Two restaurants in one at 45 East Bar & Grill

American gourmet on top, sushi bar below

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By Sue Perine O’Reilly, Contributing Writer 4:50 PM Wednesday, August 26, 2009

45 East Bar & Grill in uptown Oxford has plenty of new things to woo customers inside, including the fact that it’s actually two restaurants in one.

It’s two restaurants in one, according to new executive chef Scott Woolwine, because there’s a main dining room in 45 East on the street level and downstairs there’s a sushi bar.

The main dining room has a contemporary, relaxed atmosphere and it’s new menu offers American gourmet food, including sandwiches — 18 to be exact. The new 45 East menu also offers selections from six appetizers, three soups, six salads, nine entrees and a Kid’s Menu.

However, the downstairs room, called the tonic sushi bar and lounge, caters toward a more sophisticated crowd. Ultra-modern, it has an Asian flair and it’s new menu offers a plethora of sushi.

Although both restaurants are open seven days a week, the tonic sushi bar and lounge doesn’t open until 5 p.m.

Signature dishes on the new 45 East menu include an older favorite entree called House Pasta, as well as Executive Chef Woolwine’s new creations of Salmon Du Jour and Steak Diane.

“We had to keep the House Pasta entree on the menu,” Woolwine said. “It’s been a favorite recipe of this establishment for 27 years, before this was 45 East. It’s well-known around here because of the tomato/vodka sauce that ‘s served with the pasta. ...On the weekend, I can make four gallons of that sauce and it can be gone in one night.”

Other signature dishes include Black Bean Soup and the Mexi-Club sandwich.

Fairly new to the menu is Woolwine’s potato soup, which won a Best Taste of Cincinnati award, possibly because of two of his creative secrets.

“I add rosemary and white wine when making the potato soup,” Woolwinen said.

This creative chef says another customer favorite on the menu is the Spicy Salmon Sandwich, which is made in-house with fresh salmon.

Although 45 East caters to the college crowd, it also caters to the parents. The main dining area, including the full-service bar, seats around 130. New to the area is a small outdoor patio that seats an additional twelve to fourteen.

In addition, the college crowd hits the upstairs room, called Decibowls, at 45 East. Decibowls has a huge drink that’s served in a bowl, and supposed to be shared.

The downstairs room or restaurant, called the tonic sushi bar and lounge boasts eighteen kinds of Uramaki Sushi Rolls on its new menu, not to mention the Futomaki Sushi Rolls.

Tonic sushi bar and lounge’s new menu also has added three other selections: An appetizer, Oysters Rockafeller, a soup, lemongrass & shrimp soup and a salad, tonic house salad.

This lounge seats 78 and serves all of the specialty martinis, including a pomegranate martini.

“It’s the best of both worlds,” Woolwine said.

Contact this writer at suoreilly@aol.com.

How to go

WHAT: 45 East Bar & Grill

WHERE: 45 East High Street, Oxford

WHEN: 45 East main dining area -- 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. Sun. - Thurs.; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Fri. & Sat., with the bar open until 2:30 a.m. The downstairs restaurant, the tonic sushi bar and lounge -- 5 p.m. to midnight seven days a week.

COST: 45 East Appetizers -- The Big Dipper ($8.95); Soups ($4.50); Sandwiches ($7.95 - $9.95); Entrees -- Fish & Chips ($13.45) - House Pasta ($17.95) ; Salads -- ($6.95 - $13.95); Kids Menu ($3.95); tonic sushi bar and lounge -- Rolled Sushi ($5.95 - $9.95); Oysters Rockafeller ($9.95); Party Platter Combo ($59.95)

MORE INFO: (513) 523-3737 ; carry-out available

CRITIC’S CHOICE: Potato Soup, Black Bean Soup, Salmon Du Jour, House Pasta, tonic’s Rainbow -and Redhawk sushi, tonic’s house salad.

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