Northside Yacht Club

I will have to confess that Northside as a neighborhood is a bit of a hard sell for me. In the 21 years that I have lived in Cincinnati, Northside has always been called “the next big thing”. Up until very recently, that proclamation has always seemed to fail to pan out. There does appear to be some actual positive movement in the last couple of years though, with several residential developments cropping up as well as restaurants like Bistro Grace (reviewed in this blog in April), Django Western Taco, and The Littlefield filling in some of the long underutilized commercial space along the business corridor of Hamilton Avenue. In this vein, I was excited to hear about the Northside Yacht Club on Spring Grove Avenue. I wish that my excitement was warranted, but going back to the Northside Yacht Club will probably be as much of a hard sell as Northside itself.

This is not to say that the bar portion of the establishment is inherently bad. What is bad though is the proliferation of patrons who seem to be trying just a little bit too hard to be different than everyone else and in the process have ended up looking exactly like each other. I don’t think I need to elaborate, you know the type. The bartenders are very laid back, almost to the point that they are bored to be there and getting a drink for a patron is a chore. In no way do I mean to imply rudeness at all, just apathy. And I have said so before in this very blog, I strongly dislike bars where I have to order my food from the bar and not from a server. The bartender doesn’t want to be bothered with it and the food never comes out exactly right. If I sound unenthusiastic, you are reading me correctly. There were five of us at the table and it was a struggle to bring out all of our food in a time frame where we all felt like we were being served at the same time. I would excuse that in a large party setting, but five patrons shouldn’t be a challenge for any restaurant. The quality of the food varied wildly. I ordered cilantro honey lime wings that were meaty and delicious with a flavor unlike anything that I would expect from a dish as plebeian as chicken wings. The now ubiquitous poutine was delicious as well. However, my friend’s vegan lentil Cincinnati chili fries were bordering on disgusting. (Disclaimer: I am not a fan of Cincinnati style chili to begin with. Cinnamon and chocolate do not belong in chili. This rant is now over.) I was also less than thrilled with the decor. There was really nothing to set it apart as a “yacht club” aside from the nautical rope on the ceiling. If I am being blatantly honest, it all looks like a half-hearted attempt at reopening a previous business with barely a coat of paint and a name change and expecting a change of fortune.

If perhaps one lived near Northside Yacht Club, it might be an OK place to stop in for a beer. That being said, I don’t live anywhere near Northside and the likelihood of me going there for the specific purpose of visiting Northside Yacht Club again is slim to none.

Roney’s

It is no secret that I am not a fan of fast food, but Roney’s presents me with a dilemma: fast food, but locally owned. Roney’s has an interesting and somewhat complicated backstory. They originally opened in 1969 on the corner of State Route 32 and Roney Lane in Union Township in Clermont County, not far from Eastgate Mall. For the first 43 years of their existence, they were a franchise of the Roy Rogers Restaurant chain (hence the faux cowboy decor). While those of you 40 and over may remember Roy Rogers having a presence in the Cincinnati area, by and large they have disappeared from all but about 50 east coast locations. At various times, they were owned by several entities including Hardee’s, most of whom decimated the once thriving chain reducing their restaurant count from almost 650 to the current 50. That being said, the last remaining Ohio location operated almost as an island, independent from what transpired at a corporate level. In 2012, they left the franchise agreement due to changes in the menu, and renamed themselves after the street on which they were located, Roney Lane. The restaurant eventually closed in 2014 due to a lease dispute, but recently reopened on Milford Parkway in Milford in an entirely new building that pays tribute to the original Roy Rogers architecture, but corrects many of the deficiencies that were present in the old location, not the least of which being the restrooms located on the rear of the building, 1970’s gas station style.

