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January 2012
Restaurant industry barometer reaches 6-year high
Here’s a draft version of a story that is scheduled to run in Wednesday’s Dayton Daily News:
A closely watched barometer of the restaurant industry nationwide surged to its highest level in nearly six years, the National Restaurant Association announced Tuesday in a development that could help fuel the economic recovery.
Because the restaurant and food-service industry employs an estimated one out of 10 Americans, an expansion in that sector could provide a much-needed spark to what has been a rather bleak jobs outlook.
The restaurant association’s Restaurant Performance Index (RPI) rose sharply in December, assisted by a mild winter, solid same-store sales and a bullish outlook among restaurant operators, association officials said. In addition, restaurant operators’ plans for capital spending on new equipment and renovations rose to its highest level in more than four years, a positive sign for construction and restaurant-supply companies both locally and nationally.
Some Miami Valley restaurant owners said ample evidence of the national surge is showing up in their dining rooms.
Lori Camplin, co-owner of Chappys Tap Room and Grille in Moraine, said that Chappy’s set all-time, single-day sales records twice on consecutive Saturdays in January — traditionally a comparatively slow month for restaurants. And during last week’s Restaurant Week promotion, Chappys sold 512 special three-course meals, up from 394 last year.
“I would definitely say the national data is accurate — we have been on an upward trend since October and November,” Camplin said. “We had a lot of new faces in here last week, and we were thrilled to see that.”
That growing optimism helped prompt Lori and her husband Dave Camplin to decide to renovate Chappys patio this spring, to “give it more of a courtyard setting” and possibly add music, she said. There’s no cost estimate for the renovation yet, but such spending on renovation and expansion projects by restaurants has a positive impact on other businesses.
Dan Young — owner of Young’s Jersey Dairy and the Golden Jersey Inn at 6880 Springfield-Xenia Road (U.S. 68) in Clark County north of Yellow Springs — said he too is seeing several positive signs both inside his restaurants an in the broader restaurant sector.
“Our sales were up in November and December, and are up quite a bit in January,” Young said. “I think it’s due in part to the very mild winter, and of course, last year was especially cold and snowy, so being up in sales and guest counts compared to last year isn’t that amazing. But still, we’ve had a strong beginning for the year.”
Young’s Dairy customers, Young said, “are feeling better about the economy than the past few years — not anywhere near wildly optimistic, but better. Other operators I have talked to are seeing similar trends. I certainly hear more talk of upgrading/remodeling and opening new units here and there. I think the current economic conditions in Ohio, and in the Dayton-Springfield are specifically, are looking better for the first time in many years.”
Dan Bushong, owner of Bushong Restaurant Equipment in Dayton, said he sees a brighter outlook than he did three or four years ago. Many independently owned restaurants have been holding off on replacing equipment for the last couple of years because of the soft economy. “At some point they just can’t duct-tape things together anymore,” Bushong said. “We are seeing a lot of activity in the replacement market because of that.”
New construction by independent restaurants started to accelerate about six months ago, although corporate-owned restaurants, which have been the driving forced in equipment sales, remain “very conservative” in their expenditures, Bushong said.
Ohio Restaurant Association spokesman Jarrod Clabaugh said the state’s restaurants employ about 525,000 people and are a driving force in Ohio’s economy. “In addition to representing 10 percent of the state’s employment, restaurants are the cornerstones of their communities, and stronger food-service sales often reflect upticks in both consumer spending and overall optimism in the economy,” Clabaugh said.
The National Restaurant Association’s Restaurant Performance Index tracks the health of and outlook for the U.S. restaurant industry, although it doesn’t break down its numbers by state. The RPI stood at 102.2 in December, up 1.6 percent from November. In addition, December represented the third time in the last four months that the RPI stood above 100, which signifies expansion in the index of key industry indicators, association officials said.
“Aided by favorable weather conditions in many parts of the country, a solid majority of restaurant operators reported higher same-store sales and customer traffic levels in December,” said Hudson Riehle, senior vice president of the Research and Knowledge Group for the association. “In addition, restaurant operators are solidly optimistic about sales growth in the months ahead, and their outlook for the economy is at its strongest point in nearly a year. Coupled with the solid November results, the RPI’s impressive December performance bodes well for continued positive industry momentum in the year ahead.”
Sixty-nine percent of restaurant operators reported a same-store sales gain between December 2010 and December 2011, while only 18 percent reported a same-store sales decline. This marked the strongest net positive sales performance since February 2004. Customer traffic counts also were up, and 55 percent of restaurant operators plan to make a capital expenditure for equipment, expansion or remodeling in the next six months, up from 47 percent in November and the strongest level in more than four years.
The RPI is based on the responses to the National Restaurant Association’s Restaurant Industry Tracking Survey, which is fielded monthly among restaurant owners and operators nationwide on a variety of indicators including sales, traffic, labor, and capital expenditures.
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Three decades later, London Bobby Fish & Chips revived in Kettering
KETTERING — What’s old is new again: Cassano’s Pizza King has brought London Bobby Fish & Chips back to the Dayton area, about 30 years after the last London Bobby restaurant closed.
The London Bobby Fish & Chips menu was added to the Cassano’s Pizza King restaurant menu at 1680 E. Stroop Road. The headquarters and commissary of the 33-store Cassano’s pizza chain are housed in an adjacent building.
The first of the second-generation London Bobby restaurants opened in Trenton in late 2010, also in an existing Cassano’s. If the newly offered fish and chips menu goes over well, it will show up at a handful of other Cassano’s locations in the Miami Valley, perhaps later this year, according to Chris Cassano, president of Cassano’s Pizza King and part of the third generation of the Cassano family now operating the local chain.
Cassano’s founder Vic Cassano launched the London Bobby Fish & Chips chain in the 1970s and operated several free-standing stores in the Dayton area until the early 1980s. Chris Cassano said he and his siblings — company CEO Vic “Chip” Cassano III and Lora Cassano Hammons, the company’s director of community relations — wanted to bring back one of their grandfather’s other restaurant concepts. The response has been encouraging, and several customers remember the previous incarnation of London Bobby, he said.
Additional expansion will occur within existing pizza stores; there are no current plans for free-standing London Bobby locations, Cassano said. That will keep the costs of expanding the London Bobby brand down, since the overhead and employees are already in place in the pizza restaurants, he said.
The London Bobby locations offer beer-battered fish, shrimp and chicken, with sides of fries, hush puppies, onion rings and creamy cole slaw.
Cassano’s Pizza King began in Dayton in 1953. Two months ago, it opened a new restaurant in Centerville, the decor of which will serve as a model for upcoming renovations of existing stores, Cassano said.
