chips

Groovy! Mikesells Brings Back Chips cooked in Peanut Oil

April 27, 2017 By Dayton937 1 Comment

They are back! Groovy Mikesells cooked in 100% Peanut Oil

Talk about a Throwback Thursday announcement.

Food Adventures has seen the Facebook comments on Mikesell’s page, “I wish you still cooked your chips in Peanut Oil.” Well now, you can quit yer itchin, because our hometown favorite chip company has re-released Groovy Potato Chips cooked in 100% Peanut Oil. For those of you who love Mikesell’s products, this is one you will be glad they brought back. It is all in the taste.

Oh yes, the taste is a throwback. This is the original DW Mikesell recipe you grew up with. Of course the patented groovy design allows for great dipping and hearty party snacks. So for all you Mikesell purists, this chip is back for you !

Now in stores near you !

You can find them immediately in stores like Kroger, Dot’s and Dorothy Lane Market. You can even grab a bag at Speedway, Cassano’s and Marion’s. We got to sample a couple of the big bags. They were fresh and had that familiar Mikesells taste of yesteryear. At first we were skeptical, but you can definitely tell a difference.

Afraid of a peanut allergy?? We have good news for you. The FDA exempts highly refined peanut oil from being labeled as an allergen. Studies show that most individuals with peanut allergy can safely eat peanut oil.

Mother’s Day and Memorial Day parties would be a perfect time to break out these Groovy Peanut Oil chips and wow your guests and family. Always grab the big bag and support your local potato chip company. Mikesell’s is the oldest continually running potato chip company in the United States. We want them around for another couple of centuries.

We hope you enjoy some snacking and dippin’ with Mikesell’s Groovy chips cooked in 100% Peanut Oil, real soon.

Also enjoy more of our Food Adventures by following us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.s

Chef House, Luke Mapp-Mikesells VP, and Jax at the potato chip factory on Leo st.

“Hey, They weren’t frying these in Peanut oil when I was a baby …. this is good stuff !”

The Food Adventures Crew at Mikesells Headquarters

The Best Tamale’s in Town: Chiapas Mexican Grill

January 18, 2017 By Dayton937 Leave a Comment

Chiapas Mexican Grill

With the wacky weather lately, the saying, “Chilly today, Hot Tamale” applies here. Of all of the Mexican eateries in town, only a handful can claim to be “authentic” to the Mexican people’s tastes. These menus are not Americanized, but are true to the way people dine in Mexico City or Chiapas, Mexico. Simple, fresh ingredients and simple, homemade recipes. Authentic is the case of Chiapas Mexican Grill in Centerville on State Route 48. The small diner is a perfect atmosphere for an authentic, Mexican Food Adventure.

As you know, what makes our food blog different, is that we visit a restaurant many times before we write a thorough article. If a place shows promise, we revisit, and go on different hours, and different days and try almost every dish on the menu. That way, one can

Chorizo Soft Taco – note the corn tortilla and lime

REALLY get the feel of the place. Not just a one or two plates and a forkful of a friend’s dish, we are talking full Food Adventure experiences. That is our philosophy to share with you reliable feedback on the very best spots in the Miami Valley. After at least a half dozen visits to Chiapas Mexican Grill, we are here to give you the full scoop and some incredible photos.

From Horchata cinnamon like milk drinks with our friend Elsa, to Chimichangas and Enchiladas during Sunday football, we ate it all and are ready to share the goods.

Chicken Chimichangas

HERE’S THE SKINNY on CHIAPAS MEXICAN GRILL:

—Located in the heart of Centerville at 298 N Main St. The quaint dining room seats about 50 people.

—Locally owned operation by a family from Chiapas, Mexico. One of the owners used to work at Las Piramides restaurant in Centerville. He finally convinced family members to get in on his plan to own their own authentic restaurant.

—Menu features family recipes and dishes from their town of Chiapas, which is at the most southeastern part of Mexico, near Guatemala.

—They are open 7 days a week with special prices on Margaritas on Mondays and Fridays. All tacos

The Best Tamales we have ever eaten

are just $1.99 on Mondays.

This place is definitely one for your Food Adventure hit list. Each meal starts out right, with warm tortilla chips and some excellent salsa, packed with fresh cilantro. Now that your tastebuds are warmed up… We present to you the best of the best of their menu… our patented feature ………… MUST EATS !

Half of the dining area

MUST EATS at CHIAPAS MEXICAN GRILL:

—TAMALE’S:
The best tamales we have ever had, hands down, Chico. We know their secret. They use banana leaves instead of corn leaves. The bbq sauce, the corn mush and the pulled pork combine for a taste we have never experienced before. Our mouths are watering for more.

—IN HOUSE HOT SAUCES: IMPORTANT! Take advantage of the 2 homemade in house hot sauces, one red one green. They are great to add to your salsa to thicken things up, or squirt across your dinner of choice. Also dive into the bottled sauces on the table called El YucatecoXXX and Cholula

A spicy shrimp dish called Camarones ala Diabla

—TACO’S – SOFT and CRUNCHY:
The soft tacos are incredibly authentic, and are made with soft CORN tortillas which is, of course, the difference. No cheese on the soft ones, just meat, onions and cilantro. All tacos are served with lime quarters. Grab these quarters, and squeeze every bit of lime juice onto your taco meat. It makes the whole thing. All the taco meats are good, but our top 4 soft taco meat choices you “must eat” are : a) Chorizo, b) Shepard Style (rotisserie pulled pork), c) Chicken and d) Carnitas (steak). Don’t forget to add some salsa or house hot sauce.

Behold the Chicken Fajitas, still steaming and sizzling

The crunchy ground beef taco is delicious and loaded with lettuce and shredded, white, Mexican cheese. Don’t forget to order one of those.

Get your butt in here on Mondays, when all tacos are $1.99, for a feast you will not soon forget.

—CAMARONES ALA DIABLA (Spicy shrimp): Large, perfectly pan seared shrimp, in a plate with hot sauce, rice and beans. We got lost for a moment in our plate. What woke us up was the powerful flavor and HEAT! This is definitely a MUST EAT. Good dish, make sure a soft drink, water or beer is near, Gringo. Wow, was this dish something to write home about.

Under these mounds are two of the best chile rellenos in town

—CHICKEN FAJITAS: Served sizzling from the kitchen, the result is a nicely seared collection of chicken, green peppers, onions and tomatoes. Served with lettuce and tortillas on the side, along with sour cream and guacamole, you have the building blocks for an epic fajita creation.

—CHILE RELLENOS CHIAPANECOS:
Oh man, this dish is the best of both worlds. It is two, large stuffed peppers on a plate. One is filled

The huge Torta Milanese. a lightly breaded Chicken Sandwich

with cheese, and the other is filled with ground beef and potatoes. The results are one of the best chile rellenos plates we have ever eaten. It has plenty of cheese sauce, salsa and rice so you can use the extra tortilla chips to make your own nacho scooping end to this dinner.

—TORTA DE MILANESE (chicken):
A huge sandwich, with a lightly deep fried chicken breast inside. This is a big, delicious sesame seed roll, with all the fixins. Each half could be a lunch sandwich on its own. Eating this will have you yelling “Arrriba.”

—FLAN:

Flan, an incredible dessert

A delicate little dessert. Like carmalized vanilla pudding with whip cream and cherry, the caramel drizzle sauce is naughty too. We are not going to lie, we each could have eaten four of these, they were that good.

Honorable Mention:

—POZOLE:
The owner’s favorite. It is a spicy soup filled with chicken and hominy. The warm, red broth will soothe your soul. The recipe is a family tradition from Mexico and like almost all of the menu items, a recipe from their Grandmother.

