Mark F 7/20/23 Mark F 7/20/23

Exploring Cincinnati For One Day

Some of the best travel advice I could give anyone is to just go travel to new cities, new states, new countries, etc. You just never know what you may find and what you may like. Don’t knock it until you try it. With that said, I recently made a trip to Columbus, Ohio to visit my friend and we decided to take a day trip down to Cincinnati. First time I have been to either one of these areas. I am a huge baseball fan and would like to visit every baseball stadium so it was a no-brainer road trip to go see a Reds game. And, I really enjoy visiting new cities. I had a great time and it seems like an up and coming destination to me. There is a lot to do in Cincinnati. This trip was very built around what I enjoy - food, donuts, beer, and baseball. And, there is only so much time in the day to do all the things. I just wanted to share my trip and give some love to Cincy as a fun place to visit. I will add some additional popular things to do as options as well for everyone. There is definitely something for all.

The trip down to Cincinnati from Columbus is about an hour and 45 minutes. I learned Ohio is really, really flat. Cincinnati is a pretty large city so having a car was helpful to get around to some places before the baseball game. Our first pit stops were breweries. It was almost 90 degrees and we were parched. The first stop was MadTree Brewing. They had a huge facility and a wood fire pizza restaurant inside. Tons of beer options and non-beer options. Definitely one of the big beer companies in the state.

Our next stop was to Esoteric Brewing. This one was off the beaten path a bit in Paramount Square, a much smaller space. Pretty eclectic vibes inside.

The last brewery we visited was Rhinegeist Brewery, which had the most hype per my research. This was my favorite by far and the best beer in my opinion. They have a massive space as well in a former pre-prohibition bottling plant located in Cincinnati's historic Over-the-Rhine neighborhood. They have cornhole, ping pong, TVs, and even a rooftop space.

Other breweries to check out: Sonder Brewing, West Side Brewing, Brink Brewing Company, Humble Monk Brewing Co, Woodburn Brewing, Streetside Brewery.

After this, we made our way Downtown to our hotel to check in. Fortunately, this was about a 10 min walk to Great American Ball Park since we were running late. For the 2023 baseball season, there have been changes to the game to make it go by faster. This game lasted only about 2 hours and 45 minutes and it was high scoring. Typically, when I go to a new ballpark I like to walk around a lot, get some food, and watch 4-5 innings maybe. The stadium was absolutely packed and the lines were crazy. Given we got there late, I didn’t have too much time to walk around or get a bite to eat. We had great seats and the game was really good and competitive so we watched most of the game. Awesome fans I must say. Really fun environment (since the Reds are doing well). And, from what I saw a really cool stadium that I would like to come back to.

After the game we retreated back to the hotel to cool down and decide on dinner. With the Reds stadium Downtown, there is quite a bit to do around the area. There are lots of restaurants within walking distance. And, we did not feel like getting the car and driving. We decided to go to Nada, a pretty good Mexican gourmet cuisine spot.Very vibrant space with outdoor seating off the street. I believe this is a small chain in Ohio. We could tell a lot of places were busy after the game but we actually were seated pretty quickly.

On the way back to the hotel, we saw the famous Graeter’s Ice Cream founded in Cincinnati. I heard a lot about this ice cream shop. The line was insanely long at night. And, my buddy mentioned there was one down the street from his house in Columbus so we did that instead. But, if you are only in Cincinnati, I would highly recommend it as your late night dessert option. It was really great ice cream. I was overwhelmed as usual deciding on options but I went with Butter Pecan and Cookie Dough. Random opposite selections I know, that’s just my style.

We had limited time so I didn’t get to try as many food options as I would like. Everyone says to get Skyline Chili but it was 90 degrees. Maybe next time. However, here are some other options that were on my list I did get to try: Maplewood Kitchen and Bar, Mazuntae Taqueria, The Eagle,Incline Public House, Moerlein Lager House, Taste of Belgium, Eli's BBQ, Crown Republic.