The Kettering restaurant’s hours are 10 a.m. to midnight Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday, and 10:30 a.m. to midnight Sunday. To place an order, call the Cassano’s call center at (937) 294-5464.
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What were YOUR experiences during Restaurant Week?
Don’t forget, Restaurant Week isn’t over — it extends through the weekend and includes Sunday, at most participating restaurants, anyway.
I haven’t made it out to as many dinners as I have in the past, but I’m still interested in hearing about your Restaurant week experiences, and I hope to compile them for a story in the Dayton Daily News. So please link to our Facebook page below and let us know where you dined and how it went!
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Where would YOU go for an ‘alternative’ Valentine’s Day experience?
We all know about the traditional Valentine’s Day dining destinations, the most romantic (and often rather pricy) restaurants in town.
But where would YOU go for an alternative Valentine’s Day celebration? You know, something in the spirit of White Castle’s Valentine Day, but not exactly that. An inexpensive place, a place that won’t be busy, something, we daresay, unconventional.
Post your suggestions on our Facebook page (the link also is below this entry), and we might just come up with a little list …
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Marion’s Piazza sets opening date for new 500-seat restaurant
TROY — Marion’s Piazza’s newest restaurant — the Dayton-based pizza chain’s first expansion in more than two decades — is scheduled to open in Troy on Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14, and another new restaurant will follow later this year in Mason, according to Roger Glass, CEO of the Dayton-based pizza chain.
The new Troy restaurant — located at 1270 Experiment Farm Road off of West Main Street (Ohio 41) near I-75 — will employ 50 and will seat about 500, including 80 on an outdoor patio, Glass said. It will include a game room and a banquet room that will be available for general dining.
This is the eighth Marion’s pizza restaurant in the Miami Valley and the first new location since 1991, when 46-year-old chain opened a restaurant at Town & Country Shopping Center in Kettering. In 2008, the company also built a new restaurant on Kingsridge Drive in Miami Twp. after fire destroyed a previous store there.
A ninth Marion’s Piazza is planned for Mason later this year, Glass said. It will be located at the Tylersville Road and Snider Road intersection, across Snider Road from a Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant. Construction is scheduled to begin this spring, with a target opening in early to mid-November, Glass said.
Troy and Mason were attractive sites for expansion because both cities are doing relatively well economically and have a solid base of industries and other development, Glass said. In addition, the two cities are far enough away from Dayton so as not to compete with existing Marion’s Piazza locations, but close enough to be supplied out of the Dayton-based commissary, he said.
There are no immediate plans for additional expansion. “We don’t grow very fast, but we do it on our own time frame,” said Glass, the son of the chain’s founder, Marion Glass. And the chain is careful to avoid significant debt when it builds new restaurants.
“The Troy store will be paid for on the day it opens,” Glass said. “That’s the way my dad did it, that’s the way we still do it, and it seems to work.”
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Thai 9 turns 9 with free dessert, other specials
DAYTON — Thai 9 restaurant at 11 Brown St. in the Oregon Historic District will celebrate its ninth anniversary from Monday, Jan. 30 through Thursday, Feb. 2.
Diners during the dinner service on those four nights will receive a free dessert with every entree purchased, according to Thai 9 owner Rob Strong. In addition, special menu offerings will be available each of those four nights from the kitchen and from Thai 9’s sushi bar.
Strong recalled the “crazy” first night of Feb. 1, 2003, when the restaurant was “completely overwhelmed” by the first-night response. “Nine years later we have a staff of 50, and we are constantly busy,” Strong said. “We are thanking our lucky stars for that.”
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Centerville restaurant adds special weekend dinners, Sunday brunch
CENTERVILLE — Culinary Company at 101 E. Alex Bell Road in the Cross Pointe Center has added a few new options to its restaurant service.
The combined restaurant and kitchenware store is now serving set-menu dinners on Friday and Saturday nights, by reservation only, according to Jeff Aylor, the store’s owner and the host of the “In the Kitchen with Chef Jeff” show on WHIO radio Saturday mornings from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. The restaurant is rotating a set of 10 menus, and menu details are available on the Culinary Company events page. The theme of this weekend’s five-course dinner is Mexican, and the first weekend in February features an Italian-themed dinner. Prices vary by the types of cuisine.
“The fun thing about the dinners is that they are very interactive and quite different than the normal restaurant experience,” Aylor said.
In addition, the Culinary Company has started serving a Sunday brunch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for $12.
For more information, go to the Culinary Company Facebook page or call 937-433-4335.
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Oakwood mother-daughter team to open cupcake bakery
DAYTON — An Oakwood mother and daughter who have operated an online-only bakery will open a storefront bakery and dessert shop called Moore Dessert Please! at 1003 Shroyer Road in Dayton by April, according to a news release.
The bakery is headed by 22-year-old Brittany Moore and her mother Tina Moore, and specializes in cupcakes, cake pops and other items.
Brittany Moore, who graduated from Oakwood High School in 2008, said in an interview that establishing a storefront will boost visibility and exposure of the business and “will allow us to reach a larger market.” The Shroyer Road space, just north of Oakwood, formerly housed 808 Studios, a photography service.
For more information, check out the Moore Dessert Please! Facebook page.
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Dayton restaurant owner loses one court appeal, gets new trial date
This story was updated Feb. 4, 2012 to reflect the fact that Micahel J. Burdge of Dayton became Eva Christian’s attorney in a civil lawsuit described below effective Jan. 31, 2012.
The trial of Boulevard Haus owner Eva Christian, charged with five felony counts accusing her of insurance fraud, has been postponed until April.
But Christian is due in Montgomery County Common Pleas Court next week to explain to a judge why she should not be held in contempt of court for failing to comply with court orders to produce documents and provide testimony in a civil case in which she is being sued by The Cincinnati Insurance Co. The company paid a $52,000 insurance claim to Christian after she reported a break-in at her Washington Twp. home in October 2009. She reported that televisions, computers, jewelry, rare coins and a safe containing cash were stolen, according to a police report.
The Cincinnati Insurance Company and Montgomery County sheriff’s investigators believe that the burglary was staged, according to the insurance company’s lawsuit filed against Christian in July. That break-in, along with a second incident on Christmas Eve 2009 involving reported vandalism and a fire at the now-defunct Cena Brazilian Steakhouse restaurant in Miami Twp. that Christian owned, are the basis of the criminal charges filed against the restaurant owner in March 2011.
Christian faces one count of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, a first-degree felony punishable by up to 10 years in state prison, and four lesser felony counts: two of insurance fraud and two of making false alarms.
