Restaurant Review : The Quarter Bistro in Mariemont

Never before had I been to the adorable, small town of Mariemont, until we ventured over to a restaurant called The Quarter Bistro since I had a half off deal. We loved the neighborhood; it seemed like a great place to live. The restaurant is located adjacent to the Mariemont Theater. This is what we saw when we pulled up...

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We dined here on our 11 year anniversary this past May, and I was sick. Boo!!! But that wasn't gonna stop me from enjoying a perfect anniversary night with my man.

You actually have to enter the theater to use the restroom, it was a bit odd having to do that, I'll admit. They have outdoor tables out front which are covered by umbrellas, but we chose to dine inside. The inside is very red. Like maybe a little too much red....  red seats and red walls everywhere! But still very elegant at the same time. They are going for the warm, inviting feel, but it is just a bit much for me. The dining area is very open, like one big open room. I didn't particularly like the seating... which was half booth half table, with a huge mirror behind the booths. I always hate that kind of seating, where PJ is sitting in the booth and there is a small table in between us and then I am sitting in a chair. I'd much rather be fully in a booth, or fully at a table. There wasn't much personal space and it felt like we were a little too close to the table next to us. It does feel like everyone is somewhat piled around each other. We were right behind a big table of people that were quite loud, and we felt like we could hear everything they were saying! I like to have a little more privacy when having our little date nights, so I'll admit it was a little uncomfortable. But the food did make up for that.

For an appetizer, we ordered the Lobster Mac and Cheese, which their menu describes as "cavatappi pasta, bechamel sauce, a blend of cheese, and panko bread crumbs." Um, yes please! It tasted rich and delicious, and I loved the panko topping, though I wouldn't have complained if there was more lobster in it. I also really liked that they used cavatappi pasta. It was a shame I had to share some with PJ! :)

For the main course, PJ ordered the Short Rib Tacos, which came with three and was served with a side of guac. He enjoyed them. I need to start getting more of a precise review from PJ regarding his entree dishes. I always seem to just say something like, "he liked it" or "he thought it was pretty good", but never enough details unless I try a bite or two for myself. I'll try to next time. I also am gonna start taking note of the price of each menu item that I order. I'm learning :) Sorry these next two pics are bad.

I ordered the Blackened Tournedoes, because I love my steak. They were served with pancetta redskin potatoes and creamed spinach, in a beurre blanc sauce. You guys know I love my sauces. I could have done without the creamed spinach, as it didn't add much to the dish, but it wasn't bad... it just wasn't necessary. The potatoes were nice and I loved the addition of the salty, crunchy pancetta. The two steak tournedoes were cooked perfectly and overall it was a great dish.

The only other downside was that they don't serve Dr. Pepper, which is PJ and my favorite pop, and the waitress wasn't very knowledgeable and didn't keep up with our refills very well. Again, the food made up for that!

They only serve dinner, not lunch or breakfast, and their wine selection at the bar seemed vast, though we didn't order any alcoholic beverages that night.  So book a reservation for your next special dinner occasion at the charming Quarter Bistro and then maybe hit up a movie after at the Mariemont Theater. It's a perfect date night.


Peace, and bacon grease!