Before you even enter Cincinnati’s Metropole, you can walk through an entrance that goes through the 21c Museum Hotel . . . seriously, one of the coolest destinations you’ll walk through! It’s somewhere between a modern art gallery and an old-timey freak show/dime museum! I was very happy to be hosted to experience it.
Executive chef Michael Paley focuses on dishes — lots of different meats — cooked in a custom-built wood-burning fireplace. Sustainable produce and proteins from the region are important to him. He makes charcuterie on site.
The ambiance is relaxed, with a very open kitchen and hearth.
Wagyu beef tartare is a hearty way to start your meal: it is served with egg yolk, capers, lemon, mustard, frisee and toast. Served in a generous portion — we’re in the Midwest, folks! — I would have taken the leftovers home if I were at home. It’s more beefy and flavor-forward than a lot of beef tartares out there.
Don’t be embarrassed to be a “steak and potatoes” person . . . I’m one, too! Sure, I try all kinds of food all over the world, but American steak and potatoes simply can’t be beat. It’s definitely comforting when on the road. And yet, even we steak and potatoes people love the gourmet touch. At Metropole, they’re currently serving grilled NY strip steak, coffee and sorghum rubbed and applewood smoked with leeks, roasted Kennebec potatoes and rosemary infused olive oil. This is one fantastic steak, combining that classic outdoor, festive grilled flavor with bistro seasonings. Suffice to say, the meat is perfectly cooked.
Even with steak and potatoes, I always do like to order something green to go with it. I think veggies enhance their flavors and well, it’s a healthy way to live. Shaved Brussels sprouts, Caesar style with bread crumbs are baked in the fire and have a nuttiness and great texture. These aren’t mama’s Brussels sprouts!
Pastry chef Sarah Ray has created the Fall Trio: ginger espresso pot de crème, caramel apple macaron and cranberry financier. Homey, seasonal, yet very chic!
All diners finish the evening meal with house-made cotton candy, which is both surprising and light-hearted.
Luxe & Down-Home Cuisine/Culture/Travel/Style 