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BIll's Donuts

Our Most Viewed Foodie Stories of 2023

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We cover a lot of bar and restaurant stories on our website, Dayton Dining Facebook page and Dayton Foodies Group and as look back on 2023, here are our most read stories of the year.

Our fifth most read story fo the year was Downtown Brewery Closed. On Oct 17th we announced the fate of  Lock 27 Brewing & Taproom  closing, six years after it opened the doors near the Dragons Baseball stadium.  The good news, their suburban space in Centerville is staying open.

 

Our fourth most read story also came in Ocober when a  Dayton Eatery Named to Yelp’s Top 100 in Midwest. The husband and wife couple, Casey and Patrick that own and operate Grist in Downtown Dayton got some national recognition for their specialty pasta market and restaurant that serves lunch and dinner, sells pasta, bread and other treats to go, as well as offering cooking classes.

Coming in as the 3rd most read story, On Oct 7th we revealed that the Doubleday’s Chain Introduces New Concept.  According to Doubleday’s management Home Plate will open late Jan/early February.  With only 20 seats, the concept will concentrate on carry out of Doubleday’s favorite, soups, salads and sandwiches.

Our second most popular posting happened on  On June 30th we announced the the management change at Treasure Island, with Dana & Katherine Downs taking over July 1st. Slight menu modifications were predicted to  ensure the efficiency and success of the restaurant. Well, as we all know now, that didn’t last long and the restaurant has been handed back to owner Duane Issacs and closed temporarily. Rumor has it that former General Manager Nancy Zechar will be reopening Treasure Island mid January.

 

Dayton937.com’s  Most Read Story of the Year: In Sept of 23 we announced the Ownership Change For Bill’s Donuts.  Lisa Tucker sat down with our own Bryan Suddith to talk about the business her family had run since 1960.  A long time beloved business that did so much for the community, this announcement was a big shake up for the Miami Valley. New owners Marshall and Amy Lachman have lived up to their pledge to not change anything stay involved with supporting our community

 

Ownership Change For Bill’s Donuts

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For the first time since its inception in 1960, Bill’s Donuts will no longer be owned by the Elam Family. Founder and namesake Bill (and Faye) Elam started the business in 1960 in downtown Dayton. Since 1995 two of Bill and Faye’s children, Lisa Tucker and her brother Jim Elam, have owned and operated Bill’s. They moved Bill’s to the current location, Main Street Centerville, in 1997 from a location a bit farther south in town.

Since that time Bill’s has been listed on every list of Must Visit, Best of, and Top Ten Donuts you should try. They also were named #2 Donut Shop in America in 2018 by the mobile App FourSquare. The accolades are long for a place many of us consider a sacred institution.

This morning I sat down with my friend and Bill’s owner to celebrate this milestone and hear the story. Lisa shared with me over a cup of coffee and sour cream donut that they listed the business and building for sale a year ago. It was in July of this year that the details all lined up for a local buyer to purchase the business. Lisa told me it was time to retire and the hours were beginning to take a toll on her and her brother Jim.
So I asked: How does it feel to be leaving the family business in the hands of someone new? Bittersweet was her answer. She said she is excited about what’s next for her but sad to leave behind the team, some of which have been there decades. The business employs almost 60 people and 50 of them are full time employees. At least one team member was there before Lisa and Jim took over 28 years ago.
Lisa shared that she doesn’t foresee any changes to Bill’s. She said you don’t buy this place with plans to change things. The community likes it as it is. She reassured me that the bakers are staying, the recipes and equipment are intact and everything we love will remain including the full staff.   Lisa will be spending a couple of week’s handing the business off to the new owner starting Friday the 15th.
We all know Bill’s Donuts as a longtime and faithful supporter of Dayton’s A Special Wish foundation and has been a central hub for the collection and donation of supplies to a variety of charities after disaster strikes. The new owner, a Centerville attorney, has committed to keeping public service and charitable work a focus of the business.
While our favorite Donut Purveyor is taking some time off, she still plans to be a fixture in Centerville. Looking to the future Lisa says she is most excited about being able to dedicate more time to disaster relief, A Special Wish and Hannah’s Treasure Chest. Maybe come spring time when she returns from a winter down south you may see her in line at Bill’s. I’ll be there with my regular order: one sour cream and one blueberry.

Dunkin Donuts Makes Changes But Is It Enough?

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The first half of 2017 was spent chomping down my favorite, my one ultimate weakness DUNKIN DONUTS. Growing up on the east coast, Dunkies was a huge part of my life and over the years my feelings of love have been quite evident when it came to those tasty donuts. I would joke about how they knew my order at the drive thru and having a dozen or so present when I met with clients was the standard. Donuts were a big part of my life. Dunkin that is. They are something I never thought I would give up. As much as I enjoyed burying my face in them the after effects were not good. Since really diving into food and how everything I eat makes me feel, like many other things – I had to wonder, what’s in those donuts? And like many things theses days, the nutrition information is somewhat of a Magna Carta of bad stuff. But is there hope?

Photo Credit Grub Street

 

DUNKIN MAKES CHANGES

Like many in the food industry, Dunkin is making changes. News last year about cutting its menu and potentially changing its name was only the beginning.  In a recent announcement,  Dunkin announcement it’s commitment to “cleaner” menus in 2018. By the end of this year, they play to remove artificial dyes across their menu, including donut icings, fillings and toppings, as well as frozen beverages such as COOLATTA® frozen beverages, baked goods, breakfast sandwiches and coffee flavorings.

In August 2017, Dunkin Donuts announces it’s cutting half the menu, toying with the idea of removing “Donuts” from the brand name.

Photo Credit Dunkin Donuts

WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER STUFF?

So they’re removing artificial dyes, does that mean the donuts are healthier? I remained curious and did some digging because aside from me loving and craving their donuts often, I had absolutely no idea what was in them.

“Despite Dunkin’s recent decision to eliminate artificial dyes from their menu by the end of 2018, a simple glazed doughnut still contains over 30 ingredients.” – Cooking Light Magazine

30 INGREDIENTS!!!!

I looked into it and none of it made sense, but a recent article in Cooking Light Magazine shed some light on not only the mighty 30 that make up a glazed donuts.

From Cooking Light Magazine

1.) Enriched Unbleached Wheat Flour (including wheat flour, malted barley flour, niacin, iron as ferrous sulfate, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, and folic acid)
“Wheat flour” simply means wheat that has been milled (meaning the hard shell, or bran, and germ have been rubbed off) and ground into flour. Unfortunately a lot of the healthy nutrients are in the bran and germ (which is why unmilled, or “whole” wheat is better for you). So this flour has been “enriched” with those other ingredients—a mix of B vitamins and iron. While it’s better for you than unenriched flour would be, as you might imagine, it’s not quite the same.

Sometimes flour is bleached, so it looks nice and clean and white. But that’s less necessary if you’re adding in colors and other additives, so in this case, they’re specifying that the flour is “unbleached.”

Jim’s Donuts

If you have a favorite donut shop in Dayton, tell us about it!

7 Tips for A Great Time at Centerville’s Americana Fest

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Being lifelong Daytontians and Centerville natives, gives you a strong knowledge and experience with the Americana Festival Parade and Fireworks that happen on July 4th.  Food Adventures is here to pass this knowledge off to those of you smart enough to be following DaytonMostMetro.

First of all realize there is an influx of 100,000 people into the Centerville area in a 12 hour time frame.  From the parade to the fireworks, that is a lot of holiday celebrators.

Here are some tips to help negotiate through the crowd and have an efficient and enjoyable day.

