My Fairwell- Spicy Pickle (Clifton-Cincinnati, OH)

"Graduation by Vitamin C...Had to do it"

As I approach my last week of working at the Spicy Pickle, I find it fitting that I bid my good-byes with a review about the restaurant/second home of my college career. I have worked at 'The Pickle' for four years, but it's time to say "good-bye and thank you," for feeding my hungered college stomach and paying me for it, as I move onto the next stage in my life.

So here it is... THE SPICY PICKLE BADASS FOOD REVIEW!

Spicy Pickle is a small sandwich shop located in the heart of Clifton near the University of Cincinnati. It specializes in panini sandwiches, cold sub sandwiches, soups, salads, and their 'Clifton Famous' homemade chocolate chip cookies.

In 2011, Spicy Pickle was voted 'Best Sandwich' by University of Cincinnati students and lives up to the award. If it is your first time eating at The Pickle, the extremely nice cashier will tell their spiel of the menu... and it goes a little something like this:

All the cashiers are knowledgeable and can help you decided on what to eat.

The atmosphere is relaxing with comfortable seating relaxing colors. It is the kind of place where people come to eat and then lose track of time while hanging out. It is also nice that in the summer they offer side walk outdoor seating!

My personal favorites:
  Yard Bird: Chicken, Blue Cheese, Honey Mustard, Fresh Cut Apples, Bacon, and Spinach
  Bandido: Sausalito Turkey, Pepperjack Cheese, Chipotle Mayonnaise, Roasted Red Peppers, and Sun-dried Tomatoes
  Corn and Green Chili Bisque

Insider secret (but tell all your friends!): If you aren't extremely hungry for
a full sandwich you can get half a sandwich or panini with chips and pickle for only $3.50! 
 

The Rankings (As unbiased as I can be):
Price: $$
Quality: A++ Woo!
Number of Actual Meals: 2
Date-Ability: Perfect for a second/third date



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City View Tavern (Mount Adams- Cincinnati, OH)

"Cheeseburger in Paradise by Jimmy Buffet"

Okay, so I stumbled upon this tavern when I was actually looking for a different tavern to check out...and I am happy I did.

It was a beautiful afternoon so I knew I wanted to each lunch outside and what better place than the place that claims to have the best panoramic view of Cincinnati. As I arrived I almost passed right by it as it is positioned between two houses off the beaten path of Mount Adams Cincinnati.

The place definitely screams old time tavern. It is wood paneled ceiling to floor, wall to wall. The place was pretty small and very casual. The outdoor seating consisted of wooden tables and metal folding chairs.

Metal folding chairs aside... there was a pool table and darts for entertainment and the view lived up to my expectations. Not only did the view stretch across the entire city scape but the river and bridges were also visible from the patio.

Onto the food. I ordered what they were known for, The Big Ted Deluxe Burger and a bloody mary. The menu claims that their burgers come, "done, not dry," and they are exactly that. The burger was cooked to  perfection, done but extremely juicy. Now if you are looking for a gourmet burger with a lot of fixins' than this is not the place for you, but if you want a classic all American burger then you will love City View Tavern.

And for the bloody mary? Hands down, the best one I have had in a long time. It had the perfect balance of spicy, tomato juice, salt, pepper, and horseradish to be topped off with a signature seasoned rim and a lemon.

Note: There is one guy that I am convinced is the owner/only employee that works there so you order at the bar and he brings you food to your table. Then after you are finished eating you pay at the bar also. My bill was $13 even.

Overall, I loved the place and have not stopped talking about it with friends. The owner is super nice and I left wanting to bring in as much business for him as I could... So try it out!

The Rankings:
Price: $$
Quality: A Woo!
Number of Actual Meals: 1
Date-Ability: A couple months into dating

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*Picture taken from urbanspoon.com

Blue Elephant Thai, Sushi, and Italian Restaurant (Hyde Park- Cincinnati, Ohio)

"Get Your Roll On" by Big Tymers

Sushi Edition
Blue Elephant is a small restaurant located in the Hyde Park/Mt.Lookout area of Cincinnati, Ohio. The restaurant offers a variety of food featuring sushi, Thai cuisine, and Italian cuisine, but sushi was on my plate for this review. In the Cincinnati area it is sometimes hard to find good sushi, no less, seafood in general so I figured I had nothing to lose.

