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July 2011
Today is last day for Oregon District restaurant
The Las Americas Caribbean Cuisine restaurant at 524 E. Fifth St. in the Oregon Historic District will close when supplies run out today, July 30, according to the restaurant’s web site and the Las Americas Facebook page.
Business “has been so slow for so long,” restaurant owners said in a Facebook post.
“Thank you for all the support and friendship,” the restaurant’s owners wrote on its web site. “It has been a pleasure.”
Las Americas, which we first told you about in May 2010, has been open for about a year. Dolores Quinones — a native of Puerto Rico who for the previous eight years served up empanadas, wraps and sandwiches at her Las Americas vendor stall at the 2nd Street Public Market in downtown Dayton — was the restaurant’s founder.
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Mr. Lee’s brings some heat for Restaurant Week
Day 5 brought us to Mr. Lee’s Fine Dining, the Vandalia restaurant on the other side of I-75 from Miller Lane. Mr. Lee’s was a returnee to Restaurant Week this summer and offered a four-course meal for $20.11.
From multiple choices for a first course, we chose a smoked salmon sushi roll with fresh, crunchy cucumber and cream cheese, and a generous serving of Szechuan Dumplings, steamed and filled with flavorful ground pork, anointed with a soy sauce-hot chile oil sauce that packed some serious but welcome heat.
The second course brought a choice of hot soups (including a satisfying corn-egg drop) or a cool and slightly spicy imitation crab meat salad.
Two of the four entree choices are spicy, and my Chengdu Pork was redolent of dried red chili flakes, garlic and chopped scallions. The Vegetables with Garlic Sauce boasted broccoli, red bell pepper and peapods, and plenty of water chestnuts.
Two delicate slices of cake, one of them a spice cake, added a welcome closing touch.
Check out our earlier Restaurant week reviews entitled Restaurant Week gains momentum at halfway point and Our Restaurant Week is off to a strong start —what about yours? and be sure to share YOUR Restaurant week experiences by posting on the food and dining Facebook page or emailing your reviews to mfisher@daytondailynews.com.
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Chick-fil-A restaurant to host event benefitting troops tomorrow
The Chick-fil-A restaurant at 2360 N. Fairfield Road in Beavercreek will host an event Saturday, July 30 that will benefit Herobox.org and Brookville-based Operation Show Our Love, two charity organizations that ship items to deployed troops.
The Chick-fil-A event starts at 10 a.m. and will include displays and demonstrations by Beavercreek Police, Fire and EMS departments, a special appearance by a Chick-fil-A cow mascot, a parade, a raffle of items donated by area businesses and a silent auction of sports and autograph memorabilia. The restaurant also will donate 20 percent of each sale made between 6:30 a.m. and 8 p.m. to the two charity organizations.
For more information, call Jason Hyman, the local coordinator for Herobox.org, at (404) 735-0363.
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Restaurant Week gains momentum at halfway point
We’re halfway through the newly expanded Summer Restaurant Week, which runs from July 24 through July 31 (eight nights), and this promotion continues to spread the joy. Please do share your experiences with Restaurant Week by posting on our Facebook page.
Day 3 — Amelia’s Bistro
This Bellbrook restaurant offered up one of the most interesting-sounding menus of Restaurant Week — salad, appetizer and entree, and no dessert, which sounded appealing — and executed it well.
A watermelon vinaigrette delivered a surprising and refreshing zing to the Summer Salad of spring mix, feta cheese, red onion and Mandarin orange segments, while the Freddie Salad of romaine lettuce, bacon, tomatoes and ranch-style dressing is for bacon-lovers.
The highlight of the appetizer course was the Crab Napoleon, consisting of crab, tomato, cilantro and lime layered with guacamole and fried wontons accented with a spicy remoulade sauce. The wontons retained their crispness and added an appealing texture to this fresh and flavorful dish.
The entree of Dual Center-Cut Filets with Diane Sauce and Bearnaise was a clear winner. The meat could be cut with a butter knife, was cooked to the ordered degree of doneness and was enhanced by each of the sauces. It was a better choice than the Eggplant Pomodoro, consisting of fried eggplant topped with fresh mozzarella and tomato served on linguine and a mild tomato-based sauce. Once again, a very fine three-course bargain for $25.01.
Day 4 — Meadowlark Restaurant
Meadowlark owner Elizabeth Wiley was an early embracer of the Restaurant Week concept, and this was her first since moving to the eatery’s new location at 5531 Far Hills Ave. a few months ago. Wiley decided to forgo her regular menu this week and instead offer an extra course (appetizer, soup or salad, entree and dessert) with up to four options for each course. Diners responded by packing the house.
Fresh sweet corn was on full and glorious display in both soup/salad choices: Fresh Corn Cakes with Red Pepper Cream — which benefits from a scattering of bacon bits and was a hit at the Sneak Peek to Restaurant Week event last week — and Corn Bisque.