-HIT BILL’S DONUTS 8:30am (*update as fate would have it 2017 Bills is putting in a new parking lot during the festival and will be closed.  but in future years, this applies)
Start the day off right. Get in there while people are just drizzling in. The line will go fast if there is any. Get one of America’s favorite donuts and a milk. You got energy for a couple hours now.

-GET THERE EARLY:  This applies to both the PARADE and the FIREWORKS. For the parade, like we said, hit Bill’s first and get over to the parade route about 9am. Throw down your chair, eat your donut and wait for the show. The parade begins at 10am on East Franklin Street, west of Centerville High School, and proceeds West to Cline Elementary on Virginia Avenue. As for the fireworks, which are shot off from Centerville High School Stadium, 500 E. Franklin Street, go about an hour early. In this year’s case, Brass Tracks band is performing at 8:30pm so get there 7:30pm.

-BRING A FOLDING CHAIR:
This is a must. You can sit where you want and not on a dirty curb. You wont have to play musical chairs on a park bench. We just saved your pants from becoming a dirty butt.

Cooking up some chops

-SIT ON THE SIDE OF THE FOOD VENDORS:
Set up camp to watch the parade on the side where the food vendors are. That way if you need a drink, port-a-let or some food you can get some before the parade ends. If not you will have to wait to cross the street until 11:30am. Give yourself an escape option.

-HEAD TO BENHAMS GROVE FOR SOME FOOD VENDORS WITH SMALLER LINES:
As soon as things end, make a beeline to the pretzel booth in the center of town, then walk to Benhams Grove, which is at 166 N Main St. If the lines are short along the way, hit some food vendors. If lines are long, the Benhams Grove vendors usually have short lines early in the day and the area is a beautiful place to eat and drink while visiting with family.

-ACTIVITY CENTER PARK IS THE HEADQUARTERS FOR KIDS ACTIVITIES:

The streets will be lined with food, head to Benhams Grove too !

Got kids? You have to hit the Activity Center Park located between Marions Pizza and a bank building. From bouncy houses, to kids games, water fountain park, and playgrounds, the kids will love this place.
The street fairs goes on until 5pm.

-IF HEADING TO THE STADIUM FOR FIREWORKS, PARK ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE SCHOOL:
Like we said. The band starts at 8:30pm. Get there 7:30pm park on the East Side of the school so when you leave, you have a shorter distance to the exit by hundreds of cars. When the fireworks are over, you’ll be grateful you did.

Hungry Jax with an Amish Soft Pretzel

 

 

 

So there you have it… Get the best out of your Americana Experience ! Do you have some tips to share?
Please put them in the comments below so we can share them with all of our readers!

Also, follow the Miami Valley’s favorite food blog, Food Adventures, on FACEBOOK HERE.

 

100,000 hungry people

Wshington Township Courthouse

We love their crawfish etoufee !

Parade en route

Bills Donut line an hour before the parade !

 

 

Dayton Restaurants That Give Back

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Chef TJ and Owner Joe Castellano of Amber Rose, one of the most charity supporting restaurants in Dayton

We love living in Dayton, Ohio… a close knit community that pulls together to help their poor, impoverished, down trodden and those suffering temporary crises.   Lots of companies give not only during “the season of giving,” but year round.

Today, Food Adventures takes time to recognize some of the Miami Valley eateries that we have witnessed supporting numerous charities, year after year after year.  These are some of the biggest givers, the most generous folks, but it is certainly not the complete list.  These eateries give not only in the Christmas season, but support many charities, year round.

Let us first preface this article by saying that many, many local restaurants support various causes and give willingly to numerous charities. We realize that some of these establishments may have been missed in this article, but that does not diminish their impact on the community.

 

Without further delay, Food Adventures presents a list of some of the biggest givers, in alphabetical order:

 

LOCALLY OWNED:

Dan Apolito and Mike Fullenkamp from Archer’s Tavern and Stone House Tavern have immersed themselves in Dayton charities

Here are the locally owned restaurants that go above and beyond when it comes to charitable generosity:

 

AMBER ROSE: From the Ronald McDonald charities, to local performing arts charities, Amber Rose has a firm involvement in the community.  They even have hosted events for Catholic women’s charities, Dayton Children’s Hospital and more.  You can see owner Joe Castellano and his workers at many charity and social events throughout the year.   They support the community quietly and never toot their own horn.  They have also catered for and supported charities like the Dayton International Peace Museum and the local Habitat for  Humanity. The list goes on and on..

 

ARCHERS TAVERN:  This popular Centerville restaurant also leads the food scene in community involvement.  Owners Dan Apolito and Mike Fullenkamp dive in and help many local causes, donating lots of gift cards and money.  Their philosophy is when you give, it comes back to you.  Small charities like Hannah’s Treasure Chest or local Alzheimer associations, no charity is too small or too big, and Archer’s helps a lot of them.  They even donate to local charities with their everyday menu “wing challenge.”  On May 9th, 2016, Archer’s plans on leading a charity event, Pro-Am, with celebrities such as Ickey Woods called Dayton Fairways for Airways Celebrity Golf Classic at NCR Country Club , benefiting the Jovante Woods Foundation.   Food Adventures will be involved as well… stay tuned…

 

Beavercreek Pizza Dive owner Teresa Geraci & Food Adventures’ Chef House, work the Monday buffet for charity

BEAVERCREEK PIZZA DIVE:  Each Monday evening, they host an all you can eat pizza buffet for charity.  They call it their “Serve Pizza, Do Good,” project.  We call it a delicious and filling way to support local causes.  Food Adventures has volunteered as guest pizza makers in the past to raise money for local charities like the “Miami Valley Pit Crew” and “Dayton Daybreak.”

 

BILL’S DONUTS: The best donuts in the world are made by some of the most caring people in the world.  Siblings Lisa and Jim Elam have carried on the family business and tradition of giving to the community.  They have sponsored dozens of kids baseball teams over the decades, and soccer teams too. They support the Blue Star Moms and Mackenzies Lemonade Stand, and so many more charities.  One of their biggest giving events is the annual Superhero 5k Donut Run for “A Special Wish Foundation.”  Food Adventures and Dayton Most Metro are planning on being a part of this event every year.

 

Lisa and Jim Elam pose with the kids before the Superhero Run for “A Special Wish Foundation”

BRIXX ICE CO.: Owner Chris Bhai is an unsung hero for Dayton charity involvement.  He is another proprietor who flies under the radar, supporting local causes at every turn.  Charities such as Dayton’s domestic violence resource called the Artemis Center, 5 for the kids, and the local Leukemia Lymphoma Society have benefited from their donations.  Whether hosting events, or helping cater, Brixx is a solid supported of the Miami Valley.  If we listed all the local non-profits that Brixx helps, we would be here all day.

 

Chris Bhai, owner of Brixx, is one of the most giving restaurateurs in the Miami Valley

CAKE, HOPE and LOVE: Mike and Shannon Teague, owners of this bakery, started with just one cake pan.  Now their reach is across the Miami Valley.  They have a“Wall of Hope” on their website, where each month, they help a new local charity.  Hospice of Dayton and The Hope Foundation of Greater Dayton are just 2 of the area charities they have helped recently.  They also make countless donations of free product to charities like www.nohungrykid.org.  Another example of good people doing good things for the Dayton community.

 

CASSANOS:  Cassano’s latest generation, Lora, Chip and Chris, have continued their father’s and grandfather’s legacy in recent years.  That legacy is a continued tradition of community involvement and charity work.  Their “Cassano’s Cares” Foundation” has recently given tens of thousands of dollars to the local Spinal Muscular Atrophy foundation or “SMA.”  The corporation has also given to and supported Grandview Hospital’s “Victor J. Cassano Health Center.”  Other medical donations recently have gone to the Kettering Medical Breast Evaluation Centers.  The Cassano family has also given away thousands of pizzas to charity each year.  It is great to see a Dayton icon so involved in future of the Gem City.

