Tag Archives: Restaurant

Taste of Belgium / Travel Blog

Taste of Belgium is a new trendy restaurant in Cincinnati.  My daughter recommended that we try it before we leave so we decided to have brunch there.

My daughter at Taste of Belgium
My daughter at Taste of Belgium

The Taste of Belgium began in 2007 in Cincinnati and has now grown to several locations including All American Ballpark.  The founder of Taste of Belgium,  Jean-Francois Flechet has taken Belgium foods and added an American twist to them.

By pairing these flavors he has produced a very interesting a tasteful menu.  For our brunch I chose a McWaffle.  The name troubled me some thinking of some Mc fast foods that I have eaten, but any relationship between the two ends there.  Taste of Belgium’s McWaffle is made up of waffle, an egg, Gruyere, and maple syrup.  I also selected an order of frites (Belgium fries).

The McWaffle was really good.  As your fork cuts through the egg it allows the yoke to mix with the maple syrup and run over the Gruyere and the waffle.  The blending of these flavors with the crunch of the waffle is an unexpected delight for any anyone.  The hot frites was in my opinion a good side for the dish and the hot never ending Belgium roast coffee was the final element to this great meal. Their most popular item has to be their chicken and waffle.

Chicken and Waffle
Chicken and Waffle

My daughter had the banana waffle, which is a waffle with banana and Nutella. She also had an order of bacon with her meal.  This was also a good selection.  The soft freshness of the banana with the chocolatey flavor of Nutella served with the crunchy  sweetness of the waffle is a winner.  Then if you add bacon, how much better could it be.  (But then bacon added to anything is good)

Taste of Belgium

The food was good with interesting flavors.  And the prices are not bad: the McWaffle was eight dollars and the banana waffle was five dollars.  When in Cincinnati, try something really different. Try Taste of Belgium.

Malones Lexington / Travel Blog

The weekend following our trip to Cincinnati we went to the Eagles concert in Lexington, Kentucky. As planned, we arrived in Lexington with plenty of time to eat a nice meal before the concert. It was very nice in that my wife’s two sisters and their husbands went also.  (I did not get a photo of us so I attached one of Malone’s Steakhouse when my wife, daughters and grandson took my Mother out for her birthday)

Malone’s offers a very relaxed atmosphere with a warm, friendly environment.  The dining room is lined with wood and stone, as well as framed autographs  of people who have dined with them.  I have eaten at Malone’s many times and have yet to find anything that I did not like.

Malone’s is best known for their steaks but they offer a wide selection of food to choose from.  The appetizers include some of my favorites:  the sweet and spicy calamari, spinach dip, and oysters Rockefeller.  My brother-in-law had the colossal shrimp cocktail which comes with shrimp more than twice the size  that you would get in other restaurants.

Malone’s also offers a wide selection of salads, seafood, house favorites including chicken and pork, and sandwiches.  The star of Malone’s menu has to be their steaks.  If you select a steak the price includes an all-you-can-eat Lexingtonian salad and one side item.

On this visit I chose the nine oz twin filets Rockefeller Au Gratin with a baked potato side.  The twin filets were tender and hot.  The Rockefeller Au Gratin was hot and covered the filets with its cheesy flavor.  This was the first time that I had tried this, and I did enjoy it, but on my next visit I may return to my old favorite: the twin filets with Kentucky Bourbon BBQ.

My wife had the  six oz filet with a side of asparagus.  Her steak was great and was well-seasoned. The only down side to any of the food we ordered was the asparagus.  It was very thick and was bit woody closer to the base.

It was a great dinning experience with the good steaks and the good wine.  Most of all it was wonderful to be able to sit a enjoy time with our family.  The six of us have been together for close to forty years. We have raised our children and are now blessed with grandchildren.  So I guess we have earned a night out with a good meal and a concert.