Dayton Dining

The Winds Southern Wine Dinner

June 25, 2019 By Lisa Grigsby

For two nights only, you can enjoy the annual Southern French Dinner at The Winds. Reservations are suggested for this very popular dinner, which is available between 5 and 9:30pm this coming Wednesday or Thursday. The dinner runs $65/person and you can also add the wine pairings for just $15 more. Tax and gratuity are additional and reservations can be made online.

Southern French Dinner Menu:

Chickpea Garlicscape Fritter with Garlicscape and Herb Pistou
Domaine du Dragon 2018 Côtes de Provence Rosé

Le Petit Aioli with Halibut, Wild Caught Shrimp and Mussels
Ramps, English Peas, Carrots, Fingerlings, Asparagus,  Baby Artichokes, Peach Mountain Greens
Saint Roch 2016 Cotes du Roussillon

Seared Labelle Duck Breast, Grilled Duck Sausage, Niçoise Olive Vinaigrette, Red Rice and Fava Beans with Mint
Faury 2016 Syrah IGP L’Art Zelle

Roquefort Rosemary Madeline with Roquefort and Blue Jacket Silver Lake Chevré Boursin, Toasted Pistachio, Almonds and Lavender Honey
Durban 2016 Muscat de Beaumes de Venise

Alice B. Toklas Tender Tart with Rhubarb Compote

Wines:
Domaine du Dragon 2018 Côtes de Provence Rosé
Bottle 35. Quartino 13. Glass 8.75

Saint Roch 2016 Cotes du Roussillon
Bottle 30. Quartino 12.5 Glass 8.5

Faury 2016 Syrah IGP L’Art Zelle
Bottle 45. Quartino 15.5 Glass 10.5

Durban 2016 Muscat de Beaumes de Venise
Glass 8.

The Winds Cafe
215 Xenia Avenue, Yellow Springs, OH 45387

937.767.1144

Offering seasonally influenced farm-to-table cuisine, plus classic cocktails and a rotating wine list.
The intimate dining room features mismatched farmhouse tables, brightly painted walls, and an approachable, relaxed vibe.

TUE-SAT 11:30AM – 2PM, 5PM – 10:00 PM
Saturday at the Bar 2PM – 5PM
SUN 10AM – 3PM

Meadowlark Celebrates Negroni Week

June 25, 2019 By Lisa Grigsby

For one week every June, bar and restaurants mix classic Negronis and Negroni variations for a great cause. It is a celebration of this vintage cocktail all over the country, as well as an opportunity for bars and bartenders to give back to their community.

This year Meadowlark, located at 5531 Far Hills Ave, is featuring three Negroni cocktails created by Nikolas Hunt, and the generous folks at Meadowlark will donate $2.00 (for each cocktail!) to the Dayton Food Bank. This promotion runs through Saturday night.

Nikolas Hunt

The Classic Negroni
Gin, Campari, Sweet Vermouth
Invented by Count Camille Negroni
in Florence, Italy in 1919

The Negroni Sbagliato AKA The Mistake Negroni
Campari, Sweet Vermouth, Sparkling Wine
When you reach for the Gin and grab the Prosecco by accident instead

Boulevardier
Rye Whiskey, Campari,
Sweet Vermouth
A Negroni with Whiskey instead of Gin

A Look Back at Smart Guy in a Tie Cocktails Negroni Story:

The classic Negroni.

For many a bartender, there is a certain allure to the Negroni. It could be the of the simplicity of the recipe: one part gin, one part sweet vermouth, and one part the bitter Italian liqueur Campari. These basic proportions make the cocktail ripe for experimentation. Which means that the gin can be replaced with bourbon or champagne. The Campari can be replaced with any wide variety of bitters, from Aperolto Zucca. Every time you change one of the ingredients, you change the overall flavor profile. While the Negroni will always stand on its own among the classic cocktails, the variations it has inspired have covered the flavor and color spectrum.

The best legend of the creation of the Negroni starts with an Italian nobleman fleeing to America after having a child out of wedlock. Count Camillo Negroni spent some time in the American West, becoming a cowboy and enjoying the lifestyle of a rancher. When everything was a little calmer, he returned to his native country to settle back into his old lifestyle. He sauntered into town one day, looking for a stiff drink. Thinking the popular Americano (1 oz. sweet vermouth and 1 oz. Campari, topped with soda water) was not going to satisfy his thirst, he asked the bartender to substitute the soda water for gin. It was at that point a legend in the cocktail world was born. And like many other cocktails of the era it was mostly lost after Prohibition, showing up once bartenders started to discover the old recipes.

