Lisa Grigsby

Restaurants Open On Christmas Day

December 19, 2014 By Lisa Grigsby

For all those folks who may not celebrate Christmas, or just don’t want to cook that day, there are indeed a few restaurants that will be open for your dining pleasure. Of course you can always dine at Waffle House- they never close, but no matter where you dine out, please remember that the staff of these places have given up their holiday to serve you, so please tip generously, as working on a holiday is never fun, but should at least be profitable for those away from their families.

As always, if you know of a place we missed, feel free to add it in the comments

Amar India Restaurant (937) 439-9005
2759 Miamisburg Centerville Road
1 – 7pm

Dad’s Family Restaurant (513) 423-0022
3131 S. Main St., Middletown
7am – 9pm

CJ Chan 937-259-9866

536 Wilmington Ave. Dayton, OH 45420

10:30am – 10pm

Fairborn Family Diner & Restaurant (937) 879-9454
419 N. Broad St.
7am – 7pm

Hibachi Grill & Supreme Buffet 937-643-3333

1760 E Stroop Rd Kettering, OH 45429

11am – 7pm

McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood & Steaks (937) 431-9200
4429 Cedar Park Drive (at The Greene) Beavercreek, OH 45440
10am – 9pm

Neil’s Heritage House (937) 298-86111
2323 West Schantz Avenue, Dayton OH
3 -7pm

Shen’s Szechuan & Sushi (937) 898-3860
7580 Poe Ave Dayton, OH 45414
11am – 10pm

TGI Fridays
2022 Miamisburg Centerville Road Washington Township (937) 439-3743
2799 Centre Drive, Fairborn (937)429-0019
7777 Old Troy Pike, Huber Heights (937) 236-3200
3pm – 11pm

Fricker’s
7 Area Locations
5pm – 2am

Tea and Scones in Belmont

December 18, 2014 By Lisa Grigsby

Dawn Thomas has always dreamed of having a tea room. Earlier this month, that dream became reality.

She has created a place that Dawn believes “is a perfect place for celebrations, classes and the exchange of ideas, dreams and laughter. I hope to involve a ‘community’ of people that frequent my small business.”

Located at 100 Watervliet Avenue in Belmont, CommuniTea can host about 30 people for lunch, dessert or just tea. The cozy eatery is just the right place to host a book club, bridal shower or just have high tea. They serve soups, salads and cold sandwiches and Thomas is especially proud of their homemade sconces with are served with homemade 3 berry jam and imported authentic clotted cream. Enjoy their daily lunch special for $9.95, which includes soup du jour, a small salad or sandwich and a pot of tea.

If you prefer to visit for HIGH TEA , you’ll get the more traditional service of a 3 tiered display brought to your table which will include

Savories – Tiny pimento cheese, chicken salad or cucumber and dill sandwiches

Scones – Served with housemade 3 berry jam and imported clotted cream

Pastries – Cakes, cookies, shortbread and sweets

and of course a bottomless pot of tea. High tea runs $14.95/person and Dawn shared that she is running a holiday special, you can purchase a gift card for high tea for two for $25. Dawn shared with us that also special in children’s birthday parties, where small groups of 8-10 children, and a special party hostess can have a princess, ballerina or Frozen themed tea party. But she is also quick to share that other than the children’s parties, which are held in a separate room, children are welcome, but each child must be accompanied by an adult, which with the china and hot tea around, makes perfect sense .

Open Tues through Friday from 11am – 4pm and will stay open until 7pm on Thursday’s and from 11am -3pm on Saturday. Look for the addition of some special events like spa night, which may include herbal teas, and 10 minute head and neck massages as well as some craft and painting classes to be announced.

DaytonDining will be featuring a giveaway to Comunitea in our 12 Days of Giving soon, so keep an eye on our facebook page.

Dayton Dining Kicks off 12 Days of Giving

December 11, 2014 By Lisa Grigsby

It’s with great pleasure that DaytonDining kicks off our holiday tradition for the third year- Holiday Giving. The Miami Valley has some amazing food businesses that truly are the flavor of our community. We love promoting our locally owned eateries and take much pleasure in introducing our readers to some of the newest, best and favorites in our town. So for the next 12 days we’re giving you a chance to win a gift certificate to the places we love to dine!

This year there are two ways you can win. Each day we’ll post an image on our DaytonDining facebook page and you can just share that to enter that day’s drawing. (Check your setting to make sure you are sharing it publicly so we can see that you shared).

The second way, is to fill out the form below and and we’ll enter you into the drawing with those that have shared, and yes for all you gamers out there, you do increase your odds of winning by doing both.

We’ve recently joined instagram, so we may do an occasional drawing on our instagram account, so be sure you are following us at instagram.com/daytondining.

Good luck and happy holidays!

[form 55 “DMM Contest Entry – Generic”]

19th Century Brewery Pouring Up History

December 10, 2014 By Lisa Grigsby

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180 seat historical beer brewery at Dayton History. Photo: Tom Gilliam

As you step into the brand new 10,500 square foot brewery at Carillon Park, be prepared to step back 160 years, as you are greeted by workers, dressed in costumes from the period, brewing beer using historical recipes from the 1850’s. The brewhouse sits against one wall in plain view of the entire restaurant, which cost $3.5 million to build and was made possible by a lead gift from Heidelberg Distributing. The brewery highlights the historical importance beer played in the development of Dayton, often providing families an inexpensive source of calories and nutrients.

Carillon Brewing Co (CBCo) Brewster Tanya Brock oversees the brewing that takes place in a two-story brick oven set up. At the top of the steps a 100 gallon copper kettle is filled with water and heated by the fireplace underneath it, while costumed interpreters turn barley into malt which will be added to the heated water that has been transferred to the mash tun to steep. This slow heating process converts the starch in the malt into sugars. This mixture, known as wort, is like the beer starter. To this spices, flavoring and hops are added, while workers maintain the boil by adding charcoal to keep the fire glowing.

