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Popular Detroit Restaurant TAKOI to Host Pop-Ups in Cincinnati

The tour to celebrate TAKOI's 10-year anniversary will make stops at Wildweed and Tablespoon Cooking Co.

Sep 23, 2024 at 4:17 pm

Inside Wildweed in Over-the-Rhine Photo: Lydia Schembre

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In honor of its 10th anniversary, TAKOI, a popular farm-to-table and contemporary Thai restaurant in Detroit, is taking its menu on the road, including two stops in Cincinnati.

The TAKOI Turns Ten Tour is a series of pop-ups and collaborations in Ann Arbor, Traverse City, Chicago, Columbus, Cincinnati and Louisville that will feature culinary partners, restaurants, local vendors, artisans and small businesses. These collaborations will include one-off products and experiences to commemorate TAKOI’s milestone, from its beginnings as a food truck to a brick-and-mortar eatery.

The restaurant will bring its tour to Wildweed in Over-the-Rhine on Sunday, Nov. 10 from 5-10 p.m. TAKOI chef Brad Greenhill will collaborate with Wildweed chefs David and Lydia Jackman on a tasting menu to be served exclusively at Wildweed’s 12-seat chef’s counter.

Two seatings will be available during the pop-up, and à la carte items from the tasting menu will be offered in the main dining room based upon availability.

The next stop will be at Tablespoon Cooking Co. near Findlay Market on Monday, Nov. 11 at 6 p.m. Greenhill and Tablespoon co-founder Jordan Hammons will collaborate on a special culinary class highlighting the foundations of Thai cuisine. Attendees can sip on cocktails, and TAKOI beverage director Drew Pompa will provide a special TAKOI-inspired playlist for the event. Keep an eye on Tablespoon’s class offerings for the chance to book your spot.

Learn more about TAKOI’s 10-year tour and get updates here.

Wildweed, 1301 Walnut St., Over-the-Rhine. More info: wildweed-restaurant.com.

Tablespoon Cooking Co., 1731 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine. More info: tablespooncookingco.com.

Slideshow

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Alara5410 Medpace Way, MadisonvilleAlara is the newest concept from Looking Glass Hospitality and offers fine dining inspired by experiences its owners have enjoyed on their travels. Described as contemporary American and high-end, Alara offers an immersive dining experience and a menu of innovative dishes that encourage exploration and sharing. On the menu, you’ll find a seasonal selection of small plates, ranging from BBQ pork buns to a smoked edamame hummus and sourdough crostinis; a seafood platter; pastas; large plates, which include dishes like branzino tacos, chicken Milanese and Faroe Island salmon; and prime cuts of meat like the Wagyu Sampler, Tomahawk ribeye and lamb chops, all served with rosemary truffle butter, a bone marrow demi and chimichurri.

Safi Wine Bar1401 Republic St., Over-the-RhineChef Jose Salazar operated his self-named restaurant at 1401 Republic St. in Over-the-Rhine for 10 years before announcing at the end of 2023 that he and his wife would be moving the restaurant into the former Saks Fifth Avenue building in downtown Cincinnati. They said they would keep the original Salazar space and introduce a new concept there: Safi, the idea of which came to the couple after a trip to Morocco. Safi opened in June and sports a laid-back atmosphere, with a menu that’s approachable, but still offers some “fancier” dishes, as well as small plates. The menu features dishes like chicken pastilla cigars; slow-cooked lamb shank tagine with made-from-scratch Israeli couscous; an eggplant and tomato compote called Zalouk; Briwat, a Moroccan almond pastry; and the trendy "caviar bump."

Fifty West Burger Bar (Deerfield Township)5224 District Park Drive, MasonEternal summer camp Fifty West Burger Bar held a soft opening of its second Greater Cincinnati location in August. The new burger bar offers all the fun and deliciousness as the original, with tons of activities to enjoy, like sand volleyball and pickleball. The menu features bread-and-butter diner specialties like classic cheeseburgers, flat-top hot dogs and loaded crinkle-cut fries. Don’t miss the 12 specialty burgers named for the 12 states that U.S. Route 50 runs through, and make sure you grab a house-made root beer or orange soda to wash it all down, or choose from a wide range of Fifty West canned, bottled or draft beers and seltzers.

Pata Roja Taqueria52 E. Court St., DowntownPata Roja got its start in 2019 as a food truck that could typically be found behind Bar Saeso in Pendleton. From there it grew in popularity, becoming known for its authentic street tacos and Mexican dishes. Owner Derrick Braziel opened Pata Roja in a brick-and-mortar space in February. The restaurant is modeled after the iconic taquerias of Mexico City, with colorful tiles and a central focus of the trompo, a meat rotisserie that’s front and center in the kitchen and is used to roast pork for the authentic tacos al pastor. On the menu, guests will find a variety of street tacos, including the al pastor and the popular campechano, which combines several meats into one taco, as well as frozen margaritas and fresh salsas.

Wildweed1301 Walnut St., Over-the-RhineWildweed opened in its permanent location in Over-the-Rhine this summer, offering a variety of pasta dishes made from regional grains and served with non-traditional sauces. Guests can choose between two different dining experiences, including an à la carte menu and the chef’s counter, which offers a view into the kitchen and each menu offers a story of seven ingredients over about 12 dishes, painting a picture of time and place. The chefs interact with guests and talk more about the dishes. And while the menu is designed to feel extensive, the time commitment is not. And while the food is the star of the restaurant, don’t forget to take time to admire the space’s artwork by local artists, including a colorful mural by Blake Lipper at the entryway and another mural of mushrooms by Maxwell Redder.

Immortal Vibes230 Main St., HamiltonSporting an aura of class with a rockstar edge, Immortal Vibes offers a vintage guitar experience along with its drinks. The bar opened in December 2023 with a menu of coffee and cocktails, some named after famous musicians like the Freddie Mercury or Eddie Van Halen, along with more traditional drinks, including two house old fashioneds. The menu also includes coffee-infused cocktails. Customers are also welcome to come in and experience the collection of vintage guitars that line the wall.

The Davidson501 Vine St., DowntownAmerican-style brasserie The Davidson opened in The Foundry in February, taking over the spot formerly occupied by Royce. The menu is described as “a classic American brasserie meets French and Italian influence.” It features dishes like handmade pastas, steak frites, the Davidson Burger (gruyere, caramelized onions, dijonnaise, french fries and bearnaise aioli), bone-in pork chops and a selection of soups and salads.

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About The Author

Katherine Barrier

Katherine Barrier is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati’s journalism program and has nearly 10 years of experience reporting local and national news as a digital journalist. At CityBeat, she oversees the digital and social media strategies, edits web and print content and writes for the dining and arts...