Location: 525 Kolb Dr, Fairfield, OH 45014
Date Visited: Friday, February 8, 2008
Today we ate dinner at Roadhouse Grill on Winton Road just in front of the Cincinnati Mills mall (formerly ForestFair Mall).
We barely beat the Friday evening rush. All the booths were taken so we had to sit at a table with chairs. We prefer the comfort and space of a booth. With a table you have to worry about wobbly chairs and traffic. It seems like whenever I sit at a table I always have waiters bumping into me and weaving around with trays of food that barely miss my head as they go by. It didn't bother me today though.
We just got there in time for Happy Hour, which is a wonderful thing. Roadhouse Grill has excellent beer prices during Happy Hour. Lori got a Bud Light draft for $1.51. If you sit in the bar area the beers are only 99¢ during Happy Hour! If you like to have a beer (beers?) with your meal then get there before 7:00 to save some bucks.
I got sweet tea (my favorite beverage) to drink, which came served in a large mason jar. The first jar was kind of bland -- like it was watered-down. But the next two were much better. The tea was Luzianne and was good, but not as good as Cracker Barrel or McAllister's.
The atmosphere at Roadhouse Grill is Texas-style. It reminded me a lot of Texas Roadhouse in many ways. They put a pail of peanuts on the table and you are supposed to just throw the shells on the floor as you eat them. It doesn't take long before the floor is covered with shells. It didn't seem to bother anybody though and in fact added to the fun.
The waitress was very friendly. She brought us some rolls with butter to eat while we waited. They were quite good, but not as delectable as the ones Texas Roadhouse serves. I couldn't decide between a ribeye steak or a Jim Beam marinated sirloin they call The Roadie steak. I asked the waitress and she recommended the Roadie. I ordered it medium rare and it actually came medium rare, which is rare. :) Usually a steak comes well past the medium rare stage when I order it. I wasn't in the mood for veggies so I got sides of mashed potatoes with gravy and a baked sweet potato.
The steak was delicious and packed a lot of flavor. It had a sweet, rich whiskey-based marinade that I enjoyed. The steak was served on a sizzling skillet with sauteed onions. Very nice. I ate the whole 12 ounce steak with no trouble and enjoyed every bite.
The mashed potatoes and gravy were good but nothing special. The baked sweet potato was more enticing. It was served with butter and some brown sugar with cinnamon.
Lori is a vegetarian so we were worried the Roadhouse Grill wouldn't have much she could eat. They did offer some pasta alfredo, but that was the only vegetarian entree available. Lori ordered a gorgonzola salad with balsamic vinaigrette dresssing. She said it was wonderful. She also ordered the stacked potatoes, which is Roadhouse Grill's version of potato skins (of course Lori got them without the bacon). They are round potato sections covered with cheese and sour cream. They were quite good but didn't have enough crispy skin to be a true winner.
The bill came to $30.84 which was a fair price. It was a bit more expensive than Texas Roadhouse, but much cheaper than Outback.
All things considered it was a very enjoyable meal. We will be happy to eat there again some time. If you are hungry for a big steak and a beer then you won't be disappointed with Roadhouse Grill.
-- Nick
Ratings:
Overall: 6 (scale of 0-10 with 5 as average)
Today: 6 (first visit)
Portion size: Large
Atmosphere: Casual
Family-friendly: Yes
Prices: Moderate
Cleanliness: Good
Good place for a 1st date?: No
Similar Places: Texas Roadhouse, Long Horn Steakhouse
Friday, February 8, 2008
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Bravo Cucina Italiana
Location: 9436 Waterfront Dr, West Chester, OH 45069
Date Visited: Thursday, February 7, 2008
Bravo's has been a favorite of ours in the past years. We always felt we received great service and good quality food enjoyed in a clean, modern atmosphere. This visit, however, failed to measure up to our past experiences.
After an afternoon at the Streets of West Chester (primping at Aveda's spa/salon for me and an afternoon of reading & research at Barnes & Noble for my husband), we decided a late lunch at Bravo Cucina Italiana sounded perfect. We were starved, and it was late for lunch -- almost 3pm, which would likely explain why the restaurant was so sparsely filled.
Given the light crowd our server, Linda, was attentive and had the complementary bread basket & oil at our table quickly along with our drinks (water with lemon). The bread was our first disappointment -- stale & cold. It was obvious the cut bread from the lunch crowd had not been replaced with warm, fresh bread. The Focaccia, which is usually a fairly soft bread, was so hard I knocked the piece on the table, and it made a hard wood-on-wood knock. I mentioned this to our server, and she quickly replaced the wooden bread with warm, fresh bread.
