Queen City Crawl
Peace Like a River, Cincinnati Crawl, Neil Young, Jaylen Brown, Strange Soup
Welcome to my weekly newsletter. This week’s issue includes my five favorite Neil Young songs, Leif Enger’s first novel, a food crawl in Cincinnati, a legendary singer whose songs recently returned to Spotify, the hero of last night’s Celtics-Pacers game, and an unusual bowl of matzo ball soup. I hope you like the picks and pics.
Last year I joined a dedicated group of fans of Roadfood on a Detroit food crawl. This year’s crawl was in Cincinnati, where my friends Sandy and Cheryl Gerber live. I met them when we rented a condo in the building where they live in Bonita Springs, Florida. Sandy (in the white shirt in the above photo) joined me for most of the crawl. Despite being known as the “Sultan of Salad,” he enjoyed eating the less-healthy offerings preferred by Roadfooders. Here are his thoughts on his initial crawl:
I ate well, had lots of fun, and I’m still smiling as I recall many of our food crawl experiences.
We also got to walk, talk, and watch the NBA playoffs. And when Sandy took me to the nearby sportsbook to box an exacta on the Preakness, we visited the casino. I am pleased to say that I walked away a winner:
On Sunday, the penultimate crawl stop was at my namesake donut shop. I wanted to buy a logo shirt, but they didn’t have one to sell.
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Fave Five 86: Queen City Crawl
Enger’s Entry (Peace Like a River), Cincinnati Crawl, Cool Canadian (Neil Young), Clutch Celtic (Jaylen Brown), and a Strange Soup.
Fave Five Lists: Five Favorite Neil Young Songs
This week’s Marvelous Musician is a long-time favorite of mine. From the very many great Neil Young songs, here are my five favorites:
Book Best Bet
Peace Like a River by Leif Enger
After reading a review of Enger’s debut novel in the Detroit News in 2001, I bought a copy and loved it. I subsequently read So Brave, Young, and Handsome and Virgil Wander. I look forward to reading his latest one that was published last month, I Cheerfully Refuse.
From Amazon: Leif Enger’s debut novel, Peace Like a River, was launched to critical acclaim in 2001 and went on to sell over one million copies. Now a perennial, best-selling American classic, it is at once a heroic quest, a tragedy, and a love story, in which “there is magic... none more potent than Leif Enger’s prose” (Newsday). Enger brings us eleven-year-old Reuben Land, an asthmatic boy in the Midwest who has reason to believe in miracles. Along with his sister and father, Reuben finds himself on a cross-country search for his outlaw older brother who has been charged with murder. Their journey unfolds like a revelation, and its conclusion shows how family, love, and faith can stand up to the most terrifying of enemies, and the most tragic of fates.
Leif Enger
Leif Enger grew up in Osakis, Minnesota, and worked as a reporter for Minnesota Public Radio before writing his bestselling debut novel Peace Like a River, which won the Booksense Award for Fiction and was named one of the Year's Best Books by Time Magazine and the Los Angeles Times. His second novel, So Brave, Young, and Handsome, was also a national bestseller. It was a Midwest Booksellers Honor Book, and won the High Plains Book Award for Fiction. His third novel Virgil Wander was longlisted for the Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction and was named a best book of the year by Amazon, Library Journal, Bookpage, and Chicago Public Library. He lives with his wife in Duluth, Minnesota.
Restaurant Recommendations
Cincinnati Crawl
Over five days, we visited many great places. For additional photos and commentary, check out these crawl colleagues:
The notes about each stop below were written by the organizer of the crawl, John Lachmann. Thanks to John and his wife Cathy for organizing and hosting the event.
SwampWater Grill 3742 Kellogg Ave., East End
Manager Chris Orn ran a great restaurant in Anderson Twp., but it closed due to a rent dispute, and his current group opened this place about a decade ago in a building that had failed multiple times in recent years due to location. This promises to be a highlight of the trip. The menu includes seafood, burgers, southern delicacies and more. I have yet to hear anyone dispute that this is the best Cajun you'll get in Cincinnati.
Gator Bites: Golden fried gator, crisp jalapeno, house remoulade
Golden Hands Bakery 6016 Wooster Pike, Mariemont
We have schnecken! At least in mini form. This is one of the best bakeries in the area, evidenced by the line out the door and cramped parking. The wait is certainly worth it. We had a chocolate croissant, maple donut, and the schnecken in November, all excellent.
Pecan sticky bun
Herb & Thelma's 718 Pike St., Covington
This is probably the most truly Roadfoodish stop on the trip. Herb & Thelma's has been around since 1939 (both are dead now) and is located on an awkward corner in uptown Covington. The current owners took over in 2015 and have kept everything as-was. The interior is definitely cramped, with just the original small grill located in the bar area, serving up killer burgers, metts (mettwurst in RTE-on-a-bun form) and brats from Wassler Meats, the west side butcher shop that cranks out the best sausage in the city.