The entrees shined: Sauteed Fresh Fish with Summer Vegetables au Pistou featured a perfectly cooked fillet of cod; Grilled Pork with Chop House-made Cherry Mostarda and Polenta was glazed with a sauce that struck just the right balance of tart cherries and black pepper; and Grilled Duck Leg with Spanish Garlic Potatoes delivered a moist, tender and flavorful duck leg and thigh.
Profiterole with Peach Ice Cream and Raspberry Sauce was a hit from the dessert menu, while those who enjoy dessert more savory than sweet can opt for Goat Cheese Cream Cake with Fresh Cherries and Red Wine Caramel.
The four-course meal was $25.11 — well worth both the money and the wait.
What did you think of your Restaurant Week meals? Let us know by posting on our Facebook page.
Read my earlier Restaurant Week reviews
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BBQ restaurant to close for 1 week for renovation
ENGLEWOOD — Company 7 BBQ restaurant at 1001 S. Main St. in Englewood will close for one week starting this Sunday, July 31, to remodel the restaurant.
Company 7 is scheduled to reopen the following Sunday, Aug. 7, at 11 a.m.
The renovations will allow Company 7 to transition to full table service after 4 p.m. weekdays and Saturday and all day Sunday, and will also provide more space for live music on Friday and Saturday, the restaurant’s owners said. It also will allow the restaurant to accept reservations for parties of six or more and call-ahead seating for smaller parties.
Company 7 also received some good news from a publication called National Barbecue News, which said in a press release this week that the Englewood restaurant has been selected as one of the publication’s “Best of the Best Barbecue Restaurants in America.” The designation involves an unannounced taste test by someone affiliated with the publication, and must be earned annually, according to Kell Phelps, publisher of National Barbecue News.
Click on this Company 7 web site link for more information on the remodeling. For more information about Company 7, call the restaurant at (937) 836-2777.
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Food-truck craze rides into Dayton
The food-truck trend that has swept larger cities is now showing up in Dayton. Here’s one of them: A late-night food truck that calls itself “Caribbacanas” sets up shop from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. most Friday and Saturday nights in the Omega Music parking lot on East Fifth Street in Dayton’s Oregon Historic District.
Caribbacanas serves Caribbean and American food including jerk chicken and pulled pork wraps, with choice of rice, beans, shredded cabbage, cheese, and cilantro-lemon sour cream; pulled pork sliders; brats and jumbo hot dogs, which can be ordered with chili, cheese and onions, according to the food truck’s owner, Daniel Kinney. No menu item costs more than $5, Kinney said.
For more information, check out the “Caribbacanas Facebook page.
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Our Restaurant Week is off to a strong start —what about yours?
Here are some of our thoughts on Restaurant Week — share your experiences on our food and dining Facebook page. Thanks for diners Dennis Hall and Ann Roberts who have already reviewed their dinners at Sunrise Cafe, Savona and Giuliano, An Anticoli Tavern! Here’s what we found:
Day 1 — C’est Tout
Sunday night took us to C’est Tout in Oakwood, which is not normally open on Sundays but made the exception for Restaurant Week and was rewarded by a robust turnout.
I doubt any diners left disappointed, especially at the $20.11 price point.
The first course of Cold Tomato and Strawberry Soup with Peppercorn was well-executed and delicious. Suffice to say I’ve never tasted a single dish that combined tomatoes and strawberries as the two main players, but this smooth, pureed blend, with its balanced sweetness accented with a distinct kick from whole peppercorns, was creative and refreshing. And it may be the best food pairing with a glass of dry rose wine that exists on this planet (Pascal Jolivet Sancerre Rose, $7.50/glass).
The entree choice of Braised Lemon Sole,served with Lobster Sauce Rice, Peas, and Mushrooms, was cooked perfectly, just to doneness, and was complemented by the rich and rather decadent lobster sauce. Beef lovers should opt for the Slow Roasted Prime Rib Au Jus with Horseradish Pomme Puree and Vegetables. The creamy potatoes packed a robust horseradish punch, and the generous serving of beef, with a touch of smokiness from a turn on a grill, was prepared as ordered.
The Flourless Chocolate Bar with Ohio Cherries will not disappoint chocoholics, but the warm Apricot Cobbler topped with ice cream also brought a satisfying end to a bargain ($20.11) Restaurant Week meal.
Day 2 — Hawthorn Grill
Hawthorn Grill also decided to embrace Restaurant Week by throwing the doors open on Monday night when it’s usually closed, and the restaurant had a nice buzz of activity when we arrived.
And here we found another chilled-soup winner, this time a Sweet Corn and Roasted Garlic Soup topped with a crunchy crouton smeared with Boursin cheese. Creamy and satisfying, with the roasted garlic nestled in the background of the sweet corn.
