Jack's BBQ

I didn't expect much from a place that serves you on a paper plate. I ordered the brisket plate with macaroni and cheese and mashed potatoes. My husband got the 3 meat combo. The meat was really good. I especially liked the many different sauces that they provide for you. You can mix them up and make a whole new sauce.
You have to wait for seating and wait in line a while but it's well worth it. It's not terribly expensive either.

Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.

We dined here for a few simple reasons. There isn't one of these restaurants where I live, and I love shrimp.

I ordered a blended margarita, which was quite tasty.
We ordered garlic bread, which we never got. I ordered the shrimper's heaven which was 4 types of shrimp, peel and eat, coconut, fried with fries. It was really good but there were far too many peel and eat, which aren't my favorite.

I would go here again, but not if I had other options.

Las Brisas

So we took an almost hour long shuttle ride to Laguna Beach to go to this restaurant which we were assured would be great. Well, not so great it seems. This was the weirdest Mexican restaurant I've been to. There were no chips and salsa. We were served breads, among them was cornbread. Weird. We ordered our food, most of the steaks were served with mashed potatoes. Also weird. I ordered a steak that came with a enchilada. Both were good, but there was nothing remarkable about anyone's meal.

We were promised a window table near the gorgeous view of Laguna Beach, but no. We were also told that our checks could be separated but both waiter and manager refused, flat out refused. We were forced to use a pad of paper and write down our order and give our payment. Even then the checks were still messed up. I was incredibly disappointed in the service of this restaurant, I will assuredly never come back.

Cafe De Sol

This is a hotel restaurant. But don't be deceived. It's quite good. I ended up eating here my first night in Anaheim. I was suffering from jet lag and I was too lazy and tired to find anything else. I ordered the salmon, which is my fall back at a new restaurant. It came with some awesome garlic green beans and rice. The salmon was crisped nicely in a citrus ponzu sauce.

I ordered room service and ended up ordering a menu item from the same restaurant. I ordered the meatloaf which came with mashed potatoes, broccolini, and a cippolini onion gravy. Quite tasty. They start your meal off with a wheat raisin bread.

Pink's Famous Hot Dogs!

Well my trip to Anaheim was not all bad. After a week of stuffy conferences and networking I rented a car and drove myself to LA. My main goal was to go to Pink's.

I finally found it thanks to my GPS in my rented Yaris. I got the Chili Cheese dog and the Ozzy Spicy Dog.  Both were amazing. It took about an hour total to wait in line and get the food. It was well worth it. Coming from Cincinnati I appreciate a good chili sauce that's not like my hometown chili. The Ozzy spicy dog was especially delicious. Go here for an authentic LA treat!

Jean-Robert's Table

You know, it's been so long since Jean-Robert had a restaurant I was beginning to think it might never happen. I know it's only been over a year, almost a year and a half. But I cannot deny my elation that the day is finally here that I can go somewhere where I feel 100% completely comfortable.

If you think that this is some sort of fluff piece from one of Jean-Robert's blind followers, then you're right. There is a reason for this following. Jean-Robert is a complete genius with food and people appreciate that. I really loved the interior of the restaurant. It's beautifully decorated with hard wood floors and tables. There's a European feel to the larger tables that can be shared of 2 parties of 2 persons.

We had Chris as our server who I had met previously when we had dinner with The Lion's Rampant at Nada. He's an excellent server, but I'm sure the same can be said for anyone you encounter that works for Jean-Robert.

I ran into Alex who also works at "the table". She was on the staff at Pigall's and I saw her a lot. Like many people, I felt sadness when Pigall's closed. It wasn't necessarily for the location, but more for the people. I grew to know these people over the course of attending nearly every "Final Friday" luncheon and a few regular priced dinners and over past year I have often wondered where they all ended up. Alex told me there were several like her from Pigall's that joined her to work at "the table". I'm sure she is teaching the new staff the military precision that she learned at Pigall's which made it a world class dining experience.