Cheeseburger w/American Cheese
Hot Mettwurst
Empress Chili 7934 Alexandria Pike, Alexandria, Ky.
Empress serves one of the best versions of Cincinnati chili and is the oldest continuous running Cincy chili restaurant, opening its first store in 1922. Empress used to blanket Cincinnati, but it's dwindled to this single location. Empress also makes excellent sandwiches.
Five-way
Fruitland 10136 Dixie Hwy., Florence
On the outskirts of Northern Kentucky's southern suburbs on Dixie Highway is a strip mall that boasts one of the best south-of-the-U.S. options in the tri-state to have a dessert or a refreshing fruit drink.
Raspado (Lime shaved ice)
Moonrise Donuts 3718 Winston Ave., Latonia, Ky.
As its name indicates, Moonrise opens at 4 p.m., and in addition to having amazing ready-to-eat options, one can get a 'hot', which is a donut they drop once it's ordered. This place has been lauded many times over on Chowdown Cincinnati.
Salted caramel
Maple
Kealoha's Kitchen 529 Main St., Covington, Ky.
A few quality Hawaiian restaurants have opened in the area the past few years, and Kealoha's Kitchen is about as authentic as you can get away from the island, many former Hawaii residents contend. Founder Valentine Abafo dreamt of owning a restaurant with his brother, Rudy Kealoha, but unfortunately Rudy passed away in 2008. So when Val moved into a small establishment in Latonia — a few miles south of here — he named it after Rudy and started producing killer Hawaiian classics like kalua pig, short ribs and lumpia (Hawaiian egg rolls). His new location in the heart of the Mainstrasse Village is thriving, and many of his family members are involved in running the business.
Kalua pork sliders on sweet Hawaiian bread
The Cheesecakery 4825 Whetsel Ave., Madisonville (Cincinnati)
Get ready to sample some of area's most decadent desserts. Owner Liz, a fifth-generation local who transformed a food truck to this brick-and-mortar in 2019, has thrived here, expanding to multiple locations and catering. The business model is pretty self-explanatory — they make cheesecakes. For the hungry Roadfooder on the go, they make miniature cheesecakes that can be eaten alone or shared. Cheesecakery has an extensive coffee list, including a latte flight.
Banana Cream Cupcake
Coffee Cake Donut
Findlay Market 1801 Race St., Over-the-Rhine (Cincinnati)
Ohio is fortunate enough to boast two of the country's best markets in Cleveland's West Side Market and Cincinnati's Findlay Market. Findlay is the oldest continuously operating market in the state, running since 1852. The ready-made food options have expanded in the past 10 years and the staples remain.
Alabama Fish Bar 1601 Race St.
Ocean Perch
Montgomery Inn 9440 Montgomery Rd., Montgomery, OH 45242
This was not on the crawl, but Cheryl, Sandy, and I decided to dine at this venerable Cincinnati barbecue restaurant.
Pulled Smoked Chicken BBQ Sandwich: Slow-smoked for hours, hand-pulled and mixed with our famous Original barbecue sauce and served with Saratoga chips
Graeter’s Deerfield 5076 Natorp Blvd, Mason, OH 45040
Another Cincinnati icon, it was not on the crawl schedule, so we visited after our dinner at Montgomery Inn.
Toffee Chocolate Chip: Melt in your mouth toffee pieces are a delight paired with our delicious milk chocolate chips.
Everything Bagels 792 Eastgate Sq. South, Suite 200, Union Twp.
I'm convinced the bagel-themed options this store cranks out will satisfy even the biggest bagel purist. My personal favorite is the Reuben, but Cathy's go-to is the French Melt, which is served on a French toast-style bagel. Everything Bagels also has breakfast sweets like muffins, Danishes, cinnamon rolls, and cookies.
Cinnamon Roll
French Toast Bagel
Jungle Jim's International Market 4450 Eastgate Dr. South, Union Twp.
Jungle Jim's has two of the biggest international markets in the country, with two in Cincinnati. This is the second location, which opened in 2012 and is brighter and has wider aisles than the original. The RTE food options in the Jungle are very good as well, including the next two below.
