Green Dog Cafe

That Emmy, she can pick them! Today after the hike we were starving...it was 3PM and we had breakfast at 9AM.

3543 Columbia Parkway, Cincinnati, OH

Love the logo!  A little bit of info I read in a FAQ's sheet...Mary Swortwood has over 25 years experience and started her career at the Greenbriar Resort in White Sulphur Springs, WV (I knew I would like her...a Hillbilly just like me) as an apprentice.  She also has a background in nutrition.  Mary and her partner, Mark Swortwood, started the Brown Dog Cafe and Tinks.  The Brown Dog was named after their chocolate lab.  With so much focus on the environment and healthy food "GREEN"

 is the new Brown.

Wyatt has decided (about 15 minutes before ordering lunch) that he was going to be a vegetarian.  So he ordered a Green Dog Burger.  He ended up not eating it and ordered a hot dog instead.  That is another blog for another day.

Michael read thru the menu of vegan, dairy free and gluten items and decided to order a cheese quesadilla off the children's menu.

Grilled chicken salad...mixed greens, roasted sweet potatoes, caramelized red onions, feta cheese, walnuts and the house vinaigrette

Chihuahua Bowl...black beans, corn salad, organic rice, tomato salsa, manchego fresco, and tortilla chips

It was a fun lunch.  Michael was a little upset with Wyatt because he didn't understand why he wanted to change to be a vegetarian.  I think the place is a little pricey.   They are environmentally conscious. It was nice and clean.  Everyone was friendly and got a kick out of the boys.  Not sure I would go back but I have a feeling that Emmy and Erika will hit it pretty soon...like one day next week.

Little River Cafe

5527 Oregonia Road, Oregonia, OH

I can only imagine how packed this place is once the weather gets better and bikers and river rats decend on the place.  The good thing is their outdoor seating is larger that the indoor seating.  A very clean and inviting atmosphere.

The cheese sticks were a big hit with the kids.

The mushroom sticks and hosehradish sauce were to die for.  I could have eaten three more bskets full.

Everyone in our party gave the French Onion Soup a two thumbs up.

This small pizza was enough for lunch and leftovers for sinner that night.  Really good crust!

Talk about huge...this Muffaletta could have fed an army.

Fish strips...Ellis asked the waitress if they could the fish in the river that he just say.

Pulled pork with sweet potato french fries...delicious!

Classics' Diner

I don't know if this was planned or if we just happened on this cool little diner but it was like walking back into the 50's. I kept waiting for the cast of Happy Days to walk thru the door.

1581 North High Street, Hillsboro, OH

It was pretty late in the afternoon for lunch so we had the place to ourselves, which was nice.  A very kid friendly place.

bacon cheeseburger

cheeseburger

grilled cheese

fish sandwich

hamburger

I was impressed with how clean the place was.  Everything seemed to shine, literally and when the sun hit the shine...you had to break out the sunglasses.  The staff was very nice.  The kids loved it and have decided the next time we go we are going to try a milkshake or two.  It was a fun lunch!

Knotty Pine On The Bayou

 Emmy made the reservations.  Called brother and sister with all the important info.  Told her Dad it was his birthday dinner and then boarded a plane for CO to visit Cassie and her crazy crew.  She called us several times to check on our progress with dinner.  I'm thinking that we just might have to go back when she gets home
.

From all the reviews that I had read on Urbanspoon I knew that it was going to be a little different.  The drive to the place was a challenge.  We set the Garmin and should have listened but the address that is on Urbanspoon says Newport.  No...it is in Cold Springs, KY.  It was at night and raining cats and dogs so we weren't able to see out the back but Bryce and Tini say that when you are sitting on the back patio the floor is so slanted that you feel like you are going to fall out of your seat.  (Which a lady did right there in the dining room)  I'd like to go back in the summer and see what the Licking River looks like in the daylight.  First impressions...a different kind of place.  And I know where they got the name...knotty pine paneling all over the place.  Very uniquely decorated with items that I would think you would find on the bayou.

The birthday boy and his little buddy along with the little buddies newest Lego little person...and it is not a Star Wars figure.  Happy Birthday Big Pappa!

It was nice to find out that this restaurant was kid friendly.  I looked for a kids menu on line but couldn't find one.  One thing that did concern me was the fact that in KY there are no NO SMOKING laws in restaurants.  Michael with asthma...not a good combo.

Mark ordered an appetizer of alligator strips.  Now I am not a very adventurous person, not by a long shot.  But I have to say that alligator isn't bad.  Tastes a lot like chicken.  The sauce that it is in...delicious!  I'd get it again!

Gumbo....SPICY!!!  And really good!

Mark had a salad with bleu cheese dressing, fried oysters and collard greens.  The greens were delicious.  That would be a repeat dish for me for sure.  The oysters were huge!

Bryce and Tini both ordered the grouper.  Tini's was blackened and from all accounts also delicious.  Bryce had a side of red skinned potatoes...again delicious!

If I had to chose which meal was the largest I would have to choose Sarah's bowl of shrimp scampi.  It was huge, probably could have shared half with another person.  Michael tried one of her shrimp....verdict two thumbs up from him.

I went out on a limb and got the Cajun sampler.  Chicken, steak and shrimp.  I love shrimp so naturally that was the first thing I bit into.  Holy Cow was it ever hot and spicy!  And really good!  The steak was real tender and the chicken was cut into little pieces which was nice.  All I had to so all night was stab, eat, drink water.  My lips were numb just about the entire dinner.  It was Goooood!

Even wit the direction snafu and late arrivals the night was great.  I'd go back again and again.  I have a few criteria for places we eat...kid friendly, clean, good staff, variety of selection, fun atmosphere, and do I feel comfortable.  Knotty Pine gets 5 stars in each area.

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