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May 2011
Centerville sports bar is now O’Graeter’s Wine & Spirits
CENTERVILLE — The Centerville Pub at 68 W. Franklin St. has transformed into O’Graeter’s Wine & Spirits, with a new menu and a greater emphasis on wines and craft beers.
Ned Graeter of Washington Twp., the restaurant’s owner, said the flat-screen televisions have been removed from the former pub, and the interior has been completely remodeled. The new menu includes a wider array of appetizers and small plates, Graeter said. And the wine and craft beer selection has expanded.
A second-floor mezzanine, which formerly housed “Grapes, A Wine Lounge,” has reopened for special events, and reservations are preferred because of limited seating, Graeter said.
O’Graeter’s Wine & Spirits is open from 4:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. daily. For more information, call (937) 434-2545.
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Man in custody is suspect in restaurant break-ins, police say
My Dayton Daily News reporting colleague Jeremy Kelley co-authored this story.
Kettering police said Friday that a man arrested in Dayton Thursday night on drug charges is a suspect in the rash of restaurant break-ins earlier this week.
Jason Hurst, 36, has been charged with possession of drugs and drug paraphernalia after Dayton police arrested him and 40-year-old Stephanie Jones at a motel at 1728 Stanley Ave. Thursday night. Crack-cocaine pipes and a substance believed to be crack cocaine were found in the motel room where the two were arrested, according to Dayton police reports.
Hurst has not been charged in connection with the restaurant break-ins, but investigators were seeking a search warrant Friday afternoon to search a maroon mini-van that Jones told Dayton police belonged to her and which investigators believe may be tied to the restaurant break-ins, according to Dayton Police reports and Kettering Police Department spokesman Michael Burke.
Dayton police officers recovered two safes in an alley behind 1255 Deeds Ave. Thursday night, both of which had been pried open, according to Dayton police reports. One of the safes contained paperwork from Mamma DiSalvo’s and is believed to be the safe stolen Tuesday night by two thieves who were caught on surveillance camera and who smashed through the restaurant’s front door.
The incident was nearly identical to break-ins at four other Kettering restaurants along Wilmington Pike in a 90-minute period Tuesday night. El Meson in West Carrollton also was broken into in a similar incident the same evening, and police also are investigating whether similar break-ins in Troy are related.
Burke said police are still searching for the second suspect, believed to be a male, who is shown in the surveillance video from the Mamma DiSalvo’s break-in.
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Jay’s to offer 4 types of wild salmon at June 2 wine dinner
DAYTON — Jay’s Restaurant, 225 E. Sixth St. in Dayton’s Oregon District, will host a Wild Salmon Wine Dinner at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 2.
The menu includes char-grilled Wild Copper River Sockeye Salmon served on a cucumber and crab salad; Seared Wild Tasmanian King Salmon served on lo-mein noodles with soy glaze; Maple-basted Wild Columbia River King Salmon served with butternut squash puree; Grilled Wild Copper River King Salmon served with assorted grilled vegetables; and Berries with Cream.
The cost of the dinner is $65, which includes tax and tip. Reservations are required. Call (937) 222-2892 for more information or to make reservations.
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Springboro seafood company to cease operations Saturday
Oceanwide Seafood — a wholesale seafood company that operated a retail store at 475 Victory Drive in Springboro and previously operated a small retail fresh-fish case at the 2nd Street Public Market in Dayton — will cease all wholesale and retail operations at the end of the business Saturday, according to a manager at the retail shop.
In its wholesale operation, Oceanwide sells seafood to southwest Ohio restaurants and grocery stores. The Springboro retail shop will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday, May 27-28, and will sell seafood at wholesale prices, the store’s manager said. He declined to comment about any other aspects of the closing. Oceanwide’s owner, Dale Hartlage, could not be reached for comment Thursday afternoon.
Oceanwide opened a small retail shop in the 2nd Street public market in April 2009 and closed it in January 2011.
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Thieves strike five Kettering restaurants in 90-minute period
KETTERING — Kettering police are searching for two suspects they believe may be responsible for a rash of restaurant break-ins that occurred in a 90-minute span on Tuesday night, and the head of the local restaurant association is warning its members to take precautions.
