A few years ago, my doctor suggested I stop eating wheat products. This is the same guy who recommended that I stop drinking whiskey and smoking, so I can’t really take all of his advice at face value. I did a little research to find out that wheat gluten was in a lot of the things I love and had come to consider not only tasty, but healthy. How can you cook without wheat? No flour, no pasta, no baked goodies? Even if it fixed my elusive health maladies, did I really want any part of this? I tried a few gluten-free baking mixes and pastas and it turned out that I may have a more severe allergy to nasty than to gluten.

After a couple years of experimentation with new foods, I found myself eating a lot more whole foods and making healthier choices by default, because of what was available to me. While healthy and whole are great things, sometimes you just want comfort food. Pizza. Sandwiches. Cupcakes. If you have a hangover, the last thing you want is to sit down to some avocado and eggs in the morning. You want biscuits and gravy. I may not have found a savior in guiltless Southern cooking at Sinfully Gluten Free, but I did find some good eats free of the wheat gluten that so many people have come to find impedes their general well-being. I took a friend who has a far more severe allergy than my own (there are different grades of gluten allergies – and full-on Celiac Disease), so she could indulge in some of her favorite forgotten comforts.

We started off by choosing our entrées – a large Hawaiian pizza and one of the day’s specials, chicken pot pie. Then, we drifted over to the bakery case to discover red velvet cupcakes, chocolate cupcakes, mini carrot cakes and lemon bars, and something called devil dogs, among other amazing treats. The ladies at the counter informed us that they also had fresh shortbreads and cinnamon rolls on their way out. It was a tough call, but we decided on a devil dog – two chocolate cakes stuffed with cream cheese frosting – for me and a red velvet cupcake – topped with the same frosting – for her. I won’t make excuses – we ate dessert first to make sure we didn’t run out of room for it. The cakes themselves were just as good, if not even more sticky and fudgy, than you’d find in any non-gluten-free bakery. There was no shortage of moisture, no mealy texture and the frosting and filling were sweet without being cloying.

It was my lunch date’s genius idea to order pizza so we could start on that while the pot pie baked – it was noted to take 20 minutes or so, made-to-order. If you didn’t know the pizza was gluten-free, I’m willing to bet you couldn’t tell. It may have been a different style crust than you’d expect from delivery – just a bit more cracker-like on the edges and bottom, but still just enough chew on the inside. I think if any region is going to be more comfortable with a thinner crust, square-cut pie, it’s going to be Dayton. And I’d eat this over Cassano’s any day, allergies or not. The toppings and cheese were nothing short of what you’d expect if you ordered a Hawaiian pizza anywhere else. The pot pie was delicious, but the crust did have a slightly different texture, with just the slightest bit of a mealy feel to it. I’ll admit, though, it had been a good year since I’d had a pot pie of any sort, so there’s a chance that the dumbed-down biscuit-type crust that all pot pies are made with exhibit the same quality and I’ve just forgotten. I could have stood more veggies, but was glad the chicken was just breast meat and no mystery stuff. Plus, the gravy element was just right.

Our large pizza, pot pie, two sweets and two sodas rang in around $35, which would be considered pricey by most circumstances – but bear in mind, this is specialty food. Most of the folks eating here – of which there were plenty – probably can’t go just anywhere and order a pizza. The aspect of service isn’t a strong point with counter service, but the workers were all friendly and happy to help you pick out items to your liking if you’d never been in. I was very surprised how ample the seating was – a pretty large room with at least half a dozen tables that seated four, and even a smaller empty area with a few toys that you could let your kids wander off to. It’s a pretty no-frills dining environment, though. With all the food we ordered, the best we could do was grab a load of napkins and plastic cutlery – no plates (paper or otherwise) were available.

People that can go just anywhere and order a pizza, sandwich or cupcake probably don’t see the appeal in travelling to Centerville and paying $30 for lunch – but then again, those folks aren’t really Sinfully Gluten-Free’s target market. If you’re considering going gluten-free (but not grain-free), this is a good place to explore some options. They even have a sign-up sheet at the register for a gluten-free and Celiac support group that is held regularly. For a great lot of their regular customers, it’s about a necessary lifestyle change, so these ladies have at least taken the worry out of finding a decent pizza.

Sinfully Gluten Free is located at 9146 Dayton-Lebanon Pike in Centerville. For more information, call 937.433.1044 or visit sinfullygf.com.