 

Chip and Chris Cassano with Pete Rose on their 60th Anniversary promoting a fundraiser for the Cassano’s Cares Foundation

CHAPPY’S TAP HOUSE:  These guys continually hold events through the year as on site fundraisers for like selling old glassware for the Leukemia Lyphoma Society or doing a pint night to fight Prostate Cancer.   They are always seen supporting various charity events, and never stop giving to the local cause.  Good food, good beer and a company that gives back to the community.

 

DUBLIN PUB:  These guys always lend a hand when charity involvement is needed.  From donations to collecting Toys for Tots, they make a “yoemans effort.”  The support the Dayton United Rehabilitation Services charity, and have even held fundraisers for a competitor’s bar owner, who had cancer.  Holy Trinity Church and Dayton’s Alzheimers Association have been some of the charities that benefited from previous St Patty’s Day parties.   Thanks to restaurants like this, local charities get that shot in the arm they need to serve the Miami Valley.

 

FIFTH STREET BREWPUB:  Talk about year round commitment, these guys offer a guest bartending spot every Monday for charity.  They also donate a portion of that night’s food receipts to the cause of the week.  This is one of the coolest business philosophies and ensures that every week, Dayton area residents can help their favorite charity.  Did we mention the great venue, food and beer selection?  This brewery also has some of the friendliest staff in town.  Manager Dave Tickel and his crew are second to none.

 

Fifth St. Brewpub manager Dave Tickel with Food Adventures’ Chef House & Hungry Jax on guest bartending night for House of Bread

FRESCO CATERING: Owner Jenn DiSanto is an amazing chef, a wonderful mom and a true inspiration.  She used her own personal triumphs as motivation to host events to help causes like the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Dayton.  Jenn has organized some unforgettable charitable dinner events such as “Plating a Night of Hope.”  She also volunteers at various local schools to teach cooking classes for kids.  Chef Jenn is very active in the community and is always giving back. She regularly donates her time, talents and money to several local non-profit organizations, including breast cancer charities.  She has inspired many through her successful fight with the disease.   Being an animal lover, SICSA Pet Adoption Center is another charity close to her heart.  Jenn has been a chef all over the world, and we are lucky this gem eventually landed in the Gem city.

 

GHOSTLIGHT COFFEE: Not many people are as involved in the Dayton community as owner Shane Anderson.  He uses Ghostlight Coffee as a venue to showcase local artists and arts of all types.  From hosting songwriter events that benefit the local Dayton Food Bank, serving up coffee at Masquerage, or  providing a place for local charities to host their events, Ghostlight Coffee is a godsend to many who are fighting for a local cause.  From music to poetry and everything in between.  It seems as if we are seeing Ghostlight at about every charitable event, supporting causes in one way or another.

 

Chef Jenn DiSanto & The Big Ragu. Jenn has a great sense of humor, a giving heart, & makes some of the best food in the world

THE MEADOWLARK RESTAURANT:  Chef and owner Elizabeth Wiley is a pillar of the community.  Besides providing exceptional food at her restaurant, she is involved with countless local causes.  She supports them with her time and money.  For example, Chef Wiley judges the Springfield Food Truck Rally for charity. This benefits the Springfield Rotary Club’s charitable causes, including Services to People with Disabilities, Polio Plus and the International Project in Lesotho, Africa.  Meadowlark is also a big supporter of Dayton Pride and the Greater Dayton LGBT Center championing the cause for equality, locally.   Meadowlark’s chartible reach extends to other programs such as Dayton Public Radio’s Discover Classical, American Institute of Food & Wine,  DaytonNightOut.com and so many others.

 

ONE BISTRO: This place promotes taking care of your neighbor. Dayton’s only “pay what you can afford” or “pay it forward” based restaurant, it is charitable in it’s nature.  The staff is even made up with volunteers.  You can volunteer to earn meals for yourself.  Or you can volunteer as a donation of your time. Owners Robert and Kim Adamson business is driven by their faith in God and community involvement.  We can think of no better cause than feeding the area’s hungry children and adults.  One Bistro’s also donates to the area Red Cross’ Disaster Response Team.

 

Big Ragu with Ghostlight Coffee owner Shane Anderson. Shane generously donates his venue, time and resources to many local causes

SCRATCH CATERING:  For years, Chef Matt Hayden has made terrific BBQ and gourmet meals.  He has also donated to many area causes.  From Dayton History events, to the Fleur’s Et Vin event for AIDS Resource Center Ohio.  Scratch Food has left their imprint on the Dayton area, catering for many charity events.  One such cause is the “Suzy Pender Memorial Fund,”  which provides teddy bears to children at Miami Valley Hospital as a way to comfort them.   Scratch Catering has provided the food for the Pender golf outing fundraiser for the past 15 years.  Unprallelled generosity and dedication is what you find from the owners, here.

 

STONE HOUSE TAVERN:  They are involved in many aspects supporting the Waynesville community.  Stone House supports everything from kids athletic teams, to charitable gift card donations.  They are currently partnering with Archers Tavern for the May 9th “Fairways for Airways” golf outing Pro-Am featuring sports stars like Ickey Woods.  The event will benefit the Jovante Woods Foundation.   We believe in supporting business like this that give back to Dayton in so many ways.

 

THE SUBMARINE HOUSE:  Last year this restaurant donated over $15,000 to Children’s Hospital, at their “Super Duper Cheesesteak Challenge” event.   Restaurant owners Jason and Brody Tanner, oversaw the event and check presentation to the hospital.  This event is held annually and the crowds and donations have grown each year.  Great grub, and a great cause, you haven’t been to a charity event until you’ve watched a fellow Daytonian wolf down a 16 inch sub in 2 minutes.  But hey, “it’s for the kids.”

 

The talented Matt Hayden, owner of Scratch Catering is equally witty too. He is a pillar of the local charity community

WHEAT PENNY OVEN & BAR:  Chef Liz Valenti and Chef Elizabeth Wiley are known for their work and generosity at Meadowlark restaurant in the past.  As Chef Liz branched out to run Wheat Penny, they have continued the tradition of giving.  Upon their opening they hosted charity nights for The Artemis Center, SICSA Pet Adoption Center and The  Food Bank of Dayton, respectively.   Other charities supported in the past have been Yellow Springs Pride, GLSEN Dayton Chapter, and AIDS Resource Center Ohio, to name just a few.  Not only is Dayton lucky to have such talented chefs, but we are lucky to have such generous supporters of various Miami Valley causes.

 

YOUNG’S JERSEY DAIRY: Yellow Spring’s favorite farm is big on charity.  From a free Wool Gathering, to a Bike Tour for charity, that supports 4 charities, including United Rehabilitation Services of Dayton.   They always seem to have something going on.  Young’s even hosts a “Cheddar Challenge 5k” benefiting The Antioch University Midwest Scholarship Fund.  All this, while continuing to serve some of the area’s most delicious ice cream.

 

ZOMBIE DOGZ: Local couple Lee and David VanArtsendalen are always giving back to the community.  These owners of Zombie Dogz are always saying “yes” to favors, donations and appearances for good local causes.  Lots of these causes involve animals and dogs.  Like the “Furry Skurry 5k” for the Dayton Humane Society or the Dog Wash for the Battle Buddy Foundation which provides service dogs to veterans.  Just some or their other fundraising appearances have included Harrison Township Trustees’ National Night Out against Crime,    Kettering Funk Lab Dance Studio benefiting the dance team, AMVETS,  Alex’s Lemonade Stand, Stonespring Transitional Care Center police fundraiser, a 5k benefit for Miami Valley Hospital’s Children Intensive Care Unit, Harrison’s Heroes foundationds benefit for the NICU unit at Dayton Children’s Hospital.  They even make stops at local schools and churches.  It is great to see this popular food vendor, with the most inventive and delicious hot dogs, supporting so many local causes.

