Lily's Bistro

Holiday Wine Dinner at Lily’s Bistro

November 14, 2016 By Dayton Most Metro

Just in time for your Thanksgiving feast’s preparations, Lily’s Bistro is hosting a Holiday Wine Dinner on Wednesday, November 23 at 6pm.

“We’ll have one of our favorite wine experts, Kara York from Wine Trends, on hand with many bottles for sale,” Emily Mendenhall, owner of Lily’s Bistro said. “Our kitchen is working up some special menu items that will showcase the best ways to pair each one.”

The Holiday Wine Dinner will feature four special menu items created by Chef de Cuisine Amy Finch and Sous Chef James Burton

“We love doing special dinners like this because it gives our kitchen staff the opportunity to experiment and be creative and it highlights new holiday wines.” Mendenhall said.

For those interested, The Holiday Wine Dinner takes place at Lily’s Bistro on Wednesday, November 23 at 6:30pm. The tasting features 4 all new menu courses paired with 4 wines.

Tickets are $49 including tax and tip, and are available at the restaurant or online.

HauntFEAST, a “Ghoul-met” 4-Course Halloween-Themed Dinner

October 26, 2016 By Dayton Most Metro

Summon your courage and your appetite as Lily’s Bistro presents HauntFEAST, a “Ghoul-met” 4-course Halloween themed dinner on Thursday, October 27th at 6pm.

“The Oregon District knows how to celebrate Halloween and we wanted to add our own contribution the Thursday before the big weekend party,” said Owner Emily Mendenhall. “HauntFEAST will showcase the creativity of our kitchen and bar staff through unique Halloween themed offerings.”

In addition to Chef de Cuisine Amy Finch, Sous Chef James Burton, and Bar Manager Amber Brady, the evening will be presided over by special guest and
local horror host legend, Baron Von Porkchop.

“Baron Von Porkchop has hosted his Terrifying Tales of the Macabre on DATV for years now,” Mendenhall said. “He is the only person fit to guide us through such a terrifyingly fun evening.”

Though the menu is still being finalized, guests can expect such thrills as “The Creature from the Black Lagoon,” a squid ink seafood pasta, the “Twilight Special” of skewered rare steak with garlic sauce and a shot of silver bullet, roasted bone marrow, Sleepy Hollow-ed puff pastry filled with “Stephen A La King,” and a dessert of “Carrie’s Fried Ice Cream” with blood orange coulis, among others.

Fears, seasonal beers and spooky spirits like the Dellamorte Dellamore white negroni and Lily’s Skullpunch (a version of a classic Zombie cocktail) will also be provided from the bar.

“It’s an experience we hope will haunt and delight guests for the nights to come,” Mendenhall said.

For those interested in HauntFEAST, the 4-course dinner costs $40 and takes place on Thursday, October 27th at Lily’s Bistro on Fifth Street in the Oregon District. . The restaurant will be decorated specially for the event and costumes are encouraged. More details can be found at facebook.com/lilysbistro/ Tickets can be purchased at the restaurant or online through the link below: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/haunt-feast-a-ghoulmet-4-course-dinner-tickets-28338892390

The full menu for this event:

AMUSE
Evil Eye bruschetta: locally baked bread with whipped goat cheese, cipollini onion, balsamic reduction served with choice of Stoli vodka “Secret Ooze” or Homemade Scary-limeade soda
SECOND COURSE choose one
Rest In Peas soup: split pea soup with a tombstone crouton
Dem Bones: roasted bone marrow with fresh herb and grape salad
The Twilight Duo: skewered steak with a garlic sauce, accompanied by a shot of coors light Silver Bullet
Buried Alive: spiralized beets with goat cheese, walnuts, and dijon vinaigrette
THIRD COURSE choose one
Creature from the black lagoon: squid ink pasta tossed in a garlic sauce with calamari tentacles, head on prawn, and mussles
Beef tongue tacos: with refried black beans, rice, pico de gallo, hot sauce and cilantro lime crema
The Ribs of JAWS: Carolina reaper glazed paco fish ribs over chilled soba noodles, topped with apple, cucumber, and pea shoot salad
The Ring: rings of roasted acorn squash over a bed of basmati and wild rice with mushrooms, onions, celery
Stephen a la King: creamy local, free-range chicken in brown gravy with red peppers, mushrooms, potatoes, and carrots over “sleepy hollow-ed” puff pastry
FOURTH COURSE choose one
Carrie’s fried ice cream: deep fried red velvet ice cream with blood orange coulis
Monkey’s paw…paw bread: locally foraged paw paw fruits with bananas baked into a bread and drizzled with caramel

