Phillip Kaplan
The Toledo Blade
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Past articles by Phillip:
Plates & People: Nitrogen-infused coffee on tap in Warehouse District
“Our first recipe we had to cut back.” The cold-brew coffee at Maddie & Bella’s was actually a problem. Rich Jambor said his Warehouse District coffee shop that opened in 2015 quickly knew it had a hit on its hands. But that also those hands were likely trembling from the jolt their on-tap nitro brew delivered. VIDEO: The cold brew at Maddie & Bella’s “We had to limit, like, you can only have… → Read More
Pac-Man a model costume for gobbling treats in '83
Halloween falls on a Wednesday this year, which means many communities will actually see real, live trick-or-treaters on October 31 itself. On Halloween night in 1983, a Monday, Blade photographer Lloyd Ransom captured these young treaters starting their night’s work on Barrington Drive. From left, Tiffany Kontak, 4, dressed as Strawberry Shortcake, Nathan Kontak, 2, as Pac-Man, and Kelly… → Read More
The Next: Slasher cuts through reality at Toledo Rep
Slasher is a play about the making of a slasher movie, where frights blur out of the script of the movie and into reality... the reality of the characters in the play anyway... which dig at our own lived in society. “It’s perfect for Halloween,” said Ashley McMahon, who plays Sheena, the “final girl” in the fictional movie casting that plays out on stage. The 1970s and ‘80s did something to… → Read More
Monday Memories: Rare view with Summit Center crane operator
A mixed-use parking garage built for ProMedica in Promenade Park broke the major construction fast downtown Toledo had recently endured. The last significant elevated construction — what you would call a high-rise — before that drought was the Summit Center at 333 N. Summit St., the familiar home of health-care company HCR ManorCare. The headquarters of Owens Corning, and the Fifth Third Field… → Read More
Monday Memories: Meeting of different worlds at sculpture installation
For a city its size, Toledo is rich with public art, which predominantly takes two forms: murals and sculptures. The latter sometimes represents an interesting collision of worlds, where artists cross into industrial construction and blue collar fabricators step into aesthetics. Perhaps never has this equal-opposite transition been captured more poignantly in a single moment than on September… → Read More
The Next: Spirit world comes alive with 'alebrije' painting class
People tell you to chase your dreams. But what if your dreams chased you? And what if your dreams were full of strange monsters that chased you out of a fever spell in Mexico City in the mid 1930s and your name is Pedro Linares? THE NEXT: Alebrije Painting Class When & Where: Thursday Sept. 27 at Toledo Heights Library, continuing on through Oct 16 at various locations. Full Course Listing.… → Read More
Plates & People talks doughnut perfection with Brian Wixey
Is that what this is about? Doughnuts? What more could you need to know about doughnuts? And in Toledo, what more could you need to know about venerable Wixey Bakery in South Toledo? Well, there is a documentary called Jiro Dreams of Sushi where we see an old sushi master do all his very simple steps with 100-percent focus, intent in each motion to resolve its minute task with absolute… → Read More
The Next: TMA album release connects Congo and Toledo
It takes a village, yes of course. But to make a collaborative album out of Toledo with artists in the Democratic Republic of Congo, more specifically, takes networks, airfare, international couriers, flash drives, two scoops of patience, and double that of trust. More than three years in the making, electronic afro-pop group Heavy Color will release their much-praised second album, River… → Read More
Can Toledo be the center of a new culinary movement?
While the rest of the world went to bed after likely eating a typical dinner, the Glass City tried to once again reinvent what the “Glass” stands for — this time as the epicenter of a budding culinary movement. A select group of dinner guests and a stream of envious onlookers were treated on a recent weekday to an art performance of glassblowing techniques used to prepare a 12-course meal of… → Read More
Did Toledo just birth a culinary movement?
