SIS - 2011 Best Restaurants in Cincinnati

Just in time for Father’s Day, obc’s 2011 Top 10 Cincinnati Restaurants.  This list will differ from Mo Egger’s and Cincinnati Magazine’s.  I did, however, include 1-2 chains (depending on your definition of chain restaurant)

10. Stone Creek  -(Urbanspoon 87% like)  I prefer the downtown Montgomery location.  The service has always been spot on and I really like the décor.  Originally I found this place when my pal Kevin Fox played an acoustic set in the bar area. I always grab the seafood trio appetizer, as im a sucker for crab cakes, calamari and seared ahi.  The salads are well above average and the entrees have been give an enthusiastic thumbs up by everyone I’ve eaten with at SC.  Prep the wallets, though, as this is not the cheapest location on the list.   Parking tip: there is a parking garage under the building.  Parking here allows one to walk by the Green Diamond Gallery. 
http://www.stonecreekdining.com/App_Themes/CRGdining/SCmMenu.pdf

9. Biagio’s Bistro -  (Urbanspoon 88% like) located in Clifton’s gaslight district, on Ludlow Ave next to the Esquire Theatre.   I am a huuuuge fan of open kitchens.  I have always sat at the tables right across from where Chef Biagio creates his dishes.  Having worked in restaurants and bars for years I greatly appreciate the opportunity to watch my food/drink be prepared, if desired.  Incredible Alfredo dishes.  And you simply CANNOT skip getting a canoli, or two, for dessert.  Best restaurant desserts in town! Parking tip: park in the IGA lot across the street, especially if you can get the covered spaces, then walk the alley up to Ludlow.  (this alley is where the late great sukr told a peace activist that he “was a war monger” when they attempted to pass him hipster literature. 
http://www.biagiosbistro.net/index2.html

8. Barnesburg Tavern – (Urbanspoon 83% like) it pains me to rank my Go To restaurant and bar this low, but it speaks volumes for the top 7’s quality.   BBT is famous for being the location where jch, peach, bk, ash, westie and I watched Ohio’s monumental blowout upset over Georgetown in the NCAA Tourney a couple years ago.  Best night to go is Saturday, Prime Rib Night (only 15.99) but the real star of the show are the half priced appetizers from 4-7pm. Too bad the seared Ahi isn’t included in that price reduction any longer.  Haven’t met a dish that I haven’t loved there yet.  Sign up for the email updates and they will regularly send you a $5 off coupon on $30 purchase.  That makes ordering one more tall draught craft beer sensible!  Also, fathers eat free on father’s day and mother’s eat free on mother’s day.  Parking tip: get there early or back in the hidden large lot around the back of the complex.  Ash does not recommend parking across the street in Soccer City (hat tip, BK!) and walking across the puddle laden lots. 
http://www.barnesburgtavernandgrille.com/

7. Sakura Steak House– (Urbanspoon 91% like) Not sure why they named this restaurant Steak House, it’s a Hibatchi Grill.  And my personal favorite Hibatchi in town.  Its located right off the Rybolt/Harrison exit off I-74, on the hill overlooking the freeway. Not the most glamorous exterior.  An abandoned motel shares its parking lot.  West Side!  Strong Side!  As always, always decide to upgrade to the Filet at a hibatchi grill, its vastly superior to the Steak option.  Pretty good (albeit pricy) sushi.  No website or online menu. 

6. Oriental Wok – (Urbanspoon 88% like) The granddaddy of Chinese restaurants in greater Cincinnati.   Much bigger restaurant than most people anticipate and easily the most luxurious Chinese in town. There is a private room upstairs and a large private banquet room that seats up to 250. Most nights feature a piano player tickling the ivories.  The bar area is almost always empty and a great spot for groups to meet up.  There is an indoor pond that runs all around the main dining area stocked with Koi and other critters and this feature is usually a big hit with the kiddos.  Mr Wong has amassed an incredible amount of artifacts and the décor is spectacular.  Best egg rolls in town.  Shockingly good Sea Bass entre. Pork lo mein is not to be skipped here either.  Tip: do not order the poo poo platter without reading how much it will cost PER PERSON! Also, there is a Graeter’s located next door which is an excellent dessert option. 
http://www.orientalwok.com/index.php

