Cincinnati and Columbus Restaurants

[jzipay]

I'll be travelling to both Colombus, OH and Cincy soon. Where are some of the best places to dine?

[MichaelB]

I can give you Cincinnati from soup to nuts. What are you looking for? Tell us a bit about your interests, budget, etc.

Oh, and . . . .

Welcome to eGullet!

[tammylc]

I wrote up a whole trip report from Columbus earlier this year. You can find it here.

[jzipay]

tammylc,

Thanks for pointing me to your reports. sounds like some great places and i'll definitely check a few of them out!

MichaelB,

I'm open to pretty much all types of cuisine. I'll be staying downtown, so I'd prefer something convenient. Also, would be interested in trying some of Cincy's famous chili while I'm there. Anywhere special to go for that?

Thanks.

[MichaelB]

OK, here's the run down on Downtown:

The current hot spot and darling of the city -- Jean-Robert at Pigall's. Contemporary French in the renovated space that was the renowned Pigall's restaurant for nearly 30 years. Been open a bit more than a year. The chef/owner is the former chef of the perennially 5 star Maisonette (see below). Three and five course prix fixe menus. The three course is $75 including all tax and gratuity. Cheaper option, apps in the bar. Hot? -- Esquire's best new restaurants for 2003 last month; Conde Nast's 75 hottest new restaurants in the world 2003; Big spread in the Wine Spectator in October; Wine Spectator "Best of" award. Jean-Robert

The grand dame -- The Maisonette. Received its 40th consecutive Mobil 5 star award for 2004. Enough said. Just converted to a prix fixe menu. I have not been there since the menu change. Chef came from Daniel via Club XIX in Carmel. Maisonette

The third Musketeer -- The Palace at the Cincinnatian Hotel. Written up with Pigall's and Maisonette in the October Wine Spectator piece. Chef is a well traveled Frenchman. Very inventive, rather complex presentations. I happened into a private dining function there last night. The flavors were really, really good.

Other fine -- or nearly so -- dining options in or around downtown.

Daveeds at 934. This is a very small place in Mount Adams a short (5 minutes) cab ride away. Very inventive, small plate kind of global cuisine. French underpinnings with some Asian flavors. Probably the most fun of the bunch -- you can go in jeans and be comfortable. Chef/owner and wife are almost always both on site. Chef was a long time sous at Maisonette for the Pigall's chef (notice a pattern here?).

Aioli Bistro. More casual than the others. Chef/owner spent a bunch of her career in New Mexico, so there are some southwestern and mediterranean things going on in the food.

Great views. Celestial to the east (Mount Adams again) and Primavista to the west. Contemporary French/Continental and Italian, respectively.

Lots of chain options downtown, too, if that is what you are into. Newport on the Levee has a whole bunch of them and is also a 5 minute cab ride.

As for the Cincinnati chili, you will have lots of people fight over which they prefer. If you've never tried it, you can assume that all of them are pretty much the same. I promise there is a Skyline or Gold Star within 4 blocks of your hotel.

Where are you staying and when are you visiting?

[baphie]

Cincinnati:

I reviewed Maisonette in detail here about a year ago.

I can also add that Nicola's Ristorante is a very good Italian restaurant. We did a huge wine dinner there in August and he produced some wonderful food including osso buco which could compete for the best I have had in the US. Excellent staff and a lot of fun as well.

The Precinct (website devoid of info due to revamping) is a very good steakhouse - one of the few that dry ages their own beef. Great space as it is truly in a converted old police precinct station.

I live in Columbus. tammylc's restaurants are OK for the middling end of things here. The North Market is a great place - I shop there nearly daily and Jeni's ice creams are not to be missed. Tapatio is a shell of what it was and not worth the price. Barley's does make excellent beer, especially the seasonal ones. The food is fairly standard bar food, though the deep-fried sauerkraut balls are a occasional guiltly pleasure. Betty's is a somewhat fun pseudo-dive, but if you can't take smoke, stay out completely.

If you are downtown, you are in reasonable proximity to three excellent choices for a little higher range of dining:

The Burgundy Room (no website)is in the Short North, just above downtown. It features small tapas-style plates and a large by-the-glass wine selection to match. Some of the dishes have been outstanding and the worst have been average. A lot of good wines and at reasonable (for Ohio) prices. Rigsby's Cuisine Volatile is also in the Short North. It is one of our top 5 restaurants and really responsible to pushing our dining scene to new levels starting close to fifteen-twenty years ago. Mediterrean in influence, excellent pastas, laid back, but serious about the food. Finally, there is Alana's. Alana is simply the best chef in town for creativity and energy. Extremely laid-back place just north of OSU campus with funky, eclectic art everywhere. Menu changes constantly as Alana forages for the best and more interesting ingredients. Wines are price at retail + a couple of dollars and the sommelier/co-owner Kevin is a great guy who can find a good wine for anyone.

That would be the top three really worth checking out, meaning they are of a high enough quality and are rather singular. There is a very good sushi/asian fusion spot called Haiku, also in the Short North. Very good noodle bowls. Also something on the more unique side is Dragonfly Neo-V , a totally vegan restaurant that can create some excellent food - excellent on an objective scale, not just for its genre. It is just south of campus.

There is a smattering of diverse restaurants, ethnic, casual and high end. If you tell me where you will be and what type of things you are interested in, I can be more specific.

You might check out Columbus Originals to find out more info on some of our better restaurants who are non-chain, based-in-Columbus, small-proprietor kind of places.

A.