The entree choice of Pan Roasted Cod served atop Farm Stand Ratatouille Creamy Polenta also came deftly cooked, accented by the finely diced vegetables, mostly tomatoes. The Sausage Stuffed Pork Loin with Mashed Potatoes, Mixed Vegetables and Mustard Sauce is a rich, comfort-food dish, with the pork having a ham-like salty smokiness set off well by the mustard sauce.
Chocolate enthusiasts probably won’t read past the Chocolate Mint Ice Cream Cake — with Oreo Cookies, Homemade Brownie, Mint-Chip Ice Cream and Homemade Fudge — that is delightful decadence on a plate. The restaurant had already run out of our other choice — peach cobbler — but substituted an apricot cobbler. All in all, a very fine three-course meal for $25.11.
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L’Auberge owner negotiating with investors in attempt to avoid sheriff’s sale after foreclosure
KETTERING — The future of l’Auberge Restaurant — which held a four-star Mobil Guide rating for two decades and has set a standard for fine dining in the Dayton area for the last 32 years — is uncertain after a Montgomery County Common Pleas Court judge ruled that the restaurant’s owner defaulted on more than $1.5 million in mortgage loans and ordered the building and property sold at a sheriff’s sale on Aug. 26.
But l’Auberge owner Josef Reif said Monday while preparing to welcome diners for Restaurant Week that he is “very optimistic” that he will reach agreement with potential new partners who would purchase the property prior to the sheriff’s sale and lease the building back to him so that the restaurant can continue uninterrupted operations. Reif said he is engaged in active negotiations with multiple potential investors, and he said he has no plans to close l’Auberge prior to Aug. 26.
“We will continue right up to that date, and hopefully we will continue for years to come,” Reif said.
Montgomery County Common Pleas Court records show that Lebanon Citizens National Bank of Lebanon, Ohio filed a mortgage-foreclosure lawsuit against Reif and the restaurant’s corporate owner, The Inn Inc., in June 2010, claiming that a large loan dated July 2006 for $1.4 million and two smaller loans in 2009 were in default. Judge Michael L. Tucker granted the bank a summary judgment in May 2011 and ordered the building and property sold at sheriff’s sale.
“If you had told me a few years ago that this would be happening, I would have told you it’s not possible,” Reif said. But the recession has hit l’Auberge hard, as has the loss of Dayton-based corporations such as NCR, Reif said. Competition also chipped away at the Kettering restaurant’s business, he said, and repairs and maintenance to the building also eroded the restaurant’s bottom line.
L’Auberge has carved a niche since Reif and the late Dieter Krug founded the restaurant in 1979, transforming a restaurant known as The Inn, best known for its fried chicken, into a fine-dining establishment at 4120 Far Hills Ave. L’Auberge earned a coveted and rare four-star rating from the Mobil Travel Guide for 19 years through 2002, and has survived even as other highly credentialed fine-dining restaurants such as King Cole in downtown Dayton and the Maisonette in Cincinnati have closed.
It survived in part by changing with the times. In 1994, l’Auberge essentially became two restaurants in one when it renovated a portion of the building and opened Bistro l’Auberge, with a more casual setting and menu than the more formal l’Auberge Dining Room. And there were many more renovations in the last decade: A dance floor was added in 2002; Reif refurbished the formal dining room with new china, silver and stemware in 2005; and an outdoor patio called the Far Hills Cafe was added in 2007.
Lebanon Citizens National Bank officials say no payment has been made on its loans since February 2010, according to court documents. The building and property have been appraised at $825,000, according to the Montgomery County sheriff’s sale web site.
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Reader survey: Eating healthy when dining out
Do you make it a point to eat healthy when you dine out? Many Dayton-area restaurant owners say their customers like to talk healthy, but when it comes to what they actually order, that talk goes out the window. The Dayton Daily News is working on a story about healthy eating and would like to hear from you.
Do you base your choice of restaurant on how healthy its food is? Are you willing to pay more for healthful menu items, or do you expect healthy dining options to cost the same as other menu items? How much do you take into account calorie and nutritional information when you decide what to order? If a dish is labeled as “diet” or “low-calorie,” do you expect it won’t taste as good as other menu items?
Email your responses to me (Dayton Daily News food and dining reporter Mark Fisher) at mfisher@daytondailynews.com or comment on our Facebook page and be sure to include your full name and your town or township of residence.
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New Sunday market will be up and running tomorrow
The Sunday market that we first told you about back in February called Garden Station on the northeast corner of East Fourth Street and Wayne Avenue in downtown Dayton will be up and running tomorrow, July 24, according to Garden Station Project Manager Lisa Helm. Hours will be 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information, check out this news release posted on the Garden Station Facebook page.
