Columbus Crave by Brian Lindamood

italian revival La tavoLa is Back

Boozy Brunch time for BLoody marys

day tripping

Guide to Buckeye Lake

summer 2014

throw down! Who makes the Best aLL pastor in toWn?

Stop & Sip the rosĂ&#x2030;s

Strongwater chef Will Johnston

KicK bacK on new patios SmoKinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; hot grilled Meats

dining landscape

s r e mak are changing the ho w es ri na io vis d an rs de en rt ba s, Meet 11 chef

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Once during prohibition I was forced to live for days on nothing but food and water. - W.C. Fields

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contents The ColumbuS dining magazine

Summer 2014

scoop 14 Editor’s Note 21 Burning Up Hot chicken hits Columbus.

22 Beyond the Bun Doughnut sandwiches prove their staying power.

24 Eat Happy reinventing Japanese fare at Downtown’s rishi sushi

26 CraveWorthy sweet honey infusions

28 Cold Off the Press inside cold-pressed juicing

30 After Hours

ColumbusCrave.com

table talk 55 Road Trip escape to buckeye lake’s burgeoning foodie scene.

60 Ethnic Eats expand your global palate with ethnic food trucks.

64 Breakfast Five brunch-worthy bloody marys

66 The Regular Dining at Windward passage

68 Perfect Pairings Wine advice from bel lago Waterfront Dining

great late-night bites

32 Brewed Sideways

features 73 Tastemakers meet the chefs, bartenders and restaurateurs who are changing the way we eat.

94 Smoke Out local chefs share their passion for all things grilled.

100 Everyday Etiquette industry pros answer our dining ettiquete questions.

102 Food Play Designers who turn local products into edible brands

106 Go Ahead, Be Bitter bold, bitter liqueurs that can transform a cocktail

exit 116 Dining Out a quick-hit guide to the restuarants in this issue

142 Closing Time ava misseldine of Koko Tea salon & bakery shares her favorite places to eat and drink

144 Sweet! Why Honeykiss bakery pie pairs well with beer Below: Sashimi Combo at Rishi Sushi Photo by Tim johnson On the cover: Stongwater Food and Spirits chef Will johnston Photo by Will Shilling

How to age beer

34 Coming Home rick lopez’s la Tavola is more personal than ever.

36 Bring on the Bowls Four bowls to try

38 Al Pastor Throwdown los guachos v. Hass

40 Foodie Events 48 Crave Calendar

PhoTo: Tim johnSon

1100 •l C o l u m b u s sC Cr ra avvee..CCo om m l• sspu prrm ngg e2 r2002110 i inm 341 4

T 34 S. Third St. Columbus, Ohio 43215 614-461-8700 columbuScrave.com Volume 4 / Number 2 vice preSident & publiSher

Katie Wolfe Lloyd director of diSpatch magazineS

Brian Lindamood

eDITorIAl editor contributing editor editorial aSSiStant contributorS

Beth Stallings Kristen Schmidt Anthony Dominic G.A. Benton, Nicholas Dekker, Jill Moorhead, Karina Nova, Jenny Rogers, Michelle Sullivan, Peter Tonguette, Heather Weekley, Bethia Woolf

PHoToGrAPHY director of photography photo editor contributorS

Will Shilling Tim Johnson Tessa Berg, Jeffry Konczal, Jodi Miller, Meghan Ralston, Dan Trittschuh

DeSIGN & ProDucTIoN production manager deSigner Web producer

Craig Rusnak Kathryn Landis Brad Keefe

ADVerTISING director of SaleS reStaurant account executiveS SaleS aSSiStantS

Amy Bishop Valeria McNeal, Erica Phillips Stacy Hitts, Jake Riddle

mArkeTING director of marketing & Strategy marketing coordinator

Jean Nemeti Lauren McMullen

cIrculATIoN circulation marketing SpecialiSt circulation aSSiStant

Jillian Ralls Christine Dougal

office manager

Silvana Hildebrandt shildebrandt@columbuscrave.com 614-469-6214 letterS: letters@columbuscrave.com preSS releaSeS: pressreleases@columbuscrave.com advertiSing: advertising@columbuscrave.com

Columbus Crave is published quarterly by the Dispatch Printing Company. All contents of this magazine are copyrighted © 2014, all rights reserved. Reproduction or use, without written permission, of editorial or graphic content in any manner is prohibited. Publisher assumes no responsibility for return of unsolicited materials. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Columbus Crave, 34 S. Third St., Columbus OH 43215.

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12 • C o l u m b u s C r av e . C o m • s u m m e r 2 014

A to on ou ho th gu fo Th

Wh pr fro an mo ha

To All My Amazing Guests, A few months ago I started planning all the events that are to come for the new year, and it dawned on me that we have one of the biggest mile stones coming right around the corner; our 5 Year Anniversary in June. I cannot even begin to say how blessed we are. I am amazed by how far we have come in these past 5 years. I can only attribute the success to you, our guests, and to my amazing staff. I cannot thank you enough for all of your love, support and forgiveness over the years. Thank you! When I first opened, my goal was to offer the best, most local products available. I’ve always believed that when food comes from real farmers close to home it is infinitely better for you, and so much tastier! Shortly after I opened, the local foods movement had gained real footing, and now it’s huge. I’m so happy with this shift in demand for locally grown food, and I love that we got to be a part of it here in our community.

I grew up on my family ly farm and never realized how much better bette food tasted. My favorite orite story is when I was in college I was making spaghetti for my roommates and it tasted awful. I called my grandma and asked her h why and she asked me what I used to make my sauce. uce. I told tol her and she told me, “well honey you didn’t use reall food.” Then it all made sense…I didn’t pick those tomatoes and d peppers myself! People always ays ask me how Local Roots happened. hap To be honest it just happened! ppened! I had tried to open another restaurant res and it fell through. Then I met my Papa Bear, Vince at the Los Lost Shepherd. We became e good friends and he asked me why I was working for someone. I explained what had happened and he offered of to show me this space. I was SCARED! RED! But took a leap of faith, f and with my amazing backing and my crazy azy plan, Local Roots was formed. When deciding on the concept pt it was clear to me to not just open a restaurant but to open a place ace that tries their best to source as many local products as possible. ible. By supportin supporting local, we are helping our local economy, helping ng our ecosystem ecosystem, and backing local farmers who are a dying breed. Best of all, we get the wonderful side effect of fresh, tasty ty food! I believe local is the only way to go. Thank you for being a big part of it!!

Much Love, Jessi si Iams I

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LocalRootsPowell.com 614.602.8060

e h t r o f u o y k ! n s a r a Th e y s u o i c i l e d 5 t s fir Designed by Edible Columbus and Formation Studios

S tarterS | editor’S note

COLUMBUS CRAVE.COM THE LATEST DINING NEWS AND RESTAURANT PICKS SERVED FRESH DAILY FEATURING:

PLUS!

en years ago, I interviewed a scruffy chef with big plans for a new kind of restaurant. He’d been making waves in an Ohio City beer bar serving gourmet pizzas and pommes frites fried in duck fat. His raw talent was obvious to those who’d sampled his rustic Italian food. His unhindered enthusiasm for his craft made him endearing. This guy, I knew, was on the verge of being great. I look back fondly on the conversations I had with Cleveland chef Jonathon Sawyer—before he was a Food & Wine rising star, before he wowed diners with his nose-to-tail Greenhouse Tavern, before James Beard Award nominations. He was at the crossroads of his culinary career. And over the coming years, his cooking would forever change the city’s dining landscape, inspiring chefs to come. Why does this interview come to mind? Because for the past few months, in the hours I’ve spent with this year’s class of Tastemakers, I’ve seen the same enthusiasm, drive and creativity. At some point this year, I bragged about every one of the 11 standout Columbus chefs, bartenders and food visionaries on this list. And I believe they are all poised to make a serious impact on the local food scene. Many of them already have by adopting the mindset that, before now, Columbus diners haven’t been given enough credit— that we crave more than fried calamari appetizers and hummus platters. When Wolf’s Ridge Brewing opened late last summer, I admired Seth Lassak’s gumption to serve frogs legs instead of chicken wings. While his French-inspired dish didn’t sell at first, it does now. When chef Will Johnston shredded jackfruit into his tacos instead of chicken, most diners had never heard of the ingredient. But I guarantee, if the Strongwater Food and Spirits chef tried to take them off the menu, people would revolt (myself included). These are just two examples of the

Photo: ryan m.l. young

s The city’s biggest dining directory s Your ratings and reviews of your favorite places s Openings, closings, events & staff favorites

riSing StarS

talented people mentioned in this year’s cover story starting on page 73. Here, you’ll also meet adventurous bartenders, a chef dedicated solely to curing some of the best meats in town and food-truck chefs ready to open permanent eateries. Maybe some of this year’s Tastemakers won’t reach national acclaim, but that’s not what’s truly important. Even if the world doesn’t notice, we will. What matters most is what they are doing for food culture in the city. They are changing the way we eat, for the better, one dish, one cocktail, one slice of cured meat at a time. I’ve no doubt they will all continue to wow us with their creativity. I look forward to watching them grow, and eventually saying, with pride, “I knew them when.” Happy Eating,

beth stallings, Editor

I’d love to hear what you think of the magazine! email me feedback on what you love and what you think we could do better at bstallings@columbuscrave.com.

14 • C o l u m b u s C r av e . C o m • s u m m e r 2 014

S tarterS | connect

FoodSharing Use the hashtag #CraveCbus to let us know about your favorite places to eat and drink. We’ll share a few of our favorite reader photos in the next issue of Crave. And don’t forget to follow the local food adventures of editor Beth Stallings at @CraveEditor.

@10bagspacking “making good decisions” with a salad and Four String brew at Yellow Brick Pizza.

@girlaboutcolumbus having the “best morning ever” with a sweet cinnamon roll from Sassafras Bakery.

@fussbucket only managed to eat half of the huge and vibrant red Juggernaut at SuperChef’s Breakfast & More.

@heyjennyrogers snapped a shot of her “fantastic” ramen lunch at Rishi Sushi while reporting for Crave.

@cbusfoodadventures conquering the soft shelled crab and pork belly sandwich at Skillet.

@jillmoorhead snapped this heavenly picture of tuna at Crave 10 restaurant Kihachi.

@katalinascafecorner teamed up with Eleni-Christina Bakery to make zesty Mexican chocolate doughnuts.

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In Historic Downtown Granville

Brews Cafe

Off-Site Catering • Rehearsals Engagement Parties • Showers 116 East Broadway, Granville Call 740 616-6345 for details brewscafe.com • brews.morgan@gmail.com

When attending one of these Granville events, stop in at

Photo credit: Gary Chisolm

for 35 drafts and countless bottles of hard to find local and craft brands!

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800 N. High Street Columbus OH 43215 â&#x20AC;˘ 614.294.8168 Mon - Thu 11am to 11pm Fri - Sat 11am to 12am Sun 11am to 11pm

haikushortnorth.com

Photo: jodi miller

The season is here. Sushi on the Patio. Simply delicious.

Photo: jodi miller

scoop

20-21 Scoop_Splash.indd 21

burning up Nashville’s signature spicy fried chicken has made its way to Columbus with the recent opening of takeout only window Hot Chicken Takeover. Every Saturday and Sunday through the summer, “head fryer” Joe DeLoss will commandeer the window at the Near East Side Cooperative Market in Olde Towne East, offering carryout orders of crispy fried chicken on white bread, along with his grandmother’s vinegary coleslaw, creamy mac and cheese and sweet tea. “Our chicken gets a lot of love,” says DeLoss, who soaks and brines each piece before rubbing it with a paste laden with cayenne pepper and other secret spices. Inspired to start the concept after a trip to Nashville in November, DeLoss and his wife, Lisa, garnered quite the following this spring with preview events that sold out in days. —Beth Stallings

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5/8/14 12:35 PM

S coop | trendS

beyond the bun

Fried egg doughnut sandwich at honey dip donuts & diner

Doughnut sandwiches prove their staying power. sTory by niCholas dekker

blueberry blue at tom + Chee

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Photos: toP, tim Johnson; bottom, Courtesy tom + Chee

he marriage of sweet fried pastries and beloved sandwich toppings almost seems inevitable. “We saw someone on the Food Network making a doughnut burger,” says Anthony Teny from DK Diner. “We thought, ‘Well, we have doughnuts. We make burgers. That’s something we should do.’ ” So two years ago, Teny began sandwiching breakfast meats, cheese and burgers between halved and grilled glazed yeast doughnuts. While breakfast ingredients and burgers are typical picks, there seems to be no limit to what local eateries squeeze between fried delicacies. Cincinnati-based Tom + Chee, which opened locations in Pickerington and Hilliard this spring, sports a full menu of grilled cheese doughnuts, like the popular Blueberry Blue with blueberry compote, blue cheese and lemon mascarpone. Andrew and Billy Bazemore, proprietors of the Slamwich Brothers food truck, sell the Glazed & Confused, a doughnut sandwich featuring sauteed chicken breast, bacon jam, white cheddar, arugula and mayo. The doughnut sandwich may have started as a gimmick, but it’s proven popular enough to earn permanent billing on menus. At DK, Teny sells roughly a dozen a day and twice that on weekends. At Honey Dip Donuts & Diner, where owner George Nicoloulias started serving breakfast sandwiches, burgers and BLTs all on glazed doughnuts in 2011, there’s a steady stream of roughly 20 customers daily willing to give the sweet and savory sandwich a shot. How do they win skeptics? Most point to the proven interplay of sweet and salty. Grilling doughnuts caramelizes the sugars, Nicoloulias says, effectively balancing salty ingredients like bacon. Regardless of your reaction, they’ll encourage you to have one. As Nicoloulias puts it: “It’s probably something you can’t eat every day, but you’ve gotta try it once.”

What’s trending

Preserved lemon

you’ve got to love lemon to appreciate the pickled and fermented peel that adds tart citrus to a prawn appetizer at The Sycamore and a bright pop to the charcuterie board at Strongwater Food and Spirits. Out: Pickles

subWay Tiling

The sleek, long tiles are popping up on the walls of open kitchens and lining the bar backs of seemingly every new restaurant. We recently spotted stark white tiles at Harvest Bar + Kitchen in Clintonville. Out: Reclaimed wood

THE BEST AUTHENTIC LATIN CUISINE IN COLUMBUS

fasT CrafT CoCkTails

bartenders continue to look for ways to deliver carbonated cocktails quickly to thirsty patrons. Hudson 29 Kitchen & Drink offers three bottled concoctions. at Mouton, you’ll find seasonal cocktails flowing from the tap. Out: Waiting at the bar

PouTine

Chefs are having fun riffing on this Canadian favorite (typically fries slathered in cheese curds and gravy). at Till, even vegans can get a taste with the smoked Portabella Poutine. Out: The French version of fries

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s U M M E R 2 014 • C o l U M b U s C R av E . C o M • 2 3

S coop | In The KITchen

David Kim holds Rishi Loaded Fries. at left, Sashimi Combo. at right, Bibimbap Burger

eat happy

David Kim hopes to reinvent Japanese tradition at his new Downtown restaurant. sTory by Jenny rogers

he vibrant orange and green Rishi Sushi Bar & Kitchen, from the owners of Moshi Sushi in Bexley, opened in Downtown Columbus in March. Owner David Kim brought with him his playful take on Asian fare and new dishes that range from ramen to burgers.

 Do you have a favorite dish? the Gold eggs and ham—it’s a wasabi-truffle deviled egg with braised pork belly.  What can fans of Moshi Sushi expect? they can expect the freshness, but they can expect the creativeness to be turned up a notch. Like emeril’s “bam,” this is my “bam!” I like to say, “Feed your happy.” It means so many things. If you’re craving a pizza, go eat a pizza. If you’re craving Rishi, come eat Rishi.

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kim’s spin on asian fare Kimchi PancaKes Kim notes many diners have an aversion to the chewy consistency of traditional kimchi. he made the cabbage crispier in his pancakes, which incorporate sweet corn, shiitake, mozzarella and wasabi mayo. BiBimBaP Burger the traditional Korean bibimbap is a mixed rice dish, but at Rishi it takes the shape of a 7-ounce marinated burger with pickled daikon, spinach, bean sprouts, a sunny-side-up egg and mozzarella. There’s always Tomorrow ramen Bowl Forget the dorm-room staple—this version of ramen is savory and spicy in all the right ways, with grilled steak, wasabi, hard-boiled egg and a rich (and gluten-free) beef broth. “Our ramen is made like Mom’s chicken noodle soup,” Kim says. “It takes us all day.”

phOtO: tIM JOhNSON

 You want to change the way diners perceive Asian food. Why? In my experience, people perceive asian food as something that’s cheap or easy—or very traditional. and I mean “traditional” in a boring sense. that’s not the case for me. For me, it’s about using the freshest and highest-quality ingredients. We use duroc pork belly and fresh blue fin tuna. We’re using locally sourced buns from the angry Baker. My goal is to recreate traditional asian fare. I have a respect for [tradition], but I’m trying to make it fresh … to add lemon to the water.

 How are you doing this? We have a dish called Rishi Balls, which can be ordered seared. Many people are willing to eat a seared tuna salad but unwilling to touch tuna sashimi. Now there’s an option for someone who wouldn’t otherwise try sushi. the burgers are asian dishes on a bun. as far as the noodles go, most people know ramen from going through college, but our broth is made in-house. It’s not some powder. We use grilled asian steak, black tiger shrimp, braised pork belly, sweet corn.

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Worthy

Whether you like a touch of honey in your tea or drizzled on toast, these local beekeepers are spicing up their raw offerings, infusing sweet and syrupy honey with fresh flavors and herbs. Look for these labels at area farmers markets and grocery stores. —Beth Stallings

Brad’s Bees

Jorgensen Farms

Honeyrun Farm

if you’ve ever enjoyed a sip of mead from Brothers Drake, you’ve gotten a taste of Brad’s Bees honey. the Marysville-based apiary wholesales its natural, candy-sweet honey to the Short north meadery and also offers a flavor-rich, herb-infused line including Basil, ginger and the spicy Fire, which gets a kick from chili peppers. 8-ounce jar, $9. 607-227-3107, saveourbees.net

Val Jorgensen blends her honey with fresh herbs straight from her organic farm in Westerville, offering roughly 10 flavors ranging from peppermint to sage, lemon thyme to lavender. this year, she’s featuring limited edition Dorothy Mae’s lavender rose, an infusion named for, and inspired by, her mother. Lavender Rose, $7; other infusions, $6. jorgensen-farms.com

on this family farm in Williamsport, honey is harvested three times a year—spring, summer and fall—to bring out the distinct flavors of each season. you can get their pure honey raw, or reach for the bright lemon Verbena or the sweet and addicting Cinnamon honey you’ll want to eat by the spoonful. Honey infusions start at $7. honeyrunfarm.com

Honeyrun Farm’s thick Cinnamon Honey is a mix of granulated honey and pure cinnamon.

Photo: Will Shilling

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Photo: Will Shilling

S coop | freSh findS

ColD off ThE PrESS The owners of Native cold pressed and samba fresh aim to redefine juicing in Columbus. story by anthony dominiC

fresh sips

Trade in a greasy snack for one of these refreshing 16-ounce juices: At NAtive cold pressed Green Grapefuit ($12) Don’t be misled by the fennel aroma. This sweet mix of orange and grapefruit is reminiscent of a fresh citrus punch, ideal on a hot afternoon. Zinger ($10) It’s not the sweetness of the lemon and apple you’ll remember most about this aptly named juice—it’s the long ginger finish. At sAmbA fresh Sol ($8) No rooty flavors here. The carrot provides a smooth, vegetal base that contrasts nicely with the acidity of the lime and apple. Rio ($8) This is as sweet a raw vegetable juice as you’ll find. A touch of pear and lemon do wonders to balance the earthy tones of the kale, spinach and parsley.

Native Cold Pressed owners Nicole Salvo and Erin Thacker

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triturated by texture-sensitive blades that resemble circular cheese graters. Bifurcated blades found in most blenders “create heat, and oxidation levels skyrocket when that happens,” Salvo says. “It’s obvious by all of the foam in your glass. That means your body is getting less of the nutrients and less of the enzymes it needs.” And the aim of cold-press juice is, above all else, nutrition density. After it’s reduced to “baby food,” as Doss calls it, the produce filters into a permeable polyester sack to be repeatedly pressed at some 2,000 pounds per square inch. “A juice press is different than your traditional Jack LaLanne juicer, which is only extracting 50 to 60 percent of the juice, tops,” Doss says. “The extraction method we use is much finer, much purer.” The raw extract, which concentrates in a vat below, is exactly what goes into the bottles. In lieu of sugar or artificial additives, Doss sources ingredients like raw honey, cinnamon and habanero pepper to bolster flavor profiles. While the juice formulas require “a lot of trial and error,” Salvo says nothing is more difficult for new cold-press businesses than meeting customer demand. Because the juices are never pasteurized, they have short shelf lives. (After 72 hours, the flavors fade; after five to seven days, the juice spoils.) This means juice is pressed, bottled and sold on the same day. “There’s nothing in my refrigerator that lasts longer than a week,” Doss says. “We buy things fresh, we make things fresh and we sell things fresh. There’s no other way to do it.”

PhoTo: TIm JohNSoN

tep from the clamor of North High Street into Native Cold Pressed’s industrial cafe, and you’re hit with a fresh wave of sensory information. Groove-driven alternative pop, hard cement under your feet, the sweet aroma of carrots and kale. The first thing to catch your eye will be the cooler of colorful 16-ounce juices. The second will be the chalk-written price tag on the wall: $10 each. If it’s your first time at one of Columbus’ new cold-press juice shops, you may ask the obvious question: What exactly am I paying for, and why shouldn’t I just dig out that old blender I never use? The answer, as Native co-owner Nicole Salvo and Samba Fresh owner Kitt Doss tell it, is in the industrial-size hydraulic presses used by the shops to prep thousands of pounds of organic fruits and vegetables weekly. In theory, the end product is both a meal replacement and a source of alternative medicine, with two to three pounds of produce going into every bottle of juice. And despite the sweeping popularity of cold-press juice, this method is anything but new, dating back to the 1930s with British nutritionist Norman Walker—a now-messianic figure within the industry. Salvo and Doss made their first juices with Walker’s original Norwalk Hydraulic Press Juicer, which both still proudly display in their shop kitchens. Despite being the size of a microwave, the current model costs about $2,500. Its industrial counterpart is more than $20,000. First, produce is placed into a long, cylindrical chute above the press, where it’s

SeatS in the Sun

s patio season kicks into full sunshine mode, here are eateries with new outdoor digs where you can enjoy a drink and a bite al fresco. —B.S.

Bar 145 Thanks to two large garage doors that open behind the indoor-outdoor bar, wherever you sit at Bar 145 you’ll be able to appreciate the outdoors. “It’s a complete open-air environment,” explains manager Theresa Selegean. At the roomy Grandview burger joint on Fifth Avenue, there are a little more than 60 seats available between tables and the bar. Harvest Bar + KitcHen The popular wood-fired pizza shop’s Clintonville location offers two outdoor seating areas—a community-style, casual area facing High Street, and a full-service side patio. “Out front is a little lounge area where we’ll serve food if customers ask,” says general manager Dustin Smith. He hopes to eventually bring in alfresco acoustic acts and add planters where they’ll grow herbs for the restaurant.

