Best Chocolate Cereal Ever

I know that this blog is usually about restaurants in the Cincinnati area.. However I cannot pass up the opportunity to let you know about this new cereal form Kellogg's named Krave. Okay just so you know I am a chocolate freak.  Hardly ever does a day go by without me getting some type of chocolate in my system.  What better way then to get my chocolate fix then early in the morning.

Krave comes in two flavors... as you can see from the picture below I opted for the double chocolate, big surprise.  But I also think that the regular would be just as good.  This stuff has a soft smooth chocolate center that is absolutely delicious.  In combination with a lot of milk, as I usually drown my cereal, this stuff is downright delicious.  I can really think of nothing that I would rather have to start my day off right, that does not involve cooking.

Seriously, if you or your children are partial to chocolate cereals you really must give this one a try.  As you can see from the picture Krave is also a good source of fiber & made with whole grain LOL.  I really hope this cereal sticks around cause will be starting many of my mornings with this chocolaty wonderfulness.  I hope you like it too.

Toby Kieth's I Love This Bar & Grill

Last week I made it down to Toby Kieth's I Love This Bar & Grill to see a friend of mine play a little country music...The Ryan Broshear Band truly rocked the house! Google him, his music is really good and as I'm not usually a huge fan of country music, I do like their stuff.  The atmosphere at this place is great, the waitresses in their Daisy Dukes and cut off shirts I thought added to the country ambiance and the beer in Mason jars is also nice touch.  As you know I am a true foodie so you know I had to see what they had to offer.  I was pleasantly surprised.

On top here we have the mac & cheese wedges which were my favorite thing by far... However I wish they had something a little more creative to dip it in, Ranch dressing just doesn't really cut it in my book.  On bottom is Toby’s Platter consisting of nachos, wings, jalapeno poppers, deep fried zucchini, mozzarella sticks & macaroni & cheese wedges,  served with bleu cheese, ranch & marinara sauce. All in all it was good,  especially the mac & cheese wedges and the jalapeno poppers.  The wings were a little too greasy but they helped to absorb the excess beer that I had consumed that evening.

Pictured above is the TK Smokehouse Nachos which is composed of red, white and blue tortilla chips with melted jack and cheddar cheese, Southwest chile chicken sauce, black beans, sour cream, guacamole and salsa, served with your choice of house smoked chicken, BBQ beef or pulled pork. The people I was with opted for the chicken. I only tried a few bites of this and it was pretty good, most of the chips stayed crunchy which is key for me because I hate to eat nachos with a fork.

In conclusion I would say that the food here is OK.  However I did only try a few things which mostly seemed like typical bar food, nothing special or unique.  With its location in mind (the Banks) i would say that I will be returning for a beer or 4.  As for an eating destination however I would say, if you're gonna make the trip downtown there are many better options.

If anyone has some food from here which blows their minds, please comment and let me know, I'm always on the lookout for exceptionally good food.   With that being said as a place for some drinks, dancing, and appetizers TK's is definitely a spot to consider.

Taco Loco

Last night I went to Taco Loco which is located in Forest Park on Northland Blvd.  It occupies what used to be Burger King, across from Speedway.  I love it when a new restaurant opens nearby.  It opened about a year ago and I am so glad, the building had been vacant since Burger King left about 3 or 4 years ago.  Since it's like two minutes from my house I have become somewhat of a regular.

So I absolutely love authentic Mexican food, and authentic Mexican tacos are my favorite. Unlike Americanized tacos with lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, and sour cream... Authentic Mexican tacos are simply just meat, cilantro, onions, and a squeeze of lime on corn tortillas... With hot sauce of course.  I usually get the Carne Asada Steak it is by far the best within a five mile radius. The only gripe that I have with Taco Loco is that sometimes they are a little to light with the onions. I have also had the Carnitas tacos they are very good as well, perhaps a little dry, but what do you expect from fried pork. I like to say I'm a pretty adventurous eater but I haven't ventured to try the tripe, tongue, or gizzard.   But the fact that they have that stuff lets me know that this is authentic Mexican... The good stuff!!

 

I have also had  the quesadillas chicas with both Carne Asada and Carnitas which were very good and very cheesy.  The Huaraches I also had one time, it was very good as well.  I had never tasted huaraches before and it was definitely something that I would get again. But more often then not I can't stop myself from getting the Carne Asada Tacos, they are truly my favorite tacos around.  Only $1.95 and look at the amount of meat that you get, and each taco has 2 tortillas.  My friend always gets the Enchiladas Verdes with chicken and she loves it.  I have really never been disappointed by this place and I have been like over a dozen times so that's saying something.  It kinda bothers me that this place never seems to be busy, I would really hate to see it go.

With the plethora of "authentic" Mexican restaurants in this area I truly think Taco Loco is one of the best around for the price.  If you haven't been here yet, you really need to go.

Alabama Fish Bar

Today I had Alabama Fish Bar for lunch, my favorite fried fish in town. Once again it did not disappoint. The fish was fried to perfection with a light and crispy breading that was not greasy at all. The fries and the two pieces of bread however i could have done without, but that's not why you go to Alabama Fish. I always get the Whiting partly because i like my fish fillets a little on the thin side, but the Cod which my buddy had looked delicious, I think I am gonna venture out and try that next time.

Even though I love hot sauce on my fish I must suggest not getting any on your order, it will make your fish soggy.  So unless your gonna eat it outside on the street, which can be a little scary, do your self a favor and get the hot sauce on the side.  Lastly don't forget the peppers and onions they are a tad spicy and they add a great kick!

Pho Lang Thang - Funny name but great food

Photos courtesy of Urbanspoon

Pho Lang Thang is located in Findlay Market which kinda sucks for me because I live in Springdale which is a good 20 to 30 minutes away... Boo.  I hadn't experienced Vietnamese food before but I have been trying to broaden my horizons lately and maaaan am I glad I found this place a few months ago. This place is awesome and I physically must have it when I get that craving almost weekly for their Banh Mi Sandwich (AMAZING). I have always gotten my sandwich with beef or in the native toung its called bo. You can get a banh mi with pork or chicken also but the beef is so good I cant get my self not to order it.  Also trust me and get the jalapeno and pate add on, you won't be disappointed.  I wish this type of sandwich was more readily available so I would have something to compare it to since this is the only banh mi I've ever had.  It really is among the best sandwiches in Cincinnati. 

The Pho is the best around too.