Since my original posts on Obscura, Quatman’s Café and Lachey’s, there have been several substantial changes of note. For the sake of argument, lets subtitle this entry “The Good, The Bad and the Ugly”.

In the “Good” column, Quatman’s Café has successfully transitioned into their new space, adjacent to their former location. The new restaurant manages to capture the spirit of the 1960’s original without seeming like a museum piece. It is very much of now, including the outdoor patio dining, the new bar, and the flat screen TV’s. Happily, the menu is completely unchanged and I am thrilled to report that there is absolutely no change to their award-winning burger.

In the “Bad” category, Obscura has closed their doors for good. I say “Bad”, but that probably only applies to the employees and the investors, because I doubt that anyone else gives a damn. As you may recall from my original post, Obscura tried way too hard to be something that they clearly were not. There is not a single person in Cincinnati who is as important as Obscura fancied their patrons to be. Obscura has recently reopened their doors, newly christened as “IVY Lounge Cincinnati”. I will probably stop in sometime when I am in the area, but I’m not holding my breath for a completely different experience. Time will tell.

Finally, in the “Ugly” zone, I’m extremely disappointed to report that my recent trips to Lachey’s have been subpar. They have been open for over three months now, well beyond the time frame needed to work out issues with the kitchen. It really is unfortunate that they can’t quite seem to pull all of the elements together. I still stand by my original conviction that Lachey’s is the right bar at the right location at the right time. The management seems strong, but the service staff doesn’t seem well trained and the food is wildly inconsistent. Each of the past 3 times I have been to Lachey’s, my food has come out of the kitchen incorrectly. (Although I did have some great soy & lime chicken wings.) Don’t get me wrong, I am still rooting for Lachey’s. I love that there is a sports bar in Over the Rhine. I think their beer selection is good and their cocktails are great. And, when the food is right, it is really good.