This story originally appeared in the Jan. 20 edition of the weekly LINK Reader. To get these stories first, subscribe here.
This week, we visited Dayton Kentucky for three very different cuisines and cultures; German, Latin American and Southern cooking.
Unataza Coffee
Luckily for Northern Kentucky, good coffee is easy to come by; but this Latin- American influenced coffee shop offers flavors that caffeine-seekers would be hard pressed to find anywhere else. Their lattes are finished with designs and were a welcoming warmth on a chilly day. Their featured holiday drink, the Merry Cherry Latte with homemade cherry syrup and white chocolate, was fruity and sweet, and balanced well with the bitterness of the espresso.
Their featured beverages rotate monthly, and they also offer coffee shop staples alongside traditional Latin-inspired drinks, like a dirty horchata, with espresso, white rice milk, pumpkin seeds, cinnamon and sugar. Outside of their drinks, they offer a flavorful menu. Unataza’s cauliflower bowl is their most popular, with cumin-dusted cauliflower rice, topped with queso, grilled sweet potatoes, cherry tomatoes, and their house made black bean salsa, then finished with cilantro and lime.
They also offer a variety of tacos, wraps and sides of plantain chips.
Their vibrant attitude towards food extends to the decor, showcasing bright bold colors with plants, pottery and woven basket art to decorate the walls.
Tuba Baking Co.
With the largest Oktoberfest outside of Germany itself, the Cincinnati region is no stranger to schnitzel or spätzle. Tuba Baking Co. made its debut this year and caught the attention of the German cuisine-loving community with its authentic German beer, pretzels, and biergarten.
In a cozy space decorated with glasses, bottles, and their namesake tubas, the tables draped in newspaper create a nostalgic atmosphere.
Food is and always will be the main event at Tuba, starting with their signature giant pretzel, meant to be washed down with one of the beers on their menu.
For those who don’t know, spätzle may look like noodles but are closer to dumplings, made from eggs and flour, and pair perfectly with schnitzel – a chicken thigh pounded, crusted in sourdough pretzel bread crumbs, and cooked until crunchy. One might compare it to a smaller version of a giant fried tenderloin.
The biergarten offers an inviting space to enjoy in the summer months, when outdoor dining is at its height.
Galactic Fried Chicken
Kentucky is well-known worldwide for bourbon and fried chicken. For those seeking juicy, crunchy fried chicken, skip the drive thru and go to Galactic Fried Chicken.
The foundation of the menu is simple: fried chicken, and jackfruit nuggets for vegetarians. (Jackfruit is an Asian tree fruit with a meaty texture that is often used as a substitute for chicken or pork in vegetarian recipes.)
Galactic serves classic, crinkle cut fries and house salad alongside their mains. The jackfruit nuggets paired with their iconic Galactic sauce, a chipotle honey mustard, will have diners just as happy as their fried chicken-loving friends.
The colonel better watch out, this is the superior Kentucky Fried Chicken.
Have a street, city or business you want me to check out next? Email me at [email protected] and it could be featured on the next installment of LINK streetscapes.