She has pleaded not guilty to all of the charges and in an interview has called the accusations against her “absolutely absurd and false.” The restaurant owner is free on her own recognizance after posting a $10,000 surety bond. Boulevard Haus remains open and is operating business as usual.
The trial on the criminal charges, which had been scheduled to begin in late February, was pushed back to April 23 by Montgomery County Common Pleas Judge Barbara P. Gorman, according to court records.
But in the civil case, Montgomery County Common Pleas Judge Gregory F. Singer has ordered Christian to appear Feb. 2 to explain why she hasn’t complied with the judge’s July 21, 2011 order to provide documents and testimony in the case.
The insurance company has tried to get Christian to submit to an examination under oath, as required by her insurance policy, but Christian has refused, citing her Fifth Amendment rights against incriminating herself. The lawsuit seeks to force her to comply with the questioning.
The restaurant owner’s former attorneys, John Smith and Mark Webb of Springboro, had attempted to stop the proceedings of the civil case while the criminal charges were pending. Six weeks ago, a three-judge panel of the Second District Court of Appeals rejected Christian’s appeal, ruling that her testimony and documents requested by the insurance company can be furnished to Judge Singer for his determination whether her assertion of her Fifth Amendment right should apply.
Christian recently hired Dayton attorney Bobby Joe Cox to represent her in the criminal case, and Dayton attorney Michael J. Burdge became Christian’s attorney of record in the civil case as of Jan. 31, 2012, according to court records.
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Sub House cheesesteak-eating contest finals Saturday
The Submarine House, the Dayton-based chain of seven sub shops, is bringing back its Cheesesteak Challenge, this time benefitting Dayton’s Children’s Medical Center. And it starts today, Jan. 23.
From today through March 18, diners can attempt to eat a 16-inch Super Duper Cheesesteak — more than two-and-a-half pounds of food — in 16 minutes or less. Those who succeed in the challenge win their sandwich for free, along with a T-shirt. The ten best qualifying times from each location will win a spot in the contest’s semifinals the week of March 19. Each of the seven store winners will then be invited to participate in the finals at 1 p.m. March 31 at the Submarine House’s Beavercreek Bar & Grill at Dayton-Xenia Road and North Fairfield Road in the Kroger shopping center.
A panel of celebrity judges will be on hand at the finals, including K-99-FM’s Frye Guy and WHIO-AM’s Larry Hansgen. The fastest of the seven store finalists will be crowned the Cheesesteak Champion. Donations for Dayton Children’s Medical Center will be collected at all Submarine House locations throughout the contest. For locations or to view the full rules of the contest, visit www.submarinehouse.com.
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Dayton diner celebrates anniversary, asks for support
DAYTON — Diamond D’s Diner at 2301 Germantown St. is marking its first anniversary this week and is promoting its catering services as it enters its second year.
It also is asking for community support.
“The support of the diner by the residents has been very heartwarming, but with the condition of the state of the economy, more support is needed in order to keep the doors open,” Diamond D’s owner Barbara Vinzant said in a letter to local businesses and organizations. Vinzant invited companies and individuals to utilize Diamond D’s catering services.
“The diner is ready, willing and able to cater your next event no matter how large or small,” Vinzant said, and free delivery service is available for orders of $25 or more.
Diamond D’s Diner opened on Jan. 28, 2011 in a building that formerly housed a Church’s Chicken restaurant on Germantown Street at Adelite Avenue. The building had been vacant for about 16 years and required extensive renovation prior to opening.
The diner’s current winter hours are Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday noon to 5 p.m. For more information, call (937) 268-3000.
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Rue Dumaine moving to new Austin Landing, and Dublin Pub will open 2nd location
MIAMI TWP., Montgomery County — Rue Dumaine will move from its Washington Twp. location to the new Austin Landing development off I-75 in southern Montgomery County, where it also will launch a companion restaurant called Alligator Annie’s, according to commercial real estate firm RG Properties, which is developing Austin Landing.
In addition, owners of the Dublin Pub in Dayton will team up with the owners of Archer’s Tavern in Centerville to open a third new independent restaurant, described by RG Properties as an Irish Pub, at Austin Landing. Both the existing Dublin Pub and Archer’s will remain open, RG Properties said. The new venture will be called The Dublin Pub, an RG Properties spokeswoman said this morning.
The new restaurants are expected to open in 2013.
Rue Dumaine owners Tom Sand and Anne Kearney have contemplated the Alligator Annie’s concept for some time: an Alligator Annie’s Facebook page was launched more than a year ago, although Sand declined to discuss the venture shortly after the page appeared. RG Properties said Alligator Annie’s will “take the form of a casual Southern-style social club and will offer lunch and dinner service seven days a week.”
Kearney said this morning that the new Rue Dumaine will serve lunch Monday through Friday — at its current location, lunch is served only on Fridays. It also will have expanded bar seating as well as separate dining areas for private parties, which the current restaurant cannot accommodate. The seating capacity of the main dining room will remain about the same as the current restaurant’s 82 seats, she said.
Alligator Annie’s will have televisions and will be more accommodating to children, and will be open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Kearney said. The seating capacity hasn’t been determined.
Randy Gunlock, president of RG Properties, said in his company’s news release that it is fitting that the first restaurants to open at Austin Landing will be independents.
“There is a great history of creativity and innovation in our city, and a long line of great independent restaurants we want reflected at Austin Landing,” Gunlock said. “Independent restaurants offer a unique experience and reflect the soul of the region—a feeling we hope to capture at Austin Landing.”
Construction of the three restaurants is scheduled to begin later this year, with a target of a spring 2013 opening date, RG Properties said. Rue Dumaine and Alligator Annie’s will be housed in a 10,600-square-foot building, while the Dublin Pub will open in a 6,000-square-foot building, the firm said.
The restaurants will create an estimated 140 new jobs for the region, RG Properties said.
RG Properties is active in conversations with a number of other restaurants, targeting small and large chains as well as independents, with a goal of eight to 10 restaurants total, four or five full-service restaurants and four or five fast-casual restaurants, the company’s news release said.
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Everything you need and want to know about Restaurant Week
This story that is scheduled to run in tomorrow’s Dayton Daily News ActiveDayton section is designed to tell you darn near everything you could ever want to know about Restaurant Week — and then some. Made your reservations yet?
More than 60 restaurants throughout the Miami Valley have signed up to offer special three-course meals as part of Winter Restaurant Week, which returns for am eight-day engagement starting Sunday, Jan. 22 and extending through the following Sunday, Jan. 29.
