F ive is five times the loneliest number, but it’s still not enough to provide a taste of the fine food opportu-nities available in the region north of Cincinnati.

Arbitrary or not, however, these restaurants have tweaked the formula in ways that make them stand out from the crowd, even if only by a little bit. Whether it is the 210-year legacy of the Golden Lamb in Lebanon or the license plates that cover every inch of wall space at the Friendly

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WHETHER IT’S UPSCALE OR DOWN HOME, THESE SPOTS OFFER DINERS A DIVERSE MENU OF CHOICESBy Bill Thompson

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Lamb burger from the Golden Lamb.

4 B E S T O F T H E N O RT H : : S U M M E R 20 1 3

TAR

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At Cedar Village, care of our residents is our first priority. We offer services for the whole person, meeting their physical, emotional, social and spiritual needs to ensure that they achieve an optimal quality of life. We take our commitment to the community very seriously and we live our mission, to provide the highest quality healthcare, senior residential and community services, in keeping with Jewish values, yet open to all faiths. Cedar Village … It’s about caring.

Cedar Village Retirement Community | 5467 Cedar Village Drive, Mason, Ohio 45040 | Tel: 513.754.3100 | www.cedarvillage.org

• Driving Assessment Program• Cedar Village Home Care• Independent and Assisted Living• Rehabilitation After Hospitalization• Nursing Care and Specialized Dementia Care• Hospice—Comfort and Care• Shalom Center for Elder Abuse Prevention

c e d a r v i l l a g e s e r v i c e s

Cedar Village is a nonprofit retirement community, located in Mason, Ohio.

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Enrichment.

Stop in Glendale, next time you go out to eat, venture out of the comfort zone to try something different. There are plenty of places prepared to surprise and delight you.

DAVEED’S NEXTDavid Cook has made dining into an adventure. When Cook and his wife, Liz, closed Daveed’s in Mount Adams and opened Next in Loveland, they went all in on the communal concept. Customers have the option of sitting at the large table where food is served on family style platters and passed to friends (whether you met them when you sat down or came with them) on the left. Or sit at the eight high-top seats of the Chef’s Counter. One thing that hasn’t changed is the food, which is fresh, seasonal, local (when possible) and creative at all times. It’s an experience you won’t forget.

8944 Columbia Road, Loveland. (513) 683-2665 or www.daveedsnext.com.

FRIENDLY STOP CAFÉThere is a list of reasons why the restaurant prepares to celebrate its 80th anniversary next year. No. 1 is the name is true. The space is small, but the folks at the joint across the street from the more famous Grand Finale welcome everyone who comes through the door. Camaraderie, however, goes only so far in the food busi-ness, but the menu stands on its own. The

specialties are homemade meatloaf and ribs that are smoked on-site and topped with homemade sauce. The homemade motif extends to the soups, including chili. They also offer a wide variety of burgers, fish and chicken, and a number of appetiz-ers if you’re more interested in sitting at the bar and nibbling while you drink beer.

985 Congress Ave., Glendale. (513) 771-7427.

Daveed’s Next in Loveland.

S U M M E R 20 1 3 : : B E S T O F T H E N O RT H 5

Located in the heart of northern Cincinnati’s business district, the DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Cincinnati-Blue Ash is an all suite hotel,

minutes from Blue Ash, Mason, West Chester, and Sharonville. We take our warm welcome literally, that's why we give you a fresh-from-the-oven chocolate chip cookie at check-in. And that's just the

beginning of all the personal touches we make before you arrive, so you can just relax and enjoy.

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Cincinnati-Blue Ash scan with your mobile phone.

6300 E. Kemper Road, Sharonville, OH 45241-2364 T (513) 489 3636 F (513) 489 8231

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THE GOLDEN LAMBThe restaurant/hotel’s claim to historical fame is that it is Ohio’s oldest continuously operating business, dating back to 1803.

But history itself isn’t enough to stay in business that long, so the guardians of the legacy must still be doing something special. The dinner menu is packed with appetizing lamb, duck, steak, chicken and fish entrees, and brunch on weekends has long been a tradition for many families. Start your visit with a stop at the Black Horse Tavern before choosing one of four dining rooms — the Dickens, Lebanon,

Shaker and Buckeye — each with its own unique décor.

