So, you think you know good BBQ, huh?

On the surface, barbecue is nothing more than tender, slowly smoked meat. Pretty simple, right? Well, not really. I’ve been an avid BBQ junkie for about 25 years now and am constantly amazed at what people think is good barbecue. How often have you taken someone’s advice and followed up on their barbecue restaurant recommendations? Admit it, you’ve been there and it’s often a very perplexing situation. Was the restaurant having an off day? Is it me? Does my friend have no idea WTF they are talking about?

Technical definitions and personal preference aside, what is good barbecue? Somewhat seriously, somewhat jokingly: if you like it, its good barbecue. Just don’t expect everyone to agree with you though. Over the years, I have grown to appreciate that BBQ is much more than technique and taste. It is experience, culture, memories, expectation and history all twisted up into one irrational ball. Yea, that’s the BBQ I like.

Case in point, Hound and Lefty were in Owensboro, KY to judge at a barbecue competition and decided to sample some of the famous local cuisine the night before the competition. Many of the locals say if you want good barbecue and a great buffet, go to Moonlight BBQ. However, if you want better barbecue, go to Old Hickory. Sold! Old Hickory it is.

You could smell wood smoke before you got there, the parking lot was full or cars and trucks representing all socioeconomic statuses, people were walking out with sauce on their shirts, big stacks of napkins adorned the tables, the waitress called you honey – all the telltale signs were looking good! I ordered the combo platter: chopped pork, pork ribs and mutton. My heaping plate arrived and I enthusiastically dug in. You call this crap barbecue I snorted to Lefty, my breath still heavy with Woodford Reserve from the pre-dinner planning session back at the hotel. It is to these folks, he replied.

As much as I hate to admit it, he had a very valid point. This was their style of barbecue: over cooked, over sauced, chopped to mush; just the way they grew up liking it. Who is this transplanted southern hound turned Midwest Yankee to tell them any different?

While most entries in a barbecue competition share many commonalities (they have morphed into the taste category of “Competition BBQ”) and lend themselves to critical review, restaurant BBQ is unique unto itself. If you have tasted one, you’ve tasted one. Sure, you’ll get dominant regional styles, but there will be a pretty wide degree of latitude between the individual interpretations of that style in search of uniqueness. Pretty much like a community of churches: one dominant religion with a few variations of that theme, a few fanatic splinter groups and a few completely different religions targeting those of a different mindset. So, good brothers and sisters, which is the true righteous path? Follow He that only serves sauce on the side.

The Green Dog Cafe

Fresh, local, high quality foods served in an environmentally conscious manner in a stylish yet simple setting. Hound understands what they are doing, but there are a few aspects of this restaurant that require a mental shift that may take a little time to get used to.



First and foremost is the walk-up ordering. This just seems odd for a “nice restaurant” where menu items greatly exceed the price and quality of the $5 foot long style of ordering. Further, put some newbies in the line and a single order can be a lengthy proposition. Part of the dining experience itself usually entails sitting with your companion, chatting about the food, sipping a beverage of choice and then sealing the deal with an order. Hound felt a little cheated on the totality of his dining experience.

Another shift is that of expectation. Fresh, organic ingredients, locally renowned chef-owner, trendy surroundings and location – you are primed for an over-the-top culinary experience. Well, not exactly. The sad truth is that quality, good for you food is not necessarily that much, if any, better tasting. Case in point was my roast turkey sandwich. Quality, locally sourced ingredients all the way, but overcooked hard bacon and dry turkey less than delights the palate. The famous Brown / Green Dog fries? Oily and limp. The great Thai sweet chile sauce to dip them in? Replaced by some funky homemade banana laced ketchup. The addictive curry mayo? Yea baby, it’s still there!

Even with these “only Hound’s opinion” shortcomings, I still expect that the Green Dog will sharpen its customer experience and fine tune their menu offerings. However, for now, Hound has to go with three paws out of five.

State Sandwich of West Virginia?

You don’t need to be in West Virginia very long to meet the pepperoni roll. They are everywhere. Bakeries, supermarkets, gas stations, pubs, church bazaars or tailgating before the big WVU game, they have infiltrated the very social fabric of the state.

What are they? Simple, rolls that are filled with pepperoni. Easy answer, but the story goes much deeper.

Rather than have Hound provide a lame account of the pepperoni roll without doing it the true justice it deserves, the New York Times has been kind enough to provide this hard hitting expose of West Virginia and its beloved pepperoni roll. Yea, Hound still makes them.

Read the full story at the New York Times, you will be glad you did. You know, human interest stuff for foodies.

Pepperoni Roll: Exposed!

Chicago Comes to Cincinnati?