Lily’s Bistro Introduces New Chef & Menu Changes

September 29, 2016 By Dayton Most Metro

Fall is here and with it comes a new menu from seasonal restaurant Lily’s Bistro. “The beginning of fall is one of our favorite times in the midwest,” Lily’s Bistro owner, Emily Mendenhall said. “It means introducing fall flavors like pear, pumpkin, plums, and butternut squash, as well as a new seasonal cocktail list.”

It is the first menu designed under the direction of new Chef de Cuisine Amy Finch and Sous Chef James Burton. Finch has been at Lily’s since they opened in 2013 and has been responsible for creating the popular Sunday family style fried chicken dinner menus. “My goal with this menu was to keep with our seasonal mission and also to add even more elevated comfort food options that fit with the Lily’s style,” said Finch.

Mendenhall says that with this menu change, “we’ve been honing our skills and training. In the front of house, this means a renewed focus on friendly service, and in the kitchen, this means we’ve been working on more daily specials and unique menu items,” she said. “We also plan to change a portion of the menu every month instead of every quarter, which will give us the ability to spotlight even more seasonal items.”

The October menu also offers a new design that encourages traditional entrees or tapas style meals. It also sees the return of previous fall favorites like the vegetarian butternut squash lasagna and pan seared duck breast with blue cheese bread pudding, as well as new stand outs like the potato pierogies with southern pear sauce, alligator eggrolls with peanut satay, and Lily’s butcher steak with mashed potatoes, lobster cream, and roasted fennel.

This fall also sees the return of the weekend prix fix menu. Starting at $25 per person, on Friday and Saturday guests can enjoy a 3-course meal including homemade desserts made by pastry chef Danielle Harlow.

With a number of inspired dining events, Lily’s Bistro also features weekly specials on Tuesday with discounts on select bottles of wine and $5 sangria, Punch Night on Wednesday with a new punch each week sold for $5 a glass or $20 a carafe, and Curious Cocktails on Thursday featuring interesting classic cocktails or inventive new ones. Wednesday and Thursday from 5-7:30 there is a happy hour menu with food and drink specials.

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

Lily’s Bistro Hosts Doggie Date Night

September 28, 2016 By Dayton Most Metro

Lily’s Bistro hosts Doggie Date Night in benefit of SICSA on Thursday, September 29 on their dog friendly sidewalk patio. A portion of all sales throughout the restaurant for the evening will benefit SICSA.

“With patio season winding down, weather is still very nice.” Emily Mendenhall, Lily’s Bistro Owner said. “We always welcome well behaved pups on our sidewalk patio but partnering with SICSA gives attendees extra incentive to check it out and support this great non-profit”

Doggie Date Night falls on Curious Cocktail Thursday, a Lily’s Bistro weekly special that features a new or rediscovered cocktail making use of inventive ingredients or preparations.

“Our chef’s will be making gourmet dog treats for the pup’s and themed dinner and drink specials for the humans” Mendenhall said. “It’s a great opportunity for our staff to showcase their creativity while helping this great non-profit”

For those interested in Doggie Date Night, the event takes place on Thursday, September 29 at Lily’s Bistro. No tickets are required but reservations are encouraged for larger groups.

Based in Kettering, SICSA’s (Society for the Improvement of Conditions for Stray Animals) mission is to promote the welfare and adoption of companion animals, and nurture loving, lifelong relationships between animals and people. SICSA will be on site for a limited portion of the evening with an adoptable dog and info on pet adoption.

Pooches & Punches To Benefit SICSA

June 6, 2016 By Dayton Most Metro

Drink up with your pooch and for all pooches as Lily’s Bistro hosts Pooches & Punches in benefit of SICSA on Wednesday, June 8.

“We love all of the great work that SICSA does for the animals in our community so any chance to partner with them is welcomed,” Emily Mendenhall, Lily’s Owner said. “Having the sidewalk patio open for dogs all the time is a perfect setting for summer events like this.”