The one ingredient that takes some getting used to.

Several years ago, Imbibe Magazine declared the first full week of June Negroni Week. It is a celebration of this vintage cocktail all over the country, as well as an opportunity for bars and bartenders to give back to their community. For every Negroni purchased at participating venues, a portion of the proceeds is donated to the charity of their choice.

What is a classic Negroni, you may ask?

Negroni

1 oz. gin
1 oz. sweet vermouth
1 oz. Campari

Glass: Cocktail or Rocks
Ice: None
Garnish: Orange peel

Pour all of the ingredients into a mixing glass over ice. Stir until the mixture is chilled, then strain into the glass. Twist the orange peel over the cocktail, then drop it in and serve.

If you are a fan of gin and all of its herbal glory, this is an amazing cocktail. The bitter Campari is an acquired taste, but it is blunted by the gin and the sweet vermouth. Start here, and work your way forward…

Not a fan of gin? Bourbon fits just as nicely in this cocktail.

Old Pal

1 oz. bourbon
1 oz. sweet vermouth
1 oz. Campari

Glass: Cocktail
Ice: None
Garnish: Orange peel

Pour all of the ingredients into a mixing glass over ice. Stir until the mixture is chilled, then strain into the cocktail glass. Twist the orange peel over the cocktail, then drop it in and serve.

For those of you that enjoy whiskey more than gin, here is the Negroni variation for you. Swap the herbal gin for the smooth bourbon, and it is like you have an entirely different cocktail. If rye is not your thing, exchange that for bourbon and make yourself a Boulevardier. Either one is fantastic.

Negroni Sbagliato

1.5 oz. sparkling wine (stay in Italy and hit the Prosecco)
1.5 oz. sweet vermouth
1.5 oz. Campari

Bubbles make everything better, right?

Glass: Champagne flute
Ice: None
Garnish: Orange peel

Pour the Campari and sweet vermouth into a mixing glass over ice. Stir until chilled, then strain into the champagne flute. Then top off with the champagne and GENTLY stir. Twist the orange peel over the cocktail and drop in.

It is said that while making a Negroni, a hapless bartender accidentally grabbed an open bottle of champagne instead of the gin and poured it in. Instead of dumping it, he served it to his customer and this star was born. I want to see the bar set up that has the gin ANYWHERE close to the champagne. It seems like a stretch. However, the word sbagliato in Italian means “bungled” or “mistaken”, so there could be an

Unusual Negroni (by Charlotte Voisey)

1 oz. Hendrick’s Gin
1 oz. Lillet Blanc
1 oz. Aperol

Glass: Cocktail
Ice: None
Garnish: Orange peel or Grapefruit peel

Pour all of the ingredients into a mixing glass over ice. Stir until the mixture is chilled, then strain into the cocktail glass. Twist the orange (or grapefruit) peel over the cocktail, then drop it in and serve.

If the boldness of the original Negroni is too much for you, Ms Voisey developed a cocktail that dials back all of the intensity. Henrick’s is an amazingly light gin, more cucumber and rose petal than juniper. The Lillet is not very vermouthy, and the Aperol, while bitter and orange, is not as intense as the Campari.

A little sweeter, but still with some herbal zing.

Dark and Smooth

1 oz. dark rum
1 oz. sweet vermouth
1 oz. Jägermeister

Glass: Rocks
Ice: None
Garnish: Orange peel

Pour all of the ingredients into a mixing glass over ice. Stir until the mixture is chilled, then strain into the cocktail glass. Twist the orange peel over the cocktail, then drop it in and serve.

I will never stop experimenting with one of my favorite spirits, Jägermeister. I have been fiddling with this concept for a while, and finally figured out that the dark rum is the answer. The cocktail leans to the sweeter side for a Negroni, but the herbal notes hit the nose and the palate at the end.

There are many, many more variations of the Negroni out there. If you want to really see the variety of what people have done with the basics of the cocktail, buy the book Negroni: Drinking to La Dolce Vita, with Recipes and Lore by Gary Regan. It has dozens of recipes, some that stay true to the original, some that stray so far off that it is hard to call them a Negroni. But all of them stay true to the idea of the slightly bitter, herbal original.

