The Phoenix Blog

Last Call

2010-04-10T17:57:00.003-04:00

After almost 20 years at The Phoenix I have been presented with an opportunity with a growing restaurant company. In the battle of stasis vs. motion, the latter triumphed.

I have enjoyed the company of many of you over the years at The Phoenix, be it in the restaurant or for a private event. The friendships gained will always be treasured.

Thank You and hopefully our paths shall cross again.

Kent Vandersall

Tomorrow Night's Menu

2010-03-30T15:09:00.002-04:00

Click on image to enlarge

Open Wednesday March 31

2010-03-29T18:50:00.003-04:00

Yes, take note of the special two course dinner for $20.10 per person. The full menu will be up here tomorrow but the first course options will include the standards such as Lobster Bisque, Phoenix Salad, Crab Cake, Caesar Salad and the entree selection will have seafood selections such as Salmon and Snapper, as well as meat lover items such as Filet Mignon, Surf and Turf, and Lamb. We'll even include a couple of bar type items for those who want to listen to some Jazz and have a quick bite at the bar.

As an added bonus, I attended a wine sale recently at one of our local distributors and I was able to purchase some Marraso Malbec, 2006, from Argentina, at a very attractive price. We'll pass those savings along to you, so if you dine with us on Wednesday night you can obtain a bottle of this nice red wine for only $15. It's not offered by the glass, only the bottle.

So now you have a few good reasons to visit us on Wednesday - you can have a two course dinner for $20.10 and a nice bottle of Malbec to go with it. Again, the complete menu will be posted here tomorrow. Hope you can make it in on Wednesday.

Open Friday for Lunch and Xavier BB

2010-03-17T14:53:00.003-04:00

The NCAA basketball Tournament is here! The Xavier mens basketball team plays on Friday at 12:30 so we'll be opening the bar and the dining room at 11:30am if you want to stop by for a casual lunch, a drink or two, and watch the Musketeers decimate the Gophers from Minnesota.

We are preparing four lunch entrees and they are all only 5 bucks. We'll have a Cheeseburger, Fish Sandwich, a nice entree salad, and a Turkey Breast Sandwich. Reservations are not necessary but if you're sure you're going to stop in, give us a holler just to be certain we've got a table for you.

Whatever wasn't touched on above is in the flyer below. So plan on knocking off from work early and having lunch and an early happy hour at The Phoenix.

We are Catering at Music Hall

2010-03-12T15:54:00.002-05:00

CSO and Cincinnati POPS pre-performance dinners served in the Critics Club. These are 3 course seated dinners for $35 per person and that includes the tax and gratuity. Payment is "at the door" the night of the event and credit cards are accepted. The next dinner is tomorrow night and they are by reservation only.

Reservations are made through The Phoenix by phoning 513-721-8901. The menu changes for each event and tomorrow's menu is a Wedge Salad first course, Chicken with Prosciutto and Provolone entree, and Lemon Layer Cake for dessert. These aren't fancy dinners but they're good. Doors open at 6pm and we begin serving at 6:30pm.

If you are unable to make it tomorrow night, there is another dinner next Saturday on the 20th of March.

Restaurant Service Issue?

2010-03-11T19:07:00.003-05:00

Or not? Charging for forks is a bit much but the back and forth in the comments reveals a split in the blame game. It does look like a fine piece of pastry. Your thoughts? Read about it here.

Happy Birthday Dock Ellis

2010-03-11T12:42:00.005-05:00

Legendary major league pitcher Dock Ellis was born on this day in 1945. He is no longer with us, having passed in 2008, but he was involved in several memorable and controversial incidents during his major league career. One of those took place here in Cincinnati.

On May 1, 1974, Dock thought he would make a point by beaning every hitter in the Reds lineup. He successfully hit the first three Reds batters - Rose, Morgan, and Dreissen - and attempted to hit Tony Perez, but Perez eluded the pitches and walked. Dock then threw the first two pitches at Johnny Bench and with that, his manager, Danny Murtaugh, pulled him from the game. In the sissified baseball world of today he would have been tossed before he hit batter number two. But that's a topic for another day.

Dock is also the pitcher who gave up Reggie Jackson's mammoth homerun in the '71 All Star Game in Detroit - the one that hit the light tower on the roof! A couple of years after this, Dock had the opportunity to face Jackson again, and promptly beaned him in the head. He apparently had a temper.

But his status as "legend" was sealed in 1970 when he pitched a no-hitter against the San Diego Padres while high on LSD. Years later Dock narrated to an interviewer his recollections of that event, and recently this interview was made into an animated short that is worthy of some sort of award. So if you have 5 minutes to waste (and who doesn't?) then check out the video below. The voice is that of Dock Ellis, and both the narrative and accompanying animation are priceless as they say.

RIP Dock. You were one of a kind.

Skewered

2010-03-10T15:56:00.004-05:00

Alice in Wonderland (the movie) that is. By Nigel Andrews in the FT. It's usually not fun to see any endeavor get panned, since tearing down is always easier than building up. But when it is done so cleanly and directly, like a surgeon with a scalpel, it should be shared.

You can read Nigel's opinion of the movie here. I think I'll wait for it on video.

Wine Dinner Menu

2010-03-09T12:10:00.002-05:00

Here is the menu for tomorrow night's wine dinner beginning at 7pm.

Reception Wine - Fat Monk Rose

*****

Oysters Rockefeller, Side Salad of Spinach and Arugula

Villa San Juliette Sauvignon Blanc

*****

Trout with Lemon Tarragon Cream

Fat Monk Riesling

*****

Pork Tenderloin with Cranberry Balsamic Sauce
Green Beans, Orange Rosemary Gremolata

Villa San Juliette Romantique Reserve

*****

Gorgonzola Stuffed Filet Mignon
Fingerling Potatoes, Red Wine Sauce

Villa San Juliette Petite Sirah

*****

Lemon Mousse

Seats still available. All of the above for $60 per person including tax and gratuity. Please phone 513-721-8901 for reservations.

Wine Dinner Wednesday, March 10

2010-03-04T12:35:00.002-05:00

Very excited to be hosting this dinner next Wednesday featuring a four course dinner accompanied by four wines from Villa San-Juliette Winery. Time and pricing detailed below (the price is per person and includes tax and gratuity). You can obtain more information about the winery here.

Robert Mondavi 1999 Reserve Cabernet - Free!

2010-02-27T12:27:00.002-05:00

We still have some openings for dinner tonight in the restaurant so call us if you want to get in. And we'll be pouring some free samples of Robert Mondavi Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, 1999, that we've had in the cellar for a bit. This little gem will run about $150 a bottle, if you can find it, from a retailer.

We'll only be pouring it for guests having dinner with us, and it will be a 2oz. taste per guest, and it will only be served to those who say they saw this on the blog. In other words, we won't offer it, you'll have to bring it up. It's our way of saying thanks for checking the blog.

Hope to see you tonight.

Celebrity Deathmatch

2010-02-25T20:25:00.002-05:00

Anybody else miss this great show?

We are now Twittering

2010-02-25T11:56:00.003-05:00

Yes, if you Tweet, you can click on the icon to the right and start following Kent's Twitter updates about ... well, who knows what. Probably miscellaneous musings about minutiae (+1 for the alliteration) and probably last minute Phoenix specials, updates, and the like. The more followers the merrier, so even if you're not into the Twitter thing, refer us to a friend who is.

Open This Saturday, February 27

2010-02-22T16:15:00.002-05:00

We will be open for dinner this coming Saturday. You can make reservations by phoning The Phoenix at 513-721-8901. For those of you who have lamented the lack of Saturday night openings, here's an opportunity.

You can take advantage of this in either of two ways. You will note that the menu below is priced in typical ala carte fashion. So that is one option for you.

The other option is to take advantage of our special Prix Fixe menu that works as follows:

Choose any three food items for you meal - Starter, Entree, and Dessert; or Starter, Side, Entree (if you don't care for the sweet stuff).