 

Zombie Dogz has used its success to support many local charities. Thank you David & Lee VanArtsendalen for your hard work.

THE CHAINS:

Here are some of the Dayton area chain restaurants, that give the most locally:

BONEFISH:  Quietly giving and supporting many charity events, we have noticed Bonefish’s involvement on the local level.  They are a sponsor for a local golf outing for Hannah’s Treasure Chest.   Other charities they support include Catholic Social Services, ARC Ohio’s Red Table Gala, and Life Essentials to name just a few.  They also donate countless gift cards to local requests, and are always open to lending a hand.

 

BRAVO! CUCINA ITALIANO:  Bravo will work with various local charities for “dine and donate” nights and give 10% of food revenue to the cause.  They host such events as “Breakfast with Santa.”   From this event, they culminate a winter clothing drive for local shelters and $1 from each buffet sale goes to charity.

 

BRIO TUSCAN GRILL: Brio hosts and donates food to many local events.  For example The Greene Daybreak event, to benefit Dayton Daybreak.  They also sponsor the “Derby Day Brunch” to benefit The Kettering Medical Center Foundation’s Women’s Wellness Fund.  These are just some of the events they cater and support each year.

 

Ted Tolliver owner of the Jersey Mike’s Dayton stores and Regional Manager Larry, have donated tens of thousands to Dayton charities.

CITY BBQ: A regional chain out of Columbus, people really love their BBQ.  We also love when the delicious food is catered to local charity events.  City BBQ is at many of these outings.  They also do a ton of internal donations to Veterans charities, Future Farmers of America (Ohio), Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Local cancer organziations, and Food Rescues.  They also offer 25% event donations to school and booster groups as well as charities.

 

FIREHOUSE SUBS:  These guys are known for their charity mission statement. Their Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation donates money for equipment for local firefighters.  In October 2015, they celebrated a donation of  $39,000 to the Kettering and Fairborn Fire Departments. Since the Foundation’s inception, they have donated $650,000 to Ohio Fire Stations.

 

JERSEY MIKE’S SUBS:  Ted Tolliver owns the local franchises and he gives back to the community with  passion.  He has supported United Rehabilitation Services of Dayton in the past.  In fact, upon each store opening he offered 10,000 free subs for a $1 donation to URS.  Also, each year, during the month of March, customers are invited to come in to their local Jersey Mike’s restaurant and make a donation to a local designated charity partner. The campaign culminates in Jersey Mike’s “Day of Giving, a nationwide event.  This day 100 percent of the day’s sales are donated to each local charity partner. Since 2011, Jersey Mike’s has raised more than $8.3 million for charities throughout the country.  Ted has continually supported the United Rehabilitation Services of Dayton  as his partner charity.

Submarine House donted over $15,000 to Dayton Children’s hospital last year.

LONGHORN STEAKHOUSE, MORAINE:  From pancake breakfast benefits, to event donations, Longhorn is carrying on the tradition of the late manager, Bob Medlin, by continuing to donate to dozens of causes each year.  If we listed all of the charities, it would run for pages.  Dayton Hospice Walk, Shoes for the Shoeless and Brief Blessings, Back2Back Ministries, Big Brothers Big Sisters program of the Greater Miami Valley, Miracle League of Dayton are just of few of the dozens of causes they support.

 

Mike and Shannon Teague run their cake shop, “Cake, Hope and Love,” as one of the most giving businesses in Dayton

Chef House, The Big Ragu and Hungry Jax are proud to give a shout out to these fine people of Dayton who are making a difference in everyday people’s lives.  Food Adventures would also like to say “Thank You” to these organizations, and a thank you to Dayton Most Metro for giving us a vehicle to present our weekly food scoop.  Make sure you support these eateries that support the community.

There you have it, our list of some of the most generous and charitable restaurants.

DID WE MISS ANYONE ??  IF SO, PLEASE COMMENT BELOW, TO MAKE US AWARE OF THE CHARITABLE ESTABLISHMENT.

In the meantime, feel free to browse our gallery and “like” Food Adventures on Facebook by clicking “HERE”

Happy New Year to you all !

Longhorn Steakhouse – the late great Bob Medlin lends a hand to March of Dime’s walk for babies

Chef Elizabeth Wiley uses Meadowlark and Wheat Penny often to support Miami Valley charities

Chef Liz Valenti and Wheat Penny support many Dayton Area causes, like this event for the local Leukemia Lymphoma Society

 

Young’s Dairy – eat their food like this tuna sandwich & cheese curds and know it will come back to the community

Firehouse subs – supporting local firefighters

 

 

 

 

Donuts & Beer at Fifth Street Brewpub

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beerdonutsThis Thursday, August 6th, our good friends at Deschutes Brewery and Bill’s Donuts will be working together for a one-of-a-kind debut of both beer and donut! Fifth Street Brewpub is excited to announce the EXCLUSIVE DEBUT of Pinedrops IPA on tap (first in Dayton), Pineapple Pinedrops IPA on tap (infused through delicious pineapple right at the bar), and Beer Donuts with Pineapple Pinedrops frosting made by Dayton’s very own Bill’s Donuts! Deschutes will be bringing additional beers from their amazing brewery as well.

A flight of three Deschutes beers will be $6.
Pineapple Pinedrops IPA will be $6.00 for a 12 oz. pour and will include a FREE Beer Donut with Pineapple Pinedrops frosting!
Additional Deschutes beers for this tap takeover will be announced soon.

The Greatest Donuts in the World + **Win a Dozen of Them !**

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Owner Lisa with a Young Customer

Every glazed must kneel, every jelly must bow…. Dayton, Ohio is home to many things, including the World’s Best Donuts since 1960.  Bill’s Donut Shop is no doubt a Miami Valley icon, located at 268 N. Main Street in Centerville.  They have won countless local awards, and have been featured nationally in Saveur Magazine, USA Today, and even recently on the Ellen Degeneres Show.  We think it is not a big step to proclaim these the “World’s Greatest Donuts.”  If you don’t believe it, let the Food Adventures Crew edify you.

 

***** Want to win a dozen of the WORLD’S GREATEST DONUTS? *****   All you have to do is comment on the story below and one winner will be chosen at random next week (one comment per person please).

 

Local celebs like ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit, WHIO’s Mike Hartsock and University of Dayton legend, Don Donaher have named Bill’s as their favorite.   Even national talk show host Phil Donahue, Congressman Mike Turner and singer Chet Atkins have given the donut shop accolades.  We have also found many Daytonians who have moved away, always take time to stop at Bill’s Donuts and get their fix.  Many who come in form out of town introduce their spouses or kids to the donuts, so the next generation can worship the legend.  The shop has a cult following of regulars, some sit at the coffee bar, others in booths,  One notable patron Kevin, who is also called “Dewey” is a friendly man who has been a fixture there since the 80’s.

 

the Preztel Donut

The Pretzel Donut – Click to Enlarge the Flaky Goodness

This place is popular… like grass roots popular.  Even without the celeb endorsements.  For example, this Saturday Bill’s Donut Shop is hosting the annual Superhero 5k run for A Special Wish Foundation.  The 5k had room for 500 runners and it sold out a week in advance.  We think the 5k’s “donut after party” had something to do with the sellout.
So, with all the press, popularity and endorsements, why is Food Adventures writing an article on Bill’s Donut Shop?  The answer is simple, we dig deeper.  We dig into not only which individual donuts are the best of the best, but we ask “WHY?”  What is the secret that makes these the most delectable donuts on earth?

