Here are five food reviews from Ray Marcano, who covers the Dayton region and provides first-hand feedback.
Review: Wine dinner at Manna Uptown is 4 courses, gets 5 stars
Grilled skirt steak with Argentinian chimichurri with mascarpone- and bacon-loaded Yukon gold potato at Manna Uptown. Ray Marcano photos / contributed
When you walk to Manna Uptown’s upstairs dining area, the rustic elegance of wood beams, chandeliers and white tablecloths signals this isn’t just a meal, but an experience. That it was. The restaurant’s recent four-course wine dinner ($79 per person) emphasized flavor in every bite and sip, the type of carefully planned meal that showcased the kitchen’s skill. Moreover, Kara York, of Wine Trends, who selected the wines, and executive chef and owner Margot Blondet (who also owns Salar Restaurant and Lounge) were on hand to answer questions.
Review: Coldwater Cafe has a small town feel and big city menu
The loveseat, chair and table with flowers you see when you walk in to Coldwater in Tipp City provides a relaxed feel even as the bar bustles behind it. The classy chairs and the tables in the dining room signal small town charm, while the menu nods to big city cuisine. On a recent visit, the cuisine had more hits than misses.
Review: Table 33’s ambiance, food makes it a go-to destination
Walking into Table 33 is like entering an upscale club in Montreal. Sometimes ambiance outpaces food, but that’s not the case here. Even with one hiccup, Table 33 has planted its flag as a go-to destination. The menu’s small by design because each dish focuses on depth and culinary vision. Tomato bisque can’t simply be made of chicken broth and canned tomatoes; it has to be a marriage of slowly roasted plum tomatoes and sweet red peppers that is finished with basil cream and parmesan croutons.
Review: Resonant, where exquisite food becomes edible art
Resonant, the new restaurant from the owners of Grist, is set to open this June. Photo by Alex Cutler
Resonant, a restaurant in Dayton’s Oregon District, has only been open since June, but it’s already shown it is worthy of being mentioned with the state’s best, like The Refectory in Columbus and Boca in Cincinnati. On a recent visit, I sampled a dish that was on the same level as the aforementioned Alo, a Michelin star restaurant.
Review: Mamma DiSalvo’s Italian Ristorante feels like family (and tastes great)
I pulled up on a recent Thursday night and was surprised to find DiSalvo’s packed by 5:30 p.m. I didn’t have a reservation, so I took a seat at the bar while I waited for a table. It was the beginning of an evening in which the food and people felt like you were eating in Nona’s house. I started with the small antipasto plate ($16), which is supposed to serve two, but really serves three or four. It was full of prosciutto, ham, capicola, parmesan cheese and salami. The giardiniera mix included mushrooms, olives, peppers, olives and lettuce and they were coated with a dressing that had a nice vinegar bite.
House made gnocchi with an alfredo/pesto sauce (left) and rigatoni all’amatriciana
Marvin (left) the bartender and Taylor, a server, contributed to the family feel of Mama DiSalvo’s Italian Restaurant
