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.

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!”

Hawthorn Grill

 

To celebrate my grandma's birthday, we decided to eat out for dinner and were willing to go somewhere a little more expensive than we normally go.  Like me, she likes trying new places and after reading an article about the Hawthorn Grill and checking out their website I suggested we try it out.

We got there around 5:30 on a Saturday night so we would beat the Saturday night dinner crowd and since the restaurant doesn't take reservations.  Only a few other tables were occupied when we got there so we were seated very quickly.  We sat in a comfy booth with walls high enough we didn't even notice the other customers in the restaurant.  The place was decorated with warm colors, white trim, and a fireplace.  The dim lighting, cloth tablecloths and napkins definately added to the atmosphere and the special occasion.  Just a warning though: This restaurant isn't somewhere I'd bring your kids.

                            

The menu was one page front and back with plenty of choices.  It took a little while to get our food but we had plenty of conversation and bread was served while we waited.  Along with the bread came a dill flavored butter and oil dipping sauce.  The bread was good but the butter added a very fresh unique flavor. 

I ordered the chicken and pasta dish served with Ed Hill Natural Chicken Breast, Orecchiette Pasta, Sweet Potatoes, Wild Mushrooms, Green Beans. It was delicious and a generous portion size.

My grandma ordered the Sauteed Shrimp dish which was made up of White Gulf Shrimp, Cavatappi Pasta, Lemon-Dill Sauce, Sweet Peas, and Spinach.  This was the half portion size and came with four shrimp (the full size comes with 8 shrimp and a little more pasta).  I tried a bite and enjoyed the flavor of this dish as well.

I liked the fact that the restaurant gets their chicken from Ed Hill who raises natural chickens in Xenia, and fresh produce from a farm in Bellbrook.  Their pork comes from hogs raised humanely on small family farms in Canada without antibiotics or steroids.  Even their carry-out containers are recycled and land-fill friendly.  Anytime I hear about a restaurant that is environmental friendly and uses fresh natural ingredients I tend to like them even more. 

All in all eating at the Hawthorn Grill was a great experience.  The food was very tasty, the atmosphere warm and calm, and service was just right.  My grandma loved it and since it was her birthday that's what really mattered.  I plan on returning sooner rather than later although it will probably be for another special occasion since the price and atmosphere is a bit more than I typically drag my friends to! (www.hawthorngrill.com)