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Fratelli's Pizza-  Jim and I ventured out of the safety of Cincinnati to sample this little restaurant's New York Style pizza. Tucked away in West Chester, Fratelli's is your basic Italian/Pizza joint with a simple menu of pizza and a handful of pastas. The decor was unimaginative (i.e. giant photographs of NYC), they have limited table service (i.e. no waitstaff), and the food service was fairly quick. Jim adds, "I've been dying to try [Fratelli's], as I am always on a quest to find a slice of pizza in Cincinnati that will satisfy me enough until my next trip to NYC. So, the place is not too cool inside, but I loved what the menu had to offer." I ordered a side salad and the Eggplant Parmesean (I get this dish at almost every Italian restaurant I visit because I'm still searching for the Perfect Parm). The salad had plenty of lettuce but there were piles of onion, black olives, banana peppers, and tomatoes around the rim and the Italian dressing was overly herb-y. Even though I enjoyed the eggplant and the melted cheese on top, the sauce was watered down and there was more spaghetti at the bottom of the dish than I knew what to do with, so I left it at the bottom of the dish. Jim ordered the Baked Ziti: "It's rare to find Baked Ziti made the way I remember it as a kid on any menu in Cincy, though the sauce was kinda smokey and the cheese on top not quite melted-in like I'd like." We also ordered a large cheese pizza (Fratelli's has a special on Tuesdays and Wednesdays for $10.99); we ate a slice a piece and took the rest home. I thought the pizza was quite flavorful and the sauce complemented the cheese, but it was slightly burnt on top and a bit doughier than I prefer. Jim thought the pizza "was great. The flavor, texture, crust was all top-notch. It didn't wow me, but it did the job." Dilly Deli Wines and Gourmet- This is the first of what will be countless cool bars & restaurants featured here but what can we say about 'the deli' except that it is anything but... This place is whatever you want it to be. It is a mosh pit of coolness from its nationally recognized beer and wine selection to its ever-expanding and diverse menu. Can you say 'cheese please'? Ask for the cheese plate as an appetizer that is tailored to your dining experience. There are always beer and wine tastings on the schedule, as well as great music on the weekends. Heck, want an off-the-beaten path place to watch a sporting event? There are multiple televisions, including a big screen, in the bar area, which is a best kept secret during March Madness. Summer opens the outdoor patio which for my money is the best in Cincinnati. A cool summer night on the 'deli' patio with your sweetheart, a bottle of Woop Woop Shiraz, one of Chef Eric Vice's weekend specials, and the music of Anna & Milovan doesn't get much cooler! A trip to the Dilly Deli isn't complete until you have a glass of wine or beer with "Peanut" |
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