State Love Letter

Receiving the title of “Best College St. Patrick’s Day Party in the U.S.” by BroBible and Huffington Post, it’s now time to divert away from the generally tame festivals and parades and venture into the unknown.  Don’t worry, you wanna-be leprechauns, we will give you the full run down of this little big town.  We aren’t sure how to start this, so we are just going to dive right in.  David Letterman once said, “There are four places to be on St. Patrick's day: Dublin, New York, Chicago & the University of Dayton.”  This quiet little Catholic university of around 8,000 undergrads swells to about 20,000 one day during the entire year.  St. Patrick’s Day.  With a prompt start time of 4am, hearing the music blaring from every house is the equivalent of hearing TAPS on an armed forces base because it’s time to get up and get green.  Once up, it’s time to start preparing for Tim’s Bar that opens at 5am and the annual gathering of leprechauns that happens on Lowes Street, affectionately referred to by UD students as “The Ghetto”.  This is pretty much where the party stays for the remainder of the day.  Literally every house is open to anyone who wants to venture in.  A fully inclusive party that spans an entire street.  It’s actually pretty impressive to witness the hospitality, if that’s the right word…  bagpipers with waning sobriety levels, university police drinking an occasional brew among students, and thousands of your closest friends are just a few of the things you can find at this university “party”.  We say “party” because in 2013, the party actually turned into what was deemed a riot and police in full riot gear had to show up and break up the shenanigans.  It also coincidentally ended up being the year that the University of Dayton bought accidental death insurance. So with that being said, you have been warned. It’s just so cool to think that in our Ohio backyard there is a St. Patty’s Day party that is like no other and if you’re up for the challenge to join in the festivities, then we salute you.

 What's your favorite St. Patrick's Day celebration?  Let us know in the comments!
and if you'd like check out our awesome Ohio gear click on Ohio Gear <---

Born and raised in Italy and migrating to America in 1993, Angelina was surprised to see what Americans deemed to be Italian food.  Armed with all of her knowledge regarding Italian cooking and her love for her homeland dishes, Angelina opened her self-titled restaurant, Angelina, and Green Bay residents have been praising her ever since. Angelina prides itself on slowing down life and making you enjoy your time at the dinner table.  Trust us. You won’t want to speed through this dining experience.  In the nicely-sized dining room, you will find yourself taking deep breaths of the fresh, fragrant wafts coming from the kitchen.  If weather permits, try sitting outside in the patio garden.  It definitely adds to the meal.  With not a single thing on the menu overpriced, you won’t have any issues ordering exactly what you desire.  We started with the bruschetta and moved onto the Bucatini Alli Amatriciana. Delicioso! If you're still hungry for more after all of that, go ahead and do yourself a favor and order the cannolis.  We may just be blindly in love with all things pistachio, but the pistachio cannoli was ridiculously amazing!  This restaurant should be an easy decision when it comes to picking out a Valentine’s date spot.  Make your reservations now by calling (920)-437-7248 so you don’t miss out!

If you are from the Cincinnati area, you have probably heard of the fine dining experience that was The Maisonette and its unbuttoned, speakeasy feeling, basement counterpart, La Normandie. But as a phoenix dies to be reborn, so did La Normandie die to become a better version of itself. Allow us to introduce you to Sotto.  Located on 6th street in the heart of Downtown Cincinnati beneath what is now Boca, Sotto is, as the Italians would say, truly “Rocambolesco” (Fantastic). Try not to miss the entrance as only a small wooden plank bares the name of the restaurant leading you down a dark stone stairwell.  Sotto refers to itself as a subterranean Italian trattoria and it’s all of that and more.  With the dimly lit setting and the food that will practically force you to savor every bite, Chef Danny Combs takes you on a trip to grandma’s house in Italy even if you don’t have a grandma in Italy.  When you go, start out with a goat cheese & hazelnut honey bruschetta and work your way across the menu.  If you’re looking for something that is Italian with an American flair, aim for the short rib cappellacci and if you’re looking for something that you won’t be able to stop dreaming of, treat yourself to the ricotta doughnuts for dessert.  There are so many more beautiful nuances to this eatery that we could go on about, but you’ll just have to find those yourself.  Make your reservations here!  Ciao.