But what you really want to know about is the food, right? If I could liken the menu to anything that you might be familiar with, Hardee’s or Arby’s would be a good jumping off point. Burgers, Fried Chicken, Roast Beef sandwiches and wrap sandwiches that they call Strollers are the mainstays of the menu. They also feature a condiment bar not unlike what was featured in many fast food restaurants in the 1970’s to dress up these sandwiches to your liking. The fried chicken is crispy on the outside and incredibly juicy on the inside, the roast beef sandwiches (I like mine with Swiss cheese) are perfectly doused with something that I fondly call “yum yum sauce”, more formally known as au jus, and the Double R Burger topped with American cheese and a thin slice of ham is a great alternative to the mass production of McDonald’s or Burger King. The menu also features a fish sandwiches, the best fast food french fries I have ever had, and an Apple Cheese crisp for dessert. I’m afraid that I lack the words to adequately describe how much better this is than your standard fast food fare. Please do yourself a favor and try it for yourself the next time that you are in the Milford area. I am guessing that by now the hype has died down a little, but prepare yourself for a little bit of a wait. Roney’s regulars are a devoted breed and I count myself among them.

The Gruff

A few months ago on what was likely the most beautiful day in Greater Cincinnati in all of 2015, I was lucky enough to meet some dear friends at The Gruff in Covington, in the shadow of the Roebling Suspension Bridge on East Second Street and sit on the patio basking in the perfect weather and the company of great people. That particular location should serve The Gruff well, even though for many Cincinnatians, the decision of where to eat ends at the Ohio River. I am of the opinion that many times, restaurants across the river (in Newport and Covington in particular) get left out of the discussion of the restaurant renaissance that has been taking place in Cincinnati over the past few years. Maybe I can do my small part in bringing attention to some of the more worthy locations just across the Kentucky state line.

In addition to the outstanding weather on that day and the excellent company, there were also drinks and food from The Gruff too. I beg your forgiveness, for it has been a few months and I don’t remember what anyone else had to eat, but I ordered a delicious Meat and Potatoes brick oven pizza. The crust was topped with house made sausage, Yukon gold potatoes (my favorite variety of my favorite vegetable, due mostly to their characteristic subtle sweetness), and mozzarella and goat cheeses. What I do remember about the food that my friends ordered was how fresh all of the ingredients were and how I left the restaurant feeling full but not like I was going to explode. (You might find this difficult to fathom, but I may be guilty of overindulging every now and again.)

In order to whet our proverbial whistles, we all ordered cocktails of one variety or another. Again, I don’t remember exactly which of the 8 rotating local taps I chose, but I do recall that the selections were (charmingly?) written on the hand of our efficient server. If you are lucky enough to sit outside like we were, bring Fido (or in our case, Fergie) along for the ride, as the patio is pooch friendly. While we chose to enjoy the gorgeous weather, The Gruff also has a large interior dining area that I would describe as a deli meets your favorite local watering hole, topped off with a big dose of sunshine streaming through the vast expanse of windows that line the entire front of the building. All in all, The Gruff was a great, super casual, tasty and decently priced reason to drive across the murky Ohio River and check out a little bit of what Covington has to offer.

Postscript: If you are looking for other great choices across the river, I would recommend Sweet Basil in Crescent Springs, York Street in Newport, and Otto’s in Covington. These are just a few of my favorites, but I would love to hear what some of yours are as well.

Mita’s

Its been a long time since a restaurant has opened Downtown that I have been this excited about, maybe since Sotto and that’s a pretty high bar to set, let alone eclipse. First off, let me give some well-deserved kudos to the interior design team at Mita’s. No attempt was made to camouflage the fact that the restaurant is located in the freshly minted 84.51° Building. You know, the one that everyone is still going to call the Dunnhumby Building, since the new name is so awkward? Yeah, that one. Exposed concrete abounds, especially the ceiling and the tops of the support columns. Yet, at the same time, I felt somehow transported to Latin America or perhaps Spain, most likely due to the rest of the design aesthetic and the contemporary, yet not overly trendy color scheme of oranges and blues and Mediterranean inspired design choices. The lighting is Latin influenced as well, finished off with the now obligatory Edison bulbs. Don’t get me wrong though, I’ll chose the soft, vintage style glow of an Edison bulb over a flickering fluorescent tube any day. The tables are also placed further apart than in a typical urban setting, which is a nice respite from the communal benches and wall to wall seating in Over the Rhine. For once, I didn’t feel like I was sharing my dinner conversation with strangers.