 

HERE’S THE SKINNY:

— Original owners Bill and Faye Elam opened Bill’s Donuts in 1960.  In 1995, they sold the business to two of their children, Lisa and Jim Elam.

— One of the biggest attractions is that the donut shop is open 24 hours a day, except for certain holidays.

— The best donuts in the world run about 80 to 85 cents each.  There are 2 different types of donuts the yeast ones (glazed) and the cake donuts, but in recent years they have added some delicious danish, creme horns, muffins and more.  All of them live up to the delicious standards of Bill’s, especially the huge chocolate brownies with chocolate icing.

— Also known for their coffee, typically Boston Stoker, they also offer milk, juices and hot chocolates and a mini cappuccino bar.

— The booths are old and tight, the coffee bar seating is definitely a throwback style.  Warning – you may find long lines on Saturday and Sunday mornings, but the lines go fast.  It is worth it for the magic inside the display cases.  Another thing.. we call it one of our “fat kid tricks.”  If you have the donuts a day or two later, pop them in the microwave for about 15 seconds.  It makes them taste brand new again.

Chocolate icing

The Round Donuts with Chocolate Icing and Cream Filling are Hungry Jax’s Favorite !

— Bill’s Donut Shop is also a huge supporter of local causes.  They donate to dozens of charities and have been sponsoring local sports teams for many decades.  They have a strong family belief in giving back to the community, which is deeply ingrained in their corporate philosophy.

— The Secret to the “Best Donuts in the World”, according to owner Lisa Elam is in 3 parts:

1) Bill’s uses only the purest, top quality oil to fry their donuts.

2) Top quality sugar and flour go into the donut recipes.  Only the best ingredients have been used since 1960.

3) Cooking expertise from decades of experience.  There is something to be said for experience and knowledge of workers who have been employed for 20 years or more.  They know their craft, they know their industry and have developed a skill and a style.  Most of the workers are truly seasoned veterans and expert donut makers overseeing the operation, not someone who has been working there a few months.

 

We now explore the ultimates in donut world.. which ones are the best?  Which ones are the MUST EATS… The Food Adventures Crew has done their homework on this one.  The King, Hungry Jax, Chef House and The Big Ragu have literally eaten dozens and dozens of these donuts over the years.  Probably enough to fill up Vin Diesel’s car trunk.   So here is the result of our years of research….

 

MUST EATS:

—THE PRETZEL DONUT: A huge pretzel shaped, glazed monster you have to twist to pull apart.  Some parts of the donut are gooey and fresh, while other parts have the cooked glazed crust.  This is the Big Ragu’s favorite donut of all time.  It is a melt in your mouth delight.

—THE CHOCOLATE ICED ROUNDS WITH CREME FILLING: A simple round donut, iced with chocolate icing and injected with light cream.
Hungry Jax points to these as her favorites.  The creme texture mixed with the icing and one of a kind Bill’s Donut flavor will put you on Dream Street.

—THE PEANUT BUTTER FILLED LONGJOHNS WITH CHOCOLATE ICING: Chef House’s favorite donut from Bill’s is one of their most sought after. This large rectangle pastry is iced with chocolate and stuffed with peanut butter creme.  It’s one of those treats you bight into and say with a full mouth, “are you kidding me?”

—THE BUTTERY TWISTS: Are resident sweets expert, The King, will tell you that this is the best choice in Bill’s display case. A big donut that is buttery glazed and big on taste.  Melt in your mouth delicious.

OMG Apple muffin

An Apple Crisp Muffin – Better Get Some Milk !

— THE CHOCOLATE GLAZED: WARNING! A glass of milk must be within 3 feet of you when eating these.  These devilsfood cake donuts are the cats meow.  We could eat a dozen of these ourselves.

— THE PERSIAN WITH NUTS: Huge cinnamon buns with peanut butter icing and crushed peanuts on top.  Rich, filling and sinful, what a great way to start a morning.

— THE SOUR CREAM DONUT:  It tastes nothing like it sounds.  this is an old fashioned style, almost crunchy donut made with a bit of sour cream.  The result is the inside is a lightly fluffy, vanilla flavor.  The outside is a nice crunchy brown coating with a glaze.

— APPLE CRISP MUFFINS:  How did they fit an apple pie into a muffin?   This is the dark horse of the whole place and a rare sight.  So grab ’em when you can.  Thank us later, it will bring tears to your eyes.

Honorable Mention:  The Blueberry Donuts are amazing.  Also, you cant go wrong with a Jelly Donut with Vanilla Icing or a Powdered Donut filled with Cream.  They also have a few donuts that are Custard Filled.  The Big Ragu says the custard filled donuts will knock your socks off.  There are so many others like the Apple Fritters and the Crullers, which when you say it sounds like you are gurgling salt water.   Even the “Doughnut Stix” kick butt.

 

Again we say, every donut hole must kneel, every Long John must bow.  Sprinkles or not, you have now experienced the upper echelon of the breakfast / dessert world.  You have experienced the pinnacle of pudding in a glazed bun.  You are lucky to live in Dayton, Ohio.. for you have experienced Bill’s Donut’s…  The Greatest Donuts in the World.

Want scoop on all of Dayton’s greatest food stops?  THEN LIKE FOOD ADVENTURES ON FACEBOOK HERE !

Check out our gallery below and see all the wonderful, magical donuts that Bill’s Donut Shop has to offer !

***** ALSO, DONT FORGET TO COMMENT BELOW FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN A FREE DOZEN DONUTS FROM BILL’S DONUTS  !! *****

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Bill’s Donut Shop Raffling A Dozen Donuts A Week For A Year

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1475990_580547238680315_983606051_nIn October Bill’s Donut Shop  will be celebrating 54 years in the donut business!

The shop was founded in 1960 by Bill and Faye Elam originated in downtown Dayton. Through the years, Bills Donut Shop has moved numerous times. In the 1970’s, there were multiple locations in the Dayton area including the cities of: Vandalia, Wilmington, Kettering, and Huber Heights. Over time, the Elam’s decided to focus their resources and talents in one store location.
In 1967, the shop was located at the intersection of Franklin and Main, close to where Panera Bread is today and the parking was one of the biggest problems in those days. Bill Elam admits that the added parking available in the current location was a big motivator in moving. In the earlier years, Bills was not open 24 hours a day. The advent of the third shift arose from the need of late night workers who would travel to work for NCR. “Back in those days, NCR was going strong and everybody south of town worked there. They all took Route 48 home-to Centerville, Lebanon or Springboro.” Faye says. Many Centerville residents worked for the company and for a while Bill would provide coffee and donuts to the workers at the back door using the honor system. Within a month, third shift was launched.  In 1979 Bill’s moved to its current location at 268 N. Main Street in Centerville.

bills-donuts-staff-2In 1995, Bill & Faye sold the family business to two of their children, Lisa & Jim Elam. They have made sure that the friendly atmosphere and hospitality that has defined the shop since its beginning remains a mainstay today. When asked why the shop has been such a success, Lisa said, “We know many of our customers by name, we’re very family oriented.”

In April of 2013 USA today featured Bill’s Donuts in their list of “10 great places to get doughnuts.”

In honor of their anniversary, Bill’s Donuts will be selling raffle tickets with 100% of the proceeds to benefit The Special Wish Foundation. There will be many prizes awarded, shirts, hoodies, mugs, gift baskets, etc. The grand prize will be one dozen donuts a week for a year.