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 Bistro 4th of July Barbecue

July 3, 2015 By Dayton Most Metro

The beginning of July means fireflies, warm summer nights and most importantly, 4th of July barbecues! One local restaurant has you covered for all of your Independence day needs. “A lot of people go out of town for the holiday but there are still many people who have obligations here in Dayton. We are hoping everybody has the chance to celebrate the 4th with a BBQ, and we’ll be grilling rain or shine, although of course we hope to be cooking on one of our award-winning patios” Emily Mendenhall, Lily’s manager, said. “We’ll also be using the night to celebrate our two-year anniversary,” she continued.

When we think of a classic American BBQ we think of dogs and potato salad and after speaking with Amy Finch, a chef at Lily’s, it looks like all the favorites are covered. “At our BBQ, we’ll have dogs, brats, pulled pork, portobello burgers and a bunch of tasty sides like corn on the cob, mac and cheese, potato salad, watermelon, and desserts,” said Finch.

Hosting your own BBQ at home? Well, Lily’s has that covered too. “We know it can be stressful getting the grill ready and preparing all the sides for your friends and family at your own BBQ.” Mendenhall said. “We are offering many of our popular sides for take out so that you can focus on the grill and have a little more time to enjoy the holiday” she continued. Sides can be ordered all this week and then picked up at the restaurant anytime between 11am and 3pm on Saturday, July 4th.

If you’re interested in attending the Lily’s 4th of July Bar-B-Que or preordering any of their sides for your home, more information is available on their Facebook page. The BBQ is a ticketed event and tickets can be purchased online or at the restaurant. Lily’s will also be open Saturday, July 4 and Sunday, July 5 for their weekend brunch from 11am-3pm.

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.

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

September 25, 2014 By Dayton937 7 Comments

Food Adventures Just Got More Adventurous !

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

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

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

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

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

You already know The Big Ragu

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

You can find us here:

Facebook Page: Facebook.com/foodadv

Website: DaytonFoodies.com

Twitter: @food_adv

Instagram: Instagram.com/Dayton_Foodies

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

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

LEEANNE HOUSE aka “CHEF HOUSE”:

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

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

(in no particular order)

1) Meadowlark (they do veggies right!)

2) Rue Dumaine (it never disappoints)

3) Fresco (best chef hands down)

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

5) My kitchen ! … duh!!!!

***************************************************

JACLYN SCANLAN aka “HUNGRY JAX”:

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

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

1) Lock 27

2) The Cakery

3) Sweeney’s Seafood

4) Dorothy Lane Market

5) Zombie Dogz

***************************************************

And our final Food Adventurer…

BLAKE KING aka “THE KING”

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

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

1) Taco Loco

2) Jet Freeze

3) Bill’s Donut Shop

4) Hasty Tasty Pancake House

5) Submarine House

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

Get your hens ready….

HERE’S THE SKINNY:

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

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

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

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

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

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

MUST EATS:

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

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

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

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

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

Smoked Salmon Dip with Bagel nuggets - a must eat

Smoked Salmon dip, made in house, with Bagel Bites

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

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

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

**** CONTEST **** WIN a $25 Gift Certificate to LILY’S BISTRO WITH BIG RAGU AND THE CREW !! Just comment on the story below for a chance to win. One entry per person, please. A winner will be chosen at random. We will revisit this restaurant for an another Food Adventure and you are welcome to join us !

Follow Food Adventures by giving us a like on Facebook.

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Summer Menu Blooms at Lily’s Bistro

July 16, 2014 By Dayton Most Metro

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Here’s the tuna steak grilled rare over local vegetable ratatouille with crisp green beans and tapenade aioli.

Summer is in full swing in Dayton and at Lily’s Bistro, located at 329 E. Fifth Street in Dayton’s Oregon District. Lunch, brunch, dinner, wine, beer, and cocktail offerings have all changed to embrace summertime fare and the drinks that pair best with it.

Executive Chef Mariah Gahagan says “Summer might be my favorite season. My approach to food is that when the ingredients are at their prime, you don’t really have to do that much to them. We’ve done an unconventional approach to surf n’ turf on every menu since we opened in 2013. I love this season’s version of seared scallops with bacon and a summer succotash of sweet corn, locally grown tomatoes, and green beans.”

General Manager Emily Mendenhall says, “The whole idea of Lily’s has always been to be a fresh, fun, and seasonal restaurant. This means that when we change menus to reflect what farmers are growing locally—conceptualized and prepared by our kitchen crew in a manner that suits the time of year—we also change our beer, wine, and cocktails. Everything on this menu tastes like summer in the Midwest.”