Choose a wine to start, and then another if you wish, and another...you get the idea. The wines are included in the Prix Fixe. You can start with a white and switch to red and then back again, you can stick with one wine all meal, or try 5 or six different selections.

The choice is yours and the wine and the food is all packaged together for $55 per person (before tax and gratuity).

Here are some of the wines we'll have open and be pouring that night:

Acacia Carneros Chardonnay
Clos du Bois Chardonnay
Kenwood Sauvignon Blanc
Drylands Sauvignon Blanc
La Villa Pinot Grigio
Louis Jadot Beaujolais Villages
MacMurray Pinot Noir
Mondavi Private Selection Cabernet Sauvignon
Red Rock Merlot
Louis Martina Cabernet Sauvignon

So join us this Saturday and dine the traditional way, or make it your own personal wine and food extravaganza.

The menu is below (click on the image to enlarge)

Newsflash - Quintessa Wines

2010-02-22T15:47:00.002-05:00

We have a last second opportunity to host a tasting of Quintessa wines this Wednesday, February 24. Apparently another venue fell through and we are more than happy to step in and accomodate. I know this is last minute but it's a fine opportunity to taste some truly exceptional wines.

Because we're springing this on you we will keep the format really simple. Here is how it will work:

*The tasting will begin at 7pm and the wines will be presented by Dina Clark from Huneeus Vintners.

*We will start out with the Illumination Sauvignon Blanc, followed by three single block Cabernet Barrel samples of Quintessa (from two vintages), and conclude with the Faust Cabernet Sauvignon.

*There will be no food served during the presentation of the wines so this is not a dinner.

*The presentation should last about 45 minutes. The tasting will take place in the Chefs Dining Room.

At the conclusion of the tasting we will open the bar and set up an informal, yet tasteful, light buffet for those who wish to stay and have something to eat (on our dime) and maybe finish with another cocktail (on your dime).

The cost of the tasting is $40 and that includes the 5 wines and the end of tasting light fare. If you've had Quintessa wines before, you realize what an opportunity this is.

You can find more information about Quintessa here.

You can read about the Illumination Sauvignon Blanc here.

And you can read about the Faust Cabernet Sauvignon here.

Call The Phoenix at 513-721-8901 to reserve a seat for Wednesday!

Valentines Thank You

2010-02-21T12:26:00.003-05:00

To all of you who dined with us on Valentine's Day Weekend, a big Thank You from The Phoenix. To show our appreciation, anybody who dined with us in the dining room on Friday, Saturday or Sunday of that weekend has earned a $50 gift certificate to a future event in the restaurant!

To claim this gift certificate you have to send an email to info@thephx.com and it has to be received by us no later than 6pm tomorrow, Monday February 22. That gives you about 30 hours to check this blog. We will give one certificate to each paying couple who dined with us Valentines weekend. So if you claim your prize, please let us know the reservation the name was under on Valentine's Weekend in the body of the email.

As to the next event(s) in the restaurant? Well, we will be open next Saturday evening (the 27th) in the dining room with an ala carte menu and alternatively an inclusive prix fixe dinner with several wine selections included in the price. Details will be up on the blog tomorrow.

We also have a wine dinner scheduled for March 10 with details later this week as well. So check back early and often and hopefully we'll see you next Saturday.

Snow Day

2010-02-15T16:15:00.001-05:00

Snow days have always been good for catching up on some reading. Especially with the internet, the volume of material you want to read dwarfs what you actually have time to read.

Between rounds 3 and 4 of snow shoveling today I got to this article in The Atlantic about the long term national fallout from the recent economic malaise here in the US. If you're interested, you can read it here.

Super Bowl Winning Card

2010-02-12T12:41:00.003-05:00

If you entered the Super Bowl Contest, a winning card would look like this:

1. Saints
2. Under
3. Manning
4. Over
5. Under
6. Under

If you're curious, there were zero shots of Kim Kardashian during the game (thanks largely to Reggie Bush not scoring a TD) and zero mentions of hurricane katrina. Obviously Phil Simms and Jim Nance had the under on that one.

We trust you kept your scoresheet and can compute your level of winnings. But we also have a record of all the entries so if you need assistance give us a holler.

Valentine's Day Special

2010-02-11T11:07:00.004-05:00

On Saturday and Sunday this weekend we will be offering a special prix fixe couples dinner for only $99. The image below spells out the specifics. Some reservations are still available on both Saturday and Sunday as of this writing.

Also, on both nights we will be offering valet parking for your convenience, the ladies will receive a rose on these nights, and on Saturday evening you can enjoy a carriage ride in Downtown after dinner. All of these amenities are compliments of The Phoenix. The carriage pickup and drop off will be outside of our front door on Race street, and will be running until 10pm.

So there's all kinds of reasons to get out of the cold and join us at The Phoenix. And if you're not into all of that lovey dovey Valentines stuff, swing by tomorrow, Friday, as we'll have the Jazz starting at 7pm and a bistro style menu in the dining room and bar.

Valentine's Day(s) Weekend Menu

2010-02-05T13:21:00.004-05:00

Below is the menu that we will be offering this Valentines Day weekend - Saturday, February 13, and Sunday February 14. The menu may be tweaked here and there as we play with the recipes, but by and large this is the final version.

We are accepting reservations at 513-721-8901. We will also have an inclusive prix fixe couples special on these nights, and the extent and pricing for that will be unveiled in a later post.

We sure hope to see a lot of old friends at some point over the three days we'll be open. Besides, you don't want us sending this guy after you! So be here or be square as they say.

To view the menu in a larger format, click on the image.

The Super Bowl

2010-02-05T13:07:00.003-05:00

Well, we are two days away from the big game. Saints vs. Colts. Drew vs. PeyPey. Thankfully, the hype has been fairly subdued relative to previous years. Not sure why that is. Maybe no notable player has been arrested. Maybe there's no compelling "rag-to-riches" story of some guy bagging groceries one day and hurling touchdowns a year later. Maybe the owners aren't narcissistic egomaniacs looking for air time. Whatever the reason, let's all hope it's a good game and that the Saints prevail (no allegiance here, they've just never been there before).

But let's face it, the Super Bowl is first and foremost about gambling. So we've decided to join the party and let you, The Phoenix customer, place a wager on several aspects of the game. It really does make watching the game more interesting - especially if you can't tell a first down from a facemask. And the best part of our little gambling game is that you don't have to actually wager anything! It's free. Meaning you can't lose,and you just might win something.

Ready to get started? Let's go.

We have six wagers for you to place. You can place your wager by simply emailing us at info@thephx.com and we can print it out. Or just leave it in the comments section. Just make sure you leave a name - or first name last initial so we know who the heck you are. Handles like Studmuffin33 aren't recognizable to us.

The Payout

The winnings are all discounts on dining at The Phoenix this Valentine's Day Weekend - either Friday, Saturday, or Sunday. There are 6 bets, and if you pick all 6 correctly, you get 50% off your total food bill when you dine next weekend with us. That's it, pretty simple. And it works down from there so that 5 correct picks get's you a 40% discount, 4 correct picks a 30% discount, and 3 correct picks nets you a 20% discount. No winnings for 2 correct picks or less. The only disclaimers are as follows:
*Discount on Food only
*Maximum discount is $75
*Only valid February 12, 13, or 14

The Bets

1. Pick the winner. Colts or Saints. Simple as that.

2. Take the Over or the Under. It is currently at 56.5 points. So simply say "Over" if you think the combined score will be greater than that, or "Under" if you feel otherwise. pssst, we're taking the under.

3. Who will have more passing yards, Brees or Manning?

And of course we need some prop bets for the final three and they are:

4. Will Carrie Underwood sing the National Anthem in less than 1 minute 42 seconds? If you think less, take the under. If she's going to drag it out, take the over. Factoid - she sang the anthem at the World Series in 1:41. The timing starts from the first note sang.

5. Number of times Kim Kardashian is shown on TV. These have to be live shots only, and they have to be televised between kickoff and the final whistle. The over/under is 2.5. You know what to do by now.