Find your favorite cocktailing venue and order a classic. They are a delight on the palate, even though for some it is an acquired taste. And if the original is not to your liking, you can see there are many ways to modify it into something you will enjoy. Count Negroni did it over a century ago, and look how well that has turned out. Cheers!

Tuesday Old Scratch Pizza Donates 20% to Tornado Relief

June 24, 2019 By Lisa Grigsby

This Tuesday (6-25-2019) Old Scratch will be hosting an ALL DAY restaurant takeover. 20% of ALL SALES from open to close will go to the Dayton Disaster Relief Fund of The Dayton Foundation. This fund was established in response to the Tornados that devastated the greater Dayton community in late May. All money donated to the fund will go towards nonprofit organizations helping others get back on their feet. Let’s continue to make a difference. See you Tuesday!!

Dayton’s Cake Boss Competition

June 22, 2019 By Dayton Most Metro

Loyal Tee’s Custom Cakes will be hosting their first annual Dayton’s Cake Boss Competition today from 2-8pm at the Unity Banquet Center, locates at 735 Cincinnati Street. Today’s event will give local bakers opportunity to showcase their awesome talents and go home with the title!! Participating bakers will present their best cake fitting the given theme and be judged by fellow Daytonians!! Those who purchase tickets to the event get to cast vote on the cake they believe to be the “best”. There will also be a panel of taste judges. These judges will be able to taste cupcakes presenting by the bakers that are the same flavor/icing as presented cake.This will be based on presentation/appearance, creativity, neatness, etc

The winning baker will be awarded with a cash prize, trophy, and title of Dayton’s Cake Boss. Second and third place will receive awards as well. Today’s event will also showcase food, clothing/fashion, beauty/health, and other vendors. There will be a 50/50 cash raffle, giveaways, games, door prizes, and more!

Cooper’s Hawk Winery To Host First Hiring Fair in Centerville

June 21, 2019 By Lisa Grigsby

Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurants, a lifestyle brand that ranks 28th largest winery in the US, will be opening of its first Dayton area location, in Centerville, Ohio in August. In conjunction with the opening, Cooper’s Hawk will host two hiring fairs. The first hiring fair is Tuesday, July 2and Wednesday, July 3, and the second takes place Tuesday, July 23 and Wednesday, July 24. Both hiring fairs will be held from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm, located in the hiring trailer in the new restaurant’s site, in The Village at Cornerstone development on Cornerstone North Boulevard.

Founded in 2005 by CEO Tim McEnery, Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurants is built upon the belief that food and wine hold the power to forge lasting connections. Cooper’s Hawk blends a modern, casual dining experience with warm service and a menu developed with its own handcrafted wines in mind. The Centerville restaurant is the 39th location for the expanding restaurant group.

“We are searching for team members with a passion for wine, food and first-class hospitality,” said Tim McEnery, Founder and CEO. “Since we are introducing our innovative concept and wines to the Dayton area, we want team members who can serve as the restaurant’s ambassadors and educate diners on what makes Cooper’s Hawk so unique.”

Full-time and part-time positions are available, including kitchen staff, houseworkers, tasting room attendants, servers, hosts and bartenders. Interested candidates who are unable to attend may also apply online by visiting Centerville.applyat.ch or texting “CHCenter” to 77948.

WHERE: Hiring trailer located at the new restaurant site

Address: 5220 Cornerstone North Blvd Centerville, OH 45440

WHEN: Tuesday, July 2 and Wednesday, July 3, 9:00 am – 4:00 pm

Tuesday, July 23 and Wednesday, July 24, 9:00 am – 4:00 pm

Bakin’ Dayton: Big Sky Bread Company

June 19, 2019 By Dayton937 Leave a Comment

The Pizza Bread aka Pepperoni Roll

The smell of yeast and baked bread is coming from Far Hills Ave. The place is bustling with regulars, and the crust is not a bust.

Tucked in a small strip mall where Kettering meets Oakwood is The Big Sky Bread Company. In a world where carbs are under attack, Big Sky Bread Company is thriving . The staff is friendly and helpful, and the menu has something for everyone’s tastes. Let us butter you up and take you into this mom and pop business.

Chocolate chip Oatmeal cookies

HERE’S THE SKINNY ON THE BIG SKY BREAD CO.