27 S. Broadway, Lebanon. (513) 932-5065 or www.goldenlamb.com.

STONE CREEK DINING COMPANYCincinnati native Mike Cunningham opened his first restaurant in Brownsburg, Ind., in 1997 and has worked to perfect the

Stone Creek Dining Company in West Chester.The Golden Lamb in Lebanon.

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6 B E S T O F T H E N O RT H : : S U M M E R 20 1 3

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formula since then. You can see the results at Stone Creek, which has two locations in town. Stone Creeks caters to the customer depending upon the time of day. Whether it’s the all-you-can-eat lunch specials or the mouth-watering dinner menu that features From the Land, From the Sea or either of those served in a variety of pasta dishes, there is something special for every palate cooking in the kitchen.

6200 Muhlhauser Road, West Chester, (513) 942-2100; 9386 Montgomery Road, Montgomery, (513) 489-1444. www.stonecreekdining.com.

TONY’STony Ricci is his mother’s son, and Mama Ricci taught him the satisfaction of watch-ing people enjoy the food that she pre-pared. Ricci isn’t trying to fool anyone; he knows there are many places where people can have a fine meal in the Tristate, but he has worked hard for the past 25 years to provide his customers with a unique din-ing experience that includes the ambience of the building, the energy of Ricci and his

staff, and of course, fresh food prepared with the loving touch that he learned from his mother. Tony’s specializes in steaks and seafood but dig a little deeper into the menu for something magical.

12110 Montgomery Road, Loveland. (513) 677-1993 or tonysofcincinnati.com. ■

Tony’s in Loveland.

S U M M E R 20 1 3 : : B E S T O F T H E N O RT H 7

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By Bill Thompson

B uffet dining doesn’t conjure the image of cutting-edge food culture. A keyword search of the Food Net-

work website finds one match: Rachael Ray visits the breakfast buffet at the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas.

But the customers at Twin Dragon Chinese Buffet and Grill in West Chester likely don’t give a whit about that. They come to Ben and Katie Wang’s restaurant because the food is good, there is plenty of it and it is reason-ably priced.

Ben grew up working in his family’s Chinese restau-rant in New York City. He went to college and worked a “regular” job for a while, but there is something about the food business that is hard to resist for those raised around it.

The Wangs opened Twin Dragon in 2004. One of the features that set it apart from many Chinese buffets at the time was the Hibachi grill where customers could custom order buffet items.

“Not many places had a grill then,” Ben says. “It has a more Asian feel, like add-ing Japanese to the Chinese buffet.”

There is also a sushi bar that comes with the buffet. Combine that with the more than 200 items that are avail-able, diners are getting quite

a deal for their money, which tops out at $11.99 for dinner on Friday and Saturday nights. The weekday lunch buffet is $6.99 for adults and Sunday’s price is $11.49 all day.

“We also have more meat and fish dishes for dinner so people have more choices

then,” Ben says. “And they can order them at the grill with different sauces or if they want dishes that are gluten free, for example.”

Whatever the Wangs are doing, they are doing it right. The main dining room can

seat 250 people, and there is a private room that holds up to 70 people for parties, meetings or events.

“It can get pretty full on weekends,” Katie says. “That’s when people come from all over; Dayton, Cin-cinnati, Kentucky. Dur-ing the week, it’s mainly people from this area.”

Regular customers are the backbone of any busi-ness, and the Wangs ap-preciate their loyalty. As Katie walks through the dining room, a gentleman stops her to chat about one of the employees. “I was talking to her when I was in here yesterday,” the man says. “I was just curious if she was work-ing today.”

The woman in question wasn’t there that day, but it ’s not unusual to see Ben and Katie there for 70 hours or more each week.

They don’t have a TV show to worry about.

7763 Tylersville Road, West Chester. (513) 759-9777 or twindragonbuffet.com. ■

Buffet BreedsLoyalty

There are more than 200 items on the Twin Dragon buffet.