614.291.5000 | HubbardGrille.com | 793 N High St

Westies GastropuB On nice days, two walls of the rear bar at this Brewery District gastropub open up, so you can enjoy a nice breeze, even if sitting inside, says bar manager Lisa Cole-DiMinno. Grab a seat at a high-top inside the Florida room or on the eight-table patio and catch the game on a handful of 80-inch TVs. While they don’t take reservations for the patio, they do offer call-ahead seating. YelloW BricK pizza This pizza-and-beer bar has turned its rear courtyard into a roughly 30-seat, full-service, urban patio. It’s the perfect spot to watch the revitalization of the Olde Towne East neighborhood—the patio, constructed with salvaged wood and stones, is surrounded on all sides by once-abandoned buildings being remodeled into new living spaces. Hudson 29 KitcHen & drinK The covered patio of the newest Cameron Mitchell restaurant runs along Lane Avenue in Upper Arlington. “We also have vinyl we can drop down, and it’s heated so we’ll be able to offer year-round seating,” says dining room manager Bill Denhard. The full-service, 40-seat patio is first come, first served.

Modern American merica Cuisine

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IN THE HEART OF THE SHORT NORTH visit us at the corner of Hubbard and High

Happy Hour MON TO FRI : 4 - 6pm | SUNDAY : all night s U M M E R 2 014 • C o l U M b U s C R av E . C o M • 2 9

S coop | Dining out

After HourS

We’ve all been there. A grumbling stomach walking out of a movie or a play at 10 p.m. A few too many happy-hour drinks causing you to miss dinner. This summer, don’t run for the nearest drive-thru for a late-night meal. There are plenty of great eateries that keep their kitchens open well past 10 p.m. story by beth stallings

LATE DINNER

AROUND 12 O’CLOCK

AFTER MIDNIGHT

BAR SNACKS

DRUNK FOOD

SPECIALS

The biodynamic and veganfriendly Till in Victorian Village keeps their kitchen open until midnight every night but Sunday, when they close at 9 p.m. On the weekends, you can get your fill of the Best Meatloaf Ever or mac and cheese at T. Murray’s Bar and Kitchen, which serves its full menu on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights until the clock strikes 12.

Weekdays, Brewery District gastropub Westies will turn out flatbreads and fish and chips until 11 p.m. (9 p.m. on Sunday). Friday and Saturday, you can pair one of their dozens of craft beers with apps like potato pierogies and al pastor nachos until midnight.

Open til the stroke of 12 on Friday and Saturday and until 11 p.m. the rest of the week, Philco’s the spot for dressed-up comfort food, or to satisfy that hankering for brinner. If the latter’s what you want, order the Break Breakfast Biscuit with chorizo and shallot preserves, and pair it with a side of hush puppies.

After 9 p.m. most nights at The Crest, you’ll find a rotating selection of late-night food and drink specials, including a daily late-night menu with bar snacks, appetizers and sides from 10 p.m. to midnight (staring at 9 p.m. on Sunday and Monday). For example, on Tuesdays, get a woodfired pizza for $10 and pints for $4. On Wednesdays, a burger and fries are $5.

Stumble into Barley’s Brewing Co. before midnight on Friday and Saturday, and there’s still time to order grilled wings to pair with a house-made brew. If it’s sweet crab rangoon and coconut chicken bites you’re craving after a weekend cocktail, head to the Grass Skirt Downtown for a Pele’s Curse and Polynesian bites.

Two words: gyro burger. There’s perhaps never been a better mash-up of favorite late-night street eats—an 8-ounce patty stuffed in a pita with pickles, mayo and ketchup. And the fact that you can order up this greasy dish at Easy Street Cafe until midnight weekdays and 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday makes it all the more perfect.

On Friday and Saturday, new Clintonville restaurant Angry Bear Kitchen serves up late night bites from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. on a special menu that includes a few regular small plates (like beef tongue poutine), plus a fish-and-chips and fried chicken plate only offered during these hours.

The kitchen at German Village’s Club 185 keeps cooking until 1 a.m., turning out delicious, no-frills bar food like pigs in a blanket, quesadillas and sweet potato fries.

Open until midnight Monday to Thursday and 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday, at Bakersfield you’re free to order short rib, mole and pastor tacos until your heart’s content (or at least until they yell last call). If it’s later, think breakfast, and stop by always open Buckeye Donuts for a classic doughnut

Before you call that big-box chain pizza shop, give Red Brick Tap & Grill a ring. The Merion Village bar will deliver to surrounding neighborhoods until midnight on weekdays and 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday. If you’re venturing out, Restaurant Silla offers nightly drink and dinner specials from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m.

On weekdays, you can order Korean barbecue at San-Sun on Bethel Road until 11 p.m. But the kitchen stays open an hour later come Friday and Saturday.

Skip delivery pizza and swing over to The Rossi for a crispy and perfectly greasy pepperoni pizza. While the bar is open until 2:30, the kitchen is open only until 1 a.m.

3 0 • C o l u m b u s C r av e . C o m • s u m m e r 2 014

FIlE PhOTOS

FINER FARE

Have a seat at the window. Enjoy the best Short North dining experience and wonderful weather with your friends at Arch City Tavern. 862 NORTH HIGH STREET, COLUMBUS, OH 43215 614-725-5620 | WWW.ARCHCITYTAVERN.COM s U M M E R 2 014 • C o l U M b U s C R av E . C o M • 3 1

S coop | beer trendS

mike troy, owner of Crafted drafts

brewed sideways

Clear off a shelf in the wine cellar and save room to age a few bottles of beer.

story by miChelle sullivan

cellaring techniques; it’s a relatively new concept and strictly experimental. “If you have [an aged] beer from 2009, 2010 and 2011, each one will taste slightly different,” Casey says. But there are a few things experts know for certain. For one, you can’t age just any beer. Beers without an active yeast component, like Budweiser, will develop a skunk-y flavor over time. Aromatic beers, like IPAs and coffee beers, aren’t ideal either. For beginners, Troy suggests dark Belgian-style ale. Beer also needs to be high in alcohol “so the yeast has something to eat,” he says. Beer bottles should be stored upright in a dark, cool and temperature-controlled environment. While beer in a standard 12-ounce glass bottle will do, Troy has had the best luck with beers in 750-mL corked bottles. Casey prefers bomber (22-ounce) bottles but has also aged kegs of beer, like Bell’s Brewery’s Expedition Stout. Any day now, Troy will open a few bottles of Brewery Ommegang’s Chocolate Indulgence Stout he’s been holding onto since 2007. “The chocolate will be all but gone,” he says. “It’ll be just a bone-dry stout that will be fairly complex.”

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One-Off HOps

Columbus loves hops. Ask any bartender, and they’ll likely tell you IPAs are among their bestsellers. “hops are an acquired taste. many people don’t like it at first, but eventually it snares you,” says blake mikesell of ohio taproom, a Grandview growler shop whose rotating draft list is heavy with iPas. he attributes the widespread fandom to iPas’ wide variety of flavors—from juicy fruit to dark wheat. beers showcasing these individual flavors are becoming more popular, too. single-hopped beer is hitting the market thanks in part to the prevalence of experimental hops, hybrid versions of standard hops crops, says Geoff randolph, brand manager for superior beverage. “some experimental hops have new cool aromas like mango and pineapple,” he adds. when brewers get their hands on these unconventional hops, they want to show them off. “if we get something like that, we’re going to do something that’s one-off and showcases it,” says Columbus brewing Co. owner eric bean. Last year, they brewed a specialty beer called 462 predominantly using a single experimental hop variety. Craft-beer drinkers in general are more interested in trying new flavors, bean says, and the number of craft-beer drinkers in Columbus is growing. “it used to take us six weeks to sell a one-off, and now it takes three or four days.” —M.S.

Photos: tim Johnson

ellaring is only for wine, right? Wrong. Beer, too, can be stashed away for years and emerge, not skunked or stale, but with a taste that’s softer and completely changed from when it was bottled. Mike Troy realized as much by accident. About eight years ago, the owner of Gahanna’s Crafted Drafts beer shop stumbled upon a few long-forgotten bottles. “I drank it, and it was a totally different beer,” says Troy, who’s been aging bottles of beer in his basement ever since. He recalls a simple Belgian dubbel (a strong brown ale) that tasted exactly like a really good cognac after six years. As it ages, beer loses its sweetness, develops a drier finish and “the body of the beer will tend to become bigger,” Troy says. The alcohol also loses its burn, says Joe Casey, general manager of Gallo’s Tap Room, a bar known for its craft-beer selection and exclusive specialty cellared beer they release intermittently. “Every year that goes by will mellow it out,” Casey says. “You won’t taste the hotness [of the alcohol] anymore.” There’s no rhyme or reason to beer-

now on tap The local beer scene continues to flow, with more breweries creating spaces to taste and enjoy their craft a few feet from where it’s brewed. Here are a few to know about. —M.S.

SIP THE FINEST MARGARITA

 Open since February, Zaftig Brewing Co.’s Worthington tasting room isn’t fancy— it’s just a simple warehouse space. But their five beers are about as micro-brewed as they come. Each batch is only 12 gallons, less than half a barrel. Try the Wee Heavy for a full-bodied, malty Scotch ale.

 Adam Rhodes and Kevin Atkinson, two computer buffs with an affinity for home brewing, opened Homestead Beer Co. in February 2013 in a warehouse on a shuttered Air Force base in Licking County. The yeast they use is “unusual,” Rhodes says, and produces balanced, easy-drinking beers with mildly fruity notes. It’s worth the 30-minute drive from Columbus to try their Tenpenny Amber Ale or Barnraiser Pale Ale, both fan favorites. Enjoy a pint or fill a growler in their recently refurbished tasting room that’s, as Rhodes puts it, “a delightful place to hang out.”

Taste guacamole made at your table Savor fresh seafood and steaks with authentic sauces

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“

S coop | openingS La Tavola closed when it really shouldn’t have. We grew too big and went in the wrong direction. This is sort of like a good mix of both former restaurants. It’s cozy like the Powell location. But it’s also a little bit nicer like the Riverside location without being fancy.

Rick Lopez, owner and chef at La Tavola

Honestly, my confidence was shot [after La Tavola closed]. You get beat up, and you just sort of try and keep going. … Maturing, learning about life, we just didn’t have that [in the beginning].

coMInG hoME The third incarnation of Rick Lopez’s Italian La Tavola is more personal than ever. inTerview by beTh sTallings

wice, chef Rick Lopez has closed the doors of La Tavola. First there was the small, understated eatery next to a gun range in Powell, then the grander iteration in Dublin. When the latter shuttered in 2009, Lopez cast his simple Italian cuisine aside, trading it in for urban diner fare at Knead. But he missed cooking the foods he grew up with, so within a week of closing the Downtown spot this spring, Lopez and his wife, Krista, quietly reopened La Tavola, this time in Grandview. It’s a 66-seat restaurant accented in bold green and yellow retro flowered wallpaper and reclaimed wood tables, booths and wainscoting from Hilltop homes. The smells

We give a couple of house-made meringues with the check, and we also give a farro salad when you sit down. It’s a taste of something from my last trip in Italy. Every little place I went in Tuscany, you sit down and they bring you a little dish with a salad and farro. It’s an ancient grain, one of the oldest forms of wheat, very healthy and very hearty. We do ours with a bunch of roasted vegetables, good olive oil. When I was 15, I traveled to Italy with my high school. I think I became a prosciutto addict then. Me and a couple of my friends skipped Mass, and our tour guide took us out to a big meal. That was my first real taste of an Italian meal. The things [my grandmother] taught me about making pasta and cooking for the family—there it was on the table. It felt like we were at Grandma’s. I’ve mastered the gnocchi. That’s one of the things my grandmother taught me. After being here a week, it’s like, this is my passion. I could move in here, and it would be perfect. It just really feels right.

bye bye buffet

fter 30 years, The Worthington Inn has ditched its traditional Sunday brunch buffet for an a la carte menu. The change, says chef Thomas Smith, has been in the works for a while, stemming from a desire to offer higher-quality dishes and be more environmentally friendly. “We’ve never been able to grow it,” Smith says of the buffet. Now, the restaurant can offer Ohio maple syrup, local honey, free-range eggs and house-smoked salmon. “Waste was a big thing for me. We’re trying to be green and not to be wasteful.” Similar to their Saturday farmers market 3 4 • C o l u m b u s C r av e . C o m • s u m m e r 2 014

brunch menu, the new Sunday lineup features 80 percent of Worthington Inn’s lunch dishes; a breakfast section with traditional morning fare (think an omelet and egg scramble); plus playful brunch dishes like banana-pecan stuffed French toast, house-made granola with fruit puree and twists on eggs benedict they’re calling “Bennys” (the Eggs Worthington are poached eggs on top of corned beef hash cakes with a spicy tomato hollandaise). For $10, guests can also build their own bloody marys from a sushi-style order card with a choice of 15 garnishes and hot sauces. —B.S.

PhoTos: ToP, MEGhan RaLsTon; BoTToM, BETh sTaLLInGs

Eggs Worthington

of signature dishes like herbaceous pork-andprosciutto-stuffed Tortelloni En Brodo waft from the open kitchen. “When you come in, I want you to feel like you are at your grandma’s house—that sort of comfort and smells and hospitality,” says Rick, who’s crafted a small, familiar menu of pizzas, pastas and entrees at La Tavola. Krista, as she did once before, bakes the breads and desserts. It’s by far the most personal version of La Tavola, Rick says. And this time, with a few more life lessons under his apron, he hopes his neighborhood eatery will prove its staying power. Here, he shares what he’s learned in opening and closing his restaurants.

As a chef, the lessons learned have been stick to what I know, stick to what I do well. I’m sticking to my formula of Italian food, letting ingredients speak. It’s simple food, very little preparation using the finest ingredients. That’s what does the talking.

“

We all eat. It would be a sad waste of opportunity to eat at badly. –Anna Thomas, mas, as, Chef C

Eat well! Come to Weiland’s for: ŊƂ ¨ 8 pÄ¾ Ɯ O p ŊƂ ºÄ ¾p¨ ¾ ¾ ŊƂ Ç¡¡ůO ºÐ | ¡ ŊƂ ºŌ a ¨ Ɯ O· º Ä¾

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New expanded hours! Monday-Saturday 9am-8pm • Sunday 10am-7pm 3600 Indianola Avenue · 614-267-9878 · WeilandsMarket.com 3600 Indianola Avenue • 614-267-9878 • WeilandsMarket.com s U M M E R 2 014 • C o l U M b U s C R av E . C o M • 3 5

S coop | diSh

BRINg ON ThE BOWlS story by Ji ll m o o rhead

t’s easy to love the bowl: rice, protein, sauce and maybe a veggie or two beautifully arranged in a scoopable format. Affordable, filling and easily adaptable for those with dietary restrictions, these all-in-one meals are becoming mainstays on many fast-casual menus. Spearheading the trend a decade ago, Northstar Cafe designed their menu with bowls in mind. “They were always in the picture at Northstar,” says co-founder Katy Malhame. “They’re a really easy way to offer a healthy and tasty alternative using ingredients we always have on hand.” For the Northstar gang, portability is also a plus, she adds. “They’re easy to grab when you’re on the go.”

Tensuke express Four large, artfully arranged pieces of crispy tempura shrimp are covered with a trifecta of condiments (wasabi mayo, sriracha and eel sauce) that give this Japanese Spicy Shrimp Tempura Bowl its spicy, sweet and salty flavor. Meanwhile, green onion and nori bring color and contrast. According to manager Keiko Rozzell, this dish, which attracts the restaurant’s American, Japanese and Korean clientele alike, wasn’t originally on the menu. “It was an accident,” she says.

norThsTar Cafe Northstar champions the rice-protein-veggie trio with their own bowls. The Korma Bowl displays bright steamed broccoli, carrots and cabbage alongside rotisserie chicken accented with the namesake heavily spiced cashew- and yogurt-based sauce, all on top of brown rice. Its sister entree, the Buddha Bowl, features a peanut sauce and is, according to Malhame, the most popular.

Diaspora As with most bowls, Diaspora’s Dolsot Bibim Bahp requires a little stirring. A raw egg arrives atop a mountain of rice, beef and veggies (spinach, carrots, pickled cucumbers and bean sprouts) in this traditional Korean dish. Mixing in the egg as it cooks inside the sizzling stone bowl isn’t too difficult, but if cooking your own protein isn’t your thing, the regular Bibim Bahp comes cold with a pre-fried egg.

Equal parts brown rice and kale make up the base in the half-salad, half-bowl BBQ Vegan Bowl. Warm tofu pieces slathered in sweet barbecue sauce come together with avocado slices, cool black beans, sprouts and a tastes-like-the-real-thing vegan mayonnaise. While many items rotate seasonally at Angry Baker, we’re told the barbecue bowl will remain a constant due to its popularity. 3 6 • C o l u m b u s C r av e . C o m • s u m m e r 2 014

PhOTO: TIM JOhNSON

The angry Baker

QUICK LUNCH OR RELAXED BUSINESS MEETING - PERFECT FOR EITHER Open for lunch Monday-Friday 11am-2:30pm Special “Menu Del Dia” Everyday for only $12 Free Valet • Convenient to Downtown

Jacob, Executive Chef

263 east whittier st. columbus, oh 43206 barcelonacolumbus.com 614-443-3699

S coop | throwdown

pineapple express We pit two of the city’s best al pastor tacos in a head-to-head dish showdown. story by brian lindamood

Hass Smoky spice takes center stage in Hass’ flavorful al pastor taco ($1.75), served on a pair of corn tortillas with onion, cilantro and a little kick of cool green salsa. Small chunks of sweet pineapple cut through the heat of the crisp grilled pork. also try: Al pastor plays an impressive supporting role in the torta ($8), a super-sub of lettuce, tomato, avocado, beans, salsa, jalapeno and more stuffed into a chewy, grilled loaf of bread. 3 8 • C o l u m b u s C r av e . C o m • s u m m e r 2 014

Los GuacHos The al pastor taco ($1.50) at Los Guachos showcases the meat: Two corn tortillas are topped with big chunks of moist, tender pork along with onion and cilantro. The thin slices of pineapple are a tart complement to the subtly spicy meat. also try: The gri ngas ($3.50), served on a grilled flour tortilla, piles on even more of that great marinated pork and adds cheese. Give it a squirt of lime and you’ve got al pastor deluxe.

photos: top, tim Johnson; bottim, meghan ralston

nce the exclusive specialty of taco trucks and lusted after by in-theknow street-food fans, al pastor tacos are going mainstream. As the pork-and-pineapple combo is discovered by more diners, it’s increasingly gracing the menus of brick-and-mortar taquerias—and even showing up at stylish new bars like The Sycamore and Bakersfield. Los Guachos led the way in 2011, when the West Side taco truck opened a storefront on Bethel Road; it’s since opened a third location in Gahanna. More recently, Hass in Dublin introduced excellent al pastor tacos alongside its signature wood-grilled carne asada. Al pastor originated in central Mexico, says Los Guachos business partner Vincent Fasone. “It’s very common in Mexico City,” he says. “I mean, you go out all over the city, and you find it everywhere.” The hallmark of authentic al pastor is a vertical spit that slowly grills the meat— layer upon layer of thinly sliced, marinated pork—all topped with pineapple. It looks like a shawarma spit and, in fact, many trace the origins of the dish to Middle Eastern immigrants who settled in Mexico. “The secret to it is the marinade sauce,” says Fasone, adding Los Guachos’ recipe is representative of the original, central Mexico style. “Depending on the region [in Mexico], they may use different chili peppers or certain herbs that may be more prevalent in that part of the country. But the overall process is the same.” We taste-tested two of the city’s favorite versions of al pastor: Los Guachos’ meaty original and the bolder, smokier recipe served by newcomer Hass.

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Sco op | eventS

Spagio

Spagio Dishes Up the Stars Monday, March 3 Photos by jeffry ko n C zal

The more than 200 guests who gathered at Spagio’s annual fundraiser were treated to some of the best culinary bites in the world as chefs from italy to Chicago gathered for a lively evening of food and wine. Highlights included shaved pork belly porchetta from Chicago chef Shawn McClain, traditional Tyrolean dumplings from italian chef angelika Zossmayer and cured foie gras torchon from Spagio chefs Hubert Seifert and David Toth. The event raised more than $100,000 for the arthur g. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research institute. 4 0 • C o l u m b u s C r av e . C o m • s u m m e r 2 014

G. MICHAEL’S PRIX FIXE MONDAYS 3 Courses for $30

G. MICHAEL’S HAPPY HOUR

$7 Small Plates • $5 Cocktails $3 Pints • $4 Wine Pours Monday - Friday 4:30 - 7:00 p.m. in the bar

Private Party Space Available.

595

Sco op | eventS

The Food ForT aT eCdI

Food Fort Showcase Thursday, March 13 Photos by Jo di mi ller

The Food Fort at economic and Community development Institute (eCdI), a nonprofit business incubator that supports local food entrepreneurs, proudly opened its kitchen for one night to showcase more than two dozen talented members. It was foodie networking at its finest with food media, event planners and bloggers mingling and sampling dishes from food truck owners, bakers, caterers and cottageindustry pros. From herbaceous ice pops to fiery honey, freshly baked bread to kimchee salsa—no one left hungry that night. 4 2 • C o l u m b u s C r av e . C o m • s u m m e r 2 014

NEW BRUNCH MENU

SAT + SUN | 10AM TO 3 PM Featuring unique breakfast items such as Bananas Foster’s French Toast, Parma Benedict, and, of course, Steak and Eggs. Or you can enjoy one of Tucci’s classics including our Blackened Walleye Sandwich and Baked Rigatoni. Add in one of our specialty cocktails, like the Blood Orange Bellini or Cajun Bloody Mary, and there is no better way to start your day!

RETAIL WINE NIGHT EVERY SUNDAY

JOIN US ON THE PATIO FOR LIVE MUSIC TUESDAY THRU SUNDAY

35 N. High St. Dublin OH | 614.792.3466 tuccisdublin.com

Sco op | eventS

Barley’s smokehouse & BrewpuB

A Sumerian-egyptian Beer Dinner saturday, march 29 Photos by Jeffry Ko n C zal

Brewers from Barley’s smokehouse & Brewpub and Great lakes Brewing Co. collaborated to host a beer dinner inspired by ancient brewing processes. During the part beer tasting, part history lesson at the Columbus smokehouse, 48 guests were entertained by tales of beer and brewing in mesopotamia, along with how brewers at the smokehouse were moved to craft an egyptian-inspired brew and how Great lakes brewers created two sumerian inspired beers. after dinner, diners were invited to sample these limited-edition beers, including sipping Great lake’s enkibru communally from a pot using reeds. 4 4 • C o l u m b u s C r av e . C o m • s u m m e r 2 014

BIG FAT GREEK KUZINA WE COOK FOR YOU LIKE WE COOK AT HOME!

TRY OUR NEW WINE LIST by glass or bottle, MERLOT, ROSE MALBEC, CHARDONNAY, LOTS OF GREEK WINES. CHILLED SANGRIA’S by the glass or carafe.

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Sco op | eventS

Huntington Park

celebrity chef tuesday, april 29

Photos by m addi e m Cg arvey

it was a beautiful spring night at Huntington Park, the rain holding off just long enough for more than 500 animal lovers to gather in support of the Capital area Humane Society. Chefs from 30 area restaurants were paired with local celebrities to serve up signature bites, while adoptable animals scurried around the stadium. in all, more than $40,000 was raised for the humane society.

