I have such fond memories of Joe's in a previous incarnation, as The Diner on Sycamore. Saturday nights, the girls and I would begin our evening with a few delicious nibbles, have some wine, then make our way up the hill to Milton's. My good memories gave me high expectations. But, like projecting experiences with a former flame onto the present one, it's not especially fair.  

The Montgomery Inn dynasty is the stuff of great American success stories. The original began humbly in 1951, and now there are two other popular locations. Serving hungry fans from across the world for over 30 years. Alexis Gregory might be from the ribs king family, but her heart is loyal to her grandmother’s Greek cooking.  

John Caulfield, the owner and chef at Knotty Pine on the Bayou has been serving up Cajun-influenced classics for 16 years. John and his wife have just come back from New Orleans where their son will begin his freshman year at Tulane. After a visit to such a dining mecca, I expected his last great meal to involve some sort of delicious NOLA offering, but this family man covets local food cooked on the family grill.  

I've eaten at many Indian restaurants in town and I enjoy them all, but Bombay Brazier is different. This is a dining experience. The owners, G. and Rip, bring style and class to a cuisine popularized by buffets, Americanized dishes and rushed, over-crowded dining rooms  

Meet Dan Korman. You might have seen him at his general store on Vine Street in Over-the-Rhine or at the Northside Farmer's Market. His store, Park and Vine, focuses on green living: vegan food staples, green cleaning products and environmentally mindful apparel and furniture.  

For some of us, weekday lunch means heating up last night's remnants or eating a cold can of soup (out of the can) while working at a cramped desk. Lucky John Slow Market in Walnut Hills is not for those quick weekday lunches. Eating at Lucky John means chatting with owner and chef John Clark, sipping an old-school bottled Coke from Mexico (no high fructose corn syrup) and pondering the menu offerings.  

We've all been in that situation when we just can't decide what to eat. Sushi? Thai? Italian? Maybe just a bowl of cereal? In order to accommodate those quandaries, Blue Elephant in Hyde Park offers sushi, Thai and Italian. (Sadly, cereal hasn't quite hit the culinary scene just yet.)  

The Mercantile Library is turning 175 years old, and Albert Pyle, director for 16 years, has kept her in pristine shape. This downtown gem is a place where members can relax, eat, write and wander the stacks of books housed on the original library shelves. Pyle works Downtown, lives Downtown and eats Downtown. Where exactly does this man-about-town love to dine?  

For many of us, Italian food is synonymous with love and comfort. A steaming plate of pasta with a hunk of crusty bread to mop up a rich tomato sauce is like a hug from Mom and a rustling of the hair from Dad. As the adage goes, however, everything in moderation. Sometimes love can be too much, and my visit to Ferrari's Little Italy and Bakery left me feeling a little smothered.   

John Clark is indeed a lucky man. After he was laid off from his design job, he was able to do what he loved: cook, eat and educate others about good food. John has set out to change the way Walnut Hills (and beyond) thinks about food.