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Bar Granada reopens downtown with eclectic cultural events!

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An inside view of the newly remodeled Bar Granada located in downtown Dayton at the corner of Main & Monument Streets.

Bar Granda, the new bar and restaurant at the corner of Main & Monument downtown, has rebranded itself and reopened with an exotic flair! The decor and menu have been refreshed with a warm and cozy Mediterranean vibe, and food coming from the Latin Arepas Truck (indoors). They are equally as proud of their craft tequila menu, as their delicious mocktails for those choosing to stay sober.

The other big change to the venue is the addition of curated pan-cultural events. This Friday, they start their “Last Friday” series with The Dayton Salsa Project, who performs live Latin music (salsa/merengue/bachata/bolero) for your listening and dancing pleasure. Not sure how to dance Latin style? Watch and learn, and start with the merengue! You’ll be swaying your hips in no time. 9pm-12am. $10 cover. 21+

Later this summer, they are hosting a very special evening on Wednesday August 28th with The Flamenco Company of Columbus. Enjoy food, music and dance in a format rarely seen in Dayton – flamenco! Tickets include tapas & wine before the performance and dessert and Cava before final performance. What a wonderful cultural experience that will be! 7-10pm. $48 via Eventbrite. 21+

This flair of culture on the northern end of downtown is just the spark that area needs! Be sure to show your support of this new business next time you are planning a happy hour meet up, a date night or solo adventure downtown!

 

The Flamenco Company of Columbus will perform at Bar Granada on August 28, 2019.

More about Bar Granada

Bar Granada is located at 5 W Monument Ave, Dayton, OH 45402

Please note that parking lot adjacent to building is just $1 upon exit after 8pm.

Hours: Wednesday 5:00 PM – 11:00 PM / Thursday 5:00 PM – 11:00 PM / Friday 5:00 PM – 1:00 AM / Saturday 5:00 PM – 1:00 AM

Find out more: https://www.bardayton.com/

New Local Salsa & Sauce is “Fresh in a Jar”

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Chef Marshall Bartley with his “Fresh in a Jar” Sauce and Salsa

Remember, you heard it here first.  Dayton has a new local sauce company, specializing in Salsa and Spaghetti Sauce.  Their jarred items should be available in late July.  The product line is  is called “Fresh in a Jar.”

Made by a local chef, and canned by a local manufacturer, this new product is looking to be the next big thing in Dayton’s long line of food favorites.   The Food Adventures Crew were lucky enough to get a VIP personal taste test of the products, and we think they are fantastic.

 

THE MAN BEHIND THE SAUCES:

Miami Valley Chef, Marshall Bartley is the man behind Dayton’s “Red Headed Sauce Company.”    He is a Centerville native, but has traveled the U.S. working in the culinary world.

His past history in the kitchen includes:

-Studying at the National Center for Hospitality Studies at Sullivan College in Louisville
-Opened up the first Bravo Restaurant on Sawmill Rd
–Wetherington Golf Club West Chester
-Culinary Arts Schoool in Ashland
-Cooking stints in Annapolis , MD
–NCR Country Club
-Restaurants in Savannah, GA
-Today, he works for a local catering company as well as promoting “Fresh in a Jar”

All Natural, Gluten Free Salsa – Hints of Roasted Garlic and Cilantro

Sounds like he has been a few Food Adventures of his own…

Marshall is also proud to note that this year makes him 8 years sober from alcohol.  Things are going great and he couldnt be happier with his future.

Let’s explore the curent salsas and sauces offered by the Chef.  Not only are they all natural, they are gluten free as well.  Read the side of the jar and see the simple ingredients.

Here are our “MUST EATS” for the Red Headed Sauce Company’s “Fresh in a Jar” Product Line…

Big Ragu’s New Favorite Salsa

 

MUST EATS FROM “FRESH IN A JAR”

—FRESH IN A JAR’S MILD SALSA:
The secret here is using the Stanislaus tomatoes.  He uses them in all three of his products.   It priduces a rich, deep taste that is ind What immediately strikes us is the fresh taste of the salsa.  You would swear it had just been made a few minutes ago.  Also, note that this product has a 2 year shelf life.

—FRESH IN A JAR’S MEDIUM HOT SALSA:
This is it, this is the big one.  This is the salsa that blew us away.  We predict this will be the star of the product line.  Just enough heat to light you up, and just enough good flavor to pull you back in for just one more dip. The Big Ragu will go on record as saying “this is the best salsa from a jar that he has ever had.”   For Ragu the secret to the deliciousness of the sauce is that the onion flavor is very distant.   In fact, the salsa has more of faint roasted garlic hint, instead of a sharp onion flavor you might find in other salsas.