— Started by a local couple as a franchise in 1994, Mari and Phillip broke off into independent ownership for the last 18 years.

— Known for the very best whole grain ingredients, they use Montana Red Hard Wheat in their baked goods.

— Located at 3070 Far Hills Ave., their hours are:

Monday – Friday: 7am -6pm
Saturday: 7am – 2:30pm
Sunday : Closed

Inside Big Sky Bread

— They have a bread board at checkout where they offer you a free slice of bread from about 6 menu choices.

— They offer a frequent customer card where you get your 13th bread loaf for free.

— Big Sky Bread Co. will be closed July 10 – July 25th for family vacation. They close for 2 weeks every summer.

The Cinnamon Roll

— The eatery also has a coffee bar featuring Seven Hills Coffee, bottled juices, milk and soft drinks.

MUST EATS at THE BIG SKY BREAD CO.

OATMEAL CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES:
These are our favorite item on the menu. Completely whole grain cookies with generous amounts of chocolate chips throughout. They are not cheap, but they are absolutely amazing.

Blueberry Crumble Muffin

CINNAMON ROLLS:
The cinnamon rolls are fantastic and what makes it is the icing on top. So rich, so delicious, if you add butter it might just cause an explosion.

BLUEBERRY CRUMBLE CUPCAKES:
The soft, light topping, the crumbles that bare way to the blueberries inside the muffin. All this goodness in paper cupcake holder. Have you ever taken a bite of something so rich, your voice gets lower? Yeah, that’s this one ….

PIZZA BREAD:

The Croissant at Big Sky Bread

An Italian classic ! In upstate New York they would call this a pepperoni roll, but the Big Sky Bread company calls it “pizza bread.” It is one of the best pepperoni rolls we have ever eaten. It is pretty much a bread with pepperoni baked into it. This will fill you up quickly,

CROISSANTS:
The croissants are fresh and delicious. Try them with butter and place in the microwave for 15 seconds.. WOW ! Melts in your mouth.

THE CRANBERRY ORANGE BREAD:
This is like a moist cornbread with cranberry and orange zest inside. This is a light, and delicious bite. This is a nice treat.

WHITE, SLICED BREAD:
Yes, just their plain, white sliced bread is great. It makes great toast or peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. A sturdy bread to hold up to those cold cuts and cheeses and mustards too !

TOMATO BASIL SOUP:

Tomato Basil Bisque

The Big Sky Bread Co. usually has a couple of soups on hand. We think the best one is the Tomato Basil Soup.

TUNA SALAD SANDWICH:
Of the various sandwiches, we found the Tuna to be the best, with Turkey a close second. The tuna salad is fresh and served cold. It is the perfect size for a light lunch.

HONORABLE MENTION: The CHALLAH Bread. So soft. Heat it up 20 seconds, and butter this up with some jelly. Challah, if you hear me !

The owners tell us the pretzel knots are the biggest selling item,

Tuna Salad

Pretzel Knots

Turkey Sandwich

We loved the White Sliced Bread for sandwiches !!!

WE loved the white sliced for sandwiches

Garlic Cheese Bread

Soft Pretzel

Muffins

Ciabatta

They were good, but we loved so many other items more.

Check out their menu for yourself. The staff is very attentive and will help you find anything you need.

The Big Sky Bread Company, a little gem that often gets overlooked. Discover or rediscover their fantastic items. We do not accept responsibility for cookie addictions from this point forward.

Food Adventures is Dayton’s favorite food blog since 2008. We have a feature food column here each and every week exclusively on DaytonMostMetro. com

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Eudora Brewing Company Launches Summer Menu

June 18, 2019 By Dayton Most Metro

Eudora Brewing Company is saying hello to summer with a fresh list of sandwiches, salads and burgers featuring locally-sourced, seasonal ingredients. Take a peek at the new menu items that debut today, June 18th at the Kettering brewery.

Eudora’s summer menu features five new items as well as a few seasonal-ingredient swaps such as subbing strawberries for grapes on the signature Eudora Salad. The brewery has been slowly introducing items such as the Jerk Chicken Sandwich with jerk chicken, cinnamon orange aioli, lettuce, jalapeño,and grilled pineapple on a French roll, the Bangarang Tacos featuring Bangarang IPA pulled chicken with pico de gallo, queso fresco and lettuce, and The Cowboy burger with Thunderball Stout barbecue sauce, pepper-jack cheese, bacon, fried onion petals and a fried egg.