Tickets go on sale the first of October and they will sell them throughout the month. The cost will be $1.00 each or six for $5.00. Stop by, pick ups some donuts and and help support this very worthwhile organization.

Introducing NEW Food Adventures Crew & Fried Chicken at Lily’s Bistro ($25 Gift Card)

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Food Adventures Just Got More Adventurous !

Food Adventures just got a whole lot more adventurous….. and you can benefit by winning a $25 gift certificate to Lily’s Bistro in the Oregon district.

*** FOOD ADVENTURES WITH BIG RAGU and THE CREW ***

Blazing the trails in the foodie forums since 2008, Food Adventures has developed a large following…

Today, we add some big players to the mix.  They include Chefs, Foodie Fanatics, royalty and an appetite for Dayton that has never been bigger.  Although we have a couple of new faces, FOOD ADVENTURES with BIG RAGU and THE CREW, is still the same FOOD ADVENTURES you have come to love.  We will continue to have the MUST EATS, killer food photos that make your mouth water, and multiple visits to a place before we write an article.  Will continue to give you “THE SKINNY” on our favorites.  Follow our relentless pursuit of the best eats in the Miami Valley!

Together, your humble Food Adventurers will seek out locally owned restaurants, unique places off the beaten path, and even give our slant on some familiar favorites. Whenever we visit a place, we call it a “Food Adventure.”  You can expect pictures of each Food Adventure we embark on. You can expect us hugging waiters, visiting mom & pop establishments, posting nostalgic blogs, tongue-in-cheek comments and emotionally eating our way through life.   We don’t take ourselves seriously, enjoying the adventure all the way.  “We are not food critics, we just love to eat!”  Food Adventures won’t limit ourselves, we try it all – NO RULES !  We will leave no plate unturned.

You know the Big Ragu already ...

You already know The Big Ragu

We will continue to set the trends, host Food Adventure dinner events, and give our unique spin on Dayton’s best “Mom and Pop” places in the Miami Valley.  Food Adventures with Big Ragu and the Crew will continue to attend and support numerous local food and charity events.   We eat it all, and the photos are ours. No stock pics here.  We aren’t a share and click site.  We are Dayton Originals, so all of our stuff is original content. Often imitated, never duplicated, accept no substitutions.

You can find us here:

Facebook Page: Facebook.com/foodadv

Website: DaytonFoodies.com 

Twitter: @food_adv

Instagram: Instagram.com/Dayton_Foodies

 

Our recent “Meeting of the Mouths” happened last Sunday at Lily’s Bistro on Chicken Dinner night.  We will get into the Must Eats from that night shortly, but first…,

Ladies and gentlemen, it is time to MEET THE NEW CREW !

 

Chef House - expert foodie !LEEANNE HOUSE aka “CHEF HOUSE”:

Chef House or “The Sriracha Mamma” is all about the heat.  Lover of all things spicy she is constantly in the kitchen coming up with fun new ways to whip up veggies and add a little spice.  She is a Dayton native, with lifelong experience in the restaurant industry, working with some of the best chefs in the Miami Valley.  She loves to keep it local especially in the summer when beautiful produce is plentiful. She is a true foodie who knows we have a lot to offer in Ohio!

Chef House’s Top 5 Favorite Local Places for a Food Adventure :

(in no particular order)

1) Meadowlark (they do veggies right!)

2) Rue Dumaine (it never disappoints)

3) Fresco (best chef hands down)

4) Oregon Express (favorite pizza since I was a kiddo)

5) My kitchen ! …  duh!!!!

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JACLYN SCANLAN aka “HUNGRY JAX”:

Jackie relocated to the Dayton are in 2006. This Italian from Upstate NY found herself in a very different culinary atmosphere than what she was used to back home in Utica, NY.  However, different proved to be good a she fell in love with not only this “gem” of a city, but also the food and foodies within it! Cooking is a passion of Jackie’s.  She loves to use her husband, John, and two daughters, Coraline and Ashlyn, as her lab rats to test recipes out.  Some of her recipes have even been published in National Food Magazines!  But as much as she loves to cook, she also loves to take a night off from her kitchen and enjoy eating out and letting someone else do all the work (and the clean up)!  Other foodie interests include years of volunteering at the Dorothy Lane Market School of Cooking and being an Alton Brown fan since way back when he wore bowling shirts.  Jackie is excited to be part of the Food Adventures team and is looking forward to experiencing some new eats!

Jackie’s Top 5 Favorite Local Places for a Food Adventure:

1) Lock 27

2) The Cakery

3) Sweeney’s Seafood

4) Dorothy Lane Market

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 And our final Food Adventurer…
The King - all smilesBLAKE KING aka “THE KING”

After hopping the globe with the Air Force, The King recently touched down in Dayton with his wife and daughters. Flying recon for great local food, the Big Ragu has set the course for his newest wingman, and he is logging some serious mileage. The King is a dessert FREAK! There is no shake too shaky, pie too flakey, nor cake to…cakey for this lunatic. He wants to find the best dessert in Dayton. Please help him. He needs it, a lot.

The King’s Top 5 Favorite Local Places for a Food Adventure:

1) Taco Loco

2) Jet Freeze

3) Bill’s Donut Shop

4) Hasty Tasty Pancake House

5) Submarine House

 

 

Now to the food of the day .. not a typical article for us, this is just about one dinner …. The Sunday Chicken Dinner at Lily’s Bistro

Get your hens ready….

HERE’S THE SKINNY: 

— The dinners go from 5pm – 9pm on Sundays only

— The menu is pretty much fried chicken, with the sides, appetizers, and desserts changing from week to week.

— The prices are $9 for a 2 piece dinner, $16 for a 1/2 chicken dinner, and $28 for a whole chicken

— Sides are $3,  good prices, no clucking around

Now we ruffle our feathers and give you our patented.. Must Eats!

 

Buttered Johnnycake..

Johnny Cakes at Lily’s Bistro. Click to Enlarge the Goodness

MUST EATS:

— JOHNNY CAKES:  It might have been chicken night, but the appetizers and sides stole the show !  We couldn’t stop talking about the Johnny cakes. Pancakes, as an appetizer? This was right up our alley. The King wished he could have bottled the scent to keep by his pillow at night. Made with jalepeno, for just enough contrasting kick to the sweet buttery mapleness.   These cakes were  slathered in butter and syrup and simply amazing.  Who would have thunk it?   Crispy, sweet and spicy made for a perfect combination, and Chef House’s favorite dish of the night.

— SMOKED SALMON DIP:  Another great appetizer of the night, served with bagel “nuggets.”  We started out polite, then found ourselves thumb wrestling for the last bits.  Addicting, and addiction is an ugly thing.

— HOMEMADE MASHED POTATOES: We are talking the real deal, mashed with decent sized chunks in them.  We wondered why conversation stopped, it was as if all the Food Adventurers discovered these at the same time and were very quietly stuffing their faces.

— COOLDADDY COCKTAIL:  This spicy cocktail is a must.  Who could pass up a drink that features Chef House’s Sriracha sauce? Tequila, handmade pepper syrup, strawberries, cilantro are also among the ingredients.

— BEIGNETS:  Pronounced “Ben-yays.”   Known in some circles as “pizza frite”, “zeppole” or fried dough, these puffs of dough are a perfect end to a rich dinner.  Ever so slightly covered with sifted powdered sugar, Big Ragu had white on his “man bib vest” in no time.

 

Smoked Salmon Dip with Bagel nuggets - a must eat

Smoked Salmon dip, made in house, with Bagel Bites

Honorable Mention:  The mac n cheese and hand breaded, fried okra deserve a nod!