Small-batch, unfiltered beers fermenting in oak barrels. Photo: Tom Gilliam

Lastly the wort is ladled one last time from the boil kettle into the cooling barrel. Just as the name indicates, the cooling barrel is where the near boiling wort is quickly cooled to a more hospitable temperature of 75 degrees. Inside the barrel the wort flows through a spiral of copper tubing surrounded by ice cold water. On hot summer days large blocks of ice are used to help bring the temperature down.

Finally cooled, the sweet wort is poured into the fermenting barrels. These 59 gallon American oak barrels is where the yeast are added and kept for a week. During the week the yeast convert the wort’s sugars into heat, alcohol and carbon dioxide. The beer is then transferred to oak barrels to ferment and clarify for about two to three weeks. The spent grains from each batch of brew are used to produce crackers. These buttery and crisp crackers are served on the menu’s Brewers Sampler Platter along with various cheeses, wursts, and garnishes for $10. The current plan is to fire up the kettles for the brewing process four days a week, thought that may be adjusted based on demand. Brock did share that while they are following recipes from the past, they have been slightly modernized and carbonated to appeal to the palettes of current drinkers.

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Flight of Porter, Coriander Ale, Rootbeer & Ginger Ale. Photo by Tom Gilliam

This Thursday, Dec 11th, Carillon Brewing will debut it’s first two beers, Carillon Coriander Ale– created from an 1831 recipe that uses hot peppers to give it a slightly peppery finish and and Carillon Porter, made from a mix of light and dark malts with roasted coffee and chocolate flavors. Also being served and brewed are non-alcoholic root beer made from dark molasses and brown sugar and spices historically available like vanilla, star anise and cinnamon, and ginger ale, sourced from an 1831 housewife’s recipe book. .

Tanya shared that she’s currently testing additional recipes and that she’ll add them as she feels comfortable with the flavors and tastes.

At the media tasting, held yesterday, Dayton History CEO Brady Kress shared that he’s “proud to be able to present this facility to show how it’s done and where it all started.” He also shared plans to add a wine making component to the facility, hopefully by next fall. He explained that the Catawba grape was grown all along the Ohio River Valley and that the land the Dayton Country Club is on was once a field of grapes.

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Overview of bar and brewing area. Photo: Tom Gilliam

Flights of 4 beers, the 2 CBCo brewed beers and your choice of an additional 2 Heidelberg beers on tap will be available for $7. Or take him a souvenir growler of beer for a $24 fill charge, plus a one time charge of $6 for the glass growler.

The food menu according to Dayton History’s website consists of “dishes from the tables of English, German, and Irish immigrants’. ” Appetizers include soft pretzels, sauerkraut balls, and the brewers sampler platter with the spent grain crackers. You’ll find bratwurst, weiner schnitzel and roast chicken entrees for $12-$13 and , soups, sandwiches and salads that average about $10to choose from. A warm apple tart or black forrest chocolate at $5.25 can finish off your meal.

You can visit the Carillon Brewing Co. at 1000 Carillon Park Blvd :
Monday – Saturday • 9:30am – 10:00pm
(Food Service 11:00am – 9:00pm)
Sunday • 11:00am – 10:00pm

DLM Offers Gourmet Grilled Cheese Menu

December 6, 2014 By Lisa Grigsby

Crazy Ludwig

Dayton may not have Melt or Tom and Chee but Dorothy Lane Market has a pretty amazing Grilled Cheese Menu at their sandwich stations in each of their three stores—whatever you choose, they promise it will be cheesy, toasty, and delicious!

The Kimchi has Cheddar and kimchi together for a flavor combination that might sound a little weird but is unbelievably delicious.

The Mac Daddy is the ultimate indulgence—Cheddar cheese, a slab of our Encrusted Macaroni and Cheese, and DLM Uncured Bacon all sandwiched together and grilled to perfection.

Back by popular demand is the classic Croque Monsieur, a French-style grilled cheese with Gruyère, béchamel, and French ham.

You might want to go with The BCT: DLM Uncured Bacon, Cheddar, and tomato.

Or try their best selling Crazy Ludwig slathered with their Jarlsberg Dip and Bavarian ham.

Quick Serve Sushi Rolls Out In Kettering

November 22, 2014 By Lisa Grigsby

There’s a new quick serve restaurant in town, as SUMERA officially opens its doors today at 4313 Far Hills Avenue, in the strip mall that also hosts a Chipotle and Firehouse Subs. Open from 10:30am to 10pm seven days a week, you can eat in or have your meal packed for take out.

While traditional Sushi restaurants focus on raw selections like Salmon, Smoked Salmon, Spicy Tuna and Tuna; SUMERA makes Sushi accessible to the masses by adding cooked products like steak, chicken, tofu, shrimp, and peanut butter and jelly – and you can choose it in a roll or a noodle bowl.

As you walk down the order line you can choose one of their eight specialty rolls featured on the menu or create your own:

California

Crab Stick, Cucumber, Carrots, Avocado, Green Onion, Sweet Soy, Sesame Seeds

Steak House

Here’s the surf & turf with a soy wrapper I enjoyed last night.

Steak, Asparagus, Red Onion, Shiitake Mushroom, Blue Cheese, Sesame and Toasted Sesame Seeds, Horseradish Sauce

Chicken Bacon

Chicken, Bacon, Carrots, Asparagus, Green Onion, Cream Cheese, Ranch, Bacon and Blue Cheese Crumbles

Surf and Turf

Steak, Crab, Shiitake Mushroom, Asparagus,Blue Cheese, Red Onion, Sesame and Toasted Sesame Seeds, Horseradish Sauce

Shrimp Tempura

Shrimp Tempura, Green Onion, Cream Cheese, Asparagus, Sesame and Toasted Sesame Seeds, SUMERA Sweet Sauce

Veggie

Mushroom, Cucumber, Asparagus, Carrot, Avocado, Red Onion, Pickled Radish, SUMERA Sweet Sauce, Sesame and Wasabi Sesame Seeds

PB & Jelly Roll

Peanut Butter and Jelly on a Soy Wrap with Crushed Peanuts

a guest enjoying a Pocky stick for dessert

The fun part is you can customize any of the rolls or bowls, any way you like, adding or omitting carrots, green onions, mushrooms, jalapenos, avacados or other veggies and then you can customize your meal by adding toppings like bacon, sesame seeds, eel sauce, wasabi mayo, crunch tempura or many others options.

