Christine M.
Yelp
I saw this restaurant's opening discussed via an article about Restaurant Row along 6th and Walnut sometime back. Shortly thereafter it came through on my Facebook news feed as an up and coming joint. I friended them at that time, for a moment when I might be up for trying a new locale. It all looked promising. Today, when my coworkers asked for a suggestion for a birthday lunch, this came in handy. Kudos to stories about new locales and the power of Facebook, I guess.
Silver Ladle has a great downtown location, with ample seating inside, lit by the large front windows, as well as outdoor seating shaded by the surrounding building (thus cool enough for Cincinnati heat, but with the breeze in your hair). Great place to sit and chat after a good meal (lamely, we had to go back to work).
Foodwise, there is a good selection of burgers, sandwiches, salads, soups, and even chili (build your own and with a chicken version- not typical 'Cincinnati meat sauce'-sorry Skyline) to satisfy anyone in a potentially diverse party. The food options are listed on a board as you walk in, and while laid out simply, I couldn't decide on a direction (first time jitters?). In the end, I went with soup and a sandwich. A solid choice with great execution.
I had the 580 sandwich (turkey, ham, banana peppers, swiss, house sauce) and a side of Black Bean soup ($1.99 to create a combo). It was really tasty, fresh, simple, and clean. The service was quick- by the time we sat, the food was already arriving. My coworkers ordered the ham and gouda on pretzel bread (rave reviews) and something a bit more American looking- with shredded cheese, also a hit. A salad on the table looked good, though I'm not usually a fan of ice berg lettuce and it seemed mostly of that variety. Yet another coworker ordered a burger. There are two patties with the topping between them (like Five Guys but less greasy looking). I didn't try it, but for the size, the price was right and the combinations looked appealing. I'd like to go back and try some other menu items...even this chicken chili on spaghetti- a rift of the 3-way I might be able to get behind.
To make this a little more interesting, I read that the restaurant has connections to the family who started Skyline Chili (great grandson), the Lambrinides, and current ties (son) to the restaurant Nick and Tom's on the West side of town. It's always good to see family ties and local roots popping up all over town, it makes dining out more fun.
In summary, I really enjoyed my food, the outdoor seating, and the bright modern colors inside. If you're in the area looking for a quick, tasty, fresh meal, give it a shot.