While the thrust of this column is largely inexpensive wines, I’ll admit that I don’t live on bread alone. I have a wine cellar, although it’s not some cavernous 3,000 bottle temperature-controlled, hermetically-sealed, heavily-fortified safe room. My closet down in “Le Bistro Below” does provide protection, though, for a few bottles that fall outside my typical price range. While everyday wine is good for every day, once in awhile, you’ve just got to dig into that special stash.

Nine weeks.

That’s how long the kitchen remodel took. Nine weeks made manageable by the seating area in the Bistro and a makeshift kitchen that we cobbled together using the washer/dryer as a countertop, the utility sink, a steamer, a microwave, a single-element burner, a slow cooker and the grill. Honestly, we ate pretty well, but we were plenty ready to cook on an actual stove again.

And what a stove we now have. A big thumbs up to The Howland Group for doing such a wonderful job on the remodel. They were as professional, organized and on-task as we could have wanted. The final product was – at least so far –everything we wanted.

Celebration time, then. We cooked a few meals in the new kitchen to get a feel. Like any new restaurant opening – chefs need to get used to their new equipment, right? It didn’t take long. The Sweet Partner in Crime had done a wonderful job designing placements for our utensils, pans and prep stuff. Everything in easy reach, especially with the new island. We worked out the kinks and decided to have our “grand opening” meal.

The most important question, of course, was what wine to have. We figured we’d be able to put together a menu around it. We descended to the catacombs and came up with:

Roederer Estate 2002 L’Ermitage Brut

We’d picked up this bottle of bubbly on our 2010 trip to Mendocino County. It ran us around $50 and we intended to open it at New Year’s as a “10-year vintage bubbly” thing, but there was too much Mod Oz tastiness lying around. We decided we’d make it our “next special occasion” wine, and this event certainly qualified.

Late afternoon last Friday, while taking a break from our annual college hoops overdose, we put together a little appetizer plate of items that go well with quality Methode Champenoise sparkling wine. (Methode Champenoise is the method for making Champagne – real Champagne – and other high-quality sparklers.) We had some very salty Parmesan-esque cheese, toasted almonds, some crackers and some caviar. Yes, caviar. Like I said, it was a special occasion.

We popped the cork and poured a little. The Roederer is one extremely delicate sparkler. The flavor was feathery and creamy, with a little toasted almond and apricot. Honestly, that’s as far as I’m going to go into the tasting note. It was good. Just really, really good. With our little small bites, I expected it to go well with everything, and it did. But honestly, we thought it was better appreciated on its own.

At least at first.

Emboldened by the new Bosch cooktop, I wanted to overcome one of my personal failings as a cook. I absolutely adore seared scallops, but I’ve never been able to do them particularly well. I can be a pretty impatient denizen of the kitchen, honestly, and I have an irrational fear of burning things. Seared scallops are so tricky. Undercooked scallop isn’t appealing and overcooked scallop tastes like Firestone. I was bound and determined to create a great entrée for the remainder of the bubbles. With that magical blue flame crusting the little guys perfectly, I felt like Mario Batali’s scrawny second cousin.

Alongside the scallops, I’d put together a can’t-miss side – my mushroom risotto. My ancestry may be German and Swedish, but I make as mean a pot of risotto as any non-paisan out there. A little truffle oil, a little of that grated salty cheese, a dash of this, a smidge of that and a whole lot of stirring yielded one of my best batches ever.

To the table we went, bubbles in hand, lights low in the new kitchen. Gazing at the new architecture, we dug into the little feast, sipped a little bubbly and …

OK, well, I’m supposed to describe this now? The best I can come up with, although I’m going to sound like a total square referencing a movie made wayyyyyy back in 1994:

We watched “Pulp Fiction” (yes, 1994 … feelin’ old, y’all?) the other day. Recall the scene where Mia Wallace (Uma Thurman) goes to the bathroom in Jack Rabbit Slim’s to … er … “powder her nose?” Do you remember her quote when she raises her head?

“I said God DAMN!”

Yeah, it was something like that. I mean, minus the cocaine. It IS a pretty kickass kitchen. And it was a pretty kickass meal.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled programming.