Cheese Quesadilla with fries (kids plate)

—THE GOLD MARGARITA:
A family favorite. Try it frozen, walk out smiling. No shortness of tequila here.

**Note: We learned something on our trip to Chiapas. Every table has a ketchup bottle from a company called “Tip Top Ketchup.” We read the label and realized it was a local condiment company from Tipp City. It went perfect with the fries on the Torta plates and kids cheese quesadilla plate. We have found ourselves a new ketchup alternative.

The deep, rich color of the salsa, packed with cilantro

That does it for our rundown of what you gotta try at this new hot spot.

The small sign in the window says Taqueria, which means a place where tacos, burritos, and other Mexican dishes are made and sold. That is an understatement. This place is a treasure. The building has housed eateries from Poor Richards and the Hungry Elk to Wrapsody, Roc-a-Fellas, and House of Kabab. We look to see this one stay a while. Chiapas Mexican Grill, you’ve come a long way, baby!

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Feel free to browse more photos below from our multiple visits to CHIAPAS MEXICAN GRILL.

Ohhh those warm chips.. endless baskets

Carne Asada (steak)

Tip Top and fries

Grab a tortilla and turn the spicy shrimp into a shrimp burrito

Tostada – old school right there….

Spanish rice

In House Hot Sauce – the key to a good meal

The other half of the dining room

Chorizo, chicken and Pork tacos

Tamales !!

Salsa – a dip and a dance

Rollin up that fajita like a boss

Tacos and Tacos and Tacos (pork and steak)

Gettin corny with a steak taco

Since 1924 out of Tipp City

Crunchy Taco – ground beef

Pork Soft Taco

Chicken Soft Taco

Up close – Shepards Taco – (Pork)

Another Food Adventure begins

Mikesell’s Ends 2016 with Two New Flavors !

December 8, 2016 By Dayton937 Leave a Comment

Grab a handful of Mikesells new flavors !!

Your hometown potato chip company has done it again. Oh, how we love Mikesell’s Snacks for any occasion. And now, they bring us a couple of new, terrific products that quite honestly are surprisingly good.

The Food Adventures Crew have been enjoying Mikesell’s brand snacks for as long as we can remember, especially Chef House and The Big Ragu. Even our New York girl, Hungry Jax and her family have been crunching away on her decade in Dayton on those groovy chips. We have been on tours of the plant. We have been lucky enough to be behind the scenes, at test taste meetings, and met the workers that make the magic possible.

New Nacho Cheese Tortilla Chips from Mikesells are sturdier than the rest

As we end 2016, Luke Mapp, VP of Marketing and his staff have come up with two winners. Seriously.. you gotta try these. The new flavors are “NACHO CHEESE TORTILLA CHIPS” AND “TANGY CHIPOTLE BBQ KETTLE COOKED POTATO CHIPS.” They are 2 more reasons to reach for your local brand, when in the potato chip aisle.

We give you Food Adventures take on these new “hot off the presses” flavors….

HERE’S THE SKINNY ON MIKESELL’S TWO NEW “MUST EAT” FLAVORS:

— NACHO CHEESE FLAVORED TORTILLA CHIPS: Ok, so this is Mikesell’s jab at the Nacho Cheese Dorito brand. The flavor is very close to Nacho Cheese Doritos, except a tad milder. It is a nice, easy snack. Nice, lightly flavored and definitely cheesey. One of the big improvements over other Nacho Cheese flavored tortilla products, is this chip is more sturdy. It holds up way better in french onion dip, queso and salsa than other brands. So, now you know, it is a strong hometown tortilla chip. You won’t have to go hunting

Inside the Mikesell’s Potato Chip Plant

for half of your chip in the dip on this one. If you love Nacho Cheese Tortilla Chips and love dipping, this is the chip for you, hands down.

— TANGY CHIPOTLE BBQ KETTLE COOKED POTATO CHIPS: Wow, what a great flavor! You get the patented Mikesell’s Kettle cooked crunch, and the sturdiness of a dipping chip that wont break either (we just talked about this didn’t we?). Maybe we are tortilla happy today, but this flavoring is faintly reminiscent of the old Taco Flavor of Doritos from the 70’s/80’s. It has that spin for sure. We are sure you are going to love this new flavor. In a world where people are trying to put biscuit and gravy flavor into chips, this is a refreshing innovation that actually works. It fits. The Tangy Chipotle BBQ flavor is great, and not a novelty.

Kettle Cooked Tangy Chipotle BBQ !

*** HONORABLE MENTION: Back in March, Mikesell’s released another amazing treat that quickly became one of our faves. Salted Caramel Puffcorn Delites has been out for less than a year, and they are incredibly delicious and addicting. If you have not tried these yet, you won’t believe how good they taste.

Well, now you have some ideas to fill the holiday snack bowls with this season. Do yourself and Dayton a favor. Reach for the local, good stuff. Continue to make Mikesell’s brand a part of your family parties. The whole “buy local” thing is never more true than here. Check out these two new products for yourself and continue to support your hometown chip company Mikesell’s, who has been supporting Dayton and local causes for over 100 years.

We bet you like the new flavors so much, you will ask Santa to bring you some….

Chef and Jax with Luke Mapp of Mikesells !

WHERE TO GET THE NEW FLAVORS:
— Speedway Convenience Stores
— Kroger Grocers soon
— Local Gas Stations
— Cassano’s, Marion’s, Submarine House

Have you tried the new flavors? Please comment below and give us your thoughts…

Are you a foodie with a fondness for local eateries? Then follow our blog called “Food Adventures” on Facebook for everything food related in Dayton. No rules, just food! We are not food critics. We are 3 people who are passionate about what the Miami Valley has to offer and we eat it up!

Even young chip lovers agree

Spuds !

Have you tried the Salted Caramel Puffcorn? new in 2016 too !

These new NACHO CHEESE TORTILLAS are great !

Packaging area in Mikesells Plant

Tangy Chipotle BBQ is the new flavor you’ll love

Nice package

Chips fresh out of the oil

Boxes and Cases of chips

Food Adventures Crew at Mikesells !

On the expressway to your mouth

Cassano’s to Open London Bobby On Old Hickory Site

August 26, 2016 By Dayton937 1 Comment

London Bobby is back on Main Street

One legendary restaurant site, will turn into another legend this winter. The site of the new Cassano’s / London Bobby Fish & Chips will be at 4029 N. Main St. in Dayton. Food Adventures has learned that the site will not only be a new Cassano’s, but they are planning on offering an entire London Bobby Fish & Chips Menu.

HERE’S THE SKINNY:

— The new restaurant is expected to open in the October/November time frame.

— The site is on the grounds of the recently demolished Old Hickory Restaurant at 4029 N. Main St. in Dayton.

London Bobby Fish and Chips

— For you nostalgic Daytonians who remember the London Bobby Fish & Chips around town in the 1970’s and 80’s, this will bring back some memories.

— Bringing back the London Bobby brand is a plan that Vic Cassano Jr. had before his passing. The next generation of Cassano family is seeing that vision through as a tribute to him. It is also a great rebirth of a Dayton favorite, and welcome news to many Miami Valley residents.

The new Cassano’s will offer all of your pizza favorites and even cassini sandwiches, calzones and the subs you’ve grown to love. But let’s take a look at what will be a part of the London Bobby menu.

If you can’t wait for the opening, visit the Stroop Rd. Cassano’s location or the store in Trenton, Ohio for your London Bobby fix.

SO .. royal subjects…. Hear ye, hear ye ! Your majesty the Pizza King and Food Adventures announce the patented London Bobby “Must Eats”

FUTURE MUST EATS at THE NEW LONDON BOBBY on N. MAIN STREET.

The Big Cheese Pizza will be on the menu too !