Of course, a trip to a new city would not be complete without seeking a donut shop, preferably the highest rated if possible. On the way back to Columbus, we stopped at Holtman’s Donuts. They had a great selection of donuts from the classics to cronuts to gourmet toppings. This donut shop has been around since 1960 and definitely seemed like a staple for Cincinnati. We got there mid-morning and I could tell the early crowd took a dent in their selections. I went with the apple fritter, oreo red velvet, chocolate sprinkle, maple frosted, chocolate glazed (cake), and my buddy wanted to try the cinnamon cronut. The fritter was really tasty. The red velvet was my favorite. It was vanilla frosting (not cream cheese) with oreo crumbles on a red velvet cake donut that was super moist. It was awesome. I highly recommend it and it’s actually across the street from MadTree Brewing, which we didn’t realize until we looked across the street eating donuts by the car!

All in all, I thought Cincinnati was a great experience. We had very limited time and I would definitely go back to experience more of the city. Downtown is great if checking out the baseball game or football game, as I did see the Bengals stadium nearby off the highway. Aside from what I have shared, here are some other activities to do for all that are popular: Newport Aquarium, Sawyer Point & Yeatman’s Cove, Fountain Square, Findlay Market, Over the Rhine Food Tour, Underground Railroad Freedom Center, Contemporary Arts Center, Contemporary Arts Center, Jungle Jim’s, Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, Riverwalk, Roebling Suspension Bridge.

HIKING FOR DONUTS

A blog for the outdoors foodie enthusiast

Hi, I’m Mark. I live in Connecticut. I take new trips every chance I get. A good trip has a great hike, great food, and something fun to do. My goal is to search out new trips and share them to inspire others to try something new and exciting.

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5 Places to Eat in Las Vegas You Need to Try

What happens in Las Vegas, stays in Las Vegas. Well, not everything. Las Vegas impressed me as a legit foodie city. And, that is something I need to share. When you think about Las Vegas, you think about casinos, gambling, shows, bachelor and bachelorette parties, which is very true. However, the food scene is way more diverse and expansive than I ever expected. Las Vegas is a lot more than what it once was. I was aware that many popular and impressive chefs have restaurants out here in the casinos, but I didn’t really connect the dots that maybe Las Vegas is a food city. My wife and I spent a few days here after visiting some National Parks. This is not by any means a best of but this is some really good eats I would recommend when visiting. There is tons of amazing food on the strip and even more throughout the city. There are also food tours that are really cool. Next time you consider Vegas as a destination, make sure to account for its impressive food and dining experiences.

Therapy

Therapy is a restaurant and nightclub (after 10 pm) located off the strip on East Freemont Street. They have a creative menu of small shareable plates with some New American dishes and an impressive cocktail list. Definitely felt the club ambiance and Las Vegas flair. We ordered the Mac & Cheese Bites served with home-made tomato & bacon Jam, topped with Sriracha aioli to start. Along with, Devils On a Horseback, which is dates, truffle goat cheese & almond rolled in bacon with romesco. Apparently, dates are a big deal out here due to all the farms nearby and I am onboard with that. The appetizers were delicious and flavorful. For the main course, I had to go big and order the Red Velvet Waffle Sliders. Big red velvet guy so I am biased but the waffle and chicken meshed well together with spicy remoulade & lettuce. I would definitely love to come here for brunch.

Alexxa’s las Vegas

Formerly known as Hexx Kitchen & Bar, Alexxa’s Las Vegas had one of the best brunch offerings I have had. It is located on the strip in front of the Paris Hotel. There is an open air patio that gives guests views of the Bellagio fountains. We started with the Honey Walnut Rock Shrimp appetizer and that was so flavorful. My wife ordered the Cinnamon Roll Waffle which consisted of cream cheese frosting, berries, and candied pecans. Definitely a dynamite waffle. And, I was feeling a bit savory and ordered the Crispy Chicken Sandwich. There was a delightful sweet and spicy slaw with cucumbers on a brioche bun. This hit the spot for a perfect brunch to go along with some cocktails to start the day.

