Chef Mariah Gahagan

Fall Menu Arrives At Lily’s Bistro

October 2, 2015 By Dayton Most Metro

Fall has officially arrived in the Miami Valley and with it, Lily’s Bistro at 329 E 5th Street in the Oregon District presents their latest seasonal menu. Focusing on the change that comes with the autumn in Ohio, Lily’s head chef, Mariah Gahagan has designed a menu perfect for enjoying over the shortening days and cooling nights. “We start with the ingredients that we can get fresh, and locally whenever possible, and then build from around that,” said Mariah Gahagan. “There are a few returning favorites this fall along with a number of new things we’re excited to share with our diners.”

Highlights from the fall menu include Miso Smoked Trout, Chorizo and Clams, Iron Skillet Spoonbread, Short Rib Ossobuco with Bone Marrow, Seared Duck Breast with Pomegranate-Orange Gastrique (pictured below) and Cavatappi Pasta. “We also feature a changing cocktail menu and this season there’s a real focus on rich autumnal flavors like brown sugar, dark berries, maple syrup and more,” said Emily Mendenhall, general manager.

Bistro is open Tuesday-Thursday, 5pm-10pm; Friday and Saturday: 5pm-11pm, with lunch service Tuesday-Friday, 11:30am-3pm, with weekend brunch service Saturday and Sunday, 11am-3pm, and with family style fried chicken dinner, Sunday 5pm-9pm.

For the full fall menu, please see below:

As the holidays approach, Lily’s Bistro is also available for private parties. Contact 937-723-7637 or at [email protected] for more details.

Lily’s Embraces Eclectic Comfort Food for Fall

October 25, 2014 By Dayton Most Metro

Lily’s Bistro in the Oregon District is committed to serving “fresh, fun, seasonal food + drinks.” Since opening in May of 2013, they have offered a changing menu of eclectic American food and beverages to accompany each season.
Executive Chef Mariah Gahagan says this menu has more of a focus on comfort food. “To me, a big bowl of ramen is just as much ‘comfort food’ as chicken noodle soup, and the idea of expanding the notion of comfort food to regions outside of the Midwest influenced our new menu quite a bit.”

However this doesn’t means favorites from last fall aren’t returning. “We decided to bring back some of the most popular, hearty plates from last year, like the duck breast with savory bread pudding, the bone-in pork chops, and the meatloaf with mashed potatoes—foods that are very much traditional ‘comfort foods.’ But we also added snacks like crab rangoon and calamari, as well as entrees of pork ramen with bacon dashi and Cajun red beans and dirty rice,” said Gahagan.

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Chef Mariah’s take on this southern Louisiana Classic: red beans and tasso ham with dirty rice.

“With every menu, we change the produce and the proteins to reflect what is locally-grown and available fresh. We also change the cocktail program, beers, and wines to fit with the dinner, lunch, and brunch menus,” says General Manager Emily Mendenhall. “But with this menu change more than any other, it was about creating items that encapsulate what you want to eat and drink as the days turn cool and we approach holidays. My favorite new cocktail is the Santa Muerte, which is like a spiced-pear margarita, perfect for fall. We’ve also expanded our red wine selection to include bolder reds.”

Lily’s Bistro offers their seasonal lunch menu Tuesday-Saturday from 11am-3pm, and their full dinner menu Tuesday-Saturday from 5-10pm. Dinner entrees range from $15-23. On Friday and Saturday they also have a full bar featuring unique cocktails until 1am. On Sundays, Lily’s serves their brunch menu from 11am-3pm, and has “Family Style Fried Chicken Dinner” from 5-9:30pm, a more casual dinner menu focusing on local, free-range fried chicken and assorted southern-influenced sides and snacks.

Lily’s Bistro is an independent, family-run Eclectic American restaurant offering seasonal food and drinks in a casual-upscale atmosphere.

10?’s with Chef Mariah Gahagan of Lily’s Bistro

September 21, 2013 By Lisa Grigsby Leave a Comment

Lily’s Bistro, located at 329 E. Fifth Street in Dayton’s Oregon District, has expanded hours to include Saturday lunch and Sunday brunch from 11am-3pm.

General Manager Emily Mendenhall says the restaurant decided to add these hours to offer more weekend choices in the Oregon District. “Our lunch menu is simple and elegant, offering healthier items, and our Sunday menu balances traditional brunch food with creative, higher end cuisine. I think folks who dine in the Oregon District are looking for these options.”

Executive Chef Mariah Gahagan says brunch is a chance for her Sous Chef, Eric Dunn, to be creative. “Eric completely understands that we’re all about seasonal food utilizing fresh ingredients in a manner that is serious while being accessible. We collaborated on brunch, but I gave him room to do his thing, and I’m very proud of what our brunch menu offers.” She adds that the District on Sunday is very different than that of Saturday night. “It has a different feel on Sunday morning. I think our menu encompasses that laid back, neighborhood vibe.”

Highlights include New Orleans style beignets; baked eggs and smoked trout over sautéd spinach with dill cream sauce; and croissant French toast stuffed with sweet cream cheese, topped with fresh fruit and local maple syrup. Prices range from $5-14.

And finally with brunch being taken care of by Sous Chef Eric, Chef Mariah Gahagan couldn’t come up with an excuse to put off an any longer our Chef’s 10 Question interview we’ve been after her for months to do!

Chef Mariah with her favorite lunch option: the Vietnamese rice noodle salad!

What is your favorite ingredient to cook with?

It’s hard to pick one,because my approach to cooking is all about using seasonal ingredients when they’re at their peak. But coming into fall, I’m really into butternut squash, apples, pumpkins—all the things that typify fall.

What ingredient do you dread?
Green peppers! They impart their flavor onto everything, and to me, they taste like metal.

What’s your favorite dish to make?

Right now, it’s soups, braises, just slow-cooking everything.

What’s your favorite pig out food?

Mac and cheese—preferably enjoyed in bed with my French Bulldog Lulu.

What restaurant, other than your own do you like to dine at in the Miami Valley?
Meadowlark, because Wiley is amazing, all the staff is really friendly, and everything is so legit. They use great products when they’re at their best and they don’t make things too fussy—it’s what we strive to do at Lily’s too.

What’s your best advice for home chefs?

Don’t rush things. I know everyone is always in a hurry, but allow yourself the time to focus on making the meal right. And use real garlic! That stuff in the jar is abysmal.

If you could invite any 4 guests to a dinner party who would they be and why?

Alice Waters because she’s an amazing chef whose style I admire.
Lou Reed because he’d be really interesting.
Tina Fey because I’d like somebody funny there.
David Sedaris because he’s neurotic and I appreciate that in a person. And he’s also funny.

Who do you look up to in the industry and why?

Julia Child because so changed and expanded American cooking for the better. And Mary Kay Smith and Kim Korkan from the Winds and Wiley from Meadowlark (and now Wheat Penny!) because I’ve learned so much from working with them.

What do you do in the Miami Valley on a day off?

I just bought a great house in St. Anne’s, so I mostly just want to garden, work in my yard, and hang out with my husband and dog. And once in awhile I try to go out and eat.

Share a kitchen disaster, lucky break or other interesting story:

That’s hard. Every day there’s something, and it’s always interesting. I think that’s one reason I’m drawn to this profession.