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Jay’s Restaurant closed Friday, July 22 due to air conditioning repairs
Jay’s Restaurant will be closed Friday, July 22, because the restaurant’s central air conditioning is being repaired. The restaurant at 225 E. Sixth St. in Dayton’s Oregon Historic District is expected to reopen Saturday, July 23.
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Restaurant Week unveils a few new wrinkles, starts Sunday
Here’s an excerpt of a story scheduled to run tomorrow (July 22) in the Dayton Daily News Life/ActiveDayton section about Summer Restaurant Week, which starts Sunday, July 24. Get ready to post YOUR reviews on our Facebook page.
Summer Restaurant Week will be longer than ever before, and diners will have more price options than in previous restaurant weeks.
The popular Miami Valley Restaurant Association promotion — in which diners can order a three-course meal from a special menu at discounted pricing, and the participating restaurants donate $1 for each meal sold to charity — has attracted more than 60 restaurants this summer. The special deals will be in effect from Sunday, July 24 through Sunday, July 31.
Participating restaurants will choose in advance the price they’ll charge Restaurant Week diners: $20.11, $25.11 or $30.11. A check of the MVRA web site suggests that the majority of restaurants are choosing the least expensive option of $20.11. Some restaurants are offering customers different options and either two or three price points, and some casual restaurants are offering TWO three-course meals for $20.11 or $25.11.
The three-tiered pricing strategy follows a Winter 2011 Restaurant Week in late January that offered only one price point — $25.11 — and that was a $5.01 increase over previous Restaurant Week promotions in 2010. Some restaurant owners said the sudden price jump from $20.10 to $25.11 helped drive customers away from the winter promotion that was held Jan. 23-28. Since the inception of Restaurant Week in 2005, the price rose only a penny a year to match the calendar year. But the MVRA increased the cost by $5 for the Winter 2011 Restaurant Week, citing rising food costs and pressure from restaurant owners who said the higher price point would allow them to better showcase their talents.
“I think this new pricing structure will bring people back,” said Amy Zahora, the restaurant association’s executive director.
Some restaurants are tweaking the customary Restaurant Week formula a bit or otherwise taking advantage of the flexibility that the new pricing structure offers. Several restaurants are offering diners more than one pricing option, and some are adding a fourth course to the traditional three-course meal. To view the latest list of which restaurants are participating in Restaurant Week, look at menus and find out which of the three price tiers each restaurants is choosing, click on this MVRA Restaurant Week link.
Restaurants that are new to Restaurant Week this summer (or returning to it) include China Dynasty in Centerville, Geez Grill & Pub in Washington Twp., The House of Kabab in Centerville, the recently opened Giulano an Anticoli Tavern in Miamisburg, Mr. Lee’s Fine Dining in Vandalia, Nick’s Restaurant in Xenia, and the recently opened Toscani’s in Kettering.
A few things to remember:
— Reservations are, in most cases, essential. And some eateries fill up fast, because Miami Valley diners have embraced this promotion with enthusiasm — some map out a full week’s worth of eating out. Restaurant owners and managers strongly recommend calling to check on availability and hours.
— Be aware that some restaurants are closed on Sundays or Mondays — or in some cases both days — so calling ahead will avoid disappointment.
— Tax, tip and beverages are not included in the special price.
— Some restaurants are busier during Restaurant Week than they are any other week of the year. Some reasonable amount of patience may be required.
Restaurants participating in Summer Restaurant Week*
Amber Rose, 1400 Valley St., Dayton, (937) 228-2511
Amelia’s Bistro, 129 W. Franklin St., Bellbrook, (937) 310-3040
Bahn Mai Thai Cafe, 725 Lyons Road, Washington Twp., (937) 435-0624
Barleycorns, 6204 Wilmington Pike, Sugarcreek Plaza , Centerville, (937) 848-6999