— THE FISH AND CHIPS : Three pieces of battered fish, fries, two hushpuppies and cole slaw. Splash on some vinegar to make it “authentic,” old chap.

— EXTRA ORDER OF HUSHPUPPIES: Avoid fighting or wishing you had more.. order about 8 extra like we do and watch the hands grab!

— BASKET OF ONION RINGS: Beer battered and cooked to order.

— THE FISH SANDWICH: This delicious beer battered treat is

Flaky fish, splash it with vinegar to go old school, fool !

perfect for on the go.

So there you have it … you have Italy and England in one spot. Your fave Big Cheese Pizza isnt going anywhere, you just may be tempted to order some fish as well. Congratulations to the Cassano family, Sharon, Lora, Chris and Chip. Thank you for bringing back a lost piece of Dayton.

Browse the photos below and feel free to comment at the bottom and share your memories.

Hushpuppies – get some extra , so there’s no fighting

For more original photos and content “like” Food Adventures on Facebook by clicking HERE. 7,000 fans cant be wrong.

Food Adventures is a blog run by 3 local foodies. You can expect a feature article every week on MostMetro, year round. Together Hungry Jax, Chef House and the Big Ragu explore Dayton’s greatest foods. From farmers markets, to fine dining, we eat it all. Look for our dinner events, festival appearances and upcoming cooking classes on our website www.DaytonFoodies.com. Since 2008, turning over every plate !

Until then .. tally ho .. carry on… Mr Watson I presume and all that stuff…

The Pizza King is gonna open another store!

The Big Cheese is still here

Chicken Parm

Fish and Chips

The dough

North Main will have all the subs too !

Try the Cassini Burger – it is AWESOME

Calzones will be served at the North Main location

London Bobby is coming back to North Dayton

Onion Rings

Deluxe

The Pizza King !

Cassanos Delivers the Taste

London Bobby’s Fish and Chips

Mikesells: Tins and New Flavors? ! WIN CHIPS !

November 14, 2015 By Dayton937 14 Comments

These tins will be in stores next week !

Mikesell’s Snack Food Company is bringing back the holiday tins for the first time in 15 years! They are also going to introduce some new flavors in 2016 and we have the scoop.

The Food Adventures Crew was lucky enough to sample the new flavors and we are so excited about the throwback tins, that we are giving away some free chips!

***Want to win some of your favorite hometown potato chips? ***

Then comment below and we will award 3 winners the new tins that are coming to stores next week!

HERE’S THE SKINNY:

— Since 1910, Mikesells Potato Chips have been a part of Dayton life, and still remain family owned today by DW Mikesell’s descendants.

— The tins were wildly popular in the 70’s and 80’s, with throwback designs, celebrating anniversaries such as the 75th and 80th years in business.

— Next week, for the first time in 15 years, grocery stores will start carrying Commerative Tins of Mikesells chips, just in time for the holidays. The tins each contain 2 sealed bags of chips. Tins will be available for a limited time only.

— You can also order the tins online by clicking HERE.

Korean BBQ is one of the new flavors being considered for 2016

NEW FLAVORS BEING CONSIDERED for 2016:

Mikesells had been testing flavors at the Dragon’s games and at Unversity of Dayton. Food Adventures was lucky enough to get a private sampling of the candidates, some of which will go into production in 2016. Here are the flavors and our comments on them.

— HOT ROASTED GARLIC and DILL: One of the favorites, look for this one to be a hit. Who doesn’t love garlic?

— JALAPENO RANCH: A nice ranch dusting, not overpowering, with a slight kick at the end. Again, not too hot, just enough to take notice. Chef House, the spicy food queen of Dayton, had a smile after sampling these! This was one of Hungry Jax’s top picks too!

— LOADED CHEESEBURGER: The most complex chip, even down to tasting the ketchup. The flavoring brains behind this chip is brilliant. Hungry Jax simply described them as “Aweseome.”

— HONEY BUTTER: The flavor fad that has hit South Korea, may be coming to Dayton. This Honey Butter chip has a very subtle taste, almost muted. A very easy going chip, and would be perfect with dip.

Chef House, Mikesells Marketing Director Luke Mapp, and Hungry Jax

— SMOKED GOUDA: Probably a long shot, as it seems to have a pretty adult palate. May need some tweaking, but they are definitely on to something unique..

— KOREAN BBQ: Very eatable chip, and such a disctinctly unique flavor. We could see Daytonians eating the whole bag here… Hungry Jax voted this as her favorite and The Big Ragu rated this flavor near the top.

— CREAMY WASABI: This one had more bounce to the ounce than expected. The little zing at the end is a perfect flavor finish. The chip was The Big Ragu’s favorite.

WHAT FLAVORS WILL MAKE THE CUT?

As Luke Mapp, ‎Director of Sales and Marketing explains, we wish we could offer them all, but the problem is limited display space. He said that in grocery stores and other outlets, when you introduce new flavors, it often means you have to yank one of the current flavors. All of it is due to limited shelve allowances. Luke knows his stuff. He is the great grandson of founder D.W. Mikesell and has had a lifelong involvement in the company. We want to send out a special thank you to Luke and his staff for being so accommodating on our taste test and facility tour. It was a fun and fascinating evening.

Behind the scenes at Mikesells, fresh out of the fryer !

Dear chip lovers and fellow foodies, stay tuned over the next 12 months to see which flavors will make it into stores! But remember, you heard about them here first!

One last comment, Mikesells is introducing another product in February that we were able to sample. Unfortunately, we were sworn to secrecy about its existence. All we can tell you is that is was probably the best thing we tasted that day. Stay locked in to Mikesells and Food Adventures, and we will spill the beans as soon as it comes out in stores!

*** COMMENT BELOW FOR A CHANCE TO WIN A TIN OF MIKESELLS POTATO CHIPS ***

The comment section is after the photos…..

3 winners will be chosen at random on Thursday, November 19th.

Want to stay a winner? Are you a foodie? Then join the almost 6,000 local fans of Food Adventures on Facebook by clicking HERE.

Mikesells – new tins (on the right)

Jalapeno Ranch chips

The Food Adventures Crew at Mikesells Snack Food Company Headquarters

Zee cheeps are magnifico !

Inside the office by the DW Mikesell photo with Chef and Hungry Jax and Hungry Jax’s kids

Creamy Wasabi Chips !

Tins of past

Hungry Jax looks like an ant, compared to the pallet of Potato chips

Potatoes for the product !

Potatoes, uncooked and recently sliced

Chips coming down the conveyor belt and being measured

Tins are BACK !

Packaging station

Meanwhile, back at the Mikesells office …

The amount of chips moved is amazing

Factory tour

Dayton Food Trivia, Rumors & Secrets You Don’t Know

October 2, 2014 By Dayton937 1 Comment

“Read my lips, I want a damn steak from the Pine Club !”

Today we release some secrets, and Dayton Dining will never be the same again. Call it “Dayton Babylon: Little known trivia relating to Dayton Food and Restaurants.”

Sit back and enjoy, as Food Adventures gives you our favorite foodie trivia of the Miami Valley:

1) THE INVENTOR OF MARION’S PIZZA USED TO BE AN EMPLOYEE OF CASSANO’S:
Yes it is true. Marion Glass was once an employee of Cassanos. After leaving, he opened up a sandwich shop, then later his own pizza place.

2) IN 1988, THE PINE CLUB MADE VICE PRESIDENT GEORGE BUSH SR. WAIT 45 MINUTES FOR A TABLE:
Oh, this happened alright. As the story goes, the Vice Prez was forced to wait in his limo until the table was ready. That’s one popular steakhouse !