8 B E S T O F T H E N O RT H : : S U M M E R 20 1 3

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DIN ING

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NortheastAmma’s Kitchen, Indian; 7633Reading

Road,Roselawn,(513)821-2021.VegetarianIndiancuisine. $$

Anand, Indian; 10890ReadingRoad,Sharonville,(513)554-4040.SpecializesinNorthernIndiancuisine,withfavoriteslikechickentikkamasalaandsaagpaneer. $$

Ando,Japanese;5889PfeifferRoad,BlueAsh,(513)791-8687.Hugeselectionofsushi,sashimi,noodleteriyakiandtempuradishes. $$

Anthony’s,American;7641VoiceofAmericaCentreDrive,WestChester,(513)779-3455.Cigarbarandgrillfeaturesanassortmentofbeerandwhisky.Trythemeatballsliders. $$

Antonio’s, Italian;7165LibertyCentreDrive,WestChester,(513)755-7242.UpscaleItaliandining. $$$

Aroma,Japanese;7875MontgomeryRoad,Kenwood,(513)791-0950.Standardsushiandentréessuchascoconutchicken. $$$

Blue Goose,American;11060ReadingRoad,Sharonville,(513)769-5700.Burgers,wrapsandcomfortfoodservedinfamilyfriendlysportsbar. $$

Brown Dog Café,American;5893PfeifferRoad,BlueAsh,(513)794-1610.Enjoysophisticated,eclecticcuisineinamodernsetting.Extensivewinesetting. $$$

Café Bella,Mediterranean;5948SniderRoad,Mason,(513)770-4141.Soups,salads,entrées,dessertsinspiredbyMediterraneanlife. $$$

Carlo & Johnny,Steakhouse;9769MontgomeryRoad,Montgomery,(513)936-8600.OldHollywoodglamouraccompaniesJeffRuby’sprimesteaks;alsosushi,seafood,ribs. $$$$

Cheesecake Factory,American; 7875MontgomeryRoad,Kenwood,(513)984-6911.Offeringmorethan30kindsofcheesecake,thisrestaurantalsoservesseafood,steak,pastaandSundaybrunch. $$$

Daveed’s Next, American;8944ColumbiaRoad,Loveland,(513)683-2665.Eclecticvenueoffersanewmenudailyservedfamilystyle. $$$

DeSha’s American Tavern,American;11320MontgomeryRoad,SymmesTownship,(513)247-9933.Enjoyclassicburgers,salads,friedchicken,pastaandKentuckyhotbrowns.$$

Eddie Merlot’s,Seafood,Steakhouse;10808MontgomeryRoad,Montgomery,(513)489-1212.Exceptionalprime-agedsteak,anextensiveselectionoffinewine.$$$$

Embers,Steakhouse;8170MontgomeryRoad,Madeira,(513)984-8090.SushiandcontinentalfavoritessuchasNewYorkstrip,babybackribs,searedseascallopsandlobstertail. $$$$

Ferrari’s Little Italy & Bakery, Italian; 7677GoffTerrace,Madeira,(513)272-2220.AvarietyofauthenticItaliandishes,plusbakerythatservespastries,breadanddeliitems. $$$

Fox & Hound Pub & Grille, American;5113BowenDrive,Mason,(513)229-7921.Withplentyofbeerspecials,apatioandpoolroom,thisspotisagreatplacetowinddown. $

Germano’s,Italian;9415MontgomeryRoad,Montgomery,(513)794-1155.AuthenticItaliancuisinefeaturespasta,seafood,chickenandvealdishes. $$$

Golden Lamb Inn,American; 27S.Broadway,Lebanon,(513)932-5065.EateryatOhio’soldesthotelhasroastturkey,porkchops,salmonandlambdishesplusaSundaybrunchthatdrawsmanyregulars. $$$

Greek Isles, Greek; 7037YankeeRoad,LibertyTownship,(513)755-0600.Thisfamily-ownedrestaurantalsoservesgyrosandmousaka,andalsoofferspizzaswithGreektoppings.$$

La Petite France,French;3177Glendale-MilfordRoad,Evendale,(513)733-8383.Frenchseafood,chicken,rackoflamb,duckbreastandfiletmignon,inbistroandprivatediningrooms.$$$$

Maggiano’s Little Italy, Italian;7875MontgomeryRoad,Kenwood,(513)794-0670.Family-sizedportionsofSouthernItaliancuisine. $$$

MJ’s on Main,American;18MainSt.,Milford,(513)831-9888.Eclecticarrayofappetizersandentrees.plusspecialtytacos. $$

Whether you want local classics or foreign fare, the North offers a wide selection of superior restaurants.