Miami Valley Restaurant Association member restaurants that choose to participate in the promotion decide in advance the price they’ll charge Restaurant Week diners: $20.12, $25.12 or $30.12 for a three-course meal from a special menu. Most restaurants choose the least expensive $20.12 option, although some restaurants are offering customers different meal options at two or three of the price points, while some casual restaurants are offering two meals, rather than one, for $20.12 or $25.12.
The twice-a-year promotion has become wildly popular with local diners: more than 13,000 Restaurant Week meals were sold in winter 2011, and more than 14,000 in summer 2011, when the offer was extended from six to eight nights to encompass one full weekend. Participating restaurants donate $1 for each Restaurant Week meal they sell to charity. This winter, the charities selected by the restaurant association to benefit are United Rehabilitation Services (URS) of Greater Dayton, a non-profit organization that has provided services to adults and children with disabilities or other special needs since 1956, and Hearts for Hounds, a group of Dayton-area volunteers working in conjunction with the Humane Society of Greater Dayton to improve the quality of life for dogs living outdoors in Montgomery County.
Lonnie Sholar — general manager and executive chef of Joya’s Bistro at The Greene in Beavercreek, one of about half-dozen restaurants that are participating in Restaurant Week for the first time — said he views the promotion “as a way to get our name out there” to potential customers. Although Sholar hadn’t solidified his Restaurant Week menu offerings yet, he was leaning toward offering diners a choice of four entrees, including Seafood Ravioli with White Buerre Blanc Sauce and Spaghetti with Meatballs.
Sholar said he is aware that restaurants can get slammed hard during Restaurant Week, and is gearing up for it. “We’ll be fully staffed — it will be ‘all hands on deck,’” he said.
Other first-time Restaurant Week participants include Taste in Trotwood, De’Lish in downtown Dayton, Louisiana Grill in Washington Twp., Neil’s Heritage House in Kettering, The Bridge in Sidney and the Troy Country Club, which will open to the public for dinner for the week, according to Amy Zahora, executive director of the Miami Valley Restaurant Association.
The Restaurant Week promotion “has a huge impact on local restaurants, because that week otherwise would be in the middle of a very slow period,” Zahora said. “This puts customers back into restaurant seats, where they’re spending money while also saving money on their dinner. And it all benefits local charities.” Restaurants look for ways to fully capitalize on diners’ enthusiasm for Restaurant Week. Some open their doors on days of the week when they’re normally closed — The Caroline in Troy, for example, will open on Monday, and l’Auberge will be open for dinner both Sundays of Restaurant Week (Jan. 22 and Jan. 29) and also will serve the special on Monday January 30 — — while others extend the offer beyond one week.
To view the latest list of which restaurants are participating in Restaurant Week, look at menus and find out which of the three price tiers each restaurants is choosing, go to this link on www.dineoutdayton.org.
Restaurant Week: A few things to remember
— Reservations are, in many cases, essential, because eateries fill up fast. Restaurant owners and managers strongly recommend calling to check on availability and hours.
— Be aware that some restaurants are closed on Sundays or Mondays — or in some cases both days — so calling ahead will avoid disappointment. In some cases, restaurants that are normally closed on those days open because of Restaurant Week.
— Tax, tip and beverages are not included in the special price.
Restaurants participating in Winter 2012 Restaurant Week*
Alex’s on 725, 125 Monarch Lane, Miamisburg, (937) 866-2266
Amber Rose, 1400 Valley St., Dayton, (937) 228-2511
Amelia’s Bistro, 129 W. Franklin St., Bellbrook, (937) 310-3040
Bahn Mai Thai Cafe, 725 Lyons Road, Washington Twp., (937) 435-0624
Barleycorns, 6204 Wilmington Pike, Sugarcreek Plaza , Centerville, (937) 848-6999
Boulevard Haus, 329 E. Fifth St., Dayton, (937) 824-2722
The Bridge, 127 W. Poplar St., Sidney, (937) 492-2542
Brixx Ice Company, 500 E. First St., Dayton, (937) 222-2257
Buckhorn Tavern, 8800 Meeker Road, Butler Twp., (937) 890-3261
Bullwinkle’s Top Hat Bistro, 19 N. Main St. Miamisburg, (937) 859-7677
Bunker’s Bar & Grill, 893 E. National Road, Vandalia, (937) 890-8899
Butter Cafe, 1106 Brown St., Dayton, (937) 985-9917
Carmel’s Southwest Grill, 1025 Shroyer Road, Dayton, (937) 294-1261
The Caroline, 5 S. Market St., Troy, (937) 552-7676
Carvers Steaks & Chops, 1535 Miamisburg-Centerville Road, Washington Twp., (937) 433-7099
CBCB Bar & Grill, 2495 Commons Blvd., Beavercreek, (937) 426-3287
C’est Tout, 2600 Far Hills Ave., Oakwood, (937) 298-0022
Chappy’s Tap Room & Grille, 2733 W. Alex-Bell Road, Moraine, (937) 299-7427
The Chop House, 7727 Washington Village Drive, Washington Twp., (937) 291-1661
Christopher’s Restaurant, 2318 E. Dorothy Lane, Kettering, (937) 299-0089
Coco’s Bistro, 515 Wayne Ave., Dayton, (937) 228-2626
Cold Beer & Cheeseburgers, 1060 Patterson Road in Breitenstrater Square, Dayton, (937) 253-7383
Dark Horse Tavern, 209 Byers Road, Miamisburg, (937) 866-6960
De’Lish, 139 N. Main St., Dayton (937) 461-2233
The Dock, 250 W. Main St., Enon, (937) 864-5011
Dublin Pub, 300 Wayne Ave., Dayton, (937) 224-7822
El Meson, 903 E. Dixie Drive, West Carrollton, (937) 859-8229
Figlio, 424 E. Stroop Road in the Town & Country center, Kettering, (937) 534-0494
Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar, 4432 Walnut St. at The Greene, Beavercreek, (937) 320-9548
Franco’s Ristorante Italiano, 824 E. Fifth St., Dayton, (937) 222-0204
Fresco, 3141 Far Hills Ave., Kettering, (937) 296-0600
Giovanni’s Pizzeria and Ristorante, 215 W. Main St., Fairborn, (937) 878-1611
Giulano’s an Anticoli Tavern, 67 S. Main St., Miamisburg, (937) 859-3000
Hawthorn Grill, 1222 E. Stroop Road, Kettering, (937) 298-2222
Hickory River Smokehouse, 135 S. Garber Drive, Tipp City, (937) 669-2271
House of Kabab, 298 N Main St., Centerville, (937) 424-9262
Jay’s Restaurant, 225 E. Sixth St., Dayton, (937) 222-2892
