Guest Blog: forkheartknife

As part of our Friday Guest Blogger Series, Kris' sister-in-law Jen will be telling us all about her awesome experience at forkheartknife! I've never been there, but after reading this I definitely want to try it! Thanks, Jen!!
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I am very excited to be a part of the famous “Girls who Grub” food blog.  As a long time food lover myself, I truly enjoy reading about new restaurants and different types of foods that I may want to try.  That is the main reason that I was so excited to try a small restaurant in Over the Rhine called forkheartknife.  This restaurant has an amazing back story-I encourage you to read it here .  Basically, one of the owners decided to start cooking for her sister when she became ill with cancer.  Her sister ended up passing away, and she then decided that she didn’t want to waste any more time of her life doing anything she didn’t love; so she decided with a friend to open this small, 4 table restaurant in Over the Rhine.  When I say small, I mean walk-through the kitchen to use the restroom small! (Which was also surprisingly small).  A good friend of mine, Jess, has been several times so she was the perfect person to ask for my first time, and we also invited our good friend Katie along.

We planned to meet at 10 which is when they are supposed to open.  Jess got there 5 minutes early, which was a good thing because the tables were already full and we were put on the list.  When you are put on the list, they take your cell phone number and encourage you to hit up some of the local shops and bars in OTR and will call you when they have a table ready for you.  Since we were in for a wait we decided to walk down the street to a bar called MOTR to have a drink.  They also serve brunch so if you are in the area and don’t feel like waiting, this is another place that you could try. 

After a round of drinks we got the call that our table was ready!  We were seated with another couple which made things kind of intimate.  Like I said, the place only has 4 tables so you take what you can get.  The menu changes each week and is displayed on a big sheet of butcher paper on the wall.  There were so many delicious and enticing items on the menu that we had trouble deciding.  We easily decided that we were not allowed to order the same things and that we would share everything that we had.  Katie decided on the blueberry almond coffee cake and the honey greek yogurt with nuts and berries.  These were both fabulous options.  I tend to shy away from coffee cake because it tends to be dry and overly sugary.  This was neither-the cake was dense and moist and the tartness of the blueberries helped to balance out the sweet almond topping.  The yogurt was one of my favorite things.  It had strawberries and a mixture of about ten different types of nuts on top of the sweet and smooth yogurt.  Katie was very pleased with her selections, as were well!

Jessica chose the cornbread and chicken chorizo.  Katie was not overly enthusiastic about getting this dish because she doesn’t like cornbread-she changed her mind.  This thick piece of cornbread was mixed with peppers, cheese and chicken chorizo which gave it just the slightest kick.  It literally melted in your mouth.  It came with a simple salad on the side with a homemade dressing.  To be honest, I was least interested in the salad so most of the salad went in the to-go box.

I had a lot of trouble deciding between the pizza strata which was something I had never had before, and the breakfast burrito.  Both sounded great but I asked Sierra (who is the waitress, hostess, cashier, and sometimes bus girl) and she said that I had to get the strata.  I was glad that I did!  It is made mostly from egg but you would never know because it took on an almost doughy consistency.  It was filled with cheese and tomatoes and if I closed my eyes I could have sworn I was eating a piece of pizza.  I really enjoyed it and the strata also came with a salad but I didn’t touch much of it! 

As a side we also got a plate of red potatoes.  I honestly don’t remember what all went into these potatoes but they were really good, and half of them went into the to-go box as well.  All in all we got 2 entrees, the yogurt, coffee cake, potatoes and two coffees and our bill was $32.  I did not think that was bad for stuffing three girls for brunch! 

Overall, I enjoyed my experience at forkheartknife.  It was a cozy, intimate atmosphere that was different from most of the places that I eat.  They served interesting and heart felt food and you can taste the love they put in everything they do.  I like their story-having been affected by cancer in my life I appreciate their willingness to take a risk and do what they love.  Now for the bad news-they’re closing up shop.  They have decided not to renew their lease because they have gotten too big for their little space!  So, if you want to try it out you better act fast.  They are open for Thursday dinner and Saturday and Sunday brunch.  They will have more seating outside when it is warm and they also do carryout.  If you do decide to go, take your own beer and take cash! 

Food: 4
Service:4
Overall:4

Review: Bonefish Grill

I’m sure many of you have been to Bonefish Grill. It is a chain that is located in Hyde Park, West Chester, and Crescent Springs around here.  If you haven’t been there, it’s pretty solid choice for seafood.  I have been many times and have always been pleased!

I recently went with my husband on a Saturday evening.  The ambiance is a modern, busy restaurant without being too loud.  There is a large waiting area inside and outside, which if you don’t have a reservation or go before or after peak hours, there is likely a wait on weekends.  We waited maybe 5 minutes.

