Crave Winter 2012

fried

cStrehe icken te Mya’saftosofrom truck d

10 BEST

Restaurants in Columbus $4.99 Winter 2012 04

0

74470 26795

9

www.columbuscrave.com

go green

Vegetarian dining guide

holiday toast

Champagnes & bubbly wines

Columbus Top 10 restaurant Award Winning Wine List Serving Dinner 7 Nights a Week Open for Lunch Mon. - Fri. Available for Holiday and Private Events we cater to one thing: you

relax, we’ve taken care of the details

Private Parties Celebration Dinners Rehearsal Dinners Bridal Showers

Baby Showers Cocktail Parties Large Venue Special Events

sidecarglobalcatering.com

263 east whittier st. columbus, oh 43206

barcelonacolumbus.com

THE FACES OF FRESH FOOD. Curds & Whey • The Greener Grocer • The Fish Guys • Bluescreek Farm Meats Market Blooms • Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams • North Market Poultry and Game • Omega Artisan Bakery and 27 more

Supporting local businesses.

Nourishing our community.

Passionately preserving good taste. www.facebook.com/NorthMarket @NorthMarket

www.northmarket.com 59 Spruce Street

•

Downtown Columbus

•

(614) 463-9664

•

open daily

Ohio Representative 651-C Lakeview Plaza Blvd.

Worthington, OH 43085 (614) 885-7676

UNE NEXP XP PE ECT MO MORE F FR RO R OM YO YOUR B BO OUR URB BO ON ON

ENJOY ENJ EN NNJO JJOOY OY THEM THE TH HEM EM

CHILLED! CHILL LLED LEDD!!

tradition of Spani d n a e t s a t e h t sh foo ce n e i r e d Our menu offers a variety of traditional dishes Expfrom the provincial regions of Spain. All recipes are created using all natural ingredients with a wide variety of locally grown products.

Lunch: Mon - Fri 11am to 2pm Dinner: Mon - Fri 2pm to 10pm, Sat noon to 10pm & Sun noon to 9pm

Now accepting Holiday Party reservations

740-548-6900

76 West Powell Rd Lewis Center, Oh 43035

www.spainrestcolumbus.com

$5

Greek Gyros and Fries

Mondays - All Day and All Night Offer valid at German Village and Grandview locations. Gyro Special Dine-In Only

German Village 912 South High St. 614.445.9090

Grandview 1788 W 5th Ave. 614.485.9090

www.jimmyvspub.com

Rustic Italian Comfort Food The passion of Italy, in the heart of Granville

New Fall & Winter Menu Hand-Crafted Cocktails Seasonal Beer & Wine Offerings

Located in downtown Granville, just 15 minutes from the outer belt!

128 East Broadway • Granville, OH 43023

Reservations not Required or Accepted

(740) 920-4032

bellagranville.com

DaVinci Lounge Where Cocktails and Conversation pair with local art and entertainment.

Join us for: • Wine Tasting Tuesdays, • Bluegrass Thursdays, • Fantasy Football Sundays, • and Live, Local Entertainment!

Offering dining Offf i delicious Of d li i di i options tii from the Bella Kitchen Happy Hour: 5 - 7 Monday through Friday Located in downtown Granville, just 15 minutes from the outer belt!

128 East Broadway • Granville, OH 43023

(740) 920-4032

Above Bella Italian Comfort Food

Check us out at www facebook.com/davincilounge for a complete events calendar!

Brews Cafe, Granville

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

contents The Columbus dining magazine

Winter 2012

l

ColumbusCrave.com

Starters cover story CRAVE 10 The best restaurants in Columbus

76

16 Editor’s Note 22 Craveworthy Tea accessories

24 Scoop

Menu changes at Schmidt’s and regulars at Mr. Sushi

10 BEST

Restaurants in Columbus $4.99 Winter 2012 04

0

74470 26795

9

www.columbuscrave.com

he ultimate guide to T going meatless in Columbus

54 Street Eats

Mya’s Fried Chicken

34 Events

66 Chefs at Home

eet the visionary behind M New Harvest Cafe

41 Crave Calendar

Plan out your season

go green

Vegetarian dining guide

holiday toast

49 Vegetarian Dining

62 Holiday Dining

n the scene at foodie O events around town

Champagnes & bubbly wines

28 Community frie

chickedn

Street eat s from Mya’s foo truck d

Food

Above, Ohio Chicken from Sage. On the cover, matsutake mushroom soup in clay pot from Kihachi. On the inside cover, cocktails at Curio.

1 2 l C o l u m b u s C r av e . C O M l w i n t e r 2 0 1 2

et out of the kitchen this G Thanksgiving Flatiron’s chef shares his favorite kitchen gadget

68 Staff Meal

mployees at Barcelona E break bread together before each shift.

Drink 121 Bubbly Drinks Ring in the new year with champagne

124 Perfect Pairings

hat to order with 89 Fish W & Grill’s sea bass

126 Closing Time Dan Dougan shares his favorite places to eat and drink in Columbus 128 Dessert Sweet treats from L’Appat Patisserie Cover photo by

will shilling Inside cover and contents photos: jodi miller

Get ready for Vegas-style excitement with over 3,000 state-of-the-art slots and 100 world-class tables including the ultimate hollywoodcolumbus.com

poker action. Plus, enjoy fabulous dining, live entertainment and the kind of red carpet service you won’t find anywhere else.

NOW OPEN

200 Georgesville Road Columbus, OH 6 1 4 - 3 0 8 - 3 3 3 3 1 - 8 5 5 - 6 1 7- 4 2 0 6 Must be 21 years or older.

GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-589-9966 FOR HELP.

34 S. Third St. Columbus, OH 43215 614-461-8700 ColumbusCrave.com Vice President & Publisher Katie Wolfe Lloyd kwolfe@columbuscrave.com Director of Dispatch Magazines Brian Lindamood blindamood@columbuscrave.com Editor Shelley Mann smann@columbuscrave.com Director of Photography Will Shilling Designer Kathryn Landis Photographers Tessa Berg, Tim Johnson and Jodi Miller Contributors G.A. Benton, Robin Davis, Chris DeVille, Jeffry Konczal, Jill Moorhead, Karina Nova, Eric Wagner and Bethia Woolf Office Manager Silvana Hildebrandt 614-461-8700 shildebrandt@columbuscrave.com ADVERTISING Advertising Manager Amy Bishop abishop@columbuscrave.com Restaurant Account Executives Valeria McNeal vmcneal@columbuscrave.com Erica Phillips ephillips@columbuscrave.com Subscriptions Don’t miss an issue: Have Crave delivered to your home.

Subscriptions are available for $10 for one year (5 issues). To order, call toll-free 877-688-8009 or visit ColumbusCrave.com.

Crave magazine is published and distributed by the Dispatch Printing Company four times a year. Crave is not responsible for unsolicited photographs, manuscripts or other materials. Reproduction of contents without express written permission is prohibited.

Copyright Š 2012 The Dispatch Printing Company.

GIFT CARD

793 N. High Street Columbus, OH 43215

starters

editor’s note

O

ur cover story is all about splurging at the city’s 10 best fine-dining restaurants. These places can be pricy, yes, but each is well worth the occasional indulgence.

But there’s no need to break the bank on an everyday basis. Visit any of the places on this list of our top 10 cheap-eats spots, and you can come away with a full and happy belly for $15 or less.

1. Skillet Chef Kevin Caskey makes the best comfort food around using seasonal ingredients from local, sustainable farms.

Cheap Eat pick: Weekend brunch lines here can get ridiculous, so I’ll sometimes order breakfasty dishes for lunch or dinner instead.

Recently I’ve loved the Sweet Potato and Chorizo Folded Omelette ($12).

2. Harvest Pizzeria With seasonal pizzas, small-plate starters and good desserts, this German Village restaurant is more than just a pizzeria.

Cheap Eat pick: Order the $9 lunch special—a nine-inch pizza (my fave is the Spicy Yuma with gouda, chorizo, corn, jalapeno, roasted peppers and chipotle-spiked sauce) and a half-salad.

3. Freshstreet My love for the food made

by Kenny Kim and Misako Ohba at their Japanese street food pop-up housed for now in the kitchen at Double Happiness knows no

bounds.

Cheap Eat pick: Go for the Japanese crepes. One savory and one sweet makes for a perfect balanced meal. I usually get the Bulgogi Cheese Steak for $7 and the Green Tea Tiramisu for $6.

4. Katalina’s This teensy Victorian Village cafe specializes in sandwiches, all of them made with high-quality ingredients in creative combinations.

Cheap Eat pick: The Mazatlan Slow-Roasted Pork and Egg sandwich, $9.25, is easily huge enough to act as two meals. A hefty toasted bun is loaded with slowroasted pulled pork, a fried egg, avocado and roasted red peppers.

5. Little Palace This hip Downtown place does nifty bar bites. Fried cheese curds from Blue Jacket Dairy ($6) are a guilty pleasure, while the Favorites menu is a can’t-miss collection of sandwiches, burgers and gyros priced under $5.

Cheap Eat pick: Order a Palace Burger for $3, a Crisp Chicken Sandwich for $3.50 and a side of fries for $2.

6. Knead Rick and Krista Lopez buy almost exclusively from local and sustainable farms, then turn those ingredients into magical diner fare.

Cheap Eat pick: I’m forever loyal to the Motherclucker sandwich, $10. It’s a buttermilk fried chicken breast served on a toasted challah bun with bacon, cheddar, roasted poblanos, garlic aioli and honey.

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Photo: will shilling

cheap treats

Shelley at G. Michael’s 7. Pistacia Vera Pistacia’s non-dessert menu is limited to a handful of brunch dishes so uniformly excellent, I wish they’d branch out with a full savory menu.

Cheap Eat pick: Tomato Provencal Baked Eggs ($11), two sunny-side-up eggs baked with cream, fresh herbs and tomato fondue. It comes with a real-deal flaky croissant and jam.

8. Indochine Cafe The food’s great at this Vietnamese restaurant in Whitehall, but the real draw is the hilarious and kind family who owns the place.

Cheap Eat pick: Pho Dac Biet, a huge bowl of Vietnamese noodle soup with rare beef, meatballs and tripe will run you $7.50.

9. Bono Pizza This quirky little pizza place is located inside a carryout.

The owners are the nicest people you’ll ever meet, and

their wood-fired, charredcrust pizzas are very special.

Cheap Eat pick: The pricing is simple—10-inch pies perfect for one person are all priced at $10. Try the Hulk, made with fresh pesto, fresh mozzarella and a whole ton of green veggies.

10. Ray Ray’s Hog Pit Our best-known food truck has a permanent new home in the parking lot at Ace of Cups, which is perfect since their slow-smoked barbecue practically demands to be eaten right away and washed down with a beer.

Cheap Eat pick: Try the beef brisket sandwich for $6, with a side of collard greens.

Let’s eat,

Shelley Mann, Editor

LOCAL COLOR

Call to reserve for your Holiday Parties!

RESTAURANT & BISTRO

1092 BETHEL ROAD, COLUMBUS 43220 614-451-9774 REFECTORY.COM

CATERING • RECEPTIONS • BANQUETS

Authentic Mexican Food

$1.50 Off Appetizers When You Buy Any Dinner 4:00pm - 8:00pm Happy Hour Every Day 4:00pm - 8:00pm

elvaquerorestaurants.com Like us on

Co

Bu

m er s C nsu ward hoice

A

TM

2011

sin For llen ess Exce

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Locations in Dublin, Grove City, Powell, Delaware, Polaris, Gahanna, Columbus, Hilliard

C E L E B R AT I N G 1 0 E X T R A O R D I NA RY Y E A R S FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2012 | FRANKLIN PARK CONSERVATORY | 6 TO 10 P.M.

THANK YOU! The Columbus Food & Wine Affair Grand Tasting and Wine Competition Celebrated 10 Extraordinary Years in Style Pourings of over 450 international wines Food tastings from over 45 of the Finest restaurants in Central Ohio Beautiful Music - Premier Artists and Retailers The Central Ohio Restaurant Association and Foundation, the Founders of the Columbus Food & Wine Affair David Miller, Cameron Mitchell Restaurants and Greg Maurer, Heidelberg Distributing and the members of the Columbus Food & Wine Affair Executive and Steering Committees wish to thank the central Ohio community for joining the Grand Tasting and helping to establish the event as the premier tasting event in the Mid-west.

Our community, along with the many partners, wineries, restauranteurs, artisans and volunteers, have given their resources and their hearts to insure the success and longevity of this event whose purpose is to showcase the amazing hospitality industry both within and outside of our region and to contribute to a number of very deserving local charities.

BENEFICIARIES

Columbus College of Art & Design | Franklin Park Conservatory

The Columbus Food & Wine Affair is proud to have been able to provide over $500,000 to our charitable partners. “In years to come, the Columbus Food & Wine Affair will be on the list of those spectacular events that did much to herald our city and its people.�

Chuck White - Honorary Chair SPECIAL THANKS Central Ohio Restaurant Association Scott Heimlich, President Robert Himes, Chair

Columbus Food & Wine Affair Chairs 2012 Doug Fahrenholz, The Wasserstrom Company Ryan Valentine, Cameron Mitchell Restaurants

Honorary Chairs 2012 Chuck and Bernice White Rich, Sr. and Roberta Terapak Rich, Jr. and Cindy Terapak

V I S I T F O O D A N D W I N E A F F A I R . C O M F O R D E TA I L S

#1 in Customer Loyalty. Period.

Proud to have been ranked #1on the Brand Keys Customer Loyalty Engagement Index for 16 consecutive years.

Switch to Discover Discover.com 1-800 -DISCOVER

ÂŽ

Source: Brand Keys Reports 1996 -2012 Š2012 Discover Bank, Member FDIC

Located in Lancaster, Ohio since 1905, Anchor Hocking has been a leading manufacturer and marketer of high-quality glassware around the world. Recognized for ontrend design and innovation in the Hospitality and Retail markets across the globe, we are pleased to be a part of the 2012 Columbus Food & Wine Affair.

Anchor Hocking is delighted to supply StÜlzle stemware for this year’s event.

Anchor Hocking partnered with StĂślzle in 2009 to provide our customers with the finest crystal stemware in world. We are excited to share them with you at this prestigious event.

StĂślzle stems are designed to maximize the full potential flavor and aroma of each pour. We hope you find your wine is complemented by the beautiful stem you are using today and that you experience the wine as intended.

Find us online: www.anchorhocking.com

Anchor Hocking 519 N Pierce Ave Lancaster, OH 43130 800.848.3763

VOTED

BEST

PATIO

2012

Don’t miss our $10 Menu Del Dia served during lunch Monday–Friday from 11am–2:30pm.

Lane, Alton & Horst is very proud to support the Central Ohio Restaurant Association, it’s Foundation, the Columbus Food & Wine Affair and our thriving hospitality community within central Ohio.

Or join us nightly for dinner.

barcelonacolumbus.com

614.443.3699 | 263 E Whittier Street

Congratulattions COL COLUM OLU LUMB MB MBUS BUS U FOO FOO OD & WINE AFFAIR

1100TTHH ANN ANNIV IV VE SARY VER

What matters to you, matters to us.

BEER | WINE | SPIRITS O OHIO OH AND KENTUCKY FAMI OWNED SINCE 193 MILY ILY Y OWNED N 1935

Proud Partner

WWW WW WW.H W W EIDE BE BERGD E RG ISTRIBU ISTR U TING.COM DEL DE T IN G ELBERGD G D IST

Food: a great thing about life.

Food & Life: a great thing about Wednesdays.

The smarter, easier-to-handle Columbus Dispatch.

Opening 2013

Let us cater to your needs!