4 6 â&#x20AC;˘ C o l u m b u s C r av e . C o m â&#x20AC;˘ s u m m e r 2 014

$2 each

WEDNESDAYS:

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FRIDAYS:

SHRIMP SPICY TACOS

MONDAYS:

Buy One Taco al Pastor And Get One FREE TRY OUR DELICSIOUS FISH TACO

SATURDAYS

LAMB TACOS SUNDAYS:

CARNITAS TA

COS

5221 Godown Rd., Columbus, OH 43235 • 1376 Cherry Bottom Rd., Gahanna, OH 43 43230 3230 Skip the wait, call ahead for carry out:

(614) 538-0211

SUN - THU: 11AM-12AM FRI & SAT: 11AM-1AM

(614) 471 4717

OPEN DAILY

MON - SUN: 11AM - 11PM

www.los-guachos.com

nO. 4, e

nes ed s. be on ough ations

Calendar summer 2014 june

ure

Ons d

aganza, nd art

res who best

a glass of wine a bite to eat on the Patio

local nts!

nus of cent

Wednesday Originals

TasTings On The Terrace

Participating Dine Originals restaurants offer special dining experiences the first Wednesday of each month, ranging from tastings to themed wine dinners. dineoriginalscolumbus.com

ge tures nary

uest

the Patio at The Refectory this summer

Franklin Park COnservatOry enjoy a fine selection of music, spirits and samples from local restaurants at this social benefitting the conservatory’s adult education outreach programs. fpconservatory.org

the hills Market WOrthingtOn taste from a selection of 25 patio-perfect wines while you browse the market and sample a variety of hills products. thehillsmarket.com

dOWnTOWn drive-in, “ghOsTbusTers”

nOrth Market stop by the north Market plaza at sundown for a retro movie experience. tickets are $18 for vehicles, $5 for pedestrians, with market merchants offering concessions. northmarket.com

10 fOr $10 Wine TasTing

MOOnlighT MarkeT

gay street, betWeen high anD thirD starting at 6 p.m. every second saturday of every month, dozens of local vendors line gay street for an evening of shopping under the stars. special pop-ups include artisanal pizza from Dan the baker at Cafe brioso and specialty italian goods from il Mercato at Due amici. moonlightmarketcolumbus.com

eek ral at this on, le fare.

REFECTORY RESTAURANT & BISTRO 1092 Bethel Road, Columbus, OH 43220 | 614-451-9774 | refectory.com

4 8 • C o l u m b u s C r av e . C o m • s u m m e r 2 014

ZOOfari

COluMbus ZOO anD aquariuM Make your way through an adultsonly safari of appetizers and specialty drinks from more than 100 local bars and restaurants. columbuszoo.org

FOOdFight

Shrimp and Grits at G. Michael’s

Dine or drink at a participating local restaurant, and 5 percent of your check will go toward the Mid-Ohio Foodbank’s Operation Feed campaign. foodfighthunger.com

german Village haus und garten tOur preVieW party

This exclusive sneak peek at the Haus und Garten Tour’s homes includes the tour, a cocktail party, an intimate dinner and dancing. germanvillagetour.com

july

Wednesday Originals

OhiO FOOd & Wine FestiVal

Participating Dine Originals restaurants offer special dining experiences the first Wednesday of each month, ranging from tastings to themed wine dinners. dineoriginalscolumbus.com

NOrTH MArkET The biggest names in Ohio wine gather for a weekend of tasting, live music and cooking demonstrations. northmarket.com

Wednesday Originals

Dine Originals Columbus is ditching its biannual restaurant weeks for a monthly promotion designed to showcase the personality of each of its roughly 45 members. The promotion is called Wednesday Originals and will take place on the first Wednesday of every month, kicking off June 4.

“The idea is that the first Wednesday of every month, there will be a special dining promotion at every restaurant,” says Shelley Mann, Dine Originals executive director. “There are so many restaurant weeks in the city; it wasn’t getting the same traction as when they started it.” For example, at G. Michael’s in German Village, $19 will buy you 10 wine samples and 10 appetizers. “It’s a great deal,” Mann says, adding while the premise will always be the same, the theme will change each month. So you may see all Chilean wines on one visit or all California the next. Mezzo in Dublin will offer retail wines by the bottle from 4 to 6 p.m. Hubbard Grille is calling their promotion Win It Wednesday, offering every table a scratch-off-style lottery ticket. Each one will be a winner with discounts like a free appetizer or a certain percentage off your bill. And for those who like a challenge, you can take part in Due Amici’s Your Apps for an App. Surrender your smart phone for the entire meal, and your appetizer will be free. “Each restaurant will be able to pick something that speaks to their vibe and their personality,” Mann says. “It’s not as strict as three courses and a set price. This is something where they get to be creative.” For more details on promotions, head to the Wednesday Originals page on Dine Originals’ website at dineoriginalscolumbus.com.

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Moonlight Market

Gay Street, between HiGH and tHird Starting at 6 p.m. every second Saturday of every month, dozens of local vendors line Gay Street for an evening of shopping under the stars. Special pop-ups include artisanal pizza from dan the baker at Cafe brioso and specialty italian goods from il Mercato at due amici. moonlightmarketcolumbus.com

Jazz and rib Fest

nortH bank Park the 35th annual celebration of hot ribs and cool jazz will feature a wide array of performers, as well as 23 award-winning barbeque teams competing for the honor of “best ribs.” hotribscooljazz.org

food porn

downtown drive-in, “Jaws”

nortH Market Stop by the north Market plaza at sundown for a retro movie experience. tickets are $18 for vehicles, $5 for pedestrians, with market merchants offering concessions. northmarket.com

august

wednesday originals

Participating dine originals restaurants offer special dining experiences the first wednesday of each month, ranging from tastings to themed wine dinners. dineoriginalscolumbus.com

Moonlight Market

12 48 craft beers on tap. New American Cuisine. 29 East Winter Street Delaware, OH 43015 740.417.4373 1808americanbistro.com 5 0 • C o l u m b u s C r av e . C o m • s u m m e r 2 014

historical dinner club no. 4, Featuring the clarMont

alana’S Food & wine Join alana Shock as she reimagines the Clarmont, the famous, white-tablecloth steakhouse that closed in 2012 after 65 years. artifacts from the restaurant will be on display as Shock takes diners through her one-nightonly menu. reservations required. columbushistory.org

TasTe The FuTure

Columbus state Community College this annual event features dozens of the region’s finest culinary offerings, supporting student scholarships at Columbus state Community College. tasteofthefuture.com

Food Truck FesTival

Columbus Commons more than 50 local and regional food trucks will line the Commons for this annual extravaganza, which also features live music and art and crafts vendors. columbuscommons.org

Tea 43206

german Village guest House tea, wine, hor d’oeuvres and pastries will be served to all who arrive at this benefit gala in their best garden party attire. germanvillage.com

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crave’s Farm To PlaTe

Join us in celebrating local farmers and restaurants at Crave’s annual dining event! From aug. 18 to 24, participating restaurants will offer special menus of dishes made with at least 70 percent locally grown ingredients. columbuscrave.com

wine & dine

Wine & Dine is a strolling foodand wine-tasting event featuring some of the city’s premier restaurants and wine distributors, live music and an auction. all proceeds go toward arthritis Foundation programs and services for Central ohioans living with the disease. arthritis.org

Field To Table

Franklin Park Conservatory’s Women’s board hosts this annual elegant al fresco dinner, which celebrates the year’s harvest while raising funds for the conservatory’s horticultural programs. this year’s guest chef will be Jonathon sawyer of the greenhouse tavern in Cleveland. fpconservatory.org

Greek FesTival

annunCiation greek ortHoDox CatHeDral get a taste of greece at this 42nd annual labor Day celebration, featuring gourmet and street-style fare. columbusgreekfestival.com

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table talk eScaPe to the la ke With a new winery and growing brewery, Buckeye Lake’s foodie scene is as rich as its storied past. Sto ry by g . a. be nto n l P hoto S by t e S Sa b e r g Measuring just 6 to 8 feet from surface to bottom in multiple spots, Buckeye Lake is shallow, but its history is deep. Built in the 1820s as a feeder for the Ohio and Erie Canal system, Buckeye Lake was converted into Ohio’s first state park when the canals were abandoned. It promptly turned into a popular resort by the early 1900s. Facilitating this burgeoning tourism, summer-cottage-popping Buckeye Lake became linked with cities like Columbus (35 miles away) via a hard-to-believe electric railway line called an interurban. As people and dollars flowed in, hotels, ballrooms (who’d lure in top acts like Frank Sinatra and Louis Armstrong) and a center-of-it-all amusement park with a famous roller coaster ride were constructed. Back then, it wasn’t uncommon for tens of thousands of revelers to visit on weekends.

table talk | road trip

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Traversing around current-day Buckeye Lake, with its occasional dilapidated and paint-chipped edifices, it’s difficult to imagine the area was once so grand. But it was. And fortunately locals are splashing up hopeful new ripples by opening forward-looking businesses that complement Buckeye Lake’s handsome houses and vintage establishments. One refreshing newbie is two-year-old and booming Buckeye Lake Brewery. A stop on Columbus Brew Adventures’ Licking County tour, this revamped gas station is now a charming and contemporary taproom with a wooden floor, mod orange-and-black seating and a cool concrete bar backed by white subway tiles. When I visited, two affable guys in beards, tats and official brewery T-shirts (“Drink local, drink better”) were dispensing free popcorn and Buckeye Lake Brewery’s clean and true-to-style, if modest-bodied, homemade ales. Eight taps rotate through 15 styles, and recommended flights (six four-ounce glasses) are $10. After sloshing through blonde ales (for Pilsner lovers), popular black IPAs (think stout and IPA hybrids) and strong Scotch ales (the proprietor’s pride), food seems prudent. Fortunately, Buckeye Lake Brewery is stocked with menus from the Pizza Cottage, which delivers. But I suggest you visit the Cottage yourself. Lovingly embraced since premiering in 1972, the beer-serving and casual Pizza Cottage is large and rife with quaint nautical accents like portal windows and harpoons on walls. And you won’t find a better (or greasier) classic Central Ohiostyle pepperoni pizza anywhere ($14 for a gigantic pie). If you prefer your square-cut, thin and cracker-y crust, tangy sauce and piled-high toppings to showcase something more “outre,” go native and order the famous BLT pizza. It’s odd—pizza sauce and “BLT” ingredients are capped by an un-browned crust spackled with mayo—but fun. Pro tip: $7 buys any personal-size pizza plus a drink and salad. For fancier fare, head to Napa Valleyinspired Buckeye Lake Winery. A runaway hit since opening last July, the winery’s farm-country-style exterior belies a sophisticated stone and wood interior with beautiful views of the lake and righton-the-water patio seating. While all winemaking takes place on s U M M E R 2 014 • C o l U M b U s C R av E . C o M • 5 7

table talk | road trip

Pulled Pork Sliders at Buckeye Lake Winery

premise, Buckeye Lake Winery’s vino grapes come from California (except for one Ohio-sourced white unavailable when I visited). Get-to-know-us flights (six tastes for $12) are strongly encouraged. The winery also serves enticing if unpretentious food like a tricked-out Winery Salad ($4) with pistachios, cranberries, blue cheese and an assertive vinaigrette. Gussied up Sliders (two for $12) with pulled pork and jalapeno jam or beef with caramelized onions arrive with terrific house-made chips. And don’t forget the house favorite—a rich, sweet, salty, garlicky and almost-big Fig and Gorgonzola Flatbread ($13) with a thin and crispy handmade crust.

Raspberry Chip at Weldon’s Olde Fashion Ice Cream Parlor

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For dessert, it’s hard to beat blast-fromthe-past Weldon’s Olde Fashion Ice Cream Parlor and Factory, cranking out dreamily creamy confections since 1930. Super cute and continuously familyowned, its wooden interior has darling yellow booths and a blue-painted floor. Still, the lake-facing front porch of this big, old white building might be the prime perch to enjoy wonderful cones ($2.75), like buttery Salty Caramel Turtle and Raspberry Chip. Break for a visit to the little but significant Greater Buckeye Lake Historical Society Museum (a $4 donation is suggested for this allvolunteer enterprise). Here, you’ll witness

old photos, a model of the beloved amusement park, interurban paraphernalia, prehistoric arrowheads and mastodon tusks, plus vital information on the lakeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rare and much-studied cranberry bog (a geological oddity listed in Ripleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Believe It or Not!). Out back, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll see the lakeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ostensible first lodgingâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;an 1860 vintage log cabin. For a nightcap and snack, you should go where everybody else goes, the Copper Penny Tavern. The catch-as-catch-can parking outside this no-frills, 1962-minted, often crowded (especially when free bands play) hangout gets so dense that custom dictates patrons leave their cell numbers on paper scraps in their car windshields. Get a call, move your car, go back in for more rowdiness. After you polish off some hand-cut fries and crispy wings (a ton of sauces and only 40 cents each on super-popular Thursdays), and down a shot of Wild Turkey ($4.25, served in a plastic cup) chased by a $2.50 can of beer, head out to one of Pennyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s many piersâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;or just gaze out the window. If your timingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s right, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll see the sun set into the water and feel spirits rising again dramatically on history-deep Buckeye Lake. Columbus-based food critic G.A. Benton reviews restaurants weekly for Columbus Alive.

Where to Stop in Buckeye Lake Buckeye Lake Brewery 5176 Walnut Rd., Buckeye Lake 740-535-6225, buckeyelakebrewery.com Buckeye Lake Winery 13750 Rosewood Rd., Thornville 740-246-5665, buckeyelakewinery.com Copper Penny Tavern 15396 Copper Penny Rd., Township Road 403, Thornville, 740-246-4651, copperpennylakeside.com Greater Buckeye Lake Historical Society 4729 Walnut Rd., Hebron 740-929-1998, buckeyelakehistory.org/museum.html Pizza Cottage 4592 Walnut Rd., Buckeye Lake 740-928-1144, pizza-cottage.com Weldonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Olde Fashion Ice Cream Parlor 2887 Canal Dr., Millersport 740-467-2400, weldons.com

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table talk | ethniC e ats Pernil with rice and salad from Cilantro Food Truck

Curbed Cuisine Expand your global palate with ethnic food trucks that bring a taste of cultures and dishes not found elsewhere in Columbus. story by bethia Woolf

pening a restaurant is, even under the most favorable of conditions, a risky endeavor. Opening a restaurant specializing in a cuisine a city has never before experienced, or that has not been supported previously, is riskier yet. What’s an entrepreneur with dreams of serving untested flavors that they’re nonetheless passionate about to do? Increasingly, the answer is: Open a food truck. The startup costs are far lower, and mobility increases the ability to target appreciative customer bases. And, as a result, the diversity of cuisines offered in our fair city become far greater. Here are five of our favorite trucks serving flavors that can’t be found in a brick-and-mortar setting, and are worth seeking out this season.

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Carne Fritas from Teodora’s Kitchen

Teodora’s KiTchen

Also plying the burgeoning microbrewery circuit is Teodora’s. Run by a Panamanian mother and her restaurant veteran daughter, Teodora’s serves the vibrant flavors from the strip of land where South America meets Central America. Their Carne Fritas—locally sourced and perfectly grilled skirt steak slices atop a bed of rice and lentils—have made return customers out of many a carnivore, and their Rope Vieja sandwich—a thick shredded beef stew on toast—is similarly crave-worthy. Notable sides include an intriguing and delicious potato-beet salad, twice-fried green plantains known as tostones, and a tangy ceviche (small fish cubes marinated in citrus).

PHoToS: LeFT, MegHAN RALSToN; RIgHT, joDI MILLeR

cilanTro

When Brian Perez closed Costelo’s, the only restaurant in town carrying Puerto Rican cuisine, his next move was to open Cilantro. Conceived with a focus on Latin fusion, incorporating the flavors of Cuba and Mexico, Puerto Rican favorites have nonetheless snuck onto Cilantro’s menu. His mother Ana Perez’s pernil with pigeon peas and rice is outstanding—a generous portion of perfectly seasoned slow-cooked pork roasted to a luxurious tenderness. The Tripleta sandwich, a Puerto Rican street food standard, is similarly enjoyable. It’s a crusty grilled baguette filled with chicken, pork and beef, plus lettuce, tomato and fried potato matchsticks. Don’t forget to ask for a side of the signature cilantro sauce, and don’t forget to ask about the specials—if their spare ribs are available, they’re a must-order.

Bethia Woolf, owner of Columbus Food Adventures, blogs about the ethnic dining scene at alteatscolumbus.com.

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table talk | ethnic eats

AjumAmA

Chef Laura Lee of Ajumama

While there’s no shortage of Korean restaurants in Columbus, Laura Lee nonetheless found herself yearning for a dish more commonly found at the street vendors of Seoul than in the restaurants of Bethel Road. With her highly regarded food truck, Ajumama, she set out to address this oversight, serving up, among other Korean favorites, hoedduk. From a wheat flour pancake-like dough, hoedduk is rolled and stuffed with any of a variety of sweet or savory ingredients, with brown sugar and cinnamon being the most popular. Once filled, the ball is flattened on the griddle and cooked to a crisp golden brown. You can typically find Ajumama making the rotations at local breweries and at food truck festivals.

merendero CAtrACho

Honduran food has found its footing on Sullivant Avenue thanks to Merendero Catracho, a quaint family-run trailer adorned with the blue and white of the Honduran flag. Operating on weekends during the summer, Catracho has snared a dedicated following with its Baleadas, often thought to be Honduras’s national dish. Starting with a thick, fluffy wheat flour tortilla, Baleadas are then stuffed with a variety of fillings, though they almost always include refried beans, crema and cheese. Their Tajadas con Pollo are another standby, and unlike the snack-sized Baleada, make for a hearty meal. It starts with a bed of plantains (fried ripe chips or strips of fried unripe plantains) and a fried chicken leg and thigh, upon which shredded cabbage and pickled onions are heaped. A ladle of a thin dairy sauce and a mild red sauce top it off, making for an intriguing and satisfying mess of a dish. Rendang with prata at Aromaku

PHOTOS:TOP, jOdI MILLeR; BOTTOM, RYAn M.L. YOunG

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AromAku

With Taste of Bali’s shuttering in 2011 and a rapid succession of similar restaurants quickly opening and closing since, Indonesian has been in short supply in Columbus. Currently carrying the cuisine’s torch is Aromaku, a food truck with a cleverly curated menu of Indonesian favorites, whose popularity and critical acclaim suggest they’ll buck the trend. Often found at local brewery bars such as Zauber and Seventh Son, Aromaku’s favorites include Rendang, a rich, coconut milkinfused beef stew, and Martabak, eggroll-like purses filled with a delicious mixture of eggs and ground pork. For the less adventurous, the Bakmi Ayam—egg noodles topped with ground chicken—strike an irresistible comfort food chord. Their mildly spiced Ayem Goreng—distinctively marinated fried chicken—is another favorite, and pairs wonderfully with any of a number of local brews.

table talk | breakfast

bloody mary cart at Due amici

a bloo blooDy gooD time

mATT THe miller’s TAvern

the strength of the bloody mary is in its infinite customization, and matt the miller’s tavern takes advantage of it by offering matt’s Ultimat bloody mary bar to complement their weekend brunch buffet. for $7, customers are provided a glass of Ultimat Vodka and given free reign to load up with more liquids and garnishes, including pickles, gherkins, horseradish and about 15 hot sauces.

HAl & Al’s

hal & al’s meets the challenge of creating a bloody mary to pair with their vegan brunch of “sausage” gravy and biscuits or tofu scrambles. “for some things we have to think outside the box,” says owner Jay Cheplowitz. “a lot of substitutes don’t work. fake bacon doesn’t work; bacon vodka doesn’t work.” so his bar staff turned to the ever-popular new holland Dragon’s milk. the michigan-made stout is always on tap, and its bourbon barrel-aging provides a sweet and boozy addition to the traditional vodka base. 6 4 • C o l u m b u s C r av e . C o m • s u m m e r 2 014

story by niCholas dekker

Due Amici

like a bar on wheels, Due amici’s bloody mary cart lets you customize your cocktail without getting up from the table. starting with pepper-infused absolut vodka, a server will blend tomato juice with your choice of accouterment, including Clamato (clam juice), horseradish, garlic, Worcestershire and sriracha. tall glasses overflowing with garnishes offer celery, lemon, pickles and banana peppers. busy weekend brunches will keep the cart rolling from table to table all day.

Tucci’s

this Dublin spot serves bloody marys with houseinfused vodkas, Zing Zang bloody mary mix and glass rims coated with celery salt or tabasco and old bay. but they also demonstrate the bloody mary’s flexibility with the bourbon bloody mary, which is fueled by bacon-infused maker’s mark and garnished with—you guessed it—bacon. tucci’s manager Christina meehan explains, “bacon is breakfast, and to me the bourbon bloody was one of things we needed to do.”

BroTHers DrAke meADery

eric allen starts their bloody mary with hot shot, a fiery mead infused with habanero peppers from CaJohn’s. he then supplements it with oyo vodka and a mix laden with ohio tomato juice, garlic, ginger, carrots and apples. “ours is the anticondiment mix,” he says. “it’s served in a martini glass and is more like a booze soup.”

Photos: toP, tim Johnson; bottom, meghan ralston; right, tim Johnson

t’s easy to see why the bloody mary is often called the most complex cocktail. Most restaurant managers and bartenders will define it as a base of vodka and tomato juice, but the common ground stops there. “I like a bloody mary to hit every different note,” says Christina Meehan of Tucci’s in Dublin. “I want some salt. I want some heat. I want to taste the booze. I try to a strike a balance.” This is precisely the draw of the bloody mary, says Eric Allen from Brothers Drake Meadery. There are no real rules and therefore so many directions to take the morning cocktail. “The thing is to do it your own way,” he says. Columbus brunchers in search of a bloody mary fix— whether you like it ultra-spicy or the chance to build your own—should seek out one of these options.

Five bloody marys perfect for sipping with brunch

Bloody mary at 101 Beer Kitchen

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Bloody marys abound in Columbus. It’s tough to narrow down a list of so many tasty options, and we couldn’t help throwing in five more worth a sip.

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101 Beer Kitchen: 101’s brunch menu features a bloody mary fronted by tequila, commonly called a Bloody Maria. Their Maria is smoky and spicy, blending smoked salts on the rim with a green tomatillo mix. Columbus Brewing Co. Restaurant: CBC’s weekend brunch is rounded out with five bloody marys, like the veggie-centric Mary’s Garden with Effen cucumber vodka, fresh basil, lime and dill pickles. Ethyl & Tank: This campus bar lets customers build their own bloody marys from a base of Absolut vodka, house mixes like bold, spicy or green chili and a variety of garnishes and hot sauces.

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Flip Side: Their weekend burgers and brunch lets you have a sandwich in a glass. The BLT Mary-Tini blends a spicy mix with apple wood-smokedbacon-infused vodka and a bacon garnish. Milestone 229: Milestone’s patio is ideal for sipping one of their eight bloody marys. Go for a meaty Kentucky Cowboy fashioned with Maker’s Mark and a beef jerky garnish.

Nicholas Dekker blogs about breakfast at breakfastwithnick.com. His book, “Breakfast With Nick: Columbus,” is a complete guidebook to the morning meal.