Thank you for reading our special  Food Adventure with Big Ragu and the Crew!

We always visit a place multiple times before we write a story, so we are ready for a trip back to Lily’s.. want to join us?  COMMENT BELOW on the story for a chance to win!

**** CONTEST **** WIN a $25 Gift Certificate to LILY’S BISTRO WITH BIG RAGU AND THE CREW !!   Just comment on the story below for a chance to win.  One entry per person, please.  A winner will be chosen at random.  We will revisit this restaurant for an another Food Adventure and you are welcome to join us !
Follow Food Adventures by giving us a like on Facebook.
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Americana Festival: 5k, FOOD, Fireworks & Fox

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Pork Chops on the Grill

Run, eat and watch fireworks in the street. The Americana Festival is celebrating 41 years strong with this year’s event in downtown Centerville.  This year we have the star spangled scoop on some new Food Adventure attractions and happenings.

The Big Ragu is a lifelong Centerville guy, so this festival is close to our homes and our hearts.  We cant think of a better way to celebrate freedom and the good ole’ USA, than this event.

 

Here is a day in the life of a 4th of July Food Adventurer at the Americana  Festival:

7:30am:  5K RUN at Centerville Stadium.  Why?  So we can eat all day, guilt free, that’s why !

9:30am: Sneak between the chairs lining the streets, dart across State Route 48 and see what food vendors are open early.  Ragu actually had a 9:45am cheesesteak 2 years ago.

10:00am: Watch the AMERICANA FESTIVAL PARADE. We hope to march in he parade someday, carrying flags with cheeseburgers on them, and wearing sequin shorts…

 

Harvest Mobile Food Truck will be at the Festival

11:30am – 4:00pm:  STREET FAIR: We are excited to be checking out these MUST EATS !!

—HARVEST MOBILE:  Who else loves the healthy “Local Wrap?”

— ZOMBIE DOGZ:  The Nibbler Dog ! Heck, any hot dog they have is a true original and something you wont taste anywhere else!

— EL MESON FOOD TRUCK: Empanadas to die for !

— MOM’S HOMEMADE GOODIES: Incredible Soft Pretzels

— SANTORINI’S GREEK KITCHEN:  The Gyros are must eats.  They are grilled fresh by these guys in from Indianapolis.

— TIM HORTON’S:  You may need the coffee for some quick energy

— OLD TYME POPCORN:  Kettle Corn experts !

— LaROSA’S:  You gotta get some pizza slices from this Cincinnati icon

— CINDY LOU’S BBQ:  Any BBQ entree is delicious here !

— KONA ICE:  Cool off with a SnoCone cup with tiger’s blood sauce !

El Meson will be at the Street Fair

— CORK N BOTTLE’S AMERICAN GRILL:  Any one of their sandwiches are delicious, cheap, and a handful !

— BLACKJACK GRILL:  The best grilled porkchops in Dayton

—NELLY’S CHICKEN:  The rotesserie roasted, Bolivian recipe chicken is nothing short of amazing on flavor !

As you can see there are gonna be plenty of options to light your fireworks.  We didnt even mention the carnival type food, or local places within walking distance like SWEENEY’S SEAFOOD HOUSE, JOHNNY’S SLICE OF NY, BILLS DONUTS, MARION’S PIZZA, CITY BBQ, GRAETERS ICE CREAM, ROOT48, and MCDIGGERS PUB.

We will also be hanging out with Fox and Friend’s Brian Kilmeade who will be in town promoting his new book!

10:00PM: FIREWORKS AT CENTERVILLE FOOTBALL STADUM.  We usually cap off the night by attending the fireworks with family, after napping off a food coma.

 

Show your patriotism this Friday.  Whether it is chanting USA, or wearing a US Flag t-shirt, we hope you have the time of your life.  We suggest you do just that in downtown Centerville on the 4th !
Even Uncle Sam will be there, and so will The Food Adventures Crew.

Want be a good American?  Then “like” FOOD ADVENTURES on Facebook HERE.  We are often imitated, never duplicated.

Check out our Americana Food Photos below !

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Six Pack: Top 6 DRUNK DINING SPOTS in the Dayton Area

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Intoxicated royalty: The “Awful Waffle”

Here is another original food story that you won’t see anywhere else.  However, it is a part of Miami Valley eating that is worth mentioning.  Behold the dreaded DRUNK DINING.

We have all been there, or at least helped a friend through a night of inebriation.  What’s the best fix?  Answer: Soak up that alcohol up with a full blown Food Adventure.   We are here to help you, not unlike Betty Ford, but our expertise is more on the caloric end.  The Big Ragu, Chef House and Hungry Jax have compiled Dayton’s first ever  TOP 6 DRUNK DINING SPOTS.  These are just our six pack.   We would love your comments below on who made your list.

1) THE WAFFLE HOUSE – The greasy spoon, the unruly crowd.  Simply put, the ‘awful waffle.’   The only time that the Waffle House sounds good is when you are too drunk to know what you are getting yourself into.  Go in this place at 2:30 a.m. and not a sober person is to be found.  It is a land where diets are blown and the key words are smothered and covered.  We are talking about hash browns, covered with cheese and another assortment of ingredients.  The rest of the food isn’t worth mentioning and the good thing is that you won’t remember anyhow.  We also recommend not going into the bathrooms after 3 a.m, it looks like a war zone in there.  This restaurant gets extra points for the sheer entertainment factor of other drunks in the dining room.  It is like a 3D movie, but without those annoying glasses.

The sign is like a beacon, calling all buzzed

2) PERKINS – Pound for pound, their waitresses are the biggest bad asses.  Some have even been seen chasing drunk patrons in the parking lot.  But alas, the wonderful, green neon sign is a beacon.  It calls to inebriated souls to come in and sober up with some pancakes.  In fact, they have some of our the pancakes around.  But don’t mess around with the Sugar Free Syrup, we learned the hard way that it screws up a perfectly done pancake.  Perkins also offers many fried foods such as  cheese sticks, green beans, chicken tenders.  If that won’t sober you up, at the front counter is a bakery display with muffins the size of your head.  Those should surely soak up the booze.  A full breakfast and dinner menu offers plenty of choices that will act as a sponge in your stomach, sucking you back into sobriety.

 

3) TACO BELL – If your vision is blurry then a  ‘run for the border’ is in order.  The late night drive thru makes life simple.  This might be everyone’s “Go To” drunk dining place.  The food is cheap, the meat and tastes so damn good when you are a bit hammered.  The worst part of  Taco ‘Hell’ is that the drive thru that takes forever.  That would be because every other drunk person has the same idea as you.  What do we recommend here?  Does it really matter?  It is all the same.  Flour Tortilla, Melted Cheese, & that questionable ‘meat product’ loaded with fillers.   For you healthy drunks out there, there is the Cantina Collection of lower calorie options.  Like it matters at this point!  Drawbacks like ‘early morning gas’ kept this restaurant out of the number 2 spot.