Momofuku

Momofuku has been on my foodie bucket list. I am a huge fan of Chef David Chang. His netflix shows Ugly Delicious and Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner are two of the best food shows out there. This is an Asian American style cuisine restaurant located in the Cosmopolitan Hotel. There is a raw bar, small plates, noodles, and large meat/seafood dishes. I could not wait to order the ramen, but first, I love to start with a bao bun. We ordered the Chicken Karaage bao bun with spicy mayo, pickled red onion, and iceberg lettuce. Essentially, this was a fried chicken bun but it was really good. Next up was the Shoyu Pork Ramen bowl. The pork belly and pork shoulder was delicious and the broth was extremely flavorful. The menu seems to change up offerings so these may or may not be available. However, the menu is stacked with deliciousness and I wish I could have had more.

Carl’s Donuts

Carl’s Donuts is not located on the strip but it is 100% worth the drive or an uber ride to go there. They close early in the afternoon so by the time we got there I was nervous about what they had left for donuts and I was impressed to see they had many donuts to choose from. That is something you don’t see from a place that makes a lot of different donut flavors/toppings, specifically gourmet. I had to go glazed, the s’mores looked crazy, again red velvet is my jam, and I have never seen a strawberry shortcake donut until now. The glazed is always the true test and this passed with flying colors. Their donuts are fresh and airy. Decent size too. The strawberry shortcake tasted like the Good Humor ice cream bar. Ever since, if I see this donut flavor anywhere I have to get it. The red velvet donut was 100% on point in flavor and the cake donut was moist, not dense. That marshmallow on the S’mores! I have eaten many donuts in my day, this donut shop is up there for me. This may crack my top 10 donut shop list to date.

Best Friend

Another bucket list restaurant in Vegas in my opinion is Best Friend. Chef Roy Choi is another favorite of mine, known for being an LA food truck legend. The Chef Show on Netflix is another amazing foodie show. This was the meal me & my wife looked forward to the entire trip and it did not disappoint. Best Friends is located inside the MGM hotel on the strip. This restaurant has an innovative menu that meshes Mexican flavors with traditional Korean flavors while sticking to some of the chef’s Los Angeles roots. The vibe is LA meets Vegas when you walk in through a liquor store and retail shop where there are high top tables with colorful bar stools where it is fun and the music is loud. I felt nostalgia for the 90s-2000s in this room. Past this, there is also a main dining area. We did not play any games and ordered the Chef Menu, which entails all of Chef Roy’s popular dishes such as Banchan, Kogi Tacos, Slippery Shrimp, Kimchi Fried Rice, Garlic Chicken, Kalbi Ribs, and dessert (Date Cake). We wanted to make sure to try everything they had to offer. It was absolutely amazing and the flavors were something I had experienced before at this level. Blown away and all the expectations were met and beyond. By far, my favorite spot of the trip. I would book a flight to Vegas and go straight here. Even the cocktails were creative and delicious. The drinks, food, and vibe all made this experience special.

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Best Places to Eat in Portland, Maine

Portland, Maine is one the best foodie towns in the U.S. Every time I visit I find more delicious and creative food spots. The options are endless. Sometimes when visiting such a big food city, it is overwhelming where to start. Don’t worry, I did all the work for you. These are my favorite spots I have stamped with approval. Check out the official Hiking for Donuts food guide to Portland, Maine.

One of my favorite foodie cities to visit is Portland, Maine. There are so many great places to eat. Of course the seafood is fantastic, but the food is much more diverse. Every time I visit, I find new delicious and creative food spots. The choices are endless.And, there are more hits, than misses. My Uber driver said it best, “If it’s not good, it won’t last here.” I haven’t been everywhere, but I think I have done a pretty good job finding some of the best eats in Portland. I assume there will be a part 2 or 3 to this down the road. If you want to eat your way through the city and regret nothing, I got you covered. Enjoy!