6. How many times Hurricane Katrina is mentioned during the game. The over under here is also 2.5. Note, both words "Hurricane Katrina" must be uttered together. The Hurricane, or Katrina, or devastation by Katrina, etc., none of that counts. It must be Hurricane Katrina, and it is between kickoff and final whistle.

And that's it. So since we're only 2 days away, sharpen your pencils and give us your answers. If there's still any confusion, here is how a sample scorecard would look if somebody felt that the Colts would win, the teams would score a combined 70 points, Manning would outthrow Brees, Carrie would sing the NA in a minute and a half, we would be blessed with 6 sightings of Kim K, and Hurrican Katrina would only be mentioned once during the game:

1. Colts
2. Over
3. Manning
4. Under
5. Over
6. Under

That's all there is to it. So leave your scorecard in the comments (leave a name as well!), or email it to us at info@thephx.com, and then enjoy the game and see how you do. Good luck!

Friday, February 12, 2010 Menu

2010-02-05T12:31:00.003-05:00

Below is the menu for next Friday. Similar to what we ran a week ago but with a couple of changes.

The Jazz trio will play from 7pm until 9:30pm. If you can't take advantage of Valentines Day on Saturday or Sunday (or have no interest in doing so!), then stop by Friday night for a cocktail, music, and a bite to eat in a relaxed setting.

Reservations can be made by phoning 513-721-8901. We hope you can make it.

Click on image to enlarge

Valentine's Day

2010-02-03T07:17:00.003-05:00

You can click on the image to enlarge it.

As you can see, we are open all three days next weekend. Friday night we will have the Jazz trio and a similar, bistro style, menu that we utilized this past Friday. Lighter fare, lighter prices, some jazz, some cocktails, you know the drill.

Saturday and Sunday will be geared more towards the Valentine's Day theme. We will have a full ala carte menu (to be posted this Friday on this blog) and we will probably include a prix fixe dinner for two as it will obviously be couples night out for those two days.

Now accepting reservations for all three days. Simply phone us at 513-721-8901 and stay tuned here for more detailed menu information before the weekend.

RIPJD

2010-01-29T11:59:00.002-05:00

"If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you'll probably want to know is where I was born, and what my lousy childhood was like, and how my parents were occupied and all before they had me, and all that David Copperfield kind of crap, but I don't feel like going into it, if you want to know the truth."

Friday Menu

2010-01-27T15:08:00.002-05:00

As always, click on image to enlarge.

Restaurant open this Friday

2010-01-26T14:31:00.003-05:00

This Friday, January 29, we'll be open for business in the President's Room.

Jack Doll and the trio will be playing jazz in the lobby from 7:00pm until 9:30pm.

The menu that night will feature old favorites such as Lobster Bisque to start and Creme Brulee for dessert. The entrees will be "bistro style", meaning lighter portions and lighter prices. Some of the things we'll be serving include:

*Pan Seared Scallops with Lemon Thyme Sauce $14
*Lobster and Crab Cakes with Corn Salsa and Basil Aioli $14
*Roasted Beef Tenderloin with Lyonnaise Potatoes $14

We'll also have Hand Pattied Burgers, Salmon, Caesar Salad, and our classic Mac and Cheese. The full menu will be here tomorrow, and on Friday the doors open at 5pm. And of course we are accepting reservations for the dining room if you phone us at 513-721-8901.

Hope you can make it in for Dinner or Cocktails.

Lunch Tomorrow - December 23

2009-12-22T11:02:00.003-05:00

We still have reservations available for the lunch tomorrow.

(Click on image to enlarge)

More Wine Tasting Details

2009-12-17T15:33:00.003-05:00

Below is the list of wines for the upcoming wine sale on Monday December 21. As you can see, almost all are going to be available for the tasting. The ones that are not are clearly indicated. There may be a few last minute changes but we think this is pretty much the final list.

Again, the tasting is Monday beginning at 5pm and will run until approximately 8pm or even later if necessary. Please call and let us know if you intend to attend, only so we have a good handle on how much food to prepare. There are no formal reservations and you can arrive anytime after 5pm.

One other thing. The admission is $20 and if you have any Preferred Points you can utilize your points for the admission cost. However, you cannot use points to purchase any wine at the sale.

Hope you can make it!

As always, you can click on the order form to enlarge it.

Christmas Story

2009-12-17T13:56:00.002-05:00

Something slightly Dickensian about this heartwarming Christmas tale of an adventurous little lad.

Wine Tasting and Sale

2009-12-16T16:56:00.004-05:00

We have a had a fair number of responses about the potential Wine Tasting and Sale for this coming Monday, December 21. So it appears to be full speed ahead!

Tomorrow afternoon (Thursday) we should have a comprehensive list of the items for sale as well as those to be tasted. It will be posted here on the blog as soon as we get it compiled. But for today, here's a sampling of a few items and the savings to be had.

Franciscan Chardonnay - Normal retail $20, we'll be selling at $13/bottle.

Groth Cabernet - Normal retail $60, we'll be selling at $42/bottle.

Rutherford Hill Cabernet - Normal retail $39, we'll be selling at $25/bottle. You can't beat that with a stick!

We'll have some more economical offerings as well, such as the Veramonte line of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Merlot. Normally these retail at $13.00 per bottle but we'll be selling them at $10 per bottle on Monday.

We will have approximately 20 different wines to taste and probably about twice that number of selections for sale. So lot's of savings and some real bargains on high end reds.

More info tomorrow so check back early and often.

December Lunch on the 23rd

2009-12-16T16:27:00.004-05:00

The menu for next Wednesday's lunch in the Restaurant is below.

Might be a good opportunity to play hookie from work and bring some friends or family Downtown for shopping, skating, or just something different.

Call 513-721-8901 for reservations. We need 30 reservations to make this event happen. Hope to see you Wednesday.

Click on the menu to biggify it.

Wine Tasting and Sale - Gift Idea!

2009-12-15T11:43:00.003-05:00

We are thinking about having a wine tasting and sale next
Monday evening, December 21, from 5pm until 9pm.

Here is how it will work:

∙WINE - Approximately 20 different wines will be offered for tasting. Reds, Whites, and Sparkling. We will have representatives available to discuss the wines with you.

∙FOOD - We will have a wide variety of displayed hors d'oeuvre and canapes available until 8pm (Note: Not enough for a dinner, but plenty to accompany the wine).

∙All of the wines will be available for sale as well and will be offered at discounted prices. We will have order forms available for you to use for your purchase. You are not obligated to buy anything.

∙We will have the list of wines to be tasted listed here on the blog by Thursday afternoon of this week.

∙This is an informal "walk around" style so there won't be any formal presentation. You may arrive at any time after 5pm.

∙The cost for the tasting is only $20 and that includes the food and the wines to be tasted. Additionally, anybody ordering in excess of $100 in wine that evening will have the $20 admission credited to the wine purchase.

∙Again, these wines will be discounted and will be offered at prices that aren't likely to be matched at your local wine shop.

∙Any wines purchased that evening will be available for pickup on Wednesday, December 23 OR, if you purchase more than $100 in wine we will personally deliver it to your residence (so long as it's within the 275 loop) before the 25th.

So that's about it. It's a great opportunity to taste some wines and to maybe get some last minute Holiday Gifts for friends, family, co-workers, etc.

The reason we say we are "thinking of this" is because we need at least 30 guests to express an interest in attending to make it worthwhile for the wine representatives to be here. So give us a shout and let us know if you think you would like to attend and how many people might be coming with you. You can leave it in the comments or just phone in and let us know. We will determine by Friday afternoon at 5pm whether this is a "GO" or not and it will be posted here on the blog. We will try to gauge the interest level and go from there.

Questions, or to express interest, call The Phoenix at 513-721-8901. Let us know what you think.

Win a Car

2009-12-12T18:00:00.004-05:00

And get a charitable conribution before year end at the same time. Seems that the organization Tender Mercies is selling raffle tickets to win a two year lease on a new Honda (or $5,000 cash option). The tickets are only $50 and are being limited to 800. They've informed us that there are still tickets to sell and the drawing is tomorrow (Sunday) at 3pm at Tower Place.