Reach DCP freelance writer Mike Rosenberg at MikeRosenberg@DaytonCityPaper.com or visit his blog at www.TheNakedVine.net

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.

Not long ago, my father-in-law sent me a voucher for $100 off a case from Naked Wines that he’d received in one publication or other. A Benjamin off a case? A name that already makes me feel like a cousin? Sure, I’ll bite. I wondered what the catch might be, but what’s the worst that can happen? I plopped myself down, opened up the ol’ browser and got to work.

(In case you’re wondering … no, the worst didn’t happen.)

Naked Wines is an interesting online “wine club” of sorts. Rather than the typical wine club model, where a customer receives a shipment every so often, paying along the way, Naked Wines works on an escrow model. The process goes something like this: If you become one of the “Naked Angels” club members, you agree to put $40 each month into an account with them. You then can use this money at any point to purchase a quantity of wine via their website.

According to the site, the idea is to fund independent winemakers. In return, the club member receives wholesale pricing on the wines on the site, most of which are exclusively sold through Naked Wines. Seems like a good setup, potentially. (Although if the wines are generally not available for retail purchase, there’s no retail middleman to cut out in the first place … but I digress.) The discounts can be quite steep. The most expensive wine on the site retails for $75, but club members get it for $30. Club members also get $1 sample bottles with each case and free tastings if you’re lucky enough to visit one of these wineries.

You don’t have to become a Naked Angel to order from the site, though. You can use a voucher, as I did, or you can use a Groupon when one becomes available. You just pay the retail price, less whatever your voucher’s good for.

I decided to order one of their mixed cases – the “All-American Highest-Rated Wines” selection. This case retailed for $165, with an “Angel Price” of around $100. Still, $65 for a case of wine is a deal I’ll take. I have to give them high marks for promptness. The wine arrived within a week. Over the course of a month or so, we worked our way through the various bottles. Here are the highlights:

Da Da Da 2011 Lodi Chardonnay – I thought this was a very nice wine, especially for the price. It’s very light bodied for a California chardonnay. I thought it was relatively refreshing, flavor-wise, with a restrained bit of oak. I also don’t expect a lot of mineral character from California wine, but this sure had some. ($10; Club price, $6)

Da Da Da 2011 Lodi Merlot – Like its white cousin, the Merlot is also well-constructed. This isn’t a fruit bomb by any stretch of the imagination. It gives you pretty firm, balanced tannins with ample amounts of blackberry on the palate. I found leather flavors throughout and a very dry, lasting finish. A well-balanced, not overly heavy concoction. ($10; Club price, $6)

Cockamamie 2011 Calaveras County Syrah – For a California syrah, this one’s made in a fairly lean style. Good flavors of dark fruit with a layer of graphite on the finish. Although it is relatively light in body for a syrah, it hangs in through the finish reasonably well. At least I thought it did when I opened it. I had some left over, and I remembered liking it much more the first day. When I tried it the second time, I wasn’t overly impressed. ($25; Club price, $15)

Matt Iaconis 2010 Santa Maria Valley Pinot Noir – This pinot wants to be earthy. It ends up more on the smoky end of things and it’s a decent drinking wine. It’s not out of this world as a pinot (especially considering the pinots that we’ve laid in from Oregon), but it’s certainly a nice choice for a food-friendly red that you can serve with a quality meal. ($24; Club price, $14)

William Henry 2012 California Riesling – This wine absolutely needs some air, but once it gets a few spins in the glass and a warms a tad, the nose really changes from green apples and flint to melon and honey. The nose belies the body, which actually has very little fruit to speak of other than little bit of lemon backed with a whole lot of mineral, which follows on the finish almost to the point of being metallic. It’s certainly an interesting wine. On its own, I don’t know if it would be for everyone. I liked it well enough. I had the rest of the bottle with a New Orleans barbecue shrimp – and it was downright tasty. ($11; Club price, $6.50).

For more information about Naked Wines, visit nakedwines.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.

Just over a year ago, I reported on three Miami Valley brewpubs in the works: The Dayton Beer Company, Toxic Brew Company and Vitruvian Brew Company. At the time I wrote the article, there was still no locally produced commercial craft beer in the Dayton area. What a difference a year makes.