5.  Herb and Thelma’s – (Urbanspoon 100% like it) C’mon, you KNEW Opening Day was going to be featured on this list, right? Hand dig! A favorite of Red Reporter’s young and old, Chip recently added an Italian Sausage to the menu which is now a must order.  Skip the tamale.  Skip the chili.  Order a cheeseburger with grilled onions and chase it with the Ital Sausage. Easily the best burger per dollar spent in greater Cincinnati. Pray that Skip stocked Bud Select the morning before you arrived otherwise you might be stuck quaffing worse macrobrews.  tHan usually opts for the Stroh’s, BK rolls with the Coors Light.  I usually grimace and just accept whatever else they want to serve. I’m kinda shocked they don’t stock the new Hudepohl Amber or the retrofitted Burger.  I took a drive by the ole diamond in the rough yesterday and confirmed that the house next door is still For Rent!

4. New Orleans To Go – (Urbanspoon 97% like) Run, don’t walk, to wherever this Streetcar Named Desire is setting up shop next.   Usually found downtown at 5th and Race during lunchtime.  Best wings on the planet earth.  I am not a fan of catfish whatsoever but I will scarf theirs until my belly fills and causes me discomfort.  I have to pimp the Shrimp Po Boys also and she serves my absolute favorite N’Awlins style food in the area. (is it Cajun? Creole? Bayouian?)  Incredible bargain for the price. Follow them on twitter to see when and where they will be next, Father’s Day they are beginning to serve Sunday brunch at Eden Park. 
http://holdthemustardcincy.blogspot.com/2011/06/new-orleans-to-go.html

3. Gordo’s Pub and Grill – (Urbanspoon 87% like) home of the best burger in Cincinnati, the Jean-Robert. Nothing beats the mixture of grape compote and bleu cheese/goat cheese.  I guess I haven’t been since we convinced HLM21 that it was the best in town.  There are two new burgers which I am quite surprised to learn about, the Chocolate Stout Burger and the PBJ burger.  Be sure to visit the rooftop area, folks think its VIP access only or don’t even know its there.  Chef Gordo doesn’t publicize it.  Then again he snuck those two burgers onto the online menu without the RR burgerhounds knowing anything about it!
http://www.gordospub.com/gourmet_burgers.html

2. Pelican’s Reef – (Urbanspoon 92% like) Gimme oysters and beer, for dinner every day of the year!  Probably the only place I know that serves conch fritters.  Best Lobster Bisque in town, and best Grouper sandwich.  The PR always has 2-3 menus at any given time.  One is the regular menu, one is a quarterly special, and one is the weekly special. Fresh ingredients are the secret to their success.  A nautical, tropical theme fits despite the location in a strip mall.  The restaurant features high tables with paper towels in one half the restaurant and regular low tops in the secondadjoining  room, a recent addition to the original seating area. Beware, there’s usually a line out the door from 530-830pm.  Arrive earlier or later if you can’t handle a big crowd. 
http://www.thepelicansreef.com/

1.Matsuya – (Urbanspoon 88% like) Best sushi in three state radius.  And its not even close.  It rivals the PR for oddest location for a great restaurant.  It, too, is in a strip mall.  This one is in a fairly sparse area of Florence KY.  The building doesn’t face Dixie Highway so it’s a little hard to find if you don’t know what you’re looking for.   A wonderful retail store is located directly next door and its operated by the same owner.  A very traditional Japanese restaurant (no hibatchi here!). The main dining area is traditional Americano, located in the rear is a tatami room with floor mat table seating.  Feel free to order a pot of shabu shabu, this restaurant is one of the few places that offers that dining option.  I skip that and order sushi, and appetizers, exclusively.  I’d love to try more of the menu…but that would cause me to eat less of my favorite sushi anywhere.  Fist bumps to Chef Matsushita!!! 
http://www.matsuyaweb.com/