As our lunch entrees we opted for the lunch specials of Mezza Lasagna and Mezza Ravioli with an Insalata Della Casa and the Insalata Mista salads. Our salads were good, but as usual for Bravo, they were far too cold. I strongly believe a salad should be served slightly chilled -- not frigid from the fridge. The flavor and freshness, however, were great, and the salads paired wonderfully with the fresh bread.
My husband's entree, the Mezza Lasagna, was quite good. He said it was a flavorful lasagna, more flavorful than most, and was not a heavy, starchy dish (like many lasagnas can be). My entree, the Mezza Ravioli, was a bit of a disappointment. The sauce was bland, with almost a "tin can" taste. The pasta was average in texture & flavor. I ended up eating only half the small portion, and took home the remainder only to have it sit in my fridge and end up in the garbage 3 days later. Clearly, I wasn't impressed with the dish.
We ended our meal with a shared portion of Tiramisu, a favorite of ours. Bravo's version was not what I remembered it to be; It was good, but not great. Like the salads, the dessert was served far too cold. It was creamy and had a great texture, but the flavor was not remarkable. Tiramisu, if made well, has a rich, full flavor; an intense dairy taste with a lingering coffee essence. This Tiramisu was a bit bland, almost watery. I was disappointed.
We will likely return to Bravo, because we are simply hoping our unfortunate experience was a one-time occurrence. After all, with the intricacies involved in the restaurant business, even the most seasoned, fabulous eatery can have a bad day.
Bravo has many things going for it: The atmosphere is modern bistro with an old world feel -- the chiseled columns and open kitchen with wood-burning ovens add to the special feel; The staff is always knowledgeable and helpful; The wine list is ample; The restaurant is always clean, which is always a big plus. The food, though, is the main reason anyone visits a restaurant, and today Bravo has a strike against them in our book. So, they will hopefully get it right next time.
~~ Lori
Ratings:
Overall: 7.5 (scale of 0-10 with 5 as average)
Today: 3
Portion size: Entree -- small (lunch portion), Salads -- average, Dessert -- large
Atmosphere: Upscale
Family-friendly: Yes
Prices: Moderate
Cleanliness: Good
Good place for a 1st date?: Definitely
Similar Places: Macaroni Grill, Olive Garden
Date Visited: Thursday, February 7, 2008
Bravo's has been a favorite of ours in the past years. We always felt we received great service and good quality food enjoyed in a clean, modern atmosphere. This visit, however, failed to measure up to our past experiences.
After an afternoon at the Streets of West Chester (primping at Aveda's spa/salon for me and an afternoon of reading & research at Barnes & Noble for my husband), we decided a late lunch at Bravo Cucina Italiana sounded perfect. We were starved, and it was late for lunch -- almost 3pm, which would likely explain why the restaurant was so sparsely filled.
Given the light crowd our server, Linda, was attentive and had the complementary bread basket & oil at our table quickly along with our drinks (water with lemon). The bread was our first disappointment -- stale & cold. It was obvious the cut bread from the lunch crowd had not been replaced with warm, fresh bread. The Focaccia, which is usually a fairly soft bread, was so hard I knocked the piece on the table, and it made a hard wood-on-wood knock. I mentioned this to our server, and she quickly replaced the wooden bread with warm, fresh bread.
As our lunch entrees we opted for the lunch specials of Mezza Lasagna and Mezza Ravioli with an Insalata Della Casa and the Insalata Mista salads. Our salads were good, but as usual for Bravo, they were far too cold. I strongly believe a salad should be served slightly chilled -- not frigid from the fridge. The flavor and freshness, however, were great, and the salads paired wonderfully with the fresh bread.
My husband's entree, the Mezza Lasagna, was quite good. He said it was a flavorful lasagna, more flavorful than most, and was not a heavy, starchy dish (like many lasagnas can be). My entree, the Mezza Ravioli, was a bit of a disappointment. The sauce was bland, with almost a "tin can" taste. The pasta was average in texture & flavor. I ended up eating only half the small portion, and took home the remainder only to have it sit in my fridge and end up in the garbage 3 days later. Clearly, I wasn't impressed with the dish.
We ended our meal with a shared portion of Tiramisu, a favorite of ours. Bravo's version was not what I remembered it to be; It was good, but not great. Like the salads, the dessert was served far too cold. It was creamy and had a great texture, but the flavor was not remarkable. Tiramisu, if made well, has a rich, full flavor; an intense dairy taste with a lingering coffee essence. This Tiramisu was a bit bland, almost watery. I was disappointed.
