Roush's Family Restaurant

Most restaurants on Friday nights are pretty busy with a wait time and sometimes you don’t want to plan ahead to make reservations or wait for a seat so we decided we would try somewhere local and new to us.  We ended up trying Roush’s Family Restaurant in Fairborn.  Roush's has been in its currently location since the 1970s and definatley had a charm to it.  We didn’t have to wait long to be seated and although there were other customers it wasn’t very loud.  The décor is a little dated but the diner definitely had a quaint, peaceful family personality. 

Our server was very friendly and personable and provided great menu suggestions when asked.  The menu contained quite of variety of choices with a Americana home cooked bent and reasonable prices.  I ended up ordering the Hawaiian sub (grilled ham, pineapple, provolone cheese on a sub roll) with sweet potato fries.  It was delicious and was served pretty quickly after ordering.  The portion size was great- left me feeling full without feeling stuffed.

Although Roush’s is a little bit out of the way for me, if I’m in the area again it would definitely be worth visiting again.

Edith Mae’s Tea Room

Located in an old Victorian home in Xenia, this Edith Mae’s Tea Room is a memorable experience.  The tea room itself is not run by the home owners but by a lady that rents out the space at the rear of the house as well as some side rooms for a Victoria gift shop.  Tea times are on a reservation basis Tuesday through Saturday and the gift shop is open those days as well.

There are plenty of antiques to admire while waiting to be seated and the room is surrounded by windows.  Plenty of Victorian hats for both men and women can be found along the walls and guests typically try them on and even wear them throughout the tea.

This was the most casual tea room experience I’ve had since there really wasn’t a big focus on tea.  We were offered hot tea or iced tea and the hot tea was an English afternoon tea that actually tasted kind of bland.  Instead of the traditional scones or biscuits we were served cinnamon rolls and a raspberry shortbread.  The tiered plate included cucumber sandwiches, ham and mustard bisquits, and chicken salad croissant on the bottom plate, fruit cups and watermelon slices on the middle plate, and pecan cone with cream filling, orange dreamcicle cake with a whipped topping and mini strawberry pies.  The food was delicious but not as “foo-foo” as other tea room food I’ve had.

Parking could be an issue as basically guests just find a spot along the residential street to parallel park.  We found it to be a little unclear where to enter the house due to lack of signage.

All in all we had a great experience and I would go back.  It was peaceful and fun. Some tea rooms have rules about a minimum age that guests have to be but Edith Mae’s tea room seems to be an environment that could be enjoyed by all ages.  I can imagine it would be a great spot for a little girl’s birthday party or bridal shower.

An Urban Diner...

Olive, an Urban Dive was a pleasant surprise.  Located inside the old Wympee, the interior has been totally renovated.  They are continually making improvements but I thought it looked great especially for only being open a year.  From the outside the restaurant still looks like what used to be Wympee. Inside the diner though customers are welcomed into a warm, cozy setting filled with small tables and chairs. An outdoor patio with seating is also available but it was too warm the day we went to eat outside.

There’s not a whole lot of parking or seating at the diner so if you want a spot during a busy time you’d better call ahead for a reservation.
We arrived a little after 11 to make sure we didn’t have a problem getting a table.  We were seated quickly and by the time we finished our meal the restaurant was full.  The menu is full of delicious items that can satisfy vegetarian, vegan, and even gluten free diets.The food came out very quickly especially for a place with such a small kitchen and not only looked great but was also delicious!

My friend and I both ordered the patio made sun tea to drink which was refreshing.  For sweetner for the tea they offered agave honey.  I ordered the chicken salad (mayoless and free range!) sandwich on a croissant with a side of sweet potato fries and it was DELICIOUS! I loved the added flavor from the havarti cheese and the light taste of the sandwich.  I am a lover of sweet potatoes in any form and was not disappointed with their fries which were soft rather than crunchy.
My friend ordered the summer in a bowl salad which looked delicious with roasted vegetables on top of a green salad.  A cup of the house spicy sweet potato soup came with her salad and she let me try a taste.  It started out sweet but then had a spicy kick to it.

As I was paying for my meal at the counter after lunch I realized that I would receive a 2% discount to my bill for paying in cash since they are such a small establishment and want to prevent having to pay the credit card fees.
The best way to summarize our wonderful experience is probably by retelling a quote from my friend who claims to be a food snob said, “I can’t wait to come back!”

Another Frozen Yogurt Place

Bad Frog Frozen Yogurt is another mix your own frozen yogurt place.  As the customer, you select a frozen yogurt flavor and pull the lever to fill your cup with your desired portion and then pick from tons of different toppings and syrups before weighing your creation on the scale.
Although this frozen yogurt place has a simliar concept as the chain Yogurt Mountain, I like this one better due to the fact that both times I've visited, it's been calm and peaceful.  I love the brightly colored spoons and walls.  I would prefer there be more seating but they have made the most of their small space.
If you're around Brown Street or any of their other locations, it's worth checking them out.

