CMH Gourmand – Eating in Columbus & Ohio

(Warning: There is a long wind up on this pitch)

In the eight years I have owned my house I have cursed the previous occupants many, many times. The husband appears to have been a do it yourself type who did everything wrong, especially if the task involved electricity or plumbing. I found each of the electrical errors the hard way. The plumber that fixed one of “Mr. Frak it up” mistakes used profanity I had never heard as he stated what he discovered in the toilet installation was the greatest act of stupidity he had encountered during forty years in the trade.

Speaking of the bathroom, there was one (and only one) redemptive act the couple made. They (most likely just the wife since she may have not been an idiot) painted the bathroom like a gyro shop with mural that depicted the scene from a Greek seaside temple. Since I had spent a lot of time in Greek restaurants I was not disturbed by the bathroom but the other people that could have purchased the house were bothered by the prospect of a bathroom/restaurant so a bidding war was avoided.

This passive aggressive digression does have a purpose. I recently had the mural painted over to prep my house for a possible sale. Having had a Greek mural in my bathroom to greet me to consciousness most mornings in the last decade I found that when the temple was destroyed, my mojo was off. The mural had served an important role in my social life for years – if someone could not appreciate my bathroom, there was a good chance they were not going to be a significant part of my social life. Now how I am I supposed to exclude people?

It was a Sunday and I was in a penitent mood so I figured the best way to make peace with Apollo, Zeus and the other Olympian gods was to feast on Greek cuisine. I needed to eat a good Greek meal for atonement. One of my favorite Greek restaurants is Anna’s on Sawmill Road. For no good reason, I had not been there in over one year.

If you have never tried Anna’s or have limited experience with Greek cuisine, their Sunday buffet is the perfect introduction. The brunch buffet is offered from 11:00 am to 2:30 pm and the dinner buffet is from 2:30 pm to 7:30 pm. The overlap of dishes for both meals is significant so you do not need to worry about missing the best of the best. Selections include two salads, two soups, appetizers as well as a dozen or more entrees and sides completed with an entire table dedicated to dessert.

The table of desserts

The quality of the food and the service are both excellent. A few of my favorites from the buffet (and the regular menu) include Mousaka (as fun to say as to eat; this is a mix of eggplant, beef or lamb, tomato base and spices), walnut cake, and Lemon Chicken soup (Avgolemono). Anna’s has been open since 1997 and continues to keep standards for food and service at a high standard. When I am not enjoying the buffet, I often just order the spread sampler (a choice of three from hummus, Tzatziki, Skorthalia, Kafteri, Melitzanosalata and black olive spread).

There is another thing I like about Anna’s. Their marketing is well done and their e-mail list is well managed. They occasionally e-mail coupons to customers and most importantly, the restaurant gives blogs their due. Anna’s frequently cites the review by Becke from Columbus Foodie in their promotions. Go social media!

Anna’s Greek Cuisine
7370 Sawmill Road
Columbus/Dublin (just north of 270)
614.799.2207
www.annasgreekcuisine.com

Anna's menu cover, not my bathroom wall...but close