3) HOUDINI ESCAPES FROM A BARREL OF DAYTON BEER:
The date was December 11th, 1916. The place was at Keith’s Theater downtown, near E. Ludlow Street. Harry Houdini performed the Chinese Water Torture trick with a Dayton twist. He escaped from a 60 gallon barrel filled with Olt’s Beer, a Dayton brewed lager. Maybe Dayton Most Metro can do something similar with Big Ragu on their Brew Tours

Houdini Escaped From Inside a Barrel of Dayton Brewed Beer in 3 minutes

4) TOTENKO SERVES ROACHES TO FOOD CRITIC:
In the late 1970’s, Dayton Daily News Food Critic Ann Heller was writing one of her first articles on the Asian restaurant near the Dayton Mall called “Totenko.” When they served her meal, she noticed there were dead roaches in the food on her plate. The restaurant closed for a few days with the intent to re-open, but it never did. The business would later become Chi Chi’s on State Route 725.

5) THE WRIGHT BROTHERS WERE FOODIES WHO HOSTED HOLIDAY DINNER PARTIES:
The Wright Brothers were known for hosting extravagant dinners at their homes each holiday. They would invite friends and family for these tremendous feasts. Nothing like the food served by today’s airlines…

6) IN 1842, FAMOUS ENGLISH AUTHOR, CHARLES DICKENS, VISITED THE GOLDEN LAMB WEARING A BEAVER HAT AND COMPLAINED BECAUSE THE HOTEL DID NOT SERVE ALCOHOL.
Evidently, he asked for some brandy and was refused due to it being a “temperance hotel” (no alcohol). He even wrote a pissed off passage in his American memoirs about the experience. Sorry Charlie …

7) MIKESELLS IS THE OLDEST POTATO CHIP FACTORY IN THE UNITED STATES AND THE WRIGHT BROTHERS HELPED:
Dayton is home to the oldest potato chip company in the USA, 104 years old and still counting! The kettle cooked Mikesells are pretty much the same chips DW Mikesell peddled in 1910. Speaking of which, when he first starting delivering chips by bicycle, his bike needed repair. The Wright Brother’s bicycle company came to the rescue and DW Mikesell was back delivering chips in no time !

8) THAI 9 USED TO BE A PEANUT FACTORY:
Love the spacious dining room with the wooden floors and upstairs area? That’s because the place used to be a peanut factory. That’s what we were told by management when the restaurant first opened.

Charles Dickens Normally Doesnt ask to Drink Brandy in a Beaver Hat, But When He Does, it is at The Golden Lamb

9) ESTHER PRICE CANDIES USES LOCALLY PRODUCED MILK AND BUTTER IN ALL OF THEIR CANDIES:
How about that, Esther Price was being organic and eating local, before it was cool. You go girl. No wonder we love these chocolates so much! Get on with your bad, creamy self.

10) THE BAR AT JAY’S SEAFOOD HOUSE WAS MADE IN 1882 for JAMES RITTY’S PONY EXPRESS RESTAURANT IN DAYTON:
If you have had a beer or cocktail at the Jay’s Seafood bar, then you have experienced a piece of Dayton history. This huge mahogany bar was made from 5400 pounds of wood. That makes it the coolest bar in town … bar none.

11) IN 1970, PONDEROSA APPOINTED DAYTONIAN JERRY OFFICE to CEO. HE GREW COMPANY REVENUE FROM $42 MILLION to $490 MILLION in the 1980’s:
Oh yes, wide ties, and aerobics with leg warmers couldn’t stop Jerry from bringing the supreme salad buffet to America! Check him out in this 1984 Ponderosa Commerical.

El Meson used to be Pizza Queen International. Click to Enlarge.

12) THE BAR AT SWEENEY’S SEAFOOD HOUSE IS THE OLD BAR FROM TEQUILA WILLIES BY THE DAYTON MALL:
A little known fact is that this decorative bar, now at Sweeney’s, was the bar at the Tequila Willies Restaurant near the Dayton Mall. The story goes, the previous tenant at Sweeney’s got it at auction and had it installed.

13) THE OWNERS OF PIZZA QUEEN CLOSED THEIR STORE TO OPEN THEIR DREAM RESTAURANT, EL MESON:
Yes, The Castro family decided to dump pizza toppings for tapas. Some Daytonians might have been disappointed at first, but now El Meson is a staple for bringing exotic South American eats to the Miami Valley.

14) THE HOT HEAD BURRITO FRANCHISES STARTED IN DAYTON:
Cynthia Wiley and Raymond Wiley from Kettering came up with the concept, and opened their first store in 2007. It has been a hot commodity since, and they haven’t let it go to their “heads.”

15) THE OLDEST ACTIVE CHINESE RESTAURANT IN DAYTON is CHOP SUEY CARRYOUT:
Since 1973, this oldest active Chinese Restaurant in the Dayton area has been slinging New York style stir fry and Cantonese cuisine. Try the Chop Suey, it will knock your Aunt Connie’s socks off.

16) THE PULL TAB CAN and POP TOP CAN WERE INVENTED BY DAYTON INVENTOR, ERMAL FRAZE:
Ermal’s company, Dayton Reliable Tool Company started making his invention in 1959. When people worried about the sharp edges of the pull tab, he then invented the pop top on today’s cans in 1977. Think of all the beer buzzes and caffeine fixes he made possible. He is obviously the namesake for Fraze Pavillion and the tribute in Warped Wing’s Ermal Beer.

The pull tab was invented by Ermal Fraze of Dayton

17) DAYTON WAS THE 2nd U.S. CITY TO IMPLEMENT THE FOOD STAMPS PROGRAM:
Dayton takes care of it’s impoverished residents.

18) INVENTOR OF THE ICE CREAM SCOOP WITH ANTIFREEZE INSIDE WAS THE OWNER OF THE RED WING ICE CREAM COMPANY IN DAYTON:
Ever use one of those ice cream scoops with antifreeze in it, so the hard ice cream is easy to scoop? According to the owner’s daughter, that scoop was invented in Dayton. Red Wing Ice Cream used to be located near the arcade. Now you know the “scoop.”

19) FOOD NETWORK CHEF MING TSAI’S FAMILY USED TO RUN A RESTAURANT IN THE 1970’s CALLED “THE MANDARIN KITCHEN”:
This restaurant was a pioneer in bringing gourmet Asian Food to Dayton. The Mandarin Kitchen had a cult following. Our memories include the restaurant having this amazing aroma throughout the dining room.

20) THE HAMBURGER WAGON IN MIAMISBURG STARTED BECAUSE OF THE GREAT DAYTON FLOOD OF 1913:
Sherman “Cocky” Porter served his own recipe of hamburgers to the victims of the flood out of a wagon. They were served with no condiments, just pickle, onion, salt and pepper. 101 years later, the wagon is still a Miamisburg and Dayton icon, and the recipe is still the same.

“Ain’t No Party Like a Wright Brothers Party, cuz a Wright Brother’s Party Don’t Stop “

21) CULP’S CAFE IN THE ARCADE WAS THE FIRST DAYTON RESTAURANT TO HAVE AIR CONDITIONING:
People like the sweaty Big Ragu appreciated this. The restaurants hayday was in the 1940’s when they served 5,000 customers a day. Yes, we said each day. The “new” Culp’s Cafe is in Historic Carrillon Park. It is also a ‘cool’ place to hang out ..

22) ORVILLE WRIGHT USED TO TEACH HIS NIECES AND NEPHEWS HOW TO MAKE FUDGE AND HARD CANDY:
Nothing like keeping the kids occupied with a little foodie fun. If things had went differently, he could have been Dayton’s version of Willy Wonka !