Beavercreek Pizza Dive, 4021 Dayton-Xenia Road, Beavercreek, (937) 431-8669
Benham’s Restaurant, 209 Warren St., Dayton, (937) 228-7041
Bonefish Grill, 2818 Miamisburg-Centerville Road, Miami Twp., (937) 436-3802
Boulevard Haus, 329 E. Fifth St., Dayton, (937) 824-2722
Brixx Ice Company, 500 E. First St., Dayton, (937) 222-2257
Buckhorn Tavern, 8800 Meeker Road, Butler Twp., (937) 890-3261
Bullwinkle’s Top Hat Bistro, 19 N. Main St. Miamisburg, (937) 859-7677
Bunker’s Bar & Grill, 893 E. National Road, Vandalia, (937) 890-8899
The Caroline, 5 S. Market St., Troy, (937) 552-7676
Carvers Steaks & Chops, 1535 Miamisburg-Centerville Road, Washington Twp., (937) 433-7099
C’est Tout, 2600 Far Hills Ave., Oakwood, (937) 298-0022
Chappy’s Tap Room & Grille, 2733 W. Alex-Bell Road, Moraine, (937) 299-7427
China Dynasty, 9542 Lebanon Pike, Centerville, (937) 433-1212
The Chop House, 7727 Washington Village Drive, Washington Twp., (937) 291-1661
Christopher’s Restaurant, 2318 E. Dorothy Lane, Kettering, (937) 299-0089
Coco’s Bistro, 515 Wayne Ave., Dayton, (937) 228-2626
The Dock, 250 W. Main St., Enon, (937) 864-5011
Dublin Pub, 300 Wayne Ave., Dayton, (937) 224-7822
El Meson, 903 E. Dixie Drive, West Carrollton, (937) 859-8229
Figlio, 424 E. Stroop Road in the Town & Country center, Kettering, (937) 534-0494
Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar, 4432 Walnut St. at The Greene, Beavercreek, (937) 320-9548
Franco’s Ristorante Italiano, 824 E. Fifth St., Dayton, (937) 222-0204
Fresco, 3141 Far Hills Ave., Kettering, (937) 296-0600
Geez Grill & Pub, 5841 Far Hills Ave., Washington Twp., (937) 439-0001
Giovanni’s Pizzeria and Ristorante, 215 W. Main St., Fairborn, (937) 878-1611
Giulano’s an Anticoli Tavern, 67 S. Main St., Miamisburg, (937) 859-3000
Grub Steak, 2098 Alex Road, West Carrollton, (937) 276-4193
Hawthorn Grill, 1222 E. Stroop Road, Kettering, (937) 298-2222
Hickory River Smokehouse, 135 S. Garber Drive, Tipp City, (937) 669-2271
House of Kabab, 298 N Main St., Centerville, (937) 424-9262
Jay’s Restaurant, 225 E. Sixth St., Dayton, (937) 222-2892
Joe Kiss’s Hickory Bar-B-Q, 1082 Brown St., Dayton, (937) 228-5252
Kabuki, 848 S. Main St., Centerville, (937) 435-9500
L’Auberge, 4120 Far Hills Road, Kettering, (937) 299-5536
La Piazza, 2 N. Market St., Troy, (937) 339-5553
LeDoux’s, 3006 North County Road 25A, Troy, (937) 875-2000
McCormick & Schmick’s, 4429 Cedar Park Drive at The Greene, Beavercreek, (937) 431-9200
Meadowlark, 5531 Far Hills Ave., Washington Twp., (937) 434-4750
The Melting Pot, 453 Miamisburg-Centerville Road, Washington Twp., (937) 567-8888
Mr. Lee’s Fine Dining, 7580 Poe Ave, Vandalia, (937) 898-3860
Murray’s Place, 2866 S. Dixie Highway, Kettering, (937) 294-9373
Nick’s Restaurant, 1443 N. Detroit St., Xenia, (937) 372-3202
Oakwood Club, 2414 Far Hills Ave., Oakwood, (937) 293-6973
Packy’s Sports Bar & Restaurant, 10823 Chidlaw Road, Fairborn, 937-879-2696
Pasha Grill, 72 Plum St., The Greene, Beavercreek, (937) 429-9000
Pepito’s Mexican Restaurant, 3618 Wilmington Pike, Kettering, 937-293-3777
Romer’s Bar & Grille, 4439 Ohio 725, Bellbrook, (937) 848-7676
Rue Dumaine, 1061 Miamisburg-Centerville Road, Washington Twp., (937) 610-1061
Savona Restaurant and Wine Bar, 79 S. Main St., Centerville, (937) 610-9835
Side Bar Restaurant, 410 E. Fifth St., Dayton, (937) 723-9415
Spinoza’s Gourmet Pizza & Salads, 2727 Fairfield Common Blvd., Beavercreek, (937) 426-7799
Sunrise Cafe, 259 Xenia Ave., Yellow Springs, 937-767-7211
Sweeney’s Seafood, 28 W. Franklin St., Centerville, (937) 291-3474
Thai 9, 11 Brown St., Dayton, (937) 222-3227
TJ Chumps, two locations, 2 E. Linden Ave. in Miamisburg, (937) 859-4000; and 559 S. Main St. in Englewood, (937) 836-4300
Toscani’s, 5900 Bigger Road, Kettering, (937) 291-9200
Treasure Island, 4250 Chief Woods Lane, Moraine, (937) 299-6161
Wellington Grille, 2450 Dayton-Xenia Road, Beavercreek, (937) 426-4600
Winds Cafe, 215 Xenia Ave., Yellow Springs, (937) 767-1144
The Wine Gallery & Cafe, 5 W. Monument Ave., Dayton, (937) 224-9463
- There are often last-minute changes and additions to the list of participating restaurants, and to the menus, so check www.dineoutdayton.org or call your favorite restaurant to confirm.