Business Meetings Family Gatherings Boxed Lunches School Lunches Weddings

w w w. a c a t e r e d e v e n t . b i z

Proud Member

Proud Partner

Save the Dates 2013 A New Entry for the Columbus Food & Wine Affair Columbus Cocktail Classic Friday, May 10 Wine Competition and Enthusiast Saturday, August 17 Cena di Vino Thursday, September 26 The Grand Tasting Friday, September 27

2 0 1 2 PA R T N E R S G R A N D TA S T I N G PA R T N E R S TM

Columbus Fish Market/Mitchell’s Steakhouse | Ruth’s Chris Hospitality Group | North American Broadcasting | Madison & Fifth | Sysco

F E AT U R E D PA R T N E R S

F O U N D I N G PA R T N E R S

BENEFICIARIES

Columbus College of Art & Design | Franklin Park Conservatory

V I S I T F O O D A N D W I N E A F F A I R . C O M F O R D E TA I L S

A few things to make your daily cup of tea even more lovely.

Story by shelley Mann Photo by jodi miller

Tea infuser The stainless steel Mesh Wonder Ball works with all loose teas.

Tea infuser, $3.75 at North Market Cookware.

Pu-erh tea

Tea cups Petali sells teapots to match these sleek, modern Bee House ceramic cups.

This mellow and earthy Chinese fermented tea is finely aged—similar to wine, it gets more flavorful over time. One pressed disc of Pu-erh makes many, many cups of tea.

Tea cups, $8 each at Petali Teas in Granville.

Pu-erh tea cake, $22 at TehKu Tea in Dublin. Pu-erh tea pieces, $14 at ZenCha.

Teapot Want to serve pots of tea as elegant as ZenCha’s? The tea salon, with locations in Short North, Bexley and Downtown, makes it easy— you can buy the glass pots they use for tea service.

Teapot, $35 at ZenCha Tea Salon.

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Tea towel $9 at Petali Teas in Granville

P L U S

Specializing in Homemade Italian and Traditional Cuisine

LATE NIGHT KARAOKE and AMERICAN BREAKFAST at OTANI Fridays and Saturdays until 4am!

Karaoke every night at 7:30pm Hot Sake $2 all night!

Full Service Available Facility Location Service Full menus including Grazing Stations and Antipasto Large selection of Linen and China Service Available BarWine / Wine Service Available If you can dream it, we can do it.

5900 Roche Drive • Columbus 43229 614-431-3333 West of I-71 at 161 across from Giant Eagle

otanisushi.com

Call us at 614-846-6340

or 740-815-5531

Visit www.carfagnas.com or email us at ourcatering@sbcglobal.net

We make it here...

We make it fresh

MEXICAN GRILL & CANTINA

614-474-2000

1356 North Hamilton Rd. Gahanna Oh 43230 losjalapenos.gahanna@gmail.com

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POUTINE

Little Palace has a classic rendition of the Canadian specialty of fries topped with cheese curds and gravy, or try poutine tots from Swoop food truck, seitan poutine at Till, or gravy-andfries-topped pizza at Late Night Slice.

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in

branches

We’ve spotted stark and sculptural tree branches at DeNovo Bistro, where they hang over the glam bar, and at FM All American Bar and Grill, where a bare tree is actually mounted to the wall.

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bamboo

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Ceviche

In

Biscuits & gravy

Arepazo turned its beloved summer special into a tapas menu mainstay at the Gahanna location, while Si Senor offers their crave-worthy take on citrus-cured seafood on Saturdays only.

We love upscale twists on this Southern classic, like Skillet’s Lamb Chorizo Gravy with buttermilk biscuits or Katalina’s quirky Southern Biscuits and Chocolate Gravy.

out bLACKENED

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for your holiday dining 772 N. HIGH STREET, SUITE 106 - COLUMBUS

614-291-1666

Go to www.lantibes.com for more information and reservations.

SCONES

In

mole

The complex Mexican sauce has made many memorable appearances of late— at Veritas Tavern, it accompanies carnitas, while it serves as a sauce on That Food Truck’s Lazy Chicken Sandwich.

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QUESO

“L’Antibes only utilizes the finest ingredients, handpicked everyday.”

– Chef Litzinger owner at L’Antibes

BISTRO & BAR

“G. Mike’s

justly famous Shrimp & Grits�

— Columbus Alive

G MICHAEL’S PRIX FIXE MONDAYS 3 Courses for $30 German VILLAGE s 3 4HIRD 3TREET GMICHAELSBISTRO COM

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menus

bone up

A roasted Bavarian pork shank was added to the menu at Schmidt’s this year, the first new item offered at the German Village institution in 25 years. The impressive cuts of meat are served with mashed potatoes and gravy, sauerkraut and a warm roll, priced at $19.95.

We got the inside story from owner Geoff Schmidt.

—Shelley Mann Why add a pork shank to the repertoire?

I went to Germany for a riverboat cruise, and my wife and I ate at this great restaurant in Regensburg.

We ordered a pork shank there, and it was very good.

I talked to the chefs to find out how they did it—what kind of seasonings, how they cooked it.

It’s a real, authentic German dish, and I thought it’d be pretty neat for our

Schmidt’s Restaurant und Sausage Haus

240 E. Kossuth St. German Village 614-444-6808; schmidthaus.com

Photo: fred squillante

restaurant. We try to keep all our dishes as authentic as possible.

Two decades is a long time with no menu changes.

What’s your reasoning?

It’s all about consistency, consistency, consistency.

We don’t have chefs, we have short-order cooks. So we know we have a good product when we can deliver a consistent plate of food.

How are customers responding?

They love it! It’s not on the actual menu, because we only print new menus about every three years. But we’re advertising it on table tents, and we’re having a lot of fun with it.

The big thing about selling anything is you look at the guy next to you and say “what is he eating?” So we make it mandatory that our servers have to walk further than where they’re going—through all three dining rooms—when they’re delivering a pork shank.

It’s very eye-catching, with the two big bones, and we do a little Bavarian flag on it.

LUNCH SPECIAL - $9.95 Monday through Friday • 11:00am - 3:00pm

Our Dublin Location Is Now Open!

6125 Riverside Dr., Dublin, OH 43017 Phone: (614) 792-9190

2455 E. Main St., Bexley, OH 43209 Phone: (614) 237-9920

15% Off Your Bill with this Ad

3983 Worth Avenue - Easton Columbus OH 43219 Phone: (614) 473-9144

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visionary

leading by example It takes a neighborhood to run New Harvest Cafe

S to r y by j i l l m o o r h e a d l P h oto by t i m j o h n s o n 2 8 l C o l u m b u s C r av e . C O M l w i n t e r 2 0 1 2

“I

thought that we were all good neighbors around here,” yells Kwodwo Ababio, in the wake of a shouting match involving owed money between two people in a Linden neighborhood. We were on a walk to see the urban gardens that facilitate New Harvest Cafe and Urban Arts Center.

Silenced by Ababio’s words—or, perhaps, his mere presence—the argument ceased and he was greeted with a friendly, “What up, yo?”

It was then that I noticed an entire front yard filled with cabbage. There was no question about it; whether it’s turning a front yard into a harvest or turning an altercation into a moment of reflection, when Ababio’s around, things happen. For the better.

The worn sign outside New Harvest Cafe and Urban Arts Center trumpets the day’s special: Tell someone you love them.

The Linden restaurant is the passion of our well-loved Ababio. With lunch and dinner (starting at $5) five days a week, it sustains the gallery that shares its space at 1675 Arlington Ave. And with a half-acre garden out back (kept up by volunteers and artists) and countless yard gardens throughout the neighborhood, it is quite literally a farm-to-table restaurant.

Which came first, the restaurant or the arts center?

The artists’ collective. It transitioned from the gallery into the cafe because we weren’t making any money selling art. Every time we had an

event, we gave away food.

So we were like, “Why don’t we start selling the food?”

Did you grow up with an interest in food?

No, not really. I’m an artist.

I’m interested in art.

What’s in your fridge at home?

Nothing. Maybe a beer, a Heineken or two. I’m here all the time. I live here.

What’s been your biggest learning curve?

People are picky. We cook gourmet soul food. They’re used to collard greens cooked with ham hocks.

We don’t cook our greens with any meat. It was a little different for them to catch on to.

What’s your best seller?

The Damn Soup. It’s a seasonal soup that has every damn thing in it. It’s $2. The big bowl is $4.

What are your plans for the future?

We want to open up that front building. We own it and we want to open up an upscale soul food bistro in the ’hood.

We want to make it a performance-art space where you can come and have a sit-down, full sevencourse meal.

We’ve got a lot of high crime down here. My thing is to change the perception of this community. New Harvest is the diamond in the rough.

New Harvest Cafe 1675 Arlington ave.,Linden 614-447-8810 newharvestuac.com

RUSTIC. URBAN. FOOD.

We make ordinary salads

“Seasonal Driven, Farm to Fork Comfort Classics with an Urban Edge”

feel

naked and ashamed.

Dive into one of our six original salads, from classic chicken caesar to mouth-watering pear & gorgonzola. Made from our own special recipes and piled high with fresh-from-the-garden veggies, they make a plain lettuce salad green with envy.

Photo by Ely Brothers

You’ve had salad. Now experience pure pleasure.

SHORT NORTH 945 N High St, (614) 299-3289

410 E Whittier St. • Columbus, OH 43206 • 614-443-2266 Follow the location of our Mobile Kitchen on Facebook and Twitter www.skilletruf.com

CLINTONVILLE_WORTHINGTON 5060 N High St, (614) 885-0101

witter

wexner center

dine-in

FILM/VIDEO

U

take-out

U

delivery

U

zpizza.com

catering

November 1–December 1

Castles in the Sky Miyazaki, Takahata and the Masters of Studio Ghibli This monthlong series includes favorites and rarely screened works from Studio Ghibli, the groundbreaking animation studio known as the Disney of Japan.

NEW 35mm PRINTS! COPRESENTED BY THE EAST ASIAN STUDIES CENTER AT THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY

Spirited Away Princess Mononoke My Neighbors the Yamadas Only Yesterday Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind Castle in the Sky Porco Rosso Ocean Waves Whisper of the Heart The Cat Returns My Neighbor Totoro Pom Poko Kiki’s Delivery Service

ON SALE NOW—TICKETS.WEXARTS.ORG | (614) 292-3535 WE XNER CENTER FOR THE ARTS | THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSIT Y 187 1 NORTH HIGH STREET | COLUMBUS, OHIO

SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS FOR FILM/VIDEO

PREFERRED AIRLINE

G E N E R A L S U P P O RT FOR THE WEXNER CENTER

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regular Photo: tessa berg

Ella Restaurant + Bar Modern American Kitchen Seasonal Local Comfort Food

ready to roll Award Winning Menu

IST PLACE PEOPLE’S CHOICE 1ST IN TASTE Taste of New Albany 2012

COLUMBUS DISPATCH DINING GUIDE TOP 10 NEW RESTAURANTS

Reserve your seat at our R Thanksgiving Table!

Enjoy a delectable feast created by Executive Chef Travis Hyde!

Feast Christmas Eve! Dine on Featured Holiday Dinner Selections.

Celebrate New Years Eve at Ella A night to remember savoring one of Chef’s most inspired menus!

266 E. Main St New Albany, OH 43054 614.855.4600 www.ella-restaurant.com

Over the past three years, 16 days is the longest stretch Jamie Foltz has gone without eating at Mr. Sushi in Dublin.

That’s because Foltz, director of special events for Ronald McDonald House Charities, was on a trip to Mexico—and when she arrived home, she drove straight from the airport to order some sushi.

Here’s why she loves it.

—Karina Nova How often do you eat here?

Two to three times a week, including takeout. I start craving it at 9 in the morning.

That’s when the emails go out to friends to make plans to come here.

Why this sushi restaurant over others in town?

The food is always fresh

Mr. Sushi

3 N. High St., Dublin 614-889-8788 mrsushicol.com Hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. MondayThursday, 11 a.m.-10:30 p.m. Friday, 12-10:30 p.m. Saturday, 5-9 p.m. Sunday

Name: Jamie Foltz Age: 35 Neighborhood:

Dublin

and the servers are amazing.

I know them by name. They have a better sushi selection.

Plus, pricewise, it’s great.

The location is nice, too, because it’s in downtown Dublin and you can walk somewhere else after dinner.

What are your favorite rolls?

I always order the Kinky roll and the Naruto roll. The Kinky roll is a spicy crab stick covered with shrimp, crab and avocado. I also add asparagus to it. The Naruto roll isn’t heavy because it’s wrapped in cucumber.

Do your friends love Mr. Sushi too?

I brought my brother and he loved it. I came here on a first date and he loved it.

People are always impressed and they love the options.

Catch Karina Nova’s weekly Crave segments Saturday mornings on 10TV News HD.

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Shop, Orchard House Bed & Breakfast

Perfect blend of farm style with modern comfort. Our guests enjoy 3 beautiful bedrooms, homemade breakfasts, award winning jams, art, antiques and over 65 farm animals!

4058 Columbus Road (740) 651-1850 www.orchardhousegranville.com

The Granville Inn Dine in the Oak Room or Acorn Pub and spend the night in one of our 27 traditional rooms or three suites. Chef ’s Table Wine Shop. Private events for 12200, off-site catering.

314 East Broadway (740) 587-3333 www.granvilleinn.com

The Welsh Hills Inn Historic Granville’s premier B&B Inn nestled on 15 wooded acres in the rolling Welsh Hills equestrian & alpaca countryside.

Original artwork, antiques, gardens, spacious rooms & baths, suites, pool. Rated #1 in Ohio by TripAdvisor.

2133 Cambria Mill Road 740.321.1493 www.WelshHillsInn.com

The Buxton Inn 1812 Celebrating 200 years of hospitality featuring 25 guest rooms, restaurant and pub. Everything you need for your special event 313 East Broadway, Granville (740) 587-0001 www.buxtoninn.com

WillowBrooke Bed & Breakfast Elegant English Tudor Manor House 7 minutes west of downtown Granville, ¼ mile into the woods.

Featherbeds, fireplaces, Jacuzzi tubs + outdoor hot tub. Full breakfast.

800 772-6372 www. willowbrooke.com

Bella Italian Comfort Food

Join us at Bella, where delicious, homemade cuisine is paired perfectly with warm and friendly hospitality.

128 East Broadway 740-920-4032 bellagranville.com “The Passion of Italy in the Heart of Granville”

Brews Cafe

Brews is a restaurant & bar located in downtown Granville. We serve a wide range of American favorites and our house specialty, burgers. We have one of the largest collections of specialty beers in Central Ohio. Brews 2 is located on our third floor and is available for private parties of any kind. Brews 3 is located just upstairs from Brews and has live music on weekends, a full bar, a large screen TV, and pool tables.

