What to do in Cincinnati?

[Rochester2013]

I'll be in Cincinnati (delivering a tuba), and will be staying overnight. Not much time there, but would like to see some of the sites.

Any suggestions on must sees/must eat in Cincinnati, OH?

I'm particularly considering the Hofbräuhaus Newport (in KY), so if anyone's been there and would like to give me some feedback, that'd be great. I've been to the real Hofbräuhaus in Munich, so I don't want to end up going if it will be a real big disappointment.

Thanks in advance!
Richard

[Dan Schultz]

If you like architecture, you might enjoy a 'walk through' of the Hilton Netherlands Plaza Hotel on 5th Street right downtown. Good place to eat, too.

[Uncle Buck]

Last (only) time I was there, I found Skyline Chili to be pretty disappointing . . .

[tclements]

I'd go to White Castle!!

[MartyNeilan]

I'm not a fan of Skyline, but I will eat it. It is really a tourist attraction...

Tried it twice after a band director from Cincy couldn't stop talking about it. Didn't see what the big deal was; much prefer my own homemade chili, my wife's homemade chili, canned chili, vegetarian canned chili, even my ex-wife's chili...

Now, if we are giving a shoutout to our favorite regional food, here is my obligatory Rutt's Hutt pic

[Tom]

Regarding architecture...Over the Rhine...which is near music hall, is actually real nice. However, the neighborhood was rated one of twenty most dangerous neighborhoods in the country.

I would make it a point to see Music Hall despite the neighborhood, but with the following caveat...

If you go there, park on (I think) the west side of Music Hall. Avoid parking in the front of the building next to the park or you'll be hastled by panhandlers, prostitutes and other people that are loitering around the park. Go during the day and be street smart and you won't have any problems so long as you're not venturing off into the neighborhood alone either on foot or in your car. They're really trying to clean the area up, but they've got a long ways to go. The architecture really is impressive though.

[bbocaner]

While I was there for nabba I had dinner one night here:

http://www.eatdrinknada.com/main.html" target="_blank

If you're interested in "modern mexican" it was really spectacular!

[Jeffrey Hicks]

You all are missing the best part. If you try anything that is purely Cincinnati you must go to Graeter's Ice Cream. There are several located throughout Cincinnati. Oprah Winfrey called it the best ice cream in American and if you ever seen Oprah you know she knows ice cream. I recommend the black raspberry chip.

[Uncle Buck]

uh..."Chili" (I don't care what someone dumps into it) is not a "regional specialty food".

In Cincinnati they serve it over noodles. I guess that makes it a little "regional," maybe . . .

Seasoned in an odd way that I didn't like very much.

[tbn.al]

Cincinnati chili (or "Cincinnati-style chili") is a regional style of Chili con carne characterized by the use of unusual seasonings such as cinnamon, cloves, allspice or chocolate. It is commonly served over spaghetti or as a hot dog sauce, and is normally of a thin, sauce-like consistency, unlike most chili con carne.

C'mon..............................chocolate?

[Donn]

This sounds like what we would call, in the rest of the country, "spaghetti sauce". Not that we'd usually use cloves or any of that stuff in spaghetti sauce, but it would still be spaghetti sauce if we did. It wouldn't be chili.

[Uncle Buck]

This sounds like what we would call, in the rest of the country, "spaghetti sauce". Not that we'd usually use cloves or any of that stuff in spaghetti sauce, but it would still be spaghetti sauce if we did. It wouldn't be chili.

Is that what makes it "regional"?

[Dan Schultz]

"Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives" featured a joint called Putz's Creamy Whip a few years ago. It was a waste of time!

[Donn]

Cocoa, sort of, has the same effect on the flavor of chili as coffee.

Regularly featured in mole sauces in Mexican cuisine. I believe mole is just more generally a typical Mexican sauce made with chiles, so maybe if someone's headed that way, straighten them out on the "chili" thing - what they're really putting on their spaghetti is moles. Assuming they do use chiles, which I guess we could not at all take for granted even though real chili can't be made without chiles either.