There are two types of restaurants that I prefer to frequent: One – and most obvious – is the place that features great food and service. Two – and maybe a bit more abstract – is the place that tries its best to marry the above with a business practice that focuses on keeping things independent, including the use of local vendors, so that the dollars spent better support the local economy. Lucky for Dayton, I think Urban Harvest – Chef Matthew DeAngulo’s new venture in Clayton – finds some middle ground between these two ideals. The Dayton restaurant veteran cut his teeth at notable establishments such as Olivia’s in the Kettering Tower, Zola, Neil’s Heritage House and, most recently, as kitchen head at Olive, an urban dive.

It’s clear from the menu that Urban Harvest is looking to fill an empty niche north of downtown – good food, locally focused and made “with integrity.” While I can’t speak to the integrity, per se, I can speak to the place overall, and after a couple of visits, feel like the description is pretty accurate. Urban Harvest serves three menus: brunch, lunch/dinner and catering. Brunch is served Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., lunch and dinner served Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Their brunch menu offers a little something for everyone, but don’t go looking for much light fare here, as we found on our first visit. Aside from their fresh quiche with fruit ($6), most of their Midwest comfort food-focused menu consists of stick-to-your-ribs hangover cures like the steak and cheese Monte Cristo ($8), the baked cinnamon apple French toast ($7) and the savory pancakes ($7).

The grass-fed beef and boursin cheese stuffed Monte Cristo, soaked in egg batter and pan seared, was served with eccentric grape jelly gravy – the jury is still out on this one. Their pancakes, on the other hand, were excellent, ordered straight up with butter and syrup, rather than smothered with pork and beans. We tried the apple French toast and felt it was a bit much, almost coming off as a bread pudding, more fitting for dessert. In contrast, a friend accompanying us tried the Campfire Breakfast ($7.00), a more conventional cast iron skillet of eggs, potatoes, onions, and bacon. Short answer: He was talking, he was quiet and it was gone – enough said. Finally, we wanted to try the Goetta, a unique and tasty Cincinnati-born sausage made with ground pork and steel cut oats. The Urban Harvest version is similar, however, they use pulled pork and unfortunately the seasoning seemed to be missing entirely. Served with an egg, some spring mix and tomato, it was the least exciting dish of the day.

The lunch and dinner menu continues the comfort food theme, albeit more successfully. With entrees topping out at $12 and a BYOB policy, it’s a pretty affordable outing, especially when you’re brown bagging it. With soups, salads, sandwiches and a handful of entrées, carnivores and vegetarians are all covered. Items range from a Garden Harvest Press sandwich ($7) to Xenia’s own Ed Hill Roast Chicken entrée ($12). Following a day at the Boonshoft Museum of Discovery with our littlest roommate and already halfway there, we decided on a late lunch. Offering a decent kids menu, it’s always nice to know there is a place where you can get good food and keep the little ones happy at the same time. The babe had the meatloaf ($6 for kids and $7 as a sandwich) with mashed potatoes and white cheddar mac and cheese. I went for a cup of the corn chowder ($4) and the fried catfish ($11) with Hopping John, red-eye gravy and fried greens garnish. Mom decided to go veggie and had the black-eyed pea and sweet potato burger ($6) with some hand-cut fried potato wedges. All of our food was very good, from the catfish that came with a house-made dill tartar sauce to the very tasty and well-seasoned veggie burger and fries. The meatloaf was great, and I’d try the sandwich version in a heartbeat. A peanut butter chocolate milkshake ($5) – made with Cincinnati’s Aglamesis Brothers ice cream, house-made peanut butter and locally made milk – was a fitting end to a really enjoyable lunch.

Both of our visits to Urban Harvest were pretty quiet (save some great ‘80s and ‘90s indie rock classics), with only a handful of other tables occupied each time. Service at brunch was good; refills, however, were slow to appear. I found myself craning my neck to see if I could locate the server and make eye contact for a warm up. Service later in the day was also acceptable, but we couldn’t tell if our server was annoyed by our questions or just simply underwhelmed by the slow Saturday afternoon.

Either way we hope that Urban Harvest gets busier and that this results in the staff reflecting some of that excitement. I know that I’ll be excited to hear that things are picking up and the north side of town has an established spot for good, affordable and locally focused comfort food fare.