Sporting all sorts of dining awards, Bella Notte is a must try.  Walk into this restaurant and be prepared to take a trip to Italy without the plane ticket.  Bella Notte transports you to a rustic Tuscan farmhouse while giving your taste buds the nuances you’d experience at some of Italy’s best culinary schools.  Is it a coincidence that most Italian culinary schools are located in farmhouses?  We don’t think so.  The menu is designed for both group or individual dining experiences, which provides one of the more versatile ordering options we’ve ever seen and the prices for both options are very affordable.  After carefully surveying the menu, we went with Bella Original Penne Pesto.  The flavors were all present in this simple dish with pesto, parmesan and pine nuts, and not one drowned out the other; a huge accomplishment considering pesto can be very overpowering.  For dessert, we went for arguably the most challenging dish on the entire menu… The Signature Chocolate Soufflé.  If you aren’t familiar, the Huffington Post named soufflés as one of the hardest desserts to make due to their temperamental nature and propensity to “fall”.  So with much surprise, when the soufflé arrived and we dug a spoon into the center of the soufflé (which is the proper way to test the bake of the soufflé) and pulled out the core of the dessert, it rested perfectly on the spoon.  Don’t even get us started on the taste, but for $6 just go ahead and order two. No judgment here!  This place is for sure going to be a popular destination on Valentine’s Day, so don’t hesitate to secure a reservation here.

Supporting a decently large population of Italian-Americans, Illinois is sure to deliver when it comes to Italian food.  With that in mind, it was hard to choose just one restaurant, but we settled on Enzo & Lucia’s located in Long Grove.  This restaurant has had its fair share of ups and downs including a fire that burned down the restaurant a little over a year ago, but it came back with a vengeance by winning the 2015 OpenTable Diner’s Choice Award and is ready to wow you with its homemade pasta, to-die-for potato gnocchi and homemade desserts.  Honestly, if we could order one of everything, we would! Our top picks, after much “research”, are their Cozze Marinara in garlic oil, Enzo’s Special Gnocchi (the gnocchi we referenced two sentences ago. Yes - it’s that good!), and the Risotto Pescatore.  Your waistline may curse you, but your special valentine date will love you!  Make your reservations here.

There’s not a strong Italian presence in North Dakota, but go to Giuseppe’s Italian Ristorante in Grand Forks and you will forget about that little piece of information very quickly!  With a pleasant seating arrangement, images of Italy gracing the walls and smells that will have you daydreaming about the Old Country, Giuseppe’s has something everyone can enjoy.  This locally-owned restaurant offers fresh food, good service, and a great ambiance.  The Balsamic Chicken is our personal fave. With its perfect balance of chévre and balsamic vinegar, it will give you that tangy taste without destroying your palate.  When it comes to dessert, Giuseppe’s offers a decadent twist on a traditional favorite with their famous raspberry tiramisu. Seriously, we wanted to order seconds. So for all of you Italian-loving North Dakota residents, Valentine’s Day would be well spent at Giuseppe’s, but get there early or call ahead!  This eatery is on the smaller side, which can mean long waits. Our vote? It’s worth it. Make reservations by calling (701) 757-1020.

Did you know that the Native American meaning for Missouri is “one that has dugout canoes”? Our pick for must-visit brewery in Missouri, taking its name from the state’s Native American meaning, is . . . (Read More) Logboat Brewing Company. Logboat is the place to be year-round.  On cold winter nights, grab a Dark Matter wheat porter and sit at a table that even Ron Swanson would be proud of.  Utilizing as much reclaimed wood as possible, the Logboat Taproom uses Missouri Heart Pine for its bar top and all of its table tops.  And for that warm summer night, grab a Shiphead Ginger Wheat and head out to the green-space known as “The Shipyard”.  Just watch out for flying cornhole bean bags. You’ve been warned.

So, with that, we encourage you to sit back, and drink in your heritage. Who said history can’t be fun?

