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Archive for September, 2012

Clintonville: The Stealth Mobile Food Mecca

Posted by CMH Gourmand on September 29, 2012

Sometime in 2011, a myth arose in town that Clintonville was anti-mobile food. Parts of the myth were true or at least partially so. The trails and travails of Ray Ray’s BBQ were known by most of his regular customers and eventually it propelled his move to Ace of Cups just down the street in Olde North Columbus. While owner Jaime Anderson won rave reviews for his food and brought people to Clintonville – he was constantly at wit’s end dealing with vague, inconsistent and sometimes conflicting interpretations of city codes for his business. As a general rule while he had no health or safety concerns many of his woes often appeared to be on the whim of a complaint or an officials interpretation code. Jaime read the codes, consulted lawyers and tried to get concrete answers. Finally he had enough and moved on. It was a loss for Clintonville. In his wake, Jaime did pave the way for Mya’s Fried Chicken to take his old place at the corner of High Street and Pacemont. Jaime has coached, mentored and invested a lot of time to help that business take off at his old the spot. For the record – rent is paid to set up there adding more money to the community.

A more publicized mobile stumble was Yerba Buena in the summer of 2011. After a great turnout through the summer the business was prodded to move because it was set up in a parking lot of an unoccupied building. As it turns out, it would be OK for them to be in the spot if the building was occupied. Hmm, seems to me that a business set up in the parking lot of an empty building – that the community and the property owner would be benefiting. Such was not the case in the eyes of our city code. The rules are the rules but is does not make them right for the area or the times. Yerba Buena moved to another site one mile away on Indianola in partnership with a local business. An electrical hook up was installed and some other improvements were made but word of the move did not get out very well. The business slumped without support and due to inconsistent hours so it never came back after a fall of dwindling customers. There were plans to come back in the spring but it did not happen. The owners opened a second brick and mortar restaurant and had a new baby – both took their food trailer out of the equation for them and Yerba Buena went up for sale.

Another mobile vendor that had some issues, technically is not in Clintonville (and the owners made sure that was the case). The Coop sat at the intersection of Cliffside and Indianola, although most people would consider the location of this trailer to be Clintonville – it is officially in the University District. It was thought this would be an advantage….not really. The Coop survived many of the same issues and requests for inspections as Ray Ray’s. In the end, their landlord bought a table to place near their trailer and they (even when was Angie was very pregnant) moved the trailer each night when done serving and moved it back the next day. While there is no health and safety reason to do so – they did because they believed in the location, the community and the customers that supported them. The Coop is gone for now, but hopes to be back in March or April with a new baby in tow.

So those are woes of three mobile vendors. Three very popular vendors with great food. You would think with all of the hullabaloo that the fine citizens of Clintonville were hyper-vigilant against these intruders. They do have their eyes out but not to stop them, with a few isolated exceptions, the community embraces these vendors. It fact, Clintonville has a long history of eateries on wheels going back ten years or more.

Other vendors served in the area but stayed off the radar. Yankee Cajun did a decent business at Crest Tavern until the owner started to manage the bar and put his trailer up for sale. Vegglicious serves out of Global Galley on High Street with some regularity at a spot which helped launch Earth’s Crust / Krazy Monkey.

With the exception of a taco truck dense area of the west side, it seems that Clintonville and the hinterlands near it, have more mobile vendors per square mile than anywhere else in the city. Let’s plot them out. Boston Bert’s is still at Blenheim and Indianola. A line drive away is Hemisphere Coffee Roasters. Moving down Indianola to where it intersects with Weber, Taste of Greece Gyros set up about a month ago. The Coop, hopefully will be back at Cliffside and Indianola in the Spring. At the intersection of Hudson and Indianola – El Manantial Latino is set up 24 hours per day. Shifting down Hudson to High Street at Ace of Cups, Ray Ray’s is doing great in in his new digs. Maya’s is digging in for the winter and frying plenty of chicken for the masses. That is six vendors in a 5 minute driving radius for Clintonvillians.