We will likely return to Bravo, because we are simply hoping our unfortunate experience was a one-time occurrence. After all, with the intricacies involved in the restaurant business, even the most seasoned, fabulous eatery can have a bad day.
Bravo has many things going for it: The atmosphere is modern bistro with an old world feel -- the chiseled columns and open kitchen with wood-burning ovens add to the special feel; The staff is always knowledgeable and helpful; The wine list is ample; The restaurant is always clean, which is always a big plus. The food, though, is the main reason anyone visits a restaurant, and today Bravo has a strike against them in our book. So, they will hopefully get it right next time.
~~ Lori
Ratings:
Overall: 7.5 (scale of 0-10 with 5 as average)
Today: 3
Portion size: Entree -- small (lunch portion), Salads -- average, Dessert -- large
Atmosphere: Upscale
Family-friendly: Yes
Prices: Moderate
Cleanliness: Good
Good place for a 1st date?: Definitely
Similar Places: Macaroni Grill, Olive Garden
Saturday, February 2, 2008
McAlister's
Location: 7622 Cox Lane, West Chester, OH 45069
Date Visited: Saturday, February 2, 2008
McAlister's is always a fun place to visit. The dining room is surrounded by windows & mirrors and laid out pub style with a mixture of booths & tables. The ordering counter is in the back with an extensive menu that reads from one end of the lengthy counter to the other end. This menu is so large it contains everything from baked potatoes to nachos to sandwiches, soups, chili, salads, etc.
Nick ordered his usual McAlister's Club Sandwich -- their version of the classic with ham, turkey, bacon, a few cheeses, and dressings on toasted wheat (although, you can specify any one of about a dozen different breads for your sandwich). He opted for a side of soup (an upcharge in place of the usual sides) -- Chicken Tortilla Soup. I ordered a loaded, Veggie Spud for myself -- a mammoth baked potato with green peppers, black olives, red onions, tomatoes, green onions, cheeses, and sides of salsa, sour cream, and butter. Nick, of course, MUST have his sweet tea, and with my allergy to caffeine I decided on water with lemon.
McAlister's is consistent in their quality. We have yet to leave that restaurant disappointed. Nick's sandwich was excellent and the soup delicious. My potato was colossal -- yes, I mean extremely HUGE. My guess is it was approximately 10 inches long. It was great; the vegetables were sauteed perfectly. If I could change one thing, though, it would be to lessen the amount of cheese. Other than that, though, my meal was wonderful. Nick said he was equally pleased.
If you haven't visited McAlister's yet, I'd strongly suggest you give it a try. There is something for everyone; the menu is almost as large as their baked potatoes, and they also have yummy desserts like Kentucky Derby Pie and large $1 cookies that are great to eat on the way out the door and finish on the drive home.
If you ask Nick he'll tell you it's worth the visit simply to buy a gallon of their sweet tea, if nothing else.
If you ask me, I will tell you the reasons to eat at McAlister's are far too numerous to mention.
~~Lori
Ratings:
Overall: 8.5 (scale of 0-10 with 5 as average)
Today: 8
Portion size: Large
Atmosphere: Casual, deli-style
Family-friendly: Yes
Prices: Economical
Cleanliness: Good
Good place for a 1st date?: No
Similar Places: Marx Bagels comes to mind, but it's been a long time since we've eaten there...McAlister's is really unique. It's hard to think of a similar type of place.
Date Visited: Saturday, February 2, 2008
McAlister's is always a fun place to visit. The dining room is surrounded by windows & mirrors and laid out pub style with a mixture of booths & tables. The ordering counter is in the back with an extensive menu that reads from one end of the lengthy counter to the other end. This menu is so large it contains everything from baked potatoes to nachos to sandwiches, soups, chili, salads, etc.
Nick ordered his usual McAlister's Club Sandwich -- their version of the classic with ham, turkey, bacon, a few cheeses, and dressings on toasted wheat (although, you can specify any one of about a dozen different breads for your sandwich). He opted for a side of soup (an upcharge in place of the usual sides) -- Chicken Tortilla Soup. I ordered a loaded, Veggie Spud for myself -- a mammoth baked potato with green peppers, black olives, red onions, tomatoes, green onions, cheeses, and sides of salsa, sour cream, and butter. Nick, of course, MUST have his sweet tea, and with my allergy to caffeine I decided on water with lemon.
McAlister's is consistent in their quality. We have yet to leave that restaurant disappointed. Nick's sandwich was excellent and the soup delicious. My potato was colossal -- yes, I mean extremely HUGE. My guess is it was approximately 10 inches long. It was great; the vegetables were sauteed perfectly. If I could change one thing, though, it would be to lessen the amount of cheese. Other than that, though, my meal was wonderful. Nick said he was equally pleased.