We were warmly greeted at the hostess desk which faces the corner of Fifth and Race with views of Saks and Macy’s, as well as the exterior of my favorite hotel in Cincinnati, the art deco masterpiece Hilton Netherland Plaza. The hostess led us to our table where we were promptly offered a choice of either sparkling or still water (i.e. tap water). Very shortly after our water arrived, our server did as well, with an ear to ear smile and a warmth that is rarely seen in the service industry today. She offered tapas suggestions and took our drink order. When I saw that the first drink on their specialty cocktail list was a Caipirinha, I knew I was in the right place. For those of you who have not had the pleasure of a Caipirinha, the national cocktail of Brazil is made with lime, sugar and cachaca. Cachaca is a Brazilian rum distilled from sugar cane. Passionfruit, kiwi, or strawberry may also be substituted for the lime in some recipes as well. In a very short time, it has become my go to cocktail at any bar that knows how to make one. Needless to say, the Mita’s caipirinha did not disappoint and neither did the margarita that I ordered for my second round. Both cocktails paired perfectly with the Arepa Con Queso Fresco Y Chorizo, a crispy thin cornmeal cake topped with farmers cheese and chorizo. I could have eaten several of them, but I decided to behave like a big boy and save room for the main course. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the extensive cheese and cured meats that would also be a great appetizer selection, especially for a large group.

I spotted the burger (Hamburguesa) on the menu as soon as i sat down so naturally I barely even scanned the rest of the entree section of the menu. Since I am sort of a self-appointed burger aficionado, I felt like I had no other rational choice than to order the burger. The menu describes it as served with manchego cheese, pickled cucumber, heirloom tomatoes and crispy serrano ham on a potato bun, but I omitted the cucumber and tomato and was not disappointed. The crispy ham was one of the highlights of the entire meal. If I have one complaint about Mita’s at all, it would be that I ordered my burger medium rare and it arrived at the table medium well. It was delicious nonetheless and I barely remembered what temperature I ordered my burger as I was clearing my plate. The burger is served alongside Patatas Bravas, boiled potatoes dry rubbed in spices (I tasted paprika) and then flash fried. I can’t think of a way to serve potatoes that I don’t enjoy, but these potatoes rose to the top of the heap. I kept eating them even after I was full. (I’m sure all of you smarty britches are thinking that that explains a lot.)

I try my best not to get into a restaurant rut and go to the same places over and over again, but sometimes I can’t help myself. I have no shame in admitting that I already have reservations to go back to Mita’s again this week.

Longworth’s Tavern

Crap.

I could actually stop right now and that one word would be a fairly accurate representation of Longworth’s in Mt. Adams. But I have a few more things that I would like to get off of my chest. For starters, I’m almost certain that if I had stopped breathing in the middle of the floor of the bar, that the staff wouldn’t have bothered to step around my cold dead corpse, let alone bother to call 911. It was a chore to order food and even more of a chore to get a second beer. I might have some compassion if the bar were full, but we were one of only 2 tables.

The bar itself is a lesson in what happens when an owner rests on his laurels when times are good, not bothering with any upkeep or maintenance, let alone any updates to the décor or menu. If I were to describe Longworth’s as run down, that would actually be a compliment. Mt. Adams as an entertainment district is an idea whose time has come and gone, but Mt. Adams as a destination for dining is still a viable concept, if the food is good and the surroundings are at least passable. Neither of those concepts seem to mean a thing to the management at Longworth’s.