Other new items include: The Bebop, a smoked teriyaki burger topped with chili mayo, lettuce, muenster cheese, and grilled pineapple, a Caprese Salad of fresh basil, heirloom cherry tomatoes, Greta’s Grillin cheese and a balsamic reduction, and Eudora Nachos topped with Bangarang IPA chicken, Sundowner Blonde beer cheese, pico de gallo, and cilantro lime sour cream.

“Our goal with the new menu items was to utilize as much Eudora beer as possible while featuring more local ingredients,” said Eudora Kitchen Manager Dylan Hardin. “Selfishly, I’m most excited for the Jerk Chicken Sandwich and The Cowboy, which are both partly inspired by my parents.”

he menu will run into fall, at which time the brewery may re-introduce some favorite winter menu items as well as experiment with new fall and winter flavors.

Eudora Brewing Company

3022 Wilmington Pike,
Kettering, OH 45429

(937) 723-6863

Taproom Hours:

Tue-Thurs: 4-11pm ■ Friday 4pm-12am
Saturday: 12pm-12am ■ Sunday: 12-8pm

Kitchen Hours:

Tue-Thurs: 4-10pm ■ Friday 4pm-11pm
Saturday: 12pm-11pm ■ Sunday: 12-7pm

$5 Burgers Today at Stacked Pickle

June 18, 2019 By Lisa Grigsby

Stacked Pickle, which opened last month at St. Rt. 741, just north of The Dayton Mall, is offering all burgers for just $5 all day today, June 20th. The catch is the special is for anyone that has joined their loyalty program. Don’t worry- you can register here to join the loyalty program so you can still get your $5 burgers today! Once you’ve registered you’ll get an email offer for the $5 deal and you just show your screen to your server to redeem!

Stacked Pickle offere 10 burgers on their menu, including the Plant-Based Impossible™ burger. This offer is on BURGERS ONLY (one per customer)! Sides do not come with the entree. Owned and operated, by former Indianapolis Colts football player and Super Bowl Champion, Gary Brackett this is the first location in Ohio for this sports bar and eatery.

Stacked Pickle

103 N Springboro Pike,
Miamisburg, OH 45449

(937) 331-8090

Mon – Fri 11am – midnight
Sat – Sun 11am – 1am

Ghostlight Coffee Announces Second Location

June 18, 2019 By Dayton Most Metro

Almost eight years after opening the doors of its infamously blue building on Wayne Avenue, Ghostlight Coffee is growing into a second location. Owner and founder of Ghostlight Coffee, Shane Anderson, has signed a lease at 800 South Patterson Blvd, adjacent to Dayton attractions Old Scratch Pizza and RINSE Cycle, and plans to begin work on a second coffee, breakfast & lunch spot set to open in fall of 2019.

The new location will feature an expansive food menu ranging from breakfast sandwiches and “from-scratch” bakery goods to toasts, tartines & salads inspired by international cafes. The shop will have an open, modern feel, with banquettes and cafe tables, sprawling communal tables, and a casual conversation area overlooking the downtown Dayton skyline. Anderson is working with architect Matt Sauer and interior design consultant Ray Zupp to create an inviting space that fits the surrounding neighborhood.

“I want the shop to feel natural to the building and the community,” said Anderson. “The new spot will be a bit more industrial and modern than our current shop because it was built in the 1960’s vs. the 1880’s. This aesthetic felt like the intuitive choice.”

Ghostlight will continue to brew high-quality, ethically sourced coffee from Cincinnati-based roastery Deeper Roots Coffee, as well as a monthly rotation of featured roasters. The new shop will boast a full espresso bar menu, extensive range of loose-leaf Rishi teas, and a non-alcoholic tap selection of iced beverages, including the shop’s signature 24hr. Cold Brew Coffee.

Ghostlight’s existing coffeehouse in the Historic South Park neighborhood at 1201 Wayne Avenue will remain open for business featuring the same coffees, teas, fresh baked goods and grab-and-go sandwiches. The Woodard Development team is set to begin construction on the second location at 800 South Patterson as soon as permits allow.