In the time I’ve lived and worked south of town, I’ve probably passed by Nelly’s Chicken around 3,000 times. It’s perched right at the corner of state Route 725 and Alexandersville Road in Miamisburg, nestled into what I imagine isn’t a very bustling shopping center otherwise. I had always made the assumption that it was a fried chicken joint, as many people probably have. I’m not sure how long their sign has actually noted “Rotisserie Chicken and Bolivian Food,” but I never caught it until someone else mentioned how great their food is. In hindsight, I’m shocked that only one family had ever mentioned this to us. You probably won’t be surprised that when people find out that I review restaurants, they say things like “Oh man, have you tried Cheesecake Factory?!” No – just, no. I don’t think I have to explain to you, dear eaters, why I simply walk away from people who say things like that.

Nelly’s is a deli-style set-up, where you order at the counter and they bring the food out to your table. The owner was running the show that night and took our order, and kept us laughing the entire time with quips about running out of food because we were ordering so much. We had been told that the place was on the shabbier side of shabby-chic with a few booths and was mostly intended for carry-out. When we got there, I assumed I’d either been told wrong or he’d recently renovated. Turns out it was the latter, based on the compliments he received from a few regulars about how great the new dining room looked. It’s been freshly painted a warm, rusty orange with newer tables and chairs and decorative pieces strewn throughout.

We ordered the salpicon (tortilla bowl shell with melted cheese and black beans on the bottom, topped with their rotisserie chicken and veggies), silpancho (breaded beef cutlet served over rice and French fries, topped with an over-medium fried egg and pico), a chicken relleno (ball of mashed potatoes stuffed with chicken, lightly breaded and fried), as well as a quarter of a rotisserie chicken. If you’re wondering what to expect from Bolivian or Peruvian food, most of Nelly’s menu is a bit of a mash-up of Puerto Rican and Mexican. In other words, for people who can be nervous Nellies (rimshot!) about trying new ethnic food varieties, this is a very safe bet. Nothing too spicy, and there’s nothing left to “acquired tastes,” so to speak. The first three items were exactly as described and surprisingly flavorful for what could be considered basic ingredients. The rotisserie chicken, however, is like nothing you’ve ever tasted before and will leave you puzzled. What is the delicious concoction that’s been rubbed under the perfectly fire-crisped skin? Is it cumin? Some kind of garlic and chile mixture? I fancy myself as having a perceptive palate, but simply couldn’t place these flavors. After some very intense Googling, my palate breathed a sigh of relief, as I had never heard of most of the items before. The secret, mouth-watering rub consists of black mint paste, a Peruvian chili pepper called aji amarillo and ground annatto seeds – along with rub standards we know and love in the states, like beer, garlic, ginger and black peppercorns. Nelly’s boasts being “the best rotisserie chicken in Dayton.” I’m not sure how many other eateries are competing for this title, but I can tell you that they have their work cut out for them if they hope to surpass this perfectly seasoned bird. The owner came over to make sure that we were enjoying all of our food and we complimented it again and again. Then he told me I’d have to wash dishes before we left. I absolutely adored the guy and his mischievous sense of humor. He rightfully takes pride in what he and his family have built in the little corner of that shopping plaza.

With deli-style set-up, the topic of service is usually moot. You’re still a paying customer, though, and bad customer interaction – I’m looking at you, Smashburger – can sour me on an establishment no matter how it’s designed. What little we had, in this case, was perfectly pleasant – and a much-needed laugh at the end of a long day. It’s nice to see some people still have their sense of humor. The price points, too, are spot on. I think if he charged any more per dinner, some folks would turn their noses up at first try – but he’s also not charging so little that you feel like you’re ripping him off. We ordered two entrés, a side item, a quarter of a chicken and two soft drinks and our tally was around $28. Considering we couldn’t finish all of it, you could have easily fed three people for the same price.

In hindsight, my only disappointment is that I forgot to order both the plantains and tostones. Looks like I’ll just have to make a return trip. Maybe I’ll take that trip alone so I don’t have to share with anyone. They do have a great looking lunch menu in which most of their dinner items are converted into sandwiches. That magical chicken cuddled up in a roll and a side of tostones sounds like a perfect way to spend an hour of my work day.

Nelly’s Chicken is located at 37 Alexandersville Road in Miamisburg. For more information, call 937.859.5555 or visit nellyschicken.com.