We arrived at Longworth’s on a steamy Sunday afternoon on the last day of the inaugural Cincinnati Burger Week, expecting to order something that resembled a decent hamburger. Their featured burger was supposed to be served with a spicy sauce and bacon, but the server told us that they were out of bacon (only when they brought the food to the table) and out of the seven of us, six ordered the special and most did not get any sauce, let alone the aforementioned bacon. And how hard is it to screw up French fries? I guess it is easier than I thought since everyone who ordered fries almost universally proclaimed in unison “These fries are nasty.” I can’t think of a more apt description myself. Look, if you are going to participate in burger week, serve a f***ing burger. Its not that hard. Shout out to many of the other participants, especially Nation and Hangover Easy for taking Burger Week seriously as a marketing tool to build business.

I am guessing that if Longworth’s isn’t already on life support, it will be soon.  I think I even saw the Grim Reaper lurking in the sticky, dark back hallway myself.

Nation Kitchen and Bar

If I am good at nothing, then I am good at being honest. And if I am being upfront, I am already a big fan of Nation Kitchen and Bar. Nation is the first of hopefully what is many new restaurants, businesses and homes in the tiny Cincinnati neighborhood of Pendleton, bounded by Sycamore and Liberty Streets and Reading Road. Many native Cincinnatians are under the impression that Pendleton is part of Over the Rhine. In the not too distant past this may have been a liability, but that time has come and gone. Nearly all of the hottest real estate and restaurants in Cincinnati are in the Over the Rhine and any proximity or association with that is nothing but a positive.

I was lucky enough to eat at Nation on their opening night and while it was not without flaws, it was rather remarkable for a first day in business. If I could offer one suggestion, it would be to modify their policy of only bar service and move to utilizing servers. (I have since heard a rumor that this is in the works.) The decor is creative and along with the name of the bar pays homage to radical temperance activist Carrie Nation, who was known for attacking establishments that served alcohol with a hatchet, hence the front door handle fashioned from said hatchet. Nation has even gone as far as naming their signature beer, brewed by Listerman, Carrie Ale. There are several different distinct areas within the bar including a “living room” area, two large booths upholstered in red, white and blue, high top bar tables, bar stools at two different but connected bar areas, as well as a fantastic patio behind the building that feels so urban that its hard to believe that it exists in formerly conservative Cincinnati.

The staff is friendlier than most in Cincinnati with none of the “we are way too cool for you” attitude that prevails at a few select Vine Street establishments. In fact, the manager was kind enough to allow me to photograph the interior the day of the opening, several hours before any patrons arrived.

Oh, and there is food too. I may have neglected to mention this small fact. The backbone of the menu is several creative burgers, but there are other items as well, including a salad, grilled cheese and fried bologna. (Yes, you read that correctly.) The burgers are fantastic and pair well with all of the potato options, including French fries, tater tots and sweet potato tots, all of which can be ordered in four different styles, crisped, loaded, totcho, and poutine. I’m just going to let your imagination run wild with all of the possible combos that are in store for your palatte.

Not to wax too poetic, but along with Son of a Preacher Man, I think that Nation Kitchen and Bar is my favorite new restaurant to have opened in Cincinnati so far this year. I see a long and successful run in a neighborhood that is clearly on the cusp of something great.

Raising Cane’s

Let me just preface this entire review with the acknowledgement that I rarely eat fast food, let alone deem it worthy of writing about. However, the chatter around the recent opening of Raising Cane’s on Tylersville Road in West Chester made me curious as to what the fuss was. I think that the most polite way to say how I feel is that I still don’t know what the fuss is about.

I am fairly certain that I have never waited in line for 30 minutes at a fast food restaurant just to order my food, but that is how long the line was at Cane’s last week at lunchtime. Not only was the wait unbelievable, but the parade of cars waiting to order via the drive thru snaked around the building all the way into traffic on Tylersville. When I finally reached the counter, I was presented with a grand total of four meal options, all of them featuring Cane’s signature chicken fingers. No T.G.I. Friday’s style 10 page menu here kids. Not that I think that is a bad thing, but it certainly bucks the recent trend of menu item proliferation. After I ordered my $7 meal, (certainly not a bad price for fast food), I was almost immediately presented with a piping hot tray of food. I’m sure that it was prepared especially for me, right? (Am I being snarky? Well of course not.)