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table talk | regular

tim Frederich at Windward Passage

INSPIRE YOUR LOOK.

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Photo: tim johnson

name: Tim Frederich • age: 66 • neighborhood: Dublin • occupation: Potter and owner of frederich Pottery

saFe Passage I

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t could be called a Columbus secret, as Windward Passage Restaurant doesn’t do much advertising and is tucked away in the Arlington Square Shopping Plaza. But it’s well-known among regulars who love to spread the word about this charming, long time eatery. One of those regulars is Tim Frederich, who’s been eating there for 40 years. —Karina Nova

How did you first discover windward Passage? i started going there in the 1970s after it opened and have been a steady customer since the early 1990s. there weren’t a large number of restaurants in this northwest area in the early 1970s, so we would try most restaurants when they opened. wHat makes tHis restaurant stand out? i have always liked the food, the value, the employees and the atmosphere. i have met many people at the restaurant, and many have become good friends over the years.

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it Has a unique atmosPHere. How would you describe it? it hasn’t changed much since it opened. the decorations are still the same; they’ve just done some necessary upgrades. You can see the marine theme everywhere. it’s kind of dark but warm. it gets really busy on Fridays and saturdays. You can pick whether to sit in the more formal dining room without tVs or near the bar. We usually start at the bar; there’s usually a wait because they don’t take reservations. that’s a good time to catch up with our friends and meet people. wHat do you usually order? i like the prime rib. the shrimp is great, too. the bartenders give generous pours for a great price. First-timers should try the walleye or any seafood dish. the portions are big. We usually take leftovers home. Catch Karina Nova’s weekly Crave segments Saturday mornings on 10TV news HD.

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table talk | perfect pairings

Brussels Sprouts Flatbread

pan Seared Sea Bass

Shrimp and Sausage Risotto

ReFReShing Sip

Learn to love something new at Bel Lago Waterfront Dining.

story by beth stallings l Photos by tim johnson

reating the wine list at Bel Lago Waterfront Dining is a balancing act, says general manager Michael Melching. Sure, the list will always have the classics—the cabs and chardonnays from recognizable wineries like Rombauer and Cakebread. “When diners see them, they understand the quality behind it,” Melching says. But for wine geeks, or those who simply want to try something new, there are plenty of esoteric picks on the 150-bottle list, which has earned a Wine Spectator award of excellence the last two years. And the Westerville restaurant offers a noncommittal way to sample many of them. Through their Napa Technology machine—a clean-pour server that keeps a dozen open bottles fresh—servers at Bel Lago can pour 2-, 4- or 6-ounce samples. This allows Melching to offer unfamiliar labels by the

glass without fear of waste: wines like the 2008 Ciel du Cheval Vineyard Reserve (6 ounces for $30) from Tamarack Cellars in Walla Walla, Washington. “The grapes used are the same grapes you’ll find in a Bordeaux,” he says. The wine is balanced, flavorful and, like its French counterpart, full-bodied yet still easy to drink. If you’re ready to stray from the typical order, Melching offers a few pointers. Wines from Washington are often overlooked—with regions like Columbia Valley producing great options. Specifically he suggests a 2009 Isenhower Red Blend ($31) from Walla Walla. “It is very easy to drink and has a nice, full body and is very affordable,” he says. “It also goes great with meat. It doesn’t require a really trained palate to appreciate it.” On the white side, the chardonnay from La Follette Wines ($49) in Sonoma County

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goes great with food. “But it goes a little against the grain of California chardonnays,” Melching says. “It has a little more earth, a little more mustiness to it than most people are used to.” Or, consider a chenin blanc. “It’s a great, great food wine. It’s got good acidity that’s a good food match.” While malbec seems to be the hot red right now, Melching looks forward to watching the growing trend toward grenache from Spain. “I think it’s a wine that a lot of people can enjoy,” he says. “It has similar flavor profiles as malbec, nice weight, a little fullness and fruit. And it’s at a price point that is very accessible.” While Bel Lago’s spring menu didn’t feature grenache, it will come summer. Another change for the season: a new chef. Owen Maass, who comes to Bel Lago from Cincinnati, started in May and will be revamping the Bel Lago menu with a greater focus on seafood.

Dish: Shrimp and Sausage Risotto ($19). To counter the dish's spice, Melching suggests pairing it with a riesling—a wine he loves for its versatility. It can range from bone-dry to syrupy sweet. “Things that have spice are really balanced out by sweetness,” he says.

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 By the glass: 2012 Dr. Loosen “Dr. L,” Mosel ($8/glass, $32/bottle). “It has that little bit of residual sweetness that’ll go well with this dish,” he says. By the bottle: 2012 Hans von Wilhelm Auslese, Piesporter ($37). “I’m a huge fan [of this wine]. It’s a German that really pops.”

Dish: Pan Seared Sea Bass Fillet ($32). It’s a dish that has good texture and a mild flavor, Melching says, and so it needs an equally balanced wine. By the glass: 2011 Hess, Monterey ($9/glass, $36/bottle). “It has some good acidity that goes well with food without being too full-bodied. It won’t overpower the dish,” he says.

spice

your

day

the raja wrap Tandoori chicken, basmati rice, red onions, jalapenos, topped with creamy tomato sauce

 By the bottle: 2012 Daniel Chotard, Sancerre ($61). “It’s a sauvignon blanc and a French wine, so it’s going to have that terroir, that soil that I think goes well with seafood. It’s a little more earthy.”

Dish: Brussels Sprouts Flatbread ($15). “It’s not your typical pepperoni pizza,” says Melching of this crisp flatbread topped with Brussels, pancetta and mozzarella. By the glass: 2012 Caposaldo Pinot Grigio, Veneto ($6.75/glass, $27/bottle). “It’s easy to like, and it complements a lot of types of food,” he says. “It has good weight, good body that goes well with this dish.”  By the bottle: 2010 Bruno Giacosa Roreo Arneis, Piedmont ($72). “It has a little more flowery components that would go well with the pancetta and Brussels.”

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nbury Rd | Westerville, OH 43081| 614.891.0200 -Thurs 11 a.m.-10 p.m. • Fri-Sat 11a.m.-11 p.m. y Brunch: 11 a.m.-2 p.m. • Dinner 4 p.m.- 10 p.m. elLagoRestaurant.com | Like us on Facebook

OVER 50 YEARS IN BUSINESS 1961 - PRESENT

New Gluten Free Ravioli! Enjoy our Gourmet Pizzas

Open 7 days a week

Gluten Free

747 E. Lincoln Ave. Columbus, Ohio 43229

We offer a full line of Italian Dinners.

(614) 885-3121

Crust Now Available!

Sauces and dough made fresh daily.

www.pizzahousecolumbus.com Winner of numerous awards!

2014

It happened on artfully presented plates at a brewpub. Coming out of the kitchen of a dive bar. In the freezer section of the grocery store. From the tap handles at a cocktail bar. On a vintage plate piled high with house-cured meats. Columbusâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; dining landscape is rapidly changing, and for the better. Leading the charge: these 11 inspired chefs, bartenders and visionaries who have big plans for the future. StOrIeS by Anthony Dominic and Beth StAllingS PhOtOS by will Shilling

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Donte Allen CHArCuTIEr, THE TABlE Why he’s a Tastemaker: In the basement of The Table, Donte Allen spends countless hours in a small windowless room he calls his lab. It’s where he cures pork, crafts pate from chicken and beef and dreams up savory flavors of sausage. When The Table opened in the Short North last year, charcuterie—a selection of house-cured meats—was a big part of the mission, with offerings rotating every few weeks and taking up a full page on the menu. Allen was the guy they hired to lead the charge, which he did with rich and creamy country pate and jamon blanc (ham herb-brined then slowly oven-poached) among a countless array of other cured meats and sausages. It’s Allen’s thoughtful commitment to his craft that turned heads this year. Cheese, please: “It wasn’t meat, initially. It was cheese,” says Allen, who was inspired “to make things” after taking a job at Curds & Whey eight years ago. He began to make cheese—a wonderful goat milk camembert was his first—at home. “Then I had a lot of failures. A lot of failures,” Allen says. So he built a cheese cooler and started to read about molding. Italian inspiration: On a trip to Italy, Allen wandered into a salumiere. As he spoke with the Italian butcher and tried his cured meats, endorphins started to pulse. “That was the point where I was like, ‘Why don’t we have this here?’ That’s when I decided I was going to do this,” Allen says. He built a curing room at home and began making peperone, duck prosciutto, lamb pancetta and lomo. Eventually he would enroll in the French Culinary Institute in New York, commuting back and forth each week, for formal training. The mecca of meat: “I remember the first time I had the black-footed pig, the pata negra, from Spain. It’s literally like

raised on the east side of eating money, ’cause it’s Cleveland, allen grew up on brats $180 a pound,” Allen says. and kielbasa and trips to the West side market. eastern european Inspired by the way some cultures influence the way he of those pigs are raised— makes his sausage. fed only acorns their entire lives—Allen followed suit with his own pig in Ohio. Two years ago, his acorn-fed pig grew to 425 pounds. “But that’s not what’s important,” he says. “It’s the fat that develops from eating the acorns.” The result is lean, nutty meat that melts like butter. “You can taste all the different profiles of what the pig has eaten.”

Personal philosophy: “If you eat meat, at some point you should go kill whatever you eat,” says Allen, who butchered his acorn-fed pig from start to finish. That, he says, gave him a better understanding of the sacrifice the pig made, a reminder to not be wasteful of any part of the animal. “This is a chance for me to understand and be a part of the process. I think everyone should do that. You should understand how your meat gets to you.”

Favorite Off-Night Eat

Fennel sausage pizza with an over-easy egg at Harvest

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Coming to the table: His goal is to make simple foods from simple ingredients. “It’s not about making something ornate or expensive. It’s about using items you might otherwise throw away,” he says. Allen estimates The Table sells more than 100 pounds of cured meats a month, including 14 pounds each of pate and whole hams every week. “I’m glad it’s being so well received,” he says. “It just shows that our generation is so much more open.” Expect the charcuterie offerings to change every few weeks. In the coming months, if all goes well, Allen hopes to start serving his own cheese— starting with bloomy rind cheeses like Camembert and brie.

Age 38 Previous gig Curds & Whey guilty PleAsure “Anything related to chocolate. Spencer [Budros] at Pistacia Vera makes a chocolate cookie, and I could swim in them like McDuck in a money bank.” go-to drink Lemon and honey water recommended reAding The Culinaria series. “You can pick any country for history and a background of cultural things related to food.” FAvorite ingredient French Four Spice

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Age 32

Laura Lee

Chef And oWner, AjumAmA Why she’s a Tastemaker: When the gourmet food truck wave swept into the city two years ago, Laura Lee’s Ajumama was at the front of the pack. It’s a position that hasn’t wavered as the always joyful Lee turns out traditional Korean street fare night after night, feeding our cravings for bulgogi cheesesteaks and savory pajeon pancakes. She’s also become an informal ambassador for Columbus food trucks, working with Columbus City Council to enact

Previous gigs Arterra in San Diego, Latitude 41 and ZenCha go-to drink Unsweetened iced tea or a Moscow mule with Watershed vodka LocAL food hero “Matt Heaggans. He has such an interesting take on food and dishes and how he puts them together.” recommended reAding “In the Devil’s Garden.“ “It talks about why certain foods relate to deadly sins.”

Guilty Pleasure Ice cream. “I’m a dweeby Jeni’s fan girl.” fairer regulations and appearing on the Cooking Channel show “eat St.” this year. No tacos: When Lee first started the truck, people would say, “oh, you’re going to do tacos.” “And I’m like, ‘no, I’m not,’ ” Lee laughs. her goal was to prove Korean food could sell from a truck, without putting the flavors in a tortilla. “There are other ways to make it approachable.” Missing Columbus: After five years at Latitude 41, Lee headed to San diego, hoping to find a forward-thinking food community. As a sous chef, she made dark chocolate peppermint ice cream with marshmallows and coconut lime sorbet. But guests complained. They wanted “normal” flavors. “It was one of those moments—this is ‘normal’ to me,” says Lee, a “jeni’s fan girl.” After eight months, Lee knew she needed to come home. Family ties: “There’s a running joke that my family goes on vacation to eat,” Lee laughs. on a trip to new orleans when she was 7, Lee’s mom signed them up for a cooking class. She made jambalaya, gumbo and bread pudding. “from there, I watched way too many cooking shows,” says Lee, who would eventually go to culinary school in Phoenix. When her family began to spend more time in Korea a few years ago, Lee took classes there and began to immerse herself in the culture. When it came time to plan the menu for the truck, Lee selected dishes that are “well-loved in Korean street food but you don’t see a lot in the States.” Mobile advocate: Lee may be a reluctant spokesperson, but she was willing to step up to the mic during the recent debate surrounding City Council’s food truck regulations. The proposal would have put a 25-foot limit on food trucks, essentially banning longer trucks like Ajumama from city streets. “I’m going to advocate for trucks who may be in a similar situation as me,” Lee says. She’s not always comfortable speaking out, “but I do understand what needs to be said. You know, the squeaky wheel getting the grease. I’m really glad to see the changes that have been made.” Next step: Lee is two years into her four-year business plan that ends with something less mobile—a small eatery serving the same Korean-style food plus cocktails. “It would be an extension of the truck,” she says. “The bar atmosphere with the twist on street food. nothing fancy, just a great place to get some great Korean food. The truck has allowed us to prove the concept of Ajumama will work.” s U M M E R 2 014 • C o l U M b U s C R av E . C o M • 7 7

feature | tastemakers my eyes to [see] there’s a lot more to cooking than just the physical.”

Seth Lassak ExEcutivE chEf, Wolf’s RidgE BREWing Why he’s a Tastemaker: listen closely, and you can almost hear the gears turning inside seth lassak’s mind as he maps out a dish before ever picking up a knife. how the perfectly pink venison will fan out on a white plate, a pop of green from a frisee salad. his thoughtful, refined and always approachable twists on french classics continue to attract diners to this downtown brewpub, where they might pair a house-brewed iPA with buffalo frog legs or a pale ale with a herbaceous duck breast. “i want to use classic cooking techniques simply,” says the culinary institute of America grad, who’s proving we can have a beer and foie gras, too. His start: looking to pick up extra cash in high school, lassak started as a dishwasher at Muirfield village golf club but soon was peeling carrots and picking parsley. he was 14 and hooked. By the time he went to culinary school in 2003, lassak was working the cold station at Muirfield. “i was taught plate presentations and attention to detail,” he says. “they were teaching me the science and why you do certain things. it opened

California flavor: After culinary school, lassak moved to california. he cites his mentor, chef Jay veregge of ten22 in old sacramento, as his biggest influence. “he built my style and gave me ideas. he taught me to create a full thought before i even put it on the plate,” he says. At Wolf’s Ridge, lassak adopts a similar practice with his staff when creating dishes for next season’s menu. on a board in his office, the chef lists the best vegetables, proteins and starches available, then the culinary team circles the ones they want to play with. “ideas flow; it just clicks,” lassak explains. “one day we’re in the kitchen peeling onions and we’re talking about chard. then someone says, 'let’s make a vinaigrette out of it.’ then hopped chard vinaigrette is on a special.” Visual inspiration: “i see the plate in my mind before i even write anything down,” lassak says. “i’m a very visual person. i love the food to be very visual.” lassak says he’s always been this way. Even now, he gravitates toward pictures of food in books more than the words themselves. Adventurous eaters: lassak was hesitant to put frog legs and foie gras—items not typically associated with a brewpub—on the menu. he didn’t know how diners would respond. “i do want to push the envelope, but i don’t want to make it so obnoxious that people don’t want to eat it,” he says. But with encouragement from co-owner Bob szuter, the chef kept those dishes and added more. they didn’t sell initially, but as good reviews poured in, lassak saw a change in orders. Hopped up: While Wolf’s Ridge was in the planning stages, lassak—a home brewer since college—spent his down time crafting 10 gallons of beer a week. “i had to keep giving it away,” he laughs, admitting he did some really off-the-wall stuff, adding flavor combinations like cherries and cinnamon. “the ideas were good, but i wasn’t producing a drinkable beer.”

Age 30 Previous gigs Ten22; Greenhouse Restaurant and Brewery and The Firehouse Restaurant, all in Sacramento, California guilty PleAsure “Adobo peanuts. I fell in love with them in Singapore.” go-to drink A nice strong beer—barley wine, strong Scottish ales and IPAs. "Hard alcohol—I’ll go straight for a Manhattan.” off-night eAt “We go to 101 Beer Kitchen a lot. They have a great beer selection, they make really good drinks and they’re kid-friendly.”

Favorite Ingredient

Pig. “I plan on getting a whole hog in here and doing the butchering. We’re killing this animal, so let’s use it all.”

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I always knew I would be married to the kitchen. It’s my second wife, I guess.” —Seth LaSSak

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Age 25

Logan Demmy BAr MANAger, MouToN Why he’s a Tastemaker: In June 2010, Logan Demmy was hired as a barista at Mouton, when the new Short North cocktail bar was also serving morning coffee. But when a coworker quit, Demmy found himself behind the bar shaking and stirring an ambitious menu of classic drinks. “Looking back, I should have been [nervous],” he says. “I just had no clue. There wasn’t a benchmark at all. When we opened, Curio wasn’t there. Nobody was jiggering drinks.” So he started reading revered cocktail writer David Wondrich and studying "The Flavor Bible," learning how to incorporate bitters, fresh citrus and double-straining techniques into his repertoire. He grew into his role, survived a change in ownership and, in four years’ time, established one of the city’s most innovative cocktail programs. Ahead of the curve: Two words: draft cocktails. At Mouton, Demmy has been at the forefront of every major cocktail trend to hit the city (like bottling and barrel-aging cocktails as early as 2011). So we weren’t surprised when he put a Moscow mule on tap this spring. But doing so was about more than efficiency; it was an opportunity to create and serve cocktails in an entirely

Previous gigs Barista at One Line Coffee and Luck Bros’ Coffee House go-to drink Negroni FAvorite ingredient Absinthe. “It can be used to make a cocktail, or just a spritz on top completely changes a drink.”

Favorite Off-Night Eat

A burger at Press Grill. “It’s one of the few places I feel like I can run into other bartenders or cooks.”

new way. “It’s a totally different art,” he says. “Batching and scaling—there’s a lot that happens behind the bar. I’m putting hours in to get to the product that takes 10 seconds to pour during service.” Student of the trade: Demmy regularly attends Tales of the Cocktail, an annual industry gathering in New orleans with seminars, competitions and tastings. Last year, he was accepted into the festival’s highly selective Cocktail Apprentice Program, allowing him to work alongside some of the best bartenders in the country. “It’s hard to learn about cocktail bars in Columbus,” he says. “Sometimes things get a little bit stagnant. So I spend a lot of time conversing with people in Chicago and New York and reading online blogs.” No pretensions: Demmy is proud of Mouton’s cocktail program, but he’s the first to remind you it’s not the bar’s primary focus. Mouton is a social bar, a place where friends and strangers gather to share laughs and small plates. “We’re a classic cocktail bar [where] you can get a Moscow mule, and we’re happy to serve them. I’m happy to serve highballs. I just love that people come in and have a good time.” Flavor fever: Ask Demmy about his bartending dream, and he’ll tell you it’s immunity to inebriation. If he could craft (and taste) new cocktails all day, he would. For him, it’s about creativity. “There’s something completely different about how flavor interacts on your palate in a liquid format,” he says. “There’s a rare point where you come up with a cocktail that’s like, wow, it works on a level beyond the natural.” Branded: A good bartender knows cocktails; a great bartender knows hospitality. Demmy’s passion for the latter inspired the pineapple tattoo on his leg. It was once customary for sailors, upon returning home, to place a pineapple outside their front door. This was an invitation to friends and family to join them in food and drink—an idea Demmy carries with him at Mouton. “I love sharing my passion for drinking,” he says. “I enjoy working a Tuesday or Wednesday shift when it’s slow and you can just sit down and talk to someone for a bit.”

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John Lowe CEO, JEnI’S SpLEnDID ICE CrEAMS AnD EAT WELL DISTrIBUTIOn Why he’s a Tastemaker: John Lowe saw the potential in Jeni Britton Bauer long before national media outlets took notice. Tapped as CEO in 2009, Lowe is the business savvy ying to Britton Bauer’s artisanal ice-cream yang. He can be credited with building the company’s wholesale business that ships pints of ice cream all over the world. And now, he and his creative and logistical teams are doing the same for other Columbus food artisans through Eat Well Distribution, Jeni’s food-distribution arm. Eat Well is the reason you’ll find frozen Harvest pizzas on market shelves in Chicago and Luna burgers at Dean and Deluca. Legal aid: A graduate of Ohio State University’s Moritz College of Law, Lowe met Jeni and Charly Bauer during his first year as a labor and employment attorney. He left Columbus in 2005 to take a post as corporate counsel for GE Aviation. But in June 2009, he was back in Columbus and, as he likes to put it, betting it all on Jeni’s. “Why did I leave GE to come here? Because it felt wholesome,” Lowe says. “It was an opportunity to help grow a company that exists for all the right reasons.” Wholesome foods: At its core, Jeni’s exists to make the world’s greatest ice cream. But, Lowe adds, they also want to make the world a better place. In December, Jeni’s was recognized as a B Corporation—a company using the power of business to solve social and environmental problems. It’s adding accountability to a philosophy that was always there, Lowe says. And while Eat Well hasn’t applied for the designation, it upholds the same standards—to deliver great, minimally-processed foods. “I’m no scientist. I don’t know what is making us less healthy as a society. But my heart tells me that it is the highly processed food we take in,” Lowe says. “When we can help put less processed foods on the shelf that stay good because they’re frozen, not because they have stabilizers in them, we can make the world a little bit better place.”

people, yes, he admits, he’s “reasonably creative.” When he first came on board, Jeni would joke there are 150 employees—149 of them artists, and then there’s Lowe. Longtime foodie: Lowe makes a point of saying he doesn’t have a sophisticated palate. But, he quickly adds, he’s always been a foodie. “I grew up south of Chicago, and I’ve lived in several major cities,” he says. “I think we’ve got a fantastic food scene. My hunch is that over the next decade, our city will become known more and more as the food hub on par with Brooklyn, Charleston and other great American cities.” As to whether or not Jeni’s plays a role in that, Lowe hopes so. “I think Columbus’ food scene can do it without us, but I hope that Eat Well helps in some tiny little part in expanding the brand of Columbus.”

Go-to Drink

Is he creative? “That’s funny,” Lowe says with a laugh. “Compared to Jeni, I’m not.” But compared to other corporate business

Watershed Bourbon Barrel Gin and tonic

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Play ball: A father of three boys—ages 8, 5 and 3—one of Lowe’s favorite things to do is coach third grade travel basketball. “I had more fun doing that than I have had in 10 years,” he says. “I love having time with my boys and wife. If you drive by our house, I am outside playing catch with them most of the time.”

Age 41 guilty pleAsure I eat dim sum every chance I get. recommended reAding “Happiness: The Art of Living with Peace, Confidence and Joy” by Douglas Smith. “I’m sort of, at my core, a happy, confident, peaceful person. It is a great reminder of how we impact [the way] we perceive the world.” plAce to eAt Akai Hana is our go-to.

