Restaurant Review: Ruth's Parkside Cafe, Northside

My husband and I love taking a free day and just heading out on a drive - a couple of weeks ago - we took off and decided to start our drive with lunch somewhere new to us - 

We decided to try Ruth's Parkside Cafe - it's in the American Can Building. The building has an interesting history - it's been turned into loft apartments now. I think it would be a really cool building to live in!

 The artwork is interesting...some of it is a bit jarring...

There is an interesting series of photographs - all interesting scenery from Cincinnati all taken from inside a car.

Larry wanted soup and decided to try their Hot & Sour Cabbage Soup. This was hot and sour - wowza - it's a STRONG STRONG flavor. Larry really liked it and said it reminded him of a soup his Grandma used to make but it was a little too twangy for me.

He got the BLT and chips ($8.50). The chips were very crispy and kettle cooked. The BLT was fine - lots of very thick bacon. He liked it fine - I had a bite of bacon and it was good - nothing special here - pretty standard.

I have such a hard time when choosing what I'm going to get in a new place. I've been craving salad lately and was going to get one but then thought - well I should try something special to them since I haven't been here before. I literally went back and forth between the Red Bean Burrito, Parkside Salad (bacon, gorgonzola, apple, tomato, hazelnut & cucumber) and their special for the day - Fish Cakes.

The Fish Cakes ($9.50) were pan seared and served with steamed spinach, curry buerre blanc and a golden raisin/cranberry compote. Well - you can see that's what I chose. I thought it sounded so unique and it was. Unfortunately - I didn't like it. I don't know - it didn't taste bad - it just didn't taste good. I ate one cake - it was very filling - and I just didn't want any more. I think the fish part was just bland - and not really identifiable as to what kind of fish.

It's a really pretty setting on a blue sky day - the smoke stack on the side makes for good pictures and I couldn't resist.

Why Should You Go? Well - I didn't love it. Larry was fine with what he got - but it was pretty expensive for lunch. I didn't like those Fish Cakes. If you're a vegetarian - it's a must-stop place because they have SO many vegetarian options. If I go back - I'll try the burrito. :-)