I also ran into Richard Brown, who was the maitre d' at Pigall's. He is such a sweet man, I'm so glad I got a chance to know him. He is a visible presence at the table and told me he's probably been every night since it opened almost 2 weeks ago.

Chris was able to give great details on the house drink specials and recommended a great wine for us. Alex brought our bread. Simple French bread and butter. Some restaurants like to serve French bread that is so crusty and sharp you could perform surgery with it. This is a simple soft French bread.

We ordered: 
Starters:
“MISTER B” HANG TOWN OYSTERS - with Roasted Asparagus and Bacon
It was tasty. They described it as a little omelet.  It was spicy and light.
ROASTED QUAIL - with Dried Fruit and Pistachio on a Caramelized Onion Tart
It was cold, it reminded me of my childhood. I grew up eating quail, pheasant and rabbit.
HOUSE SALAD
with White and Green Beans, Cherry Tomato and Tomato Banyuls Vinaigrette 
Christine really liked this - it was vinegar-y without being overpowering.

Mains:

TRIO COCHON: BELLY, RIBS and CHOP - with Medley of Beans, Country Potatoes with Maytag Bleu Cheese
Mon Dieu! This thing was huge! Ann couldn't finish it. It looked all sad. Wanting to be eaten - but alas we could not. 
DUCK BREAST - with Blackberry Pepper Sauce, Soft Grits with Chevre, Asparagus, and Caramelized Onion Mushroom
I have become a sucker for duck breast. I love it! This was a generous sized duck breast. The grits just floated into the sauce and made a delicious combo with the asparagus and mushrooms. 
SEA SCALLOP - with a light Thyme and Lemongrass Sauce, Bell Pepper Provencale, Potatoes and Onion Rings
This looked so delicious. Christine really loved it.

Desserts:

MILK CHOCOLATE MACADAMIA NUT TART
with Whipped Macadamia Cream, Milk Chocolate and Caramel Sauce
This is exactly the same as the one they used to serve at Pigall's! It was dense and fulfilling. It was heaven. 
VANILLA BEAN CRÈME BRULEE with Fresh Fruit
I am not a creme brulee person much, but this was good. Decadent and simple at the same time. 
 POACHED PEACHES with Almond Cake and Madisono Red Raspberry Gelato
I did not sample this but it looked great. The others enjoyed it highly.
ASSORTMENT OF IMPORTED AND DOMESTIC CHEESES  (picture below)
This is my kind of dessert. I could have used more of the fruity compote but cheese for all! Whatever on earth that Bleu cheese on the end is - it was the best!

So the best part, the most exciting part of this visit was this: they have the same champagne that they used to serve at Pigall's. When you go, top your meal off with the JR Cremant de Jura Tissot. I love this wine, I have missed it as much as Pigall's. To add some sparkle to your next evening you can pick up some of this wine at Party Source. It's quite affordable.  



Mostly I was enjoying myself far too much to take a lot of pictures. Next time I will. I am certain I will be back.



Jean-Robert stopped out to talk to us as he always used to. It's just what he does. I tried to convey how much we've missed him in Cincinnati. I think he knows, I think this is why he stayed in Cincinnati. It's one of the great love affairs: Cincinnati and Jean-Robert de Cavel.

Rima's Diner

Every time I go to Chipotle I always for a split second think about going to Rima's. Usually Chipotle wins due to time constraints. Today Rima's won because I didn't want to eat Chipotle 2 days in a row.

When you walk it it is decorated in a very homey fashion. There is a lot of decor dedicated to music, Elvis specifically. We ordered chicken dishes both. The staff was very friendly and tolerated us asking questions about the menu with stride.

Here's the grilled chicken. It's prepared with a rub of their own steak seasoning. Mashed potatoes and Italian green beans on the side. Patti liked her chicken very much and really loved the green beans. She said they were identical to the ones her grandmother used to make.



I got chicken fried chicken with mashed potatoes with gravy on the side and cottage cheese. The chicken was really super. It was so crispy crunchy and moist on the inside. The chicken tasted very fresh. The mashed potatoes are good. They're dense but not too creamy. The milk gravy on top is delicious as well, not too spicy. The yeast rolls on the side were delicious and obviously house made.