Kettering officers were dispatched to alarms at China Cottage, Barbecue Hut, China Buffet and Pepito’s restaurants on Wilmington Pike and Mamma DiSalvo’s restaurant on East Stroop Road between 10:30 p.m. and midnight and found forced entry to each eatery, according to Kettering Police Department officer and spokesman Michael Burke. In each case, the front door or window was found to be broken. Some sustained cash losses, and others were ransacked, with Mamma DiSalvo’s suffering the most serious loss as its safe was stolen, Burke said.
Shari DiSalvo, whose family owns and operates Mamma DiSalvo’s, said thieves broke through the main front doors, smashed a cash register and stole property.
Mamma DiSalvo’s video surveillance cameras captured images of two suspects approaching the business after parking a maroon Honda Odyssey mini-van in the front parking lot, and leaving with restaurant property.
One suspect’s face is covered by a mask, while the second suspect’s face is partially uncovered, Burke said. He was described by police as a while male between 20 and 35. Anyone with information is asked to call Kettering Police Detective Vince Mason at (937) 296-2555.
Kettering police say a break-in at El Meson in West Carrollton also on Tuesday night is believed to be connected to the Kettering restaurant break-ins.
Shanon Morgan, president of the Miami Valley Restaurant Association, said late Wednesday afternoon that she has notified several restaurant owners by phone about the break-ins and is preparing a written advisory to members restaurants warning them to take precautions against similar incidents.
Thanks to my DDN reporting colleague Jeremy Kelley, who contributed to this report.
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Dolcessa gelatos find a home at The Chef Case at 2nd Street Market
Those who developed a liking for the gelatos produced by the former Dolcessa have a new place to get their fix: The Chef Case located in the 2nd Street Market in downtown Dayton.
Dolcessa gelato cafe operated first in the Oregon District and later on Brown Street near the University of Dayton before closing in December 2009, although the gelatos live on on the menus of some local restaurants and at special events around town. The Chef Case stocks a few flavors that will be available when the market is open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday and Friday, and from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday.
The Chef Case is the brainchild of Chef Joe Fish, the former executive chef at Pacchia.
Here’s what the folks at the 2nd Street Market had to say about Joe, The Chef Case and Dolcetta in a recent news release:
After sauteing his way around the globe, The Chef Case proprietor Chef Chef CaseJoe Fish is back to his roots when he discovered there’s no place like home! Fish has broiled for the best, working for places like the Savoy Hotel in London during his European expedition. He also spent 12 years poaching the Big Apple before a serendipitous 15-year Carroll High School reunion in which he met his wife Tonia. Fish moved back to Dayton from New York, taking over the executive chef role for the former Pacchia and found himself in a new role as a father. In addition to preparing take-home dishes and pressing paninis at the Market, Fish works as head chef at the University of Dayton Virginia W. Kettering residence hall.
The Culinary Institute of America alum offers seasonal prepared foods including upscale, allergy-conscious deli salads featuring local ingredients and artisan grilled sandwiches. “Our products change with the seasons,” Fish says. “We work closely with local farmers and incorporate as many locally produced ingredients as possible.” Customers may enjoy gourmet offerings for brunch or lunch at the Market, or take them home by the pint. “All of the prepared foods in the Case are priced by the pound, so customers may take home as much or as little as they need,” Fish explains.
Sweet-toothed fans know The Chef Case is the place to be for their local desserts. “We sell Dolcessa, a locally crafted gelato, and we are the only vendor at the Market offering authentic, gluten-free, French macarons,” Fish says. Almost all of the offerings at The Chef Case are gluten free. “Tonia has celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder in which her body has an allergic-like reaction to gluten, which is found in many grain products,” Fish explains. “About 1 in 105 Americans have this disorder, and my family has given me unique perspective of the importance of allergy considerations in food preparations.” Fish has earned food safety and food handling certification through ServSafe.
For more information, check out the Chef Case Facebook page.
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Benham’s to continue operating through foreclosure, sheriff’s sale
DAYTON — Benham’s Restaurant and Catering intends to continue operating despite a mortgage foreclosure and upcoming sheriff sale of its building at 209 Warren St.
The holder of the mortgage is Goodwill Easter Seals of Miami Valley, which initiated the mortgage foreclosure in December 2010 and which is interested in bidding on the property at the sheriff sale, Steven Goubeaux, Goodwill Easter Seals’ director of marketing and communications, said today, May 24. The non-profit organization that serves people with disabilities in a 23-county area owns nearby property and wants to buy the Benham’s building to accommodate long-term expansion plans, Goubeaux said.
