The top of our wedding cake, which has been in the freezer for the past year. We had no idea how huge our cake must have been. This top was a full 8-inch layer cake.
We also had no idea what flavor it was. It turned out to be white cake with chocolate ganache filling. Score.
Yes, it was a little freezer burnt and dry, but still good.
No onto what we're really up to for our anniversary. Celebrating it the only way we know how, by eating burgers. We headed downtown for the first stop. There was some amazingly distracting graffiti on the way from the parking spot.
Above is going to be another edition of my "before" weight watchers pictures. Pssst: I've lost 17.4 lbs so far!
Ugh, I want this on the side of my house.
The details were out of this world. I need to go back and take more. If any Cincinnatians are reading this, it was in that little parking lot on Clay by Park + Vine (their new location on Main.)
Here is Lavomatic, called that because it is in an old laundromat, and that is what they are called in French. It used to be part of the Relish Group by Jean-Robert de Cavel, but maybe not anymore? Or maybe soon not to be?
There was a hot pink gnome at the bar. I like this place already. The artisanal liqueurs made me want to order a mixed drink, but we both went for beer. Maybe another time. Ryan had a dark, oatmealy stout. I had the Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Lager. 
There were framed aprons on the wall. So cute. Totally stealing this idea and putting some in my kitchen.
Ugh. Yes. Everything so local and sustainable and grass-fed and whole grain and purely deliciously awesome.
I could not handle how well this bun withstood burger juice. It was perfect.
We also had a side of chorizo goetta.
The fries were only half-way decent. There wasn't a single one left, though!
Extra points for how well the bun was cut to hold the patty. It sealed everything in as you ate.
Then we drove over to Mariemont. Before we saw the movie L'Illusionniste.:
There was another little gnome greeting us at the bar of the Dilly Cafe, which has an AMAZING beer selection. A little stiff as far as bars go, but appropriate for the neighborhood of Mariemont. I've never eaten there, but I hear it's good. After the movie, we moved onto the next Burger palace, The Quarter Bistro.
Above is the inside of Quarter Bistro. It was fancier than we anticipated. Below is fried calamari that we got as an appitizer. It was so-so.
The bread came in a paper bag. It was so awesome that I hoped the burgers would be served on the same kind, but it wasn't.
Here we go. Quarter Bistro was one of those places that listed several different kinds of burgers on the menu, but then also offered every topping a la carte. We always get combinations of goat cheeses, jalapenos, fancy onions, etc. The fries were of the sweet potato variety for me, and Ryan got brussel sprouts as a side instead of fries, which made him really happy.
Good quality beef. Very juicy.
A creamy, yellow mustard that I forgot to ask the variety of.
I snuck this picture. Sorry, hon. Happy Anniversary!
This is the fourteenth trip of our burger challenge; to eat at all 40 places on Cincinnati Magazine's list of the best burgers in town and Lavomatic was number 14 on the list and Quarter Bistro was number 30, hence the title of this post.Here is what we've had so far:
# 7 Oakley Pub and Grill
#9 Keystone Bar and Grill
#17 Arthur's
#19 Cafe de Wheels
#24 Zola
#25 Chalk Food + Wine
#26 Five Guys
#27 Maribelle's Tavern
#28 Doris and Sonny's Homelike Restaurant
#31 Quatman Cafe
#35 Gordo's Cafe
#36 By Golly's
#37 Fatburger
To see the photos from our hamburger Ohio trip, where we checked out the 6 best burgers in the state, according to George Motz, click here.
To see the photos of our Hamburger Honeymoon, click here
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