So we thought we'd see if we can drum up a couple of sales. And the thing is, you can buy the tickets online so it's hassle free and helps a good cause. If you're interested, visit their website here and you can get all of the details and make your purchase there.

Who is reading the blog?

2009-12-09T11:35:00.003-05:00

To find out, we'll give away a FREE bottle of Joseph Trimbach Gewurztraminer (retail is approximately $20) to the first person who calls in and requests it. Anybody who answers the phone can inform you if you are the lucky winner. This offer expires at 5pm on Wednesday, December 9. The phone number to call is 513-721-8901. Good luck!

Holiday Hours for the "Restaurant"

2009-12-04T14:36:00.003-05:00

We will be open for dinner service during the Holiday Season as follows:
Saturday, December 19
Christmas Eve, December 24
New Years Eve, December 31

We are now accepting reservations for all three dates. You can make a reservation by phoning 513-721-8901.

The menu will be the same for each night and it is posted below.
*Menu is subject to change
*Click on menu to enlarge

For you Preferred Members, this is a "last chance" to use up any accrued points.

Hope you can make it on one of those three nights.

Clarendon Hills Wine Dinner

2009-11-24T11:29:00.003-05:00

Here are the details for the upcoming Clarendon Hills wine Dinner on December 3.

Menu

Fried Oysters with Field Greens, Lemon-Caper Dressing

Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc, 2008

*****

Poached Salmon with Shrimp, Truffle Cream Sauce
Haricots Vert

McWilliams Chardonnay, 2007

*****

Sliced Breast of Duck with Puy Lentils, Red Wine Sauce

Clarendon Hills "Liandra" Syrah, 2004

*****

Braised Beef Short Ribs

Clarendon Hills "Brookman" Merlot, 2005

*****

Dessert selection TBD

Specifics

When: Thursday, December 3, 7pm
Where: The Phoenix, 812 Race Street, Downtown
Reservations: Phone 721-8901
Price: $60 (includes food, wine, tax, gratuity)

Hope you can make this "Down Under" wine dinner. For more information on the Clarendon Hills wines click here.

The World According to Americans

2009-11-24T10:50:00.003-05:00

I saw this over at The Big Picture, the great site hosted by Barry Ritholtz. Funny stuff.
(Click on image to view larger size)

Open - Wednesday, November 25th!

2009-11-20T16:44:00.004-05:00

Can't make it to The Phoenix next week for Thanksgiving? Then join us the night before for some cocktails, a bite to eat, and listen to some Jazz.

Just like old times.

It all starts at 5pm on Wednesday the 25th, and since you don't have to get up and go to work the next day there's really no reason not to join us.

Here's the menu being served in both the Bar and the Dining Room. Yes, we are taking reservations for the dining room.
(Click on the image to "bigger" it)

November Lunch

2009-11-13T13:33:00.003-05:00

Now accepting reservations for the November Lunch next Wednesday, the 18th. The Menu and specifics are below.

We certainly hope you can make it.

Football!

2009-11-07T11:54:00.003-05:00

The baseball season ended ... finally.

If Bud Selig ever decided to actually do something important for the game of baseball (don't hold breath) he would mandate 2 things:

The first is that teams play at least 4 home doubleheaders each year. And not the Day-Night variety either. The old style 2 games in a row. By doing that a full week could be lopped off the season and the World Series could actually end in October.

Secondly, some (at least two) of the first five scheduled WS games should have a daytime start. It's hard for anybody, let alone kids, to stay up past midnight to watch the conclusion of a game. And people wonder why our youth doesn't seem to play as much baseball anymore. I realize this (a daytime WS start) will never happen given the power of the $, but it should.

But I digress. This weekend is about football.

This is perhaps the most significant football weekend the city of Cincinnati has ever witnessed. With the Bearcats playing in front of a large national audience tonight, they have a chance to rise even further in the BCS standings.

And the Bengals? Their season is usually over at this point. But with a huge game tomorrow against the Ravens, a win will put them squarely in line for a playoff berth. So with that, here's a lyrics refresher before you head down to PB stadium tomorrow or settle into your Lay-Z-Boy.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-04T14:44:00.005-05:00

YES, we are open for Thanksgiving this year and are accepting reservations from 12:30pm through 6:30pm. Dinner will be served in the President's Room and we will accommodate larger groups in the other first floor rooms. The dinner is a limited ala carte menu as described below. You can make reservations by phoning The Phoenix at 513-721-8901.

Menu

Choice of first course - Butternut Squash Soup or Phoenix Salad
*****
Choice of Entree - Traditional Turkey Dinner with Dressing or Roast Prime Rib of Beef
Accompanied by Vegetable, Sweet or Regular Mashed Potato, Cranberry Sauce.
*****
Choice of Pie for dessert

Coffee, Tea, and Soft Drinks

Price: $29.00 for Adults, $19.00 for Children, Under 5 Free

Full Bar and a specialty wine list will be available throughout the day.

So take a break from the kitchen and join us here at The Phoenix.

psst.... we will also have the games on the TV in the bar.

Hope you can make it.

Wine Dinner - November 12

2009-11-02T15:35:00.002-05:00

The next wine dinner is Thursday, November 12, at 7pm. We will be featuring several wines of Chateau Ste. Michelle from Washington State.

There will be six wines poured throughout the evening and the lineup is shaping up as follows:

- Domaine Ste Michelle Blanc de Noir
- Chateau Ste. Michelle Horse Heaven Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc
- Chateau Ste. Michelle Canoe Ridge Chardonnay
- Chateau Ste. Michelle Indian Wells Cabernet
- Columbia Crest Reserve Walter Clore Red
- Eroica Riesling

The menu will (hopefully) be posted by the weekend. The other specifics:

Date - Thursday, November 12, 2009
Time - 7pm
Where - The Phoenix, 812 Race Street, Downtown
Reservations - 721-8901 (leave message if you receive a recording and we'll confirm)
Price - $55 and that includes, the 6 wines, the four course dinner, gratuity and tax.

Hope you can make it.

ps - Another great opportunity to use up Preferred Points if you still have some left!

The Monthly Lunch Returns

2009-10-12T11:27:00.002-04:00

Many of you have been inquiring about whether we would resume the monthly lunches that we held last year in the Grand Ballroom. The answer is YES, and the first one will be Wednesday, October 21.

The format will be a little different in that:

The lunch will be served in the President's Room (restaurant) on the first floor.

It will be a combination buffet/served meal. The first course options will be buffet style and this will be set in the bar area. The offerings will include soup, salads, shrimp cocktail, fruit, as well as additional items. The main entree, however, will be a choice and a server will take your order and the plate will be cooked to order.

For this initial lunch the entree choices are:

- Filet Mignon with Sauce Bearnaise
- Lemon Pepper Chicken Breast with Thyme Gremolata
- Atlantic Salmon with Basil Aioli
- Vegetarian Stuffed Bell Peppers

All entrees will be accompanied by Asparagus and Dauphinois Potatoes

Dessert will be a Gourmet Cupcake in a box, served to go.

Non-Alcoholic beverages are included in the menu and the entire lunch is $16.00 per person. Gratuity is NOT included in the $16.00 price.

So call The Phoenix at 513-721-8901 to make your reservation now for Lunch at The Phoenix on Wednesday, October 21. Seating begins at 11am.

Best Wishes to all and hope you can make it!

Hopler Wine Dinner - Wed., Oct. 14th

2009-10-06T12:35:00.004-04:00

This is pretty cool. Christof Hopler, winemaker and owner of Hopler Winery in Austria will be visiting Cincinnati next week and we have a dinner planned on Wednesday the 14th at 7pm.

Here are the wines we will be pouring:

2006 Gruner Veltliner
2008 Pinot Blanc
2005 Pinot Noir
2004 Blaufrankisch
2006 Guttenberg Gruner Veltliner

So we will be pouring 2 whites, 2 reds, and a dessert style white, all accompanied by a four course dinner.

It isn't often that we are visited by a winemaker/owner so this is a unique opportunity to speak firsthand with a proprietor about the wines. Click here to learn more about the wines of Hopler.