You can add a cucumber or seaweed salad, miso soup or other sides to your meal and then head down to the fountain drink station where Pepsi products are featured. Co-owner Kelly Gray shares that desserts will also be an option, and shared “they will featured seasonal fruits, and we even have an apple pie roll and a Japanese favorite the Pocky Stick- a crunchy cookie dipped in chocolate.”

In a hurry? There will be a quick serve case stocked with SUMERA’s specialty rolls, salads and dessert options so you can grab and go. There will be a self serve credit card scanner so you can check yourself out, avoiding any lines that may be at the counter.

Ray Wiley, Kelly Gray, Matt Curtis and Tim Tefs

Opening any new restaurant is a risk, but the ownership team behind this new fast causal sushi joint have some pretty good successes behind them already. Leading the team is Ray Wiley, founder of Hot Head Burrtios, a concept he began right here in Kettering in 2007. Hot Head currently has close to 60 locations, some company owned, many franchised. He also is a franchise holder of 7 Subways in the area. Kelly Gray brings her real estate knowledge to the team as a successful Dayton commercial realtor. Matt Curtis is a 30 year veteran of restaurants, having worked with Skyline Chili, Subway and is a current owner of 13 Hot Head Burritos restaurants. Tif Tefs owns 10 Subway restaurants, co-owns 5 Hot Head Burritos restaurants and was former owner and area developer for a full service sports bar chain.

While it will take a little time to get this first Sumera rolling efficiently, plans are already under way to add two more locations in 2015. Realty expert Gray shares they are looking in Beavercreek and near Austin Landing for the next locations.

Stop by our DaytonDining facebook page where we’ve got a grand opening gift card giveaway so you can check out SUMERA on us!

Xenia Eatery Grand Opening Today

November 21, 2014 By Lisa Grigsby

Chef Matthew Thomas will be serving up southern inspired meals at Soular Flare, located at 131 Cincinnati Avenue in Xenia. The building formerly housed Rubio’s Taqueria just seemed to have all the right elements when Thomas was looking for a place to launch his business. The 38 seat eatery, with a staff of 18 will serve lunch Monday through Thursday 115pm and lunch 11am – 3pm and dinner on Friday and Saturday from 5 to 8pm.

Chef Matthew Thomas

Thomas been cooking for years and with some inspiration from his grandparents, finally realized that food was his passion and enrolled in the Bradford School’s culinary program. Upon graduation he did a lot of catering and recently moved to the Dayton area with his wife. He’d been looking for a space to open his eatery for a while in the Fairborn area, and just happened upon the Xenia space, which he said was practically all ready to be opened. With a little help from his newfound friends at Equipment Warehouse everything was in place.

“After quite a feel sleepless nights and a lot of help from my family and friends, we are excited to be opening,” shares Thomas. “My vision is have a place where people can come relax, have a conversation and enjoy a good meal. A little Stevie Ray Vaughn blues in the background, no sports, no loud music, cloth napkins and food inspired by the many influences of my life, like my grandmother’s southern meals, a friend’s great Italian food and more. At our soft open last weekend I was just speechless as I watched my dream come to life- cooks in the kitchen executing my recipes, people enjoying my food, it was truly the most pleasing thing I’ve ever done.”

For lunch you can pick form 3 salads, including a fried chicken salad, soups, brown sugar glazed BLT, shrimp poboy, sloppy joe and rice and sides like collard greens , macaroni and cheese, and southern fried cabbage. The dinner menu will include shrimp & grits, Crown Royal Maple Glazed Salmon, Hawaiian Steak, catfish, a few burgers, ham hock & pinto beans, jerk chicken skewers, meat loaf or vegetarian creole red beans and fried chicken.

And desserts will include sweet potato pie and lemon pound cake with berry compote (pictured upper left).

Perhaps sometime in the future Thomas may add a beer and wine license, but for now its just casual southern food.

Another Broken Egg Cafe Hatches At Austin Landing

November 9, 2014 By Lisa Grigsby

Another Broken Egg Cafe (ABEC) officially cracks its doors open Monday, November 10 at 7am at 3450 Rigby Road at Austin Landing. The cafe bills itself as an upscale, breakfast, lunch and weekend brunch restaurant and will be open daily until 2pm, closing only on Thanksgiving and Christmas. The restaurant has seats for about 120 guests inside and when weather cooperates, they’ll have patio seating for another 36 guests.

Lobster & Brie Omelette – Cream cheese filled omelette with Brie & sautéed lobster meat, topped with a light champagne butter sauce, diced tomatoes & scallions

I was lucky enough to take part in the sneak peek for charity, which served as practice dining for the staff this past Thursday through Sunday and raised over $10,000 for United Rehabilitation Services. We were able to sample the Southern-inspired dishes, starting with appetizers such as biscuit beignets dipped in powdered sugar and honey marmalade, and baked brie delight with apples, pecans and raisins sauteed in Grand Marnier and butter over brie cheese and toasted French bread.

The company’s philosophy that “Nothing Short of Right is Right” was on display at the preview. With fresh faced, eager servers, managers that were quick to correct and nonstop visits to keep coffee mugs full, the service was payed serious attention. As described on their website “Each restaurant is managed by hands-on owners who believe that every detail is important to make the customer happy. So from the time you enter the front door to the time you leave the Cafe, you should feel like you’re on a relaxing vacation and as comfortable as you would be in your own home.”

There are six varieties of eggs benedict, 11 gourmet omelette choices, an exceptional signature Bananas Foster over Belgian waffles, French toast or sweet potato pancakes, southern crabstack, along with handcrafted burgers, specialty sandwiches and fresh salads on the menu.