A few weeks ago I was asked, somewhat surprisingly, to do a piece on a Japanese restaurant in Troy. Now, I don’t spend much time north of town, so I certainly didn’t expect there to be a Japanese spot complete with hibachi in the northernmost reaches of the Miami Valley. But there it was, nestled amongst the development just west of Troy along Interstate 75. Located in a strip mall next to a Buffalo Wild Wings, I was maybe a tick skeptical. However, much as one might grant legitimacy to a restaurant full of chefs on their day off, Sakai gets a leg up as every time I’ve visited there is a constant flow of Asian clientele – businessmen and families – perhaps due to Troy’s large Honda facility just down the street. Sure, there were families with country accents watching the chef tap-tap-tapping at a hibachi station, but there was also the chatter between the men at the sushi bar, the group behind us eating what appeared to be whole grilled sardines and the couple next to us eating a hand roll filled with nothing but salmon roe – all Asian, at least some presumably Japanese and all enjoying themselves. That said, I felt a bit more certain that they were keeping it real.

Walking past a fountain in the foyer, you enter the main dining room with the sushi station/bar straight ahead. A left brings you to the hibachi section, with four or five grill stations ready for a performance. Both of our visits were spent in the dining room, maybe we’ll go for the show next time.

After ordering a beer and getting settled in, we decided to start with an appetizer while perusing the menu. Only a moment later, our tuna tataki ($8.95) arrived – seared quickly on each side, the kiss of the grill just barely creates a ring around the pretty pink, melt-in-your-mouth perfection of the fresh tuna. Served with a salad and wasabi mayo, it was gone as quickly as it arrived. Close behind the tuna was the veggie bibimbap ($11.95), chicken yakisoba ($9.95) and spider roll ($6.50). The sweet and tangy yakisoba with bits of chicken, seaweed and julienned pickled ginger was very good – a nice starting point with those unfamiliar with Japanese, but at home with Chinese lo mein. The spider roll was good, but the bibimbap was disappointing, as it came without the hot clay pot – and in hindsight, the beef. After noticing, the staff was on top of it, quickly delivering a screaming hot pot to our table, but it just isn’t quite the same without that crispy rice. The service staff was consistently kind, helpful and very accommodating, although perhaps a bit out of their element at times regarding some of the menu items. Anything we needed was delivered very quickly and explanations were offered, or at least faithfully sought out. Upon leaving, an Asian gentleman would visit each departing table, bowing almost profusely in some cases and thanking his guests in multiple languages.

Our last visit was just as successful; there were no clay pot shenanigans this time, however, as we opted for dinner combinations and an appetizer. This time we started with something off of their special appetizer menu – eggplant agedashi ($6.95), four pieces of breaded and fried eggplant placed in a sweet dashi (a dried fish – bonito – a common soup base) soy based dipping sauce and then topped with what appeared to be bits of shaved dashi and grated ginger. A tasty, molten and somewhat unique start to the meal, it was an interesting beginning. Feeling like some variety, we chose the build-your-own combination dinner ($16.95 for two, $23.95 for three) and between the two ended up with salmon teriyaki, California rolls, spicy tuna rolls and tempura udon. The salmon is served skin on, which I always prefer as it gets a bit crispy, and they serve it with a bit of broccoli and a light, pleasant crab salad. Their California rolls, are, well, California rolls and are bigger than any I’ve had. The spicy tuna rolls, on the other hand, were a bit more unique in that the spicy mayo sits atop the tuna rolls, and while not a profound difference, made for a nice presentation on a dependable sushi roll. The tempura udon was also good, another stand-by for those intimidated by a new cuisine. A big bowl of thick noodles in a light broth with two panko battered and fried shrimp; it’s another opportunity for a “gateway” experience, possibly opening someone up to a new cuisine without scaring them away.

I suppose that’s what Sakai, and eating new things from new places, represents – while unexpected, it’s a great way to experience a wide array of Japanese foods, both conventional and unique, taking small steps towards understanding something new. The good people of Troy and the surrounding countryside are lucky to have a little bit of the Far East up north, and if you’re heading that direction and are sick of wings and big fried onions, look for the yellow neon and enjoy the show.

Sakai Japanese Bistro is located at 2303 W. Main St. in Troy. For more information, call 937.440.1302 or visit sakai.tacti.info.