Joya’s Bistro, 81 Magnolia Lane, The Greene in Beavercreek, (937) 912-9344
Kabuki, 848 S. Main St., Centerville, (937) 435-9500
L’Auberge, 4120 Far Hills Road, Kettering, (937) 299-5536
La Piazza, 2 N. Market St., Troy, (937) 339-5553
Louisiana Grill, 2094 Miamisburg-Centerville Road, Washington Twp., (937) 436-3028
Mamma DiSalvo’s, 1375 E. Stroop Road, Kettering, (937) 299-5831
McCormick & Schmick’s, 4429 Cedar Park Drive at The Greene, Beavercreek, (937) 431-9200
Meadowlark, 5531 Far Hills Ave., Washington Twp., (937) 434-4750
The Melting Pot, 453 Miamisburg-Centerville Road, Washington Twp., (937) 567-8888
Michael Anthony’s at the Inn, 21 W. Main St., Versailles, (937) 526-3020
Mr. Lee’s Fine Dining, 7580 Poe Ave, Vandalia, (937) 898-3860
Neil’s Heritage House, 2323 W. Schantz Road, Kettering, (937) 298-8611
Nick’s Restaurant, 1443 N. Detroit St., Xenia, (937) 372-3202
Oakwood Club, 2414 Far Hills Ave., Oakwood, (937) 293-6973
Palermo’s Restaurant, 2667 South Dixie Drive, Kettering, (937) 299-8888
Pasha Grill, 72 Plum St., The Greene, Beavercreek, (937) 429-9000
Pepito’s Mexican Restaurant, 3618 Wilmington Pike, Kettering, 937-293-3777
Rue Dumaine, 1061 Miamisburg-Centerville Road, Washington Twp., (937) 610-1061
Sai Bai Asian Cuisine, 300 South Jefferson St., Dayton, (937) 535-2900
Savona Restaurant and Wine Bar, 79 S. Main St., Centerville, (937) 610-9835
Side Bar Restaurant, 410 E. Fifth St., Dayton, (937) 723-9415
Spinoza’s Gourmet Pizza & Salads, 2727 Fairfield Common Blvd., Beavercreek, (937) 426-7799
Sunrise Cafe, 259 Xenia Ave., Yellow Springs, 937-767-7211
Sweeney’s Seafood, 28 W. Franklin St., Centerville, (937) 291-3474
Taste, 2555 Shiloh Springs Rd., Trotwood, (937) 854-7060
TJ Chumps, 1100 E. Dayton-Yellow Springs Road, Fairborn, (937) 318-1250
Toscani’s, 5900 Bigger Road, Kettering, (937) 291-9200
Troy Country Club, 1830 Peters Road, Troy, (937) 335-5691
Wellington Grille, 2450 Dayton-Xenia Road, Beavercreek, (937) 426-4600
Winds Cafe, 215 Xenia Ave., Yellow Springs, (937) 767-1144
- There are often last-minute changes and additions to the list of participating restaurants, so you want to check this link on www.dineoutdayton.org or call your favorite restaurant to confirm. Menus and prices for most of the participating restaurants also are available at that MVRA website:
Source: www.dineoutdayton.org; MVRA Executive Director Amy Zahora
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Ryan’s, Hometown Buffet parent company files for Ch. 11 bankruptcy
Buffets Inc.,, the parent company to Hometown Buffet and Ryan’s which less than four months ago abruptly closed its last remaining Dayton-area restaurant in Washington Twp., has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, according to several news sources, including this story from Nation’s Restaurant News.
This is the second bankruptcy filing for the Minnesota-based company in four years. Buffets Inc. closed 81 more restaurants as part of the restructuring plan, according to the NRN story.
Buffets Inc. operates four Hometown Buffet restaurants in the Columbus area and two Ryan’s locations in the Indianapolis area.
The closing in September of the Hometown Buffet at 745 Lyons Road in the Washington Park Plaza caught many of its customers by surprise, and at that time, a spokesman for the parent company seemed unaware that the restaurant had shut its doors and subsequently declined to comment on any aspect of the closing.
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China Cottage to celebrate Chinese New Year with celebration of food, music, culture
CENTERVILLE — China Cottage — the one at 6290 Far Hills Ave. — will host a Chinese New Year Celebration over three nights Jan. 23-25. The first two nights are sold out, but tickets remain for the Jan. 25 event, which starts at 6:30 p.m. and will feature a 10-course dinner, traditional Chinese music performed live, and other live entertainment. Attendees will be seated at tables of 10 to 12, and dishes are served family-style. Tickets are $50, which does not include drinks or tip. For more information or to make reservations, call (937) 434-2622 and ask for Vaughn.
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LeDoux’s restaurant now open in new location in Troy
TROY — LeDoux’s Restaurant & Bar has relocated to 118 W. Main St. across from the Miami County courthouse in Troy.
The Cajun-themed restaurant opened in late 2009 on North County Road 25A north of Troy and near Upper Valley Medical Center. That location closed in September 2011, and the restaurant reopened at its new location in mid-November.
“There’s a lot of foot traffic here, and we have other restaurants in the vicinity,” said Don LeDoux, the restaurant’s owner. “Plus, this old building has a lot of character.” Business is improving steadily, LeDoux said, although, “A lot of people don’t know we’re here yet.”
At nearly 4,000 square feet, the new LeDoux’s seats about 100 people in four dining areas, and also offers a banquet facility that seats about 110, LeDoux said. A courtyard behind the restaurant will offer additional patio seating when the temperatures rise later this year.
LeDoux’s menu offers Cajun dishes that the restaurant is best known for, but has been expanded to include a greater selection of non-Cajun dishes, LeDoux said.
LeDoux has worked in various radio positions, including as the “Prize Guy” on what was the Nancy and Kerrigan Morning Show on K99.1-FM.
The new restaurant employs about 25. Its dining room hours are Monday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., and closed Sunday. The bar stays open later, and there is live music on weekends.
For more information, call (937) 552-9347.
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New Washington Twp. sub shop pushes back opening date
WASHINGTON TWP., Montgomery County — The new DiBella’s Old Fashioned Submarines restaurant at 1191 Miamisburg-Centerville Road (Ohio 725) that we told you earlier this month was shooting to open today has rescheduled to opening to Thursday, Jan. 19.
The Rochester-based DiBella’s first restaurant in the Dayton area will give away a certificate good for 52 free subs to the first 10 customers after the doors open at 10 a.m. Thursday, as well as to 10 more customers picked at random from visitors throughout the day.