If you haven't visited McAlister's yet, I'd strongly suggest you give it a try. There is something for everyone; the menu is almost as large as their baked potatoes, and they also have yummy desserts like Kentucky Derby Pie and large $1 cookies that are great to eat on the way out the door and finish on the drive home.
If you ask Nick he'll tell you it's worth the visit simply to buy a gallon of their sweet tea, if nothing else.
If you ask me, I will tell you the reasons to eat at McAlister's are far too numerous to mention.
~~Lori
Ratings:
Overall: 8.5 (scale of 0-10 with 5 as average)
Today: 8
Portion size: Large
Atmosphere: Casual, deli-style
Family-friendly: Yes
Prices: Economical
Cleanliness: Good
Good place for a 1st date?: No
Similar Places: Marx Bagels comes to mind, but it's been a long time since we've eaten there...McAlister's is really unique. It's hard to think of a similar type of place.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Uno Chicago Grill
Location: 9246 Schulze Dr, West Chester, OH 45069
Date Visited: Saturday, January 26, 2008
Let me paint the picture...
Uno's. Two hungry, very hungry people. Saturday night approximately 8:15pm. Yes, we had to wait. It was standing room only in the foyer. It was confusing when we first walked in because the room was so filled with people that we could barely make our way to the host station. My advice to Uno's is to put a greeter at the door and instruct folks where to shuffle themselves or have the greeter take the names there at the door to limit confusion & congestion. We were told the wait was 20 minutes, and after waiting in the car for 5 minutes our flashing buzzer buzzed & flashed. So, we didn't have to wait long, and we were happy about that!
We decided to forgo the appetizers and went straight for the pizza. I ordered the Shroom pizza which is a sauceless pizza loaded with fresh mushrooms, spinach, garlic, and cheeses. It was so good that I was nodding my head while I consumed the entire thing, uttering between bites how delicious it was. Nick was equally pleased with his Numero Uno pizza: Uno's "works" pizza with sausage, pepperoni, onions, peppers, mushrooms, a chunky tomato sauce, and cheeses. He commented on this pizza being the best he'd had in a long time.
Both of our pizzas were served hot, tasted fresh, and were assembled perfectly. We ate both of our deep dish pizzas until only crumbs were left.
Add to this experience a Blue Moon ale and an Uno signature ale (made exclusively for Uno's by Sam Adams), and we had the makings of a perfect Saturday night pizza meal.
Yep, we'd recommend Uno's. Heck, we'll probably be back there in the next few weeks.
~~Lori
Ratings:
Overall: 8 (scale of 0-10 with 5 as average)
Today: 8 (first visit)
Portion size: Large
Atmosphere: Casual
Family-friendly: Yes
Prices: Moderate
Cleanliness: Good
Good place for a 1st date?: Yes, for a casual date
Similar Places: LaRosa's
Date Visited: Saturday, January 26, 2008
Let me paint the picture...
Uno's. Two hungry, very hungry people. Saturday night approximately 8:15pm. Yes, we had to wait. It was standing room only in the foyer. It was confusing when we first walked in because the room was so filled with people that we could barely make our way to the host station. My advice to Uno's is to put a greeter at the door and instruct folks where to shuffle themselves or have the greeter take the names there at the door to limit confusion & congestion. We were told the wait was 20 minutes, and after waiting in the car for 5 minutes our flashing buzzer buzzed & flashed. So, we didn't have to wait long, and we were happy about that!
We decided to forgo the appetizers and went straight for the pizza. I ordered the Shroom pizza which is a sauceless pizza loaded with fresh mushrooms, spinach, garlic, and cheeses. It was so good that I was nodding my head while I consumed the entire thing, uttering between bites how delicious it was. Nick was equally pleased with his Numero Uno pizza: Uno's "works" pizza with sausage, pepperoni, onions, peppers, mushrooms, a chunky tomato sauce, and cheeses. He commented on this pizza being the best he'd had in a long time.
Both of our pizzas were served hot, tasted fresh, and were assembled perfectly. We ate both of our deep dish pizzas until only crumbs were left.
Add to this experience a Blue Moon ale and an Uno signature ale (made exclusively for Uno's by Sam Adams), and we had the makings of a perfect Saturday night pizza meal.
Yep, we'd recommend Uno's. Heck, we'll probably be back there in the next few weeks.
