Best-kept (dinner and wine) secret in Cincinnati

First course, Chef's Table 4/18/13

The "nice" restaurant in the middle of the University of Cincinnati main campus is called Mick and Mack's. Its weekday lunches, which include a pay-one-price themed buffet that changes every day, is popular with faculty and staff when they have occasions to do something other than eat at their desks or grab-and-go at the food court.
What most townies probably don't know, however, is that Mick & Mack's also hosts monthly wine tastings and "chef's dinners" that cost $15 and $20 per person, respectively -- and are open to the general public. That's right, you don't have to be affiliated with UC to get in on these incredible bargains.
We've been going to the wine tastings -- held the first Thursday of every month, including over the summer -- for about a year now. Each month has a theme (Australia, Italy, France, for instance, or the annual "cheese and chocolate" pairing every February), includes generous pours of four wines and an all-you-can-eat buffet dinner with dishes chosen to complement the type of wines for the evening.
And yes, all that for $15 per person, sometimes bumped up to $20 for more upscale wine selection. A local wine distributor discusses the drinks and brings extra bottles of each wine for sale at the event.
On the third Thursday of each month, Mick & Mack's hosts a chef's table dinner.
We went this week for "Cooking with Berries." For this type of event, instead of buffet service, diners select from two appetizers, two entrees and two desserts. A glass of wine (again, generously poured) is paired with each course.
To see the upcoming themes and dates, click on the links above. Reservations are required but they don't ask for an up-front payment.
They take reservations via email, mick_macks@uc.edu.