[MichaelB]

Great review of Maisonette, baphie. When I saw that you went there on the Saturday before Christmas, second seating, I *really* held my breath. I am convinced that night has a higher occurrence of service disasters than any night of the year. The staff is worn out and are ready for the holiday season to be over . The diners are in a festive mood, many are with friends or family that they see only at the holidays, and quite a few don't know when to leave a restaurant. From my exposure, that night is the most hectic at the Maisonette.

I really should have mentioned Nicola's. I really enjoy dining there. It is in a "transitional" neighborhood. So, even though it is only 10 or so blocks from the core of downtown, take the five minute cab ride. It is the best Italian in or neat downtown.

Precinct has a sister downtown -- Jeff Ruby's. If you are looking for "big steak," you may want to go there.

[jdluff]

For Columbus, don't skip M, the high-end restaurant owned by the Cameron Mitchell, local Columbus restaurant mogul. Expensive but fabulous. Website here: http://www.cameronmitchell.com/restaurants...ndex.cfm?rid=11

The other standby is Lindey's in German Village.

[baphie]

For Columbus, don't skip M, the high-end restaurant owned by the Cameron Mitchell, local Columbus restaurant mogul. Expensive but fabulous. Website here: http://www.cameronmitchell.com/restaurants...ndex.cfm?rid=11

The other standby is Lindey's in German Village.

I hate to be contrary, but I would give 'M' the highest recommendation to avoid. The price far exceeds the value as it is bad facsimile of top dining establishments in other cities. The food is well-presented and sounds impressive, but has been decidely mediocre in execution. Cameron Mitchell restaurants also have the worst wine markups in Columbus. To be fair, the restaurant has been improving and has made an effort to become more wine-friendly. It is still not at a level commensurate with its ambitions or price.

A.

[Sweet Willie]

jzipay Welcome to eGullet.

I have posted on a few very good places in Cincinnati.

Just to let you know there is a search function near the top of the page.

use Cincinnati as the keyword and you will find mine and others suggestions.

There is terrific Indian in Cincinnati.

[ophelie]

I saw this late, but figured I could add some lesser expensive restaurants to the mix, if anyone needed them for future reference (although I do enjoy Maisonette and Jean Robert at Pigall's).

A couple of other things in the Downtown area:

- La Normandie - right beside Maisonette and owned by the same folks. It's more casual, but has downright good upscale pub food.

- Mullane's (corner or Race and 8th/Garfield; it's next to a theater) - delightful and intimate little place. They have loads of vegetarian selections on the menu (and many non-vegetarian items as well). They have specials that change daily as well. Everything there is good and SO fresh...and very inexpensive.

- Jordan Valley (around Elm and 4th; it has a big yellow awning) - Yes, it's very cheap, but fabulous Middle Eastern. They make the best falafel in Cincinnati, hands-down.

In Clifton:

- Myra's Dionysus (on Calhoun) - another place for astonishingly cheap vegetarian fare (and some non-vegetarian items as well). Fabulous hummus and such.

- Dewey's (on Jefferson) - Local wood-fired pizza chain. My favorites are the Green Lantern and the Wild Mushroom pizzas. Their ingredients are fresh. It's rather affordable as well.

- Ambar (on Ludlow) - Family-owned Indian restaurant. They also own Akash, which is downtown next to the CAC. Moderately priced, huge portions, excellent savory dishes.

- Thai Express (on McMillan) - best value for Thai food anywhere. Cheap and exceptionally plentiful.

In Mt. Adams:

I second the suggestion of Celestial. I don't enjoy Rookwood Pottery Bistro as much as some do.

- Teak (can't remember the exact street) - Good Thai and some other pan-asian style dishes.

In Hyde Park:

- Lemongrass (on Madison) - another VERY good and reasonably priced Thai restaurant.

- Bangkok Bistro (on Erie) - yet again, more good Thai.

- Cumin (on Erie) - Indian fusion-esque.

- Indigo (on Erie, in Hyde Park Square) - great little bistro, HUGE menu, fabulous bargain. They have great desserts, including their opera cake which comes from The Bonbonnerie.

[Brad Ballinger]

I'll underscore the Cincinnati recommendation above for Daveed's at 934 Hatch in the Mt. Adams neighborhood. Carefully prepared cuisine with plenty of attention to detail, both on the plate and in the service.

[Sony]

Hi Everyone!

Just bumping this up because I'm heading to Columbus for business travel next week. From what I've gleaned in previous threads, places that are on my list to try (for dinner only- in hotel-catered meetings during the day ):

-Lindey's in German Village (is the Polaris location just as good?)

-City Barbeque (don't eat pork, but I think there are plenty of non-pork options)

-Jeni's Ice Cream (yes, I might just have ice cream for dinner )

-North Market (any booths you particularly like? I'm hoping to get over there if meetings end in time!)

-Alana's

-Rigsby Cuisine Volatile

Any other places I should add? Places I should take off? (the threads I've been reading are a little old, so I want to make sure nothing's slipped )

I should add that I'd hope to spend $30 or less on food alone.

Please point me to any more recent threads I may have missed as well...thanks!

Edited February 1, 2007 by Sony (log)

[nsxtasy]

Last year I ate at L'Antibes, in the Short North, and loved it - elegant but intimate and friendly. I've also loved Worthington Inn every time I've been there. I was delighted to see both listed in the top ten places in town in the recent Dispatch article.

This topic is a few years old. I see several mentions of Maisonette in Cincinnati, which was a wonderful place, but unfortunately closed its doors in July 2005.