Goubeaux said Goodwill Easter Seals officials have been working in cooperation with Benham’s owners Bill and Becky Howser, and if the organization is the successful bidder at sheriff’s sale auction, it would allow the restaurant and catering company to continue to operate at the location, perhaps for several years.
“Our goal is for them to do exactly what they do best, which is to run a great restaurant and to serve incredible food,” Goubeaux said.
But Goubeaux cautioned that there is no guarantee that Goodwill Easter Seals will be the high bidder. “If someone is in there to run up the price, we won’t do it,” he said of the purchase. That would leave the Howsers in the position of negotiating with a new landlord about remaining open at that location.
Howser, whose catering company traces its Dayton-area roots to 1934, said the poor economy and changes in the catering industry have combined to hurt his business for the last several years, although business has improved at the restaurant in recent months. For now, “It’s business as usual … we’re not going out of business.”
According to the mortgage foreclosure filed by Goodwill Easter Seals against Benham’s, the Howsers and other creditors in Montgomery County Common Pleas Court, the restaurant and catering company is at least $93,600 behind on its mortgage payments — $79,400 in outstanding principal, $11,200 in accrued interest and $3,000 in late fees.
The mortgage began in 1998 as a $220,000 promissory note borrowed by the Howsers from National City Bank (now PNC Bank). PNC Bank sold the mortgage to Goodwill Easter Seals in December 2010, after the Howsers had fallen behind on their payments. Goubeaux said the organization purchased the mortgage from the bank because it was interested in the property.
The non-profit couldn’t work out a deal directly with the Howsers because other individuals hold a second mortgage, and government entities are owed money in the form of tax liens on the property, and all are listed as defendants in the foreclosure lawsuit, Goubeaux said.
The Howsers chose not to file a response to the lawsuit, and Judge Timothy N. O’Connell issued a default judgment in the case March 11 in favor of Goodwill Easter Seals, and ordered the sheriff foreclosure sale on the property and two adjacent parcels to be held on June 17 in the county administration building.
Benham’s Catering has a long history in Dayton, and in 1984, the company catered a private luncheon in Kentucky for Queen Elizabeth II. The restaurant is open Tuesday through Friday for lunch and Thursday through Saturday for dinner.
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New Anticoli restaurant sets grand opening
Giuliano, An Anticoli Tavern, which opened last month at 67 S. Main St. in downtown Miamisburg, will celebrate a grand opening with a ribbon-cutting, expanded menu and other specials starting at 4 p.m. June 1.
Leo Anticoli, president of the restaurant, called the restaurant’s first month of business “very successful.” Anticoli — part of a family that traces its Dayton-area restaurant roots to 1931 — is co-owner of Giuliano with his son Chris.
Coinciding with the grand opening, Giuliano will unveil several nightly specials, a daily happy hour from 4-6 p.m., and a handful of new menu items, Anticoli said.
The nightly specials include: on Sunday, children 10 and under eat free from the children’s menu between noon and 7 p.m. when accompanied by a full paying adult. Adults can get 20 percent off all wines by the glass on Sunday. A pasta buffet will be offered on Mondays, and Wednesday will be 35-cent Wing Night.
In addition, customers who patronize Giuliano anytime between June 1 and June 5 will receive a “VIP card” good for 20 percent off every subsequent visit Sunday through Thursday for the following four months, through Oct. 1, 2011.
“It’s our way of saying ‘thank you’ for joining us during our grand opening as we continue an 80-year tradition of food and service to the Miami Valley,” Anticoli said.
Anticoli’s restaurant, and later Caffe Anticoli, operated in the Dayton area in three different locations: from 1931 to 1951, on East Fifth Street in the St. Anne’s Hill District of Dayton; 1951 to 2000 on Salem Avenue in north Dayton; and from 2000 to August 2010 at 8268 N. Main St. in Clayton.
The new tavern, located in the former Chimney’s Inn in downtown Miamisburg, seats about 140, with party room available for an additional 32. The tavern is open for dinner daily, and for lunch on Sundays, although long-term plans call for opening for lunches on weekdays as well. For more information, call (937) 859-3000 or check out the Giuliano Facebook page or its web site.
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Dayton restaurant expands menu, hours, seating
The Butter Cafe is gearing up to celebrate the first anniversary of its opening by expanding its menu, hours and seating capacity, according to Amy Beaver, the restaurant’s co-owner.