116 E Broadway, Granville (740) 587-0249 www.brewscafe.com

Licking County For shopping, dining and activities for the whole family, Licking County is the perfect place to escape your world and find yourself in ours. Licking County (740) 345-8224 www.escapetolickingcounty.com

Eat, Stay Specialty Retail

Enjoy Co. Everest Gear Fackler Country Gardens Foot Loose Vintage Goumas Candyland Goumas Confections Granville Carriage Company Granville Golfland Granville Milling Country Store Granville Orchard Green Velvet Palumbo’s Italian Market Petali Teas Readers’ Garden Bookstore Real Deals on Home Decor The Going Green Store The James Store The Sport Shop Timber Run Gardens Timbuk Farms Village Flower Basket & Gardens Village Pet Market Wee Antique Gallery What’s In It for Me? Wisp

Galleries & Museums Gallery M. Collections Granville Historical Society Granville Studio of Visual Arts Kussmaul Gallery Robbins Hunter Museum

Dining

Aladdin Restaurant Bella Italian Comfort Food / DaVinci Lounge Brews Cafe Broadway Pub Buxton Inn Creno’s Pizza Day Y Noche Dragon Village Elms Pizza Parlor Greek Eats Joe & Mimi’s Pizzeria River Road Coffeehouse Snapshots Lounge

Subway Taco Dan’s The Oak Room at the Granville Inn The Soup Loft Village Coffee Company Whit’s Frozen Custard

Lodging

Broadway Guest House Buxton Inn Fraley House Bed and Breakfast Granville Inn Meadowoods Guest House Orchard House Bed and Breakfast Porch House B&B Welsh Hills Inn WillowBrooke Bed ‘n Breakfast

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events

barcelona

Farm to Plate party Monday, Aug. 6

P h o t o s b y J E F F RY KONC Z AL Crave’s first-ever dining event, showcasing special farm-to-plate themed menus at local restaurants, was by all accounts a success. We kicked things off with a party for our sponsors on Barcelona’s lovely German Village patio. Chef Paul Yow prepared tapas treats for restaurateurs, farmers and diners, who sipped on Buckeye Vodka cocktails and wines from Ohio’s Firelands Winery. Among the small plates served: gazpacho shooters, fried Ohio walleye, and sweet corn croquetas.

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Banana Leaf 614.751.6467

Vegan

1282 Hill Rd. N.Pickerington, OH www.senorpatron.com

COME AND TRY OUR AUTHENTIC MEXICAN CUISINE

Vegetarian and Gluten Free Happy Hour 2-7pm pm m 5.999 House Specials $5.99 sas $1 1100 Special Rusas $10

Book your Holiday Party Today!

Private Room Available 814-816 Bethel Rd. Columbus

614-459-4101

614.785.6199 6 14 785 6199

1047 Polaris Pkwy Columbus, OH www.senortequilaspolaris.com Reserve our Party Room for your Holiday Party

info@bananaleafofcolumbus.com bananaleafofcolumbus.com

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events

Hubbard Grille

Crave reader party Wednesday, Aug. 15

P h o t o s b y TESSA BER G If you’ve ever indulged in Hubbard Grille’s decadent buttermilk fried chicken, then you appreciate the glories of eating meat sourced straight from an Ohio farm. That’s why we were thrilled to toast our August issue, centered on farm-to-plate dining, with a party at the Short North restaurant. Crave subscribers got to enjoy a spread of seasonal appetizers, including three-cheese spinach dip, spicy calamari and Hubbard’s famous housemade cornbread with lavender-infused butter.

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Char Broiled Steaks | Lobster & Seafood Award Winning Wine List Live Piano Nightly | Bar Menu

2891 East Main Street | Columbus, Ohio 43209 | 614.231.8238 | thetopsteakhouse.com

Fresh Guacamole made table side!

Happy Hour Specials Every Day 4p-7p Appetizer & Drink Specials New Albany

9745 Johnstown Rd 614-855-9060

Westerville

496 Polaris Parkway 614-891-6011

www.blueagaveohio.com

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events

Goodale Park

Fete en Blanc Friday, Aug. 10

P h o t o s b y E r i c wa g n e r For the second annual Fete en Blanc, nearly 400 people donned white dresses, suits and hats and converged on Goodale Park for a pop-up picnic under the stars.

Guests put lots of effort into creating stunning setups for this French-inspired soiree, bringing along everything from food and drink to tables, chairs and centerpieces. Hills Market and Huffman’s Market each created French-inspired picnic baskets for those who didn’t wish to cook, and Pistacia Vera put together special boxes of macarons in varying shades of white. Proceeds from the picnic went to Local Matters.

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Uncork Your Next Event at Bel Lago Bel Lago is perfect for: + Company Meetings + Holiday Parties + Weddings + Receptions

Only Expect Extraordinary At the all new Bel Lago, we specialize in making every occasion extraordinary. Our unique naturalscopic ambience and new Executive Chef James Kluesener set the stage for elegant events and the thoughtful artistry of our culinary team brings the beauty of Bel Lago to each plate.

Open Air Veranda Our “All View” windows were custom built, stretching floor to sky nearly 90 feet along our newly built Open Air Veranda, offering central Ohio’s finest unobstructed and unparalleled waterfront dining views & landscapes, making it the perfect destination for your holiday dinner with the ones that matter most.

Open 7 Days a Week – Call Ahead for Lunch Availability 170 N Sunbury Rd | Westerville, OH 43081| 614.891.0200 www.BelLagoRestaurant.com | Like us on Facebook

+ Seminars + Anniversaries + Reunions + Birthdays

Corporate Events Bel Lago welcomes events of all styles and sizes from corporate functions to personal celebrations. From our Chef’s Room to our Veranda and Terrace Bar on our OpenSky Deck, we can accommodate large and small scale events during dinner hours in our restaurant and we can cater events off property, making the all new Bel Lago the perfect choice for your next occasion.

Style without stuffiness. Lobster and Levi’s. Finally, casual luxury dining has arrived in central Ohio. Call us for reservations at 614-891-0200.

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events

Franklin Park Conservatory

Field to Table Wednesday, Sept. 14

P h o t o s b y e r i c wa g n e r Ohio author Marilou Suszko, a champion of farm-to-plate eating, was a driving force for this year’s Field to Table dinner, an annual fundraiser for Franklin Park Conservatory’s horticulture, education and outreach programs. Produce from local farmers, gardeners and producers was used to create a seasonal feast inspired by Suszko’s culinary vision, outlined in books such as “Farms & Foods of Ohio.” Over 500 people helped to raise more than $200,000 for the conservatory.

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Crave Calendar Winter 2012

Nov. 4 North Market

Learn how to make a menu of sweet giftable treats in the Dispatch Kitchen—gingerbread biscotti, pecan pie bars, chutney, chocolate bark and mushroom meringues.

northmarket.com

Beaujolais Nouveau Wine Dinner Nov. 8 La Chatelaine

Celebrate the arrival of French Beaujolais wine with La Chatelaine’s Ohio Nouveau wine. Prix-fixe meals include bottles of wine.

lachatelainebakery.com

Culinary Capers XIX

Nov. 9 Bridgewater Banquet Center At this ProMusica Chamber Orchestra fundraiser, food writer Marilou Suszko will demonstrate recipes from her cookbook, “Farms & Foods of Ohio.”

promusicacolumbus.org

Markko Vineyards Wine Dinner Nov. 10 The Refectory

The French restaurant’s popular wine dinner series features Arnie Esterer of Markko Vineyards, a pioneer in Lake Erie wineries.

therefectoryrestaurant.com

Dine Originals Week Nov. 12-18

Independently owned restaurants offer special fixed-price

menus for $10, $20 or $30.

dineoriginalscolumbus.com

Pleasures of the Cup Dec. 1 Ohio Village

An old-fashioned pub crawl!

Sample quirky 19th-century adult beverages at Ohio Village buildings including the American House Hotel.

ohiohistory.org

Holiday Open House and Craft Extravaganza Dec. 1-2 North Market

Pick up gifts for all the foodies on your list at the market’s annual open house, during which merchants offer samples to inspire shoppers planning holiday feasts. Best of all? Roasted chestnuts!

northmarket.com

“The Cake Boss” Dec. 4 Palace Theatre

Buddy Valastro, aka the Cake Boss, demonstrates techniques and shares samples during his live “Homemade for the Holidays” show.

capa.com

Wine & Cheese Tasting

silver&gold

Gifts from the Kitchen

Fresh, bright and bold lemon flavor of the original Italian favorite.

Put some life into your holiday spirit.

Dec. 6 The Hills Market

Get ideas for holiday entertaining! The December edition of Hills Market’s popular wine and cheese tasting series features six sparkling wines paired with six holiday cheeses and six hors d’oeuvres.

Our signature smooth, soft and creamy lemon liqueur. Straight from the freezer and into your heart.

thehillsmarket.com

www.tessora-liqueur.com Produced and bottled in New Albany, Ohio

food Story by Shelley Mann Photo by jodi miller

Scientific method

You know the crazy dishes contestants make on “Top Chef,” using smoke guns and liquid nitrogen and medicine droppers? It’s called molecular gastronomy, and until now, we hadn’t seen much of it in our parts. With Veritas Tavern, out-of-the-box thinker Joshua Dalton wins the honors for this year’s most exhilarating new opening. Not only does Veritas succeed in flashy tricks like making food appear as if it’s something else entirely—this amazing “shrimp cocktail” creation includes flattened sheets of shrimp that resemble wonton wrappers—but it’s some of the best tasting food we’ve eaten in quite some time.

Veritas Tavern

15 E. Winter St., Delaware 740-417-4074 veritastavern.com

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Special Advertising Section

INSIDE ACCESS TO SPECIAL PROMOTIONS AND HOLIDAY SEASON DEALS FROM OUR ADVERTISERS

BACKROOM COFFEE ROASTERS A bag of micro-roasted Backroom Coffee makes the perfect stocking or hostess gift.

Visit our website for stockists, gift boxes, mugs and apparel. www.backroomcoffeeroasters.com

BASI ITALIA GIFT CARDS CHOCOLATE DECADENCE GIFT BOX

Give the gift of good taste with a gift card to Basi Italia - the small, casual feelgood restaurant featuring clean simple Italian fare with innovative twists.

Chocolate Covered Cookies, Berries & Truffles Price: $29.99.

Chocolate Cafe - We have the perfect Gift for Everyone on Your List!

ANTHONY-THOMAS PEPPERMINT BARK 1855 Northwest Blvd.

Fun, Casual Dining / Wine & Martini Bar / Party Planning / Catering Like what you see? Order online! chocolatecafecolumbus.com

Peppermint Bark is made by hand with a layer of our fine dark chocolate, topped with a layer of rich white chocolate, and sprinkled with crunchy peppermint pieces.

This holiday favorite is great for parties and gifts. Boxes sold separately or on special four boxes.

Price: $26.95 for 4 boxes www.anthony-thomas.com

CAN’T GET ENOUGH OF US? VISIT COLUMBUSCRAVE.COM TO SIGN UP FOR OUR E-NEWSLETTER

For more information, log on to ColumbusCrave.com. All offers valid while supplies last. © 2012 by Dispatch Printing Co. Columbus Crave is the registered trademark of Dispatch Printing Company.

Special Advertising Section

INSIDE ACCESS TO SPECIAL PROMOTIONS AND HOLIDAY SEASON DEALS FROM OUR ADVERTISERS

BUCKEYE VODKA International Gold Medal winning Buckeye Vodka makes the perfect gift this Holiday Season. Give it to friends, clients or simply as a hostess gift. Made in Ohio and gluten free Buckeye Vodka also was honored with Best Buy Award!

Price: under $20 www.buckeyevodka.com

LA MICHOACANA MEXICAN MARKET TORTA CUBANA

GRAETER’S HOLIDAY FLAVORS

Don’t miss this deli holiday specialty at La Michoacana. Freshbaked, buttered and grill-toasted Mexican bread outrageously stacked with refried beans; grilled ham; pork; thinly pounded, breaded, fried chicken; thinly pounded, breaded, fried beef; a mass of chorizo and scrambled eggs; good melted Mexican cheese; sour cream; mayonnaise; lettuce; tomato; avocado; bacon and griddled hot dogs.

Overloaded like a birthday pinata, but DELICIOUS!

Enjoy Graeter’s classic holiday flavors like Peppermint Stick, Cinnamon and Eggnog by the scoop or by the pint. Pints are available at Graeter’s locations (for $4.59) as well as participating grocery stores like Kroger and Giant Eagle. Visit www.graeters.com for complete details.

Price: $4.59

FOOD TOUR GIFT CERTIFICATES

Price: $13.95 2175 Morse Rd Columbus, OH 43229-5800 (614) 471-4500

A gift certificate from Columbus Food Adventures is the perfect present for the food lover in your life. Give the gift of an unforgettable experience. Select from one of five distinct tour itineraries, or opt for the ‘Grand Tour’! www.columbusfoodadventures.com

CAN’T GET ENOUGH OF US? VISIT COLUMBUSCRAVE.COM TO SIGN UP FOR OUR E-NEWSLETTER

For more information, log on to ColumbusCrave.com. All offers valid while supplies last. © 2012 by Dispatch Printing Co. Columbus Crave is the registered trademark of Dispatch Printing Company.

Special Advertising Section

INSIDE ACCESS TO SPECIAL PROMOTIONS AND HOLIDAY SEASON DEALS FROM OUR ADVERTISERS

SIGNATURE WINES Give a gift that is as special as the person you are giving it to! Signature Wines turns California grapes into award winning Ohio wine and adds a personalized label designed just for you or your business.

No minimum order and no set up fee!

Price Range: $16-18 How to Order: visit www.SignatureWinesOfOhio.com, call 614.395.2355, or email Info@SignatureWinesOfOhio.com

WORLD OF BEER When World of Beer opened its doors to Columbus in October of 2011 the goal was not only to create a fun neighborhood bar with great beer, but also to cultivate the most vast and unique selection of craft beer in Central Ohio. This holiday season share the gift of delicious brews with a loved one, coworker or close friend.

WOB’s knowledgeable staff can help you hand choose each beer from a selection of over 500, creating the perfect six pack for any beer drinker’s palate. A 30% discount on all carry out beer ensures this creative gift will not break the holiday budget. With two Central Ohio locations, gift cards of any amount provide another option to treat any beer lover to World of Beer’s excellent draft selection and entertaining atmosphere. Give the gift of craft beer, and create an impression with this year’s gift. Who knows, maybe they will share it with you.

World of Beer Easton 3934 Townsfair Way Columbus, Ohio 43219 World of Beer Brewery District 503 South Front Street Columbus, Ohio 43215 (614) 224-1962

3816 April Lane Columbus 43227

WINGS WOR SUE GAI For the Holidays, look for this unique dish from a time when even pseudo-Chinese food seemed exotic to most Americans. This dish, still proudly served at Wing’s Restaurant, consists of breaded fried chicken breast over lettuce with aromatic sauce, chopped nuts and onions.

Price Range: $9.95 2801 E Main St, Columbus, OH 43209 (614)236-8261

WINANS CHOCOLATES AND COFFEES

Winans Chocolates and Coffees, new to Columbus, in German Village and Dublin, have over 50 years experience making chocolates from their home base of Piqua Ohio. Team up with Winans to create a unique and tasty family or corporate holiday gift. At $89.95 this chocolaty, nutty gift pleases a variety of tastes all in one package… Caramels, Toffees, Chocolate covered Pretzels, and the best Darn Buckeyes in the land. Winans can customize using your corporate logo.

Shipping available worldwide.

Price: $89.95 Available at: Winans Chocolates of German Village 897 S. Third St (Corner of Third and Whittier) And 1800-3winans Winans Chocolates of Dublin www.winanscandies.com 52 S. High Street

CAN’T GET ENOUGH OF US? VISIT COLUMBUSCRAVE.COM TO SIGN UP FOR OUR E-NEWSLETTER

For more information, log on to ColumbusCrave.com. All offers valid while supplies last. © 2012 by Dispatch Printing Co. Columbus Crave is the registered trademark of Dispatch Printing Company.

guide

Going Green The ultimate guide to vegetarian dining in Columbus Story by jill moorhead photos by jodi miller

Vegetarian

guide

VEGETARIAN

H

ere’s the thing about vegetarian food in Columbus: it’s good. Like, forget-aboutbacon good. Though I’m a bona-fide omnivore (I eat everything), I often find myself craving ZenCha’s Maui pancakes (topped with endless tropical fruit), Lavash’s vegetarian soup of the day (cauliflower and cheese, please!) and the bright, flavorful salads from Mazah.