23) BRIXX ICE COMPANY IS NAMED BECAUSE THE BUILDING WAS ACTUALLY AN ICE COMPANY THAT SUPPLIED DAYTON IN THE LATE 1800’s:
The restaurant across from the Dayton Dragon’s stadium, used to be an ice company that supplied most of Dayton with ice. They were singing “Ice, Ice, Baby” back in the day!

24) ICE CUBE TRAYS AND FREON REFRIGERANT WERE BOTH DAYTON INVENTIONS.
Ice cube trays were invented in 1959 by Arthur Frei, while Freon Refrigerant was invented by Thomas Midgley Jr. in 1928.

Bet Ya Didnt Know That the Ice Cube Tray Was Invented in Dayton…

25) THE TROPICS, AN ICONIC RESTAURANT ON NORTH MAIN STREET, BROUGHT IN CHEFS FROM CHICAGO.
Now we know how they made their one of a kind cuisine. Luring “windy city chefs” in with lucrative deals. This restaurant seated 700 people at it’s peak during the 60’s and 70’s. At that time it was one of America’s top rated restaurants.

That’s it, thats the list .. hope you found some fun facts ,a and interesting conversation pieces you may not have known. Dayton has a great history of food, and now you know a little more about it!

Did you like our story on Dayton Food Trivia? Then make sure you “like” Food Adventures with Big Ragu and the Crew on FACEBOOK by clicking HERE !!

Check out the gallery below of funny photos relating to Dayton food trivia !

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MikeSell’s Introduces “Beer Can Chicken Flavor” & More…

August 15, 2014 By Dayton937 2 Comments

New “Beer Can Chicken” flavor hits shelves August 22nd

Dayton’s hometown potato chip has done it again. Mikesell’s has released two new, unique flavors in their line of snacks! And Daytonians are the beneficiaries of the great taste.

Looks like you Food Adventurers have a couple more MUST EATS on your list. We were lucky enough to sample a couple of bags before they are out in stores. Here are Food Adventure’s take on the new flavors.

— BEER CAN CHICKEN FLAVORED POTATO CHIPS: We love the name and the idea is unique. The flavor is very muted and soft. Mikesells lovers will find not much variance of flavor from the regular groovy chips. The chips are almost a “Chicken Broth” flavor, so it is very subtle. Eatability factor is a 10 out of 10. We could munch on these all night and day. These are Mikesells for sure! This chip would great with some french onion dip.

— SOUTHWESTERN QUESO CHEESE CURLS: The puffs with no husk are back with a bold flavor. These have a little kick from the jalapeno flavor, but not too much. The perfect amount of zestiness and heat make these cheese curls eatable by the handfuls. Grab a bag of these for a party pleaser snack. Your sassy Food Adventure in a bag

Mikesells two new flavors are definitely a tale of two contrasts. One flavor is fairly subtle, and the other is fairly bold. The one thing that they have in common is they are tasty and addicting. We will be munching these up all over town. Hope you grab a bag and try these Dayton Originals for yourself. They will be available in stores AUGUST 22nd !

Want more Dayton Originals? Then “like” the often imitated, never duplicated “Food Adventures” on Facebook by clicking HERE.

Check out our photos below of the new products from Mikesells !
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Eat me, I’m Celtic !

July 25, 2014 By Dayton937 Leave a Comment

Here’s to the 2014 Dayton Celtic Fest

Tonight, tomorrow and Sunday.. there is an Irish Food Adventure brewing on the streets of Dayton. It is the wildly popular Dayton Celtic Festival. Who better to tell you lasses and lads about it than The Food Adventure Crew?

Listen up as we give a tip of our cap to the festival for the good old Emerald Isle!

HERE’S THE SKINNY:

— It is a street party celebrating Irish Heritage at RIVERSCAPE METRO PARK with dancing, music, beer and FOOD ! Admission is FREE

—FESTIVAL GOES FROM FRIDAY – SUNDAY !

Friday – 6:30pm – 10:30pm

Saturday – Noon – 10:30pm

Sunday – Noon – 5:30pm

— Want directions??? CLICK HERE !

A Cheeky Meat Pie is in your future

What to eat?? This isn’t our first blarney stone, so take our advice or we will hit you in the head with a Shillelagh.

So by “faith and begorrah,” here are our patented “must eats” !!

MUST EATS:

— REUBEN SANDWICH FROM CLADDAGH’s BOOTH: We love a good Reuben, and we have found a delicious one here! Served freshly grilled and hot, this is a big sandwich, that will fill you up.

— CHEEKY MEAT PIES: Whether you order the Distinguished Darby version, or another type, these pies are fantastic and perfect for “on the go eating.” Watch out! They are hot inside! Australian pies at an Irish Festival?? You betcha !

— IRISH BEER: There are the three types we recommentd – the lighter beer (HARP LAGER), the red beer (SMITHWICK’S), and the dark beer (GUINNESS). Or make Ireland proud. and go through all the colors of the rainbow, they say there is a pot of gold at the end….

— FISH AND CHIPS: High demand on these might mean a line, but it ensures you get a piping hot, fresh out of the fryer, batch of fish and chips. Whether you do tartar or vinegar, you will be glad you did some pub style sea fare.

— GRILLED SALMON SANDWICH from BROCK MASTERSONS: Looking for a lighter treat? Try one of these babies with or without a bun. The secret is the dill sauce topping, so ask for extra. Honorable mention goes to their crab cakes, which almost made the list. This is a Food Adventure all time fave.

Fish and Chips – Must Eats at the Celtic Festival

An important tip.. there is a dish called haggis at the festival, which traditionally is chopped up liver served inside pig intestines… we tried it last year. Once was enough for us. For some of you purists with adventurous pallets, go for it.

Hopefully we pointed you in the right direction for a weekend Food Adventure.

There is one more wee bit of advice we have about the festival, and that is make sure you stop in and listen to the music under the big white Riverscape tents. It makes the food and beer taste better too. Musical acts are flown in from Ireland for this event, so take advantage of it.

See you at the festival, please say “hi” to The Food Adventure Crew, and we will try to wave or shake hands while carrying beer and festival food.

Check out our gallery below for some killer food pics from Celtic Fests of yesteryear!
Want more from these leprechauns? Then like Food Adventures on Facebook by CLICKING HERE !

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Mikesells Introduces Cincinnati Style Chili Potato Chips

February 18, 2014 By Dayton937 2 Comments

New Cincinnati Chili Flavored Chips from Mikesells

Attention Dayton Foodies !!

Here is something you wont see anywhere else .. YET.. The Food Adventures Crew love Mikesell’s Potato Chips, and we love Cincinnati chili. What an incredible idea the people at Mikesell’s had to combine to two !

We first tried the proto-type chip last summer, with the founder of Mikesells, D.W. Mikesell’s, great-grandson Luke Mapp. We have been sworn to secrecy about the flavor until now …. Verdict ???

The chips are delicious. So what makes them a MUST EAT ??

— The spices have captured the chili taste to a tee, even the hints of chili powder and Greek spices.

— The flavor level is perfect, not overpowering, which means great snack time enjoyment with a high “eatability factor”

— The flavor and freshness that is typical of the local Mikesells brand

Actually, you can see these chips somewhere else… We ran into bags of them at Speedway, and lets just say “we boosted our Speedy Rewards points.” Terrific stuff from your hometown potato chip company. We highly suggest you grab some of these and share them with your friends… or be selfish, we don’t care.

The Big Ragu loves the new Cincinnati Style Chili Flavor

Want a Food Adventure in a bag? Then make sure you get the new Cincinnati Chili Style Potato Chips from Mikesells!!

Want more Food Adventures?? Check out their spicy Facebook Page and”like” them HERE !

Want more on Mikesell’s Potato Chips? Check out our FOOD ADVENTURE at the Mikesell’s Plant HERE !