While I patiently (Right.) stood in line, I had a chance to survey the décor, which consisted mostly of pop culture and sports memorabilia. Most importantly though, was the velvet Elvis prominently and proudly displayed above the beverage station. I think that might have been my favorite thing about Raising Cane’s because it has only been a week since I was there and I have already almost completely forgotten the food, save for the details that I jotted down for the purpose of this blog. Elvis, however, is singed into my mind forever.

From what I remember, the crinkle cut fries were unremarkable, ho hum at best. My chicken fingers were crispy and crunchy without any evidence of grease whatsoever. I certainly can’t fault them on their preparation. It is more the lack of any kind of distinctive flavor that that sticks with me. The Cane’s sauce that accompanies every meal reminds me of a mayo based salad dressing with a slightly spicy and peppery touch, not unlike Arby’s horsey sauce. The Texas toast was sweet-ish and not overly garlickey. I didn’t partake in the only other menu option, cole slaw.

Considering the almost hysterical fanaticism with which fans of Raising Cane’s  (“Caniacs”) anticipated the chain’s arrival to the Cincinnati market, I was definitely expecting much more. I wish them much success though, because they are clearly planning on being a recognizable force in the area. Another location is currently under construction in Springdale and others are in the planning stages, most likely in Mason, Colerain and Florence, for starters. I’m not going to lie though. I still don’t get it.

Goodfellas Pizzeria

Goodfellas OTR at 1211 Main Street is the third outpost of the fast-growing semi-local chain that first made its mark in Mainstrasse Village in Covington. They also have two locations in Lexington as well as soon to open restaurants in Columbus and Nashville, but the OTR location can’t be beat for atmosphere or convenience. They offer by-the-slice New York style pizza hot and ready all the time as well as a full menu available for ordering in or take out. The inside is finished in the obligatory recycled and upcycled wood and metal that has come to be the hallmark of the Over the Rhine restaurant scene, but this iteration is executed particularly well. There is also a three level patio/deck on the back that would be a great spot just to enjoy a beer or cocktail on a balmy summer evening.

I have been to Goodfellas twice and was disappointed neither time (other than the odd Andrews Sisters style version of “I Will Survive” coming out of the speakers). The first was shortly after they opened and they were already operating like a finely oiled machine. The last time was on a Monday when the mere thought of cooking dinner at home after an especially grueling day at work was more than I could bear. (Goodfellas to the rescue.) There is no table service, other than the initial delivery of the food that you order at the counter when you come in the front door, but don’t let that stop you from visiting Goodfellas. The bar is heavy on bourbon, but also has several local beers on tap as well as a more limited selection of other cocktails. In what is probably a shocking development to almost everyone reading this blog, I did not have an alcoholic beverage on either visit to Goodfellas though. But on the plus side, refills of pop are free, unlimited and self serve.

On my first visit, I ordered the Goodfellas breadstick. No, that is not a misprint. Just one breadstick. This is only feasible for a robust eater such as myself because the breadstick is so large that it is served draped across two full sized paper plates. It is clearly more than enough for a couple to share. I ordered mine with an alfredo cheese sauce that paired perfectly with the airy, crunchy and garlickey bread, but Goodfellas also serves every other sauce that your heart could possibly desire. On my second visit, I opted for the garlic butter and nacho cheese. I made the mistake of ordering the Buffalo Chicken Cheesesticks in addition to my pizza the first time I ate at Goodfellas. I say mistake only because of the generous size of my pizza as well as the breadstick that I polished off as soon as it hit the table, certainly not because of the taste. Slather a little bit of buffalo sauce on almost anything and I am game and these delicious cheesesticks were no exception. I could have made of meal of just the cheesesticks. But alas, I did not.