Owners Lisa and Bob Mendenhall, who also own Blind Bob’s bar with their son Nate, concur that, “this menu is the best yet. We feel like we say that every time, but that’s part of being a newer, seasonal restaurant.” Bob adds, “It takes time to work out the kinks…we’ve gotten through the first year and we’re getting the hang of things. We’re so grateful to the people who have supported us and allowed us to grow. We’re looking forward to the next year!”

Lily’s Bistro offers their seasonal lunch menu Tuesday-Saturday from 11am-3pm, and their full dinner menu Tuesday-Thursday from 5-10pm as well as Friday and Saturday from 5-11pm. On Friday and Saturday they also have a full bar 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 sides with a good deal of southern influence.

The Conversation Piece: A Three Piece Harmony

April 22, 2014 By J.T. Ryder Leave a Comment

“A conversation is a dialogue, not a monologue. That’s why there are so few good conversations: due to scarcity, two intelligent talkers seldom meet.”

~Truman Capote

A conversation, in these days, is truly a scarcity. Most communications are merely a regurgitation of whatever political analyst or the televisions latest talking head spewed forth that day. Other conversations are like verbal marshmallows: soft and tame so as not to offend or cross into the realm of what is thought of as politically incorrect. They are conversations of little substance and will probably cause you to have a cranial cavity sometime in the near future.

My conversation with Anthony Barwick, creator of the aptly titled The Conversation Piece, started several years ago and has, as yet, to stop. There are huge gaps between the times that we get a chance to speak with each other, but we pick up the thread as if no time had lapsed. I think it is our love of truly good dialogue and probing the mysteries revealed by the simple question, “why?” that creates this bond. Our first time meeting was for an interview. We met at a coffee and, after an hour or so of non-stop talking, we realized that we had a problem. We had accomplished nothing in the way of an interview. We found that the only way that we could keep on one train of thought was through emails because, if we were face to face, one of us would say something that would send the other off on a tangent, which would lead through a rabbit warren of thoughts and ideas.

I will give you the abridged version of what The Conversation Piece is and what it hopes to achieve. The Conversation Piece started when he began a series of public readings he had held for a manuscript he had written. The reactions of the participants led him to develop the framework for a dialogue driven meet up that would delve into all sorts of topics, from social issues, race, religion, politics…everything was fair game with one caveat: You can espouse whatever belief or opinion as long as you could defend it. That being said, the debates do not get heated or hateful. Under the careful verbal choreography of Barwick, who plays the role of referee and alternately the antagonist, the event becomes a true dialogue and not just the loud ranting of opinions and the shouting down of ideas.

The first event of Barwick’s that I had attended was held fairly early on a Saturday at a downtown eatery. Everybody was friendly and amiable in their discourse and, not only were the attendees given something to think about regarding other diverse members of the audience’s opinions and stories, the people giving opinions learned something about themselves through the sheer act of having to defend the validity of their opinions. I also hosted a chapter of The Conversation Piece during one of my Dirty Little Secret variety shows because, with the addition of alcohol and burlesque, nothing could possibly go wrong! Yet, once again, under the aegis of Barwick’s hand, no one was offended and everyone truly had a good time becoming part of the show and having their opinions heard.

The time has come again for yet another chapter in The Conversation Piece’s history: a triple threat! They are hosting not only another episode of their meeting of the minds, but they are also having a book signing by an author who was born here in Dayton. The third section to this trifecta is an after party simply titled The Beautiful People’s Party. I have been invited to the book signing and The Conversation Piece, but I fear that I will be forced to leave once the after party commences. That has yet to be seen.

The first event will be the book signing with author Sharisse Kimbro for her recently published book Beyond The Broken. Kimbro, who was born in Dayton and now resides in Chicago, wrote the book after being inspired by Langston Hughes’ poem, A Dream Deferred. The book revolves around five friends, following them from their graduation from Stanford and into the lives that were not what they expected. Kimbro explores some of the themes that many women encounter, such as motherhood, depression, serial singleness, suicide and betrayal, yet it is her attention to the character’s details and real world anecdotes that draws the reader in. Kimbro draws her inspiration from her own experiences as well as stories that have been told to her throughout her journeys through life.