Prices on the menu vary from $3.29 for blackberry grits to 10.99 for the fried green tomatoes appetizers, traditional egg breakfasts start at $7.69, omelettes range from $10- $15, salads, burgers and sandwiches run about $9-$12.

Furthermore, ABEC’s Healthy Side menu, which includes granola, fruit & quinoa for $10.99, gluten friendly jumbo pancakes for $7.99, the skinny omelette, steel cut oats, just $4.99 and simply salmon or chicken, are all option for a healthy start to your day.

Bananas Foster French Toast

While I didn’t have a chance to taste it, we were told ABEC has an award winning bloody mary, made with house infused vodka, habanera peppers and spices, (perhaps they’ll join our MostMetro.com Bloody Mary Showdown in 2015). But it’s good to know you can add a refreshing mimosa, bellini or liquor laced coffee to your brunch here, which differentiates ABEC from most other area breakfast eateries.

The restaurant represents the first Ohio franchise of this Louisiana based award-winning restaurant concept. Local franchise owner Mike Craddick, who also has four local Five Guys Burger franchises, is planning at least three more restaurants in the Cincinnati-Dayton area.

Another Broken Egg Cafe is a leader in the morning restaurant sector with 37 restaurants to date across the southeast United States, California and Indiana. Ron Green founded the first ABE Cafe in 1996 on Girod Street in Old Mandeville, Louisiana. For more information about the restaurant locations, the history of ABEC and complete menus, please visit www.anotherbrokenegg.com

Where To Eat Out In Dayton On Thanksgiving

November 7, 2014 By Lisa Grigsby

Last year over 15 million Americans opted to sit back in a booth and let others cook the turkey for them. For all of us who work so hard and get so little time to spend with the people that we want to be with, the idea of spending the majority of our holiday preparing, cooking and cleaning just doesn’t cut it.

Or maybe you’re not going to be with your family this year, but you still want that delicious turkey. Behold, our handy-dandy guide to eating Thanksgiving dinner in the Miami Valley

And don’t forget to ask for leftovers, some restaurants will pack you a little take home box so you can have a turkey sandwich later.

Here are the places we’ve confirmed so far:

Carvers Steaks & Chops
1535 Miamisburg Centerville Road, Dayton, OH 45459 (937) 433-7099 noon to 7pm
Traditional Turkey Dinner $19, Kids Meal is $12, regular menu also available

Cracker Barrel
5770 Wilmington Pike, Centerville, (937) 432-2431, 6am – 10pm
7171 Miller Lane, Butler Twp, (937) 890-0047; 6am to 10 pm
3280 Town Blvd, Middletown, (513) 727-4727; 6am to 10 pm
105 West Leffel Lane, Springfield (937) 325-8221; 6am to 10 pm
Turkey and traditional sides. No reservations taken

Dayton Marriott
1414 South Patterson Blvd, Dayton 937.223.1000 ext.7731 seatings at 11:30pm & 1:30pm reservations required
Buffet with waffle station, make your own salad bar, Ham and Turkey carving, as well as other hot entrees, and assorted cakes, seasonal pies, pastries and bread pudding
$38 per person inclusive of tax and gratuity, $32 for seniors $15 for children ages 5 to 12 (4 and under eat free)

Dominique’s Bistro and Bar
2600 Far Hills Avenue, Kettering (937) 298-0022 noon – 6pm
Three Courses for $29.99, choice of 3 appetizers, 3 entrees and 3 desserts, reservations suggested

This drunken tequila turkey is one of El Meson’s menu options for Thanksgiving!

El Meson
903 E Dixie Dr, West Carrollton (937) 859-8229 4 – 9pm
Drunken Tequila Turkey, Chorizo & Bread Stuffing, Three Root Mash, Colombian Fried Rice. $29.95
Paella Valencia – Spanish rice dish with chicken, pork, chorizo, fish, shrimp, scallops, calamari, & mussels. All you care to eat. $29.95

Giuliano’s Tavern
67 S. Main Street, Miamisburg (937) 859-3000 11:30 to 7pm
Serving fresh roasted turkey, dressing, giblet gravy, fresh cranberry sauce, vegetable/salad, homemade pumpkin pie and homemade southern pecan pie. Many popular entrees from our regular menu will also be available, reservations accepted

Golden Corral
2490 Commons Boulevard, Beavercreek (937)431-7300 10am – 8pm,
8870 Kingsridge Drive, Dayton Mall (937)312-2400 10am – 8pm
6611 Miller Lane, Vandalia (937)264-3300 10am – 8pm
Turkey and traditional sides. No Reservations. $12.99, not including tax or beverage.

Harrison’s Restaurant
106 E. Main Street, Tipp City (937) 667-5200 noon – 6pm
Classic turkey dinner with celery and sage dressing, mashed potatoes & grevy, green been casserole, house made cranberry sauce and warm apple pie with ice cream
$15.50 adults, $13.50 seniors, $9.50 children 10 and under

Hasty Tasty
509 Linden Ave., Dayton, (937) 254-8431; 5 am to 6 pm
Thanksgiving dinner specials, no reservations. Cost: $8.95, includes dessert.

Max & Erma’s
3 area locations: Miller Lane, Fairfield Commons, Springboro 11am – midnight
Thanksgiving Dinner $14.99 for adults, $12.99 for children includes turkey, mashed potatoes, apple pecan stuffing, side of green beans, cranberry sauce and choice of salad or soup and slice of pumpkin cheesecake.

McCormick and Schmick’s
4429 Cedar Park Drive at The Greene, Beavercreek (937) 431-9200 noon to 8 pm
regular menu and Thanksgiving meal, which runs $24.95, reservations suggested

Mimi’s Cafe
4402 Walnut St. in The Greene in Beavercreek, (937) 426-9153; 8am – 8pm
regular menu and traditional Thanksgiving dinner, reservations accepted

The Barnsider
5202 North Main Street, Dayton, OH 45415 (937) 277.1332 noon – 7pm
Traditional Thanksgiving dinner, $15.95 adults, Children 10 and under $8.95
Reservations welcomed

Waffle House
To find the closest Waffle House to you use the store locator .
It’s open 24 hours and if you sit at the bar you can watch them flip your eggs- it’s like dinner theater.