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The Bad Juan: A Dayton Legend

December 26, 2013 By Dayton937 5 Comments

Click to enlarge: Mr. Bad Juan

Hey Gringo, looking to tie one on during the holidays? Then take a sip of a true Food Adventure in a glass. Oh yes, the legendary Bad Juan margarita served exclusively at Elsa’s Mexican Restaurant and Cantinas around town. Whether on the rocks or frozen, salt or no-salt, every Daytonian has a “Bad Juan” story about themselves or a friend. The Food Adventures Crew are no different. We have had to push stumbling pals into backseats of cars, or help lift some hotties into the back of an SUV after a couple of these drinks. We have felt the wrath of Juan ourselves, having numb lips and the buzz that suddenly creeps up on you with this devilish drink.

Let’s be candid, Bad Juans are a Dayton icon. This badass drink even has its own website, badjuan.com. Here is some more on the man, the myth, the legend.. BAD JUAN !

HERE’S THE SKINNY:

— Since 1981, Bad Juans have been served frozen or on the rocks. They also come in a few flavor variations, but the original Bad Juan remains the most popular.

Elsa’s has various locations in Centerville, Kettering and Dayton

— Rumors have swirled about the ingredients. People have been trying to figure out the recipe for years. Food Adventures believes they have some inside scoop on the recipe, and although we can’t post it here, we can give you some info. Our inside source tells us that the Bad Juan is made up of only 3 secret ingredients: Triple Sec, Tequila and Lime Juice. We cannot tell you the brands used or the amounts. We can, however, confirm that Mountain Dew is NOT an ingredient, so lets finally put that rumor to bed.

— We believe the secret to the great taste is not only in the ingredients, but in the preparation. The Bad Juan’s are constantly mixed in those plastic, see-through drink machines you are used to seeing at convenient stores or food counters. The thorough mixing of ingredients in these machines blend the drink into that perfect drunken mixture.

— Elsa’s does limit the amount of Bad Juans that a customer can consume (usually 2 or 3 depending on your server). However, urban legends and tall tales have surfaced about people drinking a couple mini pitchers of Bad Juans, or somehow downing a half dozen of them unbeknownst to their waiter or waitress.

— You can even buy them by the bottle in liquor stores from as far away as Covington, Kentucky’s famous Party Source store. The bottled drink is 21 percent alcohol, or 42 proof. We believe that the in-house version mixed at the restaurants is a little higher than that. Heidelberg Distributors stats confirm that Bad Juans hold the all-time distributor record for the fastest selling new product.

Blue Juan – Tasty Twist on an Iconic Drink

MUST DRINKS:

— BAD JUAN on THE ROCKS: Simple, pure and lethal. This is for the heavy hitters who like to get down to business and gulp ’em down. They are however served with a tiny straw and a lime wedge for those who like to sip these slowly and savor the experience.

— FROZEN BAD JUAN: The chilled, traditional version of the legend are just as strong as the ones on the rocks. Served with a lime, it is curiously tasty when the mixture begins to melt. If you drink these too fast, beware of ‘brain freeze’ or a condition known as drunky pants.

— STRAWBERRY FROZEN BAD JUAN: Not big on tequila or margaritas? This flavored Bad Juan masks the alcohol taste, and is probably our favorite version of the iconic drink. Give it a try, we bet you like it! It is also available on the rocks for you purists.

Strawberry Frozen Bad Juan – Delicious !

— BLUE JUAN: This holiday season is a good time to give one of these a try. You may have a blue Christmas without it. It has a great taste and is available on the rocks only.

Honorable Mention: The Raspberry Bad Juan, the Watermelon Bad Juan and the calorie conscious “Skinny Juan”

Miami Valley residents have long debated whether Bad Juans are better frozen or on the rocks. For the most part, guys tend to have them on the rocks, while girls seem to prefer the frozen margaritas. But we say…. hell, try them all and get a designated driver.

DO YOU HAVE A GOD BAD JUAN STORY?? PLEASE COMMENT BELOW! Have an opinion on Bad Juan? Be heard and post it below !

After more than 30 years Elsa’s is still having fun, and this drink is “Still the Juan.”

ARE YOU A DAYTON FOODIE ?? Then “like” FOOD ADVENTURES on Facebook by clicking HERE !! Over 2200 fans can’t be wrong !

Don’t forget to browse our photo album below for some incredible pics of Dayton’s legendary drink !

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Loose Meat: The Mystery of MAID-RITE Sandwiches

December 5, 2013 By Dayton937 5 Comments

Maid-Rites with a Little Kings: Click on photo for full effect

Usually when someone says “loose meat” it has never been a compliment, until now. On the outskirts of the Miami Valley, in the town of Greenville, a legendary burger joint has existed since 1934. It is called Maid-Rite Sandwich Shoppe.

Over the years it has developed a cult following. People drive miles, and even come from out of state to taste their ‘burgers.’ They aren’t even burgers, they are “loose meat sandwiches” or “Maid Rites.” Why are so many people coming to eat these sandwiches and why are they so good ?? The Big Ragu and Crew set out to solve the mystery.

We have a had a handful of Food Adventures to Maid Rite either after the Darke County fair, or on a whim, or to satisfy an insatiable craving.

Over the years we realized that there are 2 types of people, those that have never tried Maid Rite Hamburgers, and those who have tried it and cant figure out how they make them.

HERE’S THE SKINNY:

— The main attraction is the maid rite loose meat sandwich. The sweet taste of the meat has developed three major theories of how they are prepared 1) Some think they are steamed in pepsi or coke 2) Some claim they are steamed in beer 3) Others say that sugar is added to the meat before cooking.

A Greenville Icon Since 1934

— The eatery is a small, no frills, brick building located at 125 N. Broadway St. in Greenville, Ohio and worth the trip. Locally owned they claim no relation to the MAID-RITE sandwich shop franchises in Iowa etc…

— Limited menu with 4 sandwich choices which include loose meat, chicken salad, egg salad or ham salad sandwiches. Shakes, sundaes, beer, soft drinks and chips are available too.

— The employees are very protective of the recipe and process of the sandwiches. We were unable to get the secret recipe after badgering the employees and managers. We were threatened with spatulas and told we would be picking shards of Little Kings bottles out of our rumps for a week. Sorry for the letdown, folks.

— For some unknown reason, it is now customary to stick your gum on the outside of the building. Literally thousands of wads of chewed gum have been stuck on every outside wall of the establishment.

— Bathrooms are located in a separate building around back, adding even more uniqueness and oddness to this place. They also have a drive up window for a quick meat fix.

How do they make the meat so sweet ???

MUST EATS:

— THE CHEESE RITE SANDWICH: This is the classic maid rite sandwich with cheese. What is a Maid-Rite Sandwich? Think of it as a sloppy joe but with no sauce. It is served on a soft bun, slapped with meat and toppings, and wrapped tightly in wax paper. The meat has a sweet taste to it. This sandwich is topped with a squirt of mustard, a couple of pickle slices and a slice of cheese. They run about $1.95 and the average person could eat 2 or 3 of them. You can get the Big Jim version which adds ham, but we prefer the original Cheese-Rite. Eating one is a unique experience, and you have to try it. Warning: once you unwrap one, we hold no responsibility for future addiction.

— CHOCOLATE MALT: Creamy, sinful and made just for you. You cant go wrong with this delicious, cool classic.

— LITTLE KINGS CREAM ALE BOTTLES: Oh come on , you gotta make it a full blown Food Adventure and wash it down with a icon from Schoenling Brewery. Ok, wanna be a snob? Then grab a Heineken instead.

