I'm kicking myself that we waited so long
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| Oakley's Sleepy Bee |
I admit it. The whole reason we had not been to Sleepy Bee Cafe was because several of the early reviews reported deplorable service. A sub reason was the long wait lines, which I wrongly attributed to the poor service. The one beacon was the food. Everyone seemed to love it.
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| The Main Dining Room |
April suggested we go there for lunch last week and I decided it was time to encounter it for myself. Let me sum it up be saying my previous misgiving about service was dispelled. In fact, our server was one of the best I have ever encountered in Cincinnati. We went with her suggestions of ordering from both the breakfast and lunch menu selections and they were spot on.
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| The Avi Omelet and Hive Fries |
From the breakfast side came The Avi Omelet, a mix of avocado, spinach, mushrooms, tomato, onion and white cheddar. Everything served is locally sourced from the Tri-State area. We hear that a lot these days, but in this case the proof was in the taste. Alongside was the oven roasted Hive Fries that were crispy with a soft center. We opted to
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| Piggy Cake |
substitute the multi-grain toast that came with the omelet for a Piggy Cake filled with bacon and topped with whipped cream and candied pecans. That would serve as our dessert and a special one it was!
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| The Bee Keeper and Roasted Root Vegetables |
On the lunch menu was The Bee Keeper Sandwich combining house roasted Amish turkey, bacon, more avocado, muenster cheese, sprouts and a nectar sauce tying all the trimmings together. It was a hit for both of us. This time we chose the Roasted Root Vegetables (carrots, purple and sweet potatoes) as our side. I preferred the hive fries, but our server was really into the vegetables. It is definitely a personal choice. Beverages were continuously filled with to go cups offered.
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| Outdoor Patio Dining |
We were seated on the patio, which was a nicely secluded outdoor spot. That came about 25 minutes after arriving at 11:30 on a Friday and as predicted by the hostess. (Eric and I tried to get in on a Sunday at 12:30 and it was an hour and 15 minute wait time.) A new Sleepy Bee will be opening in Blue Ash late summer 2015. They're hoping that will alleviate some of the long wait times. At this point, that seems to be the only downfall.
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ReplyDeleteEric and Neal,
Last week, it was brought to our attention Sleepy Bee Cafe was featured in your blog. We are thrilled to hear such a wonderful response to our food. It is our passion to support local, and organic farming. We are lucky to have a staff that embraces, and shares our mission with our guests. We are so pleased to hear that the warmth and hospitality came across in your service.
Thank you for enduring the wait for your table. Sleepy Bee Cafe is young, and growing fast. With that being said, we are experiencing some "growing-pains". Like you mention in your blog, we are striving for shorter wait-times. We couldn't be more thankful for the patience of our guests as we continue to learn and grow.
It was a pleasure to discover Sleepy Bee Cafe featured in your blog. Thank you for sharing your experience. We look forward to having you as our guest again soon!
-Sleepy Bee Cafe
We look forward to visiting again soon and your new Blue Ash cafe. Much luck as you grow!
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