Whether you’re trying Meatless Monday or you have an entirely plantbased diet, there’s more to vegetarian— and vegan—dining in Columbus than grilled cheese sandwiches and carrot sticks. Move over, meat; here are our picks for exemplary vegetarian dining in the capital city.

BREAKFAST Angry Baker

891 Oak St., Olde Towne East 614-947-0976 theangrybakerote.com A restaurant pioneer in Olde Town, Angry Baker serves locally sourced breakfasts to folks from all over the city. While the menu changes with the season, a few vegetarian and vegan options are constants.

Angry Baker adds a little green to the breakfast plate with their Baked Eggs: a rich casserole-like concoction of spinach, eggs and parmesan, served alongside a fresh salad. Another popular option is their vegan version of biscuits and gravy.

Veg Vocab

Michael Pollan says we shouldn’t eat foods our grandmothers wouldn’t recognize. These days, some veggiefriendly ingredients are not only alien to our grandparents (you’re not going to find tempeh in Irma S. Rombauer’s original “Joy Of Cooking”) but are downright off-putting to an untrained ear. Let’s shed some light on the scarier-sounding words.

Breakfast Burrito

Starliner Diner

Surly Girl

Serving Cuban and Mexican fare since 1994, this eclectic eatery is worth a trip to Hilliard. (Live in the area? Lucky you.)

The wall of retro sun tchotchkes will shine upon you as you peruse the wide selection of meat-free breakfast options.

Favorites include their epic Vegetarian Breakfast Burrito, served with a generous portion of black beans, and the chilaquiles with zucchini, corn and cilantro.

Wake up at noon? No worries. At Surly Girl, brunch is served until 4 p.m.—and, as with all Columbus Food League restaurants, the menu is clearly marked with vegetarian and vegan options.

Start the day with their Black Bean Huevos ‘Surlitos.’ Served with red-skin potatoes and fresh orange slices, this Tex-Mex dish will give you the energy to make the afternoon productive. Or to order another Bloody Mary. Whatever.

Farro

Kombucha

Light-brown, fiber-rich Italian grain that looks like rice and behaves like risotto (without becoming gummy). It’s found in soups, salads, desserts and wherever hipsters buy vegetables.

Flavored fermented tea. (Imagine fruity beer without the alcohol plus some sort of health benefit.) While it’s technically not an ingredient used in vegetarian cooking, it is something that is often in the proximity of vegetarians, themselves.

5240 Cemetery Rd., Hilliard 614-529-1198 starlinerdiner.com

(pronounced FAR-oh)

Find it at: Skillet, occasionally a special at Rigsby’s

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1126 N. High St., Short North 614-294-4900 surlygirlsaloon.com

(pronounced kom-BOO-cha)

Find it at: Co-ops, independent grocers, farmers markets and, interestingly enough, locally owned theaters

till beef do us part Couples thrive despite dietary divisions Sara Yurkovic won’t touch pastrami. Her husband lives for it. As members of a carni-vegetarian marriage, they’re not alone in the world. We take a look into the lives of three couples who won’t be caught stealing food from one another’s plates. (We’re no experts, but this fact alone may make for a stronger relationship.)

—Jill Moorhead

Honorable Breakfast Mentions: ZenCha Tea Salon, Skillet

LUNCH Whole World

3269 N. High St., Clintonville 614-268-5751 wholeworldnaturalrestaurant.com This eatery bills itself as having been the first all-vegetarian restaurant in Columbus. With a quirky staff and an overflowing bulletin board, Whole

ANDY & SARA YURKOVIC

Sara Yurkovic became a vegetarian shortly before she started dating her now husband, Andy. Within a month of returning from their honeymoon, he took a job with a butcher shop.

“I made him get his own hamper because the smell of his clothes was so offensive to me. No matter what meat he worked with, he always smelled like

World serves as a community hub and is typically packed with a loyal clientele.

Try their famed Broccoli Burger (served every year at ComFest) or a specialty pizza. Their Herb and Guacamole version showcases guacamole, sprouts, tomatoes and sunflower seeds, making it a pleasant departure from plain old cheese pizza.

Northstar Cafe

bologna,” she says of their early years of marriage. “Even after he showered, he smelled like bologna. It was disgusting.”

Luckily, true love overcomes all manner of delicatessen meat smells, and the couple thrives happily despite their dietary differences. (A career change for Andy helped.)

“I’m not turned off by the fact that he eats meat,” she says of Andy’s diet, “As long as it’s done conscientiously and in moderation. And he doesn’t expect me to participate in any way.”

The two have many places where they can dine side-by-side, but their favorite is Northstar Cafe. She orders the Thai Burrito (with tofu) while he prefers their Turkey Bacon Club. A second favorite is Nazareth Restaurant on the north end, where the pair orders gyros (his, with lamb; hers, without).

celebrate local and organic—and consistent—fare with a menu that will never leave you bored.

The Northstar Burger (made with beets, rice and black beans) is a musthave. A glimpse of the secret—and extensive—recipe reveals that it’s worth way more than its $12.50 price tag.

Other favorites include the Buddha Bowl and the freshly squeezed juices.

Katalina’s Cafe Corner

Multiple locations thenorthstarcafe.com

Catering to vegetarians and eco-minded carnivores alike, Northstar’s chic diners

1105 Pennsylvania Ave., Victorian Village; 614-294-2233 cafecornercolumbus.com

Quinoa

Seitan

Tempeh

Native to the Andes mountains, these edible seeds come from the goosefoot crop. (Goosefoot? We’ve never heard of it, either.) Quinoa wins mega-points both for being high in protein and for taking less than 15 minutes to cook.

The versatile meat-like protein portion of wheat is, quite literally, our food system’s biggest threat: gluten. (It’s no coincidence that it sounds like Satan.) For those who aren’t avoiding gluten, seitan is an ideal meat substitute in that it can be magically formed to resemble chicken strips, cubed beef or ground turkey.

A firm and chewy cake-like block made with fermented soybeans. Originally from Indonesia, tempeh is high in protein and less processed than its soycousin tofu.

(pronounced KEEN-wah)

Find it at: Little Palace (in patty form), Madrid (in salad form)

(pronounced say-TAN)

(pronounced TEMP-pay)

Find it at: Explorers Club, Till Dynamic Fare

Find it at: Till Dynamic Fare and Whole World both make their own W IN T ER 2 0 1 2 l C o l u m b u s C r a v e . C O M l 5 1

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VEGETARIAN

The Warren Zevon quote on the wall inside of Katalina’s urges diners to “Enjoy every sandwich.” While vegetarians cannot enjoy every sandwich at this Victorian Village eatery, a quarter of the menu is dedicated to wellthought-out meat-free options.

Love cheese? The Beet and Boursin sandwich joins the title ingredients with greens, walnuts and raspberry vinaigrette. For a salad-on-a-sandwich option, the Pesto and Avocado sandwich combines goat cheese, cucumbers and sprouts with walnut pesto.

Honorable Lunch Mentions: Lavash, Indian Oven, Cornerstone Deli

DINNER Alana’s Food & Wine

2333 N. High St., North Campus 614-294-6783 alanas.com Chef Alana Shock was one of the first in Columbus to embrace utilizing local ingredients. As a result, vegetables get high billing on her daily menus— especially on Fridays, when she

emphasizes vegetarian and vegan fare.

Keep an eye out for seasonal pumpkin curries. And if a vegetarian version of her risotto is on the menu (think: sweet corn with Blue Jacket Creamery goat cheese), do not pass go; order immediately.

Till Dynamic Fare

247 King Ave., Victorian Village 614-298-9986 tillfare.com This vegan-turned-omnivore Peach District restaurant still has vegetarians in mind, with seasonal dishes direct from their garden (in warmer months) as well as house-made tofu and seitan. A quick tip: Make reservations to guarantee seating.

Winter brings hearty unique dishes such as their vegan Seitan Poutine with twice-cooked Belgian fries, portobello mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes and tofu “curds.” A more traditional find is the vegan chili and cornbread.

Udipi Cafe

2001 E. Dublin-Granville Rd. North Side 614-885-7446 With an endless selection of South

PAUL & KATE DJUPE

House-made tofu at Till

In the nine years they’ve been together, Paul and Kate Djupe both altered their eating habits to reach a happy medium.

“He was vegan when we started dating. He became a vegetarian a year into our relationship,” she explains, “because I needed butter in my life.”

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Indian (and therefore, meat-free) options, Udipi may just be a vegetarian’s paradise. New to the genre? Stop in for the lunch buffet to determine your favorites for future carryout orders.

Big appetite? The restaurant serves super-sized dosas. These traditional rice-based crepes are typically filled with potatoes and onions and served with a vegetarian stew and chutney as sides.

Be sure to try the mango lassi as well.

Honorable Dinner Mentions: Mazah, Betty’s Fine Food & Spirits, Harvest Pizzeria

HAPPY HOUR DeepWood

511 N. High St., Short North 614-221-5602 deepwoodrestaurant.com If you thought DeepWood was only about gamey entrees on special occasions, think again. Saddle up to the bar Monday through Friday from 3 to 7 p.m. for retail pricing on wine and beer and a special tavern menu of seasonal inexpensive eats. Just ask for the vegetarian tavern menu.

Kate, who has worked in the food industry her entire career, cooks mostly vegetarian at home, and saves the meat for when they go out to eat. When she gets to choose, the couple will dine at Los Potosinos.

For him, she orders the tostadas borrachas (a crispy tortilla topped with pinto beans, nopales and cheese) and the “magic corn on a stick,” and for herself, the pollo al carbon (grilled chicken).

Paul chimes in, “There aren’t a lot of taco trucks that I think I can eat at. Lidia [Labra] knows enough English that she can answer questions about whether the beans and rice are made with lard— they’re not.”

When the ball’s in Paul’s court, the couple dines at Bono Pizza or Reethika on the West Side. “And Dirty Frank’s,” he says. “Their veggie hot dog is great.”

a big flavor.

Best Buy Aw Award A Awa wa w war ard ard d2 2011 011 PROUD TO BE MADE IN OHIO Opening 2013

Handcrafted & Distilled Ten Times for Exceptional Quality.

Extraordinarily Pure with a Clean, Smooth Taste.

Crystal Spirits LLC, Dayton, Ohio, distilled from grain, 40% Alc/Vol Š2012

www.buckeyevodka.com Follow us on Twitter (@buckeyevodka) & Like us on Facebook!

Receive A

25

$

Bonus Card Reward with every $100 gift card purchase*

*Begins 11/12/12 and ends 12/30/12. Bonus cards are valid for food only, Sunday – Thursday, January 2 – March 3, 2013. Not valid on Valentine’s Day or with any other discount or offer.

CameronMitchell.com

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VEGETARIAN

In the past, tavern specials have included ramen with house-made noodles and Spatzle Gratin, a noodle dumpling with Swiss cheese.

Hal & Al’s

1297 Parsons Ave., South Side 614-375-4812 halandals.com Located directly in the center of the Venn diagram that conjoins beer geeks and vegans, Hal & Al’s offers happy hour specials to satisfy the meat-free (and dairy-free) hordes every night of the week.

Slurp down specialty beers while eating vegan sushi on Thursdays or enjoy $1 tacos from 8 p.m. to midnight on Wednesdays. And whatever you do, don’t miss the fried avocados.

Latitude 41

50 N. Third St., Downtown 614-233-7541 latitude41columbus.com Downtown Columbus’ favorite hotel restaurant hosts one of the best vegetarian-friendly happy hours in the city from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Sunday through Thursday. Their flatbreads and small

plates (basically, the best parts of the menu) are buy one, get one free while select pints are $3.

The menu is ever-changing but the flatbreads (elongated thin-crusted pizzas) are a good bet. Bonus: they often feature locally sourced ingredients.

Honorable Happy Hour Mentions: Bodega, Taj Bar, Tip Top

MOBILE FOOD Ajumama

ajumama.com @ajumamacbus Aside from kimchi, Korean cuisine isn’t known for its vegetarian dishes, but Ajumama’s Laura Lee bridges the great divide by offering a hearty vegan mushroom rice porridge topped with savory green onions, seaweed and a dash of sesame oil. The dish changes with the seasons (three cheers for local squash!) but will always remain vegan.

Blu Olive

facebook.com/BluOlive @blu_olive Food truck fare goes beyond sandwiches with Blu Olive. Created

Fried avocados at Hal & Al’s

Jenny Wray & Kyle Sowash

Jenny Wray became a vegetarian the day after Thanksgiving in seventh grade. When she started dating Kyle Sowash a decade ago, his affinity for meat did not thwart their budding relationship. Mark it up to previous experience. Wray has never dated a vegetarian, while Sowash has long had

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by Steve Carmean and his daughter Sarah, this truck features remarkable Italian dishes. They have plans to be out and about all winter, so be sure to give ’em a follow on Twitter or a “like” on Facebook.

The famed Beet and Ricotta Ravioli with Poppyseed Butter gets a coldweather makeover with butternut squash and a garnish of crispy sage. Look for a rotation of vegetarian soups as well.

Pitabilities

pitabilities.org; @pitabilities Jim Pashovich left the real estate industry to restlessly peddle his pitas throughout Central Ohio. Each of his pitas is grilled to order, allowing for an endless number of vegetarian options.

The regular menu touts two official veggie-friendly options: the Falafel Pita, with fried falafel, grilled onion, feta and the usual pita fare; and the Veggie Pita, with garlic hummus, mozzarella cheese and a slew of fresh vegetables. Pair with a side of the Greek salad.

Honorable Mobile Food Mentions: Sweet Carrot, Inner Circle, Earth’s Crust Pizza/Krazy Monkey Truck Jill Moorhead blogs about food at itinerantfoodies.com several friends who did not eat meat.

The couple doesn’t keep much meat in the house. “I never have meat for dinner unless we are going out to a restaurant,” says Sowash.

However, Wray elaborates: “He’s not going to argue to go to a steakhouse with me. He has a lot of friends that will be happy to go with him.”

Their restaurant of choice is Tip Top, where Sowash gets the Monte Cristo and Wray orders the vegetarian roast beef. Another favorite is Blue Nile, where they share the vegetarian combo.

“Kyle used to be a traditional meatand-potatoes guy,” says Wray. “But he’s also willing to try new foods. As a vegetarian, I’m already somewhat limited in what I can eat, so I want to integrate that kind of adventurousness into my own eating habits.”

HOLIDAY CHEER...

AVAILABLE AT J. LIU! DECEMBER DATES STILL AVAILABLE!

restaurant & bar

Something Great For Everyone

Sunday Brunch

Dublin and Worthington 11am - 2pm 6880 N. High St. Worthington, OH 614-888-1818

50 West Bridge St. Dublin, OH 614-718-1818

View our entire menu at

www.jliurestaurant.com

Full catering and banquet facility available Spring 2012 l See our website for more details

C o l u m b u s C r av e . C O M l 0 0 0

The Cadillac of Pizza Voted Best In Columbus!

masseyspizza.com

Redefining holiday spirit(s).

Celebrate the holidays with a toast and a cheer, with OYO vodkas and whiskeys and Rockmill barrel aged beers.

Seasons Greetings from everyone at Middle West Spirits!

Public Tours offered Fri’s and Gallery Hop Sat’s (1st Sat every month) 6pm For reservations contact 614-299-2460 or tours@middlewestspirits.com

1230 Courtland Ave, Columbus OH 43201. Distilled from grain. 35-46% Alc. by vol. © 2012 Middle West Spirits. Columbus OH.

guide

street eats

Fried Up

Mya’s food truck serves buttermilk fried chicken, fluffy biscuits and soulful sides S t o r y b y B e t h i a w o o l f l P h o t o s b y J O D I M ILLER

W

hen Ray Ray’s moved south to the Ace of Cups parking lot earlier this year, they left behind what was arguably the most well-known food truck location in Central Ohio. Mya’s—an upstart specializing in fried chicken— wisely pounced on it.

