I know people who made it their living room, and they were upset at losing Mr. Tape and his gentle spirit. He had managed the restaurant since its original owner, Kim Cole, asked him to before she died in 1990. Now Ms. Cole s mother, Ginny Cole, and her son and daughter, Lyte and Faith Cole, have taken over management. To run the kitchen, they ve hired Luke Radkey, a native Cincinnatian who was private chef for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. The menu has changed little.
Many dishes are homey improvisations that lean toward vegetarian and healthy tastes.
You can have it on brown rice or pasta, and add tofu, tempeh, chicken, ham or turkey sausage. A lunch special played a variation on the saute theme, with shrimp and shiitakes mixed with vegetables, a handful of toasted sunflower seeds on top. Tomato tarragon tasted like a can of tomatoes. There s a more sophisticated side to the menu, too, and even steak. No cornstarch, no fillers, except for a crunchy praline topping.