Chicken Tenders: Hand-breaded, house brined tenders served with signature sauces (Ghost Pepper Ranch, Korean, Bourbon BBQ)
Pork and real crab soup dumplings
Home Place 7771 U.S. 68, Georgetown, Ohio
We're going to the middle of nowhere, but it will be worth it. This Mennonite-run shop was reaped with praise in the old Roadfood forums' Southwest Ohio and Environs thread as far back as 2005. Fresh pies, donuts, deli-made sandwiches and fresh hot pretzels are among the many RTE options here, and the store features local honeys, jellies and jams, sauces, candies and other delights. The hand-crafted furniture section of the store is worth a look. Owner Delbert does some of the best ribs in Southern Ohio. There's something here for everyone.
Ribs
Strawberry Pie
Roney's 314 Chamber Dr., Milford
Roney's is a Roy Rogers gone rogue. The eastern Cincinnati location was the only one left west of mid-Pennsylvania, and about 15 years ago corporate told this store it was downgrading its meat quality, so this store told them to pound sand and disfranchised. The restaurant was located on Roney Lane, so it changed its name to Roney's, and though it had to move to a few miles from its original spot several years ago, Roney's is cranking out the same amazing roast beef sandwiches and burgers Roy Rogers did decades ago.
Smokehouse Sandwich: Ham and cheese
Blue Ash Chili 9525 Kenwood Rd., Suite 5, Blue Ash
The chili here is excellent, but so are the sandwiches. Shapiro's of Indianapolis fame recently put a location here and it lasted less than a year, so Blue Ash Chili moved into its vacated spot, just a couple blocks from its original location, which opened in 1969.
Tuna salad sandwich on toasted wheat bread with sliced hardboiled egg
Aglemesis Bros. 9899 Montgomery Rd., Montgomery
Graeter's is king of the ice cream industry in Cincinnati with its abundance of stores and name recognition, but many swear by Aglemesis Bros. and its two locations. Two brothers came to Cincinnati from Sparta, Greece, late in the 19th century, learned the business and opened their first shop in 1908 called the Metropolitan about 10 miles south in Norwood. During the depression the name was changed to the eponymous Aglemesis Bros., which still employs third- and fourth-generation members of the family. Aglemesis Bros. also sells a wide variety of its own candy.
Strawberry Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
Two Cities Pizza Company 202 West Main Street Mason, OH 45040
On our last night together, I took Cheryl and Sandy to a local spot for dinner in lieu of the crawl destination. Sandy finally got his salad fix, as we split a salad and a pizza. The Waldorf Salad was not at all like a traditional version of this classic, but it was good.
Waldorf Salad: Mixed greens, candied walnuts, grape, apple, a house made goat cheese fritter, goat cheese crumble, and Lemon Honey Vinaigrette dressing
Chicago Pizza with Sausage and Banana Peppers
Stan the Donut Man 7967 Cincinnati-Dayton Road, West Chester
This place was deserving of sharing my name. The excellent cinnamon roll was only $2 (exactly 100 times the value of my casino cashout voucher shown above).
Flaky Cinnamon Roll
French Toast Heaven 4877 Smith Rd., West Chester
Kevin Jordan opened this restaurant named after his favorite food less than a year ago, and its success has been astounding. As its name indicates, FTH offers numerous varieties of French toast, but the menu also includes soul classic catfish and grits, and biscuits and gravy with four wings is also popular. The portions are huge and fortunately FTH offers French toast flights, so you should be able to sample numerous options.
Old School: Our signature French Toast topped with powdered sugar.
Marvelous Musician
Neil decided recently to return his music to Spotify. I respected his stance but missed having his music on the streaming service I use. I’m glad to have it back.
Neil Young returns his music to Spotify, 2 years after Joe Rogan boycott
Neil Young announced that his music will return to the music streaming service Spotify, two years after his songs were removed as a form of protest against podcasts that were spreading misinformation about the COVID-19 pandemic.
My sister Joan had Everybody Knows This is Nowhere and I liked "Cinnamon Girl," "Down by the River," and "Cowgirl in the Sand." I later bought many of his albums; After the Goldrush, Harvest, and Comes a Time are among my favorites. In 1971 my friends Nick Robins, Tom Marcus, and Gingy Scharff raved about a bootleg LP from Rubber Dubber records: I'm Happy That Y'all Came Down. I bought it and enjoyed the acoustic versions of his hits and the new songs that would be released the following year on Harvest. I am a fan of his work as a solo artist and with Crazy Horse, Buffalo Springfield, and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. I saw Neil at the Kiel Opera House in St. Louis in 1973 with Linda Ronstadt opening.
