We need to talk about that new UDF ice cream
Oh, boy. Rough week so far with deadlines and that kid of mine (what is it with 7-year-olds?), so I'll try to keep this one short.
Let's start off with a few notable eats.
The black raspberry chip from UDF's Main Street Creamery
I finally tried United Dairy Farmers' new "super premium" Main Avenue Creamery ice cream. And while I still question why they needed to improve on their already great ice cream, I'll admit it was good. Very, very good.
Not too long ago, former Enquirer food writer Polly Campbell and I were wondering why, given that another local ice cream brand is known for its black raspberry chip flavor, UDF chose to include the same offering in their Main Avenue brand.
Well, let me tell you something. I think there's room for both in this town. Instead of the glacier-sized chocolate chunks in the Graeter's version, Main Avenue contains shaved chocolate, sort of like Italian stracciatella gelato, and a thick swirl of (what appear to be) black raspberry preserves. I'm not saying this version is better, I'm simply saying it might be a bit more up my alley.
The burger at MOTR
I haven't been to MOTR Pub in a while, which is sad because I've always liked the place. I often refer to it as the most Northside bar in Over-the-Rhine. It maintains a distinctly Gen-X cool-kid vibe in its live music and clientele, the kind of place where you sit with an old friend ironically drinking long-neck bottles of Budweiser and the occasional shot of Jameson. But it wasn't until last week that I realized they have a great Angus beef burger. Along with the traditional burger fixings (tomato, lettuce and onions), it's topped with an onion ring and chipotle mayo and comes on a toasted bun.
The iskender kebabs at Cafe Mediterranean
Located around the corner from my house, this place has become a standby for Amy and me since we moved to East Hyde Park. I usually go with the chicken kebabs, one of the most mouthwatering dishes in the city. I switched things up recently and went with the iskender kebabs, which are almost as good with thin slices of tender lamb over fresh, tangy tomato sauce and yogurt. It's served with Turkish pide (which, by the way, is quite different than pita).
In other news ...
Moxy bakery owners Lou and Gene Turner announced they are merging their pop-up and catering business with Urbana Coffee and taking over their pastry and baked goods operations. "This new adventure will include creating an entirely distinct, new, and innovative food program for all your neighborhood Urbana’s," the company posted on Instagram this week. If you're not familiar with Moxy, check out this story I wrote about their residency at Homemakers Bar in 2021.
There's been a lotta Trotta news in recent weeks. According to a real estate posting on Loopnet, the West Side's iconic Trotta's Pizza is for sale, while Trotta's restaurant in Dayton, Ky., is closing for good. Given how prevalent the Trotta name is around Cincinnati, I got to wondering if the owners were related. I was also curious if these two restaurant families are related to Mike Trotta, who has run a Downtown clothing shop for decades. All it took to get the answer was having our intrepid real estate reporter Randy Tucker pop into Mike Trotta's shop on his way to lunch and ask. Turns out, we were right. All three are related.
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OK, well, that's enough eating and investigating for this week. Thanks for reading, and please shoot me an email (kpandolfi@cincinnati.com) if there's anything you'd like for me to write about. See you next week.
Keith Pandolfi covers food and dining for The Enquirer/Cincinnati.com. Click here for his most recent articles, and follow his latest dining adventures on Instagram @keithpandolfi or via the At the Table newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: We need to talk about that new UDF ice cream
