Newsletter: New restaurant opening in Centerville🍴

Hello, local food fans!

I stopped by 2nd Street Market on Sunday after I went boxing to explore and to get some good food. I hadn’t been to the Market in awhile just to look around. Typically when I go, I have an interview.

I ate at Napales Mexican Street Food and had the Breakfast Bowl with scrambled eggs, sauteed peppers, potato hash, queso and salsa. This is my go-to. Every weekend the vendor features exclusive items that aren’t on the menu. Last weekend, one of the items was a Chorizo Breakfast Bowl. YUM!

Part of the reason I really wanted to go was because Lucy’s Pastry Palace had posted on Facebook that they had gluten-free muffins. I had the strawberry muffin and it was delicious. From the crumb topping to the surprise strawberry filling in the center, it reminded of the strawberry Pop-Tarts I ate as a kid.

If you haven’t been to 2nd Street Market recently, there is a new prepared food vendor. More details below!

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New vendor at 2nd Street Market serves Euro-American cuisine

Credit: Submitted Photo

Credit: Submitted Photo

La Petite Kitchen is one of the newest vendors at 2nd Street Market serving Euro-American inspired cuisine.

Owner Donald Whitcomb said his mother was from Belgium and his father was from New Orleans.

“Growing up we always had kind of a Belgian and American influence in our cuisine,” Whitcomb said. “We also had Americanized versions of Belgian dishes, so it’s kind of a cool thing to recreate that for people.”

He opened his first iteration of La Petite in the Oakley Kitchen Food Hall in 2021.He operated there for about year before moving to Asheville, North Carolina to be a restaurant consultant. Whitcomb moved to the Dayton region for the opportunity to once again own and operate his own spot.

La Petite Kitchen features Carbonnade, the national dish of Belgium that’s also known as Belgian Beer stew. It features beef shoulder that is simmered in Belgian beer, brown sugar, onions, thyme, bay leaves and mustard. It’s then served over house made mashed potatoes.

Whitcomb runs La Petite Kitchen with the help of his partner, Cindi Koetzle. Starting next year, he hopes to offer DoorDash on Thursdays and lunchbox deliveries for businesses.


Thai Village in Centerville to open Thursday

Credit: Submitted Photo

Credit: Submitted Photo

After selling Thai Table in June, former owner Sue Whitted is opening a new restaurant a few miles down the road at Cornerstone of Centerville on Thursday.

Thai Village will kick off its soft opening from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 4:30 to 9 p.m. with a limited menu. The soft opening will continue through Sept. 1. After a brief pause, the restaurant will reopen on Sept. 6 for its grand opening.

The restaurant is located at 5201 Cornerstone N. Blvd. in the former space of CoreLife Eatery.

Whitted was still in the process of creating the menu in June when she announced the new restaurant, but said customers can expect Thai, sushi and American-Thai fusion with meats like steak and lobster used in Thai food.

Other restaurants she owns include Thai Kitchen at 2335 Miamisburg-Centerville Road in Miami Twp., Hello Thai at 3301 Dayton Xenia Road in Beavercreek and Honey Toast at 130 N. Broad St. in Fairborn.

She also opened Thai Village on Wheels featuring a rotating menu of handheld Thai food with chef Park Kaewkheaw and manager Sai Yodkad from Thai Table in June.


Meet chef Megan McAfee of Joui Wine

Credit: Natalie Jones

Credit: Natalie Jones

At 17-years old, Megan McAfee had her first taste of what it was like to work in the restaurant industry at Rue Dumaine, a Washington Twp. restaurant that served French cuisine with an American twist and New Orleans creole.

Now, at 31, she is the head chef at Joui Wine in Dayton’s Fire Blocks District.

“Simplicity is sometimes the best,” McAfee said. “I think that’s what I go by mostly just because with this kitchen here I don’t have a hood system, so I can’t have an oven. I can’t have a lot of equipment, so I have to work with what I got, which is fun.”

McAfee said her goal is to elevate a customer’s experience at the wine shop and bar. Joui Wine is not meant to be a full meal, but rather an afternoon snack or small bite before or after dinner. McAfee focuses on offering shareables such as dips and charcuterie.

Dips currently on the menu include White Bean Miso Dip and Crab Rangoon Dip. When it comes to charcuterie, McAfee rotates a selection of cured meats and cheeses with items like mustards, pickles, nuts, jams, fresh fruits or honeycombs.

Credit: Natalie Jones

Credit: Natalie Jones

One of her favorite dishes to change up on the menu are the deviled eggs. The bar currently offers Elote Deviled Eggs with the rim of the egg dipped in a Tajin mixture, roasted corn filling the center, a traditional egg yolk filling on top, more roasted corn, cotija cheese and cilantro. It’s then served with a lime wedge.

Other items on the menu include Stuffed Olives, Spring Rolls and Dark Chocolate Truffles.

READ MORE: How Joui Wine chef Megan McAfee found passion for culinary arts


Quick Bites

🌮 Don Patron Mexican Grill closes in Fairborn: The restaurant’s new location at 175 Hospitality Drive in Xenia remains open. READ MORE

🌯 Centerville’s first Chipotle opens: The restaurant is located at 1033 S. Main St. in the Centerville Place shopping center along Ohio 48 near the Kroger Marketplace.

☕ New coffee shop coming soon to downtown Dayton: Mug Mafia will be located at 200 E. Fifth St. in the former space of Smokin’ Bar-B-Que.

🍴 French Toast Heaven to open third location in region: The restaurant, offering a dozen French Toast selections, will be located at 102 Main St. in Hamilton. READ MORE

🥐 Seattle-based bakery to bring its famous piroshky to Dayton: Piroshky Piroshky is teaming up with The Dayton Beer Co. for a pre-order pickup event from 4 to 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 13. Those interested have until noon on Wednesday, Sept. 11 to place an order.


Tailgate Recipe Contest

Credit: Jim Noelker

Credit: Jim Noelker

Earlier this month, I asked you to send me your best, easy-to-follow tailgating recipes. I received several from wings and sliders to breakfast sandwiches and dips. Yesterday, my coworkers and I made nine of the recipes, taste tested each one and voted for our top three.

I will be in contact with the winners this week. The results will be published in the paper on Sunday, Sept. 8 — just in time for the Cincinnati Bengals to take on the New England Patriots.

In honor of football season, I want to know if there is a high school stadium that has really good game day food? Do they serve something unique? Email me here.


Tell Us

Thank you so much for reading my weekly newsletter! If you see a new restaurant opening or are wondering when an establishment is expected to open, feel free to email me here, and I’ll check it out.

Remember to follow Dayton Daily News on Facebook or search our Food & Dining section for the latest stories. I’ll have continuous updates on my Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok pages.

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