Fusian...sushi

I've wanted to try Fusian for months and finally got around to it tonight.  I loved the atmosphere and the food was great.
The eatery is very focused on the environment with eco-materials and recyclable materials .  The decor was modern and hip and fit perfectly on Brown Street.
The customer gets to customize their sushi at the counter, selecting the type of roll, mean, veggies, sauces, spices, etc.  Like the counter of your local sub or burrito place, the customer gets to watch the sushi artist create the roll and slice it.
I ordered a seaweed wrap, tuna (which had a little spice/seasoning), cucumber, avocado, cream cheese, sweet soy sauce, and sesame seeds.  I also ordered a side of edamame which was wonderfully warm and salted.  The water container even had sliced cucumbers in it!

I believe there are currently two locations but I could definately see this concept spreading into a national chain.  What a great place.  I'll definately be back!

Butter Cafe

Butter Cafe was another local restaurant I heard about through an offer on the Groupon website. 

The décor in Butter Café is fun.  The walls as you would expect, are painted the color of creamy butter, the menu is full of healthy, good sounding choices, and the drinks were served out of mason jars.  Parking was a little challenging and there was construction going on out front at the entrance which was a little bit difficult to navigate. 

The food was served reasonably quickly and the fresh strawberry lemonade I ordered was refreshing.  I ordered the skinny B**** frittata which had a wonderful sounding description in the menu.  It tasted rather bland though for all the ingredients it included.  My friend ordered blueberry pancakes.  She loved how the blueberries were big and fresh but said they tasted a little dry.

I heard about the Butter Café through a Groupon coupon and enjoyed trying it out but I don’t think it will be on my list of favorite restaurants to visit.  I'd be willing to give them another try though.

Old Hickory BBQ

I was disappointed in my attempt at trying Old Hickory BBQ although I loved the “hole in the wall” local charm. 
I tried the Pulled Pork BBQ sandwich which came with French fries and a drink.  The price was very reasonable and the portion size was generous but the BBQ sauce on the meat tasted bland. 

With a name like Old Hickory I was expecting a hickory smoked taste but was disappointed.  My friend had the same conclusion.  With the other BBQ places around town, I don’t think I’ll be back to Old Hickory.

Saya's

I’m just getting into trying different kinds of sushi and was told about Saya’s from a friend.  Saya’s is a small hole in the wall location with great Japanese and Korean food. 

I met three friends for lunch and didn’t have to wait long to be seated.  The food came out pretty quickly and tasted great.  For the quality and amount of food the price was pretty reasonable.

It was a little difficult to understand the servers when I asked about some menu items and I ended up ordering something different than I was planning as a result.  My lobster roll came out delicious though so it was still a good experience.  I tried some items from the box lunch deals my friends ordered and found it very tasty as well.

After eating there I mentioned to several friends that I eaten there for lunch and they all raved about how much like it as well.  They even went as far as to say that it was the best sushi in the area and that they try to eat there at least once a month.

Next time I’m craving some sushi I know where to go!

Wine Loft

My first experience at the Wine Loft was a good one.  I was stopping in after a wedding to see some friends.  It was around 11 on a Saturday night and not too crowded.  I knew I would like the place when the sign on the door said to pick a seat wherever it looked comfortable.  The high tables, couches, and bar area were all very modern and clean looking. 

The menu was full of different wine selections of course but also had some good sounding food as well. One of my friends ordered the potato skins with goat cheese which had an interesting gourmet taste.

The wait staff was very quick with refilling drinks and closing customers’ tabs but managed to do it in a non conspicuous way.   I definitely want to go back to enjoy the relaxing environment and try out their dinner menu.

Pearl Bay Thai & Asian

One of my friends at work suggested we try out a Thai restaurant she had heard about so for lunch one day we went to Pearl Bay Thai & Asian in Fairborn.  We got there around 11:15 so were able to beat the lunch crowd and were seated fairly quickly.  However that may have been the only quick part about the whole time we were there. 

The menu isn’t too extensive but sometimes that’s better than overwhelming.  I ordered the Ginger chicken lunch special with yellow rice and my friend ordered the Pad Thai with tofu.  The food came to our table in good time however, the server brought out her dish a good 5 min before mine which was kinda awkward since there were just the two of us.  My rice was a little cold and the dish rather spicy although I ordered a “1” on the spiciness level.  Overall it tasted alright but if I went back to this place I wouldn’t order the same thing.

