This past Sunday was the first one of 2020 when I wasn’t packing for a trip, unpacking from a trip, out of town, working a special party, or otherwise just trying to catch up on life. So, this was the first #SundaysAreForResearch of the year! My Partner in Crime actually surprised me with this research outing. He got me in the car and just started driving. And I never expected to end up where we did.
Middletown, OH. About 30 miles Northeast of Cincinnati, population of 48,813, it became a city in 1886, and it was the perfect location to spend a beautiful February afternoon.
We started at Gracie’s for brunch, and I highly recommend it! The restaurant is light, bright, and airy with a wonderful blend of modern fixtures and what appeared to be original details. After chatting with our server, we found out that the building was originally a JC Penny’s and it now houses the restaurant and a B’n’B on the top floors.
I started with a Mimosa, on the server’s recommendation, and it was not traditional. I enjoyed it, even though I’m still not sure what exactly I was drinking. My Partner in Crime went with a Breakfast Burrito with hash browns, and I couldn’t pass up the Breakfast Gnocchi and we decided to share an order of Grits (I can never pass up grits).
Our food took a little longer than expected, so our wonderful server surprised us with an order of Gravy Cottage Fries – and it was amazing! The sausage in the gravy had an amazing flavor and it wasn’t as heavy as I expected it to be. Partner in Crime loved his burrito. My Gnocchi was very good, unfortunately it arrived to the table on the cool side which took the experience down a couple of notches for me. The grits were really well made and Partner in Crime and I were fighting over the last spoonful! We found out later that they are pretty new to Brunch, but I would highly recommend Gracie’s to anyone who is in the area.
After brunch we wandered down the block to the Triple Moon Coffee Company. Partner in Crime is not a coffee drinker, but for me, #coffeeislife. Their menu was extensive and honestly, I was a little overwhelmed. I went with my go-to Vanilla Latte. It had such a rich, warm flavor without being overly sweet. The shop itself is a bright open space, with lots of tables and booths, and a lovely book/toy/game corner for kids of all ages. Even though it was mostly full, the volume wasn’t loud and I could easily see myself holing up there for an afternoon of writing, reading, and caffeinating.
After my coffee break, we started walking in the beautiful sunshine. After about 3 blocks my Partner in Crime announced we had arrived! I looked around and finally saw they sign for “White Dog Distilling Company.” In we went to a long narrow bar, about 15 bar stools, a handful of tables, and one of the best bourbon collections I have seen in the state of Ohio. Partner in Crime went with a PBR, because you can never go wrong with a PBR. As for myself, I was overwhelmed. The incredibly kind owners let me sample their Vodka, Gin, Rum, and Agave Spirit. I enjoyed them all, but the Gin stood out to me as being incredibly smooth and well flavored while not being overly juniper/piney.
I ended up going with a Cosmo (I never have Cosmos and I’ve been craving one for a few weeks now) because I wanted to see out the Vodka mixed. It was a very nice drink, well balanced, and almost exactly what I had been craving. While I was enjoying my first cocktail two other guests ordered a Margarita made with the White Dog Agave spirit, and they looked good. So that was my second drink. It was nice, and again the spirit mixed well, but almost immediately I found myself wish that I had picked a drink that didn’t cover the spirit as much.
The owners were engaging, and their story is truly a unique one. I’m hoping to visit again soon, and definitely once they start producing their whiskey. If you see White Dog at your local liquor store (I know for sure they are in Jungle Jim’s) do yourself a favor and pick up the spirit of your choice.
On our way home we made a last-minute decision to take home a pizza from Dons Pizza. We basically didn’t have a choice. We had parked across the street from them and the sign Pizza is Life was taunting us. We ordered a cheese pizza to go and it was different, but very good. A thin crust, with a solid base of thick but not watery sauce and a rich, blend of cheese. It was cut into 1-2 bite squares, perfect for snacking. And a perfect way to end a beautiful February Sunday afternoon of #research.