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Matthew Heaggans CHeF AnD OWner, SWOOP! FOOD GrOuP

Why he’s a Tastemaker: Two words: chocolate pasta. Sure, Matthew Heaggans caught our attention long before this dish, thanks to his never-cut-corners attitude toward the sliders and tots he pushes from Swoop! Food Truck. But it’s his ability to execute dishes that are both odd-sounding and delicious (like savory and bittersweet chocolate pasta) that gave us serious whiplash this year. Our heads snapped toward Merion Village, where Heaggans is now notably stretching his culinary muscles in the food-truck-size kitchen of the Hey Hey, operating pop-up eatery Bebe. His creative bar fare (think confit potato poutine, house-made pasta with broccoli pesto and, hopefully soon, bao made with biscuits) is a promised sneak peek of the smallplates restaurant he hopes to open in Columbus. Trial by fire: A Columbus native and avid cook, Heaggans moved to Washington, D.C., to become a chef. “I thought I was going to get this awesome job, be a sous chef and it was going to be amazing. That is not what happened at all,” says Heaggans, who was hired at a classical French restaurant in Virginia. “I got stuck in garde manger and got stepped on like everybody else. It didn’t take me long to realize how little I knew about food.” He didn’t know how to hold his knife or tie his apron properly. It was a humbling experience, he admits.

Changing the culture: Heaggans views the truck and pop-up as a way to build trust with customers, hoping that by delivering consistent, good food, diners will be inspired to order unconventional dishes like butternut squash pudding. “At one point, someone’s going to look at my menu and see chocolate fettuccine and not think, ‘That sounds gross,’ but, ‘That sounds interesting. And I can trust this guy to give me a good plate of food,’ ” he says. “We’re at a tipping point where people know what we’re doing, and they like it, hopefully. It’s being patient.” Soft spoken: Heaggans has a tough time tooting his own horn. When asked by a TV reporter who has the best bite of food in the city, he proudly exclaimed, “Pistacia Vera!” He laughs but says he’d still give the same answer. Don’t get him wrong; he’s proud of his food, but he knows he has room to grow. “I’d put our food up against anyone else’s. With very little, I feel like we’ve done a lot,” he says. “It’s not been easy. But I’m learning that if something’s easy, you’re probably not doing it right.”

Favorite Off-Night Eat

Destination Donuts

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Let’s drink: Heaggan’s group includes Swoop! Food Truck, Crepes a la Carte and Bebe at the Hey Hey. Bebe is a preview of the kind of food he wants to make at Bebida, a small-plates restaurant he hopes to open. This year, he’ll be looking to crowd-fund Bebida. And if he doesn’t raise the money, he’ll come up with another plan. “Standing still isn’t really an option for us,” he says.

Age 36 Previous gigs Chuck E. Cheeses, Inox in Virginia and Garrett’s in Washington, D.C. go-to drink Fernet-Branca, neat LocAL food hero Andrew Smith at The Rossi recommended reAding “Eleven Madison Park: The Cookbook.” “It’s also a place to look for inspiration.” fAvorite ingredient Vinegar. “There is always an acid component in everything I do. I go through gallons of apple cider vinegar.”

I have memo pads all around my room. This flavor and that will go well together. How can I put those flavors together?” —Matthew heaggans

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eric Allen Age 33 Previous gigs Lease agent at Commercial One Realtors; bartender at Morton’s Steakhouse go-to drink Jackie O’s sour beer locAl food hero Josh Dalton, Veritas

Eric Allen & Miki Ashino

recoMMended reAding Imbibe magazine

Miki Ashino Age 33 Previous gigs Server at Restaurant Hama and Sushi Bistro

GENErAL MANAGEr AND CO-OWNEr, BrOTHErS DrAKE MEADErY; OWNEr AND CHEF, TOKYO GOGO Why they’re Tastemakers: When Eric Allen was asked to join Brothers Drake in 2011, it was little more than a struggling mead tasting room on the then-dead corner of Fifth and High. Allen asked himself: “How do we make alcohol from fermented honey relevant?” So he and co-owners Sarah and Oron Benary applied for a liquor license and built a stage for live music. In late 2012, when Allen was ready to add food to the mix, he turned to his wife, whom he met at culinary school at Columbus State Community College. Miki Ashino comes from a long line of Japanese chefs. (“There’s literally pictures of her at 6 years old with 7-inch fish knives cutting raw fish,” Eric says.) It’s this amalgam of authentic food, music and mead that, in less than two years, has turned Brothers Drake into one of the Short North’s premier attractions. Above and beyond: Ashino imports many of her ingredients from Japan. “It’s hard to get ingredients [in Ohio] I really want to play with,” she says. “I don’t want to just have OK ingredients.” For example, the soba noodles found in her Japanese Noodle Soup ($8) come straight from her parents’ home of Yamagata, a region known for soba noodles. “Not to underestimate the palates of the people around us, but do you really think 90 percent of customers would be like, ‘Well, these soba noodles aren’t from the region I like my soba noodles from,’?” Allen says. “This is about bringing the best quality ingredients that make sense for this truck.” In high demand: Brothers Drake serves more than alcoholic honey in a glass. Their meads can take up to two years to make, and each offers a surprising flavor profile. Beer lovers can’t get enough of the Hopped Traditional, a dry mead with citrusy Cascade and piney Chinook hops, 8 6 • C o l u m b u s C r av e . C o m • s u m m e r 2 014

guilty PleAsure Chicken wings while those with a sweet tooth go for the Apple Pie, a mix of local cider, cinnamon and nutmeg. The next time you belly up to the bars at World of Beer, Seventh Son Brewing Co., Bodega, Double Happiness or The Local inside Whole Foods, you’ll find their signature Wild Ohio and Honey Oak meads on tap. “When I was still selling cases [of mead] myself, I’d sell one to Whole Foods and think, ‘Wow, we sold a case,’ ” Allen says. “Now we’re pushing 10 cases at a time.” Guest chefs: Ashino knew she was onto something last summer and fall when the lines outside her truck kept growing. People are attracted to what Allen calls her “simple, real food,” like the Karaage ($6), flash-fried chicken thigh with mead-infused sauces, and Korokke ($4), potato cheese balls topped with a tonkatsu mayo. But Ashino’s proudest moment came in October when her parents visited from Japan to dish out one-night-only items, like $12 scallops, which sold out in hours. Team player: From mead-maker Candy Griffin to booking agent April Kulcsar, Allen largely attributes the meadery’s success to old-fashioned teamwork. “You can’t do it all on your own; you can’t work all the hours in a day,” he says. “Service is what makes things happen, and we continue to get more accolades the more and more I put things in the hands of our team.” Always improving: Despite the meadery’s success, there’s always room for improvement. “I don’t know if we’ve got it 100 percent right yet,” Allen says. “I’m always thinking about what we can do to better serve Columbus.” And whenever Ashino returns to Japan (which she did this spring), she’s always thinking about the truck. “It’s fun to study, and I have new ideas for the menu when I get back,” she says.

go-to drink Watershed vodka locAl food hero Josh Dalton, Veritas

Favorite Ingredient

Miki Ashino Pork

eric Allen Fresh fruit

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My palate is obnoxious. I like things that taste like roots that still have dirt on them.”

—Nicole HollermaN

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Age 35 guilty pleAsure “Korean ramen with eggs. It has to have eggs.” recommended reAding “The Drunken Botanist” by Amy Stewart and anything by David Wondrich. FAvorite ingredient Angostura bitters. “Sometimes I get overwhelmed with how many bitters there are, and Angostura bitters could stand up to pretty much any recipe.” perspective to something I’ve been doing in the box for so long seemed really exciting,” she says. For guidance, she turned to classic cocktail historians Dale Degroff, gary reagan and David Wondrich.

Nicole Hollerman

BAr MANAger, VerITAs TAVerN Why she’s a Tastemaker: When Veritas opened two years ago, its modern dishes got a lot of attention. But there was just as much magic and finesse happening behind the bar thanks to Nicole Hollerman, who applied a scratch-made attitude from the start, creating 30 to 40 clever cocktails every season that are on par with some of the best in the city. It’s her ability to not only amaze us in presentation—a one-shot cocktail locked in a gel cap, or a mojito with mint that’s been frozen with liquid nitrogen—but in flavor, too. Hollerman’s drinks don’t just sound cool; they’re wellbalanced, beautifully presented and delicious. A change in plans: Midway through her second master’s degree (this one in fine arts; her first is in philosophy), Hollerman began tending bar at 1808 American Bistro. It started as a way to make extra money. But when the restaurant chef and owner Josh Dalton asked her to run the bar at the modern cuisine spot he was opening a few doors down, a creative spark lit inside Hollerman. “The opportunity to do something exciting and apply a creative

Mixer philosophy: From the start, Hollerman knew she’d be making as much as she could from scratch. “I’m a purist,” she says. “There’s something to be said about handcrafting and creating and overseeing things start to finish.” she started with tonic, ginger beer and lime cordial and then quickly added syrups, shrubs and infusions, like lavender grappa, black cardamom vodka and strawberry tequila. Tools of the trade: If you ask Hollerman, having access to Veritas’ kitchen gives her an advantage. “That’s one thing that has been amazing—having the tools that I don’t think a bar would as easily have access to,” she says. Hollerman likes to brag that limoncello, which normally takes two months to infuse, takes her two hours. Vacuum-sealing ingredients inside a bag, Hollerman sous vides the infusion at a low temperature for two hours. “so it’s not losing any alcohol, and it’s not losing any flavor,” she says. “And I feel like I can stand behind it.” This is how she makes most of her infusions. Dream job: Before heading back to grad school the second time, Hollerman ran a nonprofit art center in south Dakota. “It was kind of my dream job,” she says, adding the only thing that wasn’t perfect was the pay. “even when I had my dream job, I was still bartending four nights a week. And I always enjoyed it.” After stints in san Francisco and New Jersey, Hollerman moved to Delaware four years ago to be close to her family. Art mind: When she finds time for her art, Hollerman works with words in the printed form, specifically a longtime project for which she collects “ifs”. “I’m collecting 'ifs' from different newspapers and recording the words I borrowed them from—magnify, trifecta.” she cuts the word out, circles it or gessoes it. “It’s art nobody would buy,” she laughs.

Go-to Drink

Manhattan

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Age 27

Will Johnston

Chef, STrongWaTer food and SpIrITS Why he’s a Tastemaker: When Strongwater opened as a bar in the fall, it was a place where the artsy crowd gathered for a drink. When they added food at the start of the year, we expected much of the same: solid bar food, similar crowd. But Will Johnston had other plans. The energetic chef (“I’m totally a line cook,” he says. “If we could just get slammed every night, I’d love it.”) crafted a seasonal menu that rides the line between familiar bar fare and dressed-up

Previous gigs Yellow Brick Pizza, Stauf’s, Black Creek Bistro go-to drink A nice sour Belgian beer LocAL food hero Kent Rigsby. “He shows how to keep your integrity and produce amazing food for decades.” off-night eAt “DK Diner is such a perfect little restaurant.”

The vegan jackfruit tacos have quickly become Johnston’s signature. “If you were going to put on my headstone, ‘Here’s what Will made,’ and you put that one, I would be totally good with it,” he says.

Favorite Ingredient

“I love baby spoons. We do a lot of stuff on the side, but the dishes didn’t look right. Put a little spoon in it, and it looks awesome.”

american dishes with an emphasis on shared plates and local sourcing. he’s helped us find flavorful respect for vegan fare, too, in must-try dishes like smoked quinoa sliders and jackfruit tacos. and he’s seemingly struck a chord with the neighborhood, drawing diners of all ages and backgrounds to franklinton on a nightly basis. The mission: The thought was simple: Be inclusive. a four-page menu on which the only vegetarian option is a salad with the chicken left off “has a psychological effect on a diner,” Johnston says. “It says we didn’t think about you before you came here.” In the beginning, he thought tables would order a vegan dish here or there— but entire tickets are eating up his vegan options. “So thank you, Columbus non-meat-eaters or adventurous carnivores. You’re awesome.” Vegetarian lessons: Johnston thinks like an omnivore when he makes dishes, which is what gives him an edge, he says. from the start, Johnston set out to be vegan- and vegetarian-friendly at Strongwater. he became comfortable with this style of cooking years ago when he met his fiancé, then a vegan. She introduced him to “weird ingredients” like wheat gluten and nutritional yeast—things that today, he says, are as common as a cup of sugar. Taste of Franklinton: Johnston sees franklinton as a blank slate. “It can be anything we want it to be,” he says. “I wanted it to be an extension of what had already been started through the community at 400 West rich. It’s such an inspiring group of people to be around all the time.” Working in the building of artists’ studios pushes him to do better, he says, surrounding him with creative types who have no problem with criticism. At a crossroads: after moving to Columbus and looking for a teaching job for more than a year (he has a teaching degree in english), Johnston got two offers—a corporate training gig and an interview at Black Creek Bistro. “I remembered the name as one of the best restaurants in the city. and they want to take a shot on me,” Johnston says with a tinge of humble disbelief. “and then I got thrown in way over my head with an amazing crew.” Though he’d been in kitchens for more than a decade, it was his first time cooking with professionally trained chefs. Best advice he’s ever been given: “You’re only as good as your last meal served,” he says. “It keeps you sharp. It’s one of those little tidbits that seems like it could be disposable because it’s cliche. But we really think about it and take it to heart. We’re only as good as the last thing you ate here.” s U M M E R 2 014 • C o l U M b U s C R av E . C o M • 9 1

feature | tastemakers

Mikey Sorboro CEO, MIkEY’S LATE NIgHT SLICE Why he’s a Tastemaker: When Mikey Sorboro was still in the pedicab business, he kept hearing the same question: “Where’s the pizza by the slice in this city?” It wasn’t long before he started asking the same. So he bought an empty used-car lot office near his apartment and, with cash he earned pedaling, turned the 140-squarefoot space into a pizza shop. Five years, eight locations and two trucks later, Mikey’s Late Night Slice is Columbus’ signature pizza-by-the-slice joint. From an employees-only cafe at Nationwide Arena to windows at Woodland’s Tavern and Newport Music Hall, Late Night Slice has not-so-subtly moved into almost every neighborhood in the city, with plans to franchise into new markets by 2016. No frills: You’re not going to find square-cut Midwest pie at Late Night Slice. In Sorboro’s mind, you’re not going to find New York-style pizza, either. “We just made pizza the way we wanted to eat pizza—the way it tasted good to us,” he says. “We don’t source ‘the freshest ingredients from a garden out back.’ We’re not trying to create a niche.” The Late Night Slice tomato sauce is as expensive as any you’ll find, but the mushrooms are dirt cheap. His aim isn’t to be artisanal; it’s to serve the late-night crowd. That means dishing out big, cheesy slices smothered in Slut Sauce (a tangy homespun concoction that hits the spot after your third beer). Two-step: You don’t want a pizza shop’s freshest slice (that is, unless you want a “soupy mess,” Sorboro says). Instead, you want a slice that’s been reheated for 40 seconds in a 500-degree stone oven—Late Night Slice’s tried-and-true method. “I really think that creates the perfect slice,” he says. “After having 10 to 20 minutes to cool down and kind of form back together, the stone oven crisps the bottom of the slice and gets everything up top hot but not as melty as it was straight out of the conventional oven.”

Making his mark: The Late Night Slice brand may seem cheeky—because it is. It’s Sorboro’s sense of humor that helps sell pies. (You don’t forget menu items like Spicy Ass Pepperoni and Baby Cheezus.) “Into that first year, we just kept seeing lines and lines of people showing up,” he says. “I think people really crave that desire to show somebody something cool in their town, and without even realizing it we had kind of set something like that up.”

Guilty Pleasure

Snow crab legs

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The big picture: This year, Sorboro enlisted a law firm to prep franchise disclosure documents for Late Night Slice. He expects the process will take the rest of the year and, by late 2015 or early 2016, he could be marketing his Columbus-grown model. “We want to create something [franchisees] can grow and multiply and spread pretty fast,” he says. “It’s something that could work out really well for us and something a lot of people in broad scope would appreciate.”

Age 33 Previous gigs Owner of E.C.T. Pedicab, disc jockey go-to drink Greyhound LocAL food heroes Jeni Britton Bauer and Elizabeth Lessner recommended reAding “The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals” by Michael Pollan fAvorite ingredient Cilantro

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Local chefs share their passion and wood-fired wisdom for all things grilled. story by beth stallings

a look inside that food truck chef Dan Kraus' smoker. 9 4 â&#x20AC;˘ C o l u m b u s C r av e . C o m â&#x20AC;˘ s u m m e r 2 014

very Friday night, you’ll find Dan Kraus sleeping beside his smoker in the parking lot of Seventh Son Brewing. After a full night of service from his food truck, That Food Truck, he refuses to leave the side of the smoker he fabricated out of a shoe-donation collection box. It’s packed with up to 1,300 pounds of brisket, pork shoulder, chickens and offal, all slowly roasting in the soft glow of a roughly 200-degree wood fire. A butcher at heart, Kraus loves every second of it. “I really like it,” he says with a full-toothed grin. “I really, really enjoy it.” The path toward grilled food perfection is a labor of passion for Columbus chefs as they scrutinize over every cut of meat and every piece of wood added to smokers running at all hours of the day. Four of the city’s emblazoned barbecue chefs share their grilling and smoking philosophies along with insight on what makes great barbecue.

Photos: Left, WiLL shiLLing; Right, tim Johnson

That Food Truck

Brisket Benedict from that food truck

Dan Kraus is a caveman. At least, that’s what he’ll tell you. His entire grilled-foods philosophy can be whittled down to two words: wood fire. It’s a way of cooking he learned from his great-grandmother, who emigrated from Russia when she was 10. “Everything in her house was wood-burning, so that’s how she knew how to cook,” he says. “And that’s what she taught me.” She also gave him an appreciation for offal and how you could turn cuts of unwanted meat into something delicious. “The grill is the best place for [these cuts],” Kraus says. “It adds a whole different depth of flavor and can get rid of that metallic-y taste a lot of people don’t like. Fire and smoke is a really good way to neutralize that.” While apple and cherry woods are his go-to choices, that’s not where his meats—seasoned with nothing but salt and pepper—get their flavor. Rather, he says, the flavor comes from fat drippings falling onto the wood and smoking up. He keeps a tub of sawdust close at hand, tossing a scoop on the fire whenever he wants to kick up intense heat, like to put a fast sear on a steak. Wanting to waste as little as possible, Kraus burns cleaned animal bones, too, which burn far hotter and longer than wood. And to season the racks, he uses a combination of lard and oil flavored with onion. Later this year, Kraus plans to open a sit-down restaurant, Baba’s Backyard, in Italian Village, featuring a regularly rotating menu of meats and veggies cooked over open flame (with a 100-pound pig always on the spit) and freshly baked breads. Until then, you can find Kraus serving smoked meats from his food truck— look for sandwiches as always, plus a burger, steaks made to order and possibly plated dishes and sneak peeks from his baker business partner Matt Swint—at Seventh Son Brewing Co. from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. Fridays and from noon to 5 p.m. Saturdays. Words of advice: Yes, low and slow is a philosophy by which he lives. But getting a good sear is just as important. “I take stuff to the point of where most people think that my sear is burnt. If you don’t do [low and slow] use really intense heat to get a good sear.”

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Barley’s Smokehouse Brewing Co. An El Paso native “born and raised on Mex-Tex Southern food,” Barley’s Smokehouse chef Wolfgang Huddleston moved to Columbus in August. In the Lone Star state, Huddleston was a chef at a smokehouse where he’d cook whole hogs in the ground. It was an adjustment, getting used to the automatic smoker—the 15, 6-foot-long racks are in motion 24 hours a day—inside Barley’s Grandview kitchen. In Texas, Huddleston says, when they ran out of something, they ran out. But here, they’re always working ahead to make sure they can fill orders for hickory-smoked half chickens, three-hour smoked St. Louis spare ribs and 12-hour hickory-smoked brisket. To fill the demand, the chef says, they go through hundreds of pounds of meat every week. The white

oak they use to keep the temperature between 225 and 240 degrees “is a rule of thumb down in Texas,” says Huddleston, who leans toward earthy seasonings like cumin and cinnamon for rubs. In May, Huddleston unveiled a new menu (don’t worry, Barley’s barbecue has stayed the same), featuring the chef’s signature Bacon Beer Slider dessert—vanilla ice cream, Barley’s pale ale, chocolate covered bacon bits and caramel sauce made with rendered bacon fat. “It’s killer. It sounds kind of weird, but it all comes together,” he says. Other changes include new salads, fish entrees and sandwiches. Words of advice: “Don’t try to push a smoker,” Huddleston says. “If you have a smoker, let the smoker tell you how it’s going to come out.”

PhoToS: LeFT, WILL ShILLINg; RIghT, TeSSa BeRg; DIPS, WILL ShILLINg

Land Yacht BBQ Putting in long days in the kitchen six days a week, barbecue became a hobby for Brian Young. “On the day off I would sit beside my smoker,” Young recalls. He’d work with whatever he could think of—brisket, ribs, vegetables. He’s turned a passion for barbecue into a profession, running Land Yacht BBQ food truck at the 1.3-acre gourmet food park on the Haydocy Automotive Group lot. Built out of a 1963 Airstream, the Land Yacht truck is outfitted with a smoker (private smokestack and all) that can hold 240 pounds of meat. It’s in here that Young smokes spice-rubbed brisket for 14 hours every night. That’s not the only thing that goes in the smoker. “I experimented with smoking some mozzarella for a smoked mozzarella pasta salad,” Young says. Applewood smoked lamb bacon—made with Blues Creek Farms Meats and found in his Lamb Bacon Mac and Cheese—also spends time in the smoker fueled by hickory. “Hardwood’s not going to give you the same bite as hickory. It makes the meat taste better.” But the real key to his tender brisket is wet aging. “Brisket is the toughest muscle on a cow. There’s very little marbling, until you get into high grade. One of the things they say is best to do is wet age your meat in the cryovak packaging it comes in.” Young wet-ages brisket for 30 days. “It doesn’t spoil. It helps tenderize the enzymes in the meat and break it down a little bit before you cook it.” Located just outside the casino, the food park is modeled after similar spaces in San Francisco and San Antonio. With room for 10 food trucks, Young hopes to make the food park a destination—a spot where some of the city’s best trucks gather and where families can come to eat. “We want everybody up here to be a community. I’m not going to discriminate. If somebody has a really cool cart, it’s not going to be just trucks. It’s going to be good food. As long as it’s high-quality good.” The truck is open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. from Tuesday to Saturday but will expand to longer hours and

cool sides: Portia’s cafe If we didn’t tell you, you’d likely never know the rich dips at Portia’s Cafe in Clintonville are vegan. “What I do is look at how you make the regular, traditional food and try to mimic it,” explains owner Portia Yiamouyiannis. Thinking first about the feeling and flavor she wants to create, Yiamouyiannis is able to build bold flavors to create the vegan dips she serves at her Clintonville cafe. Here are two to try. spinach-collard-artichoke dip: “It didn’t start as a dip at first,” recalls Yiamouyiannis, who set out to make vegan spanakopita. She mixes spinach, artichokes, collard greens and capers for the base, then adds nutritional yeast for a cheesy flavor, cashews for creaminess, lemon for sourness and miso for extra richness. What she ended up with was a filling that could stand on its own. tuna Pate: “Nothing tasted good,” Yiamouyiannis says, of fauxtuna salad recipes she tried. “But I knew I could make it taste like mock tuna.” So she started by channeling the basic flavors of the dish—celery, pickles and dill. To mimic tuna’s sea flavor, she adds dulce, a kind of seaweed. Finished with lemon juice for tang and onion and garlic powders for extra flavor, what Portia created is a savory dip you’d never guess was fish-free.

seven days this summer. Check their Facebook and Twitter for guest trucks. Words of advice: “Everybody says low and slow, and I have found that to be a great key,” Young says. s U M M E R 2 014 • C o l U M b U s C R av E . C o M • 9 7

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cool sides: darista dips

ray ray's Hog Pit

In May, Dara Schwartz, who ran global-inspired pop-up eatery Darista Cafe at The Hills Market, released a line of bold dips. “It’s given me an opportunity to flex flavor personality,” Schwartz says. While she plans to roll out new flavors later this summer, here are the three you can find now on the shelves of The Hills, The Greener Grocer and Clintonville Community Co-Op. Moroccan carrot: “i wanted a Moroccan dip,” Schwartz says. “that was my inspiration. and that comes back full circle to my food.” Schwartz blends roasted carrots with spicy harissa and raw honey for a thick savory and sweet dipper. Ginger gives it a touch of umami, and coriander seeds toasted with lemon add a lightly floral note.

roasted Beet Hummus: Here, Schwartz gives hummus a twist by mixing roasted beets with chickpeas and lemon for a dip that’s bright in flavor and color. “if you’ve ever eaten my food, it isn’t really subtle,” she says. “My food’s kind of explosive. there are a lot of flavor bombs going on, especially with the colors.”

