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On this fun Friday, John and I were going for character, experience and maybe a smidge of kitsch. What we ended up with was a feeling like we peeked inside a treasure box… and came out richer for it.

To paraphrase its village homepage: Pleasant Ridge is a gaslight neighborhood in Cincinnati, with a small business district occupied by long-standing, independent businesses. It is one of the most diverse, dispersed and durable communities in the region. I’m not sure what makes a people dispersed and durable, but I imagine that it’s a nod to a longstanding community, committed to its independent soul. Good on you, Pleasant Ridge.

In the late 1700’s a Jersey boy, John Cleves Symmes, whose name has since become synonymous with parts of the Cincinnati area, invested in a stretch of land between the 2 Miami rivers (the Little and the Great). He sold some land to a Colonel who built a fort (McFarland’s Station) to protect its settlers in what would eventually become the Pleasant Ridge area. According to legend, the name Pleasant Ridge came from a traveling party’s comment upon reaching this “grassy spot…on the brow of a hill overlooking the Mill Creek Valley,” agreeing this place was, “a pleasant ridge.”

A small area then and now, there were few settlers here in those early years and over time, the Pleasant Ridge business area was developed at the site of an early crossroads that offered some respite for travelers. Annexed to Cincinnati in 1911, Pleasant Ridge is 9 miles north (veering east) of Cincinnati. Like many of Cincinnati’s niche communities, it is growing and thriving because of those entrepreneurs who have committed to investment here, and the locals who show up and support them. Also home of the iconic Pleasant Ridge Chili, Pleasant Ridge is branching out and blossoming.

First Stop: Dinner at The Lonely Pine Steakhouse.

I am indeed only the occasional visitor to The Ridge, but both times I’ve been, I just happened to dine at the same address. In its former incarnation, this spot was a luncheon deli. This time around its decor is midcentury modern meets desert diorama. That said, it is fun and it doesn’t devolve to bad decor. It has a very clean cut mid-century vibe with a side of Alfred Hitchcock in the desert. Does that make sense? No. I can only imagine the design meetings. BTW, did you ever read (and soak in the illustrations) of Chris Van Dusen’s Mr. Magee children’s books? If not, do, this place will make you happy. Don’t overthink it, just go to Lonely Pine and settle in. It doesn’t take itself too seriously but it allows you to, because the food and cocktails are modern rock-solid, and the service is the good stuff of days past.

Lonely Pine is another one of the emotionally stable and personally confident vibrant children of the multicultural family that is Gorilla Cinema Presents. Along with La Ofrenda, Tokyo Kitty, Tiki and Overlook Lodge, they are each really well-defined. unique individuals with personality to spare. Built as tribute to the small, old school counter-style Texas steakhouse, LPS has a simple menu and focus (steak) but delivers above and beyond.

On this Friday, after much block-circling looking for parking (which we finally found in a shady, trash-strewn public lot down an alley), John and I got to choose between a patio table and the bar. Their covered front patio is lovely little spot, but we like the bar; bartenders are fun to talk to. Before we were even seated, as we passed by the former-life-as-a-deli-haunting deli case, we were given flutes of prosecco. Yes, thanks! Is that the norm? I don’t know, but I’m all for it.

As we settled in, grateful for our peaceful life as compared to the muted Hitchcock’s The Birds on the old bar-wall boob-tube, we knew we were not in Kansas anymore (but hopefully also not Bodega Bay).

We were treated once again by this lovely place with an amuse-bouche that I thought looked like a campfire scene of pickled veggies and maple bacon. Our bouches were amused, and I was touched, how can you not appreciate a place that goes the extra mile for its customers? I ordered the Spanish G&T and John went Daniel Craig and ordered a dirty martini. That G&T was awesome. I love The Botanist gin and this gin and tonic had grapefruit and hibiscus, with sea salt and rosemary to balance the flavor scales. Refreshing and lovely on this warm fall friday night.

LPS also has great multi-tasking server-mixologists who occasionally gave us a dash of some creative libation they were creating for someone else. Thank you!

For the main event, we both went wagyu, Patrick’s Petite Tender for me and the Cowboy Ribeye for John, Muenster Mac sidecar. Perfection all around. The steaks had crusty, salty, buttery sears on the outside, tender and rich centers. Chateau Souverain cab went nicely with both.

We finished it off with their pumpkin pie (which John normally dislikes) but with its smoked pumpkin, bourbon caramel sauce, and candied pumpkin seeds, he enjoyed every bite… Either that or I ate it all and forgot to share, one of the two.

How would I sum it up? Unlike Tippi Hedren’s run in with the avians, warm, kind, generous, delicious. Like I said: treasure.

Next Stop: Drinks next door at LPS’ slightly-emotionally-unhinged-(but fun!) older brother, Overlook Lodge

Another carefully pretty-yet-trippy Gorilla Cinema progeny, Overlook Lodge is a bar inspired by Stephen King’s The Shining. Why? I have to wonder. Clearly true classic cinema buffs, the Trevinos’ Overlook Lodge takes you there (into The Shining), even if you don’t want to go (Honey, I’m home!). Giant fireplace, dark beams, cheery antler-and-hatchet decor, naugahyde and hotel-room-key accents for good measure, and of course they’re playing the film on the only screen in the place.

This night was veering toward Halloween and, like your fun & crazy aunt, Overlook goes all-out for holidays. The drinks are all on-theme as well, and as we squeezed into the last seats available next to some folks enjoying awesome-looking tabletop s’mores, I really tried to go all-in. I ordered Hello Wendy and then switched to The Hatchet but they were just too sweet for me… I guess Lonely Pine had already Goldilocksed me into just-right status. Still, it’s so worth it to keep trying… and perhaps a lesson in Shining-style psychology: find the edge, but don’t go over it.

Special Note: Had we had more stomach and liver capacity, we would also have visited the Nine Giant Brewing Taproom on the same block – growing in Pleasant Ridge since 2015, they are another Cincinnati neighborhood brewery success story with passion behind it and a great sounding menu.

We’ll be back.

Until next Friday, Cheers!

Overlook Lodge: thatshiningbar.com, 6083 Montgomery Rd, Cincinnati, OH
Lonely Pine Steakhouse: lonelypinesteakhouse.com, 6085 Montgomery Rd, Cincinnati