Fresh ingredients. Local ingredients. Seasonal ingredients. Organic ingredients.  These are the four things that mean the most to this brewery.  Touting itself as the brewery for venturesome beer drinkers, SingleSpeed Brewery located in Cedar Falls, Iowa keeps it as real as they can.  By trying to brew beers that have flavors larger breweries can’t attain, this little “brewery that could” is redefining popular views on beer.  Case in point, if you want to give your taste buds a WILD ride, try their IPA Blanco.  It’s a witbier, wheat ale, and IPA all in one glorious concoction.

So, with that, we encourage you to sit back, and drink in your state. Who said history and science can’t be fun?

Wait... A perfect beer requires a perfect pint.  We have you covered.  Get yours here!

Historically speaking, train stations are a thing of the past.  That is until Dean and Carolyn Armstrong fell in love with craft beer and wanted to preserve the beloved Flossmoor Train Station located in Flossmoor, Illinois.  Naturally, they renovated the place and turned it into The Flossmoor Station Restaurant and Brewery!  They didn’t stop there, though, because when you drink, you get hungry and when you get hungry you want food and my, oh my, do they have a lot of amazing options.  Ordering one of everything seems like a solid plan to us, but if you feel like you have to make a less fattening decision, may we suggest that you grab a Ghost Freight Coffee Stout and their Mac & Cheese Bacon Burger (Because, bacon AND mac & cheese) and enjoy life, because you’re living it right.  Once you’re finished, go get yourself some ice cream from The Old Caboose outside which is conveniently housed in… you guessed it… a caboose.

So, with that, we encourage you to sit back, and drink in your heritage. Who said history and science can’t be fun?

Wait... No beer is perfect without a perfect pint glass.  We have you covered.  Get yours here!

Hey Indianapolis, we’re looking at you.  More specifically, we’re looking at Brugge Brasserie.  For fine drinks and fine eats, this place is a must.  Pulling inspiration from Belgium itself, this brewery holds nothing back.  Such great Belgian-inspired beers grace the halls of this brewery.  Two of our faves are the Tripel De Ripple, a blonde Belgian-style tripel, and the delicious Madeline La Framboise, which is a Flanders Brown Ale brewed with raspberries.  Beer not your thing?  You’re in luck, because this brewery has food that would put most restaurants to shame.  Try one of their excellent charcuterie boards next time you go and prepare to be delighted.

So, with that, we encourage you to grab a pint of your favorite local craft beer, sit back, and drink in your great state.

Wait... No beer is perfect without the perfect pint glass.  We have you covered.  Get yours here!

We found it…  we found the one brewery that provides us everything we need.  Braxton Brewery in Covington, Kentucky has it all and is designed to look like a garage which gives a nod to their humble beginning and that feeling of always being welcomed.  Obviously this place brews beer. Great beer at that.  However, this place also has its own line of coffee!  Talk about not knowing which beverage to get more excited about!  With coffee on tap (literally) and a good amount of beers on tap as well, you can’t go wrong here.  If you get a chance to go, try their Dead Blow Stout brewed with Dates.  If you’re really lucky, try a beer from their Dark Charge series.  A limited release, but worth it if you can get your hands on it!

So, with that, we encourage you to sit back, and drink in your heritage. Who said history and science can’t be fun?

Wait... No beer is perfect with a pint glass.  We have you covered.  Get yours here!

“Great beer demands great water”!  Hmm…  That slogan sounds very familiar.  With that being said, we hope you’ve been to . . . (Read More) Bent Paddle Brewery in Duluth, Minnesota because they are for sure brewing up some great beer!  With a combined 44 years of brewery experience amongst the founders, this place is firing on all cylinders!  Brewed using water from Lake Superior, Bent Paddle Brewery will ignite your palate with all sorts of amazing flavors.  When you are there, give their 14º ESB a try.  Did we mention it won a bronze and silver award at the Great American Beer Festival? Yeah.  It's good.
So, with that, we encourage sit back, and drink in your heritage. Who said history and science can’t be fun?