salad – Pursuit of Delights

Revolving Rotisserie Around A New Way of Life

July 30, 2020/0 Comments/in Cincinnati, Food, Recent, Uncategorized /by Tiffany Biddle

Cincinnati’s food scene has always been on the rise. It seemed there for awhile, there was something new opening every month. This was certainly music to our ears, especially with our love for food and being foodies. In recent months COVID-19 has taken over and has put a slight delay to restaurants opening. However, there is one restaurant that is not letting COVID rain on their parade. Revolution Rotisserie is open for business, doing well, and thriving in spite of the pandemic. When we heard Nick Pesola, owner of Revolution Rotisserie, was continuing to sell his well-known Rotisserie Chicken not letting COVID bring him down, we had to support! We sat down with Nick to talk all things Rotisserie Chicken and more.

You may wonder where the concept of rotisserie chicken came from and why. Well, wonder no more! In the summer of 2014, at the age of 25, Nick, opened a gourmet rotisserie chicken tent at Findlay Market. This was Nick’s Dream and he was determined to prove he and his rotisserie chicken were here to stay. That summer he sold so many of his signature “Chitas” and rotisserie chickens. He could not keep the rotisserie stocked fast enough with his delicious chickens. After so much positive feedback, Nick knew it was time to expand his concept and open a brick-and-mortar location in Cincinnati. It was at his OTR location that Nick added full-service hospitality and a bar program for Revolution to become a “Rotisserie & Bar.” This location did well enough that he opened a 2^nd location in Pleasant Ridge. Nick has always been self-motivated and driven. His mission for Revolution Rotisserie is to make a positive impact on the world around him. Revolution initially came from the chicken rotisserie revolving. Over the years, the meaning of “Revolution” has evolved and become so much more. On their menu, they pay homage to revolutionaries who changed the world. Even their walls are decorated with hip, revolutionary-inspired artwork you will not find anywhere else but within their restaurants.

Nelson Mandela Chita (Front), Tater Tots (center) & George Washington Chita (back)

Both locations serve amazing food, but Rotisserie Chicken is always the focal point. Nick loved the concept of rotisserie chicken because it was different. It also has many applications (i.e. sandwiches, salad, by itself, and more). We can vouch that his chicken is DEEEELIICIOUS! Tender and full of flavor, and served with some amazing sauces. At Revolution Rotisserie, they brine, rub and then cook their chicken on an actual revolving rotisserie. Yes, you are getting the real deal! They support local Ohio businesses and source their chicken from Ohio Amish farms. We sat down with Nick at his Pleasant Ridge location. There is enough space for everyone to safely eat 6 ft. apart during this pandemic. They also have a nice outdoor patio with the cutest little picnic tables and umbrellas.

Their menu is diverse and has an option for everyone while still allowing rotisserie chicken to be the forefront. Anyone can add rotisserie chicken as a menu item, but what about alternative options? Their chicken is the bomb, but Nick wanted to meet the tasting needs of everyone. Nick and his GM, Scott, collaborate on different food items to be placed on the menu. Menu planning always sparks a fire for Nick. Making food this good is a labor of love! In addition to rotisserie chicken, you can order Fancy Fries, Joan of Arc, Gracie’s Coney, Nelson Mandela Chita, Lightning Fried Chicken Sandwich, Tater Tots, Crispy Brussels Sprouts, and many more items. The Joan of Arc is their most popular seasonal salad and their Lightning Fried Chicken Sandwich is the most popular sandwich. The Joan of Arc is full of berries and is light. It adds the perfect pop to summer. The fried chicken sandwich is so good and comes with the Fiery Lightning Sauce. This will be sure to add a punch to your taste buds. Would you believe this sandwich just started as something to offer during the Western Southern Open? It did so well during the tennis tournament, that it became a regular menu staple. Also, Gracie’s Coney is named after the neighbor’s dog who Nick drilled holes into the neighbor’s building to hang patio lights. Man, that is one lucky dog! This hotdog is something serious. This hot dog is an all-beef hot dog, loaded with Vegetarian Chili, Cheddar Cheese and topped with Mustard & Red Onion. Served on a local Poppy Seed Bun. This dog might make you want to slap your mama. However, we would not advise that. HAHA! If you have a sweet tooth this is the place for you. Revolution Rotisserie serves some amazing desserts. I had their Blueberry Pie with a scoop of Vanilla Bean ice cream from Milkman Ice Cream and Donuts. This was the best Blueberry Pie I have ever had. The other Tiff had one scoop each of Vanilla Bean Ice Cream and Raspberry Sorbet on a cone. Speaking of Milkman, check out Nick’s new concept Milkman Ice Cream & Donuts. My oh my, was that ice cream perfect on a hot summer day and we heard the donuts sell out in 40 minutes of being released. You better hurry if you do not want to miss out!

Tiff B. eating the Lightning Fried Chicken Sandwich

They also offer brunch on Saturdays and Sundays from 10:30 am to 2 pm. They have a brunch menu, but the regular dining menu is offered as well. Some of the brunch items are Chicken and Waffles and Nashville Hot Fried Chicken Biscuit. They also have drink specials like $5 mimosas.

