Hey, Dayton! Welcome to our weekly Food & Dining Newsletter. Over the weekend, my husband and I went to Red River Gorge for two days to prepare for our big hiking trip that’s scheduled in July for Glacier National Park. If you’ve never been to Red River Gorge, there are a few must-try foodie spots including Miguel’s Pizza and the Daniel Boone Coffee Shop. On our way home, we did make a detour to Buc-ee’s in Richmond, Ky. This was my first time and I was overwhelmed to say the least. My favorite thing that I ate from Buc-ee’s was the Chipotle Pimento Cheese Dip. I know that probably sounds weird with all of the options the store has, but it was delicious and just what I needed for the drive home. I did make it home just in time to work on the What The Taco?! food truck at Kil-kare Raceway on Sunday for the Blessing of the Bikes. I’m working on a story about what it takes to own and operate a food truck and I thought I needed some first hand experience of my own. If I served you tacos on Sunday, I apologize for them being extra messy... lol :)
New owner of Thai 9: ‘You don’t mess with something that’s so successful’ Dayton entrepreneur Tony Clark, who owns DK Effect and Gionino’s Pizzeria, will soon officially be the new owner of Thai 9. - Clark has been a fan of Thai 9 since he moved to Dayton from Tallmadge, a suburb of Akron, in 2008 to work at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
- When Rob Strong and his wife, Nongyaw Phajaem, first listed the property in 2022, Clark said he wasn’t quite in a position to acquire it.
- Clark first showed interest in the restaurant in November 2023 and his management team has been working in the restaurant for the last six to eight weeks.
- When it comes to the food, the decorations and the ambiance of the establishment, nothing is going to change.
- The only changes that could possibly be made at the restaurant would be procedural, Clark said. This would include things like adding more ticket printers in the kitchen to expedite orders. He hopes to expand hours, introduce a delivery service, add online ordering and maybe even a catering menu in the future.
Taste of Belgium still to open at Austin Landing despite company’s other closures Taste of Belgium’s second restaurant in the Dayton region at Austin Landing is still planning to open in the early summer — despite the company closing three of its Cincinnati-area restaurants last week. Taste of Belgium has closed its Liberty Twp., Kenwood and Clifton Heights bistros, according to a release from the company. The Clifton Heights bistro located near the University of Cincinnati will reopen in the fall with a new “student edition” concept. At the same time as the closings, Taste of Belgium reopened its Fields Ertel bistro at 12071 Mason Montgomery Road in Cincinnati in a consolidation move. The Beavercreek restaurant continues to do well, the company said. The new Austin Landing bistro will be about 20% larger than the bistro at The Greene with seating inside for 140 people and an 80-seat patio. The design will reflect Taste of Belgium’s brand revitalization with a bold, but inviting color palette and brand graphics throughout the bistro.
Wings Fly plans to return after fire Wings Fly, a family owned and operated restaurant, hopes to return to the Dayton region after a fire damaged the building and everything in it in March. “The end goal is to come back,” said Sabrina Melhem, who owns the restaurant with her brothers, Laith and Ismail, and their mom, Najah. “We didn’t get to start for it to finish.” The restaurant, specializing in wings with a variety of sauces, had only been open for about six months at 960 Patterson Road when the fire broke out between Wings Fly and Hookah Bazaar. Brad French from the Dayton Fire Dept. said the cause of the fire is still undetermined and it remains an open investigation. The family had separated from their business partner after the first of year and insurance coverage was something they had yet to obtain. This means they will be rebuilding from scratch. Their goal is reopen Wings Fly as a fully functioning restaurant, but if they have to start by opening a food truck due to funding that’s what they will do to get back into the community.
In our Food, Dining and Drinking category, we have some of our biggest annual debates, from best pizza to best bakery to best wings and more. Some of my favorite categories include Best BBQ, Best Donut Shop, Best Food Truck, Best Hidden Gem Restaurant, Best Ice Cream, Best Italian Food, Best Mexican Food, Best Nachos, Best Pizza and of course Best Tacos. Nominations are open until Friday and you can nominate once per day per category. How many nominations a place receives determines whether it becomes a finalist. To nominate your favorite place, person or businesses in the region, CLICK HERE.
🍷 Spring Wine Show at Joui Wine: The wine retail shop and barin Dayton’s Fire Blocks District will be pouring more than 30 different wines for guests to sample from 6 to 8 p.m. tonight. Tickets are $55. 🧀 Cheese Fest returns to Austin Landing: On Saturday, festivalgoers can expect anything from grilled cheese sandwiches and cheesesteaks to funnel cake battered mozzarella sticks and cheesecake at Cheese Fest from 3 to 10 p.m. 🍕 Find all things pizza at the Yellow Cab Food Truck Rally: Dayton Pizza Fest is returning to the Yellow Cab Tavern on Saturday from 5 to 9 p.m. Click here for a list of other foodie events at the tavern.
Dish of the Week: Tacos from Taqueria Garcia Several people have told me since I like Mexican food, I need to try the food truck that’s parked on East Third Street and Huffman Avenue in Dayton. Yesterday was the day and my readers did not steer me wrong! If you’re looking for traditional Mexican food, Taqueria Garcia is the place to go. I kept it pretty simple. I ordered three chicken tacos with onions and cilantro for $9. The tacos came with chunks of lime to squeeze on top and salsa verde. The food truck also has tortas, huaraches, sopes, gorditas, burritos, quesadillas and several plates like Carne Asada or Alambre Asada O Pollo. Have you been to this food truck? Email me here your go-to order.
BOGO ticket offer for our readers Rock out to The Music of Green Day at the Dayton Philharmonic on Saturday, June 1 and use the coupon code DDNBOGO to grab our special deal. Professional rock tribute musicians and singers will bring “American Idiot”, “Good Riddance” and more to life with a philharmonic spin. We’re also hosting a subscriber event you can sign up for to join us for a special snack before the concert. Click here for details on how to get tickets.
Thank you so much for reading my weekly newsletter! If you see a new restaurant opening or are wondering when an establishment is expected to open up, feel free to email me here, and I’ll check it out. Remember to follow Dayton Daily News on Facebook or search our Food & Dining section for the latest stories. I’ll have continuous updates on my Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok pages. | 