Duckfat

One of my favorite restaurants in Portland is Duckfat. This is gluttony at its finest and absolutely fantastic. Hence the name, a lot of items here are cooked in duck fat such as fries, brussel sprouts, donut holes, and even added to a milkshake! With that said, their panini game is top notch. My go to panini is the homemade meatloaf. You heard right. Meatloaf is a heavily underrated dish and they knock it out the park in this sandwich that includes horseradish, pickled onion, cheddar, and smoked poblano mayo between fresh baked bread. So good. The first time I visited Duckfat, I had the meatloaf Panini, duck fat fries, the duck fat milkshake (made with vanilla gelato) and the group sitting next to me offered up some duck fat fried donut holes. I had to go back to the hotel and just lay on the bed directly after the feeding. 100% worth it. Note, the restaurant is pretty small so expect a long wait on busy weekends. This is an absolute must have in Portland.

Empire Chinese Kitchen

I love Chinese cuisine. One of my buddies from Portland suggested Empire Chinese Kitchen for my most recent trip. And, I can’t thank him enough. This spot blew me away. My girlfriend and I went for dinner but it was so packed and the waiting was so long they had to turn us away. I wasn’t leaving without trying so we went first thing the next day when it opened and we got right in. Empire is a family-style restaurant that offers many small plates so you can try multiple dishes. The menu is great and filled with the classics with an upscale take that takes it to another level. We ordered the honey walnut shrimp, lobster rangoons, and duck lo mein. This shrimp was amazing and destroyed any rock shrimp type appetizer I’ve ever had. The lobster Rangoon was the best rangoon I’ve had. And, the duck lo mein was on point. We couldn’t stop there so we ordered their BBQ pork stuffed steam buns and pork fried dumplings. I have been obsessing over finding Bao steamed buns lately and these were money. All the food was great, tasted fresh, and never greasy. My new favorite spot in Portland. Somehow, someway, go to Empire.

Street & Co.

Street & Co. is one of my go to dinner restaurants in Portland. If you want some awesome seafood dishes, this is the place to go. I have never had a bad meal. The pasta dishes are phenomenal. Every time my wife and I go here we order the mussels appetizer, which is a ginormous mound of deliciousness. Maybe the best mussels I ever had. Anywhere we go and get mussels, they are compared to Street & Co.’s version. Dip the bread in the broth after, the thought gets my mouth watering. On our most recent trip, we noticed they offer tuna bolognese (pictured below). Like fresh tuna, not canned. We had to try it out and we were blown away. I kept saying, “I don’t how or why, but I can’t stop eating this”. One of the more unique tasting dishes I have had.

Dutch’s

Breakfast and brunch is a pretty important meal. It’s always great to start the day with a delicious meal. Portland has great breakfast and brunch spots. Luckily for me, my girlfriend found Dutch’s. This place is another Portland gem that has a lot of classics with a twist. They have a more cafeteria style arrangement where you pick your own table and stand in line to order. They have quite a bit of daily/weekly specials to choose from and their own menu is extensive. I chose 10 different items before I got to the counter and went with the Breakfast Burrito. There was special burrito with sausage, eggs, salsa, and hash browns. I pretty much order a breakfast burrito everywhere I go for breakfast and this was one was up there. It was massive and full of flavor. My girlfriend ordered the Spicy Chicken Biscuit sandwich, crispy chicken thigh, avocado mash and a house hot sauce. This was delicious and rivaled to a sandwich you would find in the South. We ordered the loaded hash browns on the side. They have a bunch of baked available which INCLUDES special donut flavors on Saturdays. So, you know I jumped on that. They had Cranberry frosted and Pecan Pie filled. Listen, I love me a classic yeast raised donut that perfectly chewy, not greasy. The Pecan Pie was amazing. Dutch’s knows how to make a great donut. Maybe one of the best in Portland.

The Highroller Lobster Co.

If you want great seafood, Portland is the place for it. And, if you are in Maine and want seafood, you want some lobster. The Highroller Lobster Co. is all about lobster. Their menu consists of lobster rangoons, lobster grilled cheese, fried lobster lollipops, and of course the lobster roll. They have a cool back patio, chill vibe, and dynamite food. Get your lobster fill here.