There have been several events in Clintonville involving food trucks and carts that have been warmly received including several at Maple Grove United Methodist Church and now a food pod Thursday nights at The Charity Newsies Headquarters on Indianola through at least November 1st. Each Thursday from 5:30 to 8 pm, 3 mobile vendors set up to serve dinner. All tips go to Charity Newsies for their efforts to help local children. For every $140 raised – one child receives enough clothing to have clean garments each day of the week, plus a backpack, coat and dictionary. It is a win-win for all involved.

So for a community where the perception exists that mobile food is unwanted, the reality is it is embraced. Other than sections of the west side and Cleveland Ave. area, this part of Columbus hosts more mobile vendors more often than anywhere else….but off the radar of the city.

So why is this? Where is the disconnect? As a long time resident of the area, I can say that Clintonville wants more eateries and more diversity in menus. There is a reason why Northstar has been packed since the day it opened in the area – there are few other options nearby. In Baja Clintonville (South of Weber) on High Street, there are several good restaurants and a variety of options. Just beyond the Morse Road area, there are plenty of chain restaurants at Graceland. Villa Nova has a continuously full parking lot in the borderlands that guard Clintonville from Worthington and Riverlea.

The core area of Clintonville has a dense population with limited options to serve them. It may not be a food desert but it is an eatery dead zone. The Indianola isthmus of Clintonville also has a dearth of choices and is underdeveloped compared to the High Street corridor. Existing restaurant owners may struggle and some may worry about competition. It may seem counterintuitive but more competition is what the area needs to grow and for people to keep their dining dollars in the community. More importantly, like the Short North, Grandview and other areas of town, restaurants grounded in brick and mortar or attached to wheels bring people outside the area into the community, providing an opportunity to show off what else the community has to offer – independent businesses, plenty of book stores, antique shops, services and some long-standing brick and mortar restaurants. The more traffic the community receives and retains, the more likely we can get someone to take a chance on the area and bring another fixed dining option to the community (a good building, with minimal build out costs and the ability to serve alcohol (high profit margin to serving cost) would clench the deal).

So where does mobile food fit in? It does the best where options are limited and demand is high, that area is Clintonville, north of Weber Road along Indianola and that is why we see the growth of the mobile options in the area. Surveys of residents over the years have consistently listed the need for more and better restaurants as needed amenities for the area. As long as Clintonville has a demand and no new brick and mortar options to fill the need, carts, trailers and trucks will look for the sweet spots to serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. The popularity of these mobile vendors in 2012 is no fluke or “jumping of the shark” with a here today, gone tomorrow fad. This new incantation of meals of wheels is serving a need just like the food carts of the 1920’s and 30’s did – independent business people taking the resources they can acquire to meet the needs of people who have limited food options. It is Deja Vu with a spin. If you the live in the area, come out as often as you can to support and grow your dining options. If you live outside the area, please come visit to help a small business and a small community and to prove that this can work elsewhere in our city. If you (mobile food vendor) park it they will (hopefully) come. If you serve it, they will eat (if it is good and reasonably priced).

Posted in Clintonville | 1 Comment »

Quick Byte: Indochine Cafe, Banh Mi

Posted by CMH Gourmand on September 23, 2012

There is a lot to write about Indochine but today the topic is the staple sandwich of Vietnam, the Banh Mi. As presented and prepared at Indochine, I might refer to it as the Asian Value meal. I have tried most of the Banh Mi’s in town and by volume of consumption alone, I might lean towards the Mi Li Cafe Version. But after additional reflection, testing and retesting, I give the edge to Indochine. My scientific equation goes something like this: size of sandwich + value of pricing + helpfulness of the staff + an Andes Mint with the tab = The Banh Mi winner.