Source: www.dineoutdayton.org; MVRA Executive Director Amy Zahora
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Centerville sports bar changes its name
CENTERVILLE — O’Graeter’s Wine & Spirits — which had been known as The Centerville Pub until changing its name in May — now has a new name: Old House Tavern.
The sports bar at 68 W. Franklin St. is still owned by Ned Graeter of Washington Twp., but Graeter said too many people associated the “Graeter’s” name with the ice cream chain of the same name, prompting Graeter to change the name again for the second time in two months.
Old House Tavern still offers a new menu and a greater emphasis on wines and craft beers as its O’Graeter’s predecessor did, Graeter said. The sports bar has a second-floor mezzanine designated as The Wine Attic, Graeter said. Menu offerings include Angus cheeseburgers, barbecue ribs, all-beef franks, pizza, cheese platters and a soup of the day.
Old House Tavern is open from 4:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. daily. For more information, call (937) 434-2545.
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Correction: Services for Idy Haverstick to be held THURSDAY at Jay’s Restaurant
A CORRECTION to the story that appeared in this morning’s Dayton Daily News: The celebration of life service for Jay’s Restaurant co-owner Idy Haverstick, who died Tuesday, will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Jay’s Restaurant, 225 E. Sixth St., Dayton. The restaurant will be closed Thursday. A private funeral will be held Friday.
The story that appeared in the print edition of the Dayton Daily News this morning contained the wrong date of the celebration of life service.
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Jay’s Restaurant co-owner Idy Haverstick dies
Jay’s Restaurant co-owner Idy Haverstick of Centerville died in her sleep Tuesday morning at Lincoln Park Manor in Kettering. She was 71.
Mrs. Haverstick was not able to recover fully after falling ill in the restaurant on Feb. 4. She collapsed in the dining room of the restaurant, and patrons performed CPR on her until Dayton paramedics arrived to rush her to Miami Valley Hospital.
Doctors believed Mrs. Haverstick went into cardiac arrest during the incident, according to Amy Haverstick, general manager and also co-owner of Jay’s.
Idy Haverstick’s husband, Jay, founded the restaurant in Dayton’s Oregon Historic District 35 years ago. He died in May 2009.
“My mom was an amazing supporter of my father and the restaurant. She was a true partner of his both in life and in business,” Amy Haverstick said Tuesday. Amy Haverstick has overseen the day-to-day operations of Jay’s for several years, and she said Tuesday the restaurant will continue under her direction.
A celebration of Mrs. Haverstick’s life is scheduled from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Jay’s Restaurant, 225 E. Sixth St., Dayton. The restaurant will be closed Thursday. A private funeral will be held Friday.
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Owner of Troy steakhouse that closed opens new eatery in Sidney today
The former owner of Kent’s Wood-Fired Steaks in Troy, which closed in April, has launched a new restaurant called The Bridge that opens today, July 18, in Sidney.
The Bridge owner Kent Wolters sent out an email announcing the restaurant opening at 127 W. Poplar St. in Sidney.
“Our name has changed, but you can expect the same quality and hospitality that you experienced at Kent’s,” the email said. Wolters could not be reached this morning.
The Bridge’s hours are 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday. A lunch buffet will be served from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
For more information, contact the restaurant at (937) 492-2542
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14 restaurants to offer ‘Sneak peek’ to Summer Restaurant Week
More than a dozen Dayton-area restaurants will offer a sneak peek of what they’ll be offering during the upcoming Summer Restaurant Week at a preview party from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. this Wednesday, July 20 at White Allen European Auto Group showroom at 648 N. Springboro Pike (Ohio 741) in Miami Twp.
Among the restaurants that will offer an early look at the dishes they’ll offer during the Restaurant Week promotion July 24-31: Amber Rose, Bahn Mai Thai Cafe, Brixx Ice Company, Buckhorn Tavern, The Dock, El Meson, Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar, Fresco, Hawthorn Grill, Jay’s, McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurant, Meadowlark, The Melting Pot, and Side Bar, according to Amy Zahora, the restaurant association’s executive director.
Tickets for “Sneak Peek to Summer Restaurant Week Presented by Aristocrat” are $30 in advance and $35 at the door. Advance tickets are available online from the Miami Valley Restaurant Association website and at Aristocrat Products, Day-Air Credit Union and Bath Fitter. Tickets include unlimited food samples and two drink tickets. The Cincinnati BEN-GAL cheerleaders and former Bengal running back Ickey Woods will be signing autographs, and there will be live music.
Summer Restaurant Week itself, which starts July 24 and lasts a full week this year, allows diners to order from a special menu of a three-course meal for either $20.11, $25.11 or $30.11, depending the the restaurant’s choice, with the participating restaurants donating $1 for each special dinner sold to local charities. For more information, go to www.dineoutdayton.org or contact Zahora at Amy@dineoutdayton.org or at (937) 461-6872.