Dayton Beer Company has been steadily growing since their opening last spring. In fact, the brewery has just upgraded to a larger brew system to keep up with demand and is scouting new locations for a production facility that they hope to open in late fall/early winter.

Meanwhile, movement continues on the other two breweries. After mounds of zoning variances and inspections, Toxic Brew is finally close to opening this spring. The brewery in the heart of the Oregon District has but one or two minor inspections before they are ready to start making beers. Vitruvian is also moving along steadily. The tiny Yellow Springs brewery was working to secure label approval late last year and recently installed their bar in their taproom.

Ohio’s brew license law, which now allows for on-premise taprooms as part of the brewing license, seems to be fueling a modern day brewery boom. In addition to the three breweries above, there are now five more breweries in the works.

The Fifth Street Brewpub seeks to be Ohio’s first cooperatively owned small-batch brewery. Using crowd-sourcing techniques, the brewery has sold approximately 1,500 memberships at $100 each. Fifth Street hopes to open in the first half of this year.

Yellow Springs will likely host not one, but two breweries this year. Next door to Vitruvian, the folks at Yellow Springs Brewery put in long hours over the winter to open. They are now brewing and waiting for their product to mature. An April grand opening is currently in the works.

Centerville may also see a brewery later this spring. Lock 27, located between downtown Centerville and the giant new Kroger’s, will feature a “gastrotap room” that echoes the travels of founder Steve Barnhart, who spent years traveling the better part of five continents. Barnhart is targeting a May opening.

Neighboring Kettering is likely to see a second brewpub – the Dayton Beer Company is also located in the suburb. Eudora Brewing Company has been in demolition mode, renovating their Wilmington Pike location. Eudora will not only brew beer, but will also allow patrons to brew on premise using Eudora’s equipment.

Finally, the Carillon Brewing Company will be taking a more traditional route. Unlike all of the breweries listed above, with their stainless steel tanks and other “newfangled gadgets,” the folks at Carillon will be brewing beer the old-fashioned way. The brewery will be a full-scale 19th century brewery, making beers the way Dayton brewers in the 1800s would have. True to Carillon form, expect costumed interpreters to demonstrate the brewing process. The brewery will be breaking ground this month.

While you wait for our hometown breweries to open or grow, fear not! There are several new or interesting beer locations within about an hour’s drive of Dayton.

Cincinnati was once a brewing powerhouse. Several small craft brewers are working to restore the Queen City to its former glory. The most recent addition to the local beer line-up is 50 West, located on Route 50, just east of the city. The brewery opened last year and has been an instant success.

There are several other Cincinnati taprooms worthy of consideration. Triple Digit is another relative newcomer, celebrating its year anniversary. The brewery is an extension of Listermann’s Homebrew Store, a staple of the Cincy homebrew scene. And while in Cincinnati, be sure to check out the taprooms at Mt. Carmel and Rivertown, two of the city’s “veteran” craft brewers.

Many may be surprised to discover what a craft beer mecca Indianapolis has become. The Broad Ripple area features a number of excellent pubs, including Broad Ripple Brew Pub, Thr3e Wise Men and Brugge Brasserie. The latter specializes in Belgian-style beer and food and offers some phenomenal sours. In Indy proper, Flat 12 Bierwerks makes an exceptional porter and many of Sun King Brewery’s beers score well on beer geek sites like BeerAdvocate and Rate Beer. Ram Restaurant & Brewery has long been a favorite of beer travelers.

Finally, Columbus is no slouch when it comes to craft beer. The city has its own Brewery District, after all. Elevator Brewery and Draught Haus is a cool destination for the architecture alone – the site features a hand-carved, hand split Philippine mahogany bar that complements the rest of the historic décor. Barley’s Brewing Company has been around since the early 1990s and is still a crowd favorite – the highest ranked brewery in the city, according to BeerAdvocate. The aptly named Columbus Brewing Company has an even longer history with Ohio’s capital. The original Columbus Brewing Company was founded in 1830. In 1988, a new brewery opened and paid homage to the original owners of the name.

This year should be a fun one for fans of locally produced craft beer. While our neighbors to the South, West and East currently satisfy our demands for high-quality artisanal beer, in a few short months beer travelers from each of those cities will be headed to Dayton to check out what’s new.