Local Chef Jimmy Gibson - menu at Launch 435 Elm Street downtown

Chef Jimmy Gibson has created a special menu to be served in Launch, the lower level of Lunar Nightclub at 435 Elm Street, downtown Cincinnati (the corner of 5th and Elm). The menu will be available this month and will include signature hot dogs, sliders and macaroni and cheese dishes incorporated to accommodate a growing demand from Launch sports fans, happy hour and corporate special event guests for food.

The hot dogs will be100% beef made by Nathan’s of Brooklyn, New York, while the Mets and special chicken dog will be custom made by Avril-Bleh Meats of Cincinnati. The menu’s “Swag the Dogs” section includes The Picnic Chicken Dog, a special BBQ chicken-flavored hot dog topped with sweet corn relish, pickled watermelon and Sriracha honey mustard. Gibson refers to it as a “picnic blanket on bun.” The Cincinnati Style is a Nathan’s hot dog wrapped in spaghetti with his homemade chili, cheddar cheese, Bock beer mustard, onions and a side of oyster crackers. “The Cincinnati Style gives guests, especially those near Launch in the hotel district, a taste of Cincinnati with a ‘three-way chili’ paired with a hot dog on a bun,” said Gibson. The Pork-Upine is an Avril’s mettwurst combined with Thai Peanut Sauce, Thai bird chilies, pretzel stick quills and promises to pack a spicy punch.

The macaroni and cheese menu items will be a far departure from the typical fare found in most sports bars in the city with dishes like the Hot Sloppy Mess: Gibson’s signature macaroni and cheese blended with chili, mettwurst, applewood smoked bacon, cheddar cheese, American cheese and a crust of Durkee’s onion rings and Doritos. The Hillbilly Hawaiian will include his signature macaroni and cheese with caramelized Spam, pineapple, cornbread-Doritos crust and a side of Ranch dressing. For those less adventurous types, the Launch menu will offer his Classic Mac & Cheese which will incorporate four imported cheeses and a creamy, cheesy, bubbly Panko Crumb Crust.

There will also be a variety of sliders to choose from including Bill’s Barge Blast Sliders, named after their successful reception at a 2011 Riverfest Barge party this month. It is an all-beef slider patty on King’s Hawaiian bread bun, topped with applewood smoked bacon and tomato jam, Maytag bleu cheese and arugula. The Beir Goggles is an ode to all things German with an all-beef patty paired with sliced mettwurst, bock mustard, pickles and pretzels.

“Just a few blocks from the stadiums, Launch has 3,000 square ft. and nine LED 42-inch flat screens; people often confuse the venue with Lunar when in fact it’s actually a great modern sports bar lounge on its own throughout the week - I tried to keep this demographic in mind when designing this particular menu,” said Gibson. “Also, instead of naming menu items after sports players and jargon, we put our own twist on it by putting all the attention on the food”

Gibson has been keeping busy with his well-received QBG menu (fb-cincy.com/qbg/) at FB’s at 126 W. 6th Street with a unique “Food Fashion Show” event unveiling 5 to 6 new fall seasonal dishes on the QBG menu by way of New View models during FB’s two-year anniversary party, September 17th . He is also preparing for his impending restaurant opening this fall in the old Wah Mee space adjacent to Launch and Lunar on Elm Street.