From Wikipedia: Neil Percival Young OC OM (born November 12, 1945 in Toronto) is a Canadian-American singer-songwriter, musician, and activist. After embarking on a music career in the 1960s, he moved to Los Angeles, joining Buffalo Springfield with Stephen Stills, Richie Furay and others. Since his early solo albums and those with his backing band Crazy Horse, Young has been prolific, recording a steady stream of studio and live albums. Young has received several Grammy and Juno Awards. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducted him twice: in 1995 as a solo artist and in 1997 as a member of Buffalo Springfield. In 2000, Rolling Stone named Young the 34th greatest rock 'n roll artist. His guitar work, deeply personal lyrics and signature tenor singing voice define his long career. He also plays piano and harmonica on many albums, which frequently combine folk, rock, country and other musical styles. His often distorted electric guitar playing, especially with Crazy Horse, earned him the nickname "Godfather of Grunge" and led to his 1995 album Mirror Ball with Pearl Jam. Young has lived in California since the 1960s but retains Canadian citizenship. He was awarded the Order of Manitoba on July 14, 2006, and was made an Officer of the Order of Canada on December 30, 2009. He became a United States citizen, taking dual citizenship, on January 22, 2020.
Young has received several Grammy and Juno Awards. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducted him twice: in 1995 as a solo artist and in 1997 as a member of Buffalo Springfield. In 2023, Rolling Stone named Young No. 30 on their list of 250 greatest guitarists of all time. Young is also on Rolling Stone's list of the 100 greatest musical artists. 21 of his albums and singles have been certified Gold and Platinum in the U.S. by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Young was awarded the Order of Manitoba in 2006 and was made an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2009.
Tell Me Why
Cinnamon Girl
Sugar Mountain
The Emperor of Wyoming
Harvest
My Playlist
Sports Star
The All-NBA Teams were just announced, and after making the second team last season, Jaylen was snubbed this year, not making any of the three teams. Here are the selections:
First Team: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic. Jayson Tatum, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Second Team: Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard, Anthony Davis, Jalen Brunson, Anthony Edwards
Third Team: LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Devin Booker, Domantas Sabonis, Tyrese Haliburton
Update a day later: Jaylen put up 40 in Game 2. Perhaps he was showing that he deserved to make one of the All-NBA Teams.
Last week I featured fellow Celtic star, Jayson Tatum. Last night, Jaylen tied Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals with a dramatic three-pointer to force overtime, leading to a huge win over the Indiana Pacers. So this week, it’s his turn.
Jaylen Brown's Game-Tying 3 Forces OT vs. Pacers in Game 1
Jaylen is averaging 23.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 2.7 assists so far in this year’s playoffs. Here are his regular season and career averages:
From Wikipedia: Jaylen Marselles Brown (born October 24, 1996 in Atlanta) is an American professional basketball player for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played one year of college basketball for the California Golden Bears, being named first-team all-conference and Freshman of the Year in the Pac-12 Conference.
Declaring for the 2016 NBA draft after his freshman season, Brown was selected by the Celtics with the third overall pick. As a professional, he has split his time between shooting guard and small forward. Brown is a three-time NBA All-Star, and helped the Celtics reach the 2022 NBA Finals, as well as the conference finals on five separate occasions.
Brown took a masters-level class in Berkeley's Cultural Studies of Sport in Education program during his first semester in college. He also gained some fluency in Spanish, stating a goal of learning three more languages by the age of 25.
On July 25, 2023, Brown signed a five-year contract extension worth up to $304 million, surpassing Nikola Jokić's $276 million extension as the richest deal in NBA history. He became eligible for the five-year "supermax" extension after making second-team All-NBA during the 2022–23 season.
Brown is primarily a vegetarian and has diverse interests including learning Spanish, studying history, meditation, and philosophy. He is also a big soccer fan as well as a big fan of anime. Many have described Brown as an unusual athlete, with many ambitions beyond basketball. Brown, who is African-American, assembled a primarily African-American advisory team prior to the NBA draft, but did not hire an agent. Brown was criticized by some as "too smart" to play in the NBA, with some scouts worrying that he would grow tired of playing basketball and instead opt to pursue other career paths.
When he was 22 years old, Brown became the National Basketball Players Association's youngest elected vice president. In recent years, he has spoken on the importance of education and technology at Harvard University, the University of California, Berkeley, and MIT. In 2019, Brown was named as a MIT Media Lab fellow and has since collaborated with the university to create the Bridge Program, which mentors Greater Boston youth and high school students of color, who are interested in pursuing careers in STEM programs. Through his work with MIT and his 7uice Foundation, Brown has taken a strong interest in tackling education and income inequality, among other social advocacy initiatives.
Celtics' Derrick White Calls Jaylen Brown Snub for All-Defensive Teams
Picture Pun
Strange Soup at Izzy's: World's Greatest Reubens (Not!)
Soup du jour: Matzo Ball a l’Orange
Stan …. Grand Slam Blog! Your coverage of the Cincinnati Food Crawl was AAA. The additional stories are all very interesting. Keep the blog coming!
Sandy