After working at a smokehouse for years, Jamie Anderson opened Ray Ray’s in 2009 to return to a purer life of barbecue—one man, one grill, one smoker. Parked in the lot next to Ace of Cups in Clintonville, the food truck allows Anderson to have more control over his product. And while he’s grown and expanded his offerings—he now offers wedding catering—settling back into a brick-and-mortar eatery is not part of the plan. “The food truck allows you to zone in and really fine-tune your craft. And it keeps it simple,” Anderson says. His meats are only cooked with wood—no gas, no boiling. “The biggest thing is the passion and personal touch that goes in my food,” says Anderson, who was inspired by his father, a pit boss, to turn barbecue into a profession. “With the big-name barbecue spots in town, their food is delicious, but when you come to my place you see my face there.”

of MeaT & Men On a 9-degree day in february, 30 guys gathered in nationwide area chef ed Kowalski’s backyard, smoke rising from grills packed with a variety of searing meats. “it doesn’t matter what the temperature is, doesn’t matter what the weather’s like,” says Kowalski, founder of the year-old Columbus chapter of ManBQue—a casual, men-only group that brings together grill enthusiasts once a month to share grilled meat and seafood dishes (vegetables are only allowed within a kebab) and drink beer. as the group grows, keep an eye out for ManBQue’s serious amateur grillers at festivals this

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In his smoker you’ll find hickory or oak, popular woods in the industry for the color and flavor they put on and in the meat. “We’re going for that mahogany color,” he says. Though working with wood, he adds, has a lifelong learning curve. Variables like how wet or dry the wood is or how much bark is on every piece can affect the outcome of his food. That’s why a few years ago, Anderson became his own wood supplier, using fallen hickory trees from his backyard he allows to season for two years. “It’s all hand-selected,” Anderson says. “I cut most of it myself. I want to get the perfect wood.” Ray Ray’s sells roughly 10,000 to 12,000 pounds of meat a month, open just three days a week, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. While the brisket and grass-fed brisket really draw the crowds, Anderson’s excited for the newest menu addition—a marinated jerk chicken thigh sandwich topped with a pickled red cabbage slaw.

summer. in the meantime, Kowalski, who has three recipes in the “ManBQue!” cookbook released in april, shares his favorite spots for grilled foods. Where do you go for great barbecue? i love places with patios. i love to go to iron Grill on High Street, sit on the patio and to be able to smell the smoke from their smoker. i could sit there all evening. [My favorite order] i would say is their pulled pork. i love that they offer a couple different sauces on the table. Barley’s is a great barbecue joint, and so is ray ray’s. if i go there, i always try to go when they have their grass-fed beef brisket, cause that’s phenomenal. can you share a few tricks to great grilled dishes?

i learned this a long time ago—people have a tendency to move the food around on the grill too much. i was taught you put your meat on the grill, you turn it once, maybe twice. i go to backyard cook outs, and i see people pressing down [meats] with a spatula [which pushes out all the juices]. the thing that gives it all those flavors are the juices.

PHOtOS: left, Will SHillinG; tOP, JOdi Miller; BOttOM, eaMOn Queeney

Garlicky Kale Yogurt: this creamy concoction was a happy accident, Schwartz says. With 2 pounds of kale leftover after a night at the pop-up, she blended the greens with Snowville Creamery yogurt, carrots and spices. “i accidentally had the vanilla yogurt,” she recalls. “When i made it again with the plain, i missed that sweetness. So i added Honeyrun farm honey, which added this nice complement without the vanilla flavor.”

Ray Ray’s Hog Pit

Think Pink

Europeans have enjoyed rosé for years, with some wineries staking their entire reputation on the quality of their pink-hued wine. Americans, it seems, are finally coming around to grilled-food-pairing-perfect rosé, says Chris Hutchinson, portfolio manager at Vanguard Wines LLC in Grandview. “It’s fantastic because rosé is absolutely fantastic,” he says. “When it’s done correctly, it can be somewhat serious wine.” Hutchinson shares five things you should know about picking and enjoying rosé. —Beth Stallings

At its best, rosé is fresh and dry. “The wine should be delicate and nuanced, not over the top and full throttle,” Hutchinson says. And though you can’t always judge a good rosé by its hue, in general, paler is better. “If it’s really, really opaque, I would stay clear of that.”

B uy o T e e Thr

great estate rosé from France could cost upward of $50. “But if you really do your due diligence,” Hutchinson says, “you can find really great rosé in the $12 to $15 bottle range.”

“Vintage is extremely important. You want the most current vintage at all times,” Hutchinson says, explaining rosés aren’t built to age. This summer, look for bottles with a 2013 vintage. And if you’ve been saving that 2012 since last summer, it’s time to uncork.

Where it was made and which grapes were used matters. The best rosés tend to come from France, specifically southern France, Hutchinson says. These wines are made from a combination of grapes, with grenache, syrah and cinsault (SAN-soh) the stalwarts to look for. You’ll also find solid rosé from Spanish winemakers, who tend to use grenache and tempranillo to produce darker and more Bieler Pere et Fils, 2013, fruit-forward rosés, Coteaux d’aix en Provence, France Hutchinson adds. ($12.99) “[It’s] going to be a little more delicate, a little more nuanced. It’s certainly going to have more of those savory herbal flavors and aromas.”

Warm is bad. Hutchinson recommends drinking most wines between 50 and 65 degrees, placing the perfect temp for rose at the lower end of the scale. But, he warns, if the wine is too cold, it will shut down. “The aromas aren’t quite as pronounced, and even the flavors can be a little reticent,” he says. “Getting into that 55-degree area, it kind of opens the wine up to its true expression.” So, just like you would rest a steak coming off the grill, let refrigerator-chilled rosé sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes before opening.

Rosé pairs great with food. “We think of sweet wines being like Coca-Cola, just a beverage to drink,” he says. But a good rosé—with fresh fruit flavors and savory, herbal aromas—are great for food pairing. Think a charcuterie plate, garden salad, fish or a light chicken dish, Hutchinson suggests. “It’s a very versatile wine, and it can be absolutely right for the dinner table as well.”

Charles & Charles Rose, 2013, Columbia Valley, Washington ($12.99) “This is going to be the most user friendly. [It’s] pretty fruit forward, easy drinking (and great poolside).” Bedrock Ode to Lulu, 2013, Sonoma County, California ($24.99) “That one’s going to be a little more serious [than the Bieler], but it’s still going to be fun and fresh. The flavors are little more concentrated, a little more intense. It’s probably the most versatile in terms of food pairings, too. It’s a great wine for the dinner table.” s U M M E R 2 014 • C o l U M b U s C R av E . C o M • 9 9

FEATuRE | DINING OuT

EvEryday EtiquEttE story by JIll moorHeaD l PHoto by tIm JoHnson

Tips on Tipping Coat check and valet: $1 to $5, each

Tips on Tipping Drinks at the bar: 15 to 20 percent or $1 per drink. Gratuity at the bar can differ. At casual eateries, $1 per drink will suffice, Natalie’s Helling says. If the bartender is involved in suggesting a wine or making a specialty cocktail, the tip should be higher and can be a percentage of the bill.

snAgging A TABLE  Reservations are essential. “They allow the kitchen and waitstaff to prepare for the evening,” says Tim Morrison, a server at The Worthington Inn. When making the reservation, alert the restaurant (by phone) of the following: • Changes in party size or arrival time • Special requests (flowers, allergies, anniversaries) • If plans have changed, canceling the reservation is a must.  Waiting at the bar. When the restaurant doesn’t take reservations or is on a wait, “leave the barstools for paying customers,” says Keith Egert, bar manager at Jury Room. In short, if you’re going to sit, have a drink.  When your table is ready, cash out at the bar, recommends Brett Helling of Natalie’s Coal Fired Pizza. (Or ask the restaurant’s policy.) Failure to do so may cause extra behind-the-scenes paperwork for servers and bartenders.

What not To Ask noTE To THE CHEF  Food allergies and special diets: Restaurants are prepared for your gluten intolerance, peanut allergy or vegetarianism. Be up front with your server about restrictions, especially if there’s a serious illness involved.  On the side, please: From side-dish-swapping to sauce-switching, dish modifications tax the kitchen. “Changes put the kitchen behind a little bit for each request,” says the Worthington Inn’s Morrison. While restaurants are happy to accommodate, menu items are designed with the diner in mind. “The Jury Room creates dishes with specific ingredients because they work well together,” Egert says. “Be aware that if you’re going to modify, it might not be the tastiest dish in the world.”

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Chatting with the server or bartender is part of the dining experience and topics such as the history of the restaurant and details about the menu are fair game, according to Tim Morrison at The Worthington Inn. Unless you’re a regular, it’s best to steer clear of personal questions. Here’s what else to avoid asking: • What else do you do? For Brett Helling, a bartender at Natalie’s Coal Fired Pizza, this commonly asked question assumes his service industry job is just a placeholder, not a career. “It belittles what we do here,” he says. “Everyone is a server in their job, in a way.” • What’s good? Because everyone likes different things, Keith Egert at Jury Room suggests a more pointed question, such as “How popular is your Chicken Parmesan?”

• Can I have your best table? Kamal Boulos at the Refectory prefers when diners describe their expectations. For one diner, the best table might be tucked away, while for another, it’s in the center of all the action.

Dinner service at Third and Hollywood

It’s important to know what fork to use. and, yes, there’s a proper way to place a linen napkin on your lap. but some dining rules are less about pretension than about making your experience (whether it’s a fine dining event or a quick trip to the bistro around the corner) more enjoyable. so what’s wrong and right nowadays? Here’s what Columbus servers and bartenders have to say.

PAYING The Check Split: With modern technology, splitting checks is a non-issue. “There are things that diners can do to make the process easier,” Egert says.  Stay seated. Don’t move around the table.  Avoid guessing games. “If you order a round of shots or 10 appetizers for the table, tell the server how they should be billed when you place the order,” Egert explains.  Be patient. Separating checks takes time. It takes five minutes more to run 15 credit cards than it does to run one. TIPs oN TIPPING Dining (bar or table): 15 percent to 20 percent. The tip should reflect the quality of the service. “Servers make a little over $3 an hour and live off of tips,” Egert says. “You can tell a server how well they’ve done by leaving more than 20 percent. If you had an excellent time, throw a little extra in there.”

 The Check Fight: Want to ensure your dinner guests don’t grab the check? The race to pay should start before dinner is even served. “We will go with the person who made the reservation or the person who asked for the bill first,” Boulos says of the Refectory’s policy.

AT THE TABLE  Wine selection: Servers at higher-end restaurants are trained to help select the wine (or beer) to go with any meal. The Refectory’s Kamal Boulos suggests this ordering sequence to help the server present the best wine. • Pick a category. Reds can be light, rich or bold. Whites can be light or rich. • Indicate a price range.

 On Phones: Phone use impedes the ability to take and deliver orders. “I can’t serve you if you aren’t paying attention to me,” says Jordan Kelso, a server at The Pearl. If a call is necessary, Kelso suggests dealing with it away from the table. *Additionally, keeping the phone on the bar or table is risky. “It’s not uncommon to accidentally put a drink on someone’s phone,” Helling says. “Space is limited. Put your phone away.”

 Don’t be afraid to ask for a sample of wines available by the glass. There’s no charge for a half-ounce pour and it can also help the server select a similar wine from the bottle list.

 Food photography, though, is accepted across the board. Taking—and sharing—photos of the food, says Morrison, “is almost encouraged.” Just pocket your phone when you’re done.

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feature | design

Meet the designers who help turn local products into edible brands. story by Peter tonguette • Photos by tim johnson

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he question usually goes, Which came first: the chicken or the egg? Some foodies, however, would rephrase the famous query. Which came first: the burger or its box? The pretzel or its package? Columbus is home to many notable restaurants and popular food and drink brands, but it’s unlikely you would remember all of them were it not for the containers—literal and metaphorical—that hold them. “Food is something that includes so many of the senses—texture, taste, smell,” says Jeremy Slagle of Slagle Design, which has created packaging for Brezel and Luna Burger, among others. “And then you combine that with the visual—it’s like a real sensual experience.” Slagle points out the packaging, bottles and labels of a six-pack of beer can represent a big portion of its cost. “You’re selling a lifestyle,” he says, not just something to eat or drink. Local artists explain how they whet appetites with stylish branding.

DaniEllE Evans

hen Canton native Danielle Evans graduated from Indiana Wesleyan University with a degree in illustration, she did not anticipate one day using food instead of pens and pencils to express herself. “I was noticing when I got out of school, which was around the time of the housing market just bottoming out, that I needed to figure out a way to make my work stand out,” Evans says. While talking with a friend, she compared the sort of design she wanted to do to “a cup of coffee.” Ruminating on the experience—the aroma of the beans, the texture of the milk, the heat of the cup—Evans had an epiphany. “In telling her that, I thought to myself, ‘You know what? Why don’t I do exactly that?’ ” she says. “Maybe I should employ coffee in telling a story—just literally use the coffee to do so.” Thus began her career in food typography, using things we eat to make things we read. Posts of her experiments on social media led to a chance to work with Target, and soon she was routinely forming words with tea leaves, spices and even ground beef for a range of clients. “I think food is so fascinating to work with because it’s a shared experience,” she says. “Nobody lacks the experience of eating.” Much of Evans’ work has a nostalgic bent, inviting the spectator in by summoning warm memories of certain edibles (she aims to always make her food stuffs look appetizing). A good example is the quarterly calendar she worked on last year for Portfolio Creative in Columbus. Inspired by the holiday months, Evans rendered the word “October” in cinnamon (flanked by a cup of cider, apple slices and a cinnamon stick), “November” out of mashed potatoes (with the “o” engulfed in gravy and topped by a pat of butter) and “December” out of frosting. “It was so lovely because I got to evoke these feelings of the holidays,” she says. Working out of her Downtown home, keeping a steady supply of ingredients nearby, Evans uses a desktop-size surface for most of her projects and creates her letters by hand. “In part, that’s to keep scale so that I’m not getting so caught up in something that’s way bigger than me or excessively small,” she says. Evans aims to hit viewers “in the stomach,” but she is far from haphazard in her attention to fonts. “I look at type all the time,” she says. “I have many books on the subject that I’m constantly relying on, so I’m just amassing all of these references.” s U M M E R 2 014 • C o l U M b U s C R av E . C o M • 10 3

feature | design

adam brouillette

ith a degree from Columbus College of Art and Design and his cartoony work exhibited throughout Ohio, Adam Brouillette says he is “a fine artist first and foremost.” But that hasn’t stopped him from sidelining as a Web designer, as well as an art-show and event organizer. “As I was doing all of those things, I found myself partnering with other businesses,” he says. One of them was Pattycake Bakery in Clintonville. “Pattycake would make a bunch of cupcakes for an event that I’d be hosting, and then they’d come and say, ‘We really need somebody to design a menu.’ It got to be a friendly partnership and a discussion.” These partnerships eventually led to the formation of his company, Little Industries. Brouillette helped develop a “design language” for Pattycake, with common fonts and colors and—most notably—its talking cartoon cupcake, proclaiming “Yummy!” “Jennie [Scheinbach] originally saw my work, and she said, ‘This is fun. Our bakery is fun. We want something bright, poppy and colorful.’ They’ve been using that for a while and it’s helped generate a lot of audience for them.” Brouillette has also shaped the visuals at Haiku Poetic Food and Art in the Short North. Among his many projects has been a cleanup of the sushi restaurant’s menu and website. Simplicity is key for him. As with Pattycake, Brouillette ended up working with Richie’s New York Corner Deli in Circleville by accident, when he met owner Richard Verito at an art show. “He is the most animated, comical … he’s a character,” he says. “You’ll walk in and say, ‘I’d like this sandwich,’ and he’ll say, ‘No, you don’t. You want this sandwich!’ ” Verito invited Brouillette to check out his deli, and the artist was impressed. “It’s good, quality product, well-made,” he says. “He cares about his customers. He cares about what he’s making.” But the design left something to be desired. Verito accepted Brouillette’s offer to help, leading to menu reworks, new signage in the store and fresh photography and ads. Brouillette sees his job as shaping the branding to reflect the client’s goals, even if the client isn’t communicating those goals very well. “It’s a lot of hearing what somebody says they think they are and then looking around and identifying all the ways that they’re not that,” he says. For example, he urged Pattycake to ditch a bamboo curtain that concealed their counter because it didn’t gel with Scheinbach’s mantra of being an open, friendly bakery. “It was the first thing you saw. I said, ‘Get rid of that!’ ” he laughs. It’s a different set of muscles for someone with a fine arts background—but equally satisfying. “When I make paintings, I’m just making paintings about whatever I’m thinking about,” he says. “When you do design work for somebody else, you have to think about what that restaurant is like. What’s the ethos or the sort of environment that they’re looking to create?”

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“I think when you’re going to a restaurant and you want that experience, the last thing you need to do is try to decipher some crazy cursive writing.” —ADAM BROUILLETTE

“I love telling anybody’s story,” he says, “but you can’t smell and taste and feel a credit union.”

JEREMy slaglE

rowing up in Detroit, Jeremy Slagle had a passion for drawing, but his mother’s part-time job at Jackson Dawson Communications inspired his career path. It wasn’t mere nostalgia for old-school ad agencies that led him to go into graphic design, however. “I always knew I wanted to be married and be able to support a family,” he says. “That’s really hard to do as a fine artist.” Instead, first as a partner with John McCollum at Element Design and then, beginning in 2009, at Slagle Design, he endeavored to tell the stories of products in which he believes. His clients are diverse, but he particularly enjoys working with those who work with food. For a retail food company, the process always includes becoming familiar with their product, and an early meeting is always held at a Whole Foods Market. “We walk down almost every aisle … and we kind of get their feedback,” he says. “What do you like about this? What don’t you like about this? What fits your personality?” With Columbus-based pretzel company Brezel, the challenge was coming up with a logo that stood out. Research gleaned that variants of the company’s original logo—a pretzel with their name underneath it—were ubiquitous. “There was no way to trademark that logo,” he says. Out it went, replaced with unique sleek script that emphasized the pretzel-shaped “B” in Brezel, as well as hand-drawn lettering on the packaging (with a different font for each variety, from Jalapeno to Cinnamon Sugar). For this, Slagle borrowed inspiration from the fact that Brezel fashions their handmade pretzels one by one. “Every one of those Brezels look different from the next one,” he says of the storefront’s creations at the North Market. “There’s just this real from-ourhands-to-yours, artisanal feel to their products.” When it came to Columbus-based Luna Burger, Slagle and writer and strategist Christine Myers also swapped the commonplace for the distinctive. A visit to Whole Foods persuaded them that despite the plethora of veggie burger brands, nearly all (including Luna Burger at the time) presented their product the same way on freezer shelves: a too-perfect photo of a patty on a plate. “Do we really need to educate your consumer what a veggie burger is by showing a photo? Or do we really want to tell your story about what the ingredients are?” Slagle asked. With Myers, Slagle refined Luna Burger’s logo (giving each letter a leafy contour and with a yellow half moon tucked “I love telling into the last letter) and junked photography on the package. anybody’s story, Now, renderings of different vegetables seem to practically but you can’t smell sprout from the logo and form a kind of kaleidoscope. “We didn’t want to waste any real estate showing photos and taste and feel a of something that everybody already knew what it’s going to credit union.” look like,” Slagle says. —JEREMY SLAGLE

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feature | italian liqueurs

Go AheAd, be bitter story by anthony DominiC Photos by tim johnson anD meghan ralston

the Prosecco spritz at rigsby’s Kitchen 10 6 • C o l u m b u s C r av e . C o m • s u m m e r 2 014

Like a great dish, a great cocktail is about harmony. For some of the leading bartenders in the city, that means incorporating potable Italian bitters not only into cocktails but into the culture of their bars. These bold liqueurs offer far more than a dash of aromatics—they can spur your appetite, transform a cocktail or lull your stomach post-meal. It’s just about knowing where to start.

riGSBy’S KiTChen

For a crash course in Italian bitters, look no further than Rigby’s Kitchen on a Tuesday night. When bartender Todd Freeman established “Todd’s Bitter Tuesday” last year, he wasn’t aiming to pack the bar (even though it always draws a crowd). “What Bitter Tuesday has successfully done, and what I’ve been really proud of, is it will get a few people in each week who are interested in trying a cocktail or trying a liqueur they haven’t had before,” he says. Fernet-Branca—a minty, poignant amaro guaranteed to polarize your table—goes for $4 a glass, with Freeman often buying rounds to introduce it to customers. It’s an ideal, if not challenging, change of pace if you gravitate toward dry wines and liquors. If you want to test your palate, just ask and he’ll dish out price-negotiable amari flights or half pours of the other bitter agents behind the bar—Cynar, Aperol, Campari and Rabarbaro Zucca. He also offers specialty bitters-leaning cocktails every week, like the Boulevardier with a dash of Fernet-Branca and a lemon twist. “If you’re a [Cosmopolitan] fan, if you’re more of a vodka tonic or a gin martini drinker, you’re probably not going to go for fernet or amaro,” Freeman says. “But if you’re really into some of the old classic drinks—Sazerac, Manhattan, palmetto—it will grow on you.”

Tony’s Getaway at Curio

Give it a try

Tony’s Getaway ($4); Bitter: Cynar

This popular Italian aperitif is a combination of dry sparkling wine, a dash of sparkling water and Aperol. “It’s refreshing and great if you’re waiting for dinner,” Freeman says. “You’re going to want to sip and try and pick out some of the citrus qualities.”

Knowing what sets one bitter apart from another will help guide your taste buds as you peruse cocktail menus around the city.