Cooking up pasta to test the sauce

—FRESH IN A JAR’S MARINARA:
Again we taste the difference of the Stanislaus tomatoes. Many sauces in a jar are fairly plain, in the old traditional style which is very peasant style. You end up having to doctir up the jarred sauce with spices tobring out some flavor. With “Fresh in a Jar” Marinara, the taste is similar to the gourmet upscale restaurants like Brio Tuscan Grille, Carrabbas and Bravo. An americanized, gourmet take on sauce, bursting with spices, so you do not need to add a thing. It is already doctored up. This saucehas quickly climbed the Big Ragu’s list into the top 2 or 3. We have never tasted anything like it. It is very bold, very fresh, and very flavorful. Even the color of the sauce looks different than the other jarred sauces.

 

CHARITY TIES:
Chef Marshall Bartley has always believed in giving back to the community.   He has decided to give a portion of his sales to Dayton charity the Pink Ribbon Girls.  The Pink Ribbon Girls give rides to and supply meals to those who are sick with breast cancer.   Due to treatment, many cannot perform daily activities.  So Pink Ribbon Girls even clean houses for the families as well.  It is a great organization, and we are happy to see Red Headed Sauces teaming with them.

Spaghetti with Fresh in a Jar Marinara

FUNDRAISING PARTNERSHIPS:
Red Headed sauces is also offering a plan for schools, groups and organizations that need to raise money. By selling jars of the sauces, any group or team can raise funds for their cause.  For fundraising opportunities, email Chef Bartley

 

Be on the lookout for these sauces in various local outlets or send an email to the chef to place a direct order.

We are expecting big success with Fresh in a Jar, and are sure you will love the taste too.

Want more scoop on the best eats of Dayton?  Please follow Food Adventures on Facebook with the over 7200 fans that interact daily, and thousands more that follow our weekly articles right here on Dayton Most Metro.

A Little Chips and Salsa – the Medium hot is AMAZING

Dippin and bloggin

Try this sauce on for size –

Fresh for sure

Simple way to kick up cheese nachos

The Best Tamale’s in Town: Chiapas Mexican Grill

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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!

For more original Food Adventures, please “like” us on Facebook by clicking HERE.

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 !

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Grab a handful of Mikesells new flavors !!

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

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

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 !

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 !

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

Even young chip lovers agree

Spuds !

Spuds !

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

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

These new NACHO CHEESE TORTILLAS are great !

These new NACHO CHEESE TORTILLAS are great !

Packaging area in Mikesells Plant

Packaging area in Mikesells Plant

Tangy Chipotle BBQ is the new flavor you'll love

Tangy Chipotle BBQ is the new flavor you’ll love

Nice package

Nice package

Chips fresh out of the oil

Chips fresh out of the oil

Boxes and Cases of chips

Boxes and Cases of chips

Food Adventures Crew at Mikesells !

Food Adventures Crew at Mikesells !

On the expressway to your mouth

On the expressway to your mouth

 

The Bad Juan: A Dayton Legend

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The man, the myth the legend ...

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.

Outside the Kettering location

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 !

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 margarita

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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Avoid Mall Crowds, Find Gifts at 2nd Street Market!

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Walt’s Salsas and Sauces: Great Local Gift Idea

Are you tired of wrestling a redneck for the latest xbox at Wal-Mart?  Behind on Christmas shopping?  Sick of long checkout lines at the mall or department stores? The Food Adventures Crew feels your pain.  Have you thought about shopping for unique Christmas Gifts at Dayton’s 2nd Street Market?  We think it is the perfect place to find unique Christmas Gifts, birthday gifts or any gift occasion for that matter.   This is part 2 of our market series (last week was FOOD, CLICK HERE to view).

Follow our advice and you’re sure to be a hit with the family, with some of the best local gifts around.

Consider this The Big Ragu, Hungry Jax and Chef House’s,  Gift Giving guide to the 2nd street Market with a Food Adventure twist.

 

HERE’S THE SKINNY:

 — The 2nd Street Market is located near downtown at 600 E. 2nd Street and is open 3 days: Thursday & Friday 11am-3pm,  and Saturday 8am – 3pm.

Some of the Best Toffee on Earth: Click to enlarge this local treasure

— Dozens of local vendors from crafts to wine, and of course, local foodstuffs.