If you find yourself grasping for reasons to go here look no further. This strawberry cake is the best! Those who know me can tell you that shamefully - I am not a huge cake lover. I eat it from time to time, more often than not I pass. I can eat this cake any day of the week, cold or room temperature it's the best. I can't remember the actual number but I think they use up to 4 quarts of strawberries in each cake. It's light and fluffy. The icing makes you think of a strawberry milkshake. Yes I know, lots of girls like strawberry. There's a reason. They're delicious.



If you don't believe me here's a snippet from Sex and the City:

Berger - How's that strawberry shake?
Carrie - Very tasty, thank you.
Berger - I can't believe you ordered strawberry.Who orders strawberry after the age of 11?
Carrie - You have so much to learn about women.

Go for the strawberry cake. Stay for the tasty food. 

Down Under

We're trying new places all the time! What does Covington have to offer? There are some really great places if you're willing to try them. We went to Down Under for a quick lunch.

I ordered the chili that comes with onion and cheese. It was quite good. It was about the same consistency of a Cincinnati style chili but more of a Texas chili flavor. Pretty good.



I ordered the bleu cheese burger and their sweet potato fries. The burger was quite good, in spite of being undercooked. It wasn't so undercooked that I had to send it back. My friend's burger was. The sweet potato fries on the other hand were the best I've had.

My only real confusion is with the dinnerware - look at this plate/bowl/thing. It looks all dirty on the rim. I couldn't identify what on earth was up with it. It looked otherwise clean though.



We were there on a slow night (or maybe they aren't that busy). This is a basement bar/pub and when we sat in the booths away from the bar we were asked if we wanted food. I would assume that if I wanted drinks I would have sat at the bar, but that's just me.

Our server was nice but a bit aloof.

Behle Street Cafe

This restaurant is a close option to my workplace. It's near the convention center and many large hotels that center in Covington near the courthouse and justice center. It's in the hub. When my work first moved from Florence to Covington we went here A LOT. Too much. At that time I wasn't making as much money and $2.59 for a beverage was a little much. I used to get the soup/salad combo just to be able to afford a dessert.

Times have changed for me. And certainly for Behle Street Cafe. They used to serve popcorn instead of bread as a greeting dish. Gross. Who wants to munch on popcorn before dinner?

We went on a long lunch from work and sat outside on their generously sized patio. I got to look at the carriage horses and ponder their welfare as my coworkers talked about other things.

Here's their side salad. Very generously sized. I enjoyed the variation of ingredients, cucumber, cheese, crouton, large ripe tomato, red onion and a french baguette on the side.



I ordered the crab cake appetizer. It was okay. It was definitely more cake than crab. Something about that just sets me off though. Perhaps it's from growing up without a lot of money to spend on luxury foods. Growing up inland, I can't recall ever eating crab for dinner. As such it is an exalted ingredient in my mind. Nevertheless it was good. Their remoulade sauce left a lot to be desired. It was just bland.



Evidence of the cakey texture. Do you see any lump crab meat in there?



The hummingbird I work with wouldn't sit still long enough for me to take a picture so I had to snap this while she was swatting a fly away from her food. This is the filet with bleu cheese on top with sweet potato fries. She said the filet was good as well as the fries. This woman makes a habit to feed 1/2 of each of her meals to her Labrador when she gets home. I feel so sorry for that well-fed, fat dog.



Okay - I ordered the Salmon. On the menu it says it's topped with Coho sauce. I asked my server what on earth that was. She said that it was cheesy. But she also said she'd never eaten it. Bad sign. ANYWAYS - I asked for it on the side. When I received this, I was confused. There didn't appear to be a cheesy sauce anywhere in sight - but then again she'd never tasted it. Regardless - the salmon with or without the mysterious Coho sauce was good. The side item is garlic spinach and it was really tasty.



Basically this place is close to my work. It has some hits - chicken caesar salad, meatloaf, etc. But it's a little too pricey for what you get.

