Dine on delicious deep water delights in DAYTON, OH. at JAY'S SEAFOOD!

   His personality permeates his restaurant: gentle, humble, sensitive and caring, likely a man who laughed easily and cared about people, his friends, his family and his clientele. He was a chef, an oenophile, a photographer, a gardener and a restaurateur.
   More than 35 years ago, this wonderful man took over proprietorship of one of Dayton, OH's top restaurants. If you enjoy seafood, it is an absolutely essential dining spot. Fresh seafood, flown in daily from both American coasts and then prepared by very capable chefs. The oysters on the half shell, meaty, salty, as good as those served in Charlottetown, PEI, Canada. And the oyster shucker, Kent, shucks so many oysters nightly, he can do the job with his eyes closed.
   The shrimp cocktail, can one say "al dente" when referring to how properly cooked shrimp should be? Crisp, with a solidity to them that encourages a firm bite, not mushy and soft as served in restaurants with less skilled chefs.
   But you must go to Jay's more than just for the food...though, going for that reason would be more than enough. You couldn't be more right than going just for the food. Still, go for another reason: the ambiance. This restaurant is shrine to the American west, to cowboys, to the days of the wild west, to the American past.

    Originally, Jay's was Ritty's Pony House, first opened as a saloon in 1871. Jay Haverstick continued that spirit and that philosophy as closely as he possibly could. There is more to the history of the place as it once was also a Dayton corn and grist mill, an easy step to preparation of whiskey if you grind corn. The building, constructed in the 1850's, has a dining room filled with many antiques, from light fixtures to the unique bar  - carved out of a 5400 lb. piece of Honduras mahogany into a solid bar with each balustrade of its facade having a unique face. 
   The Pony House originally was a school of French and English for young ladies. But the saloon aspect dominated with some very famous visitors: Buffalo Bill Cody is said to have ridden his horse right up to the bar; the notorious John Dillinger, who never robbed a saloon, imbibed here regularly; prize fighters, John O. Sullivan, Jeffreys, Corbett, and Jack Dempsey were never challenged as they drank regularly in their favorite drinking establishment. Who would have dared?
   Jake Ritty, an earlier proprietor of the property, converted the the corn and grist mill into a hotel-restaurant-saloon and because the establishment was near the main depot of the railroad line, it attracted even more patrons, traveling salesmen lodged and dined well here. Prices were right too: beer, a nickel a stein or 15 cents for a bucket. Sadly, prices have changed since Ritty's time but are still very competitive. Ritty, a tinkerer, is credited with inventing and then selling the rights to the cash register for which National Cash Register Co. is well known.
   Today, make a point of asking to meet Amy Haverstick, Jay's daughter. A very affable young woman whose youthful appearance belies the many years of experience she has developed working alongside her father. She has worked ever aspect of the family business and seems to miss being in the kitchen most. But, her place really is out front where she represents her father well, proudly recounting how her father worked hard in developing the restaurant and its reputation for quality beyond description.

   Dinner was scallops in garlic butter, and it was among the sweetest, juiciest scallops I have ever had, accompanied by beans and carrots which were superb. I wouldn't normally rave about veggies this much, but these beans were nicely crunchy, sweet, and absolutely delicious. The chef must have been raised on a farm for he treats veggies reverentially!
   And, the service...so comfortable, so unpretentious, yet so attentive. The waitresses, each an employee for years. Mine, Paula had been there for 20. Something must be very satisfying about working at Jay's Seafoods. For certain, dining is very satisfactory there.

   I had no room for dessert, sad to say. So, just a coffee. The waitress, upon hearing me explain that I was very particular about coffee finding most coffees served in the USA to be sadly weak, assured me that I would find Jay's coffee most satisfying. She brought over a pack of their specially selected coffee to show me it was not the average-run-of-mill grind. It was outstanding, matched by any from New Orleans where the USA's best coffee is served.
   If you are ever in Dayton, OH, do not skip dining at JAY'S SEAFOODS...the city's best eatery. But there is a close second, less upscale, more down to earth,...ahh...but that is my next blog.
   Visit back again !