The bottles of Cynar and Aperol adorning Curio’s counters aren’t just for show, as they find their way into almost all of the 20 craft offerings on the latest menu. In some cocktails, the liqueurs balance sweetness, as in the Hipster Handshake ($8), a marriage of Fernet-Branca and sweet Cheerwine cola. In others, they’re meant to amplify flavor, like the Rhuby & Rye ($11), which pairs lemon and rhubarb with Aperol and rhubarb-based Rabarbaro Zucca. If you’re looking for a digestif, owner Travis Owens will point you toward Amaro Montenegro. “It’s also something we do as a sendoff to a lot of people who we really like as customers,” he says. “We present them with a bill and a little sendoff of Montenegro, which I think is one of the nicest amari available in the state.” As Owens tells it, there are not good and bad bitters so much as there are options. If you want something fortifying and herbaceous after a pizza, you’ll enjoy an amaro. If you want something refreshing with an appetizer, go for Campari. Owens recently doubled the size of his classic cocktails menu, which now notes the drinks using Campari, for example. “It’s good for people to see the ingredients—the base liquors, the bitters—because they’ll be more prone to order the cocktail if they actually understand what’s behind it.”

Give it a try

The Prosecco Spritz ($11); Bitter: Aperol

BiTTer WordS

Curio aT harveST

amaro This digestif is usually served neat. “Amari all have one base, which tends to be herbaceousness,” Owens says. “But they run the gamut from cardamom to something a little more floral to more molasses-y to more wormwood-based.”

Named after one of Owens’ favorite customers, this mix of Cynar and green chartreuse is served neat in a stemmed shot glass. “We don’t do shots here, so we really like this one,” he says. Cheap yet herbaceous, this 2-ouncer is a great way to wash down some pizza. aPerol This citrus-leaning aperitif isn’t as arresting as its counterparts, coming in at only 11 percent ABV. “In the summertime, a cocktail with Aperol is perfect poolside, or if you’re on an island somewhere or if it’s just blazingly hot wherever you are,” Freeman says.

Cynar Cynar can be enjoyed before or after a meal, and it’s often substituted for Campari in a negroni. “It’s similar to fernet, but it’s a little bit sweeter, more vegetal,” Freeman says. “I like it straight, but a lot of people will prefer to mix it with soda.”

CamPari Campari is best known for its role in the negroni, but it can also be served pre-meal with soda water or citrus juice. “You can definitely pick up the citrus peel as you sip,” Freeman says. “It’s like sucking on the outside of an orange.”

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feature | italian liqueurs

Giuseppe’s RiTRovo

Milano Highball at Giuseppe’s ritrovo

You’ll find a small stockpile of rare amari behind the bar at Giuseppe’s—like the syrupy, Sicilian Averna and the robust Milano Ramazzotti—many of which you won’t find on the menu. “We bring them out as a gift,” beverage director Sean Ward says. “At the end of the meal—you’ve enjoyed some good wine and a cocktail, and you’ve gone through a few courses—well, let’s take you to that phase of Italian dining that maybe you aren’t aware of.” In Italy, herbal liqueurs laden with cardamom and saffron are popular for their stimulating effects on appetite and digestion. “Italians, from start to finish, are drinking bitters,” he says. “Whether it’s a Campari soda or an Americano, or if they start with negronis and finish off with fernet or an amaro—that aspect of cocktails is always on my mind because of [this restaurant], because it’s the Italian way.” For the curious (or the bloated), Ward offers a sweet-to-bitter flight, starting with Meletti, a sweet saffron-based amaro, then moving to Ramazzotti and finishing with Averna. (Moving from sweet to bitter ensures the flavor of a lighter amaro wouldn’t be lost in the finish of a heavier one.) And while he rolls out new season-tailored cocktail menus several times a year, you never have to look far for the bitters. This summer, he’s worked Aperol, as a balancing agent, into a barrel-aged mezcal cocktail dubbed Oaxacan Daydream.

Give it a try The Milano Highball ($10); Bitter: amaro this cocktail earns its name by combining ramazzotti and averna with rye whiskey and chinotto, a carbonated orange juice. “it’s the first time we’ve ever used chinotto in a cocktail,” Ward says. “it’s a great summer drink because it’s a fizzy, collins-glass-style highball with a citrus kick, but it still comes back with the bitter.”

FoR THe Love oF NeGRoNi

In more than 20 years behind the bar at Tony’s Italian Ristorante, bartender Chuck Vyzral’s go-to bitter remains Campari—the key ingredient in a negroni. “We’re a smaller restaurant, and we don’t go too over the top, but Campari and the negroni are definitely back at the forefront of [the cocktail world],” he says. At $7.25, Vyzral’s boozy mix of gin, vermouth and Campari is one of the most affordable bitter cocktails you’ll find in the city. “It’s nice before you eat,” he says. “I serve it up chilled, but in the summertime I like it on the rocks with a nice twist.”

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S p e c I a l a dv e rt I S I n g S e c t I o n

foodie

getaways Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time to take a break from your dining routine. Here are a few places to start. StorieS by Anthony Dominic and Beth StAllingS

Sp e c i a l S e c t i o n | f oo d i e g etawayS

know before you go  Alost always reminds visitors driving between Athens and Nelsonville to take U.S. route 33 instead of 691, as it can shave up to 15 minutes off your trip.  Calling all beer lovers: Don’t miss Ohio Brew Week, running July 11 to 19 this year. You’ll find nearly 200 Ohio craft beers on tap around Athens, along with special events like a homebrewing competition and The Last Call—your one-time chance to drink a beer in the middle of Court Street.

escape to

Athens County

athens county is more than just the home of ohio University. tucked inside the Hocking River watershed, this appalachian county is only a short hour-and-15-minute drive from downtown columbus and offers numerous opportunities for those looking to enjoy craft beer, farm-to-table dining and the great outdoors. Dine nothing will give you a better sense of what athens county has to offer than the 30-Mile Meal project. this coalition, dubbed “the athens cornucopia,” is a host of restaurants, farms, greenhouses, community gardens and microbreweries within a 30-mile radius of the city of athens. (you can even use the 30 Mile Meal Map at athensohio.com to coordinate a food run.) But first-time visitors looking for the quintessential sit-down experience should stop by casa nueva, says paige alost, executive director of the athens county Visitor’s Bureau. located on west State Street in athens, this tex-Mex restaurant is one of the only worker-owned cooperative restaurants in the state, offering a full bar, live music and locally sourced

ingredients. “it’s definitely our 30 Mile Meal poster child,” alost says. Drink you can’t talk beer in athens county without talking Jackie o’s. athens’ one and only brewpub features 38 tap lines and a slew of farm-to-table burgers and pizzas, earning it “Best Brewpub in ohio” honors by ratebeer.com last year. you can also swing by the taproom and production brewery on campbell Street, which offers eight in-house drafts, a patio and a rotating lineup of food trucks and vendors. Stay athens county is home to a number of cabins and bed-and-breakfasts strewn

 Baseball fans should catch nine innings with the Southern Ohio Copperheads this summer. The collegiate team’s season runs from June to August, with games at Bob Wren Stadium on the Ohio University campus. “It’s a fantastic family experience,” Alost says. “You’ll find a lot of young people, as well as locals and visitors. You can bring your dog, too.”

about the 13 miles between athens and nelsonville, but alost suggests firsttimers stay at the ohio University inn and conference center, the only full-service hotel in athens. “you can use green cabs, fuelefficient cars, to get back and forth,” alost says. “plus you’ll be within walking distance of uptown athens.” Most rooms start between $127 and $143 per night. Do Bicyclists will love the 21-mile Hockhocking adena Bikeway, winding along the Hocking River between athens and nelsonville. (you don’t even have to bring your own bike, as Hocking Hills Bicycle Rentals are located at each end of the bikeway.) there are also 16 parks and nature preserves to explore, from the waterfalls at Hocking Hills State park to the hiking trails at the Ridges. and if you don’t mind exploring from behind a window, the Hocking Valley Scenic Railway remains one of the area’s most popular attractions. the trains run every weekend between Memorial day and october, with special events like the “thunder in the Valley” fireworks Shuttle and the Santa train.

For More inFo Athens County Visitor’s Bureau, 667 E. State St., Athens, 800-878-9767, athensohio.com

S Pe C I A L S e C T I O N | F OO D I e G eTAWAYS

know before you go  Gervasi’s annual farmer’s market is one of the vineyard’s most popular attractions. This year, it will be held every Wednesday afternoon from June 18 to Sept. 24. Vendors specialize in organic produce, artisan bread and grass-fed beef.

escape to

Gervasi vineyard

Gervasi Vineyard’s 55-acre estate in North Canton may be as close as you’ll get to Tuscany without leaving Ohio. While you’ll find no shortage of grapes on the estate, Gervasi is far more than a winery. Its eateries and AAA Four Diamond Awardwinning inn make the vineyard a great escape for an afternoon or an entire weekend. Dine Gervasi offers three distinct dining options. There’s The Bistro, a rustic, upscale Italian restaurant; The Crush House, a casual, contemporary cafe by day, lounge by night; and The Piazza, a seasonal outdoor restaurant. If you only have time for one meal, general manager Scott Swaldo recommends The Bistro (and reservations). The restaurant is housed inside a beautifully renovated 19th century barn and offers a wide array of salads, homemade pastas and wood-fired pizzas. Swaldo’s favorite entree is the popular Bolognese ($17), a dish of gemelli noodles lathered in a hearty meat sauce. Drink You’ll find 19 wines at Gervasi, from sweet

whites to bold reds. Before your meal, Swaldo recommends the Luce Luce ($7.25/ glass, $27/bottle), their award-winning pinot grigio. And if you’re dining at The Bistro, he suggests the Truscano Sangiovese ($8/ glass, $32/bottle), the vineyard’s flagship wine. “It’s heartier and great with meals,” Swaldo says. “It pairs well with pasta and red meats, especially.” If you can’t settle on just one wine, The Bistro also offers flights of any three. Stay The Villas, Gervasi’s boutique inn, is a one-of-a-kind experience Swaldo likens to a “true Tuscan escape.” Twenty-four room s are divided among six four-room villas, all of which include a fireplace, heated towel racks,

 From noon to 6 p.m. July 20, Gervasi will host its annual Bellissimo Fine Arts & Fine Craft Show under its outdoor pavilion.  Popular area attractions include the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the the National First Ladies’ Library, as well as numerous private and public golf courses.

authentic furniture and walk-in showers. A complimentary continental breakfast is also offered in the villas’ connecting lobby. There are various floor plans to suit your preferences, from single-floor queen suites to the two-level, loft-style king suites. All rooms range from $179 to $399 per night. (If you’re visiting with a large group, you can even rent an entire villa.) Alternatively, the 2,200-square-foot Farmhouse offers a more traditional experience. The 19th century home sleeps seven to eight guests, starting at $459 per night. Do Gervasi offers public and private winery tours (the former of which is free), as well as pairing tours. Cucina Culinary Classes are one of the vineyard’s most popular activities, allowing visitors to learn and work alongside Gervasi’s experienced chefs. Classes require registration and range from $75 to $90. If you’re looking to exercise or explore, there are walking trails and seasonal yoga and dance classes. On Tuesday and Wednesday nights, you’ll also find live jazz and blues music at The Crush House.

For More inFo 1700 55th St., North Canton, 330-497-1000, gervasivineyard.com

SP E C I A L S E C T I O N | F OO D I E GETAWAYS

know before you go  Be sure to check the events page on their website for details on special events such as their monthly Brewmaster’s Dinner, twicemonthly beer school and special beer releases.  Burning River Fest—Great Lakes’ two-day environment and music festival—will be held July 25 and 26 at Whiskey Island on Lake Erie (just a few minutes’ drive from the brewery). The event, which has raised nearly $400,000, looks to create awareness for clean water efforts and the importance of maintaining Lake Erie. “It’s local beer, local foods, educational exhibits. It’s a really wonderful festival,” Conway says.  Great Lakes runs a free shuttle called the Fatty Wagon to-and-from Indians games at Progressive Field. The shuttle runs on spent vegetable oil from the brewpub’s kitchen.

escape to

Great Lakes BrewinG Co.

Brothers Pat and Dan Conway took a chance on Cleveland’s once ghost-town neighborhood, Ohio City. Charmed by its red brick buildings and close proximity to the West Side Market, they founded Great Lakes Brewing Co. here in 1988. Just like its surrounding quaint neighborhood, the Cleveland brewery has blossomed, earning national respect for its beer and its forward-thinking philosophies on no-waste, local sourcing and environmental stewardship. DRINK There are five beers Great Lakes keeps on tap all year—Dortmunder Gold Lager, Eliot Ness Amber Lager, Burning River Pale Ale, Commodore Perry IPA and Edmund Fitzgerald Porter. But you’ll also find a rotating list of seasonal and pub exclusive brews throughout the year (look for the Wright Pils in June and Oktoberfest in August). At the brewpub, Great Lakes pours beers crafted in the brewery’s original seven-barrel system and available here only on draft. Last year, Great Lakes sold about 142,673 barrels of beer, says co-owner Pat Conway. But with growing demand, that’s not nearly enough, he adds. A planned expansion

will allow for the production of 170,000 barrels. DINE Great Lakes’ brewpub offers a variety of indoor and outdoor seating in a historical, dark wood and stone bar. On the menu, you’ll find pub fare with an upscale, Midwest mentality and a heavy emphasis on sourcing local, says retail operations manager Jeff West. That includes produce from the brewery’s own urban farm down the street. Among sandwiches, burgers and seafood, you’ll find a sausage sampler, beer cheese soup and bourbon bread pudding. “The whole menu is replete with examples of our zero-waste philosophy,” Conway adds. House barley pretzels are made from spent

grain. Local ice cream maker, Mitchell’s, uses Great Lake’s Edmund Fitzgerald to make chocolate-chunk ice cream. “We take pains to know where our product comes from.” TOUR Since opening in 1988, Great Lakes Brewing Co. has grown from a small seven-barrel brewpub to a 75-barrel brew house located across the street from the restaurant. See just how they craft their brews during a 45-minute, free tour that starts in the brewpub. Guides share background on the neighborhood, then lead groups through the production facility, followed by a beer tasting. “You get to see the packaging. It’s pretty educational,” Conway says. Visitors can register online in advance or sign up the day of at the gift shop. Tours are limited and run every hour, on the hour from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday and 1 to 8 p.m. Saturday. This summer, Conway hopes to open an expanded visitors’ center where guests can view videos about the culture, their triple bottom line and zero waste philosophies. SHOP At the gift shop adjacent to the brewpub, guests can load up on brewery merchandise and even mix and match six-packs. Environmental responsibility extends here, too. “We really look at where we get our T-shirts, where we get our hats,” West says. “We make sure our shirts aren’t being made in some sweatshop.” Great Lakes also donates 1 percent of its annual sales back to the community, to support local arts and environmental causes.

FOR MORE INFO 2516 Market Ave., Cleveland, 216-771-4404, greatlakesbrewing.com

S Pe C I A L S e C T I O N | F OO D I e G eTAWAYS

know before you go  The Taste of Traverse City, a 3-day foodie festival, runs Aug. 29 to 31. “It’s three days of food and drink sampling, meals and tastings and demos,” says Norton, adding on Sunday there’s a brunch showdown between local chefs.  Schedule some time to get out and about, Norton says. “It’s really important to get out and enjoy some of the beauty by getting up close to it,” he says. Rent a bike or bring your own. Plan a hike. If outdoorsy settings aren’t your thing, Norton suggests walking through the city’s beautiful Victorian neighborhoods that are within walking distance of downtown.

escape to

Traverse CiTy

Located on the northwest corner of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula, Traverse City is the perfect small-town setting to enjoy Lake Michigan’s beautiful clear waters. But this town of 15,000 people is a great escape for more reasons than just its beaches. Named one of the country’s top five foodie towns by Bon Appetit magazine, Traverse City boasts a burgeoning craft-brewery scene and noteworthy restaurants. “In the last decade, we’ve begun to develop a cult following for our food,” says Mike Norton, media relations manager for Traverse City Tourism. DINE With a small downtown easily navigable by foot, visitors can find a variety of eateries along Front Street—from the Asian-inspired Red Ginger to The Little Fleet, a watering hole where food trucks gather. “You can get really good meals at any number of price ranges,” Norton says. Amical is a little French bistro located in the heart of downtown in an old 19th century building. “They’ve got a good menu that changes all the time. A good wine list and excellent desserts,” Norton says. “It’s cozy in the winter, but in the summertime offers outdoor dining, too.” For a casual meal,

he suggests Bay Bread, an old brick storefront bakery where you can grab breakfast and lunch to go. If you’re not in a hurry, head upstairs to enjoy a soup and sandwich at The Roost, the upstairs seating area with great views of the Grand Traverse Bay. DRINK You don’t want to miss Traverse City’s growing microbrew scene, Norton says. Casual and hip Right Brain Brewery is located just south of downtown and offers more than a dozen of its beers on tap, plus bar snacks like waffle sandwiches. Norton also suggests stopping by

brewpub The Workshop for a beer and a casual bite, or 7 Monks Taproom for high-end bar snacks and 46 craft beers on tap. At the Village at Grand Traverse Commons—a restored Victorian-era asylum that’s now home to shops and restaurants, including a “great place called Left Foot Charley,” Norton says. It’s the city’s only urban winery. If wine is your thing, consider planning a day enjoying the nearby vineyards of Old Mission Peninsula and Leelanau Peninsula, home to nearly 40 wineries. STAY In the summer, tourists flock to Traverse City for its beaches, primarily opting to stay in waterfront hotels east of downtown. But if you want to be close to the dining action, Norton suggests booking a room at one of two downtown hotels. The West Bay Beach resort is right on the water and within walking distance of downtown. The historic 1930s Park Place Hotel is located in the heart of the city and is great for visitors who want a place to stay with lots of character. DO “Traverse City has historically been a hub for outdoor recreation,” Norton says, with plenty of opportunities for hiking, cycling, fishing, sailing and swimming. But the one thing you have to see while you’re here, according to Norton, are the Sleeping Bear Dunes. “It is pretty darn breathtaking. [It’s a great spot to] go and be surrounded by amazing views of sky and sand and water. I’ve been here for 30 years, and I never get tired of it.”

FOR MORE INFO Traverse City Tourism, 101 W. Grand View Parkway, Traverse City, Michigan, 1-800-TRAVERSE, traversecity.com

SP E C I A L S E C T I O N | F OOd I E GETAWAYS

escape to

OhiO Wineries

Ohio’s six wine regions are each distinct, with varied climates and soils yielding a wealth of red, white and dessert wines. For those looking to venture outside the Capital City region— known for grape diversity, imported juices and fruit wines—we highlight what the other five have to offer for wine-goers and travelers alike. Vines & Wines Region This region, spanning east of Cleveland to the Pennsylvania border, is the smallest geographically, but it’s also the densest in terms of number of wineries. The terroir lends to French-American hybrids like vidal blanc, key for dessert wines. The Winegrowers of the Grand River Valley host an Ice Wine Festival over three Saturdays in March, with guests tasting a variety of dessert wines and complimentary appetizers at several region wineries. Also in the area, you’ll find the state’s largest wine festival, Vintage Ohio, held the first weekend every August at Lake County’s Lake Metroparks Farmpark. For those looking to spend more than one day up north, The Lodge at Geneva-

on-the-Lake is recognized as one of the state’s premier wine resorts.

ohio RiVeR Valley Region This southwestern region’s glacial deposits, laden with limestone, yield strong European-style vinifera grapes, like carbernet sauvignon and carbernet franc. Near Cincinnati, you’ll find a host of urban wineries that source juice from Ohio, New York and California vineyards to produce high-quality offerings. The area is also rich with historical attractions, from Rankin House State Memorial in Ripley, once an important part of the Underground Railroad, to the Cincinnati Museum of Art. lake eRie shoRes & islands Region Northwest Ohio’s dynamic lakeshore

climate yields many of the best rieslings, chardonnays and pinot gris in the state. The region, home to Put-in-Bay and Cedar Point, is also a popular vacation destination, attracting 7 million visitors each year. Its premier wine event is the annual Toast of Ohio Wine Festival, held in Sandusky every August, featuring more than a dozen local wineries. appalachian Region You’ll find some of Ohio’s best chambourcin, concord and Niagara wines in this aptly named southeastern region. Its rugged yet beautiful landscape, home to a wealth of parks and nature preserves, proves as much of a draw as its wineries. Resorts such as the Inn & Spa at Cedar Falls in Logan—a bed-and-breakfast tucked inside the Hocking Hills—make a perfect basecamp for winegoers looking to get the most out of the area. Another popular option is The Guest House at Heritage Vineyard Winery in Warsaw. canal county Region This northeastern region feels like an escape, distinguished by its rural simplicity. Yet, it’s home to nearly 30 wineries. The terroir makes for strong vinifera grapes, like pinot gris and chardonnay, as well as blackberry and peach fruit wines. This region also spans much of Ohio’s Amish country. Wine-goers often take time to peruse Amish farms, antique shops and farm-to-table restaurants.

FoR MoRe inFo Ohio Grape Industries, 8995 E. Main St., Reynoldsburg, 614-728-6438, tasteohiowines.com

Sp e c i a l S e c t i o n | f oo d i e g etawayS

escape to

firelands winery

Head just over 100 miles due north, and you’ll find a little slice of italy on lake erie. for 30 years, firelands winery owner and italy native claudio Salvador has been crafting award-winning wines on an island 17 miles off the coast of Sandusky. LoCATIon the 40-acre vineyard’s unique location—on isle St. george on lake erie—gives them an advantage over other ohio wineries. “during the summertime, lake erie warms up enough to prolong the growing season,” Salvador explains. acting as an insulator, the lake can keep the island 10 to 15 degrees warmer than the mainland in the fall. “that really helps quite a bit, prolonging the growing season.” DrInK for a nominal fee, you can taste firelands winery’s latest wines. choose from two flights, one sweet, one dry, or mix and match whatever you’d like to try, Salvador says. the winery produces five different brands—for a total of 180 labels—and also

serves imported vinos from boutique italian wineries. “the white wines we produce are certainly of high quality,” Salvador says, speaking highly of the pinot grigio and gewürztraminer. “we’ve been winning a lot of awards with those.” when it comes to red wine, which can be challenging to grow in a cool climate, firelands offers varieties you won’t find elsewhere in ohio. Specifically the dolcetto—an italian variety with medium body Salvador likens to midway between pinot noir and merlot— which grows well in ohio because it tends to ripen early. “it’s a very, very easy wine to drink—a very elegant wine,” he says. Do “our winery, it’s a true educational winery,” Salvador says. “it’s not a bar.”

know before you go  Weekends in the summer and fall are extremely busy at Firelands, says owner Claudio Salvador, who recommends stopping by the winery on a weekday if you want a better chance of chatting with winemakers.  In December, Firelands will release the newest addition to its wine lineup—a malbec. Look for a special release party to be held at the start of the month.  If you’re a home winemaker, you can stop by Firelands in the fall to purchase juice. a knowledgeable staff will greet you upon entering the beautiful, natural wood-accented tasting room. Strike up a conversation about fireland’s latest vintage or head on a self-guided tour through the winemaking process with various stations set up throughout the facility to explain what is happening. and it wouldn’t be uncommon to run into the winemaker or cellar man, who can answer any questions you may have. “this is a very humancontact winery,” Salvador says. “it’s like 25 years ago in california, when you could go to napa and meet the winemaker.” firelands can also accommodate private tours for call-ahead groups of up to 50 people.