Here are some specifics:

When: Wednesday, October 14, 2009, at 7pm.
Where: The Phoenix, 812 Race Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202
Reservations: Please phone 513-721-8901
Cost: $55 and that includes gratuity and tax!

Hope to see you on the 14th.

Wine Dinner Menu - Wed. 9/23

2009-09-20T10:37:00.003-04:00

Here is the menu and wine pairings for Wednesday's dinner. Please note that the menu may yet be "tweaked" a little, and the order may change, but this is how it stands as of today. Also, as of Sunday morning there are surprisingly still several openings. Hopefully that will change and if you phone The Phoenix to make a reservation and the building is closed, just leave your information (Name, number of guests, phone #) on the recording and we'll get back to you to confirm.

Chanson Vire-Clesse 2006 (passed upon arrival)
*****
Honey Lime Shrimp, Capellini
Chanson Chablis 2007
*****
Arctic Char with White Beans, Mushrooms, and Dried Tomatoes
Chanson Meursault 2006
*****
Rosemary Dijon Lamb Chops with Swiss Chard
Chanson Bourgogne Pinot Noir 2006
*****
Veal Marengo, Creamed Whipped Parsnips
Chanson Beaune Clos des Mouches 1er Cru 2006
*****
Filet of Beef, Carrots Parisienne, Pinot Noir Demi
Chanson Gevrey-Chambertin 2005
*****
Fruit and Truffles

As stated above, reservations still available. Only $70 per person inclusive of tax and gratuity. Phone: 513-721-8901.

Some Wine Dinner Details

2009-09-14T12:34:00.003-04:00

The wine dinner for next Wednesday, September 23, is shaping up to be truly special. Ms. Sophie Baldo, Export Manager at Chanson Pere & Fils will be present to speak about six of their fine selections. The wines of Chanson that we will be pouring with the dinner are:

Vire Clesse Chardonnay
AOC Chablis
Meursault
Bourgogne Rouge
Gevrey Chambertin
Beaune Clos des Mouches 1er Cru (Rouge)

If you're thinking "WOW!", join the club.

The wines will be paired with an elegant meal and we should have the menu complete and posted on the blog before this weekend.

Due to the limited availability of a couple of the wines we will have to restrict the number of reservations. We will try to accommodate everybody if we are able. We will begin accepting reservations Tuesday morning September 15.

The basics:

What: Chanson Pere & Fils Burgundy Wine Dinner
When: Wednesday, September 23rd at 7:00pm
Where: The Phoenix, 812 Race Street, Downtown Cincinnati
Reservations: Phone 513-721-8901
Cost: $70 per person (inlcudes tax and gratuity)

Best to all.

Wine Dinner

2009-09-09T11:36:00.003-04:00

Mark your calendars for Wednesday, September 23rd. We'll be featuring several burgundy wines from Chanson Pere & Fils. Further details including pricing and menu to follow in the coming days. This is just a heads up for what should be a very nice dinner.

You can find out more about Chanson here.

The Lowdown on the Hoedown

2009-08-26T16:12:00.004-04:00

The menu and wines available listed below for Friday night's Hoedown at The Phoenix (click on menu for larger image). There is still some room at the inn so come on by for a Lone Star Beer and some exquisite ribs on Friday.

Reservations still available

2009-08-25T11:31:00.003-04:00

for Friday Night. In addition to some really good food, there will be some nice wine specials and we'll have Lone Star Beer available for those keeping with the theme.

Menu - Friday, August 28, 2009

2009-08-20T14:21:00.002-04:00

OK - Here's the menu for next Friday's "Hoedown".

Soup

New Orleans Seafood Gumbo $5

Salads

Garden Salad $4

Pulled Pork Salad with Tomatillo Ranch Dressing $7

Sandwiches (Includes choice of one side dish)

BBQ Beef Sandwich $9

Pulled BBQ Pork Sandwich $8

Entrees (Includes choice of one side dish)

Slab of BBQ Babyback Ribs $17

Half Slab of BBQ Babyback Ribs $11

Half BBQ Chicken $14

BBQ Beef Brisket $18

Ribs and Cajun Shrimp Combo $21

Ribs and Half Chicken Combo $20

Creole Style Catfish $18

Sides (all $3.00)

Cole Slaw

BBQ Baked Beans

Donna's Redskin Potato Salad

Fries

Grean Beans with Bacon

Dessert

Peach Cobbler $6

Key Lime Pie $6

Reservations at 513-721-8901.

This is another opportunity to use up Preferred Points if you have them. So lasso up the friends and neighbors and phone now to reserve a seat. Hope to see you next Friday.

We're Havin' a Hoedown!

2009-08-18T16:24:00.002-04:00

Friday, August 28th. Mark your calendars.
What's a hoedown? Well, at The Phoenix it's a rootin' tootin' end of summer BBQ with sumptuous summer fare with menu selections including:

BBQ Babyback Ribs
BBQ Beef Brisket
BBQ Half Chicken
Creole Style Catfish
Pulled Pork BBQ
Gumbo
Spicy Slaw
BBQ Baked Beans
Redskin Potato Salad
Southern Style Green Beans
Peach Cobbler ala mode
and other really tasty stuff.

The bar will be open at 5pm and we'll be serving dinner from 5pm until 9pm. To avoid chaos we WILL be accepting reservations for parties of all sizes.

The dress for this evening will be country casual, with blue jeans and cowboy boots as appropriate attire (but certainly not required).

The complete menu with pricing will be posted by Thursday evening of this week. This post is just to give you all a heads up so you can start making some plans, inviting friends and neighbors, etc.

Meanwhile, for your listening pleasure, enjoy this hoedown classic:

Wine Dinner Menu for July 29

2009-07-23T13:44:00.002-04:00

Here is the menu for the upcoming wine dinner next Wednesday.

Baby Spinach Salad with Goat Cheese and Walnuts

Veal Oscar with Sweet Lobster, Asparagus and Sauce Choron

Salmon with Pancetta and Sage, Mushroom Risotto

Chocolate Panna Cotta

There are still openings for the dinner. It is only $65 and that includes the tax and gratuity. Phone 513-721-8901 for reservations.

Regards to all.

Wine Dinner - Wednesday, July 29

2009-07-17T11:46:00.002-04:00

We are pleased to be hosting a dinner featuring the wines of Chateau de Sancerre and Casa Lapostolle on Wednesday, July 29, at 7pm. The wines are part of the Moet Hennessey USA portfolio and are of exceptional quality.

The wines to be poured are:

Chateau de Sancerre, Sancerre
Chateau de Sancerre, Cuvee du Connetable
Chateau de Sancerre Rouge
Casa Lapostolle, Merlot, Cuvee Alexandre
Navan - Served with dessert

The wines will be accompanied by a four course dinner. The menu is yet to be finalized but it should be posted here next week if you would like to preview it.

The fine print and details:

Where: The Phoenix, 812 Race Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202
Reservations: 513-721-8901
When: Wednesday, July 29, 7:00 pm
Cost: $65 ($53 for dinner and wine, $12 gratuity) Note: Tax is included.

If you call after hours and receive a voice message, leave your name and number of guests and we will confirm with you the following day.

Regards to all.

It was the best of times.....

2009-07-06T11:10:00.004-04:00

Yes, it's that time of year when we all should celebrate the Revolution. No, not the American Revolution, the French Revolution!

Bastille Day - July 14 is next Tuesday and we're celebrating with a special menu and plenty of French wines. Pretty much all of the details are indicated above (click on the image to view full size in a new window), and it's similar to a wine dinner but there's a lot more flexibility. Here is how it works.

* You can make a reservation for anytime next Tuesday, July 14th, between 5:30pm and 8:00 pm.

* To make reservations please phone The Phoenix at 513-721-8901 beginning Tuesday, July 7.

* The first two courses of the menu are set, but there are several selections for the entree, and a choice for dessert. Please note that the pasta entree IS vegetarian.

* We will be offering 6 different wines throughout your meal. You can stick with one, try all six, switch back and forth. It's completely up to you.

