Cincinnati has made a mark for itself in the world of food with eateries such as Skyline, LaRosa's, Graeter's and Gold Star. But what about the rest of the country? What culinary quests are other areas known for? We found authentic eats from around the country, so when you can't make it out of the city on vacation, at least you can eat like you did!
PHILADELPHIA
Known for: Philly cheesesteak
Get it locally at: Balboa's Philly Steaks and Pizza
628 Vine St., downtown or 420 Walnut St., downtown, 513-381-1700 (Vine), 513-381-7222 (Walnut) or www.mybalboassteak.com
Try: Original Philly Steak ($4.99 half, $8.49 whole)
For a Philly cheesesteak Rocky himself would have loved, head to either of the Balboa's locations downtown. The cheesesteak has been a staple of Philadelphia since the 1930s. For authentic Philly flavor in Cincinnati, order your cheesesteak at Balboa's where the ingredients are imported from Philadelphia to make it the real thing; according to Balboa's management, the restaurant doesn't use any Midwest ingredients other than produce.
Get your Original Philly Steak or Chicken Philly topped with a choice of cheeses, onions, green peppers, mushrooms, lettuce, tomato, pizza sauce and more. The company-owned restaurant offers its sandwiches and East Coast-style pizzas for dine in, carry out or delivery within the immediate downtown area.
NEW YORK
Known for: New York-style pizza
Get it locally at: Fratelli's New York Style Pizzeria
6890 Tylersville Road, West Chester Twp., 513-777-5061 or www.fratellispizzeria.com
Try: Madison Square Garden (green pepper, onion, black olives, mushrooms), The New Yorker (pepperoni, sausage, onion, green peppers) or The Craiger (pepperoni, sausage, bacon, meatballs)
Fratelli's is a locally owned family business that's been serving up New York-style pizza for the past five years. The dough is hand-tossed, the restaurant cooks its own sauces, and all food is made-to-order from family recipes that are also used in pizza parlors in Brooklyn and New Jersey.
The owners are original New Jersey natives who brought a bit of the East Coast to the Midwest with the food and decor that includes photos of New York landmarks.
"New York-style pizza is hand-tossed pizza, stone-baked, not conveyored, and the pieces are big," says restaurant manager Kelly Oxley. "It's typically New Yorkers who come in and they ask for it to be well done so it's crispier. The pizza itself is bigger - our large is an 18-inch - (with) handtossed crust: It's not thick, it's not thin, it's just right."
Fratelli's offers its pizzas and other menu items for dine in or carry out. You can also order pizza by the slice from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
CHICAGO
Known for: Authentic Chicago hot dogs
Get them locally at: Hot Doggin' It
12082 Montgomery Road, Symmes Twp., 513-831-3644 or www.hotdogginitcincinnati.com
Try: Chicago style hot dog ($2.90), Italian beef sandwich ($6.25) or Chicago style Polish sausage ($3.95)
Although Hot Doggin' It owner Ava Baldwin has been living in Cincinnati for about 25 years, she and many other Chicago natives still crave that authentic Chicago hot dog.
Inspired by Chicago dogs, Hot Doggin' It uses Vienna beef and Chicago green relish. Baldwin likens the allure of the Chicago hot dog to Cincinnatians and their desire for Skyline or Gold Star chili.
The restaurant, open for two years with dine in, carry out and catering options, also offers Chicago hot tamales, Italian sausage and burgers, and serves as a place for Chicagoans to get a taste of home.
"We're not just another hot dog stand," Baldwin says.
So what is it about a Windy City hot dog that draws people in?
Well, one thing is the "snap" you'll get when you bite into the dog because of the natural casing, along with the toppings, which include yellow mustard, chopped onions, pickle spear, celery salt, sport peppers, tomato wedges and green relish.
"It's on a steamed poppyseed bun, and it's an all beef hot dog done in natural casing ... (all the toppings) create a hot, cold, sweet, sour, snap of hot dog - all flavors at one time," Baldwin says.
NEW ORLEANS
Known for: Po' Boy
Get it locally at: New Orleans To Go
139 W. Kemper Road, Springdale, 513-671-2711
Try: Glazed shrimp po' boy with choice of dressings and shrimp with spicy honey glaze ($8.95) or fried oyster po' boy ($10.95)
LaToya Foster-Filson fulfilled a dream and helped out some family members all at the same time when she opened New Orleans To Go in Springdale two years ago.
"I'm originally from New Orleans," Foster-Filson says. "I've been here, though, since '91, and after (Hurricane) Katrina we had a bunch of family come to live here ... It had always been a dream of ours to do mostly po' boys, and I wanted to help my family out because I knew they had been displaced and would be out of work."
Po' boys differ from regular sub sandwiches because of the French bread used, which is crustier and airy in the middle. And when you eat a New Orleans To Go po' boy, you really are tasting a bit of New Orleans because all of the seafood and seasonings get shipped from the city.
The restaurant (which also serves numerous other New Orleans specialties such as red beans and rice and catfish) has a Zydeco band once a month and offers mixed beverages and daiquiris.
If you're jonesin' for some alligator or etouffee, just let Foster-Filson know in advance.
LOUISVILLE
Known for: Kentucky hot brown
Get it locally at: Double Decker Cafe
8645 Haines Drive, Florence, 859-384-8645 or www.doubledeckercafe.com
Try: Kentucky hot Brown ($6.49, comes with two sides)
The original Kentucky hot Brown was a sandwich created at the Brown Hotel in Louisville as a late-night supper option. The signature dish is an open-faced sandwich with turkey and bacon covered in Mornay sauce and baked until the bread is crisp. Some versions, including the Double Decker's, include ham.
The Double Decker Cafe's hot Brown includes mild cheddar cheese sauce (instead of the Mornay sauce) over hot ham and turkey, bacon, tomatoes and shredded cheese with two pieces of toast.
"I think what's neat about the hot brown is it just offers you so much in one plate," Double Decker owner Robert Hasty says. "You've got the ham and the turkey, the toast, the cheese, the tomato and the bacon. So it's kind of like this big meal ... It's a pretty hearty dish, really."
And the super-cheesy dish ("You gotta like cheese to get this menu item," Hasty says) has been a success for the Florence restaurant with customers loving the Louisville cuisine.
"Our big thing, of course, was to be unique and to be different," Hasty says of the decision to include a hot brown on the menu. "And there was really no one around us at that time that was serving a hot Brown."