Every time I have gone to Bonefish, they have a few specials; typically 2-3 entrees, an appetizer, and drink specials as well.  They also have happy hour 4-6:30 with great deals and $5 drinks daily.  We also order the Bang Bang Shrimp as an appetizer when we go (every Wednesday they have it for $5 all day FYI!) Many people love this dish, and I am in agreement.  It is a crispy shrimp tossed in a spicy, creamy sauce served atop some lettuce.  These are awesome! Pretty much everyone I know, except for my sister, love these!  Even if you don’t love shrimp, these are worth a try.

Our server brought out a basket of warm bread with an olive oil dipping sauce.  The bread was warm and soft, so no complaints there. 

I decided to order the grilled salmon and asparagus salad.  This was served with goat cheese, tomatoes, fennel, green beans and a citrus-herb vinaigrette.  This salad was really good!  It had just the right amount of cheese, green beans, and dressing.  The salmon was cooked very nicely .  I would have liked some more tomatoes and the asparagus was a bit undercooked for me.  I like my asparagus a little less crunchy.  All in all, this was great.  I would get it again for sure.   

My husband went with a surf and turf of a crab cake, sirloin steak, veggies and choice of a side.  He chose the garlic mashed potatoes, party because I wanted some.  I tried the crab cake which was very good, one of the best in comparison to some I have had recently.   I didn’t try the steak, but my husband said it was pretty good; maybe not the best sirloin he’s ever had , it was a bit overcooked, but he liked it.  I love the garlic mashed potatoes, they are very good. 

Our server talked up the desserts, and I was tempted, but passed.  I was full!  We each had two drinks and our bill was around $50. 

I would recommend Bonefish for anyone who is a little skeptical of seafood and wants a variety of choices.  I have gotten the specials here in the past, and they have always been good too.  Service has always been good in my opinion as well.  This night our server was great! He had a lot of knowledge and recommendations and was friendly and outgoing.

~Kate

Food: 3.5

Service: 3.5

Overall Experience: 3.5

Guest Blog: Senate

So today we are introducing a new feature we’re going to try out….Friday Guest Blogger Series! When possible, on Fridays we’re going to have our friends and family (let us know if you’re interested!) post about their dining experiences and/or recipes.

Today, my co-worker Beth will be blogging about her recent experience at Senate, which Kate and I absolutely LOOOOVE! Thanks, Beth...

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First off I want to thank Kris and Kate for allowing me to guest blog about my dining experience. What a privilege to write for the Girls Who Grub!

The other night I had the fortunate experience of eating dinner with my good friend Alison at the Senate in Over-the-Rhine. I am a huge fan of this restaurant and have been many times! My favoritism comes from the niche of food they serve (gourmet street food) and the unique restaurant space where you dine (a narrow, cozy space with exposed brick and an open kitchen).

Every day at work, Kris and I read and talk about Senate’s “dog of the day” that they post on their Facebook page. It’s always named after a celebrity, and it always sounds AMAZING! So before meeting Alison at the restaurant, I had already found out that the dog of the day was the William Shatner – spicy falafel dog, chipotle hummus & roasted veggie chips. I knew I wasn’t going to order it (I always get my usual), but thought it sounded good.

Already knowing what I wanted, since I get the same thing every time, I ended up ordering the Poutine for the appetizer. This is by far the most disgustingly delicious mess of French fries, cheese curds, braised short ribs and gravy. Once you have tried this you will crave it for your next visit! Secretly, I think this is why I want to go back all the time.

Special thanks to Alison for the pictures!

After the appetizer, my friend Alison ordered a side of truffle fries and My Wife’s Salad, which consists of arugula, avocado, mozzarella, tomato, basil and balsamic. I didn’t try the salad, but Alison said she loves it because it’s light and fresh, but the mozzarella and avocado are just enough to make it filling as a light dinner. She joked that she always cancels out its healthiness by getting it with truffle fries, even though it’s only the top layer that is good (the ones further down in the glass are always soggy and disappointing).

I decided on my usual, the croque madame, which consist of a beef hot dog, béchamel and black forest ham on a brioche bun with a poached egg. My favorite part of the hot dog is the poached egg. I think anything that has an egg on it is delicious. There is something about the mixture of flavors that makes me want to go back for more.

Overall our dining experience was fantastic, which is no surprise to me. Our server Nathan was very prompt and courteous. I would definitely recommend the Senate if you're looking for a fun downtown experience with a different flair and unique cuisine!

Food: 5                                                                                                                                            

Service: 4                                                                                                                                       

Overall: 4.5

Secret Ingredient = Goat Cheese

Every week, Kate and I get together with a few of our friends for “Wine Wednesday”, which consists of a lot of chit-chat while drinking red wine and attempting to watch the newest episodes of Modern Family and Top Chef (if we can stop talking long enough to pay attention). I look forward to this night every single week! It’s a great mid-week treat. Several of us take turns hosting it, and typically the host will prepare a light, simple snack to munch on throughout the evening.

Last week we tried something a little different. Since it was the season finale of Top Chef, we decided to choose a “secret ingredient” (like they do in Iron Chef), and everyone had to prepare an appetizer using that ingredient. After some debating, we decided that the secret ingredient should be goat cheese – an ingredient unanimously loved by the entire group.