Reach DCP food critic Tom Baker at TomBaker@DaytonCityPaper.com.

Don’t be fooled by your initial thoughts of a restaurant that sits in shopping center right next to a Goodwill store and in front of WalMart. I was certainly skeptical, but I decided to stop. Situated at a small strip center just outside of Lebanon, Ohio is The Patriot Steakhouse. Don’t get me wrong – it’s not like Lebanon is that far away, it’s only about 35 minutes from downtown Dayton. However, I did not walk in expecting anything exceptional.

I was greeted by a cheerful hostess who took us to our table. As we walked through the restaurant we walked by a man playing appropriate dinner music live on a keyboard. Hmmmm … maybe this isn’t going to be what I imagined. There is a large full-service bar at the front of the restaurant. Flags representing all of the branches of the military hang on the walls – is that what should denote the “patriot” in the name?

Our server, Yuliya, came to the table. She was informed and able to answer most any question we threw her way. We asked for time to look over the four-page menu, which offers everything from appetizers to desserts. I noticed that the bar seems known for beer, scotch and even bourbon flights that are reasonably priced. Certainly, a flight is a nice way to try out new options.

I paged to the back of the menu and noticed what really makes this a “patriot” steakhouse. If you have a relative in the military and they are being deployed, bring your family to The Patriot and they will buy dinner for the service member so your family can have a night together before deployment. That’s not all. Maybe your service member is coming home – have your homecoming dinner at The Patriot and that service member eats free again! What a great way to give back and recognize our men and women in uniform.

Well, we needed to start, so appetizers it was. We ordered a number of things to try: the baby brie wheel, the seafood nachos and potato skins. Appetizers range in price from $3.99 to $10.99 – certainly nothing is going to break the bank. The brie arrived topped with pecans and caramel served with house made chips – delicious. The seafood nachos were more like a seafood quesadilla but filled with seafood and topped with cheese that fills the plate. The potato skins are offered in servings of two or four. Topped with cheese and bacon bits and served with a side of sour cream. I have to say the best options were the brie and the seafood nachos – certainly a step above the normal potato skin option.

On to salads and soups … The basics are certainly represented with a tossed salad, a Caesar and even a wedge. However, there are other options like a classic Cobb salad and even a Martha’s Washington apple salad that can be topped with chicken, scallops, shrimp or even salmon. Salad options range in price from $2.99 to $14.99, for the salmon topped apple salad. Soup options are plentiful as well with menu options of “the best” clam chowder, French onion, vegetable beef or even steakhouse chili. Add to those options lobster bisque and mushroom soup. We sampled the lettuce wedge, the house tossed salad, mushroom soup and the lobster bisque. The lettuce wedge – crisp iceberg lettuce topped with chunky blue cheese dressing bacon, onion and tomato – is simply always a great salad option. The house tossed salad is served with croutons, onion, tomato and cucumber. There are housemade dressings available like maple vinaigrette, as well as some basics. The soups were delicious. The lobster bisque was so full of lobster it was more like a stew. The bisque was perfectly flavored and the bowl is enough for two.

Certainly, you could make a dinner of just appetizers, salads and soup at the Patriot, but that is not why we were here. This is a steakhouse and I wanted to try their steaks.

The menu offers chicken, pork, seafood and pasta options, but the steak list is certainly complete, offering filet, porterhouse, ribeye and strip options. The menu offers surf and turf options, as well as toppings for your steaks. An interesting note is that steaks are offered at market price with two options – USDA Choice or Certified Angus Beef. All prices are published on a card at the table, so no surprises. There are even trio options, offering you smaller sizes of three options in a shrimp trio, scallop trio, pork trio or even a barbecue trio.

We tried the pork trio, as well as a filet served Oscar. The pork trio – ribs, pork chop and pork tenderloin – comes with your choice of two sides. The babyback ribs are tender and delicious and the pork chop seared and full of flavor. The pork tenderloin, however, was a bit over-seasoned and dry. The filet – topped with crabmeat, béarnaise and asparagus – was prepared a perfect medium and served with two sides: the asparagus – still a bit crisp – and the crab –flavorful. The filet was certified Angus – delicious and certainly well worth the $38, plus $5 for Oscar. The pork trio was $20.

For dessert, we sampled the brownie sundae – a rich brownie topped with vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce. This needs to be shared! The menu even offers light plates, sandwiches and young patriot options, so bring the family. The Patriot Steakhouse is worth the drive to Lebanon!