Ultimately, the key to a great sandwich and in particular, the Banh Mi, is the bread. The authentic version of this sandwich features a baguette – a French style torpedo roll. Not all baguettes are created and baked equally. I tried to pull out the source of Indochine’s bread from the owner on several occasions but she was on to me in a second and became evasive in a friendly way. Their baguette is big, chewy, dense, crunchy and crusty concurrently. Several versions of the sandwich are served with a variety of meats – I have tried all versions and found them delightful but the best of the bunch is the traditional sandwich with pork.

I have looked at the rest of the menu but paid no heed to it. I would assume that it is good and reviews of Yelp and other sites would confirm my hunch. I can say that my observations include a staff that has a hard-core group of regulars they know by name and order. The cuisine is focused on Vietnam with a few Laotian items creeping in. I mentioned the Andes mint earlier – each person gets one with their bill, in my book, three cents of good will goes a long way. The location is in a former fast food franchise building repurposed into a bastion of diversity on the east side of central Ohio. Go for the Banh Mi – it will fill you up then order something to go so you can be more diverse than me.

Indochine
561 South Hamilton Road
Whitehall
614.231.7357

Indochine Cafe on Urbanspoon

Posted in sandwiches, Sub Dude | Tagged: | Leave a Comment »

The Art of the Science or the Science of the Art of Food Judging

Posted by CMH Gourmand on September 19, 2012

I have been a judge all my life….but haven’t all of us? There is a phase De gustibus non est disputandum or to the non Latin among us = In matters of taste, there can be no disputes. Thousands of years show that this is most often true and I would say in some areas such as wine, beer, cheese and strongly crafted items that individual tastes are so….individual – that is a challenge to say what it best – although it is very often easy to agree on what is worst.

However, I have been asked to judge many foods formally over the years starting with my entry into the world of The Kansas City BBQ Society as a certified judge in 2006. I judged a contest in Wisconsin that year. I then started judging at too many events to count at the North Market. (This is the best gig on the judging circuit, which is good because NO ONE says no to Mary Martineau). Since then I have judged at Baconcamp, BeerCamp, The Ohio State Fair, The Smoke Experiment, Pizza Grand Prix, Cupcake Camp, wine judging for the Columbus Food and Wine Affair and most recently at the International Chili Society Championship at Cajohns.

Most people say, “wow” how do you get a job like that? It is fun. It is a great way to meet new people and experience new flavors. It is an honor and a privilege to be asked. It is also a significant investment of time and rarely reimbursed with more than a Thank You. (And let me say, when I do receive more than a thank you, it is greatly appreciated and sometimes I feel unworthy of the consideration).

All of the above considered, the question does arise – How does one judge who wins and who does not? What makes me, or anyone qualified to decide the tastes of the masses when we all have different taste buds. This question was posed to me at the Smoke Experiment by a very passionate attendee. I provided a 10 to 15 minute explanation and thought I had covered the question well. The person then followed up with an e-mail wanting more information. I did not feel that I had more to add, but the persistence of this enthusiast probably indicates that there are deeper questions to be asked and more people interested in the answers.

Judging is only easy when you are deciding between two items. Much like at the eye doctor “Is this better or worse”……an easy question right? But what do you do when they are “about the same”. That is when, like when looking at the eye chart you might try again and say “better now….or now?” Eventually you get an answer because there is a difference, right?

But therein, lies the rub (sometimes) how do you sort out the differences? How do you get more than one person to taste something at the exact same place on the flavor spectrum as someone else? The answer is you often cannot. Because of this, a good contest will do a few things: establish criteria based on the characteristics of the food and the contest goals, obtain or train judges that can understand and follow those criteria and make sure that judges reflect the diversity of your contestants. A good contest planner can also hope that no one cries when they lose. That sucks and it does happen.

Criteria vary but most often include taste, appearance/presentation and aroma. A common criterion for “amateur” contests is creativity. The other criteria usually target on the dish itself – spicy, heat, ________ flavor. I prefer contests that weight the scale in favor of what I care about the most – the flavor of the item being say up to 10 points and creativity being up to 5. If you are a judge – before you sample – you need to determine what your baseline flavor is – what is average and do you best to keep to that baseline for each entry you try. This is a challenge.

