If you just say PLEASE – Cincinnati, OH (OTR)
What is Please? A hidden gem! Located in the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood of Cincinnati, tucked away on the corner of Clay street. 
Please is an interesting name in that sometimes if you just say “please” it can change your day. The owner and head Chef, Ryan Santos, started this establishment as a pop up shop. While running the shop, he would go around and ask, saying “please” to restauranteurs to work in their establishments for free just so he could learn. He taught himself a lot while working in the kitchens of other renowned chefs. Fast forward to today and he presents, Please!
I had been wanting to try Please for a while and finally had the chance to do so. This unique and intimate establishment offers an ala carte menu as well as a four-course tasting menu. To gain the full experience, I recommend trying the four-course tasting menu for $57 per person. All the dishes change based on the seasonal ingredients available. Each one of the dishes was AWESOME! It is very hard to come by a restaurant that can ace every course of the meal. However, Ryan and his staff have done so and this is why I call it a “gem”. I was blown away by the flavor profiles as well as the intricate detail that went into each dish. Then for the homerun, not only was the food awesome but the staff was amazing. They were very warm and friendly. They answered any questions we had and did so with the best attitude one could ask of a restaurant team.
Also, a unique thing to point out about this gem is their open kitchen. It’s small but it makes you feel like you are in someone’s dining room and they are making a meal for you. It totally gives off a warm and welcoming vibe.
The tasting menu has different options to choose from under each course but I will share what we had:
Before the courses:
Beer Battered Bread with Butter – Awesome! It was homemade, had a soft center, had a chewy bite, and crispy edges. This bread was done to perfection with its slightly distinct flavor. The butter was light and airy topped with flakes of sea salt. MMM!
First Course:
Wax Beans – with green romesco, walnuts, dill, & oyster leaf. The sauce was amazing and added a nice touch. The green beans were served cold and crunchy. It was more like a green bean salad. The freshness of the green bean with the sweet/tartness of the sauce was a perfect match.
Second Course:
Ricotta Dumplings – with zucchini, garden herbs & squash blossom sauce. This one was of my favorite dishes of the night. This dish is basically their take on Gnocchi and I love Gnocchi. It was a soft and fluffy dimpling with the perfect texture. The squash was perfectly cut and added a nice crunch to the dish, then topped with the blossom sauce for the win!
Third Course:
Swordfish – with kohlrabi, castelvetrano olives, grapefruit & dry vermouth. Wow, who thought swordfish could taste so well when cooked to perfection. This dish is for someone who desires a firmer fish. Like tuna, it is prepared in steaks. The kohlrabi cuts through the rich ingredients and provides a nice and light crunch.
The Surprise Dish:
Apple Aebleskivers – with maple & gjetost. I call it the perfect palette cleanser. It’s the dish right after the meal but prepares you for the dessert. Its little pancake balls filled with apple butter. There is caramel sauce on the bottom and they are topped with a toasted cheese. Overall great dish!
Fourth Course:
Toasted Corn Custard – with lemon and blackberry. I knew when I saw corn with a berry, it was going to be wonderful. It’s something about the corn flavor mixed with the tartness of berries. This dish is very good. It’s light but flavorful!
Talk about an amazing one of a kind experience. Please definitely pleased me! Please certainly went beyond my expectations. As I mentioned earlier, to maintain the uniqueness and freshness of their ingredients, the menu is changed regularly. If the options mentioned here are no longer available, I guarantee something equally or more delicious will be there waiting for you!
Have you dined at Please? If so, share your experience in the comments below or under Share Your Pursuits!
I had made a reservation for two at 6:00pm tonite, December 21, 2017. I was running late and had spoken to the “hostess” that we were running late. She called me twice after that asking where I was. Upon arriving to an empty Please I was greeted with “ you are very late. It was 6:20pm. Telling me that due to our tardiness we would have to be seated at the bar. It was so weird because the restaurant was empty and the hostess said that our latenesss would affect the 8:30 reservation. The entire situation was handle very poorly. We told her that eating at your Bar was not acceptable. We left and called the restaurant Table for a reservation and had a lovely meal. I will not be recommending Please to anybody in Cincinnati or Chicago. Best of luck .
Hi Scott,
Thank you so much for visiting our blog. We encourage you to reach out to the restaurant and express any concerns that you may have. Perhaps after expressing your concerns, a second visit may result in a better dining experience. We wish you the best of luck, and once again thank you for your engagement with the Pursuit of Delights! Take Care! :)