The independently owned breakfast-and-lunch spot at 1106 Brown St. near the University of Dayton has opened a new dining area upstairs that can accommodate 13 people, and has added outdoor seating for six, Beaver said. The restaurant seats 30 in its main first-floor dining area.
Butter Cafe menu additions include Almond Joy pancakes, an “Everything” egg sandwich, a vegan burger, a portabello mushroom vegetarian burger, and several new salads.
Also, the restaurant — which previously had been closed on Mondays — is now open seven days a week. Hours are 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday, and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday. Breakfast is served all day, lunch begins at 10:30 a.m.
Beaver, who owns Butter Cafe with Sarah Dudley, said the restaurant will give away free servings of birthday cake the first week of June to mark the cafe’s first anniversary.
For more information, call 937-985-9917 or check out the Butter Cafe Facebook page at www.facebook.com/buttercafedayton.
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Grand opening today for Smoothie King
The Smoothie King store at 2321 Miamisburg-Centerville Road that we first told you about in March will host a grand opening celebration from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. today, May 21.
The smoothie shop, located across from the Dayton Mall in Miami Twp. and the first publicly accessible Smoothie King in the Dayton area — is operated by franchise owners Eric and Lynne Pierce-French of Huber Heights. The franchise owners said in March that they would like to open two to four more locations in the Dayton area in the next four years, although precise locations haven’t been selected. In a news release announcing Saturday’s grand opening, the franchise owners said the new store is “the first of many Smoothie King stores to debut in the Dayton area.”
Today’s grand opening will include appearances by radio station “Hot 102.9 Blazin’ Hip Hop and R&B,” the Dayton area Humane Society offering cats and dogs looking for a new home, Miami Twp. EMS/FIRE/Police vehicles and the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office. A ribbon-cutting is scheduled for 12:30 p.m., and there will be a giveaway of balloons, stickers, autographed memorabilia, Smoothie King gear and other items.
Smoothie King offers more than 65 smoothies made to order with fruit, juices, and a mix of vitamins and nutrients. It also offers retail products, including sports beverages, energy bars, health snacks, vitamin supplements, herbs, minerals and other sports nutrition products.
Smoothie King is a privately owned, New Orleans-area-based franchise company that currently has more than 600 units operating in 32 states and the Republic of Korea. A Smoothie King under different franchise ownership opened last year at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. It is open only to those who have access to the base.
For more information about the grand opening, call (937) 434-4100.
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Fleurs et Vin is as much about food as it is about wine
DAYTON — In a two-decade span, the Fleurs et Vin and its predecessor event the Fleurs de Fete have endured a handful of venue changes, a change of name, various logistical obstacles, and a downpour or two, by focusing on what they do best: matching great food with fine wines.
That combination will be on full display again Sunday, May 22 at 1 p.m. at Carillon Historical Park, when Dayton’s premier outdoor wine-and-food festival will welcome hundreds of enthusiasts to an event that benefits Culture Works and the AIDS Resource Center of Ohio. First, the wines: there will be about 350 from which to choose, courtesy of about a dozen wine wholesalers-distributors who spend the other 364 days a year competing robustly against one another.
Food will be provided by about two dozen Dayton-area restaurants, many of which serve samples of their best appetizers and dishes to impress potential new customers. As the event matured over the last several years, the Fleurs has become just as much about food as it is wine. And for those whose tastes veer toward hops-and-malt-based beverages, there is a craft-beer garden.
The tasting runs until 4 p.m., when a live auction of wines, wine-themed items and local art will begin.
There is one new logistical wrinkle this year, according to festival spokeswoman Lisa Grigsby: because of construction on the grounds of Carillon, the public entrance for cars will be off of Carillon Boulevard, NOT South Patterson Boulevard. Those approaching the park from the south on South Patterson Boulevard will drive past the park’s usual entrance to the traffic light at Carillon Boulevard, where a left turn will lead to the event parking lot.
Advance tickets for the event are available for $60 at Arrow Wine, Bella Vino Wine Merchant, Bruning’s Wine Cellar, Cuvee Wine Bar, Rumbleseat Wine Bar, The Wine Gallery, Jerardi’s Little Store, Miami Valley Wine & Spirits, A Taste of Wine and The Wine Loft. Tickets at the gate are $70.
Here are some Fleurs et Vin “survival tips” from an event veteran that have stood the test of time:
— Arrive early. The opening line is long, but event organizers cannot start serving before 1 p.m. because of Ohio laws.