If you are a contestant – take a look at the criteria for judging and make sure you are hitting the mark on all of them. I have sample many things that tasted great – but looked horrible. I have seen beautiful presentation of a dish only to taste something that was not worth a bite.

For the science of judging I have taken two classes. The first was with the Kansas City BBQ Society. It was a 4-hour class to become a certified BBQ judge. The second class – which requires two sessions, was wine judging for the Columbus Food and Wine Affair.

Both classes spend some time walking through the criteria and describing the characteristics of each in great detail. Both classes provided a lot of tongue on experience – tasting, sampling and discussing what was sampled. It both classes, the instructors would have students talk about their rankings at the end of a sample session. After a few dry runs – a natural bell curve could be seen for each item tried – whether is was a wine or a loin. The better entries clustered high in scores and the weaker entries clustered low. There were clear bad, good and great entries that every one could agree on. But when it comes down to the BEST – there is often not complete agreement. Often one judge’s number two candidate is another’s first or third place. The same applies to the bottom of the scale. So for winners and losers – it comes down to score average. My best may be your third best. My worst may be your low average. But I have never encountered a competition where one judges best ranked as another worst.

It comes down to technical execution. If you execute everything technically well you will place in the upper half of the bell curve. What is a winning entry in one group could be a third place with another group of judges on the same day.

Some of these challenges presented themselves to me judging at the state fair this year. The scoring systems for the many contests are not the clear-cut point systems that the esteemed Mary Martineau uses. There were criteria and some percentages but in each category we found ourselves debating the pros and cons of the top three contestants in most categories. It was really democracy in action – but the debates were long. In one contest – we gave first place to our second place finisher for taste. Why? Because the winner had to then go on to national competition and our “winner” for taste was not even close for presentation and also missed some critical elements of the quintessential type of pie it was supposed to be. If you want to be a judge, it is helpful – but not always observed as being a selection criteria – to have these skills: tact, diplomacy, the ability to articulate flavors and sensations as well as the ability to be pragmatic enough not to obsess over every little detail and nuance and just go with your first impression.

I have judged wine four times now and I can say – my skills are not improved in this area. I can tell you what I like and what I don’t like – but I would be hard pressed to defend a score of 14 out for twenty vs. 15 out of twenty with anyone. However, in the world of BBQ – I have the confidence and ability to articulate why one brisket is better than another based on taste, appearance, etc.,

We have different palates and they are not all created equal. Not all dishes presented to the judges are created equally either.

Judging is an art and a science. It is more than a roll of the dice but less than a bull’s-eye by a sharpshooter. That is as much of an answer and explanation as I can muster. How would you rate that on a scale of 1 to 10?

Posted in culinary knowledge | 1 Comment »

Hemisphere Coffee Roasters: Mobile Coffee in Clintonville.

Posted by CMH Gourmand on September 16, 2012


While driving to work on September 11th I caught a trailer with a line of one out of the corner of my eye. The trailer was parked at the corner of Indianola and Blenheim/Northridge. I was a bit surprised because the Boston Berts mobile food trailer has been parked less than 200 feet away for 5 or more years and there was a trailer parked in the Bert’s spot for years before then, I now because in lived at that corner from 1993 to 2002. The Boston Bert’s does a slow but steady business serving the workers at the Marzetti plant across the street. But I could not imagine that this strip could support two mobile vendors.

I quickly turned off Indianola to investigate this novel folly but within a few second, my skepticism disappeared. Why? The easy answer is one word: Coffee. Coffee in an area that sees 1000’s of commuters heading to downtown in the morning with only a few coffee options but none of which is convenient and only one which is good. This area also has two schools nearby with parents dropping off their children in the morning less than 1 block away. This stretch of Clintonville is home to a larger than average percentage of hippies with sustainable jobs that like and want coffee.