Thin crust, thick crust, rustica, deep dish or pan – Hound likes them all. Pizza is just one of those foods you can’t help but like. Start with a nice dough then add just about anything you want to include on top, or even within. This makes pizza the ultimate in custom food. Most every pizzeria has at least “pretty good” pizza – you are hungry, you can eat it. Moving up the scale, there is good pizza and great pizza – and this is where the field dramatically narrows.

Always willing to try new places, several of us recently made a lunch trip to Kenwood to try Chi-nnati’s Pizza, a hybrid name symbolizing Chicago style food mixed with some nods to Cincinnati. Upon arriving, we were warmly greeted at the door and shown to our table. Wow, this is a big place and boy is it empty. Hopefully, Kenwoodians just don’t eat pizza for lunch. They must be across the street getting uber portions of food at the Cheesecake Factory. Speaking of which, I do have grave concerns about what they are doing to the American waistline and wallet, but I’ll save that rant for another time.

The Chi-nnati menu offers a fairly large selection of sandwiches, salads and of course, pizza. Our server warned us that for lunch they recommend a thin crust pizza since you could wait 45 minutes for a deep dish. Thin is in! The guys plan to share an extra large bacon, banana pepper and onion pizza. Basically, this is their specialty BBQ Baconnati pizza with pizza sauce instead of BBQ sauce. There is certain weird shit that even Hound has to draw the line on. One of our female companions gets a small “meat freak” while our vegetarian gal opts for the veggie sandwich. Yes, we’ll have some bruschetta while we wait. Cheezy garlic bread? Yea, that too.

Delivered to a famished crew, the bruschetta was quickly devoured before its photo op. It was a nice appetizer of toasted Italian bread, tomatoes, garlic, basil, olive oil and balsamic vinegar. While pretty good, it could have used some fresh mozzarella and A LOT LESS balsamic. This appetizer was no challenge to my beloved bruschetta at Pomodori in Montgomery. Cheezy garlic bread? It also was devoured before photos and was clearly the superior appetizer.

After the appetizers and a refill of iced tea later, the mongo pizza arrives. Yipes, that’s pretty big even for the three of us.. The small meat freak pizza? Yea, she’ll be taking some of that back to the office. While I didn’t try them, the meat freak and veggie sandwich owners gave thumbs up to their selections.

My pizza? I’m glad you asked. Overall, the toppings were fresh and quite good, though I would have preferred a smokier bacon for this pizza.

The thin crust, while clearly identified as crispy, was a little too crispy for me. That’s crispy in a hard kind of way. I love a good thin crust, but I still need a little softness to be present. This was crunch, crunch pizza. It was a good pizza, but not even close to a stellar five paw rating. Next time, I’ll try the deep dish.

Chi-nnati’s

7980 Hosbrook Road, Madeira, Ohio

(513) 985-4445

Hound's Rating? Three Paws out of Five

Tales of the Tea Goddess

Hound went to Kenwood Towne Center Friday with the Houndettes to look at Macs for Houndette One while Houndette Two was there for the clothes. Houndette One purchased a new iMac (with bonus iTouch!) in short order, but we still needed to wait on the real shopper who would be back to us “in about 10 minutes”. Yea, right.

With no real desire to lug a computer to Forever XXI, we parked ourselves on the nearest open bench. After a couple of “just a few more minutes” calls, I wandered over for some “biscuits” at Godiva. Bought a couple packs of raspberry chocolate cookies and a few on-sale individual size packs of cookies for us to consume while we waited. Have you ever tried to open one of these impermeable foil packs? Yank this way, tear that way to no avail.

Suddenly, a striking Asian Goddess appears from nowhere brandishing scissors to ease my plight. I share my cookies, she offers me tea. Hmm, this tea is really good. I follow her blindly to Teavana, a new specialty shop that sells, you got it, tea and tea paraphernalia. They have around a hundred types of teas neatly arranged in color coded canisters that form a wall in the back of the store. In addition, they offer many unique blends of the various teas, each with a surprising new taste profile. So, how many potential tea blend combinations could you make? Easy answer, quite a few.

I was led around the store to various tasting stations of both hot and iced teas. The tastes and aromas were hypnotizing. Eventually they had me: an iced, decaf herbal tea with pomegranate, apple, lemon, ruby orange and various spices like whole cardamom. Hound had to have it. (this coming from a caffeine addicted, espresso drinking hound) She kindly sold me a tea container, a measuring spoon and blended my teas while I just said yes to all she offered. I can say no to all salespeople, but not to the Tea Goddess.

If you find yourself at Kenwood Towne Center, stop by for a taste. And another. And another. Then, just hand them your wallet. Teavana is located in the new Bermuda Triangle consisting of Bose, Godiva, and now Teavana that you must pass through on your voyage to the Apple Store. Tell the Tea Goddess that the Hound who can’t open cookies sent you.