Blue Gibbon

Why do they call it the Blue Gibbon you ask? Look no further than the decor.



Now I wonder. Did they call it the Blue Gibbon because they found a huge deal on about 10 - 20 gibbon figurines they could mount to the wall? OR did they decide to call it Blue Gibbon and then found these delightfully eccentric and scary primates? Who knows - I just like the food.

They kind of know us here. It means we eat here a lot. Overeat here too.


I ordered a pork egg roll. Tasty! Any excuse to use the spicy mustard. I don't know what they put in it but it is deadly! Just as I had told Pat that it's dangerous to eat it because you could accidentally get some on your tongue and of course, I got some on my tongue. It actually hurts my skull when I do this. I can't quit eating the mustard though. 



Crab Rangoon! They make no qualms about saying that it's imitation crab meat. I'm fine with that. It's truth in advertising. These are tasty. They also taste fresh, not frozen as so many restaurants use.



Hot and sour soup. I am a complete sucker for it! Theirs is really tasty and fresh green onion makes it all the better.



I also like to cram as many of the delicious fried noodles in the bowl as I can.



Barbecue beef on a stick. Pat's favorite! Tasty, tender beef skewered and slathered in barbecue sauce. MMM! Have you been paying attention? It seriously was just 2 people eating this mess.



Pat in his natural habitat...



I love places that serve the rice in one of these covered dishes.



The real reason to go here is for their Sesame Pork Loin. It is amazing! I am a huge fan of sesame anything. They will make the pork loin any way you want: salt and pepper, black bean, peking or sesame.
I eat it with veggies which are steamed to perfection and still have snap.



Pat opts for the same exact thing with no veggies. He thinks he's SO clever. Always good!

Sidebar

Another restaurant near my workplace in Covington. It looks like a normal bar. When you get inside it's pretty much a normal bar. The seating area outside the bar is cozy. The bartender/server was really nice and attentive and ready to explain any items and recommend items.


I decided to try a 1/2 dozen of their wings in the flavor Sweet N' Heat. These were so good.  This is possibly the best order of wings I'd ever had. The only odd thing is that it was all wings, no drumsticks. No big deal - just odd. The sauce was super sticky and had a slow burning heat. Tasty!




Patti chose a ham and cheese sandwich with tater tots. When they say on the menu that it comes with a HUGE pickle, they're not kidding. Patti told me that the sandwich was really good!



I got the Bacon Bleu Cheese burger. Theirs was different than any other Bacon Bleu cheese burger. Their bleu cheese is mixed with balsamic vinegar. SO delicious! I am totally going to throw this in the rotation instead of going to Keystone every other day.

Willie's Sports Cafe

I have a Willie's Sports Cafe near my work in Covington. We were completely lost in West Chester and found this location and stopped in. The manager seated us and was incredibly friendly.

Here's the Heartstopper. Straightforward waffle fries with cheese and bacon. Pretty tasty, deadly, but tasty. I'm not sure how I lived through it.



This is Pat's sandwich The Big Sloppy. Fancy name for a double cheeseburger. Willie's serves Angus beef in all it's burgers. It boasts 4 slices of cheese and 8 slices of bacon. It looks like from this blog that all I eat is cheese. It's nearly true. Look at the label cloud bottom right. CHEEESE!



I got the Bacon Bleu Cheese burger. Very tasty. I must say that their fries are delicious. They are super crisp and they give you a TON!

Taste of Belguim

Waffles. Sweet, delicious waffles. I have never found a single person that does NOT like waffles. It was not the wisest decision I've ever made to eat one of these warm fluffy delights in the 100 degree heat. But it was a good day in spite of the heat.

This is a waffle with some heft to it. It's very bready and sweet with a caramelized sugar crust on the outside. This is going to be epic on a winter's day!

I was able to catch Taste of Belgium at the Wyoming Farmer's Market on Tuesdays. It was so hot! I ate this baby anyways. I'm really glad they've been setting up shop on Court St. near the Kroger building and branching out. I can't wait to go see their main shop in Findlay Market.