Holler Hops and Grill opens, brings ‘uppity’ food to Florence
A new upscale beer bar, Holler Hops and Grill, recently opened in Florence’s Oakbrook Town Center.
They’ve got 10 beers on tap, which are rotated periodically, along with 70 or so more in bottles. The bar is owned by Trent Riley.
Maria Pena, the chef there, has worked with Jean-Phillipe Chocolatier and at L’Auberge in Dayton, but said she’s left fine dining for now to create some “uppity” bar food.
She said their Kentucky eggs, a version of Scotch eggs, are good, with goetta wrapped around hard-boiled eggs, panko’d and fried. She does crab croquettes, pimento cheese, hummus, Kentucky burgoo with pork, country ham and venison, and meatloaf cupcakes with whipped potato “frosting.”
7500 Oakbrook Drive. 859-918-6532 or www.facebook.com/HollerHopsandGrill
Palomino has a new look
Palomino has undergone a renovation of its dining room and bar, with a new color palette added via a complete re-painting, plus new furniture, carpet, artwork, lamps and pendant light fixtures.
Part of the Restaurants Unlimited Inc. chain, Palomino has been in business downtown at 505 Vine St., across from Fountain Square, for 13 years.
513-381-1300, www.palomino.com
Sweet Frog frozen yogurt coming to Crescent Springs
Sweet Frog Premium Frozen Yogurt will open a location in Crescent Springs at the end of June.
Owner Austen Comfort said that he looked at a number of different locations before settling in Crescent Springs, in the former Salsarita’s Fresh Cantina location.
Sweet Frog is a yogurt chain based out of Virginia, with a strong philosophy of Christian values.
Customers will be able to choose between 14 different flavors of self-serve cold treats and sorbet. There will be around 45 to 50 different toppings to try as well.
Le’s Cafe, the little eatery in Downtown’s Main Library, is moving to Court Street.
Hai Bui is opening Le’s Pho and Sandwiches, named for his wife, at 3 E. Court St. He says he’ll have even more Vietnamese foods on the Court Street menu. In addition to banh mi, he’ll have pho, spring rolls, and bun, the delicious cold noodle salad. He hopes he’ll be able to grill outside. American sandwiches will be on the menu as well.
If all goes as planned, he’ll open in a few weeks, and plans to keep hours 11 a.m.-4 p.m. during the week, and perhaps on Saturday as well.
The owners of Great Scott Restaurant in Withamsville are opening a second location in Oakley. By July 2, they plan to be open in the former location of Nick’s Chops and Chasers, 3335 Madison Road.
Laura and Scott Elsaesser are the couple behind Great Scott. They also own The Diner in Amelia.
Laura said that they’re maintaining the feel of the Nick’s interior, though lightening it up with new paint and a few changes, adding flowers and a small seating area outdoors. The menu will replicate the one at Great Scott, which is extensive, with lots of choices that appeal to a wide range of customers. They’ll have a large selection of beer, and more wine in the Oakley location than the original.
Jeff Baker, owner of Zen and Now Coffee House on Bridgetown Road, is moving the business to Cheviot. He’s also changing the name of the coffee house, which opened in 1999, to Higher Ground Coffee House.
Jeff Baker, who’s owned Zen and Now since last year, said the new location at 3721 Harrison will be larger by 400 square feet, will have better parking, and will be in a neighborhood with more businesses, customers and community around it. He’ll be adding more food too: grab-and-go wraps and sandwiches and salads.
Look for Higher Ground to open around the end of June.
The ninth annual Cincinnati Fringe Festival celebrated a record box office when it completed its 11-day run on June 9. Ticket sales were up 11 percent with attendance of 7,728 and 24 sold-out performances. The busiest day was June 2, with attendance of more than 1,100.
This year’s Pick of the Fringe winners are “The Screw You Review” (Producers’ Pick); “METHTACULAR!” (Artists’ Pick); “On Her Pillow” (Audience Pick); “Bombus and Berylline or the Bumblebee and the Hummingbird” (Critics’ Pick); and “Grim and Fischer: a deathly comedy in full face mask” (Pass-holders Pick).
The Apple store at Kenwood Towne Centre is undergoing a renovation.
Until work is complete, the store has moved to a temporary spot on the mall’s upper level, near Dillards. A reopening date for the permanent store has not been set, according to an Apple spokesperson.
513-826-3620; www.apple.com/retail/kenwood