Normally if I am visiting a restaurant on multiple occasions with the intention of blogging about my experiences, I make the conscious choice to order something different on each visit. I did not follow that practice on my second trip, because I felt like it was not possible to improve upon my “Goodfella” pizza that I ate on my first visit. If you like classic New York style pizza topped with pepperoni, ground beef, Italian sausage, and bacon, then this is the pizza for you. If I have failed to describe it in a manner that is both accurate and appealing, imagine this: Goodfellas is the pizza that you always hope that Sbarro will be every time you order it in the mall food court, but never is.

A Tavola

Let’s just get this out of the way right off the bat. A Tavola is one of my favorite restaurants in the city. It is one of those rare businesses that consistently runs on all cylinders, checks all of the boxes, and keeps me coming back time and time again. Hypothetically, if I were to have a list of my top five favorite restaurants in the city, A Tavola would occupy one of those five slots. (Ok, so I actually have one of those lists. I’m just not ready to share it with everyone. And while we are on the subject of disclaimers, I also have a list of what I like to call “Never Going Back” restaurants.)

A Tavola (pronounced Ah-Tah-Vo-Lah) located at 1220 Vine Street in Over the Rhine was one of the pioneers of the Vine Street restaurant renaissance, opening way back in 2011. By all accounts, they were an immediate runaway success, for many reasons, not the least of which being the great wood fired pizza made in an custom made, imported Italian oven that can bake a pizza in as little as 90 seconds, depending on the toppings. Their energetic, bustling dining room, friendly and polite servers and hosts, and outstanding bartenders are contributing factors as well, I’m sure. The words “a tavola” translate as “to the table” but are also used in Italian culture to mean “welcome” or “come eat”.

I could describe to you my most recent trip to A Tavola last Friday, but I won’t limit myself to that, because all of my experiences are great and I can always count on the food to be outstanding. Instead, I would rather tell you about some of my favorites on the menu so you can try them yourself the next time you go to OTR (or their newer location in the heart of Madeira, on the corner of Miami Road and Laurel Avenue). I almost always start with a glass of Montepulciano from the bar, but sometimes I indulge my inner child with a Flintstone Push Up, a martini made from Tito’s Vodka, Chambord, Cointreau, and fresh lemon juice.  A Tavola is not a restaurant where you want to skip the appetizers, either. The bacon wrapped dates are heavenly even though I don’t really particularly care for dates, or if you prefer something more traditional, the wagyu beef (or chicken) meatballs are great too, served with a few pieces of grilled bread to soak up the remainder of the meatball sauce. My favorite app, though, is the bacon tapenade bruschetta. Tapenade is a spread made from pureed or diced olives, mixed with olive oil and sometimes capers or anchovies. This particular tapenade is made with olives and bacon (double salty goodness!) and is spread on the same delicious bread that is also served with the meatballs.

In the all important pizza department, you really can’t go wrong, starting with the basic sausage and sage. All of A Tavola’s pizzas have a  thin wood fired crust which contributes to the speed with which they are delivered to your table, but also to the overall lack of bloatedness after your meal, so plan on a single pizza serving two people at best. On the upside, that gives a party of four a chance to sample at least two types of pizza. If you are a fan of a salty and sweet combo, try the fig and prosciutto. If you like something with more of a traditional vibe, go for the soppressata, which functions on a pizza similar to a tiny round of pepperoni, highlighted with banana peppers. My favorite is the Gorgonzola Picante, pepperoni, sausage, gorgonzola cheese and black pepper, but the choices are as varied as brussel sprouts to artichoke to sweet pea and bacon.

Whatever you choose to order and whichever location you choose to visit, I’m sure that you will love it. And it won’t break the bank either. For my money, A Tavola is the best wood-fired pizza in the city and embodies everything that I love about Over the Rhine.

