The quaint lunch destination that will transport you

Restaurants have the power to transp ortt heir guests to new places.

The vast majority don’t — they are simp lyameal that falls somewhere on a sliding scale of satisfaction that rarely goes beyond a six or seven out of 10. But once in a while you stumble across a destination that combines flavorful food, interesting atmosphere, smart décor and delightful service that work together in a symphony to help erase the worries of the day and let you forget where you are for a while.

Over the years I’ve found Coldwater Cafe in T ippCitytobeoneof these very special places.

The Miami Cou ntyrestaurant, founded in 1994, isaq uick 20-minute jaunt from downtown Dayton. Once you’ve arrived in the quaint downtown, the restaurant will begin to charm you the minute you step through its doors.

Housed in a regal former bank buildin g,the exterior doesn’t even begin to hint about what’s inside.

The cozy décor, peppered with flourishes of European-inspired flair, is broken up into several rooms with distinct personaliti es—awarm, inviting bar, a main dining room, the bank vault, the board room, a private outdoor deck and a second floor that can be rented out for exclusive dining events for larger parties.

The helpful, attentive service matches the setting, clearly aiming for excellence and a satisfied customer on several recent visits.

Owner Nick Hoover and Executive Chef Katherine Fischer rotate menus seasonally and the restaurant has recently turned over a menu with new dishes for spring.

A lunch visit offers plenty of affordable creations to revel in. I’m focusing on lunch for two reasons—it’saterrific value and feels and tastes high-end for the price. But then, so does the dinner.

It ’snose cr et that I love asoup—manyt imes I find they set the tone for the restaurant overall, and, if done well, they a reusu ally one of the best values you can find.

The ($4.95 for a cup, $5.95 for a bowl) is a creamy, delectable dream drizzled with olive oil and scallions and packed with plenty of crab. It’s one of the best seafood soups around, although not the healthiest. It pairs well with the homemade table breadandcanmakea nice meal if your appetite isn’t at full throttle.

($10.95) tossed in a sambuca cream sauce that hints of licorice and served with toasted focaccia, is a classic Coldwater Cafe dish that has been on t hemenuaslong as I can remember. A silky

($11.95), served with fresh fruit, is made with local Swiss cheese and fresh eggs whipped with fresh cream and gently laid into a homemade pie cru st.Itwilltr ansport youtosouthernFr ance if you close your eyes. This is a customer favorite, so get there early if you want a wedge before it sells out.

Sandwich

She Cra Mussels day bs oup quich eof the

options on the lunch menu like the

($11.95), made with spiced roasted pork loin and thin ly sliced glazed ham, dill pickles, yellow mustard, caramelized onions, local Swiss cheese, and a creamy, savory spinach spread pressed between two piec esoft hick toasted French bread, are hearty and solid. The Cuban is serve d with house-made plantain chips and salsa verde, while the other sandwiches are served with homemade potato chips that can be substituted with a cup of soup, fruit or broccoli-raisinnuts al adfor $2 more.

The ($11.95) is piled high and deep with an 8-ounce grilled patty topped with bourbon bacon jam, white Irish cheddar cheese, thousand island dressing, house-made garlic pickles, and spring greens served between a buttered house- made kaiser roll. It’s the kind of burger you’ll tell a friend about.

Cuban Coldwater Burger

T wot acos stuffed with sesam e crusted Ahi Tuna

($13.95), topped with thinly shaved red cabbage and jicama, fresh mango and avocado and drizzled with wasabi crème fraiche and a red pepper gastrique, were delicious. The only disappointment: they were served on flour tortillas billed on t hemenuas corn; also disappointing was the gummy jasmine rice served alongside. The delicious guts of the tacos deserved something better to be served with —maybeacit rus jicama mango salad to play off some of the kicky flavors the tacos deliver.

A

chicken and fle dish waf-

($11.95) featuring buttermilk fried chicken ontopofached dar jalapeno waffle, drizzled with h oneymustarda ioli and served with local maple syrup, is a decadent and filling choice that straddles the hot and sweet.

There are several solid salad options, including an

Asian crispy chicken salad chicken pecan salad

grilled salmon salad lobster crabcake salad steak salad

chopped chicken salad

($11.95), ($14.95), a ($11.95), ($14.95), ($15.95) and

($12.95). And t hisisjustpartof the lunch menu. There is plenty more, all tempting.

The long list of homemade desserts includes

the restaurant’s signature butter-drenched warm English Tea Cake,

definitely worth a try.

Gucci Muu Muu ice cream

tastes like a frozen dar kc hocolate frozen pudding made with a punch of curry and spices. Topped off with chocolate and cocoanut, it is very different and tasty, but a little goes a ver y long way — it’s adishthats ome folks won’ttake to. I credit the kitchen f orb eing very creative with some of the flavor choices, and this in particul arwasafundish totryout.

Coldwater Cafe’s lunch feels lik ea sophisticated European-inspired bistro with most dishes boasting well-thought-out and satisfying flavor interactions. The setting is sweet, welcoming, easy and lays on the charm. The serving staff is helpful and lovely. This is a destination that, once discovered, will continue to beckon and call.

I need another column to extol the virtues of dinner at Coldwater Cafe, so I will save tha tfor another time. I may have just been there, but I am already planning my next visit.