A Tale of two Restaurants...

As I now feel that I know many of the good restaurants in Cincinnati the mystique of traveling to dinner has been wearing on me. I have been yearning to find something fantastic in Dayton, specifically the Oregon District Restaurants. Call it my “Acres of Diamonds” realization.

It was the best of times…

After doing some research online and asking around I found out about Coco’s. This restaurant is located at 515 Wayne Avenue spitting distance from the Oregon District. As I entered, without reservations, I found the atmosphere was unique to say the least. It is a smaller place inside but they make great use of the space. Think of a gaudy Bravo that gets too crowded and loud. I opted so sit on the patio where there was an older gentleman playing a keyboard. He was fantastic and made the night very enjoyable.

On to the real reason to go: I ordered the chicken Slovlaki with feta smashed potatoes. The food was quite amazing. Everything on the menu had some unique twist and the sides went perfectly with the main course. Although I despise the markups, the white wine was reasonably priced all things considered.

Coco’s give you many reasons to go back: The atmosphere is great. I recommend the patio if the weather is cooperating. The food was excellently prepared and the entrees leave you wanting more. I believe the final bill was around $120 including tip. I felt like I got a good value from my experience. We were definitely taken care of.

It was the worst of times…

After my Coco’s experience I decided to take my next adventure to the heart of the Oregon District. Pacchia has been a name passed around the Dayton community for years. They have been a presence in the Oregon District since for many years. I was eager to see how this local favorite would stack up against Coco’s.

Based on reputation alone I called for reservations. We were planning on eating at 6:30 on a Friday. When you walk in it is part Starbucks and part restaurant. There is a coffee bar immediately to your right and the restaurant area is to your left. Not what I expected, but I was not discouraged. When we arrived it became obvious that reservations were not needed as there were only two other couples seated. Even by 8:45 the restaurant was only ever half full.

I again ordered a bottle of white, to match our meals, which was painfully overpriced. Our waitress poured the wine into our red wine glasses and never touched the bottle again. An unfortunate oversight. The pork I ordered was spiced to taste fantastic but the twice baked potato was in need of some help. My meal was 75% of what I desired. My date also stated that her Ahi Tuna was not the best. The overall experience leaves much to desire as the final bill came to $135. Ouch.

Maybe next time I should stick to my favorite restaurant in Dayton: J. Alexanders and their Prime Rib and Smashed Potatoes. Lesson learned.