Mexican Pizza – because red sauce & bean paste is a good idea to mix into a volatile stomach

4) WHITE CASTLE – Oh, how we love our White Castle!  It is one of greatest dining experiences a person can have either drunk or sober.  First, the strong smell of the onions will start to sober you up immediately.  Secondly, the first one tastes so damn good, you just keep stuffing yourself until you don’t know any better.  Want a side dish? Splurge on a get a large sack of onion chips and go to town on these.  When your friends are drunky pants, White Castle will make them dance.   Get a crave case, that way you won’t crave em for a while.  We particularly love  when our friends launch into philosophical drunk conversations about why there are 5 hole punches in the meat patty.  The bad news is the 24hour White Castle Restaurants are only in Cincinnati these days.  You’re buzzed and happy and then all of a sudden it happens.  A belch and then the stomach cramps.  It is pretty much all over from here.  Our advice:  Roll the windows down on the way home so you don’t create a “Rolling Dutch Oven” (you might have to google that term).  It is the gift that keeps on giving because the next morning, you can be assured that you will be doing a lot of sitting.  You know why they call them sliders?  Because they slide in and slide out.  Unfortunately, only 2 White Castles are nearby.  One is on Salem Ave and the other is in Franklin off I-75.

 

Onion chips soak up the alcohol

5) STEAK N SHAKE – This restaurant is the only late night choice for drive thru OR dining alongside other corralled patrons.  The slick floors offer an obstacle course like dining room for some of the more drunk guests.  It is like Russian roulette to see who gets squeezed into a booth next to the Big Ragu for an elbow filled eating experience.  Great prices and decent drunk food make this a stellar choice, probably one of the greatest drunk dining spots in America!  The burgers and shakes are incredible.  The staff are used to drunk bastards, and they will even give your drunk ass one of those little white Steak n Shake paper hats to wear while dining.  This place has food that mixes well with alcohol like chili cheese dogs, steak burgers & milk shakes.  Plus it is open 24 hours and serves breakfast.

 

6) DENNY’S – This is one of the more interesting places that you can visit after 3am.  There is only one remaining in Dayton, on S. Main St. near the fairgrounds.  The food isn’t the greatest but does the trick.  We actually love the onion rings.  The choices from dinner to breakfast give you a good variety, if you can read the menu at this point.  Denny’s is the best spot to see an unusual variety of people from all walks of life.    Nothing says drunk dining like eating a Grand Slam Breakfast next to a drag queen.

The Steakburger : a dream on a bun if you’re drunk

Honorable mention, we give a tipsy nod to the following:

SMOKIN’ BAR-B-QUE – The place to stumble after a night of drinking at the Oregon District

AL’S SMOKEHOUSE – Ribs downtown at 4am?  Yes !

BILLS DONUTS – It is fascinating to watch people with bloodshot-eyes trying to concentrate and pick out donuts from a glass case at 3am.

COUSIN VINNY’S – Open til 4am, these guys will deliver to trashed patrons.  Don’t pass out while waiting for your pie.

**Remember Food Adventure fans,  always drink responsibly and get a designated driver***

For more fun from these “foodies in their forties,”  like FOOD ADVENTURES on Facebook HERE.

What are your favorite spots for a late night drunk bite???  Please comment below !

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100,000 People Expected at Food Filled Americana Festival

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Look down the street, hungry people as far as the eye can see !

July 4th will mark the 40th annual Americana Festival in Centerville.  Wouldn’t you know that The Big Ragu & Crew are veterans of practically every single Americana Festival over the years.   We can’t think of a better way to celebrate America’s Independence that a brisk walk through the intersection of State Route 48 and Franklin Street, sampling food selections from various vendors.  With over 100 spots to eat, this is a perfect opportunity for a summer Food Adventure.   From typical festival fare like funnel cakes and to healthier choices like salads and grilled chops, there is something for every taste bud on hand.  The food tour stretches from the center of town, down through Benham’s Grove and the Activity Center Park.   French Fries, Deep Fried Snickers, Roasted Corn, Chinese food and Gyro Vendors are just some of our favorites on the yearly hit list.  We would be amiss if we didn’t mention the various icons that will be open along the street such as Bill’s Donut Shop, City BBQ and Graeter’s Ice Cream.  You can even enjoy a Marion’s Pizza near the classic car show in their parking lot.  Ohhh Americana, how we love thee!

Hey there, Pork Chop !

If you need the scoop on one of Dayton’s largest festivals, here you go:

HERE’S THE SKINNY:

— July 4th events start at 7:30am with a 5k Run/Walk – Always a nice start to a guilt free Food Adventure

— Parade starts at 10am sharp near Centerville High School and typically lasts until 11:30am

— The Street Festival runs from 11am-4pm with over 300 vendors (many of them food booths)

— Festival ends with a Fireworks Display at Centerville High School Stadium at 10pm

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Now for the rumbling stomachs that sound like a fireworks grand finale, here are your Food Adventure MUST EATS !

MUST EATS:

— Nothing says independence like a mouthful of powdered sugar and fried dough, so get yourself a damn Funnel Cake

Nothing says Independence like Powdered Sugar and Fried Dough

— Grilled Pork Chops – Various vendors are serving up these chops that weigh as much as a small dumbell

— Roasted Corn – More than knee high by the 4th of July, don’t forget the brush and buttery dip option

— Gyro’s – The Greek vendors at this event never disappoint.  Grab a Gyro with the works, which sometimes includes some Caesar’s Salad lettuce on top

— Philly Cheesesteak – A little known secret of the festival is that some vendors fire up the grills as early as 9:30am.  We took advantage of this one year.  We also should have taken a tums.  Huge, mouth watering, stuffed sandwiches.  Just look for the banner “Italian Sausages & Philly Cheesesteaks”

— Deep Fried Snickers – Ok, so admit it, you have always wanted to try one.  If you like rich foods and gooey chocolate, give it a whirl.  It is like a small, powdered corndog with chocolate inside.  Everyone should try these just once.  Put it on your July4th bucket list.

— McDigger’s Pub – Go inside and grab a cold libation at the corner of Elm and East Franklin St.  They also grill burgers and sausages on the patio.  This is the only bar we know of where a round of drinks costs about the same as a local Moose Lodge.  Just aim your beer burps the other way, please.

Whether you grab a pretzel donut or a grilled chicken wrap with Uncle Sam on stilts, this shindig is as much a celebration of taste as a celebration of the stars and stripes.  So get yourself to the center of Centerville and see why this festival is one of the biggest in Dayton.  Are you a veteran of the event?  Then comment below and tell us your favorite bites from the Americana Festival!

Your hometown foodies Chef House, Hungry Jax and The Big Ragu wish each and every one of you a happy 4th of July.  Enjoy the local street food and more on this warm summer’s holiday.  This festival definitely shows off “America the Beautiful !”

Browse through our photos below, they will light your firecracker !  “Like” Food Adventures on Facebook HERE !

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McKenzie’s 8th Annual Lemonade Stand for Cancer

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ddn061710hzlemonade_714643aCan’t believe this is the 8th year for McKenzie’s lemonade stand. McKenzie has raised almost $20,000 for Alex’s Lemonade Stand. This year we are going back the where it all began at Bill’s Donuts and holding our stand in conjunction with National Lemonade Days, which is when Alex’s parents hold their stand too.
This is the first year that McKenzie will have a committee of her peers and they will do most of the planning! If you have any suggestions or would like to donate a raffle item please let me know.
The story behind it all!

When McKenzie was 4 years old I came home from a business trip in Las Vegas with a colorful butterfly pin. Attached to the pin was a letter from Volvo with the story of Alex and her amazing Lemonade Stands. Alex was diagnosed with Neuroblastoma when she was a year old. When she was just 4 years old she told her parents she wanted to have a lemonade stand and send the money to doctors to help find a cure. Alex passed away in 2004 at the age of 8 after raising over a million dollars by selling lemonade. Her spirit and drive to find a cure are continued on through her foundation, alexslemonade.org.
After hearing Alex’s story, at the age of 4 McKenzie said she wanted to have a lemonade stand too! This is McKenzie’s 8th year holding an Alex’s Lemonade Stand.
With your help she can break the $20,000 mark this year!!!