p28-29_Road Trip_sum07.qxp
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longer the best-kept secret in Fort Thomas,Vito’s has become one of the top spots for Italian food on either side of the river. One cannot live on pasta alone, and the most logical alternative in most minds is pizza. Sure, there is the usual proliferation of national chains offering indistinguishable products; but a couple of dynamite alternatives that make a short drive in the car seem better than delivery to your door. Easily the best pizza in Northern Kentucky, if not all of Cincinnati as well, is found at Nicky’s in Hebron. One exit past the Cincinnati Airport (which, of course, is located in Northern Kentucky) you’ll find this home of true New York City-style pizza.The proprietors are transplants from New Jersey who just couldn’t develop a taste for the big chains, so they opened their own place. It’s a small hole-in-the-wall, and it does almost entirely a carry-out business, but the pies are the real deal. The second best place to grab a pizza is in Newport in the Levee Complex. Dewey’s is one of the few locally-owned and operated restaurants in the upscale mall and cinema complex that sits atop of the old levee overlooking the river and downtown Cincinnati. With one other location over in Cincinnati, Dewey’s has built a well-earned following among families for high-quality pizza. Diners get to watch the pizzaiolos toss the dough in the open kitchen while they peruse a well chosen wine list and pick a pie from the dozen or more specialties on the menu. One of the benefits conferred on the region by the location of Toyota’s corporate offices in Boone County has been the arrival of several excellent Japanese restaurants. AOI, another good locallyowned restaurant in the Newport on the Levee complex in addition to Dewey’s. AOI features a classic Japanese menu combining sushi with hot dishes in a very traditionally decorated space. Once you’re inside the restaurant, it is hard to remember that you’re in the same Levee complex that houses an IMAX theatre and the aquarium. As good as AOI is, though, the best Japanese restaurant in the region by general acclaim is Jo An. Originally opened as an oasis for newly transplanted Japanese executives with Toyota, Jo An quickly became something of a mecca for sushi lovers from the greater Cincinnati area and beyond. Discreetly tucked away in
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an office building near the airport, there is little fanfare surrounding this modest temple of sushi and sashimi. The verdict is consistently unanimous; to find better sushi one needs to visit Japan, and even then there is no guarantee it will beat Jo An. Japanese is not the only Asian cuisine represented in Northern Kentucky by any measure. Classic Hong Kong preparations of Cantonese classics have been enjoyed for more than 20 years at the Oriental Wok now located in Fort Mitchell. Lovers of Thai cuisine have a choice between two worthwhile destinations in Sweet Basil and Mai’s Thai. The latter is located out in Florence off U.S. 42 in a building that once housed Long John Silver’s. The interior has been splendidly redecorated to evoke the atmosphere of a Thai inn, complete with teak and wicker. Sweet Basil is more modestly appointed but prepares Thai cuisine that is every bit as good as Mai Thai. The influx of Mexican immigrants that has brought excellent and authentic cuisine to most of Kentucky has reached the northernmost counties as well. Tacqueria Mercado on Dixie Highway in Edgewood features the now familiar cuisine of the Puebla region: tacos, tamales, tortas, burritos, all of which can be had with carne asada, crackling carnitas, spicy pork “al pastor” and smoky chicken. Fontova’s on Scott Street in downtown Covington is a slightly different type of place, with a more adventurous menu offering regional specialties from all parts of Mexico with an emphasis on the coastal towns. Opened by a family that sells tortillas to supermarkets all over the state, the restaurant really pays homage to the variety of cuisine that comes from south of the border. If any one single destination offers the best feel for the Northern Kentucky dining scene, it would have to be Mainstrasse Village in downtown Covington. This restored historic district is home to a mélange of restaurants, pubs, coffee houses, quaint shops, and bohemian hair salons. Anchoring the corner of the main intersection is the local favorite Dee Felice. Opened as a labor of love by a local jazz musician and handed down to his children, this restaurant has been a hit since day one. Evoking the spirit of New Orleans with a Creole menu and a rollicking jazz band there is no doubt that Dee Felice is about a lot more than the food. People come for a good time, and night after night
Dee Felice delivers. Across the street is Chez Nora where the bar scene is de rigueur for the professional crowd. The open-top roof deck often draws a slightly younger crowd than the downstairs bar, and the menu of classic American dishes entices most of the happy hour regulars to stay for dinner. Those who don’t stay usually amble down the block to Otto’s. This small restaurant is another family affair with the husband in the kitchen and the wife running the front of the house. The menu is short but chock full of wellprepared and sometimes eccentric dishes with plenty of familiar favorites to satisfy a diverse table of diners. Perhaps the best indication of Northern Kentucky’s restaurant revival is the fact that Jean-Robert de Cavell has arrived. The chef who is famous for the very upscale Pigall’s in downtown Cincinnati and the always jam-packed Bistro Jean-Ro has made his way across the river in recent years. His first order of business was to open an authentic Parisian pâtisserie and café.The Greenup Café gets its name from the street where it sits, but the cuisine is pure France. Jean-Robert imported his own French baker who turns out an astounding assortment of croissants, pastries, and other delicacies available for carry-out or in the dining room.A full menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner offers casual and equally French fare for those who need more sustenance. Not satisfied with a single restaurant in any town, Jean-Robert quickly added to his new empire by relocating the critically acclaimed Vietnamese/French fusion restaurant Pho Paris from Cincinnati to its new digs on Greenup Street just down from the Café. The cuisine here features the ingredients and classic dishes of Vietnam tamed with French technique and sauce making. The result is a menu that truly offers the best of both worlds. No longer existing in the shadow of Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky has firmly established itself as a place that rivals if not surpasses its cross-river rival in many ways. Even without the inevitable comparisons to Cincinnati, there is no doubt that Northern Kentucky has developed an enviable dining scene that is enjoyed by locals and visitors alike. F&D OPPOSITE PAGE:
Greenup Café’s pan-seared ruby trout with a brown butter lemon caper sauce. www.foodanddiningmagazine.com Summer 2007 29