Park Row was located at 969 Patterson Road at Wilmington Pike. The earliest article in the archives is from 1955 advertising a Lord Louie tenderloin steak dinner special complete with potato pancakes, salad, vegetables, hot rolls and coffee for only $1.25.
In the 1960s Hank Collins, the operator of the restaurant, began packaging and selling shrimp cocktail sauce, sour cream bleu cheese, thousand island, Italian and German hot slaw dressings.
At one point Park Row was described as a lounge and then as a supper club. In the 1970s, there was a lot of changes happening with the restaurant. The Park Row Supper Club was bought by Realtor John Lane in 1977 and operated under a new name, the Coach House. About two years later, the restaurant was renamed Daniel’s Park Row.
The latest article in the archives was written by the late Ann Heller, longtime Dayton Daily News restaurant critic. In 1995, the restaurant was taken over by a new set of owners and it returned to its original name, Park Row.
“The Patterson Road restaurant, which passed through a series of owners in the ‘60s and ‘70s, has always been a place for people with nostalgia for the ‘50s,” Heller wrote. “The Naugahyde booths are the distinctive green of that period, a rather improbable counterpoint to the elaborate chandeliers that might have graced a home with higher ceilings. The menu is what used to be called continental, and the signature dishes are made with veal, which in today’s climate of political correctness takes some daring, or at least oblivious naivete.”
Here are three recipes from Park Row featured in Tastefully Oakwood:
Gazpacho
Ingredients:
- 3 fresh tomatoes, diced
- 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and dices
- 1 sm. green pepper, diced
- 1 sm. red onion, diced
- 1 tbsp. minced garlic
- 1 tsp. fresh cracked pepper
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 2 shakes Tabasco sauce
- 1 green onion, chopped
- 1 qt. tomato juice
Directions: Combine tomatoes, cucumber, green pepper, onions, garlic, cracked pepper, salt, Tabasco sauce and juice in wooden bowl if possible. Let stand two to three hours before serving. Garnish with 1 sprig of Italian parsley.
Honey Raspberry Vinaigrette Dressing
Ingredients:
- 1/4 c. raspberry vinegar
- 1/4 c. champagne vinegar
- 1/2 tsp. dry mustard
- 1/4 c. honey
- 1 tsp. minced garlic
- 1 tbsp. minced shallots
- 1 tsp. tarragon
- salt and pepper to taste
- 4 fresh raspberries (optional)
- 1 1/2 c. olive oil
Directions: With wire whip or home hand blender, combine vinegars, mustard, honey, garlic, shallots, tarragon, salt, pepper and raspberries. Gradually, add olive oil while whipping vigorously or at high speed.
Bailey’s Irish Cream Cheesecake
Filling:
- 1 1/2 lbs. cream cheese
- 2 whole eggs
- 1/2 c. sugar
- 1/4 tsp. baking powder
- 3 oz. Bailey’s Irish Cream
- 1/2 oz. white creme de cacao
Crust:
- 1 pkg. graham crackers, crushed
- 1/2 stick butter
Directions: Mix together graham crackers and butter until smooth. Press evenly into bottom of springform pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes. Allow to cool. Cream together cheese, sugar and baking powder. Add eggs, one at a time, stirring until smooth. Add both liqueurs and blend thoroughly. Pour into springform pan on top of crust and bake in water bath at 275 degrees to 300 degrees for three hours until firm and lightly brown. Serve cold.
In my weekly Dayton Food & Dining newsletter, I feature recipes from Heller’s two cookbooks and recipes from former Dayton area restaurants.
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