* If you don't wish to partake of the wine, we have the complete meal without wine at a separate, reduced price.

* The tax and gratuity is built into the price of the dinner.

* You are welcome to use Preferred points for this meal, however please advise us in advance if that is your intention (when making the reservation would be perfect). Preferred points cannot be used for the gratuity, sorry to say, so bring along some USD, a credit card, or junk silver for the server. If you have the dinner with wine, you will need 1280 points to redeem to pay for the entire meal, per person. It's 1000 points per person if you skip the wine.

* The flyer above has the entire menu, please feel free to call with any questions.

* CAVEAT - We need a minimum of 40 guests on the books by next Monday (the 13th) in order to make this dinner work. I imagine we'll have quite a few more guests than 40, but to play it safe please don't wait until the 14th to make reservations.

This should be a nice fun, relaxing, evening with some classic French cuisine and wines. We hope you can make it.

Best to all.

Jazz, Drink, and Food - June 26th

2009-06-19T10:48:00.003-04:00

Hey. We're Back!

For next Friday at least. And we WILL most certainly let you in.

Friday evening, June 26, we will be having the Jazz Trio of Jack Doll, Larry Kinley, and Chris Coyle play in the restaurant. The doors will open at 5pm and the trio will play from 6pm until 10pm. Here are the fun facts.

1. We have put together a nice ala carte menu for the evening (see below). It has a good selection of bar food and small entree selections. We even have the Creme Brulee for devotees of that favorite!

2. There will be a $7 cover charge payable at the door. Cash only please for the cover charge. Oh, the horror! But hold on, this cover charge is fully discounted from ANY food purchase. So as long as you plan to eat something, the cover charge is removed.

3. For people who have Preferred Points, this is a great opportunity to use them. We will accept payment in full for food and beverage with redemption of Preferred Points. The cover charge cannot be paid, however, with points.

4. We are not accepting reservations for this evening unless you have a party size larger than 6. In that case, reservations can be made by phoning 513-721-8901.

A lot of the old staff will be there working this evening including Art, Eileen, and Chase. So please stop by and enjoy some food and drink and listen to some really good music.

DISCLAIMER - This is a casual night and it could be crowded (hopefully) and it might be a wee bit noisy. If you're looking for a quiet table in the corner for an anniversary this might not be the venue on the 26th. We'll be having more caberet style seating (aka some smaller tables in the room) and the event is geared towards food and fun, and not so much fancy. It should be a lot of fun and all of us here at The Phoenix hope you can stop by for a little while so we can re-connect.

Red Wine Specials

2009-05-01T00:36:00.003-04:00

Sorry for the late post, but it's been a wild and wonderfully crazy day at The Phoenix. So this info is up a little later than hoped for, but now it's here nonetheless, so we hope you'll find your way to the corner of 9th and Race this weekend.

The Red Wine Specials for Friday and Saturday are pretty straightforward. We're taking a number of our red wine bottle selections and reducing the prices. That's it. The warm weather is almost here, and it's a great chance to drink some really nice red wine at unheard of prices before you settle into your 'sitting on the porch sipping pinot grigio' mode.

Here are the wines on special. Be forewarned, some are VERY limited in supply. First come, first served, as they say. The price on the left is current menu price, the price on the right the weekend only menu price. Sorry, but the lower prices are not eligible for Phoenix Preferred discount.

Stop in and see us. And order a bottle of red. Enjoy.

Item
Clos du Val Cabernet $44 $29
St. Clement Cabernet $48 $32
Robert Mondavi Reserve Cabernet $129 $79
Opus One 2003 $165 $115
Opus One 2004 $195 $125
Lemelson Pinot Noir $49 $32
Bergstrom Pinot Noir $59 $39
Les Cailloux Chateauneuf du Pape $82 $59
Hall Merlot $42 $25
Rutherford Hill Merlot $39 $29

These are all great savings and these are all wines of exceptional quality. The Opus and Mondavi prices are of the once-in-a-lifetime variety. You will never find this opportunity on these three wines anywhere. Ever. And it will only last for two days at The Phoenix. So call 513-721-8901 for reservations and take advantage of these red wine specials.

Hope to see you this weekend!

Thursday Madness - April 30th

2009-04-29T12:28:00.003-04:00

A little research turns up that April 30th is a day for the nutcases. First of all, it was on this date that arguably the greatest madman in history, Adolf Hitler, offed himself. 1945. Holed up in his bunker and he said "No mas", or something to that effect. I find the Wiki entry on this interesting. To wit:

"He expressed his intent to kill himself and later asked physician Werner Haase to recommend a reliable method of suicide. Haase suggested combining a dose of cyanide with a gunshot to the head."

Hmmm, one would think that the latter part of the "method" would render the first part superfluous. But I digress. April 30th is also the date of the Rodney King verdict. And we all remember the little disturbance created by that. Let's just say it wasn't the best day to run out of gas at the corner of Florence and Normandy. Some definite madness on the Left Coast that afternoon and evening.

But there's more. Yes, on this date, Monica Seles, then ranked number one in women's tennis, was stabbed in the back during a match. The perpetrator was an East German fan of Seles' combatant that day, Steffi Graf. I'm sensing a German theme here, no? And yes, the attack occurred in Hamburg. As in Germany.

OK, enough with all this frivolity. We need a German Food and Wine Special on April 30th. So with typical Teutonic efficiency we've got a simple, yet tasty offering for Thursday night.

Wienershcnitzel!

Lightly breaded Veal Cutlets, pan cooked and topped with Lemon. A Lemon Caper Sauce is optional. Accompanied by Sweet and Sour Red Cabbage. This entree is served with your choice of Small House Salad or Small Caesar Salad to start and it's only $12.99.

And what's a good plate of Wienerschnitzel without a nice German Riesling to go with it. We'll be offering the Saint M Riesling for only $5 a bottle to anybody ordering the special entree (Limit 1 bottle per couple). Sorry, no can do on the Preferred Discount for either the entree or the wine. That would be madness!

So come on in to The Phoenix on Thursday night and enjoy a little German flavor accompanied by some well adjusted hospitality. Reservations at 513-721-8901.

Mothers Day Brunch

2009-04-21T08:37:00.004-04:00

And here's the menu. You can click on either image to enlarge.

Reservations now being accepted. Please phone The Phoenix at 513-721-8901 for more information or to place a reservation.

Shrimp

2009-04-17T09:49:00.002-04:00

Shrimp can be prepared in any number of ways....

But we'll be doing it tonight two ways:

Shrimp and Fettuccine with Broccoli in a Lobster Cream Sauce

or

Shrimp Scampi Style over Fettuccine

Either entree with a glass of wine for $18.99!
Entree only - $14.99

That's tonight and tomorrow at The Phoenix.
Call for reservations: 513-721-8901.

Chasing Tail

2009-04-09T15:01:00.004-04:00

Nothing better to do on Good Friday than chase some tail....

Lobster Tail you lechers!

Tomorrow night (Good Friday) and Saturday night we are offering the following specials:

#1 Seafood Special Dinner ($27.00)

- First course is a choice of a Small House Salad, Small Caesar Salad, or a cup of Lobster Bisque.

- The Entree is a Baked 6 oz. Lobster Tail with Drawn Butter, paired with a Crabcake with Basil Aioli, and some Fresh Asparagus to round out the plate.

Both Courses for only $27.00

#2 Surf and Turf Special Dinner ($32.00)

- First course is a choice of a Small House Salad, Small Caesar Salad, or a cup of Lobster Bisque.

- The Entree is a Baked 6 oz. Lobster Tail with Drawn Butter, paired with a 6 oz. Filet Mignon (choice of sauce), and some Fresh Asparagus to round out the plate.

Both Courses for only $32.00

Phoenix Preferred Discount DOES apply. Remember, the specials are in effect for both Friday and Saturday. So make your reservations by phoning The Phoenix at 513-721-8901 or make them through our website.