— MIKESELLS POTATO CHIPS: No fries in this establishment, so choose your hometown chip instead. They have a nice selection of Dayton’s favorite potato chip. It is a good pairing with the simple, classic sandwich.

Click to enlarge: Partial shot of the Gum Wall outside Maid-Rite

A couple of sidenotes: Make sure you bring cash, because that is the only form of payment they accept. Also, hours are 10am-10pm except Fri and Sat when they stay open until 11pm.

Amazing isn’t it? A formula for success being a squished, sloppy joe like sandwich served in a small diner with people sticking gum to the walls outside. But people come back every day in droves. WHY?? It is the curiously sweet tasting, delicious loose meat sandwiches. The workers feverishly tossing the ground meat, stuffing buns, wrapping it quickly, and tossing across the counter. It is the personality of the place. If you have never visited this spot, make sure you put it on your “Food Adventure hit list.” Maid Rite is one-of-a kind.

Want more One-of-a-Kind foodie fun? Then “like” FOOD ADVENTURES on FACEBOOK BY CLICKING HERE !

Jimmie’s Ladder 11 Beer & Menu Pairings for July 13th Food Adventure Event! Limited Tickets Available

July 2, 2013 By Dayton937 Leave a Comment

Jimmie’s Ladder 11 is hosting an Exclusive Food Adventure Event July 13

If you are a Dayton foodie, then listen up…

The Big Ragu & Crew would like to share this EXCLUSIVE Food Adventure news with you.

The Jimmies Ladder 11 Staff has finalized the menu for the one-time-0nly event, slated for SATURDAY, JULY 13th at 7PM in the Ladder 11 Private Party Loft!

5 COURSES, 5 BEER PAIRINGS, 1 HOT TIME ! The fiery event will be called “JIMMIE’s in JULY,”

Abita Beers will be paired with the food courses

ABITA Brewing Company will be partnering with Dayton Most Metro and Jimmie’s Ladder 11 for this one of a kind night featuring live music from the Stillwater River Band.
There will be door prizes and gift certificate giveaways.

WARNING: Seating is limited, so get your tickets, HERE before they sell out !

Tickets are Pre-Pay only, no refunds.

$30 per ticket INCLUDES THE TIP ! What a deal !

Here is what to expect from the menu tasting :

The event promises to TURN UP THE HEAT by featuring some hot tastes. Then, we will hose you down with the cool Abita Beer Pairings!

COURSE 1: New Orleans Style Gumbo paired with Abita Amber Beer

COURSE 2: Cornerstone Salad paired with Abita Strawberry Harvest Beer

COURSE 3: Paisano Pasta Chips with an Abita Seasonal Beer called Satsuma

COURSE 4: Vodka Chicken Riggies (Pasta dish) paired with Abita Turbo Dog Beer

COURSE 5: INTRODUCING THE NEW HOUSE CHEESECAKE ! Paired with Abita Purple Haze Beer

There is even a rumor that The Big Ragu will be passing out sample bites of Jimmie’s Creole Cheesecake which is and incredible, quiche-like, no wait souffle pie with shrimp, andouille sausage, smoked gouda cheese.. heck, it cant be described, it just has to be tasted. Don’t Miss this this Food Adventure.

It is going to be a hot time in the old firehouse on July 13th !!

TICKETS AVAILABLE ONLINE BY CLICKING HERE ! Get them now, so you don’t get burned when they sell out!

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Taco Loco: The Best Tasting Cinco de Mayo You Will Ever Have

May 2, 2013 By Dayton937 4 Comments

Beef Shoulder Taco, Squeeze that lime on it

Food Adventures Crew knows there are only a couple of truly authentic Mexican Restaurants in the Miami Valley, and we have found a favorite. It is a humble place called Taco Loco located at 5392 Burkhardt Road. It is clean, it is cheap, it is authentic. But most of all, it has some of the most delicious Mexican food we have ever eaten. We have some close friends from Mexico, and upon their recommendation we stopped in. The experts were right, every trip to Taco Loco is a new Food Adventure.

Why the name Taco Loco? The owners, a mom and pop duo from Mexico, had to renovate before they could open. They were fixing the old vacant building, putting in many hours painting, putting down flooring etc. The long days caused them to sometimes sleep in their van in the parking lot overnight, since they lived in Cincinnati. When a neighboring resident visited the construction she told the owners, “You are working too hard, and sleeping in your van, what are you CRAZY?” Since ‘Loco’ means crazy in Spanish, they decided the name fit.

Here’s the Skinny:
1) This place is very authentic, so don’t expect the typical queso sauces, cheese and tomatoes like you see on some Tex-Mex dishes at other Mexican restaurants.
2) The prices are low, so you can explore many types of food and have your own Food Adventure.
3) The staff is friendly, the place is a hole in the wall, the dining area is small, and the environment is clean.
4) You know the food is good, when most of the patrons in the dining area are people from Mexico.
5) Not only is the food delicious, but they have a variety of rare, non-alcoholic drinks made from scratch using fresh herbs and other ingredients.
6) Locally owned by Lola and her husband Octavio. It’s a true mom and pop establishment!

The Chicken Torta – Big and Delicious

Must Eats:

Horchata: Start off your meal with one of these milky beverage specialties. It literally tastes like rice pudding in a glass. We were blown away by the taste of this unique drink.

The Beef Shoulder Taco – Tasty meat on a corn tortilla. These are authentic style tacos, like they eat in Mexico City. We will tell you it is one on the best tacos on the planet. Ingredients are cilantro, onion and meat choice. No cheese, but you may order ‘Tacos Locos’ which means add tomatoes and sour cream.

The Chicken Torta – A sandwich that would give any sub shop a run for its money. Diced grilled chicken, and the perfect complimentary toppings on homemade telera (Mexican sandwich bread). An incredibly filling sandwich for $5 and one of The Big Ragu’s favorites.

Whole Fish – Do you want to kick it authentic old school? Then try this whole, fried tilapia on for size. You have to deal with a little bit of bones and the fish staring at you, but the taste is worth it. At the price of $7.50 this is a steal.

The Food Adventures Crew have eaten so many menu items in our trips to Taco Loco, that some deserve an honorable mention:

Whole Fish – Food Adventure on a Plate

The Large Quesadilla’s are fantastic. Filled with rice, beans, cheese and your choice of meat, this giant menu item will dwarf your plate.

Carne Asada, a skirt steak dish, is a specialty here. If authentic means anything, we noticed that besides us, a lot of Latinos were eating this dish too.
Have you eaten Sopes before? Sopes are made with a circular foundation fried masa dough (ground hominy) topped with refried beans, lettuce, and crumbled cheese. We think of it as an authentic taste version of a tostada. Ragu loves this unique menu item. Taco Loco serves similar menu items called Huaraches which are bigger, oval versions of Sopes. We love them as well, especially the thick base, which almost tastes like potato dough.

The Burritos are delicious. They come wrapped in foil and are so big, we can usually only eat half of them.

Want authentic fajitas? The steak ones here are fantastic, and the flavor of the grilled green peppers make the dish.

The Tamales were good too. Filled with shredded pork and topped with crumbled cheese, they are one of the few items covered with a queso sauce.

Enchiladas Verdes – Fresh Ingredients, Freshly made

A filling meal is the Enchiladas Verdes, stuffed with green chiles and your choice of meat, and covered in lettuce and avocado.

Besides our favorite Horchata, other specialty drinks include a “Tamarindo”, which is made with tamarind fruit. When Lola brought the fruit out to show us, we made a mustache with it. Yeah, that’s us. We take our own pictures, too.
We also drank a “Jamaica” drink (pronounced hamica). This beverage was a tea made with fresh hibiscus flowers, some of which Lola showed us as well. We told you this was a great place for a Food Adventure.

