Yeah girl, you like that sucky photograph? There's more where that came from.

So, on to the food. I'd done my research on the area, and though there's a Dewey's Pizza *right* there as well, Oakley Pub was voted to have the best burgers in Cincinnati. I can have Dewey's right here in Dayton, but I had to see what the fuss was about with these burgers.

Sadly, it was dark and I'd forgotten my camera anyway, so no pics for you.

Wednesday's special happens to be "build your own burger" night for around $6, but I'd been eyeballing one of their specialties, so I ordered the Soul Burger - a jerk seasoned Angus patty with grilled onions & peppers, bacon, mayo & American cheese. Not being a fan of processed American cheese food, I subbed provolone instead and ordered the "unique slaw" as my side instead of fries.

The burger was LEGIT. It was perfectly cooked (just above medium), spot-on with seasonings and the toppings worked very well. Note to the owners/chef: Why the eff would you serve this burger with American cheese? Switch to a stronger white cheese to tango with the jerk seasonings. I think the bun may have been just slightly toasted, but it worked.

The server explained their "unique slaw" as one with an Asian vinaigrette and show mein noodles, which sounded deeeeeelicious. Well, it would have been if there were more than 1 tablespoon of dressing over all 2 cups of the damn cabbage. This is a small, low-maintenance place, otherwise I would have asked for a little extra dressing from the back. I'm sure I'll find my way back there someday, so I'll know to order that ahead if I do (because frankly, the fries looked weak).

After my visit, it's pretty easy to see why they're winning all sorts of accolades for their burgers. It reminds me a lot of Tank's in Dayton - one of my favorite places in town for a burger. The menu is on the small side, but it's almost like everything is their specialty. Limited seating and no hostess - so if they're full, you're outta luck. There's always things you want to tweak about little places like this - but if you did, they would be just like every other eatery on the avenue.

The scone was tops! Buttery and just enough crunch, and the fruit added a sweetness without being syrupy like some jarred preserves. And let's be serious - I would slather creme fraiche on top of almost anything. The Oreo cake was super cute and inventive. The icing was a bit much for me (I've never been a huge icing fan), but was tasty and a little buttery.

The final course was a three-tiered tray with mini fresh fruit skewers, smoked gouda, cucumber sandwiches, Fluff & peanut butter sandwiches, monkey cups (monkey bread in cupcake form) and a S'mores tart.
All of the sandwiches were great, of course the gouda was aces, and the sweets were amazing. The monkey cups were a lighter version of the artery-clogging monkey bread I remember as a child, but in a good way. Layered at the bottom were some caramelized pecans that tasted good, even to a gal who's not a huge pecan fan. We were all struggling to get around to the S'mores tart with our full bellies, but we still managed. It was very rich, but a nice way to end the meal. The chocolate ganache was incredibly creamy and tasted almost exactly like hot cocoa.

What? You want to know about the teas, too?
They were all fantastic! Tea Cozy Cottage has a menu of over 70 teas and you can choose as many as you like, and share them amongst your table. We tried Coco Mint, Blackberry, Blood Orange, Caramel Apple, Cinnamon Spice, and maybe some others I don't remember. The teas are all different varieties including black, green and white. I can't remember which flavor was in which category, so I won't embarrass myself by trying to figure it out. The favorite was definitely the caramel apple, but that one was great mixed with the cinnamon spice as well. I also tried one of the iced strawberry green teas that Michelle had on the menu just for that afternoon. I've never been an iced tea drinker, but I could drink this stuff every day. It didn't require any sweetening and was very light & refreshing.

The proprietors do this part time because they're passionate about it, which translates to it being done very well. I'll admit that they're old friends of mine, but it doesn't make me too bias. If it wasn't worth it, we wouldn't have taken two car loads of people an hour south to Mariemont. Michelle is such a warm and cheerful gal, she just makes everyone feel welcome and relaxed. Regardless of personal relationships, I've never had service that good anywhere. Everyone had a wonderful time, and it was certainly more fun than any bridal shower I've ever been subjected to. My friend Ginger can't wait until her daughter is old enough to enjoy an afternoon tea there with her. Tea isn't just for fancy ladies any more. Every time I've been, there have been children of all ages, and even men, enjoying themselves.