Thinking out loud

2009-04-08T20:34:00.002-04:00

Lobster Tails. How about a Good Friday dinner special with Lobster Tail being a feature? And maybe on Saturday, say as a Surf and Turf? Thoughts?

Whisky Dinner Tasting Menu Thursday 4-16

2009-04-08T12:47:00.002-04:00

Pork Tenderloin with Peach Barbeque Sauce, Herb Risotto
George Dickle Barrel Select
*****
Teriyaki Salmon with Bok Choy and Baby Corn
Bulleit Bourbon
*****
Beef Tenderloin with Mushroom Ragout
Crown Royal Reserve
*****
Tomato and Micro Green Salad and Sauteed Goat Cheese
Bushmills 10 Year Malt
*****
Chocolate Truffles
Johnnie Walker Gold

As posted yesterday, the tasting menu is $50 and that is all-inclusive.
Reservations accepted via phone only.
For reservations or questions please call 513-721-8901.

Whisky Dinner!

2009-04-07T08:56:00.002-04:00

Thursday, April 16 7:00pm

A 5 course tasting menu featuring the following beverages:

George Dickel Barrel Select
Bulleit Bourbon
Crown Royal Reserve
Bushmills 10 year Malt
Johnnie Walker Gold

The accompanying menu will follow in an upcoming post.

The cost is only $50 and that includes tax and gratuity!

Reservations can be made by phoning The Phoenix at 513-721-8901.

Friday Night Specials

2009-04-02T22:14:00.002-04:00

Couple of nice specials on Friday, April 3.
Spoiler Alert! Continued reading will lead to half priced specials.

The Seafood special is Sauteed Grouper Florentine with Crabmeat Hollandaise ($26.00). We are also offering a Filet Mignon Special. It's a Boursin Cheese stuffed Filet Mignon with your choice of Sauce - Peppercorn, Bearnaise, or Bordelaise. Small Filet (6oz. - $26.00) and Large Filet (9oz - $32.00).

Here's the really special part. If you are reading this blog you get any of the above for half price! So, the Grouper with Crabmeat Hollandaise is only $13, the Small Filet also $13 and the Large Filet only $16. And that's only for you blog readers.

So you see, there's a reason I keep suggesting you bookmark this blog. For specials like this. So to take advantage, and so we know you're reading the blog, just print out this post and bring it with you tomorrow night (FRIDAY) and you get the special price.

Note: To print just the post, put your cursor thingie over the title to this post (Friday Night Specials) and click. That will bring only this post to your screen. Otherwise, if you, in a panic rush of excitement, quickly hit print without highlighting this post, you might print out the entire blog contents. And that's a waste of paper and ink, although it's plenty fine reading. So print the darn thing out, call The Phoenix at 513-721-8901 to make a reservation, and for gosh sakes haul yourself to the corner of Ninth and Race tomorrow night for these great half priced specials.

Easter Brunch

2009-03-31T14:41:00.003-04:00

(Click on image to enlarge and view menu items.)

We are having an Easter Brunch on April 12th. $29 for adults, and $19 for youngsters. Little peeps are free. We will be setting up the buffet in the first floor lobby with seating in the President's, Chef's and Tea Rooms. Plenty of great food, we'll be taking keepsake family photos, and the Easter Bunny is rumored to be making an appearance. You can make reservations most easily by calling us directly at 513-721-8901. Reservations begin at 10:00am and we will be accepting them through 2:30pm. Hope you can make it.

Lenten Special #2

2009-03-26T15:26:00.002-04:00

We will be featuring another lenten special tomorrow night (Friday, March 27) at the restaurant. It is similar to last week's special (with a couple of changes), and it is priced per couple. Here is how it works:

1. Choose a first course of either a Cup of Lobster Bisque, Small House Salad, or Small Caesar Salad.

2. Choose from two seafood entrees - The Pistachio Crusted Grouper with Coconut Cream Sauce, White Rice and Asparagus, or tomorrow night's seafood entree special of Sole with Lemon Butter Sauce and Asparagus.

3. Enjoy a glass of wine (from any of our glass pours), or a standard cocktail, or non-alcoholic beverage. One beverage per guest included in the price.

4. All of the above for $50 per couple before tax and gratuity.

The regular price is approximately $75 for the above so this represents a nice savings. We will have the NCAA tournament games on the telly in the bar, so you can enjoy an aperitif or nightcap and see how your picks are doing as well.

Call 721-8901 to make reservations or you can make through our website at www.thephx.com.

Hope to see you Friday evening at The Phoenix.

CORRECTION - Sweet Sixteen Promotion

2009-03-24T13:09:00.001-04:00

Sorry, the fax number for The Phoenix is 513-721-1475. Inadvertently published the phone number in the original post.

The Phoenix "Sweet Sixteen" Promotion

2009-03-23T18:00:00.005-04:00

Yes, it's the second annual Phoenix Sweet Sixteen Promotion where your basketball knowledge (and luck) can win you free gift certificates to The Phoenix.

Here is how it works:

1. You print out the bracket (link at end of post) and write in your picks for each game.

2. Fax the form to The Phoenix at 513-721-8901 OR if you can scan your selection you can email it to The Phoenix to Kent at vandersallk@thephx.com.

3. You are awarded points for each correct "pick" you make. These point levels are indicated on the form.

4. You can earn bonus points by dining with us as much as you like between now and April 6. You will earn 25 points for each dining visit, provided you spend at least $50 per visit.

5. The maximum score you can attain by picking the games is 150 points. The gift certificates are awarded at the following point levels attained.

120 Points = 1 $50 Gift Certificate
150 Points = 2 $50 Gift Certificates
170 Points = 3 $50 Gift Certificates (You will need to dine with us at least once before April 6 to get to this level)

6. There is no cost to participate and you can forward this to whoever you wish.

7. We must receive the completed forms prior to the first game tipoff this Thursday.

8. If you have questions, call The Phoenix or put them in the comments and we'll respond.

9. You can access the bracket by clicking here. It is also downloadable from our website on the Newsletter page.

10. Good Luck to all.

Friday Night Lenten Special - $55 per couple

2009-03-20T10:39:00.003-04:00

Tonight only - A 3 course dinner for two with a bottle of house wine for $55.

1. Start with a small Phoenix or Caesar Salad.

2. Choose either our Grouper, Salmon, or Vegetarian Entree.

3. Have a dessert of either Creme Brulee or Graeters Ice Cream

4. Enjoy a bottle of House Chardonnay or Cabernet with dinner.

That's it. $55 per couple. The special price is before tax and gratuity. Sorry, no substitutions or rain checks. If you are a Phoenix Preferred Member your discount WILL apply.

To take advantage of this special you simply make a reservation via phone (513) 721-8901 or through our website at www.thephx.com and make a notation in the notes that you would like the special.

Regards to all.

USITT Conference

2009-03-19T10:53:00.003-04:00

If you happen to be attending this conference, and even if you aren't, print this post out and bring it to The Phoenix either today or tomorrow - or both.

Monday Humor

2009-03-16T13:33:00.002-04:00

Bubbles

2009-03-10T19:36:00.005-04:00

March 11 is the birth date of Lawrence Welk. In honor of this special date, all bottle champagne will be 20% off on Wednesday night (3/11), and Freixenet Cordon Negro in the split sized bottles will be $2.50 on Wednesday as well. We think this is a wunnerful, wunnerful special.
Sorry, had to do that.

Couple of fun facts. First, it appears that he was never given a middle name. I guess when you grow up in a large family in a house of sod in the middle of North Dakota you do without niceties like middle names. But Larry made up for this lack of name by choosing a spouse with a totally cool name. Fern Renner. I'm always impressed by cool names (obviously I impress easily) and Fern Renner is one cool name. Just rolls off the tongue.

Anyway, her name reminds me of a former Cleveland Browns player named Fair Hooker who played (guessing here) late sixties, early seventies. I remember watching football on TV as a kid and rooting for the Browns ONLY because they had a receiver with such a cool name like Fair Hooker. Fern Renner and Fair Hooker. Couple of cool names there.