“We are extremely excited to come to Dayton,” said Jim Paladenic, DiBella’s chief operating officer, said in an email news release. “Dayton has been on our radar for a long time now, and we feel like the city has a great deal of potential. We’re definitely looking forward to introducing the people of Dayton to the best subs around.”
While the Centerville-area location will be DiBella’s first in the area, the company also has plans to add further locations, with the next planned to open in Beavercreek at Colonel Glenn Highway and Zink Road in late summer or early fall, DiBella’s officials said.
DiBella’s sub shops offer hot and cold subs, ranging from traditional Italian cold-cut sandwiches to buffalo chicken subs in an atmosphere that evokes a 1940s-style corner-restaurant theme. The new Washington Twp. restaurant seats 60 to 80 diners, and will be open for lunch and dinner seven days a week starting at 10 a.m. The shop’s phone number is (937) 428-5878.
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Dayton woman is finalist in $1 million Pillsbury Bake-Off
DAYTON — Dayton resident Suzanne Beck has been selected as one of 100 finalists from around the country in the Pillsbury Bake-Off contest that carries a $1 million first prize.
Beck’s recipe for Sausage and Zucchini Breakfast Pizza was chosen to compete for the top prize.
Contest entrants were asked to submit an original recipe that used at least two Pillsbury-afiliated products. The recipes will be judged by a panel of food experts on taste, appearance, creativity and consumer appeal, Pillsbury officials said.
Beck, 34, said she has been following the bake-off contest for several years, and learned about the entry procedure for the 45th annual baking contest via an email she received from Kroger.
“I love cooking and experimenting in the kitchen, and I just had to throw my hat — and my Sausage and Zucchini Breakfast Pizza recipe — in the ring,” Beck said.
She said she was “shocked and excited” when she was notified that she is a finalist. For more information, go to www.pillsbury.com.
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Restaurants offer ‘Sneak Peek’ to Winter Restaurant Week
CENTERVILLE — The Miami Valley Restaurant Association’s “Sneak Peek to Restaurant Week” will be held from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 18, at Watson’s, 2590 E. Whipp Rd. The event will feature food samples from 13 local restaurants that will be among Dayton-area eateries participating in Winter Restaurant Week to be held Jan. 22-29, in which restaurants offer special three-course meals for either $20.12, $25.12, or $30.12, and donate $1 toward a local charities. The Sneak Peek, presented by Buckeye Vodka, will also include live music from Skip Hoyt, who performs Jimmy Buffet-style music, and tropical attire is encouraged. Restaurants serving at the Sneak Peek will include Amelia’s Bistro, Barleycorn’s, Coco’s Bistro, De’Lish, The Dock, Figlio, Fleming’s, Fresco, Joya’s Bistro, Louisiana Grill, Mamma DiSalvo’s, Meadowlark and Taste. Tickets are $25 in advance, $30 at the door, and are available online at www.dineoutdayton.org, and may be purchased in person at Watson’s and at Day-Air Credit Union locations in Centerville, Kettering and Vandalia. For more information, call (937) 461-6872.
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New owner to transform Kettering sports bar into restaurant-pub
KETTERING — The Monkeez Sports Bar that opened nearly a year ago in the former Sports Deck at 3808 Wilmington Pike has closed, and a new owner is preparing to open a restaurant-pub called Buckin’ Donkey Grille at that location.
New owner Sean McKown of Kettering is painting and renovating the structure and said he hopes to open by late January or early February with a new menu and focus.
“I want families to feel comfortable here,” McKown said. “I’m concentrating on being more of a restaurant than a corner bar.”
But Buckin’ Donkey won’t entirely abandon its sports-bar roots: Pittsburgh native McKown said the pub will be a “Steelers Bar” during NFL season Sundays.
McKown has 23 years experience working at several bars and restaurants in the Miami Valley and in Arizona, including Dayton-area establishments Oregon Express, Harrigan’s, LC Wing Co. and Barleycorn’s. He said he has been looking to open his own place for several years. The Buckin’ Donkey menu will include daily specials at both lunch and dinner, along with burgers, sandwiches, Cajun dishes, seafood, vegetarian options and salads. The restaurant will open at 10 a.m. and will serve breakfast all day, McKown said.
“This is the first place that is officially mine — my concept, my menu, my food,” he said. His goal is to open additional Buckin’ Donkey locations “after a couple of years,” McKown said.
Michael Robbe, who owned Monkeez at the location, said the sale “was not a reflection of the business failing. We had wonderful customers, and we were well-supported.” But McKown approached him and “made me an offer I couldn’t refuse,” Robbe said. He still owns the Monkeez brand and is “certainly interested in exploring options” to reopen elsewhere,” he said.
Buckin’ Donkey will seat about 90 people, with seating for an additional 50 on a patio. McKown said the new pub will employ up to 20 people.
A Facebook page and web page are on the way, McKown said. For more information, call the Buckin’ Donkey Grille at (937) 723-7888.
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Kettering restaurant to open second location in Dayton
DAYTON — Starlite Diner & Restaurant in Kettering will open a second location of the same name at 2627 S. Smithville Road in the Belmont neighborhood of Dayton in about two weeks.
The “coming soon” signs are up in the windows of the new restaurant, located in the building that housed the Nanking Inn for more than 25 years until its owner retired and closed the Chinese restaurant nine months ago.
Starlite Diner & Restaurant’s Kettering restaurant is located at 4090 Wilmington Pike across from a Meijer store. The new Starlite is still accepting applications, which are available at both locations, and will employ 15 to 20 people, according to Mahmut Kilic, whose family owns both restaurants.
Starlite’s owners decided to expand and believe the Belmont area will support the diner, especially during the breakfast hours, Mahmut Kilic said. Starlite will be open 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, and breakfast will be available throughout the day. The restaurant will have full lunch and dinner menus nearly identical to those of the Kettering restaurant.
For more information, contact Starlite Diner’s Kettering restaurant at (937) 293-4000.
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Dayton baker scores some national recognition
Hilary Ross Browning, a Dayton baker who operates Thistle Confections and who provides baked goods daily to Ghostlight Coffee, has earned some national recognition from Food52, a project overseen in part by cookbook author and New York Times food writer Amanda Hesser.
One of Browning’s (aka Hilarybee) recipes was featured on the web site last year. Check out the Q&A with Browning on the Food52 web site.
Browning said she is planning to open a Thistle Confections booth at the Second Street Market within the next month
Congratulations Hilary!
