Over-the-Rhine has done a phenomenal job of garnering national recognition for the Cincinnati food scene. But I have to fist pump with some neighborhood pride for my little enclave in quiet East Hyde Park. Long before the OTR restaurant bubble, there was a about a two block section of Erie that became a playground for hyper-fusion international cuisine in Cincinnati. In fact, this little section of Hyde Park East has housed a quiet neighborhood foodie scene since World War II.
When I moved into the area, almost two decades ago, there were still bungalows to be had for bargains from some of the original owners, or their families. I bought mine from a retired unmarried teacher, the daughter of the man who built it in 1922. I spent the next several years renovating, but preserving its original craftsman character. My small enclave were the working class homes of Hyde Park, a contrast to the monstrous Victorian mansions on Observatory just up the hill. The old streetcar line which these Business Barons took to their offices downtown, ended near the corner of Delta and Eire. The miniscule cottages on Tarpis, where the funky Mushroom House stands, were built as worker cottages for the single streetcar operators. The old car barn was located behind what is now Coffee Emporium .
The first block to take on this fusion cuisine is a series of connected 1920s era one story, neighborhood shops at Erie and Amberson, that includes Haps Irish Pub, an old school barbershop and a family pharmacy. One of the first Thai restaurants on the East Side, Bangkok Bistro, which took over a vacated Snappy Tomato Pizza joint in the complex in 1994, introduced Pad Thai and Choo Chee to many gringos in Cincinnati. They paved the way for Lemongrass on Madison, Ruthai’s on Linwood, and Wild Ginger on Edwards.
Chef Yaj of Cumin.
Then, in the early 2000s, Chef “Yaj” Udyaya and Tunisian native Alex Mchaikl, renovated the old Taco Casa in the same complex, creating a very small boutique Indian restaurant called Cumin. I thought I had died and gone to heaven. They brought bold flavors and interesting new dishes that none of us could pronounce. Cumin expanded into a larger spot next door, then it became Ash in 2013, and now Café Mediterranean, owned by Fahri Ozdil. The small original Cumin space became an Israeli restaurant, then M, a wood fired pizza place, and now it’s Forno Osterio + Bar, the brainchild of Tuscan chef Christian Pietoso, of Via Vitae and Nicola’s. Forno has a wild boar with chocolate sauce – cinghiale in cocciolato – that’s as authentic as the same dish I had in Montelpuciano, Italy, at the Café Polizano.
Around the corner at Saybrook and Erie, is another late 1920s cluster of shops that has housed great restaurants since the 1930s. The end shop at 2672 Eire first housed the Saybrook Tavern, a family restaurant specializing in steaks, and seafood, and known for their kissing fish mural in the dining room. The owner James Morgenroth, operated a butcher shop next door and then opened the Saybrook Tavern in 1946. He served as President of the local National Restaurant Association, and would operate the Tavern until 1976. Morgenroth sold to his manager, David Walsh, who would then sell it to the next owner in 1984, when it would become Pasta al Dente.
Pasta al Dente was fantastic and always packed – they dished huge portions at great prices. Serving homemade ravioli and cannelloni and stuffed zucchini, it was great for us recent, poor college graduates who could make three meals out of a trip.
The inside of Saybrook Tavern, 3672 Eire Avenue.
In 2005, owner Jay Scavo decided to close Pasta al Dente. The space was then taken over by Merritt Oleksi, a culinarian from Boston, and Charlie Choi, a local Asian restauranteur, and named Sake Bomb. The two pioneered sushi in suburban Cincinnati. Choi would go on to open Dancing Wasabi on Edwards, in the old Beluga restaurant space, and then Mr. Sushi downtown.
In 2011, 2672 Erie would become Saigon Café, a Vietnamese and sushi restaurant, under Alex Ng. I spent many a ‘half price sushi’ night there eating a Hyde Park roll (spicy tuna, cucumber, avocado, and tempura flakes) .
Then, in 2016, Ng closed Saigon, moved it to Clifton and spent the next 18 months renovating the location into Bourbon Smokehouse, which only lasted about six months. They had some of the best smoked wings in the city in my opinion, but they were never consistent and couldn’t compete against East Side barbeque behemoth Eli’s. Now Delicio Coal fired pizza is set to open any day – the fifth restaurant, in the 90 year old space.
Sunshine Fine Foods, at 3501 Erie Avenue, was one of the oldest butcheries and neighborhood markets and now houses 3501 Korean Bistro, with the best Korean wings in the city. Nearby, there’s also a phenomenal craft butcher and deli – Dutch’s Larder – in a 70 year old pony keg, at the corner of Marburg and Erie – where Chef Patrick Hague makes the best Basque sausage and meat creations in the East Side.
Chef Patrick Hague of Dutch’s.
Two residential houses were combined to make Hyde Park Tavern at 3384 Erie Avenue in the early 2000s. At its latest incarnation – Keystone Bar and Grill – you can find several types of gourmet Mac N Cheese. It’s not my thing, but its been popular enough to survive for nearly ten years, mainly, I think, because of their huge outdoor patio.
For a brief period from 2016-2017 there was even a small Chipotle-inspired Indian takeout called Indi-Go, at 3392 Erie, next to Keystone Grill and the dry cleaners, catering to a growing number of Indian immigrants moving into the area. I enjoyed chatting with the owner Sujata Pai, and tasting her samosas and chutneys, but they didn’t last very long.
So, I’ve been lucky to have a smorgasbord of international cuisines within footsteps of my house and I look forward to what comes next!
dannwoellertthefoodetymologist 