We can say Nick truly believes in warm hospitality, serving great food and drinks, and bringing people together for a good time even if it means wearing a mask and staying 6 ft apart. He is very big on impacting the world and being the change he wants to see. He finds a cause and dream that he believes in and sees it to the finish line. So come hungry, bring some friends (not to many, remember social distancing, LOL), grab a drink or two and have an unforgettable time and meal at a revolutionary place.

A “SOCIAL”ly Minded Mission

September 12, 2019/0 Comments/in All Food, Cincinnati, Food, Recent /by Tiffany Biddle

Findlay Market, which is part of Cincinnati’s growing food scene, is the home of many established and up and coming restaurants. Findlay Market is a farmers’ market. In recent years, it has expanded its doors by allowing young chefs to perfect their craft. This is a way to give young entrepreneurs a chance to get their products out to market in an affordable manner. Not only does Finlay Market help the “at-home baker/chef”, it also lends a helping hand to culinary students through their Findlay Market Culinary Program. Recently, Findlay Market launched a culinary project called Social OTR. When we heard about their opening, we were eager to find out more. We sat down with the previous Hospitality Manager, Cat Amaro, to take a behind the scenes look into Social OTR.

So how did the concept of Social come to be? We are glad you asked! 😊 Social was the final product of a pilot program idea of General Manager, Anthony Berlin. The idea of Social was to be a non-profit restaurant operated by Findlay Market in partnership with City Link, that strives to provide guest with a one of a kind dining experience with a socially minded mission. Berlin wanted Social to serve as a learning melting pot for up and coming chefs. This idea created an internship site for students in the Findlay Culinary Training program. In the program, students work alongside professional staff to prepare them for a career in the culinary industry. They then started raising money for the program which then made the idea a reality.

The concept of Social is to be able to provide each student a real-life experience of what to expect in the restaurant industry, but still give the comfort of a learning playground. The curriculum is based on what local restaurants are looking for. The menu is based on choosing skills for students to practice. In the Culinary program, the students learn culinary skills and soft skills (i.e. how to prepare for interviews, the business side, etc.). Considering this is a restaurant, students also get to come in and learn and prep for dinner and brunch just as they would in the industry.

The fun and cool thing about dining at Social is, it looks and feels like a normal running establishment. As a guest if you do not know the story, you would not know Social was a concept of a “mock” restaurant experience for the chefs. You do not realize the chefs are in training. From the service to the food everything runs smoothly. After talking to Cat and being shown around, we were able to try some delicious dishes that we want to share.

DUCK FAT FINGERLINGS – served with Rosemary aioli. If you are looking for a sharable snack that is familiar, these are the fries for you. The duck fat lends a flavor booster and the aioli adds the cherry on top.

HEIRLOOM TOMATO SALAD – grilled scallion, quark, blueberry panko, roasted pink peppercorn. This salad was bright and flavorful. The fresh tomatoes paired with the panko crusted quark and the greens, was a delightful combination.

CRAWFISH HANDPIES – served with spicy remoulade. I have heard of crawfish handpies before but had never had them. I was delighted to be able to try these babies. They were good and added a nice seafood addition to the menu. There is also plenty to share. This dish comes with two BIG hand pies.

SHORT RIB RAVIOLO – manchego. Yum, yum, yum! There is nothing like a homemade pasta dish. You can never go wrong with a classic like ravioli. We enjoyed this dish and appreciated the love that went into making these stuffed little shells.

CHICKEN ROULADE – bulgogi, bok choy, bamboo rice, micro cilantro. This is considered one of their large plates. If you order a few small plates, the large plates are big enough to share. This chicken dish was flavorful, and we enjoyed every bite. It’s a nice spin to plain boring chicken.

Now we can’t try dinner and not have dessert! The desserts are a nice end to your dinner. Let’s look at what desserts we had the pleasure of trying.

COOKIE JAR – variety of homemade cookies. This dessert was fun and nostalgic. The cookies came out in a T-Rex Cookie jar. It remined me of going to grandmas and grandma having the cookie jar filled with my favorite cookies. The two flavors of cookies were Chocolate Chip and Snickerdoodle.

PANNA COTTA – served with raspberry sauce and crumble. Like most panna cotta, this was light, airy and flavorful. The sauce is a nice addition and the crumble adds a nice crunch. This was perfect for the summer.

CHOCOLATE COOKIES – These homemade cookies are a chocolate lover’s dream. They are made with lots of chocolate and some crunchy mix-ins. They are also soft and chewy.

We asked Cat what the top selling dishes are as well as is their menu seasonal. Her response was the top sellers are $1 Oysters (served all day everyday in the Alley at Social), Short Rib Ravoli and the Cookie Jar. If you love seasonal changing menus, you are in luck. Social’s menu changes with the season to provide the freshest in season ingredients in a flavorful dish. They want you to feel like you are getting a home cooked meal made with love.

From the concept to the execution, they are truly offering us a Socially Minded Mission.

Pizza is Always the Answer!!

November 5, 2017/0 Comments/in Events, Uncategorized /by Tiffany Biddle

Cincinnati Pizza Week 2017 is finally here! For seven days (Nov. 6 – 12, 2017), pizzerias across Southern Ohio and Northern Kentucky will bake up their spin on the traditional Italian dish. Read more

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