— Wear comfortable shoes — leave the stilettos for another occasion when you’re not tromping around in grass and mud.
— When you’re poured a sample of wine, and there’s a line of folks with empty glasses behind you, step out of the way so the line can keep moving.
— Go slow on the wine consumption, and drink lots of water. And if you don’t like a wine, or just want a small sip, use the “dump” buckets on the wine tables — that’s what they’re there for.
— Stay for the live auction. It can feature some rather entertaining bidding wars. And drink some more water while you’re watching.
How to go
What: Fleurs et Vin wine and food festival
When: 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, May 22 (Live auction begins at 4 p.m.)
Where: Carillon Historical Park, 1000 Carillon Blvd., Dayton
Cost: Tickets are $60 in advance, $70 at the door
More info: www.fleursetvin.com
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Meadowlark restaurant opens in new location
Meadowlark restaurant has completed its move into the space that formerly housed Madison’s Bistro at 5531 Far Hills Ave. in Washington Twp.
The restaurant reopened in the renovated space on Tuesday and will be open its regular hours going forward: Tuesday through Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; and Sunday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Meadowlark is closed Monday.
The new restaurant seats about 70, up from 56 at the previous location, but has two other advantages: it has a spacious bar and lounge area where diners can wait for their table, and an expanded liquor license that allows Meadowlark to serve spirits and mixed drinks in addition to the wine and beer. Diners who are seated at the bar itself can choose to be served dinner there. The new location also has two private dining rooms that the previous restaurant on Miamisburg-Centerville Road lacked.
The interior underwent a significant renovation from its Madison’s days, but the menu remains unchanged. On its first full night open to the public on Tuesday, May 17, Meadowlark was packed, with a couple dozen people or more waiting in the bar area, many of them ordering from the new cocktail list.
For more information, call (937) 434-4750.
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Pizza wars: Papa John’s offers $5.99 large pies today and tomorrow
Papa John’s pizza chain is celebrating what it calls a “a renewed sense of national pride and patriotism” with a “Made in America” customer appreciation offer today and tomorrow, May 17-18, discounting its large one-topping pizzas to $5.99.
All Dayton-area Papa John’s locations are participating, according to Cresta Lewis of Sunrise Advertising of Cincinnati, a spokeswoman for Papa John’s.
The offer is the latest salvo in the pizza wars among national chains such as Papa John’s, Domino’s and Pizza Hut.
“Designed to rally around our flagship product — pizza — and thank Americans for their loyalty, we celebrate strengthened American pride and patriotism through a customer appreciation day offering one of our deepest discounts,” Doug Hoffman, director of operations for Papa John’s, said in a news release.
The $5.99 price is nearly 50 percent off the regular menu price, according to the news release. The offer is good today and Wednesday only.
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New restaurant coming to Kettering
KETTERING — A new restaurant is scheduled to open in the coming weeks at 1122 E. Dorothy Lane in the building that previously housed Millie’s Philly Cheesesteaks and Barbie’s Bistro.
The restaurant will be called Amicis (A-MEECH-eez), and it will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week, according to the restaurant’s owner, Kent Kumbroch of Oakwood. The building is undergoing renovations, and Kumbroch said he hopes to open in mid-June.
The menu isn’t set, but breakfast will include a variety of omelets, and the restaurant will serve gourmet brick-oven pizzas for lunch and dinner, Kumbroch said. Amicis will emphasize local ingredients, and will serve coffee from Dayton-based Boston Stoker. Kumbroch said he is planning to host a farmers market in the open field next to the restaurant on Saturday mornings. The work of local artists will be featured inside the restaurant.
Initially, Amicis will have a license to sell liquor, but not beer and wine. Kumbroch said he plans to serve bloody marys, margaritas and other mixed drinks.
Kumbroch, 48, who is also president of Electro-Polish Inc. in Dayton, said he managed restaurants early in his career and has “always had a real passion for the restaurant industry.”
“I’m a real foodie at heart, and I’ve always dreamed of owning a restaurant,” he said. The Kettering location, tucked in behind a florist shop just west of Wilmington Pike on East Dorothy Lane, “has a lot of potential,” Kumbroch said. He has signed a 15-month lease on the building.
Amichis will seat about 25 inside and another 25 on its patio. It will employ about 10, Kumbroch said. The hours will be 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 7 a.m. to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday.