Wellington Grille
2450 Dayton Xenia Road, Beavercreek (937) 426-4600 | Noon to 6pm
Traditional meal, plus regular items. Reservations Recommended

Yankee Trace Golf Club
10000 Yankee St, Dayton (937) 438-3585
Turn the Turkey over to us! We’re taking reservations for our annual Thanksgiving Buffet on Thursday, November 27. There are two seatings: 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Cost is $26.95 for adults and $12.95 for children 6–12 years old. Children five and under eat free. Reservations are required and fill up very fast.

Young’s Jersey Dairy Golden Jersey Inn
6880 Springfield-Xenia Rd. (U.S. 68), Yellow Springs, (937) 324-2050. 10:30 am to 6 pm seating every 90 minutes. Traditional Thanksgiving buffet including turkey, ham, sides, and desserts. Reservations required. Adults $20.95, children 4-10 $8.95, children 3 and under free.

Also don’t forget the Community Feast of Giving at the Dayton Convention Center:

An event that reaches out to bring the entire community together. It is a dinner, a celebration, a community event based on the following principles:
• To provide a dinner for anyone that might be spending the holiday alone.
• To provide a dinner for those that are homeless or less fortunate.
• To provide a dinner for anyone who wants to attend.

• 11am – 2pm
• No tickets required

Additional Information:
This year there will be Free RTA and Project Mobility Transportation from 9:30am until 3pm. Call 937-425-8300 for RTA information. There will also be free parking in the convention center garage.

If you know of others, feel free to add in the comments below or contact me with more info.

Firebirds at Austin Landing- Raising The Bar On Casual Dining

October 24, 2014 By Lisa Grigsby

The Charlotte North Carolina based Firebirds Wood Fired Grill will open it’s 36th eatery at Austin Landing this coming week.The 6,764-square-foot restaurant will seat 255 guests and feature an exhibition kitchen, indoor stone fireplace and outdoor patio. Open for lunch and dinner seven days a week, Firebirds will feature a large variety of bold selections prepared in-house, including hand-cut steaks, fresh seafood, chicken and ribs — all seared over local hickory, oak or pecan wood.

I was lucky enough to make it to one of the practice dining meals Thursday night and I must say as someone who spent years opening up bars and restaurants, this one was incredibly smooth and well run. The fourteen year old chain gets high marks for bringing their southern charm to Dayton. From the hostess, who sat us, our server who was eager to show off his knowledge of the house favorites, to the managers who came by our table, all were polite and personable, and not that forced, I have to visit your table, ask a question I really don’t want to hear your answer to and dash, that has become the norm for so many restaurants.

I started my night with the house specialty cocktail, the Double Black Diamond Martini® -fresh pineapple infused for 21 days with Svedka All Natural Citron Vodka and garnished with a sweet pineapple slice, that was suggested by our server. We also took his recommendation and began our meal with the Lobster Spinach Queso Dip, and it was indeed a winner, with large chunks of sweet lobster meat in a warm, cheesy sauce.

Sometime during appetizer the VP of Marketing, Stephen Loftis stopped by our table and greeted my by name (a great sign of an organization that takes the time to make a note of the local media). Mr Loftis shared a brief history of the company, including the owners love of Aspen as the inspiration for the “lodge” feeling to the eatery, pointed out the signature wine wall built in each unit, including Firebirds private reserve Sonoma Chardonnay and Napa Red Blend. He was in town briefly, having just opened a Firebirds in Virginia the day before and shared that he’ll be back in town in a few weeks, to make sure that the store gets off to a good start and gets to know the community by getting involved with local events. Loftis told us about a local family he was looking forward to meeting that were local ambassadors to Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, a program Firebirds supports in the fight against childhood cancer. Each time a guest purchases a Fresh Squeezed Lemonade, Firebirds donates $1 back to the organization. Loftis shared Firebirds will be opening another location in Mason and hinted that if things go well that a second Dayton location might very well happen.

Skipping the four signature salads on the menu, we went straight to the meat! My dinner partner ordered the Slow Roasted 16 oz Prime Rib, priced at $26.30 (a 12 oz portion is also available at $23.30) which came out a perfect medium with house made au jus, a creamy horseradish sauce with just the right amount of kick and a loaded baked potato. I went for a medium rare Bacon Wrapped Filet – which came out with a warm red center and Grilled Shrimp with a side of the Southwest Au Gratin Potatoes (which are addicting and I’ll be ordering often) for $30.29. We both agreed it was a lot of food, but we also felt an obligation to eat every bite, or at least that was our excuse to eat every tasty piece of food on our plate.

While we ate we met General Manager Jeff Meyer, who shared a copy of the kids’ menu with healthy items approved by the National Restaurant Association Kids LiveWell program. “Firebirds provides the full spectrum, customized dining experience for every guest, including a rather substantial gluten free menu. We look forward to bringing the Firebirds experience to Miamisburg.”

For dessert we were tempted by the Key Lime Pie, I was intrigued by the Big Daddy Chocolate Cake, but again took our servers suggestion and shared a piece of the Creme Brulee Cheesecake, priced at $7.50. Not only was it beautifully plated, but it was the perfect finale to share for a meal that proved that the combination of Firebirds’ warm ambiance, personable service and delicious flavor provides a dining experience guaranteed to bring guests back.

