Cincinnati Eats: Sartre

Our weekend was spent in Cincinnati for a work trip, and fortunately, Mr. H was able to travel with me. So we made it a point to squeeze in a couple of good meals while we were there.

On Friday evening, we headed to the newly opened Sartre in Over-the-Rhine, in the same building as Rhinegeist Brewery.

I was immediately in love with the industrial feel of the space, and the service, drinks, and food all lived up to the tone the atmosphere set.

We started with the Fleur de la Brasserie (I encourage you to eat the ice cube with a spoon once you finish the drink!) and Present Company craft cocktails, which were expertly done.

The food kicked off on a high note too, with Bulgar Wheat ($13) with Crispy Pork Belly, Green Goddess, and Walnut....

...and Yellowtail Tartar ($15) with Fresno Chili , Thai Basil, and a Savory Crepe. Not nearly as good as the pork belly, but it was still a nice tartar. While the crepe was a unique touch, it wasn't very easy to eat.

The menu is broken into categories of Vegetables, Grains, Fish, Meat, and French(ish), and the style is meant to inspire sharing of several small plates. There aren't traditional "appetizers" and "entrees" but some dishes are slightly larger than others, and you can tell based on the price point.

Next, we shared the Confit Pork Leg ($21) with Chickpea “Frites” (the chickpea fries, yuuuum!) and a Caper & Tonatto Sauce...

...and the Roasted Sea Bass ($27) with Crushed Potato, Salsa Verde, and Capers.

We couldn't resist trying dessert as well, since the rest of the meal had been such a hit.

Mr. H was really digging the Apple Cake. For me, it was only okay, and wasn't quite on par with the rest of the meal.

The restaurant had literally only been open for seven days at this point, but you'd never know. Service was ON POINT all night, the food was thoughtful and overall executed very well, and I loved the space. I just wouldn't have been happy to be seated at one of the long bench chairs at some of the tables if I was more than a party of two. They looked awkward to maneuver. There are also a handful of "lounge" areas with full service for a more casual meal.

Our meal at Sartre left us wanting more, so we'll do a return visit when back in Cincinnati some time. Put it on your radar if you plan to travel to the area!

Sartre OTR
1910 Elm Street
Cincinnati, OH 45202