Luke’s Lobster

Another lobster roll spot to check out is Luke’s Lobster on the Portland Pier. They are the more traditional seafood roll & fried seafood experience. The lobster roll was fresh and delicious. The crab roll was very good as well. They definitely do not skimp on the meat inside in the rolls. Not only is the food great, but the views from the restaurant are pretty awesome too.

Gilbert’s Chowder House

When you are in New England, one of the must have dishes is chowder! All different versions: corn, clam, seafood, New England, Manhattan, etc. Gilbert’s Chowder House was the spot for me. I tried the clam and seafood chowder. Wow, full of flavor and massive chunks of seafood. Look at that lobster!

Mash Tun

Mash Tun is located close to the waterfront in Portland. This is a great, late night hangout spot with an amazing local beer list. They are known for their burgers. I can’t speak to those as of yet. However, sometimes you just need a snack. In between brewery stops, we needed to nibble and we stopped in at Mash Tun and noticed the Cheese Plate. This as reasonably priced so we gave it a shot. The combination of the cheddar cheese, the briny cornichons, sweet apples, pickled onions, chef’s jam, honey Dijon and the bread was what we needed. It is simple but when it all works together, there is nothing like a good cheese plate. I would go back just for this.

Locally Sauced

Upon arriving at Bissell Brothers for my craft beer fix, I was glad to see a new restaurant opened next door. Locally Sauced offers locally sourced ingredients for their menu consisting of nachos, tacos, burritos, and some Tex Mex options. The restaurant is small but they do an order window next to the entrance of Bissell Brothers and you can take the food into the brewery. Of course, after a few beers we were hungry and I ordered some nachos. Now, they do cost $18 but the portion size can easily feed 4-5 adults. This is a great offering to have next to Bissell Brothers.

Bar of Chocolate

If you are looking for a late night martini and a decadent dessert, the Bar of Chocolate is the place to go in Old Port. Choosing from a menu of over a dozen desserts and martinis, you will find an array of chocolate options. We ordered the chocolate cake with sea salt and caramel frosting along with the Peanut Butter martini. The cake was delicious and the drink lived up to expectations. This is a small, cozy location for a great night cap.

Holy Donut

The Holy Donut is a Portland staple, and by far, the most popular donut shop in town. Walking along the harbor on the cobblestone walkway in Old Port, this donut shop is easy to find on weekends. Look for the lines out the door. I have to stop in every time I visit. What makes The Holy Donut unique is that their donuts made with potatoes. Like most cake batter donuts they are dense but also fluffy and moist at the same time. They are fantastic. And, they have some great flavors available such as Sea Salt Chocolate, Maple Bacon, Toasted Coconut, Coffee Cake, and Triple Berry Cannoli to name a few. In addition, they make a Ginger Sweet Potato donut that is unreal. If you want to try these donuts, make sure you get there early. They do tend to sell out. Warning, these donuts are addictive.

Hi-Fi Donuts

On my last trip to Portland, I was excited to hear about a new donut shop that opened called Hi-Fi Donuts. This donut shop offers a different alternative donut option to The Holy Donut, which I think is great. Hi-Fi Donuts offers a wide variety of donuts, flavors, and textures such as crullers, cake, and yeast donuts in very creative flavors along with some classics. In addition, you can order breakfast sandwiches between a glazed donut! There is something to please everyone. My selection included a black and white cruller, blueberry frosted, candied apple swirl, and the hefeweizen (beer yeast). They were super fresh and I enjoyed all the donuts. There are so many options, I can’t wait to go back to try more.

Lil’s Café (Bonus)

If you are driving on I-95N through New Hampshire to Portland, there is a little spot in downtown Kittery that is the perfect pit stop. Lil’s Café offers really good baked goods, soups and sandwiches. They have coffee options as well but we went with some hot chocolate. This was the good stuff. In addition, we ordered a few cruller donuts, which is what they are known for, along with an almond croissant. The almond croissant was mouthwatering. Very flaky and the middle was gooey with almond paste. I wouldn’t pass there baked goods.

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