While the restaurant does not have a private dining room, they do have areas that can accommodate large groups. A party of 25 could would fit at the banquet under the wall of wine and the patio also offers a spacious area for a group, weather permitting. Firebirds will also do catering and you can call in a take out order. You can make reservations online or

I’m looking forward to enjoying happy hour in the Firebar with drink specials and bar bites from 4-6:30pm Monday through Friday with Mondays featuring half-priced glasses of wine and select bottles until 9pm. Perhaps our only critique of the eatery was the selection of beers, we were hoping for a better selection of craft beers, but were encouraged by the Warped Wing Self Starter on tap. Management shared that each location has some input on their beer selections, so hopefully they will feature more of the Miami Valley’s local beers soon. We registered for Firebirds’ E-Club and look forward to receiving exclusive offers, promotions and a birthday gift card, as promised by our server.

My first visit made it easy to see why Firebirds Wood Fired Grill was named one of ten 2014 ‘Breakout Brands’ by Nation’s Restaurant News and received a 2014 Certificate of Excellence from TripAdvisor. For more information you can visit firebirdsrestaurants.com, like them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter @FirebirdsGrill.

Beer To Go From Fifth Street Brewpub

October 21, 2014 By Lisa Grigsby

On Wed, Oct 21st the Fifth Street Brewpub will add growlers to their menu. These 64 ounce refillable bottles allow you to take home your favorite brews from the brewpub. Cure-All Cream Ale, Icebreaker IPA, 85 Shilling Scottish Ale, and Jo Jo’s Midnight Stout will be available to go. Pick up your own growler for just $5 and then you can fill it with your favorite beer to enjoy at home. According to FSB fills will run about $17-$18 and members will receive a dollar off each fill.

According to the Beer Advocate, in the late 1800s and early 1900s, fresh beer was carried from the local pub to one’s home by means of a small-galvanized pail. Rumor has it that when the beer sloshed around the pail, it created a rumbling sound as the CO2 escaped through the lid, thus the term “growler” was coined.
Before World War II, city kids used to bring covered buckets of draft beer from a local bar or brewery to workers at lunchtime or to their parents at dinnertime, a practice called “rushing the growler.”

For more information on Growlers, check out this article by Jeff Heater, GM of the soon to be open The Barrel House:

Growlers, maybe you’ve heard of ‘em?

And if you want to know where you can fill a growler in town, check out our list of over 30 places around town that will happily pour you some beer to go! Just note that you must always refrigerate growlers. Doing so will give them a shelf-life of 7-10 days, or around 2-3 days once opened if youre lucky.

15 Bartenders Competed For Dayton’s Best Bloody Mary Title

October 12, 2014 By Lisa Grigsby

Celebrating the first anniversary of local ad firm Lion + Panda turned into Dayton’s first Bloody Mary Showdown, sponsored by American Harvest Organic Vodka and produced by DaytonMostMetro.com and the ARC Ohio Associate Board. Held in the Coliseum at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds, 200 guests tasted their way through renditions of this classic brunch drink. Some were spicy, some were bold, some were even good for you, as they were chocked full of juiced vegetables. Local bartenders were recruited, and asked to bring 3 gallons of their best bloody mix and guests were asked to judge the event. Proceeds of the event were donated to the AIDS Resource Center Ohio.

Chef Matt Hayden of Scratch Event Catering provided a western inspired spread for the Showdown which included Texas inspired Eggs Benedict with Poached Egg, Smoked Beef Brisket, Smoked Gouda and Cilantro Lime Hollandaise on French Pastry, Border Home Fries toasted in cumin and coriander with Crumbled Chorizo and Mexican Crema on side. and scrumptious Tejano Chocolate Bites -Ancho Chili Infused Callebaut Dark Chocolate Bars with Candied Onion and Bacon Center.

On their way out each guest had just one vote to select their favorite Bloody Mary. Many of the participants were really challenged by this and suggested adding categories, like best garnish, most creative, most traditional, as well as best table decor. Look for those categories in the 2015 Bloody Mary Showdown.

The votes were very close and first through fourth place were only 7 votes apart. You’ll have to wait to taste the winning cocktail, created by MacKenzie Manley. She’s a bartender who spent years working at the Pour Haus, and is now in the process of opening her own place. Mack’s Tavern will be open in just a few weeks on St. Rt. 725 in Washington Township in the strip mall where The Melting Pot and Big Lots are. She describes her winning cocktail as Mack’s BBQ Burger Mary- a smokey, hearty, beefed up BBQ bloody mary that has a spicy sriracha salted rim and garnished with a sweet lil smokey wrapped in yummy caramelized bacon slice.

Second place was claimed by Tim Gross, representing McGillicutty’s Pub in Kettering. Tim shared with us that he started out as a customer, then worked the door, helped at as a bar back and eventually learned to bartend at the neighborhood tavern. He only works on Sunday’s and that shift helped him perfect his drink, which he calls Tim’s Sunday Vacation, garnished with a small salad, including celery, olive and green beans.

The ladies of Lucky’s Taproom & Eatery, which serves up brunch every weekend on Fifth Street, and were picked by many as the favorites heading into the contest, took third place with a bloody Erin Welch called the Radical Tomato.

Other participants included the owners of AleFest, Jennifer Dean and Amanda Pond, serving up Bloody Ale- a cocktail featuring the smoked porter from Warped Wing, instead of vodka. Gretchen Kelly represented Kohler’s Catering, Nicole Fiely and Emily Mendenhall served it up for Lily’s Bistro, Jamie Gaulding of World BBQ shared his Bloody BLT, while Constance Myers of Tuty’s Bar & Grill had a buffet of garnishes available. Smart Guy in a Tie Cocktails Brian Petro brought the heat, Suzy Switzer of Trolley Stop’s had a garden fresh veggietastic Bloody. The Oregon Distric was well represented with Natalie Chalita and Adela Gloady of Salar serving up a Red & Rye, Nicole Hiserman from Blind Bob’s, and Kristen Todd from Tumbleweed Connection all offering something slightly different.

While there was no official prize for decor, there’s no doubt that Lonnie House , who was representing Masque had the most awesome diorama, complete with voodoo doll and dry ice to go with his Mary’s Voodoo File Rougarou!

