Bistro - Cincinatti

I had a chance to take a quick trip to Cincinnati last weekend. It's a city about the size of Pittsburgh, and it's interesting to compare the dynamics of the two towns. Cincinnati's downtown was quite lively I thought, and seemed to be a real center for dining and hanging out, especially in the Fountain Square area. All in all, it's an easy city to navigate and seems to have a lot to do in a central location -- definitely worth a road trip.

Here is a link to the Cincinnati convention and visitors' bureau web site, with a good listing of places to visit and things to do.

One restaurant recommendation: Bistro. Located near Fountain Square, Bistro had apparently, in an earlier incarnation, been a French themed restaurant. Reformulated, it now focuses on locally sourced meat and produce, with some Continental influences. My wife and I were delighted with the ambiance of the property. Service was attentive and knowledgeable, if sometimes a little distracted. The food was fabulous and exceptionally flavorful. The onion soup was a nice blend of sweet and savory onion flavors, and was distinct. The terrine appetizer was served in a rustic style, a compendium of rough grated chicken liver, giblets, pork, back fat and other ingredients. It was very filling - nearly a meal of itself.

The menu also features a "coal roasted" NY strip steak, which is charred as on a hot grill. It offers a nice smoky flavor in complement to the beef.

The cioppino -- seafood stew -- was likewise very tasty, with large chunks of white fish and other seafood in a tasty broth.

One thing on the menu which I wanted to try but did not have room for was roasted bone marrow, which you don't see on many menus but it's a favorite of mine.

So, when in Cincinnati, you won't go wrong sitting down at Bistro near Fountain Square.