My first impression of the restaurant was,"whoa, this is pretty nice for a sushi restaurant." The restaurant provides a casual to fine dining atmosphere with 'romantic' lighting and dark wood furniture, and also provides the option to dine outside on their small porch area. The only negative to the outdoor seating is that is on the street side so it can become noisy, however how often do you find sushi with an outdoor seating area?

What I Ordered
Edamame
Miso Soup
Spicy Tuna Roll
Volcano Maki Roll 
(I was hungry, what can I say?)

The presentation of the food was great and it tasted just as great. The edamame was cooked to perfection and the miso soup was also delicious. Sometimes sushi rolls are not rolled tight enough and it becomes a mess to eat; that was not the problem here. The sushi chef rolled tight rolls that made for easy eating.  

My bill totaled about $27.00, but on an average day when my eyes aren't bigger than my stomach a meal may run you closer to $15.00. 

Knowing that a lot of the sushi restaurants in the area offer half priced sushi specials, I asked if they had anything alike. Unfortunately, they do not at this time.  


Overall, the restaurant is located in a fun area of town, provides a great atmosphere, and good sushi. I am very interested in returning to try their Thai and Italian options. The restaurant could be the setting for a great first date. Prices are higher than average, but not too expensive and is nice enough to wear a dress and heels to without feeling overdressed. With great bars located within walking distance, it is convenient to get a night cap if the date goes well.

The Rankings:
Price: $$$
Quality: B+ 
Actual Number of Meals: Depends/this order=2 meals
Date-Ability: First Date

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Blue Elephant Website 

Krishna Indian Restaurant and Carry-Out (Clifton, Ohio)

"Jai Hi" Remixed By Pump Sisters
 
My History with Indian Food:
If you would have asked me four years ago if I liked Indian food I would have answered quickly with, "No, absolutely not!" This being despite the fact that I had never tried Indian food before.

My first introduction to Indian cuisine came while I was studying abroad in Australia. After trying several different dishes during my stay there I decided that I was very fond of the Indian cuisine.

Upon my arrival back to the States, many people were recommending that I try "Krishna's" a small Indian restaurant located in the heart of Clifton, near the University of Cincinnati campus.

Krishna Indian Restaurant and Carry-Out: 
Krishna's is a privately owned restaurant that just opened a second location in Oxford, Ohio near the Miami University campus. They offer a wide variety of chicken and vegetarian options which you are then asked to rank on a scale from 1-6 on how spicy you would like it, 6 being the spiciest. 

I would describe the atmosphere as a hole in the wall kind of place. There is very limited dine-in seating consisting of about four wooden booths each seating four people. In the summer, Krishna's does offer outdoor seating where they bring out bistro style tables and chairs for a sidewalk view, great for people watching. Despite the small eating area, it is extremely clean and the staff is very friendly, but the staff does not speak great English so be patient and they will help you find a meal you will greatly enjoy.

I have been to Krishna's many times by now. I order the Chicken Tikka Masala number spicy level 8 (if you give a wink to the owner he'll be more than happy to let you order off the scale) with a piece of Garlic Nan. The portions are huge and the food is 100% ethnic and tasty. They offer a lunch special where plain or garlic nan is free with your purchase. Depending if I am eating lunch or dinner my meals typically average $11.50- $15.00 which includes rice, nan, and the main dish.

Overall, it is one of my favorite finds. I try to eat there at least once a week and have never had a meal that I have not enjoyed.

So Here are the Rankings:
Price: $$$
Quality: A (Woo!)
Actual Number of Meals: 2- 2.5 
Date-Ability: Not a date place...grab lunch here. To impress, claim it is a great little place, 'you found.'

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