With out a doubt, what all of the guests agreed on was the event was a hit, and MostMetro.com is already thinking about the next event. So you’ve got all winter to work on your recipe’s because the next Bloody Mary Showdown will add a category for amateur bartenders as well.
Cheers to all who made this event a success!

Name of Planned Oregon District Restaurant Announced

October 10, 2014 By Lisa Grigsby

Corner Kitchen Owners: Jack & Natalie Skilliter. Photo by Jim Witmer

MostMetro breaks the news: Natalie and Jack Skilliter are pleased to announce that their planned restaurant at 613 East Fifth Street in the Oregon District will be called, “Corner Kitchen.”

“While we are still a few months away from opening, plans are proceeding. We are describing ‘Corner Kitchen’ as a ‘finer diner’,” said Jack Skilliter, chef of Corner Kitchen. “We intend to provide our guests with mouthwatering updates on many familiar classics. Corner Kitchen will bring a warm spirit to Dayton, a relaxed mood and affordable, farm-fresh food.”

“Our name represents the essence of who we are and what we do,” explained Natalie Skilliter, owner of Corner Kitchen and vice president of vellaINC public relations. “The restaurant will be located on the corner of Fifth and Wayne in the Oregon District and, inside, the ‘kitchen’ will be open and in the middle of the restaurant; thus the name, ‘Corner Kitchen.’ It’s pretty simple. We will feature delicious food prepared with love and entirely from scratch and our flavors and our service will be exceptional.”

In addition, the Skilliters have been asked to provide a sampling from their planned menu in the Red Ribbon Lounge this year at Masquerage, the AIDS Resource Center Ohio’s signature event.

AIDS Resource Center Ohio (ARC Ohio) is Ohio’s premier nonprofit provider of a comprehensive and coordinated response to HIV/AIDS, from prevention to diagnosis and treatment. With an atmosphere that sizzles, non-stop entertainment that takes your breath away, delicious food, and heart-pumping music to keep your body moving all night long, Masquerage is one event NOT to be missed! Tickets are still available for the October 18 event and can be purchased at www.masquerage.org.

Event Producer Lisa Grigsby shares, “We are thrilled to be able to debut Corner Kitchen to our Red Ribbon Lounge guests. Being able to offer our VIP’s an exclusive first taste of this new eatery is exactly the kind of thing that makes Masquerage Dayton’s Party of Parties!”

“We are honored to be asked to participate in Masquerage this year,” said Skilliter. “It is the most fun event in Dayton with proceeds going to an important organization, ARC.”

ABOUT CORNER KITCHEN

Corner Kitchen is the incarnation of the Skilliters’ personal style, sensibility and, taste. The restaurant will showcase their passion for flavor, their commitment to excellence, and their genuine dedication to community.

Their combined and significant experience in the restaurant industry will help Natalie and Jack integrate all they have learned from the fine dining establishments in New York and Washington DC where they have worked. Local-sourcing of food and beverages is very important to the couple, as is a passion for excellence in all things—from unobtrusive, yet attentive service, to a menu offerings created entirely from scratch, to a well-rounded and interesting wine list, to affordable, fun, and simple cocktails.

5th Annual Big Beers & Barley Wines Festival – Ticket Contest

October 8, 2014 By Lisa Grigsby

Some beer festival are all about the masses, offering hundreds of beers, where theirs something for everyone. But for Big Beers & Barley Wines, the focus is more narrow. From it’s inception in 2009, when Mike & Donna Schwartz, owners of Belmont Party Supply, teamed up with Resident Home Association who support individuals with developmental disabilities, to host a small boutique quality beer fundraiser. Showcasing about 100 beers, attendance that first year was about 300 guests. Now five years later the event has grown quite a reputation for showcasing premium and rare craft beers. Last year there were about 500 in attendance, and with the increased interest in craft beers, there’s no doubt that this event will probably have increased attendance this year. Organizers have acknowledged the desire to keep this event intimate and will probably cap ticket sales at about 700.

This years event, scheduled for Sat, Oct 11th from 4-8pm, will continue that tradition of extraordinary beers inside the Roundhouse at Montgomery County Fairgrounds. For your $35 admission you’ll get a tasting glass and 20 samples of unique and rare craft beers. All proceeds from this event go to Resident Home Association. Non-drinker/DD tickets are $10.00 and are available at the door day of event.
One of the unique aspects to this festival is the special tappings that happen throughout the event, usually by beer reps who are more than willing to share the history of the brews as they pour.

You can pick up tickets at your favorite beer stop including: Belmont Party Supply, BrewTensils, 5th Street Wine & Deli, Bee Gee’s Market, Boston’s Bistro, Chappy’s Tap Room, Harrigan’s Tavern, King’s Table, Lucky’s Taproom & Eatery, Pour Haus, South Park Tavern, Thai 9 and Trolley Stop or purchase tickets online.

DMM TICKET CONTEST:

We’ve got a pair of tickets to share with one lucky beer fan. To be entered in our random drawing, fill out the form below and convince us below why you should win these tickets. Share this story on your facebook page to double your chances to win!

Congrats to our winner Marshall Weil from Tipp City!

Ohio’s Oldest Comedy Club Has New Owner

October 2, 2014 By Lisa Grigsby

Originally opened in 1982 by Dan Lafferty and his wife Jody on Patterson Road, Wiley’s Comedy Club is one of the longest running clubs in the country and the oldest in Ohio. Sometime in 1990 the club moved to it’s current home in the Historic Oregon District. After 17 years at the helm of the business Lafferty sold the club to stand up comic Rob Haney, who is also a writer for the Bob & Tom radio show. Now, fourteen years later, and for the first time in the club history, the new ownership group are not Daytonians. The team is headed up by stand up comic Steve Hofstetter.

Hofstetter on stage at his Indy club.

