The Place
This week I am reviewing Alcove by MadTree Brewing. Similar to other local craft breweries, MadTree began as a hobby in one of the originator's garage and grew into a full blown brewery that is now located in an old airplane hanger in Oakley. Alcove is an OTR MadTree spinoff that offers fresh food, drinks, in a classic Cincinnati urban setting.
Location & Parking
Alcove is locate on Vine Street in OTR on the northern end of Vine towards Liberty. If you are a loyal follower of the blog, this spot neighbors Sacred Beast Diner and Soul Secrets. There is literally a nice sized pay lot located behind the restaurant and Cincy EZ-Park meter all up and down Vine which is free on Sundays until 2PM. I would recommend making reservations. We arrived at 10AM and it filled up very quickly.
Atmosphere
What a great atmosphere! Alcove is located in a gorgeous historic building with sidewalk patio seating bordered by planters. The main dining room has a great 1940's feel to it, where you truly feel like you are dining in another era. There is a solarium that is located adjacent to the main dining room with additional seating and a bar. There is also a bar in the main dining room as well. The restaurant does a great job of incorporating greenery into the decor. The hostess and our server were very pleasant and there is nothing but good vibes in this place. It's AM cocktail time! I ordered the Double Dirty Chai which was cool refreshing, perfectly spiced, and had a great good buzz factor. This drink consisted of vanilla infused bourbon, chai, espresso, and I ordered mine with almond milk. My stepmom ordered the Cincy Bloody which contained your traditional vodka element, Cincinnati chili spice, and cocoa bitters. This was an excellent execution of a Cincy-style Bloody Mary. Smooth taste and perfectly spiced is how I would describe this drink. My favorite touch was the charcuterie inspired skewer that garnished the top of the glass.
Order-Up
Steak & Eggs
I decided to go with the Steak & Eggs on this glorious AM. I don't recollect having this classic dish since my last visit to Metropole. I ordered my steak medium rare, eggs over easy, and it came with a side of hashbrowns. I loved the way the hashbrowns were prepared. They were little mini hashbrown muffins. My steak was seasoned wonderfully and eggs were cooked perfectly. My only critique is I wish my food came out a little hotter. Everything felt a few degrees above room temperature which was a little disappointing.
Quiche
My stepmom ordered the Quiche. This quiche contained the traditional quiche elements with tomato and broccoli. This also came with a side of mixed greens, and hashbrowns. Again everything had great flavor temperature was a bit on the lukewarm side. My stepmom was overall pleased with the dish.
Overall Experience
The overall experience at Alcove was great and a nice place to spend Sunday morning. Atmosphere was lovely, service was on point, breakfast cocktails were a plus, and I was a fan of the muffin tin hashbrowns. Also enjoyed the tasteful incorporation of greenery into this urban spot.
Rating: 3.5⭐
Alcove receives a 3.5 stars out of 4. One star for Atmosphere, Service, and Breakfast Cocktail. I awarded a half star for Plate because of the temperature of our main dishes. With this being said, it would not deter me from coming back again. As a matter of fact I am planning to stop by again on a Tuesday for burger night!
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