I had to specifically ask for a refill and our waitress seemed really scattered and rushed every time we interacted with her.  We ordered bubble teas to go.  Mine was a sweet green tea and I would definitely order that again. 

For good Thai food I’d make the trip to Thai 9 before I would eat at Pearl Bay again.  It was ok but nothing exciting to share about…except for the green bubble tea. J

Every trip to Pasha Grill feels like a an overseas destination.  With curtains and stucco walls, the Turkish décor and wait staff make you question if you’re still in Ohio. 

Speaking of wait staff, recently we took advantage of a restaurant week deal and had a coupon.  With tax, our bill barely made it over the coupon threshold and yet the server still honored it without a hassle. (Definately Impressive and a breath of fresh air!)  He was very friendly and personable and was great about making recommendations.  Our glasses stayed full and our food came out in a timely manner at a good temperature.  

The food is packed with flavor. The lunch deal includes a great variety of items (appetizer, lunch portion entre, and dessert) at a great price.  Dinner is a little more expensive but a generous serving.

I've tried the bread, rice pilaf, roasted veggies, Shepherd's salad, lentil soup, apple tea, kabobs, almond pudding, lamb saute, kebabs with yogurt and all of it has tasted wonderful.  

If you're feeling a little adventurous you should definately check it out!

Greek Isle Deli

I was planning a “catch up” lunch with a friend and thought it would be a great opportunity to try out a new restaurant. 

Because we couldn’t decide what we wanted to order we decided on splitting the Taste of the Mediterranean platter and a side order of Greek fries.  We ordered our food at the counter and then found a table to wait for our food.  By the time we got our drinks, silverware, napkins and found a table to sit at they had called our name to pick up the order. 

The platter was plenty of food for the two of us females with pita bread, falafel patties, hommous, taboule, original and chicken gyro meats, marinated chicken, TZ, feta cheese and olives.
                          
  
Everything was pretty tasty but I wasn’t really impressed by the hommous.  It could be a result of me usually getting the kind with other flavors (like roasted red pepper or artichoke) at the grocery store, but it tasted kind of bland to me. 

The fries were sprinkled with feta cheese and spices and were pretty good although not what I expected when I saw "greek fries" on the menu.

I’m not sure what used to be in that space but the deli had some extra space in the kitchen area.  The seating area was filled with plenty of tables and chairs and while we were there only 4 or 5 tables remained open.  We sat next to a fountain with trickling water right which created a soothing sound and atmosphere in the midst of the deli.

The deli is family owned and operated and that is apparent by the décor and way they do business (credit card reader is an attachment to a smart phone), which adds a little charm if you ask me.  We were able to get in and out in good time but didn’t feel rushed at all.  Both my friend and I decided we planned we wanted to return to try more of the restaurant’s menu selection.

Full of Flavors

I heard about Flavors Eatery from some friends of work and it sounded pretty unique.  Well I discovered they were right. The atmosphere and décor reminded me of a restaurant you’d find somewhere trendy like San Francisco which makes since they say they make “California style foods.”

There were lots of options on the menu including wraps, salads, soups, gourmet pizzas, sandwiches, pitas, quesadillas, nachos, frozen yogurt and specialty coffees.   The Spinach, Artichoke, and Chicken Quesadilla I ordered was huge!  In fact I had to save half for later because it was packed so full.  The chips on the side were tasty as well.

The owners have started franchising their concept with three different locations in the area.  The corporate location was tricky for me to find as it was tucked into a shopping center and out of the way from my regular route. 

This place definitely provides a unique experience and you feel healthier for eating there which is always good!

"Cooking is like music"

If you don’t mind driving a few miles up the road from Dayton you must check out the Coldwater Café in Tipp City. 
Before visiting the restaurant several people told me I needed to try it.   I happened to be in the area one day checking out the many boutique and antique stores on the main street and got hungry around 2pm.  I wasn’t sure if they were still serving lunch but thankfully they were. 

We had to wait 10-15 minutes to get a table but I enjoyed looking around at the restaurant décor in the waiting area which included a beautiful fireplace.  Bordering the ceiling there was a sentence repeated over and over again: "Cooking is like music, when properly conducted a symphony results."  I felt like a symphony was definately resulting at this place!!

Once we were seated we pretty quickly were able to provide our drink orders and order our lunch.  The lunch menu included a variety of sandwiches, salads, and quiche.  I was actually kind of surprised at the variety and style of food offered on the menu for such a small town.  I chose the Smoked Turkey Panini (Grilled focaccia with parmesan cheese, tomatoes, caramelized onions and artichoke dip!) sandwich was DELICIOUS!   The sandwich was large and came out warm with chips and pickle on the side.

The wait staff came across very professional.  The table service was quick and our drink glasses stayed full.

I was pleasantly surprised by my lunch experience.  I definitely want to visit again!