Author’s confession- I worked at Wiley’s in 1993, before I bought Jokers Comedy Cafe. It was at Jokers that I first booked Hofstetter, bringing him in for a special one night show he was promoting aimed at college students. I’d never seen his show, but based on his success on the college circuit, his status as the original writer for collegehumor.com, and his persistence in pursuing the booking, I took a chance on him. While I don’t remember much about his humor (which generally means his show was fine- the ones that sucked and those that rocked the rooms are the ones that stand out from my 25+ years of comedy) what I did come away with was the sense that this New Yorker had the determination and drive to make a success out of anything he undertook. I lost track of him along the way, but would occasionally hear about his latest accomplishment. I heard he’d taken over a failing club in Indy and knew he was still hustling his way through comedy clubs.

Then one morning in July I started getting phone calls and facebook messages asking if I’d bought Wiley’s. Rumors were out that Rob had sold the club and folks were asking if I’d bought the club. I chuckled, and gave my standard answer, “been there, done that, not going back.” Later that day I posted this update on the MostMetro.com Facebook page:

“As of October 1st, Wiley’s Comedy Club will have new ownership. Comedian Steve Hofstetter will be the managing partner.
This will be the 3rd club they own, adding to their Indy and Louisville clubs. Steve is a hustler and knows how to promote so expect some exciting things to happen when he takes over!”

So I reached out to Steve and asked him a few questions about taking over Wiley’s:

What made Dayton an attractive city for you to buy a club in?

SH: I’ve been performing there for ten years. I’ve done shows at multiple clubs, as well as Wright State and U. of Dayton. The vibe of the neighborhood in particular is what got us. It is a working class town, but filled with artists and young people actively looking for something interesting to do. Who wouldn’t want to run a club here? It’s also a Bob & Tom city, and so are our other clubs. This club in particular is a great fit – amazing bones, but not doing much re: social media and modern technology, which is what we do best. In addition, we specialize in clubs in the midwest. Our other two are in Louisville and Indy – both 2 hours from Dayton. We can do wonderful things regarding routing big comedians through the three cities.

What changes can guests expect at the club?

SH: Our philosopy is that we are responsible for the customer’s night as soon as they get out of their car, and every aspect of the experience must be considered accordingly. Our other clubs are known for quality food and a vast liquor selection, in addition to great talent. Because we have the ability to book in bulk, customers will quickly see an increase in celeb acts. We will also focus on building more of the local artists – with opportunities to grow in our organization, we’ll be teaching the local comedians to think beyond open mics and hopefully churn out some amazing acts from the scene. Rob Haney has done great things at Wiley’s over the years. Our job is to take it to the next level.

Comedian Greg Warren

Who’s your favorite all time comic and favorite still playing clubs? (and no, you can’t say yourself)

SH: All time is Bill Hicks. Also love me some Mitch Hedberg and Eddie Izzard (who is still gigging, just not at clubs). My favorite current club acts are probably Greg Warren and Tom Simmons. But there are so many wonderful ones it’s really hard to choose (MM:Since Greg Warren is probably my best friend in comedy, Steve wins some brownie points for that answer).

So tonight, is the first night of the new regime and it’s ladies night, all women get in free on Thursday. And the first comic they have booked is another good buddy of mine, B.T.

Originally from Oklahoma and now living in Indy, this drama school graduate trained for the rigors of making people laugh and has been so successful that he has performed at the prestigious HBO U.S. Comedy Arts Festival. B.T.’s physical performance style and charm landed him two performances on NBC’s “Friday Night Videos”. He has also appeared on BET Comic View, MTV’s The Jenny McCarthy Show, and FOX’s The Keenan Ivory Wayans Show. B.T. is only on the show for tonight, come this weekend, Steve Hofstetter will be taking the stage at his newest club.

Wishing them well and looking forward to the new energy Hofstetter will bring to Wiley’s Comedy Joint. Stop on out to the club at 101 Pine Street in the Oregon District, with shows Thursday through Sunday at 8pm, with a second show at 10:15pm on Friday and Saturday. You can purchase tickets on their website or call the club for more information at 937-224-5653.

Toast The Century Bar Tuesday As Best 60 Bourbon Bars Honoroed

September 27, 2014 By Lisa Grigsby

Back in June The Bourbon Review published their list ofAmerica’s 60 Top Bourbon Bars, in the magazine’s sixth anniversary issue. Dayton’s only bourbon bar made the list again and here’s what they had to say:

Century Bar, Dayton, OH: In what could be the most underrated Bourbon bar in the country, the Century Bar takes you back to 1862 with its 150-year-old back bar. The home of the former Kette & Sons Rye Whiskey Distillery, Century Bar packs 87 Bourbons and regularly holds blind tastings. It’s the sort of place every Bourbon drinker should visit at least once in his or her life.

“The criteria for the list was simple,” Justin Thompson of The Bourbon Review said in a press release. “The bar needed to prominently display bourbon, educate patrons about bourbon and provide a superior selection. The winning bars also have a reputation for creating both unique and traditional bourbon cocktails.”

To celebrate the list, The Bourbon Review has again partnered with Four Roses Bourbon for a nationwide toast to each of the 60 bars and restaurants. The toast is scheduled to take place Tuesday, Sept. 30th at 7pm when bourbon lovers are encouraged to to raise a glass and make a toast via social media to honor their favorite bar! We encourage you to engage in the toasting by uploading your pictures and tagging The Century Bar, The Bourbon Review, and Four Roses Bourbon. The toast can be made via facebook, twitter or instagram and please use #60toast.

If you’ve never had the pleasure of attending one of The Century Bar’s blind bourbon tasting, you’re in luck. After taking the summer off, they’ve just announced the return of the tasting. Tickets will go on sale Monday for the Oct 18th 3:30pm tasting. The tasting will be $60.00 which includes six bourbons, and lunch catered by Smokin BBQ. Not only will you get to try a variety of bourbons, the knowledge shared by bartenders Joe, Tim, Nick and Jarod at these events is mind boggling. You’ll learn about the history of this brown liquor, the science behind the flavors, the family feuds and politics of the business and trends impacting the supply of your favorite bourbons.