I just don't get it... (Cincinnati, Hamilton: appointed, apartments, motel)

[WILWRadio]

I just returned to the Kansas City from a trip to Covington this weekend. I found a neighbor in Covington willing to cut my grass and take care of the yard of my house until I can move into the place. And the other neighbors said they are still watching the house for me to make sure nobody messes with it. And the people working at the motel front desk where I spent the night were actually pleasant and friendly. Ditto for the people that work at the stores in NKY where I stopped in to pick up a few things.

What gives? LOL

I still can't get over the difference in the attitude of the people in NKY and Cincinnati as a whole when compared to the people in the Kansas City area. People here are lazy and don't want to work and make money. At least in your area it seems that some people still want to work and help out their neighbors and also make the neighborhood a better place to live. And without a doubt the drivers are more coherent and paying better attention to what goes on around them in the Cincinnati area. I found myself getting angry at some of the other drivers again once I got back into Missouri particularly after I left the St. Louis area. Then it seems as though the mayhem starts all over again. Get into St. Louis and the nonsense subsides a bit and then gets better from IL all the way into the Cincy metro area.

In any even, I think the positive experiences I am having in the Cincinnati area, which have been scarce during my years in KC is an indicator that I will have a relatively good life in Covington once I can relocate. Getting the yard cleaned up over the next few weeks and that should be in good shape during my next visit in June. After that I can concentrate on getting the inside of the home ready for occupancy and then finish up a few small things outside like changing locks on doors, adding new storm doors, cleaning gutters etc.

Questions.

Are there any decent Chinese, Mexican and BBQ restaurants in Covington or NKY? I'd like to find a BBQ place that is closer to my home than the Montgomery Inn. And has anyone tried the Covington Chili Parlor at 7th St. and Madison Ave.? If so, how is it?

And does anyone know of anyone that handles small jobs such as installing storm doors, cleaning gutters and general handy work around a house and yard?

[mike1003]

Mexican --Montoya's used to be very good. Havent been there in a while.

BBQ- Walts Hitching Post just opened under new ownership after being closed a while. Supposedly, they are using the same recipes that were used for years. It used to be good,not great, BBQ. Too thick sweet sauce slathered on ribs. At least, the ribs were smoked, not boiled like Montgomery Ribs.

Great BBQ, take 275 to Reagan Hwy, get off at Colerain, go south a mile, or so, to Walts. Looks like an old barn. Great!!

[hensleya1]

Hi WILWRadio--

Although neither Mexican nor BBQ, check out the Anchor Grill on Pike St. sometime. You won't be disappointed - they've been open continuously (24 hours a day) for some 70 years now.

[kjbrill]

Originally Posted by mike1003

Great BBQ, take 275 to Reagan Hwy, get off at Colerain, go south a mile, or so, to Walts. Looks like an old barn. Great!!

Walts - OK in a pinch, not great. My son lives off Kipling, so if we suddenly desire to go visit without a plan, Walts is usually where we go for carryout.

But that's a long way for the OP from Covington.

Talking about Colerain, what was the name of the steakhouse for years at the intersection of Kipling and Colerain, I believe a 2-story building? I had a relative in College Hill who when we went to visit we would end up at that restaurant about 9 times out of 10. I know it closed and believe was demolished for a gas station or something.

[goyguy]

That last question sounds like one for the "Remember These Restaurants" thread, not hatin' just statin'.
OP is in luck on the BBQ front, if somebody out there who lives or ventures south of the river can throw out the name of the place in Wilder which is said to sling some mean 'cue. Failing that, simply go for a drive along Gilbert Ave or Reading Rd on any given hot day. Before long you should see and smell some tangy smoke rising and notice the folks lining up. The parking lot at Reading and Tennessee Ave is a safe bet, ditto for one in the 7600 block of RR on the east side of the street. A short way south from the latter lot, in the stately brick Roselawn Center Building which occupies the southeast corner of Section and Reading, you'll find a hole in the wall called "W & S Ribs & More." As for other bricks-and-mortar joints, those with a known Caucasian following - as if that should matter - include Goodie's (Hamilton Ave in College Hill) + BBQ Revue (Madison Rd between Oakley and Madisonvile) + Pit to Plate (Compton Rd in Mt Healthy.)
Finding good Mexican eats is a tough call, aside from the national chains with their margarita menus and bland food selections. My hunch would be that Route 4 in Fairfield ought to yield some possibilities. It's nowhere near Covington - how bad do you want it?
There's a newly revived thread regarding Chinese food which needn't be repeated here. But since it hasn't reached across the Ohio yet I will. The warren of streets around Florence Mall is where you'll find NKY's hub for that cuisine.