Sammy's gourmet burgers and beers

Sammy’s Gourmet Burgers and Beers is a new and popular bar & pub in Blue Ash in the former location of Taylor’s Pub at Creek and Kenwood Roads. I’ve been there three times for lunch and twice for happy hour after work. Good beer selection and lots of great appetizers and pub food to go with it, especially at happy hour – half price appetizers and $1 off the beers. I almost feel like I’m cheating them since the happy hour bill is so small. That just makes me tip bigger.

Happy hour prices - almost like stealing

The pub is newly remodeled in a reserved sports theme complete with the requisite football helmet, jerseys and flat screen televisions. The place is clean, has great service, ice cold beer and an outdoor dining area. Be sure to get there late for lunch since everyone else is trying the early thing. For dinner, leave work a little early to beat the crowd and take full advantage of the 4:00 happy hour start.

Pub at 4:30, someone is leaving work early

Oh yea, the gourmet burgers, almost forgot about those. Excuse me while I pull out the soapbox. Got it, thanks. Hound’s humble opinion is that the word gourmet is being overused and often refers to something that just tastes like it should, like back before the chains numbed our palates with mediocre food and bombed our senses with flair as a substitute for quality.

My last run in with “gourmet” was at Rising Roll Gourmet. There, they focused on the bread to make it gourmet, yet slighted the integrity of the sandwich overall. Sammy’s takes a new twist on gourmet, focus on the toppings. I’ll admit, they have some great toppings, but so does Terry’s Turf Club. The difference is that Terry understands that a “gourmet burger” is like a three legged stool, focusing on one leg guarantees a tumble. First leg – a freshly ground and pattied burger. Leg two – a bun that will stand up to the juicy burger you have created, toasted please. Third leg – the toppings to add some variety.

Sammy’s goes straight for the toppings, sort of a peg leg approach to beat my leg analogy to death. The bun is OK, but the burger itself is the primal sin. While promoting the use of 100% Angus beef, the texture is wrong, wrong, wrong. (just counting the three times I tried it) You know that spongy mouth feel you get from a frozen, pre-pattied burger? Sammy’s has that taste in spades. For a $9.50 burger, I need more than good guacamole.

It could have been a great burger.....

The last sponge burger I had was at Party Source for one of their “Thirstdays” beer and burgers. Their gourmet burger focused on the toppings as well: chili, onions, mustard and a slice of hot dog. I’ve not been back.

Party Source sponge and weenie burger

Basically, Sammy’s is a great place for appetizers and beers. It is a welcome addition to Blue Ash and an outstanding happy hour venue. But that gourmet burger thing? It just ain't happening.

InCahoots? No, I'm innocent.

InCahoots recently opened at its new location on Hunt Road in Blue Ash. I never had the opportunity to try them during the short time they were on Kenwood Road, but had heard good reports on their food. Needing to validate these claims for myself, a companion and I tried them for dinner about three weeks after their reopening. All said and done, I should have waited on the fourth installment of InCahoots.

While it does promote itself as a bar and restaurant, the execution comes off a little schizophrenic. The left side upon entering is the bar area done in a sports bar theme, but a little too upscale to pull it off. Then there’s the pool table. Bikers would need to be wearing tasseled loafers and khakis to play here.

The bar area

The dining area is directly in front of you. It basically consists of a corridor filled with four person booths on each side. There is an entry further down on the right to the party room / reserved section. The dining area is decorated nicely and ties to the upscale casual theme of the bar. However, somehow this bar / restaurant theme just isn’t working - it just seems like two ideas randomly smashed together. And that pool table….. Rack ‘em up, wanna play for a lemon drop martini?

We arrived fairly early on a weeknight and were promptly greeted and escorted to a table. In a flash, we were provided a plate of complimentary make-your-own bruschetta. The plate had nicely toasted bread crisps and a bowl of tomato/olive oil/garlic topping. After several minutes of discussion, we finally deduced that the small beige rubbery substances in our topping must have been fresh mozzarella at one time before it was hacked into little bits.

I ordered the Cajun Chicken Pasta described as containing blackened chicken breast served over penne pasta with a rich “chorizo Alfredo sauce”. At $17 (salad extra) it was positioned at the high end of “casual dining” range.



The meals were delivered quickly, before my companion could even half finish her salad. While fairly attractive on the plate, its presentation suffered because of my request to not include the diced asparagus. Some vegetables just shouldn’t be diced. Asparagus aside, the dish had multiple problems for which I accept no culpability. The penne was overcooked and somewhat gummy. The “rich sauce” was scarce and more oily than rich and the pieces of chorizo were not much larger than rough stone ground cornmeal. The chicken was not “blackened”, but rather cooked to a dry consistency with a sprinkling of Cajun spice mix. Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t terrible, just truly uninspired in its culinary execution. For $17, I want at least al dente pasta.

You call this blackened?

Hound’s rating? Two paws for the entrée. Next time I’ll try a sandwich, provided my companion is still buying.