For More InFo Firelands Winery, 917 Bardshar Rd., Sandusky, 419-625-5474 or 800-548-WINE, firelandswinery.com

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Old World PIZZA & the Region’s FINEST

LIVE LIV I E MUSIC Ve IV Venue V nue

LISTINGS

Sunday Brunch 11 am–3 pm See our Menu and Music Schedule on our Full Bar Featuring Local Happy Hour 4–6 pm Everyday • Gift Cards Available web site. Patio Dining

5601 N. High St. • Worthington, OH 43085614-436-COAL (2625)

www.NataliesCoalFiredPizza.com

Restaurants mentioned in this issue of Crave

DINNER PRICES: Listings include the price point based on cost per person for a meal—this could mean dinner, lunch, breakfast or buffet, depending on the serving styles of the restaurants. Many restaurants with dinner prices listed also offer lunches, sandwiches and other light meals at prices below their dinner prices.

Film lives here. OUTDOOR SCREENING

Bottle Rocket (WES ANDERSON, 1996) screens June 19 as part of the Wex Drive-In series.

WEXNER CENTER FOR THE ARTS | THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSIT Y TICKETS.WEX ARTS.ORG | (614) 292-3535

WEXFILM | #FILMLIVESHERE | FILMLIVESHERE.ORG 11 6 • C o l u m b u s C r a v e . C o m • s u m m e r 2 0 1 4

IMAGE COURTESY OF SONY PICTURES

Screenings nearly every night of the week, in the best available format, documentaries, classics, contemporary cinema, often introduced by the director.

$ $10 & under

$$ $11-20

$$$ $21-30

$$$$ $30+

1. Veritas Tavern, 15 E. Winter St., Delaware, 740-4174074, veritastavern.com. With its focus on modern cooking techniques, Josh Dalton’s new venture is one of the most exciting Central Ohio openings in years. It’s small plates meticulously created by cooking geeks, plus an exhilarating cocktail list. $$$ 2. G. Michael’s Bistro & Bar, 595 S. Third St., German Village, 614-464-0575, gmichaelsbistro.com. Historic German Village eatery promises fine dining with a Lowcountry influence. American cuisine, with Pan-Seared Jumbo Scallops and Braised Short Ribs. $$$ 3. The Refectory Restaurant & Bistro, 1092 Bethel Rd., Northwest Side, 614-451-9774, refectory.com. The most accomplished of Columbus’ French restaurants might put more kitchen effort into a single plate than an ordinary restaurant does into an entire menu, with Whole Dover Sole, Baby Rack of Lamb, Filet Mignon, house-made sorbets and a world-class wine cellar. $$$$ 4. Rigsby’s Kitchen, 698 N. High St., Short North, 614461-7888, rigsbyskitchen.com. After more than two decades, Rigsby’s Kitchen remains fresh by regularly offering new and creative dishes. Italian and Mediterranean cuisines, with Steelhead Trout, Capellini Natasha and Oysters Diavalo. $$$

Scoop

Always supporting local and buying local ingredients

SUBS AVAILABLE UNTIL CLOSE!

Angry Bear Kitchen, 2653 N. High St., Clintonville, 614-884-0639. The Angry Bear Kitchen is a modern American restaurant offering nose-to-tail dining in a non-intimidating way. Enjoy small plates and entrees in a quant, brick-walled setting. $$$ The Angry Baker, 891 Oak St., Olde Towne East, 614-947-0976. Known for their delectable baked goods, The Angry Baker also serves more savory options. Including soups and sandwiches, plus a wide variety of vegetarian-friendly options. $

590 OAKLAND PARK

(IN CLINTONVILLE)

(614) 14) 2 261-9355 61 9355 5 INDIAOAKGRILL.COM

Bakersfield, 733 N High St., Short North, 614-7548436, bakersfieldshortnorth.com. This country-music loving, taco-slinging cantina specializes in “tacos, tequila, whiskey.” Bakersfield offers a tight menu of Tex-Mex standards, like chips and salsa or guac, tortas and tacos on house-made tortillas. $$ Barley’s Brewing Co. Ale House No. 1, 467 N. High St., Downtown, 614-228-2537. This microbrewery offers an expansive selection of brews, which can be enjoyed at the hand-carved, century-old mahogany bar. American cuisine, with Mile-High Nachos, Kobe blue burger, wraps and sandwiches. $$ Brad’s Bees, PO Box 227, Marysville, 607-227-3107, saveourbees.net. This local beekeeper supplies raw honey for Brothers Drake Meadery, and also sells raw honey, honey infusions and pollinator-friendly plants, online and at area farmers markets. $ 5. Till Dynamic Fare, 247 King Ave., Victorian Village, 614-298-9986, tillfare.com. Former Dragonfly owner Magdiale Wolmark has transformed the space into an exciting neighborhood spot, with both vegan and carnivorous fare, incorporating ingredients grown in the backyard biodynamic garden. American cuisine, with beet salad, biodynamic burgers and pizzas. $$

Locally Made, All Natural Sauces from Carfagna’s • Original Oriigiinall Gourmet Gourmett • Pomadoro Basilico • Vodka • Sicilian • Pootaneska

Ask for it at your neighborhood grocer

6. Kihachi Japanese Restaurant, 2667 Federated Blvd., Northwest Side, 614-764-9040. Chef-owner Ryuji “Mike” Kimura’s passion for fresh, high-quality ingredients is reflected in his always-changing appetizer menu. Japanese cuisine, with Bluefin tuna, Japanese Sea Bream and sashimi. $$$$ 7. Alana’s Food and Wine, 2333 N. High St., Campus, 614-294-6783, alanas.com. Upscale dining with a homey feel and seasonal menus, changing daily. Extensive wine list. $$$ 8. The Worthington Inn, 649 High St., Worthington, 614-885-2600, worthingtoninn.com. Cozy old country inn with elegantly restored dining rooms makes an intimate setting to enjoy traditional and modern dishes. American cuisine, with crab cakes, Garden Vegetable Plate and Beef Worthington. $$$ 9. Basi Italia, 811 Highland St., Short North, 614-2947383, basi-italia.com. Nestled in the heart of Victorian Village, Basi Italia serves clean, simple Italian fare with innovative twists. Italian cuisine, with Eggplant Parmesan, Seafood Diavolo with fresh Saffron Linguine and Mustard-Crusted Golden Trout with Sweet Red Peppers and Spring Asparagus. Open 5 p.m.-close Tue-Sat. $$ 10. L’Antibes, 772 N. High St., Suite 106, Short North, 614-291-1666, lantibes.com. The menu at L’Antibes might appear small, but there’s still plenty of room to showcase chef-owner Matthew Litzinger’s considerable abilities. French cuisine, with veal sweetbreads, fresh seafood and duck breast. $$$

Your Hometown Family Business

Serving Columbus for 77 Years

Carfagna’s Family Restaurant

2025 Polaris Parkway

(2 blocks east of I-71)

614.848.4488

Take Out • Dine-In

Carfagna’s Italian Market & Butcher Shop

1405 E. Dublin-Granville Rd.

(1 block east of I-71)

614.846.6340

s U M M E R 2 0 1 4 • C o l U M b U s C R a v E . C o M • 11 7

LUNCH SPECIAL Mon - Thurs., 11:30 - 3:00 $8.50 3 Course Meal inludes: soup, appetizer and entree

HAPPY HOUR

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Mon - Thurs., 4:00 - 7:00 $2 Draft Beer (Stella, Magic Hat) $3.95 Wine + Small Plates

Now open seven days a week! 1124 N. Hight St.

Thai Cuisine

www.basilshortnorth.com 614-421-BASL (2275)

Buckeye Donuts, 1998 N. High St., Campus, 614-2913923. A Campus legend since 1969, this doughnut shop is open 24 hours. Diner cuisine, with doughnuts, cinnamon rolls, gyros and salads. $ Club 185, 185 E. Livingston Ave., German Village, 614228-3904, club185.com. You’ll find cozy booths and a swinging jukebox at this dimly lit German Village hangout. American cuisine, with cheeseburgers, beefon-weck, wings and pizza. $ Crafted Drafts, 5245 N. Hamilton Rd., Gahanna, 614656-7302, crafteddrafts.com. Crafted Drafts is craft beer specialty store featuring more than 700 brews, ciders and meads from all over the world. Grab a sixpack to go, or opt to build your own from a wall of 400-plus single beers. $ The Crest Gastropub, 2855 Indianola Ave., Clintonville, 614-261-7128. The old Crest Tavern got an ambitious makeover—now it’s a gastropub serving a long list of craft and local beers as well as upscale pub fare incorporating herbs and produce from a rooftop garden. $$ Diaspora, 2118 N. High St., Campus, 614-458-1141. Fun and modern Campus eatery with authentic Korean dishes. Asian cuisine, with spicy soups, Daeji Bulgogi, Dol Sot Bibim Bap, Goon Man Du and Pupa. $ DK Diner, 1715 W. Third Ave., Grandview, 614-4885160. The DK stands for Doughnut Kitchen at this off-the-beaten-path diner with a cozy atmosphere and local flavor. Diner cuisine, with doughnuts, DK All the Way, and breakfast and lunch dishes. $

Grass Skirt Tiki Room, 105 N. Grant Ave., Downtown, 614-429-3650, grassskirttiki.com. Rum drinks are always flowing at this tiki bar from Liz Lessner’s Columbus Food League. Hawaiian-style food, with King’s Hawaiian sweet roll sandwiches and Loco Moco. $ Harvest Bar + Kitchen, 2885 N. High St., Clintonville, 614-947-7133. The second location from the owners 11 8 • C o l u m b u s C r a v e . C o m • s u m m e r 2 0 1 4

Photo: Meghan Ralston

Easy Street Cafe, 197 Thurman Ave., German Village, 614-444-3279; 5 S. Liberty St., Powell, 614-888-3279. This eclectic German Village spot is a relaxed American cafe with a distinct Greek twist. American and Greek cuisine, with burgers, gyros, weekend breakfasts and the famed Baklava Milkshake. $

“Crest” Pizza and pint of Buckeye Lake IPA at The Crest

BELGIAN WAFFLE

of Harvest Pizzeria offers the same perfectly cooked wood-fired pies as the original location, plus a handful of small plates (portobella fries with banana ketchup), sandwiches (house muffaletta), burgers (from traditional beef to duck) and a small selection of cocktails, several of which hail from speakeasy-bar Curio. $$ Hass, 7370 Sawmill Rd., Dublin, 614-760-0155. Breaking the fast-casual Mexican chain mold, Hass serves up authentic tacos, tortas burritos and house-made tortillas, filled with wood-fired steak, spicy al pastor and beerbattered shrimp (just to name a few of our favorites). $ Homestead Beer Co., 811 Irving Wick Dr. W, Heath, 740-358-0360, homesteadbeerco.com. A local brewery dedicated to crafting good old-fashioned American beers. Try beers at their tasting room, open Tuesday, Friday and Saturday from 3 to 8 p.m. $ Honey Dip Donuts & Diner, 4480 Kenny Rd., North Side, 614-459-0812. This classic diner is a Columbus institution known for a laid-back atmosphere and the Donut Bacon Burger. $ Honeyrun Farm, honeyrunfarm.com. Based out of Williamsport, Honeyrun Farm sells locally harvested honey, bee pollen, candles and handcrafted soap. $ Hot Chicken Takeover, 1117 Oak St., Olde Towne East, facebook.com/hotchickentakeover. Nashville’s signature spicy fried chicken makes its debut in Columbus through a carryout-only window located on the side of the Near East Side Cooperative Market. Only open on Saturday and Sunday throughout the summer. $ Hudson 29 Kitchen + Drink, 1600 W. Lane Ave., Upper Arlington, 614-507-1289. This new restaurant from Cameron Mitchell looks to bridge the gap between Napa-inspired California fresh cuisine and Texas-style comfort food with simple approaches to dishes like flatbreads, steaks, sushi and knife and fork sandwiches coming out of an open kitchen. $$$ La Tavola, 1664 W. First Ave., Grandview, 614-9145455. Chef Rick Lopez has, once again, revived his popular Old World Italian restaurant, this time in Grandview. Dotted with green and yellow accents, the setting is open and welcoming. The food is simple and rustic Italian with pizzas, house-made breads and pastas. $$$

Wake ’n Bacon Join us for Brunch 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays BREWER’S BENEDICT I BREW HOUSE BREAKFAST BREAKFAST BISCUIT SLIDERS SANTA FE BREAKFAST BURRITO CHICKEN AND WAFFLE I HUEVOS RANCHEROS

SPECIALTY BLOODY MARYS CBC MARY I MEXICAN MARY I SMOKEY MARY MARY’S GARDEN I MARY’S SURE “FIRE” CURE

BREWERY DISTRICT

464-BREW

525 Short Street I Free Parking I Patio Now Open www.columbusbrewingco.com

@CBCRestaurant

s U M M E R 2 0 1 4 • C o l U M b U s C R a v E . C o M • 11 9

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The Johnny Cake slideers at Philco

Los Guachos, 461 Commerce Sq., West Side, 614-6388806; 5221 Godown Rd., Northwest, 614-538-0211. This impressively professional taco truck specializes in delectable spit-roasted al pastor. Mexican cuisine, with tacos, tortas and gringas. $ Jorgensen Farms, 5851 E. Walnut St., Westerville, 614-855-2697. At her quaint farm in Westerville, farmer Val Jorgensen infuses freshly harvested honey with herbs like thyme, lavender and peppermint for retail sales online and at area farmers markets. $ Native Cold Pressed, 771-A N. High St., Short North, 614-477-3887. Native is a fresh, raw juice bar in the Short North with a hip, natural vibe and a colorful cooler packed with juices ready to grab-and-go. $$ Northstar Cafe, 951 N. High St. Short North, 614298-9999; 4241 N. High St., Clintonville, 614-7842233; 4015 Townsfair Way, Easton, 614-532-5444. Northstar’s imaginative American cuisine menu has a healthful emphasis on organic ingredients. Select cocktails also available. $$ Philco Bar + Diner, 747 N High St., Short North, 614-299-9933. Taking over the former Phillip’s Coney Island location in the Short North, Philco offers a modern take on diner fare with a Southern twist. Bonus: Breakfast is served all day. $$ Red Brick Tap & Grill, 292 E. Gates St., Merion Village, 614-444-5075. This revamped neighborhood joint offers a hearty menu of All-American fare with a few Southern touches. Expect traditional bar food and stone-cooked pizzas. $$ Restaurant Silla, 1802 Henderson Rd., Upper Arlington, 614-459-5990. You’ll find real-deal Korean cuisine and a menu with semi-explanatory color photos at this casual restaurant. Asian cuisine, with Dae Gu Gi Gae, Hae Mul Pan Jun and Kim Chee Ji Gae. $$

The Rossi, 895 N. High St., Short North, 614-299-2810. Perennially packed Short North hot spot serving inventive food and drinks. American cuisine, with the Rossi Burger, New England Lobster Roll and Pork & Beans. $$ 12 0 • C o l u m b u s C r av e . C o m • s u m m e r 2 014

PhoTo: will shilling

Rishi Sushi Kitchen & Bar, 114 N. Third St., Downtown, 614-914-5124. Rishi Sushi is a modern and playful split-level restaurant with an open kitchen and sushi bar. It’s the latest restaurant from the owners of Moshi Sushi, and fittingly specializes in sushi, Asianstyle burgers and fresh ramen with house-made broth and vegan options available, too. $$

Hunan • Szechwan • Mandarin OUR FOOD SPEAKS FOR ITSELF...NO MSG ADDED

Sunday Buffet 11am-8pm

All You Can Eat $11.95 Gift Certificates Available!

North 1930 E. Dublin-Granville Rd., 1 Mile East Of I-71

CARRY-OUT DINNERS 10% OFF!

161chinadynasty.com

Monday - Thursday Dinner Specials: Sunday: Filet & Shrimp ................$23.95 Monday: Chicken & Shrimp .......$19.95 your private event............$20.95 up to 40 Tuesday:Host Steak & Shrimp people. Book 30 or more people Wednesday: Filet & Chicken .....$20.95 and enjoy the savings Thursday: Steak & Chicken ........$19.95 Call (614) 476-6088 for details

(614) 523-2008

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LUNCH WITH YOUR COMPANY ID.

See our Facebook page for more info.

SAKURA

JAPANESE STEAKHOUSE

4210 Stelzer Rd., Columbus, OH 43219 • (614) 476-6088 • sakuraeaston.com

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) * % ' !% , % %! % ( ( + ( + '"

# # , & % % & % % %

FULL OUTDOOR BAR COMING SOON!

Samba Fresh, 4939 Dierker Rd., Upper Arlington, 614918-7716, sambafresh.com. Samba is a raw juice company focused on health and wellbeing. They offer a variety of raw pressed juices for cleanses, detoxing and everyday drinking. $$ Sans-Su, 1138 Bethel Rd., Northwest, 614-273-0188. Cook traditional Korean barbecue at the table at this Bethel Road gem. Asian cuisine, with kalbi, bulgogi bibimbap and japchae. $$ The Sycamore, 262 E. Sycamore St., German Village, 614-754-1460. This German Village eatery wants to be exactly what it is: a neighborhood hang where locals can go for no-frills, good food, cocktails and beer. From the owners of Harvest Pizzeria, this rehabed 50-seater dive bar offers locally sourced, chef-driven bar favorites including a decent offering of vegetarian fare. $$ T. Murrayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bar and Kitchen, 560 S. High St., German Village, 614-824-2301, tmurrays.com. Downtown gastropub serving a host of comfort food dishes with an Italian flair. Contemporary American cuisine, with eggplant stack, risotto and arugula Milanese. $$ The Tavern, 889 E. Oak St., Olde Towne East, 614-2522955. Olde Towne Eastâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s convivial bar brings beer to a once-thirsty neighborhood, as well as gourmet grilled cheese and pizza in the style of Youngstownâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s beloved Brier Hill. $$ Tensuke Express, 1167 Old Henderson Rd., Northwest Side, 614-451-6002. A little back room counter operation inside Tensuke Market serves bentos and sushi from neighboring partner Akai Hana as well as noodle and rice bowls. Japanese with spicy pork kimchi udon, shoyu wakame Ramen and curry rice. $$ Till Dynamic Fare, 247 King Ave., Victorian Village, 614-298-9986, tillfare.com. Former Dragonfly owner Magdiale Wolmark has transformed the space into an exciting neighborhood spot, with both vegan and carnivorous fare, incorporating ingredients grown in the backyard biodynamic garden. American cuisine, with beet salad, biodynamic burgers and pizzas. $$ Tom+Chee, 10709 Blacklick-Eastern Rd, Suite 300, Pickerington; 1840 Hilliard-Rome Rd., Hilliard, tomandchee.com. A Cincinnati-based, fast casual grilled cheese and soup concept offering classic tomato soup and grilled cheese combos, plus fancy grilled cheese and grilled cheese doughnuts. $

HAPPY

HOUR

$3 all Draughts Half-Off Well Drinks Half-Off Cold Appetizers

Mondays - $5 Gyro Dine-In or Carry-Out Private Event Room

Open Monday-Sunday 11am-2.30am 1788 W 5th Ave., Grandview 614-485-9090 â&#x20AC;˘ Jimmyvsgrandview.com Facebook: jimmyvspubgrandview 12 2 â&#x20AC;˘ C o l u m b u s C r av e . C o m â&#x20AC;˘ s u m m e r 2 014

The Worthington Inn, 649 High St., Worthington, 614885-2600, worthingtoninn.com. A cozy old country inn with elegantly restored dining rooms makes an intimate setting to enjoy traditional and modern dishes. American cuisine, with crab cakes, Garden Vegetable Plate and Beef Worthington. $$$ Yellow Brick Pizza, 892 Oak St., Olde Towne East, 614-725-5482. This Olde Towne East pizzeria has the feel of a beloved neighborhood haunt while offering a fresh take on the classic â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;za. Pizza, with specialty pies and appetizers. Zaftig Brewing Co., 545 Schrock Rd., Worthington, 614-636-2537. This Worthington-based craft brewer is all about full-bodied ales. Their taproom is open Wednesday evenings, Saturday from noon to 5 p.m. or by request. $

Photo: tim johnson

GRANDVIEW

Westies Gastropub, 940 S. Front St., Brewery District, 614-674-6143. The huge gastropub in the Brewery District is divided into two spaces--the restaurantbar side where friends and families nosh on upscale bar food (pierogi, pizza, wings), and the four-season pation in theback with a bar, TVs, four-sided fireplace and dozens of craft beers. $$

Your DVR and two frozen dinners do not equal date night. Crave and Capital Style have an idea...

Take your date out on the town.

Win a $100 gift card to 89 Fish and Grill and tickets to Shadowbox. Register online at columbuscrave.com/datenight.

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Rootbeer Float at 101 Beer Kitchen

Table Talk 101 Beer Kitchen, 7509 Sawmill Rd., Dublin, 614-2101010, 101beerkitchen.com. At this expertly executed gastropub (its owners could school others in the art of developing a restaurant), craft brews are paired with made-from-scratch, seasonal dishes. $$ Ajumama, ajumama.com. This food truck from chef Laura Lee serves up popular Korean street eats like savory pajeon, bulgogi cheezesteaks, hodduk and kimchi hot dogs. Aromaku, 614-915-0988, facebook.com/ar0maku. Food truck Aromaku is popular for good reason. The truck offers a cleverly curated menu of Indonesian favorites, including Rendang, a rich, coconut-milk-infused beef stew.

TAJ PALACE Indian Restaurant (614) 771-3870

Bel Lago Waterfront Dining, 170 N. Sunbury Rd., Westerville, 614-891-0200. A picturesque Westerville restaurant, Bel Lago sits just ashore the Hoover Reservoir. This Wine Spectator Grand Award winner is the only restaurant in Central Ohio featuring a state-of-theart Napa Technology WineStation. The Italian-inspired menu offers a heavy focus on fresh seafood. $$$

Open 7 days a week DAILY LUNCH BUFFET:

Mon – Fri: 11:00 am – 2:00 pm Sat – Sun: 11:30 am – 2:30 pm

A LA CARTE:

Wed, Fri, Sat & Sun

3794 Fishinger Blvd. Hilliard, OH 43026

www.tajpalacecolumbus.com 12 4 • C o l u m b u s C r av e . C o m • s u m m e r 2 014

DINNER BUFFET: Mon, Tues & Thu

DINNER:

Sun – Thu: 5:30 pm 9:30 pm Fri & Sat: 5:30 pm – 10:00 pm

Cilantro, 614-899-2550, facebook.com/cilantrofoodtruck. Chef Brian Perez focuses on Latin fusion cuisine at this local food truck. You’ll find the flavors of Cuba and Mexico, plus a few of Puerto Rican favorites, including Pernil with pigeon peas and rice. $ Columbus Brewing Co. Restaurant, 525 Short St., Brewery District, 614-464-2739, columbusbrewingco. com. This laid-back, duskily lit Brewery District restaurant houses an on-premises brewpub that turns out a variety of beers. American cuisine, with Cuban Chicken, Seafood Stew and the BBQ Chicken Jerk Pizza. $$

Photo: tim johnson

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Farm to Plate 2014 August 18-24 Highlighting local farm-grown goodness and special menus from the best restaurants in Central Ohio.

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