Also of note. Of the 100 plus mobile vendors in Columbus, none of them do coffee. A few set up lame coffee in a pot for special occasions but not on a daily or weekly basis. There is a coffee trike on the way. The missing link in mobile vending is coffee. Almost every morning or evening event I have been to herding mobile vendors has been missing one product that 100’s of people were looking for: coffee. It could have been bad coffee and people would have bought gallons of it. But, imagine if you will, what if someone took good coffee to the masses? Hemisphere Coffee Roasters have been at it for a week now and I wish them well and I think they are going to do well in there spot (and any other location they can find to set up a serve).

Posted below is an interview with Hans who owns and runs the trailer with his wife Joelle.

A little history first… My wife’s parent’s founded Hemisphere Coffee Roasters ten years ago after learning about the plight of a coffee farmer in Nicaragua. Paul Kurtz, my father-in-law, traveled to Nicaragua often because of his position at a Christian Missions agency. He began importing small lots of coffee and selling the roasted beans as a hobby. As the business grew, Diego Chavarria, the coffee farmer in Nicaragua, advised him that to really make a difference, he needed to buy a whole container (37,500 lbs) of coffee. Paul found investors and imported that first container in 2007. Since then, we have imported seven containers, with more in the works. These purchases have allowed Diego to employ workers full-time, make improvements to the farm, support local churches and pay off his loans to the bank and own his farm outright. In return, this Direct-Trade relationship insures quality coffee. We travel to Nicaragua frequently, see the coffee that is being prepared for us and spend time getting to know Diego and his family, soaking up their incomparable hospitality. This is better than Fair Trade, because we know the exact farmer our coffee comes from, what he is getting paid and what processes he is using to cultivate the beans. He shares with us his financial needs, we provide micro-loans and financing, and are granted premium coffee in return. Since meeting Diego, we have connected with other companies and non-profits who are doing the same thing we are, helping a specific farm. We offer six to eleven Direct-Trade coffees (depending on availability) and showcase these at the HCR Trailer. HCR supplies businesses, cafes, restaurants, churches, markets and gift shops.

My wife Joelle and I got involved in the company about 4 years ago. My wife does a lot of book work, customer relations, and filling and shipping orders. I roast most of the coffee, and work on flavor profiling, following trends in the coffee world, and really anything that needs done around the shop. Our Roastery is located in Mechanicsburg, Ohio about 25 miles Northwest of Columbus. We live in and love Columbus and have been dreaming for years about how to mesh our coffee life in Mechanicsburg and our home life in Columbus. Plus, we love coffee! The more I research, read, and learn about coffee, the more I fall in love with this versatile commodity. I had been working part-time for HCR and part-time for a remodeling company, but found myself dreaming about coffee; Perfecting a roast, sampling new Direct-Trade offerings, getting my latte art down pat. In August, I quit my remodeling job and went full-time with HCR. This trailer allows us to bring Direct-Trade coffees to Columbus, something we are passionate about! I still roast in Mechanicsburg, and those demands can vary week to week. The trailer allows flexibility in schedule and location. We had a great reception at the Ohio Food Truck and Cart Festival a few weeks ago and have several other festivals slated. The trailer also allows us to test out locations without the upfront costs of rent and utilities. It’s a low-risk way to start a business, even though it feels like a high-risk to quit my steady job and support my wife an daughter in this way.

Where did you’re passion and knowledge come from?

