Late last year national sandwich chain Which Wich? opened a location close to my house, their fourth location in the area. I’ve had their sandwiches a handful of times before, but I was always on the run and never took the time to review.

Outside

The first thing you’ll see when you walk into any Which Wich? location is the menu board along with their unique ordering system. Customers first select from one of 10 sandwich categories (think turkey, chicken, etc.) and grab a brown paper bag for that category. On each category bag there are a handful of sandwich options (like club and turkey Reuben for turkey) and customers make their selection using a red sharpie marker. From there you can select your cheeses, mustard, mayo, dressings, veggies, and more. The ordering process is a little complex but it is nice as the sandwich options are near limitless.

Inside

On this visit I ordered the club with turkey, ham, and bacon ($5.50 for small 7″) and a side of house chips ($1.25). Most sandwiches are all the same price and can be ordered in three sizes on white or wheat, plus bowlwich (salad) and lettucewich (wrap) option exist too.

Club

The club was great, the Dijon mustard had a very nice spice level to it, and the veggies were fresh and crisp. The small was definitely enough for a solid lunch, and I would have to think the large 14″ would be a great option to split with another. There is a location that we visit in northern Kentucky on the way to the lake. Orders can be placed online for any location for a super speedy pickup.

Over the weekend my family and I headed down to the Cincinnati Gardens for the Royal Hanneford Circus. This traveling circus is often called the oldest in the world. Included in the two set performance were tigers, high wire acrobats, dancing camels, elephants, trapeze, and my personal favorite the performing bears.

Castle’s Bears

The bears can walk on a large ball, ride bicycles, and even a motorcycle. It is the only act of its type in the show world today.

Bear Riding A Motorcycle

During intermission various animals were available for rides and photos, including elephants and camels. My almost two-year-old daughter loved her ride on a camel. The rides were not cheap though, $10 per person.

Camel Ride

We were able to get excellent seats in the first five rows for just $17 a ticket. This is a steal compared to what seats you would get at Ringling Brothers, something in the upper sections for sure. Plus the acts were just as good as what you see at Ringling Brothers for at least half the price. The Royal Hanneford’s have already left town, but something to keep in mind for next year.

Prior to catching a performance at music hall a couple of weeks back, my wife and I joined my brother and his girlfriend for dinner at Zula. I’ve been to Zula a few times before, but just for drinks at the bar. As the hostess showed us to our table, I was amazed at how big the dining space is. I had no idea that there were more than the few tables you can see from the bar.

Eggplant Fries

We started with eggplant fries topped with confectioner sugar ($8.75) and arancini filled with rice along with bits of braised pork and cheese ($10.50 for 3). The eggplant fries were served with an amazing spicy-sour dipping sauce, which mixed well with the sweetness of the fries. The serving size was large and easily enough for our party of four to share.

Arancini

Our server kindly let us know that the arancini was just an order of three and asked if we wanted to add another fried ball to the order so everyone in our party could try them. I’m glad we did as these were very good, though the pork was a little scarce on the inside.

Baby Kale Salad

We also sampled the baby kale salad with radicchio, goat cheese, and walnuts ($9.50). Again this was more than enough for two and probably could serve four. The goat cheese was especially tasty, but nothing else stood out much.

Brussels Sprout Leaves Flat Bread

Finally we ordered the Brussels sprout leaves flat bread with fresh mozzarella, Pecorino Romano, hickory smoked bacon lardons, and extra virgin olive oil ($15). I’m glad we had a small group with us, as again the flat bread was large and my wife and I needed help finishing it off. This was a tasty dish with plenty of toppings on a perfectly cooked crust.

Others in our party sampled the New Orléans mussels as well as the beef carpaccio, which both received high marks. Our service was outstanding and the the flow of food was very well paced throughout our visit. I will definitely return to Zula whether it be for a date night or for a group get together.

A new craft beer bar has opened up near my house in East Walnut Hills. The Growler House name makes the location sound like a grab and go place, but the inside is setup well for visitors to leisurely enjoy several rounds. On my visit during Cincinnati Beer Week, more than half of the 30 taps were dedicated to local beer, which I’m hoping is a trend that continues. Beers are served by the pint (or snifter) as well as in a 5 oz “bencher” for easy flight tastings. Obviously growler fills are also available plus wine by the glass too.

Growler House Bar

The inside is very spacious, though only a dozen or so stools are available. Snacks can be bought at the bar and a TV in the corner will likely have your favorite game on. Packaged beer options are also available for purchase and again a solid lineup of locals was available during my visit. During the week they open at 3 (closed on Mondays) and on the weekend it’s noon. From what the bartender says, the closing time is a little flexible based on the crowd.

Gomez Salsa is a taco window in Over-the-Rhine directly next to Half Cut. The real beauty is that the food can be delivered to your inside Half Cut while enjoying their sixteen craft beer choices. You can also wait on the sidewalk for your order, but wouldn’t you rather be out of the elements and enjoying a nice beer?

Turtle Shell

The most popular thing to order from Gomez is the “turtle shell”, which they call a hybrid burrito ($8). Think of it similar to the Taco Bell’s crunchwrap, with a hard tostado shell inside a soft burrito sized tortilla. The inside is stuffed with rice, beans, sour cream, lettuce, salsa, cheese, and your choice of meats or sautéed veggies. It’s a quick and delicious meal to enjoy on the go or with a few pints.

