Out to eat: Through the Garden

Spinach, mushrooms and tomatoes are sauteed in a balsamic glaze for a garden-style tilapia dish with grilled potatoes at Through the Garden in Blue Ash. (Credit: Liz Dufour | Metromix)

Through the Garden in Blue Ash offers patrons large portions with fresh, homemade entrees and is vegetarian friendly.

The atmosphere: Through the Garden has been in business since 1997. It got a new owner in 2005 who kept popular menu items and created a garden outdoors to grow vegetables for the restaurant.

The dining room is simple, with wooden floors and no tablecloths on the tables. But it’s big enough to seat small and large parties, both of which seemed to be in attendance on a particular Saturday. If you want to watch the staff cook your meal, sit at the counter upon walking in and look right into the kitchen.

The food: Through the Garden was voted Cincinnati’s Best Vegetarian Friendly Restaurant by AOL City Guide, as there are many menu items chock-full of veggies. There is a variety of salads with homemade dressings, vegetarian lasagna and the daily specials often feature vegetarian options as well.

My date and I started our meal with the artichoke dip, which came out in a hot ramekin with homemade crunchy pita bread slices ($7.99). The artichoke dip was cheesy, gooey and full of flavor, while the pita slices were fried until just crisp.

While walking into the restaurant we spotted the daily specials on a board in the doorway. The dinner catch special was salmon, and there was also an eggplant parmesan special. After asking for advice from our waitress we decided to try each.

The dinner catch special ($19.99) was a grilled salmon fillet in a cream sauce, topped with spinach and two side dishes; I chose the homemade red-skin mashed potatoes and the house salad with homemade peppercorn ranch dressing. The salmon was grilled to perfection and melted in your mouth with the delicious cream sauce, and the spinach was a great touch.

The eggplant parmesan special was angel hair pasta with mushrooms, spinach, tomatoes and a light cream sauce with three battered and fried pieces of eggplant on top. It also came with a slice of garlic bread and a side dish. My date chose a house salad with blue cheese dressing. The pasta and eggplant were light with just the right amount of seasoning; it tasted so good he cleaned his plate.

If you are looking for something a little heavier than a vegetarian meal, stop in on Tuesdays for all-you-can-eat wings and $1 draft Yuengling, Bud Light, Shock Top and Sierra Nevada, or try Thursdays for all-you-can-eat ribs.

The drinks: Through the Garden has a fully stocked bar and offers Yuengling, Bud Light, Shock Top and Sierra Nevada on tap for $2.99. They also have daily drink specials. On a recent Saturday, Long Island Ice Teas and Mai Tais were each $5, which my date and I both decided to try. They also were offering homemade peach sangria ($7.25), which was made from white wine and peach schnapps.

Domestic beers for $3.25 include Bud, Bud Light, Miller Light, Coors Light and O’Doul’s Amber. Imports and micro beers are $4.25 and include Bass Ale, Corona, Guinness, Heineken, Dos Equis, Sam Adams, Stella Artois and New Castle Brown Ale.

They have a variety of red and white wines ranging in price from $6.75-$10 a glass and $24-$32 a bottle. If you are not in the mood for beer or wine try one of their signature cocktails such as a Garden Sunrise, mojito or margaritas by the pint.

The verdict: Through the Garden isn’t overly fancy, but the service, food and drinks are perfect from start to finish. I’ll definitely return for a second visit.