Mya’s is run by a husbandand-wife team, Mark and Rachel Tolentino, and they quickly endeared themselves to the community. Remember the power outages earlier this summer? Mya’s was open, and handing out free chicken as a form of relief and a show of goodwill to their new neighbors.

Although fried chicken has been increasingly trendy at restaurants around town, Mya’s is the first truck in Columbus to specialize in it. Thankfully they’ve set the bar high with a quality offering that has, like Ray Ray’s before it, rapidly earned fans.

They also follow the same operational model as their predecessor—a set location open on weekends only.

Mya’s starts with antibiotic- and hormone-free Ohio Proud chicken, which is soaked in an herb-infused buttermilk brine. The same mix of herbs and spices is used in the dredging flour to further enhance the flavor.

The chicken gets its extracrunchy traditional crust from being shallow-fried twice.

Where:

The truck parks in the Super Food Mart lot at the corner of Pacemont Road and High Street in Clintonville.

When:

Mya’s is open from noon to 8 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Mya’s Fried Chicken myasfriedchicken.com @myafriedchicken 614-209-9004

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Mark Tolentino

What to get?

First decision: are you a light or dark meat person? (Bonus points to those who say dark.)

From there it’s a choice between fried chicken pieces, fried chicken biscuit sliders, or chicken and waffle sandwiches topped with homemade hot sauce and Ohio maple syrup.

Mya’s made-in-truck biscuits are also justifiably popular. Served warm, they’re particularly good slathered in herbed honey.

A Mediterranean Taste Adventure!

On the side:

Sides include mac and cheese, green beans, smashed potatoes with pan gravy, and creamy coleslaw— all made from scratch.

Everyone in line on our last visit had a different favorite, but the smashed potatoes are our pick. The homemade gravy atop them starts with the chicken drippings, so it’s rich and meaty. Pure comfortfood contentment.

Mark plans to debut desserts this winter, and we’ve heard rumors of fried apple pies.

LUNCH & DINNER

SUNDAY BREAKFAST

Shawarma I Shish Kabob Hummus I Baba I Tzatziki Grape Leaves I Spanikopita Moussaka I Spicy! Gyro Mediterranean Beer & Wine

Shakshuka I Gyro Omelet Mushroom & Potato Frittata Challah French Toast New York Bagel & Lox Mimosa & Bloody Mary

Don’t forget…

The herbed honey and spicy vinegar drizzles. These additions add a little heat and a little sweetness to the meat and are not to be missed.

Bethia Woolf, owner of the tour company Columbus Food Adventures, blogs at streeteatscolumbus.com

Mya’s

myasfriedchicken.com @myafriedchicken 614-209-9004

3185 Hilliard-Rome Road 614.527.8812 olivetreecolumbus.com Closed Mondays

“...among the best and best-priced non-cliché morning bites around. — Columbus Alive — Columbus Dispatch

— Yelp

Kinkead Ridge Estate Winery in Ripley Ohio (Ohio River Valley appellation) produces internationally recognized ultra-premium estate vinifera wines and vineyard designated wines.

Wine Bar Serving Wine and Cheese Reserve the Winery for Private Par es More than 25 Wines Hand-Cra ed on Site Bo le Your Own Wine with Custom Labels www.good-vibes-winery.com 2 S. State St. Westerville, OH 43081

614-392-2202

NORTHEAST OHIO’S MEMORABLE DESTINATION Gervasi Vineyard is an elegant Tuscan-inspired escape featuring a 55 acre estate with stunning grounds, winery, bistro, boutique inn, outdoor patio, marketplace, and event center. Situated on a spring-fed lake, Gervasi provides a unique and memorable setting for the ultimate Tuscan experience in Northeast Ohio.

Celebrate Life!

1700 55th Street NE • Canton, OH 44721 330-497-1000 www.gervasivineyard.com

• Featured in Opus Vino • 1000 Great Everyday Wines from the World’s Best Wineries • Rated in the top 100 Exciting Wine Finds in the World, by Tom Stevenson, British editor of the New Sotheby’s Wine Encyclopedia.

See www.kinkeadridge.com or call (937) 392-6077 for information about visiting the winery or where to purchase our wines.

Saturday, November 17, 2012 Winegrowers of the Grand River Valley Turkey Trot

Come Relax at the Winery

2376 State Route 850 Bidwell, Ohio 45614 740•245•9463 Hours: Tues through Sat 10:30 am to 8:00 pm

www.merryfamilywinery.com

Noon-5 p.m. $5 per person at each winery Join Debonne Vineyards, Ferrante Winery, Grand River Cellars, Laurello Vineyards, & St. Joseph Vineyards for this drive yourself, food & wine tasting event. All wines will be paired with dishes from a traditional Thanksgiving Feast to help you pick out wines for the holidays.

No reservations necessary.

Call 440-466-3485 for more information

BREITENBACH

Wines from the Amish Countryside Featuring Gold Medal Wines & Award Winning Swiss Cheese!

 Â?Â? Â? Â? Â?Â? Â?  Â?­€­ Â? Â?  ­€­ ‚‚‚­ƒ „ ƒÂ?…†‚„ ­… € ‡­ˆ  ­ ­  Â? Â? Â

The Holidays are coming and Firelands Winery is ready! Come and join us for our annual Holiday Open House on Dec 8th 2012! We will have a wide selection of gift baskets and other gifts that will help you cross off every name on your list! Ask about room rentals for your holiday parties! www.firelandswinery.com

located in an 1870 house turned winery.

You’re welcome to stop out, have a glass of wine, or other purchases. Enjoy the great atmosphere that D & D Smith Winery will provide you and your guests!

Hrs are Thur 6-9p, Fri 6-11p, Sat 12-12 and Sun 12-5.

Food platters and appetizers are available.

401 W. Main St • Norwalk, OH 44857 419-577-0242 www.ddsmithwinery.com

Like Us, Ohio Wines on Facebook and register to win an Ohio wines gift basket full of Ohio wine and Ohio food products valued at more than $150.

www.tasteohiowines.com

seasonal

HOLIDAY DINING

talking turkey

Get out of the kitchen and into a restaurant this Thanksgiving S t o r y by g . a . b e n t on

Photo: iStock

A

hhh, Thanksgiving! What an exciting and magical day!

It’s when carefully coiffed and brightly beaming faces giddily lean over a gleaming table to exchange loving familial glances before digging into an enormous and perfectly prepared turkey served by a lady draped in a spotless apron. Wait, you beg to differ?

OK, I was actually describing that famous Norman Rockwell Thanksgiving painting entitled “Freedom from Want.” “Freedom from Truth” is more like it.

I write this because a few crucial things seem missing from Rockwell’s depiction, like: hellish days of harried shopping culminating in a painful, protracted and hysterical internment in the kitchen—which results in mountains of dirty dishes but not a clean apron; nihilistic drinking, political bickering plus streams of unasked for and unwanted “lifestyle advice” that hardly add up to ubiquitous smiles; dry and taste-challenged turkey, pasty potatoes and lumpy gravy choked back with heaping helpings of resentment, dissatisfaction and unappreciated sacrifice.

I might exaggerate for effect, but you get my drift.

Anyway, if you’ve ever experienced a Thanksgiving more like the second scenario than the first, then you might think about letting highly trained professionals assume all of the pressure while your family simply eats and runs— hopefully back to clean houses with plenty of TVs and couches.

Here are some cheffy upgrades on traditional holiday favorites offered by top-notch restaurants doling out turkey on Thanksgiving day.

Food critic G.A. Benton blogs at columbusalive.com

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Lindey’s

169 E. Beck St., German Village 614-228-4343 lindeys.com

Lindey’s—the grande dame of Columbus fine dining—has been feeding teeming Thanksgiving crowds for 31 years now, and it’ll be serving its famous “Thanksgiving Plate” to about 900 more ravenous patrons Nov. 22.

All of the expected classics will be on it, only they’ll be jazzed up with some of that Lindey’s flair.

Expect slices of roast turkey to be accompanied by garlic whipped potatoes, that louche green bean casserole (but fashioned with homemade cream of mushroom soup and crunchy house onion straws) plus scratch-made cornbread stuffing and cranberry sauce accessorized with warming seasonal spices such as cinnamon and ginger.

The price will be $26 (children eat for half price) and includes complimentary valet parking.

G. Michael’s

595 S. Third St., German Village 614-464-0575 gmichaelsbistro.com

Characteristic of this next place, Northern sophistication meets Southern comfort on the Thanksgiving turkey plate at the great G. Michael’s ($23).

That platter will be teetering over with roasted organic breast meat, bacon-fortified cornbread stuffing, sour cream and chive mashed potatoes, sauteed green beans with caramelized onions and house-made sun-dried cranberry relish enlivened by orange zest plus a splash of Johnnie Walker Red.

McCormick and Schmick’s

3965 New Bond St., Easton 614-476-3663 mccormickandschmicks.com

Free seconds on side dishes will be provided for the traditional Thanksgiving fare at Easton mall seafood specialist McCormick and Schmick’s.

Preceded by butternut squash bisque (or a salad), this $25 plate will arrive loaded with white and dark meat turkey, mashed potatoes with pan gravy, fresh green beans, orange-kissed cranberry sauce and homey cornbread stuffing.

Bonus: Black Friday aficionados will find themselves already camped out at Columbus’ premier shopping mall—if the tryptophan doesn’t sap their will to wheel and deal for furiously discounted holiday gifts, that is.

Worthington Inn

649 High St., Worthington 614-885-2600 worthingtoninn.com

If you’re really looking to get a huge feedbag on—and amateurs need not apply here—then don your roomiest pants and head to the holiday-perfect setting of ye olde Worthington Inn. This 19th-century gem goes hog wild in honoring America’s heroic day of feasting, offering a mammoth buffet.

The supporting cast includes soups (butternut squash with a bacon slaw), salads, pastas, a meal-in-itself dizzying array of sides (wild rice with fruits and nuts, buttermilk mashers, roasted sweet potatoes, green beans with wild mushroom cream and crispy leeks, stuffing, cranberry-orange relish and more) plus desserts.

The starring roles will be played by A-list proteins such as: oven roasted turkey with mushroom pan gravy; carved country ham with tropical salsa; slow-cooked beef short ribs with rosemary and red wine; and fennel-crusted salmon with white wine and roasted garlic. The tab for this culinary blockbuster is $37 ($20 for ages 4-12, free for 3 and under), which ain’t a bad price when you consider you probably won’t be needing any more food the rest of the—or even the whole next—day.

O R I G I N A L LY C R A F T E D F O R T H E H O L I D AY S Named after the Holiday star, Stella Artois was first brewed as a holiday beer as a gift to the people of Leuven, Belgium. A golden lager in contrast to the popular dark ales of the time, its brilliant amber color illuminated holiday celebrations for generations thereafter. “Artois� acknowledges Sebastian Artois, the master brewer and owner of the brewery.

StellaArtois.com Always Enjoy Responsibly. © 2012 Anheuser-Busch InBev S.A., Stella Artois® Beer, Imported by Import Brands Alliance, St. Louis, MO

chefs

at home

BARBECUED SHRIMP

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients: 4 whole bay leaves 2 t dried rosemary 1 t dried basil 1 t dried oregano 1 t kosher salt ½ t cayenne pepper 1 T paprika 1 t whole black peppercorns 2 sticks unsalted butter 1 cup vegetable oil 2 t fresh lemon juice 2 t minced garlic 2 lbs shrimp in the shell (21-25/lb) Crostini or any hardcrusted bread, cut on the diagonal Combine

daily grind

Flatiron’s chef shares his favorite kitchen gadget S t o r y b y R o b i n D av i s Photo by Jodi Miller

F

latiron excels in Cajun and Creole fare, but chef Steve Nicholson, 41,

didn’t start out cooking lowcountry favorites. He grew up in Boston, learning how to make Italian food at his mother’s side. Then he studied French cuisine at nearby Newbury College.

When he moved to Columbus and started working at Flatiron, the restaurant’s owner wanted to add his favorite foods of the South— cornmeal-crusted shrimp, pulled pork, brisket and ribs.

At home in Clintonville, Nicholson cooks a variety of dishes: fish tacos, braised

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meats, pork belly. But no matter what the cuisine, he says he would be lost without his spice grinder—a coffee grinder he uses to pulverize whole spices into fine powders.

“You get such a better flavor,” he said. “Just the freshness of it. Flavors seem to pop.”

Robin Davis is the Columbus Dispatch’s food editor. To subscribe to her weekly newsletter, visit dispatchkitchen.com

all the spices in a spice grinder. Buzz them to a fine powder.

In saucepan, melt the butter with the oil. Add the spices, garlic and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat, stirring until sauce begins to boil.

Reduce heat to low. Cook 5 minutes. Pull off the heat and let stand at room temperature until ready to finish the dish.

Add shrimp. Put pan back on burner. Cook just until the shrimp turn pink, about 2 minutes.

Serve over crostini or bread.

Flatiron Bar & Diner

129 E. Nationwide Blvd.

Downtown 614-461-0033 flatironcolumbus.com

a v o N Villa

Ristorante, Pizzeria & Bar Ristorante Ba

Feast with Us artisan gifts holiday gatherings certificates open late

Serving great food for over 30 years!

• Pizza • Pasta • Subs • Appetizers • Salads • dinners Open Daily at 11:00 5545 N. High St. • Columbus

(614) 846-5777 • www.villanovacolumbus.com

LouiE’s Grill Mexican_Cuban_Italian

Fusion

100% made from scratch, 90% made to order, just the way you want it!

Open for Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.

BREAKFAST: Monday - Friday 9-10am Brunch: Saturday - Sunday 8-3pm

Book your Holiday Party with us! www.louiesgrill.net 4453 Cemetry Rd • Hillard • 777-5606

247 King Ave. Columbus, OH 43201

TILLFARE.COM

chefs

at work

staff meals

Barcelona’s employees break bread together before each shift Story and photos by jodi miller

E

ver wonder whether the people who work at fine dining restaurants actually get to eat any of that food they’re serving? Well, if they’re lucky enough to work at an establishment offering a staff meal, the answer is yes.

Staff meals, a little-known ritual in the restaurant world, are prepared and served to the entire staff (from hosts and servers to line cooks and dishwashers) as a way to nourish and regroup before service.

At Barcelona, daily employee meals are dubbed the E-Meal. Served seven days a week at lunch and dinner, they’re a way for the restaurant’s management, owner Scott Heimlich and executive chef Paul Yow, to build a sense of comaraderie among those who work in the front- and back-of-house.

“It’s just making sure the entire staff is taken On a recent Friday, employees noshed on chicken and dumplings and a pasta dish with vegetables, plus a special dessert treat— Pistacia Vera macarons brought in by Heimlich.

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Barcelona

263 E. Whittier St., German Village 614-443-3699 barcelonacolumbus.com

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chefs

at work

care of,” said Barcelona’s general manager Tim Hawkins. “We want to feed them, we want them well-nourished so they can think clearly for the shift.”

Members of Barcelona’s kitchen staff take turns preparing the meals, conjuring up menus based on ingredients available in the kitchen that day.

One cook has been using his E-Meal audience as a sounding board to perfect his fried chicken recipe.

Once a month, the front-of-house staff takes a turn bringing a potluck-style meal to feed the kitchen staff.

“We try and make it more of a community thing,” said server Colin Gregory. “It’s kind of a way for us to blow off some steam and hang out and chat and get ready for the night.”

