No Christmas story or family holiday meal will reveal to me what I discovered this week eating with friends and neighbors at three of our immediate area’s restaurants. I learned that the community we bring to the meal is just a small portion of our neighborhood.
Sunday dinner followed an architectural tour of downtown churches. My wife and I had made plans to meet another couple at the New York Pizzeria earlier, but our group quickly expanded. Even the kids who acted as our hosts from the church tour arrived. We learned a few of them lived in the neighborhood. As the pizzeria becomes a hub for both St. Anne’s and Huffman residents it’s interesting to see how the owners, a quiet Turkish family who live a block or two down the street, are exposing us to each other and to them.
Our Spanish speaking neighbors provided dinner last night. At this point, The Taqueria Mixteca needs no introduction. They’ve turned a vacant old Burger Chef building into a popular destination for diners from well outside Huffman. It was just Danielle and me and the regular patrons for dinner, but it’s nice to see they are doing so well and bringing lots of new people to the neighborhood.
I satisfied my craving for a burger just now at the Fifth Street Grill. I walked down the railroad tracks to get there because I love how the building is shaped by them. This place has been a little eatery for as long as I’ve known it. It’s had different owners, but has always specialized in being cheap. They’re especially proud of their breakfasts. The grill is run by good old east Dayton folks. I’ll describe my experience by saying I’m full and now I need a nap.
The owners of these businesses are very different from each other. They represent vastly different cultures. But like us homeowners, they share the risk of investment in this place and its people. While we’ve seen economies stagger over the last couple years, we’ve also seen our community grow in its diversity and willingness to depend on itself.
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20 Responses to “Dining Diversity”
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December 27th, 2009 at 4:47 AM
On a slightly related note, where do you get groceries? Do you travel as far as the Kroger on Smithville, or the Meijer on Col. Glenn? Or is there another, closer place?
December 27th, 2009 at 8:54 AM
There is a Kroger on Wayne Ave. near Wyoming St., but a lot of people don’t like to shop there. You’ll hear it referred to as scary Kroger, or my favorite name for it, Freddy Kroger. It’s just a smaller, old Kroger store that hasn’t been upgraded. The Smithville Kroger is a popular option. The Meijer store is popular, too. There are some other stores within a 10 minute drive. The fancy option is Dorothy Lane Market in Oakwood.
A good, inner-city grocery store has been on the wish list for Dayton for a long time. Unfortunately, we don’t have one yet. There has been some good discussion about this on the Dayton Most Metro forums.
December 27th, 2009 at 11:12 AM
Let’s not leave out the newly redesigned and greatly expanded Kroger next to the Town and Country stripmall in Kettering. All the variety and class of Dorothy Lane Market without the arrogance and high prices. Great layout, super friendly staff and choices you wouldn’t believe. Puts the fun back in grocery shopping without the need for a second mortgage to pay for it.
December 27th, 2009 at 3:49 PM
We’re planning on making runs down to Jungle Jims about once a month, but it’s obviously too far to be the regular grocery.
The Kroger on Wayne, is it scary just because it’s old, or is it not in a safe area or something?
December 27th, 2009 at 4:39 PM
Well, Jungle Jim’s is in a class by itself, but John is right, I should’ve included the Krogers in Kettering. Besides the one he mentioned, there is another one on Woodman and Dorothy lane that is probably about the same distance away. We go to that one fairly often. There’s a good Indian buffet near it.
Scary Kroger is fine. It’s the grocery nearest the University of Dayton and South Park Historic. It’s a smallish store that doesn’t have any room to expand so I think Kroger isn’t going to put any money into it or a new downtown store until another store forces them to compete. They have a bit of a monopoly in Dayton proper.
There’s also Dot’s Market on the Kettering edge of Belmont. I wish they’d open a store downtown to put some pressure on Kroger.
December 27th, 2009 at 5:41 PM
There was a Kroger in Cincinnati that felt like a time machine, like it was straight out of 1988 or so.
