In 2010, the City of Cincinnati approved a pilot program that allowed up to 25 mobile food vendors to operate in three designated public zones: Sawyer Point, Court Street Market and at Fifth and Race streets. Since then, 11 vendors have signed up for the permits that allow them to operate within the city.  

Streetpops mixes modern design with vintage style, selling gourmet popsicles made from scratch, using the freshest ingredients possible. Owner Sara Bornick recently expanded business from box-cart vendor to full storefront to accommodate her booming business.  

I was truly excited to try Enoteca Emilia. After all, I used to live in Bologna, which is the capital city of the Emilia Romagna region of Italy, and I have always lamented the lack of Northern Italian restaurants in our area. Enoteca Emilia’s concept was enticing in that the owners were going to focus on small plates to encourage sharing, and feature cured meats and cheeses with sophisticated snacks, pizza, salads and pasta.    

View Cucina (2200 Victory Pkwy., 513-751-8439), housed on the fifth floor of Edgecliff Residences on Victory Parkway, has the feel of a hotel restaurant with the blend of elegance and comfort that the Stephens’ family of Bella Luna fame has mastered. With an expanse of windows showcasing a view of the river filling the space, the relatively small room feels much bigger.  

I have an absolute passion for Chinese food. I have worked at or been involved with several Chinese restaurants for many years, so I have an educated palate for Chinese cuisine. Blue Gibbon Chinese Restaurant has been operated by the same family for over 30 years, so they obviously understand how to keep their customers coming back.   

I’d learned through an accidental slip of the lip that pastry chef Summer Genetti left The Palace this summer. She’d been a star at that fine-dining restaurant, and leaving was a tough decision. But for a young woman who’d started soaring ahead in her career soon after she started at age 18, the focus it had taken to get to the top was taking a toll. She’d grown up at work, in the kitchen, putting in an incredible number of hours and missing her twenties almost entirely.  

By Golly’s is known for its burgers, and we knew we had to try at least one of the 18 varieties on offer. Each burger is made with 10 ounces of beef and is served on a Kaiser roll.   

In recent years, thanks to a couple of national chains, burritos have become a basic in the American diet. Given that popularity, Chef Gina Puopolo abandoned her fine dining pedigree and opened up Lime Taqueria (522 Main St., 859-360-7420) in Covington’s popular MainStrasse district. Lime lives on the cutting edge of Mexican cuisine, and it’s a fine place to be.   

Big news: Boca’s moving downtown to the home of the long-loved and lamented Maisonette on Sixth Street. My reaction is, “Yay!” in a word, but for everyone of a certain generation who says yay, there are dozens of younger people who say, “Huh?” People who started college this year were born in 1993. I have underwear that’s older than they are.  

In honor of my hectic schedule and MidPoint’s 10th fest, I’ve decided to celebrate the 21-month anniversary of Lost in the Supermarket with a round-up of some of the horrible things I’ve consumed so that you don’t have to. Taste test results have ranged from “Oh my God, how can people eat this?” to “Not too bad,” which is akin to five stars here.