Millie’s Philly Cheesesteaks closed in March after a five-month run.
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New downtown Dayton restaurant will preview its food today
A new restaurant called Marilyn’s Bar & Grill at 130 W. Second St. at Wilkinson Street will offer a sneak peek at some of its menu items during tonight’s Urban Nights celebration from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. throughout downtown Dayton.
Marilyn’s Bar & Grill is expected to open in late May or early June, according to Marilyn’s owner Albert B. Smith III, in the space that formerly held Side Bar cocktail lounge, across from the Schuster Center parking garage. The restaurant, named for Smith’s mother, will open initially for lunch only, but Smith said he expects to expand his hours to serve breakfast, then to eventually open during the evenings until 9 p.m. or 10 p.m. When it opens, the restaurant will not yet have its license to sell alcohol, but Smith said he expects to obtain the license in the weeks following Marilyn’s opening.
Smith, who has cooked in and managed several restaurants in the Dayton area, said he was impressed with the potential of the former Side Bar location, and has signed a five-year lease on the space, which is being renovated.
Menu items such as grilled barbecue wings, cheesesteaks, sandwiches and wraps will be prepared outside on the restaurant’s patio, under a canopy on rainy days.
During tonight’s Urban Nights celebration, Marilyn’s will offer a sampler platter of sorts consisting of grilled chicken wings, cheesesteak wrap, potato skins, quesadilla, chicken strips and jalapeno poppers with drink for $6.50, Smith said.
When it opens to the public, the restaurant will seat about 50 inside, and another 20 to 30 on the patio. It will open with six to 10 employees, Smith said. For more information, call (937) 938-5170.
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Books & Co. to host “Heartland” cookbook author Friday
KETTERING — Judith Fertig will be introducing her book entitled “Heartland: The Cookbook” (Andrews McMeel Publishing, $35) at 7 p.m. May 13 at the Books & Co. store at 350 E. Stroop Road in the Town & Country shopping center. Sample bites of select dishes from the book will be served at the event. The cookbook is described by its publisher as “a collection of delicious recipes that puts a modern twist on Midwest tradition.” Recipes range from breakfast foods to dinner courses and include dishes such as Flyover Duck Confit, Heartland Daube with White Cheddar Polenta, and Pheasant Schnitzel with Danish Red Cabbage. For more information about the event, call (937) 429-6302.
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Manager declines comment on downtown Dayton cafe’s abrupt closing
Swisher’s Cafe, a popular lunch spot in the lower level of the PNC Bank building at 6 N. Main St. in downtown Dayton, has closed, according to a notice on the cafe and catering firm’s web site.
The cafe “is not expected to reopen anytime soon,” according to a voicemail greeting that customers encounter when calling the restaurant’s phone number.
The owners of Swisher’s could not be reached Monday afternoon, but the closing surprised and saddened long-time customers of the cafe such as Gwen Owen, community relations assistant at the Dayton Metro Library, who noted that the cafe’s web site has the monthly menu posted through the end of May.
“It always seemed crowded,” Owen said. “They were always running out of lasagna before I could get there.”
Willaroo LLP has managed Swisher’s since January 2011 under an agreement with Swisher’s owners, and the food service operations were overseen by Dave Sauer, former manager of Bella Vino wine bar and a former sales manager at Oceanwide Seafood. In an email Tuesday morning, Sauer declined to comment on the factors that led to the cafe’s closing and on the number of employees affected by the closing.
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A taste of Provence in Yellow Springs
WINDS CAFE TO HOST SOUTHERN FRANCE DINNER
YELLOW SPRINGS — The Winds Cafe, 215 Xenia Ave., will host its annual Southern French Dinner menu on May 10 and 11
Dinner service both nights is from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
The menu includes Green and Black Olive Tapenade with Toasted Hazelnuts; Artichoke Chickpea Croquettes; Provençal Fish with Fragrant Oils, Spring Vegetables and Aioli; Lamb Shank Provençal Braised in Garlic and Vermouth; Chilled White & Green Asparagus, Truffle Viniagrette & Grated Egg; Blue Jacket Dairy Chevre with White Mountain Honeycomb; and Lemon Rhubarb Tartlet.
The cost is $55, or $65 with wine pairings. For reservations or more information, call (937) 767-1144.