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Kettering restaurant gets new ownership, menu
KETTERING — Amicis Place restaurant at 1122 E. Dorothy Lane has a new owner, a new menu and a new name: Casa Amici.
The new owner is Meef Demnika, who also owns Palermo’s Restaurant and Toscani’s Restaurant, both also in Kettering, according to Antonio Lafratta, the chef and general manager of Casa Amici. Demnika formerly operated a restaurant called La Pergola at the East Dorothy Lane site before going on to launch Palermo’s on South Dixie Drive.
Amici’s Place opened in June 2011 under the ownership of Kent Kumbroch of Oakwood. Kumbroch said in an email that he sold the restaurant primarily because of time constraints. Kumbroch is also president of Electro-Polish Inc. in Dayton.
“A restaurant that size requires a lot more time than I was able to commit,” Kumbroch said. “I am proud of what I created for the community, and it was a great, albeit short, experience.” Kumbroch said he has no plans to re-enter the restaurant business.
British-born Lafratta has 25 years experience cooking in restaurants in Italy, France and Germany. The new menu in place at Casa Amici includes pasta dishes, seafood entrees and appetizers, bruschetta and pizzas. All sauces and breads are made in-house, Lafratta said.
Casa Amici’s hours are Monday through Wednesday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Sunday 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Hours will be expanded as summer approaches and patrons can take advantage of the restaurant’s patio seating.
The restaurant space also previously housed Barbie’s Bistro and Millie’s Philly Cheesesteaks.
For more information about the new Casa Amici or to make reservations, call (937) 732-8356.
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Young’s Dairy offers anniversary specials this weekend
Young’s Jersey Dairy, 6880 Springfield-Xenia Road (U.S. 68) north of Yellow Springs, will celebrate the 143rd anniversary of the founding of the farm on which the business sits with a “souvenir glass” sundae, special prices on kids’ meals and other events starting Friday, Jan. 13 through Monday, Jan. 16. All kids’ meals are $1.43 at The Dairy Store and the Golden Jersey Inn. Cheeseburgers also are $1.43 at both restaurants, and one-dip homemade waffle cones are $1.43 at The Dairy Store. Games of miniature golf and medium buckets of balls at Udders & Putters also are $1.43. Customers can order three scoops of Young’s ice cream and three toppings finished with whipped cream, sprinkles and a cherry for $3.50, and then can keep the reusable sundae glass. There are also special prices on Young’s Farmstead Cheese and other products and menu offerings. The Young family traces its roots at the southern Clark County location to 1869, when the red barn adjacent to U.S. 68 was built by relatives of the Young family. For more information, email Dan Young at cows@youngsdairy.com, go to www.youngsdairy.com or call (937) 325-0629.
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New local frozen-yogurt chain coming to Dayton
A new frozen-yogurt chain called Bad Frog Frozen Yogurt has opened its first store in West Chester Twp. and intends to open its first Dayton-area shop in early March at 1200 Brown St. near the University of Dayton, according to Erik Martin, Bad Frog’s regional vice president.
Plans call for a second Dayton-area Bad Frog Frozen Yogurt shop to open later this year, perhaps by July, although the location has not yet been selected, Martin said.
The West Chester-based chain opened its West Chester store at 7602 Cox Lane in December. It is poised to open its second location in Dublin near Columbus on Jan. 23, then focus on the opening of the Brown Street location, Martin said. Bad Frog also is planning to open in the Louisville market while also adding second locations in each of its three Ohio markets of Cincinnati, Dayton and Columbus, he said.
Bad Frog’s menu for the Dayton shop will feature 16 rotating flavors of yogurt and 24 “twisted” or side-by-side combined flavors, Martin said. The company is one of the few frozen-yogurt chains using cream-based frozen yogurts, from cows that have not been given growth hormones, Martin said. Choices include no-fat, low-fat, sugarless and premium-custard options, and flavors rotate every 14 to 17 days. Each shop’s topping bar has 50 different choices, including all-organic fruits and nuts, Martin said.
The UD area was attractive because Brown Street “is a re-energized area,” Martin said. “There has been a lot of renovation, and there are not a lot of dessert places there.”
Karen McKenzie, co-owner of Bad Frog Frozen Yogurt, tells my Cox Media Group reporting colleague Justin McClelland that the goal of Bad Frog is to offer a healthy, but still tasty, dessert. Although she is opening the West Chester Twp. store in the middle of winter, McKenzie said she is optimistic about building a strong customer base.
“This is our warm-up season, to start building a following for when spring arrives and everyone wants frozen yogurt,” McKenzie said.
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Dayton Dining Best of 2011: Diners enjoy a bumper crop of new restaurants, and more
Here’s a sneak peek at a story that is scheduled to run this Friday, Jan. 6, in the Dayton Daily News ActiveDayton/Life section.
Let’s take a look back at the Best of 2011, and a sneak peek ahead to what’s on tap for 2012, for Miami Valley’s dining scene:
Most promising debut
From the bumper crop of new restaurants opening in 2011 — some of which I haven’t gotten to yet — here were three that shone:
— Olive - full name “Olive, an urban dive” — established itself quickly with a strong focus on locally sourced foods served in the rather cozy confines of the former Wympee in downtown Dayton (you’ll recognize the former coffee shop and burger joint from the outside — but not from the inside). The kitchen shows a deft touch with fish, and a fall ratatouille was exceptional. Make a reservation, and avoid sitting near the front door on cold winter nights. (Note: Olive owner Kimberly Collett notes that she recently installed a thick drapery inside the front door and insulated the door with weather stripping to protect diners from the cold.)
— Roost Modern Italian is still in its infancy, but this intimate Oregon Historic District spot that formerly housed Blue Moon and Las Americas is off to a fine — and very busy — start. Early favorites include a Pork Chop Milanese Style crusted in ciabatta bread crumbs, and Crusted Sea Scallops served over toasted almond and asparagus ravioli with cremini mushrooms. Mushroom lovers should not miss the wild mushroom salad.
— Tik’s Thai Grille in Bellbrook, the second restaurant of Siriya “Tik” Sripol, who also operates Tik’s Thai Express in Fairborn. The full-service restaurant is beautifully decorated and welcoming, and an initial visit suggests great promise: The dishes are visually appealing, the flavors fresh and vibrant.
Best new concept
Fusian. This new restaurant on Brown Street, near the University of Dayton, is the brainchild of Oakwood natives Stephan Harman and brothers Josh and Zach Weprin, who debuted the concept in Cincinnati before bringing it to Dayton. Fusian brings a Chipotle-style serving line to sushi, allowing diners to customize their sushi roll as it’s prepared before their eyes. There are also options for those who don’t like raw fish. In a word: Brilliant.