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THIS JUST IN CROWDS ARE GATHERING AT OLD MOHAWK FOR HAPPY HOUR!

Lexi’s for ALL Your Holiday Party Needs

Happy Hour 1/2 Price Appetizers • $1.50 Bud Lt & Yuengling Drafts $1 Off All Drafts • $1 Off Liquor $1 Off Wine Monday-Thursday Dinner Specials

Lunch Boxes, Party Trays & Private Catering Use Lexi’s Restaurant Space for Your Private Event!

100 E. Broad St. Downtown lexisonthird.com 614-229-lexi (5394)

Olde Mohawk Restaurant 819 Mohawk St. German Village 444.7204 Open every day www.theoldmohawk.com Open Sunday & Monday 11am - 10pm • Tuesday - Thursday 11am - 11pm Friday & Saturday 11am - 12am

Mexican Food…

It Is Not Just Tacos and Burritos BUY 1 MEAL & 2 SOFT DRINKS, GET 2ND MEAL FREE! (of equal or lesser value)

One coupon per family or table. Valid on lunch and dinner.

Not valid on Carryout. Not valid with any other specials or discounts. Exp 2/1/2013

Polaris/ Westerville

Worthington/ CampusView

(614) 547-0246

(614) 781-0751

2127 Polaris Parkway Across from Old Germain Ampitheatre

7475 Vantage Dr. At Rt. 23 & I-270

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www.elacapulcorestaurant.com

chefs

at work “The kitchen staff is really talented and they put out some really good food for us.�

Ali Schwable, Barcelona server

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Established in 1970.

American Chinese food in a neighborhood setting.

Serving late hours. Open for lunch and dinner.

One of Central Ohio’s finest single malt scotch selections

Now accepting holiday reservations

Always supporting local and buying local ingredients

SUBS AVAILABLE UNTIL CLOSE!

2801 E. Main St. • Columbus, OH 43209

wingsofbexley.com

614.236.8261

590 OAKLAND PARK (IN CLINTONVILLE)

((614) 61 ) 261-9355 261 1 93

PRIVATE DINING ROOM AVAILABLE FOR PARTIES OF 30 OR LESS.

SERVING BREAKFAST, LUNCH AND DINNER DAILY

346 S. High Street • Corner of Mound & High • Downtown Columbus

614.586.0511 • dempseysdowntown.com

Open Daily 7 am - 11 pm • Full wBar i n t e r Available 2 0 1 2 l C o l u m b u s C r av e . C O M

l 000

OVER 50 YEARS IN BUSINESS 1961 - PRESENT

Enjoy our Gourmet Pizzas Pesto • Barbeque • White Sauce

Gluten Free Crust Now Available!

Sauces and dough made fesh daily.

We offer a full line of Italian Dinners.

Open 7 days a week 747 E. Lincoln Ave. Columbus, Ohio 43229

(614) 885-3121

www.pizzahousecolumbus.com

LET US BE YOUR HOLIDAY CHEF A Catered Event can handle anything you need for holiday events. Call us for breakfast for ten, a business meeting for twenty or even a seasonal reception for five-hundred.

OUR CATERING MENUS OFFER A VARIETY OF OPTIONS TO PERFECTLY FIT ANY TYPE OF EVENT OR BUDGET.

CALL US AT

800.697.6931 614.863.9281

OR VISIT ONLINE AT WWW.ACATEREDEVENT.BIZ

Story By Shelley Mann

The best restaurants in Columbus

oth years I’ve put together our Crave 10 list of the city’s best restaurants (last year with the help of an editorial board and this year on my own), I wrestled with whether to include some of my favorite cheap-eats spots—places like Skillet or Harvest Pizzeria, where the food is amazing but the ambiance is, well, a bit lacking.

The dining game is changing, after all. Some of this year’s most exciting new openings, like Veritas Tavern in Delaware, are serving astonishingly good small plates in a laid-back, Spartan setting (unfortunately, it opened too late in the year to qualify for consideration on this list).

But unless I completely changed our evaluation formula, canceling out atmosphere and service and drinks and judging solely by quality of food, it’s not really fair to judge those places on the same scale as fine dining restaurants.

As much as I cherish eating at quirky husbandand-wife-run restaurants (our next-gen momand-pops)—and even though my picks this year lean toward the small, chef-driven, farm-to-table model—I don’t think Columbus is quite over the Going Out To Eat experience and all that comes with it: reservations, linen tablecloths, fine wine, attentive service.

Honestly, neither am I. So consider this a list of our 10 best fine dining restaurants, judged by general vibe, quality of service, wine and cocktail lists, and, of course, food.

And flip back to my editor’s note on page 16 for my cheap-eats picks if you missed them.

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G. Michael’s Johnnycakes, with pulled BBQ pork, summer corn salsa, and maple syrup drizzle wint e r 2 0 1 2 l C o l u m b u s C r a v e . C O M l 7 7

10

1

G. michael’s bar & bistro 595 S. Third St., German Village 614-464-0575 gmichaelsbistro.com Hours: 5-10 p.m.

Sunday-Thursday, 5-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday

Photos: tessa berg

erman Village’s cozy chef-driven bistro rises to the top of the heap this year.

Why the upset? Well, last year’s victor, Rigsby’s, and this year’s winner are honestly neck and neck in just about every category: delightful ambiance, superb service, top-notch food and drink.

When it came down to it, though, after a year of visits to both restaurants, the edge goes to Chef David Tetzloff’s food.

His pure love for cooking shines through on the menu, which changes seasonally and sometimes even daily, and on the plates themselves. Tetzloff makes hearty soul food clearly inspired by time spent in lowcountry South Carolina, but with a devotion to local ingredients that speaks to his Ohio roots.

Refreshingly, G. Michael’s is one of a growing list of restaurants committed to working directly with local farmers but not being obnoxious about it. So while just about every piece of pork, beef

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and vegetable on the menu comes from a Central Ohio grower, the menu isn’t cluttered with “Portlandia”-esque shout-outs to the farmers who grew each component.

After all, we should be at the point where local sourcing is the standard, not the exception.

Tetzloff’s bad-for-you-good food is what I’d request as a final meal—rich, buttery, meaty, syrupy goodness.

Definitely try the Johnnycakes, a tall stack of cornmeal pancakes topped with juicy barbecued pulled pork and a corn salsa, all drizzled in sticky maple syrup. A late-summer pork chop preparation falls in the same salty-sweet vein—a peachmaple-glazed chop rests on a hash of potatoes and country ham, topped with a Jack Daniel’s reduction sauce.

Tetzloff handles intricately plated fare with just as much ease. Take the Game Duo entree, an inspired pairing of stuffed quail and venison that’s been sprinkled in cocoa and wrapped in bacon. This show-stopper, served on a plate of sweet-and-sour steamed spinach, was one of my favorite meals this year.

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10

Heirloom Tomato Carpaccio; bottom right, a seasonal seafood pasta dish

restaurant that refuses to act its age (26, which in restaurant years is well into the golden years).

Rigsby’s unveiled a branding makeover in 2012, too, in the form of a redesigned logo and menu to match the artsy-industrial-chic space. A dated watercolor motif was ditched for a clean, mod vibe reminiscent of ’60s-era air travel. New menus resemble passports, which is appropriate—an evening at Rigsby’s always feels like a quick trip overseas.

Just a few of the dishes I’ve been enamored with this year: Cacciucco, a steaming bowl of garlicky tomato broth brimming with shellfish and other sea creatures; handmade pappardelle topped with a stew of rabbit, porcini and tomatoes; buttery prosciutto-wrapped cod with roasted seasonal veggies; and a summery Heirloom Tomato Carpaccio of marinated tomato slices topped with greens and parmesan shavings.

Rigsby’s Kitchen 698 N. High St. Short North 614-461-7888 rigsbyskitchen.com Hours: 11 a.m.-3 p.m. and 5:30-10 p.m.

Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. and 5:30-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday

Photos: jodi miller

otent and bitter, amaro is an Italian digestif that’s beloved by forwardthinking bartenders but perhaps a bit challenging for the average drinker.

So I was surprised and delighted to discover Rigsby’s new cocktail menu, created by mixed-drink ingenue Nicolene Schwartz, centers on amari—each drink made with Campari or Aperol or Fernet Branca, and each more bitter than the last. Finally, here are drinks that measure up to Rigsby’s sophisticated brand of Italian- and Mediterranean-inspired cuisine.

An amari bar is a bold move for a restaurant whose most recent ho-hum drinks list included a pomegranate martini. But it’s just one reason why I adore Rigsby’s, Kent Rigsby’s Short North

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Opposite, clockwise from top left, matsutake mushroom soup, beef sashimi, sashimi Kihachi, matsutake mushrooms

kihachi

2667 Federated Blvd.

Dublin 614-764-9040 Hours: 6 p.m.-close Monday-Saturday

Photos: will shilling

et me share a story from my latest visit to Kihachi to shed some light on just how special this place is.

Ryuki Kimura, better known as Chef Mike, is chopping intently in the restaurant’s open kitchen, his head down, when the front door opens.

His sous chef nudges him, he looks up, grins and claps.

Two men are lugging in what appear to be tree roots, but are in fact giant clusters of maitake mushrooms, a rare Japanese delicacy.

“I have been waiting for this!” Chef Mike exclaims.

One of the men explains: These mushrooms grow at the base of a giant tree in his Dublin backyard. They’re ready to be harvested on the same day each year in October—and each year, he brings them into Kihachi. His offering is rewarded with a bottle of the chef’s favorite sake.

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Chef wastes no time, immediately slicing and tempura-frying the mushrooms.

He hands a plate of them to the men who brought them in, who’ve settled just a few seats down the bar from where we were midway through an amazing omakase meal (10-12 courses of chef’s-choice small plates).

He then hands us a plate of our own, saying, “Here, we share.”

I devour these meaty, woodsy mushrooms, which have soaked up a citrusy soy dipping sauce and taken on the most amazing, indescribable flavor. And I am happy. I am grateful.

Over the course of our three-hour feast at this astonishing Japanese restaurant, a genuine hidden gem in a Dublin strip mall, this was just one of many, many delights (rich mushroom soup served in a tiny teapot, buttery yellowtail sashimi, roasted ginkgo seeds, sea urchin, crunchy fried prawns eaten from head to tail).

But it is the one I’ll remember most.

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worthington inn

Pan-seared halibut and zucchini cups with Sicilian tomatoes

f you’ve only brunched at Worthington Inn, you haven’t really experienced Worthington Inn. My own first foray into the grand old hotel was a brunch visit, and while I appreciated the inn’s wellworn, wallpapered charm, I was underwhelmed by the made-for-the-masses buffet setup. And so when I finally made it back for a proper dinner, I was thoroughly blown away.

“Full menu available at Curio. The perfect spot to come in from the cold.�

495 S. 4th St. Columbus, OH 43206

614.824.1769

harvestpizzeria.com The One, The Only, The Original Delicious Seafood

Voted Best Greek Restaurant for 9 years in a row by Columbus Monthly!

Authentic Greek & Mediterranean Dishes

Reserve our private Party Room that seats up to 60 people for your Holiday Party!

660 North High St. Columbus, Ohio 43215 Just 2 Blocks From the Columbus Convention Center

614-463-1111

Happy Hour: Mon-Fri 4 - 6:30 pm (dine in only)

www.happygreek.com

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Photos: tessa berg

WORTHINGTON INN 649 High St. Worthington 614-885-1283 worthingtoninn.com Hours: 11 a.m.-3 p.m. and 5-10 p.m. MondayThursday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. and 5-10 p.m. FridaySaturday, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

Sunday brunch

See, brunch service here has been offered for ages, long predating current chef Thomas Smith, and it’s such an institution among well-heeled Columbus diners it really can’t be tinkered with.

But at dinner (and lunch and happy hour and late at night), chef Smith gets to play around to his heart’s content. And what he comes up with is beautifully plated, hearty American fare made with sustainable ingredients sourced from local farms.

Consider, for example, chicken from King’s

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Poultry Farm in Bradford, Ohio. Smith roasts it, carves it, and serves a gorgeous, gleaming, mustard-glazed half-chicken with a changing array of seasonal sides—recently, that’s been rich mashed potatoes and lemony asparagus spears.

He incorporates that same chicken in fabulous ravioli—smoked and pulled, it’s combined with fontina before being packaged inside handmade ravioli and served with roasted sweet corn, sun-dried tomatoes and red onion in a garlicky sauce.

Me x ic a n Tr io

Lunch Specials $5.25 0 Lunch Margarita $3.0

Fa ji ta Tr io

orn H o m e m a de c r t i ll a s a n d f lo u r t o Gift Cards available

[614] 396-7083

1264 East Dublin Granville Rd www.casahaciendagrill.com

Happy hour: Mon - Fri 2-6pm 1/2 OFF Appetizers & Drinks

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basi italia

Beet salad with strawberries and goat cheese. Opposite: center, Zucchini Pronto; right, Lamb Canneloni.

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Photos: jodi miller

inners at Basi are some of my most memorable, magical nights in Columbus.

There’s some kind of crazy alchemy at play here, something in the intimacy of a restaurant housed in what once was a home, hidden away off the main thoroughfare with an entrance off an alleyway. Something in the captivating contrast between an intimate, low-lit dining room and a bright, bustling kitchen.

Basi’s typically filled with a mixture of couples on dates and regulars from the neighborhood.

And with that neighborhood being the bohe-

mian, Short North-adjacent Victorian Village, it’s always a rowdy good time.

There’s something in the food, surely. Pasta dishes made special with braised meats (Lamb Canneloni with goat cheese), fresh seafood (mustard-crusted golden trout), seasonal herbs and veggies—this is food with real heart and soul.

Longtime chef Johnny Dornback recently handed over kitchen duties to a new chef de cuisine, David MacLennan, formerly of Latitude 41, whose local-ingredient-loving approach should translate well at Basi.

Wine plays a role in enlivening every meal, and all of that adds up to a blur of laughter and happiness.

BASI ITALIA 811 Highland Ave. Victorian Village 614-294-7383 basi-italia.com Hours: 5 p.m.-close Tuesday-Saturday

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alana’s food & wine

or 13 years now, Alana Shock has been turning out the very best kind of food: local, seasonal and intensely personal. She’s established such a reputation among food- and wine-lovers in this city that she no longer needs to worry about appeasing the masses. Alana’s closes down for two weeks each summer while Shock goes on vacation. Her 9 0 l C o l u m b u s C r a v e . C O M l W I N T ER 2 0 1 2

Monday Tuesday $29.95 filet & Lobster

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Fisherman’s Wharf

(614) 431-1411 1611 Polaris Pkwy W int e r 2 0 1 2 l C o l u m b u s C r av e . C O M l Bestgreekusa.com

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ALANA’S 2333 N. High St., North Campus 614-294-6783 alanas.com Hours: 5 p.m.-close Wednesday-Saturday

loyal regulars don’t think a thing of it.

Alana changes her menu daily. It’s a succinct list of dishes, typically with a seafood option and a meat one, often a risotto, and usually a vegetarian dish or two.

Don’t like mushrooms? Too bad. Modifications are accommodated with a frown and an extra charge.

And then, always, there’s a Surprise. The Surprise tempts me almost every visit. Alana famously sweeps the dining room to hand-deliver each diner an amuse-bouche, and sometimes I get

From left, roasted Highland chicken with kabocha polenta cake, sour cream apple pie and a study in homemade ice creams

the feeling she does that to size up the Surprise orderers. If so, it works. Whatever her creation that night, it always manages to be exactly what I didn’t know I was craving.

As a side note, Alana’s opened its doors in 1999, the same year I arrived in Columbus as a college freshman.

So I feel a special kinship with this place, and each June, when Alana’s celebrates its birthday with throwback menus and special prices, I make it a point to head on over, down a bottle of wine and think back fondly on another year gone by.

