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!”

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!

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!

That Crepe Place

A good stop for breakfast, lunch or dinner, That Crepe Place has a menu full of good selections.  So much so you may have trouble decided on just one to order.  However you probably don’t want to order more than one for yourself since the portion sizes are large and very filling. 

I’ve tried the Mediterranean which consisted of Chicken Breast, Feta Cheese, Sweet Roasted Red Peppers, Fresh Baby Spinach, with Balsamic Glaze and the Nutella and Fruit Crepe which was full of Creamy Hazelnut Chocolate spread with choice of Bananas and Strawberries.  Both were very delicious!!

There’s not a whole lot of seating: 3 or 4 high round tables and chairs and a few tables and chairs outside.  But the decor is very fresh and clean.

It was kind of neat to watch the crepe creation process.  I overheard the owner say that he’d like to eventually franchise the concept which I could see taking off with the unique concept.

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)