S U M M E R 20 1 3 : : B E S T O F T H E N O RT H 9

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Montgomery Inn, Barbecue; 9440 Montgomery Road, Montgomery, (513) 791-3482. Cincinnati’s favorite ribs, along with chicken, fish, steak and sandwiches, at the restaurant’s original location. $$$

Parker’s Blue Ash Grill, Steakhouse; 4200 Cooper Road, Blue Ash, (513) 891-8300. Pasta, salad, prime steak and chicken. $$$

P.F. Chang’s, Chinese; 9435 Civic Center Blvd., West Chester, (513) 779-5555. Chinese classics are served in an upscale atmosphere. Multiple locations. Great happy hour. $$$

Pitrelli’s, Italian; 404 Second Ave., Mason, (513) 770-0122. Authentic dishes topped with homemade sauce have kept customers coming back to this family owned spot for years. $$

Relish Modern Tapas; 5947 Deerfield Blvd., Mason, (513) 204-6925. Meat, chicken, seafood and vegetarian. $$$

Soho Japanese Bistro, Japanese; 7655 Voice of America Drive, West Chester, (513) 759-6870. Features a sushi bar, teppanyaki grill and private tatami room. $$

SuRa, Korean; 7876 Mason-Montgomery Road, Mason, (513) 204-3456. Grilled or stir-fried meats and vegetables, specialty stews and noodles. $$

Tandoor Cuisine of India, Indian; 8702 Market Place Lane, Montgomery, (513) 793-7484. Savory clay oven dishes of meat, poultry and breads. Exotic curries. $$

Tano Bistro and Catering , Continental; 204 W. Loveland Ave., Loveland. (513) 683-8266. Fresh ingredients adorn menu of meat, seafood and vegetarian dinners. Private dining area and catering. $$$

Tony’s, Steakhouse; 12110 Montgomery Road, Loveland, (513) 677-1993. Savor steaks, seafood and Mediterranean entrées. Live jazz. $$$$

Trio, American; 7565 Kenwood Road, Kenwood, (513) 984-1905. Sandwiches, soups, pastas, specialty pizza, steaks and fresh seafood. Sunday brunch. $$$

Twin Dragon Buffet & Grill, Chinese; 7763 Tylersville Road, West Chester, (513) 759-9777. Buffet-style family-friendly offerings with grill to order. $

Vincenzo’s, Italian; 11525 Chester Road, Sharonville, (513) 771-0022. Upscale neighborhood restaurant. $$$

The Works, Italian, American; 20 Grear Millitzer Lane, Loveland, (513) 697-8408. Variety of brick-oven pizzas and other casual menu items. $$$

Zab Thai Kitchen, Thai; 10667 Loveland-Madeira Road, Loveland, (513) 774-7800. Curries, noodle, rice, stir fry and soup dishes. $$

NorthwestCasa Bianca, American; 4940 Mulhauser

Road, West Chester, (513) 860-0829. Heartland cooking. $$$

Cock and Bull, Pub Food; 275 E. Sharon Road, Glendale, (513) 771-4253. Live music during the week. Try the fish ‘n chips. New location in Hyde Park. $$

Dave and Buster’s, American; 11775 Commons Drive, Springdale, (513) 671-5501. Enjoy combo deals for food, games and drinks. $$

Grand Finale, American; 3 E. Sharon Ave., Glendale, (513) 771-5925. Lunch and dinner include American and international cuisines, as well as highly acclaimed desserts. $$$

Friendly Stop Cafe, American; 985 Congress Ave., Glendale, (513) 771-7427. Casual joint with array of pub food highlighted by homemade meatloaf and Whisky’s Bar-B-Q. $

Half Day Café, American; 1 Wyoming Ave., Wyoming, (513) 821-2323. Serving traditional breakfast and lunch, with specialty items like the chicken and brie quesadilla or orange stuffed French toast. $

Jag’s, Steakhouse, Seafood; 5980 West Chester Road, West Chester, (513) 860-5353. Intimate restaurant offers Kobe beef, sushi, Ahi tuna, lobster tails and an array of steaks. $$$$

Pappadeaux, Seafood; 11975 North West Blvd., Springdale, (513) 671-4473. Oysters, shrimp, alligator, lobster, crab and etouffee. $$$

