouth-watering. The chicken is done a little differently, and finished in a brick “oven” with temps off the charts, so the skin is crispy and tasty, and inside, the flesh is juicy and tasty and terrific.

Is pasta (and why not at this eatery with an Italian bent?) to your liking? Try the rigatoni Bolognese. The dish features hot Italian sausage, pear tomatoes, roasted red-pepper cream and parmesan cheese on top, mixed with bread crumbs and finished under the broiler to form a delightful crust. Yum? You bet!

Filed Under: Restaurant Of The Month
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