While the rest of the world went to bed after eating a typical dinner Tuesday evening, the Glass City reinvented itself once again as it became the epicenter of a new culinary movement. A 12-course gourmet meal was served using molten glass as the cooking medium. “There weren’t even any YouTube videos,” said Renaissance Hotel Executive Chef Aaron Lawson. In 2018, if you find something… → Read More
The Next: Downtown art class puts a lot in a can
Graffiti to street art to murals to home improvements, there’s almost nothing a can of spray paint can’t cover. From fine art to footstools, it is one of the great artistic and utilitarian tools. But it can be tricky. Can angle. Touch pressure. An infinity of caps and attachments, can pressures, colors, finishes. And if you’re an artist, once you got all that, well, what are you trying to make… → Read More
Plates & People gets one great salad from two great friends
Manos Paschalis and Howard Rosenbaum have been friends for almost 40 years. For just about as long, shortly after Manos Greek Restaurant opened in 1982 at 17th and Adams streets, the Howard Rosenbaum salad has been a part of Central City’s appetite. “Manos’ wife was my neighbor,” Howard said. “Howard was in love with her,” Manos joked back about the truth. Their friendship was swift, and nearly… → Read More
Ottawa Tavern can go for some Hall & Oates
The Ottawa Tavern is a hydra of sorts as far as local bars go. The original on Bancroft St. burned down in 1999. It reopened in UpTown on Adams St. in 2007 and has redressed its personality a handful of times since. But as tradition, the OT has always rocked. And even though it has done so well past the prime of the Philadelphia duo Hall & Oates, Zack Jacobs, the newest manager of the music… → Read More
Plates & People gets unique style naan
There is a type of naan from so far north in India that it is actually from Pakistan. Tandoor Cuisine of India on Reynolds Road in South Toledo, one of Toledo’s originals for Indian fare, specializes in northern Indian cuisine though, so it is only fitting theirs is the only restaurant in town offering the charming bread. Peshawari Naan originates from the Peshawar region in Pakistan. Like any… → Read More
Plates & People gets a little pizza with big taste
Egg & Awarma Manakeesh, a small Lebanese style pizza with shaved beef and a slow cooked egg, is possibly the most versatile dish in Toledo. Of course you can eat it for lunch or dinner, but the little pita pizza is quite popular for breakfast in Lebanon. Pizza for breakfast has long been a pragmatic approach to sustenance by college students and other owls of the night. But breakfast pizza… → Read More
Plates & People goes for a spot of tea at Clara J's
“Every day is a great day at Clara J’s,” we were told as we first sat down. Rebecca Jaessing then charmed her way through a fully adorned English Proper Tea at her shop, Clara J’s at 219 in Maumee. We sat down for a well mannered but very relaxing hour of sipping tea and nibbling scones, savories (correct English term, not appetizers), sandwiches, and sweets. Though open for walk-in lunches and… → Read More
Plates & People goes French at Manhattan’s
Manhattan’s Pub 'N Cheer owner Zach Lahey never made it any specific goal to bring French cuisine to Toledo, which has virtually none, and no truly dedicated French restaurant. But by simply trying to offer unique choices during his UpTown restaurant’s rebrand in 2014, two French gems serendipitously ended up on the menu together. And it seems like that is exactly how they are supposed to be… → Read More
Plates & People visits El Tipico for a hotter chocolate
For what seems like an epoch, Toledoans have known El Tipico as the home of the “typical taco.” Since 1968, the Villa family has owned and operated the South End restaurant at 1444 South Ave. Daughter of the originals and current owner Dina Villa lets us into her kitchen to show us they also make an atypical cup of hot chocolate. Made with a traditional, Aztec-age style treatment of the cacao… → Read More
Attic on Adams delights with its 'Danhattan'
At the Attic on Adams, a charming bar located in Uptown Toledo, customer service is the name of the game. Perhaps the clearest proof of this is the “Danhattan,” a twist on the classic Manhattan concocted by bartender Dan Phillips for a regular patron of the Attic. (Disclosure: That patron is a co-author on this piece, Phillip Kaplan.) Using blasts of orange flavors, including Orange Tiger from… → Read More
Latest Maumee Bay brew stands out thanks to fruity taste, hazy color
Maumee Bay Brewing Company has been a Toledo mainstay since 1995, making a name for itself through continuous experimentation that has resulted in outstanding beers. The latest Maumee Bay concoction, #FakeJuice, enters the brewing company’s pantheon of fantastic, innovative beers. Conceived by brewer Christopher Clarke, who was hired by Maumee Bay in January, #FakeJuice hits a series of citrusy… → Read More