Personally, I don’t know a whole lot about what lies west of Woodman drive. I was kind of hoping there’d be some kind of grocery that could feasibly be walked to. I guess if we need food within walking distance, there’s a pizza place, a mexican place, and a burger place just a stones throw away.
December 27th, 2009 at 5:42 PM
Oh, that indian place, is it Ajanta? That’s one of my favorite indian places…well, anywhere.
December 27th, 2009 at 6:05 PM
It’s painfully funny that the biggest complaint about the city of Dayton has moved from the school system to the lack of a decent grocery. as folks begin to see that downtown is a viable housing option and move back in, we’ll get a grocery. Who knows how long that will take, though.
Yep, that’s Ajanta. One of our faves, too. Jeet by Wright State is very good, too.
December 27th, 2009 at 6:11 PM
I’m pretty sure Jeet and Ajanta are owned by the same people, or at least have had a deal worked out in the past to share advertising in whatever that one Dayton newspaper is called now. Dayton Voice? Impact Weekly? City Paper? Has it changed names again?
December 27th, 2009 at 6:12 PM
As for the school system, we don’t have children, nor have plans to have any in the near future. Thus the school system isn’t a huge priority for us.
December 27th, 2009 at 6:44 PM
Well, I really try to shop at the Webster St. Market. It takes planning because you can pretty much only count on all the booths being open on Saturday, but you CAN get almost everything one would need. You also support local businesses and farmers in the process. :)
December 27th, 2009 at 9:50 PM
I think Jeet and Amar India are owned by the same people, but I don’t know for sure. We use that Jeet coupon a lot. There was some kind of change at Ajanta a few years ago. Maybe they’re all owned by the same people now. All I know is anyone who reads this blog is going to think we never eat at home.
Oh yeah, Webster Street market! You can walk to that one. It’s about a mile away. A bike with a trailer would be best.
December 28th, 2009 at 2:56 AM
So it did used to be Webster St. Market…I thought it used to be called that. Didn’t it used to be more like a flea market than a food market?
December 28th, 2009 at 9:21 AM
Webster Street is more farmer’s market than flea market. The old railroad warehouse next to the market was sort of a flea market when it reopened, but it has since reinvented itself as a deli and small conference center.
December 28th, 2009 at 9:32 AM
I was only ever in it once, several years ago, and all I recall is the southwest corner had a stall selling books, and upstairs was a stall that had a glass case with something vaguely military related, possibly medals or knives.
December 28th, 2009 at 9:37 AM
Yeah, that was the building next to Webster Street Market that is now the deli and conference center. Webster doesn’t have an upstairs.
December 28th, 2009 at 10:15 AM
So I guess I meant “Second St. Market.” :) http://www.metroparks.org/parks/SecondStreetMarket/Home.aspx
December 28th, 2009 at 10:27 AM
Oops. I completely went along with what Erin was calling the Webster Street Market. So, to clarify, the Second Street Market is the farmer’s market. Webster Street Market right next to the Second Street Market used to be a flea market and is now a deli and conference center. Holy moly, sorry for the confusion. Thanks for straightening us out, Erin.
December 28th, 2009 at 11:35 AM
Ah, I had assumed Webster St Market got renamed at some point.
Also, I can see us never making it to the Second Street Market because of the hours.
January 6th, 2010 at 7:43 PM
I like Freddy Kroger on Wayne! It’s just a little outdated but never crowded–and it’s loaded with East Dayton charm. It’s also dangerously close to the holy grail that is Esther Price. When I leave, I try to discipline myself to turn LEFT toward Huffman and resist the temptation to turn right toward Esther!
John & I frequent Dot’s incredible meat counter as well as East Dayton Meat & Poultry on Smithville. We alternate between them all summer for our grilling needs. We have also had good luck with specialty items at La Favorita, the Mexican market right here in Huffman.