ThisWeek Community Newspapers Hilliard
February 24, 2011
Page B5
Get your Irish up at P.K. O’Ryan’s in Worthington Unlike several of its competitors, P.K. O’Ryan’s wasn’t built in Ireland and reassembled over here. And this tiny Irish-themed pub doesn’t feature self-consciously eccentric seating in a splashy and sprawling setting. No, P.K. O’Ryan’s is just a neighborhoody place where actual locals gather to sip, chat and sup. Maybe that’s why P.K.’s feels more like an authentic Irish pub than its built-in-Ireland, chainy brethren. Located in quaint Old Worthington, P.K.’s is the kind of place where on a lazy Sunday gentlemen have lunch with a pint and The New York Times and ladies roll in for an entree salad. On a weeknight with the Buckeyes on TV, the comfy pub — which appropriates a cozy, pilsner-colored glow for evening lighting — gets a bit more ani-
MENU by G.A. Benton mated. But just a bit, mind you. While P.K.’s is connected to a larger, more regulation restaurant, since I prefer its taverny aspect, I suggest you sit on that side (unless you’ve got the peewee basketball team in tow) — just follow the shamrocks to the pub entry. Then plop down at a semirickety (in a good way) wooden bench with a padded back or belly up to the well used wooden bar, which is the color of Guinness stout. P.K.’s food is just solid pub grub, but some of its stuff stands out. The “so wrong they’re right” Irish Nachos ($8) fit that standout category.
By Jodi Miller/ThisWeek
Irish nachos and Irish stew in a bread bowl at P.K. O’Ryan’s Restaurant and Pub.
A massive pile of just-fried, dark and crispy kettle-style potato chips arrived decorated a la reuben sandwich. Yes, shredded
P.K. O’Ryan’s Restaurant too. My favorite was the salty Black & Bleu ($10), jacked up and Pub
bits of commendably houseroasted corned beef (though I would have liked more), sauerkraut, a decent Swiss cheese sauce and snipped scallions lent tons of salty and irresistible character to the good chips (Thousand Island was on the side for dipping). Also good — if less wild — was the homemade chili ($4). Meaty, thick and hearty, it was made with black beans and seemed about 85 percent ground beef — a righteous ratio. For a lighter starter, the house salad ($4.50) wasn’t bad. While it’s not something you’ll be thinking about long afterward, neither is it a total blowoff. Good sized and assembled with fresh romaine (no iceberg), it was sprinkled with shredded cheese, tomato, onions and boxed croutons and got a bit of distinction from
on Cajun seasonings and enriched with blue cheese. The homemade Irish Stew ($11.50) was a big standout. A huge, housemade bread bowl was loaded with a soulful, potatoheavy stew of tender pot roast, sweet onions, carrots and a thick, Guinness-sloshed beefy gravy. What’s a homemade Irish sheet cake? It’a a giant block of chocolate cake with nuts and a sweet fudgy icing ($5). In other words, what you’d call a nice Texas sheet cake when eaten in a pub that feels accommodatingly Irish.
666 High St., Worthington 614-781-0770 Web: pkoryans.com Cuisine: Irish & British pub Price: $ (up to $10 per person) Patio: No Hours: 8 a.m.-11 p.m. Sunday -Thursday, 8 a.m.-midnight Friday-Saturday the sweet and salty house poppyseed feta dressing. Want more of that crave-worthy house-roasted corned beef? Of course you do, so order one of P.K.’s excellent Grilled Reubens ($10). They’re not overly greasy, are judiciously proportioned and come with extracrispy french fries. Made with Carfagna’s ground beef, the burgers are solid here
To read G.A. Benton’s blog, visit ColumbusDiningGuide.com.
Restaurant with Southwestern flair opens in Merion Village Robin Emrick is happy to say there isn’t anything quite like Coyote Jane’s in her immediate neighborhood – or beyond. The Merion Village restaurant, 1586 S. High St., is based on a simple premise: affordable, homemade Santa Fe cuisine and festive drinks in a laidback environment. Emrick, the chef and co-owner, said that while the cuisine has its roots in the artsy New Mexico capital, it melds global ingredients. “My cooking style is to mesh different flavors that nobody else would think of putting together,” she said. Yet the bill of fare, in which everything is currently priced less than $10, has been subject to vast interpretations. “It’s not Mexican,” she said. “The menu right now is a little misunderstood.” So, in short, expect the unexpected. The “Hop Sing” green chili burger, for example, uses 8 ounces of Angus beef topped with deepfried jalapenos, sharp cheddar and green chili agave pesto on grilled brioche. The steak chili uses a splash of Jack Daniels and is touched off with a drizzle of Mexican chipotle chocolate. There are tacos, burritos (called burros) and deep-fried burritos, otherwise known as chimichangas. Many have Coyote Jane’s signature touch, such as the “poppy shrimp” tacos, filled with deep-fried buttermilk popcorn shrimp, a traditional garnish and cayenne mayo. The signature cocktail is the grilled watermelon sidecar – tequila, agave syrup, grilled watermelon and fresh mint. An untamed version of a
By Lorrie Cecil/ThisWeek
Robin Emrick, the chef at Coyote Jane’s, is seen with some of the restaurant’s dishes including chips and raja salsa, burro with soffrito red sauce and a grilled watermelon sidecar. Coyote Jane’s, 1586 S. High St. in Merion Village, features Santa Fe-style food.
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See Keile Baney’s recipe for fish tacos at www.ThisWeekNews.com/foodandwine
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■ The Powell dining scene has grown dramatically in recent years. Keile Baney isn’t worried. The chef of the Liberty Tavern says he tries to stay on top of the competition by giving diners a large variety of dishes at reasonable prices. “We have a regular crowd and they’re not afraid to tell us what they want,” he said. Keile Baney Customers can get everything from grilled mahi mahi over risotto to the Tavern “stacker” – a burger crowned with barbecue pork, bacon, cheddar and onion rings. “We have a little bit of everything,” said Baney, now a contributor to Food & Wine. Baney said his real passion is smoking. Tavern patrons are treated to frequent smoked specials, including brisket, turkey and pork shoulder. Baney is a 12-year veteran of the restaurant industry, working in Pennsylvania, Michigan and locally at such places as Hyde Park. To read more on Baney and see his recipe for fish tacos, go to www.ThisWeekNews.com/foodandwine.
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bloody Mary offers shrimp and pickled egg. After leasing the building in March, the restaurant had a few stutter steps because of liquor license and permitting issues. It is open dinner only until March 1, when lunch hours are introduced. Emrick said she will have an entirely new lunch menu while adding some entrees at dinner. Emrick is a partner and chef in the Banana Bean Café, which got its start in Schumacher Place and later moved to Greenlawn Avenue. Her other business associates are Angela Caskey, also part of the founding partnership of Banana Bean and Skillet, and Jane Ann Wentzel, whose name served as the inspiration for the new restaurant. The building, at the northeast corner of High and East Morrill Avenue, had been home to Craters Restaurant and Bar for about 25 years. Then, the Eagle bar had been in business for about six months before Coyote Jane’s moved in. Emrick said she liked the look of the place: wooden floors, exposed brick and a cozy dining space. She shortened the bar and added several Southwest appointments for a rustic look. The dining room seats about 30 and the bar space seats another 25. “I’ve been down here for 15 years,” she said. “I’ve seen Merion Village grow in the last 10 years. And the people want something different.” Coyote Jane’s is open five days a week, closed Sunday and Monday. For more information, call 614-444-5460.
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