Ollie’s Place: Home for the foodie, whiskey lover, craft beer imbiber


Details:

OLLIE'S PLACE

518-20 Miamisburg-Centerville Road, Centerville

(937) 723-8998

Hours:

RESTAURANT

Tuesday - Thursday 4 p.m. - 10 p.m.; Friday 4 p.m. - 11 p.m.; Saturday 11 a.m. - 11 p.m.; Sunday 11 a.m. - 8 p.m.

BAR

Tuesday - Friday 4 p.m. - Midnight; Saturday 11 a.m. - Midnight; Sunday 11 a.m. - 8 p.m.

STORE

Monday - Sunday 10 a.m. - 10 p.m.

New restaurants often have a “brand new” air to them that takes a while to go away, but at Ollie’s Place, you feel at home right away.

The new craft beer taproom, whiskey bar and restaurant officially opened June 10 at 518 Miamisburg-Centerville Road in Centerville to a packed house, and after over five years of planning and preparation, it’s a perfect spot for a date, family gathering, or just to sit back with a drink and your laptop.

You can choose a seat at the amply spaced bar to survey over 60 taps and rows of bourbon, Scotch and whiskey that run the length of the bar. If you prefer a bit more space but want to remain casual, more bar-style seating and high tops are available, along with a large floor of tables for traditional sit-down style.

If you’re just there for a drink and some work, grab a comfy chair in the back lounge area and take advantage of free wi-fi. The bar also has built-in outlets with plugs and USB compatibility — a nice touch for those of us who don’t always finish work right at 5 p.m.

The team that owner Mike Schwartz brought together created a vast menu of craft beers, whiskeys and plates that appeal to every palate. Bartenders Jason Kirkwood and J.D. Leininger know how to find the right drink for your mood. Their six signature cocktails are meticulous and delicious — we recommend the White Buffalo ($8), a refreshingly subtle combo of Buffalo Trace Bourbon, grapefruit and peach bitters, honey and Brew Kettle’s White Rajah IPA, rimmed with ginger. But you can never go wrong with a well-made Old Fashioned ($10), and Ollie’s replaces the usual maraschino cherry with a Luxardo cherry that will help you immediately channel “Mad Men’s” Don Draper.

If you’re not the biggest beer or whiskey lover, Ollie’s also has a selection of red and white wines and local Mckibben Bros. ginger ale on tap; no exclusivity here!

Executive Chef Joshua Walden uses only fresh and organic, non-GMO ingredients for his dishes, and though the menu is small, it’s mighty, and very reasonably priced. The priciest entrée rings in at $15. We tried the herbed goat cheese and baguette appetizer ($12), with a mild and creamy goat cheese rolled in-house and blended with fresh herbs, served warm on a bed of marinara sauce surrounded by slices of crisp baguette. Though there’s enough to split a plate, the tangy cheese melts in your mouth so well, you’ll want to lick the plate clean.

The grilled chicken salad ($9), big enough for a meal, is served with seasonal fruit (we got strawberries), a healthy sprinkle of blue cheese, cranberries, and your choice of dressing. All of the flavors blend together beautifully.

Ollie’s two jumbo lump crab cakes ($12), with crisp breading on the outside and moist crab meat with jalapeño adding just a hint of heat, come with housemade remoulade, and for a girl who tried her first crab cakes in Baltimore, Md., they were delicious. Be sure to save room for dessert: the double chocolate bourbon crème brulée is a light, though decadent affair, topped with housemade whipped cream and a raspberry. Each plate has a recommended beer pairing, but don’t be afraid to branch out or get more bartender suggestions.

The retail side of Ollie's Place, with its rows and rows of beer from all corners of the world, will soon become the place to find all your home brewing needs, grab a couple of your favorite beers — you don't have to fill a six-pack, just buy however many you need — and select quality cigars. If the draft beers in the dining room aren't to your liking, you can grab any beer from the retail side to drink with your meal, and they have a quick chiller that can take a bottle from room temperature to drinking temperature in about five minutes. Bottle fee is $2 for smaller bottles, $3 for 16.9oz and above.

Between the restaurant and the carryout, it won’t take long for Ollie’s Place to become your place.

For more great info about Ollie's Place, we've got 9 things you need to know.

Did you stop by for Ollie's Place's grand opening on June 10? Check out our photo gallery for smiling patrons, a sneak-peek into the carryout store, and more.

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