White Lightning

By Jeff Topping
Photo By Ventre Photo Illustration

Whether you drink Bourbon, Scotch, or American Rye there are set guidelines as to how long it must be aged in wood before it can gain one of those coveted titles or it is just clear spirit, white lightning, white dog, or just – whisky!.

So, what happens if you have no wood?  First, there will be no bungs to pound and no barrels to fill but you could try it old school and just go naked.  Second, it is a great opportunity to see why good wood is important to making great whisky of any kind. The wood imparts flavors and colors directly into the clear spirit in addition to filtering out certain impurities from the distilling process.  Some of these flavors and aromas come directly from the wood, its charring process and its previous occupant – all providing character to the taste. Read the rest of this entry…

FB’s

126 W. 6th Street, Downtown

The name can mean anything you want. (Full Barrels? Feisty Burritos? Feline Barristers?) And that’s the point, you choose for yourself. But ambiguity in the meaning of the name contrasts with the clear and direct mission of FB’s: to serve an often overlooked clientele in local nightlife – the over 25 crowd.

The main floor cocktail lounge is upscale, but not intimidating- a casual, elegant atmosphere, clean-cut in a sophisticated sort of way. The second floor lounge has a strict dress-code and caters to clients looking for service and style. With a menu of bottle service options that includes a TSM – tableside mixology – option that allows those willing a private bar and tender for an evening, the second floor is themed as a funky living room and inspires socializing.

Of course, the basement hosts a nightclub on weekends. Anyone get in the nightclub, but only those on the list can get upstairs. FB’s encourages reservations and advanced notice for second-floor access. For more information, call (513)246-5333.

Create Your Own Stromboli

Indigo Casual Gourmet

Hyde Park

Sure, you could settle for a delivery pizza, you could probably make your own, but for the perfect blend of crispy crust, red sauce, cheese and toppings to make your heart sing, there’s nothing better than stromboli at Indigo. The menu offers ready-made combinations like the Mediterranean (artichoke hearts, roasted bell peppers, olives, tomatoes and onions) and the Sicilian (sausage, ham, pepperoni, onion and bell peppers), but with more than 50 stuffings and toppings to choose from, you might as well let your imagination run wild.

Chimichurri Steak Sandwich

Bootsy’s (produced by Jeff Ruby)

Downtown

When Cincinnati’s steak king and one of the city’s most recognizable talents get together for a project, the results are bound to be far from ordinary. So it should really be no surprise that a restaurant named for and inspired by Bootsy Collins and brought to life by Jeff Ruby has a menu as diverse and eclectic as the two men’s wardrobes. Tapas, sushi and Waygu are par for the course, but for a lunchtime adventure, try the Chimichurri Steak Sandwich- grilled Kobe skirt steak served with onions and peppers and topped with a fried egg. It’s music to a foodie’s ears.