I think I first fell in love with people. I loved the coffee shop atmosphere and wondered what was behind it. I learned about HCR while in college, and became curious about the roasting aspect. I grew up in rural Ontario, CA (4 hours from a Wal Mart!), and spent my high school years in small town Kalona, IA. I moved to Columbus after Paul offered to take me under his wing. I got in way over my head, marrying his daughter, but this is good. 🙂 I learned to roast and read anything I could get my hands on about coffee. I’ve attended events, workshops, and meetings about how to offer quality coffee with compassion in mind, how to help farmers without being a charity. This is at the heart of HCR. Coffee is very subjective it’s up to each individual to decide if they like it or not! But there are industry standards and we strive to be at the cutting edge of those standards. Whether it’s Direct-Trade brokerage, pour-over techniques, or fourth-wave espresso blends. I’ve traveled to Nicaragua and Costa Rica to see coffee at it’s roots. It’s easy to fall in love with coffee once you’ve seen how it’s grown, harvested, processed, and how it affects the individual farmer. We want to do this Direct-Trade coffee justice and treat it with the respect it deserves!

What types of jobs and food service training did you have before opening the HCR trailer?

I’ve worked in the food service industry and my wife was a manager at a coffee shop for a few years. HCR has a small cafe we both work at. We’ve gotten a good sense of what people are looking for and always strive to make them happy. You can have the best coffee in the world, sourced form the most sustainable farm, but if no one likes it, who cares! We want to please people and offer education. I remember thinking, “what’s this latte thing?” We want to present the best latte possible, and don’t look down on people just getting in to coffee. There’s something for everyone in the coffee world, and it’s an exciting industry to be apart of.

What are your plans for additional food or baked goods?

We would love to offer more food options. My wife makes granola bars that will make you swoon. We also have vegan, gluten-free hot cereals form Earnest Eats that will fill you up. We are just getting started and trying to feel out the needs of our customers, but we’d love to partner with local food businesses. Expanding our menu is a work in progress.

Anything else you want people to know about HCR and the trailer?

We’ve learned of the hospitable benefits of coffee, a beverage that brings people together. We are just one small trailer, but we’re backed by our company that is excellent in providing coffee to businesses and organizations. If you need coffee, let us know! We have competitive pricing and you can know that your purchase is benefiting coffee farmers around the globe.

HCR Trailer
3825 Indianola Ave.
Clintonville (south of Cooke Rd)
Tentative Hours: 6:45 am to 10 am

Posted in CLOSED | Tagged: , | Leave a Comment »

Wurst und Bier

Posted by CMH Gourmand on September 5, 2012

I feared the worst.

I first became aware of Wurst & Bier on Columbus Underground. The first post seemed a bit suspect. A second post seemed more authentic and honest. Note to Restaurant and Social Media consultants (like myself) using Columbus Underground – study these two posts and do a compare and contrast in reaction.

The second point of hesitation was the location which is the Crosswoods office complex at SR 23 and I-270. This is probably the most poorly managed strip mall in the Central Ohio region. In a previous post I described the area as densely packed with apartments, office buildings, condominiums and not so long ago, six steakhouses in a quarter-mile area. Somehow this retail center has become beaten down with numerous failed restaurants, unpatched potholes and thousands of cars driving by in search of an Applebee’s. Nothing has changed, if anything the area continues a death spiral – even Panera left.

I used to work in the area, so when I drive by the old wage slave factory, a dysfunctional hate rises up in me as I shake my fist at my former employer and say “Suck It ____”. So for my own emotional well-being I stay away from this suburban hell.

OK, catharsis aside, there were more misgivings. The WB logo is horrible and cheesy. If I was to classify the artwork the first thoughts that come to mind are honky gnome meets smurf. My initial thought was that this place was a “Schmidt’s Light”. I decided to defer inspection.

However, this is a Biergarten baby! Having spent time in Germany, and specifically the Hofbraeuhaus, I think that Columbus could stand with a good Biergarten. The beer list looked inviting with plenty of German brews on tap. Since the place remained open after a few months of operation, I decided an exploratory mission was in order.