So join us tomorrow night (Wednesday, March 11) and enjoy our Sparkling Wine discounts. And if your name happens to be Fern Renner or Fair Hooker, your dinner is on us.

Acacia Wine Dinner Menu

2009-03-07T17:51:00.002-05:00

Below is the menu for the Acacia Wine Dinner on Monday, March 9. We still have a few remaining seats open and it's not too late to make a reservation. If you phone The Phoenix prior to Monday morning, simply leave your name, number in the party, and your phone number on the voicemail and we'll confirm with you on Monday.

Menu

Seared Scallops with Haricot Verts, Belgian Endive and Truffle Oil
*****
Arctic Char with Baby Peas and Pea Shoots, Beurre Rouge
*****
Barley Soup with Duck Confit and Winter Vegetables
*****
Herbed Lamb Chops with Pinot Noir Demi
Whipped Parmesan Parsley Potatos
*****
Dessert yet to be finalized (most likely Chocolate something or other)

Please note that this menu has morphed into a 5 course dinner. Also, if there are any dietary restrictions (vegetarian options, allergies, etc.) please call us and we will be happy to reasonably accomodate.

Questions or reservations can be made by calling The Phoenix at 513-721-8901.

Thursday Night Special - The Lucky 13

2009-03-04T15:12:00.007-05:00

Every Thursday until further notice we are offering The Lucky 13 Wine List. Simply put, it's a list of 13 wines all priced at $13 or less. It's quite the deal for you, and it's a good way for us to liquidate wines that we've ~~stolen~~ had leftover from private events. The current list is below.

The Lucky 13 Wine List

Sparkling
Freixenet Cordon Negro 13

White
Clos du Bois Chardonnay 13
Barkan Chardonnay 13
Santa Rita Chardonnay 10
Ecco Domani Pinot Grigio 13
Mattie’s Perch Chardonnay 7
Rene Barbier Mediterranean White 7

Red
Louis Martini Cabernet 13
Lindemanns Pinot Noir 13
Red Rock Merlot 13
Rene Barbier Mediterranean Red 7
Alfasi Merlot 10
Tunnel of Elms Cabernet 10

Acacia Wine Dinner, Monday March 9

2009-03-04T14:54:00.003-05:00

We are pleased to be hosting a wine dinner this coming Monday, March 9th with Acacia Winery. We will be pouring 4 wines (1 Chardonnay and 3 Pinot Noir). There is still room available and we are also excited that Matthew Glynn, the senior winemaker at Acacia, will be present to discuss his wines. It should be an enjoyable dinner. Here are the particulars and we hope you can make it:

What: Acacia Winery Dinner
When: Monday March 9, 7pm
Where: The Phoenix, 812 Race Street, Downtown Cincinnati
Reservations: Phone 513-721-8901
Cost: $60 (includes tax and gratuity!)

Here is a bio of Matthew Glynn:

Matthew Glynn

Acacia Vineyard

Senior Winemaker, Acacia

As senior winemaker for Acacia Vineyard Matthew Glynn expresses his passion for the classic Burgundian varietals; Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. He provides creative and technical direction for the Acacia team in the winery's role as a leader in the new Carneros by handcrafting compelling wines possessing purity, character and style.

His vision at Acacia is to honor and build upon the established history Acacia has created as a leading producer of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines in California and to develop a portfolio of wines including more unique wines from carefully selected vineyards in California. He joined the Acacia team in 2005 as assistant winemaker for Acacia Vineyard and created the wine style for A by Acacia.

Matthew's relationship with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay goes back to his college years, when he began developing winemaking techniques for these varietals at Domaine Chandon. Early in his career he gained broad experience making Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Sauvignon Blanc in the Napa Valley and New Zealand; he then began a period of focus on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Matthew holds undergraduate degrees in Biology and Botany, which are complemented by a Master of Science degree in Enology and Viticulture * all from the University of California, Davis.

To develop technique and increase perspective, Matthew spent time in Burgundy, France during 2001 and 2002, where he learned traditional techniques for the growing of grapes and vinification for Premier Cru and Grand Cru wines. These experiences included time in the vineyards and cellars of Domaine Dujac, Domaine de l'Arlot, and the receipt of a laureate award from the Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin Foundation - Domaine Bouchard Père et Fils.

Upon his return to the U.S, Matthew worked as an enologist and assistant winemaker in Sonoma County, where he began to learn about the unique vineyard sites in the Russian River Valley and Sonoma Coast appellations.

Matthew is a member of the American Society of Enology and Viticulture and is the Secrétariat of the Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin Laureate's Club. When he is away from the winery, Matthew enjoys music, water sports and cooking, which brings him back to the subject of wine as he feels strongly that wine is best enjoyed with food and people. "Food and wine bring up memories of people, places and experiences," he says, "and that stimulates conversation and stirs the emotions."

The Blog is Back!

2009-03-04T14:12:00.003-05:00

After a four month hiatus, The Phoenix Blog is back. Seems that my boss at The Phoenix was getting some less-than-complimentary correspondence about my profile picture of Fidel. So I was given a stern lecture and promptly banished to Gitmo for a couple of months. Then Obama closes the joint, and just as I was getting used to the huevos rancheros they served every Thursday, and voila!, Pman is back in good graces and here to sing the praises of The Phoenix.
(Disclaimer - The above is a joke).

So first and foremost, my apologies to anybody who perceived the Fidel Castro photograph as an endorsement of some economic/political system different than capitalism/democratic republic. Besides, Fidel is a piker compared to what our own elected officials are doing in our own back yard. But that's a story for another day.

Anyway, I have changed my profile picture to what I hope is a true iconic American image, replete with the virtues of innocence and wonder. I trust that Bambi is safe, so I'm riding with it. If we do a venison special I'll reconsider.

Good to be back and I'll try to keep this updated every day or two from here on out. The Phoenix hopes that you'll bookmark this site and visit here often. The blog will contain news about the restaurant, special events, and ongoing specials. So you will be "incentivized" to return here periodically, if not daily.

Glad to be back,
Pman

Welcome to our blog!

2008-10-30T12:37:00.009-04:00

Greetings. I have been retained by The Phoenix to periodically update this blog with tidbits of information regarding the goings on at this fine Cincinnati establishment. So to start things off, we thought it might be useful to begin with a Special. A Halloween Special for tomorrow night only.

Let's face it. Unless you have little ones at home, or have way too much time on your hands and can spend hours dressing up to resemble The Joker or Peter Pan or Obama for purposes of convincing yourself that you aren't getting older, Halloween is a big inconvenience. When the veritable army of ~~brats~~ sweet little neighborhood kids comes to your door, you either have to pretend you are not home, hiding upstairs with all the lights out in hopes of discouraging the foraging herds, or you have to suck it up and hand out candy to kids who have no reticence about telling you EXACTLY how lame it is to hand out 3 Musketeers bars instead of Snickers. Candy not provided by the government (yet) but by your own hard earned funds that could have been used on booze and weekend football parlays.

That's where we come in. Don't dress up like a fool tomorrow night. Don't hide upstairs. Come to The Phoenix for dinner and we'll give you a $25 gift card (valid tomorrow only - 1 card per couple) towards dinner for two. When you factor in that you don't have to buy $25 worth of candy that's like a $50 savings. That's all there is to it. Show up for dinner and each couple gets a $25 card. The only restrictions are that it must be used tomorrow night (October 31) and the gift card can pay for no more than 50% of the bill. Sorry, you can't sit at the bar and have three glasses of wine and then have us pick up the tab. Not that anyone would try or anything.

If you are a Preferred Member, you will still get a 25% discount taken after the $25 gift card is applied. Quite the deal. To make reservations you can go to our website at http://www.thephx.com/ or you can go to Open Table on the internet or you can phone us at 513-721-8901.

Hope you can make it tomorrow and please check back here often as we will probably have weekly specials that will only be available by visiting the blog. So bookmark this site, STAT, and check in every day. Hopefully you will enjoy my snarky comments and keen sense of wit, but if not, too bad. They hired me to do this and not you. You can at least come here for the specials if not for the insightful commentary. Peace.

Pman