Star City Offers Beer Making Class

June 16, 2019 By Dayton Most Metro

Ever been interested in making your own beer? The state of Ohio permits you to make up to 100 gallons of beer a year for personal consumption, so why not take advantage of it? This is your opportunity to learn just how it’s all done, and how you can do it for yourself! Join us with our friends from HBYOB “Home Brew Your Own Beer” as Star City’s head brewer Chad Klehamer guides you through the steps needed to turn grain into one of the world’s most ancient and delicious beverages.

For the Home Brew Classes at Star City Brewery, you’ll experience four 30-45 minute brewing classes with increasing levels of home brewing education moving from Beginner to Advanced. Each class includes one beer voucher, to be enjoyed each day of the class and one growler fill of the class-made beer when it is ready. Plus, you’ll be entered in to win a home brewing kit from HBYOB in Springboro – a value of over $100!

Brewery beer design flat. Alcohol beverage, lager drink, brew vector illustration

Cost: $40 (no refunds) at the brewery or with a small fee at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/home-brew-classes-at-star-city-brewery-tickets-61923833854

Class 1 Overview: Saturday, July 13 at 11am
Intro to Beer and Brewing

Class 2 Overview: Saturday, July 27 at 11am
All Grain Brewing

Class 3 Overview: Saturday, August 3 at 11am
Ingredients and Recipe Creation

Class 4 Overview: Saturday, August 24 at 8am (must have attended Classes 1, 2, and 3)
Putting it all together, Brewing a full batch in the Star City brewhouse

Local Breweries Medal at Ohio Craft Brewers Cup

June 15, 2019 By Dayton Most Metro

The Ohio Craft Brewers Cup is an annual competition showcasing the best craft beers in Ohio that took place at the Dayton Beer Company June 10th – 12th. Breweries of all types and sizes entered their beers in up to 10 categories. A panel of judges consisting of Ohio’s professional brewers award bronze, silver and gold medals to the three highest quality beers in each of the twenty-nine categories.

Local Gold Medal Winners included:

Brown/Dark Ale: EUDORA MOTHER FUGGLE

Herb/Spice/Pepper Beer: DAYTON BEER CO JALAPENO FACE

Silver Medals Winners:

Stout: FIFTH STREET JOJOS

Bronze Medal Winners:

German Style Ale: FIFTH STREET LUDWIG

Stout: DAYTON BEER CO DEEP SEA DIVING

Wheat Beer: MOTHER STEWARTS WITBIER

Corner Kitchen 6 course Argentinian Wine Dinner

June 14, 2019 By Lisa Grigsby

On Sunday, June 23rd Corner Kitchen will open its doors to host a multi-course wine dinner featuring wines from Argentina’s iconic winery, Bodega Catena Zapata.

Bodega Catena Zapata, is a historic family winery, currently managed by third and fourth generation vintners Nicolás and his daughter Laura Catena. Nicolás Catena Zapata is known as the man who revolutionized Argentine wine in the 1980’s, by focusing primarily on quality, and spearheading the re-entrance of Malbec – the French varietal that had been almost completely forgotten by the rest of the world – into the world of wine.

The iconic Catena family winery, a rock-clad pyramid nestled in the foothills of the Andes mountains, produces wine from five estate vineyards. Special lots within the family’s high altitude vineyards – Angelica, La Piramide, Domingo, Adrianna and Angelica Sur – are the essence of the Catena wines.

Advance reservations are required, and based on the history of special events hosted by co-owners Jack and Natalie Skilliter, this event is sure to sell out! You may reserve your tickets online here. Tickets run $65 per person (not inclusive of tax or gratuity).

Sunday, June 23

Doors open at 5:15

Cocktail hour from 5:15 to 6

First course served just after 6

Free Doritos Locos Taco Today!

June 14, 2019 By Dayton Most Metro

The Golden State Warriors may have lost the NBA Finals, but their Game 2 win in Toronto means everyone wins a free Doritos Locos Taco. Just show up today at Taco Bell today from 2-6 p.m thanks to the “Steal a Game, Steal a Taco” promotion you’ll get one free taco, no purchase necessary.

Of course, you may want to give yourself enough time before heading over in case there’s a long line. The deal is sadly not available via delivery services.