I arranged the services of the Dining Duder as a co-pilot and we made our pilgrimage for pilsner. The moment we walked into the former BW-3 location, memories of the dreaded sports bar of days gone by filled my mind. Comparing the immediate vibe of the former tenant to the atmosphere of the new upstart Wurst & Bier my diagnosis was “This does not suck”. One fear was that the place would be staffed with unauthentically garbed Bavarian-wannbe servers in the theme of Whore & Wurst (this place is a sports bar so it was a possibility). It was not themed in schtick – the black-shirted servers treat this as a bar that serves wurst so they don’t try to act like experts on the cuisine or culture. Our server was proud that she could correctly pronounce one of the items on the menu (one more than me) and for that I would say she earned the Prost on the back of her shirt. I also need to mention that on an off-peak Wednesday night, the restaurant has an 80-odd-year-old accordion player on site blazing away on his instrument. This mild-mannered, energizer bunny style octogenarian Bavarian deserves excessive tips due to his dedication.

The Dining Duder and I promptly zeroed in on the bier part of the evening. Although there were many beers we wanted to try we opted for the novelty of the Gaffel Koelsch wheel of 11 (a wheel of 11 .2 liter glasses of beer). Since these cute little bier tasting glasses are on a moving wheel and the alcohol content seems to sneak up on consumers, the casualty rate for the glasses has been higher than the normal collateral damage of the bar trade. Since the bar could only offer ten glasses for the wheel – we were given two similar glasses to make up for our impaired authentic experience and give us an even dozen. To that I say Prost!

Time to dine. The menu is not overwhelming in size but there are some difficult decisions to be made. My suggestion for your first visit is to go with a group of five or more people so you can fully investigate the selections. German food was made for one purpose…to facilitate the consumption of beer. It is starchy, maintains a non diverse rainbow of white, brown and dark yellow and is true meat und potatoes fare. Granted, there is an occasional earth toned pickle mixed into a dish but vegetables are for the French and girly men.

We started with the Obazda: the traditional Bavarian bar food of Brie mixed with cream cheese, butter, onions and some mystery seasonings served with a large, freshly baked pretzel paired with Bavarian mustard. On a score of 10 – we would place Obazda at 9.7 on the bar food scale. It was the perfect pairing for beer drinking.

Moving right along…time for the wurst. The Dining Duder ordered Currywurst (the popular street food of Germany). Excuse me please, Vas ist Currywurst you ask? You choose one from a wide selection of sausages und wursts which the kitchen slices up and covers it with a magical sauce and curry powder. Simple, flavorful and a little spicy. This is like eating a sponge to soak up alcohol but more tasty.

I opted to go traditional in honor of my own German heritage with a choice of two wursts (one traditional, one spicy), mashed potatoes and sauerkraut. This met my expectations and was on par with my meals in Munich and Frankfurt long ago.

I also decided to draft the Dining Duder into some critical research. There are two potato salads on the menu. I was determined to try both. Munich Style Potato Salad is a mix of vinegar, oil, onions, pickles and mustard. Berlin Style is mustard, potatoes and pickles. Berlin won. Both salads looks similar, used the same potatoes and pickles but the simplicity of the Berlin style won me over. This reminded me of the potato salad of my youth made by my grandmother.

As we finished our meal we noticed that the table across from us had just ordered a beer tower (looks a lot like a giant beer bong) but we decided to save that for our next visit and a different beer. Our server checked in to see if we were interested in dessert. When the Duder and I declined, all three of us snorted, since our served pointed out that she was proud of us for not eating until we barfed….and we had thought that might happen at one point. Good sense reigned for the evening. We expected the worst and got better than we expected. We will be back.

Don’t fear the wurst. CMH Gourmand tested, Dining Duder approved.

A final note. When it comes down to it 21% of the Barvarian food experience is about mustard, Wurst und Bier serves several, authentic, real deal, German mustards. That my friends is significant and makes up for any misgivings I had before I walked through the door. In the words of Arnold Schwarzenegger, “A’ll bee Baacck.”

W&B aka Wurst Und Bier
110 Hutchinson Ave
Crosswoods
Columbus (Suburban Hell)
614.436.2437

Wurst und Bier on Urbanspoon

Posted in beer, restaurants | Tagged: | 5 Comments »