Photos: will shilling

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Ohio’s First Authentic Coal-Fired Pizza Full Bar, featuring Local Happy Hour 4-6 pm Everyday Gift Cards available

5601 N. High St. • 614-436-coal (2625) www.nataliescoalfiredpizza.com

NEW MENU!

German Village 197 Thurman Ave. 614.444.EASY

Powell 5 South Liberty St. W int e r 614.888.EASY 2 0 1 2 l C o l u m b u s C r av e . C O M

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TILL DYNAMIC FARE

Lamb Burger 9 4 l C o l u m b u s C r a v e . C O M l W I N T ER 2 0 1 2

t was a brave thing for Magdiale Wolmark to reinvent Dragonfly—his landmark, highly praised vegan fine-dining concept—as the more casual, omnivorous Till. And yet, looking back after getting to know Till, it was a no-brainer. It’s as if Chef Wolmark and his wife, Cristin Austin, cataloged every single complaint that’d ever been waged against Dragonfly and fixed them one by one.

Invites you to come have a seat at our bar!

Join Giuseppe’s bartenders for Happy Hour, Monday through Friday 4:30 to 6:30

HALLACA

! r o v a l F n i t a L Whether we are re-creating the cocktails of a classic era or inventing new concoctions, we strive to deliver perfection one drink at a time.

2268 East Main Street Bexley, OH 43209 (614) 235-4300

www.giuseppesritrovo.com facebook@giuseppesritrovobar twitter@giuseppesbexley

Come & Enjoy The Best Venezuelan Food at Casa Sazón Pabellon Venezolano, Arepas and the Authentic Cachapas!

Join us on

Mon-Fri 7:00am - 3:30pm Sat. & Sun Closed 49 North High St. Columbus, OH 43215

(614) 221-8311

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Pickled Beets with Mimosa Eggs

Chicken wings with a doughnut The crux of the anti-Dragonfly sentiment was this: the restaurant was too fancy for everyday dining, and the vegan menu was too limited to work as a go-to splurge spot.

Well, at Till, the menu has been expanded to include meat—but each dish is still meticulously prepared, and there are still plenty of vegan and vegetarian options. Prices have been lowered, and hours have been extended to provide for lunch and happy hour service.

And it worked. Even though the decor hasn’t changed much, the vibe is completely different. This is a comfy neighborhood spot, not an 9 6 l C o l u m b u s C r a v e . C O M l W I N T ER 2 0 1 2

extravagant destination restaurant.

It’s also Columbus’ answer to Brooklyn-style dining, an option for the kinds of adventurous eaters who prefer being trusted and challenged to being coddled.

The menu changes constantly, but it’s all centered on biodynamic cuisine, a hyper-sustainable, hyper-organic approach to growing food. Don’t miss the custardy house-made silken tofu; lamb burgers with Bluescreek meat, creamy chevre and roasted bell peppers on soft buns; sweet-andsour beet-brined Mimosa Eggs; and clam-topped personal pizzas.

TILL 247 King Ave. Victorian Village 614-298-9986 tillfare.com Hours: 11 a.m.-12 a.m. Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-12 a.m. Saturday, 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday

Now Open!

Featuring Hand Crafted Pies

by Chef William Fugitt Expertly Prepared from Farm Fresh Ingredients.

Also featuring: Entrees, Appetizers, & Desserts

7601 East Main Street Reynoldsburg, Ohio 43068 Phone: (614) 863-5600 www.piesgourmet.com

HOUSE OF JAPAN Hibachi Steakhouse & Sushi Bar Flaming onion volcano, shrimp tails flying, table-side cooking, and chefs performing tricks are just some of the unique experiences you’ll have while dining at the House of Japan.

Gift Certificates for Every $100 Get $10 Free!

Private Event Room Available.

DUBLIN

POLARIS

6153 Parkcenter Circle 8701 Sancus Blvd.

Dublin, OH 43017 Columbus, OH 43240

614-792-2445

614-781-1776

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Photos: jodi miller

Ohio Chicken

SAGE 2653 N. High St. North Campus 614-267-7243 sageamericanbistro.com Hours: 5-10 p.m.

Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday

age perfectly encapsulates the shift from stuffy gourmet dining to indie, chef-driven dining. The menu at this North Campus spot is most assuredly upscale, but it’s also a ton of fun.

A bone marrow starter, for instance, is brought to the table in giant Flintstone bones, while crispy pigs’ ears are served atop curried mango puree, and lobster rolls are reimagined in eclair form. A trio of deceptively simple dishes—Ohio Pork, Ohio Beef and Ohio Chicken—are in reality high-concept explorations of each meat.

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It’s all prepared by young, brash, tattooed chefs, and served in an exposed-brick space hung with edgy local art. Meanwhile, bartenders mix up strong, smart drinks. In short, this place is an antidote to the overwrought excess of decades past.

Sage falls a few slots this year simply because of some turbulence in the kitchen. Sous chefs have taken on most of the cooking duties now that owner and head chef Bill Glover has turned his attentions to the soon-to-open Gallerie, a restaurant anchoring the new Short North Hilton.

We’re crossing our fingers Glover has enough energy in him to run Gallerie and keep Sage performing at its excellent standards.

8

Blue Crab and Ahi Tuna Terrine

sage american bistro

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the refectory restaurant & bistro

10 o Columbus restaurant is more stunning than Refectory. Just walking into the place is enough to take your breath away—diners are whisked from the front door by an impeccably groomed host, through a hallway and into the majestic dining room, an unbeatable converted chapel with soaring ceilings, exposed handhewn wood beams and stained-glass windows.

Every plate served here has that same wow

factor. Chef Richard Blondin’s classically prepared French dishes are given updates with modern ingredients (alpaca terrine and sashimi tuna aiguillette, cardamom-sauced filet mignon and tarragon-marinated bison loin), then painstakingly arranged and garnished on mismatched china.

After all, there’s a reason this Bethel Road treasure has been our city’s go-to dining destination for special occasions since the 1980s. (Indeed, the wait staff typically assumes I’m there celebrating a birthday or an anniversary.) Nobody does knockyour-socks-off fine dining like the Refectory.

1092 Bethel Rd. Northwest Side 614-451-9774 therefectoryrestaurant. com

Hours: 5:30-9 p.m.

Monday-Thursday, 5-9:30 p.m. FridaySaturday

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Photos: will shilling

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Tian of zucchini and marinated mushrooms

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10 deepwood

he menu at DeepWood reads like haiku. Each item gets the same meticulous treatment: a one-word title and a brief, staccato description.

An example: GROUPER Olive oil poached.

Sweet corn ravioli. Corn shoots.

Blistered grapes. Pistachio pesto.

Lemon-thyme sauce.

House-made Duck Prosciutto

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Begins November 23rd – December 30, 2012

Now Booking for Holiday Events!

Hunan Lion and

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Hunan House Dine in or Carry out • Private Party Room Available

Hunan Lion

2038 Bethel Rd.

614-459-3933

Hunan House

HAPPY HOUR MON-FRI 4-7 PM

614-895-3330

OPEN MON-SAT 8AM-10PM

2350 E. Dublin-Granville Rd.

hunancolumbus.com

www.cucostaqueria.com

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2162 W. Henderson Rd. • 614.538.8701

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Photos: TIM Johnson

Below from left, Personal Pig Roast, Oil Poached Grouper with Corn Ravioli, Coconut Battered Shrimp It could easily come off as gimmicky, but it’s perfectly appropriate for the city’s most imaginative food.

Springing from the mind of Chef Brian Pawlak, DeepWood’s menu is filled with masterfully whimsical takes on classic American dishes.

Like, instead of a pork chop, Pawlak does a personal pig roast. The four-part masterpiece includes barbecued baby back ribs with deep-fried

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mac and cheese, mortadella crostini, pork tenderloin with ham hock-broth-lacquered carrots, and a shank-to-jowl cake.

My only pause with DeepWood is the decor.

The majestic tree rising from the center of the dining room is pretty neat, but otherwise the perpetually overlit, white-walled dining room comes off as new construction. This food deserves better.

DEEPWOOD 511 N. High St., Short North; 614-221-5602 deepwoodrestaurant. com Hours: 5 p.m.-close Monday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. and 5-close TuesdayFriday, 5 p.m.-close Saturday

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Sunday-Thursday Dinner Specials Sunday: Filet & Shrimp $23.95

Tuesday: Steak & Shrimp $20.95

Monday: Chicken & Shrimp $19.95

Wednesday: Filet & Chicken $20.95

Thursday: Steak & Chicken $19.95

SAKURA

JAPANESE STEAKHOUSE 4210 Stelzer Rd. â&#x20AC;˘ Columbus, OH (614) 476-6088 sakuraeaston.com See our Facebook Page for more information

No. 1 curio

C

urio is the real deal—a bar designed for people who appreciate the intricacies of alcohol, built from the ground up by a guy who loves the stuff. Travis Owens left his bartending gig at Giuseppe’s earlier this year to open his own place.

At this dim-lit, speakeasy-type hangout, he shakes up crazy good drinks using top-shelf liquors, small-batch spirits, fresh herbs and house-made syrups, bitters and infusions. Curio doesn’t offer a food menu to distract from the ever-changing roster of drinks—a few snacks of the cheese and cured meat variety are provided to tide you over before you head next door to Harvest Pizzeria for some pie.

Curio, 491 S. Fourth St., German Village

10

Manhattan at Barrel 44

bars

Curio Photos: jodi miller

No. 2

A new breed of bars excels in hand-crafted drinks

Giuseppe’s

Story By Shelley Mann

inally—finally!—Columbus is getting the kinds of bars we’ve been lusting after for years. They’re big-city bars, tended by people who can think outside the classic cocktail box. They’re serving original, grown-up drinks that actually taste like booze, fueled by a wave of new artisan distilleries.

And bartenders are using those local spirits to create our city’s signature drinks: Watershed Gin martinis, Oyo Whiskey Wonderlands (mixed with Cynar and OJ) and Brothers Drake meadspiked ciders. It’s an exciting time, and here are our picks for the bars doing it best.

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ravis Owens recruited an all-star team of up-and-coming mixologists, including rising star Kendyl Meadows, as he transformed the bar at this cozy neighborhood restaurant into one of the city’s buzziest cocktail destinations. That means he left Giuseppe’s bar in capable hands when he set out on his own to open Curio. The new team is putting their own stamp on the drink list with an array of complex, bitter concoctions—or just tell them what you’re in the mood for, and watch as they mix you up a fab personalized drink.

Giuseppe’s Ritrovo, 2268 E. Main St., Bexley

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No. 3

No. 4

Mouton

M at Miranova

his minimal-chic shrine to vintage cocktails is the best place to grab a drink before hitting a Short North restaurant. Mouton’s bare-bones decor is a fitting backdrop for the menu of unfussy mixed drinks and artisan bar snacks—like a wondrous bacon sashimi made with dry-cured La Quercia heritage bacon.

Mouton, 954 N. High St., Short North

T

he city’s most famous bartender works her tail off consulting on drink lists at the city’s best bars. But Cris Dehlavi’s home base is M at Miranova, where you’ll often spot her silhouetted against the stunningly backlit floor-to-ceiling bar, shaking up her signature cocktail creations with a big grin on her face.

M at Miranova, 2 Miranova Pl., Downtown

No. 5

W

Double Happiness

ith its red paper lanterns and gaudy gold accents, this Asian-themed bar could easily come off as kitsch.

Instead the owners pull everything off pitch perfectly, and their fun place has quickly cemented itself as Columbus’ hippest new lounge. Check out houseinfused shoju, an Asian rice liqueur that pairs nicely with Japanese street food from in-house pop-up Freshstreet.

Double Happiness, 482 S. Front St., Brewery District

Bartender Kendy Weasnei at Double Happiness Photo: alysia burton

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The best taco al pastor in the city!

Come Check out our many Gluten Free & Vegan Options!

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BY COLU 2985 N. High St.

www.losguachos.com

Skip the wait, call ahead for carry out orders:

(614) 538-0211

5221 Godown Rd. • Columbus, OH 43235

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Open Daily Sun - Thu: 11:00am-12:00am Fri & Sat: 11:00am-1:00am

Call Lavash for all your Holiday Needs!

Clintonville, OH 43202

www.lavashcafe.com

614.263.7777

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Smoky Bacon Mary at Milestone 229

No. 6 Sidebar 122

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e’re worried about its long-term prospects—the original Sidebar location in Dayton closed earlier this year, while our own outlet was forced to shut its doors for several days in October due to unpaid taxes.

But as long as it’s open, Sidebar deserves a spot on this list. Bartenders prepare beautiful preProhibition cocktails (the Dark and Stormy and the Sidebar Sidecar are highly recommended) with meticulous care.

122 E. Main St., Downtown

No. 7 Milestone 229

N

obody does brunch drinks better than Milestone, where thirsty diners can choose between eight(!) Bloody Marys, including a fantastic Smoky Bacon Mary served with a bacon-strip garnish. And the regular drink list is great, too, with craft beers and fruity-in-a-good-way cocktails, like a Black and Blue Mojito with muddled blueberries and blackberries.

229 Civic Center Dr., Downtown

No. 8 the rossi Photo: shari lewis

10

T

hanks to its perch right on High Street in the Short North, Rossi offers the ultimate see-and-be-seen experience. The vibe is somehow simultaneously cozy and sexy, its glowing brick-walled bar consistently packed with beautiful people. A list of straightforward cocktails complements a sophisticated food menu from chef Andrew Smith.

The Rossi, 895 N. High St., Short North

Happy Holidays from Explorerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Club!

Buy $25 Gift Card and get $5 extra!

Party Room available for your Holiday Events

1586 S. High St. Columbus, OH

(614) 725-0155

www.ExploresClubmv.com

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Photo: eamon queeney

Bartender Joshua Gandee with DeNovo’s Barrel-Aged Manhattan

S

No. 9

No. 10

Barrel 44 Short North

De-Novo

erious about your whiskey? This no-frills tavern boasts a sizeable selection of whiskeys, bourbons and Scotches, and will serve them to you straight up, on the rocks (with proper ice cubes) or mixed into perfectly simple, perfectly strong cocktails.

Barrel 44, 1120 N. High St., Short North

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T

he chic Downtown spot boasts a knowledgeable bar staff, and it’s one of a growing number of bars experimenting with barrel-aged cocktails. Bar manager Tomos Mughan’s first attempt at barrel-aged Manhattans was an instant hit, selling out almost immediately.

De-Novo Bistro & Bar, 201 S. High St., Downtown

Element Pizza Doug h, sa uce, ch

ee se it’s ele m enta

l but ne ve r ordin

ary

250 N. N 3rd St St. (614) 232-8871

BIG FAT GREEK KUZINA

elementpizzabar.com

Family owned and operated since 1970

The Inn Between

We are not just Gyros.

Full Authentic Greek Restaurant Homemade Pastitsio, Baklava, Moussaka and more!

“Comfort on a Plate” 30 South Young Street Columbus, OH 43215 (614) 224-1944 innbetweencolumbus.com

NOW OPEN

Rich Street Street Rich Deli Meats Meats Deli

Prepared, Fully Cooked Meats-To-Go! Including:

• BBQ Ribs • Meatloaf • Pot Roast and Much More!

TO ORDER

- Text or Call 614-824-7911 - Visit www.richstreetdelimeats.com

Locally Owned, Ohio Proud 183 E. Rich St. • Columbus, OH 43215 Open M-F 11:00am - 6:00pm Sat 10:00am -3:00pm

2816 Fishinger Road • Columbus W int e r 2 0 1 2 l C o l u m b u s C r a v e . C O M l 0 0 0 614-457-4753 • www.bestgreekusa.com

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When you subscribe or renew your annual subscription to Capital Style, through December 31st you can add gift subscriptions at $5 each. This women’s lifestyle magazine offers a guide to the best fashion, home décor and local limelight in Central Ohio.

