Blues & BBQ
Latitudes Cafe
Anderson Town Center 233-9888
The Food Network is missing out on the Eastside Cincinnati culinary scene I’ll tell you that. Here soon, I’m buying a pro camera and producing my own Eastside restaurant shows, we’ll load them up on our website and show the world just what awesome restaurants we have here on the Eastside! The first place we’ll be filming is Latitudes Cafe. They have been upping the ante and raised the bar on quality culinary creations since they first opened. Everything they do is quality, the food, the bar, the music and everything in between.
I sit and watch hundreds of food shows and still I see little to compare to the quality and freshness that Latitudes has to offer. The word freshness doesn’t just mean fish that don’t stink either. I’m talking about ideas, ambience, decor, personality, quality and entertainment.
The fresh ideas in chef Danny Starkins mind spill out onto the plates daily, nightly and probably even in-between. Musical juices are always flowing on stage, the martinis are perfect and the service staff actually hangs out at Latitudes after work. Go figure.
When we saw that Latitudes was putting on a Blues & Barbecue rib roast my ears perked up. Now, I love ribs. I think slow simmered barbecued pig meat is a delight I dare not pass up. Until now, Latitudes has never delved into the Southern Barbecue scene. You could always get perfection on a plate but ribs were never a menu item. For that matter they still aren’t, however on Wednesdays Latitudes is stackin’ the grill with savory slabs of pork perfection and life has never been better. If you think Montgomery Inn has good ribs, bring your pen so you can get this cat’s autograph. Now, I know the ribs will disappear soon. The Blues & Barbecue will come to an end and something new and exciting will take it’s place... but for now you better take advantage and pig out on these ribs people.
What’s a great Barbecue without the blues? Memphis claims fame to the Barbecue King and they’d laugh at the thought of a good shin dig without a good blues band to go hand in hand with the pig. Enter Fat Head Davis.
Fat Head is on the stage for each and every Latitudes Barbecue. He sets the mood for Danny’s food just like they do it down South. Fat Head is from the South so I think he’s been to a Barbecue here and there before, so you know he knows what’s up.
Bottom line... real Southern ribs, fat sound track and Sammy mixin’ the martinis. A damn fine time by anybody’s standards.
On a no pig diet? Don’t fret. Just take a look at this scallop (top center), this Ahi Tuna (center), these shrimp (bottom left) or the mussels (bottom right) and tell me your going to miss out on the feast of flavors Danny’s dishing out.
I think Jerry Garcia said it best, “She’s got everything delightful, she’s got everything I need” Latitudes, I thank you, you bring a new standard to Cincinnati bars, in fact you’ve raised the bar. Thank god you chose to open right here on the Eastside. Now the residents from other sides of Cincinnati have to come to Eastside to get a taste of perfection. I love it.
