Nectar-Dinner Club

Julie Francis, the chef and owner of "Nectar Restaurant", Mt Lookout Square at 1000 Delta Ave-513-929-0525 serves a 5 course, price fixed($55) meal, approximately once a month featuring an ingredient, in all 5 courses, produce or processed locally. She calls these events the "Dinner Club". I have attended several including the last two offerings.
In February the featured item was Chocolate. Now I like chocolate but I am partial to a good dark or semi-sweet morsel, piece, bite or sauce. At last months dinner the uses varied from a white chocolate coating to a mild chocolate rub on a different item. Personally I wasn't thrilled.

This past week the Dinner Club featured "Kimchi" the spicy, fermented vegetable mix most usually associated with Asia, often Korean Food. The local company producing the "Kimchi" featured is "Fab Ferments" run by 2 young people who make and sell their product at "farmers markets", health food stores and street booths. The sample they left with us was very very spicy(hot) but the ones that were served, at "Nectar", ran the gambit from mild to heavily spiced. I really enjoyed my meal and listed below you will find the courses as described on the printed menu. Parenthesis and comment are mine:
Turner Farm Pork and veal Dumplings( Pot Sticker) with Kimchi and Pomegranate Dipping Sauce.
Kimchi Pancake with Shrimp, Scallions, Sesame, and Pea Sprout Salad.-I should add that each table had a small dish of soy sauce and one of Korean HOT pepper paste, for use as the guests wished.
Salad of Black Beans Avocado, Kimchi, Chayate Squash and pickled Mushrooms with Beet Kvass( sauce) Vinaigrette. This came in the newest shape for chopped salads- enlarged hocky puck.
Greenacres Beef Short Rib Stew with Kimchi and Quail egg. The stew had pieced of dicon radish, tofu and possibly turnips. I am partial to my "short ribs' and am unfairly hard to please when others go that route.
Grape Kombucha Float with Korean Pear and Sesame Tuille. A light last course and my least favorite although it was a fitting ending for a meal of varying flavors.
Most guest seemed to order the Claiborne and Church Dry Riesling which I have served in my home, and find very drinkable, but with my propensity towards Bombay I started with that and then switch to a craft beer which I often do when eating spicy or salty food.
If you are interested in knowing more about the Nectar Dinner Club offerings give "Nectar" a call and ask them to add you to their email or snail mail list.