Rail House at Iron Horse, American; 40 Village Square, Glendale, (513) 772-3333. The downstairs serves upscale fare while a tavern operates upstairs at the 1800s historic spot. $$$

Riverbank Cafe, American; 102 S. Main St., Hamilton, (513) 896-1666. Burgers, sandwiches, entrees, specialty pizzas and special breakfast offering on weekends. $$

Servatii, Pastry, Deli; 5876 Cheviot Road, White Oak, (513) 385-3503. Multiple locations throughout the region for cookies, breads, cakes and sandwiches. $

Stone Creek Dining Company, American; 6200 Muhlhauser Road, West Chester, (513) 942-2100. Sandwiches and pasta share menu space with swordfish and New York strip steaks. Also 9386 Montgomery Road, Montgomery. $$$

Sushi Monk , Sushi; 8268 Princeton-Glendale Road, West Chester, (513) 881-1889. Wide variety of sushi plus soups and salads. $$

Troy’s Cafe, American; 4877 Smith Road, West Chester, (513) 860-3206. Comfort is the goal with dishes like meatloaf and salmon, plus gourmet burgers and Sunday brunch. Offers daily specials on its authentic Mexican dishes. $$

Vinoklet Winery, Steakhouse; 11069 Colerain Ave., Colerain Township, (513) 385-9309. Grill your own steak or other entree at this working winery and restaurant. $$$

Wise Owl Wine Bar, Tapas; 6206 Muhlhauser Road, West Chester, (513) 860-9493. Wine and cocktails paired with small, tasty plates. $$

1 0 B E S T O F T H E N O RT H : : S U M M E R 20 1 3

Mount Pleasant Retirement Village is honored to be a long-standing and respected member of the Monroe community. We offer an uncompromising high standard of living with all of the warmth and hospitality of home. Mount Pleasant sits on 110 beautiful acres and is proud to be a not-for-profit full continuum of care provider. Our residents are confident in knowing that if their health care needs may change, they can continue to call Mount Pleasant home. Mount Pleasant Retirement Village offers Independent Living, Assisted Living, Dementia Care, Rehabilitation Care, Skilled Nursing, and an Adult Day Care Center. At Mount Pleasant, our emphasis is on providing quality service and care for each of our residents by providing a safe and loving atmosphere filled with activities and new friends. We are truly a village dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for each and every one of our residents.

888.539.7760www.mountpleasantohio.org

Living Life to the Fullest

T he Taste of Blue Ash and the city’s July 4 Red, White and Blue Ash are part of the familiar merriment

that constitutes summer. The region’s top restaurants trot out food offerings and national music acts take the stage in an intimate venue. Other festivities flourish throughout the summer in communities such as Fairfield, Mason, Montgomery and West Chester.

BLUE ASHThe food choices are too numerous to list during Taste of Blue Ash when more than 200,000 people descend on the city to browse the vendors and set up their seats

Events — Annual, Holiday, Special — Highlight Calendar

ENTERTAINMENT

People from throughout the region enjoy the Taste of Blue Ash.

By Helen Cary

CIT

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F BL

UE

ASH

S U M M E R 20 1 3 : : B E S T O F T H E N O RT H 1 1

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early for three days of music. Sample as many tastes as you like from portions that cost from $3 to $5. Aug. 23-25.

Held on Independence Day, one of the biggest fireworks displays in the region

caps off Red, White and Blue Ash. Food and live music play a part in this free event where the bands are top notch and so are the fireworks. July 4. (513) 745-8500 or www.blueash.com.

MONTGOMERYThe Blue Ash/Montgomery Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1987 and is currently led by Michael Chertock. Be-ginning in 2003, it has been sponsored by the cities of Blue Ash and Montgom-ery. Montgomery Park, the orchestra’s home, opens its doors for other events including local organizations and family get-togethers. The orchestra will salute America on July 3.

The city’s July 4th Parade and Festival has been a tradition for many families for many years. The event has games for children as well as plenty of food and drink. The annual holiday parade that features floats, vintage cars, military units, elected officials and marching bands kicks off the day. July 4. (513) 891-2424 or www.montgomeryohio.org.

WEST CHESTEREnjoy the nice weather while shopping at the weekly West Chester Farmers’

ENTERTAINMENT

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