For dessert, we suggest the creamy, homemade Flan. For those of you not familiar with flan, think of an upside down, firmer version of creme brulee. Lola made us proud with this dessert!

Finally, we have to mention the complimentary table salsas. Served in two squirt bottles, one is a mild Verdes Salsa made with tomatillos. The other is a red chile salsa, made with chili peppers. Careful, the red one has a kick! Both of these salsas are made in house, and kick up any menu item. Experiment to your taste with a dash or a squirt on the free basket of extra thick corn tortilla chips.

With Cinco De Mayo coming up, it is good timing for you to try some really authentic Mexican fare at Taco Loco. Not many people know about this little secret, but now you know the scoop. Celebrate with good food and cheap prices. If you do not check out Taco Loco soon, then you my friend, are CRAZY !

Give us your take on TACO LOCO by commenting below. Make sure you browse through the photo album for some AMAZING food photos from this little known secret.

“Like” Food Adventures on Facebook by clicking HERE !

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Food Adventures Visits Mikesells Potato Chip Plant + CONTEST*

December 6, 2012 By Dayton937 5 Comments

Who wants a case of your favorite hometown potato chip, Mikesells ? Then check out this story and comment below on why you love Mikesells Potato Chips! One lucky fan will be chosen at random, GOOD LUCK !

Dayton’s Mikesells Potato Chips are a true local original. Started in 1910 by DW Mikesell who delivered his potato chips by bike. The Wright Brothers bicycle shop even repaired his bike so he could stay in business. Over 100 years later, Mikesells has been the longest continually operating Potato Chip company in the United States. Mikesells is cemented deep in family owned tradition. Four generations of the Mikesell family have worked for the organization. They have various old photos and antiques in the board room as a constant reminder of where they came from and the hard work it took to get there. Now, in 2012 they will sell over 12 million bags of potato chips in the United States. Chip lovers eat their products in Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Illinois and more. The “Good n Hot” flavored chips have a cult following in the Miami Valley, but the number one seller remains regular Groovy chips. You may also know they produce pretzels, pork rinds, corn chips, dips and the ever original puffcorn delights. Over 72 products in various sizes and flavors make up the Mikesell’s family of snack foods.

Mikesells is always evolving and this year is no exception. They have recently implemented a new packaging look and a new logo. Be on the lookout for these bags, many which are already in area stores. The look of the brand has changed but the beloved flavors have not been touched. Customers can expect the same taste they know and love.

However, Mikesells released two new flavors in June 2012:

Sweet Chili and Sour Cream: It has a kick of spice, a swirl of sweetness and a touch of sour cream all nestled in a Groovy-style chip.

Tuscan Spice: A unique flavor with a splash of olive oil, a burst of sun-dried tomato and a hint of rosemary and herbs with 30% less fat than regular chips.

Being lifelong residents of the Miami Valley, The Food Adventure Crew have eaten a few Mikesells Potato Chips in our time. We love them. So, when invited for an exclusive tour the potato chip facility with DW Mikesell’s great grandson, Luke Mapp, we jumped at the chance. What followed was a once in a lifetime Food Adventure to see how a Dayton icon gets its product to the masses.

We toured practically every inch of the state-of-the-art facility on Leo Street in Dayton. We also harassed more than 130 employees. We experienced a truly customized and incredible operation. The process starts with, of course, potatoes. An 18 wheeler semi-truck literally pulls into the plant and tilts the load onto a conveyor belt and the process begins. Each year, 20 million pounds of potatoes are processed through these production lines.

The potatoes are washed and sliced, and then are either cooked in small batches for the “kettle cooked” brands, or in larger quantities for their “regular” chips. The automated process is supervised and manipulated by workers who ensure the great product that Daytonians love. The slicer is an amazing piece of machinery that looks like a huge garbage disposal. It is able to slice 400 pounds of chips in just three minutes.

The chips are then sent through another wash and lead into the deep fryers. Custom machinery tosses the chips in hot oil so they wont stick together. The deep fryers are gigantic and as big as a small house. The chips are then led by conveyor belt through various canals and where they are salted if needed, flavored if it is a seasoned chip. The product is then weighed sorted into various packages. The sight is indescribable and Luke Mapp explained the process every step of the way. After the products are bagged, they are inspected and placed in cases. There is even a quality control lab where the chemical disposition of the chips are analyzed to ensure consistency. One of the highlights was when we sampled some fresh reduced fat potato chips right off the assembly line. It was the best potato chip we had ever eaten.

Talk about Green? Mikesell’s were Green before Green was cool. They recycle almost everything and have various steps in their production that re-use boxes and transporting materials. Truly an environmentally conscious company. They recycle 130,000 shipping boxes annually. They also donate 208,000 pounds of potato by-product each year to local farmers for animal feed. Mikesells also recovers 52,000 pounds of starch annually that is sold to paper mills.

During the tour, The Food Adventures Crew felt proud to be Daytonians and were blown away by the quality product and welcoming atmosphere. The facility and the process were simply incredible. They produce 4,000 pounds of potato chips in one hour and typically 6,500 cases of potato chips are produced in an 8 hour shift. We are told it takes about 10 minutes to create the average Mikesell’s potato chip from start to finish. So much perfection in so little time. Also, to guarantee freshness, Mikesell’s strives to distribute its products to local retailers in 24 hours or less.

If you have not tried the new flavors of Tuscan Spice and Sweet Chili & Sour Cream, you are missing some fantastic snacks. Make sure you get your hands on some! Make sure you check out the gallery below for an exclusive behind the scenes look at Mikesells.

Also, fellow Daytonians, next time you celebrate with family or friends, grab some Mikesells Potato Chips to make the party right. Buy local for freshness, and that unbeatable taste that has been a Dayton tradition for generations.

Special thank you to Director of Marketing Luke, Amy, and Dan for setting up the tour and the coolest Food Adventure we have ever had. We are grateful!

Want to be grateful too? Register below and get a chance to win a case of MIKESELLS POTATO CHIPS – winner will be chosen at random![form 55 “DMM Contest Entry – Generic”]

Visit Food Adventures on FACEBOOK and “like” us by clicking HERE !

CONTEST CLOSED

Congratulations to our winner: Alma Sove!

New Dinamita Doritos: Where are they in Dayton?

September 3, 2012 By Dayton937 Leave a Comment

New Dinamita Rolled Chile Limon Doritos -HOT and ADDICTING!

Attention junk food junkies: there is a new Dorito in town, but it is like finding a needle in a haystack. Why? Because they are so popular that they sell out within a few days. They are called Dinamitas, a rolled Dorito snack, and the Chile Limon flavor is so hot and addicting that they are flying off shelves. The Big Ragu has actually only seen these briefly at Wal-Mart stores , but a couple of days later, they are sold out. Frito Lay’s website supposedly has a search tool HERE where you can see where they are sold, but the two Speedway gas stations listed in Franklin and Springboro, Ohio did not have them.

But what is this addicting snack? Frito Lay has teamed up with Mexican snack company Sabritas, to present these little taquito shaped munchies in limited release. The goal was to capture the essence of Hispanic style snacks in a rolled Dorito. Mission accomplished. The product, Chile Limon Dinamitas is one of the best snacks we have eaten. Be warned, you will get hooked on these. You will have red fingertips and a burning mouth in no time, but you just won’t be able to stop eating them. The worst part is you cannot get another fix, because they are so hard to find!

They are simply HOT and ADDICTING .. just like The Big Ragu. Trust us, Chile Limon Dinamitas are a Food Adventure in a bag !

Have you tried the new Chile Limon Dinamitas? Please comment below and tell us what you thought about them. Better yet, tell us where we can buy some more!

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