The nationwide taco party is the result of Taco Bell’s annual “Steal a Game, Steal a Taco” promotion, which is now in its fourth year. The deal was officially triggered when the Warriors beat the Raptors 109-104 in Toronto in Game 2 of the championship on June 2. In the lead up to the game, Taco Bell promised free Doritos Locos for everyone in America — and, for the first, Canada — in the event that the away team wins — or “steals” — a game on the home team’s court.

Toxic Brew Co Celebrates Turning 6

June 13, 2019 By Lisa Grigsby

June 15-16, help us party to Toxic Brew’s sixth trip around the sun. We wouldn’t be here without all our lovely, beer swilling customers and buddies, so the weekend’s a celebration of you. We’re concocting the tastiest special versions of your favorite Toxic brews we can think of, Drunken Waffle, Twisted Taco will be cooking up their deliciousness all weekend, DJ Etch will be spinning the funkiest vinyl Saturday night, and our talented, dear artist Tiffany Clark is putting together a special Toxic themed art show for our taproom starting Fri night. Thanks for the six years of memories, Dayton, however beer and whiskey blurred.

Levitt Pavillion Singer AJ Croce’s Food Adventure at DiSalvos

June 13, 2019 By Dayton937 Leave a Comment

AJ Croce on a Food Adventure to Mamma DiSalvos

“Operator, could you help us make this dinner reservation call, it seems the number on the match book is old and faded.”

Wednesday night was an epic night for the Food Adventure Crew.

As many of you know, tonight, Thursday June 13th, AJ Croce plays a free concert downtown at Levitt Pavilion. We were lucky enough to spend a couple hours with him and his band at Mamma DiSalvos Ristorante on Stroop Rd the evening before his concert. The result was great food, great vino and unforgettable conversation.

HERE’s THE SKINNY ON AJ CROCE:
A LESSON IN STRENGTH and PERSEVERANCE

Sauteed Broccoli

Eggplant Rollitini

First a little background on this jazzy piano player and guitarist. AJ has endured more tragedy than one should in a lifetime. You may know of his father, Jim Croce. A musician and guitar player from Philadelphia with #1 hits such at “Bad Leroy Brown” and “Operator (That’s Not the Way it Feels).” Jim was taken from this world in a plane crash in 1973, and our nation mourned his loss for weeks. AJ was just two years old when his dad passed away. Raised by his mom, AJ endured a temporary blinding illness as a child. He and his mom, Ingrid worked hard and thrived with 5 restaurants in San Diego. AJ practiced music, and eventually became a talented piano player, opening up for the likes of BB King. He got married and had two children. Sadly, in 2018 AJ’s wife passed away from a rare heart virus and again he was faced with tragedy. He has persevered, like he always does. AJ’s career includes 9 studio albums and 18 top 20 singles. And now he is on tour in 2019 with a stop here in Dayton,and at Kent State University next. His concert set promises to feature his songs, and songs made famous by his dear old dad.

ITALIANS at DINNER :

Mamma DiSalvos was the perfect spot for dinner and foodie talk. AJ is Italian (Croce means “Cross” in Italian), as are the Food Adventure Crew of Jackie, the Big Ragu and Jessie (who was unable to make this dinner). It was like a family dinner for us all. As we sat down, we started to get to know AJ asking about his favorite foods as we always do with our guests. He loves seafood and vegetables. He says he really doesn’t eat much, but enjoys good healthy food and loves to cook at home as well. His home being raised in San Diego, but he has lived in Nashville for about a decade.

Rare photo of AJ with 3 desserts near him – cannoli, lemoncella and tiramisu

AJ CROCE’S FAVORITE FOOD TYPES:
—MEXICAN
—INDONESIAN
—JAPANESE
—FRENCH
—SPANISH

DINNER at MAMMA DISALVOS:

A cheese pizza from Mamma’s kitchen was waiting for us as we sat down. It served as a welcoming appetizer for the band who had just flown in from California. Besides AJ, band members included David Barard, a grammy award winning bass player and pillar in New Orleans’ artist Dr. John’s band for 30 years. Also eating with us was Gary Mallabar, the drummer from the Steve Miller Band from 1976-1987. His beats were on many of their hit songs! Rounding out our group was Garrett Stoner, the Nashville recording artist and guitarist in the band.