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El Meson celebrates Colombian independence tonight and Saturday
El Meson in West Carrolton will celebrate “Independence of Colombia” tonight, July 15, and Saturday, July 16 with a special Colombian dinner buffet and dancing (the regular menu is also available). A Colombian salsa band is scheduled to perform Saturday night. The buffet is $27, and dancing begins at 6:30 p.m. each night. Reservations accepted. For more information or to make reservations, check out the El Meson events page or call (937) 859-8229.
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New 200-seat Asian restaurant poised to open in former Ruby Tuesday
HUBER HEIGHTS — Renovation has taken longer than anticipated, but a new restaurant entitled Osaka Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi Bar is poised to open in a former Ruby Tuesday restaurant at 8120 Old Troy Pike (Ohio 202) in Huber Heights.
The restaurant could open as early as next week, according to owner Johnny Zhang of Tipp City. It will open with 10 to 14 employees, Zhang said. The new Huber Heights restaurant has no affiliation with a Beavercreek restaurant that is also called Osaka Japanese Steakhouse, Zhang said.
Zhang, formerly of Hot Springs, Ark., has 18 years experience with other Asian restaurants across the country. He said he was drawn to the former Ruby Tuesday site because of its high-profile location at the I-70-Ohio 202 interchange. The Ruby Tuesday closed in early 2009.
We first mentioned Osaka back in April 2010, and Zhang said the extensive renovations took longer than expected in part because of the need to install a new sprinkler system and other required updates.
When it opens, Osaka Japanese Steakhouse and Sushi Bar will serve lunch and dinner seven days a week. For more information, call (937) 236-3888.
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New Thai restaurant coming to Bellbrook
BELLBROOK — The owner of Tik’s Thai Express across from Wright State University will soon open a new full-service restaurant to be called Tik’s Thai Grille at 4459 W. Franklin St./Ohio 725 next to Cuvee Wine Bar & Cellar.
The restaurant is owned by Siriya “Tik” Sripol, who helped introduce Thai cuisine to the Yummy Burger, a downtown Dayton diner, in 2004, then became co-owner of Ban Thai restaurant in the Beaver Valley Shopping Center in Beavercreek in 2005 before opening Tik’s Thai Express in early 2009.
Sripol said Tik’s Thai Grille will differ from her Fairborn restaurant, which focuses on quick lunch service for WSU students and employees. The new eatery will include table service and will serve beer and wine, she said. It will seat 49 diners and will employ about 10 people.
Sripol is hoping to open the new restaurant sometime in August.
Another Asian restaurant — Panda Garden, focusing on carryout Chinese food — is poised to open a few doors away at 4445 W. Franklin St./Ohio 725 in the same Bellbrook Plaza.
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New restaurant to open on Miller Lane after $850,000 renovation
BUTLER TWP., Montgomery County — A new El Toro Bar and Grill is scheduled to open later this summer following an $850,000 expansion and renovation of the former Don Pablo’s at 6770 Miller Lane, according to Abdul Alnobani, a spokesman for the Munoz family that owns the Dayton-based chain of Mexican restaurants.
The new El Toro will seat 350 indoors and on a new second-floor patio, and the restaurant will employ about 35 people, said Alnobani, who is CEO of Izis Holding Co. of Springfield and has been general contractor for El Toro’s restaurants since 2003. The Miller Lane location will be the 10th restaurant in the Dayton-based chain, which has locations in Huber Heights, Riverside, Vandalia, Beavercreek, Miami Twp., Bellbrook and Springfield. It is scheduled to open perhaps in early August, Alnobani said.
The Miller Lane restaurant has been vacant since Don Pablo’s closed in January 2008.
The building has been gutted, and the addition of a mezzanine and balcony seating added 2,000 square feet to the building, Alnobani said.
El Toro’s owners were attracted by the concentration of motels and restaurants on and around Miller Lane, Alnobani said. “It’s a live gathering area,” he said.
Alex Kolodesh of Singer Properties, co-owner of the property, said El Toro has signed a long-term lease on the building.
El Toro’s owners are looking to expand outside the Dayton-Springfield area, using the new Miller Lane restaurant as a prototype, Alnobani said. The first El Toro opened in 2000.
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Clayton restaurant to close, then reopen as noodle place
CLAYTON — Artisans Cafe, 8351 N. Main St. in the Randolph Plaza, will close July 23, co-owner Pam Heintz said this morning, June 11. Another restaurant called Plate O’ Noodles will open in the same space in early August, Heintz said.
“It is with great sadness that Artisans Cafe announces that we will be closing our doors on July 23,” owners Joe and Pam Heintz said in an email to customers late Sunday night. “We deeply appreciate the loyal customers that have made our years truly joyous.”