The second stage of the evening is another chapter of The Conversation Piece. As illustrated above, this experience is a safe place for one to express their opinions, thoughts and beliefs and to have them respectfully heard by other open minded people. Directly following The Conversation Piece will be the after party featuring music by DJ Spare Change. This will give you the opportunity to mingle and meet others and possibly extend some of the conversations touched upon earlier in the evening. The evening will be held at Lily’s Bistro, which is the most casually elegant places in Dayton. They have great mixologists (try the strawberry moonshine!) and a menu of items that are made from things that I have never heard of and most of which I cannot pronounce but everything that I have had there has been delicious.

WHEN: Sat, April 26th – Book Signing begins at 9:00pm. The Conversation Piece begins at 9:30pm. The Beautiful People’s Party begins at 10:00pm and runs until 2:00am

WHERE: Lily’s Bistro located at 329 E. Fifth St. in the Oregon District.

PARTICULARS: Dress is to be social attire and admission is a mere $10.00

Spring Menu Has Arrived At Lily’s Bistro

April 5, 2014 By Dayton Most Metro Leave a Comment

Spring house salad at Lily’s

Lily’s Bistro, located at 329 E. Fifth Street in Dayton’s Oregon District, has launched their latest seasonal menu featuring springtime fare.

General Manager Emily Mendenhall says, “everyone is so beyond ready for spring time, and we are thrilled to have a new menu that reflects the season. I love root vegetables but we’ve been eating them for months. Our new menu drops them in favor of springtime produce like asparagus and sugar snap peas. Additionally, our wine, beer, and cocktail offerings have changed with the season. No more apple cider in cocktails, and a lot more focus on refreshing, crisp white wines.

Executive Chef Mariah Gahagan says “This menu is a big milestone for us. We opened late last spring, so thisis the first time we’ve brought back an existing entrée, which is the Cobia surf n’ turf. Cobia is a meaty white fish and it’s served with Spanish chorizo and fingerling potatoes in a sherry broth—kind of my version of a bouillabaisse. We’ve also brought back lamb chops, which to me are the perfect spring protein. We are serving them grilled over a light chickpea and tomato stew with roasted asparagus, then topped with flash fried kalamata olives and harissa-a Tunisian hot pepper chili paste.”

Lily’s Bistro offers their seasonal lunch menu Tuesday-Saturday from 11am-3pm, and their full dinner menu Tuesday-Thursday from 5-10pm as well as Friday and Saturday from 5-11pm. On Friday and Saturday they also have a full bar and late night kitchen until 1am. On Sundays, Lily’s serves their brunch menu from 11am-3pm, and has “Family Style Fried Chicken Dinner” from 5-10pm, a more casual dinner menu focusing on local, free-range fried chicken and assorted sides with a good deal of southern influence.

There’s A New Brunch In Town

January 5, 2014 By Dayton Most Metro Leave a Comment

Meatloaf, onion, broccolini, and cheddar omelet with a side of gravy. Enjoy it with a Pimm’s Cup or Bloody Mary…or both!

Lily’s Bistro, located at 329 E. Fifth Street in Dayton’s Oregon District, has received their full liquor, beer & wine license and has expanded their Sunday brunch menu to include refreshing brunch cocktails like mimosas, Pimm’s cups, and Bloody Mary’s, as well as a Sunday ‘Family Style” chicken-centric dinner.

Owner Lisa Mendenhall says Lily’s had planned to offer a full Sunday bar and a casual Sunday dinner option since they opened last May, but the liquor license had been delayed. In August, Lily’s decided to move forward with brunch, but could only serve beer. “It gave us a chance to be creative with some beer cocktails, and our ‘beermosa’ made with dry pear cider and fresh squeezed orange juice has been a hit,” says Assistant Manager Alex Todd. “However, we are really excited to offer a full bar at brunch as well as during Sunday dinner.”

General Manager Emily Mendenhall says that the fried chicken dinner Sunday night is designed for people looking for a laid back, budget friendly meal “We’re serving things family style. This means half and whole fried chicken options, bowls of creamy mac ‘n cheese, baskets of jalepeno cheddar cornbread. Southern influenced comfort food that will change weekly. There will also be weekly specials.”

All of the chicken is local and free-range, something in which Executive Chef Mariah Gahagan takes pride. “We try to use local, sustainable ingredients as much as possible. We love the farmer we get these chickens from, plus we like to support local people with great products.”