For Christmas my brother got Kim and I a membership to Enjoy the Arts. Enjoy the Arts gives anyone aged 35 or younger free tickets, ongoing discounts, exclusive invitations, and insider information to enjoy Cincinnati’s world-class arts scene for an entire year. I’m not sure why I never heard of this before my brother joined, it seems like something that nearly all my friends should have taken advantage of. If there is anyone that isn’t too close to the age cutoff I urge you to join right away.

Over the weekend we all went to the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra’s performance of Gustav Holst’s The Planets. Though this performance is over, there are plenty of other CSO performances throughout the year that you can see for free after joining Enjoy the Arts. I’m looking forward to heading to the Ensemble Theatre, Shakespeare Company, and Playhouse in the Park, just to name a few.

I recently competed in Frisch’s Big Boy’s Lenten Recipe Competition. Each competitor was tasked with creating a delicious meatless recipe using Frisch’s tartar sauce. The sauce is already featured in many recipes on their website, so coming up with a unique item was a bit of a challenge. Eventually I settled on making fried green tomatoes from scratch and featuring these on a grilled cheese with plenty of Frisch’s tartar sauce.

Finished Product

This was my first time making fried green tomatoes, but the process is actually very simple. And we all know how easy making a grilled cheese sandwich is, so overall this shouldn’t take too much to prepare. And the results were really good!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1 large green tomato, sliced 1/4 inch thick (4 slices)
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 4 slices sourdough bread
• 4 slices pepperjack cheese
• 4 tablespoons Frisch’s tartar sauce

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
2. Place the flour, eggs, and cornmeal in 3 separate bowls.
3. Press both sides of the tomato slices first in the flour, then in the eggs (letting any excess drip off), and finally in the cornmeal.
4. Cook the tomato slices until golden, 1 to 2 minutes per side.
5. Transfer to a paper towel–lined plate.
6. Wipe out the skillet with a paper towel and place it over medium heat.
7. Spread butter onto 1 side of each slice of bread.
8. Place 2 of the slices butter side down in the skillet.
9. Stack 1 slice of pepperjack cheese, 1 tablespoon of Frisch’s tartar sauce, 2 slices of green tomato, another tablespoon of Frisch’s tartar sauce, and finally another slice of pepperjack cheese onto each piece of bread in the skillet.
10. Top with the remaining slices of bread with the butter on the outside.
11. Cook until the bottom is golden.
12. Flip the sandwiches and cook until golden brown on the other side.

Recently my wife and I finally made it to the Incline Public House. I never would have thought it would have taken us two years to visit, especially with my family’s frequent travel to the west side of town. We arrived just after opening (11 AM) on a late Saturday morning.

Inside

A few other tables were occupied but we were able to request a table near the windows overlooking the city. The restaurant continued to fill as our meal progressed and before long half of the tables were occupied before noon. It was a very dreary day, but the view was still nice. The patio has to be amazing on a warm and clear day.

Patio and View

We quickly decided to split the spicy pickle fries as an appetizer ($7). The pickles are made in-house from a family recipe and are outstanding. Slices of the unfried pickle are served with sandwiches, but the fried variety are worth ordering. They are so soft that they nearly melt in your mouth. Easily some of the best fried pickles I have ever had.

Spicy Pickle Fries

For lunch I had the pulled pork sandwich with fries ($11). The sandwich was massive and the pork was piled high. Served on top of the meat was BBQ sauce, pickled apple slaw, cheddar, and onion straws. Overall the sandwich was good, but I could have used more of the sauce, which was hardly noticeable at first.

Pulled Pork Sandwich

My wife had the BBQ pineapple pizza with prosciutto, pineapple salsa, smoked gouda, cheddar, and BBQ sauce ($11). Their pizzas are made to order and cooked in a wood oven. The pizza was cooked perfectly with just the right amount of char. The toppings were plentiful and the flavor was delicious.

BBQ Pineapple Pizza

Our food was great, the service was excellent. We will definitely be back to the Include Public House and I hope it is during warmer weather so we can enjoy the beautiful patio and view.

The owners of the New Orléans To Go food truck now have a brick and mortar location to go along with the truck. They recently opened up just after the first of the year in a spot on Madison Road in East Walnut Hills, next door to the Growler House.

Inside

Inside the spacious dining room are more than a dozen tables along with a handful of seats at the bar and some high top tables nearby. The walls are covered in New Orléans memorabilia and there is a small window into the kitchen area.

Bar

For those that have had the pleasure of visiting the truck in the past, you will be happy to find many of those staples along with an expanded menu. The menu is constantly evolving and the daily offerings are often posted on their Facebook page and on chalk boards inside. Also the hours aren’t set in stone so be sure to call ahead or check their social media accounts.

Chicken Po’ Boy

I ordered the chicken po’ boy ($10 with a bag of chips) with a side of fries ($3 up-charge). When asked about the spicy honey sauce, your answer should always be, “Yes!” I had the sauce served on both my sandwich and the fries and it was amazing. There was so much meat on the sandwich that it was extremely difficult to eat, but that is definitely a good thing. My meal cost more than I usually like to spend for lunch, but everything was prepared fresh to order and I was completely filled at the end. I will definitely be back for more.

Last night we wrapped up the best season in the Fountains Square Broomball League for the Little Kings. Our 5-1-1 record was the first winning record in club history and we finished in 3rd place overall.

Winning Team

The playoffs were different this year, with every team making it into the playoffs and simply playing the team with the next closest record. There were no rounds and every team played just one extra game. I think had we not lost our first game of the season we could have had our chance at the league championship.

Award Ceremony

Word on the street is that some of us may join forces in the Washington Park Kickball League this summer, so be on the lookout for that.