Original Pancake House

It is a rare occasion when the only thing right about a restaurant is the food, but that is definitely the story at The Original Pancake House on Montgomery Road in Montgomery. I used to go there quite frequently years ago, but I probably only make it a couple of times a year nowadays. I feel like everything went to hell in a handbasket when the owners opened the location in West Chester; now there is also an outpost on Beechmont Avenue and the quality seems to have suffered in proportion to the lack of attention that the Montgomery location apparently receives.

I visited The Original Pancake House, or as I like to call it, OPH, last Sunday on Mother’s Day. I am sure that someone reading this thinks that that might be an unfair time to critique a restaurant. Au contraire, mon frere. I am of the belief that if a restaurant is unable to perform under pressure that it is probably just exposing the weaknesses that already exist in its systems and policies. Clearly the procedure that OPH uses on a normal day to take names and then seat customers based upon available tables is flawed. Customers must stand in line and then periodically the host or hostess will make his or her way through the line taking names. No one is allowed to walk in and put their name on a list. Why, you may be asking? Because that would make way too much sense. The tried and true system that every other restaurant in the world that doesn’t take reservations uses is way too good for The Original Pancake House. Clearly they know something that the rest of us do not. On Mother’s Day however, they were employing a hybrid mishmash of walk in and put your name on a list, the host/hostess taking names in line, and a poorly executed call ahead system. In the span of ten minutes, three different employees answered the phone and quoted wildly different wait times for call ahead seating, including one who said that they weren’t taking call aheads at all that day (which is what they should have been doing). The chaos that ensued resulted in several verbal beatdowns of the manager, who while quite friendly and polite, seemed unwilling or unable to take control of the chaos. One stereotypical entitled customer screamed that they had been waiting for over 45 minutes. Forty five minutes! Oh the humanity! We waited well over an hour, which seems fair on Mother’s Day, but the disorganized manner in which tables were being seated did them no favors in the customer goodwill department. Did I also mention that most of the employees manning the front desk were all well under 18 years old and had no idea how to prioritize customers standing in line to pay, hungry/angry waiting patrons and a telephone that was ringing off the hook? Any restaurant that places its fate solely in the hands of teenagers is asking for a disaster. (And disaster they got.)

While we were waiting, I had plenty of time to notice the woefully outdated décor, including ripped booths, hideous wallpaper and lacy curtains. Its not like the restaurant needs bulldozed, mind you, just someone to care just a little bit about its appearance as much as they clearly care about the food. If you can make it through the nightmare of a wait and can avert your glance from the hideous décor, the food is actually outstanding.

All of the items are made to order, so it is quite common to wait 20 minutes or more for your food once you have placed your order. But by some magical happenstance, no one at my table ordered anything that took longer than 5 minutes to prepare. Either that, or someone else ordered the exact same thing that we did and is still sitting there waiting for their food.

I almost always order the Chocolate Chip Pancakes or the Almond Cinnamon French Toast. This time was no exception as I opted for the pancakes. They are a medium fluffiness with chocolate chips baked inside as well as garnished on the top and are also dusted with powdered sugar and served with whipped cream. Sinful is the best word that I can use to accurately describe them. And filling. I usually don’t eat again until dinner when I have breakfast here. As my friend said who ordered the Almond Cinnamon French Toast, it is almost a work of art. The presentation is almost as gorgeous as the taste of the crunchy almonds paired with the cinnamon and sugar. Others at my table ordered Banana Crepes and Minced Ham and Eggs with cheddar cheese and seemed as enthralled as I was with my meal. And to her credit, our server did an outstanding job of soothing tired and hungry customers once they were seated in her section. I almost forgot how awful everything else was until I stood in line for an eternity to pay for our meals. I hate to harp on this point, but when so many other restaurants get it right, its very difficult to even care about the ones that don’t, no matter how delicious the food. Sorry OPH, I won’t be back for a while.