The Patriot Steakhouse is located at 1525 Genntown Dr. in Lebanon, Ohio. For more information, call 513.228.2500 or visit patriotsteakhouse.com. 

For someone who makes a point to visit and review as many dives as possible – local and otherwise – it’s downright shameful that I’d long avoided the one closest to my own turf.  Cedarland Bakery & Restaurant is nestled in an otherwise abandoned strip mall on Linden Avenue, shortly before you get into Beavercreek territory. They specialize in Middle Eastern and Lebanese foods, which aren’t something that the Miami Valley is overflowing with. Upon searching, I could only find high opinions of the place (even from Lebanese natives), so my excuses to go someplace more familiar were finally exhausted. I thought ahead and looked at their menu and saw that it might not be something that my husband (a meat-and-potatoes Hoosier) would be interested in, so I took my sister instead.

At 6:30 on a weeknight, we walked in to see no one else in the joint – but it didn’t stay empty for long. Cedarland is set up deli-style, so you order at the counter and they bring it out after they’ve prepared it. For those new to Lebanese fare, they have a helpful picture menu near the register so you can see exactly what you’re getting into. The Food vs. Face women are big fans of food sharing, so we ordered half the menu to split. OK, really only six items, but it felt like it when our table started filling up with food. We originally only meant for five, then spotted the baklava in the bakery case and couldn’t help ourselves. Those three mains, two sides, dessert and two sodas set us back $27. The staff was very sweet and patient with us while ordering and asked if we’d ever been in before, even excitedly telling us about their buffet on Saturdays. That was when I noticed there was an entire additional room that was more dining and less deli. I’m not quite certain if it’s only for Saturday buffets and large parties, or if you can just meander in there and eat your food any old time. While we waited for our food, I also perused the little bit of a storefront they have – offering hookahs, Middle Eastern treats and American treats in slightly more across-the-pond packaging. For Cadbury Europe chocolate lovers: check this joint before you haul buns to Jungle Jim’s for your favorite sweet treats.

I was impressed by how quickly the food came out, but a little bit surprised to see the beef shawarma and falafel sandwiches both tucked tightly into a housemade pita, not unlike a burrito.  There’s nothing wrong with that, but deconstructing a burrito never makes for good food photography. We were already cutting them in half, so I figured why not just unwrap and peek inside to see all of the fixins. The housemade pitas, by the way, will be a lot thinner than the retail versions you’re used to and they’re tops.

The falafel and beef shawarma were both topped with lettuce, tomato, spices and fresh parsley, and the beef had been dressed in a terrific sesame sauce. The falafel was excellent, but just overwhelmed enough by all of the accoutrements that I almost wish I could have ordered some à la carte (it wasn’t on the menu that way). Both of the sandwiches were awesome, and even though they could both make for a heavy meal, everything tasted fresh. The chicken kebab came out a few minutes after the first round, also tightly wrapped in a pita. On the slice, the bright fuschia spots were a dead giveaway that there were pickled veggies of some sort in there. The only vegetable I think should be pickled is a cucumber, but I tried it anyway. Definitely not for me, but it could be another fresh and filling option for someone who doesn’t mind that flavor profile. The tabouli salad and baba ghannouj were both excellent on the fresh pitas they came with, even mixed together. One of the gals from the counter came around as she could see we were rounding third and heading for home to make sure we enjoyed our food and ask if we’d need anything else. We didn’t even come close to finishing all of the plates, so we made sure she knew we loved everything and would certainly be back to check out their buffet with family in tow.

Let’s get to the important part: the baklava. Best I’ve ever had, beating Ticket’s Pub by a photo finish. Like a little cloud of crunchy honey, dusted with pistachios. It could even be one-upped if they offered it served warm. Never heard of Ticket’s? We’ll get to that one eventually, just bear with me. In the meantime, continue frequenting dicey-looking eateries. If I teach you nothing else, eaters, know that the best food doesn’t always come in the best packages, tarted up with bells, whistles and fried appetizer samplers.

Cedarland Bakery & Restaurant is located at 4515 Linden Ave. in Riverside. For more information, call 937.610.2888 or visit cedar-land.com.

Reach DCP food critic Tom Baker at TomBaker@DaytonCityPaper.com.