Bartenders
“Balsamic Banger” grilled cheese with balsamic onion jam, smoked Gouda and peppered bacon was the bomb and paired perfectly with the Boro Bloody Mary they offer on their regular menu. Perfect for a lazy Saturday or Sunday Funday, this is the spot to go to relax and chill with satisfying elevated comfort food that delivers fantastic flavor.
4. Manna Uptown is bringing an elevated experience to diners daily and to events like these. Three words: Gold. Dusted. Strawberries. Bartender Jackson Wolph took his cocktail inspiration from a Charles Dickens novel. It is the life and times of Martin Chuzzlewit, in which the main character enjoys the variety of cherry cobblers. Wolph decided to riff on the story with a cocktail muddling strawberries and raspberries with Contrabandista sherry, blackstrap rum, lemon, mint, watermelon-infused bitters and a candy cap mushroom syrup ... yes, a mushroom syrup. It was all smoked with hickory.
The result was a deep, smoky, moody, dark, delicious symphony of harmonious flavors. The presentation for the drink — complete with gold-dusted strawberries — was the best cocktail presentation I’ve seen in ages and the creativity on display was driven by passion. This is food and personalities that are contagious to be around.
5. It was hard work choosing the winners. Chef Gavin St. Denis and his sous chef Blessing Henderson brought another of my favorite pairings and continue to impress.
Late last year the duo took home top prize at the Diced in Dayton Chef’s Challenge event and proved themselves as a creative quick-thinking power house in the kitchen.
For this challenge, they brought a gochujang-pear chicken and coconut rice dish topped with pickled carrot and onion paired with a rocks glass filled with vodka, pear simple syrup, hot honey, burned lime, soda water and cilantro. The parallel flavors made for a duo that held hand and hand while they were being sampled.
They may not have made the final list of winners but there was much discussion over what they did and it was one of several that were in contention. It speaks to how fantastic the restaurants at this event were.
6. This year’s winner joins a list of very worthy and impressive former Battle of the Bartenders winners:
2023: Defending Champion: Thomas Morris, Wheat Penny, “Stop and Smell the Roses”
2020: Roland Eliason, The Winds “Gold Blooded”
2019: Carolyn Porter, Wheat Penny “Dutchess of Earl”
2018: Brock McKibben, Wheat Penny “Merchant’s Wife”
2017: Bill Castro, El Meson “Tamiami Miami”
2016: Nikolaus Hunt, Coco’s Bistro “Coco’s Ruby Slipper”
2015: Amber Brady, Lily’s Bistro “Rosemary’s Babee”
2014: Dustin Wade, Meadowlark “The Root of All Evil”
“It was another really great year to see the talent that our restaurants have both in the kitchen and behind the bar,” said Amy Zahora, Miami Valley Restaurant Association executive director. “We can’t wait to see what Year 10 brings.”