 

MUST GIFTS:

— THE TOFFEE from SWEET NOTHINGS : Our favorite flavor is the Dark Almond Sea Salt Toffee.  Actually, all of the toffees use sea salt.  Other great flavors are Milk Chocolate Macadamia Nut and Dark Chocolate Cashew.  A great gift for the chocolate lovers in the family.  The Big Ragu considers Sweet Nothings his favorite toffee of all time.

 

— THE OLIVE OILS from THE OLIVE TREE : Have friends or family that love to cook ? Here is a perfect gift idea.  This vendor has some amazing, flavor infused olive oils.  May we suggest our favorite, the Sundried Tomato Parmesan Garlic Olive Oil.  You can actually sample all of the olive oils and choose your favorite from the many unique flavors.  We also love the Basil Flavored Olive Oil and the Strawberry Peach Balsamic Vinegar Olive Oil.

 

— SALSA and SAUCES from WALT’S HOMEMADE SALSA :  Family owned operation, selling jars of salsas in various styles and spiciness.  Some extra hot, some medium and some mild, their products are extremely tasty.  You can even sample Walt’s new lines of BBQ Sauces that are also available by the jar.  Their gift baskets make a fun Christmas present with a local twist !

 

— HOMEMADE ITEMS from MONCO INDUSTRIES:  Monco is a local company that provides jobs for special needs people or local residents with disabilities.  The result is a win-win for the community.  Great gifts made by a great organization.  Our favorite gifts here are the pet treats and the stuffed animals.  Make sure you stop by and get a gift from this company, and share the true meaning of Christmas.

 

— HANDCRAFTED BELTS and LEATHER CUFFS from VINTAGELIZ 1974:  We say, “these gifts are pretty kick ass.”  Timeless, leather accessories, made by hand in Dayton.  Take some time to check out this cool vendor.

 

— SCARVES from NEW WORLD ALPACA TEXTILES:  Perfect winter gift!  They have various items made with fleece from alpaca animals that are raised in a local farm in Brookville.  The also sell socks and beautiful artisan rugs !   Great gifts this time of the year.

 

Must Gifts: The Specialty Olive Oils at The Olive Tree

Honorable Mention:  The Wine Gallery also has some good deals on unique wines, and a friendly service staff.  Want unique?  How about Maria’s Unique Foods, with wild selections like jars of pickled eggs in various flavors.  They also have great gift basket ideas.

For all of us that love to buy local when we can, the 2nd Street market is a great place to ‘put your money where your mouth is. ‘  We have mentioned some of our favorites, but there are many more vendors with great gift ideas.  Avoid the crowds SHOP LOCAL!

FOOD ADVENTURES would like to take this time to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.  May the Holiday Season bring you joyous times with friends and family.  We are sincerely grateful with the overwhelming feedback received with our blog and  have some exciting plans in store for 2014.   We appreciate each and every one of you for taking the time to read and comment on our social media outlets.

Call us if you need a Santa, We don’t even need padding.  Happy shopping !!

Did you know that FOOD ADVENTURES  have a loyal following on Facebook?  CLICK HERE TO “LIKE” THEM and join the party !

Please comment below on our photo albums, no borrowed stock photos or copied pinterest pics here!  All photos are original, like us!

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Sundried Tomato Parmesan Garlic Olive Oil
Sundried Tomato Parmesan Garlic Olive Oil

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

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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.

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Salsa Saturdays At Therapy Cafe [PHOTOS]

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A couple competes in the Bacahata Dance Contest during Salsa Saturdays on Feb.12 at Therapy Cafe.

Salsa Saturdays with DJ Danny D isn’t a spectator sport.  It requires full participatory ass-shakin’ and hip-swayin’.

Every weekend, DJ Danny D (Danny Diaz) brings a little Miami to the Miami Valley with his Latin-laden dance mixes that keep mamis’ and papis’ hearts racing and pulses pounding.  Last Saturday’s edition featured a Valentine’s Day Bachata dance contest that transformed downtown Dayton’s Therapy Cafe into a Cuban-style dance hall.

Bodies slick with sweat dipped, rolled and spun across the floor.  There were no wallflowers in this urban oasis.  Even the lights danced – performing their own erratic routine against the backs and faces of the torrent of dancers in the darkened night club.

No palm trees.

No LeBron James.

But plenty of Miami heat!

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Look for an upcoming profile on Danny Diaz (aka DJ Danny D) on DaytonMostMetro.Com soon!