It was a lot of fun to show up on Wednesday and see what everyone created. Surprisingly, there were no repeats. I thought for sure there would be at least one, but we ended up with a wide range of things to try including: Savory Palmiers, Salsa Baked Goat Cheese, Goat Cheese and Spinach Pizza, Goat Cheese and Sun-Dried Tomato Spread and Goat Cheese and Balsamic Crostini.

The Savory Palmiers were from a Barefoot Contessa recipe on the Food Network website. My sister-in-law, Jen, made these for Christmas Eve last year, and I thought they were great, so I decided to give them a try. Mine were okay but not quite as good as Jen’s because I slightly overcooked them so they were a little too crispy. They make for a very pretty presentation – they look like little hearts. You can find the recipe here.   

Kate brought the Salsa Baked Goat Cheese with tortilla chips. This was actually my favorite dish – although I liked all of them a lot. I am a huge fan of cilantro but I wouldn’t normally think of pairing it with goat cheese; however it definitely worked! The goat cheese isn’t overpowering and the nuts add a nice crunch to the dip. You could play around with this with different salsas, nuts, add onions, or even add some black beans.  It would also be good with French baguette. It was a big hit! The recipe can be found here. 

Our friend Peppy brought the Goat Cheese and Spinach Pizza. This was also excellent – reminded me of something from Dewey’s. The pizza crust was a store-bought Boboli whole wheat crust. She sautéed fresh spinach in a tsp of olive oil and a clove of diced garlic until it was wilted. That went on top of the pizza crust with chopped tomatoes and crumbles of creamy goat cheese (generous amounts). This was so good and yet so simple. You could play around with this by adding other veggies (roasted red peppers and/or eggplant would be good), crushed red pepper, etc.

Our friend Abby brought the Sun-Dried Tomato and Goat Cheese Spread. This was also very good! (Kate’s favorite!) Heads up - the recipe calls for 3 cloves of minced garlic and Abby only used one. You could definitely still taste the garlic, but it wasn’t over-powering. I think 3 cloves would be way too much. Abby served the dip with bagel chips, which was an excellent choice! It would also be good with tortilla chips or pita chips. The recipe can be found here. 

The final appetizer we had was the Goat Cheese and Balsamic Crostini, which our friend Christina brought. She was really worried about how these turned out…and they ended up being a big hit! The sweet, creamy goat cheese paired with the honey-balsamic drizzle was delicious, and the bread gave it a nice crunch. The goat cheese was definitely the star of the dish, unlike some of the other appetizers. I don’t have the exact recipe, but I think it was similar to this recipe. 

If anyone else has any other great recipes with goat cheese, please share!

Review: First Watch

I love going to Sunday breakfast, but I hate the crowds, especially at First Watch.  A couple weeks ago, my husband and I happen to get up early enough to attempt to beat the “church” crowds.  I have gone to First Watch a few times, and I always like what I get.

We arrived around 10:00 which seems to be pretty much the cut-off before a longer wait.  We only had to wait about 5 minutes for a table. 

One thing about going out to breakfast is that I always want EVERYTHING!  Pancakes, eggs, waffles, biscuits and gravy, it all is so yummy.  However, my favorite breakfast meal is Eggs Benedict.  I have yet to find an AMAZING Eggs Benedict in Cincinnati, so if anyone has a good recommendation, please give it to me!  Regardless, I have had them here at First Watch and have been pleased in the past, so I went ahead and ordered them again.

My husband pretty much always orders the same kind of breakfast meal whenever we go out for breakfast no matter where we go: a meal that has eggs, potatoes, and bacon.  He orders his eggs over easy.  He also had some coffee, which he said was very good.  On a side note, I like that First Watch leaves a pitcher of water on your table for you, so you don’t have to wait for refills. 

Our food was served promptly.  My order came with a side of First Watch potatoes, a fruit cup, and I was able to choose from three types of Eggs Benedict: Ham and Tomatoes, Smoked Turkey and Avocado, or Florentine.  I went with the more traditional of ham and tomatoes.  My meal turned out really good!  The English muffin was toasted nicely, the eggs were cooked perfect, and just the right amount of Hollandaise on top.   The ham was very flavorful too.  The fruit cup was nice and fresh, but there was more honey dew than anything and that is one of the few fruits I don’t really care for.  The grapes were good though.  The potatoes were good, pretty standard breakfast potatoes.

My husband was pleased with his meal as well.  The eggs were cooked correctly, and he thought the bacon was crispy but not burnt.  His was also served with an English Muffin and the potatoes. 

Service was good. We always had refills, our food came out timely, and everyone was very friendly.  All in all, I really like First Watch!  Price is pretty average: about $6-$9 a meal.  They have a pretty wide variety on their menu including lunch items as well.  We took my in-laws here when they were in town for a visit a couple months ago, and they both loved it as well.  My only recommendation is to get there before 10:30 or 11:00!

~Kate

Food: 3

Service: 3

Overall Experience: 3