Call 614.461.5225 to subscribe. Cheers! Offer valid only on gift subscriptions. Offer end 12/31/12.

Happy Hour Tuesday-Friday from 3- 6pm Half off House wine and cold appetizers Sunday Kidâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day: Kids Under 12 Eat Free Tuesdays All Day: Gyro & Fries with beer or house wine $8

(614) 486-1100 1305 W. Lane Ave.

greekcornerus.com

As the Name Suggests, Serving HotPressed Sandwiches, Pasta, Moussaka, Pastitsio, Grape leaves & More!

Wine, Champagne & Beer

4799 Sawmill Rd Columbus, OH 43235

(614) 336-8830

www.paniniopa.com

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CELEBRATE THE HOLIDAYS WITH WEILAND’S!

A Columbus Tradition and Family Owned Since 1961 The Finest Hand-Cut Meats & Poultry Catering • Bowman & Landes Turkeys • Standing Rib Roasts • Beef Tenderloins and Steaks • Gerber Chicken • Ohio Pork Crown Roasts

Beer, Wine & Spirits

• Let us cater for your holiday party or dinner of any size! Pickup, delivery, and full-service available

The Freshest Seafood in the City

• Voted #1 Liquor and Beer Store this year by the readers of alive!

• Amazing Selection of Beer, Wine, and Spirits

• Our Own Cooked Shrimp • A Variety of Smoked Seafood • Jumbo King Crab Legs • Live Lobsters • Fresh Shucked Virginia Oysters • Our Famous Smoked Trout Spread

Gift Baskets and Boxes

Cheeses

• Steak and Seafood Boxes • Gift Baskets of All Sizes We do custom orders, or pick up a ready-to-go gift!

• You’ll love our expanded selection of local, national and international artisan cheeses, including Ohio • Specialty Cheeseballs, Bries, Dips, and Spreads • Custom Made Cheese Trays • New Holiday Cheeses

Full-Service Deli Homemade Deli Salads Our Own Prepared Foods

3600 Indianola Avenue • (Clintonville) 614-267-9878 weilandsgourmetmarket.com

Not Sure What to Get? You can’t go wrong with a Weiland’s Gift Card!

OPEN Monday - Friday 10:00 - 7:30 Saturday 9:00 - 5:00 Sunday 11:00 - 5:00

Cafe Brioso

Crimson Cup

Cup O’ Joe

Stauf’s

Upper Cup

Mission

Luck Bros.

One Line

Boston Stoker

Crazy Goat

Impero

Grandview Grind

Change is brewing

Photos by jodi miller

An influx of new, indie coffee shops has turned the scene on its head. And with cutting-edge technology—think pour-over bars, vacuum-pot siphons and back-to-basics Chemex brewers—each shop is sexier than the last. Welcome to post-Starbucks Columbus.

Passionate about New Mexican Cuisine

Gluten Free & Vegetarian friendly

Scan for our Catering Fiesta Menu Look out for new location to open before the Holidays on Gemini Place. In front of Costco next to the new Cabellaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s.

4852 Sawmill Rd Columbus 43235

614.442.6630

www.chileverdecafe.com

89 E. Nationwide Blvd 614-586-4585 89fish.com

Sometimes emotional eating is a good thing Always using the best locally sourced ingredients.

Complimentary Valet Parking Now booking holiday and corporate events.

Happy Holidays from 89!

Get $25 free for every $100 gift card purchase!

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drink

bring on the bubbly

We tracked down steals on champagne and other sparkling wines S t o r y b y G . A . BENTON l P h o t o s b y j o d i M i l l e r

“C

ome quickly, I am tasting the stars!” are the astonished words legendarily uttered at the hallelujah moment when a French monk called Dom Perignon (name sound familiar?) realized he’d invented champagne over 300 years ago.

As the story goes, the Dom had accidentally re-fermented a batch of wine and, by doing so, energized still alcohol with fizz by trapping carbon dioxide gas into it (fermentation is live yeast converting sugar into alcohol plus CO2, but primarily the gas is allowed to bubble out of the liquid).

I love how the Dom’s poetic phrase and fantastic tale fabulously encapsulate the romance and “special occasion-ness” associated with champagne.

Not to go Grinch on you, but the truth is that oft-told story is just a fantastical fable.

wine

drink

wine

The monk’s subsequently debunked starry quote and bogus eureka drinking incident are assuredly apocryphal (the Dom actually spent a long time trying to prevent secondary fermentations from occurring).

Does this bubble-bursting info for a minute diminish the intoxicating allure of champagne? Of course not.

But it does bring up the issue of truth versus legend.

Here are some more truths: 1) Not all sparkling wines are actually champagnes, as that beverage’s name and the painstaking production of the rightfully revered legitimate stuff—

which must originate in its eponymous region of France—is rigidly controlled and always damn expensive (the cheapest authentic French champagnes sold in Columbus typically hover around $40-$50 per bottle, and that’s retail).

2) Wisely chosen and smartly quaffed Italian proseccos, Spanish cavas and “American champagnes” (due to a kooky loophole, U.S. producers can legally call their unqualified sparklers champagne—but nobody else can) will all deliver the celebratory effervescence everybody loves and craves this time of year, but they’ll

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Wine Pairings

Sparkling wines aren’t just for holiday toasts—most good champagnes and cavas are versatile enough to be drunk before, during and after meals.

»»

Smaller-bubbled champagnes have high acidity and a palate-scrubbing fizziness, which makes them particularly fun when paired with something fatty. They pair surprisingly well with silly snacks like popcorn and potato chips (plus there’s something perversely uproarious about sipping expensive wines with cheap munchies).

»»

As for generally larger-bubbled proseccos, do as the Italians do and drink ’em as aperitivos or with light appetizers (think that old-school boot-country classic, prosciutto with melon).

Champagne bucket and oysters at Mitchell’s Ocean Club. Opening image, champagne cocktail at Ocean Club.

do it without siphoning off a painful pool of your holidaygift-buying budget.

3) I’m going to reveal some terrific restaurant deals on a frothy range of gassed-up vinos— from bubbling glasses to foaming cocktails to bottles of the genuine article.

The Deals!

I’ll start off with an insider-y secret at our serene and esteemed The Refectory. If you peruse their wines-by-the-glass list, you won’t see any true champagnes.

Yet when you actually ask a server if she offers any, she’ll answer in the affirmative and then pour you a flute of something elegant (often an artisanal “grower” champagne, i.e. one with distinct flavors linked to its sitespecific origins and that the restaurant sells for around $100 per bottle) at unbeatable prices (say, $12-$17).

This by-the-glass selection, which practically changes daily, has included a yeasty, citrusy and bracingly dry Pierre Gimonnet and a beautiful, complex and fruit-kissed Chartogne-Taillet rose.

For something less intense—and expensive ($7 at happy hour, $11 otherwise)—try a crisp and refreshing glass of Domaine Carneros (the Napa Valley expression of an honorable French champagne house) at swanky but lively Mitchell’s Ocean Club. The wine is light-bodied but dry, yeasty and tight enough to just about pass for the real deal.

For something over-

the-top—nearly literally, in an “Uncle Fester” sorta way—the Ocean Club’s giggly Berries and Bubbles cocktail ($13) overfills the bill.

Fashioned with another Californian with a famous French cousin (Domaine Chandon) and tasting like spiked berry lemonade, it magnifies the bubbles with dry ice chunks that hilariously make the libation percolate and smoke like a witch’s cauldron.

Downtown’s dark and jazzy Sidebar 122 prepares a pretty nice classic “champagne” cocktail ($12).

It’s a lemon rind-garnished flute-y glass of Casteller cava splashed over a bitters-soaked sugar cube that flavor-wise recalls an enlivening, bone-dry Sprite.

Bottle-wise, comfy and casual Giorgio offers a cute “bambino” (two to three glasses) of Riondo prosecco for $8. It’s a simple but pleasing green applehinting drink.

Full bottle-wise, you cannot beat the rockbottom prices at our most purely Columbus restaurant, Alana’s. Econo-minded oenophiles should try the surprising New Mexican Gruet ($19) or the ravishing Raventos cava ($25), while go-for-brokers might target an austere Pol Roger ($130—and that’s a bargain).

I’ll end on another secret in the key of cheap.

The beloved and hip Betty’s in the Short North sells that famous French thoroughbred, Veuve Clicquot, for the excitingly near-retail price of $60.

Try it with Betty’s Crabby Patties, Potato Pancakes or, hell, even the nachos!

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menu

PERFECT PAIRINGS

Cocktail Caprese Martini ($9) Heirloom tomatoinfused vodka, a few drops of balsamic vinegar and cracked black pepper mirror the flavors of those roasted tomato wedges. Garnished with a skewer of fresh mozzarella, basil and a balsamicmarinated cherry tomato, it’s a perfect accompaniment.

GO for the FISH

Chimay Blue Cap ($9)

A

A dark Trappist beer with caramel notes, its complex flavors and aromas match up perfectly to this fullflavored dish.

S t o r y b y R O B I N D AV I S l P h o t o s b y w i l l s h i l l ing t 89 Fish & Grill Downtown, seafood flown in fresh every day is flanked by side dishes made from locally produced ingredients.

And thanks to its location a few steps from the Hyatt Regency Columbus and the convention center,

89 Fish & Grill

89 e. Nationwide Blvd., Arena District 614-586-4585; 89fish.com

the restaurant attracts a similar mix of outof-towners and local regulars.

Housed in a turn-ofthe-century warehouse, 89 Fish boasts tall windows overlooking bustling Nationwide Boulevard.

While the bulk of the menu is devoted to seafood, meat lovers will find plenty of options too, such as filet mignon, grilled hanger steak and chiliglazed pork tenderloin.

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One of chef John Beck’s specialties is Seared Chilean Sea Bass ($30)—a crispy-topped fillet atop a wilted-spinach risotto made incredibly creamy with mascarpone. Spokes of oven-dried tomato wedges give the plate a sunshine look, and add a bit of tartness to cut the fish’s richness.

The experts behind the bar recommended a selection of drinks that pair beautifully with the sea bass.

Beer

wine

Domaine Chandon Carneros Chardonnay ($12/glass, $48/bottle) The bright acidity of this wine—with floral notes and mineral aromas—is a nice way to cut the richer components of the sea bass.

The Ta co Tru ck W orth D riving To! Family Ristorante and Wine Bar Voted Best Italian Restaurant by Suburban News Readers 1/2 stars Columbus Dispatch

Family ambiance...sure...

But it’s really ALL ABOUT THE FOOD! • Daily Lunch Specials under $8.00 • Happy Hour Specials 4-7pm Mon-Fri

2025 Polaris Pkwy (Just East of I-71) Columbus, OH 43240 614-848-4488

Tacos • Sopes • Tostadas • Gordita Quesadillas • Tortas • Burritos • Tamales

TACO NAZO

Pick your choice of meat and build your own taco!

Cash Only

2200 E Dublin Granville Rd (614) 390-6346 Hours: Mon-Sat 10 am - 8 pm

www.carfagnaskitchen.com

scene

Closing time

dan dougan Age: 55 Bartender,

Natalie’s Coal-fired pizza and live music 5601 N. High St., Worthington nataliescoalfiredpizza.com

Hometown: Westgate

big brother

Dan Dougan enjoys bands, bacon and balsamic reduction at Natalie’s

S to r y by C h r i s D e V i l l e l P h oto by j o d i m i l l e r

A

s owner of Campus rock club Stache’s and its Short North successor Little Brother’s, Dan Dougan played host to local and national talent for the better part of two decades. Since Little Brother’s closed in 2007, he’s been behind the bar at numerous Columbus locales.

Lately he can be spotted at Natalie’s Coal-Fired Pizza and Live Music in Worthington. He doesn’t run the music there, but the listeningfocused setup is right in line

short orders

Where Dan Dougan goes for something specific

with the intimate “Listening Hours” series Dougan organized in 2010.

“With this room, that’s really what they want,” Dougan said. “Come in and listen up.”

Between stories about rowdy bar patrons (ask him about the goose-stepping deep sea diver), Dougan shared his favorite food spots in town. l What’s your favorite thing to eat at Natalie’s?

What I like is the balsamic reduction. It’s on several of

Breakfast: “I still like Wildflower on Indianola.”

South American: “El Arepazo, especially the ceviche.”

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the pizzas. And of course I like garlic on anything. I’m an insane garlic-o-phile. It’s very healthy for you, you know?

The Venetian Jail has the Italian sausage as well as the balsamic reduction, so

I like that. And the Verdura Trebbiano has the balsamic reduction, as well.

The Casanova’s really good, too, with the applewood-smoked bacon, because bacon makes every-

Greek:

Bar food:

Italian:

“Mazah in Grandview. Get the tabbouleh and the chicken pita.”

“Double Happiness is a nice place to go to eat, for drinks or to listen to music and hang out.”

“Trattoria Roma.

If you’re lucky at lunch, you can sit in the Dean Martin chair.”

thing better. l Where do you like to eat dinner when you’re not at work?

Dinner is all about Alana’s for me because I feel at home there. I know those people, and I know Alana’s always got something unique and exciting. l Know any places with great dessert?

Being a father, ice cream is where it’s at. I go to Jeni’s in Grandview or Graeter’s in Bexley.

[My son] Declan and I like to go to Graeter’s, wait outside and wave at the cars to see if they’ll honk at us. l What if you’re hungry late at night?

Late Night Slice. I really prefer sitting in the freakin’ car lot. There’s something about sitting there and eating Late Night Slice and watching an old movie or something that has a great vibe to it. I’m not sure if it’s the pizza or the ambiance of sitting in that alley. Plus it’s my old stomping grounds.

ONE OF COLUMBUS’10 BEST NEW RESTAURANTS

Fresh Seafood Seasonal Menu Gastropub

625 High St. Worthington, OH 614-505-7779 • Reservations Encouraged www.rivageatlantique.com

sweet!

Worldly treats

On the far edges of on-the-rise Olde Towne East sits L’Appat Patisserie & Cafe, a quaint shop that appears as if it were magically transported from some Parisian boulevard and plopped onto Oak Street. West African-born owner Didier Alapini prepares sandwiches and salads to order with studied precision, but L’Appat’s big draw is a glass case filled with cakes, cookies and other sweets in exotic flavors. Pick up fruit-filled French turnovers called chaussons, Brazilian sweet potato pies or this beauty, a White Sweet Potato Banana Chocolate Cheesecake.

L’Appat Patisserie & Cafe

1159 Oak St., Olde Towne East 614-252-6822

Story by Shelley Mann Photo by jodi miller

Our family-owned business uses only the finest and freshest ingredients when preparing our Creole inspired Caribbean, Central & South American entrees.

Stop in for a meal, your taste-buds will thank you.

Buen Provecho!

5445 Roberts Rd Hilliard

(614) 771-7460 CARRY OUT AVAILABLE

OPEN Monâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;Thurs 11am - 10pm Fri & Sat 11am - 11pm Sun 11am - 9pm

Try Our Food And Taste The Difference Brac ce yourrsellf fo or a cu ulina ary massterr cla ass a fe estiv val of flflav vorss in eve ery fork kful an nd allow w yourrselff to o be e sw wept aw way y by the exo otic c arromas and d ta aste es off tru uly ou utsta and ding g In ndia an-P Pak kistan ni cuisiine e.

808 Bethel Rd. â&#x20AC;˘ Columbus â&#x20AC;˘ 614-326-3777