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Golden Lamb

The 20 Best Restaurants in All of Ohio – Amber Rose #3

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Money Inc recently released a list of  The 20 Best Restaurants in All of Ohio.  As author Liz Flynn explained, “over the last decade or so, Ohio’s food scene has exploded, with an ever-increasing number of restaurants hitting the streets of both its biggest cities and sleepiest suburbs. Regardless of whether you prefer fine dining experiences, all-you-can-eat BBQ joints, or chic little bistros, you’ll have no problem finding something to suit. If you’re ready to tap into the region’s bountiful offerings and enjoy some scrumptious food, these are the 20 best restaurants in Ohio to check out.”

The top ranking area restaurant she named was Amber Rose, coming in at #3.  Here’s what she had to say about it:

Amber Rose

3. Amber Rose Restaurant, Dayton

Named one of the best restaurants in Dayton by vacationidea.com, Amber Rose Restaurant is the place to go for some made from scratch European cuisine. Expect a culinary tour of the continent with dishes like Lithuanian Cabbage Rolls, Beef Stroganoff, Warsaw Medley, Hungarian Chicken Paprika, and Hunter Schnitzel. With its cozy ambiance, elegant decor and exquisite collection of global wines, craft beers, and handcrafted cocktails, it’s a lovely place to while away a few hours over a leisurely lunch or dinner.

Also making the list at #6. The Golden Lamb, Lebanon:

The Golden Lamb

If you haven’t got a reason to visit Lebanon, make one up. Once you arrive, head straight for The Golden Lamb. Set in the town’s oldest continuously operated hotel (a place where everyone from Harriet Beecher Stowe to Charles Dickens and Mark Twain to Neil Armstrong has bedded down for the night), the only thing the restaurant has in greater abundance than history is exceptional food. Key dishes not to miss include a slow-roasted beef tenderloin sliced and served with crushed red potatoes with leeks, bacon & aged cheddar, a classic parmesan tomato garnish and cabernet jus and, for something extra comforting on a cold day, the Ohio Fried Chicken Dinner served with skillet gravy, mashed potatoes, and fresh seasonal vegetables.

Making the list at #10:

Spot

10. The Spot To Eat, Sidney

Whoever chose the name for this Sidney hotspot couldn’t have picked a more appropriate name if they’d tried. The Spot To Eat started out as a check wagon over 100 years back, but has since evolved into the kind of classic, 50’s style diner where you wouldn’t be surprised to find the Foz chugging down a milkshake at the bar. It’s not fancy, but it is fun, sporting a tempting range of homemade soups, salads, sandwiches, burgers, and an old-fashioned creme pie you’d happily bathe in.

To get the info on all 20 restaurants highlighted, click here .

Golden Lamb Launches Scavenger Hunt

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Golden-Lamb-Scavenger-Hunt

For 217 years, Lebanon has been the home of The Golden Lamb. It owes its early success due to location – halfway between Cincinnati and the National Road (now U.S. Route 40). The Golden Lamb has hosted a number of historical figures, including 12 United States Presidents (from as far back as John Quincy Adams to as recent as George W. Bush), and today is still serving excellent cuisine to guests from all over the country. The are Ohio’s Ohio’s longest continually operated business.

To celebrate their longevity and love of community  they we are launching the #FindTheGoldenLamb Scavenger Hunt Contest.

Each week on Monday, they will post a new clue to Facebook and Instagram about where in Lebanon our miniature Golden Lamb is hidden. For a chance to win a $25 Golden Lamb Gift Card, follow these steps:

  • By Sunday of each week, find our hidden Golden Lamb at the location hinted in Monday’s post and take a photo of it. Please be mindful of social distancing and mask-wearing guidelines while participating!
  • Share your photo to Facebook or Instagram, using the hashtag, #FindTheGoldenLamb. Tag us (@TheGoldenLamb) and help out our retail partners by tagging your location too!
  • Be sure to follow us and stay connected to our social media channels to see the correct answers to each week’s scavenger hunt clue, as well as winner announcements!
  • One winner will be chosen each week and will receive a $25 gift card.
Golden-Lamb-figurine

Golden Lamb

27 S. Broadway
Lebanon, Ohio 45036

(513) 932-5065

DINING HOURS:

Mon -Sat 11:30am – 9pm

Sunday 12 – 7pm

Holiday Hours:

– Memorial Day, July 4, and Labor Day: 12-7 pm

They are also offering this $10 savings deal:

 

Golden Lamb Hosts “Dinner with History”

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The Golden Lamb Inn is the oldest hotel in Ohio. It owes its early success due to location – halfway between Cincinnati and the National Road (now U.S. Route 40). The Golden Lamb has hosted a number of historical figures, including 12 United States Presidents (from as far back as John Quincy Adams to as recent as George W. Bush), and today is still serving excellent cuisine to guests from all over the country.

This month, the historical dinner series continues with a night dedicated to Clement Vallandigham, a rabble-rousing, controversial Copperhead politician from Ohio who served during the American civil war.

