Cincinnati

Nation's Restaurant News, May 22, 2006 by Carolyn Walkup

Honey

4034 Hamilton Ave., (513) 541-4300. Seats: 54. Cuisine: home-style. Specialties: wasabi-rubbed, cold-smoked grilled beef tenderloin with horseradish mashed potatoes, demi-glace and carrot-ginger compound butter; Creole-spiced meat loaf with mashed potatoes, beef and tasso ham gravy; Tillie's banana cake with vanilla buttercream and chocolate ganache. Main courses: $10-$25. Chef-owner: Shoshannah Friedman. Co-owner: Doug Hafner.

Mike & Jimmy's Chophouse Grill

2809 Dixie Hwy., Crest-view Hills, Ky., (859) 344-0444. www.mikeandjimmys.com. Seats: 250. Cuisine: steaks and chops. Specialties: bourbon-barrel-smoked rib-eye steak with beef demi; Cuban top-sirloin steak seared and finished with cilantro pesto; chicken-fried buffalo steak with pepper-cream gravy Main courses: $14.95-$28.95. Chef-owners: Mike Cunha and Jim Gerhardt.

Nectar

1000 Delta Ave., (513) 929-0525. www.thenectarrestaurant.com. Seats: 55. Cuisine: seasonal contemporary. Specialties: charcuterie plate; seared Hawaiian sea bass with herbed gnocchi, arugula and beet salad; crispy pork shoulder with garlic polenta, black beans, watercress and orange salad. Main courses: $17-$24. Chef-owner: Julie Francis.

One Restaurant & Lounge

202 W. Main St., Mason, (513) 336-0042. www.onedining.com. Seats: 146. Cuisine: "redefined" American. Specialties: pork chop with sauerkraut, fruit chutney and Calvados cream; sauteed Chilean sea bass with forest mushrooms, roasted pine nuts, black grapes and balsamic reduction; Maryland crab cakes with artichoke, olive and caper Nicoise salad. Main courses: $16- $29. Chef-owner: Sean Kagy. Co-owners: Seth and Jennifer Kagy.

Red 2724

2724 Erie Ave., (513) 871-3200. Seats: 100. Cuisine: contemporary steak. Specialties: steak Grason--prime New York strip with herb-roasted wild mushrooms, crisp onion petals and beef jus; Maine lobster with fire-roasted tomato sauce, basil and bruschetta; Alaskan king crab cake with shrimp and vegetable slaw, jicama-orange puree and tomatillo vinaigrette. Main courses: $15- $65. Chef: Jeff Ledford. Owners: Ken David and Elliott Jablonsky.