The Blue Berry Cafe’s first free meal is available today.
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
How to get it: Those in need should come to the host stand at the restaurant’s Bellbrook or Kettering location and order “take away” meals for their household.
The restaurant plans to make 200 pre-packaged meals.
Meals will be available 7 a.m.-2 p.m. through Friday (or until they give them all away).
Here’s what other businesses are doing:
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Frisch’s Big Boy to host pop-up pie sales
Just in time for Thanksgiving, Frisch’s Big Boy is bringing its famous pies to three communities in the Dayton region.
Pies will be available 1-7 p.m. at the following locations:
- Nov. 24 at 2440 N. Fairfield Road in Beavercreek
- Nov. 25 at 6244 Wilmington Pike in Sugarcreek Twp.
- Nov. 26 at 5555 Executive Blvd. in Huber Heights
READ MORE: What to know if ordering Frisch’s Original Recipe Pumpkin Pie
Owners of Tasty Bacon’s food truck to expand
Credit: Submitted Photo
Credit: Submitted Photo
After starting a food truck at the beginning of this year, the owners of Tasty Bacon’s are opening a brick-and-mortar location at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, followed by a second food truck early next year.
Tasty Pizza and Potatoes is opening Dec. 1 in the former location of Subway at the Wright-Patterson Main Exchange in Area A. Customers can expect build-your-own pizzas and potatoes, calzones, soups and much more.
As they work to open Tasty Pizza and Potatoes, the owners plan to take a couple weeks off in the winter to give Tasty Bacon’s food truck a facelift and to start Tasty Sammiez, a food truck specializing in sandwiches and chocolate dipped desserts.
READ MORE: Owners of Tasty Bacon’s shares secret to success
Changes happening at W. Social Tap & Table in Dayton
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
Another original food hall vendor at W. Social Tap & Table in Dayton’s Wright Dunbar District has closed its doors.
Taco Street Co.’s last day was Nov. 1. Owner Anthony Thomas confirmed there are plans to bring a hibachi restaurant into the space.
In the meantime, Shafton Greene, the owner of SOCA, is opening a new restaurant with his son, Shafton “Wesley” Greene Jr.
Urban Cheesesteak Co. will open Dec. 1 in the former space of Mz. Jade’s Soul Food.
READ MORE: What to expect at Urban Cheesesteak Co.
Quick Bites
🍦 Dixie Dairy Dreem opens second location today: The ice cream shop is located in the former Dairy Queen at 2056 E. Dorothy Lane in Kettering.
🍺 Warped Wing and Esther Price have collaborated: This year’s Esther’s Li’l Secret will be revealed during a launch party at 4 p.m. Thursday. READ MORE
🍴 Free meals on Veterans Day: Click here for a list of restaurants in the Dayton region.
🍳 Scramblers could be coming soon to The Greene: The restaurant applied for several liquor permits at the former location of Taste of Belgium in Beavercreek.
The Ugly Duckling finds production space for pancake mix, spice line
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
Before opening The Ugly Duckling in 2023, Dayton natives Dexter Clay, Zach Jeckering and Mason Schindler had teamed up with the idea to produce Blazin’ Dayton and Uncle Boof’s World Famous Pancake Mix in a building on Springfield Street.
“Mason found that commercial building with the idea to produce his hot sauce,” Clay said. “We partnered up on that and then once we got in there and saw it had a full kitchen, we kind of just took it to a restaurant, and it’s been spiraling out of control since then.”
The Ugly Duckling was previously located at 115 Springfield St. in Dayton, before relocating to 1430 E. Fifth St. in July 2024.
The pancakes served at the restaurant are made from Uncle Boof’s World Famous Pancake Mix — a brand Clay and Jeckering started in 2021 as a way to get involved with the community.
Uncle Boof’s World Famous Pancake Mix can be found at all four Dorothy Lane Market locations, Tony & Pete’s, Gem City Market, Tasty Bird Market and The Ugly Duckling for $7.99.
As for the spices, they hope to produce the first one in the next month under Blazin’ Dayton Spice Co.
READ MORE: Owners of The Ugly Duckling to open new café in Dayton
A recipe for savory oats with sauteed mushrooms
Columnist Whitney Kling is a recipe developer who lives in Southwest Ohio with her four kids.
“I reasoned that the cooking of steel cut oats until creamy, with the addition of Pecorino, and sauteed mushrooms would not be unlike a traditional risotto. And thus was born one of my favorite fall lunches or a great hearty side to sausages and steamed greens as we enter into these shorter days,” she writes.
Ingredients (serves 4 as a side dish):
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tbsp. butter
- 1 shallot, chopped
- 1 cup steel cut oats
- 4-6 cups broth, chicken or vegetable both work
- 1/4 cup Pecorino Romano, Parmeggiano works also
- 1/4 half & half
- 1 tsp. Kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper
Directions: In a sauté pan over medium heat, warm the butter and olive oil. Add the shallot and cook until soft. Add the oats and stir until they’re toasty and slightly golden, you’ll be able to smell them. Add one cup of broth and stir occasionally until the liquid is absorbed. I usually add about 5 cups of broth, 5-7 minutes apart until the grain is fully cooked and satisfyingly chewy. Stir in cheese, half & half, salt, and pepper. Serve topped with sliced mushrooms sauteed in olive oil or butter.
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Our Holiday Cookie Contest is back: Where and when to drop off your treats
Credit: Jim Noelker
Credit: Jim Noelker
The Dayton Daily News Holiday Cookie Contest is back, and this year we’re asking bakers to bring one dozen of their favorites cookies to our downtown Dayton office.
Cookie drop-off is:
- 5-7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 17
- 8-11 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 18
The person dropping off the cookies (whether that’s the baker or a representative) will need to provide photo identification, and fill out a submission form with the baker’s first and last name, mailing address, phone number and email address.
Along with the cookies, you must bring a copy of the recipe with exact ingredients and measurements and thorough step-by-step directions on preparation and baking.
Planning to drop-off cookies? Fill out this form to let us know and sign up for a reminder the week before drop-off.
Thank you so much for reading my weekly newsletter! If you see a new restaurant opening or are wondering when an establishment is expected to open, feel free to email me here, and I’ll check it out.
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