We all know the expression, “It’s an honor just to be nominated.” That’s a feeling shared by three Cincinnati establishments in the running for James Beard Awards — two restaurants ( Wildweed and The Aperture ) whose chefs are semifinalists, and one bar owner Mike Stankovich, a semifinalist in the Best Cocktail Professional category.
Despite what the outcome is in early April when finalists are announced, the real winners are cocktail and cuisine-loving Lexingtonians who know that this caliber of excellence is just a 90-minute drive away. I recently took off for a few days of wining and dining in a city that I have come to expect culinary greatness from. The Beard nominations are just icing on an already delicious cake .
Let’s start with Wildweed, whose chefs Lydia and David Jackman have been nominated for Best Chef, Great Lakes Region. This colorful bistro in Cincy’s Over-the-Rhine District was buzzing with adventurous diners the night I went, including a food writer from Bon Appetit, which has already named Wildweed one of eight must-visit restaurants (it has gotten a similar nod as a Best New Restaurant in America by Esquire .)
But don’t rely on their reviews, travel a bit, book a table and let the food do the talking. I did just that, starting with an unusual oyster dish — lighter-than-air small oysters in mulled pear foam with pickled shallot and spicebush oil. For a main, I chose albacore tuna, perfectly seared and combined with potato, fennel, castelvetrano olive, radicchio, egg yolk emulsion and dill…