Sales at the restaurant were down about 40 percent this year, Heintz said in an interview Monday morning. She and her husband will be the owners of the successor restaurant, which is scheduled to open Aug. 3. “Plate O’ Noodles” will feature noodle dishes from Asia, Italy, America, and elsewhere. The menu will include Mac ‘n’ Cheese and Pad Thai as well as Italian pasta dishes such as spaghetti and fettuccine with choice of marinara, Bolognese, alfredo, Parmesan and other sauce choices.
The restaurant traces its roots to 2004, when Joe and Pam Heintz purchased a restaurant called Flavors Eatery — at 725 W. Wenger Road in Englewood. They expanded the seating from 10 tables to 25 in 2006, changed the restaurant’s name to Artisans Cafe in 2007, and later moved the restaurant to its current location in Clayton. The owners also briefly operated a second restaurant at Ohio 725 and Ohio 741 near the Dayton Mall in 2009.
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First-ever ‘Kickin’ Chicken Wing Fest’ coming to Fraze Saturday
KETTERING — A quick glance at the menus of restaurants and sports bars throughout the Miami Valley reveals one undeniable truth: We Dayton-area folks love our chicken wings. That’s why the folks at the Miami Valley Restaurant Association and the Fraze Pavilion are teaming up to offer a new festival called the Kickin’ Chicken Wing Fest, to be held from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, July 9 in the Lincoln Park Civic Commons outside the entrance to the Fraze.
Admission to the event is free, and all the music is free. Eleven restaurants will offer the chance to taste-test multiple wings and sauces, most of them offering three wings for $2. The participating restaurants include Brixx Ice Company, Buffalo Wild Wings, Paradise Key, McGillicutty’s, Cold Beer & Cheeseburgers, Beef O’Brady’s, Nick’s Restaurant, Roosters Restaurant, Romer’s Bar & Grill, Archer’s Tavern and Buffalo Wings & Rings, according to the restaurant association.
Plans call for three “Kickin’ Chicken” parades for kids, the first one starting shortly after the festival begins at 2 p.m., MVRA Executive Director Amy Zahora said. A panel of wing-eating judges will choose winners in categories that include Best Wing, Best Sauce, Best Side, Best Hot Wing and Best Booth. Attendees will also be able to vote on a “People’s Choice” wing winner.
Free music includes a 2:30 p.m. performance by Big House, an Allman Brothers tribute band from Medina, Ohio; and a 6:30 p.m. show by Evil Ways, a Santana tribute band from Cleveland. The restaurant association will hold a raffle with a top prize of a three-day Bud Lite Caribbean Cruise in October, as well as $25 gift certificates from each of the 11 participating restaurants, Zahora said.
WHAT: Kickin’ Chicken Wing Fest
WHEN: 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, July 9
WHERE: Fraze Pavilion, 695 Lincoln Park Blvd., Kettering
COST: Free admission, free music, wings sold in orders of three for $2
MORE INFO: www.fraze.com or call the restaurant association at (937) 461-6872.
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Brown Street coffee shop to close
The Boston Stoker Night & Day Cafe at 1822 Brown St. near the University of Dayton is scheduled to close on Aug. 12, according to Henry Dean, Boston Stoker’s vice president of operations.
“We were happy with the customer base there, but we were hoping for higher sales,” Dean said. Boston Stoker officials looked at other locations nearby that would accommodate a drive-through, which Dean said would have boosted sales, but didn’t find what they wanted. With the store’s lease approaching its expiration, Boston Stoker decided to close the store after a five-year run at that location. Dean said Boston Stoker will consider other locations in the UD area in the future.
The store closing will drop the number of Boston Stoker locations from 10 to nine for the small Dayton-based chain of coffee shops.
The Aug. 12 closing will affect eight employees, Dean said. Boston Stoker is attempting to place those employees in other Boston Stoker locations in the Dayton area, including Oakwood, Centerville and downtown Dayton, he said.
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Miamisburg restaurant damaged by fire to reopen Friday
MIAMISBURG — Bullwinkle’s Top Hat Bistro at 19 N. Main St. is scheduled to reopen Friday after a small fire damaged a portion of the restaurant Sunday afternoon, Bullwinkle’s owner John Forman said today, July 6.
The fire started at about 1 p.m. Sunday in a wall near the men’s restroom, Forman said. The cause is undetermined. The restaurant owner estimated the damage at $50,000.
Repairs have been made, power is scheduled to be restored later today, and plans are to open for business as usual starting at 11 a.m. this Friday, July 8, Forman said. Bullwinkle’s will resume regular hours, which are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday, and noon to 9 p.m. Sunday.
Those with urgent questions regarding events or reservations scheduled for this weekend can contact Forman at (937) 684-3350. For more information about Bullwinkle’s, call the restaurant at (937) 859-7677.
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