 

Dinner with History: Clement Vallandigham will begin at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, July 28. The evening includes a three-course menu from the Golden Lamb culinary team, as well as a talk from Golden Lamb Historian John Zimkus, who will tell the tale of Vallandigham’s colorful life, and the Golden Lamb’s connection to his bizarre and untimely death. The menu for the evening includes:

  • Starter: Burrata and local tomato salad with cucumber, white balsamic vinaigrette, grilled extra-virgin olive oil scented baguette
  • Entrée course: Certified Angus Beef New York strip steak and seared scallop with goat cheese pesto mashed potatoes, local summer succotash, cabernet reduction
  • Decadence: Strawberry shortcake with pickled strawberries, vanilla whipped cream

Reservations are required and can be made by calling Golden Lamb at (513) 932-5065. Reservations are $45 per person all inclusive.

Golden Lamb Begins Historic Renovation

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Golden Lamb announced it is beginning major renovations on one of its four first floor dining rooms and kitchen as part of a master plan to reinvest in and refresh Ohio’s longest continually operating business.

 

In addition to this project, the Golden Lamb is proud of its recent and ongoing reinvestment into its historic property, including the General Grant Suite, a new hotel suite named in honor of the late Union General and 18th President, Ulysses S. Grant.  The General Grant Suite boasts rich mahogany furnishings, a luxurious private bathroom with marble floor and shower, as well as authentic artwork from the Civil War era. Updates also have been made to:

  • The Henry Clay private dining room, which hosts wedding receptions, private dinners and parties.
  • Refurbishment to the third and fourth floor hotel corridors, including new art that portrays the Golden Lamb’s colorful history and Shaker heritage led by the team at Caza Sikes.  Additionally, the Golden Lamb commissioned two signature pieces from Cincinnati artists Ursula Roma and Suzanne Fisher, now on display.

 

Renovations for the Charles Dickens dining room are now underway and will be completed by early July. The space will feature reclaimed Ohio hardwood floors, a new lighting package and dramatic wall coverings styled with a nod to Charles Dickens and the Victorian era. A warm library setting featuring keenly appointed furniture, antique lithographs and cherry dining tables from the Workshops of David T. Smith will bring the room together to ensure the feeling of the historic property is kept throughout.

 

Plans Integrate Heritage with New Ideas

“For our business to survive and thrive for 214 years, we’ve continuously evolved,” said Golden Lamb General Manager Bill Kilimnik. “This renovation will reinforce our heritage while writing the next chapter in our long history of being the place where friends, family and the community gathers.”

 

Kilimnik and the Golden Lamb ownership group worked hand-in-hand with an expert team to continue to evolve the vision of casual sophistication for the property in harmony with the heritage of the Golden Lamb.  The team includes Tim Herberth and Herberth Construction, a proven historical contractor, which is leading the project. Jenna Prenger of Reztark is the project designer, accompanied by Greg Snyder of the RDA Group on the architectural work.

Dickens dining room renovation rendering

 

Additional Plans in the Works

Over the next few years, Golden Lamb anticipates additional, significant renovations to the property, including its two other public dining rooms and its popular pub, the Black Horse Tavern.  Plans also are underway to establish Golden Lamb’s own farm to provide fresh, homegrown produce and meats to the Golden Lamb’s kitchen.

“We’re as focused on our guests’ dining experience as we are on the unique ambiance of our property,” Kilimnik said. “With these changes coming to life, we’re as excited about sharing our future as we are proud of our past.”

Fo more informations visit the www.goldenlamb.com or call (513) 932-5065. The Golden Lamb is located at 27 S. Broadway in Lebanon, Ohio.

Golden Lamb Hosts Spirit of Ohio Dinner

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Golden Lamb, in the heart of historic downtown Lebanon, Ohio, is proud to present a special dining event to celebrate the flavors of Ohio.

 

The Spirit of Ohio Dinner will be served at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, March 24. The evening features a five-course meal created with ingredients from around the state of Ohio. Chef Ben Toney and Beverage Director Chris Fuhrmann will share the origins and history of the featured ingredients throughout the meal. The menu for the evening includes:

  • Reception course: Valley Vineyards Champagne (Morrow), Emmitt Ridge Farm candied bacon (Georgetown), Kenny’s Farmhouse Kentucky blue cheese, local honey (Lebanon)
  • First course: Lake Erie smoked walleye, everything bagel, cream cheese, Good Guys Gardens microgreens (Lebanon)
  • Second course: JP Mound oyster mushroom bisque (Wilmington)
  • Third course: 80 Acres Farm salad (Cincinnati)
  • Fourth course: Ohio-Proud beef strip loin, Chefs Garden Vegetables (Huron)
  • Dessert course: Valley Vineyards Bourbon Barrel Mead, Madisono’s bourbon gelato up-side down ice cream cone (Cincinnati), Maple Grove Farm maple syrup (Lebanon)

 

Guests will enjoy Valley Vineyards’ Seyval Blanc or Cabernet Franc during the meal.

 

Seating is limited. Reservations are required and can be made by calling Golden Lamb at (513) 932-5065. Reservations are $75 per person, inclusive.

 

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

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“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.

 

The owners of Pizza Queen dumped anchovies for deep fried tilapia

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.

 

Pull tab - thanks Mr Fraze

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.

 

Orville at a dinner party

“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.

 

Ice Cube Tray - invented in Dayton

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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