This story is featured in CityBeat's May 29 print edition.
“A classic American brasserie meets French and Italian influence in the heart of the Queen City,” reads a description on The Davidson’s website.
Up and running for only a few months, The Davidson joins Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse in the Foundry development a stone’s throw from Fountain Square. No matter how you slice it, the location is in the beating heart of Cincinnati, the center of myriad events and celebrations. Of course, our downtown joins many others in facing post-Covid challenges brought on by the migration of office employees to remote work. But the conversion of numerous office towers into residences and hotels has helped revive the Central Business District. Mita’s owner Jose Salazar told me this past winter that while downtown parking garages and sidewalks aren’t exactly crowded, things have picked up noticeably in the evenings.
If that trend continues, the decision by Thunderdome Restaurant Group to locate the addition to their stable of eateries in the center city should pay off. Thunderdome owns and operates Pepp & Dolores, Bakersfield, The Eagle, and other restaurants both in Cincinnati and in other cities and states. I’m a frequent visitor to Bakersfield, Maplewood Kitchen and, when I can get a table, Pepp & Dolores. I looked forward to trying their splashy new spot next to Jeff Ruby’s even as I wondered whether it might be something of an overreach after so many successful concepts.
Each of my favorite Thunderdome restaurants does several things consistently well, and it’s easy to find the good stuff. I can order huitlacoche tacos at Bakersfield, lemon ricotta pancakes at Maplewood, an outstanding housemade veggie burger at Krueger’s or choose from three or four reliably wonderful dishes at Pepp & Dolores and go home happy. Walking through the door at Davidson, I wondered what special dish or dishes might await us.
There was a somewhat unsettling moment when I recalled entering the restaurant’s predecessor, the ill-fated Royce. It wasn’t a happy memory, as I had taken a dislike to what I thought of as the French-by-the-numbers pastiche that Royce tried to pull off for its short-lived time in Cincinnati. This was the reverse of my experience at Colette, which moved into the Washington Park-adjacent spot vacated by Zula, a go-to favorite whose closing I haven’t quite gotten over.
But I squared my shoulders as the host showed us to our table at The Davidson and shook off any lingering karma that might be hanging around from the previous tenant. Time to peruse the cocktail and wine list while we find something good to eat.
Our party of four started by sharing the Baked Alpine Fondue, a fun accompaniment to cocktails and, my recent favorite before-dinner drink, sparkling rosé wine. The Davidson offers a Crémant from Burgundy that went beautifully with the appetizer. Warm, three-cheese fondue came with apple slices, leaves of Belgian endive and a spiced apple jam served with grilled sourdough bread. There was plenty of fondue and enough bread, although a few more slices of apple and endive would have been swell. I wish I hadn’t missed the Moroccan Eggplant, prepared to order at table and served with the grilled bread. It’s basically baba ganoush, but apparently the server chars the eggplant and whips up the spicy dip before your eyes.
Two of the crudo appetizers were nicely done: very fresh Hamachi in a light vinaigrette, and beef carpaccio with all the right garnishes. Mushroom bisque was rich and filling, a little too much so for me as a starter, but heartier eaters might not feel that way. My companion lapped it up with ease.
Four pastas and seven entrées include classics such as vodka rigatoni, cannelloni, steak frites, and salade nicoise.
Vongole spaghetti with a sauce of clams, white wine, chili and toasted breadcrumbs also sounds wonderful but we didn’t get to that, either. Next time, I’ll be sure to order both of those.
I find the cuisine a little confused, with both French and Italian dishes vying for our attention. This isn’t at all uncommon in mid-range restaurants, but at the level The Davidson seems to be reaching for, it throws me off. At any level the restaurants I love best have a soul, or at least a beating heart of authenticity. I don’t feel that at The Davidson; nor for that matter did I get the slightest hint of it at Royce, its predecessor in the same Foundry building space.
Nonetheless, I get sick of my own cooking and love dining out, often at Thunderdome restaurants. I didn’t find a go-to dish at Davidson, but there’s more of the menu to explore. The location and ambiance of this restaurant, along with Thunderdome’s track record, make Davidson a safe bet for repeat visits.