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L’Auberge to offer cooking classes
L’Auberge, 4120 Far Hills Road in Kettering, will host two cooking classes led by its executive chef, David Lease, on May 18 and June 1. The May 18 class will focus on the dishes of the Pacific Rim, and the June 1 class will spotlight “Europe — Old and New.” Lease’s 25-year culinary career has included stints at prestigious restaurants in Singapore, Frankfurt and Florence. The cost is $85 for one class, or $150 for both. Both classes begin at 11:30 a.m. To make reservations, call (937) 299-5536.
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Mother’s Day most popular holiday for dining out, and here are some options
More people dine out on Mother’s Day than any other holiday, and the National Restaurant Association estimates that 75 million American adults will do just that this Sunday. And about 2 million of those diners will be trying to get into your favorite restaurant, so if you haven’t made your reservations yet, pick up the phone right now. And you may want to start thinking about a Plan B in case your top choice is already booked.
When it comes to meal times, dinner is most popular on Mother’s Day, according to the restaurant association’s newly released survey. Fifty-eight percent of Mother’s Day diners say they will go out to a restaurant for dinner on Sunday; 32 percent will go out for lunch, 24 percent for brunch, and 10 percent for breakfast. Interestingly, nearly one in five Mother’s Day diners (19 percent) say they will go out for more than one meal that day. Two-thirds of those dining out on Mother’s Day this year say children under the age of 18 will join their dining party.
Here is a small sampling of restaurants that contacted us to tout their Mother’s Day dining plans, but it is by no means complete or comprehensive, so give your favorite restaurant a call — quickly — to see whether they can squeeze you and your family in.
— Amelia’s Bistro, 129 W. Franklin St., Bellbrook, (937) 310-3040. Serving brunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Adults $24.95, children 5 to 10 $9.95, 4 and under free.
— L’Auberge: 4120 Far Hills Ave., Kettering, (937) 299-5536. Noon to 6 p.m. Three-course fixed-price meal with eight entree choices for $39; kids menu $12.
— The Barnsider Restaurant, 5202 N. Main St., Harrison Twp., (937) 277-1332, noon to 7 p.m.
— Boulevard Haus: 329 E. Fifth St., Dayton, (937) 824-2722. Mother’s Day brunch from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Cost: $21.99, children 5 to 12 $8.99, under 5 free.
— Carvers Steaks & Chops, 1535 Miamisburg-Centerville Road, Washington Twp., (937) 433-7099. Special plated brunch menu 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., full dinner menu available 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
— Company 7 BBQ, 1001 S. Main St., Englewood, (937) 836-2777. Open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mother’s receive a free $5 gift card for the next visit. — El Meson Restaurant, 903 E. Dixie Drive, West Carrollton, (937) 859-8229. Brunch buffet served from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Adults $28, children $12, kids 6 and under free.
— Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar, 4432 Walnut St. at The Greene, Beavercreek, (937) 320-9548. Special brunch menu 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., regular menu through the evening. Brunch $32.95, Children 12 and under $15.95. Mothers receive a $25 dining card to use on a subsequent visit to Fleming’s from May 9 through June 12.
— Giuliano An Anticoli Tavern, 67 S. Main St., Miamisburg, (937) 859-3000. Serving from noon to 7 p.m.
— Hawthorn Grill, 1222 E. Stroop Road, Kettering, (937) 298-2222. Serving a family-style brunch from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The cost is $19 for adults, $12 per child ages 2 to 12, and kids under 2 eat free.
— Hilton Garden Inn, 3520 Pentagon Park Blvd., Beavercreek, (937) 458-2650. Open for brunch from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday. Serving a buffet for $22.95 adults, $8.95 children 5 to 12, children 4 and under free.
— Jay’s Restaurant, 225 E. Sixth St., Dayton, (937) 222-2892. Open noon to 9 p.m.
— McCormick & Schmicks, 4429 Cedar Park Drive at The Greene, Beavercreek, (937) 431-9200. Special brunch served 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., with a complimentary Chocolate Truffle Trio dessert for Mom.
— Savona Restaurant & Wine Bar, 79 S. Main St., Centerville, (937) 610-9835. Open for Mother’s Day brunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Two-course meal for $22.99.
— Stockyards Inn, 1065 Springfield St., Dayton, (937) 254-3576. Open noon to 8 p.m. Special Mother’s Day menu with $18.95 specials.
— Wellington Grille, 2450 Dayton-Xenia Road, Beavercreek, (937) 426-4600, open noon to 7 p.m.
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