Brunch will be served 11am -3pm and Sunday dinner from 5-9pm.

Harvest Party at Lily’s Bistro

November 7, 2013 By Lisa Grigsby Leave a Comment

Just in time to help you plan your holiday entertaining, Lily’s Bistro in the Oregon District is throwing a casual tasting party on Thurs, Nov 14th from 6 -8pm. Lily’s General Manager Emily Mendenhall says, “this will be a fun, easy going way to try some wines, tasting can sometimes be stuffy, and that’s so nut us.”

They will be featuring six wines paired with six seasonal snacks that will allow you to find the perfect wine to serve at home for your celebrations. Staff will b on hand to help advise you on what wines will best compliment your holiday menu. Once you choose your favorites, you’ll even be able to purchase them right there at retail prices. You’ll want to pick up your ticket in advance, they are $30, and it’s a great excuse to stop by the bistro and treat yourself to lunch, dinner or Sunday brunch!

Here’s a tip from DaytonDining on knowing how much wine to have on hand for your holiday meal:

A safe rule of thumb is to figure that each guest will consume one to two drinks per hour. If you’re focused on wine and not serving cocktails before dinner, assume you’ll need enough for an hour of appetizers before dinner (in case that turkey takes a little time getting up to temperature or Aunt Mary arrives late.) Then consider years past: did dinner last 20 minutes and then everyone went back to the football game? Or did Uncle Bob tell stories for so long that everyone ended up eating third and fourth helpings? Are you day-drinkers (and eaters) or is dinner after sundown?

Multiply the number of hours you plan to entertain times the number of guests times two drinks per guest, and you’ve got the number of glasses of wine you might need. If you’re serving standard 750-mL bottles, it’s safe to assume you’ll get about four glasses per bottle, so divide your glass number by 4 to find out how many bottles you need.

Got that? Guests x hours x 2 = glasses.
Glasses / 4 = bottles.

So if you’re hosting eight people and planning to have a half hour of pre-dinner snacks followed by a dinner that lasts about an hour and a half, figure 8 people x 2 hours x 2 drinks per hour = 32 glasses / 4 glasses per bottle = 8 bottles.

DaytonMostMetro.com will be sending 2 guests to Lily’s Harvest Party. If you’d like to enter our random drawing to win, like and share this post and fill out the entry form below: [form 55 “DMM Contest Entry – Generic”]

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.

Two New Lunch Options in the Oregon District

July 8, 2013 By Lisa Grigsby Leave a Comment

Just last week Salar Restaurant and Lounge added lunch service Monday through Friday from 11:30am until 2pm. You can enjoy their signature burger, Choice ground steak, saltado style vegetables, mozzarella cheese, spinach, and delicious Huancaina sauce on a brioche roll. Served with your choice of french fries, salad or soup du jour.on one of 2 patios.

And as of today, all 3 patio’s at Lily’s Bistro, also on Fifth Street, will open for lunches from 11am – 3pm. According to General Manger Emily Mendenhall, ” This week we’re kind of testing the waters to get a sense of what lunch is going to be like and then I’m sure we’ll make some adjustments.”

Here’s Lily’s Lunch Menu:

Daily selection of deviled eggs 7
Crispy calamari and jalapeños with a sriracha aioli and gingery oyster sauce 9 Housemade tortilla chips with white cheddar alfredo, refried black beans and salsa fresca 7

Mains

Soup of the day cup 3 bowl 5
Caesar salad 6 add chicken +3

Avocado hummus sandwich with havarti, grilled squash, tomato, and bibb lettuce on toasted wheat 8 Caprese sandwich with cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzerella, pesto, and balsamic reduction on grilled ciabatta 8 Pineapple-chipotle BBQ chicken sandwich with grilled onions on wheat 10
Cucumber and watermelon salad with feta, mint, and basil, tossed in white balsamic vinaigrette 7 Chilled vietnamese rice noodle salad 7
” add stir fried tofu or steak +3
Olive oil poached tuna niçoise salad with greens, cherry tomatoes, hardboiled egg, and haricots verts 12
Vegetable chilaquiles with refried black beans, scrambled eggs and drizzled avocado sour cream 10
Angel hair pasta with pesto, cherry tomatoes, and local, free-range chicken 14