For all the negatives about Cincinnati politics and mentalities, the general "niceness" of its citizens does make it a pleasant place to visit. When not besieged by customers the workers at stores, restaurants, and so on ARE usually outgoing and seem to not treat having a job as a burden. Show a friendly face and offer a quick cheerful remark and you'll get one back. Race somebody to a parking lot exit and watch the rightful winner get waved on with a smile (if it's not you, now you know what's expected of you.) Enjoy not having to jockey for position, horns blaring all the while, on expressways and busy streets. (It's so bad where I live now that I didn't replace my car fifteen years ago.) "What gives" is that Greater Cincinnati has a mostly "horizontal" population, not meaning that the people are prone as a rule but that housing is not dense. Except for along the riverfront and near Eden Park or on Madison Rd, high-rise apartments clearly stand out because they're off to themselves. One of the worst sprawl problems in the nation also translates into people living farther afield in houses instead of stacked on top of one another. The fewer the persons in a given location, the fewer the cars and you know the rest.

Experience tells me that neighborly neighbors aren't that hard to find no matter where you are. The secret is to have the community not be too rich or poor, and most importantly be one where putting down roots is the norm.

[Señor Slick]

Originally Posted by kjbrill

Walts - OK in a pinch, not great. My son lives off Kipling, so if we suddenly desire to go visit without a plan, Walts is usually where we go for carryout.

But that's a long way for the OP from Covington.

Talking about Colerain, what was the name of the steakhouse for years at the intersection of Kipling and Colerain, I believe a 2-story building? I had a relative in College Hill who when we went to visit we would end up at that restaurant about 9 times out of 10. I know it closed and believe was demolished for a gas station or something.

kj........... I believe you may be referring to Seven Mile House.

[Señor Slick]

[quote=goyguy;29749721]
Finding good Mexican eats is a tough call, aside from the national chains with their margarita menus and bland food selections. My hunch would be that Route 4 in Fairfield ought to yield some possibilities. It's nowhere near Covington - how bad do you want it?



Taqueria Mercado on Rt. 4 is pleasantly autentica Mexican food.....

[kjbrill]

Originally Posted by Señor Slick

kj........... I believe you may be referring to Seven Mile House.

I believe you are right. I may not have the address exactly, but for years it was a place my family member just loved, and I enjoyed it also. I don't know how many renditions it went through as those places typically do. Between it and Shuller's Wigwam on Hamilton Ave. we hardly went anyplace else.

[Ohiogirl81]

I can't vouch for the quality lately, but Rio Grande in Newport -- in a plaza behind the Newport Shopping Center -- used to be decent.

Originally Posted by mike1003

BBQ- Walts Hitching Post just opened under new ownership after being closed a while. Supposedly, they are using the same recipes that were used for years. It used to be good,not great, BBQ. Too thick sweet sauce slathered on ribs. At least, the ribs were smoked, not boiled like Montgomery Ribs.

Great BBQ, take 275 to Reagan Hwy, get off at Colerain, go south a mile, or so, to Walts. Looks like an old barn. Great!!

Walt's Hitching Post in Fort Wright and Walt's BBQ on Colerain Avenue are two different animals. Not to mention that Colerain Avenue is hardly close to the OP in Covington.

[mike1003]

Originally Posted by Ohiogirl81

Walt's Hitching Post in Fort Wright and Walt's BBQ on Colerain Avenue are two different animals. Not to mention that Colerain Avenue is hardly close to the OP in Covington.

Absolutely different, I don't want to give the impression that they are the same.

My favorite BBQ used to be Pit to plate, but Walts is better. There are no GREAT BBQ joints in Greater Cincy!