As we ordered we all started with Italian wine or an Italian beer. We had Italian wedding soup, salad and bread. AJ ordered the linguine

Good Wine, Good Food

and clams dinner, some sauteed vegetables, and a meatball in sauce. Jackie ordered Eggplant Rollitini, and Big Ragu ordered Eggplant Parm over spaghetti. The forks were flying, people loving their dishes. We then went wild …. on dessert. The whole group indulged in cannoli, tiramisu and lemocella with whipped cream. Forks and spoons were trying every dish and smiles and laughs ended the night. Mamma DiSalvos hit this one out of the park. AJ thought the tiramisu was to die for, but ate the cannoli too and ordered another cannoli to go … successful outing. We were all full and happy. Conversation and company was great. AJ is a virtual encyclopedia of the music industry, and well read citing historical and literary references throughout dinner. He is a sharp cookie, and you have to keep up with his sometimes obscure references, but what a joy he is to be around.

AJ’s TOP 5 FAVORITE RESTAURANTS OF ALL TIME (no particular order):

—BALTHAZAR in New York City:
A French restaurant known for fresh seafood and shellfish, as well as bread and pastries.

— THE RESTAURANTS in LA MAMOUNIA RESORT in Marrakech, Morocco:
A Moroccan, French and Italian restaurant are on site and a featured Sunday Brunch

—LOS PANCHOS in Hillcrest, California (San Diego):
Mexican Grill and Cantina

—LA CAMPANA in Rome, Italy
500 year old restaurant, making it the world’s oldest restaurant

— VEGETARIAN FOOD CARTS on the streets of Kathmandu, Nepal:

Tiramisu

He doesn’t remember the name of the cart, just that the food carts were amazing and served mostly vegetarian foods.

AJ, What other favorites do you recommend?

In his hometown of Nashville, he likes FIVE POINTS PIZZA the best.

He also suggests a French restaurant in Nashville called MARGOT CAFE and BAR.

Being that his dad is from Philly and he has a lot of family there, we asked his the age old question …
which cheesesteak is better JIM’S , PAT’S , GENO’S or STEVE’S ???

Pizza

He says JIM’S is best and yes, get the cheese whiz on the sandwich !

HOW TO FOLLOW and FIND AJ CROCE’S MUSIC:

—AJ ON APPLE and ITUNES

— AJ CROCE ON TOUR –
Show at Dayton’s Levitt Pavilion on Thursday June 13th at 7pm – FREE ADMISSION

— AJ on FACEBOOK

*** CATCH AJ IN CONCERT FOR FREE THURSDAY JUNE 13th, 7pm DOWNTOWN DAYTON at LEVITT PAVILION ! ***

THANK YOU

Clams and Linguine for Mr Croce

We would like to thank Bobby DiSalvo and his staff at Mamma DiSalvos for handling our dinner reservation with excellence and class. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed their meals. If you have not been to Mamma’s, then you are missing one of Dayton’s top MUST EATS !

Also, thank you to AJ Croce, his band, and his management for the opportunity to visit with him and talk food. We knew this would be an interview like no other he had before, and it turned out even better than expected. It was like a family dinner with old friends. It was simply an unforgettable Food Adventure.

For more on Dayton’s best eats, follow us on FACEBOOK by clicking here. We also have an exclusive feature article right here each and every week on DaytonMostMetro.com

Eggplant Parm

Red Wine and Peroni Beer

Good Times with AJ Croce

Panera Launches Cookie Fundraiser

June 3, 2019 By Dayton Most Metro

Covelli Enterprises, the largest franchisee of Panera Bread, launched a fundraising campaign Monday to support relief efforts in the Dayton area following the Memorial Day tornado outbreak. The “Chip in for Dayton” campaign will be run at nearly 100 Panera Bread locations in Dayton, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky and Central Ohio. During the fundraising campaign, 25 cents from every cookie sold at those Panera locations will be donated to the Greater Dayton Disaster Relief Fund of The Dayton Foundation.

Covelli is also raising funds at its Dayton and central Ohio locations during the entire month of June through its Change Roll-up campaign. Covelli also donated 35,000 bottle of water to The Foodbank on May 31st.

“We’re doing all we can to help the situation in our Dayton-area neighborhoods, and we invite all other community stakeholders to do the same,” Sam Covelli, owner and operator of Covelli Enterprises, said. “Our goal is to give the people in the region as many ways to get involved in the relief effort as possible. We want the families affected to know they have our support and they are not alone in this.”

The “Chip in for Dayton” campaign is good for any kind of cookie sold at Panera.