~~Lori
Ratings:
Overall: 8 (scale of 0-10 with 5 as average)
Today: 8 (first visit)
Portion size: Large
Atmosphere: Casual
Family-friendly: Yes
Prices: Moderate
Cleanliness: Good
Good place for a 1st date?: Yes, for a casual date
Similar Places: LaRosa's
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Olive Garden
Location: 7179 Dixie Hwy, Fairfield, OH 45014
Date Visited: Wednesday, January 16, 2008
If there's one type of food I could probably eat every day it would be Italian. I love lasagna, pizza, pasta, and just about anything else that comes out of an Italian kitchen. So, whenever I get the chance to pick a place to eat, "Italian" is the first word that comes to my mind.
Olive Garden isn't my favorite Italian restaurant, but it does satisfy my Italian cravings when they peak. This visit to Olive Garden was a satisfying meal indeed.
We started off with the Artichoke & Spinach Dip as our appetizer. It was a good dip, but the bread did nothing to enhance this appetizer. The combination of the bread and the dip was bland -- a better choice would have been to pair the dip with thinly sliced, toasted bread pieces drizzled with olive oil. We liked the dip, but will probably order something different next time.
The salad was fabulous, as always. I ate more than my share. The breadsticks were the usual -- Olive Garden's breadsticks aren't my favorite; I find them tasteless and rubbery, but they're edible if dipped in the salad's dressing or the pasta's sauce.
Speaking of pasta, Nick had the Spaghetti & Meatballs while I enjoyed the Linguine alla Marinara. His pasta dish was quite good, but was a little dry on the sauce. (I believe one can order extra sauce at no charge, which is what Nick should do. He loves lots of sauce.) The meatballs were flavorful. My linguine dish was unremarkable. The pasta was al dente and cooked to perfection, but the sauce was not good; it seemed unfinished, uncooked, raw. I will not be ordering that dish again.
We finished our meal with a shared piece of Lemon Cream Cake, which was delightful. The cake was moist and the filling tangy. I highly recommend it.
~~Lori
Ratings:
Overall: 7.5 (scale of 0-10 with 5 as average)
Today: 7.5
Portion size: Large
Atmosphere: Slightly Upscale
Family-friendly: Yes
Prices: Moderate
Cleanliness: Good
Good place for a 1st date?: Yes
Similar Places: Macaroni Grill, Bravo, LaRosa's
Date Visited: Wednesday, January 16, 2008
If there's one type of food I could probably eat every day it would be Italian. I love lasagna, pizza, pasta, and just about anything else that comes out of an Italian kitchen. So, whenever I get the chance to pick a place to eat, "Italian" is the first word that comes to my mind.
Olive Garden isn't my favorite Italian restaurant, but it does satisfy my Italian cravings when they peak. This visit to Olive Garden was a satisfying meal indeed.
We started off with the Artichoke & Spinach Dip as our appetizer. It was a good dip, but the bread did nothing to enhance this appetizer. The combination of the bread and the dip was bland -- a better choice would have been to pair the dip with thinly sliced, toasted bread pieces drizzled with olive oil. We liked the dip, but will probably order something different next time.
The salad was fabulous, as always. I ate more than my share. The breadsticks were the usual -- Olive Garden's breadsticks aren't my favorite; I find them tasteless and rubbery, but they're edible if dipped in the salad's dressing or the pasta's sauce.
Speaking of pasta, Nick had the Spaghetti & Meatballs while I enjoyed the Linguine alla Marinara. His pasta dish was quite good, but was a little dry on the sauce. (I believe one can order extra sauce at no charge, which is what Nick should do. He loves lots of sauce.) The meatballs were flavorful. My linguine dish was unremarkable. The pasta was al dente and cooked to perfection, but the sauce was not good; it seemed unfinished, uncooked, raw. I will not be ordering that dish again.
We finished our meal with a shared piece of Lemon Cream Cake, which was delightful. The cake was moist and the filling tangy. I highly recommend it.
~~Lori
Ratings:
Overall: 7.5 (scale of 0-10 with 5 as average)
Today: 7.5
Portion size: Large
Atmosphere: Slightly Upscale
Family-friendly: Yes
Prices: Moderate
Cleanliness: Good
Good place for a 1st date?: Yes
Similar Places: Macaroni Grill, Bravo, LaRosa's
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
We love to eat!
Since we both love to eat out so much we thought it would be a great idea to share our experiences with other food lovers. We go to restaurants almost every day. We have some favorites, but we also like variety. We enjoy trying different foods whenever possible.
Check out the blog every once in a while to find out how delicious our recent meals have been. We are on a mission to find the best places to eat in Greater Cincinnati!
Check out the blog every once in a while to find out how delicious our recent meals have been. We are on a mission to find the best places to eat in Greater Cincinnati!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
