The Cincinatti Trifecta
Posted by Curt McAdams on Well Fed On the Town.
Over the last, oh, 25 years, restaurants have become less regional. What used to be hard to find in one area of the country is now everywhere. When I was a kid, the only Mexican you could find in Ohio was Taco Bell… Now, there are authentic Mexican places even in small towns. While I enjoy having a variety of places local to me, I miss the items that can only be found in their original region.
My father moved from Ohio to Atlanta almost 25 years ago. Every trip back to Ohio brings with it several stops at places that are still regional. We often plan around those stops, in what we have come to call the Trifecta.
The places included in the Trifecta are:
There’s just nothing quite like a Big Boy, smothered in extra sauce! Actually, I think the main thing with Frisch’s is that my dad has memories of going there when he was growing up. I live where they are all over the place, and I never stop on my own.
This is a Cincinnati classic. People often get offended by what Skyline calls chili, but it’s a regional thing. Forget that it’s called chili and enjoy it! It’s based on Greek seasonings, with chili put on top of spaghetti, then smothered with grated cheddar cheese. Add some hot sauce, and you’ve got a bit of heaven on a plate! (I had some for lunch today!)
As I said, every place has pizza. Marion’s is only found in Dayton, Ohio, as far as I know. It’s pretty simple pizza, with toppings edge to edge. It’s one of the few places where the edges are as good as the interior pieces. It’s also one of those things that you may not like if you’re from the area… But it’s a must stop! It’s old fashioned in a sense… Cash only, and their website isn’t even up yet!
There are other places that are important to the family (see my entry on Crabill’s Hamburgers), but those are more out of the way. If the family gets the Trifecta in, the trip is a success!
Every area still has it’s own flavors; when you’re traveling, take the time to find something unique. We rememeber things like that as much or more than sights we see!
(Images from Skyline Chili and Frisch’s websites)