New restaurants I’m looking forward to trying (or making a second visit)
Taste restaurant in Trotwood, the recently reopened Neil’s Heritage House in Kettering, Roost, Tik’s Thai Grille, Jimmie’s Ladder 11 and House of Thai that just opened in Miamisburg.
Pleasant surprises on the plate
The Chorizo Bites appetizer at Amici’s in Kettering, Pad Kee Mow with seafood noodle dish at IYara Thai Restaurant in Huber Heights, Panang Curry with seafood at Thai9 in Dayton, and Lomo Shrimp, the signature dish of William Eatery in Yellow Springs.
Regrets
I (and we) really should get out to more special wine dinners, such as the ones The Winds hosted in October (steamed walleye, seared salmon and grilled duck breast with Kermit Lynch-imported French wines, oh my) or the Jay’s Restaurant 35th Anniversary Wine Luncheon back in February (Seared Rare Tuna on Potato Cake with Foie Gras and Port Drizzle, heavens to betsy) or the Jay’s wine luncheon in the fall with guest chef Mike Tenore (lobster lasagna and a giant pork shank with Antinori and other Italian wines, mercy). These special wine dinners allow chefs to spread their wings. And for such multi-course meals, with wine pairings included, these special wine dinners can also be great values for what diners get on the plate and in the glass.
For comfort food
Try a Turkey Hot Shot or the signature Cabbage Rolls at Angie’s Firehouse Tavern in Dayton’s Belmont neighborhood. These are dishes that tell winter to take a hike.
Farewells
Artisans Cafe, Las Americas, Gyros, Bar-B-Q Hut, Swisher’s, Wah-Fu, among others.
Dueling swords - and sides
Within a week’s time in late fall, both Meadowlark and C’est Tout served up excellent renditions of swordfish. At Meadowlark, the fish was topped with chopped black olives, capers and grated orange zest - a judicious amount that perfectly complemented the swordfish. At C’est Tout, the swordfish arrived resting in a creamy mustard sauce that made each bite a guilty pleasure.
As good as the dueling swords were at each restaurant, what impressed the most was the attention to detail given to side dishes . At Meadowlark, my dining companion’s side dish was a truly revelatory blend of butternut squash and kale, two locally grown and often underappreciated fall crops that were elevated here. The faint bitterness of the kale balanced the sweetness of the squash, and the result made for an inspired pairing.
At C’est Tout, it was a seemingly humble side dish of rice with peas and mushrooms that shone. The mushrooms were rich and buttery, the peas plump and perfectly cooked, and the rice played its supporting role by keeping the dish light and appealing.
Side dishes matter, and both Meadowlark and C’est Tout showed they can do them right — while also excelling at swordsmanship.
Looking ahead to 2012: a few questions
— After the courtships and the rumors are complete, which restaurants will set up shop in the Austin Landing development?
— What will the new Coco’s be like after the move to Warren Street?
— How swiftly will the Peerless Mill renovations be made, and the restaurant reopen?
— Can Miami Valley diners support all of the new barbecue restaurants and Asian restaurants that have opened?
— And can Dayton continue to defy the odds and avoid high-profile restaurant closings that nearly every other metropolitan area has endured?
Here’s hoping we can — and will.
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New Washington Twp. sub shop will employ 50
WASHINGTON TWP., Montgomery County — The new sub shop called DiBella’s Old Fashioned Submarines that we mentioned to you about in August has set a target opening date of Jan. 17, and the sub chain intends to open a second location soon in the Beavercreek area, DiBella’s officials said today, Jan. 3.
The restaurant that is poised to open is located at 1191 Miamisburg-Centerville Road (Ohio 725) at Lyons Road near Sam’s Club in Washington Twp. Plans call for a Jan. 17 opening followed by a grand opening on Feb. 4, according to Micah Sharpe, area supervisor for DiBella’s.
The Rochester, NY-based chain expects to open a second location in Beavercreek at Colonel Glenn Highway and Zink Road near the Meijer store there, Sharpe said.
The Washington Twp. sub shop will seat 60 to 80 diners and will employ at least 50 people, including a crew of about 45 and six managers, Sharpe said. Most of the hiring has already occurred, although applications are still being accepted at the restaurant, he said.
DiBella’s sub shops offer hot and cold subs, ranging from traditional Italian cold-cut sandwiches to buffalo chicken subs in an atmosphere that evokes a 1940s-style corner-restaurant theme.
When it opens, the new DiBella’s Old Fashioned Submarines will seat 60 to 80 diners, and will be open for lunch and dinner seven days a week starting at 10 a.m. The shop’s phone number is (937) 428-5878.
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Gluten-free restaurant opens in Washington Twp.
WASHINGTON TWP., Montgomery County — Sinfully Gluten-Free has opened at 9146 Dayton-Lebanon Pike (Ohio 48) south of Centerville.
The bakery and restaurant had operated for nearly three years in downtown Miamisburg until closing nearly a year ago. Co-owner Heather Zook of Miamisburg, who owns Sinfully Gluten-Free with her mother Barbara Moran of Dayton, said she was drawn to the new location’s accessibility, parking and proximity to the bakery’s customer base.
Sinfully Gluten-Free’s restaurant seats 24 and offers pizzas and sandwiches. Zook said her store’s pizzas — with a crust made of millet and white rice flours — are enjoyed by customers whether they have a dietary restriction or not.
“Our pizza crust is crisp, about halfway between a thin-crust and hand-tossed, and you cannot tell it’s gluten-free,” Zook said.
Popular items from the Sinfully Gluten-Free bakery case include carrot cake, lemon bars and red velvet cupcakes, she said.
There is a strong demand in the Dayton area for gluten-free foods because awareness of celiac disease and wheat allergies “has grown exponentially,” Zook said.Several members of Zook’s family have been diagnosed with celiac disease, she said.
Celiac disease is a digestive disease that damages the small intestine and interferes with absorption of nutrients from food, according to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse. People who have celiac disease cannot tolerate gluten, a protein in wheat, rye, and barley.
The bakery sold bakery items as a wholesaler during the 11-plus months the retail store was closed, and its products will continue to be available at Dorothy Lane Market stores, Healthy Alternative stores and Health Foods Unlimited, Zook said. The new Sinfully Gluten-Free retail shop opened its doors Friday, Dec. 30.
Hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The bakery is closed Sunday and Monday.
For more information, call (937) 433-1044 or check out the Sinfully Gluten Free Facebook page.
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